AN:: This is the first Dramione I have ever written, so far I have read tons, but never felt like I had a really strong plot in order to write it. The story might seem slow at times, but it's not meant to go fast. It will have action when the story comes to an end since the whole story is set right before the final battle, but that isn't the main story here.
Warnings: forced marriage, torture, possibly death (haven't decided yet), feelings, breakup of friendship. I'll come back and add things if I realize I'm missing anything else.
I hope you all enjoy this, especially the Dramione fans, but also my readers (don't fear, I'm not abandoning slash :P )
I own nothing. Enjoy
It had cost her several fights, but she was finally there. Back at Hogwarts for her N.E.W.T.
Neither Ron nor Harry didn't understand why she would put them all in danger because of an exam, but they didn't understand why they needed school either so she ignored them.
She walked hastily through the school, it would be best if nobody knew she was there. She turned a corner, walking straight into a tall and blonde Death Eater. Her mind raced, trying to find out why the boy was back at Hogwarts; McGonagall had told her that he hadn't returned.
While he looked like his old self, she thought he looked pretty tired, and maybe scared. But his mood rapidly changed and he gave her the famous Malfoy sneer.
"Granger," he said, almost pleased. "I knew you would try to sneak into the school for your N.E.W.T." So he had been waiting for her, that explained why McGonagall didn't know about him being here.
"Get out of my way Malfoy," she answered angrily while trying to push her way past him. But he blocked her path.
"I don't think so." He took a step towards her, forcing her to back up. "Have you heard the news about the laws Granger?" His casual tone made her uncomfortable, but she ignored the voice that told her to get away from him as soon as possible.
"Of course. The ministry decided to use the old Medieval Magic Laws. I assume it's in order to keep the less fortunate people down." Why Voldemort bothered changing the law was beyond her grasp, why would he do something like that when he could easily force people to do what he wanted. But it was done, and the only thing she could do now was hope that the good side would soon win.
"You're absolutely right." She couldn't hide the shock that crossed her face when she heard Draco say she was right, for surely it was all in her mind.
"I know that as a woman I'm not allowed to take this test, nor even go to school, based on my family's income; but the laws also say that if someone is already signed up for something they are allowed to complete it."
"You're right again." Her ears was burning. This time it wasn't a trick of her imagination, he really did say she was right. "But your right to take your N.E.W.T. is not the reason why I'm bringing the laws up right now."
"What is your reason, if I may ask?" She couldn't help her curiosity. Draco had a plan and she wanted to know what it was. If she knew what his plans really were she would have turned around as quickly as possible and run back to the camp where Harry and Ron were waiting for her.
"Like you said, those old laws were made in order to keep the lower class beneath us, giving us the power to do whatever we want."
"And what do you want?" When Hermione looked back to that moment she couldn't help feeling embarrassed, she knew well enough what he wanted. He wanted to be the one in charge of someone's life, he wanted other people to suffer, he wanted to feel power like Voldemort's.
"I want you."
"Are you mad?" She said before trying to push her way around him, the N.E.W.T.'s was soon to begin.
"I'm not mad." When he realized she was planning to run away from him he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her into the wall. "We, my dear Gryffindor, are engaged." It took her only one second to work out what he had done, but that was enough for her to know that she needed to get away from him.
"No!" she screamed while trying to push him off her, but he was way to strong for her.
"My father payed your parents a visit to lay out a proposition." She stopped fighting to think about it.
"But my parents aren't magical. The law doesn't apply to them."
"Not directly, but as long as you're their daughter, a witch, they are part of the decision. You are such a clever which, what did you do with them?" Draco somehow managed to make her forget that she had removed their memories and sent them to Australia. She struggled to clear her mind in order to prevent him from finding her secret. She was sure Snape had taught him occlumency.
"If they didn't agree then the engagement isn't approved."
"Unless you are high up in the society, which I doubt, you don't have any rights; so even if your parents were to refuse you would still be engaged."
"You're lying!" Suddenly she started shaking, she didn't know if it was anger or fear, the only thing she knew was that she needed to get away from Draco. "Release me!"
"Of course, you still have your N.E.W.T. to attend to." Did he think she cared about the exam after he revealed to her what he had done behind her back? But as much as she wanted to just turn around and run she knew she would never forgive herself for not attending the exam.
Ignoring the blonde she ran over to the main hall and entered, finding her place by a vacant desk. She thought that she might have some time to think about Draco's news in peace, but soon discovered she wouldn't have any peace from the blonde when he sat almost right in front of her. He acted like he didn't know she sat almost right behind him, but she knew he sat there just to mess with her mind.
At first she feared she wouldn't be able to concentrate enough about the exam to answer the questions, but as soon as she read the first question she forgot about her trouble.
She was the first to finish her N.E.W.T's and therefore the first to leave, something she was grateful for. She grabbed her jacket and was about to leave when she noticed that the blonde was smirking at her.
She fought the urge to hex him and left the room.
When she was outside the main hall she started to run towards the exit, she needed to get as far away from it as quickly as possible.
Finally she saw the massive gates. Once she was past them the only thing she had to do was to run down into the forbidden forest and she would be free.
But that day did not go as she planned it. Suddenly, without knowing where he came from, Lucius Malfoy grabbed the running girl and stopped her from escaping. The force from her speed caused her to crash into the older man's embrace as he pulled her towards him.
She felt his fingers dig through her sweater and into her arm, he clearly didn't want her to escape him.
Before she had a chance to think, he found his wand and waved it around them while muttering something. At first she thought he was going to kill her, but she soon realized he put a silencing charm around them both.
She stared up at him. His looks were almost gone, instead of icy grey eyes they were sad, tired and broken; his skin was sickly pale, and he was unshaved.
"Why the hurry little girl?"
"Let go of me!" She tried to twist her arm away from his hold, but he didn't release her. She tried to grab her wand, only to realize that it was gone. When she looked up at the man she saw her wand in his free hand, though how he had managed to take it from her without her knowing was beyond her.
"Why would I do something as stupid as that when I finally have one of Potter's little friends in my grasp?"
Hermione wanted to scream for help, but knew it wouldn't work. Nobody would hear her. Instead she tried to use her intelligence to get out of the situation.
"Will you bring me to him?" Because they had placed a taboo spell on Voldemort's name she had to be careful not to speak it, even if she was inside the school they would still send out Snatchers to find out who dared utter his name.
"Eventually, but first we have more important matters of which to attend." The way he made her interested in his plans were annoying. She knew that she needed to get away from him, but her mind wanted to know everything.
"What will you do to me?" she asked, knowing well enough that she couldn't hide the fear from her voice.
"Haven't my son told you? You're betrothed. And your wedding will be held soon. You never know who lives, or dies, in such dark times as these." The way he took a pause before saying dies made her anxious. Was he referring to something special? She knew he was practically Voldemort's right hand, before he messed things up, so he must know something.
While thinking about the reason behind the engagement she realized what their plans were. The engagement between her and Draco was created in order for them to force her to tell them about Harry's hideout. They were planning to use her in order to find him.
That seemed like their plans, but she knew that was ridiculous. There were tons of ways to make her tell them about the hideout, a marriage between her and Draco was too complicated to be a way of finding Harry.
Her mind desperately tried to find a way to warn her friends about what had happened. They needed to know that they were in danger.
"I think it's time for us to head back home, we need to get everything sorted out before the wedding."
"I won't marry him!" Again she tried to twist out of his grasp, but he was even stronger than Draco. He pulled her brutally outside the school boundaries, where he disapparated them to the Malfoy Manor.
