THE ETERNAL RING
They say that a library is just a place to house a collection of books, Hermione knew different. A library was a place to retreat to, a place for knowledge, to better oneself and it could be the place for best form of escapism.
That was why she was currently in the confines of the Malfoy library; she was here on a mission. Before Narcissa Malfoy pasted away from a Grade 6 brain aneurysm last year she had been working on a mystery project that was so secret that the Ministry of Magic didn't even know what it was, the only thing that her bosses knew was that; Mrs Malfoy had been working on something to do with recognising defects in blood they were very interested in this.
After a few conversations with both Mr Lucius Malfoy and Mr Draco Malfoy the Ministry had thought it best if they sent someone to try and work out what this project was that had kept the blonde women locked away in the mammoth library for months on end. After the predictable disgruntlement from Lucius Malfoy, Hermione was finally given full access to all the old books and files on the condition that she be supervised at all times by the house owners son.
"Don't think you'd want to go down there Granger." Came a steady voice from behind her, Hermione whipped around taken by surprise at his sudden silent appearance, "Merlin's Beard! Draco Malfoy are you trying to give me a heart attack?" hand on her chest to try and calm her thumping heart Hermione frowned up at the man in front of her, he laughed "Sorry. That's the romantic section of the library." He explained, Hermione looked at the books again.
The shelves were more dusty here than any other part of the room. "A little look wouldn't hurt would it?" she wasn't talking to her companion, more to herself.
"I didn't take you for a chick Granger." Hermione shot Malfoy a look "I mean a cheesy romance reading chick, no offence." If it wasn't for the smirk that danced on the corner of his lips Hermione may have been more inclined to believe him. Because of that smirk Hermione walked down the dust walkway knowing that Malfoy could do nothing but follow her.
Hermione ran her fingers down the spines of all the different books, each having a different feel to them, she was coming back to the entrance of the passage when a glint of gold caught her eye, Hermione picked up the book with the gold lettering, Lasting Love Hermione snorted at the corny title she opened up the front page.
Inside the book was a hole burnt out of the centre of each page, Hermione felt horror rise up in her at the sight, in the vandalised pages was an ugly engraved gold box. Hermione tipped the book to retrieve the box "What's that?" Malfoy asked looking over her shoulder. Hermione shrugged pushing the lock to open the lid, inside was another box this one was plastic but Hermione couldn't open it.
Malfoy took it from her after watching her struggle for a minute, he opened it with no problem and Hermione scowled at him, he held it out to her and Hermione could see that inside were two plain gold rings reaching inside she picked up one and Malfoy picked up the other, "Bit of an anticlimax right?" Malfoy joked with her and Hermione couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips as she thought exactly the same thing.
"Why do you think they put ugly rings in two boxes and ruined a book?" she asked him, Draco shrugged he put the box on the floor and ran his finger along the ring before placing it on finger. "I have no idea." He answered; Hermione also put the ring in her palm on. "Guess we should put them back and move on."
Hermione agreed and went to remove the ring she pulled the band from her finger, as she did so she felt is scratch and rip her skin, she could feel warm blood start to seep from her finger, Hermione hissed at the same time so did Malfoy. Having taken the item off she threw it back into the box "Did it cut you?" Hermione asked Malfoy as she sucked her finger, "Yes." He also sucked his, he dropped the ring he wore back in the box along with the one her had worn. "No more romance crap, let's get back." Malfoy put all the boxes back into the book and replaced the hardback back on the shelf
Hermione sat at an old oak desk skimming through a journal of Mrs Malfoy to see if there might be anything hidden in them "Do you want a coffee?" Malfoy asked, Hermione shook her head "No thanks." She tried to stretch her spine to get the kinks out, "I can help you with that." He said Hermione turned around and raised an eyebrow, "Okay." She agreed dragging the word out, he indicated that she should stand in front of him so she did so.
Hermione felt his warm hands on her shoulder and her body shivered, slowly he pulled her shoulder blades back and as her back clicked Hermione let out a small moan, and as soon as she did her eyes went wide... What did she just do! "I think it's alright now, thanks." Hermione said breaking apart as soon as possible.
Standing a few feet apart they both jumped slightly when the door opened and in walked Lucius Malfoy he strode across the room with such a look on his face that Hermione unconsciously took a step back "What have to done you stupid boy?" Lucius thundered when he stood right in front of Malfoy, then before Hermione knew what was happening he had struck Draco across the face. "Malfoy!" she exclaimed kneeling down beside her fallen former school colleague. "You are not innocent in this Miss Granger either or should I call you Mrs Malfoy?" the elder blonde smirked at her.
Hermione realising that the man towered over her where she knelt quickly stood squaring her shoulders. "Lucius Malfoy, son or not, Draco is an adult. You have no right to raise your hand to him and if he chooses to do so he can press charges against you and I will be more than happy to be a witness" Hermione growled the last bit.
Lucius smiled that obnoxious smile of his and looked down at his son. Draco had just stood up from the floor and looked between his father and his former bushy haired nemesis who was sticking up for him and he honestly didn't know if he was impressed or embarrassed.
"Are you going to do that son? Press charges against your father or are you going to do what your wife says."
"Mr Malfoy you know perfectly well that Draco and I are not married, it's a little early to be starting on the alcohol don't you think."
"When you walked the halls of this library Mrs Malfoy did you come across something you shouldn't have?" the blonde ask as if she was a two year old.
"The whole reason for me to be here is to find something I shouldn't have!"
"We found a book with some rings in, father." Malfoy replied before the people in front of him became anymore heated.
"Show me." Lucius demanded and Malfoy went to show him with Hermione following in their wake. "You just happen to pick up this book, of all the books in this room you pick up the corniest book?" the blonde shook his head, before Hermione could come back with a cutting remark Lucius had used his wand, removed all the boxes and held the rings aloft. "They've changed!" Malfoy noted Hermione looked closer at the banks of metal and noticed that he was right, there was writing along the inside of each ring.
"The Eternal Ring." Lucius said to Draco, who gasped and staggered back, Hermione frowned at them both "Can someone please explain." She demanded.
"The Eternal Ring Mrs Malfoy is a wedding ring, of the strongest kind, used a long time ago when wizards had to arrange the marriage of their children to the right sort of family." He sneered
"This is not medieval England Mr Malfoy where they still have arranged Marriages and I am not married to your son!" she all but screamed at the man Hermione could feel herself getting angrier with the idiot in front of her.
"Well, Mrs Malfoy this might not be medieval England, but that is a medieval ring with medieval magic; it needs no contract to make in legal and binding it just needs blood."
Hermione felt all the said blood leave her face, she glanced down at her finger at the little scratch that marked her skin she then stared at Malfoy who looked up from his hand to her face and knew that the horror that was etched on his face was also on hers.
"You have to be wrong." Malfoy all but begged his father. "Oh how I wish I was, I thought my father had gotten rid of these. I guess I better leave you to consummate it."
"WHAT!"
"WHAT!"
"Oh, you mean you didn't know?" he said a sadistic smile on his lips as he turned to Hermione. "If not consummate on their wedding night, the female dies. Something about strong headed girls going against their families wishes." He added the last bit with a wave of his hand.
Lucius left them then in the wake of a billowing cloak Hermione turned to Malfoy then turned her head away again. "I'm never picking up another book ever!" She swore.
The idea for this was running around in my head today so hope you like it...
Disclaimer ------ Harry Potter and other characters belong to J K Rowling