AN : This is an AU where Hermione is adopted.
House : Slytherin
Position: year 2
Category: Additional
Prompt:Thimble
Word Count : 706
In the summer after the war, Draco took to sorting through the family archives. He wasn't quite sure why, but there was something deeply comforting in the smell of old parchment and ink.
One day, he stumbled upon a piece of paper so old that even magic hadn't been able to fully preserve it. It appeared to be a marriage contract between a certain Mr. Malfoy and Miss Selwyn. Draco furrowed his brow. His entire lineage had been drilled into him from a young age, and never had a Malfoy married a Selwyn. He was certain of it. Perhaps one of the pair had died before the wedding? Then he noticed the contract was for a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson. It was signed by Lucius Malfoy I in 1547. He did the maths. He did them again. He ran to the family tapestry and checked. There could be no mistake.
The contract was for him.
He looked at it again. He was supposed to marry whichever Selwyn woman was closest to him in age. Well, that was helpful. The last of the Selwyns had perished in a fire just before he was born. And yet, a quick spell verified that the contract was still valid. Confused, he went to find his parents to ask for their guidance.
His father was just as perplexed. 'Elise and Archibald Selwyn died years ago. Maybe there's a bastard somewhere...'
Narcissa coughed gently. 'Elise was rarely seen in the year before her death. There were rumors that she was expecting.'
'But only Elise and Archibald's remains were found.'
She pursed her lips. 'Exactly.'
Draco gaped at her. 'So I'm supposed to marry someone no one ever knew existed, with no idea who or where she might be?'
She pointed at the contract. 'It says that Lucius I gave a thimble necklace as a betrothal gift for the future bride. As it's part of the contract, only she would be able to wear it.'
'A thimble?'
'A symbol of love at the time. I'd say your best chance at finding the girl is locating the necklace.'
'Great. Just great.'
.oOo.
Draco figured he'd begin his search at Hogwarts, where he was returning to finish his N.E. . He looked everywhere, but found nothing. That is, until Charms class one October afternoon.
Just as Granger was packing up her books, a ray of sunlight caught the necklace she was wearing. Draco's eyes snapped to her neck, and there it was, plain as day. A thimble.
He turned to Theo. 'Does Granger have a particular interest in sewing?'
His friend arched an eyebrow. 'Why do you care, mate? If you're talking about that stupid necklace, she's had it forever. I tried nicking it in first year, but it burnt my fingers. Left a nasty scar, too.'
.oOo.
Draco approached Hermione the next day. 'Hi, Granger? Weird question, but do you happen to have your birth certificate?'
'Is this some kind of jab at my birth? Shove off, Malfoy.'
'No! I'm serious. Please.'
'If I answer you, will you leave me alone?'
'Absolutely.'
'I don't have a birth certificate.'
'Were you adopted?'
The tightening of her jaw was response enough.
.oOo.
The next day, he approached her again. She spoke before he could. 'You said you'd leave me alone.'
'Yes, but I might know who your birth parents are.'
'I don't want to hear it. Anyway, why would I trust you?'
'You must want to know.'
'No.'
'Well, I do. Please. All you have to do is take this blood purity test.' He handed her a box.
She incendioed it. 'Another ploy to make fun of the Mudblood?'
'I expected that. The actual test is waiting in your dorm.'
'Tell me why. Then maybe I'll do it.'
'I - there's a reference to a living Selwyn in a contract. She was given a thimble necklace no one else could touch. I think it might be you.'
She fingered the necklace at her throat. 'Oh.'
.oOo.
'It came back positive,' she told him the next day. 'Guess I'm a Selwyn. What kind of contract was it?'
'A marriage contract,' he blurted out, putting all his cards on the table like some Gryffindor.
Crap, they thought, in agreement for the first time.