a/n: Hello there! I decided to take part in the Dramione FanFiction Forum drabble challenge! I hope you like my take on it. I know it's not very dark, but I like casual violence much more than gore ;) betaed as always by viv-heart :)
prompt: bloody ring, toppled lamp, secret room, „You won't underestimate me again."
Hermione looked down on the bloody body in front of her. She really should have controlled her rage her victim was barely recognizable, even if he was still alive. Well, it would do. The message would be clear: Don't mess with the Queen.
When Harry had defeated Voldemort Hermione had seen the opening. There was power to be claimed and neither Harry nor the Ministry were in any state to claim it. She had talked to journalists and all kinds of powerful people.
She had found Pansy Parkinson to be a brilliant strategist and perfectly capable of charming her way into a bank vault that officially didn't even exist. That's where they had found the ring.
It belonged to Morrighan once but it had been stolen by an unknown thief. The power it possessed had ignited many stories. Every man who tried to wield the power died. It was only logical for Hermione to try the ring on.
She looked down on her hand. The bloody ring sat on her index finger and the stone glowed dark red. Pansy hadn't wanted the ring. She didn't desire direct power, as she preferred to work in the background and let Hermione be the star act.
A knock pulled Hermione out of her reverence. "Who is it?" she called over her shoulder half expecting Pansy to answer.
"Draco Malfoy, I want to talk to you."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. What could Malfoy possibly want from her? She looked down on herself. The beautiful aquamarine robes were ruined and it would take impressive charm work to clean them. Well, she loved shocking people.
"Come in," she called and positioned herself back on the couch.
The door opened and Draco Malfoy entered, quietly closing the door behind him. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before a polite smile appeared on his lips. He stepped closer and righted a toppled lamp before bowing to her.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your- discussion," he said smoothly, his eyes flicking to the man on the floor. "I hoped to talk to you about the rumours I heard."
"What kind of rumours?" Hermione drawled lazily.
"Rumours that our beloved queen isn't as innocent as she likes to look," Malfoy said still smiling. "That she has a secret room in the Ministry where she likes to experiment. That Miss Lovegood is in charge of said room and doesn't like to let other people in there because of the 'Nargles'."
Hermione laughed. "Well, there is no secret room for that purpose, I tend to ruin my own carpets and not those of the Ministry. But Luna has her own room down in the Department of Mysteries and I'm afraid the nargles are quite real."
Draco looked at her for a moment and then cocked his head to the side. "You know, I know a wonderfully easy charm to clean blood out of robes without destroying them," he said conversationally.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "You won't comment on my obvious cruelty? Harry and Ron were quite appalled."
"They didn't hear Skeeter lament about being imprisoned in a glass by you for a whole year," Draco said with a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Well, I had really hoped that bug knew to keep her mouth shut. I will have to do something about that," Hermione sighed, motioning for Draco to take the seat across from her. "About that charm, where did you find it? I'm rather sure I searched every book in existence for something easy."
Draco laughed. "Well, you didn't search the private library of the Malfoy family," he said with a smirk and Hermione was surprised how attractive he looked.
"You changed," she said totally out of context and again a flicker of surprise was replaced by a smile on Draco's face.
"You did too, regency and bloodlust suit you," he said with a wink.
Hermione cocked her head. He looked very relaxed even though a very bloody body lay at his feet and he knew that she did that. "You don't seem to be bothered."
"I admit that I was surprised that the rumours were true," Draco said with the tiniest inclination of his head. "I underestimated you."
"You won't underestimate me again?" Hermione asked, a challenge and an invitation in one.
"I probably will time and time again. There is way more to you than what meets the eye," Draco said pulling out his wand. "Do you mind if I dispose of the man - his whimpering is annoying."
"Go on and show me that charm while you are on it," Hermione said smiling at him. He definitely met her requirements and the predatory smile he had flashed her when she gave him the permission to sit had her hum in anticipation.
The stone on her ring turned back to its normal creamy colour with tiny specks of red, green and blue. Draco had her full attention.