Ahem... I upset quite a few people when I posted this last year as part of Strictly Dramione's Halloween Fest 2017. In fact, I took the fic down from FFN due to some pretty nasty comments that even my thick Irish skin didn't like - I'm most definitely NOT what's wrong with the world - but, in reply to many requests, here it is again with one added detail - Part I. The sequel will follow this Halloween and I promise a more suitable Dramione ending. *Runs away and hides*
Alpha/beta love to coyg-81, In Dreams, and Noppoh, who weren't given any prior warning when they read this the first time around. Sorry, not sorry! LOL!
Backstory
Narcissa Malfoy helps her only son escape to the Order of the Phoenix where he remains safe, helping to hunt down and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Draco falls in love with Hermione Granger; the Slytherin and the Gryffindor vowing to stay together despite their tumultuous history.
Following the defeat of the Dark Lord at the Battle of Hogwarts — but not his death due to the Order's failure to identify one final Horcrux — a price is put on Draco's head by the remaining Death Eaters at large. He returns to the school with Hermione that September for their own protection whilst his mother remains at Malfoy Manor, nursing her seriously wounded master, hopeful no one knows of her deceit.
Part 1
31st October 1998
Hermione climbed the steep staircase leading up to the Astronomy Tower, her midnight blue lace dress catching in the heel of her shoe as she reached the platform. She leaned down to adjust the hem, grabbing the handrail to steady herself as she did so. Taking the final step and looking up, she could only gasp at the sight before her.
Candles adorned every available surface; a small table across the floor bore the weight of her favourite champagne in a silver ice bucket and a small hand-tied posy of autumnal flowers lay beside two vintage champagne coupes. The floor was strewn with rose petals, spelling the words "I love you".
Instantly, tears of joy threatened to dampen her cheeks. A warming charm kept the October chill at bay as she made her way across to the table and lifted the fragrant nosegay to her face, inhaling deeply. The air was filled with the gentle tones of her favourite music; a sonata he'd composed for her the morning after they'd first made love.
"Oh, Draco," she whispered, breathing in the flowers' scent, "this is perfect."
Hermione kept the posy to her nose as she walked over to the railing. Gazing out over the grounds of the old school, she truly believed she couldn't be any happier. She never dreamed she would fall in love with Draco Malfoy; it still amazed her that they were so compatible, so united, so perfect together.
He promised her a Halloween to die for.
She heard his steps coming across the floor and her heart raced in anticipation of his touch.
"Trick or treat, Granger," he whispered seductively from behind her. Hermione gripped the rail, her breath catching. He stepped closer. "Well? What will it be?"
"I think I like this treat," she smiled, leaning back into his strong embrace. "It's a beautiful surprise."
"Only the best for our last night together," he purred. "So let me tell you all about the trick I'm playing on you."
30th October 1998
"You okay, mate?" Blaise Zabini glanced over at his best friend. "You're looking... pensive."
"It's a bit overwhelming sometimes, Blaise," Draco looked up, holding out his empty glass for another top-up. "I never thought my life would end up like this. We've come a long way from dance classes with governesses."
The dark Italian laughed. "You were lucky," he grimaced, pouring more Firewhisky for Draco before topping up his own goblet of elfin wine. "I had to endure bloody acting classes."
"Merlin! I forgot! Yeah, okay, you beat me."
Draco shivered from the damp that seemed to hang in the air. Strengthening the warming charm around them, he settled back into the wing-backed chair positioned to the right of the raging fire.
"Although it's a pain in the fucking arse rattling around in this fucking dungeon on our own," he moaned, "You'd think McGonagall would have given us rooms away from this place. I'd give anything to be sleeping with—"
"McGonagall?"
"Fuck off."
"Mate, you know, since you've fallen for—"
"Exactly! I have fallen for her. Merlin knows why but she loves me back. I'm the fucking luckiest bloke in the world, mate."
Blaise raised his glass in mock salute. "That you are."
"She's everything, Blaise. I don't deserve this fucking second chance at a decent life, not after everything the Malfoys have done." Draco almost spat out his surname in distaste. "But this angel of mercy comes along and forgives me my sins."
He stood abruptly, walking over to his jacket which was hanging on the coat rack near the main dungeon door, retrieving a small box before returning to his seat.
"I'm giving her this tomorrow, mate. I'm going to ask Hermione to marry me."
31st October 1998
Hermione gasped. "What?" She whispered, turning slowly in his arms, cold sweat breaking out on her skin.
"It's all been a wittle twick," he toyed with her hair as he teased, "and the bwightest witch has been vewy, vewy silly to fwall fwor it."
"Draco, please—"
"Ah, ah! No pleading, my love, it's terribly degrading. No, you see, this—" he motioned his hand between the two of them "—This was all a big joke... on you. I could never love a Mudblood! How disgusting is that! Although Muggles are good for some things. Did you know cocaine dulls the senses?" He added in an almost conversational tone, "That was the only way to get my cock into your filthy, mange-ridden cunt."
The smile never left his face; he spoke as if he was enjoying afternoon tea with his mother.
"The Dark Lord will certainly reward me now for breaking you, won't he? I'll be back in his good books again. Where I should have always been."
Hermione was frozen to the spot, physically unable to move. Listening to those hateful and malicious words caused the tears to flow in torrents; her heart smashed beyond repair as he took their most intimate moments and destroyed them in front of her.
"You're lying!" She screamed, throwing the posy of flowers away and falling to her knees in despair. "You're lying, please, please, be lying." The words were choking her as her sobs tore from her throat.
"Oh, no, no, no! I could never lie to you. This is all real, all ugly. Just like you." He laughed maniacally, as if something snapped within him.
"It's such a lovely evening, my dear Mudblood. After all the trouble I went through to set up our little date, shall we continue with it? I feel like dancing, don't you?"
Draco drew Hermione towards him, gently guiding her towards his body as a lover would seek the comfort of his heart's desire. He positioned her as he wished, smiling and joking as if it were April Fool's Day. Not All Hallow's Eve.
Happy with his arrangement of the sobbing figure before him, he began to waltz with her. She moved like a rag doll, limp and lifeless, as he hummed along to the tune that was still playing, hauling her effortlessly across the flower-strewn floor. Her glazed eyes stared ahead; the only functioning part of Hermione Granger now was her fractured but beating heart. Everything else had just died.
"Ah, my love, wasn't Mother clever to insist I attend dance lessons? You feel heavenly in my arms." He continued to hum as tears flowed down her cheeks. "Come on, love, you're slacking! Follow my lead now, that's it, chassé…"
She silently wished for death.
"Good girl, and... oh, you missed your fleckerl! Not to worry—"
"Draco, please—"
Leaning down, his breath caressed the side of her face, sultry tones echoing in her ear.
"I may have failed to cause one death here but... Hermione Granger, I won't fail again. So, my love, this is where we bid adieu."
Kissing her gently on her temple, he dropped her to the ground. "Avada Kedavra."
Draco stepped back, wiping his hands on his trousers.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Well done, Draco!" Footsteps matched the rhythm of the applause. "That was beautifully heart-wrenching; artistic even. To the end, she had no idea you are Imperiused. Delicious! Oh, and the lie about the cocaine was inspiring!"
Draco turned around, standing stock still as if awaiting orders.
"You really didn't cop on, did you, mate? You got the dance classes, but I got the acting classes, remember?"
Draco nodded automatically.
"Oh, the Dark Lord will be delighted! We're ticking all the traitors off the list!" The voice sang out, tinkling against the silence. "Weasley next, I think, or maybe... Narcissa… yes, Narcissa. You will kill your mother next."
"Yes, Blaise," Draco replied. "Mother."
End of Part I