Disclaimer: characters belong to J.K. Rowling!!
On Friday the next evening at exactly eight o' clock, Draco rapped on the glass window on her door. He cautiously opened it. "Granger? You ready in there?"
"Yes. You're right on time." Hermione stepped out of the office wearing a strapless white and light purple gown. The top was white and embroidered with little pearls, and at the waist line, began fading into a light purple colour which grew darker as it went down. The bottom half of the dress flowed beautifully like ripples of purple water. She pulled on a dark purple cloak and buttoned herself up while noticing Draco's dashing black robes.
It looked like it was exceptionally tailored just for him, which it probably was. He looked very well-dressed and it made his short white-blonde hair shine. His hair was loose around his face and hung right above his eyes on his forehead, perfect and well-kept as always. She didn't notice the silver wedding band on his left ring finger but instead let her auburn eyes linger on his handsome face. Draco Malfoy is not handsome! she chided herself thoughtfully.
"Do I look exceptionally fancy to you?" Hermione teased. Draco continued staring, then narrowed his eyes and frowned.
"I daresay you have something in your hair." Hermione bit her lip. It had taken her a bloody long time to get her hair piled up exactly the way she had wanted it. Took a bloody load of bobby-pins as well. If he mussed up even one hair she would scream. "Did you put a freezing charm on it?" Hermione froze. Idiot! she yelled at herself secretly.
"No. Hold on," she mumbled and took her wand out of the robe pocket. After freezing her hair in place, she replaced her wand and looked up at his waiting grey eyes. "Now what's in my hair?" Draco smirked and put his long fingers in her hair. She heard something rustling against her brown locks, then he pulled out a scrap of parchment. Hermione blushed madly.
"Trying to take work with you, is that it?" he asked with an amused grin. He sent the paper back on her desk behind her and put his wand away as well. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Let's just go already," she said and stepped out, but Draco's lean, semi-muscular body blocked her and she bumped into him. He leaned his hands on the doorjamb and leaned towards her.
"We need to get a few things straight, alright? In order to pull this off, he cannot know you are Hermione Granger. Everyone's heard too much of you. You need to have a clean slate in order to write in a new reputation." Hermione frowned.
"People will know my face, though." Draco sighed and ran a hand through his perfect hair, mussing it up. Hermione's fingers twitched with the restraint against fixing his white-blonde locks.
"I'm not the Head of this Department for nothing. I've already thought of that. You are going to take this Polyjuice Potion of a random bird that caught my eye." Hermione raised a brow.
"So you're saying that the bird who sparked your interest is the woman you want me to be? I think not!"
"Granger! Take one for the team! I know you know how to, and I know you won't resist. Besides, I tried to make sure she had the same body-type as you." He smirked and Hermione scowled.
"Fine. I'll take it! How did you even get a piece of her hair?" she asked as she grabbed the vial that held the thick-looking substance.
"I walked behind her and took a strand. Simple as that," Draco said with a shrug, and Hermione rolled her eyes, plugged her nose, and drank the thing in one swallow. She immediately made a face and covered her mouth right after. Once she could talk again, she gagged.
"That is the nastiest potion I'll ever take," she said with a shake of her head. She could begin to feel the transformations happening on her body, and she closed her eyes, leaning on the doorpost. Finally, she felt no more weird changes happening to her body, and she opened her eyes. Looking down, she saw that she was a bit shorter than her normal height and was also a bit darker. She had dark chocolate brown curls that stopped at the middle of her waist and had a bit bigger hands and longer fingers.
When she went back into her office and looked into the mirror, the woman looking back was marvelously beautiful. She had perfect white teeth, unblemished skin, a tan body colour, big sparkling blue eyes, and high cheek bones. Nothing else had really changed, especially her lips, brows, arm and neck length, and feet. Hermione was about to turn around when she saw Draco close the door and come behind her. In the dim light of a single lamp, she could see something in his hands.
"Now, for the finishing touches," he said softly. He placed an emerald stone on a thin, silver chain around her neck, doing the clasp in the back. As a speechless Hermione continued to admire herself in the mirror, Draco unexpectedly placed his chin on her bare shoulder.
"I never did get to finish," he whispered into her ear. "The potion ends tomorrow morning at three, and till then you shall be known as an Italian beauty who unfortunately cannot speak the language, but has a believing accent. Your name is Orabella Leonora, a Pure-blood and the daughter of Vincentio Leonora. You can still be the same age you are, but now, let's hear that accent." He raised his head as Hermione giggled and cleared her throat.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, signor," Hermione said in a deeper and melodic voice. Draco cocked a brow.
"I almost wondered where Hermione Granger had gone. That is very good and most noticeably practiced. Did you live with the natives or something?" Hermione smiled.
"I did vacation there for a month, but that's it. Alright, I am Orabella Leonora. Why do I have to pretend to be Italian?" Draco shrugged.
"To get on the host's good side. He's a native Italian." Hermione, or Orabella now, nodded.
"Now, Draco, shall we leave?" she asked in an exaggerated Italian accent. Draco smirked and held out his arm which Orabella took.
"Certainly, Orabella. But wait just a moment. I have something for you." Hermione regarded him curiously as he reached into his black robe pocket and pulled out a small velvet ring box. He opened it and took out a beautiful ring. Hermione gasped. It was very fancy and matched the necklace well. It had intricate designs on the band with small dark red rubies that led up to a rather large diamond for such a delicate ring. Draco placed it on her left ring finger, then let it go.
"Wear it at all times. And please, don't ask any questions. Now, we shall take the Knight Bus. Down to the empty lifts we go."
"Hold on a moment," Hermione said. Draco turned to look at her with a questioning eyebrow raise. She reached her hands up to fix and flatten down his blonde hair back to the way it was before. Draco looked into the mirror and did the finishing touches.
"Thanks," he said with a smirk, and grabbed her elbow. He then led her out of her office, out onto the lifts, out into the cool night air, then into the Knight Bus. They rode in an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say.
Draco helped her down, and both walked the rest of the way towards an enormous house; it was certainly not big enough to be considered a manor, but it was considerably close. Hermione gasped and covered her mouth. "Remember, Orabella is calm and collected," Draco murmured into her ear. Hermione nodded, closed her eyes, then opened her sparkling blue orbs again as Orabella Leonora.
A numerous amount of house elves met them at the entrance, taking robes and disappearing, only to reappear again to take more. Each seem malnourished, but Orabella was not supposed to care or notice. She walked in her high heels arm in arm with Draco after he had taken her robe off for her, and was led to the large ballroom where the ball was most certainly being taken place. Numerous amounts of people were there, each mingling or dancing and enjoying themselves. Orabella couldn't help but smile.
"Always be polite, no matter what the circumstance," Draco whispered into her ear as a couple approached them. Orabella stood to her full height, determined to prove herself as an exceptional Italian woman, worthy of her job as Draco Malfoy's secretary and actress.
After a long time of mingling, Draco led Orabella out of the ballroom. She seemed exhausted. "How can you stand all of that?" she whispered to him as she limped after him. She stopped once in the foyer to take off her heels, then was led to a dimmer side hall, a big contrast from the bright and welcoming atmosphere of the entrance hall.
"If you've been brought up in a home like mine, you'd get used to it. Now, we need to talk. I caught sight of the host and now we have to find a way to approach and get a bit closer to him in order to ask him personal questions. I propose we walk up to him and just talk to him. We can ask to stay at his summer home." Hermione gaped.
"Are you absolutely mad? We can't just saunter over to him and say, 'Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy and this is my date. Can we use your summer home for a bit?' He'd never let us!" she whispered back harshly.
"I'll push him over with my charm," Draco whispered with a wink.
"Or maybe we could just Imperio him!" Hermione murmured with a sarcastic eye roll.
"Good thinking. Like a true Slytherin." He winked again. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
"Seriously Malfoy! We really need a good plan!"
"You think of one. That's the reason I asked you to accompany me."
"Well, you're the boss!"
"No, I am merely the Head of our Department."
"So you are the boss."
"How about we continue with our little discussion about the plan making instead of who's who here." Hermione snorted.
"More like an argument, really."
"A discussion."
"Argument."
"Discussion."
"Argument!"
"Discussion."
"Argument!"
Both suddenly stopped their childish discussion/argument as footsteps sounded on the marble floor. Hermione looked at Draco's suddenly stoic frowning face as he looked at the foyer. The person would soon be upon their hiding place and they'd be caught! Hermione looked back at the hall, panic rising in her throat, and as she fought to keep herself as the calm Orabella, she immediately did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him.
Hermione was surprised at how quickly he responded. He had probably seen it coming. After she had firmly placed her lips over his, he had, after a second, begun moving his lips against hers. Hermione could feel herself being pushed against the wall with his body firmly against hers. Hermione began to feel a bit light-headed and dizzy and put her hands on his shoulders to support herself. Draco's hands went from the wall to her waist, his touch burning her through the cool fabric of the gown. It was only minutes, though it seemed like hours, when they were interrupted by the reason they had come to the ball in the first place; the host himself.
Hermione turned back to Orabella and she and Draco broke apart a bit reluctantly, with Orabella turning away and blushing madly. "Signor Malfoy?" the older wizard asked with a heavy Italian accent. Draco nodded, facing the man. He was at least three inches shorter than Draco and had jet black hair, a fine moustache, thin lips, a handsome face, and a plump body.
"Mr. Benevuto Viendoli. What a lovely party." Mr. Viendoli smiled, resembling something of a sneaky panther, and shook Draco's outstretched hand.
"I'm very glad you could make it. And this lovely witch must be your date. Welcome, signori." Hermione bowed shortly and held out her hand to him, which he took and kissed chastely.
"This is Orabella Leonora, a Pure-blood witch."
"A pleasure, signor Viendoli," she said with a curtsy. Mr. Viendoli looked pleased.
"Italian? Not only lovely, but cultured as well! You best present her a ring soon, Draco, before other eligible wizards decide they want her as their own!" he said with a wink. Orabella gasped in horror and blanched, clearly taking the statement the wrong way. Signor Viendoli looked at her perplexed face and laughed.
"He must mean his sons, Pyxis and Orion. They are both close to our age." Signor Viendoli nodded, that panther-like smile now on his face again. "But I'm afraid your sons will be too late. She and I have already wed, recently, in the lush vineyards of Italy. We are just searching for a nice place to spend our honeymoon." Orabella gave him a weird look as he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, but he ignored it. Now she understood why he had been so insistent on Orabella wearing such an extravagant ring, and for the first time, she noticed the wedding band he had been wearing the whole time on his left ring finger. But why?
"Somewhere in Venice, near a lake, perhaps?" he continued. In Venice? Near the scene of the crime? Orabella's heart began to race with anticipation. Signor Viendoli laughed.
"A splendid choice, Draco. Don't forget the vineyards there as well." What on earth are these two chaps going on about? Orabella wondered to herself in confusion.
"Ah, I didn't forget. How could I? I've always wanted to stay there one day with my wife." At this, signor Viendoli laughed again.
"Well put. You are welcome to stay at my private grounds in Venice for next month. My wife and I will be taking a port key there Saturday morning in my front gardens at ten o' clock sharp. Do not be late, Draco, although I have no doubt you won't be. You always were a punctual one." Signor Viendoli smiled his panther-smile, turned and took a step, then stopped, turning his head towards the couple.
"Oh, and one more thing. Do not wander off here. All guests, including you, are only welcome in the ballroom, foyer, kitchen, entrance hall, and parlor. That's enough space, don't you think? And if you would like to continue your unabashed baciare, I'll extend the library to you two. Just try to keep it down." Orabella gasped in understanding and blushed as signor Viendoli smiled wickedly at the couple. "Arrivederci," he added before turning his head back front and continuing his walk away.
"Let's go to the library," Draco said immediately after Viendoli left. "We'll get more privacy." He took Orabella's hand as she tried to process everything that had just happened. It made no sense to her. Hopefully, he would explain some things to her in there.
Once inside the safely locked library, Hermione opened her mouth. "Malfoy," she began, but was cut off by his lips. They kissed innocently for a moment before his lips kissed her jaw and moved down to her exposed neck. He pushed his body against hers till she could feel the sturdy table behind her.
"Every room in this house is too guarded to talk openly," he growled into her ear before ravishing her neck. "Now that he knows where we are, Viendoli could be watching us right now," he whispered again into her ear. "Too many spies." Hermione closed her eyes from the simple pleasure he was giving her and put her hands on his chest, fisting his robes. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage Draco put a hand on the small of her back to pull her closer, and another on the nape of her neck.
"Viendoli is the suspect with two summer homes in Venice. He occasionally lets only married close friends and their families use one only cottage while he uses the other with his wife. He and my mother were close friends," he whispered between dry kisses. Hermione could barely process anything with him kissing her like that, but it was an excellent cover-up. Even if a person was only an inch away, it looked like a lover purring sweet nothings into his lover's ear. Hermione certainly felt like that, even though nothing he had said was sexually dirty. Instead, it was all important information that was needed for the case, so she had to get her mind cleared.
"Draco," she moaned, and he sighed heavily against her neck before pulling her closer and continuing his ministrations. "I can't concentrate when you're doing this to me," she whispered, and he slowed down.
"Lean into me," he whispered, and she did. Hermione put her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck, immediately becoming overwhelmed with the scent of his cologne and the faint smell of thyme as he positioned his head so that it gave the impression that it was buried into her neck when his mouth was really next to her ear. Draco wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and continued speaking.
"You have to pose as my wife in order to get into his grounds and investigate the area. I'll try and get closer to him in order to ask him more about the scene of the crime, something we both have to try and keep from him. You'll have to drink a thicker and longer lasting Polyjuice Potion-" at this, Hermione shivered, "-but it'll really help us to either get ahead on this case, or fall back immensely." She shivered again at the thought of failure. "We have the whole month of July in order to execute this plan, and we have to do it well or else be caught and risk our lives." Hermione nodded and put her hand on the nape of his neck and stroked his soft white-blonde hair.
"You had this all planned out, didn't you? You're really good at this," she murmured, and Draco chuckled and flicked his tongue lightly against her ear, a faint smile on his face.
"That's why I'm your boss," he whispered back, and Hermione immediately came back to her senses and drew back. Draco just pulled her closer. "Ah, ah, ah, Her-Orabella, you have to get used to these kinds of positions. We are husband and wife after all," he said with a wink and Hermione began to feel faint again. "We should get back to the party," he said and smiled. Hermione smiled feebly back.
"What time is it?" she asked in a shaky voice, much unlike her own. Draco released her finally, and Hermione found herself leaning heavily on the desk behind her and immensely missing his body warmth.
"I don't know. That ready to get to the bedroom, eh?" he said with a smirk. If she was herself, she would have come back with a biting remark, but instead, she just giggled.
"Sod off," she whispered with a smile, beginning to recognize her surroundings much better. Suddenly, she shook her head. "Wait a minute," she said in her Italian accent. "Draco, we need to talk later." Draco nodded and held out his hand which Hermione gladly took, quickly transitioning to her character.
"Now Orabella, let's get back to the party. Aren't you excited about signor Viendoli's kind proposal?" he asked aloud. Orabella smiled up at him.
"Sì, I am, really."