Chapter 2 - Meet the Zabini's
Draco stayed silent. Blaise's twin sister was Hermione Granger. The Hermione Granger that was best friends with Scarhead and Weaselbee. The three people he had tormented his entire school life, the three people he despised, the three people who despised him too. He was going to be living with Granger for the next month.
Blaise smiled slightly at the look on Draco's face, "I know you two don't get along but she didn't even argue when our Mother's came to us with the plan, she immediately wanted to help. She's spent the last two months with us Draco, she's brave, she's intelligent and we get along really well. Her adoptive parents died in a muggle accident of some kind, they left her a letter so she came to find us. My parents have been so happy to have her back and I'm happy she's a part of my life. She's my twin Dray so please don't ruin this for me."
"I wouldn't dream of ruining this for you mate." Draco said with a slight smirk, "But, really? Granger?"
Blaise chuckled, "It's Zabini now."
"What was this Prophecy that caused you to be separated then?" Draco asked thoughtfully.
"I don't actually know, only my parents and Hermione know. I think Hermione is the one that doesn't want to share the contents of it just yet. I trust them so I'm leaving it be at the moment. Anyways, lets go say hi to my parents and you can meet my sister, or should I say re-meet her?" Blaise chuckled softly.
They both left Blaise's room and walked through the corridors of Zabini Manor until they reached the dining hall. Blaise's parents were seated at a round black marble dining table. Draco smiled, "Hello Mr and Mrs Zabini. I would just like to thank you for letting me stay here and indeed saving me from what would have been an awful fate." Draco was the ever polite Malfoy he was supposed to be but he hoped his thanks was enough for all that they were doing for him.
"Hello Draco," Mrs Zabini said whilst standing up to usher Draco in to a motherly embrace, "We are more than happy to do this for you. Now let's have some lunch." Mrs Zabini sat down at her seat and summoned a house elf called Light, to serve lunch for them and to fetch Hermione.
Draco and Blaise sat down at the vast table and started to fill up their plates from the assortment of foods the elf had magically transferred to the table. Hermione walked in to the dining room whilst Draco took his first bite of food. Upon looking at her, he choked, now that he knew she was Hermione Granger it was easy to see why he thought she seemed familiar earlier. Although her skin was tanned now, she still had obvious freckles on her nose and cheeks, her eye colour was the exact same apart from a few amber flecks, her hair was darker with a tamed curl to it rather than a frizzy bush, she had a similar petite build, maybe slightly bigger curves. She was a prettier and older looking version of the Hermione Granger he was used to. Draco felt Blaise hit his back to stop the choking. Draco's eyes streamed as he righted himself and looked back down at his food. Blaise kicked his foot and chuckled so only he could hear.
Hermione sat down and filled up her own plate. Mrs Zabini and Hermione started talking about a book that Hermione was reading so Draco struck up a conversation with Mr Zabini and Blaise about Quidditch. Draco stole a few glances at Hermione throughout lunch and thought about how on earth he was going to thank her for saving him from becoming a Death Eater. This was Mudblood Granger for Merlin's sake. He'd called her all kinds of names and had never said a nice word about her or to her in his life. This was going to be beyond difficult. He didn't know how to be nice to her and he wasn't sure if he even wanted to. He better do a bloody good job at being civil though otherwise he'd be answering to Blaise.
After lunch, the Zabini's and Draco went out in to the garden to have a drink in the sunshine. The Zabini garden was almost as big as the one at Malfoy Manor, it had a meadow for Quidditch games, there was a beautiful flower garden that Mrs Zabini kept herself occupied with, there were ten white garden table and chair sets for when they hosted parties and balls. To Draco, it almost felt like being at home but without the horror of being in Lord Voldemort's clutches. He felt at peace. He wasn't going to be a Death Eater. He could be Draco Malfoy and that was all.
However, before he could properly relax he needed the war to be over. He wondered if Potter had it in him to finish the Dark Lord off, he knew of the prophecy that was destroyed at the Department of Mysteries three months ago and he knew it directly involved both Potter and the Dark Lord, though he wasn't sure in what context. He was sure though that Potter was the one that had to end this madness. And, what of this prophecy about Granger? He wanted to know more. What was she hiding?
XXX
Later on in the day, Blaise showed Draco to his bedroom which was just opposite Blaise's. There were newly bought clothes in Draco's size hanging up in the closet, there was a large four-post bed with white hangings, there was a desk with fancy writing equipment on it and a fireplace with two sofas identical to the ones in Blaise's bedroom. Draco fell backwards on to the bed and let out a huge sigh. Blaise sat down on a sofa and said "I'm glad you're here mate."
Draco sat up, he smiled a smile that only a few ever got to see, "me too Blaise, thank you for this." That night Draco had the best sleep he'd had in months.
Whilst Draco was having a great nights sleep, Hermione lay in her bed wide awake. She'd saved Draco from becoming a Death Eater but what would this mean now? Would he be neutral like the rest of her family or would he fight for the light side? Would he continue to bully her or would he be civil to her? Most likely the latter, he was in her family home after all.
Hermione's thoughts switched to her new family. Over the past two months, she'd spent her time getting to know her biological parents and twin brother whilst dealing with the emotional turmoil of losing her adoptive parents. They had died in a car accident just before her exams, it was a head on collision so they had died instantly. She missed them terribly everyday. She was thankful to have found the Zabini's though. Her parents were incredibly kind and Blaise was very similar to her so they got on really well. They did not want to join a side on the war though. Her Mother and Father had accepted that she would fight for the light when the time came. They didn't want her to of course but they couldn't forbid her as her role in this war was set in stone already. They admired her bravery and determination. Mrs Zabini spent many nights worrying for her daughter, she wished she could protect her in a little bubble and keep her away from all of the destruction and death that was sure to come.
Hermione was scared though, she would admit the fact. She could feel that everything was changing, Voldemort was getting stronger, he was rallying more and more people. Her and her friends had nearly died at the Ministry of Magic just a few months ago… Sirius had died. She was spending most of her days in the Zabini library reading up on dark magic. Although the Zabini family were not dark wizards, like most purebloods they had a lot of dark books. She wanted to be prepared for anything that Voldemort may come up with. She'd read about creatures called Inferi, cannibalistic rituals, objects called Horcruxes and dark potions - she wasn't even a fifth of the way through the Zabini's dark books.
Hermione buried her face in to her pillows, she let out a big sigh and hoped her Hogwarts letter would come tomorrow so that she could feel like a normal teenager, even just for a little while. She could go to Diagon Alley with Harry and Ron, she would owl them in the morning. She needed to tell them the truth.
XXX
Hermione awoke to a light thudding at her window. She groggily turned over to see a tawny owl tapping its beak against the glass with a letter tied to its leg, the letter had a Hogwarts seal on. Hermione jumped out of bed and rushed to the window. She gave the tawny owl a treat and untied the letter. She ran through the corridors and down the stairs to the dining room where her parents, Blaise and Draco were having breakfast. "I got my Hogwarts letter, I'm going to go to Diagon Alley and get my supplies with Harry and Ron... uh, is that alright?" She still hadn't got the knack of how to ask her parents questions, was she supposed to ask permission because they were her parents or was she just supposed to tell them what she was doing because her adoptive parents had always let her do what she'd like within reason? It didn't matter because her Mother smiled at her and said "Absolutely, just be careful and keep your wand on you at all times."
Her Father came up to her with an excited look, "How did your O.W.L's go?"
Hermione gulped, she'd completely forgotten about her exam results being enclosed in the thick envelope too, with all that happened over the past few months. She ripped open her letter with shaky hands. She looked in to her Father's kind eyes, "what if I've failed everything? Last year was hectic!"
"That's impossible honey, you're so intelligent and your studies are so important to you." Mrs Zabini spoke as she glided elegantly towards Hermione. She put a reassuring hand on to her shoulder, "whatever is in this letter will make us more than proud especially with everything that happened last year."
Hermione opened up the letter with teary eyes, she was possibly the most scared she had ever been, even after what happened in the Ministry at the end of the School year. Hermione's eyes ran over the page before her while the room stayed in silence waiting for her reaction. She smiled slightly and handed her results to her Father.
Hermione looked at Blaise and Draco properly for the first time since arriving in the dining room, "Where are your letters?" she asked noticing that they didn't have them.
Blaise shrugged, "They'll be here soon," as he said this two more tawny owls arrived through the open window and dropped two letters on to their breakfast plates. "See," he smiled at Hermione. She stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes at him.
"I can't believe it!" Mr Zabini exclaimed happily, "Eleven O.W.L's! Ten outstandings and one exceeds expectations!" He hugged his daughter and congratulated her on her excellent results.
"I'm so proud Hermione!" Mrs Zabini enveloped her Daughter in to a motherly hug with tears in her eyes.
"Blaise, how did you do?" Mr Zabini asked.
Blaise smiled, "I got nine, I didn't pass History of Magic." He handed his results to Mrs Zabini.
"Congratulations, my boy!" Mr Zabini clapped his Son on the back in a proud Fatherly way.
"What about you, Draco?" Mrs Zabini asked as she hugged her Son on his good results.
Draco felt his cheeks tinge pink at being asked in front of everybody, "I got ten." He handed his results to Mrs Zabini for her to look over. He watched Hermione's eyes rake over his results with an unreadable expression.
"Well done Draco, these are excellent results! I think we should celebrate the success of these three, Adalane, don't you?" Mr Zabini clapped Draco on the back too. Mrs Zabini nodded with a serene smile.
Blaise looked over to Hermione, "why aren't you as excited by your results as I thought you'd be?"
Hermione shrugged, "I'm happy."
Blaise snatched her results from the table and looked over them, "you're disappointed that you got an E in DADA, aren't you?"
"No!" Hermione bit out too quickly in her defence.
Draco smirked, "no, she's disappointed that I got an O in DADA."
Hermione folded her arms over her chest defiantly, "I am not." Blaise tried to hide his laughter to no success.
"Children, stop the bickering. You all did exceptionally well, we're proud of you all. We will have a special dinner to celebrate tonight."
Hermione muttered a quick thank you before she sat down to have some toast. Before long her parents had got up to leave. Her Father had business to attend to in his office and her Mother went to tend to her beautiful flower garden which was her much loved hobby.
Hermione felt the awkwardness settle in after their departure. It was just her, Blaise and Draco. They all talked briefly about their results. Draco was being civil but could that change when Blaise wasn't around? Blaise departed to shower and grab his broom for a day of flying with Draco, leaving the unlikely pair alone. Hermione gulped when Draco stood up and raked his eyes over her body. He smirked, then whispered, "nice jammies Granger," before leaving the room.
Hermione's face heated up as she looked at her blue muggle pyjamas that had yellow smiley faces dotted on them, "It could have been worse I guess," Hermione spoke quietly to herself.
XXX
Hermione had sent owls to Ron and Harry asking them to meet her at the Leaky Cauldron at 2pm, they'd replied quickly with a yes. She was just about ready to leave when there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she yelled, Blaise walked in and sat down on her bed, "what can I do for you brother?" she asked with a grin. She was in a happy mood, she was going to see her best friends and she couldn't help but feel chipper.
He grinned back "I'd like to ask for a favour," Hermione frowned but didn't interrupt so he carried on "would you be able to get mine and Draco's school books for us? Draco can't leave the house obviously and I don't want him to be alone." He waited with bated breath, would she help Draco anymore than she already had? She nodded and held out her hand for the money and the lists. He gave her a hug as a thank you before leaving her alone.
Hermione put the letters and money in to her purse, she then walked over to her mirror. She looked at her reflection, she muttered a spell whilst pointing her wand at her face. Hermione Zabini morphed in to Hermione Granger. She was ready to go.