Hermione stirred her tea, never taking her eyes off Narcissa who sat on the chair opposite her.
No words other than pleasantries had been exchanged between the two woman since Hermione had been escorted into the drawing room by a spritely attendant who had quickly and quite loudly informed her that his name was Dobson, "Dobby for short miss," he'd said.
She'd never visited the Malfoys French estate before, but it was just as grand as she remembered their home in Wiltshire being. Though she hadn't visited that property since she was younger, and her parents had taken her back to their home country for the summer..
When Narcissa began drinking her own tea, Hermione carefully set her cup down on the provided saucer and leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees.
"I'm sorry Lady Mal - Narcissa," she corrected after the woman in question shot her a glare, "I'm confused as to why I'm here."
Narcissa hummed but took another sip before she sat her own cup down. "I told you last night that karma was a terrible thing Hermione."
"I don't see how-"
"You want revenge, no?"
Hermione grit her teeth and took a drink of her own tea. Revenge was such a polite way of putting it. She was worried it wouldn't be enough - that even if she strung Harry up and gutted him- quite unladylike behaviour- that she would still have this feeling in her bones. That she would never be able to trust another person in her life, not where it mattered. Because whilst she'd never believed herself in love with Harry, he had been her best friend and he had betrayed her - left her.
And Narcissa, no matter how much Hermione admired the older woman had motives of her own. She would happily use Hermione for her own gains.
"What do you propose Narcissa?" She asked instead of answering her.
"That you and Draco begin to court." Hermione choked on her tea - Narcissa didn't seem to notice. "The public adore you, Hermione, and the aristocracy," she smirked. Hermione finally understood where Draco got the damn quirk from, "they are wary of Harry now."
"Lady Malfoy," Hermione hissed, quickly setting her tea down ignoring the way the liquid sloshed over the rim of the cup onto the saucer, and casting her eyes about the room for eavesdroppers. "You shouldn't be so bold."
Narcissa laughed. "Oh my sweet girl," she chuckled, there is not one person in this house who is not loyal to me and my many secrets."
"Still," Hermione hesitated, wondering just what those many secrets could be, "you should be wary of insulting the Emp-"
"I would not have to insult him if he had not done this," she bit out harshly and Hermione's eyes snapped up to meet hers. "He insulted my family. He and that Astoria ," she sneered and Hermione remembered who she was talking to, "have embarrassed us. Embarrassed Draco."
"I seem to be functioning perfectly fine Mother," Draco interrupted, sweeping into the room. Hermione glanced up from her tea and was surprised to see Tom with him.
"Lord Riddle," Narcissa greeted, standing from her seat and throwing a glare at her son, "how nice of you to join us."
"I hope we're not interrupting," Tom replied, flashing Lady Malfoy a grin. Hermione rolled her eyes. "And Lady Granger. How lovely to see you again," he said, standing from where he had bent to bow to Narcissa. Hermione quickly sat back down and averted her eyes.
"A pleasure I'm sure." She replied and shot Draco a glare when she heard him mumble something unintelligible under his breath.
"Well, do join us," Narcissa said, waving her hands in the direction of the free seats around them. Draco immediately settled into an armchair whilst Tom took the empty spot on the chaise beside her. Hermione stiffened slightly and turned her head back towards Narcissa, her eyes wide when the woman simply continued their conversation.
"Anyway, yes, I think the two of you should court. The public will support you and both Harry and Astoria will be left reeling.
"I'm sorry mother," Draco began carefully, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he set his own cup and saucer down gently on the low coffee table between them all. "Who is it that should begin to court?"
Narcissa turned from Hermione to look at Draco. "Why you and Lady Granger of course."
If Hermione hadn't been looking at Draco she wouldn't have seen the quick startled glance he threw in Tom's direction. And if Tom hadn't been sitting beside Hermione, but between her and Draco, she'd have missed the way his fingernails began to dig into the soft material of the seat they shared, and the way his lips began to curl into a snarl. Draco answered before the loud growl Hermione was sure was bubbling in Tom's chest could erupt.
"No."
"Draco-"
"I said no Mother. No offence Lady Granger," he dipped his head in her direction before turning back to face his mother," but Lady Granger and I are incompatible. It would be a disaster from start to finish. One of us," his eyes flicked in Tom's direction and he swallowed, "would no doubt be dead by the end of it."
"Don't be ridi-"
"No offence Lady Malfoy," Hermione said. "But I want to sit on that throne. I have no interest in becoming someone's trophy."
Narcissa chuckled and reached her hands across the table to grasp Hermione's. She let her. "My dear girl," she began, rubbing soothing circles against the inside of Hermione's wrist. "It wouldn't be so-"
"I have no interest in becoming Emperor Mother," Draco said in a clipped tone, startling Narcissa into dropping Hermione's hands. Narcissa turned sharply towards her son.
"Draco."
"No. Lord Riddle here," he jerked his head in Tom's direction, "Is the one who wants that. I have no interest in running anything grander than the Malfoy estate. I simply want Astoria to," his lips curled up into a sneer that reminded Hermione of his late father, "be punished."
Narcissa pursed her lips and glanced between the three of them. "It would be suspicious if Lord Riddle and Lady Grang-"
"Oh I quite agree," Tom interjected and Hermione glanced sharply at him. Her eyes narrowing at the smirk twitching at his lips. "Which is why I do think they should court."
Hermione's eyebrows must have been a sight because Tom began to chuckle. "Don't look so surprised Lady Granger. It is a good idea."
"I don't see how," Draco muttered petulantly from his seat, folding his arms across his chest. Hermione directed her raised eyebrows in his direction and he seemed to realise he'd spoken aloud. "No offence Granger but you're not exactly my type."
"I wasn't aware you had a type Draco," Narcissa muttered, lifting her cup from its saucer. Draco rolled his eyes.
"You don't know everything about me, Mother."
"Clearly."
"So," Tom said, in a clear effort to bring the conversation back to point. "Hermione and Draco will 'court' whilst we work together to bring Harry and Astoria down. Anyone have any suggestions about how to do that?"
Hermione sighed and reached towards her own tea. "I might have a few."
"You don't want me to marry Draco," were the first words out of Hermione's mouth when Tom led her into the gardens of Malfoy Manor at Narcissa's request.
" I just need a few moments alone with my son," Narcissa said politely, though she was glaring at Draco, who resolutely refused to meet her gaze.
Tom nodded and stood from his seat, sweeping Hermione up from where she was perched too and barely giving her a chance to protest.
Tom's lips twitched and he gathered her arm so that it was rested in the crook of his elbow as he led them around the gardens. "And you know that how?"
Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. "We're alone now Tom. You don't have to pretend anymore. Narcissa isn't here to see your act."
"That's rich coming from you."
Hermione let her arm drop from his and stopped walking. "And what's that supposed to mean?" She spat.
Tom laughed, though it was a cruel sound, and turned back to look at her. "Oh," he tilted his head and glared at her. "Only that out of the pair of us, you're the one who spends most of her time acting."
"I don't know wh-"
"Please don't insult my intelligence Hermione. I'm not stupid. Did you think I didn't know what you were doing all those times you came to me in the dead of night? Did you think I didn't realise you were using me?"
"I wasn-"
"You were. Maybe not for political reasons but you did use me Hermione. You escaped into me, and I was as desperate, so happy to have just a tiny bit of your attention that I let you. I let you use me. Let you act like you were in love with Potter," he spat the name of her former fiance, "let you act like you hadn't spent the previous night writhing beneath me crying out my name, begging me to take you away from him. You were the actor. Not me."
Hermione shot him a seething glare and resisted the urge to cross the space between them, slap him then pull his mouth down to meet hers.
"And when you and Harry betrayed me I knew it was a self-preservation thing. I understood why. Now I know how much of a hand you had in that I understand even more, and I won't even pretend to tell you that when I heard what he had done, cast you aside for Greengrass, for a second I was thrilled that he'd treated you so callously. But then I remembered that the girl I knew had been overwhelmed by Harry and his presence and constant, constant," his eyes softened a fraction and Hermione swore there was a fond smile tugging at his lips, "attention and how when she came to me she was just her. So please don't say I'm an actor Hermione."
"Tom," she began, taking a step towards him only to halt when she heard Malfoy's unmistakable drawl.
"Granger?" He called, from somewhere behind them.
"He needs a bell," she murmured toTom who laughed and took her arm again.
"I quite agree. But let's go find him and put his mind at ease. He's probably concerned about catching us in the act," Tom drew the word out teasingly and Hermione rolled her eyes at him, "again, and in his beloved Mother's garden no less."
Hermione rolled her eyes when Tom led them round a corner and they came face to face with a panicked Draco. "Thank God," he muttered. Hermione glared at him and lifted her chin defiantly.
"You sound surprised Draco."
"Yes well," Draco pouted, "the last time I interrupted you both you had your knickers swept to the side and Tom here was about to fu-"
"Malfoy." Tom warned and Draco blinked and looked back at Hermione who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"God. Lady Granger I apologi-"
"It's fine," she said quickly, disentangling her arm from Tom's and quickly moving back towards the house. "I assume your mother would like us to rejoin her?"
Draco nodded fervently and glanced between her and Tom before he stepped forward and offered Hermione his arm.
Hermione stared at him for a moment but relented with a heavy sigh of exasperation when his lips tugged up into a tentative smile.
"Not a word," she muttered. Draco simply squeezed her arm and grinned down at her.
Narcissa was waiting for them exactly where they'd left her. Though the tea had been replaced with something stronger and Hermione could see that the woman was shaking slightly. She looked back to see Tom and Draco in conversation a few feet behind her and quickly crossed the room to kneel before Lady Malfoy.
"Narcissa," she began gently, wrapping her fingers around the older woman's wrist in a move she didn't hope was too forward. "I'm sorry."
Narcissa exhaled a breath, gave her a tentative smile and lay her free hand against Hermione's cheek. Hermione instinctively leaned into her touch. It had been so long since someone had mothered her - her Aunt Minerva wasn't exactly the maternal type - and Hermione had missed both her own mother and Lily Potter for a long time.
"Please don't apologise my sweet girl," she said. "You are completely right in knowing what you want and going after it. I admire you for it, even if I am disappointed that you won't one day be marrying into my family." Hermione nodded and smiled gently up at her. When Tom and Draco re-entered the room though Hermione noticed the gleam in her eyes and when she patted Hermione's cheek and bid her to stand again, she knew Narcissa still had a plan up her sleeve.
"That's not to say that just because you have aspirations that you should not marry at all." She turned her head towards Tom and Hermione sat back down in her own spot. "The two of you will make a formidable team. Draco tells me that he's often caught you at one another's throats," Hermione flicked a glare in his direction, "and whilst any marriage is always a little bit more exciting with angry make up sex, you'll need to reign in that behaviour in public."
Hermione stared agape at her. "You can't - you can't mean to say you wish for me to marry Tom?" Hermione whispered, her heart racing. She did not dare look at him. She didn't want to see the horror-struck look on his face that surely was a reflection of hers.
Narcissa blinked. "Why ever not? The pair of you want to rule this country. Neither one of you would be treated seriously alone, without a husband," she nodded her head at Hermione, "or wife," She turned her head in Tom's direction beside her, "at your side to guide you. Lord Riddle would be just as much your trophy Lady Granger," she grinned lasciviously and Hermione finally turned to look at Tom, to quietly beg him to intervene, to stop this madness. But when she did it was to find him already staring at her with those mercurial eyes of his that had stared into her very soul on so many previous occasions.
She snapped her eyes away and tried to meet Draco's instead, but his head was bent close to Narcissa's and they were quietly speaking to one another. Narcissa nodded and Draco stood from his seat, pulling his mother up by the hand. "We'll give you a few moments to discuss it but Lady Granger, Hermione," she beseeched and Hermione let her take her hands in what she was sure was supposed to be a comforting gesture, "please consider this. Your parents would be very proud of the young woman you have grown into but they would undoubtedly be thrilled if you took the misfortunes you'd had thrust upon you and made those responsible for them suffer."
Hermione swallowed and dipped her head and then they were gone and she was alone with Tom. Again .
"You don't want me to marry Draco," she said again. Quieter this time and without meeting the gaze she could feel burning into the back of her neck, a blush creeping up over her skin.
"No," Tom replied just as quietly. "I don't."
Hermione made a sound in the back of her throat. "But you want me to marry you?"
She still couldn't look at him, but when she felt his fingers slide between hers she did. "Hermione," he murmured, and keeping a hold of her hand, he slid off the chaise and knelt in front of her. "I told you a long time ago-"
"We were children."
"It was a little over a year ago," Tom corrected, smirking up at her even as she felt tears begin to slip down her cheeks and a fond smile tugged at her lips.
"I never said I was sorry," Hermione said.
He sighed and stood, pulling her into his arms in the process. "Yes well," he began hesitantly, "neither did I." She sniffed into his shirt and lifted her head to look at him. He cupped one cheek in his hand and trailed his thumb over her lips.
"This is a bad idea," Hermione murmured, even as she let her tongue flick against the pad of his thumb.
"Which bit?"
"All of it."
Tom hummed and let his thumb fall from her lips, before he took a step back and cleared his throat. "You want this as much as I do." Hermione wanted to ask if he was referring to the throne or to them. "We deserve this."
"Maybe, but Tom," she said carefully, flicking her eyes in the direction of the doors and lowering her voice. "This is treason."
Tom looked up from fixing the cuffs of his shirt and stared cooly at her. "I thought you wanted his head on a platter?"
"I do," she huffed, "but Narcissa-"
"Clearly has her own motives? She will continue to whisper into Draco's ear about how with him on the throne the Malfoys will overthrow even the Blacks, won't she? That with you on his arm that they'd be unstoppable?" Tom asked quietly, rhetorically. Hermione swallowed thickly and could only jerk her head in response. He gave her a sly smile and continued. "Don't worry about that. Draco would never-"
"Don't," Hermione said abruptly. "Don't say that."
"-betray me," Tom finished. At her exasperated look he laughed. "What?"
"Harry said that about you." He nodded and she steeled herself for what she was about to say, about to imply. "And then he betrayed me."