oo3 – Charmed

Hermione spent the next week perfection the glamour she would place on Draco and herself for Pansy's debut. She reviewed applications and made phone calls in reference to the positions she was trying to fill. Draco came and went at all hours, giving little but cryptic questions in response to Hermione's questions. The morning of Pansy's debut the two arrived at the kitchen at the same time.

Hermione was dressed in a modest pink wool skirt with a plain white button down top. She was holding the counter while she stepped into white pumps with a small one and a half inch heel. Draco looked disheveled in the same silk shirt and slacks he had worn the night before.

"Late night?" Hermione asked. In the past week she had grown used to his disappearances and disheveled appearance at whatever time he finally woke up for breakfast. She had steadfastly refused to talk about choosing sides; it wasn't anything she wanted to deal with before her hearing.

"Early morning."

"Oh," Hermione replied…She fell into silence as she made them a quick breakfast. Putting the kettle on she then pulled the skillet onto the burner closest to her and started cracking eggs into it. Draco watched her with unconcealed curiosity – he had been doing so all week.

"Now I don't mind cooking…When necessary, but why do you do it all the time. You have house elves to do it for you."

"I like cooking…I let them do lunch and dinner don't I?" Hermione asked defensively. The manor required constant cleaning and that was what the house elves spent much of their time doing. Hermione enjoyed making breakfast in the morning, especially since it let her talk with whoever was in the kitchen. Usually Draco (it was after nine) sometimes, when Hermione woke up early enough, Mona.

"But…It's…Their function." Hermione shrugged.

"Plus, they still kind of freak Mona out. She doesn't want to admit it."

"So why are you so dressed up?" Draco asked.

"I have to interview some new grooms. Dean narrowed it down to three for me, I just need two. One of them I might take on as a rider though…"

"Can't say no?"

"No…I found another horse I want to acquire but I need a rider for him before I put in an offer. Plus, Mona's going to have a lot less time once the new horses come on Monday. And I don't want her to feel obligated to lessen her time with the horses she's already taken on." Hermione said.

"You can't say no," Draco repeated with a smirk. Hermione fixed him with a glare. She finished the eggs and separated them onto two plates. Waving her wand at the skillet she reached for the tea pot and poured the water over the tea leaves in their waiting glasses. Draco watched in silence, scooping eggs into his mouth.

"Why don't you use magic for all that stuff?" He asked finally, his plate almost clean. He was blowing on the steaming hot water in his tea cup and, giving it up as a lost cause, waved his wand over it. It chilled instantly to a drinkable temperature and Draco drained it.

"Hungry much?" Hermione asked with a smirk as she tasted a spoonful of her eggs. She made a face and shook her wand over them, salt and pepper sprinkled out. "I grew up doing it all…the hard way. It's not as satisfying to do it all the easy way so I do some things my way."

"Oh." Draco said. He poured himself more tea and offered a nod to Hermione as he stood. "I'm off to my room for a little more shut eye while you interview then."

"Okay," Hermione said, finishing her eggs and reaching for her tea. As Draco turned to go she spoke again.

"You should think about which side you're going to choose Hermione," Draco said. He turned on the spot, and was gone. Hermione glared at where he had been and drained her tea. Just like Draco to bring up the worst possible subject right before she had work to do.

Draco eyed the ring box which was sitting open on his table. He picked it up and examined the ring – it was priceless. It had been in the Malfoy family for centuries. He closed the box and opened it again with a sigh.

The hair on the back of his neck prickled as his forearm burned. He looked at the writhing snake and pulled on a pair of robes before disapparating. He walked a few steps through darkness and hit solid ground again, in front of the Goyle manor. Pulling open the doors, Draco walked swiftly through the foyer and into the entrance hall. There he fell to one knee, sweeping his robes behind him and dropping his head.

"Master," he said calmly.

"Draco," Voldermort spoke in his hissing voice. "I wish to see the ring."

Draco stood, pulling the ring out of his robes and stepped forward. Voldermort opened the box and Draco stepped back several paces.

"I trust it is what you were looking for," Draco stated blandly. He had searched the Malfoy vault for several hours that morning to find this particular ring.

"Yes. The emerald it holds has very special qualities they are necessary to hold the charms in place. The stone will power them on its own instead of drawing on the wearer's power. It is completely undetectable even with a revealing charm."

"You're sure she will not be able to remove it," Draco asked. He was a bit uneasy with the plan Voldermort had devised…Especially since he was the key player in it.

"Do you doubt my abilities?" Voldermort stepped several steps closer, waving his wand idly.

"Never," Draco said, sincerely. It was a lot easier to be sincere with the threat of pain hovering dangerously close to his face.

"Leave me. I will see you at Parkinson's tonight. Make sure I am introduced."

"You will be…"

"I will be there, my dear boy." Voldermort said, and spinning on his heel disappeared down the hall. Draco stared after him in confusion and walked out the door to apparate.

Hermione was laying the ancient robes Draco would be wearing on his bed when he returned. He jumped when he saw her and rapidly pulled down his sleeves. The snakes still writhed on his arm, just starting to fade back to their usual dull black. Hermione jumped too.

"Was I gone that long?" He asked.

"You were," Hermione said. "It's nearly four now. Where did you go?"

"I went to my house to pick up some stuff," Draco said evasively.

"Oh…Well, we're going to have to leave soon."

"I realize this," Draco said. Hermione recoiled visibly at his cold voice and a wall immediately went up behind her eyes. Draco regretted this slightly, but before he could apologize she swept out of the bedroom.

"I'll see you in an hour," she stated coolly pulling the door shut behind her. Draco sighed and fingered the robe, the material was exquisite. Draco unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the ground before kicking off his shoes and removing the remainder of his clothing. Grabbing his towel from the chair next to his bed he toed open the door to the bathroom and ran the water for a bath. Climbing in with a sigh he opened up his fist and looked at the little ring box.

"I don't know if I can do this," he said softly, closing his eyes.

"But you must Draco. You must protect her, yourself. This is the only way – he has sworn a wizard's oath to leave you be as long as she wears the ring and you care for her." Naricissa Black Malfoy's voice said silkily in his head. Draco shook it, his eyes opening. He wasn't safe anywhere anymore.

Hermione sat at the mirror of her vanity applying the glamour to her hair; it darkened to a rich black. Turning to her ears she made them shrink slightly, returning along the path they had been growing for a year now. Next she turned to her eye's which she lightened to a tawny brown. Satisfied she stood and shrugged out of the bathrobe she was wearing.

She stood looking in the mirror wearing only a pair of lacy boy shorts. She had to admit, she looked very hot. She pulled the purple gown off of her bed and held it in front of her for a moment before she pulled it on. It fit like a glove, hugging in all the right places.

"Isabella," she called. Isabella appeared with a clap and a slight curtsy. Her face lit up when she saw Hermione.

"Hermione is beautiful."

"Thank you," Hermione replied with a blush. "Can you do up the laces for me, as tightly as possible."

Isabella pulled at the laces with surprising strength for her scant weight, forcing the breath out of Hermione as she worked. Hermione held onto the vanity at one point while Isabella pulled nearly another six inches out. At this point the house elf looked satisfied and tied them off. Hermione straightened up and admired the effect.

The bodice of the dress created a mass of cleavage to the very edge of the lacy top. The corset ties pulled in the little stomach she possessed and seemed to stretch out her torso, lengthening her body. She now possessed the perfect figure. With a smile she picked up her wand and strove to find a place to put it.

"Miss Hermione," Isabella said and Hermione was dragged from her thoughts.

"Any ideas?" Hermione asked.

"You're grandmother used to make a pocket of air like this, right here." Isabella traced a straight line down the side of the dress. "Like a pocket. She made it so that the wand could not fall out but so that she could still grab her wand at ease."

Hermione did as Isabella suggested and found that it suited her quite well. It appeared to be undetectable so any sort of revealing spell. Hermione hoped no one asked why she wasn't carrying a wand. Picking up the silver tiara resting on her vanity Hermione sat on the stool so she could place it. She lowered it onto her head and arranged her hair around it before sealing the look with another charm.

Carrying her wand in her hand and draping an antique silver cloak over her arm she grabbed a small handbag and stepped out of her bedroom. She walked in measured steps to the main staircase which descended into the lobby. Her heels clicked when she stepped onto the cherry wood.

Draco turned at the heel clicks and drew in a breath. Hermione looked stunning in the ancient ball gown, and the charms she had placed on her body definitely fit her to the part. Draco took her hand when she reached the final steps and bowed over it. Before raising his head he kissed it gently.

"You look absolutely stunning," Draco said.

"Thank you," Hermione replied with a demure smile. Draco took her cloak from her and draped it over her shoulders.

"You look the part," Draco said. He stepped back to admire the ravens on the bodice once more, they seemed to be dancing across the fabric not that it was taunt over Hermione's tight stomach.

"As do you," Hermione said. She took in Draco's own clothing. The robes certainly fit him well enough. He had grown out his hair and tied it in a queue behind his neck with a black ribbon. He had cast a green shadow over his eyes and made his eye brows slightly bushier. He wore the robes over clean black slacks and a silk black shirt.

"Shall we go?" Draco asked. He pulled a cloak over his own shoulders. When he looked back up Hermione held only a purse. "What happened to your wand?"

"I put it away," Hermione said cryptically. Draco stared at her. "You're not the only one with secrets."

Draco took Hermione's arm and tucked it into his. His nostrils filled with the scent of her perfume and he took a deep breath. It had been a while since they had been this close and she smelled so delicious. They turned together and disapparated, they landed in a garden lit with Chinese lanterns.

Hermione took in the garden and got her bearings. She had never apparated inside the Parkinson residence as only very trusted friends and family were allowed to do so. Since Hermione had been side-along apparating with Draco the charm allowed her to pass. Draco, of course, had known Pansy since birth.

"They did a beautiful job," Hermione said. She admired the lanterns strewn along the path with an appreciative eye. She had thought once to be a designer – when she was still in Muggle Schools – but she hadn't the patience to go to art school.

She felt Draco's nod and tipped her head towards him, Draco paused and Hermione faltered.

"Hermione I need to talk to you before we go inside."

"Sure, what is it Draco. Are you okay?"

"Nothing's wrong…Hermione…I meant what I said earlier about choosing sides."

"Not this again Draco. Not here. After the party." Hermione hissed. She started walking again but stopped when Draco didn't follow. Turning slowly she found Draco down on one knee.

"Hermione Rowena Granger Ravenclaw, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Draco asked opening the box with his family ring. Hermione stared at him her mouth slightly open. Draco looked straight into her eyes.

"Why?" She asked finally.

"Because I want to give you some protection, because I'm almost certain I can love you, because you're the first girl I ever regretted having sex with."

"Was it that bad?" Hermione sputtered.

"No. It was amazing, but I wish we hadn't done it plastered…" Draco broke her gaze and looked down at the ring and then back at her. "This way, you won't have to choose a side. It will be assumed, you are on my Master's…But you will be protected. You will be protected by Dumbledore because he is your mentor and by Lord Voldermort because you are my wife."

"Draco…Are you sure?"

"I have never been more certain."

"Yes," Hermione said. A tear slid down her cheek and she offered a weak smile. Draco took the ring from the box and slid it onto Hermione's finger.

"You'll always wear it right?" Draco asked softly, standing up and placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Always." Hermione promised. Draco hooked her arm through his again and they walked up the walk very close together. Draco was secretly breathing a sigh of relief; he had gotten the ring onto her finger and the promise from her mouth. Now if he could sail them through to marriage, if Dumbledore hadn't lied to him, they would both be protected and he could take the ring off her finger.