Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter :)
A/N: I had a question about where was Voldermort this whole time and the answer is, oh, yes, he's still there in the background. However, this story is told from Hermione's perspective and Slytherin's perspective as a whole, in which she's not privy to any special information that the rest of the school doesn't know. She and Harry are NOT friends and she would have no motivation to help him as such, like in canon. Since they aren't friends and she isn't helping the hunt for horcruxes or even helping Harry to survive his encounters, I think that his progress against Voldemort would be MUCH slower. As such, we are seeing a much more, uh, relaxed (?) Voldemort, lol, or at least not desperate like he would be if Harry was actually making gains against him. Also, Draco is not a Deatheater at this point and had nothing to do with Dumbledore's death in Sixth Year. Yes, Lucius was arrested in the Dept. of Mysteries in Fifth Year but, since Voldermort is pretty much un-threatened by Potter for now, he let Lucius slither his way out of Azkaban on his own and saw no need to punish the Malfoys by forcing Draco to serve him hoping he would die. So, no, Lucius is not a fugitive but the Malfoy's are a bit persona-non-grata at the moment within society.
Chapter Four: A Winter's Break
"Gods, you feel so good 'Mione…"
Hermione propped herself a bit more on the unused desk behind her, Theo's mouth never leaving hers. They had been sneaking off to unoccupied classrooms here and there for the past two months and now it was almost time for the winter holiday. She was getting a last snog in before they boarded the train tomorrow morning. Running her hands up his back, she played with the curls at the base of his neck, enjoying the moans escaping him. Suddenly, she squeaked when he lifted her on top of the desk, forcing her to wrap her legs around his slim waist. "So beautiful," he groaned into her ear, nipping it playfully. He ran his fingers through her curls, loving the feel of their wildness. Placing her palm on his cheek, she leaned in for another kiss, letting him support her back. His hands inched up her side and cupped the sides of her breasts, thumb running roughly over her covered nipples.
"Theo…"
It was bold of him, he knew it. But damned if she wasn't driving him to insanity with that body! Their little trysts from last year were nothing in comparison to now. If she was a girl last year, she was all woman now. He didn't move for a few seconds but gave a remorseful sound as he moved his hands back down slightly. Stepping back from her and willing a particularly stubborn part of his anatomy to calm down, he held his hand out to her. He gazed into her dazed amber colored eyes, set delicately in her heart-shaped face. Her honey curls wildly framed her body, ending at the small of her curvy hips. 'Merlin have mercy! Ok, think of dead puppies…or a naked McGonagall…ok that's disturbing,' he thought, properly squicked out.
Before he could offer to escort her back to her dorm, the door ripped open to reveal the Weasley boy and Draco, who had the unfortunate luck of patrolling together that night. "Oi! What do we have here? A couple of snakes out after curfew…" the redhead declared gleefully. Draco's eyes flashed mercury. Hermione's outer robes were off and her blouse was a bit tight against her chest, hair mussed and lips plumped and red from snogging. His face tightened.
"Actually, Weasley, as Head Girl, curfew doesn't apply to me."
Ron sneered. "Maybe not, but your little boyfriend here is in a spot of trouble." Theo looked at the redhead as one might look at an insect. "Well hand me my detention and get out. I have better things to do besides look at your ugly face all night." The Gryffindor's ears burned red as he spluttered and threw the balled up detention parchment at the couple before storming out. "Get her back to our dorms. Good night, Hermione." Draco bit out shortly, turning heel to follow the red headed prat and make sure he didn't skip out on the rest of their rounds.
Hermione didn't like the disapproving glare her best friend had given her, but just sighed aloud and let her lanky housemate escort her silently to her dorm. Pecking him goodnight, she made her way to her bed and began disrobing for the night.
'Draco knows what Theo and I have been up to since last year…it certainly wasn't a secret, we talked about it for Merlin's sake! I mean, he's never been as up close and personal until now….I guess it was poor form to get caught by Weasley of all people. Perhaps he's upset that Slytherin will be gossiped about tomorrow,' she thought logically. Happy she had solved a problem before bed, the witch was able to drift off the sleep peacefully.
Draco growled out his password to that prig of a painting, a young Black ancestor who had been Slytherin's first Head Boy. Ignoring the complaints of the late hour, the blonde stepped through and slammed the portrait shut behind him. Sending a foul look to the closed door of Hermione's dorm, he proceeded to his own room and ripped off his robes in a flurry. Throwing himself on the plush king-sized bed, he realized how pathetic it was that he didn't even know what was upsetting him so much. It wasn't that he didn't know about his best friend and the slimy git Nott….it wasn't so much that the pauper ginger found them and would tell the whole school…. 'You know why you're upset….'his brain teased quietly. "Shut it, who asked you?" he muttered aloud, finally getting under the covers as the December chill crept up on his pale body.
His brain could have a point, he conceded. The past few months of living in such close quarters had him noticing the curly haired witch in a new light. Yes, she'd always been cute, but never in a way that had him thinking naughty thoughts of her. He'd heard the mutterings of the other boys in their year and quickly defended her against the more licentious comments made with a quick hex here and there. It slightly upset him that he himself had been having less than platonic thoughts of the curvy female sleeping only a few feet away. Sometimes, her soft hands would linger a little longer on his arm, or he would be teased with flashes of leg when the drafts in the hallways lifted her skirt up, driving any male nearby to do a double take. He liked best the times that the top button of her school blouse would pop open and she wouldn't notice because the lesson was too interesting to her. The dips of shadows hinted at the delicious curves of flesh that were barely contained, and he had kicked Zabini and Nott a time or two for staring too long.
Draco felt his right hand creeping down his body to his stiffening member and stopped himself in disgust. "She's your friend, you sick prat," he berated himself harshly. "She isn't someone you wank to, she deserves to be respected, even in your own head." Forcing himself to turn on his side, he slammed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the burning jealousy he felt for Theodore Nott.
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As the train approached for winter break, Hermione was double checking she brought all her school books with her, slightly panicking when she couldn't find her supplemental potions book. Draco knew that look well as he observed the scrunched up brows and lip biting, it was a common occurrence. "Forget a book, Granger?" he asked smoothly, ignoring Pansy's annoyed glare next to him. He was getting a bit tired of her incessant nattering, so sure she had caught him in a betrothal contract that she had already started playing the nagging wife. 'Please, let Mother get her way so I can ditch this harpy….'he hoped.
His blood rushed south as Hermione flipped her curls over her shoulder and looked up to him with those wide brown eyes, so unlike Pansy's narrow and scheming colorless ones. "Yes, I seem to have forgotten Slughorn's recommended supplemental book," she pouted, her lips ripe from biting them. Next to him, the brunette snorted in derision. "Oh no, however will you go on?" Pansy snarked, non-too subtly trying to drag Draco to the train and board. The blonde simply shook her off. "I think we have it in the library, Mione, and you are more than welcome to visit anytime you like. Mother has been asking about you, she really enjoys your letters," he smiled as the warmth he felt for his mother.
After his father had been briefly incarcerated in Azkaban after fifth year, his family's social circle went from wide to almost nonexistent. Only the other pureblood families who were his father's associates would dare speak to her for fear of social suicide. Hermione thought it was disgraceful and took it upon herself to write a long supportive letter to the Malfoy matriarch.
She rewarded him with a brilliant smile, and Draco would swear he felt light headed, easily ignoring Pansy's claws digging into his arm. "That would be lovely, Draco. I will write to your mother as to when would be an appropriate day. Oh! We better hurry or else we'll be apparating home!" she rushed, shrinking her trunk and placing it in her deep red outer robes. Finally allowing himself to be pulled into a compartment by his soon to be ex-girlfriend, Draco smiled to himself when he remembered they would be patrolling together in an hour.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
"Draco, your father and I have some news for you."
The cool blonde looked up through his fringe from the library table he had set up his school work. Sighing, he put down his quill and stood to stretch his full height. "Please let this mean I can stop parading around with Pansy…" he muttered, unaware his mother heard him and allowed herself a small smirk. Narcissa certainly didn't want that young woman for her son and her manipulations were about to pay off.
They entered her personal sitting room to see Lucius already sitting calmly in front of a rather long and foreboding piece of heavy parchment. "Ah, Draco. The time has finally come for your official betrothal. Your mother and I have accepted Astoria Greengrass' dowry over the Parkinsons, much to your mother's delight," Lucius' deep voice murmured the last bit sardonically. Draco ignored the small and unrealistic disappointment that it wasn't Hermione's name on the contract in front of him. It would have been a great match for him to marry his best friend…completely ignoring the nagging part of his mind that was picturing her legs.
"Okay, what are the terms of the contract?"
Long and elegant fingers lifted the parchment to Draco and Lucius began to tick off the finer points of the contract. "You will exclusively escort Astoria to any public events from now on. There is a provision for her dowry in its entirety to be returned to her if you were to abandon the betrothal, with a restitution of no less than 500,000 galleons if you prove to be adulterous at any point of this contract and a sum of 1 million galleons if found adulterous after the marriage is consummated. Astoria will move into the manor after her graduation from Hogwarts in two summers from now. The wedding will take place no more than 3 months after she moves to the manor. If the marriage is not consummated within 1 month of marriage, Astoria will pay a sum of 100 galleons for every week there after that she does not consummate the marriage. Astoria will be awarded the villa in Greece after the birth of your first child. Any additional children will be rewarded in a manner of Astoria's choosing. If Astoria should be found adulterous at any time from the signing of this contract onward, she will forfeit her dowry in its entirety and pay you a restitution of 1 million galleons if found adulterous after the marriage is consummated," Lucius droned on from memory as Draco followed along on the parchment.
Narcissa smiled to herself, pleased that her son was getting a witch of genteel manners and grace who was not only beautiful, but whose bloodline was impeccable. MUCH better suited to her Draco than that loud and uncouth creature, Pansy. Draco's face remained impassive, the contract sounding standard enough. Reaching for the quill in its golden nib on the table before him, he signed his name and watched as the contract glowed golden to accept his signature next to Astoria's own delicate signature. Handing the contract back to his father, he was now as good as a married man. The fact that his heart tightened painfully did not go unnoticed as brown eyes flashed in his mind.
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"Hermione, dear! How lovely to see you again," Narcissa greeted her son's friend with a polite hug. Out of all of Draco's friends, Hermione was most dear to her not only as a fellow female, but also as a learned young lady who was a balancing influence for Draco. The petite brunette smiled prettily at the Malfoy matriarch and returned pleasantries. Narcissa began leading her to the massive library for the book Draco had left out for the witch, chuckling as he had done so. "I hear congratulations are in order, Madame Malfoy! Draco told me he finalized his contract with Astoria Greengrass. I assume that was your doing?" Hermione grinned mischievously, as they approached the beautiful gold trimmed doors that housed one of the finest libraries in all of Europe. She never failed to be awed by the grandness of it, even after seeing the Hogwarts library daily for the past seven years. Narcissa opened the doors with a flourish, enjoying the expression on the fellow scholars' face. She herself held the same fascination for the written word and often found herself in the library for hours at a time, now that her social calendar had lightened up considerably as of late.
"Yes, well, I found Astoria's presence much more tolerable than Miss Parkinson's and if we will be in the same living space for the foreseeable future, I'd rather not have to resort to silencing hexes to get thru my days," the matron tried to hide her smirk, knowing Hermione felt the same way about that Pansy chit. Spotting the potions book Draco had left for her on one of the large tables, Hermione took it into her arms and smiled. "Yes, well, as someone who has to live in the same castle with Pansy now, I can assure you that I'm not looking forward to seeing her mope and rage for the next six months until graduation. Close proximity, and all. Luckily for Astoria, she isn't in the same dormitory and is quite safe from the impending death threats!"
The icy blonde made a small grimace, imagining the tantrums that pug faced girl will throw. "Well, dear, I don't envy you in the slightest. Come, let us find Draco and his father. I'm sure they're lurking about the study," she floated towards the exit with the young witch in tow and down another corridor that was lined with Malfoy portraits.
"Ah, Narcissa! Who is this you've brought us?" a genteel male voice stopped their progress. Hermione turned to see a blonde young man in blue dress robes, at least 50 years old in her estimation, although wizard fashion hadn't progressed much since then. The elder woman rolled her eyes comically at Hermione but smiled courteously to the portrait. "Good afternoon Abraxas. This is Miss Hermione Granger. She is a good friend of Draco and just came by for a visit and a book. Hermione, this is Draco's grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy," she gestured politely at the peering portrait.
Abraxas grinned charmingly back at them. "Ah, Granger? An offshoot of the Dagworth family I presume?" he asked, eyeing her pleasant features and fine robes. Hermione cleared her throat. "Yes, sir. The Australian Grangers to be more exact. My mother is of the Greek Krykos family," she elaborated. Snape had taught her that the best lies are half-truths and the less you elaborate, the better. Her father's family is actually from Australia, and her mother's from Greece…. of course both were muggle surnames but sounded passable enough and no one would know a nobody pureblood family from foreign countries. As expected, Abraxas nodded in approval, pretending to know the families of which she spoke. "Greek, you say? I suppose with a name like 'Hermione', hmm? So have you come to sweep our Draco off his feet with your beauty and charm? You certainly have both in spades," the portrait practically leered at her and Narcissa cleared her throat as Hermione blushed awkwardly. "Good day, Abraxas, we really mustn't keep Lucius and Draco waiting," the cool blonde dismissed her randy father-in-law and gestured for her companion to keep walking with her.
As they reached yet another elaborate set of double doors, Hermione could hear the
soft murmuring of male voices before Narcissa knocked on the heavy and carved wood. "Enter," Lucius answered and watched as his beautiful wife led in a charming brunette he had only seen once or twice before, but whose reputation preceded her. "Hermione! I was starting to think you'd given up on my offer," Draco grinned widely at her, gently swirling the brandy in his hand before finishing it. Hermione pinked slightly, knowing she had been putting off coming ever since he owled her about his betrothal. The elder man moved closer to shake the witch's hand. "Miss Granger, good to see you again. My wife tells me you are quite a boon to Slytherin House, what, by becoming the first Head Girl in decades from the dungeons? Congratulations, my dear," Lucius nodded haughtily before finishing his own brandy. Hermione smiled politely and murmured her thanks.
"Well, Lucius, let us old folk leave the children to their own devices, shall we? I would love to see how my roses are faring in this dreadful snow," Narcissa smiled at her son and Hermione before she sashayed out with her husband. As they left hearing distance, the wizard sighed heavily. Taking his strong arm with her own, Narcissa looked at his pained expression curiously.
"Yes dear?"
Lucius peered down at her and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "As if you didn't already know," he accused, frowning at her knowing smirk. She was much too wily for her own good, really. "Oh, Lucius, it's just money," the witch teased, leading them in the opposite direction her rose gardens. "Half a million pounds AND a dowry is NOT 'just money' Narcissa! That boy better keep his hands off fluffy haired brunettes, I don't care HOW many hormones he has to ignore!" Lucius seethed, ignoring the patronizing pat his wife was giving his tense arm. He had to eat his hat to see that pompous windbag Greengrass to secure that damned contract that Narcissa insisted upon and he would be damned if that goat saw one sickle of Malfoy gold! He pursed his lips at the clucking sound next to him.
"Darling….the contract clearly states Draco violates the terms only if he 'is FOUND to be adulterous'. My Draco is much too smart for that...and even if he wasn't, Hermione certainly is. I'm not sure if they even realize how they look at each other, let alone if they will act on it. Draco is a good boy, he will be very mindful of his obligations and will certainly have a care for Hermione's reputation. Even if he can't have her, someone will eventually ask for her and it wouldn't do for them to be tied too closely together," Narcissa wisely placated her brooding wizard. Lucius only grunted, not nearly as convinced of the safety of the chit's virtue as his wife. "Right, because the first thoughts we always had in those dark broom closets were obligation and reputation," he sneered. Well, at least she had the good grace to blush.