Hermione did not leave the Granger estate for a whole week, receiving none but Harry and Ginny. Her heart had been broken and her hysteria was such that she was unable to stop crying. She did not know what to make of Malfoy's statement about McLaggen but one thing was sure, with Ronald's betrothal to Lavender officially announced, she had lost her protector and her one remaining hope.
She would have to marry McLaggen.
So it was on one rainy, depressing day that she accepted a visibly relieved Viscount's offer. Baron Granger brought out champagne and Hermione coldly accepted Cormac's arm around her waist throughout the entire little family party. She tried not to shudder every time he whispered a joke in her ear or when he laughed falsely at her father's jokes. She had a steely resolve, and was determined not to let him see that it was about to shatter.
After the announcement, time went by in a flurry. They were to wed in April an entire eight months away. Her mother was happily caught up with the impending nuptials and her father invited his future son-in-law to suppers and events more and more often.
Hermione met her fiancés Uncle, the great friend of the monarchs, and decided that she quite liked him. He was slightly abrupt but not unkind and made a great effort to get to know Hermione. Her life had become an endless parade of parties, outings and she was constantly surrounded by unfamiliar faces all wishing her the best for the future. Each time somebody commented on how lucky she was to marry such a handsome man; Hermione would attempt a smile that would always fail to appear.
She hated Cormac. He was becoming quite un-gentlemanly and almost cruel towards her now that he had gotten what he wanted. When she had first accepted him, he had indeed seemed quite relieved and happy, and had treated her with great respect. Well, as much respect as the most conceited of people can offer to others.
As time went by, he became more and more impatient, clearly, to have her in his bed and make her his in more ways than one. Now, Hermione knew he had had mistresses, and couldn't bring herself to care: as long as he was with them, he wouldn't be bothering her. If anything, it was a relief.
Of course, he was the perfect gentleman when in public but Hermione didn't want to be alone with him. It rarely happened and not more than a few minutes each time but he immediately started, during those brief moments, to make lewd unwanted comments, give her sultry looks that were highly embarrassing all the while leering at her body.
Once, having fallen asleep on the sofa whilst reading, she awoke to find two hands sensually caressing her breasts through the tissue of her dress. She had frozen, eyes half-closed, ashamed to feel her erect, virgin nipples respond to his touch and the wetness of her body that did not know any better. Not knowing quite what to do she had heard him muttering disgusting fantasies and gross words that she would never dare to repeat while he brought a hand to stroke his bulging crotch, humming in desire.
Eventually, she had snapped up furious and terrified as well as thoroughly embarrassed and he had just smiled, saying that when they were married, she would be at his disposal and command; obedient like a good wife should be. Hermione's future flashed before her eyes along with the horrifying reality of what she was invested in, and she had ran away from Cormac's ever-grinning face, crying herself to sleep that night, knowing he had assaulted her and as long as she was with him, he would continue to do so.
Suddenly, what Malfoy had divulged to her was starting to make sense. Cormac would take what he wanted from her, and would always hear 'yes' when she said 'no'. The next day, deciding to keep the terrible person out of her head for as long as possible, Hermione decided to go out alone. She hoped the walk and air would allow her to take stock of her current situation and lament over her carefree days. She hugged herself into a warm black and silver cloak, bringing the hood over her face and tell-tale hair before strolling out to Diagon Alley to go around the apothecaries. She always liked to go and see what her parents' rivals had in their shops.
As she was entering Diggory's Helping Shoppe, she managed to slam right into the person who was coming out. She felt the air leave her body and she fell backwards; however the solid ground never came. The man's wrists had wrapped around her arms holding her steady. She gulped and glanced up, ready to thank her saviour warmly, when he let go of her as if burned. She looked up and was unable to stop the gasp from leaving her.
"Granger, can you watch where you are going instead of hurtling into people like the clumsy thing you happen to be?"
"Why, hello Malfoy. Isn't it a nice day today?" she muttered with sarcasm. "I may tend to be clumsy from time to time but in fact, you came bursting out like you had Morgana Le Fey behind you. I take that back. You are the Devil yourself."
"Very witty, Granger," he retorted coolly. "But in the meantime, you have just ruined my purchases; so you are going to put your pretty little hand into that social climber's purse of yours and reimburse me."
She looked down to see dragon claw powder scattered upon the street as Malfoy held the punctured bag up to her face, shaking it for emphasis.
"I just might," she said slowly, "however very un-gentlemanly that demand may be. Did you just refer to my hands as pretty or am I hard of hearing?"
Malfoy's eyebrow rose coldly.
"If that was all you heard in this discussion Granger, then I can confirm your suspicions about your damaged hearing," he drawled.
"Sure," she muttered, wondering herself if he really had said it or if she'd just made a fool of herself. She gestured to the bag. "How come you are doing your own errands? Don't you have servants?"
"This is a particular errand that I would not risk trusting a servant with," he hissed. "As it is, Lady Astoria is quite ill. The Healer needed dragon claw powder for a potion, not that it is any of your business."
"The powder you have just been sold," she explained pointing to it, "is not pure and therefore, completely useless."
"And you would know something on the matter?" he sneered.
She looked derisively at him and he seemed to remember that she was, after all, the daughter of people whose entire fortune was based around apothecaries.
"Listen," she added, "drop by the estate and I shall give you a full bag to reimburse you."
"More likely, you would try to poison it," he concluded while glaring at her.
She snorted softly.
"No, my Lord, that is the kind of underhandedness that you may try. Even though it was quite amusing to learn that Lady Astoria has stomach troubles, I would never stoop so low."
He looked at her strangely, as if realising something, and then shook his head softly.
"So, I heard that you are now McLaggen's unwilling fiancée."
"The Viscount," she stiffened upon hearing his name, and could not bring herself to correct Malfoy's use of the word 'unwilling'. It was true, he knew and so did she.
"...Yes." She sighed audibly.
He nodded slowly, without shifting his gaze from her face, as if searching for something. His grey eyes bored so intensely into her own that it almost took her breath away. He leaned down, still searching but then he righted himself, coughed and muttered, "Right."
Then, he turned abruptly upon his heel and disappeared into the Alley, leaving a thoughtful Hermione to muse upon an exchange that had started badly but ended civilly, oddly enough.
.
As it happened, Hermione was alone in the estate when the Butler announced the Viscount. Hermione anxiously awaited him in the sitting room, not at all pleased by the fact that they would be alone. She kept the bell near her hand should she need to call for help.
Cormac strutted in, tossing his coat carelessly into the arms of the Butler before also throwing his hat at him. Hermione set her jaw.
She didn't even say hello before attacking: "My Lord, Peter is a servant but a friend of the family also. You shall treat him with respect."
He glared at her before shutting the doors in Peter's face and locking it soundly. She gulped. Why was he locking the door?
"Ah, Hermione dear," he cooed in a vicious way. "Alone, all alone, at long last. This is a moment I have long since waited for, you know..."
"Why is that, sir?" she cut in nervously.
"Why, the moment to fuck you of course."
She gasped and fondled the bell, ringing it. Cormac burst into a cold fit of laughter.
"Honey, your muggle servants shall not help. The room is awash with spells or did you think I would not think to do that?"
"This is not the behaviour of a Viscount," she forced out crossly. "Please stop or I will ask you to never attend this house again and I will call off everything."
"Oh, darling," he whispered amusedly. "Do you really think so? Once I have taken your flower from you, your parents would not dare give up the contract. They would not manage to sell a sullied daughter."
He was approaching now, a big smile gracing his plump lips, even as she backed away. She finished by bumping and falling into the couch and he pounced, managing to wrap his fingers around her throat. She tried kicking but he straddled her before kissing her firmly on the lips and laughing.
"The other day," he hissed, "on this same couch, when you were asleep and I was touching your beautiful breasts, you were moaning and thrusting in your sleep like some wanton creature. Worse still, I managed to slip a hand up your dress only very briefly, as you moved and I touched your gorgeous entry. And guess what, love? You were as wet as the Black Lake. You want me. At least your body does. You were unconsciously begging for me to take you, Milady. And I am going to."
He snarled and held on to her throat, not hard enough to strangle but enough to hurt her and hold her in place. The other hand came down to her small cleavage, ripping the fabric hungrily. Her bold mounts reared out proudly, nipples dusty pink. He growled in appreciation and pinched one, making her whimper in pain. He leaned down to suck upon it and she cried.
"You've got the prettiest body ever," he moaned and started grinding into her, already hard. "I don't think that even my whores will give me the pleasure that you will. Look at yourself, you slut. Your nipples are hard for me. What a bitch. Oh yes, I am definitely going to fuck you."
Her nipples were indeed hard but from the pain this time, and he hastily grabbed into his trousers, pulling his cock out. She closed her eyes and started screaming.
"Yes, Milady," he hissed. "Scream all you want. No one will help you. You are mine, all mine."
He started slapping her breasts with his cock, leaning forward to do so and laughing darkly at her attempts to buck and scratch, fight and screech. He came back down, kissing her bare stomach. He slipped off her quickly, only to produce his wand and with a quick flick he tied her hands together behind her head.
He drank in the view of the sobbing girl, then started stroking himself while lifting her skirts up and ripping her petticoat to observe her glorious pussy. He moaned at the sight and started licking a finger, ready to...
The doors suddenly blasted open in a turmoil of magic, dust and wooden splinters. A formidable figure stormed in, wand before his face. When the dust cleared it revealed Duke Draco Malfoy's beautiful face twisted into a murderous fashion. He glanced towards the poor Lady Hermione, then towards the very unhappy face of the half-naked Viscount. He made a bee-line for the man. Draco did not embarrass himself with his wand, which was thrust back into his belt, but caught Cormac's tie and punched him hard across the face, relentlessly, never ceasing until the smell of blood was apparent and potent.
If Hermione had not been in such a state of terror and hurt, she would have tried to stop her saviour from killing her fiancé or at least would have been impressed by the anger of the former. Never had she seen the Duke as furious as this. His wrath was a terrible sight but it gave her a thrill she did not understand. She revelled in his violence and anger, and part of her wished he would never stop until Cormac lay dead at his feet.
As she did not move, Peter ran into the room with Marietta and Mrs Scamander. The two women shrieked at the scene before them: Hermione, almost naked, sprawled and crying upon the couch, while one of the country's most eminent gentlemen tried to beat another to death. Peter rushed up to the men, trying to pry Draco from Cormac's now limp form and the two servants charged towards their mistress, who fainted at last, seeing and hearing no more.
.
Hermione awoke in her bed, dressed in a linen nightgown and immediately cowered into the mattress. Her throat was sore and her body hurt all over though she thought it must be essentially due to the fear she had gone through. Mrs Scamander, hovering in a corner of the candle-lit room instantly hopped over; her expression a maternal emblem of worry and woe.
"Milady," she whispered. "You are awake. I shall call for Lord Edward."
Hermione barely nodded and slumped back, feeling extremely tired. Mrs Scamander rang Hermione's night bell and a few minutes later a maid came in with a tray bearing a bowl of vegetable soup, a potion and a glass of Elfish wine. A second after, Lady Jean rushed into the room barely stopping before launching herself on her daughter.
"My sweet child," murmured Jean, and it was obvious that she had been crying. "My adorable infant."
Hermione offered her mother a wan smile, and Jean hesitated before saying, "We must know, Hermione...of course, we know, thanks to Peter and to the Duke, but..."
"What was Mal...I mean, the Duke doing here, upon our estate, Mother?" asked softly Hermione, frowning.
"He said something about dragon claw powder but he also said that he had seen the Viscount enter the house and that it was strange neither of you were to be found. He made us find out where you were, he was very...concerned," answered Jean. "Of course we gave him our very best reserves. The maids looked at you and said that you were, dear mercy, untouched."
"Yes Mother," sobbed quietly Hermione. "The Duke arrived right on the dot."
Jean nodded slowly, and said: "Your father is furious. Naturally, the marriage with the son of a...with the Viscount is out of the question now we know what he is, though no official reasons shall be communicated. Only the Duke and Duchess of Godric's Hollow have been informed. We have all been very worried. You have been unconscious for two days."
"Mother, what shall happen now? I mean, though he did not deflower me, he still touched me in the most inappropriate ways. I am a sullied woman, damaged merchandise. But what about him?"
"Lady Hermione Jean Granger," said firmly Jean, taking her daughter's chin between two fingers and looking at her square in the eye, "I forbid you to speak about being sullied. You are not, child. You are a virgin. You are in no way damaged. As I said, few people know the truth. You shall not have trouble for marriage to another. The Duke of Wiltshire has already sworn he shall tell no soul. As for the Viscount..." she pursed her lips. "He is actually in the Malfoy Castle's dungeons. The Duke asked the King for permission for a special duel, who naturally accepted immediately."
"A duel? You mean, Mother, a true duel? Not simply two men crossing wands or swords?"
"It is. The duel is held for your honour. Should the Viscount win, he shall remain free. Should the Duke win, he erases this sad story from the memories of everyone and all is to be forgotten. It will be..." she paused, gathering her thoughts. "A duel till death."
Hermione gasped, and her mother went on. "Witnesses shall be your father and the Viscount's Uncle. The Duke will duel personally with the Duke of Godric's Hollow, Harry, as his second. The Viscount has decided to take one Earl Zacharias Smith, his friend, as second."
"This is no more than folly, Mother!"
"A woman's honour is no folly, child, and we are in the Duke's debt that he is doing this for you. It is a pity he cannot ask for your hand in marriage."
"But still, to death! How could the Duke want this? He hates the very ground I walk upon."
"He proposed it himself and was most firm about it. I haven't ever seen such anger, such passion in one so young, and when you were brought up to this room, his eyes looked almost...hurt and frightened."
There was a long silence, then Jean murmured, "The duel is to take place in a week, in the Malfoy Castle grounds. The Duke has requested that you attend, he is most insistent."
She stood, kissed warmly her daughter on the cheek while asking her to eat and left in silence. Hermione thought everything over and when, finally, she tucked in, her supper had gone cold.
.