Chapter 7: Was it a dream?
Author's Note:
Hello everyone, here is another chapter to the story "You, My Mate." I tried to keep the suspense going on, but I am just hoping that no one would feel like killing me for it.
I already have a few chapters ready but I am not really happy with them, so I am going to tweak things here and there until I feel it's ready. Hope everyone likes the current one.
Before moving on to Chapter 7; thank you to CassieRenee333, shaymars, dutch potterfan, StarGirlPotter, ScriosAisling and Grovek26 for your reviews and your kind words. It is still really hard getting back to our everyday routine but we are slowly getting there. I would also like to thank everyone who added me or this story to their Favourites as well as those who are following this story.
And finally, as everyone knows, the characters do not belong to me but to J. K Rowling. Happy reading everyone.
Sanyah
Chapter 7: Was It A Dream?
Hermione woke up the next morning, feeling all weird. She knew by the fact that the sun had not risen yet, that she had woken up early. She stared up at the ceiling and thought about the dream she had...was it a dream?
It seemed so and yet it seemed very much real...if only she could remember some part of it which could give her a proof whether it was a dream or not.
'The wand! His wand!' she remembered with a start. She turned around to locate the wand but realised a few minutes later with dismay that it was nowhere to be found.
'Of course...as if he would have left it even if this had not been a dream. Since this is a ridiculous stupid dream, there would be no wand….or….or maybe he was really here and took his wand away...maybe that...OH HERMIONE GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF, WILL YOU?! GET UP AND GET READY FOR WORK!'
Angry with herself for indulging in silly dreams, she got up heatedly from her bed and caused her knee to hit the chair next to her bed very painfully.
'Wait a minute...the chair? The chair is never found next to my bed! He was the one who moved it next the bed last night when he decided to help me sleep! Yes! This is my proof! And he said that he's coming back tonight!'
Hermione sat back down on the bed and stared at the chair longingly, suddenly wishing it was night again.
She wanted him to come back...Lord Malfoy...Lord Draco Malfoy, or like he asked her to call him...Draco. She reached over to touch the chair lightly…this is her solid proof. However, before she could allow her mind to wander to more wistful thoughts, a rapid knock pulled her out of her reverie. It was the matron, who woke up all the maids every morning by knocking like a mad woman on their doors. Hermione rushed up from the bed and started getting ready for another tiring day.
Meanwhile, very far away from the Nott residence, Robert Lefage stepped deftly from the fireplace he had just flooed to. He had just grabbed the occasion to visit his son at Malfoy Manor while his beloved was busy in the rose gardens. He found himself in the main part of the library and looked around. It usually was Draco's favourite place. However, the latter was nowhere to be found. He left the library and went to the next place he was sure to find Draco...his bedroom!
As he reached Draco's room, he knew that the latter was there...as the door was closed. He knocked on the oak door gently and was rewarded with a quiet 'Come on in.' He gently eased the door open and stuck his head inside.
Draco turned his head towards the door when he heard a soft knock. 'Probably a house elf.'
The door slowly eased open and he saw his father's head poking inside.
"Oh father, it's you!"
"Yes, it's me. What are you up to? Robert asked, eyeing his son, perched on the window sill, gazing at the gardens surrounding Malfoy Manor.
Draco shrugged without looking at his father. "Nothing much, just thinking. And you father? What are you doing here? Are not you supposed to be spending some time with mother?"
Robert chuckled at his son's attempt at diversion. "Your mother is quite busy with the rose gardens, so I thought of coming to check on you for a while. After all, you never informed me of what happened last night. Did you go to meet your mate?"
Draco stayed silent for quite a long time, still staring outside.
Then, he just muttered, "Yes, I met her."
"And?" Robert prompted. "What happened?"
"And, we talked," Draco replied cryptically.
"Son, I would appreciate if you could provide me with a little more details!" Robert said after it seemed obvious that his son was not going to provide the information he needed. When Draco stayed silent even then, Robert started getting worried as to what his son might have done as he knew quite well that the latter was very hasty and impetuous.
"Draco?" he asked again, in a worried tone.
This seemed to shake Draco out of his thoughts. "Yes, father?"
"I would like to know what happened son."
Draco slowly slid down from the window sill and leaned against the wall next to the window, staring blankly ahead.
"Well...I went there and I easily located her room...," Draco started and slowly told his father in detail what happened as the latter got comfortable on a nearby couch. When his story was told, he looked up and saw his father smiling slightly. "Well, Draco, are you convinced now that this girl is your mate?"
Draco sighed and nodded silently. 'Yes, this girl is definitely the one for me and no one can ever take her place in my life now.'
"And have you decided what to do from now on?" Robert asked.
"I am going to go and meet her again tonight." Draco replied with a happy grin on his face.
"And, after that?" Robert asked. "What have you decided to do?"
"Well, she is coming to stay with us and I will make her my mate and my wife." Draco replied with conviction.
"Make sure to ask her what she wants first son." Robert advised wisely.
However, this very advice puzzled his son. "Ask her what?"
"Well, ask her if she does want to come and live with you. If she does want to leave the life she already has," Robert explained patiently. "You can't really expect her to be at your beck and call Draco. She's your mate, yes but she is also a human being with feelings. So if you want things to start off well between you too, always think about what she feels."
Draco shoulders slumped in defeat. He had never thought of all this. In his mind, Hermione was his mate and would agree to anything he would ask of her.
"When you go to meet her tonight, explain things clearly to her. First of all, you should tell her that you are a Veela and that she is your mate. Then, explain your desire to bring her to live with you and along that all the small details. You would be surprised how many things she will ask about and the conditions she will lay down before accepting."
With that foreboding warning doubled with a not so helpful advice in Draco's opinion, Robert left to whisk his mate away for some quiet time from the rose gardens.
Draco stared off in space after his father left. 'Why is it that the most complicated path is always the best one?' he wondered in exasperation as he decided to work out a way to explain things to his mate.
'And the best way for me to think clearly is when I'm swimming,' he concluded, making his way to his indoor pool.
Meanwhile, things were not so good for Hermione. The day which she had started happily, when she was convinced that what happened last night was very true, slowly turned out to be a complete nightmare. First of all, someone ('stupid matron' thought Hermione) forgot to tell Hermione that Mrs Nott wanted her breakfast in bed today and she had to bear the brunt of Mrs Nott's rage all morning.
As a result, Hermione had been banned from meals for a whole week.
Then, Hermione had been assigned to clean all the windows of the lunch room. And all the windows meant all the 56 windows, each one 2m wide and 4m high, and with intricate engravings on the panes. It took her all morning and lunch time to clean them well. 'Lucky me, the family had lunch outside today,' thought Hermione.
And now, as Mrs Nott left for her monthly visit of several days to some relatives in France, Hermione was assigned exclusively to the service of Theodore Nott. She had managed fairly well lately, when his interest in her sharpened, by avoiding him at all cost.
But now that she was assigned to his service, how on earth will she avoid him? Presently, she was waiting patiently in the study for Mr Nott to come. She had been summoned urgently and had to leave all work and rush to the study. As she was starting to wonder when the master will come, the latter strode in quickly, grabbed something on the work table and motioned for Hermione to follow him. Hermione rushed after him as he exited the room without a word. It was so unlike Mr Nott to ignore her, not that she liked the attention from him. The change only made her wary of what might come next.
She followed silently, trying to keep up with the rapid stride of the young master. As they neared the lounge, Hermione allowed herself to relax a little. The lounge was safe territory as it was exposed, with no doors to close and isolate her with young mister Nott.
However, her warning bells flared up again as she watched the master grab some floo powder and throw it in the fireplace. The fire blazed and Mr Nott motioned for her to go through. Hermione stared at him in shock and did not move at all.
"Come on, Hermione. I need you to clean out the ballroom in our country house for the party I want to organise tomorrow." Theodore said impatiently. "In the floo, come on!"
He grabbed her arm when she remained stock still and motioned her towards the fireplace pushing her in it. Then, he followed her quickly, leaving in his wake a small cloud of soot.
Hermione landed in a heap in front of the fireplace, coughing the life out of her. Trying to get her bearings back, she staggered up, only to tumble down again. Hearing the fireplace 'whoosh' again, signalling another arrival, she forced herself to stand up, pleased that her second attempt yielded better results.
As she stood up, she saw the young master dusting off soot from his clothes. She took a few steps away from him, just for good measure. He straightened up and smiled at her. That very smile made Hermione instinctively take a few more steps away from him.
"There," he said in a satisfied tone, as he grinned at her. "No one will disturb us now. Just you and me, my darling Hermione," he said with a feral smile.
Hermione felt her heart clench almost painfully as a deep fear gripped her whole being.
'Oh my god, no!'
Sanyah
