Sooo sorry for not reviewing lately! I've been busy with the play I'm in, chopping up trees and baking, and I've just been lazy too. I have also been formulating ideas for new stories, and have been plotting those little by little. I intend to outline and plot those better than I have with this story, so those might take me even longer than this one! I'm dedicating this chapter to my sister whether or not she likes Pansy because I gave them the same birthday. As always, read and review! I really could use the feedback!
Dear Diary,
Draco took me to get a new wand yesterday! This one is ivy with a dragon heartstring core, eleven inches. It's got a bit more design to it than my old one, but I love it nonetheless. This one works flawlessly, possibly even better than my last! Oh, I love Draco for doing this for me (even though I've loved him before this)! I also got to see Fred and George Weasley. While Draco was looking at their Skiving Snackboxes, I took them into the back room and asked about the Order. Apparently, the Dark Lord is after more prophecies! Since Lucius's failure at obtaining the first (about Harry of course!) he's sent someone else undercover to procure the others. George said that they're more like riddles, perfect for Tom Riddle. Ha ha. I am just wondering if those 'riddles' are the same things that Dumbledore gave me…the one about the snitch did seem riddle-ish.
At present, I am here in Draco's bedroom (his parents do believe that we're sleeping together); while he is off to attend certain affairs with his father. As his loyalty is unwavering to his parents (whom by the way are still loyal to You-Know-Who for the most part), his loyalty to the Dark Lord is shaky. I do believe that they are actually talking to him, although, as to where I do not know because after what happened here, he had vacated Malfoy Manor.
()()()()()()()()
"So, Draco. Have you upheld your terms? I have mine. Your parents shall not be harmed, but you must find out what Dumbledore wanted Harry to do," Voldemort's ice cold voice said. "And I need that mudblood's secrets."
Draco stood rigid in front of the Dark Lord, the vision of many of his fears. He resisted the strong urge to wring his clammy hands, but could not help looking over his shoulder at Fenrir and MacNair.
"I-I do know sir. He has Potter searching for something called Horcruxes," he said, his voice sounding braver than he felt.
"And where, pray tell, did you find this information? Was it perhaps from the Avery's? You do know that Maia has bewitched the blood-traitor Weasley with Amortentia so heavily, that he will probably never return from his potion induced infatuation with her daughter. She was the one that gleaned this information Draco. Do not lie when you tell me where you learned Potter's doings," Voldemorts cold, monotone voice said.
"Y-yes sir. This is where I found out about Potter," he stuttered.
"And what about the Mudblood Draco?" Voldemort seethed.
"I-I don't know yet," Draco was getting honestly scared now. He couldn't betray Hermione now; she meant so much to him. But he couldn't lead his parents to their doom for his mistake.
"WELL FIND OUT! Crucio!"
Draco's screams reverberated off the blue walls of the Shrieking Shack. The once tall, lean, imposing figure crumpled to the ground. His fingernails, bitten down to the quick from nervousness clawed at the cold hard stone of the floor. In his head he screamed for mercy, his lips trembling to for the words, but his tongue was betraying him, shaking from the pain that rippled through his whole body. Once Voldemort lifted the horrendous curse, he let out a gasp, and clawed at his erratically beating heart. His platinum bangs clung to his sweaty forehead. So this is what Hermione went through. I can never let this happen to her again. I'll do everything in my power to make sure she's safe.
"Think Draco, you're a smart boy," Voldemort said in the tone of voice he used in the graveyard when reminding Harry to remember his manners. "Where would a girl hide her secrets? These are prophecies Draco! Think!" Voldemort danced around the still figure, evil glee in his voice.
Suddenly, Draco did remember. That night after he had come home to find Hermione suspiciously doing nothing, she had said "For the one that is perceived as a spy, he will, unfortunately hold an untimely death. But not before helping the offspring of his love on his quest." A prophecy. Severus Snape was the spy, and he died. Since the first parts of the prophecy were correct, he assumed that Snape had indeed helped Harry before his death. As soon as this realization dawned on him, he assumed the prophecies were kept in her diary – the one she didn't want him reading anymore.
"Now, find those prophecies Draco! If you don't," Voldemort's hissing voice trailed off. "Nagini is getting very hungry," he murmured more to himself than Draco. "Why are you still here?" he asked the weakened boy lying on the floor. "BEGONE!" Draco scrambled up off the cold, unforgiving stone floor and dashed through the door. Once outside the protective apparating borders, he closed his eyes and thought of home.
"My Lord," MacNair walked in through the door. "I have some very interesting information regarding the Malfoy brat and Potter's friend the mudblood."
()()()()()()()()
"Lucius!" Narcissa screeched.
Her normally strong, arrogant, and physically fit husband wheezed up the stairs into his study. Since his sons agreement with the Dark Lord - to find the prophecies and Potter's whereabouts – he had been constantly worrying, something the average wizard would not expect the rich pureblood to do. Indeed, he was probably as worried as Narcissa, but wasn't as good as hiding it.
"What? What is it Cissy?" he said in-between deep breaths. He sneered and gave an evil eye to all the murmuring portraits of his ancestors.
"The Parkinsons!" she yelled as if he were still downstairs in the kitchens divulging himself in chocolate.
"What Cissy? Did someone die? Why are you screeching like that woman?" the pale figure straightened up and walked over to the desk. "What is that?" he snatched the paper away from his wife.
The Parkinson Family
Cordially Invites you to Pansy's 17th Birthday Ball
When: April 7, 1997
Where: The Parkinson Estate
2341 Fayette Lane, Norfolk
"What the hell is this supposed to mean? Who would have a 17th party for some snotty girl at this time!" he snorted.
"Well," Narcissa twiddled her fingers. "Should we show Draco? I mean, can he bring the girl?" she asked nervously. Narcissa and Lucius refused to acknowledge Hermione by her name, or the fact that she was 'dating' their son, even if they did agree it was best for Draco in a world without Voldemort.
()()()()()()()()
Draco had returned to Hermione who was in the library, shaking and covered in the grime he picked up on the floor of the Shrieking Shack. Hermione was in the back cuddled up on a window bench, the morning rays highlighting the ends of her brown hair. She had a new book propped up on her knees, her fingernails in her mouth. She was reading a suspense she randomly grabbed. Surprisingly, it was written by a muggle author, so she thought she'd give it a try.
"Hermione?" Draco called. He peeked around the different corners until he found her in the secluded corner. "Hermione? There you are. Would you join me for lunch?"
She looked up from her book, forgetting to mark her place. She looked up to see Draco give her a crooked smile that made her heart leap until she gazed over his dirty shirt and shaking fingers. "Oh Draco!" she leapt up from the nook she was in and ran over to inspect her 'boyfriend'. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Something obviously happened, I mean look at you! Did he hurt you?" she looked up into his stormy gray eyes and knew. "He crucio'd you didn't he?" Tears welled up in the witch's bright brown eyes.
"Yeah, but it was nothing," His words hid the actual pain he felt, and the terror that had washed over him when he realized that his psychotic aunt Bellatrix had put Hermione through the same thing. That hadn't actually been the first time he'd been crucio'd. When he was in first year, his father had crucio'd the poor eleven year old when he found out his son was bested in grades by a muggleborn. His mother begged and pleaded for him to stop hurting their only son, but he was in a fit of rage and couldn't be talked to. That had happened long ago and he had forgotten the pain that coursed through one's body. He couldn't ever, ever let that happen to the beautiful witch standing in front of him, unbuttoning his shirt. "Hermione, what are you doing?" he smirked, placing his hands on hers to stop her progress. "Can't keep your hands off me, can you?" As much as he wanted her to take off his shirt, he would rather be clean when she did it.
"Oh shut your mouth Draco," she paused her work, and looked up at him.
"I would be delighted to," he retorted. And with that, his mouth descended upon her small pink one.
Hermione froze in astonishment, but soon relaxed and kissed him back. This is what she wanted isn't it? She loved him, and he loved her. When she felt Draco pull away, her chest tightened at his retreat. She looked up and saw him gazing over the top of her head. She slowly spun around on her heels to face a stony Lucius with a piece of parchment tightly held in his fist and his wife whose face gave away nothing.
"Sorry to interrupt your…little rendezvous…but we have just received an owl from the Parkinsons. Pansy is having a 17th birthday party on April 7th. It is a formal ball for her guests, and the band The Weird Sisters shall be performing," Lucius drawled out the last part as if their music was distasteful.
"She has invited you and her," Narcissa nodded in Hermione's direction.
()()()()()()()()
"I really don't know Draco," Hermione said in between mouthfuls of lunch. "It really wouldn't be appropriate that I come, being a muggle born and all, and Pansy and I are complete opposites. I'd be like a fish out of water."
"Hermione please!" Draco pleaded. "You'll be with me and I'll protect you from whatever slander and verbal abuse you're expecting. You can consider this our first real date," he said before shoving a piece of toast down his gullet. He absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the glass table, awaiting Hermione's response.
"I thought our first date was at Le Poisson Rouge. Remember?" she said wanting to change the subject.
"That was as 'us'," he retorted, using air quotes around us. "I would like this to be a real first date. No pretending that we're dating. I want 'us' to be real," he spoke softer than before, but still air quoting. "Hermione will you go out with me for real?"
Her heart started pounding in her rib cage. She concentrated on his eyes, a beautiful silver that seemed to be alive and swirling around his pupils, searching for any hint that he might be lying. She may have known that he liked her, but she didn't want to be duped into humiliation. As she searched those gorgeous eyes, she didn't find a trace of lies. It was 100% truth.
"Yes," she whispered, tears magnifying her eyes.
"Great! More shopping then for a dress!" Draco said with glee.
Hermione just rolled her eyes.
()()()()()()()()
After looking at a few selections at Madam Malkins, they decided to move on. Hermione had already passed on a black strapless that had a swirling pattern underneath a layer of netting with a long black sash that tied around the waist, a red gown that had off the shoulder ruffles and was gently flared out at the waist with layers of the fabric going to the floor. She also passed on a green one and a brown one that puffed out at the waist like a Cinderella dress. She finally settled on three dresses. A shorter, strapless red dress that had netting over the whole thing, with black underneath, a green spaghetti strap dress that had a low cut back and a light, flowing skirt that angled up on the right side, and a black strapless that went down to her knees and ballooned out in layers.
"Draco, I really can't decide. You pick," Hermione pouted, standing in front of her three choices displayed on mannequins.
"Why should I? I love all of them on you Hermione, and besides, you'll be the one wearing it," he simply replied. "Be true to yourself Hermione; pick the one you can be you in."
Hours later, and several hundred Galleons poorer, Draco helped adjust Hermione's straps on her back. She chose the sexy green one which delighted Draco to no end until she requested it in bright scarlet.
"Thanks Draco," she said as she sat on the couch he had transfigured out of his clock when he first kidnapped her. She reached down to adjust her black stilettos that wrapped up her calf. These shoes Draco decided on for her because he said that no one, not even muggles, wore flats to formal parties, regarding her pick of flat red sandals.
Even though the actual party was in two days, Narcissa wanted a formal photo of her only son and his girlfriend in their garden among the hedges. She wanted to commemorate this because although Draco and Pansy were close, they never officially dated, so Hermione was his first girlfriend.
"Draco, I'll be ready in a few. Why aren't you dressed yet?" Hermione questioned her handsome boyfriend who was still in his shorts and a T-shirt.
"I was busy helping my gorgeous girlfriend into her dress," he smirked, giving her a wink before closing the bathroom door to shower.
A slight breeze ruffled the ends of Hermione's dress as they walked out into the garden. They had about half an hour before the sun disappeared over the horizon and Narcissa found the gold streaks of light filtering through the leaves a perfect spot for her son and his girlfriend to stand. The usually smartly dressed woman was garbed in a simple light green sundress and her normally tightly wrapped bun was just held back in a loose braid. Her camera dangled from her wrist as she led the couple to a secluded alcove that wasn't so secluded when they arrived. The trio could hear the taps of the peacocks pecking at the ground from around the corner.
"Shoo!" Draco tried chasing them away, but horribly failed when more from the surrounding area closed in on him and started poking him with their beaks.
"Wait Draco. I think the peacocks will make a lovely addition to the picture!" Narcissa cried. She gave him a not-so-soft slap on the arm as she attempted to calm the peacocks. The peacocks were very docile, and would allow themselves to be arranged however the Lady of the House wanted them, however, if anyone but her or Lucius tried anything with them, they got quite violent. When Narcissa was satisfied with the array of peacocks, she ushered the couple to stand by them.
"Okay…hm…Draco, you stand here," she grabbed his shoulders that were at her eye level and moved him in a spot of sunlight. "Hermione you stand next to him on his right." Hermione sidestepped a few peahens and stood next to Draco's arm. "Oh go on. Scoot in closer, he's not going to bite. And Draco, put your arm around her and look like you're happy. You are dating and it would seem odd if the Malfoy couple didn't look even mildly happy to be together."
Releasing a little bit of tension, Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her in closer, letting his signature smirk slide onto his features. Hermione, feeling him relax and be a bit more like himself, clasped her hand over his and tilted her head up to look at the man she had come to love. The corner of her lip twitched up at seeing his swirling gray eyes gaze upon her. Narcissa, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to catch them off guard, pulled up her camera and snapped a photo of the unwary couple. A miniature version of Draco and Hermione slid out a slot at the bottom of the camera. Narcissa's eager fingers grabbed the photo and ran over to the stunned couple.
"Is this a normal muggle camera?" Hermione inquired, intrigued that Narcissa Malfoy would own a muggle made object, much less know how to use one.
"Yes," she said cheekily. This Narcissa seemed oddly out of character to Hermione. This Narcissa let go of her prejudices and dropped her cold demeanor. This was a totally different side of Narcissa Malfoy than the one that greeted her that morning in Draco's bedroom. "I actually have taken up the muggle hobby of photography," she squeaked. She looked down and a slight blush bloomed on her pale cheeks. "Don't tell your father though."
Hermione and Draco were both so astonished at her announcement that Hermione dropped her jaw and Draco's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "When did this happen mother?" Draco spluttered.
"Oh, a few years back when you were in Fourth Year. I got really interested in Rita Skeeter's work and the photographs were just wonderful!" Narcissa recalled. "Well, aside from you," she looked at Hermione, "and the Potter boy."
Even Draco knew about Rita's scandalous and untrue articles, so he never saw the article or picture of Hermione hugging Potter. This news wakened a little part of him that wanted to crush Potter even though he had yet to know what the photo was about. "When was this?" he drawled, outwardly showing no signs of jealousy.
"Oh," Hermione stammered. "It was right before the first challenge. I wished him luck and gave him a hug and Skeeter got it on camera. She gave us both really bad publicity." Hermione frowned.
"Oh," was all Draco replied.
"Anyway, let's get on with this photo shoot now can we?" Narcissa reminded them.
I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have listed below the links to Hermione's outfits.
.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/life/stories/2009/02/14/red_ Strapless red and black dress
.com/imgres?imgurl=/uploaded_&imgrefurl=%3Fprod_id%3D24&usg=_jN0IzNOa1Xxv8CfU-akMLtalovY=&h=960&w=732&sz=163&hl=en&start=9&itbs=1&tbnid=eilNYlHVYtUFSM:&tbnh=148&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlime%2Bgreen%2Bdresses%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1 Green spaghetti strap dress
.com/tea-length-bridesmaid-dresses/tea_ Black dress
./_tSH9pZD9bek/SJhdTw8NH7I/AAAAAAAAFIE/C6yt4jjGvOI/s400/stiletto%2Bheel%2Bstrappy%2Blace%2Bup% Shoes
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