Your letter requesting information about my Binding has reached me and if you could find the time to meet me today in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, 12:30, I would appreciate it. Please asked Tom to lead you into the Separée.
The letter had been on her desk, when she came in this morning. Hermione looked at the elegant handwriting. On impulse she would have said, that it was a woman's handwriting, but the contents spoke of one of the outstanding pureblood males on her list. Again there was no signature and the paper was of the same exquisite quality she had noticed before, when the last unsigned letter had been delivered to her by owl.
She sighed. There were only three left without a reply now. And she was close to shuddering, when she thought about the fact that only one, one out of seemingly 27, had not been bound as a child. What a barbaric practice!
For a moment she wondered, if there was any point meeting this person. She had already the suspicion, that it was Draco Malfoy of all people she would need to ask for a Reversal.
There had been moments, when she had been imagining him point blank refusing to have the spell reversed. There was a part of her, that dreaded him taking this as the ultimate revenge on her. Though she couldn't even say, why he would want to have her in his life. He despised her. Always had, always would.
'Get a grip, Hermione!'
There was of course also the small matter of her telling Ron about it. He had been acting weird during the last three weeks. He had been distant, not really cold towards her but not far from it. Then again he had taken her to diner one evening and had been the loving fiancé she missed.
Another sigh.
'Might as well meet this guy for lunch. Maybe I'm lucky and he can explain his first letter.'
"Hermione?'
She looked up. It was Mr. Weasley standing in the door, smiling.
"Hey there, Mr. Weasley."
"We have got a bit of bother with some strange humming cupboard. It seems to freeze people to death that come near it." And with a huge grin he added. "It's electric!"
"I am coming."
She smiled broadly at her future father-in-law. He always got excited when electricity was involved.
"Mother?"
Draco had been wanting to talk to his parent all morning, only to find that he had now searched the whole house without finding her. He finally called for one of the house elf. Which appeared with a slight -pop- and informed him when asked, that Lady Malfoy had left the house early in the morning and had said, she would meet him in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. 12:30 in the separée. Of course he had insisted on knowing, why he hadn't been told earlier, but it seemed that his mother had decided, that the house elves were only to inform him once he actually asked for her directly. He thanked the elf absent-mindedly and then went to library, lost in thoughts.
Why would she just leave and not tell him at breakfast? Why did he have to ask the elves for her, before being informed that she expected him for lunch in town? She had been rather quiet lately. Ever since she had told him to apologise to Granger. She had never mentioned it again. There had been the hope, that she would just drop the issue, but he knew her to well as that he would entertain this hope for too long. He knew, that she expected him to do as she had asked. If he didn't, she would find a way to make him.
He settled down with a book about advanced potions and didn't notice how the morning had slowly converged into midday.
"Master Draco is being expected."
The unexpected voice startled him. One of the house elves was standing in front of him, holding his travelling cloak. He looked at her for a moment before remembering, that he was expected in the Leaky Cauldron. He got up, thanked the elf and took the cloak. He was going to just apparate. A lot less mess then using the floo network.
"Hannah, I am going out for lunch. Should anybody ask for me, I'll be back this afternoon."
"Okay."
Hermione was about to leave, when she turned again and asked.
"Who left that message in my office this morning by the way?"
Hannah just looked at her.
"Message?"
"There was a message for me on my desk when I arrived this morning."
"Oh. I don't know. Nobody went into your office as long as I was here."
A furrowed brow was the only answer.
She apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and asked for the separée. The room was, in contrast to the otherwise rather rustic design of the inn, elegant and had a comfy feel about it. The table was set for two and she could see that this wasn't the everyday china. The cutlery was solid silver, the glasses made from pure crystal and the decorations consisted of different flowers in hues of red.
She smiled. She was going to bring Ron here for a romantic date. It was just delightful. For a moment she was wandering, why somebody would go to so much trouble just in order to have chat with her.
There was a gramophone in the corner. She went over and found that the record was Madame Butterfly. She stared at it for a moment. She wouldn't have expected this. Hermione carefully turned the handle to wind it up and then placed the needle gingerly on the record. The Humming Chorus was softly filling the room. She sighed contently.
"I'm sorry, Mother..."
She turned towards the door.
"What...?"
The person standing there with one hand still on the door handle glared at her.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy!"
"I was expecting to have lunch with my mother, Granger. What are you doing here?"
"I was sent a note asking me to be here for lunch as well."
His eyes narrowed.
"Was that from one of the purebloods you have been writing to?"
There was a snarl in his voice even so he couldn't see it on his face.
"That's none of your business!"
"Oh, I think it is. I am on that list after all, in case you had forgotten."
"So, it was YOU, who left that note in my office?"
Her voice sounded accusatory.
"Why, for Merlin's sake, would I of all people want to have lunch with you?"
"Because you KNOW!" She spat.
He looked at her, taken aback. She had worked it out a lot faster than he had thought that she would. Then again she was smart. Too smart for his likely right now.
There was silence. Only the soft music filled the distance between them.
It was Draco, who finally spoke again.
"You worked it out then." His voice was calm.
She glared at him. Did that mean, it had been him, that had sent the note with the cryptic hints?
"You sent the letter. The one with the two hints in it."
He looked into her eyes. He could see her fury, her disappointment and her being deeply hurt. He frowned. Why would she feel hurt? That didn't make any sense.
"You knew all along and you didn't say..." He could hear the hurt in her voice now as well.
"I only found out, that my mother had bound me shortly after I turned 21. And that it had to be you of all people, I only realised after I read a book about the Binding, which I accidently found in our library. I never asked for this. It was my mother's attempt to keep me save from the evil designs of my father. You were supposed to be a Muggle."
He had closed the door and stood now in front of the only exit of the room. She felt a bit caged.
They just looked at each other for a long time.
"Did you arrange for me to meet you here?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.
"No. I was supposed to meet my mother here." Draco answered quietly.
"Why would she be interested in us having lunch?"
'Good question!'
And then he remembered what she expected of him! She had set him up, made sure he had a nice setting to apologise in. He groaned. He should have realised, that she wouldn't just let it go. She had been determined enough to keep him out of the worst schemes his father had thought up. How could he have expected, that she would wait for him to do what was expected of him, when she knew that he was more than reluctant to do so?
"Malfoy?"
He looked at her. How was it that his mother had...
'Never mind!'
"Granger. I'm sorry. My mother had asked me to meet with you. To talk to you. Knowing that I was somewhat reluctant to do so, she must have arranged this, in order for us to have nice surroundings while having... a chat."
"She did this?"
"Yes. I am quite sure she did."
"Why is she so interested in you talking to me?"
"Because..."
He paused. Then he went to the chair nearest to her and stood behind it. His gaze trained on her puzzled features.
"As we are both here, I might as well do what my mother expects me to do."
He saw her face showing the clear signs of horror all over it.
"Don't worry, I am not going to ask to be my wife. I just need to say, what she is expecting me to say. You are free to go any time."
She hesitated. Should she really have lunch with him? Her curiosity finally got the better of her. She slowly approached him and he seated her.
Moments later delicious food appeared on their plates.
They ate in silence. Only ever now and then glancing at the one sitting opposite.
"Why have all pureblood males in our generation, in the whole of Britain I may add, been bound as children? It seems absolutely barbaric."
He looked at her for a long moment.
"Do you remember, when they were all bound? It was at the height of Voldemort's reign before he was defeated by Potter's mother. All pureblood families wanted to make sure, that their line survived and of course not even the Dark Lord could go against the Binding Spell, which meant he wouldn't be able to have any input in the choice of mate."
He was about to continue eating, when he saw the impression on her face. Curiosity. He sighed.
"My own mother bound me to what she believed to be a Muggle girl of all things in order to keep me out of the clutches of my father."
"She did?"
Hermione seemed honestly surprised.
"Yes. She risked her own life by doing so. Only it didn't quite work out as she had indented."
"Because I am witch."
"Yes."
"So what is going to happen now?"
He looked at her. What did she mean, what happens now?
"You are going to marry Weasley, don't you? Isn't that the reason you have been contacting all us pureblood studs?"
There was a smirk on his face.
"Yes, I am going to marry Ron!" Her tone was stern, as if to prove a point to him.
"Maybe you should speak to Parvati before you do though."
He continued eating. She glared at him. What was that supposed to mean?
"What do you mean? Why should I speak to Parvati of all people?"
"Just ask her about The Three Broomsticks."
He could see, that she was close to hexing him. He didn't consciously provoke her. It just came all too natural to him where she was concerned.
"Malfoy, you evil git! What are you trying to insinuate? That Ron has been going behind my back? With Parvati?" She scowled at him.
"I know, that they were meeting there. Not that long ago and obviously your darling fiancé has not bothered to tell you about it."
"If he hasn't told me about it, than only because there is nothing to tell!" She shrieked.
He put his cutlery down.
"He thinks, that you already know, whom you are bound to, but you didn't tell him, because either you fancy the found man, ergo me, or he, again me, has put you under a curse and wants to keep you for himself. Which I can only deny. I have no interest in having you anywhere near my life!"
There was an acid like quality to his voice. She first blushed and then went pale with anger.
"How dare you! How dare you talk to me about my fiancé in this way?"
She stood up so forcefully that her chair toppled over.
Her hand were planted beside her plate as she leant slightly closer towards him over the table.
"You know what? I am going to make sure, that I get this Binding reverse! Should I have ever considered to just ask you in a civilised manner, than that was just one big mistake. For a moment I had been thinking you were actually human somewhere deep down in your evil being. I have been mistaken! There is no way you ever were human or ever going to able to be considered as human either. You are just an evil, spoiled prat! You do deserve anything you have coming and I for one will make sure, that I get my Reversal. Should that mean, I have to get the whole of the Ministry on your case, I will!"
She stormed from the room, slamming the heavy door behind her.
He slowly exhaled.
'Brilliant!'
If this got out, he was in serious trouble and he had no illusions about her telling Weasley, Potter and Merlin knew whom ever else what he had said.