It wasn't until the next morning, when Draco woke to soft sunlight and a warm body against his, that he remembered what happened before the fittings yesterday evening. Looking down, Draco smiled and decided his question could wait. Hermione was curled up at his side, yellow light spilling over her and turning her into an angel. She had the sheets pulled up under her arm and the dark green made her skin look pale and her hair chocolate brown with golden highlights woven throughout. Yes, his princess was perfect. No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than Hermione gave a deep breath and fluttered her eyes open, immediately making contact with his own. While his were filled with love and compassion, hers were already an angry glare. Draco sighed, it was too early for this.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy you know I hate when you watch me sleep." Hermione gave him her patented stink eye. He was constantly doing this to her, and she shuddered at the thought of waking up one morning to find out she snored half the night, or drooled all over a pillow.
"But Mia, my darling, my love, my princess, it's one of my favorite pastimes!" Draco responded with a smirk, beginning in a whine and ending in a husky voice as he rolled on top of her.
"Ugh, Draco. Do you think of nothing else?" Hermione responded shortly, pushing him off her before stretching her arms, rolling to the edge of the bed, and pulling his button up shirt from the night before around her shoulders. Hermione looked back at him over her shoulder as she buttoned the middle three buttons. Standing from the bed, Hermione began making her way to the closet, at least she attempted to. Draco lurched after her to the edge of the bed, grabbing her wrist just in time, and spinning her around to stand before him as he balanced himself on two knees at the edge of the bed. Slipping his arms around her waist, Draco cradled her body against his own before speaking.
"You know, Hermione, I do believe you have forgotten a rather important part of our wake-up routine?" He said with a roguish grin.
"Ohh?" She responded, looking up at him with a cheeky grin.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten!" Draco exclaimed with a smirk. "I know it's been awhile since we've woken up together but I consider this my favorite part of my day, not including our, nightly, rituals."
"Subtle Draco." Hermione deadpanned before rolling her eyes and giving her needy boyfriend his 'good morning' kiss.
"Ahh much better, I do believe I can begin my day now." Draco smiled down at her, rubbing his thumbs along her hips as he held her. "And the first order of business is to clear up what happened between you and Severus yesterday." Draco watched the immediate effects his words had on Hermione. Her face paled slightly, her head dropped to rest against his heart, her hands on his chest and arms. Cocooning her in his warmth and scent, Draco pulled her closer to him as one arm moved to rest on her back, his hand falling between her shoulder blades and stroking her back. Resting his head on the top of hers, Draco kissed her hair and waited for her to respond.
"He attempted to teach me Legilimens and brought up a bad memory, that's all." Hermione responded quietly, closing her eyes and breathing him in, in an attempt to calm her panic.
"Which memory was it?" Draco murmured.
"Just one of the times from his class, it wasn't an important one Draco. You probably don't remember it happening. He just called me some names and I got caught up in the memory, in the feeling of worthlessness, of never being enough and it's stupid." Hermione began attempting to untangle herself from his arms as she explained, her insecurities showing again. But Draco held her tightly, never letting her go, and eventually Hermione gave up and just cried. Cried for her treatment as a girl, cried for not having confidence in herself, cried for not being able to let the anger and resentment and hatred towards Professor Snape go, for her inability to forgive. As her tears let up Draco quietly made her a promise.
"He won't go near your mind again, he won't belittle you again, he won't ever make you question your value ever again. Not you, not my princess."
Taking a deep, sharp breath, Hermione nodded before slowly releasing herself from Draco's grasp and wiping at her eyes. "So, my dragon," Hermione began in an attempt to dispel the tension. "What am I wearing today?"
Draco was about to respond in a lewd and most definitely inappropriate voice when his mark gave a twinge of pain. Closing his eyes, Draco gave a deep breath as he realized what that meant. Hearing his sigh, Hermione turned to discover Draco's silver eyes had turned a hard grey, his face pale.
"What is it?" She asked quietly approaching him once again to place a hand on each of his cheeks.
"He's called for us," Draco replied in a grim voice. "Today's the day love, grab a flowery dress, pastel heels, and black cloak with a hood. You're going to do this, you can do this, everything's going to work out." Determination filled his voice and eyes as he went on. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, Hermione entered the closet and quickly followed each of his instructions to the tee.
Dressed for their meeting with Voldemort, Draco and Hermione entered the dining room and ate a small breakfast as quickly as possible; studiously ignoring Snape's regretful gaze towards Hermione and Narcissa's victorious look. It was her opinion that Hermione would never be able to impress her Lord, and therefore would be dead sooner than later, leaving Draco in a position to find a new girl with a little more to recommend her. Draco refused to acknowledge her presence.
Finishing their meal, the two stood, Hermione taking the arm Draco offered, before quickly leaving the room and beginning the trek to the floo room a few corridors down. Draco began lecturing Hermione the moment the door closed behind them.
"Remember to stay at least three steps behind me until your presence is recognized by all other males in the room. Only then can you lower your hood, take my arm, and stand at my side. All invitations must be cleared by me before you give your opinion. My presence allows you the gift of declining any invitations given by anyone other than Voldemort himself. Speaking of, he is to be addressed only as My Lord. Do not speak unless spoken too, and even if spoken too, do not respond unless you have been introduced by me. Are you getting this Hermione?" Draco's tone had slowly become more urgent, commands coming out faster and faster. Hermione pulled him to a stop.
"Draco look at me, everything is going to be fine. I remember all of your lessons, I am wearing one of your outfits and cloak. I can do this darling. Everything is going to be fine, remember?" Her voice was calm, immediately slowing Draco's rapid heartrate, infusing him with confidence and love.
"I know Princess, I know. Everything's going to be fine. I love you." Draco looked deep into her eyes and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you too Draco." Hermione responded quietly. "Now let's get going."
Taking his arm once more, Hermione and Draco stepped into the fireplace together, disappearing in a swirl of green, destination: Malfoy Manor.
Draco and Hermione stepped out of a fireplace in the reception room of Malfoy Manor and were almost swallowed in shadows. The curtains on all the windows were pinned shut, the lights were dimmed if not out, and the color scheme seemed to focus on black or very, very dark grey. Shivering in the suddenly chill air, Hermione reached up to pull her hood as far over her head as she could, hiding her face in it's shadow, and buttoning the cloak together up her front, hiding her flowery and colorful dress that stood out like the sun in space.
Dropping her arm, Draco gave her a slight nod, before taking off through the Manor, Hermione following at a close distance. Throughout the walk, Hermione pondered on the horrors Draco must have faced as a child growing up in this home. It's constant darkness, the riches lavishly displayed in every possible square inch, it was no wonder he was a cowardly, spoilt brat as a child.
Hermione was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of large doors booming open. Looking forward, she saw Draco standing in an open doorway, the library stretching onward looking magnificent and never ending, whether due to more shadows or it was truly as large as it looked was yet to be determined. Following Draco into the room, Hermione noticed there was a man sitting in an armchair by the fire. He had rich chocolate hair, piercing blue eyes, and pale skin. He appeared to be in his thirties and was setting up a chess board. Hermione's curiosity was peaked at the game, she had always loved to play and was well-known in her house as the best chess player known. She hadn't been able to play in ages because Ron deemed himself so much better that to 'stoop to her level' would be insulting. Hermione didn't speak to him for weeks after that.
Draco wondered over to one of the curtained windows on the wall with the fireplace, opening the curtains just enough for her to see out. From her required three steps behind, Hermione could see the front yard of the Manor, sprawling grasses, large hedges, white peacocks, and a magnificent gate all hidden in never ending clouds and repressive fogs. Dementors. Hermione shivered in distaste. Noticing her discomfort and misplacing it as chill, Draco closed the curtain and led her to the fireplace. Knowing that she wouldn't be allowed to sit until introductions were made, Draco began.
"Good morning, sir. I am Draco, though my lack of presence in my home the past few weeks has impeded my knowledge of your identity. Who might you be and what is your purpose?" Draco's wariness and demand for knowledge was barely hid in her courteous questions and open demeanor.
"Good evening young Master Draco, a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tom Riddle, and I am an acquaintance with our Lord. Who might your friend be?" Hermione felt a chill roll down her back at the man's name. Tom Riddle. Harry used to share his learnings with Dumbledore with Ron and herself and one of the first things he learned was Lord Voldemort's original name, Tom Riddle.
"A pleasure to meet you Mister Riddle." Draco said courteously but without the fanfare he would use when meeting the Dark Lord. So Draco didn't know. Draco reached behind him, palm up. Sliding her hand into his, Hermione stepped forward to stand beside him, deciding to play along at the same time. Lowering her hood, Hermione gave a deep curtsey as was expected of her young girl like herself, as Draco introduced her. "This is my girlfriend Hermione." Short and to the point, this was not her Draco, this was Draco Malfoy, only heir to the Malfoy line. He was good at this.
"It's a pleasure to meet such a beauty such as yourself." Tom Riddle responded with a small smirk, amusement dancing in his eyes. He apparently found messing with the two of them entertaining. Draco gave a slight growl at Tom's compliment, he had long since learned that flowery words were the first sign of a man with something to hide. A squeeze of the hand from Hermione helped settle his nerves and he was able to hand her into a seat by the fire after taking her cloak. Tom Riddle's smirk grew tenfold at the sight of her be flowered dress and pastel heels. Handing the cloak to an elf he had called, Draco heard Riddle invite Hermione into a game of chess.
"I find it's a game that allows great insight into the opponent, why not learn more about each other while we have the time?"
Hermione looked up at Draco who had taken his place at the side of her chair. At his small nod, Hermione gave a dazzling smile and answered in the affirmative, and so her test began.
It wasn't until Riddle had taken almost every piece on her board that he finally spoke up. "I'm afraid I don't truly understand your strategy, Miss Hermione. I have taken every piece that you need to win and yet you make no move to stop me. I do believe you are playing the game wrong!" Riddle began in a perplexed voice. Draco smirked at this, he had never seen Hermione lose at anything and a chess game against a stranger was doubtful to be the first. In fact, he could already see what she was doing. Riddle took such great notice of large, powerful pieces that he overlooked pawns, particularly the one standing diagonal from his king.
"Oh but Mr. Riddle, the purpose of the game is not to keep all your pieces, but to keep your king." Hermione emphasized her point by knocking his king to board with her measly pawn. Flashing him a small smile, Hermione placed her hands in her lap and watched the recognition dawn on Voldemort. "The game isn't about playing the board, Mr. Riddle, it's about playing your opponent." Draco took this opportunity to check his watch and noticed they had only a few minutes before they were due in the office his father had given the Dark Lord years ago.
"Come along Hermione, we have an appointment to keep." He said in an imperious tone, snapping his fingers for her cloak before holding it open for her to don. He pulled her hood up as she buttoned before they both turned to Mr. Riddle, offering him good days with Hermione's curtsey.
"Thank you for the game, Mr. Riddle, it's been ages since I've been allowed to play." Hermione watched as the meaning behind her words dawned on Lord Voldemort, for the man was only just realizing that the only reason the Order had yet to annihilate his forces was because of their inability to see what was right in front of them. He vowed never to make such a mistake.