Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Three Decembers
By Emerald Riddle
2006
Part XI: The Unbreakable Vow
Metaphor for the mystic moment One womb Liberate this will
Pull me in to your perfect circle
One shape
One resolve
To release us all
Orestes by A Perfect Circle
Hermione had no idea where Harry was. He disappeared in the middle of dinner and didn't say a single word to her about where he would be. Not that that was unusual. Lately, he had been disappearing more and more with every week.
Still, she thought, a word of warning would be nice now and again. He's acting as if he's hiding something.
Knowing Harry, he probably was. Hermione kept her thoughts occupied as she approached the room of requirement so she wouldn't worry; so she would not panic. She was one to always follow the rules and she was pretty certain that an Unbreakable Vow was against school policy in more ways than one. Harry was worth one, Hermione assured herself. Harry was always worth breaking a few rules for. Besides… Malfoy could not win. She would not lose Harry to him.
"You came," Malfoy said, reclining in a squashy armchair.
The room looked strikingly like the Gryffindor common room.
"I'm not sure I like the changes," he told her. "When I came in it looked like the Slytherin common room. We have far more decorating sense, I'm afraid."
Hermione frowned.
"I didn't bring a bonder," she informed him, point blank.
Malfoy smirked. "I didn't ask you to. Did you really think I'd trust one of your bubble headed Gryffindor friends? The whole school would know before curfew."
"Oh," Hermione retorted angrily, "and I suppose the Slytherins are any more trustworthy? Sorry to disappoint you, Malfoy, but I will not perform a vow with one of your friends present!"
There was a moment of silence where Hermione secretly berated herself for not telling anyone else she was here. It was extremely dangerous to go off anywhere alone anymore.
Why am I being so foolish? she asked herself. Why?
Malfoy was smirking at her. "Who ever said that one of my friends was going to be the bonder? I don't trust my friends," he snorted. "Only Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs would do something as dunderheaded as that."
Feeling defensive, Hermione replied, "Well, maybe that's because we're trustworthy! Unlike some power hungry Slytherins! We don't betray people we care about!"
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Please, and you say that you support school unity. You're just as bias as the rest of us. You act like you're perfect, Granger, but I know the truth. You have the heart of an old, shriveled hag and you don't believe in anything that you can't touch. The only reason you want Potter is because he's Harry Potter. You can't handle not having the best of the best, can you?"
Absolutely furious, Hermione paused for a minute to control herself.
"I can. The real question is, can you? Malfoy, all you've ever been is a spoiled conceited little brat. I don't care what you say about me. You don't know me at all. I love Harry, and Harry loves me. Who are you? You are nothing to him. Nothing. Do you really think he'd pick you over me?" Hermione laughed cruelly. "Oh, give it up, Malfoy. You truly are pathetic, aren't you?"
Malfoy's pale face was quickly turning a bright pink color. Before he could reply, the room began to change. The dark reds and golds began to morph into blue and bronze. Eagles replaced lions. Hermione watched as the room transformed, shocked out of her anger, and then glanced at Malfoy to see his reaction. His face was returning to its normal color. He was watching her anxiety with pleasure.
The door of the room of requirement opened and a girl walked in.
"Padma," Hermione said, blinking slowly.
Padma nodded her head in greeting to them both. "Hermione, Malfoy."
Malfoy returned the gesture. "Patil."
"You're our bonder?" Hermione asked, trying to shake off her surprise.
"Oh, yes. I always knew you two fancied Harry. It was really quite obvious. I cannot believe my sister never saw it," she said. "Then again, she was always a bit… thick. I guess that's why she's a Gryffindor and I'm a Ravenclaw."
Hermione ignored the jab at her house. "So you and Malfoy are friends?"
Malfoy smirked and Padma shook her head. "No, not at all. I don't like or dislike him, particularly."
Hermione didn't understand, so she said so.
"Well," Padma told her. "I'm not completely unlike my sister. When Malfoy asked me to do this, I was interested in what would happen. He also offered something that I wanted in exchange for my service. So in the end, it all works out. I get to know more than most of the school does, participate in an Unbreakable Vow, and also get paid for doing something I already wanted to do."
"Sounds reasonable," Hermione replied slowly. "How are you getting paid to do this? Money?"
Padma smiled. "Oh, no. I don't need any money, as I am sure you are aware."
When she didn't explain further, Hermione thought it was better left alone. It all seemed straight. She studied with Padma before and enjoyed her company. There was nothing untrustworthy about the twin that she could detect. Maybe it was really all about who was getting Harry after all.
"So what are the terms of this bonding?" Padma asked. "Just to be perfectly, completely clear."
Malfoy stood up, directly across from Hermione. They locked eyes.
"Whoever Harry consents to marry," Malfoy said, "will be the winner."
"Marriage?" Hermione exclaimed, shocked for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "Wait! I thought-"
"I know what you thought," Draco told her. "Marriage is final. Marriage bonds are stronger than almost all else. If he consents to marry one of us, that will strengthen the Unbreakable Vow to the point that the rejected one cannot even look at Potter without feeling a tremendous amount of pain."
Chills went down Hermione's spine, hearing that. There was also pleasure, however, in knowing that if she won Malfoy would be kicked out of their lives forever. Padma was staring at them both, as if she did not believe they would go through with it. Hermione particularly.
"Okay," Hermione said.
Malfoy seemed to be pleased at her answer. He knelt on the ground before the crackling fireplace and gestured for her to join him. Hermione knelt down next to him. They grabbed each other's right hands. Hermione's hand was sweaty and warm, Draco's cold and dry. He could have easily have said something condescending, but for some reason, he did not.
Perhaps he is just as nervous as I am, Hermione thought.
Padma stood over them and placed her wand on their linked hands. The room was almost stiflingly warm. The crackling fire illuminated their faces.
"If Harry Potter consents or asks for my hand in marriage, do you, Hermione Granger, agree to stop yourself from contacting either of us in any way possible?"
"I do," Hermione agreed.
A tongue of flame wound its way around their hands.
"Will you, Draco Malfoy, agree to stop yourself from contacting either Harry or I if he asks or consents to have my hand in marriage?"
"I will," Draco said.
A second flame shot out of Padma's wand and twisted around their joined hands.
Hermione felt as if she should have added something at the last moment. However, she could think of nothing, so instead she stared at the wire-like flames joining them. Another chapter in her life was starting, Hermione just hoped it that it wasn't the last.