So sorry it's been so long, lately it's been one thing after another and I just haven't gotten around to writing. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter 11-
It wasn't until later that evening, after Draco had taken her for a celebratory dinner in Paris, did Hermione have the opportunity to tell him the truth about their evening with the Dark Lord. Having been astonished at her ability to win the Dark Lord's favor so quickly, Draco had been asking for her "secret" all night. Finally, Hermione answered.
"Well it was simple, Draco. I merely beat him at chess." With a smirk on her face, Hermione continued to sway down the hall toward their chambers, leaving Draco standing shocked, watching his smug girlfriend walk away. Shaking his head to dispel his surprise, Draco smiled before sprinting down the hall, reaching the door in time to sweep Hermione off her feet, eliciting a squeal of surprise followed by love filled laughter from both of them. Narcissa and Severus, who had been walking around the manor periodically throughout the day in search of the two, turned the corner in time to see Draco Malfoy holding Miss Granger as a husband would a bride, spinning her in a circle with a large bright smile on his face, before carrying her through to their room and closing the door behind them. Narcissa huffed in annoyance at the lack of attention her only son was paying her and Severus grimaced at the repulsing intimacy and happiness the two radiated.
Draco sat at the wing-back chair placed in front of the fire place in their room. His face was carefully guarded as he watched Hermione scurry about, making lists, checking the closet and preparing for her final venture to the Order of the Phoenix. It was safe to say Draco was worried. He had seen the depression, the heartbreak etched into her face after long months apart too many times not to feel scared for her return to the house. The silver lining being that she would return to him at the end of the day and be able to wipe her hands clean of the abhorrent group.
Taking a sip of coffee, he once again checked Hermione's progress. Finding the room empty, Draco slowly stood and made his way into the closet. There he found Hermione standing facing her racks of clothing, hands on her hips. "Draco, I had not realized just how much clothing you bought me." She said quietly, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"You are my world, Hermione, you will want for nothing." He responded in a detached voice, though his love radiated from his eyes. Turning around at his tone, Hermione noticed his cold face and realized what was bothering him.
"Draco, I'm going to be fine. I am going to ignore their comments, pack all my things, and think only of the wonderful future we will make together." Hermione said slowly as she wound her arms around his waist and settled her head against his chest beneath his chin. Draco leaned his head down and breathed in the scent of her hair before placing a kiss on her forehead and replying.
"I just, I want you to know darling, that if while you are there, you should change your mind it would be perfectly acceptable." Draco began unsure and ended in an even tone, relaying none of his emotion once more. Refusing to make eye contact when Hermione raised her head from his chest with a questioning face, Draco intently studies his side of the closet as if considering what to wear for dinner.
Hermione gives a small smile before pressing a kiss to his jaw and replying "While that is very honorable of you Draco dearest, I'd have to be insane to give this up just to return to that horrible place."
"Oh?"
"Indeed, you have much more money than the rest of them combined, I could never let you get away." Hermione responds with a smirk as she tries to subtly extract herself from his arms.
"My money hmm?" Draco smirks, with an eyebrow raised.
"Well yes darling, and I do so enjoy France." That comment did it and Hermione had barely made it out of the closet before Draco caught her. Laughing in delight, Hermione twisted in his arms until she was face to face with him again. "I love you Draco Malfoy, and I will be home in time for dinner tonight." Giving him one more solid kiss on the lips, Hermione wiggled out of his arms, left the room and met with Severus Snape in the traveling room before stepping into the fire, shouting "Number 12 Grimmuald Place!", and disappearing.
(Draco)
While Hermione was packing her things from the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Draco had traveled to Malfoy Manor in order to meet with the Dark Lord concerning the future of her left arm.
"Miss Granger is smart one, Draco, don't let her go." He hissed. Although sitting in his true human form, Tom Riddle had a distinct snake like way of speaking that never seemed to leave. Draco couldn't get over the shock of meeting the Dark Lord so informally, the man was wearing khakis for goodness sakes.
"Of course not, My Lord. I love her dearly and will not commit the errs those before me have done so odiously." He replied, bowing his head in agreement.
"Good, good. For now, though I'm sure you've thought of this yourself, an engagement would be too soon, the two of you need to be seen together but needs to be far enough into the future to promote my lack of hatred of all things muggle, and the Order has to have forgotten her presence long enough not to know how to "find" her." Tom Riddle continued.
"Indeed My Lord, I had considered proposing. To do so, would have to be a public statement as it would end my "debauchery" as well as make a political statement. Now is not the right time." Draco concluded, wondering as to why he was discussing his relationship with the Dark Lord, surely the man had better things to do.
"I am glad we agree. For now, I wish for Hermione's involvement in the Inner Circle to be secret from everyone, including your parents. Only Severus, you, and I shall be aware of her presence and she shall only meet with the three of us. Instead, I want her standing in the background of large meetings, I want her to find out what the lowliest of our followers are thinking, how they are feeling; especially with the coming change in focus." Tom Riddle had pressed his fingertips together in an oddly Dumbledore like move, contemplating just how helpful Miss Granger would be. "Obviously the both of you will have free reign to give advice and opinions within our small meetings, the two of you shall be my most loyal companions. A warning though, I cannot have everyone believing I can be questioned, that will lead to mutiny and more death than I wish to give."
"Thank you My Lord, you honor us and we shall do our best to keep you informed and advised as best we can." Draco responded, recognizing how rare the moment was.
"Please, Draco, we are to be friends, and your future wife will be as well, call me Tom."
All in all, Draco could honestly say it was one of the oddest meetings he had ever had with the Dark Lord. And while he still scared him quite a bit, Draco knew how excited Hermione would be with her new undercover role, not to mention how appreciated she would feel at being able to express her opinions freely without the fear of being mocked and silenced once more.
"I thank you Tom, not only for such a prestigious position among your ranks, but also for the credit and appreciation you have shown for Hermione. My greatest fear is her unhappiness and I am more than content in her new place here due to her happiness at this arrangement. She is currently packing her belongings at the headquarters of the Order, otherwise I am sure she would be here with me to express her pleasure and gratitude." Draco was dismissed after his eloquent speech and on his way to the floo room, he unfortunately ran into his father.
Upon seeing his son, Lucius Malfoy ushered him into the nearest empty parlor and began his interrogation. "Draco, I assume you have received my latest letter, though you did not respond." Draco simply stared coldly at his father. The trust Draco once had for his father as a child had been, pardon the pun, beaten from him over the summer after his third year at Hogwarts and on, until Christmas of his seventh year. It had been about then that Hermione found out and urged him to stand up to his father, reassuring him that she would be there for him when he needed her and most importantly, that he had her heart.
Lucius waited for his son to continue, and upon deciding that Draco would wait in silence, he began again. "I truly hope to be introduced to this person soon Draco, assuming of course that the Dark Lord has given his approval." Draco contemplated his father's request in silence, eyes narrowed. His father may be a snake, but he was still his father and embarrassing his father in front of the inner circle when he introduced Hermione as his girlfriend would not end well.
"Yes, my girlfriend has been approved by the Dark Lord, though she won't be appearing at circle meetings, nor will she be making regular visits to the Manor. I have no idea when you will have the honor of meeting her." Thick, tense silence permeated the room at Draco's answer. Lucius was obviously unhappy with his answer as Draco had yet to address the unspoken question and was instead pouring himself a glass of firewhiskey.
Forgoing all subtlety, Lucius finally asked "And who is your newest… girlfriend?" Distaste was evident in his tone, angering Draco.
"No." He answered coldly, swallowing the whiskey in one gulp and walking out the door.
"Dracooo!" Draco couldn't help rolling his eyes and contemplating what exactly Pansy thought her tone conveyed, it certainly wasn't appealing.
"Miss Parkinson, if you'll excuse me I must return-" Draco was cut off as his father exited the study.
"He's returning to his new girlfriend, Miss Parkinson, and I must say I am as surprised as you are! I was unaware that my son was even looking for a relationship." Lucius said in a cold voice, making Pansy flinch.
"Indeed, if you'll excuse me." Draco drawled before twisting on his heel and flooing to the Malfoy Villa, leaving a distraught Pansy Parkinson and furious Lucius Malfoy.
(Hermione)
When the spinning finally stopped, Snape and I exited the fire at Grimmuald Place to see Sirius and Remus sitting in the kitchen of the Order headquarters, apparently awaiting my arrival. Upon seeing us, they gave each other a look before Sirius returned to his drink and Remus stood to address me. Before he could speak, Snape quickly cut in with, "I shall be here Miss Granger after your lunch, be ready to leave." Before spinning on his heel and walking out of the room with a swagger mastered only by Severus Snape.
Sighing, Remus began again. "I hear you're leaving us." He said quietly.
"Indeed, I've found the most amazing school while I was house hunting and I am truly excited to continue my education." Lying always felt wrong to me, but to lie to these two… they had become my interim parents, role models, guardians if you will, in the magical world. Taking me under their wing to guide me through this crazy world where I was alone. They had done wonderfully for two men with no child experience to speak of. It wasn't until Lucius Malfoy almost beheaded Tonks that they lost interest in protecting me and instead placed all efforts into killing the Malfoy clan. I understood their anger, but I wasn't willing to remain in this oppressive group simply to remember their past actions, not when their new goal was to kill Draco.
"I see…" Remus responded quietly. It occurred to me that my leaving may have knocked some sense into them and Sirius bore an expression of seriousness I had never seen on him before.
"I… understand, why you wish to leave, kitten. I wish you luck and I hope you know that you will always be welcome with us, no matter what, you will always have a home here." Sirius gave a small smile at the nickname he had given me after third year, remarking on my soft and petite features and the ferocity I held within.
"Thank you Sirius, Remus. You have been my guardians in this world for so long, I hope to make you proud." I said sincerely. My mission may not coincide with their own but the two of them had taught me to always remain true to myself, whether I am looked down upon by others or raised as the epitome of perfection. I believed they would be glad I had followed my heart. Giving them a teary smile, I made my way up the kitchen stairs and through the dark house, eventually arriving to the room Ginny and I shared. Opening the door, I was smacked in the face by a flying blouse as Ginny tore through our dressers looking for an outfit that could be deemed "suitable." Spying Harry and Ron lounging on our beds, I gave a small wave before I began to summon my belongings. Placing an undetectable extension charm on an old hand bag, I began sorting through clothes, pictures, jewelry, and books; deciding what was coming and what wasn't.
It wasn't until I was almost half way finished that a problem arose. Having just summoned all my sweaters, there was a shriek and I looked up in time to see my favorite forest green sweater fly out of Ginny Weasley's hands and into my bag.
"That's my sweater!" She yelled, stomping her foot.
"Ummm, no it's not. This was part of a gift from my boyfriend on my last birthday." Hermione said, zipping up her bag and beginning to walk out of the bedroom.
"What are you talking about Hermione, I didn't give you that sweater." Ron's voice floated from the bed behind her, freezing Hermione in her tracks. Turning around slowly, Hermione gave Ron a confused look.
"Of course you didn't Ron, I just told you my boyfriend gave it to me."
"But I am your boyfriend, and I didn't give it to you!" Ron's voice was starting to get more upset.
"You are not, my boyfriend Ronald Weasley. I have no idea what gave you the impression that I felt anything but friendship for you, but you are very wrong and I ask you not to make that mistake again." Looking around the room, Hermione took in the surprised stares before turning once more towards the door. Again she was interrupted, this time by one Harry Potter.
"Where exactly are you going, Hermione?" He asked in the tone of a boy who is not used to not being the center of attention, rather snobbish for those who can't picture it.
"Didn't you read my letters? I have been accepted at a magical academy in France, they teach graduate courses in law. I've decided to go back to school." Hermione said, her tone showing her dampened spirit upon realizing her friends didn't care enough to open her letters.
"Oh, well at least you'll be learning something I guess." In a moment of tact, Harry managed to avoid saying "at least you'll be out of our hair" but it really didn't take a genius to hear the unspoken sentence. Hermione gave a small smile and finally exited the room. Dropping her bags by the front door, she walked down the steps in the kitchen where she saw Severus, Sirius, and Remus in a close competition of wills: who would break first. The tension was overpowering so Hermione coughed and all three jumped, only just now noticing her presence. Rolling her eyes, she proceeded to grab some of the lunch meats prepared by Mrs. Weasley before scarfing down her 'last meal' and affirming she was ready. The only members present to see her off where Sirius and Remus, both giving her one last hug before she and Severus disapparated to the door step of the Malfoy French Villa. The ornate gates slowly creaked open, recognizing Hermione's presence, and the two made their way towards the white oak doors that opened on their own, house elves grabbed her bags and disappeared with cracks, and Hermione continued through the hall in search of Draco.
