Chapter 21: Peitho
Warnings: Theo is a bastard, Dramione is forever, 'nuff said.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but I had fun making them play French-y :D
A/N: First of all, I'm terribly sorry about the long, long, loooooonnnggg wait for this, sadly, short chapter. However, much happens in this shorty but goodie. I do have several reasons why this is so late in coming. One, internet hates me. Two, I BOUGHT A HOUSE! I am posting this from my own home, that I own…mine. That feels so good to say! Three, when moving…remember where your laptop power cord is -.-
Thank you all so much for your patience. This house purchasing business started August 28th and just finished mid December. It's been a long LONG fall and start of winter. Just a reminder, I will NOT abandon this fic. Ever. It may be an unacceptable amount of time between updates, but there will be an ending! I promise.
Last but definitely not least, thank you so much to LR Earl for beta-ing! You're the best!
Translations: (via google translate- sorry if any errors) Eíste láthos – You are wrong. Ntetéktiv – Detective.
Without further adieu, I give you: Peitho.
-HG-
To say that Hermione didn't get a wink of sleep that night was the understatement of the century. She tossed and turned from both excitement and anxiety, creating a perfect storm of worries and what ifs to accost her mind to the point of insanity.
What if Draco's cousin didn't show? What if he did, but no wand responded to her? What if one did? Would it be as powerful as her previous wand? Would she love it the same? Would she have the same completed feeling as before?
Draco lost his patience just before dawn. "Granger, if you don't stop moving I'm going to immobilize you. Go. To. Sleep," he grumbled as he drew her against him. His chest pressed warmly against her back. His protective arm wrapped around her waist while his other snaked under her head. He grasped both her hands in his. She tried to fidget but found herself properly restrained. And for once, she was not afraid. She felt…cared for.
She drifted in and out of consciousness managing perhaps a few hours of sleep total until she couldn't remain in bed any longer. As gently as she could, she slipped out of his, now slack, embrace and padded her way into the kitchen.
Tea was steeping when Draco's bemused, sleep-deprived face poked around the doorway.
"What in Merlin's name are you doing up at this ghastly hour on a Saturday?" He leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Couldn't sleep," Hermione shrugged.
"So you make tea? Which has caffeine in it, might I remind you." He rubbed his eyes and sat down at her small table.
"You don't have to be awake with me. I was going to catch up on homework while you slept. I know you haven't slept well recently, looking after me and all." She fussed with pouring the tea, keeping her hands busy.
"I never sleep anyway, no difference now," he admitted with a shrug of one shoulder.
"I won't be hurt if you decide to try to catch a few more minutes of sleep. I'm use to Harry and Ron, Ron especially, sleeping in nearly 'til noon on weekends." Hermione rolled her eyes, as if they could see her disproval.
"I'm awake now, I won't be able to go back to sleep. I am going to take a shower though. If you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my dorm and get a few things. Your shampoo may work for you, but it is killer on my hair. I'll look like a platinum version of you if I don't start using my own products soon," he smirked over his tea cup. Hermione feigned a glare.
"My hair products are just fine, thank you very much."
"Right, you wouldn't believe what my shampoo alone could do for that rats nest you call hair, Granger." Hermione narrowed her eyes. She wrestled with the ideas of kissing him or decking him.
"We don't all have billions of galleons at our disposal just for hair products," she shot back. His eyes danced as he stood.
"Luckily, I do. So, I'm off to go use my amazing, expensive stuff now. Meet you back here in an hour?" He kissed her forehead and disappeared into the bedroom. Hermione had barely enough time to get settled on the couch when he came up behind her and wrapped her in an awkward hug. Her hands involuntarily grasped his. When had she become so comfortable with him?
"Don't worry yourself into a panic attack, yeah?" he whispered in her ear.
"Go on then, prat!" she playfully shoved his head away. He chuckled as he walked through the doorway. The next hour flew by as Hermione got herself ready for the day and waited for Draco to return.
-DM-
Draco watched Hermione wring her hands anxiously. He reached out and took one of her hands into his, offering what little comfort he could.
Hogsmeade was abnormally warm and he now regretted the cloak he'd worn. They waited quietly for Draco's cousin to show up. The alley that they'd chosen was barren. Not even a stray cat. If he were a lesser wizard, he would have admitted that the alley was a bit creepy.
While Hermione worried her hands and bottom lip, Draco worried his mind. What he hadn't told Hermione was that his cousin leaned more towards the pureblood supremacy side of the family. Every wizard in Europe knew who Hermione Granger was, but not necessarily what she looked like. They would need that small bit of luck to keep her true identity from his cousin.
"He'll be here soon, love, don't worry," Draco reassured her. He was starting to fear for the health of her lip as she had been chewing on it since they left the castle. "Stop chewing your lip, I have plans for it later."
She obviously doesn't handle nervousness well, he mused when she glared at him and swatted his arm.
"Draco, cousin, how are you?" A voice behind them called out. Draco turned to see his cousin making his way to them. Lanky and awkward were two words he would use to describe the wizard. He looked better than he last saw him though.
"Hello, Jasper. Thank you for meeting so quickly. I trust the travel treated you well?" Draco shook his cousin's hand.
"Always does. This must be the pretty little thing we're all here for," Jasper said, shifting his attention to Hermione. Draco held back a growl at the obvious attraction his cousin felt for her. Hermione was his, and he protected his own.
""Hello, I'm-"
"Amalia," Draco interrupted. Hermione sent Draco a questioning look but he ignored it. She was a smart girl; she'd catch on quick enough.
After a few seconds Hermione nodded her head and continued, "Right, Amalia uh...Smith. Pleasure to meet you, Jasper."
"The pleasure is all mine. Shall we get to it then?" Jasper said, clapping his hands together loudly. Yes, let's get this over with, Draco growled in his head. Jasper turned to the bag he'd set aside. He took out his wand and tapped it three times. In a blink a table appeared and five boxes lined themselves neatly across the top. Draco had to admit, it was a nice trick to get the customer's attention.
"I brought five very different wands for you to choose from. I took into consideration what your last wand was made of. Unfortunately Vine-wood wands are rare and I couldn't find one on short notice. Dragon-heartstring is a little easier to come by, but not by much. So, here is what we have..."
Jasper explained each wand in detail, Draco and Hermione listened to his sales pitch politely. As if the choice were theirs. Realistically, all they had to do was have her hold the damn thing to know, but they listened anyway. Hermione soaked in the freely offered information like a deserts first rain.
The first was a Willow, eleven inches, Unicorn hair, yielding. Draco knew immediately that was the wrong combination for her. She was normally anything but insecure when it came to her magic. She would get back to her confident self soon enough and the wand would not respond well to her strength.
The second was a Hawthorn, like his own. The core was Veela hair and much too short for her, only 9 inches. Definitely not.
The third sounded great until Jasper went more into depth about the strengths of a chestnut, unicorn hair wand. Great for witches and wizards who were drawn to beasts and flying. Neither of which Hermione excelled in. He nearly laughed aloud when she went pale at the mention of flying. Nope, he chuckled to himself.
The fourth had both of their interests. A Birch wood with a Dragon Heartstring core, 11 1/2 inches and pliant. The wood responded well to those who took magic back to the basics, to the natural and those who were loyal. All those spoke of Hermione. Definitely an option, this could be the one…
The fifth and final wand however, thrilled and terrified him equally. No wand should have that much power, yet be so finicky with its loyalty. The intricately carved, black walnut wand simply radiated power.
"Now this beauty here, it has been in our shop for centuries. No one has been able to claim it. A risky move on the maker's behalf if you ask me, pairing these two elements together. Black walnut will not accept any self-deception from its owner, and will quickly turn away from anyone lacking confidence. This alone makes for a risky type of wand.
"The core is rare, the only reason I brought this wand is that we have every person try it. Quite honestly we are tired of looking at it on the shelf. I digress. The core is a Thestral tail hair. As you may already know, Thestral hair is extremely unstable. With these two elements together, in combination with the right owner, this wand could rival even the fabled Elder Wand. The wood holds a strong affinity for charms work. It's 10 1/2 inches and is rigid in flexibility. I personally don't believe this wand will ever be suited for someone, but we won't ever know unless we keep trying."
Draco wrote the wand off; no way would Hermione want such an unstable wand. Too many variables to be reliable, in his opinion. He was about to pick up the fourth wand for her to try out when she surprised him by stepping forward and grabbing the fifth box off the table. He raised an eyebrow. The witch had nerve.
"I admire your ambition." Jasper stepped to the side, out of firing range. "Just...point it away from anything living. It has a tendency to wreck havoc whenever someone attempts to use it." Draco held back the urge to do the same. He would much rather her choose the birch wand…
-HG-
She was crazy. This wand was beyond her and she knew it. But...something about it called to her. She had always been confident with her magic. Only recently had she doubted herself and she was already working on it. It was a risk, definitely.
She had to know.
She picked up the box and opened the cover. Dark red velvet lined the box. She pulled the covering to the side. This wand doesn't allow for insecurities, Hermione. Pull it together.
One deep breath later, she let go of all the insecurities she felt. She was a strong witch, a loyal friend, and good student. She was Hermione Granger and she was brilliant.
It felt warm, that was the first thing she noticed. It heated in her hand and a tingle shot up her arm. She studied how it felt. Warily accepting, she would classify the feeling. Like she still had to pass inspection before it accepted her. That was fine, she was excellent at tests.
She thought about what spell to do, there were so many easy spells, but only one came to mind and she smirked.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Hermione pronounced perfectly. The swish and flicked of her wand was textbook. If the wand were to have any doubts about her ability, it would be solved now. This was a spell that set her life in motion. The first spell she mastered in charms class. The spell that had caused her first ever fight with her now best friend. She, Ron and Harry had been through so much because of that day. It had both started and saved her life.
She could feel the two men behind her holding their breath. If she hadn't felt so confident holding onto her wand, because it was definitely her wand, then she might have held her breath too.
The trash can she'd aimed at flew into the air. Higher than she'd expected and Hermione made a mental note to be less forceful with her spells with this wand, as it was more powerful than her last one. Strangely enough, she could still feel the instability of the wand. Like it was constantly testing her, watching her. It, somehow, was comforting. She had a feeling she wouldn't feel alone whenever holding this wand.
When she turned around, she nearly laughed aloud when she saw Jasper and Draco's faces. Both looked as if they just watched Buckbeak and the giant squid waltz down the alley wearing wizarding robes and high heals.
"So...this one will do," she said with a smirk. That brought Draco around. He made to say something but found himself without words.
"How much?" Hermione turned to Jasper, who shook his head in confusion.
"Er...are you sure that the wand works for you? Could you maybe, do something else?" he stuttered out. Hermione smiled at him. He just wanted to see it work after so long looking at it.
"Sure, anything in particular you want to see?" she asked.
"Charm something else, it is supposed to be good at charms," Draco said, finally finding his voice.
Hermione thought for a moment before she thought of the most perfect spell ever to grace her thoughts.
She pointed her wand at Draco and he took a step back. "Wha-"
"Colovaria."
Draco stared at her, shocked that she'd just hexed him. She giggled and then turned to a can left in the alley and quickly, without much effort, transfigured it into a mirror and floated it over to Draco.
She watched as the normally calm, collected Draco Malfoy fell into complete hysterics. She couldn't blame him; she'd be hysterical if her hair was alternating between green, red, yellow and blue.
"Granger! You put my hair back RIGHT NOW!" Draco shouted, forgetting that Jasper had no idea who Granger was. Hermione didn't hear him as she was laughing too hard.
"You- you are supporting ALL the houses though!" she gasped between fits of laughter.
"Turn it back right now, or by Merlin I swear-"
Jasper stepped between them.
"I'm sorry but did you say, 'Granger'? As in... the Hermione Granger?" Jasper, who hadn't laughed at all, coolly asked. Hermione quickly canceled the spells, returning Draco to his normal platinum blonde.
Shit.
"Er..." Hermione started, unsure how this would turn out. She glanced at Draco nervously. Hermione was unsure whether or not to intervene.
"I can't believe you brought me here for this. She's part of the reason our family reputation is in the pisser, Draco!" Jasper reached for his wand and Hermione raised hers as well, ready to defend herself and Draco. "She's Potter's friend and you want me to help her? You've gone completely daft! She deserved to lose that fucking wand, all the mudbloods do. They shouldn't have one to begin with. Just wait until your father-"
Hermione stared, shocked as Jasper moved to raise his wand and, without hesitating, Draco pinned him up against the wall, an arm across his throat and his wand jabbed into his jugular.
"You're not telling anyone about this, Jasper. You owe me more than what your pitiful life is worth and you bloody well know it. So listen closely, because I'll only tell you this once. Pack up your shit and leave. Do not utter one fucking word about today to anyone, do you understand? Not one fucking word." Draco pressed his wand further into the other wizard's throat.
"By Merlin, you've gone and fallen for the filthy, little mudblood bitch!" Jasper spat and Hermione recoiled from his venomous words. They hit a little too close to her heart.
Draco however, became even more enraged and pressed his wand even harder into Jasper's throat. How it didn't pierce the skin, no one knew. "One more word, please. Just one more word about Hermione and you'll find yourself in St. Mungo's before you can finish the sentence. She's more powerful that either of us combined and you just gave her the means to be the most powerful witch in Europe, possibly the world. You have ten seconds to leave and never come back. I don't want to ever hear your name again, do you understand me? You're dead to me, and by right, the family. Good luck in life, Jasper, you useless piece of shit."
With that said, Draco released him roughly, causing his cousin's head to hit the wall behind him. Jasper glowered at Draco for a moment, and Hermione worried he was going to disobey Draco's orders and fight back. Draco just stood his ground, not breaking eye contact.
Hermione could feel the tension between the two of them and held her breath. She watched Draco raise an eyebrow and Jasper finally gave in. He flicked his wand at the table. Everything packed itself up and the case settled at his feet. Jasper scooped up the bag and turned towards her.
Hermione's grip tightened on her wand. My wand, she reminded herself, feeling that sense of completion she'd been missing the last week.
"Consider my debt repaid," Jasper sneered and disaparated. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief once she heard the 'pop'. Draco was by her side in an instant.
"Are you alright?" he asked, touching her cheek.
"I'm fine. Better than fine," Hermione reassured him. She fingered her wand, her beautiful wand. She would miss her other one. It had been so much apart of her young life, how could she not? But this wand was everything she hadn't known she wanted or needed.
"I have a wand, Draco..." she said in awe of the piece of wood she held in her hand.
"You do. A very powerful wand. What possessed you to choose that one?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. I just...I knew that if I didn't at least try it out, I would always wonder. It's beautiful," she explained as she ran her fingers over the length. She hadn't noticed before now, but the wand had several small pieces of Tibetan Black Quartz down the shaft and a rather large piece at the end of the handle. Hermione became very excited.
"Draco! Do you know what these stones are? Oh! How did I miss this!?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Er...no I don't..."Draco said, worriedly.
"It's Tibetan Black Quartz. It has all kinds of cleansing and balancing properties. That's how this wand finds its stability. It's so rare to use crystals in wands now. But I suppose this was made centuries ago so it would make sense that they used crystals. This is just..." Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes and she felt herself tearing up.
"Thank you, so much. I feel complete again. Thank you for this." Hermione hugged him and he wrapped his arms around her. She felt her tears threaten to spill over.
"You're welcome. I'm sorry about what happened. He's...well let's just say he's from the eccentric side of the family. Or rather, was." Draco squeezed her again and Hermione smiled into his chest. She felt so safe and wanted at that moment. And with a wand as powerful as the one she had now…she knew she was unstoppable.
"Shall we meet up with the rest of the group then?" Draco said into her hair.
"In a moment. I want to enjoy you in private first." Hermione looked up at him and smiled into his soft molten silver eyes.
"Kiss me, Draco. Kiss the most powerful witch in Hogsmeade," Hermione whispered against his lips.
"I think I can oblige that request." He kissed her soundly on the lips, stealing her breath and rendering her completely incapacitated. How long they stayed down the alley, no one would really know. Hermione allowed herself to feel freely for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime.
Draco's fingers tangled in her hair; his gentle tugs sending shots of heat down through her core. She felt alive. Mind, body and soul. His lips were like velvet and she felt herself wondering what else she could feel. What else would she be willing to accept without fear?
As if reading her mind, Draco ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for permission. Hermione hesitated only a moment before allowing him the access he craved. His tongue expertly entered, slipping past her lips to tangle with her waiting tongue. Their lips clashed together in a heated dance fueled by a blinding passion that bordered on terrifying. Hermione thrived.
Her hands, which had been fisted behind his neck now relaxed and slipped into his silky hair, tangling it nearly as bad as her own on a good day. He moaned into her mouth and she found she wanted him to make those sounds more. Hermione nibbled at his bottom lip and his gasp sent heat straight to her core. A terrifying heat that overwhelmed her and she pulled back.
She had reached her limit within her mind but she could feel her body protesting the distance. Her lips ached to continue their exploration. But her mind had taken over. She felt the insecurity seeping back in, the memories of the night clawing at the door, trying to break free of the prison she'd put them in.
With much regret, Draco pulled away, giving her the space she needed. He pressed his forehead against hers and she swore she heard his heart pounding, or perhaps it was hers?
"You, witch, will be my undoing. You are like a drug, and I, an addict, begging for more with each taste." Draco's breaths came ragged and short. She clearly had as much of an affect on him as he did to her. What a thrilling discovery.
"We should find the group before I do something I know you're not ready for." He kissed her forehead and each cheek before placing a brief, sweet kiss to her lips, leaving her longing for more.
He was right though, any more and she'd run. She felt it simmering beneath the surface and as much as her body regretted the distance from him, she felt her nerves relax with each steadying breath she took.
"Come, Peitho, before you tempt me to do wrong by you." Draco kissed her hand and led her down the alley.
Hermione had heard the name Peitho before. The daughter of Hermes and Aphrodite. Considered to be the Goddess of persuasion and seduction. Hermione had done neither in her life. Perhaps some persuasion when it came to studies but she knew that wasn't what Draco meant.
"Goddess of Persuasion and seduction? How am I in any way, like Peitho? I haven't set out to seduce you, or persuade you in any way," Hermione argued as they crossed into the busy Hogsmeade streets.
Draco smirked but kept walking. Once they crossed out of the hustle and bustle of the main road, Draco dragged her against the wall of a closed down building. He ran his hands up and down her sides, resting them on her hips.
"Eíste láthos, Peitho." Draco said in fluent Greek. Hermione had to admire that about him. So far she'd heard him speak Greek and French in his sleep and while cursing. Course they both knew how to speak Latin, but that didn't count as it was technically a dead language.
"That is all you have done this past week," he continued. "Persuade and seduce, how else can I explain the changes, not just between you and I, but within the rest of the unconventional little group we've created? Just two weeks ago, you thought me to be the scum of the earth, and now you find pleasure in my company. Oddly enough I've found Potter's presence to not nauseate and Weasley isn't as annoying as I remember. Persuasion perhaps?" Draco's eyes twinkled with mischievousness.
"I didn't do it on purpose…" she defended.
"No, but most mythological heroes and heroines don't set out to wreck the havoc that they do. For better or worse, they are usually living their immortal life as best as possible and, well, forever is a long time to not make any mistakes you know," Draco teased.
The hurt Hermione originally felt slipped away, when she realized that Draco was merely finding an explanation for the sudden changes between them. If she had to be Peitho, then so be it. There were worse Goddesses to take after.
"Alright, you caught me, ntetéktiv. What are you going to do to me, now that you know who I am?" Hermione ran her finger up his arm, tracing a pattern across his chest and up his neck, brushing past his lips gently. Draco's eyes darkened to hot coals of lust in seconds.
"First, you're going to stop doing that." He softly pushed her hand away and stepped back. Hermione thought to reach for him, but decided to remain still. "Second, I'm going to resist your seductive temptations. We're now late. You're friends will be worried I've kidnapped you and I really don't want to fight off an angry Potter and Weasley. Third…well you'll find out the third when you're ready. And no, you're not ready now. Come." Draco pushed the rest of the way from the wall and offered his hand to her.
Hermione placed her hand in his and felt her insides flutter. She wasn't sure how he was able to affect her so much, but the shivers that ran up and down her spine were nothing like the terrified shakes she'd had merely seven days ago. Draco made her core burn, her mind spin and her heart ache.
She was in big trouble.
-TN-
Disgusting, Theo sneered as he observed the scene that was Malfoy and Granger. They thought themselves alone. But he was there, he would always be there. Granger was his to fuck, his own conquest to behold. Not Malfoy's. What was worse? While he couldn't hear what they were saying, Malfoy looked to be enjoying himself with the revolting piece of flesh in his arms. It was enough to make Theo's stomach heave.
He'd noticed the extra time his former roommate had been spending with the little bitch over the past week; he hadn't realized how close the two of them had become. A mistake he would soon need to correct. Granger needed to be brought back down to reality. She needed another lesson in where she belonged.
Beneath him. Bleeding. Crying. Broken.
Theo's face broke into a terrifying grin, his cock hardened as blissful memories of screams for mercy, the flash of crimson blood pooling beneath him, and the smell of salt as tears hit the floor flooded his senses. He would have her again. His cock pressed against his pants, aching for release. Soon, he promised himself.
Unable to watch any longer, he retreated into the shadows. He knew just what he needed to do to make sure the mudblood never forgot where, and to whom she belonged to. He would need to be quick. She still had no defense against him. Now was the time.
Enjoy her while you can, Draco. Soon you'll understand, you'll both understand.
She's mine.
A/N: I'm terribly sorry once more that this is so late, but I do hope it was worth it. I know it's shorter than normal. I'd love a review to tell me how you're feeling about the progression of the story. I can't tell you how many more chapters there will be, but I can say for sure we are over half way. I'm thinking about doing a few one-shots about the other supporting pairs in this story, but I wanted to put it to poll. Would you be interested in more Blaise/Amelia or Ron/Pansy? Let me know. Thanks lovelies!