Slytherin Ties

Draco had developed a splitting headache as he apparated them back to Hogwarts in silence, the combination of alcohol, performing legilemency and the reeling state of his mind was causing him much discomfort. At least the advantage of being the very first eighth years meant they didn't have the trace on them and therefore no one had realized they were gone. Neither he nor Hermione had said a word since they had left the alley, but he hadn't let go of her hand and Hermione knew that for Draco that was humungous progress.

The unspoken question finally came as they entered their common room and looked at the two closed bedroom doors. Before the ball Hermione had slept in Draco's room almost every night, convincing herself it was purely to keep his nightmares at bay, they both knew better now. It would be a statement if she was to go back to his bed tonight and she wasn't sure if he was ready to welcome her there at the moment.

What if she doesn't want to sleep there anymore? Draco worried, he didn't know exactly what they were to each other right now but if she chose to accompany him after everything then it would be a clear shift in their relationship.

"Goodnight Hermione" Draco whispered, watching her face fall slightly. Her smile quickly returned when he made to take off his shoe to prop the door open as he had that first night.

"Coming Draco" she called, her lips twitching as he froze briefly in the doorway.

She soon found herself waking up to walls of Slytherin green, she would never admit that she was becoming quite acclimatized to the color. She smiled at the feel of the solid warm chest pressing into her back, Draco's arm was draped protectively over her side and she snuggled in deeper, relishing the feeling of being so close to him, their magical cores humming in approval. She still felt unsure about being fated to someone but she had always trusted her gut and it was telling her that her feelings for Draco were growing. Connection or no connection.

It was all too soon that Hermione heard the bewitched painting of Phineas Niggle tell them it was time to get to class. Draco stirred beautifully at the voice, his hair completely out of place.

"Hi" he breathed uncertainly after blinking a few times to make sure that she was real, and the previous night had not been a dream.

"Hi" she replied uncertainly, "I think we missed breakfast" she grinned.

"Your fault" he grumbled, "you made me sleep"

"well now you're awake and we only have three days before the Christmas Break, I refuse to miss any more classes!" she said, already panicking at the full day of lessons she had requested off to visit Andromeda.

"Bloody bookworm" she heard him moan, her retort dying in her throat as she watched him casually undress to change into his robes. He really was beautiful she thought again as she watched the morning light hit his pale skin. Unlike Harry and Ron, he had retained the well-sculpted body that quidditch training had given him and she wondered when on earth he had gotten the chance to work out with everything that had gone on last year. Her throat went dry as he stood there in nothing but his boxer shorts, rubbing his tired eyes. She let slip a small groan of arousal and he whipped around as if he had only just remembered she was in the room. Realizing his mark was on display he hastily covered his forearm and grabbed his robes. "I.." he began, dipping his head shamefully.

"Don't" Hermione made a movement towards him "Don't cover yourself" she whispered, snaking her arms around his neck. He looked away from her and gently but firmly removed her wrists.

"We should be going," he told her, and while she wished he would've kissed her, she was relieved to hear that his voice was firm but gentle this time, not dismissive as it had been previously.

"Right" she agreed, grabbing her robes distractedly.

"Erm Hermione" he caught her arm and looked at her, amused. "As much as I love that look on you, you should probably change". She looked at him in confusion until he dangled a red and gold tie in front of her face. She looked down at the strip of green and silver hanging from her neck, horrified.

"Oops?" she offered, and he laughed, it was a genuine throaty laugh, not tainted by his famous sneer and Hermione wished that he would make the sound more often.

"It's too bad, with your ambition and that stunt you pulled last night, I reckon you would have made a pretty good Slytherin, who knew you were so good at manipulating people?" he sneaked one last grin at her mock offended expression before he exited the dorm.

"I do not" she half protested.

"Just because you choose not to use a talent, it doesn't mean you don't have it in you. See you later Hermione" his lips twitched into a shy smile, the first real one he had given her.

"See you Draco" she smiled softly. She would never tell anyone that her sorting had been a tossup, like Harry she had chosen to be Gryffindor and, as the hat predicted, it was her choices that had defined her all these years.

Hermione didn't see Draco until dinner that night when she was pleased to see him sitting back at the Slytherin table with Zabini and Parkinson. Ok, so she wasn't totally pleased to see Parkinson given the woman's history with Draco, but It seemed that the departure of Nott had gone some way to reversing the house's treatment of him. She reminded herself to owl Harry and see if the Aurors had an update on his whereabouts. She couldn't stand the idea that someone who wanted to hurt and maybe even kill Draco could still be at large. She also knew that someone had to be hiding him, but Harry had told them the last of the death eaters had been rounded up with the Lestrange Brothers. Who else would help that slimeball? She worried herself.

"We had a deal Nott, your father's soul in exchange for Draco Malfoy's corpse." The face in the fire flickered a snarl.

"He had help" Nott seethed. "The other houses have befriended him thanks to his fascination with mudblood Granger"

"Interesting, the Granger girl you say? Then it seems you have a new target." Theo frowned and the voice in the fire hissed impatiently.

"The Malfoy's are one of the most selfish wizarding families to ever walk the earth. They are always looking out for themselves and their own interests. What a Malfoy wants, a Malfoy gets and damn the consequences. If you want the boy, don't go after him, go after what he desires most"

Theo paled considerably "You want me to go after Hermione Granger, The Hermione Granger?"

"Unless you think a mudblood is too big a challenge for you?" the fire spoke condescendingly "I suppose I can always give the dementors an early Christmas present if that's the case"

"No!" Theo started. "I can do it".

"You have until New Year" the voice in the flames instructed before the fire snuffed out. Theo paced around the abandoned living room angrily. It was one thing to go after Draco, he was hated by half the world and was supposed to be alone everywhere he went. Few would care if a former death eater was murdered and there would have been so many suspects that the Ministry would never have even been able to narrow it down if it weren't for his previous failed attempt. But Granger was the golden girl and would have the entire school at her defense, how was he supposed to get her anywhere by herself and without a wand too?

There was a bang and he turned to glare at the struggling portrait of Severus Snape, bound and tied to the chair in his frame. "How does it feel Professor" he spat, "to know that your precious Draco is going to die. There'll be no running off to warn The Oder of The Phoenix this time you traitor bastard. Don't worry too much though" Theo mocked "If all goes well you'll be reunited with your precious godson in time for Christmas". Theo took one last disgusted look around the deserted whole that was Spinners End before taking off into the night.