A/N: The last chapter was one of the hardest things I've ever had to write. I'm used to doing that from the first person perspective, and from the person who is on top (aka the Dom/Domme). I'm quite happy with the end result.
A/N #2: Due to the chapter numbers not lining up (because of my flashback chapter that is #20 here) I'm biting the bullet and I'm going to start naming the chapters instead of just trying to use the site's numbering system. This was something I hadn't expected and is something I'll have to remember in future stories.
I woke up in the middle of the night, and rolled over to see my wife sleeping peacefully after a night of assignation. Her arm had been draped over me, which I had found comforting as I had slept. Maybe this is love?
It wasn't sun-up yet and I felt peckish. In fact, I couldn't recall much about last night except from amazing sex and what my wife had said.
She said she loved me. I'm not ready for that...
I couldn't think on an empty stomach, so I got out of bed, put on a dressing gown, and sought my way to the kitchen. Herpy was asleep on a blanket by the kitchen and clutching a small stuffed unicorn foal. It looked like it might have been something a young Draco might have had, and the feeling of home only grew stronger with me. I crept past the elf and found leftover food under a stasis charm. Pork cutlets and seasoned potatos. It was basic, yet seasoned impeccably and just enough to tide me over.
"Can Herpy serve Master Granger?" The elf whispered blearily.
"No, I am fine. Please go back to sleep; I just needed a mid-night snack." I replied, and the elf nodded and flopped onto her makeshift bed.
After sating my hunger, I walk back to my bedroom and crawl back into bed, lazily opting for a tooth cleaning charm as I spooned behind a somewhat-sprawled Narcissa. I'll do a proper brushing in the morning...
Pulling my left arm over her, my fingers grazed her forearm as I found a crevice and her arm covered mine, our fingers threading together as if it were second nature. Maybe that's what love is, in the long term.
I recalled what I had overheard what other girls said about their romantic interests back at Hogwarts; it was overwhelming and powerful, as if it were something that could be explosive. Like Romeo and Juliette, without the whole double suicide.
What I had here with Narcissa seemed more like what my parents had, a pair that had been on a long journey together and grew stronger after all if the storms they had to weather.
I remembered the snake tattoo that was still on my right wrist, and I wondered if Narcissa would stand by me, no matter what Darkness might claw its way out of me. It's not a Horcrux, so The Dark Lo - Voldemort - is dead!
"Then why are you still here?" I whispered into the darkness.
"Hum... 'Mione?" Narcissa asked blearily. oh she's waking up!
"I'm here... Hon. Go back to sleep." I kissed the top of her head, and watched in amazement as it calmed her and she fell back asleep. She must feel very safe with me like this; but then again, so do I.
As I realized that, I too, drifted back to sleep.
It was morning, and the light shining through the window was not welcomed by either occupant of the bed.
The first one finally said something to fill the bleary silence.
"We better... get back to London."
The other grunted in regretful agreement.
"Wait... What all happened?"
"Hermione and my mum ran into each other."
"Right. Yeah, but who are we here... was... why... Ugh. Words. Fail me."
"Too much words. Jager frisky nipples."
The two boys started to laugh, but quickly stopped as searing hangovers hit them both.
"Headache. Salazar's trouser snake, I need a hangover potion."
Draco sat up, slightly unsteady. He flopped back down onto the bed as he remembered his legal solicitor had gotten a room for the boys after all of the paperwork was handled and the 'celebratory drink' may have gone overboard.
"Here. Severus left us some." Harry said, sitting up in the bed and taking a swig. "Nope. Not a hangover remedy. Just more jager."
"Ugh no more of that shite." was my Godfather with us last night? He brought mum for a haircut and shopping...
"Room Service!" A witch called through the door.
Draco turns and raises his eyebrows at Harry. "Last thing either of us need is a tabloid catching us together in a hotel room."
Harry understood what he meant and sprung out of bed, pulling the Invisibility Cloak out of his pack. "Tell her to piss off."
The door opened as Harry got the cloak on and stood in a corner by the closet.
Draco leered at the room attendant, making it obvious that he didn't want her there. As she took out the trash and avoided eye contact with Draco, Harry slowly tip-toed his way around her.
Draco tried to not laugh as the witch turned and thought she felt something. He could have sworn that Harry didn't stifle his own laughter well enough.
After the room attendant vanished the refuse and replaced the towels in the lavatory, she skittered out of the room frantically, slamming the door behind her.
Conjuring two tall glasses and filling them with water, Draco handed one of them to the empty corner where Harry was standing.
"How did you know?" Harry said, pulling off his cloak and taking the water. As they both gulped it down, they realized that they were quite dehydrated.
"It's your Invisibility cloak, not a silencing cloak. I heard you."
Harry frowned at that, and would remember that in the future. Draco noticed that, and decided to say something else to cheer him up.
"By the way, letting Ginny follow her dreams in Quidditch? That was the best decision you could make."
"Even if I lose her?" He asked, dejectedly.
"Guys wanted to date her, you know. She wouldn't even think of it. Wish I had a girl as dedicated."
Harry looked at him in confusion. "But I though you were-"
"-let's not get hooked up on labels. A lifetime of being told whom I'd be forced to marry, I'm glad I am free now."
Harry nodded. "Who were you-"
"-Pansy. No subtlety there, and her willingness to sell you out like that made her seem like a coward."
Harry stood there, stunned. "I didn't know you cared so much."
"I knew which side I wanted to win back when you carved me open. It was quick and thoughtless, infinitely more merciful than The Dark Lord ever was. And I knew again when I had Albus at wand-point and couldn't kill him. I never wanted to be a Death Eater. Even now that I know he was dying anyways, I'm still not sure I could have done it."
"You're horribly morbid, you know that?"
"Comes with being a Slytherin."
"You know Ginny will want to know what happened, and why we didn't come home last night." Harry said, his voice betraying his concern.
"Tell her the truth. It's the only thing she'll believe." Draco replied, casting a refreshing charm on his clothes.
"I got piss drunk and woke up in bed with you. I doubt she'll believe 'it's all a blur' or 'nothing happened'." Harry said guiltily.
"It's really not coming back to you, is it?" Draco said, chuckling. "Well as much as I'd love to hold this over your head and tease you about it, you were the perfect gentleman. Even helped me up to the room."
Harry's sigh of relief was audible. "Thanks, man. I don't know what I'd do if I... you know..."
Draco arched an eyebrow, reminiscent of Snape. "Yes, because the thought of me is utterly repulsive..."
Harry rolled his eyes at that. "Not that, idiot. Just... I don't want to cheat. Not when everything is going good for once."
Draco frowned slightly, but nodded. "Let's get home them."
Severus and Fleur were at the Leaky Cauldron, sharing a pint over their well-done scheme. It has been awhile since I got to pull something off like that. Severus looked at the Veela, even with her pale-yellow feathered wings, avian eyes, and beaky face... she was still as stunning as she ever was. Not that I'm looking at another woman since Lily. Or Tonks, for that matter.
"You're still not ready for hunting Bellatrix." Fleur warned quietly.
"I'll prove you wrong in the Room of Requirement, Fury."
"I have no doubt as to your conviction. But do you trust Kingsley to keep his word?"
"He is honorable enough; as long as I keep my side of the bargain. My concern is more for Narcissa and her family."
She nodded. "As mine is to Hermione. I heard of her passion defending the House Elves; loyalty is not wasted with her. I hope she and Narcissa figure that out. " She took a dram of her beer in thought. "They both have to overcome their own fears and prejudices."
Severus nodded, sipping his drink.
"And accept the radical notion that they are worthy of being loved, even if others see it as unconventional." Severus replied bluntly.
They sat in the empty silence as the uttered words sank in between them.
"-I'll resume my training in the room of requirement."
"-I'll go check on Firenze."
The two of them said it at the same time, paid their tabs separately, and left the bar at the same time. Both wanted to be alone in their thoughts as they trudged up to the castle, side by side.
Hogwarts was almost as good as new, and the volunteers were thanked for their work as they all began to pack up and get back to their lives. Ronald felt uncertain about where to go now, so he found himself at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where most of the final battle was waged.
The world had gone mad, it seemed. The good guys won, but the winning blow came from Death Eaters. Snape was a hero. Narcissa lied to You-Know-Who in order to protect Harry. Draco and Hermione stood together as they cast the killing curse at him. Even Neville killed Nagini with the sword... where's my glory?
"Ron? Your sister Ginny is looking for you." Lavender said, unsure how to treat him now.
"Yeah, okay." He responded, distractedly. And the woman I love is married to that evil dyke bitch. And I have to just be okay with it.
"So what are you going to do now?" She asked, hoping to begin a conversation.
"Help my brother's joke shop." He replied automatically. "I'm done fighting for now. Too many scars." He turned to her, ashamedly. "Uh, sorry, poor choice of word-"
"-I know what you mean."
"Hey, question: will you transform next full moon?" Ron asked, curious. Bill never really mentioned what happened, but then again, he never really turned, did he?
"No idea yet. There's an unbreakable silver cage in the Ministry's magical animal regulation department that's being offered to me to find out. I... would really like it if I had a friend there."
"But if you change, won't you...?" Ron said, worried. Lavender shrugged it off.
"Nothing you haven't already seen before." She said, enjoying seeing Ron blush at that.
"I guess that's fine, but... you have to come to the ball with me." Ron grinned, hoping she understood he was being playful about it.
"Sure, I'd love to."
"Great, I'll... meet you there."
Getting ready in the morning and doing our makeup in front of a large mirror proved to be a taxing yet educational experience. In Hogwarts, I just got up earlier so I could read as the other girls fought over the sink space and twittered about and gossiped.
With Narcissa, it was a delicate dance of 'pardon me' and 'I need the sink' and 'that spot has the better lighting'. It would have been annoying if not for her silky sleepware that had me admiring her bum.
"A lady does not ogle another lady's derrier during mornng ablutions, Hermione." Narcissa said, smirking.
"Pretty certain I'm allowed as your wife." I replied, playfully swatting her arse. Cissy pouted at that, bending over a bit more for show.
"If you're going to do that, put some honest effort in." I stood behind her and grabbed her waist and hips possessively. She rocked back into the embrace, her head thrown back towards me. My lips graced the shell of her ear and I smiled on the inside as I saw her shudder.
"Do you mean that, Cissy? I've been having some Dark fantasies of having you, controlling you, and administering you some... discipline..." My hand cradled her bum as my fingertips delicately trailed over her sensitive spot on the last word.
"Merlin yes please!" She replied in supplication.
"You need to be taken, need to be needed, don't you?" I asked, my voice dropping to a throaty, seductive tone.
"...yes..." She gasped, surrendering herself as I charmed the silk off of her body.
"Then say it. Ask. BEG." I commanded sweetly.
"Take me, 'Mione. Please."
Neither of us needed coffee to wake up this morning.
Andi was feeding Teddy as the door swung open. She smiled, grateful to the hour of reprieve she'd get now that Harry was back.
Except it wasn't Harry.
Ginny called out, "Harry! Where the bloody hell have you been?!" She muttered to herself.
Teddy cried out loud from the outburst, and Andi was too late to cast a quieting charm. "Ginny, keep it down!"
Ginny came into the kitchen, and frowned sheepishly. "Sorry, I just... Harry was supposed to meet me before the Ball tonight. You have any idea where he might be?"
Andi nodded. "Yeah. He took Draco to Paris, something about cleaning up and looking all proper for... you..." She frowned at that. "I think that was supposed to be a surprise. But he was supposed to be back last night so I could arrange a sitter and accept Nymphadora's Order of Merlin tonight..."
Andi wished she had a clock like Molly did. The two women faced each other, both worried and without any way to solve their dilemmas. "Shall I make a cuppa?" Ginny offered as Teddy's plaintive shriek hit the air and the grandmother went back to feeding him.
Ginny tried for a conversational tone. "So... how long do you think you and Teddy will be here for?"
Andromeda winced at that. "Well, see... Harry said that he absolutely hated being alone, and always wanted a family like yours. In fact, he asked me and Teddy to move in so he had someone to come home to."
"Oh. I see."
"I mean, losing my husband and my home in one fell swoop was horrific; I've missed work and couldn't explain, 'oh, you see, secret war's been going on and all...'. I might just try to find work in the magical world again, save up enough to get a flat somewhere for me and my grandson..."
The water was boiling as Ginny found some fruit-flavored teabags, glad to have her hands busy. Ginny winced at that. "I understand. I guess I was hoping for there to be time for just me and Harry to be..."
Harry entered, giving a jovial greeting, and was greeted by two very cross-looking witches. "Oh bugger."
Kingsley was faced with running the entire Ministry, and was at least glad to have two people he could trust spearhead problems he was facing: Snape was going after the rogue Death Eaters, and Harry was helping maintain the calm as the Head Auror.
Reports were trickling in that the goblins were acting unusual, that the muggle-born community was still in hiding, and that the Ministry would be running a deficit due to misappropriation of funds and an outflux of taxpaying Wizards.
"I need a good story in the Daily Prophet..." He muttered to himself as he looked over the preparations for the Awards Banquet and Ball. Hit-Wizards would provide security (I think they are hoping for the bounty if a Death Eater decides to crash the party)
As if his prayers were answered, Percy Weasley approached him with an advance copy of the Daily Prophet. He still doesn't know if he can trust the boy or if he's a ladder-climber like Umbridge appeared to be, willing to side with anyone and go back and say none of the bad stuff was her fault.
"You... you're not going to like what Rita's done now."
Sapphic Scandal: Honest Accident or Granger's Greed for Galleons?
Exclusive Expose by Rita Skeeter
Now that You-Know-Who was back-stabbed by his own followers, we are all expected to be grateful to the former brains of the supposed 'Golden Trio', sidekick of 'The Chosen One'. (For more, see my article 'Harry Potter: Disturbed and Dangerous!' Daily Prophet, 1994, and 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore', in bookstores now.) I know that I was quite concerned seeing that manipulative little girl flanked by Narcissa and Draco as they cut down an admittedly bad man. But would I, Rita Skeeter, just parrot whatever story she would convince the Minister to disseminate? Of course not, dear reader.
So we have to ask ourselves, do we really know the true story behind Hermione Granger? In 1994, I reported on her two-timing the famous and wealthy Harry Potter with none other than hunky Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum. (see my article 'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache', Daily Prophet, 1994) It should come as no surprise that the muggle-born witch had her eyes set on fame, but could it be that she had eyes for their fortune instead?
It is now being reported that, in the midst of the war against You-Know-Who, that Hermione Granger found herself 'married' to none other than Narcissa Malfoy! Currently, there are no laws banning so-called 'marriages' between members of the same sex, so this is an issue that must be taken up by the Wizengamot.
Now I'm sure, gentle readers, you are wondering how such an immoral union could have taken place, much less with a servant of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, under his own proverbial nose? You see, the conniving Miss Granger took it upon herself to twist Pureblood Traditions in order to secure herself a spot among the Death Eaters' ranks.
The circumstances surrounding Lucius Malfoy's mysterious death had been covered up for quite sometime but today, I am able to report to you that he was killed, in his own home, by none other than Hermione Granger! The reports are sketchy as to how such an encounter could have happened, but I have it on good authority that she she hit him unawares just like how she physically assaulted Draco Malfoy back in early 1994. (Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore quashed any formal investigation so charges couldn't be brought up against her. This seems to be a pattern with the girl; escalating the types of crimes she gets away with, but I'm getting ahead of myself.)
Now, whether or not you thought Lucius was a shining example of what a devoted, Pureblooded husband and father should be, he donated to many decent charities in his lifetime and was exonerated from his actions in the first Wizarding War due to being under the Imperious Curse.
That didn't seem to change Miss Granger's mind, who was as biased and prejudiced as Harry Potter, if not more so. Upon interviewing former classmates about the unnatural nuptials, Pansy Parkinson said "She never looked done-up when in class, I wouldn't be surprised if she were a [CENSORED BY MINISTRY]".
Hermione also has had an unusual affinity towards using Dark Magic, and even argued with Hogwarts Faculty about the usefulness of using curses. "She liked proving how clever she was," said Marietta Edgecombe, "and used to argue for actually using Dark Magic in Umbridge's class." It is rumored that Hermione Granger is responsible for the permanent disfigurment curse on Marietta, who refuses to speak at all about what happened to her face.
None of her friends seem concerned about her power-hungry ways, however. Fellow Gryffindor Padma Patil had this to say, "I guess it doesn't really matter if she's with a woman; it's not like they can reproduce and make more of their kind."
But the best quote, of course, I saved for last. What does the woman, trapped in this life-ling Bonding against her own will to the very woman who murdered her husband, have to say about Hermione Granger?
"I will see this mudblood rot in Azkaban if it's the last thing I do."