The next day, Hermione woke up in her new bed. Or cot. Either one worked. She had a small room, but even a small room in the Malfoy Manor was larger than any room she'd ever had before. And she hated it. Big and fancy things were never to her liking. The room had a small but ornate dresser mirror, a walk-in closet, and a tiny bathroom. And she hated it. After all, it was a Malfoy mirror, closet, and bathroom.
She slipped out of bed and stepped into her closet. She found a decent set of periwinkle robes that she thought were appropriate for whatever she was going to be doing at the Manor. But it wasn't like her clothes even remotely mattered to her anymore. She found a brush, curling iron, and a set of hair ties on her bathroom sink. Well, that's all I need to manage this bush. Hermione thought to herself. This bush... she smiled to herself. That was what Ron had called it once in sixth year...
Flashback
"Merlin, Hermione, you've been reading that same bloody book for two hours now!"
"Well, Ron, the exams are two weekends from now, and I still don't know all the properties of the Invisibility Removal Potion!" Hermione didn't even bother to look up from the textbook. She shoved a lock of her frizzy hair behind an ear. "Besides- what better thing do I have to do?"
'Well, I dunno... take care of that bush you claim is hair?"
Hermione slowly slid her eyes up from the text and sent the redhead a death glare. "Excuse me? That bush?"
Ron looked slightly frightened. "Aw, 'Mione, I'm just joking. It's a bush, but I love it all the same."
Ron hadn't noticed, but Hermione had blushed crazily when he said this. And for the rest of the night, she didn't pay attention to anything she was reading. All she could think about was "I love it all the same."
End Flashback
Hermione sighed. She truly had believed she was in love with Ron. Maybe she still was, but with the war lost and the imprisonment she had to face, her current crush was the last thing on her mind. Now, she had time to ponder it. Ron was clumsy, in a cute way, and funny, but really ignorant and unaware. But she didn't even know where Ron was right now, so it wasn't like it even mattered anyway.
People used to inquire about her and Harry, but she always would laugh and say that her and Harry would only be brother and sister, nothing more. Harry belonged to Ginny, anyway, and they made a wonderful couple. Hermione fingered a simple sliver locket that she wore around her neck. Harry... She had a couple leads on where Harry could have gone, but she wan't sure. She knew that Harry wasn't impriosoned, he had done the spell on himself, and she knew he wasn't dead. She fingered the locket again. She would have known if he was dead. Now she was glad that she had Malfoy, because he wanted to find Harry almost as much as she did, although for all different reasons. Perhaps she could bring up a couple of those ideas to him. She wanted to find Harry so much.
Flashback
"Harry, don't!" Hermione shrieked, her voice cutting through the ice-cold air. "You just escaped death, don't run into its arms all over again!" The war at Hogwarts was raging around them, but Hermione and Harry were in an empty room. Harry had just escaped after he had run into the forest to let Voldemort kill him. He had faked his own death and escaped. Now he had to face Voldemort one more time that night.
Hermione grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away. Harry snarled. He had to go find Voldemort, he had to face him one more time!
"Listen Hermione, just listen. Before I go, which will be soon, I have to tell you something. Ron won't know, so tell him if you can. What Dumbledore told me was a lie. There aren't seven horcruxes, there are nine."
"Wha- What?"
"Nine, Hermione. We killed five. Neville's off killing another. I want you to trust me, because I got this all from Dumbledore. Voldemort killed the horcrux inside of me just a couple minutes ago. There are two more. I have to do something, and you won't understand why, but it's to get another horcrux destroyed. Trust me. Now, the world is going to take a drastic turn tonight, and I want you to know that I'm sorry. If you manage to escape, please try to find the last horcrux. Please."
Hermione's head was spinning, she was so confused. "Of course Harry. I-I'll do anything."
"Thank you. Now take this." He shoved a locket into her hand. It was in the shape of a circle, and in the middle were the engraved letters H, H, and R. Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "Keep it on. It'll burn if anything really serious happens to Ron or I. But this is the most important thing about it: It's jinxed. Don't open it until you really, really, really need me. You'll know when that time comes. And when I say really, I mean really. It will be unsafe for you to come to me, so only when you really really real-"
"I understand Harry." she interrupted. "Well, no I don't, but I think I will. I guess I have to let you go now." Hermione said as she clasped the locket on.
"Yes. I have to go. Love you 'Mione." It wasn't a romantic love. Just a friend love, the kind of love you give to someone who has always been there for you since as long as you can remember.
"You too Harry."
And with that, he ran out of the room, leaving a silently weeping Hermione behind.
End Flashback
That was the last time Hermione had seen Harry, before he cursed himself away. Now she wished she hadn't let him go.
Hermione hadn't realized it, but she had been walking thorough the spacious halls of the Manor as she reminisced. Now she was walking past a couple of small doors. Each one had a gold letter painted on it: J, P, and F. She knocked on the one labeled J.
"Jinxle will be right there!" A tiny voice squeaked from inside.
Hermione jumped in surprise. The house elves had rooms? Since when were the Malfoys so nice?
The tiny blue door then swung open, and Jinxle stepped out, beaming up at Hermione. "Good morning miss! How can Jinxle help you?"
"Hello Jinxle! Please, call me Hermione."
"Good morning... Hermione."
"Thanks. I was just wondering... who gave you rooms?"
"Oh, Master Draco made these for us, he is so nice. He pretends to be mean, but he really is a good master. These rooms are disguised, miss, so Master Lucius and Miss Narcissa can't see."
"Oh. That's very... unMalfoylike." Hermione commented.
"Was Hermione looking for Master Draco?"
"Um..." Truth be told, Hermione didn't really want to see him at all, seeing as last night's conversation was rather akward. But she had to face him eventually. "Yes, I was. Do you know where he might be?"
"I'll get him right away ma'am!" She cracked out of the room. One moment later, she returned with a slightly disgrunted Draco.
"You called?" He said, straightening his white-blond hair that had been in a disarray.
Hermione hadn't thought this far ahead. "Umm... I'd like to take you up on that deal you mentioned last night." She was surprised at herself for saying this. She actually hadn't thought about it at all.
Draco's eyebrows rose. "You do? I, ah, wasn't expecting..."
"...the Mudblood to oblige so quickly? Thought perhaps you'd have to Crucio or Imperius me?" She finished for him.
"Well, yes, minus the Mudblood and Crucio part. I've matured from that."
"Sure you have." Hermione said sarcastically.
Draco was about to come back when Jinxle coughed slightly, obviously trying to be subtle in reminding the pair that she was still there. He flushed. "Ah, Granger, do you mind if we take this to another room?"
"Of course," she said, also seeing that their conversation was not one to be had in front of a house elf, or one to be overheard by other residents in the house. "But where?"
"Um, the library?" He suggested it without thinking, then braced himself for the reaction.
"Ooo! Yes! I haven't been in any library in so long, well of course I haven't, and I ever so want to. Yes!" she exclaimed, losing her calm composture.
He rolled his eyes. "Alright then, follow me." Malfoy turned around and and proceeded to take a complex route of twists and turns until he reached an elaborate pair of double doors. Wrenching them open, he covered his ears as to block out the squeal that he was sure was going to escape Hermione's mouth.
But it didn't. Instead, Hermione was lost for words as she gaped at the massive library. It was a very large room, yes, but that was not what was incredible. What amazed her was the height. It was the tallest room she had ever seen, with a ceiling like a dome, curving upward. Gigantic bookshelves lined the walls, reaching up to the tippy-top of the dome. They were lined with books of every shape and size, color and length. The room itself was comforting and relaxing, as it was painted a warm beige color. In the center of the room was a couch and two armchairs encircling a coffee table. Draco headed to the couch, then patted on the cushion next to him, beckoning the still shocked Hermione to sit down.
Upon hearing the pat, Hermione broke her gaze at the ceiling and closed her open mouth. She flushed when she saw Malfoy's amused smirk. Collecting what pride she had left, she primly sat herself down next to him.
"So." she said. She had no idea what she was going to say, so she waited for him to start the conversation.
"So." he countered.
She sent a quick sort of expecting glance at him before turning back around, leaning back, and crossing her legs.
Malfoy sent the same one back, but his face was expressing poorly concealed humor. He also leaned back and crossed his arms.
"Now you're just being immature." Hermione said.
"You're one to talk."
"That meaning what?"
"That meaning..." he trailed off, unable to answer.
"Exactly. Now, I am willing to push this childish behavior aside, and get down to business, which is what I came here for."
"You make it sound like I dragged you here. You called me. You wanted to talk. So shoot." Draco crossed his arms even tighter.
"Alright then." Hermione sat up straighter in her seat. She had no idea what to say, but Hermione Granger did not get a straight A+ GPA by not being able to think on her feet. Time to play this by ear. "Starting this all out, I am willing to accept your deal under some conditions."
"There are conditions to my conditions?"
"And you interrupt already!" Hermione tossed her hands up in exasperation.
"Okay, okay, I'm done." A smirk played upon his lips, he did enjoy messing with her.
"Yes. There are conditions to your conditions. Like I was saying, I want to accept your deal, as being a servant does not strike me as pleasant, especially a servant to you. But before I accept this, I want to ask you a couple questions." Hermione raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Go on." Draco said.
"First, I want to know what you will be using this information for. I don't trust you, and I think you know this. You are the son of a Death Eater, and even an alleged Death Eater yourself. You could take everything I say and bring it straight into Voldemort's hands."
Draco had lost the teasing attitude, and he had on a serious face. "Granger, I'm not going to do that."
"And why should I even begin to believe you?"
"Well, because I'm Draco Malfoy for one," He smirked at her exasperated expression. "Second- well, it's a long story? You have time?"
"Does it look like I have anywhere else to go?"
"True. Well, enough of this. For starters, I want to state again that I am not going to give the information to the Death Eaters. I have changed. When the War had ended, I saw the people who had been tortured and killed, I saw the families who were torn apart and lamenting over their losses. I have a heart, unlike my father. I hated seeing that. It killed me inside to watch them suffer, and I had so much difficulty doing it myself. I didn't want to be a Death Eater at first, but I will admit that I became comfortable with the role for a short period of time. Then I realised what I had to do. I had to torture, I had to curse, I had to kill. I couldn't do that." Draco's face was contorted with the pain of memories. Hermione, for the strangest split second, had the urge to comfort him.
"Then he started to kill those that I cared about. He had already corrupted my father, my aunt Bellatrix, and others that I had looked up to. Then he killed Goyle and his father, he tortured Crabbe's father, he nearly drove Theodore Nott's mother mad with the Cruciatus Curse. I hate him for that. But I hate him with a burning passion, a hate so strong I'm willing to team up with a Mudblood to take him down, for something else. Shortly after the war, he captured my mother." Now Draco had shut his eyes tight and his hands were quivering.
"My mother care about me. She was the one who would clean me up after father was done beating me, who would tell me that I am worth something after my father told me I was pointless. She taught me to have some good inside of me, because that is what will save me one day. Then Voldemort took her prisoner. I'm still wondering why. He took her and he tortured her and forced me to watch as she screamed in agony. I hate him. I hate what he did. I hate what he did to this world."
"As you can see from my speech, I don't care about Potty or Weasel or Loony or Longbutt. I don't really care about saving this whole world either, because I am a Malfoy and I am selfish. I deal with that. I care about my mother, saving her, getting revenge, and if we happen to save the wizarding world in the process, then good for us." He finished, leaned back, and waited for the girl's response.
"I don't believe you," she said.
"What? That was the most heartwrenchingly sorrowful and emotion-revealing speech I have ever given! Come on Granger, have a heart!"
"You mean that thing you have yet to develop?"
He sent her a cold glare. "Okay, what do you want? You have to believe me, I promise I'm telling the truth. If there's one thing that Malfoy's don't do, it's lie."
"What an ironic statement, as it's a lie itself." Hermione countered.
Draco was mad now. "Listen, Mud-" Then his face broke out into a sinister grin. He had an idea. "How about this, Granger? I'll make the Unbreakable Vow."
Hermione's eyes widened to a popping point. "You will?" Yeah right he would. This was Malfoy.
"Yup. Here- Poky!" Draco called.
The withered house elf appeared before the wizard and witch. "Yes?"
"I want you to make the Unbreakable Vow for us."
The house elf gasped. "You do?"
"Exactly my reaction!" Hermione exclaimed, recovering from her initial shock. "Malfoy- you- you're kidding right?"
"No. Malfoys don't kid." Draco said, wrinkling his nose.
"Yeah, Malfoys don't do a lot of things, I've noticed that. But this is the Unbreakable Vow. You could die."
"You say that like it's a bad thing, Granger."
"Well, it is." Hermione blushed.
"I thought I was your sworn enemy."
"We're getting off topic here, Malfoy."
"Right, right. Poky, please?"
"Yes Master Draco!" The elf motioned for Hermione to come forward. She obliged. "Now, grasp hands."
The pair blushed. Hesitantly, Hermione moved her arm over and slipped it into Malfoy's. His hand was cold and hard, but caused her skin to shoot off mini sparks where he touched it. She blushed even harder.
"I, Poky the house elf, with the meager power I have, bond you once in Vow." The elf touched their intertwined hands with a single finger, and a red, glowing vine wrapped around their hands. Hermione gasped. Her hand was burning, and suddenly, she felt a flood of new emotions. It was like she could feel what Malfoy was feeling with their temporary bond.
"Miss Hermione, you may make your conditions now." Poky told Hermione.
"Wha-? Oh, oh, of course." Hermione jerked her mind out of Malfoy's emotions and began to speak.
"Do you, Draco Malfoy, swear to use the information I tell you for good, to help destroy what must be destroyed, to bring back what needs to be brought back, even if that may be Harry Potter, and to take Voldemort down once and for all?"
Draco's face hardened. "I do swear."
Poky touched their arms again, and another vine twined itself inbetween their grasp. Suddenly, the emotions Hermione felt were enhanced, their bond was stonger. She looked up, and saw Malfoy's confused expression. He must have felt it as well.
"Ahem," Poky attempted at a fake cough. "Miss Hermione?"
"Oh! Um, okay. Do you, Draco Malfoy, swear to not use any of the information I give you for evil, to never give it to any Death Eater, Lord Voldemort, or any other evil person or follower of any sort?"
"I do swear."
And another vine was made, and their bond became even stronger.
"Finally, do you, Draco Malfoy, swear you hold no secret alliance to Voldemort or any of his followers, and you have to secret ties to any of the dark?" Hermione said, her voice slightly quavering at the thought of this.
"I do swear."
Hermione and Draco took a gasp in perfect unison when Poky broke their bond. The emotions were brought to a climax before breaking. They stood there for a moment, arms clasped between the two, hesitating, before realizing what they were doing and letting go.
"Oh- Oh my god. Draco Malfoy just did that. He just promised that." Hermione was amazed.
"Believe me now?" Draco smiled smugly. "Malfoys don't lie, Granger."
"I- I guess I have to believe you." Hermione was still shocked.
"Miss? Miss? Poky will take you to bed now, Poky thinks Miss needs it." The house elf tugged at her robes.
"Uh, alright then," Hermione said. "I- I'll see you tomorrow then Malfoy."
He nodded curtly, then the house elf disappeared, Hermione hot on her trail.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
A/N- I always used to wonder, while reading fics, why authors always begged their readers to review. Now that I write, I understand why! So please please please, digital chocolate if you review! Please!