A/N: Hello! Hello! Hello! Here is the next chapter. Once again my apologies for not posting it sooner. I'm not making any promises to get chapters up faster this time...those always seem to backfire on me! With that being said it is summer so hopefully the wait time between chapters will be shorter since I aim to write more.
Disclaimer: All rights to their rightful owners.
Chapter Six –The Engagement Announcement
Early autumn sunlight filtered in through the window and Hermione pulled her blanket over her head blocking out the light. She almost groaned aloud as the events of the previous day came rushing back. Her conversation with Malfoy. Crying by the lake. And most important of all, the offer she accepted from Moody.
It was not all a dream as she had hoped, and not for the first time, the seriousness of her situation struck her. She was well aware that she was in the middle of a war, but it was just dawning on her that she was literally in the middle of the opposing sides. While her heart would always fight for Harry, and Ron, if she was going to be a good spy her mind had to fight for Voldemort, or at least appear to. Hermione mulled these thoughts over as she showered and pulled on her freshly laundered robes. She paused for a moment breathing in deeply, the scent of fabric softener calming her rattled nerves. She had to keep a cool head. She was not even doing anything dangerous yet!
Hermione went down to breakfast acting like all was normal, and in some ways it was. No one knew her secret. No one knew in a very short time she would be Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Just the thought made her shudder, but Hermione kept it all buried deep inside her, relishing her last days of normalcy. She sat with Ginny and Neville, poured some coffee and engaged in their conversation.
It was all going well, and as usual things were too good to be true. Moments after Hermione's arrival owls swooped into the hall with the morning post, as usual. But Hermione knew today was most unusual. This fact was confirmed when a sleek eagle owl landed next to Hermione. It was brown and speckled with golden feathers. Hermione did not recognize it and, sure it was a mistake, did not reach for the letter immediately. The owl pecked her fingers sharply, and Hermione let out a small cry of surprise. Her eyes flew up automatically meeting a pair of grey ones across the hall that looked away quickly. Hermione frowned. Surely this was not his owl.
She untied the letter and the owl flew off in a huff before she could offer it the crust of her toast. The envelope was thick, crushing the slim hope Hermione had left that it was a letter from Harry and Ron. She also noted that her name was written in very small, neat handwriting that sloped to left slightly. It was clearly distinguishable from Harry and Ron's less tidy scrawls. There was an ink drop before the H in her name signifying he had hesitated before writing it, probably because he had never used her first name before, Hermione deduced.
"Hermione are you going to open that letter, or continue to ogle the envelope?" Ginny asked teasingly, causing Hermione to blush. She tore it open, careful to leaving the writing intact, so she could further analyze it later. She pulled out the smallest scrap of parchment first and read it through twice.
Granger,
You didn't give me an answer yesterday. I've attached the engagement papers. Fill out your sections and send it to the Ministry for official approval.
There was no signature Hermione noticed before she shoved it hastily back into the envelope and hid it away in her bag. She looked up to find Ginny giving her a peculiar look.
"Anything important?" She asked casually. Her expression was guarded, so it took Hermione a moment to realize that she, too, thought the letter was from Harry. Hermione sighed knowing that both Ginny and Neville would find out eventually, especially now that they were making it official, and it would be best if they heard it from her.
"Well yes," she hesitated, lowering he voice to the extent that they leaned across the table to hear her better. No one was near them, but she was cautious anyway, ensuring that none overheard. "I've received a proposal, um, regarding the marriage law."
"From who?" Neville asked seriously, while Ginny sputtered in shock.
"Malfoy," Hermione whispered, and instantly wished she had taken them somewhere more private to discuss the matter.
"MAL-" Ginny was cut off as Neville clapped a hand over her mouth. Her face turned red, clashing horribly with her hair. "Let's get out of the great hall." Her voice was tense, and Hermione and Neville struggled to keep up as she left the hall.
"When did this happen?" She demanded, as soon as they were free from prying eyes. "How could you not tell us something like this?"
"It just happened yesterday Ginny," Hermione explained.
"You can't seriously consider going through with this!" Ginny said.
"I don't have much of a choice," Hermione replied, "the trace stops me from leaving, and according to Malfoy if I do try to leave Voldemort will kill me." Ginny's temper subsided quickly and she wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. Neville looked concerned and uncomfortable as he watched them embrace, and Hermione made a noise that could only be described as a half laugh half sob.
"You can't marry him Hermione," she said, "he will still kill you."
"Professor McGonagall doesn't think so," Hermione said, and tried to explain it to Ginny without telling her about being a spy, "she thinks he just wants to keep an eye on me. You know what they say - keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." With a few more comforting words, Ginny pulled away.
"What about Ron?" Ginny asked quietly. Neville quickly became very interested in a hole in his robes. Hermione expected that question and was able to hold back her tears.
"He's gone," Hermione said. "I'm stuck with this arrangement, but he could be happy." With someone else. Ginny nodded and Hermione was grateful that she did not push the subject and hurried off to class.
"I guess this means you can't help with the DA anymore?" Neville asked as they headed towards the fourth floor.
"I didn't even think about that!" Hermione exclaimed.
"It's okay Hermione," Neville said quickly, and changed the topic.
The rest of the week passed by without disturbance and Hermione could almost convince herself that things were not so bad. She spent most of her free time in the library pouring over books for school, and others that could help her once she was married to Malfoy. Ginny and Neville were giving her space, but she caught them staring at her sometimes when they were in the common room planning for the DA. It was not until Friday morning when the morning post arrived that things really began to change.
Hermione watched as people opened their letters and uncurled the Daily Prophet. Like usual, Hermione watched others read their letters from loved ones as she received none. It was not long before an excited buzzing filled the hall, and people began to lean together and whisper. Hermione was only mildly curious until she noticed many of them were staring at her, some in surprise, and others in apparent outrage. Hermione's confusion was short lived once she picked up an abandoned Prophet.
Rather than the horrifying stories that had been in the post lately, she saw the heading 'The Daily Prophet & The Ministry of Magic Offer Their Congratulations to these Newly Engaged Couples as Arranged by the Matched Matrimony Law.' Below the heading was a list of the couples, Hermione skimmed the list pausing when she recognized names. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, Susan Bones and Ernie MacMillian, and then Hermione's perusal was cut short when she saw her own name next to Malfoy's. Well at least that explained all the strange looks people were giving her, Hermione thought to herself. The negative attention was something she would have to get used to.
But she did not get used to it. People staring in the halls. The disapproving glares. But the worst was what she overhead people saying.
"How could she do this?"
"Harry Potter's best friend!"
"Traitor."
Being called a traitor was the worst, and Hermione knew it was not going to get better once she somehow wormed her way into the ranks of Death Eaters. Hermione could not even escape the disapproval in the library, which had never failed her before. She moved from her usual table to one in a secluded alcove, so that she could immerse herself into a book in peace.
Apart from going to classes and returning to her dormitory each night, Hermione rarely left the library. She was barely eating because she could not stand the insults openly hurled at her in the great hall, and she absolutely refused to get food from the house elves in the kitchen! At the moment she was spending her lunch hour pouring over a book on acting. She had come across it by accident, but if she was going to be a spy she had to play her role convincingly.
Hermione snapped the book shut and took it with her to continue later. She piled away her abandoned charms paper, and placed everything into her bag before heading down to the dungeons for potions. Just as she was crossing the entrance hall, she saw Neville and Ginny and faltered for a moment. However, her attempt at retreat is too late.
"Hermione, you have to stop this!" Ginny said angrily after storming over to her. "I know that things have to be different now, but you can't stop eating. Just ignore everyone else. They just want someone to be angry with." Ginny finished her speech by handing Hermione a roll from lunch. Hermione sighed.
"I can't stand it Ginny. Everyone is looking at me like I'm dirt on the bottom of their shoes." Hermione explained.
"So what?" Ginny retorted. "How many times did you tell Harry to ignore what people were saying about him? You have to show them that it doesn't bother you."
"I'll try," Hermione said. Ginny hugged her fiercely.
"I already lost Harry," she whispered, "I can't lose you too, and I can't sit here watching you slip away." Ginny pulled away, and Hermione watched her as she made her way up the staircase.
"I guess we should head to the snake pit. I mean dungeons," Neville said. Hermione laughed and put on a brave face. Ginny's reminder of all Harry had been through made Hermione feel like a hypocrite. She would not hide anymore; if the school wanted to hate her she would face them head on, like Harry did.
The dungeon was quiet when they entered, and apart from a few scathing looks, Hermione was left in peace. She purposely avoided looking at the area where Draco and his cronies were sitting, and took her place next to Neville. She pulled out her books and made small talk as if her fate had not been sealed earlier that week.
Snape entered the class and as usual everyone sat up a little straighter. "Today you will be making Veritaserum the most powerful truth potion known to wizard. Although it is extremely difficult to brew, and only the most advanced potions masters can do it successfully, it will likely appear on your N.E. . Veritaserum takes a full lunar cycle to brew, so I expect all the potions to be completed before winter break. Each week you must provide me will a sample of your potion at the end of class so I can track your progress. The instructions are on page four hundred and ninety-seven. Begin."
The room echoed with the sounds of students hurriedly gathering ingredients. Chairs scraped across the stone floors, cauldrons were lit, and ingredients were chopped. Hermione blocked out all the noise as she read through the entire potion before gathering her ingredients and lighting her cauldron. As a result she was slightly behind most of the students for the first half of the class, until they began to reach the section on Jobberknoll feathers. There was some general confusion on how to proceed here, and Hermione noticed several students had just put the feathers in whole. She knew that leaving the feathers whole would result in a blue tinged potion rather than a colourless one.
She pulled out a pair of potions scissors and began to trim the delicate feather until it was almost a fine powder-like substance. She added it to her potion, and stirred it three times clockwise and four times counter clock wise before moving on to the next ingredient.
As class was coming to a close, Hermione was one of the first to bring her sample vial up to Professor Snape. He took the vial from her and swirled the contents around, examining them closely. He tapped the cork with his wand and sniffed it, his head almost nodding in approval. Hermione knew there was nothing wrong with her potion, but waited for his criticism anyway.
"Very well done, Miss Granger," he said, catching her off guard. "Your talents will be put to good use, if you can learn to respect those whose status is above your own." He sneered at her as he recapped her potion and laid it aside.
Hermione seethed, as if she would ever help them! Instead of saying that, she retorted, "If you are referring to blood status, I should remind you that I am marrying into an original magical line, so there are few above my new status. Unlike some people, I am not in a position where I have to lie about being a pureblood to gain power or respect."
She turned on her heel and sat back down, without giving him a chance to respond. She stored her potion in the storage are carefully, and then returned to her seat haphazardly throwing her belongings into her bag. The class was leaving and Hermione was eager to escape Snape's glares, but it was not to be.
"I'd like a word with you Miss Granger," he called out to her. She faltered mid-step, and a few students shot her curious looks. She turned around and headed back to his desk, where he awaited her. He did not speak for a moment, waiting for the class to be empty. Snape, looking past her, raised his eyebrows. Curious, Hermione turned around to see Malfoy loitering by the door. "No need to remain here Mister Malfoy, I have no intention of stealing your fiancé." Draco gave him a scathing look before slamming the door behind him on way out.
Snape smirked in triumph at Maloy's exit. Hermione could not imagine a more pathetic professor. He was competing with Malfoy for goodness sake! "Now Miss Granger. Although Mister Malfoy is arrogant and incorrigible, I suggest you accept your place and learn to hold your tongue accordingly. The Dark Lord may have an interest in you now, but if you prove to be, ah how should I put it, unaccommodating, you will be dead faster than Harry Potter."
"Ha!" Hermione could not refrain from laughing. "Given that the 'Dark Lord,'" Hermione spat out the name, "has yet to succeed in killing Harry I like my odds."
"I expected better from you Miss Granger," Snape said, "Potter is on death row. He has ran off, no doubt on some foolish, noble whim. Curiously, he did not care enough about you to include you in his plans. Am I mistaken?" Hermione arranged her face into a look of dismay and pointedly looked away from his victorious smirk. By sheer determination she willed tears to fill her eyes, and she turned to storm off dramatically.
"You have been given an incredible opportunity Miss Granger," Snape called out after her. "I would not waste it because of misplaced loyalty."
Draco paced the corridor outside the potions classroom anxiously. He hated that his life relied on Granger now. He would pay for her mistakes as well as his own, which had already been plentiful. All he wanted now was to keep his head down, and survive this bloody war. He hated to admit it, but he was anxious for Granger too.
Snape was one of the less violent Death Eaters, but no less supportive of the cause. He was clearly drawn in by Voldemort because of his intellectual curiosity. From what Draco gathered, Snape was always a loner, but a brilliant one. So when the Dark Lord needed a potions master, he offered Snape the opportunity to further experiment with his magic. Since then, Snape had moved up the ranks quickly because of his and the Dark Lord's shared interest of pushing magical boundaries.
Draco paused, mid-thought and mid-step, as he heard the door knob rattle. He quickly positioned himself casually against the wall. Hermione burst through the door, letting it slam behind her as he had previously done. She clearly left in an angry outburst, but Draco noticed a triumphant gleam in her eyes. He was not surprised, intellectually she held her own. And Draco long suspected that Hermione cold outsmart most of the teachers at Hogwarts, Snape included.
"What did Snape want?" Draco asked, trying to keep his tone casual, yet firm. It was a trick his mother always used to get information from people. If her tone was casual they did not realize they were being interrogated, and the firmness prevented them from weaselling out of answering.
"That's none of your business Malfoy," she called over his shoulder as she breezed by him. He had a sudden and inexplicable urge to go after her, but refrained. Shaking his head, he blamed his temporary insanity on lack of food and headed to the Great Hall.
Draco's torture continued two days later in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Amycus was prowling the desks as he lectured them on the uses of Muggle and wizard blood in sorcery.
"One of the few uses of Muggles is that their blood can be used, even though it contains no magical properties. While the blood of a pureblooded wizard is the most potent, Muggle blood is also 'pure', if you can consider it that, as there is no trace of magic in it. The blood from a half-blood or worse a Mudblood," here he stared pointedly at Hermione, "can have disastrous effects when used in magic."
"What a relief," Hermione snorted, and said sarcastically. "At least I won't be killed for my blood." Amycus gave her a dirty look and moved on.
Eventually, as Draco was completing the assigned reading, Amycus wandered over to his desk.
"Is there a problem Professor?" Draco sneered. "Or did you just want to continue your rant on how blood sorcery is the only use of Muggles?"
"You are a disgrace to your blood line. It's no wonder that Malfoy name holds no power."
"You know nothing about power Amycus. The Malfoys may have fallen, but we will rise again. You, on the other hand, are not smart enough to keep from screwing up, and once you do there will be nothing to motivate the Dark Lord to keep you around."
"I don't see you rising anytime soon Draco. Not with that fiancée of yours. I guarantee that she will keep the Malfoy name in the mud, where it belongs."
"The Dark Lord thinks she has potential. That's why my job is to convince her to join our cause."
"Don't fool yourself Draco, you are just being set up to fail once again. I doubt she will ever be amenable to becoming a Death Eater," Amycus said.
"Then you are stupider than you look. There is a lot more to her than meets the eye." Draco responded coolly before returning to his work.
Draco pulled up the hood of his travelling cloak as he entered the secret passageway he found two years ago. It lead from the dungeons and it exited under a rock near the lake. The tunnel was damp and cool, and Draco's feet slid on the slick stone floor. He was relieved when he reached the ladder leading out. He felt around above him for the groove that allowed him to slide the rock over.
He climbed out, dusting off his robes. It would not do to arrive before the Dark Lord looking anything less than impeccable. He waited until he had reached Hogsmeade before apparating to the meeting location. He arrived in the town square and followed the path leading to the Carrow Country House.
There were topiaries and ornate statues in clusters around the lawn. The pathway was lit with glass lanterns filled with live fairies. Draco took a closer look and saw that they were angrily pounding on the glass. Feeling slightly sick Draco unscrewed the top of the lantern letting the fairies fly off in the night. He grinned as he replaced the now unlit lantern. Amycus and Alecto were so clearly attempting to outdo Malfoy Manor it was almost comical to Draco.
Two house elves opened the door for Draco and directed him to the drawing room, where the meeting was to be held. The gaudy feel from the gardens continued into the house. The walls were lined with tapestries and the wainscoting appeared to be solid gold. Draco entered the drawing room and found a selection of Death Eaters already present and helping themselves to food on a table laden with fine china.
Draco ignored the table and headed straight to the bar where his father had his hood already lowered and was pouring a glass a firewhiskey. Draco joined him silently, and poured himself a glass. They observed the room in silence for a few moments before taking their seats to await the Dark Lord`s usually dramatic entrance. Several moments later he arrived, pausing only to glance at the elaborate spread before taking a seat at the head of the table.
"I did not realize this meeting was going to be over tea and crumpets," Voldemort quipped, and Amycus and Alecto both turned red. Draco held back a snicker. "Alecto if I had known you had such a desire to cater our events, I would I have put you in the kitchen months ago. There were some jeers from the crowd. It was times like these when Draco was grateful his mother had never been branded with the Dark Mark. There were few women amongst their ranks, and they were treated the worst by far. Apart from Bellatrix, most of them had lower positions, and had to do the most unsavoury work.
"Amycus," Voldemort carried on above the laughter, "I see you've taken the liberty of hunting down some foreign firewhiskey for our gathering. It intrigues me that you had the time for that, but you could not complete the simple task I asked of you at our last meeting."
"I apologize My Lord," Amycus murmured, "I have been otherwise detained recently with the position you gave me at Hogwarts. But I will double my efforts immediately."
"If you find teaching a bunch of children overwhelming," Voldemort said, "perhaps I should find someone else for the position?" Several Death Eaters sat a little straighter at this point, hoping to take the position themselves. "Do not fail me again Amycus. There are plenty of others who could replace you." Draco could not help but smirk at Amycus, he had correctly predicted that Carrow would mess up. "You may maintain your post at Hogwarts, but I am removing you from the Gringotts assignment," Voldemort said. Amycus lost all colour in his face and nodded, before withdrawing back in his chair.
"Now let's see," Voldemort said, and tapped his chin pensively, "who shall take over for Amycus? Any volunteers?" A couple of people raised their hands half-heartedly, and Bellatrix was waving her arm in the air like an eager schoolgirl. But any intelligent Death Eater knew that failing such an important mission meant certain death, and were wary to volunteer.
"Lucius," Voldemort said, "You are in charge of ensuring the task is done. Draco I expect you to assist him. Failure is unacceptable." They both nodded, but Draco's stomach had tightened. It appeared that Voldemort was exerting his efforts to punish them still. "And Draco, I'd like to extend my congratulations on your recent engagement. I'm glad to see you managed to woo the Mudblood. You must be satisfied with your conquest." Once again there were jeers from the crowd.
"More important that your romantic escapades, however, is whether or not she will aid us?" Voldemort asked.
"My lord," Draco said, "I believe I can convince her, but I think it would be in our best interests if she is not branded with the Dark Mark." Draco was not sure if Voldemort would agree to that, it would probably bring him great pleasure to put the Dark Mark on her. But Draco could not picture her in Bellatrix and Alecto's company, she was too pure for that and Draco did not her to be tainted the way he was.
"Fine," the Dark Lord conceded, "she will not receive a mark. However, I want her involved in active duties." Draco nodded, and Voldemort turned to Snape. "Severus, is what Draco says true? Do you believe the girl can be recruited?" Draco was nervous, he did not know what Snape discussed with her, and that could be detrimental to his goal.
"I believe it's possible," Snape answered, "we can use Potter's abandonment to our advantage. It is her biggest weakness, and once she realizes how alone she is her spirit will be broken. We must befriend her and show her that Potter failed her."
"Draco," Voldemort said. "You heard Severus. You must befriend the girl and gain her trust. Offer her a shoulder to cry on, seduce her, whatever method you believe is best." Draco nodded, but gaining her trust was easier said than done. He could not remember ever seeing Granger cry, and seducing her was out of the question.
"It would also be a good idea to appeal to her intellectual nature," Draco said, recalling the way Snape was persuaded to join.
"That can be arranged," Voldemort replied, and there was a gleam in his eyes that made Draco nervous.
Coming up in Till Death Do Us Part:
Even in the midst of war one thing at Hogwarts remained the same, rumours traveled fast. All week Hermione heard the whispers. There was something about a party of ministry officials being stationed at Hogwarts. She also heard that the Minister himself would be making an official announcement about Hogwarts. And apparently Luna Lovegood was telling anyone that would listen that the Ministry was training a league of Pygmy Puff guards.