Disclaimer: I don't own the magical Wizarding World.
A/N: Thank you Artemisia for hosting the Much Ado About Dramione fest. This fic is loosely based on Shakespeare's As You Like It.
Many thanks to Tridogmom who is a great friend and beta.
However You Wish
Chapter 1
By TheImperfectionista
Had the wind blown a little harder or if the sun's beams were in a direct line, Draco would have missed the quaffle thrown at him, instead he just caught the large ball.
"I thought this was supposed to be a friendly game of catch!" he shouted at his friend Blaise as he manoeuvred a perfect corkscrew.
"You said it. Doesn't mean I agree," Blaise replied as he caught the quaffle quite comfortably. The two men had been playing in the field for a good hour or so, like they did almost every day. It's not like Draco didn't have other things he wanted to do. It was more the fact that he wasn't allowed to do the things he wanted.
He pulled a magnificent Horntail spin before landing perfectly by some cold beers set up by the house elves. Blaise followed behind, softly floating back to the ground with carefree ease.
"There's a party tonight. You should come," Blaise invited.
Taking a large pull from his bottle, Draco tasted the bitter aftertaste of beer and misery.
"I wish I could. But father's orders are to stay out of the public eye," he replied.
"He's not doing you any favours," Blaise said as he popped open his bottle with the handle of his broomstick.
He didn't have an overbearing father still telling him what to do Draco thought bitterly. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he felt remorseful. It's not his friend's fault that his father wasn't around.
"I'm frustrated with him. Father's only dinner conversation is about the rebuilding of the Malfoy name, yet he keeps me at home."
Carrying their broomsticks in one hand and beers in the other, they strolled back towards the Manor. They passed through the elaborate rose garden, where the albino peacocks used to wander through. However, on this day, none of the rare birds were to be seen.
"Even our peacocks are being publically displayed at Hogwarts as we speak. While I'm here idling my life away," Draco complained.
Blaise sighed at his friend's slump. It seemed like the life of Draco Malfoy showed no signs of improving. As they drew closer to Malfoy Manor, an imposing figure stood at the stone steps towards the entrance. It was the unmistakable Lucius Malfoy, his posture stern, irate, and militant. Before they could be within earshot, Draco spoke to his friend.
"You go ahead inside, I'll catch up with you in my wing."
Blaise strode past Lucius with a polite formal greeting and disappeared in the labyrinth of the Manor. With gritted teeth, Draco walked up to his father.
A few years ago, his father would have towered over him, a long shadow in his wake for Draco to hide behind. Nowadays they stood the same height and Draco no longer wanted to follow his father's footsteps.
"What are you up to, son? Playing quidditch like a lazy schoolboy," Lucius sneered at the old Nimbus 2001 which he bought.
"Nothing. As you have ordered father."
The head of the silver cane swiped hard against Draco's cheek. He tried not to flinch. Tough love was how father showed he cared, he told himself.
"Don't be cheeky with me. Go do something useful for once," Lucius barked.
"That would contradict your previous wishes. 'Lie low, don't go outside the Manor and do nothing,' you told me. I followed your orders to the word."
The son braced himself for the next blow but Lucius only gripped his cane, shaking with rage.
"You insolent boy! Get out of my sight." Draco didn't need to be told twice and headed for the door, but not before Lucius gave his purpose for finding him.
"And get cleaned up! You are to escort Miss Parkinson to Diagon Alley in an hour's time," Lucius shouted after him.
Storming into his wing, Draco was furious. Furious with his father, furious with his current situation, and hopeless over any form of escape. Haplessly throwing his broom on the floor, he downed the rest of his beer whilst pacing around his room and tearing off his Quidditch gear.
Blaise looked on warily from his perch by the window.
"You need a plan to get out," Blaise suggested, which only made Draco chuckle at the obviousness.
"Like I didn't know that. I'll come up with something when I get home."
"Are you being let out?" Blaise asked.
"Yes, with Parkinson of all people. I can't stand her yapping away about nonsense."
Blaise didn't contribute to Draco's vitriol for the girl.
"At least you can do some other stuff in Diagon Alley."
The blond was already in the shower and Blaise was left in the bedroom pondering Draco's predicament, Mr Malfoy, and why Pansy Parkinson needed an escort in the middle of the day to Diagon Alley.
"Why do you look so sour? This is supposed to be fun," Ginny asked as they walked down a busy Diagon Alley towards Flourish & Blotts.
"The only reason why lemons are sweeter is because you talked me into this silly signing in this even sillier disguise!"
Hermione gestured to herself. No longer did her brown riotous curls crown her face, it fell in silky waves of golden blonde. Her face had also changed to one not her own, thanks to some polyjuice. Ginny forced her into a dress robe of dusky pink with so much drapery over her shoulders, Hermione almost tripped over some trailing chiffon on their way to the bookstore.
"I've managed to get my publisher to sell not one, but three books without having to do any public appearances. I didn't need to do this." But Hermione's protestations went unheard.
Flourish and Blotts was decorated in nauseating colours of pinks and lavender when they arrived. They weren't opened for business yet but Hermione could see the shop window proudly displayed the bestselling Charms Sisters trilogy by Rose de Bois. Books that she wrote in her free time as a hobby. The covers shimmered like opals with a picture of a witch twirling around in the arms of a lean man who seemed to have forgotten to button his shirt.
"If you didn't want to do this book signing, you shouldn't have told me your little secret." Walking through the entrance, Ginny seemed indifferent to Hermione's hysterics.
"What! You spied on me for ages!" Throwing her arms in the air. Any passerby would have thought the author was flouncing like a diva at her poor suffering friend.
"Ms Rose de Bois!" the owner exclaimed as he rushed over. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do this. When your publisher said you wouldn't be doing any publicity for the new book, I was utterly devastated. But now that you're here, we will fill Diagon Alley with lines today!" He shook her hand with such vigour, Hermione thought her arm may drop off.
"You're too kind. It's not like I've written a new book on the life of Harry Potter," she joked.
"Oh if you manage to write an official biography of Mr Potter, it will be the day Gringotts need to expand your vault." He chuckled to himself at his little joke as he led her through the store.
"Now Ms de Bois, please take a seat at the table. Would you like any refreshment?"
"Water will do. Thank you." Leaning into Ginny, she whispered. "You can't leave me here!"
"I'm meeting Harry for lunch to discuss his new ghostwriter," chuckled Ginny who admired the towers of Hermione's published novels.
"We will open the door in 10 minutes. Do we have the right coloured ink for your autographs? My goodness, the queue has already started!"
The shop owner went around the back of the shop in his over-excitement. Sighing into the chair next to the table heaving with her new books, Hermione knew she was in for a long day.
"Drakey poo, hurry up! I can see a line outside the shop already," Pansy whined as she pulled at Draco's reluctant hand and clattered down the cobbled streets in her heels.
Draco was aware that people stared at him as they went past. Describing the expressions on those strangers' faces as friendly would be like saying a dragon was fluffy. Already he wanted to leave for somewhere quieter.
Ahead of him, Flourish and Blotts indeed had a line which consisted of excited witches, young and old. They stretched down Diagon Alley and giggled and chattered in an unabashed manner.
"Oh honey, you're such a gentleman waiting with me. It would be possibly dreary without you." Pansy stroked his arm as they stood at the end of the line a few shops down.
"What is this about?" he asked curiously. Pansy never seemed the bookish sort to him.
"This is a rare exclusive book signing by Rose de Bois. She writes the most delightful and naughty stories!" Nauseated by Pansy's giddiness, Draco contemplated all sorts of excuses to slip away.
"You must be thirsty. Shall I fetch you a cup of tea nearby?" Those beady eyes widened at him with utter delight.
"That's so thoughtful of you, Drakey. Tea would be perfect." A big kiss landed on his cheek and it took everything out of him to not wipe off Pansy's lipstick immediately with disgust.
"I'll be back."
Draco could hear Pansy's shrilly declaration of how much she'll miss him. Grateful to be alone and out, Draco took his sweet time meandering through Diagon Alley. He made a great show of making his decision at the cafe cashier. Then waited patiently for the single cup of tea. While he was there, he dawdled over the cakes. Indecisive over whether or not to purchase a slice of cake for Pansy. He wondered whether a slice of cake, which she'd claim was fattening her up, would make her more insufferably clingy.
By the time he left the cakes alone and took the now lukewarm tea back to the bookstore, Pansy was no longer seen outside the store. He concluded she must have moved down the line and that would mean his duty of the day would be over soon.
Pushing past some older witches, he was sickened by the unusually high amount of pink in the store.
"Good afternoon. Who do I address this book to?" A lovely soft voice said amidst the gaggle of women.
The crowd parted and Draco caught sight of Pansy with her short black hair and chic camel coloured robes. Then Pansy whipped around and spotted him. But it was too late, he had already seen the brown-eyed woman with the most brilliant smile.
The world around him stood still, the crowd faded into the distance. Draco's heart was in his mouth, his stomach twisted in a nauseous spin, his very flesh burned in spontaneous combustion. What was this overwhelming feeling? Had he caught Dragons Pox? The Pixian Flu?
"Drakey Poo! Come over here!" Pansy waved him over and the beautiful woman at the table turned to him. Her smile dropped for a split second when their eyes connected and Draco felt he could lose himself in their depths.
He was forcibly pulled by his arm towards the table, his escort clung to him tightly.
"Ms Rose de Bois was going to sign my book. Please make it out to Pansy." Pansy had thrusted an open book which the lovely creature accepted with grace and warmth. Draco noted her neat handwriting and how much he wanted to touch her delicate skin.
"What are your books about Ms -? " he asked.
"Rose," she interrupted him as she slid the book back to his unfortunate companion.
"Pardon?" Were her books about gardening?
"No. Call me Rose."
The world shook under him at her casual offer.
"I write romance. Would you also like me to autograph anything for you?" Those plump pink lips smirked at him in jest. He wasn't going to object if she kept talking to him.
"Yes please." Pulling a few random books from the pile next to him, he leant in to place them before her.
"Could you address them to Narcissa?"
Hermione couldn't believe the ridiculous situation which she was in. There stood Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, asking for her autograph. What would they think if they knew it was the Hermione Granger, who they had tormented and bullied? Under no circumstances was she going to pass up the opportunity to have some fun.
She read the cover of the first book and smiled as sweetly as she could at Malfoy.
"A Squib's Seduction?" Now this was gold. "Would that not be contrary to your beliefs?"
Hermione observed how Malfoy tensed up, his jaw tightened and loosened.
"My personal belief is that we all deserve a fulfilling life, whether you're a squib or Muggleborn. I don't care about - "
"Darling. Stop taking up Rose's time. She's very busy," Pansy whined. Hermione cringed inwardly as she wondered how could anyone date someone that insecure and clingy.
Hermione hurriedly signed the other books. Struck by a spark of inspiration, she scribbled something in the last book and handed them over.
"The last book is addressed to you." His fingers brushed against hers in a gentle caress as he slipped the book from her. "Call it a token of luck."
Feeling nervous from the intensity of his stare, the author cleared her throat and looked past the Slytherin couple at the next person in line.
"Thank you for coming and take care," she dismissed them and watched as Pansy dragged Malfoy from the store, while he constantly kept turning back to stare at her.
Did he discover a link between herself and this persona? Hermione really hoped not! Putting the man out of her mind, she focused on the next fan who beamed with delight. After all, she still had plenty of books to sign. Having been sat at the same table for two hours, there was at least another hour before she could leave.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the start of this story. I'll be updating this on every week on Thursday evening, ready for weekend reading.