AN: Chapter 2 has been uploaded the same night. I am so excited to get back into writing Fanfiction. We can always use more Dramione in this world. Thank you!
After muttering the password to the Headmaster's office ('Fudge Flies'), Hermione pulled out her wand and whispered "Incendio", igniting the small piece of parchment in flames. As Hermione waited for the magnificent statue to reveal the staircase, she bit her lip and tapped her foot pondering why she might have been called here.
Hogwarts had been a different place since last year. Hermione had seen how close to pure fascism not only the Ministry had gotten, but how many of her classmates were willing to comply. Including, but not limited to, Draco Malfoy and his group of Pureblood cronies. Hermione grimaced at the memory of the Inquisitorial Squad - and she grimaced even more so knowing Malfoy was able to continue working as a Prefect this year, despite his actions.
The staircase had fully revealed itself and Hermione ascended it hastily, wanting to figure out what this was all about as soon as possible.
As she entered the Headmaster's office, she saw Snape sitting in one of the chairs. Of course. She knew five points was too light a punishment for being out so late in the night. However, she couldn't imagine why Dumbledore would need to be involved.
"Ah, good morning Miss Granger," Dumbledore said in a floaty voice from behind his trinket-adorned desk. "Care for a lemon drop?"
"No, thank you," she politely declined. She traditionally liked to eat breakfast before indulging in sweets, but that was just her. "Is something the matter?" She asked, wanting to get to rush to the point of this meeting.
"Take a seat, Granger," Professor Snape snapped without looking in her direction. He held his wand in his hand delicately, tapping it rhythmically on the arm of his wooden chair. "We're still waiting for someone to join us."
Hermione looked puzzled as she took a seat. Her eyes turned towards Dumbledore with concern - surely this had nothing to do with last night. She began fearing for the worst. "Professor-," she began, but was cut off by the sound of the office door opening swiftly.
Hermione's head turned with a snap and her confusion turned to shock. There, in the doorway, stood Draco Malfoy. Just as blond and as tall as last year, yet somehow he looked years older. She couldn't read him at all. His icy eyes caught hers and for a moment he looked confused before his face twisted in disgust.
"What is she doing here?" Malfoy snapped, his eyes looking from Dumbledore to Snape. "She's not supposed to be here for this. You said she wouldn't."
Now Hermione was extremely bewildered. What was Malfoy talking about? Why wasn't she supposed to be involved? What was she involved in?
"Have a seat Draco, and do try to save your breath. I'm sure you'll be needing it for the rest of the day," Snape drawled, still avoiding her gaze.
Draco hesitated and looked like he was going to retort something cheeky before slamming his mouth shut and marching down to the seat next her. Before he sat himself down, he moved the chair a few meters away from her, as though she might infect him with something.
Hermione's eyes kept flicking between the three men in the room. "Professors, I am sorry, but I sincerely have no idea what is going on here," she said, coming off as more agitated than she would have liked.
"Miss Granger - as you know, the tides are turning fast," Dumbledore began, "Things have transpired over the past year that have created a momentum we won't be able to slow."
This didn't answer Hermione's question and, instead, made her heartbeat faster with anxiety. "Yes," was all she could say, hoping that prompted him to speak more.
"What I am about to share with you I do so with the complete confidence that it never leaves this room," he continued, his spindly hands folding over themselves. This is when Hermione noted his fingers were blackened - she held back a gasp as her stomach dropped.
Hermione's attention was fully focused on Professor Dumbledore as he explained something called a "Horcrux" - a piece of a soul hidden in an object - only attainable by killing another. He recounted his summer of figuring out the Horcruxes, and even going as far as hunting them. Unfortunately, in a moment of emotion over reason, Dumbledore poisoned himself with a curse from the ring of Marvolo Gaunt. The curse was incurable, and Dumbledore was bound to a slow and painful death.
At the end of the story, Hermione had nothing to say. She sat there in shock. Her eyes flitted between Snape and Dumbledore several times before she dared to look at Draco Malfoy. He, to her surprise, appeared bored. He had heard this all before. Hermione gulped and found her voice, "Where do I come into this?"
"Mr. Malfoy here has been ordered to kill me," Dumbledore said casually with a wave of his hand. "Obviously, we cannot let that happen yet, but we must make it appear as though Draco is doing everything in his power to try."
Hermione felt as though she couldn't breathe. Her world was turning as Dumbleldore explained the Unbreakable Vow that Professor Snape had made with Narcissa Malfoy to protect Draco. It was explained to her that ultimately, Severus Snape would have to be the one to kill him, ensuring Draco's soul will remain intact.
Hermione reiterated her question from earlier, which had remained unanswered. "Where do I come into this?" She felt her stomach turning as the question left her lips.
"Oh for Merlin's sake," Draco snapped with a sneer as he leaned forward in his chair and uncrossed his legs. "You're going to be bound to me. Or rather, we will be bound to each other."
"What?" Hermione looked at Draco quickly before averting her gaze away. "But for what purpose?"
"Snape's important to the Order, he dies, you all lose your connection to the Death Eaters. If I die, he dies," Draco said, his tone suddenly cool as his eyes focused on the wand he was pressing into his palm. "After that happens, I need an in with Order to protect me. Surely after Dumbledore kicks it, no one would be willing to help me. And the Dark Lord will want my head for failing the one task he gave me."
"Sir?" Hermione looked to Dumbledore to confirm, but she knew in her core that Draco was telling the truth.
"Though Mr. Malfoy lacks the gift of being tact, he is correct," the Headmaster confirmed. "The blood bond between the two of you will ensure that neither of you betrays the other, and that you will provide help as Mr. Malfoy requires in relation to his mission," his eyes flickered to Snape who had huffed in annoyance, "and no one but the people in this room can know until the time comes."
"And what exactly do I need to provide for this blood bond? What is the process?" Hermione asked. She had read up on several types of blood bonds: curses that bound slaves to masters, wives to husbands, house elves to families. Blood bonds that required specific upkeeps: blood renewals, promise of death if broken… sexual intimacy. Hermione shivered at the thought.
"Fear not, Miss Granger. It is nothing that is asking too much," Dumbledore said, completely oblivious to the fact that this alone was asking far too much. "You and Mr. Malfoy will simply provide the blood and Severus here will take care of the rest. In order to keep the bond strong, you both will need to be in close proximity to each other for several hours a day," he says. "The bond requires that level of intimacy - but rest assured, it does not require anything more."
Hermione nodded, and then froze. "How will that work?"
"There is professor housing in a neutral area of the school where we will be moving you two into," Dumbledore answered, "We will mask it on the pretense that future Head Boys and Head Girls - Junior Heads of Houses, if you will - will also have their own quarters. As it has been an odd few years here, no one should question it. No one will know you live in the same quarters - each bedroom also has its own entrance separate from the common area, so you'll likely only cross paths on the way to the shared restroom."
With a sudden laugh, Hermione stood up and shook her head, "And I have no say in this at all?" She had no intention of sharing a restroom or really anything with Draco Malfoy.
"Of course you do," said the Headmaster as he stood up and rounded his desk. He walked up to Hermione and placed a bony hand on her shoulder - a hand she would normally find comforting under different circumstances, "if you choose not to, we will simply Obliviate you, and you will go on as though this never happened. However, your sacrifice has the potential to save the Wizarding World as we know it."
There it was. Her heart sank and she froze. In war, people make sacrifices. She knew she would have to make hers at some point. She just never expected this. She knew in her heart that she didn't really have another choice.
"Trust me, Granger, I'd prefer it if you said no," Draco chimed in as he, too, stood up. He, however, walked away from her with pin-straight posture. "I begged them to find someone more tolerable in both company and looks," he now turned around to her and looked her up and down with a sneer, "but they insisted upon you."
Hermione was too shocked to care about the insults. She plopped back down in her chair and Dumbledore stepped back from her and leaned against his desk. He exchanged a look with Snape, who then sneered at Malfoy. "No need to make this situation worse for everyone involved than it already is, Draco," he drawled. "Miss Granger?" He turned to her - his face lighter than she'd ever seen it.
She opened her mouth to speak but found herself gasping for breath as panic set in. What would she tell her friends? How much time would she be able to spend away from Malfoy? There had to be more to this bond than just preventing betrayal and promising to help. After a few moments of panic, she reminded herself that this was her sacrifice. Or, at least, one of her sacrifices. After taking a second to compose herself, she looked up and ran her eyes across the two older wizards before landing on Draco.
"Alright," she said, and she was confused to see the shock on their faces. Hadn't this been what they had hoped for?
Dumbledore was the first to gain his composure and speak. "Are you sure, Hermione?" Hearing her name come out of his mouth caused a chill to run down her spine.
Before she could change her mind, she said "Yes, I am sure," she looked to Draco who appeared to be avoiding looking at her. He had disgust on his face. Or, at least, it appeared to be disgust. "When will we have to-," she gestured awkward with her hands, "do this?"
Snape and Dumbledore exchanged looks before the dark wizards spoke, "Now."