Chapter 10
I'm a ghost in the house for the next couple days. Seamus, the new guard, lurks around the house day and night. I can feel his eyes on me; watching me. Each night, like clockwork, Draco comes to my room. He grabs the spare pillow from the bed and throws it onto the ground. And that's where he sleeps. We don't speak a word to one another.
It's finally poker night. The night I must speak with Neville. Only it isn't being held at Draco's. I wash my face in the bathroom mirror thinking of my plan to speak to Neville alone. I could ask him to give me a tour of the house? No. Stupid! It's not even his house we are going to. I examine my face in the mirror. Surprisingly, my hair is far less frizzy and my skin is clear. The products here are far superior to what was given at The Academy. Not to mention the water here was smooth. It was so clean you could drink it straight from the faucet. The wonders it had done on my skin.
There's a bang at the door, "Let's go!" Draco demands.
I turn off the faucet and open the door. He looks me up and down, no doubt looking for something to criticize. When his eyes find mine again, I raise an eyebrow to him. This is my silent way of acknowledging his look, egging him on for the insult.
To my surprise, he says nothing and turns on his heels. I follow closely behind. We reach the door where Seamus is waiting.
"No need for you to come—" Draco starts, but is quickly interrupted.
"I am on strict orders to follow you everywhere," Seamus says.
Draco pauses a moment. He turns to me and glares. No words spoken, but I know everything Draco wants to say in that moment. The three of us continue to the SUV.
Before long we arrive at another mansion. It's entirely different than Draco's. There aren't beautiful flowers and trees in the courtyard, in their place are stone statues and cold brick. Everything is dark and chilling. I don't need to be told who lives here. I already know: Blaise Zabini.
I get out of the SUV and follow Draco to the door.
"Behave," Draco says to me in a forceful, hushed tone.
I hate when he gives me orders. I open my mouth to say something, but the front door flies open.
"Malfoy!" Blaise says with a smile, "And you brought the eyesore I see." He says to me taunting, but is suddenly caught off guard by Seamus, who stands a step behind us.
"My guard for the foreseeable future," Draco explains, "Compliments of my father."
Blaise nods his head, "Oh. Right." He shrugs as he flings the door open and we follow him in.
I walk a step behind Draco and Blaise who speak in hushed tones.
"I forgot you had the nark," Blaise says frustratingly, "Now we have to keep things Meridian friendly."
And I realized, having Seamus around is a good thing! Blaise and the other Elites won't dare have their partners dancing in their underwear in front of him. Seamus reports back to the President!
Blaise pauses at an entry to a room fille with familiar faces; Cho and Angelina smile at me welcoming.
"You'll be in there," Blaise barks at me. And then it dawns on me- Neville! If we never get invited to spend time with the men because of Seamus, I won't get the opportunity to speak with Neville!
"Wait!" I say quickly, and Draco and Blaise turn back to me.
I stare at them, "What?" Draco say impatiently.
"I—I-I'd love a tour of the house!" I blurt out.
"Why?" Blaise asks skeptically.
I feel my heart pounding, "Because I love home decor." Draco's mouth hangs agape. I don't think I've ever seen him look dumbfounded. I don't blame him; I sound like an idiot. I have no rights, I am living in a world where the women are slaves to their wombs, and I am suddenly interested in home decor?! A more reasonable explanation would be if I said I am looking for a closet to hang myself in.
"I'll give her tour!" A voice calls out from behind Blaise. We all look- It' Neville.
"I do love what you've done with the back terrace recently," Neville says in his typical earnest way.
"Go head," Blaise says in an unamused tone, and turns back to Draco. They continue down the hall. Seamus lingers a moment. Not knowing whether to follow Draco or stay with me. I give him a pleasant smile and turn to Neville.
"Oh, how I love this style of architecture!" I say with the most enthusiasm I can muster.
And with that Seamus follows Draco down the hall.
"Let's start with the side yard!" Neville says as he gives me his arm and escorts me around the back of the house and outside. He points out interior on our way; a rug that was hand woven. A chair that was made from one single piece of wood.
Is this really happening? Within moments of being here I am alone with Neville? Once we are clearly alone, I turn to Neville, but he beats me to it.
"Hermione, your sister wants to meet," he says in a quiet tone, "We don't have long together. She will be right outside the Primary Village Pub tomorrow night at nine o'clock. Here." He takes a badge out of his inside jacket pocket and hands it to me, "It's a Primary badge. It can get you back into Meridian City from Primary Village. But, Hermione, Primaries can only cross into Meridian City until ten o'clock. If you miss that, you'll have to wait util sunrise. So that gives you no more than an hour with Luna—"
"Luna is going to Primary Village? She is leaving the Academy?" I'm a mixture of worried, upset, confused. Here I had thought I would be spinning Neville's head with schemes and plans.
"We have planned it well," Neville says, "Paid off the Primaries on the swing and night sanitation crews. That's how she is getting in and out." Neville looks proud of himself.
My head pounds. Luna could suffer serious consequences if caught. As much as I want to see her, it's too risky.
"Neville, she can't. It's too dangerous for Luna—"
"It's too late now, Hermione. There is no way for me to get to her before tomorrow night. She will be there waiting for you outside the pub despite whether or not you show up," Neville says, his voice serious.
I want to yell at him. Ho could he help Luna with this plan!? But there isn't enough time. I have to focus on the bigger picture- putting an end to this current system.
"Neville, we need something from you," I say, "We- Padma, G, Harry and I- need you to synthesize enough male birth-control for all of Meridian City."
Neville stares wide eyed at me. He doesn't even respond.
I repeat myself, "Neville, you need to synthesize enough male birth control—"
"I heard you the first time," he says.
He stares, flabbergasted at me. As if he was processing another language. I realize he needs to be brought up to speed. I give Neville the full rundown, every piece of information we have collected. How this new structure hangs by a thread and can only continue if there are pregnancies. How Meridian leadership knows there will be an uprising if there aren't happy families forming quickly. And the only way to stop that without them knowing is to sterilize the men, temporarily.
"I—I—" Neville sweats, "I'm a terrible chemist!" He croaks, "I'll never be able to do it—"
"Yes, you will Neville! You must try!" I say encouragingly.
"Even if I can make it successfully…what's the plan to distribute it? You can't just hand out tablets of birth control to Elites and expect them to take it!"
"We are working on that. But, Neville, time is against us! Even now, girls can be getting pregnant! We don't have the luxury to have the full plan before we take action. You need to start synthesizing the drug now. It takes about two weeks to synthesize birth control. So, you must start as soon as possible."
I can feel Neville shaking. His face is red, I can see it even in the darkness of night.
'"What's taking you so long!?" Draco's voice calls out from behind us.
Neville is still in shock, unable to move. I tuck the Primary badge into my bra.
"Be right there." I call out. I turn to Neville, "Neville! Snap out of it!"
He takes a deep breath, "I can do it!" he says to himself, "I can do it, Hermione!"
He straightens up and I take his arm as he leads me back into the house. Pointing out little fixtures along the way; a book end that was salvaged from the great war. A painting that was once in an ancient temple. All for show of course in case someone can hear us.
"Hermione," he says in a quiet tone as we near the room where all my fellow petals wait, "Be careful tomorrow when you sneak out. Draco is always watching you."
"I'll slip by him," I say reassuringly.
"I realize I haven't even asked how he treats you- what you're going through. I can only imagine it's bad, considering how angry he made everyone by his choice," he says.
This stops me dead in my tracks. I turn to Neville, confused. "Who did he make angry?" I ask.
Neville looks at me with a strange expression, "Everyone—his father is particular was infuriated by the choice."
"No. That can't be true. His father wanted him to choose me. To keep an eye on me," I say.
"Hermione, I was with them after the ceremony. The President is my Uncle, after all." Neville reminds me, "He was outraged at Draco's choice to select you as a partner."
This can't be true. Draco told me why he chose me. He told me it was his father's choice. Hat explains why he ignores me. Why he avoids me. He doesn't want me around- never has. I go to ask Neville another question, but before I can we are joined by another.
"Neville!" Draco stands in the hallway behind us, "Come join us," he says almost demandingly.
I nod goodbye to Neville as he disappears down the corridor. I lock eyes with Draco for a moment. What are you hiding?