Chapter 6: Agreement Accepted
Hermione managed to avoid both Harry and Ron for the remainder of the evening, choosing to retire to her bedroom, where Kreacher seemed only too cheerful to serve her. Harry had tried to speak to her through the door about what decision she had made regarding Malfoy, but Hermione had told him she wasn't feeling well and asked him to leave her in peace, knowing that though he was legitimately curious the black haired boy was more interested in trying to broker a reconciliation between her and Ron than in her feelings on the deal.
She'd been sitting on her bed and nibbling a caramel tart when Archimedes had arrived at her window, tapping on the glass with a letter attached to his legs. When she'd let him in the great owl had hopped over to her bowl of half eaten stew and begun pecking at the hunks of venison inside while Hermione removed the letter from his leg. Malfoy's reply had been short, but surprisingly sincere.
It had simply read:
I'll be there at nine. Thank you. ~D.
That had been it. No mention of anything else, no questions regarding her quick decision-making time or what they would have to do once the contract was signed. Just a meeting time and an expression of gratitude that had surprised Hermione.
In spite of her nervousness over the entire matter, and the fact that she'd been up half the night pondering the idea, Hermione was dressed and out the door by quarter to nine the following morning. She arrived at the Ministry a few minutes before nine and spent a long moment wondering where exactly she ought to meet Malfoy before she spotted the perfect spot. Making her way through the crowd of witches and wizards hurrying to their offices, Hermione stopped by the statue of the Sprite that Malfoy had leaned against the day before.
And then she waited.
She waited as the clock somewhere in the Ministry struck out the hour with some mildly obnoxious yet pleasing chimes. She waited as the many Ministry employees disappeared into their offices and behind their desks, the bustle of the Ministry dying down to a low hum of activity as the working day began. She even waited when one of the reception desk witches – Linda - caught her eye and raised her eyebrows, silently asking if Hermione needed assistance. Hermione smiled at the woman tightly before glancing at her wrist watch and wondering where Malfoy was.
She admittedly wasn't an expert on his comings and goings, nor his habits, but she was surprised by his tardiness. It seemed out of character for the rigidly aristocratic pureblood to be late to an arranged meeting.
Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin when his voice suddenly spoke from beside her, spinning towards him in surprise.
"Sorry I'm late," he apologised by way of greeting and Hermione stared at him in shock.
Unlike the dark robes he'd worn yesterday, today the shirts of his robes were a brilliant shade of sky blue that somehow complimented his grey eyes and blonde hair. His hair looked damp, as though he's showered recently and he smelled of crisp cinnamon and citrus with a hint of minty fresh-breath.
"I'd begun to think you weren't coming," Hermione told him honestly, dragging her eyes away from the fact that he looked rather dashing when he wore colours other than all black.
"I had some trouble evading the reporters," Malfoy explained, "They've been swamping the gates of the Manor since I was released after my trial. Yesterday's article hasn't helped matters. The amount of sods I had ask me if I'd have preferred to remain in prison than to even be considered by the Ministry to breed with you was frankly disgusting."
"They've learned to leave me alone," Hermione told him, unable to hide her smug grin.
"What'd you do? Hex them?" he asked seriously.
"No," Hermione grinned, "I learned of Rita Skeeter's unregistered status as an animagus in fourth year after she kept overhearing conversations and after I caught sight of you whispering to a beetle a few times. I might've, you know, taken her hostage inside a jam jar for a few weeks and threatened to out her illegal activities if she didn't stop spreading lies about me and Harry. She got a little unruly during the war while we were on the run, but since then I've managed to catch up with her. She keeps the rest of the reporters away from me, Harry and Ron in exchange for a few exclusives and stories from us. I expect I'll have an owl from her the minute she gets wind of this agreement."
"You blackmailed Rita Skeeter?" Malfoy asked incredulously, staring at her as though he didn't believe his ears, "You took her hostage in a jam jar for a few weeks? Are you mental?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Aren't you supposed to be the Golden Girl goody-two shoes of the 'Golden Trio' – as you sods have been dubbed?" Malfoy wanted to know.
Hermione laughed, "Oh please, I've broken more laws than you ever will, Malfoy. I mean, I did break into Gringotts, steal from the LeStrange vault, and commandeer a dragon all in an afternoon. A little hostage situation and some blackmail in fourth year was nothing really."
"I suddenly feel less secure in this arrangement," Malfoy announced, eyeing her as though she were a Howler about to explode, "I don't know if I can handle your mood swings and behaviour whilst emotional and pregnant."
Hermione stared at him for a long moment.
"Worried I'll punch you again?" she asked him, grinning.
"A little," he admitted and Hermione was surprised when Malfoy smirked back at her as though amused by the memory.
"Well, I'm not going to promise not to. I'm liable to break such an oath with you involved… Should we go and meet Cuttleworth?" Hermione said, noting that Malfoy looked a little bit amused by her statement.
"I owled him last night after I heard from you, he's expecting us in a few minutes," Malfoy said, leading the way towards the same office they'd been in yesterday discussing the contract.
"Ah, Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, do come in," Cuttleworth invited when he spotted them in his doorway, "I've just got your contract in order."
Hermione sat in front of his desk and stared at the man for a few moments as he offered it to her to read. Taking it tentatively, Hermione proof-read the document quickly to ensure there had been no amendments made to the terms of the agreement. When she finished, she took the quill Cuttleworth offered her.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Hermione held the quill poised over the parchment as she prepared to sign her name. She hesitated only once, her hand shaking just the tiniest bit before Hermione steeled her nerves and scratched her signature across the parchment on the allotted line for her. When she was finished she handed the parchment and the quill over to Malfoy.
He didn't bother to read it the way she had and Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Aren't you going to read it before you sign it?" she asked him as he poised his hand to sign his name.
"Do I need to?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in return, "You read it, and I know you wouldn't have signed it if we were going to get bollocksed."
With that said he signed his name at the bottom. Hermione narrowed her eyes when the scroll began to glow before it rolled itself up and a Ministry seal appeared upon it.
"Marvellous. With the contract in order the Ministry will have people dispatched to retrieve both your parents from their current locations. Mr Malfoy, your mother and father will be escorted to St. Mungo's to have their health evaluated and to treat their current conditions. Once it is safe to do so, they will be released to your home in Wiltshire. Miss Granger, your parents will be retrieved from Australia and transported to St Mungo's as well, where the healers will begin work undoing your memory modification charm," Cuttleworth told them both with a pleased smile, "The monetary incentive you are to be given will be placed in your respective vaults at Gringotts just as soon as we have confirmation from you that you are pregnant with Mr Malfoy's child, Miss Granger."
Hermione nodded, having already read all that in the contract she had signed and so knowing they wouldn't be given the money until she was knocked up.
"For the time being, you are both asked to attend St Mungos to be evaluated by a healer regarding your health and to discuss any concerns you might have in regard to your impending parenthood," Cuttleowrth continued and Hermione began to feel slightly squeamish about the notion of now being required to bed Draco Malfoy.
"How soon will my parents be in St Mungo's?" Malfoy asked Cuttleworth seriously.
"I should expect they'll be moved within the hour," Cuttleworth assured him, "In the meantime do either of you have any questions for me?"
"What if it doesn't work?" Hermione asked, the question occurring to her suddenly and rather unexpectedly. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought to ask it before she's signed the contract.
"Doesn't work, Miss Granger?" Cuttleworth asked looking concerned now.
"Well, I mean, I've never been tested regarding things like fertility and such. What if some freak turn of events results in one or both of us being unable to conceive?" Hermione clarified with the man, "Obviously chances are slim and it would be awful, but there is always the chance that we might… er… you know… and have it be ineffective."
"Such an occurrence is highly unlikely Miss Granger, however the hospital has been instructed to check for such things in their examination of you. Within the magical world we have several procedures in place to rectify infertility, so if either you or Mr Malfoy are indeed infertile, a procedure would be expected in order for the situation to be healed and the problem overcome," Cuttleworth explained.
Hermione nodded her head slowly, already feeling awkward.
"Any other questions?" Cuttleworth asked them.
"I don't think so," Malfoy said, and Hermione felt his gaze on her, clearly wondering if she had any other questions.
"I think everything else was covered in the contract," Hermione said.
"Brilliant. Well then. The Ministry thanks you for your cooperation. As you know you are required to tolerate each other, cooperate with each other and copulate with each other. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to owl me about them," the little pudgy man said, getting to his feet and offering his hand to Hermione and then Draco to shake.
Hermione got to her feet slowly after she'd shaken the man's hand and been silently dismissed. In fact she walked slowly out of the office feeling entirely too awkward and unsure what to do about it.
"Granger?" Malfoy's voice was low and close to her ear when she reached the corridor outside the office. Hermione turned towards the blonde man curiously and was surprised to find him standing just inside her personal space, looking down at her with an odd expression on his face.
She squeaked in surprise when he tugged gently on the front of her jumper until she was pressed against him, and she shuddered when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist in a hug.
"What are you doing?" Hermione demanded, her arms coming up automatically to return the hug out of habit rather than any real desire to be so intimate with him.
"In most cultures it's called a hug, Granger," Malfoy drawled without letting her go, his warm breath tickling her neck, "However in this instance I am attempting to convey my gratitude to you for agreeing to do this, in spite of your distaste for me. I'm grateful that thanks to your agreement my parents will be released and cared for."
"I'm mildly alarmed," Hermione admitted, her hands awkwardly resting on his lower back, her body tense in his hold.
Malfoy laughed at her admission as he slowly pulled away, releasing her.
"You'll get used to it," he smirked.
"Why would I get used to being hugged by you?" Hermione wanted to know as they began walking towards the exits, "Just because we're contractually obligated to share a child does not mean we're suddenly a couple or anything else, Malfoy. You can't just go about hugging me whenever it strikes your fancy."
"Maybe so, but you signed the contract and have to share my bed for the next who knows how long until our son is born. And I'm a cuddler," he said with an evil smirk.
Hermione barely resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands and groan.
"Are you going to St Mungo's now?" he asked when she gave no answer. Hermione wondered if she looked as ill as she felt.
"I suppose that would make sense. I ought to ask them what else I should be taking to encourage fertility and ensure we have to have sex a little as possible," Hermione told him without looking at him, her cheeks darkening at the mention of such things.
"What else you should be taking?" he repeated, "You're already taking something?"
"Well, yes," Hermione answered, glancing at him quizzically, "I stopped taking my contraceptive potion last night. And the house elf I live with got wind of the idea of us breeding and grew a little excited over the notion of a new child of the Black bloodline being born."
"Potter's still got that senile old elf, Kreacher, doesn't he?" Malfoy asked.
"How do you know Kreacher?" Hermione asked him.
"He used to turn up at the Manor sometimes during the war. Drawn to Aunt Bella and my mother as being daughters of the Ancient house of Black. He's as senile as a snail," Malfoy told her.
"Not entirely. He does have his moments of nuttiness but for the most part he's improved a lot since Harry gave him an heirloom of Regulus Black's. When I went down for dinner last night he was cooking some of my favourite desserts and he'd brewed me some Lotus Mango, Red Raspberry Leaf and Chasteberry tea, all of which are herbs used to stimulate the reproductive organs to ready them for growing children… He seemed unusually pleased by the idea that I would be bearing the next Malfoy heir."
"Probably because of my Mother," Malfoy nodded, looking mildly amused by the information, "With Aunt Bella and my cousin, Nymphadora, both dead the last of the Black bloodline lays with Mother and I. Excluding Edward Lupin, of course. I wouldn't be surprised if that elf switches his allegiance to you when you're pregnant."
"He already calls you 'Master Draco'," Hermione informed him, "And once he stopped muttering about me being a Mudblood he's taken to calling me 'Miss' whenever I'm around."
"What's he call Potter and Weasley?" Malfoy asked curiously.
"Harry gets 'Master Harry' or sometimes just 'Master' and Ron…. Kreacher calls him 'the ginger Master'. It's very amusing to watch Ron get annoyed about it. I think Kreacher does it on purpose. Ron's asked him not to use that term but since Ron isn't actually his master, he doesn't have to do it and Harry finds it too funny to forbid Kreacher from calling Ron that."
Malfoy laughed at that and Hermione found herself watching him do so. It seemed strange to be sharing a laugh with Draco Malfoy. Especially a laugh that seemed genuine. In the past he'd always been laughing at her.
"I suppose we'd best be off to the Hospital then," Malfoy said when he's stopped laughing though he still looked amused. He offered his hand to Hermione as he'd done the day before and Hermione reached for it hesitantly. When she took it she noticed that his skin was cool to touch.
He raised his eyebrows in askance when she didn't do anything else and Hermione nodded slightly, indicating she was ready to apparate. With a sharp jerk behind her navel, Hermione and Draco disapparated from the Ministry with a resounding crack.