A Crown of Sacrifice
Draco Malfoy was having a splendid day.
Not often did fate allow things to run so according to plan, but as if the gods themselves were watching over him, all the pieces were in their place.
Harry Potter had offered his sister's hand himself, although it had taken some heavy implication on Draco's part. But that did not matter, the Gryffindors could believe whatever reason they wanted as to why a union between them and Slytherin was necessary, as long as they let it so.
All the wedding preparations were complete, Harry Potter and his men were settled, their dispositions warmed with a soft bed, ale, and fresh food. Soon, the wedding ceremony would be taking place in the prepared temple and Draco's months long, careful scheming would come to fruition.
It was shouting from outside the throne room that drew him from his gloating. Draco took a long sip of his drink and counted the seconds before the doors burst open.
"—clearly gone insane, making an alliance with Harry Potter."
Lord Blaise Zabini strode into the room, eyes settling on to Draco who remained lounging on his throne, unconcerned. Theo followed shortly behind him and deposited a chained, half beaten Peter Pettigrew onto the floor.
"I come to you bearing Voldemort's favorite little rat, as you wished me to, only to find a camp of Gryffindor soldiers in front of the castle and news of your betrothal to the bloody Gryffindor princess!"
"And your endeavor is very much appreciated." Draco ignored Blaise's ire, eyeing the short plump man squirming in his restraints, as he continued absentmindedly. "I was thinking of gifting his head to Potter, a symbol of trust and what not. What do you think?"
For someone whose acts of cowardice were sung through the lands, Pettigrew managed to fire back at his captors. "You will pay, you will all pay for your betrayal. Traitors!"
"You see the irony in that, don't you?" Draco bent to the meet the man's eyes, amused. He did not know Pettigrew well, but he had heard how the man had been a close friend to James and Lily Potter, before he betrayed them and all of Gryffindor for Voldemort in the First War.
"Draco, you know that I am and always will be loyal to you, no matter what side we're on in this bloody war. I'd just like to know why we're suddenly jumping ship and joining what have been our enemies for years."
Draco considered his words. Blaise was a childhood friend, and a Slytherin vassal whose loyalty was unquestioned. In fact, if Draco answered Blaise's question truthfully, he was sure his friend would be more than supportive of the new alliance.
But Draco was not the trusting kind, nor was he one to deviate from the plan.
He had been just a child when Voldemort resurfaced three years ago. Although he had not been privy to the details much to his own annoyance, he and mother had known that Lucius was involved to some extent.
When Draco arrived in the capitol with his family for the crown's appointment of their next King, it was not surprising when Lucius and his allies brought Voldemort to power instead.
Almost immediately, Slytherin house was elevated in status by Voldemort. But that fact was not celebrated for long before the true extent of madness that Voldemort possessed became apparent.
Not even Lucius had expected the mass of murders that Voldemort carried out in the first few days of his reign. It was exponentially worse considering a majority of them had been nobility from the other houses. It was one thing to wrong the common folk, but differences in politics aside, nobles were one of them.
Still, it seemed almost everyone—aside from the rebels in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, were content to hold their breath at the putridness of it all and comply.
With his father commanding Voldemort's forces on the Hufflepuff front, Draco was taken under Severus Snape's mentorship at the capitol.
Among combat training, lessons, and assisting Snape in his expertise; potion making, Draco had an uncomfortably close view of the atrocity that was Voldemort's court. It was a common occurrence to witness acts of torture among their meals, or the destruction of Hogwarts heirlooms that had stood the test of time for centuries, not to mention the convoluted games of politics that everyone was forced to play.
It was there that Draco came to know what a terrible ruler looked like, and it was there that he realized how he could be a much better one.
It was just as well then, that around that time of realization his mother died. From an illness of some kind, Draco didn't inquire too much about. It was terrible, but a part of him had been relieved knowing that with his father fighting the war, it would be Draco's responsibility to oversee Malfoy castle far from Voldemort's watchful eye.
He moved back home and became it's keeper, managing the estate, it's inhabitants, and cultivating relationships with the other nobles in Slytherin.
It was more than a year later, that Lucius died in battle, rumored that it had been Sirius Black who plunged the sword.
Draco was called back to the capitol to pledge fealty to Voldemort, and though he did, the quiet dissent in his heart grew. He went back and forth from Malfoy castle to the capitol, as required with his new role of the ruler of Slytherin, all the while he waited for an opportunity.
It was on one of those trips to the capitol that Draco noticed his old mentor.
Severus Snape had always been a strange man. Guarded, cold, bitter with one too many secrets even for a Slytherin.
Draco had always felt there was something the man was hiding, and though Voldemort saw Snape as a devoted subject, Draco had a growing suspicion that his old mentor had his own loyalties.
He could trace it to the day that Voldemort had the rebelling house's rulers executed. Draco had been there with Snape in the crowd. Still an innocent youth, he was unable to stomach watching an execution, instead he had turned his head away and saw the always expressionless face of Snape's crumple in despair when Lily Potter faced the swing of the sword.
With his new designation as ruler of Slytherin, Draco used his connections to learn more about the raven-haired man. He discovered Snape and Lily Potter's history, a brief rather pathetic one, but interesting, nonetheless.
And this made Draco wonder why Snape had taken Voldemort's side, rather than the woman Snape had clearly loved.
Perhaps Snape had not known Voldemort would kill her. If so, he was presumably angry. Perhaps even enough, to betray Voldemort.
With that conclusion, Draco watched Snape even more carefully. Surveilling what he did, who he met with, until one day, as Voldemort addressed the people of the capitol in a speech about the war efforts, Draco saw Snape slip away.
He followed him and realized Snape was heading to the conservatory. With Voldemort's reign the place had not been tended to, the plants rotted, and the faint smell of animal entrails emanated from it as it mainly served as the snake's den.
Voldemort was strangely attached to Nagini much to the silent detest of his court. Draco had seen it once swallow a woman whole, and he did not relish being there, but curiosity won out and he hid outside the glass windows and watched Snape slowly step inside.
It happened quickly, a low hissing emanated, and Snape's head quickly turned attempting to ascertain where it came from. Then he lunged, a white weapon—a fang, in his hand but the snake moved too swiftly. It's forked tongue flickered as its body slithered away underneath the tables and overgrown vines.
Snape stumbled back, his element of surprise lost, overpowered and helpless as the snake launched it's open mouth at him. Draco heard the man collide against the glass door from the force of the bite, and then it was quiet.
He stayed impossibly still. The snake slithered out of the conservatory no doubt heading to its master and only till it disappeared from view did Draco burst through the conservatory doors.
"What the fuck were you playing at Severus?" Draco rushed to the man's side, examining his injured form. "Why would you take on the snake?"
Snape's breathing was shallow, blood seeping from the puncture the snake's bite had made in his chest, and Draco knew it would not be long until he would be suffering under the effects of the snake's venom.
"Nagini has to be killed. It is the only way to defeat Voldemort." Snape's shaking fingers shoved the fang towards Draco. "Take it. Kill it with this. Only this."
Draco focused on Snape's injury though he desperately wished to ask more questions as he took the dagger from him. "First tell me what to do. I know traditional anti-venom potions won't work on Nagini's bite, but there must be something else we can use? Let me run to the apothecary—"
"You know as well as I, the poison will reject any form of healing treatment. There is nothing you can do—" Snape shifted with a pained expression. "But I do need you to listen carefully to me, what I'm about to tell you must never reach the wrong ears—The crown, it lives."
Draco's hands froze, as he looked at Snape in astonishment. "How? Voldemort destroyed it—"
"It is impenetrable. The founders made it's magic so. Voldemort cannot destroy it no matter what he has claimed, so he has hidden it in the vaults. He does not want anyone to know that it has already chosen a ruler."
Draco processed that slowly and then licked his lips. "Do you know who it is?"
Snape's hands clutched Draco's shirt. "You must go to Gryffindor. You must meet with Harry Potter. Tell them…" His voice weakened, and Draco shook the man to keep him awake.
"Tell them what! Who is it?"
Snape took a shaky breath. "The Potter's ward. The girl. It is Hermione, Hermione Granger."
An immediate wave of equal parts shock, disappointment, and frustration washed over Draco.
"She is destined to be the next ruler of Hogwarts." Snape blinked and tears shone in his eyes. "We kept it a secret lest she be in danger before her crowning, but I must tell someone. Otherwise, the truth will have died with me." A sob ripped through him. "I could not protect Lily. Promise me you will protect her children. The truth most be known, and the rightful ruler of Hogwarts must be positioned. Promise me Draco."
Draco's mind was spinning with the revelation, but as the true meaning of Snape's woeful speech it him, everything came to a halt. A long moment passed before Draco repeated slowly, "The truth will have died with you?"
Snape nodded desperately and with that confirmation Draco had to catch himself before a laugh could escape his lips.
It was too good to be true.
Hermione Potter was the rightful ruler of Hogwarts, the crown was not destroyed, and the only person who knew of this was Draco, or at least he would be very soon.
A plan was formulating in his mind, something that if executed correctly, would allow him to achieve an aspiration he had wanted for a while now.
To become the next ruler of Hogwarts.
"I promise." Draco finally said and try as he did, he was unable to keep the corner of his lips from lifting.
Snape, even on death's door remained annoyingly observant. His eyes narrowed, and then his face slowly twisted into one of unease and desperation. His hands clutched at Draco's shirt again but before he could speak, he drew a staggered breath. It was his final one, the venom having run its course.
Draco stood, dusted himself off and walked out of the conservatory, arranging to ride home as quickly as he could. Well aware that Gryffindor would soon be approaching the Slytherin border, he needed to be sure that their defenses were prepared and fortified.
He would keep the Gryffindor forces there, leaving them to bleed themselves of their money and supplies until they grew desperate and sought diplomatic solutions. He would be there with an offer they could not refuse, and in exchange he would ask for one thing, the hand of Hermione Potter.
True Hogwarts rulers were chosen every half century but in that time, if they were to die, the power was transferred to the next closest relation. It was done like this to protect the rulers from arbitrary assassinations, by men who thought to keep killing until the crown chose them.
And of course, that meant at a certain point in his plan, he would have to spill his new wife's blood.
Harry Potter would likely start another war, but Draco would stamp out their opposition, or if he wanted to save the bloodshed he would frame her death as a tragic accident.
It was very convenient that she had no blood family. Draco and all of Hogwarts knew she had no relation to the Potters, so Harry would not be able contest for the throne once Draco took power. Then he would be free to rule Hogwarts as he wished.
Draco had to remind himself all of this was still contingent on his successful marriage to Hermione, and that they lived until she could be crowned.
There was also the matter of Voldemort, himself. Draco would need to use all of his resources and power to ensure most of Slytherin fought with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor to unseat him. A difficult task, but one he was confident he could complete.
No one knew of any of this except for himself and Theodore Nott.
Draco had needed to disclose the information to someone. He truly did hate Voldemort and in case something happened to him, and his plans could not be carried out, someone needed to know the best way to unseat the mad man.
Theodore Nott was the natural choice. His second in command was not only his oldest friend, but Draco considered him a true brother.
As for Blaise, however. Trusted though he was, Draco decided to tell him another time. Instead, he smiled and shrugged and answered Blaise's question part truthfully, "We are changing loyalties because Voldemort is a fucking idiot."
Pettigrew made a horrified sound, as if his King could hear them thousands of kilometers away.
"The Gryffindors are desperate. They offered me and all of Slytherin who join, amnesty and favor once Voldemort is defeated and Potter takes the throne. This marriage only ensures that they keep their word."
"Even if I believed a word you just said, betraying Voldemort? He'll kill you and anyone who supports this—"
"Except he has to win the war first." Draco said coolly. "With Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and now Slytherin against Voldemort, I'd like to see him try to command his forces to battle, if he can even manage coming out of his fortress, the paranoid fuck. Besides, this feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin, it is not ours, it is our parents'. I hardly mind undoing it if it gets Voldemort off the throne."
Defeated, Blaise looked at Theo. "And you agree with this?"
Theo, ever the strong silent support, only stood straighter, face unchanging.
"The ceremony is today?" Blaise finally sighed.
"Indeed." Draco grinned and clapped him on the back, "You made it just on time, friend."
"Impertinent chit, isn't she?" Blaise murmured. Both he and Theo stood behind Draco as they waited at the altar, watching Hermione Potter walk down the aisle among the rows of guests.
It was a large wedding, Draco had no family, but his counsel was in attendance and Harry Potter stood, face solemn as if he was attending a wake and not a wedding, but with his own Gryffindor people, nobles, and soldiers both.
If there was one thing that Draco had not been expecting in his carefully crafted plan, it was Hermione Potter—no, Granger as he recalled Snape's mention of her true familial name.
He barely remembered her from his youth, just the distant memory of wild hair and enraged brown eyes but though he had loathed it as a child, he was now pleased she still held that fire.
Before this he had not given his prospective bride much thought.
She would be pliant and obedient, he would shower her with rehearsed smiles and deceiving words until she was too blinded by a superficial notion of love, to see the danger she was in until it was too late.
Except this woman was decidedly not susceptible to his lies. She had looked at him with distrusting eyes, and then openly challenged him and continued to do so, as she slowly made her way towards him as if each reluctant step was a deliberate and calculated insult that told him exactly how she felt about the union they were entering into.
It was aggravating, and yet he could not help but be impressed with her composed audacity.
At the very least, she made a beautiful sight.
Her entire being seemed to be made up of shades of gold as if she had been kissed by the sun itself. Tanned skin, dusted with freckles, expressive eyes that shone like warm amber, and curly brown hair that reached her waist. The traditional Slytherin colored dress she wore complemented her well, and trailed to the floor as she walked, impractical but earthy and majestic.
But it was her demeanor that drew him most. She walked confidently, with all the grace and poise a woman with her upbringing was instilled with, and yet her eyes were proud and defiant, the stubborn tilt of her chin making it evident that she promised a fight.
Draco felt a rush of desire as he thought up the many pleasurable ways he could get her to submit. She posed as an entertaining challenge, and an even more delightful reward. He knew he would enjoy their marriage, short-lived though it would be.
"Somehow, I don't think the impertinence is a problem for Draco." Theo murmured back to Blaise. And Draco smirked in agreement just as his bride-to-be stepped up and joined him.
The priest waited until the choir finished their hymn before he began the marriage rites. Up close, Draco allowed himself to note the various hues of her irises, the upturn of her nose, and her absurdly inviting lips.
A thin line of raised skin ran across her cheek, and he suddenly remembered how that scar had come to be. The memory humbled him slightly, but then he shrugged away the feeling. It wouldn't do feeling guilty about a mere scar when he planned to do so much worse.
As if sensing his thoughts, she tore her eyes away from where they had been glaring at the top button of shirt, to look at him. A line creased between her brows. Clearly, she hadn't cared for what she had found on his face and Draco commended her intuition.
Finally, the priest finished his opening words and addressed Draco. "Do you Draco Malfoy of Slytherin take this woman to be your wife?"
"I do." Draco plucked the silver ring Theo held and took her slender hand in his. For all her bravado and arrogance, her fingers still shook, as he slipped the ring onto her finger. He grazed the soft skin of her hand with his thumb soothingly, before she snatched it away.
"And do you Hermione Potter of Gryffindor take this man to be your husband?"
Silence echoed through the temple as everyone's eyes turned to Hermione.
Draco wondered how someone could allow themselves to be so expressive—so transparent. He practically saw the moment it dawned on her that she had been given a small vestige of control.
She proceeded to think about the question that had been posed.
Time seemed to slow, coupled with the deafening silence around them, it was unbearable, though she seemed to be enjoying every moment.
The number of seconds she took became absurd, and annoyance unwillingly seeped into his expression. Draco felt his façade crack, his jaw clenched, and he was sure she could hear his teeth gritting against each other.
Satisfied, she curled her lips in a mocking smile. "I do."
A ring was offered to her, she took it, and grasped his hand harshly, her trimmed nails digging into his palm as she slid the ring onto his finger and peeked at him through her lashes, searching for another reaction.
He looked at her with a blank smile, though his blood simmered in his veins. Ordinarily he was a patient man, but she seemed to be as vexing to him as she was alluring.
"The couple will join hands, as I hereby seal their bond before the gods, uniting their souls as one for eternity." He took her hand in his. The priest spoke the final words, blessing their union and completing the final rites. "And with this kiss, they pledge their love."
She was not prepared when he pulled her towards him, and he took a moment to relish the way her small frame fit against him though tense that she was.
He bent his head watching her eyes widen. His breath ghosted over her lips, and he sent her a mocking smile before he pressed an innocent kiss against her cheek.
Releasing her, he turned and directed a victorious smile at the crowd as they stood and cheered.
When he turned back to Hermione, she had recovered and looked furious.
"Touch me again without permission and I'll kill you."
He was unfazed by her anger. "Traditionally, a woman does not take that tone with her new husband especially so early in their marriage."
"I am not traditional, and this marriage certainly isn't either."
"That it is not." He agreed easily. "Partly why I so look forward to it."