Chapter 7 - Unexpected Guest
"I really hate to interrupt the both of you but there is someone expecting Ms. Granger at the door," Lucius Malfoy drawled.
Hermione's voice was caught in the throat. Was it - ?
"Someone called Ronald Weasley," he said dryly, eyeing them both in a not-so-subtle way. "Wonder who is that..."
Hermione swallowed with difficulty. She remembered being stuck in a virtual reality game with Ron and telling him she was kidnapped and well at - the Malfoys. She mentally kicked herself.
"Quite a surprise, really," Lucius commented. "How did he find our house?"
"I must see him," she whispered.
Draco watched her disbelievingly. That's right, Draco, she's going to see her fiancé, the little devil in his head said evilly.
"He's just outside the door," Lucius said coolly.
Hermione stepped forwards and hurried to the door. Draco immediately followed her on instinct. It can't be right, he thought. Why would my father let Hermione see Ron?
Hermione skidded to a stop. "Maybe... maybe it's better I face him alone," she said hesitantly.
A lump formed in Draco's throat and he nodded. Hermione smiled at him gratefully and practically skipped towards the door. It's almost as if she's happy to see him, Draco thought gloomily.
It was then it hit him.
"Hermione!" he yelled. "Wait!"
But Hermione was too far away and couldn't hear him.
He sprinted, as fast as he could, to the main door which he had walked through since the day he could walk. He saw Hermione opening the door...
Draco raised his wand and froze her. He breathed a sigh of relief. She was just one step closer to death before he saved her. He stepped out of the house only to find no Ron Weasley. My father was lying to me, he thought angrily. Lying to his own son.
He was wrong, though. Ron Weasley stepped out from behind a tree. "What did you do to Hermione?" He stared in horror. That's a first - my father telling the truth, Draco mused to himself.
Draco rolled his eyes. "That was a simple spell, Weasley. Are you telling me you don't know what it was?" he mocked, moving swiftly towards him after muttering a "sorry" to Hermione and sat her on the couch.
Ron looked lost for a second, but recovered quickly. "Of course I do. I just forgot."
Draco smirked. "So did I. I forgot you failed your examinations at Hogwarts. Then again, no big surprise. I have always been better than you."
Ron glared at him in raw fury. He took a couple of deep breaths before answering Draco. "Hand me Hermione now."
Draco glanced inside the house where Hermione's eyes were looking at Draco with fear. "Why should I? She's not your property."
"She is my fiancée!"
"Doesn't make her your property," Draco answered coolly.
Ron looked at him furiously. "Just give Hermione back to me!" he yelled, raising his wand.
Draco raised his right eyebrow. "You want to fight?"
"Fine!" Ron shouted defiantly.
No, Hermione sent thoughts to Draco wildly. No, Draco, please, no. I beg you...
Draco took out his wand and paused, as if hearing something. It's Hermione, he realised.
"I shall not be bothered with you, Weasley. I should be spending my time with Hermione instead," Draco told him, pocketing his wand.
"Scared, Malfoy?" Ron sneered.
Draco simply smirked, turned and walk away, leaving Ron to fume by himself. He removed the spell from Hermione and was attacked by her immediately.
"What do you think you were doing?" she shrieked. "How could you have stopped me from seeing Ron?"
Draco stared at her. "Think, Granger, think really hard," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.
The addressing almost made her cringe, and she would have, if she hadn't been thinking about what Draco had done.
"My father has cast a spell that if you shall leave the Manor, you will d-die."
His exact words after she woke up from the virtual reality game. He saved me, Hermione thought in surprise as realisation hit her hard.
"Thank you, Draco," she whispered.
He shrugged, pretending it was no big deal, though it was, actually. "Let's go back into the room," Draco said gently.
Hermione nodded obediently - and suddenly remembered Ron. I know exactly what he's thinking, Hermione thought as cold dread washed over her. He's thinking I left him for Draco, that I changed my mind about the engagement.
She didn't want him to distrust her. She didn't want him to think that way, as true as it was. On the bright side, in two months she would be released. On the darker side, she had to tolerate for two more months to see Ron and Harry and Ginny...
"Hermione? Are you okay?"
She blinked furiously and nodded. The snowflakes still hung in the air in the bedroom. Hermione climbed onto the bed, trying to get a snowflake down. She lost her balance and flailed her arms, a lousy attempt to keep her from falling. Draco noticed and immediately reached forward and caught her before she hit the floor.
"Thank you," Hermione mumbled, thanking him for the second time in that hour.
Draco tilted his head slightly and stared into the brown pools of her eyes. Hermione closed her eyes with a certain eagerness she had not known was there. As if expected, Draco's mouth came down to meet hers.
A picture of Ron came into her mind. She forced her eyes to shut even tighter but it was no use. It just wouldn't go away. "Draco..." she whispered, breaking the kiss.
Draco placed a finger on her lips. "Shhh..."
Hermione bit her lip so hard that it bleed. Where had all her morals gone to?
Gone, just for today, she promised as she tilted her head backwards to let Draco kiss her again.
Draco gladly kissed Hermione again.
You're a disgrace, a familiar voice told him.
He broke the kiss this time and looked around in confusion and realised it was in his head. Without question, he knew it was his father.
I hope she loves you enough, Lucius said dryly. One year is almost up.
She does, Draco told Lucius firmly.
You should thank me, son, he mused. I'm the one who gave you the chance to be with her.
I was never your son and will never be, Draco answered. I am just a servant to carry the family name.
Suddenly, Draco saw a flash and his head throbbed with pain. Without warning, he fainted into Hermione's surprised arms.