DISCLAIMER: Hmm, please don't sue me; I'm not making money with this. However, I can ensure you that I'll save my last penny to pay for a brilliant lawyer if you use or copy my plot without asking me.
Author's note: Uh, thank you for so many good suggestions after I posted the author's note. I was really impressed, you see. Many of you suggested that Hermione should meet Krum. You know, I never thought of that. Honestly, that was a nice surprise. Nevertheless, I decided to leave the following story as it is and Hermione isn't going to meet Viktor Krum, partly, because I don't know how to imitate his way of speaking and partly because I don't like him. But if your fond of him, I'll write him in a little later. Maybe I can think of something good then.
Then, from now on, I've got a beta! Yeah, let's celebrate, Exlibris volunteered and will be checking on my spelling and grammar and that stuff. We should all send a big thank you out to her, because she makes life/reading more interesting and pleasing when all those annoying typing mistakes are erased.
Okay, only one more thing. Some of you asked me whether I could go into detail as far as Dumbledore and his turning to the dark side is concerned. I don't think I'll include too much of that in this very story, because this is mainly based on Hermione and Draco, but I thought about starting a second fic as companion to this one in which I'll tell Dumbledore's story and how Hermione found out he's evil. To make things more interesting I'd like to try something new...an interactive fic in which I'll give you the very first chapter to trigger things off, then I'll give the readers a variety of choices about what could happen next and they can decide. I'll write according to their wishes. I'm not sure if this could work, but if you could be interested in it, please let me know in your reviews or send me an email. [Sam81@gmx.net]
Oh, now just one more thing (sorry, usually I try to keep my notes short and sweet): If you want me to notify you via email as soon as a new chapter is up, then please send me an email or tell me in your reviews.
Now have fun reading and don't forget to review....
***
And Then We Were Defeated
Chapter 13
Breaking the News
***
In the doorframe stood none other than Severus Snape, her former Potions Master.
"I thought you were killed." Hermione finally managed to say after she had overcome the first shock at seeing Snape alive with the dark mark clearly visible on his arm.
"Obviously I'm still safe and sound as you can see." Snape replied without changing his expression.
"And it is so like you being back to serve you-know-who." added Hermione with a shudder, eyeing the wizard as if he were some kind of an extremely ugly and slimy snail.
"If that's what you think, Miss Granger. However, it seems to me that you turned on the dark side after all those years of being Potters faithful sidekick. As I heard you'r marrying Draco Malfoy."
Hermione remained silent and cast down her eyes. Snape cleared his throat. "Now, if you could follow me downstairs, I am to escort you to the drawing room."
***
Before Lucius and Draco got a chance to recover from the bad news that the Dark Lord had decided to approve of the engagement with a certain mudblood, and that therefore, the marriage was actually settled, a hardly audible thud on the door of the study announced the arrival of another person who was obliged to take part in their meeting. The door swung open and Hermione came in followed by Severus Snape.
Hermione froze as soon as she saw who else was in the room with her. Dumbledore, Voldemort and the two Malfoys, although she had to admit that neither Draco nor his father looked the least happy, only Dumbledore stood there smiling and once again reminding her of the good old days at Hogwarts, a time when she had been happy and didn't even dream of being forced into an engagement with Draco Malfoy.
"Well, Draco, we leave it to you then to break the good news to Miss Granger." Dumbledore stated maliciously. The blonde boy had a weird look on his face, but remained seated, whereas the Dark Lord rose and left the room accompanied by Lucius and the headmaster. Snape shot a last confused glance at Hermione, then turned and walking out closed the door behind him.
Draco himself was more than only baffled and confused, he simply couldn't believe that he would have to marry the mudblood. What had gotten into Dumbledore and the Dark Lord? What did they have in mind? They must have gone crazy or they had an extremely strange, but perfect plan in mind. He had to be very careful not to overlook and misinterpret anything in their words and actions or he might be trapped in a deadly ruse before he could even knew what had happened.
Hermione didn't have a clue about what was going on, either. Severus Snape was alive and had turned on Voldemort's side as had Dumbledore. Or had he been a traitor all the time? And did Draco have an order to kill her? Was it what Dumbledore had meant referring to the "good news"? All of a sudden she felt incredibly sick again... She had only just adjusted herself to being alive; to have survived the last horrible days and hours as a captive at Malfoy Manor under the most dreadful and outrageous circumstances one could imagine only to be murdered by her archenemy? Unconscious about the fact that these thoughts had been perfectly displayed on her face, she tried to make a self-confident and brave appearance, directly facing her so called fiancé.
Draco scowled. He could see the confusion mixed with fear on Granger's face. Usually he would have made fun of her, or would have scared her to death, but at the moment he was too puzzled himself to take advantage of the situation, although he knew how to conceal his thoughts from her.
"Why don't you come over here, Granger? Best you sit down before I tell you what's going on." he sighed.
Hermione frowned. "So you want to kill me with your bare hands then? I think I prefer to stay here."
Draco looked quizzically. "Don't give me a reason to break your neck, Granger. I'd be glad to finish you off. That would solve a lot of my problems." He stood up and walked over to her. Hermione didn't move an inch and stood there facing him. "Unfortunately the Dark Lord has different plans for you."
Now she could clearly see the hate and frustration in his eyes that he tried to hide.
"The Dark Lord agreed to our engagement. We'll marry in three days." he had blurred out the last sentences; and as he heard himself saying those words, a strange pain shot through his body. It had been weird to hear Dumbledore and Voldemort speaking of it, but to utter those words himself hurt even more. How could his plans have gone so terribly wrong?
Hermione's eyes widened. She couldn't tell if it was shock or surprise that occupied her mind and feelings. Instead of relief, there was something different bothering her. She wasn't going to be killed... she was going to really marry that death eater bastard, which was even worse than being dead in her opinion.
For a moment both stood in silence, the words and their meaning still clinging in their ears. Draco's deep grey eyes were locked with hers; searching for an ultimate solution to the horrible situation they were in. The entire world seemed to have come to a halt, and both were standing so close to each other that they could feel the warmth of their breaths on their skins. He noticed the faint, but pleasant smell of vanilla and honey that surrounded Hermione that he hadn't noticed before.
Suddenly Hermione snapped out of her entrancing thoughts and Draco hurriedly took a step back.
"Never ever in my life am I going to marry you, you annoying git."
Draco's eyes turned an even darker shade of grey. "Oh, really?" he sneered. "I don't think there's anything you can do about it. And, after all, you are already engaged with me. Did Hogwart's smartest witch forget she's been wearing my ring all the time?" his voice was dripping with sarcasm and hate. Hermione's gaze fell upon the delicate ring she was wearing.
"Only because I'm wearing it, it doesn't mean I'm marrying you."
"Then why haven't you taken it off by now?"
"Because..." Hermione started, but couldn't think of a reply. She hadn't even thought about taking it off since Draco had slipped the ring on her finger. Now she began clumsily to pull it off her finger, but it was stuck and wouldn't move an inch.
Draco's eyes narrowed and once again he smiled his famous smug smile.
"Rendered speechless, hmm? It doesn't matter to me anyway, you can keep it." Hermione blushed furiously, but she stopped tearing at the ring. There were more important things than such a minor detail.
"Obviously you're not fond of being my husband, either." she stated recovering her dignity and self-confidence.
"Indeed, you've got a point there, Granger."
"Then I don't see, why there's a problem. We simply don't have to marry if neither of us wants to."
"It's not that easy."
"Well, why not?"
"Because the Dark Lord and Dumbledore actually want us to marry. For some reason they are fond of this stupid idea."
"I'm not going to become your wife. Forget about that." Hermione answered stubbornly as she eyed the blonde boy and disgust filled her voice.
Draco had to suppress the urge to blast the girl into smithereens. How could she dare to reject him? After all, he was a Malfoy and every single girl on this goddamn planet should be glad to be his bride. Not that he cared for her the least, but being rejected somehow insulted him deeply. This foolish mudblood had no idea of how lucky she was to be his fiancée under whatever circumstances. He gave Hermione a look that would have scared the wits out of any normal human being, but she just stood there, facing him with a determined expression.
"Fine. Then let's see what you can do about it." he finally replied and walked out of the room, leaving Hermione alone once more.
She stared into the flames blazing in the fireplace and tried hard to think of something that would help her in this unbelievable situation. Then, suddenly, her eyes brightened and she walked over to the door, pushing down the handle and to her amazement the door opened and she could actually go straight ahead with no one around to guard or stop her.
