This story is written in response to a challenge by Superscar on fanfiction.net.
Both replies I have seen end up as Hermione/Draco, which just won't do.
****
This was the challenge :-
A murmur spread amongst the guests as she entered the room.
She owned respect born of fear as the most powerful witch alive. If not in her own right, then certainly by association.
The best friend of Harry Potter.
The foremost protégé of Severus Snape.
But the ultimate scandal attached to the name of Hermione Granger brought with it, also, her greatest power.
She was Draco Malfoy's mistress.
****
She stopped at Draco's side and he kissed her on the cheek. "Where's your husband, my dear?" he drawled. "Surely Weasley wouldn't miss the end of season Quidditch league dinner dance?" He raised one blonde eyebrow at her frowning face. "No? Well, it's not as if that joke team he supports are in the running for anything, are they?"
Hermione sighed. "Please Draco," she muttered, "not now. You know how ill he's feeling. You cancelled our date last week, but you promised to behave if I came to the dinner with you. You can take me home afterwards and we'll sort things out, ok?"
With what, deep down, was probably a sympathetic smile, Draco nodded, slipped her hand over his arm, and drew her into the room. Yes, indeed. Later they would go home and sort things out.
****
Ten years earlier.
The curse was cast during what came to be called The Final Battle. The Dark Lord and his sinister, hooded Death Eaters had destroyed much of Hogsmead and were approaching Hogwarts across the lawns. Professor Dumbledore had led the teachers and older students out of the castle and down the steps to face him.
As Voldemort had faced Dumbledore in the centre of the battle, one Death Eater was coldly furious to see who stood with his fellow seventh years beside Harry Potter. His hood slid back to reveal an icy sneer curling the lip of Lucius Malfoy. "You mother wondered where you were, Draco," he snapped. "What is my son doing at the side of Mudbloods and Muggle lovers?"
Everything happened very fast. Draco's head snapped round and he went to step forward, but Hermione put out a hand to stop him. At the sight of a Mudblood holding his son back, Lucius's eyes went almost black with anger; he raised his wand, aimed it at Hermione and hissed "Inanio Exsanguis".
Someone else moved very fast too. Before the curse could hit her someone grabbed her from behind, pulled her against his body and turned. Someone took the curse instead of her and fell to the ground at her feet. "Ron! No!" Hermione screamed, but she had no time to help him, as Lucius's curse seemed to have triggered a hail of hexes and curses from the surging Death Eaters.
She and Draco stood shoulder to shoulder through The Final Battle. They stood over Ron's body and fought off waves of attack from the Death Eaters. She never saw Harry's curse cut down Lord Voldemort, but suddenly the field of battle was silent as everyone turned to look at his lifeless form shrivel and burn. The remaining Death Eaters tried to flee – several were caught when they tried to Disapparate – but Hermione didn't pursue them. She finally turned and looked down at Ron.
He was deathly white and barely breathing. "Harry," she called, "please help me." Harry Potter turned to look at her, his face grey, his eyes a horrible flat green. "Please, Harry, there's no time for this. Ron's badly hurt."
Some spark came back into Harry's face and he raced to her side. "Oh no," he murmured, "not now, this cannot be happening. Hermione, what hit him?"
"I've never heard of the spell before, but it was Lucius Malfoy. He cast it at me – but Ron took the curse. Why would he do something so stupid? We have to move him inside, Harry. Get him to the infirmary." Between them they managed to conjure a floating stretcher and manoeuvre Ron's lifeless seeming body through the smoking, broken grounds and up the steps into the Great Hall of Hogwarts castle. It had never seemed so far to the infirmary, but finally they pushed the doors open and walked in on another scene of chaos. Madame Pomfrey was working hard on the broken, bleeding students and teachers who had already made it this far, so they carried Ron to an empty bed and laid him down.
Madame Pomfrey ran to them and looked down at Ron's face. "What happened to him, Miss Granger?" she whispered.
Hermione shook her head "A Dark curse, I think. It was Inanio Exsanguis."
Madame Pomfrey shook her head and continued running her wand over Ron's very still body, muttering charms and diagnostic spells. Very soon she stood up and turned to them, looking very grave. "I have never seen anything like this. The curse is no longer on him, but he is just draining away in front of my eyes. I have never heard this curse before, Miss Granger, but it seems like it is sucking his life out of him. All I can do for now is put him in stasis while we try to find out what the spell is doing to him – perhaps there is a known counter curse? Will you go and find Professor Snape and ask him if he has heard of it?" Then she turned back to the bed and held her wand to Ron's pale, pale face. "Conglacio Anima," she whispered, and the very shallow movements of Ron's chest and eyelids stilled.
Hermione's face was almost as pale as Ron's, but she nodded desperately. "I'll look in the library, Madame Pomfrey," she said, "I'll try and research a counter curse."
"And I'll go and find Ginny," muttered Harry, "we have to tell the Weasleys what has happened."
****
Harry and Ginny had barely left Ron's bedside, except when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived, but Hermione didn't leave the library except to shut herself in Professor Snape's dungeon office.
It was four days later that they gathered in Snape's office to hear what Hermione and Snape had deduced.
Harry looked around the table. Hermione looked awful; her face was pale and drawn. All the Weasley's were uncharacteristically quiet. Ron's parents were sitting close together, with Ginny holding her mother's other hand. Then Fred and George, both paler than Harry had ever seen them; their red hair looking brighter than ever against their wan faces. Charlie next, a healing cut and many freckles on his face standing out against his white skin – he and Bill had arrived in time for The Final Battle, and had both been wounded. Bill had his arm in bandages and looked unusually grim.
Professor Dumbledore was very quiet; Professor Snape looked tired too, he had been working surprisingly hard with Hermione, but then she had always been the closest thing to a Gryffindor whose work he actually admired.
And finally Draco Malfoy, trying, even more uncharacteristically, to shrink into his seat. Even though he had come through on their side in a way that even Dumbledore hadn't dared hope for, it was his father's curse that had brought Ron to the brink of death. It was only the fact that Lucius Malfoy had perished in the battle that led Draco to be able to face being present at what he saw as almost a post mortem on Ron Weasley.
"Well," said Snape, "the actual facts that we have uncovered are as follows. Inanio Exsanguis is an incredibly ancient Dark Curse. It was created by Salazar Slytherin himself, and I doubt anyone has used it since he died. He created it as part of his battle to remove Muggleborns from the wizarding world. Literally it means 'to make void and bloodless', but it doesn't remove the actual blood. It removes the magic powers of a Muggleborn witch or wizard."
Several gasps rang out. "But Ron isn't Muggleborn…" started Fred.
"Obviously," murmured Snape. "If the curse had hit its intended target, Miss Granger would have been unhurt, but would have lost her magical powers. It is a hugely powerful curse, not only does it also drain the powers of the Dark wizard who casts it, but the wizard has to be of the blood of Salazar Slytherin to attempt it."
"It was never intended to be used on a pureblooded wizard, and there is no written indication of what would happen, but Miss Granger and I believe that as the curse couldn't drain his magical powers it drained his life force instead."
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had tears running openly down their faces. Harry looked round the room. No one seemed able to ask the next question. "So, what do we do?" he asked.
Professor Snape looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger has a theory," he said, simply.
****
"What we are working with is a combination of Dark Magic and Ancient Blood Magic," she stated, looking around the room. "Neither Slytherin nor Malfoy intended to drain the actual life force from someone with the curse, so no-one has devised a counter curse. Dealing with the Blood Magic aspect initially, we have found that there is a way to transfuse someone else's life force into him."
She could feel all the Weasley's eyes boring into her. "Like when Harry's mother's love saved his life against Dark Magic."
"So love can save Ron's life?" asked Charlie.
"Not just the concept of love," murmured Professor Snape, "but the actual act of sexual intercourse."
Hermione waited for the outraged comments and uproar to subside. "When someone climaxes, they actually pour something of themselves – shut up Fred – some of their life force, into their lover. And once isn't enough to keep him alive forever, it needs to be done…um….regularly. We believe monthly."
"So who is going to go up there and make love to my unconscious brother?" asked George, looking rather dazed.
"Me, of course," said Hermione. This time you could have heard a pin drop. Hermione tried hard, but couldn't quite meet Mrs. Weasley's eyes.
"We can't ask you to do this, Hermione dear, there must be…" Mrs. Weasley shook her head as she talked, her eyes red rimmed and rather wild.
"No-one else could do this – would do this - Mrs. Weasley. I love him. I was hoping that something would happen between us after the war was over, and I have to do this for him. No, wait," several people had started talking at once, "if that was all it took – make love with someone I care so much about, someone I love, well, it wouldn't be a problem." Hermione took a steadying breath and squared her shoulders.
"The second issue is the problem caused by the Dark Magic. My Muggleborn life force is no use. But I can act as the vessel for the life force of a pure blooded wizard. If I have sex with him first."
Total silence.
The Weasley men had gone scarlet, as was traditional. Ginny's jaw had dropped a foot. Mrs. Weasley looked scandalised and hopeful at the same time. Dumbledore looked grim. Snape and Draco had both raised a sardonic left eyebrow.
"I'll do it," said Harry.
Ten heads snapped around to look at him. Ginny looked sick.
"Oh Harry," Hermione said.
"Good Lord Harry, you can't just…" Mr. Weasley spluttered into silence.
"Look," said Harry, "I love you both. If that is the only way to save him, well, it wouldn't be that bad….oh that sounds all wrong….."
"I'll do it," said Charlie. "He's my brother, it's my place to do it for him."
"No Charlie," said Fred, "you don't know her well enough, it could be awkward. I'll do it."
"I'm the eldest," said Bill.
"And you work in Egypt, what if you can't get home in time some months?" said George. "Maybe we could have some sort of a rota? Take it in turns."
Hermione had her head buried in her hands.
"Guys. Um, I'm sort of flattered. In some way. I mean, in any other circumstances I'd be flattered to have the five of you fighting over me. But it wouldn't work. With any of you," Hermione sighed.
"Why not?" Mrs. Weasley demanded. "Not that I want you making love to all my sons in turn, but what is the problem now?"
"The pureblood thing is Dark Magic. To hold off the Inanio Exsanguis it would take Dark Magic training. And someone with Slytherin's blood."
Ten heads snapped around to look at Draco Malfoy.
****
"So," said Draco, looking even paler than usual, "we go upstairs now, do the deed, then you somehow hump Weasley, even though he is unconscious, and pump a month of my life force into him?" Both of his eyebrows were raised now, an almost unheard of facial expression for him.
"No," said Harry. "Hermione there must be a better way – shit, I just killed the most evil wizard this century – I must be Dark enough to do this for you."
Hermione hadn't taken her eyes of Draco. "Yes, Malfoy."
"So how does this work, Granger? Do you have to climax?" Draco smirked.
"Not with you. Only with Ron," Hermione's chin tilted up, and she locked eyes with him. He actually flushed slightly.
"And are you going to ask him if he wants my life force? He's in stasis!"
Hermione looked at Mrs. Weasley. "Madame Pomfrey will take the Conglacio Anima off of him, but he won't be conscious enough to…um…give his consent to this. I think you'll have to give me your permission. And then Professor Snape can give him an aphrodisiac potion that won't hurt him any further, but will allow me to…"
"Hermione I can't! This isn't right," Mrs. Weasley was obviously stricken, her lip trembling.
"This has gone far enough, Hermione," added Mr. Weasley, "we love you dearly, and I can't allow you to do this."
"But I have to," Hermione said simply. "There is no other way, and there is no-one else who could do this. I wouldn't let anyone else do this. But I love Ron so much and I have waited so long to tell him. Obviously I hadn't pictured our first time together as being like this – I hoped he'd be conscious if nothing else." Hermione's detached explanations were starting to unravel. "Please. Let me do this."
"If you're really sure, then of course, we'll all be grateful. But what about Ron? What will he think of this when he wakes?" asked Harry.
"I really don't know, Harry," whispered Hermione, "but even if he hates me for it, I have to save his life." Harry and the Weasleys all nodded, grimly.
"And then you think you have my entire life scheduled around this ridiculous threesome?" demanded Draco.
"Draco." Hermione looked very seriously at him. "I'll come to you, wherever you are in the world, on this date every month. I will take up just ten minutes of your time," Draco looked slightly offended, "and then I will leave you alone. Please."
"Are you likely to be, um, fertile today?" asked Draco. Harry went scarlet, but Draco and Hermione were totally ignoring the rest of them now.
"No. My period finished two days ago. This is rather good timing."
"I assume my life force wouldn't survive in your 'vessel' if you used a Contraceptive Potion?" Draco turned to professor Snape and raised an eyebrow.
"Ten points for Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, she cannot use a charm or potion against your 'life force'". Snape raised one back.
"It's ok Malfoy, this is really the best timing for it, I won't need a potion." Hermione was in research mode now.
"What about if you and Weasley actually make a go of things. Will he let you come to me if you're a couple?" Draco was second in their year, after all. They were both discussing it as a homework paper now.
"I don't know Malfoy, we'll have to ask Ron about the couple thing, ok?"
"What about if you want a child?"
"Whose?"
"Not mine! Weasley's! Though Merlin knows why you would." A small smirk.
"Well, I assume we'd be having a lot of non-medicinal sex at other times of the month." A larger smirk back at him.
"You'd come to me when you're hugely pregnant? Is that safe?"
"Unless Ron kills you. It's safe for the baby."
"What if the baby's due the day before a 'transfusion'?"
"Then I'd have the baby induced right after the previous transfusion – it'd be fine at eight months gestation, and I'd have recovered sufficiently by four weeks post-partum to have sex with you both."
"Ok, Hermione, Draco, enough!!!" Harry looked totally wild. "Guys, this is too much information, ok? Have you really decided to do this?"
Hermione and Draco looked at each other. Hermione nodded. Draco swallowed.
"Look Hermione. I will do it. It's my father's fault that you are in this mess. I don't want this to sound like an insult, but I won't enjoy it. In other circumstances it would appeal to me, but as part of a business arrangement it sounds a touch grim." Hermione smiled slightly and nodded again.
"But it's better that way, Draco," she said. "Imagine if Harry could do it. What would that do to his friendship with me? His friendship with Ron? I'm almost glad it has to be you and me. Thank you Draco."
The tension went out of the room so suddenly they all sagged in their seats. Everyone sighed and looked around at each other.
"So," said Fred, "why can't Draco put his life force straight into Ron?" George and Charlie snorted with laughter.
Hermione stood up.
"Well, my dear, I will go and get the aphrodisiac potion," said Professor Snape, and he nodded at Hermione and went into the next room.
"I don't know what to say," said Mrs. Weasley, and she gathered Hermione and Draco into a fierce hug. Hermione found herself passed from Weasley to Weasley around the room, until she thought her ribs would crack from the love and thanks.
She found herself facing Harry. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well," he said, "and you always said that I was the one with the saving people thing!" And he pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "I love you Hermione, you are an amazing witch, and I will do anything you need me to to make this ok with Ron when he wakes up."
****
Ron had been moved into a private room and Hermione stood by his bed, looking at his peaceful face.
The 'transaction' with Draco had been far more pleasant an experience than she had expected. She hadn't really thought he'd smirk and tease his way through it, and he had actually been as nervous as she was. They had not made eye contact once, and though they hadn't kissed, he had made sure that she was ready for him, and he'd tried not to hurt her.
She touched Ron's amazing hair. Madame Pomfrey had removed the Conglacio Anima and his pyjamas and the potion had been administered. She knew what she'd see when she drew back the covers.
"Oh Ron, darling, there is no other way," she caressed his cheek. "Please don't hate me for going to Draco, I have no choice. None. I cannot let you slip away from me. I'd give my life for you, but that wouldn't be enough. This isn't so big a thing, darling, it isn't. We'll be fine, you'll see." And slipping off her robe, she drew back the blanket and climbed into bed next to him.
****
Present day.
Hermione tried to enjoy the evening. While she still didn't care much for Quidditch, Draco played seeker for Puddlemere United and they had just lost the league to Wimbourne Wasps when Harry beat him to the snitch, which had made Ron happier than she'd seen him in years.
There was Harry, at the Wasps' table, looking tousled and happy, with Ginny beside him, beaming at him and glowing with her seven month pregnancy. If Ron had felt up to it, then they would have been on Harry's other side; the Trio as united as ever. It really was a good thing that Harry couldn't be the pureblood wizard they'd used. He and Ginny couldn't have been this happy, and the Trio wouldn't have survived.
But Draco had let them down this month. No, that's not fair. In ten years of this stupid, horrible relationship there had been very few glitches. He'd been knocked unconscious at the end of the Wasps game as Harry Feinted him into the ground, and he hadn't been up to performing the 'transfusion' until tonight. Ron was at home, feeling very weak, and she had made him promise to rest and save his energy 'for later'. Ugh. So she had come as Draco's date. Well, not so much as a 'date', but he'd said 'Hermione, this is a big occasion. I have to have a date. And if it isn't you I might go home with some blonde and give her my 'life force'!"
So it worked. Sort of. Better than she could have hoped for, really.
****
Ten years earlier.
When Ron opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Hermione's face. She was sitting by his bed, gazing at him so intensely that he almost flinched. "Ron," she whispered, "how do you feel?"
"Hermione. Are you ok? What happened? The battle." He looked around the room. On the other side of his bed sat Harry. "Oh, Harry, mate, what happened?"
"The short answer?" Harry grinned. "I killed Voldemort and all the Death Eaters were rounded up."
Ron grinned back. "No way? What about Malfoy? I blocked something he threw at Hermione, I don't know what it was, and it hurt like hell, but…." he looked confused. "I feel great. Nothing hurts. What happened?"
Harry and Hermione looked at one another. "Let me," said Harry. Ron frowned.
"Ok, Ron," Harry paused and eyed his best friend. "You were hit by an obscure and powerful Dark Curse. One that took Hermione four days in the library to research." Ron threw Hermione a tiny smile. "Now, the thing is, I know you, and you are going to lose your temper, and say things you don't mean, and today just isn't the time for one of your arguments, ok?"
"Harry, you are scaring me. Is everyone ok? For the last time, what happened?" Ron sat up in bed, starting to look edgy.
"Ok. Big news. Voldemort is dead. Medium sized news. You had a near death experience, which should have made you appreciate the things in life that you care about, the people that you love. More big news. You were so close to death that Hermione had to do something rather extraordinary to save your life. Malfoy's curse was meant to suck Hermione's magic out of her, because she was Muggleborn, but it was sucking your life out of you. You were dying."
Ron was very pale. He turned to Hermione. She was shaking. "What did you do, Hermione?"
Harry spoke again. "Maybe it seems logical to me and Hermione because we were raised by Muggles. But there are illnesses that Muggles treat with regular transfusions from a living donor. They have blood transfusions, bone marrow transplants…"
"What did she do?"
"Well, the only way to replace your life force is with a transfusion from another pureblood, well, not just a pureblood. Lucius Malfoy cast the curse because he had Slytherin's blood, so to replace your life force it needed another similar….well, it needed Draco."
"A transfusion of what, Harry? What part of Draco did she put in me? And how?" He was turning dangerously red.
"No part of Draco. His life force. She had sex with him, and then when she made love to you she transferred the life force into you. It brought you back from the brink of death Ron," Harry knew he had to keep talking, and very quickly, "she had impersonal sex with him and acted as a vessel for his power. Then she gave herself to you, she made love to you, because she loves you, because she was the only person who could save your life. And you took that curse to save her life, because you love her. And I know you've both been holding off doing anything about it because of me, because of Voldemort, and I wish you'd already been lovers so your first time wasn't so bizarre, but if you can't get over this and accept what she's done for you, then you are going to break both your hearts. And mine. And your mother's. Your parents are outside. And the twins, and Bill and Charlie. And we all had the most insane planning session when she told us about her research and what she was about to do. And I offered to do it, to save you, and all your brothers did too. We all think that this is an amazing thing that Hermione has done, and you have to thank her. You just have to.
"Oh, and one more thing. This wasn't so much a cure as a treatment. A monthly treatment. Even with his ego, he can only transfer enough life force to keep you alive for a month. And she is willing to do this for you every month. Tell her that you love her, for Merlin's sake!"
They were both staring at him. "Wow," said Hermione.
Ron turned to look at her and she tried to avoid his eyes, but he took her hand and she turned to meet his gaze. He swallowed. He took a deep breath. He swallowed again. He shook his head. Finally, and most uncharacteristically for Ron Weasley, he seemed to have his temper under control, and he was a relatively normal colour.
"Hermione. Firstly, I love you. I have waited years to say it, and I'd hoped I'd be able to tell you first, without Harry having shouted at me about how much you love me.' A small smile. "Secondly. You are the most amazing witch I have ever met, and I don't deserve you, and I am sure I don't deserve what you have done for me today. If I had been conscious I would never have allowed you to do it. I'm not worth that…"
"You are worth all the world to me Ron. If Draco's father hadn't been killed, if he was back in Azkaban, I'd go up there every month and screw him if that was what was necessary to keep you alive. Draco is being very civilised about it. It'll be ok. And you and I don't have to start a relationship on top of this, just let me do this for you anyway…"
"No relationship? Then let me die next time, Hermione! The only way I can accept what you have done is if it's for us. If what you do with Draco is just ten horrible minutes each month."
"Five probably," put in Harry.
Ron almost smiled. "But I am going to make love to you every day. When you are with me it will never be about his power going into me, it'll be about us. Because we love each other. I woke up feeling really good, and it wasn't his life force, it was yours. I know it."
Hermione put out a tentative hand and touched his face. "Are you sure? Can you really accept this as part of our lives?"
"To have you in my life I'd accept anything, I'd do anything. I love you, Hermione."
And as she threw herself, sobbing into Ron's arms, Harry tiptoed from the room, to tell the Weasleys that everything seemed to be ok.
****
Present day.
Midnight found Hermione Apparating home eagerly.
Harry and Ginny were so happy, he'd won the league, and their first child was about to shake their lives up for good.
Draco had actually been very amusing company. They had stopped at his bachelor pad to do the deed. He had assured her, as usual, that she wasn't cramping his style, and that he had no intention of marrying anybody, so she didn't have to worry about persuading some faceless, but probably blonde, fiancé to accept their bizarre arrangement.
She straightened a few cushions in the lounge, got out the dishes for breakfast in the morning in the kitchen. Ron always teased her about this.
Then she tiptoed upstairs. She checked the bedrooms as she went down the hall. In the first, the five-year-old twins were asleep together in the bottom bunk of their bunk beds. She managed to disentangle Richard from James and heaved him into the top bunk. It wasn't safe to try and tidy their room in the dark, too many gifts lying around from Uncles Fred and George, so she left it. In the box room, two year old Lily was just a nappied bottom sticking up in the air amid a pile of soft toys, so all she could do was make sure the little girl could breathe safely and tiptoe out again.
The pregnancies had gone surprisingly well, considering their strange arrangement, and that Ron had got significantly more jealous, as Draco had predicted. But as she had taken her hormonal irritations out on Draco, rather than Ron, he had come to accept it. And as the children were all very redheaded, he never had the slightest worry that they had timed things badly.
And really, once the children had arrived, it had all seemed quite easy. Ron adored his babies, and as the alternative to the 'transfusions' was not living to see them grow up, her monthly visits to Draco's flat were, if anything, a sort of preliminary to a renewal of their marriage vows – in sickness and in health, 'til death us do part.
She opened their bedroom door and looked inside. Poor thing, he'd felt so rough earlier, and had had to put the children to bed, and now he'd fallen asleep. Well, she knew just how to wake him. If she managed to have him inside her by the time he opened his eyes, she knew she would almost die from the look of pleasure and amazement that would break out on his face.
The end.
Author's note :
I speak no Latin, but my made up spells are as follows, for anyone who cares !
Inanio ExsanguisInanio – to empty
Exsanguis - without blood
Conglacio Anima
conglacio - to freeze
anima - the breath of life, vital principle, soul