Blood Lost: Chapter 7
Author's Note: Could this be? An update?! *dodges rotten fruit* Sorry for the long delay, but I had a bad case of writers block, a few periods of wallowing in misery where I wondered if this fic was worth it, if anyone really cared about it, etc. Please show your appreciation for my vigilance and hard work (and to make sure that there is a next chapter….) by reviewing! Thanks!
Chapter 7
A week before Christmas vacation, a package arrived for Hermione.
The large dark brown owl had arrived through the window in her common room, rather than at breakfast. Curious, Hermione untied the rather large parcel and sent the owl in the general direction of the Owlery.
On top of the parcel was a letter, address to her, in a small, neat, but unfamiliar script.
To the Future Mrs. Malfoy,
Hermione grimaced, and continued reading.
I have sent you a few key items for your wardrobe, which I am positive is in a less-than-suitable state for a Malfoy. As I am sure you are ignorant of the etiquette and customs of pureblooded witches, I took it upon myself to ensure that you will not embarrass or disgrace the Malfoy name.
Hermione pause to look at the signature at the end of the very long letter (three pieces of two feet of parchment!), and saw that it was from Narcissa Malfoy, her future mother-in-law. Hermione had to prevent herself from gagging.
The intent of the letter was clear, and the attitude of Mrs. Malfoy even more so: she did not want her son marrying a muggleborn witch, but would not dare go against her husband. Hermione had a bad feeling that she was not going to get along with Narcissa Malfoy at all; she continued to read.
The blue traveling robes (and cloak!) should be worn on the day of your arrival, with your hair neatly pinned and tied back with the matching ribbon….
Hermione paused to open the package. Sure enough, right on top Hermione could see the fabric of a dark blue set of robes, made of a foreign fabric (possibly magically made) that was something like velvet, yet a bit more practical. She picked it up and out unfolded a glorious mass of the dark blue robe. Hermione allowed herself to gasp; these must have cost a fortune!
And there was more, another piece of fabric of an even darker hue was the traveling cloak, and beneath that, a gorgeous set of lavender dress robes, with blue chiffon overlay, and matching ribbons…. Hermione turned back to the letter skimming through it.
The lavender dinner robes are for the first night of dinner….
If nothing else, Narcissa Malfoy certainly was thorough and precise. She listed each item specifically, and it seemed as though she had way too much time on her hands.
I, of course, could not get you a complete wardrobe in one day of shopping without so much as a picture of you to determine the colors that would go with your complexion and the cut, so everything is rather simple. I'm afraid we will have to go shopping again on your first day here….
Please take the time to acquire and read the following books which will give you guidelines as to what is expected of you at Malfoy Manor: The Young Witch's Primer, The Book of Etiquette for Pureblood Parties, and the classic novel entitled: Cassandra Malfoy: The Diary of a Young Woman. I hope these enlighten you, and I am looking forward to seeing you this Christmas Break.
Sincerely,
Narcissa Malfoy
Hermione did a double take. She glanced at the letter, and they were still there. THIS Christmas Break? she almost screamed. It was way too soon; she hadn't been expecting to have to meet the Malfoys until….well, until the actual wedding.
Hermione decided she needed to have a long, belated chat with one Draco Malfoy.
****
It wasn't until the night before they left for Christmas Break that Hermione was able to corner him for more than a few seconds. Their previous conversation had been thus:
Hermione: We need to talk.
Draco: mumble, grumble.
Hermione: You didn't tell me I'd be going to Malfoy Manor for Christmas!
Draco: It was rather obviously implied….
Hermione: Well, you could have warned me!
Draco: Sorry, Granger, but I've have other less-fortunate peers to pester.
"Hermione. My name is Hermione," she said aloud now. She was on the roof just above their common room, and Draco Malfoy was perched at the edge of it, looking out across the dark grounds of Hogwarts.
It was freezing, and probably dangerous, but Hermione stepped out onto the roof, and slowly walked towards Draco. He didn't even have a cloak on, but he went about as if he wasn't cold in the slightest.
And perhaps he wasn't, Hermione added. There, in Draco's hand was a bottle of something that looked suspiciously like Firewiskey. Hermione's first impulse was to grab the bottle and dump it out, and scold Draco, but the last thing she needed was to end this conversation in a fight, for Draco had begun to talk
It must have been the Firewiskey, thought Hermione later, for surely Draco wouldn't have talked in such a way if he had been sober.
"Did you know it was Potter who made me realize….?" Draco snorted.
"I was going to kill him for putting Father in Azkaban. I really was going to do it. During the Battle of Hogsmead, when all the teachers left to fight, I caught him unawares with a simple leg-locker curse. I carried him to a deserted classroom, and then….
"I had no idea what to do. I hadn't thought it through as I should have. I hadn't thought about how I was going to kill him, how to make it look like an accident or suicide….
"Potter realized this, got a bit of Slytherin in him I guess, and he started talking….for the first time I was able to see past the Golden Boy's exterior….
"He said I had a choice. Something about it being our choices that makes us who we are; he went on, but I wasn't really listening. All I could think about was that one word: choice. I never really had a choice, but at that moment, I did.
"I told him that he was spitting out manure, that…I don't know what I was saying, but I was already beginning to doubt the words that were spilling out of my mouth.
"He said a lot of stuff. Some of it didn't really make sense, but I remember, I remember him asking, 'Do you want to become another one of Voldemort's groveling servants?' He painted out that life, that future; me, forever at the beck and call of some power hungry git. I panicked, I was ready to kill him right then and there, no planning at all, and take the consequences.
"I mean, what else could I do? It wasn't like I'd had any choice. It was the way things were; I was expected to follow in my father's footsteps. There wasn't any other road for me.
"Then Potter said: 'It doesn't have to be like that. It's not too late to turn to the side of the light.' But that was an impossibility, it wasn't like Potter could actually win against the Dark Lord. And he said, 'There are many things you don't know about our strengths, our secret weapons; with you on our side, the light has every chance of winning.
"But why would anyone believe that I, the hated son of a Death Eater be anything but evil? And Potter gave me his word that once the war was over, I could make a new name for myself, get rid of the Malfoy's name's evil taint."
But he wouldn't be able to, not with his father still alive, and possibility of Lucius becoming the next Dark Lord.
"And that's when you decided to become a spy for the light?" Hermione asked when he did not continue.
Draco glanced up, with a look of surprise evident on his face. He must have forgotten that she was there, lost in his memories. He didn't answer just looked at her with those icy eyes.
The wind picked up, and it gave Hermione an excuse to shiver. She leaned over and took away the bottle from Draco, sealing her lips tightly. Draco gave something like a smile, (but it was dark, and Hermione couldn't quite see; she might have imagined it) and said:
"Time to go to sleep and prepare for a long Christmas of pretending."