Hermione felt the tug of reality slowly pulling her from her dreamland. Taking a deep breath, she brought in the familiar and comforting scent of musk and sandalwood. Upon opening her eyes, she found herself looking directly at the angelic face of a sleeping Draco Malfoy. She smiled and kissed his cheek before she peered over his head at the clock on the night stand next to the bed. It said 4:43. She wanted to eat breakfast in the Great Hall. Or rather she wanted to steal Harry and Ron and tell them what was going on before classes started. And she and Draco still had to speak with Dumbledore as soon as they arrived at Hogwarts.
"Draco," she whispered softly. "Draco." She poked his stomach and giggled when it twitched. "Come on. We have to get ready to head back to school." She leaned over and kissed his cheek again. He groaned and rolled over, slinging his arm across her and pressed his body against hers. "Draco, are you awake?" She poked his side. "Draco? Draco get up, I can't move. Ugh, DRACO?!?!?!" His eyes shot open and he immediately sat up.
"What happened?!?!" Draco asked quickly.
"Good, you're awake. Now I can go get ready for school. You should too," Hermione responded. Draco glanced at the clock.
"It's 5am."
"I know."
"Let's lay back down for a while."
"We have to get ready."
"We will, after we lay down." Hermione shook her head no. "Come on. Just for ten or fifteen minutes. I'll call a house elf and tell them to get us up at 5:15. Its exactly 4:56 right now."
"Alright, fine." Draco smirked triumphantly and yelled for a house elf. It appeared with a small pop.
"What can Blinky do for Master and Mistress?" it said.
"Wake us up at 5:15. Not a minute later. And make sure we actually get up. I'll kill you (His arm was smacked by Hermione. He glared at her.) if we fall asleep after you wake us and we're late."
"Y-yes Master," the elf replied, and then disappeared with another pop.
"Don't threaten the poor thing like that! That's so terrible," Hermione said. Draco wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back down on the bed.
"It was a house elf. I think they would be worried of they weren't treated like crap. They are weird creatures Hermione." She was about to respond, but she saw the thoughtful look on his face. "You know, I never asked you what you want me to call you, so, what do you want me to call you?" Hermione thought for a moment.
"It's 'My Lady' in public, or in front of Voldemort, of course. But in private, I like Hermione. It's been my name for 17 years. I don't think I'd be able to adjust to a new one very well. You'd be yelling 'Desdemona' for an hour before I would realize you were calling me. Besides, everyone will be confused when they have to start calling the Head Girl Desdemona rather than Hermione."
"Good point. People are idiots, so, Hermione it is. But it's such a long name. I'm going to have to think of a nickname for you. Not that 'Mione' crap that Potty and Weasel (Hermione glared at him once again) call you. It's so childish. You deserve a proper nickname; one that suits you." Draco paused for a moment while he thought. "Belle. It means 'beauty' in French. I think it will suit you nicely." Hermione blushed. "Don't do that."
"Don't do what?" Hermione asked.
"Blush. Blushing is a show of embarrassment. You must never be embarrassed. You are infallible, therefore you never have the need to be embarrassed. And if you ever are embarrassed, don't allow it to show. Take control of your emotions." With her eyes cast downward, Hermione's blush deepened.
"Maybe I can do it… with your help I think I might. Do you think you could help me? Can you tell me when I do something wrong, and show me what I should do?" she asked. Draco gently lifted her chin so her gaze met his.
"No," he said. Her eyes widened
"Why not?"
"Number one, you never ask anything of anyone. You DEMAND it. Everyone must learn to obey you. Number two: never look down. You must always hold you head high. Only look at those who have been deemed worthy, and for anyone else, you look above them so they do not sully your eyesight. Number three: do NOT show emotion. These people fear what they do not know. If they can read you, your thoughts, or your emotions then they can predict what you do. Never allow that to happen. Always keep them guessing, and always keep them afraid. Number four: don't second-guess yourself. You're flawless, and if you go around being unsure of yourself or thinking 'Maybe I shouldn't have done that,' they will question you just as you question yourself. If you are going to question yourself, then at least learn not to let it show. They are all animals. If you let them smell your blood, then they're going to come running to the feast. Whoever has the bravery, or stupidity, is going to step up and take your place. Don't let that happen. And number five: never allow anyone to touch you unless you initiate it, or they ask and you give them permission."
Hermione wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, there wasn't any need for her to speak when the Blinky appeared with a 'pop.'
"Master, Mistress, Blinky must tell you that it is time for you to wake," the elf said.
"We know. Now go away," Draco said and the elf disappeared with another 'pop.' Hermione unwrapped herself from Draco's arms and climbed out of the bed. Once she had entered her bathroom, he walked across the hall into his room.
Hermione disrobed herself and stepped into the tub. How the elves had the tub filled by the time she walked through the bathroom door, she would never know. She didn't really care, as long as the water was fresh, warm, and bubbly. Sinking further down into the tub, she relaxed and tried her best to avoid thinking about the rest of the day, and the tasks she had ahead of her. After immersing herself completely in the water, she grabbed the shampoo bottle sitting next to the tub, and washed her hair. Then, she picked up her wand off the floor and mumbled a quick spell to remove all of her unwanted body hair. She really needed to look up a permanent hair removal potion or spell. Stepping out of the tub, she mumbled yet another spell, only this one was a drying spell. Finally, she began to dress herself into her school uniform.
While Hermione bathed, Draco was doing the same thing. He sunk down into the warm water, hoping he could relax for a while. He had a lot of thinking to do. Turning Hermione into the leader she has to be wasn't going to be quite as simple as he thought. Her adoptive father had trained her to listen, obey, and cower. Doing that kept her alive all these years. She couldn't do that anymore. Somehow he was going to have to teach her exactly the opposite. If she kept up her current attitude and behavior, she wasn't going to live one minute longer than Voldemort. One of the sick bastards would take her as soon as the Dark Lord fell. Perhaps she would live a few days after Voldemort. Those days would be days in which she wished she were dead. Her last days would be the same as her first. No, he wasn't going to let that happen. She was too good for that, far too good for those idiots. They didn't deserve to look at her, and most of them won't be allowed to as long at the Lord is around. Of course he was allowed to look at her without having to ask, as was his father. Avery, the Lestranges, Nott, Snape, the Zabinis, and Macnair. Maybe a few others.
Still, he was going to have a difficult time getting Hermione ready for her position. He would have a week to get her prepared for the party on Saturday. Snape could help, and Blaise would do anything to help him climb a few steps in Voldemort's rank. He always knows when to keep his mouth shut. Maybe Hermione could be ready for the party.
"Draco," she whispered softly. "Draco." She poked his stomach and giggled when it twitched. "Come on. We have to get ready to head back to school." She leaned over and kissed his cheek again. He groaned and rolled over, slinging his arm across her and pressed his body against hers. "Draco, are you awake?" She poked his side. "Draco? Draco get up, I can't move. Ugh, DRACO?!?!?!" His eyes shot open and he immediately sat up.
"What happened?!?!" Draco asked quickly.
"Good, you're awake. Now I can go get ready for school. You should too," Hermione responded. Draco glanced at the clock.
"It's 5am."
"I know."
"Let's lay back down for a while."
"We have to get ready."
"We will, after we lay down." Hermione shook her head no. "Come on. Just for ten or fifteen minutes. I'll call a house elf and tell them to get us up at 5:15. Its exactly 4:56 right now."
"Alright, fine." Draco smirked triumphantly and yelled for a house elf. It appeared with a small pop.
"What can Blinky do for Master and Mistress?" it said.
"Wake us up at 5:15. Not a minute later. And make sure we actually get up. I'll kill you (His arm was smacked by Hermione. He glared at her.) if we fall asleep after you wake us and we're late."
"Y-yes Master," the elf replied, and then disappeared with another pop.
"Don't threaten the poor thing like that! That's so terrible," Hermione said. Draco wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back down on the bed.
"It was a house elf. I think they would be worried of they weren't treated like crap. They are weird creatures Hermione." She was about to respond, but she saw the thoughtful look on his face. "You know, I never asked you what you want me to call you, so, what do you want me to call you?" Hermione thought for a moment.
"It's 'My Lady' in public, or in front of Voldemort, of course. But in private, I like Hermione. It's been my name for 17 years. I don't think I'd be able to adjust to a new one very well. You'd be yelling 'Desdemona' for an hour before I would realize you were calling me. Besides, everyone will be confused when they have to start calling the Head Girl Desdemona rather than Hermione."
"Good point. People are idiots, so, Hermione it is. But it's such a long name. I'm going to have to think of a nickname for you. Not that 'Mione' crap that Potty and Weasel (Hermione glared at him once again) call you. It's so childish. You deserve a proper nickname; one that suits you." Draco paused for a moment while he thought. "Belle. It means 'beauty' in French. I think it will suit you nicely." Hermione blushed. "Don't do that."
"Don't do what?" Hermione asked.
"Blush. Blushing is a show of embarrassment. You must never be embarrassed. You are infallible, therefore you never have the need to be embarrassed. And if you ever are embarrassed, don't allow it to show. Take control of your emotions." With her eyes cast downward, Hermione's blush deepened.
"Maybe I can do it… with your help I think I might. Do you think you could help me? Can you tell me when I do something wrong, and show me what I should do?" she asked. Draco gently lifted her chin so her gaze met his.
"No," he said. Her eyes widened
"Why not?"
"Number one, you never ask anything of anyone. You DEMAND it. Everyone must learn to obey you. Number two: never look down. You must always hold you head high. Only look at those who have been deemed worthy, and for anyone else, you look above them so they do not sully your eyesight. Number three: do NOT show emotion. These people fear what they do not know. If they can read you, your thoughts, or your emotions then they can predict what you do. Never allow that to happen. Always keep them guessing, and always keep them afraid. Number four: don't second-guess yourself. You're flawless, and if you go around being unsure of yourself or thinking 'Maybe I shouldn't have done that,' they will question you just as you question yourself. If you are going to question yourself, then at least learn not to let it show. They are all animals. If you let them smell your blood, then they're going to come running to the feast. Whoever has the bravery, or stupidity, is going to step up and take your place. Don't let that happen. And number five: never allow anyone to touch you unless you initiate it, or they ask and you give them permission."
Hermione wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, there wasn't any need for her to speak when the Blinky appeared with a 'pop.'
"Master, Mistress, Blinky must tell you that it is time for you to wake," the elf said.
"We know. Now go away," Draco said and the elf disappeared with another 'pop.' Hermione unwrapped herself from Draco's arms and climbed out of the bed. Once she had entered her bathroom, he walked across the hall into his room.
Hermione disrobed herself and stepped into the tub. How the elves had the tub filled by the time she walked through the bathroom door, she would never know. She didn't really care, as long as the water was fresh, warm, and bubbly. Sinking further down into the tub, she relaxed and tried her best to avoid thinking about the rest of the day, and the tasks she had ahead of her. After immersing herself completely in the water, she grabbed the shampoo bottle sitting next to the tub, and washed her hair. Then, she picked up her wand off the floor and mumbled a quick spell to remove all of her unwanted body hair. She really needed to look up a permanent hair removal potion or spell. Stepping out of the tub, she mumbled yet another spell, only this one was a drying spell. Finally, she began to dress herself into her school uniform.
While Hermione bathed, Draco was doing the same thing. He sunk down into the warm water, hoping he could relax for a while. He had a lot of thinking to do. Turning Hermione into the leader she has to be wasn't going to be quite as simple as he thought. Her adoptive father had trained her to listen, obey, and cower. Doing that kept her alive all these years. She couldn't do that anymore. Somehow he was going to have to teach her exactly the opposite. If she kept up her current attitude and behavior, she wasn't going to live one minute longer than Voldemort. One of the sick bastards would take her as soon as the Dark Lord fell. Perhaps she would live a few days after Voldemort. Those days would be days in which she wished she were dead. Her last days would be the same as her first. No, he wasn't going to let that happen. She was too good for that, far too good for those idiots. They didn't deserve to look at her, and most of them won't be allowed to as long at the Lord is around. Of course he was allowed to look at her without having to ask, as was his father. Avery, the Lestranges, Nott, Snape, the Zabinis, and Macnair. Maybe a few others.
Still, he was going to have a difficult time getting Hermione ready for her position. He would have a week to get her prepared for the party on Saturday. Snape could help, and Blaise would do anything to help him climb a few steps in Voldemort's rank. He always knows when to keep his mouth shut. Maybe Hermione could be ready for the party.