Introduction from the Author
It is quite difficult, to justify my liking for Draco/Hermione fanfics, as there are so many so opposed to this pairing. And although there are also a lot of D/Hr shippers out there, I don't think there are others who realize that even outside the world of fanfiction, and inside the genuine HP universe, there really are hints of a relationship deeper than that of enemies, between Hermione and Draco.
I'm hoping that this story will become testament to that. Since reading a lot of D/Hr fics (and some of them are really great), I've suddenly found the scenes involving Draco and Hermione in the books to seem to have an underlying meaning to everything they say and do, suggesting that they have feelings, other than that of animosity, towards each other. And maybe I'm just paranoid and I have an overactive imagination, but before you agree with that, I do hope you consider reading this story first.
This is set during Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts, but instead of writing an alternate universe, (which I think is very difficult, and so I really admire the writers of AU fanfics) everything that happened in the book also happened here. This story is more about what else could have taken place that year at Hogwarts, sort of like, inserts in the chapters, etc. You'll probably recognize some of the chapter titles from the actual GoF book, and even some dialogue. It's basically GoF—made D/Hr shipper-compatible. So I guess this story won't really make a lot of sense if you haven't read GoF yet, although, is there anyone who fits under that description? :P
Anyway, maybe I haven't read enough D/Hr fics, that's why I've never encountered something like this. If there are any though, please don't hesitate to tell me that I'm not exactly original and that you've all read this before.
Disclaimer
I don't own the Harry Potter series, and although I'm about to use a lot of direct quotes, I'm not about to take credit for them. I won't tell you which ones I'm copying directly from the book though, because that might just interrupt the point I'm trying to make (refer to Introduction). And although I would love to take credit for the description of the Malfoy Manor, I'm afraid a read of my other fics will easily give me away as the mediocre writer who will never come up with anything remotely close to it. I copied most of it from Judith McNaught's description of Hawthorne Estate, just made it wizard-friendly. (Blame it on my other obsessions, i.e. romance novels) Anyway, I'm not making any money out of this, quite the opposite in fact, as this is the reason I still refuse to find real work, meaning I'm unemployed, and so suing me would just be a waste of time as you're not going to get anything from it.
DRACO, HERMIONE AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Chapter One: The Malfoy Manor
The ancestral estate of twelve generations of Malfoys comprised of 50,000 acres of woods, parkland, rolling hills, and fertile fields. Imposing black iron gates bearing the Malfoy coat of arms blocked the entrance, and a liveried house elf suddenly came out of nowhere. It stood in front of the heavy gates and said something almost inaudible, but the gates opened suddenly, and the elegant traveling chaises could pass.
The coach swept down a smooth, curving drive that wound decorously through acres and acres of immaculately clipped green velvet lawns. Huge trees marched along on either side of the smooth drive, stretching their stately branches like leafy umbrellas above the coaches. The coach rounded a bend in the drive and a half mile ahead, spread out in all its majestic splendor, was a three-story stone and glass mansion of over two hundred rooms, set against a backdrop of rolling green hills, crystal blue streams, and terraced gardens. In the foreground, across the drive from the house, swans drifted on the tranquil surface of an enormous lake, and, off to the right, a beautiful white gazebo with graceful columns in the classic Greek style overlooked the lake and parkland.
As soon as the coach came to a stop, three people alighted; a man, a woman, and a small boy of fourteen years. They left the coach without even so much as a backward glance to see that it was already moving away, and went on their way through the shallow, graceful steps that led from the drive to the front door. It took but one knock from the man, before it opened and revealed a wide, curving marble staircase swept upward in a graceful half circle from the foyer to the second story, then across a balcony and up to the third story. The three of them ascended the curving the staircase together, and passed a splendid suite of rooms decorated in silver and shades of green. They went inside one of the larger rooms, and were immediately greeted by another group of people, very similar to them.
"You've finally made it," Narcissa Malfoy said as she stood up to welcome her guests.
"Yes, it has been quite a while since we've stayed for the summer," the woman, Alexandra Nott, said as she, her husband and son were motioned to sit down.
"A shame, really, as Draco's told us so much about how he and Theodore have so much fun in school," Lucius Malfoy said as everybody in the room sat down.
"Yes, yes, Theodore's mentioned that to us too, haven't you Theodore?" the man, David Nott, said as he turned to his son who was now drinking from the cup of tea nobody noticed had appeared on the tables in front of them.
"Yes, Father," the boy replied as soon as he put down the cup he was holding.
"It's too bad your seats at the Quidditch World Cup are far from us," the only other person in the room, a boy with white-blond hair and a pointed face very much like his father's, spoke up.
"Yes, very bad indeed," David nodded. "But I believe there are more important matters we need to discuss about that occasion, Lucius?"
"Surely, David, you don't intend to talk about that now when you've only just arrived?" Narcissa said. "You must be tired. And I believe your things have already been brought to your rooms by this time."
"Of course," Alexandra agreed. "We must rest first. David?" she looked to her husband.
"Yes, yes," he said, standing up. "We'll all just meet up then for tea at the drawing-room like old times?"
"Of course," Lucius said. "But if there's anything you need before then, we would all only be too happy to help," he turned to his son. "Draco, see that Theodore gets to his room and has everything he needs."
"Yes, Father," the blond boy replied as he stood up from his chair and led the other boy out the room.
"They kind of remind you of us during our days at Hogwarts, don't they, Malfoy?" David asked as they all started to leave.
"Yes," Lucius replied. "They certainly show a lot of potential to be exactly like us."
------
"So, I heard the other day that your parents are planning on doing something at the Quidditch World Cup," Draco Malfoy said as soon as he and Theodore reached the guest room Theodore would be staying at for the rest of the week.
"Yeah, I heard it too," Theodore said. "It's really too bad we didn't get tickets to the Top Box in time. But anyway, Dad said the excitement won't start until the game is over. I really want to see how they do it."
"You mean their plan?" Draco asked.
"Well, yeah, aren't you curious at all about it?"
"I'm more interested in who wins the World Cup," Draco said honestly. "Although I guess it would be cool to see them in action. Would there really be Muggles?"
Theodore nodded. "Father's positive about it. And they wouldn't go through this much trouble if they weren't sure. Although I suppose it'd be okay even if it's just Mudbloods who show up."
Draco gave a throaty chuckle. "Right. They deserve it just as much," he agreed, although not with as much conviction as he knew he would've when he was younger. "Anyway, I heard the whole Ireland team's got themselves a Firebolt each. Do you think that's enough to win the game?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Maybe," Theodore said. "Bulgaria has got Krum, though."
"Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven," Draco pointed out.
Through the rest of the day, nothing else was said about the World Cup, that wasn't related to Quidditch.
------
"Draco's excited about going of course," Narcissa said. She and her husband were having tea with the Notts in one of the drawing rooms of their house as their sons were outside, flying on their broomsticks.
"Yes, he plays for the House Team at Hogwarts, doesn't he?" Alexandra asked.
"Yes he does," Lucius replied, beaming with pride. "He's their best player too."
"I don't know why until now Theodore still hasn't quite come out of his shell," David said. "He wasn't very interested about seeing the game, you know. He was a bit more excited about our plan, to tell you the truth. But that's not a problem with me of course; if anything I'm even proud of him for it."
"Now now, David," Lucius said. "We mustn't get too excited about that. There would still be a lot of other wizards there, it wouldn't do us well to be careless, talking about it so candidly."
"Ah, no one will notice," David said. "Not with Bagman as the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. That man is so clueless about what's going on around him, I doubt he'll even notice if the players started falling from their broomsticks!"
They all laughed, but it didn't last long for Narcissa had again spoken up. "Have you thought of what would happen though, if somebody does see us? Other officials of the Ministry are bound to be there. I heard Crouch has just as much responsibility about the event as Bagman, maybe even more so."
David just shook his head. "Crouch is harmless," he said. "Even when he doesn't think he is. A waste of blood that one, really. I gather things would've been better if his son were the one to survive," he added, and got nods of agreement from the others. "Anyway, did you forget we had those cloaks? It would impossible to trace these things to us. Especially with Lucius' influence at the Ministry. Not to mention that after your very generous contribution to St. Mungo's, I gather even Fudge himself will let you get away with just about anything."
"I suppose that is true," Lucius agreed and with a malicious smile added, "We can even torture all the Mudbloods if we wanted."
------
"Do you think they're still planning about what they're going to do on the World Cup?" Theodore asked Draco as they passed the doorway of the drawing room their parents were in.
"Maybe," Draco shrugged. "As long as I get to watch the game, does it really matter?"
Theodore shrugged as well. "Are you ready for school?"
"The Triwizard Tournament?" Draco asked, remembering what his father told him a few days ago.
"Yeah," Theodore nodded. "It hasn't been held in at least a hundred years. What do you think will happen?"
"It does sound pretty interesting," Draco said, and then smirked. "But I bet that Dumbledore's going to give all the attention to Potter and his friends. He's probably even going to make that Scarhead, school Champion, that old bat."
"No, do you really think so?" Theodore asked, his face falling. "And I was thinking of entering myself."
"It would be tragic if they didn't make a Slytherin the school Champion. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if a Hufflepuff got the title?!" Draco said. "But I guess anyone would be better than Potter."
"Are you going to enter?" Theodore asked.
"Maybe," he said. "Even just to prove I'm better than Potter and all his friends."
"It'd be difficult to get past that Mudblood though," Theodore told him. "Did you hear what she did last year? About the time-turner? All those extra classes… And she was still able to figure out those things about Lupin and Black and all that? Not to mention saving that Hagrid from getting sacked. That was very unfair to you really. That fat ogre should've gotten the same sentence as that animal for putting you in danger," he said. "Do you remember it?"
Draco frowned. Did he remember it? Oh, he remembered it all right. Maybe a little too well, even. Stupid Mudblood. What made her think she could touch him? If only he hadn't been so shocked, maybe he would've taken a swing at her as well. Nevermind that she was a girl. She was a filthy Mudblood.
He looked at Theodore and for a moment, contemplated on whether to tell him about it. No one else but those who witnessed it knew about how he'd been hit by Granger. And though his first instinct was to tell his father about it and hopefully get Granger expelled, he didn't. And he told Crabbe and Goyle to swear that they wouldn't tell anyone about it either. At the time, he didn't know what made him keep the information from everyone else; maybe it was because he didn't want people knowing that a girl hit him. Although, the thought's been bothering him since summer started, and by this time he knew it was more than that. It wasn't just that a girl hit him. A Mudblood hit him. And it wasn't just any Mudblood. It was Potter's Mudblood. If he only had his way, he'd have—
"Well? Do you remember it or not?" Theodore said, interrupting his thoughts, and then, not waiting for him to answer, continued. "Do you think Dumbledore's going to make her School Champion? She is at the top of our class."
"Don't be ridiculous, Nott. A Mudblood like that can't be a School Champion," Draco said, looking at Theodore as if he'd grown an extra limb. Although even as he said it, he recalled yet again how Granger had hit him and the other times she showed everyone just what she was capable of with a wand in her hand, and had the uncomfortable thought that what Nott was suggesting wasn't very ridiculous at all.
--end of chapter one--