To answer Red Devil - the official reason that Remus is Draco's guardian is 1) Draco asked for him and 2) Remus is Sirius's spouse and heir ( Sirius being legally somewhat dead and totally an escaped prisoner ) and Sirius was Draco's mother's cousin and the 'patriarch' of Draco's maternal family. The UN-official reason was 'because Dumbledore said so' - Remus being a member of the Order of the Phoenix and thus able to keep an eye on the Dark Spawn. The REAL unofficial reason will become apparent as the story progresses.

Sila-chan - You are so sweet. Thank you. I do love the story - it's just that I hate the way the posting keeps changing. I learn to do it - and then they change it and mess things up. sigh I am not so smart when it comes to computers.

Empire and Exigency

Chapter 17: Consolation

by Annie B

Rated PG-13

JKR owns all things Hogwarts. I only wish I did.

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The bat-winged gargoyles carved into the white marble mantle whooped out a warning just seconds before the poof of floo-smoke puffed from the fireplace.

Draco Malfoy reached for his wand. Yes - that someone could transit the house-wards at all marked the arrival as a 'welcome' visitor, but given some of the folk he had known his parents to welcome?

He might have fired, but the smoke was followed by a cough. A very familiar cough. And the cough was followed by a similarly familiar figure. Female - not too tall - with gray floo-smoke rising from the wild ends of her clipped-back madness of hair. The figure's two stumbling steps were followed by a single word.

"Draco?"

Draco fumbled his wand back into it's sheath.

"Mi- Mi!"

Three more steps and she fell into his opened arms.

She wasn't the lightest thing in the world, so Draco fell back as well. Fortunately, on to an overstuffed sofa set conveniently near the fireplace. Being crushed wasn't so bad, Draco considered, as long as what one was being crushed into was nicely padded and the girl above one doing the crushing was ditto.

That must explain why his palms were on her backside, pulling her closer. It absolutely explained why it took him a full five minutes to ask. "How'd you get here?"

Hermione giggled. Normally Draco found giggles annoying, but since Hermione wiggled when she giggled? Giggles were good.

"Floo," she answered.

Draco arched an eyebrow.

"From the back room of Flourish and Botts." Hermione continued.

Draco nodded knowingly. His father had shown him that floo-port when he first started Hogwart's. Not that Bott's was a Deatheater. He was just greedy. Well - greedy and corrupt and willing to turn a blind eye to trysting students as long as the Galleons were good.

"With Ron and Harry," she finished.

Draco's face fell.

Oh well - he consoled himself - two out of three wasn't bad. Or was it one out of three in this case?

He looked around. No green eyes. No red hair. No needs-a-hexing-please-Hermione-may-I audience.

"They're down in the main hall." Hermione must had read his mind again. "I told them to use the public floo number."

Still on the sofa, Draco flung out his wand arm.

"Floppsy?"

"Yes Master Draco?" The house elf appeared from it's usual nowhere.

"We have ... honored guests ... downstairs." That was a neutral enough description. In Potter's case ( damn the bastard ) it even had to be technically true. Fealty and all that. Plus Draco was sort of coming to like Harry. Most of the time. Well - all of the time except Quidditch. (Draco had been VERY careful to reread his oath of feality and check that it did NOT say contain any footnote against his flying Potter into a small smear on the Quidditch goal) Or the times - like now - when Harry was bollicksing up Draco's plans for a prime snoggng session.

"Guests?" Floppsy looked nervous. Which proved that house elves weren't all as stupid as they acted. Or at least that they had long memories.

Draco added,"Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter."

"Ohh...." Floppsy's ears flapped excitedly. "The great..."

"Yes yes." Draco cut off the squealing creature. Elf had been handing out with Dobby too much "You go - personally - and show our honored guests to the red parlor." Which his mother had decorated specifically for dark revels. Nothing in it that was at all breakable was in any way expensive.

After another moment Draco added. "You can unlock the broom closet."

That ought to buy some time.

"Ohh..." The flapping ears lifted the elf into the air. "Flopsey will show Harry Potter the brooms."

"Brooms?" Hermione asked.

"Quidditch brooms."

Hermione sighed. Which felt rather good, as she was still on top of Draco and the movement did interesting things to her breasts. "I should have known."

"You should indeed." Draco trailed his wand tip lightly up her leg. "That should keep them busy for.... at least an hour."

Hermione considered - then chuckled. "Knowing Ron? Two."

"Excellent." Draco's wand slid lightly under her skirt.

"Indeed."

"So." He leered cheerfully. "How should we pass the time?"

"In the library?" Hermione stood, reaching for her schoolbag.

"Mi..." Draco began to protest.

Hermione laid one finder across his lips. "I just picked up a brand new copy of 'How to Make Love to a Wizard."

"Practicals." Draco grinned. "I always do best on practicals.

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Well - I hope this uploads better then it did last time.

I also hope SOMEONE lets me know they are reading this. I mean - maybe it is crap but I AM trying.

Annie.