A/N: Hey y'all! Sorry this chapter took a little longer, but if you're reading this A/N that means you know I haven't quit the story and you haven't given up on me and I love you! Anyways, I've gotten lots of emails and no I'm not a Buffy fan, at least not a sarah michelle gellar buffy fan. Nothing against it really, I just already have enough time consuming obsessions haha! (although I love the movie version with Luke Perry, yum!) but thanks for all the Buffy fan fic links... and the emails, it's so cool talking with other HP and fanficers, let alone readers :)
As always I'd love to hear what you think so review your honest and critical heart out! (I only got like 10 reviews while I was gone, not that those 10 weren't great, I really appreciate them, but I was a little dissappionted). I'd ask you to tell me what I should do to get you to review in a review... but I don't see how that would work out very well haha...
I can only hope there are some quiet people out there who, even though they're not reviewing, are still reading and enjoying.
Chapter 11 onward!
… … …
Draco slumped down into the plush armchair of his father's den. After Hermione repeated once more that her and Draco's account of what happened from the previous day all the way to that very morning was accurate Lucius asked her to go back to her room.
"Draco," he said when she left, "What really happened?"
"What we both said," Draco answered.
"You expected me to believe she saved you from a vampire after both of your horses went awry?"
"Yes," Draco said once again.
"Bullshit!" he cried suddenly, looking frustrated, "Why would she save you!"
"Because you'd kill her otherwise," Draco barked, not sure why he was so defensive about it …but why was her wanting to save him so unbelievable?
"Yes, I said I'd kill her if she tried to kill you, but she risked her own life to save you from something else, and that I do not trust."
"Maybe it was instinct…" responded Draco finally, reminded all too quickly by Lucius's words that her wanting to save him was truly outrageous because he was her enemy. Perhaps he should've mentioned to Lucius that Hermione probably didn't want to be in his debt for long, since he had just previously saved her life. But he didn't really want to go in to detail about holding her against his body, both of them barely dressed… He shrugged his shoulders, "She said it wasn't her first time," he finally added
"Where would she have ever killed a vampire before?" declared Lucius in frustration.
"I don't know," Draco whined in annoyance and anger, "What's the big deal, so she accidentally saved my life once, you'd think that'd be a good thing!"
"I don't like your tone with me boy!" Lucius threatened and Draco rubbed his lips together, balling his hands into tight hidden fists.
He hated these conversations in his father's den. They were so belittling and horrible. The last one, as he recalled, being an explanation of why he had to marry her in the first place. And even though he was glad to finally at least know why he was doing what he was, the reason seemed petty and selfish to him.
There he was, sacrificing everything, so Voldemort could reap revenge against a harmless kid not even half his age? Honestly, he wondered why he should participate sometimes.
That was the same night Lucius had the nerve to request he take the muggle out in public. Although it turned out to not be so bad, he hated being told to do it at the time. And then, to top it all off, he had the nerve to scold Draco after their date at Casa Amor.
………"A 300 hundred dollar check?" he had bellowed, "What is the meaning of this Draco? I've told you and told you, I didn't get my promotion because of that bloody department of mysteries scandal! Fudge didn't think the public would approve of giving me a raise and a higher position! You can't throw money around like that!"
"What the hell?" cried Draco back, "You told me to make sure it looked like we were having a good time! And what about you? Running around buying a new Jacuzzi, planning expensive parties! Dinner with Fudge tomorrow even!"
"You ungrateful little snipe! Not that it's any of your bloody business what I do," barked Lucius, "but I'll have you know I am upholding our good name! No one can know we're in a rough spot!"
"Rough spot!" Draco repeated nastily.
"Yes! A ROUGH SPOT," he spat, contorting his face in anger, as if daring Draco to press him further, "It won't last long, not with what I having cooking! I've worked too bloody hard and too bloody long to lose everything now! Mark my words Draco, I'll show you how I can turn things around. Soon I'll have so much riches and power a little boy like you won't even know what to do! Now, I have an interview with Rita Skeeter to manipulate, SO GO TO BED!"………
Draco rolled his eyes at the mere memory, what a pretentious self-righteous asshole. If only he were free from all of this… Lucius was still staring at him fiercely, still angry about Draco's defiant tongue.
"Sorry…" Draco muttered, looking away.
"I have things to do" spoke Lucius again finally, "So go away," and he took the seat at a desk.
Draco went to the door and saw his father's collection of antique wands in glass display case along the wall, "Hermione's seen these," Draco said blankly, "You might want to hide them, she's extremely dangerous."
… … …
"I'm glad you're okay," said Sarah, after Hermione invited her into her room that very afternoon. "I just redressed Draco's bandages, looked like a rough time."
"Wow," said Hermione, "He let you near him? That's surprising…"
Sarah laughed a little, "Well he is quite proud… he said that you fell ill during the night though, are you ok?"
"Yeah…" Hermione said, a little taken back Draco had even mentioned it, "I'm fine."
"Well I brought you some potion, in case you were still achy," she said.
Hermione smiled broadly and gratefully accepted the gift, "Thank you," she said as she undid the top and sipped from the vial as Sarah looked passed Hermione into her closet.
"Are you glad Narcissa managed to pick you out such beautiful clothes?" she asked.
"I suppose," answered Hermione, not really caring but guessing it was nice, then she realized Sarah always wore the simplest tops and skirts, always covered by a servant's apron.
"You should wear that baby blue cashmere shirt," said Sarah longingly, "It's so pretty."
"Actually, I've tried that one on and it's too small, my chest busts out of it," said Hermione not thinking. Her cheeks turned a little red but Sarah just laughed warmly.
"Would you like it?" asked Hermione after their giggling had subsided.
"Oh I couldn't possibl…"
"Don't be ridiculous," said Hermione, "Narcissa bought it intending it to be worn and it doesn't fit me, but it would look great on you. You must take it."
Sarah couldn't resist and accepted it as Hermione handed it to her.
"Maybe Draco will notice…" said Hermione.
"Huh?" said Sarah. Hermione looked at her, smiling coyly. "Oh gross!" exclaimed Sarah, figuring it out, "Draco is my cousin! Our fathers are brothers!"
Hermione's mouth dropped, and then she burst out laughing, "Oh my goodness! I had no idea… I thought you fancied him by the way you asked about our date…"
Sarah shook her head violently while laughing, "No, I was just curious as to how it went. Habit I suppose, Draco and I used to be very close as children."
Hermione's mind caught up with her as their laughter slowed. Why would a close member of the family be a servant?
"Sarah," she asked, "If you're his cousin, then why are you…"
"Earning my keep," she said, answering quickly.
Hermione looked at her with concerned eyes, "What do you mean?"
Slowly, Sarah decided to explain, "Lucius took me and my father in after my mother died. He's a salesmen, and must go away all the time, so I manage this wing in between his paychecks."
"But surely the Malfoy's don't need…" Hermione started to insist.
"I want to," said Sarah earnestly, being very insistent, "I need to do something…" she added after a pause.
"But you're family, how can they let you wear that-"
"I'm hardly family anymore," said Sarah, the two finally sitting on the bed to talk, "I keep this wing because I don't want to ever owe Lucius anything."
Hermione began to wonder… there was obvious some sore feeling between her and Lucius, and then she decided to ask, "Your mother was a muggle wasn't she?" she inquired softly.
"No," said Sarah to Hermione's surprise. "My biological mother died when I was born, she was a witch. But my other mother, who I do consider a mother, the one who died just a few years ago, she was a muggle yes."
"But your father, Lucius's brother, wouldn't he be a Death-"
"No!" interrupted Sarah, "He never was," she said firmly, "He followed a long a bit with Lucius until he was an adult, but he never really joined. When my mom, his first wife, died he took me to the states where he met his 2nd wife. Voldemort doesn't like him, first for never joining him and then for marrying a muggle… so we never stayed in Malfoy Manor long when we used to visit. But after my 2nd mom died things just… kind of fell apart for us, he just couldn't have me going on his sales trips with him anymore, which is why I stay here now, like this…"
Hermione placed a warm caring hand on Sarah's shoulder, proud of Sarah for actually saying Voldemort's name, but feeling sad for her that she felt like an outcast in her own family just because she wasn't a muggle-hater.
"I love both my biological mother and my muggle mother," she said looking sad, "But Lucius holds it over my father's head, and terrifies him with it. He hates to leave me here, but we have no place else to go."
Hermione nodded compassionately, and then hugged the girl. "How long has it been since you've seen your father?" she asked.
Sarah thought for awhile, "About nine months I'd say," she answered softly, "I didn't even get to see him much, he and Lucius, oddly enough, spent the weekend with Clyde Baggins."
"Who?" asked Hermione, something nagging deeply in her mind.
"An old coworker from long ago, from before I was born, before he quit being a Counter to be a salesmen," Sarah answered.
"Your dad likes to keep in touch with old friends then?" Hermione questioned.
"Well usually that's like him yes, but he seemed like it was more trouble than fun, I mean Lucius seemed more excited than him, which makes me angry!" Sarah said, her tone growing more firm with each passing word, "Why would he go through all the trouble of coming to the Manor only to spend time with someone he didn't want to see instead of me?"
Hermione sensed that the memory her father's last visit was upsetting and probably caused her to miss him terribly. She sat quietly with her, allowing Sarah to clear her misty eyes after Hermione had ferreted up such sore subjects and painful memories. It felt nice that Sarah would share such things with her though; Hermione was beginning to care deeply for the girl.
"Sorry again," she said after a long moment passed for Sarah to regain her composure, "…for thinking you fancied Draco…"
Sarah faked a retch all over again but laughed light heartedly, "No, I don't like Draco," she said smiling, "although we were best friends as kids. Draco was my hero back then. He was the main reason my father even visited in the first place, just so we could see each other."
"What happened?" inquired Hermione.
"Well he went to Hogwarts and got sorted into Slytherin… he was so different the next summer. I guess Lucius had finally taken his toll on him. I was just really glad… well, sad, actually that this marriage is forced, you're the sweetest girl Draco never really brought home."
Hermione laughed at the young girl and hugged her; glad they could cheer each other up a bit.
"They're going to announce the engagement tomorrow," said Sarah, still laughing a little "I'm not supposed to tell you. The party will be soon as well. And the day after tomorrow you're to get your hair and nails done with Narcissa."
Hermione nodded at the girl thankfully for the information.
"Why does Lucius want to be known as a muggle lover?" asked Hermione on a limb.
"I really don't know for sure," said Sarah shaking her head, and Hermione believed her. "I can only assume it's to gain a new position in the ministry though."
Of course! How could Hermione have been so stupid! The higher up Lucius was the more he could corrupt and destroy the ministry from the inside, right under Fudge's nose! "Oh goodness I can' believe I didn't think of that."
"No matter," said Sarah, "I can't help but think it's something more than that anyway."
It probably would have never occurred to Hermione, but once Sarah had planted the seed of doubt, Hermione was positive things were more than they seemed as well… just one more unknown thing to eat away at her. Sarah told her she had to go, Narcissa couldn't figure out engagement party decorations without someone to yell at, and Hermione reluctantly said goodbye to her only friend in nine months besides her cat.
… … …
Hermione apprehensively entered the rec-room, the only place she thought Draco could be, since no one answered her knock to his bedroom door. She discovered him there, reclined across a couch in just his pants, a pack of ice on his knee and his bandage exposed, watching some crazy wizard game show on the TV.
She didn't know why him being topless would make her feel odd now, after all that had happened just the day before, but for a second Hermione forgot what she wanted to say.
"Yes?" Draco drawled after they looked at each other for a long while.
"Uh…" said Hermione shaking her head, "It's almost seven… shouldn't we go to the dining room?"
"Oh," said Draco, "No one told you then? Not tonight, Lucius and mum are having dinner with Fudge."
For the first time Hermione noticed that Draco never called Lucius "Dad" unless it was apart of his instructed act…
"There's some good food in that little kitchen if you're hungry…" Draco added oddly since Hermione continued to just stand there and stare at him, "Unless you're getting full just from checking me out."
Hermione's eyes opened wide in embarrassment and then she scoffed. Thinking of no explanation she walked over to the kitchen scowling and retrieved one of her Mountain Dews. Draco too was a little surprised, he had just joked around with her like she had been a Slytherin co-ed and they were both back in the common room… he sat up and looked when he heard the crunchy fizz of the can opening.
"That stuff is yours?" he asked, as if he had been wondering.
"Yes," she said.
"What is it?"
"A drink."
"Why does it look so weird?"
"What? The can? That's to keep the bubbles in," she said.
He looked at her blankly.
"It's not like champagne or anything, so it's not in a bottle, but it has carbonation that needs to be trapped or else it goes flat. It's sweet and caffeinated…" she explained. He continued to look at her skeptically, "Would you like to try some?" she finally offered, her description clearly going over his head.
He eyed her suspiciously and got up. He took the can from her hand and swigged it a little. After it went down his throat he took another drink. Then he looked like he was going to pull it away but suddenly decided to drink some more. Next thing Hermione knew he was gulping it down.
"Okay," said Hermione, "How about you just have that one then…I'll get a new one…"
"How much more is there?" he inquired peering into the fridge as Hermione quickly shut it, "They're mine," she declared, "I earned them."
"Ah, but it's my fridge," Draco said, slightly appearing to tease her.
"I wouldn't have any more if I was you, they'll keep you up all night."
"Likely story," Draco quipped.
"I'm serious," said Hermione, slightly chuckling, "You won't be able to sleep, and you've been up since dawn."
Draco just leered at her and returned to the couch with Hermione's original can. For some inexplicable reason, he was slightly down for a second when she left soon after that, because it made him aware of how empty and lone the room truly was.
But Hermione felt awkward staying, and she was very, very tired from taking on a Vampire for the first time completely on her own, especially after a horrible night of being sick from nearly freezing to death, not to mention getting drilled by Lucius and then earning Sarah's trust. She figured going to bed early was the most plausible thing to do, so she did.
… …. …
……… "You were nervous about MY reaction?" whispered Ginny in a scolding tone, "Ron's not that stupid you know, and he knows you two better than anyone. I wouldn't be surprised if he already knew."
Hermione knew Ginny was right.
"I won't tell him though," said Ginny, still not being fully friendly, "No offense, but it's not really a favorite topic of mine, nor a comfortable one…"
Hermione's lips quivered, it killed her to think she played a role in Ginny's broken heart.
Ginny could tell Hermione felt terrible, and she supposed her feeling guilty about it was satisfaction enough. Besides, deep down she knew things had reached their peak with Harry, it was time she got over him anyway.
"Well if it was going to be anyone I'm glad it was you…"
Hermione finally lost control and shed tears, but at least the were happy ones, "Oh thank God we're still friends." ………
… … …
Hermione recalled the next day to be an awkward blur.
Apparently Lucius had invited everyone in his meeting that morning to his house in few days time, due to the fact that his son was getting married and he wanted to celebrate with everyone.
He had unofficially announced their engagement, which was like letting one drop of blood fall into a tank of starving sharks.
Within the hour, half of the Ministry knew, not to mention countless numbers of the wizarding world's business tycoons and their gossipy wives.
Hermione was told that she would meet Lucius with Narcissa and Draco in downtown wizard London, where they would all go out to dinner together. It was another shameless ploy for publicity.
The three could barely step out of the car to go into the restaurant due to all the photographers. Hermione suspected Lucius had mentioned exactly where and when he'd be out that night because there was an uncountable amount of other rich and powerful wizards coincidently trying to get into the same place, dying to see if the rumors were true. Draco Malfoy was to really wed a muggle-born girl? And Lucius gave them his blessing?
Not wanting to help Lucius more than she had to, Hermione meekly smiled at all the waving smiling faces that crowded the entrance to the restaurant. She had been his pawn once in the Rita Skeeter interview, but she would not give him a leg up again.
She even contemplated a possible way to create an embarrassing scene for which she could not be blamed, but failed to think of anything.
So begrudgingly she sat in her chair, stirring her clam chowder, tuning out Lucius's mindless fake chitchat while everyone else eavesdropped on their table, still disbelieving the Malfoy's were going to be Hermione's parents in law.
Then suddenly a wave of nausea overcame her as she looked down at the massive diamond ring Narcissa of all people had shoved in her face just before they left for the restaurant that now resided on her ring finger. Their engagement was out in the open now. Whatever Voldemort's plan was it seemed to be going off without a hitch, and Hermione still hadn't heard a word from any of her friends.
'Maybe they just didn't see the news article…' she thought to herself, 'surely they'll hear about the engagement though, and come straight away…'
'Or maybe they won't,' said a faint cynical and cruel version of her own voice deep inside her head, '…Maybe they'll leave you to rot to death as a Malfoy, just like they left you to rot in the jail cell.'
Hermione's heart stung as she successfully hurt her own feelings, 'No', said her dominant voice, shoving away the pessimistic one, 'I mustn't think like that… I don't know what happened, but I'm sure there's an explanation for everything…'
"Hermione!" Lucius repeated, more firmly since it was apparently the second time he'd said it.
Hermione jolted back to reality and looked at Lucius, "Dessert dear?" he asked, his face kind but his eyes piercing.
Hermione looked about the table, the server had wheeled over a dessert cart, "No thank you," she muttered quietly, already feeling like she was going to vomit up what she had already eaten.
Hermione was still and quiet the entire ride home. Draco looked at her, noticing her eyes were far away and she looked pale and sad. Narcissa looked at her son, disbelieving her own eyes. Those weren't looks of concern directed at the muggle were they? Oh Merlin she hoped not… and she desperately craved a cigarette, especially when she saw Draco immediately follow behind Hermione as they exited the car and she hurried through the foyer to the hall that led to her room.
He caught up with her as she neared her door. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see who it was.
Draco stopped shortly and looked at her intently, but said nothing.
"Yeah?" said Hermione with surprising impatience.
"Uh, are you ok?" asked Draco, suddenly feeling uncomfortable by her negative expression and body language. Perhaps he should've known but he didn't expect her hostility to be directed towards him.
"What do you mean? I'm obviously ok." She said snippily, secretly dreading with anger the article that would surely appear in the Daily Prophet tomorrow… "Malfoy proposes to Granger, Granger simply adores father-in-law."…
"Well I just thought you looked a little sick or something and I was wondering if you needed anything…"
"I'm fine," she said, curling her lip in a sneer as she turned away and disappeared into her room, as if an offer of help from Draco was too repulsive to accept.
And this surprised him because? Was he insane to think they had really evolved to a civil, even friendly, relationship? Apparently so.
His mood shifting very fast, he found himself feeling very hostile and negative. Unable to determine why these feelings were in him, he became very angry. At her.
'What a bitch,' thought Draco, 'here I am trying to be nice to the pathetic muggle and she has the nerve to be a snotty beast!' Still fuming he slammed his own door closed.
Normally Hermione would have felt guilty around then for snapping at a totally undeserving person. But what exactly made Draco Malfoy so undeserving? He was the enemy right? The infamous asshole from Hogwarts who constantly picked on her and her friends.
She may not have any, but he himself had some power in the situation, whether it be keep her captive and appease Lucius, or go against him and set her free. Sure, releasing her would result in practically his own death, and she supposed Draco of all people was the least likely to sacrifice his life just for her… but still he could let her go if he wanted.
But Hermione could not convince herself. Putting herself in Draco's shoes, she knew that even if he wanted to, there was nothing logical he could do to make things better than they were. But Hermione was angry anyway.
Angry and scared and all alone, she pushed her face into her pillow, not wanting to cry again that night. The only consolation was that she managed to keep her sobs quiet enough lately as to not keep up Draco.
Perhaps she was too hopeful to expect anything so soon, but honestly, where was any sign of the Order?
… … …
………"NO Ivan, STOP IT!" "Get off of me! HARRY!"
"Podmore! Podmore! NOOO!"………