Of Notes and Small Demons
Saturday morning, Hermione was drinking her tea when an eagle owl knocked on her window. She offered the owl a treat and untied the scroll, recognizing Malfoy's even, slanted script.
Her stomach flipped. She hadn't allowed herself to dwell on their kiss last night. She dreamt about it, though, and that dream was so much more than just a kiss; she'd needed a cold shower to calm down after that.
Part of her wanted to indulge and take advantage of the moment, but she resisted (although she couldn't say why). She should be glad she was attracted to the person she had to marry, but somehow enjoying it felt like she wasn't fighting the Law. Fully accepting this thing between them felt like a betrayal of her morals. Not because she felt Draco was a bad choice or unworthy of her affection; it was just the principle, she wouldn't enjoy a life forced upon her. Every life choice for her felt prescribed since joining the wizarding world. Sure, she had become friends with Harry and Ron willingly but after that, they just continued to take and take. Granted, she had let them. She never could say no then but she was saying no now. She was putting her foot down, she could make a choice about her own feelings. The kiss would have to be it; she wouldn't allow anything else to happen until they were married and once again forced too.
Unless they could put enough pressure on the Ministry that week, she thought. Then they wouldn't have to go through with it. Would that be possible? She shook the thought away for the moment and returned to the note.
Good Morning,
I plan to arrive at ten unless you object to the time, in which case send your alternative with Felix.
-D
It was nine now and she was still in her robe with wild hair. Since she'd already sent Felix home, ten would have to do. With a groan, she drained her tea and headed to her bathroom to start taming her mane.
Hermione was finishing her makeup when she heard another tap on glass. She huffed and walked to her window, beyond which hovered a large brown barn owl that hooted impatiently at her. Her heart quickened at the sight of the Ministry owl. She untied the scroll and the owl gave her an expectant look.
"You hoot impatiently and expect a treat?" she scolded. The owl hooted again. With a roll of her eyes, she tossed the owl a treat before shooing it away.
She recognized the seal from the desk of the Minister of Magic. Before she could open it, Hermione felt her wards shimmer as she heard the pop of Apparition in her living room. She turned to see Malfoy holding an identical letter, also unopened.
"I'm sorry I just popped in, I just—this showed up and I—" he sputtered, looking pale.
"It's good, I'm happy to have the company to open this," she said in an attempt to calm him.
Truthfully, she was not nearly as nervous as he appeared to be but given his history with the Ministry, a letter from the desk of the Minister was probably very unwelcome.
"Shall we open them at the same time?" Hermione prompted.
"Yes," he said.
"Alright, well. Better crack on then," she said with bravado.
They broke the seals on their envelopes and opened the letters. Hermione moved to Malfoy's side to glance at the page in his hands, noting that both letters seemed to be the same, apart from the greeting.
Ms. Hermione Granger,
Your presence is requested at the office of the Minister for Magic on Monday, June 30th at 11am.
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister for Magic
One entire sentence. Clearly, Shacklebolt was peeved. Hermione didn't know whether to feel offended or laugh. She glanced at Malfoy and noticed his furrowed brow.
"I don't know if I want to laugh or rejoice. Clearly, we have hit a sore spot if all we're getting is a single line demand from him. I know you don't know him well but I know this means we're winning right now. He feels cornered. This is your time to shine, Malfoy," Hermione said with an encouraging smile.
Malfoy relaxed visibly with her words but still said nothing.
"Well, you appear to be ready but I have no plans to be seen in my bathrobe today," she said with a chuckle.
Malfoy looked at her for the first time, really seeing her since his arrival, and turned sheepish.
"I am truly sorry I Apparated into your home unannounced like this," he said.
Hermione waved him off, calling over her shoulder as she left the room. "Make yourself at home."
Make yourself at home, really, Hermione? Merlin. There's no taking that back, she thought as she trudged to her room to finish dressing for the day.
Draco had no idea how to feel about that sentiment. Sure, Hermione said she was going to live with him once they were married, but looking around her townhouse again, he wondered how she truly felt about leaving this place behind. He sat quietly on her couch for a few minutes before a curious orange head poked around the doorway of the living room. The hideous, smashed face of a half pig, half cat creature appeared to be scowling at him. It crept farther into the living room, never taking its critical eye off of him. He wondered at never seeing this thing before this moment. Draco considered that his last visit here had been when there were many loud house guests. If this thing was apprehensive with one intruder, he could only assume a gaggle of them called for ultimate stealth. Draco shook himself. When had he ever considered the life of a pig-cat creature for such an extended period of time?
He attempted to rise from the couch but the demon pig-cat decided to jump up into his lap. Draco froze as the beady eyed creature stared into his soul. Then, in an effort to send his soul to hell—where he belonged, its eyes seemed to say—the creature yowled at the top of its lungs, causing Draco to lurch off the couch in a disturbed panic. The creature hissed before skulking off to the front window to perch and pass judgment on the neighborhood. It was then he heard a soft laugh from the doorway. He noticed Hermione, now in lovely lavender flowing robes, covering a snicker behind her hand.
"I see Crooks has decided to grace you with his presence," she said as she drew her wand and cast some spell to remove all the fur the creature left behind.
The beast yowled again as if to protest her removal of his gift. Hermione laughed again, walking to the creature and scratching it behind the ears. This caused the creature to begin vibrating and humming with such ferocity that Draco was sure the neighbors could hear and feel it.
"What is that thing anyway?" he asked with sneer.
"Crookshanks is my familiar; he's half-Kneazle, half-cat, and he's been with me since my first day at Hogwarts," she said fondly as she continued to scratch the demon's head. Even as it purred, it looked at Draco like it was planning his demise.
He pulled his gaze from the puffy orange cat to appreciate its owner, she looked beautiful today in her lavender robes. Draco wanted to tell her but he couldn't seem to form the words. He had barely slept last night after their kiss. He'd landed in his flat staggering and, as if he was a teenage boy again, went straight to the shower to relieve the strain in his trousers. He envisioned those swollen red lips wrapped around his cock as he came.
Being with her now seemed awkward. He had no idea how she felt about last night and he felt too vulnerable about it to ask and possibly hear her confirm his fear that it meant nothing to her. Draco wished he could be sure. He thought she felt the same as him; she had seemed just as breathless and she had played along. He blinked trying to clear his mind. He had agonized last night, now was not the time to think about it. Regardless of what was or wasn't going on between them, they still had roles to play today.
"Are you ready?" Draco asked as he stood, crossed the room and held out his arm to Apparate them to Diagon Alley.
"As ready as I can be. I'm exhausted already just thinking about choosing a place setting or fussing over flowers. I never really imagined any of that for myself," Hermione said wearily. "But that hardly matters now. This isn't for us, it's to make a statement and force the Ministries hand. What I did or did not want is immaterial."
Draco turned to her then and placed his hands on both of her shoulders. He waited for her to look up. "We don't have to do a big wedding, Hermione. We can do whatever you want. We're already causing a stir, we may not even need the ridiculous wedding," Draco said seriously.
She stared at him, a look of deep concentration coming over her face again, like he was a problem she was trying to solve. He wished he could see into her mind. He wanted to ask but he knew he needed to wait her out.
"I appreciate what you're saying, I do, but I knew what I signed up for when we decided to do this," she said, resigned.
Draco searched her face, looking for the woman he had sparred with and kissed senseless last night. She'd withdrawn, he noticed, and he found himself thinking she must regret it. He fought that spiral and offered his arm.
"Then let's give them hell, shall we?" he said in a conspiratorial tone, raising a brow as a small smirk pulled at his lips.
When Hermione smiled back, Draco wanted to crumble with the knowledge that she regretted what might have been the best kiss of his life, but he was glad he could still draw a smile to her face when she was miserable.
She took him by the arm and he spun them away without another word.
