Dazed and Dumbfounded 8

AN: Sorry the story has been concentrating on Harry a lot. I'll try to add more Hermoine and Draco, OK? I was thinking I could do alternating chapters, one from Harry's viewpoint and one from Hermoine's. How's that idea?

Dinner at Malfoy Manor had ended a few minutes ago and now Hermoine was taking advantage of a few brief minutes alone to settle her thoughts.

Although Harry had thought he had felt uncomfortable during dinner, Hermoine had felt equally bad if not worst. For one, she wasn't exactly used to wearing feminine things. While she sometimes wore her hair up, she was really more of a tomboy and used to running around in jeans and sweaters just like the boys. The dress she had been asked to wear was a big change from what she was used to and it was a good thing a house elf had helped her dress because it would have been impossible to get the thing on and zipped otherwise. It was tight around her waist and the lady-like shoes with heels were a real pain compared to her regular sneakers, yet it made her feel beautiful. Beauty wasn't something she thought of often nor were clothes, although that were the only thing some of her female classmates ever seemed to talk about. But then, what did you expect from a bookworm? In her opinion, brains were much more useful. Still, she appreciated the sneak-peak of what her life would be like once she was married to Draco.

And that clearly meant she'd have to deal with his parents on a daily basis. If only they'd quit the I'm an Evil Wizard act. Anyway, she was pretty sure it was an act. Wasn't it? She didn't want to believe that they really believed that stuff they were always spouting…

"You look spectacular." Draco told her, an appreciative grin on his face as his gray eyes moved up and down her body. "I'm sure Father will come around to agreeing to our marriage. He seems quite taken with his new pet project, if you know what I mean…"

"But I'm sure Harry hates it." Hermoine replied, concerned. "This whole thing has no doubt confused him. He mainly sees things in black and white, friends and foes. There's no way to know how he'll react. He's done things in the past without meaning to. That is, his powers take control of themselves when he's angry and even he's surprised by the results. Aren't you concerned throwing him and your parents together like that?"

"What? You think Harry is going to kill my Father? The do-gooder Gryffindor?" Draco laughed. "I think he needed that bath. The two of them will get along just fine; you wait and see. Harry will be crawling around in chimneys and Merlin knows where else while Father will be shrieking about all the dirt he smeared on himself. They'll drive each other nuts and better yet, they'll be out of our hair. Surely you'd appreciate some quite time together without half the school gaping at actually seeing us being civil to each other?"

"Contrary to what you think, Draco. Harry doesn't get dirty on purpose." Hermoine replied.

"No, but he has a knack for it." Draco drawled, then pointed towards one of the doors. "Would you care to see the gardens? I'm sure we'd have the place to ourselves."

"Well, I suppose…" Hermoine glanced down at the rich embroidered dress and fingered the skirt material. "You know, I'm not exactly used to all this. I knew you were rich, of course, but it's a bit different seeing it. Surely your family doesn't dress up for dinner every night, do they?"

"Don't Muggles? No, I suppose they don't, being Muggles and all…" Draco answered his own question. "But we have certain standards to keep. Maybe some Pureblood families have allowed those standards to slip but we haven't. I know you'll get used to it."

"Well, a little show of warmth wouldn't hurt. That's the element that was lacking in Victorian and Edwardian lifestyle. Maybe the Weasleys don't have the fancy clothes or the expensive tableware, but they're not scared to show they care for each other. I would have thought your parents dropped the act in their own home…." Hermoine said as she started to follow Draco towards the gardens.

Lucius came up from behind the pair. "Act? What act?"

Hermoine spun around to face him. "That you're an evil wizard. That act."

Draco looked from Hermoine to his Father.

"Am I not an evil wizard, Miss Granger?" Lucius raised an eyebrow in inquiry and patiently waited for a reply. "Am I not a Death Eater, as your friend Harry so loves to point out?"

"You know very well that Harry perceives things exactly as you want him to! He's only looking at the surface. That and he's a bit stubborn, set in his ways. But don't come complaining to me when you push him too far and he loses control of his temper and some of your pretty baubles get broken!" Hermoine stared him in the eyes, unafraid.

"I hardly think that fine crystal counts as baubles. But since my act isn't convincing enough for you, perhaps you'd like to tour my dungeon? Would that convince you I'm a dark wizard?" Lucius asked as he indicated the direction the dungeons was in. "Since you're planning on joining the family, you should see the dungeon anyway. That way you'll know exactly what you'll be marrying into."

Lucius led the two teens into his study. After moving a fine Oriental carpet, he whispered a spell to unlock the hidden trapdoor. Bending, he lifted the door and motioned with his arm. "After you…"

Hermoine glanced uncertainly at Draco. But then, she hadn't been scared of going down the trapdoor her First Year so why should this one bother her? At least this one had stairs leading downward or else she'd never be able to manage it in the heels she was wearing. Stepping forward bravely, Hermoine placed her foot carefully on the first step and started down. Lit torches lit the way and she had no problem seeing where she was going. Still, she had to admit Lucius Malfoy had a certain flair for pretending he was dark. He no doubt enjoyed it. She followed the winding staircase down until she reached the bottom. And if she were totally honest with herself, she'd have to admit there was a tad of nervousness bubbling within her stomach. There was the slim possibility that she was wrong….

No, the clues were right there for anyone to see if they bothered to look… She had been right about Professor Lupin being a werewolf and she'd be right about this as well. Besides, Draco was with her and he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Lucius passed her, his long cloak billowing out behind him. After leading her past several empty cells, he stopped and flourished his arm towards the row of objects. "As you see, I have quite a nice little collection. Are you positive I can't acquire one of those splendid torture chairs your parents love using on Muggles?"

Hermoine sighed as she eyed the iron maiden, rack and various other implements straight out of the Dark Ages. "I doubt if a dentist's drill would fit in your collection of antiques. You really don't expect me to believe you use these things, do you?"

"Why use them when one has such a wide variety of lovely curses at your disposal? Still, the atmosphere they create is important. One wouldn't want the poor souls locked in those cages to get bored, would we? This way they can look out between the bars and see all these wonderful objects waiting for them."

"So if you're such a bad wizard, why are practically adopting Harry and trying to marry him off to Pansy?"

"Because he hates it. Why else?" Lucius replied calmly. "Of course, it doesn't hurt that he is an incredibly powerful wizard with many achievements already under his belt. Surely if anyone is worthy of the Malfoy name it is he? And that would leave Draco free to marry you, I suppose…"

"Well, I still think it's an act. I think you've been secretly helping Harry all along. Someone had to tell Draco it was a basilisk down in the Chamber so he could rip out the correct page from the book. Harry thinks I ripped the page out of a library book but I'd never do that to a book! And I know I didn't. Of course, I never actually told Harry that I didn't do it…"

"And why not, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked.

"Because if I told him the truth, that Draco stuck the paper in my hand while he was out visiting Hagrid, he wouldn't believe me. He'd think I was making things up or that it was a trick or something. He's quite mistrustful of Slytherins, you know. Of course, the Hat wanted to put him into Slytherin…"

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Really? How interesting. Perhaps he belongs in Slytherin."

She was positive he meant something by that, but what? Although she was positive it was all an act with him, she hadn't figure out why. Oh, she knew he had to pretend he was dark so Voldemort wouldn't catch on and kill him, but why help Harry at all? That's the thing she didn't know … unless it was all a clever scheme to catch Harry?

"So," Lucius started to walk back the way they had come. "I suppose the little tour of the dungeon hasn't changed your mind on joining the family? I assure you I do have a large variety of dark items stashed throughout the house."

"You can't scare me." Hermoine replied.

"Ah, the famous Gryffindor bravery. Well, if you don't mind being the only Gryffindor in a house full of Slytherins…."

"There's Harry…" she reminded him.

"Yes, and we all know what House he belongs in, don't we?" Lucius remarked as he pushed the trapdoor open and climbed back into his study. After they were all out, he closed the door and locked it again. "I do hope you realize this trapdoor moves, so don't think you can go snooping down there whenever you wish. It helps when the Ministry comes calling, you know…"

Hermoine watched him leave the room and then turned to Draco. "Why won't you tell me what's really going on?"

"Because I promised my Father I wouldn't, that's why. Besides, you'll figure it out." Draco wrapped his arms around Hermoine and pulled her close. "Now why don't we forget about Scarhead and concentrate on us?"

Trapped within his strong arms, Hermoine felt her heartbeat speed up. She lifted her gaze to his hypnotic eyes and felt herself sink into their deep depths. It always felt so wonderful, so magical to be in his arms. She felt his body shift as he leaned forward to kiss her. His lips were warm, soft and gentle and she closed her eyes to enjoy the simple pleasure of the kiss.

Yet somewhere in the back of her mind was the thought that this couldn't last, for sooner or later He would find out and then what? It would all come crashing down like a house made of cards. Worst, it could happen at any moment. Voldemort was totally obsessed with killing Harry…

To be continued…

Sorry this is so short but the last 2 days were kind of tough. I'm trying to add a bit of mystery to the story. The next chapter should hopefully be funny!