Chapter 5 – Finding Out

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Weekend sorry for not updating this story as much thx to all the reviewers!

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Continued from last Chapter

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The door of Grandpa Malfoy's bedroom suddenly creaked open and Hermione jumped as a rush of cold air came from his room.

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"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Hermione screamed as she saw who had appeared from the room.

"Malfoy what are you doing here?" She asked frustrated that she got scared for no reason.

"And where's Grandpa Malfoy?" She asked as she stomped over to the open door peering inside.

Draco removed his protective plastic goggles from his face and set them down on a nearby desk. He slipped off his dragon skin gloves and stuffed them in his pocket.

He walked over back to the door and closed it suddenly right before Hermione could peer inside.

"Don't be poking your nose where it doesn't belong Mudblood"

He said smirking at Hermione. Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes at him.

"Where's Grandpa Malfoy?" She asked once again sitting herself on a stool.

"I'm not the genius here mudblood, you are. Grandpa Malfoy told me to meet him here" He said glaring at Hermione never losing his cool. He leaned against the doorframe and peered outside the room

"Here he is now" Draco said as he stood himself up again and followed Grandpa Malfoy when he came in and started for his study room.

Hermione followed making faces at Draco from behind him so he couldn't see.

Once they got inside the study Grandpa Malfoy sat behind the desk and motioned for Draco and Hermione to sit in the seats in front of it. They both tried to take a seat farthest from each other. Grandpa Malfoy smiled when he saw this. He clasped his hands together and leaned back on his imported chair from Milan, Italy.

"Grandpa could we please hurry up, I have more important things to do than sit here with Granger" Draco said leaning back in his chair hands folded like he was trying to negotiate a business deal. Knowing better than to say mudblood in front of his grandfather

"Miss.Granger to you Draco, and there's no hurry at all I've already canceled your lessons for the day and the girls are all in classes right now so there'll be no one to entertain you anyways"

Hermione smirked seeing Draco defeated.

"Grandpa Malfoy since we're all here could we begin" Hermione said politely.

"Certainly, Hermione you know all about this already so I won't explain it again."

Hermione nodded as Draco slumped back in his chair even further fumbling with the Malfoy Crest on his finger.

"Draco as you come of age I must inform you of your before birth betrothal contract" Grandpa Malfoy said seriously. Draco bolted right up.

"Please tell me It's not pansy" He asked nervously.

Hermione smiled knowing when he found out who it really was he'd wish it was Pansy pug-faced Parkinson.

"No its not Miss.Parkinson, she's already betrothed and engaged to Mr.Goyle"

Draco made no comment and only showed a disgusted face.

Hermione cut in "Grandpa Malfoy I was wondering if I could have a bit more time studying the loopholes"

"Loopholes? I'm sorry to say that There are no loopholes Hermione. This contract was written by Merlin and he doesn't make simple mistakes like that." Grandpa Malfoy said while looking at a nearby portrait of the over talkative Great-Merlin. He then turned to Draco.

"Draco, you're set to be married to Miss. Esperanto the year you turn 18" He said waiting for Draco's reaction.

"Esperanto? Grandpa I think you must have mistaken you know as well as I do the Esperanto's have died out long ago during the last reign of You-Know-Who" He said correcting his Grandpa.

"Voldemort you mean" Hermione said nonchalantly.

Draco turned to stare at Hermione smirking "Its nice to know that the know-it-all hasn't changed at all" he said

Hermione clutched the armrests trying to calm herself down. After being called a know-it-all

"That is in fact not true Draco the Esperanto's have not died out, due to common belief. Their daughter is still alive"

Grandpa Malfoy said staring directly at Draco.

"Fine, but question what does mudbl... Granger have to do with my betrothal, since she's here and all?" Draco stopped himself just in time before saying mudblood.

Grandpa Malfoy pulled out a file and slid it over to Draco.

He opened it. His eyes widened the more he read. After 10 minutes and shaking his head to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, He closed the file and sat straight up to face Grandpa Malfoy.

Grandpa Malfoy started to speak before Draco could utter a single word.

"This is your Malfoy duty Draco, you know all the rules and you know better than to disobey them" He said sternly.

Draco fumbled with the hem of his cloak.

"Yes, sir"

Hermione sat during all this not much happier than him but at least she got some time to let off steam.

"So..." Hermione couldn't find the right thing to say while trying to get rid of the awkwardness inside the room.

Grandpa Malfoy took out two boxes. He handed both to Draco.

Draco took them and knew what he had to do. He opened one and took out the ring inside. He motioned for Hermione to give him her hand. He held it and slipped the Malfoy engagement ring on it. He gave the remaining box to Hermione. She looked puzzled but, she took it from his hand. She looked at Grandpa Malfoy.

"The ring you're holding is the Esperanto Engagement Ring. The ring you're wearing is the Malfoy Engagement Ring. The two families trade rings. It's a family tradition only type 4 and up purebloods share." Grandpa Malfoy said sensing Hermione didn't know what to do.

Hermione nodded and opened the ring box. Draco was watching her the whole entire time. Noting her once bushy, now sleek hair, her clothes that wrapped themselves around her slim body, her curves and her angelic face.

"Draco...Draco?" He shook himself out of his daze to find Hermione was reaching for his hand. He gave it to her without thinking. She hurriedly slipped on the smooth platinum band on his pale fingers. He quickly took it back once it was on. Hermione touched her own ring after placing the empty box down and felt the smooth metal over her fingertips, attempting to pull it off, and then looking up horrified when she found out she couldn't

Draco explained when Grandpa motioned for him to " These two rings are made to be bound to each other as we Malfoy's promised your parent's we'd take care of you. I am the only one who can remove the ring, but that would mean breaking a Malfoy rule if I did."

Hermione nodded in understanding, knowing she had to make it look like she wasn't total enemies with Draco in front of Grandpa Malfoy, just like Draco was being nice now even though he didn't mean it.

Grandpa Malfoy then took out a calendar from his desk drawer.

"We have to pick a date for the wedding so we can send out invitations" He said flipping to December.

He had put on his reading glasses as, he was against Magic changing his medical condition. He scanned through the month.

"How about the 19th?" He asked "That way we can host a huge Christmas Gala for the next few day, yes...no?" He asked.

Draco looked...blank "That's fine" He said knowing better than to argue.

Grandpa Malfoy looked at Hermione who was still staring at her ring.

"Hermione" She jumped a realized that Grandpa Malfoy was looking at her and waiting for her answer.

"Oh...Ya sure...that'd be a good date" She said not really paying attention still thinking about the ring and how it was bound.

"Great!" Grandpa Malfoy closed the calendar.

"I'll inform the caterers, the Malfoy Wedding planner, and the invitation printers." He said excitedly.

"Where do you want to get your dress Hermione" He asked (Grandpa asked)

She looked up when she heard her name "It doesn't matter...really" She said quietly.

"How about I get Morgana to take you then she knows all the good places" He said.

"Ya sure, that'd be great" Hermione said sounding not too enthusiastic about it.

"Cheer up! Because I need your guest list, could you two maybe get together sometime and get it sorted out about who you want to invite personally." Grandpa Malfoy said.

This time Hermione and Draco were both not paying attention.

"Hermione...Draco" They both looked up simultaneously

"Um...Ya...sure" they both said, then realizing they said the same thing.

Grandpa Malfoy chuckled "I know I'm overly excited and I've let on a lot of information on you two today, so why don't you both go back to your bedrooms and I'll get the house-elves to inform you when dinner is ready"

Hermione and Draco both stood up, Draco first though and made their way towards the door. They apparated back to their bedrooms. They both sat on their bed thinking...

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Like it? Anyways I can't type more otherwise I would but I've gotta to do my advanced math... boring... anyways... ya hope you like it!

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