My Ferret 9

Instead of having the usual summer worrying about Voldemort, she would have a summer of romance!

"Very well." Lucius stated as he bowed his head slightly in the direction of Mr. And Mrs. Granger. "I shall inform my wife and start to make the arrangements to introduce your daughter to society. I do expect she shall be up for the challenge. It requires a lot of additional learning on her part."

/Additional learning…./

Hermione's brows pressed together in confusion as she pondered his statement and she began to open her mouth to ask him.

The Death Eater's cold steel-colored eyes focused on her; the look intent and strong enough to wilt a flower and a shiver ran down her spine. Being around Draco and his dreamy silver eyes often made her forget what a cold harsh man he had for a father. And whether she liked it or not, she would have to deal with Lucius. There was no way she could date Draco while forgetting his Death Eater father existed. It was just impossible. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly and finally settled into a frown.

"You will not disappoint me if you know what's good for you, Miss Granger. I strongly suggest you listen with rapt attention to everything Narcissa teaches you." Lucius stared at her, his gaze unwavering. He blinked and then the fake smile appeared. Nodding in her direction, he turned on his heal and headed towards the door. "Come Draco. We're leaving."

"Yes, Father." Draco also nodded his head in their direction; always the perfect copycat of his father. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione."

Heart pounding in her chest, she watched the two platinum blondes vanish through the front door and the door closing behind them with a soft click. The veiled threat Lucius had made had been received loud and clear, causing her heart to beat louder and faster. What had she been thinking, getting involved with the Malfoys? No matter how much she liked Draco was it really worth the risk that was involved? Lucius was a Death Eater! He was bold enough to make threats right in front of her parents and who knew what he might do later? Why, he could do anything. It was a sheer miracle he hadn't cursed her already. He certainly could have if he wished to. Her wand had been upstairs and with the No Magic law she couldn't really stop him anyway. The only thing that had truly held him back was the fact she had saved his son's life.

/What had I gotten myself into?./

She had been foolish to think she could save Draco from being a Death Eater. Lucius ruled with an iron fist and a tight noose-like grip. Draco was caught under it the day he was born and now she was caught as well! And what was he blabbing about; learning things? What was there to learn? Surely Narcissa wasn't going to start teaching her Dark Magic? Her face paled at the thought and she lifted a hand to her already fast beating heart.

"Hermione,"

Her father's voice broke into her thoughts, startling her. She had been so busy concentrating on the Malfoys she had totally forgotten about her parents. Lifting her eyes, she saw both of them looking at her with concern on their faces.

"Hermione," Mr. Granger repeated as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "Did that man just threaten you? I know that sounds a bit crazy, perhaps, but this whole situation just came out of the blue."

She paused in her reply, uncertain how much she should tell her parents. Should she tell them the truth; that the Malfoys were Dark Wizards? Normally she detested lying of any sort unless it was absolutely necessary. Well, perhaps a white lie was OK, like telling a sick person they looked all right as it hopefully cheered them up but this was complicated and totally different. Truthfully, she didn't know if Lucius meant what he said. What if he were lying to her? Was his huge concern of morality just an act? She was certain he had killed before, as he was a known Death Eater. And as a killer, why would he care if she had been alone all night with his son? It wasn't like Draco would be the one to suffer pregnancy if they had done something, which they hadn't. So why make the big deal about some stupid rule? Hermione bit her bottom lip with worry, her mind clicking at a fast pace that could outpace owls in flight. This whole thing may be nothing but an elaborate ruse to catch her! They'd pretend there was a ball and she'd be all dressed up and step into a room of Death Eaters!

And that would be utterly horrible!

She would be putting the other Order members at risk and then Harry would have to risk his own neck to rescue her! And she knew that despite their argument on the train that he'd do just that. The Death Eaters would love to get their hands on Harry so they could give him to the Dark Lord! The plan could work very well. Yes, Lucius could very well take advantage of her feelings for Draco to plan such a dastardly deed! That is, presuming the whole thing was a lie…

/Yet Lucius seemed serious enough…./

Could he have been telling the truth and he really intended for her to marry his son? Did the Purebloods really live by such outdated rules? She knew Lucius certainly dressed old-fashioned whenever she saw him and even wore a black ribbon in his long locks of white hair. Many modern Muggles would laugh at him for that and try to say he was gay or perhaps a sissy, but she knew enough Muggle history to know it meant no such thing. It once was relatively fashionable for men to have long hair and tie it back with a ribbon. He also wore a long cloak; another dated item to the Muggle world. The trouble was he was a Slytherin and lying was second nature to them. With the exclusion of using the Truth Serum on him, which she didn't have, there was no sure way to tell if he was being sincere.

"Honey, are you all right?" her mother asked as she bent forward slightly to peer into Hermione's face. "I suppose this must be more shocking to you than to us. Imagine, the nerve of him demanding you to marry his son at sixteen! If I would have gotten proposed to at that age, why, I would have fainted!"

"I'm all right." Hermione replied as she made her way slowly to the sofa and sunk into the soft cushions. The scent of some men's cologne still lingered in the air, reminding her that the Malfoys had just been here. She really didn't know anything about various scents, although she suspected that her roommates would have been able to identify it or parts of it. Sometimes they giggled about a boy smelling musky or woodsy but those words really meant nothing to her. The word 'woods', for example, made her think of the Dark Forest filled with dappled sunlight, green leaves and small animals rustling in the underbrush. The wind would blow through the branches causing them to knock or creek against each other. The air was pure and sweet with a hint of the fresh earth underfoot and decaying leaves. She really doubted if a perfume company could capture that unique scent and bottle it, so what did they mean by woodsy? "It is a shock, actually. I never dreamed this would happen…"

"But do you really like that boy?" Her father asked as he lowered himself to the sofa next to her, her mother sitting on her other side. "You can tell us the truth now as they're both gone. I realize we don't grasp everything about the Wizarding World, but even for them this sounds strange."

"Well, I do like Draco…" Hermione admitted. Somehow it was easier to admit now that the truth was already out in the open and she only blushed slightly this time. "He can be very charming when he wants to be. Most of the girls in school like him actually. I've always thought they were real airheads but then I started to like him, too. He has the most incredible silvery eyes. I know that sounds foolish, maybe, but it's true. But Harry and Ron are always picking on him, beating him up for the most stupid things…"

"But I thought Harry and Ron are your friends." Her mother stated. "Why would they beat him up?"

"Because he's in Slytherin." Hermione replied sourly. "They're prejudice, really. The prejudice works both ways, you see. The Purebloods, like the Malfoys who you just met, are prejudice against Muggle-borns. They think that Hogwarts should be only for Purebloods. In return, the rest of the school is prejudice against the Slytherins. Most of the Purebloods are in Slytherin you see. There are a few Pureblood families, like the Weasleys, who don't believe what the other Purebloods do and they're looked down upon because of it. I used to think the Weasleys were nice people until I caught Ron dangling that ferret out the window. Of course, now I know it was really Draco…"

"And you stepped right into the middle of this mess?" Mr. Granger asked, frowning. "Honey, to be honest I don't like the sound of all this. Am I correct in assuming that the Malfoys are rich, because it certainly looks that way to me? People just don't carry silver-tipped walking sticks unless they're filthy rich and want to show off."

"I heard that Lucius Malfoy is the fifteenth richest man in the world…" Hermione's voice trailed off as the idea of that begun to sink in. Most women would have screamed with excitement about being engaged to his son, but the idea of all that money, it was hard to grasp. Her parents were, well, satisfied with what they had. Hermione supposed that even among Muggles that was extremely rare. Most people just wanted more and more and often attempted to live beyond their means. They wanted lavish clothes, a house full of expensive electronics, fancy cars, vacations homes, yachts and winter vacations to tropical places. But they were satisfied with a roof over their head, food on the table and the warm things that filled their home. They had a car for going where they needed to and money set-aside for the future. Their career as dentists kept their days busy and satisfied, doing what they loved and helping others care for their teeth. And for the life of her, Hermione couldn't possibly imagine what people could do with all that money.

Her mother's eyes bulged out of her head. "Honey, are you serious? Is he really that rich and he wants you to marry his son?"

Mr. Granger looked startled for a moment and then shook his head, a sad expression in his warm eyes. "If they're really that wealthy, there'll be problems fitting in. That's the upper upper class we're talking about, Hermione, the real snobby, swanky kind. Those people are almost royalty! They got their own strange rules. We're only middle-class. Trying to fit in, why, that would be like an owl living with a flock of swans…"

Hermione frowned slightly at her father's mention of rules. Lucius had mentioned something of a code of conduct but she hadn't paid very much attention. Was that what his threat had referred to? Was Narcissa to teach her a bunch of stupid rules? She shrugged it off, sure there couldn't really be all that much to learn anyway. How many rules could people have anyway?

/But if Lucius told the truth, there's that odd rule about not being alone in the room with a boy she was not related to…/

And should she tell her parents that Lucius was a Death Eater? If she did, would they forbid her to go to the balls and social gatherings? A part of her still wanted to go, even if it was risky and dangerous. She wanted to prove to the Purebloods that she was just as good as they were. Hermione's mouth dropped open and her chocolate eyes widened at the startling thought. It was brilliant, bloody brilliant! This was the perfect chance to prove to them all that a Muggle-born was just as good as any Pureblood! Whatever they could do she could do just as well! A broad smile crossed her lips and her whole face brightened., her skin practically glowing with excitement. She sat up slightly straighter on the sofa, the idea causing her eyes to sparkle and her blood to rush through the veins a tad faster. Perhaps this way she could really change society! It may work even better than the thing with the house elves. But then her joy deflated as she remembered the whole thing may be nothing but an elaborate ruse to catch her.

"Your father is right, Hermione." Her mother said as she held her hand. "This could only cause you heartache. Even if you do marry his son, it sounds as if the other Purebloods will never accept you. You may think now that such a thing doesn't matter, but in the long run it will matter. The wealthy are expected to attend many social functions and you'll always be rubbing elbows with these people. If they're always excluding you from things, you won't be happy. You could tell yourself that you don't care, but you will care. You'll grow depressed and morose. I know you must be thinking of the glamour and romance these balls represent, but you need to look at it from a logical point of view as well. Any girl would be thrilled to be invited to a ball. It's like something out of Cinderella, isn't it?"

Hermione sighed. She knew her mother was right. It wouldn't be easy fitting in with the Purebloods. She knew that already, yet she was going to try her best and hope it was good enough for them. That really was all she could do, wasn't it? She had always wanted a chance to improve relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin. This looked like the perfect opportunity to do so. And hopefully she'll get to learn more about Draco in the process.

"Tell me, what else do you know about the Malfoys?" Mr. Granger asked as he adjusted how he sat on the sofa so he could look at her better. His eyes once again fell on the burgundy dress she wore, a slightly puzzled look on his face. "And why are you dressed like this anyway? I didn't know you had a dress like that…"

Blushing slightly as she glanced down at her velvet dress, Hermione hesitated. "Well, I … I was practicing…"

"Practicing?" Mr. Granger repeated. "Practicing what?"

"Well, trying to be a girl, you know…"

Her father stared at her blankly. "But honey, you are a girl…"

"But I don't know how to be a girl!" She cried red-faced. "I thought if I practiced during the summer than next fall I could catch Draco's attention and save him!"

Realizing what she had just said, she slapped a hand over her mouth. The truth was almost out in the open now and she couldn't retract it. Besides, she knew she shouldn't try to hide it from her parents. They had the right to know that the Malfoys were Dark Wizards. And if something happened to her and she hadn't told them, she'd feel extremely guilty.

Her parents exchanged glances and her father spoke up again. "Save him from what?"

"From being a Death Eater!" Hermione admitted bravely as she shifted her attention to her hands in her lap. At the moment she didn't have the courage to look her parents in the eyes. How could she tell them that she was in love with someone who came from a family of Dark Wizards? It was akin to falling for a petty criminal in the Muggle world, a drug dealer maybe. It just wasn't done. Nice girls weren't supposed to fall for bad boys and Draco most defiantly was a bad boy. He was arrogant, strutted around the school like he owned it and had a slightly dangerous air about himself. Still, girls just loved it, of course. Maybe he didn't actually have a big flock following him around. Most of the girls weren't that brave but they admired him from afar and he knew it, of course. Still, she had sensed he wasn't really all that bad as he was pretending to be and thus she set out to save him.

"A Death Eater? But aren't those the people that follow You Know Who?" Her mother asked, a confused look on her face. "What does he have to do with them? He looked like a nice clean-cut boy to me, even if his father is very arrogant and thinks he can order you around…"

"Yes, what aren't you telling us?" Mr. Granger asked, a stern look appearing on his face.

"Well," Hermione said in an uncertain voice. "His father is a Death Eater…"

Her father's mouth dropped open in shock but he quickly closed it. His lips tightened into a firm line until the pink flesh turned slightly white around the edges and his eyes darkened. "Are you telling me that the man who was in my house was a Death Eater? He's a Death Eater and you didn't tell us until now? Hermione, what in the bloody heck are you thinking? The man could have killed you! He could still be planning on killing you! And you're dreaming of going dancing with his son?"

Hermione hung her head, ashamed. She knew without a doubt that now her parents were disappointed with her. It was just by sheer luck she had gotten off the first time. And she couldn't really blame them, either. They had every right to be angry with her and that made it sting even more. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't just let it go. Closing her eyes, her head hanging down until her chin almost touched her chest, she felt her messy hair slip forward until it dangled against her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I can't help who I love…"

"Love!" Her father said angrily. "You're only sixteen! It's infatuation! You're too young to know what real love is and this rule they have, it's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! I didn't want to start some fight until I knew all the facts and now I'm glad I held my temper. The man could have murdered us for disagreeing with him! And you just let him into the house?"

"I didn't know who was at the door!" Hermione cried, hot tears leaking out from under her lashes. She could feel the wet tears leaking down her cheeks and dripping onto her folded hands. "And what was I supposed to do? Tell him he couldn't come in? He wouldn't listen even if I had told him! And I'm not allowed to do magic outside of school! You know that. He's an adult wizard!"

"And you shouldn't be dressed like that!" Her father replied as he pushed himself up off the sofa and started to pace the small living room. "If you've been dressed in normal clothes he would have took his son and gone! It's obvious that thing you're wearing influenced his decision!"

"But I didn't know!" Hermione wailed as a fresh belt of tears came forth from her eyes. She felt her mother's arm go around her shoulders and she pressed her face against the warmth of her mother's chest. Within the last hour her emotions have been on a wild roller coaster as she had experienced shock after shock. It all had been too much and in a way the tears were a welcome release. Yet it was unfair for her father to accuse her of inviting the Death Eater into the house. Couldn't he see there had been nothing she could have done, that he could unlock the door with a single whispered word? But the locks still gave her father a sense of security.

"Look, she didn't know…" Her mother said.

"Do you think I want our daughter married to some Dark Wizard?" Her father continued, his voice still upset and angry. She could hear his footfalls on the floor as he continued to pace. "What are we supposed to do? These people are just as bad as serial killers! Would you want our only child to marry one of those?"

"No…" Her mother whispered.

Hermione's throat burned and her eyes pinched from the salty tears as loud sobs escaped her mouth. She was making her mother's shirt all wet but that didn't matter at the moment. Her father's angry bellow echoed in her ears and she couldn't help but cringe at it. Although he had never struck her, the guilt of the situation ate at her. Maybe she had been wrong to secretly like Draco, but none of this situation was her fault! Turning her head slightly, she peered fearfully out at her father just in time to see him throw both arms up in the air.

"What are we supposed to do, huh?" He continued ranting as he paced. "It's just like out of the old fairytales with evil witches. They use poisons, kill people and maybe stuff children into ovens, too! If you never started attending that school, you'd never have got tangled up with these bad people!"

"There not all bad!" Hermione protested from where she still sat with her head pressed against her mother.

"And didn't you just tell us last night Ron was dangling a ferret out the train window? Isn't he another one of these Purebloods?" Her father asked as he moved closer to the sofa, glaring down at her. "And if I remember correctly, your other friend, Harry, killed a teacher at the end of First Year."

"That was in self-defense!" Hermione exclaimed as she leaped off the sofa and stared her father in the eyes. "Professor Quirrel was possessed by Voldemort! He was living on the back of his head!"

"And Second Year you were petrified by something." He continued as he reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly. "I wanted to pull you out then but that Dumbledore convinced me not to. Why I ever let you continue to go to such a dangerous school is beyond me. But know I see I was right back then and now I'm regretting the fact I listened to that Headmaster of yours. That place is filled with bad people! They've been influencing your behavior all these years and now you've involved with bloody Death Eaters of all things! You've been changing for the worst and don't even realize it. Perhaps if you've been attending your regular school all these years this wouldn't have happened. Well, I forbid you to see this boy! He's not going to influence you more than he already is!"

"Draco isn't evil!" Hermione protested as she twisted her wrist and finally managed to pull it free of her father's grasp. Stepping sideways, she moved away from him. "You've always taught me that we should help people. Well, I want to help him. What's wrong with that? He's far more innocent than Harry or Ron! And if no one steps in and does something, he'll be forced into being a Death Eater! But he's not cruel like they are. He doesn't have it in him to be a follower of Voldemort. And maybe no one else is willing to stick his or her neck out to save him, but I am. Everyone is worth saving, even Draco Malfoy!"

Hermione dashed towards the stairs and paused, one hand on the wooden banister. Looking back at her parents with eyes red from crying, she stared at them. "You're the one that told me that, remember?"

With that said, she picked up her long skirt and escaped upstairs.

000

Outside Hermione's house, Draco nervously followed his father down the cement walk. This was the first time he had seen a Muggle neighborhood and his eyes curiously darted around. He had seen a bit last night as a ferret but it had been dark then and his mind had been on other things. Of course, his mind was on other things now as well. The Malfoy Carriage was parked out front hidden from Muggle eyes by a spell but he could see it just fine and another spell kept Muggles from trying to park their noisy motorcars in the same exact spot. A magical breed of horse called Nightmares pulled the carriage. These were far more expensive and rare than the Thestrals that pulled the school's carriages. For one, they were rumored to be demon horses straight from the Abyss, a reputation well deserved. To those magic folk who could see them, Nightmares were an awful sight. They had blood red eyes and a pair of long fangs growing from their mouths, fangs perfect for chomping on fresh meat. There were almost impossible for most mortals to control and the foolish person who attempted to ride one didn't live long – and that went for wizard and witch alike. The thing is, the rumors floating around the Wizarding World about the Malfoys' demon horses hit too close to the mark and if said wizards had only known it were true, well, they would have been a lot more frightened. Except for the odd eyes and pair of protruding fangs, the horses looked normal enough. They were India ink black with snowy white manes and tails. They were incredibly swift and tireless, able to cross great distances in incredibly short amounts of time. Some wizards claimed to see sparks of lightning shoot from the nightmares' hooves, as the hoof struck the pavement, but this, too, was rumor. Many suspected the Malfoys were Dark Wizards and the fact that they owned a stable full of nightmares seemed to prove it, yet no one was brave enough to actually do anything about it. Eying the pair of nightmares with disinterest, Draco followed his father into the carriage with a lump forming in his throat. Now that they were alone, he was likely to get a speech or worst, punishment. So it was with great trepidation that he took his seat on the padded bench inside the carriage and closed the door.

His father sat on the backward facing seat, his back to the horses. This was the seat that tradition demanded men sit on, as the forward facing seat was reserved for women. A woman had the right to see where she was going as was only proper. But since it was just the two of them, Draco took the female's seat across from his father. He carefully schooled his face into a neutral position, hopefully hiding all the nervous feelings that were making themselves known in his stomach. Just because Lucius had seemed to accept the situation in Hermione's house didn't mean he had really accepted it. He kept a watchful eye on his father's walking stick, just in case the elder wizard thought he deserved to get his knuckles slapped. But Lucius just had the long silver-headed stick lying across his legs, his black-gloved hands resting atop it. The longer his father stewed the worst it may be. The carriage started to move with a sudden jerk and Draco felt his back press against the wooden backing of the seat. The outside started to fly by at an incredible rate until it blurred into a wild mass of colors, the nightmares running at their normal cruising rate. A few white-hot sparks flew past the open window but the Pureblood teen made nothing of it as it was routine.

"Draco." Lucius finally stated in his usual low voice, his face also a mask.

"Yes, Father?" Draco replied, his voice calm. His stomach was a rioting mass of hornets or so it seemed. He knew he had erred seriously this time, yet he hoped for the best.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this mess to your mother." Lucius stated, his cold gray eyes drilling into the younger man. "At the moment she is more concerned for your safety. Just be grateful I outfitted you with a tracking device or you might have spent years as a ferret. I strongly suggest you learn how to change back by yourself since this is the second time this has happened to you. I cannot be there every moment to change you back, Draco."

Draco frowned, nodding his head. "Yes, Father. But as you know, we haven't reached human transfigurations in school yet…"

"That is not my concern, Draco. The thing is, your classmate has." Lucius pointed out all too clearly.

The truth stung Draco painfully, reminding him how Weasley and Potter had once again got the better of him. To be outclassed on a broom by Potter was one thing, but beat by Weasley in spell work, now that really hurt. It was a disgrace and he had no excuse for it, either. Humiliation burned inside him as he once again remembered the sensation of shrinking down into the tiny animal and seeing his hands turn into fur-covered paws. And then to throw salt into his open wound, they had laughed at him!

/But I'll get my revenge…./

A slight smirk crossed his lips as he thought of the shocked expressions on their worthless faces. Oh yes, they'd be shocked and outraged all right. But by then it'll be too late and Hermione would be his. They would make a big stink about it but by then her heart would belong to him. They had already distanced her by their vile act, their attempted murder. And that's exactly what it was. It was one thing to kill a ferret, but to kill a ferret that was really a classmate: that spelled Azkaban. All he needed to do was point it out to Hermione when he saw her next … if he saw her next. Truth be told, he wasn't still too sure where his father stood on this issue. He hoped he could see her soon, hopefully at one of the upcoming social gatherings during the Season. Her parents had seemed to be OK with the matter, something that had relieved him greatly. They were, after all, just Muggles.

His mind turned back to being a ferret and he knew that his father was right. He needed to learn how to be an Animagus, to reverse the spell by himself. To do otherwise was foolish. His silver-gray eyes drifted down to the snakehead ring on his finger and he knew he had just been incredibly lucky. And those who relied on luck to save themselves on a regular basis more often than not ended up dead. He needed to take matters into his own hands. Raising his gaze, he met that of his father and nodded. "You're right, Father. I need to reverse it on my own. If I could have done that yesterday, I wouldn't be in this predicament."

"Draco, I have taught you Dark Magic to protect yourself. Why didn't you use it yesterday?" Lucius inquired, one dark brow rose in question. His lips were in a firm yet disapproving line, the corners just slightly down facing.

"They caught me unawares as I emerged from the bathroom." Draco hung his head, ashamed. His platinum-blonde bangs hung in his eyes and helped form a veil that blocked out his father's disapproving visage. "I have no excuse, Father. I … I had my wand in my back pocket and didn't expect an attack. I was washing my hands and just forgot to pull it out before emerging…"

"One must expect the unexpected, Draco." Lucius calmly stated. "You must keep your guard up at all times. Still, this situation may very well work in our favor…"

Surprise shot through the teenager and he quickly raised his head. He was uncertain if he should be glad or if he should be worried. There were several possible ways to interpret that sentence and he was unsure which his father had meant. One bode ill for Hermione that she could end up a utensil for Voldemort. Through her, they could get at Potter: a fact that Hermione had pointed out too clearly for his father. Not that he needed that pointed out. To a Death Eater it was all too obvious.

/I hope he won't hurt her…/

The last thing Draco wanted was for her to get hurt. She had saved his life and more importantly, she was actually concerned for his future. In his mind she deserved better than being a tool for some madman back from the grave. He still didn't exactly know why his father bowed and scraped to the thing. Rumor said that he didn't even look human anymore but possessed the scaled face of a snake with slits for nostrils. The image alone was enough to give him dry heaves and Draco quickly banished the sickening illustration from his mind. Now was not the time to get sick. He needed his wits about him in case his father brought up the issue with Hermione, which he was about to do. But the worry must have shown in his eyes for when Lucius spoke next it was on Hermione's future.

"The Ministry has suspected our family for some time of being Dark Wizards and your engagement to Miss Granger could prove quite helpful with that issue." Lucius said as he sat regally in the moving carriage, not a single strand of long hair out of place to the swiftness of their passage. "Still, you must surmise things will not go easy for her."

Draco's heart pounded in his chest and his palms grew wet. Unmindful of his actions, he wiped them on his school robe and earned himself a nasty glare from Lucius. Quickly stopping the dreadful behavior, Draco attempted to school his heart into submission. But it wasn't that easy. "What do you mean?"

"Well, she has much to learn, of course, and very little time to learn it." Lucius replied matter-of-factly. "Nor do we know how your mother will accept this startling news. She has been looking forward to a Pureblood daughter-in-law, you know. And instead we bring home an enforced engagement due to the Code of Conduct. Narcissa may very well be furious and refuse to help your betrothed. If that happens, she, quite frankly, doesn't stand a chance. Nor can I school her in what she needs to know."

Draco's heart dropped. "Oh."

He knew the Season revolved around etiquette, most of the things out-dated that a Muggle wouldn't know. And so what Lucius had said was true. Unless a Pureblood woman was willing to be Hermione's guardian during the entire summer, she wouldn't stand a chance. The other Purebloods would instantly dismiss her and that would make their marriage very difficult if not outright impossible.

Marriage…

/Am I really going to marry Hermione, a Gryffindor…./

The idea hadn't really sunk in yet. That is, it didn't feel real yet. He thought he might enjoy being married to her but it was still strange in his mind, as he didn't really know what that meant. Oh, he knew she'd come live in the Manor with them and be his wife; they kiss and stuff. But Hermione's parents had been right: they really were too young. Still, it would most likely be a very long engagement and then they could slowly get to know each other over the coarse of an entire school year. Would it be odd attending school while engaged? Would the Slytherins treat him different?

And then it hit him. The impact of the thought was like that day Second Year when he had fallen off his broom and crashed to the hard ground. He felt like all the air had got knocked out of him and he made a wheezing sound, his silvery gray eyes widening in understanding. This wasn't just going to affect Hermione; it was going to affect him as well!

/How will the Purebloods react to this…/

If the news got out and it was bound to, it would be the lead gossip of the Season! And not only would he be engaged of at the unheard age of sixteen, but to a Gryffindor to boot!

/I could be ostracized…./

The thought was not reassuring. He had been looking forward to dancing at the Balls all summer and smiling sweetly at the various females. How would they react to such news? What if all the girls he approached turned him down? They could do so easily if they simply remarked they were sitting that particular dance out. Then they would fan themselves coyly and wait for the next dance to come – along with a different male, of course. There were rules in place to prevent such things, true, but if the female were shrewd enough they'd carry it off with enough innocence to spare. And as they were all Slytherins you knew they knew the tricks!

"Ah, I see the entirety of the situation has dawned on you." Lucius remarked from his side of the carriage. "But rest easy, Son. Scandal often leaves the male fully intact. The girls may be a bit depressed that you're engaged, but rest assured they'd dance with you all the same. In fact, you'll probably be more popular than ever. And many will hope to steal you away from the Muggle-born and will be convinced they can. It's how women's' minds work, Draco. Once someone claims you, the others will want you even more. As long as you're not actually married, that is."

Draco's eyes grew wide at this unknown news.

"Of course," Lucius remarked dryly as a very innocent expression appeared on his face. "This will all be moot if Miss Granger can't attain one of the much sought after passes to Almages…"

To be continued…

Author's Note: It's a day later than what I promised but here it is. I did a bit of research on the Regency era and hopefully it'll be accurate.

Muggles had Almacks. Wizards have Almages. It's a tad difficult to explain, but it's to do with the Season and if a girl wanted to attend the balls and other events, she needed a pass from Almacks. The pass sort of acted like a permission slip to enter High Society, I guess. From what I understand, Almacks also owned a building in London and many of the balls took place there (as well as in the homes of the various lords, etc). So I have created the Wizarding World equivalent. Needless to say, if Hermione can't obtain a pass she can't attend the balls, etc. She could, of course, still marry Draco, but would most likely be shunned by society, which the Malfoys are very active in. Needless to say, that wouldn't be good for Draco's future wife.

I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!