Their Anthem and Our Anthem
Recap: The plop of something behind her made her spin on her heel. There, at her feet, was a green and silver towel. Glancing around, Hermione slowly picked it up and unfolded it. In the middle of the stripes, there was a big "D".
Smiling to herself, Hermione draped the towel around her shoulders and began her walk back to the mansion.
A/N: Hello Everyone! I'm really sorry I haven't updated in awhile (I'm really bad about that!) SORRY!
Anyway, an X-TRA, X-TRA LONG CHAPTER TODAY:D
Chapter Six
The sun shone cheerfully through the bright gold curtains and the wind blew gently through the open window behind them. True, it was six o'clock in the morning, but it was still breathtaking… or would have been if a certain someone wasn't sleeping.
Slowly lifting an eyelid, and then quickly reclosing it, Hermione groaned and rolled onto her stomach. But after a few minutes, Hermione couldn't resist the morning sun.
Sitting up, she yawned and pulled back the covers to reveal her in a silver nightgown that came all the way down to the floor.
She walked over to the window and gazed out at the unbelievable sight. The grass was just freshly cut and there was perfect view of the gardens with so many different types of flowers.
A week had gone by since the pool incident and Hermione thought about it often – she honestly had not seen Draco or any Malfoy for that fact since then, which was perfectly fine by her, of course.
But still, she could deny Draco's charm and sort of kindness, it was just so unlike him (not the pushing her in the pool part). And though sometimes Hermione's conscious thought otherwise – a cheetah never changes it's spots.
All of this information drove through the teen's mind as she went through her normal routine – bath, dress, breakfast, teeth. Her breakfast was brought up from the kitchens by Whisty, the same house elf who she tripped over a week ago. Hermione had given up on S.P.E.W. She still believed in house elves' rights, but the trouble was getting other people to think like her. Even still, she treated Whisty with as much kindness as she thought possible.
Hermione and Whisty had actually become sort of friends – well, almost. The closest Hermione had to a friend anyway. Even though Hermione got (almost) everything she needed and wanted, she couldn't help but wonder why they had kidnapped her and brought her here in the first place to just treat a muggle born like her like royalty – especially them being the Malfoys.
She shrugged it off as she put her tooth brush back in the cabinet. She had to do everything the muggle way because she still had no wand. She knew the Malfoys had it, and even though she had access to the house, she decided to be safe and not disturb the evil people who live there.
Grabbing the manor map that she had used last time to get to the pool, she found her way to the library, a big section of the fourth floor that had big windows and a huge fireplace and continued reading where she had left off yesterday. Everyday she came here and sat in the big poofy chairs next to the crackling fire and read until lunchtime. It kind of reminded her of the Gryffindor common room and how things were before this past summer.
But today was today and no different from the past seven days and soon Hermione drifted into her own unique world – the world of books.
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Draco paced his room – back and forth, back and forth, his swirling black cloak swishing behind him. He knew today was the day that Gra- Snape (shudder) would find out. The wedding was only three weeks away now and the bride needed to know so his mom and her could go out and buy a dress and set up other details that he didn't have to worry about.
Though these words he would never voice aloud, he would admit in his head that he was quite worried about her response. She had a nasty temper – but so does his father – and it could get complicated.
There was a soft knock at the door. Draco turned on his heel, afraid that it was his father. "Come in," he said, stiffly.
A small house elf poked it's head in, then worked quickly to in front of Draco and bowed deeply. "Master says it's time to have lunch and requests that you get Mistress Hermione from the library and bring her to the dining room."
Groaning Draco nodded and muttered an inaudible swear word under his breath. He glanced at his clock: five minutes till noon. Walking swiftly around the whimpering creature, Draco made his way to the library.
Outside the set of double black doors, he stopped and put his ear to the door, but he could hear nothing except the soft crackle and pop of the fire.
Turning the knob noiselessly, he stepped inside. The curtains were drawn over the enormous windows and the inside of the room was pitch dark. The only light came from the fire, where Draco noticed a small figure curled up in the chair closest to the fire.
Smirking, he sunk low to the ground and made his way silently to her unknowing back. As her got closer, he could see from his position her face in content concentration, her eyes darting back and forth across the page, her hair once getting in front of her eye and her, unblinking, yanking it out of her face and behind her ear.
Draco's smirk increased and as soon as he was right behind her, by her right ear, he spoke quietly, "Boo."
Hermione jumped up so fast, the book now on the ground, and Draco standing there laughing. Without thinking, Hermione raised her hand and slapped him right across the face. He immediately stopped laughing and grabbed her forearms tightly.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.
"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione shot back.
Draco's anger subsided and he infamous smirk was once again on his face. "I got you really bad."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I think you got what you deserved," she smirked back, eyeing his rosy pink cheek.
Draco frowned. "It's time for lunch," he said abruptly, changing the subject.
Hermione looked taken aback. "What?"
Draco smirked, "Did I stutter?"
Hermione flushed and bent down and picked up her fallen book.
Returning to her full height, she saw that the youngest Malfoy was no longer smirking, but whose face was in a deep frown.
"Come on," he said, turning to leave.
"No," Hermione retorted, "I like eating alone – how we've been doing it."
Draco circled back and looked down at her. "Things are about to change," he said, still frowning and looking more serious than ever.
Hermione's thoughts raced – she had never seen Malfoy – or any Malfoy – this serious before. "How?"
Starting to bite his lip, then quickly stopping, Draco decided not to tell her. "You'll know soon enough, now come on," he growled, grabbing her elbow and pushing her un-willing body in front of him.
She tried to get away at first, but then gave up knowing that he was too strong.
They walked down a series of pathways: right, left, right, then down a grand stair case, where Hermione got a glimse of the front door. Turning right, Draco's grip never ceased as he pushed her down another long hallway and then right again to where they were facing a set of double black doors with a small border of silver swirls and matching silver doorknobs.
Turning Hermione around and then letting go of her, Draco said, taking out his wand, "You have to change clothes."
Hermione took a step backward. "What! Why?"
"Because, this is a formal lunch," he replied, eyeing her faded blue jeans and t-shirt. Hermione frowned, but didn't say anything.
Draco raised his wand and said an inaudible hex. There was a flash of light and there Hermione stood wearing only a bra and underwear. Draco burst out laughing while Hermione tried to cover herself up.
"Malfoy!"
He carelessly flicked his wand and Hermione then stood there in an adorable flirty black dress with ruffles on the top and bottom. It barely reached her knees and the straps were spaghetti. Her hair had perfect curls and came down to her shoulders, perfectly framing her face.
The embarrassed girl relaxed and looked down at her outfit. Who knew that Draco Malfoy had good taste in girl's clothes?
Approving, she looked back at Draco, still upset at what he did.
He did not smile, but simply walked forward, placing his hand painfully on her back, turning her around, now facing the black doors. Pushing her forward, Draco walked to them and they swung open, revealing an enormous dining room with a long narrow mahogany table in the middle of the room. The walls were light purple and there were statues and flowers decorated perfectly around the room. Huge paintings of all sorts of things hung from wall to wall, in perfect formation. The whole room was amazing.
The room, Hermione loved, but the two people sitting at the table, Hermione did not. Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, sat at the head of the table, his wife, Narcissa, seated on his right. There were only four places set, so there were only two left: One across from Narcissa and one opposite of Lucius. Draco led Hermione to the one across from his evil-looking mother and on the left of Malfoy Senior.
After Hermione had sat down, Draco purposely pushed her chair in too far, causing Hermione to give him an evil glare and pushing the chair back out a couple of inches.
As soon as Draco sat down on Hermione's left, to the young girl's dismay, three or four house elves came scurrying into the room, placing food on the table and making other necessary arrangements.
After they had all left, everyone except Hermione started to eat. Taking the hint, Hermione picked up her spoon and took a small sip of the soup placed in front of her. The food was extraordinary, but Hermione barely tasted it, even though she was desperately hungry, she dared not show it.
When that course was finished, the house elves brought out the main meal, pork, and after that was desert, pumpkin patties.
Throughout the whole meal, there was complete silence, so thick you couldn't have cut it with the sharpest knife. No one really seemed to eat a lot, either. There was tons of tension and the awkward silence was very uncomfortable for Hermione.
After the house elves had cleared their desert dishes away, Lucius spoke sharply, interrupting the stony silence. "That is a beautiful set of jewelry, Hermione," he said, indicating her necklace and earrings.
Hermione, startled, looked down at the big diamond around her neck and the huge diamond coated hoops in her ears. She hadn't even noticed them. She swallowed nervously and spoke quietly, "Thanks."
Lucius smiled a cruel, nasty, weenie smile that held cold hate and torture. "Soon enough, you will have a new piece of jewelry to go with them," Lucius hinted.
Hermione, once again astounded and utterly confused at what came out of his mouth, muttered, "Great," looking at the empty table, and wishing he would just shut up and stop talking to her.
"A beautiful diamond ring," Lucius smiled in the same false-sweetly way, "and I'm sure Draco would love to put it on your finger, after he helps you pick it out."
Hermione, for the third time in less than five minutes, was speechless.
Finding her voice, she said, "That's okay. I don't need –"
At that second, she understood completely why she was there and exactly what was going on.
"Oh! Yuck!" she cried, jumping up so fast that she knocked over her chair, "NO! Never!"
Lucius kept smiling in his sick little way, "But, oh yes, Miss, it's for the best!"
Hermione's face grew red, "How is that for the best! I mean – why ME! I'm a mudblood, remember?" Hermione spoke the word 'mudblood' with disgust, seeing that's what Malfoy Jr. had called her for all their years of schooling together.
Lucius' face turned white. Standing up and walking over to the seething girl, he said, "But you've never been and never will be a mudblood." He smirked at her disbelieving face.
"What!"
"Did I stutter?" witty-butt (Lucius) smirked.
'Geez… like father, like son…. Oh God, please help me…' Hermione thought.
"Oh no, you've never been a mudblood," Lucius continued, "and this is your chosen destiny by your parents."
"My parents! Where are they? Are they here?" Hermione's face lit up.
"Both your parents are dead, actually. Your mother died in childbirth and your father died by betraying our Dark Lord."
"My mum didn't die in childbir-"
"Not the Grangers!" Lucius snapped.
Hermione gaped. "Well, what were their names and what is my new last name!" Hermione said, a little bit too eagerly.
Lucius noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "Well… I'm afraid I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that in less than a month your new last name will be Malfoy."
Hermione blushed, but then stood as tall as she could muster, "I will not-"
"Oh yes you will," Lucius interrupted, "Severus made it clear before he died that he wanted you and Draco married the moment you turned nineteen."
Hermione's eyes grew large. "Severus? Severus SNAPE!"
Lucius pretended to act guilty. "Oops! I think I've said too much and lunch is over anyway." He smirked at the inquiring girl and staggered around her, saying to Draco on his way out, "Ger her ready, son."
Narcissa scurried after Lucius and as soon as she had smiled evilly at Hermione, Draco appeared at Hermione's elbow.
"C'Mon," he said, giving her a prod in the back.
Hermione turned to him and started firing all sorts of questions about her newly learned information. Draco just listened and led her already occupied body up the stairs.
When they reached her room, Hermione stopped and turned around so she was facing Malfoy face-to-face. "So, why am I getting ready?" she inquired.
Draco sighed, "Because we're all going to Diagon Alley to get the engagement ring and you and my mother will go shopping for your dress while my father and I go shopping for my tuxedo."
Hermione's face lit up. "We're going to Diagon Alley!"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but I'm sure my father won't risk you trying to escape. Who knows what he'll do."
Hermione frowned, but still felt happiness because she got to go to Diagon Alley. She had a chance of seeing Harry or Ron!
"So… what should I wear?" she asked, slyly.
Draco shrugged, "I'm sure your house elf will have something laid out for you."
Hermione nodded and turned the knob and soon the door closed with a sharp "snap!"
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A/N:
Hello Everybody! Sorry I haven't updated in a while – I'm going to try to update once a month from now on, but I'll start making my chapters longer. I hope that's O.K.!
Thanks you SO MUCH to all of my wonderful reviewers!
Here are all of your names –
Then Kat Said, Gone-Goonie, lughnasadhfirecat, Arwen 12323, Ice Angel 10, applebottoms, white liar, sarah, HPobsession, DevilishAngel01, slytherin queen14, rowlinghermione, Draco's life long love 1990, Heiress-To-The-Dark-Throne, ZoeGirl2005, CCoLoMBiAnMaMi11
Each one of you means SO much to me - I LOVE YOU GUYS! tear tear
In the Next Chapter:
-Hermione's Visit to Diagon Alley
I hope you enjoyed this X-TRA long chappie!
PLEASE REVIEW!
-Angel12345