Falsity
Just A Penniless Writer
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Author's Plea: Eh. I appreciate y'all, I really do. I'm just horrible at remembering to say it. And a bitch. Enjoy if you can.
Part 6: The Indecent Betrothal
"Despite her outburst, she left a generally grand impression in the room. With the exception of Petty, every attendee related to me privately their approval of Helen. A most adequate introduction that only reaffirmed my Plot."
"You continued onward then."
"Of course. After a bit of 'education' as it were."
"Explain."
Lucius cast the Auror a disdainful frown. Really, did the man have to be so obtuse?
"While I could quite easily see her abilities, she was in dire need of finesse before something dreadful happened. I couldn't have her disgrace me in public. Therefore we spent some time the next day on her lacking social skills."
"And how did she take your 'lessons'?" the damnable man asked pointedly.
"Very well. Helen was a very apt pupil, especially once I explained the benefits of such knowledge. Her next few assignments went significantly smoother. She will always be argumentative, but she is no longer as obscenely brash. Regardless, once we won over had the pureblooded populace, we decided it was time to continue to the next level of the Plot."
"And that would be?"
"While useful, my former social circle continues not to be fond of the press, understandably. In order to spread information regarding my new lover, it was necessary to go beyond High Society."
Despite how incredibly tired she was, Hermione had decided to accept Lucius' most recent invitation. She had just completed her last exam and essay before the Hols. If she deserved anything after all the studying, revising, schmoozing, and etiquette lessons, it was to be treated like a queen. However, she hadn't quite expected this.
"You are taking me where?" she asked incredulously as he affixed an elaborate necklace onto her neck.
"We are going to Gringott's then slipping clandestinely into the Muggle world from the Leaky Cauldron."
"But why?" she asked while trying to keep her mouth from doing anything improper such as gaping. It proved difficult. Lucius in the Muggle world? Absurd!
"Because, my pet, the easiest way for people to notice you is to act suspiciously. By pretending I do not wish for anyone to know of my company and destination, I ensure both to be printed in the paper."
Well, that certainly made sense. Still, Muggles?
"…And we can leave that Merlin Forsaken place once we find a reasonably clear spot to Apparate. The house-elves have already started a wonderful dinner."
She frowned at both the insult to her original world as well as the elf reference. While she had managed a wizard's oath that he would not harm any house-elves, he was still resolute against freeing them. It was something she was determined to work on, but she was quite proud with what she had accomplished.
Still, underneath his plan was an opportunity she would be daft not to grab.
"Or, since we could possibly be followed, we could actually eat at a Muggle establishment." She did her best to mention it in an offhand manner but still felt his hands tighten momentarily on her shoulders.
"That will not be necessary," he said shortly, definitively. Still, she was not going to give this up, not when she had such a great chance.
"Think of it, Lucius. They will be interested at you having a woman companion. They will be intrigued when you exchange some galleons for pounds. They will most definitely follow us. What better for them to see than the supposed Muggle-hater eating with a mysterious witch at a Muggle restaurant? It would be spectacular."
He was quiet with consideration. She pushed further.
"It would be front page news," she whispered fervently.
That seemed to be exactly the right thing to say for his hands released her shoulders and stroked them appreciatively.
"Tell me, Helen. Where in that dirty land could we go?"
"When I first arrived back in England," she lied flawlessly, "I stumbled across a very nice Muggle restaurant. The Muggle equivalent to Magnifique, I suppose. All you would have to do to blend in is leave off the robes."
"Really now." He paused, perhaps for dramatic effect. "You know much about the Muggles, my pet."
"Yes. I choose to be well informed," she retorted shrewdly, which was true enough.
"I see. Well, you are certainly correct about the media exposure. I suppose we could attempt it." He paused again, certainly for dramatic effect. "But we leave the instant a dirty Muggle accosts me."
"Truly, Lucius, I do not understand how a man so intelligent could be so foolish."
He chose to ignore that preposterous statement.
Thus their evening had gone. While in Diagon Alley, they had done everything they could short of Disillusionment to escape notice. Therefore it was no surprise when they first caught sign of the observer following them. The trip into Muggle London went just as smoothly. Though Lucius later admitted the experience wasn't quite as dreadful as he had expected, it still left him feeling distinctly filthy. However, the hours of scrubbing that night were nothing once he saw the Daily Prophet the following morning.
There, front and center, was clever little Helen smiling beatifically while he looked on with a grin that could easily be construed as blissful. Best of all was the headline that simply could not be missed or ignored.
Former Death Eater Takes New Love to Muggle Restaurant!
Reading the article was enlightening and amusing. The Prophet had pulled no stops in determining the identity of his escort. They had interviewed quite a few of his acquaintances and pieced together a good deal of Helen's false history. A pureblooded witch Lucius had encountered in an African market. A young beauty about which little was known. Lucius' guest to the majority of private events over the last month. An obviously serious love interest as she was already wearing a rather infamous necklace from the Malfoy jewelry collection.
Dear Merlin, how he loved the Prophet. The speculation regarding her past and significance was simply marvelous. It couldn't have worked out better.
With a rather pleased expression, he summoned parchment and a quill to write out the details of Helen's next assignment. It was time to tie everything together. All he had to worry about was how much her acquiescence would cost him.
Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Hermione almost snorted her pumpkin juice when she first saw the picture adorning the Daily Prophet. She was immensely thankful that the spell Draco had chosen worked as well through film, but it worried her still. Could someone find three signs and recognize her from those seconds of repeated moving image?
After reading the article, Hermione smirked happily. Lucius would be pleased. A quick glance at Draco showed him looking particularly energetic as well, though he kept sending suspicious glances to his head of house. Sure enough, Professor Snape was watching her with a decidedly off expression that made her distinctly uncomfortable. She would have to interrogate Draco about it later.
She did not get the opportunity until Arithmancy. As it was the last class day before Hols, the students were allowed to work on their independent projects. Hermione had immediately departed for the library only to be waylaid by Draco who led her to an unused classroom, something Hogwarts seemed to have aplenty.
"I just received this from Father. You have a new assignment," he said.
She didn't even notice the increased paleness of his pointed face as she took the proffered parchment. However, several gasps later, she had read through the missive several times and was just as pale as her accomplice.
"This can't be right," she said flatly.
"Father isn't known for his sense of humor," Draco responded in turn.
"But… this is outrageous! He cannot expect me to go along with it!"
"No. He expects Helen to go along with it."
"Isn't this awful fast?"
"He thinks it'll look better for him this way. Completely besotted and all."
"Surely no one will believe Lucius Malfoy could become enamored and betrothed the same month."
"They would have to if you went ahead with the Plot."
"But… I can't! We can't! I can't marry your father!"
"Great Merlin, Granger! You are not marrying him. You are only agreeing to falsify an engagement. He doesn't even know it's you."
"Still…"
"You are a bit too deep in this to give up now, aren't you?"
"But…"
"What am I supposed to tell Father if you disagree? How will I explain to him that the woman I supplied him with has disappeared into the nothingness from whence she came?"
"That is your problem!"
"Yours too! You bail out now, and he will come looking for you! He won't stop until he finds you!"
"You wouldn't!"
"Are you insane? For my Father, I would!"
"He is going to find out about me eventually, Malfoy. Would you rather it be before or after our supposed engagement?"
"Granger, as long as you don't implement me, I don't give a bloody damn."
"O, I will so implement you!"
"Who do you think he'll believe: his loving son or the Mudblood that lied to him for months? I'll be just another injured party."
Hermione was more than incensed. Suddenly, what had seemed like a pretty good and highly beneficial plan was turning into quite the predicament. The relaxing Christmas Hols she had been looking forward to was now ruined with the extreme effort that would go into faking a betrothal. The twice a week assignments would no doubt be increased to near daily. And, of course, Lucius would have something spectacular planned for Christmas itself, throwing off all her own holiday plans. Now, in addition to her own annoyance at the only partially unexpected direction Lucius' Plot seemed to be taking her, she had Draco revealing his intention to abandon her when the moment of truth finally came. It was not reassuring.
"Listen, Malfoy," she hissed venomously as she took hold of one of his ears. "I am only still doing this because of you and your father. Did you really think pretty robes would have kept me involved this long? Now, if I go down, now matter how, I am dragging you down with me. And let's not forget who is in more trouble legally, shall we? Not even considering the hefty fine for blackmailing a rather famous Mudblood, all the work we have undergone to save your precious reputation will have been for naught once I get the Ministry involved."
If Draco could be any paler, he would have been a ghost. For a split second she entertained the notion that perhaps she had frightened him to death. However, that didn't explain the sweat beading on his forehead as her words hit home.
"Fine, fine! I was just saying that he would track you down whether I said anything or not! You have to agree or he'll know! Bloody Merlin, Granger, just agree and save us all the trouble!"
It was one of the few times that she accepted Draco's words at face value, but there wasn't much else for her to do. Letting go of his ear, she ignored his indignant mumblings as he rubbed it gingerly and instead focused on the Plot that was rapidly becoming increasingly complicated.
"On the day before the beginning of Christmas Hols at Hogwarts, you agreed to further accompany Lucius Malfoy as his fiancée?"
"You make it sound so easy," she responded shortly.
"Did you or did you not, Miss Granger?"
"After serious consideration, I did agree to his proposal. As it was, I was too involved to bow out when he was so adamant about pushing forward. Thus, I agreed to continue the charade in an attempt to choose a proper time to inform him of my identity."
"And you found nothing amiss with lying to the Ministry and the populace?" the Auror questioned sharply, a definite gleam in his eyes.
"Actually, sir," Hermione responded similarly, "I believe you will find that neither I nor my husband ever said anything untruthful. It is the Ministry and the populace that lied on our behalf. I merely wore a very beautiful ring on a very particular finger."
She smirked in response to the Auror's frown.
"What of your supposed engagement party Christmas Eve?"
"A small gathering of friends at Magnifique to celebrate the season… and 'our blossoming love', as I believe he put it. If you review the article in the Prophet, I am sure you will find not a single statement from either Lucius or me regarding marriage."
The Auror looked rather upset but dropped that unsuccessful accusation.
"Very well. So you spent a large portion of the holiday with Mr. Malfoy."
"Yes, at the Manor and very places. Our first outing as a supposedly engaged couple was to Christmas shop in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. We had dinner out a few times as well. Our engagement was never openly questioned, and we enjoyed the attention as we grew closer in private."
"You insinuate that at some point during the hols, you began to truly become enamored with Lucius Malfoy?"
"I do not insinuate. I tell you quite easily that is precisely what happened. Lucius became very important to me very quickly. The more time I spent with him, the more I saw the man he was, and the more I liked it."
"Was he kinder? Was he gentler? Did he flatter you and adore you, Miss Granger?" the Auror asked, his voice thick with ridicule.
"Not at all. The more I saw him, the more I saw how wonderfully sneaky he was. How beautifully cunning. How intelligent."
"Those qualities attracted you?"
"Of course. You cannot defeat a Dark Evil Lord without gaining some respect for trickery. Lucius was perfectly capable of turning any situation to benefit him. It was simply magnificent to watch, and as I watched, I learned. Lucius taught me everything I could not learn at Hogwarts, everything that wasn't within the confines of a book."
"It was… educational."
"You have to realize, for someone like me, knowledge is important. But that wasn't the only reason why I fell so hard for Lucius."
"And what was that, Miss Granger?" the Auror asked harshly. Hermione met his hard gaze with one of her own.
"For all that he said and did, Lucius went beyond protecting his own interests. Lucius did everything in his power to make and keep me happy."
"Of course he wanted to keep you happy, Miss Granger. Otherwise you might reconsider your position."
"It is beyond that, you dunce. Truly, do you know nothing of love? The little things, the small things that didn't benefit him at all, really. Despite how much he hated the Muggle world and despite that the press stopped following us after the second time, he continued to take me to Muggle restaurants because he knew I enjoyed them. When I mentioned that I particularly enjoyed a certain Muggle treat, he made sure I had it for New Years. Do you think I would be foolish enough to assume he wasn't using me for his own nefarious scheme as we had agreed? I tested him. I tested him repeatedly! And he continued to put my happiness above his own."
"He returned your affections, then?"
"Yes."
"Then, how, Miss Granger, did he take the knowledge that you were in fact a Muggle-born?"
"If you have in fact been following the paper, you should well know. Our… disagreement was well publicized."
"So the troubles the Prophet reported were the result of Mr. Malfoy becoming aware of your identity?"
"As I just related, yes."
"And how did he find out?"
"At the time, I had no idea he already had two of the three signs. Therefore, while I expected some trouble, I did not expect the argument that came about," she rambled.
"Would you get to the point, Miss Granger?" the Auror interrupted.
Hermione took a deep breath and let the words rush out with her exhalation.
"It was all Mad Eye Moody's fault."