My Enemy, Friend, Husband, Death Eater, Lover, Git
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Hermione and Draco glared at each other from across the room. Hermione put down her trunk slowly, "Well." She said hesitantly. Draco walked forward and picked it up, "I'll show you your room," he said quietly. Hermione followed him into the hall way, and when she went for the first door Draco stopped her by holding her back, "No, that's mine." He said. His touch on her arm lingered uncomfortably after his fingers left. Hermione nodded, shaking her arm quickly before going to the next door. Tentatively she twisted the doorknob and opened the door.
The room itself was very pretty; Hermione instantly took a liking to it. The colours didn't scream Gryffindor like the rooms in the Gryffindor tower did. Instead the wooden furniture was light brown and the bed covers and cushions were all purple. The curtains were also purple, and on a little stand by the bed stood a porcelain vase with pink orchids.
Hermione turned to look at Draco questioningly, he shrugged, "My mother thought the colour more appropriate for my future wife. It was all green and dark wood before hand and you might not have felt at home..." he trailed off. Hermione smiled, glad that at least some effort was made to make the awkward transition easier.
Draco left quickly and Hermione turned around the room again to get a better look. There was a desk and a bookshelf, a trunk at the end of her bed where she could put her stuff. There was also an armchair by a small fire place and two large windows with a ledge where she could sit. The room was definitely an improvement compared the girl's dormitory.
Tinka arrived shortly after bearing more luggage. She had brought Hermione's wedding dress which was put onto a wooden manikin in the corner of the room next to large body length mirror. She also started filling the book shelve with Hermione's large book collection. Unnoticed then by Hermione but some cooking books and fashion magazine were added.
As soon as Tinka judged her room ready for habitation and left, Hermione fell down onto the purple edifice which was supposed to be a four poster bed. Tired due to lack of sleep she curled into a ball, clutching the pillow close to her body.
The previous night she had went to the boy's dormitory and cried out every emotion that went paired with Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy or the entire marriage law out to Harry and Ron who had patted her back dutifully.
Although it had been intensely relieving she now felt rather guilty; having referred to Dumbledore as an old coot and renaming Narcissa: That evil,coniving, devil spawn dressed in ugly evil Prada which must die by various means of torture.
Now without Ron's protective hold and Harry's careful placed soothing words she felt awfully lonely. She buried her face deep into the pillow; figuring smothering herself would be the easiest thing now to do.
However the pillow was pulled roughly away from her. Hermione blinked, looking up into Draco's face. He stared back, and Hermione realised with a blush that she was teary eyed.
Draco ignored this and put the pillow down again, turning his back to her he said, "Don't be so dramatic, it's not so bad. You have your own room here, and there is a secret tunnel that leads straight down to the library, you can't say that about your precious tower."
Hermione tore the pillow away from him, "I'm not being dramatic," she huffed. Draco sat on the corner of the bed, "Really now. Suicide not a tad drama-queenish for your taste? Come now, you're not Lavender Brown."
Hermione nodded, pushing the pillow away. Draco looked at her appraisingly, "I know it's hard." Hermione sniffed, realizing that this was potentially the first time Draco Malfoy would be open to her, Draco sighed, a heavy silence hung between them.
Hermione got up, "It doesn't have to be." Hermione offered, "If we made it easier for each other..." Hermione smiled at herself, "How about we agree to be civil to one another. Possibly...maybe...nice?" Draco laughed, "Don't push it, Granger."
Hermione looked hurt, and he corrected quickly, "Hermione."
Hermione offered him her pinky and said with a shy smile, "Pinky promise?" Draco lifted a quizzical eyebrow, "Excuse me?" Hermione laughed, "It's a muggle thing. It like shaking on it."
Draco shrugged before offering her his own pinky, which was more then twice the size of her own, which she hooked with her own pinky and then shook.
As Draco left, Hermione heard him mutter before he shut the door, "You mudbloods are strange people."
Hermione didn't even notice the reference to the word mudblood. She never really felt offended by it since she didn't grow up considering it a bad word.
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Hermione and Ginny dressed as the dress code had assigned them to stood in line with the rest of the girls to which the marriage law was applicable in front of the great hall. It was a sea of tan coloured tights, knee lengths skirts, high heels and neat blouses, hair styles ranged from loose and sleekly brushed, to in a bun or pony tail or in Hermione's case, since a neat or a loose sleek do was impossible, she had plaited it all back.
Excited but nervous chatter broke out over the room as the doors flung open. As restrained as the girls could manage they filed into the room. The Great Hall had been arranged so that there were only chairs; rows after rows, all leading up to the platform on which a small plump woman in a lilac robes stood waiting.
After every girl had been seated she stood in front of them all and clasped her hands together solemnly. With a sly smile she spoke, "Good afternoon Ladies,"
"Good afternoon Madam Umbridge." They chorused out dutifully.
Umbridge was satisfied with this and continued by taking the register, after this she saw down, cross-legged, on the edge of a huge purple armchair.
"As you all know I'm here today to begin your first class in the arts of marriage." She announced, everyone clapped again. Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny was returned the disgusted look.
"I will teach you how to dress, and cook and clean and how to master your house holds. We are starting a new society here today. This 'new society' is a creation of the marriage law. You are all expected to produce perfectly healthy and magically apt children in your fertile years, whilst satisfying your husband's and family's needs and simultaneously managing the careers that will be assigned to you."
Hermione fell of her chair in shock, Umbridge craned her neck, a sadistic gleam in her eyes, "Ms. Granger are you alright there?" Hermione crawled up again, her hair had become undone and Umbridge grimaced at her appearance.
"You said...-careers which will be assigned to us- what do you mean with that?" Hermione asked with a degree of emergency.
Umbridge's fat toad-like lips curled up into a smile, "You heard me correctly. Jobs which we will assign to you depending on your skills. We will be taking an aptitudes test this afternoon to find a suitable career for you which you can start after your marriage. If you finishing school will not be required for this particular job, you will not be expected to."
Hermione gulped, "So we won't be able to choose...for ourselves?" her voice broke, and the people that knew her well understood her pain.
Umbridge only nodded, "I'm afraid so dear, now sit down." Hermione sank down into her seat, trembling. "All I have worked for!" she breathed to Ginny, "All those hours slaving away in the library doing homework...all for nothing?" Ginny patted her hand softly, not knowing what to say.
Umbridge continued in her speech but Hermione wasn't listening, "What part of our lives do we control? We don't get to choose who we marry, we don't get choose in what circumstance, we don't get to choose if we want children or not, or how many, and we don't even get to choose our careers? What is this world? Why? It's like 1984 or the Handmaid's tale only worse! (Haha Matthias if you're reading this)" Hermione bit her lips to prevent herself from crying, she forced herself to straighten up or listen, she forced herself to believe that Dumbledore would make it all better.
"Now these lessons will involve you learning how to dress appropriately and for what occasion. We will teach how to cook to maximise your own fertility, your husband's potency and the entire family's health. Professor Snape will teach you how to brew potions to enhance the chance of pregnancy for both men and female, and also lust potions, for those who may need it." Umbridge said with a sneer, looking directly at Hermione; Hermione looked away, grinding her teeth together.
"Birth control charms or abortion charms will be prohibited. The ministry can sense these charms being cast and I strongly recommend you to follow the law, because if broken the consequences are dear." Again a meaningful look at Hermione.
"Now, go find your own space and fill in the aptitude tests which we provided." Umbridge finished, indicating at pile of papers in the corner of the room.
Slowly people started getting up and picking up papers, then either returning to their chair or somewhere else. Hermione stared at her own she was intelligent enough to get a good job; they would have to give her a good job, one which she deserved. At the same time Hermione hesitated, her secret job for Dumbledore with Draco made her consider the possibilities and benefits of an easier job.
She tried to dumb herself down on the test, but she couldn't do it. She wouldn't let all her ambitions go to waste at the snap of a finger.
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That evening she sat quietly in her bedroom in Draco's apartment. Considering the day she wondered how her life had gotten this way, and more importantly how the perfect wizarding world became or dystopian by the day.
Hating Umbridge and the ministry she left the room to the kitchen, Tinka immediately shot forward, asking her what she wanted for dinner. "Whatever Draco is having." Hermione said distractedly. She spotted Draco sitting on a canapé reading a book and Hermione noted, against her own will that he was a handsome boy, if only for that current moment. Hermione coughed and he noticed her, putting the book down her came to join her and Tinka in the kitchen.
"What do you wish for dinner, Master Malfoy?" Tinka asked him immediately. Hermione frowned, she never approved of the way of the house elves but had learned to accept that she couldn't change it. Maybe with her own future house elve she could.
Draco looked at Hermione who didn't notice, "What ever Miss Granger wants." He offered. Tinka looked annoyed, "She said the same thing, wanting what you want. If you don't decide I'll make what I want."
Neither of her masters seemed to care, so the elf huffed angrily before whipping out of nowhere a pair of lobsters and some truffles.
Hermione awoke from her reverie when Draco poked her shoulder, "What's got you day dreaming?"
Hermione rounded on him, "Did you know we had to give up our careers? Do you have to give up your dreams?" Hermione asked in irritated voice.
Although he was surprised, he answered calmly, "No, men will also be assigned jobs."
Hermione had prepared herself for an angry rant because she had somehow expected to find the men's rights unchanged, perplexed she gaped at him, "But why, what is the point?"
Draco rolled his eyes, "And they said you were smart."
Hermione ignored this and followed him back to living room, "But why must they control this part of our lives. They already control my uterus what mroe could they want?"
Draco looked over his shoulder at her, "They need to maximise the society in order to strengthen it. The wizarding breed is fialing and this is the only option. Cant you see, if we are all doing what we are simply best in, things would be far more efficient then if people did what they wanted to do."
Hermione looked down to the ground, "So do you approve of this?" she asked.
Draco thought for a moment, "I understand their reasoning, although i'm also disapointed. I would have loved to..." he trailed off. Hermione jumped on it, "You would have loved to...what?"
Draco sighed, "It doesnt matter now."deciding that he had been civil to her long enough he returned ot his big, content to ignore her for the rest of the evening. Hermione took no notice, too absorbed in her ownt houghts ot care. She ate Tinka's magnificent dinenr quietly and complimented the elf on her effort, then fled to her room.
Taking a special liking to the ledge by the window she settled herself there and started homework.
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