Us After This

by RZZMG

Theo Nott & Draco Malfoy want Hermione Granger. When she deals with one to teach her about sex, how will the other handle it? How will a Time-Turner,a fatal illness,an ex-,an Azkaban breakout & some old spells change the future? A/U 7th yr. HOT SHAGGING!

11. Chapters 20 and 21

CHAPTER 20: FALL OUT

The Daily Prophet Headquarters, Diagon Alley, London, England

& Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland,

& Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England

Monday, November 24, 1997

The head editor at The Daily Prophet, Barnabas Cuffe, zipped across his office, located in the heart of Diagon Alley, and legged it for his star scamp reporter, Betty Braithwaite (now that Rita Skeeter had been discovered to be an unregistered Animagus and had been put on a magical one-year house arrest by the Ministry… and summarily disgraced by Braithwaite, her one-time sycophant, for the scandal).

"Want the second story of the century, darling?" he teased Betty, sitting on the edge of her desk with a folded note between two fingers. Everyone knew the story of the century had been Voldemort's downfall and nothing would quite compare, but this one, he thought, would be equally as stunning.

Betty raised one black penciled eyebrow, brushing her chin-length Betty Paige hairstyle (purposefully chosen for the similarities in first name, Barnabas knew) back, and smacked her magenta painted lips dramatically. "Of course, luv," she smiled seductively. "Show me yours, and…" She sat back in her chair and uncrossed her legs, making sure her short mini gave him an adequate view of the tops of her garters. "I'll show you mine."

Barnabas was gayer than a jaybird, but he loved the charged verbal sparring with Betty. It was something they both got off on. He gave her a challenging smirk. "Really, dear, unless you've got a schlong the size of a Nimbus 2001 hidden away under that skirt, you'll have to offer me something better."

A wicked smirk wound up the side of Betty's face. "How about the address of a personal friend of mine? Tall, dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes. Member of the Falmouth Falcons – a Beater. Rough bunch, that group. Butters his bread on both sides… with jam."

Barnabas' interest was definitely piqued. He dropped the note on her desk. "I want a proper introduction to Mr. Rough-n-Tumble this week." He hopped off her desk and straightened his robes, wiping away flecks of imaginary dust. "And I want that story in tonight's Evening Prophet, darling!" he firmly stated, walking backwards slowly towards his office down the aisle. "And a follow-up piece every day this week, including the Sunday edition."

He watched as Betty eagerly grabbed for the note, opened it, read it twice and smiled maliciously. "I'm seriously in love with you right now Barnabas Cuffe!" she turned and announced fiercely to his retreating form, enthusiastically whooping in delight. "Meet me here tonight at seven. I'll owl our boy for us to meet for dinner in the Alley. He's into dosh, so bring your wallet and dress sharp."

"Don't I always, darling?" he turned smoothly and retreated once more to his office, waving over his shoulder at her.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Hermione floo'd back to Dumbledore's office with Ginny in tow, as the Headmaster had requested. She had some things to gather in her room and arrangements to make with her teachers before she returned to Draco's side at his Manor House, anyway. Harry, it turned out, was right behind him, coming to speak with their Professor as well. Draco took his mother immediately back to his home once he'd seen Hermione off in the floo network.

"Sir," Hermione began as soon as she'd seen her teacher. "I'm going to stay at Malfoy Manor for the week. I was requested personally." It wasn't a request, and they both knew it. She was of age now, and Hermione had proved herself time and again to be trustworthy – including jaunting around last year and earlier this year looking for the Horcruxes with Harry and Ron unchaperoned. In this one thing, she expected her professor to understand, as he seemed to understand her relationship with Draco was somewhat serious (at least, from the way he'd looked at and spoken to her back at the hospital, she surmised he knew). Still, she felt the need to reassure the Headmaster of her intentions. "I believe Draco and Lady Malfoy will both need someone to help with the funeral arrangements, handling the press when they come knocking, and assuring things get done around the house during the week – meals, dishes, laundry, that sort of thing. I'll work with their house elves."

Dumbledore raised a white, bushy eyebrow at her. "And what of your studies, Miss Granger?"

She had expected this query, of course. "I'll bring my books and owl my assignments. I'm already far ahead of the reading in all my subjects so missing this week won't put me behind a bit."

Giving her a measuring look, she felt as if her teacher were reading into her very soul. After seconds ticked by in silence, he nodded once, trusting her. "I'll expect your work to be on time, Miss Granger. As Head Girl, you have a responsibility to your duties here first."

She nodded firmly. "Yes, sir. Not a day late, sir. I promise. And I'll make sure the planning for the Yule Ball and weekly Prefect schedules are handled before I leave today, sir."

"See you do," the Headmaster conceded. "And feel free to borrow Binky, if you wish." He smiled slightly as her eyes widened in surprise. "I know you and she have an excellent relationship with food preparation already." Hermione blushed hotly. Apparently, her teacher knew she'd had Binky preparing late night snacks that were sent to her room. She wondered if that meant he also knew why.

Turning ancient, worried eyes on her best male friend, who was just dusting himself off after arriving seconds earlier, Dumbledore dismissed her. "Now if you'd be so kind as to escort Miss Weasley back to her Common Room, Miss Granger, I'd like a word alone with Mr. Potter."

She nodded and the two girls moved off, but not before she gave a questioning glance to Harry. She couldn't help wondering why he'd gone to the hospital in the first place. It wasn't as if he and Draco were friends, per se, although he had loaned her boyfriend the Invisibility Cloak that week she was in hospital. Perhaps they were becoming friends, then. That would be quite nice.

After dropping Ginny off at Gryffindor Tower, and seeking out Ernie to discuss Head Girl-Boy duties (including getting an update on the dance and setting the nightly patrols), she went to the kitchens to get Binky. After her elf friend packed her meager supplies (a small, locked satchel containing her favorite things), they made their way up to her room.

Her bed was still rumpled and the coverlet and pillow lay on the couch where she'd left them. With a snap of her fingers, Binky disapparated the half-eaten tray of snacks that lay on the end table forgotten. Hermione went to make up her bed when she noted the smallish blood stain smeared across her sheets. Had it really just been a little less than a day and a half ago that she and Draco had… She touched the mark, getting a happy flutter in her belly. She'd be alone with Draco in his house this whole week. Would they do this again?

Gah! She was there to comfort him during his time of grief, not to think about sex! She chided herself on the inappropriateness level she'd just been contemplating, and removing the sheets from her bed, put them down the chute to be laundered. Then, she packed up a week's worth of clothes and toiletries (okay, and yes, she packed a few pieces of lingerie, just in case Draco really needed some 'comforting'), made sure her Snitch and Time-Turner necklaces were firmly around her neck, and then took Binky's hand.

"Are you sure you can apparate us to Malfoy Manor?" she asked the little house elf nervously. "I thought nothing could apparate in or out of the castle wards."

Binky nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes, miss. Us elves can apparate anywhere in the worlds we wants."

"Even if you've never been there?" she inquired, fidgeting now. "Maybe we should floo instead?"

The house elf laughed cheerfully. "Binky has been to Malfoy Manor. Binky used to work there with Dobby, but was boughts earlier this year and cames to Hogwarts!"

"Okay, I'll give you that. But can you take others with you when you apparate?" she asked, gripping her luggage handle tightly, feeling the perspiration dew the palm of her hand. "What if I get splinched?" She swallowed loudly in fear.

The little house elf shook her head firmly and readjusted her satchel on her back. "No, miss, that won't happens. We'll make sure of it!"

With a second snapping motion, and with her hand firmly in Binky's, they apparated to Draco's home. The time was close to eleven a.m. then.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Having missed his morning class, and woken with a bout of the shakes that had him fumbling for his medicinal vials like some sort of potion junkie, Teddy made his way up to the Great Hall to try for a late lunch. It was now almost one o'clock. He had just enough time to grab a bite before rushing off to Ancient Runes Lecture. He'd grab a little more food and owl Drake during the one-hour break period he had between that class and Arithmancy Lecture, which started at three. Then it was Astronomy Lecture from four to five, and he would be free for the remainder of the evening – when he intended on tracking down Astoria and getting Daphne's story from her.

He sat alone, as usual, at Slytherin's table, but was quickly joined by Harry Potter, who navigated through the throngs of students now leaving the hall to sit down across from him. "You've heard?" he asked hesitantly, knowing Teddy was friends with Draco.

He sighed. "Last night. Is Draco's father…?"

Harry nodded sadly. "This morning he passed. Hermione's with Malfoy and his mum now at their Manor House. She's spending the week there with them to help with the funeral."

Teddy felt a small stab of pain for his friend's loss (losing a parent was an extremely difficult thing, he knew first hand), and another over the fact that Drake and Hermione would be practically all alone in that large house together. If they weren't already having sex, they would be by the end of the week. He despised himself for even thinking that way in the moment, because he knew his best friend needed her right now, more than ever, and it was obvious that they were in love. It shouldn't bother him still that they were together. "I see," he replied evenly. "I'm going to owl him this afternoon with my sympathies."

Harry nodded. "All of us are going to, too," he indicated a nudge of his chin over to his table. "Well, many of us, anyway. We're putting in a collection, for flowers to be sent. Do you want to contribute?"

Teddy nodded. "Of course. How much do you need?"

Harry considered it. "Whatever you feel comfortable giving."

"I'll get it to you by tonight," he promised.

Harry stood, and gave him a nod in appreciation. "See you then," he offered, and took two steps to lead off before stopping and turning back. "You can always sit with us any time, you know," he offered. "You're a friend."

Teddy blinked, surprised. "Am I?"

Harry gave him a small smile, his green eyes gleaming in the artificial sunny day that someone had enchanted the dining hall ceiling to reflect. "Yeah, you are."

He left Teddy contemplating that last thought as he chewed on his tuna sandwich and crisps.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Hermione appeared with a crack in Draco's kitchens, shocked to see such a large, opulent space for the preparation of food. It was half the size of the one at Hogwarts, but for a domestic residence, it was freaking huge. She whirled about as Binky let go of her hand and wandered away to locate the head house elf in the small throng of bodies that were currently running to and fro trying to prepare a luncheon for, presumably, Draco and his mother. She followed Binky, wanting a word with the head elf.

They stopped before an elderly, stooped female elf wearing a wrinkled green dress that fell to her knobby knees. "Lubby, I's is reporting for duty, m'am!" Binky snapped a sharp salute at the head elf. "I's brings Miss Hermione Granger to sees you, too. She's Master Draco's girl."

Every elf in the kitchen stopped and stared. Hermione felt as if she were suddenly naked in this room full of three-foot midgets with bug eyes. It was quite disconcerting to find herself at the attention of so many and for such a reason.

Lubby, for all her advanced years, moved remarkably fast. She was suddenly ushering another elf to put down the pitcher of tea he was preparing and take Hermione's luggage. "Ups to the guest room, next to the young Master," Lubby commanded, and with a crack, the other elf was gone – as was her bag. "Does the Missus have any special requests?" she then asked, turning old, rummy eyes on her. "Special foods, meal times, bath preparations?"

Hermione shook her head. "Well, no. Anything you do will be wonderful, I'm sure."

Lubby closed one eye and peeked up at her with the other one pointedly, looking her up and down. "Binky will serve yous during your stay, Missus."

Hermione knew it was pointless to argue about serving her, and since she was a guest in this house, she had no right to disturb the order of things – especially during this time. So, she simply swallowed her displeasure and nodded. "May I ask: do you know the fate of your Master yet?"

Lubby nodded. "We hears from the young Master Draco. We's is preparing all of Lady Mistress Narcissa's favorites for lunch and dinner."

Hermione nodded, pleased with the idea. "That's very kind of you, Lubby. And everyone. Thank you for trying to make things easier for them."

The old house elf looked at her as if this was naturally to be expected, which, upon consideration, it probably was, as she'd heard from Dobby how demanding the Malfoys used to be with their help.

Binky led her up to the Drawing Room, where she was told Draco would be found and sent to her. A few minutes later, he appeared at the door and the two rushed at each other, meeting somewhere in the middle with arms thrown wide about each other. He pressed his face into her neck and inhaled, and she did likewise into his collar, scenting his dark cherry and port wine familiar spice. They held on for long minutes, not talking, simply taking strength from each other's presence.

"I'm glad you came," he admitted, whispering softly in her ear. "I'm sorry I kept you away."

She shook her head slightly. "I understand, but Draco…" She pulled back to look him in the eye, touching his cheek gently. "I'll always be there for you. No matter what you need. I love you."

He closed his eyes and leaned into her palm, kissing it. "I love you, too," he murmured.

Swallowing her fear, she asked the hard question next. "Your mother, is she… in need of anything?"

Arctic grey peeked at her from under blond lashes. "She's in her room right now, sleeping. The hospital gave us some Sleeping Draughts, Draughts of Peace and Restoratives before we left. A week's worth at least."

She nodded in understanding. "I'm glad. Maybe they'll help." She sniffed sadly. "The elves in the kitchen are making all of her favorites for lunch and dinner."

He looked surprised. "You've already gone to talk to the house elves?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "You didn't try to convince any of them to leave, did you?"

Hermione's lip quivered as she tried to suppress a smile. "No, of course not. This isn't the time for that sort of thing."

Swooping down to hover over her lips he gave her a knowing smirk. "But later, when this is all over, you'll try."

She simply shrugged, not denying nor admitting to anything. It was safer that way.

Draco pressed a small kiss to her lips. "You're becoming more Slytherin every day, sweetheart. I think I like it."

She cleared her throat, and as she did, her stomach rumbled in response. Embarrassed, her hands flew to cover her abdomen. Draco chuckled. "It's always about the food with you." He grabbed her hand and dragged her out the door into the corridor. "Come on, let's get you fed before you pass out on me."

He led her to the dining room where, after calling for Binky, the two of them ate the meal that had been prepared for Narcissa (who was in la-la land at the moment, and wouldn't awaken until tonight sometime, Draco assured her). It was a delicious duck a l'orange served on a bed of wild rice with raisins and nuts in, with a garnish of green beans almondine to the side. For dessert, there was lemon sorbet with a mint leaf on top. It was the most extravagant thing Hermione had ever eaten, and the most delicious. She asked Binky to pass on her compliments to the kitchen staff, and Draco instructed the house elf to bring dinner to the table at eight o'clock that night.

After lunch, Draco took her around the house on a tour which ended with his bedroom. It was a grand room, fit to be a four-star hotel's suite, and it was precisely how she imagined it would be. "Very original," she dryly stated, taking in the plush, dark green carpet, black satin bedding, and sheer, silvery canopy fabric. Dark chestnut wooden furniture, silver framed oil paintings, and various decorative pieces about the room accessorized perfectly. In front of his large hearth was a long, black leather couch with dark green and silver fabric throw pillows tossed haphazardly upon it. His attached bath was black, grey and white marble, and the tub was ginormous – big enough for six, and deep enough on one end to come up to her neck, at least. A bubble fountain adorned its faucets. His walk-in closet was large enough for two time zones, and it was lined with fashionable shirts, jumpers, robes, ties in every color and cut imaginable, and even had a sock, shoe and cufflink set of drawers.

"Tell me you don't have a disco light hidden somewhere," she joked.

Draco raised an eyebrow in questioning. "What's that then?"

She shook her head, realizing to whom she was speaking. "A Muggle light with crystalline fractures in it that hangs from the ceiling. It turns around and… creates sexy ambiance." She grinned as his face pulled up into a look of appalled disbelief. "It's a chick magnet. Pathetic bachelors seeking blonde bimbos for an evening of frivolity often use it."

With a shake of his head, Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Ah, then I'd have no need for such a device. One, I'm into brunettes, not blondes. Two, I'm already a chick magnet unto myself."

She stopped, her jaw hanging open. "You are so full of yourself sometimes, you know that?"

He nodded unashamedly. "Yes, but you love me. What does that say about your taste in boyfriends?"

She tsk'd, shaking her head playfully. "That I'm a candidate for the loony bin for wanting you so much."

He stopped and his face changed in a flash. "Wanting me, huh?" he repeated her in a low, soft voice. His eyes roamed over the Muggle clothes she'd thrown on that morning in her room before apparating away. She was in a pair of snug, dark jeans, wearing a form-fitting red jumper and her trainers. She hadn't had much time for her hair, so she'd put it up in a pony tail after combing through it. She wasn't wearing make-up. All-in-all, she looked rather unimpressive. At least, that's what she thought.

He slowly pulled the closet door shut on them and stalked towards her. Hermione couldn't help it; instinctively, she backed up with every step he took, wary of the lustful gaze he was throwing her way. She stopped when her shoulders touched the three way lighted mirror at the end. Draco casually pressed both palms on the reflective surface to either side of her head and leaned down, his face deadly serious suddenly. He stared at her with blatant desire, his steely eyes latched onto hers, refusing to let go. "Forget the bedroom next door. You're sleeping in my room every night you're here, Granger," he pronounced, and her heart skipped three beats at the predatory look in his eye. "And while you're here, I'm going to fuck you… a lot."

She licked her lips in part anticipation, part trepidation. This side of Draco was a little scary, but compelling.

He moved in. "Starting now," he noted just before sweeping his mouth down over hers and capturing her in a blazing, wet kiss. She let him seduce her, knowing he needed her body right now as much as she needed his. Last night had been agonizingly painful for both of them – more so for him, obviously – and some life-affirming sex right then was definitely a good idea. Playing the passive role, since Draco obviously needed to dominate at the moment (possibly because he was feeling so helpless in other aspects of his life, she'd guessed), she let him remove all her clothes and the Time-Turner (he kept on the necklace he'd given her, though, she noted), until she finally stood naked before him. She let him pull her back from the mirror and turn her about so she had to look at herself. When she blushed and shied away, he forced her chin up, standing behind her and whispering into her ear that she was to watch them; she was not to take her eyes off of what he was going to do to her.

When his fingers lightly brushed over her nipples, they peaked and she gasped at the electric sensation. "So beautiful," he murmured, nuzzling her neck, leaving sucking, wet kisses on her flesh. "So sexy." She arched against his palms, and their eyes connected in the mirror. "You're all mine now, Granger," he muttered, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm not giving you up. You're mine."

He pinched her breasts, tugging on them, causing an ache in her womb at the movement. "For as long as you want, Draco, yes," she sighed in pleasure.

He bent his head and nipped her earlobe, his hands smoothing down her belly towards her kitty. "Even forever?" he asked, dipping one finger into the top of her slit, rubbing her clit.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes."

He continued to rub her clit as he whispered in her ear. "Do you mean that?" He licked her all up and down her throat.

"Keep doing this to me and yes, I'll mean it," she reiterated, gripping his hips behind her as he worked his magic on her around the front.

"I see," he narrowed his eyes in playful consideration. "So, I have to keep you sexually satisfied for you to want me, then?"

She shook her head, then nodded, then shook again.

"Which is it, baby?" he asked teasingly, swiping his fingers down lower to her entrance, feeling her drenched opening. An arrogant, knowing grin wound up his face. "Yes or no?"

Her brain was in a haze of pleasure, unable to think of anything but what he was doing to her. "Yes, I think… I'm not sure… I can't think. Draco…"

Two fingers entered her from below, and her thighs began quaking. She held onto his hips for dear life, watching as his hand moved rhythmically in the mirror. "So, it's yes, that you want me forever, but no to the stipulation that staying with me is predicated on me keeping you pleased in bed. Is that right?"

She bit her lip, as his fingers began an enticing swirling pattern at her entrance while his thumb followed on her clit. "I… mmmmm… oooohhh… What?"

"You know what I think, Granger?" he asked in a seductive whisper. "I think we were meant to be, from almost the very beginning. That's probably why I hated you so much. You were everything I was told to despise, and yet by Fourth Year, I think I knew you were everything I would ever want." He removed his fingers, pressed them to her lips, slipped them in between the crack and made her taste herself. It was salty, like she remembered, but only lightly so, and there was a little lemony tang to it. She sucked and licked until his fingers were clean, and he watched her the whole time, his eyes hot on her reflection. Against her back, his erection was straining. "And you," he bit her earlobe, removing his fingers from her and trailing them back down to her breasts, taking them fully in his hands and rubbing them in tight circles, "I think you like being daring and naughty, and you know I'm the only one who will let you be that way – as much as you want. And I'll love you for it as well."

She met his gaze in the mirror, and swallowed hard at what she saw staring back at her. He was right about it all. He knew her better than she knew herself now. That kind of power over her was a little frightening, honestly.

"Say you want me to fuck you now," he bid in a low, dark voice, his eyes never leaving hers in the glass.

She swallowed hard. "I… want you to fuck me now, Draco."

With a smirk of triumph, he gently moved them forward and pressed the palms of her hands against the mirror, tilting her over at the waist. "Don't move," he directed her, and then began stripping down, tossing his clothes to the side without care, until he was fully naked, too. Stepping back so that his hot flesh touched hers from behind, he reached down and lifted her right leg under his right forearm, pulling it up until her knee was even with her hips. Bending slightly, he positioned himself at her entrance. "Guide me in and watch," he commanded her, and her right hand automatically moved between her legs to his shaft, lining them up perfectly and inserted his crown into her entrance. When her arm moved back up to the mirror, he grabbed a hold of her left hip, the other hand still holding her right leg in the air and he shoved hard up into her, splitting her open again. She cried out at the momentary pain of the intrusion, her body still not used to being used for sex, but he didn't stop this time when she protested. Instead, he pulled out and pushed back in several more times - just as hard and fast as the first thrust - until she stretched to accommodate his size once more.

When her mewls of pain changed to gasps of growing excitement, he slowed down, pulling all the way out until the tip of him teased her entrance, and then slowly glided back in. "Do you see, Hermione?" He lulled her with sibilant whispers. "See how we fit perfectly?" He buried himself to the hilt inside. Below, his sack hung heavy and tight between them. "You take me all in - every bit."

Her cheeks were scalding hot, her mouth was parted in desire, and her breath came quick as her eyes were riveted to what he was doing to her. She hadn't actually ever seen this before. She'd seen some soft porn images in the lingerie shop in France, true, but none of those images had shown a man's penis actually moving in and out of a woman. This was the hottest thing she'd ever witnessed.

Her gasps were loud in the enclosed space as his pace sped up incrementally. She felt her body reaching for a release. It didn't take long. "Yes, yes, yes!" she cried out as he was now plunging into her from below, thoroughly making sure he pressed all the way into her with each shove.

"Tell me to fuck you harder," he commanded, his breathing equally as harsh.

"Yes, oh, yes," she whimpered. "Harder, Draco. Yes, fuck me harder!" she wailed, right on the edge. He gave her what she wanted, slamming into her with full force. The angle was just right, the imagery perfect, and with a final, loud gasp, she came in a blinding flash of color behind her eyelids. Deep inside, everything tensed, pulsated, rippled, and lightning shot up through her spine into her brain, pooling back down into her womb in seconds.

"I'm going to come in you, Granger," he rasped in her ear, leaning in to bite her on her throat. "Deep inside of you. Make you mine again." He grunted, his hot breath burning into her shoulder, as he pressed his forehead to the bend between there and her neck. "Fuck, I love you!" he gasped. With that, he orgasmed, groaning loudly as he shot his seed. Warmth flooded her channel. In the mirror, she watched his body thrust again and again as he emptied himself into her.

When he'd ridden his bliss to its end, with a great series of exhalations, he let her leg drop down and leaned over her back, wrapping his arms about her middle. He began kissing her spine tiredly, and all the while, she stayed in place, too numb to move. After he'd regained mastery of his body, Draco Accio'd his wand from the floor, pressed it to her tummy and performed the anti-conception charm. It was only then that the fog lifted and she remembered: as long as they did the spell within an hour of having sex, she would be fine.

With a growl, she got her balance under her and shoved him off. He slid out of her easily. "You could have at least reminded me of the spell to prevent pregnancy. I was really scared there for a few seconds at the end," she huffed.

Draco blinked, obviously not expecting her ire, and reached for her as she tried to slip past him. He wrapped his arms about her again, pulling her against his chest. She felt his wet, exhausted length pressed against her bellybutton, already felt his fluids sliding out of her and down the inside of her left thigh. "You should know to trust me," he murmured in her ear, sounding a little hurt. "I would never do anything to physically hurt you." He pulled back and looked her dead in the eye, feathering his fingers over her right cheek. "You know that, don't you?"

She nodded and sighed. "I just wasn't thinking clearly. I'd forgotten about what you told me about the charm." She suppressed an unexpected yawn behind one hand. "Oh, excuse me!" she apologized. "I'm just so tired."

With that excuse, the reasons for her exhaustion came crashing back in on them both. Realizing her faux pas too late, she felt Draco stiffen against her and tried to fix it. "Can we lie down in your bed together?" she asked, wrapping her arms about his neck and nuzzling his long, pale throat, tickling his soft platinum hair in between her fingers.

He paused, and then nodded. They released each other and she wiped her thigh off immediately, trying to be discreet about it. They walked out of the closet into the main room, and she slipped under the black satin covers as Draco made sure the door to his room was locked. The temperature was very cool against her overheated skin as the chilly fabric slid over her nipples and legs, so Draco waved his wand towards the fireplace and got a cheery flame started. Within minutes, the room was warm. He put his wand down on the bedside table and set it to buzz them at six o'clock. Then, he joined Hermione in the center of the giant mattress, pulled the covers over them both and wrapped his arms about her as she lay her cheek on his chest.

After a few seconds, she heard a rumble of a small chuckle escape his lips. Looking up she gave him an inquisitive look. "What?"

He smiled down at her. "I just realized that we sleep together perfect, too."

"How do you mean?" she asked, confused by this strange comment.

"You prefer the right, I prefer the left," he stated the obvious. "Same as on your couch at school… and your bed. I just didn't realize it before."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to Draco's lips. "I guess we were meant to be then, huh?" With that, she laid her head back down and closed her eyes, drifting off into sleep almost immediately within the warmth and safety of her lover's arms.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Astoria was in the library studying after dinner at a table full of mixed-house Fifth Years. He tapped her on the shoulder. "May I speak to you in private?" he asked, and she blinked, looking a little surprised. Across the table from her, Jason Swann made an "Oooooh," and waggled his eyebrows teasingly. Teddy felt compelled to defend the girl's honor.

"Get your mind out of the gutter and back into your books, kid," he slammed Swann hard in front of the others. "You're going to need every study second to pass your OWLs, I hear."

Face tinged crimson, Jason Swann threw him a nasty, threatening look. Teddy just stared back, undaunted. He faced death daily, literally. Nothing scared him anymore.

Astoria scooted back her chair and gathered her things. "See you guys later," she waved and fell into step beside Teddy as they made their way out of the library and into a private classroom nearby. "What's up, Theo?" the young, pixie-like girl asked, hopping up on the teacher's desk at the front of the room without fear of consequence.

Unlike her sister, Astoria was the tomboy-ish type, not really interested in guys, very down to earth. Her short, no-nonsense haircut, lack of make-up and jewelry, and the easy way she related to people without pretense made her Daphne's polar opposite. He wondered why the youngest Greengrass sibling (who had four older sisters, all of whom had gone through Slytherin House like Ice Queens, he'd been told) had been sorted into Slytherin House, as she seemed more a Hufflepuff, but then he'd heard that the Sorting Hat took into account your personal preferences, so perhaps she had asked to be placed with her older sister so as to not be alone.

Teddy ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his face and jumped right in, skipping preliminaries. "What happened between Daph and Toby two years ago?"

Between one breath and the next, Astoria froze. She was so like a statue that Teddy grew concerned she might topple over from not breathing.

"Astoria?" he prompted when she didn't reply. He crossed the short distance between them, alarmed. "You okay? Astoria?" He waved a hand in front of her face, but didn't get a reply. Not even an eye blink. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her one good shake. "Astoria!"

That seemed to work. Instantly, she was focused on his face. She blinked, smiled and looked at him curiously. "Sorry, what were we talking about?" She looked completely oblivious as to what had just happened not three seconds ago.

Teddy considered that seriously, and then tried again, a sneaking suspicion in his mind as to her strange episode. "I asked what happened between Daphne and Toby two years ago."

Again, Astoria's face changed, losing all emotion, going blank. Teddy waved a hand in front of her eyes again. No effect. Her pupils were dilated, her breathing gone shallow, her face somewhat slack. He'd been right: someone had messed with her memories, and put some sort of a memory charm on her to prevent her from talking about this subject. Obviously, whatever happened between Daphne and Toby was meant to stay a secret for a reason – a reason Astoria was not meant to remember or speak of ever.

He shook the young girl again and she snapped out of it, smiling again. "Sorry, I guess the lack of sleep last night is catching up." She yawned. "I completely missed what you just said." She blinked. "Wasn't it awful what happened to the Malfoys? Poor Draco. I wonder if he's okay…" As she spoke, she pinked and looked away.

Teddy stepped back, knowing he wasn't getting anything from Astoria Greengrass that he needed. He nodded, pretending this was what they'd been discussing all along. "As I said, Potter's taking up a collection to send flowers. Tell the others and see if they want to pitch in."

Astoria's face brightened. "Oh, that's a lovely idea! I'll go tell my study group right now. Does it matter how much we give?"

He shook his head. "Whatever you want. Potter's putting everyone's name on the card, whoever donates even a knut." He'd gone himself to the Gryffindor table at dinner and passed on his ten galleons discreetly to his new friend for the cause. "I didn't want to embarrass anyone who didn't want to contribute. That's why I asked to speak to you alone. Hope that was okay?"

Adjusting the strap of her satchel on her shoulder she nodded. "That was very considerate of you, Theo."

As they separated in the hall, she called back to him. "You know, I think Daphne's right about you. You really are a good man."

She left Teddy standing in the hall, gaping after her, wondering why Daphne Greengrass would ever say anything nice about him after everything that had gone down between them.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

The Evening Prophet ran a very special edition that night that had the whole wizarding world in an uproar within minutes of its arrival off the presses:

DEATH EATERS ESCAPE AZKABAN!

LUCIUS MALFOY FIRST VICTIM

by: Betty Braithwaite, Lead Reporter

The Ministry of Magic confirmed in the wee hours of this morning that Azkaban Prison had been abandoned some time yesterday evening late by its guardians, the Dementors, for reasons still a mystery. Consequently, the impenetrable prison was left unguarded, and a massive breakout of the prisoners occurred, including all of the Dark Lord's fanatically loyal Death Eaters who had been captured and sentenced to various terms within its silent, black walls.

The Ministry has assured this reporter that every resource at its disposal – including Aurors, Hex-Witches and Magical Law Enforcement Squads from other international Ministries – are being utilized to hunt down and immediately return the dangerous prisoners to the island fortress, which is currently under construction to repair the damaged areas. Already in custody are two former Death Eaters, although the Ministry is withholding their names and locations currently.

In an ironic twist of fate, this reporter has learned that the first victim of the break-out was none other than a former Death Eater himself. Lucius Malfoy became a confirmed casualty in the wee hours of this morning when he passed away at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London, the recipient of an unknown curse at his home just minutes after the mass escape. Although we have been assured that his wife, Narcissa, and only son, Draco, are safe in an undisclosed location currently, our suspicions were confirmed that the successful attempt on The Honorable Lord Malfoy, the Baron of Swindon, was a revenge killing for his son having been pivotal in the death of Lord Voldemort earlier this year. A note left at The Daily Prophet's main offices in Diagon Alley just this morning, signed by Death Eater loyalist, Bellatrix Lestrange – sister-in-law of the victim – takes full responsibility for the murder, and attributes it to, "…the Malfoy family's cowardice and betrayal of our Great Lord!" The note taunts other deaths will follow soon, although no names, dates or locations are provided.

The Ministry is recommending that all wizards and witches take the same precautions as had been enacted during the war – namely, unplotting your homes and flats, removing yourself from the floo network, avoiding any unnecessary travel, and keeping any correspondence to a minimum to allow official Ministry owls and brooms precedence in the skies. Members who participated in the raid on the Riddle Mansion are requested to check-in with the Ministry daily.

Stay tuned every day this week as we bring you shocking coverage of the Malfoy family tragedy, as well as any updates as to Death Eater captures or future attacks. As the story unfolds, we'll be there.

---

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE TRUTH CAN HURT, IT CAN BIND AND BLIND YOU

Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England

& Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland,

Monday, November 24, 1997 - Tuesday, November 25, 1997

Dinner that Monday night had barely averted disaster. The Malfoy family house elves had done a marvelous job on the food – it was beautifully presented and tasted wonderful. The problem was they had forgotten that this particular dish was one of Lucius and Narcissa's favorites together, and when the Lady of the House realized what was before her, she'd broken down into great, wracking sobs, her thin, bird frame shaking horribly.

Draco leapt to her side in an instant, and it was up to Hermione to get Binky to quickly take away the food and bring any lunch leftovers instead (heated quickly with a charm, she was sure). Thankfully, they had turned aside Draco's temper, which had risen in an instant at seeing his mother so distressed. He began bellowing at Binky, who stepped back in terror, before Hermione stepped in and calmly suggested he comfort Narcissa and she'd handle the meal arrangements from now on. As a Muggle-born from a modest income family, she was sure there were some culinary recipes that the Malfoys had probably never tasted that would be 'safe' for the menu for the next few days.

As soon as the duck a l'orange plate appeared, Hermione had quietly scooted it closer to Narcissa, and then resumed her seat, not wanting to interfere as Draco calmed his mother enough to eat her meal. Too tired to eat dessert, she claimed, Narcissa retired to her room, her son at her elbow to guide her and assure she took her potions.

Hermione remained in her seat in the dining room and finished her food alone. She was spooning some lemon sorbet into her mouth when Draco returned. Crossing to her quickly, he took her utensil out of her hand, put it on the table, drew her up into his arms and kissed her soundly. She still had a mouth full of sorbet, which his tongue dipped in and shared the taste of with a groan. "I love you so much," he confessed as he pulled his lips off hers finally. "Thank you."

She held him close and smiled sadly. "I love you, too." They stood like that, their foreheads together, running fingers slowly and gently over each other's arms and face, and then she sighed. "Is she going to be okay for tonight?"

He nodded wearily. "For now."

She looked at him then and realized how very young he was. The war had changed them both, made them grow up quickly, but he was still only seventeen. True, that meant he was legally an adult in the wizarding world, but it was much too young to have to bury your father. She stroked his cheek. "Take a bath with me, and then we'll go to bed. I'll hold you until you fall asleep."

"Okay," he gave in easily, and she could see the signs of exhaustion starting to take their toll. He hadn't slept last night, she was sure, and this afternoon's few hours in bed hadn't been enough. She led him back up to his room from memory, and he limply followed without a word. Once there, she locked the door with a wave of her wand and set a privacy spell upon to keep sound out. She then led him to the bath, and filled the tub. Finding relaxing lavender bath oil, she dropped a few splashes in the water and stirred it around with a flick of her wrist.

He let her undress him and lead him into the bath, and there was no funny business. Sitting behind him and reaching for a washcloth, she soaked it then dripped the hot water across the back of his neck gently, let it fall like relaxing raindrops before settling the cloth over the spot. She massaged his shoulders and he groaned in pleasure as she worked her fingers over his tight muscles, asking if he wanted more or less pressure as she learned how he liked to be touched. She worked down his arms to his wrists, rolling them each in turn, and made sure to pay attention to each finger, both thumbs and the cradle of his palms. By then, he was out cold, asleep in her arms, his head lolling against her breasts. He snored lightly, and she smiled, placed a kiss on his temple, then lay back against the rim of the huge tub and held him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

I want to stay like this with you forever, she thought, nuzzling her face into his baby-fine hair.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Draco awoke on Tuesday morning sandy headed and warm. He looked up at the canopy overhead and recognized that he was in his own room at home. For a moment, he was disoriented, but in the next second, everything came back in a cold rush. That's right – he'd come home yesterday, hadn't he? And Hermione was here with him.

So, it wasn't a dream. His father was really dead, wasn't he? None of it seemed real. Maybe if he cried he'd believe it. But he couldn't, even as he willed himself to. There was no ache in his chest, no feeling whatsoever to build tears upon, in fact. He was strangely numb and detached.

His mind jumped around in a strange pattern of thoughts, settling on the fact that he didn't actually remember crawling into bed last night on his own. His girlfriend must have moved him here after their bath, he figured, probably with magic.

His lover stirred in his arms as if on cue, and he looked down at the top of her frizzy, dark head as it lay upon his chest. Her right arm was flung over his abdomen, her right leg over his, her knee balanced on the top of his thigh. As she moved, she pressed her lower body closer into his hip, and he felt her lower curls rub crisply against his skin. Her right leg slipped between both of his, accidentally stroking his cock. Blood pooled to that location, setting a low simmering fire deep inside his balls, making him ache suddenly. He was hard in an instant.

He felt desire. Finally, he was feeling something.

It was because of Hermione, he realized in a moment of clarity. She brought him out of his icy, impassive prison. She made his body come alive again. She had kept him from the brink of madness and despair before. It was always her.

He rolled her onto her back, moving between her legs, spreading them with his knees, and entered her swiftly, kissing her awake. "I love you so much," he mumbled against her lips, his hips pistoning in and out of her fast with long, strong strokes. "I love you. Don't ever leave me, baby. I love you. Stay with me like this. I love you. I need you." He wasn't even cognizant of what he was saying to her. All he knew was the feel of his throbbing, hard penis sheathed inside of her again, of her warm, moist body pulling him in, capturing him utterly. She woke up quickly for once, already moving with him by the second 'I love you' pulled from him in confession, her hips pushing up at him the same time as he drove down into her. It was a rushed coupling, but it was sweet and wonderful and sweaty and hot.

In another minute or so, Hermione exclaimed her own feeling for him in a gasping breath as she climaxed, and finally he let himself go, too, coming inside of her deeply with a shudder and a series of quick thrusts, her name on his lips.

He started crying even as he was still flowing into her. Hermione's arms drew him down flat onto her, and he pressed his face into her collar, weeping and shaking. Her legs wrapped around his waist tightly, holding him still inside of her and he let himself go completely, sobbing as he never had before, not even after he'd gotten over the shock of killing Rodolphus Lestrange and the reality of what he'd just done had crashed headlong into him. This sorrow was not tinged with guilt, so much as with regret, however. It was infinitely more painful for this reason, and he was wholly crushed by it as a result.

His father was dead. Lucius was gone forever. He'd never see him or hear his voice again. He wouldn't sit at his side at the dinner table anymore. They'd never share the morning paper over tea like they used to on occasion. They'd never go to another Quidditch match together. He wouldn't see Draco graduate. He'd never get to have an adult drink with him, like he'd wanted. He wouldn't have the chance to know Draco's wife or his children. He'd never get to tell his father that he loved him. He hadn't even been able to say those three simple words as the man had lay dying. They'd said so many other things to each other – important things that had made everything balanced between them finally, and yet, for some reason, they hadn't said the simplest thing to each other: I love you. That chance was gone now. His father was dead.

"Draco," Hermione sounded urgent, and tried to gently push him up. "The spell. We need to cast it. The hour is almost up." He heard her words, and they jarred him to his senses. He reached for his wand, but hers was already in her hand. "Show me," she instructed him.

Brushing aside his tears, he tiredly sat up and moved out of her, then brought her wand to her belly and taught her the charm to prevent pregnancy. When it was done, she put her wand down nearby on the bed and brought him back into her embrace. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to… I know you need to… But, we have to be responsible about this, too."

She was right, he knew she was. But for a second there, he'd been tempted – so very tempted – to say the words wrong on purpose or not at all. It was an unwise and reckless thought that could have damaged her trust in him if he'd actually followed through, but the compulsion had been there. He'd wanted to make her pregnant with his child, to bind her to him, to know she would be carrying a part of him inside of her. It was the grief, he knew. Rationally, he understood that when people mourned, they also thought about creating new life. It was natural. But that kind of deceit would have ruined them, and he would not sacrifice her for his own selfishness. Not ever. "I'm sorry," he sniffed, wiping his eyes again, feeling the words were inadequate to convey the sentiment.

He felt his chin taken in her small fingers and his head turned. "I'm here for you. Cry if you want. I'll hold you and love you and I won't let you go until you want."

The hot tears streamed down his cheeks again heedlessly. "Say it again. Tell me you love me," he begged, raw and wounded. For some reason, he needed to hear those words spoken to him over and over again. He needed to know someone he loved definitely loved him back, and that they weren't going away any time soon.

Warm, golden-brown eyes locked onto his gaze, held him with their sincerity. Soft fingertips ghosted his lips. "I love you, Draco Malfoy. My heart is yours."

His lashes fluttered down and he swallowed. "Again. Please."

She told him as many times as he asked her to, and when his body was ready for her again, she lowered herself on top of him and made love to him, whispering in his ear that she was his - every part of her, that she wanted to stay at his side always, and that she would love him forever, if he asked it of her.

After they'd both found release in each other again, she performed the anti-conception charm on herself perfectly and then they languorously got up to shower.

It was seven-fifteen when they parted ways, she to the kitchens to talk to the house elves about the week's menu, he to his mother's room to see to her needs.

As he reached Narcissa's door, he could hear her sobbing behind it. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and entered his mother's domain, intruding on her private grief for the sake of her health, knowing she would resent him for it later.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

"Did you fucking see this?" Teddy spat, throwing last night's edition of the Evening Prophet down on the table next to Harry's breakfast dish. "That Braithwaite bint almost sounds pleased that Lucius was murdered," he seethed, taking a seat across from he and Ginny.

Harry knew who Betty Braithwaite was intimately; the woman had written some rather intimating pieces about him after the war. He knew she was damned good at writing sensationalism that merely hinted at impropriety, but never quite crossed the line into full accusation (unlike the Skeeter bird, who often impugned reputations openly), thus keeping The Daily Prophet's readership up and them out of court for libel. "If you think that's bad," he sneered, eyeing the piece. "Wait until you read this morning's story."

He passed the latest paper to Teddy, who finished it in less than half a minute, as he was apparently a proficient speed reader. "I can't believe this! Someone should knock that woman's hat off her head."

The article in question gave more information on the freed Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy amongst their number, although stating (almost as an afterthought) that he'd been freed by the Ministry on a full pardon, and hadn't been one of the escapees. There were pictures of all of the convicts, and Draco's father had been amongst them, wearing the dingy grey and white striped jump suit of a prisoner (his Azkaban Prisoner placard - number "537" – held before him, while he was wrapped in chains, wearing a neck brace and bandaged up for the injuries he'd received in the Department of Mystery's fight in June last year), once more intimating that he had been a no-count criminal and therefore probably deserved what had happened to him.

Blaise and Pansy came up to the table then. "Hey, Potter, I just want to say… I…" he looked over at Pansy, who nudged him. "What I mean is, we think what you're doing for Draco and his mum is nice. The flowers, that is. We wanted to contribute." He turned over a small bag that jingled with coins when it hit the wood. "That's from Pansy, Adrian, Daphne, Astoria and me."

Harry picked up the bag and placed it in his satchel with a nod. "Thanks. I'll add your names to the card."

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Teddy's heart picked up pace at the mention of Daphne's name by Zabini, but he quickly shunted that feeling to the side, believing it to be nothing more than too much coffee that morning (he'd downed two entire cups – really black, strong stuff - as he'd read through yesterday's paper at his table alone in the quiet before the morning rush of students invaded the dining hall earlier).

The Slytherin duo turned, holding hands, but then Pansy stopped and turned back to look at Potter. "I take it Granger's with him?"

Harry nodded slowly, careful in his reply, Teddy noted.

Pansy smiled. "Good. That's good," she said, and she and Zabini moved off back to their own table. Teddy was floored. He was sure Pansy, of all people, wouldn't like the idea of Granger being at the Manor unchaperoned. The Queen of his House may be with Blaise now, and had not had anything sexual with Drake since Fourth Year, but she was one possessive bitch when it came to him. Teddy had assumed she hadn't like Granger all that much, honestly, but the smile she gave looked… real. For once.

He ate breakfast with Potter, the She-Weasel, and Ron and his blonde girlfriend (who had come in ten minutes after Teddy had started in on his eggs, beans and bacon), and then headed off to Advanced Charms Lab.

On his way out of the Great Hall, he spied Daphne up ahead of him, walking with Astoria. He watched her warily, keenly observing every nuance of her outer shell (as his Slytherin heritage had taught him to do), noting that she didn't sweep her long, blonde hair back in the typical vain, courting gesture most females engaged in when a male classmate greeted her, that she changed off the hands holding her satchel every minute or so, as if the weight of her books were uncomfortable, and that her hips always swayed from left to right when she stopped and then started walking again. Most telling of all, however, was the sad, almost wistful look she gave when Astoria had bid her goodbye as they separated for their different class schedules, and how she grabbed the ends of her long hair and yanked hard, as if intentionally causing herself pain.

He watched her for the remainder of the classes they shared that day, noting that whenever she was called upon by the professor, she would yank her hair and give an incorrect answer. It was as if she were deliberately trying to appear to be of just average intelligence, when Teddy knew Daphne was intellectually smart. When they'd been dating, they'd studied together, and he'd often witnessed her gift of nearly perfect recall of subject matter. And yet, as he thought about it now, she wasn't in the top ten students by grade point average anymore, was she? She abso-bloody-loutely should be, however.

Why hadn't he noticed this before?

Well, if he were honest with himself, it was because for almost the last two years, he'd hated her, and he hadn't wanted to think about her at all. She'd broken his heart callously and he wasn't going to forgive her for that.

He considered again how smart and magically talented he knew Daphne to be, and wondered if she had anything to do with Astoria's condition. It came as nothing of a shock to realize he wouldn't put it past his ex- to be involved somehow in memory Obliviation. She was a viper queen of Slytherin, after all.

The more he pondered the mystery, the more Teddy realized that he absolutely wanted the truth of the matter. He wanted to know why Daphne would accuse him of being like Toby, too. He wanted to know what had gone down between his blonde ex-girlfriend and the man he'd caught her kissing in her room that day two years ago. She'd claimed she hadn't wanted Toby - hadn't wanted him to touch her at all, in fact. If that were true, Teddy intended on finding out why he had been pawing on her, and why she hadn't seemed to be protesting too much.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Narcissa had refused to leave her room to join them for breakfast on Tuesday morning, so Hermione had Binky apparate up a tray containing food selections she knew Draco's mother had probably never seen before, including a muffin-fried egg-cheese-ham sandwich, patterned off of one of those American fast-food franchises, and a small cup of cottage cheese with pineapple chunks in. She also sent up the regular morning spiced tea with a dash of honey added for sweet. To her delight, an hour later, Binky reported that Narcissa was receptive to the meal and had finished it all.

That afternoon, Hermione hesitantly brought Narcissa's tray up to the lady of the house personally, thinking it was time to actually be face-to-face with the woman.

The two had met briefly one time: after the Final Battle, when Lady Malfoy had come to Grimmauld Place to find Draco, who was temporarily resting in one of the upstairs bedrooms, overcome with exhaustion after the fight. From that time, she remembered the woman's undeniable beauty, her striking poise, her fierce, ice-blue eyes staring menacingly at her as she imperiously demanded to be taken to her son immediately. Now, Narcissa was only a shade of her former self. Her aristocratic face was naked of make-up, puffy from crying, and lined with deep sadness, her once bright eyes were dull and red-rimmed, circled by purple bruises, and her shining, light golden blonde hair was limp and messy. The woman was distant, her responses minimal, her voice raspy, but at least she ate what was provided, and took her potions as the labels directed.

Before she left the room, Hermione made sure Narcissa's covers were adjusted to keep her warm, waved her wand over the fire to assure it remained stoked and burning hot for hours more, and that the drapes in her room were pulled to give her soothing darkness to sleep by.

After returning the tray to the kitchens she arranged for Draco's lunch, taking it up to him in his father's study, where he had informed her earlier he could be found for the remainder of the day. Walking in, she found him composing a letter to the wizard's funeral directorship of Wendell & Phells in Wiltshire, asking them to make the arrangements with the hospital for the recovery and caretaking of his father's body for final resting. He told them to pick out the best casket in their line and arrange for Lucius' interment this coming Saturday at the Malfoy Family's crypt, which was on the property, far in the back, behind a hill that was covered in Bluebells, Foxgloves, Michaelmas Daisies and Wild Basil during the spring and summer (it was now buried under a foot of snow, however). He then turned his attention to the financial matters – arranging for the various Gringotts accounts and family properties to legally change over into sole ownership by his mother.

With little she could do to help in such personal, arduous tasks, Hermione took care of her boyfriend the only way she could: she made sure he was provided with food and drink, a blanket for warmth (sitting for so long had caused his extremities to suffer a lack of blood circulation), and gave him the reassurance of her presence.

When he'd finished eating, she took his tray away and went back to the kitchen, only then eating her afternoon portions. Then, she set about asking the elves about their daily chores, making sure not to step on Lubby's toes in the process. It was all-in-all an emotionally exhausting afternoon as she had to constantly reassure the elderly creature that she was, in fact, a perfect servant, and that Hermione had no intention of dismissing her or removing her from her charge as Head elf.

At six o'clock, Draco was still busy making legal adjustments. He was currently corresponding with his father's solicitor in Diagon Alley via owl regarding his legal responsibilities as the sole heir to the family fortune and discussing the matter of Lucius' Last Will and Testament. Tomorrow, he informed her, they were to notify relatives and friends of the funeral arrangements and contact The Daily Prophet to put in the death notice, which he had yet to write.

Hermione never realized until just that moment how many things a person had to do to bury a loved one. It had always seemed rather straight forward to her before, but then, she'd never gone through this process personally (she'd been a small child when both sets of her grandparents had passed, and all of her current family were, thankfully, healthy and happy). Now she understood that there were hidden responsibilities to address after a passing, many of which were time sensitive. It didn't leave much chance for a person to grieve. Maybe that was the point, though.

At eight o'clock, after she'd made sure Narcissa was taken care of for the evening, she finally made Draco stop and put his quill down to join her for dinner. It was an awkward meal, as her lover was distracted, his mind unfocused. She patiently waited him out, knowing he'd cue her when he was ready to talk.

It was half way through dessert when he finally started speaking about how it hit him hard that he was now the Baron of Swindon. Hermione had known Lucius had been titled, as his family was related to the Bloody Baron's, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. "I don't want it," he growled. "My mother can keep her title as Dowager Baroness, but I plan to disclaim my hereditary peerage to the Lord Chancellor."

Knowing it was not her place to dispute, Hermione did not reply, although she didn't agree with the decision either. She continued to eat her fresh cut strawberries and cream (where the elves were getting traditionally summer fruit during the winter she hadn't figured out yet) in silence, holding her tongue. Draco picked up on her mood immediately, putting two and two together.

"You think that's a mistake," he stated accusatorily, throwing his spoon down on the table with a loud clank and sitting back in his chair. "Don't you?"

Hermione sighed. She knew he was picking a fight because he was hurting and frustrated and obviously exhausted, so she tried to be as calm and rational as possible when answering. "It's your decision to make, Draco. Whatever you choose will be right for you."

He stared at her hard. "Don't speak to me as if I'm some sort of child in need of emotional coddling," he stated coldly. "I asked what you thought, not for a non-committal, patronizing answer."

She calmly put her spoon down at the correct angle to indicate she was finished eating, dabbed her mouth neatly with her napkin and folded it, setting it to the side of her plate, as she'd been instructed to do during fine dining lessons with her grandmother as a child. "Okay, then here it is," she prepared with a heavy sigh. "I think you're throwing away your father's legacy to punish yourself for some reason that I'm sure you feel is important, but that I can't fathom. Either that or you're just too chicken to deal with the responsibility of growing up so fast." She looked evenly at him, trying to keep her hands from fidgeting by folding them in her lap, knowing she was being brutal, but he had asked for this, and she thought he needed to hear the bald truth. "In either case, I think it's a mistake to turn this down. Lucius would want you to accept his title. And he'd definitely want your children to carry it as well. He was too rooted in aristocratic custom, from the little I knew of him, not to. My advice is to accept it gracefully. Doing so might also help you and your mother both move through the grieving process, as well."

Draco stared at her like she'd grown a second head. Then, he backed down, his anger lost to despair once more. He pushed his plate rather roughly away, and leaned his elbows on the space it recently vacated, grabbing his head. "It'll be like he never existed if I… if I take his title. It was his."

Hermione stood and rounded the cornered edge of the table to kneel at his side. She touched his shoulder lightly. "Think of it instead as he'll be living through you forever this way. And then you'll both live through your own son, once he takes the title from you. It's a beautiful legacy, Draco. Eternally enduring."

A small sob escaped him, and he turned, burying his face in her neck, wrapping his arms about her tightly, drawing her into his lap. She held onto him, letting him cry again. He was so hurt by his father's passing, and she suspected some of it was because he blamed himself.

When he calmed and was quiet again, she called for Binky, who appeared with a loud crack, and let the good-natured creature know they were retiring to his room, and wished her and all the elves a good night and a sincere thanks for a nice meal. She took Draco's hand and led him upstairs then, where she led them to his bathroom so they could individually brush their teeth and make their evening toilet in turn. After, she undressed them both, and he insisted on no clothes as they finally climbed into bed together. He lay his head on her breast and instead of trying to seduce her, as she thought he'd meant to when he'd denied her any pajamas or lingerie, he fell promptly asleep. As she held him, she hoped that tomorrow's newspaper could be caught again in time (she'd barely managed to stop the kitchen elf from delivering Narcissa's tray with the paper on the edge this morning). She didn't want either of them seeing what that evil Braithwaite woman was writing about Lucius.

Although, she supposed, it probably wouldn't matter much after tomorrow, since Draco was going to contact The Daily Prophet with the death notice, and she was sure that bint of a reporter would be all over them then. Despite this, Hermione had every intention of keeping nasty Betty at arm's length – even if she had to bite and snap her teeth at the woman to do so.

X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X

Teddy cornered Daphne in her room alone that night. Her roommates, he'd made sure before coming here, were in the library working on their Herbology essays, which he knew would take them a few hours. He'd snuck by the magically charmed stairs up to the women's side of the Slytherin dorms using a spell he'd invented to cloak his aura to 'feel' like a female. With a Disillusionment Charm also in place, he'd found her name on the door easily and knocked lightly.

"Come," Daphne offered from the other side, so he opened the door, checked to make sure he wasn't catching her during an embarrassing moment (like dressing for bed), and when it was safe, he came in and shut the door behind, removing the charm at the same time. He then waved his wand and cast a silencing and locking charm on the room. He intended on getting to the bottom of their mystery tonight.

Daphne looked over and froze, her eyes going wide in an instant. "What…? Theo, what are you doing here uninvited?" She was wicked angry suddenly. Her brows twitched downward, and a wrinkle appeared on her perfect brow as she frowned.

He stared at her, suddenly unsure as to his reasons for coming tonight. What was he doing here again? Right – Daphne's hidden agenda, Astoria's memory problems, Toby Lennox. His heart was pounding, but he attributed that to the coming confrontation. "Tori… something's happened to her memories, Daph," he stated, hawkishly watching her face for reaction. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

His ex- went still, her face shut down intentionally. "What makes you think that?" She was being oh-so-careful, and Teddy just knew his suspicions were right.

"Someone tampered with her memories," he bluntly laid his cards out on the table. "I recognized the signs of Obliviation mixed with a Blanketing Confundus Charm. Specifically, I saw the behavior manifest when discussing the memories of you and Toby from two years ago. Now why would someone mess with her head about that, do you suppose?"

The beautiful blonde turned away, grabbing up some freshly laundered and folded clothes that lay on her bunk (compliments of the valet house elves) and organized them neatly inside the drawers of her dresser. "I couldn't really say. But, perhaps you're mistaken, Theo." She looked at him with definite ire. "It wouldn't be the first time." With a haughty upturn of her nose, he knew she'd dismissed him.

Refusing to be turned away now, he folded his arms and leaned back against the door, watching her whittle the pile away until all of her clothes were tucked into their proper places once more. When she realized he wasn't gone, she turned to him and put her hands on her hips. "Why are you still here?"

Teddy shook his head. "I've been watching you, you know. You play with your hair when you're uncomfortable or want to hide something about yourself. That's your tell, Daph." He smirked. "You just did it again a second ago, so I think that means you lied to me. And I think you've been lying to me for a long time now. I want to know why. What is this all about?"

As if on reflex, Daphne's hand moved to her hair, and then she caught herself and stopped. She looked away, crossing her arms over her chest protectively. "We have nothing to discuss, Theo. What's going on with Astoria is none of your business."

He growled. "Then how about what's going on with us?"

Her eyes snapped to his face warily, licking her lips. "Nothing's going on with us. You made that clear the other night."

His heart was slamming against his ribs now as his anger simmered under the surface. She was playing with him again. She always toyed with his emotions, like he was a plebe slave she could bitch-slap around. Not this time. He'd play her back. "I thought I made it clear that I'd be willing to give you what you wanted. I'm up for a good fuck if you are."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not interested in being your whore. That's not who I am."

Thinking to make her uncomfortable, he stalked across the room, stopping on a sickle as he rounded her bedpost and she hastily took a step back, dropping her arms. They stared hard at each other. "Aren't you though?" he taunted, narrowing his eyes in disgust.

Fists clenched at her side, Daphne began shaking in fury, her alluring green eyes filling with hot tears. "How could I possibly be a whore, Theo, when you're the only man I've ever willingly slept with?" Salt water tracked down her cheeks as she glared daggers at him.

That brought him up short. "I'm not sure I believe that," he stated evenly. "I've heard the rumors, Daph. You've been around the block a few times if they're to be believed." He smirked cruelly. "Another go at me isn't going to cost you much more."

Her face contorted in pain and then she covered her eyes with her hands and wept. "Get out! GET OUT!" she screamed at him. "I want you to get out now!" She broke apart, sobbing, hiding from him behind her fingers. "Just leave me alone, Theo. Stop torturing me. Stop hurting me."

Unsure as to how to handle this situation, Teddy stood there, struck dumb. This was not at all what he expected. He thought she'd fire back at him as usual, or admit her duplicity finally, but to be accused of hurting her? "How am I hurting you?" he demanded. "You're the one who stomped all over me two years ago. You're the one holding my sickness over our heads in an attempt to get me to sleep with you again."

She sobbed harder. "You're so stupid, Theo. I would never do that to you." She looked up at him with fierce determination. "NEVER! That's not who I am." She bawled some more, closing her eyes. "And two years ago, we hurt each other. You never asked me for the truth that day. You just assumed everything." She turned away, struggling to regain control. "This was all a mistake. I want you to leave. I never should have…" She stopped herself intentionally, wiping at her eyes with shaky fingers.

Teddy felt snakes writhe around in his guts, poking holes through his intestines. "Never should have what, Daphne?" he pressed, wanting to know what all the secrecy was about.

She kept wiping at her eyes, her tears slowing. She sniffed several times, calming down. When she finally spoke, her voice was defeated. "I never should have wished for another chance with you," she finally admitted with a sad huff. "It was stupid. I thought enough time had passed. I thought we'd both grown up enough to finally talk it through. But I was wrong. There's just too much between us."

Teddy was floored. Thinking she'd only wanted sex had let him maintain the illusion that she was nothing but a manipulative sadist looking for a new kick, but what if he'd been wrong all along? "What happened two years ago, Daphne?" he asked. "I want to know. I need to."

She sagged, seeming to collapse into herself. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "Make me an oath on your powers that you'll never speak of it, and I'll tell you," she negotiated, turning to him. "Astoria can never know. I don't want her to ever remember. Swear it to me, Theo. Or else, just get out."

Knowing he'd probably regret it later, he nodded, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I so swear on my powers not to ever willingly reveal to another living soul what you're about to tell me," he made the promise and felt the magic within him tingle in response. A Wizard's Oath wasn't as binding as an Unbreakable Vow, as the consequence of non-fulfillment wasn't death. But as a magically binding oral contract, it was as solid a contract as any sane person dare make; if the promise was ever broken, a wizard's powers were diminished as a result of acting in bad faith. It was as good as Daphne could have ever hoped for, and they both knew it.

With a nod in acceptance, she crossed to sit on her bed, indicating that he should do likewise. He wisely chose to sit near the end, making sure not to get too close, just in case. He still didn't completely trust Daphne Greengrass. One bitten, twice shy.

She pulled her pillow around to cover her abdomen in an unconscious protective gesture meant to create a barrier between them (weak though it was), and grabbed a hold of her long hair, playing with the ends – a sure sign she was uncomfortable and wanting to hide again. Despite this, she finally opened her mouth and spilled her secrets.

"Two years ago, when she started her Third Year here, Astoria was only just barely thirteen, but her body had finally matured the summer before. She was a woman finally. Toby Lennox noticed this the first day back at school. He was a Sixth Year then." She sneered as she wove through her memories, staring down at her duvet cover, her fingers twisting and untwisting the ends of her long, golden strands now. "He started sending her notes, then little gifts. She'd never had a boy's attentions before, so she was flattered, naturally." She sniffed again, daintily wiping her nose with a finger. "It was after the Halloween feast, when the House parties were going on that he convinced her to go with him deeper into the dungeons. He wanted to show her something really exciting, or so he said. She followed him innocently, not knowing better. He brought her into an unused classroom in the labyrinth and locked the door behind them, and then he kissed her. She kissed him back, thinking she really liked him, and it was her first kiss. She didn't understand what he really expected from her, though." Daphne's eyes shut in pain and a small sob escaped her lips. "He raped her, Theo. He held her down, ripped her knickers off and fucked her right there on the teacher's desk, even though she begged him to stop. Afterwards, he threatened her that if she ever told anyone, he'd say she asked him for it. He blackmailed her into silence." Wiping at her eyes again, Daphne's voice broke, but then grew hard. "By December, she'd come to me crying. She'd gotten pregnant from the assault. That fucking bastard didn't even take precautions when he had his way with her."

A shaky hand came up to swipe her hair from her face. "She was so scared, and she was so young. I knew it would ruin her. So… I arranged with a woman in Knockturn Alley that I'd heard one of my older sisters talk about. She made potions… to help… terminate pregnancies. I thought… I thought it would be for the best. During the Christmas break, we convinced my parents to take us to the Alley, and I separated from the others and went to the witch. She gave me something that cost me my whole savings." Wrapping her arms about her, Daphne started rocking back and forth. "It almost killed Astoria. She was so sick and there was blood coming out of her nonstop. I went to my older sister – the one who'd told me about the woman – and I explained everything. We agreed to take her to St. Mungo's without our parents knowing. The doctors knew right away what had happened, but we refused to tell them anything – even made up fake names and my sister Transfigured all of our features to hide who we really were. They fixed Tori, but she was emotionally devastated." She shut her eyes in shame. "It was my idea – to take her memories. My sister did it, but… it was my plan. I didn't want her to suffer anymore." She looked up at Teddy with an openly wounded gaze. "I betrayed her. But you can't ever tell her, please, Theo. It would kill her if she remembered any of it."

Teddy considered everything she'd told him, including the timeline of their breakup in January that year. "So you confronted Lennox when you got back to school?"

She nodded. "I cornered him in a broom closet one afternoon – lured him in, let him think I wanted more. Then, I told him what he'd done to Tori and how we Greengrass girls handled the situation for him, the coward. I threatened him that I would have his balls cut off if he ever so much as looked at Tori again. But he didn't back off. In fact, he looked at the whole thing as a big game. He took a shining to me after that. I didn't expect it. He just started following me around that week. Everywhere I went, there he was." She shuddered in memory. "He got into our Common Room that day and figured out how to beat the warded stairs by walking up them behind two women at the same time. He snuck into my room." Here she stopped, swallowing convulsively, a greenish cast tinting her features.

Teddy scooted closer. "What did he do?" He asked, but he already knew. It was as clear as day on Daphne's horrified expression what Toby Lennox had done to her.

"When… when you came in… he'd just finished…," she stammered, trembling violently. "He threatened to tell everyone about Astoria and me, said he would deny any allegations and claim we'd both begged him for it. And he threatened to tell about Astoria's homebrewed abortion that I nearly killed her with, and how my sister and I had illegally Obliviated her memories." She swallowed. "I'd said too much. When I'd been bragging about how we bested him, I didn't realize that I'd be giving him all the ammunition he'd needed to destroy us both and disgrace our family. It was all my fault." The tears were back, streaking down her face in rivulets. "He blackmailed me. Said I was going to let him fuck me for as long as he wanted or else. Then he kissed me to 'seal the deal.' That's when you came in."

Shame washed through Teddy. Daphne had been right. He hadn't ever asked her about what he'd seen; he'd just assumed the older boy was there because he'd been invited. After all, the stairs were a good deterrent. But Lennox had outsmarted them, no doubt having read about it somewhere, as a Ravenclaw with a thirst for knowledge.

"When he saw how angry you were, Toby realized that he'd stepped in it. He didn't know you and I were together, so he backed off," she told him. "He hadn't expected a boyfriend in the picture. And he knew the rumors about your Death Eater father, Theo, and you were so angry. You looked like you were capable of killing us both right then."

He closed his eyes for a second in remembrance. "I think I was." When he looked back at her, their gazes connected and it was a powerful moment. "I know I really wanted to kill him for touching you."

Daphne wiped her cheeks and eyes again. "That was enough to scare Toby away. He never pursued me, and he avoided Tori and I after that like the plague. When he graduated in June, I finally felt free again to breathe."

Teddy recalled the conversation they'd had in his room, when she'd discovered his illness, and now it all clicked. "That's the favor you said I'd done for you."

She nodded. "Unintentional though it was," she admitted, "you saved me from a bad fate, Theo. Toby would have brutalized me again and again. He was sick and twisted."

Running his hand through his long bangs in frustration, Teddy slammed his fist down on the mattress. "Why didn't you ever say anything? You could have told me! You should have told Dumbledore!"

She stared at him seriously. "You weren't interested in hearing the truth, and as for telling an adult… they'd have reversed Tori's memories, I'd have been expelled, and my older sister would have seen jail time in Azkaban, probably. No, no one could know. No one can know."

"You're just going to let Toby get away with this?" he demanded, incredulous. "That fucker raped both you and Astoria!"

She blinked, shutting down again. "Do you think that's not a common occurrence in a co-ed high school, Theo? Half the girls I know have been date raped or coerced into doing something sexual they didn't really want to do. That is especially true in this House." She sniffed in bitter amusement, her Slytherin training returning, helping her to front her obvious hurt behind callousness. "I've been luckier than the others. It only happened to me once. I've been able to convince men who want me that I'm too high maintenance to pursue for long. Claiming to have expensive tastes and expecting them to spend cash discourages them. And if that doesn't work, they usually lose interest after a few weeks when I won't put out."

It all made sense, in a twisted, very Slytherin sort of way. Rotating through guys like they were little more than the fashion of the month, specifically… it fit. Her reputation around school was that she was a demanding bitch, but plenty of guys had bragged on tapping her, too. Were they lying? He felt powerfully undone inside and out, that old wound over his heart opened and stretched and stabbed. If Daphne's version of these events was true, he'd terribly misjudged her. He'd mistreated her unfairly. He'd been a right, fucking bastard to her, in fact.

He needed time to think, to process everything she'd said. It was all too much to take in at once.

"Thank you for telling me your side," he settled on the safe answer. "And, I'm sorry… for your pain. But… you should have told me anyway, Daphne. That day, even though I was a belligerent idiot, you should have said something. Or in the years between, at any time. I might have heard you."

She uncrossed her legs and stood on the opposite side of the bed from him, gripping the wooden bed post. "And it might have caused things to explode, making them worse," she countered. "If you'd known what Toby did that day, or even last year after everything with your dad went down, what would you have done to Lennox, Theo?"

He leaned back against the post on his side, thunking his head back against the solid piece. His voice was assured, deadpan. "I would have used two of the three Unforgivables on him. No hesitation. He'd have been dead by the end of it."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Daphne's head bob up and down. "And everything would be exposed. Astoria would be ruined, my sister and I would be ruined, and you'd probably have been thrown in jail and eventually given the Dementor's Kiss when you came of age. This way, the damage was minimized to only you and me."

He sniffed in wry amusement at that. "I wouldn't say it was minimal, Daph. You broke my heart, you know."

She was quiet for a moment. "And you broke mine," she whispered back.

There was a palatable silence between them. The air shivered with the nervous, disappointed energies rolling off of both of them. Teddy sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe there is too much between us now. Maybe… it's for the best that we leave it alone."

He could feel her sorrow like cold ash in his mouth. "I… guess."

What was happening to him? His head was messed up bad. He couldn't want this, not again. Could he? But what about Granger?

What about her? She's Drake's girlfriend, remember? that voice in the back of his head reminded him.

Undecided, not even sure if he could trust Daphne's story to not be one big, elaborate lie (although his instincts told him it wasn't), Teddy knew he had to leave her room right then before he did or said something they would both regret even more later. He shoved off her bed and headed for the door. As he reached for the handle, he paused. "I promised I'd never speak a word of this conversation to anyone, and I meant it, Daphne. If nothing else, you can trust that."

He unlocked the room with a wave of his wand and left, not even bothering with a Disillusionment Charm, passing swiftly past the surprised faces of girls who were out and about in the corridors of the women's dorms. He flew up to his own room, and shut and locked the curtains around his bed, kicking his shoes off and lying back, thinking.

If she was telling the truth, he owed his ex-girlfriend a huge apology. They owed each other one. Fuck, he thought disconsolately, his heart now torn up with indecision. He'd loved Daphne once upon a time, and even though he'd believed those feelings long gone, he now could feel that he'd been lying to himself. He'd never really gotten over her, had he? Was it true what they said about first loves? That you never really gave them up?

Could he trust her? Could he trust any of it? The only way to know was to find Toby Lennox and get him to spill the truth. But that bastard was probably half the way around the world by now, and the chase would be fruitless, as he knew Lennox wouldn't cop to any of it without some serious persuasion – and Teddy wasn't up for that kind of physical confrontation anymore. Magical, maybe, but then he'd be put in prison for it. So, it came down to whether or not he felt he could believe Daphne.

Did he even want to though? Did it matter anymore?

"I never should have wished for another chance with you."

He might have been right: perhaps it was better if they just left this alone. He needed all his strength for the next few months. Burning himself out in Daphne might just end him sooner… and he wanted so badly to win his bet with Granger, if for no other reason now than to get her to fulfill his last request. Then he could let it all go.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

1 galleon = approximately £5.00 (5 British Pounds), according to J.K.R. So, Teddy gave approximately £50.00 (50 British Pounds) for the flowers!

Musical Selections listened to when writing these chapters:

"Harry In Winter" – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire soundtrack

"Harry and Hermione" – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince soundtrack

"Need To Be Next To You" – Michelle Branch