Chapter 3

A/n: I own a cookbook, some sandals, and a boyfriend, but not HP or its affiliates. And thanks to all of the lovely wonderful people who reviewed. (Updated and revised on April 27, 2007. Listening to The Tossers while writing this was definitely inspiring.)

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hermione finally broke the awkward silence that hung between her and Draco as they sat in the Three Broomsticks.

"Do you think there is anyone that we can talk to that would know anything about this whole symbol thing? Even for me, this is just too far-fetched."

Draco thought, tapping his chin with his thin fingers. "Hmm, maybe Old Man Stauf. He lives up the hill. Supposedly, he is about six-hundred years old. He used to be good friends with Nicholas Flammel. I'm sure he might know a thing or two. Plus, he's a friend of the family's." Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I have my reservations I guess, but we really don't need to be wasting time. Let's get going," she muttered, finishing the last of her Butterbeer. It had begun to warm up, since they had been sitting for so long. She drank it slowly; she wasn't too keen on meeting any friend of the Malfoys.

They left the Three Broomsticks, and walked up the hill, past the Shrieking Shack, until they came to a little ramshackle house that was way past due for a repair. It had three or four stories, and a thatched roof. It definitely looked six hundred years old, even if its owner did not. For at that moment, passing over the threshold of the tiny door, a minute man, slightly hunched over with age, came to greet them.

He cried out in a strong yet gravely voice, "Draco my boy! How lovely it is to see you again! I trust you've been well? It's been a while since you've come to see me." Then the man's eyes fell on Hermione, standing next to Draco. "And who is this gorgeous young lady that you brought with you? Is she for me?" He winked a wrinkly eye.

"Ha-ha, no sir, she's with me. I do believe that your libido is a bit older than you seem to be." He smiled, as his companion's eyes opened wide. "This is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is Mister Stauf. She's a student at the school, like myself. We came to ask you something, if it wouldn't be too much of a hassle."

"No, of course not. It is a pleasure more than anything. But you must come in first; we'll discuss it over tea and biscuits."

"Oh no thank you sir, we just ate," Said Hermione politely. Malfoy nodded, agreeing with her statement.

"Oh alright. If you insist. Kid's these days. Always eating too early or too late. However, it's not my concern. Come in, come in." He ushered them in, his soft hand sprinkled with liver spots.

They followed him into the kitchen, passing through a dark, dusty hallway, and as they sat around a scrubbed wooden table that was wobbling dangerously, they began their story.

"Well, Mister Stauf, in the beginning of this long, tedious and horrendous tale," he smirked, his slight sarcasm quite obvious, "we found that we both had this so called Devil's Symbol on us, and I went in the library in order to learn more about it. The information I found was very vague, and it hinted that we would dominate the world, and the only people with enough power to stop us would be the Pure Children. Do you know anything else about Il Simbolo del Diavolo? Because we're really in the dark about this." Draco intentionally left out the part of the two of them being bound together.

The old man ruminated, taking a sip out of a Firewhiskey bottle, the year on the label a gilded 1407. After about ten minutes of silence, he said, "You're not telling me the whole story, young lady."

Hermione blushed, and looked to Draco pleadingly. He nodded, and then she said, "The prophecy also said that we are bound together for eternity. And we are not what you would call friends to begin with. In fact, we've been nemeses since before first year. We've obviously tried to get along, but, to be honest; we don't know how long this camaraderie will last."

Old Man Stauf nodded. "Have you told anyone else about this predicament of yours?"

"Only the Headmaster, sir."

"Keep it like that until the next full moon, which I believe is in a week. After that, when the mark is finished developing-"

"Excuse me sir, but how will we know when that is? When it's finished, I mean." Hermione interrupted, blushing profusely to the roots of her hair.

"The triangle will be filled until it is completely black, instead of the dark outline that it is right now. However, when it is ready, then, you will be completely bound. That is the time to tell your families. They can do nothing to separate the two of you after that. But it is your choice to get married. No one else can give you advice on something like that. In a wizard's marriage, just remember, there is no divorce. The vows you take are the vows you keep for life." He took another swig of his aged whiskey, swishing it around through his gray teeth. He continued "Many other of the Devil's Children have married in the past, but that is really up to you."

The two stared at the floor. Neither of them had even thought about getting married. It had never even crossed their minds.

"And as for taking over the world, start small." The old man winked.

"And what about the Pure Children? What do we do about them?" Draco asked.

"Ahh. About that. Their birthday is also on September tenth, like yours. You will find them in due time, I'm sure. But they won't be able to fulfill their part of the Prophecy unless they find out about it. Just keep that in mind." This man was definitely a Slytherin in his time, Hermione was sure about him. No matter how genial he seemed to be, he was quite deceptive, one could tell, when he needed to be.

Schemes and plans ran through Draco's head.

"Thank you Mister Stauf. We really should get going, back up to the school. We're really not even supposed to be off the grounds today since there aren't any trips to Hogsmeade."

"Oh alright, Laddy. Tell Lucius and Narcissa I said 'hello', alright?"

"Yes sir, I will be sure to do that."

"Alright, thank-you, m'boy. Now, you two get along, back to classes with you."

"Good-bye, Mister Stauf. It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise, young lady. Good evening to you both."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Walking back to the castle was a bit more eventful than leaving it. There were actually words spoken this time, breaking the silence that had engulfed them on the way to Hogsmeade.

"I never even thought about getting married to you," Draco said with his hands in his pockets.

"Me either." Hermione stopped and bent over to pick a gorgeous snapdragon growing along the path. It was odd though, since flowers never had the chance to bloom on this pathway; students always trampled on them during visits to the village.

"What do you think we should do?"

"It depends. If we still hate each other when the time comes, then we definitely shouldn't go through with it. But if we've gotten used to the situation, then it certainly is a possibility. What did you want to do?" As she said this, she turned to examine her companion.

Draco Malfoy was tall, at least six feet, with wide powerful shoulders. His blond hair was shorter now than it used to be, and he spiked it up on the top. His grey eyes were like the sea, mesmerizing and mysterious. His skin had developed a slight golden tone, not too much, he was still pale, but the afternoon Quidditch practices in the sun had definitely loaned him some good color. Over all, Hermione thought, she wouldn't mind waking up next to this Adonis every morning.

As Hermione summed up Draco, he returned the favor. Hermione was just over five and a half feet tall, with wavy chestnut hair, caramel eyes, and a perfect body. She was so different than he had always pictured her in his head. He was just beginning to imagine her with her clothes off when she said, "Never mind then. We'll work that out later. It's not important right now. Do you know anyone else with their birthday on September tenth?"

Snapping out of his reverie, he said quickly, hoping she had not noticed his wandering eyes, "I think Pansy's, but that's all. I'm sure we can go through all the seventh years and see when their birthdays are. I'm positive that the school keeps records."

"What about the other schools?"

"Other schools?"

"There are other schools besides Hogwarts."

"We can check on those, too. European, American, and African, right? Are there any in Asia? I can't remember."

"I'm not sure, we can check though." After a short pause, Hermione asked curiously, "What will your parents say when they find out?"

"I don't expect they'll care either way. However, they will care that I am partnered up with a mudbl- Muggleborn. You know how my parents are. But my father's in Azkaban, so I really have no respect for his opinion. What will yours say?"

"They'll be disappointed, try to convince me that it isn't true, and then they'll be pissed as hell that I'm with you."

"Why?"

"Because every summer I would come home miserable. Then I would end up telling them all of the terrible things you did to me and Harry and Ron."

There was silence, then a sincere "I'm sorry Hermione."

"It's alright. We were just kids after all. I'm sure you've grown up a little since then." She grinned. "Come on; let's go before we miss dinner."

They walked quickly back to the Great Hall. Draco pulled Hermione aside before going in.

"Meet me in the Room of Requirement tonight at midnight. Don't tell anyone where you're going."

"Alright," she said reluctantly, and then she went in and sat with her friends.

A few seconds later, Draco went and sat over with his Slytherins.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Well?