Note: I really, really adored this chapter :] So much, that I've given it a chapter title, Lavender. Read and review :D Here's chapter 5.

Daybreak; they say it's the best time of the day – where all starts anew; away from previous depressions, failures, and mistakes – a time where all is forgotten and everything is fresh. How I wished that were true; everything would just disappear and all would be well. That just sounds wondrous, yes? If only, if only; I could only wish at this point. What point, you may ask? This point. This very wretched point of my wretched life that took a damned turn and ended up at this very point. I threw back the covers off my body, feeling an instant chill, crud; the sun was shining and it was still cold? This couldn't get any worse – oh, but it did.

"Luna? Luna, are you in here?" I called.

The bathroom door was slightly ajar. I could hear the running water; feel its warmth pulling me towards it. I smelled the lavender scent of my shampoo; Luna must be in there. I threw my legs over the bed side and slid into my slippers. Taking the door knob into my grasp, a chill ran down my spine, it really was a bit too chilly in here – I must be getting that fireplace lit soon.

"Good morning, Hermione, dear; was your slumber well?"

I opened the door, "It was quite great – Mother?" I stated, quite shocked.

She chortled, "Sweetheart, let's get you out of those night clothes, your morning bath awaits."

I stood still as I was stripped of my night gown, my arms rising over my head as it was pulled over my head, quite confused, indeed. I gently, yet quickly, stepped into the bath, letting its warmth send sensations through my body; how I loved this feeling – it was chilling, yet so warm, all at the same time. I shut my eyes, relaxing while I had the time. Heaving a sigh, I turned to my mother just slightly, watching as she turned off the faucet.

"Mother, where is Luna?" I questioned curiously.

She began rinsing my hair, "No need to fret, dearest. I gave Luna the morning off, she's probably in the garden tending to the flower bushels."

As she lathered the lavender scented soap through my hair, I could help but wonder, "Why on earth would you give Luna the morning off? Is there something wrong, Mother?"

She chuckled; it reminded me of Ronald's chuckle. Oh, dearest Ronald. Good gracias, what does it matter anymore? I'm Prince Draco Malfoy's fiancée, and he's my fiancé. Jolly good, is it not? I nearly spat.

"Well, it's just that I wanted to speak to you, Hermione, dear."

I awoke from my daze, speak to me? – Oh, about that. I didn't want to say anything further. I knew my duty to my kingdom, to make it happy. Whatever happened between Ronald and I was nothing more than just a spur of the moment. He probably had a glass too much of firewhiskey or butterbeer; these things tend to happen, right? As for me, I was just caught up in the moment. Yes, that was it, it had to be, and it's the only reason for all this nonsense.

"Are you happy about marrying Prince Malfoy, dear?"

Happy? Happy is the last emotion I feel at this moment. I'd love to feel happiness now, but I can't. I can't because I'm engaged to a man I don't wish to marry, but for the sake of the kingdom, I've sacrificed all my personal needs. I don't know what Prince Malfoy is thinking, but he couldn't be more upset than I am. No, I take that back. He's probably enraged. Him, a pureblood, marrying me, a mudblood; what could be more horrid? This couldn't have gone worse. Draco Malfoy must've sacrificed a lot as well, just as I, right?

"No, mother, I'm not happy," I paused, I should stop here, "but if it's for the sake of the kingdom, I'll sacrifice it, something good will come out of it in the end."

Blast it, why couldn't I just stop right then and there? I sighed silently to myself, and slouched over just a bit as my hair was pinned back upside my head. I felt the warm water slide down my back, the soft cloth as it ran up and down my back numerously.

"You're becoming such as the daughter I've always wanted and loved, Hermione, only, you really are my daughter. In my eyes, you are my daughter and my daughter only, you're not the princess, I'm not the queen, we are all just a happy family, and for that, I'm forever grateful."

My mother scrubbed my shoulders gently and I placed my hand on hers, giving it a soft squeeze. How I loved my mother; she's a kindly woman who sympathizes with the commoners – or as King Lucius would call them, Muggles. I shut my eyes for a brief second and opened them up again. I stared at the tiles of my bathroom wall; they just fit perfectly with each other – no gaps or spacings. Would Draco Malfoy and I be that way? Surely we'd find a way to compromise and fall to a mutual agreement, right? I really did want to love him; after all, it must be hard being the Slytherin Prince – King Lucius, so I've heard, is very harsh. I just wonder how Draco Malfoy is treated; at times like these, I pity the Slytherin Prince, maybe all he needs is a friend.

"I feel the same way, mother."

I gave her a smile and she returned it. She patted my head and left the bathroom, probably to give me some time off to think about that. Draco Malfoy's fiancée? It does have a ring to it – Hermione Malfoy. I laughed inwardly and stepped out of the tub.

"Alright, let's cut to the chase; I'm Draco Malfoy, Slytherin's prince, and pureblood. I'm five feet seven inches and a hundred and fifty-one pounds. I like the color green. Never touch my wand, my cloak, my clothes, as a matter of fact, don't you dare step into my bed chamber without my permission," I paused in the middle of my rather important rant to stare at the despicable mudblood in front of me.

She clutched her wand in her hand as if she were going to hex me, as if! – She is in my bed chamber, within the Slytherin castle, on Slytherin grounds, if she dares to lay a single spell on my being, I'll lock her up. I wouldn't kill her, no, I would – I just can't defy my father, drat. I could feel her eyes on me, probably mocking me, on my back as I turned around. I tapped my foot repeatedly on the carpet, for no apparent reason actually. I turned back to her once again – I really didn't want to see her muggle-born face, it was just horrid knowing a mudblood's in my chamber – good gracias, my most dreaded fear has come true. I sighed.

She sat on my piano bench, glowering at me with her brown eyes – such a common color. What I dreaded the most was that hair – it was simply just too curly; controlled, but curly. The only thing I probably approved of was her attire; red cloak with a thick golden outlining. Under the cloak, I could see she was wearing a white gown – simple, but it suffices. Oh, c'mon, won't she say something already? Good gracias, can she even talk? – I would give her that much credit only if she could! What is she good for anyway?

"That's it?" she questioned me plainly as if I had anything else to say to her.

"Well, what more do I have to say? You already know we're engaged by force, you're the Gryffindor princess, I'm the Slytherin Prince, you're female – at least, I think you are – " I spat, wanting to continue on with my list, but I was cut off.

Crud.

I stood between her and the cold granite walls, her wand wanting to poke a hole through my neck. Her eyes glared at me from below, just at the tip of my jaw line. If only looks could kill. We were like that for a while. My breath was caught in my throat, unable to make a statement heard, my hands gripping the wall behind me. My wand. I reached for it slowly, just inch by inch …

"Move that arm any further, and I swear, Draco Malfoy, I'll hex it right off," her voice spoke with venom and much malice.

I stopped immediately, placing my hand back on the cold granite wall.

"I refuse to just sit here and hear your putrid words spit from your mouth. How dare you talk to me as such, you should be ashamed! You, the Slytherin Prince, I would have thought you'd have more manners," she stopped for just a brief moment to catch her breath, "And to think, I actually pitied you this morning – I guess I was wrong. You wretched, self centered, egotistical, loud mouthed, good-for-nothing Slytherin Prince! You don't deserve the throne if you're just going to verbally abuse the ones around you as such!"

Without thinking – and not caring – I grasped my wand, "Expelliarmus!"

Wretched filth! Her wand was knocked out of her hand and flew to the wall just above the fireplace. At the same time, she was flung backwards, hitting the edge of my bed, falling to the floor with a 'thump'. I held my wand at her, approaching her. Damned girl, how dare she. I have every right to take the throne. Her eyes never left mine, but they did flicker towards the fireplace for a split second.

"You give my wand back this instant," she commanded.

"Hilarious, you think I'd give you back your wand? After you just nailed me to the wall with it? You're on my grounds, Slytherin grounds, Granger."

"Enough!"

A woman apparated into my bed chamber – my mother, Narcissa Malfoy. Blast it.

"Enough, I said. You two have gone too far. You," pointing her slender finger at Granger, "are my son's fiancée, act appropriately! Women are supposed to be gentle, feminine, and quiet; what you've done was beyond anything comprehensible. And you," she slowly turned towards me, drat, "how could you fling her across the room? And disarming her wand? Have you no mind? Haven't I taught you better than that, Draco? I'm fairly disappointed. You two are engaged, act like it for the sake of the kingdoms' sanity."

"Mother, she is a mudblood."

I heard the princess get up from the floor, stomping her way towards the fireplace to retrieve her wand. She glared at me, and I glared back, scowling.

"So what if I am a mudblood, Malfoy? It doesn't change that fact that we're engaged!" she shouted angrily, "If you think I'm at the least happy about this arrangement, you're insane. I thought we could come to a compromise, a mutual agreement on mutual feelings, but no, you're just as people say you are – arrogant, cruel, vain, and blunt!"

She walked towards me, and I drew my wand towards her; she was in my personal space. My wand was at her forehead, her's at my neck. I felt her breathing at the base of my neck, equal, furious, and rapid. I stared down at her while she stared up at me. Wretched creature; she'd better get out of my personal space now. I could feel too much of her body heat. Her nose nearly touched my chin, she was at eye level with my lips and I so wanted to just spit in her eyes.

"Make a single move, a single sound, a single word about my blood, and I swear, I will hunt you down," she threatened.

As if – she didn't scare me. My mother stomped the floor, sighed, and apparated out of my room, probably too enraged – my father is surely going to hear about this. I'll get a scolding from him tonight, if I was lucky.

"Like I'm afraid of you, Granger," I retorted.

"You should be – I'm your fiancée; just deal with that damned fact and move on, Malfoy," she stated firmly.

She drew her wand away from my neck and pushed past me, her hair whipping the side of my face. I turned and saw the last of her cloak disappear from my bed chamber.

"A pity, that wondrous lavender scent on her filthy mudblood hair."

Comments? Criticism? Words of appraisal? Anything, I loved this chapter and worked on it a lot, so please, criticize it :] Stay tuned!