In This Chapter: Hermione and Pansy bond.

"Hermione move!" 

Hermione heard Harry shout at her from somewhere inside the bathroom, but she didn't have time to react before the huge club the troll was carrying came crashing down on the stalls around her.

"Help me!"  She managed to scream out after crawling away from the pile of splinters.  She had never been more terrified in her life. 

Hermione crawled to the other side of the bathroom, a large sink hiding her view from everything.  She heard an odd assortment of noises happening, and dared to peek around.

Harry was on the trolls back, looking as though he was in a very odd rodeo, and then, with a look of childlike satisfaction, Harry stuck his wand up the troll's nose.

If Hermione hadn't been so frightened, she would have giggled at the funny, but completely revolting sight. 

Then it was Ron's shining moment.  Using the same spell they had learned earlier that day, he levitated the trolls club right out of his hand, and hit the large creature over the head, knocking it to the ground.

Harry tumbled out of its grasp and withdrew his wand from the troll's nose and wiped it on its shabby clothes. 

All Hermione, Ron, and Harry could do was lock eyes with each other, before McGonagall, Quirril, Dumbledore, and Snape found them.

~

Hermione woke up the next morning as the light crept though the room, casting everything in a grayish glow.  She turned over and gasped in surprise at Draco's sleeping figure.  She smiled slightly but it quickly disappeared as she began to remember exactly why she was sharing a bed with Draco Malfoy. 

She remembered the dream she had.  It felt so real, and for a good reason.  That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with her best friends.  Her family at Hogwarts, the older brothers she never had. 

Her heart skipped in her chest. She missed them so much it hurt to think about them.  They were so far away, and here she was- a lion in a den of snakes.  She felt alone and scared and miserable.  Waking up on the side of what you thought was your worst enemy had to be worse than waking up beside someone you knew was your worst enemy. At least if you knew you wouldn't feel confused and scared, just scared. 

She continued to look at the beautiful boy when he surprised her.

"Are you going to continue staring at me all morning, or are we going to get up?"

Instead of frowning or glaring at him, Hermione smiled at him a bit sleepily, as he opened his eyes and smiled as well.

"Morning," Hermione said. 

"Are you ready?" was Draco's reply as he stretched and sat up.

"No," She said flatly and doing the opposite of him as she snuggled deeper into the warmth of the blankets.

Draco nudged her.  "It's now or never Hermione."

"I know," she groaned.  "I hate being unprepared, it's the worst feeling in the entire world."

Draco nodded slightly.  "I know, I grew up in a house that you need to be prepared for anything, I can be prepared enough for the both of us, and I'll-"

Draco was interrupted by a loud crack as Telly the house elf appeared in Draco's room.

Draco jumped out of bed and Hermione sat up.

"Good morning Master and Miss!" Telly squeaked, "Telly has a message from Master Lucius."

She handed Draco an envelope with a lavish script on the front and sealed in a wax emblem that Hermione couldn't quite make out.  After Draco had the letter, Telly turned to Hermione and gave her a small wave before disappearing again.

Draco read the letter from his father with a stony expression on his pale face. 

"Bastard," He muttered after reading it.

"Hermione got out of the warm bed and approached him slowly.  "What's wrong?" She asked carefully.

"My father," He said, waving the letter angrily, "is throwing a party for our arrival.  Everyone will be there."  He threw the letter into the fire.

"Everyone?" Hermione asked faintly, regretting, although not for the first time, coming back to Malfoy Manor.

"He's sending Pansy to give you some manners lessons," He smiled faintly.  "You must have made quite an impression on him last time."

"Hermione glared at him.  "I think the fact that he couldn't kill me struck a sore spot within him," She replied.

Draco turned away and headed towards an expensive looking dresser.  "We had better dress for breakfast," He said and pulled some clothes from the wardrobe and headed for the bathroom.

"Erm, Malfoy?"  Hermione called uncertainly.  Draco stopped walking and turned around to face her.  "Which one should I wear?" She asked timidly.

Draco sighed.  "This is why my father is having Pansy come here; you know nothing about civilized wizarding culture."

Hermione felt anger curse through her.

"Wear the blue one," Draco said.  "It's a day dress," And with that he disappeared into the bathroom.

Hermione sent him a half hearted glare before preparing to dress to the best of her ability.

Half an hour later Hermione and Draco were ready to go meet his father.

"You don't take nearly as long to get ready as Pansy does," Draco said with a little bit of wonderment.  "And you look just as she would after hours."

Hermione didn't know how to take it, so she just nodded and smiled at him as he led the way down to the breakfast table.

She couldn't get over the immense size of Malfoy Manor.  It could easily fit hundreds of people, maybe more.  It reminded Hermione more of a medieval castle rather than just a manor.  The very aura of the manor reeked of time and money, and death.

They soon entered the dining hall.  Hermione closed her eyes slowly and breathed deeply.  She felt as though her shoes where pounding on the stone floor below her, making their entrance loud and frightful.  She opened her eyes and saw that there were already several people at the table.

Lucius Malfoy sat at the head of the grand table and stood when Hermione and Draco entered the room. This surprised Hermione in the way that, unless he was standing in courtesy to his son, he was standing for her.  How odd.

Raven-haired Blaise Zambini sat in the middle of the table across from Pansy Parkinson, both looking stiff and formal, and Hermione could see why.  Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were on the respective sides of Blaise and Pansy, both in formal wear, but still looking vaguely moronic.

Hermione also noticed that there where three men she only recognized from the last deatheater party she attended.  They looked at Lucius and stood as well, like puppets on a string.

Draco entered the room first and pulled out a seat for Hermione on Pansy's side, and then took a seat across from her on Blaise's side.  Lucius looked at them all before taking his seat again and addressing them.

"I suppose I should start this little get together by welcoming my son home from a secret mission.  And also welcome Miss Hermione Prewitt, as they will be the guest of honor of the ball tonight."

Hermione looked nervously around.  Blaise smiled at her from across the table, while Crabbe eyes the food with greedy eyes.

"Also, I do not believe Miss Prewitt has met my colleagues.  Mr. Vincent Crabbe Sr., Mr. Frederick Goyle, and Mr. Xavier Cain."

Hermione looked at the men in turn.  Crabbe and Goyle looked like their sons; both with dull eyes and thick bodies, but Xavier Cain reminded Hermione of Percy.  He had a sharp face and wore horn rimmed glasses that perched on a small pointed nose, He had small eyes that darted around the room every so often and had the look of someone that got ahead by putting others behind.

"Pleased to meet you," Hermione said in what she hoped was a docile, polite tone.  She stole a glance at Draco, whose eyes fixed on her with a penetrating glare.  Hermione wasn't sure what to do now.

"Well then," Lucius continued in a fashion that did not seem like his own, "Let us eat."

Hermione looked at all the food, thinking about how good the bacon looked, when it appeared on her plate.  Hermione looked around and saw that all the others had to do was look at the food and it was placed on their plate.  Hermione looked at the eggs, toast, and juice before settling down and eating, in what she hoped was a lady like manner, and watching Blaise from time to time.

Hermione felt that if the tension built up for much longer she would explode, and Draco seemed to notice too.  As soon as the plates were cleared he spoke up.

"When will the party begin, father?"  He asked Lucius.

"Nine o'clock tonight," Lucius said shortly.  "The rest of the day if for you to do as you like."

"Well then," Draco said standing.  "I should get Hermione acquainted with the house.   We will see you at nine father.  Pansy, could you come to Hermione's room at six?"

Pansy nodded and Draco smiled at her before taking Hermione by the hand and exiting quietly. 

"Such an old house," Hermione said to herself quietly.

"It's as old as Hogwarts," Draco said to her.  "Father constantly reminds anyone who will listen, and that's just about everyone."

"Well," Hermione said with a smile, "What is there to see?"

Draco gave her a smirk.  "You asked for it,"

~

The first place Draco took Hermione was the gardens.

"Never come out here alone," He advised.  "Especially at night.  Even I don't know what all my father keeps as pets.  He's a very paranoid man, and paranoia is a strange disease."

Hermione thought it very odd to think of it as a disease, but then again, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

"It's so beautiful out here," Hermione said, examining a fountain, surrounded my roses.  "I can't imagine anything this beautiful being dangerous."

"Beauty can be lethal," Draco replied seriously.  "Never let your guard down, and never think a first look can tell you everything."

He walked over to a particularly beautiful rose and motioned Hermione over to it.

"The thorns are a defense mechanism, there to sway potential predators, or people that want to steal its beauty for their own."  Draco took the rose by the stem and snapped it clean off.  He carefully handed it to Hermione, who received it with care, and noticed his hand.

"You're bleeding."

Draco looked down as a small drop of blood fell from his hand onto the ground.

"Everything has its price," Draco said, lifting his gaze to meet her own, "And this is a small price to pay for beauty."

Hermione was silent as Draco led her back into the house. 

"That door leads to the kitchens," he said.  "I've only been in there a few times.  I don't suggest you try to start a movement for elf rights at Malfoy Manor."

With that he turned down another hall, and Hermione lengthened her stride to keep up with him.  She was slightly annoyed now.  Did he really think she was that stupid?

The ascended sever flights of stairs, Draco was pointing to old painting on the wall and explaining them.

"That is Adrian Malfoy," he motioned to a man in dark robes playing chess against an invisible opponent.  "He was my great-great grandfather; he died when I was nine.  He liked chess quite a bit, but no one would ever play with him.  He was a terrible loser."

They climbed a few more steps and stopped by a painting of a very pale man with completely jet black hair- a strong contrast. 

"This is William Malfoy," Draco continued. "Too many greats to count, he's still around."

"Still around?" Hermione echoed.

"Vampire," Draco said with a smirk.  "He has an estate in Yorkshire, but he may be stopping by tonight for the party."

Hermione looked at him.  "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most vampires somewhat evil?"

"Malfoy's, by nature, are pretty evil," Draco said with a glint in his eye.  "It's just that now he has more means to his person.  Besides, Spike and Rain aren't evil."

"Spike and Rain have a soul," Hermione retorted.  "Vampires without souls are monsters; they have no conscious what so ever,"

"Vampires who where once muggles have no control over themselves," Draco replied coolly.  "But a magical person turned vampire has complete control of themselves.  We lose most of our magic when we turn into vampires, but we keep out personalities and the like.  It's a great honor to be chosen to become an immortal in this world.  Father dreams that he will become one day."

"Cant he just asks your x amount of great's grandfather?"  Hermione asked.

"You cannot sire someone of your own blood," Draco said.  "It's another magical complication; it would either kill the vampire or the mortal, so it is never done, as you never know which will die."

"I've never heard of that," Hermione said skeptically.  "I can't believe I never read that.  That whole section we did on vampires in Lupin's class."

"Not everything is that well known, I just know that because of father."

"I wouldn't think immortality is that great," Hermione said thoughtfully.  "After awhile, wouldn't living just become tiresome?  I would see too much and know too much, and seeing all my friends' die- I couldn't handle it."

"But what's worse than death?"  Draco asked her, completely curious.  They were standing in a long corridor by now; the only sound around them was the steady sighs of the paintings around them.

"What's worse than death," Hermione replied seriously.  "Is death itself.  I couldn't handle it if Harry or Ron died.  I wouldn't be able to cope with losing either of my best friends.  That would be worse than stabbing me through the heart, right here and now."

"That's stupid," Draco said and turned to walk away. "Dependence is followed by weakness; you've already become your own hostage, Hermione."

"It doesn't have to be a weakness," Hermione argued, coming up beside him. "Love is a powerful weapon, Harry's mother proved that."

"I can't believe you can say that word."  Draco said incredulously.  "Love is for fools who have nothing else to believe in."

"What do you believe in, Draco?"  Hermione asked softly.

Draco was quiet for a minute, making Hermione believe he didn't hear her, or pretending like he didn't hear her, but then he replied just as softly.

"I believe in myself and that in life, the end justifies the means."

~

It was nearly six when Hermione and Draco arrived back at Draco's room.  Hermione flopped back onto Draco's bed and sighed happily.  Maybe she wouldn't have to act like she liked him tonight- she actually did.  She didn't understand it.  She was suddenly thrown into a parallel universe where she was this new dark princess and Draco Malfoy was charming and charismatic.  She would believe the former way more than the latter, but yet both were staring her in the face.

"Pansy will be here soon," Draco said with a smile.  "She'll help you with everything that needs done."

"You should do that more often," Hermione said, looking up at him.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Smile," She replied.

Draco looked like he was going to retort, when a timid knock sounded at the door. 

"That will be Pansy," Draco said, turning to the door.  He opened it and Pansy stood there in a casual day dress with her hair falling down well past her shoulders. 

"Hello," Pansy said.  "I thought that maybe if you came back to my room we could get more accomplished and stay out of Draco's way.  Blaise and Millicent will arrive here at eight."

Hermione glanced uncertainly at Draco before Pansy led her away.  Up a flight of stairs and two corridors later, Hermione found herself in Pansy's room, one of the many guest suites of the Malfoy Manor.

After entering the room, Hermione took the time to take a good look around.  It certainly wasn't as extravagantly decorated as Draco's, but the bed was just as large, and a door led the way to a joining bathroom.  The entire room was decorated in grays and blacks, making the room seem a bit dismal, if not elegantly dismal.

"I assume you don't have many dress robes with you," Pansy said as she started for her dresser.  Hermione was just about to mention the dresses Lucius sent her, but Pansy beat her to it and emerged with a beautiful white dress.

"They say that Slytherin do not deserve to wear white," Pansy said with a smirk.  "I don't know about a Slytherin in Gryffindors clothing."

Hermione felt her heart plummet with that statement.  A Slytherin in Gryffindors clothing?  Not her, she was the good girl here.  She had to be.

"Go try this one on," Pansy said. "I can help you tie up the back, it's a trial, trust me."

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione stared at herself in front of Pansy's enormous mirror.  It could have passed for a wedding dress, if it hadn't been wizarding dress robes.  Hermione wondered briefly if witch brides wore dresses or robes, and resolved to ask Draco later.  The dress trailed along the stone floor and was shot through with shimmery silver embroidery.  The white material was very expensive, and felt as though it was solid water on Hermione's bare skin.  The bust was to prominent, Hermione half wondered if breasts could be afraid of heights, because surely hers was defying all laws of natural gravity.

"Now, we need some shoes for you," Pansy said mostly to herself.  "You aren't very tall, oh just wait until you stand next to Millicent!  Isn't Draco tall?  Well, at least you have some room for heels, and I know just the ones."

For the second time in half an hour, Pansy went digging through her wardrobe and came out victorious with matching silver stilettos that made Hermione's feet hurt simply looking at them. 

"They aren't as bad as they look, I promise," Pansy said with a wicked smile.  "There are charms on them; you just will need to practice walking in them a bit."

Hermione went over to the dresses and sat on the seat in front of it to put the lethal looking shoes on.  Once they were firmly on her feet, she cautiously rose, expecting an excruciating pain.

"Hey!"  She said, bewildered, "These are really comfortable!"

"Told you," Pansy said.  "Another reason why being a witch is much better than being a dirty muggle,"

Hermione was so into the shoes that she disregarded Pansy's nasty comment, and opted to walk around the room, feeling as though she were gliding.

"Hair time," Pansy said in a bossy voice.  "I think I'll send for a house elf to do our hair, they are surprisingly good at it."

"No sooner had she said this, Telly the house elf appeared with a crack, a hairbrush in hand.

"You go first," Pansy said.  "Sit down a the vanity, and I'll kip here on the bed, I think we need some girl talk,"

Hermione noticed that the more time she spent with Pansy, the more the old Pansy shone through.  It was slight at first, but Hermione could definitely tell this woman had an agenda.

"I suppose calling you mudblood Granger is out of the question now," Pansy said thoughtfully.  "Funny how things change."

Hermione merely gazed at her reflection in the extravagant mirror.  How could she reply to a comment like that?

"I mean," Pansy continued.  "You went from nothing to everything in just one night.  From dirty, common blood, to blood as pure as my own and Draco's.  Isn't that funny?"

Again, Hermione didn't know how to reply.  Was Pansy trying to get at something? 

"Are you really in love with Draco?"

Aha.

Now Hermione began to panic.  The Gryffindor in her told her to try to win Pansy over with declarations of love and devotion.  Tell her something cliché and naive, something worthy of the old, Gryffindor Hermione.  But then another thought ran through her mind:  When in a den of snakes, one should not act like a lion.

"He seduced me with power," Hermione said in what she hoped was an offhanded voice.  "After he kidnapped me, he showed me how things really work, how the world really is.  Money and power, that's what's important,"

Pansy looked taken aback.  "But what of good and evil?  The Dark Lord is evil and your pal Potter is the right little golden boy."

Hermione racked her brain once more for an answer fit for a Slytherin, and then a phrase Harry relayed to her nearly six years ago flowed into her mind.

"There is no good and evil," Hermione said breezily.  "Only power and those too weak to seek it."

(A/N)

Good Lord.

I'm terribly sorry about the wait, I know it's been ages, but I've sort of reached a new step in my writing.

When I started doing fan fiction, I wrote for reviews.  I loved reviews, I needed them, and I was greedy.  And now that I have them, they don't matter as much anymore.  They are just words, and although they do help, the novelty has worn off, and now I'm writing just for me.  I'll finish this story, don't worry, I'm just doing it at my own pace now.  I hope this chapter wasn't too short J  until next time!

Ariel.