In this chapter- We go to a deatheater party, what fun!
When you're safe
inside your room you tend to dream
of a place where nothing's harder than it seems
Hermione had shocked Pansy into a stupor. The Slytherin girl had an idea of what to expect form the old bookworm granger, but…it never came. From her point of view, Hermione had changed completely overnight, done a complete one eighty, transformed.
Hermione was feeling pretty proud of herself. She had convinced Pansy she was one of them. If she could convince someone who had always known her as mudblood Granger, it shouldn't be too hard to convince a bunch of strangers.
Once Telly was done with her hair, Hermione and Pansy switched spots while Pansy's hair was done. Hermione was sitting on the bed wishing she had something to read when a sharp knock came at the door.
"Come in!" Pansy's voice rang out, and in came Millicent and Blaise, dressed in their wizarding finest.
"Hello," Hermione said pleasantly.
Both Blaise and Millicent regarded Hermione with cool mistrust, but said a greeting in return.
"It's alright, girls," Pansy said as Telly finished her hair. "The Gryffindor Princess really is one of us now,"
The two new girls visibly relaxed, and Blaise smirked at her. "Didn't know you had it in you," she said. "It's almost as surprising as finding out that you and Draco are engaged."
Engaged?
Hermione sputtered a bit. "Engaged, Blaise?" she asked.
Blaise narrowed her eyes. "Yes, hasn't anyone told you? Well that's amusing. You and Draco have been betrothed since you both were born, and now the betrothal is on again. I wonder why Draco didn't tell you."
"That makes the both of us," Hermione replied, her voice shaking with anger. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I need to have a few words with my…fianc."
After Hermione slammed the door closed behind her, Blaise and Pansy exchanged a look.
"Definitely a Slytherin," Millicent added with a smirk.
"Malfoy!"
Hermione banged open the door the door in one fluid motion, catching one Draco Malfoy in the process of getting dressed.
He stood there, halfway done buckling his trousers and completely shirtless, but Hermione acted as if he were fully dressed.
"Fiancé? Fiancé?" Hermione asked shrilly. "Dammit Malfoy, what do you have up your slimy Slytherin sleeve? What is this all about? I should have known better than to trust you! Good lord! I know I have more common sense than that!"
Draco got over his deer in the headlights look rather quickly and went about finishing up dressing himself. Hermione looked at him incredulously, half expecting him to start whistling a little tune.
"What the hell Malfoy? Come on, at least clue me in on your brilliant plan."
Finally Draco looked back at her, halfway through pulling his robes on. "Plan?" he said innocently. "There is no plan, only a little tact. If I had told you that we were betrothed, you would have blown my head off, at least now you decided to blow your own top, and not mine. Why did you think my father welcomed you with such open arms? You are now part of his beautiful picture to gain some of the Dark Lords power. Congratulations."
Hermione sank on the bed, completely dressed for the party that would take place that night.
"We're engaged?" She asked again, stupefied. "I'm sixteen years old, that's certainly not old enough…"
"Usually witches and wizards get married straight out of school, whether they like it, or not, in our case," Draco replied.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "I'll keep these pretenses as long as we need, but there is no way I'm actually going to get married to you, Malfoy."
"It won't come to that," Draco said. "For one thing, we won't be of age for another year, and we would be initiated as deatheaters before they even thought of joining us in marriage."
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She took a deep breath and calmed down her temper, which was dangerously close to breaking.
"Let's get this over with, Malfoy." She said, heading towards the door.
After finishing his dressing he offered her his arm, which she grudgingly took, and together they headed out of the room and to the party.
Hermione grew increasingly dizzy with the genial chatter and relatively good-natured attitudes of Voldemorts best and brightest. She wasn't an expert on evil, but she figured there would be a little blood or something, and, at the very least, eighty-proof alcohol.
Hermione tried her best to fit in with the Slytherin girls, and about every other song danced with Draco. Something in the atmosphere made her feel more aware of herself- more cautious of her social graces, and she sent a silent prayer to her mother for making her take those terrible ballroom dancing lessons.
"Having a good time, darling?" Draco asked, a profound smirk playing on his lips.
"I swear, Malfoy," Hermione whispered, not completely unkindly, "That you only know how to form one facial expression."
Draco looked back at the brown haired witch and said in mock indifference, "I have, in fact, two facial expressions. Smirk, and smug smirk."
Hermione looked as though she was going to burst out laughing, but settled for a true smile. Draco held her in a mock possessive hold around the guests, making it look like they couldn't get enough of each other.
They were, in all respects, Academy Award winning actors. Hermione acted giggly and shy with everything Draco had to say, and Draco likewise was looking equally enchanted with everything that made his fiancé his.
"I'm tired of making small talk and dancing." Hermione murmured to Draco during a lull in the music. "I want to do something, anything! I'm going to go insane!"
Draco chuckled, or made a noise that sounded like one and brought Hermione's hand to his lips as they watched Pansy's very large and slightly drunk father walk by.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," He said, giving a small bow. "I have as much control here as you, I am a guest in my own home."
Hermione let out a quiet sigh of frustration. "I thought being a spy would be so much more interesting!" She said in an extremely hushed voice into Draco's ear. She looked up and smiled up at him, giving the impression to an outside looker that she was whispering a sweet nothing or two. "I thought it would be all black cat suits and high-tech gadgets, at least some cool spells!"
Hermione was growing increasingly restless as the slow minutes ticked on.
She had caught sight of her potions professor, looking surely and as mean as ever in the corner, she nodded her head towards him and got the same reply in return. As she turned away she felt his eyes boring into her back. She wished she could talk to him.
She also thought she caught sight of Lauren, but as soon as she turned around to get a better look, Lauren, or a person who looked extraordinarily like her, had vanished. It was all for the better, Hermione imagined, because then she wouldn't have to ac t so hard with her.
"I thought he was going to be here," Hermione whispered to Draco. There was no need to elaborate who he was.
"He will be," Draco replied casually. "He is probably here now, The Dark Lord is very adapt at glamour's, and you've seen his true person, have you not?"
Hermione shook her head, admitting that she had never really had a good, long look at Voldemort before.
"I thought you and Potter and Weasley were always fighting him?" Draco let a small smirk play on his lips. "Surly you've seen him more than once, Potter couldn't possibly handle him alone all those times."
Hermione was surprised. Beyond surprised, actually, she has thought Draco knew all about Harry's adventures with Voldemort.
"Ron and I help Harry out," Hermione began. "But it's Harry that always fights him; it's Harry that always wins. During Voldemorts rebirth, Harry dueled with him, and Harry escaped, with the Basilisk, It was I that figured out what the monster was, but Harry was the one to fight it and kill it. During our first year, I got him to go through the door to Voldemort, but I couldn't enter myself, and last year, Harry faced him again, but he had help from Professor Dumbledore."
Draco was floored. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Surely Potter couldn't possibly have met the Dark Lord, what? Four times? And with little to no help! How could his father stand being so afraid, so sniveling, to a person that a teenaged wizard could meet and defeat on all these occasions? Maybe that's why Lucius hated Harry Potter so much. Lucius Malfoy knew who the better wizard was, and he couldn't stand the truth.
"Malfoy?" Hermione's voice cut through his thoughts.
Draco shook his head, as if to clear it, and set his face expressionless. "I'm alright, I was jut dealt some false information is all."
Hermione nodded, as though to express that she understood, and she did. There are no heroes among thieves, as they say, and no George Washington's among liars.
Soon after, Hermione and Draco were standing in a corner, pretending, once again, to be completely enthralled in one another, when Lucius himself swept up to Hermione and Draco, a cruel smirk and an evil glimmer in his stormy eyes.
"Dinner shall be served promptly," The elder Malfoy said. "Draco, you are to be placed at the Dark Lords left and Miss Prewitt directly beside you."
Hermione noticed a small change in Lucius as he looked at his son. Perhaps a small sliver of pride in his eyes? Hermione couldn't believe it. But before she could further inspect this, the older Malfoy swept away again, as suddenly as he arrived.
Draco looked over at his supposed fiancé and suppressed a gulp. It wasn't that he hadn't crossed paths with the serpent-like man, but each encounter left Draco feeling like he just had to have afternoon tea with all the former dementors of Azkaban.
Hermione once again took Draco's arm and allowed herself to be led to the same dinning hall she had been seated at before. Although she was here on her own will, she suddenly felt as though she were heading to the gallows. She subconsciously held on to Draco, willing him to support her.
Just as Lucius had said, the long table had been set up to accommodate many people, magically, probably. At the head of the table, a place was set for the elusive Voldemort, whom Hermione had yet to see, and on his left and right were places for the two Malfoy men, and so on down the row.
Looking at the decorations and settings of the table, Hermione still had to get over how…medieval the wizarding world still was. Where there would be lamps, large and elegant candles lit the scene. Many high backed chairs surrounded a dark oak table that could have easily been from King Arthur's time. The stony atmosphere of the room was aided by the fashions of the high class wizards and witches that where now entering the hall. Hermione remembered once that Draco had made fun of Ron's out-of-date dress robes, but looking around her, Hermione could have easily mistaken the present for a time-turner accident that had left her in the time of chivalry and knights.
Hermione noticed Pansy and her gang of girls walked easily into the room. Pansy caught Hermione's eye and winked at her, as if reading the nervous Gryffindors mind.
And then it happened. Voldemort made his appearance.
Flanked by Lucius Malfoy, the Dark Lord himself slithered into the room, almost as if he were floating, not walking like a normal mortal. He had on an easy expression, he was relaxed, although his dimly glowing eyes flickered around the room every once in awhile.
Upon reaching the table, Lucius pulled out his master's chair and sat him down at the head. Draco did the same for Hermione before seating himself painfully close to the very thing he was quickly growing to detest.
Hermione had to sympathies with the pale boy, being that close to one of the foulest things in the world had to be ten times wore that being seated next to a ghost. Hermione vaguely wondered if Voldemort even needed to breathe anymore.
Voldemort surveyed the table laid out before him, before clapping his hand. Just as it was in Hogwarts, food appeared on every square inch of table space. Voldemort, looking please with himself, then began to eat.
The dinner was slightly uneventful. Voldemort made more small talk with Lucius, and occasionally addressed Draco directly. Hermione was impressed of Draco's ability to kept his cool, she was sure she would have cracked by now.
Soon, the conversation between the Malfoy's and Voldemort took a turn Hermione didn't want, it turned to her.
"Tell me, Miss Prewitt," Voldemort said in a hissing tone, "Are you comfortable here, are you treated well?"
Hermione panicked for a split moment, but collected herself fantastically. "I am very comfortable here, my lord," She replied smoothly. "I wish I never had to leave, although soon that won't be a problem," She looked over in what she hoped was a coy glance at Draco. "I do, however, need to be getting back to my school, I'm afraid that things will not run as smoothly as I am hoping if Dumbledore and my former friends are on the lookout for me."
"Former friends, you say?" Voldemort stared intently at Hermione. "Surely you still care a little for these old friends of yours?"
Hermione knew Voldemort could break into one's mind, and thought directly on how to answer him.
"I suppose there is some caring," Hermione said carefully. "But I do not care for them as I care for myself. Growing us as a muggle was, quite literally, hell, and after seeing the life I was cheated out of for sixteen years, I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life just like this, surely you understand, My Lord."
Voldemort gave her a very sincere nod of approval. Hermione knew that a link to his past with hers was a smart move. Voldemort knew how he felt, and it would be easier to tell the truth abut his feelings, rather than lie about hers.
"I understand completely, Miss Prewitt," Voldemort said sagely. "I believe it would be a good idea for you and Draco to return to Hogwarts tomorrow. I need you to be my eyes and ears inside the school; can you do this for me?"
Hermione looked up at the hideous mad through her eyelashes. "But of course, my Lord." She murmured quietly.
"It is settled then," Voldemort finalized. "You shall return tomorrow, speak nothing of what has happened, in fact, I believe it would be a good idea if we can get old Dumbledore and the professors believing that Master Malfoy here has had a change of heart." Voldemorts eyes glistened with ideas. "Yes, Miss Prewitt, inform your headmaster that Draco has indeed, fallen in…love with you, that old fool will eat it up. Yes, yes, this will work out splendidly."
Hermione and Draco exchanged glances; things seemed to be running very smoothly.
"My Lord?" Draco spoke up in quiet respect. "How shall we return? We cannot take the knight bus, surely, but I can Apparate Hermione and myself outside the grounds of Hogwarts, we can make it look like we have escaped."
"Excellent," Voldemort said, with a slight hiss on the x, "Yes, this is very excellent indeed."
Soon after the dinner was over, Hermione and Draco climbed the stairs back to Draco's room, where both slept a bit better, knowing they would be returning to a safe place in the morning.
(A/N)
Hey there! I think I got this out in pretty good time, wouldn't you say? About a month, I know, not like I used to, but good news! Schools out! lol. so that means more time will go into this story (I hope!)
The next chapter will most likely get some, er, mixed reviews. Especially from the die-hard D/Hr fans. Although I myself am one, I can't resist putting this chapter in. It will be fun J
I got a review on my last chapter, stating that the person reading was just reading for the D/Hr-ness, and that the parts with Harry are boring. Tough noogies, I hate those sort of reviews. This is not solely a D/Hr fic, I just happen to be in love with the ship. If you're reading for the D/Hr, I highly, highly, highly suggest completely skipping the next chapter, as it will piss you off immensely. You've been warned. I think I'm going to start it now, hopefully it will be out in no less than a couple weeks. Earlier if I actually can get over this damn writers block! Thanks in advance for any reviews, and you can always leave your email for updates J
Oh yes! And before I forget, while you're waiting for the next installment, I suggest going to http:www.something-wicked.net, a site for FINISHED fan fiction of every shape, size, ship, and genre. There is also a wide variety of fan art, graphics, and other little contests. Did I mention that I own and co-maintain it? So of course there's a ton of D/Hr stuff J Check it out, leave a comment or five, and participate! Until next time,
xoariel
