Chapter Five

Hermione showered extensively – it was hot out and she smelled like horses.

The shower was kind of neat: The walls and ceiling were all mirrors. Perhaps it was made to be easier to clean, but more than likely someone in the Black family along the years had been rather kinky.

Hermione detested this shower. She hated mirrors, but worse than that, she hated looking at HERSELF in mirrors.

It didn't look like her anymore and that scared her more than she would have liked to admit. Something was wrong with her body, her face, her – everything.

Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped a huge fluffy towel around her then opened the door adjoining to her bedroom.

She started when she found Jalena in there.

"Oh good, you're out," the maid said briskly. "I've been sent to give you a make-over by your grandmother." She looked her up and down, "Not that you need it."

"Oh, um, I was just going to go to dinner…" Hermione attempted.

"I know, which is why we've gotta be quick. Lucky you're already pretty."

A half an hour later, Hermione had been dressed up in a simple black dress – very tasteful and cocktail party-ish. Her eyebrows had been touched up and Jalena decided she really didn't need any make-up.

"Just some cover-up under your eyes," she murmured. "You haven't been sleeping well?"

Hermione protested. "My sleeping patterns have only changed a little bit. I never used to go to sleep and wake up so early."

Jalena nodded absentmindedly, grabbing a chunk of Hermione's bushy hair and beginning to brush it mercilessly.

"Ow!"

"Hold still please, miss," the maid chided.

Using some magic, the hair was tamed, though not quite straight. Finally, she was ready.

"You look stunning! Knock 'em dead!"

Hermione's eyes clouded.

"Oh… sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's alright. I'm just going down."

Hermione had thought a lot about her dead parents lately, often wishing her mother would cradle her in her arms, or her father would offer her encouraging words that really did mean quite a bit.

George winked at her from the bottom of the staircase. "I've been sent to fetch you, miss. But I see you've gone and beat me to it."

He led her to the Dining Room, opening the door for her and pulling out her chair.

Hermione had never eaten dinner with such unusual company! At one end of the table sat her unusual grandmother (dressed tonight in a frilly pink dress that reminded Hermione of the Fat Lady from Hogwarts, only Dora wasn't fat), and at the other end sat Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa was seated by her husband while Draco appeared to have been placed next to the only exmpty seat – hers.

She swallowed and put on a great show of graciously sitting next to the boy she'd once punched in the face back in third year.

The first course went without incident. Draco said nothing to Hermione and in turn, she did not acknowledge he was there.

Hermione hadn't been included in pureblood society long enough to be suspicious – but Draco was. Suspicious didn't even cover it for him. He KNEW something was up.

Generally according to the code of etiquette (surely a book all on its own) placed him, as the eldest offspring directly to the left of his father. Any brothers he might have would sit to his left, and so on.

However, being that he was an only child, Draco should have been to the left of his father and then to the right of his mother. Instead, he'd been placed to the left of Granger, which to outside eyes would indicate that they were engaged. Had he been to her right, they would have been married and in the presence of elders.

His thoughts were racing, but he was sure he knew what was up – and he was miserable.

Hermione was one-hundred percent oblivious; The small talk was all regarding family members she hadn't met and she wasn't really interested in her spinach and mushroom salad.

Somewhere, her mind decided to wander off.

She thought about her mother and father and how much she missed them. Then she dwindled on poor Crookshanks, whom no one had recovered after the fire. If he was even alive, the poor thing was probably homeless and hungry.

And then she was thinking about Harry and Ron. How she missed her two best friends! She began planning how to get away to see them for a couple days.

Suddenly all eyes were on her.

"Pardon me," she murmured: Her first words of the evening.

Dora gave her a stern look, then repeated, "We have some exciting news for the two of you."

Hermione looked around at who "the two of you" could possibly refer to. Her eyes landed on Draco for the first time. His pale, pointed face was staring pointedly at the table. He looked as though someone had just announced a death or something equally horrible.

In fact, he had the same face Ron had when Ron had learned that Lord Voldemort had returned.

Hermione didn't understand, but somehow she knew that whatever was about to be said would be BAD NEWS.

"As I know you are both aware, there aren't many purebloods left in today's society," Narcissa said in her soft voice.

"A pity," Lucius remarked offhandedly. Hermione frowned but said nothing.

Draco cleared his throat; He knew he'd been right – he was condemned.

"In any case, the three of us have got together to talk about this small tragedy," Narcissa continued, ignoring her husband, "and in discussion, we've decided that, given recent events and other…prudent bits of information, that it would be grand that the two of you get married. After all, there are many family ties that have yet to be tied."

Hermione' head whipped around to look at Draco. His pale face was tinged pink with what appeared to be anger and resentment.

Staring at her grandmother for a moment, Hermione comprehended what had just been said.

Feeling betrayed and about to be ill, Hermione forgot about etiquette or being polite. She stood up so quickly that her chair fell over backward and she ran from the room, tears threatening her eyes.

.

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Author's Note: I do apologize about the short chapter. It just seemed like a good place to end it.

Thank you so much to RIPJameSiriusLupinTrueMarauder, Readerforlife, Alenor, Mrs. Hermione Jane Weasley, AerintheWhiteKnight, and oreo69not96 for reviewing! I get really excited when I see reviews... even the mean ones.

AerintheWhiteKnight - I am still debating the whole prophecy thing. I mean, since this is post-Deathly Hallows and Voldemort is already dead, I think it'd be quite awkward to keep it the same. But at the same time, I don't want to change too much. Most of what I wanted the redo to be was time sensitive and with better descriptions and less rambling... I have a tendency to ramble... like right now, for instance.

oreo69not96 - Yay! I remember you reviewed very often on the original! Welcome back!!