Hello, this chapter is quite a bit longer than the previous ones, just thought I'd warn you. Also in this chapter, we finally meet the infamous Narcissa Malfoy! Please review and all, the more you do so, the faster I update.


To anyone who looked, Hermione seemed as composed as normal, eating her full English breakfast like any other morning. On the inside though, Hermione felt like she was dying. Her heart was giving great lurches, she was fighting to stop the cold sweats that came over her, and she was struggling not to shake. It was Saturday, the day she would meet Narcissa Malfoy née Black. Draco's mother. They had met only once, and that encounter had ended with the Malfoys leaving the shop without buying anything and Hermione getting insulted by the elder witch. The least one could say, was that she was not looking forward to this meeting.

She was dragged from her thoughts of escaping the impending doom when she was joined by Daphne Greengrass at the table. Exchanging greetings, Daphne sat beside Hermione and began on her toast, watching her neighbour closely.

"What's up with you?" she finally asked.

"What? Nothing! Why – What makes you think there's something wrong?" Hermione babbled.

"Please. I'm a Slytherin. People in my House live under masks of indifference, compared to them, your stress is so obvious you might as well have neon lights screaming 'NERVOUS BREAKDOWN' over your head."

"Have you ever met Narcissa Malfoy?"

"Yeah, nice lady, why?"

"Because I'm meeting her today, and our last meeting didn't go so well, and I'm so scared she won't like me because I'm Muggle-born and it's gonna ruin my whole weekend and I have so many fun things planned and it's just going to be a disaster if she's mean, I just know it!"

"Woah, woah, woah, jeez Hermione! Calm down, deep breaths!" Daphne paused to make sure her friend was following her instructions. Satisfied, she continued. "You have nothing to worry about. Mrs Malfoy was mean last time because you were on opposite sides of the war and had a reputation to hold. Now that Voldemort is gone and her husband's in jail, she'll be fine. She hates pretty much everyone until they prove themselves to her, just impress her! Sure it's harder to do that if you're a Muggle-born, but that's where her prejudice ends. Okay?"

Hermione nodded silently, slightly reassured but still scared. She would still be hated until she managed to impress the old witch, however she was going to manage that. Mrs Malfoy didn't seem like an impressionable woman.


A few hours later, Hermione and Draco were making their way to Hogsmeade in relative silence, following the path that led from the school to the village, listening absently to the chatter of other students around them. They continued like this until they reached the village, where Draco looked at his watch.

"My mother should be waiting in the Three Broomsticks by now."

Hermione simply nodded and prepared to follow, when a voice called out her name from behind her. She turned and was surprised to see Ron jogging towards her. In Harry's letter, he had mentioned that Ron was still being a git but that he was trying to subdue the redhead. If Ron was here, did that mean he had accepted the Bond? The look of fury that he sent Draco was enough to answer her question and her heart plummeted.

"Hermione can I talk to you alone for a minute?" he asked breathlessly, still glaring daggers at Draco. Hermione nodded at the blond, who started walking towards the Three Broomsticks, sighing.

"What's the matter, Ron, I'm a bit busy."

As soon as Draco was out of sight, Ron rushed into Hermione's arms, crushing hr in a hug worthy of his mother. When he finally let her go, she was smiling. Expression that would soon fade away.

"Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry I abandoned you! I can't even imagine what this past month with Malfoy's been like. I was ready to storm the castle thinking he had hurt you when I didn't receive any letters, but Harry told me you two were talking so it's fine. Come on, I can't stay for long, we have to go see McGonagall."

"What? What are you talking about? I told you I'm busy, Ron! And this past month hasn't been so bad, Malfoy's quite nice, when you get to know him. He helps me with the nightmares! So stop gibbering and explain yourself clearly!"

Ron simply stared at her for a few seconds.

"You mean to tell me... that you have no problem with Malfoy screwing you?"

"Excuse me! I haven't been screwed by anybody, you pervert!"

"Ew, Mione, no! Not like that, Merlin! I meant hoodwinked, played, tricked!"

"I have told you, Ron," Hermione was gritting her teeth trying to stay calm, but Lord was it difficult. "that Malfoy has nothing to do with how we ended up in this situation. This is an ancient Bond that happens between soulmates when they come into contact with each other. This isn't a fluke, I researched it, he was even unconscious when it happened!"

"Fine, well... maybe it is! But you don't have to worry, I'll help you get out. Harry should be here too, but he thinks you don't actually mind it. Idiot!"

"For the love of Merlin, Ron, listen to me!" Hermione finally shouted, turning the heads of students around. "I don't mind! Draco is kind! In fact, you're the only one I want to get away from right now! After everything we've been through, you still think me that weak little girl who froze in front of the Troll! Well I'm not, I'm not only a grown woman, but one who survived a bloody war and torture as well! After all we've been through, Malfoy seems to trust my judgement and capabilities more that you! I've had enough! Now go, and let be tend to my business!"

She went to turn, but an iron gripped had stopped her. She looked back at Ron, who was wearing a look of deep concern on his face.

"Come on, Mione, I'm taking you to St. Mungo's."

"What?"

"You've been confunded! Or imperiused! Or... enchanted somehow! I'll cure you, don't worry!"

He started dragging her off in the opposite direction to where she wanted to go, ignoring her struggles and angry tone as she told him to unhand her. Finally having enough, and not seeing any other way out, with her free hand, she grabbed the hand that held her, and twisted. Within moments, she was free, but for good measure she pulled back her newly freed fist and slammed it into Ron's nose. He fell back, trying to clutch his bleeding face and broken hand at the same time, staring at her in shock.

"Leave. And don't come back until you've learnt that I'm not helpless, I don't need your help, and until you decide to listen to me."

Her cold voice made him shudder visibly before he leapt to his feet and fled. Their little encounter had filled her with more fury than she cared to admit, and she suddenly decided to let go. She wasn't the bookworm who needed help understanding the real world anymore, she wasn't the prude little girl who never swore, who worshipped rules. She would let go.

Raising her wand to her throat, she whispered Sonorus, and prepared to show the world the real Hermione Granger.


Draco was worrying about Hermione as he made his way down to the pub to meet his mother. He knew Ron wouldn't harm her, but it would take her ages to convince the thick-headed boy that there was nothing he could do to stop this and that it wasn't so bad. He finally entered The Three Broomsticks and made his way over to the booth where his mother was waiting.

"Mother." He greeted. "It's good to see you again."

He kissed her cheek as she returned the greetings, and sat down opposite her.

"Hermione will be here soon, she's just dealing with... a small problem we came upon on our way over."

"And you didn't stay to help?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Trust me," he answered, taking a sip of his warm butterbeer, "I would only have made the situation worse."

Narcissa was about to respond when a voice rang out through the entire village :

"Attention students of Hogwarts, this is Hermione Granger speaking!" the pub fell silent, as well as the chatter outside, and eyebrows rose when her formal voice became suddenly stern. "The war is over, dipshits! Voldemort is dead, the Death Eaters are imprisoned! For the past month, people have been shunning and discriminating against the Slytherins for the choices their parents made or for the actions they were forced to do, but it stops now! If I hear of one more bad word against the Slytherins because of the past, I will beat you until the next millenia! Times change, people change, and I think a fucking war is enough to trigger that change. And if you don't believe I'll hex you good, go find Ron Weasley, wherever he's gone to rebuild his ego, he might be able to show you his broken nose!"

Hermione's voice died down, but people still stayed silent, trying to get over the fact that Hermione Granger had made a public statement, swearing and defending Slytherins, and had apparently broken Ron's nose. The pub was till silent and wide eyed when she walked in, a scowl on her face, and walked over to where the Malfoys were sitting.

Without pausing, she stuck her hand out for Narcissa and her scowl was replaced with a small smile.

"Hello Mrs Malfoy, I'm Hermione Granger. I apologize for my tardiness and my little outburst there, but people were acting horribly."

"No need to apologize, dear, thank you for sticking up for my son." The matriarch anwered as the shook the young woman's hand. "It was very entertaining. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard anything like it since Lucius told my parents to shove it when they said we had to consummate our marriage in front of them."

At that last bit, Draco spat out his butterbeer and promptly started choking, while Hermione and his mother patted his back, trying to keep their giggles in.