Out of Hand by relativelypositive
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I make no money from the use of J.K. Rowling's characters.
Chapter 13: Intentions
Why did he have to apologize?
It was all Granger's fault.
His mother was forcing him to formally apologize in front of McGonagall and Snape for letting her fall. Apparently she broke something.
Draco felt awful about that. He really did. But he had no choice! She had to see the truth in that!
Anyway, he was supposed to avoid all conversation about Granger, and in any situation where she may be present he was supposed to stay as far away as physically possible. His father had laid down the law.
Draco snuck into his room and undressed in the dark. It was extremely late.
"You didn't think you could disappear again and we wouldn't wait up for you."
Greg lit his wand and sat up. Vince and Blaise were looking at him expectantly.
"It didn't happen."
"What didn't happen?"
"It."
"Are you saying you aren't engaged to Granger?"
"Yes. I've been forbidden from talking about that for the rest of my life…or until I really am…you know…to someone else. And I don't plan to talk to her or touch her in any way. Even accidents could be disastrous. I'm thinking a ten foot no Mudblood zone."
"I really recommend you do that," said Blaise. "If you see her coming you cup your junk and run away."
"It's not like she's going to try to grab your dick," said Vince.
"I'm not worried about anything intentional. I'm afraid we'll bump into each other and my hand will accidentally end up on her tit! That's all it would take."
The boys contemplated the dangerous situation.
"Draco, do you promise not to get mad if I tell you something?" Vince asked.
"I'm so tired right now that even if you do piss me off I'm not getting back out of bed. I'd have to talk you into coming over here so I could hit you."
"Okay…I think Hermione's cool."
Draco didn't know what to say to that. "Why would that make me mad?"
"I'm not saying you two should…you know…but I've been really jealous of you for the last couple days. I think…maybe you had an opportunity that you shouldn't have given up."
"Vince, there's no way. Someone would have ended up dead, and there's no guarantee it would be her."
"Oh I don't know," Blaise drawled. "You'd only have to give up your family, friends, money, status, beliefs, and live your life on the run. It'd be lovely."
"But wouldn't it be worth it if it meant you had a wife that really loved you?"
"Shit, Vince, when did you become such a fucking sap? Granger and Draco aren't in love."
"I'm not saying they are. I'm saying that we've always been on guard against girls that want to trap Draco, because he's the one with the money and status. We've always thought we weren't old enough to look for wives. Look where we are now!"
"Where are we now that's different from where we were last week?" Draco asked.
"We're sixteen. Greg is seventeen next month. Everyone else soon after! If our parents have their way we'll be married off before we're twenty!"
"Are you saying we should be auditioning wives?"
"I think I'd rather pick my wife than let my mother pick for me."
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Hermione almost cried when she saw Harry and Ron waiting for her by the fireplace the next morning. She felt like she hadn't seen them for weeks. So much had happened that she wanted to tell them!
"I'm not engaged!" she blurted with as much gusto as girls that were engaged usually announced their happy news.
Ron and Harry each hugged her tightly.
"I was so scared for you, Hermione. Mum sent me an owl yesterday telling me to do something drastic to keep you from Malfoy." Ron paused, then added, "You don't want to know what she had in mind."
"I don't care! I appreciate the thought, even though it isn't necessary. I'm putting that all behind me. I've joined the sit-in with the other Muggleborns. Isn't it great? We are going to get a Wizard Studies class if we have to live in the Great Hall to do it."
"That part of the article was pretty great, Hermione. It's the other part I'm worried about."
"The other part?"
"The not wanting to marry Malfoy part. I can't imagine that's going over well in Pureblood circles."
"What would it matter? To them I'm just a…I'm going to say Muggleborn. I've never been able to persuade that lot I'm even worthy of my magic, let alone marrying one of their precious sons."
"They all know you, though, because of Harry. They've read about you in the Daily Prophet. Remember the lies Rita Skeeter wrote about you during the Tri-Wizard Tournament? Everyone read that. Remember how mad Mum was? She knows you, and she believed it. That's why all the girls are mad at you now."
"All the girls are mad at me?" News to her. She'd spent the night in the Great Hall with about twenty girls, and everyone had been cordial.
"Yeah, except the ones that are camped out in the Great Hall." Harry seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. "Seems there are a lot of girls in this castle that do want to marry that idiot. Now their parents are telling them to set their sights on other blokes."
"No wonder Narcissa's pissed."
"Narcissa Malfoy?"
"Do you know anyone else named Narcissa?"
"Since when do you call her by her first name?"
"Since she showed up at our house yesterday. She told me to write a retraction because I was hurting his reputation. I'm happy to find out it's true."
The boys wanted her to come with them to breakfast, but Hermione declined. She'd already had breakfast, having woken in the Great Hall, and wanted to use the Prefects' bath before she rejoined them. She had a full three hours before she was due in Professor McGonagall's office for her "apology" and she had places to be.
She hadn't made it ten feet past the Fat Lady when she heard footsteps coming toward her. She was moving to the side to let whomever it was pass, when she was hit by a petrificus totalus and levitated to the Room of Requirement.
She watched warily as Pansy Parkinson circled her, knowing that unless she could throw off the spell she'd be at Pansy's mercy until it was lifted or allowed to dissipate.
"Mudblood." Hermione thought Pansy's voice was too calm. Not cool and angry like Mrs. Malfoy's yesterday, but like there was something scary underneath.
As she tried with all her might to throw off Pansy's spell, Pansy continued to talk to her. Hermione couldn't decide whether to expend the energy to pay attention, or to just focus on the spell. She decided to multi-task as best she could.
"Draco was convinced! He was all, 'she isn't trying to trap me' and 'she doesn't want to marry me' and 'it was an accident,' but I know better. We all know better. You conniving bitch!"
Pansy finally lost her temper and used a stinging hex on Hermione's cheek. Hermione had the uncomfortable sensation of her muscles trying to jerk back, but being frozen in place.
"I won't let Draco fall for your innocent act! I am going to keep you here. You are going to do what I tell you to do. You are going to keep your damn mouth shut, and you are going to fix this for me!"
Hermione felt the spell start to drain away. She guestimated ten minutes or so before she'd be able to move.
"Let's see. How did you do it?" Pansy continued in a mocking high voice. "'I am going to marry Draco Malfoy! I am going to fuck his brains out!' Am I doing it right?"
Hermione didn't know if she was supposed to attempt a reply, but was shocked once again when Pansy swiftly walked right up to her and plucked a few hairs from her head.
"Oh, these will come in handy! I just have to get him to touch me. And as you he'll think it was an accident!"
Pansy asked the room for shackles, and they were provided for her.
"The spell should lift soon, but make yourself comfortable. You'll be here a while."
Pansy smiled nastily and left the Room of Requirement.
A/N:
Someone wants to know if the war is still going to happen. I don't know. This is AU, and I've already mentioned Voldemort, so it could go either way. I established earlier that this is October, and I'm 13 chapters in and I've only covered 2 ½ days or so. If I'm still writing at the rate I'm writing in five years or so I'd be up to where the war would theoretically start. If I go the war route. Which I might. Or might not.
I'm wishy-washy.
And brighteyes2889 thinks I'm Voldemort. Wants a robe and mask if she(?) follows me in my new cult. I'm really more a jewelry kind of cult leader. (What do you get the cult leader that has everything?) Maybe a cool necklace or something snazzy like that.
Thank you, my lovely reviewers: Dianna, sweetestofpeas, brighteyes2889, KodeV, ASJS, eliza6801, Somnus Verus, and Kermit 304.