CHAPTER ELEVEN
Hermione did not leave her bedroom the entire weekend and for the first time in her whole life did not do her homework assignments. When it came time to go to class on Monday she refused to get out of bed.
In solitude she attempted to make a plan for the rescue of her parents. All her plans did not result in her or her parent's safety and she became distraught. She did not want to risk Bellatrix Lestrange or He Who Must Not Be Named killing them.
Hermione imagined a marriage to Draco and was unsure if she could stomach a lifetime of unhappiness. A younger Hermione would fantasize about a small wedding somewhere outside and surrounded by trees on a warm summer's day.
Waiting for her at the end of the aisle would be a man who was kind, caring and had a good soul. Draco possessed none of those qualities. She did not want her husband to be a cruel, mean man.
Hermione did not consider the difficulty her intended might be facing. Draco stayed that weekend at Malfoy Manor trying to agree to his misfortune and seeing what he would get out of it.
"Upon my marriage I'm supposed to receive Black Landing and a portion of my inheritance. Are you still going to honor this?" Draco asked his parents at dinner on Saturday.
"Of course. Black Landing is yours at marriage and Malfoy Manor is yours at the time of my death, you know this." Lucius said for the hundredth time. "And the inheritance?" Draco asked.
"The inheritance too, you'll get everything we have promised you already sweetheart," Narcissa answered.
"And what about any sons or daughters? Merlin forbid we have children," Draco said disgusted. Narcissa tried to hold back tears at the thought. "We have just told you that you will get everything. Now stop it, you're making your mother upset," said his father.
Draco threw down his fork and said, "I am not hungry. I'll be in my room." He was getting up in a huff when Narcissa asked him to sit back down.
With a shaky hand she took off one of her rings. "You'll give this to the girl when you return to school," she said placing it in his hand. Draco examined the ring his mother had just given him.
"Is this Elladora Black's ring?" Draco asked. "It is one of the only jewels your mother can part with," his father answered.
The ring was weighty in his hand. It was a white gold band with small diamonds surrounding it. The center stone was a large emerald. "You really want the Mudblood to wear this?" Draco said.
"Just give it to the girl and be creative about it as soon as you return to Hogwarts. The Dark Lord wants this to be perfect. Do not disappoint him a second time… We do not want to think about what would happen, do we?" Lucius said.
Everyone at the table knew Lucius was right. He stuck the ring in his pocket and went to pack his things for Hogwarts.
Snape did not see Hermione at breakfast on Monday morning nor was she in class that afternoon. "Where is she?" Snape asked Draco after potions. "How should I know where the cow is?" Draco whispered despite an empty classroom.
"Draco!" Severus hissed. "Do you not understand how important this is? Make sure she is at dinner tonight and give her the ring or we will both be punished!" Snape threatened.
Walking back to the Slytherin common room he saw a small third year girl who was sitting doing her homework.
"You there! Come here!" He said to her. She froze and when she didn't come to him Draco walked to her. "Are you deaf or something?" Draco questioned.
The little witch looked up at him towering over her and shook her head no. "Where is the Mudblood Granger? Is she still in her dormitory?" Malfoy asked.
"She's been there all weekend," answered the girl. "You go up there and tell her to be at dinner. Or else," he said. "Well off to it!" Malfoy said raising his voice when she didn't budge.
She ran off to tell Hermione what Malfoy had said. Hermione was lying on her bed staring out the window into the Black Lake. The little girl startled Hermione when she felt her eyes watching her. "Agatha! What do you want?" Hermione said.
"Draco Malfoy said you must be at dinner tonight, he was serious about it," Agatha said. She ran off as soon as she told Hermione. Agatha did not want to be associated with the only Mudblood in Slytherin.
Hermione threw herself out of bed and felt a new determination. If this wedding had to happen it would be on her terms. No one would get satisfaction out of her misery.