A/N: So finally I have another update ready for you. I hope you like it!
Oh, and I forget this usually but I have no beta, all mistakes are mine ;-)
HBSJ x
Chapter 27
Back at Dartmoor Manor, Narcissa had invited Sirius to join her for tea.
She was waiting for him in the conservatory, enjoying the beautiful day. The sun shone in a bright blue sky and the large double doors were thrown wide. A light breeze was playing with the few escaped hairs from her coiffure, and she was feeling endlessly content.
Her husband had gone on an important errand, her son was in London trying to woo his girl and Narcissa herself was satisfied with her days work.
With all of the young ones and her husband out, and her darling aunt resting for the afternoon in her rooms, it was just the two of them after all.
They had to talk about what had happened the night before and she had decided to let him be with himself and his own thoughts for most of the day.
Well, no more.
Their butler Hobson entered the long room and walked to her with the slightest hint of disapproval in the set of his mouth and the reason soon became clear.
Sirius had declined her invitation.
She stood up, resolute in her course. "Hobson, bring the tea to my cousin's room, I will not accept his answer."
Hobson looked deeply shocked but nodded none the less. "As you wish, Your Grace."
She marched out of the room, intent of rousing her cousin and giving him an old-fashioned scolding, just like the one they received when they were up to no good as children.
When she was outside his room she knocked twice. "Ready or not, I'm coming in!" She practically yelled. She never yelled.
Really, the lengths she went to for family!
Before she could barge in the door, it swung open. "Apologies Cissy, I'm just not feeling up to it today."
He sounded so defeated and her first instinct was to embrace him, but they were both Blacks.
She gave him a cold glare and walked right around him into his private sitting room. It was unimaginable that she was the one who had to beat sense into people but if no one else could do it, she would.
"I understand that yesterday was overwhelming. But this is great news. Not only does mr. Potter now have a beloved father in you, but he also gains a family and a legacy. Why on earth would you be moping around about joyous news like that?" Her tone was sharp but not unkind. He needed to wake up from his bout of self-pity.
He waved her words away. "Yes but then what? He'll move away!"
She huffed out a breath. Men! "He has already moved away Sirius, he is living here."
"I always expected him to return." He mumbled a bit defiantly.
"Why on earth would he do that? He is currently courting Lady Parkinson and now he has a title that will please her family. I'll wager he will not move back to your estate."
He seemed stunned. "He is?"
"Really Sirius? Are you that blind?" Honestly, this wasn't entirely uncalled for. He seemed oblivious to the fact that his son was grown.
He stared, still utterly stunned, out into the empty air and Narcissa ignored him for now. Perhaps the limit for revelations Sirius could handle had been reached. That was a probability.
Not only was young Potter now actual Black family kin, he also had a family of his own and would inherit a title, land and a wealth of Potter history. The earldom was ancient and Harry would need to begin his studies in land management, media training and the Potter line as soon as possible.
The old Earl had been alone for many years, no one knew how many years he had left, and young Potter would need as much knowledge as possible in that limited amount of time. Draco had been taught from the moment he could read and kept up with several news outlets daily to keep his knowledge as up to date as possible.
She took a sip of her now cooled tea. It was less than perfect and she needed a strong cup of tea for this. Hobson came in as soon as she called for him.
She asked for a fresh pot of tea and for the first time in some minutes Sirius stirred. "Whiskey please. Lots of it."
Hobson displayed no emotion at the request. "Certainly my lord."
When they were alone once more, him with a glass of whiskey and the bottle opened on the table.
She glared at him. "Actually, I don't have time for your tantrum today. The earl will arrive tomorrow and I am picking up the pieces of our cousin at the airport and then we can set her marriage either to rights or headed straight to divorce."
He blinked, the glass of whiskey stilling in his hand. "Bella?"
She nodded. "You are not the only one with problems Sirius and you would do well to remember that. Either support Harry in all of his choices and help him transition to his newfound heritage or sit here with a bottle and linger into old age. Make a decision."
She stood up, shaking out her skirt. "I have ordered some food for you. I expect you to put down that blasted glass, eat and get yourself together. You are welcome to join me on my outing to the airport if you are sober. I leave in one hour."
With that, she left the room with a flourish and drama only matched by her dear Lucius. It seemed some of his drama had rubbed off no matter how much she had tried to avoid it.
Draco frowned as he and Hermione followed his father some distance from the Royal Pavilion, to the shade of a large willow tree where they were hidden from most of the guests at the event.
The duke seemed smug, as if he had it all figured out which, in fairness, he probably had. He thumped his cane once on a massive rock beneath the willow tree.
He made no preamble. "I require the two of you to pretend to form an attachment, to appear entirely smitten with one another."
"What?" This from them both but he tried not to take offence at Hermione's mutinous expression.
His eyes narrowed. "You can do that, can you not?"
They looked at each other for the briefest of moments, and they each nodded in turn.
"Excellent." He smirked.
And that seemed to be it but really, they needed some more information. "How do you want us to do this? We've barely been near each other today."
She could see the dukes almost eye-roll. "Nothing as overt as a public kiss of course, but you will go to the ropes together and watch the final. Stand close, speak mostly to each other, casual touches, that sort of thing."
"Why exactly do you need us to do that father?" Draco asked genuinely curious. It wasn't long ago that he was practically spitting fire at the thought of even having Hermione stay on the grounds of Dartmoor and now he wanted to pretend and understanding between them?
"Because your mother and I have set many wheels in motion and we require the rumour mills to run amok so to speak. Miss Granger here has been kind enough to assist me with planting some devices that will enable us to build a case."
He scowled at the very idea that his father had used Hermione, but he'd have to get the particulars later. "A case for what?"
He gave Draco a certain look and spoke with a certain tone. "We haven't decided on that yet son. But it is for the sake of our family."
He took that to mean one of several ways. It could be to go to the police, or to go to the superior of whomever they were trying to snare. Or it could be for blackmail. He knew his parents well enough that they would not be above a threat or two and they always followed through on a threat.
The duke thumped his cane again. "I will leave the two of you to sort out the particulars. Heaven knows I am no matchmaker." And with that, he left.
Leaving him and Hermione staring after him and wondering what to do.
It was an all-around awkward few minutes.
He cleared his throat. "Right." He cleared his throat again." "How do you think we should do this?"
She looked up at him with those stunningly beautiful eyes, a riot of warm brown and gold. "Are you really worried about me when I'm not near you?"
He huffed out a breath and smiled. "I am. I'm sorry if it seems possessive but I can't seem to help myself."
She bit into her lovely full bottom lip, worrying it while thinking.
He, being a full-blooded male, couldn't for the life of him control his reaction to that simple action. Lust slammed into him like a freight-train and bit down hard on his tongue to avert his own attention.
His mother and Blaise's immature lusting after her, his beloved great-aunt, his father and mother doing… Thank the Lord, at least that helped.
He took a gulp of fresh air and tried to focus on her rambling.
Because all through his little lusty interlude, she had been talking, speaking about different theories, scientific texts and articles that she had read about courtship.
He smiled, he loved the intricacy of the way her mind worked. The way she was totally confident, even around his largest and most unruly ponies, the way she carried herself and the kindness she had in everyone.
She was talking about a poet now, bloody Byron apparantly, when he had to cut her off. "What happened?"
She stopped mid-sentence and stared at him with wide eyes. "What happened, when?"
"Your reaction to me. The way you are around me. It changed. Why? What happened?" Oh, he wasn't phrasing this right. But they had to talk and now was as good a time as any. The did have relative privacy here hidden as they were under the willow.
She frowned, thinking. "So much has happened Draco. I'm not sure I know which incident you're referring to."
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. What the fuck? Was she playing dumb? Or was she trying to avoid the conversation?
He was getting frustrated and he couldn't stop it from leaking through his tone of voice. "Was it the whole thing with Cho? Because that was a fucking mistake if I ever made one."
Hermione just stared at him.
What?
No. No.
She heard them. She'd heard him and his father cheerfully plotting the demise of everyone not considered family.
And she wasn't family to this top-tier aristocratically family, who were also cousins and on first-name-basis with the royal family. Draco was probably even in line to the throne for heaven's sake!
"What do you mean?" She didn't understand.
"Are you really gonna play that dumb?" He sneered.
That made her snap. "Look, you may be the most illustrious bachelor in the land-" She sneared, he'd never seen her snear but he could appreciate a talent in the art,. "-but that doesn't give you the right to play me for a fool! I know none of you see me as that damned family you keep on referring to!"
"What the actual fuck?" He said quietly, seemingly dumbfounded but he still stepped forward.
But now that she'd started in on him, she couldn't seem to stop. "I will help you defeat that wicked witch of an ex but then I want you all to leave me alone!"
He looked angry now and took another step closer. "No, I won't fucking leave you alone! Why the hell would I?!"
She backed up a bit and found herself leaning against the trunk of the willow tree. Her breath came in pants with her chest heaving and obvious confusion on her face. What the hell was he talking about?
He took the final step to bring his body flush against hers. They were so close, she could feel his breath on her face. "I can't and won't leave you alone Hermione."
"Please Draco." But she no longer knew what she was pleading for.
He searched her face for endless moments and then seemed to come to a decision. "I can't leave you alone." He whispered and sounded almost pained.
Instinctively, she bought up her hand to cup his cheek, he leaned into her hand immediately. She wanted to soothe him, to make sure she never saw that heart-wrenching expression on his beautiful face again.
They stood there for an age, watching each other silently in bewilderment and awe.
And then he closed the distance between them.
His kiss was unhurried but needy. Possessive but encouraging. Dominating but exploring.
Hermione felt her entire being focus entirely on this one connection with this complicated man.
The spark between them sizzled and sparked into a thousand fireworks exploding in the night sky, alighting every nerve in her being.
She moulded herself to him, needing him far closer than he already was.
Her fury had changed and morphed during their argument into an unsatiable craving for him.
For once, her constantly busy mind just went blank, completely engulfed in the myriad of emotions his kiss was bringing out in her. A warmth was brewing in her very core, wanting and needing more.
And he obliged in her silent plea.
He pressed the weight of his body against hers, trapping her between him and the trunk of the willow and it was delicious.
She didn't even really notice that his hand was now on her thigh, drawing it up and letting her feel all of him and she couldn't stop.
She didn't want to stop.
She pulled at his shirt, his hair, his arms and she wanted him closer.
More.
All she could think was just more.
The layers of their summery clothes felt restricting and frustrating and she wanted to tear his clothes off.
He could obviously feel her urgency when she practically attacked his short. He chuckled, the fiend. "Hermione. We should shop now."
"No." She whined. A spectacularly ungraceful sound but she couldn't help it. She wanted him quite desperately. And her heart was pounding a desperate tattoo in her chest.
"We need to go back, to pretend for form an attachment. Remember? We have to put on a show." He said with that beautiful smirk of his. "Do you think we can pretend?" He winked, still with that half-smile.
She grinned and fake-sighed. "Sure, I guess I can try."
He kissed her again, slower this time but almost restarting when they had just finished but she managed to hang on to a thread of sanity and push him away.
They spent a few minutes catching their breath and calming down. When they were putting each other to rights, Hermione had bark in her hair from the trunk and she'd managed to muss up Draco's hair thoroughly.
All in all, they both looked a right mess and very thoroughly snogged.
She wanted to do it again.
Draco held his arm out to Hermione. "Right, should we get this show on the road miss Granger?"
She smiled at him, a happy smile and it warmed him to the core. "Yes, I believe we shall my lord."
Together they walked back to the Royal Pavilion and it filled him with immense satisfaction. She was incredible. Smart, beautiful, interesting, logical, feisty, devious, loved ponies, able to keep him in line and more than capable of being his duchess.
In short, she was perfect.
They walked over to Astoria and Will by the ropes, watching the introduction to the final two teams. Riddle stood at the very front of the other tent looking much too satisfied with himself.
Hermione leaned up to whisper in his ear. What she said startled him, because he'd been expecting something naughty. "Is that Cho Chang standing with Tom Riddle in the other tent?"
He started and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, watching them both covertly behind his sunglasses. "It is, I wonder when they made friends."
"And look, Ron is there too with Rita. They're quite the motley crew aren't they?" She gave him a knowing look.
He eyed her with ever more intrigue. "Hmm, I thought Weasley was your friend. Ginny's brother even."
She shrugged. "He's my friend's brother. And I'm sure any scandal involving Rita, Cho and Tom would have minimal effect on his life. I hope your parents' plan will work."
He smirked. His parents could move mountains if they so desired. "It will. My mother could lead an army into battle without batting an eye. We just have to play our part." He winked at her and she blushed.
A distant clicking drew his attention and he leaned closer to her. "They're photographing us. Smile up at me Hermione. We have to give them the perfect cover photo."
A smirk tugged at her lips, making her seem almost shy and she looked up at him with a perfect blend of happiness and innocence. A perfect actress for public functions which was, unfortunately, necessary if she agreed to be with him.
The clicking went into a frenzy. They just stood there arm in arm gazing at each other and the rightness of her by his side settled into his bones.
What the hell had he been thinking with Cho? Such a stupid, irrational and hasty decision to make. He'd just gotten rid of her and now she was back, threatening his family and friends because of him.
Fuck no.
As if planned, his father came up to them with a smile. He kissed Hermione's hand in full view of everyone and spoke with her for a few minutes about nothing in particular. It sounded like some charity his mother was working with and Hermione was even making his father laugh.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The photographer was taking pictures in a frenzy. Draco smiled, this little play they were putting on was already a resounding success.
His father was leaving now and even kissed Hermione's cheek before he left to say goodbye to the King and Queen. Head held high, the people around parted for him. No matter Cho's threats, there was no doubting the power his father wielded and his mother, even if she wasn't here.
He enjoyed watching the polo finals of the day with Hermione. His cousins were playing and the game was exciting, always shifting back and forth, with the commentator narrating play with good humour.
By the end of the final chukka, the defeat of Team Riddle was solidified, and Draco relished in the satisfaction of their defeat. Of course, it was mostly because of Riddle himself. But most of that particular team had been trained by him, being former school mates of him, Theo and Blaise. They'd known all of them for years and still, it was so easy for them to just up and fucking leave with no word or warning for more money even though they'd mostly just been playing around back then.
It still stung, even after all this time. Which meant that Draco felt some vindictive sort of satisfaction every time Team Riddle lost a match. But today it was even better because he was here to witness their defeat in an important tournament and Riddle's rage.
Throughout it all however, he was painfully aware of Hermione tucked into his side. He barely stopped touching her and even then, it didn't feel like enough.
He spotted the others standing a bit away from them and he, Hermione, Will and Astoria went to join them.
Harry finally seemed better, he'd been white as a sheet for most of the morning but cheerful jokes from both Blaise and Theo along with steady encouragement from Pansy had brought him closer to his usual happy self.
He smiled down at Hermione, a real smile from his very core.
It felt good. It felt like the beginning of something new.
For once, the entirety of their group stood together at the ropes watching the royal team celebrating their win over Team Riddle in that day's finals.
More than once before, during and after the game, Prince Regulus had caught her eye with a wink or a cheeky smile. She would be lying to herself if she didn't find it flattering. He was handsome and a damned prince. But therein lay the problem.
Because he was a prince, there was expectations thrust onto him and his would-be wife. But to be seen with him would also mean to expose herself to the invasive paparazzi, who already hounded Draco, Theo and Blaise whenever they ventured out in public.
Would she be able to do that?
She was raised a lady, with all of the refinements of a debutante but also with an aversion to always being in the limelight.
Astoria nudged her as she, Will, Hermione and Draco joined them. "Are you alright sis?" She spoke almost under her breath, the same way they'd always done when out in public.
She smiled a bit sadly. "I think I may have found him."
Astoria watched her carefully. "Who?"
Daphne swallowed the lump in her throat. "Him. And I'm not sure if I can do it. If it'll work."
Her younger sister smiled with her ever beautiful optimism. "You can do it. If it's right you'll make it work. I just know."
She put her arm around Astoria. "You are literally the best person I know, did you know that sis?"
Astoria hugged her back. "And you're my person. Always, no matter what happens."
"What's the plan with you and Will?" Daphne really wanted them to have their happy ending.
Her eyes started shining and she squeezed her hand. "I think I'm in love with him." Her bright eyes were almost matched by her smile. "Hermione said we should go to Whitecroft to speak with her parents. Pansy said the same."
She was just bursting with love for her sister. "Then go. If you're sure, make it happen."
They hugged with Astoria nodding, only a single tear fell down her cheek. "I love you. I'll call you later, okay?"
Daphne nodded, feeling a bit teary herself.
"And go chase your own happiness." Astoria added with a bit of a sniffle. "Who knows? You just might end up happy sis."
Even a long time after Astoria and Will had said their goodbyes and made their way towards Whitecroft, Daphne was still smiling, her sister's words resounding in her head.
They did a ceremony on the grass and she was rather entertained by the scowls from Team Riddle, knowing all about Draco's annoyances with the team.
There was a commotion in the Royal Pavilion when the, now cleaned up, victors of the day arrived, fresh from the showers. Prince Regulus made a beeline to her and that in and of itself just made her heart start to pound all over again.
Draco arrived just before him with an interesting expression, as if he knew. He started to chat about something or other but then he arrived.
"Draco! How the hell are you?" The prince seemed enthusiastic but surprised to see Draco suddenly appearing out of thin air.
"Reg? What the fuck are you doing here?" He said, clearly in some degree of know. Daphne ground her teeth. She didn't even know what the hell she wanted but she definitely didn't want Draco trying to go all 'big brother' on her now.
"Ah you know, playing, winning, flirting, you know me." He directed his grin at Daphne and she couldn't not blush. Rotted, handsome man.
They chatted between them as Daphne sort of zoned out, trying to figure out if she wanted to give it a go. When she heard her own name spoken however, she listened carefully again.
"So how do you and Daph know each other?" This from Draco, the bloody meddler.
The Prince was looking mischievous. "We just met actually. And she doesn't seem to like me much."
"Well, then she's obviously got good taste." They both laughed and she scowled. How had it suddenly become 'joke about Daph'-day?
"She's promised me that she might be amenable to me if I'm able to get her number though. Can you help?" Draco burst out laughing, attracting a lot of looks around them and Daphne just wanted the floor to swallow her up.
She spotted Blaise on the other side of their grouping and just said, "So I'm gonna go, you two enjoy this… whatever it is." She motioned between them and they laughed again as she walked away.
With no greeting, no preamble or anything, she just grumbled to Blaise, "How the fuck is it that Draco is cousins with the royal family, I mean, doesn't that seem a bit suspicious to you?"
He grinned, "Suspicious how?"
"I mean, just look at them, conniving and plotting, much too chummy for my tastes." She sniffed, trying to appear unflustered but Blaise had known her for years and saw right through her.
He tried to appear as serious as possible but she saw his lips twitch. "I may not be the brightest of men, but I did see you with him earlier. I'm not blind. You like him."
She affected a tiny shrug. "I don't even know him."
He put his arm around her shoulders. "You could though. Think about it."
She huffed out a breath. "Astoria said the same."
"She's always been a bright one." He winked with a grin and looked around at the thinning crowds while clapping his hands together. "Are you ready to leave?"
She nodded. "Yeah, lets gather the troops."
Blaise looked around and frowned. "I can't see Will and Astoria? Aren't they coming?"
Daphne smiled. Her sister had fallen hard and fast for the kind oddball that Will was. "No, both Hermione and Pansy made the suggestion that they should go to Whitecroft. If they're serious, they should speak with his parents first as they should be able to convince our parents to consent to the match."
He seemed to be pondering her words. "Do you think they need to elope?"
She shrugged. "Who knows? Out parents have strict expectations of us, but they fell in love before they married. It wasn't a whirlwind, it was steady and true." She smiled to herself, that was what she wanted.
And, as she watched Draco and the Prince talking, she thought that maybe she had a chance to find it too.
A/N: Please don't forget to leave a review or comment for your favorite author today! It doesn't have to be me or this particular story, (although I adore every single comment) but some author appreciation is amazing, so if you think its good, let them know!
HBSJ x