A/N: This chapter was fun to write, it's quite a Narcissa-centric chapter and I really hope you like it.

We'll get back to the main Dramione soon, I promise!

HBSJ

Chapter 20

Narcissa and Lucius were watching the empty chair that usually contained their son with some surprise.

Usually when he wasn't joining them for breakfast, he sent down a note to let them know, it was the custom.

And there was no note.

Lucius huffed at the vacant chair and vanished behind his newspaper again.

Narcissa pursed her lips.

Draco was getting distracted of late and she knew very well what the cause of his distraction was, that Granger girl. They really needed to speak with him. It was becoming a somewhat complicated situation and the girl was scheduled to stay through to mid-july.

Duke Theodore Nott and the Zabini Marchese had spoken to her about them several times too, obviously trying to get her to view the girl in a positive light. Which she certainly already did, the girl had shown quite impressive gumption but that was not equal to a blessing of a would-be marriage to her only son.

She looked down at the letter she had received that very morning from her aunt Lucretia, the Princess Royal, noting that she mentioned Draco's prospects several times, ending in a typical Black-family sly goodbye while writing that she would come visit on Tuesday. With another guest in tow.

It wasn't a question, just informative. In two days and stay through the weekend.

There were lots to prepare, especially the best, largest and airiest family-guest room, along with extra footmen to take care of her aunt. She might be mentally fresh as a daisy but she was elderly and needed the extra help no matter her protests of the matter.

She glanced up at the back of the paper Lucius was reading. "Darling?"

"Yes my love?" He sounded distracted, still reading the Financial Times.

"The Princess Royal is gracing us with a visit. And she brings a guest."

He stilled and flipped one corner of the newspaper down so he could see her. His eyes were narrowed. "I see." He drawled. "And when can we expect the Princess to arrive?"

"Tuesday. We have to air out your gala uniform. She'll expect formal dinners."

"I see." He said again, sounding supremely bored. "She is gracing us with her presence so soon. Do we know who the guest is?" He began to seem quite uninterested in the conversation as a whole. It was a ruse, he always had a tendency to think he might fool her.

She glanced down at the letter with a quiet sigh. "She doesn't say. She's being secretive for a reason."

He spoke low through gritted teeth, sounding terse and tense. There it was, his actual sentiment of the matter. "Well, don't we just love that Black humour?"

She gave him a pointed look. "I don't need your sarcasm husband. I am well aware that the lapse of information could mean anything. Or indeed anyone."

He huffed indignantly. "We are not a shelter that takes in all sorts of riff-raff."

Narcissa wanted to roll her eyes at her husband's ever-dramatic flair. The Malfoy sense for drama was alive and well in both him and their son. "There, there Lucius, aunt Lucretia will not just bring anyone. You are talking about my aunt after all."

Hermione was surprised to wake up in her own bed, comfortable and snuggly even if she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday.

She couldn't remember going to bed the day before but then again, she couldn't remember much from the night before at all.

Without thinking about it, she touched her lips. She smiled involuntarily, it felt like she had been kissing someone. But surely she hadn't. She couldn't have.

She groaned loudly and turned over in her bed. She really ought to take a bath. It would be so lovely to have a long soak. If only she was a witch, then she could fill the bath in trice and heat the water up just right.

But she wasn't, so she trudged reluctantly out of bed and began the long and boring task of filling up the bath.

With the water running, she undressed sluggishly and considered going back to bed more than once and, being utterly naked, she removed her makeup, washed her face more than once and gulped down a large glass of water with two painkillers.

The water was barely a third of the way up but she really wanted to get in, so she tested it with her hand. Too hot. So she ran some more cold water in and waited. She tested again, too cold this time. Damn.

She was getting cold, standing there naked and tired but finally, the water was just right and she lowered herself in with a satisfactory hiss.

Willing herself to stay awake, she leaned back and rested her pounding head on the little headrest.

She remembered the little game she'd played with Draco in the kitchen. She had liked that a lot, it was nice spending time with him when it wasn't about the polo training. She had missed their chats over the breaks and luncheon. She stretched her legs slightly, they were still sore from Friday, where she had been especially focused on gripping with her knees to balance.

Her phone rang from somewhere in her room but she couldn't be bothered to get up and get it. She was much too comfortable.

She thought about the party again. So much had happened last night. Harry and Pansy, that was still somewhat mind-boggling. Blaise and Luna was probably a thing now and Blaise had given her some sort warning but she couldn't remember the particulars. She probably ought to ask him about that later.

Her phone rang again. Well, whoever it was would just have to wait.

And then there was Draco.

For once, she allowed her mind to drift freely, something she usually halted immediately when it came to him.

He was just so unreasonably and impossibly out of her league.

They were worlds away actually.

He was to be a duke, a favoured cousin of the royal family and she was as close to a commoner as she could be, with her dad still holding a title.

There wasn't much she could do about the titles but she had always expected to be mostly anonymous in her in her life. With the exception of the debutante ball and her participation in the season this year, she was quite content to fade into obscurity.

He didn't have that option.

Could she be content with being in the spotlight?

Possibly, if she wasn't alone in the spotlight, but was there with him.

The Duchess wasn't in the spotlight much though, she chose when she was reachable for the press and enjoyed complete privacy at Dartmoor.

But this was Narcissa Malfoy neé Black she was thinking about, who she was comparing herself to and it was a very unrealistic comparison.

She was no duchess. She had no experience of having to appeal to the masses, to organize charities and to be loved. She hadn't been raised to be anyone but herself and she had no real expectations for her life. Well, her mum certainly did have expectations with her ever-insistent matchmaking.

But even her mum had never set her sights on Draco or any of his friends. They were simply too high up the hierarchy for her to even consider.

So why the hell was she considering him at all?

That was an easy answer. Because she wanted to. To fall for him, to fall in love with him would be as easy as breathing and she had been fighting tooth and nail against it the entire time she had been at Dartmoor.

But she wasn't sure she had it in her to fight it anymore. Was she ready for the possible fall-out?

Probably not.

Would she do it anyway?

Most likely.

Narcissa was speaking to their butler as she walked through the many rooms in their manor when the young Duke Theodore Nott and Marchese Blaise Zabini approached her.

As soon as they appeared, Hobson melted seamlessly away, the mark of a truly good butler.

They both bowed respectfully and she was intrigued. Usually the friends of her son avoided her and Lucius as much as possible, but lately the two young men had sought her out more than once.

They had always brought stories of miss Granger and her brilliance, her prowess on the ponies and her skills at verbal sparring with Draco. They were quite clever at disguising their true purpose but she had always seen through their machinations.

And she had to be honest with herself, it had somewhat changed her view of things.

"Your Grace, you look ever more breath-taking every time I see you." The Lord Marchese kissed the tips of her fingers and she barely supressed a girlish giggle. She might be double his age but flirtation of that calibre was impressive.

She shooed him away. "You do realize that my husband would call you out if you continue such attentions to me."

He waved it away as if it was nothing. "What is harmless attention and flattery? I should think you deserve both ma'am."

She smiled. "Thank you. Now what can I do for you on this beautiful day?"

The young duke spoke. "Well Duchess, we merely craved your company. You are, after all, a splendid companion of luncheon."

After many minutes and the same sort of pleasantries and attempts at distracting her from a productive day from the two young men, she set her foot down. "You would both do well to come to the point. You may be idle but I am not."

The young duke turned to his friend. "I reckon that was a scolding."

The other man nodded. "We should probably get to the point then."

The duke shrugged. "Isn't it too soon perhaps?"

A shake of the head. "Nah, I'm sure he'll get round to speaking to both his parents soon enough."

Narcissa was watching the exchanged with barely disguised mirth. They talked on and the two young men were being abominably rude to exclude her from the conversation but they seemed to have come to a decision. Finally.

His Grace the Duke of Ravenglass, Theodore Nott smiled at her. "Ma'am, we would urge you not to stay set against a union between your son and miss Granger."

Instantly intrigued as to what had prompted them to dismiss the hints and guiles, she merely raised her brows.

He continued, "Your son is refusing to acknowledge his own feelings for her because of you and the Duke. There is no one more suitable out there for him. We know everyone in the aristocracy and none of them will engage his thoughts and feelings the way she has. We are asking you to consider it."

She already had but they didn't need to know that. "I will think about it. You can be certain."

The Lord Marchese nodded. "That is all we ask ma'am." He reverted to flirtation instantly. "And we thank you, Your Grace for even allowing us to speak with a beauty such as yourself. If you were only ten years younger…" He trailed off, looking hopeful.

Little did he know that she already knew about his fascination of the servant in the Dowager House. Little did they know that not much at Dartmoor happened without her knowledge and consent. But again, they didn't need to know that.

She smirked, flattered against her will. "You are a hopeless flirt my lord. I do hope you will turn your light to someone better suited to you than I."

And with that, she turned and walked on towards her study, with Hobson melting right back into being beside her and carrying on as if they had never been interrupted.

Ginny was combing out her long beautiful red hair thinking hard.

She had come here with an actual purpose, getting married to a future duke. But, surprise surprise, he didn't seem interested at all.

Which was absolutely baffling!

She was young and hot and from a great family. They didn't have much money but she was the daughter of a Viscount and that ought to be good for something.

She was loads prettier than all of the other girls, so why did Blaise only have eyes for Luna? And Draco only for Hermione?

Draco was a lost cause, she would never get his attention. She had tried everything and no cigar. She had no idea why the hell he was all over Hermione and ignored her completely, even when she looked fucking banging!

And she liked Hermione too, especially because she'd never really been competition for any of the boys back home. They were friends, so she could have Draco. That was fine, sure. But she had made her mum a promise before they bought all of her fancy clothes and she hadn't even worn half of it yet.

But then there was Theo… he wasn't connected to anyone. And he was already a duke.

Right, change of strategy. Theo was the end-goal.

After all, she had promised her mum she would be a duchess. And she would do whatever it took to reach her goal.

That same afternoon Draco decided to seek out his parents.

With a manor house as large as theirs, it was easier said than done. But at last he managed to locate both his parents in their respective studies and coax them to join him for afternoon tea.

After the pleasantries had been taken care of and everyone had been served tea and sandwiches, he broached the subject. "Mother, father, I have some disagreeable news to share with you."

His father glared at him with a bored expression but his mother set down her teacup and waited patiently.

"As you know, I was once connected to Cho Chang, an editor at Condé Nast." They both nodded slowly, apprehensively.

"On a recent excursion to Badminton House, one of our guests in the Dowager House spoke to one of her reporters without knowing who she was chatting to."

Narcissa stiffened but said nothing. His father's expression had darkened considerably.

He swallowed convulsively but kept on going. "I don't know what she was told, but it could have been anything. So I worked to stop it."

"As well you should." His father sneered.

"However, dealing with Cho wasn't as easy as I thought. She forced a deal." He clenched his jaw, annoyed at himself at how hard he'd fucked it up.

"What kind of deal Draco?" His mother asked, her tone deceptively smooth.

"Public dates. Introduction to you and our family, especially the royal family of Blacks. And then betrothal in six months if she wants it. Marriage after that too, if she wants it."

"You did WHAT?!" His father had jumped up and stood looming over him, red faced and furious.

"Do calm down Lucius, you have such a tendency towards theatrics." His father sat back down and mother was utterly calm, watching him with a slightly speculative gaze.

His father's jaw was clenched so hard that it looked painful. He spoke through tightly gritted teeth. "The Ancient and Noble Duchy of Devon is not for sale to some upstart. It will not be. It will never be." His tone was final.

His mother seemed somewhat unaffected by the news. She ignored her husband and turned to Draco. "I assume you have ended things between you?"

He nodded. "I have."

"And I take it she was not understanding."

He chuckled, remembering Cho's screeching, hissing and yelling on the phone. "She was not. She threatened to destroy me, to destroy us all." And yet, he found himself to feel rather cheerful about it all. Perhaps Harry had rubbed off a bit on him.

His mother sighed slightly. "Well, let her come. We have little to fear." She looked at him sharply. "We are the ones others should fear my darling." She sniffed disdainfully. "I will not have someone with lofty ideas of power and aristocracy attack us for such a petty reason as blackmail, just because it didn't work out in their favour. Do assist me darling, and give me her contact information. Phone, email, address and the like. Possibly contacts about any friends you know about too. And that dreadful minion of hers who spoke to a guest of ours too. I'm certain she cannot have been truthful in her approach."

He nodded, knowing that the gloves were off. His mother, with her all her grace and charm, was ferociously protective of their family and anyone she considered hers. He would not want to get on her bad side… ever.

She took his chin between two fingers and turned his head back towards her. "I love you my darling. But this was a poor choice of yours. I hope you realize that. You would never have been happy and we do want that for you."

"Well yes,-" His father injected sourly. "-with the right sort of lady of course."

He nodded and silence fell.

It was now or never. "About that…"

Both his parents looked sharply at him but no one said a word.

He smiled, he couldn't help it. He thought about their game at the party last night. How she had claimed he wasn't hers. But he could be. He wanted to be hers. "I would appreciate your blessing to court miss Hermione Granger. However, I do not require it."

Lucius shot up ramrod straight. "No!" He said it almost despondently, and then he started pacing the length of the room in severe agitation.

His mother only spared her husband a fleeting glance. "Oh for heavens sake Lucius, you'll have an aneurism with the way you keep flailing about." She turned back to him. "Now Draco, have you made her any promises?"

"I have not. But I do want to. I want to see if we could be good together."

Narcissa nodded with a calculating expression. "So you only want to date her?"

"Yes and no. I mean to date her with the intention of proposing marriage after a suitable period of time has passed if we are both amenable. As is the custom."

"And will you not do anything unless we give you our blessing?" His mother seemed to see this as a rhetorical but necessary question, because of course he would.

"I would not wait for your blessing, no. But I definitely won't be proposing to anyone soon. We need to be certain that it's what we both want."

His father sat back down next to Narcissa and his eyes had narrowed slightly. His mother padded his arm distractedly.

"Then I will give you our blessing darling. We only want what is best for you and she may not be top-layer aristocracy but she is noted in the Peerage and an especially remarkable young woman." She took his hand. "We only ask that you allow us to get to know her properly along with her family. If we are to align ourselves with the Grangers, we must know more about them than just their name and location of their seat."

He felt shocked and just nodded with a smile he couldn't seem to avoid. "Of course mother."

"You cannot be serious Narcissa." His father burst out angrily. "Her father is a Baron, you cannot allow him to lower our family like this."

His mother seemed utterly serene but her tone was sharp as a knife. "Did you not just hear me give our son our blessing? You will take my view on this matter Lucius."

"But Narcissa, my flower…" He trailed off as he watched his wife.

His mother's eyes flashed murderously and her lips were pursed in dissatisfaction. "Draco my dear, do go see how Harry is doing. I need to have a word with your father."

He didn't need to be told twice. He bounded up from his seat, kissed her on her cheek and strode from the room, feeling lighter than he had in years.

She watched her son practically run out of the room and turned to her husband, feeling absolutely livid at his ignorance of the world around them.

Yes, of course it would have been easier for them if Draco had come to fall in love with a woman from their sphere but nothing was more important than their son. Their only son.

She took a steadying breath. "Lucius, I do love you but have you lost the plot?"

He huffed angrily but seemed slightly deflated and defensive. "I cannot imagine what you mean. We have always had ambitions for Draco and the line. Both of us."

"We have, but we are facing changing times and difficult finances. The Avery family have opened their home to guests, like a hotel and have moved to a smaller estate on the grounds themselves. The Gaunts went bankrupt fifty years ago and the estate is still in a state of utter dereliction, as no one seems to want to buy it. I expect it will revert to the crown soon enough."

He tried to interrupt but she continued. "Moreover, the park at the Selvyn estate is in shambles and they can only retain five servants, if that. The Travers family chose to save their family by having their only son marry the vulgar daughter of some oligarch from Belarus because they had no money, so they sold their title to someone who is putting Swarowski crystals on everything inside the house and out. The same happened to the Carrows, where the twins have each been wed to wealthy business men and now live on opposite ends of the world."

He held up a hand, "Yes, well,-"

And still she spoke over him. "Not to mention the Rosiers, the Yaxleys and the Burkes who all had to break the entail and sell everything in their possession just to avoid bankruptcy like the Gaunts. They have jobs now Lucius. Not because they want to work. They have to work to pay off the remaining debts. Do you want that for our son? For us?"

Lucius looked mulishly stubborn. "We are nowhere near that sort of state Narcissa, be reasonable."

She wanted to roll her eyes. Lord save her from irrational men. "I am being more reasonable than you my darling. Our beloved son came to respectfully ask for our blessing and you throw it back into his face. That girl might not be a lady in title but she is quite something else. She seems kind, shrewd and poised. She was a debutante along with Pansy and Daphne and she comes from a family that grows richer by the day. They have more money than the entire royal family put together and everything Baron Heathgate and his heir touches turns to gold. How on earth could you not want our son to align us with a daughter of such a House?"

"I find her lack of standing in society offensive. She has not been seen in social circles since her debut. And her mother was a commoner before the marriage." He spat and she found that she wanted to hit him.

That was strange, she wasn't usually prone to physical violence but this might just drive her to it.

"Hermione Granger is an heiress with a mind for numbers and logic. She is clever and beautiful and she is not a commoner. And her mother is everything that is proper despite her upbringing, I have checked. How could that possibly be offensive in any way to you?"

"They have not brought her up the way we have reared Draco."

"No, they have not. And I am certain that is but one of the reasons why he wants her. I was there, I saw them at Badminton, while you were off with your cronies. Which reminds me, your circle have been shrinking since not all of your friends have the funds to keep up with the spending and the fees to your club. Seeing them was like watching Draco orbit around the sun, they are inevitable. I have spent a part of my busy days investigating her and the family and I can find no fault other than their title."

She narrowed her eyes at him and repeated herself. She loathed repeating herself. "You will take my view of this matter Lucius."

He sighed theatrically. Her husband really had an affinity for the stage. "Yes my flower."

They both stood. "You will see my darling, it will all be well."

He ran his hand through his long hair agitatedly. "If you say so my dear."

She smirked. "I do, and I am usually correct." She took his hand and he kissed it. "I do require your assistance my darling. I think we need to show a magazine upstart what it means to cross the Duke and Duchess of Devon."

His features morphed into positive wickedness. "Oh I so adore your deviousness my flower. What do you have in mind?"

Cho Chang was sitting in her corner office typing furiously on her keyboard, letting everyone she knew that the gloves where off and that they could publish any rumour, hear-say or speculations about the Malfoy family as soon as the articles were ready. Anything small could go directly online but the big stories would be saved for the magazine.

Draco wouldn't know what hit him.

He had strung her along, luring her in with false promises. She had even done a short interview with Rita about it, who was sitting out in the pen typing away just as furiously.

Deadline for the next Tatler magazine were two weeks away and she would ensure that he and his family were all crucified for his loathsome treachery.

A/N: Don't forget to leave me a comment!