Hermione
Approaching the entrance of the Slytherin common room, I cloak myself in a subtle disillusionment charm and position my wand against my throat. Speaking the password with assurance, I anticipate the door swinging open, my heart quickening with each passing second. As the door hesitates, I consider waiting for someone to exit, but after a couple moments, it grants me access, allowing me to step into their common room. Stepping in, I pause and take in the grandeur.
Entering the Slytherin common room feels like stepping into an enchanted realm, a subterranean sanctuary that oozes opulence and pride. The room is bathed in a soft, greenish glow emitted by the celestial masterpiece adorning the ceiling—a massive circular skylight offering a captivating view of the Black Lake. Charmed to endure the lake's pressures, the glass radiates a soft green glow. Plush, emerald-green velvet sofas and leather armchairs are meticulously arranged, inviting students to sink into luxurious comfort. Silver and black silk cushions add an extra touch of elegance, and the fireplace, framed in serpent-shaped silver, crackles with green flames, infusing the space with sophistication.
Tapestries depicting Slytherin's storied history line the walls, their vibrant colors and intricate designs contributing to the room's grandeur. Silver serpents wind gracefully up carved columns, enhancing the architectural beauty of the space. The air carries a subtle fragrance, adding to the refinement. Polished mahogany bookshelves house an impressive collection of leather-bound tomes and ancient artifacts.
Wow. How does Draco ever leave this place? Draco. Draco. Snapping out of my trance, I recall the instructions Blaise gave me and am standing outside the front of the black door that leads to Draco's room.
Summoning all of my courage, I rap harshly on the door, holding my breath while waiting for him to answer.
Draco
As soon as my Muggle Studies exam is over, I hide out in my room. I should be studying for my next exam but all I can think about is how Nott probably has his hands all over Hermione right now, showing her the 'finer points' on how to ride a broom.
Jealousy crashes over me in constant waves and I focus on building a stronger occlumency against my raging alpha. I'll just turn in all the paperwork reflecting what Onyx needs it to for Hermione's sake and I'll talk to SLughorn about switching lessons over to–
Sharp rapping distracts me from my thoughts and I let out a low groan. "Go away, Zabini!" I call out and pull my pillow over my face. I definitely don't want to talk about what I'm feeling.
There's no verbal response, only a persistent series of forceful knocks on the door.
Merlin's bloody beard ! I toss the pillow aside and rise from my place, swearing vehemently in my thoughts. Ripping the door open, a growl escapes my chest, fully prepared to unleash my frustration on Blaise for intruding on my wallowing self-pity.
"I said– " My words catch in my throat when I see a fuming Hermione standing in front of me. "Oh," I breathe out. "Granger, how did you get in?" My brows furrow. Did she come back with Theo?
Her hand pushes the door open further and when I open my mouth to respond, it doesn't move. My body moves back out of its own accord and I'm thrown back into my desk chair and my hands are bound.
Bloody swot .
Hermione
When the door opens, my mind goes blank. His growl sends a thrilling shiver through me, a sensation I deliberately choose to ignore. His scent pours out of his room and has my omega at peace.
"Granger, how did you get in?" His gruff tone reminds me why I'm here. And it's not for him. This is for me .
I push the door open and with three smooth flicks of my wrist, Draco's mouth shuts, he gets pushed back into the chair, and ropes wrap around his wrists and ankles. I walk in and shut the door behind me, standing with my back to the door, staring at the tied-up alpha in front of me. My clit throbs at the disheveled, annoyed look on his face, and his hair mussed. I want to snog him .
The spells I cast are low-level that I know he can easily break out of but I know he won't still, I threaten, "I know you can break out but you're not going to. Because if you do, I'll give you the same treatment Cormac received and you'll spend your holiday re-growing a mouth."
An amused gleam touches his eyes but he nods once in acknowledgement. I walk into his room and look around. It meets my expectations of what I have thought his room would look like. The walls exude a rich, dark hue, setting the stage for a space that seamlessly blends luxury and refinement. His furniture complements the ambiance, with dark green tapestries featuring discreet silver serpent motifs that add an air of sophistication without being overt.
An imposing armoire, polished to a reflective sheen, commands attention against one wall. On the opposite side, a grand mahogany desk stands adorned with quills, inkwells, parchment, and a variety of potion ingredients. My gaze shifts to the bed, a luxurious four-poster masterpiece draped in elegant emerald and silver linens, subtly displaying the house colors. Plush, silver-embroidered throw pillows punctuate the bed, contributing to an overall sense of comfort and elegance.
I expect nothing less from him .
A short throat-clearing pulls me from my perusal of his room and I look at him. His head is tilted back in a cocky manner, glaring down his nose at me. All I can think about is curling up on his lap and sharing kisses until it turns into me being on my knees sucking my bound alpha off. I blink quickly, erasing the image from my mind. Fucking omega .
"I have half a mind to hex you, you know?" I say with as much anger as I can put in my tone. "How dare you send Theo to do your job!" Why am I so angry?
Draco snorts and rolls his eyes. I feel as though I can tell exactly what he wants to say. As I open my mouth to respond to his unspoken thoughts, his voice is low as he speaks.
"I'm sorry, Granger. I'll stay tied up but please . My job ?"
My fingers twitch towards my wand before I relax. "Yes! You agreed to tutor me, and you throw Theo in to help me when he has no idea where I am at in my lessons! Also, Professor Onyx will know you pushed it off onto him!"
His lips twitched in keeping an amused look from his face. Bugger . "I'm busy with exams. I know Nott is interested in you and I know you might go with him to the ball, so I thought I would–"
How would he even know that ? "You thought you would, what ?" I snap, not able to hold off my anger anymore. "Stop trying to do me favors, Malfoy! You don't get to decide who to put in my life and who to take out of my life because you think you know best!" My tone is higher pitched than I would like but I can't help it. " You were the one who said in your pompous , self-important, pratty tone, that you would never ask me to the ball! But that doesn't mean you get to shove alphas on me because you don't want me!" He didn't say never… my omega whispers in the back of my mind and I clench my jaw. The stupid look that crosses his face makes me want to hex him. Anger bubbles in my chest and I force a breath while silence fills the air. I hate that my omega is singing because I'm completely consumed by his scent.
"Granger–"
The loose hold on my omega almost drops as my omega claws itself to the front. " And stop calling me that!" I cry out and stomp my foot. Blood rushes to my cheeks as I realize what I just did. Oh my fucking god .
" Hermione ," he says in a gentle rumble that relaxes my shoulders. It feels like he's trying to placate my omega and I hate that it's working.
"Don't!" I snap and shake my head. "You don't get to talk to me like that! Not anymore!" I flick my wrist and stick his mouth shut again. "You've made a fool of me long enough. I've turned exactly into what Cormac said. Just an alpha's plaything ," I shake my head, angry tears pricking my eyes. "I-I-" thought we were becoming something more is what I want to say but don't– can't . "I'll have Ginny review the basics with me. Do me a favor next time and don't do any for me, hm?" I stare at him with glassy eyes, my throat is thick and I feel my chest tighten. So I start to do what I do best; apply logic and sense to my emotions to build a stronger wall than the one between me and my omega. "We can talk to Onyx after the holiday to get your community service transferred or something. And our side project can be done by sharing notes via owl or whatever." I clear my throat and drop my gaze to the floor when I feel the tears slipping past the dam and dampening my lower lashes. I watch one shiny tear fall off a lash and drip onto the rich wooden floor. Taking a deep breath, I look up at him again. "And don't think I hate you. Because I don't." The way my voice cracks makes me obliviate the both of us. "I trust you can free yourself? Goodbye." I mumble and leave his room.
My omega is having a tantrum and wavering on a meltdown, the wall between us crumbling down. But I have to make it to my room. Or the Room of Requirement. Anywhere but here . As I'm rushing through the posh common room, Theo's alpha tone rings out but doesn't keep me from stopping my movements towards the exit.
"Hermione? How did you get in here?" He asks, standing from the leather chair at the table he was studying at.
I don't bother looking at him. "Blaise. I need to go." I barely mutter out.
Theo stays where he's at, "Okay. Well if you need me, you know where to find me."
Exiting the common room, I start back towards the Gryffindor tower. More tears are slipping out and I hurry up the stairs. Blaise has his hands in his pockets and he's humming to himself as he's coming down the stairs.
"Ah, the ever so lovely Granger. What do I owe the pleasure to run into you for a sec– Hermione?" His tone goes from playfully flirty to concerned.
"I'm okay, Blaise. I need to go," I say in a choked-out voice and hurry faster.
"Wait, hold on," he calls out and I can hear him following me.
Not turning around, I point my wand behind me and mutter a sticking charm.
A loud curse comes from Blaise and a loud whine comes from him. "These are Stefano Ricci boots !" He whines again.
"They're not ruined," I grit out and leave him behind.
Draco
When she threatens me after having me bound, I can't help the amusement or the semi growing in my trousers. She is right in my ability to break these basic spells but I respect her request. My eyes track her movements as she enters my room and takes in my space. A shy feeling comes over me as she observes my space. I wish I knew what she was thinking about it, especially when she stares at my bed . She can nest there, ride me until I– stop. Her scent has filled my room and I feel a sense of pride at the slight scent of arousal. It's just her omega , I try to forcefully remind my alpha. Biologies . I clear my throat and arch my brow. It seems to pull her out of her own trance and it quickly turns to anger. Her words bring on a roll of eyes. My job? Unsticking my mouth is as easy as Lumos . As I speak, I notice her fingers twitch towards her wand before relaxing. She isn't wrong either, Onyx would know.
But I can't let her know that she's right. "I'm busy with exams. I know Nott is interested in you and I know you might go with him to the ball, so I thought I would–"
She cuts me off in a shrill voice, going on about what I can and can't do. Her next words leave me breathless. " You were the one who said in your pompous , self-important, pratty tone, that you would never ask me to the ball! But that doesn't mean you get to shove alphas on me because you don't want me!" I never said that because you're all I want. Stay disconnected, I remind myself.
"Granger—" I begin, but she cuts me off with a cry and a stomp of the foot. My eyes widen as I realize she's on the edge of an omega tantrum. " Hermione ," I rumble out, wanting to soothe her so she doesn't feel more embarrassed than she already does. But it backfires, leaving my mouth stuck again. Her words cut me worse than Potter's curse. The unshed tears in her eyes make me want to break all of these charms and draw her into my arms. My throat grows thick and my own eyes feel hot watching the tear fall from her face to the floor.
"And don't think I hate you. Because I don't." Her voice cracks and it feels as if the wind has been knocked out of me. My omega is hurting and it's all my fault . I barely hear her say goodbye.
I break out of the binds and rush towards the door, ready to wrench open the door but freeze with my hand on the knob. She deserves an alpha better than me. She deserves a partner better than me. I shouldn't be selfish. Get her, mark her , my alpha snarls out and I ignore it. I've caused her enough pain. The knot in my throat grows thicker and I let go of the handle. Returning to my bed, I lay back on my covers and close my eyes. This is for the best , I repeat over and over, pushing my alpha behind my occlumency.
It feels like an eternity as I lie on my bed, engaged in a silent battle with my alpha for control, forcing myself to remain in place. Suddenly, three sharp raps echo from my door, followed by the distinctive click of it swinging open.
"What the hell did you do to Hermione?" Blaise snaps. I don't respond, choosing to keep my eyes closed. "She was crying, Drake!" he says in an exasperated tone.
"She's a girl and an omega, of course, she's going to cry," I reply in a monotonous tone.
His tone loses its edge as he walks in, his shoes clicking on the floor. "A damn pup, you are," he remarks, lightly kicking my foot. "You're being worse than Weasley, you know? And you two have a whole lot more chemistry than they did," he tuts and casually takes a seat beside me, lying back on the bed. "I know why you push her away like this, you know."
"I don't push her away," I lie, finally opening my eyes and staring at the ceiling.
"You two are the smartest people in this school but can't manage to get past how dumb you are when it comes to each other." He says conversationally.
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from defending her. I'd only prove his point.
"She knows what I told you about not asking her to the ball," I say flatly.
"How?" He asks in surprise.
"I don't know," I answer and the quiet fills the room.
After a few beats of silence, he speaks again. "I'm only going to say one more thing and then I'll drop it… I think you should be honest with her about why, mate." From my periphery I see him turn his head to look at me.
"You've been heard," I respond and close my eyes once again.
A comfortable silence fills the air and we both just lie there, knowing I won't talk to Hermione about it because I'll be damned if she feels pity for me.
Four Days Later - Friday Before Winter Holiday
Hermione
Madam Hooch and I engage in quiet conversation as she guides me to the platform marking the beginning of the first-year course.
"Miss Granger, I'll give you a couple of practice laps before judging your run," she mentions, casting a sideways glance at me.
"Thank you," I respond with a nod. "I appreciate it. I'm feeling confident about this," I add, adjusting my grip on the broom's handle. I wish Draco were here. We've been avoiding each other, and I used the last of my potion to make it through to the end of term.
"I'm glad to hear it. Mr. Malfoy is a very talented flier," she comments, conjuring a chair on the platform.
"He is. He's also an excellent tutor." I admit with a nod. A small part of me, which I've been trying to suppress, still holds onto the hope that Draco will show up in support.
But he doesn't.
I navigate the course carefully, maintaining an acceptable pace to receive a passing grade. Madam Hooch confirms my success in the mid-term flight, offering a few pointers before walking back with me to the castle.
The flight test marked the end of my tests for the term, and I'm eager to reach Hogsmeade to apparate home. All I want is to be in my cottage, nestled in my home's comfort, and secure for my heat. However, there's an apprehension about what comes after my heat.
With the anticipation of the break, I diligently pack my bags, ensuring everything is in order. Crookshanks is carefully placed in his carrier. In my haste to depart, I weave through the castle corridors, avoiding eye contact and conversation. The anticipation of the carriage's arrival has me focused on reaching the front of the castle as swiftly as possible. My primary goal is to avoid unnecessary conversations, including any with Ginny.
But I can't always be that lucky.
Theo catches up with me, smoothly falling into step beside me. "Hey there, headed home?" he says with a sweet smile.
"I am," I respond with a tight smile. Usually, I don't mind his playful banter and flirting, but right now, I just want to leave .
"Will you make my break a bit brighter and write to me? And who knows, maybe I'll have the answer whether I have the honor of being your date to the ball..."
The ball? I've been too preoccupied to even think about it. "I'll make sure to write, and sure, you can be my date to the ball," I say, playing along with his flirty tone, hoping it'll keep him happy but also to leave me alone a bit more right now.
As we reach the exit to the castle, Theo turns to me with a charming smile. "Well, Hermione, have a wonderful break. I'll be waiting for your letters and counting down the days until the ball."
"Thank you, Theo," I reply, mustering a smile. Before I can react, he leans in and places a friendly peck on my cheek.
"Safe travels," he adds, giving me a wink before stepping back and waving. He goes back up the stairs and I watch him disappear.
As I approach the waiting Thestral-drawn carriage, my thoughts are solely on the journey ahead and the solitude it promises. My trunks go to the back of the carriage of its own accord and I place Crookshanks on the leather chair and climb into the warm carriage after. The thestreals start to find their pace when we come to a sharp stop and the door opens, allowing the cold winter air in.
"Sorry, Hermione. I have some last-minute Christmas shopping to do before I take the portkey. Mind?" Blaise settles in before I can say anything. What is with the Slytherin men today?
"Fine," I sigh and shift my gaze out the window.
"Excited for break?" He asks, his body jostling as the carriage moves forward again.
"I'm looking forward to reading for leisure," I answer without much thought. His alpha scent fills the small space, but it doesn't leave me on edge, nor does it relax me.
"Where are you spending Christmas?" Blaise looks at me, his eyes holding a knowing gleam.
My heat falls over Christmas, so I plan on spending it alone. "At home," I respond with a nonchalant shrug. "You?"
"My family is going to be on holiday in Turks and Caicos," he says, leaning forward. "I don't have much time for small talk. Hermione, I know how you feel about him."
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about," I say, my tone sharper than intended. The carriage ride feels endless.
"I know how you two both feel for each other. The way you two look at each other is much more than friends. Regardless of biologies or ignored feelings." Blaise remarks, his expression serious. He clears his throat before continuing, "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but watching the two of you mess things up time after time..." He pinches the bridge of his nose and leans back. "And I didn't like seeing my friend cry." His tone softens, and our eyes meet.
"Didn't realize Malfoy had it in him," I mutter a hint of bitterness in my voice.
"I'm talking about you. You're my friend, and seeing you in tears didn't sit well with me," he says quietly. "Do you know why Draco doesn't want to ask you to the ball, much less attend?"
Clenching my teeth together, my stare shifts to a glare.
"There are two reasons, really. The last ball, you ended up in a dangerous situation. The second reason is a bit more complicated. And," he glances out the window, "we don't have much time."
A second one? He's right, we are already nearing the entrance of Hogsmeade.
"I'm not going to sit here and answer all your questions or tell you what to do but you deserve to know because Draco is my friend too and I want all my friends happy," he gives me a cheeky grin before taking a breath. "I think he may be worried that you are too good for him… I believe he asked me why you'd ever want to be seen on a Malfoy's arm." He clears his throat and taps his knee.
"Are you sure he said that and it wasn't the other way around? Why would he want a muggle-born –"
"Hermione, come on," he cuts me off with a look. The carriage comes to a stop, and he opens the door.
"He's called me a Mudblood since year one—"
"And he was a child who knew nothing else—"
"Blaise! It's not about what he did or didn't believe. I don't want his already fragile reputation to be ruined because of me—"
"And he's worried about your reputation! Even when I spell it out for you both," he shakes his head and starts towards town. "Have a good break. I'll bring you back something from the islands," he waves.
I watch his retreating figure and bite down my lip. "C'mon Crookshanks." I pick his carrier up and step out of the carriage. My trunk finds its spot next to me and I crouch down to grab it and straighten up before popping away.
Pushing the conversation with Blaise out of my mind, I walk into my warm and cozy cottage. Winky claps and runs over to hug me.
"Welcome home, miss! Winky made you a late lunch!" Her happy chattering continues as she keeps me company while I unpack and settle.
But eventually, she leaves and I'm alone.
I brew a mug of tea, scoop up Crookshanks and go to my room and curl up in my bed. I stare at the small, glowing fireplace across the room. I replay the conversation with Blaise over and over coming to the same conclusion.
I've messed this up to protect myself.