Chapter 1: I've Got To Get Out Of This Place
Summary:
It's been a month since the Battle of Hogwarts, and Hermione, Draco, Theo and Pansy are all in their own personal hells.
The song for this chapter is All The Kids Are Depressed - Jeremy Zucker. https://open.spotify.com/track/75ls0gurX68lUmMjE7QcsE?si=m-hNQkSSRBuR9LaPLWFzjA
Cover Art by Dani Stardust 😍
Chapter Text
I Have Got To Get Out Of This Place
Hermione
After a month at the Burrow after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione had had enough. Every one of the Weasleys was distraught and there was no comforting them. Molly wasn't even able to get out of bed and Arthur was a horrible cook. The house was covered in dust since Molly hadn't taught anyone her housekeeping spells. The magical knitting needles that were usually knitting lay silent on an ottoman. Dishes were stacked up in the kitchen. And if the main area of the house was suffering from neglect, the bedrooms were being actively abused. The house, once the image of homely dishabille now began to smell of decay and sorrow.
George was drunk more often than not and was growing a beard so he wouldn't see Fred when he looked in the mirror. Although he had put his fist through his mirror two days after the battle and had refused to repair it or let anyone else do so. Hermione was mourning Fred deeply and since she was among the Weasleys who were all devastated, they didn't think anything of why exactly it was that Hermione was so distraught.
Ginny and Harry were constantly together, speaking in low tones in the back garden, comforting each other as they both wept. Percy had disappeared into his Ministry job and made excuses for why he wasn't able to come by. Charlie returned to his dragons in Romania the moment that Fred's funeral had been over. Bill was constantly working and reworking the wards on the Burrow, trying to make sure that an incident like what happened at his and Fleur's wedding could not happen again. Hermione never saw him even stop to eat, he was at it for hours. Ron was out partying in Diagon Alley and other Wizarding bars being heralded as a savior of the Wizarding world. And no one even considered that Hermione was struggling to hold it together. Well, except Fleur.
Fleur had sat at the kitchen table with Hermione in the middle of the night when Hermione woke screaming night after night. She would just sit in silence with her, sometimes bringing out Elf wine, fire whiskey or one night a Veela liquor that was so strong Hermione felt like she had swallowed a baby Hungarian Horntail. Fleur never asked questions. She just sat with Hermione sometimes until dawn while Hermione stared vacantly out the window. Outside night after night, Bill was sending spell after spell to check and recheck the wards, sometimes causing a light like blue lightning to flash up the apparition ward boundary.
The last night before she returned to Shell Cottage, Fleur had said, "Mon amie, Bill and I will go tomorrow. Is there nowhere else you can be? The Burrow is no place for you. Bill, he can not stand the sorrow here any more and is almost done redoing the wards. We will go. You should go too."
Hermione had wept and wept. "Where can I go, Fleur??" Then, she had spilled the whole sordid story of obliviating her parents who were now who knows where in Australia. Hermione sobbed as she talked about the weekly letters that she was sending to her parents via the Australian Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and how she knew that they were unread sitting in some office. The Australian DMLE were unable to locate her parents. Australia is a big place, Miss Granger. As soon as we have any news, you will be the first to know.
Hermione didn't think they were even looking that hard, but when pressed Kingsley had said that jurisdiction issues prevented sending British Aurors to Australia to search. Jurisdiction.
Fleur just held her hand and listened as the sun rose through the windows.
"Tu es si courageuse. So very brave, 'Ermione." Fleur whispered and kissed Hermione softly on the hand. The frisson of the kiss made Hermione look up stunned. Fleur gave her a sad little smile. "You could come with Bill and I. We would love to have you join us there but I think that it would not be a distracting enough place for you. Shell Cottage is very quiet and you would only have the two of us for company." And after Fleur had got up and walked away, leaving Hermione alone wondering how a woman's lips on her hand had made her more breathless than all of Ron's sloppy attempts at kissing.
Ron, whose protestations of love had meant nothing in the face of adoring fans and Hermione’s unwillingness to sleep with him at the Burrow …surrounded by his family…who were grieving. It was hardly the most erotic thing. When she had told him so he had walked out and hadn't come back. Hermione hadn't heard from him in weeks. She wasn't sure she even wanted to. What was there to say at this point?
After Fleur left, everything was much, much worse. Hermione felt so alone. Her best friends had deserted her. Everything they had fought for seemed so pointless. So many people were dead. Fred. Remus. Tonks. Lavender. Colin. Snape. She had lost her parents. She started carrying a flask. She would drink to fortify herself in the morning to face the Weasleys. She would drink with George in the back garden in the afternoon, pretending she didn't notice it when he went silent and the tears ran down his cheeks. Hermione drank alone at the kitchen table when her night terrors wouldn't let her sleep and missed Fleur's quiet presence and wondered what her gentle lips on her hand had meant. It was probably just a French thing or a Pureblood thing. Hermione knew that the muggle term for what she was doing was "self-medicating," but she didn't know how else to cope and everything felt so empty that she couldn't find it in herself to care.
The next day, like a lifeline, the owl arrived. The letter from McGonagall read
Miss Granger,
In one week, Hogwarts will begin a Restoration Camp. I hope that you will be able to join us prior to the 8th year term that will be offered for you and other students who were unable to meaningfully participate due to the war. There is a great deal of repairs to do to the castle, but also I fear for all of you students as well. I plan to offer you the post of Head Girl next year and I would like you to be here this summer and participate in Restoration Camp. All the students attending will be repairing the castle as well as working with special mindhealers that I have contracted with to help with what has been a deeply difficult time for all of us. I am sending invitations to students of all Houses to attempt to restore some school unity. Please come, Hermione.
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
It couldn't have come at a better time. Despite Hermione's misgivings about attending with those who had fought on Voldemort's side, the Slytherins, she sent off an acceptance immediately via the owl that had been waiting for Hermione's response. Merlin, she needed to be anywhere else. After she watched it fly northward, Hermione laid down and imagined what it would be like to be back at Hogwarts and the only scene she could see over and over was Malfoy. His blonde hair crispy from the fiendfyre and covered in dust and debris. Malfoy and his mother, the way she had embraced him when Harry had slain Voldemort and had dragged him away from the battle. Her mother didn't even know the Battle of Hogwarts had happened, didn't even remember that she had a daughter. Hermione took a long draw off her flask that she had refilled with the Veela liquor that Fleur had given her and wondered what Malfoy was doing right then and then wondered why she cared.
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Draco
Draco wasn't doing any better than Hermione. On house arrest at the manor, he was washing a calming draught down with fire whiskey and raiding the manor's wine cellar daily. His mother was distraught about his father being in Azkaban and Draco uncharitably thought that she should have been used to it by now. The lack of his father's cane in his ribs and no scalding insults in his ear were the only improvements that he could see in the current situation. Their stilted meals together were so silent and painful; it seemed like the war had broken their closeness as well. After being locked together in the manor since the last battle, they had run out of things to say to one another. Draco felt as much a prisoner of the Manor as he had been when the Dark Lord had reigned here.
Draco didn’t believe in muggle deities, but he did fervently wish for a way out. So he was shocked beyond belief when his wish was answered by none other than Headmistress McGonagall.
Mr. Malfoy,
Beginning next week a Restoration Camp will start at Hogwarts. I have spoken with the Ministry and you can serve your house arrest at Hogwarts, if you wish, prior to your trial in August. Restoration Camp participants will be making repairs to the castle and working with mind healers in good faith. Members of all houses will be invited and an 8th year term is available for students who could not participate in the last year or more of instruction due to the war. I consider you to be among that number and hope you will attend. Please send your reply as soon as possible and I will make arrangements for the Floo to be open for you to Floo directly from the Manor to my office so as to avoid the need for an Auror escort on the Hogwarts Express.
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Draco took less than a minute to decide he would accept. Oh Merlin and Morgana, he needed to be anywhere else. He was a wreck and the Manor was full of ghosts. Sometimes he would think he heard his Aunt's sinister cackle down the hall or he would go stand in the drawing room and stare at the spot where the house elves had scrubbed out Granger's blood or look at the dining table where Professor Burbage had been eaten by Nagini. How he hated that fucking snake. He envied Longbottom cutting its disgusting head off. Sometimes at night Draco swore he could hear the damn thing slithering around the house. When that happened, Draco ended up drinking Fire Whiskey straight from a bottle out of his father's private stash in his mother's rose gardens, laying on the grass looking at the stars. He was a fucking monster. He hoped he would be sentenced to Azkaban, to the Dementors' kiss. He hoped that the oblivion that fire whiskey cast could be forever and he wished for his own death more ardently than he ever fantasized about a lover. He wished he wasn't such a coward. He couldn’t leave his mother to find his body and on nights like this that was the only thought that stayed his hand.
He thought of Theo's lips that night he had gotten so drunk after taking the Mark and wanted something to fill the emptiness with. He thought of Granger pulling him onto the broom and saving him from the Fiendfyre in the room of hidden things. The way her hair smelled as she pulled him onto the broom, not like the fire below but like rosemary and mint. He wiped the tears off from his face when he thought of how many apologies he owed her and apologies made him think of Pansy, also on house arrest. What was Pansy doing? Was she okay? Would she go to this Restoration Camp? Would Theo? Would Blaise? And then he let himself have the forbidden thought. Would Granger be there?
He found himself wishing she would be. He imagined her in the library sucking on her quill with that look of concentration on her face, her ankles crossed. The way she bit her bottom lip while she wrote an essay. The image made him a bit breathless. And then he shook it off, Granger was something he could never have. She could never be his, but he could at least see her.
The next week was going to last an eternity. He drank fire whiskey until he passed out on the lawn staring at the stars and didn't wake up until the sun began scorching his pale skin mid morning as it rose over the rose bushes. Draco sat up, blinked and had never felt so very, very alone. He hadn't dreamed for a change and that was a good thing. His dreams were all nightmares: Dumbledore falling from the tower, Granger screaming and bleeding, Lucius hitting him in the ribs with his cane, his Aunt with her wand to his throat as she "taught" him occlumency and choked him. Her sadism had terrified him. Between all those images and then the Dark Lord on endless repeat in his nightmares made him want to cry even in the light of day.
Instead he stood up and went inside to clean up and then tell his mother he was leaving. It was for the best. He could let her grieve in private. He was sure she would prefer that, then she could be sad without pretending to be okay for him. He knew she hated for him to see her cry. And she had to know it was hard for Draco to be sympathetic over the loss of Lucius considering how brutal and cruel Lucius had been to him for his whole childhood and teen years. The husband that Lucius had been to Narcissa was nothing like the father he had been to Draco. His father was devoted to his mother in all things except for her wishes regarding raising Draco.
Honestly in his heart of hearts, Draco didn't understand how his mother could compartmentalize the man that beat her beloved son and the husband that adored her. How did she separate them? How could she love and miss a man who had hurt him so much? Perhaps it was Draco who wanted to be leaving his mother behind after all. The last thing he wanted was for his anger and betrayal at his mother to burst out while they were confined in the house together. No good could come from that.
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Theo
Theo was covering 62 copies of his grandfather's Pure-Blood Directory with his father's favorite firewhiskey and playing with muggle matches.
"Fuck Cantakerous Nott! Fuck the Ancient and Noble House of Nott and fuck all this pureblood supremacist shite," Theo said with venom and hate in his voice as he lit the muggle matches and dropped them on the books. They lit with a boom and instantly became a bonfire. Theo watched with pleasure, drinking the remaining fire whiskey straight from the bottle.
The Hogwarts owl landed right next to where he was sitting on the stone steps in the courtyard at Nott Manor while he watched the books burn. He finally noticed when it started pecking him. He was too drunk to read the note, so he took it, gave the owl a treat from his pocket and sent it on its way without replying. He passed out on the stones whispering to himself Merlin, if only I could be anywhere but here. The next day when he woke up still curled in a fetal position on the cold stones, the letter was sealed and clenched in his fist.
Mr Nott,
It is my honor to inform you that I am offering you the position of Head Boy this year at Hogwarts. There is to be an 8th year program for students such as yourself who weren't able to attend or participate due to the war. It is my hope you will accept.
Theo laughed out loud. Who knew that a father in Azkaban was a disqualification for Head Boy? He continued to read.
In one week, a Restoration Camp will begin at Hogwarts where students from all Houses will begin to repair the castle and themselves.
Theo sucked in a breath.
I have employed Mindhealers to help support the venture. It is my hope that you will accept the position of Head Boy and be an example to the other members of your house that participation in the Camp will be a good thing for them. I look forward to your owl.
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Theo sat in shock, seemingly staring at the ash of all those supremacist books. He had knocked the bottle of fire whiskey over in his sleep, but he saw that there were still a couple shots remaining and held the bottle to his lips. He licked his lip as the last drops fell onto his tongue and he ran his tongue around the mouth of the bottle. My my, that's a bit erotic, yeah. He realized his cock was hard, so he imagined Draco's soft mouth on his, lingering on his jaw and neck, Pansy's soft hands inching down his pants and easing out his cock as he stroked himself exposed to the cold air in his manor's courtyard. He was breathing heavily but struggled to get farther in his pursuit of his own pleasure. So Theo embraced his darker fantasies and pictured grabbing Granger by that incredible hair that reminded him of his own and fucking her on the bench in the Potions classroom as he had fantasized 1000 times before. As he came all over the stones at his feet, Theo sighed and whispered harshly " I am a fucking pervert." However as he scourgified himself, he admitted to himself that he would likely wank to Draco, Pansy and even more forbidden, Granger again. Theo stood up and pissed all over the smoldering ashes of the blood supremacist books that he had burned the night before.
Piss and dark arts made a foul steam in the morning air. Theo headed into the manor to send an acceptance to McGonagall and then get cleaned up before the Aurors and Curse Breakers were due to arrive at 9am to go through the next wing of the manor. He would have to let them know he and his blood could only help them with the wards for another week. They would have to pick up the pace.
"Meeka," Theo called for his house Elf, who appeared with a crack "Please bring coffee and a small breakfast to the Floo parlor."
"Of course, Master Theo," The little Elf in her floral pillowcase said, bobbing in a curtsy. "Does Master Theo need anything else? Master Theo smells of smoke and fire whiskey." The little Elf scrunched her nose and most of her little face at the smell.
Theo stripped his shirt off and handed it to the little Elf. "Scourgify only goes so far." Theo smiled at Meeka and ran his hands through his brown curls that reached the tops of his ears. "Bring me a fresh shirt and I will have a long bath after the Aurors leave this afternoon."
Theo went through the huge oak doors that lead to the Floo Parlor, an unassuming name for a ridiculously dark and ostentatious room. The furniture (a pair of matching chairs) was huge and stained black like thrones, the carpeting was the color of blood and Theo suspected it hid some actual blood. What was that muggle spray that could show blood? He had read about it...He probably didn't want to use it in Nott Manor honestly. The place would probably glow like a Yule tree. Theo shuddered at the thought. He would much rather dwell in plausible deniability when it came to blood stains in his house.
Theo tossed some Floo powder and called Robards, the head Auror who had been overseeing the sweep for dark artifacts at the Manor with Theo's consent. Robards' face quickly appeared in the flames.
"Robards, you old prick. Thanks for taking my floo. " Theo grinned, showing off his left dimple.
"Nott, you insolent little bastard, why are you interrupting my morning ablutions? I have a team due to arrive there in just over an hour. Is there a problem?"
Theo grinned " Ah ah, for some reason my mother married my father, so a bastard I am not. However, today, I am doomed to be a pain in your ass."
Robards sighed. This didn't sound good.
"I will be there in 15, but the Auror team will be there just a few minutes after me. If you are needing a private conversation, it will be short, Nott."
Theo picked up the coffee that had just appeared next to him and sipped. "Oh don't worry Gawain, I will be ever so to the point. I am sure you have damsels to save and dragons to slay." Theo's grin was a little feral and his eyes flashed. Robards had access to Draco and wouldn't pass a message, the prick.
Robards just shook his head, and looked through the Floo. Theo stared back and the Floo call winked out and Theo exhaled. This talk would likely not go well, hopefully the Ministry didn't think he was intentionally trying to thwart the Dark Arts sweep he had agreed to. Theo hoped he could leverage Robards' guilt so that this was just perceived as Theo being a teenager rather than a thorn in the side of the Ministry.
As Robards walked through the Floo, Theo was on his third cup of coffee. This one had a generous helping of Firewhiskey added and Robards grimaced at the smell.
"Bit early isn't it, Nott?" Robards scowled at the kid, slouching back in his oversized chair that looked more like a throne out of Hades than a receiving room chair.
Theo grinned revealing his dimples and swiped his hair out of his eyes. "I thought we agreed you'd call me Theo, Gawain? I mean, no one else is around to appreciate us being overly familiar and we are such old friends." Theo's smile grew almost feral. Robards sat in the other chair and harrumphed. Theo was smiling into his coffee cup, but the grin didn't reach his blue-green eyes which for lack of a better word looked haunted. Robards looked at him and couldn't help but see the scared little boy he had interviewed again and again in St Mungos about his injuries. Theo had been so small and frail. Robards had interviewed him at least a dozen times about this broken bone, this severe burn, that curse, but the boy had never said a word. Considering what Nott Sr had done to Lady Nott...Robards thought, it was no surprise the boy had recited stories about his supposed clumsiness: slipped down the stairs, fell off his new broom. Some of Theo's stories had been more believable than others. Robards hated that he hadn't been able to do anything for this brilliant kid that clearly was being slowly killed by this father. Bloody good cursebreaker already at 18. Would love to have him for DMLE, but who would partner a Death Eater's kid?. Robards sighed and looked at Theo's torn jeans and black t-shirt.
"Muggle clothes, kid? What the bloody hell does that say?" Robards leaned in to read the word in its weird bleeding font. He choked out, "Obscurial??" Theo looked down at himself and laughed out loud.
"Its a Squib Death Metal band. Zabini and I saw them on tour in Italy a couple summers ago." Theo chuckled. " I think they mostly play for muggles. Death Metal not your thing, Gawain?"
Robards shook his head. "Honestly kid, no idea what you just said. I will be asking my muggle relations officer to explain it to me later, have no doubt. Should be better than the usual discussions we have about muggle politics. But you didn't ask me here to talk about Squib bands. So let's have it."
Theo took a swig of his coffee and Fire whiskey, setting his coffee mug on the table next to him. "So, Hogwarts is putting on a summer camp to work on rebuilding the school and I have been asked to be Head Boy." Theo's eyes lit up and Robards leaned in, proud of a kid that had been through the wringer by life. Money wasn't everything Robards reminded himself. "McGonagall wants me there at the summer camp and for me to encourage other members of my house to attend." Theo kicked himself sideways in the huge monstrosity of a chair, throwing his leg over the side arm and leaned back with his neck on the other armrest looking up at the ceiling sighing. "So I won't be able to slice myself up for wards here once I leave, I can leave a few vials of blood, but honestly I would prefer if you could just increase the size of the DMLE team so we could get all the Dark artifacts and curses off the place before I go." Theo was still staring at the ceiling and had started kicking his leg nervously. Robards remembered that from his interviews of the kid at Mungos. It was so hard not to see a terrified, underweight 8 year old when he looked at Theodore Nott despite the fact that he was clearly a young man now.
Gawain Robards let out a breath he hadn't known that he was holding. " Well that's less of a pain in the arse than I was imagining. One of my other teams just finished dealing with an issue with rogue werewolves on the Isle of Man and I can have them join the crew by this afternoon. I also have Bill Weasley starting with the department tomorrow as a cursebreaker not attached to a team." Theo looked surprised at Robards. They'd really send a Weasley here to Nott Manor? "Bill is a consummate professional. He has worked for Gringotts for years and given the number of Goblin spells we have been untangling in this …."
"Den of iniquity? Haven of Darkness? Lair of Evil?" Theo suggested, grinning.
"House." Robards finished, scowling. "The library is my biggest concern and obviously the two remaining wings. If you will be at Hogwarts until the holidays, the house will be shut up and thus a danger to noone. We would of course put DMLE wards up to keep...undesirables out while you were at Hogwarts."
Theo snorted and knocked back the last of his coffee, reveling in the delightful burn. "You mean any of my fathers cohorts who escaped time in Azkaban, yeah? But fair enough, I don't want those arseholes getting their muddy prints on my rugs. They are antique, you know." Theo winked and Robards rolled his eyes.
Robards stood up and took his leave. " You will excuse me, Nott, I need to arrange for the increased staffing." He looked meaningfully at Theo. " I am certain that other members of your house will be present at Hogwarts this summer. At least two Auror escorts are in the works." Theo started so suddenly that he almost fell out of the chair. His eyes gleamed with something Robards thought might be hope. Robards tossed powder in the Floo and walked back through to his office in the DMLE startling his secretary, Genevieve, who was laying out files and coffee on his desk and wondered why the look in the kid's eyes had made him want to cry. Getting bloody soft in my old age.
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Pansy
Flashback, Malfoy Manor
December 22, 1997
Pansy was so fucked. How was she going to hold it together? She had pissed her father off by refusing to accept a marriage contract to one of his associates, Corban fucking Yaxley, old enough to be her father and who had already buried three wives. He had killed them. Pansy knew it. Her father fucking knew it. And now in punishment for refusing to be a biddable little whore, she was working as a snatcher in the Dark Lord's service. Her father was sure this would get her to comply and behave herself at the wedding which she was sure Posy Parkinson was continuing to plan for after graduation.
At least Pansy hadn't had to take the Mark yet. She'd seen Draco briefly upstairs before dragging her muggleborn captive down here to the dungeon. He looked like death, like he hadn't slept in months. He barely acknowledged that he knew her as his father told her to take the unlucky wizard that she had to the dungeon. Lucius looked worse than Draco if that was possible and didn't seem like he recognized her either, but in his case Pansy suspected he might be drunk. His eyes were sunken and you could cut yourself on his cheekbones he looked so gaunt.
Maybe it was for the best. Pansy sure as hell didn't want to get any closer to the Dark Lord's inner circle than she already was, but Merlin, she missed her friends: Draco, Theo, Blaise. She didn't really miss her ex-girlfriend Daphne, their breakup last June, at the end of 6th year, had been nuclear. A year of dating was thrown over because Daph's mom suspected, didn't even know for sure. Daphne was so far in the closet that that closet was probably in a damn dungeon as dark as this dank hellhole under Malfoy Manor. Pansy nearly slipped in a puddle of unknown origin and shuddered.
As she shoved her wandless Confunded captive into one of the cells in the dungeon and locked them in, Pansy heard a voice she knew and stopped dead.
A beautiful lilting voice sang "Weasley cannot save a thing, He cannot block a single ring, That's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King." The song wafted from one of the larger cells towards the end of the cell row.
"Luna??" Pansy squeaked. How the hell had Luna gotten taken to Draco's fucking dungeon. She was a halfblood, not a muggleborn. Fuck fuck fuck. Had her father done this as another punishment? Did he know about her thing with the little Ravenclaw stunner in 5th year? Pansy’s thoughts were a riot of worry and fear. Had Daphne told about Luna to get back at her?
"Pansy?" Luna called back in her sing-songy voice. And Pansy could hear the sound of someone standing up in the larger cell and shuffling towards the front. Pansy stifled a cry when she saw Luna's face. It was bruised. There were splatters of blood on her clothes. Pansy's bottom lip started to quiver, she felt herself begin to hyperventilate. Luna rushed to the bars and grabbed Pansy's hand in hers. Pansy didn't even realize she had run down the hall.
" Pansy! Pansy! You are going to attract every wrackspurt in this dungeon if you don't calm down! You need to breathe! It's not my blood. It's not my blood Pansy. Pansy! Look at my face Pansy!" Luna was staring into Pansy's face, where tears were running down her cheeks.
"Pansy," Luna whispered, " they don't know about us. They don't know. I stabbed one of the Death Eaters when they pulled me off the train a few days ago. They took me because of what my father was writing about You-Know-Who in The Quibbler." Luna's fingertips brushed Pansy's cheek. "This isn't your fault. I am okay. I am just a hostage to ensure good behavior. I will be fine. If you kill a hostage that you take to in order to ensure good behavior, then by rights you guarantee bad behavior and that future hostage taking won't work as a deterrent."
Pansy leaned into Luna's hand as Luna cupped her cheek. Merlin, Luna was always so comfortingly analytical. Sodding Ravenclaw. "Luna, you shouldn't be comforting me when you are the one in the fucking cage…" Pansy whispered into her skin.
The drip drip of the dungeon was suddenly punctuated by heavy footfall coming down the stairs. Pansy turned toward the sudden sound and Luna pulled her hand back, but not fast enough because their new company looked disgusted and spit on the ground in their direction.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Corban Yaxley snarled. " If it isn't my reluctant bride getting friendly with a blood traitor." Pansy's eyes widened in fear and Luna stepped back from her as Pansy spun around with her wand out. Yaxley disarmed her with a non verbal charm and grabbed Pansy by the throat, slamming her against the stone wall next to the bars of Luna's cell. Pansy felt blood on the back of her head and neck. "Consorting with a filthy little blood traitor. Your father will be so displeased, and I will be withdrawing my formal interest, but first I think I will sample what you have while our legal understanding is still in place." Pansy was choking. Her vision was starting to black out around the edges. Her feet were dangling. She was scratching at his arms but he had some kind of gauntlets on under his robes and she couldn't find skin.
"Diffindo" Yaxley sliced the bottom of her robes off exposing the bottom of her body to the cold dungeon air, she felt cuts on her stomach and hips. His spell had been sloppy. Perhaps he just wanted her to bleed. Pansy could hear someone screaming as she started to lose consciousness and thought it must be Luna screaming her name. This fucker is going to rape me and kill me. Refusing to marry him didn't save me. Damn. And with that final thought Pansy lost consciousness as Luna sobbed hysterically in her cell.
Hours later, Pansy slowly woke up on the cold stone floor to every single part of her body hurting and Draco kneeling over her.
"Pans? Pans?" Draco choked out a sob. "Please don't be dead."
Pansy's throat hurt so much she couldn't say anything. She let out a small gasp and he exhaled. She met his frantic silver eyes for a moment and he looked away. Draco hissed at the black and blue marks on her neck.
"I am gonna get you out of here yeah? I am gonna apparate you to my mother's private bath and we are gonna get you cleaned up. I am so fucking sorry Pansy. I am so sorry. I am gonna get you out of here." Pansy looked down and realized that the bottom half of her robes were gone and her legs were covered in her blood. Pansy's last thought was Luna wasn't crying anymore. Then she fainted.
Chapter 2: Feel Like I'm Drowning
Summary:
Feel like I'm Drowning
https://open.spotify.com/track/3aauaXWRgwCMoykMbI0Jq1?si=FPpS8ID4RRKq2blqtoY_VAThe flashbacks are pretty harsh. Mind the tags.
Theo Art by the talented KK_lawliet. Check her Instagram:
Here.
Notes:
Thanks to my brilliant alphas/betas: Amebb42, Megsivy and my_saturday_girl
Chapter Text
Feel like I'm Drowning
https://open.spotify.com/track/3aauaXWRgwCMoykMbI0Jq1?si=FPpS8ID4RRKq2blqtoY_VA
Theo
Flashback, Nott Manor
June 20, 1996
Curled in the fetal position on the floor in his father's personal study, Theo was pretty sure he was going to die. He could taste the metallic tang of his own blood and was certain his left arm and at least two of his ribs were broken, it was hard to breathe. And his father showed no sign of stopping. Theo was in so much pain that he was starting to fade in and out of consciousness as the blows and kicks continued to fall.
He wondered, in a purely academic way, what had caused his father to be this angry. Although what did it matter in the end? I will be just as dead no matter the reason. At least this way I can escape from all these fucking Death Eaters and this bloody horror show of a life.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, his father walked out, leaving Theo lying in a puddle of blood on the floor. Theo heard the crack of apparition and then another snap as his house Elf appeared. "This is bad bad bad. Oooooh Master Theo," The little Elf sobbed. Theo tried to soothe her and whispered that he would be okay, but when he began to cough blood, the effect was ruined. The pain was overwhelming and as Theo blacked out, his last thought was hopefully this was finally it. Death would be his great escape.
********************
Hermione
The next week flew by for Hermione. And the following Monday, Hermione found herself holding Crookshanks' cage and one arm hugging Harry and Ginny at Platform 9 ¾. Ginny had decided not to attend Restoration Camp despite the multiple letters and a Floo call from McGonagall urging her to come.
"My family and Harry need me 'Mione. You will do great. And I will see you in August." Hermione had nodded, hating that nickname and the sinking feeling of being betrayed while boarding the Hogwarts Express. Noone else had bothered to see her off. Molly hadn't bestirred in weeks from her room. George had apologized that he just couldn't face Kings Cross and all its memories during their afternoon drinking session yesterday. Hermione had chastely held his hand and whispered that she understood. And she did, but she wished she didn't feel so abandoned.
Harry had just nodded and hugged her very briefly, a tight awkward squeeze and then he was already pulling away.
"You will be a great Head Girl 'Mione. I start Auror training in two weeks so write when you can and I will write when I can." He gave her that goofy puppy dog look, the one he used instead of apologizing to her. "Ron was really sorry he couldn't come."
Hermione couldn't even hear the lies from Harry. It literally made her feel sick. So she cut him off with a swift "It's okay, Harry. Don't worry about it." She flashed her fakest smile at him and then at Ginny. Honestly it was painful that they couldn't see through her at how wrecked she was emotionally. Her supposed best friends weren't really showing her much care. Well she'd always been the caretaker hadn't she?
Despite her consoling words and fake smiles, now Hermione was sitting in a compartment on the train that she had locked, warded and cast a silencio. She screamed and screamed until her throat was too raw to continue. Only then did she finally stop and pull out her flask and took a long draw of Ogden's Fire-whiskey. She was so fucked. How was she ever going to hold it together?
She looked at her hands and saw they were shaking. She took another draw of the fire-whiskey and hid the flask. Taking a deep breath she removed her spells and wards on the compartment, and pulled out her book, the memoir of a muggle child soldier in Africa and began to read. She hoped she was left in peace for a bit longer.
*************
Theo
The platform was exceptionally empty. Theo supposed that made sense considering that it would only be upperclassmen heading to Hogwarts for mind healing camp and the number of parents who were dead or in Azkaban was likely reducing the crowd. Morbid thoughts there, Theo, he thought to himself.
He was wearing one of his other Squib band tees. It was black and tight fitting. In letters that looked almost like bloody slashes it read "Knoktyrnal Nyghtmare." The puns really appealed to Theo. He had on his only pair of black muggle denims and belt with a buckle of a snake coiled into a knot around the letter N. His only other jewelry was his family signet ring: the ornate N was carved into a black stone rather than metal and the Goblin filigree had been crafted to look like knotted ropes. Theo rather thought the love of puns was an inherited disorder that was significantly more pleasant than the homicidal urges that had passed him over. His black lace up boots had been purchased in Italy like the rest of his clothes and Theo knew that he looked good in them. Nothing quite said, “I don't believe in pureblood superiority” like wearing muggle clothes. He had let his chestnut curls be a little wild, all the more likely that someone would tidy them for him. He could do with another smoke, a good shag and a bit of firewhiskey. He certainly hoped he would manage at least two out of the three on the long train journey to Hogwarts.
Head Boy responsibilities were likely going to cut into his drinking schedule and he wasn't really thrilled about that. In order to make sure he was supplied, Theo had transfigured 13 bottles of fire-whiskey into rolled up socks in his trunk.
Hopefully that would get him through to Christmas Hols. He was trying to factor in Draco's drinking as well. He doubted house arrest was going to allow him to bring his own. Pans probably wouldn't have her own drinks either, but she preferred red wine or dark beer anyway. If her house arrest extended to restrictions at Hogwarts he could always walk down to Hogsmeade and get her some bottles from one of the pubs. Head Boy had to come with some useful privileges. Head Boy responsibilities would probably be pretty minimal during camp. McGonagall had said no patrols and no curfews for those students participating.
As Theo lifted his magically lightened trunk onto the train, he wondered where his friends were. Blaise had responded to his owl that he was going to portkey from the Zabini villa in Italy straight to Hogwarts.
Amazing to think that McGonagall had arranged such a thing for a snake. Draco and Pansy still couldn't write and he couldn't write them, so if they were on the train it would likely be under Auror guard. How bloody pleasant.
He started walking from the front of the train towards the back, stopping at each compartment and greeting the students inside, unleashing his grin and dimple on the lads and ladies alike, letting everyone know he was Head Boy and to not hesitate to come to him with any issues that might arise. He used that exact wording and licked his lips while looking at Dean Thomas who was bloody fit and then Seamus Finnegan looked like he might like to rip his throat out. Theo filed away that they were together in his brain, and then gave Finnegan the full light of his smile and complemented his accent and freckles. The Irish Halfblood didn't seem to know what to do after that.
As Theo was walking away and the compartment door was closing, Theo couldn't help but overhear "Shea, don't be jealous, he's just throwing lines to see what he can catch." Perceptive Gryffindor. That was a surprise. They rarely were. Granger being the obvious exception. And where was she? McGonagall had said she was going to be Head Girl to his Head Boy and would be attending obviously. He expected to find her on the Hogwarts Express. He doubted she had arranged a portkey or Floo trip to the castle.
After a few more sensual smiles, greetings and surprisingly only one snake related insult, Theo found Hermione with her kneazle on her lap, reading a book. Theo felt a little nervous. They had never really talked. He hadn't insulted her like Drake had, but she was coming to Reconstruction camp right? So she had to be somewhat open to reconciling with snakes.
Theo took a deep breath and knocked on the door and then opened it without being greeted, shut it and dropped onto the seat opposite the lovely curly haired swot that figured so largely in his dirty fantasies as recently as this morning.
"Salutations Granger. I hear you are Head Girl to my Head Boy. We have never been properly introduced. Theo Nott." He stuck out his hand to shake hers, and she looked at him over her book, raising one eyebrow.
"Nott," she said, sitting her book down and putting her hand out to give him a half hearted shake. She had on an oversized blue jumper and blue muggle denims. Her hair was pulled into an adorable messy bun with her wand stuffed through it to hold the wild ringlets in place. Theo wished he could pull the wand out and run his hands through her untameable mane. Her freckles teased him with fantasies of kissing each and every one. In some perfect world, Draco could help him find all the constellations on her skin. Her skin was sunburnished golden, like the honey of her hazel-brown eyes. The delicious proximity of getting to be Heads with her was enough to make him very pleased with his lot in life for the first time in quite a while.
"Please call me Theo. Nott is really more my father and he's in Azkaban for attempting to commit genocide. And honestly if my mother hadn't been under a fidelity spell, he probably would have repudiated me. Never quite embraced the family business myself." Theo gave her his trademark grin, showing off his single left dimple and running his hand through his brown curls.
Hermione looked stunned at his frankness, as well as his muggle clothes and realized her mouth was gaping. "Well Theo, it's nice to meet you and I guess we will be roommates and Heads together so …you can call me Hermione. That certainly was an introduction."
Theo shrugged. "It's good to clear the air. I am very on board with McGonagall's inter-house unity campaign and honestly we Slytherins get a bad wrap. So I am doing my part to not be a tosser and try some forthrightness and cooperation. Same reason I have willingly had aurors in my house. My father's collection of dark artifacts was truly terrifying." Theo shuddered and pulled out his flask. "Enough of that doom and gloom. I need a fortifying tipple just to carry on. Want one yourself?" Theo raised one eyebrow in her direction. Granger looked at him for several moments, then shrugged, pulled out her own flask and shook her head.
"In the spirit of forthrightness, no thank you Theo, I have my own." Theo was surprised, but he made sure none of it showed on his face. He just smiled brighter, flashing his dimple at her. "I expect that we can keep our mutual hobbies to ourselves despite your newly discovered desire to be honest and forthright?," said Hermione as she raised an eyebrow.
"Absolutely Hermione. I would never tattle on my new roommate. But mine is over 30 years old and quite expensive and I nicked it from my father's study. You know you want to try it." Theo grinned tauntingly. "I promise it isn't poisoned."
"Was it unopened in your father's study?" At Theo's nod, Hermione sighed and passed her own flask. "We can swap. I won't poison you, you won't poison me."
"How Slytherin of you, Hermione." Theo grinned at the Head Girl who flushed, taking a swig of his flask. Merlin, she is pretty with my flask to her lips. Drake would die if he was here, seeing this. Maybe I can pensieve the memory for him?
"Mmmm" Hermione hummed in appreciation, "Toffee apples. I always thought people lied about that. About good liquor tasting like sweets." I may die if she keeps making those noises. She closed her eyes and took another swig.
Theo stood up swiftly so his back was to Hermione, trying to keep her from noticing his arousal. He opened the window and cast a quick charm to keep the smoke from leaving the cabin through any direction but the window; it wouldn't do to have the trolley cart lady catch the Head boy smoking. Simply scandalous. He pulled out his muggle cigarette and lit it with his lighter that he had bought at a muggle petrol station. He took a calming drag and cast an illusion charm on the window into the cabin so anyone who happened to walk by would see Hermione reading and the kneazle, rather than him smoking and her savouring his fire whiskey. The mirror image of the illusion could be seen through the compartment window and shimmered on the inside as well. Theo was particularly pleased with himself.
Hermione was looking at him in surprise, although Theo wasn't sure why. He had been fighting with Draco for the number two position in their year to her since the very beginning.
"We will have to study together this summer, Nott. I want to learn that illusion charm." Hermione said, taking another deep swig of his fire whiskey and passing it back.
"Call me Theo, remember."
"I recall, but only if you tell me where you picked up the habit of muggle cigarettes."
"Have you heard of Death Metal, Hermione?" Theo Nott had never heard anything quite like the sound of Hermione Granger's surprised laughter. And he made her laugh several more times as he told her all about the Death Metal shows he had gone to in Italy with Blaise, about Squib bands and the references that they made to the magical world that were so subtle that muggles never realized and how when in Rome, literally, cigarettes were quite the thing.
"Well, Theo, aren't you full of surprises." She pulled out a scroll from her little beaded bag. "I have the list of who has confirmed that they are coming. Would you like to look it over? In your role as Head Boy I mean?"
Theo put out his cigarette and dropped it out the window. "Nothing would give me more pleasure," he said, sitting down next to Crookshanks and rubbing the fluffy orange half-kneazle behind his ears. Hermione looked shocked at the two of them.
"Crooks doesn't like most boys." Hermione said in surprise.
Theo continued to give Crookshanks rubs as he started to purr. "Well I am not most boys," he grinned at her "Crooks? Is that his name?"
"Crookshanks actually," Hermione amended.
"Hmmm.. well it may surprise you to know that on occasion he has made his way into the Slytherin boy's dorms. We are old friends, yes we are." Theo continued to pet the cat with one hand while perusing the scroll that Hermione had passed over. "It’s probably because he was looking for vermin down near the kitchens, but I never minded. My father never allowed me to have a familiar of my own."
Theo didn't look up at Hermione and so missed the betrayed look she gave her familiar. Hermione reopened her book and pretended to read. It took her 30 minutes to get through the page she was on. Theo pretended not to notice.
*********
Pansy
Pansy had gotten up extra early that day and had taken time with her appearance. Her immaculately bobbed hair and makeup were perfect. Smokey eyes and blood red lips set a perfect tone. Her fingernails were charmed blood red. She had her favorite dragonhide high heels on and some of her grandmother’s snake jewelry adorned her ears and wrist. The skirt she chose was long enough and high waisted enough that the scars on her thighs and hips from Yaxley’s attack were not visible. They were her constant companions: the reminders of that horrible day and all the days after that. If she could help it, no one was going to see them. Her mother didn’t even know they were there despite knowing what Yaxley had done. She wouldn't be allowed a wand until she was at Hogwarts, but once she was she would be charming them to invisibility.
The rape had destroyed Pansy’s value on the Pureblood marriage market which was Posy Parkinson’s only concern. Honestly that had been a decent side effect. No more contract negotiations. No more complaining about Pansy wanting to start a business or live alone after graduating Hogwarts. Pansy wished that just coming out to her mom would have had the same effect, but it hadn’t. Rape on the other hand accomplished what Pansy’s sexual and romantic proclivities never had. It was sickening. In the end her V-card had been her only value to her mother and Pansy doubted they would have more than perfunctory interactions going forward.
Ranunclus, her obnoxious older brother, had managed to hide out in Bulgaria during the war after finishing at Durmstrang. He had a job in the Ministry there being a pureblood piece of shite and was engaged to some niece of the Bulgarian Minister. Pansy imagined she had impeccable bloodlines; it was the only thing her stupid brother cared about. He was her father's son in pretty much every way except for not taking the Mark. And a homophobic tosser to boot. He hadn't spoken to Pansy since he had found out about her relationships with women. She kept telling herself she didn't miss him, despite the fact that they had been close as kids. But he had left her behind a very long time ago.
Her father had already been sentenced to life in Azkaban, which was honestly another plus as far as Pansy was concerned. He was in that nightmare prison with Lucius Malfoy, Thoros Nott and so many of the surviving Death Eaters. Good Riddance. And while the DMLE was aware of what had happened to her and how her father had tried to sell her to a murderer and Yaxley’s assault, she hadn't had to testify in either trial. Thank Circe for small mercies. Although it would have been nice if that had led to her house arrest awaiting trial to be a little less strict. Unfortunately the supervising Aurors took their jobs more seriously than Pansy would have liked. A floo call with Theo or Luna would have been nice. She knew any interaction with Draco would have been more than she could even imagine. They would probably think the two of them were plotting an attack if she even asked.
Auror Vance, a tall brunette man with a burn scar peeking out of his shirt collar, and Auror Selwyn, a serious woman with dark hair always in a tight bun, were Pansy's constant companions at Parkinson Manor. Due to her mother's lack of cooperation with the DMLE, Pansy had ended up under 24 hour guard as Posy was considered a flight risk. Even though Pansy would have told them that Posy was unlikely to take her along if she fled, the Aurors wouldn't believe that. Returning to Hogwarts was a blessing in that she would finally not be under constant supervision.
As Pansy walked down the stairs from her room to the front parlor, the two Aurors were waiting for her on either side of the final step.
"Good morning, Miss Parkinson," Auror Selwyn said with what passed for a smile on her stern face. She would be quite the stunner if she smiled literally ever, Pansy thought, but maybe that's why she didn't. It would be hard to be a pretty hunter of Dark Wizards. "Your trunk has been searched and we are ready to apparate to Kings Cross station, if you are? Do you wish to say goodbye to Lady Parkinson before we depart?"
"I think it best if we just slink out like the shame of the family that I am, Auror. Thanks for the offer though. She knew what time we were leaving. If she wanted to say goodbye she would be down here." Pansy suspected her mother was in her room waiting until Pansy and the Aurors were gone and then would be using an illegal portkey to take herself, her trunks and all the house elves to Bulgaria before the DMLE knew she was gone. Posy wasn't on house arrest, they hadn't been able to charge her with any crimes, but she was supposed to report where she was going and how to be reached. Pansy suspected that her mother and most of the Parkinson valuables were going to be guests of the Bulgarian Minister very soon.
Auror Vance shrugged and, taking Pansy's trunk, apparated away. Auror Selwyn's face relaxed a little with her partner gone.
"Are you ready to face the world Parkinson?"
"Hardly." Pansy bit out a bitter laugh, "But house arrest at Hogwarts sounds better than being here with Mother. And I am sure you have more pressing things to do than watch me charm my finger nails."
"True enough," Auror Selwyn said, grabbing Pansy by the arms and apparating them directly onto Platform 9 ¾. The DMLE had an apparition point at the far end of the platform near the engine of the train. Pansy was escorted directly onto the train and despite desperately looking to see anyone she knew, she was hustled on within seconds. Did they expect someone to try and rescue her from Auror custody? What a laugh.
Auror Selwyn put her into the compartment at the front of the train without saying a word. Auror Vance had already put her trunk up into the luggage rack. The two Aurors inspected the window briefly then went out, locking Pansy in. Selwyn's last words had been "knock if you need to use the loo." Pansy had barely eaten the last few days, she was so nervous about going back to Hogwarts. Hopefully she could make it through the long train ride without having to deal with her guards. Selwyn was okay, but Vance could be a bit of an arse.
Pansy knew she was the Girl-Who-Tried-To-Hand-Over-Harry-Potter and that hardly endeared her to people on the winning side. Not that she was popular with Death Eaters either. She had been a shite villain.
Such a shite villain. She was lucky that Draco had found her bleeding in his dungeon, if he hadn't come when he did she probably wouldn't have made it. Terrifying to think how close she had come to ‘the end of all things’ as Theo liked to call it. Pansy had never been a suicidal person even when circumstances were at their worst, she just wanted things to get better. She wanted to escape and live. She knew that was not the case for Theo and Draco. It was terrible knowledge that her two favorite boys often longed for death. She hoped the mind healing this summer would help them. And me, who am I bloody kidding.
Despite not being suicidal, Pansy was very aware that she was not alright. Adult men made her so nervous now. She was constantly on alert when Auror Vance was around and she knew that he had no intention of touching her unless it was to put handcuffs on her. And they wouldn't be fun handcuffs either.
Pansy stared out the window. She wondered if she'd see Luna this summer. She had seen her in passing at the last battle, but they hadn't spoken. She hadn't been on the list of the dead. Daphne had sent an engagement announcement a few weeks ago, but not a wedding invitation. She'd be married to the pureblood Frenchman her parents had chosen for her before Christmas. Ever the dutiful daughter. She had included no personal note for Pansy as though they had never been more than acquaintances. It stung really.
She looked at the bench across from her and imagined Theo, Draco and Blaise there. They would be taking the piss out of each other and laughing. Theo would be casting illusions so he could smoke out the window and passing a flask of Ogden's. She missed her friends so much it was like an emptiness in her soul. She let it consume her for a bit and she sobbed and sobbed. The tears ran down her cheeks until in exhaustion, Pansy fell asleep.
Pansy was walking down a dark hallway and could hear the wind and the sea. Someone was shoving her from behind, but she couldn’t seem to turn in order to see who it was. Suddenly she came to a door with a little window with bars across it. Her father was there in the window, his hair unkempt, his teeth black. “There you are my little flower. I have signed a new marriage contract for you. I am sure you will be very happy with Antonin Dolohov. He’s paying good money for you and he’ll overlook the issue with Yaxley. They are good friends after all. He may even want to share you with him on occasion. You’ll love that won’t you my dear. A match made in heaven.” He sneered at her.
Pansy awoke screaming “No!” at the top of her lungs and shaking uncontrollably. That couldn’t happen. Ranunculus was the head of the family now. Dolohov was dead. It was only a nightmare. Only a nightmare. These thoughts weren’t particularly helpful as Pansy continued to hysterically scream.
“Miss Parkinson!” Auror Selwyn was there, shaking her shoulders. “Miss Parkinson! Please calm yourself. It was only a dream.” The stern-faced Auror looked like she was considering slapping Pansy to stop her hysterics, but Pansy let out a gasp and started to pull herself together.
“Antonin Dolohov is dead, right? My father doesn’t have any legal authority over me? Noone can arrange a marriage contract for me without my consent?”
Auror Selwyn looked down at the pale young woman with understanding in her eyes. “Miss Parkinson, you are currently awaiting trial and on house arrest, at this time no marriage contract would be binding. It would have to be approved by Robards or some representative of the DMLE and they would not approve it. And Dolohov is dead.” Pansy let out a ragged breath and closed her eyes. Only a nightmare. Only a nightmare. “Shall I sit with you for a bit?”
Pansy nodded, without opening her eyes.
Auror Selwyn whispered to her, “My father wanted to arrange my marriage to one of the Rosiers. I know all about those sorts of nightmares.” Pansy didn’t answer her, but reached over and gripped the Auror’s hand. Selwyn squeezed back.
Pansy had fallen back asleep when Auror Vance returned from the loo, looked at Selwyn and Pansy’s clasped hand and mouthed “What the fuck is that?”
Selwyn gave him the two finger salute. “She’s a kid, Archie. A kid having nightmares about her bloody messed up family. She’s asleep now.”
“A kid who provided material support to Death Eaters, Aurelia. You are too bloody soft on her. She is likely headed for Azkaban to be with her dear old dad. You are worse than Robards and the Nott boy.”
Aurelia Selwyn snorted. Surely no one was as soft as Gawain Robards was about Theodore Nott. Although the file on his abuse by Lord Nott was enough for even Aurelia to feel some sympathy for the kid. While many of her fellow Aurors thought the Parkinson girl and the Nott boy were just the next generation of Dark Witches and Wizards they would have to deal with, when Aurelia looked at them she saw herself. Pureblood kids with abusive controlling parents weren’t evil by nature, just terrified by the abuse that passed for nurture in the majority of the Sacred 28.
**************
Draco
Despite the fact that they had barely eaten two meals together a day for the last month and that he didn't even know when the last time the two of them had really spoken, Narcissa Malfoy seemed very sad that Draco was returning to Hogwarts so soon after Lucius' sentencing. Her smile was tight and while she was as fashionable and stylish as ever, some of the light was dim in her eyes. Draco felt an unpleasant pang of guilt that he was leaving her, and that he hadn't been present for her while he had been here.
"Here, my dragon, I have a couple small gifts for you." From within her dress robes, Narcissa gave him two ring boxes to open. One was the Malfoy signet ring. It was big and silver with an ornate “M” on it. The second was a black opal ring belonging to the House of Black.
"This one was my grandfather's." Narcissa said of the Black opal. " It's linked to a woman's ring that I have put away for your future wife, but it has some good protection spells on it that you might need since you aren't allowed to defend yourself with magic. I am quite worried about your safety. And please don't do anything rash and end up in Azkaban. I can't lose you too."
Draco was already wearing an obsidian and silver ring on his left hand that had a snake wrapped around the stone and a black tourmaline ring on his right. Both rings had protection enchantments on them that were fairly strong so the addition of the black opal should make him pretty safe from the magical attacks that he already anticipated from peers. The Malfoy signet resized when slid down his pinky. He noticed his mother had a Victorian style mourning ring with pale hair in it. "Is that new, mother?"
"No, no, I just couldn't wear it in front of your father. It's a mourning ring for your little sister. He didn't care for it." She gave him a sad smile.
Draco hated his father again at that moment and wondered why his mother loved the brutal bastard so much. He tried to occlude so that their last few minutes together weren't spent arguing about the absolute piece of shite that was Lucius.
Instead Draco asked a question he had been stewing on for years, not entirely expecting an answer. "Years ago, in his cups, my father said he had a younger sister who had been disowned yet he never mentioned it again. I was wondering if you could tell me what her name was?"
Narcissa looked like she didn't want to answer, but gazed at the ceiling and whispered into his ear lest the portraits hear. She glanced sideways at the portrait of her father in law, Abraxas, who appeared like he was asleep.
"Pandora. She was your godmother, but she fled after your birth and married a man your grandfather didn't approve of. Not unlike my sister, Andromeda." Narcissa looked so forlorn that Draco held her hand. When was the last time he had held her hand like this? Salazar, he was a selfish shite of a son.
"Mother, have you considered reconciling with your sister? I mean with father ...gone there is noone to stop you and with me off to Hogwarts…."
Narcissa had gone still as stonework. "I do not think, my dragon, that she would appreciate that. I am sure the loss of her husband and daughter are too fresh."
"I worry about leaving you alone."
"I will be fine. Five more months of house arrest will be over before you know it," Narcissa said, kissing him on the cheek. "And as soon as I am free, I will meet you in Hogsmeade and we can have tea and you can tell me everything that's happened without an Auror reading over my shoulder. I will be allowed 5 letters or Floo calls per week until then, but of course everything will be monitored. I believe they think giving me some freedom to communicate will mean that they will catch some more of the Dark Lord’s followers. I, however, will happily enjoy getting to correspond with you, my dragon." His mother kissed him again on the cheek and he clutched at her like he had as a child. He held her tightly wishing that their relationship could be what he had always dreamt of: her unconditional love unmarred by her refusal to stop the abuse he suffered at his father’s hands. Draco’s eyes burned and he felt a pain in his chest. Why was even his mother’s love tainted?
With one more squeeze, he released his mother and stepped through the fireplace and directly out of the green flames into Headmistress McGonagall's office. Four Aurors were there waiting for him. Each of them was a tall, scarred muscled man more grim than the last. If looks could kill, Draco was quite sure that he would be dead already. Two of the Aurors were on either side of the door as though he might flee. Where exactly? Into Hogwarts?
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
“Mr. Malfoy,” the most grim Auror, a steel-haired man with werewolf claw scars across his face said with impassivity, “this is a wand that we are issuing to you for school use only. Your wand is still property of the Ministry until your trial, as it is evidence.”
“We are watching you, you little Death Eater prick.” One of the other Aurors snarled. Draco really wished that his mother, his lawyer or even McGonagall were present. “This wand has a monitor and a trace, you use it inappropriately and your arse will be in Azkaban faster than you can bleeding blink and you’ll rot in there while you wait for trial instead of here at Hogwarts on some posh house arrest.”
“Thank you for that, Stebbins.” The steely Auror was clearly in charge as the other Auror stopped his ranting and crossed his arms angrily. The two Aurors stationed at the door might as well have been made of stone and Draco wondered if he should feel complimented that they thought he was worth four Aurors in order to keep him in line.
Thank Merlin that McGonagall picked that moment to walk in with a tall, beautiful Black woman in Healer’s robes in tow.
“Ah thank you, Aurors, for your time. Mind Healer Cordelia and I have it from here.”
“I have to advise against this, Headmistress. Mr. Malfoy is a danger to the school and the other students. You should let us leave at least two Aurors to chaperone him.” The lead Auror gave Draco a look that gave the absolute disdain that reminded him of his father's ever present look of disappointment .
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
“I very much appreciate your concern for my students, Mr. Orville, but as you may remember from when you were my student I will merely take your opinion under advisement.” McGonagall said, her tone indicating she was going to do nothing of the sort. “Do give my regards to Gawain and Kingsley and tell them to expect an owl from me about your delightful visit.” She made no illusions about ushering the four of them into the Floo. “We’ll be glad to be rid of that lot, they have been making a nuisance of themselves all morning’.” McGonagall rubbed her hands together in satisfaction.
“Now, Mr. Malfoy. They have searched your things which are now down in the Slytherin dorms. I don’t believe they confiscated anything, but if they did please let me know and I will send a very strongly worded missive to the ministry.”
Draco allowed the shock at the kind welcome to overcome his occlumency shields, and he laughed aloud. “Headmistress, I don’t believe I have ever been so happy to see you and be here at Hogwarts.”
“Well Mr. Malfoy, I am very happy to have you here as well. It was no small matter to get your house arrest, along with Miss Parkinson’s and Mr. Goyle’s, moved here to Hogwarts. I had to pull a few strings and call in a few favors. So I hope that you will throw yourself into this summer program with the same vigor I have seen you apply to other pursuits.” Cheeks heating, Draco blushed in shame at that, not sure if she was referring to his over-exaggerated romantic pursuits or the whole mess with the vanishing cabinet. Either way, he felt very awkward now.
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
“However, Mr. Malfoy please have a seat. Let’s have some tea and I would like to introduce you to Mindhealer Cordelia.” Draco was nothing if not raised to be polite and have proper etiquette. The invitation to take tea wasn’t a request and everyone in the room knew it.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Malfoy, although I would prefer if you would call me Cordelia, and I call you Draco if you are open to that.” Mindhealer Cordelia had rich umber skin and almond shaped black eyes. Her long black hair was braided into ornate small braids that were so much more elaborate than anything Yasmene Zabini, the only other Black woman of Draco’s close acquaintance, wore. The small braids were wound up in a large bun at the top of the healer’s crown. She carried herself like a queen, Draco thought. His mother would be very impressed with her deportment if they ever met.
“I am perfectly amenable to being on a first name basis with you, Healer Cordelia.” Draco said, turning on every inch of his posh charm.
Cordelia stifled a laugh and said, “Well, I am here to answer any kind of questions you might have about the program this summer. I want you to understand that a great deal of my work is focused on muggle children and teens, but that I, and my team, specialize in working with young people who, like you, have been recruited as child soldiers and forced into combat among other traumatic situations.”
Draco lacked a great deal of reference for what the muggle world was like, so what the healer was explaining to him was very difficult to understand at first. “Muggle children fight in wars? Frequently? Often enough that it's a Healer specialty?”
Cordelia nodded, “Unfortunately yes. The last few years we have been working primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Eastern Europe. And before that we were in Rwanda in Africa for a bit. Our team is all witches and wizards though along with two Squib healers that specialize in muggle psychiatric medication. World affairs keep us very busy and most muggle wars especially those with children end up having a Muggleborn or a half blood involved here and there and of course conflicts can often result in the occasional obscurial, so our training in multiple modalities comes in handy now and again.”
Draco looked at Professor McGonagall in shock. “And you consider us child soldiers, those of us who fought in the Dark Lord’s army?”
“And those that fought for Albus and the Order too,” the Scottish Headmistress said sadly. “Any child recruited to fight in an armed conflict is a child soldier. If the adults of the Wizarding World hadn’t been such cowards, then children would never have had to fight Voldemort in the halls of a school, no less. And it’s no surprise that you were recruited on the reverse side of the battle, not that I think your Mark could be described as anything other than duress. You were never quite as keen about it as your father, Severus, Barty or the Carrow twins were at your age. And even they were recruited as combatants before they reached their majority.” Draco was in shock. The Headmistress of Hogwarts believed that he had gotten the Mark under duress? That he wasn’t passionate about being made into a murderer? If only the Wizengamot and the Ministry held her opinions then his trial wouldn’t be nearly as terrifying.
“Would you like to know more, Draco, about what this is going to entail? The therapeutic activities at the camp here this summer?” At Draco’s nod, Cordelia continued “We are going to be using a variety of trauma informed practices. Trauma is a muggle term for a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. We are going to be doing both group and individual therapies. We will do both Narrative Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Those are the muggle names for the methodologies, but there will certainly be some parts of it that will make more sense to you than others.”
Draco sipped his tea nervously, and willed his leg not to shake as it would be completely visible to the two women. He felt horribly out of his depth and it wasn't a feeling he particularly relished. He knew they were trying to give him enough information so that he would be comfortable participating, but honestly his trial depended on good character references from the mind healer. As long as she wasn’t planning to crucio him or give him veritaserum in front of Granger, he could probably handle whatever she was throwing out at him.
Cordelia had continued talking while Draco had been lost in thought for a few moments, “We use some magical means of course to accomplish this. We have notebooks spelled to record the information that you share in group for the narration of your life line. Of course, the mind healer in charge of your group and you are the only ones who can read the journal. Also we have an enspelled parchment that creates a visual symbol of the narration that you are building - the lifeline with different symbols based on your stories and conversations in group. Different symbols are used in your lifeline, especially flowers and stones. Flowers are used to represent positive events,and stones are the negative events of the patient's life. Size, shape and colour of symbols may also be used to indicate events with greater or lesser intensity or significance. In individual therapy, we will look at the parchment and can make additions and adjustments to the placement of the different symbols. It's a bit easier with wizards and witches. Muggles have to draw it out and it can be challenging for them to even get started.”
The Headmistress cleared her throat and offered everyone more tea, which they accepted. Draco desperately wished that he had a flask with him so he could top his tea off. His magic felt desperate to get out now. The realization that he had a wand in his possession finally was setting in. He really wanted to do something with it. Mixing his tea would be a little anticlimactic though. He tried to focus on what the mind healer was telling him.
“The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will include things that you are more familiar with: art making, journaling, possibly some new things like relaxation techniques, reframing negative thoughts especially those about yourself.”
Draco certainly knew all about negative thoughts. The litany of his misdeeds was his constant companion at the Manor. He knew what people called him. Monster. Fiend. Death Eater. Villain. And when his thoughts flitted to honey eyes and bronze burnished curls, Blood Traitor. Negative thoughts were honest ones, as far as he was concerned. There wasn’t much positivity in his worldview anymore. It had all been bled away.
The mind healer was still listing off the various aspects of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that would be included in the summer program.
Draco listened, wide-eyed at all the information that the Healer was explaining. He had thousands of questions, but didn’t know how to word any of them yet at this point.
“And of course, while occlumency is an excellent coping skill in the midst of complex traumatic situations, we want to work on curtailing it during therapy and going forward in your day to day life, Mr. Malfoy.”
“Excuse me?” Draco said, shocked. How did she know I am an occlumens?
“Your occlumency. It can cause long term disassociation and psychological damage. I have worked with several other midhealers who specialize in its negative side-effects from overuse. Sociopathy is the most frequent side effect,” she stated as though he should know what that meant.
“You must forgive me, Healer,” Draco said testily, “you are throwing a lot of terminology at me and I must admit that I am finding it quite overwhelming. What, pray tell, is sociopathy?”
“Sociopaths consistently show no regard for right and wrong and ignore the rights and feelings of others, and left untreated this can develop into psychopathy. Psychopathy is a mind disorder in which an individual manifests amoral and antisocial behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, extreme egocentricity, failure to learn from experience. These are real horrors, Draco, that I would like to spare you from. Your Aunt Bellatrix was diagnosed as having Occlumency induced Psychopathy at Azkaban.”
Draco shivered in fear remembering the madness in Aunt Bella’s eyes, her complete lack of a conscience. He may be a monster, but she was evil in a way that he never wanted to be. She thrived on the torment of others. The tears and blood of others were like water of life to her. He could have sworn she became aroused while torturing and murdering people. He remembered his dear aunt kissing his uncle and leaving bloody hand prints on his cheeks when she stepped back. Gore was no preventative for amorous pursuits to that madwoman. If occlumency could make him turn into someone like her…he had to stop then, but how could he? He was so reliant on it. How could he be near people he had hurt or allowed to be hurt and not occlude?
“I used occlumency for many years and never noticed any ill effects,” said a haughty voice from up on the wall. Draco looked up to see his godfather looking down at him, scathingly.
“Professor Snape,” Mindhealer Cordelia said back just as disdainfully. “I was in one of your first potions classes. You were cruel to children for no reason and were clearly in immense amounts of emotional pain, in retrospect. And as one of the few young people manipulated by both Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore, you certainly could have used some intensive therapy after the first Wizarding War. It’s really a tragedy that my field of specialty did not yet exist. I am here now and can help your godson not turn into the complete sociopath you were, so perhaps he can have a healthy adult life with some happiness and emotion in it. Perhaps if you had been able to receive some therapeutic support you could have moved on with your life as well instead of living in stasis as you did. ”
“Indeed.” Severus Snape’s magical portrait image sniffed superciliously.
“Hush now, Severus,” McGonagall said, “Or you’ll wake Albus, and I am not in the mood to listen to his excuses and justifications today. Come, Mr. Malfoy, let's head down to the Great Hall. I have a welcome speech to give. See you down in a bit, Cordelia.” Cordelia made some noises about finishing her tea first, but really she was looking forward to arguing further with Severus’ portrait about the goals of therapy with the students. He kept her sharp.
While Draco was immensely overwhelmed with everything that he had just learned about the plan for this summer, he tried to pull himself together in order to be personable with the Headmistress, maintaining the positive outlook she had of him at the moment couldn't do anything but good for him.
“Headmistress, thank you for the opportunity to come back and participate this summer.”
“Of course, Mr. Malfoy.”
“You know, you were the only professor to ask if I was okay in 6th year.”
“Well Professor Snape and Dumbledore believed in you.”
“Yes but they never asked if I was alright.” Draco was silent for a moment and then decided that this was as good a moment as any to get some answers for himself. “I do have a somewhat unusual question. My mother recently told me that my father had a younger sister who was disowned. I was wondering if you knew who she was and ….whether she's alive…"
McGonagall couldn't conceal her look of shock, "Mr Malfoy, it's a bit of a surprise that you have learned that. Your grandfather Abraxas was adamant that no one who knew speak of it, and your aunt was equally inclined that no one recall she was once a Malfoy. I did know her, I was already teaching here when your parents and their contemporaries were here at Hogwarts. Unfortunately…"
Draco almost didn't hear the rest; he knew what was coming. She was already dead. Another family member. Someone whose name he just learned and they were already dead.
"In the first Wizarding war?” Draco asked, cutting McGonagall off.
McGonagall stopped walking and looked at him, questioningly. "No, Mr Malfoy, just a couple of years before you started at Hogwarts. .." She seemed deep in thought. "You do have a cousin though. Her only child. Is ..here...this summer...I will talk with ...them and see if they want to reach out. It's a delicate matter and they may not know of their relationship to your family."
Draco couldn't breathe. Family. Some new family. He was desperate for it in a way he didn't fully understand. Lucius and Bellatrix had been the stuff of nightmares. Uncle Rodolphus had raped and murdered people in front of him. Uncle Bas was less crazy and not so naturally inclined to violence, but he was a follower and did what he was told. Draco wondered if that's who he would have become as well if the Dark Lord had triumphed. He shuddered at the version of himself that he might have become in a world where his former master reigned.
He would give all the galleons in his vault for a relative that he could have a normal bloody relationship with. Someone with whom there was no dark violent history, no death. It was like an ache in his heart.
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
"Headmistress, I couldn't ask for more than that."
Chapter 3: Welcome to Restoration Camp
Summary:
The Hogwarts Express arrives and everyone comes together for a welcome back dinner. After dinner, Hermione has difficulty sleeping, Draco passes out and a triggered Pansy and Theo enjoy some kinky quality time.
Notes:
Song for this chapter:
Fire Drill by Melanie Martinez
Smut in the final sequence with Theo & Pansy
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Welcome to Restoration Camp!
Once the Express pulled into the station, Theo had bid Hermione adieu allowing her to be swept up into a thestral pulled carriage by Longbottom, Thomas and Finnegan. The latter of which was still glaring daggers at him. Theo simply smiled his best grin and waved her off with a “I’ll see you later roomie!” which earned him a startled look from the woman. Had he gotten the muggle terminology wrong? Well you win some, you misplace some, he thought.
Theo wandered down to the first unoccupied carriage and stopped to rub the thestrals' noses. He wondered how they were taking all the extra attention. Everyone coming to the summer program could see them. Theo saw the appalled looks as the students piled into the carriages. The skeletal horses with their black bat wings and white unearthly eyes were hardly comforting visages.
“You don’t find them distasteful looking anymore, Theodore?” He knew that dreamy voice.
“Like you, Lovegood, I have found that the thestrals have grown on me over the years,” Theo said without turning and giving the dragon-like snout of the thestral another stroke. “They remind me of dragons and I do love dragons.” He gave her a little sincere smile with none of his usual flirtation as she came up next to him. She gave the thestral a caress on its neck and returned his smile.
“It’s nice to see you,” Luna said, as she pushed her hair back and her little radish earrings swung like pendulums. “Has our favorite flower been spotted? Or is it going to be too early in the season?” Theo often thought that the sly blonde played up her dottiness so that people underestimated her and this little interlude was no exception. She should have been in Slytherin, he thought not for the first time.
“I have it under the best authority that we should expect some blooms in the great hall this evening, but I believe there are some gardeners that are preventing us from appreciating the flowers thus far.” His deep sapphire eyes met her silvery blue eyes. Circe, that hair and those eyes! She looked so much like Draco when she was calculating. The bright yellow pinafore, rainbow striped jumper combined with magenta tights and daisy-covered boots kept her from ever being mistaken for anything other than the unusual creature she was, though. Theo couldn’t imagine Draco ever wearing so much color.
Luna nodded. “Well, we can hope that the gardeners don’t prevent our floral appreciation for too long.” She looked about at the other carriages starting to head towards the castle, “We don’t appear particularly popular with our peers, Theodore. Care to accompany me?”
“It would be my pleasure to accompany you, milady,” Theo took her fingers, kissing them and bowing in the most over-the-top aristocratic manner. Luna flushed prettily and curtsied. Theo put her hand into the crook of his arm and led her into the carriage, sitting across from her.
“Those muggle denims really show off your sexual assets, Theodore. I think you will be much more popular if you keep wearing them.” Luna looked him up and down appraisingly and even though he wasn't sure she swung in his direction, he still smirked in satisfaction.
“Thank you Luna. You too look eminently fuckable,” Theo replied, leaning back, crossing his legs and stretching his arms along the back of the seat.
“You're welcome, of course,” Luna said and smiled. She then began to hum some little tune and stare into space as they took off into the air, headed towards Hogwarts. Theo, well aware of Luna’s style of ending conversations, took the time to try to prepare himself for returning to the site of the bloodiest day of his life.
***************************
As Theo passed through the huge doors he was faced with a shudder of fear and the scented memory of fire and death. But the vision shattered like broken glass when faced with the reality in front of him. The Great Hall must have been the priority to get repaired prior to the start of the camp. It looked completely restored to Theo. The windows were pristine, the floor was unstained with blood, there was no debris. If anything it was cleaner than he remembered. The floating candles and the charmed ceiling all looked perfect. It was something familiar and safe and he would be a liar if he said that it didn’t provide some small amount of comfort.
He headed over to the Slytherin table where only a handful of people sat. He nodded to Millie Bulstrode who was chatting with Tracey Davis. Goyle was down towards the end and Theo had less than no desire to sit with that imbecile. And from the look Greg gave Theo’s muggle clothes, the feeling was absolutely mutual. The muggle clothes were doing exactly as he hoped; Luna hadn’t been wrong. He had seen multiple blokes’ and girls’ eyes linger on his crotch and his arse in the tight black denims.
As Theo took his seat, McGonagall strode into the Great Hall looking stern, but pleased to see them. When she came fully into the hall, Theo realized someone was behind her and the light of the floating candles shone on Draco Malfoy. He was an absolute vision in black on black; he had filled out, grown taller and broader since the last time Theo had seen him months ago. Theo had too for that matter. Draco’s platinum hair was tousled and long enough to touch the tops of his ears and fall into his eyes. Those eyes looked nearly as bleak as they had been during the war, and Theo was not a fan of it.
Theo couldn’t drag his eyes away from the wizard who he hadn't been able to stop thinking about ever since the last time they had been together. As if summoned by his regard, Draco’s eyes snapped up and locked with Theo’s.
Theo was grateful that no one sat near him because he didn't feel particularly Slytherin about his reaction as all the air left his body and his heart skipped a beat. His face was hot and his hands on his lap began to shake. He managed to still his hands, but his heart was still fluttering in his ribcage like a wild bird in a cage.
Draco walked over to Theo and nodded at the spot next to him. Theo nodded back and waved at the spot encouragingly, his voice still not coming out. Draco sat next to him, breaking eye contact and staring at the table in front of him.
Theo attempted to subtly scoot slightly closer to him and whispered, “hey.”
Draco looked up at Theo, all steel eyes, porcelain skin, sharp cheekbones and perfectly kissable lips, drawled in his posh voice “hey.” The two young men exchanged sad smiles, the rest of the room blurring for the two of them for only a moment. Draco realized they were in a room with other people first and looked away, his eyes going cloudy with what Theo recognized as the sign Draco was occluding. Absolutely desperate to touch, and certain that Draco would object to a warm embrace in public, Theo stretched his leg out so that the length of his and Draco’s thighs were touching. Theo couldn't concentrate on anything but that one point of contact. It was as if the world had shrunk to the feeling of the heat of Draco’s body pressed against his pant leg.
**************************
It appeared that she was the last to enter the Great Hall. Flanked by her Auror escort, Pansy strolled into the room attempting to look casual as people looked up and saw her DMLE shadows and started whispering to their table mates, gesturing in her direction. Selwyn and Vance stopped at either side of the large doors, surveying the set-up. McGonagall acknowledged them with a nod and whispered something to Filch who came over to invite them to the head table. Selwyn gave Pansy one final nod and strode away. Pansy looked over to the Slytherin table and saw Theo and Draco already sitting together. Her eyes lit up and she barely was able to restrain herself from running to them. How didn’t she see them right away? Stay cool, she told herself.
Pansy squared her shoulders and ignored the peasant onlookers, striding purposefully to her boys at the Slytherin table.
"Miss me you wankers? " she whispered to Theo and Draco as she sat next to Theo on the other side of Draco. Draco inclined his head, looking carefully blank. Theo brilliantly smiled and grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“Always, my queen,” Theo said truthfully, looking like he might cry while holding her hand. She pulled her hand back and smacked him on the shoulder.
“Be good!” Pansy hissed. Theo shrugged and smiled while Draco couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes at the two of them and scoffing.
“Theo hasn’t been good one day in his life.” Draco said to Pansy.
“If you can’t be good, be good at it!” Theo announced as though he wasn’t speaking to either of them.
Pansy leaned across Theo to meet Draco’s eyes, “I will have you know he can be a good boy, given the proper motivation.”
Draco’s eyes widened, a slow smile transforming his austere face, and he laughed aloud, drawing scowls from the Ravenclaws at the next table. “Merlin, Pans!” The two of them smiled back at him, Theo chuckled too and shot a wink at Cho Chang whose cheeks turned pink as she turned back towards her friends.
*********************
On the other side of the Great Hall, Hermione couldn’t seem to drag her eyes away from a certain blonde Slytherin. Hermione watched all of the back and forth between him and the other two Slytherins that he was sitting with and tried to figure out their group dynamics. Malfoy’s shoulders were definitely broader since the Battle. He looked like he was eating more, she supposed. Well, she hadn't seen him regularly since 6th year when he had looked so ill and frail. Her torture at the manor and the last battle had hardly allowed her to really look at him. His hands were so much bigger than she remembered and is he wearing...rings? That’s new.
She didn't realize Draco Malfoy and Theo Nott were such close friends. Before the war, Crabbe and Goyle had been his constant shadows, more like minions than friends. She watched as Theo whispered in his ear and Malfoy's expression stayed impassive, flat and almost unalive. He looked vacant.
Suddenly he looked up and caught her staring. Theo turned his head to see what Malfoy was looking at, and smiled cheekily, waving at Hermione. She hesitated for a moment and then waved back, but she couldn't find it in herself to smile at Theo when Malfoy was looking at her. Like he was memorizing her face. Hermione blushed, surprised at the intense way he was staring at her and not looking away. He wasn’t looking at her with any animosity, how odd.
Theo and Draco made a contrasting pair. Hermione was struck by how handsome they both were, yet in totally different ways. Malfoy was all porcelain skin and platinum hair and aristocratic features and Theo was all golden skin and brown curls and smiling eyes even when he wasn't grinning. Malfoy was much taller and broader than she remembers him being.
Was he that tall at the last battle? They were both awfully fit. Hermione was appalled at herself. She was not checking out Theo and Malfoy, even if they were both pretty men: Malfoy all austere ice and Theo all warm sunshine. Ugh! What was wrong with her?
The scrutiny of Malfoy’s silver gaze became overwhelming and she let her eyes drop. If they had been having a staring contest, he would have won. Despite hating letting him win at anything, she turned away to talk with Neville, who had already been at Hogwarts for two weeks working with professor Sprout and let him regale her with stories about the venomous tentacula and how hard it was to get it contained after it had escaped from the green house. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw that Malfoy was still staring at her, but he looked away finally as McGonagall stood from the high table and proceeded to stand in front of the thirty something young people in the hall.
McGonnagal came up to the podium, and the whole hall immediately went silent.
“Welcome to the Summer Restoration Camp. I am very pleased to have you all here. Things are still broken, but we are going to be restoring what we have. In that vein, I would like to introduce our new focus here at Hogwarts: Inter-house Unity! To that end, tonight is the last night of sitting in houses.” Hermione stared shocked at the headmistress and she heard buzzing all around her as students frantically whispered to one another about the change.
“Tomorrow only circular tables will be present. So far only 40 of you are in attendance, but more may be coming in the next few days. We will start with 10 tables that can hold 10 and then the number of tables will decrease over the weeks. I hope that you will be making connections with one another as part of your groups both working on yourselves and as we work on reconstruction.” Theo made a lascivious gesture at Pansy upon the phrase ‘making connections’ and Pansy bit her lip rather than laugh aloud.
“The dorms have all been restored and as such your things have been moved into the last room you had when you were in residence as possible. Some things will change for 8th years when the rest of the school returns, but we can deal with that when the time comes. Healing groups in the morning are mandatory everyday except Saturday and on that day you may go into Hogsmeade unless your probation forbids it.” Draco and Pansy both scowled at that, knowing that they and Goyle were the only ones that that stricture applied to.
“In the afternoons, there are a variety of restoration activities occurring so please find something helpful to do that suits your personality and inclination. Healer Cordelia and Healer Atticus are also available each afternoon and for an hour in the evening after dinner for individual sessions, you may make an appointment or simply go to their office which is in one of the classrooms near Arithmancy. There is a new plaque next to the door. I want to encourage all of you to be honest in your groups, to share what you feel comfortable sharing and to push yourselves in this safe space towards healing.”
Hermione put her chin on her interlaced fingers, wondering What does honesty even look like in the age of such lies? She hadn't been able to share her thoughts and feelings with her so-called closest friends, how on earth was she supposed to share her thoughts with a mixed group of schoolmates? Draco’s expression when he had stared at her so intensely earlier swam before her eyes and made her skin tingle. How could she share about her nightmares if he was in her group, looking at her like that?
“I know it is very hard to be here. There were horrors that we all witnessed here that can't be taken away. Please be supportive and kind to each other, no matter how things have been before. We are moving into the future of post War Wizarding Britain together. Please enjoy your meal.” The assembled students broke into tentative applause as the welcome feast appeared before them and they all began to eat with varying levels of appetite.
******************************
The doors to the Great Hall opened and in sauntered Blaise Zabini, drawing admiring looks from quite a few witches and wizards in the room. His green damask blazer was fitted over a black acromantula silk shirt that shimmered, and his black trousers were meticulously cut. His deep sepia skin and close cropped black hair set Blaise apart in Hogwarts, especially now that Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson had graduated. It definitely caused the witches, and a few of the wizards, to run their eyes over him appraisingly and he paused for a moment to cast his gaze around at them before heading over to the Slytherin table, sitting across from Pansy, Theo and Draco, facing the rest of the room so he could continue to appraise all his potential sexual partners for the summer.
“Merlin, explain to me why the Department of International Magical Cooperation doesn't realize that Tuscany is an hour ahead of Hogwarts? Isn’t that the international portkey office’s whole job? Thank Morgana, I have an inheritance and don’t have to work with those incompetent tossers. So Theo, see anything worth shagging yet?” Blaise drawled with his melodic italian accent.
“Oh,” Theo said looking to his left and right appraisingly, “a few things.”
Blaise rolled his eyes, “Chang is here, maybe I can get under those skirts without Potter around for her to pine over.”
“I think Boot has already beat you there,” Pansy said, gesturing to the other Ravenclaw who had noticed Blaise’s attention and put his arm possessively around Cho’s waist.
“Too bad, but it's early days yet. Anything could happen this summer,” Blaise murmured looking unconcerned. “Ah the Patil twins are both here. è ottimale.”
“Didn’t you shag them both last year?” Theo asked
“I did indeed, but separately. I would really like to try twins at the same time.”
Pansy laughed aloud at that, “You and me both, they are luscious, but do they know you shagged both of them?”
“Well, I didn't bring it up, but they are twins. One would hope they discussed it. I didn't leave either of them disappointed.” The venomous look Parvati was giving him, suggested perhaps they had, and she wasn't very keen on the matter. Blaise sighed and turned around towards his friends.
“Drake. Theo. Pans. Lovely to see you.” Pansy motioned towards the food, but he shook his head. “Mamma had me eat before I left Italy. I will miss our elves’ cooking, no lies.” He looked at her with kinder eyes than normal, “I got the invitation for Daphne’s wedding, are you…doing okay?”
Pansy looked offended and snarled, “Fuck that cunt. She sent me an invite too.”
“What the actual fuck!” Theo declared in wide-eyed amazement. "The absolute audacity of her to do that."
Draco looked at her, solemnly. “She did that just to let you know it was over. Her parents yanked the marriage contract negotiations about Astoria that they were doing with Lucius as well. Death Eaters need not apply for Greengrass quim.” The three of them couldn’t help but laugh at Draco’s vulgar joke, although Pansy’s laugh seemed somewhat forced.
“Mamma is going to the wedding. She gave my regrets.” Blaise looked over his shoulder at the Gryffindor table, “Granger looks good.”
“Doesn’t she just,” Theo said, licking his lips salaciously and even Pansy’s elbow in his ribs didn’t stop his blatant regard. Draco’s eyes lingered on her hair, freckles, and sad eyes; saying nothing at all despite his whole body desperately aching to touch her, run his thumb over her lips, tangle his hands in those curls and kiss her senseless. Salazar, she did look beautiful.
************
As dinner was ending, McGonagall collected Hermione and then Theo from their seats and led them into the main hall. She introduced them to Mind Healer Cordelia, who was just entering the hall as they left it. McGonagall led them up one of the ever-changing staircases to the tower that held the Heads’ dorm; it was near the prefect's bath, which both Theo and Hermione were familiar with, but they weren’t familiar with this particular series of corridors and stairs.
The narrow stairway from the end of the hall near the prefect's bath led up to a narrow tower stairwell that opened to a single door. Hermione had trailed behind McGonagall a bit and was looking up the stairs as Theo’s sandy brown curls appeared and disappeared around every curve of the tower. This was certainly an isolated spot to be rooming with the fit Slytherin Head Boy, she thought. If nothing else she would certainly be able to drink in peace up here.
McGonagall turned towards them. “I will let you get comfortable, if there are any issues with the dormitory space send me an owl or a patronus Ms. Granger depending on the urgency of the issue. The password is “unitatem.” I will send someone to get you both after morning group in a couple of days to discuss some Head duties during the summer which I promise should be very minimal. Please do excuse me to my other Headmistress duties.” Theo grinned at Hermione and spoke the password and the wooden door swung open, revealing their abode for the next year.
The common area appeared homey enough. There was a high backed chair and a couch near a fireplace that appeared to be linked to the Floo network. It looked so welcoming and comfortable. The colors were neutral and tapestries representing all the houses hung against the far wall of the common area. There were two bedrooms with each of their names on plaques above the doors. A kitchenette was situated through an archway with a stasis charm enchanted pantry, a wash basin and lovely lapis lazuli countertops. Hermione ran her hands along it and smiled at the calming enchantments that someone had woven into the stonework. A chandeleir with six candles flickered above her head and she thought that she might really enjoy cooking in this little space rather than going down to the Great Hall for every meal.
Hermione peeked into the door that didn’t have a name above it and discovered a small stair that led upwards to a lovely circular bathroom with a clawfoot tub, a toilet, washbasin and a shower. The clawfoot tub was black and gold and looked large enough to hold two people easily and the floor and walls were all stone like the walls of the castle but generations of Head boys and girls had worn the floor as smooth as silk. Anti-slipping charms may be a necessity. The shower was open with no sidewalls and only a small wooden seat jutting from the wall. The water appeared to come from the ceiling like rain with a grate in the floor to take the excess away. The mirror over the washbasin was so large that Hermione could see the whole bathroom behind her when she looked into it. Small stained glass windows circled the top of the room, the primarily blue glass adding a magical color to the room. The stained glass windows had images of different magical creatures painted onto the glass: hippogriffs, dragons, basilisks, merpeople, goblins and others. Hermione was amazed that she hadn’t had an idea that such a room existed in Hogwarts. It was positively elegant, although not nearly as ostentatious as the prefect’s bath.
The single bathroom may become an issue as there was more than one person in the Heads Dorm. She would have to discover if Theo was a morning or evening shower person and adjust her schedule accordingly. Hopefully there would be enough privacy for her to indulge in a book and a drink in the bath, something that had been impossible at the Burrow.
As she came back into the head common room, Theo was closing his bedroom door.
“I need to dash out to find Pansy and Draco. I’m worried about them and going to bring them back up here with me. I hope that’s okay?” He looked at her quizzically, his curls falling into his eyes a little, looking for the first time a little unsure.
Hermione said thoughtfully “It's fine to have guests, although it is likely that I won't this summer at least. I am just a little unsure if I am comfortable around Parkinson and Malfoy. They hate me. Will they even want to be in here if I am around?” Hermione attempted to ignore the warm feeling she felt when she thought about how Malfoy’s eyes had lingered on her face at dinner. That look didn’t seem like it had hatred in it.
"I can nearly guarantee that you will see a big change in both of them this summer, Hermione. And I will remind them to be on their best behavior."
Hermione remained skeptical, but Theo was confident and gave her a cheek kiss and a little squeeze around her shoulders. Hermione froze at his touch and he released her immediately.
"Oh sorry! I should have asked first! I can be a bit touchy, you'd think being friends with Draco would have broken me of it, but alas no." Theo laughed.
Hermione, struggling to deal with how nice he smelled (cedar, tobacco and a hint of firewhiskey) told him a little breathlessly, "No, no. It's fine. Go find your friends, I am heading to bed. It's been a long day." Theo flashed her one more devilish grin and was out the door. Hermione stood there for a long moment wondering what she was going to do about the fact that the Head Boy had just made her nipples harden with a hug and peck on the cheek. Fuck.
*************
Pansy was in the Slytherin common room. Some things never changed. The murky light of the black lake made the whole room look green like the common room itself was under water.
She pulled out a bottle of wine she had hidden behind a tapestry where there was a gap in the stones.
Pulling out the cork and taking a deep sniff, she sighed in satisfaction. “Ah the stasis charm held. Beautiful.” Pansy whispered to herself.
She pulled a goblet out of the ebony cabinet that held spares and sat down on one of the green and black couches. She sat looking into the murky darkness of the black lake and wondered if the merpeople were looking back at her as she sipped her wine.
There are just a few straggling Slytherins in the room, most heading to find their dorms. Tracey and Millie had gone to bed long ago and she didn’t know the names of most of the 5th and 6th years lingering now. They definitely knew her though: the looks of disgust and fear gave them away. So fun to be the resident evil doer. Where the hell was Draco anyway? He had disappeared a bit after Theo had left with Granger and McGonagall and hadn’t returned. Maybe he was just tired of the constant scrutiny. Salazar knew she was.
“Hello Parkinson,” a recognizable voice said from the shadows.
She looked up. “Oh Hello Goyle.”
He sat next to her on the couch without being invited, his leg actually touching hers and she scowled at him for invading her space. “Can I fucking help you, Greg?” she sneered with venom. What the fuck did he think he was about?
“I hear you let Yaxley between those pureblood thighs. How about you let me have some of that too?” Goyle queried, looking lecherously at Pansy’s body. She barely restrained herself from punching him in the face. I am on probation. I am on probation. I am awaiting trial, Pansy recited to herself, Selwyn will be so bent at me if I hit him in his stupid fat face. Instead, Pansy looked at him like he was mad.
“Who told you that you fucking tosser?” she practically snarled at him. Selwyn will be pissed if I hit him. Selwyn will be disappointed if I hit him. The thought of having to go back to Parkinson Manor until her trial was the only thing that prevented Pansy from breaking his jaw.
Goyle seemed a bit self conscious at this point and murmured, “Well my father did…”
“I didn't let him have shite, Greg. Your father doesn't know what the fuck he’s on about.” She knew if she stayed longer, that she was in fact going to punch him, so Pansy got up to walk away and Greg grabbed her arm.
“Their cells are next to each other and Yaxley has been telling my father all about how he had your hot cunt at Malfoy Manor. If you gave it to that geezer what's wrong with me, Pansy?? You won't be able to avoid me this summer, and there is nowhere for you to hide.”
Yanking her arm away from him, Pansy snarled "Fuck you, Goyle."
She walked out of the common room like his words hadn't bothered her at all, but as soon as she was in the hall, she ran until she was up the stairs on the way to Theo’s new dorm. And then she realized first of all that she had no idea where it was and secondly she still had the wine bottle in her hand. What had happened to the goblet? She had no idea. Fuck.
Like a lifeline, there was Theo, all wild brown curls and smiling azure eyes. "Pansy," Theo said. "There you are! I was on my way to look for you!"
Thank Salazar! And if Theo was surprised that Pansy wrapped her arms around him and kissed him for all that she was worth, he didn't say a word about it. He just wrapped his arms around her and leaned in.
**************
Everything was blurry and the world seemed to be made of mist and shadow. As Hermione tried to get her bearings, she was in the kitchen at the Burrow. Fleur was in front of her, dressed in her Beauxbatons uniform. Fleur kissed her hand and as she bent Hermione backwards onto the table it turned into a bed, which then morphed into the cold wooden floor of Malfoy Manor and Fleur blurred into Bellatrix. With those mad eyes staring into hers, Bellatrix kissed her hand, sucking on her fingertips erotically before pulling out the knife and grinning maniacally at her.
Hermione sat up screaming, her nails clenched in her bedding. As she tried to calm her rapid breathing, she stared at her darkened, unfamiliar dorm room and was grateful she remembered to silence her room before she fell asleep. The head dorm outside of her room sounded quiet, so she slid her legs out of bed and wrapped her housecoat around her. The common room was dark, but embers still flickered in the fireplace. It was always cold in the Scottish highlands. No surprises then that Theo had started a fire.
Turning, she surveyed the flickering shadows of the common room that would be her home for the next eleven months or so. Hermione wondered how she could ever be expected to sleep now, despite the fact that she knew that there was group therapy in the morning. She realized there was a person on the couch and moved closer in the dark to figure out who it was.
As she came closer, she found Draco passed out on the couch with a bottle of fire whiskey sitting open on the floor. He looked cold, pulled in on himself a bit, his face calm in his sleep but goosebumps on his arms as he shivered a little. She transfigured a kitchen towel into a blanket and covered him up, uncomfortable with leaving him there, shivering on the couch of her common room. What would he think when he woke up with a blanket on him?
She charmed the white blanket green so that he would feel a bit more comfortable when he woke, although she tried not to think about her reasons for doing something nice for Draco Malfoy of all people. She stood in the darkness looking at the common space, watching the firelight kissing the shadows and listening to the sound of the Scottish wind outside the tower.
She noticed high heels on the floor next to Theo's room door. What was going on? Was Pansy in the room with Theo or had she just forgotten her shoes? There were no sounds in the next room despite some light from within, so it was likely silenced. Hermione took the bottle from the floor next to Draco and poured herself a generous glass and sat it back where she had found it.
With her glass, Hermione sat in one of the high backed chairs near the fire and watched Malfoy sleep. She was sure she had never been so close to him without him knowing she was there ever before. He looked so calm asleep except for a little furrow in his brow. His platinum blonde hair had fallen across one eye. It was definitely longer than at the last battle and had none of the gel she remembered holding it in place when he was younger.
He was much broader and taller, she could see now that she was up close that he would be almost a head taller than her. His shoulders and chest had definitely gotten larger and his face was less pointy. His jaw and cheekbones were painfully sharp still, but very symmetrical. He was very beautiful, almost otherworldly; he could be a painting of some sort of sleeping angel. A fallen angel for certain, she thought. Maybe Lucifer? Did the Malfoy line have Veela blood? He reminded her a bit of the elegance of the Delacours, but maybe that was just the French ancestry and aristocratic heritage.
She sipped the fire whiskey, enjoying the familiar burn as it slid down her throat and settled warmly in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she still felt the cloying terror of her nightmare and her fingers trembled slightly around the glass.
Hermione really looked at his fingers, they were so long and elegant. She wondered if he played piano or the harp or painted. They were potioneer’s hands or maybe artist’s hands. If he put his hands on her waist, they were big enough to more than encircle it. Now that she is near enough to examine his hands in the firelight, she can see that he has four large men’s rings on: the large “M” of the Malfoy signet ring she remembered his father wearing, a black opal in an ornate setting, a raw rectangular black tourmaline and a large cabochon of obsidian surrounded by a golden serpent. They nearly glowed with protective enchantments.
She was pretty sure that one of the Slytherins must have charmed the couch, it's definitely bigger than it was earlier. Crooks came padding out from her open door, and jumped into her lap, and Hermione stroked him while staring at the flickering fire, looking back at Malfoy sleeping so peacefully every once and a while, wondering whether he dreamed.
*************
"Unfortunately the Aurors confiscated all my crops, whips and paddles," Pansy said sullenly. "They said there was blood on them and that it was yours. And that I might face additional charges."
"Oh yes it was quite funny when Robards came with all of your fun toys to my house and asked if I recognized them and who had tortured me with them. The look on his face when I asked why he had my dominatrix’s toys was just delicious. I was like, this crop is my favorite. It leaves the best welts and this flogger is just really fun for long punishment sessions. I am really quite naughty. He looked like he wanted to obliviate himself. " Theo chuckled, "I told him not to ask questions that he didn't actually want the answers to."
Pansy laughed as well at the image of the Head Auror all out of sorts over her toy bag.
“But my queen, I did stress that everything done with those items was absolutely consensual and I apologize immensely for not scourgifying them properly after our last rough play session. I do have a little surprise for you though,” Theo said, leaning down to open one of his trunks and triumphantly pulling out a pair of black thigh high lace up dragonhide stiletto boots.
“Oh Theo! My pet! How did you get these back?!” Pansy clapped excitedly.
“Oh I just charmed them to fit me and said they were mine. At that point Robards looked like he wanted to die just so he could leave, so he handed them over without much fuss.”
“You are my clever boy,” Pansy said lovingly, patted him on the cheek and sat down on the edge of his bed. “Put them on me now.” Theo shivered in pleasure at her authoritative tone and immediately dropped to his knees in front of her, keeping his eyes down as he slid first one boot and then the other up her perfect legs, wandlessly charming the boots to be a perfect fit on her petite feet and then slowly tightening the laces so that everything was just so, just how his mistress liked things.
“Any new limits my darling?” Pansy asked him, running her sharp nails down his jaw as he looked up into her eyes. Theo felt himself harden under her touch and took a deep breath.
“Nothing new no. I still have hard limits on permanent scarring, no cock and ball torture and no urine play. Otherwise I am open. My safe word remains prohibere.”
"Splendid. And I know we talked about penetrative play for me last spring, but I need you to know I am not ready for that. I might never be," Pansy looked into Theo's eyes, "I am still struggling with the…"
"You don't have to say it. I know. It's fine, there are so many other games we can play. I would never ever want to do something that you can't find pleasure in. Fucking you with my cock is not something I need from you, if it's not consensual, Pansy." Theo held onto Pansy's ankles and she stroked his face for a few moments while they stared into each other's eyes.
Pansy stepped back and Theo released her. She sat and spread her legs wide, vanishing all of her clothes except her black bra and the boots.
"Now my darling, put your hands behind your back and keep them there." Theo immediately did as he was told. "Ah that's my good boy, " Pansy purred. "Now come here and worship at my altar with your tongue and if you are a very very good boy, I will let you come all over my tits. Does that sound agreeable?"
Theo couldn't answer because he was already licking and stroking her wet pussy with his tongue, rolling her clit with the tip of his tongue and drinking her juices. He kept his hands behind his back and used his face to nuzzle into the apex of Pansy’s milky thighs.
He was a very good boy after all.
Notes:
Thank you to my amazing alpha/beta readers: Megsivy, Amebb42 and my_saturday_girl
Watch for Chapter updates every saturday
Thank you KK for the gorgeous art of Draco sleeping. https://instagram.com/lawliet_tantei?utm_medium=copy_link
Chapter 4: Rebuilding the School, Rebuilding Our Psyches
Summary:
It's the first day of Therapy at Child Soldier Therapy Camp. Restoration. Tea and Trauma. Dreo smut.
Notes:
The Song for this Chapter is Overwhelmed by Royal & The Serpent
https://open.spotify.com/track/5jjZikDrEd0by1o7V3fO4y?si=5737097b39d647cbThe song for Theo & Draco’s interlude at then end is
Silence by Marshmello
https://open.spotify.com/track/7vGuf3Y35N4wmASOKLUVVU?si=2cc8c6b2f214468b
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 4
Rebuilding the School
Rebuilding Our Psyches
1st group:
Draco Malfoy
Neville Longbottom
Hermione Granger
Theodore Nott
Pansy Parkinson
Blaise Zabini
Dean Thomas
Hannah Abbott
Luna Lovegood
Susan Bones
2nd group:
Seamus Finnegan
Gregory Goyle
Michael Corner
Cormac McLaggen
Parvati Patil
Padma Patil
Ernie McMillan
Millicent Bulstrode
Terry Boot
Cho Chang
3rd Group
Dennis Creevey
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Zacharias Smith
Hestia Carrow
Flora Carrow
Romilda Vane
Nigel Wolpert
Malcolm Baddock
Jimmy Peakes
Tracey Davis
4th Group
Terry Skeres
Gwendoline Hedgeflower
Leanne Riordan
Maisie Cattermole
Dirk Cresswell, Jr.
Davis Cresswell
Archie Alderton
Harper Silvanus
Aethel Rowle
Eurydice Thorinn
The scrolls were posted outside the doors to the Great Hall and a small crowd had gathered to see which group they were with.
Hermione was horribly unsurprised to see herself in the same group as Malfoy, Theo and Pansy Parkinson. It figured. At least Dean, Neville and Luna would be in the group, as well as Susan and Hannah. Hermione wondered how the groups had been divided up; there seemed to be a disproportionate number of Slytherins in her group, but she supposed that they would tell them at this first morning session.
No one seemed much interested in breakfast. A few people who filtered into the hall grabbed muffins or fruit and were making their way out toward the quad where the groups were to be held. Four large chalk circles had been drawn on the paved ground. The four mind-healers stood in a row and greeted each of the students kindly and directed them to the appropriate circle for their group.
Hermione stood staring at the circle and wondered if she shouldn’t have had some more coffee before coming down from the Heads Dorm. She had fallen asleep in the chair by the fire with Crooks purring away. When she had woken up, Malfoy and Crooks had been gone and the green blanket had been tucked around her. The light of the dawn had just been trickling in the windows of the common room and the fire was out. There was no sign of anyone else awake nor the bottle of fire whiskey, so Hermione folded up the blanket and left it on the chair. Once she had headed back to her room, she had written three letters before getting dressed.
Ron,
I am back at Hogwarts. Hope you are well.
Hermione
Harry and Ginny,
So far things are well. The Head Boy is Theo Nott, no complaints on sharing the dorm thus far. He’s been very polite. Had dinner with Neville, Dean and Seamus. Hope you are both well. Write soon!
Hermione
Her final longer letter was to her parents, care of the Australian DMLE, and detailed the trip to Hogwarts, her status as Head Girl, and a thorough description of her new dormitory. She signed it with all her love and sealed all three letters and put them in her knapsack to take to the owlery after group therapy.
Hermione was pretty sure that continuing to write to Ron put her in some category of pathetic ex-girlfriend. Even though she had been somewhat grateful that he had broken up with her, she was loath to let their friendship go. Maybe he would reply this time.
Now Hermione wondered whether the time spent writing wouldn’t have been better spent getting another hour of sleep in her actual bed. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time she had to function on little to no sleep.
Neville was already in the circle chatting with Dean, Seamus and Hannah. They all smiled when they saw her approach and waved. She reluctantly made her way over to them, not certain how well she was going to be able to hold a conversation. Dean took one look at Hermione and subtly handed her a Pepper-Up potion. She raised her eyebrow at him and he winked, moving back to Seamus’ side and continued the discussion about their plans to go to Hogsmeade that weekend.
Hermione turned her back, opened the potion bottle, closed her eyes and gulped down the contents. When she opened them she saw the blue twinkling eyes of Theo Nott looking down at her as the invigorating brew made her skin tingle. Good Godric, he was tall.
“Good morning Hermione,” Theo said grinning mischievously, which showed off his dimple. “ Long night?”
“Extremely early morning, actually,” Hermione said, flatly, not sure how to interact with the Head Boy in the light of day with all her Gryffindor friends looking on.
“Now, now don't be that way Princess. I just wanted to walk down with you this morning and imagine my sorrow when I discovered that you had already gone,” Theo said dramatically, “I was so forlorn walking alone.”
“You are ridiculous,” Hermione said, smiling at his melodrama, “what about your overnight company, why couldn’t they walk you?”
“Well Draco was gone before I woke up this morning and Pansy ran down to the dungeon while I was getting dressed so I had to travel this great distance all alone.” He was smiling at her with his dimple showing, his blue eyes glimmering and Hermione couldn’t help but be aware of how handsome he was. He was wearing another one of those fitted black Muggle t-shirts. This one just had a picture of a burning tree on the front. His black denims looked like they had been painted on. Her eyes couldn't help but run over his legs and the tightness across his... She snapped her gaze back up to his face and he was grinning at her like he had noticed her lapse.
“Does Malfoy do that often? Disappear?” Hermione asked to try to distract herself from ogling her co-Head. She looked to see if any of the Gryffindors noticed that she had wandered away from them to talk with her Slytherin roommate. No one seemed to be paying attention.
“More often than I’d like, but he’s always been a broody one,” Theo said. “Hopefully he and Pansy turn up soon.” He looked up at the steady flow of people coming out from the castle.
“Hey there beautiful,” Theo shouted, and Hermione turned and was surprised that his effusive greeting was for Luna of all people, who was giving Theo one of her sunniest smiles.
Luna was wearing a rainbow baby doll dress over blue and gold stockings and black mary janes with hand painted spirals on them. She had her radish earrings in as per usual and her hair pulled up in a ponytail with little unicorn hair clips.
“Theodore!” Luna cried out gleefully, embracing him “It's been too long.”
“Luna, we rode together from the train station yesterday, “ Theo said, kissing her cheek and swinging her into the air.
“Exactly. Far too long. I am looking forward to the circular table plan. I could do with a more diverse meal conversation; my housemates think I am a bit odd and at this point I doubt I am changing their minds,” Luna said as Theo lowered her back to the earth. Hermione wasn't sure how she hadn’t realized that Theo Nott and Luna were such close friends. She looked over and saw Neville staring bug-eyed at Luna and Theo, who had barely stopped embracing.
“Your oddness is one of my favorite things about you,” Theo said with sincerity.
“Aww Theo and those muggle denims are one of my favorite things about you. Good morning Hermione, lovely to see you.” Luna laughed, and unconcerned with Hermione’s response and wandered over to the Gryffindors who had now been joined by Susan Bones.
Hermione was not even sure what to say to the display she had just witnessed. “I had no idea that you and Luna were such good friends.”
“She dated a friend of mine a couple years ago,” Theo said, waving his hand in the air vaguely, "I spent quite a bit of time with her then, and afterwards."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, sure there was more to it than that. She was also very confused as to who exactly Luna had dated while she wasn’t paying attention, but her train of thought was cut off by Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy and Blaise Zabini walking into the circle. And this seemed to be the cue that the healer was waiting for.
Mind-Healer Cordelia, dressed in green and white healer’s robes, her long black braids flowing down her back, stepped into the center of the circle. She clapped her hands which instantly attracted the attention of all the waiting young people. Seamus squeezed Dean’s hand and headed over to the second group where the tall dark-haired male mind healer was looking over expectantly.
“Hello all and welcome to our group. Please look around, these are the people that you are going to be working with for the next four weeks as we try to begin a healing journey after the horrible ordeal that you have all been through.”
“I am Mind Healer Cordelia. I have had the pleasure of already speaking with a few of you. I look forward to getting to know all of you better here in group and hopefully individually as well. I am the lead healer on our team so I am working with you all - this group saw the most combat. As child soldiers you have all been through far more than you should have done at your young years and I am here to help you process your trauma, which is fancy muggle terminology for working through your emotions around the difficult things that you have all experienced.”
She smiled warmly at the group.
“But first some housekeeping. I want to encourage everyone to eat a real breakfast, tea, and coffee before the group. I know that this morning you didn't know what to expect, so I am sure that very few of you ate well.” Several of the people around the circle laughed sheepishly.
“The Castle’s elves will be bringing snacks and beverages every midmorning, so there will be food. I don't want anyone feeling light headed or hungry while we are talking about heavy emotional topics.”
“And speaking of heavy emotional topics, I am going to be casting a confidentiality circle spell that I have designed myself. You will not be able to share the secrets of others in this space with people outside our group. You can certainly discuss things that happen here with one another. However, if you discuss something that someone within our group has shared with the intention of malice or cruelty, you will not like the consequences so I suggest you keep those kinds of thoughts to yourselves.”
Hermione was suddenly glad she wasn’t in a group with Padma and Pavarti. They were the worst gossips and the ones most likely to come up against the warding spell’s consequences.
“Alright I need everyone to pull out their wands and verbally state that they agree to follow the rules of the confidentiality ward of their own free will. Any questions or concerns?" The group all shook their heads. Everyone is just ready to get on with whatever this is, Hermione thought.
Wands were in everyone's hands immediately. Hermione couldn't even tell where most of the wands had been hidden. It was easy to see that the ten of them were war veterans; no one's weapon was far out of reach.
Cordelia cast a non-verbal charm that made the chalk circle briefly glow blue and then all the young people repeated her words.
"We agree to the rules of the confidentiality ward of our own free will," The ten of them chanted. Blue light enveloped each of them for a moment and then dissipated. Hermione didn't feel any different, but she could feel the thrum of the wards surrounding them. She looked over at the other groups and realized she could no longer hear their voices. Two more blue circles lit up, but people were animatedly arguing in the second circle.
"Two last points of housekeeping, keep comments to others K.I.N.: is it kind? Is it important? Is it necessary? I want you to work on not calling each other names. No belittling or downplaying each other's experiences and traumas. This group is mixed between folks who fought on both sides of the war or at the very least had the Dark army in their homes. It's going to be a challenge for you all to be supportive of each other, but I want you to really try. The war is over and to be perfectly honest none of you should have been in it at all." That last comment had the Slytherins all looking at each other in surprise. Hermione watched Theo raise an eyebrow at Blaise who shrugged in a subtle way that she wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been looking directly at him. Pansy Parkinson was tapping her long red nails on her thighs nervously, her short black dress coming just past where her hands sat. Her silver belt looked like a snake hanging low on her hips, its tail swinging back and forth almost imperceptibly as she struggled to stay still.
"Last housekeeping point, we forgot chairs today, but I have a stack of rocks here if anyone wants to transfigure one for themselves."
Luna went over and got a large rock, transfiguring it into a long bright pink church pew. She motioned at Theo and Pansy to sit by her, which they did. Hermione summoned a high back chair like the one she had slept in last night in the Heads Dorm. Malfoy made a stool that might be found in the Potions laboratory. Hannah Abbot turned her stone into a porch swing and urged Neville to join her. Susan transfigured a rocking chair that she positioned near them. Blaise looked content to stand for the moment, as did Dean.
Cordelia said, " Now I am going to explain some different Muggle terminology that applies to what we are doing here this summer."
“First is anxiety. Anxiety is a natural reaction of the mind and body that is designed like an alarm or like a ward. It alerts us to a perceived threat. When we spend a lot of our time nervous or worried, that is anxiety. There are typical levels of anxiety that most people experience and then there are health conditions where anxiety becomes excessive. There is too much fear, nervousness or dread in order to easily function. Based on the way all of you had your wands out in one second flat I can say without a doubt that this entire group is tense and always on alert. This is a sign of too constant or too intensive anxiety for our present setting.”
Hermione knew she was tense. Maybe she should have had a little fire whiskey this morning to take the edge off. Her hands shook with the awareness that Cordelia could see through every single one of them, could see through her. She could probably tell that Hermione had barely slept.
“And why are you all tense and on alert? Well, this is because of your trauma. Another muggle mind-healer term that I am going to be using a lot here in our group. A trauma is a stressful event that makes a person fear for their or other people’s life or safety. The entire Second Wizarding War was a traumatic event and each of you have different individual traumas like participating in combat, physical or sexual abuse, sudden loss of a parent through death or arrest, being the target of hate or having threats of harm made against you. I am not going to ask you to share your stories now, but we will be talking more as the days and weeks go on.”
“Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is a mind health condition brought on by trauma. The abbreviation for this is PTSD. And before you all start telling me that you don’t have any kind of mind health conditions, we are going to do a little exercise. I want you to raise your hand if you have bad dreams about the war or trouble sleeping.”
Everyone raised their hand including Hermione. She noticed that Pansy and Neville’s hands were a bit lower than people like Luna and Theo whose hands were fully up in the air. Draco Malfoy had put up a single finger and had a slight blush across his cheeks. Their eyes met for just a moment and she felt her own face heat and she looked quickly away. Why would admitting he had nightmares cause Draco Malfoy to blush?
“Alright then, now keep your hands up if you notice you have trouble enjoying things like you did before the war.” Dean and Luna lowered their hands.
“Okay. Raise your hands if you feel like you have been feeling more easily scared, anxious, sensitive or startled.” Dean and Luna’s hands went back up and everyone else’s hands stayed up.
“Keep your hands up if you notice that your mood has been different. Have you felt more sad, moody, angry or detached than you did before the war?” Neville dropped his hands into his lap and took one of Hannah’s into his. Hermione looked around at the rest of the circle. Everyone had their hands up except Neville.
“Who tries to avoid things that remind you of the war or the things that happened to you during it? Who was nervous about coming this summer because you didn’t want to see Hogwarts after the battle?” All their hands were up again.
“And finally, who has overwhelming bad memories? These are called flashbacks, when it seems like the trauma is happening right now?” Hermione looked around and saw that the only ones with their hands up were herself, Luna, Pansy Parkinson, Theo Nott and Draco Malfoy. Well Fuck.
************************
Theo was pretty confident that he had this PTSD that Mind-healer Cordelia was talking about. How could he not? His trauma, as she called it, had started a long time before the war.
“So now that we have explored that a bit, our goal here is to process your shared trauma. As I said before, this group is made up of people who witnessed the most violence, participated in the most combat and/or were sexually assaulted or imprisoned during the war. Out of everyone here this summer, your experiences were most similar to one another. So sometimes this group will be hard. Probably most of the time. Sometimes we will be talking about things that may be difficult to talk about, but I want all of you to try to be present with me. This means no occlumency during group. I know that it's an excellent coping skill during active combat, but long term there are a lot of side effects that I can discuss with anyone concerned about it in individual sessions.”
Theo looked over at Draco who was sitting away from everyone on his transfigured stool. Draco was clenching his jaw and his hands were gripping his legs so hard that the knuckles were white and it looked like his nails had to be digging into his skin. Theo knew that Draco relied on occlumency to function. It was as second nature to the blonde as breathing. What kind of side effects did long-term occlumency have? Theo was going to find out.
“What are common ways of coping with these intense experiences? That is what we are going to talk more about after our snack and loo break. See you all back here in 15 minutes.” Cordelia released them as the castle’s elves appeared with tables laden with food and beverages.
The morning stretched on after that. Cordelia did most of the talking and apologized often for the fact that they weren’t getting to share their thoughts much today, but the ten young adults in her group didn’t mind. Theo watched each person intently to get a sense of what was going on with them. Susan Bones was pretending to be okay. Neville and Hannah were interested in each other (they held hands for a half a minute at one point and then awkwardly blushed and looked away from each other). Why on earth had she conjured a swing if she hadn’t wanted physical touch? Theo couldn't imagine a more romantic seating choice, unless it was a rococo French chaise lounge.
Blaise was acting as though none of this was happening around him. He could have been standing at one of his mother’s parties for all the ennui that he was presenting.
Luna was kicking her leg like a little girl, but Theo knew the illusion of immaturity was a mask as she was struggling to contain her restlessness. He felt her whole body tense repeatedly, toes to neck, and then subsequently relaxed just as systematically as he sat next to her.
Pansy kept almost chewing her nails and then putting them in her lap, then almost chewing them again. It was how Theo knew she wasn’t doing well today. He had hoped that their play session would have taken some of the edge off her tension, apparently not. He needed to get her some new toys. Nothing released her tension like giving him a good punishment. He couldn’t transfigure her anything, she always complained about the balance being off then. He needed to get her something handmade. Maybe his packages wouldn’t be examined and he could order something appropriate from London or Wizarding Berlin.
Draco looked like his usual stoic self wearing black on black. His choice of a potion stool was telling to Theo though. Draco had chosen a seat that reminded him of a place where he was confident, knew what to expect and likely also because it reminded him of his beloved godfather. Snape may have been horrid to most of the student body, but he had really loved Draco.Theo had caught the two of them during a private tutoring session in 3rd year and had heard Snape actually praise Draco’s potioneering. It had been quite the shock to Theo, hearing Snape's voice tinged with affection and pride, despite knowing of their family connection.
Draco had been frighteningly still at points during the morning, almost as though he was holding his breath. Theo realized that Draco hadn’t occluded even once however and was glad for it. He needed to know what the long term consequences of Occlumency were. If he had to go to individual therapy to find out, that’s what he would do.
Hermione was wearing another ridiculously oversized jumper today. This one was bronze and brown striped and made her hair glow. He could tell she had cast a glamour on herself after taking the Pepper-up from Thomas. The potion had taken some of the exhaustion out of the tightness of her face, but she had definitely hidden the purple smudges under her eyes.
Hermione and Draco kept making eye contact and then looking away from each other. Theo watched it happen once, twice, thrice. When they looked away from each other, Draco’s jaw would tense and Hermione would pretend that she was interested in a loose string on her jumper. Slowly but surely, their eyes would wander back. The two of them were clearly fascinated with each other.
Theo looked forward to seeing what kind of dynamic they might have in the closer quarters of the Heads Dorm. The lack of Potter and Weasley might mean that some of his more lurid fantasies had a much better chance of happening in reality. The fantasy of watching Draco going down on the wild-haired Muggleborn had been something he'd wanked to before. He knew what Draco's mouth was capable of, but to be able to watch Hermione be stripped of her virginal swot extraordinaire persona was all consuming. He didn't even know, was she a virgin? Or would she ride the blonde's face with the passionate abandon of experience?
Granger always played heavily in his fantasies since he sat behind her in fourth year, watching her toss her curls and lift that little heart shaped arse up and down with excitement in her seat. His first wank to her had been imagining her riding him with that same level of excitement, her pert arse bouncing against his body.
What type of knickers would she prefer? Would they be little white cotton and sensible or could those two sizes too large jumpers be hiding a matching red lace number or even better yet, emerald. She did look ghastly in those Gryffindor colours. Just thinking of her in green satin and silver lace lingerie had his cock twitching. Further consideration of a certain blonde head between those silky thighs was enough to make his jeans even tighter, especially when Theo imagined her tossing those burnished curls and moaning in pleasure.
Yet again, Draco and Hermione couldn’t seem to stop looking at each other, but when their eyes met there were sparks of tension between them. This was not the old tension either, this was something else all together. This created many potential future possibilities. Theo was enough of a Slytherin to start considering what it would take to bring those possibilities to life.
Some movement beyond their circle drew his eye unwillingly away from the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor Princess.
Looking over at the second circle he realized that it had never lit up with blue light, obviously the first morning of group therapy had gone poorly for group two. Theo saw that Finnegan and Goyle were in a screaming match, spit flying, only moments from coming to blows when their mind healer froze the two of them and then released the rest of the circle to head to lunch. Theo wished that he could have heard the argument, but the privacy ward on their group prevented it. Well if the second group had never bound themselves into the privacy ward, perhaps Theo would get his curiosity sated at lunch.
*********************
Blaise was exceptionally bored during the subsequent meal. No one was quite brave enough to sit with other houses, so he ate with Theo, Pansy and Draco. Milicent and Tracey had joined the younger Carrow twins and a handful of Slytherin 5th years at another round table. Clearly he was still persona-non-grata where Tracey was concerned. She wouldn’t even acknowledge his presence. It wasn’t like he had misled her. He was not to blame that she had expected more from their little liaison last year.
Goyle was eating angrily alone at the farthest possible table from everyone else, not that anyone was going to complain about that. No one seemed to have the wherewithal to really talk, not even Theo. It was honestly eerie.
After the emotionally taxing morning of therapy, Blaise himself didn't have the energy to carry a conversation so after a couple half-hearted attempts to get people talking, he sat back and drank his tea and picked at his plate. He missed the food his elves were cooking at home. English Wizarding cuisine left a great deal to be desired. He considered, not for the first time, opening restaurants after graduating. How much shepherd's pie was a person legitimately supposed to be expected to eat?
After lunch was over, Professor Flitwick came out and led the students to one of the collapsed walls on the outside curtain wall of the castle. He went over a brief lesson on how to use basic levitation spells that they all learned in the first year to pick up and neatly stack the reuseable stones and bricks. Rubble that could not be reused was to be placed into a giant hole that had been dug fifty feet away from the castle. Even the debris of the castle was magical and they wanted to keep the bits to make mortar, according to Flitwick.
During the long afternoon of restoration, Blaise embraced the monotony of magical heavy labor: lifting, stacking, and then lifting and stacking again. After all the emotional turbulence of the morning it was nice to be distracted by practical magical application. Blaise wasn’t the occlumens that Draco was, but his mother had taught him how to use it when needful. He knew that she occluded and used legilimency almost constantly and this morning, for the first time in his life, Blaise had felt real worry for her. He tried to bottle his anxiety up. Certainly if there were consequences to over-reliance on Occlumency his mother would know? Wouldn’t she?
Blaise worked side by side with Draco while Theo and Pansy partnered up. They were a bit away from the others as even the Slytherins were giving Draco and Pansy a wide berth. Blaise wasn’t certain if it was because they had been in the Dark Lord’s service or if it was because they were facing charges for it.
He was particularly annoyed at the hypocrisy of Slytherins like Flora and Hestia Carrow whose aunt and uncle had been the brutal architects of the horrors at Hogwarts last year, or Aethel Rowle whose father had already been sentenced to life in Azkaban. Blaise tried to tell himself that they were just frightened children, but he was only three years older and he felt ancient. The last year had seemed like a decade. He felt the grisliness in his bones.
Blaise’s flow was disturbed when suddenly one of the Hufflepuff 5th years started screaming hysterically. He looked over and saw a disembodied arm lying within the pile of rubble where she and her partner had been working. It appeared to be mummified by how the rubble had fallen around it.
“Well that certainly puts a bloody damper on the afternoon,” Theo said next to him.
“Emphasis on the bloody,” Blaise responded and looked over at Draco to discover that he had vanished.
“Looks a smidge crispy honestly,” Theo said and at Blaise’s disgusted sound. “What too soon?”
“Undoubtedly,” Blaise stated. “Conveniently we are pariahs and no one can hear you. How the bloody hell are you Head Boy anyway?”
“Inter-House unity,” Theo replied, “it's either a right arm or not a Death Eater. No Dark Mark.”
“Look at the hand. Definitely someone from the light. Left hand.” Blaise said, thoughtfully. "Did anyone survive without an arm?"
"I feel like it would have been in the Prophet. Auror loses arm in battle, career lost to defeat dark wizards."
There were several younger students crying hysterically and Sybil Trelawney had appeared and was leading them back towards the Great Hall murmuring something about tea and biscuits to take the edge off.
“I could do with some firewhiskey to take the edge off,” Pansy murmured, coming up beside them.
“Oh! I have some!” Theo said, handing her an open flask and disillusioning it once she had it in her hand.
Pansy took a long pull on the flask, her cheeks turning pink as the burning liquid ran down her throat.
“Hey, save some for the rest of us Pans!” Theo said, reclaiming the flask carefully and using his sense of touch to put the lid back on and popped it back into his pocket.
“I was thirsty. Besides Theo, don't act like you don’t have at least a case up in your dorm,” Pansy replied saucily.
“That is neither here nor here, my queen.”
Blaise rolled his eyes at the two of them, “You two need to get a room.”
Theo scoffed, “And deprive the populace of my arse in these denims? I think not!”
“For fucks’ sake, Nott.” Pansy reprimanded, smacking him on the arm.
Blaise shook his head at Theo. “You know what, I have had enough of your shenanigans. Looks like everyone has disbursed for the afternoon and I have a proposal for McGonagall since she seems to finally be free.”
The Headmistress was standing off by herself looking at the piles of rubble as though she would like to incendio them herself.
“Please tell me you aren't about to proposition the headmistress?” Theo beseeched.
Blaise snorted, “Like you didn’t try 4th year to get a higher transfiguration grade.”
“That’s different. I was desperate.” Theo complained, “And it's really unfair to bring that up.” Pansy had put her hand over her eyes and was trying to not dissolve into highly inappropriate laughter.
“I’ll see you two at dinner.” Blaise nodded and headed over to speak with McGonagall.
Despite her initial surprise at his approach, Blaise was thrilled that she appeared receptive and at her direction, he dashed off to the makeshift owlery near Hagrid's new hut, as the former Hogwarts one was damaged in the battle.
******************
Draco felt lost at what he should be doing now that the construction work had suddenly ended for the afternoon. There wasn't really any school work to do during summer camp. No essays to research. No ancient runes to translate.
However he did have the reading lists for the fall, and an idea of what to review from 6th year. He didn't think he went to Arithmancy that year more than a handful of times. So he was in the library reviewing the 6th year texts. Parts of the library were in a state of wreckage, but this section was fine and had a table, light and no debris. He sat and read the textbook, taking notes with his luxury quill and thinking about each concept trying to commit it to memory.
Although, why he assumed that they wouldn't be putting him in Azkaban after his trial in August he didn't know. Perhaps he just needed some task to perform.
Putting on a show was second nature to him: Pretend to be fine, pretend he hadn't failed to keep Pansy safe, pretend that he and Theo were just best mates, pretend that he didn’t want to rip Thoros Nott limb from bloody limb. He was such a failure at taking care of those he loved. Pretend he didn’t want things that he couldn’t have, pretend to not want to tangle his hands in Granger's curls and worship her body like she was a goddess, pretend every little swotty comment she made didn't fill him with joy that he could never express publicly.
After two hours of pretending to study, Draco went over to where Madam Pince was sorting through books putting them into stacks of repairable with simple spells, perhaps repairable by a specialist and destroyed. And when he asked with downcast eyes and a miserable expression if he could help, he was surprised that she said yes.
**********************
Hermione entered the Great Hall for dinner and made a beeline for Neville who was at a round table that sat in just about the same position that they normally sat at the missing Gryffindor table
In her desperate attempt to keep things as close to normal as possible, Hermione forced herself to make inane conversation with Neville about the round tables. Neville was noncommittal about them not saying if he approved or didn’t. Hermione was just about ready to scream in frustration, she honestly wished Theo would turn up and join her for the meal, at least he had opinions and wasn’t afraid to share them even if half of what came out of his mouth was absolute nonsense.
It didn't hurt how fit he looked in those muggle denims and how his smile made her knees a little weak. Sharing the Heads dorm with a man that was so fine to look at and clever to boot was certainly shaping up to be no burden. Was she seriously missing Theo Nott, right now? Hermione shook herself mentally, but couldn’t quite banish the image of his smiling sapphire eyes and that left cheek dimple.
Hermione was positively overjoyed when Luna appeared and sat with them.
Luna smiled beautifically at Neville and Hermione, “Hello Hermione. Neville. Aren’t the round tables just wonderful? It is so exciting to sit with different people.” Hermione, who was sitting with Neville because they had always sat together, nodded and took a drink of pumpkin juice.
“Mind-Healer Cordelia was really something wasn’t she?” Luna continued to ramble, “not a single wrackspurt anywhere near her nor a nargle. It’s quite a feat to have such a clear aura doing the kind of work she does, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely Luna,” Hermione agreed, despite being almost 100% sure that wrackspurts and nargles weren’t real at all and were in fact some kind of metaphor that Luna used to discuss difficult topics. “She seemed really knowledgeable about her field. I admit I was quite impressed. She must have done both wizarding world Healer training and muggle psychologist training.”
Luna began to ask what muggle psychological training entailed, but was cut off when Cormac McLaggen swaggered up and pulled out a chair next to Hermione and leered in her direction.
“Hello Hermione, Luna.” Cormac smirked lecherously, completely ignoring Neville who glared at Cormac.
Merlin, why did I ever go on a date with him? She thought. All it had done was encourage him.
Hermione looked away from Cormac trying to discourage further interaction, and saw Blaise Zabini coming into the Great Hall. He looked around and saw no one else from his Slytherin clique, and shrugging walked over and sat next to Luna, who smiled at him.
“So Hermione,” Cormac was saying, completely ignoring that Zabini had walked up and joined their table, “With Potter and Weasley unavailable, how about we go up to that Head Dorm of yours and christen it in all kinds of unspeakable ways?”
Beyond disgusted, Hermione rolled her eyes and pretended to not have heard what Cormac had said.
“McLaggen, on what green earth, does the Gryffindor Princess, savior of the wizarding world, give you the time of day?” Blaise drawled, sounding bored. “Sei uno sciocco.”
“Potter is the savior of the wizarding world,” Cormac snarled at Blaise.
“We all know Granger was the brains behind that operation. If it wasn’t for her, Potter and Weasley would have gotten lost between here and Hogsmeade. Do scurry off and find someone else interested in your mediocre pick up lines and assuredly even more mediocre cock. And please don't take that reference as interest on my part. I am assuredly a ladies’ man.”
Cormac turned ten shades of red in the face and stormed off through the Great Hall doors.
“Why did you do that?” asked Hermione, stunned at the rather crass gallantry from one of the Slytherins. She could see Theo doing something like that, but they were building a rather tentative friendship as roommates. There was no reason for Blaise Zabini to humiliate Cormac in such an emasculating way.
Blaise looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "You haven't met my mother, permitting that kind of behavior in my hearing gets back to her and I shudder to think of her reaction. I wouldn't want to go home for Christmas." He smiled and took a drink from his goblet.
Luna looked at him and smiled. "She sounds lovely."
Blaise choked on his pumpkin juice. "She certainly is lovely, just intense." Suddenly, Blaise looked at Luna in a way that Hermione could only call assessing. He gave her a very sensual smile and was blatantly admiring the fair haired Ravenclaw. Zabini looking like that at Luna was definitely not something that Hermione would have had on her summer program bingo card, but Luna did not appear averse to the attention.
"My mum was intense too.” Luna looked off into space at that, lost in thought. “I wonder what she would say about the now we find ourselves in."
Hermione wondered what her mum would think about everything. She imagined Helen Granger in their kitchen at home listening to Hermione talk about everything that was going on, but Hermione had told her so little of what was really happening. She had kept so many secrets ever since the Triwizard Tournament. Even before obliviating her parents, they had known so little about who she was and the things she had done. Hermione doubted Dumbledore had bothered to inform them about the troll in first year or the time she was petrified for weeks by a basilisk.
Her parents really had no idea who she was, and they may never know. The Australian DMLE may never find them and even if they did there was no guarantee her memory modification could be reversed. She was basically an orphan; there was no one on earth that was truly her family anymore. Her time at the Burrow had shown her that without Ron as her boyfriend, she didn’t have a place there. She was an outsider.
Suddenly the grief seemed like it was going to split her in two. She started to cry and excused herself, running from the great hall before Blaise, Neville and Luna said something. All three of them looked after her as she ran out of the Great Hall. None of them seemed to know what to do and they allowed her to flee with her grief.
“I think she just needs some time alone,” Luna said thoughtfully to her table companions.
Hermione ran through the familiar hallways, up stairwells and down walkways until she came to the tiny stairwell leading to the tower that held the Head’s Dorm
She nearly yelled the password as she came to the door and slammed it open. She froze in place as she found Pansy crying into Draco's shoulder on the couch in the common area.
"Oh." Hermione said, almost a gasp.
"Granger." Draco replied, looking at her with those inscrutable grey eyes.
"Malfoy," Hermione said, unsure what to say.
"Oh fuck me." Pansy wiped her eyes. "Don't mind me. Just processing my fucking trauma as Cordelia says." She rolled her shoulders as she moved away from Draco who still held her hand and wouldn't let go.
Hermione felt like her body had turned to ice. She didn’t know where to look or what to do. At least she didn’t feel as though she was about to weep any longer. She seemed to have shocked the tears out of herself by seeing Draco Malfoy holding Pansy Parkinson. That had to be the strangest thing that had happened today. Even when she had been sure they were dating in fourth and fifth years, she had never seen them be physically affectionate with one another.
Malfoy continued to look at her, and stated "Granger, you are staring."
So are you, you prat, Hermione thought. Outloud she said, "Sorry. Um… I will just go to my room, shall I?"
Pansy shook her head. "It's your common area Granger, we are just waiting on Theo to get back from an errand, we can go into his room or wait down in the snake pit." Draco snorted derisively, sounding like the Malfoy that Hermione knew.
Hermione was completely distracted by the whole scene. How surreal. She almost forgot the overwhelming grief that she had felt in the Great Hall, the soul shattering feeling of missing her mother as Luna and Blaise had chatted about theirs.
Looking at the closeness of their bodies and the way that Malfoy seemed protective of Pansy, Hermione supposed that Pansy and Malfoy are still dating like they had been the last time she had seen the two of them. She was surprised at her slight twinge of jealousy that they had made it through the war with their relationship intact. She wished that she had someone with whom she could have physical closeness to just let go and grieve everything. How lucky was Pansy that Malfoy could give that to her.
But then why were her shoes outside Theo's door last night while Draco was on the couch?
"No no, you are fine. Shall I make some tea? Today was kind of a lot."
Pansy laughed mirthlessly. Hermione wasn't sure she had ever heard her laugh in a way that wasn't cruel. "Understatement of the millenia, Granger, but yea tea would be grand." Pansy bloody Parkinson is being nice to her and Malfoy hadn't insulted her. It was like she was in some alternate dimension. This couldn't be reality. Well if they could be civil, so could she. She didn’t really have the energy or the mental wherewithal to be a bitch to people who were clearly having the same sorts of difficulties that she was.
Hermione headed into the Head's little kitchenette and puttered around making tea, when there was a knock at the door.
"Granger, do you want us to answer?" Pansy called from the common area.
Hermione had no idea who it could be, Theo knew the password. Who else could possibly be visiting?
"Yes please" Hermione called back as she used a spell to heat the water in the kettle.
She could hear Draco quietly ask, “Pans are you okay?”
Pansy said quietly "No, but I can answer a door you fucking tosser. You sit here and try not to look all doom and gloom yea? "
Hermione heard the suite door open and a familiar sing-song voice cry out, “If it isn’t my favorite flower! And Draco Malfoy too!”
“Hullo Luna,” Pansy said with surprise in her voice.
******************
Pansy had not been anticipating the arrival of her ex-girlfriend. She had been crying into her best friend’s chest, waiting for Theo to return from gathering some of her things from the dungeons. She hadn’t told him about the issues with Goyle, because she knew he would tell Draco and they would both get in trouble. Trouble for Draco meant a one way ticket to Azkaban. Pansy refused to have that on her conscience. She wasn’t worth him getting tangled in that mess.
However, she had a horrible fit of shaking and crying right in front of the two of them when she tried to go to the dungeons before dinner. So Draco led her up to the Heads dorm while Theo ran down to grab some of her things. She hadn’t lost it this morning when she did her walk of shame, so why was this evening so panic inducing? She had no idea and wished her body would stop reducing her to a quivering mess. It was supremely inconvenient. She hated her boys seeing her weakened. She had always been the strong one, the Queen of Snakes. Now just look at her, terrified of a set of stairs. Pathetic.
She put on a brave face and said, “Granger is in the kitchen making tea, was she who you were looking for?”
“She was,” Luna said, flopping onto the couch next to Draco. Draco raised his eyebrow, but surrendered his space to her and slid over a bit to give her some space, while Pansy sat in the chair near the fire. “But it's lovely to see the two of you as well,”
“Luna, I sat by you at group therapy earlier.” Pansy looked askance at her friend, her ex-girlfriend.
“So you did, but I didn't really see you. I was…distracted. What Cordelia had to say was a bit overwhelming and the whole circle was just teeming with wrackspurts.” Pansy was used to Luna’s imaginary creatures and curious way of looking at the world, but she cast a glance at Draco who couldn’t have been comfortable for the obvious reasons.
Luna looked straight at Draco, “I just wanted to tell you that I forgive you. For being held in the dungeons at your family’s manor. I think that you were just as much a prisoner as I was.” Luna smiled prettily and started to hum to herself, “It really is a lovely dormitory, isn’t it?”
Pansy looked at Draco who was as still as death, a single drop of sweat dripping down his temple. His hands were clenching and unclenching. Luna seemed to be entirely unaffected by the fact that she had sent Draco into a full blown panic, in fact the usually perceptive girl seemed entirely unaware.
Hermione chose that moment to walk in with a tea tray with three cups and stood staring at clearly upset Draco, an uncomfortable Pansy and utterly oblivious Luna who was looking at the furnishings in the common room.
She shook herself and handed Pansy a tea cup first, then Draco who held the cup so tightly Pansy was worried it would shatter. Hermione stood there shifting her weight from one foot to the other, unsure what to do, with the tea tray, with herself, with the situation.
“Honey, I'm home,” Theo sang out as he entered the dorm. “I do hope I got that Muggle phrasing right. Oh would anyone like a knife to cut the tension with? I think I have one in my room.”
Pansy could not help but scowl at him. “Not helpful, Theodore.”
“Oo, I must be in trouble, my full first name. At least it wasn’t Theodore Tiberius. Then I would really be in trouble. Middle names are really indicative.”
Hermione snorted at Theo. “Milk? Sugar?” she inquired of Draco and Pansy.
“Both please, Granger,” Pansy said, trying to break the tension as well. Hermione set the tea tray in front of Pansy.
“Honey for Draco, Hermione.” Theo said, when Draco seemed unable or unwilling to answer, just staring in the black liquid in his cup.
“Oh, I didn’t know. I will just grab it. Luna would you like a cup as well? Theo?”
“Yes please Hermione. What a delightful hostess you are,” Luna said, sunnily.
“No thank you,” Theo said regretfully, “It's about fire whiskey o’clock for me.”
Pansy watched as Draco became more and more upset, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he held the tea cup and he closed his eyes, trying and failing to control his breathing. Theo walked over to him and took the tea cup from his shaking hands, setting it on the side table. He whispered into Draco’s ear, rubbing his back. Draco nodded in response.
“Hermione,” Theo called, “Cancel that honey. I am borrowing Draco. Talk to you tomorrow.”
And with that Theo grabbed Draco by the hand, leading him into his bedroom and closing the door with a click of the mundane lock and the buzzing of his wards.
Hermione returned with a cup for Luna, who contentedly served herself, seemingly unaware of all the chaos she had caused.
Pansy sighed, sipping her tea. “Thank you Granger. The tea is really helping.”
“Was the therapy group this morning really difficult for you, Pansy?” Luna asked suddenly. “I kept thinking about the Manor’s dungeons when I saw you.”
“Wait,” Hermione said, shocked, “You were in the dungeon with Luna, Parkinson?”
“Not like that Granger,” Pansy shook her head, “I was a bloody snatcher on my papa’s orders. Luna and I had a brief tête-à-tête which was unfortunately interrupted by one of the traumatic events on Cordelia’s bleeding list today.”
“That was four or five traumas in one.” Luna said, “If Draco hadn’t come when he did, you would have bled out and there would have been nothing I could have done wandless behind those bars.” Luna was matter of fact, but her bluntness set Pansy's hands to shaking.
Pansy’s lip quivered; she tried to hide it behind her tea cup, but she could tell Hermione had seen it from the way her eyes widened.
“Well it looks like all three of us bled in Malfoy Manor last year.” Hermione said, “More tea?”
Pansy couldn’t stop the laughter that spilled from her and if it approached hysterical neither Luna nor Hermione commented.
***********************
After Theo dragged Draco into his room, and cast his wards, he shoved the blonde against the door hard, and crashed his lips into Draco’s. Draco let out a surprised exhale and Theo used it as the opening he needed to nip at his lower lip. His tongue chased Draco’s in his mouth next. Theo’s hands twined into the platinum locks that reminded him of snow and starlight.
Draco let out a groan, and Theo’s hand tightened in his hair.
“That’s right, my good boy, do you like that?” Theo growled into his ear as he nipped along the tight tendons in Draco’s neck and sucked on his earlobe, drawing a moan. Theo took a deep breath of the rose, oud wood and musk scent of Draco’s skin. “You smell so good.”
Draco’s hands had been leaving fingernail marks in the paint of the door, but now they wrapped around Theo’s waist drawing him closer. Their erections were painfully obvious to one another as they pressed tightly into one another, lost in each other’s kisses. Theo nipped Draco one last time below his ear.
“Come, sit on the bed,” Theo motioned. “Have a drink with me.”
Draco was shocked that Theo had stepped away from him. His skin felt like flames were licking him. His breath was coming erratically, his heart was hammering in his chest, but Theo, Theo seemed totally unaffected, pulling out a bottle of fire whiskey from a drawer and pouring two deep glasses.
Draco took a deep breath and sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and kicking off his dragonhide shoes. His hard cock made sitting like that a bit awkward, but Theo didn’t comment on the bulge in his trousers.
Theo handed him the cut crystal glass and ran his hand along Draco’s arm as he did so. Draco’s breath caught, but he accepted the glass and took a deep drink. The fire burned all the way down distracting him from the way his body was aflame with desire.
Theo ran his fingertip along the rim of his glass, making the crystal sing. “I’d like to try something with you if you are interested.”
Draco gazed at Theo who wasn’t meeting his eyes and felt the desire in his blood continue to rise. He was sure he would agree to anything if he could just feel Theo’s hands on him again.
“I’m listening,” Draco breathed, taking another sip of the fire whiskey savoring the taste on his tongue.
“I’d like to tie you to my bed with our Slytherin ties and have my wicked way with you,” Theo responded. “If I went too far, you could say the word ‘red’ and I would stop, the word ‘yellow’ and I would slow down or the word ‘green’ if I asked how you were doing and you liked it.” Theo’s sapphire gaze met Draco’s grey eyes now and the brunette licked his lips sensually.
Draco shivered with desire. The most the two of them had ever done was kissing and some dry humping. He was very ready for things to progress.
“Are you wanting to do things like what you and Pans do?” Draco asked, nervously.
“Sweet Salazar, no!” Theo laughed, “Pans and I are into darker, heavier play than you are ready for my darling.” Theo grinned at him, flashing that sinful dimple. “No, no. For your delicate introduction, I would just like to restrain your wrists and try a little edging. I think you could use a little distraction. You trust me, right?”
“Of course,” Draco responded immediately. “More than anyone.”
Theo nodded, “Finish your drink.” Draco knocked it back and his limbs felt languid, and relaxed. Theo took the glass from his hand and sat it with his empty one on the nightstand.
“Put your wrists up at the posts,” Theo directed, as he removed the shirt he was wearing over his head. Draco followed his instructions and moved them up and down until his shoulders and arms felt comfortable. He had heard Theo complain before about Pansy tying him in an uncomfortable way and would rather avoid a sore shoulder in the name of pleasure. Bites and scratches were one thing as far as Draco was concerned, an aching arm was a much less pleasurable sounding pain.
“Incarcerous delectatio,” Theo said pointing his wand at Draco’s wrists and suddenly the silken Slytherin ties were knotted around his wrists. Draco struggled against them briefly, instinct warring with his desire for pleasure.
Theo vanished Draco's clothes and set his wand to the side of the whiskey glasses. Draco's breathing was coming in pants now as he looked at Theo, climbing onto the bed still wearing his tight muggle denims, shirtless, scars and burns all over his torso like constellations of pain.
Theo ran his fingertips over Draco's sectumsempra scars, kissing each line that was carved into his flesh by the spell. Draco whimpered and twisted under Theo's touch.
Theo straddled Draco’s lap, sliding his arse against Draco’s hard cock, he ran his hands up Draco’s chest and put one hand around his throat, the other hand threading into the blond’s hair. As Theo tilted Draco’s face up toward him, he squeezed his throat slightly and ravaged the restrained man’s mouth with his teeth and tongue. Theo bit Draco’s bottom lip hard and then sucked on it, soothing the hurt.
Draco’s cock felt impossibly hard, its head rubbing against the coarse fabric of Theo’s denims. The tip wept. He moaned into Theo’s mouth, his wrists straining futilely against his bindings.
Theo kissed along Draco’s jawline, nipping at his earlobe. “You’d look fucking hot with earrings, Drake.” He kissed the sensitive spot behind his ear as his lover shook beneath him.
Theo ran his tongue down Draco’s neck. Draco’s whimpers became full moans. "Whar color are you now, my dragon?"
"Green," Draco whispered, "And you know it."
Theo chuckled, "That's true but affirmative consent is so much hotter than assumed consent. I want to be certain you are enjoying what we are doing."
Theo slid down his love’s body, kissing and nipping as he went. A bite to his shoulder, a lick at his nipple, a kiss to the sectumsempra scar that ran down towards Draco’s navel. Theo kissed the silken skin that led to the pale hair and cock at the juncture of those muscular thighs. Draco arched his hips and his thick cock was just before Theo’s lips.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Theo whispered, taking the tip into his mouth, running his tongue in circles around the base of the head. Louder Theo drawled, “now hold still and let me have my wicked way with you.”
Draco was tossing his head and breathing raggedly. Draco’s experience was still very minimal in the bedroom, a few exchanged blowjobs, some mutual masturbation, but Theo had so much he planned to initiate his Prince into. There were so many different types of pleasure that Theo could reveal.
“Theo. Theo. Theo. Theo. Theo,” he begged. Theo hollowed his cheeks and slid all the way down Draco’s length, engulfing his cock in the warm wet heat. Draco’s cock hardened even more in his mouth and the blond thrust hard down Theo’s throat. Theo backed off and slid Draco’s cock out of his mouth with a pop.
Theo sat back and summoned a cigarette, lighting it with a targeted wandless incendio.
Draco, breathless and dazed, stared at Theo in shock.
Theo took a long drag from his cigarette and stared back, heavy lidded and aroused.
“I’m sorry Draco, were you wanting something?” Theo asked, sucking on his cigarette suggestively and blowing the smoke toward the emerald canopy of the bed. His darkened lips shown with Draco’s precum.
Draco whimpered, his hard cock sitting against his belly. “To cum Theo, please.”
“Ah,” Theo said and blew a ring of smoke at Draco, “Are you ready to behave?”
Desperately Draco nodded. “Pleeease,” he begged hungrily.
“And you are going to listen this time?” Theo purred.
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” Draco nearly sobbed.
"What color are you, Drake my darling." Theo drawled.
"Green. So green. So very green, Theo," Draco said, pleading in this voice.
Theo extinguished and vanished his cigarette. He leaned down and blew softly on the hot hard cock that was twitching against Draco’s muscular abdomen.
“If you move I will stop,” Theo informed him imperiously.
Draco nodded eagerly, “I will be good.”
“Oh I know,” Theo growled, tonguing the slit at the end of his cock and caressed the length with one hand. He spit on the head and stroked the dampness downward. He looked up into Draco’s reddened and glistening face, “you are my sweet boy aren’t you?” Draco breathlessly nodded, leaning as forward as his wrist restraints would let him.
“Sweet Circe, you have a perfect cock," Theo murmured into Draco’s shaft as he licked and lightly nipped at the sensitive flesh. He cupped Draco’s balls with one hand, gripping the base with the other and swallowed the hard flesh until his lips met his hand. With experienced skill, Theo massaged with both hands and his mouth quickly reducing Draco to a sobbing mess desperate to stay still.
Theo’s ministrations became quicker and more frantic as he too was turned on by Draco’s whispered “Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. So good Theo. Your mouth. Salazar’s balls. I am gonna cum, please Theo can I move? Please? Please? Please?” Draco’s body was covered with a sheen of sweat as he held himself still.
Theo lifted up his face to his lover and moved his hands to grip Draco’s thighs.
Pulling his mouth off Draco’s cock for a moment, he murmured, “Yes you’ve been a good pet, my darling. You can move now.” And as Theo deep-throated Draco’s cock, Draco's hips bucked upward and he fucked Theo’s mouth babbling nonsense adjectives that none-the-less stroked Theo’s ego. Draco groaned and shattered, his cum flooding Theo’s mouth and throat. Theo waited until Draco was fully spent, and then released his wrists with a wandless nonverbal relashio.
Draco stretched his wrists and then wrapped his arms around Theo, drawing him up for a kiss. He tasted his own cum on Theo’s swollen lips. And the two young men just held each other for a long time, Draco’s chin on top of Theo’s head and Theo’s cheek against the slick skin of Draco’s throat, listening to each other’s breath, their arms holding each other tight.
Notes:
Thanks to my brilliant alphas/betas: Amebb42, Megsivy, SarahFraser and my_saturday_girl
Chapter 5: More Things on Heaven and Earth
Summary:
Blaise comes to Hermione's rescue...again, a Lucius/Draco flashback, Group Therapy, Some Blaise POV and we get to meet some of his family, and Hermione isn't doing well. Alas no smut this chapter.
CW: Suicidal Ideation, Flashbacks and Discussions of Childhood Abuse, Discussion of Torture via Cruciatus.
Notes:
Buzzkill by Mothica is the song for Chapter 5 https://open.spotify.com/track/1xFkcJjWuLlq8CIymwSTw9?si=lfxFJ2XAQHuTit9ettX0NA
I listened to Me -the 1975 while writing the final sequence of this chapter and it pretty much encapsulates how Hermione and Draco are feeling.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4GjRDgb77p27GQnbZpv1OJ?si=3oQ0trQIQwi2zvAj35dhVg
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 5
More Things on Heaven and Earth
Blaise Zabini wasn’t typically a morning person, however, a late response to his owl the day before had Blaise up at the crack of dawn. He had a Floo call that he’d been allowed to take in McGonagall’s office in order to arrange the implementation of his idea, an excellent one if he said so himself. Despite losing the additional two hours of sleep he normally got, he felt refreshed and ready to take on whatever the day threw at him after the way that entire call had gone, and allowed a bit of a cocky swagger.
He turned a corner without looking, slamming hard into Hermione Granger. The collision nearly sent her sprawling to the ground, but luckily Blaise’s chaser reflexes were quick enough to stop that from happening. Gripping her arms tightly and rebalancing her before she fell to the ground, Blaise did a once over to make sure that he hadn’t actually harmed her. After he felt confident that she was still in one piece, he gingerly let her go and stepped back. "Alright there, Granger?" Blaise said as he smiled at her, raising his left eyebrow in inquiry.
"Yes….quite alright, thank you, Zabini," replied Hermione, flustered with a bit of a flush glowing up her neck. He nodded with a smirk at her physical reaction.
"McLaggen yesterday and gravity today, Granger. I will have to add your knight errant to my list of accomplishments," Blaise gave her one of his rare genuine smiles, and continued down the hall.
She stared after him in complete confusion as she'd never expected such familiarity from Blaise Zabini of all people. Wait, Hermione thought suddenly, how did Zabini know about gravity?
Even more satisfied with his morning, Blaise walked off to the Great Hall to join his friends for breakfast. He couldn’t help himself when he started whistling the tune from one of the squib bands he’d taken Theo to see. It was a grand morning for the Italian wizard.
Sliding into his seat at the Slytherin table, Blaise cleared his throat to get his friends’ attention. "Buongiorno migliori amiche. McGonagall thought my idea was brilliant,” Blaise said, pouring himself a coffee. “Also, you will never guess which beautiful witch I had in my arms this morning," and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at the last part.
"You mean that idea you refused to share with me? That idea?” Theo asked petulantly, rubbing at his tired eyes.
"All good things come to those who wait,” Blaise replied, winking at Theo. “You haven't asked me what witch I had in my arms this morning," smugly sipping his coffee, anticipating the reactions of his mates.
"Our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask him nothing about it." Theo said, giving Pansy and Draco his flirting grin before taking a bite out of the scone in his hand. Blaise looked absolutely crestfallen at the idea that he wouldn’t be able to antagonize his friends.
Draco started to laugh and Theo’s mouth stretched into a huge grin, so pleased to have drawn that reaction from the usually moody blonde. Pansy sighed "Blaise, it's a quote from that muggle book that Theo loves. Although Theo, you are definitely more Caroline than Elizabeth even on your best day. Merlin, tell us your secret Blaise and be quick about it before the great hall fills up and we have to share the table."
Theo scoffed, rolling his eyes in Pansy’s direction. "I disagree, Pansy. I am absolutely a bi poly Mr. Bingley." Theo gave his goofiest smile and tossed his curls dramatically, gazing at Pansy through fluttering lashes. His hand was pressed to his heart, covering the band logo that was a dripping human heart with the words "The Unforgivables" just barely visible between his fingers. Blaise was sure that shirt had come from Agglutination Metal Festival; Theo always had to buy every single band's shirt they saw, whether he liked them or not. Blaise had an entire wardrobe filled with them from the three summers before the war.
Blaise looked quizzically at his friend. "Oh wait. Was that a quote from the one film you made me watch at the villa eight times, where the love interest is basically Drake?” Draco gave Blaise a two finger salute, but Blaise rolled his eyes and continued anyway. “Honestly, you do have the hair for Bingley, Theo, but back to what gorgeous witch swooned into my arms.” Blaise paused for dramatic effect, making the other three look exasperated. “It was Granger."
The shift in the mood at the table was instantaneous. From laughing and joking around, they were now scowling at the Italian man's announcement. Draco growled and Theo looked askance, snarling, "You did fucking not. She’s not one of your toys to play with, Blaise." The venom in his voice was dripping with the threat of barely leashed violence. Blaise raised his eyebrow at Theo. Looked like Draco's pining after Granger was contagious, Blaise internally sighed.
“Well I bumped into her on my way here, and we almost fell. I swooped in to steady her like a black knight.” At the look the blonde was shooting him, Blaise let out a barking laugh. “And Draco, don't tell me you are still obsessing over our favourite bushy haired Head Girl?" Blaise asked. “It’s only been what, seven years?”
Pansy kicked his leg under the table to tell Blaise to lay off just as Theo saw Draco's eyes turn from molten silver to stone. He was occluding, again. "I have never been obsessed with Granger," Draco said in a monotone voice.
Theo and Pansy exchanged a look of concern over his head. The warning over using occlumency was still fresh in each of their minds. They were concerned about how much further Draco could push this before he caused serious damage to his psyche.
Sympathetically, Blaise sighed as he realized that he might have pushed further than he should have. "Lucius is in Azkaban, you know. He can’t hurt you anymore, and he can’t come after Granger. It’s going to be alright."
Draco shook his head as he continued to occlude, "He hasn't gotten the Kiss yet. I am not counting him out until it’s done. Even behind bars, he could still find a way to hurt her."
Sensing what the blonde wizard was needing, Theo reached out and held Draco's arm, rubbing circles on the back of his bicep with his thumb. Following Theo's lead, Pansy leaned her head against his other shoulder and put her hand on his back. And to everyone's surprise, Draco sat there staring off into space and accepted the physical comfort.
*********************
Flashback
Summer before 3rd year
Malfoy Manor
Draco had been surprised to be summoned into his father's study, it wasn't often he was called upon. He was now nervously standing in front of his father's desk while the man sat across from him in his chair. Sipping firewhisky from his crystal tumbler, Lucius put on a facade of ignoring his son.
Even when his father feigned ignorance about his life, Draco knew that wasn't the case. Lucius was fully aware of everything Draco did. Every breath, twitch and stitch he was wearing. Draco concentrated on keeping his breaths measured, not even letting a drop of sweat build at his brow.
He practiced occluding his thoughts as his godfather and mother had been teaching him this summer. He saw stacks and stacks of trunks in his mind, like the luggage car on the Hogwarts Express, all filled with his private thoughts, hopes, and dreams. His mother had said he could put memories in there as well, so far only a handful were dangerous enough to need confinement: his occlumency lessons, his baby sister and most forbidden - her. His father jolted Draco out of his mind, by the crack of his cane hitting his desk as he stood up.
Not able to help himself, Draco gulped and eyes widened slightly. Oh Bollocks. He tried to stay perfectly still and wait to be spoken to. The languid way Lucius was walking told Draco that his father was several drinks in despite the early hour and if Draco made a misstep, Lucius wouldn't hesitate to dole out severe punishment.
"Draco," his father drawled. Leaning on his desk and running the tip of one long pale finger along the top of his cut crystal whiskey tumbler. Lucius smiled in a way that appeared, on the outside, friendly and fatherly. Draco, who knew his father to be neither of those things, felt his heart skip a beat at the sight.
"I have been thinking about Hogwarts."
If only his mother would interrupt, but she would never dare to do so again. The first and only time had been nightmare enough. Draco knew she was listening just beyond the cracked door, as she did every time that Lucius summoned Draco. Narcissa Malfoy would simply wait to deal with whatever state her son was in by the end.
He tried to give himself a mental shake to stay calm. If his fear showed this would get ugly very fast.
Draco did not say anything in response. No question had been asked of him. He had made that mistake in the past and knew how close the cane was, the scar on his hand was a testimony to how sharp its teeth were. He kept his eyes on his father's face with a smooth attentive countenance. His father in black Acromantula silk wizard's robes looked every inch the poised aristocrat about to impart some fatherly advice to his beloved heir.
It could have been a muggle painting, Draco thought. There were a few in one of the wings, down an unused hall that had portraits of very distant relatives. It had a bench one could sit on to look at the paintings. They were small for the most part, and many of them were dark. Fantastical shells, several human skulls with unmoving candles with a flower or a bowl of fruit and a few muggle portraits. It was so strange to look at the unmoving portraits and wonder which of his ancestors had acquired them. This reminded him of one. Their poses, this performance, it struck Draco how fake it all was. And he held still, wishing he was in one of those paintings or anywhere far away from here.
"Wouldn't you like to know what my thoughts were?" His father set the tumbler down and looked disappointed. A cold fear settled into his stomach as Draco recognized that tone in his father’s voice.
It was very likely that the rules may have changed without him knowing. He kept his face neutral as he said in his smoothest voice, keeping every word perfectly enunciated "Of course, father." There were few things Lucius hated as much as mumbling.
Lucius took a breath and looked at Draco looming over him a bit. "Miss Granger, the one I met at Flourish and Blotts. The little mudblood." Draco felt his palms beginning to sweat as he resisted the urge to wipe them dry on his trousers.
Had his interest been too obvious? Did his father know something about how he had tried to warn her about the basilisk or was he just suspicious? Draco tried to use his occlumency to shove a page torn from a book of monsters, a petrified hand holding a mirror and wild curls into a trunk in his mind.
"You complain about her a great deal. I recall my sister complaining a great deal about the half blood that she ended up running off with. Father burned her off the tree." Lucius took another sip of his firewhisky "Andromeda, your mother's sister, complained about that mudblood she was disowned over quite a bit as well." Lucius set the tumbler down with more force than necessary, some of the liquid splashing out over the top and onto the desk.
Draco was doing his best to not react to the news that he had another aunt. His father must be in his cups if he shared something that clearly had been hidden from him all his life. He had known about his aunts Andromeda and Bellatrix, but as far as he was aware, his father was an only child like him.
Malfoy girls were rare, but they did happen.There had been tiny Casseopeia, Draco's little sister who only lived a few days. Draco pushed the memory of her little pink wrinkled face down and shoved it into her small pink trunk lest he cry in front of his father. That wouldn't go well. Malfoy men didn't cry. All Draco's energy was going into remaining impassive and yet he felt the fear starting to take hold of him as Lucius continued.
"Miss Granger, she is a pretty little thing isn't she? Clever, for a mudblood. Quite…feisty." Lucius' laugh was evil, throwing his head back as if he’d just told a clever joke.
Draco felt his lip quiver as he thought of Granger's pretty amber eyes and wild chocolate curls. He tried to pull himself together by biting his inner cheek as his father put his face in Draco's, grabbing his collar and shaking him. "You are not to touch her,” he hissed at Draco. “You are not to think about touching her. I promise, I will know if you do. You are my heir and I have no spare. Your mother's inability to bear more sons has seen to that. If you sully our line by fucking any mudbloods, I will kill them, brutally, and in front of you." Draco's breath caught as he focused on holding perfectly still.
"I may even rape them first for my own entertainment.” Draco could feel the bile coming up his throat at his father’s words. “I might even Imperius you and make you help me."
Images of Granger dead at his father's hands, or worse at his own unwilling hands flashed in Draco's mind evoked a terror so visceral that his fingers began to shake. His eyes began to tear up and he desperately attempted to shove his feelings into her black trunk that was hidden in his mind.
Lucius was so close to Draco that he could smell the liquor on his father’s breath.
Draco knew that he had to stay calm, neutral like these directives were no bother, but it was difficult to do with his father’s huge hand tight on his collar, crushing the starched black fabric in his grip.
Lucius was hopefully too drunk to attempt legilimency. Sweet Salazar let that be the case, Draco begged internally. His shields weren’t strong enough to keep him out with all the emotional turmoil this conversation had caused.
Lucius' hand that had been on his collar wrapped around Draco's throat gripping, tight and painful. Lucius raised him up until only the tips of Draco’s toes desperately sought the earth, but could not find purchase. Hot tears from the pain were running down Draco's face. against his will, he began to break down. Fury over the sight of this sign of weakness flashed in his father's eyes.
"Do you understand me, Draco?" Lucius kept his hand tight on Draco's throat, fingers bruising the pale flesh there, watching coldly as his only son and heir struggled to inhale. Draco’s vision started to go black around the edges. As suddenly as he had begun, Lucius roughly released his punishing grip so that the boy could answer him.
"...Yes…..sir…" Draco choked out, his throat burning. Lucius shoved Draco away from him with disgust. Stumbling, Draco put his hands on his knees sucking in air desperately and didn't see his father pull out his wand.
"Just to be sure the lesson sticks…Crucio."
*****************************
Group counseling commenced with significantly less trepidation that morning, with most of the participants taking the time to eat a real meal, Theo noted. There were now chairs evenly spaced at each of the four circles waiting for the students. Everyone sat in their seats quickly, not floating in small groups as they had done the day before. The chatter was contained to only speaking with the person to their left or their right.
Everyone came to immediate attention, as Mind Healer Cordelia strode into the center of their circle and raised the wards. With their undivided attention, the healer gave the group a warm welcoming smile.
“Good morning everyone.” Most of the group chiming a ‘good morning’ back to her. “We are going to start this morning with a grounding exercise that is great for panic attacks." The majority of the circle immediately had even more attentive and curious looks on their faces; it was clear that this was a common issue amongst them.
"The first step is to look around and name five things that you can see. For instance," she said using her hand to indicate where she was referring as she made her list. "I can see the chalk circle, the refreshment table, the stone of the courtyard, the clouds above us and my healer robes." She paused, waiting for the students to find their own things they could see.
Theo took a deep breath and looked around. He could see Pansy's smart bob hair cut, Blaise's green fitted blazer, leaning forward, Luna's radish earrings, and around the circle Draco’s silver eyes that matched the clouds above. Was that two things or one? He also saw Granger's curls shoved into a messy bun with her wand in them. He was pretty sure that was five.
"The second step is to focus on four things that you can feel. Suppose that you notice how the cool Scottish morning air feels on your face or how your clothes feel on your skin. It can be helpful to say these things out loud when you are in the midst of a panic attack, such as 'I can feel the chair that I am sitting on.’” Cordelia gave them a few moments and she walked around the circle encouraging them to attempt to come up with at least one right then.
Theo ran his hands over his chest, smiling to himself, he watched Hermione’s eyes flicker to his fingers as he played with his signet ring and then look away biting her lip. Ah, there we go, he thought, pleased at the fire in his dorm mates’ eyes. Out loud he said, "I feel the fabric of my shirt and my chest underneath it," as Cordelia came around. She smiled and nodded approvingly at him.
In the category of things I would like to feel, Theo thought, Granger’s messy curls on my chest as she rides me, Draco’s cock cumming on my tongue and the sharp sting of Pansy’s nails drawing blood. If only I could have all three at the same time. Now that would be a proper good time. Theo hummed contentedly at the vision, the smile on his face having little to do with the group therapy. Pansy looked over at him with a suspicious look, raising her eyebrow. She was quite familiar with the sorts of things that made him hum. He flashed her his best smile, she sighed, rolling her eyes before returning her attention to Cordelia.
“Alright, the third step is to name three things that you can hear around you. For example, you may be aware of some birds chirping in a nearby tree, the sound of the wind going over the roof of the castle, perhaps ghosts speaking in the hall, or even the sound of my voice.” Cordelia held up three fingers and waited to give people a chance to complete this part of the exercise. Theo could hear Pansy exhaling nervously, his own heartbeat and Luna's foot tapping on the ground. As he glanced over at the blonde Ravenclaw, she looked as far away as ever, but that tapping foot gave away the state of her nerves. He’d never even attempt to guess what was on her mind, he’d never in a thousand tries get that right. Probably something to do with her invisible creatures, Theo conjectured.
“The fourth step is to notice two things that you can smell right now. If you aren’t able to smell anything around you, then it can be helpful to name two or three smells that you like such as roses or fresh coffee." She again waited while the teens thought about comforting smells or sniffed at the air like werewolves.
Pansy leaned over and let Theo sniff her wrist. Mmmm lilacs, Theo inhaled, pressing his lips briefly to the delicate pale skin there, his tongue sneaking out to taste her pulse. Pansy snatched her arm away and scowled at him. Theo grinned at her like the cat that got the cream and winked, not feeling guilty in the slightest.
Pansy shook her head and smiled in spite of herself, before leaning over and letting Luna smell her wrist. Luna’s foot tapping stopped immediately, and Theo saw her inhale Pansy’s perfume, closing her eyes with a look that lacked passion but instead held a glimmer of nostalgia.
When Theo glanced around the circle, he realized that both Hermione and Draco's eyes were on him. Theo gave Draco a look that he hoped let the blonde know that he’d love to taste his skin as well, his smile slow and sensual. Draco’s eyes flickered to Theo’s mouth and clouded with lust briefly before the Malfoy heir shook himself, his attention forcibly turned back to Cordelia. Draco's fingernails dug into his thighs as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Hermione was staring at Theo and then at Pansy and then at Theo again like they were a puzzle that she was trying to divine an answer to. Theo happened to know that Granger was shite at divination; it was probably the only thing she was actually shite at. There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Theo gave her the same sensual smile that he had given Draco, and watched in pleasure as a lovely blush spread over those freckled cheeks. She was worrying that lower lip between her teeth again, and her gaze flicked to Draco before she blushed even more and then stared off into the courtyard, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.
He had gotten her flustered, how splendid. It took everything in Theo not to clap with pleasure and grin in satisfaction.
"Finally, the fifth step is to focus on one thing that you can taste. If you can't taste anything, then instead you can choose to name a taste that you like. For example, today everyone just had breakfast. I imagine you may still be able to taste something from earlier. You don’t need to share it with me.” Cordelia nodded as everyone did as they were told. Theo decided to think about tastes that he liked and Merlin knew there was more than one. Pansy’s sweet cunt came to mind immediately, but the taste of Draco’s sweat beading over his Sectumsempra scars was assuredly another favourite of his.
Theo stroked his bottom lip with his thumb deep in thought. There was no way he would ever be able to pick just one. Theo peered over at Hermione, who still was lost in her own thoughts. What would her skin taste like? Would the skin behind her ear taste like salt or gardenias like the shampoo he had found in their shared bathroom? How would the flavor of her cunt compare to Pansy’s? So many interesting questions to ponder.
Theo quite liked this exercise. He felt exceptionally calm, if more than a little ready for a rough shag.
Between Pansy’s hard limits and taking it easy on the still virginal if not exactly chaste Draco, Theo was in need of his own release. It was really too bad that Blaise wasn’t interested in wizards, he’d definitely be a good hard shag with no expectations afterwards. Theo was definitely emotionally invested in what he was doing with Pansy, Draco and very interested in seeing what could happen with Hermione, so if he messed around with anyone else it needed to be clearly casual. Luna was the other ethical non-monogamy advocate he knew, but despite their occasional sexual banter, he really saw her more like a relative, not a sister, though maybe a cousin too closely related to date. Regardless, Theo needed to get himself sorted.
After it seemed that everyone had completed the exercise or pretended to, Healer Cordelia brought their attention back to her. “I am so proud of all of you for showing up today. I know yesterday was not an easy day, but I am happy you are all present and ready to do the work with me. And let's not fool ourselves, healing is work!”
“We are going to start our narrative exposure therapy now. Basically, you are each going to create a lifeline scroll with the events that have gotten you here to this point in your life. Framing this I want to say that I belong to a school of thought that believes that reality is a shifting, changing and deeply personal concept. Having a narrative–a story–helps us make sense of our experiences. While those of you here have had many shared experiences, your interpretations of those shared experiences are going to vary widely.”
Cordelia waved her wand and a scroll from her tote bag flew behind each of the ten group members. She began speaking as each scroll found a student. “These lifeline scrolls are enchanted to take the narrative stories each of you share in the group and add your stories to your lifeline image. Positive events become flowers and events you perceive negatively become stones." Theo watched Hermione unroll her scroll to study it as Healer Cordelia continued. "We can change the size and shape of these images when we work together in individual therapy which I strongly encourage each member of this group to seek out,” Cordelia said, smiling warmly.
“Our starting point in this will be everyone sharing their earliest memories. Usually these will be with your family, good, bad, neutral. No judgments on what others share, just focus on listening and being present when it's not your turn.” With that, Cordelia gestured to Hannah to begin.
The blonde Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbott, seemed nervous to be the first to go. She spoke quickly, staring at the ground while she shared. “My first memory is my dad doing some potion work in the kitchen and my mum trying to get him to hurry up so she could make dinner. He lifted her up and kissed her and told her to get some takeaway from the village because he would be hours yet. My mum took me with her and it was the first time I ever visited the muggle village near our house.”
Next to her, Susan Bones, Hannah’s fellow Hufflepuff, tried to catch her friend’s eye and give her a supportive smile. When Hannah did not look up, Susan sighed and quickly said, “My dad and mum took me to Diagon Alley and I got chocolate ice cream at Fortescue’s.” She shrugged as though her memory wasn’t very meaningful, but Theo felt a frisson of jealousy burn through him. If only his first memory could be something so pure and innocent.
Tapping his long dark hands on his thigh, Dean Thomas was the next speaker. He spoke slowly as though he was visualizing the memory, “My mum and dad’s wedding. My dad is my step-dad, but he’s the only real dad I’ve ever had. I was the ringbearer. The suit was itchy, the collar too tight and the flower girl, my cousin Beatrice, tried to trip me on purpose, but I didn’t lose the rings, so all’s well, I suppose.”
Appearing nervous, Hermione pulled wand out of her hair and redid the bun, wrapping her curls around themselves and shoving the wand back through them. Clearing her throat and lifting her chin to give her an air of confidence, she spoke. “My first memory is my dad reading a book of fairytales to me by the fire. I think it was Andrew Lang’s Blue Fairy Book. And I fell asleep in his lap.” Theo couldn’t help but watch transfixed as she tried to cover up the fact that her hands were shaking, whether it was from anxiety, taking too many cruciatus curses or needing a drink, he wasn’t sure. He wished he could have offered her the distraction of a strong orgasm and a good drink this morning, or vice versa. Salazar, she looked stunning this morning, despite her fragility. Those curls might kill him, and he’d die a happy man.
Next to Hermione, Luna had a far off look on her face. “My mum was working in her lab,” she said in her dreamy way. “I was in a bassinet and she was singing to me while she sorted potion ingredients on her work table. I mostly remember the feelings my mother evoked in me. I just felt so safe and loved. The sun was shining through the window and I remember my toes feeling warm.” Luna noticed Theo’s regard across the circle and smiled at him. He smiled back, flashing her a dimple and a quick wink.
“My first memory is Ranunclus, my older brother, and I playing in the nursery at home. I am not even sure what we were playing now, but I think we had toy Abraxans - the winged horses you know? I don’t know, but it’s a fun, pleasant memory.” Pansy looked painfully uncomfortable at being asked to share. Considering how difficult her relationship with her brother was now, Theo was sure him being her first memory was not something she was happy about.
Suddenly Theo realized it was his turn as everyone was silently watching him. Theo turned pleadingly to Cordelia, who had come to stand next to him. “Are we really going here? Already? Everyone’s stories have been so nice so far. I feel like I am going to fuck up the vibe.”
“Theodore,” Cordelia said soothingly, “not everyone’s first memories are going to be pleasant and that’s okay. No judgment remember? That means no judgment on yourself either. Just be honest and present.”
Theo let out a big exhale, wondering if his hands were shaking like Granger’s had been before he began speaking. “I wish I had a cigarette," He grumbled, clearing his throat. "So, there I was sitting on the floor in my mother’s tea room. I had to have been two, maybe three. My father comes in and he’s livid. No idea about what. I've got a picture book next to my mother’s chair. I vividly recall the book. It was about magical creatures, one of the ones where the paintings move and it shows their babies…I remember seeing my hands holding the book."
He looked down into his hands, as if he could feel the book there now. "My father was screaming and he took his arm and sent all the tea set and food crashing towards my mother and I. The teapot shattered when it hit the arm of my mother’s chair. Hot tea and broken pieces of teapot hit me and it felt like I was on fire. I was looking at a picture of a dragon and I thought at first it had burned me. My mother yelled at my father to get out. He backhanded her and split her lip," Theo said, touching the same ring now on his finger that had caused the damage, "but did as she said. I remember her lifting me up and cuddling me while she did healing spells on my face and arms. She missed a spot and I still have a small scar on my clavicle from some of the pottery.” He touched the spot subconsciously and looked around. Nothing quite like rehashing his childhood abuse to kill his mood, Theo thought.
“Sorry for being the buzzkill everyone.” Theo looked up and saw Draco’s intense gaze on his face; he wished that he could bury his face in his dragon’s neck and weep. Sharing this kind of personal information always made him feel vulnerable. Vulnerability was not something that Theodore Nott was fond of feeling; vulnerability almost always presaged pain, and not the fun kind.
Draco’s hands were clenched in fists and his entire body was tense, as Theo finished sharing. As much as he wished no one understood his childhood misery of having an abusive father, Draco did, all too well. But where Lucius had been a cruel bastard, Thoros Nott was a true homicidal madman. If Theo hadn’t been the sole heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Nott, his father would have killed him years ago. The scars and burns that were all over Theo’s chest and back burned underneath their glamour, the evidence of the years of severe abuse he had endured at his father’s hands only hidden never truly banished.
Theo gave Draco a half smile, before his gaze was drawn to Granger on the opposite side of the circle.
Her eyes were bright with tears and she was biting her lower lip as she stared at him like she had never seen him before. The last thing he wanted was her pity, but that wasn’t the feeling he got from her. No, she wasn't pitying him. She was angry; her hair had grown frizzier and buzzed with wild magic. Her eyebrows were drawn down, and like Draco, her hands were in fists. He’d give all his galleons to be able to read her thoughts. Granger looked every inch an avenging angel. If the bastard hadn’t been in Azkaban, Theo might have been worried for his father.
Theo looked away from Hermione and saw Pansy smiling at him reassuringly. Pansy knew all about his home life; their relationship didn't allow for many secrets between one another. The way he was treated wasn't so different from how her father had treated her older brother until he had risen to expectations, something Theo had never wanted to do. To be fair, Mr. Parkinson just wanted a Pureblood elitist for a son, Thoros Nott was hoping for another genocidal maniac. Theo was genuinely quite happy to have been an embarrassment in that regard.
Blaise, to the right of Theo, waited until the group had a couple of minutes to properly absorb what Theo had said. Only his close friends had known what a right bastard his father had been and now it seemed that secret was out. Once it seemed everyone had processed his story, Cordelia looked at Blaise encouragingly and motioned for him to continue.
Clearing his throat and lacing his fingers behind his head, Blaise started. “I was on the balcony of our house in Italy. It's in Atrani, on the Amalfi coast and the sea was sparkling blue. I saw merfolk, but I didn’t want to go tell anyone lest they vanish when I looked away. So I just stood there until they disappeared.”
Next to Blaise, Draco kicked his own leg restlessly. Theo watched as he struggled with speaking to the group. The internal battle played across a face that likely looked impassive to everyone else in the circle, but Theo knew that Draco fought against his reserved nature and natural desire for privacy in order to be seen as properly participating in the therapy session, knowing that this would reflect well for his upcoming trial. Finally, the pressure to participate won out over Draco’s natural reticence. “My very first memory is being in the rose garden at the Manor with my mother. I was sitting on a green blanket and she kept bringing me cut blossoms to smell. I think I remember the smell the most, but I do recall that she passed me roses of several different colours. She asked me the name of each colour and when I got them right, she patted my cheek and told me that I was so clever. It is one of my best memories of her, actually.”
Theo watched Draco close his eyes, the desire to occlude evident in the tension in his whole body, but instead the blonde did some deep breathing and opened his eyes, the colour still quicksilver and none of the stone color that signaled his use of occlumency. It seemed that the warning of overusing occlumency hadn't been missed by his favorite blonde.
Longbottom was last and Theo was shocked to his core when Neville stated tonelessly, “My earliest memory is the sound of my mother screaming. It must have been when she was being tortured by the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jr, but that’s all I remember. I don’t know whether I was in my crib or pram, or if I was in another room all together, or if I was there watching it. I just remember the sound of her screams. How they just went on and on and on, which is mad really. I was only a little baby, but those screams…they stick with you. There is a reason the Cruciatus is unforgivable.” All the Slytherins nodded knowingly, while everyone had been exposed to it by the Carrows last year, the Cruciatus was a common punishment amongst Death Eaters. They used it on their wives, their children, their comrades in arms. Their violence was not confined to their enemies.
Death Eaters were violence incarnate, Theo thought, shivering, anyone willing to Cruciatus or Imperius curse a supposed loved one was a special slice of evil.
***********
The trauma of yesterday's discovery was in the forefront of most of the students' minds and when a group of six strangers with large dogs came through the Hogwarts gates, there was no shortage of shocked faces amongst the crowd. Blaise was waiting by the gate with Headmistress McGonagall, pleased to see his cousin by marriage and her team appear.
When they came near, Blaise dropped his normal elegant bored demeanor and ran forward, embracing his petite cousin tightly. It had been too long. His relation to her was through his seventh stepfather who, conveniently, had not been well liked by his extended family so his untimely demise had been barely remarked upon. Blaise and his mother had continued to be invited to family events and Blaise had maintained the connection.
“Ciao mia bella cugina, “ Blaise said, kissing her on each cheek. “Lucia, how are you? So glad your team was available to help with the clean up here.”
“Così felice di vederti cugino,” the stunning brunette Italian witch smiled up at him, her cocoa skin shining under the Scottish sun, “It’s so good to see you. No building collapses and no earthquakes mean we are between jobs. It’s convenient that the muggle members of the team were brought in on the Statute of Secrecy after that bridge collapse during the war. Makes things much easier, I just used to Confundus charm them before.” Her comment had Blaise throwing his head back laughing. The large German Shepherd backed up behind her and transformed into a very tall blonde man, who was fully dressed with a snap of his fingers.
“Hallo Hans! Wie geht es dir?” Blaise greeted his cousin’s husband, “I had forgotten that you would be working with the team in a different suit.” The huge German towered over Blaise who was not a short young man, casting no doubt on Hans’ frequent assertion that he had vikings in his family tree. And while he was several inches taller than Blaise, he was two feet or more taller than his petite wife. Blaise could see that the two of them had made quite an impression on the onlookers.
“Hallo der Vetter Blaise,” the man laughed and clapped him on the shoulder so hard that Blaise nearly fell over. The animagus grinned, his sandy blonde hair falling down into his face, “I am pleased to be here helping your school. This was a fine idea that you had. Ich bin stolz auf dich.” Lucia must have told Hans that Blaise was secretly covering the costs of the team so that the Hogwarts Board of Governors didn't have to be involved. According to McGonnagal during their tête-à-tête, the School Governors had barely approved the expense of the summer therapy program; Blaise was unsurprised at that revelation. The board was primarily made up of Purebloods, Blaise doubted that they even knew what therapy was.
Blaise looked behind him and saw the half-giant Hagrid had wandered up and was speaking with McGonagall. The two of them conferred briefly and then Hagrid stepped forward and whispered overly loudly to Blaise, “Mr. Zabini, can you introduce me, I’d like to meet the doggos.” Lucia, of course, could hear him perfectly well.
“Signor Hagrid,” Lucia greeted formally, “I am Lucia Bianchi, the lead handler. I have heard of you from our mutual friend, Charlie Weasley. Piacere di conoscerla. This is my husband Hans Schäfer.” Hans shook Hagrid’s hand vigourously.
“Charlie speaks very highly of you Herr Hagrid,” Hans said, “Please come meet the dogs and their handlers. I will be a dog again later once we are working. You are certainly willkommen to come and give me some ear scratches at that time.” Hagrid and Hans headed over to the rest of the team, and Blaise excused himself as McGonagal came over to speak with Lucia.
Blaise went and stood with the rest of his Slytherin compatriots and smiled knowingly at Theo’s confused expression.
McGonagal called the students to attention, “Good afternoon everyone. We are going to be hosting some guests for a week or so. This is a search and rescue team whose canine companions are trained to also locate the deceased, or parts of them. The goal of bringing the crew in is for you students not to be further traumatized by discoveries like yesterday. Since we have a professional team today, I am releasing all students for the afternoon. You may visit Hogsmeade unless your probation doesn't permit it. And of course, students who are interested in learning more about the recovery team are welcome to stay. It's a respectable magical career for those with NEWTs in Care of Magical Creatures and Charms. This team works closely with the DMLE. While there are muggle members of the team, they have all been inducted into the Statute of Secrecy, but still please be polite.” With that last, McGonagall gave all the Pureblood students of every house a stern look and Blaise barely contained his laughter, when she nodded in his direction.
The majority of the students left quickly, either immediately in the direction of Hogsmeade or back to their dorms, to get whatever they needed. The Slytherins and a group of Gryffindors were the only ones that remained, with Luna Lovegood floating in between the two groups, dreamily looking towards Hogsmeade and then at the team of dogs and their handlers..
Pansy excused herself with a swift kiss to Theo’s cheek, a hug for Blaise and a pat of Draco’s cheek, causing him to smile at her in surprise. “I’m going to see if I can schedule an individual therapy appointment and see if I can set up to volunteer for Madam Pomfrey,” She told the Slytherin boys, “I need to make sure I am doing everything I can to look good for my trial.” Draco nodded in understanding.
Blaise smiled, “Good luck, Pans, I hope it's successful. I think I want to stay and watch my cousin’s team work.”
“Pansy,” Luna called, “I’ll come with you. I wanted to talk with Madam Pomfrey about getting on the Potion.” Blaise nearly choked on his own breath and looked at Lovegood with renewed interest. She was looking especially lovely today with her pale blonde tresses pulled back by a headband decorated with fabric strawberries and a coordinated blue jumper also covered in embroidered strawberries. She did look good enough to eat, Blaise thought, would her kisses taste sweet?
Blaise was pulled out of his reverie by Theo cackling. “Luna, you never disappoint.”
“Oh you’re welcome, Theodore,” the petite blonde said, taking Pansy by the elbow, “So glad to know that you find my female reproductive health amusing.” She gave him a bland look that made Blaise wonder if she actually wasn’t as out of it as she often seemed. Did she just give Theo a setdown?
Blaise couldn’t help but let his eyes follow the Ravenclaw as she walked away with Pansy.
“Interested in Lovegood, Blaise?” Theo asked, throwing his arm over his friend's shoulder. “Pansy said she was an absolute freak in bed, but I wasn’t sure she fancied wizards. If she’s going on the Potion, she definitely has a specific wizard in mind. Could that be you mate?”
Blaise shoved Theo’s arm off his shoulders, “Nott, Lovegood and I have spoken twice.”
“That’s never stopped you from getting in a witch’s knickers,” Theo pointed out. Blaise found that logic both accurate and uncomfortable in Lovegood’s particular case. He really had no desire to examine why that was.
“So,” Blaise said, eager to change the subject, “are you two staying with me to watch?”
“Well I can’t go to Hogsmeade,” Draco said, “And this is definitely more interesting than any alternative this afternoon.”
Blaise looked over and saw that the straggling Gryffindors - Longbottom, Granger, Thomas and Finnegan - had opted to stay and watch the recovery team work. They sat together on stacks of building supplies, watching the dogs sniff and paw through the rubble.
Minerva transfigured some small coffins to be used, and body parts were placed in them as they were found. Flitwick charmed the lids of the coffins to identify the name of whoever's body part (or parts) were within.
It wasn't long before Draco hopped from his seat to help the cadaver team by moving the debris and stacking it with magic. After a few minutes, Theo joined him, with Blaise following shortly after. Neville watched them impassively lifting and stacking debris. It didn't take long before he moved over to where the Slytherin boys were working.
"Can I help?" Neville asked as Draco and Blaise worked together to move a particularly large piece of stone.
Grinning, Theo nodded his head, "Of course Longbottom. Never turn down the help of a lad with such a famous sword swing." He winked and went back to levitating a stack of bricks so that it sat in a neat pile next to other similar bricks.
Neville blushed, the innuendo not lost on him, but got into the rhythm of their process.
"Oi, Nott, can me and Dean give you a hand as well?" Finnegan asked.
"I don't see why not, " Theo said, trying to maintain his flow and interchange in the spellwork, "we do have a whole damn castle to rebuild." The two Gryffindors joined with Longbottom and began stacking the stones from the area that the recovery team had already marked clear with some green flags.
“All this time, Zabini, I thought we were friends. Do you know how useful having a dog that can find dead bodies would have been growing up? Some of those skeletons in the closet wouldn’t have stayed hidden for quite so long,” Theo laughed, as he waved his wand, carefully relocating what had been nothing but debris on the ground to the orderly stockpiles that the next phase of repairs would need.
“Nott, my mother keeps them busy enough on her own with her body count. What makes you think they would have had time for your father as well?” Blaise replied, causing the Gryffindors in the group to look between the two Slytherins in shock.
“Yes, well that is the only downside of becoming stepfather number, what would it be now, fifteen?” Theo said, smirking at the Gryffindors’ reactions.
“Eleventh,” Blaise corrected, with a wink, “is still alive and Mamma is uncommonly fond of him. He may last a few more years yet.”
“As long as you’re trying to marry Blaise’s mother and leaving mine alone, I’d gladly buy you cadaver dogs, Theo,” Draco chimed in.
"Drayyyyyco," Theo comically stretched out his name, "Don't be cross that you have the fittest mum in our social circle. That's not my fault. A man has eyes, yeah."
Neville laughed in surprise, and Blaise figured this was an unprecedented situation for the Gryffindor; to be amongst Slytherins in an amiable mood.
*******************
Draco ignored Theo as he started animatedly talking about his mother's many physical charms to the Gryffindors. His eyes drifted to where Granger was working about twenty yards away. Tears ran down her face as she stood by herself with her wand held out in front of her. When her face turned slightly, Draco quickly busied himself by rebuilding part of the cobble stone pillar to pretend that he hadn’t been watching her. He couldn’t comfort her, that would never be his place.
Draco Malfoy could never hold Hermione Granger while she cried no matter how much he wanted to. Instead, he clenched his hand around his wand until his knuckles were white and little crescents of blood burned on his palm.
**************
Moonrise over the Forbidden Forest was a beautiful sight from the Astronomy tower. It was early in the evening, and rather than going to eat dinner, Hermione was in the Astronomy tower watching the sky over the Forbidden Forest. She held the edge of the wall near one of the arched windows in a grasp that had a nail breaking as she clutched at the stone.
Her other hand lifted her flask of firewhisky, bringing it to her lips and taking a deep draw of the burning liquid. She released her hold on the wall and stood in the center of the window letting the strong Scottish wind push against her, closing her eyes as she drowned in the sensation. It felt like the wind could seize her and send her over the edge.
“Why am I alive when so many have died? What makes me so special that I got to survive?”. She allowed herself to say the words aloud that she had so often thought in her mind.
Really, what did it matter? Her parents were lost somewhere in Australia, not even knowing they had a daughter.
Harry had Ginny. Ron had his family and his groupies. None of them needed or wanted her, not really.
Who was counting on Hermione Granger to live another day? No one. The war was over and her usefulness to her friends was at an end.
Thinking she was completely alone, Hermione took another swig from her flask. Leaning over the railing, Hermione peered down at the distant cobblestones. She wondered how long the fall would take before she would reach the bottom. Would it take long enough that she would feel like she was floating, or would it just be a free fall. The thought of watching the flash of night sky before she reached the bottom before nothing was uncomfortably soothing. Everything would go black, nothing, just over.
“What the fuck, Granger?" Malfoy's voice suddenly called out from far behind her, causing her to jump slightly in her surprise. "You seriously want to retraumatize everyone by throwing yourself off the Astronomy Tower? How about just fucking not. You are the bloody Golden Girl. Gryffindor Princess. Head Girl. Pull it the fuck together, yeah?”
After the shock of his sudden appearance had worn off, Hermione hissed, angrily. “Fuck you Malfoy. What do you fucking care if I pitch myself off this tower?”
"I care because you bloody matter," Malfoy shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "You are brilliant and you are gonna do amazing fucking things…and change the world."
"I helped win a war, it is likely all downhill from here, Malfoy," Hermione sneered, a perfect imitation of how he had looked at her for so many years .
"You did, but you know what, you are going to keep on making the world a better place."
"You don't know what you are talking about! I am not some perfect person up on a pedestal! You think just because you were on the wrong side that you’re the only person who did things you can’t take back. You don’t know anything about me, Draco Malfoy! You don’t know the things I had to sacrifice and who I had to hurt and what it took to win!" Hermione shouted at him, grabbing her flask and taking yet another swig from it.
Draco ignored her and kept on, yelling at her "The things you did? You think what you did was so bad that it justifies ending yourself? You saved the world, Granger! The kind of person who should be up here considering throwing themselves off this tower is someone like me…a failure. Everyone would be better off if I just get sentenced to Azkaban next month. You are a hero Granger, leave the suicide to us villains."
Eyes widening as he realized that he had let his tongue get ahead of him, Malfoy turned and fled before Hermione could respond.
Left to ponder Malfoy's words, Hermione couldn't help but feel confused. She turned out and looked back over the night sky, the same one that she’d just so recently been thinking might be her last view.
As quickly as her plans to chuck herself from the tower came, the passion Malfoy had shown for her life made her think that maybe she did have something to live for, at least for now. She couldn’t let the mystery of Draco Malfoy thinking her life was worth something after all his years of abuse go uninvestigated. What had happened to the boy who had wished the basilisk would kill her? To be fair, what had happened to the two boys who swore to be her best friends no matter what?
There was nothing quite like curiosity to give Hermione a sense of purpose, she could not die with something undiscovered, but tantalizingly within her reach.
Tucking her flask into her bag, Hermione walked back down the tower, and off towards the head's dorm.
****************
Granger passed Draco where he had hidden in an alcove near the stairwell to the Astronomy Tower. His back pressed against the stone wall, he hoped that he was concealed enough that his pale hair wouldn’t be obvious to her.
He had been counting the seconds since he'd left her alone. If she hadn't come down soon, he'd resolved himself to go back up there and make sure she was safe. Convince her to come down, carry her if he had to.
Panic had begun to set in, when she finally wandered past his hiding spot. Wand in her hand, she looked more lost in thought than the tense hypervigilance he was used to from Gryffindor’s Princess.
Once her footsteps had faded away, Draco went back up the stairs and pulled out the joint that he had gotten from Blaise. He sat and looked out at the Hogwarts skyline. Smoking alone, he worked on the breathing exercises he'd learned from Healer Cordelia. Nothing in this tower can hurt me. Aunt Bella is dead. Greyback is dead. Granger isn't killing herself today.
Thank Salazar he had come up here when he had, and hadn’t delayed a few more minutes talking with Blaise. He couldn't imagine coming up here to smoke while her body was below sprawled on the stones; broken, bloodied, and lifeless. No one would ever believe he hadn't killed her, not even with Veritaserum.
The Golden Girl, taking her own life? The thought would have been unheard of, especially to her oblivious friends.
His heart fluttered and his hand shook at the possibility that it could still happen. Where were her bloody friends, the dimwitted duo? Did anyone see that she was falling apart? Did a single one of them even care?
He only ever saw her with Longbottom, Lovegood, Thomas and Finnegan. Why hadn’t Saint Potter and the Weasel returned with her? Even if those two were basking in their newfound hero status, where was the Weaselette?
Draco knew he was going to have to talk to Theo and Pansy about Granger - what he'd walked in on and what to do about it. He definitely couldn't handle this by himself. The only things he knew how to do were to get her upset or to run away from her. Neither of those were going to be particularly helpful, especially if she was really suicidal.
Draco drew up his legs and wrapped his arms around them, putting his chin on top of his knees. Taking another drag, he let the smoke sit in his lungs until it burned, exhaling the smoke into the chilled Scottish air.
He didn't want to imagine a world that didn't have Hermione Granger in it.
Why couldn't things just get better?
Notes:
Notes : "There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Is from Hamlet.
Thanks again to my amazing A/B team: Amebb42, SarahFraser, MegsIvy and my_saturday_girl
Drawing of Hermione and Draco on the Astronomy Tower by the exceptional KK Lawliet. Here is her Twitter https://twitter.com/kk_lawliet?s=09
Just a reminder that while this story is about the creation of a queer polycule during 8th year, it's also really about their trauma: from the war, their childhoods, etc.
Chapter 6: Coming Out, (No) Regrets
Summary:
Hermione must deal with the aftermath of the Astronomy Tower, Group Therapy leads to some drama between Blaise and Dean. The circle tables give an opportunity for strange lunch mates. Afternoon rebuilding activities. Pansy gets some individual therapy. Draco writes his mom and has some issues about sharing physical characteristics with his abuser. Pansy has a solution and an idea for a drinking game to include Hermione.
Notes:
I listened to Float by Call Me Karizma on repeat while writing this chapter
https://open.spotify.com/track/54JbP4PgOMQGowCbCfjCNA?si=8vvf6QCnRI2_rAeFrpHSAA
Towards the end of the chapter, Pansy sings Non, je ne regrette rien by Edith Piaf https://open.spotify.com/track/3dkIE8P7hvl3tHl9KSb6dA?autoplay=true
Cw: Pansy discusses her assault in therapy this chapter. Alot of death comes up in Group Therapy.
It's a long chapter, but I am dying to get past the four of them dancing around each other.
There is now a spotify playlist for this story: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7H5Eskhpc9tuV78PCXFAMt
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 6
Coming Out, (No) Regrets
Hermione woke up, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth which was dry like a desert, still in her rumpled clothes (including her shoes) from the night before, face down across her bed on top of her blankets. She rolled slightly onto her side, blowing her curls out of her face just for them to fall back into her eyes. Pulling her hair back, she saw hangover and sober up potions that she did not remember pulling out last night before falling asleep.
Well done Hermione, she thought. She wiped at her face again, and rolled onto her back. She must have passed out after coming back from the Astronomy Tower. She reached over and found her empty flask on the bed and frowned. She didn’t even remember drinking more on her way back to her room, but she must have done because she’d filled it before taking her little field trip last night. She actually had very little to drink prior to Malfoy interrupting her alone time. Merlin, her head was pounding.
There was a hesitant knock at her door.
“Hermione?” Theo called through the door, “It’s nearly time to head to the group. Are you up?”
Ugh, “Yes Theo, I am up. Give me a minute and I will walk down with you yeah?” Hermione quickly sat up, dizziness overwhelming for a moment until she grabbed the hangover potion and popped the cork, throwing back the contents of the vial. She conjured herself a glass of water, drank the whole thing and then another.
She pulled off her clothes and threw them across the room, and grabbed a fresh jumper, this one moss green. Digging through her drawer, she also found a matching emerald bralette and knickers set. Merlin, what would Theo think if he came in and saw her in green knickers? She pushed that thought aside and swiftly slid on fresh denims, socks and trainers.
Spraying some lavender scent on herself, she hoped the smell from the firewhisky coming from her pores wasn’t too strong and that no one would notice. She cast the teeth cleaning charm on herself, even though her habit was to handle it the muggle way, there just wasn’t time today. Her hair was completely wild, so she used a couple of charms on it, and then just twisted it into a bun, shoved her wand through it, drank a Pepper-Up potion and opened the door to see Theo Nott standing there with his hand raised right in front of her face, obviously about to knock again. His knuckles were right in front of her face, his Nott signet ring so close that she could lean forward and kiss it if she wanted to. The mental image of putting her mouth on his ring and then maybe sucking on a finger or two sent a shiver of desire through her. And she faked a cough to cover up the moan that was about to spill out. Fuck his hands are perfect: perfect olive skin, perfect long fingers. If Theo just leaned forward he could put his hand around her throat and …
She shook herself and smiled in greeting.
“Oh,” he said, smiling, “You are ready. Here I brought these back for you,” he said, handing her a pumpkin scone and a cup of coffee. She sipped from the mug and was shocked to discover that it was exactly the way she liked it.
“Did you already go down to breakfast and come back?” Hermione asked, stunned at how late she must have slept.
“Yes, but we need to hurry. We don't have a lot of time until the group starts,” Theo replied, starting to turn away from her. He looked over his shoulder at her and raised a brow in a silent question.
Hermione swiftly downed the coffee, leaving the cup on the table by the couch, and nibbled on the scone as she followed Theo’s brisk pace down the stairs. Hermione stumbled a bit trying to keep up with him, apparently the hangover potion still not taking full effect yet. Theo must have heard her, stopping and turning towards her, as if he were watching to make sure she didn’t fall. A blush dusted her cheeks at her own clumsiness.
When they reached the quad where therapy was held, Hermione realized that she was the only one that their group was waiting on and she swallowed nervously. She devoured the last bite of her scone, licking her fingers clean before leaning up towards the Head Boy,
“Theo?” Hermione asked in a low voice.
“Yes, Hermione?” Theo whispered back playfully, his eyes flickering to her lips.
“Did you come back up just for me?” Hermione inquired.
“Of course,” Theo smiled, “What are friends for? You have a crumb just there.” He wiped his thumb across her lower lip. Hermione froze under his touch. “There you go: all better.”
Hermione’s eyes widened in surprise at his touch and the idea that he thought of them as friends, and Theo Nott walked over to take his place in the circle, leaving her to take a spot next to Pansy Parkinson on her left and Susan Bones on her right. Hermione sat and began fidgeting with the hem of her jumper. At least I’m not next to Malfoy, she thought before letting her eyes scan the group and spotting the top of his head and diverting her gaze back to her hands.
Cordelia smiled kindly at Hermione and said, “Now that we are all here this morning, let's start with talking about regrets. What is a regret? It's a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done. We’ll go around the circle.”
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Theo kicked his leg, wondering what had kept Hermione up so late drinking. He had heard her stumble into the suite after Pansy had fallen asleep with her head on his pillow. Theo had put down his book and slipped from his bed, careful not to wake his bedmate and cracked open his door just enough that he could see the silhouette of her movements.
When she tripped and fell into their chaise, he’d almost gone to check on her, but she bounced up. Although she hadn’t made it quickly into her room, only getting as far as the wall before she leaned into it. She lifted her flask to her lips and then shook it before letting out a loud sigh. Using the wall, Hermione had navigated her way back over to her doorway, he heard the slam of her door and some snoring. Theo knew she had to have made it to bed okay, and slipped back into his bed.
When he saw no sign of her in the morning, Theo became concerned. He had gone down and had breakfast with Pansy, Blaise and Draco, only able to pay partial attention to their conversation. His eyes had been trained on the entrance to the Great Hall. When there was no sign of his hungover roommate coming to breakfast, Theo became bothered. As the time came for everyone to go out to the courtyard for their group session and Hermione still hadn’t shown up, Theo became distressed. He joined their group and quietly told Cornelia that he thought the Head Girl must have overslept. Cordelia had been extremely understanding, letting him know she would wait to start and suggest the group grab an extra coffee or tea in the meantime.
Theo ran up to their tower after grabbing a coffee and a scone for her. He charmed the drink so as not to spill and took the stairs two at a time, hoping that she was just hungover and not hurt or actually ill.
She had come out of her room looking alright, even if her hair was still a dreadful mess. The smell of multiple potions on her breath still lingered as he handed over the coffee. He promised himself he would never not check on her again, even if he thought she would get irritated with him for invading her privacy.
Theo would have never forgiven himself if something serious had been wrong. He needed to be a better roommate. Hermione was clearly drinking alone and there was no reason for that. He was perfectly capable of drinking with her, as was Pansy for that matter. Draco could have done as well, but he'd taken himself off to find Blaise and then fucked off to who knew where. Though, now that Theo thought back to breakfast, he didn’t remember the blonde in question being very talkative either.
Draco seemed somewhat the worse for wear this morning, purple smudges under his eyes and a grim set to his mouth. He wasn’t even hiding the fact that he kept staring at Granger. If she noticed, she wasn’t showing it as she seemed determined to look anywhere but at Draco. Assuredly for the best, because if she did, the scowl on Draco’s face was likely to frighten the witch off, not that their past history wasn't perfectly capable of doing that for itself. Something must have happened, Theo thought. Had they been somewhere together last night? He’d have to watch closely and see if the energy that swirled between the two of them had changed, Draco seemed even more intent on her than normal. Which, considering his level of obsession with Hermione, was really saying something.
Cordelia had already started her circle discussion of regrets, and while watching Hermione and Draco, Theo had missed the full instructions. What a bloody pleasant topic to start the morning.
“My biggest regret,” Susan stammered tearfully, “is that I didn't get my aunt to leave Godric's Hollow and go into hiding. I sent her an owl and went to see her, but I should have pushed harder. Maybe if I had, she would still be alive, ya know?”
Cordelia made some sympathetic noises, but imparted, “The only person responsible for your aunt’s death, is the person who killed her, Susan. It’s human to regret not saving someone in retrospect, but there was no way for you to have known what was going to happen. You are no seer. Wait, is anyone in the group a seer?” Most of the group shook their heads.
“My mother,” Luna raised her hand, “said my father was one when he was young, but lost the ability after I was born.”
“Oh good. Not about your father Luna, just it's easier to run a group if there are no seers. Things muggle mind healers never have to deal with,” Cordelia joked. Chuckles and laughter spread through the circle, some of the tension flowing out of the participants. Cordelia gestured to the next student to continue.
"My biggest regret is that someone else killed Bellatrix Lestrange,” Longbottom stared at the flagstones, seemingly unaware of the absolute stillness that had fallen over the others at his words. “After everything she did. She destroyed my family. She hurt people I care about and I wish that it had been me to avada her.” He looked over at Draco, “Sorry Malfoy - I know she was your aunt."
"Honestly Longbottom,” Draco proffered sincerely, “you could have taken the words out of my mouth. She destroyed my family too and hurt people I care about, terrorized my mother. She was an utter madwoman. I am jealous you got to behead that bloody snake. You can't imagine living with that demonic thing."
Theo had only had the displeasure of meeting Bellatrix LeStrange the handful of times she had visited Nott Manor. He didn’t think he’d ever forget the cruel look in her eyes. She would have joyfully killed him if the idea had taken her fancy. However, knowing how Draco had felt about that snake, there was a great deal of open honesty from the Malfoy heir about his envy. Certainly more than Theo was used to seeing in such a public setting.
"Is that your regret Draco?” asked Mind Healer Cordelia.
Draco shudders, and it takes him a long time to say "No. No. Mine is more of a snowball of regrets. I didn't do enough. I let people be hurt….in ...in...my home and here...at Hogwarts... and I didn't do enough. Nothing could ever be enough." Draco bit his lip and looked at the sky, and Theo saw Draco’s gaze go cold as his occlumency shields went up.
Pansy had tears dripping down her face while she looked over at Draco. Pansy looked over at Granger who Theo was pleased to see was finally looking at Draco with a mixture of disbelief and surprise. Pansy and Luna shared a look, because they knew who else was on that list of those that were hurt that Draco was talking about. Luna reached over to Thomas who was sitting next to her and held his hand, the shared experience rolling over them. Theo knew they had been together in the Malfoy dungeons for weeks together.
Was it more than that? No.
Theo was nearly positive that Thomas and Finnegan were in a monogamous gay entanglement. He’d put galleons on it.
Mind Healer Cordelia walked over to Draco and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to get his attention. "Draco, can I remind you please that occlumency is not allowed in our circle. You did take a vow and it's not good for your healing." The healer said in a low voice, trying to give Draco a little privacy, even though the entire group could clearly hear what she’d said.
"I am really trying." Draco forced out, with his eyes still looking upwards.
"I know. Don't give up. You can do this," the healer encouraged. Draco took a deep breath and closed his eyes as his body shuddered with the drop of his occlumency shields.
Draco exhaled and with his eyes still closed, "I have more regrets than things I don't regret." He said finally. Healer Cordelia waited a few more moments to make sure that Draco didn’t occlude again, before she seemed satisfied that he was going to be able to stay present.
Once Cordelia gave Blaise the go ahead, and he took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. Crossing his arms over his chest before uncrossing them again and resting his forearms on his thighs, he finally spoke. “I regret coming back to Hogwarts last year. Bad as it sounds, I wish I would have stayed in Italy. Yeah, maybe I would feel guilty about not being there then, but at least I wouldn't have seen it. Wouldn't have had to deal with the Carrows and their psychotic punishments. The battle itself is the worst, I regret seeing so many bodies, smelling so much death. I don't think I will ever get that out of my head. And I’d honestly rather not see Thestrals thank you.”
Dean asked, “But weren't you locked in the dungeon for the battle?”
The Slytherins exchanged glances as they realized that Draco letting their house out of the dungeons during the battle remained a secret. They had been sure that Filch would have told someone, well anyone really. Then again, the caretaker did always do his own thing, so maybe it wasn’t really all that surprising.
Blaise laughed, "You really think putting Slytherins in the dungeon was going to keep us confined? I called my house elf." Pansy and Theo also chuckled, as if the fabricated story was exactly what had happened for them too. Theo gave Draco a look out of the corner of his eye, and saw that his blonde friend was smirking. The only indication he was nervous was a slight tap of his foot.
“And what side did you fight on Zabini?" Thomas hissed, clearly taking offense to the laughter.
Mindhealer Cordelia tried to intervene saying that wasn't the point, but neither of the boys took notice of her.
"The side that didn't rape and crucio my friends for two bloody years, Thomas.” Blaise snapped at the Gryffindor, he leaned forward in his chair, as if he were preparing himself for an attack.
“You may think that it was all sunshine and bleeding unicorns on the Dark side, but we didn't have any bloody biscuits. I don't think anyone in this whole circle was happier than me that the Dark Lord lost except Pans, Theo, and fucking Draco. Drake had to live with that psychopath in his fucking house!" Blaise was now shouting at this point.
Cordelia had stopped trying to interrupt as she saw the looks of shock on the faces of Dean, Neville and Hannah. She felt like this was making some of the therapeutic headway she hoped for. They were making connections.
Theo nodded, seeing the look on his fellow Head’s face. "I know it may be hard to imagine, but my father is a nightmare. He didn't hide his evil from me. In fact, I was constantly an embarrassment because I didn't want to rape, murder and torture muggles and muggleborns. My regret is absolutely not defying him more."
Pansy shot him a glare from her seat. "He would have fucking killed you Theo. He almost did more than once as it was." She hissed, clearly not entertained by his nonchalant proclamation.
Theo realized that Hermione was looking at him like this new information was shocking despite the story he had told yesterday. Her eyebrows were raised so high that they were hidden under the curly hairs that had fallen out of her bun. Yeah, it wasn’t a one off, he wanted to tell her. My father almost killed me regularly, please Salazar don't pity me, Hermione.
Draco’s jaw was clenched and he looked like he was trying to count his breaths so he stayed calm and in his seat. The sound of his knuckles popping as the blonde gripped his hands at his side, the hidden signs of Draco’s barely leashed anger. Draco was moments away from standing and yelling at him.
Blaise, on the other hand, was looking on impassively. Theo recognized his difficulty with conflict, Blaise was shutting down, unable to deal with the thought of Theo’s father killing him. Going home every holiday to a mother that repeatedly disposed of her husbands had definitely taught Blaise how not to let his emotions show.
Theo shrugged. "Maybe, but then I would have died for something. Something meaningful."
Pansy looked livid as she shouted, "You would still have been bloody dead, you wanker."
"Pansy, remember our agreements. No name calling. Supportive comments only please. "
"But Cordelia, I mean it with love," Pansy tossed back, stretching out the last word dramatically and tossing her hair.
"Pansy." Cordelia said with firmness.
"Fine" Pansy said in her ‘this isn’t over’ tone. "Theo, I am glad you aren't dead. Now you can find something to live for instead of die for and not be a bloody wanker by talking about wishing your father had killed you by doing more to piss him off."
Theo looked at Pansy smiling. He already knew exactly the kinds of things he was currently living for: the look that would be on Pansy’s face when he replaced her toy bag, the moment of explosion when Draco and Hermione finally broke the sexual tension between them, Draco’s rough kisses, the chance to smell Hermione’s skin again, a good smoke and a strong drink. Yes, all those things were exactly what he was living for right now and made him glad that his father hadn’t offed him.
Hermione’s eyes flickered again between Theo and Pansy and then to Draco; Theo could almost hear her brain working as she tried to figure out which one of the two Slytherin boys Pansy was dating.
"Alright thank you Pansy, but can you share your regret with us? Let’s try to stay on track, even though we are jumping around the circle a bit. Remember it can be anything. No judgments."
Pansy looked at Luna who had been watching the interchanges between Blaise, Theo and Pansy with interest.
"I don't want to share specifics," Pansy said finally. "I just regret what happened when you were at that place with me, Luna." Cordelia looked over at Luna.
"And Luna?"
"I regret distracting Pansy in that place where I was with her, then maybe other things would have happened differently."
The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs in their therapy circle were so confused, but if the group had taught them anything, it was that everything shared didn't apply to everyone.
"Remember Luna, we aren't responsible for the actions and reactions of others, only our own. I think we will stop there for today and those who haven't shared, can have some time to talk about it tomorrow. I’m going to pass out some materials and then Luna, Pansy and Draco can you three stay behind for a bit, please?"
Cordelia passed out black journals to the group, levitating one to each of the students with their names embossed in gold on the cover and instructed them to start writing in them today. She smiled as she explained that they could choose anywhere on the Hogwarts grounds to write.
“For your first entry, I want you to tell me the story of your name, whatever that might be and the things that you tell yourself about who that is,” Cordelia said in her soothing manner, “you can share what you have written with me in individual counseling if you like, but these journals are primarily for you to work on the concepts that we are addressing here in the group and feelings that they bring up for you.”
“Each journal is charmed so that only you can read what you have written there unless you give someone express consent to read it. The charm to give that consent is printed in the back of the journal. They also have an anti-loss charm, so if you leave it somewhere it should show back up near you within a few hours. That particular charm isn’t as consistent as I would like,” Cordelia said, “if anyone gets an idea on how to improve it, please let me know. Also the journals can’t be destroyed in malice or anger. It just won't work, but we may destroy them later in the year as part of an activity. As the muggles say, stay tuned for more information.”
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As Hermione walked away with her new journal clutched in her hands, she looked back and saw Draco’s eyes glassy with tears as Cordelia spoke softly to the three remaining behind. Her hand was on Draco's arm, his left, like the Dark mark wasn't there just hidden by his shirt.
Pansy and Luna were crying and hugging each other and Hermione felt the awful sense that she was watching something private that she shouldn't but couldn't seem to look away.
And then Draco looked up and their eyes locked, and she couldn't take her feelings of guilt so she ran. She ran all the way to the Heads’ dorm, threw herself on the couch and lay staring at the ceiling wondering when everything had gotten so confusing. It was simpler when the Slytherins were the bad guys who embraced evil. None of them were like they were before the war, full of anger and hate. They were all broken. Like her.
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After over an hour where he was forced to write about how his father named Theo after himself, he had to admit he had had a lucky break not to be named Thoros or Theodoros.
Who was Theodore Nott, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Nott? He was in Slytherin like countless Notts before him. He was Head Boy. He preferred to be called Theo. He felt ashamed of being his father’s son, maybe he wanted to be the end of his house. There was no sense of how to be a good father inside of him, what did good fathers do? How did they talk to their sons or how did they show they loved their daughters? So if his house ended with him, then what? Who was Theo Nott without his noble house? He batted for both sides. He didn’t believe in monogamy and thought ethical consensual non-monogamy was more realistic. Two of his best friends might go to Azkaban in just a few weeks and there was nothing he could do about it despite all his galleons. He would never be able to get work as a curse breaker for the Ministry because of his thrice blasted name. His name that was nothing more than a symbol of his inheritance, a heritage of brutal murder and blood prejudice.
Once he had finished writing about his name, Theo was grateful that therapy was over for the day and joined Blaise at one of the round tables. He noticed that there were only eight tables now, enough for people to still spread out, but more of a push for them to start eating together. He looked around and realized that Drake once again had disappeared during lunch, he almost never ate a mid-day meal. Tapping his fingers on the table, Theo tried to think of ways to entice Draco to join them. He had gained back a lot of weight from 6th year, but he was still too thin for the size of his frame and the amount that Theo knew that Draco exercised hoping to make it back onto the Slytherin Quidditch team this year.
“Nott, Zabini,” Neville called, “Is it okay if we join you?” The Gryffindor stood awkwardly a meter away from the table, Thomas and Finnegan even more nervous behind him.
“Absolutely Longbottom,“ Theo winked, ”inter-house unity and all that.”
Theo was surprised when Thomas turned to Blaise and stated, “Mate, I’m really sorry for being an arse in the therapy circle.”
After spending more time in the Muggle world going to concerts with Blaise, Theo had realized how white Hogwarts was and how much skin colour affected people in the Muggle World. As he looked from Dean to Blaise he realized that other than Harper Silvanus, a fifth year Slytherin, they were the only black men at the school. Theo wondered if the two of them had ever spoken directly before today.
Blaise said, “There was no way you could have known. It's not like we were advertising what a nightmare it was on our end.”
Neville looked at Theo and Blaise, “I know none of you were really on Voldemort’s side. Some of the first years told me about the nerve blocking spell. How when you four were running the punishments Malfoy talked to the kids in their minds and told them to pretend that it hurt.”
Theo shrugged, “It's hardly a secret now that the former powers that be are either dead or in Azkaban.”
"We all just did what we could," Blaise admitted, pouring himself some coffee, "and sometimes it was frustratingly little."
“Still, it was pretty Gryffindor of you all,” Thomas pointed out, smiling, “I just wish I had known about it then.”
“We let you sit with us snakes, don't go insulting us now,” Theo groused.
“We swore all the first years to secrecy. If word had gotten out the four of us would have been as good as dead, Draco most of all,” Blaise sipped his coffee, “No offense, but the only reason the Come and Go Room stayed a secret so long was because we covered for your arses. There wasn't much we could do when Edgecombe defected, though.”
“I made sure it couldn’t be found by those who supported the Carrows last year,” Longbottom said, “We called it the Room of Requirement though. I just required it not to be found. It’s too bad about the fiendfyre, it was a useful spot.”
Blaise and Theo shared a look, both thinking of Vince and looking over at the bitter and angry version of Goyle eating alone in the corner. Too bad about the fiendfyre indeed.
Theo took a drink of his tea, “I wonder if it will ever go out on its own, or if it will just burn forever.”
“Nothing burns forever,” Blaise stated prosaically.
“Some things do,” Thomas proclaimed, as he grabbed Finnegan's hand and clutched it on top of the table in full view of the Slytherins.
Theo watched Longbottom as he flushed and looked back and forth between the two Slytherins like he was expecting them to say or do something awful.
"So you two, huh? Can’t say I didn’t suspect after you almost took a swing at me on the train, Finnegan,” Theo grinned.
The young Irishman replied, "Yea since 5th year, some of the blokes in our house are homophobic tossers, but life is too fucking short yeah. And if there is ever a time to be out its bloody therapy camp. Can’t imagine Mind Healer Atticus would put up with any of that shite."
“Cordelia either,” Dean added, “If anything she is supportive to a fault.”
“Life is certainly too short," Theo laughed, visions of Drake tied to his bed, his cock hard, his eyes squeezed shut in pleasure dancing in his mind.
"Slytherin is pretty queer and if people aren't — I am straight, for instance — we try to be good allies." Blaise said, looking sideways at Theo " I certainly don't wanna out anyone, but ...you definitely aren't alone."
Theo laughed "Fucking subtle Blaise, like a gold brick wrapped in lemon." He stood up on his chair, bowed with one arm raised and announced loudly "Theo Nott, Queer. I like the ladies and the lads and I am ethically non-monogamous." He raised an eyebrow at Blaise. "And as your Head Boy, I am happy to be supportive of any relationship you find yourselves in. Please reach out if you need peer support, advice or reading recommendations about consensual non monogamy, etcetera." He bowed again, and waved at a couple of the prettier witches in the room.
He sat down to the absolute stares of his table mates, most of the Great Hall including McGonagall and Filch, the latter who looked as if he was going to have an apoplexy. McGonagall was rubbing her temples as though she had a splitting headache suddenly. "What? My father's in Azkaban forever. I am head of my Ancient and Noble House, having been accepted by the Ministry and Gringotts. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Someone could write to the prophet?" Pansy said as she sat down next to Blaise, Luna beside her. Theo noticed Blaise eyeing Luna appreciatively as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and sat, leaning over to grab some strawberries, suggestively taking a bite, seemingly unaware of the tightness in Blaise’s face as he swallowed repeatedly. Theo smothered his own laughter, with a fake cough behind his hand.
"Ah hello Pans, Luna," Theo said. "Ah but would that be that bad? Perhaps my bastard father would read it and drop dead from an ann-you-riz-um."
Dean was evidently startled to hear such a term coming from Pureblood Theo Nott. "That some muggle medical science, Nott, how'd you learn about aneurysms?"
Theo chuckled, "Blaise introduced me to muggle medical shows on the telly when I went to Italy with him last year. Some of the doctors are rather naughty, especially on the Yank dramas."
"You have a television?" asked Seamus, shocked.
Blaise shrugged. "The guard tower at the villa has electricity, it's far enough from the house that it works fairly well. Makes sense to have a television there." Blaise was acting like this was not a big deal, but for a pureblood wizard to have a muggle appliance, it was quite shocking. Suffice it to say, Dean and Seamus' minds were blown. Neville, whose grandmother and parents had all been in the Order, still had never even been in a muggle dwelling nor watched television. For all that his family was progressive, they still had very little interaction with muggles or muggleborn families.
"Television is grand and all, but do you lads know about Death Metal?" Theo put his forearms on the table and leaned towards the Gryffindors. Pansy snorted and turned toward Luna as Blaise started throwing his two Sickles in about Italian muggle music festivals. Dean and Seamus smiled at each other and shared all about the music fest they'd attended in Norwich in ‘97. This led to Dean promising to bring his CD of Sneakerpimps and the Walkman to Theo to see if it could be powered by magic.
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The cadaver teams were working in the area where the wall had collapsed on Fred Weasley and it was still quite unstable so McGonagall had insisted that there be no observers today so the professors could concentrate on keeping the recovery team safe. The greenhouses, the temporary owlery, and some tapestry repair with Professor Trelawney were all offered up as alternatives to magical masonry for the day.
Blaise was deeply disappointed to not be able to watch, and ignored the Headmistress’ instructions long enough to locate his cousin and her husband who was in animagus form, the big dog bumping Blaise’s hand with his nose, until he gave him some scratches behind the ears.
Lucia laughingly said, “Behave amore mio. Blaise, perhaps we can do dinner in Hogsmeade? Our contract is only for a week. I will try to get permission for your friends Draco and Pansy to come too. We have multiple DMLE contracts. We must count as an appropriate chaperone.
Nessuna promessa, ma faremo quello che possiamo cugino.”
“Grazie cugina. Mi dispiace non poterti guardare lavorare oggi.”
“It’s no matter. Find something safer to do, your mother would not be pleased to have you doing dangerous work and you her only son.” Lucia chided, “Maybe there is a pretty girl you could help somewhere around, hmm?”
Blaise looked off and saw Lovegood talking with Longbottom on the path that led to the greenhouses. “Yes Lucia, I suspect that there is, at that.” And he gave Hans a good pat, and a quick embrace for his cousin and headed off after the girl he hadn’t been able to get out of his mind since the day before.
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Hermione discovered Draco Malfoy in the library learning book repair spells from Madam Pince. She hid behind the bookcase, listening to the nicest tone she had ever heard Madam Pince use as the witch walked Draco through the steps to diagnose the severity of damage and then if repairable which charms to use to fix the antique books himself.
"Perhaps you'll pursue a career as a librarian Mr Malfoy, " Madam Pince laughed. Hermione didn't think she had ever heard the stern woman laugh and she’d been haunting the library for years.
"If I don't go to Azkaban, Madam Pince," Draco murmured, "then I am lucky enough to have my own library, which I will definitely be more hands-on with if I am so lucky as to escape a long sentence."
"Do you think it likely, Mr Malfoy?" she asked, sitting another damaged book in front of him.
"I think it is as likely as unlikely. I can't imagine much sympathy for a marked Death Eater in the current political climate," Draco acknowledged, as he cast the spell to repair the binding of the ancient tome.
"Book repair charms are delicate work. It takes precision and talent. It would be quite the waste of your skills if you went to Azkaban, Mr Malfoy." Madam Pince informed the Slytherin, her voice prim.
"Hopefully the Wizengamot agrees."
Hermione found herself hoping the same thing as she stood pressed against the bookcase listening to Malfoy and Madam Pince’s easy conversation about book restoration. Yet again today, the world seemed to shift on its axis. How much of Draco Malfoy’s persona over the years had been an illusion? Or was this new version of Malfoy a deception?
More and more it seemed like Hermione had never known him at all. The image of him from earlier with tears in his eyes haunted her and she snuck back out of the library using silencing charms on the door so that the occupants never realized they had had an eavesdropper.
********************
After lunch, Pansy took the staircase up to the former classroom that hosted Mindhealer Cordelia for the appointment she had for individual therapy. Her hands shook a little as she knocked, and hearing Cordelia’s voice, Pansy pushed the door open and went inside.
Cordelia had transformed the old classroom into a welcoming space with blue rugs and a few chairs and a settee. There were live plants all over the room, their green leaves and vines giving the room a pleasant energy.
“Pansy, welcome to my new office. Please sit wherever you like,” Cordelia said, waiting for Pansy to choose a seat. Once Pansy chose a chair that faced the window overlooking the Black Lake, Cordelia chose a seat across from her. “Now Pansy, this is our first individual session, so I want to ask you some questions. I like to use a quick quotes quill for therapeutic notes, so that I can be fully present with you, but having notes helps me review and plan for your next appointment. Is that something that you are comfortable with?”
“Yes, yes. That’s fine. No one else sees the notes?” Pansy asked, chewing on her fingernail.
“Certainly not. I have them charmed to only be able to be read by me, and keep them in a cabinet with a blood ward on it. Your confidentiality means a great deal to me personally and professionally,” Cordelia said, putting her ebony hands on her crossed knee, her green healer robes flowing and pooling around her feet.
“Now, I know we talked a bit with Draco and Luna today. I am hoping that you have come to discuss some of the trauma we touched on today?” The quick quotes quill floated behind her and began scratching at the scroll also floating in the air.
Pansy took a steadying breath, “Yes. Yes. I know I need to talk to someone about what happened over last Christmas hols. Luna was there when it happened, and Draco was there for the aftermath, and they both are trying very hard to be supportive, but…”
“But?” Cordelia asked.
Pansy looked out the window, “I don’t want either of them to know how close I am to shattering. I feel like I am made out of Venetian glass. One wrong move and I am just going to break apart.” Her fingernails tapped out a beat against her leg, her short black dress just long enough to cover the scars that bisected her thighs. The scars that she had had Theo teach her how to glamour, just like he did the scars and burns all over his chest and back.
“Are you ready to talk about what happened, Pansy?” Cordelia asked.
“The rape? Yeah. So my dad signed a marriage contract for me with Corban Yaxley who is older than my dad and murdered at least two wives already. Death Eater. Absolute dodgy maggot. So…I refused to do it…And my dad is a lot of things, but he didn’t potion or Imperius curse me to go along with the wedding. He wanted my enthusiastic consent. I mean why? I don’t even know. For the illusion? So he could pretend that he was a good father and that I was happy? It’s not like he didn’t know I preferred women. I have been caught with them often enough.”
Cordelia nodded, “Do you identify as lesbian, Pansy?”
“I used to; I was a goldstar before the assault. Still not too keen about the idea of being the bottom, but I have a …thing now with Theo.” Cordelia nodded.
“So your family wasn’t supportive of your preference and arranged a marriage with a known abuser of women who was significantly older than you, and then wanted you to pretend to be pleased with the match?” Cordelia paraphrased.
“That about covers it, yeah.” Pansy said, “I didn’t play the dutiful daughter, so I was forced to join the snatchers that worked for the Dark Lord. And after delivering some poor Muggleborn bastard that was stupid enough to say the Dark Lord’s name to Malfoy Manor, I discovered that Luna was being held there. While we were …uh..catching up, Yaxley found me there in the dungeon and took his anger out on me for refusing to go through with the contract.”
Pansy took a ragged breath, “Luckily he knocked me out, so I missed most of it. I woke up bloody and almost dead. Draco found me and got me taken care of. His mum helped; we’re pretty close now. Mrs Malfoy took charge of my healing and kept me hidden in her private quarters until it was time to return to Hogwarts in January. She even got in a fight with my mum when she told her what had happened to me, and my mum’s only concern was that no one else would offer me a new contract. Honestly I have never seen her angry, she’s always so poised and calm. It was a bit eerie. I’ve never had an adult upset on my behalf.”
“It sounds like she was a really positive adult in your life during a really difficult time.”
“She was... We had… a great deal in common. And it was nice to have someone to talk to who understood. Her marriage to Draco’s father was arranged and it isn’t particularly happy. I mean she loves Draco, but…being Sacred 28 isn’t really all that great for women, you know.”
“I’m aware, yes,” Cordelia nodded, “arranged marriages, abusive husbands and patriarchal control of assets makes it almost impossible for women to escape their domestic abuse, which isn't even illegal under current Wizarding law in Britain. We’re horribly behind muggles in that regard. In fact, there is only one domestic violence safe house for witches in Europe and it's in Romania of all places, hardly easily accessible.”
“I knew about it not being a crime. In fact, Yaxley didn’t even rape me legally speaking. We had a signed marriage contract, that we hadn’t had the wedding yet was immaterial. Of course though, once I wasn’t a virgin, he revoked his consent to the contract, which is grand because he’s in Azkaban forever. Not for what he did to me mind, or even the other wives he murdered. No justice for any of us.”
Tears began to spill down Pansy’s cheeks. Cordelia levitated a handkerchief over to her.
“How do you feel about all of it now?”
“I feel like I am constantly crying now. I get scared in the dungeon and have basically moved in with Theo in the Head’s Dorm. I have nightmares. I can't fall asleep if I am alone in my bed. I am always looking behind me and men I don't know scare me now. I used to be angry all the time but now it seems to be replaced with sadness. I used to be tough, now I’m just bawling at every drop of a bloody hat.” Pansy wiped at her tears.
“Pansy, you are a survivor. You went through a very difficult experience and here you are, healing and talking through it. None of that is easy. Crying is a completely reasonable response and there’s nothing wrong with it.”
Pansy nodded and wiped at her face. “I’d like to talk about something else for a while if that’s okay.”
“Of course. So, you said that you were staying in Theo’s room. Don't worry I won't be telling anyone about that. He is Head Boy, right? So his room is more private? And also the dungeons appear to be a trigger for you?”
“Yes, his room is more private. Granger is his only roommate and they have private bedrooms.
Being in the dungeons is exceptionally hard for me right now.” Pansy was leaving out how Goyle had threatened to assault her; she was sure that Cordelia would feel the need to get McGonagall and the DMLE involved. It was unlikely anyone would believe her anyways; she didn’t want it to work against her in her own trial. It wasn't worth it.
“Are you in a sexual relationship with Theo?” Cordelia asked.
“So, sleeping in bed with Theo isn't new. I slept with him in bed most of last year, because Draco was gone so often. Draco was my go-to pretend boyfriend for years, but in 6th year he got Marked and really isolated himself so Theo stepped up and then we got a bit serious after Daphne and I broke up. Emotionally I mean. I was considering that maybe I wanted to shag him, then the rape just before Christmas. And that kind of ruined that.”
“I see,” Cordelia said, “so you have a solely emotional relationship with Theo?”
Pansy blushed, “Not exactly. How much do you know about kink? BDSM?”
“Well,” Cordelia said thoughtfully, her long dark finger tapping her cheek. “I consider myself to be a sex-positive feminist, but there are definitely some parts of the dynamic of the heterosexual female submissive I find personally triggering to be frank.”
“Well, that's hardly an issue, as I am Theo’s domme and have been for nearly two years. So he submits to me, definitely never the other way. So since Daphne and I split at the end of 6th year, he and I have been working at more than just a scene only relationship.”
“So this started while you were still dating Daphne? Was she aware of your relationship with Theo?”
“She was. In theory, I guess. She wasn't really interested in understanding what kink was about. She was an utterly vanilla pillow princess. She’s marrying some French Pureblood boy her parents picked out, probably going to lie back and think of the bloodline when it comes to the marriage night. She even sent me a wedding invite, so polite of her. Anyway, once she found out the kind of heavy play Theo and I are into, she kind of lost it. It was an ugly break up. Closeted dyke drama for sure.”
“Heavy play?” Cordelia asked, her face an impassive mask.
“Do you really want to know? We both like pain and blood play, restraints - that kind of thing. Daphne wasn’t even up for a light spanking, so all of that definitely freaked her out. If you talk with my auror supervisor, they took all my kink toys and won’t give them back, so that will definitely give you a sense of what we were about.”
“Ah, but it’s all consensual? Theo enjoys it as much as you do?”
“Absolutely, maybe even more than I do. He doesn’t really ever let anyone else take the lead,” Pansy said a little shyly.
“Well I don't see any issues, but I will work on getting more informed Pansy so that if other things related to your kink relationship come up in therapy, you won’t need to educate me on basics.”
Pansy looked at Cordelia shocked, “You’d do that? You don’t think I am some sort of freak?”
“Certainly not,” Cordelia said, “I think you are using your bdsm activities to empower yourself in a world where you feel powerless, and rightfully so I might add. So is your relationship with Theo an exclusive one?”
“Oh, no,” Pansy shook her head, “He’s definitely seeing other people, at least one bloke for sure. He’s super into ethical non-monogamy. Luna too, not sure which of them found out about it first, honestly.”
“And are you okay with that? Him seeing other people?”
“Yeah? I mean honestly I’d love a girlfriend. Theo is grand and all, and being into blokes, he definitely has some less than traditionally masculine energy at times, but there’s just something about having a woman in your arms, the sweet smell of her, and their lips and a nice wet…” Pansy blushed darkly, embarrassed at where her tongue had gone.
“I see, “ Cordelia said with no visible reaction, “Would you like to share anything about your female partners to date?”
“Sure. I mean I like women loads, but I’ve always been kind of lonely in my romantic relationships with them. In 4th year, I dated a 7th year Ravenclaw prefect Win, she was my first girlfriend. She introduced me to kink. In retrospect, I realize she picked me out because I looked like her girlfriend who had finished Hogwarts the previous year. I don’t know how she could tell that I was a domme though, what if I hadn’t been? Dating her was a very educational experience.”
“So you were… what… 14 or 15 and she was nearly 18 when you were dating?”
“Yeah, that sounds about right but we split after she left school. Pretty sure she moved right in with the girl I reminded her of. After that I dated Luna in fifth year. We broke up because you can’t have two dommes in the bedroom, no one wants to submit. We tried switching, but neither of us was happy, so we decided we were better as friends. Plus fifth year there was all that drama with Umbitch and Luna was in DA, and I was on the inquisitorial squad. I think maybe we would have tried a little longer to make it work if there wasn’t all that outside bullshite, but honestly the end result would have been the same. I’m glad we made it through everything as friends.”
“Last year everything was horrible. The Carrows making us have to curse the little first years or getting Cruciatus cursed all the time. I just, I just didn’t have it in me to invest in anyone other than Theo and Draco. It just kind of felt like we were going to die, you know?”
Cordelia nodded, “It had to be hard to open yourself to anyone new when you thought that you all might die. It’s difficult to look towards tomorrow in the middle of a war, and it's normal to just be in the moment. That’s one of the ways you’ll know if you are really healing.”
“What is?” Pansy asked.
“When you start to imagine what you want your future to be and draft plans to make it happen.”
*******************
The greenhouses had had very little structural damage during the Battle, so the majority of the damage had been shattered glass and then destruction of the racks, plants and miscellaneous odds and ends inside.
Blaise pushed open the door to the greenhouse where he could see the silhouettes of multiple people inside. Theo, Longbottom and Lovegood were clustered around the frumpy Head of Hufflepuff. Professor Sprout was outlining what she’d like done: broken glass cleaned up, furnishings repaired, non-poisonous dead plants out to the compost pile and an inventory of the survivors.
“Ah Mr. Zabini, are you joining our clean up crew here today?” Professor Sprout asked, a twinkle in her eye. Blaise rubbed his neck under her scrutiny, remembering the time when she had caught him with his cock deep in some random Ravenclaw in 6th year.
“Yes, Professor, if that would be alright,” Blaise responded nonplussed.
“Absolutely fine, Mr. Zabini. Let’s make sure everyone stays properly attired in the greenhouse this time, however,” quipped Professor Sprout, turning to pull out some gloves for the students.
“Has that been a problem in the past, Blaise?” Theo inquired, “Keeping your clothes on in the greenhouse?” Blaise sighed, but the sight of Lovegood’s pale blue eyes intent on his face from over Theo’s shoulder pushed him to give his mate an answer.
“In the past, I may have enjoyed a more natural state in the greenhouses, which can be quite invigorating, with proper companionship,” Blaise replied, making sure to speak loud enough that the pretty blonde Ravenclaw could hear him. Theo’s wide grin stretched his face, chuckling as he threw his arm around Blaise’s shoulders.
“Blaise,” Theo exclaimed, “I have to hear more about the benefits of enjoying a natural state in the greenhouse, perhaps over a firewhisky later?”
“I am going to pretend that I didn’t just hear that Mr. Nott,” scolded Professor Sprout, handing gloves to each of the young people, except Theo. “Although you all are adults, which is hard at times to remember. Mr. Longbottom, you are in charge of this team while I attend to our friend in Greenhouse Six.” Giving the two Slytherins a skeptical look, Professor Sprout left the greenhouse with a harrumph.
“Neville?” Luna asked, curiously, “who is your friend imprisoned in Greenhouse Six? That seems a bit beyond the pale.”
"What?" Longbottom asked, clearly confused, "No, no Luna it isn't a person, it's the venomous tentacula. It took Professor Sprout and I over a week to get it back into its enclosure. And its mood is still particularly foul."
Blaise couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of the venomous tentacula in a good mood, when would that be? If it got to eat someone perhaps.
"Pretty fierce aren't you Longbottom," Theo drawled flirtatiously, moving near the Gryffindor and laying his hand on his arm, "slaying old Voldy's snake, battling a venomous tentacula with only Sprout for help. What other sorts of monsters are you prepared to handle?" Blaise nearly groaned at the blatant line, but Lovegood caught his attention by shaking her head in Theo’s direction and then she rolled her eyes, pulling on her gloves and beginning to tidy overturned racks of plants.
Slipping on a pair of gloves, Blaise began to help her with this task. He concentrated on doing the heavier work while she focused on the smaller details. Blaise was hyper aware of every breath and movement the petite blonde made. He was thinking about how he thought he could completely encircle her slim waist with his hands, when he heard Longbottom cough awkwardly.
"Nott, as fine as I am with Dean and Seamus, I am not interested in wizards...that way. I am flattered, honestly. You are a good looking bloke really, but I um...like a particular witch. I wouldn't mind being friends though."
"Friends then, Longbottom," Theo agreed cheerfully, Blaise shook his head.
"Nothing keeps Theo down long," Lovegood whispered, apparently eavesdropping as much as he was.
"Neville," the tall dark-haired young man insisted, smiling at the Head Boy and handing him a pair of gloves.
"Theo, please call me Theo."
************
At dinner, Draco realized the circular tables really weren't as bad as he had feared. So far there was still enough space for everyone to stick with their housemates and friends.
Draco found himself staring at his hands, their appearance causing his stomach to clench every time he looked at them. He had his father's hands; it was especially obvious now that his mum had given him the Malfoy signet ring. The memories of those hands striking him made him tremble.
He mentioned in passing that his hands looked too much like Lucius’ to his friends. Pansy had immediately offered to paint his nails after dinner and he had accepted; Theo excitedly agreed to do it as well.
To take his mind off the difficulties he was having with his own body, Draco decided to write his mum a letter during the meal.
Dear Mum,
Hope everything is well. I am sorry I haven't owled sooner. Theo, Pansy and Blaise are all here for the camp. We have mind healing nearly every day. Theo is to be Head Boy or is already I suppose.
Hermione Granger is Head Girl. They share a common room. We have spoken a handful of times. How do I apologize to her, mum? I mean for…everything. I don't even know where to begin.
In other news, I have been volunteering in the library and helping with the books that were damaged. Perhaps you could organize a book drive amongst families with personal libraries to donate appropriate materials. Many of the older books do not look repairable.
There is a great deal of damage to the school and I am considering donating Malfoy Galleons to the reconstruction fund. I think it would look good for my trial, and Hogwarts needs the help. Thoughts?
Please send a reply with this owl.
Your loving son,
Draco
PS Theo says he misses you.
PPS Pansy asks if you could send some of those lavender bubbles you favor so she could use them here, if you are allowed.
PPPS Blaise asks if Signora Zabini has been in contact at all, she isn't responding to his owls.
************************
After spending some time in the library after dinner, Hermione decided that heading back to her dorm room was the best plan because then if she got drunk at least the walk would be shorter.
When she opened the door she was shocked to discover Pansy in a strappy black dress, on her knees in front of Theo and it took several seconds of her opening and closing her mouth like a fish to realize that nothing untoward was happening, Pansy was just painting his nails black.
"Hullo Granger," Theo called, "Come and join us. I've got a bottle of firewhisky with your name on it." He said, holding up the bottle that was still sealed shut.
Draco next to Theo was looking on in interest at Pansy’s hands as she applied the polish to Theo’s nails, Blaise sat lounging in one of the seats in front of the fire.
"Yes Granger, come join us," Pansy said, giving her a wink, causing Hermione to blush, "once I paint these two wankers' nails, you can be up, Blaise already opted out."
"I don't mind a manicure, Pansy, but the only thing I am doing is a clear coat, which you don't have," Blaise complained, taking a drink of his firewhisky, "black nail polish isn't part of my aesthetic."
As Pansy finished painting Theo's nails, she used a drying charm and moved over to working on Draco's, kneeling in front of him between his legs. “Theo scoot back, give Granger room.”
Hermione was still frozen in the doorway, trying to make sense of what she was looking at. Pansy looked back and saw Hermione looking like she had been hit with a Confundus charm. Sighing, she handed the bottle of polish to Theo, stood up and took Hermione’s hand and sat her on the couch between Theo and Malfoy, who both slid towards the arms to give her room. Pansy patted Hermione on the cheek, “Good girl.” Pansy gave her a smile and went back to painting Malfoy’s nails. Hermione felt a surge of pleasure go through her at Pansy’s words and the soft contact from her hand on her face. What the bloody hell.
But before she could examine the feeling too closely, Theo was handing her a glass of firewhisky. He smiled at her, flashing that left dimple that kept making her breathless. His fingers brushed hers as he handed her the drink and she felt the contact to her toes.
Hermione felt breathless, confused and overwhelmed, so she did the easiest thing, she took a deep drink of the firewhisky. Her eyes landed on Malfoy’s long elegant hands, each nail slowly becoming glossy black. The dark nail polish looked great next to the two rings he wore on each hand. The thoughts of what she’d like those hands to do to her, where she'd like them to touch her, caused her to bite her lip and a blush to creep across her cheeks. She took another sip of her drink, hoping against hope that no one had noticed.
Merlin, she’d reacted to Pansy, Theo and sodding Malfoy all within the space of a breath. What was wrong with her? She looked up into Theo’s sapphire gaze and found him grinning at her.
“Cheers Hermione,” he said, clinking his glass with hers, encouraging her to take another drink. Drinking with the Slytherins already had the feeling of competitive debauchery and since Hermione’s goal was nothing close to moderation this suited her fine.
Pansy finished up with Malfoy’s nails, scooted between Hermione’s legs, handing her drink off to Theo to hold. Hermione started to make a noise of protest, but changed her mind as Pansy caressed her hands, tingling exploded from where their skin had made contact. It felt nice, and she couldn’t help but want Pansy to touch her more. Pansy smiled up at her, taking a long sip of her glass of red wine, before handing it off to Malfoy to hold, throwing him a sensual smile.
“Where did you get muggle nail polish, Pansy?” Hermione asked, curious.
“One of the Aurors supervising my house arrest,” the kneeling woman replied, “She was trying to come up with things that muggles do well, and this was one of her first examples. She brought me this bottle so I could see what she was talking about. I admit I like the act of applying it to others. It's easier to charm my own nails.” Hermione watched transfixed as Pansy applied the polish to each of her nails, one hand holding hers still as the other used the tiny brush, each nail going dark.
Excusing himself, Blaise stood up, finishing off the rest of his tumbler. “Well as fun as this is, if I drink anymore I will end up sleeping in the Hufflepuff dorms instead of the Slytherin ones.” He said, his words sounding only slightly slurred.
“Because you’ll get lost?” Hermione inquired, looking up at the stylish dark-skinned Italian Slytherin.
“Figuriamoci!” Blaise grinned at her, “No Granger, I will let one of the Hufflepuff girls drag me in and I do actually need my beauty sleep. Buona notte amici.” He said, making the other three laugh.
“He isn’t kidding about the beauty sleep. He has a moisturizing routine and a sleep mask,” Theo leaned over and confided as Pansy finished up with Hermione’s nails. Hermione chuckled at the image of Blaise Zabini in a sleep mask. Pansy cast the drying charm on Hermione’s nails, then reached over and snatched her wine glass back from Malfoy. Pansy flopped onto the couch next to Hermione, landing half on Theo’s lap. Leaning forward, Theo passed Hermione’s drink back to her.
Hermione accepted it gratefully, smiling at Theo, but felt awkward as she watched him move Pansy’s hair aside to place a gentle kiss on her shoulder. Hermione wondered how Malfoy felt about that; she didn't want to completely turn so she could see his face. He was next to her, leaning against the arm of the couch, a firewhisky of his own in his hand. He didn’t appear any more tense than normal, so perhaps she had been wrong and it was Pansy and Theo that were the couple. She took a deep drink to cover her examination of their body language, they all seemed very intimate and comfortable with one another.
Theo leaned against the right arm of the couch, and Pansy was sideways, half in his lap. Hermione looked at the other chairs briefly and shrugged. They didn’t have to be crammed on the couch, but it wasn’t intolerable. Subtly looking over at Malfoy where he was examining the nail polish on his long elegant hands turning them this way and that.
Pansy swirled her glass of wine, “Let's make this interesting. Let’s play 20 questions. Each person gets to ask the group 5 questions and we all have to answer honestly. I have some Veritaserum stashed in the snake pit, but I doubt we’ll need it. I think we are all in our cups enough to tell the truth.” She said, winking at Hermione again, “I think I’d rather like to get to know the golden girl.”
Hermione looked at the snakes doubtfully. “No questions too scandalous?”
Pansy laughed, “I don’t want to play for blackmail material Granger. I think we could all stand to get to know each other a bit better. I don’t think you know us well and I definitely only know you as the Gryffindor Princess. And,“ Pansy topped off Hermione’s whisky glass, tucking one of her curls behind her ear, “I can already see that that is a load of bullshite. You're not that girl, or at least not only that girl. And you can ask first.” Pansy’s hand lingered in Hermione’s hair slightly longer than would constitute a casual touch; maybe it was the whiskey, but Hermione didn't mind it in the least.
She took another drink of her firewhisky and then a question she'd been wanting to ask anyways came to her. . "I know pureblood jewelry all has meaning, what does yours mean?" She said, pointing towards Draco's hands. She'd stared at his jeweled hands enough, that this would at least be an excuse for it.
Draco answered," The Malfoy signet is mine as Head of my House now that my father is in prison forever. These others - onyx, black tourmaline and black opal - have jinx and curse repellant charms on them."
Hermione grabbed the hand that he'd offered up and touched his fingers looking at each ring, turning them, stroking the stones. She realized she had crossed a line when she saw the surprised looks that Pansy and Theo were trading. Although Theo’s look could only be described as pleased, his eyes half lidded and expression sensual. When she looked up into Draco’s face, his expression was blank, but his pupils were huge. His eyes looked at her face, unblinking.
“Oh sorry, “ Hermione sputtered, nervously taking another long drink of her firewhisky, and sinking back into her spot on the couch.
“Granger, you are more than welcome to touch my snake earrings,” Pansy said, tilting her neck in Hermione’s direction. “They were my great grandmother’s," she purred, making Hermione rub her thighs together at the sound of her voice. "Her father had them made on the occasion of her being made Head Girl in the twenties. I think the style is called art nouveau.”
Hermione surprisedly asked, "Art Nouveau? They were muggle made?" Leaning forward she touched Pansy's earring, then drunkenly her hand drifted upwards and found its way to Pansy's ear lobe, then the shell of her ear. Letting her hand wander, Hermione pretended to touch the snake's tail again but she was actually just fascinated by the soft ivory of the skin at Pansy's throat. Pansy's ragged inhale and goosebumps brought her back to herself and she pulled away.
Before Hermione could feel self-conscious, Theo thrust his signet ring adorned hand into her's so she could feel his jewelry as well. "It's the Nott Signet ring, I had the curses removed so it's safe for you to touch. The "N" is incised into a black onyx and the Goblin wrought filigree of the setting for the stone is a tiny knotted rope. It's always made me chuckle." Hermione turned his hand over so she could see the ring better.
"It's really very interesting," she said, "and that's your only piece of jewelry?" She tried to pretend innocence with her tone, but really she wanted to run her hands on any jewelry of his, no matter where it was.
"The one and only, but I have been considering getting some piercings if you get my meaning, " he grinned with a sparkle of mischief in his eye. Pansy smacked him in the ribs, but Hermione couldn't stop her mind from wandering about how he would look with piercings everywhere.
"What about you Hermione?" Theo asked, his voice pulling Hermione out of her thoughts. "Any jewelry? I know it was your question, but still, I would love to know."
"Not anymore, but you definitely don't know this: I wore Salazar Slytherin's cursed locket last year and it whispered evil things to me all the time. But goodness, it was a stunning example of a Goblin wrought antique. I have never really worn jewelry, let alone magical jewelry, and my only piece was an accursed horcrux rampant with Dark Magic," Hermione answered, fiddling with the hem of her sweater nervously, once she realized that she'd brought up the bloody war.
"Granger," Draco said, a shocked expression on his face, "you wore one of the Dark Lord’s horcruxes? Around your neck? And it was Salazar Slytherin's locket?"
"Well yeah, the locket's whispers impacted me the least. So I wore it the most, especially after Ron left us."
"Weasley abandoned you and Saint Potter during the war?" Theo's question pulled Hermione’s attention away from Draco and back to the brunette. He was flabbergasted, his mouth gaping open at this new bit of information that neither she nor Harry had ever shared.
"Yeah, can it be the next person's turn? I really don't want to talk about Ron." Hermione took another long drink, silently scolding herself for bringing him up at all, and missed the looks passed between the other three.
"Okay," Theo said, "My turn to ask a question. What's your favourite book?"
“Isn't yours Hogwarts: A History Granger?” Draco asked with a smirk playing at his lips. “It's the one you quote the most often.”
Hermione smiled, fondly thinking of the book she often referenced. “Hogwarts A History is totally my comfort read, but my true favourite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She was a muggle author. “
“Oh sweet Merlin,” Pansy exclaimed in exasperation, “we know about Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice. What do you recommend then to encourage affection, Drake?”
“Dancing,” Draco said, “even if one's partner is barely tolerable.” He was laughing in a way that surprised Hermione with the lightness of it. She was confused, and looked between the two of them.
"It's my favorite book too," Theo admitted sheepishly, "stop taking the piss out of me, you two yeah?"
Pansy was also laughing uncontrollably now. “We have had to listen to him read it out loud and discuss each passage for years, and that's nothing on poor Blaise who had to watch the muggle television performance of it. "
“The BBC miniseries?” Hermione asked shocked that Blaise had a television,
“Yeah in the guardhouse at the villa in Tuscany. It is almost a kilometer from the main house, so it's easy enough for the electricity to work there,” Theo said, “Who is your favourite character? No, let me guess. Elizabeth?”
“Guilty,” Hermione laughed, enjoying having someone to finally talk to about her favorite read. “And who is yours?”
“Difficult to say. I love to hate Wickham. Mr. Bingley is probably the closest to me in the story, but Mr. Darcy is probably my favourite, because I’m sure he had a huge cock.” Hermione nearly choked on her drink as she had not been expecting it. Malfoy obviously had been as he rolled his eyes at Theo.
“And that’s enough out of you, Theodore Tiberius Nott, drink your whisky,” Pansy arched an eyebrow and Theo bowed in acquiescence. “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
“I’ve always wanted to visit Egypt,” Theo enthused, “I’d love to apprentice to one of the curse breakers there. The wizards of Ancient Kemet really went all in when it came to curses and theirs are some of the most difficult to break in the world.”
“My mum is from Vietnam. She has a huge family there,” Pansy said, “I’ve never met any of them besides my aunt who lives in France and would love to go.” As she spoke, there was a bit of a far away look in her eyes, as if she were imagining what it would be like to be surrounded by family.
“Muggle art museum world tour,” Draco said, shocking Hermione to her core. Had she ever known him? “I’ve been to all the museums in London and Paris, but there are so many more. I would like to see all the great ones. There's one in New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it's one of the top on my list.”
Once Draco had finished speaking, Hermione realized it was her turn. Taking a sip from her glass for a little more liquid courage, “Australia,” Hermione answered. She shook her head when Theo raised his eyebrow at her nonverbally asking for more details. Luckily, Pansy shrugged and gestured at Draco to go next.
“What would you want your animagus form to be? And I guess this has a second part, would you ever be interested in going through the process?” Draco probed.
“If I could pick?” Theo queried, looking at Draco with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “A dragon or a hippogriff.”
“Fuck you, Theo,” Draco groused, taking a long draw of his firewhisky and then reaching for the bottle from his erstwhile friend, who handed it over with a sloppy smile.
“I'd probably be a cat or a snake,” Pansy responded.
“But what if you could be anything?” Theo prodded.
“A hummingbird I think,” Pansy stated, “They are fast and stylish. Have you ever been near one's nest? They are territorial and aggressive.”
“And also very cute. What about you Hermione?” Theo passed her the bottle again and she added another dash of whisky to her glass before handing it back.
“Oh I have absolutely thought about it.” Hermione confirmed, “I think I’d like to be a cat like McGonnagal or something larger, like a lion. My patronus is an otter, but that wouldn’t be such a useful form. A lot of witches and wizards have the same animagus and patronus, I hope that wouldn’t be the case for me.” She looked over at Draco, who sipped his firewhisky.
“The Gryffindor lioness would like to be a lioness, no surprise there,” Draco drawled, making Hermione blush. “And to the surprise of absolutely no one, I'd want to be a dragon, but it's extremely rare even for animagi. Because I have been transfigured into an animal before, I worry that if I did do it, I would be a ferret.” He shuddered at the unpleasant memory.
“Now Draco, you were a damn cute ferret,” Theo chuckled and when Draco gave him the two fingered salute, Theo laughed even harder.
“Is it my turn to ask a question?” Hermione asked, since Theo was still laughing while Draco looked at him, annoyed. Pansy nodded, so Hermione continued. “I realize I don't know much about your families, do you have big families or small ones?
“Asking about our families, brave, very Gryffindor of you, Hermione,” Theo said, winking at her. Draco made a strangled sound and drowned his whiskey in one gulp.
"You've met my family Granger. I don't know what else...my mother had a baby girl, she only lived a few days. It was before I came to Hogwarts. And I suppose my father once told me he had a younger sister who was burned off the tree. My mother recently confirmed that to be true."
"I'm so sorry about your sister, Malfoy. That must've been awful." He nodded at Hermione’s sympathetic words and poured himself another glass of the amber liquid.
"So Lucius had a sister, that is news." Theo said, "is she going to come rescue you, Draco? Drag you off to some chateau in France?"
"Unlikely," Draco drank deeply again, his eyes closed "McGonagall said she died years ago."
"Too bad," Theo sighed, refilling Pansy’s wine glass, "she would have had some interesting stories to tell. Imagine hearing about old Luci as a kid, or do you think the gates of hell just opened and he walked out as a monster like my father?" Pansy smacked Theo, causing him to spill a bit of his drink.
“My mum and my aunt," Pansy started, ending Theo's musings, "Violetta, got sent to Beauxbatons and then they moved to Paris where she met my papa. They got married almost immediately. She had my brother Ranunclus a shockingly close time after the wedding, but everyone always pretends that they can't count backwards. He's a prick and he works for the Bulgarian Ministry. He's engaged to some vapid Pureblood niece of the Minister. They’ll probably have a baby right away to ensure the line." Hermione noted the pain in Pansy’s eyes when she spoke of her brother, but when she stopped speaking her face turned impassive and Hermione didn't feel it was her place to probe.
“So I’m the Head of my House.” Theo said, jumping in. “No siblings. My father had three older brothers. They all died before I was born. He probably murdered them so he would inherit everything.” He poured himself another drink. Hermione had lost count of how many the boys had had. For that matter how many drinks had she had?
“My grandfather expressed joy at how ruthless my father was when I was little, so I am pretty sure he approved. My mother only wanted to have one child, which is probably for the best, because if there had been an alternative son, I'd be dead. And not having this cheerful conversation.” Pansy wrapped her arms around his waist. Even though he was still smiling, there was pain in his eyes.
Theo sighed, still keeping the forced smile on his lips. “My mother's dead and my father's in Azkaban. I have some cousins on my mum's side in Greece, but I have only met them twice and the family’s original seat is in Armenia, but it's just full of house elves and a squib caretaker. It's a bit of a fortress. I've got a bigger real estate portfolio than a family. The Ancient and Noble House of Nott is down to just me. Cheers!”
Draco reached over and put his hand on his friend's knee, "Theo, that was a lot to tell Granger all at once." Theo only shrugged, looking down in his glass swirling the liquid before looking back up.
“Let me change the direction of our game then. What's one thing that can instantly make your day better?” Theo asked, smiling but Hermione noted the absence of his dimple and how his eyes didn’t sparkle in the way she was accustomed to.
“Coffee just the way I like it,” she smiled at Theo, hoping he realized she was referring to his effort from the morning, “or sugar quills.”
“Taking the time to do my hair, makeup and pick out a flattering ensemble or dressing up someone else is definitely it for me,” Pansy affirmed. Her eyes lingered on Hermione as if she were imagining dressing her up as well.
“A ride on my broom has always improved my mood,” Draco stated, surprising noone.
“If I am not allowed to say anything about my varied preferred sexual acts,” Theo teased causing a blush to spread over Hermione’s cheeks as she imagined what acts he might prefer, “then a cigarette and a strong drink always improve my attitude.”
Pansy rolled her eyes,” As we are all here enjoying a strong drink, Theo, that’s hardly within the intent of the game. However, moving on, what's your favourite article of clothing or accessory?” Pansy inquired.
“My drawstring purse,” Hermione answered, smiling secretively.
“All my band shirts,” Theo said, “but if I can only pick one then my Obscurial shirt but only because it made Robards nearly piss himself.”
“Gawain Robards from the DMLE?” Hermione asked in surprise.
“The same. We have a long time acquaintance,” Theo winked at her without offering any further information.
“I like my new rings,” Draco admired his hands, “The black opal is particularly nice.”
“My thigh high black boots,” Pansy stated, “but I have a silver snake belt that's really a statement maker.”
“I’ve seen your snake belt, but I dont think I’ve ever seen your boots,” Hermione commented, trying to think back on all the different ensembles Pansy had ever worn.
Theo choked on his drink, and Pansy smacked him on the back and then looked at Hermione and smiled, "No you wouldn’t have. They are really only for special occasions." She purred the words 'special occasions', making Hermione blush again.
Theo looked like he might choke again on his own air this time, but he didn’t say anything further.
“What's your favourite spell?” Draco asked.
Pansy favoured clothes tailoring charms, Theo disillusionment, Hermione the undetectable extension charms, which made the Slytherins exchange a look, and Draco Molliare - the Cushioning Charm as he found it handy for Quidditch.
Hermione then asked for everyone’s favorite colour.
“Black,” Draco conceded.
Hermione looked over at him, “Not green? that's a surprise.”
“We aren’t always just tied up in House colors, Granger,” Draco snorted before taking another drink.
“Crimson,” Pansy stated, waving her nails at the others.
“The color of the ocean by Blaise's house in Amalfi: aquamarine,” Theo said, “it’s the most beautiful color I have ever seen.”
Hermione laughed "Promise not to tell any of my housemates?” At the nods of the other three, she confided “Emerald." Draco and Theo surprised her by laughing, and even Pansy grinned at the admission.
"Granger you little traitor," Pansy winked at her over her wine glass.
Theo got a particularly mischievous look on his face, “What's one non-sexual thing that turns you on?” Pansy smacked him in the arm, nearly knocking over his whisky, “What? It's inside the rules, it's not exactly sexual.”
Hermione sighed, “Okay I will give it to you. I like my back scratched and cuddling while reading books." Maybe the drinks have gotten to me more than I thought…this wasn't something she'd ever admitted.
“I mean is spanking others non-sexual?” Pansy asked, and Hermione bit her lip as she couldn’t help but imagine Pansy giving her a spanking. Definitely sexual if her body’s reaction was any sign. “If it is sexual, then I like wearing tall boots.”
“I like being called names. Nice ones. Mean ones. Respectful ones. I’m negotiable.You’re last Draco.” Theo looked over at his friend, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Fuck you, Theo,” Draco said with a bit more annoyance than he had shown so far this evening.
“Come on, mate,” Theo cajoled.
“I don’t particularly want to answer this, but I will, because it's a game. I like someone to run their hands through my hair.” He looked into the distance, a blush on his high cheekbones stark against his pale skin.
"Do you have any things that horribly annoy you?" Pansy asked.
"Are you asking just so you can do them?" Hermione questioned back.
“No, but Draco might " Pansy quipped,"Annoying people is his forte.”
“Fuck you Pans,” Draco shot back with no venom.
"Blood prejudice," Theo said seriously, "horribly fucking annoying. Drake?"
"Galas, soirees. Having to stand around listening to important people talk about things that you couldn’t give a fuck about, but you have to be polite because they are important. It's deeply annoying." Draco rubbed at the back of his neck.
Hermione was a little reluctant to answer, but decided to do it anyway because she was actually enjoying the tipsy camaraderie. "People who just expect things out of me, like ‘obviously it's Hermione, she'll agree to help with our homework, arrange this thing, solve this problem we don't even need to ask her if she wants to.’" She answered, the last part in a voice imitating Ron's.
Theo looked at her thoughtfully. "That they don't appreciate you afterwards must be frustrating too."
"Very," Hermione replied, reaching down for the firewhisky bottle by her feet and refilling her glass. How was it empty again?
"Okay and just so it's all fair," Pansy said, "people who say they are okay with something and then change their minds." Theo leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Pansy, his cool whisky glass brushing against the skin of Hermione’s arm. Pansy leaned her head back onto Theo’s shoulder.
Hermione, feeling like she was invading a private moment, turned fully to look at Draco. "What's the best gift you've ever received?" Draco queried, looking past her at the cuddling pair with a smirk playing on his lips.
"A pair of dragon hide boots," Pansy giggled, winking at Theo.
"Blaise took me to my first music festival a couple of summers ago in Italy. I'm absolutely addicted. Love them." Theo said, pouring everyone another whisky except Pansy, for whom he refilled her wine.
"Crookshanks is probably my favorite gift I ever received." She paused, and then asked, "Speaking of which, has anyone seen him?"
"He wanted out right as we came in earlier," Theo confirmed, "I charmed the door to open for him, if he scratches at it. You're welcome by the way." Hermione shook her head at the Head Boy’s thoughtfulness.
"So does anyone have secret talents?" Hermione questioned, "I will give an example. I play the cello really rather well. If I had been a muggle I probably would've been a concert cellist. There were actually talent scouts who were trying to recruit me into their programs before I got my Hogwarts letter "
Pansy laughed, “Draco plays the harp.”
“Thanks, Pans, but it's hardly my secret talent. If anything, it's my mum's secret talent. She insisted I learn an instrument and that's the one I knew she would be able to teach me herself. I chose it to give myself more time with her. Ugh.” He took a deep drink that Hermione suspected was to hide the blush she could see across his cheeks. “I paint...fairly well actually. I'm really looking forward to art therapy.” This talent surprised her, had she ever seen Draco Malfoy blush so much before? Maybe it was the firewhisky, she could feel its relaxing effects on her own languid limbs.
“What about you, Theo?” Hermione asked.
“Oh I am a gifted curse breaker. Child prodigy even. Had to if I wanted to survive in Nott Manor, but I am also just naturally good at it. Wards too. Mastered pulling them down before I started Hogwarts. Mine are nearly unbreakable. I would love to mess with a time turner, but I've never had the opportunity, a pet project would be making one of my own.” He sipped his drink.
“All those skills and he is humble too,” Pansy murmured into Hermione’s ear.
Pansy’s breath against Hermione’s ear made her tremble, even as she masked it with a giggle. What was going on with her? She felt breathless the way she had with Fleur that one evening at the Burrow.
“And you Pans?” Theo asked, “I can think of a secret talent or two,” grinning wickedly.
“I sing,” Pansy said simply. “Those others aren’t secrets. They are just private.” She looked meaningfully at Theo, “and Granger didn’t want to hear about anything too scandalous. We can save that for another night.”
“Pansy,” Hermione asked, perking up a bit, not catching the last of what Pansy had said, “Will you please sing something?”
Pansy let her eyes roam over Hermione before she shrugged. “Alright Granger, but only because you asked.” Pansy stood a little uneasily and cast a charm, the sounds of piano, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, flute floated through the air in the heads dorm.
"Oh! It's always good when Pansy pulls out the karaoke spell!" Theo laughed, clapping his hands as if he were a small child. Pansy rolled her eyes at him and blew him a kiss anyway, and then began to sing with a voice that made Hermione think of speakeasies and the belle epoch. She felt utterly transported. She smiled at Theo as he leaned forward to refill her glass, again.
“Non, rien de rien
Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien, qu'on m'a fait
Ni le mal, tout ça m'est bien égal.”
Draco leaned over into Hermione’s ear as she stared transfixed at Pansy singing her heart out. “Granger, do you speak French?” She shook her head, “Do you want me to translate?” She nodded, trying to suppress a shiver at his closeness to her. These Slytherins had her in such a state, her knickers felt damp.
“Non, rien de rien,” Pansy sang, swaying to the music while Draco whispered, “No, nothing at all.”
“Non, je ne regrette rien” Pansy sang. “No, I do not regret anything” Draco whispered.
“C'est payé, balayé, oublié.”
“It is paid, swept away, forgotten.”
“Je me fous du passé, Avec mes souvenirs.”
“I do not care about the past. With my memories,” Draco choked up as he whispered these words, like he pushed them through a knot in his throat.
“J'ai allumé le feu, Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs," Pansy sang, running her hand along Theo’s arms and shoulders as she circled the couch in slow, seductive movements.
“I started the fire, my sorrows, my pleasures.” That last word rolled off Malfoy’s tongue sweet like honey, a slow drawl that saw all of Hermione’s body responding.
"Je n'ai plus besoin d'eux" Pansy belted as she ran a single pointed nail along Hermione's bare arm. Goosebumps ran along Hermione’s skin at the sharp sting as the nail scratched along Hermione’s arm.
Draco was distracted, and Hermione turned to him only to see him staring at the two drops of blood beaded on the olive skin of Hermione’s arm. "I do not need them anymore," Draco said, startled, looking into her eyes.
"Balayer les amours, Avec leurs trémolos. Balayer pour toujours." Pansy ruffled Draco's hair and then came back around to the front of the couch, her body outlined by the firelight.
"Sweep the loves, With their tremolos, sweep forever."
"Je repars à zéro,"
"I go back to zero."
"Non, rien de rien. Non, je ne regrette rien "
"No, nothing at all. No, I do not regret anything."
Hermione felt that she was drowning in Pansy’s dark eyes, and in the smooth cadence of Malfoy’s voice as he whispered the lyrics in English, behind the shell of her ear, the scent of firewhisky from his breath toying with her senses.
"Ni le bien, qu'on m'a fait, Ni le mal, tout ça m'est bien égal."
"Nor the good, that was done to me, Neither evil, I don't care at all"
"Non, rien de rien. Non, je ne regrette rien."
"No, nothing at all. No, I do not regret anything."
"Car ma vie, car mes joies."
"Because my life, because my joys."
Pansy serenaded, “Aujourd'hui, ça commence avec toi.” And Draco whispered, “Today, it begins with you,” into Hermione’s ear, his breath tickling her earlobe, and it felt so good she did the unthinkable.
Hermione leaned into Draco’s voice, her face pressing into the side of his neck. She inhaled the scent of him and felt him stiffen as she whispered, “Mmm you smell nice,” her lips on his pulse.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and was only vaguely aware of Pansy's instrumental background falling away as the world around her faded to black.
Hermione woke up to Draco carrying her to bed. "Hush, Granger," He whispered, noticing her stirring in his arms. "Just drink this hangover potion before you fall asleep." His hand was on her cheek and she leaned into his touch, the coolness of his rings against her skin soothed her anxiousness at her vulnerability, having him leaning over her bed, a potion vial to her lips.
And with that he tucked her under her covers. And she was barely aware of the soft click of the door as he left, already back in sleep’s embrace.
********************
Notes:
End Note: Gold brick wrapped in lemon is a reference to Douglass Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, another of Theo’s guilty muggle literature pleasures. Pansy’s girlfriend from 4th year is named for a character from Don’t Take This Sinner by hexmionegranger, one of my favorite marriage law fics. Note, Cordelia is 100% not okay with the fact that Pansy had a girlfriend who was a legal adult when she was 14 and will absolutely be talking to McGonagall about making sure that things like that aren’t happening in the future. She’ll definitely be using the words like “grooming” and “inappropriate use of authority” while maintaining Pansy’s confidentiality.
Draco translating the song from French is a nod to Remain Nameless and other fics.
Thank you to my insanely amazing alpha/beta team, Amebb42, Megsivy, SarahFraser and my_saturday_girl
As always me and my Leo Moon love your comments.
Just posted Blood & Roses the mostly true story of Pansy and Daphne's breakup as part of Pansyfest:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38130265
Chapter 7: This Could Be Perfection
Summary:
Smut Alert!
Also Hermione is confused.
Draco/Pansy quality time w/ Astronomy Tower incident discussion
Blaise is back and we get a Signora Zabini flashback (CW for murder, child abuse)
And some Ron-related angst, thanks Rita Skeeter
Notes:
the song for the opening interlude
Siren - Kailee Morgue
https://open.spotify.com/track/4xb8JHIN56xixSl6vkSPjm?si=yxYYq22SSTuvJKbHoWgw0Q
Chapter 7 Song: Ocean Eyes by American Avenue
https://open.spotify.com/track/7wpdVf6KyYu05FM4XBH6X3?si=8d2ced25307f448f
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 7
The drinking game finally concluded, Pansy stretched luxuriously like the cat she’d thought she'd be as an Animagus. Her black shiny dress pulled taut over her small pert breasts, she was particularly pleased she'd foregone the bra so her nipples were peaking through the fabric. She glanced up and the feral look on Theo’s face made the pleasure shoot through her. Oh yes, going braless today was a very good idea.
"Can I kiss you, my queen? Can I touch you?" Theo whispered hoarsely, as he begged her for what he needed. Pansy let her eyes roam over his body and smirked at his arousal, very apparent in his pants.
"I suppose I could permit some kisses, pet." Pansy purred, running her nails carefully over his cheek; this wasn’t a play scene so she needed to keep things in the light dominance and submission arena. This was not the time to dip their toes into their darker desires, especially since Draco would be back any second. That was something they would need to wait to show Draco in order to gauge his interest.
Pansy climbed onto Theo's lap, her clit on the ridge of his cock where it lay hard beneath his clothes. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pressed her breasts against his chest; straddling him on her knees putting her face just above his. The grip of her hand in his hair forced his face up to her.
"Who is my good boy?" Pansy blew the question out, letting her breath breeze over Theo's ear. Theo, who whimpered at the question, had pupils blown with lust. She leaned forward and nibbled on his lower lip and then plundered his mouth with her tongue. She hummed in pleasure and slid one of her hands to his throat tightening there until she felt him stiffen even more under her. With one hand clenched in his curls and the other around his throat, Pansy had full control of the kisses. This confidence allowed her to offer her neck to him. Theo nipped, laved and suckled his way down her throat, leaving marks all along her flesh, Pansy hummed in pleasure as he worked.
The click of Hermione’s door closing did not cause even a flicker in Theo and Pansy's heated snogging. Draco's voice tickling the shell of Pansy's ear, on the other hand, caused Theo to look up from his ministrations, eyes still cloudy with desire.
"Can I watch?" The blonde whispered and Pansy turned to look at him, her hand still tightly gripping Theo’s hair. Her pet would defer to her at the moment; he had managed to slip into a sub headspace, so she didn't want to make things too complicated. However, she knew that Theo and Draco already had a sexual relationship, even if Draco was technically still a virgin.
And she did love Draco. Would it break something if they saw whether their current "V" relationship could work as a triad? She didn't think so. Draco saved her life, he respected her boundaries implicitly. He was protective and devoted. And the two of them could be in Azkaban next month; even if it crashed and burned she and Draco might be sitting in adjoining cells for the next decade or more. Fuck it.
"Here," Pansy said and lightly guided Draco with her fingers gripping him by the earlobe to sit next to Theo on the couch, she lifted herself and slid one leg over Draco’s left thigh, pressing the two men together under her. A long-nailed hand on the side of each of their faces, "You're my boys aren't you?"
"Completely and utterly my queen," Theo whispered, leaning his cheek into the palm of her hand.
Draco looked at Theo, pupils dilated, his body tense under Pansy's leg. "Draco, can I pull your hair?" She whispered with sultry passion. Regardless of the fact that he had asked if he could watch, Pansy wanted to make sure she didn't cross any lines without his consent. Especially if she wanted this to work, longterm.
He looked up at Pansy, his tongue sneaking out and wetting his lower lip.
Breathlessly, he exhaled, "Yes, Pans."
"Mmmm" She murmured, suddenly gripping the back or his head, the white blonde locks soft in her clenched fist. "You're my boy aren't you Draco? Like Theo is mine." She forced his eyes to hers and his porcelain skin flushed pink with arousal was delicious. "Do you want to be mine, Draco?" She cooed, her breath tickling his lips.
"Pans," Draco looked at her, "are you sure? I do, but I didn't think you liked men like that." Pansy was stroking Theo’s chest with her other hand as he was nuzzling her neck. She couldn't stop the smirk at the sweet innocence of the blonde.
"I like men for some things, darling,'' she explained, caressing his cheek. "And I think you will like my plan for this evening. Tomorrow we will talk in depth about boundaries and desires when we have sobered up. Tonight I just want a show." She leaned down and nipped hard at Theo's lip, drawing a little coppery blood and he moaned as he tasted it on his tongue. Pansy leaned over and kissed Draco gently, sharing the flavour of Theo’s blood with him, and nipping his lips lightly. Draco was breathing heavily, his face a mask of desire, but Pansy didn't know whether the taste of Theo’s blood had been what incited him, or if it was the forceful dominance Pansy wielded so effortlessly.
She slid off their laps, giving them each a long lingering look that told them to behave. Crossing to the fireplace, she sat in the chair that Blaise had vacated earlier; she yanked her silk emerald knickers down her legs and tossed them to Theo, who grabbed them from the air, holding them to his nose and taking a deep inhale before he put them under Draco's nose. Draco looked at Pansy in shock. She loved the look of hunger on his face as he breathed her scent in. Was she torturing them a bit with something she had no plans to let them possess fully? Perhaps.
If this worked out, it would always be a delicate equilibrium, allowing each of them to get the pleasure that they needed without crossing the boundary of another: a balancing act by any measure.
Pansy spread her legs wide, throwing one leg over the chair arm, her hot dripping cunt on view for her two favourite people.
"Now that I have your attention," she said, clearing her throat, making both boys sit up straighter as their eyes devoured her, ravenous. "I want you to make each other cum. You can start with snogging. Show me what you can do to each other."
Theo, her good obedient boy, did not need to be told twice, already with his palms to Draco’s cheeks pulling him in for a hot rough kiss, rutting his body against Draco’s. Pansy watched with pleasure as Draco arched into Theo, already acting desperate for release. What a show this was about to be! These two were the fittest blokes around. Combined, the heat between them was incendiary.
She stroked her own lips and circled her clit with the pad of her finger with slowly increasing pressure carefully. Even in her drunkenness, she made sure not to knick the delicate flesh with her sharpened nails. This wasn't her first time touching herself with her nails charmed this sharp.
Draco's hands were clenched into Theo’s shirt, forcing the fabric up his back, one hand sliding back down and caressing the span of bronzed skin. One hand gripped the blonde's throat while Theo’s thumb stroked his jaw, the other hand slid into Draco's hair, his fingers twisting in Draco's locks.
Pansy could tell that their tongues were invading each other's mouths. Theo and Draco were lost in each other's kisses, Pansy wondered if either of them even remembered she was present, so gone in their own pleasure were they. That thought saw her quim flutter and her leg shake as she continued to lightly stroke her clit, flicking it slightly.
"My darlings," Pansy called, "You may do more than kiss." This made them stutter a bit, confirming that they had forgotten their audience. "Perhaps Theo, my pet, you could show Draco a new pleasure, I know his experience is a bit limited."
Theo hummed in pleasure, and pinched Draco’s nipples making the blonde gasp. Theo unbuttoned his denims, releasing the long thick cock that Pansy knew must be hurting, trapped in the tight pants. Theo untucked Draco’s shirt and stroked Draco's abdomen. Reaching his hands into Draco’s trousers, Theo grabbed Draco's cock, running his thumb over the head spreading the precum that had formed there.
Theo eased down Draco’s trousers so that the dark purple head was slowly revealed, precum glistening in the fire light. The impressive length of Draco’s cock was slowly displayed, until Theo had lowered the trousers to mid thigh and pushed Draco down, his back on the couch, his legs trapped between Theo’s thighs. The vulnerable look on Draco’s face as Theo loomed over him had Pansy quivering in anticipation. While Theo was her sub, for Draco, he was the dominant one and seeing him in this other role made her cunt clench. It was one thing to know theoretically that her pet was a switch, it was another thing to get to see him in action.
Theo raised himself up, just enough to slide his denims to his knees, and then seemed to change his mind and wandlessly vanished them along with his undergarments. His skin tight black shirt remained, his lone clothing item.
Theo leaned over Draco and kissed him passionately. Pansy bit her lip at how fit and passionate the two of them were. She felt like she might combust. Why had she never watched them before? This was much too hot to deny herself the pleasure of watching.
Physically, they were complete contradictions and the sight had her quivering. Theo’s bronzed skin and dark curls were warm in the flickering firelight, while Draco was the coolness of the moon, with his white blonde hair and porcelain skin. Two aristocratic profiles engaged in heated kisses that should have melted the castle stones.
Theo used a lubrication charm and then gripped Draco's cock, lining the ridged undersides of their manhoods against one another. He held tight to their shafts, his hand stroking up and down as their cocks grew even harder, their breathing more rapid and erratic.
They were very finely made, her boys, and those manhoods! Prime examples she was certain. Not that she was interested in them putting those things anywhere inside her. If anything, she was envious. She’d love to be the one to bend Theo over.
The two men were nearly wild under each other's touch as Theo cupped Draco’s balls while continuing to stroke the two cocks together with his other hand. Theo's palm rotated and stroked the bellends of their cocks at the same time as his other hand held fast to their bases.
Pansy loved the way Draco bit his lip and threw his head back and his hips bucked into Theo's touch. The possibility of his imminent orgasm was making her quiver with anticipation. She bit her own lip with excitement. Sweet Salazar, how she wished Hermione was still out here. She'd love to lick and suckle on her sweet quim next to Theo mouthing and laving the hard length of Draco with his tongue. Mmmmm that sounded delicious and decadent.
Theo started to whisper to Draco and Pansy could just make out his rambling. "Oh my Dragon you're doing such a good job, do you love the feeling of my cock rubbing against yours, does it feel good? I love the way your hard length feels against mine. I can't wait until you are ready to give me the force of that hard dick in my arse. I want it so badly." Theo leaned in, and nipped at Draco's bottom lip.
"Did putting Granger to bed get your cock hard? Seeing her all soft and vulnerable, her limp body in your arms. Did you wish you had her permission to slide yourself into her wet heat while she slept? I bet between the three of us her knickers were soaked." The groan from Draco made Pansy think Theo was correct in his assumptions about what Draco had wanted to do to the drunk Gryffindor Princess. "She's so pretty and sweet. She makes me want to put my cock deep inside her tight wet little cunt and take little bites out of her neck." Draco was beyond words, his head thrown back, his hands gripping the couch cushions. Pansy couldn't help but shudder herself at the thought of getting to watch Theo impale Hermione, stretching her wide on his thick cock. Better yet, Hermione’s face between her own legs as Theo took her from behind, the little swot moaning into Pansy’s cunt.
Theo looked over at Pansy and smiled, licking his lips and giving a longing look at her cunt. She slid two fingers inside herself and watched as Theo nearly lost his mind. His rutting against Draco grew frantic, and Draco seemed lost in the sensation as well. Draco's head was thrown back, eyes closed, his face flushed and sweat beading at his brow. Hot spurts of cum suddenly came from both of them, whiteness painting the chests and six-packs of both young men as they found their releases at the same time.
Pansy didn't move from the chair she was in nor did she close her legs, but rather gave the two of them a few minutes to cuddle and catch their breaths. Once she was certain that they had come back to themselves, Pansy said firmly, "Draco, go to Theo's bed and we'll be in there shortly. Get yourself cleaned up and put on some pyjamas."
Draco looked at Pansy blinking in the daze of post-orgasm, uncomprehending of her directives.
"Draco," Pansy said with more assertiveness in her voice this time, "follow my directions and be a good boy and I will reward you later. Theo, tell him." Pansy snapped her fingers at her brunette pet.
"Draco. Head to bed." Theo said, using his own dom tone on the blonde. "Pansy and I will be there soon and I will cuddle you. Please be good." Theo stroked Draco’s cheek, on the last words.
Theo leaned back and freed Draco’s legs. Draco pulled the legs of his trousers back up and he buttoned them. Dazedly, Draco headed into Theo's room, looking back again at the pair that he was leaving without question before he went inside and closed the door.
"Come here pet, " Pansy called once she heard the door clicking shut. Theo crawled on his knees to Pansy where she sat in the armchair. "Is it okay that I asked Draco to join us this evening. You aren't upset are you?" She stroked his cheek with real tenderness, trying to put all her devotion into her delicate touch.
"Oh Merlin, no, my queen. It was so fucking steamy. I loved it. And I know you enjoyed it."
"Oh good, pet." She said, pushing his sweat soaked curls off his forehead. "My only regret is that we waited so long to play with Draco. Now though, I need you. I am aflame and my own hands are seemingly not able to cast me over the edge in pleasure. Make me cum with your mouth Theo. You never disappoint me."
At the instructions, Theo's eyes glazed over with lust once again. Theo dropped his head and was kissing her inner thighs, licking, nibbling his way up to her hot core.
"I saw you put your fingers inside yourself. You never do that, it makes me so bloody hard." Theo growled into her pussy lips before licking the folds, stroking the clit with his tongue, humming in pleasure at the taste of her arousal.
His masterful attention caused Pansy to buck underneath him and put her hand roughly into the back of his head, shoving his face forcefully into her fluttering quim. He licked and suckled desperately, like he was dying of thirst and her nectar was the only thing that could quench him. She felt the desire coil inside her, tight and needy.
And right as Theo nipped the skin just next to her clitoral hood, Pansy came hard. The juice of her orgasm exploded out of her and onto Theo's face. The wet sound of him trying to gulp down the results of her passion was positively indecent, pushing another wave of pleasure through her body, her toes curling and fingers clenching under the onslaught of pleasure that Theo wielded like a weapon. He made her feel incredible. Oh what a treasure her pet was!
Pansy released the back of his head, and put her hand over her own eyes, the lingering after-effects of her orgasm making her aware just how drunk she actually was. The room spun slightly on its axis. It had been so long since she'd drank an entire bottle of wine to herself. Her tolerance was shot; she'd have to build it back up if she wanted to drink apace with these three.
Looking down at her center, Theo's brown curls were visible as he continued to gently lick up the mess that she had made of herself. She trembled with the oversensitivity that her orgasms had wrought.
"Good pet," she whispered to him as he finished his work. "I think I need a sober up potion and some water before bed. I drank a little more than I realised. I appear to be out of practice." Theo hummed in agreement and gave her one more long lick across her folds that left her quivering, and stood up.
"Let's get you to bed then, my queen," Theo stood up, and offered her his arm, the picture of chivalry despite the front of him being soaked with her cum, as it was dripping down his face and drenching his shirt as well as his and Draco's release on his stomach. Not to mention his lack of pants, allowing his thick long cock to stand hard against his belly. Theo acted as if he wasn’t completely covered in the evidence of his own debauchery, or rather that he was proud of the way that he completely embodied sex in that moment. A human lust potion, Pansy thought, not for the first time.
"We really need to get you someone to shag with that monster," Pansy drawled, gesturing to his erect manhood, making it twitch under her notice.
"Honestly," Theo murmured, "that would be lovely. I could use a good hard buggering as well if you are granting wishes."
"I will see what I can do," Pansy replied, giving him a tender kiss on the lips and tasting the sweet tang of herself there. “And if you are granting wishes, I would love a nice wet pussy to plunder with my tongue.”
“I have some ideas on that score,” Theo whispered sensually, his hand stroking the small of her back soothingly as he guided her into his room, where Draco already slept.
If she could manage to stay out of Azkaban, this year may yet be the best of her life.
*******************
Theo woke up with the delightful scent of Pansy's cum still all over his shirt; the smell of his own and Draco’s ejaculation permeated the air. It was a heady aroma and his cock was half hard from breathing it in all night. He had failed to scourgify himself on purpose, looking forward to waking up smelling so utterly debauched.
Draco's large hand was splayed across his naked stomach, so close to Theo's cock that when he looked down it twitched in response to the arousing sight. His cock grazed the Malfoy Signet ring as it jerked.
He smirked as he spotted Pansy's perfect little arse right in front of him. She'd managed to change from her little black dress into one of his muggle shirts, and a pair of black knickers that perfectly framed her pert bottom. He groaned as he thought about how badly he really needed to get his cock wet. He carefully turned himself onto his back, making sure not to disturb Pansy. She was such a bear if someone woke her after a night of drinking, potions or no.
Theo whispered the lubrication charm and began to stroke the length of his cock, stopping to tease the tip by swiping his thumb over it. He pumped himself, revelling in the sensation of Draco’s hand so near his hardness. He bit his lip, as he nearly moaned, imagining sliding his cock deep into Draco’s arse for the first time; he'd be so bloody tight. He was rocking his hips as he thrust into his own hand as his cock twitched at the visions running through his mind.
He pictured going into Granger's room last night after she'd passed out, in some other world where they were already lovers and he had her consent to do with her whatever his heart desired. Sinking into her sleeping body, her wet cunt would welcome him, gripping his thick prick as he pushed deep inside her. He would have used her hard, filling her with his seed, leaving her cunt bruised with the force of his desire, abandoning her to later awaken to find her cunt sticky and well fucked.
Sweet Circe would she be into somnophilia? They needed to play 20 questions again, but this time all the questions needed to be about shagging and kinks. He wanted–no, needed–to know every last thing that made her nipples hard. Everything that caused her quim to flutter, because he wanted to watch her come undone at his hand. Would she want to watch Draco and him like Pansy had? Would it turn her on? Or was she an exhibitionist and would want to put on a show for Draco and Pansy? Would she let two men have her at once?
Theo was positive Hermione had gone to bed aroused. He'd seen the way she leaned into Draco, her lips on his skin, right before she fell asleep. The thought that finally pushed him over the edge was that at some point she had woken in the night and touched herself to completion thinking of any of the three of them. The image of her head thrown back, her curls wild, her fingers in her knickers as she arched and shook was his undoing.
His cum arched onto his belly and Draco's hand but the blonde was so passed out, he didn't even flinch as the warm sticky fluid splattered across his alabaster skin. Theo wandlessly and nonverbally vanished his seed and then cast a scourgify on himself. He carefully lifted Draco's arm and slipped out from between his two lovers.
They looked so pretty together in his bed, both laying on their right sides, just missing his warm body curled between the two of them. Draco was all pale and angular, shirtless, in just his black silk pyjama pants. Pansy with her short hair wild from the night before, her perfect, shapely legs peeking out from his shirt. He was definitely going to need to cast an extension charm to make the bed a bit bigger, along with the blanket that it appeared Draco had stolen for himself. Now that he finally had them both in his bed, he intended to keep them there for as long as possible.
Theo pulled off his shirt and took a deep inhale of the lingering scent of Pansy before tossing it into the laundry basket for the elves. He bet the little nip that had thrown her over the edge had left a mark and that thought gave him an extra spring in his step.
He grabbed his black silk robe with the crest for the house of Nott embroidered on the breast and wrapped it around his body, loosely tying it closed. Not bothering to put on anything else, he headed out of his room to venture up to the shower. Scourgify worked in a pinch but nothing beat a good scrub under hot water.
****************
The sound of Theo’s door clicking shut and feet heading up the stairs to their shared bathroom, roused Hermione from unconsciousness. The pounding headache made her wonder just how much she'd drank the night before. She vaguely recalled Theo handing her a full bottle of firewhisky, surely she'd shared that with someone and not drank it by herself…
She sat up blearily, and shook her head, attempting unsuccessfully to run her fingers through her tangled curls and trying desperately to remember the night before. Some memories hit her at once, causing her to fall back into her pillows with a low groan.
Oh shit. She groaned covering her face with her hands as the memories of the night before swept over her. She remembered playing 20 questions with the Slytherins and they had all become progressively more drunk as the evening went on…Seriously, how many drinks had she had? She hadn't any idea, maybe she could ask Theo, but he'd been matching her drink for drink. The last thing she remembered was Pansy singing, with Draco's low timber translating the lyrics for her. What a voice Pansy had, it was like Ella Fitzgerald or Edith Piaf, old favourites of her father's that she remembered from before…Hermione choked out a small sob and tried to shake herself, listening to old records with him just another thing the war had taken from her.
Looking around, Hermione finally realised that she hadn't woken up on the couch. How had she gotten to bed? She looked down and she was waking up in her regular clothes again. Her jumper was soaked in sweat. She leaned down and sniffed herself and she smelled like stale whiskey. She needed to start setting out pyjamas; this was becoming a less than pleasant habit.
Hermione pulled off her clothes leaving them in a pile by her bed. She really did hate leaving her things lying around for the elves to take care of, but she wasn't equipped to do her own laundry at Hogwarts. Tossing on a pair of pyjamas and her fluffy red housecoat, she crossed her bedroom and opened the door to enter the common room.
She was walking past the couches when she saw a scrap of lace out the corner of her eye. What was that on the floor? Hermione picked up the lace emerald knickers that would hardly cover an inch the wearer's arse. There was a slightly sweet scent coming from them, and Hermione felt the tingle of a flush covering her face as she realised she was holding Pansy's still damp knickers from the night before. The Slytherin girl had been so wet that the little piece of lace was soaked. Merlin and Morgana.
The light footfall echoing from the stone stair to the bathroom was enough of a warning to let Hermione know that she was no longer alone.
"Good morning Hermione'' Theo called jovially, as she quickly shoved the green lace into the deep pocket of her housecoat. Good Godric, the last thing she needed was for Theo to find her standing around and holding his girlfriend’s wet knickers in their shared common room.
"Lovely time playing drinking games with you last night," Theo said cheerfully, "I hope we do it again very soon. I have more question ideas, to be honest."
"Do you, now?" She asked.
Turning around, Hermione could feel her mouth going even drier at the sight of him. His bronze skin was still slightly glistening from his shower, his damp curls falling into his face as if he'd styled it that way. The smell of his soap wafted off him, cedar and musk, making Hermione want to rub her thighs together. Rich people's soap had to contain some special aphrodisiac; it was the only explanation for why all three Slytherins smelled so appealing to her.
The black silk robe clug to his body, leaving even less to the imagination than the skin tight jeans he wore daily. He was very fit; a broad muscular chest, his biceps defined. She knew he didn't play Quidditch; how was he in such good shape? Her eyes couldn't stop wandering south. His stomach was obviously firm and toned, she noted. And then her gaze landed on his…
Merlin, he was well endowed. The robe clung to his body, leaving no doubt as to his substantial length and girth. No wonder he was so confident.
Theo cleared his throat, making her snap her eyes back up to his face. The smirk on his lips told her that he had caught her slow perusal. She was helpless now to stop the blush overtaking her face.
"Like what you see, Hermione?" He asked, winking at her, “I’m not averse to giving you a closer look if you are interested.”
She decided that she had reached some height of mortification that she had never before reached, or perhaps it was depth? A depth of despair? She shook herself, and realised that what she needed to do was escape with her dignity intact or at least with what little remained.
"I- I'm just gonna...go…up … shower. Smell. Firewhisky," Hermione murmured the most incoherent sentence she'd ever spoken in her life. After thoroughly embarrassing herself, Hermione threw Theo a quick, pained smile, that probably was more like a grimace, and shot past him up the stairs to the bathroom, shutting the door much harder than she should have.
Hermione showered quickly, scrubbing herself with enough roughness to distract her busy mind. Afterwards, she used several charms on her hair to get the curls under control and ran her comb through the damp hair, before weaving in a quick plait so that her hair didn’t immediately become as wild as it had been when she woke.
Once she emerged from the bathroom, the smell of coffee wafted up to her. She was pleased to find that Theo had a cup ready for her when she came back down the stairs a few moments later. Clad in all black clothing, he sat at the table sipping on his own coffee as she joined him.
After taking a sip of her coffee, perfectly made just like the day before, she said “Thank you Theo.”
“No problem Hermione,” he smiled, that infernal dimple and twinkling eyes taking her breath away, so she looked at anything but his smile.
A small plate of scones before here was a welcome treat in the chill morning air. Theo had started a fire and it took the chill off the common room, but the Scottish weather was never particularly temperate in the morning.
He was dressed in what Hermione now considered his regular attire. A tight black muggle shirt, black denims, black ankle boots, and his belt with the ornate “N” buckle that had a metal snake crawling through the letter. His wet curls and dimpled smile give him an almost boy-next-door look in spite of the goth clothes he so favoured. Realising that she was again checking Theo out, Hermione turned her face into her elbow and let out a cough. She heard another chuckle coming from her fellow Head, as though he suspected that her cough was feigned.
After she finished the chocolate scone and her coffee, she finally felt like she could meet her roommate's eye. "So," she started, fiddling with the rim of the now empty mug in front of her. "Everyone else is still sleeping, I take it?"
"Oh yeah, I've learned the hard way to let Pansy wake up on her own after a night of drinking." He answered, smirking into his own mug as he finished off his coffee. "Shall we let the rest of them sleep, and go to Hogsmeade?" Theo asked, "I have a couple things I need to pick up and their stupid probation won't allow them to go anyway."
The words were on the tip of Hermione’s tongue to ask what was going on between the three of them. They’d all slept in Theo’s bed? Was it like a slumber party?
Or….Hermione’s imagination envisioned a hundred naughty scenarios that she wasn’t sure she knew enough to say whether they were even anatomically possible. She shook herself, it was none of her business, first of all. Second of all, Theo, his girlfriend, and his best friend had probably just passed out drunk in Theo’s bed. How many times had she slept in bed with Ginny after a night of drinking and nothing inappropriate had ever happened? She had even passed out once with both Harry and Ginny at the Burrow and the only thing that had occurred was she woke up with Ginny’s hand on her hip and Harry’s glasses leaving an impression in her arm. Just because the three Slytherins slept in the same bed didn't mean something was going on. She needed to stop making assumptions.
“Sure, let me get ready. It should just take me a couple minutes.”
Hermione headed into her room and hung up her housecoat on the hook she’d added to the back of the door, leaving her pyjamas on the bed so that she could remember to wear them later. She put on a pair of green knickers and a matching bra. Merlin the Slytherins would be shocked to learn that the majority of her undergarments were in her favourite colour - their house colours.
She threw on one of her oversized woven jumpers. This one had been Remus’; Andromeda had done a giveaway of some of his and Tonks’ things after the funeral service, saving sentimental items for Teddy of course, but not having the heart to donate the others. Hermione had taken several jumpers and a couple of Tonks’ dresses and her belts that she hadn’t had occasion to wear yet. It was nice to have a piece of people who she had thought of as mentors now that they were gone. The v-neck jumper was a dark grey and it gave a sneak of her breasts in a way that it had never done on her old professor. Hermione pulled it up, nervously, embarrassed to be showing so much cleavage, but she decided to ignore it and not change as Theo was waiting for her. Pulling on her denims, socks and trainers, she gave herself a once over in the mirror, shrugged and headed out the door.
Theo was sitting on the couch reading a book titled Curses and Countercurses of the Ancient Mesopotamians and looked up, his eyes roaming over her, lingering a bit longer on her chest, when she emerged. His smile brightened when they finally made eye contact.
“Don't you look bonny, Hermione. Shall we go?”
“Do you need to let them know where you’ve gone?”
“Oh I did, I’ve left a note. They’ll see it after they wake up. Remember, a well rested Pansy is a pleasant Pansy. Wise words to live by.” Theo joked as he held the door for Hermione. As soon as the door opened, Crookshanks wandered in.
“Well good morning, sir,” Theo said, formally, bowing “we, your humble servants have left a bowl of food and cream in the kitchen in case you appeared.”
“Theo, you didn't have to feed my cat,” Hermione admonished, watching Crookshanks weave between Theo's legs leaving orange hair behind as a thanks.
“Of course I did. Number one, he and I are friends and he knows I am perfectly capable of putting out a tray of milk. Second of all, you and I are roommates and it's just good etiquette,” he explained as they headed down the corridor away from their dorm.
“Did you learn that in your poncey Sacred 28 training classes?” Hermione asked, trying and failing to not sound annoyed.
“Amongst other things,” Theo responded casually, ignoring her rudeness as he led her out of the castle.
In companionable silence, the two Heads walked to Hogsmeade. Even as she tried to just admire the landscape, Hermione kept catching herself checking Theo out in his stupid posh pea coat and tight denims the entire way to the village. There was no way he didn't know the effect he was having on her, especially since she couldn't keep her eyes to herself.
Theo lit a cigarette and smoked as they walked down the well worn path to the village. He blew out smoke rings and smirked over at her, catching Hermione watching his mouth. "Do you want a smoke?" Theo asked, offering the pack towards her.
"Er, no thanks." Hermione said, her eyes landing on the filter that his perfectly plump lips were wrapped around. The smell of clove from his cigarettes filled her nose and Hermione had to stop herself from reacting. Between the smell, his kissable lips, and the way the onyx ring on his finger glittered in the sunlight as he held the cigarette, Hermione thought she was getting into dangerous territory with the Head Boy.
Do the Sacred 28 engage in blood rituals and human sacrifice to all be so bleeding fit? It seems wrong somehow for Theo to be literally the human embodiment of sex appeal, but she remembered how Sirius had been the same. The scruffy marauder had oozed sex in a way that even her young teen self had been aware of. Malfoy was the same way, a living Adonis. It would appear the lineage passed through the heirs of the Ancient and Noble houses was magical in more ways than one.
She realised the walk had caused the jumper to slide lower again and Theo kept casting surreptitious glances at her cleavage, biting his lip as he did so. Maybe showing a little skin wasn’t such a bad thing. Quickly banishing that train of thought, she shook herself. He has a girlfriend. Hermione scolded the lust coursing through her body.
Once they'd reached Hogsmeade, Theo took her hand and dragged her into Honeydukes. It had been too long since she had been there, the smell of sugar and fruit overwhelming her senses. She had fun browsing the aisles, looking at all the sweets. But despite seeing so many things that tickled her fancy, Hermione stuck with sugar quills, her tried and true favourite. Theo picked up dark chocolates “for Pansy” and apple fritters “for Draco.” Hermione thought of all the times she had seen Malfoy eating a crisp apple, in the Great Hall, in their classes. It made sense that Apple fritters would be his sweet of choice.
“Draco actually has quite the sweet tooth.” Theo confided in her, as if it were a great secret. Well, if he thought it was, it was the worst kept secret of the ages. Hermione vividly recalled the weekly assortment of sweets the blonde had been sent by his mother up until their fifth year. Nonetheless, that he was willing to share information made her smile.
They had barely walked out of the shop before Hermione pulled one of the sugar quills out of the bag and excitedly popped the end into her mouth. The little noise of pleasure she made once the sweetness hit her tongue caused a small gasp to come from Theo. Blushing a bit at her own zealous reaction, she still continued to suck happily on the sweet. From past experience, she knew sugar crystals would be all over her lips.
Hermione was a bit surprised when she noticed Theo looking at her lips in panic. His eyes darted to her lips and then to her eyes and back again. Before Hermione knew it, Theo was yanking her into the alley that led behind the candy shop. Pulling her behind some wooden crates, Theo's hands grabbed her wrists, causing her bag of sugar quills to drop to the ground. Hermione felt her breath catch as Theo leaned in and desperately whispered, “if you don't tell me to stop, I am going to kiss you right now.”
Hermione stared at him in utter disbelief. A man who is absolute sin on a stick wants to kiss me?
Nodding, but saying nothing at all, Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as she leaned in to give her silent consent, because she'd been rendered speechless at his assertiveness. He put both her hands over her head, and held her wrists firmly against the wall with a single large hand Hermione realised. The strength of his grip and the ring he wore pressing against her flesh had her desperate under his touch. Her hips wriggled as she pushed her chest forward seeking more contact and tipped her face upwards, desperate for his lips to touch hers.
“No, no, no Hermione. I need to hear your words,” Theo purred into her ear, “tell me what you want.” Her eyes opened again as she took him in. His other hand was stroking her jaw, and she felt herself lost in his sapphire eyes. They reminded her of the North Sea, ready to swallow her up in those deep waters. Circe save her, but she was ready to drown in them.
“Don't stop,” she desperately pleaded. Hermione saw one last grin pulling across his lips before he leaned into her. Putting his lips to hers, Theo's kisses started off soft, as he eased her into it. She gasped in pleasure from the circles his strong hand had started making on her hip, Theo took the opening and began to devour her whole. She felt completely at his mercy, his kisses were possessive and dominating, one hand still holding her wrists against the wall over her head, making Hermione feel like her entire body had caught on fire. She arched into his body, feeling like someone had cast incendio in her veins.
Not one of the four men who had kissed her to date had ever made her feel like this, and it was very possible that in this single moment Theo was ruining her for all other men. Ron’s kisses were sloppy, Viktor’s tentative, and Daniel, her muggle boyfriend, had been an awkward and almost painful kisser. Her first kiss had been something else, perhaps the closest to this in heat, but immature in the face of Theo’s obvious sexual experience.
"Good girl." She flushed as he sighed the words of praise into her mouth between kisses. What was wrong with her? Why had those two little words elicited such a sexual thrill in her?
His kisses caused little explosions under her skin, her magic was going wild, as though it was sentient and reaching out for Theo. All her senses felt like they were sharpened in this moment, the smell of him, the taste of him, the feel of his body against her. If she could bottle him up, she would just be able to relive this. He released her wrists and gripped her hips so hard that Hermione was sure that there would be bruises of his fingers. She could feel the hardness of his arousal pressed into her stomach.
That thought caused Hermione to come back to earth. Her eyes snapped open and widened in horror as the realisation of what she had just done washed over her.
Theo had a girlfriend! What was wrong with her!?
Unable to stop herself, Hermione gasped out, “Oh shit! Pansy is going to kill me!”
The panic started to take hold and she whacked her head back into the wall Theo had her pressed against. Desperately attempting to smooth the hair that had escaped her braid, the anxiety in Hermione’s chest rose. Theo released her and turned to lean against the wall, crossing his arms and grinning at her as she began to spiral. "W-we shouldn't have done that. Good Godric, what type of feminist am I? Pansy doesn't deserve this," she muttered to herself, not wanting to look back into Theo's eyes.
“Pansy is hardly likely to be upset with you, Princess.” Theo's chuckle cut through the whirlwind of thoughts. “But if you are really worried, let's get her some bottles of wine and a jar of lavender bubble bath. That should soften the blow when I tell her about our torrid affair.”
“Theo!” Hermione cried, looking around to be sure that no one else was in the alley to overhear.
“Don’t borrow trouble, Hermione,” Theo responded as he looked longingly at her lips, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the alley. “Nothing that just happened is wrong. Come on, let's finish our shopping and get some lunch.”
**********************
Rolling over, Pansy discovered Draco where Theo should have been. Draco’s grey eyes were open, but he blinked owlishly at her as though he had not been awake for long. There was no awkwardness between them, even though it had been years since they'd last shared a bed.
Pansy accio’d her wand and cast a tempus spell to check the time, 2:45 floating in the air above her. Nearly three in the afternoon, unbelievable. Sighing, she turned over to be closer to Draco, her hand stroking his cheek and smoothing his wild locks for a moment.
“I'm sorry for dominating you without negotiating and discussing it in advance. It was really shitty kink etiquette,” Pansy apologised, but before she could go any further, Draco reached a hand out to her. She took his long pale fingers and entwined them in her own fingers.
"Pansy, I enjoyed last night. Being sent to the room like I had been naughty, and not in a good way, was confusing, but otherwise, it was pretty perfect."
"Shit, that was so I could check in with Theo," Pansy said, closing her eyes, taking a breath to steady herself. "I am sorry you took that as a punishment, it wasn't meant as such. If I ever punish you, you will know that it's a punishment and I will tell you why."
Draco squeezed her hand, and tugged on it. Taking his nonverbal cues, Pansy crawled up the bed, cuddling into his side. It felt nice, resting her head on Draco's shoulder. The simple act took her back to when they were younger and times were simpler, before the war and so much despair.
"I have something I need to tell you," Draco said tentatively, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. Closing her eyes, Pansy breathed in his familiar scent, roses and a smoky, earthy smell, feeling more at ease than she had in a while. If only Theo were here too, then everything would be perfect.
"Hm," she answered, keeping her eyes closed, still enjoying the warmth of his body.
"Thursday night I found Granger on the Astronomy Tower. She, well, she was drunk and about to throw herself off it. We got into a big argument," he said, nervously drawing circles on her arm with his finger.
Opening her eyes, Pansy looked up at her long time friend. There were worry lines in his brow as he spoke about the events he'd stumbled upon. "Safe to assume she didn’t actually throw herself off. She must have forgiven you for the argument, though. I mean, considering the way she was tasting your neck last night, she didn't seem like she was mad at you." Draco's skin heated at the reminder of Granger's tongue lapping at his neck.
"Do you want to talk about finding her like that?" She asked, knowing how Draco felt about the Gryffindor.
"Singing in French, were you trying to seduce her?" He asked, ignoring her last question. It was alright, Pansy thought, they would be revisiting it later though.
"Translating the lyrics all huskily in her ear. I could accuse you of the same." She said, giving him a wink that made an adorable blush appear on his cheeks. "You have wanted her for years, Drake, it's okay to admit it. Theo and I are both aware, plus, I could hear what he was whispering to you last night." Pushing herself up on an arm so she was looking down into his face, she smirked down at him.
"Did putting Granger to bed get your cock hard?" She whispered, lowering her voice. Pansy enjoyed the sight of his pupils as they began to dilate at the reminder of Theo's words and the fact that he got to hold Granger in his arms. Seeing her all soft and vulnerable, her body limp under your touch. Did you wish you had her permission to slide yourself into her wet heat while she slept? I bet between the three of us her knickers were soaked.
Seeing Draco's reaction, Pansy decided to take pity on the blonde. "You know I prefer women, so what do you think I was imagining doing to our little swot?"
"She isn't our anything," Draco chided, rolling his eyes at her.
"Yet," Pansy corrected him, giving a little wink. Draco ignored that, becoming increasingly upset, as it was clear that he was lost in his thoughts.
“She won't ever be our anything if we can’t keep her from killing herself. I have no idea how to prevent her from committing suicide, especially when I was considering it not that long ago. I only know how to torment her, make her angry, start fights. I don’t know how to convince her that there is something worth living for. Especially since I am not always sure of that for myself.”
“She’s also not staring down the barrel of an Azkaban sentence like you and I are,” Pansy responded, “Have you thought about offing yourself since we've all been back together?”
Draco shook his head, “No Pans. It was just desperate times being locked up at the Manor. Hardly good memories there anymore. And you and Theo are damn distracting.”
“Well, then we do for her what we do for you, we distract her from her darker thoughts and give her something to live for. Theo was concerned about her drinking alone, it sounds like for good reason now, but he doesn’t know about this does he?” Pansy inquired, and at Draco’s shake of the head, “so we just make sure she doesn't do that as much as we can. Drinking alone when sad is a dangerous game.”
Pansy rolled over and discovered Theo’s note. Handing it to Draco, “It appears Theo has her well in hand today. I have a galleon that says he at least kisses her while they are in Hogsmeade. I wouldn’t be shocked if he got in her knickers. The man’s sexual appetite is insatiable.”
Draco snorted, “I will not take that bet, unless you need the gold. Who could turn down Theo? The man is Dionysos incarnate.”
Pansy giggled, “I think his mother’s family is supposedly descended from Apollo, but same difference really. He is divine especially when it comes to sex.” Pansy's whole body still felt languid and relaxed from last night's orgasms.
“I think I am going to go shower, can I get you to make me some tea while I do?” Pansy smiled at Draco.
“Of course, Pans,” Draco responded. “I’ll make use of the fancy Heads’ bath after you finish up.”
Pansy stretched luxuriously, Theo’s muggle shirt pulling up her thighs as Draco’s eyes took in every inch of her legs. “And Theo isn’t the only living embodiment of sex around here," he told her seriously.
Pansy grinned, and leaned in to give him a light kiss on the lips, “Aren’t you sweet?”
He scoffed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts as Pansy excused herself to clean up. After a quick shower, some hair charms and a bit of magical makeup, Pansy felt more like herself. She threw on a black ruffled top and tea length black skirt and could hear Draco puttering around in the kitchen.
She checked her charms in the mirror, making sure she looked just how she wanted, and opened up the door to see Draco standing right outside with a cup of tea for her. Thrilled at his act of service she took it, and patted him on the cheek, nearly forgetting to be careful with her sharpened nails.
Draco took himself off to get clean, and Pansy sipped her tea for a moment before she was startled by a knock at the common room door. Opening the door, she found Blaise leaning nonchalantly against the frame.
“Ciao Bella,” he drawled.
“Good afternoon, Blaise,” Pansy said, “to what do we owe the honour?”
“Ah, I come bearing gifts for the Queen of Snakes.” Blaise bowed dramatically.
“I’m enthralled. Do tell,” Pansy smiled, extending his hand for her gift.
Blaise handed over a copy of The Daily Prophet and a Witch Weekly for Pansy.
"I haven't read The Prophet, so I want it back after you finish. The Witch Weekly has some good articles, but you can keep it. I’ve read the whole thing," Blaise said.
Blaise restlessly paced the room and then flopped himself down in one of the armchairs.
“What’s the matter with you?” Pansy asked, looking at him over the top of the Witch Weekly she had already started reading. Oh the fashion plates for the fall collections looked amazing.
Blaise, drumming his long hands on his crossed legs, admitted “I still haven't been able to reach my mother. You know my mamma, Pansy. Going on a spontaneous holiday is one thing, not answering my Floos, owls, etc is another. I haven't been able to get a house elf or my stepfather either. I don't want to contact the DMLE in Italy, because what if she has done something to Stefan? I mean she was still madly in love with him a week ago, but I know perfectly well how quickly that can change.” Blaise stared into the darkened fireplace as though the ash had an answer to his predicament.
**************
Blaise
Flashback, In the Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Crete
July 3, 1988
He could smell and taste the salt in the air. Sea and sky were nearly the same colour of iridescent blue. The sunlight sparkled on the waves. Eight-year-old Blaise looked out over the water, he could pretend that it was a painting when he watched the waves out the window of the yacht.
It was his mother and new stepfather’s honeymoon trip. Despite his stepfather’s complaints, Blaise had come along at his mother’s insistence. Something about family bonding or some rot. Blaise didn't care what his mother's reasoning was, he was just glad he wasn't being left behind with the house elves… again.
His mother was barely dressed, something Blaise was used to, her pink robe adorned with matching ostrich feathers around her neck and wrists, matching heels on her feet with the same feathers waving in the ocean breeze on the breakfast deck. Her long black curls were artfully arranged and her makeup impeccable. His stepfather wore his swimwear and a white plush robe
The fruit jam at breakfast was overly tart and sour, which Blaise complained about at the table. Blaise had never been dissuaded by his mother from having opinions, especially about food; it was a passion of his mother’s: fine food.
After voicing his disapproval of the jam when his mother inquired as to what had caused his sour expression, stepfather had struck him across the cheek without explanation or inquiry. Blaise had never been struck before. In fact, he had never been disciplined in a physical manner by anyone. Being stuck in such a way left Blaise speechless with wide eyes, tears in his lashes. He lifted his hand to feel the warmth left behind where he'd been struck.
His mother had immediately gone cold as ice, the air around her dark and crackling with her fury. A wand Blaise didn't recognize was in her hands, and an Imperio hissing through her lips as she sneered at her new husband.
“Now, my beloved husband,” Blaise watched as his mother stroked the cheek of her new spouse with the tip of the mysterious wand. "You are going to drink that entire bottle of your favourite gin." She instructed, gesturing towards the bar off to the side where the expensive gin sat. "When the servants come in to take breakfast away you are going to announce that you are going swimming. When I beg you not to because you have been drinking, you are going to strike my cheek and tell me that wives do not order around husbands. Once you're on the deck, you dive off the boat and drown.” Blaise looked with wide eyes at his mother as she cooed her instructions at the man, who's name Blaise couldn't remember. Was the man his fourth stepfather or fifth? Blaise wasn’t sure of that either.
The glazed look in his stepfather’s eyes receded and he walked over to his bar, pouring himself a tall glass of straight gin. After finishing off the glass in one go, he refilled the drink repeatedly without pause, as his mother watched impassively slowly finishing her breakfast with dainty bites. Her mysterious wand had disappeared and she sipped her Prosecco.
The exact scene that his mother had described began to take place in front of him. Blaise flinched as the man's hand struck his beloved mother's face, making her fall to the ground. His stepfather stormed from the breakfast deck, the door to the interior of the yacht slamming shut as the servants watched on, not daring to step between the newlyweds. Blaise’s mother began to weep prettily as she held her cheek. The servants fled with the remains of breakfast that was ash in Blaise’s mouth.
As soon as the servants had left, Blaise's mother stood to watch her new husband on the deck while sipping champagne, her pretence of tears abandoned. Blaise obeyed his mother's, who called him over just before the man dived into the crashing waves and was pulled under.
“It's too bad," his mother sighed, running her fingers over his short cropped curls. "I was rather fond of him, but no one hurts you, my love.”
***************************
After returning to the Heads Dorm, Theo and Hermione found Pansy standing in the kitchenette arch reading a copy of Witch Weekly, Hermione looks at Theo and mouthed “you tell her or I will.”
Theo shrugged, and called out “Hey Pans, I kissed Hermione in Hogsmeade.” in the same tone that someone might discuss the weather.
“Alright,” Pansy said smiling, “would you two like tea, looks like it was cold out. Granger, didn’t you have a proper coat?”
“Tea would be lovely, Pans, thank you,” Theo replied. Hermione looked at him in shock. “I told you,” he mouthed to her.
“I didn’t realise we’d be gone so long,” Hermione started, but the words died in her throat, as Pansy shrugged, and turned around.
Confused, Hermione looked after where the Slytherin witch had disappeared into the kitchen to make her tea. Why wasn’t Pansy upset? Shouldn’t she be out for Hermione’s blood? Why wasn’t she yelling at Theo about his betrayal?
“Granger,” Pansy called, ”the elves dropped off your mail while you were out. There’s two letters on the table for you.”
Excitedly, Hermione sat down with her shopping bags from Scrivenshafts and Honeydukes and tore into the letters. What she found within them left her feeling cold.
Hey Mione,
Glad to hear it's all okay. Be careful around those snakes, even Nott.
He’s quiet, but I am sure that's just because he’s up to no good.
Got to go. Auror training has me knackered.
Harry
Hermione glanced over at Theo, who was whispering something into Pansy’s ear as he accepted a cup of tea from her. Their fingers touched affectionately, the lingering contact between the two causing Hermione to flush and feel even more guilty.
Harry was still thinking of Theo the way he was before the war, Hermione realised. The last word that she would use to describe Theodore Nott was quiet. Her eyes returned to the letter…well note really, only a scant three lines.
“Granger,” Pansy purred, “here’s your tea.” Hermione looked up and right into a sneak peek of Pansy’s cleavage framed by the black lace of her top.
Blushing, Hermione quickly looked into Pansy’s face, her hands shaking as she took the tea. Pansy’s smile made her even more nervous. Hermione gulped, “It's not poisoned is it?”
“Granger!” Pansy laughed as though Hermione had told the funniest joke, her hand running along Hermione’s arm leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Why would I want to poison you?” The perfectly coiffed witch chuckled as she walked away, the sway of her hips drawing Hermione’s eye and leaving her heart beating a little wildly. What was wrong with her? Maybe she was getting sick?
Pansy grabbed Theo by the arm and dragged him into the kitchenette with her, speaking in low tones, Hermione could hear the name “Blaise” so they obviously weren’t talking about her indiscretion in the village.
Hermione shook herself and sipped her tea, opening the second letter and frowning again.
Hermione,
Tell all the people from DA that I said hello. Good to hear you are settling in. A Slytherin for Head Boy, though, even Nott? What was McGonagall thinking? Wouldn’t Neville have made more sense? Watch your back! Remember “Constant Vigilance”!
Got to rush off.
Ginny Weasley
Hermione scowled angrily at the letter, letting it drop on the table. The only reason that Ginny’s letter had been longer was because she had to insult the Slytherins. How was anyone going to move past the war if they kept holding to their old prejudices? Before Hermione realised it, she had burned both letters in an act of accidental magic, squeaking in surprise at her own loss of control.
As Hermione looked up in embarrassment, Malfoy walked in, all ice cold hauteur, and she remembered the way that she had drunkenly wrapped her arms around and Oh Merlin she’d kissed his neck, and then today in Hogsmeade she'd kissed Theo. What in Circe’s name was wrong with her? It wasn’t normal to be attracted to two wizards at once.
And the two men were best friends, there’s no way Theo wouldn’t tell Malfoy what they had done down in the village. It had perhaps been the most heated snog of her life.
Then she realised that he had tucked her into bed with those hands she couldn’t stop looking at and those long elegant fingers had soothingly put the potion vial to her lips. Now he was looking at her like she was a casual acquaintance, his eyes covered in an icy curtain. Was he using occlumency, right now? With her? Why?
“Good afternoon, Granger,” Malfoy drawled, his posh tone instantly infuriating her.
She huffed and replied, “Good Afternoon.” Theo and Pansy returned from the kitchenette and Theo’s hair was even more ruffled than it had been in the wind walking back from Hogsmeade and was that…a bruise on his neck…Hermione looked back at her lap.
“Joining us for dinner, Granger?” Pansy asked, “It's about time to head down.”
Shaking her head, Hermione elected to stay behind.
Pansy tried to convince her to join them with some cajoling words but Hermione would not be swayed. “Theo and I had a big lunch in the village, I’m fine. You three have a nice meal.”
Theo shrugged and opened the door for Malfoy and Pansy, smiling, “See you after dinner Hermione. Maybe we can find another game to play.” He winked at her and was gone.
Merlin was everything out of that man’s mouth a euphemism for sex or had their kiss rattled her brain? Maybe a bit of both.
As she sipped the tea that she was pretty sure Pansy had not poisoned, she found a new Daily Prophet. Ignoring her distaste for the publication, Hermione picked it up and saw the headline
Voldemort’s Revels Revealed: Horrors from the Death Eater Trials
Skimming the article, she shuddered at the terrible images that the testimony had cast. And then she realises that these revels were all at Malfoy Manor. In Draco Malfoy’s home…the boy…the young man who tucked her into bed last night had to watch Professor Burbage be eaten by a Nagini? Werewolves engaging in cannibalism? The rape and murder of Muggle women? Hermione knew that Voldemort had been evil, but the level of depravity shocked her. Rubbing her forearm while she read, perhaps it shouldn't have.
Was she really feeling sympathy for Draco Malfoy of all people? The person who tormented her for years? Who watched his aunt torture her? Her contrary mind kept showing her the young man weeping as he held Luna, who had been held prisoner at his home, who whispered translated song lyrics in her ear, who made her drink a hangover potion before tucking her into bed. Why does everything with the Slytherins have to be so bloody complicated?
She turns the page and there is a picture of Ron in Paris with a pretty dark haired witch.
Golden Trio Member Ronald Weasley Pictured with Pureblood Astoria Greengrass in Paris.
Can Wedding Bells Be Far Behind?
By Rita Skeeter
Affair between Muggleborn Hermione Granger and war-hero Ronald Weasley all in the past according to Mr. Weasley.
"We started a serious courtship after the Battle of Hogwarts, but I think it was all for publicity. I believe she was writing to someone else, an old flame. She had nowhere else to go after the war ended, and my family generously took her in because of our relationship, while we were trying to recover from the loss of my brother, Fred. As soon as we settled in, she began writing to someone, and I believe it was a secret lover. She must have made some sort of deal with him to meet her at Hogwarts, because she didn't even think about my family when she took off. We're still grieving the loss of my beloved brother, a hero and martyr of the Order, and instead of standing with us and being supportive, she has moved on with her life. and while she was really helpful in the war effort, not all what I would be looking for in a wife." Mr Weasley stated, looking adoringly at Ms Greengrass who was a vision of Pureblood etiquette and grace that Ms. Granger could never hope to aspire to.
Oh my God. Fuck him. He didn't want to admit that I didn't want to shag him in a house where literally everyone is in mourning. Of course he fucking didn’t. And Fuck Rita Skeeter. She simmered. I should send her a bloody jar in the owl post.
Hermione felt the rage rising in her like a tide; she was nearly vibrating with it. Her hands shook with fury and she felt as though she was going to explode. Screaming in wrath, she threw her tea cup against the wall, the cup shattering into a hundred pieces and the tea ran down the stones of the castle wall. She found an empty firewhisky bottle that must have been from Friday night. That too exploded against the stone wall.
Notes:
For the mostly true story of Pansy and Daphne's break up, go read Blood & Roses
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38130265It's part of Pansyfest and has some amazing art by KK_Lawliet
Thanks to the alpha/beta team for this chapter (SarahFraser, Amebb42 and Megsivy)
Chapter 8: I Don't Wanna Be Myself
Summary:
The chaos continues!
Notes:
Musical interludes for this chapter:
Soda - Nothing But Thieves song of the chapter
https://open.spotify.com/track/3PUnku87booODLtX6VVHwN?si=fef27c1659de42c8
Playlist for the entire story: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7H5Eskhpc9tuV78PCXFAMt?si=5NQBpI44SheU7Ww2iTj7vw
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
************
Chapter 8
***************
Pulling the door closed behind him and following Theo and Pansy down the narrow spiral staircase, Draco stared at his black painted nails and fought the urge to pick at the polish. He kept repeatedly looking back in the direction of the Heads Dorm because he was horribly nervous about leaving Granger alone.
The door had barely disappeared behind them before he turned towards his two friends and let out a sigh, "I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave her alone, right now. She seemed really upset. Burning her letters like that. Maybe we should have stayed with her and had the elves bring up food for the four of us or something."
"Caught that did you? You definitely didn't help matters by occluding in front of her," Pansy stated, narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you trying to run hot and cold on her, Draco? What's she supposed to be other than confused when you do something like that? You are the prince of mixed messages when it comes to that witch." The dark haired witch snapped at him. "And then to top it off Theo kisses her in Hogsmeade today, likely without explaining any of the who's and what's of the three of us!" She continued, turning and jabbing a finger in Theo's side, making him jump a little, and nearly stumble down the stairs. "Although, I am so jealous, pet. You will be lucky if you don't get a spanking later."
"Threaten me with a good time too, although I'm not sure how much pleasure my body can handle in one day." Theo quipped, sending a wink in Pansy's direction and making Draco roll his eyes. "And I did tell her that you wouldn't be mad about me giving her kisses, but she didn't seem to believe me." Theo shook his head as if he were utterly confused, "why would I lie to the witch?"
Pansy laughed aloud at the absurdity that was Theodore Nott, "Because it's what wizards do to get in a witch's knickers, Theo. At least she's not a complete ingenue, that makes her much more alluring to be honest," Pansy said, a far off look in her eye. "Deflowering a virgin holds very little appeal, no offence Draco."
"None taken, Pans," Draco sighed knowing quite well that Pansy had zero interest in taking his virginity, but that Theo was actively campaigning to be his first.
Attempting to distract himself from the thought of fucking Theo’s arse for the first time, Draco cleared his throat, rubbing his face and asked, "How did she taste?" He smoothed his hands down his front, trying not to continue to look backwards. He was going to fall down the bloody stairs if he kept it up, and he didn't need to embarrass himself in front of Granger if she did emerge from the dorm.
"Like her sugar quills," Theo sighed happily over the memory. "The little crystals were all over her lips. She was so sweet, Drake. Salazar, I could have come in my pants like a third year, and I wouldn't have been surprised at all."
"How did she feel?" Draco asked, his mind drawn to envisioning the entire scenario. If only it could have been him kissing, licking, and sucking sugar off her lips. Salazar, he’d give every galleon of his fortune for that chance. But he couldn’t sacrifice her life for it, she was too special, too important for him to endanger her with his reckless desire.
"So bloody responsive, she just…" Theo let out another sigh.
"Did she like it rough?" Pansy interjected, "Were you forceful with her?" The two young men turned and looked at Pansy who had wide and hungry eyes. Seeing the boys looking at her, Pansy only lifted one of her shoulders in a shrug, "What can I say? I know what I like and who I'd like to do it to."
"Pans," Theo said, pausing as they came into the corridor and the main staircases. ''You are terrifying sometimes, sexy but terrifying." Shaking his head, "But the answer is yes. I held her wrists over her head against the wall, and I am pretty sure I left fingerprints on her hips towards the end. She responded well to the control - very compliant, but it seemed like she didn't have a lot of experience with it. Absolutely has a praise kink." Pansy sucked in a breath and slowly relished this information. "She watched my hands closely while I smoked, like she couldn't take her eyes off me at that moment. I'm not sure if hands or smoking gets her hot, but it's at least one, if not both."
Draco moaned, rubbing his face again. He couldn't help but feel jealous of Theo and at the same time wanted to bum a cigarette just to smoke in front of Granger himself to make her look at him that way. Pansy looked intrigued at the information. Sliding her arm through Theo’s, she whispered into his ear, "I want you to tell me everything that happened. Leave nothing out." Theo smirked, and promptly started in on her request.
Draco attempted to adjust himself subtly so the other two wouldn't see him as they came into the main entry hall. Now he just needed to make it through their conversation about Granger at dinner without having to go wank in Myrtle's Bathroom. It was going to be a long bloody meal.
***************
As the three of them were coming up the stairwell to the Heads Dorm, Theo could start to make out the sounds of girdled screaming, the shattering of glass, and furniture breaking. Pulling out his wand, he started running, Draco hot on his heels at the sound of Hermione’s distress. Draco's eyes were frantic as he raced up behind Theo, "I know those screams, Theo."
Theo didn't respond because he was slamming the door open with his shoulder while simultaneously screaming the password. Draco rushed past him and beheld the Golden Girl in flames. Her hair crackled with wild magic, blue flames running over her skin as she threw one of the tables next to the couch. The wood shattered as it hit the Hufflepuff tapestry, which it tore down revealing another bay of windows that had previously been hidden behind the four tapestries.
"Granger stop!" Draco rushed in, grabbing her from behind just as she lunged and was about to put her fist through the newly exposed window. The blue flames that had been running over her body, ran over his skin, and Draco nearly let go afraid of being burned, but instead gripped her tighter.
The flames didn't hurt...exactly...but every nerve and cell in his body seemed to clench in awareness at the fury of the witch in his arms. The blue flames set goosebumps into his flesh as they rolled over his skin. In her distressed state, Hermione kicked and squirmed in his grasp. "Let go of me, Draco Malfoy!" She screamed, swinging her legs wildly while Draco held her in the air.
"Not until you calm down. I am not going to let you hurt yourself," Draco snarled, his mouth at her ear. He pulled back quickly as she tried to break his nose with the back of her head,"Stop it witch! I am trying to help you, for Salazar’s sake. I'm not going to hurt you!"
"Why do you care what happens to me?" She rasped, her voice hoarse. She was kicking her legs out, desperately trying to get away from him, scratching his arm and drawing blood with her nails. "Let me fucking go, now!" She was like a feral animal in his arms.
"Hermione," Theo had stepped forward, putting his hands on her cheeks in an attempt to ground her. "We need you to take a breath and calm down. Please stop fighting Draco, he will let you go, but you need to relax first."
Draco looked up to see Pansy walk in the room, a picture of casual grace, and close the door that he and Theo had left wide open. She muttered something that sounded like "amateurs" before casting a silencing charm over the suite. Pansy looked annoyed at the two boys, "No witch worth her salt ever calmed down because a wizard told her to."
Pansy's words proved to be right, because Hermione's hands were clenched into the skin of Draco’s forearms, and her body was still trembling with rage. A burst of accident magic radiated off Hermione's body, causing the fireplace to burst into raging flames.
Bloody crescents appeared in the stark white fabric of Draco’s shirt and Hermione’s head whipped back and forth sending her curls stinging against his cheeks. The only thing keeping him from being hard against her arse, as she twisted and girated against the front of his trousers, was the litany in his mind of: She doesn't want you. She could never want you. She will never want you.
But even as his mind thought about how he wasn't good enough for her, some baser part of him swore that if she didn't calm down soon and stop acting like a wildcat, he was going to throw her on her bed and fuck the wildness out of her. He might be a virgin, but she was setting his blood on fire with visions of her nails leaving bloody tracts like the ones on his arms down his back instead, and bite marks on his shoulder.
Theo’s hands on her cheeks weren't calming Hermione as she continued to thrash and tried to scream. Her voice was raw at this point that it only came out in a raw squeak.
Pansy was walking around the room surveying Granger's destruction and emitting one of her low whistles. Coming to the other side of the couch, she tilted her head as she spotted something that Draco couldn't see. Pansy walked over to Theo holding up the Daily Prophet, opened to a picture of Ronald Weasley and Astoria Greengrass in Paris; Draco internally scolded himself for even thinking about the witch sexually when clearly she was still hung up on Weaselbee. Theo's eyebrows raised as he skimmed the article.
"Hermione," Theo asked, making eye contact with Hermione. "Is that Prophet article why you are upset? You know, you're much too good for the Weasel."
At Theo's words, the fight went out of her. His body sagged and the blue flames stopped scouring Dracos skin. He exhaled in relief as the tingling sensation left his body at last.
Draco could hear the tremble of her lips in her voice, "It's not that. We broke up before I came back to Hogwarts, but h-he... he made it sound like I was cheating on him to everyone in the whole bleeding Wizarding World." She said, her voice cracking from all the screaming she'd just done. "Why would he do that to me?" She let out a ragged sob and Theo nodded at Draco. "He knew I was writing to my parents, he knew…Why would he say that about me?" She trailed off, her body still limp in Draco's arms.
Draco reluctantly released his grasp on her and she swayed forwards into Theo's hold; Theo wrapping his arms around her gently.
Stepping back now that it didn't look like she was going to hurt herself, Draco felt his heart aching watching Theo running his fingers over her hair. Theo got to provide the delicate touches and support, Draco could never be that person for her. He was all rough firmness, holding her tight against her will. Hermione leaned into Theo’s neck and let out a choked sob.
Turning away from the pair, Draco took out his wand and started casting repair charms on the mess around the common room. Shards of teacups vanished along with the shattered glass littered everywhere, before he moved onto the destroyed furniture. He needed to keep his hands busy. Bloody Weaselbee had done this to her. Had shamed her, publicly. Draco's hands shook. He wanted to fucking kill him. That fucking tosser had never been good enough for her. Never.
Pansy sighed and stepped forwards, taking Hermione's hand and rubbing her thumb over it, "So he did. Come on Granger, come sit with me. Theo will make tea, while Draco cleans up."
"Maybe something stronger in the tea?" Theo murmured, kissing Pansy on the cheek as he transferred possession of Granger to her. Pansy only nodded, before taking Hermione by the arm and sitting her on the couch.
Draco turned and watched as Granger started to shake, dropping her face in her hands. "I'm sorry." She cried, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to destroy the room." Draco’s fists clenched with his desire to go to her.
He was desperate to embrace her, hold her, tell her no one would ever hurt her again, that he would make him pay for ever speaking a word against her.
Fuck.
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
****************
"Nothing to be sorry for, Granger," Pansy whispered against Hermione's hair as she held the trembling witch to her body. "Even princesses lose their shit sometimes. You should have seen me last time I lost my temper when my ex…well nevermind that ...suffice it to say reparo couldn't even fix my mother's crystal." Pansy laughed at the memory.
Theo was walking back towards the girls, a floating tea tray following him. "Oh, I almost forgot." He said, stopping in front of Pansy and Hermione. "Accio Firewhisky," He murmured, sticking his hand out. A bottle flew through the air from his room, the neck landing in his palm with a smack.
"Nott," said Hermione on a ragged exhale. "Are you doing multiple simultaneous spells wandless right now?"
"Back to surnames are we, Hermione?" Theo asked with a raised brow, pouring firewhisky into each of the four tea cups. "But the answer is yes. I taught myself wandless magic in sixth year; I thought it might come in handy."
"Impressive. I can only do a few spells wandless myself," Hermione murmured, looking down at her hands and flexing her fingers.
"I would be happy to teach you another time," Theo said, handing a teacup to the shaking Gryffindor. "But, right now I do believe we need to talk about this. Healer Cordelia would not approve of us ignoring what just happened." Theo said, levitating a teacup towards Pansy before leaning back in his seat taking a sip from his own. "Talk, Hermione. Whatever is said in this common room will stay between the four of us. Well, unless one of our lives is at risk and we can't handle it ourselves. Otherwise," Theo lifted a hand and mimicked using a key to lock his lips and tossing the imaginary key over his shoulder.
Hermione drank down the contents of her mug in one go. Between the hot tea, the generous helping of honey and the Firewhisky, there was a nice warmth, soothing her raw throat. Holding out her cup, Theo waved his hand, wandlessly refilling her tea exactly how she liked it and added another generous shot of whisky.
Lifting the cup to her lips, Hermione took in a deep breath. Draco had finished all the repairs at this point and took a seat next to Theo, silently reaching out for his own tea. Hermione was about halfway through her second drink, the Slytherin trio waiting, sipping their own drinks, when Hermione finally took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Do you all remember the troll that got into the castle our first year?" Hermione asked, looking around the trio.
Running her fingers in Hermione’s hair, Pansy pursed her lips. "Of course we remember a bloody troll being let into the castle. We were told the thing was in the dungeon and then told to go to our common room that also happened to be in the dungeon. Why?"
Taking another drink from her cup, Hermione cleared her still raspy throat before continuing. "Well, that has always been when I considered the beginning of my friendship with Harry and Ron. I had locked myself in the bathroom after charms, because I overheard Ron saying some really horrible things about me. I was in there crying, because of him like always really, but then they came to save me - Harry and Ron." The Slytherins all looked at her in a bit of shock, as the teachers had kept it under wraps about how everything with the troll had ended up.
"Anyway, I lied for them. I took the blame, saying I thought that at twelve I believed I could take on a fully grown mountain troll. I lied and covered for Ron to keep him out of trouble because he just saved my life, even if the reason I was there in the first place was his fault."
Hermione finished off her second cup, and without even asking, Theo had her refilled. "And it's funny that's how our friendship started, because we never really grew past it. Ron does something, hurts me, Harry sides with him, I have to forgive Ron for whatever he did. The cycle repeats continuously. And as poorly as he has treated me as a friend all these years, I still fell for the git or thought I had...thought he really cared."
The three Slytherins looked between each other while Hermione continued to sip on her own drink. Her distant gaze looked as if she weren't sitting in their common room with them anymore. "I kissed him during the battle. He made a comment about saving the house elves and I just thought, finally he is actually hearing me. He's actually listening to what's important to me, cares about what I care about." She let out a harsh laugh, shaking her head. "In the end, he just wanted to get laid. But the joke was on him, wasn’t it? Because I didn’t miss him, not really, not when he left us when we were hunting horcruxes and not later either when he disappeared from The Burrow to go be with his groupies. I was just relieved he was gone.”
"We stayed at his house this summer, and I've been trying to get ahold of my parents. That's who I was writing, that he talks about in the article. Ron knew, because he always read the letters over my shoulder. Godric forbid I ever have any privacy. Anyway, everyone there, and rightfully so, were destroyed over the loss of Fred. Harry and Ginny took off at one point to be alone, and I didn't blame them for it. Ron, the git, kept pressuring me to have sex with him with literally his entire family in and out trying to help his parents, ehis mother. There was no privacy, not with all his siblings there and his mother crying all over the place. Molly was honestly walking into everyone's bedroom at all hours unannounced just to check in and make sure her children were still alive and well in bed. So how he thought we could get away with having sex and not getting caught was beyond me. And it just seemed so wrong you know? Like Fred’s ghost would see.” Hermione’s face grew tight with sorrow when she mentioned Fred Weasley and Theo remembered that the jokester twins had been rather hot; both of them were daddies in the making. Although one of them would probably be coming into that phase despite his twin’s death, it's just too bad that red-headed twin daddies were very unlikely to be something in Theo’s personal future. He would have enjoyed being taken care of by a matched set. He had to stifle a bit of inappropriate laughter. A bit dirty and dark there, Theo, he thought to himself, as he returned his focus to Hermione’s litany of the Weasel’s selfishness.
"I refused to shag a few too many times, and so we ended things between us. The friendship that had brought us together was too strained. I was expected to just continue holding it all together and just be there to support everyone, as always, and I just couldn't do it anymore. Even with Harry and Ginny, they were wrapped up in each other for the most part, but if they needed me I was there for them. Ron has always been so overly emotional and jealous, it’s actually been a lot better for me not worrying if drinking with his brother was going to set him off - or Godric if he knew I was drinking with you lot - he'd lose it."
Hermione threw back the remainder of her tea and when Theo went to refill her cup for a fourth time she shook her head. Holding her hand out instead, pointing at the bottle of firewhisky. Taking the bottle, Hermione took a pull straight from it and hissed at the burn against her still raw throat. "Harry and Ginny wrote to me, and all they did was complain about the three of you and Blaise if you can believe it. They didn’t even ask after me, wanting to know how I'm getting along and such. Didn't ask for any updates on my parents, yet when I wrote to them I was checking in on them and told them about what's happening here. They couldn't be bothered to come and try to heal themselves, and yet have the nerve to be suspicious about who actually came to do that work." Hermione finished her rant by putting the bottle to her lips again and taking another long drink. "Golden Trio my arse."
Everyone sat in silence, not sure what to say to Hermione after she'd finished telling her side of things. Pansy reached over, taking the firewhisky from Hermione and putting her lips in the same place the muggle born had just had hers. "This is strange, Parkinson." Hermione commented, taking the bottle back from Pansy and taking another drink.
"What's that?" Pansy asked, watching Theo accept the offered bottle from Hermione.
"Are we like friends now? I haven't talked to anyone about this, ever, and here I am telling you everything." Hermione said, her eyes following Theo and Draco's large elegant hands touching as they passed the bottle of firewhisky between them. Hermione couldn’t resist wetting her lips at the sight.
"Granger, we are young women who were in a war. On different sides, but still. If we aren't friends yet, we are compatriots of a kind. And I think we could be friends." Pansy said, watching Hermione and silently taking in the sight of the witch. Her hair, completely unruly since her magical outburst, face still flushed from her anger and now the drink.
"Do you want to be friends?" Hermione asked, finally turning away from the boys and looking at Pansy.
"Something like that." Pansy said, shifting slightly closer towards the other witch as Theo and Draco watched from where they were sitting, their attention on Hermione’s every movement.
"In that case you should call me Hermione, you did last night." As she said it, her face got even redder when Pansy lifted a hand to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
"We were all a little drunk, Hermione, but fair enough. Please call me Pansy." The raven haired witch said with a seductive smile on her lips. "Well, now that we're friends, I think some girl time is in order. Your hair really is a disaster Gran- er, Hermione."
"Oh, I love girl time!" Theo exclaimed, starting to stand, only stopping when Pansy held up her hand.
"You've had enough girl time with Hermione today, Theodore. We just decided that we're friends, and now we get to be alone. You stay put and enjoy Draco, pet. I'm sure the two of you can come up with something to do in our absence." Pansy replied, standing and taking Hermione's hand before dragging the other witch towards her room.
Pansy could hear Theo's muffled complaints, but ignored whatever he was saying as the two girls left the common room. Sitting on Hermione’s bed, Pansy made them each more tea with whiskey.
Using charms that she'd found worked nicely on Theo's curls, Pansy started running her wand over Hermione's head. "You know, you don't owe the Weasleys anything. Even if they let you stay at their home, they knew you just spent a year on the run with Potter and Weaselbee." Pansy said, still waving her wand over the matted curls, loosening them until they hung freely around Hermione's shoulders.
"Ron left us," Hermione muttered after a few minutes. Comb in hand, Pansy stills, waiting for Hermione to continue. "While we were on the run, I mean. We, uh, we never told anyone. Grand scheme of things, it didn't seem important. He got upset that Harry didn't have a plan, even though Harry had told us everything Dumbledore had told him. The Horcrux, one of them was Slytherin's necklace and we took turns wearing it, really messed with Ron the most. Harry and I decided it was pointless in bringing up and tarnishing his reputation for something so small."
Not knowing what to say since Hermione had already shared some of this information while they were playing 20 questions the night before albeit with less detail. The Gryffindor must have been more pissed than Pansy realized at the time. Pansy worked her fingers into Hermione’s hair and began braiding it. Once a beautiful fish braid was finished, the two stumbled off the bed and over towards Hermione’s wardrobe. After, she turned over to Hermione and tugged the other witch's clothes off her body, tossing them to the floor where they disappeared for the house elves to wash. Putting a horrific oversized ratty shirt onto Hermione.
"He's not worth it you know, not your loyalty nor your silence, none of it," Pansy murmured over Hermione's shoulder. "Nor is anyone who believes that trashy slag's nonsense."
Pulling Hermione away from the mirror by her hand, Pansy led the other witch towards Hermione's bed. She pulled out the blankets and helped Hermione under the covers. Sitting behind her, Pansy rubbed small circles onto her back, in an effort to help soothe Hermione into a peaceful sleep.
"He's always had the emotional depth of a teaspoon and he's an awful kisser. 'M glad I never shagged him." Hermione murmured into her pillow. Pansy nodded and made a noise of agreement, continuing her massage. When Hermione's breathing had evened out, Pansy went to move from the bed, as she believed Hermione to be asleep. Before she could get far, however, the other witch reached out and grabbed Pansy’s wrist, stilling her.
"Pansy can you...would Theo be mad if you stayed with me? I don't want to be alone...please."
"Let's get one thing straight Granger," Pansy scuffed, "Theo does not, nor has he ever, told me what to do. That's not our dynamic at all." Pansy looked down at the pretty brunette and softened her tone as she looked into those doe eyes. "But, yes, yes I will sleep in here with you, but fair warning I like to cuddle. You need to consent to that, because I won't be able to stop myself in my sleep."
"Sounds grand, Pans," Hermione slurred sleepily, scooting her body closer to where Pansy was. She stopped then began to chuckle. "Grand and Pans almost rhyme...it could be the start of a poem…I do like cuddles, no one's held me in so long. You can wear some of my things," Hermione offered, summoning an oversized muggle shirt reading “Posh Spice” that normally Pansy wouldn't be caught dead in. However, it smelled so much like the other witch, that Pansy accepted and slipped it over her head. Hermione yawned again and was suddenly deeply asleep.
Pansy slid under the covers next to the Head Girl. She summoned her patronus and when the ethereal cobra appeared she said, "Hermione requested my presence here, don't wait up I'm not coming to bed." And as the cobra slithered off, Pansy set her wand on the side table.
Then she rolled over and put her hand on Hermione’s hip, leaning in to smell her hair and neck. Simply delightful.
Pansy restrained herself from kissing and nibbling at Hermione’s neck, but only barely. She snapped her teeth in her direction twice, wishing desperately that she had the consent to nibble just a bit and caress the witch in bed with her as she would like to do.
Tonight was going to be torture, delicious delicious torture was Pansy's last thought before she too fell into oblivion.
*************
Theo woke up with his head pounding, but for once, it was not from too much drink. His lack of sleep from the night before had him feeling a tightness behind his eyes and a headache blossoming.
Rolling over he looked into the handsome face of Draco, whose hair had managed to get into his eyes, making him look youthful and innocent. His shirtless torso showed the sectumsempra scars, that resembled claw marks of a demonic tiger, were etched into his lover's flesh as permanent reminders of the even deeper scars they both carried in their souls. Theo couldn't help himself but to brush his fingertips along one of the marks, reaching low towards the V of Draco’s hips.
Should he really be thinking of Draco as his lover? They'd done everything besides penetration. Theo didn't feel like Draco was ready to go to that next level yet though, and so he didn't try to push him into something that the Malfoy heir wasn't ready for.
Theo would happily take a good hard shagging from Draco, if the blonde wasn't ready to bottom. It had been far too long since he had been properly shagged and had the pleasure of cumming with a man inside of his arse.
Theo had a suspicion who Draco really wanted to lose his virginity to. As much as he'd like to be the one who Draco took that step with, Theo was more than happy to let that torch be passed to a certain Golden Girl. Knowing how shy and reserved Draco had been towards her, even after she'd been kissing on his neck, Theo had realized that he would more than likely have to intervene in the matter . He drummed his fingers over his lips brainstorming ways that he could make it happen. He could probably even get Pansy involved in this little plot of his.
Although, he wondered if Pansy had managed to get into the delicious little swot's knickers last night. He doubted it. Pansy wasn't one to shag a witch who was sad, let alone one who was devastated like Granger had been last night. Theo kissed Draco lightly on the temple and was pleased to see the tall blonde smile in his sleep.
What a bloody tosser Weasley was! How could he do that to her? Drag her name through the mud like that, and for what? What was he going to get out of belittling her that way? Getting into Astoria's knickers? He knew Vince, Salazar rest his soul, had gotten her virginity in a broom closet of all places. And she had been planned to be Draco’s wife. Theo shuddered at the thought of Draco strapped to such a milk and water miss. Both of the Greengrass sisters were boring as they could be. How Pansy ever dated Daphne he'd never understand, Perfect Pureblood heiresses.
Theo was thrilled they had relocated to France. Really the only thing in their favor was that they weren't bigots, but it was a bit awkward that both girls were pursuing Pureblood husbands. It just went to show that anti-Muggleborn ideology was more ingrained than people wanted to admit. For fuck’s sake, Dumbledore had been said to be a Muggleborn supporter and even he had never hired a Muggleborn to teach at Hogwarts in the fifty years that he had been running the place. Bleeding hypocrites the lot of them.The Order preferred to keep Muggleborns as isolated as the Ministry did. Look at how Granger – Hermione was being treated now. If she retired to the Muggle World, people on both sides of the war would breathe a sigh of relief. Well over my dead body was Hermione going anywhere other than into my bed – our bed, Theo thought.
Theo stretched his arms above his head and slid out of bed, careful not to wake Draco. He smiled one last time looking down at the boy in his bed. The pre-dawn light that looked pink and dusky as it filtered through his curtains bathed Draco, making him look like he was glowing, an angel on Earth.
Fiddling with the coffee maker, Theo got the settings just how Hermione liked it. He'd grown to really enjoy this muggle contraption, and the sweet caffeinated nectarine that it produced. He made up a pot of tea as well, and placed a stasis charm on everything so that once everyone emerged for the day, it would still be warm.
Curiosity took hold, Theo used gentle steps as he wandered over to Hermione's bedroom door. Slowly cracking it open, a soft smile spread across his lips as he peeked in at Pansy and Hermione cuddling in their sleep. He chuckled to himself at the sight of Pansy and Hermione wearing semi matching oversized shirts as the sheets pooled around their legs.
They look so natural together, as if sleeping in each other's arms is where they've always meant to be. Maybe, if she'll have them, Hermione could join their little whatever you want to call it…a girl for Pansy; someone to take his cock inside her, her quivering around him as she came; and Draco was madly in love with her. The way she had kissed him, the way she'd sucked Draco's neck, and now her arms wrapped around Pansy's narrow waist…all signs were pointing towards Hermione having similar feelings.
Theo was definitely infatuated and had spent the last few years imagining fucking her in all kinds of inappropriate ways, anytime she'd walk past him, swaying her hips. No, he wasn't in love with her...yet, but he could assuredly envision himself falling head over heels for her.
She was so clever and bonny, and Salazar help him, the sounds she made when he'd snogged her. He imagined he'd really be done for when she came around his cock.
“Mmmmm,” he hummed to himself, in pleasure as he fantasized about making her ejaculate with his hands and mouth. And then when she claimed she couldn't possibly go over the edge again, he'd shag her hard and watch her explode again until she was dripping onto the floor, leaving a horrible mess.
What a splendid vision. But she was really so bloody alone. Even Luna didn't seem to see how desperate the situation with Hermione was.
She had been out of control last night, with her wild hair and the flames kissing her skin. It was lucky that some tea laced with whisky and calming draught had done the trick in getting her to open up to us instead of burying her hurt even deeper. Potter and the Weasleys seem to have really done a number on her self-esteem and self-worth.
He surveyed the common room. Draco had repaired most of her destruction from the evening before, but the Hufflepuff tapestry still hung torn from its rod, and the windows it had revealed from the night before now appeared to be part of a door.
Theo cast a wandless scourgify on the visible glass panes, clear thick medieval glass squares and rich blue ones intermingled, and was able to see that outside was a balcony. He removed the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tapestries from their rods, allowing even more of the early morning light to filter in. With an alohomora, the glass door slid open and a beautiful stone balcony was revealed. How had it survived the battle? The view was amazing, Theo thought as he Accio’d a pack of cigarettes.
He cast a wandless diagnostic spell of his own design, the runes and colored dials floating in the air before him: no curses on the balcony, no jinxes or hexes, structurally sound, a three hundred year old notice me not charm on the railing that looked like it had been cast by a ritual circle of at least three bonded witches and a wizard. The last one was highly intriguing. It looked like the group who had done it had to have been either married, blood bound or soul bound. Impressive bit of magic.
Giving silent thanks for that eighteenth century triad and whatever use they had put the lovely balcony to. Noone would ever look up and see what was happening there, Theo already had some delicious ideas in mind for the newly discovered space.
Lighting one of his clove cigarettes, he took a deep inhale and let the smoke swirl in the air in front of him. There was nothing Theo enjoyed quite like a smoke in the brisk Scottish morning, and the view looking over the black lake was stunning with the early morning light reflecting on the dark water. What an amazing way to start the morning. He looked forward to learning what the balcony would look like in starlight. The Perseid meteor shower was only about a week away, that would make for a romantic date night, but which of the three of them should he woo?
Closing up the new found balcony, Theo puttered over to the kitchenette and poured himself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip and humming in appreciation, Theo turned his head at the sound of Draco and then the girls started to rouse in the bedrooms. Draco emerged already dressed in his black suit with black shirt. He had learned his lesson yesterday with the white shirt, Theo thought, the elves were bound to have a difficult time getting his blood out of the sleeves.
The blonde came behind Theo and nuzzled into his neck, taking a deep breath and leaving a light kiss in his wake. “You left me in bed to smoke?” Draco groused as he poured himself a cup of tea and added his honey and milk.
“I did, but I also have a splendid surprise for you later,” Theo turned as the two witches joined them in the kitchenette. Leaning back on his elbows against the counter, he gave them both a sultry once over in their oversized muggle shirts. Their legs were bare, causing his breath to catch as he imagined those long silky legs twined together. “Good morning ladies, how was your girl time?”
“Pet, don't talk to me before I have had some coffee. Make it for me now,” Pansy ordered, snapping her fingers in Theo’s direction.
“Of course my queen.” Theo replied, turning and quickly getting to work with absolute seriousness. Hermione’s eyebrows were nearly at her hair line when he turned around and handed Pansy her prepared cup.
“Good boy,” Pansy said, patting his cheek and humming happily as she sipped her drink.
"Theo, do you always do everything Pansy says?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised, as she fixed her own coffee.
"I could have made that for you," Theo pouted, "But yes, always and without question. Pansy is my queen." He smiled widely, thrilled to share a little bit with Hermione about their dynamic. He looked at her for any sign of shock or disgust and just saw simple curiosity there instead, until Hermione shrugged and began to drink her coffee. The sensual curve of her lips on the cup was enough to kill him, and the noises she made as she enjoyed the taste were so similar to the noises she had made for him in the alley.
"And don't you forget it pet," Pansy winked at him, as Draco rolled his eyes at the two of them. "I have to get dressed. Wait for me to go down to breakfast."
"Don't take an age, Pans," Draco called after her. Pansy gave him the two fingered salute and disappeared into Theo's room. With coffee in hand, Hermione turned and retreated into her room to get dressed as well.
Once everyone was well caffeinated and the girls were dressed, the group left the head's dorm and walked together to the Great Hall for breakfast. Pansy and Theo walked ahead of Draco and Hermione hand in hand the entire way, and for the first time, Hermione followed the Slytherin trio to their normal table. The number of circle tables had been reduced again, but there was still plenty of space for people to spread out.
Pansy was rattling on about a new fashion line that had been announced when Neville and Luna came walking up to their table and settled in. Luna sat next to the open seat beside Pansy, while Neville sat between Hermione and Luna. It really wasn't surprising how easily the conversation flowed with the odd group. Working together in therapy had helped bridge gaps and bring about a mutual respect and understanding in them all.
Of course, their little bubble couldn't last forever…"Hey, 'Mione," Finnigan said, walking over with his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Good morning, Seamus," Hermione answered, turning in her seat so she was facing towards the Irishman.
"So, I hate to ask," the man said, a bit of a flush rising on his neck.
"So maybe you don't." Pansy snipped, lifting a cup of tea to her pursed lips and taking a sip, smiling venomously at the Gryffindor.
Finnigan shot Pansy a look, but otherwise ignored her. "So, that article in the Prophet…what Ron was saying, it's not true is it?" He asked, turning all his attention back on Hermione.
"What does it matter?" Hermione sighed, staring dejectedly into her coffee mug in her hands.
"Hermione, it matters," Seamus insisted, "Think I’ve learned m’ lesson about believing the Prophet over my friends. Tell me truly."
"Ron and I broke up before I came back, but not because of my letters. They were to my parents in Australia."
"What a bleeding wanker," Seamus said. "Why would he say such a fucking thing to Rita Skeeter of all people? She's had it out for you for years."
"I don't know, Seamus," Hermione said, swirling her coffee again. Seamus squeezed her shoulder. He left without saying another word, heading over to sit with Dean, who was in an animated discussion with McLaggen at one of the other Gryffindor-dominant circle tables.
"You do know," Luna said in her offbeat manner. "You know why he lied, don't you Hermione?"
"I do, but Nev, cover your virgin ears." Neville did so immediately humming to himself so he couldn't hear what was discussed. Theo looked expectantly at Draco, who just gave him the two finger salute. "I wouldn't shag him at the Burrow when we were there together after the battle. He took that as I didn't want to be in a relationship with him. Which, after that blowout, I honestly didn't. So he fucked right off and I haven't seen him since. And I was at the Burrow until I came here, so he certainly hasn't been grieving in the bosom of his family, he's been off shagging wenches, who– as I was told– would be proud to have a war hero between their legs."
"But Hermione," Luna said, "you are a war hero too."
"Isn't that the bloody truth?" Hermione exclaimed. "Theo, do you have a flask with you? After that disclosure I need something to settle my nerves. I hope that wasn't TMI for the rest if you. Luna, do let Neville know he can take his hands off his ears." Hermione finished, reaching under the table towards Theo so no one would see a flask at their breakfast table.
"Oh no, that was certainly not too much information," Theo said grinning, handing over his pocket flask. "I thrive on secrets like that."
Joining them at the table, Blaise pulled a chair between Neville and Luna so he could sit next to the witch. Tossing her a smile, he looked around while pulling a platter of eggs and bacon towards himself. "What secrets have I missed this morning?"
"No huge secret," Luna replied, turning her blinking owl eyes on the Italian. "Ronald Weasley is a tosser and never deserved Hermione." Theo bit his lip to keep from laughing, and cast an appreciative glance at his favorite little lunatic.
"Luna!" Neville said, while Hermione and Pansy choked on their coffees.
"What?" Luna said, "It's true. He's always been a git. I had a crush on him in third year and he was horribly mean to me about it."
"Luna," Hermione said, reaching out and gripping her hand, "I had no idea. I'm so sorry he was mean to you."
Luna shrugged, "He's mean to everyone, besides there's no way he'd ever have been able to shag me rough the way that I like." She sipped her tea and ignored the absolute chaos she had caused at the table. Neville’s ears turned pink as he shrieked her name. The Slytherins broke out into laughter. Hermione’s hand went to her mouth in surprise. "See you in Group therapy," Luna said, standing up before skipping away.
Theo was laughing so hard that tears were running down his cheeks, "She's one in a million that girl."
"Isn't she just," Blaise replied, his eyes hungrily following the blonde Ravenclaw as she disappeared from the Great Hall.
******************
"Good morning everyone," Cordelia said cheerfully, as Pansy slipped into a seat between Theo and Blaise. "I hope you all had a wonderful free day yesterday. And I am so happy we are all here together to dig back into the work of healing ourselves."
"Today we are working on a piece of our Narrative Exposure Therapy," Cordelia stated, smiling as she went around the circle giving each person a hand pat or a squeeze on the shoulder.
"Let's begin by talking about the first few years of Hogwarts. The important things that happened, such as how you perceive your sorting as a positive event or a negative event." The healer said, making Pansy and Theo exchange a look. Real positive begging a moldy old hat to go into a house purely so your parents wouldn't do something untoward to you when you went home at Christmas. "I want you to each concentrate on that for a moment. Write something in your journals as well if you like."
Cordelia opened a bag and their lifeline scrolls shot out, floating in the air in front of each of them. The life line scrolls lit up as the stone or the flower appeared on the line.
Pansy let out a huff as she pulled out her journal and quill and began writing about her sorting ceremony.
Long before I even got my Hogwarts letter that the only house that would be acceptable was Slytherin. The entire Parkinson line had always been sorted into Slytherin, and that was just expected of both herself and her brother when they were small, well before he was sent to Durmstrang. There wasn’t a wrong house to be sorted into in a school that specializes in the Dark Arts. I often wonder why I wasn’t sent there as well. Perhaps it was too far for mum. Or perhaps they needed to keep a better eye on me, I was always the rebellious one. The ‘problem child’.
I wasn’t a hat stall, even before I could ask for the placement, the hat had called out 'SLYTHERIN', sealing my fate. All the teachers besides Snape were always cautious with me, just because of my green and silver tie.
The stone that appeared on the scroll after what she’d written in her journal was no surprise.
Hands down, negative experience, even if she'd gotten to be with her best friends. She’d known Draco and Theo from infancy however, so starting Hogwarts hadn’t been their first meeting.
To Pansy’s surprise, when she thought about meeting Theo and Draco and their childhood friendship, a purple orchid blossom appeared on her floating life line scroll between her earliest memory and the sorting ceremony.
Healer Cordelia walked around watching everyone finish writing in their journals, waiting until everyone had finished before she spoke again. "Let's talk about the Triwizard Tournament." Pansy had to hide her smirk as she looked over towards Draco, what a year that had been. "How did you feel about it? Do you consider it a positive or negative event in your life? I want you to visualize how it feels to you, so it will appear on your scroll and then take 10 minutes and tell me why in your journal."
Pansy wasn't a huge fan of fourth year in retrospect. She’d spent so much time tied up with Win and sneaking around with her, that everything else had kind of gone by the wayside. Except…oh shite, she sold a story to Rita Skeeter about Hermione’s love triangle with Viktor Krum and Harry Potter …oh she was a bloody arse. Nevermind that she’d used the money to buy the majority of the toys in her now confiscated kink bag. So, that was a positive point, she’d finally had a decent selection of implements for her preferred type of pleasure seeking.
Pansy scribed down a few more notes, but ultimately another stone appeared.
She really ought to apologize to Granger now that they were becoming friends or hopefully something more than that, if Pansy was reading the signs of arousal on the other girl’s body right. Those dilated pupils when she had undressed and dressed her not to mention Hermione’s physical reaction when she’d sung in French. There was a real possibility there. And she seemed not indifferent to Theo which was a huge plus. Theo desperately needed to shag or be shagged. Hermione seemed like she’d be amenable. And the sexual tension between the Gryffindor Princess and the Slytherin Prince could be cut with a knife. Last night when she’d been feral in his arms, the two of them looked like they could start violently fucking at any moment. They would tear each other apart when the tension finally broke. Pansy couldn’t wait to see it. Hermione could be their missing puzzle piece, if she was willing to take a dive into the snake pit that was.
Crossing her legs, Pansy stared up at the Healer with a flat look on her face.
Was this woman going to even try to find some sort of memory that could be positive?
“Okay,” Cordelia said, clapping her hands together after the alloted ten minutes was up. "After the events of the Triwizard Tournament, how was your family dynamic? Was this the point when you each started to feel an awareness of what side of the war you would ultimately be on? Did the notion that you might even have to fight cross your minds yet? Instead of writing this down, does anyone want to share out loud?”
Being the Gryffindor swot that she was, Hermione cleared her throat and raised her hand, waiting to be called on. When Cordelia nodded at her, Hermione cleared her throat again and put her hands in her lap. "I knew at the Quidditch World Cup that a fight was coming. Helping Harry, it's what I knew deep down that's what I would be doing. No matter what that looked like." Hermione took a deep breath, and looked down at her hands.
"My parents didn't know about anything that was happening. If they had, they would have pulled me from the wizarding world. I was petrified second year, how would I ever explain Death Eaters and Voldemort to my muggle parents? So, I knew, deep down, I knew being Harry's best friend that I would be fighting." Hermione finished speaking, keeping her eyes down, unable to look up.
Taking a breath, Pansy spoke next. If Hermione can do it, I suppose I can try. "My father sent my brother to Durmstrang and he graduated that year. Even though my father was a Death Eater, he didn't want that for his son. Instead, he set Ranunclus up with a ministry job in Bulgaria through his connections rather than planning to have him take the Mark. I had hoped he would value me as much as he did my brother, but no such luck. Heirs are valuable, daughters not so much."
Draco's voice surprised Pansy when he willingly spoke out next. "It has never been a secret on which side my family has always been, both paternally and maternally. I knew what would ultimately be expected of me. So yeah, seeing the Death Eaters at the World Cup, I already knew. I managed to warn someone, but otherwise it was just a first taste of the terrors to come." When he finished speaking, Draco sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyelids fluttered and she could tell by the tightness in his jaw that he was fighting the urge to use his occlumency. Pansy wanted to reach for him, but resisted the feeling.
Group therapy went against every bit of Slytherin inclination.
"My father didn't ever make a secret of his Dark Mark or what it meant." Theo said, looking around, "I was well aware of what was going to happen at the Quidditch World Cup beforehand. I didn't need to wait for the Triwizard Tournament to know the bastard would try to force me to take the Mark."
An eerie silence fell over the group and those who had yet to share looked as if they were struggling to decide who wanted to go next. Hannah Abbott shook her head in the negative when Cordelia looked at her before moving onto Thomas, who only muttered “I think I'll pass for now.”
No one was surprised when Neville spoke up. "After what happened with mum and dad, Gran wanted nothing to do with the Ministry or The Order. I heard her arguing with Professor Dumbledore about what the attacks at the World Cup meant for the world. Gran said something like, you sacrificed my son for your greater good. Don't you expect anything else from me.”
"So, really even after the Tournament, I wasn't totally sure if Gran would take me and run or if we'd stay and fight. I didn't want to sit back and do nothing, and I didn't want what happened to my family to happen to anyone else. I know that I’m the last of my Ancient and Noble House and that means something, but I didn’t want to be someone who let everyone else do the fighting for him."
Sweet Circe he was so altruistic, he had been born in the wrong era. Neville Longbottom should have been a knight. When she recalled how he had decapitated the Dark Lord’s snake with that sword though, perhaps he already was one. And based on this morning, he was still an innocent virgin, Salazar, that Longbottom boy belonged in a novel.
Pansy couldn't stop her eyes rolling when she heard Susan's nasally voice break through. "I trusted the Ministry and the Order were going to do their part and keep us safe. My Aunt was a part of both, and I put my full confidence in them and didn't think I'd have to fight in anything until Harry showed up in the Great Hall…" Pansy coughed to hide a snort as Susan trailed off. What a wonderful sheltered life the Hufflepuff must have lived to think the adults would fight their own battles. Healer Cordelia shot her a look, making Pansy blush and look down at her hands.
"I did what was best for my friends and family." The airy voice of Luna cut through the awkward tension. When she didn't elaborate, Healer Cordelia turned to Blaise who was the only person who hadn't spoken.
"What she said," was Blaise’s curt answer, nodding his head towards Luna.
***************
After the draining morning in their group, Draco was absorbed in the minutiae of helping in the library. Madam Pince would bring him a stack of books, where he would then sort them. Ones that were in need of repair, ones beyond repair, and those very few that needed no attention at all. After he'd finished caring for the books best he could, he'd use his wand to return them to their proper shelves, and then begin the process all over again. The orderliness of it all soothed his soul: books in, books out.
He knew what to expect each afternoon when volunteering for Madam Pince, who was probably the most agreeable he had ever seen her despite the tragic state of the library. Apparently, she was so grateful for the help that she hadn't snapped once at him.
And as he thought it through, he realized he had never seen anyone help her in all his years at Hogwarts. Nearly every other professor had one or two 7th years who wanted to go into that mastery as teaching assistants. However, in all his years at Hogwarts, Draco had never seen Madam Pince have an apprentice. Where did new librarians come from?
The current librarian was ageless, how long had she been at Hogwarts? She’d have to retire at some point wouldn’t she? Maybe he would ask her about her career path later. He had no idea what he wanted to do with himself, but this seemed as delightful a choice as any. He certainly had no desire to take over Malfoy Enterprises. It ran perfectly well without his involvement.
Today started off as it normally did whenever he was in the library. He was repairing the burns on the edge of an ancient scroll on Roman jewelry charms–which did look interesting, I wonder if Theo’s read this– his orderliness was upended by a smell that he recognized. The scent of Granger's shampoo wafted to his nose, part of his own personal amortentia and never ending torment. Draco's head snapped up, looking around to make sure he wasn't in a daydream, but of course he wasn't…
"Madam Pince, do you think I might also be of assistance?" There she was. Her voice, thankfully, seemingly unharmed by all the screaming she had done last night. Her voice stirred his whole being. What she whispered into his skin the other night still rang in his ears and he ran his hands over his forearms and felt the slight sting of the scratches she had gouged into his flesh. If he ran hot and cold on her like Pansy accused, Granger ran the same gamut: kisses to blood drawing in a single twenty-four hours.
"Of course dear, if you could follow me," the matron said, and Draco heard the click of their shoes against the floor as they walked towards him. "Mr. Malfoy, will you please teach Ms. Granger the diagnostic spell for books and the fire and smoke damage repair charms? She should be able to learn those in an afternoon. If you continue to volunteer, Ms Granger, then Mr. Malfoy can show you some of the more complicated book repair charms." Madam Pince had already taught him the book repair charms for several different types of damage as well as curse and jinx removal charms.
"Of course," Draco said, smiling obediently at the librarian. He saw Granger's eyes roam over him at his tone. He caught her amber eyes for a second. Salazar, he could drown in those pools of honey.
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
After Pince had excused herself, going back to her desk, the pair sat in an awkward silence for a time. Draco gripped his wand and was about to show her the wand movement, when she blurted out, "Did you mean it when you said I was brilliant and I was going to change the world?" One of her curls fell into her eyes, as she watched him closely.
Could he tuck it behind her ear? Was that more forward than tucking her into bed? Neither of them were drunk now, he’d have no excuse if it was too far.
"Obviously," Draco deadpanned. Did you mean it when you said I smelled nice?
He turned his face away from her so she wouldn’t see the blush he could feel warming his cheeks and quickly rushed out the instructions on how to perform the charm. He was lucky she was such a swot, because any lesser witch or wizard wouldn't have been able to follow his hasty instructions.
He made the mistake of looking up and found her golden eyes were so open and kind when they met his own. By all of the four founders, she was divine. How he wanted to…
Occlude. Occlude. Occlude.
**************
Nervously, Draco knocked on the door to the therapy office. Patting his palms against his thighs, he considered what might happen if he just didn't participate in the individual therapy when he heard a 'come in' from inside. Hesitantly, he opened the door as he tried to simultaneously not occlude and also not shake like a leaf in the breeze. Salazar this was embarrassing. These two things were more challenging than he might have thought, and he exhaled.
"Draco," Cordelia said smiling from her seat, "I am so happy to see you. I wondered when you might visit me for an individual session. Please, take a seat. Can I get you some water or tea to drink?"
"Tea would be good, thanks." Draco answered, and Cordelia waved her wand and conjured a tea tray with all the fixings.
"Here we are." Cordelia says, setting the tray in front of Draco so he can fix his drink to his liking. "So tell me, what are you thinking of the program thus far? I know you're here and participating because you have to, but I am curious about your thoughts." Cordelia says, pulling out a quick quotes quill and setting it up with a roll of parchment.
"Would you mind not using a Quick Quotes…" Draco said, eyeing the long feather hovering in the air above the parchment. "I'd rather not bet my future on what will be submitted for my trial from one of those things." After a raise of her eyebrows, Cordelia nods.
"Of course, of course. I'll warn you though, I'm not a fan of quills, inkwells, and parchment. The only other thing I have are just some muggle pens and legal pads." Draco watched as the healer stood from her chair next to the couch he was seated on and walked to a desk in the corner of the room. Throwing her braids over her shoulder, he watched as she rummaged through a drawer before pulling it out and showing him. "You don't mind, do you?" She asked, walking back to her seat.
"Why would I?" Draco asked, scowling a bit at the ridiculousness of the question. While looking out the window he missed the smirk that crossed Cordelia's face as she began writing.
"So, I know you're here because you have to do these sessions to avoid Azkaban. That must have been difficult to find out."
Draco shrugged his shoulders, in a show of indifference. "I don't care if they chuck me in there and throw away the keys. I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for my mum."
The scratching of the pen was the only sound, Draco's tea cup sat on its saucer, still untouched. Cordelia made a sound that pulled Draco's attention away from the window. "What?" He asked, seeing a smirk playing on the healer's lips.
"For someone who says he isn't concerned about himself, I see you doing a lot of work for yourself. I've noticed how you're actively working on not depending on occlumency as much anymore, and I don't even have to push you too much to participate in the group."
"I don't care what happens to me," Draco insisted, his tone clipped and short. "I just know what my father being in Azkaban has done to my mother and I don't want to add more stress to her life."
"Is there anyone else you might be thinking about wanting to stay out of Azkaban for?" The healer asked the question so innocently that at the same time he felt she knew more than she was letting on. Cordelia certainly hadn’t been a Slytherin.
“I don’t know,” Draco said, rubbing his hands over his face. “Maybe? I guess?” Real eloquent and intelligent answers there. ”Theo and Pansy care about me, I know. And Blaise of course…I find myself worrying about the Golden Girl - I mean Granger - quite a bit, she seems really fragile and I want to help her. It just seems impossible, me helping her…utter madness, yeah.”
He sat staring at his hands for a long time; the black nail polish and all the rings were helping a great deal. His hands didn’t look so much like his father’s anymore. Was that something he should share with Cordelia?
When he looked back up, Cordelia was just smiling warmly at him with her pen still poised in her hand.
“Maybe here is a good stopping place for today,” she said, capping the pen and standing up. Draco followed her lead and stood up as well. “Same time, maybe in a few days? We do have to have six of these appointments logged before your trial.” She asked, pulling out her appointment book, and Draco noted that it seemed similar to the same planner that Granger always carried around with her throughout their years at school.
“Yeah, sounds good.” He answered, shoving his hands in his pockets and quickly striding towards the door and pulling it open.
“Wednesday afternoon, Draco,” Cordelia's voice followed him into the hall. “I will see you back here Wednesday.”
He stepped into the corridor without another word to the healer and walked away. It was only after he’d reached a tapestry-covered alcove did he finally stop and lean against the wall, hidden from the rest of the school.
Only three more weeks. I can do this. I can show the Wizengamot that I don’t deserve to be banished to Azkaban in a cell next to Father.
**************
Blaise was making his way into the courtyard, and anyone who looked his way, he'd shoot one of his brightest smiles. As he passed a group of giggling Hufflepuffs, Blaise stumbled forwards when someone literally ran into him.
Annoyed that anyone would miss him standing right there, Blaise turned around with a snide comment right on the tip of his tongue, only to stop at the last moment. "Luna? What are you doing?" He asked the little witch who was bent over, still walking, holding something in her hand that she was looking in.
"Why hello, Blaise Zabini. Would you join me for a walk around the lake? I’m planning to skip dinner. There is a species of fairy I'm looking for and that only appears when the moon is in its Waxing Crescent phase and that time is upon us tonight. I'm curious if being near a magical body of water might attract them.” Blaise had no clue what she was on about, but that wasn't going to distract him from her voice and the mischievous smile on her face.
"I would love to join you and skip dinner, in equal measures. A man can eat only so much English cuisine." He said, letting a hand rest on her lower back as they made their way towards the lake. Luna still kept her contraption raised and looking through it, but at least she was no longer bent in half looking at the ground.
"Do you not care for it?" She asked, stopping to peer into a patch of grass before dismissing it and moving on.
"Not at all." He answered as he replaced his hand on her back. Watching her from the corner of his eye, he was struck by how much her pale blonde hair looked like moonlight.
As she continued floating around, because Luna doesn't just walk she levitates, Blaise couldn't take his eyes off the witch.
Her eyes and her hair reminded him so much of Draco, how did he never notice that before? Is that why he feels so comfortable around her?
Luna glanced at him, smiling. "Has anyone ever told you that your energy is like Apollo? You shine like you are the sun, and everyone is so drawn to you that they orbit you."
Blaise let out a laugh as they reached the shore's edge and Luna began searching the water for these moon fairies. "Does that make you Selene then?” Blaise queried, ”Your hair is so pale and beautiful that you shine, just like the moon. Your pale blue eyes, sparkling like the stars in the sky."
"I suppose, though, the moon only reflects the sun's light. So perhaps I'll shine brighter if I have my own sun." Blaise couldn't help but gulp as he watched her look over her shoulder from where she was bent over and send him a coy smile.
Before Blaise could make a retort to her last comment, Luna abruptly changed subjects. "I like the camp well enough. Cordelia is amazing. How's everything going for you? You seem distracted and not fully present."
Accepting the change of subject, Blaise kicked a rock off the path in front of him before taking a breath and answering. "I mean, the camp itself is going alright. I'm a little worried about my mother, however. She usually contacts me every few days, so it isn't like her. She and my stepfather may have gone on holiday or something, but she never mentioned anything about it in her last letter and that's not something she'd forget to tell me."
"She sounds like a good mother." Luna says, taking the device she'd been carrying, sticking it in her back pocket, and giving Blaise her undivided attention.
"She's an amazing mother. She’d do anything for me," Blaise said as Luna took hold of his hand with her much smaller one. "What about your mum? I've never heard you talk about her."
"My mother is dead. I wish I could see her again. She was really the most brilliant witch." Blaise was a bit taken back, not expecting that answer from her, nor her bluntness about her mother’s death. He never wanted anything to happen to his mother, he wasn’t sure how he’d function without her.
"I'm so sorry. I did not know." He said, feeling adrift as to what to say in such tragic circumstances.
"It's alright, it's hardly common knowledge outside of my friends. She did a lot of experimental magic and one of her spells backfired. Back when you all were in 3rd year, I heard Theo ask about the thestrals and no one else could see them. I could, of course, so I told him that he wasn't going crazy."
"Now basically everyone can." Blaise said, sensing that she didn't want to linger on the topic of her mother's death.
"Well everyone that's here for the summer program anyway. It's likely that many of the students who come in September will not be able to see them. It was mostly the older students that fought, and pretty much all of us came for the camp."
"Do you think the thestrals feel like their privacy is being invaded now that so many people can see them?"
"I suppose that they might," She answered. "Perhaps they prefer to wear invisibility cloaks, they're gentle creatures, but people fear them. I think if people feared me just because they didn't understand me, I'd prefer to be unseen as well."
Blaise didn't know what else to say after that deeply insightful interpretation of Thestrals. Instead, he just enjoyed the feel of her hand in his as they continued walking and just existing with each other.
**************
Hermione stood outside the door and raised and lowered her hand three times. The shiny new sign that read ‘Healer Cordelia, Mind Health Specialist’ was looking down at her. Hermione was frantically attempting to decide if this was really something she wanted to get into today. What could she possibly talk about to this woman that she hadn’t already addressed in the group?
A lot, her inner voice told her.
With this thought, Hermione raised her hand once more, summoning all the Gryffindor courage that she could muster and tapped it against the wood. The door swung open instantly and looking down at her was the smiling and inviting face of Healer Cordelia. “Hermione!” The elder woman exclaimed, angling her body so that Hermione could enter, “Come in, come in. I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been expecting you.”
“You have?” Hermione asked in disbelief. In the room she noticed a plush couch pushed against a wall with a box of tissues sitting on it. “Of course, Hermione. You’ve just been through a war and you were on the front lines. Water, tea?” The healer asked to which Hermione answered tea. With a bit of impressive magic, Cordelia conjured in the air an entire tea tray with all the fixings and a plate of biscuits. “Help yourself my dear, it will just take a moment for me to get set up for an individual session with you.”
Hermione looked down at the tea tray and the biscuits, picking one up and taking a bite. A small moan dripped from her lips as the warm soft treat rolled around in her mouth. “So, Hermione, was there anything in particular you’d like to discuss, such as, what brought you to my door at this moment?” The healer asked, as she settled into her own chair positioned close to the couch. In her lap, Hermione noticed that she had a legal pad of paper and pen in her hands.
“I just don't know what to say,” Hermione started off, stalling as she made up her cup of tea and carefully selected a second biscuit. “I guess I am just struggling, but I don't know what to tell you about it…” Hermione said, trailing off as she lifted her tea cup to her lips.
“You can say anything Hermione, talk to me about your nightmares or how you feel about the war. Why don’t we start off with something easy? Or talk to me about your new friendship with Theo Nott, or how being back at Hogwarts is making you feel. This is really all about you and what you need so just share your thoughts with me. The war was something you were fighting years longer than the rest of your friends here.” Cordelia said, giving Hermione a warm smile, picking up her own biscuit and taking a bite.
“I am angry. That's how I feel.” Cordelia doesn’t say anything, but nods her head and writes down a note. “It’s completely unfair, so many people died from the first Wizarding War and the two adults just left it for a bunch of children to fight for them. Both sides of this war, we were fed the load of bull of either ‘the greater good’ or whatever fucking bullshit Voldemort was spouting to his followers. These adults, who should have been taking care of us, put us all in positions where fucking kids would have to come in and clean up their mess. Just like they did the first time around, same story, different characters.” Hermione furiously wiped at her face, feeling the hot tears that had begun falling during her rant.
“Have you ever heard the term, child soldier, or know what that is?” Healer Cordelia asks, after handing Hermione the box of tissues.
“A child soldier is the term used for children who have been recruited for participation in military operations and campaigns.” Hermione answered, after she’d heard the term, she’d gone and looked it up. Healer Cordelia smiled and nodded at Hermione as she used the tissue to dry more tears from her eyes before they could fall.
“I’m sorry this happened to you and your friends, it’s not fair. The adults in charge should never have asked you to carry their burdens and fought for their causes. You were failed by those who should have nurtured and raised you.”
The tears that she’d been holding back freely fell now. There was nothing to be done for it, because that is what happened. They'd failed, over and over again. Starting in first year when Dumbledore had brought the bloody philosopher’s stone into Hogwarts instead of just destroying it when he knew Voldemort was after it.
“Do you want to talk more about this?” Healer Cordelia asked, letting a hand rest on Hermione’s forearm. Hemione shook her head, because this was just too much to process right now. She’d known this was the truth, but it was going to take some time to accept it.
“That’s fair, why don’t we switch gears then. How about your friendship with Theo Nott? The two of you seem to have gotten really close, that must make being Heads together this year promising since you get along so well.”
At the mention of her fellow Head, Hermione felt a flush creeping up her neck and covering her face. Oh, good Godric.
“I am so confused in everything and anything involving Theodore Nott!” And as if a dam had been broken, Hermione began to vomit words in a flow of consciousness about what all she had seen taking place between the three Slytherins.
“Maybe,” Hermione says, hiding her hands in her face. “I’m afraid there might be an explosion between the boys when one figures out the other is with Pansy too? What if they physically fight over her, Merlin, or it comes to a duel! I don’t want that in the Head dorms.” Hermione leaned her head back against the couch looking up at the ceiling before another thought crossed her mind. “Theo kissed me when we went to Hogsmeade together, after Draco tucked me into bed the night before! Merlin this is getting so complicated because I want them both, but they’re with Pansy. Do they even know they are both with Pansy? I’ve seen them both with their arms around her!” Cordelia just sat silently while Hermione looked up at her, making the one last confession that had been weighing on her chest since it’d happened. “The other night, we were all hanging out and Pansy sang this beautiful song in French and it made me feel a bit hot and bothered if I am being honest. I’m just so confused and I don’t know what’s happening to me.” Hermione whined, letting her head drop into her hands as she let out the rest of her troubles. “A person is only supposed to be interested in one person at a time, what is wrong with me?”
“But relationships between multiple Purebloods are actually pretty common, Hermione.” This information made Hermione’s head jerk up out of her hands and she was looking at the mind healer with narrowed eyes.
Laughing kindly at Hermione’s expression, Cordelia continued, “Triads are definitely more common than quads. But polycule quads aren't unheard of. Here I have a book or two somewhere on the topic that I think you would benefit from reading.” With this, Cordelia stood up and walked over to her bookshelf. Running her finger over multiple titles before stopping on two together.
“Here they are,” she said, walking back over to where Hermione was still seated and placed two books in her waiting hands. “Blending Your Potion: Finding Harmony in a Multi-Partner Home and “Choose More Than One Wand: A New Look at Magical Attraction.” Hermione was looking at the cover of the books when Cordelia tapped one of them with a long and perfectly manicured finger, Hermione looked up. “I think you might be able to find a few answers that you seek and that the solution to this ‘problem’ is a lot easier than you thought.”
**************
Hermione was absolutely exhausted. It had been the longest day since she had been at the summer program and she just wanted to sleep. She quietly let herself into the Head dorm and planned to just make herself something in the kitchenette and then head to bed. She sighed as she entered and shut the door behind her. It seemed as though no one was there and then she heard voices and her body stilled.
"Oh Dragon, that feels so good." She could hear Theo moaning. Hermione heard the wet sound of someone sucking and gagging...on a cock! Intrigued, she couldn't help herself but try to discover what was going on. Theo's door was wide open, and the erotic sounds were ricocheting off the walls in their dorm. Hermione slowly crept towards a place where she could see into the Head Boy's room, but he wouldn't be able to easily see her. She quietly sat her new books on the floor.
Theo's thrusts slowed, running his fingers through Draco's hair, Hermione bit her lip to stop a groan. "Just relax your throat and I'll do all the work." She heard the brunette instruct as his hips began to pick up the pace a bit.
Draco's gagging stopped Theo and had him pulling out his cock out of Draco's mouth. Hermione’s jaw dropped open at seeing the size of his prick. Merlin, did she want to feel that going down her own throat. "Do you want to stop?" Theo could be heard asking.
"No, keep going," Draco panted. She assumed he had opened his mouth again, as she heard the sound of spit while Theo was looking down at his partner.
"Okay, if you need me to stop, tap my thigh." Theo instructed, and his hips began moving again.
She bit her lip at the sight before her. Draco Malfoy on his knees in front of Theo Nott. Theo’s cock was deep in Malfoy’s mouth and Theo had him gripped by the hair and was slowly, almost lovingly, fucking his face. Theo's eyes were closed and whispered encouragement, passing his lips to the man on his knees.
Was Malfoy humming on Theo’s cock? Sweet Merlin, he was whimpering with his lips wrapped around that perfect prick.
Hermione clenched her thighs together, trying to get some friction to relieve the pressure at the image and the wet sound of Malfoy being fucked in the mouth. Morgana help her, it was so horribly erotic, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from what should have been a private moment between the two boys. Not able to help herself anymore, she let one of her own petite hands slip into her cotton knickers. The relief at her own touch was almost instant.
She felt the heat pooled at her core. Hermione would be mortified if they knew how wet they'd made her just from her watching them. She was panting watching them. She bit her thumb to prevent herself from making a sound, knowing that if they caught her it would all stop. She let her fingers slip through her soaked folds as Draco's Adam's apple bobbed. Sliding two fingers inside herself, she desperately reached for the spot inside her begging to be touched. A moan of pleasure rips through the air, but can't tell what boy it's coming from.
Draco's hand traveled down his chest and, good Godric, he began stroking himself, the other hand gripping Theo's muscular arse. Hermione's body shuddered as her own fingers ached to be the one gripping him while Theo thrusts into his mouth. Her eyes were glued on them.
Theo snapped his hips. Draco had spit slipping down his chin as he gagged again, but didn't tap Theo's thigh. Theo kept going, letting out a gasp.
"Draco love, you are doing so well taking this cock like this for the first time," Theo murmured, running his fingers through the silky white hair. "Definitely an O in cocksucking for you," he purred, making Hermione's fingers pump inside herself at a faster pace.
Hermione imagined that it was her on her knees there in front of the two of them, while they towered over her with their sheer size. She'd lick her lips, taking one long cock and then the other into her mouth, encouraging them with her muffled groans to push harder and faster into her mouth.
The sweet burn in the back of her throat after they're done. The only thing that would soothe her is their cum that she would swallow up greedily. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, the pace of the fingers she was sliding into herself accelerating as she desperately swept for the spot again.
She wanted them to use their strong hands to grip her hair and hold her face in place going as deep as they can. She would do anything to feel the cool metal of their rings against her scalp, or Malfoy's hand on her cheek. Using her other hand, Hermione rubbed circles against her clit, bringing her even closer to that edge.
Theo grunted, signaling his finish in Draco's mouth with "mmmmm good boy. Swallow it all." and opened his eyes, looking right into Hermione’s through the crack in the door as her own release roared through her, her juices spilled out of her lips. His eyes traveled down to where both her hands were inside her knickers. He smiled and as his brilliant sapphire eyes met hers again, he winked. Her shocked exhale at being caught caused Malfoy to spin around and spot her too. Spit and cum dripped out the corner of his mouth, and it made for the most debauched picture. The blonde wiped the mess on his face away with the back of his hand, eyes widening once he registered that Hermione was really there, and had clearly had been watching them.
Realizing her fingers were still in her knickers, she pulled them out, and turned, running away from the two boys before they could say anything about what a pervert she was. Grabbing the books that Cordelia had given her from the floor, Hermione fled into the safety of her room and shut the door with a snap as Theo's laughter followed her all the way. Pulling the duvet over her head and casting a silencing charm, Hermione cursed herself for allowing her hormones to run so out of control. If she were lucky, maybe she would die of embarrassment in her sleep, because there was no way she'd be able to face either of those Slytherins ever again.
***********************
Notes:
End Notes: thank you to the alphabet team (SarahFraser, Amebb42, MegsIvy) and also 5moreminutes! For coming up with the book titles that Cordelia gives Hermione.
As always, my Leo Moon thrives on comments and thoughts. There is a scene that was included in this chapter due to a comment in a previous chapter and it's just amazing.
Chapter 9: Pansy and the Campaign of a Thousand Little Touches
Notes:
hey have been at camp for a week. It seems like forever, though doesn't it? CW/TW: Theo goes to individual therapy and talks about his mother's murder at the hands of his father, so domestic violence, graphic violence and child abuse tags apply to this chapter. If you can't, then skip the section of Theo’s individual therapy.
The songs for Chapter 9 are Baum - Hot Water
https://open.spotify.com/track/3IrgSx6CHITj2lgxQYnywn?si=myVYxewKRLOcp-hGrb59wA
Hayley Kiyoko - Girls Like Girls
https://open.spotify.com/track/3dNjUFt6EFU4Gq6Q5vfJqf?si=trtVbNI_QxOBVJqElsYA4Q
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The pre-dawn light was barely visible as she cracked open her eyes. The pink tinge filtering in was just enough that it was waking her, regardless of how tired her body felt. It's too bloody early to be awake, she thought as she rolled over and covered her head with her pillow, trying to make everything as dark as possible. As she closed her eyes and burrowed further into her bed, Hermione let out a groan as the previous night flooded her mind.
Godric, she was spending too many mornings wanting to die of embarrassment after any time she spends associating with the Slytherins.. Associating? She scoffed at the euphemism in her own mind. She'd played with herself while she watched Theo cum in Malfoy’s mouth - and they'd caught her at it, if she was wanting to be generous to herself, she could call it associating. Not sure which part was more humiliating, the being caught watching them or that Theo calling Draco a good boy had pushed her over the edge.
Sitting up and sighing, she discovered that the books Cordelia had given her were on the floor next to the bed. The blankets pooled at her waist as she bent over the side to snatch them up. “Choose More Than One Wand: A New Look at Magical Attraction”, hm, couldn’t have hit her current problem more square on the head if she’d tired. Flipping it open, Hermione could feel her eyes bulging and brows rising as she read through the first few pages.
*Introduction*
Historically, due to the limited population and traditionally low birth rates amongst Purebloods, relationships between three or more witches or wizards have been quite common. It's fallen out of practice since the first Wizarding War, but it's still not unheard of. My soul bonded husband and wife were both hugely influential in my writing of this book and I would like to thank them for their input and their editing. This book is written for those in or considering joining a relationship with two or more others. I hope you find my experiences helpful as you search for your own unique love story.
Hepsibeth Myrly, 1997.
Well, that seemed like an excellent start, Hermione thought and she looked through the chapter headings:
What is Ethical Non-monogamy?
What does Consent Mean in a Magical Community?
Communication is Key,
Needs vs Wants,
Creating Connections,
The Role of Magical Compatibility,
Bedroom Magical Applications.
Hermione let out a slow breath as she read the headings. It seemed like this was the perfect place to start getting answers and being able to form the right questions. Nothing quite put her at ease like research and Cordelia seemed to have put just the right book into her hands yesterday. And to top it off it was recently published. Hermione loved old books, she really did, but this was splendidly current.
With nothing else to do since she’d woken up so early, she read as the sun rose fully into the sky.
Her stomach’s growling finally became too loud after a few hours of reading, where she could no longer ignore it. Changing into her clothes, she made for the kitchenette, wrapped in her fluffy robe over them and carrying her book. Maybe she'd have coffee and a scone and eat on the couch and read a bit more, surely no one else will be awake this early.
The whole book so far had been enlightening, but the current chapter she was reading, Communication is Key, was really giving her courage about what she needed to do. It was ridiculous how sometimes she needed a book to explain to her what to do rather than be able to follow her instincts, but regardless she found the act of acquiring information soothing.
Puttering around the kitchenette as she made her coffee with her nose still stuck in her book, Hermione was startled when she heard the sound of a door sliding open… sliding? They didn't have a sliding door in the Head Suite...did they? Gathering up her coffee and book, she swiftly moved to the common area to investigate the misplaced sound.
A flood of colour took over the common room she noted as she stepped in and discovered a bank of stained glass windows that had been hidden under the now-missing Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tapestries. Hermione couldn’t help the smirk when she noticed that only the Gryffindor and Slytherin tapestries were still hanging. Fitting. It was there that her eyes finally landed on a sliding panel of glass that opened onto a balcony. Drawing closer, Hermione saw that it came with an expansive view of the lake. She let out a gasp at the sight, it was incredible. The early morning light made everything more breathtaking. Bright and fresh, the mist rolling off the lake like a wave, it easily could have been a painting hanging up in a museum.
"Good morning, princess. This view is nice but maybe not as nice as the one you had last night," Theo said from off to her left, making Hermione jump and shriek involuntarily with surprise. Clutching her hand to her chest, she narrowed her eyes at the boy lounging against the balcony's stone railing with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
"How do you know that balcony is stable, Nott?" Hermione asked, pointedly ignoring what he’d just said about her peeping Tom last night.
"I checked with a diagnostic spell, quite safe… But back to surnames again, Hermione? I thought we were past that," Theo sighed dramatically, taking a long draw on his cigarette and watching her closely as she couldn't help but stare as the smoke spilled between his long fingers, and the sunrise shown upon his signet ring. His bronze skin drew her eyes like a moth to a flame, and she was very certain that she wouldn’t mind being burned by him.
What had her book said? You never know what is possible in romantic dynamics unless you communicate with those you are interested in? Voicing your desires is both appropriate, as well as the only way to know if your desires are reciprocated. Not every witch or wizard you might like is a Legilimens, so speak of your aspirations.
Well, here goes nothing.
"I do like this view, Theo," She drawled, trying to convey some of her desire for more kisses and to watch another performance like last night. "But it definitely doesn't make me hot in the way last night's did. I can't lie, that was perhaps the sexiest thing I have ever had the pleasure to witness in my whole life." She let out a hum after she’d finished, looking through her eyelashes at him and thinking of all the naughty things she’s like him to do to her she felt the blush on her cheeks and knew that her pupils must be dilated as she watched his pupils widen in response.
This was perhaps the first time since she’d ran into Theo on the train that she’d seen him rendered speechless and it only made her smirk at him.
"Well, I am thrilled that you enjoyed the show." He choked out, before clearing his throat and taking another drag. He exhaled through his nose as he recovered from the shock she’d put him through, but he quickly regained the cocky confidence that she was used to. “Perhaps you could get a repeat performance,” he said with a wink.
Hermione clutched her book like a lifeline and shifted her coffee cup to the same hand, so one of her hands was free. She walked closer to Theo, wishing she wasn't wearing her ridiculous fluffy robe, but she ran her hand down his chest anyway. "I would love a repeat performance anytime you and Malfoy are willing." She purred, leaning up so that her lips brushed against his jaw.
Theo’s mouth hung open as she ran her hand all the way to his throat and then cupped his cheek before drawing back. His breathing came erratically for a few moments, until he finally gasped out,"By the Four Founders, Hermione, you may be the death of me, but it will be a damn fine way to go." He reached for her, but Hermione was already slowly backing away from the Slytherin boy watching his twinkling sapphire eyes as she went.
She laughed, and hardly recognised herself in the tinkling flirtatious sound. She turned around, swaying her hips as she walked back into the suite, enjoying the sound of the shuddering breath she heard him take. Sitting on the couch to read her book with coffee, she didn't see Theo standing in the doorway to the balcony. Leaning with one shoulder, he gazed at her longingly, while finishing the clove cigarette. She did, however, smell the rich scent as it wafted through the room, and that made her grin grow just a bit larger.
She wasn’t quite ready for Theo to know what she was reading however, so she charmed the cover of the book to read “Advanced Arithmancy with Runes and Ogham.” Hopefully that would keep anyone else from looking in it if she left it laying out in the common room.
***************
Already dressed in her signature black lace top and black pencil skirt combination, Pansy emerged from Theo’s bedroom leaving Draco still in bed. Passed out with the pillow over his face to keep out the light, his grumbling as she moved about in the bed reminded her of what a demanding child he’d been growing up. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It was still ridiculously early though, so Pansy just rolled herself out of the bed and left him to sleep. With waking up so early, Pansy still found herself hungry, and she decided that she’d rather cook than wait another hour to be able to go down for breakfast in the Great Hall.
Rummaging through the stasis cabinet and the cupboard, Pansy easily found everything she’ll need to make scones and bacon. Humming a tune to herself, Pansy set the domestic spells into motion. Fixing more coffee and a fresh pot of tea, Pansy was pulled out of her thoughts as she watched Hermione walking in wearing an oversize house coat. Even in the ridiculous pink fluff, Pansy couldn’t help but think the witch looked delectable.
An idea sprung into Pansy’s mind when Hermione reached for the milk and gently brushed against Pansy’s breast. A blush spread across Hermione’s face as she sputtered out an awkward apology. “Sorry about that, Pansy, just, I don’t need milk…” Hermione said, stepping away and lifting her mug to her lips, a grimace crossed her face as the bitter coffee hit her tongue.
“Of course you do, Hermione,” Pansy purred, brushing her arm against Hermione’s gently as she took back the cup and added the milk for her before handing it back with a smile. Pansy made sure that her fingers lingered against Hermione’s for just a second longer than necessary and the quick intake of breath from the Gryffindor felt like victory in Pansy’s blood. There’s many more touches where that one came from, Granger, Pansy thought to herself with a smirk. With that, Pansy resolved to touch the pretty clever brunette with those honey eyes a thousand different ways over the coming days. Perhaps she would be able to get a taste of those sweet lips that Theo was so infatuated with.
********************
By the time Draco woke and dressed, he had just enough time to grab some of the breakfast that Pans had made and tea before the four of them were rushing down the stairs. Granger had been reading an advanced arithmancy text that Theo looked desperate to read as soon as he saw the title. What had he ever done to be surrounded by such swots? Although it made a sick sort of sense as he was spending all his days in the Head Boy’s rooms.
Despite Blaise still living in the Slytherin dorms, if he wasn’t shagging a girl in one of the houses yet, Draco had no desire to be down in the dungeons. Too many nightmares lived down there, not to mention that he kept expecting to see Snape melodramatically tossing his cape over his shoulder and he missed his godfather.
Avoiding the dark angry menace of Goyle was another plus of avoiding the Slytherin dorms; Draco’s only interaction with his former minion had been a shoulder check and a shove where Goyle had called him a “blood traitor.” There wasn’t much more to say was there? Vince had died and something in Greg had broken. Draco wasn’t even sure why Greg was at therapy camp, because the boy clearly wasn't participating in his group or trying to overcome his prejudices. In fact, Draco thought his former friend wanted to join his father in Azkaban.
What a bloody fool.
Following Theo, Pansy, and Granger, Draco went down the stairs and corridors. Seeing the Golden Girl’s wild curls bouncing in front of him sent Draco’s thoughts spiralling into the events of the night before.
It had been simply unbelievable much more like an erotic dream rather than reality. Granger watched him on his knees for Theo, and it had turned her on. This wasn’t an assumption for him either, no he knew that this was a fact; her hands had been in her knickers. Sweet Circe, the thought of what her fingers must have been doing had him half hard in his trousers, forcing him to subtly adjust himself so no one would notice. Her head had been thrown back, her back arched and her mouth in a perfect "o". He wanted her to make a face like that while under him, hell, he wouldn’t even mind getting to watch her under Theo if she’d make that face again. He wanted to not touch her at all while stroking himself and watching her sink those lovely fingers inside herself. He wanted all kinds of things, things he'd tried before, things he hadn't. He might be a virgin, but he hadn't been a monk.
He had a well of experience to draw from. So what if ninety percent of that experience was with Theo and the other ten was playing spin the bottle, watching others do things during parties, Prefect rounds, or walking in on students in their dorms?
Only one time was he invited to stay and watch, and that had been Blaise with some blonde Gryffindor girl that liked an audience. She'd gone on to shag Weasley, that tosser, and then gotten herself killed by Greyback. Ugh, why couldn't he even think about normal teen debauchery without it leading back to war and death?
That's all his life was: despair, hopelessness all wrapped up in bloody war and death.
Draco desperately fought the urge to occlude, despite the tears he could feel pricking at his eyes. If the mind healers thought he might develop sociopaths, as they'd called it, that would not reflect well on him at his trial. He needed the best possible endorsement from them to avoid Azkaban. He attempted to silence the voice in his head that told him even a ringing endorsement from the mind healers might not be enough to keep him out of prison. He wasn’t entirely successful and he felt the weight of dread in his gut.
Walking into the courtyard, he raised a curious brow at the sight. All three circles were filled with easels, stools and large mirrors. Choosing a spot on the far side of the circle, Theo dropped into the chair to one side while Pansy took the other. Granger settled in on Pansy’s other side, earning a curious look from Finnigan and Thomas who were already in their seats. He noted that the two girls seemed to be building a friendship, although Draco suspected that Pansy had other intentions as he watched his childhood friend reach over and lightly brush her hand against Granger’s thigh, making a flush appear on the Golden Girl’s neck. Would Granger want Pans though? Draco had long learned not to doubt Pans’ ability to draw in girls that he would never have supposed would fall to her charms.
"Good morning everyone!" Cordelia's greeting startled Draco out of his thoughts as his eyes broke away from his female roommates. "We are going to be doing something a little different this morning."
"Your task is to draw yourself. Adjust your mirrors accordingly, making sure you are physically comfortable and straining to see your reflection.” A practised flick of his wand had Draco’s reflection looking back at him, rolling his eyes at himself. “Begin by breathing. Let your eyes observe the light, shadow, form, texture and lines of your features, but most importantly, without judgement. I want you to view yourself as if this is the first time you are seeing this image."
Draco catalogued the charcoal, pencils, and pastels he had been given, and gave Theo an excited grin, which was returned. Regardless that he wasn’t thrilled with the subject, Draco couldn’t help but feel the peace that came along whenever he got to tap into this underutilised talent of his.
"Salazar, Drake, don't wait on us," Theo whispered next to him with a wink. "I know it's killing you. Just have at it while everyone else muddles through and fakes it." Draco looked at his face in the mirror, once he’d decided on a pose, he quickly got to sketching.
**********************
Finishing up her sketch, Pansy scrunched up her nose studying what she had created. It was more the idea of a face and her signature haircut rather than the detailed self-portraits that she knew Draco, and from the look of concentration across the circle, Luna would produce.
Casting a glance in Cordelia’s direction, who was standing between Abbott and Bones saying words of encouragement, Pansy took the opening to wander around and look at other's work. She chuckled to herself and rolled her eyes as she looked to her left. Draco’s drawing was perfect, as always.
“You did your hands like that just to show off,” she whispered into the shell of his ear. His boyish grin when he looked up at her made her answering smile nearly giddy. Turning back and going to the other side of her work station, she stood over Hermione, using it as an excuse to run her hand along the brunette’s arm, causing her to shiver. “Nice work Granger,” Pansy purred in her ear, her lips actually brushing Hermione’s earlobe.
"It's Hermione, Pansy," Hermione said, continuing to concentrate on her drawing. She seemed to be trying to draw each distinct wild curl and then looked up suddenly into Pansy’s face as she seemed to become aware of how close the other girl had gotten.
"I know," Pansy's smile was slow and seductive, causing Hermione’s breath to catch. “Granger,” she purred again, “is just so much more fun to say when I'm up close.” Pansy finished her statement by licking her lips. Hermione looked nervous, even as her eyes darted to where Pansy’s tongue had just been, so Pansy brushed lightly against her as she turned to peruse the other art pieces.
Strolling the circle, she heard the sounds of shock as the rest of the group got up to look at everyone else’s work. Draco surprised everyone by drawing a photorealistic portrait of himself.
“Wow, I had no idea Malfoy. You’re really good,” Thomas said.
“You could be a portraitist!” Longbottom exclaimed.
Pansy heard Draco’s self-mocking responses as he was standing next to Blaise’s seat and knew that she and Theo needed to encourage him. He really was a gifted artist, and if he could escape Azkaban, he should do something that would make him happy. Rather than following down the path that Lucius would have wanted and taking over the family business. She couldn’t imagine him in a Malfoy Enterprises boardroom, which was probably a good thing.
As she passed Luna’s drawing, she let out a gasp. Luna’s self-portrait was a close second to Draco’s, her drawing not photo perfect, but a clearly recognizable likeness. Pansy made certain to compliment her, leaning in and brushing her cheek with a kiss, earning a soft smile from the little witch.
"Of course this isn't an art competition," said Cordelia as everyone continued to wander their circles, "but feel free to give kudos to those whose art you enjoy.” Cordelia signalled to the other mind healers, and announced, “We will open all the circles now and everyone is welcome to go do an art walk. Please enjoy.”
Pansy said nothing to several people attempting not to be an unnecessary bitch even if their drawings were awful. The little Carrow twins nearly cowered when she came by. Salazar, what did they think she was going to do to them?
“Beautiful likenesses, Flora, Hestia,” Pansy said, nodding with her most regal expression before walking away from their shocked expressions. Channelling my inner Narcissa Malfoy, Pansy thought, as she worked to exude the elegance that was effortless when demonstrated by her favourite society matriarch. Pansy could not wait until she could see her mentor again. She’d encourage Draco to write to his mum again and include another message from her. Knowing that Narcissa was in her corner helped Pansy not feel so distraught at being abandoned by her own family. Narcissa cared about her, thought she had value so Pansy knew that it was true.
Walking past where Hermione was looking at Dennis Creevey’s canvas, Pansy managed to graze Hermione’s skin with the back of her hand as she headed back out of that circle and towards her own seat. Things were going swimmingly, all things considered. She could feel Hermione’s honey gaze following her, but the other girl whipped her head away when Pansy turned her direction. Pansy smothered the giggle that bubbled out of her, but couldn’t deny the smirk that settled on her lips.
************
After a group therapy where she had basically spent the entire time feeling inadequate -who could have known that Malfoy of all people was such a skilled artist. He’d said it was his hidden talent, but she hadn’t expected him to be THAT good - Hermione decided to go for a walk around the Black Lake. The afternoon was cool and she stopped to feel the wind on her face as she came around a bend in the trial. She looked up at the clouds wondering if there might be a rainstorm.
Suddenly, she froze. Sitting in the same position he had drawn himself, Malfoy’s white blonde head and broad shoulders were visible on a big rock ahead. And he wasn’t alone either.
Hermione was dumbfounded to see Neville upon the same rock sitting next to Draco Malfoy. Theo stood up in front of them, as he was telling some kind of story, a cigarette in his hand as he animatedly waved his arms about making the smoke wave around in the air. Neville and Draco were laughing at whatever Theo was saying, making Hermione feel like she was intruding on a private moment between the three boys. As if she hadn’t already intruded on private moments of two of the boys… She realised she was close enough to hear their laughter, so she began to back up towards the tree line before she was seen.
The last thing she needed was for them to think she was spying on them. Hepsibeth Myrly would hardly approve. Eavesdropping was specifically mentioned as unethical in the first chapter on ethical non-monogamy. And yet, she’d done it last night like some wanton woman.
She watched as Theo took a deep drag of the cigarette, blowing out smoke rings that grew in size as they floated up into the wind before dissipating into nothingness. The cigarette was passed to Draco who took a drag and passed it to Neville who took a long drag as well before blowing out little o's of smoke of his own. Hermione was shocked, as Neville looked experienced blowing smaller rings inside of rings. Malfoy and Theo gave him a round of applause and Hermione heard Theo congratulate him with “Well blown, Longbottom,” making the three boys laugh again.
What on earth was Neville doing socialising with Slytherins and smoking? To be fair, what was she doing socialising with Slytherins? Maybe just the smoking was the shocking part? Hermione had certainly never seen Neville smoke, and yet here he was displaying skills that someone who was a first time smoker would not have been able to do. She hadn’t been around last year though had she? And from what she’d heard about the Carrows’ reign of terror, maybe smoking wasn’t as horrible a thing if it helped.
Despite knowing that this is not the sort of thing that she should be doing if she is serious about acting on her attraction as it just set up the possibility of miscommunication and upset feelings, according to Ms. Myrly, Hermione continued to watch for a while longer. They all looked so much younger than they usually did; a sense of ease seemed to transform their faces. Draco said something to Theo and Neville good naturedly shoved his shoulder.
Surprisedly, Hermione realised what she was looking at: camaraderie.
Abruptly, Hermione was overwhelmed with feelings of loss for the fellowship that she had once experienced as one third of the Golden Trio. The ease with which Malfoy and Theo interacted and included Neville. Hermione wondered if maybe what she thought she, Harry and Ron had had never been real.
Had it really all been them using her brains and study skills to solve their problems? Had all their feelings towards her disintegrated when she was no longer useful to them? They hadn’t been concerned about her parents being missing in Australia or any of her feelings actually. Harry seemed to just take her for granted now that he was back with the Weasleys and had Ginny and Auror Training and the admiration of the whole bleeding Wizarding World. And when she hadn’t shagged Ron, he’d been in the wind. Seven years of friendship did not seem to mean much to either of them.
Although she knew there was more to Theo and Malfoy’s relationship than strictly friendship, she still couldn’t imagine either of them abandoning the other. They seemed too close and they clearly both relied on each other equally. Their relationship was balanced, nothing like her friendships.
Then she gaped as Theo exhaled smoke into Draco’s mouth, his fingers twisting in the platinum locks and she could see Neville blushed wide-eyed at the display. Draco leaned into Theo and nipped his lip as the brunette pulled back, smiling.
With a dry mouth, Hermione turned around and ran back the way she had come, her mind replaying that kiss again and again.
"***************************
It was only four doors farther to the offices of the Mind Healer’s down this corridor. The feeling of strong permanent silencing charms hung in the air, they were thick and almost felt like you were standing in the rain as it drizzled. The ambient magic was intoxicating, and it was almost as if he had stepped into a whole other world.
Healer Cordelia’s door was the first one; well, she was in charge of the entire bloody program, so of course her door would be the first one. Theo stood outside, studying her name plate that included her professional title. Theo had zero idea what any of her titles meant or what she’d had to do to get them, but apparently they meant that she was qualified to try and fix his fucked up mind.
Hands in the pockets of his tight denim, Theo rocked back and forth on his heels before he turned and started walking away. Better luck next week… “Theodore? What are you doing out here?”
Well, fuck.
Turning back around with a flirtatious smile on his lips, Theo held out his arms. “I was just checking out the accommodations, making sure that they’re up to your standards. Head Boy duties, you understand,” he lied, stepping back towards the healer, trying to shield his nerves after being caught.
“Ah, yes, obviously that’s all you're here for,” Cordelia said with a smile on her face.
“Obviously,” Theo replied with his own forced grimace.
“Come along, Theo,” Cordelia said in a tone that made Theo realise that it wasn’t a request at all. Looking down at his dragon hide boots, Theo mumbled under his breath about bossy witches in his life and obediently followed. Because if there was one thing Theo had quickly learned, Cordelia was a witch fully in command of any situation- taking control with only a raised eyebrow. Would Pansy be like that when she was Cordelia’s age? Without question.
They walked into the comfortable room and Theo let out a snort that he hid by clearing his throat quickly. Salazar, the room looks like a place that Hermione would design. Overflowing bookshelves lined the empty walls, while the large plush couch looked as though it would feel like a cloud when you sank into it. Very much unlike the furniture that was at the Nott Estate. House plants floated in the air, while some were on the floor and on every surface. Yes, most definitely this was a different world than the one he'd grown up in.
Cordelia motioned towards a tea cart and Theo nodded his head in the affirmative as he walked past the Granger-approved couch and towards the window. Lifting an arm, he leaned on the windowsill to look down on the view. It was overlooking the greenhouses and he could easily spot Luna Lovegood with her bright hair sitting on the ground next to Blaise, putting what looked like a daisy crown on his head. He couldn't help but snort at the sight, the little lunatic had most certainly changed his Italian friend.
A tray bumped his arm bringing his attention away from the couple below him. He turned around to find everything that he could possibly want to fix his tea with, well anything besides Firewhisky, which was his preferred ingredient.
“So, Theo, what actually brings you to my office today?”
Theo cleared his throat as he let his hands busy with fixing himself a cuppa. "I think you may have noticed that my home life wasn't great...in group," at Cordelia’s encouraging nod, Theo continued. "I thought perhaps talking about it some more might make me feel better." Theo couldn't stand the tremulous tone of his voice he sounded so fucking fragile. His father would break one of his ribs if he could hear him right now.
Theo tried to shake off that thought as it caused him to feel the fear rising up in him, his hands shook and he had to remind himself that his father was in Azkaban, doomed to die.
After a ragged exhale from Theo, Cordelia spoke into the silence. "It might Theo, it might. In fact, considering that I have invested a decade into doing this type of work because I believe that it does and it will." Her reassuring smile made Theo feel less like a fool. She was right wasn't she? She knew about mind healing, if anyone could help she could.
"My father was…er, is a violent man. I don't recall him ever touching me or anyone with affection or kindness. He's getting the Dementors’ Kiss before years end. And I'm not even sad about it or conflicted, because the worst crime he ever committed, he got away with." Theo picked at the black nail polish that remained on his hands. He chewed on his lip so hard that he could taste the copper taste of his blood.
"Do you want to talk more about that?" Cordelia asked, looking back at her Quick Quotes Quill to make sure it was working.
"Yes...no...I mean I don't know...isn't it why I came?"
"Is it?"
"Yes," Theo whispered, clenching his fists so Cordelia wouldn't see how badly they were shaking. "That is why I came."
Theo took another deep breath and closed his eyes, as if he could protect himself from the memories. "The summer between first and second year, my mother tried to intercede with my father for me. He was going to arrange a marriage contract for me and my mom wanted me to have a say. A choice in who I married. 'He's only twelve Thoros,' I remember her begging, 'let it wait a bit, someone acceptable should catch his eye in the next few years.' My father didn't appreciate her questioning him and snapped her neck, right in front of me." Theo tried to close his eyes even tighter as the tears threatened to break free.
"One moment they were arguing and the next she was dropping to the ground dead. I was in such shock that I just froze, I didn't do anything. I didn't cry, I didn't talk, I didn't move. My father dragged her by her scalp and took her to the top of the stairs and threw her towards the bottom as if she were a bloody doll. She fell, hitting the bannisters, her body rolling down the stairs and then she just was at the bottom. Feet from me. Sprawled out. Bloody. And then he called the Aurors to report her tragic accident. Almost every real memory I have of her involves violence or its aftermath. And this one is the worst memory I have." Theo could hear his voice cracking as he recounted his mother's death, saying things he'd never spoken aloud before.
"And I just stood there," his voice rising in volume, "silent as a grave, while they investigated and found her death to be non-magical and accidental. What a fucking joke the DMLE is!"
“That must have been really disappointing,” Cordelia said, much calmer than he would have expected her to be. “To have the Aurors not hold your father accountable. It must have been hard to feel so powerless as a boy.”
Theo snorted, “The thing I have found is that the Ministry is only consistent at one thing.”
“And what is that?” queried Cordelia.
“Being disappointing,” Theo said with mockery. “Did you know it's not even a crime to abuse your children in Wizarding Britain?”
“In fact, yes. I did know,” Cordelia said, sadly. “It comes up quite a bit in therapy as you might imagine.”
Theo exhaled, “I was constantly in St. Mungo’s as a child. Broken bones. Internal bleeding. There’s no way that the healers could have believed I was that clumsy. Bleeding Robards would show up and question me, try to get me to admit that my father had done it, to get me to admit that he used Unforgivables or had Dark Artefacts at home. The latter two actually being crimes and his nearly fatal abuse of me being a bit of a social faux pas.”
“Robards failed to save me from my sadistic bastard of a father's torture, a fact I know he feels guilty over, but did that stop him from denying me access to Draco and Pansy for more than an entire month following the most traumatic night of our lives? No it certainly did not!
“And then there is this sinking, overwhelming dread that Pansy and Draco might go to Azkaban forever and then I will be all alone, again. Because I was lucky enough to find not one but two people who love me in their damaged way and I might lose them both, because who cares that they were forced into serving the Dark Lord by their abusive fathers, right? What does the Ministry care if they are really guilty or not? They just want scapegoats, and to make it look like they're doing something, so it can get printed in the Prophet. It is all for their public image.”
"And what is Draco but a perfect scapegoat? The Malfoy heir, youngest Marked Death Eater, would-be assassin. Nevermind that he was shite at the whole thing, never mind that Snape killed Dumbledore. Nevermind any of that. Someone needs to pay and that someone will probably be Draco, because Theo Nott does not deserve love. The Ministry is inept and corrupt and disappointing. And hope is just the final evil left, just something to torment me.”
Staying at his place next to the window, Theo realised he had never fixed his tea and did so before leaning his back against the glass and taking a sip. Kicking the toe of his boot against the deep purple rug, Theo smirked as he watched the corner fold up and when he lifted his foot, the corner he’d disrupted didn’t lay flat. Again, Theo kicked the corner, and the rug bent inwards, stalling for a second time, but still not falling back flat.
As if he were a man possessed, Theo continued this action, getting more and more intent on ruining this rug. It had no right to be able to lay so perfectly, just for people to step on it. The colour was too rich for this cold floor. Theo felt as his hot tea spilled out over the lip of his cup, burning his hands, but still he didn’t stop his assault against the rug. Bringing his foot back as far as he could with such close proximity to the wall, he kicked the entire corner over until it flipped and now instead of the purple, he was left seeing the gritty underside of the rug. The part that was unflattering, the part no one paid any attention to.
His chest was heaving, even though what he’d just done wasn’t much of a physical assertion, he still felt drained. The tea cup in his hand had emptied its entire contents over him, and he was left with just a mess. Just like his life.
A warm, well manicured hand covered his own, that was now a deep shade of red from the hot tea spilled over them. Theo looked up into the dark eyes of the healer and blinked, just realising that tears that had formed in his eyes while he attacked her rug had finally spilled over. “You must think I’m a bloody lunatic,” Theo muttered, breaking eye contact and looking back at the upturned corner.
“I think,” she said, crouching down and righting the rug before standing back up and taking the empty tea cup and setting it on the tray. “That you have been through a lot. Would it be alright if I hugged you?” She asked and at Theo's nod, she tugged on Theo’s arm and pulled him into her embrace, wrapping her arms around him, while his arms hung at his sides. “And I think, you not only need, but deserve the reassurance that not all the adults in your life are here to use you or gain something from you.” She whispered the last bit, and Theo felt something inside him crack.
The tears overtook him as he clung to the older witch and accepted the touch for what it was. Just comfort. Just an adult looking at him and seeing the scared and hurt little boy that he was inside. Someone to reach out to him and tell him that it was okay to break, that he didn’t have to keep being strong, that she, as the adult, would help him carry his burdens.
The tears dried and Theo could feel the lump in his throat start to dissolve.
"I don't have to forgive my father or some shite do I?"
"We don't have to forgive our abusers Theodore," Cordelia said, stepping back now that he had calmed down. "You don’t have to forgive in order to move on. Your father doesn’t deserve nor even want your forgiveness. He thinks, and according to the law he’s right, that his murder of your mother and your abuse at his hands were appropriate. No forgiveness isn’t required here. Accountability for him is. However, you should forgive yourself. You couldn't have done anything differently, you were a child. You still are so young, in fact."
Sitting on the couch, Theo whispered, “Is it wrong if I pretend that the Dementors’ Kiss is his punishment for murdering my mother?”
“No, Theodore,” Cordelia reassured, “that’s a perfectly valid feeling to have. In the end, the violence of his life led him to this end.”
“I just feel so guilty that I managed to survive him and she didn’t. That in the end, even if I have to live a life without love, I get to do it in a world where I am not expecting that he will kill me every day,” Theo could feel the burning of his eyes and tried so hard to keep them from falling, again.
“Theo, the only person who is guilty here is the person who killed her. You were only a child.”
Only a child, Theo thought, and put his head in his hands and wept, as a warm comforting hand laid on his shoulder. When have I ever gotten to be only a child?
Notes:
Thanks to the alphabeta team: SarahFraser, Amebb42, Megsivy ! They rock!
Thanks for reading and I deeply appreciate all the kudos and comments.
Chapter 10: Dandelion, Into The Wind You Go, Won't You Let My Darling Know?
Summary:
Content/Trigger Warning Apply.
Notes:
*This is the first chapter that earned this fic the Underage tag, if you don't want to read about underage Theo engaging in dubiously consented to sex with sex workers who aren’t particularly keen on having to deal with Theo’s homicidal dad, skip to the next section. Also TW: Sex-Trafficking,Implied Torture all in that same flashback. Practice self-care if you need to and skip the section. This won't be the only flashback to this incident.
*When Theo gets the walkman to work, they listen to
6 Underground - Sneaker Pimps
https://open.spotify.com/track/7KvSuH86lIT2aTl9PBCAfd?si=03e38fc2dc154ddc*Blaise and Luna's song is
Dandelions by Ruth B.
https://open.spotify.com/track/2eAvDnpXP5W0cVtiI0PUxV?si=ELVmwhYbQlKqkSQ_-DGpvg*The playlist for the entire fic can be found at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7H5Eskhpc9tuV78PCXFAMt?si=335aB4m8T7SfkuRjlmchsw
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
***************
Flashback
A month after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries
A Wizarding Brothel in France
Theo didn’t particularly want to be in a brothel in Europe with his father, who had complained that Lucius had inconvenienced him by going to Azkaban and it was supposed to be a son-father trip for the four of them. How Theo wished that his father was also in Azkaban. He couldn’t find it in himself to wish that Draco was here as well. It wasn’t the sort of experience he wanted to share with his best friend, his forbidden crush.
The brothel was clean enough, but he could hear the screams in the rooms that weren’t silenced and most of the witches had dead eyes, with many of them not older than his own fifteen years. He would not have been surprised to learn that some of them were even younger.
The landlady had a row of girls out for Thoros’ inspection when they arrived, because this had been scheduled. Planned. In advance. Thoros had told the witch in charge that Theo was there “to be educated” in carnal matters and to see to it.
Theo felt sick.
His father chose a girl for himself that looked disturbingly like a young version of Theo’s mother. Theo wished desperately that this girl might make it out of the weekend alive. As his father grabbed the brunette by the hair and dragged her up the stairs, the girl stared at Theo with real fear in her blue eyes. He wanted to cry.
“Don’t disappoint me, boy,” his father snarled at him before disappearing to rape a girl who didn’t look in the slightest bit willing. None of these girls looked particularly willing– a less-than-arousing realisation Theo couldn’t even consider. He didn’t mind being a virgin for a bit longer, he’d much rather shag someone who wanted him, not someone his father had to pay.
“Alright, young Master Nott,” the robust landlady put her hands on her hips, “come with me.”
Theo thought he could already hear the girl his father had dragged away beginning to scream.
************************
After the previous night, with all its voyeuristic Hermione excitement and today’s disastrous individual therapy, Theo was a little too exhausted for any manual labour around the campus that afternoon. Trudging up to his dorm, he threw himself onto the nearest couch, covering his eyes with his arms and almost wishing he had left the tapestries up over the windows. It was too bloody bright in here now, and the light was making his head throb.
Scoffing, he couldn't imagine that the school was going to be ready for the return of the entire student body in just a few weeks. The Board of Governors and the Ministry really needed to come up with a better plan than having a bunch of students do free labour for them. Shite, with how much restitution they’d taken just from the Nott vaults with the excuse of ‘rebuilding Hogwarts’ there should be an entire team of contractors working on the bloody school. Shocker that none of that money was actually going to where it was intended. Instead, it was probably lining more wallets and growing others’ vaults.
A light knock at the Head Suite’s door an hour later dragged Theo from his malaise. When he stood up, he was excited to see Thomas and Finnigan standing outside the door.
“Nott, I brought the walkman and some CDs in case you could get it working,” Thomas greeted, “Is this a good time?”
“Were you taking a wee kip, Nott?” Finnigan asked, walking past Thomas and not waiting to be invited in. Theo shoved his curls back out of his eyes, and smiled at the intruders.
“I was,” Theo answered, “but I probably need to wake up so I don’t stay up all night. Do come in. Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Firewhiskey? ”
Thomas said “Tea would be grand,” at the same time that Finnigan said, “Oh you’re a mate, I’d love a whiskey.” Theo headed into the kitchenette to get their drinks, and a tea liberally doused with firewhiskey for himself as well.
Bringing the drinks on one of the serving trays from the kitchen, Theo floated it over to the table in front of the sofa where the two young men had taken up residence. Thomas and Finnigan were holding hands and Thomas had leaned his brown cheek against Finnegan’s red hair and was murmuring something into his ear. The sound of the tray setting in front of them caused them to split apart.
“Merlin, don’t stop being cuddly on my account,” Theo smiled at the couple, “I’m certainly not offended. I’m usually all over at least one of my partners if I have one of them at hand.” He laughed as he served the pair of them their drinks.
The other two boys began holding hands again as they sipped their drinks.
“You’ve got more than one partner, Nott? How does that even work?” Finnigan inquired, giving the Head Boy a sceptical glance.
“Well, I don’t particularly believe in monogamy. No one person can fulfil all the sexual and romantic needs of another in my experience, but that may just be because I’m a complicated bastard with impossible needs.” Theo grinned at the others, taking a sip of his laced tea and embracing the burn as it went through him. He needed a smoke to help rid his body of the lasting tension. “I got a lass and a bloke at the moment, although now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not sure either of them want the whole world to know, probably should check in before I out them.” Theo’s smile became a little tight and forced.
“Fair enough,” Thomas consented. “This plonker and I went back and forth for months about coming out, and we couldn’t even agree about it until therapy camp. I’m not even sure that it will be all that safe to be out once the rest of the school is back.”
Theo scowled and felt the weight of his Head Boy responsibilities for a moment. Was this something that he needed to go talk with McGonagall about? Students deserved to be safe, to feel safe after fighting in a bloody war.
Aloud Theo said, “By then the eighth year dorm should be open, is there anyone who is particularly unfriendly to you? I don’t want you to hesitate to come to me, I mean I am Head Boy.”
Finnigan took a long drink from his tumbler, “McLaggen can be an arse, but he’s been pretty on the prowl for a bit of wet quim. Neville’s a good guy. We probably could have kissed in front of Harry and he wouldn’t have noticed. He’s the most oblivious bugger. Wood was gay and had a boyfriend in another house our first year, they kept it hush. Ron was an arse about it until the twins laid into him. So I have to say that we’re glad he won't be back, without the twins to keep him in line he’s a bit of a sexist homophobe.”
Theo took a drink of his tea and then topped it off with his flask, before drinking again, “Weasel’s a bigot, why am I not surprised? The nonsense he sold to the Prophet was a low blow to Granger.”
“He’s always been a bit of a disloyal prick,” Thomas said taking a sip of his tea, “And Rita Skeeter’s had some weird obsession with Hermione’s sex life since the Triwizard Tournament. It’s a little creepy honestly.”
“Ron’s a tosser all around, Dean,” Seamus pointed out, handing his glass to Theo for a refill. “He was a real arsehole to you when you were pretending to be straight and dated Ginny too.”
“So then why are you friends with him?” Theo asked, curious.
“We aren’t really. Housemates. We are better friends with Neville and Ginny. Luna’s been pretty out at least to us for years, which is nice, like we don't have to worry what she’d think ya know, but she’s just a bit out there. And we’re friends with Harry, I suppose, but Ron’s always guarded access to him. He’s a bit jealous.” Thomas answered for the two of them.
“Truly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ron didn’t have a secret thing for Harry, ya know. Bein’ a homophobe and so possessive of his best mate,” Seamus said after taking a long sip of his firewhiskey. “This is excellent Nott, thank you.”
“Raided my father’s liquor cellar before we came back to school,” Theo smiled, “It’s nice to be my own Head of House. First time in my life I’ve not been answerable to a madman at home. Looking forward to having all the curses off the house and being able to bring lovers of whatever gender home.”
While he looked a bit taken aback by the curses bit, Dean sighed wistfully, “I can’t even imagine. I live with my mother and her husband and all my younger sisters. I fought in a war and she still treats me like a child at home. Not to mention that the level of homophobia at home is off the charts. Being on the run was hard, but being at home is impossible.”
Seamus squeezed his boyfriend’s shoulder, “And it isn’t any better at my house. Mum being a witch isn’t too fussed about it, as long as we figure out the kid thing at some point, but me dad is a muggle and his family especially isn’t real keen on the idea. Best to not say anything me mum says.”
Theo laughed, “Why don’t you two get a flat? After our 8th year is over?”
“With what galleons, Nott?” Dean snorted, “Not all of us inherited a Manor and the funds to manage it.”
“Thank Merlin for my galleons,” Theo pointed out, adding a bit more firewhiskey to his tea cup, “Who is gonna hire me with my name and my family connections? You didn’t get rewarded after the battle?” Couldn’t they both go work with Potter at the DMLE? It paid quite well, Theo thought, but maybe they didn’t want to do dangerous work.
“I got a pittance for being in the battle, nothing for being held prisoner or being on the run from the Muggleborn commission, because when they looked into it, I’m actually a halfblood. My dad was killed in the first Wizarding War. My mum thought he did a runner on us. So I was disqualified from receiving that.” Thomas shared, refilling his tea cup with actual tea. What a travesty.
“That’s bloody nonsense. You were assumed to be a Muggleborn our entire lives, the Death Eaters thought you were Muggleborn, and that's not good enough? What the bleeding hell,” Theo cried out in astonishment.
“That’s the Ministry for you,” Dean said, shrugging.
Theo was annoyed. He liked the couple in front of him. They might become, dare he thought it, his first gay friends he wasn’t trying to shag. Maybe something could be done about their financial situation, he’d have a look into it.
“Well let’s see what you’ve brought then,” Theo said, changing the subject.
Dean handed over the Walkman, a pair of small speakers, a few CDs, and a muggle kid’s book on how electricity works. Theo was instantly enthralled with the drawings and diagrams in the book. Merlin, how Theo wished he’d been allowed to take Muggle Studies. He’d talk to McGonagall and ask to take it this year.
“I’m going to need to read this for a bit, to figure out how to make the player work.” Theo said. ”Do either of you fancy another drink while I read?”
“We aren’t posh enough to need you to serve us,” Finnigan said, “although if you have a smoke, then I will take you up on that.”
Theo grinned, using his wand and an Alohomora to open the balcony door. Everyone didn’t need to know how much wandless and nonverbal magic Theo was capable of. He liked them, he did, but he didn’t necessarily trust them. He didn’t trust anyone really, except Pansy, Blaise and Draco. Maybe someday he could trust Hermione. Not quite yet though.
The other two men went out to the balcony with their drinks, “Now that’s a bloody grand perk to being Head Boy.” Theo smiled and went back to puzzling over the diagrams.
Electricity seemed a lot like magic to Theo. And when he saw the diagrams of wind generated power, Theo transfigured a small turbine. He created a circular breeze, small and targeted, that spun the miniature windmill, then when he could feel the energy building up in it, he transfigured a connection for the “adapter” that Thomas had brought along.
Theo crossed his arms in pride as the Sneaker Pimps’ “6 Underground” blared through the Head dorm. He heard Thomas’ shout of excitement from the balcony, and grinned up at him, as they rejoined him in the common area and looked in awe at his tidy bit of spellcraft.
Take me down
6 underground
The ground beneath your feet
Laid out low
Nothing to go
Nowhere a way to meet
I've got a head full of drought
Down here
So far off of losing out
Round here
Overground, watch this space
I'm open to falling from grace
***************
Sitting out with the pretty blonde that he couldn’t stop thinking about, Blaise decided to make his move. Lucia, Blaise's cousin, had gotten permission for him to join them for dinner in Hogsmeade. Despite her contacts at the Ministry, she could not secure permission for Draco and Pansy to leave Hogwarts. Theo would not leave them behind, so he was out as company.
This opportunity was too good to pass up.
Still wearing the daisy crown she’d made for him, he watched her look through the foxgloves with her magnifying glass for some kind of magical beetle.
“Luna,” Blaise said from his place under the tree.
“Yes, Blaise,” she replied, turning to look at him with her eye gigantically magnified in the lens of her glass.
“Do you have any plans this evening?” Why did he feel so nervous? He never felt nervous around witches.
Luna smiled, her blue eyes sparkling and put her magnifier into a pouch on her belt. “Blaise Zabini, are you asking me on a date?”
Blaise looked awestruck at the little blue dress she was wearing covered in embroidered kittens and the matching socks with ears, her sparkly blue mary janes. She was so the opposite of anything he’d ever thought he’d want. Salazar how he wanted her.
“I am,” Blaise grinned at her, “my cousins have invited me to dinner with them in Hogsmeade. Would you care to accompany me?”
Luna bit her lip and blushed prettily, “I need to run up to Ravenclaw Tower and grab my coat, is that alright?” Her blushes stirred something in him. He knew she was a naughty little thing, but the innocence she exuded when she looked at him like that had him feeling protective and possessive. Salazar, how he wanted to make her his. He had never felt like that about a witch before. They were around for a good time, not a long time.
“Of course. I can wait in front of the castle,” Blaise stated, and he turned to try to stand up. When he looked up he could see that she was already gone. Would he ever get used to the way she just left when she was done with a conversation? He felt the grin on his face, and he couldn’t help but laugh. It was like her strangeness transformed him into someone else, someone who wanted more than a quick shag, someone with dreams of forever.
Was this what love was? He wondered, as he walked towards where he would meet her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. All of the other witches he had considered shagging this summer had faded into black and white, becoming part of the background in comparison to her.
Her face was the last thing in his mind when he went to sleep and the first thing that he would desire when he woke. Every word she said to him was poured over and analysed. She was like an enigma wrapped in a mystery, something rare and magical, even in the magical world in which they resided.
The sun was almost setting and the castle was bathed in pink and lavender light, and as Luna ran towards him, clutching a bright pink coat to her chest and matching beret on her head, she looked like something from a vision. Her nervousness was so apparent as he looked at her, he couldn’t help but gather her to him and whisper, “Luna, you look ravishing.”
Staring up into his face, she wrapped her arms around him and sighed, “Blaise, you are an absolute revelation.” She ran her hand down his cheek and smiled at him like he was something she’d never imagined that she would have, some special surprise or a beloved dessert, like she wanted to devour him. And Blaise desperately tried to keep his arousal in check.
“Shall we head down to Hogsmeade?” He asked, instead of the questions on his mind. Can I find some secret place to make love to you? Can I make you cum? Have you ever had a wizard inside you before?
Luna stepped back and slid her coat on, “Let’s head down. I’m ready.” She ran her hand along his arm, and he took her arm in his, drawing her next to him.
“I’m really happy that you could join me.” Blaise murmured into the shell of her ear.
Luna looked up at him, her smile bright and causing him to feel these flutters in his chest, in his stomach. She was positively ethereal.
"I'm so happy that you asked me," she whispered back. "So how are you related to your cousins who have been doing the restoration work for the school? Through your mother or father?"
"Neither, actually," Blaise said, "Lucia was related to one of my first few stepfathers when I was young and adorable. His family embraced me as one of their own and despite the rather messy end he met, they decided I was still family after everything was said and done."
"That was kind of them," Luna gazed into his face. "Your mother has been married several times?"
"Twelve I think," Blaise said. "She tends to outlive her husbands. I couldn’t even name all of them."
Luna nodded thoughtfully and Blaise felt the urge to defend his mother, and also a simultaneous urge to confess. She kills them, Luna. I'm not even sure if she killed my father or if his death was an accident as she has told me. I even watched her once, that's how I know.
Instead he smiled, "How about your parents? I know your mom passed, but what about your father? Has he remarried?"
Luna's laughter was like the tolling of fairy bells, "No, no my father has never even considered taking another wife. I think my mother was it for him. She was a rather singular witch."
"Do you want to tell me about her?" Blaise asked. "My mother has been the only consistent thing at home my whole life, I can't imagine what I would do if something happened to her."
"My mother was brilliant. Ravenclaw through and through." Luna smiled. "She invented several spells. A medical stasis spell that slows ageing that they still use for coma patients at St. Mungos, amongst others. I look just like her. I guess she and my father looked very similar. I remember the idea of her, more than her actuality. The sound of her voice, the feel of her hand on my back when I wasn't feeling well. My father has a couple photographs of her but he guards them like a dragon. His wrackspurt infestation is really quite severe. He has some...memory issues, he admits to forgetting things about my mother and sometimes he calls me her name.”
Blaise tried to imagine what Luna's home life must have been like since her mother passed. A father who struggled to remember his own wife, who hoarded her photographs. He looked down at Luna as they continued their walk to the village. She was staring off into the woods with a thoughtful expression.
Her uniqueness was a response to the madness of her day to day life. She was a Magical creature, something rare and precious.
"What did you say in the therapy group?" Blaise asked. “Your father was a seer before you were born?"
Luna came back to herself, and looked at him, "So my mother told me. He lost the power around the time I was born. I understand he and Sybil Trelawney were of similar power and she was the one who foretold about Harry and Voldemort."
"Does he ever make prophecies anymore?" Blaise asked.
"Never," Luna said. "Sometimes he speaks in an if-then statement. If you blank my moon, this may happen. If you befriend Harry Potter, it may help win the war. If you go to this summer program, you may find happiness. But never the definitive statements of true prophecy."
Blaise let himself think about one of those if/then statements. If she came to summer camp, she might find happiness. Did her father mean this, them? Ugh Oracles. They never made it easy.
To change the subject, Blaise shared, “So after Hogwarts, I’ve been thinking that I want to open quality Italian restaurants in Wizarding Britain. I own several vineyards so it would be easy to make a wine list only using my own wineries. I have considered going into tattooing like my mother's current husband, but I am not sure I want to do that as a career, maybe as a hobby. I don’t want to tattoo whatever people want, I want to make things that are magical and special like gifts.” Although he was rich enough to never have to work, which actually made things more complicated not less.
He could see the rooftops of the village coming up, and wanted to walk slower, to stretch out his time alone with this beautiful woman who was staring up at him with her dreamy serene expression.
“Have you done any tattoos?”
“A couple, on my stepfather actually and a few of his friends. It was a little nerve-wracking, but he was happy with them. He taught me the charm to enchant them too, so I can do things like make tattooed flowers bloom or butterfly wings flutter.” He put his hands behind his back, as he walked, and imagined what it would be like to put ink into her skin, maybe a moon that changed phases.
“I’d let you tattoo me,” she said and before he could respond, she continued. ”I think I want to be a magizoologist but my father's health is somewhat declining and I may be forced to take over running the Quibbler instead unless I decide to sell the paper to someone else. But I’m not sure that someone else would honour my father's legacy. It's a challenge. I don’t want the Quibbler to just turn into another Daily Prophet.”
Blaise nodded, and opened the door to the pub of the Three Broomsticks so Luna could enter. He could see his cousins at a table in the corner, and then Hans spotted him and waved one of his giant viking arms in their direction.
Once Blaise led Luna over to them, they were both embraced by the huge man, whose excitement at Blaise bringing a young lady with him was palpable.
"Hans please don't transform into a dog at the table. I swear it's like you aren't even housebroken," Lucia sighed, exasperated.
“Sorry liebchen,” Hans said, folding his giant self back into his chair. Blaise pulled out Luna’s seat and sat next to her, putting his arm across the back of her chair as he saw a couple of the men at the bar admiring her long fair hair. They needed to realise she was his. Shite. She was definitely not his. He needed to get himself under control, but just look at her.
She’d removed that pink coat, but the pink beret remained, and he found himself watching her pink lips as she greeted his cousins, so warmly. She was just so genuine.
The meal was quickly ordered and the four of them chatted about the reconstruction work at the castle. Hans and Lucia shared that there was only about another week of work there for them at most.
“Honestly,” Luna declared after her third butterbeer, ”I don’t see how the Ministry expects the professors, forty students and your team to conduct all the repairs and have the castle ready for the full class of students in September. I certainly embrace believing in impossible things. Believe six impossible things before breakfast and all that, but this. The scale of it! It simply can’t be done.” She waved her hands airily. “Oh excuse me, I need to go to the loo.” And with that she was up and gone, without waiting for a reply in that quintessential Luna way that left Blaise grinning.
"She seems like a reizendes Mädchen," Hans stated, cracking his knuckles and motioning to the server for another butterbeer.
Not at all subtly, Lucia leaned over and asked loudly, "What's this with you and the pretty blonde? Shall we have your mother start planning the wedding? "
"Not quite yet," Blaise said, attentively watching for Luna, so she didn’t walk up to them discussing her. "But I wouldn't say it's entirely off the table either."
"Ammazza!," Lucia grinned," I don't think I have ever heard you talk about a woman in such a way. I thought perhaps you’d live the bachelor life forever."
"I think she may be the most unique creature that I have ever come across and I can’t help but want to make her mine" Blaise confided, “I have never felt this way about any witch before.”
“Dat is how I would describe your cousin,” Hans remarked, stretching his long legs and leaning back in his chair, earning him a fond smile from Lucia before she shoved him, almost causing him to topple over.
Blaise barely restrained his laughter at their antics, but was smiling widely as Luna rejoined them.
“You have the nicest smile, Blaise Zabini,” Luna said softly and put her hand on his. “It makes me want to smile too.” She didn’t notice Lucia smacking Hans beneath the table and gesturing to their joined hands, but Blaise did, his cheeks heating.
“Vell Jugend,” Hans yawned, standing, “Lucia and I have another long day tomorrow, so as lovely as this has been, we must head upstairs. Miss Lovegud, it's been a pleasure to make your acquaintance this evening.” Hans shook her hand, and his immense hand swallowed hers.
She’s so petite, Blaise thought. The things I could do to her. Throw her over my shoulder. Take her against a wall, her legs around my waist. Focus.
Lucia was hugging Luna and whispering into her ear. Luna nodded and smiled back at Blaise, blushing. What was his cousin saying to her? But before he could inquire, they were back outside in the cold night air heading back up to Hogwarts.
"I'm not quite ready for the night to be over," Blaise said to Luna truthfully as they left the Three Broomsticks.
"Nor I," Luna said, looking up at him through pale lashes.
“They are probably drinking in the Heads Dorm tonight, what do you say about having a nightcap and visiting our friends?" Blaise offered.
"Our friends' sounded so strange on his tongue. Had he ever shagged anyone with whom he shared friends? Never. And she wasn't just any friend, Pansy was Luna's ex and the two girls were very cordial. Luna and Theo had a close friendship that they allowed very few others to see normally. They'd given up a bit during camp, letting their fondness be obvious at least during group.
Draco and Luna were not friendly, but not unfriendly either despite her time in his dungeons. They just looked unsettlingly similar. All purebloods were related though. Although maybe she was a halfblood. He wasn’t sure. It's not like he had examined their blood lines and family trees. He wasn't particularly interested in it himself, but his mother was. He could write to his mother and ask her about Luna's genealogy and whether she knew what Luna's mother's name was before she married. Perhaps that would get him an owl from his mother. His mother’s lack of response to him was driving him spare.
“Let’s go,” Luna responded, lacing her arm through his and drawing him close. The scent of her led him to put his lips to her hair, and she released a happy exhalation that had him almost vibrating with the feeling of possibility that he held in his arms.
************************************
The Heads Dorm was the image of Slytherin domesticity. Pansy was reading the copy of Witch Weekly that had miraculously survived Hermione’s destruction with her feet up on a pillow. Draco was writing a letter to Narcissa. Theo had the electricity book and was reading through the chapter about different types of energy storage, wondering whether there might be applications for magical energy. Could he make a necklace that held extra magic that could be tapped into in order to make a spell more powerful? Could it hold magic from multiple people? This was an intriguing idea. Just how to go about it.
A knock sounded at the door of the Head’s Suite, and Theo opened it to find Blaise and Luna outside. Theo grinned at the proprietary arm that Blaise had around Luna’s shoulders, and winked at his little blonde friend. She smiled in pleasure back at him.
“Theodore, are you going to invite us in?” Luna asked, “or leave us out here all night?”
“Oh, please,” Theo said with an inviting arm. “Do come in. Shall I get you refreshments?” Pansy snorted behind him and swung her feet off the couch, straightening her short black skirt.
Draco folded up his letter, and rose, “I will grab the Firewhiskey and some tumblers.”
Blaise led Luna inside, and when he sat in what was now his favourite armchair, she looked around at the available seats and instead bit her lip and plopped onto his lap. Theo felt almost giddy as he watched Luna put a pale arm around Blaise’s neck and Blaise smiled with real pleasure and wrapped his darker arm around her waist. His tall, dark broad athletic friend with the petite fair Ravenclaw on his lap looked like something Drake should paint.
The two of them were beautiful together. Now this is something I saw coming, but doesn’t it feel nice to be right? Theo sat next to Pansy on the couch, stretching his leg behind her and pulling the dark haired witch to his chest. Her eyes flashed and she made as though she was going to swipe at him with her nails.
“Ask first, pet,” she scolded.
Properly admonished, Theo apologised with promises to bleed prettily for her soon, whispered so softly into her ear that no one else in the room could hear. Pansy’s nipples hardened and she nodded her agreement to being touched.
Theo felt like he could get used to this as Pansy’s curves folded into him and Draco handed him a glass of good firewhiskey. He took a deep sip and inhaled the spicy scent of Pansy’s skin, as she accepted her glass of wine from the blonde. Pansy wouldn’t appreciate it if he marked her neck with little bites like he wanted, so he restrained himself, barely.
Hermione had responded very well to a little forceful touching in Hogsmeade. He was certain he had left bruises on her. The image of the ghosts of his fingers printed into her skin made him purr and he sipped at his drink. Pansy threw him a knowing look as she felt him harden against her.
“That for me?” she whispered into his ear.
“Just thinking about whether Granger would let me leave lovely purple bruises all over her neck and tits,” he breathed.
“Merlin and Morgana, Theo,” Pansy gasped, rubbing her thighs together to seek some friction, and taking a deep drink of her wine. It left her lips red and shining. Theo looked up and saw Draco watching him and Pansy with hooded eyes.
Was Draco hoping for a repeat of the other night? Salazar knows that I’m hoping for a repeat.
Blaise and Luna were drinking their firewhiskey and seemed to be a bit lost in each others’ eyes. And Theo was pretty sure he hadn’t shagged her yet, which for Blaise was unbelievable. He’d never seen the Italian court a girl like this. It was usually a shag or two and then he moved onto the next, but the possessive hand on Luna’s hip was telling Theo that this was something very different. His heart felt warmed and for a change it wasn’t the firewhisky.
The door opened and Hermione walked in, stopping for a second in surprise as she surveyed the five of them. Her eyebrows visibly raised as she saw Luna cuddled in Blaise’s lap, but to her credit she just shrugged and didn’t make any unneeded commentary.
“Hello, looks like I walked into a little party,” Hermione said, sitting her book bag by the door. “Can I get a glass of firewhiskey as well?”
“Coming right up, Granger,” Draco said, and went to the kitchenette to grab her a glass. Merlin, Theo loved seeing Draco engage in acts of service. It made him want to reward his Slytherin Prince in all the dirtiest ways.
"Hermione, we are about to play a drinking game,” Theo said, earning raised eyebrows, sceptical looks and an outright laugh from Luna who all knew that that had absolutely not been what had been going on prior to Hermione’s entrance. ”Have you ever played “Never have I ever?””
“Someone says something they’ve never done and if you have done it you drink?” Hermione drawled, “I have been to a party before Theo.”
“Oh, we are back to Theo again, I’m beyond pleased.”
Draco entered then and handed Hermione a drink, setting the bottle down on the low table and taking back his seat on the loveseat with Pansy and Theo. Hermione looked at the open space between Draco and Pansy for a minute, but then remembered Blaise and Luna and sat in the other armchair near the fire. Theo struggled to stifle his disappointment, but kept his charming smile on his face.
“We all have a drink? Alright, I’ll go first. Never have I ever had sex in a greenhouse,” announced Pansy. Luna and Theo took a drink.
"Not together,'' Luna answered the unspoken question in Blaise’s eyes, putting her hand on his cheek. He covered it with his own, and closed his eyes for a moment.
Theo called out, "Never have I ever drank champagne off someone's nipples.”
Only Blaise drank. "I own vineyards and wineries, you know. Honestly I highly recommend it. The salt of a woman’s breasts just opens up the flavour. It’s divine.” Blaise’s hand was ghosting along the outline of Luna’s breasts and Theo could see that his friend’s pupils were blown wide.
Blaise went next. "Never have I ever watched someone else shag."
Draco, Luna, Hermione, and Theo all drank. “You are a bloody cheater, Zabini,” Theo snarked. “When you’ve had girls from every house, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang in your bed in our dorm and you never shut the curtains!” Theo cast his eyes over to Hermione, who was hiding her blushes behind her glass. Had she watched someone other than he and Drake? What he wouldn’t give to be a legilimens.
“Playing to win, Nott, playing to win,” Blaise toasted towards Theo. “And if a girl’s not keen on putting on a show, there are better places to shag than a shared dorm room if you get my meaning.”
"Voyeur kinks all around," Luna giggled into her cup. Blaise nuzzled her neck and adjusted her on his lap, her eyes glazing as she leaned back into him. Luna laughed again. "Never have I ever watched someone else shag and not enjoyed the show."
Theo drank, “It wasn’t exactly a consensual shag. My dad’s a bit of a monster. Let Hermione go next.”
Hermione struggled to come up with something, and took another drink of her beverage, and as the warm cast a glow across her skin, she quietly said, “Never have I ever given a lap dance.”
Luna, Theo and Pansy all drank. “Although to be fair,” Pansy said, “I’ve received many more than I’ve ever given. Tenfold perhaps.” She smiled at Luna and Theo.
Draco scoffed, “My turn then? Let’s see how to win against you degenerates? How about never have I ever had actual sex.” Blaise laughed aloud as Draco admitted what all the Slytherins already knew. Theo thought that the look of shock on Hermione’s face was absolutely worth it. Her golden eyes were looking over Draco as though she had never seen him before.
Oh look at that, Theo thought, he’s become a mystery to her. And how she loves to solve mysteries.
“Come on now,” Draco sneered, the image of his younger self, “Drink up all you libertines. I’m still waiting.”
Sighing, Pansy drank and looked over at Hermione, who after staring for another moment at Draco’s ring-adorned hands clenching his glass, took a deep drink. Confirmation, Theo sighs internally. Draco and Hermione’s eyes caught for a second and they both looked away, blushing.
Blaise chuckled and drank, “I’m not sure that we have enough firewhiskey for how far from a virgin I am.”
Luna giggled at that, “As long as we are counting lesbian encounters, then I am not a virgin either.” Theo grinned at the look of feral hunger that crossed Blaise’s face at that. Oh he’s beyond smitten. Hermione’s face had turned bright red and she was looking at Luna in real surprise.
Pansy scoffed, “Obviously, we are counting lesbian encounters. Otherwise I wouldn’t have taken a drink.” Pansy smiled seductively, leaning more into Theo and drinking her wine. Hermione seemed to have choked on her drink a bit. “Okay there, Hermione?”
“Fine. Fine.” Hermione coughed a little, patting herself on her chest. She drained her glass and refilled it.
“Oral only does not count,” Theo declared confidently.
“And why is that Theo?” Pansy asked, curious.
“Because Draco couldn’t say never have I ever, if it counted,” Theo drawled, throwing a wink at Draco who was blushing furiously and then at Hermione who was opening and closing her mouth like a fish.
Blaise made a noise to draw attention and announced, “I think we can say that Draco won this round.” Draco raised his glass in self-acknowledgement, and Blaise smiled as he nipped at Luna’s earlobe and she shifted in his lap. “But let’s keep it interesting. What’s the naughtiest thing you've ever done? I had sex on the balcony at the Yule Ball during the Ball.”
“With who?” Theo queried.
“A gentleman never kisses and tells,” Blaise scolded, running his hands over Luna, as she seemed to melt into his touch. Theo rolled his eyes at the two of them. If Blaise didn’t shag her tonight, he was a fool.
“I had sex with my ex-girlfriend in the prefect carriage on the Hogwarts express,” Pansy confided. Hermione’s eyes continued to be as wide as saucers, her hands shaking slightly at the open way that Pansy was discussing her sapphic conquests. I should have said never have I ever kissed a girl, even though it was a lie, Theo thought. He’d bet 1000 galleons that Hermione would not have taken a drink. The look that she was giving Pansy right now told him that she was definitely curious.
Pulling her attention away from Blaise’s mouth making marks on her neck, Luna asked, “Are all the naughty things going to have to do with sex?”
“Maybe?” Theo said, “Hermione wouldn’t let us do dirty questions last time.”
Hermione scoffed, “Theo, I don’t let or not let you do anything.”
“No, that’s my job,” Pansy teased, standing to go over to where her wine bottle was. After she refilled her glass, Theo watched as she made the most of being so near to Hermione. Looking up into the Head Girl’s blushing face, Pansy touched her softly on the leg, on the knee, running her fingers along her arm. Theo’s eyes were glued to their points of contact.
Breathless, Hermione stared into Pansy’s eyes and stammered, “M-mine doesn't. I robbed Gringotts while Polyjuiced as Bellatrix and rode out of there on a stolen blind albino dragon.”
Blaise’s shocked noise was swallowed up by a kiss from the amorous blonde on his lap.
“Why am I not surprised,” Pansy taunted, running her nails over Hermione’s arm. “Golden girl always going above and beyond.”
“I don't like being called that,” Hermione confided, her honey eyes still locked on Pansy’s, like neither girl could look away. The sexual tension was palpable. Theo couldn’t wait until it snapped.
“Granger was that before or after I saw you at the Manor?” Draco inquired. Theo looked over at him and could see from the steel of his eyes that Draco was occluding.
Hermione finally broke eye contact with Pansy, to look over at Draco. ”After of course, how do you think I had both her hair and her wand? She did let slip that she had something in her vault that she didn’t want us to have.” She threw Draco a confident smile that made Theo’s breath catch in his throat. They were bantering about her fucking torture. It was disturbing, but Theo couldn’t help but be aroused.
Turning around to return to him, the expression on Pansy’s face told him that she was in the same state. Maybe she’d have need of his services tonight. Theo looked hungrily at her body and she smiled knowingly at him.
“You are terrifying, you know that?” Draco breathed.
Hermione took a long drink and smiled to herself.
**************
Notes:
End Notes: Thanks to the alpha/beta team for this chapter! Amebb42, Megsivy, Justaddjewelry, my_saturday_girl & Ndcyciv
Chapter 11: Cause When I Stop, My Demons Talk
Summary:
the continuation of drinking doesn't go so well after Luna shares her naughtiest moment, a super dark flashback from Malfoy Manor with Luna's first POV, Dreo morning cuddles, therapy and Hermione & Draco volunteer in the library
Notes:
Opening Notes: CW for Panic Attacks, and Alcohol (but they are going to be drinking a lot in this fic, so practice self-care) This chapter is a little on the shorter side because I had finals this week. Hope you enjoy what happens this week. Also there’s a flash back with graphic violence, gore, discussion of rape/torture, and death. As always, the flashbacks to the War are brutal. Draco also has some pretty dark invasive thoughts at the end of the chapter.
I listened to Mothica- Everything at Once on repeat while writing this chapter.
https://open.spotify.com/track/5ayBbdAswExnSnRifZBOUs?si=neZ5gxFBT6eX1YPaeIcIuQ
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
***********
Hermione wasn’t sure why Draco sodding Malfoy telling her that she was terrifying felt like a compliment, but it made her stomach flip. She bit her lip as she looked down into her rapidly emptying glass and wondered how she was here again: drinking with the Slytherins… and Luna. Harry and Ron would lose it if they could see what was going on with her right now. Ron would call it “fraternising with the enemy.”
What would he say if he knew you’d kissed Theo Nott and loved every second, especially when he held your wrists that bit of control over you soaking your knickers? Or that Pansy Parkinson wants to be your friend? Or if he knew you were actually enjoying Draco Malfoy’s company? Or that you were basically sharing a dorm with the three of them? He’d burst a blood vessel. Honestly, Ron’s tendencies towards anger and jealousy were the most unattractive things ever.
She realised that she really needed to be grateful that she hadn’t allowed herself to be manipulated into a relationship with him solely because it was the expected thing to do. So far, everything expected of her hadn’t worked out very well.
She couldn’t imagine that he or Harry would take the visual of Luna on the lap of Blaise Zabini, their tongues in each other’s mouths, very well either. Hermione thought that they were an adorable couple. Their contrasting skin tones were so much less of an issue in the Wizarding World than they were in the Muggle one.
While being on different sides of the war was an issue that might be challenging, Luna had never worried what other people thought of her. Hermione, however, was willing to be supportive of her friend finding happiness, with whomever that might be. She hadn’t received anything but courtesy from Zabini since they’d been back. He hadn’t shared much in group therapy, but enough for her to realise that he was a good man who’d fought against the Death Eaters in the end.
And he was currently giving every indication of being head-over-heels in love with Luna or at the very least in lust with her. Luna and Zabini. She would never have bet galleons on that pairing, but they seemed well suited. Especially as she watched Luna nipping at Zabini’s earlobe while he ran his hands through her loose blonde tresses.
Hermione’s eyes ventured over to her dorm mates. When had she started to think of them that way? Theo was Head Boy, but Pansy and Draco…Malfoy? She really needed to decide how to think of him…it was so hard to think of someone as their surname when you’d seen them on their knees in front of their boyfriend, sucking on their cock. When you’d masturbated as you’d watched it too, her brain reminded her.
She wanted to groan as the image flashed in her mind, but refrained. She was sure her cheeks were pink.
Pansy and Theo were eye fucking each other, which now seemed a bit odd, despite the fact that they almost always were all over one another when the four of them drank. The way Pansy had just touched her and looked in her eyes had made Hermione…breathless.
Hadn’t Pansy implied she was a lesbian during ‘never have I ever,’ or was it just that she’d only ever had lesbian sex? But they’d talked about her assault? Was she just not counting that because it was non-consensual?
That seemed much more self-aware and feminist than Hermione would ever have thought Pansy Parkinson could be. Hermione shook herself at that unkind thought. She didn’t really know Pansy all that well, twenty questions aside.
But why were Pansy and Theo always touching? Theo was clearly a very sexual creature; what was his and Pansy’s relationship, really? He’d said she wouldn’t be upset about their kiss in Hogsmeade and it seemed that Theo had been telling the truth. Not that Hermione thought he’d been intentionally lying, but blokes seemed to have a very different idea of what was going on than their girlfriends did.
Draco was rolling his eyes at Blaise kissing Luna and Theo kissing Pansy’s neck and purely by accident, their eyes met. His gaze was still a little hard at first, but it began to warm as their staring continued, neither willing to look away first.
His irises looked like pools of liquid mercury and his mouth looked so fucking kissable as he took a sip of his drink. Those rings on those elegant fingers were an absolute sin. A purr slipped from her lips at the thought of how they would feel against her skin… Wait? What?
She knew her new book from Cordelia said it was perfectly natural for a witch’s magic to be attracted to more than one wizard or witch at a time, but Hermione had been raised in the muggle world. While poly relationships weren't unheard of, they weren't common practice. Especially not in the upper middle class where she'd been raised. This seemed bizarre to her. Why was she so drawn to the three of them? She needed to read more of that book.
“Well, I’m ready to head to bed,” Luna laughed, rising from Blaise’s lap.
“I’ll walk you to Ravenclaw tower,” Blaise responded, chivalrously, also rising.
"Goodnight Luna, Blaise.” Pansy laughed using a sing-song voice as she shoved Theo away from her neck.
On her way out the door, Luna leaned back in. “Oh, I almost forgot. The naughtiest thing I’ve ever done. Draco Malfoy,” he looked up, “it was agreeing to hide from the other people in the dungeons that you were the one smuggling us food and medicine. Everyone deserved to know who the hero was. I should have said, but I didn't because you asked me not to.” And in the Luna way, she merely closed the door behind her, disappearing without ever saying goodbye.
Hermione was startled by the sound of a tumbler hitting the ground and her head whipped around, looking over to see Draco's head shaking and body trembling.
“No, no, no, no.” He looked positively frantic, sweat breaking on his brow, gripping his hair with one hand. “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.”
“Draco?” Theo tried to sit up from under Pansy, who seemed to be frozen in shock. Hermione shot out of her seat and was up, on her knees in front of him, before Theo could get off the couch. She gripped his hand and saw the terror in his eyes as they darted around the room.
“Draco?” Hermione asked in a low, non threatening tone, “Hey I need you here with me, Draco, I need you to come back to me. Give me your other hand, Draco, I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Let’s do the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise Healer Cordelia taught us, alright? I'm going to do it with you, take a breath in. What are five things you can see? Come on, Draco, I need you to breathe.” She tried to keep her voice calm and her own breathing measured to give him something to copy.
"Granger, I can't. I can't." His face seemed to collapse and tears ran down his cheeks as he shook his head. "I can't."
"You can and you will. Come on now, five things you can see."
With a ragged exhale, Draco said, "Y-Your hair, my sh-shirt." The little teardrops on his eyelashes were so distracting.
"You're doing so good Draco, just three more things." She whispered, squeezing his hands reassuringly.
Draco looked at his hands clutched in hers. "M-My rings. The hearth and my glass on the floo-or."
“Brilliant, you're doing so well.” Hermione squeezed his hand she was holding and smiled. “Now four things you can touch. Keep breathing, okay?”
“A-alright. Y-your hands. My jumper, m-my hair on my neck, my heart beating.” His breathing was starting to slow down a little and he was still holding onto her tightly. She wanted to look down at their joined hands or to glance over at Theo and Pansy, but she didn’t dare break eye contact.
“Well done,” she murmured as she squeezed his hands and let her thumb caress his face. “Now what are three things you can hear?”
“Y-your swotty voice?” Ah good, he was starting to get his snark back, that was a good sign. “The fire crackling. The wind outside the tower.”
“Now Draco, tell me two things you can smell?” That appeared to be too much for him, as he shook his head repeatedly looking frantically over towards Theo and then back at her. A wild look in his eyes made her breath catch, his reaction was as if he was being cornered. Why on earth would smells cause such an anxious reaction, she thought.
“The fire, the fire whiskey, and I can taste the fire whiskey. I-I-I, have to go.” He wrenched his hands away from her and vaulted over the back of the couch. It was as if he needed to get away from her specifically as quickly as possible.
When his hand touched Theo’s door knob only then did he look back at her, a long lingering glance. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but then closed it again. And then he was gone. Hidden away inside Theo’s bedroom, where he knew she wouldn't follow.
“Well...” Theo said, his mouth at her ear. How had he gotten so close to her without her realizing? “That wasn’t how I was hoping tonight would end, but thank you. You didn’t have to help him, so, thank you, Hermione.”
“Psh,” Hermione started, but was shocked into silence when she felt his breath below her ear in a way that made her nerves tingle.
“Goodnight Hermione,” and with a quick wave of his wand, he sent all the drinking paraphernalia back to the kitchenette and grabbed a bottle of Firewhisky before disappearing into his room as well.
“At least he didn’t leave me to clean up. That would have been the outside of enough,” came Pansy’s voice from behind Hermione, making her turn around.
The dark-haired young woman was watching Hermione with hooded eyes as she rose from her seat on the couch. She wrapped her long nailed hands around the neck of her wine bottle and took a long drink directly from it.
“Coming to bed with us, Hermione?” Pansy asked, her eyes roaming over the other girl.
“Um...no?” Hermione hated that her own voice sounded like a question. Shouldn’t she be more sure that she didn’t want to sleep in bed with the three of them…but if she did, would they cuddle her? She desperately wanted someone to hold her, especially after whatever that was that happened with Draco.
Pansy clucked her tongue and gripped Hermione’s waist with her free hand, “maybe next time Golden Girl” and kissed her square on the mouth. A soft whimper escaped from Hermione as she leaned into the kiss. Pansy’s lips were soft and she tasted like spice; wild, exotic. And just as Hermione started to lift her hand to deepen the kiss, it was over.
“Sweet dreams,” Pansy breathed, just an inch away from Hermione’s lips before retreating.
Breathless, Hermione exhaled, “Thanks,” to an empty room, since Pansy had wasted no time following the boys. It took a few moments for Hermione to get her breathing under control and drag herself into her room to prepare for bed.
It was much later while she was laying under her plush scarlet comforter staring at the ceiling, that she realized that she’d used Malfoy’s first name… out loud…more than once and in front of Pansy and Theo.
That had never happened before in his presence. Fuck.
**********
“What did you need to run back to tell them?” Blaise asked as they walked arm in arm through the darkened corridors.
“Nothing of serious consequence,” Luna smiled up at him, “Just that I shouldn’t have agreed to hide that Draco was our secret benefactor in the Malfoy Dungeons.”
Blaise blinked at her in shock.
“Luna, that’s certainly not a little thing.” Blaise said, glancing over his shoulder from where they'd come, worried how Draco had taken Luna's announcement. His mind took off as he realized that what he had suspected all along was true, that Draco had done a lot more at the Manor to thwart the Death Eaters than people were aware.
“I know,” Luna whispered, her voice airy and far away, “I’ve already put in my request to testify at his trial. The Wizengamot isn't anticipating what I am actually going to say, they believe I'm just going to be giving a victim’s statement. Strange really, that they wouldn't want the truth to come out and I was approved as a witness for the prosecution instead of defense.”
“Does Draco know about your plan to testify?”
“Of course not,” Luna said, “Haven't you noticed? He still pretends like he’s never met me before most of the time. This will make him acknowledge that I exist, even if it's hard for him. He needs to deal with his guilt. He did alot for me, but he couldn’t save everyone that ended up in that dungeon. It weighs heavily on him.” Luna tightened her grip on Blaise’s hand. “The war made victims and monsters of us all. Did you know I killed two Death Eaters at the battle? I’m not even sure who they were. I may be a victim to the Wizengamot, but to the families of those men, I’m the villain.”
“Considering Theo and Drake’s fathers were pretty typical of Death Eaters, Luna, you may be a hero to their families after all. I don't think I knew of a single one that was a decent father… On second thought, however, maybe Rowle. His kids are in Slytherin and one is here. I heard her telling Millie that she misses him, but he’s in Azkaban for life, not dead.”
“I could see how a belief in Pureblood supremacy and the genocide of Muggles might not make someone very inclined towards abiding paternal affection.”
“I’m grateful my mum managed to stay neutral during this war and evaded the Death Eaters. She has a lot of horror stories about people she knew dying in the first Wizarding War, so her goal was to keep us out of it and safe. She’s also married to a Half-blood these days, but we don't flash that around. It’s just not anyone’s business.”
“Have you still not heard from her?” Luna asked, looking at him in concern.
“No.”
“You should talk with McGonagall. She'll be able to help you.”
Blaise looked down at the little witch on his arm, with her wide and inviting eyes looking up at him. How much could he really say to Luna about his mother? Could he really trust her with the darkness that pervaded his family life? Would it be too much for her if she knew?
“There are things going on that my mother would not appreciate attention being drawn to. She might just be…busy.” Blaise attempted to sound confident, but he was terrified at heart.
When he’d left his mother, she’d been contentedly drinking wine with his stepfather on the patio. Watching the sunset above the vineyard, she’d been happy. And Stefan…well he’d been the best stepfather Blaise had ever had. Certainly he treated his mother well. He was easy going and wealthy, kind and eclectic, as likely to discuss tattooing as Italian medieval history. “I just really hope that she and my stepfather are alright,” Blaise exhaled. Maybe that wasn’t the whole truth, but it was some of the truth.
“I hope so too,” Luna said, letting her hand rub circles against his arm.
As they approached the portrait outside Ravenclaw tower, Blaise leaned in and gave Luna a chaste kiss goodnight. His lips lingering on hers for just a moment longer than polite society would have found acceptable. He pulled back and looked her in the eyes trying to tell her how he felt about her without words, as he didn't even know the words to use.
“Sometimes you don't need to be a perfect gentleman, Blaise Zabini.” Luna smiled up at him, leaning in to give him another peck on his lips. Every fiber of his body screamed at him to drag her off somewhere, claim her, make her his.
And Blaise, who had never felt possessive of a woman in his life, knew that he was completely gone for Luna bloody Lovegood. She was the maddest, most beautiful, most creative, unique and fantastical creature he’d ever been lucky enough to touch. How he wanted to get on his knees and worship at her altar. He knew from Daph that he was just as good as Pansy, not that he’d ever share that bit of knowledge aloud. He’d prefer to keep breathing and Pansy’s love of blood play was enough to give him a healthy fear of his friend. Although not a big enough fear to avoid fucking her ex-girlfriend. Luna may have been another ex-girlfriend of Pansy’s, but with her, it felt entirely different. She was not just another meaningless conquest.
“Sometimes, someone deserves a gentleman who treats them like they deserve,” he said, trying to mask how nervous he was.
Luna sighed and reached up to kiss him one last time, nipping lightly on his lower lip as she pulled away. “And sometimes, someone deserves a passionate shag.” And then she was gone after answering the portrait’s riddle.
“I don’t want you to think that you are just a shag,” Blaise whispered into the empty hallway, before turning and walking back to his room in the dungeons.
*********************
Flashback
Malfoy Manor
Early January 1998
“You charmed the heart right out of me. To my whole life you hold the key,” Luna sang at the top of her lungs, Please Merlin and Morgana let him hear, let one of the house elves hear and tell him!
“You cast your spell and suddenly I cannot forget you!” The bloody body of the blonde witch on the ground at her feet shuddered as the unconscious girl heaved, blood splattering the stones near her mouth.
The witch was nearly covered in blood. It drenched her long ragged skirt, it oozed from cuts and slashes all over her body and on top of that she was covered in bites, the teeth marks of men and wolves. If she survived this, she’d be a werewolf. Her survival did not look good.
“This feeling’s utter bliss yet something seems amiss like a Dementor’s Kiss!”
The echo of the dungeon door slamming and the heavy footfalls of someone running down the stairs, the sharp jangle of glass potion jars hitting each other made Luna wince. Hopefully none of the jars broke in his haste.
Black-clad and panting, Draco Malfoy skidded to a halt in front of the cell door, "What’s happened?” He asked, hands shaking as he put the key in the lock and opened the door. “Are you alright?” His eyes ran over the blood all over Luna’s hands and knees, as he pulled the door closed, not bothering to lock it; there was nowhere to run, as Luna was well aware.
“Shh, Draco, I'm okay. I’m not hurt. It’s her,” Luna said, moving to the side so Draco could see the mauled girl that Greyback had roughly thrown into the cell a little less than an hour ago. His breath came out in a hiss as he finally noticed the crumpled form on the ground.
“Bloody hell,” he exhaled, roughly falling to his knees and pulling out the jars. He pulled out a rag and a bowl and conjured water into it. “Luna, help me,” he commanded with an edge of desperation to his voice.
She worked silently after settling the girl’s bloodied head in her lap, lifting her shoulders a bit off the cold stones and rinsing the blood and filth off her as Draco rubbed dittany over the ragged cuts on her torso. Sweet Circe, they weren’t just cuts. They were claw marks. As she wiped and rinsed, wiped and rinsed, Luna imagined that she was anywhere else, rather than kneeling on the filthy floor of Malfoy Manor, rinsing blood from the pale skin of a dying girl. The bowl next to her was red with blood and she dumped it towards the drain, and Draco refilled it with a wandless Aguamenti, not even looking away from the flesh where he was rubbing in the dittany paste, his fingers red with a mixture of the paste and blood.
His face hardened as he lowered the torn remains of the witch’s top and cursed when he saw the shredded remains of her breasts.
“I’m not sure dittany will be enough, Luna,” he rasped into the cold of the cell. Luna shuddered at the violence that had been done to the woman in her lap and stroked her blood-matted hair, wiping more blood from her face.
“She hasn’t regained consciousness the whole time she’s been here with me,” Luna told him, biting her lip and trying not to cry. Draco looked at the bleeding witch in desperation, and then he slowly lifted her skirts and saw the bloody ruin of her womanhood. Luna swallowed her own vomit and watched as the one Death Eater she had come to trust and rely on, sat back against the wall, his arms across his knees and looked down at his blood-drenched hands.
Luna wasn’t surprised when he began to sob silently. This was the third witch in as many days that Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood were going to have to watch die. She knew he’d stay there with her until the witch passed and then take her to be buried on the estate. She’d asked him the first couple times. She didn’t need to ask anymore. She just wondered how many more times the two of them would have to do this.
Luna stroked the forehead of the dying woman as she bled out on the cold floor, watching the stranger’s life’s blood meandering through the cracks and crevices towards the grate in the floor, and looked over at Draco.
He looked like he was dying just like the girl on the stones, only his death was going to take a lot longer, a painful loss of his humanity by slow degrees.
She hoped they both made it out of here alive, and that after the war they could be friends. He really looked like he needed a friend right now.
Her tears rolled down her cheeks and upon falling , made tracks in the remaining blood on the blonde’s face. Luna’s’s tears and the woman's blood mixing together like a cocktail of sorrow and pain.
Draco Malfoy was her only ally in this pit of despair. His cage may be gilded, but he was as much a prisoner here as she was, she thought, as she listened to the slow death rattle of breath and felt the heart beat beneath her fingers stutter and then finally stop.
***********
Sunlight was filtering into Theo’s room and the glare seemed to be right over Draco’s eyes. Growling, he rolled over and stared into the brightest, deep sapphire eyes that he’d ever seen, making him groan internally knowing that if Theo was awake, they were going to have to talk about last night.
“Good morning starshine.” Theo’s warm smile was like an embrace and made Draco feel a bit more at ease. “Feeling better?”
Draco shook his head, “Did you give me dreamless sleep?” he asked, knowing that Theo and Pansy had given the potion to him numerous times in sixth year.
“And a calming draught. I didn’t think you needed more firewhisky. You were crying pretty hysterically by the time I got into the room.”
Covering his face in embarrassment at his lapse of control, Draco sighed, “My occlumency hasn’t been working as well as it used to.”
“Well, you aren't supposed to be using it like that anymore anyways. Cordelia said there are consequences of using it too much. You need to be working on the exercises she's given us.”
“I suppose.” Draco reached out and ran a finger along Theo’s cheek and jaw, “But if I had been better with my shields, we could have had a much more enjoyable end to the night.”
Theo scoffed and rolled his eyes before giving Draco a stern look. “I don’t care about sex as much as I care about you being okay. Isn’t that why we are all here? To deal with the war, with how it broke us?”
Theo’s eyes shiny with unshed tears and Draco felt a pain flare in his chest. “Theo, I’m here to try to prove that I don’t need to go to Azkaban. This is a requirement.” Draco explained, trying to keep his voice even.
“So you don’t want to get better? To heal yourself?” Theo snapped, pulling back, swiping at the tears that were now steadily falling down his face.
“Of course I do, Theo, but I’m just,” Draco rolled back onto his pillows and closed his eyes, “so fucking broken.”
“We’ll put you back together, Drake, trust me,” Theo whispered, pulling himself closer and wrapping his arm around Draco’s waist, the dampness from his tears wetting his skin. Draco gathered Theo to his chest and Theo rested his cheek against Draco’s sectumsempra scars, his thumb making soothing circles on Draco’s side. “We’re all broken, but we’ll all knit ourselves back together.”
******************
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she stuck her head out of her door to find the dorm empty. She was not entirely ready to face the ramifications from the events of last night, so she slipped from the room long before anyone else awoke. She was thankful as she entered the Great Hall to drink coffee in the relative silence of the post-dawn and ponder what was happening between herself and her roommates.
Drinking her coffee, Hermione couldn't stop staring at the Slytherin house tapestry on the wall. It was as if it held the answer to why Malfoy would be so afraid of Luna telling people that he had helped her in the dungeon. Draco sodding Malfoy had helped Luna in his family’s dungeon and she’d promised not to say anything. Hermione thought back to Shell Cottage after her rescue. Luna always looked thoughtful, but she’d been positively introspective there, often looking completely lost in her own world.
Why didn’t he want anyone to know? Had he been worried at the time about being caught, being labelled a blood traitor? Why would he still want to keep this secret when it could help keep him out of Azkaban?
“I know many of you engage in negative self-talk, and today we are going to start the process to address this issue.” Cordelia smiled, as their morning therapy began. “The first thing that we need to do to understand this concept of Cognitive Distortions.The statements that the little voice makes about who you are and what’s going on in your life.” Hermione nodded as she held her journal in front of her, taking notes of what the healer was saying.
Cordelia continued, “There are ten big distortions that can occur: An all or nothing train of thought. Seeing life and events in black and white instead of in the many shades of grey. For example: I'm a bad person. All Slytherins are evil. Therefore, my whole family is evil and I am too.” Cordelia looked kindly at Theo and Draco as she said the last bit. Hermione watched as Theo’s smile turned brittle and his dimple disappeared, his mask sliding into place. “Those are all examples of all or nothing thinking.”
“The next type of distortion is overgeneralization. Extending a negative thought so it reaches even further into your sense of self or self worth. An example of this would be, I never do anything right. Hermione was furiously writing, knowing that she didn't want to forget a single detail. After last night when Draco had his panic attack, she wanted to make sure she was prepared for any future incidents.
"Third, we have the mental filter. This is when you filter out all the good things in life to solely focus on the bad. An example of this would be something like; I didn't contribute enough to the war, or my contributions didn’t make a difference.” Hermione nodded along as her eyes flickered up. She'd had those thoughts, remembering all the faces of those who'd died and thinking if she'd done more they could have been spared. The memory of Teddy growing up without his parents or Lavender bleeding out on the Hogwarts stones haunted her.
“The next distortion is called disqualifying the positive. When you believe a good or positive thing 'doesn’t count' toward your larger pattern of failure and negativity. For example, What I did to help others could never be enough to outweigh all the bad I contributed to.” Hermione's eyes flickered over to Draco, who was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest looking up into the sky. She knew that today would resonate with him the most, being the only child marked as a Death Eater.
Cordelia's voice broke Hermione out of her thoughts as she continued, “Then we have the distortion of jumping to conclusions. This is when you extrapolate an even bigger and broader negative thought from a small negative experience. This could be something like, he said he didn’t want to go out with me. Therefore, I must be an unlovable person.” Ron left me and didn't want me. Noone will want me. Well, Pansy and Theo seemed to be exploding that conclusion.
Hermione wasn’t sure how she felt about being pursued by a witch and a wizard simultaneously. The tight grip of Theo’s large hands on her wrists, the softness of Pansy’s lips and the silver and black of Draco’s rings as she clutched at his shaking hands all flashed before her eyes. Malfoy. Malfoy’s rings. You aren’t on a first name basis with bloody Malfoy, even if you did help him with a panic attack last night. Even if black nail polish on a bloke along with those rings makes you feel like you are melting.She was nibbling on her quill, destroying it, making her curse under her breath as ink spilled over her hands.
Not again, Merlin, maybe Cordelia will be able to help with my chewing on quills problem. Or perhaps if I could enact some of these fantasies…no, no, can't think about Theo, Pansy, or Malfoy like that. Now is not the time.
Maybe if she'd read her book on magical attractions this morning before the group, these baser needs would be better contained. As it was, Hermione couldn’t help but be a little sad that Malfoy hadn’t looked at her once all morning.
“Magnification or minimization," Cordelia's voice rang out, pulling Hermione back to the task at hand, "this is when you exaggerate your own mistakes. Or when other people’s accomplishments or happiness minimise your own accomplishments and others’ flaws. Example: Everyone saw me mess up at the Quidditch match, while Susan had a perfect night on the pitch.” Hermione grimaced, knowing this was a train of thought that she often fell down. She was always comparing her failures against other's successes. How could a Muggleborn ever stack up to the privileges and successes of her Pureblood classmates, even the Halfblood students, besides Harry, had all started miles ahead of her.
"Emotional reasoning, where you assume your negative feelings reflect the truth of a situation. Example: I felt embarrassed, therefore I must have been acting in an embarrassing manner.
"Should statements, beating yourself up for not doing things differently. An example would be that I shouldn’t have shared that with them. I shouldn’t have let them in.” Again, Hermione felt this particular hitting too close to home. She often wore the weight of any conflict between herself, Ron, and Harry the most. Placing the blame when realistically it wasn't hers to carry anyway, even in this most recent instance where their conflict was entirely his fault.
"Labelling and mislabeling means to use a small negative event or feeling to give
yourself a huge, general label. An example would be something like ``I forgot to do my Potions essay, I’m a total idiot." Okay, maybe this one wouldn't be too bad for Ron to deal with occasionally…
"Personalization, when you make events aren't personal, personal. An example would be ‘’The dinner party was bad because I was there." Harry did this all the time, he was constantly blaming his presence for all kinds of things that weren’t his fault. Cedric Diggory’s death was one of the most glaring examples.
Cordelia clapped her hands together, gathering everyone's attention again. "Journal prompts!" She exclaimed, earning a groan from Dean and Theo. "Today we are going to explore some of the ideas around cognitive distortions, but related to a time recently when you had some big feelings. I know that many of you are struggling with managing your emotions right now. So what happened to make you feel sad, anxious or upset? I want you to write down your exact emotional response to certain events that happened recently or during the war. It could be something you witnessed, or something you were directly involved in. Did it make you feel angry? Sad? Were you frustrated that you couldn't do more? Or maybe you were left feeling hopeless?" She said, as she did some fast wandwork and with a pop, everyone now had a clipboard to set their journals on.
"Writing it down will help you recognize it the next time these events come up. Whatever it is, what is the first thought that comes into your mind when you reflect on this particular event? Most of the time, this initial thought will be your automatic thought, and we want to cultivate being able to remove responsibility off each of you. Because, this happened to you all, against your will. And none of you are responsible for what has happened."
Hermione tried to sneak a look at Draco Malfoy, whose blonde hair was in his face as he stared at his hands. And she wondered what he was going to be writing for his entry. Would he be open? Would he share what exactly had triggered his meltdown last night?
The panic and fear in his silver eyes had been so real. She’d never expected to see him so vulnerable. He’d certainly never expected her to see it either. She wished he’d just look at her, at least once. Biting her lip, Hermione began working on her own entry.
A couple days ago, there was an article in the Daily Prophet…
***********
Granger had spent most of group therapy either staring at him, biting her lip, or chewing on her quill like it was a sugar quill. Occasionally, she'd managed to do a combination of the three. The way she bit her lip did things to him, just as it always had. Merlin, how he wanted to walk over and kiss her, putting that mouth to better use. She had a bad habit of bleeding her bottom lip when she was too anxious. He'd seen her do it more than once, and he hated to see her hurt and know he couldn't soothe her.
He shook himself. It was not Draco Malfoy’s duty to see to the safety of Hermione Granger. But sweet Circe, how he wished it could be.
Madam Pince greeted him cheerily as he entered the library that day. He didn’t think he would ever get used to her change in demeanour, as he had spent too many years having her watch him with narrow eyes as he touched her books.
As he passed with a friendly wave, he wondered if his mother was having success with the book drive that they had discussed in their last couple of letters. He looked forward to surprising the normally dour librarian with new books.
His thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice rang through the library. "Hello, Madam Pince, is there anywhere you'd like me working today?" Not with me, not with me…Draco begged in his head.
"If you could join Mr. Malfoy," of course, "he's working in the seventh century history section. I'm certain he could use your help today, if you wouldn't mind."
"Certainly…" Was that hesitation in her voice?
Draco didn't hear any more conversation, only the echoing of footsteps walking towards him. Keeping his head down, he didn't see when she joined him, but he felt her. It was as if she were the sun and he was a planet, helpless but to always gravitate towards her and bathe in her warmth.
"Hello, Draco." She said, again addressing him with his first as she had the previous night.
"Granger," he drawled, hoping to sound unaffected by her.
They worked in companionable silence, neither one wanting to break the spell they both seemed to be under.
She was efficient as she repaired the books he sent towards her. Her spellwork was perfect, as always. "How are you feeling?" Her voice, small and timid, after an hour had passed.
"I'm sorry?"
"After last night, and then group this morning. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright…" She trailed off. Draco looked over, her wand frozen over whatever book she had been in the middle of repairing.
"It's just, I can't stop thinking about you, Malfoy. I know we aren't friends or anything-" Draco cut her off as he stood and moved over so that he was standing over her.
Leaning forwards, Draco was hovering, his lips just over hers so that he could drink her breath in like elixir. "Is that what you think, that we aren't anything?" He asked as he watched as her pupils dilated with desire, her breath quickening. So it wasn’t just Theo and Pansy that she wanted. He couldn’t believe the possibility that she really wanted him.
"I didn't want to assume…" she trailed off as he leaned in ever so close, basking in the scent of her. And just as he was about to bridge the formerly uncrossable chasm and finally put his lips to hers, a soft gasp behind him caused her to turn, her eyes widening with shock.
“Oh don't stop on my account.” Theo drawled, grinning from ear to ear as he leaned against a bookcase. Arms crossed over his chest, so that his biceps were straining the cotton of his tee.
For just a second, Granger leaned into him, letting her silk like skin brush against his. With an exhale that sounded relieved to have made contact with him, she looked up at him, large doe eyes shining with regret of being interrupted. Her shoulder touched his chest, sending shockwaves of desire through him and he fought the urge to grab her and force his mouth onto hers.
Force her to the table, rip her knickers off, sink inside of her. Maybe she’ll fight back, but you can take her. Her body will open to you. She can be all yours, at last.
Draco tried to banish the darkness he felt rising inside of himself, the desire for violence, but the ragged exhale of his breath against her ear set her off. He could see as the realisation of what had almost happened settled over her.
“I-I have to go,” she said, looking at him with eyes no longer full of desire, but full of surprise as she jumped from her seat and ran from the library.
At least she hadn’t looked at him with repulsion at the end, although he wouldn’t blame her if she had. Thank Salazar that Granger was no legilimens, she would never be able to look at him again if she saw how he wanted to take her. He sank into his chair and dropped his head into his hands, a harsh sigh coming from his lips.
“Well that seemed to be going well,” Theo said cheerily,” I think next time…”
“Theo,” Draco whimpered, cutting him off. “I think some of the occlumency side effects that Cordelia talked about might be happening to me.”
In an instant, Theo was down on his knees in front of Draco. “Are you okay? Do we need to get Pomfrey? Cordelia?”
Draco felt the unbidden tears run down his cheeks, “No, no. I just, I just need you.”
“I’m right here, dragon, and I’m not going anywhere.”
*************************
Notes:
The song that Luna sings in the dungeon is “You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me” by Celestina Warbeck. It's sung in HBP. It’s the second song we’ve seen Luna sing in the dungeon. Any ideas on why?
Thanks to the alpha/beta team for this chapter: Amebb42, SarahFraser, MegsIvy, JustAddJewelry, & bondgirltrb
Chapter 12: Veritaserum or Dare
Summary:
Smut Warning. The rest of the 2nd week of Therapy Camp.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Rubbing circles on his back, while whispering soothing nothings to Draco, Theo waited patiently as the other boy slowly got his breathing under control and his tears slowed until they finally dried up.
Theo could admit that he was annoyed with himself for interrupting what could have been the ignition of the tinderbox that was Draco and Hermione’s sexual tension. In no way was it his intention to cockblock Draco, but they had a meeting with McGonagall. When Draco was late meeting Theo in their common room to walk over together, Theo had figured that Draco had lost track of time while working with Madam Pince. Had he known that Draco and the Golden Girl were finally about to kiss, Salazar's saggy balls, he'd have stopped to use the loo or something to let them have their moment. He felt terrible, his timing really could not have been worse.
More than that though, Theo was deeply worried about Draco. He wasn't certain if what was going on with him were the symptoms of over-using occlumency or something else that Draco was experiencing. Draco gave no further explanation, shaking his head and arms as if to rid himself of the feelings before standing to follow Theo. As they began to walk, Theo repeatedly looked over his shoulder to make sure that Draco wasn't occluding, but the blonde was clearly not fully present in the moment.
Theo kicked himself for forgetting to ask Cordelia about the dangers of excessive occluding when he had his individual therapy. Merlin, he felt like a horrible friend. He'd been so worried about his own issues that he had let something so important slip his mind. How was he supposed to help Draco if he didn't know what to look for? What was wrong with him?
Draco was stoic as they continued to walk to McGonagall's office. They reached the gargoyle and Theo checked on Draco once more before walking up the stairs once it had accepted the password from him. Draco followed silently, hands in his pockets and head down.
The benefits of being Head Boy were quickly becoming more apparent to him. Theo continually became more and more pleased that he had accepted the position. The private room, access to the Headmistress, and, most importantly, his enchanting Head Girl, had all made the gig seem almost too good to be true. His life did seem to have a history of taking anything good and turning it into shit.
The entrance to the Headmistress's office opened before they had a chance to knock. “Ah Mr Nott, Mr Malfoy," they heard McGonagall's voice greet before they could see her. "Please take a seat. I’ve been expecting you. Can I offer either of you tea or biscuits?" They both accepted and automatically three sets of cups and a plate of biscuits appeared. The boys quickly fixed their cups to their liking. Draco grabbed a biscuit before dunking it in his tea, making Theo chuckle, in turn making the blonde's ears turn red in embarrassment over his sweet tooth. The colour only made Draco more adorable.
"I understand that you have a proposition for me?” Minerva McGonagall looked at them over the rim of her glasses, assessing them, and Theo found that he really wanted to meet whatever expectations she had of him. He wanted– no, needed– to prove that a Head Boy from Slytherin post-war was the best decision.
“Thank you for speaking with us Headmistress,” Theo said, automatically taking the lead. “I won't waste your time, so I'll get right to the point. Forgive me if I am overstepping, but we've noticed that the Galleons withdrawn from our vaults for Hogwarts reconstruction don’t seem to be reflected in the resources that you have at your disposal to manage the reconstruction.”
“You would not be incorrect, Mr Nott, to assume that. Unfortunately, I have significantly less fiscal control over those funds than was initially promised.”
“I see,” Theo said. “Well then, if it'd be alright with you, I’d like to offer to provide the Galleons directly to you for rebuilding the school. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but there is no way our paltry crews of students are capable. We just don't have the skillset to accomplish the significant amount of work that still needs to be done before September when the whole school returns. You need more men on the ground, and Draco and I would like to help with that.”
“Anonymously of course, Headmistress,” Draco said, nervously speaking up for the first time. “I want to pay for the repairs to the books for Madam Pince specifically, as well as to rebuild the quidditch pitch. I’m almost positive that my aunt is the one responsible for burning it to the ground and I would like to make it right.”
“I would like to help pay for professional magical masonry crews,” Theo stated,” as well as the rebuilding of the bridge. I will give you a personal draw on my Gringotts account, whatever the cost. I know Draco feels the same. We would like you to have full access and control of these funds without the Ministry and the Board of Governors getting involved. You know what needs to be done. They do not, and from what we've seen in the short time we've been back, it doesn't appear they're delegating the funds that have been seized appropriately.”
While Theo had been speaking, he'd watched a range of emotions cross the Headmistress's face. Shock, awe, disgust (probably at knowing Theo was correct about the use of funds not being used appropriately), and finally settling on pride.
“Gentlemen,” McGonagall said thoughtfully, looking between the two young men. “You understand that we would have to keep this between us? Both the Ministry and the Board would frown upon me accepting these funds without their oversight.”
“Absolutely,” both Theo and Draco responded simultaneously. When they'd discussed this initially, this had been a possibility they had considered.
“Well,” McGonagall said, taking a breath to settle herself. “I appreciate your willingness to go above and beyond for the school, the both of you. It really speaks highly of your commitment to your position as Head Boy, Mr. Nott." Theo nodded his head in acknowledgment at the praise. "As well as your desire, Mr Malfoy, to be a better man than your father." Draco's entire body stiffened at her words before also nodding his head. "Suffice it to say, I am very very proud of the two of you.”
“Thank you Headmistress,” Draco whispered.
More enthusiastically, Theo smirked and shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner, “I have far too many galleons and am well aware of what needs to happen in the next two weeks.”
The Headmistress smiled at the two of them. "I appreciate everything you're doing and I look forward to receiving the drafts on your vaults." With that, the boys finished their tea and were again thanked for their willingness to help before being dismissed from her office.
As soon as the two young men were clear of the office, and alone, Theo squeezed Draco’s shoulder. “We did it! We sold her on it!”
Looking pleased, Draco smiled back at Theo, “I really thought she would shoot us down. Say some rot about having to follow the proper channels.”
Theo scoffed, “Blaise is paying for the cadaver recovery crew. But, I knew the situation was a bit on the desperate side. I just worried that, between our fathers, the money might be too dirty to accept. I'm glad to know that I was wrong.”
“I forgot to tell her about the book drive that Mother is organising,” Draco murmured, looking at his feet, making Theo feel worried again.
“It’s okay, Drake, you can keep that a surprise for Madam Pince.”
Walking towards the Head’s Dorm, Theo did his best to keep Draco looking at him. He kept him engaged in their conversation by talking positively about what good their Galleons would do for the school. But it wasn't easy. Every smile was forced and Draco seemed to be struggling.
After walking together for several minutes, Theo felt overwhelmingly frustrated with the way that Draco was looking dejected at his own hands, paying more attention to his chipped black nail polish than their conversation. Theo wanted Draco to acknowledge him, to be present, to have the spark of life in his eyes instead of being so bloody apathetic and detached.
Theo grabbed the blonde forcefully and shoved him against the wall, looking left and right to make certain that no one was watching. Finding that they were alone, Theo held him by the throat and gripping him roughly on his hip, he pressed against the blonde with his own body. Draco bit his lip and gasped a little as he arched against Theo’s hold.
“Stop being so sad,” Theo whispered against Draco’s lips, as Draco shuddered in desire under Theo’s hands, “You are doing fine and it's going to be okay. Do you understand me? Everything is going to be okay.”
**********************
The head dorm was quiet and serene as Hermione sat on the sofa in the suite's common room. She had pulled out her book and was reading away at the falsely-labelled Advanced Arithmancy as she wondered if she really knew enough to start messing about with multiple partners. Heck, she even wondered if she felt confident enough to walk down this path…
She diligently read the chapter about magical attraction to multiple people and how it was actually quite common.
As long as everyone’s needs in a relationship are being met, it doesn't matter if there are two partners or twenty. Everyone deserves love, and the complexity of every individual's needs means that sometimes it is easier if there are multiple partners to address all needs, wants, and interests. It is easier to connect with someone who will stimulate you in all areas and aspects of your life. For example, if only one partner enjoys reading, or only one likes to go out to dance, or only one likes to attend Muggle events, then you may need multiple partners in order to meet those diverse needs.
Why feel guilty about the steps that are necessary in order to have those needs met? It serves no purpose other than to detract from your happiness.
People who have complex desires need to match their communication skills to those desires. You can’t get what you need unless you ask for it. My number one recommendation for a gentle reader is to ask for what you want, and perhaps then you might get it. If you never ask for what you want, the odds are it will never come to pass.
Sitting alone, it was easy for Hermione to think about her desires, at least the physical ones. Theo holding her wrists, his large hand easily restraining her with just one hand. Pansy running her sharp fingernails over her skin, how soothing and exhilarating it felt all at once. Malfoy’s lips centimetres from her own, ready to imprint themselves on her soul.
She sighed, wondering what it would feel like to take both of the male Slytherins at once. To have both their cocks inside her, splitting her in half. She wasn’t a virgin, but neither was she extremely experienced. She had never had a threesome, let alone taking two men at once.
She’d been with a couple different men, boys really, but she wouldn’t consider her sexual exploits to be especially expansive. Her first lover she’d only slept with that one time, despite the occasional longing looks she’d caught from him. She'd never had this romanticised thought that her first partner was someone she needed to be in love with, and it certainly turned out to be that way.
Her second had been a number of times, but nothing earth-shattering. Given recent events, she was pretty sure that Theo would be a life-changing shag. Malfoy may be a virgin, but he clearly had much more experience than she did as a virgin. The vision of him on his knees in front of Theo had her biting her knuckle anytime it crossed her mind. Her knickers could easily be ruined by what a pretty picture the two of them had made together.
Her fantasies and attraction towards Pansy were a bit more for Hermione to understand and digest. She’d never been with a witch or even kissed one. Pansy, however, made her want to throw out any reservations she had about it. Theo seemed to enjoy kissing Pansy, and Hermione wondered how it would be to have the forceful dark-haired girl giving her that same kind of intense attention.
After that horrible night over Ron’s interview with the Prophet, she’d woken up with Pansy’s warm breath on her neck and arm draped across her. The feeling of being that close to Pansy had been extremely soothing. Was that something else that she could ask for? Pansy sleeping with her in bed more often? Would it be overstepping some unspoken boundary, asking to have Pansy sleep with her instead of Theo and Draco?
She’d never really slept in bed with anyone other than Ginny and the feeling of being in Pansy’s arms could not have been more different. Sleeping in bed with Ginny was like sleeping with a sister or cousin, if she had either of those. They had definitely never cuddled, and Ginny had never made Hermione feel the way Pansy had emotionally. The most Ginny had done was end up with her feet on Hermione’s legs. On the other hand, snuggling with Pansy had brought a comfort she'd never known before. Could she muster the courage to ask to sleep in Theo’s room with the three of them?
Hermione picked at her nails as she thought to herself, could it really be so simple for her to just ask the three of them? Hey, how are the three of you doing? Oh, good. Say, do you think we could all, oh, I don't know, snog? Would you be open to shagging me, individually and possibly as a group? It wouldn’t have to mean anything…it could just be a good time?
The dread began to creep in. What if they rejected her, laughed in her face at even suggesting such a thing? How would she ever face them again if her desire was one-sided? How mortifying would that be for them to know what a slag she was for wanting all of them? She still wasn't sure how she had survived Theo walking in on her touching herself. It's not like they'd really discussed it at all though. Hermione could feel her cheeks going scarlet just thinking about it. Godric, what she would give to see a repeat performance.
And that was how her erstwhile roommates found her. Book opened in her lap, and a blush across her cheeks, lost in rather illicit thoughts. So lost, in fact, that she was oblivious to their arrival.
Theo and Pansy laughed as Draco was dragged behind, his hand in Theo’s and cheeks flushed pink. Blaise and Luna followed right behind the trio, Blaise’s arm wrapped tightly around Luna’s waist as he nipped her neck.
“Heeerrrrmmmmiiiioooonee!” Theo said, happily, finally pulling her attention away from her book. “Just the witch I was hoping to see in here!”
Hermione slammed the disguised book shut as even more heat ran up her neck. Setting it next to her on the couch, she smiled at the crowd who had joined the room. “Well Theo," she said, more breathy than she'd have liked. "I can’t imagine who else would be in our suite other than myself.”
“While that’s true, we are celebrating, so I am happy you are here.” Theo disappeared from her side as he ran back towards his room. Pansy slid onto the sofa next to Hermione, their thighs touching, while looking at Hermione's book title. Hermione swore she heard Pansy mumbling something under her breath that sounded like ‘bloody adorable swot.’ Draco, not meeting her eyes and keeping his distance from her, took over one chair by the fireplace with Luna and Blaise commandeering the other.
Hermione smiled at the new couple as she watched Luna settling on Blaise's lap, their fingers entwined. She was pleased to see that Luna was embracing crossing over the lines the war had drawn. Not that Hermione was surprised. Luna was never one to worry about the perception of others, living her life the way she saw fit and not how to fit herself into the box others made for her.
"Zabini, Luna, good to see you. What's new with you, besides the obvious?" Hermione asked, settling into Pansy's side, finding comfort in the witch's hand resting on her thigh.
"Well, I've just been shamelessly embarrassing Drake and recounting some of our past near-death experiences and most wild stories," Blaise said, smirking at the look of horror that crossed Hermione’s face. Pansy must have felt a physical shift in the other witch’s body language, as she chose to squeeze Hermione’s thigh while shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
"Alright…" Hermione prompted him to continue, feeling safe that Pansy wouldn't mislead her.
"Well, as I was saying, it was at my mother's seventh, perhaps eighth wedding. Anyway, doesn't matter, what matters is that it was a dreadfully boring affair. Mother had consented that I could choose one friend to invite.
"My first choice was Theo, but mother quickly shot that down, as he's always been an agent of chaos and mother said she knew ‘that Nott boy’ would ruin her wedding."
"Signora Zabini knows me well," Theo's voice made Hermione jump as she hadn't heard him rejoining the group. He passed out tumblers of fire whiskey for everyone, except Pansy who received her large glass of red wine. The floating tray with the two bottles settled down onto one of the side tables.
"Yes, well, even a rock could see that's your key personality trait, Theodore. Anyway," Blaise said, narrowing his eyes at Theo in a warning to not interrupt him again. "When I mentioned Drake's name, mother agreed, because she knew Narcissa would have ingrained years of etiquette lessons into him.
"So, there we are, two twelve-year-olds seated near the head table with my new step-father's family. They kept making comments about what a shame it was that Mamma was bringing a child into the marriage or some other rot, and we decided that we were tired of listening to them.
"Drake and I got up and went wandering around the manorproperty, as the wedding was held at the bloke's estate. He was a bit of a Quidditch enthusiast, so we found his office and the man had brooms. Bloody top of the line, Nimbus 2001, just sitting there.
"Now, we couldn’t exactly slip outside with them, seeing as it was December and there was a wedding reception happening between us and the exit. So, we thought we were good enough at flying that we would be able to zip around indoors and nobody would be the wiser."
Blaise paused dramatically and smirked over at Draco, who had buried his face in his hands by this point.
"I'm assuming that is not what happened." Hermione giggled and noticed that her laughter caused Draco to gaze at her with a look that she could only describe as longing.
"Absolutely not," Blaise said, turning his bright white smile on Hermione as he continued. "We made it about half a lap around his cramped office before we ended up flying out into the reception. Draco here took off the top half of the wedding cake just as my mother and her new husband were getting ready to cut it."
The room filled with laughter as Draco shot Blaise a two finger salute. When the noise finally began to die down, Draco shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "What this prick has failed to mention is what happened to himself while flying through the reception."
Hermione turned towards Blaise, who was only grinning even wider now. "The woman, the one who was complaining about mother having a child," he began.
"Yes…?"
"She ended up with the punch bowl overturned on her head," Blaise stated proudly, causing the room to erupt all over again.
"I just don't understand how that could be considered a near-death experience," Hermione said, once she was able to catch her breath.
"Upsetting Signora Zabini is taking your life into your own hands," Theo whispered, leaning in against Hermione's side..
"Well, Theo, since you seem to find my own shortcomings so hilarious, why don't you share about that one time in fourth year when I caught you and Drake–"
"Oh, no Zabini. We swore that incident was going to the grave," Theo said, his eyes narrowing and body stiffening.
"I find it hard to believe there's something about the two of you that I don't know, but I can't recall anything that would call for such a reaction from Theo." Pansy's fingers were drawing circles on Hermione’s thigh as she spoke, her eyes darting between the three men.
"NOTHING," the two in question said simultaneously, while Blaise only laughed and loudly whispered, "McGonagall in lingerie."
The three girls stopped, mouths gaping exchanging looks before their eyes settled on Draco and Theo who were now bright red in the face.
"Explain," Pansy said, her hazel eyes sparkling with barely contained laughter.
"It's really not as bad," Draco started before being cut off by Theo.
"I propositioned McGonagall with sexual favors in fourth year. Transfiguration has never been my strongest subject. To help me get up the nerve, Draco drew some illicit pictures of McGonagall in some compromising positions. Blaise caught us looking at them after she shot me down."
Hermione and Pansy were left speechless while Luna made a comment that she could see the appeal of an older woman.
"You don't still happen to have these, do you?" Pansy asked, after her brain had finally processed what had been said.
"No. When Blaise walked in on us, we burned the lot and hoped he hadn't seen what we were looking at, but alas, he had. And was sworn to secrecy. Apparently, we should have asked for a wizard's oath." Theo scowled menacingly at his erstwhile friend.
"Somehow, this isn't surprising at all," Hermione said, blinking as she pictured fourteen-year-old Draco and Theo sitting on their four poster beds looking at boudoir illustrations of their now Headmistress.
Pansy couldn't stop laughing as the story finished, Draco narrowing his eyes at her. "Fine, fine, just so I'm not left out here." She cleared her throat, sitting up and clasping her hands in her lap until all eyes were on her.
"When we– Theo, Draco, and I– that is, were six," Hermione could hear Draco's groan at the mention of his name. "Our mothers had instructed us that we were to stay pristine in these ghastly all-white outfits for a stuffy garden party. At one point, we ran off from the nanny elves and ended up under a table eating pastries with jam. The three of us emerged from beneath this tablecloth looking like we had been directly involved in a murder. Red jam everywhere." Theo was roaring with laughter at the memory, while Draco still looked mortified.
"Posy Parkinson, Narcissa Malfoy, and Sybilla Nott were horrified and unbearably embarrassed at their progeny. I think Mrs Bulstrode and Mrs Goyle made some comment about how their children were so much better behaved than we were. I think I still have secondhand embarrassment for our poor mothers."
Looking around at his friends, annoyed, Draco asked, "Why, pray tell, does everyone's most embarrassing moment involve me somehow?" Causing even more chuckles from their friends.
Luna smiled, reaching out and patting his arm closest to her reassuringly. "I don't get embarrassed, not for myself anyway, sometimes for other people, so you can rest easy there." Hermione wondered what it must be like to be so comfortable in your own skin that you were never embarrassed.
Hermione could easily think of dozens of times that she had been embarrassed just off the top of her head. Some of which she definitely didn't want to share with a room full of Slytherins. Even if they were being friendly right now, there were no guarantees that they wouldn't turn on her later. But they'd been fairly forthcoming, so maybe she should share something less…?
"Second year, I brewed Polyjuice potion and accidentally used Millicent Bulstrode's cat's hair. And once transfigured, my head turned into a cat’s, and I had a tail for days until Madame Pomfrey could set me right. It was mortifying. I had to miss class and stay in the hospital wing until I was all sorted out." The words flew out in a rush, and Hermione clasped her hands over her mouth. That was not the story she'd intended to share!
"Hermione," Theo purred, leaning into her ear. "Is Polyjuice a frequent thing with you? Seems like you find all kinds of uses for it." Hermione blushed at how much closer he'd gotten. She could smell him; the clove scent from his cigarettes was intoxicating. Would her Amortentia smell of cloves now?
"Ever use it in a more…experimental manner?" His voice lowered even more, so that only she could hear him. "Or is it just voyeurism that gets you excited?" Hermione blushed a deep scarlet and tried to stammer out a response, but was saved by Blaise's musings, unaware of the conversation between her and Theo.
"I've always been fascinated by the idea of potion use in the bedroom, but I've never had a partner quite adventurous enough to try Polyjuice or lust potion with."
"I have both those in my trunk," Luna said in her dreamy voice. The look on Blaise's face at Luna's announcement was a mix between awe, hunger, and admiration.
Pansy drank deeply from her glass of red wine, smiling at Hermione in a way that made her core feel warm and her face flush. "My preferences definitely lie in the direction of tying my partners up," Hermione's stomach twisted as she gulped. "Or down, just depending on my mood." The other witch leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of her ear to whisper, "And then once I have them how I want them, what happens next depends upon their preferences. I find consent," Hermione thought she might die at Pansy's tone of voice, and her knickers were definitely wet, "very attractive."
Theo laughed, on the other side of Hermione, clearly listening. "Consent is very hot."
Concurring, Luna said, "Consent is critical to functional sexual lives and ethical non-monogamy."
Blaise looked a little shocked, "I didn't know that you were a non-monogamy advocate like Theo here, Luna."
Luna giggled before cupping Blaise's cheek affectionately, "Who do you think introduced Theo to the idea? Although I admit he has been a lot more successful with the execution than I have ever been. I've never been able to find more than one person at a time willing to put up with my eccentricities. Regardless, it is something I find very desirable and hope to one day find more than one person who is interested in me at the same time."
"Luna, you shouldn’t talk down about yourself like that," Hermione stated. "I am pretty sure that that is one of those all-or-nothing cognitive distortions that Cordelia was talking about. You are perfectly lovely and anyone would be lucky to date you."
"But not you," Luna said, looking at Hermione, her large eyes meeting Hermione’s slowly blinking.
"Not me what?" Hermione stuttered.
"You wouldn't want to date me," Luna said matter-of-factly.
"Um…well…if you were going to date a witch, wouldn't you want to be sure that she liked witches too?"
Luna made a sound of agreement and leaned back into Blaise.
"I don't know,'' Pansy drawled, her finger drawing circles on Hermione's thigh again. "There is something…attractive about the idea of breaking a witch in. Being the first girl to make her cum with my mouth, teaching her how to touch another woman," Pansy purred and took a long sip of wine, then let her tongue run over her lips in a way that caused Hermione’s eyes to widen. She could not seem to look away for the life of her.
"Pans," Draco sighed, leaning his head back, closing his eyes. "You are going to make Theo combust if you keep talking like that."
"Maybe that’s the answer to your Polyjuice quandary, Theo, " Pansy said, looking over the top of Hermione's head at him. "Maybe we Polyjuice you into a girl," her eyes flickering towards Hermione, "and I can break you in."
Leaning over Hermione's lap, Theo kissed Pansy's neck and whispered something in her ear that had Pansy giggling in delight. Hermione both wanted to know what they were saying and did not want to know. Being positioned between them was suddenly equal parts the most erotic and nerve-wracking thing she'd ever been apart of.
Honestly, why did Slytherins always have to be so sexual? About everything? Drinking with Gryffindors definitely didn't always lead to these kinds of candid discussions concerning sexual preferences. Well, except maybe when drinking with Parvati and Lavender. Even then it was more likely to be a discussion on the virtues of various penis shapes. Never had she heard them mention the idea of using potions sexually or being with another witch or multiple partners.
The sudden and unrecorded thought of Lavender, brought back the image of her dead milky eyes and torn out throat in the corridor during the Battle. How Hermione had run by her in such a hurry that she had not even bothered to check if she was alright. Hermione didn't even realise when she emitted a low choking sound. Everyone in the room turned their attention to her, as Hermione's eyes widened in horror.
"I'm just going to head to bed," Hermione quickly rose, not even bothering to say goodnight. Disappearing into her room, she left behind the book that was not, in fact, about Advanced Arithmancy sitting in the common area.
********************
Pansy woke in the morning feeling as though she ought to have accepted Theo’s offer of a sober-up potion before going to bed. Her head was positively throbbing and she felt abominably thirsty as well. She rolled to the left and found the boys already missing as she stretched out, but the light coming in the window was the pink of pre-dawn rather than the stronger light of full morning.
As Pansy pulled herself into a sitting position, she found a sober-up, a hangover potion, and a pepper-up along with a glass of water with a little slice of lemon in it. A little note from Theo was also there, but that mostly consisted of her name surrounded by hearts that were charmed to fly around the piece of notebook paper.
Merlin that man was ridiculously adorable, she thought, kissing his script before picking up the glass of water.
Pansy wondered where they had headed off to so early in the morning, but shrugged the question away. She drank her potions and the entire glass of water and rolled over, happy for once to be able to stretch
Laying there, looking at the canopy Theo had charmed to have Draco's constellation twinkling down at them, Pansy wondered if Hermione was alright. The other witch had left the rest of them so suddenly last night. What on earth could have set her off? Pansy thought, though knew the littlest things could make her fall into an uncontrolled panic. For instance, she found the sound of dripping water exceptionally stressful, one of many reasons that she was sleeping here rather than in the dungeons.
She quickly found herself nodding back off, her body desperate to get another hour or two of sleep before the emotional roller coaster of whatever Cordelia had planned for today's group therapy.
**************
In the vein of desperation, Draco and Theo were already upstairs in the Head’s Bathroom. Gasping and moaning into one another's mouths under the waterfall of a shower, they couldn't get enough of the other. Theo's hands ran through Draco’s dripping locks, while Draco's hands caressed Theo's chest and back, like a man possessed, trying to stroke every inch of the other man's skin.
Theo nipped at Draco’s lower lip and invaded his mouth with his tongue, bringing them chest to chest, their erect cocks rubbing against one another and drawing hisses that were expelled into their wild sloppy kisses.
"Fuck Drake, Fuck," Theo kissed down the blonde's neck, sucking hard at a spot that he knew would be hidden later under his shirt. Theo revelled in his possession of Draco through the act of leaving marks on his lover. If anyone else came across that perfect porcelain skin, they would know that Theo had been there first. The purple proof of his teeth in Draco's pristine throat made his cock ache even harder as he ground himself against the blonde.
How did he end up here, with Draco, the man of his damn dreams? Feeling the warm shower water rolling down his flesh as his desire rose to meet it, this was everything. It was the exact image that he used to wank to, never believing that he could actually live it. The entire scene was almost too good to be true, as Draco pressed his own throbbing length against Theo.
"Theo," Draco gasped, panting in desire. "Please touch me, please. I need you to touch me."
Theo pulled back to fix Draco with a naughty smile. "How about I stroke your cock, dragon, and you stroke mine?" Theo could feel Draco’s cock grow even harder against his belly at those words. "Like the sound of that do you, love?"
Draco nodded and his hands travelled down Theo’s chest, over the texture of his glamoured scars and burns that could not be disguised from his nimble fingertips. A nipple was pinched in surprise, causing Theo to moan in pleasure, a "Yes!" burst from his lips, unbidden.
Theo cupped Draco’s cheek with one hand, kissing him deeply, putting his whole heart into this one kiss. Meanwhile, his other hand grasped Draco’s thick, hard length, stroking his shaft. Rolling his palm over the head, Theo then wrote runes for love and desire on his lover's frenulum with his thumb. Draco's entire body vibrated under Theo’s ministrations, his hands frozen. His grip was so tight on Theo’s hips that there was no doubt that fingerprint-shaped bruises would be left behind.
As much as Theo loved the idea of bearing Draco’s mark, he growled to get the blonde's attention. "Dragon, don't forget about me," his voice low and commanding. "My cock is twitching for a release too." Theo punctuated the last by tightening his hand and speeding up the rhythm.
"Oh," Draco huffed. "S-sorry, y-yes. Feels so good Theo. So good. Hard to think…uhn…" Draco shook his head, attempting to collect himself and began to run his hands over Theo's cock with much less confidence than when he had sucked Theo's cock the last time they'd fooled around.
"Tighten your hand, love," Theo instructed, thrusting his hips. "Just the same as when you wank. If you like it, assume I will too."
At his instructions, Draco did as he was told. Theo's mouth opened into an 'O' shape, "Oh fuck, yes, that's it, that's it. Keep up that rhythm, love. Fuck, you feel so good around my cock… Perfect hands…so very good, such a good boy…yessssssss!"
****************
Outside the bathroom, holding her towel to her chest, Hermione could clearly hear Theo's gasps, moans and words of praise for Draco...Malfoy…Draco.
Bloody Hell. Just call him Draco in your thoughts, Hermione. Especially since you are being a depraved voyeur...again.
The moans inside seemed to be reaching a crescendo and Hermione bit her lip as she felt her wetness at the sounds the men were making. Her knickers were so wet that her slick had started to drip down her thighs, but Hermione was too preoccupied to notice.
She touched her breasts and nipples lightly under her housecoat and was deeply tempted to rub herself, and curl her fingers inside her wet core, but the thought of getting caught by Theo twice in one week would just be too mortifying to risk. Instead, she rushed back down the stairs to her room and shut the door as quietly as she could. Throwing her housecoat off, and ripping away her ruined knickers, she touched herself.
She let the sounds she'd just heard repeat in her mind as her fingers slid inside her. As Hermione licked her lips, she could only imagine what Draco and Theo had been doing to each other. She imagined, instead of her small fingers chasing her release, it was two much larger hands. Their rings would feel cool against her warmed skin, Theo whispering to her what a good girl she was. Hermione's fingers picked up the pace, her other hand rubbing circles against her clit, until she was cumming with a yell. Panting, she imagined silver and sapphire eyes watching her this time, as she fell apart.
She could just see the lustful smiles they would both wear if she let them in here to watch her touch herself to completion. Would they want to touch her cunt? Would Theo ease that large cock inside her, or would he slam into her and stretch her all at once? Was it true that Draco really was a virgin?
Her body tightened, she imagined what it would be like to be his first. To teach him to do all of the little things that she liked, as she slid down his length. Show him how good it felt when she clenched her walls around him as she came.
Fuck, Hermione could feel another wave of desire flow through her and started to imagine more detailed scenarios. Laying on her back, she imagined that Theo plunged into her again and again as he held her legs spread wide. Draco, his blonde hair falling into his eyes as he sucked on her nipples, just the way she liked. Her fingers moved faster, then right as she was about to orgasm for the second time, her mind supplied a vision of Pansy Parkinson in black lingerie. The witch leaned over her to nip her lip and the vision whispered with Pansy's silky voice, "There you go, be a good girl, now cum!" At the command in the fantasy of Pansy's voice, Hermione’s back arched and she cried out mindlessly as her release took over.
******************
Outside her room, with a towel wrapped around his hips and wet hair hanging in his face, Theo felt his cock twitch. It seemed that his dorm mate was also forgoing Silencing Charms today.
***************
Cordelia seemed in a particularly perky mood this morning, and Pansy was pretty sure that meant that they were about to be tortured by working through some of their worst trauma.
How bloody thrilling.
While the potions and a bit of extra rest had improved her attitude somewhat, Pansy found all this ‘feeling’ business disconcerting. She'd much rather tie Theo to a wall and make him bleed for an hour or two, but that unfortunately seemed to be off the table, at least until her trial. The whole thing was just a disappointment flavoured sundae with frustration sprinkles. And not the fun kind of frustration either.
Pansy settled in her seat between Theo and Luna while Cordelia waited for everyone else to be seated. Once Hannah and Susan had sat, being the last two they were waiting on, Cordelia clapped her hands and began, "Good morning and welcome to the group. As always, I'm so glad to see each and every one of you have made it. Now let's just jump right in," she said, looking around to make sure everyone was paying attention.
"Today we are gonna talk about your last year here at Hogwarts, and how it made you feel. For those of you who weren't able to be with your classmates, we are going to cover your unique struggles as well." The sound of chairs groaning as people awkwardly adjusted themselves was the only acknowledgment that the group had heard their healer.
Yes, the perky mood was explained.
"I know the events of the past year were very traumatic for each of you." The life line scrolls flew out of Cordelia's bag and floated above each of their heads. Pansy reached up, snatching her scroll from the air holding back a scowl. She kept reminding herself that she had to participate, otherwise she was risking Azkaban. "But, this is part of the hard work we have to put in. Pretending that you're all fine does no one any favours. Maybe it's easier to do that right now, but later those wounds will still be festering. Our goal is to try and heal as best we can, and part of that is acknowledging what happened to you and then putting your broken pieces back together to form your new normal."
Everyone was looking up at Cordelia, truly one of the very few adults in her life that Pansy trusted. Her smiles were warm and her movements were calculated. Only, they weren't calculated for how she could use them, as they had been with so many adults in their lives before. No, Cordelia made sure that everything she did was purely for the benefit and healing of the group of, well, children, even if they were technically adults.
Susan sat up straight, holding her scroll tightly in her hands. She cleared her throat and kept her gaze on one of the newly constructed walls as she spoke. “My aunt was killed early on in the school year, but things were so tense that we couldn’t even have a funeral. My mum wanted to pull me out of school and go into hiding, but by that time, my father couldn’t get an international portkey. So, we stayed put. My parents decided staying in Britain was safer if we tried to stay publicly neutral."
Hannah, next to the auburn-haired girl, took her friend's hand for support before her words were muttered out. "My mum was murdered by Death Eaters at the beginning of sixth year, so I was pulled out of school and did private tutoring for the rest of that year. Because of that, I really missed a lot of what happened in sixth year. When I was forced to come back last year, it was a real shock. Dumbledore was gone. Snape Headmaster. The Carrows teaching Dark Arts. It was like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Honestly, every day since my mum was killed until the war was over felt that way. Some days still, I wake up wishing that everything had been a nightmare and that my mum was still with me, even if it's been almost two years."
Dean Thomas was next, Pansy's eyes fluttered over to where Draco was sitting. She wanted to get up and hold his face to her chest, tell him that none of what happened was his fault, but she knew now wasn't the time for that. She turned her attention away just as the Gryffindor began, "I spent most of last year on the run. I was held prisoner at Malfoy Manor and we were at an Order safe house for a bit, getting patched up. Then came back here just in time to hide in the Room of Requirement until the Battle. I don’t really have a lot to share about how Hogwarts was last year, since all I saw was the room for about a week before it all ended."
Cordelia held up her hand, to pause the exercise. "Can anyone tell me what the fight or flight response is?"
Hermione’s hand shot up, making Pansy smile warmly at the witch. Salazar help her, she was turning smitten for Hermione’s swotty ways.
"The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threat activates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to fight or flee." Hermione answered the perfect text book definition after Cordelia had nodded for her to speak.
"That is absolutely correct, now do any of you notice how that might fit all of your individual situations? You were all living in a prolonged high adrenaline state last year with a war raging on around you. Whether at Hogwarts dealing with the Carrows, or on the run, each of your bodies were under exceptionally high levels of stress."
"I stood up to the Carrows, constantly using my privilege as being a member of the Sacred 28 to try to get them to stop having us torture first years. Usually they just ended up torturing me instead, which I was fine with," Neville said.
"I'll go then, yeah?” Draco said, trying and failing to portray aristocratic indifference to the whole discussion. Pansy tried to catch his eye to give him an encouraging smile, but he wouldn’t look her way. “Let's see, instead of trying to push back against the bigotry I was raised with, I just went along with it. I saw with my own eyes just how brilliant Muggleborns could be, but still called them derogatory names to make myself feel better. That flight or fight rot, no I just turned myself over to a madman. Did his bidding even." Pansy's mouth fell open at Draco’s self-loathing. While she knew that was how he felt, it still cut deep to know that he took so much responsibility for actions that he was forced into. Before Pansy could get her thoughts out, Cordelia silenced the younger witch with a warning look.
Pansy crossed her arms, huffing as Neville spoke up. "Yeah, but I know a lot of the older Slytherins helped. You shouldn't be disparaging yourself. I know you pretended to use the Cruciatus on people, hell I saw you do it too. I don't even know how many first and second years. Don't pretend you didn't. Several of the first years confided in me that it didn't hurt when you did it. How you also talked in their heads and told them to pretend by screaming and shaking. That’s bravery, Malfoy."
After getting a nod of approval from Cordelia, Pansy scoffed at Draco's look of surprise at the praise. "You were the only one able to apparate within Hogwarts," she spat at him. "How many people did you apparate into the hospital wing last year? Demanding that they and Pomfrey all keep it a secret?"
"You brought me food and blankets when I was being held prisoner. If you want to pretend you are some sort of a villain, that's your prerogative, but it's not really an accurate representation of reality, is it?" Luna said, her head tilting to the side as Draco blinked in shock.
Becoming more detached by each passing moment, Draco sat utterly still as though unable to absorb what he had been told until Cordelia walked over to Draco and whispered something in his ear. He nodded at her and she patted him on the shoulder before continuing around the circle.
“Hermione?" The healer said, turning toward her, "do you want to share some of your experiences from last year?”
Hermione's small hands grasped onto the hem of the jumper she was wearing. She tugged at it, stretching out the forest green material. "It was perhaps the worst year of my life for a lot of reasons," she whispered, her voice so low Pansy had to lean in to hear her. "I don’t even know where to start. I knew, as soon as Dumbledore started those private lessons with Harry in sixth year, that he had a mission for him. That I would have to go along, ultimately hunting bloody horcruxes. Everyone knows what those are now, but then we had no idea really. I had to obliviate my parents, to keep them safe because even when I begged The Order for help I was turned down." Pansy saw a large rock appear on Hermione's lifeline scroll that floated in front of her.
"The Death Eaters attacked Bill and Fleur Weasley’s wedding, and Greyback almost got me."
Pansy saw another stone appear on Hermione’s scroll.
"Breaking into the Ministry to get one of the horcruxes, where we were nearly killed. Sure, the mission was successful, but then we were stuck with the bloody thing for months because we had nothing to destroy it with. It was an insidiously evil thing."
Pansy watched a series of small stones appear on Hermione’s scroll as she continued to speak.
"Nagini tried to eat me and Harry in Godric’s Hollow on Christmas after we visited his parents' graves for the first time. Oh, and I broke his wand, can't forget about that."
Pansy noticed that Hermione was still covering for the Weasel, not sharing that he had left her and Potter during the search. He really didn’t deserve that kind of loyalty. If she ever got her wand on him she’d make him pay for hurting their Golden Girl. Pansy was surprised at the protective territoriality that she felt when she looked at Hermione’s downtrodden face. She really needed to do something more in order to make that girl hers, theirs.
Her gaze flicked to Theo, who was looking at Hermione with wonder and admiration in his eyes, his hands clenching. Pansy knew he was hoping to not have to share some of the torture that his father had done to him last year with the group. But with what Hermione was sharing, she was setting the bar high and Theo seemed to know it would only be fair to disclose his own personal hell.
Hermione's jaw snapped shut as she shook her head, not that Pansy could blame her for not wanting to say any more. Cordelia must have agreed, because she was clapping her hands to draw all eyes on her. "I think we've made a lot of progress today and we can continue it more with the rest of the group on this difficult topic next week. For now, work on your journal entries, going back to yesterday's cognitive distortion and what comes to mind when you think about last year."
Pansy moved so that she was sitting next to Hermione, giving her more casual touches. Bumping against her she smiled when the witch looked at her. "Come on, the least we can do before continuing this depressing exercise is get a snack."
As the two witches went over to the snack table, Pansy held Hermione’s waist as she reached around her, making certain to lightly stroke the other girl’s arms and hips. Hermione let out a soft gasp when under the pretence of grabbing something Pansy’s knee slid between her legs for just a moment. That breath was all it took, however, because when they went back to their seats to do their journaling, Pansy noticed that Hermione’s pupils were blown, her breathing was a little erratic and her hands shook. Pansy hid her smile as Hermione kept sneaking glances at her.
Yes this was all coming along beautifully.
***************
How was Pansy’s campaign of a thousand touches going? Great, fantastic even, so much so, that she was desperately frustrated and needed it taken care of. She had tried to get Theo’s attention as the group was ending, but he had disappeared.
Pansy grabbed Draco by the wrist and signalled for him to follow her.
Draco and Pansy slipped away from the others, and ducked into one of the abandoned corridors and were hidden behind a tapestry in one of her favourite alcoves. Throwing up a silencing charm, Pansy smiled up at the blonde before running her finger along his chest. "On your knees, Draco."
"Uh, yeah. Yes." He said, dropping so that his face was even with her belly. Merlin, he was tall.
"Good boy," she praised, running her nails across her scalp. "I'm going to teach you how to properly pleasure a woman, Draco. Would you like that?" His silver eyes never left hers as he nodded his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's not how our consent works Draco," she cooed, patting his cheek. "’Your words, use them."
"Yes, Pansy, I would like that very much." Draco said, gulping at the realisation of what was about to happen. "How should I, that is, am I using my fingers or just my mouth?"
"Good," she purred. "Now lift my skirt." Pansy instructed the man on his knees in front of her. With nimble and eager fingers, Pansy felt the soft material shifting against her bare thighs as Draco exposed the thong she was wearing.
"I want you to get me off with just your mouth, do you understand?"
"Okay," he answered as he timidly moved his mouth so that he was hovering over her cloth-covered mound.
Pansy gripped his soft hair in her hands and yanked his head back. "Confidence, Draco. I want you to make me cum on your face, show me why you're named for the dragon constellation. This is good practice for when you get the opportunity to put your cock in a woman, always always make her cum at least once if not twice with your mouth before you even consider going farther."
He nodded his head, understanding the instructions before he pulled aside the damp material. Pansy was already wound up, and while typically teaching wasn't something she enjoyed, there was something about teaching Draco that was getting her hot and bothered. "Use your tongue. Lick my slit as if you're a starving man and this is all the sustenance you're getting."
Draco began to lap his tongue through the dripping centre, making Pansy's head fall back. "Hmm, such a good boy you are." When Draco began to suck down, Pansy purred. "You're fucking me with your mouth, yessss," she hissed as he found her clit.
"That's the spot, suck on it, Draco. Build up the tension in my body, by teasing and stroking me with your mouth. Hm, yes, don't be shy. I'm going to cum on your face, Draco. Now don't be shy about letting your nose and chin touch me."
She couldn't stop the moan that slipped from between her lips as he did as he was told. Hands tangled in his hair, she manoeuvred his face exactly where she needed him. "Lick, Draco. Use your tongue and lick meeeee." Her breath caught just as his wide tongue slid up her folds and met her clit. "Suck down on my clit, it's the little button at the front, Draco. Right where my cock would be if I had one. Oh yes, very good. Now, make me cum on your face." Pansy commanded and Draco did exactly that.
Holding his face in place so that he wouldn't move, Pansy ground her pelvis against his face, chasing her release. She was so close, the tightening in her abdomen growing stronger, until…"Dammit Draco, fucking hum while you suck!" And as the vibration from his sounds was the push she needed and her thighs were shaking as she finally reached her orgasm.
As soon as she finished, she looked down at the man still on his knees in front of her. Patting his cheek with her hand she sighed. She smiled at the look of her juices dripping down his chin through his golden blonde facial hair. "Good boy," she cooed.
Yes, Draco had potential.
*********************
"I was disappointed that this wasn't the book on Arithmancy that I was wanting to read but imagine my surprise," Hermione heard Theo saying as she climbed through the head dorm entrance. “When it was so much more interesting."
In her hands were three envelopes that she'd just received at dinner, but had decided to bring them back to her room to read. "What are you talking about, Theo?" She asked as she glanced down at the book in his lap, recognizing it instantly. "Oh…"
"Oh is right. Now tell me, Hermione," Theo said, standing and moving towards her. "What would make you interested in learning about polyamorous relationships?"
Making a snap decision, Hermione decided to follow the book's advice and vocalise her desires. "There's a few people I'm interested in and this is all new to me. I'm doing what I know best in order to find the information I need to help me: research. Cordelia lent me the book after my individual session after I told her that I was interested in multiple people." She smirked as Theo's face morphed from teasing to a stunned understanding.
"Is that so?" Theo asked after he'd gotten use of his voice back.
"I thought it was obvious, but yes. Three different people if I'm being completely transparent," Hermione told him with a wink, making Theo blush. Oh, I'll have to do more to have this effect on him again.
Hermione smiled at him as she moved to the kitchenette looking at the return addresses. George, Fleur, and Ginny had all written to her, and honestly she was shocked it had taken them this many days since Ron's interview had been published.
"Tea?" She called out to Theo who was now settled in flipping through her book.
"Please."
Hermione carried a tea tray back over to the sofa where Theo was completely absorbed in the text. She settled onto the cushion closest to him, figuring that if she'd already admitted she was interested might as well go all in.
She made up her cuppa and ripped over the first letter, from George. The sound must have caught Theo's attention because he looked from the book and saw what was in her hand.
"Oh, sorry. Here, I can give you some privacy to read those if you'd like." He said before Hermione could unfold the missive.
"Oh." Theo couldn’t have been more different than Ron who would have read each of the notes over her shoulder whether she wanted him to or not. "Actually, would you mind if I read them aloud to you? They're from the Weasleys and if I'm being honest I think I could use some support to get through them."
Theo blinked a few times, as if he were trying to think of the right thing to say. "It's just that I don’t want you to feel like you have anything to prove. Those are your private letters." Hermione smiled at him and shook her head.
"If it doesn't make you uncomfortable hearing them, then I think I really would like you to listen." As Theo nodded his head in agreement, Hermione finished unfolding her first letter, then cleared her throat.
Oi, Mione.
Read what Ronniekins said to Skeeter. I've been in contact with The Prophet with a few short letters explaining how things really were, trying to get them to print a new story. I wasn't able to do an interview though.
I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, but I wanted to check on you nonetheless after that bloody catastrophe of an interview.
If you need to take a break from Hogwarts, you know where to find me. No need to send notice beforehand.
Love you,
Georgie
Hermione couldn't help but smile. She'd always felt that out of Ron's siblings she had the best connection with Ginny, but the twins were a close second. Even though they'd teased her rule loving ways, they’d always been so kind to her. She'd have to pray to any deities to help Theo and Draco if they were to give this a go, as she hoped they would. George would no doubt assume a protective big brother status towards her, especially considering what was going on with her and Ron.
"That wasn’t bad," Theo said, taking a drink from his cup.
"No, George has always been a lot more level-headed than people gave him credit for. The next one is from Fleur."
"Fleur, as in the French Triwizard Champion?"
"Hm, oh yeah," Hermione said as she opened the next envelope. "She's married to Bill, the eldest brother. He’s a curse breaker for Gringotts."
"Very nice," Theo said, as Hermione unfolded the next letter.
Hermione,
Bill and I have just read what Ronald said in The Prophet, and we wanted to check in to see how you are doing. We're utterly disgusted and disappointed in Ronald's behaviour, knowing that he's pulling you along, even if it's from a distance, in his poor decisions.
We have contacted The Prophet with an accurate account of what has truly happened since the war and how you've been nothing but supportive of the Weasley family as a whole.
If you want to come stay a night (or several) at Shell Cottage, just to get away, your room is always ready for you.
Give Luna and Dean our love.
Fleur
"She knows Luna and Dean?"
"Oh, uh, that's where we all escaped to after we left Malfoy Manor…" Hermione trailed off watching the knowing look settling on Theo's face. "Fleur is the one who healed all of us with Luna's help. I was, well I was a bit of a mess after, well everything…anyway, the last letter is from Ginny." Godric, she was happy that it was Theo and not Draco sitting with her. The blonde probably would have dissolved into a panic attack at the reminder of the time that she had spent bleeding on his drawing room floor.
Hermione quickly opened the letter and saw two pieces of parchment falling out. She instantly recognized Harry's handwriting and rolled her eyes. Why would he bother to send his own note to her when he could piggy back off Ginny’s missive.
Mione,
Is what Ron said true? Just, wow. I thought we were friends, you know? I don't want to believe that you were just using us, but, I don't know.
Gin
And Harry's accompanying note, she quickly read without explaining who it was from first.
Hey, can I floo call you Saturday at 6 in the Gryffindor Common room? - Harry
I'm not even living in GRYFFINDOR tower, you nitwit, Hermione thought with a huff.
“Um, wow,” Theo said, looking at her. “Those are supposed to be your closest friends?”
“Yeah,” Hermione murmured.
“Well that’s pretty bloody fucked,” Theo sighed, sitting the book and his tea aside and stood reaching for her hand, “come on, lets go out on the balcony and have a smoke and not talk about this at all.”
Smiling, Hermione took his hand, “Thank you.”
********************
Knocking on the door, Draco felt his heart in his throat yet again. He was not in the mood to sit through another individual therapy session.
The door opened and Cordelia stood on the other side, smiling at him. "Draco, I'm so glad you're here."
"Yeah, well, I guess. Should we get started?" He asked, not wanting to waste anymore of his day than he had to.
"Oh, certainly. Tea? Biscuits?" She asked as she gathered up the same pad of paper and muggle pen she'd used the last time they'd talked.
"Both, please." If he was going to suffer through this, then he might as well get something sweet out of it.
Once they were both settled with their drinks and snacks, Draco took a breath steadying himself. He picked at the biscuit, letting the crumbs collect on the plate.
"So, Draco. What would you like to talk about today?" Draco looked up at the older witch, with her kind eyes. He knew what he needed to talk about, but was admittedly nervous to discuss the intrusive thoughts rolling around in his mind. Afraid that it will reflect badly on him for his trial, even though he said he didn’t care if they chucked him in Azkaban, the reality was that he really didn't want to end up there.
Still, he needed to discuss something meaningful. These sessions weren't just to feel better about what he had gone through, they'd be reported to the Wizengamot. Hell, it was even possible that they would become public records since it would be part of the evidence.
"I guess we can start with what a shit show my life was starting with when I came home from fifth year. My father was imprisoned, and we had a new house guest that was constantly threatening to kill either myself or my mother." Draco looked into the cream colour of his tea, always so much lighter because of how much milk he prefered.
"Hm, you seem like that's what you want reported, but there's something else I think you need to talk about first." Cordelia prompted, and Draco looked up into her dark eyes. As he looked into those open and warm eyes, Draco could feel good carefully constructed walls breaking.
She wasn't someone who looked at him as a tool she could use. She looked at him like she only cared about his well being. This woman, this healer, she didn't care about his vaults. She didn't want him to take over his family's holdings. She didn't view him as the son of Lucius Malfoy, to her, he was just Draco.
And just Draco was breaking, and Cordelia was here to help hold him together. No strings attached.
And that's how the dam broke open.
"My father used unforgivables on me when I disappointed him, I'm not even sure how young I was the first time it happened. It only got worse once I started at Hogwarts. Yes I was in Slytherin, thank Salazar that there hadn’t been any doubt about that, but I kept coming in second to Hermione, a Muggleborn of all people. I was constantly a disappointment to him."
He looked back down at his hands, he couldn't keep eye contact when he admitted this next part, and Draco knew he couldn't stop it. "How could I not come in second to her? The Golden Girl? Brightest Witch of Our Age? She came in as an outsider, and damn if she didn't take the world over. She proved every day that everything I had ever been taught about Muggleborns was a blatant lie."
“That must have been very difficult for you. Recognizing that bigotry and pureblood supremacy is based on falsehoods is very difficult when you have been indoctrinated into it your whole life.”
“I suppose,” Draco murmured.
“How do you feel about your father now?” Cordelia inquired, “He’s due to get the Kiss isn’t he?”
“Yes. Before the end of the year,” Draco stared at the climbing vines over Cordelia’s office window, “I think…that I will be grateful when I know I don’t have to worry about him hurting me or the people I love anymore.”
“Draco, that’s a very valid feeling. Thank you for sharing with me. I know it's not easy.”
************************
Between therapy, meals, and late night drinks with her dorm mates, the last few days were blurred together. It was becoming their new routine, new normal. Their newly formed friend group looked forward to the evenings, and all the drunken flirtation that took place then. Hermione knew she was going to meals and attending therapy, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember what was happening at either. Her thoughts were utterly consumed with the feel of Pansy's touches, the way Draco's eyes watched her every move, and the smell of Theo.
***********************
Theo, Dean, Seamus, Neville and Blaise were all out on the balcony, joints being passed between them as it drew later. Theo couldn't help but smile at his odd group of friends. Four weeks ago, he never would have imagined adding three Gryffindors into their circle. Then again, four weeks ago he was so piss drunk he didn't even think to bathe regularly.
No, this was not expected, but it was good.
"Here you all are, who brought the spliff?" Draco asked, stepping out into the cool night.
"Nev, apparently being a Herbology genius pays off. You could sell this, maybe that's your future career path. I can see the headlines now, 'Snake Slayer turns Drug Dealer' has a nice ring to it."
"Shea, I think you're stoned." Dean said looking at his boyfriend trying to hold in a laugh.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Seamus said, taking another puff before handing it over to Draco. "Who else is coming tonight?"
“Lu is supposed to come up after she gets done helping with some little birthday party. It's for one of the Hufflepuffs whose brother in Ravenclaw died during the battle. She said they are doing something small with cake and tea down in the Hufflepuff common room.” Blaise said, being stoned he could hide the love sick grin that spread across his face while talking about the Ravenclaw. The man was completely smitten.
“Lu?” Draco asked, deeply inhaling. “Isn’t Luna a short enough name?”
As if summoned by the mention of her name, Luna's head appeared in the doorway to the balcony. She smiled looking first at Blaise before she turned to Neville and blinked slowly as she surveyed him. "Is that my special blend you're smoking?" She asked, breathing in heavily before opening her eyes. The blonde girl let out a breathy gasp as she smiled holding her hand out expectantly. "No, this is new. Neville, mmm," she said as she took a drag from the spliff Dean passed to her. "Oh, it's got a bit of a bite to it. Hm, yes, I like it. Add this to my next order, please."
"You seriously are selling this?" Theo asked, a joint hanging out of his mouth as his eyes squinted as the sting of the smoke billowing upwards.
"What, no I'm not selling it. I just like growing it and trying new things." Neville said, as he deeply inhaled his next hit. "Herbology is relaxing, getting stoned is relaxing, I guess it just made sense to do both."
"Shame, you could make a fortune selling this." Theo said, breathing in again.
"Theodore, you're the Head Boy and you're encouraging Neville to sell drugs to school children! I thought you all were smoking cigarettes, not pot!" Hermione's voice cut through the air. Theo looked up to see that both Hermione and Pansy were back from dinner and looking onto the balcony.
"Theo will go down in history as the worst head boy, won't you darling?" Pansy said, lifting her wine glass to her scarlet lips.
"I'd argue that after the year everyone has had it would be more irresponsible to not encourage the student body to regularly get stoned." Theo said, sending a wink at the two witches.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she disappeared back inside, most likely to get her nightly glass of firewhisky, and Pansy only shot him a smirk before following. After the group finished off their smokes, they joined the two women in the common room. Just as Theo had predicted, Hermione had one of his crystal tumblers in her hand sitting angled towards Pansy.
He enjoyed watching Pansy reaching up to caress Hermione’s cheek, only for Hermione’s tongue to dart out and lick at her bottom lip. Salazar help him if he ever got to be intimate with those two together. Just seeing them interacting so innocently made him ready to combust.
"What is everyone drinking?" Blaise asked as he headed towards the kitchenette with Luna following behind him.
As everyone called out their drink orders to the couple, Theo quickly moved to the sofa to slide into the seat next to Hermione. He relished in being able to make a Hermione sandwich with Pansy, the only way to make it better would be adding Draco to their mix. It was with that thought, that an idea formed in Theo's mind.
"You know what," Theo said, turning to the group, "let's play a game."
Groans could be heard from Draco, but Seamus and Blaise whooped in excitement.
"Let's go around and say what our desires are, kinda what we want our futures to hold." Theo said, looking between Hermione and Draco.
"That's less of a game and more of just a topic, don't you think?" Seamus asked, happily accepting the double firewhisky from Luna.
"Call it what you want, I'm stoned," Theo said, waving his hand to show he really didn't care.
When no one spoke up at first, Dean let out a heavy sigh as he took a drink from his beer. “Fine, I can go first, you know my Gryffindor bravery and all. I suppose, I just want to be able to be with Seamus without our families making things impossible.”
Next to Dean was Seamus, who looked to be deep in thought after giving his boyfriend's hand a squeeze. Theo understood what Dean meant though. All those years, wanting Draco and knowing he had to keep his distance because of their fathers. It was a strange torture having to pretend that Draco was nothing more than a friend, when really he was everything he wanted.
“I’d like to be able to live together in England or Scotland. Maybe get a decent job at the Ministry or a Diagon Alley shop doing something dull where I’m not likely to get killed." Seamus finally said, only stopping to throw back his double shot. "Harry suggested coming to do Auror training, but I honestly can’t think of anything worse than dealing with Dark Wizards after all this.”
“Cheers to that,” Blaise said. “I think I’ve had enough of Dark Wizards to last a lifetime.” Theo noticed that Blaise’s eyes looked a bit haunted, perhaps thinking about a Dark Witch that he loved with all his heart.
Blaise continued, “I think I’d like to open some decent restaurants, maybe in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, take care of my vineyards. My step dad's been teaching me tattooing, but I think I’d like to do that a bit more as a hobby than a vocation. I don't want people telling me what to ink, I want to have total creative control, and if it were a job I wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I’d love a tattoo, Blaise,” Luna sighed, dreamily, looking at the Italian man with hungry eyes. “I think I'd like to travel. There are just so many places I have never been that I'd love to see. New creatures I could find, the world is brimming with all types of undiscovered things."
“I really want to take over for Professor Sprout as the Herbology Professor. Get married, and have a family. If I could have any dream, it would be for my parents to be cured of their Cruciatus damage. Getting them back would be, I don't know, just amazing."
A murmur of agreement went around the room. It was now common knowledge what had happened to Neville’s parents, and it was a fate worse than death. Really, it was no wonder that was where the Gryffindor’s mind had gone.
“I don't think I have any dreams,” Theo heard Hermoine quietly whisper next to him.
Pansy turned towards Hermoine, resting her hand on top of her thigh. “Come on," she cooed, "there must be something you want.”
“Umm, finding my parents in Australia and restoring their memories, I guess?”
“See? I knew there had to be something.” Pansy's praised, making Hermione blush an adorable shade of red.
Draco shrugged, “I can’t have any dreams, not till we find out whether I am going to spend the rest of my life in Azkaban or not.”
Dean, Seamus, and Neville looked appalled at Draco's cynical statement.
Neville schooled his shock, “Is that even likely, Malfoy? I mean they have to know everything that you did against Voldemort’s wishes, right?”
Draco pointed a finger to his chest, “Youngest Marked Death Eater. Son of Lucius Malfoy. Let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore’s attempted assassin, even though I couldn’t do it. That’s enough for a lot of people. I’m amazed I’m not locked up already.”
“That’s some bullshite, mate,” Finnigan said, shaking his head as another double shot slid down his throat.
Theo looked and saw Blaise and Luna exchange a significant look.
What was that about?
**************************
"The name of the game is Firewhisky or Dare. Remember there's veritaserum in the whiskey, and no Pansy, you cannot just drink your wine." Theo announced, pulling the bottle from, honestly who knew where. Knowing Theo, it very well could have been thin air.
It was Friday night, and with no therapy bright and early the next morning, a group had shifted from the heavy topics into that of real drinking games.
Draco, Theo, Pansy and Hermione were all piled onto the couch, practically all on top of one another. Blaise had Luna on his lap, while Seamus was sitting in the other chair with Dean at his feet. Neville was there, still having a drink with the group, but when veritaserum and Dare came up, he made himself scarce. He admitted he wasn't sure that his tentative relationship with Hannah would survive Truth or Dare with the Slytherins.
"I really think she might be the one, guys, so I don't want to muck it up," Neville said, passing several rolled joints to Theo and tucking one behind his own ear for the road. "Have a good time!" He called, showing himself out.
Theo explained that the firewhisky was dosed with veritaserum by Pansy who went and reclaimed her vial from the dungeons earlier in the day. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the thought that they'd pre planned this, because she knew Pansy had been avoiding her old dorm room.
After spinning an empty bottle, Pansy started the game off by smiling and saying "Veritaserum or Dare, Theodore."
“Truth.” Theo announced confidently, taking the shot of the veritaserum laced whiskey sitting in front of him before grinning at the others.
Dean asked first “What's the most debauched thing you have ever done?”
“A threesome with two boys from Durmstrang. I was an absolute cum slut that night. It was mind blowing. Literally, I blacked out from the orgasms.” Pansy laughed uproariously, Draco blushed and Luna looked positively intrigued. Hermione wasn't sure what a cumslut was exactly, but she could guess and her guesses were very naughty indeed.
“Okay, Truth or Dare Finnigan, '' Theo said.
“Dare,” Finnigan said.
"Say something dirty to the person on your left."
"Say what? Something to Dean?"
Theo merely shrugged his shoulders before sitting back as he watched Seamus think of something. The Irish man turned towards his boyfriend and leaned in, whispering something in his ear that made Dean's eyebrows raise.
"Hey, no fair, I wanted to be able to hear that." Theo protested.
"Should have included that in your dare then, mate. Truth or dare, Hermione."
"Truth," Hermione stated confidently, taking her shot of the veritaserum whiskey concoction.
"What is the most expensive thing you have ever stolen?" Seamus asked her.
"Helga Hufflepuff's drinking cup from the Lestrange vault. I destroyed it shortly after stealing it." She answered before looking over Theo's lap at the blonde Slytherin. “Truth or Dare, Draco.”
“Truth,” he responded nervously, Hermione let out a breath. Fueled by copious amounts of firewhisky gave her the unabashed ability to ask the question she'd been dying to know the answer to.
"How is it that you are still a virgin? What about the Slytherin Sex God rumors?" Hermione asked, and as the veritaserum kicked in, she could have kicked herself for her thoughtless question. It really was rather rude, but she'd been so curious.
A light blush decorated his porcelain cheek as the answer was pulled from him.
"You really don't pull punches as I recall Granger," he said, absently rubbing a small scar on the side of his jaw that she'd never noticed before. "Fifth year was a bit stressful for me, then sixth year was a bloody nightmare. I was supposed to do some father-son brothel excursion with Theo and his father, but my father went to Azkaban instead. Can't say I was sorry based on Theo’s awful stories from that trip. Then last year I spent most of my time trying not to die or preventing others from dying. There just has never been a good time."
"And for the second part, if anyone is the Slytherin Sex God, it's Blaise."
The Italian man toasted and said “true true,” as he smiled down at Luna who had a lustful look in her eyes. Hermione wondered if they had consummated their courtship yet.
With his question answered, Draco turned to his friend, "Truth or Dare Theo."
"Truth, of course." He said, taking another drink of the veritaserum laced whiskey.
"What are your top three turn-ons?" Hermione could feel herself perking up, excited to hear the answer to this question for herself.
"Bondage, dominance over partners that are not Pansy by extension that means submission to Pansy,” he winked at the dark-haired witch, who smiled seductively back at him, “and semi-public sex."
"Truth or Dare, Hermione."
"Dare," she said, not wanting to risk any more of her secrets being spilled.
A grin slowly spread across Theo's face, making Hermione wonder if she'd made a grave mistake. “I dare you, Hermione Granger, to take Draco’s virginity. Tonight.”
"Theodore, what the bloody hell!" Draco yelled at his friend, his face turning even paler than it normally was.
Letting the firewhisky speak for her, Hermione looked up through her lashes at the blonde. Isn't this something you've dreamed of? She asked herself. “Is that okay with you, Draco?” she asked timidly, biting her lower lip.
With the veritaserum still flowing in his veins from the last round, the answer to her question was pulled from Draco. "I would like that more than I like breathing."
He covered his mouth with both hands, terrified at the fact that the veritaserum was still in his veins. “Granger, you don’t have to do this." He said, quickly trying to give her an out, "You can change your mind and do the truth instead.”
“And what if I don’t want to change my mind?” Hermione purred, gaining confidence from his truthful answers. She'd known they had an attraction to each other, but it was a whole other level hearing it coming from his mouth. Draco’s eyes grew dark as the pupils swallowed his mercury irises leaving only the tiniest amount of grey behind.
Climbing off the couch, where she'd been squished between Theo and Pansy, Hermione stood so she was in front of Draco. He looked up at her with a frantic mix of bewilderment and desire. Taking him by the hand, she led him into her room, the door closing behind them with a click.
*****************************
Notes:
911- Elise
https://open.spotify.com/track/3bHZeMMosfnAS633rWpf09?si=1yF4nbm1QTiWtZCd9SQMWw&utm_source=copy-link
The song for the final sequence of this chapter is:
R3HAB, Little Daylight - Truth or Dare https://open.spotify.com/track/54uyFEMcG3wnZ1JSRS3QtI?si=TSxBHDXlSBWLJw4aRfH5rw
Thank you to the alpha/beta team of many that worked on this behemoth.
Chapter 13: A Dare Made Flesh
Summary:
Draco Malfoy loses his virginity to Hermione as part of a Veritaserum or Dare game. The veritaserum is still pumping through both of their veins to their disquiet, but will it hinder or help?
Notes:
Beginning note: Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift is the song of this Chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The click of the door closing behind them seemed overly loud in Granger’s small dorm room. Looking around at the cramped space, Draco was surprised she hadn’t used extension charms like Theo had. Books everywhere, no surprise there. On her nightstand, on her floor, on her chair, not to mention the bookshelf itself that was bowing under the pressure.
Merlin, this girl needed to have her own personal library.
Draco moved further into the space and over at a familiar orange cat watching him from the bed. He couldn't help but smile as it stretched languorously and hopped down to rub itself against his legs, leaving behind a familiar mess of orange hair clinging to his trousers.
“Bonsoir monsieur le minou,” Draco said, reaching down to stroke the orange half-kneazle. He hadn’t seen it in a few days, and was happy he was well. "voulez-vous sortir de la chambre?”
Crookshanks looked up at Draco and meowed his response.
“Bien sûr Monsieur,” Draco opened the door, and out the cat strolled out, tail held high. Theo’s enthusiastic greeting to their furry companion could be heard as Draco quickly shut the door. Lifting his head, his eyes met Hermione’s and saw shock reflected there. Draco nervously cleared his throat as he scratched at the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward now.
“I didn’t know Crookshanks liked you too. I knew about Theo, but not about you. I’m getting a bit jealous, he used to not like anyone besides me, and now I find out that he likes both of you.” Hermione scowled, “Ugh veritaserum. Also why did you talk to him in French? Is that a pureblood thing?”
“Um, No, no. My mother used to read me a story about a cat that lived in Paris when I was little, and after that I just always spoke to all of them in French. I don’t know why, but they seemed to always understand, so I never stopped doing it.” He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously again feeling a bit silly now that he’d confessed it outloud. “I hate veritaserum,” he sighed, “you know, you don’t have to do this Granger. I won't say anything if you’d rather just sit here and, I don’t know, just hang out or something.”
To his shock, Hermione stepped forward, running her hand down his chest, “Draco Malfoy, have you ever known me to do anything that I don’t want to do?”
He shook his head, no he’d seen her do a great many things and not once had she been forced into it.
“Well then, there you have it.” She pulled off her oversized sweater and tossed it into the corner revealing only a red lace bra underneath, his breath catching. The sight of her in only skin tight Muggle denims and that red lace bra sent Draco’s heart racing even faster than it had been before.
Sweet Circe, she looked like a goddess, like Aphrodite come to life. Those wild curls, pert breasts, and trim waist took his breath. She was perfect.
Remembering Pansy’s instructions for taking a woman to bed suddenly had him dropping to his knees in front of Granger. With her looking the way she did, he’d have no problems worshipping her body. He looked up at her and saw the moment that her breath caught and she bit her lip, the desire evident on her face. Her reaction to him gave him the confidence he needed as he reached for the button of her denims and whispered, “May I?”
She nodded her assent. What did Theo always say to him? “I need to hear your words, Granger.” He felt the magic rolling off her skin at his command, taking on the tone that Theo always used with him. His fingertips tingled just centimetres away, aching to bridge that final distance, but he needed to hear her say that he had her permission to touch her first.
“Please touch me,” she begged, “I want you to touch me, Draco. I’ve wanted you to touch me for a while now,” she gasped out, the veritaserum pulling the truth from her lips, but unlike him she looked happy to tell him what was on her mind.
Bloody Gryffindor bravery. It never ceased to amaze him at just how bold this group could be.
As he leaned forward, Draco pressed kisses into her bare navel, letting his tongue slip out of his mouth to taste her skin as his finger worked deftly at releasing her from her trousers.
“I’ve imagined touching you like this for years, Granger, but I never really thought it could happen outside of my dreams,” he breathed into her skin, as his mouth travelled lower as he inched her denims down her thighs. Her gasp at his confession had him thankful for the truth serum in that moment. The smell of her arousal sent the blood pooling to his cock, growing harder with each breath he took.
He watched as her white knickers were revealed, clearly wet at the apex of her thighs. He nuzzled into that sacred place, just as Pansy had taught him. As he eased her pants the final bit down her legs, she slid her feet out, completely freeing her of the material.
“Merlin and Morgana, Granger, you smell fucking divine.” Draco rubbed his nose against her again, her breath caughting above him. He felt her begin to sway on her feet as he stroked her sensitive flesh through her knickers. He placed open mouth soft kisses on her inner thighs, letting his tongue slip out for every few kisses, leaving a trail as he went. Looking up at her, he saw that her eyes were closed, her lower lip being abused by her teeth. “Like that do you?” His voice was muffled by her skin, as he couldn’t find the willpower to pull away from her to even speak.
“Oh god, so much,” she whispered, “but this isn’t about me, isn’t it about y-y-youuu.” He had slid her knickers to the side and ran his tongue along her folds on the last word causing her to stutter and release a low moan.
“I have it on good authority that I am to make you cum with my mouth at least twice before my cock is allowed anywhere near you.” He opened her folds with his fingers and inspected how she was different from Pansy’s intimate parts, but quickly found what he sought: her clit. He let out a hum before he licked long and slow swipes over all of her and allowed his tongue to circle and flick her clit before starting his pass all over again.
“Tw-twice?” Hermione gasped and shook as his tongue again found her most sensitive spot. “Oh yes, gods, right there, suck a little, just there.” Her hands gripped the back of his head to hold him where she needed his attention, and he smiled into her core as he felt her thighs begin to quiver.
“Lie back on the bed, Hermione,” he instructed, pushing her backwards. Her wobbling legs struggling to keep her upright, “Don’t worry, I will take care of you.” Her breath hitched at his use of her given name and she allowed him to ease her onto her back on the bed. He remained on his knees before her, worshipping at her altar. Her dripping cunt mixed with his saliva had his chin wet when he gazed at her and saw her watching him through her lashes, his eyes dark with arousal. He felt his own body tighten with desire.
He suckled again at her clit, forcing Hermione to release a long low moan that only made him grip her hips tighter. He couldn’t help the smug feeling that it was him that was doing this to her. Draco Malfoy was giving Hermione Granger pleasure, with his mouth. What strange world was this? He never wanted to go back to his.
“Why don’t you use your fingers too?” Hermione panted, waving her hand as if she were going to give him instruction, but was so lost in her pleasure she didn’t know how.
“I don’t know what to do with them.” He confessed, wishing that he’d just known, maybe read a book on it or something beforehand. “Tell me what you like. Tell me what would feel good to you,” Draco begged, “I want to please you, Hermione. Tell me.”
“O-okay,” she stammered, sitting up on her elbows to look down at him, “touch me with your fingers while you suck on my clit…I… I uh, really like that. Why?” Her flushed face made Draco want nothing more than to do whatever she told him, and to make it perfect for her.
“It matters to me that this be good to you,” He purred into her as he ran his fingers along her slit, but never crossing the line and going inside.
“But it's a Dare, Draco,” Hermione’s body tensed and he moaned into her when she used his name, which in turn caused the slick to increase on his tongue.
“But I want to please you,” he said, earnestly, looking up from between her legs with a serious expression on his face.
“Then slide those two fingers inside of me. I want you to touch me so bad,” she pleaded. Her eyes grew larger as she saw his fingers, “the ones with the rings, Merlin, your bloody rings, I can't stop looking at them. And your hands, your hands always take my breath away. Always thinking about what I want them to do to me when we’re in group.” She shook her head as though she could take back the words, “bloody veritaserum still not worn off. Fuck.”
“Like my hands do you, Granger,” he grinned, glancing down at his fingers before sliding two of them inside of her, slowly, enjoying how she hissed at the coldness of his rings against her heated flesh. He pushed into her and watched in wonder as her body swallowed him. Salazar, he was going to get to put his cock inside of her tonight.
That thought had him aflame, and he bent to his task with renewed fervour until Hermione writhed, choking out his name in sobs.
“Draco! Draco! Draco!” He kept bringing his fingers in and out of her and wrapped his lips tighter around her engorged clit. Just as he bit down lightly on the tender flesh, she nearly flew off the bed, she arched upward so hard, only staying put because he held her down. He gripped her thigh with his free hand to keep her where he wanted her, and she bucked against his mouth just like Pansy had, he knew he almost had her there. “Fuck!” she screamed, “Yes! Yes! Draco! Draco, I’m coming. Fuck!” He felt her cunt dripping down his hand, and he slid his fingers out, and met her eyes as he licked them clean, not letting a single drop go to waste.
She stared at him, her chest heaving, her breathing erratic, biting that lower lip again.
He wanted to bite it for her.
“Once is really okay Draco,” She rasped, her tits heaving with her breaths. “The norm even, and some blokes don’t even go down on girls.”
“Well I'm not some blokes,” he teased, turning his attention back towards her dripping folds. “In case you haven’t noticed.” He lowered his mouth and blew cool air onto the sensitive flesh, smirking at the sharp inhale he caused with it.
She fell backward onto the bed, and gasped out, “Curve your two fingers in a hook towards the front of me when they are inside. I really want you to do that while you rub my clit with one of your rings. Would you do that for me? Merlin, I want that so badly. So badly. Can’t stop looking at your hands with your rings, so hot, such a turn on.”
Draco had learned from Pansy the benefit of following directions, and it gave him a bit of lewd satisfaction at rubbing his Malfoy signet ring in a little circle on her clit, slowly increasing the pressure. She moaned and her thighs clenched around him and he felt the flutter of her walls around his fingers, her curved them, just as she had directed, and felt a soft almost spongy part inside of her and as he did that. Still encircling her clit with his ring, he felt Hermione fall apart under his touch once more.
“No more, I swear to Merlin I can’t take anymore, Draco. Take off your clothes and come up here, now,” She said. Draco didn’t need to be told twice as he jumped to his feet, stumbling slightly as he stripped away his clothing. He crawled onto the bed, his foot getting caught on her throw blanket, tripping him up for a moment.
Once he was where she wanted him to be, Hermione sat next to him, licking her lips as she appraised his toned body. “Lie on your back so I can suck your cock a little.” He obeyed, a little thrilled that this part of sex was something that he was experienced with. He knew what blow jobs were like. What surprised him was how Hermione explored his body first before touching his cock. Her fingers ran over his Sectumsempra scars, sending tremors through him. When she touched his Dark Mark he almost yanked his arm away and fled, but something in the way she looked at him kept him rooted to the bed.
Finally, her gaze and attention went to his hard, aching member, she spit on the tip and then stroked it languidly a few times. Meeting his eyes, she swirled her tongue around the head of his cock, before her lips parted around his cock and inch by inch she took all of his shaft into her mouth, hollowing her cheeks and sucking with increased force. Then she slowly backed off, while lightly caressing and fondling his balls.
Popping her mouth off the head of his cock, she asked, “Am I doing an okay job of it?”
“Amazing, your mouth is so different from Theo’s, softer skin, no stubble. I like both.. Fuck fucking Veritaserum.” His cock twitched, and she gave it one last kiss and he nearly came right then, his spend would have covered her face, but he bit his lip so hard that he tasted his own blood to stave off the release that he felt rapidly approaching.
“I’m going to ride you. I hope that’s okay for your first time,” She whispered. The blush that covered her cheeks made her so very beautiful. If he hadn’t been in love with her before he sure as hell was now.
“Whatever you think is best,” he rasped.
Slowly inching down his body, lining him up to her dripping entrance, taking his cock, the image of her body swallowing him was almost too much to stand.
He tried to close his eyes and she grabbed his cheeks, forcefully. “Open your eyes, Draco. I want you to see that this is me doing this to you.”
“That's what I'm afraid of. If I see your beautiful face. I'm going to last two thrusts. Fucking veritaserum.I hate the bloody stuff.” He moaned as he felt the tight warmth of her body taking all of him in. “Salazar, you are so bloody tight. It feels incredible, Hermione. I’ve never felt anything like this.”
“You have a very mmmmmm large cock,” Hermione moaned, “ I am so full of you. It’s stretching me and it feels so bloody good. It's been so long since someone was inside of me.”
He watched every expression on her face, took stock of the trembles of her body, and his own body shuddered in the face of so many unfamiliar sensations. Hermione took his hand, guiding him to stroke her clit while she slid up and down on him.
“Granger. Hermione. Fuck. You feel so fucking good,” he groaned as she lifted herself nearly off of him and then rolled her hips, taking all of him in again.” He resisted his urge to thrust, knowing it would all be over in moments if he did. He wanted this magical moment to last as long as possible. There was no guarantee that she would ever let him touch her like this again.
“Hold still Draco. Don't move yet. Just look where our bodies are meeting,” she purred as she grabbed his hand with the signet ring and used it to stroke her clit. She bent his knuckle bringing his Malfoy signet ring against the bundle of nerves at her apex, just as he had done before, and he watched in shocked amazement as she tensed on his cock, clenching as she came again, this time on him, on his cock. As she fell forward onto his chest in the aftermath of her intense orgasm. He grabbed her arse then, unable to contain his lust anymore, and began pounding up into her, holding her tight in place as he sought his own release.
“Herrrrmmmiiiiooòoone. Oh merlin you feel… you feel… I'm gonna.” He bit his lip trying to use the pain to delay the inevitable, but he felt his cock twitch and his bollocks ached. He only had seconds left to enjoy her hot wet heat.
“Flip me,” she whispered.
“As the lady wishes.” Draco held her to him and rolled her onto her back, more than once almost slipping out of her and terrified the whole time he might hurt her or himself in some way. Looking down into her honey eyes, her hair wild all over her bed, he couldn’t believe that this was actually happening to him. He did not deserve this, did not deserve her.
His body above hers, he thrust into her repeatedly, not with finesse nor elegance but with desperation, sobbing her name into her neck as she moaned his into his ear. The release he had been fighting so hard to delay came in a rush, and his hips ground erratically as he pumped his seed deep inside of her. He collapsed onto her for only a moment, taking that time to breath in the smell of her sweet, their sexual arousal.
Tonight was more than he could have ever dreamt of. Years of fantasies all paled in comparison to actually losing himself in Hermione Granger.
He kissed her lightly on her beautiful olive neck where he had left a bite mark in her flesh when he had orgasmed and tried to pull away from her, but she gathered him to her body, wrapping her arms around his waist, “Don't go. I don't want you to go, yet. Stay with me.”
“As the lady wishes.” He laid his head on her shoulder breathing in the warmth of her and counted himself blessed. He tried not to think about tomorrow or later. He tried not to think about how it was only a matter of time until she regretted letting a Death Eater have her in such a way. The gentleness of her hands caressing his naked back, pulled him from his thoughts and he revelled in the present for a change.
They dozed off for a bit, only to be woken up some while later by a soft knock at the door. Not waiting for their response, the door opened to reveal Theo with warm wet cloths, potions, glasses of water, cheese and fruit. Draco attempted to roll out of Hermione’s embrace, but she kept a tight hold on him and he was forced to just turn slightly towards Theo, his belly still pressed into Hermione’s soft curves.
“Hello, my lovelies. I come bearing gifts,” grinning at the two of them, Theo handed them each hangover and pain potions, “drink up. And I expect you to have some water. The wet cloths are for if you feel a bit dirtier than a Scourgify will manage.”
Theo sat the glasses of water and the fruit and cheese tray on Hermione’s bedside table.
The handsome Head Boy pushed his curls out of his eyes, before he leaned forward and gave them both long lingering kisses on their foreheads and murmured “I will see you both in the morning.”
Hermione looked at him, inquiring nervously, “you aren't upset?”
“Why would I be upset, Hermione? I've been hoping this would happen. It was my dare after all. I’ve been planning it, in fact. The two of you needed a little encouragement. You think I didn't see the chemistry here? Also it was my way of apologising for interrupting your first kiss. The library would have been perfect. And I bolloxed that right up.”
“You know what chemistry is, Theo?” Hermione stared at him in surprise.
The brunette snorted. “Go to sleep, you two,” and with that a very smug Theo left the room.
Draco looked up at her in consternation, “We didn't kiss.”
The golden pools of her eyes threatened to drown him, as she smiled and whispered, “how about we fix that right now?”
Notes:
End Note: This Chapter was written on Draco’s 42nd birthday. Happy Birthday Mr. Malfoy
Thanks to the alpha/beta team especially SarahFraser.
Chapter 14: The Room Where It Happened
Summary:
CW: Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Toxic Friends, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Smut!Smut!Smut! NSFW Art by Rose Heira
Notes:
Song of the chapter is "I Wanna Be Yours" by Arctic Monkeys.
NSFW Art of Dreomione at the end of the chapter is by the exceptionally talented Rose Heira. check them out: https://linktr.ee/roseheira
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 14
The Room Where It Happened
The door closed behind Hermione and Draco with a click and Theo rubbed his hands together in unrestrained glee. Pansy had a wide grin on her face and her eyes shone with joyful tears. Theo couldn't help himself, he leaned over to where Pansy was sitting and gave the witch a wet kiss on her cheek making her laugh. "It's happening!" Theo excitedly whispered into her ear.
Dean was blushing as he tried not to laugh and declared, “I always thought there was something happening there, I'm honestly not that surprised Hermione accepted the dare. Am a bit surprised about Malfoy being a virgin though, the way he used to strut around, used to think he was always getting some.” Dean shook his head and took a sip of his drink.
“Theo, mate,” Seamus spoke up, “is it really okay with you that your boyfriend is about to shag a girl? I was a fucking mess when Dean was sleeping with Ginny Weasley,” Seamus confided, looking at his Slytherin friend in concern, as he squeezed Dean’s hand in order to seek reassurance. The veritaserum was still affecting everyone in the room, despite the fact that the game had gone to the wayside.
Theo looked at the Irishman and smiled kindly, shaking his head before taking a sip of his non-veritaserum drink. “Do I look like I have tits and a cunt? No, so obviously I can't provide everything Draco wants. It’s really not a big deal to me. Also, I don't think we are using the term boyfriend. Very close friends with benefits would be more appropriate.”
Seamus looked confused at Theo’s statement, but Dean put an arm around his shoulders and whispered into his ear, soothing his boyfriend. Seamus smiled and nodded in agreement to whatever it was his boyfriend had said before leaning into Dean and taking a sip of his firewhisky, forgetting that it had been spiked.
Pansy snorted, and rolled her eyes at Theo, clearly she didn’t completely agree with the label Theo had put on his…agreement with Draco. She sipped her red wine glass with a secretive smirk, and Theo realised that she hadn’t put any veritaserum in her own drink.
Sneaky, sneaky witch. He sent her a knowing wink causing a slight blush to colour her cheeks at her realisation that he had caught onto her.
Luna smiled dreamily at Theo and Pansy cuddling together and said in an airy tone, “I think you arranging this for Draco and Hermione was very sweet, Theodore.”
“Why, whatever do you mean Luna?” Theo replied, smiling cheekily at the younger witch.
“I think it’s pretty obvious Draco and Hermione have been dancing around each other for ages, years even. The sexual tension had always been so thick that even after being near them I’d find myself having to go masturbate.” Blaise choked on his drink at that comment from Luna and Theo watched as his friend’s expression darkened with desire directed at the petite blonde perched on his thigh.
“Hermione was so worried about him in your sixth year to the point that she even slipped up and called him Draco to me on more than one occasion,” Luna was looking into the distance with nostalgia on her features, Blaise looking at her in question. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “They would never have acted on their attraction if you hadn’t given them an opportunity and the push. You’re a really good friend to both Draco and Hermione.”
“Drake is stubborn,” Blaise agreed, pouring himself a new drink from an unopened bottle of firewhisky. Wisely, the Italian was unwilling to consume any more veritaserum if the game was done, but still wanted to have a drink.
“Hm, yes, Hermione is too, just as much if not more so,” Luna smiled, “but I think that Truth or Dare was a good excuse for them both to do what they have both wanted. It gave them…what’s the word…ah, yes, plausible deniability.” Luna’s smile didn’t falter as she took the drink from Blaise’s hand to take a sip.
A low feminine moan floated out from behind Hermione’s door and with a pleased smile, Theo waved his wand and chanted, “Silencio.” Cutting off any intrusion on this private moment for two of his favourite people.
He turned back to the room and said, “Shall we continue the game? Or Neville left a few extra spliffs that we can smoke on the balcony instead?”
“Spliffs on the Balcony,” Blaise and Seamus said simultaneously, causing everyone to laugh, and the two to share a wry grin. Everyone took their respective drinks and headed out the doors in a wave of chatter onto the balcony, leaving Pansy and Theo alone for a moment.
“Honestly,” Pansy asserted, “Nothing we can come up with for Truth and Dare tonight is going to beat that power move, Theodore. I’m not sure who won tonight, you or Draco and Granger.” Her lips quirked, “but judging by that moan…” She leaned in and whispered into Theo’s ear, “I think Draco took my lesson to heart and she’s going to be very happy with him. First time or no.” Pansy nipped Theo’s ear lobe and he shivered in desire.
“Witch,” Theo growled with arousal as he followed her out into the cool Scottish night air, plotting how he might finish out his own night as he adjusted his erection.
*************
Hermione was lost in dreams, her body feeling like it was melting. She groaned, desperately needing something inside her as she felt like she'd ruined her knickers. Her core was dripping down her arse as she squirmed in the bed and then she felt someone touch her in her most private of places. Strong hands with long fingers parting her folds. The sudden coolness of rings against her warm flesh, caused her to gasp and her eyes snap open. Her awareness slowly brightened, the light of the early morning warming her naked skin as she blinked, trying to clear away the last of the fog in her brain from sleep.
The soft strokes of a tongue on her clit and down her folds had her making soft mewling noises, her toes curling at the feeling. Hermione gripped her hands above her, clutching her pillow, desperate for anything to ground her. His tongue traced every line and curve of her dripping slit, as if he were consuming every last drop of her. He moved rapidly and lightly and she found her hips starting to buck up into his mouth, seeking, searching. Raising herself onto her elbows, she looked down her body at the pale head that was at the apex of her thighs and heavily exhaled from the desire coursing through her at the sight of him.
“Ah, that’s a good girl,” Draco murmured into her, as he breathed in her scent, “getting even more wet for me…ahhhh… You taste like honey and magic.” He licked and suckled and drank her wetness, a man possessed, like she was his new favourite addiction. The sounds were hot, almost obscene, and made her clench down on his tongue when it entered her. No one had ever touched her pussy with the single minded devotion that Draco Malfoy did.
“You’re doing so well, that feels incredible,” She purred, biting her lip as she watched him. “Fuck Draco, slide your fingers inside of me and make me cum.” Her thighs were shaking and she knew from last night that Pansy had told him to make her cum twice before he fucked her. She'd need to get Pansy something special as a thanks.
“As the lady wishes,” Draco murmured, following her command by sliding two fingers carefully inside her as he continued to flick her clit with the point of his tongue. She felt the tension coil low in her belly.
Hermione’s back arched and she felt shockwaves grip her body from his touch. “Curve your… Yes oh–F-fuck Draco, oh! Oh!” She cried out as she came all over his hand and mouth, her legs trembling and hips rocking into him as she rode out her waves of pleasure. Draco slid his fingers out of her and then slowly looked up, her juices dripping down his chin as he did so. She didn’t think she’s ever seen anything so erotic, except perhaps for him on his knees for Theo. Draco’s performances were as if he were going for the title of 'Oral Sex God', and Merlin knew she'd vote for him.
As the tension of her orgasm receded, she desperately reached her hands down to him and shamelessly begged. “Draco, please come up and fuck me,” not caring at all that she sounded so wanton, so desperate for his cock. There was no use in denying it.
“No, I know you’ve got one more orgasm in you before I shag you again,” he asserted, “come on my perfect girl, come for me one more time.” Draco shoved his fingers more roughly this time into her drenched body before she could protest.
“Remember, curve them towards you and use your…thumb…or your ring on my clit again…I liked the feel of the ring….ah!...there.” Her shriek echoing off the walls of her room seemed to only encourage Draco to move faster.
“Liked it, did you?” Draco smirked at her, “knowing the ring worn by generations of Malfoys was pressed into your soft pink wetness. How they’d roll over in their graves to know how much I want you, how I want to have you…again and again.”
His words ignited something inside her and her orgasm slammed into her so hard that her slick dripped down to his elbow. She would be embarrassed by the sight of him covered: chin, arm and chest with her wetness, but she was unable to think further than having his hard cock filling her.
She pulled him up and kissed him hard, nipping at his lips, as she held his cheeks in her hands. His fingers tangled into her sweat damp curls, holding her in place. They stayed frozen like that for long moments, their lips exploring one another as Hermione’s wetness dripped over both of their naked bodies, their want of each other uncontrollable.
The contrast of her deep olive skin against the porcelain of his was such a stunning sight. She wanted a photo of it, of them, of them doing this. Would he like that? Would he be willing to let Theo take a photo of them like this? She’d never even asked anyone before if they were willing to participate in her secret desire for exhibitionism, safe exhibitionism anyway. Just a little hint of the forbidden, without true danger of someone who shouldn’t actually seeing. Something about Draco and Theo made her think that the two of them would understand.
She climbed into his lap, turning so her back was pressed against his chest. She rolled her hips over his pelvis once, Draco's head smacking against her headboard. As she lifted herself over him, his tip at her entrance, she looked over her shoulder to marvel in the sight of him. She sheathed herself on his cock and his breath caught. Hermione relished in the control she had over his pleasure, riding him backwards, her curls flying in his face.
He came inside of her wet heat and then slumped down into her pillows, pulling her to his chest, his cheek on her shoulder. Deeply inhaling through his nose as though he was attempting to memorise her scent.
Suddenly he pulled back from her embrace with panic writ large on his face. “Oh Fuck! Oh Salazar! I didn’t ask for your consent. I touched your body while you were asleep and I didn’t ask first if you were okay with what I was doing,” Draco was beginning to become hysterical, roughly running his hands through his pale hair repeatedly, panting. He was looking around frantically as though wishing he could apparate out to escape from her, “Pansy and Theo are going to kill me.”
“Malfoy. Malfoy,” Hermione murmured, grabbing his arms, “Draco! Look at me!” she said more forcefully this time. “I joyfully consented. You did nothing wrong. However if you need it, then you have my standing consent to wake me up like that anytime. It was amazing, the best wakeup call I've ever had in fact.”
He caught his breath and looked at her with tears in his eyes, “Are you certain? I didn’t cross any boundaries?”
“Absolutely certain that you did nothing untoward,” Hermione soothed him, running her hands over his hair and back, lightly stroking his cheek, his jaw. “I enjoyed every second of last night and this morning. I hope we’ll do it again. Draco, you were magnificent.”
He turned and put his face into her neck and whispered, “You don't need to lie to me, Granger.”
She murmured to him softly as she continued to stroke his hair, “I’m not lying, Draco. I promise."
**********************
They both dozed for a little while after their early morning coupling. As Hermione shook the heaviness of sleep off, she realised they had shifted as they slept and they were cuddling instead of just resting next to each other. Draco’s head was on her pillows while Hermione’s head rested on his chest. She smiled and looked at the peaceful look on his face as he slumbered, hopefully he'll leave the warm musky scent of him behind. Her face was pressed against his sectumsempra scars and her arm wrapped around his waist, her core pressed into his thigh and her right leg was thrown over his leg. His right hand was on her lower back, fingers spread possessively, the metal of his rings was now warm against her skin, and she smiled because they couldn’t have been more intertwined if they’d been awake and consciously done it.
The long fingers against her skin felt every bit as good as she thought they would as she had stared at them all these years, but especially this year…this summer.
Hermione could hardly believe how everything was just so perfect, her body felt satisfied and replete for the first time since before the war. It was splendid. As she lay there enjoying his hold around her, she came to a few realisations as she was cushioned in the scent of their mingled sweat and heat.
The first being, it's really not a one off. She's shagging Draco Sodding Malfoy now, and cuddling with him in her bed. She wasn’t upset about it either. In fact, it was thrilling to think that she was his first. That of all the people who he could have chosen to sleep with before now, it was her that he’d said yes to. She couldn’t stop the picture grown in her head that only made her chuckle softly into Draco’s skin. How scandalised the rest of the Golden trio would be if they knew the Golden Girl was basking in the afterglow in the arms of the Slytherin Prince.
Speaking of the rest of the trio, oh God, she had a floo call with Harry tonight.
Dropped her head to Draco’s pale lean-muscled chest with a smack of skin to skin and gasped, “Oh fuck.”
As she looked up at him, his eyes had snapped open and met her panicked eyes with ones already turning to stone. All expression drained from his beautiful features as the glazed look of Occlumency set in.
“Regretting this already Granger,” Draco asked hoarsely.
“Knock that off you blonde prat!” Hermione replied, smacking him lightly on the chest and making him jump in surprise, the Occlumency shields falling. “I just remembered I have a floo call with Harry tonight and I am not doing it in the Gryffindor Common room. I want some kind of privacy for what’s certain to be a less than pleasant conversation. I need to send him an owl to let him know. Fuck, I don't want to go all the way to Hagrid's. I want to stay right here.”
“Theo can handle it for you, if you want?” Draco responded, his eyes had quickly warmed back to liquid mercury as she spoke. At her admission of desire to stay right here in his arms, he’d gripped her tighter and a boyish grin flooded his face. He brought his other arm around her waist and used it to shift her so that the most sensitive part of her body was pressed against his hip bone, making her gasp.
Making a soft keening sound Hermione shivered, as Draco guided her body gently against his, causing her pleasure to start to rise again like a tide. “Would he?” She breathed out, as her nipples pebbled against Draco’s skin, drawing a low moan from her throat as he slightly shifted.
Draco laughed, feigning ignorance of Hermione becoming wetter against his skin from his every movement. She, in turn, felt him begin to grow hard next to her leg. “Absolutely. Theo loves to take care of things and people. It's his whole thing. In all honesty, it’s probably a kink of his. McGonagall couldn't have chosen a better Head Boy. Send your patronus and ask him now if you’d like. I'm sure he will check on us soon regardless, probably with another food platter.”
Without dislodging her legs and hips from Draco's body, Hermione reached over and took a slice of cheese and apple, crunching into both with pleasure, even making a little satisfied sound that had Draco’s pulse race and cock throb. Easing herself fully back into his hold, Hermione offered up a piece of green apple that Draco bit with happiness, his lips touching her fingers tantalisingly for only a moment. She leaned up and tasted the tart apple in a gentle kiss, easing her tongue in as he swallowed. Draco groaned into her mouth as he moved to deepen the kiss, pressing more firmly against her.
Without so much as a knock,Theo bounded in, a beaming smile on his face and a platter floating behind him with coffee, tea, and full English breakfast for both of them. “Good morning Dragon. Good morning Princess. I figured you both worked up an appetite,” pausing Theo sniffed the air, “And again this morning, good lad.”
Draco’s face reddened, reaching all the way to the tops of his ears as Theo unabashedly leaned across Hermione’s naked back to kiss the blonde lightly on the lips. “Hm, you're so cute when you blush,” Theo teased, as he nipped at Draco’s lip and pulled back.
Hermione perked up slightly, attempting to turn towards the man behind her. She wished for a kiss from Theo as well, but her confidence faltered when she sought the words and instead just cleared her throat. The other point, of course, being that she was completely naked and this had never happened to her before.
Theo, observant as always, saw her internal struggle and offered a smug smile. “Hmmm, jealous, Hermione?” He teased, making her blush to match Draco.
“All you had to do is ask, Princess,” Theo whispered, coming in close right before kissing her lightly first on the shoulder, then making his way to her jaw, then landing on her lips. Theo’s hand gave a light caress down Draco’s muscled abdomen, stopping just inches from the pale pink shaft that twitched toward Theo’s touch as he continued to gently kiss Hermione. The blonde gave a low groan, so soft Hermione almost missed it as she broke away from Theo.
“Is that all of my kisses?” She asked cheekily, turning more towards Theo, sticking her lower lip out with a fake pout as her eyes sparkled merrily. At first, she covered her breasts with her hands as she turned, but then she dropped them so that Theo was able to see her chest, enjoying the surprised look in his eyes as she did so. Hermione didn’t know what debaucherous spirit had gotten into her, but she found she rather liked it. Trying to find ways to shock Theo Nott speechless could become a full time hobby.
Gripping her hair roughly, Theo pulled her towards him and gave her a long lingering kiss that made her think of the alley in Hogsmeade. She could feel Draco getting fully hard again at her side as he made a low whimper when Theo slowly released Hermione’s curls. She fell back into Draco, whose arms automatically pulled her in closer to him.
As if reading her thoughts, Theo’s smile grew wicked,”Do we need to go get you sugar quills today Hermione?” His finger tip trailed against her bruised lips, causing her to suck in a gasp.
“I think so…Yes?” Hermione replied even more breathlessly from Draco’s hands running over her skin. The light caresses set her veins on fire, as Theo’s eyes lingered on them both hungrily.
“Hmmm,” Theo crossed his arms and tapped his fingers thoughtfully on his forearm, “Eat then. If we are going to walk down to Hogsmeade, you’ll need your strength.” Hermione got the feeling he wasn’t talking about the hike, but she could only nod as her reply. Between Theo's eyes studying her and Draco's hands roaming her body, Hermione had lost the ability to speak.
Draco pulled himself into a sitting position, bringing Hermione up with him. Theo levitated the breakfast tray over them, stretching the legs on it wandlessly with a nonverbal spell so that Draco and Hermione could eat while they sat in the bed. Hermione found herself impressed yet again with Theo’s complete grasp of such advanced magical techniques. She could even admit to slightly being turned on by the display. What had her book called it? A competency kink?
“Theo,” Draco said, sipping his tea. “Hermione needs a favour this morning.”
“Oh? Whatever you need, Princess,” Theo responded, eagerly. “I know it can’t be a sexual favour at the moment, you look positively thoroughly shagged. If I am wrong though, I’ll happily provide some more tangles to those curls.”
Hermione felt the blushed heat on her cheeks instantly, then cleared her throat, “Could you have an owl sent to Harry that he needs to Floo call me here in the Heads Suite and not the Gryffindor common room?”
“Consider it done, Princess,” Theo grinned, not looking the least bit sad that the favour wasnt sexual. He kissed them both on the forehead one more time before, with a flourish only Theo could do, vanishing out the door. Presumably he was off to complete her request, because the sound of the outer door was quickly heard out in the common area.
The couple ate in contented silence for several minutes, each of them pausing to feed each other with their fingers, each making a show of licking and nipping the other as they sampled food from the other’s hand. And when the tray was nearly empty, Hermione levitated it to the floor to avoid making a mess of her bed.
Draco turned to her with heat in his eyes. “Care for another round?” Draco asked, his fingers running along her cheek, “or was Theo right and you are too thoroughly shagged to go one more time this morning?”
Biting her lip, Hermione smiled up into his silver eyes, “Oh,” she replied, little puffs of air leaving her lips “I think," she ran the tip of her finger along his pecs, "I might be able to find the ability to tolerate a bit more pleasure in me.” Smiling with nearly feral glee, Draco took her lips with his in a rough passionate kiss, laying her flat against the bed as he crawled on top of her.
***********************
As Pansy strode single-mindedly towards Cordelia’s office, she wondered if she had damaged her case before the Wizengamot by not coming often enough to individual counselling sessions. Reaching forward to knock on the door, Pansy attempted to shove down her anxiety and was surprised as the door opened before her hand could reach it.
Smiling brightly, Luna Lovegood looked at Pansy with a slight tilt in her head as she studied her ex-girlfriend. “Good morning flower.”
“Good morning Luna,” Pansy smiled in return, kissing the blonde’s cheek with reverence.
“After your session, would you fancy having lunch with just me?” Luna asked, “It has been far too long since we spent time together, just the two of us and I greatly miss you, my flower.”
Pansy easily agreed, “Far too long. I want to hear all about how things are going with Blaise. In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him as smitten with a witch as he is with you.”
“I will reveal all that's been hidden in that regard,” Luna promised, “You know secrets from my friends aren’t really my style, if they are interested.”
Luna told Pansy that they could meet next to the greenhouse after Pansy had finished her therapy session. She let the raven haired witch know that she’d ask the elves to prepare a picnic for them to have. They said their goodbyes and once again Pansy was faced with the door that she’d been pointedly avoiding, knowing that it was futile to do so any longer.
Pansy had hardly knocked when Cordelia’s voice sounded on the other side, giving her permission to enter. "Pansy, right on time."
"Look, Healer Cordelia, I know you're submitting a form for my trial about our sessions."
“I’ll also be testifying,” Cordelia shared and nodded for her to continue.
"And I don't want to end up in Azkaban."
"I don't believe you belong in Azkaban, Pansy."
"And so, I'm here–” Pansy couldn’t help but pause at that, after a moment’s silence she looked up into the kind face of her healer with shock. “You, don't?" She asked, even though she shouldn’t be, she found herself surprised by the healer’s words.
"No, I don't. You never, under your own free will, worked as a snatcher. You also were forced to bear witness to horrors that a girl your age should never have seen. And to be completely frank with you, as a mind healer and with all my credentials, I find the fact that they are holding trials against you and the other children to be absolutely appalling. Needless to say, I’m on your side, Pansy."
"That's, well, yeah…" Pansy looked at Cordelia, grateful again that the Mind Healer really seemed to want to help without getting anything in return. Not that it didn’t seem bloody odd to Pansy, because just like most Pureblood children, Pansy wasn’t used to the adults in her life just wanting what was best for her and not having any ulterior motive. Her parents had pushed for her brother to become a political figure to help bolster their family name and she was to be married off to some prestigious Pureblood husband: someone with deep pockets and their own power to gain from the union.
"So, Pansy, if both of our goals are to keep you out of Azkaban, why don’t you tell me about your father and what he threatened you with to force you into being a snatcher. I need you to be as honest as possible and include implied threats as well as ones he stated verbally." Cordelia had her Quick Quotes Quill working behind them. “Pansy, I need to know everything that happened, everything that you saw. The written record has to reflect how you were feeling when everything was happening, so don’t hold back.”
“Everything?” Pansy asked, haltingly.
“Everything,” Cordelia repeated, steepling her fingers, her eyes were kind and trustworthy and Pansy just sent up a prayer that she wouldn’t come to regret this.
Biting her nails unconsciously, Pansy nodded and then slowly at first, began to talk.
**********
The early Scottish afternoon was sunny and warm, and perhaps would stay that way long enough for Hermione and Theo to scurry down from the Castle to the village on the well worn path that several other students and staff were walking along on the fine day. After finally dragging herself away from Draco and the comforts of her bed, Hermione had decided on wearing a soft yellow sundress with a ruffle around the bottom hem that just reached her knees. She had high stockings that went over her knees, so only a tantalising inch or so of skin could be seen.
The way Theo’s eyes had raked over her body when she’d emerged to find him standing in their common room waiting on her was Theo’s way to let Hermione know that she’d chosen well for the day. She even admitted to Theo shyly that the praise from himself, Draco, and Pansy over her looks had helped boost her confidence, which made Theo crave to do it even more often. He was wearing his favourite “Knocktyrnal Nyghtmare” shirt, he had several from the squib band, and black trousers with his boots.
Despite Hermione dressed like sunshine and Theo attired in his usual black, the Head Boy and Head Girl attracted very little attention from the other Hogwarts students, who assumed that they were going to Hogsmeade under orders from the Headmistress. Seeing Cormac McLaggen give Hermione a lewd glance as he passed them going back towards Hogwarts, Theo barely leashed his desire to cover her with possessive touches to let the men he saw looking at her know that she had partners, that she was …What the bloody hell? Was he having possessive thoughts? About Hermione? He didn’t do that…
This whole train of thought left him feeling horribly uncomfortable. His partners had always been able to do and see whoever they wanted without him feeling – jealousy. He internally shuddered at the word. Why did he feel like he needed to restrict the entanglements of Hermione? What about her called up his sense of possessiveness? Were his needs not being met? Sexually, he was only lacking a few specific types of play, but his needs were satisfied in that regard. No, Draco and Pansy had seen to that. He hadn't felt this way this morning as Hermione laid curled up with Draco, freshly shagged. No, in fact, he'd felt even more drawn to her. When she and Pansy touched or when he watched them cuddled asleep in Hermione’s room, Theo just felt contentment, like everything was right in the world. Why did a creep like McLaggen leering at her make him want to pull Hermione into his arms and growl? He really needed to get a grip on himself.
As they came into Hogsmeade, Hermione made a bee-line into Honeydukes. She strolled in picking up several different flavours of sugar quills, as well as chocolates for Pansy and a few apple fritters for Draco. Again, Theo was struck at how happy seeing her thoughtfulness for the other two made him.
Theo breathed deeply inside the sweets store, it reminded him of slightly more innocent periods of his life, not that his father had ever allowed him to be truly innocent. The unfettered joy the first time he had ever been able to come here with Draco, Blaise, Vince, and Greg filled his heart for a moment. Now Vince was dead without even a body to mourn and Greg might as well be. Theo hadn’t seen him in days and Blaise said he wasn’t leaving the dorm room that he’d claimed and just had the elves bringing him food. The kids they had all been were long since gone.
He missed those carefree days sometimes, but looking over at Hermione as she grinned and read through all the labels in the fizzing candy section, Theo realised that he wouldn’t go back in time for anything. He stepped closer into her space and wrapped an arm around her waist; especially when he was so close to having so many of his desires filled.
After they paid for their purchases at Honeydukes, Theo suggested that they stop at the Three broomsticks for lunch and Hermione happily consented. In the short walk across the street, Theo smirked as he felt her hand brushing against his, as if the thought of grabbing it was playing in her mind. Theo made it easier on her and entwined their fingers all the way into the pub.
They found a booth and sat together on the same side looking out at the room, still holding onto each other's hand. Theo revelled at the feel of her thigh pressed against his, it reminded him of the first night at camp when Draco had pressed his thigh to Theo’s in the Great Hall and it felt like time had stopped.
Attempting to distract himself from the direction his thoughts were going, Theo ordered himself a fire whiskey and her a butterbeer as they sat, waiting to be able to order food. The pub was quite full and the servers were running to and fro throughout the place. Once their drinks arrived, they drank in companionable silence as they waited for their server to return so they could order more than their liquor for the meal.
Suddenly Hermione let out a startled exhalation, because Theo’s hand was on her thigh, inching towards her core under the table. He bunched up the hem of her skirt slowly and carefully to try to get access to her sweet centre. “Are you a good girl, Hermione? Can I play with you?”
“Yes, yes,” Hermione gasped, her eyes searching for him and Theo could see the worries behind her gaze. “Others will hear me though-ooo,” right as Theo’s fingers found the soft centre of her soaked knickers and he hummed appreciatively.
Moving her knickers to the side, Theo slid his fingers inside her vagina, enjoying the way its walls gripped his finger. Her body shuddered, but he simply carried on drinking with his left hand and with his right giving the best pleasure possible. Theo pressed his thumb into her clit as he expertly thrust two fingers inside of her causing her thighs to tremble, her hands gripping the edge of their table and her knuckles turning white.
“That's a good girl,” Theo whispered, “That’s my good girl.” Hermione bit her lip in a desperate attempt to not cry out in front of a room full of pub goers. She dropped her hands to clench her thighs, her fingers digging into her flesh. Theo smiled innocently at her as she glared at him, her chest heaving, and her wetness coating his fingers and the wooden bench beneath her.
He kept up a frantic pace with his fingers, adding a third within her, until he felt her clench and flutter around his intrusion. The tension in her body disappeared and she let out a long sigh of release.
Smiling as though nothing untoward had just occurred, Theo called out to Neville, who was drinking a butterbeer alone at the bar, to join them for lunch.
As Neville sat down with them, Theo lifted his hand to his mouth and licked his fingers to clean them off. Hermione squeaked in embarrassment and barely restrained herself from covering her face with her hands.
"Spilled something," Theo responded to Neville when the other man raised his eyebrow at Theo.
“So,” Neville said, sipping the Butterbeer, “Dean and Seamus said I probably made a good call leaving truth or dare, and that it got a little wild, but wouldn’t tell me what happened. Anything you two want to tell me about?”
Theo smiled, as he discovered he liked Dean and Seamus even more. Seamus calling him “mate” last night and being actually concerned for his emotional wellbeing had given Theo the exciting knowledge that he had actually made friends outside of Slytherin, in Gryffindor no less. The future really was looking rather bright.
“No,” Theo said smiling, “but I do want to hear all about how it's going with Abbott.”
Neville grinned back and launched into it. Hermione slowly sipped her butterbeer next to them and was uncharacteristically quiet, but Neville didn’t seem to notice. Theo couldn’t help but let his eyes wander to the blush on her cheeks, the sparkle in her eye, those chocolate curls. That strange possessive urge whispered to him again: Mine, Ours. Before he could think better of it, he put his hand on her knee under the table and squeezed, keeping his eyes on Neville and his face neutral.
Hermione had him feeling so out of control. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or hated it.
*********
“Honey, I am home,” Theo sang as he threw open the door to their shared suite. The totes with wine and sweets tinkled as he restored them to full size. He looked around, shocked to find no one lounging on the couches or chairs near the fireplace.
“Huh,” Theo said as he wandered into his room to look for either the witch or the wizard in there. He was shocked when he found Draco cradling his head in his hands, clearly having a panic attack.
“Theo! Omg! I forgot to cast the spell!” The blonde nearly shouted as he looked up to see Theo standing in the doorway.
“What spell, Draco?”
“The contraceptive spell, Theo. I came inside of her three times, maybe four, between last night and this morning. And I forgot the bloody spell like some randy teenager!”
Theo inclined his head with respect towards his lover and laughed lightly “First of all, you are a randy teenager. Second of all, It's Granger, Draco. She's not going to accidentally fall pregnant.”
“But what if …” Draco trailed off.
“Look, if you're worried just go ask her. Actually, I'll ask her,” Theo sighed, going back into the common area with Draco following closely behind him. “Granger, Draco is having a small freak out about the fact that he didn’t cast a contraceptive charm. You’re good, right?”
Having grabbed one of the books from Cordelia from her bedroom, Hermione didn't even look up from her book, Blending Your Potion: Finding Harmony in a Multi-Partner Home when she answered. “I'm on the muggle pill. It's like the potion, but I don't have to share my business with Madam Pomfrey, just my muggle GP.”
“Thank Merlin.” Draco breathed, resting his head between Theo’s shoulder blades.
“Thank Dr. Singh actually,” Hermione looked up smiling. Theo couldn’t help it and began to laugh, doubling over from the force of the joy that he was unable to contain within him.
*********************************
Hermione was so nervous about the floo call that she poured herself a double shot of firewhisky and sipped at it slowly. She just needed to take the edge off, not be intoxicated. Theo had had the presence of mind at lunch to let Neville know that if Harry floo called the Gryffindor common room, to let him know that Hermione was in the Heads Dorm, which had been good because all of Hermione’s concentration had been on the wetness between her thighs and not letting her hands shake on her butterbeer. She'd never thought she was too much of one for public or semi-public sex, but then again she also never thought she'd be wanting to pursue a thing with three other people.
Harry’s face appeared in the Floo right on time and Hermione couldn't help but feel grateful to Theo for sending that owl early enough.
“Hey Hermione.”
“Hi Harry.” Well this was bloody awkward, Hermione thought, as she settled in front of the fireplace.
“So um,” Harry’s face in the flames ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up even more than usual. “I saw the Prophet article…”
“Pretty sure that everyone did, Harry,” Hermione snarked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Yeah. Yeah so.” Harry stammered, “I know that you weren’t cheating on Ron.”
“Ron knows I wasn't cheating on him either. I have no idea why he would say such a thing publicly like that.”
“You know how Ron gets, Hermione, he gets angry, but he’ll come around. You just need to be ready to apologise when he does.”
“Excuse me! What exactly do I need to apologise for, Harry? Enlighten me.” Hermione could feel her magic start to crackle under her skin. She was so tired of all the work in her friendships being her responsibility.
“You just need to forgive Ron, alright. You know how he is, he just lashes out when he's upset and doesn't mean any of it. If you just apologise, we can all move forward and go back to being best friends. It's okay that you weren't ready to take that next step with him, not everyone is ready for sex at our age and that's totally okay.” Hermione was stunned, shocked for just a moment at Harry's words. They didn't surprise her, but she could still feel her magic pulsing inside her as her temper grew.
The sting of tears behind her eyes made her bite her trembling lip and she tried to keep her voice calm. "Harry James Potter, it may surprise you to know that–" but before she could continue, it seemed Theo had decided she'd had enough privacy for her call.
Theo threw the door open with a bang so loud that Harry heard as he tried looking over Hermione's shoulder to see who had interrupted them. “Honey I'm home,” came Theo's sing-song voice that made her laugh despite the bubbling anger she felt. Hermione looked up and saw Draco filing in right behind Theo.
“Granger, are you here?” Draco called out, then seeing her at the Floo, he grimaced.
“What was that noise?” Harry asked, concern laced in his voice.
Theo walked over and made a show of kissing Hermione's cheek in the middle of her call, causing her to blush. As he tucked a curl behind her ear, she couldn’t help thinking of how those fingers that had been inside of her just a few hours ago.
“Oh, you're still talking to Saint Potter,” Draco scowled, but Hermione was pleased to see that his Occlumency walls were still down as he made his way to sit in the chair closest to her.
“Nott? Malfoy? What the hell are you doing there?” Harry growled at the other two men.
“Harry! Ah, out taking down more evil bastards?” Theo grinned, maliciously as he rocked on his heels. “Why meeeee?" He let his tone fluctuate, making Hermione shake her head at the brunette. "I'm Head Boy, so the devastatingly lovely Ms Granger is my roommate. Though, I could be getting more head now that I think about it." His musings had a flush creeping up Draco's neck, making Hermione curse inwardly at the want flooding her from the sight. One night in Draco's arms was all it took to get her hooked it seemed. Draco was just carved elegance and grace, Hermione was more than ready for another taste of his devotion and worship in the bedroom. She tried to use Theo being ridiculous to get herself under control, but she felt dangerously close to weeping.
******************
Crossing his legs so that he looked more relaxed than he really was, Draco schooled his features as Potter kept glancing at him. While Theo took the piss out of The Boy Who Wouldn’t Die, Draco finally let his eyes drift to the little witch on the floor next to him. A fury built up in him as Draco noted that she was almost in tears and her entire body was trembling.
Draco flexed his hand as he tried to calm himself, but as a single tear broke free from Granger’s lashes, he broke.
“Do you enjoy the taste of cock?” Theo was asking when Draco jumped from his seat. “I enjoy giving as much as I enjoy getting–”
“What the fuck did you do to her Potter!” Draco shouted at the floating head in the hearth. “She was fine when I left her here and then she talks to you and now she is nearly in tears!”
“What do you mean when you left her!?” Potter’s voice sounded like his temper was getting the better of him, but Draco didn’t care. He’d made Granger upset.
“Answer the question, Potter. Why is she upset now, when she wasn’t prior to you calling her?” Draco sneered, moving so that he was settled protectively next to Granger on the ground, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“She's probably upset because you just walked into her room, Malfoy! Get your hands off her!”
“Draco, calm down,” a soft voice whispered next to him, “I'll be fine.”
With all his attention on Granger, Draco hadn’t even noticed how eerily quiet Theo had become. The normally vivacious man only got this still for one reason and that was when he was nearing his boiling point. Draco didn’t care though, if Theo was let loose on Potter, all the better. The wanker had upset Granger and he deserved everything that was coming to him and more.
“Draco?! Why are you calling him Draco? Mione, what's going on!? When did you get on a first name basis–”
“Will you stop calling me that stupid nickname, Harry Potter!” The witch shrieked, shocking the three young men with her outburst. “I've told you a thousand times I hate it, yet you and everyone else just keep using it, ignoring my wishes! And Draco,” as Potter opened his mouth to interrupt, Granger cut him off, slicing her hand through the air. “Oh no, you listen to me Harry James Potter, Draco has been staying in this room with Theo since we first arrived. He, Pansy, and Theo have been nothing but wonderful to me, And he's been nothing but kind and I will not have you looking down on him for actions that he had no choice in!”
“What did you just say about Parkinson?”
“Shut up Harry! Now, like I said, they've been NOTHING but wonderful to me. They actually hear what I say, they notice things about me that you, as my best friend, should have seen long ago!” Granger was fighting to hold back tears and Draco wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest to comfort both of them.
“Mione…,” Potter trailed off like the imbecile Draco knew him to be.
“DON'T CALL ME THAT!,” Granger screamed, leaning forwards holding her wand out, pointing it towards the fireplace. “And I'll have you know, I haven't been a virgin since fourth year!”
As Potter’s mouth dropped open and sputtering sounds came out of it, Granger waved her wand and ended the call.
“So, fourth year huh?” Theo inquired, his chin in his palm, as he sat in the chair Draco had vacated.
“Not now Theo,” Draco growled, letting his face fall into Granger’s hair and breathing her in.
“Curious minds, curious minds.”
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Draco asked, holding her closer and smiling as he felt her body relaxing against him.
Granger sighed, her eyes drifting close, “it's all the things I've said in the group. None of it is new to you. It just sucks, I guess. That my supposed best friend would be so blinded to what I'm dealing with and Harry just thinks I'm not a sexual being, but I definitely need to just forgive Ron because I know how he gets.”
Theo spoke up, “Well that just shows his glasses aren't thick enough, because darling, you're one of the sexiest,” he dropped to the floor to join Draco and Granger. Theo leaned his body against them and nipped at her ear. “Most delectable,” the brunette’s mouth travelled down, lightly sucking her neck. “Fucking stunning witches I've ever laid eyes on,” Theo’s voice was muffled against her skin, but Draco could feel the sexual tension rising between the three of them on the floor with the limbs tangled.
*****************
Theo wasn’t a fool, he knew exactly what he was doing when he’d leaned into Hermione while she was perched on Draco’s lap after that cluster fuck of a floo call. He felt her body starting to react to him and he could feel the way that she was already leaning into Draco, drawing strength and comfort from the blonde. Theo rubbed circles on her arms, soothing her with touch in a way that he often did for Draco.
“Hermione, let's go out to the balcony for a bit.”
“O-ok,” She whispered, and allowed him to pull her up into his arms.
“Accio Spliff,” Theo summoned the last of Neville’s gifts, putting his hand into the air to grab it as it flew out from its hiding place in the kitchenette.
“What is that?” Hermione asked, “A hand rolled cigarette?”
“Nooooooo,” Theo admitted sheepishly, “it's marijuana.”
Hermione’s eyebrows climbed towards her hairline and then she started laughing. “That’s what you were smoking by the Black Lake the other day with Neville! I thought you were all sharing a secret and I didn’t understand it. That makes so much more sense.”
Theo smiled warmly, enjoying the sound of her laugh. She sounded so free, so happy.
“I’ve…um…never smoked before.”
“You don’t have to, but it does take the edge off. It might make you feel a little better.” Theo offered, honestly wiggling the spliff in the air. It would probably be better than if she drank herself blind tonight, looking at the large glass of fire whiskey she had poured herself and forgot. "You can try one hit and if it's not your thing, you never have to do it again."
Hermione let out a nervous breath and nodded her head in agreement. She followed Theo out onto the balcony with Draco following behind her. Draco's hand lingering on Hermione’s lower back as the three went out into the cool Scottish evening to get Hermione Granger stoned for the first time.
*************************
“I just don’t think it's fair that it's always my job to forgive everyone, why do I always have to be the bigger person,” Hermione complained, taking a long draw of the spliff, before handing it off to Theo. She let out a cough as she exhaled after holding the smoke in her lungs longer than they approved of. “Why can't other people take responsibility for their actions? And try to make amends over what they have done or said?”
Theo inhaled from the spliff and grabbed Hermione’s face, kissing her and then when she opened her mouth in surprise, he blew the smoke into her mouth. He smiled at her as she blushed when he released her. Turning then to Draco, taking a drag and doing the same thing, the blonde was sitting with his legs kicked out in front of him propped up on his elbows. Draco was ready for the smoke to be blown in his mouth, as Theo and he had done this for much longer than they had been kissing even.
“Cordelia told me that we aren’t obligated to forgive our abusers,” Theo offered.
“I don’t know that they are my …abusers,” Hermione began.
Draco interrupted, “Weasley is absolutely abusive towards you Hermione. He belittled you publicly, tried to pressure you into sleeping with him and wanted to know everyone you spoke or wrote to, giving you no privacy! And what about when he called you names and made you cry at the Yule Ball? Someone doesn’t have to hit you to abuse you.” He plucked the spliff from Theo’s fingers and took a long drag himself before holding it out to Hermione, who accepted taking her own hit.
“The Yule Ball...Draco…how did you know about that?” Hermione inquired, looking at the now flushed blonde as the smoke billowed out of her mouth.
“Draco wasn’t the only Slytherin to notice how beautiful you looked that night, Hermione.” Theo interjected, trying to prevent Draco from fleeing in the face of the potential to reveal the extent of his longing for her, “And Weaselbee was horribly loud when he yelled at you. Actually, is he always so loud?” Theo mused for a moment looking out at the view provided by the balcony.
“Oh.” Hermione seemed to shrink and Theo kicked himself, they were out here trying to make her feel better not worse. “Yes, I suppose he is rather loud.”
“What you were saying before still holds true,” Theo said.
“What?”
“You shouldn’t have to always be the bigger person, the one to hold everything together.” Theo said, sucking in more of the intoxicating smoke before handing it off to Draco who eagerly accepted. “You deserve people who will admit when they are wrong and try to make it up to you and most importantly work on their own issues. I think it's telling that both the Boy Who Lived and the Ginger Menace skipped out on doing the real work by coming here this summer.”
Hermione laughed in spite of herself and shook her head when Draco went to pass the spliff back to her again. Draco handed the spliff off to Theo, who held it between two fingers, watching as Draco pulled Hermione into his embrace.
“Granger, you are so wonderful,” Draco whispered into her hair, “Such a good girl, my good girl.” She purred in Draco’s touch and melted into his embrace, pressing her face into his neck. Draco’s hands ran up and down her back, trying to comfort her as he moulded her against his body. Theo watched as her movements became sensual, her hips rolling towards Draco, her back arching. Theo came up behind her, pressing his arousal into her back sliding his hands over her body down her stomach, and gripping her hips. Draco responded eagerly to Theo’s intrusion, giving Theo free reign and moving his hands up into Hermione’s hair, and bringing his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. Hermione reacted with equal fervour to their touches; her arse pushing back into Theo, pressing her breasts into Draco’s chest. The three of them moaned simultaneously.
“Oh!” Hermione seemed to come to herself, “What if someone hears us?”
“There are privacy charms on this balcony,” Theo murmured as he licked and nibbled along her neck, “old and elaborate ones. We could do all kinds of things out here and no one would ever see or hear us, but it is rather cold. Draco!”
“Yes Theo?”
“I'm taking Granger inside, come in too and close the door behind us.”
“Of course, Theo.” Draco gave Hermione one last deep kiss, and then stepped back to do as Theo asked. Salazar, how obedient Draco could be, it was so hot. If Hermione’s arse hadn’t already gotten him hard as rock, Draco’s ability to follow his directions would have done. As it was Theo’s cock twitched in his trousers as he felt Draco moving behind him.
Theo pulled Hermione back into the common room, never stopping kissing her, his hands running up and down her body in an attempt to keep her present, keep her embracing pleasure, not letting her live in the past nor worry about the future.
**************
“Hermione, do you like to be spanked?” Theo whispered against her skin as he rid her of the dress she’d been wearing that day, leaving her standing before him and Draco in just her knickers and tall thigh high stockings. Draco smirked as he realised she’d not worn a bra that day, her perfect nipples pebbling already, making Theo lick his lips at the sight as well.
“I have no idea, no one's ever done that to me.” She stuttered slightly, but Theo could tell that it was from anticipation as she rubbed her thighs together, seeking out the friction she needed, and as Draco watched Theo’s eyes darkened with desire.
Theo’s smile became wicked as he enjoyed watching her, “Shall we try it and see if you like it?” At Hermione’s nod, “Now get on the couch on all fours and we are going to take good care of you. You want that, don't you, to be our good girl? You want Draco and I to make you feel all better?”
“Y-yes Theo, please-please.” She replied, her eyes shining. Theo gently stroked her cheek, his thumb gliding across her skin. Draco admired the way Theo’s bronze hand shone against Granger’s olive cheeks. The warmth of their skin tones was in such a contrast to his own fair complexion. He couldn’t wait to touch them, both of them.
“Alright, then get up on all fours now. What a good girl, listening so well.” The last was said in a forceful voice that had Draco’s cock twitching. Salazar, he hoped Theo started ordering him about as well, he wanted desperately to be Theo’s good boy.
“Draco, put all your rings on your left hand so you can spank Hermione with your right." Theo came up behind Draco, running his hands down his arms as he spoke. "Those rings will leave bruises on her perfect little arse and we don’t want to hurt her too much her first time. Let’s work up to that, shall we? Now Draco, slide down Granger’s knickers. Oh yes good boy.” He nipped Draco's ear after giving Draco the praise, and the moan from Draco rumbled through his entire chest.
Draco preened under Theo’s compliment. His face felt hot, and his veins were on fire. “I’m supposed to make her cum with my mouth twice though before I get anywhere near her with my cock.”
Kissing Draco’s lower back lingeringly, Theo laughed and nipped Draco’s hip bone, “I assume that lovely bit of advice was from Pansy? What a dear she is. But not to worry, Dragon. She came all over my fingers in the middle of the Three Broomsticks at lunch, and I’m certain her cunt is still dripping wet. Isn’t that right Hermione?” Theo was walking around looking at Hermione and Draco from every angle as he instructed them. His eyes never left them, his dilated pupils scanning every inch.
Hermione moaned in response, which had Theo nodding, “I need you to use your words Princess.”
“Yes, yes Theo,” Hermione moaned, “I am still very, very wet.” Theo stroked her face as he walked past her and smiled down knowingly.
“Draco, take off your pants, but unbutton your shirt and leave it on.”
“Yes, Theo,” Draco acquiesced, used to following Theo’s directives,. As soon as Draco was done, Theo came over and ran a hand over Draco's abs before dropping his hand to give Draco's cock a squeeze, swiping the pre-cum up with his thumb. Theo turned away from Draco and moved to do the same, losing his pants and underwear and moving forward so that Hermione could see his thick hard cock in front of her face.
“Would you like to take me in your mouth, Princess?” Theo asked, looking down at the brunette whose wild curls fell over her back.
“Yes,” Hermione whispered and then moaned loudly as Draco leaned forward and licked and nipped at her thigh. He licked a long stripe down her centre and bit once hard enough that Hermione trembled on her knees and made a sound that sent primitive possessive thoughts running through Draco’s mind.
Standing back up, He held himself at his base and rubbed the tip of his hard cock against her folds, using her slick to ease himself inside of her. They both moaned then, Draco throwing his head back and closing his eyes.
When Draco opened them, Theo held his cock in front of Hermione’s face and she offered little kitten licks to the tip and then opened wide to take him into her mouth. She hollowed her cheeks and Theo hissed in pleasure.
“Very well done, I’m not surprised. You excel at everything darling.” Theo gasped and gripped her hair with left hand guiding her mouth deeper onto his thick shaft. “Draco, now lightly spank our Golden Girl with your right hand. That’s good. Now harder. Harder yet. Oh there you go,” Hermione moaned around Theo’s cock on that last impact and the vibrations had Theo gripping at her roots so tightly that a few hairs came out.
“I can feel…her…body…react around my…cock each time that I spank her,” Draco breathed raggedly.
“Yes my love,” Theo smiled, running his right hand through Draco’s hair and leaning in for a kiss, “that’s the entire idea. Well Hermione it would appear that you do indeed like spanking. Shall we add it to your kink list? Draco, do give her another, this one hard enough to leave a nice red,” Smack! “Hand print.” Theo hummed at the bright red mark that Draco had left behind, such a good student.
Draco began thrusting frantically as he looked down at his handy work, the mark of his hand on her perfect olive arse. The entire view in front of him was distilled debauchery. Granger had on those thigh high stockings and nothing else, her curls flowing down her back, her swotty mouth wrapped around Theo’s fucking perfect cock. He had to close his eyes or he was going to…
“I’m going to come,” Draco gasped out.
“Ah that’s good,” Theo breathed, “Hermione, would you like Draco to come inside you or on your back, my darling?”
She pulled herself off Theo’s cock with a pop, “Inside me please, Draco, please.” Her begging was breathy as Draco’s thrusts became more erratic. “Yes, yes, yes!” She chanted as the slapping sound in the room became even louder.
Draco moaned and his hip shuddered as he thrust as deeply as he could and then pushed his thumb against her clit and made tiny circles until Hermione was moaning around Theo’s cock with the strength of her own orgasm.
“Hermione, I’m going to fuck you now, if thats alright with you?” Theo whispered reverently, pulling the breathless woman up for a rough passionate kiss and she whispered a shaky but enthusiastic response. It seemed she was beginning to become used to Theo’s constant requirement of affirmative consent.
Draco slid from Hermione’s body and watched his cum drip out of her swollen lips. His blood sang with the knowledge that he had filled her, made her cum. Him. Draco Malfoy. And now the man he loved more than anyone - Theo was going to do the same. They were sharing a witch, and not just any witch, the one with those honey eyes and the brightest mind. Merlin, he had wanted her for so very long. Thank the gods his father would not hear about this. This was a dream and nightmare all rolled up into one. Draco pushed the anxiety to the side and just decided to bask in the pleasure of the most erotic view he could imagine.
Theo pulled Hermione up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he lined up his cock with her opening and buried himself to the hilt. Draco watched with wide eyes as Theo’s eyes fluttered shut, and he couldn’t resist himself, and leaned over Hermione’s back and deeply kissed the brunette man. Theo’s eyes fluttered open as Draco pulled back, the smug look on his face made Draco’s heart flutter. Merlin, he loved this man. He was so bloody fit too. There was something of the divine about Theodore Nott.
“Sweet Fucking Circe, Hermione, you feel so bloody good around my cock. So fucking wet with Draco’s cum inside you. He certainly made you so swollen and ready for me, didn’t he?” Theo said, turning his full attention back onto the witch seated on his cock. “I’m not going to last long, darling. It's been a very long time since I have been inside a woman and I’ve wanted to have you for such a long time.”
Draco’s eyes widened as Theo, always so much braver than him, confessed things that were true for the two of them, his honesty making Hermione cry out in pleasure. What would she do if he told her how long he’d wanted her, all of the things he wanted to do to her? But no, he couldn’t burden her. If he didn’t go to Azkaban, if he was so lucky then and only then would he tell her how he felt about her and for how long.
Draco cock sprang back to life watching Theo lifting Hermione in his lap and then slamming her back down on him. Draco quickly palmed his dick, and wanked. He moved so that he was standing next to the couple fucking and let his ropes of cum arc on Hermione's tits and on Theo’s pecs. And the sight of the streams of his hot white seed on Hermione’s dusky skin sent Theo over the edge. His pace became frenetic. He gripped Hermiones hips so hard she would certainly have bruises.
“Hermione, cum for me. Please. please darling. Can I fill you too? Can I mix my cum with Draco’s inside your hot wet cunt? Please please?”
“Yes, Theo, Yes!” Hermione sobbed, tears running down her face as her body tensed and shuddered in Theo’s grasp. “Fill me, oh my God, you feel so good inside me!” Theo bit down on her neck as his hips pounded into her body until the relentless rhythm was ended with one final jerk of his hips.
Draco gasped as Theo did a wandless nonverbal extension charm making the couch thrice as wide, then grabbed Draco and Hermione and pulled them both into the cushions with him as he caught his breath.
“Theo,” Hermione panted, “You are bloody impressive.”
Theo wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his left side and positioned Draco on his right, his right hand tangling into Draco’s hair and massaging his scalp drawing a satisfied sigh from the blonde. “Thank you, Princess. Would it be my prowess with magic or with my cock that earned me that complement?”
The way Hermione’s eyes were smiling and laughing made Draco’s heart soar. She wasn’t sad about that stupid git anymore. She was here with him and Theo and for right now, at least, she was happy. No thoughts of the Astronomy Tower, no sorrow, just pleasure and delight.
“A bit of both, if I am perfectly honest,” she giggled and snuggled into Theo’s arms, reaching over to stroke Draco’s forearm where she could easily reach him, “You boys got me knackered.”
Theo gazed down into Hermione’s eyes and asked, “Why don’t you sleep in my room with us tonight, Hermione?”
Notes:
Thanks to the goddesses on the alpha/beta team.
Chapter 15: I Want To Be Free
Notes:
Chapter 15
I want to be free
Songs: Dirty Thoughts - Chloe Adams
Send Me Off - Bastill
Chapter Text
Peeking out one eye, the glow of the morning was a different hue than the normal pinks that filtered into Hermione’s room every morning. The enchanted blue and green window glass made the light shining in cast an almost aquatic glow over the room. Hermione had obviously heard from Ron and Harry that the Slytherin common room was located under the lake, but they’d described it as creepy. If Theo’s room was anything to go by, Hermione begged to differ. There was a strange peace that came in this unusual glow that made the weight of the world’s problems not feel so heavy when first waking up.
The warmth on her skin reminded Hermione that she was naked, curled in the Head Boy’s bed with his two partners. She could sense the distinct feel of Draco’s lean body behind her, amazed by how quickly she was able to differentiate him from any others who were occupying the bed.
There was something unique about his heat or was it his magic? Could she sense his power? All the time she’d slept next to Ron, Harry, even Ginny, and she’d never felt anything like this with them. What an unnerving thought…that the heat he exuded was his magical potential, like a furnace inside of him.
Allowing her eyes to flutter fully open, Hermione was pleasantly surprised to find that she was on her side facing the door and Pansy. Hermione easily saw the pretty raven-haired witch’s appeal as she stretched her arms above her head, trying to not disturb the still sleeping occupants of the bed. The other witch was face to face with her; Pansy was still sound asleep, her little puffs of breath coming out steadily. Hermione’s eyes drifted down and saw that Pansy’s hand was resting on her waist, and even further down their bodies, that their legs were tangled. Hermione had to bite her lip as her eyes now travelled over Pansy’s still form finding that she had worn a black lacy cami and matching knickers. She looked elegant even in her sleep.
Hermione ached to rub her thighs together as she realised that she was getting wet watching the raven haired woman sleeping in front of her. She suppressed a groan when she realised that Pansy’s thigh was so close to being against her naked core, a breath away from giving her the friction that she was desperate for. A gasp slipped from her lips as she began to grasp the fact that Pansy had cuddled her naked, that her breasts were fully on display to the other girl. The sound had caused Pansy to lethargically open one eye.
“Well, good morning Hermione,” Pansy’s easy smile slowly morphed into a feral grin as her eyes flickered over Hermione’s nude form, “I’m glad to see that you’re still here. I spent most of the night with Luna, then I came back to find my dreams had come true. You, naked in bed, between Draco and Theo, all just waiting for me to join.”
Hermione tried turning her face into the pillow, in a poor attempt to hide her blush. “Don’t be shy. I cannot tell you,” Pansy said, shifting closer so that her lips brushed Hermione’s shoulder. ”How happy I am,” a kiss against Hermione’s collarbone had her cunt clenching against nothing. ”That you finally fell into bed,” Hermione gasped at the soft lips against her neck, “with my boys.” Pansy was at Hermione’s exposed jaw line now as her face was still hidden in the pillow, “and that you were still in bed when I got here.” Pansy gripped Hermione’s chin, pulling her out of her hiding spot, and kissed her deeply. She utilised Hermione’s next surprised gasp to slide her tongue past the Head Girl’s lips. “Do you like this, you pretty little minx?”
“Mmmhmm, but I’ve never kissed a witch before.”
“Is that so? Hm, I do deeply enjoy being first.” Their nipples touched and Pansy hissed in pleasure. “Good girl Hermione,” Pansy gripped her chin, “now open your legs for me.” Hermione’s legs fell open, obeying with a whimper as Pansy put her leg more forcefully between her thighs. Pansy peppered her neck with kisses, while she traced her tongue over all the marks on her body that the boys had left the night before. As Pansy went, she added her own bites and bruises as she explored Hermione’s skin. The curly-haired brunette mewled from the attention that the other witch bestowed on her, feeling different than any of the boys she’d ever been with. Pansy was all softness, velvet skin, and silken touches, but her mouth gave sharp pain that had Hermione gasping for more.
Hermione kept grinding against Pansy’s thigh, as the other woman encouraged her with soft praises. “Good girl, that’s a good girl.”
Hermione could feel herself teetering on the edge of climax when the door was thrown open and her head snapped up. Theo had come back from the shower, wearing only a towel slung low on his waist, revealing a defined muscular chest to the light of day. When Hermione was finally able to tear her gaze away from his defined body to his face, her breath hitched at the hunger she found there.
Theo gave a low whistle as he admired the way the two witches in his bed were working toward getting each other off. Pansy was clearly the one taking control of the situation, but Hermione, as always, was a very good study in how to find her pleasure from another woman. It was not what he was expecting to open the door to, but wasn’t it lovely to be pleasantly surprised?
Meeting Pansy’s eyes, Theo winked at her before dropping his towel and jumped over the footboard onto the bed into the space between Hermione and Pansy. The two women shrieked as he sent water droplets from his hair flinging over them.
“You do know you’re a wizard, do you not? Go cuddle Draco, I’m sure he’s missing out.” Draco, however, was deeply asleep despite everything happening in the bed around him. With his arm thrown over his eyes, his naked chest glowing in the dawn light as it filtered through Theo’s window, he looked the picture of the perfect prince he was.
“Maybe I will,” Theo said as he rolled over Hermione, his wet hair brushing against her face making her squeal. He crawled between the blonde’s thighs, carefully pulling the sheet covering Draco’s hips. His hands stilled for a moment when Draco made a sound, but when it was clear he was still asleep, Theo kept going. Licking his lips at the erection he found, Theo took Draco into his mouth. Draco moaned hoarsely still asleep, but as Theo hollowed his cheeks and moaned around Draco’s hard length, the blonde’s eyes flickered open.
“Theo…,” Draco gasped, his hips bucking upward, as his fingers twined in Theo’s mahogany curls, as his eyes closed again and his body arched with tension.
“My little voyeur, you’re getting even wetter watching Theo suck on Draco’s prick.” Pansy flipped Hermione over to watch the boys better and held her cheek in her hand so that Hermione couldn’t look away. With her other hand, Pansy moved between Hermione’s nipples and cunt, her finger dipping ever so slightly inside Hermione.
Draco’s eyes snapped open as he moaned at the feel of Theo’s mouth on him. Looking over, his eyes grew even larger when he saw Pansy playing Hermione like a violin, making the curly haired witch quiver and pant with every swipe of her fingers.
Draco and Hermione’s eyes met each other’s and Hermione knew the blush of desire on his cheeks was mirrored on her own. His pupils were blown wide as she knew hers must be. Draco leaned forward to catch Hermione’s mouth in a wet passionate kiss. Then, with a grunt, Draco was coming down Theo’s throat at the same time Hermione came on Pansy’s hand.
Sitting up and licking his lips, Theo looked at the three people laying in his bed panting. “I would also like to come down someone’s throat, but regretfully we do have group therapy in less than an hour. As delicious as Draco was, I still need to have some coffee and a pasty and I think that Hermione would probably like to wash all the sex off,” Theo smiled, as he stood up and without dressing, sauntered from the room.
Pansy leaned over to Draco extending her wet fingers, and he bent forward and licked them clean at the silent command of a raised eyebrow. Hermione thought she would perish from the fire within her, when Draco closed his eyes like he was savouring the flavour of her body.
“Come on Granger,” Pansy said, taking Hermione’s hand and pulling her from where she was tangled in the sheets. “Let’s save some time and shower together,” Hermione’s little ‘oh’ was heard by the other witch as she winked over her shoulder, still holding onto Hermione’s hand and they wound up the narrow stairwell and entered the bathroom together.
“Best wakeup, ever.” Draco said to the empty room before falling back into the pillows and closing his eyes again.
****************
Pansy started the shower with a flick of her wand and the water came from the ceiling at the perfect temperature, it poured like rain, a grate in the floor to take the excess away. The shower was open with no sidewalls and only a small wooden seat jutting from the wall. Pansy took the other witch’s hand and led her over to the bench before having her sit. Hermione balanced there, being careful with her well fucked core not wanting to cause herself any unnecessary discomfort. Pansy knew how large her two boys were compared to others, despite not wanting to take them inside her. Hermione was probably sore, her body replete.
Well, a pussy wasn't the only thing that she could stroke and suckle, Pansy thought to herself as she watched the little witch squirming on the bench. Although, to sample at Granger’s private nectar blossom, alas, that would have to wait. Instead, she could play with other parts for now and start to raise Granger’s desire for the next interlude. Because there would be a next time.
Pansy looked over her shoulder at the large mirror over the washbasin that reflected the whole bathroom and admired the pretty picture they made together. The Queen of Snakes and the Golden Girl. If Pansy still had access to her galleons, she’d have to commission a painting. Granger looked so well fucked, the blush on her cheeks, the bites covering her skin, the fingerprints on her arms and hips. By contrast, Pansy’s milky complexion was pristine, not a blemish to be found. How Pansy wished she had her boots on right now, the Golden Girl was such a perfect natural submissive and Pansy knew Hermione would be such a good pet. Instead of entertaining such thoughts further, but only because time was short, Pansy stepped under the water humming at the feel of the water running over her skin, running her fingers through her hair.
Looking up through the falling water, Pansy admired the small stained glass windows circling the top of the room. The primarily blue glass added an ethereal glow to the room that had probably given Theo the idea to charm his dorm window the same colours. There were images of different magical creatures painted onto the glass including fairy, a unicorn, and a niffler; the basilisk slithering around the outside of the mural was in particularly bad taste in Pansy’s opinion.
“Granger, stand up and let me wash you.” Pansy's command had Hermione looking up in surprise from her seat in the shower. Her round doe like eyes were the most enchanting amber colour and had Pansy itching to touch the witch. “Hermione, we don’t have all morning and you are positively covered in sex. Let me get to it?” Pansy tried to phrase the last as a question, because Hermione wasn’t hers to order around…yet. She wasn’t certain how successful she had been, but at Hermione’s nod causing her curls to bounce, Pansy allowed a slow smile to take over her face.
Pansy used the muggle jar of liquid soap that she knew was Granger’s and the soap suds that smelled of vanilla and jasmine effortlessly flowed over the brunette’s olive skin. Pansy’s fingers rubbed circles over the bites and bruises, drawing hisses and soft moans from Hermione at the contact.
“So sensitive, Hermione,” Pansy said, and then frowned as her hands ran in circles over her breasts. “Your name is simply too long for intimate play and endearments aren't my style unless I have you collared. So,” Pansy pinched Hermione’s nipples, watching as the brunette started rubbing her thighs together to seek friction, “like that do you?” Hermione's eyes closed as the shower water ran over her face. She bit her lip and shivered despite the warmth in the room, “Granger is far too formal for intimacy. I’m not Draco after all," Pansy continued speaking, enjoying the sight before her as she continued washing Hermione. "And Hermione is quite simply two syllables too long for play like this,” Pansy flicked both of Hermione’s nipples, causing the girl to hiss in pleasure. Her nipples were sensitive, but not overly so, the boys must have barely played with them. Amateurs.
“Now I’ll be magnanimous,” Pansy grinned, “you can choose your nickname.” Hermione was leaning into Pansy’s hands seeking the rough torment of her fingers, her eyes dazed in pleasure. “The two that I am considering are Mi or Mia, which do you prefer?”
Pansy leaned forward taking Hermione’s nipple into her mouth as the rain-like shower droplets flowed over them. She nipped at it while she used her hand to squeeze Hermione's other breast.
“Mi, I think, I had an unpleasant uncle who called me Mia as a girl.”
Knowingly, Pansy nodded, and pinched Hermione’s nipples one last time. “All right then Mi, wash my back and then I’ll wash your hair.” Hermione raised her eyebrow at that. "Mi, I know so many charms to use on your hair, it'll take no time at all. Now," Pansy handed her own soap to Hermione and turned around, pulling her hair over her shoulder to expose her neck. "Wash my back."
Hermione’s tiny hands were strong as she washed Pansy while also rubbing out the knots Pansy had been carrying. "Mi," Pansy breathed out, surprised at the other woman taking care of her.
"I want you to feel as good as you make me feel, Pansy." Hermione’s nipples brushed against Pansy's back as the water washed away the soap.
Pansy turned back around so that they were face to face again and, without a second's hesitation, Pansy captured Hermione’s lips with her own. Pansy held out a hand and quickly summoned her wand into her outstretched hand. Waving it over Hermione’s head, she quickly washed and plaited the curls all without breaking their kiss.
Hermione pulled back in shock as the water stopped and gingerly touched her hair. Clearly impressed, Hermione made an astonished noise and confided, "No one has ever been able to deal with my curls that quickly."
“My mother made me memorise beauty charms before I came to Hogwarts. I came to look for a husband, not to learn magic." Pansy simply stated, stepping out of the shower and pulling Hermione along behind her. "Normally, I would rub your scalp and work the potions into your hair. Only, we're running short on time and your lips distracted me."
"Oh, I didn't bring a towel or anything…" Hermione trailed off, looking around looking adorably concerned.
"I'm always prepared, so don't worry," Pansy smiled and opened up the small closet pulling out two silken green robes that were charmed to work as a towel, but looked a heap sexier.
Pansy settled her spare Slytherin robe over Hermione, adjusting her plait to hang just so and making the "v" of the robe a little deeper. "My my don't you look edible," Pansy purred, causing Hermione to scoff. As they exited the bathroom together, Pansy couldn't help but notice a little spring in the other witch's step as she went down the stairs first.
"Salazar Slytherin on a stripper pole, Hermione, you almost killed me. Warn a bloke next time you plan to look like that. And in my house colours too. Who needs breakfast when I could feast on you instead?"
Oh Theo.
*************
Pulling on his black button down, Draco couldn’t find it in himself to be upset that he hadn’t woken up early enough to shower. That wakeup was the stuff of dreams and not at all the sort of dreams he had regularly by any means. It was euphoric, ecstatic even.
He came out of Theo’s room dressed at the same moment that Pansy swept by him in her green silk robe, looking like an empress and Draco couldn't stop himself watching her hips swaying as she strolled to her wardrobe that she'd transfigured her trunk into.
Granger emerged from her room in her regular attire of an oversized jumper that looked like it had once belonged to Professor Lupin. In fact, Draco was pretty sure he remembered him wearing that one in DADA. He recalled the man dead in the Great Hall after the battle, on the floor next to his cousin, Nymphadora…with whom he’d never exchanged even two words.
Another family member lost, but Granger had known them…her. He wondered if she would be willing to share some anecdotes about her…She’d had a son hadn’t she? Professor Lupin’s son? Perhaps Granger could arrange an introduction? It seemed so unlikely that this was now possible, that he, Draco Lucius Malfoy, might be able to ask Hermione Granger for an introduction to his only living relatives that he knew existed beyond his mother and his mystery cousin.
He struggled to deal with the fact that the past few days were real, despite the feeling that none of this was really happening and it was all some sort of dream he could be having after being injured at the Battle of Hogwarts.
He considered that this was all just to make going to Azkaban that much more painful. He had finally gotten something…someone that he’d always wanted, but who seemed impossible before. He was trying not to focus on the negatives, but they all but they seemed so prescient.
Would the vanilla scent of her curls haunt him in his cell?
Either he was delusional and none of this was actually happening or this was only happening so as to be a source of future pain and with that little mental pep talk, he confidently stepped forward and wrapped his hands around her waist. When she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling and smiling, he leaned forward and kissed her.
He only had two weeks to live as a free man left and he was going to make every one of them count, especially in the privacy of their room.
“Are you absolutely certain we need food, Pans?” Theo was complaining as he opened the door, Pansy’s arm looped through his elbow.
“Theodore, you are the one who insisted that you could not live on cum alone. Plus think about what you put our sweet Hermione through last night. So now live with the consequences of your own actions,” Pansy smiled at him as they began to follow the spiral stair down from the Head's dormitory.
Draco kept his arm loosely about Granger’s waist, his hand lightly holding her hipbone until they reached the part of the trip where there were other students. As much as Draco wanted to shout from the castle turrets what they were up to, it would be safer for Granger if he kept it discreet. If Lucius died at mid-winter not knowing about this, that would be for the best. The slight frown that was in the corners of Granger's mouth was apparent when he released her, but there was nothing else for it. He wouldn't risk her life just for a little public display of affection.
Perhaps two weeks wouldn't be long enough for Granger to realise that he wasn't nearly good enough for her, because now that he had had a taste he wasn’t sure how he would give her up. He’d have to, though, wouldn’t he? If he went to Azkaban?
Simultaneously shoving the thought down and his hands into his pockets, he followed Theo, Pansy, and Granger.
As they entered the Great Hall, it was to discover that the tables had shrunk in number. The seven circle tables that remained meant a minimum of six to a table for the forty students attending the summer program.
Luna and Blaise waved them over and the four of them joined the two of them at the table. Luna smiled beautifically, “Good morning, you all seem to have been kissed by the lips of Aurora this morning.” Draco barely restrained himself from pulling out Granger’s chair for her. That sort of a show of chivalry was sure to get noticed, but he did decide that sitting next to her was okay. Granger took a seat next to Luna, and he took hold of the chair on her other side.
She grinned at him as he sat down and her eyes flickered to his hands as he poured himself a cup of tea.
Hermione smiled, “Thanks Luna, it's been a lovely morning so far.” Everyone plated their food and fixed their morning beverages of choice. Blaise sipped at a tiny cup of coffee, his plate already cleared. Blaise and Luna must have been at breakfast for quite a while, as Luna was preparing a cup of tea, but ignoring the remnants of her food.
Luna looked up with a bit of mischief in her sparkling eyes. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and smiled at Hermione, reaching out to take Hermione’s hand momentarily..
“Hermione, you know, the longer you were with Harry and Ron, the smaller and duller your aura continued to grow. Regardless that you'd still essentially be you, you would never have shown your brightest shade if you had stayed in their shadow all your days,” Luna took a drink of her tea and looked at the Head Girl thoughtfully, “It would have been like a rare flower with improper light. It’s never going to be as impressive as it ought due to improper growing conditions.”
“Luna,” Hermione asked, pensive, “Are you comparing my relationship with Harry and Ron to a plant in a badly lit greenhouse?”
“If the shoe fits,” Luna laughed, and turned to Pansy, “Flower, you haven't these few nargles since," Luna gasped, "Oh Hermione!" The ethereal blonde pulled Hermione in for a hug, "Thank you for saving my Flower. Her nargle infestation has really been worrying me."
Pansy choked on her coffee at that and Theo patted her on the back until she scowled at him.
“Thank you Theo, but that's quite enough.”
“I had a picnic with Pansy yesterday and it was positively wonderful wasn’t it, Pansy?” Luna inquired, “Draco, I do believe we're overdue for our reunion. You can't go outside Hogwarts, but I have found a place I believe we'd be able to assist in the realignment of your chi. I'll look forward to our next free day, and I expect you to spend the day with me. Bring spirit dust, we'll need to coat our bodies in it. Oh, and I'll bring a picnic, and if we're lucky we'll find our bond again.” Luna smiled sunnily at him, and poured herself some more tea.
It was Draco’s turn to choke this time, and Theo patted his back in the same way that he had done to Pansy, perhaps rougher. Draco felt as though he could not breathe. What could Lovegood possibly want to talk about? Had they not spent enough time…bonding when they were in the dungeons at the Manor together?
He looked at his hands and swore they were covered in blood and dirt and blisters for a moment before they were back to normal: black nail polish, rings, pale fingers.
Hermione took Draco’s hand under the table and rubbed circles with her thumb on the back of his hand. Draco leaned back into Theo, his eyes closing and his breath coming raggedly. He couldn’t even find it in himself to care if someone saw him drawing comfort from Theo’s touch.
Theo moved his hand to Draco’s nape, stroking his skin with gentleness, his other hand holding his shoulder tightly.
Turning to Blaise as though she had not just given Draco a panic attack, Luna said “My left knee is aching. I think we should pick blackberries tonight. Walk with me, I need to stretch my leg out,” Blaise nodded to the others, as he extended Luna his arm.
As she walked away, stretching her leg wildly in all directions “That's better, now it's not so tingly.” Blaise was so nonplussed that Draco couldn’t help but stare at the two of them: the mad fey blonde leading the immaculately attired Italian out into the morning.
“He’s absolutely gone for her,” Pansy laughed. “I can't believe he just let her go on one of her rambling fits without even bothering to interject.”
Theo chuckled, “Bit of the Luna show today, hmm? Do you think she’ll still be on a tear in group?”
“Undoubtedly,” Pansy replied, “Unless the psilocybin starts to wear off.”
Draco finally sat up, his breath now coming normally, Hermione’s hand gently stroking his leg under the table. “She’s on something?”
“Probably hallucinogenic mushrooms. She’s really into microdosing,” Theo confided to Draco.
“So she didn’t mean that bit about me spending our next free day with her?”
“Oh no,” Pansy said, tossing him an amused look, along with her hair. “I’m certain that she meant every word.”
Fuck. Also, what the fuck is spirit dust?
**************
When they went out into the courtyard, the four of them sat together which could not more directly contrast with the first group therapy. The synchronised way that they walked into the circle was definitely noticed by Dean and Blaise who caught each other’s eyes and raised eyebrows. Theo noticed Dean trying not to laugh and wondered yet again how he had managed to have friends in Gryffindor of all places. It was just questionable whether such friendships would survive the pressures of the actual school year.
Mind Healer Cordelia greeted everyone with her customary smile, and if her eyes lingered over the new seating arrangement for an extra second, she didn’t let any emotion show on her face.
“Good morning everyone and welcome to week three of our summer program here at Hogwarts. Isn’t it amazing that we are already halfway through? Indeed, well done everyone. It’s been an intense time and hopefully a good time."
Theo couldn't help but chuckle at that, remembering being on his knees for Pansy when they'd first arrived and the excitement of the last few days. Giving Draco spanking lessons had definitely moved into his fantasy material bank for wanking. Next time though, he needed to be a bit more hands on. He'd never given Draco more than a gentle spank, he needed to show him what a rough one felt like before Theo filled him for the first time. He could just imagine the way that Draco’s body would stretch deliciously around him.
"I met with several of you over the last day," Cordelia's voice brought Theo back to the group therapy. "Thank you for keeping me busy, but what I heard was that you were all having a lot of difficulty dealing with the feelings of talking about last year and wanted more tools to deal with the heavy feelings that that discussion was bringing up for you. So we are going to take a break from trauma today and work on coping skills."
Theo wasn't entirely convinced that he needed coping skills other than firewhisky and a good hard fuck. But he knew that the other three did - the three of whom he was attempting to wrangle into what might be the most magically powerful and intelligent polycule of the last thousand years. There hadn't been a foursome with their potential since the Four Founders of Hogwarts.
Sometimes he wondered if there was more of his mother's oracular bloodline in his veins than he thought. Her family could trace their lineage to one of the Oracles of Delphi and supposedly before that to the God Apollo. The family in Greece believed only daughters of their bloodline could access their divine gift. He certainly didn't have vision per se like Trelawney, but perhaps Greek gifts of sight were different from the English version.
Regardless, Theo possessed a sureness, an unshakeable certainty that Draco, Hermione, Pansy and he could be really good together. Long term. Other than Pansy, Theo's relationships had never been much more than flings; he'd never wanted more than that, however now things seemed to have changed…
"We've already learned the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory meditation, which I have heard is very helpful for those of you who are using it. Those of you who aren't, I would suggest making it part of your repertoire."
What he wanted to make into a part of his repertoire was fucking Hermione’s pretty little mouth while Draco took her from behind. The two of them looked so bloody perfect, like the lewdest of fine sculpture. He’d like them cast in bronze at the entry of Nott Manor.
Or his repertoire could include beginning every morning like today, waking in bed tangled with his three lovers, waking Draco with his mouth, watching Pansy top Hermione.
It was just as good as he had thought to watch Hermione be stripped of the virginal swot extraordinaire persona. She had been the central focus of his fantasies for years. If he would have only known that her curls were so maddeningly soft. The way they felt as the curls had brushed against his cock as she sucked it. That little heart shaped arse that had moved up and down with excitement in her seat had felt just as good as she rode him.
Just like at the beginning of this program, Draco and Hermione couldn’t seem to stop looking at each other. There always had been sparks when their eyes met, but now Hermione bit her lip with each glance and Draco's porcelain cheeks seemed to be permanently stained with a blush.
Cordlia continued, though Theo hardly heard her, "Breathing slowly and deeply is a simple tool that can be used anytime and anywhere. Make sure you inhale through your nose and exhale for longer than you inhale, either through your nose or through pursed lips. Try to inhale for four counts, hold for two and exhale for six to eight counts. This helps your body calm itself, aiding your ability to think clearly and rejoin the present moment. Now let's all practice: inhale for four, exhale for six."
Just thinking of her in those sage green satin knickers had his cock twitching. The thought of a certain blonde head down between those silky thighs was enough to make his jeans even tighter, the way she had trembled as Draco had licked her had been the stuff of dreams. Between the two of them and Pansy, he might die from pleasure, but at least he would die a happy man.
"Now I want to talk about validating your experience. What you have experienced is real and hurtful. There is nothing “wrong” with any of you, in fact it’s all absolutely normal for young people in your situation. When you are having a hard time with your Post Traumatic Stress symptoms, your nightmares, panic attacks etcetera remind yourself that this is natural. Self-validation is an essential piece of healing." Cordelia’s open smile took in each of them individually.
"Alright now that I have given you permission to feel how you feel after all these difficult experiences, let's have a break for snacks and beverages."
Of their little group, only Hermione went to the refreshments and poured herself some coffee. Blaise and Luna were engaged in a tete a tete where the little blonde was waving her hands in the air as she passionately explained…something while Blaise was taking in every movement and word, utterly enraptured.
Observing Blaise and Luna distracted Theo just long enough that Cormac McLaggen had come up to Hermione at the refreshments and he leaned over her, leering lecherously at her. Based on the scowl on Hermione’s face, Cormac was saying something to Hermione that she didn’t like and then– did he just touch her arm?.
Theo felt as though he couldn’t breathe as the rage took over his body, jumping up, Theo was ready to rush over there and put Cormac in his place. How bloody dare he! Theo was going to fucking crucio him. McLaggen was going to wish he’d never been bleeding born.
Hermione shoved Cormac back from her, and strode forcefully back towards her seat, coffee forgotten before Theo could get involved.
How dare Cormac touch what was his? He’d never felt this blinding urge to maim in his life. It was like a fire in his blood. Theo wanted to break any fingers that had touched her unwilling flesh. Who was he kidding, he wanted to diffindo the offending hand.
He blinked for a moment, aware that he was moments away from utilising several forbidden spells on a classmate, and this scared him. He knew that his father had cut a man’s hand off at a gala before Theo had been born, someone who had dared to touch his mother. He’d always imagined that it was coldness that drove such an action, but now he knew it was white hot fury burning within him. Perhaps he was more his father’s son than he had ever considered? Perhaps it had only been a matter of time until something had activated these violent Nott tendencies inside him? What a terrifying thought.
Trying to shake off the colour red that seemed to be taking over his eyesight, Theo looked over to where Hermione was reassuring Pansy that she was fine, even giving his queen soft comforting touches.
Theo strolled away, straight to the healer who was scribbling in a notebook during this break. "Excuse me, Cordelia," the woman looked up, her dark eyes open and inviting, soothing. "When is your next available individual therapy session? I am having some feelings I really need to talk about."
"Would the before dinner hour be soon enough?" Her question would have been mocking coming from anyone besides Cordelia, and he knew her question was just in concern for him.
"No, no, that should be fine, hopefully," he whispered the last part. The need to physically harm Cormac scared him. He shot a smirk at Cordelia then walked back across the circle to his place.
Looking over at his wizard, Theo saw that Draco was also struggling to not go and disembody Cormac for touching Hermione. The way that the Malfoy heir’s hands were clenching and unclenching, Theo had no doubt that there were bloody crescents in his palms.
And while intellectually he knew that he had no reason to be feeling so violently jealous, Theo still found himself standing behind Hermione, his breath on her neck. She talked with Pansy, but he couldn’t hear a word that she was saying. Almost of its own accord, he realised that his hand was splayed over her abdomen as though her body already belonged to him for eternity. Hermione leaned into his touch as if she drew comfort from it as she talked. Pansy smiled at him knowingly, but he was too busy scowling at McLaggen in the next circle. McLaggen’s eyes were on Theo’s hand on Hermione, eyebrows climbing.
"I could sever every limb from him piece by piece for breathing the same air as you." Theo whispered into Hermione’s ear. She shivered and Theo didn’t think it was the chill.
**************
Hermione was glad the group was done for the day. She’d barely gotten through it without hexing Cormac and based on the possessive way that both Theo and Pansy were acting, she wasn't alone in that. Lunch in the Great Hall was a thousand times different than it had been even a week ago. Draco had actually stayed for lunch instead of disappearing to help Madam Pince in the Library.
Theo was still glaring at Cormac like he wanted to rip his heart out through his chest, which was oddly endearing. No one had ever been particularly concerned about the way that Cormac liked to force his attention on witches and it was nice to have someone who wanted to protect her. It was certainly a change of pace. She'd always been the protector up to this point. Theo was the first person who had ever wanted to defend her.
His possessive hand high on her thigh, but hidden by the table, Theo asked Blaise, “Where the bloody hell has Greg gone off to? I haven’t seen him at meals or in his group.”
Blaise sighed, his hands mysteriously under the table as Luna blushed, leading Hermione to suspect that something naughty was happening out of her eyesight.
“He still wont come out of his dorm. He called me a blood traitor and threw something heavy at me last time I tried to get him to come out. So I’ve given up. If Greg wants to go to Azkaban then,” he shrugged, “Quel ch’è fatto, è fatto. He is being a fool.”
“He never did think for himself,” Theo pointed out.
“He blames me,” Draco shared, “and Potter for the loss of Vince. If I wasn't here perhaps he’d be more likely to come out.”
“Bollocks,” Theo scoffed, “Greg is doing what Greg does best, following his father’s lead. You can't take the blame for everything that went on during the war, Drake.”
“Especially when Crabbe was the one who cast the fiendfyre that took his life, I was there, remember?” Hermione pointed out, poking Draco forcefully in the shoulder, “Goyle is wrong to blame you.”
Draco shrugged, “It's easier to blame the living than the dead.”
“Well isn’t that cheerful Draco,” Pansy rolled her eyes, “Let’s talk about literally anything other than Greg Goyle and his bullshite.”
Just as Luna opened her mouth, ready to launch into some questionable diatribe about who knows what, Headmistress McGonagall walked up.
“Ms. Granger,” the Headmistress said, “I have some messages for you in my office.”
“Your office, Headmistress?”
Regretfully, McGonagall nodded, “We have a new Howler protocol. Would you come with me Ms. Granger?”
Hermione looked at Theo, whose hand was still tightly holding her thigh, “Theo, could you…come with me? Is that alright, Headmistress? If I have Howlers, I’d like to have a friend with me.”
McGonagall’s tense face stretched into a small smile. “Of course Ms Granger. If you and Mr Nott will follow me.”
*************************
Once the Headmistress’ office was reached, McGonagall smiled kindly at the two of them.
“I am pleased that my choices for Head Boy and Head Girl have been so well suited. I thought it might take more time for the two of you to acclimate to one another. That you have become friends so quickly is more than I could have hoped for.”
“We’ve been getting to know each other, Headmistress,” Hermione confided, “And have found a great deal more in common than either of us would have thought.”
She smiled, attempting to appear as innocent as possible as McGonagall looked at her. When the Headmistress turned away, Theo’s breath tickled her ear, “Like our kinks,” he whispered, pulling back before the portraits could see the way that her body reacted to him.
“The office has howlers in a stasis charm. We’ve decided that it’s better for students to get these messages in private for their mental health.” McGonagal said, “Cordelia brought it to my attention that this should have been done this way long ago. So my apologies to both of you, although you’ve never gotten a howler have you Mr. Nott?”
“No Headmistress. My father would have had to care about what went on at school for me to get one.”
McGonnagal harrumphed. “Well, I will step into the private part of my office and give you two a few minutes. Ms Granger just cast a finite and the Howlers will deliver to you immediately.” The Headmistress nodded and saw herself out.
“Thanks for coming with me,” pulling out her wand, Hermione said to Theo, who gave her a reassuring look, “Finite!”
LISTEN HERE YOU MUDBLOOD WHORE!
“Incendio,” Theo breathed next to her, his wand nowhere in sight and when the howler burst into flames, she looked at him sideways, “What? It’s not like anything insightful was going to be said after that blood purist opener.”
Hermione laughed despite herself, “I suppose that you are right about that.” The next howler exploded in front of her.
NOW SEE HERE MISS GRANGER! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUGGLES DO THINGS BUT TO MISTREAT A SON OF THE WEASLEY FAMILY SO SHABBILY!
“Honestly! Incendio!” Hermione flicked her wand at the screaming missive, “That person really needs to learn proper grammar.” Theo squeezed her hand as the final howler began to screech at her in a voice she knew all too well.
HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! AFTER ALL MY FAMILY HAS DONE FOR YOU! FOR YOU TO GO AND BETRAY RON IN ONE OF THE MOST HEARTLESS WAYS POSSIBLE! DO YOU NOT THINK OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH! AND WORSE YOU’VE CAUSED TROUBLE BETWEEN MY CHILDREN! GEORGE AND BILL ARE FURIOUS WITH RON AND ARE CALLING HIM A LIAR PUBLICLY AND AT MY DINNER TABLE!!! EVEN GONE, YOU'RE STILL INFECTING THOSE YOU LEFT BEHIND! I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT RON WOULD NEVER LIE ABOUT SOMETHING SO AWFUL! I, JUST AS HE DID, SAW ALL THOSE LETTERS YOU HAD THE NERVE TO WRITE IN MY HOME WITH MY INK! I DO NOT APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE CAUSING FIGHTING BETWEEN MY CHILDREN. AND AT SUCH A TIME! AFTER WE’VE LOST FRED! NOT THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THAT DO YOU!? RON SHOULDN’T HAVE SHARED THE SCANDAL WITH THE WORLD BUT ITS NO MORE THAN YOU DESERVE! I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU! YOU ARE TO NEVER CONTACT ANYONE IN MY FAMILY AGAIN, I WISH RON HAD NEVER BROUGHT YOU INTO OUR LIVES!
She’d tried desperately to control her face and reactions to Molly’s harshness and criticism, but upon Molly’s mentioning of Fred, Hermione broke apart. The tears began to pour down her face and Theo took her into his arms, as she wept. When she began to whisper apologies and attempted to pull back from him, he held her tighter and hushed her.
Theo made soothing noises and hummed what sounded like a lullaby into her hair, he rubbed her back not so differently than what he’d done for Draco at lunch. Theo was a deep strength like the rocks of the earth. And for one of the first times in her life, Hermione leaned on someone else.
****************
Draco sneezed as he continued to work through the books, diagnosing, cleaning, repairing and starting the cycle again. His next sneeze happened, and then another in short succession, right on time in rotation.
A laughing Madam Pince came over, “Boys never learn the importance of household charms. You need to clear the dust, you wave your wand just so and the incantation is abiit pulvis. It's a variation of the vanishing charm, the wand motion is the same. Mothers need to teach their sons these, just as they would a daughter.” Draco was growing used to this new version of the dour librarian, one who joked with him and let him know that there was another adult that cared about him, that thought there was more to his future than a dark cell in Azkaban.
“No Madam Pince,” Draco smiled and confided, “I suppose she figured between the house elves and the future Lady Malfoy that it would be covered. I can’t imagine my father using a housekeeping charm to be honest.”
“Nor I, Mr Malfoy, nor I.” Madam Pince surveyed his workstation and the status of the books that he had worked on so far, “It’s coming along isn’t it? You really have done well on this project.” Draco noted the look of pride that was on her features, something he'd clawed desperately to see from his father his whole life, yet the librarian freely gave it.
“With the exceptions of the books that were a total loss,” Draco remarked, sadly.
“Well yes,” Madam Pince said, “Except those of course, although some I have sent to a specialty book repair shop in Paris. Hopefully they will have some secrets they can impart on my poor books. The complete destruction of some is a tragedy though and I have a list compiled of all the books that have been destroyed entirely.”
A list? That was just what his mother had asked him for in the letter he’d received after lunch. The book drive was going well on her end, but she needed a list to entice reluctant pureblood wives to donate to the Hogwarts library. Could he copy the list while Madam Pince was distracted or stepped out.
“Could I see the list?” Draco heard himself ask, as though all his Slytherin cunning had deserted him.
“Of course. Accio Destroyed Book List.” As the list flew threw the air into the librarian’s hand, the door of the library opened with a creak, causing both occupants of the library to turn towards the sound. “Oh good afternoon, Ms. Granger. I had hoped that you would continue working with Mr Malfoy on this project. I may make a librarian out of him yet, but he certainly could use help on the scope of this project.”
Draco couldn’t look away from Hermione’s face. Her eyes were red from crying and her lip trembled a little as she responded to the librarian in a voice that did not shake, “As if I would volunteer my afternoon in another location, Madam Pince.”
The librarian smiled kindly at Hermione and then handed the list over to Draco, “I have to have some words with the Headmistress about the portkey that I am taking to Paris tomorrow. Mr. Malfoy, perhaps work on the restricted section since Ms Granger is here to handle the books for you, I find that bit of your probation especially irksome.” Madam Pince continued to mumble to herself about 'meddling Aurors' and 'unreasonable restrictions on perfectly fine young people' as she strode out of the library.
“You can’t touch the restricted section books?” Hermione asked, confused, her hand swiping up at her still watery eyes.
“I’m not allowed to touch anything that may potentially provide knowledge of the Dark Arts, it's a condition of my house arrest,” Draco replied, as he walked to her and stroked her cheek, “And you’ve been crying.” He observed, his heart breaking at the sight.
“Just a little,” Hermione evaded, but covered his hand with her own. “I don’t want to talk about why right now, I’ll just start again.” Draco nodded in understanding and leaned forward claiming his mouth with hers. When he slowly pulled back from the kiss, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip and smiled sadly at her. Who upset her? He’d rend them into pieces. Who had sent those howlers to her? He would find out from Theo and then the two of them could come up with a way to make them pay for this, because whoever had made her cry would get what was coming to them.
Hermione revelled in his touch and rather than dealing with the books, she took Draco by the hand and led him into an obscured aisle of the Restricted Section. She turned back with her chest pressed against his and wrapped her arms around his neck drawing him down to her, not that he was in any way unwilling. He only had to shove down the feeling of unreality as he brought his mouth to hers, the frisson of energy between their two sets of lips right before they met.
When Draco pulled back again to stare into her golden eyes and wonder how he could have gotten so lucky, Hermione commanded, "Kiss me Draco.”
He kissed her lightly, the merest of touches of their lips despite knowing what it was that she wanted. He could feel her heat pressed into him and her skin was flushed, eyes dilated with desire, and a throaty noise erupted from her.
“No, kiss me like you mean it, Draco,” she breathed. Draco didn't need to be told twice as he took what she was offering, wrapping her braid around his fist roughly as he covered her mouth. She exhaled and he used the opportunity to invade her willing mouth with his tongue. Hermione responded in kind, their kisses growing wetter, their bodies pressed together, both of their hands wandering, stroking, touching.
Draco still had one hand tight around her braided hair, as the other slid beneath her jumper, his fingers tracing her navel, up to skim her ribs before travelling further up to ease beneath her bra capturing a nipple between his fingers. Hermione moaned into his mouth and arched into his touch.
“If we don’t stop, I’m going to shag you against this bookcase,” Draco panted, his erection ached, hard against his trousers.
“That's what I was going for,” Hermione whispered, her breath coming in the same frantic gasps. “I have always had a thing for libraries and no one has ever shagged me in one. Could be one for the pensieve to show Theo and Pansy.” Her petite hand slid between his waistband and his skin, her fingertips grazing the tip of his cock. She rubbed the precum in circles over his tip and Draco leaned his forehead against hers.
”Just like that, good girl,” Draco moaned, his head falling back as his eyes slid closed. “You’re doing so well, gods, that feels incredible.” He looked back down at her as he unhooked his trousers to allow Hermione access that she used to wrap her hand around his hard shaft. She spit on her other palm and rolled her hand over him, dragging it up and down.
“Fu-fuck, Hermione,” Draco praised, as his fingers frantically worked at the button and zipper of her denims, desperate to touch her too. When he eased a finger inside of her core, he found that she was dripping. She hissed and arched at his intrusion, desperate for more…more friction…more fingers…more of him.
Draco pressed her up against the bookshelf with his body even harder, causing a gasp to slip from her lips. The sounds coming from them filled the restricted section; their wet kisses, her desperate whines, his own hisses. Draco added another finger between her wet lips, and he growled at the feeling of her walls gripping him "Fuck Hermione," he grunted out again just as her stroking hands were causing the tension in his lower body to grip him.
Suddenly the sharp sound of Madam Pince's heels clicked against the library floor as she returned, likely coming to check on them. They jumped apart. Draco cursed under his breath as he tucked his stiff aching cock away and adjusted his clothes to hide the evidence of their activities. He’d been so close.
“Scourgify!”
Hermione buttoned herself quickly and ran her hands over her hair, a lost cause as Draco had messed the plait up terribly with his rough hands. She was able to grab several books and Draco had the diagnostic charm floating in the air over it before the librarian turned the corner to see their progress in her absence.
***************
Theo knocked on the door to Cordelia’s office, feeling desperate to have this individual therapy session.
“Good afternoon, Theo,” Cordelia directed him to a seat, “I have to say I was happily surprised that you wanted to join me for another individual session so soon.” She smiled kindly, “And while I have some things I would love for us to talk about based on our last session, I think you have some more pressing things that you’d like to discuss. And just a reminder that everything that you share with me is confidential unless someone is in danger.”
“Well,” Theo sighed and then took a breath, as he decided that just letting it all out was the right way to go, “So the dancing around with Draco and Hermione finally resulted in them falling into bed with a little encouragement from me and Pansy. Stubborn those two. Anyways, I went to bed with the two of them and it was …life changing. I love Drake more than anyone except Pansy and I enjoy fooling around with him, but having him and Hermione at the same time. It was like…what are those muggle things…fireworks…it was like fireworks under my skin. And now Hermione has me feeling all sorts of these feelings.” Theo ran his hands through his curls, anxiously.
“What sorts of feelings, Theodore?” Cordelia inquired, her chin on her hand.
“I’m feeling jealous, possessive, I feel protective, I wanted to snap Cormac in half when he put his hand on her.”
Cordelia instantly became sidetracked with this information, “When did this happen? Can you give me a bit of a run through on the events that happened between Hermione and Cormac?”
“It was today during the refreshment break. He’s just the type of guy that doesn’t take no for an answer. All through school I’ve heard rumours and allegations from witches about him and love potions. I just think he’s a tosser. I know that he and Hermione went on a date once, literally years ago. And now he seems to think that he has a claim on her, that he can touch her whenever he wants.”
Cordelia’s face was a study in stone and Theo realised that he had said something that had crossed a line for her. “Please continue Theo.”
“Cormac touching her made me feel jealous and possessive and I started thinking all these thoughts like that she’s mine. I feel this urge to possess, keep her safe, hold her close, and most terrifyingly of all to protect her from potential threats with violence if necessary. And I don't want to feel that way and I don't feel this way when she’s with Draco or Pansy. The thought of her being with someone else makes me physically ill. The only time I’ve ever felt like this in the past is when my needs aren't being met and they are right now, so I just don’t understand what’s happening. I just have never felt so angry about someone touching one of my lovers. I wanted to break every finger in his hand for daring to touch her.”
“Theo, do you think the fact that Hermione wasn’t consenting to the touch was what made you feel so aggravated? And Hermione has been through alot. I really feel like you should communicate with Hermione about how you’re feeling. This relationship is all new and communication should be a priority.”
“It's only really been going on the last two days.”
“Sometimes, when something is new, it can take some time for it to settle and for those intense feelings to settle. You want her attention, maybe that’s what you’re needing right now. Consent is important and your focus on consent is reasonable. One of the things I would like you to internalise is that you don't have to handle everything yourself. It's okay to come to the Headmistress or myself if someone is crossing lines and mistreating others. Was there anything else that you wanted to talk through?”
“I hear what you are saying, but it's hard to ignore the instinct for independence honed over my life. And yes. So a bit ago, Hermione took me with her to listen to the Howlers she had received so she wouldn’t be alone and you wouldn’t believe the misogynistic shite that came out of the mouth of the Weasley Matriarch,” Theo began, shaking his head at the memory as the QuickQuotes Quill noted it down.
*****************************
Dinner that evening was a big occasion, with the Great Hall decorated formally and the front dias included Lucia and Hans as well as some of the other members of the recovery crew who had finished their work at the castle. There wouldn’t be anymore dead bodies or parts discovered in the rubble his relatives had assured him and Blaise had to admit to relief at that. He had not appreciated the feeling of numb nothingness that he had felt as Theo and he had discussed the disembodied arm.
He loved his mother, really he did, but he did not want to become like her, especially when it came to death and dismemberment. People may consider him feckless and vain, but that was better than being in truth a Dark Wizard. He didn’t think his consternation was showing on his face until Luna’s hand was suddenly squeezing his. He looked over at her and she smiled and mouthed “Are you okay?” He smiled back, squeezing her hand and nodded. She returned her attention to McGonagall who had approached the podium to begin to speak, but continued to hold his hand.
Blaise surveyed the room and noticed that Tracey was glaring at Luna and at their joined hands. Oh. Oh. He was giving Luna what he’d denied Tracey, public affection, a relationship outside of alcoves and abandoned classrooms. He had been ignoring the social milieu a bit too much if he’d missed the venom that was brewing there. He would need to enlist the rest of his snakes in keeping Luna safe. And get a younger spy in the Slytherin Common room post haste. Considering the options he immediately discarded either of the Carrow twins, they were absolutely Millie’s minions. Harper would do it for him, they’d been on the Quidditch team together long enough, but considering he was one of the people he wanted to watch, that would hardly do. Aethel Rowle was far too desperate to be accepted by the others with her father serving life in Azkaban. Which left the wallflower, Eurydice Thorinn, he could even offer he and Luna’s friendship on a clandestine basis until he found replacement sources of information when the term began.
Tracey whispered in Millicent’s ear and the two girls turned to glare openly at him, Blaise caught their eye and they swiftly turned around, whispering to each other. Theo noticed them as well and looked at Blaise with an eyebrow raised. Blaise shook his head and tried to indicate that they should discuss it later with his eyes. Theo shrugged and returned to pretending to pay attention to the Headmistress, the very picture of an attentive Head Boy.
McGonagall cleared her throat and addressed the room, ”Thank you all for joining us for a banquet to celebrate several things. First, we have all made it halfway through the summer program. I’d like you all to give yourselves a round of applause, I know that this has not been easy work.” The applause was not as robust as she would have liked, her lips pursing slightly before she continued, “We’d like to express our gratitude to the Bianchi Associates Search and Recovery Team and all their hard work. It’s been gruelling and difficult work. Thank you for your dedication to the task at hand.” At that, Lucia and Hans as well as their crew stood and bowed.
While the audience clapped, Blaise stood and gave passionate applause to his beloved relatives. Luna stood as well, followed by Theo and the rest of their table. Lucia blushed and smiled at him and Hans let out one of his very deep booming laughs.
“Indeed,” McGonagall said, returning to her remarks, “We are also quite lucky to have received some significant support for the rebuilding effort from some anonymous benefactors. Beginning tomorrow, there will be professionals coming to take over the intensive rebuilding work.
Anyone who was working on the construction, masonry, windows, etcetera, you are welcome to find other things to fill your free time. The Quidditch pitch will be reconstructed by the Ministry team that built the World Cup Stadium and that will begin in the next few days. If your afternoon assignment has been taken over, please check with your professors to find somewhere for you to help. I’m also very pleased to announce that the new Eighth year dorm will be completed within the next two weeks, perhaps even before you all leave for the long weekend ahead of coming back for the term on September 1.”
“I was wondering to myself how the school would be ready for first years in just a few weeks. But wow, that has got to be really expensive. There will be a lot of crews to come and help,” Hermione said in surprise, “whoever is paying for that is doing a really good thing.”
“Aren’t they, just,” Blaise said noncommittally, raising an eyebrow at Draco and Theo to see if either would confess to what he was sure that they were up to. Both of them had their faces utterly blank, that in itself was suspicious, but if they wanted to keep their largesse a secret from the masses…Oh not the masses, he realised suddenly, they wanted to keep their donations a secret from Granger and the rest of the summer program attendees. Fair enough, he’d hidden that Zabini coffers had paid his cousin’s company. Everyone was entitled to a little privacy, especially in regards to how they spent their fortunes.
Speaking of spending his fortune…
As he looked at Luna’s empty neckline, he considered visiting a magical jeweller in Rome that had unique pieces that would suit his little fey woman. Once he knew what was going on with his mother. Putting some expensive jewels on Luna would make his intentions clear to all the pureblood and half blood girls, especially those who were currently scheming. He wanted there to be no doubt about how he felt about the ethereal blonde next to him.
*************
After dinner, when the foursome were back up in their room, Theo got everyone firewhisky, levitating the platter and then the drinks to everyone both nonverbally and wandlessly simultaneously.
Hermione had to wonder how strong Theo was magically. Things that he did were supposedly not possible according to most of what she’d read. Maybe she ought to take him up on his offer to tutor her on wandless magic. She did notice that it was particularly Charms that he excelled at, maybe he’d take a mastery after Hogwarts. He really was truly gifted.
Pansy pulled Hermione onto her lap and was giving her a soothing massage of her biceps and forearms. Hermione’s feet stretched outward, her toes pointing toward Draco who sat at the other end of the couch.
As he reached up to grab it, Draco looked at his drink suspiciously, “This isn’t the spiked bottle, right?”
Theo smiled mischievously, “Oh no, I’m saving the rest of that for a special occasion.”
“Special occasion, my arse, Theo,” Draco replied hotly, “Your fixation on consent better include bleeding Veritaserum!”
Pansy’s massaging hands travelled up to Hermione’s neck and shoulders and Hermione took a deep sip of her firewhiskey before Pansy slipped it out of her hand.
Pansy guided Hermione’s head to her shoulder and continued the steady rhythm of the massage. Hermione felt her body loosening from the firewhiskey and Pansy’s strong hands, and her eyes felt so heavy. She took a deep breath and the world faded to darkness.
When she started to awaken sometime later, the first thing she saw was that a now shirtless Theo was now sitting on the couch next to her and Pansy. His right arm was wrapped around Pansy’s shoulder, his left stretched out across the top of the couch. His head was thrown back and his eyes were squeezed closed, the look on his face almost a grimace. His hair was mussed and his lips were swollen from kisses, and a tiny bit of blood was on his lower lip from either Pansy or Draco biting him.
Looking down, she saw that Draco was on his knees between Theo’s own legs. Draco had his forearms braced on Theo’s muscular thighs while he licked the side of Theo’s rather impressive shaft.
“Alright Draco now suck his balls, gently, gently,” Pansy directed, “Now spit in your palm and stroke his cock with your other hand. Good. Good job. Now let’s see how much you can swallow.”
Theo let out a ragged moan and Pansy hushed him, “You have to be quiet so as to not wake up Mi, Theodore. She’s had a rough couple days, she needs her rest.”
Draco looked up and met Hermione’s eyes and winked, right as he swallowed Theo’s cock centimetre by centimetre until tears ran down his cheeks as he continued looking up into Hermione’s eyes. Theo’s hips started to buck as he gripped the back of Draco’s head and began to fuck his mouth in earnest.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that view,” Hermione murmured, the sound lost amongst the wet sound of Draco sucking Theo’s cock and the moans and grunts that Theo had begun to let loose in heaving desperation as he begged Draco not to stop, begged him to let him finish in his mouth, to swallow all his cum. Hermione felt herself begin to grow damp at the show. By the time Theo finally finished, Pansy had realised she was awake and had checked in before giving Hermione wet hot kisses on her neck as they both watched the boys find pleasure in one another.
How had this become her life? If she’d lost everything from before the war, then this was an unbelievable replacement. If the War had destroyed the Golden Trio, at least it had given her this new life and her own personal den of snakes. She only hoped that they didn’t tire of her and that this really could last.
****************
Chapter 16: Night Terrors
Notes:
The song of this chapter is Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The night was cold and the starless night sky made it difficult to see, but he didn’t dare use a Lumos charm. There was always the underlying risk that the magic would attract attention. Even though he couldn’t be seen from the house, Draco didn't dare use any out of fear of what would be done to him if he were caught. He was in the bottom of a pit, shoulder deep, digging and digging, trying to make it deep enough for the three bodies that lay nearby. The smell of their blood from torn throats and ruined flesh tainted the air and demonstrated the horror of the werewolf pack that his father had allowed into his ancestral home.
So here he was; enveloped in darkness, digging graves in the gardens at Malfoy Manor. The blood of the corpses dripped into the hole as he shoveled the muggle way, no gloves and blisters forming on his palms as he worked. He had to make the pit deep enough to accommodate the three women’s bodies, and Draco was determined to do it by hand. Even with the strain on his body and the pain, Draco toiled on.
The house elves had protested his order to leave him to this task. They didn't understand Master Draco's need to dig these graves with his own two hands, but they had obeyed and left him to the task.
He’d tried so hard to save these Muggle women after watching them being dragged into the gardens he'd played in as a child. The Dark Lord hadn't even been present, the entire scene was just for Greyback and his pack to instill fear and carnage for their entertainment. His failure to save them was written in their blood and the screams that still echoed through the Manor halls.
No, in the aftermath of what had been done, Draco couldn’t do much for these three nameless women, but he could see that they were buried properly rather than being Nagini or Greyback’s meal at the next Revel. The thought of the giant snake slithering through the halls of his home sickened him as he pulled more dirt from the earth, making the pit even deeper. When this was all said and done, he would burn the Manor to the ground; it had been stained by the blood of the innocent and the only way to cleanse it would be through fire and ash.
As he set the shovel aside to reach for the body closest to him, he froze when he saw the lightly freckled hand. No, no, no, it couldn’t be…
Without hesitation or care for being caught, he lit the tip of his wand. Before him were no longer the three muggle women that Greyback had dragged in by their hair. The wild curls, straight silk black hair, and the white blonde strands stained red from blood. Hermione, Pansy, and Luna laid next to his makeshift grave, their eyes wide open. The milky white orbs of their eyes looked into his soul and in sync, all three opened their mouths and began to scream but no sound emerged, only blood, black oozing blood.
Draco opened his mouth and his screams of horror filled the air.
He bolted upright in the bed, screaming, sweat dripping down his face, the sheet that had covered him sticking to his chest. He was suddenly surrounded by activity and movement, but with his vision still blurry from sleep, Draco didn’t know where he was and struggled to escape, to get away, to flee.
“Dragon, it was only a dream.”
“Draco, we’re here.”
“Malfoy, can I get you anything?”
The desperate voices and soothing touches brought Draco from his panicked state. He swiveled his head as his vision cleared and the forms of Theo, Pansy, and Hermione came into focus.
He was in Theo’s bed, on green satin sheets, with Granger next to him. It was her hand on his chest, he must have had her in his arms when he bolted awake. Pansy was nestled behind Theo and Theo’s hand was also on him. He could smell the scent of sex, cloves, and fire whiskey. He still could taste the faint flavor of Theo’s cum and Pansy on his tongue. He wasn’t sure if he'd done Cordelia’s 54321 meditation properly, but he did feel a bit more calm, his magic less restless under his skin. When he first woke, he could have lashed out magically at any of them.
“N-no,” Draco murmured, “I don't need anything. Just a nightmare.”
“Malfoy, you were screaming ‘don’t be dead’ at the top of your lungs and then you flung me like a cushion,” Hermione said, her hands rubbing his chest trying to soothe him. “Let me do something for you.”
“Dragon, how about some cuddles?” The other man asked, a slight edge of desperation in his voice.
Draco almost didn’t recognize his own voice when he croaked out, “Please, Theo.”
Theo's strong arms pulled Draco’s back into his chest and put his face into Draco’s neck, his loose curls tickling Draco's face. Wrapping his arms around Draco's waist, Draco could feel the muscles in Theo's arms flex as he clung to him.
Hermione laid her head on Draco’s chest, cuddled next to Theo, and the weight from the pair of them grounded Draco into reality. The reminder that it had only been a nightmare, and that none of the women he cared for were harmed. Pansy’s hand reached over Theo to rub softly on his arm with a towel, her soft touch drying away the sweat and warming him.
Draco folded Hermione into his embrace and pulled her up higher so that he could put his face into her hair and breathe in the scent of her. Nude comfort, just being held by the three people that he could seek solace in. Theo began humming a soft lullaby into Draco's ear and Theo and Hermione’s melodic breathing wooed him back into Morpheus’ embrace.
************
Hermione woke late in the morning, the smell of coffee filled the air, making her hum in appreciation for her favorite morning beverage. She tightened her arms around Malfoy…Draco, as she enjoyed his face nuzzled into her neck, his even breaths playing over her skin. She gently stroked his back, trying to give him some reassurance while he continued to sleep, remembering the way that he had woken up screaming the night before plaguing her thoughts.
He was just as haunted as she was, she realized. She lifted her hand and laced her fingers through his white blonde hair while whispering softly into his ear, “Draco, we have to get up for group therapy.” She smiled as he slowly began to stir in her arms, “Theo and Pansy are already up.” Instead of waking up as she had thought he was, he burrowed himself even further into her neck, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her close.
“Please,” he hoarsely pleaded into the shell of her ear, “please just a few more minutes. I don’t want to stop holding you just yet.”
Her heart cracked at his confession, Hermione couldn’t help but smile knowing that she was bringing him this comfort that he desperately needed. She ran her fingers through his hair again, smoothing it away from his face before answering him, “Okay, Draco, okay,” Hermione whispered, not wanting to ruin this moment with him. “A few more minutes.”
She was awestruck as she realized that she truly didn’t give a flying fuck if she was late to group therapy nor what anyone thought if she showed up late with Draco Malfoy. She’d stay right here all morning if that’s what he needed, because as his arms tightened around her waist she realized that caring for Draco Malfoy was exactly what she needed as well.
*************
“Good morning everyone,” Cordelia announced to their group, making eye contact with everyone and causing the mindless chatter to cease at once. Pansy joined in with the chorus of ‘good morning’ back to their healer and noted that the usual twinkle in the older witch’s eye when she smiled was missing. Pansy felt her heart clench and her stomach flip. If anything, she had come to depend on Cordelia as her safety net; if the woman seemed apprehensive, then there most certainly was something amiss.
“As with life, we must adjust our course of action and our plans. With that being said, I must speak with you all this morning on a concept that was not our original agenda, but is pertinent today.” Cordelia paused, waiting for everyone’s undivided attention. Pansy noticed Theo’s posture stiffening from the corner of her eye. She knew that he had had individual therapy the previous day; those sessions seemed to impact what Cordelia talked about. What on earth had Theo shared?
“The concept is called the missing stair. A missing stair is an abuser or harasser who is well known and yet tolerated in a community. The analogy where the name comes from is that of a missing step in a staircase. Everyone in the house avoids and generally tries to warn others about this stair, but no one actually assumes the responsibility for repairing the damage.
“I want you all to know, despite the fact that you have all been through a great deal, you are all responsible for repairing that missing stair. If you know that someone has mistreated or hurt girls here at Hogwarts, you need to tell me and/or the Headmistress. None of you can assume that someone else will speak up and help put an end to this abuse and intolerable behavior.
“I am sharing with you this morning that someone, who will not be named, has informed me, there is a student who fits this description. If you know of such a person, it is your responsibility to make an appointment and speak with me about it, even if the person in question has never harmed you directly. I need this information if I am to keep you all safe this coming year. I am staying on staff along with Healer Atticus for the entirety of the school year and, in addition to continuing to offer individual therapy to those who are in need of the service, we’re going to be teaching a therapeutic art class. I hope I will continue to see all of your bright and shining faces.”
Pansy looked over at Theo and saw his eyes, almost unwillingly, being drawn to McLaggen in the next circle. McLaggen, based on the look on his face, was hearing the same information from the Mind Healer that ran his group. Theo’s frown slowly faded into the look of quiet attention that he used in class when his mind was a million miles away.
Pansy looked around their circle and saw that Granger was chewing on her fingernails, clearly thinking of someone while next to her, the look in Draco’s eyes could cut glass.
The energy between them fairly crackled, if they were already running late they should have just had a good shag, Pansy thought as her eyes flickered over the pair sitting next to one another.
She would bet anything that they had slept up until the moment they had rolled out of bed and rushed straight down. Pansy found her gaze stuck on the witch as she took in her disheveled appearance, no longer hearing a lick of what Cordelia was saying. Hermione’s curls were certainly unkempt and wild, Pansy was torn between wanting to fix it and wanting to mess it up worse, her fist rough as it forced the Head Girl to her knees. Pansy shook herself and went back to surveying the circle and their reactions.
Luna still possessed that dreamy look she often had when she started the day with some kind of hallucinogenic. It constantly amazed Pansy that, other than Theo, no one else had caught onto her frequent drug use without first being clued in. Blaise seemed to have figured it out as well, but Luna had likely told him, or at least Pansy hoped she had.
Thomas and Longbottom exchanged a look, frowning at one another. Obviously no one had ever thought to share with them that predators roamed the halls of Hogwarts. Abbott and Bones were looking at each other in consternation, like they knew perfectly well to whom Cordelia referred with her comments.
Looking back over at the other circle, Pansy noted that Smith, that bloody handsy twit from Hufflepuff, looked about ready to piss himself and sweat was clearly dripping down McLaggen’s face. Well they certainly made themselves obvious, didn't they?
She shifted in her chair as Pansy’s mind was drawn to Greg down in the dungeons, holed up waiting for his trial which, like hers and Draco’s, would be in just two weeks. He was sure as fuck dangerous, at least to someone like her who wasn’t willing to draw attention to herself by reporting him. Did she need to say something to someone? Blaise said that Greg wasn’t even leaving his room to eat, much less taking time to harass other students. Certainly that had to mean that everyone was safe from him? Right?
Pansy didn’t hear another word that Cordelia said for the rest of the session as she sat and stewed in the guilt of whether she was in the wrong and needed to confess to the healer about even more abuse she’d suffered.
****************
Hermione was walking towards the Great Hall when she felt a tug on her arm as she was pulled into a little alcove. Startled, she looked up into Theo’s smiling face and when he tucked one of her curls behind her ear, she leaned her cheek into his hand. Merlin, did she have it bad for him. “I don’t want you to think that we are ditching you for lunch, but I’m going to steal Drake for a bit, Princess,” He whispered, leaning down into her ear.
Hermione smiled as she went up on her toes to give him a chaste kiss to his jaw, even with him leaning down he still stood much taller than her. He really didn’t need to explain that he and Draco needed time alone, but nonetheless it was sweet of him to let her know. “I’ll see you both later, yeah?”
“Of course,” Theo whispered, giving her a kiss on her cheek as well. “I’m desperate to feel you cum around my cock again.” His words caused Hermione to let out a little gasp and felt her face heat. She looked around in surprise, making sure that they truly were alone. Had anyone heard him? Did she actually care though? She supposed that was the question.
Theo smiled cheekily at Hermione, before kissing her one last time and disappearing out of the alcove without another word, leaving her in a slightly flustered state.
Hermione took a moment to catch her breath before emerging from the alcove, but was quickly stopped by a new hand on her wrist.
Pansy stood off to the side, one hand on her hip and the look that resembled that of a predator on her face. Her black dress was tight and low cut, and her makeup was perfect: blood red lips and smokey eyes. She was the picture of seduction, and Hermione knew that looking like that Pansy could have her pick of anyone. But, she'd chosen Hermione as her prey, and that alone made Hermione’s even more thrilled at her attention.
"You know Mi," Pansy said, moving in closer to Hermione, her hand never leaving her forearm. "I am not really that hungry today are you?" Her new nickname on Pansy's lips did something to her, her heartbeat quickening at the way it sounded coming from her mouth. Hermione's eyes flitted to Pansy's lips and then back up to her eyes, her tongue darting out to wet her lips in anticipation for what was to come with the raven-haired witch.
"Not really," Hermione replied,"I have individual therapy at half past the hour."
Pansy nodded in confirmation, and without another word turned away from the Great Hall with Hermione in tow.
Never releasing her wrist, Pansy led Hermione at a swift pace to Myrtle's bathroom, closing the door and pulling her wand, casting a locking charm once they were inside.
Before Hermione could so much as blink, Pansy was on her, roughly shoving Hermione against the wall, her lips tracing the shell of the other girl's ear as she asked, "So what are your hard limits Hermione." Not waiting for an answer, she continued to kiss lightly on her neck, nipping Hermione’s ear lobe. "We really should have done this negotiation prior to me playing with you the other morning. So I apologize for that."
"That-that's okay, I really don't know what you mean?” Hermione tilted her head to the side to give Pansy more access to her neck, “Hard limits? I've never negotiated like this before. I don't even entirely understand what you are talking about."
"Oh my sweet girl," Pansy whispered huskily, her fingers lightly skimming Hermione’s flushed skin, "I am so going to enjoy breaking you in." Pansy kissed along the exposed column of Hermione’s neck, her hands tracing the outline of her breasts, making Hermione moan with pleasure at her touches. "Hard limits are things you never ever want to do. They are different for everyone. My hard limits are having the boys put their cocks inside me or having my control taken away. I would never be submissive. You however Mi, I think you enjoy all of that. Don't you?"
Hermione almost didn't recognize her breathless voice as she whimpered, "Y-yes."
"So what do you never want to try? I heard that you liked it when Draco spanked you, did you truly enjoy it, or did you just say you did to make them happy? There are no wrong answers here, my sweet girl."
"I-I did."
"It made you nice and wet. I bet you are wet just thinking about it now." Pansy slid her thigh between Hermione's legs, and In sheer desperation and without thought, Hermione rubbed her core against the other girl’s leg, seeking friction for her pulsing body. "Is spanking something you'd like to try more of, Mi?"
Hermione was nodding silently, and suddenly Pansy's fine boned hand was on her throat not squeezing, just holding her, forcing her with light pressure to look into Pansy's face.
"Mi, I'm gonna need you to use your words please," Pansy commanded, her hand tightening almost imperceptibly, making a small gasp slip from Hermione.
"Yes-yes Pansy. I'd like to try more spanking please." Hermione found that she loved the pressure on her throat, it was making the throb between her legs beat harder. "And more-more of this." She finished, understanding that if she didn’t explicitly tell Pansy she was enjoying something, the other witch wouldn’t continue.
"My hand on your throat? Is that what you mean? Or do you like riding my thigh, you dirty little swot?" Pansy smiled, her eyes darkening with desire.
"B-both Pansy. I like both." Pansy hummed appreciatively at Hermione’s answer.
"What about rougher play, Mi? When I play with Theo, I hurt him, I make him bleed and scream and beg for more, do you think you would like to try that?"
Hermione wasn't sure what to make of that kind of admission, rough in control Theo liked to let Pansy hurt him? Hadn't he said …something like that? Her thoughts were so scattered that Hermione swallowed, pushing those thoughts of Theo aside. There would be time later to come back to that.
"No-no, I don't think I'd like to bleed."
"Good Girl," Pansy sighed and kissed her deeply, her tongue darting between Hermione’s lips tasting her for a moment. "I don't want only yesses from you. I want honesty, okay? What about hair pulling? Or me being a little rough with you?"
"I think a little rough would be okay." Hermione was undone by the sensations that Pansy was eliciting in her simply with her questions and making Hermione be open about her desires and giving her consent. Though, as much as she was enjoying hearing about all the things Pansy could do to her, she wanted to stop talking about all these naughty things and do them already.
Pansy smiled, "Now I know you've never had a girl eat your sweet cunt, would you like to experience it?"
"Yes. I could…I'd like to touch you too, Pansy. The way you touched me the other morning? I don't know about licking you, er, there yet, maybe we could…work up to it?"
"Absolutely," Pansy purred, "I never want you to do anything that you aren't comfortable with doing. And you can always say you aren't comfortable with something and ask for it to stop, or if it's too much. Choose a safeword, little Mi."
When Hermione didn’t promptly answer, Pansy continued, "A safeword is a word that you say that let's Theo and I know that whatever is happening is too much for you and you need to stop. A word you would never say accidentally during sex. For example, Theo’s is thestral. He's never used it and considers it a badge of honor, but he's pushed his limits too far sometimes, more than once just avoiding saying it. I would rather you not do that because you are so new to…all of this." Pansy waved one hand airily.
"What's yours?" Hermione asked, her body thrumming with awareness, aching for Pansy to touch her, but still realizing the importance of this conversation.
"Betrothal." Pansy laughed cynically. Hermione wasn't sure why Pansy would have chosen a word so laced with pain as her safeword nor why it would make her laugh so. "Although as a Domme, it's rare for me to safeword, but not unheard of."
Pansy kissed Hermione a bit more and got her nearly to the point of orgasm with her thigh rubbing against her clit, and just before Hermione was about to cum, Pansy stepped back.
"Stopping before you finish like that is called edging. Do you like that?"
"No, I’m not sure that I do."
"But can you be a good girl for me anyway, Mi? Mostly because you have therapy with Cordelia in five minutes. You will be late already by the time you get up there." Hermione let out a desperate breath, weighing her options if she truly needed to go to therapy or if she could spend the rest of the afternoon in this bathroom discovering new ways to have Pansy pleasure her.
"You're right, I do need to go." Hermione sighed, "but I don't really want to." she leaned forward kissing Pansy hard, "Until later then."
"Until later, sweet girl." Pansy’s hand gripped Hermione’s wild curls and she nipped at her lips, “I’ll be thinking of you.” When Pansy pushed Hermione towards the door, she went without thinking, but all the way to Cordelia’s office she couldn’t help but wonder if that was true.
Notes:
The chapter was shorter this week as yesterday was my birthday and I was on vacation most of the week, but enjoy!
Also Pansy is engaging in poor BDSM etiquette, she should not be playing with Hermione while having this conversation, but they are 18 so I'm trying to cut them some slack.
Chapter 17: Love Let The Poison Bleed Out
Summary:
Chapter 17
Love Let the Poison Bleed Out
Song “Free” by Mother Mother
CW: discussion of cannibalism, murder and rape.
Notes:
Chapter 17
Love Let the Poison Bleed Out
Song “Free” by Mother Mother
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
**********
Cordelia smiled at Hermione as she entered her office. The warm welcoming room smelled of flowers and all the greenery seemed even more vibrant than the last time she had been there.
“I am so pleased that you are joining me again, Hermione,” Cordelia greeted her as she entered and took a seat, “Can I say that it looks as though you are both sleeping and eating better lately?"
“Thank you, I guess,” Hermione replied awkwardly, even though she realised that it was true, she hadn't thought others would notice the change in her. “I suppose that Theo and the other Slytherins have a lot to do with me sitting down to meals. They don't really let me slip away like I had been doing.”
“Sometimes when we are living in our minds, our memories, it can be hard to deal with the present needs of our bodies. We tend to forget the most important things: eating food, drinking water, and sleeping.” Cordelia had her notebook out, but hadn’t opened it yet, her open smiling countenance helping Hermione to soothe the nerves that she always got during her individual session. There also was the issue of the throbbing of her most intimate parts, punishing her for not having had time to finish her discussion with Pansy.
“I don’t know how familiar you are with Maslowe’s Hierarchy of Needs,” Cordelia smiled again and with a flick of her wand, a brightly colored pyramid was floating in the air. Hermione smiled– not for the first time appreciating the convenience of the magic–reading the labels: physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.
Cordelia tapped the bottom row of the pyramid with her wand, “Physiological Needs is the most critical because it’s the foundation of the whole model. This includes air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, and sleep. I feel, and you can correct me if I am wrong with this assumption, that when you first arrived here, a lot of these needs were not being met for you.”
“Was it that obvious?” Hermione kept her eyes fixed on the projection as she asked. Her thoughts were coming out almost against her will, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.
“Well I am a trained professional,” Cordelia joked, as she tried to put Hermione at ease, “ but beyond that, I have noticed that these needs seem to be being met now. How do you feel now compared to a month ago? Do you think that my assessment is correct?”
Hermione bit her lip as she sheepishly asked, “What was the list again? Air, food, warmth, shelter, sleep…”
“Sex and drinking, yes. Ideally water or other sources of hydration, not alcoholic beverages.” Hermione turned pink at Cordelia’s candid mention of sex, but tried to get a grip on herself. They had discussed Hermione’s interest in multiple partners last session, of course her Mind Healer would want to make sure she's…not satisfied, not the word to use right now, but confident in her choice.
“Yes, Cordelia. I think I can confidently say that all of those needs are now being met regularly." Hermione cleared her throat, determined not to be embarrassed by the mention of sex. "I’d like to thank you for those books that you lent me. They’ve been quite educational.” In for a knut, in for a galleon…
Vanishing the floating pyramid, Cordelia clapped in delight, “Well that’s wonderful news Hermione. Is there anything you’d like to share about that?”
Hermione thought for a minute, “It’s nice to be around people who seem to prioritise me and my wants, not what I can do for them. I don’t know that anyone has ever done that before, even with my parents, they always saw me as a little adult versus their child.”
"I think I have had a couple chances at being cared for in the past, but messed it up. I suppose I am worried I will ruin this, whatever it is, again.”
Cordelia was writing in her notebook, her dark eyes glancing up at Hermione every few moments as she spoke. When Hermione finished, she gave her normal warm smile, putting Hermione at ease again. “While it's valid to have concerns about how relationships will work out, I think that you are engaging in negative self-talk that is highly unnecessary. When was the last time you had a sexual relationship?”
“Fourth and fifth year,” Hermione replied, her hands twisting in her lap and a blush on her cheeks. Godric help her, she just told Cordelia that she lost her virginity as a fourth year…
“Hermione,” Cordelia leaned forward, “you are three years older now. You are not the same person that you were then. You just need to be sure to communicate with your new partner…partners?”
“Friends,” Hermione replied, lost in thought for a moment. Communication didn’t seem to be their weak point, she’d never had this level of candour with anyone and certainly had never imagined that she would have it with a bunch of Slytherins.
Cordelia nodded thoughtfully and made a note in her notebook, “And now do you have something to share with me about what we talked about in group earlier today.”
Clenching her jaw for a second, Hermione shook off the tension. Looking at Cordelia, Hermione cleared her throat and took a breath for courage; if she didn't speak up, who might he hurt next? “Yes, I do.”
She proceeded to tell Cordelia all about Cormac McLaggen and how he didn’t want to take no for an answer at Slughorn’s Christmas party in sixth year. Cordelia’s face became more and more grim at the telling and Hermione’s stomach was twisted with guilt. Should she have told someone about this before?
***********
Theo ran his fingers through Draco’s pale locks as the young man laid his head in Theo’s lap on the couch. Theo sipped at a firewhisky, while he waited for his lover to be ready to talk about what he had dreamed about the night before, knowing that pushing Draco was usually the way to go about getting him to open up. Theo’s fingers skated over Draco’s sharp cheekbones; Theo’s thumb grazed Draco’s jawline, enjoying the very masculine feel that was Draco.
“Dragon, you can tell me anything, you know that don't you?" Draco's soft mhm was the only indication he'd heard Theo. "I don’t want you keeping whatever nightmare you are dealing with shoved down inside of yourself, not right now, not when I'm here to listen. Bottling up horrors doesn’t serve you, it'll only harm you.” Theo’s voice was firm but loving and Draco struggled against his urge to keep his secrets to himself.
How long would he really have Theo to confide in? With his trial less than two weeks and his future still so uncertain. If the worst came to be–then all these moments would be at an end regardless. He’d be lucky if he was allowed to owl more than a handful of times a year. And all those letters would be reviewed by Aurors before they would be sent out.
Even the thought of his potential isolation felt like suffocation. How had the time flown by so fast? Since coming back to Hogwarts, he knew that he would be happy to be with Theo and Pansy again, but he’d never dared to dream that he’d get anything out of this summer besides some orgasms. He wasn't ready to lose Theo, to lose Pansy. Not to mention; Granger. Her body beneath him, curls spread, her warm heat welcoming him. Salazar, maybe he should tell her how he felt. No. No. He should keep it to himself. If he went to Azkaban…if he went to…
Theo tapped his chin, bringing Draco back to reality as he remembered their conversation, well at least Theo’s start to it. Draco let out a sigh, keeping his eyes closed, “You remember how I told you about the werewolves at the Manor? How they were raping women all the time, murdering them, and devouring their corpses?” Draco curled into Theo’s body, his face in Theo’s navel, his arms wrapped around Theo’s waist trying to draw strength from his lover.
Theo shuddered and took a deep draw of his firewhisky, “I do.” His hand ran soothingly up and down Draco’s back. Draco breathed in the scent that was purely Theo, focusing on that instead of the imagines that threatened to break into his thoughts.
“There was one particularly bad night. They’d murdered three muggle girls, Gods, two can’t have been more than sixteen, the other thirteen, maybe fourteen. When the wolves were done, they left the girls bleeding out in the dungeon. Lovegood and I tried to save them, but the wounds…,” Draco heaved a deep trembling sigh, choking down a sob, “the wounds were too severe. So after trying and failing to save them, I…” Draco trailed off, gulping for air.
Theo felt Draco’s tension as though it was his own and wished that Draco had accepted his offer of a glass of firewhisky to take the edge off this conversation. He didn’t say a word, only kept up the soothing touches, silently drinking and staring into the low fire that had been built in their fireplace, as the Scottish afternoon had turned stormy about an hour past. Even with the warmth filling the room, they were both lost in the cold of the memory as Draco recounted the events that had haunted him.
“I carried them out into the woods on the edge of the garden and I buried them there. I wouldn’t let the house elves assist me, it just wouldn’t have been right to put that on them. They hadn’t failed to save those girls, I had.
“I dug their grave until my hands blistered and bled. It was my punishment for allowing such evils to take place in my ancestral home, as the heir I should have stepped in and put a stop to the brutality, but I didn’t. Even if I couldn’t save their lives, I wouldn’t allow any more women to be eaten in my home. At least buried in the garden their bodies escaped that final indignity.”
“Drake, did you tell anyone that you did that?” Theo tinkled the ice in his glass and wished he had enough firewhisky to drown all these images away.
“What?” Draco sounded as though he was lost in his own mind, tears running down his cheeks, not really listening to Theo at all as he shifted to look into Theo’s sapphire eyes. Theo stroked the nape of Draco’s neck. He took a deep gulp of his firewhisky, finishing it and sent the glass floating to the table.
“Draco,” Theo said, sternly in his dom voice, as he gripped Draco’s neck tightly, enjoying the hooded look Draco’s eyes took on at his tone and his touch.
Draco gasped and Theo could feel his body respond to his tone. Salazar, Draco was such a good boy.
“You’re such a good boy, Draco,” Theo murmured, not loosening his grasp on his lover's neck, but rotating his hand to his throat, “are you listening to me now?” At Draco’s wide-eyed nod, Theo smiled, “Good boy, love. Now does anyone else know that there are bodies of muggle women buried at the Manor?”
Draco shook his head, “No, no Theo, only… only Luna. Luna knew because I told her what I was doing before I took them to the garden.” Theo slid his thumb between Draco’s lips and Draco subconsciously sucked at it, while Theo hummed thoughtfully. Someone had to be told about this right away. What if they were discovered and the Aurors thought Draco had been responsible. What if Draco’s magical signature was on the bodies?
Theo pulled his thumb away, but kept his hand on Draco’s throat. He needed him to stay in a submissive headspace, that would keep him answering the questions without getting too lost in the memories.
“How many bodies are buried in the gardens, Draco? Did you use magic to bury them?” Theo kept his tone commanding and his expression stern. Draco responded just how he knew he would, leaning into his grip, rubbing his cheek on Theo’s thigh.
“Sixteen, Theo. And I never used magic to bury them, I carried them over my shoulder, one at a time, dug the graves and covered them myself.” Theo sighed in relief, but still knew that someone needed to be told. Cordelia and McGonagall seemed to be the best options, maybe Robards if he wasn’t in a dickish mood. The only thing for certain was that none of the Aurors assigned to watching over Draco or Narcissa could be the ones who found the bodies first. No, any of them would easily pin all the crimes right back to Draco to use against him, the vindictive bastards that they were. The thought of Draco being charged with sixteen counts of rape and murder of muggles sent cold chills down his spine. It simply could not be allowed to happen.
Theo pulled Draco up and kissed him hard, rewarding him for his behaviour and answering Theo truthfully.
He was going to fix this. He was going to keep Draco safe; he was not letting him rot in Azkaban. Their fathers belonged in that nightmare, Draco did not.
Fuck it. He’d Floo Call Robards in the morning. That son of a bitch owed him.
**********
Draco felt somewhat guilty that he hadn’t helped Madam Pince, but after the nightmares that had haunted him, he’d desperately needed that time with Theo. It had been so much easier to unburden himself with his wizard than it was to confide in Cordelia. The passionate snogging session at the end hadn’t hurt either, and made the entire confession of what he’d done with sixteen muggle women feel like a weight had actually been lifted from his chest.
It was nice to make time to just be with Theo, who knew his body better than anyone. Theo just knew what Draco needed, even when Draco had no idea himself. It only made the blonde love and appreciate his wizard that much more for it. Their closeness was unparalleled, including his relationship with Pansy and the budding one with Granger. Pansy knew him well too, but it wasn’t the same. Pansy’s needs came first and always would. It was part of who she was and he didn’t want to change that about her. Granger too was a surprise, she really acted as though she gave a shite about him, like she cared, but regardless of her need to care for him, there just wasn’t the same level of knowledge of one another as there was between himself and Theo. But, maybe, there could be with Granger…
He had never expected that truth or dare session to turn out like this, any drinking game for that matter. Waking up with Hermione Granger in his arms, he never would have thought it was something that could happen, much less be more than a once in a lifetime occurrence.
Years of imagining, wondering, and desiring her. The thoughts of what it would be like to be with her like this paled in comparison to the reality. Potter and Weasley were fools, not that he’d ever doubted that fact as it was glaringly obvious to anyone with half a brain. She was clearly the most devoted witch that it had ever been his pleasure to know. The way she’d comforted him this morning and last night had blown his mind.
Who was he to deserve such attention and devotion from the Golden Girl?
He kept expecting to wake up and discover that the entire thing was a dream, but no dream that he’s ever had of her had ever felt so good. And oh, how good she was, from the top of her curly head to her dainty toes, Granger was just the embodiment of the word. It wasn’t just the pleasure that they gave each other, it was the way she allowed herself to be vulnerable with him, the way she trusted him with her fears and her desires. He felt their trust for each other growing every day, and it made something in his chest flare. He hadn’t been able to save her from his batshite aunt, but he had this burning desire to save her from the rest of the world’s horrors, even the most minor inconveniences he didn’t want her to experience. He could only pray that he got the chance, because as much as he wished for this, Azkaban still sat as a threat on the horizon of his future.
If his trial went better than he deserved, then he’d take care of her, spoil her, adore her for as long as she allowed him to do so. And when Granger told him that she was finished with him, Draco would gladly bow away and leave her to live her life, however she wished.
He felt secure with what he had with Theo, it was by far the most stable thing he had in his life. He and Theo were forever, he knew it, bone deep, soul deep. And while what was going on with Pansy now was new, he felt confident that it would last, maybe not forever, but it would last for at least as long as they had.
This…thing…with Granger though…he just needed to treat every day he could touch her like a gift. Because a gift was what it was.
Setting his thoughts aside, Draco pulled out a quill and parchment, determined to write to his mother as he kept swearing he would do, but thus far had neglected. He unfolded the list of destroyed books he had copied from the library so he could include it and smiled.
Dear Mother,
I hope this letter finds you well as can be under the circumstances. Please find enclosed the list of books that were completely destroyed during the battle. Madam Pince still does not know about our project and I look forward to surprising her. Can you arrange for the books to be delivered to the school next week prior to my trial? I’d hate to miss it, if the unthinkable comes to pass.
Will I see you at my trial? Are you being allowed to testify? I haven’t heard from our solicitor at all, I’m wondering if he’s reached out to you. I worry that he might not be willing to fulfil his duties.
Enough of that though, I’m pleased to report that the summer program is still going well. I’m mostly in company with Theo, Pansy and Blaise, but some rather shocking social developments have come to pass. I look forward to sharing more when we meet in person, which I hope will be soon.
Pansy told me to send her regards and that she would write if her probation allowed it.
I miss you so much and hope to hear from you when you’re able.
Your Devoted Son,
Draco
**********
Bouncing on his heels, Theo excitedly ripped into the package that he’d ordered and revealed his special surprise for Pansy. As the items tumbled out before him, Theo couldn’t continue his squeal of joy or the way he clapped his hands.
He’d asked her to meet him up here after dinner. He’d had the elves deliver a plate for him, but he’d only picked at it, Draco’s revelations from earlier today making his stomach turn. He needed a good release and this was going to allow for it, he was sure. He was horribly overdue for a bit of rough play.
The door opened and shut in the outer room and the sound of Pansy’s heels tapped out a rhythm on the floor that made his blood beat faster. Gods, he hoped that she was in the mood to domme him. He was desperate for a very specific type of attention, with just the thought of what she could do to him had his cock hardening.
He transfigured the bed into a St. Andrew’s cross, half to clear the floor space, but also as a ‘just in case.’ Dozens of candles flared to life around the circumference of the room, their flickering light adding a romantic ambience that Theo craved tonight. He needed some pain, but he needed it from someone who loved him–a craving that only Pansy could satisfy.
“Theodore?” Pansy called as she opened the door, the sound of her exhalation instantly set his body to tingling. She was in the mood! His cock could tell and began to thicken in anticipation.
“Oh, pet. Were you wanting to play?” Pansy’s tone had adjusted to her domme and she was purring out her words. A smile graced her lips as she transfigured her nails to the sharp points that would draw blood and vanished all of her clothes except her undergarments. “Accio boots.” Her thigh highs flew through the room into her hand. She kicked off her heels and they went flying across the room, clattering into the wall in her haste.
“My Queen, I have a little gift for you.” Theo smiled, pleased with himself beyond measure.
Pansy was stepping into her boots and running her wand up the laces, casting the charm that tightened them up the back. Stunning creature.
“Oh, pet? Do tell.” Her voice was heavy, as she looked at him through her lashes.
Instead of speaking, Theo pulled out the new crop and paddle that he’d managed to order without Robards finding out, bloody irritating auror. Pansy made noises of appreciation as she smacked the crop across her palm, smiling at the sting. It wasn’t as special as her rose bud crop that he knew had been her favourite, but it was well made nonetheless. When she had finished inspecting the crop’s quality, Theo passed over the long leather paddle. This one lacked the fine needles that Pansy needed to draw his blood, but it did have a cutout of the word “SLUT” and would leave the word on his arse. He quivered in anticipation at being so labelled by his Mistress.
“These are lovely gifts, pet. So thoughtful,” she purred, scraping her fingers over his scalp. “Now get on your fucking knees,” she hissed, gripping his hair at the roots.
Theo dropped to his knees immediately, his head bowed as she released him. He needed this, needed her. Needed to hand over control for a bit. Pansy vanished his clothes with a flick of her wand, not wasting any time. She stepped forward, the crop in her hand first and she ran it over his chest.
Theo watched her feet and tried to keep his breathing under control. He was so aroused it was painful and his cock twitched in anticipation.
“Shall we strap you to the cross you so thoughtfully set up, pet?” Theo didn’t answer immediately and Pansy had his cheeks in her hand in an instant, the magically sharpened nails drawing blood. “Are you listening to me, Theodore?”
“Of course, my Queen. I thought your question didn't need my answer. I apologise profusely and accept any punishment you see fit for my lack of obedience.”
“Get up and go over there so I can strap you in. Face the wall, pet. I’m going to work your arse tonight.”
Theo could feel the small drops of blood from Pansy’s nails sliding over his face, a few dripping onto his clavicle. The sting on his face made him feel alive. He stepped forward, his hard cock against his belly as he raised his arms and Pansy strapped him into the restraints, buckling his wrists and ankles by hand rather than using magic, her touch lingering and burning his skin with anticipation. She preferred to make sure that everything was fitted just right. Her diligence as a Domme was such a blessing. Theo knew how lucky he was that she had ever consented to play with him. He remained the only man who had ever felt her sting.
She stroked his back softly with her fingertips, warming him up to her touch. Then eight sharp nails dragged along the skin of his back drawing lines of blood from shoulder to arse cheeks and he’d no sooner groaned at the pain before he realised that the glamours weren't up on his back. The panic instantly set in, Pansy could see all his scars. The thought had no sooner crossed his mind before he began to struggle against his wrist restraints in an attempt to cast the spell. This wasn’t something he’d intended for her to see today, and in his excitement, he’d forgotten this step in preparing himself for any type of intimacy.
“Don’t,” Pansy whispered, her lips on his ear. “I need to see my work on your real skin, not the illusions you put up. It's nothing you haven't let me see before, pet. You’re safe with me, there’s no need for you to feel fear in this space.” The tears started to run down his cheek as he slowly nodded, his chest still heaving, though anxiety was slipping away at her words. “There’s my good boy. I’ll take care of you, don't forget that.” She ran a soothing hand over his cheek.
“Never,” Theo whispered, “I’ll never forget.”
“Good pet,” Pansy purred, her hand over his wrist as she felt his pulse evening out. “Are you ready for the real pain now?”
“Fuck yes,” Theo said, as his cock twitched at her tone. He knew she was smiling behind him as the new crop began to welt his arse and his back. He let out a moan, giving himself over to the pleasure of agony. The strikes blurring together, punctuated by long scratches drawing his blood. He was almost unaware when she switched from the crop to the paddle. She didn’t ask him to count her hits and he was grateful, he would have barely been able to make the words if she’d asked anyway. And as his knees gave out, Theo was left dangling from the cross, each strike bringing him more electric bliss - the intersection of the pain and pleasure left him drowning in sheer ecstacy.
Bloody hell. It felt so good.
He thought he would cum untouched and sobbed as he tried desperately to wait for Pansy’s command.
********
Draco could hear Theo’s sobbing moans coming from inside his room, and he had to fight with his urge to go rescue his lover. He knew intellectually that Theo enjoyed what Pansy did to him, but listening to it was another thing. Silencing the room, Draco went to sit on the couch and pulled out a book that Granger had left lying on the side table.
The witch was out, catching up with Lovegood over tea in the Great Hall and had suggested he head up to the suite without her. Not wanting to appear too clingy–because he would have happily sat and listened to her voice–Draco had listened to her and excused himself, leaving the two young women to chat.
He found himself gripped with worry over their safety after what Cordelia had said that morning in the therapy group– not to mention his dream last night. But Cordelia herself had been speaking to the Head Mistress in hushed tones up on the dias, comforting him that the situation was being addressed and not brushed under the rug as it would have been with Dumbledore. The two women in charge were the only thing that kept him from pacing outside the Great Hall like a great cat.
He set aside the book, not able to read a word of it, and went to pour himself a glass of Ogden's. He sat and stared at the fire dancing in the hearth as he ignored Theo’s silenced room, Granger’s absence, and his fears surrounding his upcoming trial. As he took a sip from the crystal tumbler, He felt like a lyre string ready to snap. And just as he was about to give up on his drink and go search for her, the door to the common room opened.
There stood Hermione Granger with a huge smile on her face.
“Draco, you’re here.”
It had never felt so good to have someone happy to see him.
“Here I am, Granger,” he smirked back at her. And she crossed the room, throwing herself into his arms, knocking the glass from his grasp. He ignored it as it fell to the floor, what he had in his arms now was a thousand times more precious.
The vanilla and woman scent of her was definitely in his Amortentia now.
Salazar help him, but he never wanted to let her go.
***********
Notes:
The Alphabet team keeps growing! They are all so amazing!
Chapter 18: I've Dug Two Graves For Us My Dear
Notes:
I've dug two graves for us, my dear
The song for this chapter is
Revenge -XXXTENTACION
https://open.spotify.com/track/5TXDeTFVRVY7Cvt0Dw4vWW?si=8wARQI1hRFyYI_BxTTItSQ
Chapter Text
"Where are Pansy and Theo?" Hermione asked from Draco’s lap. Her hands were wrapped around his neck as she played with the hair at his nape.
Draco scrambled to think of what to say, not wanting to alarm the little witch, and finally settled on,"They are occupied."
"Occupied?" Hermione asked, confusion evident in her voice and the look on her face.
"Occupied." Draco nodded, hopeful that she understood what he meant and he wouldn't have to explain it further. He was still working on getting used to sharing with her and he had to push against his natural desire for reticence.
"Occupied where?" She stared at him, perplexed.
"In Theo’s room," Draco sighed in frustration, as he really did not wish to go into details about Pansy and Theo’s private activities. Their play with each other was something that Draco knew about, but that was for them and not him. How much was he allowed to say? How much had the others already told her?
"I don't understand. Are they shagging? I thought that Pansy didn’t–"
Draco sighed again, even more dramatically this time, cutting off Hermione’s thoughts. He removed the silencing charm on Theo’s room with a wave of his wand and waited. Only a moment later, the sound of smacks on flesh and Theo's sobs filled the common area and Hermione’s face morphed from curiosity to shock.
"Good Godric, what is going on in there?" Hermione looked at Draco with a concerned expression.
"They are having a play session." Draco said, not meeting her eyes, and recasting the silencing charm. "The two of them can get a little rough."
"A little rough? It sounds like Theo is hurt."
"Oh I am sure he is. He is probably bleeding too.” Draco paused as he reconsidered his words, “Actually, assuredly he’s bleeding by this point."
Hermione paled at that, but then remembered Pansy’s words from earlier today: When I play with Theo, I hurt him. I make him bleed and scream and beg for more. Do you think you would like to try that?
Hermione wasn't sure what to make of sweet, masterful Theo allowing himself to be injured for pleasure and lovely Pansy being willing to be the one hurting him. The amount of trust it must take to play in such a way was nearly unfathomable to her.
"It's not really my cup of tea either," Draco admitted, watching her expression flicker from one feeling to another, "I don't mind a little light bondage and I enjoy some edging, but the rougher masochism and blood play just isn't for me."
“Pansy explained edging to me earlier, I don’t think I like it.” Hermione wasn't sure that she wanted to know exactly what blood play and rough play looked like. The whole thing unnerved her more than she was ready to admit. She felt like such a hypocrite. What did it matter to her how Theo and Pansy got their pleasure if they were both consenting? Pansy had respected her disinterest after all.
"And you don’t have to like it, I have something you might want to do instead," Draco smirked at Hermione causing her body to shiver. "How about we go kick Crookshanks off your bed and I see how many times I can make you orgasm with my mouth?"
"That sounds like an exceptional idea," Hermione grinned back at him.
However, Crookshanks wasn’t thrilled about it, even after Draco gave him a treat, and he grudgingly stalked over and laid by the fire.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Draco pulled Hermione into his embrace, her body fit perfectly between his thighs. Having her contained there was perfection. He grabbed the back of her hair, tilting her neck to give him access to the olive expanse of her throat. She wasn’t as dark as Theo’s deep bronze, but her skin couldn’t be described as anything other than sunkissed. His pale hands pulled her shirt over her head and he ran reverent hands over her bra.
“Granger, you are so bloody perfect,” he drawled as his fingers traced fire in her veins. She could feel heat pooling between her legs and he urged it to further life as one hand slipped between her legs.
She arched into his touch. She needed him. She couldn’t wait and pulled out her wand from her back pocket, vanishing her denims and knickers and tossing her wand across the room. Draco’s laugh was a deep amused chuckle.
“In such a hurry, Granger?” He whispered as he left a line of bites along the column of her throat.
“Always,” she moaned, “when it comes to you.”
Draco felt that praise go straight to his cock, as it thickened quickly, her heat so close, but he promised to make her come with his mouth. He grabbed her around the waist and tossed her onto the bed.
He’d never get tired of doing that.
She smiled at him as he crawled over her. “You are wearing entirely too many clothes, Malfoy.”
“Malfoy again am I?” He smirked at her, hoping that she could see how much he adored her. “I don’t need to get naked to make you come with my mouth, Granger.” She shivered as he ran his hands over her bare skin, lowering himself down her body. His breath brushed over her skin like butterfly wings. Goosebumps followed his mouth’s path. Hermione’s hands clenched in the sheets beneath her and she found she wished they were on Theo’s silk sheets, her cotton ones felt so coarse in comparison.
He kissed in shrinking circles from her navel to her thighs. His mouth never quite got to where she was so desperate to have him. As the circles became smaller and smaller, the gentle kisses turned into possessive bites. The nips on her inner thighs certainly left marks. She was pleading and begging. Helpless under his touch, she moaned, demanded, begged for more.
When he finally brought his mouth down on her dripping core, she came almost as soon as his tongue ran over her sensitive clit. She wanted him so badly, she almost told him to stop the game of seeing how many times he could make her cum with his mouth, she wanted him inside of her so desperately. How had this become her life?
For her second orgasm, he simply licked her. Long strokes of his tongue through her folds again and again, swirling around her clit as he came to the end, only to begin again. She finally came the second time when he licked at her core, while he put one of his rings against her clit and applied pressure to that bundle of nerve endings. She nearly flew off the bed that time.
He pushed her back with his hand, holding her down with his arm, as he slid two fingers inside of her, licking at her swollen nub as he fucked her with his fingers. Hermione’s pants and sobs filled the room and she realised that she didn’t sound so different from how Theo had sounded as Draco had lifted the silencing charm.
When she came again, she felt as though she was boneless. The third orgasm came nearly on top of that one. She wasn’t sure if they were really separate or one that paused for a moment before continuing to melt her into a puddle. She struggled to keep herself aware of what was going on, her body and her mind were both horribly close to plunging into darkness.
“I can’t take anymore,” she pleaded.
“You can and you will,” Draco commanded; the forcefulness in his tone made her even more aroused. His quicksilver eyes stared down at her and she was undone. She wanted to do whatever he wanted, whatever he demanded of her would be his.
“Yes, yes Draco,” She gasped as he added another finger inside of her and began to lick and suckle at her core again. She felt her body grow wetter and wetter, it felt as though she was going to pee and she tried desperately to push him away. He would not be swayed and held tightly to her as she drenched him with her climax.
“One more, my darling,” he whispered into her flesh, as she sobbed and gasped. Draco whispered words of passion into her wet flesh, “I crave you, I adore you. Your taste is amazing. I need this, need you, can’t stop. Cum for me again Granger. You are the best, most perfect thing that's ever happened to me.” Hermione knew he couldn’t possibly mean all of that, it was just the sex talking. This wasn’t any real commitment between the two of them, she knew that, yet it was lovely to pretend.
All the words of adoration flooded her body with a wave of electricity, and with one last “perfect perfect girl, she exploded. She was a blubbering mess, and desperately claimed that she simply could not take anymore.
Draco smiled up at her.
“Don’t you want to cum,” she gasped out, questioning. She didn't want to leave him wanting more.
“I don’t have to,” he murmured as he pulled himself out and slid up, his face in her neck, “I don’t mind a little edging. It makes the orgasm later all the more explosive.”
Hermione grunted, her core still fluttering around nothing and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can’t imagine it getting any more explosive than it is now. If its called edging when you don’t let me come, what is it called when you try to make me come more times than I think that I can handle?”
He thought about it a moment, and then whispered, “Forced orgasm I think. Did you like it?”
“I thought I was going to die, it felt so good. Are you sure you were a virgin when we first slept together?” She laughed.
“Pretty sure,” he smiled into the soft skin of her neck and gripped her hip tightly. “Wonderful woman.”
Hermione scoffed, but her breath quickly faded into the rhythmic breaths of sleep. And he smiled again, knowing that he had given her pleasure better than any Dreamless Sleep potion.
He’d managed to give her five orgasms with his mouth, and then and there, Draco vowed to himself he would get the number higher before their time was at an end. He wanted her to remember him with pleasure if the worst came to pass.
***********
Pansy was getting used to there being ambient light when she woke up in the Head Dorm, but years of waking in a darkened dungeon room had taken their toll. She still found herself confused and somewhat frightened half the time when she’d first wake. It would take her a moment to pull herself together; Cordelia would probably say that was an anxiety response.
Leaning over, Pansy put her hand on the small of Theo’s back where he laid next to her. The sheet was pooled around his waist and she couldn’t help but admire the sight in front of her. He was so pretty from behind. That trim little body did something to her that only women had done before they had gotten involved and she didn’t mind in the least.
His unblemished skin illusion had dropped in his sleep and her eyes ran over the layers of scars and burns on his skin. She appreciated that she was the only one that he let his guard down around other than Draco, who’d rubbed Dittany into Theo’s skin more than once when some of those injuries were first sustained. At some point Hermione needed to be shown, but it was Theo’s decision when he was finally ready for the wall to come down between them.
She gave his back a once over and was confident that she’d healed all the cuts and bruises from their play thoroughly. She always liked to double check her aftercare when they’d had a rough session the night before. And it had been very rough. The two of them had both needed the release, the tension from the past week building to a point that only they could satisfy each other. In the end she’d had him crawl on his knees to her, bloody and bruised, and servicing her until she came. It hadn’t taken long, the smears of blood he’d left on her thighs afterwards had nearly made her cum again.
She’d taken Theo up to the bathroom in the wee hours of the night to hand bathe him, healing each injury with absolute care and then gently wrapped him in a new warm fuzzy robe he’d purchased along with her new toys. She’d showered him with complimentary words, making sure that he knew how much she loved and cherished him. He was so good, so perfect, a good pet, a good boy, the best. She’d conjured him a glass of water and left him smiling as she spoke to him while she showered, rinsing the blood off and watching it circle the drain, pink like the flowers she was named after.
Once she’d gotten herself clean and she had restored his room to rights, she’d hand fed Theo some chocolate while his head was on her lap. The little sighs of contentment coming from his lips showing that her aftercare was exactly as he needed. She repeated her praises and stroked his hair until he fell into a deep peaceful sleep. He’d seemed troubled all day, but she’d worn him out enough that he’d slept deeply, never stirring. Hopefully his dreams had been pleasant.
Pansy trailed her lips across Theo’s shoulder and he blinked awake at her. His blue eyes crinkled in pleasure at her.
“Good morning, my Queen. Where’s the rest of our little troupe? Did they never join us?”
“I think they went to bed in Hermione’s room last night, love. We were playing games until quite late.”
“Then why are we awake so early?” Theo groaned grouchily, pulling a pillow to cover his eyes from the glowing morning light.
“I was thinking we might enjoy ourselves out on the balcony a bit before therapy, since we’ve already showered. Come along, you go have a smoke and I’ll send someone to make you feel lovely.” Theo was already nodding eagerly and rolling out of bed. He threw on his favourite green silk robe and headed out to the balcony. Pansy smiled and enjoyed a moment of basking in how bloody obedient Theo could be. He was pure perfection. And he only obeyed her, that was honestly the most delicious part.
Pansy didn’t bother getting herself dressed either, also just throwing on her own robe. She also didn’t bother knocking on Hermione’s door, just inviting herself in, only stopping to admire the couple sprawled out in the bed.
They were both naked. Draco was on his stomach, right leg tossed over Hermione with his arm outstretched and his fingers curled around her throat. Hermione’s hand was resting on Draco’s cheek in her sleep. The room smelled of sex in the best way and she noticed, not for the first time, that neither of them liked to use Scourgify after they shagged. Pansy hummed her approval at Hermione’s thighs still damp and the remains of Draco’s cum that stained the sheets beneath her.
Naughty little creatures. So very filthy. How she adored them both.
Pansy stroked Draco’s back lightly and he mewled softly in the back of his throat. Since he was on top, he could go service Theo first. “Draaaccoo,” Pansy whispered into his ear. “Wake up darling.”
Draco stirred and turned his face into Hermione’s palm, his eyes blinking up at Pansy. “Hi, Pans,” his voice was heavy with sleep and the sound made him even more delicious.
“I need you to get up and go take care of Theo, now” The last word was delivered with a little flash in her eyes to let him know that she was serious and she meant now without argument. Draco could be a bit of a brat for Theo, but Pansy was not going to put up with that behaviour. His eyes that had, just moments ago, been hooded and hardly opened were instantly filled with lust at the mention of their wizard.
The blonde carefully extricated himself from Hermione so as not to wake her and pulled on his underwear only before Pansy shooed him out the door.
Pansy grinned at Hermione’s naked body spread wide, her wet pussy sparkling in the dawn light. She could see the bite marks Draco had left behind peppering her thighs and so Pansy delicately ran a finger up her silky skin towards the damp folds of Hermione’s core. She blew a breath over Hermione’s most delicate parts and grinned as the petite brunette’s nipples pebbled and a moan slipped from her lips, even though she slept on. Pansy wondered whether she should wake her or if it was alright just to pleasure her as an alarm clock. They hadn’t talked about waking one another up with intimate touches, but Pansy had done it before and Hermione had not had any complaints.
Pansy’s silk robe slid to the floor and pooled around her feet. She climbed up onto the bed, kneeling between Granger’s open knees. What a pretty well shagged picture Granger made.
Tentatively Pansy ran her hands over the sleeping woman’s thighs, slowly putting pressure on the bite marks that Draco had left behind. Hermione shifted and moaned in her sleep more, encouraging Pansy to continue. She leaned forward, running the tip of her tongue along the seam of Hermione’s body, circling her clit and just barely touching it with her teeth.
Hermione’s hips jerked upward toward Pansy’s face and suddenly the brunette was awake, tangling her fingers into Pansy’s raven hair.
“Please,” she begged, tossing her head on the pillows.
“Anything for you, Mi,” Pansy whispered and then hummed into her body, as she used her tongue to penetrate the other girl. Hermione’s thighs began to shake and Pansy gripped them, using force to keep her legs spread.
Hermione’s breath came faster and faster, the groans and gasps becoming louder and more frantic. Pansy charmed three nails blunt and slid those fingers deep inside her lover. She curved them toward herself. She sucked and slurped on Hermione’s clit until the Head Girl was sobbing and trembling. She felt the other girl’s body clench around her, but Pansy didn’t stop, she was determined to pull a second orgasm out of her before she let her go again. She kept the pressure on the secret place inside every woman and sang a few words in French with Hermione’s clit in her mouth. Hermione almost flew off the bed as she squirted onto Pansy’s face, her whole body convulsing as the tension snapped.
“Dear Gods, Pans,” Hermione said looking down at the other girl, “you are quite exceptional at that.”
Pansy smiled knowingly, “Now that I’ve woken you, let’s go see what those boys are up to on the balcony.”
***************
Theo cast some warming charms over the balcony, as he stepped out immediately lighting a cigarette. The view was gorgeous, as always, and he was grateful no one could see him up here due to the charms on the stones. A real blessing and one of the best hidden secrets of Hogwarts.
He blew a huge cloud of smoke into the cooler air that lingered at this height just past the warming charms. Carefully he recast the glamour charms that hid his torso worth of scars and burns. He wished there was a way to permanently remove them, he hated carrying the past with him everywhere, but there were some things that magic just couldn’t fix. If muggles had a technique, that could always be an option. Though, he’d probably have to ask Hermione and then he would have to admit that he had them in the first place. As much as he cared for her and trusted her, he wasn’t sure that he was ready to see the pity that he had seen on her face when he’d shared about his home life in group again.
“Hey,” Draco slipped out onto the balcony, pulling the door partially closed behind him and immediately falling to his knees. It appeared Pansy had given him instructions before he came out here. “Good morning.” Draco rubbed his face on Theo’s quickly hardening cock, his large pale hands like stars against the silk of Theo’s robe. One hand slid under the fabric taking Theo’s cock in his grip, revealing it from the robe, exposing him to the morning air. Theo stared down at his best friend on his knees in front of him and sucked in a breath as Draco took the tip of his cock into his mouth.
“Good morning to you too, Dragon,” Theo rasped as the blonde slowly swallowed all of his cock until his lips were touching the soft dark curls at its base. Draco hollowed his cheeks and Theo put his cigarette between his lips so that he could hold Draco’s head and fuck his face. “Remember, tap my thigh twice if it gets to be too much.”
Draco just hummed his understanding around Theo’s cock, causing Theo to harden even further and start to fuck his face in earnest, gripping the silky white blonde hair at the roots. Draco continued to make deep moans around Theo’s length, as Theo thrust again and again into his lover’s hot wet mouth. It felt so bloody good.
One of Draco’s hands reached up to cup Theo’s balls, lightly massaging them and rolling them in his grasp.Theo knew he needed to start teaching Draco about anal play. If only the man on his knees knew how to put pressure on Theo’s prostate while sucking his cock. The thought had hardly crossed his mind before Theo exploded down Draco’s throat. Actually, now sounds like the perfect time to begin.
“Okay, Dragon. Now stand up and turn around. Grip the balcony.”
Theo kneeled down, moving his robe to the side so that his knees were on the stone. He cast a nonverbal cushioning charm for himself and realised he should have done that for Draco as well. Ah well. Draco hadn’t seemed to mind the little bit of pain. Theo slid Draco’s underwear down his legs. Draco shook a little bit in nervous anticipation. Theo tenderly kissed one cheek of Draco’s arse and then nipped the other.
“Theo!” Draco’s voice was strangled.
“Didn’t like that, love?”
“I didn’t say that.” Theo cast a quick anal cleansing charm and Draco moaned at the tingling sensation inside his body.
Theo leaned forwards, humming with delight before he ran his tongue around the rim of Draco’s arsehole. The surprising action made Draco’s hips jerk, as he pressed himself back against Theo’s mouth, so that Theo could lick slow strokes against the puckered hole again. Reaching around, Theo wrapped his calloused hand around Draco’s rapidly hardening length and stroked his cock, using his thumb to swipe at the precum already gathered there.
“Dragon, I can’t tell you how much I crave to feel you around my fingers. The thought of sinking myself into you has been all encompassing for far too long.” Another lap at the hole, taking extra care to leave behind enough lubricant caused Draco to shudder and moan out into the silent Scottish morning.
“Would that be okay with you, Dragon? Do you think you would like me fingering you before I finally fuck that tight little arsehole of yours?”
“Y-yeah Theo, I think that I would.” Draco’s words came out breathless and raw.
“Do you like me playing with your body out here in the open?” Theo continued, knowing that dirty talk alone was something that drove Draco wild. “If the charms were gone, anyone could see you getting your arse eaten, they’d most certainly hear you when I do this.” Theo made sure that he left copious amounts of spit behind before his tongue darted out and put pressure against Draco’s entrance. The blonde let out a loud low groan of pleasure, verging on a sob. “Do you like being a filthy little slag for me, Drake?” Theo whispered, letting his cool breath provide even more sensations against this part of Draco.
“Y-yes, Theo.”
Theo’s tongue slowly penetrated Draco’s tight arsehole this time and Draco started to curse under his breath at the intrusion. His hands clenched at the stones as Theo pumped his cock harder and faster, twisting his wrist slightly at the tip. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and Hermione’s shocked face was replaced with one of nervousness, as Pansy ordered her too to grip the balcony.
“Let’s see how you like it, Mi. Theo, make Draco make a mess of himself and then show Mi how that feels. I’m sure no one has played with her arse,” the raven haired witch said as she walked past the other woman, slapping her arse as she got into place.
Theo only nodded, hard at work making Draco cum. Draco’s legs were starting to tremble as he came closer and closer. All at once, he let out a deep groan as he bucked in Theo’s hold, unable to control himself. His cock sprayed his belly and the stones of the balcony with his cum.
Theo moved over to Hermione, casting the cleansing charm again on her arse and his mouth before he bent to his task. Hermione’s softer curves and plump bum were such a stark difference to Draco’s much firmer build, but Circe help him if he didn’t lust after both equally. Without wasting any more time, Theo got to work on the witch until she was arching and quivering above him. The chanting of his name again and again on her lips only encouraged Theo to work her over even more. He lapped at her thighs, already slick from whatever Pansy had done to her in the bedroom, the attention making Hermione’s cunt drip more.
Theo collected her arousal and dampened his bronze hands as he kept her legs spread while he made her body catch flame. With the addition of her own slick, Theo teased her puckered hole with his fingers, while licking and sucking in time of his movements. When her quivering seemed like she might lose her grip and scrape her knees across the stones, Theo pulled back his face, and pressed fingers into both of her holes.
“Theo, Theo, Theo, Theo,” Hermione sobbed as she came; as Draco watched her, adoration was apparent in his eyes as he leaned against the balcony still catching his breath, his underwear still abandoned on the stone floor.
Theo hopped up and stretched, his back cracking as his arms reached towards the clear morning sky. “What a beautiful way to start the day!” Pansy smacked him good naturedly, but couldn’t help except to grin at the wobbly mess he had made of their boy and girl.
The four lovers spilled into the common room from the balcony and after Theo shut the door, he ran his hand over it with affection. So far that balcony was one of his favourite things about this suite of rooms. It was true what they said about Head Boys and Girls getting special privileges.
Realising that their little pleasure session had taken more time than they really had, Draco rushed to grab clothes from Theo’s room. Taking the stairs two at a time, he looked back at Theo and smirked, that look on his face always set the brunette’s blood aflame. Theo half considered following him up the stairs and finishing what he’d started on the balcony. He couldn’t wait to possess Draco utterly.
However, Theo knew he had to wait. He wanted to have more time to have aftercare after he had Draco like that for the first time. It was a very vulnerable act and Theo wanted to give it the time it deserved. He didn’t want it to be a one off. If he initiated Draco properly, it would very likely become a part of their regular sexual repetoire.
Theo and Pansy dressed quickly, as neither had to shower, and enjoyed a cup of tea in the kitchen while they waited for Draco and Hermione to be ready. He smiled over the edge of his cup at the raven-haired beauty in her short black skirt and black button down top. It was really too bad that the thigh high boots were for special occasions as they would look positively splendid with that outfit.
Salazar, he was a lucky man.
He pushed his unruly curls out of his eyes after sitting his empty tea cup in the kitchenette sink.
Hermione came out of her bedroom dressed, but her curls were wild and she tried to charm them with a combination of charms and her muggle brush, making Pansy chuckle at her.
“Mi, what on earth are you trying to do? Your hair looks like a bramble hedge?” Pansy laughed.
With a quick knock at the door and without waiting for anyone to answer, Luna and Blaise entered.
“Good morning to my favourite tower dwelling snakes,” Blaise called, “And Granger of course. Coming down for breakfast?”
Luna looked surprised at Hermione who was continuing to desperately try to work on her hair.
“Hermione, your hair is an absolute disaster! You know you need to wet it, what are you trying to do?” Luna started walking over to Hermione to take over whatever madness was occurring, but Pansy held up her hand and shook her head.
“No, no, I got it,” Pansy said, taking the brush from Granger and using at least three hair and beauty charms that Hermione had never heard before, dampening the wild curls under her fingertips as she brushed them to a shine.
Draco came down the stairs from the bathroom with a towel wrapped low around his waist. He opened his mouth to say something risque to Theo whose eyes were trained on the light dusting of pale blonde hair on Draco’s lower abdomen, but suddenly realised that Blaise was watching him with a raised eyebrow.
“I-I’ll be right out,” Draco said, “But everyone doesn't need to wait on me!”
“Don’t be silly,” Pansy called after him, “I am still working on Mi’s hair. Take all the time that you need.”
******
Once breakfast had passed with the six of them seated alone at one of the circle tables, they made their way out to the courtyard for the therapy group. The Scottish morning was exceptionally warm, but the weather would likely be entirely different by mid-day.
Theo, however, had no intention of participating in therapy today. And as he saw Cordelia conversing with the dark bearded Healer Atticus who led the second group, Theo made a bee-line to her in order to make a case for his very necessary excusal.
“Cordelia,“ Theo interrupted the healer “I really need to talk to you for a minute.” The other Mind Healer bowed and excused himself, giving Cordelia and her young client privacy.
“Yes, Theo, how can I help you?” Cordelia smiled, her kind open smile giving him a warm feeling. He wondered, not for the first time, if the woman was part Veela or some other similar creature that he’d never heard of, she just made him feel unnaturally at ease. It was an uncomfortable sensation honestly.
“I’m not going to be able to come to the Group this morning. I need to call the DMLE and report something.” Theo’s fingers were in the loops of his black denims and he felt so overwhelmingly nervous. What if she said no?
Cordelia looked at him thoughtfully. “Is someone in danger Theo?”
“Just Draco and no more than normal. He just shared something with me that needs to be told to the Aurors before they find out about it themselves. It’s something that could sabotage his trial, because if they find out and think he was hiding it, they would use it against him.”
“I see,” Cordelia said, although Theo suspected she, in fact, did not see.
“I promise to come have an individual session and talk it all out with you as soon as it’s sorted.” Theo said, hoping that this would make Cordelia inclined to give him the freedom that he needed in order to take care of this.
Cordelia nodded her understanding and Theo swiftly left the Courtyard, heading back towards the Great Hall to try to catch McGonagall now that he had gotten permission from Cordelia.
“Headmistress,” Theo called after McGonagall who had just dismissed Filch from the Great Hall and was clearly about to deal with something else urgent, “can I bother you to use your Floo for a call?”
“Mr Nott, who on earth do you need to call that you can't use your own Floo?” The elder witch sounded a bit exasperated, but as always she gave him the time to explain himself and not just dismiss him.
“I need to call Robards and it's rather urgent. I understand your Floo gets priority when Floo calling the Ministry.”
“Yes alright then, you know the password.” McGonagall nodded, smiling at his access to what was considered secret information. She had chosen an exceptionally clever Head Boy. “I suppose it must be. Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson's trials are coming up very soon, aren't they?”
Theo knew that the question was rhetorical, so he merely nodded.
The Headmistress nodded again, thoughtfully as she studied him. “Well Mr Nott, I suppose that if you say that the matter is urgent I must believe you. Head on up to my office. I’m going to leave you to your own devices while I deal with the construction crew that is arriving this morning to restore the Quidditch pitch as I don’t wish to end up with a new World Cup stadium rather than what we had before.” With that and a nod, the Headmistress vanished, leaving Theo to deeply appreciate the trust that she must have in him.
The empty halls were easy enough to navigate and Theo was able to quickly get to the Headmistress’s office.
As he entered the room, Snape’s portrait sneered at him and flung his cape over his shoulder.
“Really Severus, is that level of histrionics necessary first thing in the morning?” Theo mocked the magical image of his former Head of House.
“Mr. Nott, I take it the Headmistress has given you permission to access her office. It would be surprising if you had managed to get in here without her consent.”
“Indeed, didn’t you know I’m Head Boy? First Slytherin Head Boy in years. Possibly the first one since the Dark Lord, I haven’t been arsed to check honestly.”
“I had heard, yes. And Ms. Granger is Head Girl. Still an insufferable know it all or has the war improved her demeanour?”
“What an unkind thing to say, Severus. I think I’m quite done speaking with you. Why don’t you chat with the man who used everyone’s lives like chess pieces for decades,” Theo rolled his eyes, but looked over and saw Dumbledore’s portrait was empty. He must be in his portrait at the Ministry. Good place for him, Theo hated that dodgy old man looking at him with all his false kindness.
He felt his nerves starting to rise before starting the Floo Call, reaching out for Robards’ office Floo first. Theo did in fact know two other Floo addresses to call to reach the head of the DMLE, which did actually suggest a rather strange truth: Theo was in the habit of calling Robards actually pretty frequently. Gods Theo hoped no one ever realised that. It seemed a bit awkward.
Robards’ face appeared in the flames immediately.
“Minerva I wasn’t expecting your call, our check-in isn’t until…Theo Nott? What in Merlin’s beard are you calling for? We haven’t done any work at Nott Manor since you have been at Hogwarts, so if anything is broken or missing it was not the DMLE.”
“Gawain, I am going to ignore how deeply nervous that comment made me about my personal property, so that I can tell you that I need you to come to Hogwarts to collect a memory in regards to a crime committed on Malfoy Manor lands of which Draco Malfoy has personal knowledge.”
“Did he disclose some other crime of his father? Because the man is already getting the Kiss at Christmas, so really I don’t need…” Gawain was interrupted by Theo’s anxious response.
“Not at all. Nothing to do with Lucius. What we do have here are some serious crimes as well as additional mitigating evidence about Draco’s involvement in the whole business.”
Robards’ floating fiery head rubbed at his temples.
“Allright, Nott, I can be there after lunch. I’ll call for you and Malfoy to the Head Mistress’ suite. Is she available? I need to talk to her.”
“She’s down at the destroyed Quidditch pitch with a construction crew, sorry.”
“Of course she is,” Gawain’s face gave Theo a very suspicious look, “you wouldn’t know anything about the large anonymous donations to the Hogwarts rebuilding, would you Nott? There are a lot of rumours circulating about it here at the Ministry.”
“Why would I know any such thing?” Theo said innocently.
“Can’t possibly imagine.” Robards shook his head, “Well, I’ll apparate into Hogsmeade and see you this afternoon.”
“Grand” Theo said, clapping in pleasure, causing Robards to shake his head again before ending the Floo Call. Should he go back to group therapy? This had gone much quicker than he had initially planned.
No, he could use a few hours alone. He’d go grab the books on Muggle electricity that he’d gotten a Ravenclaw to bring him out from their common room library that was notoriously large and go sit up in the Astronomy Tower and read alone for a bit.
It wasn’t as though he was getting much out of therapy anyway.
*******
Group therapy was much different today, because Theo had had some sort of urgent business and Cordelia apologised about having to change her plans on the fly.
“I just don’t want Theo to miss too much of the core information that I want to impart to all of you, so we’ll have a journal writing day,” Cordelia pulled a stone out of her pocket and transformed it into a large chalkboard, a second stone becoming a piece of chalk.
Draco did wonder what had been so pressing that Cordelia had allowed Theo to skip the group session. Theo never skipped the group, in fact, none of them did. Three weeks into the programme and their group had been exceptionally consistent. Draco knew that more people from the other groups failed to show every day even though it was a requirement of attending the summer programme. The idea that Greg hadn’t left his dorm in weeks made Draco shudder to think of what it must smell like in there.
Cordelia’s body blocked what she was writing, but as she stepped to the side, her written words were revealed to the group.
Describe some of the key causes of stress in your life now. Has this changed since your traumatic experience? If so, how? Can you pinpoint why?
How did your experience impact others? This could be either others that were involved or the people in your life now.
Is there anything you wish you had really taken the time to appreciate before the experience or that you'd give anything to have back?
What do you wish you could do differently or change? Why?
Write about your traumatic experience. Be as detailed as you can with what happened and how it made you feel, both emotionally and physically.
Draco was honestly unsure of which of the prompts to choose, he wasn’t sure how torturing himself by thinking about any of these ideas was supposed to be helpful. He kept attempting to remind himself that he was participating in therapy because he did not want to go to Azkaban with his father.
He decided to write about what he would do differently.
August 19, 1998
There are a multitude of things I would have liked to do differently, but most of my choices were made with the goal of keeping my family or those I cared about safe. What if I had made different choices and something horrible had happened to them?
Remembering that the journal was confidential and that he only shared it in individual therapy if he wanted to, Draco began to write again.
If I could be a second year again, I’d never call Granger mudblood. I’d give her a courting gift. I’d take her to Yule Ball. I’d keep her from almost getting killed again and again. When the Dark Lord did come back, I’d take her and my mother and flee the country before ever taking the Dark Mark. I’d burn Malfoy Manor to the ground before I left. I still might once my mother’s house arrest is done.
I’d poison Theo’s father and threaten Mr. Parkinson to put Pansy in my care. Perhaps everything would have been just as bad, but things would have been different. And maybe I wouldn’t have had to hide my feelings so much. Maybe I wouldn’t be facing the possibility of my Occlumency causing psychosis like my mad aunt now.
So many choices fade back to one, I would have disobeyed my father at every turn and opportunity. I would not have given into fear or force. I would have set him to go to Azkaban years before. I could have left any of a dozen Dark Artefacts out in his office and made an anonymous tip to the DMLE, if I had done that he would never have been able to go through with his threats to murder Granger if he discovered I liked her, to out Theo to his father who already hated him. Instead I allowed myself to be used and great evil to be done in my ancestral home.
I never want to live there again. I want to burn it to the ground and then salt the earth where it stood. There should be a memorial shrine to everyone who died there, and maybe the rose garden could remain. But everything else should be scoured from the face of Wiltshire.
He looked over and Hermione was chewing on the tip of her quill as though it was made of candy. She clearly was struggling to write in her journal and he wondered what prompt she had chosen or if her problem was that she was still struggling to choose. He decided after this group session was over, he was going to distract her thoroughly from whatever traumatic thoughts were running around that brilliant brain of hers.
**************
Draco grabbed Hermione’s arm and yanked her into one of the broom closets on the main hallway of the castle.
“I have always fantasised about doing this,” he murmured into the shell of her ear as he breathed deeply, smelling her scent and kissing the sensitive flesh of her neck in the darkened closet. “Pulling you into a broom closet and having my wicked way with you.”
Hermione let out a low moan. “Gods, I wonder what I would have done if you had.”
“You wouldn’t have just shoved me away?” Draco hated the neediness he heard in his voice, he was just as desperate for approval as he had ever been. Only the person/s that he wanted approval from had changed.
“I may have fancied you a bit in sixth year,” Her hands twined into his hair as she pulled him to her mouth for a kiss, “after you stopped calling me names, even I had to admit you were pretty to look at. Although you did need more sleep and to eat that year.”
Draco scoffed, “You fancied me, in sixth year? I’ll never believe it.”
Hermione blushed. “Well I won’t waste my breath then.” She ran her hands over his chest, like she was memorising his body. Maybe she was, he thought.
Draco kissed her deeply, sliding his hands into her magnificent curls. Sweet Circe how he loved her curls. Someday he wanted a daughter with her hair. His eyes widened at his train of thought and he shoved down that dream for the future. There was no guarantee that that future was even a possibility. He was only setting himself up for pain if he spent the rest of whatever life remained to him imagining his blonde curly-haired daughter nursing at Hermione’s breast.
He closed his eyes for just a moment and banished that fantasy. He needed to just appreciate the impossible present. Dreams of the future needed to wait, even though he thought he might be able to draw that fantasy; it had seemed so real in his mind.
The passion between the two of them flared in their kisses and before they knew it, they were writhing against each other. Draco could feel the heat between her legs as she arched against him. His cock was painfully hard, despite the orgasm that he had had only a few hours before.
Hermione’s hand travelled downward to cup him over his trousers and he hummed in pleasure into their kiss.
“Draco, can I suck your cock?” Hermione’s sultry whisper sent shivers through his body. He was desperate for her. How was this not a fantasy?
“Only if you want to,” Draco whispered back as her hand became more aggressive, gripping him tight through his clothes so he gasped and bucked his hips towards her.
“Oh I want to,” Hermione replied and he released her hair so she could sink to her knees. Freeing him from his trousers, she looked up at him while she licked and then swallowed his cock. He barely kept himself from fucking her sweet mouth the way that Theo had done this morning. He wanted to let her be in control and needed to submit to her.
As she bobbed up and down on his cock, her cheeks hollowing, a soft hum vibrating his shaft, he thought he might die. He gripped the shelf behind him desperately so that he didn't collapse to his knees.
“So perfect, so good, such a good girl,” Draco whispered to her. She moaned softly at his praises and licked the bottom of his cock, kissing the side in an open-mouthed way that made his eyes roll back in his head. “Such a talented mouth, Granger. I want to sink inside you and shag you so bad.”
She deepthroated his cock again and then pulling herself off with a pop, she shook her head. “Not right now, I just want you to cum for me.” Draco nodded and then did as he was told.
He found he enjoyed following her directions as much as he did Pansy’s and Theo’s.
******
Luna was skipping out of the Great Hall after enjoying a rousing lunch debate between Blaise and Dean over where the best muggle music festivals were held. It was so funny to Luna to see the two young men so passionate about a subject that, prior to the summer program, they would have never known that they even had in common.
Lost in thoughts, she strolled through the halls. Though when she went to step past the bathroom on the first floor, rough hands grabbed her and yanked her through the doorway. Startled by the sudden change of her day, she looked up in surprise to see none other than Tracey Davis and Millicent Bulstrode hovering over her as they shoved her up against one of the cool tiled walls.
“Bloody Slag,” Tracey said, shoving Luna's shoulder so that it hit the wall and caused her to grunt at the impact as the breath left her lungs.
“Filthy little Ravenclaw whore.” Milicent Bulstrode sneered, shoving Luna back against the wall again, so that the back of Luna’s head bounced against the wall with a dull thud. The impact caused the blonde girl to see stars for a moment and struggle to get her bearings. She didn’t want to hex these two girls who clearly had some issues, but she might have to otherwise risk further injury to herself.
“Accio Wand!” Luna murmured as she summoned her wand to her hand from the boot holster where she kept it. Catching the other witches off guard by her sudden move, Luna pointed her bamboo wood wand menacingly at Milicent and Tracey. “Would you two lovely ladies please explain what exactly I have done to upset you both? I see that you are struggling with a combination of wrackspurts and nargles, but taking it out on me is unlikely to help your situation, only making it worse I'm afraid.”
Tracey's laugh cut off Luna's speech, clearly underestimating who she was threatening. “You are a bloody stupid bint." The smaller Slytherin witch said, "I’m not sure what he sees in you. I suppose it's how easily you'll give up your defiled cunt, seeing as you are a slag, it's not surprising.”
Luna nodded thoughtfully as she finally understood where their hate was stemming from. “I assume you speak of Blaise," the petite Ravenclaw replied. "It might interest you to know that I haven’t shagged him,” she paused intentionally, letting her words sink in. As realisation and relief flashed across Tracey's face, Luna did something very un-Luna-like. The little blonde sneered before raising an eyebrow and stating, “yet."
As the rage overtook the brains (if you could call her that) of this operation, Luna continued. "I do believe he said something about getting me jewellery first. Seems to me he wants to wait so it will be a special occasion for the two of us.” Tracey’s face was blotchy as she struggled to get out words, while Milicent looked confused – the entire conversation going over her head.
“Oh, did that not occur to you,” Luna’s normal sweet dreamy voice was more like a snarl now, a clear message that she was not to be trifled with. “That he envisions a future with me? That you weren’t even a thought when it came to someone he really wanted to be in a relationship with."
Luna raised a brow, in an innocent questioning gesture, "remind me, how long was he having sex with you last year, Tracey? A week, maybe two? Just one faceless witch in a long string of other nobody witches who he was screwing to take his mind off the war.”
“Fuck you Lovegood!” Tracey spat, slapping her hand against the tile.
“Doubt it will be Lovegood for long, honestly,” Luna said as she showed her teeth, giving off a clear warning. “Luna Zabini has a lovely ring to it, don’t you think? In fact, I imagine that I will have my engagement ring by Christmas, if not sooner.”
Tracey made an animalistic noise and started to lunge towards Luna, Milicent grabbing the deranged witch at the last moment. “Nuh uh," Luna tsked, wagging her wand in the air. "I would not recommend that you do that. I would love an excuse to curse you until next week. Need I remind you, I spent five months in Malfoy Manor, and my knowledge of Unforgivables is quite extensive.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” but the fear in Tracey's face didn’t quite match the confidence of her words.
“Try me,” Luna said in her usual placid tone, “You ever lay hands on me like this again and I promise, you’ll wish you had never been born into this pathetic existence you call a life. Blaise isn’t yours and never was."
“Our sex life never has been and never will be your concern. Find some other wizard to pursue, because anything having to do with Blaise Zabini is none of your business. Now get out of my sight or I swear that I will shove you into the Chamber of Secrets and you can starve in there next to the Basilisk's corpse.” The two Slytherin girls exchanged looks, and upon realising that they were indeed in the bathroom that had the entrance to the Chamber convinced them to quickly flee.
Luna waited until the clicking of their shoes had ceased before she let out an exhale. The adrenaline burned through her for another minute before the emotions washed over the Ravenclaw, causing her to sink to the floor and bite back tears.
The reality was, she had almost used an Unforgivable, and it pained her to know that was a line she would cross. She wasn’t even completely sure which she would have chosen, because as she feared what they might do to her, the only thought she had was that she would do anything to stop them.
Taking deep breaths, she tried to push the darkness back down. She needed to keep her secret violent urges in check. Maybe she should get some spliffs from Neville and take one of her more relaxing personal concoctions. No one needed to realise that a secret darkness lurked in Luna Lovegood. The war had wrought changes in everyone she supposed, hers were just maybe more terrifying than most.
Luna was still sitting there with her arms wrapped around her knees, when she heard a voice she recognized calling her name.
“Lovegood? Are you still here? Are you alright?” A handsome blonde leaned into the ladies’ room with his countenance in a mask of concern.
“Draco Malfoy.” Luna looked up at him in surprise, “How did you know I was here?”
“I was coming out of a broom closet and heard Tracey and Millie talking.”
“A broom closet, hmm? Sounds like your day is going better than mine.” She flinched as she started to stand up, realising that she would have bruises and definitely had a knot on the back of her head.
“Lovegood, you’re hurt.” Draco rushed to her and gripped her arm, helping her up.
“It’s hardly the first time,” Luna replied casually, waving him off, but Draco still flinched at her flippant tone. “We have to stop meeting like this.”
Draco’s eyes turned to stone as he began to occlude while guiding her out of the bathroom. Luna poked him roughly in the ribs and Draco grunted. The stony look left his eyes as quickly as it had come as he looked at her in surprise.
“I thought Cordelia said overuse of Occlumency is bad for you,” Luna stated, “Is it so impossible to be in my presence?”
“Sorry Lovegood, being around you makes me think of things that I would rather not. It’s nothing personal.” Draco looked at her sheepishly.
“Not thinking of them doesn't make them any less real. We went through a lot together and I miss my friend. I wish you could look at me again without acting as though I am not here.” Luna couldn’t help but feel melancholy, Draco had been there during the darkest part of her life, the part that had spawned all the alarming impulses that now existed under her skin. She never thought that she would be the kind of person that wanted to inflict pain, but here she was.
Guiding her gently into the hall, Draco cursed and sighed, “I don't mean to make you upset, but how can we be friends after everything.”
“Everything that’s happened between us is why we are friends, Draco Malfoy.” Luna smiled up at him and then winced as she had turned her head too quickly and it began to throb uncontrollably.
“I think we need to get you to Pomfrey,” Draco stated as he looked at her in increasing concern. Luna nodded, her head beginning to pound worse. She felt as though she might be ill. They didn’t get more than a few steps before Theo came skidding to a stop in front of them.
“What happened here?” Theo asked, clearly worried as he looked Luna up and down.
“I slipped,” Luna said, quickly, cutting off Draco’s explanation before it even started.
Draco looked at her, then shrugged, “Luna says she fell, so I’m taking her to Pomfrey’s. Were you looking for me?”
“I was actually,” Theo smiled, “I got off a Floo Call with Robards and he’s going to be here later this afternoon to collect memories about that incident at the Manor that you had nightmares about. I want to guarantee that this will not impact your trial and potentially send you to Azkaban.”
Draco moaned unhappily, giving the other young man a scathing look, “Theo, why would you do that without talking to me first?”
Undeterred, Theo embraced him tightly and whispered in his ear, “I’m not letting your guilt send you to Azkaban. I’m fighting for you and I won't ever stop, even if you are not fighting for yourself.”
“That’s very kind of you, Theodore Nott. That’s just how I feel about you too, Draco Malfoy. Tell Robards if he needs another witness to the atrocities that happened at the Manor, I’m available.” Luna attempted to step back to allow the two young men to embrace, but Draco yanked her back.
“Don’t think you are going anywhere before you get checked out, Lovegood.” Draco commanded.
“Here, I’ll help too,” Theo smiled, and took Luna’s other arm, “You really need to be more careful Luna. Watch where you are going better, please.”
“Oh, I intend to.” Draco felt shivers run down his spine. The malice in Luna’s tone not escaping him in the slightest, she sounded eerily like his father of all people. He looked over at Theo to see if he had noticed. The generally perceptive brunette seemed unaware that anything was amiss, his mind clearly on other things.
*******
McGonagall had consented to Theo and Draco waiting in her office for the Aurors and she went down to the castle gates with Filch to meet them, Mrs. Norris followed behind with her tail in the air.
Draco’s leg shook nervously once they were out of the room. “I really wish that you had asked me before you did something so reckless.”
Theo scoffed, “I couldn’t have those arsehole Aurors that are guarding your mum find that mass grave. Can you imagine how that would look for your trial? It’s in a week and a half you know.”
“I’m painfully aware, Theo.” Draco replied putting his head in his hands. “What a bloody mess. They’ll think I tampered with the memory, you know they will. There’s no way they’ll believe that’s what really happened.” Draco leaned backwards, setting his head on the back of the couch with his hands clenched on his thighs.
Theo reached over and took Draco’s hand, “They will believe you, I will make them.” Draco tried to smile at Theo, but his lower lip trembled too much to make it really believable. Draco could feel the tears burning in his eyes. “Hey, hey. Dragon, don't cry,” Theo’s hand stroked his cheek, Theo’s thumb grazed Draco’s quivering lips and Draco felt desire rise in him. Such a bad idea right now. Teenage hormones rarely listened to sense however. Draco and Theo found themselves bridging the gap, their lips meeting with an electric snap of tension. The two of them couldn’t even find it in themselves to care that Snape’s portrait gasped or that Phineas Nigellus Black made a sound like he was choking. The kiss was hot and passionate, open-mouthed and yearning, but some remaining logic inside them kept it from becoming a full snog session.
A more feminine voice coughed and then said, “Excuse me, Mr. Nott, Mr Malfoy. Mr Robards and Auror Stebbins are here to speak with you.” Theo pulled back unwillingly, but he didn’t let go of Draco’s hand, looking defiantly at Robards and the sneering Auror behind him. “While I would very much prefer to stay, I’ll have to leave you gentlemen to your business,” the Headmistress stated, “there are several work crews here this afternoon that I need to check in on. However, I trust that everyone will be on their best behaviour.” With a nod, the stately witch was gone.
Robards was looking from Theo to Draco, blinking owlishly, and Theo could almost see the old Auror’s mind whirling as he processed this new information. His younger companion, however, looked as though he had stepped in something foul. Theo looked at the younger man and wasn’t sure whether it was his family line the man found offensive or if it was the fact that he’d walked in on two men kissing.
Robards and the other wizard, Stebbins, came into the Headmistress' office, shutting the door behind them.
Draco looked at the younger man’s grimace and realised that he had met him before, in this very room. What had he said? We are watching you, you little Death Eater prick. This particular Auror hated him. Had his father done something particularly nasty to this man or his family? The look of pure venom on the Auror’s face said that probably was the case.
Oh this didn’t bode well.
“Nott,” Stebbins said, contemptuously, “You need to leave now. This is between Malfoy and the DMLE.”
“Oh, Auror Stubbins was it? You must be confused, because I’m not going anywhere.” Theo smiled.
“It’s Stebbins,” the sandy haired Auror snarled, “You’re telling me that your nancy Death Eater boyfriend can’t give a bloody statement without your fairy arse holding his hand?”
Theo rolled his eyes immediately, ignoring Stebbins to raise his eyebrow at Robards, “A homophobic Auror? How bloody cliche, Robards, you really need to work on the sensitivity training your staff receives. It’s 1998, not 1945, you know.”
“Now listen here, you foul little Pureblood poof,” Stebbins said walking towards Theo menacingly, “I’m an Auror and no one talks to me like that!” Before he could get within grabbing distance, Theo’s wand was in his hand and he had put himself between Draco and the irate Auror.
“I think, you prick, you’ll find I just did bloody talk to you like that,” Theo’s smiling mask was gone and his cold expression looked disturbingly like Thoros in that moment. Robards had to suppress a shudder even as he rushed forward to intercede.
“Stand bloody down Stebbins,” Robards roared, grabbing the other man by his shoulder and pulling him back. “What are you doing? They are boys, for Merlin’s sake.”
Stebbins shoved at Robards’ hands, “Death Eaters are never really children.”
Robards let out a frustrated growl, “Nott can stay in the room while Malfoy gives his evidence.”
“You are going soft, Robards. You’re weak when we need strength in the DMLE.”
“You are questioning my judgement?”
“Absolutely I am,” Stebbins replied, “Your judgement is clearly shite!”
“Nott is the bloody Head Boy!” The vein in Robards’ forehead was throbbing and he looked as though he was barely holding his temper in check.
“So was You-Know-Who!” Stebbins was red-faced and screaming now, “You are only letting Nott stay because he’s your bloody pet Death Eater and has been for years. Get a bloody dog Robards, even a rabid one will be less likely to bite you.” And with that, Stebbins stormed from the office, slamming the door behind him.
“You’ve got to be bloody kidding me,” Robards sighed as he wiped the sweat off his face and then turned back to the two young men. “Nott, could you please put your wand away so that I don’t have to arrest you for threatening an Auror.”
“Oh, Gawain,” Theo’s smile did not reach his eyes as he put his wand away, “I don’t make threats. I make promises.”
Chapter 19: House of Memories
Summary:
The trials draw nearer
Notes:
The song for this chapter is House of Memories by Panic! At the Disco
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 19
House of Memories
Memory Extraction of Draco L. Malfoy
By Gawain Robards
Malfoy Manor
Winter 1997
“Fuck! Fuck!” Draco cursed as he held a cloth covered in dittany paste to the young woman’s throat. Her skin was stitching together, but not fast enough to stop the blood that was flowing around his fingers. Luna was on her knees next to him, calmly rubbing dittany into wrists that had been slit, not by the muggle’s own hands. Draco could feel the dark magic dripping out of the wounds. Aunt Bella. She’d been playing with this girl first, then passed her off to the werewolves who must have gotten bored of her.
Some of the bites looked as though pieces of her flesh were actually eaten. The scars on her body would be true horrors if she lived, Draco thought unwillingly.
Draco had been lucky to come down while she was still breathing, but he didn’t think she was going to make it. They never bleeding made it. Never. The girls that he and Luna tried to save. They always died, always. Always.
Pushing the doubts aside, Draco cast several healing spells in quick succession, only stopping when he started to feel his magical core weakening.
Luna took his wand and cast an Episkey over the girl’s wrists; when that failed, she handed it back shaking her head. “It’s too much blood Draco, she isn’t going to make it.”
Draco shook his head, futilely applying pressure to her ruined throat. It was just one long nightmare. These girls, there’d been dozens, he kept trying and it kept being for nothing. For nothing.
Luna held the girl's hand and sang to her in a soft and soothing tone. Draco held the cloth to her throat until it was bright red with her heart’s blood. He held it there until her heart finally stopped pumping and her chest stopped rising and falling with a harsh rattle that cut him to his soul.
Her clothes had been shredded and there was a circle of roses tattooed on her belly. It had a smear of dirt and, without thinking, Draco wiped it with the cloth and spread blood there too. The bloody roses nearly made him sick.
“Scourgify,” he whispered again and again until her body was mostly clean. Although the copper scent of blood lingered. Slowly, he lifted her over his shoulder as Luna leaned against the wall. Her face was a mask, her blonde hair filthy. Blood covered her knees where she’d been kneeling.
“See you soon,” Luna whispered as he closed the cell door and locked it. He merely nodded.
Carefully emerging from the stairs to the dungeon, Draco looked both ways down the hall to be sure it was clear. He had run into his father once, but the man had been so piss drunk he hadn’t realised that Draco had a corpse slung over his shoulder. Possibly it just didn’t matter to Lucius. Most likely, it was a bit of both.
The early morning light blinded him for a moment as Draco emerged into the gardens. He followed the perimeter of the house tightly, peeking in each window as he went to make sure that he wasn’t spotted. Once he saw Dolohov inside reading in one of the sitting rooms, but the madman’s back was to the window. Draco eased by him with his heart in his throat, shifting the weight of the dead girl on his shoulder so none of her body would bump the window. When he finally made it to the entrance to the maze, he ducked quickly inside knowing that he could no longer be seen from the house.
He ran as quickly as he could through the winding paths, normally preferring to do this late at night, but tonight there would be a Revel and the last thing he wanted was to watch this woman’s body be torn apart in his ballroom. Once had been more than he ever wanted to see. Greyback was a sickening beast and his loyal pack was no better.
Once he arrived at the other side of the maze, he ducked through a thick copse of old oak trees. Finally, he came to a clearing that was on the very edge of the walled portion of the estate Brambles surrounded all sides except the path that he had just entered through. The first thing Draco saw was that all the graves he had dug remained undisturbed. There were a dozen shallow graves and few held only one body. Draco knew. He had dug them all by hand. His last act of service for women that he’d failed to save.
Gently, he laid the dark haired girl with the rose tattoo down on the leafy ground and, summoning one of his hidden shovels, Draco began to dig.
*********
Tears ran down Draco’s cheeks as he was forced to relive the memory that Robards was extracting. Theo sat next to him, holding his hand, his thumb making soothing circles on Draco’s palm.
Theo hated feeling helpless. This whole memory extraction had been his grand plan and now Theo had to sit in impotent rage and watch the consequences unfold.
Robards finished extracting the memory and then pulled a DMLE pensieve from a bag that should not have been large enough to hold the magical object of that size. Setting the pensieve up, Robards’ countenance was stern. Theo barely resisted the urge to make a terribly inappropriate joke about his face sticking that way, but it was a very close thing.
Robards poured the vial containing Draco’s memory into the Pensieve and went in. Theo watched with his heart pounding in his chest like a stampede of thestrals. Draco's eyes were closed and his head leaned back on the overstuffed sofa.
Finally, Robards emerged and the look on his face was one of pure horror.
"I, Gawain Robards, certify this memory as authentic and untampered with." Using his wand, he extracted the memory from the pensieve, returned it to the vial, and put it in his inner jacket pocket. "Malfoy, how many more of these do we have to go?"
"Nineteen," Draco replied in a voice that was nearly a sob. Taking several deep breaths, he pulled himself together.
"Bloody hell. Nineteen." Robards ran his hand over his face. "Nineteen women."
Draco met Robards’ eyes and shook his head, his voice steely, "Nineteen more memories. Thirty four more women and girls."
Theo had to choke back his own sob. Thirty-four? Draco had buried thirty four murdered women with his own hands? Luna had known the extent of this madness? Theo felt horribly guilty that the extraction process caused Draco to remember each memory in graphic detail, but the real terror of Draco being sentenced to Azkaban for thirty four murders tamped that guilt down in his chest. He simply would not let this happen. He couldn’t lose Draco. He couldn’t.
"Damn me," Robards replied, his pale face losing even more colour, "We are in for a long afternoon then. Let's get this done."
Draco merely nodded, his face stone, and they began the memory extraction process all over again.
************
Pansy was upstairs in the bath with her newest copy of the Witch Weekly. A care package from Narcissa had been delivered by eagle owl earlier bearing sweets for Draco and lavender bubbles for Pansy. Hermione had laughed as the other girl was hopping up and down with excitement like a child half her age. Hermione had to admit that the bubbles did smell like a field of lavender under a warm French sky when Pansy made the comparison. With a deep kiss that left Hermione wet and her knees a bit wobbly, Pansy had flounced up the stairs with a sensual smile.
A sudden loud pounding at the door of the suite had Hermione dropping her book with a start and rushing over, worried that there had been some kind of emergency. She hadn’t seen Draco and Theo in hours and was incredibly worried about them, but she was doing her best to feign calmness. After all, everything was fine. It had to be.
She was surprised to see Dean, Seamus, and Neville crowding the small doorway.
“Are Theo and Malfoy here?” Neville asked a little awkwardly.
“No,” Hermione answered, slightly confused as to why the Gryffindor boys were looking for her Slytherins, “They are due back anytime though, I believe.”
The three Gryffindors stood nervously right outside her door looking at each other with a slight bit of uncertainty.
When did things get so strange? Outloud she said, “Am I not good enough to hang out with?”
“Oh no Hermione,” Neville reassured, “We didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that my new harvest is ready and I thought…”
“I can smoke with you boys, if you want?” Hermione was more than a little amused, knowing that she had shocked them by their hilarious expressions. “Pansy is upstairs and Theo and Malfoy should be back soon. We can head out to the balcony, shall we?”
“Great!” Seamus replied enthusiastically, “I always thought you could stand a good smoke to relax.”
“Seamus!” Dean hissed at his boyfriend, smacking him on the shoulder. “Don’t be an arse.”
Hermione rolled her eyes, “It’s fine, Dean. I’m used to people thinking I have a stick up mine.”
Neville laughed, sliding the door to the balcony open, “People who are uptight hardly rescue blind dragons after committing bank robbery.”
Hermione laughed out loud at that and then blushed as she remembered exactly what she had been doing out on this balcony earlier this very same day. She hoped someone had cast Scourgify after they were
The four Gryffindors enjoyed the view for a minute before Neville pulled out a couple spliffs and lit them, handing one to Hermione. “Ladies first,” he said, taking a long drag off the other one himself before passing it off to Dean.
"I hope you don't expect me to smoke this whole thing myself," Hermione said, passing the spliff to Neville. "I've only smoked once and I don't particularly want to turn into a puddle."
"Well if you did, you'd definitely be relaxed," Dean pointed out.
Seamus chuckled, "Is there a bottle of fire whisky in the kitchen?"
"Does Theo Nott live here?" Hermione replied, raising one eyebrow at her Irish friend.
"Fair enough. I will just pop in for a glass, yeah?"
"Make yourself at home, Seamus."
"Ah, I already have." Seamus was already disappearing inside, but then called back "Does anyone else fancy a glass?"
"I'll take one," Neville responded.
"It's a really nice dorm you have, Hermione." Dean said, "If the eighth year dormitory is half as nice, we'll be sitting pretty. Although I doubt we will get something as nice as a smoking balcony."
"I’m pretty certain that McGonagall doesn’t even know that this one exists. And I don't think anyone has used it in ages. It was hidden behind some tapestries and Theo discovered it."
Seamus emerged back on the balcony with his and Neville’s drinks.
"He's a good bloke," Seamus said, passing Neville the second tumbler, "Theo. I really like him. Easy to talk to. Even Malfoy is easier to deal with this summer. Parkinson is still a bit of a bitch, but I don't think her heart is really in it, ya know?"
"They've been…" Hermione struggled for words that were accurate, "really really great to me." She was grateful that it was dark outside because they couldn't see her blushing about how great they really were.
Seamus and Dean chuckled low, they had been there during the Truth or Dare game after all.
"So, the reason I bring up how great they have been," Seamus said, taking a deep drink of his firewhisky, "is because Ron wrote to me."
Hermione, who had been taking a drag, coughed uncontrollably. "What?" She stared at Seamus, trying to get her wildly reeling brain under control.
"Yeah, that’s kinda what I said, because in seven fucking years of being friends, Ron Weasley has written me zero letters," Seamus accepted the spliff from Dean and took a long hit, blowing the smoke upwards. "And what was in this letter you might ask? Was it hello Seamus how are you doing? How's your mum? How are you and Dean doing? Well, I will save you the suspense. It bloody wasn't."
Hermione realised that her hands had begun to shake and she was horrified by the panicked way her heart had begun to beat. Neville passed her his tumbler and she slammed the whole thing, handing him the glass back with a grateful nod. Neville gave her a sad knowing smile.
"He wanted to know what you were doing, Hermione. Were you seeing anyone? Who were you hanging out with? He had a lot of questions. Have we seen the article in the Prophet?” I wrote him back a letter telling him in detail about my Gran's vegetable patch planting rotation. He has a lot of bloody nerve to be asking about you after he shamed you like that with a bunch of bald faced lies. And I'm sure as hell not going to tell him about you and Malfoy or any other company you are keeping if you get my drift."
Hermione wasn't sure that she had ever heard Seamus say so much in one go that wasn't about either alcohol, Quidditch, or explosions.
"It's your business whose company you want to be in and I know that Malfoy and Parkinson have their trials coming up. Ron fancies himself a big man, important Auror — what a bloody crock. He's just riding on Harry's coattails as he always does. But I wouldn't put it past him to try to throw a wrench in Malfoy's trial if he knew what was going on between the two of you."
"Not that we are judging you," Dean said hastily, "Malfoy seems like he really fancies you and I think he's not the only one? But Seamus and I aren't going to be sharing any of your personal affairs with anyone. If anyone has earned some privacy for their personal life, it's you. You also really deserve to be happy."
"And if these Slytherins are making you happy, Hermione, I'm in support," Neville added, "To be honest, I have really enjoyed spending time with Theo, and Draco too for that matter, this summer. They aren't as evil as Dumbledore and my Nan and Harry and Ron for that matter always made them out to be. I think if group therapy has taught us anything it's that the Slytherins were just as much victims as we were. We're all kids, after all. I mean we are adults now, but barely. They were kids in impossible situations too. I can't imagine what having Voldemort in your house would have been like. And Theo's father…" Neville shook his head, “…just…You have my support, that's all I guess. Ron's being an arse and he didn't deserve you."
"Wow guys, I really appreciate it. It's um just a bit of fun at the moment, but um…" Hermione trailed off.
"And you deserve to have that, Hermione, we all do. That's why Seamus and I have gone public, that's why Neville is trying to get Hannah Abbott's ring size, that's why Zabini and Luna are all over each other. Everyone is just trying to find a little bit of joy to make all the pain and darkness that we suffered through mean something. And this might just be because I'm high but I really love you guys and I appreciate that we are here trying to get better together. Because this whole living through a war shit is not easy."
“I really appreciate your support,” Hermione said, “I do.”
“And when you eventually admit it's more than a bit of fun,” Neville said, smiling knowingly, “The three of us will be here to support you then too.”
Hermione felt like she was going to cry and wasn’t sure why. This was just a bit of fun with Draco, Theo and Pansy…wasn’t it? It wasn’t anything serious…why would Neville think that?
“I really appreciate your friendship,” Hermione said, verklempt, “And Seamus and Dean I’m here for you too, if anyone is a homophobic tosser I will set them to rights.”
Seamus smiled, “That really means a lot. I think it's going to be a bit of a hot mess after the summer program is over and term starts, but at least we have each other right?”
“Right,” Hermione agreed. “Maybe I should convince McGonagall that the eighth year dorms should have two beds in a room instead of four? Think she’d listen to the Head Girl?”
“Hermione,” Dean said seriously, “if you could make single or double rooms happen, I will be in your debt for the rest of my life.”
“Don’t be making promises like that Thomas,” Theo said peeking out onto the balcony, “What if I manage to convince McGonagall? Then you’ll be in a Slytherin’s debt forever.” Theo winked at him.
“Nott, you finally made it!” Neville cried, “Come on out, my new harvest is just ready and I brought some to share with you!”
Theo nearly clapped in excitement, rushing out onto the balcony with the rest of them, “You really know how to make a bloke feel loved, Longbottom. Are you sure you don't like lads?”
“Pretty positive I prefer a pair of tits,” Neville replied teasing him back, “I suppose we could polyjuice you into a girl.”
“Ah! Now that’s a kink I haven't thought of before!” Theo laughed in delight, “Sexual applications of polyjuice. Draco do you fancy being a girl for an afternoon? I’d love to do dirty things to you.”
Hermione looked over and realised that a morose looking Draco was just inside the balcony doors. He eased himself out, lighting one of Theo’s muggle cigarettes wandlessly.
“Why the fuck not, I’ll try anything once,” Draco replied, a smirk on his mouth, but Hermione noticed that his eyes looked haunted like they had after his nightmare. She shifted herself past Neville, Dean and Seamus, putting her arm around Draco’s waist. No one made any comments about her and Draco, as though their physical affection was the norm.
Hermione supposed that it was the new normal and that her Gryffindor friends’ approval had not been just words.
Seamus, Theo and Dean joked around with one another, but Hermione couldn’t seem to pay attention to anything except the stiffness in Draco’s body. He didn’t seem to be present with the rest of them at all. When the other boys went inside to have a firewhiskey by the fire, Hermione lingered in the doorway to the balcony.
“Go on ahead Granger, I just want a few minutes alone.”
“Alright, if you're sure,” she kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll see you shortly.” As she headed inside, she looked back at Draco who was lost deep in thought and smoking silently. He had his elbows on the edge of the balcony and he stared off into the darkness. His mind was a thousand miles away from Hogwarts at that moment.
**********
Pansy came down the stairs, her body wrapped in a silken robe, a glass of wine and Witch Weekly in her hand, and suddenly all the Gryffindor boys had somewhere else to be when faced with her displeased gaze. She flounced into one of the vacated seats by the fire and dropped her magazine, sipping her wine with slow pleasure.
“I’m exhausted,'' she declared looking at the other three, ”Are we going to bed?”
Theo had his head in Hermione’s lap and she was stroking his curls. Draco stood by the fire, staring into the flames, nursing a half full glass of fire whiskey.
“Yes let’s go,” Theo replied, rising from his position, “Drake?”
“I’m not in the mood to shag tonight Theo,” Draco responded.
“Who said anything about shagging,” Pansy’s voice dripped scorn, “I said I was exhausted. It’s long past midnight.”
“Just wanted to be clear.” Draco replied, swallowing all his remaining fire whiskey in one gulp before walking to the kitchenette to put his glass in the sink.
Hermione watched him with a worried expression. Theo leaned over and kissed her, pulling her up. “He’ll be alright, love, it was just a bad day.” Hermione bit her lip restraining herself from asking what had happened, why Draco was so upset. He wasn’t occluding so she had to take that as a blessing as it was.
They all adjourned to Theo’s bedroom. Pansy dropped her robe and hung it on one of the hooks inside the door. Clad only in her knickers, she climbed onto the far end of the bed. Stripping into his boxers, Theo followed behind her. Draco pulled off his clothes and pulled on a pair of pyjama pants, and left himself shirtless. His stark Sectumsempra scars ran along his chest like the slashes of swords. He pushed his hair back out of his eyes and exhaled raggedly, climbing in next to Theo in the centre of the bed.
Hermione suddenly realised that she had just been there staring at him, and pulled off her own clothes. There was a black nightgown hanging on the hook that Pansy had given her, and Hermione placed her clothes on the hook and threw the nightgown over her head. Crawling into bed next to Draco, she wondered whether she should just go back to her own room. Did he even want her here?
“Can someone hold me?” Draco asked in a voice that sounded as though the words were forcefully ripped from him.
Hermione put her head on his shoulder immediately, and wrapped her arm around his waist. Theo put his hand to Draco’s cheek, scooting closer so that his entire body was pressed to Draco’s side. Reaching over Theo, Pansy stroked Draco’s pale hair. They all laid together like this until sleep took them one by one. Draco was the last to fall asleep, and before he fell into dreams he kissed the tops of Hermione and Theo’s heads and Pansy’s outstretched fingers.
He wondered if today’s torment would help him in the end or if it was just more well deserved suffering for all his past wrongs. Eventually sleep finally claimed him as well and if he dreamed, he didn’t recall them in the morning.
*********
“Good morning everyone,” Cordelia smiled sunnily, sweeping her green healer robes across the stone of the courtyard. “Can you believe that we have only one more week together? I know it's difficult to say that this has been fun, but we have been doing deep work and I am so proud of each and every one of you.” She gave each person in the circle her full attention for just a moment, and Theo had to admit that the woman was nothing if not dedicated and intense about it.
“Today we are going to try something called Progressive Muscle Relaxation. It’s normal to feel stressed sometimes. And I know everyone here feels stressed most of the time,” she paused to allow for the awkward laughter that bubbled up around the circle, “But if your stress builds up, or it continues for a period of time, you might carry the tension in your muscles. You could have muscle tightness without even realising it. Progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR, is a form of therapy that involves tightening and relaxing your muscle groups, one at a time, in a specific pattern.The purpose is to release tension from your muscles, while helping you recognize what this type of tension feels like in your body. When practised regularly, this technique may help you manage the physical effects of stress. It was invented in America in the 1920s. So it’s been around for quite awhile now. It was based on the theory that physical relaxation can promote mental relaxation. We know that our physical health and our mental health are linked.”
Cordelia touched her head and her heart at the same time, “If our physical bodies are unwell it is very challenging to feel emotionally well and the reverse is also true. So back to PMR, it requires you to work on one muscle group at a time. This allows you to become aware of the tension in the specific area of focus. It’s also critical to the process that you tense each muscle group before relaxing. This action will emphasise the feeling of relaxation in that particular area.”
"Alright, we are going to start by lying or sitting down. I will give you a couple minutes to get into a comfortable position."
Next to him, Luna laid down on the ground, knees bent and eyes closed. Blaise, on the other side of her, followed suit. Pansy shook her head and stayed sitting in her chair, but Hermione laid on the courtyard stones. After that it was a domino effect and soon everyone but Pansy, Theo and Draco were laying on the ground.
Draco shrugged at Theo and said, "Fuck it." Then he laid on the ground as well. Theo looked at Pansy who mouthed "Are you fucking serious?" And then he also laid on the ground. He could hear Pansy snort in annoyance.
"Everyone looks comfortable now, so let's continue. Relax your entire body. Take five deep, slow breaths." Theo felt a bit silly but he did it anyway.
"In through your nose out through your mouths my friends."
Theo tried to concentrate on his breathing, truly he did, but he couldn't help but imagine Hermione with her head thrown back while riding him. He hoped his hard cock wasn't obvious to their therapist. How bloody awkward would that be? So he did his best to focus on the calming voice of their therapist as she walked them through the muscle relaxation steps.
"Now please lift your toes upward. Hold, then let go. Pull your toes downward. Hold, then let go." He followed the steps as she spoke them, taking deep breaths to clear his mind.
"Next, tense your calf muscles, then let go. Move your knees toward each other. Hold, then let go." Theo could feel his muscles loosening with each movement, tensing and releasing. He was holding alot more tension in his body than he realised.
"Squeeze your thigh muscles. Hold, then let go.Clench your hands. Pause, then let go. Tense your arms. Hold, then let go. Squeeze your buttocks. Pause, then let go. Contract your abdominal muscles. Pause, then let go." A sense of calm was beginning to overtake Theo as Cordelia took them through each and every step of the PMR process.
"Inhale and tighten your chest. Hold, then exhale and let go. Raise your shoulders to your ears. Pause, then let go.Purse your lips together. Hold, then release. Open your mouth wide. Hold, then let go.Close your eyes tightly. Pause, then release. Lift your eyebrows. Hold, then release."
Now Theo wasn't about to admit it to anyone, but he felt absolutely relaxed. Maybe there were some benefits to participating in therapy after all.
**********
Draco had just sat down to lunch in the Great Hall. With only six tables now, everywhere was much more crowded, even if people did primarily keep to their own groups. Theo, Pansy and Hermione all sat with him, Theo to his left and Hermione to his right. Pansy was on her other side. Next to Pansy sat Luna and then Blaise with his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders. On Theo’s other side sat Dean and then Seamus. Two seats still sat open at their table and Draco caught Longbottom looking at one of them longingly as he sat at a table full of Hufflepuff girls.
The Headmistress walked up to their table, stiff and stern-faced even for her. Draco saw her expression was directed at him and swallowed reflexively. Theo put a hand on his thigh, as always immediately attuned to Draco’s unease.
“Mr Malfoy, there is a solicitor here to see you. I was surprised and not expecting him.” She looked over his face, “I see you were not expecting him either.”
“No, headmistress, but I have sent several owls to his office, so I am glad that he’s responded.”
Draco heard her mumble something like, “I doubt you will be glad after you’ve met the man.”
Standing up to follow her, Draco looked askance at her. “What was that, Headmistress?”
“Nothing, nothing. Come with me Mr. Malfoy. The solicitor is waiting for you in one of the unused classrooms on this level.”
“Not your office?”
“Merlin no. Not my office,” McGonagall shook her head and Draco felt so confused with her reaction to his question — that was until he followed her into the classroom.
Draco followed her into the entrance hall and when she opened the nearby door, Draco headed in. A thin grey haired man in an all grey suit stood waiting for them. He was overwhelmingly monochrome. His skin also couldn’t be described as anything other than sallow.
“I’ll leave you two to your business,” McGonagall excused herself with alacrity.
“Please sit, Mr. Malfoy,” the man pointed to a chair and sat himself in another across from it.
“Mr. Lorton at your service, I’m your Wizengamot-appointed solicitor Mr. Malfoy. It’s a pleasure,” the gaunt man said, making it seem as though it was anything but, as though he had swallowed something foul. “I have reviewed the prosecution’s case and perhaps with some good character witnesses we might be able to get your sentence as low as five years.”
Draco felt the floor drop out from beneath his feet. He thought he might have stopped breathing and his heart definitely stopped beating. “Five years,” he choked out.
“I think that ten to twenty is much more realistic, but do you have any character witnesses? Harry Potter has given his name to the prosecution to speak on your behalf. Which is the only reason that I think five years is even possible.”
“I gave evidence yesterday to Gawain Robards of crimes committed by others,” Draco pushed the words out, but he couldn’t breath. The walls felt too close.
“Well, I haven’t received any documentation about that. Did he offer you anything in exchange for your evidence?”
“Well no…” Draco paused, had Theo negotiated anything? Draco didn't know. How could he not know?
Mr Lorton shook his head, “While a good faith gesture on your part, I don’t know whether it will help or hurt you. If you give information to the DMLE please floo me in advance so that I or one of my clerks can be present.” Draco contained his urge to scream. This man hadn’t responded to any of his floo calls or owls. He had just shown up today with no notice.
“My trial is a week from tomorrow,” Draco ground out.
“I’m aware, Mr Malfoy. Your mother will be in attendance. She’ll obviously be testifying on your behalf, but whether her testimony will actually be beneficial to you remains to be seen. It’s difficult to gauge the Wizengamot’s reception of any particular witness. Your mind healer will be testifying. Will her testimony be for or against you going to Azkaban?”
Draco felt horribly uncertain, he thought Cordelia liked him, but how did one know what someone would testify to? “I’m-I’m not certain.”
Mr Lorton scoffed, “Well have you been attending your mandated group counselling?”
“I haven’t missed one,” Draco replied.
“Well that’s something, at least,” he harrumphed, as though his inconvenience was more important than Draco’s probable imprisonment. He shut his folio with a grunt, “Well if you can find anymore character witnesses particularly those without Death Eater affiliations, owl their names to me, or just bring them the day of. Ms. Parkinson’s trial is at 9 in the morning and yours will start at twelve thirty after the lunch recess.”
“Am I allowed to attend Pansy’s trial?”
“It would be better for her if you didn’t. I’m not her solicitor, but based on my understanding of the …mitigating factors in her case, she’s unlikely to receive more than probation, perhaps a year in Azkaban at most. You watching her trial on the other hand…would not be good for her outcomes.”
Draco had never felt more like a contagion. He knew he was dragging everyone down by being involved with him, but to hear it said so clearly was hard to stomach.
Standing up, Mr. Lorton made to leave, “I also put in a motion to have veritaserum not allowed due to your age, but I haven’t got a ruling on that yet. So perhaps best to prepare yourself for having to be very honest about your level of participation during the war.” And without waiting for a response, the grey man strode from the room and was gone, leaving Draco alone with his despair.
********
Draco did not know where to go or what to do. It truly appeared that his life as he knew it was coming to an end. Perhaps he ought to Avada himself, at least that would be painless. Twenty years in Azkaban and he’d be as mad as dear Aunt Bella, perhaps even in five. People weren’t known for keeping their sanity intact, look at his own father.
He found himself outside the library and pushed the door open. There was no sign of Madam Pince, but he could hear the soft humming of a voice he recognized back towards the restricted section. He followed it into the stacks, hunting his prey. She was here somewhere and he needed her.
The vanilla and floral scent of her teased him as he tracked her through the aisles. Finally he found her, as she was bent over a table loading her arms with repaired books to reshelve. For a change she was wearing a short brown pleated skirt, so as she bent over he saw a view of her knickers and they were green. His cock hardened in anticipation. He kept himself hidden in the shadows as she shelved the books, his heart beating rapidly as he watched every movement of her body.
Those legs of hers were long and perfect. The flawless olive skin of her arms with a smattering of freckles made him nearly pant with desire. She leaned over the table and held a book open, reading a section before she moved to put it away.
Draco came up behind her, gripping her thigh, forcing her down to the wood, running his finger along the seam of her knickers as she gasped, seeking the friction of his fingers in desperation. She cried out as his hand cupped her sex. She wanted him desperately and he needed to own her, possess her, claim her body with no denial that it could be anything else.
She was beautiful and amazing, he thought as he gripped her waist, spinning her about and tossing her onto the small table. One of his hands took her wrists and held them tight against the table over the top of her head, pinning her under his complete control.
She arched into his body, her eyes glassy and wide. She started to keen his name and his other hand went over her mouth and he whispered, "hush," into her ear as he drove her wild with his lips and tongue on her neck.
He reached down under her skirt and ripped her knickers away from her body as though they were no more than rags. He felt Hermione quivering as the torn fabric fell away.
Hermione bit her lip as Draco loomed over her. He unbuttoned his trousers, freeing his cock. She gasped as he slid inside of her, filling her body. He caressed every inch of her he could reach as he thrust into her where she lay on top of the table, her eyes closed as pleasure rolled through her. She wrapped her legs around his waist trying to pull him in even closer to her. He moaned low into her ear as she writhed on the tabletop.
Draco attempted to put all the feelings that he had for her into how he touched her. He was certain now that their time together was swiftly coming to a close and he wanted to let her know how he felt about her, even if he couldn't force the words go past his lips.
*******
Notes:
Draco art this chapter by KK ❤️
@makaykirei_art
https://twitter.com/makaykirei_art?s=20&t=OqGGqmQxME94e1mdj_Fdxw
Chapter 20: Under Pressure
Summary:
Draco "deals" with his disastrous meeting with his solicitor and all the fall out when everyone else finds out. Cordelia lends her aid. And Blaise's spy contacts him.
Notes:
Beginning Note: Draco drinking butterbeer art used by permission of Nadia Polykova, see more of her work at https://www.instagram.com/nadiapolyakova__art/
Art of the double Blowjob by Roseheira see more of their work https://twitter.com/roseheira?s=20&t=WssNbzPSBvZeOXkWOTOqJgSong of the Chapter is “Under Pressure” by Queen, David Bowie
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 20
Under Pressure
With his head in his hands, Draco sat alone on the couch in the Head’s Dorm common area. Thoughts of death kept crossing his mind. The thought of throwing himself from the balcony kept playing on repeat in his head, that would be an easy enough way to put himself out of his misery from the impending doom and the cursed life to follow. No more Draco meant no trial would happen and thus he wouldn’t have to spend the next two decades rotting away in his mind and body in Azkaban. He remembered when Lucius had come out of Azkaban after just a few months, an absolute wreck. Draco had no illusions of what he’d be like after even five years in that hell hole. His father was an absolute piece of shite, but he was a much more stoic and controlled man than Draco could ever hope to be. Or want to be for that matter.
There was no illusions, it would be better to be dead than an inmate in Azkaban, even after the ministry had made 'improvements,’ the place was still hell on earth and not built for rehabilitation. Though, just as it had been at home when he didn’t want his mother to find his broken body, he couldn’t leave that burden to Theo, Hermione, or Pansy. Just the thought of what finding his broken and deceased body would do to them had Draco sobbing into his hands even harder than he already had been.
It seemed, no matter what he did, that he had no way out. His freedom was on borrowed time and then he’d be taken from this sliver of happiness he’d found in this small dorm room just to be forced to rot in Azkaban. It didn’t just seem hopeless — everything was hopeless.
It was ironic really, after years of tormenting the witch he’d been helpless falling for, he’d finally been able to express his desires for her. He’d finally gotten to be with Granger and, just like that, she was going to be taken away. So many nights he’d dreamt of exactly what he had now, ever since that first day when she’d appeared looking for Longbottom’s toad on the Hogwarts Express, he’d been drawn to her and it had never made sense until now.
It wasn’t just the sex either, everything about being with her was better than he’d ever imagined it could be. Talking and debating with her, receiving comfort from her, hell, even giving her comfort in return; everything with her fed his soul. Finally being able to have his relationship with Theo out in the open was amazing too. And Pansy…he didn’t know how she’d forgiven him for what had happened under his roof, but she had and blamed him for nothing that had happened to her. Over the course of his entire life, he’d never done anything to deserve this much sheer joy; yet now when he’d finally found it, it was all going to be ripped from him.
Maybe that was fate, showing him what he was going to lose before taking it away. Letting him have a taste of the life he’d always wanted, just to throw him into a cold dark cell in Azkaban and end the Malfoy line as death slowly took him in that dank prison across the sea.
A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts and though the intruder on the other side went against his desire to be alone, Draco rose to see who it could possibly be and to tell them to shove off. Draco shook himself and vanished all traces of his tears, forcing his breathing under control, putting on his mask as he pulled the door open.
“Oi Malfoy,” Finnegan greeted with a wide grin as the entrance swung open. He held up a wooden crate filled with bottles that rattled with the movement, “Is Theo here?”
Draco shook his head, unsure of his voice and terrified to occlude.
“Damn,” Finnegan pushed past Draco, not waiting for an invitation to enter, and sat the crate on one of the side tables. “So, you see, I traded some spliffs to the Patil twins for this case of Butterbeer and I wanted to see if Theo would want to swap this for a bottle of firewhisky, I know he has a fair few bottles.”
“You know what,” Draco drawled, dropping down onto the couch and resting his arm along the back as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “I’ll do the trade for Theo.”
The Irishman gave Draco a sceptical look, “Won’t he get mad?”
Draco shrugged, “I doubt it, but if he does I’ll let him give me a spanking and all will be forgiven.”
With his concerns brushed aside, Finnigan grinned and nudged Draco with his elbow, “You’re alright Malfoy, you know that?”
“Thanks Finnigan, er, I think,” Draco responded, raising his eyebrow at his chuckling companion.
“Call me Seamus,” the Gryffindor wizard said, smiling, “Dean and I are on a first name basis with Theo. I think if we are joking about your boyfriend’s sexual proclivities then we should drop the use of surnames between us as well.”
“Um, sure Seamus,” Draco said, feeling the ache inside him. Finally making bloody friends on the right side and I’m off to fucking Azkaban next week. “You can take the unopened bottle that’s sitting on the counter in the kitchenette. I’ll guard the Butterbeer until everyone else gets back from dinner.”
After Finnigan and the bottle of firewhisky had made their exit, Draco looked at the crate of Butterbeer. He considered backing out of the plan he’d made when he’d seen the crate in the doorway before, “Fuck it,” he muttered to himself, cracking the first bottle open.
And with that, Draco Malfoy decided to get himself completely pissed.
*********
Theo, Pansy, and Hermione ambled up the stairs to the Head Dorm entrance, Theo whispered the new password as he was the first to the door, “quattuor amantes.” The brunette wizard chuckled to himself, feeling quite clever, that was until he opened the door. To his and both witches' great surprise, they found the missing piece of their little foursome drunk and sprawled out on the couch. A muggle cigarette was tucked between his lips and numerous empty bottles of butterbeer were scattered on the floor surrounding Draco in the middle of the common room, the sticky sweet scent of the drink heavy in the air. Laying on his back, booted feet on the side of the couch, Draco blew a ring of smoke into the common room seemingly without a single care.
“What the fuck, Draco!” Pansy screeched after she came around Theo’s side and saw the state of their common room. “You can’t just lay around getting pissed and stinking up the place with muggle cigarettes! Not to mention if one of the probation Aurors popped in and saw you like this, that would be a strike against you in your case!”
“Hey Pans,” the blonde slurred, ignoring (or not registering) her tone and everything that she’d just said. “Today’s been the worst. The solicitor told me that I’m looking at five to twenty years, no hope for anything better, bloody figures. Didn't get any promises from Robards either, went through all that memory extraction for nothing. Wizengamot-appointed solicitor, don’t even remember the chap's name. Lawton? Leyton? Lington? Doesn’t matter, says I’m doomed. Doomed to live out a good portion of my life in prison.”
Theo let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead in annoyance as he heard what the pissed drunk blonde was saying. “Why, pray tell, do you have a Wizengamot-appointed solicitor? You’re telling me that you didn’t hire someone yourself?” The irritation Theo felt slipped into his tone, but Draco was none the wiser.
“No point,” Draco slurred, sucking a breath from the cigarette. “No one can fix this. My father’s fucked me one final time.” He pulled back the sleeve of his robes, exposing his scarred forearm, “getting this bloody mark, being in the fucking Dark Lord’s service, going to die in that fucking prison. Going to go mad, then going to die, all alone.”
Theo scoffed looking over at Hermione who hadn’t made it past the door, but was trying to look around Theo to see Draco. “No point...are you fucking kidding me?” Theo scolded, as he turned to glare at Draco before he looked back at the little brunette and saw her body frozen. “I swear to all the four founders, Draco Malfoy, no bloody point!?” Theo practically shouted as he stormed towards the blonde.
Hermione's feet felt stuck, it was as though she had reverted to being ten and had come downstairs to find her mother drunk and upset. She couldn't stop herself from shrinking back behind Theo, was Draco going to start throwing things next? That’s what her mother had done. The image of their house with the damage from a bottle of wine hurled at the wall was still burned into Hermione’s mind as she watched Theo step forwards and begin to wrestle with Draco over the bottle of butterbeer in his hand.
Once all visions of her mother's explosive alcohol induced rage had faded, Hermione finally pushed her way into the room and her eyes fell on Draco. It was as if she was drawn by magnets, unable to look away as he argued with Theo, before his body began to sag. He was drunk and falling apart, a combination she’d never been privy to witness before. In fact, he’d never fully dropped his mask, always holding something back, and now she was seeing Draco at his most vulnerable for the first time.
Theo watched Hermione’s slow and calculated steps into the room as she approached where he was standing, vanishing the contents of the remaining butterbeers. As she studied the scene before her, Theo hoped that Hermione appreciated what a privilege this was, as very few people had ever watched Draco drop his mask. Even when he was intoxicated, Draco always managed to pull himself together if someone he couldn’t let in was around, but here in their shared dorm, Draco felt free enough to drop every veil. Theo turned away from Hermione to focus his efforts back on Draco, whose tears were rolling down his face. His lip was also bloody from either his own teeth or a bottle, and as the sobs tore through his body, Draco hiccupped and cried, his whole demeanour more like a small child than a man fully grown.
"Told me Potter was going to testify to my character, Potter!” Draco continued, telling the trio about his meeting with his solicitor. “What good could he possibly have to say? That I bullied him since we were firsties?” Draco let out a snort between sobs, “I'm going to Azkaban forever for sure. Finally get that father-son bonding that I always wanted. It will be so grand," he drawled, sobs tapering off again while taking another deep swig of a Butterbeer that Theo had missed.
Pansy rolled her eyes, not willing to entertain Draco’s dramatics or indulge in this pity party with him any longer. "Theo, are there Sober-up potions in the room?"
"Top drawer, Pans." Pansy nodded and went to get it to put an end to Draco’s very drunken pity party.
Theo walked over and crouched down so that he could help Draco sit up, "Do you need character witnesses, Drake?"
The sobs suddenly stopped as Draco harrumphed, "Ones without Death Eater connections and who matching that description would stand up for me? And I can't go to Pans' trial unless I want her to get a harsher sentence, what use am I?"
When Theo couldn’t get Draco to move, Theo looked back at the witch who was still standing and watching in shock. “Hermione, can you help me please? I know it's disconcerting to see Draco such a mess, but I need a hand.”
Hermione shook herself. “O-Of c-course,” she stammered, rushing forward at once.
As she reached where Theo was struggling to get Draco into a fully upright position and take the final bottle from him, Draco leaned forward and ran his shaking fingers over her cheek. “It was fun while it lasted, Hermione.” Draco exhaled, breathlessly. At the drunken confession and Draco’s surprising use of Hermione’s first name, Theo looked at Hermione’s face and saw the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.
********************
Pansy brought two vials of sober-up and a pain relief vial. Hermione helped hold his shoulders upright as Pansy poured each of the vials into Draco’s mouth, one right after the other. When the blonde man refused to swallow, Pansy held his nose to force the potions down his throat. Even as intoxicated as he was, Draco understood what they were giving him and he was recalcitrant about sobering up all of a sudden. Theo helped by holding his arms down after Draco began to flail and begging to stay drunk.
“Absolutely not, Draco Lucius Malfoy, you are going to take these potions and you are going to sober up. This is outside of enough.” Pansy scolded, rubbing Draco’s throat, finally getting him to swallow down the liquid. The blonde vociferously claimed that he couldn’t cope with his imminent prison sentence, that he didn't want to have to occlude for years and turn into another Bellatrix, that he would rather die. But the potions were already taking effect and, in short order, he would be sober and only slightly hungover.
Hermione’s lip was quivering and she turned her face away from the spectacle that Draco was making. It was hard to see him this way and even though she was glad to finally be let in, the sight was almost too much for her heart as it brought back similar moments between her mother and father from the darker side of her childhood that she’d always hidden.
After Draco had ingested all three vials, Pansy gathered all of the empty butter beer bottles and dropped them into the crate to carry into the kitchenette. She touched Hermione's forehead briefly on the way, trying to ease some of the discomfort that was etched across the little brunette witch’s face.
The combined sobriety potions began to do their jobs, and Draco stopped struggling in Theo’s grasp as the full weight of the events slammed into his newly sober mind. The blonde buried his face into the side of Theo’s neck and, at once, he began to weep. The sobs shook his body, making him look more broken than she’d seen him since their sixth year.
Hermione stepped forward as she realised that Theo and Draco were whispering to one another. She didn’t want to stay in the shadows, she wanted–no needed–to help Draco work through these emotions and thoughts raging inside him, and she couldn’t very well do that if she stayed in the background.
"I don't want to go to Azkaban," she heard Draco chanting over and over.
"It's going to be okay." Theo soothed, his lips pressed into his hair. "I will make it be okay."
"Theo, not even you can control the Wizengamot."
At a complete loss for how she could fix what Draco was struggling with right this moment, Hermione thought that distraction might be the key to make Draco feel better. She thought about the way he had distracted her when she had been so close to ending it all, not knowing that this was possible. The best distraction tactic he could come up with was to start an argument with her and then run away, but now she knew all this was possible, so she had a much more pleasurable idea for how to distract him from his dark thoughts.
Hermione fell to her knees in front of Draco, her hands going straight to his trouser buttons. She fluttered her lashes as she looked up, meeting his molten gaze, she could feel the heat coming from him at her one simple movement, encouraging her to keep going. “Draco, let me make you feel better,” she let the words purr out of her lips, making his breath catch and hers. Where did that sultry voice come from?
Draco sucked in air and looked down at her from Theo’s embrace, his silver eyes wide, his pupils rapidly swallowing those impossibly colored irises. “Hermione you don't need to…” He trailed off, his voice sounding small and not convincing.
“But I want to,” she insisted, her fingertips running over his abdomen, causing him to gasp.
Theo, quickly picking up where Hermione was leading this, ran his hands over Draco’s chest before slipping from the couch and sinking down next to her. “Hm, I actually think this is a perfect idea, Dragon. Why don’t you just lie back and let Hermione and I take care of everything. That is, if it’s alright with you Hermione. I can help you suck Draco’s cock yeah?”
Not trusting her voice, Hermione nodded, but the only response she got from the brunette wizard was a raised eyebrow. She cleared her throat, remembering that Theo needed affirmative consent, she choked out, ”Y-yes of course.”
Theo smiled at her and winked saucily. “That’s a good girl,” he praised, making her rub her thighs together. Gods, even when her only goal was to distract Draco and make him feel better, here was Theo still taking control of the situation and making her putty in his hands.
Without any more fanfare, Draco’s trousers were tugged off his legs by four enthusiastic hands, revealing his beautiful cock, already growing hard under both of their touches. Theo slid Draco’s boxers down his legs, tantalisingly tracing the curves and valleys of Draco’s muscular thighs as he did so, making a moan slip from Draco’s plump lips.
Once Draco’s cock was fully revealed, Hermione bit her lip, trying to keep her own moan inside, and looked up at Draco and watched as his gaze flickered to her mouth and he grew even harder. Men were such simple creatures in many ways, even complicated ones like Draco Malfoy.
Leaning forward together, Theo and Hermione licked and stroked Draco. First Hermione’s hands were on Draco’s shaft and Theo had his mouth on the tip, lapping at the precum that had beaded there. Not able to hold back, Hermione turned her lips toward Theo, as they kissed each other with Draco’s cock between their lips. Hermione let out a little hum of appreciation, enjoying the taste of Draco on Theo’s tongue.
Pansy, hearing the noises coming from the common room, returned and smirked as she sat next to Draco, stroking his hair and kissing his neck as the other two focused on making him orgasm.
Theo nipped her lower lip and Hermione’s groan vibrated against the cock between them. She tasted the copper from her blood and when she kissed her way down the side of Draco’s shaft, a crimson trail was left behind. “Oh fuck,” Draco muttered above them at the sight of Hermione’s blood on his cock. She wouldn’t have thought he would find that arousing, but it seemed to make him even harder.
Pansy’s desperate inhale was followed by her knickers flying through the air, Theo caught them with one hand, barely taking his attention away from Draco’s swollen length. The tip was purple and dripping precum. Pansy’s knickers were damp in Theo’s hand, her scent overwhelming to Hermione as he held them close to her face. Hermione looked up just in time to see Pansy sink two fingers inside herself with one hand while fondling Draco’s nipples through his shirt with her other. Her long nails pinched and Draco’s eyes rolled back in his head.
Theo gently stroked Draco’s cock with Pansy’s wet lacy knickers for a few moments while Hermione sat back on her ankles, a little stunned at just how turned on she was by the act. Then Theo tucked his treasure away in a back pocket of his denims before taking Draco’s shaft all the way until Theo’s nose was being tickled by the coarse white blonde hair that surrounded the base of Draco’s cock. Not able to just watch any longer, Hermione moved back next to Theo, running her hands on Draco’s thighs and cupping his sack.
Theo and Hermione’s mouths ran up and down the sides of Draco’s cock, open mouthed kisses that caused him to writhe; Draco had a hand on each of their necks, softly stroking as he moaned above them. Hermione met Theo’s eyes, his pupils blown wide, and she knew that she had to look the same way, so full of lust and desire for the three people she was with.
Theo reached underneath where his mouth and Hermione’s were dancing over Draco’s smooth shaft and stroked Draco’s perineum, causing the blonde to throw back his head as he gasped. Theo cast a quick anal cleansing charm and a lubrification charm. Hermione recognized them from the non-monogamy book’s section on bedroom spells; Theo slid one finger inside Draco eliciting a throaty moan.
Realising that her own knickers were soaked, Hermione blushed, but began to kiss the insides of Draco’s thighs as Theo’s mouth worked above her and his hand worked below her. She touched every bit of his legs that she could reach, fondling his body, trying to show him adoration in every touch. He was so much more than she’d ever imagined and the thought of losing him was just not acceptable. He was so much more than the Slytherin Prince, the youngest Death Eater, or the son of Lucius Malfoy.
Draco was a complicated man that had to hide so much of himself, just because of who his father was. And his underlying pure soul deserved nothing less than all the happiness that the world had to offer.
Aware that earlier in the library he’d been showing her what he had just shared before Pansy had given him the SoberUp, that he believed that their time was almost done, she needed to show him how much she cared too. She wasn’t letting him go without a fight.
Theo took Draco into his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks as Draco began to thrust his hips, fucking Theo’s face, chasing his orgasm. Hermione looked on with hooded eyes as Pansy made herself cum, moaning softly into Draco’s neck as her thighs shook.
Laughing, Theo sat back on his haunches and grinned as he admitted, “That was so fucking hot. I came in my pants. Hermione, do you need an orgasm?” Hermione was unable to answer, transfixed at the small drop of Draco’s cum at the corner of Theo’s lips. Without any warning, she launched herself forwards and claimed his mouth with hers. Theo hummed contentedly when she pulled back and smiled at him.
“No,” Hermione murmured, “I’m alright, but I won't complain if anyone wants to wake me up with one in the morning.”
“That can be arranged,” Theo kissed the tip of Hermione’s nose with a fond smile, “come on my loves, let’s head to bed.” Theo helped a wobbly and well sated Draco up and Pansy swiftly followed, barely pulling her skirt down to cover her lack of knickers. Her arse proudly on display as she swayed her hips while she walked away.
Hermione couldn’t help but allow her eyes to trace over Pansy’s curves. Hermione’s eyes watched the slick from Pansy’s orgasm dripping down her porcelain thighs. Hermione let a little shiver run through her. Yes, an orgasm in the morning would be very much needed.
Once they were cleaned up and all tucked into bed, everyone found a way to make Draco the focus of all their touches. An arm outstretched across the pillows above Hermione, Pansy's long nails scratched his scalp and ran through his downy platinum hair. Hermione’s head rested on Draco’s chest, her arm wound around his waist. Theo had pulled Draco’s back to his naked chest, his arm was holding Draco tightly. The desperation in all of their body language gave the lie to Hermione’s belief that this was a casual thing.
**********
The morning sun hadn’t even burst over the Scottish countryside; yet, Theo was already up and having his first smoke of the day and a nip of firewhiskey in the darkness before dawn. The atmosphere suited his current feelings. He was already fully dressed, a black turtleneck over his requisite band shirt, black denims, his boots on. He’d considered going for a walk around the Black Lake, but he really didn’t want to see anyone this morning. He didn’t even really want to see his lovers. He needed to avoid all distractions as it was imperative that he devise a plan to fix this absolute clusterfuck.
Salazar’s beard, why hadn’t Draco hired a real solicitor?
Theo had already summoned a castle elf with eight letters to the various solicitors that he had dealt with over these last months since he had become Lord Nott. One of them had to want his galleons and continued work with Nott Family interests. Theo was well aware that he (and his vaults) were extremely lucrative. If he didn’t have at least two responses by the end of business today, he’d be shocked. He probably had a stack of documents to review about his own business from at least one of the practices that he had reached out to.
He pretended to be a brainless hedonist a lot of the time, because it made things easier. However, Theo was a businessman and a Lord of his Ancient and Noble House to boot. He hadn’t become Head Boy because of his good looks.
Draco may have given up, but Theo Nott was just getting started. His guilt over not making sure that he had negotiated something specific from Robards in regards to the memories was also eating at him. He took another drag of his cigarette. A deep drink from his flask sent the familiar burning through his veins. The ninth letter had been to Robards in reference to that very matter. Theo would have floo called him, but he was sure that would have woken people, most likely including Robards. Theo knew that Robards felt guilt where he was concerned, for not solving his mother’s murder, for not being able to save Theo from his monster of a father, for not being able to offer him the job as a trainee Curse Breaker that Theo wanted and was immensely over qualified for. Theodore Tiberius Nott was not above weaponising that guilt.
The tenth letter had been to Narcissa and had been the harshest by far. How in the bloody hell had she not stepped in and hired Draco a real solicitor. Theo was so angry with her. She’d always been the pinnacle of maternal devotion to him. How could she have failed her son so spectacularly? She was his substitute mother as well. How could she have failed him? Theo wouldn’t survive without Draco, he already knew. He needed him like he needed air. He needed Pansy like he needed water. He needed Hermione like he needed food. He needed the four of them together. They could really be happy, if he could just keep everyone out of Azkaban and alive. Why did taking care of people you loved have to be so bloody difficult?
Theo could hear Hermione’s soft moans emanating from his bedroom. He listened for a moment and considered joining them, but he sat down on one of the chairs on the balcony instead. He emptied his flask down his throat and wondered whether Pansy’s solicitor needed a friendly reminder that, despite her shite family, she was not without friends.
*************
The tables in the great hall were reduced to four, meaning that every table had to be filled. The quad was joined by Blaise and Luna immediately with Dean and Seamus coming quickly behind them. Neville arrived shortly as well (he had been pushed out from sitting with Hannah whose table was full with a mix of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor girls). Their last seat remained empty, Theo shook his head at the realisation that Greg was the sole person that was still refusing to attend therapy and deal with the changes that the war had wrought, hiding in his dungeon lair.
As Theo continued to survey his table and watched the interactions between his friends, he noticed Draco wasn’t eating. The blonde was just pushing his food around the plate aimlessly with his fork. Theo fought off the urge to shake the Malfoy heir in a Great Hall full of people who were definitely not their friends, instead he opted to lean into the boy.
“Draco, for Salazar’s sake, please eat something, anything.” Theo whispered into his ear, “I swear I will harass you louder and louder until you do. Don’t fucking test me on this, I swear on Rowena Ravenclaw’s left tit, I will make you regret it and not in a fun way.”
Draco gulped nervously, his eyes widening. He took a tentative bite of some toast and jam. Theo nodded encouragingly, his mouth still tight and stern. He didn’t take his eyes off Draco, not hiding that he was watching him carefully. Hermione and Pansy had stopped whispering to each other, watching their wizards’ interaction. Theo did miss the looks that passed between Pansy, Hermione, and Luna when they noticed the way that Theo was forcing Draco to eat.
Blaise, for his part, kept the conversation flowing by discussing some amusing stories about his mother’s rather intimidating house elf, who was part Goblin. Seamus, Neville, and Dean were suitably entertained at the hilarious and slightly horrifying tales of Frank, all at one point agreeing that they would never want to cross this particular elf. Pansy was mindlessly chewing on her fingernails, something she rarely allowed to happen in public, occasionally leaning into Hermione to whisper something, but her eyes never strayed from Draco once she’d started watching him. Luna was kicking a leg under the table so that it shook slightly, but everyone was ignoring it. Hermione had brought a book down with her this morning, but was still on the same page from when she started, her eyes constantly darting up to watch Theo or Draco, and then looking at Pansy or Luna.
The tension at the table was impossible to ignore and yet it seemed like the sea of students and staff that were in the Great Hall were unaware of the internal turmoil for the former Death Eater and War Heroes.
*****************
Every day with Cordelia was the same general experience and the routine was good, because surprises when it came to these particular young adults were not welcomed. She’d wait for all her students to arrive, personally greeted them, welcomed them as a whole, before finally raising the privacy wards and began their group session. The ease in which they all found their seats and were willing to have their dark experiences and feelings explored wasn’t lost on Draco. Cordelia had made her way into their heads, promising a safety and security that most of them had never experienced in their young lives. They surrendered to her and allowed her to guide them, even though they knew that it was going to hurt.
Cordelia’s deep umber skin shone in the bright morning light and her green healer robes were immaculate as always. Today, her long black braids were in a bun and she had a green scarf tied artfully. The earthy tones made her feel open and welcoming and it really made all the difference when they were in group, because otherwise, none of them would ever want to open up about their trauma.
Draco considered sketching her this way and he started planning his quill strokes in his mind as he listened to her calm melodious voice. He needed to do some more art this week. He wanted to try to get a big painting done at least over the next week. He should have started sooner, but time seemed to have gotten away from him in more ways than one. Though, if he didn’t do it soon, he might never be able to do it.
"I’ve noticed over the weeks of working with you,” Cordelia said, looking around and making eye contact with everyone in her circle. “Many of you engage in something called negative self talk. Negative self-talk is any inner dialogue that could be limiting your ability to believe in yourself and your own abilities to reach your potential.” Draco could feel himself reddening at this, because he knew that he was one of her students that did this. “Negative self-talk can cause us to miss out on opportunities and to limit our future possibilities. These negative internal monologues can further increase our stress. Other consequences of negative self-talk can include something called Limited Thinking. The more you tell yourself that you can't do something, the more you believe it. Our words, even when we don’t say them aloud, create a lens through which we see the world. If we believe that there is no hope for us, we dismiss situations that can create hope. We ignore steps we need to take to improve our lives because we tell ourselves that we deserve suffering.”
Theo snorted next to Draco and the blonde scowled in his lover’s direction. Theo raised a single eyebrow that clearly said, tell me this doesn’t apply to you. Regardless that it applied to him, he had his reasons for it. Working through negative self-talk was for people who didn’t deserve it the way he did.
Theo had his bloody knickers in a twist over Draco not hiring his own solicitor, but there was no point in the waste of time in trying to secure someone to take on his case. He was going to Azkaban regardless of who represented him in front of the Wizengamot. He was the youngest Marked Death Eater, he’d let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, he’d hurt numerous people. He’d used unforgivables, hell he’d enslaved Rosmerta for the better part of a year with one. So what if, aside from the barmaid, he had mostly used the curses on other Death Eaters? It wasn’t going to matter to the Wizengamot. Those spells were a one-way ticket to Azkaban.
“Another consequence is perfectionism. You begin to really believe that ‘great’ isn't as good as ‘perfect,’ and that perfection is actually attainable. It’s okay to be high achieving as long as you are happy with a job well done. Don't pick it apart and try to zero in on what could have been better or how you could have been perfect. Perfect is impossible and, by dwelling on the need to reach such a level, will only lead to feelings of depression.” At this, Draco snuck a glance at Granger, who’s face had turned red and her hands were clasped in her lap. At least he wasn’t the only one being called out so openly.
“Negative self-talk can also cause relationship challenges,” the healer continued. “Constant self-criticism makes you seem needy and insecure to your partners. Your negative self-talk into more general negative habits that bother others, a lack of communication and even a ‘playful’ criticism can take a toll, especially in romantic and platonic relationships at your age. You live in each other’s pockets, so when someone is negative and critical all the time it can be difficult to cope with. Especially if you love that person and think they are amazing. It can be hard to hear them tear themselves down, when you see so many good things about them.”
Great, Draco thought to himself, so he’s not only damaging himself, but he’s also destroying those around him. He hadn’t even considered how annoying he must be to Theo, Pans, and Granger and how tired they must be of him. How pathetic had he been last night? How had they put up with him? Good thing he’s going to Azkaban where they wouldn’t have to put up with him. The three of them will be better off without him, happier, freer from the burden that was his pathetic life.
Really, he was also a millstone around their necks and his presence in her life would ruin Pansy’s chances for a favourable ruling. That said it all, didn’t it?
“One of the most obvious drawbacks of negative self-talk is that it's not positive. This sounds simplistic, but research has shown that positive self-talk is a great predictor of success. Remember: Thoughts and Feelings Aren't Always Reality. Thinking negative things about yourself may feel like astute observations, but your thoughts and feelings regarding yourself should not always be considered accurate information. Your thoughts can be skewed like everyone else's, subject to biases, limited experience, and the luggage of your own trauma.” Draco shifted in his seat, because it felt like she was looking into his head to dispute any thoughts he was having.
“Finally today, I want each of you to find affirmations that fit what you are struggling with and write in your journal about the one or ones that you chose. Once you have chosen your affirmation and written about it, I have parchment and art supplies. I want each of you to make a visual with your affirmation to hang in your sleeping space. You can just add colours to the quote if you like or illustrate it.
“Coming out of a negative self-talk episode can be hard. Our lack of self-worth in the moment won't allow us to believe the affirmations from people around us or ourselves. Positive self-talk is a crucial step in changing our patterns, but telling ourselves that we are the bee's knees might be too grandiose at the moment. It's okay to tone down your affirmations so they feel authentic to you. What we're wanting is something that you actually feel like you can grow into. So 'I commit to loving myself a little bit more each day,' or 'I commit to doing my best each day,' or 'I'm better than I was.'"
Cordelia charmed several large parchment posters to float in the air so that they could see the affirmations that she had chosen for them to pick from.
1. I am capable of transforming negative experiences into something positive.
2. I am worthy of respect and equality.
3. I am strong enough to do what I need to do to get through.
4. I am opening my heart and learning to trust again.
5. I am rational, balanced, and know my truth.
6. No one can take my truth away from me. I speak my truth, even if my voice shakes.
7. It’s okay to not be okay.
8. Every emotion is legitimate. I let myself be happy, sad, frustrated, and hurt. This is my experience and I am accepting it.
9. Each day, I am creating a more meaningful life.
10. I am changing in positive ways. I am making peace with my past and accepting myself.
11. I make healthy choices and choose to love myself a bit more every day.
12. It may hurt now, but it will not hurt forever.
13. I am exactly where I need to be on my journey.
14. I am safe at this moment.
15. Today, I choose to focus on the things I can control.
16. My needs and wants are just as important as anyone else’s.
17. Other people do not determine my worth.
18. What happened does not define me.
19. Today, I choose me.
20. I give myself permission to do what I need to do for recovery and healing.
Looking over the list, Draco immediately found one that he felt a connection to and summoned his journal from his bag. He began to write.
It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay.It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay.
Draco was a lot of things, but none of those things were okay. He continued scrawling the affirmation in his journal until Cordelia gave them a break for refreshments while the castle’s elves set up the art tables in a square inside of the circle. Snapping his journal shut, Draco looked up to see Theo hovering in front of him.
“Come on, Dragon, let’s get you some tea and some more to eat.” Draco nodded, even though the tension in his stomach had the toast he’d eaten earlier feeling like iron weights in his gut. Draco knew Theo cared about him. He needed to let Theo take care of him until their time was up. It was important to let Theo do what was best for his own healing and clearly, for the brunette wizard, that meant bullying him into eating.
Draco understood. Sometimes things felt out of control and Theo hated that. They were all carrying around the trauma from their childhoods, Theo more than most, the scars he kept disillusioned attested to that. And Draco reminded himself that it wouldn’t hurt him to play pretend for Theo; there was so little that Draco could do for the man he loved most, but this was something.
*********
*********
It was after lunch and Hermione wasn’t sure what to do with herself now that she had some free time. She’d picked at her food with the rest of her table mates and the only conversation was stilted, as though they were lost in thought over what Cordelia had covered in that morning's group session. Luna was the only one who even made some half hearted attempt at talking, making comments about nargles.
Theo and Draco had individual therapy, one after the other and since the previous night they’d both been quiet and semi lost in their own thoughts. Pansy was going with Neville and Luna to harvest herbs from the greenhouse for Professor Slughorn to make potions and pastes for Madam Pomfrey, so that left Hermione completely alone.
Working in the library alone had lost its appeal after spending so much time there with Draco. It had somehow become their thing. Certainly after yesterday's erotic interlude, she would never be able to be in the Hogwarts library again without thinking of Draco Malfoy.
As she started to go down the corridor, McGonagall's voice made her stop and disillusion herself before hiding in an alcove. "Something must be done, Cordelia,” the Headmistress was whispering. “That man has already thrown in the towel and is content to let Mr. Malfoy rot in Azkaban." Though her voice was low, it was laced with a fury that Hermione shared in.
"Minerva, I certainly have no plans to just give up in that regard. I'm going to testify rather than simply submit my recommendations to the Wizengamot. Have you considered possibly doing that yourself? A strong united front is going to be the best defence for the young Malfoy Heir." Their voices faded as they continued walking towards their destination, leaving Hermione sitting alone in the alcove with her thoughts.
McGonagall was right, something had to be done. And Hermione Jean Granger was not about to let Draco be thrown into Azkaban.
********
Clutching to each other, Theo and Draco headed towards the part of the castle that housed Cordelia’s office. They sat together in the bright well-lit waiting room, their hands still intertwined. Draco’s head rested on Theo’s shoulder, his despair still evident even though they hadn’t spoken more on the topic. Theo just needed them to get past all this angst and suffering. The four of them had such potential to be truly and deeply happy, Theo could feel it in his bones. He wasn't going to just give in to the powers that be and let the first time he had ever been happy in his life be ripped away from him.
They both startled in their seats as Cordelia opened the outer door and looked at the two of them with surprise.
"You have beaten me here, I see." She smiled, although it was clear to Theo that the light didn’t quite reach her eyes, "who would like to come in first?"
"I would," Theo replied, extracting himself gently from his lover, placing a soft kiss on Draco’s temple after he rose to follow Cordelia into the green sanctuary of her office. A whispered promise that he wouldn’t be too long was all he left the blonde with, hopeful that Draco would be alright when he returned.
Theo had been keeping himself still and calm in front, not willing to put anymore onto his wizard, but now found himself so restless that he couldn't bear to sit in any of the chairs that Cordelia had available. He paced in front of the windows, his arms behind his back. The anger boiling inside of him came out with Cordelia’s first words as she sat across from him.
"So tell me Theo, what's bothering you today?" Her floating quill was already taking notes behind her, probably on his behaviour and state of dress.
"How could Draco give up like this?” Theo nearly shouted at the woman, tears that he didn’t even know were so close to the surface coming now, stinging at his eyes. “How could his mother allow it? I'm going to be fucking sick. How could I have been so stupid to not get a promise in writing from Robards before allowing him to spend six bleeding hours extracting some of the most horrible memories of Draco's bloody horrible life." Theo knew his words were blurring together and that his volume had increased through his whole speech, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. “How did I fail him so, by not double checking that he was being represented properly?”
"Theo, I need you to breathe." Cordelia said, “Can you breathe with me? In through your nose, out through your mouth. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, taking the breath into your stomach. Hold your breath for a count of 4. Release your breath through your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of 8.”
Theo looked at Cordelia like she was an utter madwoman for an instant, but then shook his head reminding himself that this was why she was here. In for four, hold for four and out for eight. “Really great work, Theo,” her soothing voice echoed in the room, grounding him out of his panic. “Now let's do that one more time.”
Theo’s heart still felt like a bird fluttering in a cage, but he followed Cordelia’s directives again. She hadn’t led him astray thus far. When the final whoosh of the exhale left his lungs, Theo had to admit he felt a little better.
“Okay,” Cordelia said, crossing her hands in her lap. “Now, do you think you could sit? Or do you need to stand or move to maintain your equilibrium, Theo?”
“I think I could sit.” Theo stated with forced calm and Cordelia nodded encouragingly.
“That was a lot of information that you just gave me, and I’d like you to take a step back from everything that is going on and explain what it is you were trying to say. Perhaps start at the beginning of what happened to put you in a state. Slowly if you could, remember I might not have all the background information that you do. Breathe between words, and just recount it. I really want to help you Theo, but I can’t if you don’t slow down and let me know what’s happened.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Theo breathed, he looked down at his hands in his lap, finding that they were shaking. Damn, he really was all out of sorts.
“The other day, when I had to miss a group, I Floo called Robards at the DMLE, you know him?” At Cordelia’s nod, Theo continued, “Draco told me about some issues with the werewolves and muggle women at the Manor last year. Someone’s likely told you by now I am certain. It’s not beyond imagining, but it's much worse than anything I’ve ever endured. And that sweet Luna was there for some of it too. Horrid. The whole thing is bloody horrid.” Theo realised that he might be getting slightly off track and cleared his throat, centering himself again.
“Anyway, I arranged for a memory extraction with Robards specifically, because I was worried about the Aurors watching Narcissa discovering the makeshift graveyard at the Manor and it being used at the trial. They are right pricks, the ones stationed at the Manor. And I completely dropped the ball. I didn’t get anything in writing for Draco’s trial. We did it out of the good of our bleeding hearts and that’s just not the fucking Slytherin way. Hermione must be rubbing off on me.” Theo sighed in frustration and pushed his curls back from his face. They had grown a bit over the summer and he could use a trim. There he went, distracting himself with trivialities.
“Then last night, I found out that Draco never hired his own solicitor. He has some fool from the Wizengamot whose name he couldn't even recall, because he said that it didn't matter. Wouldn’t change anything. What is he thinking? What was Narcissa thinking about by not stepping in?”
“Theo,” Cordelia said, “Do you feel a strong pull to take care of Draco?”
Theo looked at her in astonishment, “If I don’t, who will?”
***********
Cordelia opened the door to her office and Theo came out with red-rimmed eyes and shaking hands. Draco stood quickly, moving to meet Theo with concern, but the brunette just shook his head and kissed Draco by the ear. His soft breath grazing Draco’s neck, Theo whispered, “I’ll see you in the room or at dinner,” before Theo darted out into the hallway.
With a gaping mouth, Draco stared after him for a couple moments until eventually Cordelia cleared her throat behind him. “Draco? Are you ready for your session?” Cordelia called kindly from behind him, calling Draco back to reality and pulling him away from his desire to run after Theo.
“Oh right, yes of course.” Draco answered, turning to follow her into the office. He noticed that she’d hung some small crystals in the windows that cast little fluttering rainbows about the ceiling. That was new and rather lovely.
Already pulling out her notebook and muggle pen, Cordelia asked, “How are you doing?”
Her comforting voice caused Draco to immediately break out into tears again. Crying seemed to be all he was doing lately. Lucius would be so ashamed. "The overwhelming inevitability of my Azkaban sentence is getting me a bit down if I am perfectly honest."
Cordelia made some notes, and looked at Draco with discerning eyes, “Why do you think it is inevitable that you are going to spend time in Azkaban?”
“My solicitor came yesterday and said that five years was the best sentence I could hope for. And that’s contingent on bloody Saint Potter testifying for my character. I’m sure the Headmistress has filled you in, but the Chosen One and I don't get on and never have. I can’t imagine what sort of a character witness he’ll be.” Draco shook his head in despair.
“Well, the DMLE sent me an owl asking me to follow up with you about your memory extraction and what you’ve revealed to them. They want my professional opinion about it for my court statement.” Cordelia looked at Draco, tilting her head to the side. “What kind of character assessment do you imagine I am going to give? Do you think I am going to ignore the coercion and abuse you clearly suffered? Do you think that after I reviewed the sample memory sent by Robards, that I’d be anything other than sympathetic to your very real suffering?”
Draco looked at Cordelia in shock, not only had she seen his memories, but she saw what that year had truly been and not what the papers had painted it to be. She saw him, acknowledged the real him.
“Exactly,” Cordelia continued, gesturing with her pen, “I’m well aware that you were a victim, Draco, but I need you to do your part and stop giving up and giving in to the people who want to punish you for your father’s crimes. Can you do that for me?”
At Draco’s tentative nod, Cordelia went on, “Good, good. Now let’s go through these questions from the DMLE and you try to be as honest as possible, alright?” Cordelia looked at him reassuringly.
“Alright, Cordelia.” Draco nodded, as he took a few deep breaths.
“Okay let’s begin.”
******
Hermione laid with her head in Pansy’s lap on the couch in the common room. It was much to her dismay that, despite multiple Scourgifies, the couch still smelled a bit like cigarettes. Pansy’s long sharp nails ran through Hermione’s tangled curls.
“I should have plaited it this morning,” Pansy muttered, working out yet another knot.
Crookshanks hopped up onto Hermione's lap and Pansy gave him a scratch muttering something about monsterous felines and their horrible ginger fur under her breath, but it had no venom. The half kneazle began to purr deeply before falling asleep. Pansy returned all her attention to Hermione's tangled tresses.
“We were a little distracted,” Hermione replied, a blush warming her cheeks at the memory of their morning activities.
“Still no excuse.” Pansy smirked down at Hermione, tapping a finger to her nose. “Although I must admit that your little noises this morning distracted me all during group therapy. The one you made when I kissed you right,” Pansy’s fingers ran the length of Hermione’s neck, lingering behind her ear, “here was a particular favourite of mine.”
Hermione preened under Pansy’s regard. The raven-haired witch had a way of making Hermione feel like the most beautiful girl in the world with just a twitch of her lips and a raise of the eyebrow. Pansy really was magnificent.
“I hope Draco’s lousy solicitor was right about me not going to Azkaban,” Pansy murmured into the quiet between lingering caresses on Hermione’s neck, “I’ll admit, I don’t feel quite so confident.”
“I could testify for you?” Hermione offered, “I am planning to do so for Draco. Then if Harry decides to be an arse, I could hopefully offset it. Use my Golden Girl status for something worthwhile, that is if Ron hasn’t destroyed it with the bloody rumours he’s been spreading.” Hermione closed her eyes and bit her lip, relishing the accolades heaped on her
“Don’t do that Mi,” Pansy scolded. “Don't pigeonhole yourself like that. You are more than that, more precious than gold. The mob doesn’t have even the slightest sense of how truly gifted a witch you are. If you want to testify for me, I will gladly take it, but not because you are the golden girl, but because you are someone I care about deeply. Even if I do go to Azkaban, it would make me proud to be able to say that such an amazing, brilliant, brave witch was in my corner.” At each adjective, Pansy kissed Hermione’s lips long and lingering. Her teeth nipped at Hermione’s lips, almost drawing blood but not quite.
“Ma boîte aux trésors,” Pansy whispered into Hermione’s hair, as she prayed to some unknown goddess that she might remain free and that Draco might dodge the oubliette that threatened to swallow him up as well. Pansy wanted more than anything to see what the four of them could become if all these threats could finally be left behind them.
If only.
***********
Professor Vector was a much less involved Head of House than Professor Snape had been. Blaise didn’t think that she had ever imagined, much less wanted to be, the Head of Slytherin. His little fifth year spy, Eurydice, signalled to Blaise where he was leaning against the fireplace in the Slytherin common room drinking a glass of wine openly. He nodded to her and she discreetly slipped away and headed in the direction of the common room door. Her action did make him wonder what Tracey was up to that the girl felt the need to pull him aside, as there was no one else in their house that she’d need to hide from.
A few minutes passed before Blaise pushed away from the mantle, sure that no one would connect the two of them. He downed his glass and left it behind as he followed Eurydice. Her tiny hand shot out from the shadows and grabbed his arm as he went by the potions lab.
“What is it?” Blaise asked, as he faced the mousy fifth year with her glasses and severe braid. He vaguely wondered if she was related to Madam Pince, there was something about her that just reminded him of the librarian.
“Millie and Tracey are planning something to get back at your girlfriend for what happened in the bathroom the other day! It sounds like they really want to hurt her. I thought you would want to know right away.”
“Fuck,” Blaise breathed, running his hand over his face, and then looked at her in wide-eyed concern, “Wait, what in the bloody hell happened in the bathroom?”
Notes:
Most of the affirmations were from
https://thinkup.me/affirmations-for-trauma/
Chapter 21: Daddy Issues
Summary:
Daddy Issues
Friday Night and Saturday (Trials are Next Friday)
RIP to My Youth and Daddy Issues by the Neighborhood are the songs for this chapter.
Notes:
CW: Child Abuse, Imperius Curse, Domestic Violence, Coping with Alcohol, and Smut.
Blaise and Luna art by Auri the Moon added on 1/7/2024
Chapter Text
Chapter 21
The destruction of Hogwarts was starting to give way to repaired new stone. Some walkways and halls were still warded off, but the piles of rubble that had been so evident when Draco had first arrived back at the castle three weeks ago had long since vanished. He walked through empty halls, wondering if he would ever see them full of students again.
Would he ever wear his house uniform again? Ever play Quidditch? Worry about the length of his Runes essay? Steal kisses in alcoves?
Salazar, he fucking hoped so, but it just seemed like that future was slipping like water between his fingers, and it was hopeless to even try to hang onto it.
The world seemed to have plans for Draco Malfoy that involved a darkened cell far over the sea and to spend the remainder of his days alone.
He wondered if he was praying to receive the Kiss or if he wanted to die in slow degrees as he forgot the feeling of sunlight and the flavour of his lovers’ kisses.
Would Lucius Malfoy prefer Draco dead in Azkaban or free to choose his own life? Draco thought that if he could have asked his father that the answer would have been neither.
********
Flashback
Malfoy Manor
Winter Break, First Year
“You have been letting a filthy little mudblood surpass you in your classes!” Lucius snarled in Draco’s face, his fingers digging so deep into Draco’s cheeks that it felt as though Lucius might actually crack his jaw. “Theodore I expected, although Thoros is being a complete arse about his heir outstripping mine. That I could bear as he is nearly your equal! However, you are also behind that little mudblood girl. All those tutors, all those years and galleons I’ve invested in you, and you dare to come in third in your class. Severus is devastated that you couldn’t even manage to be first in Potions. What sort of a Malfoy are you, boy?” Lucius let go of Draco’s burning cheeks and he gasped, resisting the urge to bend forwards at the reprieve, which was short-lived.
His father’s hand flew and hit him so hard across the face that Draco saw stars and stumbled from the force of the blow. Blinking, he tried to stay standing, but he wavered as the dizziness overcame him. Another strike to his face sent Draco toppling over, moaning in pain.
He laid on the floor, his vision blurred, he heard a bang as the door flew open. His mother’s heels clicked against the floor as she rushed into the room, “Lucius, stop! Please stop, he is only a boy! Please!”
Looking up from the floor, his parents came back into focus and Draco’s stomach dropped at the look of his father’s body tensing. His gaze lifted to his face and watched in horror as his father’s face contorted with true rage as he turned toward his mother.
No mother, run. Draco wanted to yell, but the words would not come when he tried to open his mouth, the taste of copper was strong, confirming there was damage to his jaw.
“You want to countermand me in front of my heir?” The whisper was more dangerous than when his voice was raised, making Draco fear for his mother’s safety. “You will regret that, woman.” He pointed his cane at her and announced, “Imperio!” Draco watched as his mother froze, all expression wiped from her beautiful face and he thought he might vomit.
“Stand up, Draco,” Lucius snarled at the boy sprawled on the ground as if Draco were an animal and not his son. Biting his lip, Draco obeyed and stood, albeit shakily. His eyes fearfully darted between his mother’s blank face and his father’s sneer, scared to even wonder to himself what was to come. “Now, Draco, watch carefully,” the evil man instructed him, “this is what you do if your wife ever disobeys you. Narcissa dear, please get the riding crop from the cabinet behind my desk. Your mother thought to spare you of your punishment for being a disappointment to the name of Malfoy, but instead she is the one who is going to punish you.”
Draco’s heart rate began to rise as he looked at his mother’s unfocused and dead eyes as she held the riding crop that his father had bid her to get. Draco realised that this punishment was for both of them. He loved his mother and she loved him, but showing affection was an anathema to his father. Now they would pay the price for loving one another.
Lucius stroked his wife’s face in a mockery of love. “Now Narcissa, strike him until he can no longer stand. Do try not to kill him though, as we can’t replace him.” Draco lost count of the blows, but he did not fall. His back hurt and she’d hit his neck and face a few times. He knew that he was probably covered in welts that were only getting worse with each strike. He felt numb though, it would probably hurt much worse later. He was more afraid for his mother than anything. What else might his father force her to do while she was under the Imperius curse?
“For Salazar’s Sake, Draco, go down!” Lucius swung his cane and hit him in the mouth with the silver head of the snake, the blow splitting Draco’s lip and sending him flying to the floor. “Narcissa, don't stop now, harder dear, hit him harder!” he commanded, “Now a little Cruciatus, my darling.”
Draco began to sob silently, tears mixing with the blood, his face pressed against the cool floor, until he finally lost consciousness from the pain of the curse.
The pain had subsided as Draco came back to consciousness with his mother leaning over him and sobbing. She held her wand in her hand, whispering healing charms over and over between each shaky breath. His ribs ached and he wanted to tell her he thought one might be broken, but she began to whisper harshly and he stayed silent as she spoke in tones that he had never heard pass her lips.
“I hate him. I would kill him if I could,” she said bitterly, tone full of frustrated rage. “Curse those vows of obedience and fidelity that Abraxas insisted on. I hope he’s in Tartarus, the bastard.” She sobbed quietly, then said, “I’m so sorry, my dragon. So sorry. It was worse because I interfered. I won’t let this happen again, I can’t interfere again. I’m sorry, if we could run away, I would take you somewhere he could never find us.”
Draco feigned unconsciousness and vowed that he would never treat his wife and his heirs the way his father treated him, no matter what happened.
And Granger…shite…even though she had been the catalyst for this beating, there was something about her, something magnetic. She was so bloody smart, so good at every type of elementary magic. And she’d never been tutored nor did she have access to the magical library he did. She was in a word: impressive. She was everything he had ever been told that mudbloods and muggles were not.
He had even caught Theo looking at her in awe in Charms every time she was able to master a spell first. No one ever beat her to it, and he knew the feeling that Theo felt as they watched her. It was as if they were a moth to the flame, everything about her drawing them in. If Theo’s father found out that Granger was a close second to him, the beating that Theo got would likely see him permanently scarred or maimed, again. Thoros was even more of a blood supremacist than Draco’s father was and, without a doubt, more brutal. The man was militant to a degree that even Draco couldn’t fathom.
Draco didn’t think their fathers had ever seen a mudblood like Hermione Granger, and if they did, he feared what they might do to her.
She had descended on his world and changed every fact that he thought was immutable. Even while his bones and blood ached from the lingering pain of the Cruciatus, Draco still felt a burning need to know everything about her.
His mother stroked his back and sobbed silently, her tears falling onto his hands. There must have been tiny cuts there because her tears burned like fire as they struck his skin.
*******
Quietly taking the spiral stairs as they turned upwards to the night sky, Draco wasn’t sure if he was craving solitude or if it had just seemed essential tonight. Should he really be wasting the finite amount of time to spend with the three people who meant the most to him besides his mother? He wanted to be back with the others, surrounded by their support and care. At the same time, he felt as though his spirit was beginning to fissure; perhaps he’d haunt these halls in time, becoming yet another mad Slytherin ghost.
Alone in the Astronomy tower, Draco sat, reminding himself of the greatest failure of his career as a Death Eater. The botched assassination attempt of a rather unpleasant old man with a terminal illness. He didn't know if it spoke well of him or not that he hadn't been able to do it. Knowing the Wizengamot, they’d probably view it as ill will on his part that he'd been unable to put an old man out of his misery.
Later in the war, the Dark Lord had charged him with more awful and terrible missions that he’d successfully executed, so he wasn't sure why his first task had been so difficult for him. He supposed the difference had been actually seeing Voldemort's wand at his mother's throat rather than it being implied. That had been all the motivation he needed to do whatever had been asked — and horrendous things had been commanded of him.
Lost in his worst memories, Draco watched the darkness of the moon with the far off awareness that it might be the last one he ever saw. Azkaban windows were high and small, he remembered from visiting his father in 5th year. It was doubtful that they even let a sliver of moonlight inside the grim interior of the prison; he certainly would never see the constellation that he was named for ever again.
Arms wrapped around his legs, continuing to reminisce on his mistakes of the past, Draco stayed there until the late night neared dawn. Its pale pink light casting over the landscape as the reminder that a new day always followed even the darkest of nights, whether we wanted them to or not. Draco realised he probably needed to get some sleep before the day had truly begun.
Pulling himself from the hard stone floor, he made his way through the castle that was unnervingly quiet. Not even the familiar presence of Mrs. Norris nor any of the ghosts lingered in the halls as he continued on his path towards the heads dorm.
Now that he thought about it, he had hardly seen any ghosts during the summer program. Had the battle scared them or pushed them towards whatever eternal light existed beyond Hogwarts' halls? The portraits had all been stunned too he realised, the quiet eerie without any of their commentary, as he ascended the stairwell and walked down long corridors. No portraits scolding him for being out of bed or speaking to one another of intrigues centuries past or what they’d heard from their other frames throughout the Wizarding World.
Magical portraits were terrible gossips, and Draco had very mixed feelings about them. His great grandfathers had dutifully informed his father many times when he was a boy; even at school, he felt the paranoia of being watched. Still, he wanted to leave something of himself behind, especially for Theo. He knew all the necessary charms to embed his consciousness, as he was now, to awaken in the painting after he inevitably died in Azkaban. He planned to order all the supplies he needed for his project tomorrow, as there was so little time left.
Draco snuck into the Heads’ Dorm, careful not to wake anyone. The door seemed like a loud gong in the quiet early morning air. The fire had long since been extinguished, making their small common room feel cold and there was no noise coming from their bedroom. Why would there be? It was nearly full dawn.
He didn’t want to bother any of them. He briefly considered sleeping alone in Hermione's bed, but peeked into Theo's room anyway, wanting to get a look at the three before sleep took him. When he cracked the door open, his heart warmed as he discovered that they saved him a spot. Pansy’s arms were wrapped around Hermione’s waist, her hand splayed on her lower back possessively; Hermione’s face was pressed into the raven-haired witch's neck. Theo was on the farther edge of the bed, because, even in their subconscious, they saved a spot between Theo and Hermione for Draco whenever he decided to come to bed.
Cautiously, so as not to wake them, Draco crawled into bed. He worked his way under the blankets that the girls had kicked off, draped past Theo’s knees. Sinking into the pillow, he watched Theo’s eyelashes flutter in sleep a little. He must be dreaming.
Breathing in their combined scents, Draco fell almost immediately to sleep despite his mind continuing to whirl. One moment, he was staring at Theo's sleeping face considering kissing his lips and, in the next, darkness had claimed him.
*********
Draco was back in his father’s study, he looked down at his hands to find them much smaller, younger. Everything stank of firewhisky, and as he shifted a crunch brought his attention to a shattered bottle beneath his feet. A flicker in the light, and his father suddenly appeared before him, dwarfing Draco’s size. Only, it wasn’t just because he was a boy again, Lucius continued to grow ever larger and ever more untouchable. His father’s face twisted and transformed with rage and madness until he was almost unrecognisable in his fury. Draco’s head swivelled as he looked for a place to hide, the need to shrink away and disappear growing with every moment. Though, when he went to take a step towards the oversized desk, Draco found his feet stuck to the floor.
Suddenly, fire bloomed in his face as his father hit him with his snake head cane. Draco’s hands flew up to his cheekbone, which he thought must have been shattered. That theory confirmed when he felt the shifting of the bone, the pain radiating through his face. “No one will love you now that I’ve made you ugly,” Lucius laughed maniacally. His laughter sounded more like Bellatrix than Lucius Malfoy ever had in his life.
Draco watched as his father transformed into Alastor Moody, who waved his wand, his horrible magical eye whirling in its socket. The spell hit him in the chest, turning Draco into a ferret again. Draco felt agony as his bones were broken and reformed, it felt as though his blood was burning. The pain was a thousand times worse than a Cruciatus.
As his body shrank and then he couldn’t move once again, only this time it was different as the spell controlled his body like a vice. He cried out as the back-breaking snap of his bones hit the cobblestone pavement like fire burning inside of him. The horrifying realisation that he was about to be killed by a professor in front of dozens of his schoolmates as they laughed and joked about the bouncing ferret made him scream.
Draco’s screaming and thrashing woke the rest of his bedmates up just after full dawn. Theo quickly pulled him into an embrace and breathed soothing words of safety and love into his hair. Hermione and Pansy’s soft hands rubbed his back, offering what little comfort that they could to the trembling and sweating young man.
**********
Breakfast in the Great Hall was always more or less the same as it had been since summer camp had begun. All traditionally English breakfast foods, which was consistently a source of annoyance for Blaise.
“How many grilled tomatoes and blood sausage can a man be asked to eat for the sake of his schooling? I ask you,” Blaise stated dramatically, poking his fork into the mush that had long since lost its appeal. “I just want a good cappuccino and a reasonable selection of pastries. Is that too much to ask for?”
Luna simply smiled at him and sipped her tea, her eyes twinkling as she listened to the same complaint he’d made just the night before about their dinner. Blaise put his arm around her shoulder, looking at her with clear affection. Seamus was fixing his own plate as well as wrapping some food into a cloth napkin for Dean, who was still fast asleep in Gryffindor Tower, rolling his eyes at the Italian wizard’s complaints.
For the first time since the beginning of the summer program, owls swooped into the Great Hall delivering letters and packages. Hermione's eyes scanned the letters, looking for any red envelopes, pleased when she didn’t see even a single howler amongst the deliveries, and hoped that the new howler policy was going to be a permanent thing. No one should have their private business aired so publicly.
Owl after owl dropped letters to their recipients and, in one case, an eagle dropped a large legal portfolio in front of Theo, nodding its head in his direction before taking off after being fed a piece of bacon. The wizard did not seem in the least surprised by this. He conjured a book bag and slid them, one after another, inside.
A brown barn owl wearing a Ministry tag dropped a small letter in front of Draco, which he opened before the bird had even fluttered away. “Who is it from Draco?” Pansy asked, leaning over to rub circles on his back.
“It's from my mum.”
Draco read silently, Pansy peering over his shoulder.
My Dragon,
The book drive that I ran by your desire was a rousing success. The books collected are to be delivered the following day. They would have been there sooner, but the Aurors brought in curse breakers to inspect the donations before I was permitted to send them to Hogwarts. It was simply adding insult to injury since all the books had been inspected when I had first received them as well. I was able to get copies of every book that you said had been destroyed as well as a multitude of books that are rare and would be more beneficial at Hogwarts where students could learn from them rather than languishing in personal libraries going untouched. You know as well as I that, other than Theodore and yourself, so few of the children of the Sacred 28 are voracious readers. I believe that this was an excellent way to begin to make amends. I do hope that you write to me upon delivery and tell me how the Headmistress and Librarian react to the donation. Did you know that Madam Pince became librarian when I was still in school? She was not much older than I was at the time.
The Aurors will be bringing the trunks of books through the Floo directly into the Headmistress’ office at 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
Your loving mother,
Narcissa Black Malfoy
While everyone’s attention was on Draco, no one paid much attention to the note in Theo’s hand as he opened it. Opening it, instead of tucking it into his knapsack with the rest of the mail he’d received, Theo smiled to himself at his own message from Draco’s mother.
Theodore,
Because I know you care deeply for my Draco, I will forgive the tone of your last letter, but it will not be overlooked again and shall not be repeated. I hope I have made myself clear in that regard.
I was not aware until your letter that the solicitors that had worked for the Malfoy family for the last hundred years had been fired by my husband following his trial. My access to this sort of information is severely limited at the moment, both by these wretched Aurors (I do hope they read that, it's what they deserve for eavesdropping on my private correspondence) as well as by Lord Malfoy’s desire and design.
However, Draco is in control of the Malfoy vaults and is absolutely able to hire his own representation for the trial as he did so for my case months ago. I assume that you will see that it is done? If I was able to handle it myself, I would do so, but my hands are tied and I’m not able to protect him.
In regards to character witnesses, I have sent some letters to persons who may be willing to assist, but we will see if it will be fruitful.
The books from the book drive that Draco asked me to organise will be delivered at 1pm tomorrow. I do hope that you and Pansy will help him to deliver them to the library. I would like a letter telling me how it all went from each of you in an ideal world, though getting Pansy to write has always been a task. While Draco had me engage in this charity drive from some adorable sense of altruism, I do hope you will speak with Madam Pince about a reference. She and I went to Hogwarts together, so please remember me to her.
On my end, I have submitted several memories to the DMLE investigators who have been here digging up my orchard. I assume that you may have had something to do with that as well. I wasn’t able to provide any meaningful information about the orchard project, as I was unaware of Draco’s actions until the Aurors arrived. On the other hand, I offered some meaningful insights that should excuse Draco’s actions due to his age, his fear for my well being, and the torture he himself was subjected to on multiple ocassions. Once you have secured solicitors, send them to the Manor to speak with me. I am utterly at their disposal.
I have already been given permission to attend Draco’s trial. I will see you soon. Your assistance in all these matters is deeply appreciated Theodore. And please make sure that any future bride you take is not so financially and legally disempowered as I have been since my husband’s incarceration and my house arrest.
Regards,
Narcissa Black Malfoy
Theo did not remember her ever signing her letters in such a way before. She was just so passionate and strong, quite the goddess. If Theo hadn’t found happiness with her son, Pansy, and Hermione, Theo certainly would have been tempted to pursue the soon to be widow. While to date only Pansy had ever topped him, he definitely would not have been opposed to Narcissa putting him over her knee. The thought made his pants feel a little tight and he had to discreetly adjust himself; of course, with Pansy seated right next to him, the movement didn’t go unnoticed.
“What’s that naughty smile about, Theo?” Pansy whispered in his ear, her tongue reaching out to flick at his lobe. Her nails traced designs on his thigh and he wondered whether she’d like to tie him up this afternoon until he came untouched on the floor of his room.
“Nothing darling, just got scolded by Narcissa.” Theo replied, leaning into her touch, making the witch purr and her sensual smile widening. Theo nearly took her hand where he wanted it in that moment, but would never presume with his Mistress in such a way.
“Mum scolded you? Why?” Draco asked in surprise, his attention being pulled away from his own letter. Theo and Pansy comically looked over at him, freezing in their somewhat inappropriate but partially obscured touching.
“I mearly inquired about the incompetent jack-a-nape that you got for a solicitor and why you didn’t have a private one.”
“Theo,” Draco said, warning ringing in his voice.
“What? I’m not letting you go to Azkaban without a real fight, Draco. Best get used to it.” Theo crossed his arms, Narcissa's letter floating to the table top.
Hermione’s gaze darted between Draco and Theo, as the former visibly began to become upset at the latter. The colour rising on his fair cheeks, nostrils flaring, and a finger to his lips as he hissed, “you need to drop it, Theo.”
“Stop it, Draco, let someone else care about you for once.” Hermione whispered, before glancing around the great hall, realising she had forgotten that they were in a public setting. Theo noticed the stares from students seated at both the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables flickered to where the Golden Girl was touching Draco Malfoy’s mouth and he was letting her.
Theo could hear the muffled whispers swell around them, but Hermione and Draco seemed oblivious to the attention that they were garnering as the little brunette witch’s hand continued to caress the Slytherin Prince’s face. They had eyes only for each other and nothing beyond the two of them seemed to exist for the moment. Hermione pulled her hand away, but her eyes never left Draco’s as she continued to soothe him.
“Alright,” Draco whispered, “alright.”
Blaise caught Theo’s eye and tilted his head in such a way that Theo followed the trajectory of his movement to the Slytherin girls’ table behind him. Tracey and Millicent were glaring daggers at Hermione. Theo took it on himself to break the tension, loudly getting to his feet and startling Pansy in the process.
“Well I suppose it's time to continue on with our afternoon activities, Like going to Hogsmeade.” Theo threw his voice loudly, clapping his hands and suddenly the room exploded in movement and business. Everyone remembering somewhere else they had to be that wasn’t staring at the Golden Girl and the youngest Death Eater. On his way to take his boyfriend breakfast, Seamus leaned close to Theo’s ear. “If they keep putting on little shows like that, the folks around here are gonna be putting two and two together and realise that they are shagging.” Theo only nodded, grim-faced at Seamus’ pronouncement.
From across the Great Hall on the dias, McGonagall caught Theo’s eye, but only nodded.
*********
The lack of group therapy sent most of the students scurrying off to enjoy the day in Hogsmeade as Theo had intended with his loud announcement. It led to empty hallways and more privacy than Hogwarts often allowed for.
There was still plenty of volunteer work to do in Greenhouse Seven and Neville had roped Luna and Blaise into helping him transplant seedlings that the first years would be working with in a few short weeks. Theo tagged along, but begged off the volunteering.
“I have a lot of legal correspondence to catch up on and I would rather do it in good company than alone in the Heads’ Suite.” Neville simply nodded and went about his business of getting everything set up for their project.
Sitting cross-legged up on the top of one of the tables, Theo looked over the letters from the solicitors he’d been in contact with. The first two were rejections and notices that they would be sending all the financial and legal documents from their care to the solicitor of his choice. They were smaller offices, so the rejections from them hadn’t come as a surprise to Theo. One only administered a charity in Armenia that provided agricultural seed and food to magical families on the original lands around the family castle there. How positively mediaeval. The other held two investment accounts and were based in the Americas. Their reasoning was much more sound. Based in Magical New York, it wasn’t possible to arrange a portkey and be well enough versed in a complicated case in order to be part of a legal team by next Friday.
Theo decided to allow them to continue to administer his two American accounts. They hadn’t been willing to do a poor job and had admitted as much and he appreciated they’d at least looked over Draco’s case.
He had several parchments and quills floating behind him, writing the responses that he dictated to them. Luna had gone to the owlery and lured six birds back with her so he wouldn’t have to stop to send off the responses. She was a true gem, convincing the birds to sit on the comically wide brimmed sunshine yellow hat she’d donned today. Blaise had a seventh, an eagle owl, riding on a falconry gauntlet on his arm. The two of them couldn’t have looked more different then, but the energy that flowed between them was mesmerising to watch.
Luckily, the next letters were more fruitful. The first folio came from the solicitor that administered the bulk of his property assets; Theo had been correct that there were a number of documents that needed his signature. Property line disputes, needed repair bills, and caretaker wage authorizations were amongst the documents. Fawley, Fawley, and Perkins was one of the larger magical solicitor offices. They had a Barrister in mind to take Draco’s case, Mathilda Wright. She was a junior partner, a Muggleborn, but undefeated in the Wizengamot chambers. Theo felt a slight annoyance that they were nearly apologising that their best barrister was a Muggleborn. Regardless, Theo had one of the pens send an acceptance and write out a Gringotts draw for the retainer. He included a secondary note directly to the barrister informing her that he would like to meet with her Monday morning to discuss the case at the latest, preferably sooner.
The next letter was a declination from a German office, Nacht und Tag, that Theo was pretty certain had Death Eater affiliations. So he had one of the quills pen a request that all the Nott accounts in their holding be sent over to Fawley, Fawley, and Perkins, based in Magical London.
The next two letters were acceptances. Barristers Thaddeus Penworthy and Hepsibeth Osborne were both accepted as members of Draco’s legal team and were informed that they would be supporting Mathilda Wright of Fawley, Fawley, and Perkins. And he certainly hoped they didn’t have a problem with that. Theo knew that this other firm had never employed a Muggleborn in their entire history. Theo actually couldn’t have given a fuck if they did have a problem with it. What Theo wanted was the best possible representation for his boyfriend. And he had four fucking days to make this all work.
Theo loved Draco, he really did, but sometimes he wanted to strangle him.
Three more letters and two more declinations. Another American one that he instructed to turn the properties that they managed for him over to the other American firm that he was maintaining a relationship with. The final barrister, Aletheia Achidan, who was bringing along with her legal clerk Gwydion Remington, was sent notification of Theo’s acceptance of her representation, a bank draw, and instruction that Ms. Wright would be the lead barrister. He hoped he’d made the right choice with that. Ms. Achidan’s C.V. was pretty impressive as well.
Theo just needed these highly qualified people to do weeks worth of work in just a few days, successfully. It was a bit of an impossible order, but Theo was willing to throw whatever money was needed at Draco’s problems and make sure that he stayed out of the hell that was Azkaban.
Giving the letters and treats to each of the owls, Theo sent them off one at a time through the open Greenhouse door and sighed dramatically as the final one winged away. The legal folio with all the documents that needed his signature was still tucked away in his knapsack for later. He had felt bad sending the eagle owl off with only the two letters for Fawley, Fawley, and Perkins, but Theo reasoned that the eagle owl was the fastest and would get the messages where they were needed as swiftly as possible.
“Why the melodramatic sigh, Theodore? Are you auditioning for a play again?” Luna quipped.
“Hardly. I think I have managed to put together a legal team that will actually give a shite about keeping Draco out of Azkaban, but now he needs character witnesses.” Theo rubbed his hand over his face.
“I have already reached out to the Wizengamot about testifying,” Luna shared. “I think they are just expecting me to give something called a victim impact statement as I am testifying as a prosecution witness, but I think that they will be surprised at what I have to say.”
“What exactly does Malfoy need?” Neville asked.
“Character witnesses with no affiliation to Death Eaters, so I’m right out despite being Head Boy and not having ever even been in the presence of the noseless wonder.”
“Voldemort was Head Boy too,” Luna pointed out prosaically.
“Lu, my love,” Blaise said kindly, “That’s not helpful.”
“Oh,” Luna looked up from where she was repotting the seedlings, “I’m sorry Theodore. I will try to think of something else more helpful.”
“Luna, since you are already testifying, are you going to tell them about all the girls?”
“Yes,” Luna exhaled the word like a prayer. “I’m going to let them extract a memory as well so that there is no question of tampering. No one who saw Draco Malfoy’s face when we tried to save those girls could ever believe that evilness was in his heart.”
“I’ll do it. Give my name to his solicitor or the barrister whoever. I can use my hero status,” Neville laughed, agreeably. “I have an idea as well. If I can make it happen, I’ll let you know, Theo. It’s gonna take a little orchestrating and I’ll ask Hannah to help me. If we can make it happen, it couldn’t hurt.”
***********
He had been putting away repaired books and Draco was horribly distracted by the visceral experience of being in this place where he had spent so many hours of his misspent youth.
Draco breathed in the smell of the old books in the library. He ran his hand over the bindings in the potions section as well as on the shelf that housed all the biographies of famous magical artists. If he could have been anything, Draco would have wanted to have been a well-regarded portraitist and beloved husband and father. Those dreams had once been beneath the dignity of the heir of the Ancient and Noble house of Malfoy and now also of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. Now they seemed as impossible as visiting the moon.
“Draco!” Hermione called, “Where did you go off to?”
He peeked around the corner and was about to respond to her, but her profile was to him. Wanting to soak up the sight, he held his tongue as he looked at her with uninterrupted regard. He was desperate to memorise every curl, every curve and colour on her perfect skin. The way she lovingly held the stack of antique tomes in her hands, freshly repaired and ready for shelving, was enough to transfix him.
“Mr Malfoy,” Madam Pince’s soft voice next to him made him jump and let out a little squeak, “I’m sorry dear, I didn’t mean to startle you.” She put a reassuring hand on his arm, seemingly ignorant of the fact that her fingers were touching his Dark Mark.
“It’s alright Madam Pince. I guess that my nerves are just a little on edge.”
“You know you have put in nearly fifty volunteer hours here in the library. If you would rather be elsewhere today, I would more than understand. While the books might miss you and Miss Granger, I think a walk around the lake might be just the thing you need.” The stately witch said, the warmth in her voice comforting, though it didn’t work as his nerves were much too shot.
Draco nodded in acquiescence, but stated, “I want you to know that I will certainly be here volunteering tomorrow. Will you be around all day?”
“Of course, Mr. Malfoy. I will see you both here after luncheon.”
“Come on, Granger,” Draco calmly took the books out of her hands and set them down on the table. “Walk with me.”
Lacing their fingers together, Draco led the little witch out of the library. As Hermione looked back, she was surprised to see Madam Pince smiling and giving a small wave.
************
“Miss Parkinson, I will certainly write a letter detailing your diligence of your volunteer work here in the hospital ward this year and your work with injured students last year, but what more should your character reference say? Certainly you wish for me to include more?” Madam Pomfrey looked at Pansy, her eyebrow raised.
“Honestly, Madam Pomfrey, I am not sure what I need. I was just informed in a circuitous manner that character references could help prevent me from going to Azkaban, which I’ve told you I would rather not do.”
“Indeed,” Madam Pomfrey huffed, “the fact that they are even considering sending a girl your age to that place. You are no Bellatrix Black, that's for certain. Well what do you want to do with yourself, Miss Parkinson?” The question startled Pansy, as she wasn’t sure what that had to do with her upcoming trial.
“You mean with my life? I don’t know. It is one of the things that Healer Cordelia has been working on with me. It's hard to make future plans and dreams when your future is so uncertain.”
“Well, think back to your fifth year and your career planning meeting with Professor Snape. If you could be anything, what would you be? Without these millstones about your neck, just be the starry eyed and innocent girl again, just for a moment.”
“I was raised to be a socialite, a wife, and a mother, but I want more than that.” Pansy confided, her voice small as she was ashamed of her upbringing. “But if I had a say, I’d like to go to Healer training or go to work for an apothecary making healing concoctions. Something that will help people.”
“Miss Parkinson, that’s a very noble endeavour. I wish you success in it. When it comes time for the recommendation letter for St. Mungos, you know where to find me.”
Madam Pomfrey placed a huge vat of dittany paste in front of Pansy along with some small jars and labels. Picking up her quill to create the labels first, Pansy got right to work. If only for a moment, thinking of a future that she could wish for.
**********
The trail around the Black Lake was fairly deserted at this time on a Saturday afternoon. The usual couples that could be found snogging there were now down in Hogsmeade, most likely up to similar shenanigans.
Draco was still pulling Hermione along by the hand, clinging to her as if she might disappear if he loosened his grip. He was surprised she was still allowing him to do so, but not as surprised as she herself was. If Ron had dared to do such a thing, she would have wrenched her hand away in the hallway outside the library and scolded him for acting like a barbarian.
She had never longed for Ron's touches the way she longed for Draco's. She'd never been much for public displays of affection, but lately all she could think about was wanting to put her hand possessively around Pansy especially when one of the lads started to flirt with the other witch. Today, she’d touched Draco’s lips in front of the entire Great Hall as though they were open with whatever it was they were doing, not sparing their audience a thought in the moment.
It was getting harder and harder to convince herself that this was just a friends with benefits scenario. Especially when Draco pulled her behind a tree and looked at her like that.
“And what’s this about?” She asked, knowing what it was about from the lust that darkened his eyes.
“I’ve fantasised about shagging you out here for years,” he growled, his face slowly moving towards her. “And I’m going to do it today. I’m going to leave you with enough memories of me to keep you smiling long after I am gone.”
“Draco, don’t…” Hermione started to say. She didn’t want him to go to Azkaban. She was going to stop it from happening in any way she could, using whatever influence she possessed. But instead of allowing her to comfort him with any of those promises, Draco silenced her with a kiss.
His hands ran down her sides, his fingers brushing the bare skin of her thighs. His touch made her grateful that she had chosen to wear one of her uniform skirts. Perhaps she’d been hoping for an assignation with one of her lovers all along.
Draco’s hands circled to the insides of her thighs; reaching upwards, brushing tantalising touches along the lacy edges of her knickers making her moan into his mouth and he seized the opportunity to invade it with his tongue. As his fingers finally found their way into her wetness, she arched into him and he lifted her up one handed as he explored her body with his other. Her feet no longer touched the ground, yet she felt supported both by Draco’s grip and the tree that was holding her up. His lips were now on her throat and clavicle, sucking bruises into her olive skin.
His fingers slid inside of her, the touch causing her to moan loudly. “Hush, Princess, what if someone comes walking along the trail? You don't want them to discover us, do you?” He purred against her lips, causing her body to shutter against his.
She shook her head, nearly lost to speech. Slowly, he fucked her with two fingers before adding a third until she was gasping his name against his neck as she came all over his hand. He tore her drenched knickers from her body, still holding her up one handed. Unbuckling his trousers, he let them fall, sliding his trunks down so that his hard cock was revealed and swiftly sheathed himself inside of her.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and they coupled frantically in the woods like animals, scratching, clawing and biting one another. There were no sweet nothings whispered, only groans, grunts, and moans as they found their release together.
************
Hermione’s back was marked up from the tree, her hair wild, and Draco’s hair was horribly mussed when they tried to just sneak back into the castle and head up to the Head Dorm to shower. “Hey!” Theo called, “There you two are!”
“Shite,” Draco breathed, knowing their plan to slink up to the room was just foiled.
“Come on, it's time for dinner.”
“Theo,” Hermione started, but he cut her off by waving his wand and tidying both of their appearances.
“I swear the two of you forget you can do magic sometimes.” Theo smiled, a hungry look in his eyes as he looked them over. “It's the last Saturday of the summer and we are going to have a little party tonight. Therefore, we all need full stomachs so that no one passes out before we get to the after party.” Theo winked at the two of them mischievously.
Draco sighed dramatically, but followed after Theo regardless. “Coming Granger?” Draco looked back at her. Hermione scowled at him.
“Might I remind you, Draco Malfoy, that you stole my knickers and I’m wearing a skirt?”
He only chuckled at that, patting his pocket where the ruined lace was stored and whispered into her ear before he opened the doors to the Great Hall. “I didn’t steal them, I ripped them off of you. And I hope I get a chance to do that again soon.”
Flushed and sure everyone was staring at her, Hermione ducked her head and followed Draco into dinner. She was hyper aware that her skirt barely covered her arse and she tried to keep her thighs as close together as possible as she sat at the table that had become theirs. Pansy sat on her right and Draco took the seat to her left. Blaise and Luna were on the far side of the round table and Hermione just hoped that they didn’t drop something under the table at some point in the night and look right into her exposed sex.
“There won't be any sinking into depression on my watch, friends,” Theo announced smiling, “Eating is essential.”
“Although,” Pansy spoke out, “I would prefer if we could have wine with dinner, we are adults after all.”
“Can you even imagine,” Seamus said, slipping into the seat next to Luna, “McGonagall allowing us to have wine or butterbeer with dinner?”
“What do you think the professors have in their chalices?” Pansy asked, “It's certainly not pumpkin juice.”
“I wouldn’t bet against you, Parkinson.” Dean replied, claiming the seat beside Seamus.
“I’ve found that it is always a foolish move to bet against Pansy,” Blaise smiled, taking a sip from his goblet. “She never takes a bet unless she is sure she will win, I’ve lost more galleons to her than I care to admit.”
“Some of us don’t have unlimited wealth at our disposal, Blaise,” Pansy stuck her tongue out at the Italian.
“Say the word Pans and I will set you up with a personal Gringotts account,” Theo smiled, “The Nott vaults are overflowing. I couldn’t spend it all in my lifetime if I tried.” Hermione realised that Pansy’s hand was gripping Theo’s thigh under the table, her nails sinking into his muscular thigh through the jeans he wore.
“Be careful Theo, people may start to think that you are going to buy me jewellery next.” Pansy purred, batting her eyelashes in his direction.
“If I thought that you would accept it, I’d buy you jewellery tomorrow.” Theo replied, pouring himself some juice. Pansy’s smile was something like the cat that had the cream.
“I guess it would all depend on the quality of the jewellery,” Pansy replied.
“Only the best for the Queen of Slytherin,” Theo smiled.
“What’s the big deal with jewellery?” Hermione whispered to Draco, not understanding the exchange between the two Purebloods.
“In the Sacred 28, giving someone jewellery, their acceptance of said gift, and wearing it publicly denotes an agreement.” He replied, whispering in her ear.
“What kind of agreement?”
“A betrothal.”
“A …” Hermione choked on the second word, “But what about us?” she hissed back.
“Feeling jealous, love?” Draco raised an eyebrow at her, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
“What? O-of course not.” Hermione stammered, turning back to her plate to eat her food, single mindedly trying to ignore the uncomfortable feelings burning inside of her. What would happen if Pansy and Theo got engaged? Would the arrangement between the four of them end? The thought was enough to make Hermione want to cry.
“Granger,” Draco murmured, his hand sliding possessively up her thigh and towards the hem of her skirt, “even if Theo and Pansy married, they would never give you up. You needn't worry.” As she stared into his molten eyes, Hermione still worried, her mind spiralling into all the ways that everything could go wrong.
If Draco and Pansy went to Azkaban, would Theo just consider Hermione a consolation prize? Would they be able to bear it or would everything fall apart? If only Draco went to prison, would Hermione become a third wheel to the relationship that Theo and Pansy had forged long before she'd stumbled into their lives? Without the press of the trials, if both Draco and Pansy walked free, would all three of them grow tired of her, just as Harry and Ron had?
“Mi!” Pansy pinched her other thigh, her long fingers brushing against Draco’s hand that was rubbing circles into her skin, “Stop overthinking. I can hear your mind whirring.” Hermione nodded and tried to pull herself back to the table’s conversation, but the doubts were already planted, playing on rotation in the back of her mind. Blaise was making some joke about bland English cooking and colonialism that Dean found hilarious. Luna leaned in and gave Blaise a kiss on the cheek.
Off to the side, Hermione noticed Tracey Davis giving Luna the worst glare. Luna followed Hermione’s eyes and gave the Slytherin girl a comically over exaggerated wink that had Tracey spluttering. Catching the interaction, Theo cackled, throwing his head back. Under the table, Pansy and Draco’s hands were both stroking Hermione beneath her skirt as she desperately tried not to cum in the middle of the Great Hall.
She did anyway, biting her lip and gripping her spoon as though it was a lifeline.
*************
“Let's get drunk like it's 1998!” Theo shouted.
The four of them had outdrank Blaise and Luna fairly quickly, although Theo suspected it was because the blonde Ravenclaw was trying to lure Blaise into her bed. His suspicions proved well-founded, he noted with a quiet laugh; as not long later, they disappeared. Neville had brought Hannah with him when he had come at the beginning of the party, but the blonde Hufflepuff was so awkward and uncomfortable that they had only made it through one drink before disappearing. Neville mouthed “I’m sorry” to Hermione on his way out the door.
Finnigan made a feeble attempt to go shot for shot with Pansy, only to end up with his arm over his boyfriend’s shoulder being dragged from the room.
Completely drunk, Pansy and Hermione danced carefree on the top of a transfigured table while Draco and Theo snogged below them.
“For Salazar’s Sake, this is some view,” Theo looked up from kissing Draco, one hand around the blond’s neck, the other entangled in his platinum hair. “Hermione, I need you to come down here and ride my cock. Draco’s not quite ready for me to fuck him up the arse the way that I would like.”
“Who said that?” asked Draco, sounding much more sober than he had moments before.
Theo’s pupils swallowed the blue of his eyes as they dilated with arousal.
Yes, this was going to be a night to remember, Theo thought as he pulled Draco’s lips back into his. And if Theo had anything to say about it, there would be many more such nights to come.
**********
Chapter 22: Feel Something
Summary:
This chapter covers Saturday night and most of Sunday (its now four days until Draco and Pansy’s trials)
Notes:
Feel Something
Beginning Note: The song of this chapter is “Feel Something” by Jaymes Young
This chapter covers Saturday night and most of Sunday (its four days until Draco and Pansy’s trials)
Chapter Text
Chapter 22
This could potentially be the final Saturday night that he ever got to spend with Draco, but Theo refused to allow himself to dwell on it, especially when Draco had just agreed to his first time having anal sex.
“Do you want a Sober-up, Drake?” Theo asked, as he kissed his lover’s pale neck, his hand ghosting over the hard cock that was still confined by Draco’s trousers.
Shaking his head, Draco whispered breathlessly, “I’m only mildly tipsy and I want to stay relaxed like I am right now. You’ve told me before that it's better if I’m relaxed.”
“That’s true. It's much better if you are relaxed, not to mention it’ll be easier on your body also.” Theo slowly opened Draco’s trousers and freed his large cock from its confines. Draco exhaled a desperate breath, needy and wanting. “Let’s go to the bedroom. Pans, Hermione, are you going to come watch?”
“Absolutely,“ Pansy said, hopping down from the table and putting a hand out to help Hermione down, “Come on Mi, we don't want to miss the show.” She gave a little wiggle of her body that made Hermione let out a giggle, before the brunette witch’s gaze caught Theo’s.
Hermione chewed on her lower lip as she looked at Theo and Draco with hunger in her eyes.
Theo rubbed the leaking tip of Draco’s cock and then kissed the blond soundly before dragging him into the bedroom with Pansy and Hermione following close behind.
“Wait for me to get our Princess ready to watch the show, Theo darling,” Pansy purred into Theo’s ear as she passed him, pulling Hermione to the head of the bed.
Grabbing Hermione’s wrists, Pansy cast an incarcerous tying Hermione to the bedpost, then carefully she used her wand to slice the clothing that Hermione was wearing off her, exposing her nude form to her three lovers' hungry eyes. She allowed her hands to play and tease her while Hermione watched the boys, transfixed.
Theo kissed and stroked Draco all over, even taking his cock into his mouth for a few moments, before having the other man sit forward on the balls of his feet. Draco’s knees were pushed against the headboard, completely exposing his body. Theo leaned in, putting his mouth against the tight hole of Draco's arse. Hermione watched in awe as the sweat broke out on Draco’s brow and he whimpered, while Theo penetrated him repeatedly with his tongue.
Draco's legs shook and if Theo hadn't been holding him by the hips as he licked him, Hermione was sure the blond would have collapsed to the mattress.
Draco's cock was hard between his legs and the noises that came from him sounded like sobs, like the pleasure that Theo was giving him was more than he could stand. Hermione wanted to reach out and touch him, kiss him, take that hard cock in her mouth, but she couldn’t do anything but hang next to him as they were both dominated. “Theo,” Draco moaned, “Gods, right there,” he choked out, the words hardly understandable as the tremble of his legs became so intense that Theo pulled back and slapped Draco’s arse with a chuckle before diving right back in.
Pansy’s long nails ran over Hermione’s olive skin, leaving light marks in her path. Her fingers paused to pinch the hard nipples she found causing Hermione’s hips to buck. Pansy's hands touched every curve and line as she explored down Hermione’s body, winding Hermione up to the point that she almost sounded as breathless as Draco beside her. Pansy made a small noise of satisfaction when she came between Hermione’s legs and found that she was wet, her arousal dripping down her slit.
"Oh, what a messy girl you are," Pansy proclaimed in sensual satisfaction. "Do you like watching Draco come apart for Theo? Be honest."
"Yes." Hermione gasped the word, as Pansy slowly drew circles on her clit with her nail.
"Yes what?" Pansy murmured into her ear as she nipped at the earlobe.
"Yes, Mistress,” Hermione almost didn’t recognise her own husky voice as it passed her lips.
That got a purr of satisfaction from the raven haired witch. "Oh, good girl."
Theo pulled himself up, finally vanishing his own pants. He cast a lubrification charm on Draco followed by one that Hermione hadn't heard before. At her curious expression, Theo smiled, “it was from that helpful book from Cordelia in the bedroom charms chapter." Theo lovingly stroked Draco’s arse cheeks, "it provides a light numbing, good for witches or wizards who are just starting to experiment with anal play."
"Fuck, I think I love our Mind Healer," Draco gasped, as Theo ran a finger along Draco’s puckered hole. And Theo could not contain another chuckle as he lightly dipped his finger inside Draco.
"I wonder if McGonagall knows she is giving out those kinds of books."
Pansy looked up from where she was suckling Hermione’s nipple as she slid two fingers in and out of her wet core, "Theo please, I can't work when you are mentioning the Headmistress in our bed. It’s an absolute mood killer."
"My apologies, my Queen." Pansy nodded regally in response, turning her attention back to the witch whimpering beneath her. Theo licked and nipped at Draco’s neck, as he lined himself up, rubbing the tip of his cock over Draco’s entrance making the blond moan in anticipation.
Hermione felt as though she was going to melt right into the mattress. She met Draco's eyes as Theo slowly worked his cock into Draco's arse. Draco’s panting breaths were quick and frantic as the brunette wizard worked his way inside him. His pupils were blown wide and Hermione could see the dripping end of his hard swollen cock where it jutted out between his legs.
Theo was so large, how was Draco taking him all?
Hair in his eyes Draco, next to her, had his knuckles gripping the headboard. Hermione could feel the heat of his panting breaths play across her skin as Theo took him. Draco moaned in pleasure and Theo groaned, “Holy fuck. You feel so bloody perfect. Look at how well you take my cock, Draco.”
“What a good boy you are,” Theo murmured, kissing Draco’s neck when he bottomed out. Hermione felt herself get so much wetter as Theo’s long fingered hands traced over Draco’s biceps and forearms. Draco’s tendons in his arms jumped as he desperately gripped the headboard. She felt anguished with wanting for Theo’s long fingers to brush against her flushed skin as well.
Pansy chuckled darkly at Hermione as she watched where the other girl’s eyes were focused.
“You like those hands of Theo's, don’t you, Mi?” Hermione moaned softly and then again, but louder this time, as Pansy slid another finger into her cunt. “Salazar, I wish the Aurors hadn’t taken my strap. I’d love to bend you over and take you while you watch the boys play.”
That comment caused Theo to moan as well, as he leaned forward nipping Draco’s shoulder. He looked over at Pansy, “Fuck, I miss your strap too.”
“I bet you do, dirty boy,” Pansy replied, grinning at him. “Now you need to focus if you want Draco to come untouched. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Of course, my Queen,” Theo responded as he redoubled his efforts, sliding in and out of Draco whose head was thrown back onto Theo’s shoulder, back arched. Hermione was vibrating, she couldn’t stop watching them, but Pansy never stopped touching, licking, stroking. The edges of Hermione’s vision began to blur as the tightening in her stomach clued her in to her impending climax. Pansy continued to slide her three fingers back and forth inside of Hermione’s dripping cunt and Pansy’s thumb pressing down on Hermione’s clit, was going to send her right over the edge. The pressure was too much, felt too good and Hermione felt herself exploding around Pansy’s fingers with a shout.
She met Draco’s eyes and it was like an arch of magic snapped between the four of them. Suddenly Draco groaned and his cock twitched, streams of white cum flying upward to splash the headboard, coating his chest and the insides of his legs as well. Theo began pounding wildly and then stilled, moaning into Draco’s neck, biting down hard as he spilled himself inside his lover. Pansy even let out a surprised gasp and her touching of Hermione froze for a moment.
Theo looked up into Hermione and Pansy’s eyes, “Fuck. That was…something else.”
********
Waking up in the early morning, Draco felt deliciously sore. There were bite marks on his neck and shoulders that stung lightly as he stretched his body trying to release some of the tension. Theo had managed to draw blood more than once and Draco had been surprised when he loved it. The territoriality of it was what was exciting. Theo had marked Draco as his. If there had been a Quidditch practice today, Draco would have pulled off his shirt and Theo’s marks would have been on display for the entire Slytherin Quidditch team. The thought had Draco half hard already. He imagined the looks on people’s faces if they realised that Theo had done this to him, claimed Draco Malfoy, had owned him, had possessed him.
Fuck.
Draco realised that his arms were around Theo’s middle, his fingertips delightfully close to the cock that had given him so much pleasure last night. Why had they waited so long to do that? It had been incredible. Fuck he hoped they could do it again before he went to prison on Friday, it was only a few days away now.
He became aware that the warmth he felt behind him were Hermione’s tits pressed against his back, causing him to smile into Theo’s back. Gods, she’d looked so pretty last night tied to the post of the canopy bed, calling Pansy "Mistress" and coming apart while she watched him be taken. The way her amber eyes shone gold when she came, she was glorious and perfect.
How was this his life?
Well the Fates were likely just torturing him with something this perfect just to snatch it away after all. He was a Malfoy. Happiness just wasn't written in the stars for him. It wasn’t written in the stars for Blacks either, and he had the misfortune of being both. He basically had two bloodlines filled with tragic backstories, paving the way for his own life.
Theo hadn’t disillusioned his scars before falling asleep, and the sight and feel of the layers of knife wounds and whipping scars under Draco’s cheek made Draco’s heart hurt. Thoros Nott was already in Azkaban and scheduled to get the Kiss before Yule for his war crimes, but not for what he’d done to his son. Regardless that his fate was already sealed, if Draco had the chance once he was inside, he’d like to kill the man with his bare hands for what he had done to Theo.
Draco had few scars from his own father, his mother had always healed him meticulously, but Theo’s father liked leaving the scars to drive the “point” of his lessons home further. Draco wasn’t sure that there was a point other than blood supremacy and sadism. Thoros was a truly evil bastard who only found pleasure in destroying everything around him and watching it burn.
Being a wealthy heir to an Ancient and Noble house was no protection against the darkness and evil of one's own parents. His mother had told him about her cousin Regulus, a family favourite, more than once. How he had survived living with his brutal and cruel parents just to die doing something of no great importance in the Dark Lord’s service baffled Draco. His mother had always said that her mother and father were gentle with her as a child, but how then did one explain the brutality and evil in Bellatrix? Had the eldest daughter borne the familial violence that his mother had been spared as the youngest?
He swore to himself that if he was ever so lucky to marry and have children he would never ever raise a hand against them, much less use the cruciatus on them. How could one inflict such suffering on one’s own children? Perhaps it said something good about him, that that was incomprehensible to him, and meant that someday he could have been a good father.
However, that would mean he escaped a lifetime in Azkaban anyway. That hardly seemed like a likely possibility.
*****************
Pansy had really come to enjoy listening to Cordelia speak. She had thought of the whole therapy business as muggle nonsense in the beginning, but it seemed obvious to her now that it was helping heal her unseen scars. She still felt terrified by ridiculous things, but now she had options: things that she could try to help her feel better and come back to her present reality. It was nice not to feel helpless in the face of everything that had happened. Cordelia was an unbelievable thing: an adult that saw Pansy as more than her bloodline, than her house, than the girl who had suggested handing Harry Potter over to the Dark Lord. Pansy was grateful for the experience, she really was, and she hoped that she would be able to continue it during eighth year.
“This morning we are going to keep talking about negative self-talk, because I have a lot to say about it and you all are going to have to listen to my soapbox. I personally have struggled with negative self-talk my entire life, and while I lived through the first Wizarding War my role was in no way equal to any of yours in this group. Hogwarts remained safe the entirety of the fighting, which can not be said this time by any stretch of the imagination.” The healer gestured towards the now fixed stone walls that still showed signs of the damage that had been done to it.
Cordelia smiled that open smile of hers, that made even the sourest amongst them smile back. “I want each of you to learn to notice when you're being self-critical. If it would feel cruel to say that to a friend, an animal or a child, don’t say it to or about yourself, even in your thoughts.”
"Fun fact about me," Cordelia shared, "You all know my inner critic. His name is Severus Snape. I was just a few years behind him in school, and let me tell you what, he mellowed out by the time you all had him. He was an absolute nightmare of a professor in the early eighties."
Neville's mouth hung open, "How could he possibly have been worse?" The sandy haired boy whispered, making everyone laugh at the comment, his cheeks turning red as he realised he’d just spoken his thoughts aloud.
"He was young, angry, and his students were the only outlets for that anger after the war. By the time you had him as a professor, he was embittered and depressed with his life. Despair had taken its toll. Because, unlike you all, Professor Snape never got the therapy that he desperately needed, he was used, not by one side of the war, but both. So when a little internal voice talks to me about how I am failing and nothing I do is good enough, it sounds just like Professor Snape."
"Mine sounds like my father," Theo burst out, and then almost unwillingly followed it up with, "When I have a voice inside my head, telling me I can't accomplish anything, it sounds like my father."
"That's very common," Cordelia stated, smiling kindly at Theo, "especially when you had fathers who were abusive or emotionally withdrawn as tends to be the case in Sacred 28 households." The Purebloods in the circle nodded thoughtfully as they well knew what the norm was in their social circles. "When our fathers don't show us love, we take anything that they are willing to give to us, even if that anything is emotional torture. We want our fathers to love us, right, even if that is an impossible request for a narcissist or an abuser. We will do anything for the smallest crumb of praise or affection. Abusers know this, they thrive off this knowledge. Alternatively, some parents or mentors might engage in something called love bombing. Love bombing is when someone lavishes you with attention or affection, especially in order to influence or manipulate you. They can put you on a pedestal and also mistreat you. They make you become reliant on them and the love they can provide.”
“Oh my god,” Hermione blurted out, her eyes wide as saucers. “That sounds just like Dumbledore and Harry!”
Cordelia only nodded thoughtfully, keeping any comments on Potter and the dead Headmaster’s relationship to herself, because there was no way that Cordelia didn’t have any. “Love bombing is often a warning sign of further abuse down the road. Some abusers who engage in love bombing do it to manipulate their targets. You’ll do anything to get that level of attention and affection again because it is addictive. It's often used for cult recruitment, although I know it was not the Death Eater’s method of choice.”
“It was a bit more along the lines of ‘join or die,’ if they really wanted you,” Theo simply stated, "I managed to be perceived as completely worthless due to my father’s low opinion of me, so that kept me off the noseless twit’s radar."
“If you said no to Voldemort, he would torture you and then have his giant snake eat you,” Draco murmured, his eyes locked on his hands, as if he looked up he would witness that exact horror again. At his words, Hannah Abbott looked as though she was going to vomit, but Neville looked at Draco with a calculating expression that Pansy had never seen on the Gryffindor before.
Cordelia nodded, “A lot of the things that happen with muggle cults are not reflective of the Death Eaters as an organisation. It’s more of a terrorist supremacist organisation, but anyway I am getting off topic. There was a method to my madness when I explained that Snape is the voice of my internal critic. When you think of your inner critic as a force outside of yourself, it's a lot easier to realise that you don't have to agree. And it becomes less threatening and more easy to see how ridiculous some of your critical thoughts can be. Especially if you give your inner critic a nickname in an effort to take its power away. For example, using myself again, I call my inner critic Sev or Sevvy. It removes some of the power that my critic had as a living person. When he is the intrusive thought in my mind telling me that everything I am attempting to accomplish is pointless then referring to that voice as Professor Snape gives him power, calling him a nickname that he would have hated gives some of that power back to me.”
“Due to magical portraiture, one of the things that I can actually do is cross-examine my inner critic. His portrait is up in the Headmistress’ office. It is awake and he is as unpleasant as he ever was. One of the damaging aspects of negative self-talk is that it often goes unchallenged. After all, if it's going on in your head, others may not be aware of what you're saying and thus can't tell you how wrong you are. Sharing your negative thoughts with friends or lovers may make you feel more vulnerable, but it's a critical piece to overcoming it. You can also always share these negative self-talk with me in private counselling. I hope more of you make use of it before the program comes to an end. It’s Sunday today, in case you lost track. I know I thought it was Thursday until Healer Atticus set me straight earlier, and then we only have four more days of group intensive.”
“When our inner critic is at its worst, it can sound like our worst enemy. Often we'll say things to ourselves in our heads that we'd never say to a friend. What I want to suggest is that you try each time you catch yourself speaking negatively in your head to make it a point to imagine yourself saying these negative thoughts to a treasured friend. This is a great way to shift your self-talk in general. If you would never say these negative things to a friend, then you shouldn’t be thinking them about yourself either. I know more than a few of you are hurtful to friends on purpose in the hopes that they will leave before they can hurt you, but that is a conversation for a different day.”
"Sometimes looking at things in the long term can help you to realise that you may be placing too much emphasis on something that won't matter in the longer story of your life. You might ask yourself if something will really matter in five years or perhaps in a single one."
"Another way to shift perspective is to imagine that you are looking at your problems from a great distance. Imagining the enormity of the earth or even the universe and our tiny size in comparison can remind you that most of your worries aren't as big as they seem, because in the grand scheme of things we are all very small. This can often minimise the negativity, fear, and the urgency that you may find in your negative self-talk. We are going to continue to be exploring negative self-talk along with some dreams for the future tomorrow. I know we are wrapping up soon but I know you have more to share and talk about here while we have this special time together."
************
Draco couldn't help but be excited that his plan of gifting the books to the library was finally coming together. Theo and Hermione both had the password to the Headmistress' office, so they escorted him and Pansy (who refused to be left out) there.
The delivery of the donated books was swiftly coming through the floo into McGonagall’s office, filling the space quickly. None of the young witches and wizards had ever seen their Headmistress look so pleased, McGonagall’s wide smile was a surprise to all of them.
“Mr. Malfoy, you arranged all of this?” The elder witch asked as another house elf walked through the floo, a crate of book levitated behind the small creature.
“It was my idea, Headmistress, however my mother handled all the logistics.” Draco responded as he surveyed the trunks, opening each one in turn. He found a package addressed to himself and set it aside. Theo took it and shrunk it, placing it carefully in the pocket of his knapsack. Draco smiled at him, wondering what his mother had sent under the watchful eyes of the Aurors this morning.
“But without your idea, this never would have happened,” McGonagall was saying.
Draco opened his mouth to tell her his part hadn’t been that important yet again, but this time Theo cut him off.
“Indeed, Headmistress, but if we allow Draco to downplay his contributions all day, then Madam Pince will never receive her new books.”
“Thank you for that excellent point Mr. Nott, “ the Headmistress said, “I hate to keep Irma waiting for her surprise. Let's levitate one trunk of books each since there are five. That should keep the strain low for all of us.”
Pansy smirked at Hermione, at the comment.
“Madam Pince,” Draco called as the five of them entered the library, the large trunks of books being levitated to their place before the librarian’s desk. The black and silver trunks all popped open with a whispered Alohomora from Hermione.
If someone had asked Hermione to describe Madam Pince's reaction upon seeing the open trunks of rare and ancient magical tomes, Hermione would have likened it to a child on Christmas morning who has gotten more than they have ever dreamt of. The tightness of her face disappeared as the librarian stared at the books in wonder and delight. Her fingertips raced back and forth over the spines, her mouth moving silently as she read the titles to herself.
"Words can't express how grateful I am," Madam Pince exclaimed, "Is this a copy of every book that we couldn't repair?" She didn't even look up to see Draco's nod. “And some that we’ve never been able to acquire a copy of as well.” When she finally looked up, the librarian’s eyes were brimming with unshed tears. “Mr Malfoy, you are a marvel.”
When she walked forward and embraced him, Draco had no idea what to do, so he put his arms around the woman who had been so kind to him this summer despite having no reason to hug him and hugged her back. It was strange how sometimes people who had always been in the background of your life suddenly became a starring role.
He was really going to miss her when he went to Azkaban.
*******************
“Lu, I need to talk to you,” Blaise grabbed her arm, pulling her into an alcove behind one of the few suits of armour that had survived the battle. She let herself be dragged into relative privacy with a small secretive smile, hoping that she could finally get him to go over the intimacy boundary that he had erected between them. When he pulled her against his chest and his deep mahogany eyes stared down at her, she was certain that things were about to change between them. She felt it in her bones.
He held her face between his hands. "You know that I love you?" He asked, his thumbs tracing circles on her jawline.
She nodded, although he'd never said it so clearly before, he'd made his regard known in myriad other ways.
"You know that I would like to spend the rest of our lives together after we get out of this Merlin-forsaken school?"
Luna nodded again, head tilted wondering where this line of conversation was headed.
"Well then how am I supposed to protect you when you don't tell me about things like getting attacked in a loo?"
Luna looked at him in wide-eyed blinking surprise. How had he found out about that? If Draco Malfoy had told him she was going to be a bit put out, but she didn't think he would do such a thing.
"How did you find out about that?" She asked, her hand reaching up to stroke the column of his neck, trying to ease the tension that she found there.
"I have my ways woman," Blaise said, dark eyes flashing in annoyance, "You would do well to remember that before you attempt to hide the fact that you were assaulted from me."
"Did Draco tell you?" Luna asked, waspishly, her eyes narrowing.
Blaise's eyes widened in surprise. "Draco knew too? I will be taking that up with him later. But no, I have others looking out for you, and before you ask me I'm not telling, it's noone you know. If you won't keep me in your confidence then needs must, Luna. And when you are my wife the amount I watch over you will be tenfold."
"You are assuming that I will say yes to marriage and you haven't even given me a courting gift yet," Luna smiled as he murmured something about rectifying that at the soonest possible opportunity underneath his breath, "and to be honest I didn't want to worry you. I handled it on my own."
“That's not really how these things work my love.” Blaise kissed her fingertips, then turned her hands so that he could put his lips on the softness of her palms. “I do worry. That bitch has it out for you because of me. I worry about you every minute of every day you are not with me. If I could move you into our own dorm room away from everyone else that is what I would do.”
“I hardly think the headmistress would allow that. And besides those girls are in Slytherin. How safe could I be?"
"I would keep you safe."
She laughed musically, "Perhaps you'd just keep me confined to your bed and that's something that I could live with as well."
Blaise's lips parted and she seized her moment by raising herself up on tiptoe and capturing his mouth with hers. One of his hands flew to her hair, the other gripping her hip so tightly that Luna thought she would have bruises, but she could not for the life of her find it in herself to care.
*********************
As had become their habit, the four of them were drinking in the Head’s suite only this time they were alone, they hadn’t allowed any outsiders to join them. Seamus and Dean had been surprised when Theo told them that it would be a quiet night in the Head Dorm, but had wandered off in search of other amusements. Theo felt almost guilty, he knew that the gay couple had difficulties socializing comfortably with others because of the snide homophobic remarks that would frequently send Seamus into a rage especially if he had been drinking. In the end though, Theo had to put his lovers first.
There was a tension in the room despite the good day that they had had.
Twirling her glass of red wine in her long nailed hand, it was obvious that Pansy was in a mood. Draco and Hermione seemed nervous and tense at Pansy’s scowl and obvious annoyance.
“Do we need to play a game, my love? So that you are in a better mood?” Theo asked.
“As much as I would love to get some of my unrest out, making you bleed in front of Draco and Hermione is probably not going to make either of them feel at ease.” Pansy sipped at her wine, considering.
“We aren’t Daphne, Pans,” Draco pointed out from where he sat on the floor, his fire whiskey long since emptied. His head leaned back against Theo’s outstretched thigh.
“Still,” Pansy said, “The play Theo and I engage in is heavy and rough. It’s not something to be surprised with. And that’s what you both would be at this point: surprised. You think you know what we get up to, but when you were actually faced with it. You’d both lose it.” Theo thought that she was exaggerating the case, but he wasn’t about to argue with his mistress when she was in this sort of a bad mood.
“Well lets play a game of Pansy says. That should cheer her up. I hope that you’ll enjoy playing as much as I do.”
"And what if we don't do everything correctly," Hermione asked from her place next to Pansy.
“Well that means that I get to punish you,” Pansy said, her eyes lighting up. “And that will be fun for me too. Theo’s rarely naughty, he has to beg me to punish him. But you,” her hands caressed Hermione’s cheek, “and you,” she ran her nails through Draco’s hair, making him purr in pleasure, "both have a tendency to be brats."
"Hey!" Hermione cried, offended. "I'm obedient."
"You can be, Mi, but you like to push the envelope, test your boundaries. That's a bit bratty. You can't tell me that you don't get intense pleasure at times at breaking the rules." Pansy raised an eyebrow at the Gryffindor as she ran a long perfectly manicured finger around the rim of her wine glass, causing the crystal to let out a small zing of vibration into the air.
Guiltily Hermione blushed and looked at the floor. Pansy’s fingers pushed her chin up to meet her eyes, "Now, now Mi. That's not a bad thing, we just need to talk through your limits when being punished, because as far as what I'm willing to do to punish someone, I haven't found it yet."
Draco paled at those words and Theo rubbed his shoulder reassuringly, "Pans isn't going to do anything that you are uncomfortable with, Drake. As long as you tell her what your limits are. I mean I even have a few. No cock and ball torture. No new scars. No branding."
Hermione choked on her drink. "Theo, are you seriously saying that your limits are things like red hot metal being pressed into your flesh?"
Pushing a wayward curl out of his face, Theo shrugged, "A man has to have some things that he just won't do."
*************
Chapter 23: It's All Just Conjecture and Gloom
Summary:
“It's all Just Conjecture and Gloom”
Sunday night to Tuesday morning (Trials coming Friday)
Song of the Chapter is Achilles Come Down by Gang of YouthsArt by Roseheira, see more of their work at https://www.instagram.com/roseheira_/?hl=en
Notes:
This chapter has a graphically depicted suicide of a minor character and discussion of the post suicide reaction of students and staff. Draco continues to struggle with suicidal ideation.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8.
Please take care of yourself.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
**********
"I just don't understand how branding and scarring can be your limits," Hermione waved her hands airily, "isn't there anything less severe that you don't like?"
"Well I'm not interested in cock and ball torture, but I assume that that is not what you mean," Theo smiled knowingly and started listing sex acts as he counted on his fingers, "I like all the sexual penetration, giving and receiving, oral sex, yes please. Blow jobs and eating cunt, again giving and receiving. Ooh, although I don't have a cunt, I wouldn't mind having one for an afternoon if I could find a charm or potion though.” He tapped at his lip thoughtfully.
“Cum play is a lovely time. I loved pegging. Spanking, whipping, paddling all great, though Pansy is the only one I let do that to me. Restraints are fantastic. Blindfolds. A good slap from Pans right as I'm close to cumming is often enough to send me right over the edge. Bloodplay is my other favourite, but again that’s only something I'd do with Pansy. Nothing quite like the splatter and drip of my own red blood as I finish. Oh, I suppose I am not really interested in urine play. The smell of piss doesn't do anything for me personally, but to each their own. I never need to list that one to Pans though because it's one of her icks." Pansy shuddered in revulsion at his comments.
“It’s filthy. And not in a sexy way.” Pansy said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
Hermione’s eyes were wide as saucers, as Theo seemed to show no signs of stopping.
“I love to edge lovers and to be edged. I love temporary marking. Biting, sucking a bruise, etcetera. I deeply enjoy someone remembering that I was there and any other lovers to see the evidence of my presence, not in a weird possessive way, but more in an exhibitionist way. Exhibitionism is something I would love to explore, but haven’t had any partners particularly keen on it up until Draco. I’d like to try public sex, my options there have been somewhat limited. Hogwarts has been a bit restrictive on my sex life. I like role play, sex in the shower.” Draco blushed at that comment, hiding his pinkened cheeks against Theo’s thigh and so did Hermione, as she remembered listening to the two of them in the bathroom.
It seemed like years ago. They had all been strangers then, Hermione thought. What were they now? Friends? More than friends?
“I haven’t had nearly enough bathtub sex. I do love it when Pans chokes me and I am willing to choke a lover to heighten their orgasm if they want me to, but it’s not something that I’d seek out for myself mind you. I do like vibration, toys, cock rings, but we lost all those when the Aurors confiscated Pansy’s toy bag.” His mournful sigh made Hermione giggle against him.
“And a sad day that was too,” Pansy added, sipping her wine and massaging Hermione’s head with the other.
“A tragedy of Greek proportions,” Theo agreed, “I suppose I’m not particularly turned on by…feet? I mean they are darling and all and without them everyone would have a very challenging time walking, but I’m not interested in having my cock touched by feet or sucking on toes or the like. If Pansy told me to do it, however, it's not something I would use my safeword over, if that makes any sense.”
Hermione wracked her brain for what that meant, it had been in one of the books from Cordelia, “Safeword ends the sex?”
“Or if its not sex precisely, then using the safe word ends the play session or stops a particular activity,” Pansy corrected.
“Really, for the most part, things should get negotiated in advance. We’ve been frighteningly lax with that lately,” Theo hummed as he finished his firewhisky and levitated the bottle over from across the room so that he could refill his glass. He refilled both Hermione and Draco’s glasses before sending the bottle floating back across the room. “And we shouldn’t drink and play, but,” Theo sighed, “I’m not perfect. I don't pretend to be, but if I ever do anything any of you don’t like I hope that you would tell me immediately in the moment and not let it fester. I would never willingly do anything without someone’s consent, although I can lose myself in the moment on occasion.”
Pansy laughed knowingly at that, “Let’s not forget your oh so active caregiver kink, Theo. You really love taking care of others. It’s why you obsess about aftercare and making sure it's just right.”
Theo kissed Pansy lightly on the cheek nearest him. "That's true, but no one ever complains about a little spoiling after play."
“I’ve got dozens more limits than Theo,” Pansy shared, “Penetrative sex as the receiver is a hard limit for me. I’m only the Domme, never a sub or a switch, unlike Theo who is able to change roles. So no spanking or choking of me, ever. I’m a bit of a sadist, I like to cause pain. I especially love the blood play, which is one of the reasons that Theo and I work so well together. Theo wants to bleed and suffer and I want to do it to him. I’m not interested in body fluids other than blood and cum. Although spit can have its uses. I definitely prefer women, but there are plenty of things that Theo and Draco can do tolerably well, even if I’m not interested in their substantial appendages. It’s fun to watch as they use them with each other or you Mi.” Pansy hummed contentedly. “Dressing up gives me a lot of sexual pleasure. My thigh high boots, my leather pants, my corsets. All of it builds my confidence; it puts me in Domme Pansy headspace and makes me feel powerful, so of course it gets me completely soaking wet. I’d love to find a potion to have a working cock for an afternoon, because pegging or just giving a good hard fuck with my strap-on was positively delicious. It’s definitely a favourite that I’m missing. I'm not interested in blow jobs and I have touched a cock, Theo’s, but I usually prefer to tell him to touch it himself. I considered myself a lesbian for a long time, but obviously with everything," Pansy gestured with her wine glass, "I need to rethink that, but …most of my aversions still align with that. I have a safeword, but I've never used it because me being the Domme is non-negotiable."
"What's your safeword?" Hermione asked, thinking that Pansy had told her before, but unsure.
"Betrothal or sometimes Chardonnay," Pansy drank her red wine, "it's the most horrendous vintage. If you ever hear me ask for it, you know something is terribly wrong. On second thought, the latter is more like a code that I have been kidnapped."
"Mine was thestral for ages," Theo shared, "but now it’s Snape. While Pansy is a sadist, I am generally more of a pleasure Dom when I top. I want to torture my subs with orgasms. I want to see them cum until they can't take anymore and then still pull one more out of them."
The whole candid discussion had Hermione's cheeks turning rosy, but now she was imagining Theo taking control of her body like that and her knickers were soaked. She looked down where Draco sat on the floor and could see the telltale bulge between his legs. It seemed he wasn't immune to this conversation either.
"What's your safeword, Draco?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, it’s Nagini. I was just using the word red, but the possibility of actually needing to say red with someone like you made me think of something else."
"Someone like me?"
"A Gryffindor," Draco supplied.
"Hmmmm, I guess I need to think of a safeword for myself," Hermione mused, leaning her cheek against her hand.
"It needs to be something you would never say by accident." Pansy pointed out. "And something I could recognize if you were trying to say it with a gag in your mouth, although there is a tap code if you need a gag out. Wait, are you interested in being gagged? I might be skipping some discussion steps."
Hermione tried to imagine having a gag in her mouth, being unable to speak as the other three of them had their wicked way with her. "Would my hands be restrained at the same time?" Hermione asked, the breathless quality of her voice not lost on Theo and Pansy who both grinned at her.
"If that's something you'd like to try, Mi," Pansy smiled, "then it would be my joy to facilitate it."
On the floor, Draco chuckled.
"What about you, Draco?" Theo asked, not missing the blond's own response. "Would you like to be gagged?"
"I don't think I'd like a gag in my mouth, but I certainly don't mind gagging on your cock." Draco smiled up at Theo, his platinum locks falling in his eyes as the young man looked up into Theo’s ocean eyes. Theo ran a hand over Draco’s cheek in an adoring caress. Hermione was even more aroused by the heat between the two of them. It wasn't just the apparent lust, the way that they adored each other was obvious too. Hermione wondered if anyone would ever feel about her the way that Draco and Theo felt about one another. She sighed softly and put her head on Pansy’s shoulder. The other girl stroked her back softly, fingertips instead of sharpened nails. Pansy always seemed to know exactly what Hermione needed, it was really lovely. There was something about getting affection from another girl that was deeply satisfying.
"What else?" Theo whispered huskily, still looking down into Draco's face. "What else do you like or want to try?"
Draco looked away and took a sip of his firewhisky to make an excuse for his breaking of eye contact with Theo. "There's nothing we have done that I haven't liked. Getting tied up, the blindfold, the sex, especially what we did yesterday. That felt so bloody good. Could," Draco coughed, "could I do that to you some time? Would," cough, "you like that?"
Theo hummed in pleasure at Draco's question. "It's been a while for me, but yes, we could do that. I'd love buggering you again, you felt so fucking good around my cock, Drake."
Draco nodded, seriously as though they were discussing business for a second and then he seemed to shake himself and the vibrancy came back to his eyes.
"Draco," Theo growled warningly, "No occlumency remember."
"I know, I know, it's just hard to be vulnerable like this." Draco sat his drink down and turned so that he had Theo’s thighs gripped in his hands. "I don't want to be hurt. I don't mind a little soreness. It’s okay when you bite me to make me bleed a little but I don't want to bleed a ton or be black and blue. A little spanking is okay, but I preferred the…what did you call it? Sensory play? Remember? The gloves and the fur and–" Draco trailed off the blush tingeing his pale cheeks.
Theo ran his thumb across Draco’s jaw. "Liked that, did you?"
"Very much." Draco smiled adoringly towards the other wizard, "Everything in my life just has hurt for so long, I just…"
"Want some comfort?" Hermione asked when Draco faltered and was rewarded with those warm quicksilver eyes on her and a small smile on his lips.
"Exactly, Granger." Draco's eyes traced the curves of her face and rested on her lips, causing Hermione to again be aware of how wet this conversation was making her. "I think I'd like to have control over something or someone else a bit."
"Oh, would you, pet?" Pansy purred, stroking Hermione's hair. "Well I think Mi might be amenable. Wouldn't you, darling?"
Hermione sputtered a number of noises, none of them anything like words and drank deeply from her firewhisky, swallowing her embarrassment. The idea of Draco controlling her, possessing her the way that Theo did when he touched her had her nipples hardening and her pussy fluttering around emptiness.
Pansy's tinkling laughter drew her back. "Well Draco, you'd rather not have pain. Any other limits you want to share?"
"I don't want anyone else to touch me like that, other than you three."
"So no inviting Blaise and Luna to play?" Theo asked.
Draco’s eyes hardened and narrowed as he shot a glare towards Theo, "And nor are you going to play with them, Theodore! Or anyone else for that matter!" Draco's eyes flashed molten silver.
"So possessive." Theo purred, failing to notice that Hermione's jaw was just as clenched as Draco’s.
She tried and failed to shake the jealousy off. She had to remember, she couldn't control these snakes she'd fallen into bed with. They remained their own people and this wasn't even a relationship really. Right? She couldn't be dictating anything. Draco and Theo, though, their relationship was something solid, but her time with them was fleeting. If she was lucky, it would continue after the school year started, but maybe they would be bored of her by then.
"Well you only have to put up with me for another few days and then I will be off in Azkaban, so I think you can keep your cock in your trousers until then." Draco nearly snapped, turning his face away from Theo while gulping down his drink.
Theo gripped Draco’s face between his thumb and pointer finger, his face a mask of rage. "Don't fucking say that, you aren't going anywhere. I won't let you just give up."
Draco didn't try to shake Theo’s hand off, but his eyes looked bright with unshed tears. "You know as well as I do that there is nothing either of us can do. I'm a Malfoy and I am going to have to pay for what my father did, what I did for the Dark Lord. "
"You were forced into everything you did and I'm going to prove it. The Wizengamot will have no doubts as to how much of a victim you were after that trial." Theo shook off his anger and took a drink, his mask falling back into place.
"How about you, Hermione?" He asked, changing the subject. "Any hard limits or things you would like to try?"
Hermione laughed internally at Theo’s ability to hide how he was feeling so easily. She reached out and stroked his forearm, trying to give comfort to him through her touch.
He subtly shifted closer to her, trying to be nearer to the comfort that she was giving. Pansy, on Hermione's other side, stretched languorously like a cat and got up to refill her wine glass without levitating the bottle. Her reluctance to use magic meant she would likely need a Sober Up before they all piled into Theo’s magically expanded bed.
Hermione bit her lip, "I didn't really care for edging and I'm like Draco. A little spanking, a paddle or maybe even a light flick of the riding crop could be okay, but I don't want to be covered in welts, blisters or blood. But I do like my hair pulled and I fantasise about being choked, so I'd like to explore that." She swallowed her drink for some extra bravery. "I liked shagging Theo and Draco at the same time, but is there a way for the four of us to all…play together at the same time. Or for everyone to play with me?" Hermione rolled her glass between her hands and could feel the blush rising up on her cheeks.
Hermione looked up and met Pansy’s dark eyes and saw the slight tremor in her hand that held her wine glass. "Yes, Mi, I think we could arrange something like that, but not tonight. I think I've had too much to drink." Pansy sat her glass down and Draco was up like a shot, holding her elbow. Theo too was running to get a sober up potion from the bedroom. He had the vial at her lips in seconds.
"There you go, love," Theo whispered. "Why did you drink so much?"
"I'm sorry." Pansy murmured, still gripping his shoulders, "I guess I lost track of the bottles." Theo kissed her on the temple and took her other elbow. Hermione sat shocked as the two boys led the raven haired witch into the bedroom.
She finished her firewhisky in one long drink, realising that Pansy hadn't drunk even half of what she and the boys had been putting away. Did she? Did she need to be concerned about her drinking? Hermione thought that she was drinking a lot less now than she had been at the Burrow, but obviously her tolerance was still really high if she was drinking Pansy under the table and barely felt a buzz.
She reached over and refilled her glass because actually being a little drunk by the time that she went to sleep meant that the nightmares would be held at bay, at least a little. And even if she was worried, she still needed a good night's sleep. There were still a few more days of therapy in the group and she wanted to try to get the most out of them. She knew that this work she had been doing was helping her, it really was. Collapsing in a cuddle puddle with three of the fittest people she'd ever seen didn't hurt either.
Theo and Draco came back out after a few minutes, joining her on the couch. Theo easily pulled her onto his lap before Draco refilled his glass and then pulled Hermione’s feet into his lap, slipping her little Mary Janes off so that he could massage the arches of her feet. Hermione made little purring noises and basked in the attention for a few minutes, before asking in a soft voice if Pansy was alright. Even in her relaxed state, her mind still wandered to the raven haired witch.
"She just overdid it. I got her to drink some water and we got some potions into her. She may have a headache tomorrow, but otherwise she will be fine.”
Hermione nodded as her own head began to feel fuzzy and tired. Her body relaxed into the boys until she slowly melted into sleep. Their scents of cedar, mint, fire whiskey and smoke pulling her down into cosy oblivion.
**********
Cordelia had spoken with each of her group members individually this morning, discussing the imminent end of the program and how each of them were feeling about returning to the world at large. She’d assigned all of them to write in their journals about the same topic as she circled around.
Draco almost lapsed into occlumency when faced with her kind and supportive face. She just put her hand on his shoulder and he felt his attempt to erect walls around himself crumble.
"It's going to be okay Draco," Cordelia said reassuringly.
"But how do you know that it's going to be okay?"
"Because you deserve a future and there are alot of people in your corner. More than you know."
Draco tried to feel reassured but for the first time he wondered if Cordelia was just blowing cauldron steam up his robes. How could she possibly know that it was going to be okay?
Insubstantial platitudes. Draco felt anger bubbling up inside of him and he wanted to lash out, to occlude, to run far away where no one could find him. His fingers squeezed his thighs until his nails drew blood through his trousers. His self-hate felt like a poison that he had swallowed and it roiled in his stomach, painful and bitter.
Theo wrote in his journal as Cordelia worked her way around to him and he felt overwhelmingly sad and bitter and worried that he wasn't doing enough to keep Draco from spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.
Why must my life only be interludes of pleasure in a sea of pain? Nothing has ever come easy to me. Not love, not family, not happiness. Here I am with the real possibility of a family, of happiness and love. And all I can feel is the wrenching winds of fate trying to tear it all apart. What have I done in this life or another to deserve this torment? If we lose Draco and Pansy, Hermione and I will have each other, but will the loss of the other half of the magic we’ve made be too much to bear? I refuse to consider that we will lose Pansy and Draco to the mistakes of our fathers. I will burn the world if I have to.
Hermione chewed the tip of her quill and felt her inner turmoil roil in her stomach. She felt as though she might be sick. She began to write anyway.
I dread seeing Ron and Harry again. Harry is supposed to be testifying for Draco at his trial. Would he be doing it if he knew what Draco and I have been up to this summer? I feel like the answer is an overwhelming no. Is what's happening with Draco ….and Theo… and Pansy going to melt away even if Pansy and Draco don't go to Azkaban? I knew that this whole situation was finite from the very beginning, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less. I knew it couldn’t go on forever no matter what I might wish. Is forever what I want? How can this be my future? How can I survive if it isn’t?
Pansy tapped her quill on her lips staring at some invisible point off in the distance and started scratching away at the parchment bound into her journal.
I’m obviously not better yet, because it still is impossible to plan for the future. I can’t see further than Friday. Maybe I will go to Azkaban, maybe I won't. Draco will probably go to Azkaban. It’s like a nightmare. Our fathers are still ruining our lives. I finally found a woman I really care about who seems to be okay with what Theo and I have and I might have to spend the next year in Azkaban, instead of learning a thousand ways to make her cum on my hand or my tongue. I’m a Slytherin and a witch, the world is set against me. So it should be no surprise that I’m getting a taste of happiness only to have it torn asunder. Once Friday happens, then I can think about Saturday.
Draco desperately tried not to occlude. He missed the ability to shut down all the emotions raging inside of him. He felt like there was a storm inside of him. It was going to tear him into pieces. It was a false comfort that he only needed to keep himself from breaking apart for only a few days more. He considered for the hundredth time ending his own life prior to the trial, but looked up and saw Theo looking at him with his bottomless blue eyes. Draco tried to shove those dark thoughts away.
I wish I had the faith that Theo has in the justice that I will receive at the hands of the Wizengamot. I expect to be nothing more than a tool for their vengeance. One more way to shed Malfoy blood on the altar of the Ministry. This program ends Thursday and then it's likely mere hours after that I will be tried, found guilty, and transported to the pit of despair that is Azkaban. I worry that I will forget the warmth of Theo's smile, the feel of his teeth on my skin, Granger’s clever voice when she knows the answer, her moans as she cums, and the sparkle in Pansy’s eyes as she orders me around. And once those memories have been taken from me, there will be nothing more to live for. It doesn't matter if I get five years or ten, the reality is that prisoners rarely come out alive or sane. Nearly never both. I wish I had a time-turner so that the next few days could last months, but that would still not be long enough.
Luna felt very calm. She knew with utter surety where her life was headed and she wanted to carve forward on the path that she had set for herself.
I am looking forward to the look of shock on the prosecution's face Friday when I provide my testimony. I imagine I will make the paper. I doubt my father will be pleased, but I will deal with that burning bridge as it collapses.
Blaise watched Luna write for a moment, bewitched by the enchanting look on her face before he started to write himself. The way that she moved as she wrote lit the fire in his blood and he wished that he had finished what they had started in the corridor last night. He should have brought her to his room in the dungeon. Perhaps tonight.
The moment this program is over, I am rushing to Italy to see why my mother hasn't contacted me for nearly four weeks. We have never gone this long without speaking and I am going mad in worry. And then, before we return to Hogwarts, I plan to put the most extravagant piece of traditional courting jewellery that I can on my witch. Everyone will know how serious I am about her. I will make her Mrs. Zabini before the end of 1999, mark my words.
Once Cordelia had finished her loop around the circle to provide encouragement and discussion to each of the circle members, she announced that she was going to continue the discussion she’d been having with them for days about negative self-talk.
"We are still really challenged by negative self-talk based on my private sessions from the last couple days. So I just want to go over some more tools for your toolbox to help overcome it. Another way to banish negative thoughts from your mind is saying them aloud. Sharing your negative thoughts with a trusted friend can help you to see with an outside perspective how absurd some of our negative self-talk can be. Bare minimum it should help you to find support. And if a friend isn’t supportive of you overcoming negative self-talk, then they aren’t a friend. I know this is a little tangential, but I want to point out that even though you all trauma bonded, basically shared a traumatic experience, with others who fought in the war, that doesn't necessarily make them your friend. Particularly those who chose not to attend this summer program. Shared past experience is no reason to put up with abusive, toxic or hurtful behaviour. “
Hermione could not help but think of Ron then, the way he always belittled her when she did things that he disapproved of, the way he wanted her to do whatever he said even if she was unhappy. Even Harry cared little now for her day to day happiness. It was depressing to think that she’d invested so many years into two men who now couldn’t even be bothered to owl her. Abusive. Toxic. Hurtful. Cordelia’s words rang in Hermione’s head like an alarm.
Cordelia had continued speaking to the group, while Hermione was lost in thought. “Even whispering some negative self-talk phrases can remind you how illogical they sound. This can remind you to not be so harsh to yourself. I know that many of you blame yourself for things far out of your own control. You fought in a war created by adults despite being children. Some of those adults might have been your parents or your mentors or even your teachers, but the truth of the matter was nothing was your fault. You couldn’t have done more, because simply put not a single one of you should have been fighting at all.”
“I’d like each of you to work on simply stopping negative thoughts as they happen. This is known as ‘thought-stopping’ and think of it as an Immobulus for a negative thought or simply transfiguring it into another thought when a negative one enters your mind like mice into tea cups.”
“This can be helpful with repetitive or extremely critical thoughts like, "I'm evil" or, "I'll never be able to do this," for example. This is one of the best routes to combating negative self-talk: Replace it with something better. Take a negative thought and change it to something encouraging that's also true and helpful. And just keep repeating these positive statements just like the affirmations that you should have put up in your dorms. This works well with most bad habits: replacing alcohol with pumpkin juice, for example. It's a great way to develop a more positive way of thinking about yourself and about life generally. I know that you haven’t experienced much that makes you think that life can be positive, but I swear to you that there is more to life than Hogwarts’ corridors and Unforgivable curses.”
“I know that is a huge shift in your thinking, that there are things in life worth doing past the war and your scars, but I swear that it is true. Back to what I was talking about, when you are engaging in negative self-talk, you may be able to catch yourself, but it can sometimes be difficult to force yourself to stop a thought in its tracks. It's often far easier to change the level of intensity of your language. "I can't take this" can transform into "This is difficult for me right now." "I despise..." can transform into "I don't like.” As we bring the level of our negative self-talk down, it loses a bit of its power like snapping its wand or casting a protego over our psyches.”
“One obvious (but difficult) way to stop being so hard on yourself is to just stop thinking about yourself so much. Distraction. Distraction can be the key. Whether its starting a garden,”
Neville smiled sheepishly.
“Painting”
Draco blushed.
“Reading obscure grimoires and throwing yourself into studying.”
Theo and Hermione both smiled at each other slyly.
“It truly doesn’t matter as long as it gives you pleasure and pulls you out of your head and brings you back to the world of life. Depression can be insidious, especially for those of you who have been through so much. We can’t give up on the joys that make life worth living. They are what keeps us tethered to happiness and a future with meaning.”
*******
While the group of them were at lunch forcing conversation through the tension of the program's imminent end in the Great Hall , the Headmistress came up to their table, her face stern.
"Mr. Nott, Ms. Granger, I would like to meet with you both briefly about my plans for the eighth year dorm and then Mr. Nott, you have another meeting. I have given them a classroom as they seem to need some space for their work."
Theo was pleased that his directive to the solicitors to meet with him at their soonest convenience aligned with what he considered soon. He hoped that his owls had conveyed his sense of urgency appropriately to them. If not, he would certainly do so in person. He placed his napkin on his plate as he rose.
"Of course, Headmistress," Theo said.
Hermione smiled, her eyebrow raised at Theo, who wasn't going to be saying anything just yet in front of Draco about his plans. He didn't want to give his love the chance to self-sabotage and if he had more warning, that is exactly what he would do.
Once outside the Great Hall, McGonagall turned to them and without preamble asked, "Do you think returning eighth year students can handle the responsibility of a shared common room and individual sleeping quarters rather than staying in dormitories of two to four?"
Hermione was swift to answer, "Since the majority of the returning eighth years are here for the therapy program, Headmistress, I would say yes. If Ronald was returning, I would say that it would be foolish to put him in a common area with Slytherins as he would never be able to control himself."
"Interesting that you say so, Ms Granger, I admit that I thought the same. I admit I was worried about Mr. Finnigan and Mr. Thomas, but you appear to have won them over Mr. Nott."
Theo only nodded with a small smile on his face as he thought of his new Gryffindor friends.
"Do you agree with Ms. Granger’s assessment, Mr Nott?"
"I admit to concerns about Greg, Headmistress. He's very angry over Vince and may be an issue in regards to inter-house unity."
McGonagall's face screwed up as though she had tasted something sour.
"He hasn't been attending the group; I have been informed by Healer Atticus." McGonagall’s fingers tapped a rhythm on her arm, a nervous habit that Theo didn't recall ever seeing before on the Transfiguration professor. "Thank you, Mr Nott, for being willing to share your concerns about a member of your house. Who, I believe, is also a friend??"
"I don't think Greg is anyone's friend anymore." Theo's hands disappeared into his pockets and he tried to decide if he should say more; finally, the impulse won out. "He's clearly his own worst enemy at the moment."
McGonagall simply nodded. "Ms. Granger, you can return to luncheon. Mr. Nott, please follow me."
Hermione stood awkwardly for a minute as though she wanted to insist on coming with Theo, who would have let her if she had asked. She bit the inside of her cheek and turned away, briskly walking back into the Great Hall.
McGonagall led Theo down a hallway and knocked on the door, opening it to reveal a dark haired witch with her.
“Mathilda Wright, a pleasure to meet you Lord Nott,” the young woman shook his hand.
“The barristers you’ve hired, Thaddeus Penworthy and Hepsibeth Osborne, are back at the office.”
“I am paying you so I want you to understand that if you fail and your client goes to Azkaban, I will destroy you.” Theo smiled warmly, his eyes cold with promises.
“I’d assumed as much, Lord Nott.” The solicitor stated, pushing her spectacles up the bridge of her nose. “Mr Malfoy has quite the advocate in you, it’s unfortunate that I can’t have you testify.” Her tone made it sound as though it was anything but unfortunate. Theo raised an eyebrow at her impertinence. She continued looking through her notes unabated.
“I see here that Harry Potter is going to be testifying on Mr. Malfoy’s behalf. That’s quite a coup.”
“Yes,” Theo replied, “And yet his prior solicitor still expected a five year Azkaban sentence.”
“His prior solicitor was a fool.” Ms. Wright’s lips pinched in distaste. “Aletheia Achidan and Mr. Remington spent all of yesterday in his offices at the Ministry at my behest, gathering files and the defence copies of the evidence. Suffice it to say the man had no plan and was going to be winging it.” She said the last as though it was a literal abomination and Theo found that he was liking her more and more. “We’ve used some of the retainer money to take a private set of offices in Diagon Alley for the duration of the week. We’d prefer the fewest distractions possible so that we can provide Mr. Malfoy with the most comprehensive representation possible. Ms. Achidan is interviewing Mrs. Malfoy today in order to determine how we want to focus her testimony. ”
“I will of course reimburse the rental of the offices,” Theo responded, his chin in his palm as he listened to her. “My biggest concern of course is keeping Draco out of Azkaban. I’m willing to pay whatever it costs to make that happen.”
“Is he aware?”
“Of what, Ms. Wright?”
“That you are in love with him?”
Theo raised an eyebrow at the woman, “While that’s neither here nor there, I am glad you perceive my seriousness about keeping him out of Azkaban.”
“I suspect, Lord Nott, that that is a bit of an understatement.” Solicitor Wright pushed her glasses back up her nose. “Do you have a list of additional testimonies that we should expect on Mr. Malfoy’s behalf?”
“Luna Lovegood has said she has already reached out to testify.”
“She’s to give a victim witness statement.”
“Well that may be what they think she has planned, but I assure you that that is not the case,” Theo stated.
“I’d like to speak with her while I am here today.”
“I’m certain that can be arranged,” Theo replied, “Draco gave extensive memories and evidence to Gawain Robards recently and we were foolish in that we didn’t get any promises from him for Draco’s cooperation in advance. I admit at the time I was more concerned about the Aurors guarding Lady Malfoy discovering a mass grave on the manor grounds.”
“They are extremely unpleasant men,” Ms Wright stated, “You probably were correct, but I am sorry I wasn’t hired in advance of that decision. I will put a visit to Robards on my list of to-dos for tomorrow. I used to be an intern in the DMLE so he knows me rather well. I’ll be able to get to the bottom of this particular issue. Anyone else?”
“Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Mindhealer Cordelia, I suspect Madam Pince and the Headmistress might also be amenable to speaking on Draco’s behalf.”
“The Golden Girl, herself, well, that’s going to really be strongly in Mr. Malfoy’s favour. And Mr. Longbottom,” She hummed thoughtfully and shifted through her papers. “He killed the final horcrux? And what is he planning to say? No, no nevermind. I’d like to meet with him, today if possible, and Miss Lovegood. I’ll meet with Miss Granger another day. I’d like to devote some significant time to discussing her testimony with her. I don’t have that time today.”
Theo nodded, thoughtfully, “Tell me honestly, Ms. Wright, can you win this trial?”
“I don’t make promises in my line of work, but I have never lost a trial yet.”
Theo crossed his arms and stared into space for a moment, hoping against hope that Draco wouldn’t be the breaking of her winning streak.
**********
Hermione had sat in the Great Hall for a long time, allowing everyone else to leave before she threw her knapsack over her shoulder and looking around at the lack of the ghosts that she’d grown so used to over the years she’d grown so used to and the dozens of memories of agony from the last battle that haunted her, ghosts or not, and she finally made her way out of the room. She looked around one more time at the room that had once held so much death. The blood was long gone, but the suffering remained. It was carved into the stone and mortar of the place. Perhaps Hogwarts students would still feel the sorrow of what happened here a thousand years from now.
As she wandered down the hall, and up the stairwell, finding herself on the second floor near Moaning Myrtle’s lavatory. Hermione wondered what perverse sentimentality had drawn her here, when a scream shook her to her core.
“AVADA KEDAVRA!” Echoed from within the lavatory, glass shattered and Hermione realised she too was screaming, her wand in her hand as she rushed into the bathroom. One of the Gryffindor boys that she didn’t know well was sprawled out on the floor, his wand still clutched in his hands his unseeing eyes stared up at the ceiling, and Hermione looked up and her eyes met Myrtle’s spectre, weeping silently, before the ghost faded back into the wall.
The way the body was laying as though he had crumpled when the Avada had struck, there was a shattered mirror across from it. Had the boy Avada’d himself? Was that possible?
Hermione looked down at the boy’s body, his dark hair messy not unlike Harry’s and realised that next to his body was a note. Without touching it she leaned over to see what it said.
Dearest Mother,
I am so sorry, but I just can’t do this…
I can’t pretend anymore that I’m getting better.
She couldn’t breathe, she was choking. She was going to drown in the despair that was flooding her veins. Every bit of light was being swallowed by this darkness. She kept scanning the note. It had a simple signature.
Dirk
That meant this boy was Dirk Cresswell, Jr. The son of the man who had been killed to allow Dean to escape from snatchers. Oh Good Godric.
Hermione was able to stop herself hyperventilating for only a moment and pictured Draco, Theo and Pansy’s sleeping faces in the morning when she woke and they were all right there. The smell of them, Theo’s fingers at her nape. Draco’s breath on her skin. She summoned her Patronus and sent the otter off for the Headmistress begging her to come at once.
Dropping to her knees in the broken glass, Hermione began to sob. She couldn’t feel the blood that seeped through her denims as the glass cut into her skin.
*********
The Black Lake was beautiful. The sun dappled the surface and Luna trailed her toes in the water not paying attention to the world around her. She smiled at the merfolk that she could see in the deeper part of the lake just past the dropoff where she sat. They’d pull her down if they could, she knew. She wasn’t trying to invade their territory though and as long as she stayed safely on the shore, no one could hurt her.
Luna didn’t see the two Slytherin girls sneaking up behind her, wands drawn, their faces masks of hate and envy. She was closing her eyes and soaking up the warmth of the sun on her cheeks, adoring the perfection of the moment.
Before her secret attackers could throw whatever curse or jinx they planned, Blaise interfered with a Protego, perhaps the strongest he’d ever cast. A strong wind blew Millicent and Tracey backwards and both girls were covered in a burning rash at the same time.
They’d planned to disfigure and drown his beloved, Blaise stewed. The girls ran away looking around confused at why their hexes had blown back on them. Luna appeared unaware of the chaos behind her, but when he stepped towards her all he could see was the gratitude written in her eyes as she turned toward him.
Blaise would burn the world to keep his Moon safe.
******
Draco was surprised when a house elf pulled him away from his volunteer work in the library. The Hogwarts elves rarely made a show of themselves preferring to hide and do their work silently and in secret.
Sitting outside the library were several packages and Draco smiled, pleased that they had arrived. He ran his hands along the packages feeling the stretched canvases inside. He shrunk them down carefully into his knapsack. The elf had already disappeared when Draco looked up. He felt like an arse for not thanking the little fellow. He thought of Hermione’s little crusade to free the house elves and wondered if she'd be peeved with him for being impolite.
He needed to find a space that was going to be appropriate for creating the painting that he needed to make before his trial. He had so little time left with the people that he was so entangled with and he wanted them to have something to remember him by. He wandered through the corridors looking left and right, opening old doors and peering into abandoned classrooms. He just needed to find a spot suitable for a makeshift studio.
Draco didn't really want to go to Azkaban, but he couldn't deny that for all his crimes and choices he should be rotting in that nightmare. The secret ocean prison held his father and what was Draco, if not Lucius Malfoy’s son, his chip off the old block. It seemed the inevitable conclusion to Draco’s misspent life. He knew that he was brooding about his trial and tried to remind himself of the encouragement he had gotten from Theo, Pans, and Hermione.
Draco couldn’t help but think about each of them - Theo was the first person he loved aside from his mother, Pansy and her quick wit and fierce devotion to those she loves, how he longed for Hermione for so long but never believed he could be with her in this way. That he could touch and hold and kiss her, even in secret, was more than he could have ever believed possible. There was something about the four of them together that made him feel complete. Draco had never felt that way in his entire life. There had always been something missing, an emptiness in his chest. But now it was like he felt four heartbeats within that former void.
Pulled from his thoughts when he sees light pouring from a door tucked in the corner at the end of a corridor. He peeked through the doorway to find the perfect room with several floor to ceiling windows that flooded it with the perfect natural light. This, he decided, this was the place for him.
As he enlarged and unbundled the packages, he was pleased to see everything he had owl-ordered: art supplies including a huge canvas, an easel, lots of magical paint, brushes and a palette.
He set up the easel and the longest canvas, making sure he oriented it in the best possible light.
He transfigured a chair into a high stool, sat down, and got to work. Time was now precious in the life of Draco Malfoy and he had plans for every moment of it that remained.
********
After spending most of the afternoon with the Headmistress, Professor Flitwick, and the Mind healers, Hermione had managed to pull herself together in front of them. However, she started to fall apart again on the walk back to the Heads Dorm.
Her breath was coming fast as she slammed into the room, the password breathless on her tongue. Hermione realised that she must look as though something had happened to her.
Draco and Theo jumped up from where they had been reading on the couch and ran to her. Pansy walked in from the kitchen and nearly dropped her glass of wine, as she rushed forward.
“Mi, are you all right?” Pansy stroked her cheek. Hermione gasped and started to cry again.
Hermione tried to force out the words, but it was as if her throat was closed. Draco’s face grew more terrified as she was unable to say what had occurred. Theo’s jaw was clenched and he looked as though he wanted to rip someone apart, if he could only figure out who.
Hermione’s tears turned into loud gulping sobs, the dead boy’s face swimming behind her eyes.
Pansy stepped back, “This is getting us nowhere, I’m going to grab a calming draught.” She flashed a look at Theo that had him swooping Hermione up bridal style and carrying her, following in Pansy’s wake. Draco trailed behind, seemingly at a loss of what to do.
“Alright, Mi,” Pansy tipped a vial to her lips, Hermione still sheltered in Theo’s embrace, “Drink up for me darling.”
Hermione felt the cooling potion bring her back under control, her sobs slowing, tears drying up. She hadn’t realised that she was shaking until it stopped.
“Now Hermione, please tell us what's happened.” Theo commanded, “Are you hurt?”
“No-no,” Hermione replied, putting her cheek against Theo’s chest, trying to absorb the heat and life from his skin, “I found a-a sixth year student, D-Dirk Creswell. He was in Gryffindor, not sure if you know him. His father sacrificed himself for Dean during the war. Well he-he, I found him, in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and he-he’d killed himself. Did-did you know you can Avada yourself? I didn’t realise you could, but-but he did. I heard him and I ran in and there-there was a note. It was awful.”
Theo sat down hard on the edge of the bed, his gaze long and vacant as he absorbed the news. His arms tightened around Hermione, still clutched in his arms. Draco scrubbed at his face. Pansy’s fists clenched and opened and clenched again. Tiny blood droplets formed where her nails pricked her palms.
Pansy sighed and transfigured her clothes into her pyjamas and then walked over to the wardrobe where she’d put night things for herself and Mi. She pulled out a basic pale mint slip, gesturing at Theo to shift Hermione so she could change her. Pansy scowled and with a wave of her wand, the clothes Hermione had on were replaced with the slip.
“Hermione!” Draco cried, “What happened to your legs?” There were dozens of small cuts and blood coated her skin that had been hidden by her denims. Theo used a wandless nonverbal Episkey and Pansy cast a Scourgify.
“There was broken glass everywhere,” Hermione whispered absently, as Theo stroked her curls. “I must have knelt in it.” She closed her eyes and tried to force down the image that now had been burned into her mind.
Pansy’s soft footfall could be heard leaving the room, but she returned minutes later with a glass of water for Hermione, holding it to her lips. Hermione sipped slowly and then shook her head when she couldn’t drink anymore.
Hermione’s eyes still closed, she felt Draco’s arms wrap around her and take her from Theo. The scent of paint and exotic spices lulled her senses as she felt Draco carry her around the bed and slide her under the covers. He crawled in next to her, and she nuzzled into his chest. Hermione felt the other side of the bed dip and Pansy’s soft hands skated over Hermione’s waist.
Pansy kissed Hermione’s neck and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Mi.” Hermione’s lip quivered and she tried to banish the images from earlier.
Draco stroked her cheek and then wrapped his arm around shoulders. “You are safe here with us, Granger.” He kissed her gently on top of her curls.
The bed shifted again as Theo slid in behind Pansy.
“Let’s skip dinner tonight,” Theo whispered, his long fingers skating over Hermione’s leg, “We’ll just hold you. If you get hungry later, I will beg the house elves to take pity on us.” He sighed, “And I can obliviate you, if you’d rather not remember what you saw today.”
Hermione shook her head, “N-no, I’d rather not forget.” She let their whispered words of comfort and physical companionship pull her down into exhausted slumber. On and off through the night, her tears soaked through Draco’s shirt. He lay awake wishing that she’d never have another day of sorrow like this. He knew then that he couldn’t kill himself ahead of his trial, he could never hurt Hermione that way. If Azkaban was to be his fate, he would have to discover for himself.
Death could not be his escape from the consequences of his family’s choices in the war.
*******
Tuesday morning blew in bright and cold. Theo made coffee for himself and Draco.
The girls were still cuddling in bed, Pansy’s cheek pressed against Hermione's breasts, her hand between Hermione's thighs.
Draco stood out on the balcony, staring at the view. He’d thrown a Slytherin Quidditch jumper over his pyjamas. Theo held their coffees for a minute, staring at his lover as Draco chewed at his black painted nails. The tension rolled off the blond in waves. But still it was better than watching Draco occlude and worrying that he was slowly turning himself into one of the insane terrors that had controlled their lives during the war.
The possibility of Draco looking at him with the mad sadism of Bellatrix Lestrange was the stuff of nightmares for Theo. He couldn’t imagine a worse fate, he thought he would rather be dead.
Setting down the two cups of coffee for a moment, Theo recalled the package from Narcissa from the book donation trunk. He accio’d it from his knapsack.
Unshrinking it, he discovered that it's a lap harp. Theo tucked it under his arm and arranged the two coffee mugs in his other hand. He used wandless nonverbal magic to slide the balcony door open and shut behind him and smiled slightly at how impressed he imagined that Hermione would be if she had seen him.
Draco took his coffee with a grateful nod, continuing to stare out into the pink and gold morning. His breath was visible as it escaped between his lips.
“Hey, your mum sent something for you.” Theo said, holding the lap harp out for Draco. Draco turned and looked at it for a minute, then looked at Theo’s face. Something he saw there must have convinced him, because he drained his mug and took the harp, sitting on one of the seats that was there.
Draco played on the balcony while Theo smoked and watched him. Theo tried to memorise every line and colour of his beloved: the moonlight of his hair, his porcelain skin, the steel grey of his eyes, the perfect rose of his soft lips.
Music drifted out to the courtyard below, soft and mournful.
Crookshanks wandered out through the sliver of the open door. He rubbed himself on Draco’s legs while he played. The soft smile that played on Draco’s lips as he looked down at the cat, his fingers traipsing over the strings pulling out the melodies in such a way that Theo felt embedded it in his very soul.
*******
It was breakfast and on the dais, McGonagall stood before them, her face dour and drawn. It looked like she hadn’t slept all night and hadn’t bothered to take a Pepper-Up or glamour the blue smudges under her eyes.
“I am so sorry to tell you all that one of our students, Dirk Cresswell Jr., has passed. I’m also very sad to tell you that the cause of death was suicide. Many of you may also feel immense sadness from this.. Others may feel other emotions such as anger or confusion. It’s okay to feel whatever emotions you might be feeling. When someone takes their own life, it leads to a lot of questions, some of which may never be completely answered. While we may never know why Mr. Cresswell ended his life, we do know that suicide has many causes. In many cases, a mental health condition is part of it, and these conditions are treatable. It’s really important if you’re not feeling well in any way to reach out for help. Suicide should not be an option. Rumours may come out about what happened, but please don’t spread them. They may turn out to be untrue and can be deeply hurtful and unfair to Mr. Cresswell and his family and friends. I’m going to do my best to give you the most accurate information as soon as I know it. Each of us will react to Mr. Cresswell’s death in our own way, and we need to be respectful of each other. Some of us may have known Mr Cresswell very well and some of us may not. But either way, we may have strong feelings. You might find it difficult to concentrate for a little while. On the other hand, you might find that focusing on the last couple of days of our program helps take your mind off what has happened. Either is okay. I want you to know that your teachers and I are here for you. We also have counsellors here to help us all cope with what happened. If you’d like to talk to one of them, just let me or one of your teachers know or look for the counsellors in the morning at group or after group in their office near Arithmancy. We are all here for you. We are all in this together, and the school staff will do whatever we can to help you get through this. I am available as well for any student who would like to talk about how this is making them feel.”
“I as well,” said Theo, standing up, his face more serious than Hermione thought she had ever seen it.
“The same for myself,” Hermione said, standing, her eyes tracing over the younger Gryffindors that sat together at one of the circle tables, several of them sporting the glassy look of someone who had taken a strong calming draught. Hermione noticed that the other Cresswell boy was missing too. What had he been? Fifth year?
She met McGonagall’s eyes and received a proud nod before the Headmistress, “And your Head Girl and Head Boy are also available to be spoken with as well. There will also be some more discussion during the therapy group today about this issue and how you all are feeling. Remember, none of you are alone here at Hogwarts.”
For no reason, Hermione felt her eyes drawn to the 5th and 6th year Slytherin table and was surprised to see Aethel Rowle and one of the other girls whose names she didn’t know, sob into each other's shoulders. It was hard for her to imagine that the daughter of a Death Eater was weeping at the suicide of a halfblood boy whose Muggleborn father may have been killed by hers. But then she looked at Theo and Draco and imagined how they would take her suicide and she realised she was letting old biases impact her.
Her body moving of its own accord, she found herself walking over to the two young girls. Squatting on the balls of her feet, Hermione rubbed their shoulders, “Ladies?” She whispered, “How about I help you get up to Madam Pomfrey and we get you two some calming draughts?” Both girls nodded tearfully.
Looking on from the table that Hermione had just walked away from, Pansy Parkinson felt herself slip fully and inexorably into love with the Gryffindor Princess. She may have already loved her, but when she looked back later this would always be the moment that she pinpointed as the instant that she realised that she loved.
Notes:
Casting Avada Kedavra on oneself comes from “You Have To Mean It” by Aneiria, which is a brilliant, if tragic fic.
McGonnagal’s speech comes from
After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools, Second Edition 2018
https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/after-suicide-toolkit-schoolsThank you again to the alpha/beta team!
And Roseheira for making the story come alive, see more of their work at https://www.instagram.com/roseheira_/?hl=en
Chapter 24: Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby
Summary:
Tuesday to Thursday Night
The final days of Restoration Camp
Notes:
The song for this chapter is "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby" by Cigarettes After Sex
Content Warning: Discussion of Suicide, Suicide Attempts (Suicide Contagion), Daddy Kink, Breeding/Pregnancy Kink fantasies
Its smut and angst.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 24
Tuesday to Thursday Night
"I know that this," Cordelia gestured around, "is a lot, but I don't want any of you to shove down how you are feeling. I want you to get it out, even if what you are feeling is dark or not what you think that I want to hear. Your priority should never be saying what you think your therapist wants to hear. That is no way to accomplish healing. My comfort or any mind healer's comfort should not be something you even consider. Your thoughts should sound something like: ‘What are these feelings inside of me? How do I talk about them?’ Suicide is an intense thing. It can make people feel many ways, and none of them are wrong. However, I want to give each of you space to talk, if you want, about where you are emotionally today and how I can support you."
Dean raised his hand and started, "I only ever spoke to Dirk Junior a handful of times. I was on the run with his dad last year. He…um…," Dean started to choke up, “he let himself be killed so that I could get away from snatchers. He was…a…really good guy. He loved his wife and his sons. I just just don't understand how Dirk Junior could do that to his mum, ya know? She lost her husband, yeah? But now she's lost her eldest son too, and his little brother has lost a brother and a father. It's just so much worse. I just don't understand why he would do that to his family." Dean looked at Cordelia desperately and Theo knew that the Gryffindor needed her to explain why this had happened.
"Unfortunately," Cordelia sighed, "it's almost impossible to know exactly what pushed him to end his life. I know that's not the answer that you want, Dean. I know you want me to be able to give you an unequivocal answer. And I can't. Often a person is depressed and can't see the way out. Substance use can play a role. Someone is more likely to end their life if they have been drinking, using potions or muggle drugs. People who commit suicide are often lost in their own pain, they may not even consider the impact of their death on others."
Dean clenched his fists on his thighs, but nodded.
Theo caught Draco's eyes and they shared the knowledge that they had both courted death. Theo knew that Draco had thought about dying much more than he ever had.
Are you still thinking of killing yourself? Theo wanted to ask.
Draco looked away as though he had heard Theo’s question, which he might have done. Fucking legilimens.
Theo would burn the fucking world to the ground if he did all this work for Draco not to go to Azkaban just for Draco to opt out of life. It was not going to fucking happen.
Theo glanced over at Hermione, who he knew had considered the same escape from her guilt and pain. Had seeing the Cresswell boy dead at his own hand finally driven that desire from her or had the sight lit the fire of her wanting to leave them?
He swore to Merlin that he would follow them into death and kill them again if either of them tried to leave the world before their appointed hour. It simply wasn't permitted for them to do such a thing. He wouldn't allow it.
He would not allow it.
*********
Hermione hadn't felt comfortable sharing how she felt about discovering Dirk's body in group therapy, but she knew that she needed to talk to someone. So she made her way up to Cordelia’s office. The door was cracked and she could hear voices coming from within.
"How could I miss this, Cor? He seemed to be doing so well. Nothing hit my metre."
“Geoffrey, no one is omniscient. We aren’t using legilimency on these children. There was no way for you to know that this was going to happen.
"I just feel like I failed. In the worst way a therapist can fail.”
“You absolutely can not take this on yourself. These things can happen. How many of these children would have killed themselves if we hadn’t been here? I would like you to keep that in mind. We are in the business of saving as many as we can. We can't save them all. You know that.”
The voices stopped and Hermione suspected that the other mind healer was weighing Cordelia's words. The silence dragged on for a few minutes and she thought that was probably her cue and knocked on the door as she opened it the rest of the way.
"Hullo, um…Cordelia, are you here?" Hermione queried, even though she knew very well that the mind healer was present.
"Hermione, yes! I'm so glad you came by the office. I noticed you were really quiet in our group this morning. Geoff, we can touch base again this evening, if you like?"
"Sure. Thanks." The other mind healer was obviously still really upset, but was attempting to put a brave face on it for Hermione’s sake. Should she have come later?
Just as she was about to ask that, Cordelia opened the door to her inner office and the other healer disappeared into the hall.
Cordelia already had tea and cakes set out in her office as though she was expecting a lot of company. Hermione realised that she was probably not wrong.
"I'm so sorry that you had to find your peer, Mr Cresswell, in such a state, Hermione." Cordelia began, "I did not want to out you as the discoverer of his body to the group this morning in case you didn't want that knowledge spread about, but I am really concerned about how that's making you feel. You have made such exceptional progress this summer. I am unbelievably proud of you, but that was a major piece of trauma. I want you to feel comfortable talking about it."
"I'm sorry I didn't stop him, but I'm also not sorry I wasn't a few seconds earlier," Hermione wiped at her thighs and wished that her feelings of guilt were as easy to rid herself of as her sweaty palms. "He..um…he used the mirror to Avada himself I think. He very easily could have killed me or anyone else that interrupted at the crucial moment. I feel really angry about that, honestly."
"People who are in deep states of grief rarely consider the consequences of their choices. I'm sure Mr. Cresswell hadn't realised that someone was going to have to find his body in that loo. I'm sure he didn't think that his rather elaborate magical suicide method could have hurt or killed someone else rather than him."
"He was selfish!" Hermione cried, not sure if she was angry at the young dead Gryffindor or if she was angry at herself for almost throwing herself off the Astronomy Tower earlier in the summer.
Oh, thank Merlin for Draco interrupting, she might have done it if he hadn't.
"He was not thinking about what his death would do to his family, the rest of us here, everyone. It's cruel and mean and thoughtless. Poor Myrtle even! She's dead and still can't escape the awfulness.”
Hermione froze as a terrible thought occurred to her, “Oh my gods, he's not going to come back as a ghost is he?"
"It's fairly unlikely. People who commit suicide rarely become ghosts in the Wizarding World. Although we will have to wait and see if it will be that rare occurrence. The castle's ghosts have been largely absent since the Battle, but they are starting to slowly reappear. Peeves apparently stuck all the pineapples in the kitchens on one of the chandeliers in one of the old ballrooms. You saw Myrtle yesterday. Some underclassmen saw Nearly Headless Nick and the Bloody Baron arguing in one of the third floor corridors last Thursday. Hogwarts may get some ghosts from the Battle, but usually it takes a few months for them to wake."
Hermione imagined seeing Tonks or Lavender or Remus wandering the halls as ghosts and could barely repress a shudder. She wasn't sure that she could cope with that, but imagine Teddy Lupin when he started Hogwarts if his parents were haunting the place. Hermione chewed on her lip.
"I hope not. I really would like to believe that those who died at the Battle are at rest."
"Unfortunately, events like battles are exactly the sort of thing that is likely to cause ghost activity. But let's get back on track. Let me see if I understand how you are feeling clearly." Cordelia paraphrased while holding up fingers, "You are upset that you could have been hurt, and you feel that Mr Cresswell behaved selfishly because he didn't consider the impact his actions would have on others. Is that right?"
Hermione nodded. “That’s right. I have been depressed enough to consider ending my life, but I’m doing much better now. Having Theo, Draco and Pansy as friends has really made all the difference in the world. They’ve been a marvellous support network.”
Cordelia hummed, thoughtfully. “Friends,” she repeated, tapping her pen on her notebook. “You read those books that I lent you.”
“I did,” Hermione raised an eyebrow at the mind healer, not sure where she was going with this.
Cordelia looked like she was thinking deeply about what she wanted to say next.
“Well,” Cordelia smiled finally, “I’m glad that you feel like you have a support network that has helped you move through the darkest part of your trauma. Do you think that you will struggle with suicidal ideation again, Hermione?”
“No.” All Hermione could see was Dirk dead from a self-inflicted Avada, his dead eyes staring. “No, I don’t think that suicide will look like a good way out to me ever again.”
She would never consider just giving up and leaving her mess for others ever again.
**********
As she walked out into the hall after therapy, a hot breath on her nape caused her flesh to break out in goose pimples.
"Hermione," Theo whispered in her ear, "I do believe I have been neglecting my Head Boy duties and haven't been properly taking care of the Head Girl." Her body ignited under the sexual innuendo in those words.
"Theo, what on earth are you…" Hermione started, but Theo yanked her inside of a nearby broom closet.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I have been so absorbed with taking care of Draco that I haven't been taking proper care of you," Theo fell to his knees in the darkened closet that, for some strange reason, didn't have any brooms inside of it.
"Let me show you how sorry I am," said Theo, as he lifted her up onto the cabinet and reverently stroked her over her soft green silk knickers. He spread her legs wide, and smelled the warmth of her arousal. He nuzzled his face into her body, licking and sucking through her knickers, making the fabric even more wet. Before Hermione knew it she was arching and shuddering and moaning under Theo's skilled fingers and mouth.
"Please, Theo, please. I need you, I need you." She felt as though she was on fire, every nerve crying out for Theo.
"What do you need, Hermione? I will give you anything that you desire. Let me take care of you, that's what I want." Theo sucked a bruise into Hermione’s inner thigh.
She thought she heard him mutter something about that spot belonging to him now.
Hermione felt electrified by the sensation so close to her dripping core.
"Please-please fuck me. I need you inside me right now. I need you."
"So desperate, so needy, my darling. Don't worry. I will take care of you. I will always take care of you." Theo slid her silk knickers off her legs and tucked them into his pocket. He laid soft kisses along her ankle, her shin, her knee, her thigh, and ran his tongue all over her skin, moaning at the taste of her. He nipped at the tender flesh of her inner thighs hoping that his mouth left marks on the delicate skin. The flat of his tongue licked her apex. He sucked and tasted and licked until Hermione was a dripping, writhing mess.
When she was sure that she couldn't possibly take it any longer, Theo stood, lowering his trousers and freeing the length of him. He held himself in a vice like grip and stroked her opening with the head of his cock. She shivered under his touch when he used the Nott signet to tease the swollen button that begged for his touch.
He filled her to the brim as he slid slowly inside her. The stretch was still something that caused her to draw in a tight breath. She felt so full.
His hands slid underneath her jumper and blouse. His palms ran over her skin, cupping her breasts.
"No bra? So naughty, Ms. Granger." Theo nipped at her earlobe as he slowly rolled his hips into her. The pleasure was overwhelming her senses. She could drown in Theo’s ocean eyes and the scent of him.
"Theo, you are the last person who can call someone else naughty." She rolled her hips and pulled a moan from her lover.
"You are mistaken, love. As a hedonist, no one is better equipped to label others as naughty," his voice was husky with pleasure as he touched her in the most intimate of ways. One of Theo’s hands came up and stroked the side of her face and their mouths met. Talking was beyond them now as the sounds of their lovemaking echoed in the broom closet. Theo bit her neck as he came in order to stifle the shout that he felt trying to escape.
Hermione came with a low moan, her body shuddering in almost unimaginable pleasure. Sweaty and sated, the two of them just held each other in the darkness. Theo covered his bite with soft kisses.
**********
It was Tuesday night, but the mood in the castle was so sombre that Luna had decided to go for a walk by the Black Lake. She had difficulty understanding suicide, especially in the aftermath of a war that had taken so many innocent and less than innocent lives. She was struggling to understand why someone would want to add to the death toll.
Why would someone, especially the son of a Muggleborn, do the Death Eaters’ work for them?
Perhaps he had never considered that perspective.
Luna was painfully aware that people did not consider perspectives other than their own. It had been the primary vexation of her life after all.
She tossed a stone into the lake as she came off the path. A giant squid tentacle came out of the water and tossed it back.
“Oh! So sorry!” She yelled back, for all she knew she had dropped that stone right on his kitchen table. Did giant squid have a kitchen table? She could imagine that they might.
Luna walked along the edge of the Black Lake, humming to herself. She wondered if there were any wild nifflers out here. She really wanted to tame one.
She skirted her way around a large rock and stopped in her tracks. Sitting next to the shore was a pair of blue boots and a Ravenclaw tie. Luna looked around but there was no sign that anyone else was around. She leaned down and picked up the Ravenclaw tie. It had a little tie pin in it. The sun was setting, so Luna reached into her wand pocket and pulled it out, casting a Lumos. The enamel pin was a family crest. Riordan.
“Oh fuck. Leanne.” Luna had met up with the 5th year Ravenclaw a number of times during the summer session, and last year under the Carrows the girl had taken more than her share of the Cruciatus. Luna recalled the shaking in her hands that never seemed to dissipate. She’d wanted to be a healer Luna recalled, but she had been told that the delicate wand work healing required would likely be beyond her now due to the spell damage she had undergone. “Fuck!” Luna dropped to her knees looking around for the younger girl, but knowing exactly where she was in the end. The Black Lake looked like glass in the evening stillness. For a change there wasn’t even a Scottish breeze rustling through the trees and churning the waters.
Luna knew she ought to cast her patronus, ought to call for help, but she couldn’t seem to do anything beyond sitting on her knees, clutching Leanne’s tie and watching the water.
Some time later, it could have been minutes or even hours, the giant tentacle of the giant squid emerged from the water and it was wrapped around something. As it came closer to her, Luna’s breath rushed out in a woosh. The squid laid Leanne’s body on the grass next to Luna.
It was very gentle for a giant cephalopod, Luna thought. She patted the tentacle and said “Thank you,” even though she wasn’t sure that giant squids understood English. It was still the polite thing to do, she supposed.
The squid disengaged itself from Leanne’s corpse and disappeared back below the inky water. Luna looked at the drowned girl. She thought she had galleons…somewhere, she went through her pockets until she found two. Luna closed Leanne’s milky eyes, placing a galleon on each one. It was a good way to prevent her becoming a ghost, her father had always said. It would help her spirit cross over into the afterlife.
“Ouch!” Luna felt something sharp poke her as she leaned over Leanne’s body.
Her pockets were filled with rocks. She’d drowned herself on purpose. Luna saw a small bottle of firewhiskey bobbing in the water by the bank. Slowly, Luna decided what she had to do and began carefully removing all the stones from Leanne’s pockets and vanishing them.
Leanne had a lot of pockets. Luna was still at her task of vanishing the stones when she heard Blaise’s voice calling for her.
Shite. She was very late to meet him to go into the Slytherin dorm to sleep in his arms. She hoped that he wasn’t upset with her.
“Lu? Luna?” Blaise called, “Are you out here? Lu? It’s full dark! Are you here?”
“I’m here!” she yelled as she found another pocket packed to the brim with stones. Leanne had certainly been thorough.
“Luna, what in Salazar’s name are you doing out here at night, it’s not safe!” Blaise was saying, but when he looked down at what Luna was doing, he froze. “What’s happened?”
“Leanne Riordan from Ravenclaw. She drowned herself. I’m vanishing all the rocks out of her pocket so it can look like a tragic accident. There’s no note here, unless she left one in her dorm, the stones are the only evidence she did this on purpose. The giant squid gave her body back which was extremely polite, honestly. The grindylows probably would have eaten her.” She knew she was rambling, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.
Luna could hear Blaise gagging at her comment about the grindylows’ dietary habits, but she was nearly done with her task so she continued, trying simply to be done with it. “I’m sorry if this is too much for you, but it has to be done. Her whole family was killed in the war, so she’s unlikely to have anyone really dig into what has happened here.”
“Luna, you are terrifyingly similar to my mother at times,” Blaise whispered.
“Don’t you love your mother?”
“I adore her,” Blaise responded honestly, “She wasn’t as engaged a mother as Narcissa Malfoy, but she always made her choices with my best interests at heart.”
“Well then, I’ll happily accept being as terrifying as she is as a compliment. Can you levitate that fire whiskey bottle out of the lake and lay it next to her body? I’m going to cast my Patronus and summon McGonagall.”
Luna already planned to say that she was going to meet the girl here to swim, but Leanne must have been impatient and gotten in the water without waiting for Luna. No one would expect that kooky Luna Lovegood would do something as inappropriate as disguising a suicide, but Leanne deserved to have the end of her life not be surrounded by a swirl of rumour and gossip. A tragic drowning was sad, but not unheard of in the Black Lake. Someone had drowned in the lake every year since her first. It was usually boys though and fire whiskey was almost always involved.
It was a sad accident, but in no way could Cordelia and the mind healers be blamed. And there would be no scandal attached to McGonagall’s reign as HeadMistress. Luna would do what she could to see to that.
Blaise watched in fascination as Luna sent her Patronus, and subsequently as Luna lied to Filch and McGonagall, and then to mind healer Cordelia. Blaise admitted to nothing. He followed his girl’s lead. The cool way she was able to provide a completely fabricated story was uncanny.
She was quite the woman, his beloved. She should have been in Slytherin. And later after he took her to his bed, he made sure that there was Slytherin in her as well. When she came as she rode him, Blaise looked up into her ethereal face, her blonde hair glowing like a halo and knew that she was it for him.
If he hadn't already been planning a proposal when he returned to school, he began to at that moment. When she fell asleep curled up in his arms, head on his chest, he knew he would do anything for her. She set his blood on fire and he could not wait to have her in a wedding gown.
He kissed the top of her head. The sooner he could make her his wife the better.
**********
Hermione woke up hungover and sticky. Her legs were tangled with Theo’s. She didn’t remember coming to bed. There was no sign of Draco nor Pansy in the bed. Had she and Theo slept alone? She remembered coming up to the Heads Dorm to nap for a bit before dinner after the explosive sex in the broom closet.
Then what had happened? Hermione recalled drinking fire whiskey with Theo. There had been no sign of Pansy nor Draco. She had some blurry recollection of riding Theo on the balcony. She felt a scrape and bruise on her sternum. Had Theo shagged her against the stone railing afterwards?
She was so sore that she rather thought that he had. She realised that she was covered in small bruises all over her breasts and thighs. The soreness was pleasurable, but the whole thing was rather a lot. She hadn’t gotten blackout drunk since she had been at the Burrow drinking with George. At least she’d never fucked him semi-publicly. She could just imagine Molly’s scandalised face, and couldn’t help but chuckle. That caused Theo to stir and roll his body so his hard cock was pressed against her ass.
“I love your laugh, princess. Ready for another round? I’m feeling a bit insatiable where you are concerned this morning.” Hermione’s body felt tender and oversensitive, but she felt the weight of the imminent end of this arrangement, plus feeling the ghost of Theo’s cock during the therapy group this morning seemed like an excellent way to stay grounded. She felt the urge to start screaming at everyone like a madwoman. Their time together was ending. Ending.
“Please, Theo, give it to me.” Hermione rubbed her ass against his hardness.
“With pleasure, Princess. I’m going to fill you so well you feel me inside you for a week.”
That was just what she wanted. “Stop talking and put your galleons where your mouth is, Nott,” she snarked, and was rolled on her back in seconds, Theo above her, his knee pushing hers apart. One hand grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the bed above her head.
“Don’t call me Nott when I am fucking you Hermione. Do you,” He slid his cock deep inside of her, and groaned, “do you hear me?” He nipped at her earlobe hard. He slid himself out of her, rolled her over and put her on his knee. Her face was down and she couldn’t use her legs to move, he had her trapped.
“What? What are you going to do Theo?” Hermione gasped as his hand rubbed circles on her arse cheek.
“I’m going to make sure that you remember what to call me when I am shagging you. Sometimes we need a little pain to make the lesson stick. Don’t you agree darling?” Hermione couldn’t see Theo now, her face pressed into the mattress. She could feel every sensation of him touching her body, however.
“Hermione, what’s your safe word,” Theo asked, his tone dark.
‘Quidditch,” Hermione stated. Theo chuckled and then her arse stung as Theo hit it with a resounding smack. Hermione felt her pussy begin to drip with new arousal, not the remains of last night’s debauchery. Each strike on her arse made her quiver and ache.
“What’s my name princess?” Theo asked as his palm rubbed at the spot that he had been spanking.
“Theo. Theo. Theo,” Hermione cried in time with the spankings that he continued to reward her reddened arse cheek with. She let out a moan when his fingers slid inside of her wet folds instead of considering the assault on her bottom. He had three fingers inside of her and was going in and out, curling them to touch the place inside her that had her thrashing over his knee.
“Hold still. You are positively sopping wet Hermione. Did you like your little punishment?” Theo laughed again before moaning deeply as she came all over his hand, the female ejaculate pouring over his knee. “Such a messy girl.”
He pulled her off his knee and laid her on the bed, where she melted into a satiated puddle.
“Will you call me the correct name now, Hermione?” Theo asked as he pushed her knees apart with his own. His body covered hers.
She arched under his attention and bit her lip to keep from screaming, as he filled her and rolled his hips. His cock touched every part of her swollen body.
“Yes,” she gasped out. “Yes, I understand.”
“Yes what?”
“Yes, I understand,” the mischievous twinkle in her eye gave her away to Theo as she whispered, “my lord.” Something about that phrase set Theo off and made him fuck her with a roughness and abandon that Hermione hadn’t felt in her life, her knees over his shoulders as he rode her hard, shagging her into the mattress. She knew when they were done she would have to be covered with bruises, but she could not find it in herself to care.
**********
It was past midnight and Luna was so tired. Life was just exhausting. She was worried about Blaise who was worried about his mother. She was worried about Draco. She was worried about Pansy. She'd napped in the cool darkness of Blaise’s dorm room in the Dungeon, but she could only rest so much before she started to get a little crazy. Maybe she ought to learn magical embroidery or some other hobby that involved a lot of sitting peacefully.
Unfortunately, her exhaustion was just not letting her sleep. The sounds coming from the dorm room that Gregory Goyle had taken over weren't helping either. She wasn't sure if he was laughing or crying, but she definitely heard some shattering pottery. She didn't understand why he was being allowed to behave in such a way. She suspected it was a matter of McGonagall not wanting the Ministry to be involved here at Hogwarts. She doubted any of the Slytherins wanted Aurors in their dormitories for that matter.
Luna could hear someone sobbing. It sounded like a girl. It was echoing down the corridor and sounded like it was coming from the common room. As Luna got closer she heard the dreaded words whispered over and over. "Avada Kedavra. Avada Kedavra. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The girl was in a ball on the floor, her wand to her temple. Each time she encanted the Unforgivable not even the smallest green flicker appeared at the end of her wand. Luna came closer and kneeled next to the girl. Her long red hair in two braids reminded Luna uncomfortably of Ginny Weasley.
The girl was whispering the unforgivable now between choking sobs. Luna slipped the wand out of her loose grip.
The girl looked up at her and Luna sucked in a breath. She’d seen those eyes before when she'd been abducted off the Hogwarts express, those same lips had sneered at her before she'd been backhanded and thrown in a cell at the Manor. Rowle. Thorfinn Rowle's daughter. She looked like a small broken toy.
"You have to mean it, Aethel. To cast an Avada. And you obviously don't. What am I going to do with you?"
"I want to die," the girl whispered, her fingers making crescent moons on the skin of her forearms.
"No you don't or your Avada would have worked," Luna sighed, why did this keep happening to her? "Do you want to talk about it?"
"We liked each other. We kissed. But he couldn't-couldn't-couldn't keep seeing me, he said. His father's memory. His mother would never understand. It could have been my father that killed his. Could be, my father has no idea. He killed so many muggleborns and blood traitors he can't possibly be expected to remember them all." She held up a letter covered in tear marks. It had the Azkaban seal on it.
Aethel Rowle and Dirk Cresswell, Jr.
Shite. What was the play that Theo had told her about? The Muggle one? Romeo and Juliet. That was the one. Looks like the Gryffindor boy and the Slytherin girl had been trying to conduct a dramatic reenactment.
Luna sighed deeply, and pulled Aethel up from the floor and into her arms, carefully setting the girl's wand out of reach.
Aethel sobbed into Luna’s shoulder. "It's my fault he's dead. He couldn't live with the guilt of kissing the daughter of his father’s killer."
"If he said that to you, he was a complete fucking arse," Luna snarled, wrapping her arm tighter around the crying girl. If she had still been single she would have fucked that boy right out of Aethel's mind, but since she hadn't talked with Blaise about sleeping with other people, she needed a different tactic. "I know for a fact that your father kidnapped me, hurt me, bloodied my face."
Aethel stiffened in Luna's arms. Luna made soothing noises, stroking the girl’s long fiery braids.
"But you know what you aren't, Aethel? You aren't your father are you? You didn't take the mark, right? Didn’t get pleasure out of casting Unforgivables. Didn’t kidnap me off the Hogwarts Express. Didn’t torture Muggleborns for fun."
"No-no. I didn't. I hated the Carrows and did not like my father even and certainly not the Dark Lord. There-there were plans for me to marry Dolohov's nephew and I'm glad that the contract wasn't signed before my father went to Azkaban. Konstantin did take the mark and he was terrifying. He looked up to Thoros Nott." The girl shuddered in fear. “Nott killed his wife and everyone knew. And my father wanted to marry me to a man who looked up to a wife-killer.”
“Theo’s father is a very frightening man. You were very lucky there,” Luna nodded, "it's not your fault what Dirk chose to do. He was a weak boy and you are a strong, young woman."
"Do you really think so?" The girl’s voice was still quavering. Luna shook her head and wished that boy was still alive. She’d fucking Avada him herself. She felt the anger that was so easily riled inside of her now pushing to the surface and Luna shoved it back down. It wouldn’t help right now. She could go smash some dishes or something later.
"I know so,” Luna reassured her, “I know this hurts now, but your father is never getting out of Azkaban. Dirk is gone. And you have two more years of Hogwarts, two more years to fall in love with someone who is worthy of a girl as brave as you are.” Despite the girl’s marriage contract falling through, which was assuredly for the best, Luna was well aware that the girl would be devastated if she left Hogwarts without an agreement in place. Maybe Blaise or Theo knew someone that would be a good fit for Aethel.
Luna pushed the girl’s damp hair out of her face. “How about you come and sleep in one of the spare beds in Blaise’s room? Then if you have a nightmare or think about doing something stupid like this I will be right there.”
“But-but I wouldn’t want to impose on your,” the girl exhaled, “intimacy.”
“Don't worry,” Luna smiled, “There are bed curtains and silencing charms. I’d just have you cuddle with us, but I would need to talk with Blaise first.”
“Oh-oh,” Aethel blushed, “That’s not necessary Miss Lovegood.”
“Luna,” she replied, “Call me Luna. After all, we are friends now, aren’t we?”
Aethel laughed, still with a touch of hysteria, “I think you might be my closest friend. You certainly know more of my secrets than anyone living.”
“Well, nothing wrong with that. But you do need to pull yourself together or the rest of the snakes are going to rip you to pieces tomorrow.”
Aethel nodded and Luna could see her putting her blank mask back on, but she could also see the cracks around the edges. Her eyes were bright and tired.
Luna helped her stand, and led her back to Blaise’s room. “Tell me Aethel, have you heard of Occlumency?”
How on earth did she get into these situations?
*********
Draco hadn't slept the night before nor had he returned to the Head suite. He was in the middle of the painting and he really should have started it weeks ago, but it needed to be done on time. And time had become extremely limited. If he had to give up some of his precious time with the three of them, then he wanted to complete what he started. If he didn’t then he had wasted these final days for nothing.
He was pouring himself his third cup of coffee when Pansy came up behind him and smacked the back of his head.
"What the fuck, Draco," she hissed. "You can't just not come back to the room at night. I looked fucking everywhere for you last night! I finally gave up at almost three. Where the hell were you?"
"First of all, ouch. Second of all, I didn't know that I answered to you."
Pansy’s eyes flared, and she did not look as if she gave a flying fuck that they were in the middle of the Great Hall. "Really? You really want to do this right here? I swear to Salazar I will fucking remind you who you answer to."
Draco couldn't help it. His heart was beating like a herd of Abraxans and his breath came roughly. Eyes dilated, Pansy was equal parts livid and aroused. They really couldn't do this here, whatever this was about to be.
Draco rather suspected Pansy wanted to put him over her knee and give him a good paddling. And while he wouldn't mind that in the privacy of Theo’s room, the Great Hall was just a little too exposed for his taste.
"I'm sorry Pans," Draco hung his head, "I should have told you I wasn't coming back to the Heads Dorm last night "
Pansy flung herself into the seat next to him and huffed. "Don't do it again. Also you haven't slept. I really don't fancy a repeat of sixth year so please eat at least."
"Yes, mistress." Draco couldn't stop the brattishness of his tone from leaking out into the words. Pansy leaned over and gripped his thigh with her pointed nails causing him to draw in a sharp pained breath.
"Don't," Pansy whispered into his ear, "use that tone with me. Or I swear we will go back to the Heads and I will show you who the mistress is. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," he croaked and looked away. He had to subtly adjust his robe to hide his erection.
The rest of breakfast was less exciting, although very few people came down to eat before their second to last group therapy session. The end of this cushioned time was drawing to a close and everyone was feeling it.
**********
"I regret to inform you that we had an accident last night and someone from one of the other groups drowned. I know that isn't uncommon for the Black Lake. Fifteen people drowned in the late seventies early eighties when I was here in school," Cordelia shared, looking a bit sad. "That doesn't make it any less sad, though. It's a young life taken too soon. Your Head Mistress would have made the announcement at breakfast, but she was dealing with the Ministry and St. Mungo’s. The young person’s family needs to be informed as well."
The group did not have the smiles and air of contentment that had been their mainstay for most of the summer. They all seemed tense and awkward. Even Theo and Hermione, who came late, both of them with the appearance of someone freshly shagged. Their swollen lips and wild curls were a mirror image of one another. If they thought their state of dishabille wasn't noticeable, they were painfully wrong. Draco caught the surprised glances from Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, who looked at Neville in suspicion. Longbottom looked away, a sheepish blush staining his cheeks.
Draco imagined that if he and Pansy both went to Azkaban that Theo and Hermione would console each other. They'd find a way to be happy together. Theo would take care of their Golden Girl. Pansy wouldn't spend more than a few months in the miserable prison, but if there was any logic in the world Draco would get a life sentence, perhaps even the Kiss like his father and Theo’s. It made him feel better knowing that Theo would take care of Hermione, she wouldn't go back to the Weasel and Saint Potter with Theo around. He would never allow her to be mistreated by those two tossers ever again.
Draco felt the pang of agony that he wouldn’t - couldn’t be the one to take care of her like that as well. Hermione had spent her whole life taking care of others, she deserved to be spoiled and supported and loved. She deserved to have time to heal from the horrors of the war, from the things that Draco’s own family had done to her. Draco wanted to give all of that to her and more, but fate wasn’t on their side. Maybe in their next life?
Cordelia looked a little exhausted this morning, more than any day that the group had run for the entirety of the summer. Draco wondered if she was having to help the other mind healers as well as the students who knew the boy who had killed himself well. She took a long drink of the steaming mug in her hand.
“Good morning everyone. Before we start talking I would like to lead us all in a grounding and centering exercise that I learned at Muggle uni. I know that I could use some centering and I am sure that all of you could as well.” She sent her mug over to the snack and beverage table with a quick levitation charm.
“Sit with your back straight. If you like you can slide off your socks and shoes so that you can feel the cool stone of the courtyard beneath your feet.”
Draco looked over at Theo who shrugged and mouthed “why not?” The two of them and several others slipped off their shoes and tucked the socks inside.
“Take some deep breaths. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Really feel those lungs filling with air, acknowledge its life giving force and then release it. Release the tension in your muscles. Let your body relax. We are all safe here. Let your toes and feet relax into the stone beneath us. Let your legs and back relax. Drop your shoulders. Stop clenching your jaws. Feel the stress and tension leaving your bodies.”
Draco felt like the deep breathing was getting him high, not like Neville’s marijuana, but it was changing his head. The fact that he had been up all night was probably playing into it as well. He would need a Pepper-Up Potion before he got back to painting this afternoon.
“Close your eyes and count backwards from ten allowing your body to feel more and more relaxed with each number going by. As your eyes are closed you may see runes or images floating through your mind, letting them flow on by, acknowledging them as they go. Feel the cool morning air on your face, the food or lack of food inside of you, the first peek of the sun on some of us in the circle as it rises over the castle wall. We are here and alive. The castle is strong beneath our feet. We are safe. The world holds us up. We are part of the world that holds up others. Visualise the stones of the castle inside of you, when you think you will fall, you can’t because these stones beneath us are inside of you. Before opening your eyes, rest in the feelings of centeredness and calm for a few moments. When you feel ready, bring your mind back to your body and open your eyes.”
Draco felt as though his heart beat and breath had synchronised with everyone else in the circle. When he opened his eyes, everyone else was blinking and looking a little more calm.
“Now I want all of you to write in your journals for a bit about how you are feeling right now at this moment. There is no wrong answer to this. Also if you just want to sketch or draw your emotions that is alright too. I want you each to remember that your journals are for you, not me, not the Head Mistress. They are the exploration of your healing journey and as such there is no judgement. You could write ‘everything is awful’ a hundred times, but I hope you won’t. I know I have said all this before, but we are coming up quickly on the end of this special time together, so I thought a reminder might be needed.”
Draco opened up his journal and drew. He drew Theo laughing with a drink in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth. He drew the look on Hermione’s face when she came, eyes closed, curls wild, head thrown back. He drew Pansy’s scowl from that morning at breakfast. He drew his mother’s hands clenched on a tea cup. Draco drew and drew and drew.
*********
"So Miss Granger. I understand you wish to speak on Mr Malfoy's behalf. As his solicitor I certainly appreciate that but I want to get a sense of what you plan to say so that I can plan our defence around it." The solicitor's severe bun matched the serious cast to her mouth.
"I'm planning to discuss Mr. Malfoy's refusal to identify us at the Manor. His difficulties with pretending to hate me due to my blood status, and how his age impacted his clear unwillingness to engage in the task he was assigned, namely to kill Albus Dumbledore. Mr Malfoy was and is a competent young man. He could have killed the Headmaster within a day if his heart had been in the task, but obviously he didn't want to do such a thing "
"And there is no love lost between you and Mr Malfoy? No reason exists for you to perjure yourself for him."
"Draco Malfoy called me a mudblood more times than I can count. I punched him in the face in our third year. So yes we have a contentious history and I have no reason to lie for him."
"Excellent," the solicitor smiled at her, "I think your testimony and Harry Potter’s will make all the difference for Mr. Malfoy. Now let's go through all of it again from the beginning, but this time I am going to ask you some clarifying questions."
As Hermione walked out of the makeshift office that Draco’s solicitors and barristers were using, she couldn’t help but feel slightly hopeful that everything would be okay. The woman in charge was forthright and competent. Hermione thought that she suspected something was going on between Hermione and Draco, but didn't ask because she did not want to know. Her questions about what Hermione planned to say were precise and she had helped Hermione to refine some of her points on the insidiousness of being raised in a Pureblood supremacist household and how difficult it was to escape outside of Death (Regulus) or Imprisonment (Sirius). She hoped that her testimony would help Draco. Hopefully Harry didn't fuck up his part.
She chewed her nails and decided to head up to the dorm to take a nap, maybe in her own bed for a bit. She didn't think they'd even Scourgified this morning. Theo's bed was probably a sticky mess after the way they'd behaved last night and this morning. Maybe the elves would take care of it before they returned to the dorm.
********
Neville sent Theo a patronus to meet him in Greenhouse Three. The huge spectral lion surprised the shit out of Theo who had just finished an angry shower wank where he had imagined doing all kinds of rough things to Draco and Hermione that he doubted they would ever permit. Still it had helped to relieve some of the tension. What he really needed was a particularly brutal session with Pansy. He felt so out of control he needed her to take control for a bit.
Once Theo was dressed and managed to get to the Greenhouse, he found Neville looking over a folio of documents which he handed over to Theo for his perusal.
What he had before him took his breath away. He flipped through the pages and pages with trembling hands.
“How did you do this Neville?” Theo’s shock made his voice shake, “This is unbelievable.”
“Basically I threw my weight around as the slayer of Nagini,” Neville smiled, “but Hannah and Susan helped actually. I know they haven’t been as open with you guys as Seamus, Dean and me, but they don’t think Draco and Pansy deserve to go to Azkaban. And I think that the whole Wizengamot deserves to know the truth about what happened here under the Carrows and what we all did to survive.”
He took the folio back from Theo and tucked it under his arm. “I have an appointment to give these to McGonagall before dinner. She’s the one going to read them at the trial.”
Theo let out a breath, “Do Draco’s solicitors know?”
Neville nodded, “Ms. Wright was it? She was very impressed. She said that it was definitely another factor in Draco’s corner. I just hope all of this is enough. That shit with Voldemort, none of that was his fault. Lucius Malfoy should be sentenced for Draco’s so-called crimes as well."
Theo nodded,"He will get the Dementors’ Kiss at Christmas. Along with my father. It will be like a Yuletide present." Theo almost wanted to request watching the execution, but he didn’t want to provide his father any comfort in his last moments. He’d love to go watch while holding Hermione’s hands, but he would never do that to her. She was still far too fragile to go to a place as evil as Azkaban.
Neville choked back a horrified laugh, "You know I never really had a father that I can remember, but listening to you both talk about yours. Shit, I mean maybe I was the lucky one."
Theo thought of Neville's parents, minds broken by Death Eaters, in the Janus Thickey ward for the rest of their lives. "No mate, you weren't lucky, either." He put his hand down on his friend's arm and was grateful for Restoration Camp. Who would have ever imagined that Theo Nott and Neville Longbottom would be conspiring in a Hogwarts greenhouse to keep Draco Malfoy out of Azkaban?
The absurdity of it all was sometimes almost enough to make Theo laugh out loud, but jubilation would have to wait until after Draco’s trial, when Theo knew that they were out of the woods.
*********
The four of them hadn’t been great about having dinner in the Great Hall over the last couple weeks, but by unspoken agreement they had all decided to attend tonight's meal.
Theo was feeling frustrated and restless and had wished that there was time for Pansy to give him a good whipping, but there just didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. This seemed especially true as Draco and Pansy’s trials seemed to be coming ever closer. It’s like they were a feral hippogriff breathing down Theo’s neck and at any moment he was going to be destroyed. He was trying to put on the good face, he really was.
They all tried to pretend it was a normal meal, but it wasn't. There was a brittleness to Draco and Pansy’s banter that made him realise that they were both painfully close to tears. Theo was proud of the way that Draco had avoided using his occlumency the last few weeks, but he could see that the pressure on him now was making the urge to shut off his emotions overwhelming.
Theo couldn’t fault him. Theo's own skills with occlumency were limited and clumsy at best, but Thoros was no legilimens, thank all the gods of sin and debauchery for that. The bastard had preferred a good bit of torturous bloodletting over tearing apart someone’s mind.
Theo shook himself. He’d been thinking of his father far too much lately. The imminent trials should have been all that was consuming him, but it seemed like as much as you looked forward the past was always going to be there to haunt you.
Hermione reached under the table and took his hand and squeezed it. Her warm smile made something inside him break. He knew that originally he had wanted her for the pleasure of it and to bring to Draco one of his most suppressed dreams, but now he simply couldn’t imagine a future that she wasn’t a part of.
“Knut for your thoughts, Theo,” she asked.
“Just thinking how pretty you looked this morning with your head thrown back when you were riding my-” Hermione threw both her hands over his mouth.
“Theo!” She hissed, looking around to see if anyone had heard. Dean and Seamus smiled and laughed at her look of shock. Neville blushed to the tips of his ears. Luna was lost staring into Blaise’s eyes and had not heard the exchange. In fact Blaise looked a little breathless. Hermione realised neither of Luna’s hands were on top of the table.
Draco had his eyebrow raised, “Granger, if you were going for discretion then maybe you shouldn’t have come to the group looking so freshly shagged this morning. Both of you.” Draco gave Theo an accusatory look to which Theo just shrugged, grinning.
Pansy on Hermione’s other side poked her in the ribs, “Even the absolute innocents that are Bones and Abbott noticed.”
“Fuck,” Hermione said, leaning back in her chair, her face flushing.
“That embarrassed of me, sweetheart?” Theo said, trying not to let the hurt show through in his voice.
“Theo, it isn’t that. I just don't want it to undermine my testimony on Friday.” She chewed on her thumbnails absently, “fuck, i need a drink.”
Theo thought that he could not have been more head over heels for the Gryffindor Princess, but then she went and said something like that, that making sure things for Draco were okay were more important than anything else. He loved that their priorities were so synchronised.
“You should have been in Slytherin,” Theo whispered hotly in her ear, but if he hadn’t been as much of a coward as he was about all things emotional, those words would have been I love you.
*******
Draco walked with Hermione, Pansy and Theo up to the Heads Dorm, but once they were there he kissed each of them before making his excuses. Theo and Pansy were used to Draco’s need to slip away and be alone when things got too intense and simply nodded after their kisses, unhappy, but knowing it was the way of things with Draco Malfoy. Years of familiarity had taught them to understand and accept each other’s quirks.
Hermione, however, captured Draco’s lips for a third, fourth and fifth kiss. She clung to his fingers with her own, and begged him to tell her where he was going, as he explained why they could not go there with him.
“Granger - Hermione, I have a surprise for the three of you and it's nearly done but I need a few more hours working on it before it is truly ready to give to you. Please let me do this.” Draco ran a hand through his already mussed hair, his black nail polish chipped and worn. He rubbed at one of the nails absently. “It might be my last chance to make something myself for the three of you, please.”
“Mi,” Pansy whispered, “Let Draco go. He’ll be back later tonight. Won’t you Draco?” She gave him a stern look that brokered no arguments.
“Of course, Pans, I don’t think I could pull another all-nighter anyway even with Pepper-Up potions,” Draco smiled at the other witch, before pulling Hermione’s hands to his lips and kissing each finger adoringly. “Hermione, Theo and Pansy will take care of you. right? “
“Of course,” Pansy stated, waving him off with a well-manicured hand.
And once Draco was gone, Pansy turned to Hermione and raised an eyebrow, “Now how shall we take care of you, Mi?”
“I certainly have some ideas,” Theo put in, smiling with a sultry invitation.
“I’d love to watch you take care of Theo first,” Hermione stated, blush staining her cheeks.
Theo and Pansy both froze, staring at her. Theo’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, before he shut it with a snap.
“Are you sure, Hermione?” Theo asked, softly.
“It can be…frightening to watch,” Pansy stated, her long sharp nails tapping on her short skirt.
“I’m quite sure,” Hermione said confidently.
“Alright then. I’ll be right back. Hermione, get yourself comfortable in one of the chairs. Theo, prepare the space and yourself, please.” Pansy walked into Theo’s room purposefully. He was so excited he was nearly bouncing on his tiptoes. He pulled his wand and the couches were all pushed back against the back wall, leaving only one of the high back chairs for Hermione. A flick of his wand and the rug before the fire was rolled up and it went flying to sit against the wall as well.
He led Hermione, who was standing there nervously, her confidence having abandoned her, to the chair and then he vanished all his clothes and sat on his knees before the fire. Hermione noticed that his skin had a light sheen to it, a sparkle that was subtle but still told her that his skin was glamoured. What was he hiding from her? Her magic reached out and Hermione thought that she could break the spell if she really tried, but she couldn’t violate Theo’s trust like that. Especially while he looked so fit, naked, kneeling, his large hands with that glorious ring on his thighs.
She could see the way he was breathing rhythmically. He kept himself positioned just as he was as two minutes turned into five turned into ten. Hermione thought that his thighs had to be aching, but Theo didn’t so much as shift in his position. He was as still as stone.
Pansy walked out into the common area transformed. She had her thigh high black dragonhide boots on and a leather mini dress that barely covered her arse, exposing the fact that she wore no knickers. Hermione fought the urge to fan herself and wished she had thought to grab herself a drink to hide her awkwardness behind.
Pansy had a long riding crop in her hand and Hermione could see that her always sharp fingernails were now like talons. She stopped in front of Theo, and used a single finger under his chin to force him to look up at her. Hermione gulped as a drop of blood slithered down Theo’s throat. Theo did not so much as breath, staring up into Pansy’s face with a look of such adoration that Hermione felt her own throat tighten.
“Are you going to be my good boy tonight Theo?” Pansy purred.
“Yes, my queen,” Theo exhaled with a certainty to his voice that was erotic even while he was on his knees.
“Good boy,” removing her finger from Theo’s chin, Pansy ran the crop over his chest. Theo’s cock was already hard, the thickness nestled against his belly. Pansy touched it with the toe of her boots. Theo inhaled, his cock twitched, but the man didn’t make a sound.
He must be waiting for permission, Hermione thought, but permission to do what?
“Stand for me, pet, and put your hands behind your back.” Pansy stood back and watched him, her crop tapping against her leg giving a hint to how quickly she expected Theo to follow her directions.
Theo stood much quicker than Hermione would have been able to if she had been on her knees for so long. Hermione watched transfixed as Pansy sliced lines in Theo’s chest with her razor sharp nails, and then twisted his nipples harshly before doing the same thing to his back with her nails.
“Have you been bad, pet?” Pansy asked in a voice laced with power.
“Gods, yes, I’ve been so bad, my queen, so bad. I deserve to be punished. Please.” Theo’s voice was a pleading desperate thing that Hermione had never heard before.
Then she began to hit him repeatedly with the crop. Hermione stared in awe. Pansy hadn’t even touched his cock except for that nudge with her boot, but Theo’s cock was angry and red, pre cum dripping. His head was thrown back in ecstasy as she hit him again and again. Hermione thought he might cum without even having his cock touched. She felt the drool pooling in her own mouth, she’d love to be down on her knees for Theo right now. He looked so glorious as he submitted to Pansy. She was used to him being rough and masterful with her. This Theo, who yielded control, was something special.
This meant they trusted her, trusted her not to run away, and trusted her to be able to witness their authenticity. It was a heady feeling.
Pansy forced Theo to his knees with her crop and the heel of her boot. He sank willingly, but looked like the pain of her shoe on his skin wrote pleasure on his flesh.
“Now that you have been punished for being naughty, I need you to please me.” Pansy’s wand appeared from nowhere, and with a “Accio chair” Hermione and her seat went flying along the floor to stop just behind Pansy.
“Now, Mi,” Pansy smiled, “Do you want a front row seat for my pleasure?”
“Or would you like me to teach you how Pansy likes to be pleasured?” Theo asked, looking through his lashes at Pansy as though he was worried that he might be punished for speaking out of turn.
Pansy patted Theo on the head like he was a good dog and Theo positively fawned under the attention. "Yes, Mi, would you like Theo to teach you?"
Hermione got up and kneeled, ready to learn what Theo and Pansy were willing to teach her.
“Watch what I do, Hermione. Some of my favourite things to do are signing my name with the tip of my tongue, writing runes of lust and pleasure. We need to be worshipping her sweet cunt. She needs to feel our devotion through our mouths.” Theo smiled at Hermione reassuringly and then dove in. It was amazing to watch up close. Pansy charmed her nailed slightly less sharp and then gripped Theo’s hair tightly, forcing his mouth where she wanted it.
Theo kept going until Pansy’s back arched and a rush of liquid covered his face and the chair cushioned.
“Alright, Hermione, your turn, if you want?” Theo looked at her, tilting his head in question.
“Yes, Mi, Theo’s made me cum, but you are welcome to try your hand at eating my cunt.” Pansy’s dirty word choice made Hermione’s own knickers feel hot and wet.
“Y-yes. I want to try,” Hermione replied.
“Good girl,” Pansy responded, stroking her cheek as Hermione positioned herself over Pansy’s dripping core. Hermione had tasted herself on the boy’s lips before, but it was different from tasting Pansy straight from the source. Hermione wondered with her lips sucking on Pansy’s clit if every woman had a different unique flavour.
Trying to focus despite Pansy’s hands in her curls and the other girl’s moans in her ears, Hermione remembered Theo’s advice. Runes. Lust Runes. She could do that.
She swirled her tongue like a quill nib through Pansy’s folds, inside her body and over her clit, again and again until Pansy was shaking and making little crying sounds.
“SWEET FUCKING CIRCE!” Pansy yelled as Hermione’s face too was soaked.
Hermione looked to Theo smiling, “Does that mean I did a good job?”
Theo couldn’t stop laughing, not even when Pansy threatened to spank him. So she did.
*********
It wasn’t quite dawn when Draco returned to the Head suite, but it was very close. He had Scourgified most of the magical paint off of himself, but he felt sore from hunching over the easel for hours trying to get every detail just right.
He knew that he ought to sleep, but he had something else in mind the moment he walked into Theo’s room and saw the three of them displayed like a buffet. Hermione’s hair was wild across the pillow as she laid on her back. Her nakedness was glorious. There were love bites and bruises of various ages all over her skin. He saw some fresh ones on her inner thighs that looked like Theo’s work. His own inner thighs ached where Theo had nipped at him in the shower the other morning. Theo was also on his back and his cock was half hard in his sleep. He must be dreaming something dirty. Pansy was curled in a ball on the far side of the bed with literally every blanket wrapped around her. He couldn’t help but smile at her, she looked so small and innocent in her sleep, nothing like awake Pansy.
Draco knew that both Hermione and Theo didn’t mind him playing with them in their sleep. He stripped quickly, holding his throbbing cock at the base and trying to let himself slowly come to arousal, but for fuck’s sake, Hermione looked so well shagged. Theo’s cum and hers dripping out of her, Draco was sure. He loved the way they left a mess instead of charming it away.
He climbed atop the bed, lightly kissing Hermione at her knee, on the bruises that Theo’s mouth had likely left. Her legs opened more in her sleep, thighs turning like keys for his own enjoyment. He loomed over her and looked down, darker fantasies warring in his mind. He wondered if she’d ever want to roleplay nonconsent with him, ever want to sob a no that meant yes under his touch.
Draco shoved the thought away. He was probably going to Azkaban by tomorrow night. This might be one of the final times that he got to touch her. That Draco Malfoy had ever gotten to touch Hermione Granger so intimately felt like the dream it was. He certainly didn’t deserve it, but as he kissed the spot behind her ear and heard her sleeping breath become more rough, he couldn’t find it in himself to stop because he didn’t deserve her.
The head of his cock ran along her damp opening, sticky and warm.
Slowly, incrementally, he filled her. Draco held himself up with his forearms, trying not to let his eyes rest on the Dark Mark as he sought his pleasure inside a sleeping princess. He wasn't sure if he was the prince or the villain, but he could feel her well-loved cunt quivering around him.
“That’s it, my love. Fuck! You feel so good. Mmmm. I love you so bloody much, Hermione. Fuck. Just keep sleeping, love. Let me fill you up.” Draco moaned softly into her neck. Hermione must have been exhausted because she didn't wake as he used her body to completion.
He grunted as he spent himself inside her and allowed himself the little fantasy of Hermione round and pregnant with his heir, leaking breasts large and full of milk. He knew that there was something dark in him, the way that he was even more aroused by the idea of putting a baby inside their Gryffindor princess. He knew that she was on muggle birth control whatever that was, but it was just a fantasy, wasn't it? It wasn't real. It felt real, though, as his lower abdomen tensed, his thighs shook and he pumped Hermione full of his release, barely stopping himself from collapsing on top of her.
Draco thought that he couldn’t be happier than he was right now all things considered. This summer had allowed a lot of his dreams to come true. If only Lucius had died years ago. He couldn’t imagine how his life could have been. Or if his mother had left with him the first time Lucius had struck Draco. If wishes were fishes, they would fill the sea.
Theo’s hard cock was causing Draco’s mouth to water, so he carefully lifted himself from Hermione, sliding his spent cock from her body, placing a light kiss on her temple as he went. She snored lightly and he swallowed his chuckle. She looked gorgeous and well loved. He wanted to remember her like this forever.
Theo was still sleeping on his back so pushing Theo’s knees apart a little, Draco took up position in the new space he had created. Draco lay belly down on the mattress and he lifted Theo’s leg slightly and slid it over his shoulder. Draco looked up and Theo’s eyes were still closed, still sleeping Draco believed. Draco kissed the inside of Theo’s thighs, rubbing his cheek against Theo’s bronze skin. The contrast of his fair fingers on Theo’s darker skin always gave him a thrill. They were alike in so many ways that Draco enjoyed this, the one way that they were achingly different.
Draco sucked lightly on Theo’s balls, then placed soft kisses interspaced with licks and light touches of his teeth up the underside of Theo’s thick hard cock. Draco wondered if Theo would get it pierced like he kept threatening, or perhaps promising, to do. The warm musky scent of Theo was strong in Draco’s nostrils as he hovered over the tip of Theo’s hard cock. As he slid his mouth downward, Theo’s cock tasted of Hermione’s cunt and Draco couldn’t stop himself and moaned onto the length of his lover.
“Well good morning to you, too,” Theo’s sleepy drawl sent Draco’s eyes flying upward, meeting the ocean blue eyes that he adored so much. “I’m going to fuck your mouth now, alright?”
Draco’s mouth was full of Theo’s cock so he nodded slightly and carefully went all the way to the base, feeling Theo’s tip in his throat. He concentrated on his breathing, wanting to make this as pleasurable as possible.
Theo gripped Draco’s blonde hair tightly and his hips began rolling, the leg that was over Draco’s back, squeezing him closer. Draco gripped Theo’s hips, he was ready, so ready for Theo to cum down his throat. He wanted to swallow it all down. Theo didn’t take long. His body shook and his finish filled Draco’s throat. Draco swallowed.
“Mmmm,” Theo murmured, lifting his leg off Draco. “Come up here, we have a couple more hours before we need to be awake. I want to hold you.” Draco settled into Theo’s arms, his face on Theo’s chest, and drifted off to sleep. He barely heard Theo whisper into his hair, “fuck I love you, Draco. You better not leave me.”
**********
The fact that it was their final breakfast in the Great Hall before everyone had to leave for a few days felt so final. Tomorrow there would be pastries and beverages would be sat out before the majority of the students headed for the train, but there wouldn’t be a sit down meal full of groggy comments and early day banter. The summer program had felt like a hundred years and yet like no time at all.
Owls flew into the Great Hall, dropping more letters and packages than they had for the entirety of the summer. Looking up with happiness, Theo received several owls from Draco’s legal team. He looked through the paperwork with a smile on his face.
“Is it good news?” Draco asked nervously.
“It’s looking very positive right now. It ought to be for the amount of galleons I am shelling out.” Theo replied, continuing to review the documents that he had received.
“I could have paid for my own solicitors, Theo,” Draco said, scowling.
“You could have,” Theo agreed, “But I am way more terrifying than you. And if you go to Azkaban, then I will ruin them. You wouldn’t be able to.”
Hermione shook her head. Pansy leaned over and whispered into Theo’s ear, “I adore you.”
Theo felt himself blush under the praise.
Dean and Seamus joined the table. Seamus looked like Dean had put him through the ringer the night before. The Irishman’s neck was covered in lovebites and his hair was a mess.
Hermione looked at her two fellow Gryffindors, trying to smother her own laughter.
“You two doing all right?” Theo asked, pleased that his friends seemed to have such a good relationship.
“Not looking forward to going back to our family homes,” Dean said, “So trying to make the most of being together while we are here.”
“If the dorm wasn’t so crazy last night, it would have been better,” Seamus laughed without mirth.
“What happened in Gryffindor tower?” Hermione asked, her hands clenched on the edge of the table.
“Peakes happened. He slit his wrists in the night, and then one of the other boys found him and got Pomfrey and McGonagall. The whole thing was quickly healed, but he is now gone to Mungo’s. Probably to a long term ward while they figure out if he is going to try again.”
Hermione sighed. “Do you think there will be more suicides?”
Luna looked up then from where she was writing in her therapy journal, “Without a doubt. Probably even more among the witches and wizards who didn’t get four weeks of intensive group therapy.”
Hermione looked like she wanted to say something else, but shook her head and took a sip of her coffee.
Theo was so tired of death, he looked around at the group at the table. He thought they were all terribly tired of people dying.
When will there be enough blood spilled?
******
Cordelia looked much more put together today, Hermione thought. She must have taken some sort of pepper up potions or an invigorating drought.
The mind healer went around the circle welcoming each person individually to the last day and offering handshakes or hugs If the person wanted them. Theo surprised Hermione by opting for a hug.
Dean and Draco both went for handshakes. Pansy shook her head and declined physical contact. Susan and Hannah went for tearful hugs from the mind healer, each of them sobbing into her shoulder. Hermione thought about what their individual sessions must have been like. The two Hufflepuffs put such a bright face on everything. Hermione wondered how much of their real feelings they kept hidden. Perhaps Hufflepuffs aren't that different from Slytherins after all. Neville also went in for a hug. He did not cry but it looked like a close call. Hermione shook her head at Cordelia when the mind healer got to her.
“This isn’t goodbye,” Hermione said, “Because I will be back in individual sessions next week.”
Cordelia smiled, “I will look forward to it, Hermione.”
Cordelia went to the centre of the circle and put out her arms, “Welcome to our final day together as a group, but as Hermione just reminded me, this isn’t goodbye. I will be here next week and for the rest of the school year. I am going to be teaching an art therapy elective for seventh and eighth years as well as a fifth and sixth year class. Atticus and I will continue to provide individual counselling for all of the students here in the summer program as well as other Hogwarts students who might need someone to talk to.”
“You all,” Cordelia continued, “have built up a toolbox of coping mechanisms and breathing techniques, tools and tricks as you continue to navigate the difficult trauma that you all experienced as part of fighting in a war. This will not be easy when you leave the safe bubble of Restoration Camp, but a lifelong journey with not allowing your past to dictate your future. Even if there are those that would like to keep you confined to the boxes that defined the person you were before the war. Witch. Wizard. Pureblood. Halfblood, Muggleborn. Gryffindor. Hufflepuff. Slytherin. Ravenclaw. Hero. Villain.”
“You can’t control how other people see you, but you can control how you perceive yourself. These labels do not define you. You are more than the boxes that you are shoved into. You are on a journey and I am pleased that I was part of it.” Cordelia smiled. “And I am beyond proud of all of you. I just want to talk briefly about spheres. The sphere of what is in our control and then what is out of our control. After that we are going to do our wishes for one another and then that will be it. The end is in sight.”
“So the first sphere is what is in our control, and that’s our self-talk, we have talked alot about self-talk this summer, your magic, your words, your self-care which is how much you eat, sleep, drink, your response to others, your boundaries, your attitude and the work that you do on yourself. These are the things that you control. You decide when to sleep or when to reach out to Madam Pomfrey for a sleeping draught. You decide when to drink that shot of Ogden’s or when to abstain. You decide when to cut out toxic influences. You decide if you are going to read that article in the Daily Prophet that you know is full of lies and half truths about the war.
“Now let’s think about the things that are out of our control. And there are a lot of these, for me too. You can not control the past, the future, other people’s perceptions of you, other people’s behaviour nor their beliefs, what the Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly prints. You can’t control the Ministry or Hogwarts or what your professors are going to teach you next year. The best any of you can do is release your desire to control these things and try to control your own reaction to these things. Listen to your bodies. Use your breathing techniques and if you get triggered, take the space that you need, and then reach out to me or the Headmistress so that we can excuse you. She and I are both here to support your success, not set you up for failure. This year will likely be the hardest year of your life since the war. So ask for the help that you need. We are here to give it to you.
“Alright. Now I have talked far too much, but I’m going to explain this activity to you and then we will do it. You are going to take turns standing at the centre of the circle where I am right now. Everyone in the circle will shout out words of things that they wish for you. I think that some of us have become better friends than others during this session, but I like to think that we all have gotten a better understanding of one another and our differing experiences. Who would like to go first? Any volunteers?”
Hermione sighed and walked forward, sacrificing herself as normal, for the good of the group.
“Now what are everyone’s wishes for Hermione?”
“Happiness,” Neville shouted.
“Respect,” said Hannah.
“Her rightful place in history,” Luna called in her dreamy voice.
“Good wine and good friends,” Blaise announced.
“Whatever her heart desires,” Pansy smiled when Hermione met her eyes.
“For all her dreams to come true,” Draco stated. Hermione met his eyes and while other people were saying things, she couldn’t look away from those stormy grey eyes. She wanted to walk over and kiss him in front of everyone and only the worry that she could ruin things for his trial tomorrow stopped her.
“To crush her goals and have the future she’s never dared dream could be true,” Theo said.
Hermione turned to look at him and he winked at her.
“Wonderful everyone,” Cordelia clapped, “Thank you Hermione for going first. I appreciate your willingness to do difficult things.”
As they went around the circle, Draco was wished freedom and happiness, Theo was wished success and a future free from his father’s memory, those comments about abuse had stuck with their circle apparently. Pansy’s turn was more difficult as the raven-haired witch had not really let people in. Hermione almost died laughing when Hannah Abbott awkwardly wished Pansy new shoes. Theo did start laughing when Susan wished her a manicure appointment.
In the end, group therapy had not turned the ten of them into best friends, but they did have tentative respect for one another. The final circle closed and it was bittersweet.
Hermione found herself already missing it as she walked into the Great Hall with her friends, new and old.
It just seemed like every time something good came into her life it was over before she could blink.
********
The conversations were just as stilted during their lunch together. Luna was attempting to explain the difference between nargles and wrackspurts to Blaise and the man was listening attentively and even asking the little Ravenclaw clarifying questions. Theo was impressed with the man's patience. Theo personally adored Luna, but he couldn't imagine listening to her rant about imaginary creatures for an entire meal. Blaise must be planning to marry her, at least he knew what he was getting into.
Draco had made his excuses again after taking only two bites and disappeared to "finish his project."
Standing and going to the podium that had been placed for her. McGonagall announced "Housing plans for eighth years have been finalized.One of the unused towers has been modified by one of the construction crews thanks to our anonymous donors. There are individual rooms for each of the eighth year students so that you each as adults can have some privacy. As you are here now, you can take your things to your new accommodations rather than taking them home to bring them back Monday. If you need to stay at Hogwarts for mental health reasons that's an option that we have never offered before but is available during this strange liminal time that we find ourselves in. Cordelia and I will not be here tomorrow, but mind healers Atticus, Geoffrey and Elspeth will be. I will return to the castle Friday evening for those of you who need to stay. Professor Flitwick will be in charge in my brief absence."
Hermione and Theo shared a smile. They had advocated for single rooms after all and it was nice to see that McGonagall took their suggestions to heart. Dean and Seamus were holding hands and grinning.
After all the horrible things that had happened the last few days, it was nice to get some good news.
Hopefully the good news would continue tomorrow at the Wizengamot.
*********
"So I have a surprise for you three." Draco had brought the huge canvas and the easel up to the Heads Dorm and a black cloth he had conjured covered it.
"It's a gift for the three of you and I have already done the charm work. It will wake up when I die in Azkaban." Draco fought back the urge to cry, he didn't want to leave them, hadn't wanted to be absent from the last few days they had together, but he had to finish this painting.
"I can teach you the charm to embed your consciousness as it is in it. Then…" Draco sighed as though it hurt him to push the words out of him, "then our representations can speak to each other. After um…we are all…gone." There were tears in his eyes as he added, "but I hope that the three of you will be around for many years after I am…gone."
Theo was the one that seemed to be unable to see the art through his tears. He kept turning away and wiping at his face. And then trying to turn back to look at it, but the tears continued to pour down his face. Draco wanted to reach out and hold him, but Theo looked like he didn't want to be touched, so Draco stood awkwardly not knowing what to do.
Pansy ran her finger over Draco's depiction of her, "so this is where you have been at all hours of the night?"
Draco nodded, he didn't trust his voice anymore.
Pansy nodded back, her lip trembling.
Draco turned to look at Hermione to get her reaction, but she wasn't looking at the painting at all, she was looking at him with smouldering anger in her eyes, the tips of her hair sparking. Oh fuck.
"You," she poked him in the chest, hard, "are not allowed to just give up so easily! You have a whole legal team fighting for you! I am fighting for you! Theo is fighting for you! Pansy is fighting for you! You have to fight for yourself too! You can't just bleeding surrender, Draco Malfoy!"
Draco let her poke him hard enough times that he was sure that he would have a bruise and then he blocked her finger. "That's enough, witch. You have made your point."
He sighed, his voice quavering when he spoke. "I don't want to just give up. Give in, but I am trying to be realistic about the whole thing. Don't you value logic? Pragmatism? Do you want me to live in denial until I'm carted off to Azkaban? If I hadn't made that painting you would have nothing to remember me by!" By the end of his tirade he was shouting.
"I don't want a painting to remember you by! I want you to be here with me - with us I mean!" Hermione yelled back, "Draco, you are not replaceable by a piece of canvas! It isn't equivalent! I don't want- want-want you to go!" Tears ran over Hermione’s cheeks and gently Draco took them in his hands and brought his lips to hers and tried to put everything he felt into his kiss.
I don't ever want to leave you. I want to be together forever. I love you Hermione. I want to make you my wife. I want you to carry my heirs. I want you and me and Theo and Pansy to be a family. I don't want to go to Azkaban, I swear.
But Draco was still a coward and could not bring him to say all those words out loud. It would be better if they stayed unsaid, at least for now.
His kiss deepened. Her mouth opened to him. She moaned and he used the opening to slide his tongue inside her mouth. She arched into him.
Theo came up behind Draco and began kissing along his neck and shoulders. Theo met Hermione’s eyes and gave her the slightest of nods.
The two of them pulled Draco into the bedroom. Pansy waved them off, as she was doing the spell to embed her consciousness in the painting just in case her trial went poorly in the morning. Draco hadn't shown it to her so she had already known it.
“We’re going to miss the goodbye feast,” Draco said breathlessly, as Theo kissed his neck and Hermione kissed her way down his chest.
Hermione looked up at him, meeting his eyes as her pink tongue peeked out between her lips to taste the pale blonde hairs that ran downward from his navel.
“Draco, please believe me when I tell you that I don’t fucking care.” And as Hermione lowered his pants to reach his painfully hard cock, he knew she was telling the truth.
She put her mouth on the end of him and he gasped. It felt like it had been weeks since he finished in her sleepy body this morning. He was so hard, so ready for her. Theo’s hand skid under his shirt as Theo’s mouth nibbled along his neck, his collarbone.
Pansy met his eyes when he looked up and saw her leaning against the door frame.
"Now this is a pretty picture," Pansy laughed as Theo unbuttoned Draco’s shirt, pulling it off as Hermione went up and down Draco's cock. Draco’s fingers tangled in her perfect curls. He moaned as Theo put his teeth on his nipples at the same time that Hermione deepthroated him. Draco felt like if it wasn't for Theo’s arm around his waist, he would topple right over. Hermione was making his legs boneless. He wanted to tell her he loved her, that he had loved her for years, but he kept it held inside. If he went to prison tomorrow, he didn't want her to hang onto his memory. He wanted her to move on with Theo and Pansy. She had to.
Hermione popped off the end of his cock with a smack and Theo lifted him and tossed him onto the bed like he weighed nothing. The man made Draco feel like a fragile flower and it was a heady feeling. Theo was on top of him in seconds, straddling Draco’s lap, holding the back of his head and nipping at his lower lip.
"I'm going to fuck you and Hermione is going to suck your cock and you are going to lick Pansy’s pussy until she comes on your face. Then we are going to all get a good night's sleep because we have to floo with McGonagall to the Ministry in the early morning."
"Yes, daddy," Draco breathed out, and then exhaled raggedly in embarrassment. He couldn’t believe that he had such a thing; he had no idea where it had come from.
However instead of being offended, Theo growled and had his hand on Draco’s throat. “That’s fucking right.” Draco loved the look of possession in Theo’s stormy eyes.
Fuck yes! Draco whispered into Theo’s mind. I’m yours.
“Yes you are,” Theo answered aloud. Draco wasn’t sure if Theo realised that Draco had used legilimency, but when Theo cast a lubrification charm on his anus, as he pulled back enough to lift Draco’s legs wide over Theo’s muscled thighs, Draco found that he did not care. Theo vanished his clothes and his hard cock rubbed against Draco’s. Theo spat on them both and then rubbed them together only for a moment, only until Draco moaned and squirmed. Then Theo laughed and eased one finger and then two into Draco’s lubricated arse. Draco couldn’t help but arch under Theo’s touch. Then Hermione was there too. She was naked now, her breasts rubbed against his hip as she took his length into her mouth again. Her small hands on the base of his cock felt so nice, but not so nice as the wetness of her mouth.
Theo scissored his fingers inside Draco, whispering praise about what a good boy Draco was being for his daddy. Everything felt so good that Draco couldn’t find it in himself to be embarrassed even with Hermione hearing every naughty word.
“Pansy?” Theo asked, his voice changing tones utterly to one that could only be described as submissive.
“Right there, darling. I was just enjoying the show,” Pansy responded. Draco felt the bed shift slightly as she climbed on. She was wearing one of her little leather dresses, but she’d pushed the hem up over her hips. She sank down on her knees right over Draco’s face and he looked up into her sweet folds.
Draco thought that he might die from pleasure, but what a way to go it would be.
He remembered his lessons and licked and sucked Pansy how she had previously instructed him. It was difficult without his hands, but Hermione had one pinned under herself.
Wait. Could he reach Hermione’s clit like this?
He found that he could and she moaned onto his cock taking him down to the base causing Draco to moan into Pansy’s core and that made Theo double his efforts, his thrusts becoming harder and faster. Draco was a creature of pure sensation. He couldn’t see anything. His sense of smell and taste could only focus on Pansy’s body. He could hear moans, and the wet slap of bodies, but touch was where his whole being existed. He felt the flood of arousal as Hermione came on his hand, his fingers finally mastering the rhythm on her clit at this awkward angle. His satisfied noise did something to Pansy as she came too on his face, wetness slick and dripping off his chin. Theo lifted his legs up and Hermione moaned and sucked his cock. When he finally came, Draco blacked out.
When he woke up he was curled in between Theo and Hermione, Pansy was behind Hermione, her fingers brushing Draco’s scarred chest.
Theo brushed the hair out of his eyes, “Do you need water or anything, love?”
Draco shook his head.
“Alright,” Theo kissed his temple, “Then get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
***********
Notes:
Thanks to AStrangefan for the late night beta-ing so I could get this out.
Next chapter: Pansy and Draco's trials.
Chapter 25: Anxious and Afraid - The Trials
Summary:
Pansy and Draco's trials before the Wizengamot are finally here.
CW/TW: Graphic description of violence, battle scenes, canon typical violence, discussion of rape, torture, war crimes.
This is the end of what I consider Part One of We'll Be The Only Dream You Seek.
Notes:
Anxious and Afraid: The Trials
The End of Part One
The songs of this chapter are “Anxious” by Sarah Reeves and “Afraid” by The NeighborhoodThank you LumosLyra for making the manip for this chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Draco woke up curled in Theo's arms. He looked over and saw the empty space in the bed that meant that the girls were already awake. There were only wadded bed linens where they ought to be. He could hear the water running upstairs in the shower. He wondered if they were showering together and the mental image gave some strength to his morning wandwood.
Draco stared at the coloured light from the window that Theo had charmed to make this room more like the dungeons. He took a deep breath of the smell of Theo and sex, Draco's own sweat, the floral scents of Hermione and Pansy. He realised that he still smelled vaguely of magical paint and he probably needed to shower as well. Pansy’s trial was at 9 and his was due to be afterwards. The lawyer's had mentioned that Goyle's trial was after his and he wondered how his former friend was going to do. Draco had tried to visit him in the dungeons twice this last week, but Goyle had refused to open the door and called him a filthy blood traitor. Draco suspected that Goyle wanted to join his father in Azkaban or Crabbe in the afterlife; he was probably equally open to either possibility.
Draco didn’t think Goyle had anything left to live for. It was a painful thought when it came to his former friend especially after all the suicides and attempts that had plagued Hogwarts the last few days.
He knew that Goyle he once knew had died when Crabbe had, he’d always suspected that the two of them had been like him and Theo, more than friends. Draco knew that if Theo had died in the Battle of Hogwarts that he would have fallen to pieces just as Goyle had done. He doubted if he would have even been able to leave his bed ever again. Theo was part of his soul in a way that Draco didn’t think that he could live without. He was well aware that he wouldn’t last in Azkaban without Theo. They didn’t allow non-relatives to visit there, so this might be the last day that Draco ever saw him.
He turned and placed a kiss on Theo’s sleeping shoulder and was rewarded with a pleased hum. Draco took just a moment to absorb Theo’s warmth, breathing his perfect smell, part of Draco’s amortentia when he’d brewed it in sixth year.
Draco stretched and got up to meet the day. There was very little that laying in bed a few minutes longer would accomplish and he wanted to feel awake when they reached the Ministry. The time to make love to Theo a final time did not exist, so Draco allowed his eyes to run over Theo’s sleeping body instead as he gathered up what he needed for the shower. He tried to be grateful for this idyllic time that the four of them had had, but Draco thought that it might make his future imprisonment hurt all that much more.
He still couldn’t find it in himself to be sorry for it.
***********
“No, I won't kiss you goodbye, because this isn’t goodbye.” Theo crossed his arms, stubbornly. The four of them were as ready as they were going to be. Everyone in the best formal wear that they had that was appropriate for the Wizengamot courtroom. Draco had kissed Hermione and Pansy goodbye causing both of the girls to cry and Theo now refused to accept his kiss.
“Theo…,” Draco sighed, not wanting to argue with him in their last private moments. He didn’t know what to say or do to make everything alright, it was a lost cause as nothing was alright in these final moments that remained to them.
“Don’t Theo me,” Theo said, “We have to get going. We are flooing into the Ministry from McGonagall’s office. And later today I will kiss you. After you are a free wizard.”
Theo stomped through the door and down the stairs from the Head Dorm, while he prayed to every god and goddess he had ever heard of that he didn’t regret saying no to that kiss.
*********
Blaise felt the anxiety pooling in the pit of his stomach. Even after the relaxation he felt after his release with Luna this morning, he felt pulled tighter than a boy string. The troop of Aurors that had walked through Slytherin dorms just before dawn to take Greg into custody had hardly made for a calm morning. Their stomping boots had awakened him as they trudged through. He’d watched from his dorm room, with Luna peeking over his shoulder as Greg was none too gently taken into custody. The Aurors had broken Greg’s wards like nothing and then kicked in the door. Greg’s screams and yells echoed through the Slytherin dorms and several doors that had been opened a crack to see what was going on slammed shut at the exclaimed vitriol.
Greg spat, “Blood Traitor!” at Blaise as he was dragged bodily down the hallway. If Greg had not been surrounded by Aurors, Blaise would have punched him in the face. Instead he had closed the door and enjoyed a few more minutes in solitude with Luna, although he did discover she had stashed one of the fifth year Slytherin girls in one of the other beds. Luna merely put a finger to her lips and cast a silencing spell around his bed before pulling the curtains shut.
Now it was a quarter to eight and McGonagall was counting everyone in her office. "Ms. Parkinson, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Nott, Ms Granger, Mr Longbottom, Ms Lovegood, Mr Zabini. Oh good everyone is here." She picked up a folio and shrunk it to fit in her robe pocket.
The elder witch checked over a list on her desk and then turned to Blaise with a concerned expression.
"Mr Zabini. I just received an urgent floo call from your mother. Let's get through the floo to the Ministry and I will give you the details. You may want to head straight to the international portkey office after that." Blaise felt the cold dread curl in his belly.
Something was wrong.
Before he could be overwhelmed with even more anxiety, Luna laced her fingers with his and squeezed. Blaise did one of Cordelia’s breathing exercises and tried to pull himself together.
******************
"Where is Cordelia?" Pansy asked, concerned that she didn't see the Mind Healer among those gathered in the HeadMistress' office. She’d never been in this room before and her eyes kept casting towards Professor Snape’s portrait which scowled at her. She had never seen an awakened portrait for someone that she had known in life.
"Cordelia and Mr. Creevey have already gone ahead to the Ministry. Along with the Aurors who came to collect Mr. Goyle. Come along then, everyone."
“Headmistress-“ Draco paused, his words getting caught in his throat as several pairs of eyes moved from the floo to him. “Might I just have a few moments with my godfather’s portrait before I join everyone at the Ministry?”
Minerva pursed her lips together briefly before nodding. “We will go ahead of you and wait on the other side of the floo for you Mr.Malfoy- best not to dawdle, just a few moments. Is that understood?”
Draco nodded profusely, offering Hermione the best smile he could muster as she was the last before their Headmistress to step through the flames.
There was a beat of silence before Snape’s voice came from the portrait. “Well?” he drawled. Draco almost felt relief, almost a comfort in Severus’ voice.
“I’m terrified,” Draco managed to utter out, when Severus’ look was of concern and not one of pity or disgust as he had been expecting, Draco knew that surprise was on his face despite his godfather always being the one that he could rely on.
All of his life, it was the same pattern for Draco - a never ending cycle - trying to please his father, his father punishing him, his mother healing him, and the cycle beginning again. When he returned to school, it was always his godfather that tended to his wounds. His godfather who helped him strengthen his occlumency.
Draco hated himself for how he just let his father walk all over him, for never doing anything, for never fighting back against Lucius enough. But he could never hate Severus, not after everything the man had done for him, how he had protected him when he had been alive.
“Draco.”
The man’s voice snapped Draco from his thoughts and he did not realise his whole body was shaking in fear.
“You are not your father. You will not be going to Azkaban.”
“How are you so certain?” Draco questioned, trying to force himself not to cry, nor to occlude despite wanting desperately to do the latter. He needed to keep it together for his trial.
“Look at all of the things I did in my life, all of the mistakes I made. The one thing I can say with a certainty that was not a mistake was protecting you. You are not the villain of this story, no matter how much the Ministry wishes to spin it that way.”
Draco sniffled, giving a small nod of his head.
“You were given an impossible and unforgivable task and you did not proceed with it!” Severus’ voice was raised now, sheer anger of the situation coursing through him. “Albus Dumbledore was not your friend. He knew perfectly well the impossible situation you were in and yet he chose to do nothing to help you. Instead he had me - a man he claimed was his friend - be his murderer.”
Draco furrowed his brows in confusion and noticed the pain the portrait held in his eyes. “I don’t understand-“
“What I am saying is that you were given all the tools to be an awful person and you are not one. There were and are far worse… far worse rats who belong in Azkaban, those who are in Azkaban and deserve to be there - like your father. You are not one of those people. You are nothing like Lucius. You are Narcissa’s son and that’s something to hold onto, Draco.”
“Thank you godfather.”
“The night on the astronomy tower,” Snape’s portrait continued,”when Dumbledore died - you told me that he spoke to you of a boy who made all the wrong choices. Do you remember when you asked me who that was?”
Draco nodded.
“That was my friend, your cousin. Regulus Black.” Draco’s eyes widened, but Severus began speaking again. “I was too blinded by my own selfish choices, but Regulus knew, he knew this was not the path we should have taken. Rumours circled that he had been killed for trying to run away- but he told me what he was doing. What he was trying to do. But that’s a story for another time- I will be seeing you after your trial, and next year. I promise you that. Now go, so you may return as swiftly as you are leaving.”
His mind swirling with thoughts and even more questions, Draco bid his godfather goodbye and went through the floo.
“Good luck, Draco,” Snape’s portrait called just before Draco was about to hit the green flames.
The Floo opened directly into the Ministry Atrium, and Draco scourgified the ash from himself.
The group of Hogwarts students had stayed close to McGonagall, and Draco joined their number becoming just as nervous as the rest, especially as they realised that they were being stared at.
“Bloody Death Eaters.”
“Ought to get the Kiss.”
“Filthy Slytherin Scum.”
The voices echoed in the Atrium and they all tensed, wondering if they were about to be attacked. Hermione’s wand was in her hand before anyone could blink, and her scowl gave Blaise pause. He hadn’t forgotten how deadly the Golden Girl had been in the last battle. Their Headmistress put herself between the group and the crowds, scowling at the onlookers.
“This way everyone,” McGonagall said, pointing everyone towards the lifts. Once she had them safely into the lift, she let out a small sigh of relief. “I think we managed to get into here without getting our photographs taken. Let’s try to make it to the courtrooms so lucky.” She mumbled something that sounded like bloody vultures.
Once they were down in the corridor outside the Wizengamot courtrooms and offices, McGonagall pulled Blaise to the side, Luna followed without being bidden.
"Mr Zabini I have terrible news, your stepfather has been hospitalised and your mother has requested you return to Italy immediately. She's in Rome at the Magical Hospital there, not at your family home in Tuscany. She returned home and discovered all your letters yesternight and floo’d me first thing this morning. She had forgotten to have the house elves bring her mail. It’s rather serious with your stepfather. I’m so sorry."
Luna let out a gasp behind him.
Blaise gave Draco a tight hug and whispered, "Good luck, I wish I could stay to see how it goes. Don't fuck it up and owl me as soon as you get done."
Blaise looked meaningfully at Theo, "Owl me twice, as soon as Pansy is done and as soon as Draco is done. I'm gonna be at the hospital in Rome or whatever accommodations my mother has sorted there."
Blaise kissed Luna and tried to pull all the succour that he could from her lips. "See you in a few days."
Luna started to say something, but Blaise was turning and walking quickly not even waiting for her to get her words out.
Luna let out an annoyed breath and muttered something that sounded like "difficult, insufferable men." She went over to speak with Neville in hushed tones and he placed a comforting hand on her arm.
Theo snorted because Blaise would probably be positively green with jealousy if he could see his girl at that moment, but the Italian had disappeared towards the portkey office already.
**********
"Mr Malfoy, can you please follow me." His solicitor waved to him from down the corridor. Draco looked over at Theo nervously.
"Go on, I'm gonna watch Pans' trial. I'll be up in the gallery for yours as well. Just do what Ms. Wright says, okay?" Theo tried to smile reassuringly. “I’ll see you afterwards, yeah?”
Draco nodded, unsure of his voice. He wanted to embrace Theo, kiss him, hold him close for just a few more moments, but the time had passed. They were in a busy corridor of the Ministry. There were reporters from the Daily Prophet around for certain.
Draco walked into the waiting chamber attached to the Wizengamot and found the legal team waiting for him: Mathilda Wright, Thaddeus Penworthy and Hepsibeth Osborne, Aletheia Achidan. The three women were all in similar robes, glasses on, hair in severe buns. Ms Wright was all monochrome, Ms Achidan was a deep umber skinned woman with a bright orange pair of spectacles that were surprisingly festive for a stern barrister. Ms. Osborne was a red-headed woman with a smattering of freckles and a Scottish accent. Penworthy was a younger man being mentored by Ms. Osborne, Draco recalled. He seemed meek for his career choice, but what did Draco know about trials, really?
Finally looking around at the room, Draco realised that he had been in that room before, he recognized a crack in the wall. That his sixteen year old self had wondered why it wasn’t repaired with magic.
***************
Flashback
June 20, 1995
The room was overly white and sterile. It smelled odd and Draco did not want to be there. He had been trying to occlude all day and he couldn’t hold it. The trial for his father was happening in a few short minutes and he was trying to follow what the solicitors were saying. It didn’t sound good and something happened to Draco that hadn’t occurred in years. He started to cry. He was trying to do it silently but a sob slipped out between his unwilling lips.
His father walked towards him and with no warning backhanded Draco. His Malfoy signet ring split Draco’s lip in what had to be the most painful metaphor.
“Quit your mewling Draco,” Lucius spat, “Narcissa, cast a glamour on his face and take him to sit in the audience. I’ve had quite enough of his incessant noise.”
The solicitors did not even react. The lead simply removed his glasses and wiped them off, looking away from where Draco’s blood had dripped onto the floor.
Narcissa quickly cast a glamour while dragging Draco out of the small room saying not a word.
Once they were outside of the room, she healed his lip and kissed his cheek.
“Didn’t he want you to leave me hurt?”
“Oh Draco, he’s going to Azkaban today. He’ll never know the difference.” his mother smiled at him kindly. "Now, we just have to go in front of those crowds and cameras and act with the poise of our house, my darling."
Draco watched as her smile melted away and a stern and worried expression took over her face.
Draco tried to mimic her. He hoped when he was an adult he had half the strength she had.
************
“Mr. Malfoy,” Ms. Wright was saying, her face in a severe scowl.
“Oh, excuse me. I was distracted. This room has,” he paused searching for appropriate words, “unpleasant memories.”
“Oh,” she softened slightly, “Well, let’s try to focus. Your mother should be here any minute with a suit for you to wear." She looked at the chipped black nail polish on his hands. Well that certainly won't do.” She pulled out her wand and vanished it. “You can repaint them after the trial.”
“Assuming I don’t go to Azkaban,” Draco quipped.
“You are not going to Azkaban today, unless someone has pissed in Tiberius Ogden’s oatmeal. Judges are finicky creatures, but I have never lost a case yet and I do not intend for you to be my first.”
“The Ministry will present first. It's very straightforward. You were a Death Eater. You have the Dark Mark. You were tasked with killing Albus Dumbledore. You let Death Eaters into Hogwarts castle. Their witnesses are your mother, Harry Potter, Mind Healer Cordelia, a contract employee of Hogwarts and Luna Lovegood. Gawain Robards is also scheduled to give testimony. We will see if he does as he’s told me he will. I will be questioning each witness after the Ministry finishes with them. Our witnesses are Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, and Dennis Creevey."
Draco’s head spun at the number of people testifying for him. He started to ask what in the Wizarding World Dennis Creevey wanted to say, but Ms. Wright continued.
"Lord Nott and Mr. Zabini both offered to testify for you, but their family connections would be detrimental and just cast doubt on all your other testimony."
“Witnesses are not allowed to watch the trial until after they have testified, so your mother asked to be first so she could be present for the rest of the testimony. Are there any other adjustments you’d like me to make in the order I call the witnesses?”
Draco looked over the list and had only one suggestion, “I want Hermione Granger to testify first.”
Ms Wright looked over at Ms. Achidan, “Aletheia, that means you are up first.”
“No problem, Mathilda,” the black woman said, not even bothering to look up from her files and notes.
The door opened and Narcissa Malfoy walked in, a garment bag draped over her arm.
“Mother,” Draco breathed.
She walked over to him and carefully laid down the bag before pulling him into her embrace, “It’s going to be alright, my dragon. I promise.”
Don’t make promises you can’t keep, mum.
He let himself be reassured by her touch anyway. She pulled back and smiled at him, “Let’s get you into this new suit before you have to be out there.”
*******
Pansy's trial was practically over before it began. Right at nine she was ushered into the courtroom, and sat in a chair that had been placed on the floor in front of the terrifying cage that she had been expecting to have to sit in. She looked up and saw Theo’s surprised face.
The Ministry’s barrister stood to address the Wizengamot, a mousy haired woman with thick spectacles and a body not unlike a pear, Pansy thought uncharitably, and her robes were a horrendous taupe colour. She was going to be sent to Azkaban by someone guilty of crimes against fashion.
“Abigail Fawley for the Ministry, your honours. Due to the sensitive nature of the crimes perpetrated against Ms. Parkinson by Death Eaters, we didn’t want the ladies of the Wizengamot to have to see such brutal memories as presented by the main witness for the defence, Mrs. Narcissa Black Malfoy. They are available for Wizengamot members to view after this hearing. Please be warned that they are graphic and the guilty parties have already been sentenced to Azkaban. The report from Mind Healer Cordelia Mole also led to our decision. This report is in the file that was provided to each of you ahead of the trial. There is also a letter of reference from Poppy Pomfrey of Hogwarts with whom Ms. Parkinson has been volunteering for the last two and a half years.”
“So in considering whether Ms. Parkinson is a danger to the Wizarding World. We found that she is not such a one, so the Ministry offered to waive the trial and offer a probation deal that has already been accepted by Ms. Parkinson’s barrister.” This was the first that Pansy was hearing about a probation deal, but it sounded good and if she didn’t have to submit more memories or take Veritaserum she was all in. The idea of being forced to tell the truth about anything rankled.
“Is this true?” asked the Chief Wizard, looking toward Pansy’s Wizengamot appointed legal representation.
Pansy’s barrister stood up, “Yes your honour, we have accepted the offer.”
The Chief Wizard nodded, “Please read the probationary terms that have been agreed upon for the record.”
“Two years probation, a mandatory eighth year at Hogwarts including Muggle Studies, weekly Mind Healer sessions. Ms. Parkinson will submit to wand monitoring and have quarterly meetings with a member of the DMLE, who is being reassigned to a probation supervision position. She cannot leave Britain without prior approval and a tracking charm will be placed on her to ensure compliance. Any violations of this probation will result in a sentence of six months in Azkaban at the discretion of her probation Auror.”
The Chief Wizard nodded. “It is so noted. As the Chief Wizard I heartily give my consent for Ms. Parkinson to receive the probationary terms as agreed by the Ministry and her legal representation. Can someone please see if Mr. Malfoy's barristers can be ready to present after the Wizengamot takes a 30 minute break rather than in two hours. I'd like to be home today in time for tea."
One of the clerks ran out the door before Theo could stand to do it himself. He stood there awkwardly for a moment and then looked at Pansy and mouthed "I love you. See you outside," and disappeared.
"Ms. Parkinson," her Ministry appointed barrister said, "Your probation Auror is here, Auror Selwyn. She will be taking you to her office to go over your terms in detail and cast the necessary charms and spells on your wand and your person. Collect your wand from the bailiff and follow her. She is waiting by the main doors."
Pansy looked over and saw the Auror from her house arrest, looking solemn and serious. She collected her wand, trying to keep the joy off her face, still worried that this would all come crashing down at any moment.
She followed Auror Selwyn out the doors and down the corridor saw Hermione and Luna down near the main entrance, but they were talking frantically and did not see Pansy exiting. The Auror opened the door to a small office and pointed Pansy inside, her dour facade never wavering.
Once they were inside and the door closed, Auror Selwyn activated a privacy ward on the door and sat down on the table. Pansy raised her eyebrow, but sat down ladylike in one of the chairs.
“Well,” Auror Selwyn said, face breaking out into a grin, “that went much better than I was anticipating.”
Pansy felt the air rush out of her body in relief.
The Auror reached over and patted her on the shoulder. “Well done, Pansy. I’m proud of you.”
And not sure when the last time an adult other than Cordelia had said such a thing, Pansy Parkinson broke down in tears.
****************
“Brutus Galway for the Ministry, Chief Warlock, Honoured Members of the Wizengamot.” The balding thin prosecutor stepped forward and bowed. “We are here today for the trial of Draco Lucius Malfoy who has been charged with having the Dark Mark, being an active member of the Death Eaters, Use of two Unforgivables- the Imperius Curse on Madam Rosmerta of Hogsmeade and the Cruciatus curse on an unknown number of witches and wizards and the Attempted Murder of the revered Albus Dumbledore.”
Theo nearly choked on the use of the word revered, but he practised some of the breathing techniques that Cordelia had taught him trying to keep his face blank.
“The Ministry has conceded to the defence’s request that Mr. Malfoy will not be tried inside the cage as he was not in Ministry custody prior to the trial, but if he displays any dangerous behaviour we would like to have the Aurors place him there.”
The Head Warlock nodded absently, shuffling papers on his desk.
Theo’s eyes went to the horrifying cage with its spikes and bars on the podium where it sat near Draco’s defence table. He did not want to see Draco trapped in that torture device and was glad that the Ministry hadn’t insisted. He suspected that they could have done it.
“The prosecution calls as its first witness, Narcissa Black Malfoy.” Mr. Galway stated. Narcissa was escorted in from an antechamber and was an absolute vision in pale green and silver. If Theo hadn’t been utterly in love with her son he would have pursued Narcissa. The woman was a goddess and a fashion icon. There would be pictures of her plastered everywhere tomorrow, of which Theo had no doubt.
"Due to the terms of your probation and house arrest you have to take this Veritaserum," The prosecutor stated, shoving a vial into Narcissa’s face.
"This vial is huge, its effects will last far longer than my testimony, is this really necessary?" Narcissa asked calmly.
"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy or no one will believe a word out of your mouth."
Draco couldn't believe that they were talking to his mother like this.
If his father were here…
Well his father had gotten them all into this mess hadn't he? He met Theo’s eyes and saw Theo was having the same thoughts about the disrespect that this Ministry buffoon was showing to his Lady mother.
Draco had never seen a pensieve so large. He had only seen the small one that his father kept locked up in his office safe. This one also had a projection mechanism that threw an illusion of the memory up in the air; Mr Penworthy whispered to him probably catching the confused look on Draco's face.
"Whatever you do when the memories are being shown do not look away. You can cry, in fact it would be great if you do, but don't avert your gaze."
A younger version of himself was projected upward. Tears stained his cheeks and he had a huge bruise on one side of his face that had come at the hands of Fenrir Greyback.
‘Draco, listen to me,’ the projection of Narcissa was saying. ‘You are going to have to take the Dark Mark tonight. If you do not, the Dark Lord will kill both of us’.
‘I can't, mother. If you aren't loyal it kills you, I'll die and then you will be alone.’
‘It's a myth,’ Narcissa bit out. ‘My cousin was no more loyal than you and just as forced to take it. It won't kill you, but if your occlumency shields fail the Dark Lord or Bella will. You have to keep them locked tight. Do you understand me? Pretend that you find this an honour, restoring the dignity of the Malfoy name as servants of the Dark Lord. Whatever it takes for us to survive this.’
‘Whatever it takes,’ Draco repeated back to her.
The following memory was simply Draco screaming as the Dark Lord Marked him, Bellatrix’s cursed knife at his throat. The screams seemed to go on and on.
Theo realised that tears were running down his face as he watched the memory of Draco be dropped to the ground, writhing in agony.
The next memory was earlier.
Draco was not even old enough to go to Hogwarts. His father was using the Cruciatus on him. His younger self was shaking like a leaf as the curse turned his blood into fire. Draco couldn't remember from the brief view what he had done that particular time to deserve it.
The next memory was the Dark Lord cackling as Draco was forced to use the Cruciatus and other curses on Death Eaters as punishment until Draco was ready to drop from exhaustion. Bellatrix held a knife to his throat when he started to flag and threatened to slit him open if he failed his Lord again. Draco pepped up after that.
Next Narcissa begged Snape to kill Dumbledore in Draco's stead. Narcissa Malfoy was hysterical.
Draco struggled not to look away as his godfather took her into his arms and rubbed her back. Had there been something…intimate between them? Draco did not want to consider that at all. It made the bile rise in his throat, whether it was because of imagining his mother being unfaithful or imagining his godfather in an intimate situation he honestly wasn't sure, but he tried not to look away.
Snape made the Unbreakable Vow with Bellatrix as the binder.
“Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy,” the prosecutor said. “No questions are needed as these memories prove without a shadow of a doubt that Mr. Malfoy was amMarked Death Eater and was ordered to kill Albus Dumbledore.”
Theo sat back in shock, they had given Narcissa Veritaserum for no reason. The prosecutor for the Ministry hadn't bothered to ask her a single question.
The Chief Warlock looked to the defence table, “Ms. Wright, I trust that you have some questions.”
“Indeed,” she looked to Narcissa, “Mrs Malfoy, was Draco verbally threatened to take the Dark Mark? We did see your sister with a knife to his throat while it was being done, would she have killed her own nephew?”
Narcissa was utterly poised and took a breath before the Veritaserum forced her to speak.
“The Dark Lord…Voldemort…Tom Riddle…made it very clear that Draco was the last chance for our House to redeem itself in his service. Draco had to be Marked and he had to kill Dumbledore. I believe the plan was for him to fail and then be killed as a punishment for Lucius for getting caught at that debacle at the Department of Ministries. My sister was a madwoman and utterly devoted to Tom Riddle. She would have eaten broken glass at his command. She certainly had no problem using the Cruciatus on my son. Although my husband was no better.”
“Lucius Malfoy used the Cruciatus curse on Draco? More often than that one memory that the prosecution showed?”
Narcissa nodded, “Lucius frequently used the Cruciatus on Draco when he was home from school. For saying positive things about Muggleborns, for coming in second to one at Hogwarts, for speaking out, for defending me. The list of things that could cause Draco to be punished was endless. He would often strike Draco with his cane or any other implement that was close at hand.”
“And why did you do nothing,” Ms. Wright asked, “Why did you not take your son and go to your parents or to some other relative?”
“My marriage vows included a loyalty oath,” Narcissa said, her jaw twitching as though it was painful to speak of it. Given what Theo knew of loyalty oaths it probably was. “I did attempt to intervene once when Draco was young on an occasion when the abuse was particularly severe. Lucius used the Imperius Curse on me and I was forced to finish the abuse. Draco nearly died. I never intervened again.”
Ms. Wright nodded, making some notes and handing them over to one of the other barristers.
“Would you say that Lucius Malfoy held extremist anti-Muggle views and expected his son to also have them?”
“Yes.”
“Do you yourself hold anti-Muggle views?”
“No…no I never did. My family made it impossible to say so publicly however.”
“But you disowned your sister when she married a Muggleborn, correct?” Theo had to admit that Ms. Wright wasn’t giving away anything, her countenance was without any expression.
“Lucius insisted when it happened. We were engaged at the time. I had planned to reconnect with her once I was married and had more freedom than my parents allowed, but then the loyalty oath prevented that.” Narcissa stated.
“Why didn’t you flee Malfoy Manor when Lucius went to Azkaban?”
“He had previously ordered me to make sure I was home in the Manor by nightfall each day, this prevented my escaping with Draco.”
“What is the punishment for disobeying your loyalty oath?”
“Death,” Narcissa said, tonelessly.
The Wizengamot and the audience burst into noise at that.
“Quiet! Quiet!” The Chief Warlock cried, “Or I will have the room cleared. I trust you have no further questions, Ms. Wright?”
“No further questions, Chief Warlock.” Ms. Wright scribbled some more notes.
“Who is the next witness for the Ministry?” The Chief Warlock asked, as an Auror escorted Narcissa out of the witness box and up the stairs to the viewing audience. She made her way to Theo and sat next to him.
“Don’t ask me anything, Theodore,” she whispered, turning her attention back to Draco, her eyes raking over his face.
Theo leaned to her ear and said, “And here I was going to ask about the most embarrassing stories that you have about my mum.”
Narcissa’s small smile was sad. “Best not.”
Theo nodded, watching as the Aurors flung the side doors open so that someone could enter.
“Harry Potter for the Ministry, Chief Warlock.”
Of course Potter was in full Auror robes even though he was only a trainee, Theo thought.
“It’s an honour to have you here, Auror Potter,” the Chief Warlock stated. “All the Wizarding World owes you a great debt.”
At least Potter had the decency to blush and look embarrassed at that. The bowing and scraping to the Boy Who Lived was so sycophantic. Theo couldn't help but be disgusted.
Potter sat down in the witness seat and said, “I was only doing what needed to be done, Chief Warlock and esteemed Wizengamot. Thank you for letting me speak today.”
Theo looked over at the prosecutor who was just smiling like a fool at Harry Potter with clearly no intention to ask him questions.
Potter continued, “I would not be here speaking before you if it was not for Narcissa Malfoy. As I previously testified at her trial, she was instrumental in the success of my fight against Tom Riddle. I have to be honest about the role that her son Draco Malfoy played as well. Malfoy has always been a coward and a right git, but when snatchers brought us to Malfoy Manor in March of this year, he pretended not to recognize me.” Despite the positive words that Potter was saying, the scorn positively dripped from every word he uttered. Draco fought against the urge to occlude and made bloody crescent marks in his palms instead.
“Despite the fact that I was with Hermione…Ms. Granger and Ron…I mean Auror Weasley, and he knew very well who I was, Malfoy refused to say who I was. One word from him that day and I would have been dead and Voldemort would have won. His cowardice didn’t extend to defending the innocent however and I know that he watched as Ms. Granger was tortured when I was taken to the dungeons. He was too much of a coward to kill Dumbledore as well, Severus Snape had to take that duty from him.”
Harry Potter stopped speaking and the silence dragged on.
“Is that all you have to say?” The prosecutor asked.
“It is,” and Harry Potter started to rise.
“If you’ll pardon me, Auror Potter,” Ms. Wright stood, “But I would take just a few minutes of your time with a couple of follow up questions.”
“Oh. Of course,” he settled back into the seat.
“You stated that Mr. Malfoy watched as Ms. Granger was tortured. Were you in the room when this occurred?”
“No.”
“Oh I see. And when Mr. Malfoy failed to kill Dumbledore, were you there?”
“Yes, I was hiding and saw the entire thing.”
“Can you tell the Wizengamot exactly what you saw?”
“Of course. I came up to the Astronomy Tower and was watching. Malfoy was crying, blubbering really. Saying something about being chosen for the task and that if he didn’t kill Dumbledore then Voldemort was going to kill him. He could barely keep a hold of his wand, but he had managed to disarm the Headmaster. I was about to come out of my hiding place and intervene, but then Professor Snape entered and gestured at me to be silent and I trusted him so I did.”
Ms. Wright was nodding, “So Mr. Malfoy hesitated to kill the Headmaster despite Dumbledore being unarmed, and Mr. Malfoy having him at wand point?”
“That’s right,” Potter stated, looking confused.
“So given the opportunity and means to commit murder, Mr. Malfoy did not do so.”
“No, he did not,” Potter fidgeted in his seat.
“And then Headmaster Dumbledore was killed by Professor Severus Snape, correct?” Ms. Wright pushed her glasses up her nose. Unnecessarily, Theo thought, but she was certainly masterful to watch.
“But they had arranged it in advance! Dumbledore had asked Professor Snape to kill him as he was slowly dying from a dark curse.” Potter was clearly unsettled and nearly yelled defending Severus Snape of all people.
Did Potter know that Snape had been Draco’s godfather? Theo doubted it.
“Thank you Auror Potter, that will be all.” Ms. Wright sat back at her seat. She must have done something right because Penworthy looked like someone had just offered him his favourite dessert. The man was practically bouncing in his seat until he was quelled with a look from Ms. Osborne.
Harry Potter looked confused as ever, but shook himself and walked up the stairs to the audience, taking a seat in the front row next to some other men in Auror uniforms.
“Next the Ministry calls to testify, Mind Healer Cordelia.”
Draco turned as she entered and her calming smile seemed to set his body at ease.
Remember to breathe, the memory of her voice said in his mind.
“Hello Healer,” The prosecutor said. “We have provided your report to the assembled Wizengamot, but can you summarise it for the assembled court.”
“Certainly. I found that Draco Malfoy is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and night terrors. He seems to have no other mental health issues. No concerns with Occlumency Psychosis or other types of madness.”
“No Black Family madness, you mean?”
Cordelia snorted, “I have not worked with any other members of the Black family, but no, I have witnessed no types of madness that are hereditary in nature. It is my professional opinion that Mr. Malfoy acted as a Death Eater under duress due to threats against the safety of himself, his mother and others who were in vulnerable positions in Voldemort’s power or in captivity under his orders. I believe that Mr. Malfoy did everything that he could do short of getting himself killed to protect others and takes a great deal of blame on himself for those he was not able to protect or save.”
“So you believe Mr. Malfoy feels guilty for his actions during the war?” The prosecutor asked.
“That is not what I said,” Cordelia looked as though she was trying very hard not to scold the prosecutor. “I said that he takes blame on himself for crimes committed by others. Although getting himself killed trying to prevent those crimes would have saved no one. Mr Malfoy was in an impossible position for a boy of his age who felt responsible for his mother’s safety and was forced to have a war criminal in his ancestral home for more than two years. The brutality that Mr Malfoy witnessed would certainly have an impact on any one of us. He was tortured regularly and lived in constant fear."
"Malfoy Manor is quite opulent…" The prosecutor began.
"Draco Malfoy was a bird in a gilded cage," Cordelia interrupted, "it was my job for the Ministry to evaluate the child soldiers who were coming up for trial and tell you whether I found them to be a danger to Wizarding society. Draco Malfoy was severely abused by his father a Death Eater, who has been sentenced to the Kiss for his crimes. His Aunt, also a Death Eater, would curse or hex him for entertainment or as punishment. There is no love lost between Draco Malfoy and the Death Eater movement. He was tortured more often and more severely than many they considered enemies, because they wanted to keep him alive to torture him another day."
The prosecutor looked shocked that she had interrupted him and then just continued on her tirade. "I believe that's all for me, Chief Warlock. Your witness, Ms. Wright."
“Thank you Mr. Galway. Healer Cordelia, what is your area of specialisation?”
“I specialise in treating child soldiers after the cessation of war time violence. My team and I have worked in various countries throughout the world. Children are often forced into combat and this causes a variety of conditions that require Mind Healing treatment, including trauma.”
“Can you define trauma for the Wizengamot, Heale?.”
“Certainly. A trauma is a stressful event that makes a person fear for their or other people’s life or safety. The entire Second Wizarding War was a traumatic event and the child soldiers who participated have different individual traumas like participating in combat, physical or sexual abuse, sudden loss of a parent through death or arrest, being the target of hate or having threats of harm made against them.”
“And you believe that Mr. Malfoy has been traumatised by the war?”
“Without a doubt.” Healer Cordelia crossed her legs. “Mr. Malfoy is one of the young people most traumatised.”
“But you do not believe that he is a danger to the Wizarding World?”
“On the contrary, I believe that Draco Malfoy will likely spend the rest of his life trying to make up for his perceived failures during the war, and I don't mean his failure to kill Albus Dumbledore. I mean his failure to save more women and children during the war itself. The young man is an artist of no mean talent and I think that being sentenced to Azkaban would be a travesty. He’s no more a war criminal than I am. He was simply put in an impossible circumstance that could have happened to any of us merely by the accident of his birth as the Malfoy heir.”
Theo heard one of the Aurors with Potter scoff at that. Theo’s hands twitched and he wished that he could get away with hexing the man, but it was assuredly a horrible idea.
“Thank you Healer. That will be all.”
Theo wished that he could see the faces of more people on the Wizengamot, those that he could see looked quite pensive. He hoped that they were taking Cordelia’s testimony seriously. She was a Ministry-contracted employee after all.
Hadn’t they employed her for this exact purpose?
Theo was shaken from his thoughts by the prosecutor calling, “The Ministry’s next witness is Luna Lovegood who will be giving…a victim impact statement.”
Theo leaned forward as Luna entered. She’d changed into pale blue wizarding robes today instead of one of her quirky vintage Muggle outfits. She looked serene and very lovely. Theo felt sorry for Blaise for missing this performance.
“Miss Lovegood, I understand that you requested to speak today to give a victim’s impact statement.”
“The person who kidnapped me from the Hogwarts Express was Thorfinn Rowle. He assaulted me and took me to Malfoy Manor, where Lucius Malfoy locked me in the dungeon. Fenrir Greyback threatened repeatedly to rape me. I watched Corban Yaxley violently sexually assault another witch. These are the people that victimised me. I was never Draco Malfoy’s victim.”
“If you will excuse my asking, Miss Lovegood, why are you here?” The prosecutor asked, running his hand over his thin hair, his expression exceedingly annoyed.
“Why, to share how Draco Malfoy kept me and the other prisoners alive,” she smiled at him, and then turned her ethereal face up towards the seated Wizengamot, “Chief Warlock and members of the Wizengamot. I say to you that if it were not for Draco Malfoy I would not be here speaking. He brought food and water into the dungeons almost daily despite great danger to himself. I shared it amongst the other prisoners without revealing its source for fear that it would lead to him being caught.”
“Draco Malfoy smuggled food to you while you were held in the dungeons?” The prosecutor asked in startled disbelief. “And how did you know that he was not supposed to be doing it? That it wasn’t a source of manipulation to get information?”
Luna’s tinkling laughter rang through the courtroom, “I knew very little. I was being held as insurance that my father would stop printing anti-Voldemort articles in the Quibbler. I’m not sure what information you are supposing that I possessed, sir. Draco Malfoy was clearly terrified of being caught. He would sneak in and sneak out. I may have been a prisoner trapped in the dungeons, but Draco Malfoy was just as much a prisoner of Malfoy Manor as I was.”
Draco shuddered, it wasn’t the first time he had heard Luna say such a thing, but the truth of it cut to the quick. He would have done anything to escape, but he never would have left his mother behind in the clutches of those mad men and women.
“I’d like to share a memory with the Wizengamot please,” Luna said.
“Auror Thorne, please step forward,” the Chief Warlock said, “Miss Lovegood, if the memory is altered in any way you will be guilty of perjury before this august body, do you understand?”
“I do, sir.” Luna smiled. She closed her eyes as the Auror brought their wand to her temple and drew away the thin silvery web of the memory. It was placed in the pensieve and projected upward for everyone to see. Draco clenched his jaw sure of what type of memory this would be. He didn’t look away remembering his instructions, but he could feel Theo’s eyes on him. It was so hard not to look at him.
“You charmed the heart right out of me. To my whole life you hold the key,” A dirty-faced Luna sang at the top of her lungs, “You cast your spell and suddenly I cannot forget you!” The memory zoomed out and on the ground at her feet the bloody body of the nameless blonde woman shuddered as the unconscious girl heaved, blood splattering the stones near her mouth.
The witch was nearly covered in blood. It drenched her long ragged skirt, it oozed from cuts and slashes all over her body and on top of that she was covered in bites, the teeth marks of men and wolves. If she survived this, she’d be a werewolf. Her odds of survival did not look good.
The unexpectedly gruesome memory had several members of the Wizengamot letting out shocked cries. Theo watched as some of the older women covered their eyes. He turned and kept his eyes on Draco trying to send him love and support and strength.
“This feeling’s utter bliss yet something seems amiss like a Dementor’s Kiss!” The projection of Luna was nearly screaming now. The echo of the dungeon door slamming and the heavy footfalls of someone running down the stairs, the sharp jangle of glass potion jars hitting each other made the memory Luna wince. Black-clad and panting, a thinner drawn Draco Malfoy, his lip bloodied and dark circles under his eyes, skidded to a halt in front of the cell door, "What’s happened?” He asked, hands shaking as he put the key in the lock and opened the door. “Are you alright?” His eyes ran over the blood all over Luna’s hands and knees, as he pulled the door closed, not bothering to lock it behind him.
“Shh, Draco, I'm okay. I’m not hurt. It’s her,” Luna said, moving to the side to allow Draco see the mauled girl. His breath came out in a hiss as he finally noticed the crumpled form on the ground.
“Bloody hell,” Draco exhaled, roughly falling to his knees and pulling out the jars. He pulled out a rag and a bowl and conjured water into it with an Aguamenti. “Luna, help me,” he commanded with an edge of desperation to his voice.
She settled the girl’s bloodied head in her lap, lifting her shoulders a bit off the cold stones and rinsing the blood and filth off her as Draco rubbed dittany over the ragged cuts on her torso.
As the memory focused closer on the wounds, it became obvious that they were claw marks. Someone behind Theo began to heave and then rushed out the rear doors of the audience area. Next to him, Narcissa’s breathing seemed pained, so Theo reached over and took her hand. She grasped it, but hid the gesture underneath a fold of the fabric of her robes.
Luna rinsed and wiped the blood from the pale skin of the dying girl. The bowl next to her was red with blood and she dumped it towards the drain, and Draco refilled it with a wandless Aguamenti, not bothering to reach for his wand that laid closer to Luna than him nor looking away from the flesh where he was rubbing in the dittany paste, his fingers red with a mixture of the paste and blood.
The projection of Draco’s face hardened as he lowered the torn remains of the witch’s top and cursed when he saw the shredded remains of her breasts.
“I’m not sure dittany will be enough, Luna,” he rasped into the cold of the cell. Luna shuddered and stroked her blood-matted hair, wiping more blood from her face.
“She hasn’t regained consciousness the whole time she’s been here with me,” Luna told him, biting her lip and tears welling in her eyes. Draco looked at the bleeding witch in desperation, and then he slowly lifted her skirts and saw the bloody ruin of her womanhood.
One of the clerks at the prosecution table turned a shade of puce and ran from the courtroom. More gasps were heard from around Theo. Harry Potter’s leg shook in his seat, but he didn’t turn away from the gore that was projected for all to see. Theo felt the tiniest bit of respect for him at that moment. Rita Skeeter was in the same row and was taking notes along with two Quick Quotes Quills. Theo could only imagine what she was going to be writing about this.
The projection of Draco sat back against the damp dungeon wall, his arms across his knees and looked down at his blood-drenched hands. He began to sob silently.
Draco bit the inside of cheek until it drew blood to keep from crying at the memory that he was being forced to relive in graphic detail.
“Just breathe,” Mr Penworthy whispered next to him, “It’s alright if you cry.” He passed Draco a handkerchief which Draco took gratefully with a nod.
Luna stroked the forehead of the dying woman as she bled out on the cold floor, watching the stranger’s life’s blood meandering through the cracks and crevices towards the grate in the floor, and looked over at Draco.
His expression looked like he was dying just like the girl on the stones. Luna’s tears rolled down her cheeks and upon falling, made tracks in the remaining blood on the dying blonde’s face.
The only sound was of the slow death rattle of her final breath.
The entire Wizengamot was silent as the memory faded from the air. The silence stretched until the Chief Warlock said, “Do you have any questions, Brutus?”
The prosecutor was still staring in shock at the air.
“Brutus?” The Chief Warlock repeated, not unkindly.
“No, No. I haven’t.” Mr Galway, the prosecutor, took a sip of water and his hands shook. One of the clerks whispered something to him and he shook his head.
“Ms. Wright?” The Chief Warlock looked to the defence.
“Thank you Chief Warlock. I do have some questions. Miss Lovegood, what happened next?” Ms Wright shuffled some papers and took a note from Ms. Achidan.
“Draco Malfoy took the woman’s body and buried her somewhere on the Manor’s grounds.” Luna stated.
“But you did not witness that part?” Ms Wright raised an eyebrow.
“No, I was locked in the dungeon.” Luna pointed out, matter of fact.
“Why did you remain in the dungeon? We all saw Mr. Malfoy left your cell unlocked and his wand was in easy reach of you as he attempted to heal that girl.”
“I may be brave, but trying to fight my way out of Malfoy Manor with unknown numbers of Death Eaters, Greyback’s pack, and the Dark Lord himself would have been a suicide mission. And if I had escaped, how would Draco have known to come and help the girls the werewolves tossed into the dungeon?”
“Did you manage to save any of them?” Ms Wright asked.
And there was a world of pain in the single word when Luna answered.
“No.”
Ms. Wright nodded. “No further questions.”
“Thank Merlin for that. You are excused Miss Lovegood. If you ever testify again, please warn the court in advance of something like that young lady,” the Chief Warlock said.
“You might not have wanted to see, if I had told you first. And you needed to see,” Luna said, “Noone could see that and believe that Draco Malfoy was completely evil or a blood supremacist. That girl was a Muggle and he was covered in her blood.”
“So he was Miss Lovegood, so he was.” Tiberius Ogden nodded to the Auror who took Luna by the hand and led her to the stairs, she took a seat next to Harry Potter.
Her “Hullo, Harry” echoed in the silence that followed her testimony.
“Hey Luna,” the Chosen One replied, awkwardly.
Theo barely restrained himself from pinching the bridge of his nose. Absolutely painful. How on earth had the Chosen One ever managed to get himself a girlfriend?
Prosecutor Galway seemed to pull himself together finally and announced, “The next witness for the Ministry is Gawain Robards of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.”
Draco sat straighter in his seat and caught Theo’s eyes briefly. Something flared between them for a second, something dangerous: hope.
“Chief Warlock, esteemed members of the Wizengamot,” Robards greeted, seating himself on the witness seat. “Please excuse my presentation of evidence today. I know that I was a late addition to the docket. I will be brief. Draco Malfoy provided to the DMLE twenty memories of his attempts to save victims of Greyback’s pack. There were thirty-five casualties. I would show one of the memories, but they are …difficult…to watch.”
“Thank you for being so thoughtful,” the Chief Warlock interjected, “But Miss Lovegood already showed us one. Can I assume that all are similar?”
“Miss Lovegood…oh…of course. Yes. And Mr. Malfoy’s memories included him personally burying each of the victims, which the DMLE has now exhumed and is working to identify each of the victims. Mr. Malfoy’s submission of these memories and testimony that he gave to me personally was extremely essential in dealing with this series of murders. I have come to go on record that Mr. Malfoy has voluntarily provided evidence that will allow several members of the Greyback pack to also get the Kiss. He has been instrumental in those cases and I personally would prefer having him work for my office for a prescribed length of time under my supervision rather than serve time in Azkaban. I believe he may have additional knowledge that could be critical in apprehending and prosecuting the few Death Eaters that remain at large.”
“Is that all, Robards?” the Chief Warlock asked, and at Robards’ nod, “I trust no one has questions?”
“None from the Ministry.”
“None, thank you Mr. Robards for your testimony,” Ms. Wright smiled. Robards nodded absently in her direction.
Theo recalled that she had been an intern in his office before becoming a barrister. Robards didn’t come up to the audience, but instead headed back out of the courtroom.
“Alright, I’d like to move this along Ms Wright,” the Chief Warlock stated, “Call your first witness.”
“The Defence calls Hermione Jean Granger.” The Wizengamot stirred and there was a murmur amongst the audience. Potter sat up straighter.
Hermione walked in, and Theo could feel the nervous energy pouring off of her. He would bet that she was pacing in the corridor waiting for her turn to come in.
Draco couldn’t stop staring at Hermione’s face. Her jaw was set and she oozed power. He wanted to worship at her altar. He tried to memorise every inch of her in case this trial went badly. This might be the last time that he was able to see her.
Hermione sat in the witness seat, her stern expression not cracking in the slightest.
Theo couldn’t decide which of them to focus on at that moment. Hermione looked like an avenging angel. Draco’s face showed a vulnerability that he so rarely presented. Theo wanted to remember him like that, a softer version of the often brittle man that he loved.
Ms. Achidan stood with a notepad and a quill. “Thank you for coming today Ms. Granger. I understand that you have a prepared statement that you would like to read to the court?”
“Yes, thank you.” Hermione pulled out a long scroll. “My name is Hermione Granger, Muggleborn and one third of the Golden Trio. I am here to testify on behalf of Draco Lucius Malfoy who is on trial today. Mr. Malfoy has made several choices during the course of the Wizarding War that the Wizengamot should be informed of. When the basilisk was attacking Hogwarts, it was Malfoy who placed the paper on basilisks in my petrified hand allowing Harry Potter to defeat the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. At the Quidditch World Cup, Malfoy was unkind about it, but warned me to stay away from the approaching troop of Death Eaters, even going so far as to direct me where to hide. When we were captured by snatchers and brought to Malfoy Manor, Malfoy refused to confirm our identities. I was tortured by Bellatrix LeStrange in front of him, and Narcissa had to prevent him from interceding. During the battle of Hogwarts I was nearly killed by a spray of Fiendfyre cast by Vincent Crabbe, and Malfoy shoved me out of the way despite great risk to himself.”
Draco had forgotten all about that moment in the Room of Requirement. He had been hoping that he would die if he was honest with himself. He had thought that it was the only way to escape from his father and the Dark Lord, as Potter had seemed destined to lose at that point.
Hermione continued, “And while he was raised by a renowned Blood Supremacist and Death Eater, the younger Malfoy does not truly embrace those beliefs. His actions attempting to protect me as a Muggleborn indicate that.”
“And Ms. Granger, you and Mr. Malfoy have had a fraught history, correct?” The barrister appeared to be checking notes, but Hermione had gone over all this testimony with Ms. Wright several times. She knew that nothing she was saying was a surprise to them.
“Yes. He’s the first person who called me Mudblood in our second year and I punched him in the face in our third year. Despite all that, I am here to beg the Wizengamot to show him mercy. He was just a boy on the wrong side of the war. He has a chance now to do some good for the Wizarding World, but that can’t happen if he is sentenced to Azkaban.”
“On what basis do you make such a conjecture?” The barrister looked at her over the rim of her glasses.
“I have been attending the summer program at Hogwarts with Malfoy and beyond the actions that I mentioned in my statement from during the war, since the war’s ending he has shown real remorse for his actions and a desire that he could have done more to help others. I believe these feelings are sincere.”
“Thank you, Ms. Granger, I have no more questions.”
“Brutus Galway for the Ministry, Ms Granger. May I say it's an honour to have had both you and Mr. Potter testifying today.” The thin barrister simpered. Hermione’s nose twitched as she attempted to hide her disgust, but it was obvious to Theo and Draco.
“Thank you Mr. Galway,” Hermione nodded regally.
“She has excellent poise,” Narcissa murmured next to Theo. He agreed, but only nodded.
“You believe that Mr Malfoy is not a danger to the Wizarding World despite being a marked Death Eater?”
“I do, Mr. Galway. I believe that Malfoy wants to redeem himself and make reparations. If the Ministry wanted to be fair then he deserves a chance to live a just life without Lucius Malfoy in the picture. Please place him on probation, but give him the opportunity to do the right thing. I do not think that you will be sorry to have shown such a young man mercy. And I can’t have been the first person to come before you today to advise you to do so.”
Mr. Galway nodded. “That will be all. Ms. Granger, please take a seat if you would like to watch the remainder of the trial. And again thank you for appearing today.”
The Auror escorted Hermione to the stair, more of an honour guard than an escort. Hermione passed Luna and Harry on her way up, and sat next to Theo. Harry looked over his shoulder at her in surprise. Hermione smiled at him, but then turned to whisper in Theo’s ear.
Draco desperately wished that he could hear what she was saying. He didn’t think that he could love her any more than he did at that moment. Even if she hadn’t saved him, she’d tried.
It was more than his father had ever done.
**************
McGonagall handed over her wand to the Auror by the door clearly unwillingly and took her seat in the witness box.
“How long have you known the accused?” Ms Wright asked.
“Since he came to Hogwarts and was sorted. I also taught both his mother and father and was contemporaries with his Grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy.”
“What has your experience with the Malfoy family been?” Ms. Wright queried.
“Lucius Malfoy was a violent young man while at Hogwarts. There was at least one instance where he put hands on Narcissa Black at the school due to some petty jealousy. Her father and his had it hushed up and it was quickly forgotten as they were already engaged. He was often violent with people, even those he was supposedly friends with from his own house. If someone from Slytherin House particularly failed during Quidditch they would often have injuries that had nothing to do with the game the following day. He was competitive and that fueled his violence. It became worse once he developed a taste for fire whiskey his seventh year. To be fair, Abraxas was just as violent if not more so, it is likely Lucius was behaving as he was taught.”
“How does this relate to this trial, Professor McGonagall?” Mr. Galway huffed impatiently.
“That’s Headmistress, Brutus. You’ll remember that I taught you as well and I would appreciate it if you would respectfully use my current title.”
Theo was thrilled to watch the prosecutor shrink in on himself. McGonagall was a dragon. The prosecutor would do well to remember that fact.
“Now if I can be allowed to continue with what I was saying, Draco Malfoy often returned to school with injuries, often favouring a leg. After a Quidditch game where Harry Potter had beat him to the snitch, he would sport a hand mark on his face. There is no doubt in my mind that Lucius Malfoy was beating the boy. Twice Draco returned after a break with the tremors associated with being cursed with the Cruciatus. I spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore about it at the time and he stated that I did not have enough evidence to take action. He stated that unless Lucius Malfoy had done the Cruciatus in front of me it was pointless to inform the DMLE. I did not agree, however, he was the Headmaster and I could not overrule his judgement. I did however talk with Severus Snape, Mr. Malfoy’s godfather and his Head of House about my concerns. And he did not deny them at that time. He stated that he would handle whatever potions Mr. Malfoy needed as he was sure the boy did not want to court attention by going to the hospital wing. I will leave it to the Wizengamot to determine whose attention he did not want. His father was still on the board of Governors at that time.”
“Are you saying that Lucius Malfoy was using the Cruciatus on his twelve year old son?” The prosecutor looked horrified.
“I am, and for long enough that the boy showed symptoms upon the return to school after holidays. That’s not a second or two. The boy was both terrified of his father and desperate to please him. I think all of his actions ought to be seen through that lens.”
“Do you have anything further, Headmistress?” The Ministry barrister asked, seeming to realise that members of the Wizengamot were murmuring sympathetically. It wasn’t illegal for a wizard to beat his son, or his daughter for that matter, but it was frowned upon. Using Unforgivables on your children was another matter entirely and was quite illegal.
Despite Narcissa's memories and testimony earlier, it appeared that none of them had truly believed her. They had obviously thought she was tricking them somehow, but no one would dare to accuse Minerva McGonagall of lying.
“Not from myself, but yes, I do.” McGonagall pulled out a folio of papers. In an impressive show of wandless and nonverbal magic, she duplicated the folio and sent it flying to every sitting member of the Wizengamot. Theo thought that she had done it just to remind them all that she was one of the most powerful witches in Britain.
McGonagall gave each member of the Wizengamot the force of her stare. “In the folios in front of each of you, you’ll find a number of letters. I'll read the first of them now. Madam Pince was sorry that she was unable to be here today. ‘To the esteemed Wizengamot and Chief Warlock,
I, Irma Pince, have served as Librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since 1974 upon my graduation from this prestigious institution. In the time that I have been in charge of the library, the number of student volunteers I have had numbers less than a dozen. The number of volunteers that I would advocate for assisting a librarian numbers exactly three, of which Mr. Malfoy is one. Not only is Mr Malfoy excellent at the delicate spellwork necessary for rare book repair, with no prompting or promises from me, he still organised the most comprehensive book drive for the school library that has occurred in the last two hundred fifty years. Nearly every book destroyed in the battle has been replaced. It is a miracle. I know that many of you have children or grandchildren currently at Hogwarts, and the young man whose future you are considering has greatly improved the quality of research and academic materials for their use. Several of these books are beneficial supplemental material for students studying for their NEWTs, a critical point for any young witch or wizard's future.
I would much prefer to have Mr. Malfoy volunteer with me this school year rather than wasting away in Azkaban, where I have been told there is NO library. I am certain this is a shameful oversight by the Ministry.
Sincerely, Irma Pince, Head Librarian, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.’”
McGonagall lowered her glasses to look at the Wizengamot. Theo was glad that that glare wasn’t directed at him. Several of those seated fidgeted under her gaze as though they'd been caught with a Fanged Frisbee in the Hogwarts corridor.
“Now the following is a cover letter from fourteen first years that I have been asked to read.
‘We, the undersigned first years of the incoming class who were sorted in September 1997, have come together to write this letter so that the Wizengamot might be made aware of the horrors of Hogwarts under the rules of the Carrows and Headmaster Snape. We were tortured by upperclassmen in DADA, for punishment and for entertainment. Each of us has been crucio’d, imperiused and tortured with other Dark hexes and curses. Some of us have lost fingers and toes. We were in torment last year and no one was able to help us, except Draco Malfoy and some of his cohorts from Slytherin House. Draco Malfoy used magic to slip into our minds to tell us to pretend that the Cruciatus hurt when it didn’t. He would pretend to cast it, but nothing would happen. Some of the other seventh year Slytherins did the same, but we knew to pretend. Draco Malfoy found more than one of us passed out from injuries in corridors and abandoned rooms during his patrols as a prefect, but instead of turning us in, he would hide and disillusion us before sending other Slytherins to smuggle us into the Hospital Ward or into the secret infirmary that was set up in one of the potions laboratories that operated only late at night. None of us would describe our relationship with Draco Malfoy as a friendship, but he saved our lives again and again last school year. His position as a marked Death Eater gave him the freedom to do so and he used it to our benefit, to save Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and even Gryffindors whose names he probably didn’t even know.`
Draco wiped at his eyes, he wished he could occlude, but he didn’t dare. He knew their names, everyone he saved, every one he hadn’t. One Gryffindor boy that had died in his arms as they sat disillusioned by a suit of armour still haunted him. He had placed him in a bed in the infirmary in the morning. It hadn't been enough. Nothing ever could be.
“Do you have anything additional to add, Headmistress?” Ms Wright smiled kindly.
“Only that Mr. Malfoy has been a model student and participant at the summer Mind Healing and restoration program. I would very much prefer to have him back at Hogwarts for the upcoming school year beginning on Tuesday.” The tone of McGonagall’s voice made it very clear that this was not a suggestion.
“Thank you for making the time to be here, Headmistress McGonagall. I have no further questions.” Ms. Wright shuffled her papers and looked to Ms. Osborne, who nodded.
“Any questions for Headmistress McGonagall?” The Chief Warlock looked over at the prosecutor, stroking his beard, clearly deep in thought.
“No, Chief Warlock. The Ministry does not need to clarify any of the Headmistress’ evidence.” Mr. Galway was looking even more pale and drawn than he had at the start of McGonagall’s testimony, Theo noticed.
“Do you think that he is about to be ill?” Theo whispered to Hermione.
“I think he knows that he is going to lose,” Hermione whispered back, confidence overflowing in that moment. How could the Wizengamot sentence Draco to Azkaban after that testimony from McGonagall?
Ms Osborne, the grey threading through her red hair shining under the light of the courtroom, stood. “The Defence calls Neville Longbottom.”
The doors opened and revealed Neville, holding himself tall and looking the members of the Wizengamot in the eye, but meeting his grandmother’s eye and smiling, which softened his expression immensely.
“Mr Longbottom,” Ms Osborne said in her melodic Scottish accent. “You have come today to speak in defence of Draco Malfoy, why would a war hero like yourself do such a thing?”
Neville looked at Draco and then up into the audience at Theo and Hermione. “Draco Malfoy is one of the reasons that I was alive to slay Nagini and the Wizengamot deserves to know the truth.”
“Can you explain what you mean by that, Mr. Longbottom?” The barrister was as calm as any woman that Theo had ever seen. Draco held his breath not sure what Neville was going to say to the court.
“He consistently ran interference with the Carrows and other Death Eaters, preventing them from finding Dumbledore’s Army where we were hiding in the Room of Requirement. More than once we started to leave the room and his voice would ring out speaking to someone who would have killed me and the majority of those we had hidden there.”
“How do you know that his loud voice was a warning?”
“Draco Malfoy has never raised his voice in all the years that I have known him unless it was at Harry or Ron. He was clearly doing it intentionally as a warning for those trying to enter or leave the Room. We now know that he was well aware of the Room of Requirement’s location, so he could have let himself in and captured all of us at any time. He did not do that, however. Instead, dozens of times we found younger students beaten and tortured who had been healed and left outside the Room; when they woke, one after another had the same unbelievable story. They had been saved by Draco Malfoy and healed by Slytherins. There is no mistaking him for anyone else. Malfoys are distinctive. It would be wrong for a young man who saved so many children at Hogwarts under the horrors of the Carrows and Snape’s rule to serve time in Azkaban with the perpetrators of those horrors. If the Wizengamot can posthumously forgive Severus Snape who never lifted a finger to help anyone other than Harry Potter then the Wizengamot can find Draco Malfoy to have been a Death Eater only under duress.”
“Thank you, Mr. Longbottom. The Defence has no further queries.”
“The Ministry has no questions for Mr. Longbottom and would like to thank him for his service to the Wizarding World,” the prosecutor stated without rising, passing notes to his clerks at the table and looking in no small part frustrated with the progression of the trial.
Neville went up the stairs and sat next to Luna, leaning over her to shake Harry’s hand, making it very clear to all the courtroom that Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter were still close allies.
“All his associating with Slytherins is rubbing off on him,” Theo whispered to Hermione, careful to keep his face blank despite the desire that being behind her earlobe raised in him.
“The Defence would like to call our final witness, Mr. Dennis Creevey,” Ms. Achidan announced.
“Dennis?” Hermione looked to Theo, who shrugged.
“He reached out to the solicitors himself when Draco’s trial date was announced. If they didn’t think that his testimony would be helpful, then they wouldn’t have let him testify,” Theo said noncommittally trying to trust that the legal team that he had put together and was paying a pretty galleon to were going to pull off the impossible: keeping a Malfoy out of Azkaban.
Dennis Creevey came into the courtroom, wide-eyed and staring around. Hermione felt badly that no one had prepared him for this, he seemed clearly overwhelmed, The Auror had to prompt him up onto the witness seat.
“Mr. Creevey,” Ms. Achidan said, briefly wiping at her orange-framed spectacles.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Creevey you reached out to our legal team and stated that you had important testimony that needed to be shared at this trial that was not previously known as you were the only living witness.”
“Yes, yes I did.” Dennis’ leg was shaking and he was opening and closing his hands on his lap as Hermione and Theo could see from their heightened elevation above the main floor. “I think I would prefer to submit the memory, please, rather than say what happened…I don’t…think I can…tell what happened…my brother died, you see, and …” He trailed off.
“We understand completely, Mr. Creevey, and considering your background this must all be quite overwhelming.” The Chief Warlock nodded toward the Auror standing below him, “Auror Thorne if you please.”
“Did Tiberius Ogden just make the blood supremacist statement about Muggleborns that I think he did?” Hermione hissed into Theo’s ear.
Theo shushed her, hoping he wouldn’t pay too dearly for that later.
“Mr. Creevey, please concentrate on the memory that you would like the Wizengamot to watch. Focus is very important here,” the Auror kept his face neutral, because it was clear that Dennis was very nervous.
Dennis screwed up his face and the Auror’s wand pulled the silver strands of the memory, which he took to the pensieve. Dennis looked up in awe at the projection of his memory.
Theo wondered if the solicitors had advised him to submit his memory rather than testify, he did not look as though he would be able to handle speaking publicly. Dennis was already crying as the memory began to materialise in the air for viewing.
Dennis was cowering behind some stone debris. Blasts were exploding all around. Spells flew through the air one after another. Fatal green spinning towards victims and finding their mark. A stone wall fell somewhere nearby and there were screams. Smoke obscured what was happening.
A young blonde wizard came into view, clutching his wand in one hand, his camera around his neck. “Dennis! What the bloody hell are you doing here!?”
Colin Creevey’s living face surrounded by the chaos of the battle floated above the courtroom. Hermione’s hand flew to her mouth in shock as she realised these had to be his final moments. Her involuntary gasp caused eyes to fly to her face, including Rita Skeeter who hadn’t stopped taking notes the entire trial.
“Colin, I-I wanted to fight!” The projection of Dennis cried out.
Everyone looked back at the memory then, the explosions and screams more rivetting than Hermione Granger’s tears. Theo reached over and squeezed her knee gently, the only soothing gesture that he dared in such a public place. He watched Narcissa’s eyes follow his hand and swiftly pulled it back.
“What you are going to do is get yourself killed! Let’s get you out of here.” And as Colin grabbed his brother’s arm to lift him up, a green spell caught him in the back, and he fell on the ground in front of Dennis, dead.
Dennis shook him, “Colin! Colin!” Colin’s dead eyes stared back at Dennis who started to shake. “No! No!”
Suddenly a Death Eater emerged from the chaos and pointed his wand at Dennis, “Prepare to join your friend, boy!”
“Bombarda! Diffindo! Stupefy!” Another Death Eater sent the first flying backward. Dennis grabbed at Colin’s body and tried to pull him further into the shadows. The second Death Eater was struck with a hex that sent his mask flying.
Standing there, in the middle of the battle, was a bloodied Draco Malfoy. He hissed and looked for his mask, replacing it on his face then rushing back into the thick of the fighting. He never even looked at the Creeveys.
The memory faded.
“As you just saw, Draco Malfoy saved my life at the Battle of Hogwarts,” Dennis Creevey announced to the courtroom. “Me, a Muggleborn and a Gryffindor. He was not a true Death Eater. And I owe him a life debt, this I vow on my magic.”
The room exploded in noise as people gasped, cried out and conversations raged all around.
Draco could feel the wizard’s vow that Dennis Creevey had just made attaching itself to his magic.
Today wasn’t going any of the ways that he had been anticipating.
“That’s quite enough!” Tiberius Ogden announced loudly, “Brutus, Mathilda, any questions?”
“No,” the two barristers said at the same time.
“However, Chief Warlock,” the prosecutor stood, “The Ministry moves to question Mr. Malfoy under Veritaserum.”
Ms. Wright stood up glaring at the prosecution’s table. “The defence objects as Mr. Malfoy was under age at the time of his so-called crimes.”
“His crimes are not alleged! The boy has the Dark Mark!” Mr Galway yelled at her, losing his composure.
“I'm perfectly aware, Brutus. But as you just stated, Mr Malfoy is only a boy.” Ms. Wright’s smile was sickly sweet.
Theo had to restrain himself from laughing outright at her.
The Chief Warlock cleared his throat, “Brutus, I believe that we have heard and seen more than enough to make our decision today. As it is Gregory Goyle’s trial will need to be moved to Monday morning. Let’s clear the chamber so that we may deliberate. Ms. Wright, you may take your client to the anteroom. We will call you when we make our decision. I don’t expect that we will be long.”
Draco looked at his legal team, not sure if this was good or bad. They all seemed pleased, so he tried to quiet the desperate pounding of his heart and the desire that beat through him to try to run for it.
For only a moment, he met Theo’s eyes before he had to turn away. He didn’t even have a chance to look at Hermione or his mother a final time before the Aurors herded him from the room.
Salazar, let that not be the last sight he had of them.
**************
Hermione and Theo were pacing in the corridor outside the courtroom. Harry hadn’t come out, Hermione assumed that the Aurors were allowed to remain within while the case was debated. Though it could have just been the privileges of being the Chosen One. She could see McGonagall and Cordelia speaking away from everyone and wished she knew what they were saying. The confidence that she had had watching the trial had disintegrated like a shadow as the minutes ticked by.
Narcissa sat silently nearby, attempting to ignore the reporters who were staring at her and taking photos while they waited.
Luna sat for a while tapping her foot next to Neville. When Dennis Creevey came out of the loo, she ran over and hugged him. He looked like he wanted to crawl out of his skin.
An Auror stepped out into the hall and announced, “The Wizengamot has made their decision, but has adjourned for the day. I am here to announce the verdict. Draco Malfoy has been found guilty of all charges against him, but due to mitigating factors such as his minor age at the time of these crimes and the duress under which he committed them, he will not be sentenced to Azkaban. Instead he is to receive a term of ten years probation along with other terms. Mr. Malfoy has to attend a mandatory eighth year at Hogwarts and see the Mind Healer under contract with the Ministry weekly. He must submit to wand monitoring, must attend mandatory Muggle Studies, and has to donate more to the reconstruction effort as reparations, amount to be determined by the DMLE Liaison’s Office, in addition to restitution to one Madam Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks Hogsmeade which is at her discretion galleons or labour or a combination thereof of a value no less than one thousand galleons. He must denounce blood supremacist views publicly, work for DMLE or another approved Ministry office for 6 months after graduation without pay. Mr. Malfoy cannot leave the country without consent from the DMLE for the duration of his probation and never for any period longer than ten days. Mr. Malfoy is not going to be allowed to take his Wizengamot seat for a minimum of ten years or as long as he is on probation, whichever is longer. He needs to have a minimum of two children to take the Malfoy and Black Seats in the Wizengamot and once they are adults he must cede his seat/s to them. The second blood heir must possess the Black surname for the probation to be considered complete. If he fails to adhere to the terms of probation the Wizengamot will reconvene to discuss the term of his sentence to Azkaban."
He closed the door and went back inside, leaving the chaos in the hall behind him.
“The second heir requirement is their way of keeping him on probation for life. To my knowledge there hasn't been a Malfoy sibling in generations,” Theo said to Hermione.
Theo missed the sharp look that Narcissa sent his way, but Hermione saw despite that the expression was gone so quickly that Hermione thought that she thought she had imagined it.
“All I care about is that he isn’t going to Azkaban,” Hermione said, “Any probation terms are tolerable.”
Draco walked out of one of the rooms down the hall and the reporters converged on him at that moment.
No longer being in view, Theo swung Hermione around and laughed, burying his face in her hair and whispered "Granger, you are the ultimate good luck charm. Our boy is free!"
The door to the courtroom opened next to them and a confused voice said, “Hermione?”
"Oh hi Harry!" Hermione pulled away from Theo, “We were just celebrating the verdict.”
Harry nodded and looked at Theo and contemptuously said, “Nott.”
“Potter.” Theo greeted back, wishing that he could punch the Chosen One in the face.
The tension between the men was palpable, and Narcissa stepped forward and defused it by saying, “Mr Potter, thank you so much for your testimony for my son today. I’m sure it impacted the Wizengamot’s thinking.”
“Oh Mrs. Malfoy, of course. It needed to be done. I owed you, after all, but I would like to think that we are now even.”
Narcissa nodded, “Of course, Mr. Potter. No debts are owed between the House of Malfoy and Potter now. We have a clean slate between our families.” Narcissa smiled, benignly in a way that made Hermione think of a snake about to strike.
Harry nodded absently, “Can I talk to you for a minute, Hermione?”
“Oh, of course, Harry,” Hermione said, walking a ways down the corridor with him.
“Are you coming to Grimmauld Place for the weekend before you head back to school Tuesday?” Harry asked. “I’m working nights, but we should be able to spend some time together in the evenings before I head into…”
“Oh um, no, I’m…going back to Hogwarts, to help get things ready. I thought McGonagall might have mentioned it. It's been a rough week at Hogwarts.”
“Oh,” Harry said, looking disappointed, and Hermione hated that it bothered her, but she looked at Theo watching her, a relieved Draco being surrounded by reporters, and Pansy walking out of an office with an Auror escort before being swept up into Theo’s embrace and she shook off any guilt.
Harry wasn’t even going to be home for Merlin’s sake!
Looking for a change of subject, Hermione looked around, “Where’s Ron?”
“Oh…He’s on assignment…” Harry ran his hand through his hair in that way that told her that he was lying. Hermione realised that she didn’t actually care where Ron was. She supposed that was a good thing, that she had moved past him, that she didn’t miss him really.
At least Ron hadn’t come and sabotaged Draco’s trial. She’d count her blessings that he was likely off with some slag instead.
“Well, I have to get back to Grimmauld to get a nap in before I’m due back here for work,” Harry said awkwardly. “Um…Ginny’s waiting and…” He couldn’t wait to get away from her, her so-called best friend.
“Oh, yes, of course.” Hermione Granger and Harry Potter shared the most uncomfortable hug they ever had before he turned and walked away. “Give Ginny my love,” she called as he walked away.
“Goodbye Harry,” Hermione whispered as her past walked away from her and she turned back towards her future.
Notes:
Thank you fairyofthesnakes, AStrangefan, allisonsnead and Shelby for being the alphabets for this monstrosity of a chapter!
Next chapter begins part two - Eighth Year. Let me know what you think in the comments, and check out my stuff from Dreomione Fest!
Chapter 26: Trial Aftermath
Summary:
After the trial, the four of them get their first taste of the world. Luna meets her future mother-in-law and gets surprising news.
Notes:
CW: Infidelity (not between main relationship), Harry Potter bashing.
Chapter Text
Chapter 26
Trial Aftermath
Draco couldn’t concentrate on anything the Auror was saying to the lawyers.
Draco Malfoy has been found guilty of all charges against him.
Draco Malfoy has been found guilty of all charges against him.
He was going to Azkaban. Theo hadn’t kissed him. He hadn’t hugged Hermione or said goodbye to Pansy. Thank the gods he hadn’t told Hermione that he loved her. She could move on with Theo and Pansy. They’d take care of her. He didn’t need to worry about that.
“Mr. Malfoy,” Mr Penworthy shook his shoulder, “Are you listening?”
“No, no,” Draco said, “sorry no.”
Mr Penworthy nodded, “Please repeat that, Auror. “
“All of it?” The man rolled his eyes in annoyance ”Draco Malfoy has been found guilty; however, due to mitigating factors such as his minor age and the duress under which he committed these crimes, he will not be sentenced to Azkaban, Instead, he is to receive a term of ten years probation.
“The probation has several requirements. Mr. Malfoy has to attend a mandatory eighth year at Hogwarts and see the Mind Healer there weekly. He will submit to Wand Monitoring, mandatory Muggle Studies, and he must donate more to the reconstruction effort as reparations, the final amount to be determined by the DMLE Liaison’s Office. In addition, he must provide restitution to one Madam Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade. At her discretion, Mr. Malfoy will pay a sum of no less than one thousand galleons or perform fifty hours of labour, or a combination of both. He must denounce blood supremacist views publicly, work for the DMLE or another approved Ministry office, without pay, for 6 months after graduation. Mr. Malfoy will not be allowed to take his Wizengamot seat for a minimum of 10 years and he must produce a minimum of two heirs to take the Malfoy and Black seats in the Wizengamot. Once they are adults, he must cede his seats to them. The second blood heir must take the Black surname for the probation to be considered complete."
“I’m not going to Azkaban?” Draco choked out, trying to absorb all the points of his probation, but focusing on that one piece of good news.
Ms. Wright looked over at him from where she was reviewing the scroll the Auror had handed to her on his way out of the room.
“No, you aren’t,” she smiled, warmly. “Congratulations.”
He wasn’t going to Azkaban.
Draco couldn’t believe it.
****************
“Tell me that witch is going to be my daughter-in-law, Theodore.” Narcissa said as Hermione walked away with Harry Potter in order to speak privately.
“What if I plan to marry both of them?” Theo asked, raising his eyebrow at Lady Malfoy.
“That’s fine, Theodore, as long as Draco has a witch capable of bearing heirs. You and I both know that Pansy won’t be able to manage that with everything that she has been through. And if he ever hopes to have a full life, he needs to get off probation and that clearly means two living children. I couldn’t do that, it’s a rare Pureblood witch who can these days.” Narcissa tapped her fingers on her leg, not realising how she was giving away her emotions.
“Cissa -” Theo whispered, not wanting her to have to talk about Draco’s baby sister that had died.
“Nevermind,” she shook her head, “Here comes my Auror escort, and I want to say goodbye to Draco before they drag me back to the Manor.”
Narcissa managed to get the crowd to part for her; the solicitors, who were speaking to the press rather than Draco, allowed her behind them so that she could speak to her son. Theo watched as she squeezed Draco’s hand just before he was struck full force by a witch flying into his arms.
“Pansy!” He kissed her hard. “We are done with this place. Thank all the gods. We are fucking done.”
**********
Harry made certain that he had gotten away from the majority of the crowd and that no one was paying any particular attention to him before he pushed into a door marked “DMLE Employees Only” in big red letters.
He felt badly that he hadn’t insisted that Hermione come and spend the weekend with him and Ginny, but the truth of the matter was that he and Ginny weren’t getting along great right now. Hermione being there would probably mean she would either be witness to or the cause of another of their rows.
Harry turned left as he came to an intersection in the corridors, then made a second left and a quick right. He saw the door he was looking for and checked around to make sure that no one saw him. Constant vigilance after all.
He stepped inside, pulling the door closed, locking and setting a ward on it.
Behind him, a man’s voice said, “Took you long enough, Potter.”
Harry’s cock was already hard by the time he turned around and large hands were in his hair and on his throat. He moaned as his mouth was claimed and forgot all about his guilt around being a shitty friend to Hermione. He had so many other things to feel guilty about after all.
********
Luna was very annoyed with her boyfriend as she walked to the Portkey office with McGonagall, who only very lightly threatened to tell the clerk’s mother about some indiscretion that he had committed at Hogwarts the next time she went around for tea. The man, who had to have been in his fifties, if he was a day, looked terrified and quickly gave Luna the location that Blaise had portkeyed to. Luna wondered what on earth he could have done that would have the wrackspurts in such an uproar.
“There will be another portkey going to Rome in about fifteen minutes, Ms. Lovegood. Will that suit?” The question was, of course, directed to the Headmistress.
Minerva nodded regally and squeezed Luna’s shoulder. “Please send the bill to Hogwarts, I’ll settle it.” She turned to Luna. “That was a very brave thing that you did in that courtroom, Ms. Lovegood. I’m proud of you. Good luck with Signora Zabini.”
“I don’t need luck,” Luna smiled, “Blaise is fond of me and I’m clever and likeable.”
“That you are.” The older woman shook her head. “When you get back, we need to have a talk about your mother. You have some …relatives from her family who want to connect with you and I promised that we would discuss it first before I told them your name.”
“Mother had living family members? Has a family?” Luna asked, surprised, her mind whirling at the very concept. “And they want to know me?”
Luna’s mother had been gone for half her life, but the half that she had been there she had never once spoken of parents or siblings. It had always been as though Pandora Lovegood had sprung from the earth itself like a creature out of myth.
“Indeed,” the Headmistress patted her shoulder, “We will talk when you return.”
Luna wanted to yell after her, to have her tell her immediately, but by the time she got over her shock and was able to form words again, the Headmistress was already gone.
*********
Rome, Italy
The large palatial residence had a simple gate and only Muggle repellent spells around it, so it was easy enough for Luna to walk to the front door. A simple knock on the door had it opening, not by a house elf as she anticipated, but by the man she wanted to see.
He, however, was standing there dumbstruck, “Luna, how did you find me? How did you get here?”
“I asked at the hospital.” Luna smiled, “I told them I was your fiancée and you rushed off as soon as you heard about your stepfather and I got the next portkey. The nurse I spoke to was very helpful. I think she took pity on me because my Italian is so horrendous, honestly.” Blaise pulled her inside, closing the door behind her.
“Why did you come? It was only going to be a few days and…” Blaise looked at her in shock, still not believing that she was standing in front of him.
“You needed me! Did you think I was going to sit at Hogwarts or be the fifth wheel in probably the most hedonistic celebration of not going to Azkaban ever? I would never leave you to go through something like this alone,” Luna stroked his face. “I love you. I’d do anything for you. I’d kill for you without a qualm, but what I won't do is leave you to suffer through family hardships alone. Aren’t I going to be your family, too? That starts now, not at some unknown time in the future.”
“How did I get so lucky?” Blaise pulled her to him, his eyes drinking her in and drifting to her pink lips but right before he claimed those lips with his, he heard a cough behind him and froze.
Signora Zabini was perhaps one of the most beautiful women that Luna had ever beheld. Blaise obviously inherited his colouring from her. Her black Acromantula robes were embroidered with red silk vines and flowers. Her short hair pressed flat with spirals of her scalp showing; it was unlike anyone's hair that Luna had ever seen, she didn’t even know what to call the style. She was clearly a very fashionable woman, although Luna had expected no different. She was glad she was still in the formal robes that she had worn for her testimony rather than her regular attire.
“And who is this, caramellino?” Signora Zabini asked with a small smile playing across her ruby red lips that perfectly matched the embroidery on her robes.
Blaise stepped back and bowed to his mother, “Mamma, may I introduce the young woman that I mentioned to you, Luna Lovegood.”
“Ah, you did not mention her by name, my darling,” Signora Zabini stepped forward and took Luna’s hands, “but now that I see her, I see only her mother.”
Luna froze. “You… knew my mother?”
Signora Zabini laughed. “Indeed, since we were girls. The Shafiqs and Malfoys were close in those days. And while your mother was not sorted into Slytherin as was expected, her Ravenclaw sorting was still highly respectable so we continued our acquaintance until she ran away and was disowned.”
“I don't…understand. What do the Shafiqs and the Malfoys have to do with my mother?” Luna felt her heart beat so heavily that it might burst out of her chest.
The older woman’s immaculate eyebrow raised and she drawled, “Why my dear, in those days, I was Yasmene Shafiq and your mother was Pandora Malfoy. Did you not know?”
Luna found that she could not breathe. Then the tile floor rose up to meet Luna and everything went black.
************
Hermione, Theo, and Pansy sat patiently outside Auror Selwyn’s office, waiting as she cast the required charms on Draco and his wand.
Ms. Wright and the rest of the legal team had shaken Theo’s hand before they left and thanked him for the opportunity to work on the case.
“We may open our own joint legal office rather than go back to our previous employers,” Ms. Wright confided, “We work well together. And this case will certainly give us some notoriety.”
Theo, in his gratitude, offered to cover the cost of their Diagon Alley offices until the new year. “It’s a very small thing,” he smiled, “but you’ve kept Draco out of Azkaban and for that, I’ll be eternally grateful. And consider the Nott Estate your client as well.”
“We’ll be in contact to arrange Mr. Malfoy’s press conference in the morning. It’s important to get as many of his probation requirements met as swiftly as possible. I recommend he reach out to Madam Rosemerta immediately on the return to Hogwarts as well.” Ms. Wright shook Theo’s hand again and went off with the other solicitors and their clerk. Assuredly off to celebrate their victory with some firewhisky.
Hermione thought that she ought to feel guilty that she had told Harry that she was going back with McGonagall, but she did not think that it was his business what she was doing anyway.
It wasn't as though he had seemed overly concerned anyway. She knew that he had a lot going on, but it was hard not to feel upset with him about how little he considered their friendship to be a priority.
She had considered being honest with him after the trial about what was going on with her, Theo, Draco, and Pansy even if she didn’t quite have the words to describe the intense emotional and physical intimacy that she felt with the other three. Harry’s lack of interest in how she was doing, however, had disabused her of that notion. He could find out at some future point when he bothered to think about what was going on in her life.
Draco stepped out of the office and she looked up at his smiling face. Hermione squeezed Pansy’s hand. Nothing Harry Potter did or didn’t do was going to take away the joy that she felt in this moment.
Draco was free. Pansy was free. Hermione wasn’t losing either of them today. There were no guarantees about the future and how long all of this would last despite the books of Cordelia’s that Hermione had read, but she would try to just enjoy the happiness that she had found in the moment.
*********
Theo could tell that Hermione had her hand on her wand after the first insult had been yelled at Draco in the Atrium. Her body was in a tense fighting stance, every nerve ready to curse the offender into next week. Problematically, there wasn't just one.
“I wish we had asked Auror Selwyn to walk us to the hotel,” she whispered to Theo after the third man glared at Draco. The stranger’s menacing expression made her flinch. It didn’t help that he was wearing Auror robes.
The curses and expletives came from every direction as they made their way through the Ministry to the exit. Theo couldn't keep track of who was yelling at them and pulled his wand as well.
“Fucking Death Eaters!”
“Scum!”
“You belong in Azkaban,” an old crone paused in front of them and spat on Draco, who looked completely unsurprised, simply casting a Scourgify without bothering to make any comment at all.
Hermione stepped forward, ready to say something to the old woman, when Draco put his hand on her wrist, “Don’t Hermione, please.”
She took a deep breath and shook off her need to defend someone who mattered so much to her. “Let’s just get to the Floo.”
At the head of their little party, Theo threw the powder into the Floo and yelled “Knockturn Alley” before disappearing into the flames.
Some of the onlookers gasped.
“Oh, that’s gonna add to the rumours,” Pansy sighed before following Theo through the Floo.
“You go next, Draco,” Hermione said imperiously.
“What? No.” Draco shook his head.
“There are at least six people with their wands trained on you right now. You go through that Floo first or I might never see you again.” Hermione barely stopped herself from either crying or grabbing his face to kiss him. She didn’t know what was on the other side of the Floo either. She could only hope that Theo and Pansy were safe. “Now go.”
Hermione gave Draco a little shove. “I’ll be right behind you. Don’t be difficult or I’ll start calling you Malfoy again.”
He looked at her in shock, but the Gryffindor wasn't backing down.
“Fine,” he bit out. “Knockturn Alley.”
She didn’t give anyone standing around time to get any ideas and the wherewithal to act on them. She wanted to get to her wizards and her witch.
As soon as he was through, Hermione threw the powder and disappeared in a swirl of green flames.
****************
Theo had rented a room in Knockturn Alley for the night. He had attempted to get one above the Leaky Cauldron, but his request had been turned down because the owner “didn’t want any trouble” and “couldn’t accommodate four people in one bedroom.” Theo rolled his eyes as he shared the story with the rest of them, clearly indicating that he thought the proprietor had been speaking absolute bollocks.
The White Wyvern was a pub in Knockturn Alley. It was located up a set of stairs above Markus Scarr’s Indelible Tattoos, next door to a pawnbroker. The whole area was a bit dodgy, but that was all of Knockturn Alley really.
When they arrived at the location, Pansy wasn’t terribly impressed; however, it was much better than going to Nott Manor, where there would almost certainly be something laying around that could kill Hermione. Pansy didn’t have a huge amount of faith in the DMLE’s ability to remove all the curses on the place nor find every dark artefact.
She never wanted to see Parkinson Manor again if she could help it. And she knew that Draco had no desire to go to Malfoy Manor. So this seemed like the best option. Theo could set wards and they all knew how to apparate if they needed to leave in a hurry.
The tavern keeper was a huge wizard with a scar down one side of his face and a long ponytail of steel grey hair. The pub itself was clean, even if the patrons were not.
Theo bought two bottles of firewhisky from the man and received their room key. They were followed by a dozen sets of eyes as they headed back to the stairwell that the publican had pointed them to.
The stairs were small and rickety and went more horizontally than vertically, and Pansy wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. At the landing, there were ten doors close together.
“Undetectable extension charm, I’ll bet,” Hermione muttered.
“Such a swot, Mi,” Pansy laced her fingers with the other witch.
“Room Seven,” Theo murmured, unlocking the door that looked as though it had been kicked in at least once in its career. “Home sweet home at least for the night.” The door opened with an ominous creaking sound.
The room was very black. The walls, ceiling and window dressings were all black. The bed curtains and the bed linens were also black.
“Do you think all the black is to hide blood stains,” Hermione asked, looking around the room. “Maybe the black out curtains were for vampires?”
“Could be,” Theo smiled,” but everything looks clean to me. I’ll cast a few cleaning spells just in case and charm us some whiskey tumblers. It’s time to celebrate.”
Hermione wasted no time in casting elaborate wards on the room, at Draco’s raised eyebrow, she smiled, “Who do you think set them when I was on the run with Ron and Harry?”
Draco laughed and continued to watch her wand work with pride. Gods, Hermione was incredible, he thought.
Pansy threw herself onto the bed and was surprised that it was in fact clean. She was so grateful that she wasn’t heading to Azkaban that not even the less than luxurious accommodations could bring her down.
Theo had surprised everyone by having their shrunken trunks in his pocket. He restored them to the proper size, his trunk on the top of the stack. The lid flew open with a crack and four tumblers came floating out.
Soon the four of them were ensconced in the bed together, the boys down to only their joggers and the girls in camisoles and Hermione’s pyjama shorts. Hermione’s head was on Draco’s chest and Pansy had her head leaning on his other shoulder as though neither of them could bear not to touch him. Draco had his arm around Pansy and levitated his glass up to his mouth, taking the whole shot with a straight face.
Theo, tucked in tight next to Hermione, rubbed circles on Draco’s back. The Malfoy heir put his chin on the top of Hermione’s head.
Hermione’s soft snores made him smile, his grey eyes meeting Theo’s ocean blue eyes with a delighted twinkle.
"I still can't believe it," Draco said after a while, after Pansy too had shifted, her breathing deepening. Theo claimed and finished each of the girl's firewhisky, setting the tumblers off to the side.
"I know this was your doing, Theo," Draco whispered, shifting to allow Theo to move Pansy onto one of the pillows gently. "I never would have gotten out of going to Azkaban if it wasn't for you getting me proper representation."
Draco lifted Hermione into his arms and slid her in next to Pansy, the two girls nuzzling and cuddling closer in their sleep.
"So bloody adorable those two," Theo murmured, coming behind Draco and wrapping his arms around the blond's waist.
"And sleepy." Draco replied, leaning his head back onto Theo’s shoulder and pressing his cheek to Theo’s. "I mean it, you know. I owe being free to you."
"You don’t owe me a thing. I wasn't about to let you give up and go rot in that hellhole with our fathers, but I wasn't alone. You had a pride of lions testify including our girl and the Headmistress. Even the Chosen Prat. Although it was a boon to have Weasley absent, I'm not sure I could have kept from hexing him after that shite he spewed about our princess."
“And I don’t know that she could have kept from giving him what for,” Theo added thoughtfully, “Which he deserves but it wouldn’t be ideal at your trial.”
Draco nodded, putting his hand over Theo’s hands, drawing warmth from the other man.
"I love you, Theodore Nott," Draco whispered.
"And I love you, Draco Malfoy," Theo kissed him lightly on the cheek. "More than all the stars. I swear I'll protect you from everything, even your misplaced sense of guilt."
Draco laughed, "I don't know that I would call it misplaced. Come on, let's get some sleep. I'm exhausted." His pale hair fell into his face and tickled Theo who blew at the strands. Draco just absorbed this perfect moment, savouring every sensation and smell.
Draco wanted to put it in a pensieve and relive it over and over.
"As you wish, dragon."
Chapter 27: Champagne Supernova
Summary:
Draco is not going to Azkaban, but his reception by the Wizarding World in Diagon Alley leaves much to be desired. Hermione has an idea of where they can go to get away. Earning that Slytherins in the Muggle World tag.
Includes NSFW Art
Notes:
Champagne Supernova - Oasis https://open.spotify.com/track/6EMynpZ10GVcwVqiLZj6Ye?autoplay=true
CW: drug use, lies of omission.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Theo sat up groggily as a huge bear Patronus roared in front of his face. It took him a second to remember where he was: their room above the tavern in Knockturn Alley, not back in the Heads’ Dorm in Hogwarts. He was missing his bed, that was for certain. These cushioning charms were not cutting it.
“Lord Nott, you have two hours to have Mr. Malfoy in the Ministry Atrium for his press conference. Do not be late.” With the message delivered, the bear ran through the air and out of the building.
“Oh, to be a Patronus,” Theo yawned, rolling over and kissing Draco on his neck. “Dragon, hey, love, it's time to wake up. You’ve got two hours to be back at the Ministry for your press conference.”
Draco groaned into his pillow, before rolling himself over.
“Can I borrow some of your muggle clothes?” Draco asked, leaning forward to capture Theo’s lips, “If I am going to express my disdain for all things Pureblood, I want to look the part.”
Theo’s eyes twinkled in merriment, “Oh, I have just the thing.”
*****************
Draco took a long drag of the cigarette that Theo had given him and saw the flashing of cameras.
Show Time.
He dropped the cigarette and crushed it under the heel of Theo’s dragonhide boots.
*************
Draco’s solicitors were all present and had set up a podium and a table next to it for the press conference. As much as he was dreading this whole experience, Ms. Wright and her team certainly had the set-up logistics under control.
Mr. Penworthy was frantically going over notes and shoved them into Draco’s hand.
“These are the key points that you need to address. Everything you did, you are very sorry for. You don’t believe in any of the ideals of Voldemort or Pureblood Supremacy. You intend to abide by all the terms of your probation and make a positive impact on Wizarding society.”
“Easy to do when that’s my plan,” Draco’s eyes went over the lines in the solicitor’s precise handwriting.
Penworthy smiled encouragingly. “Now, there will be a short question and answer period once you finish speaking. Try to keep your answers concise. Yes. No. If anyone asks anything inappropriate, Ms. Wright or Ms. Achidan will step in and say ‘our client has no comment on that matter’, so that you don’t have to.”
Draco nodded, looking up at the crowd. Theo gave him a thumbs up from the back row.
“Let’s do this.”
Penworthy positioned him five feet back from the podium. Then Ms. Wright walked over in front of him to the podium. Draco felt a bit like a doll or a puppet, but he was going to play his part to perfection.
Using the sonorus charm, she put her wand to her throat. “Greetings, esteemed members of the press and the public. I am Mathilda Wright, Chief Solicitor for Mr. Malfoy. He will be making some brief remarks this morning. Then we will allow a few questions about his statement or trial as long as they remain within the bounds of decency.” At that last remark, Ms. Wright clearly stared at Rita Skeeter meaningfully until the garishly dressed blonde nodded almost imperceptibly.
“Without further ado.” Ms Wright gestured to him and he stepped forward.
Draco took a deep breath and looked out at the sea of unfriendly faces, his eyes searching for Theo, who mouthed “look at me.” Draco did. He let the crowd melt away and he kept his eyes trained on Theo. Theo who loved him no matter what. Theo had moved heaven and earth to make sure he didn’t go to Azkaban. Draco could always count on Theo, even in this moment.
Pressing his wand to his throat, Draco said, “My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy, heir to the Ancient and Noble Houses of Malfoy and Black. I want to begin by expressing my deep regret about my involvement in the war. I never wanted to hurt anyone and those that I was unable to save will haunt me for all my days. I am grateful for war heroes such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood who spoke out yesterday at my trial. It is due to their conscience and devotion to justice that I am speaking to you today rather than being sent to Azkaban."
“I would also like any of the first years who signed the letter that was read at my trial yesterday to know that I knew without being told who each and every one of you had to be. Your identities and background didn't mean anything to me while the school was under brutal rule of the Carrows. All that mattered was that you were innocent kids who needed to be kept from harm. I appreciate that you were grateful for my intervention, but it should never have been needed. You should have been safe at Hogwarts and, through my own initial actions, you were not."
"I am in complete disagreement with the views promoted by the Dark Lord - Tom Riddle - and my father, the current Lord Malfoy. Muggles are not endangering the Wizarding World. Muggleborns do not steal magic. There is no truth to Pureblood supremacy. Magical power and blood status are in no way linked. In fact, we all know that many Pureblood families have only one child these days and some of the heirs of the Sacred 28 have so little magic as to barely be called wizards. Arranged marriages and incestuous relationships between cousins have crippled the Pureblood community.”
“Pureblood supremacy beliefs are further proven wrong because the most powerful witch of our age, Hermione Granger, is a Muggleborn. For many years, my father would beat me for admitting that she was better than me. I admit freely that Ms. Granger is superior to me in all things academic and magical. I’m only grateful that she doesn’t have an affinity for Quidditch.”
A small smattering of laughter went through the crowd. Theo’s reassuring smile was Draco’s focal point, everything else faded back again. Draco focused on Theo’s lips and continued with his prepared remarks.
“In conclusion, I never wished to do any of the things I was ordered to do and did everything I could to delay them. I hope that the Wizarding World will show me the same mercy as the Wizengamot has. I will do my best to contribute in a positive manner to the future of the Wizarding community, using the wealth of my House for philanthropic goals above and beyond those required by my Wizengamot probation. Thank you. I will now open the floor to any questions.”
“Are you wearing Muggle clothing, Mr. Malfoy?” A reporter with a Witch Weekly badge called out.
“Yes, far more comfortable than wizarding robes I would say. I’m given to understand that I am wearing an Italian made leather coat. I can check with my stylist on the maker if you like. The denims are Versace.” Theo’s grin at being referred to as Draco’s stylist was so happy that it took Draco’s breath away for a second and he had to take a deep breath to focus. Draco turned slightly so the reporter could see the leather jacket and the black denims that he’d borrowed from Theo. Her cameraman took a few photos.
He wished he would have had Pansy paint his nails this morning, but he and Theo had left the girls to sleep in the now well-warded rented room. They'd looked so exhausted and sweet curled up together.
“You’ve been ordered by the Wizengamot to provide two blood heirs,” Rita Skeeter called out, “Can we expect an engagement announcement to a girl from one of the Sacred 28 families? I had understood that, prior to going to Azkaban, your father was in talks with the Greengrass family. Will that be announced soon?”
“There is no marriage contract between myself and either of the Greengrass daughters,” Draco stated flatly, failing in his quest not to occlude. Cordelia would be so disappointed in him. “Nor do I plan to pursue a contract with any other Pureblood family at this time.”
“Does that mean you’ll be seeking a Halfblood or Muggleborn bride?” Skeeter looked at Draco with a feral glee that made him deeply uncomfortable. The last thing he needed was this woman trying to interfere with his private business. He had Hermione and Pansy to think of. Theo too.
“When I set an engagement, that information will be sent to the Prophet and Witch Weekly as is customary upon the finalisation of the marriage contracts.” His occlumency was weak after a summer of attempting to prevent himself from using it and he started to feel the anger at the reporter and her invasive questions bubbling up inside him. He needed to keep himself under control in front of all these reporters, regardless of how difficult it was.
Waving her quill in excitement, Rita Skeeter started to add a follow-up question, but Ms. Wright cut her off.
“We’d like to thank everyone for joining us today. If you have any further questions, you can send them to our new office of Wright, Achidan, Osborne, and Penworthy which is now housed in Diagon Alley. We’d be pleased to correspond with any of you on our client’s behalf for the purposes of your articles.”
**************
Hermione and Pansy woke up in each other’s arms. Pansy placed small kisses on the tip of Hermione’s nose.
“Good morning, Mi,” Pansy whispered. “We appear to be alone in this big bed together. Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
“Where are the boys?” Hermione asked, her hands trailing over Pansy’s trim waist before brushing a stray tendril of hair out of her face.
“Draco had that press conference this morning,” Pansy replied, “So I imagine there?
“Shouldn’t we be there as well?” Hermione’s nose crinkled in confusion.
“Absolutely not,” Pansy stated with confidence, “Not unless you want to be on the front page of every publication in the magical world next week, along with the conjecture about why exactly you testified on his behalf. I think they made a good decision not bringing us with.”
Hermione still looked doubtful. “Do you think we have enough time to shower together and for you to braid my hair before we leave the hotel?”
“Oh Mi, I always have time to take care of you,” Pansy kissed the brunette deeply, her hands tangling in the curls and they forgot for a few minutes about anything but each other’s soft lips and smooth skin and the sound of their whimpers breaking the quiet in the darkened room.
Hermione was dazed with the sweetness of Pansy’s kisses. When Pansy rose and led Hermione to the bath, Hermione could only follow.
**********
Once under the relative warmth of the shower head, Pansy put Hermione's palms on the dark tiled walls. She spread Hermione’s leg with her knee. She loved the visual of Hermione like this, in submission. There was something particularly seductive about it. The Gryffindor Princess was such a fiery witch that her obedience was something to treasure, the way Theo’s obedience was.
Pansy adored that they handed their power over to her.
She swore to herself that she would never take such gifts for granted. Who else could say they had received what Pansy had from her lovers? No other witch, that was certain.
*******
When Draco and Theo returned to the White Wyvern, the girls were nowhere to be seen, but their laughter could be heard along with running water.
“Are they being naughty?” Draco asked with a smirk, his lips expressing his delight in a way that made Theo want to nip Draco’s bottom lip.
“Sounds like it,” Theo grinned, “Let’s let them enjoy their girl time for a bit.” He flopped down onto the bed. “How do you feel now that you are finished with one more requirement?”
Draco leaned against the bedpost, “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem real. That I’m not going to Azkaban. That I get to be here with you and Hermione and Pans. That the future holds Quidditch, books, painting and sex. Do I deserve all that?”
“Of course you do, dragon,” Theo pushed himself up on his elbows. “And even if you aren’t convinced that you deserve it, can you be convinced that I do?”
“Theo, you deserve the world.” Draco replied, crawling onto the bed with him. Theo pulled him in for a passionate kiss, his arms wrapping around Draco’s shoulders.
“You look so good in muggle clothes, Drake,” Theo murmured against his lover’s lips. “I don’t know how I’ll keep my hands off of you for the rest of the day.”
“Do you need to keep your hands off me?” Draco put his forehead against Theo’s, his hands getting lost in Theo’s curls.
“In Diagon Alley, I do,” Theo sighed, “Unless we want to get attacked by those that find it offensive. Yesterday those bigots in the Ministry were bad enough. Let's not add being openly queer to our problems.”
“I find that I prefer the Wizarding World less and less,” Draco huffed, his hands travelling over Theo’s arms and chest.
“There’s homophobia in the Muggle world as well,” Theo pointed out.
“But aren’t there things…places that are safe in the Muggle world?” Draco asked, uncertain.
“I suppose,” Theo kissed Draco again, Hermione’s moans from the bathroom making him smile. Pansy was certainly taking care of their princess in there. “Sometimes, I wish we could stay like this forever. Somewhere safe and isolated, just the four of us.”
“That’s the dream, yeah?” Draco responded, allowing himself to truly imagine a future like that for the first time.
***********
After emerging from the shower flushed and replete, Hermione convinced them that they needed to go shopping for school supplies before they did anything else.
“We have our shopping lists from McGonagall,” Hermione pointed out, “Why not just get the shopping out of the way?”
“Well, I’m not leaving our things here unattended. If I did and things were stolen, I would only have myself to blame honestly,” Theo pointed out. Casting a charm that sent all their things flying about the room back into their trunks, Theo shrunk the trunks and put them in his pocket. He tucked his wand away into a hidden pocket in his coat, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
“The lack of adequate lodging in Wizarding London is kind of appalling when you think about it,” Pansy pointed out in annoyance, slipping on a black heels to go with her short black dress.
“There is more lodging but they won't rent to us,” Draco interjected, bitterness in his voice.
Hermione made a disapproving noise, but refrained from sharing her thoughts.
Diagon Alley had been eerily empty when Theo and Draco had come back from the Ministry that morning, but now it was mid-morning and the streets were crowded with others doing their back to school shopping.
Draco couldn't help but catch the looks of hate on people’s faces. He wanted to be anyone else, maybe he should have had Hermione cast a glamour on him, but that could violate his probation, he wasn’t sure. He would have to ask his Probation Auror or his solicitors. He didn't want to inadvertently do anything that would get him sent to Azkaban.
The four of them managed to get measured for their new robes with very little fanfare at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The sales girl sniffed a few times while measuring Draco, but Theo’s status as Lord Nott and the galleons that he paid to the shop owner got them all served and back out onto the street in record time.
“You know usually it's me that gets treated like I have a disease in there,” Hermione pointed out. Draco looked abashed at her comment, knowing that he and his mother had been guilty of treating Hermione poorly in that same shop on more than one occasion.
“Now you are a war heroine, most shops will fall all over themselves to have your patronage.” Pansy laughed. "Where to next?"
"Magical Menagerie to get some treats for Crooks," Hermione said. "Then the apothecary for potion supplies and Flourish and Blotts."
Inside Flourish and Blotts was where they were first exposed to crowds as Diagon Alley began to fill with a lunch rush.
Inside the bookstore, when Draco was tripped by a man with a cane, kicked in the shin by a sneering child, and someone else dropped a book on him while browsing; he bore all of it with good graces.
When they were browsing the Arithmancy section, a man started screaming about Draco.
"This man is a murderer! Someone should call the Aurors!"
Hermione handed off her and Draco’s texts to Theo and dragged Draco outside away from the increasingly aggressive mob of wixen in the book shop.
"I never thought folks in a bookshop were about to attack someone before." Hermione chewed her lip pensively.
"About to? Hermione I think I have a lump from the book on 8th century Masters of Scrying. It had to have been twenty centimetres thick." Draco rubbed at the back of his head, wincing in pain until Pansy cast a healing spell on the small cut that she found when she ran her fingers over his scalp carefully. They waited for Theo to emerge from the shop, but their reprieve from the comments and the glares was short lived.
“Filthy bloody Death Eaters - walking the street like decent people.” An older wizard sneered at Draco and Theo. The man began to pull his wand when Hermione stepped between them.
“You may wish to put your wand away, sir.” Hermione hissed, showing her teeth in a display of ferocity. “It wouldn’t be bright to hex a war heroine, would it?” Hermione’s hand was on her own wand. “My body count is higher than any of the Slytherins behind me. I don’t think you want to chance it.”
The man backed away quickly, his hands raised. His eyes wide at the sight of the Gryffindor Princess defending Draco Malfoy.
“Did you enjoy the fear in his eyes, Mi?” Pansy whispered into her ear.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Hermione sighed. “I’m not sure if you all are a terrible influence or if I’m just much darker a witch than I like to admit. We’ve basically finished our shopping. Why don't we go to Muggle London? We can have some fun where no one knows us.” Hermione cajoled, desperate to get away from the aggressive behaviour that they were being faced with in Diagon Alley. "We have two days til the Hogwarts Express leaves and we can get an actual nice hotel in Muggle London. Noone knows who we are there."
That it was only a matter of time until someone from the Daily Prophet showed up and started taking photos went unsaid.
Theo clapped his hands with excitement, “I’ve visited Muggle Rome and Venice with Blaise, but I’ve never been to Muggle London, let’s do it!”
“Do we need to get muggle money?” Pansy asked. “I’ve never had any.” She exchanged apprehensive looks with Draco.
“Gringotts will exchange galleons for it, I always had to do the reverse with my parents in order to do my school shopping,” Hermione pursed her lips. “So they have to do it the other way as well. I’m not sure about the exchange rate though.”
“Hermione, darling,” Theo laughed, his voice low, “The goblins have all the money, there’s hardly another option. They can charge what they like.”
“Also, I’m not sure they’ll be keen on me coming in. I did break in during the war after all.” Hermione fiddled with her jumper hem.
“Only one way to find out.” Theo dragged her by the hand with Draco and Pansy following close behind. Draco watched the witches and wizards on the street, surveying every movement hoping to keep the three people that he cared about safe.
*******
“Lord Nott for the Noble House bank account manager,” Theo said, effecting his most pretentious Pureblood stance. His arms were crossed and he looked at the Goblin in lazy disregard.
“Do you have public banking business, Lord Nott, or would you like a private business room?” The Goblin asked, shuffling papers.
“Private business if you please,” Theo sighed as though this should have been obvious. “I have Heir Malfoy and Miss Parkinson who will need assistance as well.”
The Goblin finally looked up at Theo and his companions. “And Miss Granger?”
“I’ve just hired her as a Muggle world liaison. I trust that won’t be a problem? I understand that there is money to be made amongst the Muggles.” Theo raised an eyebrow imperiously.
“Not a problem at all, Lord Nott,” the Goblin stated. “Follow me, please.”
“I told you there would not be a problem,” Theo flashed Hermione his devil-may-care grin. She rolled her eyes at him, earning yet another grin. Their escort opened a door into a room that Hermione had no idea was there. The room sparkled with white marble and was dominated by a large wooden table.
“Gnarlak,” Theo greeted warmly. “How’s the family?”
The Goblin awaiting them in the office looked down his nose at Theo and pushed his small glasses up. “Lord Nott. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He made it sound as though it was anything but a pleasure. His intonation was flat and he did not even bother to acknowledge Theo’s query about his family.
“I’m planning to spend a few days in Muggle London. I need funds and a way to access more funds while out and about. I plan to do some shopping and potentially some investing.”
Gnarlak nodded, pushing a red button on the table. Another Goblin poked his head in. "Bring me the Nott account ledger and have Bourilda enchant one of the black cards for Lord Nott's use."
Hermione choked at the mention of the black card, struggling to imagine the amount of galleons that Theo must have in his vaults. Draco looked over at her at the noise that she made and she didn’t say anything, just shaking her head at him. She’d grown up well off and her mother’s family had been well off, but Hermione was nowhere near the financial level that Theo Nott was.
“Heir Malfoy requires the same and how much longer until he can claim his lordship?” Theo neglected to sit in the chair that was available to him.
“Do you three consent to the discussion of bank business in the presence of each other and the Muggleborn witch?” Gnarlak asked.
Theo, Draco and Pansy all said, “Aye” in an eerie synchronicity. Gnarlak nodded, before making a notation in the book in front of him.
“Your father ceded his title upon his entrance to Azkaban, Lord Nott, but Lord Malfoy has not done so. Heir Malfoy,” Gnarlak directed his attention to Draco. “You will be able to claim your Lordship when your father dies. I believe the Kiss is scheduled for December nineteenth. We can set an appointment for a few days later to do the transfer spells. Lord Malfoy’s signet is being held at Azkaban and they won’t transfer it back to the bank yet, despite our requests. You will also need access to Muggle funds, Heir Malfoy?”
“Please, Gnarlak.” Draco answered, earning a raised eyebrow from the Goblin. Gnarlak pushed the button again and requested both the Malfoy and Parkinson account books be brought to him.
A smaller Goblin, groaning under the weight of a huge ancient book, entered the room and placed it on the table. Another Goblin came in with a golden box that popped open to reveal a shining black credit card with Theo’s name printed on it, “Theodore T Nott, Lord Nott.”
Well that was going to get him a certain level of service in the Muggle world. Between the black card and a noble title on it, he was assuredly going to be fawned upon by customer service staff.
Gnarlak annotated in the book as he spoke, looking over the numbers in various columns that seemed to update as Hermione watched. She already knew that Theo was wealthy but there were a lot more zeros than she had originally imagined.
“We’ve also had Muggle identification made for you. It has a mild confundus on it, so muggles won't look too closely at it. You may need to show the Muggle identification along with the black card in order to spend your galleons as Muggle pounds. We also have three thousand pounds here for your needs that may not accept the card payment. I am sure Ms Granger will advise you on when the paper money is needed versus when to use the black card that is linked to your vaults.” The Goblin looked at her with dislike.
She nodded, swallowing awkwardly.
“Heir Malfoy is also eligible for the black card primarily due to the funds in the Black trust account that Lady Walburga Black opened for him prior to her death, but Miss Parkinson is not eligible for that sort of access. Miss Parkinson, your trust vault is beneath the threshold, do you wish for some Muggle money rather than the card?”
“What’s my current balance on my trust account?” Pansy asked, her long sharp blood red nails tapping on the table to the annoyance of the Goblin who scowled.
“Thirty thousand galleons which is one hundred forty seven thousand Muggle pounds at the current exchange rate.” Gnarlak stated.
“Pans, I can more than cover anything that you might want in Muggle London,” Theo offered.
“Mi, how much money do you think is reasonable for a two day holiday in the Muggle world?”
“Unless we are going to all the designer shops, I can’t imagine you needing more than two thousand pounds.” Hermione did not think that she would ever get used to the fact that money was no object to Slytherins.
“I can always need more money,” Pansy smiled. “I’d like to withdraw the equivalent of a thousand galleons, Gnarlak.”
The Goblin notated into the various giant dusty tomes and then awaited the delivery from the other goblins who brought more golden boxes to the Slytherins.
When faced with the stacked bills that they were all receiving, Theo, Draco, and Pansy exchanged looks of shock. Hermione sighed and conjured wallets and money clips for the boys and a bill fold for Pansy, and a small cross body purse. They watched as she slid their identification cards and credit cards into the slots and organised the cash into the money clips. She charmed them all against theft and loss and handed them back to the three confused Purebloods.
“Will that be all, Lord Nott,” Gnarlak asked, frowning at Theo.
Theo looked at Hermione who nodded, unable to think of anything further that they needed from the bank at that point.
“Yes Gnarlak, thank you for your time this afternoon. Heir Malfoy and I will owl the bank to set up an appointment for December.” The Goblin nodded and gestured for them to leave the private room.
The four of them filed out of the office and as they exited Gringotts, Theo turned to Hermione and asked, “Alright Hermione, where are we off to now?”
**************
Hermione and the Slytherins apparated into King’s Cross. Platform 9 ¾ was silent and eerie in the early evening. No crowds of families, no shouting children, just the empty platform in the heart of one of the busiest parts of London.
“Pull out our trunks, Theo,” Hermione commanded.
“But they are shrunk down,” Theo looked at her in confusion.
“We’ll look odd checking into a hotel without luggage,” Hermione pointed out. “Muggles are all about appearance. Things need to fit their expectations, especially if we go somewhere posh, and then they tend to go along with most things.”
Theo nodded in understanding and pulled out their trunks sitting them on the platform and restoring them to their proper size. Hermione transformed each into expensive looking suitcases similar to ones that her mother’s best friend had brought once on a shared family trip that they’d taken.
“You’re all wearing designer muggle clothes, aren’t you?” Hermione asked, and then sighed, before transforming her clothes into a simple grey suit. She’d look like Theo’s assistant, but that was fine. She sort of was acting in that role for the moment anyway.
“Alright...okay,” Hermione started. “So this is what we are going to do -”
Once she explained the taxi, how long it would take and what to expect, her three lovers were looking more nervous instead of less so she determined that it was time to just go for it as more explaining wasn’t going to make this any better.
When the cab driver asked her what hotel they were heading to, Hermione blanked for a second and then said, “The Savoy.” It was fancy enough to appease the Purebloods, Hermione was certain of that. And they should have a suite that could accommodate the four of them.
Draco stared at the taxi in awe until Hermione took him by the hand and pulled him inside. She motioned for them to mimic her buckling in her seatbelt, which she did slowly, and discreetly cast several cushioning charms on their hard plastic seats.
Pansy looked out onto the streets of London with amazement, holding Theo’s hand tightly, while he grinned in excitement at Hermione. Draco’s leg shook, his anxiety apparent as they rode in the chequered cab.
“When we have to come back to King’s Cross, the hotel will probably arrange a transfer for us, so we won’t have to take a cab that time.” Draco nodded absently and Hermione squeezed his leg trying to reassure him. “It’s a short ride.”
The cab pulled into the drop off of the hotel, dominated by columns, a huge fountain and staff who made quick work of the bags and had them on a trolley. Hermione smiled kindly at one of the porters and whispered, “Lord Nott,” she inclined her head at Theo, “Doesn’t have a reservation, but just returned from out of the country and doesn’t want to travel all the way to the estate. Are there any vacancies?”
“Oh assuredly miss,” the porter replied. “Especially for a member of the nobility. Are you his assistant?”
“Yes,” Hermione sighed as though put out. “If I had known this was the plan, I would have made reservations in advance.”
“Far be it for us to know what they will want though, miss.” The older man smiled in commiseration. He looked over at the Slytherins who were hiding their nervousness with the look of bored ennui that one would expect from aristocrats.
“Indeed.”
“Please follow me, your lordship,” the porter bowed to Theo. “The front desk will get you taken care of straight away.”
The Slytherins followed the man into the pristine and sparkling lobby and were led to the desk. Theo was clearly intimidated and Hermione remembered that while he had been to Italy with Blaise a number of times, he’d always stayed at Blaise’s estate.
“Miss Granger, can you assist me?” Theo asked in a tone that made it an imperious command. She rushed up to the counter with him, as though she was afraid of losing her job.
“Lord Nott would like a suite, ma’am,” Hermione smiled at the receptionist.
“We’ll need an identification card and a credit card please.” The receptionist typed on the computer in front of her while Theo pulled out his wallet and handed Hermione his cards. The receptionist took one look at Theo’s black credit card and nodded. The Savoy was a luxury hotel, they were used to guests with Theo’s level of wealth. There was no awe in her expression, only acceptance that they could afford to be here.
“Thank you, Lord Nott.” The receptionist kept typing. “How many days will you be staying with us?”
“Until the morning of the first,” Theo stated, examining his fingernails as though terribly bored.
“Thank you,” she continued. “Do you -”
“I’d like whatever suite is best,” Theo interjected, cutting off the receptionist. “Galle - Pounds are no object.” His lips twisted at his near slip with terminology.
“I understand…Well it appears the Royal Suite has just had a cancellation and is currently available. It’s fifteen thousand pounds per night.”
“I doubt I’ll notice,” Theo replied, his voice oozing privilege and wealth.
“Of course, sir.” The receptionist typed a bit at the computer and took the cards, swiping and offering a pin pad for Theo to autograph. “Your signature please sir. And how many keys will you like?”
“Four please,” Hermione said, trying to be extra sweet in proportion to Theo’s poncey behaviour. She was barely able to keep herself from rolling her eyes and calling him a prat.
“Of course,” the receptionist said again.
She handed Theo back his cards to which Hermione whispered, “Put those away before you lose them.”
“Yes Miss Granger, you know I love it when you tell me what to do,” Theo remarked, not bothering to lower his voice. The receptionist didn’t say anything, but her lip twitched as though she was fighting a smile.
Hermione blushed and looked back at Draco and Pansy who were looking around with that same bored indifference that they had been attempting since they had arrived at the hotel.
“Miss Granger, you take the keys, please.” Theo ordered in one of his most commanding tones.
“Of course, your lordship,” Hermione replied demurely.
“Your room comes with a butler service and a number of other amenities. Would you like me to -”
Interrupting, Theo bit out. “What I’d like is to relax in my room briefly before I go out for the evening, so can we speed this up?”
“Of course,” the receptionist motioned for a man in a full tuxedo to come to her. “This is Reginald. He’ll be your personal butler for the duration of your stay.”
“Reginald, Lord Nott and his entourage will be in the Royal Suite until the first.” The butler smiled and bowed.
“This way, your lordship, miss.”
“Draco! Pansy! Come along. We have our room.” Theo called.
Pansy gave him a glare that could have frozen piping hot coffee. “Theo darling, remember I tell you what to do, not the other way around. I’d hate to have to remind you.”
Theo laughed. “Threaten me with a good time too.” The butler and the receptionist kept the same polite expressions on their faces, reacting not in the slightest to Theo’s inappropriate comments.
Their private lift led to an upper floor that was dominated by their giant suite. The Purebloods all seemed to have no problems with the lift and even Hermione had to admit that it was much safer than the terrifying lifts in the Ministry.
The butler opened the door, revealing opulent rooms and Hermione barely held in a gasp at the beautiful view overlooking the Thames. She tried to pretend that this level of decadence wasn’t stealing her very breath.
“Is there anything further you would like, my lord?” Reginald asked. “There’s a bottle of champagne on ice in the dining room. Shall I order dinner for your party?”
“We’ll have a late dinner,” Theo stated. “For now we need our luggage, because we are going to be going out.”
“Of course my lord,” Reginald turned and the trolley with the porter entered with all their things.
Hermione handled the porter, letting him know that they didn’t wish for their bags to be unpacked and to place them all into one of the two bedrooms that the suite offered. If the porter thought it was odd that the four of them were all using one bedroom instead of splitting between the two available, he was too well trained to show it.
“Thank you Reginald,” Theo smiled. “We will most likely be back late, mildly intoxicated, and I will definitely want something to eat then. If you could have the kitchens prepare a selection of what they consider their best treats and bites, that would be ideal.”
Once Reginald had bowed and left the room along with the porter, Theo turned to everyone, “Alright my darlings, let’s get dolled up because we are going out!”
**********
Theo insisted on taking “the tube” to a gay bar after he learned that there was one only a few stops away. Draco was horrified by the entire concept as Hermione explained to them what they needed to do to travel in that manner.
For the experience Theo said. Theo who was wearing a sparkly button down shirt and tight black jeans, his custom belt buckle highly visible, the snake entwined through the letter “N.” Theo who oozed confidence about this foray into the Muggle world.
Despite the fact that Draco desperately wanted to visit a place where it was socially acceptable to touch Theo, the method of transportation was not something that he was enjoying. Draco thought that he was going to be physically ill the entire time. He held onto the pole above his head with white knuckles as the train jerked and started, the smell of muggles’ sweat and the less than immaculate train made his skin crawl.
Once they emerged from the strange subterranean train, they had to go through a filthy white tiled tunnel that eventually led them out into the open air. Draco was so grateful to be out of that dungeon-like place. It was nothing like the Slytherin dungeons, it felt strange and frightening. The smell was unpleasant and Draco sucked in the fresh air desperately and tried to pretend as though he was fine. He could do this. Theo had saved him from Azkaban, so Draco could learn to cope with Muggle transportation and culture if it made Theo happy.
He looked at Hermione’s content expression. She was thrilled to be on this outing as well, to be their guide into the world that she was born into. Draco needed to take a breath, remember Cordelia’s coping skills instruction, and keep it together to make those he loved happy.
This was not too much to ask of him.
***********
Hermione and Pansy were both in short black dresses with heels and tight chokers. They held hands as they waited in the line to get into the club. Pansy put her arm around Hermione’s waist and her deep red lips stretched into a smile.
Theo was clearly enjoying having his hands on Draco, pulling the blonde in for a kiss and grinning at Pansy over his shoulder. The line was filled with other men showing casual affection. Pansy marvelled at it. The Muggle world was so different from the Wizarding world. She couldn’t imagine what the reactions to this sort of thing would be in Diagon Alley, but she didn’t think they would be good. Especially when she considered who they were, the Slytherin witch who tried to betray Harry Potter with her arms around the Golden Girl would cause a riot.
If people learned about Draco and Theo it wouldn’t cause much of a sensation as long as their affection was kept private, although no member of the Sacred 28 touched their spouse with anything approaching tenderness in a public setting. It just wasn’t done, but that wasn’t the life that Pansy wanted for herself.
She looked into the Gryffindor Princess' smiling face.
That wasn’t the life that she deserved either.
************
One of the bouncers came down the row and pulled them from the line. Hermione couldn’t miss the way the man admired Theo and Draco, and she knew that they were the reason that the four of them were getting in quicker as opposed to her and Pansy.
She wished that she’d cast extra cushioning charms on her heels, the one was really not cutting it. After forcing Hermione into one of her dresses and thigh high stockings, Pansy had gone a little overboard on the Sleek-easy Potion and the makeup. Hermione had rarely worn so much, even the night of the Yule Ball, but Theo and Draco had been full of compliments and that was quite the ego boost.
The whole goal of tonight was to have a good time. Pansy and Draco deserved a chance to celebrate their newfound freedom and to enjoy the anonymity that the Muggle world allowed. On this side of reality, they were just a group of posh young people out for a night on the town. There was no one about to hex Draco or to get in Hermione’s face about the company she was keeping, and they were extremely unlikely to run into a reporter from the Daily Prophet. Here there was nothing for Hermione to do but have a good time.
It was a real change of pace, no one to rescue, no problems to solve. No Harry to save.
Oh to be young and without responsibilities for once in her life.
********
True to Gnarlak’s word, the Muggles barely looked at their identification cards and their wrists were summarily stamped with an indistinguishable mark that made Draco stiffen when the man put it on his inner wrist.
“It’s proof you’ve paid to get in,” Hermione whispered. “Nothing nefarious, you can wash it off later.” She squeezed his shoulder and the four of them made their way indoors.
The inside of the club was all flashing lights and deep vibrating bass. Theo loved it. It reminded him of one of the festivals he’d been to with Blaise. He squeezed Draco’s hand to reassure him, noticing that Draco was struggling not to occlude. Draco hung onto his hand like a life line and Theo thought that he could probably get used to this. Maybe they could live in the Muggle world full time after they finished Hogwarts. It didn’t seem that difficult to navigate.
Money always made things easier and Salazar knew that Theo had plenty of that.
Draco’s arm wrapped around Theo’s waist as they headed further inside and Theo hated to appreciate Draco being uncomfortable, but if it meant that Draco willingly touched him in public like this, Theo couldn’t help but bask in the warmth of his dragon.
“Here!” Hermione pointed to a table that wasn’t taken, it only had two tall chairs, but with a little lift from the two boys, the girls were placed in them.
“I’ll go get some drinks,” Theo offered. “Draco, stay with our girls and keep them safe while I’m gone.”
Theo could hear Hermione complaining that she was perfectly capable of keeping herself safe as he headed over to the bar. Her indignant tone made him smile.
This outing was exactly what he had needed. Choosing a drink from the specials list at random based only on its name, Theo gave a few bills to the bartender hoping that they were enough and took the drinks back to his lovers. He cast a nonverbal sticking charm to the glasses so that he didn’t drop them all over the floor and embarrass himself.
The place was crowded already, full of men touching each other and women on each other’s laps.
Muggles may not be the same as wizards, but fuck if this place wasn’t magical.
“Alright, loves,” Theo smiled as he passed the drinks to the other three. “We have to start tonight off with a celebratory toast. This is the first day of the rest of our lives together. We beat the Wizengamot and Azkaban and we're not going to take that or each other for granted."
“To escaping our responsibilities!” Hermione added.
“To Aurelia Selwyn,” Pansy chimed in. “We couldn’t ask for a better probation Auror.”
“Officer,” Hermione corrected.
“À votre santé!” Draco coughed as he drank from the glass. “Theo, what is this? It’s so sweet!”
“The bartender said it was called a sex on the beach.” Theo laughed. “I think I love it.”
“Are you sure there is alcohol in this, Theo?” Pansy asked, sipping the brightly coloured cocktail. “It tastes like juice.”
“Yes, Pansy,” Hermione answered. “It absolutely has alcohol. Don’t drink it too fast.”
“Yes, mum,” Pansy responded dutifully, giving Hermione a mock salute with desire bright in her eyes.
Hermione’s answering blush was so endearing, that Theo leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, before turning to Draco.
“I have to use the loo,” Theo said to him, kissing him lightly on the earlobe. “Guard my drink and I’ll be right back.”
Theo surveyed the club and saw a corridor with an icon of a man and a woman that glowed bright blue and pink in the darkness.
Once he found the appropriate door after a few tries, Theo found a room that smelled horrendously of piss and seemed to only contain a small sink and row of urinals. Theo was disconcerted to discover a dark-haired man leaning against the wall.
"I can tell you're new here, pretty boy, how about I show you how to really make this night special?"
“Alas, my boyfriend will frown on me shagging someone random while in the loo.” Theo smiled and went to move past the young man.
“You misunderstand me,” the man said, holding out a little bag with a small pink tablet in it. Theo’s eyes widened, he’d taken something that looked similar a few years ago with Blaise.
“How much,” Theo asked, chewing his lip as he awaited the answer.
**********
As Theo returned to the table, he found that everyone was on their second drink, empty glasses stacked on one side. Theo drank his first drink quickly, his mouth already dry from the pill that he had purchased in the bathroom.
It wasn’t his first time experimenting with Muggle party drugs and he knew that they never affected wizards quite as strongly as they did Muggles. Someone should really study why that was sometime.
He finished his second drink with the same alacrity, watching as Draco and Pansy were taking in the surroundings. This place was the antithesis of every Pureblood ball and party that they had ever attended.
“Come on, let’s dance.” Theo took Draco by the hand, while Pansy led Hermione further into the club where there were even more flashing lights and the floor was obscured by the same kind of smoke that came from a well brewed potion. Theo smiled in delight at Draco’s hesitant enjoyment of all the new experiences, lacing his fingers with Draco’s as he brought him deeper into the dance floor, keeping an eye on their witches as he did so.
Theo felt so good, every touch was magnified several fold. When Draco grabbed the back of Theo’s neck to bring Theo closer while they were dancing. Theo nearly came in his pants. Muggle drugs were incredible. Draco’s fingers ran through Theo’s curls, the fingertips tracing his scalp.
It also felt amazing to be dancing like this with Draco in public. Theo's knee slid between Draco's and Theo's hands ran over his beloved's body. Draco’s lips were just above his, they shared their breath. Theo felt as though lightning was flowing through his body. It was unbelievable that such open public pleasure-seeking was possible in the Muggle world.
Theo basked in the hedonism of the moment, committing it to memory for all time as Draco ran a thumb along his jaw and kissed him.
Finally.
*********
Hermione struggled to find her footing, dancing in heels. She’d never been out dancing like this, her muggle friends had drifted further and further away from her as she’d gotten older and she hadn’t put in any effort in maintaining those friendships, spending the majority of her summers and Christmas hols in the Wizarding World. She’d put all her eggs in the Ron and Harry basket. Look where that had left her, all alone.
She wasn’t alone though anymore was she?
Pansy twirled Hermione about and pulled her in close, her nails sending goosebumps all up and down over Hermione’s arms. They came close together and Hermione pecked Pansy’s lips in a light kiss. Pansy grinned at her. Hermione would never have imagined that she'd have this in her life, another witch kissing and touching her, making her feel wanted. She peaked at the boys through the crowd and the smoke machine and they were all over each other.
“Gods, they are so bloody fit,” Pansy murmured, following Hermione’s line of sight. “This place is amazing.” Pansy turned Hermione around so that she could grab the witch’s hips and bring her skin to skin against Pansy’s front. Pansy used the access to kiss her way down Hermione’s neck as the music thumped in time to their heart beats.
“When we get back to the hotel, I can’t wait to watch the two of them do all kinds of naughty things to each other and to you, Mi,” Pansy nipped at Hermione’s neck, while Hermione moaned lowly, the sound lost in the noise and the crowd.
She could feel that her own panties were wet.
Pansy’s hand spread wide on Hermione’s abdomen, a claiming touch. Hermione looked up to see other women looking at her with a leer that had been reserved for boys like McLaggen before and some others just admiring.
Pansy’s lips were at her ear as the dark-haired witch rubbed against her body. “Definitely some appreciating stares, Mi. Too bad, we’ve already caught you. You’re in bed with snakes now.”
Hermione couldn’t hold back the whimper as Pansy’s teeth found her throat.
*************
Draco was so hard from rubbing against Theo that he was actually aching. He was enjoying the gay club since he’s gotten used to the lights, thumping music and vibrations anyway. The one light that changed colours to green and lit up the smoke at his feet looking far too much like someone casting an Avada Kedavra was almost too much. He gripped to Theo and thank Salazar that his gasped “Daddy” had been swallowed up by the noises around them.
It had to be getting late and Draco was ready to go. It was wonderful to be able to kiss Theo in public, but he was ready for a more private celebration of his freedom.
“Theo, can we go?” Draco asked in Theo’s ear, his hands holding Theo’s hips tight. Theo nodded and grabbed a hold of Hermione as they left the dance floor, dragging Pansy along with them back outside.
“Can we please not take the tube back?” Draco asked, as they emerged into the cool London night.
“So needy, my dragon,” Theo pinched Draco’s arse with a grin. Draco blushed, unable to believe that Theo would do such a thing in public. The Muggle world was such a different place. Draco was having a hard time absorbing that this was actually real.
“I’ll find us a taxi,” Hermione laughed, dragging his hand down the street. “Come on!”
********
Theo wasted no time ordering room service when they returned to the hotel. Reginald had stayed up expecting their return and the food was brought quickly: a selection of charcuterie, tea towers with various treats, and a few different dinner entrees. They all picked at the food, even Draco who had a tendency not to eat when he was stressed. Theo kissed the chocolate from his lips, fed Hermione berries and poured water for Pansy at her request. The suite he’d taken was full of sumptuous fabrics and bright colours. Theo was amazed at how luxurious Muggles were capable of making the place without any magic. The time and effort it must have taken was immense. He wondered if he could sell Nott Castle and live someplace like this indefinitely, the Nott vaults were pretty bottomless after all.
His body still felt as though every inch was tingling from the pill he had taken earlier. He wondered how long it was going to last. He didn’t feel completely inebriated, he just felt good, like everything in life was made of pleasure instead of suffering for a change.
“Time for the bedroom?” Draco asked, taking a bite of a final lemon tart and licking his lips. “Please?”
Hermione had already taken off her heels and was rubbing the soles of her feet. “I’m absolutely ready to be off my feet for the night.”
“Mmmm,” Pansy agreed, walking toward the rear of the suite with Hermione and Draco following behind her.
"It's time for the Champagne because we are still celebrating!" Theo declared, holding up the champagne bottle dripping from the ice bucket as he walked into the bedroom wearing nothing but his trunks, his clothes had been abandoned piece by piece throughout the suite. His shoes by the chaise, his trousers over the back of a chair, his shirt on the floor in front of the door to the ensuite.
He still felt flushed, but he was ready to enjoy this perfect moment between the four of them.
"What did Blaise once say? That the proper way to drink it was off a woman's breasts." Theo giggled, earning a confused look from his lovers. "Let's find out if it really does taste better. I think Hermione will be the perfect vessel. Strip off the dress and bra, princess and sit on the edge of the bed…Leave the stockings." Theo licked his lips at the sinful picture that their princess made perched just so.
Pouring the champagne slowly over her clavicle onto her full naked breasts, Theo watched Draco lick at the bubbles that flowed over Hermione’s bronze skin. Pansy licked the Champagne that pooled into Hermione’s navel. Hermione gasped and mewled as her skin was licked and sucked, tongues and mouths fully making her go wild with desire.
“I think Blaise was right,” Draco popped off Hermione’s nipple. “The skin of a beautiful woman really invigorates the flavour of the Champagne.”
“Fuck!” Hermione quivered as Pansy laced her fingers with the other witch’s. “Do you have to be so bloody posh all the time?”
“Absolutely,” Draco replied, smirking up at her with her nipple in his mouth which somehow didn’t manage to ruin the effect.
Eventually the two mouths could not keep up with the pace at which Theo was pouring the expensive bottle of Champagne and a cool rivulet ran down past Hermione’s navel and between her legs. She shivered.
Pansy chased the liquid with the tip of her finger, causing Hermione to writhe and Draco to hold her at the small of her back. His large hands forceful and his rings cool on her skin.
"Our girl is wet,” Pansy clucked her tongue.”Is it the champagne or is it for us? I believe that I’ll have a taste to find out." Her lips pressed against the fabric, before she moved it to the side to give herself better access. Her lips and tongue drank in Hermione’s arousal as her ears basked in the sound of the witch’s moans. Theo dripped the last of the Champagne onto his tongue and attacked the column of Hermione’s throat with his lips.
Hermione’s breath was coming in swift desperate pants as her three snakes took complete control of her pleasure.
“Shouldn’t we be spoiling Draco?” Hermione nearly sobbed out as her core pulsed under the onslaught of Pansy’s experienced tongue.
As Theo took his place holding Hermione up, Draco pinched her nipples, looking up into her flushed face, as her swollen lips fell open.
“Who says that I don’t feel spoiled?” Draco murmured, before he claimed her lips with his.
Notes:
The art in this chapter is by Rutisfree https://twitter.com/rutisfree?s=20
Thank you Sobsinashell for your help! Check out her fic Treasured Skies if you haven't https://archiveofourown.org/works/43720165/chapters/109939600
Chapter 28: Cigarettes and Feelings
Summary:
The Slytherins and Hermione explore Muggle London and acquire permanent souvenirs.
Notes:
The playlist for We'll Be The Only Dream You Seek is https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7H5Eskhpc9tuV78PCXFAMt?si=XoZ9rwQfQ9eR-292eMzIYg
Art for this chapter Bluna by KK https://www.instagram.com/makaykirei_art/
and Theo by missmrah https://www.tumblr.com/missmrah
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 28
Cigarettes and Feelings
The stars shone over the balcony at the villa in Rome. Blaise wrapped his arm around Luna and drew succour from her touch. He’d extinguished all the torches so that they could see the stars better. The warming charms kept the chill of the night away, but Blaise didn’t think that any cold could reach him regardless, not with Luna here with him.
"What do you think that Draco will say when he finds out?" Luna asked, staring up at the stars, her expression even more thoughtful than normal.
"That he'll be glad we never had an orgy with the four of them. Theo tried to set that up a couple times," Blaise quipped, grinning at her.
“Blaise, be serious,” Luna scolded, despite the frown not quite meeting her twinkling eyes.
“I am being serious, Lu,” Blaise replied, kissing her temple and smelling the floral scent of her hair. His arms tightened around her waist and he pulled her flush against him.
“As though first cousins never shag or even marry in our world, please Blaise.” Luna scoffed. “I’m serious though. Will he be happy that I’m related to him, or will it push him even further away? It’s so strange to say that the closest that he and I have ever been emotionally is when I was a prisoner in his home. Sweet Rowena, and that is the home my own mother grew up in. And Lucius Malfoy had to have known who I was…that I think may be the most horrifying part. He had to have realised that he had his niece imprisoned in his dungeons."
"No doubt some weird guilt about it contributed to how bloody pissed he was all the time during the war, but honestly I don’t think the wizard even has feelings. That man is pure evil Lu, I'm sure that he doesn't even consider you his niece. His sister was disowned, so she was no longer his sister as far as he was concerned."
"From Draco’s stories in group and when we would hang out in the Heads’ Dorm, I think Lucius had a drinking problem. Almost every story of abuse he told started with his father drinking. I'll bet Lucius' father, my grandfather, was abusive, too. What did Cordelia say 'hurt people hurt people'?" Luna leaned into Blaise, soaking in his warmth, letting him hold her up and support her.
Blaise nodded, his head on top of Luna's fair head, breathing her in.
"Not that there is any excuse for mistreating your children. I’d never do such a thing. I remember my mother being nothing but kind as well. It’s just a lot to take in." She murmured.
"Honestly, I'm not surprised," Blaise admitted. “I should have made a bet with Theo. I could have raked in the galleons.”
"And why weren’t you surprised?" Luna asked, snuggling back further into his embrace.
"First, no one but you two has hair that pale, I mean Draco’s is even closer to white, but still, even some of the other Ancient and Noble Houses that have blonde hair don't come close to that shade. Second, you are terrifying when you want to be."
"That's not just a Malfoy trait," Luna pointed out.
"Maybe not but the Malfoys are masters at it," Blaise shrugged. "And you ooze otherworldliness. My mother told me once that Malfoys made a deal with the fae to build the Manor there, that it had been a fae stronghold, even Draco admits the Manor is situated on ley lines. The first Lord Malfoy in England had to take a fae princess as his bride in exchange for holding the land in perpetuity and that each firstborn legitimate heir in their line would always be male and would always live long enough to sire their own son. Their second child they had to give back under the hill to be the new faerie king or queen, my mother never said which. The Malfoy line has been unbroken since then. You always struck me as someone who could be part fae. Draco too, albeit for different reasons."
"How would your mother have heard such a story?” Luna asked in wonder, "That sounds like secret family lore." It was the kind of information her father would pay thousands of galleons to do an exclusive of in the Quibbler. Those sorts of family secrets were always so tightly guarded.
"Isn't it obvious, my love?" Blaise’s smile could be heard in his voice.
Luna turned to look up at him in confusion, wondering where her love was finding mirth in this situation.
"Your mother must have told her when they were girls."
Luna’s lips changed into a surprised "o" as she considered that probability. It was entirely likely.
How very uncanny.
*********
"Our girl is wet,” Pansy clucked her tongue.”Is it the champagne or is it for us? I believe that I’ll have a taste to find out." Her lips pressed against the fabric, before she moved it to the side to give herself better access. Her lips and tongue drank in Hermione’s arousal as she basked in the sound of the witch’s moans.
Theo dripped the last of the champagne onto his tongue and then attacked the column of Hermione’s throat with his lips.
Hermione’s breath was coming in swift desperate pants as her three snakes took complete control of her pleasure.
“Shouldn’t we be spoiling Draco?” Hermione nearly sobbed out as her core pulsed under the onslaught of Pansy’s experienced tongue.
As Theo took his place holding Hermione up, Draco pinched her nipples, looking up into her flushed face, as her swollen lips fell open.
“Who says that I don’t feel spoiled?” Draco murmured, before he claimed her lips with his.
Kissing Draco while Pansy licked at her dripping pussy and Theo’s mouth latched on her neck caused wildfires to race across Hermione’s skin, Hermione thought that a person could die from such overwhelming pleasure. Draco began to use his tongue to clean all the remaining stickiness from the champagne that they had poured over her skin.
"I can't. I can't. I can't take it," Hermione’s breaths were harsh, her whole body wound tight as she felt her inevitable release drawing ever closer. The muscles in her abdomen tensed and though Pansy’s mouth expertly licked her and sucked her, it was Draco and Theo each sucking on one of her nipples that finally pushed her over the edge. Their two mouths were warm and wet but different and those differences were making lightning flow through her body where her blood ought to be.
Her vision went white with the incredible force of the orgasm. Her scream was wordless and loud as she shook and trembled.
"Maybe we should have silenced the room before we really got started with our celebration," Theo laughed.
"Pretty sure the entire floor of the hotel or at least this wing heard us," Pansy pointed out as she pulled back from between Hermione’s legs. "Delicious Mi, as always." She nipped at Hermione’s thigh leaving the ghost of her teeth in the tan flesh there.
*******
Hermione snuggled down into the fluffy pillows on the king-sized bed where they would be sleeping for the next couple of nights. She sighed in contentment as Draco kissed the back of her neck and shoulder.
"This is like sleeping on a bunch of clouds stuck together with a charm," Hermione sighed dreamily. “This is the most comfortable bed that I have ever slept in, although it ought to be for the cost of the room.”
“Was it expensive?" Theo asked. “Three thousand galleons a night didn't seem too bad, when it comes with the muggle equivalent of house elves and it's much nicer than where we stayed last night and they charged me nearly two hundred galleons, plus an extra fee for allowing me to set my own wards.”
“And the decor here is really nice.” Pansy added, curling into Theo’s arms. "I was quite impressed with the floral arrangements. They don’t actually mean anything, but still the designs are quite artistic."
Hermione laughed, “I don’t think that you Slytherins could be more posh if you tried.”
The three Slytherins chuckled as well, as they cuddled together, bringing their hands and legs together as much as possible, twining and cuddling in the large opulent bed until they all drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
*******
Sunday morning, Theo woke up early and found that the witches had enfolded one another in their embrace. Their legs and arms were positioned in ways that pulled each onto the other’s body. Theo looked across the bed and found that his wizard was missing and he would be lying if he said that that didn’t make him horribly nervous.
And then he heard it.
The sweet sounds of Draco’s lap harp drifting through the hotel suite. The music had a haunting ethereal quality in the quiet that had settled over Muggle London. It seemed strange that such a busy city would be so still just before dawn.
Theo came out into the sitting room and found his missing love. Lounging on the blue couch, Draco was only wearing his pyjama pants and had his harp on his lap as he strummed a melody, carefully picking the strings to pull sounds from them that Theo barely thought were possible.
Draco constantly amazed him. Theo thought of the portrait that he had painted in the Heads’ Dorm and now listening to the beautiful music that Draco could bring forth from his instrument, Theo had to admit to the artistic skill of his beloved. Perhaps it was true that artistic genius was fed by suffering. Draco had certainly had enough of that in his lifetime.
Leaning against the doorway, Theo couldn’t look away from his very own Orpheus, so fair and perfect. Theo felt truly blessed.
************
Draco straddled Theo’s lap and the two wizards were exchanging slow deep kisses, when there came a knock at the suite door and Pansy, still in nothing but a thin black silk dressing gown, answered it.
Theo didn't even bother to stop kissing Draco at first, his hands holding Draco’s neck and head, smiling into each and every kiss.
Draco thought he could melt into Theo and be perfectly content to cease to be a separate person.
Pansy coughed, then added, "If you two could come up for air, Reginald's come and he's brought a selection of pastries as well as a coffee and tea service."
The butler was setting up the serving table in the dining room with everything Pansy had mentioned.
Theo snuggled Draco closer and enjoyed the way the blonde was submitting to him. Draco was absolutely Theo’s baby. He could admit that at least to himself. Theo was the daddy to Draco’s sweet submissive. And Theo felt so lucky. Between his three lovers, every desire that Theo could have was amply satisfied.
"Reginald," Theo called as the man came back through the sitting room. The butler didn't even look the slightest bit shocked at the two young men or at Pansy’s state of undress.
"Is there a place that has a good brunch that we might enjoy? We went out last night to a club that we quite liked, but we were hoping to find something similar where I might be able to hold hands with my boyfriend in the light of day."
Reginald nodded. "Yes, my lord, I think I know what sort of place you mean. I will call the concierge and get a list. Enjoy the light repast and beverage service in the meantime and I will return in short order."
After Reginald left, Pansy returned to the room with a cup of coffee. "You are going to scandalise the man. Also, how are you going to explain not knowing anything about London?"
"My father kept me tightly confined at our country estate and he recently passed and left me the title and the fortune. I'm sowing my wild oats now." Theo grinned at the dark haired witch.
Hermione emerged from the suite’s massive bathroom wearing nothing more than a towel and looked at everyone in confusion. “What did I miss?”
“Well darling Reginald barely missed you in a towel, Mi.” Pansy laughed. “Do you want coffee or tea we've been delivered?”
“Coffee, please, sweet and pale,” Hermione replied, “Just let me get dressed and we can do whatever you three like.” She disappeared back towards the bedroom.
“Pans, can I get my nails painted before we go out,” Draco asked, looking at his hands pressed against Theo’s chest.
“Of course, Draco darling,” Pansy sipped her drink, her pale leg exposed in her robe as she crossed her legs.
“Oh me too, please,” Theo requested eagerly.
Pansy shook her head, “Of course Theo, you too.” Her laughter was low and husky. If Theo hadn’t already been half hard from snogging Draco, Pansy’s laughter would have done it.
*********
The Savoy Hotel's chauffeured Bentley dropped them off at an establishment with large posters of performers in heavy makeup and large wigs outfront. The concierge had called ahead and gotten them a VIP table in the front of the restaurant.
“Lord Nott,” the host in his flamboyant gold suit said as they entered, Hermione wondered if he had seen the car from the Savoy or if the concierge had described Theo over the phone. “Welcome. Your table is waiting this way.”
Theo leaned over to Hermione, “So this place is like a dinner theatre, but for brunch?”
“Exactly.” Hermione replied, smiling. She hoped that they would enjoy it.
“Your server will be right with you to take your drink orders,” the host smiled brightly.
It wasn’t more than a moment before another stunningly handsome man with a tray of mimosas appeared. “Brunch this morning comes with complimentary bottomless beverages. Let me know if these are to your liking or I can bring options that are spicier,” the server said with a wink.
After the server had handed them menus and headed to check on another table, Draco whispered. “What is this beverage?”
Hermione laughed. “It's called a mimosa and it's Champagne and orange juice, although I think this one is passion fruit. They are bottomless to a point and are part of the entry to the show this morning.”
“Hermione, the waiter said the bottomless bit already, but I can see quite clearly that the glass has a bottom,” and Draco proved his point by draining his glass and showing her. His confusion was clearly written on his face.
Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent the laughter from getting out, because she didn’t want to discourage him during his first exploration of the Muggle world. “It’s a muggle expression which means that they will keep your glass refilled for as many times as you like while we eat and watch the performances.”
“Bottomless drinks,” Pansy mused while sipping her own mimosa. “Muggles are brilliant.”
Theo nodded in agreement. “Now what options does the menu have? I want to try something that I have never eaten before.”
*********
The mimosas were delicious if sweet, but Draco knew that he needed to pace himself because this was likely the beginning of what the four of them were doing for the day. He wanted to be able to keep up with everyone else and he had no experience with Muggle alcohol. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in public or cause them to end a fun day together early.
Draco wasn't sure that he liked this loud place, but there were men in elaborately done hair, makeup and gowns which led them to believe that he and Theo could touch here.
Even better, Draco found that when he held Theo’s hand and kissed him on the cheek he got no reaction at all. No one at any of the tables around even looked at them, in fact he saw other couples showing their own affections to their partners, women sharing giggly kisses and men stroking their boyfriend’s arm. The casual hand holding was mind blowing, he tried to imagine holding Theo’s hand at the Slytherin table and found that he couldn’t stretch his imagination that far. For this kind of freedom of public affection, Draco could tolerate the bombastic nature of the entertainment.
Looking at the performers’ long colourfully manicured hands, he admired his own black painted ones and smiled. It was lovely to see the brightly coloured and decorated nails that the performers sported, but he liked his glossy and black. Their darkness matched his preferred aesthetic.
The performers were not singing the songs themselves, they were moving their lips along with songs that were being played loudly by some muggle device. They had elaborate dance routines and, more than once, he caught Hermione humming along or singing the song under her breath. Pansy was grinning at Hermione, playing with one of her curls as she sipped her mimosa and ate the sliced fruit that adorned her plate, occasionally putting a sliced strawberry on Hermione’s tongue. Pushing her plate of food entirely to the side, Pansy pulled Hermione onto her lap as she'd seen one of the performers get too close (in Pansy’s estimation) to one of the patrons at a nearby table. She called it her ‘Mi Protective Buffer,’ which caused Hermione to giggle as she sipped her mimosa.
"I think," Draco whispered in Theo’s ear, "That you would look fantastic in an evening gown. Definitely sapphire blue to bring out your eyes."
"Could you imagine my father's face? He would probably die on the spot. I could save the Ministry the cost of an executioner and show up to visit him in one. Wouldn't that be something?" Theo laughed mirthlessly.
"Don't get melancholy on us now, my Lord," commanded Hermione from her place on Pansy’s lap.
"Listen to Mi, Theo. And the outfits really are incredible," Pansy considered, "I wonder if they all hand sew their clothes. I doubt that such things are from the ready-made shelf, especially in those sizes.”
When several of the performers came by their table to thank them for coming, Hermione laughed as Pansy got into an excited conversation with two of them about their intricate hand embroidery which was one of Pansy’s hobbies. Hermione couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot at the happy expression on the face of the witch that was often so austere and serious especially when they were among people beyond their foursome.
Theo was amused when a couple of the performers curtseyed deeply and called him by his title. The Muggle world was certainly deferential to titles of nobility.
“This may be one of my favourite things to do in the world,” Theo said, slightly tipsy, as they left. “I love Drag Brunch. It's magical. Ten out of ten.”
************
"I want to visit the British Museum and look at all the antiquities," Draco requested. "We have done two loud activities since we have been in Muggle London and I haven't complained, but now I would very much like some quiet time looking at art." Draco looked at his companions as they waited for the cab that the host had called for them after their meal and the show was over.
"Oh, I've always wanted to go too," Pansy added, looking quite interested.
"Not that I am not thrilled to go, because I love the collection there, but how do you two know about the British Museum? It's a Muggle place," Hermione inquired, curious.
"Ah Hermione, love, that is where you are wrong. There is an entire magical wing hidden under the earth. It’s well warded but I know the charm in order to enter," Theo smiled at her little gasp of surprise. “Although I prefer it when such gasps are because of what I am doing between your legs. I know that knowledge is the key to your swotty little heart.” He nipped at her ear, rubbing small circles on her hip with his thumb.
Theo pulled back and lit one of his clove cigarettes only to sigh in disappointment when their cab almost immediately showed up. Hermione climbed in the cab first, letting the driver know where they wanted to be taken. This ride seemed to go a lot better for the three Purebloods, the driver was much more cautious than their late night ride from the club. Hermione realised that it probably helped that none of them were quite as drunk as they had been coming back from the club the night before.
Hermione was in awe of the British Museum as always, despite the questionable acquisition process of all the antiquities, Hermione could never help but gaze agog at all the amazing things that ancient hands had made. The four of them made their way past the Rosetta Stone and into the Egyptian wing, because of course the entry into the Wizarding section of the museum was in the Egyptian section.
Behind a giant statue of Bastet, Theo subtly flicked his wand and then walked right through the wall behind the statue, reminding Hermione of the magic of Platform 9 ¾. She knew that there had to be more magical places that had the same sort of entrance. She had always thought that the spell was far too useful and unique to only be used by those going to the Hogwarts Express.
Not for the first time she wondered what other things she had missed out on by being Muggleborn.
The magical section of the British Museum was just as Hermione had imagined it once Draco had mentioned it earlier. The space was sparkling and pristine. The entrance was staffed by a smiling witch who handed them a map of the exhibits and pointed out how to use their wands to activate the charm on the information labels that would read the descriptions aloud to them, and where to tap if they needed the information in another language. Hermione deeply appreciated the attempts at accessibility.
The first couple of galleries were fairly empty so Theo took Hermione’s arm and Draco took Pansy’s as they strolled through looking at the cases filled with magical idols and talismans. One case was entirely cursed artefacts that had been removed from the main British Museum. Hermione listened, entranced, to the voice of the curse breaker who was speaking about the attempts to remove the curse from a particular talisman, then she paused. Then she listened again, paying closer attention.
“That’s Bill Weasley’s voice!” Hermione said in surprise, thinking of Fleur and Bill for the first time in weeks. She hadn’t been a great correspondent over the summer which was unusual for her, she’d need to correct that immediately and send a letter to them both, hearing Bill’s voice at the museum was an excellent excuse.
“Which Weasley is that?” Pansy asked. “That doesn’t sound like the prattish Head Boy.”
“Bill is the eldest. He married Fleur, the Beauxbatons Triwizard champion, during the war. He’s a curse breaker for Gringotts. They invited me to stay with them prior to coming back for the reconstruction camp.”
“I recall,” Theo said, his eyes narrowing as he remembered Fleur’s letter that Hermione had received after the debacle with the Weasel’s article in the Prophet.
Hermione tilted her head at Theo, “Theodore Nott, are you jealous?”
Theo snorted, “I don’t do jealousy.”
Hermione made a little noise of agreement, but internally she was cackling.
The foursome continued their way through the exhibit before coming to a gallery labelled, “The Abraxas Malfoy Collection - on permanent loan.”
Draco sighed, “Oh I forgot all about this. We don’t need to go in.” He probably ought to have said, please can we not go in, he realised when he saw his companions’ reactions.
Pansy raised an eyebrow in his direction, “As though I want to miss looking at whatever your grandfather loaned to the Museum permanently.”
“If we must,” Draco sighed, guiding Pansy through the ornate archway. He was truly dreading visiting this exhibit, but it was hard to put into words why exactly he didn’t want to go.
This gallery was much more crowded than the previous ones. And opposite the entrance was a giant wizarding portrait that must have been Abraxas Malfoy. The wizard was clearly related to Draco. Hermione saw that people were starting to stare at the four of them. The occasional sneer was no surprise, but Hermione found it all ironic when considering that they were perusing an exhibit that had been donated by the Malfoys.
The cases were filled primarily with giant gemstones that were clearly unwearable. There was also a giant display dedicated to the land grant that the Malfoys had received from William the Conqueror along with letters of commendation to the family from Queen Elizabeth the First and King Edward the First amongst others.
Draco looked distinctly uncomfortable looking at all his family treasures on display.
“It’s not all his family wealth,” Theo murmured, and Hermione grimaced when she realised that she must have spoken aloud. “In fact it's probably less than a percent of what’s in his vaults. These are just things that his grandfather thought had historical value to the Wizarding community as a whole. Also the man was more egocentric than Lucius and I think the idea of his name being permanently on display here at the Museum tickled him. Despite how out of favour the Malfoys now are, the museum can never remove this exhibit. It was part of the loan agreement. I think as long as the Museum itself remains standing, this exhibit must continue.”
Hermione nodded, because of course that was the sort of thing that Draco’s grandfather would have done. It appeared that Lucius hadn’t fallen far from the paternal tree.
“Mi,” Pansy called. “Come and look at this ruby. It’s the size of an apple.”
Hermione’s eyes widened at the size of the stone, but it was the colour that truly took her breath away. It was like crystallised blood. How exactly had the Malfoys even come by such a thing?
*********
Draco really wanted to get out of the exhibit hall without catching the attention of the magical portrait of his grandfather; unfortunately for him, the crowd around the portrait had dissipated by the time they were about to leave the hall and the portrait spotted him. Draco could not be mistaken for being anything other than a Malfoy.
“Who are you?” The portrait demanded, imperiously.
“I’m your grandson, Draco,” he answered, wishing in vain that he had never asked to come to the museum today. Pansy stepped off to the side with Theo and Hermione pretending to look at a case with journals dating to the invasion of William the Conqueror open to pages of historical significance.
“Lucius’ son?”
“Of course, who else’s son would I be?” Draco asked, confused, but then he remembered. “My aunt! You thought I might be my aunt’s son.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” the portrait crossed his arms and looked around making certain that others weren’t eavesdropping on their conversation.
“Lucius let it slip when he was in his cups before my third year at Hogwarts,” Draco hissed at the portrait. “And Headmistress McGonagall confirmed that I have a cousin. She’s to introduce us if my cousin consents. Although who would want to admit connection to a family such as ours. You’ve had to have heard that your son is going to get the Dementors’ Kiss in Azkaban in December. I’m sure someone would have wanted to rub that in your face.”
“But you are the heir of our Ancient and Noble House and you are free,” the portrait began, but Draco cut it off with a wave of his hands as he stepped so close that one of the security guards looked at him in concern.
“And if I have anything to say about it, my children will not be Purebloods. So you can sit in this frame knowing that I will end the Pureblood lineage of the House of Malfoy or die trying. Good day, grandfather.”
Draco walked away leaving the portrait spluttering in his frame, with Theo, Pansy, and Hermione following in his wake.
********
There were a number of other interesting exhibits in the wizarding section of the museum; if he hadn’t gotten in an argument with his long dead grandfather, then perhaps Draco would have enjoyed them more. He had really wanted to look at the magical portrait gallery. There were a couple magical portraitists whose use of light and colour he always found inspiring.
Pansy announced that it was her turn to choose the next activity and she wanted to go shopping for Muggle clothes. Hermione guided them all to the nearby cab stand and they quickly piled in, the Slytherins already getting more used to Muggle style conveyances.
*******
Pansy emerged from the dressing room in a black dress with thick petticoats giving volume to the skirts that barely came to her mid thigh. All three of her companions lost their ability to breathe for a minute, let alone speak.
"Pans," Theo said breathlessly, "You have to allow me to buy that for you. It’s breath-taking. In fact, please allow me to buy you whatever it is that you would like if it looks like that on you."
“Far be it from me to refuse a gift, Theo,” Pansy tossed out before she went back into the dressing room.
That same interaction was repeated several times until Pansy had quite the stack of new dresses, including a few that she had chosen specifically with Mi in mind, without letting the other witch know of course.
The girl at the counter called the style of the majority of the dresses that Pansy had chosen Lolita. She gave Theo a card for when the next reason to shower Pansy with gifts came along, a little wink in his direction that was certainly flirtatious.
Once they were back on the street, the air in London was rough on their lungs in comparison to Diagon Alley as they walked around. Hermione found herself wondering, not for the first time, how the Wizarding world managed to keep the pollutants from the Muggle world from drifting into places like Diagon Alley.
While Theo and Pansy argued about whether a dress in a window display was suitable for a midsummer garden party, Hermione distractedly looked up at the street sign trying to figure out exactly where they were.
While she wasn’t particularly paying attention to her surroundings, she realised that someone was trying to get her attention as they crossed the street nearby.
“Hey girl, that’s a very nice arse and pretty mouth you have. What do you say I make use of both?” Hermione looked up in distaste at the young man in front of her with his bad teeth and leering expression. He had an equally disgusting friend just behind him who had probably encouraged the foul attempt to obtain female attention.
Scowling, Hermione opened her mouth to tell them to get lost, but Draco stepped up behind her, his large hand possessively placed on her hip and stomach.
"Is everything alright, darling?" Hermione started at the endearment on his tongue in such a public setting, but leaned into him, accepting the protection that he was offering. Draco turned his most malevolent glare on the two guys who quickly took off.
"I could have handled that," she pointed out, still enjoying the warm feeling of him against her back.
"Yes I know, but you don't have to." Draco wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her back to Theo and Pansy who were jumping up and down.
“Mi, I’ve had a brilliant idea!” Pansy looked at the other witch in barely leashed excitement.
“Yes, Pans?” Hermione smiled, she never thought she’d seen the Slytherin girl look so giddy.
“Let’s get tattoos!” Pansy said, pointing to a tattoo shop across the street from where they had been perusing clothing stores.
Full Moon Tattoos and Piercings was painted above the window in golden paint on the black facade. It looked like a nice spot, not a seedy place like the tattoo shop in Knockturn Alley.
“You know what, fuck it, yes, let’s do it!” Hermione agreed.
“Look at you Hermione, the Golden Girl being such a rebel.” Theo ran a hand over her cheek as he looked both ways before crossing the street. He’d almost been run over twice so far while they’d been out shopping and she was grateful that he was finally starting to be more aware.
Theo pushed the door to the shop open and a bell rang.
The stereo was playing David Bowie singing about being afraid of Americans.
A green haired girl was leaning on the counter flipping through a magazine and a few other artists were drawing or lounging at their stations. One woman in the back corner was getting a tattoo on her ankle and kept scowling.
“Can I help you?" The girl at the counter drawled, her Welsh accent thick.
Draco stepped forward first, "I'd like to get an old tattoo covered up." He pulled up his sleeve, showing the girl his Dark Mark. He couldn't help but flinch when she touched it.
The green haired girl looked at Draco's Dark Mark with a critical eye. "The artist went really heavily on this. Covering it up is going to be a real bitch and take hours. Are you sure? I mean it's kind of cool."
Draco flushed and began to pull his arm back. Hermione put a supportive hand on his elbow and explained.
"It's ...um...a gang tattoo and we just got done at the court. He was acquitted, but it would be a ...positive sign …to his ...probation officer ….if it was covered up."
The green haired tattoo artist nodded and ran one more finger over the Dark Mark. Draco tensed at each pass of her finger.
"TOMMY!" The green haired tattoo artist yelled towards the back. "I got one that's all you."
Out from a back room came one of the biggest men that Hermione has ever seen that wasn't part giant. He was nearly as large as Hagrid. He had a shaved head with a dragon tattoo on the side and his arms were huge and covered in tattoo scenes that looked like Greek mythology, but Hermione wasn't sure what specific myth was depicted. She thought she spotted the Acropolis and Medusa.
"Gang tatt cover up," the green haired girl informed him.
The giant man grinned, "My specialty. Follow me kid."
Hermione and Theo offered reassuring smiles and Pansy gave him a friendly shove.
"Go on," the raven haired witch said. "Surprise us with something cool."
He led Draco to his station in the back across from the scowling girl whose tattoo appeared to be wrapping up. The huge man pulled out strange Muggle books that Draco hadn't seen before, apparently his art portfolios, the images gripped by three metal teeth that kept the pages inside.
He took a hold of Draco’s left arm, examining the Dark Mark while Draco flipped through the pictures.
"So who got you in the life, kid?" The man asked as he watched Draco flip through the books.
"The life?" Draco asked, confused. He wished Granger was over here instead of looking at the flash art at the counter with Pansy. He needed a translator. Tommy tapped the Dark Mark and looked at him meaningfully.
"Oh my father." Draco said grimacing. "My aunt and uncles were involved too. They had been since before I was born."
"My da’ too." Tommy said. "So we are gonna need a lot of black to cover that up, flip to the back, it has the cover ups."
Draco looked at the various images and kept coming back to the images of space, stars and planets, things he'd never seen outside of the muggle studies book he'd stolen from an unattended library table in third year.
"I am named after the Draco constellation, do you think that would work? I would also like a narcissus flower for my mother if possible."
"What if I did a whole dark band of space on your arm with Draco centerstage on your inner forearm and then I do the narcissus on your inner wrist. It will be alot of black, but it will suit you. It will definitely cover the gang tattoo as well."
"I like Norse runes," Draco said. "Do you think you could put some protection ones on either side of the flower for my mother?"
"Easily done lad," Tommy replied, tapping his pen against his lip. "Is she still in?"
"No," Draco said. "She never was, not really. Her house was just often invaded by my father's ...friends… and he has just been sentenced to prison time. It's hard for her.'' Draco wondered why on earth he was sharing so much with the huge muggle who was now using a constellation book and was tracing Draco's constellation out, prepping the design.
"So here is what I'm thinkin'." Tommy showed the design to Draco after a few minutes
The moment Draco saw it, he smiled.
"Perfect."
*******
Theo was flipping through one of the tattoo books on the counter on tattoo symbolism and his eyes widened as he stared at one of the images and he felt in his soul that this was the one he needed to get. He scanned a few more pages just in case and then there it was, his second tattoo.
Coming back over to the green haired girl, Candy, Theo smiled charmingly at her as his witches continued to peruse the flash art on the wall looking for something that suited them.
"I'd like to get two tattoos. Are two artists available to work on me at once?" Theo grinned. "I love a little threesome action when I can get it."
"You sure that won't be too much pain for you?" Candy asked sceptically.
"Pretty sure I can handle it." Theo winked. She didn’t have a clue how much pain he was capable of handling.
She shrugged, "What are you thinking then?"
He pointed to the two pieces in the book that he wanted.
"Oh, traditional. I like it. Where are you thinking for placement?" Her eyes traced over his body as though she could see through his clothes.
"I want the bloody black rose on my left chest and the knot on my left wrist."
She nodded, sliding her fingers into the pages and summoning two of the men reading magazines in the middle of the shop.
Charlie and Hux weren't twins, but Theo was fucked if someone wanted him to tell them apart at wandpoint. He wouldn't have been able to do it. They both had shaggy brown hair and denim vests covered in patches and spikes.
They had the designs for the traditional pieces he wanted already and just had to trace them and then transfer the design onto his skin so he could approve placement. It was a little nerve wracking removing his shirt, he dropped the glamours on his skin first, but he was so afraid that Hermione would see the destruction his father had wrought on his back. It was hardly attractive. Draco and Pansy knew they were there, but he didn't really like them seeing his father’s handiwork either if he could help it. The last thing he wanted was pity.
In order to accommodate the two artists working on him at once, Theo's legs were spread wide so that the one artist could work on his left pectoral while the other placed cushions on a small table to raise up Theo’s left wrist to give the height he needed to work on the knot.
The pain that the tattoo machines brought felt so good, Theo tried to distract himself so that he didn't get hard. Hux, or was it Charlie, was uncomfortably close as he worked on Theo’s chest and would definitely notice.
"Two at once, huh?" Asked a woman with a bright pink Mohawk as she came out of the loo.
Theo smirked at her, "It always takes multiple people to satisfy me."
"Theo," Pansy called from the front of the shop. "Stop being naughty or I won't spank you later."
Suitably chastened, Theo replied, “Yes, Mistress.” Hux, or was it Charlie, choked back a laugh.
And Theo attempted to behave, but it hurt so good. It was extremely challenging, but he would do anything to keep Pansy happy.
******
"Alright," Pansy commented. "I have decided what I want." Turning to Candy, "Do you have a piercer in the shop today?"
The pink haired girl came up to the counter and looked Pansy up and down. "Yup," she popped the final p sound. "What are you thinkin' gorgeous?"
"I'd like a little green nose stud. Precious gem if you have it." Pansy tapped her nostril.
She nodded, "I do."
"No ink for you?" Candy asked.
"Oh I definitely want a tattoo. That heart shaped lock with the key on the flash wall please. On my lower back."
"Sounds great. That's Stephen's stuff and," she turned around and looked at the man who still had his feet up on a desk, leaning back as he read a dog-eared paperback. "He's still not working. Stephen, you and Lils are gonna tag team the lovely…"
"Pansy," she supplied. "And Lils has a much better chance."
"Duly noted," the pink haired woman, Lils, smiled. "Well let's get your nose done and Stephen will get everything prepared for your tattoo."
Pansy rounded the counter, excited to do something else that her parents would find abhorrent.
*******
“It was lucky you weren’t busy when we came in today,” Hermione stated as she looked again at some of the flash artwork on the walls.
“Oh luck had nothing to do with it. We had a hen party booked at noon and when they showed up, they were already three sheets to the wind. No self-respecting tattoo artist will work on someone that’s been drinking. Also they bleed too much, and then the ink falls out and then they bitch that you did a shitty job.” She smirked at Hermione. “They were mad as a basket of bees that I turned them away.”
“Hmmm,” Hermione responded, guessing that this was something new that she was learning today.
Hermione watched as all her lovers were getting themselves modified and the shop was filled with the buzzing noise of the tattoo machines.
"And what about you?" Candy asked her.
"I can't decide what I want to get," Hermione admitted. "Nothing has quite struck me as something I would like to get on my skin forever." She unconsciously rubbed at her arm where her mudblood scar was hidden under glamours.
"Would you like to look at my portfolio; it's a little different from everyone else's work. I have a bit more of a painterly style. I go for a kind of watercolour effect with a lot less black."
"Oh. I'd really like that." Hermione smiled and Candy pulled out a huge binder from under the counter, dropping it into Hermione’s hands.
*******
Theo looked over his tattoos with pleasure, the sting of receiving them had been so pleasurable that he was already considering what else he might like to have etched into his skin. Pansy had already finished and had popped out to a shop next door that her tattoo artist had recommended. Hermione was turned away from him, her artist hard at work on her chest piece which was clearly on the larger side of things. He felt a tiny spurt of jealousy that the green-haired Muggle’s hands were on Hermione’s breasts, but he tried to tamp down the feeling. He’d had two Muggles with their hands all over him just a few minutes back, so he needed to get himself under control. Hadn’t he told Hermione at the museum that he didn’t do jealousy?
Theo could not wait to see what their Golden Girl had chosen to adorn her perfect body with. Draco’s artist hadn’t taken any breaks and was working with fifteen small cups of colour laid out in front of him as though he were painting. At least half of them appeared to be different shades of black and deep blue. The swirls of space were slowly taking over Draco’s arm sending the Dark Mark into an oblivion of Muggle ink.
It was so interesting what they could hide, Theo thought as he fiddled with his Nott signet ring. What things about themselves that they would be able to transform given the opportunity.
*******
By the time they were finished with their tattoos, it had grown very late. In fact, Theo’s larger tattoo took about four and a half hours, Hermione’s five and Draco’s nearly seven. It was after midnight by the time Tommy finally put his machine down, examining his work.
Candy was waiting at the front desk for them to finish up, her green hair now pulled up into a messy bun.
When Theo realised that no one had paid yet, he went up to the girl and handed her his card, “I’d like to pay for everyone’s ink and Pansy’s piercing and jewellery.”
“Are you sure? That’s gonna be a pretty penny,” she looked at his card. “Oh for fucks’ sake. A bloody lord. I knew you sounded posh, but do you have cash? It’s easier for me to pay the individual artists that way.”
Theo nodded, putting his card back in the muggle wallet and pulled out a stack of bills. He left a couple in his money clip just in case he needed them, although so far his card had been taken everywhere they had been.
“Is this adequate, including tips for the artists?” Theo asked, really not sure if it was enough. He was not yet entirely clear on Muggle money and what the exchange rate was with galleons.
Candy’s eyes widened as she counted out the money. “Yeah this should cover everything and then some.”
“Brilliant,” Theo smiled at her. “If anyone else from our party tries to pay you can give it to their artist directly as an extra tip.” He winked and went to sit next to Hermione and Pansy. Pansy had nodded off, her head on Hermione’s shoulder. Additional shopping bags from her foray next door littered the floor around her feet.
“The Tube is gonna be closed. Where are you kids staying?” The big man asked as Draco came out to the front of the shop, his arm all wrapped up.
“We have a suite at the Savoy,” Theo answered. “Can you call a cab for us? Or the concierge at the hotel? They’d probably send a car if they know it's for me.”
Tommy looked at him in confusion, but Candy was already flipping through a book and dialling a number on the shop's phone. “Hello, this is Full Moon Tattoos and Piercings in Soho calling. We’ve got Lord Nott and his entourage here and he was hoping you could send a car for him, so he didn’t have to take a cab. ..Yes that’s our address…Yes, we’ll keep them safe inside the shop…Fifteen minutes? Alright. Yes, I’ll let him know. Thank you.”
Tommy’s mouth was repeating the words, Lord Nott under his breath and Theo grinned.
“Did you take good care of my boyfriend, sir?” Theo winked at the big man.
“Turned out great,” Tommy stated, completely unphased by the admission. Theo figured he wouldn’t be bothered considering the girl on girl flirting between Candy and the pink-haired piercer. “Now remember what I said about aftercare, will you Draco?”
“Of course. And I’ll be back to get another piece when we finish school.” Draco smiled at the man.
“Still can’t believe you kids are still in school,” The big man shook his head in disbelief. “And boarding school at that. Makes sense though, considering.”
Draco pulled out some money and handed it to Tommy. “Is that enough?”
“Shite, more than.” He reached out and shook Draco’s hand. "It was a pleasure working on you."
Tommy and Draco missed Theo and Candy’s shared smirks. Theo had enjoyed the entire tattoo shop sojourn, in fact the entire day in Muggle London had decimated his expectations of what they could do and how they could be together publicly.
If only the Wizarding World could embrace the four of them together in such a way.
********
Hermione had managed to have her new tattoo covered in wrap and tape and hidden away under her shirt before anyone else had seen it.
On the other hand, Draco's had taken so long that everyone else had ended up watching him for a while. Hermione had been so impressed at how stoic he was as the giant tattoo artist covered his Dark Mark in so much heavy ink that the symbol of genocide was no longer visible. It was long after midnight by the time Draco was done and combined with Pansy's slow rhythmic breathing on her shoulder, Hermione had ended up falling asleep in one of the chairs in the front of the shop.
When their wizards woke her up, there was a car from their hotel waiting out front. Hermione quickly fell back asleep on the short ride back to the hotel. When she woke up, Draco was carrying her in his arms like a bride into the lift. She pretended to still be asleep so that she could enjoy being held so tenderly for just a bit longer.
She could almost pretend that he really loved her.
******
"Words can not express how much I adore this room and its muggle house elves. It really is a special kind of opulent,” Pansy sighed, sampling the number of dishes that Reginald's late night counterpart had delivered from their personal chef, her feet hanging over the side of the chaise lounge in front of the window overlooking the Thames.
Her new nose piercing sparkled in the light. She'd also removed her top so that her hem wasn't rubbing against her new tattoo. Theo casted healing charms on it but it was still a bit itchy especially when something touched it. Her breasts were perfectly on display in their grey silk bra with its intricate embroidery of vines and snakes.
Theo was carefully healing Draco’s arm after gently unwrapping it. His wand work was elegant as he mumbled the incantations under his breath.
“You are very good at those,” Hermione noted.
“Living with Thoros Nott meant that I needed a great deal of healing knowledge very young and then when the Malfoys went and had the noseless one move in and everything kind of went to shite in the not getting hurt department especially for Draco, I needed to learn more charms and faster.” Theo finished a couple final incantations, wiping the new tattoo gently with a damp cloth. “Although Pansy is more than capable of doing these as well, our Empress is just a bit too tired for this kind of magical output.” He gestured over to where Pansy was.
Hermione saw Pansy had laid her head down and had stopped snacking.
When he turned toward Hermione with his wand raised, she shook her head. "I'd like it to hurt for at least a few more hours. Isn’t the pain part of the fun?"
“Now you are starting to sound like me, sweetheart.” Theo laughed. “We’ll make a pain slut out of you yet.”
******
“You know Hermione didn’t get to choose an activity while we were out and about,” Draco pointed out, his head in said witch’s lap as she ran her fingers through his pale blond hair and ran her nails over his scalp, causing him to purr in pleasure rather like Crookshanks Hermione thought. She did hope her cat was doing alright at Hogwarts in their absence.
“Honestly, it's no trouble. I’m just glad that you were able to enjoy Muggle London. And we still have one day left. The Express doesn’t leave until Tuesday.” She smiled at Pansy who was curled up into Theo’s arms, clearly fighting sleep.
“Obviously, the only answer must be to reward you with orgasms,” Theo answered.
“But not tonight,” Pansy sighed, burrowing even more into Theo’s chest. “It’s nearly dawn and I need my beauty sleep.”
“As you command, my Queen,” Theo smiled down at her.
“Pansy’s right,” Draco sighed. “It’s really late, so late that it’s early. I wouldn’t mind doing a bit more Muggle London exploration tomorrow, but I won’t be up for anything unless we get some sleep now.”
“Alright then, under the blankets everyone.” Theo gently commanded, slipping Pansy’s legs under the bedding for her and easing her down onto the pillows. Hermione scooted in next to her and Pansy, already falling deeper into sleep, shifted pulling Hermione into her arms.
Once Pansy was spooning Hermione, Theo's arm went over the two of them. Draco in front of Hermione with his head in her curls and his long fingers on her waist where they tangled with Theo’s.
“Good night loves,” Theo whispered as his breathing too fell into the cadence of sleep.
Hermione felt tears prick at her eyes. She had never felt so much intensity for either of the wizards that she had slept with prior to whatever this was.
Her three snakes always made her feel so treasured, like she was the centre of everything. Could this really work? The four of them? Could it really be more than friendship with benefits? Hermione knew what she wanted and knew what Cordelia’s books had said, but she was so afraid.
What if she tried for more than fun with them and everything fell apart? Or worse, they rejected her?
Perhaps it was better to not say anything about her increasingly overwhelming feelings?
She didn’t think that she could survive them breaking her heart.
Notes:
Dreomione Fest claiming is open
https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DreomioneFest2023/requests
Chapter 29: I'll Be Good
Summary:
The last day in Muggle London. Tomorrow its the Hogwarts Express and back to their reality. Hermione's tattoo is revealed.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
**********
Chapter 29
I’ll Be Good
Waking up together in the soft light of the hotel room was a treat that Theo wanted to savour. The warmth of his lovers radiated from the bed and Theo let out a quiet sigh of contentment, not wanting to wake any of them.
He knew that this liminal time in the Muggle world would be over soon, so he tried to move as little as possible as he listened to all three of the others breathe softly. He could smell the floral scent of Pansy’s hair and as she’d turned in her sleep to nuzzle into his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist as though she wished to bind him to herself.
Already done, my Queen, he thought. He’d spent years hiding their relationship, afraid that his interest in Slytherin’s Queen would lead to Pansy being forced into a marriage contract that she didn’t want, but things were so different now. This was a perfect thing that Theo couldn’t bring himself to doubt in what was happening between them. It had all fallen into place better than he could have imagined all those weeks ago when their group was starting and Theo had begun his campaign for pleasure and bliss within their little quartet.
Everything was a thousand times more perfect than he could have ever dreamt. His past self getting piss drunk in the Nott Castle courtyard wouldn’t have been able to conceive of the reality that Theo now found himself in. He pushed himself up one one elbow so that he could look over his gorgeous partners.
Hair spread out over the pillow, Hermione was stretched out in her sleep leaving Draco to sleep on the tiniest edge of the mattress. Theo choked back a laugh not wanting to wake them, but beyond amused at what Draco was willing to do for their little swot. If it had been just the two wizards in bed, Draco would have shaken him awake and made him move over. Draco would not have been gentle about it either.
Theo smiled. No one would ever imagine the delicate way that Draco treated their little princess. He worshipped her, not the way he worshipped Pansy, who demanded it, but differently. Draco’s worship of Hermione was practically religious. It was as though the sun rose and set with her. She was an ideal of womanhood, a goddess in human form, as far as Draco was concerned. Theo couldn’t disagree with that. Both of their witches were divine. Theo nestled Pansy’s body against him and closed his eyes, wanting to get just a few more hours of sleep.
*******
Pansy woke up to Theo snoring softly into her hair. Mi was doing her best impression of an Acromantula, stretched out in every direction and Draco was missing. She could hear the shower running, so she presumed that that was where he must be. She couldn’t imagine Reginald letting himself in to use their shower. She smirked at the thought, carefully extricating herself from Theo’s hold. After giving Mi a light kiss on the temple, Pansy climbed over the other witch and slid onto the lushly carpeted floor, her toes sinking into the plush fabric. None of the rugs at Parkinson Manor felt so decadent on her bare feet.
This suite really was lovely. She ran her hands over the fabric wallpaper and hangings as she made her way to the bathroom. Draco was standing under the rain shower, his arms extended and hands against the tile wall, his long body stretched as he pushed forward, muscles rippling. It really was unfortunate that she wasn’t interested in the entirety of what intercourse with men entailed, as she had two such pretty wizards at her disposal. She wondered if she could have been able to get over her initial distaste for the idea of being penetrated if it hadn’t been for Yaxley. She supposed it was a moot point now.
Pansy tossed her bra to the side and stepped out of her ruffled shorts. Stepping into the shower area, Draco looked back in surprise.
“Oh, Pans, you snuck up on me.” Turning, he stretched his arms over his head, pulling on his own fingers and rolling his shoulders.
“Sore?” Pansy asked, watching him contort himself into different shapes in curiosity.
“Yeah, I miss our magically expanded bed. I woke up because I fell out of bed. Can’t believe you all didn’t wake up, especially Hermione.” Draco arched his back backwards and then leaned to the side as the hot water ran over his scarred chest.
“Mi’s exhausted,” Pansy let the warm water pool into her cupped hands. “I think being with the three of us is giving her the first good sleep she’s had in months.”
“Because we wear her out?” Draco smirked, stretching his shoulder to the right as the water washed over him.
“Utterly,” Pansy laughed. “Wash my back?”
Draco smiled and nodded. “Of course, my queen.”
“Theo calls me that, but you don’t have to.” she lightly smacked him on the arm.
“Whatever you say, my queen.” Draco quipped.
Pansy’s laughter was loud and carefree in a way she often wasn’t.
*******
In the dining room, Reginald set out the breakfast and beverage service as the young Lord had previously instructed and couldn’t help but smile at the antics of the young people who, despite clearly having a riotous time in London, were treating the suite with the utmost respect.
He certainly could appreciate that, so far the cleaning of the suite had been minimal. They weren’t working the staff to the bone and seemed content with everything that they had been served.
They were a little odd, but good kids nonetheless. Being born to wealth ruined a lot of people, but these ones seemed alright to him and he’d seen a thing or two in his time.
*****
The weather in London was grey despite the warmth of summer and Hermione was worried that she had scandalised her Slytherins with the low-cut sundress that she pulled out of her purple beaded bag. They all stared awestruck, saying nothing as their mouths hung open.
It turned out that she was simply drawing their eyes to her chest with the new ink that now dominated her skin. The stack of books were surrounded with watercolour-like sparkles and clouds like magic itself had been carved into Hermione's flesh.
She’d let Theo heal it before they’d gone out so she could forgo the bacitracin and plastic wrap.
“You are gorgeous, princess.” Theo murmured, offering a kiss onto her shoulder, his teeth grazing the curve of her body.
She laughed lightly because she was a little nervous about their reactions. “You don’t think it’s too big?”
“No, never,” Theo said, startled. “It’s your body and you get to decide how to adorn it. You don’t think the rose is too big do you?” He waved his hands over his own chest.
“Theo, it’s your body and the rose is lovely.”
“Exactly, Hermione! Exactly! It’s your body and I love your taste. You like us after all.” He kissed her on the lips teasingly, taking her bottom lip into his mouth and nipping her, while one arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.
Dressed and appropriately caffeinated, Hermione and her little horde of snakes ventured back out into Muggle London mid morning. The four of them walked along the embankment of the Thames. Cleopatra’s Needle was a hit, but Hermione had known it would be.
The Purebloods looked like they were a band on tour, all in black, the boys with their tattoos on display, Pansy’s shiny new nose stud and lolita dress with sparkling silver boots. They definitely caught the eye of passersby as they wandered through gardens and into the busy area around Trafalgar Square.
Their busy day yesterday had left them all exhausted and she couldn’t even get Theo to completely be his excitable self at Waterstones, although he did pick up a few Muggle books while they were there. His Black Card once again set the staff to whispering. Pansy added some fashion magazines and a book on the history of embroidery to his pile. He stood around the front of the store with his Slytherin Queen while Hermione wandered off.
Theo looked over the displays near the front of the shop and hoped that Draco and Hermione would be done quickly. This place was nearly as busy as Flourish and Blott’s on the Saturday before Hogwarts opening. He loved books, but there were a lot of crowds to acquire them. Muggles definitely didn’t have owl order, but there had to be a way to order books to be delivered on the Muggle side of things.
Although…
“Excuse me,” Theo interrupted someone stacking a hundred copies of the same memoir on the front table.
“Yes?”
“Do you have any books on simple experiments and projects with electricity?”
*******
Hermione found Draco staring at the art books on seventeenth century still-lifes from the Netherlands. She wasn’t surprised actually and smiled that she was finally understanding who he was under the masks of Occlusion and Pureblood ideologies, the real Draco Malfoy.
She really liked him.
“Find something interesting?” She asked, wondering if his love of paintings had guided him here.
“We have some of these at the Manor. That style of painting.” He gestured towards the books in front of him. “Only a handful in one of the lesser used wings, down a shadowed hall that had portraits of very distant relatives, most of whom had never woken up. I used to sit on the bench there to look at them - the little Muggle paintings. It was so strange to look at the unmoving portraits and bowls of fruit and wonder which of my ancestors had acquired them, especially since they were the antithesis of everything that I was told all my childhood.”
She looked at him in surprise and really took him in: he’d rolled up his sleeves, showing off the space scene on his arm and was leaning against another shelf with his arms crossed. His hair was that same white blond that it had always been, but he no longer controlled it with too much gel, it went wildly in every direction, like Harry’s but more artfully done.
He looked like he ought to be a model for a painting rather than the painter.
“I’d love to see them someday,” she told him, without thinking.
“Granger, I wouldn’t ever want to take you to the Manor, not ever again.” He looked at her in such appalled shock that she realised where she had offered to go. "I mean I never want to go there ever again if I can help it."
The drawing room flashed before her eyes and Hermione could smell her own sweat for a second before shaking off the intrusive thought and trying to force a reassuring smile.
“Oh, yeah I guess I hadn’t thought of that, maybe you could have your mother send some and we could hang them up in the Head Suite?”
Draco sighed in relief at that and nodded. He grabbed a couple of the thicker books on the topic, “Come on, Pans and Theo are probably ready to get out of here."
Theo was in fact ready to go. He was already in front of the cashier with his own haul, “Draco, put your books up here so I can pay for them.”
“Theo, I can pay for my own books, you know,” Draco pointed out.
“I know you can, but I want to use up all the cash that I pulled out for this trip.” Theo’s eyebrow was raised expectantly.
Draco sighed and added his books to the small stack of books and kits that Theo had picked out.
“Didn’t you already buy some books?” Hermione asked.
“I have them here,” Pansy said from the side where she was reading through a magazine, looking like one of the models on the cover, her hair and makeup perfect. She was gaining glances from men and women as she stood there. They probably thought she was a celebrity that they didn’t recognize.
“I found some more I wanted,” Theo stated, shrugging.
Hermione watched in amusement as Theo tried to tip the bookstore clerk an obscene amount of money while flirting audaciously with the pink-haired young man. He managed to get the young man to keep the money by walking away without it. Hermione snorted and smiled at the young man as Draco held the door for her, looking every bit as posh as he was as he led her out of the book shoppe.
Hermione guided the three of them out into Trafalgar Square and the masses of humanity there took even her aback a little. She forgot how much larger the Muggle population was than the magical one sometimes. People were racing in every direction as well as large herds of tourists wandering around looking lost. A man in an exceptionally garish track suit almost ran into Pansy and Draco growled at him. Hermione shook her head.
"Hermione, love, darling, princess," Theo began, looking a bit tight around his eyes as they looked around rapidly trying to take in all the churning crowds.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the multiple endearments and crossed her arms, wondering what Theo wanted that he thought required so much excess.
A little vulnerability cracked through Theo's mask. "This place is barely a step above Janus Thickney. I can't handle it after yesterday, which was such a long day. Would you be mad if we just went back to the hotel and had a lovely dinner and relaxed?"
Hermione looked around the crowded street outside and realised that if she was overwhelmed that this might be a little too much for her Purebloods.
She softened and smiled kindly at Theo. “Alright, yeah, we can go back to the hotel and enjoy a nice night in the posh splendour."
"Thank you, Princess," Theo whispered before kissing her hard. She shivered and took his hand, kissing the knot on the back of his wrist reassuringly. Theo shivered too.
It wasn’t cold.
********
Draco's head was on Theo's shoulder while Hermione was cuddled up into Theo’s lap. Theo held the wine glass to Hermione’s lips and she sipped the sweet white wine delicately. She felt like a hand-fed pet and wasn’t sure that she was supposedly
Since returning to the suite, they’d been drinking wine and eating too many tiny cakes courtesy of their kitchen staff. Their empty wine bottles and picked over three-tiered trays showed the remains of their feasting. They all felt pleasantly satiated and they stroked on another absently as they cuddled together, except Pansy who was lounging on the chaise in front of the window sampling grapes and staring out at the city beyond the windows.
Pansy hopped up from her spot overlooking the river and smiled at the rest of them. "Some of the things I bought are going to be a surprise but I have this one I just can’t wait to use."
Hermione looked up at her in surprise. "Now? I thought that we were relaxing."
“We have to head back to Hogwarts in the morning, so I want to make the best possible use of our time in this hotel.” Pansy smiled, seductively. “Theo, Draco, get our princess ready. I’ll be right back.”
“As you wish, my queen,” Theo replied, turning to Hermione. “Come here princess.”
Hermione slid off Theo’s lap, standing between his spread thighs as Draco’s eyes hungrily drank her in.
Running his hands up Hermione’s legs, Theo removed the thigh highs under her sundress by rolling them down achingly slowly. His fingertips tracing over her skin causing her to shiver. Theo pulled his focus to one of her legs as Draco took over rolling the stocking down her other. Hermione lifted one foot and then the other, allowing her wizards to remove the thigh highs the rest of the way. The delicate stockings were left abandoned on the floor.
Hermione raised her arms over her head and allowed her dress to be lifted by Draco’s long fingers. The tips of his fingers ghosting along the side of her breasts, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.
Pansy returned to the room and Theo's cheeks flushed in excitement when he saw what Pansy was holding. In her left hand was a bright red wooden paddle. The veneer was sparkling in the light. When Pansy held up the instrument in the air, the three of them could see her name carved into the paddle, but the mirror image. Theo felt his cock harden as he realised that she was going to put her name on his arse this evening, that had to be what her plan was. He couldn’t wait. It was only through sheer force of will that he wasn’t jumping up and down like an excited toddler.
“All of you, bedroom now!” Pansy commanded them, wearing nothing but a small satin black slip and a devilish smirk.
Draco tossed a naked Hermione over his shoulder and walked toward the bedroom with Theo following closely behind. Her curls fell down the pale skin of his back and the giggles that spilled out of her put a smile on Theo’s face as well. Hermione deserved to be filled with happiness that overflowed. Their perfect little witch was a treasure.
Theo purposefully made a mess as he stripped his clothes and threw them around the suite leaving a trail on their way to the bedroom like a child in a Muggle fairy tale leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. He doubled up on the glamour spells on his scars. He wasn’t ready for Hermione to see them yet. She’d cry and he didn’t want his bastard of a father to ruin the last night that the four of them were here in Muggle London.
Draco gently laid Hermione on the bed so that he could strip off his own clothes, kissing her lightly before he stepped away.
As soon as he reached the bed, Theo was all over Hermione. His fingers and lips were all over her skin, everywhere that he could reach. His touch was worshipful as though Hermione were a goddess. He made her feel so powerful, so desired.
Leaving kisses and light nips along her neck and chest, making her more wet with arousal as his fingers found her clit. Her back arched off the bed and her toes curled in pleasure, her moans loud in the quiet suite.
“Did I say that you could touch her Theodore?” Pansy snapped at him once she entered the room, a full glass of wine in one hand and her new paddle in the other.
“Noo.” Theo smirked into Hermione’s skin, his sapphire blue eyes meeting Hermione’s amber ones with mischief. He was so excited knowing what would come next for him from his Queen, the punishment that he desperately yearned for from Pansy’s hands. Someday he would be able to be hurt as often as he needed it. He needed the pain to turn his whirling thoughts off and Pansy could do that like no one else could.
Pansy sipped her wine glass and then sat it to the side with regret playing across her face.
“Then get off of her and wait until I tell you that you are allowed to.” Pansy tutted as she slapped her new paddle against her palm. Pansy licked her lips in anticipation for the evenings activities which she had planned as they had lounged in the other room.
Theo whined softly as he climbed down the bed. He moved into position onto the floor, his knees grateful for the soft carpeting in the room since Pansy hadn’t prepped this room with the charms that they needed for their play spaces in advance. His cock was hard and weeping against his taut stomach. Theo knew better than to touch it before Pansy gave him permission, the thought alone made him quiver in anticipation. It was tempting to be a brat just to court punishment, but Theo would never. He was Pansy’s good boy.
Divested of his clothes, Draco approached the bed and his hands were itching to touch a needy Hermione. His fingers flexed, wanting to trail along her smooth skin and trace her beautiful chest tattoo with his tongue. He bit his lip as he imagined cumming all over her tits and then rubbing her cum into her new tattoo like an older marriage spell.
“Against the headboard Draco, place our princess between your legs and make sure hers are spread wide. Her back to your chest.” Pansy instructed and Draco did as he was told.
Scrambling to the headboard, Draco scooped up Hermione and moved her so she would be flushed against his chest with his arms holding her around the middle. Draco moved Hermione’s legs to have them rest atop his thighs while he was supported by the headboard. Once Draco had Hermione in a comfortable arrangement on his lap, he spread his own legs out, causing Hermione’s to part wide open in turn.
Pansy approached them to inspect their position, nudging Hermione’s legs further apart with her paddle, directing Draco to hold Hermione under her knees. Pansy had the blonde wizard spread their princess’s legs further apart, opening her up even wider. Hermione whimpered from the stretch of her inner thighs. Pansy smirked at the noises coming from the brunette witch as she used the handle of her paddle to open up her slick folds. Pansy used the rounded end of the handle against Hermione’s clit causing the witch to jump slightly in Draco’s hold.
“Our princess is ready, good.” Pansy was satisfied and Hermione squirmed further in anticipation for whatever Pany had planned for her. Pansy gave Hermione’s cunt a quick smack causing a wet sound to echo in their room. “Patience princess, you’ve been so good for us and I’m going to make sure you’re properly rewarded.”
“Theodore, your face here, now,” Pansy pointed to Hermione’s glistening cunt with her paddle without looking towards Theo, keeping an eye on the panting witch in front of her. Theo sprang up to the bed like a wolf catching its prey, eager to enjoy a fruitful meal.
“Don’t lick! Not yet!” Pansy stopped Theo with a quick hand rough in his curls, pulling his head back causing his breath to catch. His mouth was barely an inch away from Hermione’s core, his breath blowing on her sensitive bud as Hermione shivered at the sensation.
“Here is what we’re going to do,” Pansy began positioning herself behind where he was kneeling in front of Hermione, “I’m going to spank you with my pretty new toy and every time I do you’re going to give Hermione one lick to her pretty pink cunt. Understood?”
“Yes my queen, one lick for every hit,” Theo’s voice rumbled, making Hermione clench her achingly empty core as the vibrations of his voice played over the most sensitive bits of her skin.
“Good, and no fingers in her pussy. Understand? Only your mouth.” And with that, Pansy brought the paddle down on Theo’s arse. He moaned at the pain and promptly gave Hermione her first lick. The Gryffindor tossed her head back at the contact, resting against Draco’s chest. The relief she needed lasted only a second and she needed more. Hermione tried to move her hips forward to get more friction, but Draco kept control over her body with his hands and kept her from chasing Theo’s mouth.
Pansy gave three more strikes in quick succession, keeping a close eye on Hermione and Theo. Hermione was blessed with three more licks to her core from those smacks, and each one was a different intensity. Each hit Theo changed how rough or soft he would lick into her, causing Hermione to whine with want. Muttering and whimpering that she was willing to do anything to have Theo lick her faster and harder.
“Draco, keep our princess entertained while I work on Theo,” Pansy ordered as she traced the faint outline of her name that started to show up on Theo’s flushed ass.
Draco’s cock had grown hard as Hermione writhed against him. He pressed her tighter against him to rut his cock against her back. Draco gently turned Hermione’s face towards him so he could capture her lips in his. Draco reached one arm under Hermione’s legs to continue holding them open for Theo, with one hand now free he reached for a nipple and began to twist and tweak it, alternating between her breasts Draco would manipulate the mounds of flesh as best he could.
Theo licked his way down Hermione's cunt as Pansy slowly pushed him further into the bed, her hand in between his shoulders. Pansy continued the wacks from her paddle, varying degrees of intensity.
Draco continued to kiss Hermione, he started to move along her neck and shoulders with small bites and licks. Each nip into her flesh had Draco telling her how good she was, how patient and obedient she was being for her next lick from Theo. He timed his own ministrations of her body during the breaks in between the licks Theo would give her, constantly keeping Hermione on edge. Draco continued to rock his hips and cock against Hermione’s backside, rubbing himself off onto her. Draco took a quick look down at Theo in between Hermione’s legs and moaned low at the sight.
As if Theo could sense Draco watching him, he opened his eyes and looked up as he continued to lick the fluttering pussy in his face. Theo stared into the blown out silver eyes of his male lover and smirked at the look of want and need on Draco’s face. Theo’s hips started to twitch, his weeping cock seeking some form of friction. Pansy’s paddle continued to smack against his ass, Hermione’s cunt leaking onto his tongue while Draco practically stared right into Theo’s soul watching everything happen. Theo moaned into Hermione’s pussy when one particularly hard wack against his bottom stuck. The intensity of the smack forced his face further into Hermione’s pussy, his tongue pumping into her now instead of the licks he was awarding her with.
Pansy laughed at the sight of Theo’s face pressed into Hermione’s cunt. She could see Theo’s jaw muscle try and work harder to make Hermione finally lose it from his mouth.
"You want Hermione to come, Theo, right? Take a few more, make them count." Pansy took a moment to pinch the reddest parts of Theo’s backside as she watched Draco pluck at Hermione’s nipples, noticing how the young Malfoy was struggling slightly with the hold he had their muggleborn in. Hermione didn’t seem to notice much outside of the three Slytherins’, her nails pressed into Draco’s biceps surely to leave little marks on his arms after this. Her positioning looked a little awkward to Theo as he looked up at her meeting her eyes as he took a nice long lick and sucked at her clit. She must be trying to avoid mucking up Draco’s new tattoo. Theo hummed into her wet cunt to reward her and was rewarded himself with a hard smack to his arse cheek and a gush of Hermione’s creamy arousal.
Gods, she was fucking delicious.
At some point Theo’s hands moved from gripping the bed to holding onto Draco’s thighs, Theo’s fingers marking themselves into the delicate porcelain skin. Theo knew that his arse had to be red now and that the cheek that Pansy was favouring likely had her name in stark relief. He hummed in pleasure as he revelled in the knowledge that if she didn’t heal him, it was going to be painful to sit for days.
Theo sucked at Hermione’s swollen bud, his tongue writing runic spells there, spells of possession and love and desire and fertility. He wanted their witch to be theirs forever. He couldn’t imagine the three of them without her anymore. And with a roll of his tongue, Hermione nearly flew off the bed with the strength of her orgasm.
“Excellent job Theo,” Pansy said as she admired the sight of Hermione writhing in blissful relief. She let him continue to work her through her orgasm until the little Gryffindor came down from her high.
Pansy tugged Theo up by his curls, “Let me taste.”
Theo kneeled up to give Pansy a kiss, his tongue heavy with the taste of Hermione and Pansy savoured it as she licked her witch’s cum from his chin and lips. Pansy’s eyes met Theo’s and both of their pupils were blown wide.
“You did so good,” Draco cooed to a panting Hermione.
“Yes she did,” Pansy said in a sultry voice, “I think she deserves another reward. Draco, fill up our princess.”
“Yes, my queen,” Draco said, sitting upright and repositioning the witch in his arms to line up his hard aching cock with her sopping wet cunt. Her arousal coated her inner thighs and had made a wet spot between his legs. Her back still against Draco’s chest, Hermione sank down on Draco’s length and he groaned into her shoulder from how amazing it felt to be surrounded by her dripping wetness while she gasped at being filled by him.
Draco began thrusting up into Hermione, an arm wrapped around her middle to support her, his other hand at her breasts, fingertips skating over her brightly coloured new tattoo.
“As for you dear Theo, you get to use that tongue on me now,” Pansy ordered, giving Theo’s lips one last lick and pulling back to prop a leg up on the bed to expose her own wet cunt under her slip.
“As you wish my queen,” Theo said, sliding off the bed to kneel in front of her, shucking the hem of her slip up to take her into his mouth. Pansy hissed in pleasure and gave Theo a sharp tug at his curls, eliciting a vibration of hums against her cunt. Her sharp nails made him shiver as they ran over his scalp.
“Make me come and I’ll let you fill up our princess when Draco is done with her,” Pansy said and Theo began laving his tongue all over her core in earnest.
The bedroom was filled with deliciously obscene noises. Draco was playing Hermione like one of his lap harps, he had moved a hand to her sensitive clit and continued to pinch at her nipples and bite down at her neck while thrusting up into her, her whines and slick cunt was the sweetest noise the Slytherins had ever heard. Pansy too began humming in pleasure as Theo dutifully worshipped her cunt.
Draco felt Hermione clenching around him, nearing another orgasm. “Gods yes Hermione, come for me now, come on my cock,” he groaned into her ear, snapping his hips faster to chase his own release with her.
The thought of Hermione coming again so quickly because the boys took such good care of her was bringing Pansy to her climax, she could watch their princess come for hours. She wanted to push her limits, see how many orgasms it took for the brilliant Gryffindor to blackout from pleasure. Pansy came with a cry thinking about all the ways she could play with Hermione. Theo’s hands gripped Pansy’s hips to steady her as she rode his tongue.
Hermione opened her eyes at the sound of Pansy cuming and she saw her witch, powerful and in control as she used Theo for her pleasure. It pushed Hermione over the edge and she came again, clenching down on Draco’s cock and the sensation made Draco come too, shooting his seed inside of her.
Satisfied, Pansy pulled Theo away from her and stroked his cheek with her nails. She could see his cock, red and weeping and desperate for attention. She thought he absolutely deserved his turn with Hermione, he had done so well. But first she wanted to check with their princess.
Crawling onto the bed, Pansy went to Hermione, flushed and still impaled on Draco’s cock, Draco was also sweating, his still eyes gleaming with desire for their witch.
“How are you princess?” Pansy cooed to Hermione, “Did Draco take good care of you?”
Hermione could only nod her head, eyes glazed and head in the clouds from her orgasms.
“That is good, you’ve taken such good care of us the past few days, you deserve this. And I think Theo deserves a reward too, do you want to give Theo a reward for being so good to us? Do you want him to fill you up just like Draco did?”
“Yes, please,” Hermione whimpered and a smirk grew on Pansy’s face at how insatiable their Golden Girl was. She absolutely deserved to be spoiled by their tongues and fingers and cocks. They’d keep her drowning in pleasure and desire until she couldn’t imagine life without them.
“Good girl, saying please,” Pansy said before pressing a deep kiss onto Hermione's lips, grabbing both sides of her face, her tongue invading the witch’s mouth. Hermione kissed her back with force, cupping her witch’s face and Pansy chuckled.
“I’m here, Mi. I’m not going anywhere,” she reassured the desperate witch. Draco helped Pansy pull Hermione up from his cock, Hermione paid no mind to the cum dripping down her inner-thighs, completely hypnotised by Pansy’s lips and crawling with Pansy to the centre of the bed.
The wizards stared in awe at their witches, how the lioness was tamed by the snake’s lips, completely surrendering control. Pansy wrapped her arms around Hermione and pulled her on top of her and the witch began kissing down Pansy’s body, making her way down her chest and pulling down on her slip to reveal her breasts, latching down onto a nipple.
“Mmm, yes princess just like that, you’re so thoughtful taking care of me. Keep doing that while you let Theo take his reward,” Pansy snapped her fingers at Theo who once again leapt up to the bed from where he was patiently kneeling on the floor.
Theo came up behind Hermione and pulled her hips up to tilt her arse up in the air, exposing her ruined core up to Theo, glistening wet and filled with Draco’s seed. The sight turned him feral, he needed to be inside her right now and fuck her with Draco cum inside her. He knew her cunt needed no other preparation, she would be so wet and soft and swollen for him. He slid his aching cock into her, burying himself to the hilt.
Hermione moaned into Pansy’s nipple, her face pressed into the witch’s breast as Theo elevated her hips even more so he could fuck her. And gods did he fuck her. Everything felt so good, his raw arse burning in pain, the hot dripping cunt wrapped around his cock. He pounded into her like a madman, taking his reward.
Pansy felt Hermione’s tongue slow down, her body becoming limp as Hermione was fucked mindless by Theo. Draco had settled himself near the witches, pressing tender kisses to Pansy’s temple, a stark juxtaposition to the aggressive pounding Hermione was taking so well on top of Pansy. Theo’s hand ran down Hermione’s spine, gripping the back of her neck as she moaned loudly. Draco and Pansy enjoyed their front row seat to Theo having his way with her. Hermione was dripping onto Pansy, a mixture of her arousal and Draco’s cum on her abdomen. The rough fucking that Hermione was taking was causing the two witches’ breasts to rub together and Pansy found the friction on her nipples lovely. This was a first for her and she couldn’t wait to repeat it.
They were all so different, all experienced, well except Draco - but he was coming along nicely, and gave pleasure so uniquely, that’s what made this all so special.
Hermione’s body was limp as though she had turned into viscous liquid instead of a woman. She’d lost track of her orgasms long ago. Theo’s body was taking her to new heights of ecstasy at the moment and Hermione began to sob. Through her tears, it looked as though the air around the four of them was filled with a golden glow.
*******
Knowing that it was their last night together in Muggle London made it increasingly difficult for Hermione to sleep. She woke up nearly every quarter hour and sat up to stare at her lovers. The school year at Hogwarts was going to be so different than the summer.
She found herself dreading it, more than she had feared anything since she had obliviated her parents. What if they didn’t want her when faced with the vitriol of their peers? It was doomed to be ugly when what they had nurtured together over the summer was exposed to the wider Wizarding World. She could just imagine the headlines that Skeeter would write about the four of them. The scandal would be too good for her to ignore, even with the threat of getting put back in the jar. “Golden Girl in the Snake Pit '' or “Potter’s Muggleborn Courts Multiple Pureblood Heirs in Hunt for the Biggest Vaults” seemed the most likely angles that she would take. She was certain that Draco and Pansy’s probation could be impacted by that kind of attention from the public. The whole thing made her heart clinch painfully.
Her despair at the potential loss of this was visceral. She didn’t know how to live without the four of them together anymore. They were like puzzle pieces made out of broken crockery, somehow they just worked.
She’d be so good if they could just stay together.
The universe owed her this.
Them.
But what if they didn’t feel the same?
Hermione tried to sleep again, but her worries continued to torment her, like little shots of the Cruciatus curse to her heart.
Eventually sleep took her.
Notes:
Art for this chapter by Nadia Polyakova https://www.instagram.com/nadiapolyakova__art/?hl=en
Much thanks to sobsinashell and tiny-reader for smut support.
Chapter 30: Standing in Balance of Complete and Incomplete
Summary:
The dawn rises on the day they will return to Hogwarts. And they finally talk about their relationship...sort of
Contains NSFW Art by Roseheira
Notes:
CW: Nightmares, Smut and Self-doubt
"Creature" by half-alive is the song of this chapter.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6tJkq3zUXlEjWluMW9Hdij?si=2lAaUHmARU6LWhIczwgArg
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
She felt as though she had been hit with a Confundus. Everything was murky and a bit dark. There was a light blue haze that seemed to tickle the edge of her vision. Hermione didn’t understand why she was back on the Horcrux hunt in the tent. She wasn’t sure where Harry had gone off to, but for some reason, Draco, Theo and Pansy were with her. Pansy was painting Theo’s nails and Hermione was on Draco’s lap as they lounged on her cot, it seemed wider than it ought to be. Everything was a little fuzzy, and she couldn’t seem to follow their conversation. They were talking about people and places that she had never heard of before.
Draco’s hand was stroking her face and Theo was smiling up at her when everything went horribly wrong.
Ron walked into the tent with his wand raised. “‘Mione! What the bloody hell are you doing with this lot?! They’re working for You-Know-Who! They are bloody Death Eaters!”
She stood up, trying to reason with him, to explain. She loved them, didn’t he understand what love was?They’d never hurt her. They hated the Dark Lord. But Ron wouldn’t listen. She screamed as green spellwork shot from his wand as he cast the Avada Kedavra three times. None of them had even had time to draw their wands.
Pansy's black nail polish was spilled all over the floor, Theo’s smile was gone forever and Draco’s loving eyes were milky white in death.
She couldn’t stop screaming. It couldn’t be real! It felt as though her soul was being ripped into pieces. The tears flowing down her cheeks felt real. It hurt her to breathe. She had to get away to escape, find Harry. Running towards the door to the tent, she was shocked when Ron grabbed her by the hair, yanking her backwards and breathing harshly into her face. "Now that I’ve saved you, how about you give me a kiss as a thank you?”
Ron’s eyes weren’t blue, they were red just like Voldemort’s. Hermione screamed again.
******
Her heart was pounding as she sat bolt upright in their shared bed. She felt as though she had just run a marathon as she panted and wiped the tears that were flowing down her cheeks away. Hermione was grateful that she hadn’t actually been screaming bloody murder as everyone else was still asleep. She couldn’t quite calm herself until she’d touched each of her lovers and confirmed their heartbeats. They had all slept naked last night and she found that if allowed she could get used to this.
There was a pale pink sky outside of the hotel windows so she could not have been asleep for that long. Long enough to have a terrible nightmare anyway.
Ron wouldn’t do something like that would he?
He couldn’t. He would never…
Hermione couldn’t quite make herself believe that. She knew that he’d cast an Avada during the Battle of Hogwarts. It hadn’t hit its mark, sure, but he was still capable of casting the Unforgivable. And gods did Ron ever hate Draco.
Perhaps it was for the best that she continued to avoid him as much as possible, for everyone’s safety.
Hopefully Ron wouldn't be at the platform today, he'd made himself scarce so far so she could hope that he would maintain that pattern. Even without whatever was going on with herself and her Slytherins, she didn’t have anything kind to say to Ronald Bilius Weasley at the moment. On top of that, she found herself unreasonably angry with him for his actions in the nightmare that she had just woken from.
Sighing, she carefully extracted herself from the limbs and arms of her lovers and no one stirred, although Pansy frowned in her sleep as Hermione shifted her leg.
Padding quietly through the suite, Hermione headed for the bathroom and looked back at the Slytherins from the doorway. As she stood there and watched them sleep a bit, she wondered what it was that she was doing with them. They couldn’t possibly be serious about a little Muggleborn like her, could they? There had to be an expiration date and it must be heading their way, not unlike the Hogwarts Express. She wasn’t looking forward to being lonely again.
She sighed and headed towards the bathroom to shower and wash her hair, shutting the door carefully to not wake the three of them up.
She tried not to cry after the door clicked shut.
*****
Theo was not particularly thrilled to be waking up to get ready for the Hogwarts Express. It was exciting that Draco and Pansy get to ride it without an Auror guard, but otherwise he would have much rather floo’d back to the castle. He and Hermione were Head Boy and Girl and would have a prefect meeting to run through and they probably needed to do at least one patrol of the train.
He really wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the rest of the Wizarding community. They’d made a lovely little cocoon here from all the drama and thestral shite, who could blame him for wanting to live like this always? He could afford it after all. He now understood how Narcissa’s Uncle Alphard had moved into the Muggle world and never returned. Unlimited funds in Muggle London was almost indistinguishable from magic.
Draco and Pansy were still sound asleep and there was no sign of the lovely Head Girl, but Theo could hear the shower going. She must have already gotten up, the very punctual little creature she was. They had hours yet before they needed to be at the platform and Theo intended to make the most of them.
Exploring the little nooks of the suite that he hadn’t looked in previously, Theo discovered a mini fridge with tiny bottles of champagne. There was also a tiny glass jar of orange juice. Theo said a blessing for darling Reginald and almost jumped up and down with excitement.
“More mimosas,” he whispered in delight to himself, returning to the bedroom with a tray of goodies, where he announced loudly, “Wake up my darlings! Pansy! Draco! We have mimosas! And unfortunately we have to go back to Hogwarts today.”
Draco pulled the blanket over his head. “Ugh! Don’t remind me. Can’t we just stay here? The Muggles seem to take good care of us and not care about our family names.”
“Pretty sure that our Probation Auror would not be pleased with us.” Pansy pushed herself up on her elbows as Theo sat himself on the foot of the bed with the tray. “Attending our eighth year was a requirement of keeping us both out of Azkaban. Auror Selwyn isn’t awful for the sake of awfulness, but she does take her job very seriously. The last thing we want to do is piss her off.”
“Ugh!” The blankets where Draco was hiding groaned again, unfortunately not in pleasure, but rather in dread. Theo bit his lip in an attempt not to laugh at his boyfriend. Instead he started mixing mimosas for each of them, levitating one over to Pansy and downing the one he made for himself immediately.
Theo exhaled in happy contentment, licking his lips in obvious enjoyment. "I am fucking converted. Mimosas are a thousand times better than fire whiskey. I am buying a champagne vineyard and an orange orchard. Nott Manor is getting an orangery installed; I’m writing to one of my estate managers tomorrow. My pumpkin juice era is over. Orange juice is my new fixation." Pansy rolled her eyes at his dramatics, but Theo just tossed his head in further flamboyance. "What is the point of being obscenely wealthy and eighteen if I don't do something totally irresponsible?"
Draco pushed back the blankets and sat up, looking over at Theo who already had a mimosa in his extended hand meant for the blond. Draco claimed the glass and shook his head at Theo’s nonsense. "Honestly look at Blaise, the vineyard thing is pretty lucrative. It's probably a good investment.”
“So this isn’t a flippant waste of money?” Theo scoffed. “Well even if it's a good investment, at least I get more mimosas. I wonder if I can convince Rosmerta to carry them at the Three Broomsticks.”
“I can ask her for you when I go to see if she wants money or labour from me. Hopefully she doesn’t hex me on sight, not that I don’t absolutely deserve it.” Swallowing the mimosa and sitting it on the side table, Draco dropped back up on the pillows and stared at the ceiling, dread colouring his expression. “Hogwarts is going to be rough with people who weren't there for the summer…"
Pouring himself a second mimosa, Theo huffed dramatically. “it's going to be fucking awful, isn’t it?”
Agreeing, Draco leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Diagon Alley was just a taste of what we can expect.”
“We are doing okay with the folk who were at camp, but even they may behave differently with everyone around.” Pansy tapped her nails on the bedding. “Do you think Dean and Seamus will go back in the closet?” Her face betrayed a little bit of worry for the Gryffindor couple that had integrated seamlessly into their social circle by being chill as fuck and great to party with.
Theo considered, tilting his head as he thought, “They might try, but I think they have gotten used to being physically affectionate publicly and that may be harder to give up than they realize. Do you think people will be awful to Luna and Blaise?”
“People are always awful to Luna,” Pansy stated, sipping her mimosa. “That’s nothing new. Her own housemates have always treated her deplorably. Tracey has it out for her now that Luna has Blaise serious about her. I don't know why Tracey ever thought she was more than a shag. I’d like to say that I don’t think anyone will be awful to them over an inter-House relationship, but I think they should expect it.”
“Slytherins are always to blame. We are like the plague, best to be avoided,” Draco stated morosely from his place in the bed, his arms crossed over his chest.
Drinking coffee in a fluffy robe, Hermione entered the bedroom oblivious to what she had walked into. Her damp hair framed her face and her bare feet were silent on the carpet. She smiled softly, but froze when met with three serious expressions on her snakes.
Turning to look at her with questioning eyes, Theo gave her an expression that let her know that she had walked in midconversation. “So Hermione, are you going to avoid us when we get back to school?” Theo asked, his face serious for a change.
"What the fuck Theo!" Pansy threw a pillow at his face which he dodged, barely keeping his mimosa safe. He scowled at Pansy and swallowed his mimosa, sitting the drink to the side.
"What Pans? It's a serious fucking question. It would be better for Hermione if she stopped hanging out with us. We are only gonna drag her down."
Hermione didn't know what to say and she looked up at Draco who looked at her with such vulnerability and tenderness that she felt like her heart would break. When did this thing with the four of them start involving hearts? Why does the idea of them not wanting her around anymore feel like her’s is being ripped out of her chest?
“Number one - Theo we share a dorm. Number two - you aren't dragging me down anywhere. The three of you have been the only thing that is helping me breathe. Fuck everyone else. If they don't like my friendship with you three they can fuck right off. Cheers!” And she toasted at him with her coffee cup, attempting to hide her lack of confidence in their relationship from everyone else in the room.
Theo was up and across the room in seconds, his face stern in a way that would have soaked her knickers if she had been wearing any.
"Friendship?" Theo growled out, "Hermione, I am about to be rough with you," he said as he slid his fingers into her hair and twisted them. "What colour are you right now?" His other hand untied the robe that she’d put on after her shower.
"Green Theo. I’m green.” Theo tightened his fist in her hair with his right hand as he carefully sat her coffee cup on the table next to the chair. He pulled her up by her hair and Hermione could feel her cunt start to tingle. He turned her around and ripped her robe off, showing off her naked body to Pansy and Draco. Pansy was sitting on her heels on the huge bed and Draco had stood up and was staring and licking his lips.
"Hermione," Theo said as he bit her neck, “Do you let other lady friends eat your sweet pussy like Pansy does?”
Hermione moaned a little as Theo tightened his right hand in her hair pulling her head back and his left hand with his long fingers tightened on her left hip so tight she knew there would be bruises.
"Answer me Hermione." He pulled his hand out of her hair and gave her a hard swat on her ass. She moaned again. "With words darling. Do you let other friends eat your pussy?"
"No...just Pansy….ooh... and you….oohh...and Draco." Hermione moaned as Theo massaged the ass cheek he had just smacked hard enough to leave a bright red handprint. Hermione felt herself grow wet between her legs and she bit her lip. She was still looking at Pansy and Draco. Pansy was almost bouncing now, practically panting. Draco looked like stone, barely breathing. He couldn't take his eyes off her as if he blinked that she might disappear.
"Good girl." Theo breathed into her ear and Hermione felt the praise go right to her cunt and it started to drip. Theo seemed to know and his arm snaked around her to stroke her lips with two fingers. "And do you let other friends stroke your sweet quim like this, Hermione?" Hermione was having a hard time making words so she just shook her head back and forth as she gasped. Theo flicked her little nub and Hermione cried out. "Use. Your. Words. Hermione."
"No, no Theo. Just you ...and Pansy….and Draco." Hermione twitched in his arms as he continued to stroke her.
"Mmhmm. And what colour are you my darling?" Theo licked her earlobe and nipped lightly.
"Green Theo, green!" Hermione moaned under his touch, desperate for more from her lover.
Theo slid two fingers inside of her and stroked slowly, pulling shivers from her body that he was turning boneless. Hermione felt as though she was going to melt all over the floor.
"And do let any other friends lick your clit?” Theo flicked at her clit as he asked and she could feel the wetness begin to coat her inner thighs in response to his actions and possessive words. “Do you suck some other friends’ cock? Do you eat any other girls' pussy? Hmmmm, Hermione?" He flicked her clit a little roughly when she didn’t answer as quickly as he would have liked her to.
"No! Theo no! No one else!" Hermione's eyes had been closed and when she opened them Draco was right in front of her looking feral. “I don’t want anyone else,” she murmured as her golden eyes met his silver ones.
"Hermione," Draco whispered his lips just a breath above hers when he finally spoke. "Let's stop pretending that we are all just friends, yeah?" He grabbed Theo's wrist and slid his fingers out of her pussy and brought them up to his mouth and sucked them making Theo and Hermione both gasp.
"Do any of your other friends taste your pussy off other friend's fingers?" Theo asked breathlessly.
"No...no…," she whimpered, shaking her head desperately.
Theo released Hermione's hip and stepped back, raising one eyebrow to Draco and looked satisfied.
Draco ran his hands over all the bruises and love bites that the three of them had left on Hermione. He started along her neck and ran his hands down her breasts and then caressed her inner thighs where Pansy had bitten her twice last night.
Hermione was looking Draco in the eyes and quivering. She could still feel Theo's breath on her neck and Pansy was looking on with feverish eyes obviously content to watch…for now.
"Do you want me and Theo to fuck girls besides you and Pansy or shag other blokes, Hermione? Do you want Pansy to shag other girls?" Hermione was shaking her head, her eyes closed as Draco stroked her inner thighs with his long fingers and she felt the coolness of his rings. "Keep your eyes open and on me, mon trésor." Theo was nodding at Draco encouragingly and Draco was trying so hard not to be nervous, but he wouldn't let Hermione know. While it was only a couple of weeks since he'd lost his virginity, he would do this with her. He knew she loved this kind of power play and he would do it. He could. He needed to show her that this was more than friendship and more than just fucking.
Draco’s hands slid up and stroked the underside of her breasts with his thumbs while his long fingers made circles in her skin. Hermione was breathing heavily, almost panting. "Now answer our questions. Do you want me and Theo to fuck other girls or blokes, Hermione? Do you want Pansy to shag other girls?"
Hermione bit her lower lip and moaned a low "noooo" in a gasping exhale that sounded as though she was in pain.
"That's my Good girl." Draco said and watched as she got even more glassy eyed. Theo was definitely right about that praise kink.
"Now Hermione, I know I speak for Theo, Pansy and myself when I say that none of us are interested in anyone outside this room. Now can you say the same, mon tresor? Do you want anyone else? Do we not satisfy you?" He slid his hands down until he was gripping her hips and squeezed tightly when she didn't answer.
"Nooo." Hermione shook her head frantically.
"No, you don't want anyone else sweetheart," Theo whispered from behind her ear, "Or no, we don't satisfy you?"
"I am very satisfied with the three of you," Hermione said, clenching her jaw as she struggled through her arousal to communicate clearly even though she felt like everything was a bit foggy. "And I have no desire to do what we do with anyone else."
"Good girl. Thank you for using your words, Hermione." Draco said. "Now I am going to ask you an important question and if you answer it correctly, I am going to take you over to that bed throw you on it and fuck you until you scream into Pansy's mouth. Would you like that?"
"Very much, Draco."
"Alright. Would you be my girlfriend? Mine and Theo's and Pansy's too, I mean. Our girlfriend? I wanted to ask before, but I wasn't sure how it would go with the Wizengamot and if I went to Azkaban I might not be able to say goodbye and then I would have to break up by owl and yeah, I just couldn’t do that to you." Draco realised he was rambling and she hadn't answered yet.
He was still holding her beautiful amber eyes with his stormy grey ones and just as he thought his heart might break, she leaned forward and slid her arms around his neck and said "Yes, yes a thousand times, yes."
He smiled over her shoulder at Theo who was grinning like a madman and then wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around so that he could see Pansy's face and she was wiping at her eyes pretending she wasn't crying. With happiness Draco hoped.
Draco flashed her a smile and lifted Hermione up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She started kissing him again and he started walking toward the bed. He stopped kissing her to drop her onto the feather mattress and she started giggling. Pansy leaned over to give her a deep kiss and ran her long blood red nails down her sternum avoiding the freshly healed tattoo on Hermione's chest. Hermione’s skin was covered in gooseflesh that had nothing to do with an early morning chill in the hotel suite.
Hermione reached for Pansy’s breasts, causing the raven-haired witch to position them so that Hermione could lap at her nipples until the sensations became too much for her, so Pansy captured her lips instead.
Draco, kissing up Hermione’s inner-thighs, repeated between kisses, “You’re ours, you’re ours, you’re ours.”
“Yours, yours, yours,” Hermione chanted in response, as Pansy breathed the word “mine” into her mouth between kisses, where she bit her lips.
Theo kissed Hermione on the ankle, and wrote the rune for “ours” on her skin with his tongue before pulling back to watch as Draco took such perfect control of her pleasure. Theo leaned over Draco’s back, kissing and nipping behind his ear to his shoulder, listening to the immaculate moans and noises coming from Hermione’s lips, when Pansy let her up for air anyway.
Draco continued to tease Hermione’s body, slowly licking around the place where she wanted his mouth most of all. Draco was face down with his arse up so Theo took the opportunity to come up behind him and start to prepare him with his tongue and fingers. Draco’s cock was so hard between his legs that it was dripping with precum onto the bedding.
Tossing her head in desperation, Hermione begged them to take her. “I’m all yours, show me I’m all yours, please-please, I need you all.”
Draco pulled Hermione down the bed until he could stand on the floor and access all her molten treasure; he slowly licked Hermione’s slit enjoying the delicate tartness of her body like it was a ripe fruit.
“Theo, fuck Draco while he fucks Hermione,” Pansy demanded, adding imperiously, “OUR princess gets to lick me clean while I ride her face.”
Hermione didn’t think that her snakes could still make her blush after everything that they had done together, but she was sure that she was scarlet after that comment. Not that she was unwilling to let Pansy ride her face, she was pretty excited to try it out actually.
The sensations might be too much for him, Draco thought; he might have lost his mind because the feeling of being inside Hermione while Theo is inside of him sent lightning through him.
Pansy rode Hermione’s face. Draco stretched her pussy as Theo filled him. Mouth on the blond’s alabaster shoulder, Theo bit Draco hard enough to draw blood, licking in from his skin which caused Draco to moan loudly.
Concerned, Theo asked, “Oh dragon, was that too much?”
“No?” Draco said, sounding unsure. He did not particularly have the time to unpack bloodplay when he was buried in the warm perfection of Hermione’s cunt and had Theo’s cock up his ass.
Theo kissed him lightly where he had bitten him, soothing the place with his tongue. “I’ll be more careful and we can talk about it later.” Theo sucked love bites gently into Draco’s pale skin. “Never want to do anything you aren’t okay with.”
Draco just nodded absently, unable to focus on what Theo was saying in the face of all the pleasure. Holding himself still while Theo fucked him into Hermione, Draco felt like a toy or a tool and couldn’t help but find the sensation of being used for pleasure by those that he loved most to be exquisite.
Hermione moaned into Pansy’s cunt and rolled her hips into Draco’s trying to summon him deeper inside of her.
“This is how it’s going to be from now on, all of us together, nothing is going to tear us apart.” Draco promised as Theo’s mouth was on his neck behind his ear, sending him completely over the edge.
Simultaneously, they all orgasmed and it felt as though their magics were all exploding from under their skins. They all opened their eyes and gasped at the sight before them. The gold shimmering in the air was so bright and powerful that it had texture. It felt like dozens of mouths kissing their skin. It was as though their magic had left their bodies and surrounded them.
Hermione could feel what her lovers were feeling and she arched her back as another orgasm rocked through her. Pansy’s taste was in her mouth and Draco was inside of her, but it also felt as though someone was sucking on her swollen clit and someone was inside her arse, not any someone either: Theo. He’d taken her from behind enough that she recognized the feel of his body inside of her. And everywhere they were surrounded by gold, bright shining gold magic illuminating the air.
Draco filled Hermione to the brim, and could feel Theo come inside of him, but the other man was still hard as a wand. Draco’s whole body tingled with an orgasm that had seemed to spread throughout his entire body. Orgasms had always felt good but nothing like that. He absently wiped at his mouth, it felt wet and the sensations rocking through him felt alien, but so very good.
Pansy’s one experience being penetrated was not a good one, but the feeling that jolted though her, the heat, the slight pain of the stretch, the tightness that seemed as though it surrounded her and the fullness felt better than she could have ever imagined. She knew that it was magic, but they hadn’t done any of the sex magic that she knew of that would summon such an effect. She was sure Mi would research it afterwards, no need to worry about it now.
Theo felt so fucking good, it was as though he was floating on a cloud. The golden light was holding him up and it felt as though part of his soul had left his body and was flitting about the room, made of a thousand butterflies. He just knew that he needed to finish inside Hermione too. He was still rock hard, but he could feel the need inside himself like a compulsion.
Pansy had rolled off of Hermione and stretched alongside the other witch, her long nails running along Hermione’s curves.
“Feast on Pansy, dragon,” Theo purred into his lover's ear. “I have something to finish.” As Draco did as Theo had requested, Theo smiled in pleasure at how easily Draco had switched from a more dominant role in their lovemaking to a submissive one. It was bloody hot, was what it was. Pansy bit her lip and rolled onto her back, beckoning Draco to her with one finger. Lifting her thighs, Pansy allowed him to put her knees over his shoulders and Draco proceeded to devour her.
Theo moved over Hermione’s body, taking her arms over her head and holding her wrists against the bed.
“Are you ready for me to show you how you are ours, as well, my beautiful girl?” Theo asked, feeling breathless and if the look on Hermione’s face was anything to go by she felt the same. Pansy’s moans were reaching a crescendo quickly as Draco suckled in her most sensitive spots that were already swollen from Hermione’s mouth.
Hermione was already dripping from her release and Draco’s, so Theo slid into her easily. He could already feel the urge to come building in his body, but he wanted Hermione to orgasm again as well, and wanted her perfect cunt to squeeze his cock as she came. Theo captured her mouth with his, kissing her roughly, claiming her body, thrusting into her in time with the screams that were coming from Pansy as she came all over Draco’s face.
“Ours,” Theo gasped into her mouth as he felt her body flutter around his cock. Reaching down he flicked the tiny swollen nub until Hermione came hard around him, her body squeezing him so hard that she was trying to expel him from inside of her.
Theo released her wrists, taking hold of her hips as he slammed into her. Her warm centre with the feel of her slick mixed with Draco's cum was too much and he couldn't hold out any longer. Jerking his pelvis against hers, Theo's seed spilled into her, crying out his love for her and how Hermione was his. Draco was his. Pansy was his. And they all owned him as well.
Pushing his cock deeper inside Hermione, mixing his and Draco's releases deep in her cunt, Theo's blood thrummed with pleasure as he fell on top of his witch. He lifted himself up enough to admire the mess that coated Hermione’s inner thighs.
“Circe’s tits,” Hermione gasped, as the last of the sparkles in the air faded. What had that been? It was so beautiful. She laughed lightly. “I think that I need another shower.”
Theo stretched his sweaty body against her own and laughed against her throat, “I don’t think that you are the only one, darling.”
Notes:
Thanks to the small pirate ship of those who help make this madness happen.
Art for this chapter by Roseheira, they are amazing. See more of their work at: https://www.instagram.com/roseheira_/?hl=en
Chapter 31: I'm not afraid of him/Platform 9 3/4
Summary:
Pansy, Theo, Draco and Hermione catch the Hogwarts Express. Ron and Molly have opinions on Hermione's life. Luna shares an announcement.
Notes:
Song for this chapter is:
DONTTRUSTME by 3OH!3
https://open.spotify.com/track/5jzX4dWVQeBTtfBaXnMRt5?si=qb70nhzRTGOG_FUB42GfFA
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After the morning’s epic shag and whatever the gold sparkling magic had been, Hermione felt better than she had in years. It was like everything was starting to fall into place for her, finally. She knew where she stood with her Slytherins and that took a huge amount of pressure off of her that she hadn’t known that she’d been holding on to. She didn’t think that she had been this happy in years, since before the war certainly.
They had gotten to the train platform a bit early because they wanted to ensure they had their own compartment, separate from the one for the Head Boy and Head Girl if at all possible. She and Theo would have to conduct the prefects’ meeting in there and Pansy and Draco wouldn’t enjoy being ejected from the compartment for the meeting nor being a source of gossip for all the prefects. Neither were good options, a private compartment would be significantly better for all four of them, since her and Theo would be able to rejoin them promptly after setting the prefects on their way. They weren’t certain whether Blaise and Luna would be taking the train or flooring directly to the castle, since they hadn’t heard from the pair since they’d portkeyed to Italy on Friday.
Hermione was dealing with more than a bit of nerves, as the whole returning student body would be on the train rather than just the handful that had been there in the summer. After the reception in Diagon Alley, Theo, too, was particularly worried and wanted to have them all ensconced in the safety of the Hogwarts Express as early as possible.
Holding Theo and Draco's hands and swinging them happily, Hermione giggled while Pansy was standing in front of them, digging around in her purse for her new black lipstick. Hermione was laughing because they had three new trunks to accommodate everything they bought in Muggle London. "We could have just shrunk everything and put it in my bag, you know. "
"Ah but what's the fun in that?" Theo scoffed. "It was some deeply satisfying shopping and I want to have a proper place to put everything." He ran his free hand over the ruffles of Pansy’s all black lolita dress, smiling at how she looked in it.
"Besides," Pansy said, "My new trunk has some more fun surprises for when we are back at Hogwarts." The witch winked naughtily, causing Theo to bite his lip. He was absolutely thinking of how Pansy’s name was written on his arse in bruises and wondered in anticipation what else she had in store for him.
Hermione giggled at her again, feeling giddy, and smiled up at Draco and Theo in turn. Theo leaned in and gave her a kiss that she returned with a happy sigh. Draco smiled and put his face into her wild curls taking a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Everything was perfect just then and Hermione felt as though she was safely cocooned in the affection of her partners.
In a sudden and unexpected turn, however, their peaceful moment was interrupted by a shocked yell. "Hermione, what the bloody hell are you doing?" The four of them turned to see Ronald Weasley rushing towards them on the platform, his face a bright red and his eyes slightly crazed as he took in the sight of the four of them.
"Oh fuck," Draco whispered, and then louder in a flippant tone, not yet releasing her, "Oh, hello, Weaselbee. What a surprise." He greeted an angry looking Ron who was ignoring Draco as he stomped to stand in front of Hermione.
"Draco," Hermione hissed, "you are not making a bad situation better."
"I doubt anything can make this better, sweetheart," Theo said, squeezing her hand. Pansy snorted and fixed Ron with a glare as he continued his approach.
Draco stepped slightly back and put his hand on Hermione's lower back as if to hold her up, letting her know he was right there while still letting her handle her own battles. His jaw clenching as he fought his own inclination to insult the vermin further. Fighting an Auror trainee on the train platform in front of the Hogwarts student body was definitely a violation of his probation. He tried to keep his body language as neutral as possible so Hermione wouldn't feel his tension. He knew that she had to be incredibly stressed at the confrontation that was imminent. Weasley was hardly known for his good behaviour where Hermione was concerned.
Hermione cleared her throat and civilly acknowledged the redhead, “Hello, Ron.” She saw his family coming up behind him: Arthur, Molly and Ginny. She was more than a little sorry to not see Bill, Fleur or George, she could at least count on them to not let this scene get too far out of hand.
"I am surprised to see you,” she bit out. “I heard you were on assignment from Harry." She rolled her eyes at the thought of her other friend who clearly had misinformed her and now she had to deal with the one wizard she had been intent on avoiding.
"Is this what you've been up to?'' Ron asked, angry and red-faced not even acknowledging that she had spoken. Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but Ron held up a hand, gesturing wildly between Draco and Theo.
"So what is it? Hm? Are you a Death Eater whore now, ‘Mione?” Ron spat, his tone dripping with venom. “Which one of them are you shagging? Or maybe they are passing you around like an old broken-in broom to take a ride on. You looked really fucking comfortable between the two of them a minute ago."
Her mouth hung open in shock at what he'd just said, though she was actually surprised he wasn’t gripping his wand. The look on his face was a little too much like her nightmare, so she stepped between him and her lovers, unwilling to risk their safety. They meant too much to her.
"Ronald, you broke up with me, remember? So it's none of your business who I am seeing or shagging." Hermione pointed out with a clipped tone, her face full of disgust. Ron was really predictably possessive even though they’d split up and he’d bad-mouthed her to the entire British Wizarding community, and yet he expected to have a say in her life. It was pathetic, honestly.
Ron narrowed his eyes, letting out a harsh bark of a laugh that caused her heart rate to rise.
"So you are shagging both of them?!" He shouted, drawing the attention of everyone near them. "You were a frigid little bitch with me, but you opened your legs for two bloody Death Eaters? What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
Ron was turning purple as he screamed at Hermione, shaking in rage now. The people around them weren't even pretending not to stare, but the entire platform hadn’t yet realised what was going on.
"And what the bloody hell is that?" He gestured towards the neckline of her dress where the blue flames of her tattoo were clearly visible peeking out on the skin of her clavicle.
"It's my new tattoo," Hermione stated flatly, backing up as he reached his hand toward her dress like he was going to pull it down.
He couldn’t possibly be about to grab her? Involuntarily, she sucked in a breath, shrinking back into Draco's hold. She'd always known that Ron was a bit of a wild card with his temper, but she’d never feared him the way she did in that moment. Draco’s arms wrapped around her immediately, pulling her close against him. She drew strength from him and tried not to let the fear she was feeling show on her face. She couldn’t hex Ron in front of all these people unless he hexed first. She was sorely tempted, however, and pulled her wand from its hiding place.
Theo stepped in front of Hermione and snarled with a lethal menace she had never heard before from the Head Boy, "You need to step the fuck back from Hermione, mate."
Ron was in no way deterred by the unspoken threat, and shoved Theo right in the chest. Theo was sturdy in his stance though and didn't even sway from the spot as though he’d cast a nonverbal sticking charm on his feet, staying firmly in front of Hermione.
"I am not your fucking mate, you bloody Death Eater spawn!" Ron screamed, spit flying from his mouth in his rage.
As if the scene couldn't get worse, coming up next to Ron now, Molly Weasley was clearly unable to hold back her own two-sickles any longer. "I am so disappointed in you Hermione, cozying up to the likes of these pieces of trash. They belong in Azkaban like their fathers, not running loose amongst us decent people. I guess I was right about you during the Triwizard tournament after all, you are nothing but a tart! A tattooed little trollop!"
Molly Weasley calling her a tart and a trollop was simply outside of enough. Hermione leaned around Theo to make eye contact with the Weasley matriarch. "I am so sorry you don't approve of the company I keep, Molly, but you can just fuck right off.” Molly’s look of surprise at Hermione’s foul language would have been almost comical if Hermione hadn’t been so utterly livid.
“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY MOTHER THAT WAY! After everything we have done for you? You would have had no one if it weren’t for us! You ungrateful slag,” Ron bellowed, moving slightly closer to Theo.
“I am just glad my Ron got out before you potioned him into loving you, you wretched girl,” Molly stated in a loud judgemental tone. All eyes were now on them, the crowd not even attempting to be coy in their interest in the row happening between two thirds of the Golden Trio.
“Molly, I am so glad you emerged from wallowing in depression in your room just in time to be a complete bint to me, but I didn't ask your opinion about my love life." Hermione turned to look at Ron, "And you! You ignored my owls all bloody summer after telling me and I quote ‘that we were done and that you were going to find a real witch.’ Isn’t that what you told the Prophet? In addition to the utter lies that I was cheating on you, that I used your family for what I honestly have no idea.” Hermione threw her hands up in the air in indignation. Her hair sparked with her fury.
“And let's not forget the most important thing: that you wanted a perfect Pureblood trophy wife?! Because after that whole bloody war we fought in, blood status still does matter to you! So go do that then Ronald, and leave me the bloody hell alone. We aren’t friends anymore and we definitely aren’t family. You have no say in my personal life and you need to get used to that because even if you apologise to me and those I care about, it’s never going to change. Whatever friendship was between us is broken, severed, done, forever." Hermione turned and headed for the train, Draco next to her with Theo following close behind. Ron reached out like he was going to grab her.
Pansy, who had been standing just off to the side, had her wand out in seconds and at his throat. "I don't bloody think so, Weasel. You aren't going to put one bleeding hand on my girlfriend."
Theo had taken Hermione by the arm and led her onto the train but Draco paused at the door looking back at Pansy in concern.
"Your girlfriend, is she Parkinson? Didn't know Hermione was a carpet licker," Ron hissed. "Is she really or is it just Slytherin Slags get fucked together? Is that it?"
Pansy hissed venomously at him, "You take Hermione’s name out of your filthy mouth, you worthless wanker. You left her after the war. Draco and Theo are each three times the wizard that you are! In every bloody way!" She sneered in the direction of his crotch. “You’re lucky the whole world doesn’t know what a pathetic prick you are!”
Draco was back at Pansy’s side an instant later, "Put down your wand, Pans, he isn't worth it." Draco looked at Ron and his mother with absolute menace. "Hermione isn't yours, she is ours. And you need to leave her alone. Insult her again and you'll regret it."
"Is that a threat, Malfoy?" Ron sneered, his face a mask of disdain.
"It's a promise, Weaselbee," Draco hissed. “I may be on probation, but there are things worth going to Azkaban for and protecting Hermione is one of them.”
The crowd around them was hanging on Draco’s every word, and their voices raised in titters as Draco dragged Pansy onto the Hogwarts Express whispering in her ear as he gave Ron a death glare.
Ron stood there, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Coming from the side, Dean and Seamus walked up, holding hands, having watched the altercation go down prepared to step in if things came to blows and hexes as it nearly had.
"That was out of line, Ron.” Dean scolded while scowling. “You don’t have any right to be bent with Hermione for moving on when you badmouthed her in the bloody paper.”
Seamus frowned as well. “Draco and Theo are okay blokes for Slytherins. We have been with them at Hogwarts all summer and you may find it hard to believe but they have been through horrible shit too. As well as Pansy, she’s a bit of a bitch, but she’s good to Hermione, really been there for her. Your behaviour was really shite, man.”
“They are the enemy!!!” Ron roared, absolutely in shock that his fellow Gryffindors would be defending Slytherins.
Seamus shook his head in disbelief. “The war is over, Ron. The enemy were the adults who had kids fight their war,” Seamus argued with narrowed eyes.
“And I am really sorry you don't see it that way, Ron,” sighed Dean in disappointment. “You should really think about doing some mind healing. You obviously need it.”
“I don’t need any bloody mind healing.” As Ron noticed them holding hands, he let out a mocking laugh, “What's this then? You two a couple of poofters then?”
“Bloody hell, Ron,” Dean rolled his eyes in annoyance. “You are so fucking predictable.”
Seamus gave him the two fingered salute as they walked away and threw a parting remark over his shoulder. “Feel free to send us an owl after you grow the fuck up.”
“But we won't hold our breath,” Dean added, putting his arm around Seamus’ shoulders as they walked away. Their familiar touches earned them a few confused glances from around the platform, but there was none of the vitriol directed their way that Ron had just spat.
“What the fuck was that, Ron?” Ginny demanded as she came up behind him, having heard every insult that had just come out of her brother’s mouth. “Why were you such an arse to Dean and Seamus?”
“Language Ginevra,” Molly shrieked, snapping out of the shock that had rendered her quiet.
“But Ron shouting obscenities and being a homophobic arsehole was fine, Mum? Bloody hell.” Ginny ignored her mother’s continued comments as her father tried to soothe his upset wife. And Ginny turned her glare on her brother, half tempted to bat bogey hex him for old time’s sake.
"They defended Malfoy, Nott, and Hermione! She is a bloody Death Eater whore! Getting passed around like damn party favours by the looks of it! Probably fucking all of Slytherin!" Ron was yelling now. And people all around them were staring. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott were scowling at Ron, Ginny noticed. And Neville just shook his head at the Weasley family and took Hannah's arm to help her onto the train.
“Ron, Please,” their father said sternly. “You are making a scene. People I work with are here. People you work with. Get yourself under control.”
What happened over the summer exactly? Ginny thought. Ron's reaction to Hermione being touchy feely with sodding Malfoy and Nott seemed pretty reasonable to her, but clearly even Neville thought he was being a tosser. She felt so out of the loop, maybe she should have gone to camp, it’s not like staying home had been any better.
Just then, a discarded copy of the Daily Prophet flew at their feet.
When Ron saw the picture of Malfoy on the platform floor, he angrily crushed it under his shoe until it tore before stomping off. Molly gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek and then raced off after him.
Of course, couldn’t have poor Ronniekins out of sorts, Ginny complained internally. And people thought she was the favourite. Molly Weasley’s baby boy was and would always be the one for whom she made all the excuses.
Mr. Weasley did the same with a quick hug as well as a few departing words, “Good luck sweetheart. See you at Christmas. Owl us when you get to Hogwarts, won’t you?”
And then Ginny found herself standing alone on Platform 9 ¾. This had not been the reception from her friends that she was anticipating. Where were the hugs, the kind words, the greetings? Hermione hadn’t even said hello to her. Ron had been a complete wanker, but it wasn’t like that was anything new. Merlin knew Harry had been a complete wanker most of the summer himself.
Had literally everything changed during some summer program that she missed? It just didn’t make sense in her brain. How could everyone have moved forward and just left her behind?
What the fuck. She clenched her fists in frustration and decided to find a place where she could sit on the train alone. She needed some time to think.
********
Hermione was nearly vibrating with rage by the time they found the Head Boy and Head Girl compartment and snagged the one immediately across from it as well. Theo handed Hermione a flask, but she shook her head and pushed it back. Theo frowned. He wished that he had some calming draughts handy, but inconveniently they were all packed deeply into one of the half dozen trunks the four of them had handed off to the porters to be loaded onto the train.
“I wish I had Crookshanks with me right now. He would have scratched his eyes out!” Hermione gritted out. Draco rubbed her shoulders and Pansy squeezed her hand, while Theo watched her closely trying to figure out what to do to make her feel better. He couldn’t give her an orgasm in the train compartment, he wondered if the loo would be big enough for him to go down on her. He’d managed it when he was younger, but he hadn’t been quite as broad in the shoulders then. Getting stuck in the loo while eating Hermione’s sweet cunt would not be something he wanted to explain.
He sighed, leaning back on the bench across from his dragon and his witches.
“Knock knock,” Dean called as he slid the compartment door open, “Is it alright if we come in?”
“Ah if it isn’t two of my favourite lions,” Theo greeted, handing over the flask that Hermione had rejected which was accepted happily by Seamus as he dropped to the bench next to Theo.
“Theo Nott, you are a good mate.” Seamus grinned, took a swing of the whiskey and attempted to pass it to Dean who waved it off.
Hermione gave Theo a look so dubious that he felt as though he could read her mind, he wasn't acting like a very good Head Boy at the moment.
“Despite my murderous rage with a certain ginger menace, I think ten in the morning may be too early to have a drink for me. Especially considering how much Shea and I drank this weekend. I’m still a bit miserable after a hangover potion and a pepper-up.” Dean rubbed his temple as though it was paining him.
“That much?” Theo raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Well we went to Dean’s mam’s and it didn’t go over real well. Us - I mean,” Seamus sighed. “So we went to Dean’s cousin’s place in Bristol. He’s a Muggle,” Seamus added in an aside to Theo who nodded.
“Calvin isn’t the most progressive bloke on the planet, but he’s more open-minded than my mum,” Dean added. “Of course his way of showing his support was getting us completely pissed and then asking inappropriate questions. I can’t actually remember parts of Sunday at all.”
“Sounds like some positively thrilling family bonding,” Pansy said with a roll of her eyes.
“Don’t be too judgmental, we spent the weekend getting completely drunk with Muggles as well. And we got tattoos and did some shopping.” Theo declared. “Muggle luxury hotels are really quite splendid. I'm a fan.”
Dean laughed at Theo’s comment. “I don’t doubt it.”
“The goal was to pop in and tell Hermione that Ron is a twat,” Seamus grinned.
"The Weasel King should never be referred to as any euphemism for a pussy, because he lacks the warmth and the depth,” Theo deadpanned which led to the entire compartment bursting into laughter.
“Fuck Theo,” Dean coughed. “Good thing I wasn’t drinking, I would have sprayed it all over.”
Seamus ignored his boyfriend and returned his attention to Hermione. “You can do much better, yeah?”
Draco put his arm around Hermione and kissed the top of her head. “She has already done much better.”
“So we didn’t mishear that.” Dean laughed delightedly. “Made it official - the two of you?”
“Actually the four of us made it official,” Pansy stated, her hand on Hermione’s thigh possessively.
“I knew it!” Seamus suddenly shouted with excitement, pumping his fist in the air. “Oh wait till Nev finds out, and you owe me too.” He turned to Dean with a grin and began to cackle. Even Hermione who was clearly still upset couldn’t help but crack a smile as well.
“Word of advice? Never bet against an Irishman,” Dean said, dejectedly. “It’s like I never learn.”
Theo looked at the pair with amusement, “Did you all have a betting pool on our possible relationship status?” He was liking these Gryffindors more and more, it was definitely something the Slytherins would do too, perhaps Hogwarts Houses really weren’t that different after all. Then he considered Potter and the Weasel and decided that no, the Houses were quite different.
“I mean, we all hung out enough to know that something was going on, so we figured all would be revealed when you were all ready,” Dean explained with a shrug.
“I’ll admit, believing the four of you were together was a bit of a stretch. I’ve heard of magical triads but not a quad, but I don’t know, you all just kind of work together too well to dismiss it,” Seamus was smiling in his victory, nearly dancing in his seat in excitement.
“Well I’m quite touched, I’m glad that some people at least will receive us well,” Pansy said.
“I think everyone who was here this summer should be fine,” Dean said.
“Except Cormac,” Seamus pointed out. “He will assuredly go back to being the world's worst prick once he has an audience again.”
Hermione snorted at that. “I’m actually surprised he didn’t manage to be a prick over the summer as well. He’s a one-trick pony in that regard.”
“The restraint it must have taken,” Dean laughed. “Well, we did promise Nev we’d sit with him and Hannah for a bit as well, so we’ll see you at Hogwarts.”
“Ta.” Theo smiled as they left. “They are very lovely, for Gryffindors.”
“Hey,” Hermione complained, trying to swat him.
“Present lioness is an exception of course to any blanket statement about her garishly coloured House,” Theo consoled, squeezing her knee. Hermione sighed, not willing to argue with him, when she agreed that the Gryffindor colours were garish.
The compartment door flew open again, and there stood Blaise and Luna framed in the light. Luna looked a bit angelic like always. Blaise’s hand was on the small of Luna’s back guiding her into the room.
“There you all are. We overheard several conversations about an outburst on the platform and your names were mentioned, what did we miss?” Blaise inquired, making sure that Luna was comfortably seated before settling next to her.
“Just the Weasel being a loud arse to Hermione for all who can hear,” Pansy rolled her eyes.
“His mother as well, it kind of explains where he got it from,” Draco added, he couldn’t believe that a full-grown witch who raised seven children could behave like that in public, much less to a war heroine who helped keep her son alive. With a shiver he remembered that the Weasley matriarch was the one who ended Bellatrix’s life. Clearly the woman was more dangerous than her slovenly appearance would suggest. What if she got so angry with Hermione that she hurt her? His arm reflexively tightened protectively around her at the thought.
“Ron was angry because he saw Hermione with the rest of you,” Luna stated in her all-knowing way.
“Angry, clearly jealous, completely out of turn, hypocritical, stuck in the past,” Theo listed out the surprising range of emotions Ron had exhibited on the platform. “And very confused that our Head Girl wasn’t on her knees begging for him back.”
“I swear if I hear him call Mi a ‘Death Eater slag’ or any variation thereof one more time,” Pansy fumed, the look in her eyes threatening murder.
“Let me know what devious plan you have in mind for if he does, I’ll be glad to join in on the fun,” Theo meant it as a joke but that menacing tone he had spoken with earlier was resurfacing, he was not going to tolerate his princess be treated like dirt by anyone least of all that boar of a wizard who’s favourite pastime seemed to be finding ways to hurt her. He wondered what sort of creative and untraceable curses might be in the library at Nott Manor, maybe something that included impotence, lifelong impotence. The Weasel really should not be permitted to breed. Theo tapped his finger on his lip as he considered the possibilities.
“I’m sorry he called you a what?” Blaise looked at Hermione in shock, not realising just how malicious the ginger idiot could be.
Hermione, who had been silently reflecting on the altercation, began reciting all the insults Ron had thrown at her as she counted them on her fingers, “Death Eater whore, frigid bitch, broken-in broom, ungrateful slag-” her voice cracked.
She didn’t usually let mean names bother her, she’d been called names all her life. But to hear someone who was once her friend, someone who she once trusted even if he had done his share of teasing her over the years, say those kinds of awful things to her still stung. And for him to do it so publicly. It truly burned away what last threads of friendship they had between them and though a part of her knew that this was the direction that friendship had been careening towards ever since the war had ended, the finality still hurt.
“It’s okay, he’s gone and won’t be bothering you ever again, I’ll make sure of it,” Draco rubbed her arm comfortingly and Hermione leaned into his body, feeling safe in his embrace.
“Do you think we’ll have any problems with the sister?” Pansy asked then, remembering how the redheaded witch just stood there while her brother and mother verbally assaulted Hermione. The Weaslette was somewhere on the train with them and they would be stuck with her for the next year.
“Probably yes,” Luna lamented, she didn’t want to speak ill of her oldest friend but it was the truth, “I’m not sure what healing she has done over the summer, if any at all. It is possible that she might take out whatever pain she still has on others.” Including me, Luna thought to herself, not knowing how Ginny would react to her and Blaise formally courting. She didn’t want to lose Ginny as a friend, but Blaise was her future and she wasn’t about to give him up.
“We already expected trouble, let’s just hope Weaselbee’s temper tantrum was the worst of it,” Theo said. At least in Hogwarts there would be professors to intervene and would take the proper course of action. Plus he was Head Boy, he wasn’t going to abuse the title, but he sure as hell would leverage it if anyone dared to cross the line with his loved ones or any other innocent students. Cordelia would be there too and she was yet one more adult that they could all count on.
“And I suppose it was only a matter of time until that show started circulating if you two already heard about it,” Hermione said to Blaise and Luna, “Gods I just hope it stays as school gossip and that it doesn’t get back to the Prophet.” She dreaded to think what the Prophet would print, no doubt they would side with Ron if Skeeter had any say in it. But it wasn’t just the argument being published that Hermione was worried about, it was the possibility of her new relationship being outed in the most grotesque manner that worried her. By all means she wouldn’t let the opinions of others get in the way of her love for Draco, Theo and Pansy, she just hated the thought of anyone saying bad things about them and fueling the animosity against her loved ones.
“Speaking of the Prophet, Drake got a front page photo and,” Blaise noted, “Goyle got ten years in Azkaban.”
“Apparently, he wasn't interested in repudiating pureblood supremacy,” Luna added.
Theo snorted in disgust. "I doubt he could even spell pureblood supremacy."
Draco laughed and despite being upset, Hermione smirked a little, recognizing that they were trying to take her mind off the incident with Ron.
"Well he decided to call all the Wizengamot, you and Pansy blood traitors who deserved to die, Drake." Blaise shook his head at the stupidity of their former friend.
"How like Goyle to be a bloody fool," Draco grunted.
Theo pushed one of his errant curls out of his eyes. “I mean it's pretty on brand for Goyle. What a wonderful reunion he'll have with Goyle Sr. I am sure his dear old dad will be the envy of all the Death Eaters, the only son who's going to be joining in their fun. Oh maybe they will even get to share a cell. That's real father-son bonding. I just feel so left out." Theo stuck out his lip petulantly.
“Oh quit taking the piss, Theo.” Pansy glared at him in mock annoyance. “Honestly, Goyle being gone will mean I will feel a lot safer in the Slytherin common room. Some of the shit he said to me was pretty creepy.”
Alarmed, Hermione squeaked as she shifted to give Pansy her full attention. "What?"
At the same time that Draco burst out with, "What the bloody fuck are you talking about Pans?"
Theo grabbed Pansy's hand, "My love, did Goyle threaten you and you didn't tell us? That's very naughty and not in a cute way. Drake is probably going to lose his shite now."
“You didn't think anything of it when I moved into your room?" Pansy raised an eyebrow. "Honestly Theo for such a swot, you really can be oblivious sometimes.” She tossed her hair dramatically.
Draco was in fact very close to losing his temper with Pansy, but the way that Hermione stiffened next to him when he began to raise his voice had him pulling himself back under control not wanting to add to her stress or upset her further. "If anyone threatens you again you tell me, or Theo or Hermione immediately. How can I keep you safe if you don't tell me, Pansy?!"
Pansy snorted, flipping her hair in clear annoyance. “I was fine. I could handle Greg.”
“You don't have to handle everything alone, Pans.” Theo pointed out, "Why date the Head Boy, the Head Girl and the school's sexiest reformed villain if you aren't going to tell us when we can take care of you?”
Hermione added, “And it's not just you Pansy, there were a handful of fifth and sixth year Slytherin girls over the summer. What if he had hurt one of them? You may be able to handle it, but they can't. Remember what Cordelia said about preventing missing stairs?”
“You could have told me, Pansy, I was down there, I could have hexed him and planted him a facer,” Blaise pointed out. “I would have loved the excuse. The prick called my Luna names.”
“Point taken, I promise to report the next wizard who harasses me,” Pansy pursed her lips. “Is that good enough for you daddy?”
"Pansy Ophelia Parkinson, please by all the gods let me be your daddy," Theo exhaled in a breathless prayer.
"I'll think about it." Pansy laughed. Theo grinned at that, meeting her eyes with desire bouncing back and forth between the two of them.
"Blaise, how were things with your mum?" Draco asked, suddenly.
"She's fine. Looks as though my stepfather might not make it, he's very ill." Blaise shrugged.
In chorus, the Slytherins all went, "Oh." And the subject was promptly dropped, as no one really wanted to get involved with Signora Zabini's personal business.
Hermione was slightly confused, but recalled rumours about Blaise’s mother and decided that she could make Pansy explain to her what she didn't know later.
"I see you went and got Muggle tattoos without me," Blaise complained, pointing to Theo’s wrist and Hermione’s chest. "You know what this means?"
"That some of us didn't spend the weekend in Italy?" Pansy replied, examining her nails.
"That I have spent more money over the weekend than you did?" Theo smirked, enjoying the possibility.
"No." Blaise shook his head. "That you have to let me give each of you a magical tattoo now."
"We'll consider it," Draco responded, rubbing Hermione's hand as he cuddled her into his side.
“So, I have a funny story to share,” Luna said into the quiet that had fallen over the compartment as everyone was lost in their own thoughts for a bit as the train rolled through the English countryside. Blaise squeezed her hand as though the story was not about to be funny at all.
“Really?” Theo asked, putting his chin in his palm and leaning forward in interest.
“Mmmmhmmm,” Luna agreed, nodding as she fidgeted with her golden ruffled skirt. “It turns out my mother was Lucius Malfoy’s baby sister.” Everyone except Blaise stared at her in shock. “Surprise!” Smiling with her nose crinkled and head tilted, she turned to Draco, whose jaw was hanging open. “Looks like we’re cousins. Isn't that grand?”
**************
Notes:
The Platform 9 3/4 art is by Dani Stardust https://twitter.com/dn_stardust?lang=en
and I made the Daily Prophet cover using a template created by AbraxasWrites.
Can't wait to hear what you think here and on tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT88PddbN/
Chapter 32: Back to School; This is Home
Summary:
The return to Hogwarts is two parts pain and one part pleasure.
Notes:
Beginning notes: The songs for this chapter are Back to School by Mother Mother https://open.spotify.com/track/0UD6mo4q4YiH5GnSfvNNP5?si=OhSYCwmRTRKPMcHrInZpIg
And This is Home by Cavetown https://open.spotify.com/track/7s8VgA8OjvwBUuigKzEGBx?si=0gISd3wbQ_2RxzHhAz0AIg
Chapter Text
Chapter 32
Back to School; This is Home
Flashback:
Draco POV
Malfoy Manor
December 1997
The last place that Draco wanted to be was home. The Manor was crawling with Death Eaters, the Dark Lord, his insane aunt and fucking werewolves, not to mention that snake.
Yet he was supposed to act like it was a normal Christmas. He was a failure, ever since he couldn’t kill the Headmaster, they punished him for the slightest things, there was bound to be more torture for him when he arrived, between courses at dinner perhaps or just after breakfast tomorrow morning. He’d learned better than to eat at the meals he shared with their house guests over the summer, otherwise his meal would be all over the floor and it would just add to his humiliation.
His mother had kissed him in welcome and whispered that the Dark Lord wasn’t currently in residence, but Nagini and Bellatrix were. Draco nodded, understanding that the two of them would report anything that they heard to the Dark Lord upon his arrival.
No familial loyalty would prevent Bellatrix from getting Draco killed if he said or even thought the wrong thing. He needed to be the vision of the perfect pureblood heir if he wanted to live long enough to get back to Hogwarts. If he didn’t make it back, more children would die under the Carrows and he couldn’t allow that to happen. He refused. And Theo, Pansy and Blaise needed his help covering so that they could run their undercover clinic. They couldn’t maintain it without him.
He had to make it out of winter hols alive.
His father had already been drinking when he walked in to greet Draco, acting like Lord of the Manor as though he wasn’t an escaped convict from Azkaban, as though any of this was normal. They were in this strange pantomime of a normal family when a noise from the front entrance of the Manor caused them all to turn.
Thorfinn Rowle, the huge fucking Viking in his Death Eater robes, sans mask, stormed into the house with a blonde witch over his shoulder and Draco froze when he recognized the obnoxiously striped jumper.
Lovegood.
She’d disappeared off the Hogwarts Express earlier in the day. Longbottom had been nearly vibrating with fear and rage as he rushed through the cars searching for her. He looked at Theo’s face when he asked their compartment if they’d seen her. Theo only shook his head.
What had there been to say? Only one group of people could apparate on and off the Hogwarts Express and that hadn’t boded well for the missing Ravenclaw.
Where had she been for the last several hours? What had they done to her?
Draco doubted that he wanted to consider it too deeply. He felt as though he was going to be sick, so he pulled his occlumency shields up tighter, as though he was somewhere else, as though he couldn't care less about the scene in front of him.
Rowle dropped her on the ground as though she was nothing more than a sack of grain for his father’s peacocks.
When she looked up, Lovegood’s lip was split and her left eye was rapidly turning purple. His father’s gasp next to his ear caused Draco’s whole body to stiffen.
“What is she doing here?” Lucius asked in a hard voice that trembled on the pronoun and Draco looked up to see his father’s face which had even less colour than normal. His thin hands shook at his sides, it was probably a good thing that his father hadn’t had a drink in his hand for a change, because the cut crystal tumbler would have shattered on the floor.
Narcissa’s face hardened as she tightened up her own occlumency shields, her silver eyes going flat and her face blank.
“Her father angered the Dark Lord,” Rowle answered. “She’s to be put in the dungeon to ensure his good behaviour from now on.”
Draco wasn’t even paying attention to what they were saying, he could only stare at Luna as the blood dripped from her lip onto the marble floor, her pale hair, blonde like his, only splattered in blood.
Her eyes met his; it was disconcerting to realise her pale blue eyes and his grey ones were only the merest of shades apart. The white of her left eye was bloody and it had begun to swell shut as he watched her.
The look in her eye was so kind, as though she thought he could help her.
He thought he was going to be sick the moment he let his occlumency shields drop. And Draco wondered if he could keep them up forever. He never wanted to feel another emotion ever again.
***********
“Way to drop the finite there Lu my love,” Blaise laced his fingers with hers.
“I tried to work up to it,” she shrugged, tossing her pale hair back to cover her shoulder. “But it was taking too long and I couldn’t keep it a secret anymore.”
Draco continued opening and closing his mouth, feeling as though his brain was ceasing to work. He can’t have heard what he thought that he did. It was simply impossible.
“Well I for one, am not surprised,” Theo announced, causing everyone to look at him sceptically. “Alright. First of all, look at their hair. Half the Pureblood families have traits tied to their lines. Luna’s hair would have been called ‘Malfoy blonde’ all her life if we had known.”
“And she can be dangerous as fuck,” Theo continued as he ticked off points on his fingers. “She isn’t entirely inept at throwing curses and hexes around just like Draco, if he were allowed. And she sees through everyone’s masks in a way that makes Slytherins envious. Of course, she just announces people’s secrets in crowded rooms instead of blackmailing them as is proper.”
“Probably why I’m a Ravenclaw and not a Slytherin, I wouldn’t want to deprive anyone of essential knowledge,” Luna laughed. “I’m not sure if I feel complimented or insulted, Theodore.”
“Well, as soon as McGonagall said that Draco had a cousin at Hogwarts, you were the obvious candidate,” Theo added conspiratorially, a smile playing around his lips. “I should have put galleons on it, alas.”
“His own niece in the dungeons, Lucius is a real piece of work,” Hermione said, lips pursed, her brow furrowing and her nose wrinkling in distaste.
Draco was still silently staring at Luna, his eyes tracing over every curve and line of her face as though he was trying to solve a puzzle. He sighed in frustration at himself and his inability to see what was clearly right in front of his face.
“Well Lucius never cared much for family, did he,” Draco admitted, with an ambivalent shrug that belied the emotional turmoil that he was feeling at this news.
“At least he didn’t offer me up to take the mark,” Luna shrugged. “Or marry me off to Dolohov or Rowle. I know they both asked. He knew who I was; he must have known. I know that now in retrospect. He came and looked at me in the dungeons more than once, he never said anything, just looked at me. It was terribly creepy at the time; I was so worried that he was going to do something to me. And everyone always says that I look just like my mother.”
“Mama said the same,” Blaise added. “That seeing Luna was like her mother came back from the dead. They were friends at Hogwarts even if Luna’s mum was in Ravenclaw and Mama was in Slytherin.”
Theo shrugged as though that was obvious. “Your mum was a Shafiq before she married and with Luna’s mum being a Malfoy, of course they would have been friends. Just like we were because our parents told us who we were allowed to be friendly with.”
“I feel like the seventies in Hogwarts was this crazy time that none of us will ever fully understand,” Hermione sighed. “I know that Harry’s father and Sirius Black horribly bullied Snape. Remus nearly killed him because of one of Sirius’ pranks. Despite being a Gryffindor, Pettigrew became a Death Eater and who knows who else joined the Dark in secret. Regulus Black betrayed Voldemort, though he died in the effort. What other secrets from that time are lost? Nearly everyone is dead now.” The hopeless note in Hermione’s voice, stirred Draco who looked down at her, kissing her brow to dispel any dark thoughts.
"I could always invent an illegal time turner to take us back there. I think I could do it." Theo winked. "We could discover all the hidden scandals. Party like it’s 1979."
"Let the dead keep their secrets, Theodore," Pansy commanded, her face stern. “I have no desire to take a visit to the hell of the first wizarding war.”
"As you wish, my queen." Theo saluted the raven-haired witch solemnly, despite the fact that his mind was whirling with ideas about how exactly the Time Turner charm would need to be modified in order to do such a thing. It was only a little intellectual exercise after all. He’d never actually do it.
*******
Leaving the protective cocoon of their friends and lovers was challenging for Hermione, but the Heads compartment was right across the hall. She slipped her robes over her blue dress and pinned her Head Girl badge to it, trying to instil some confidence in herself.
Hermione felt nervous leading the prefects meeting, but Theo squeezed her arm attempting to reassure her. His presence helped her stay calm and in control in front of all the young faces in front of her.
“I’m your Head Girl, Hermione Granger and this is your Head Boy,” Hermione gestured to Theo.
“Theodore Nott at your service,” Theo bowed slightly and flashed his dimpled smile at the small crowd. The Gryffindors looked blatantly doubtful about him, but the other houses seemed content to withhold judgement.
“The priority this year is inter-house unity and so houses will not be paired together for patrols,” Hermione began.
Theo passed out scrolls to each of the prefects. “These are the schedules of when you are to make your rounds, they’re all charmed to reflect changes that Granger and I make on the master scroll. So if you need to swap patrols due to Quidditch, academics or other family matters please come to see one of us and we can do so, then the change will be reflected on all of the scrolls.” Hermione had been impressed with Theo’s charm work, but she shouldn’t have been surprised, she knew that he was ridiculously talented when it came to his magical ability. It was always hard to remember that Theo could be the wild debaucherous lover up to mischief and naughtiness, but also the intelligent and stern Head Boy who took his responsibilities seriously—the duality of man.
“We will not however swap you from partnering with any other specific prefect or house,” Hermione continued. “Prefects need to model the behaviour that the Headmistress expects from all students. If you can’t maintain civility with the other houses, you will lose your prefect's badge.”
There was some grumbling at that. The Slytherins looked especially nervous at the discontent from the other houses and Hermione lost her patience.
“I’m well aware that there was just a war, I fought in it. More than any one of you, I can guarantee that, and if I can work with Theodore Nott…” Hermione felt her hair begin to spark with her annoyance.
“Whose father is a convicted Death Eater awaiting the Kiss,” Theo interjected. “No love lost between him and I, by the way. If you want to know more about that, it's no secret and I’m happy to tell you, not during this meeting, however.”
“So if Nott and I can work together, then there is no reason that you all can’t work together, too. You are the role models for this school and I expect all of you to act like it. If I find that anyone is misusing their authority to take points you will wish your Head of House never put your name up for the post of prefect. There will be weekly meetings on Wednesdays so we will check-in then, location to be determined. Now, go patrol the train and don’t make me sorry that I didn’t scold you longer.”
As the prefects filed out, Theo leaned back, arms crossed and watched her, his feisty Gryffindor Princess. Once the door was closed behind them, Theo smirked.
“Hermione, you seem tense.” The Slytherin cracked his knuckles as his eyes ran over her.
“Of course I am, this is just a small taste of what the rest of the year will be like,” she snapped.
“But you handled it outstandingly.” Theo approached her and ran his hands along her sides, finding her curves under her robes. “Why don’t you lean back and relax?” Theo dropped to his knees in front of her, his hands sliding under her robe and pushing up the hem of her dress. “And let me take care of you?” Her breath caught as his hands crested the tops of her high socks and gripped her thighs.
“Theo…” Hermione moaned.
“That’s it, princess, why don’t you just let go,” his husky voice purred. "I've got you. Rub those nipples for me, darling."
Theo's mouth followed his hands, kissing his way up her legs and disappearing between the fabric of her robes and dress. Hermione hastily threw up a wandless nonverbal ward and locking spell on the door so that no one would walk in to find the Head Boy under the Head Girl’s skirt.
“Such a good girl. So powerful. It’s so fucking hot when you throw your power around like that,” Theo murmured as he nipped at her inner thigh. Hermione could barely hear him over the beat of her heart. Her body seemed to be reduced to the pulsing sensation between her legs.
Theo hooked his finger around her knickers and pulled them to the side, his rings cool on the delicate folds of her flesh. Hermione knew that she was already wet and the hum that Theo pressed into her body immediately sent her careening towards another orgasm. It had only been a few hours since the last time that she’d climaxed; her lovers were going to kill her.
Her body shuddered under the assault of Theo’s mouth, licking and sucking at her clit.
But what an amazing way to go.
He slid two fingers inside her as he suckled and licked her, her wetness was coating her thighs and his face as he worked her body, his tongue doing things that she couldn’t put a name to if her life depended on it.
She slid her hands under her robes and gripped his hair as she rubbed herself on his face, seeking her release. She needed to finish, she needed the release.
Her pleading and begging became a flow of nonsense as Theo continued to work her body, his fingers inside her curving, his tongue running over her.
“Come on my good girl, come for me,” Theo commanded, and so she did.
Theo’s face was dripping as he emerged from under her robes and she looked down at him as she panted, her breath coming in desperate gasps.
“If I left your wetness on my face, do you think that anyone would notice?” Theo asked with a smirk.
“You’d smell like me,” Hermione gasped out.
“Well that makes the idea sound all the better,” Theo chuckled, his tongue licking around his mouth. “You smell and taste delicious. Sheer fucking perfection, my love.”
Hermione smacked his shoulder and nearly toppled over.
“Careful, love.” Theo gripped her hips so that she didn’t get hurt. “Can’t have our Golden Girl getting injured.”
Hermione wanted desperately to argue with him, but instead her hands ran worshipfully over his masculine shoulders.
“Theo, do we have time for you to fuck me?” Hermione asked, her body still desperate for more.
“Unfortunately not, love,” Theo responded with regret, his hands massaging her curves with strong touches.
“Well fuck,” Hermione muttered.
Theo laughed in response, his blue eyes sparkling up at her. “Such language, Miss Granger, tsk tsk.”
Her answering laugh took even her by surprise.
******
They returned to their other compartment, with Theo’s curls slightly dishevelled, despite the fact that he hadn’t allowed Hermione to return the favour of pleasuring him either. He had promised her he could tolerate a little edging. It would make the sex tonight all the better for him. They didn’t have much time until the train would pull into Hogsmeade and the six of them were somewhat subdued as the others changed into their robes. Faced with the reality of having to deal with the entire student body again, Hermione could feel her heart going a million miles a minute. Everyone had to have heard what Ron said, yelled really, before they’d boarded the train. It would be all over Hogwarts by the end of the feast. She went to bite her fingernails and Pansy caught her wrist and gave her a small shake of the head.
“Don’t, Mi.”
“Maybe I need a calming draught,” Hermione sighed. Perhaps the scene with Ron and everything was just catching up with her. She really didn't want to have a panic attack right now. There just wasn't time for that. She had to be 'on' for everyone now, this was why she hadn't wanted to accept Head Girl at first. This pressure was just too much.
“Oh! I have one,” Luna pulled a small vial of swirling green liquid from her purse and handed it off to Hermione.
“Only a calming draught?” Theo asked, sceptically. "No additional additives?"
“No, that one is a regular calming draught. Why? Did you want something else? I've got a lot of things I use for micro dosing in here.” The jingling of vials could be heard as Luna rifled through her purse. “I’ve got six kinds of hallucinogenic mushrooms, some pixie dust, and a flask of Mermish fermented kelp. That’s really strong though - not a good idea if you need to be awake for longer than twenty minutes or so. And some other things, but the labels have fallen off. Oh dear. That’s rather a problem…” The ethereal blond’s voice trailed off and she pursed her lips as she considered the problem of the unlabelled vials.
“Calming draught is perfect, Luna, thanks,” Hermione tipped back the vial and swallowed it whole, feeling her pulse slow to a more manageable level almost immediately.
Blaise reassured Luna softly that he knew a charm to restore the labelling on her vials, which earned him a thankful kiss, throwing her arms about his neck. The petite blonde witch had to lift herself up on tiptoes to do so.
“What’s got you so nervous, Mi?” Pansy asked, placing a gentle kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek.
“The prefect’s meeting was hard enough, but there’s going to be a whole school full of traumatised children and Theo and I are partially in charge of keeping them all from killing each other,” Hermione’s voice was eerily calm as the words poured out of her. "They've all been using Unforgivables on one another for the past year. That's going to be a difficult habit to break."
“And if anyone can handle it, it’s you, and if not we tell McGonagall she needs to hire more supervisory staff. I’ve always thought Hogwarts ran on a skeleton crew,” Theo pointed out, not unreasonably. “And Draco and Pansy’s probation Auror will be dropping by now and again.”
“So helpful, Theo,” Draco bit out. “Hermione, love, you’ve got this. We believe in you. And if the firsties start to mob you, kick Theo and push him down so you can escape.”
Hermione involuntarily laughed at that.
“Oooh, Dragon, I’ll remember that,” Theo’s voice dripped with promise.
Draco smiled playfully at Theo, "I certainly hope so." Draco’s hands shook slightly at his sides, belying the confidence he was exuding for Hermione’s sake. Theo's eyes flickered to Draco's shaking hands but Theo said nothing, simply taking one pale elegant hand in his own and kissing Draco’s fingertips one by one, never letting their eye contact break as he did so.
The tension between them was thick, and Draco’s exhale was ragged. Sweet Circe, he couldn’t wait to get back to their dorm after the feast.
********
"We'll hold a carriage for you," Draco promised, as Hermione and Theo stood on the platform directing students towards the row of awaiting carriages. Draco fought the urge to occlude as students rushed around him; there were just too many people.
"Thank you, Draco. We'll see you shortly," Hermione smiled, "Let's get all these firsties into Hagrid's care, Theo."
"Alright first years!" Theo yelled, transfiguring his wand into a giant green flag that he waved back and forth. "Come line up here with me."
Hermione gathered up any of the little ducklings who looked lost, their black ties making them obvious. Sensing their overwhelming nervousness, she carefully introduced herself to each one.
"I'm Hermione Granger, I'll be your Head Girl this year. That wizard over there is Theodore Nott, he's Head Boy. We're here to help however you need," she repeated it again and again in every scared little face. She worked to memorise their names, repeating them several times to herself as she spoke with them.
Persephone Ollivander, the wand-maker’s great-granddaughter, who squeezed her hand tightly and whispered, "Thank you!" Hermione got the distinct impression it was for more than just introducing herself. Hermione made a note to introduce her to Luna, perhaps the wandmaker had mentioned the girl during their shared confinement.
Zatanna Frances-Myers, the Muggleborn whose mums loved comic books when Hermione admitted that she’d heard her name before. Hermione assured her that she wouldn’t have the most unique name amongst witches and wizards, which eased the girl who’d whispered her name somewhat embarrassedly.
Archer Dorian, bookish with glasses, blinked owlishly at everything around him. He was too thin and reminded Hermione of Harry and she felt a painful clench in her chest that she smiled through. He asked about his trunk several times and her reassurance that it would appear in whatever dorm he was sorted into didn’t seem to soothe his anxiety.
Evangeline Burke, like Borgin and Burke’s. Hermione wondered looking at the girl’s dark long hair and deep blue eyes. She was pale and pretty like a little doll, nothing at all to remind Hermione of the ancient men who ran the shop in Knockturn Alley. She’d never actually been clear on which was which.
Alastair Berrigan and Harrison Blake, who’d already become best friends on the train ride, listened to her carefully and responded with polite and eerily synchronised “yes, ma’am” and “of course, ma’am.” Not that she’d ever truly felt young, but these boys made her feel so old. All the kids did really, they were babies. How had she and Harry fought Voldemort at this age? It was hard to imagine now looking at their innocent little faces.
Calliope Michaelis, holding her kneazle in its cage where it hissed in futile rage, nervously reminded Hermione of herself at age eleven. She wondered how Crookshanks had done while she’d been away for the weekend, and learned that the fluffy ball of rage in the carrier was called Hades. That made a bit too much sense. “Well named,” Hermione murmured as she worked her way through the little group.
Tria Haywood was nearly hopping with excitement to the contrast of her sombre peers, another Muggleborn who was full of questions. Hermione pulled an older copy of Hogwarts: A History out of her purple bag startling the girl who accepted it with yet more excitement. Hermione made her promise not to only read it and ignore everything around her this evening, but the girl’s nose was almost immediately between its pages.
Isadora Rounds asked to be called Izzy, and Hermione agreed easily. The girl’s robes were clearly second hand and her fingernails had been chewed to nubs. Like Archer, she was too thin, and dark smudges were under her eyes as though it had been a long time since she had had a truly restful night sleep. Her blonde hair was lank and lifeless, Hermione wasn’t even entirely sure it was clean and cast a nonverbal wandless scourgify while no one was paying attention.
Gwennyth Sayer, a scar across one cheek - was it a clawmark? - stood close to Izzy and had the same secondhand robes and nervous demeanour. She continually looked around at every little noise. Hermione recognised the signs of trauma in the girl and hoped that mind healing would be available for the younger children as well.
Roderick Powell had a sneer that rivalled eleven-year-old Draco’s and that comparison warmed Hermione to a child who could best be described as prickly.
Winnifred Cunningham had a thick Scottish accent that Hermione couldn’t place. The girl barely spoke though and answered Hermione’s questions with the shortest possible answers and had no questions of her own.
Seamus McCrae, Hermione couldn’t seem to stop herself from thinking of him as “wee Seamus,” which put a bright smile on her face that set the nervous boy at ease, causing him to ramble about his mum and their village in Northern Ireland and how much he already missed the sea. His homesickness was so tangible that Hermione was grateful that she’d taken a calming draught.
Atlas Travers flinched when he said his own surname. Hermione pretended she’d never heard it before, but the boy rambled about his uncle being a Death Eater. Atlas was a half-blood and his dad didn’t care for his brother’s politics.
“You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Atlas,” Hermione reassured the boy. “Or to anyone.” The boy seemed reassured by that.
Julian Alexander had a soft Caribbean accent and Hermione smiled kindly at the boy who had a notebook held tightly in his hand. His dark hair was closely trimmed like Blaise’s and he had stylish wire-frame glasses.
“Taking notes to write to your mum?” Hermione asked and she squeezed his shoulder. “The school has owls to send messages with, I can help you do it the first few times.” The boy’s dark eyes went wide and he thanked her effusively. Another black girl with her hair braided tight to her scalp introduced herself as Denise Smythe and asked if all the Muggleborns could come and learn about how to send mail to their parents.
“I don’t see why not,” Hermione assured the girl, who nearly hopped with excitement.
Valentinian and Theodosius Flint, twins with the dark colouring of their family, seemed well aware of who Theo was and immediately gravitated toward him. Theo, for his part, wasn't giving any child more attention than any other trying to keep them together as he led them to Hagrid who was waiting at the end of the platform, his large lantern in his hand. Taking up the rear, Hermione helped to herd the first years to the end of the platform so that Hagrid could lead them to the boats. Only eighteen incoming students, this was going to be a small group, fewer than half of a typical first year.
"Hey there 'ermione, Theo, how's our Head Girl and Boy doin'?" Hagrid's warm smile and greeting made Hermione feel a great deal better. She hadn't realised that Hagrid and Theo were on a first name basis. How had she missed that this summer?
"Oh we're positively brilliant," Theo said loudly, followed by a whispered, "I picked you up a bottle of something special in London. I'll drop it by your place tomorrow." Theo winked exaggeratedly at the larger man
"Oi Theo you shouldn't’ve," the half-giant boomed, never one for subtlety. "But that's mighty kind o’ you lad, mighty kind indeed. All the makings of a very fine Head Boy tha's what I said when McGonagall told me, yes indeed."
Theo flashed Hermione a wink and his dimpled grin and she couldn’t help, but chuckle at him. He was so utterly endearing, the lantern illuminating his face making him look like the angel he absolutely was not. Even with the calming potion in her system, Hermione’s heart did a little backflip as she watched him coordinate the little kittens masquerading as firsties. His little encouraging comments put a smile on the face of every child he spoke to. Someday he’d make an amazing father. She was rather hopelessly in love with him.
Honestly though, who could know Theodore Nott and not love him?
*******
Luna stood stroking the thestral’s nose and whispering softly to it as the other carriages left them behind. She looked up to find Ginny watching her from the next carriage over where she sat with Neville, Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. Luna offered her friend a gentle smile that Ginny returned, but when she noticed Pansy and Blaise sitting in the final carriage where Luna was waiting, her face hardened and she looked away. Her carriage took off and Luna saw Neville attempting to make conversation with Ginny, seemingly to know avail.
Luna sighed. If Ginny couldn’t handle Blaise and Pansy, how on earth would she handle…
The earth crunched behind her, and it caused Luna to turn, her wand immediately came to her hand, but it was just Draco. She slid her wand away. Draco was probably the connection that would cost Luna her best friend, but Luna couldn’t be sorry to have more family in the world. And she and Draco’s relationship was bathed in blood, that was true, but she knew that her own dark tendencies were nothing to him, he’d seen and done worse than she had ever even considered doing. If she ended up having to kill Tracey Davis, Draco would help her hide the body, of that she had no doubt.
“What are you smiling about Luna?” He asked her, stomping out the cigarette he’d been smoking while waiting for Hermione and Theo.
“The bonds of family,” she answered and at his raised eyebrow, she added, “and murder.”
“Fucking hell,” his laugh was dark like the night that had fallen on the forest around them. “How did we ever not know you were a Malfoy?”
She shrugged, her smile still pulling at her lips, as the thestral bumped her shoulder with his snout urging her to give him more pets. She stroked him again, meeting Blaise’s watchful eyes as she did so. She couldn’t wait to sneak into his room tonight, she toyed with the black pearls he’d given her over the weekend, his symbol of how earnest he was about their courtship. She enjoyed feeling possessed by him. A blush dusted her cheeks and his eyes took on a lustful glint as they watched her.
She’d never thought it could feel so good to be someone’s witch.
******
Dressed in her green healer robes, Cordelia was at the archway that led into the castle, greeting students as they entered. Her open smile brightened even further when she saw the six of them coming up the walkway.
“Well hello, how are the six of you? So happy to see you all back.” Cordelia used her amazing manner of looking at each of them and giving them her full attention for a moment as though they were the only one in the world. “Any exciting new developments?” Her smile was playful and Draco appreciated their mind healer even more in that moment. She really did care about them, as people; it just wasn’t something that had happened to him much in his life.
Theo grinned back at her and grabbed Draco and Hermione’s hands kissing each of their wrists. “The four of us made it official,” Theo burst out as though he couldn’t possibly keep the information secret for another minute.
Pansy rolled her eyes at the dramatics and Hermione blushed, but no one scolded Theo for his enthusiasm. No one could bear to steal the joy from him, the joy that seemed to flow between the four of them like a magical stream that they couldn’t quite explain.
“How wonderful!” Cordelia’s smile grew even larger. “I’m so happy to hear that. Blaise, Luna? How are things with you?”
Luna toyed with her strand of black pearls that she’d put on the top of her uniform.
“Luna and I are very well,” Blaise responded, putting his arm around the blond’s shoulder. “My stepfather is unwell, but my mother is seeing to him.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Cordelia’s smile dropped, but restored itself quickly. “Well, enjoy the feast. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in the different therapeutic model the school year offers us.”
“Is there no chance of having a group?” Hermione found herself asking with another blush. “It’s just that I got so much out of it over the summer.”
Cordelia smiled. “I think a voluntary group, maybe on Saturday mornings, might be a thing we could do, early enough that people could still go to Hogsmeade if they wanted or needed, although I think you eighth years will be allowed to go during the week.”
The quad shared excited looks over that, although Draco felt the sinking in his stomach about Rosmerta and the Three Broomsticks, which needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
“But you better head in, I hear the first-years coming up the stairs, if you dawdle with me longer, you’ll be in danger of getting resorted,” Cordelia laughed at her own joke which the rest of them found horrifying. She was still chuckling as they moved into the castle.
********
Most of the Great Hall had been seated by the time Draco entered with Hermione, Theo, Pansy, Blaise and his newly discovered cousin, Luna. He’d never felt the strain of separating from Hermione so acutely before. It was like something inside of him was stretched almost to the point of tearing, it was worse than when they'd waited for them this evening at the carriages although that had been uncomfortable too. He nearly reached out and grabbed her wrist before she walked to the Gryffindor table, but he stopped before he made a fool of himself. He’d be able to see her across the Great Hall, he attempted to reassure himself, but somehow it still caused an ache in his chest.
The gossip from Weasley’s outburst at Kings’ Cross had obviously made its way through the train with alacrity. The whispers got to Draco very quickly, but at least they weren’t throwing curses and hexes. Theo took his hand, interlacing their fingers as though he dared someone to say something to the Head Boy, and led Draco to their seats at the end of the table near where the little ones would be sorted rather than the farthest end of the bench. Draco felt the stares and wished that he had just gone up to the head’s room. He tried to at least appreciate that while the second years looked at him with no small amount of trepidation on their faces, none of them moved away from him.
Behind them, Blaise took his time gently kissing Luna, his hand on her cheek, staking his claim before the entire student body; she took her seat at the Ravenclaw table, earning a couple cat calls from the older Hufflepuff and Gryffindor boys. Faces turned from all over the room to look at what the spectacle was and the Headmistress swept by to meet the first-years.
“That’s quite enough Mr. Zabini, I believe all the other young men have gotten the message,” McGonagall pronounced as she passed him.
He bowed formally. “Of course, Headmistress, apologies.” He turned and saw that everyone else in their party had gone and sat by the second years leaving space for whatever first years Slytherin gained in the sorting. Blaise looked back to see that the Headmistress had gone out the large doors and placed one more gentle kiss on Luna’s cheek before joining the others. Luna preened under the shocked gazes around her, pouring herself tea as though nothing was out of the ordinary. She subtly looked over her shoulder at Tracey Davis who looked as though she wanted to put the fork she was holding into Luna’s eye. Luna considered winking, but the girl didn’t even deserve the courtesy.
Draco laughed at his cousin’s performance of casualness and wondered if she’d be willing to publicly claim him as family. His fingers tapped on the table as the doors opened wide to reveal less than two dozen small children. It seemed like a hundred years since he’d been that young and tried to befriend Harry Potter right outside those steps. Their eyes looked up in awe at the bespelled ceiling, but the ghosts were still missing. Draco watched their little faces as they stood there waiting.
Flitwick stepped forward on the dais with the mouldering old hat and stood next to the stool, the piece of furniture making him look even smaller.
A boy who reminded Draco of a younger Blaise went to Ravenclaw. Two boys in a row went to Gryffindor and Draco wondered who in a post-war world would even want to be sorted into Slytherin. They’d always been cast as the villains of Hogwarts and even McGonagall’s attempts at inter-House unity weren’t about to change that. Theo clapped for every child, even the Gryffindors, earning a smile from Hermione who’d sat so she could see them. Draco tossed her a smile and wished that they could use legilimency to talk to each other across the room.
“Evangeline Burke” caught Draco’s attention. Was she the great grand-daughter of the decrepit old tosser in Knockturn Alley? When the Hat yelled out “Slytherin!” It appeared so.
Someone tried to boo at the Gryffindor table and Hermione stood and said loudly, “Fifty points from the next person who does anything other than clap or whistle for the sorted first-years. Don’t test me!” Her voice carried through the space and all the professors nodded in approval, it seemed to have properly chastised the lions because they either clapped duly or were silent.
Little Evangeline had frozen at Hermione’s outburst and Theo called to her, “Come on over here, Burke.” The doll-like girl, all long straight raven hair, clearly charmed not to tangle, and porcelain skin, walked carefully to the table and then froze again not knowing where to sit. Pansy patted the bench next to her and Blaise stood to move next to Draco to give the girl a spot. Pansy smiled gratefully. As Pansy soothed the girl’s nervousness with soft reassuring words, the next girl went to Ravenclaw.
“Archer Dorian.” The thin boy with his dark hair and glasses looked a bit like Harry Potter to Draco and he looked over and saw that Hermione’s face looked haunted. He wished that he could walk across the room and comfort her. Draco had never been a member of the Chosen One’s fan club, but Hermione had been. It was a shame that Potter had so imminently failed as a friend when he wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for their witch. Draco knew that he’d hurt her the last few months and this little boy that reminded her of him would certainly be salt in that wound.
To Draco’s surprise, the hat announced, “Slytherin!” and the Great Hall remained polite. The applause was restrained perhaps, but there was a distinct lack of booing. Draco did not remember being booed very fondly and was positive it contributed to his tendency to be an absolute arse in his first year. The boy came and sat next to Blaise who shook his hand and welcomed him to Slytherin.
“Will my trunk be in the Slytherin dorm when I get there?” Archer asked urgently, picking at the threadbare cuff of his robe.
“Absolutely,” Blaise reassured the boy. “The elves are probably moving it right now.”
The boy nodded, but chewed his lip nervously. Blaise met Theo’s eyes in concern. Theo shrugged in response.
“Theodosius Flint.”
“Is that Flint’s little brother or nephew?” Pansy asked Theo.
“Brother,” Theo responded. “There’s another one too. They’re twins.”
“Honestly Theo,” Blaise drawled. “How do you remember all that?”
“My grandfather literally wrote the book on the Sacred Twenty-Eight and the master copy automatically updated,” Theo’s final words were nearly swallowed up. “Until I…um… burned them all earlier in the summer.”
“Of course you did,” Blaise snorted.
The little first years stared at him in shock while Pansy laughed behind her hand and little Theodosius went to Ravenclaw.
“Damn, if he gets Marcus’ build then Ravenclaw just got themselves an excellent future beater,” Blaise sighed.
“Valentinian Flint.”
“See there’s the brother,” Theo pointed out. They were nearly identical twins both younger, thinner versions of Marcus.
“Can we eat while we wait for this to finish?” Archer asked.
“If you’re subtle,” Draco advised the boy. “But this sorting will be short because you have a small incoming class so you won't have to wait too much longer...” The boy's sceptical expression was undeniable and Draco was bothered by how thin he was.
The minutes ticked by painfully slow as the entire Great Hall watched while an angry boy sat silently under the hat. Theo found himself wishing that he’d purchased one of those expensive Muggle watches that he’d admired in London. It had to have been at least ten minutes and the students were beginning to get a bit restless.
“What’s taking so long,” Evangeline asked, her little nose wrinkled in confusion.
“It appears, my dear, that the second Mr. Flint is a hatstall which means the sorting hat is having difficulty placing him in one of the four houses. Sometimes it's because the person has characteristics of multiple houses and sometimes it is because the person is attempting to argue with the hat.”
“People can do that?” Archer asked. “Argue with the hat?”
“Who wins?” Evangeline asked at the same time.
“Yes,” Theo responded to the boy. “Sometimes the hat and sometimes the witch or wizard. It’s not really an exact science.”
“It’s so strange that an old charmed hat has so much of a say about our schooling,” Blaise offered. “Isn’t there a better way to assign houses?”
“I think that some of the older families charmed the hat,” Pansy put in, tapping her long sharp manicured nails on the counter. “Haven’t you noticed? Weasleys always put in Gryffindor. Malfoys and Notts always put in Slytherin.”
“And Parkinsons too,” Theo pointed out quietly.
Finally the hat shouted out, “Slytherin!”
The Slytherin table broke out into applause, but the boy heading their way still looked very angry about it.
“Welcome to Slytherin,” Theo told him as he sat. “We know your older brother, he’ll be so pleased to hear that you’ve joined us.”
The boy snorted, “Maybe, but I would have preferred to be with my twin.”
“Valentinian? That’s right isn’t it?” Pansy said, kinder than she normally was when wizards were being difficult. “Twins rarely get put in the same house at Hogwarts. That’s usually the way of things.”
His shoulders drooped, but he didn’t say anything else.
“Zatanna Frances-Myers.”
“Zatanna, that's a pretty name. I don’t think I’ve heard it before,” Pansy said before the girl went to Hufflepuff.
Another girl went to Gryffindor and a boy and a girl to Hufflepuff.
“Do you think Hufflepuff or Gryffindor will get the most this year?” Blaise asked the others.
“Hard to say,” Theo murmured. “Gryffindor won the war though, so my galleons are on them.”
Two more went to Ravenclaw including an Ollivander, which caused Draco to lose even more colour in his face. He hadn’t realised the wandmaker, who had been held in his dungeons for months, had family. He didn’t know what he’d do if that little one accosted him, he’d deserve any cruel word that she wanted to throw in his direction. He hadn’t done nearly enough for the elderly man.
“Isadora Rounds.” The little girl was blonde, but not a shade nearly as pale as Draco and Luna. Theo blanched at how thin her robes looked in places. How had her family sent her to Hogwarts dressed that way? Even the younger Weasleys had been attired better.
“Slytherin!”
She slid onto the bench next to Evangeline, who looked over at her with interest. Draco wondered whether they would be the only girls in Slytherin in their year. Perhaps that would be enough to make them friends despite the fact that the little Burke clearly had more than a few galleons to her name and the other girl was obviously poor as could be.
“Gwennyth Sayer.” The light of the Great Hall illuminated the girl’s face before the hat descended, and Draco’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected to see such scars here tonight.
“That’s a werewolf scar,” Draco whispered into Theo’s ear as the girl with sandy blonde hair sat on the stool.
“So it is,” Theo responded equally quietly. “Is there even a safe place to transform here at the school?”
“Put it on your list to figure out, Head Boy,” Draco muttered back.
“Put wolfsbane on your list of things to brew,” Theo murmured to his boyfriend. Pansy watched the two of them with a curious look on her face, but kept any questions to herself, well aware that they were surrounded by listening ears.
“Slytherin!”
“Well that’s not unexpected,” Theo sighed, his mouth just next to Draco’s ear. “Figures the bloody hat set double targets on her back.”
“Lupin was a Gryffindor,” Draco sighed, turning to whisper into Theo’s ear, “One of Greyback’s.”
“Almost certainly,” Theo agreed, his mouth tight.
The little girl, Gwennyth, sat next to Isadora and threw her arms around the other girl happily.
“Do you know each other?” Pansy asked.
“We’re from the same orphanage. Archer lives with us too,” scarred little Gwennyth said by explanation, waving her arm in Archer’s direction. He smiled awkwardly. “Our parents all died in the war.” Evangeline and Valentinian’s eyes widened at that comment and met each other’s eyes, a shared connection that their parents yet lived.
“They were all Death Eaters,” Gwennyth added. “Miss Hamilton says we are lucky that we have a roof over our heads at all considering what kind of parents we had.”
“Miss Hamilton sounds lovely,” Pansy’s sarcasm dripped with venom.
Gwennyth snorted and wide-eyed Isadora and Archer shook their heads vehemently.
“That was sarcasm, little snakes,” Pansy clarified, her eyes meeting Theo’s and the message was clear: the Slytherin Queen was livid beyond words.
Another girl went to Gryffindor and a Travers to Hufflepuff (which earned a raised eyebrow from Blaise) while Draco and Theo grappled with the reality that the hat had sorted three war orphans into Slytherin.
******
Chapter 33: Unwelcome Feast
Summary:
The Welcome Feast from Hermione's POV and settling into the dorms again.
Chapter Text
Chapter 33
Unwelcome Feast
Being separated from her snakes had Hermione feeling all kinds of out of sorts, it was like they were an essential thing needed for her life, like air or sunlight. Theo was the sunshine, the warmth of him more important than anything beyond their foursome, Draco was the very air she breathed, and Pansy was her beating heart. They were part of her. She had to force herself to make each step to the Gryffindor table, taking her away from them. It felt painfully wrong. Her hands involuntarily clenched into fists.
She forced a smile on her face and sat next to Dean and Seamus who greeted her warmly, as though they hadn’t just sat together a few hours before on the Hogwarts Express. It felt like they were all performing, pretending that they were fine and that this was all normal.
Nothing could ever truly be normal again. What did normal even mean at this point?
The welcoming feast had never felt so tense, not even the year that the Daily Prophet had told everyone that Harry was a liar about Voldemort’s return. She felt certain that things were just a breath away from exploding. One wrong move and someone was going to come to blows. Not for the first time, she was grateful that Ron had not returned.
She watched the sorting with a smile at first until little Evangeline Burke was sorted into Slytherin and someone at the Gryffindor table behind her booed. Suddenly so angry that the calming potion she had taken was rendered useless and she couldn’t contain herself.
Hermione jolted up and announced loudly, “Fifty points from the next person who does anything other than clap or whistle for the sorted first-years. Don’t test me!” She made eye contact with all of the boys up and down the table, not sure which had done it, but ready to make good on her threat if necessary. Whoever the rabble rouser had been was silent as the sorting continued. Hermione felt the rage continue beneath her skin, but she tried to keep her face impassive.
“Hermione,” Seamus whispered, causing her to look over at him. He flashed a flask under his robes and she shook her head. It was tempting, but she needed to at least pretend to follow the rules while they were in such a public setting. How could she expect anyone to take her seriously as Head Girl if she didn’t? Once she was in private though, she was going straight for Theo’s stash.
Two of the little Muggleborn girls came to Gryffindor and that put a smile on Hermione’s face as Denise and Tria appeared to become instant best friends, which was good because they’d be rooming together for the next seven years.
Blake and Berrigan, the two boys that had made her feel so old, had both come to Gryffindor as well. Only four Gryffindors in their whole year.
Five Slytherins that Hermione saw, four Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw had come out the winner with six. Hermione wondered whether many parents had decided to homeschool their children this year. their cohorts would grow as people felt safer or if Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had larger incoming classes than normal this year. Where were all the missing children?
Hermione had a feeling that the answer wasn’t something that she wanted to hear. It left a lead weight in her stomach that made eating a very difficult task. She looked down the table and realised that the younger Creswell brother hadn’t returned. She couldn’t find it in herself to be upset with him or his family after what had happened this summer with Dirk. The boy’s corpse flashed before her eyes and her breath stuttered a little in her chest. She shook off the memory. Hogwarts was filled with ghosts, even if the spectral ones weren’t crowding the Great Hall as they ought to have been.
“Hey Granger,” one of the fifth year boys hissed at her, and Hermione turned to give him her attention. What was his name? Fawley? Forley? “So, is it true that you’re really a Death Eater whore?” He asked with a smirk. His friend next to him elbowed him in encouragement.
Hermione wanted to cry, she wanted to scream at him. She wanted to dump her pumpkin juice all over his lap.
Instead, she channelled her best Draco Malfoy impression and sneered, “Twenty points from Gryffindor for foul language." And with as much dignity as she could muster, she stood and walked across the Great Hall to where she really wanted to be.
“Can I sit here?” she asked Theo, trying to keep from crying in front of everyone in the Great Hall, but she suspected that her lip was trembling just from the look on Theo’s face.
“Like you even have to ask,” Draco said immediately and rose to make room for her.
“Scoot down little snakes,” Pansy advised from across the table. “Let’s make room for the Head Girl to sit with us. It’s a big honour.”
*******
Seamus looked at the fifth year wizard furiously and snarled, "Don't fookin' talk like that to Hermione, she is Head Girl ya little twat and fought in the war. You need to shut your fookin’ mouth, or I will shut it for ya." His accent always got more pronounced when he was angry or piss drunk, and he was both at the moment.
Forley started to make some excuse, “But that’s just what I heard!?”
“Why don’t you shut your mouth while you’re ahead,” Neville dropped his napkin on his plate and stood and rose to cross the Great Hall on the same path that Hermione had and sat next to her causing everyone at the Slytherin table to shift around wide-eyed, confused at the fact that not one but two Gryffindor war heroes were now sitting at their table.
Ginny stared after Neville’s retreat and turned back to Dean and Seamus. “What the hell is going on? When did Hermione and Nev get all chummy with the snakes?”
Dean and Seamus exchanged a look. Dean rubbed the back of his neck and seemed to search for what to say, finally shrugging. “You should have come this summer, Gin. It's kind of hard to explain.”
“It doesn’t even matter, Hermione doesn’t deserve anyone talking to her like that, your git of a brother included. Theo and Draco aren't bad blokes,” Seamus chimed in. “Fuck I need another drink.” He dashed a heavy-handed splash of whiskey into his pumpkin juice, chugging the drink down so quickly that even Dean shook his head.
“It's Theo and Draco now?” Ginny spluttered. “How the bloody hell did that happen?”
“Yes, Theo and Draco, those are their names after all,” Dean reiterated. “I mean, I don't know if you know, but Draco smuggled food and healing potions to those of us in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. I didn't know it was him until Luna finally fessed up. She would give them out and was the only one that knew it was him. I mean his situation was fucked. I don't know what I would have done in his place. The war...it made victims of us all.”
Ginny was completely lost for words at this, she didn’t want to have anything charitable to think about Malfoy. His getting probation had been the cause of a big blow up at the Burrow over the weekend, and the fact that Harry had testified for him hadn’t gone over well with Ron and her mum especially. It had ended with Ginny storming out and she wasn’t even that keen on Harry testifying. She just didn’t think Ron had the right to say that Harry was in the wrong. He was supposed to be her boyfriend’s best friend, and he wasn’t acting like it. She wasn’t going to tolerate her brother calling Harry names.
“And they have been really supportive of our relationship.” Seamus laced his fingers with Dean’s and glared at the Gryffindors who stared at them aghast. “It's been good. To have support, yeah?”
Ginny didn’t know what to say about Malfoy and Nott and whatever was going on with them and Hermione. She could see that Nott had a possessive hand on her friend’s lower back, rubbing circles. So Ginny said the only thing that she knew without a doubt was true. “Well, you two know that you always have my support. You are my friends and if you are happy together that’s all that matters to me.”
“Ah, thanks Gin,” Seamus smiled, tipping his head towards her.
“That’s really great to hear Ginny. We appreciate it.” Dean reached over and squeezed her hand. “I hope you’ll keep an open mind about other things too.”
Ginny exhaled. They didn’t realise what they were asking of her, she thought.
*********
She remembered all the first year's names and greeted them warmly. “Hello Evangeline, Archer, Valentinian, Gwennyth and Isadora,” Hermione smiled at each of them as she sat down.
Theo scooted over to give her space between him and Draco, and Draco whispered into her ear, “Are you alright princess?”
Hermione shook her head, whispering back. “We can talk about it in private later, though.”
Draco desperately wanted to make her tell him what was wrong, but didn’t want to push her. Under the table he just took her hand and squeezed it tight. If she wouldn’t tell him what was wrong, then he could just let her know that he was there for her regardless.
***********
After the feast, McGonagall walked up to the carved owl podium and Hermione wondered if it had survived the war or if it was a replacement. It hardly mattered, she supposed.
“I’d like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts for another school year. I know that last year was a difficult and dangerous one for all of us and we lost so many good people here just a few months ago. I never want us to forget all of those who sacrificed their lives for all of us.”
“Let us honour them all now with a moment of silence,” McGonagall announced.
The entire Great Hall ceased to speak even in whispers, but Hermione could hear all the little noises, the rubbing of shoes on the floor, the crinkle of new robes, the benches on the floor as students fidgeted. Thinking of everyone who had died in the room where their bodies had been lined up on the floor was hardly conducive to her attempts to eat.
“Thank you all, for paying respect,” McGonagall broke the silence.
“And now I’d like to introduce our new mind healers to our staff, Healer Cordelia and Healer Atticus, who will be with us for this year.” Dressed in their healers’ robes, dark bearded Healer Atticus and Healer Cordelia with her long black braids wrapped into a tight bun on top of her head, stood up. “They are available to provide individual mind healing sessions and will be teaching art therapy as well as a compulsory course for all students years second to eighth. If you’d rather not take that course, please complete the first week and then speak with them to be excused for the rest of term.”
“I am also so pleased to introduce to all of you,” McGonagall looked to the side as a door next to the dais was opened, and out walked a familiar face. “Our new DADA professor, Bill Weasley.”
The Gryffindor table exploded in applause and Hermione’s face lit up as well.
“Ohhh,” Theo muttered into Hermione’s ear. “It’s the fit Weasley.”
“You haven’t seen the dragon tamer,” Hermione whispered back, a smile playing around her lips. “He’s even more broad and muscular from his work.”
“Now I’m intrigued.” Theo let his lips brush lightly against the shell of her ear, so quickly that it could have been an accident, but the shiver that ran through Hermione let him know that she was well aware that it wasn’t.
“And I’ll be stepping back from teaching Transfiguration in order to focus on Headmistress duties, we still have a great deal to put right from the war. So join me in welcoming our new Transfiguration professor, Fleur Delacour-Weasley.”
Fleur walked in behind her husband and Hermione was even more happy to see her. Her loud applause was drowned out by that from Ravenclaw. Apparenty, the witch must still have a great deal of admirers from when she roomed with them during the Triwizard Tournament.
“And finally, our new Muggles Studies professor and Hogwarts’ first Muggleborn professor, something I’ve always felt was long overdue, Mirabelle Lindstrom.”
The thin blonde woman stood and bowed. Her hair was pulled into a severe bun, but she had smile lines around her eyes and mouth. Theo hoped that she wouldn’t be as harsh as that hairstyle implied.
“Do you have to just take Muggle Studies or do you have to earn your NEWT?” Theo murmured low to Draco.
“The probation terms were just that I have to attend it,” Draco whispered back. “The DMLE will probably require me to submit a signed attendance log or somesuch.”
Theo nodded. He’d have the solicitors confirm what exactly the requirements were, he couldn’t give the DMLE a chance to punish Draco. His probation had already been made a level of complicated that could only indicate that they hoped that Draco failed in some way so that he could be dragged off to Azkaban.
“Professors Slughorn, Flitwick, Sinistra, Firenze, Trelawney, Vector, Binns and Hagrid are all returning. Please give them a warm round of applause.”
McGonagall's smile was tight as she continued. “And in other housekeeping, we’re doing away with sitting in our Houses in order to support House unity. We will only be sitting in our Houses for Welcome Feasts moving forward and to award the House Cup at the end of term.”
“Ahhh, looks like our princess will be here with us for meals,” Theo whispered into Draco’s ear, not quietly enough because Hermione pinched his leg under the table. The pain made his cock twitch, but he kept his expression impassive. Pansy flashed him a knowing look, a smile playing on her blood red lips.
McGonnagal smiled at the students looking back at her. “We had a lot of success during the summer with students sitting at circular tables. Unfortunately, with the number of us during the traditional school year, that set up isn’t functional. So we will be adding a fifth table for eighth years only, if they so choose. And everyone else is welcome to sit at whatever table they like, no tables will be assigned to any particular house.”
********
Hermione and Theo left the others to oversee the prefects leading the students to their Houses.
“See you later, baby snakes,” Pansy called to the first-years.Theo pushed them to the front of the line so that the Slytherin prefects could keep an eye on them as they headed down to the dungeons.
“Eighth years, if you’ll please follow the Headmistress, she’ll lead us to the new dormitory that’s been prepared,” Hermione announced as the rest of the student body had vacated the Great Hall. Ginny’s eyes met hers as the redhead left and Hermione fought the urge to go to her friend. She didn’t have time for that conflict now. It wasn’t going to be a simple short chat and a hug.
The corridor leading to the eighth-year dorm was near the Heads Tower, but through a section of the castle that had been clearly abandoned for a few hundred years based on some of the decor. As always, Hermione wondered why such a large castle had been built for so few students, but perhaps incoming classes had been larger a thousand years ago. That thought made her sad at the shrinking size of the magical community.
The large wooden doors that had once led to a gallery of immense size were opened to reveal the new eighth year dorms. The space was dominated by a large common room with muted furnishings in soft greens and goldenrods, slate blue and burgundy with bronze accents. A little bit of each house was visible in the lounge space. Overstuffed couches were situated in a semi-circle around a large hearth that had to have been original to the old space; symbols of all four houses were carved into the stonework. The badger looked particularly lifelike as it climbed out of the side of the chimney.
The high ceilings allowed for two levels of dormitory rooms and two sets of spiral stairs led to the second level. Witches and wizards and the different houses were all mixed together.
Hermione was excited to see that McGonagall had accepted her suggestion and had given the handful of returning students their own private rooms. A shining nameplate on each door indicated to whom it had been assigned.
Pansy and Draco peeked at theirs just long enough to gather their trunks and use a shrinking charm on them so that they could easily take them back to the Head Suite. No matter how nice their assigned rooms were, they had no plans to sleep away from Theo and Hermione.
*****
“It seems like it’s been a thousand years since we left the hotel this morning,” Hermione complained, throwing herself on their couch. “I definitely feel older and I’m possibly too tired even for firewhiskey.”
Pansy sat down next to the Head Girl and lifted her head into her lap, soothing her by running long nails through her hair and massaging her scalp. Hermione let out an appreciative moan as she did so.
“Let’s head to bed, Mi,” Pansy soothed. She looked over to where their wizards were smoking on the balcony. “Theo and Draco will join us soon, I’m sure.” Hermione nodded and let Pansy take her to their bedroom. Hermione was so sleepy that she sat on the bed and let Pansy undress her like a doll, leaning this way and that to make the process easier.
Pansy’s hand stroked over Hermione’s new tattoo as she unclipped the other witch’s bra.
“Arms up, Mi,” Pansy commanded. Hermione did as she was told, allowing Pansy to slide a soft silk cami over her head.
“I’ll just sleep in my knickers, Pans.” Hermione yawned. Pansy sighed and unbuttoned the red and gold uniform skirt and slid it down over Hermione’s legs. She carefully rolled Hermione’s thigh-high stockings down so that her sharp nails didn’t snag them. She knew a charm to repair them, but she was just as tired as the lioness whose eyes already looked weighted.
“Scoot into the middle then, and I’ll be right in.” Pansy carefully hung up Hermione’s robe in the wardrobe and did the same with her own. By the time Pansy had changed into her own strappy black silk nightgown, Hermione was fast asleep.
********
Their schedules were not as all exactly the same as Hermione might have liked them to be, she realised as she looked at them over coffee the following morning. She’d spread them out over the coffee table.
Hermione looked over her own schedule which listed Art Therapy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, Advanced Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Potions. She could probably pass all the NEWTs for the academic courses today if she was offered the opportunity, but that didn’t seem to be a likely option.
Other than the Art Therapy class that they all were enrolled in, Pansy was taking Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms along with her probation’s required Muggle Studies course. Hermione refrained from commenting that they were the five that someone needed if they wanted to be a healer since she knew that Pansy was struggling with what she wanted to do after Hogwarts.
Draco was taking everything Pansy was plus Advanced Arithmancy, Runes and Astronomy, putting him in the running for nine NEWTs. He shrugged when Hermione pointed that out.
“I don’t need an Outstanding in everything Hermione, but I was concerned with my probation about what number of courses would be considered a full load.” Draco rubbed his eyes sleepily.
“Thank goodness they didn’t spell out what you needed to score to stay out of Azkaban,” Pansy sipped her coffee as they sat around the heads dorm.
“I’m just hopeful that I only have to regularly attend Muggle Studies in order to fulfil my probation requirement. I’ve never taken it before. How could I possibly hope to score a NEWT?”
“Hopefully the new professor is better than Burbage, gods rest her,” Hermione sighed. “That class was a joke. But I can help you with any course work that you struggle with.”
“Maybe it will give us an excuse to take more field trips to Muggle London,” Theo sighed longingly. “I already miss the suite and the staff.”
Theo was taking all eight of the courses Draco was plus Care of Magical Creatures, but minus Muggle Studies.
“Nine NEWTs Theo? Really?” Hermione groused, muttering ‘show off’ under her breath.
“I was going for a solid ten, but McGonagall isn’t offering Alchemy this year because only five people wanted to take it. I think I’ll do it by correspondence course. I found a Master in Norway who’d do it.”
“Of course, you did. If you really need ten you can join Draco and I in Muggle Studies,” Pansy laughed, straightening her uniform tie and charming her nails green to match. “Draco, are you going to play Quidditch this year?”
“I’m going to try out, but who knows if they’ll take me,” Draco complained. “Plus, I have to reach out to Rosmerta. I might have to work at the Three Broomsticks, although I don’t see why she’d even want to look at me.”
“You are pretty fit to look at,” Theo pointed out, his smile showing off the dimple in his left cheek. “People would probably buy a butterbeer just to watch you do physical labour.”
“Fuck off, Theo,” Draco grumbled, tossing a throw pillow at his boyfriend. Theo caught it in mid air and grinned.
******
Chapter 34: BITE/Pity Party
Summary:
The first day of classes commences.
"Kiss me on the mouth and set me free
Sing me like a choir
I can be the subject of your dreams." Troye Sivan, 'BITE""I'm laughin', I'm cryin'
It feels like I'm dyin'" - Melanie Martinez, Pity Party
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 34
The four of them had barely been in the Great Hall for five seconds when Theo disappeared. The other three of them looked around for him to no avail, eventually shrugging and taking seats at the eighth year table. Pansy mumbled something under her breath about him figuring out how to disapparate within Hogwarts’ wards. Hermione wouldn’t be shocked if he had, honestly if anybody could do it, then it would be Theo.
Hermione waved at each of the first years as they filed past their table heading to the table that had formerly been assigned to their Houses. She wished that she could invite them to sit with her at this table. Other than the three of them on this side and Neville and Hannah on the far side of the table, it was empty. Seamus and Dean hadn’t yet appeared for breakfast.
Cormac was ensconced at the Gryffindor table, still a bit quiet after all his bad behaviour had been outed during the summer. Hermione wondered what his consequences had been, if any, his family was well-connected after all. They weren’t going to allow him to not take his NEWTs.
The Ravenclaws and Parvati were all at the previously Ravenclaw table. The eighth year table was a bit unpopular, but the Head Girl wasn’t fussed about that.
“Where did you disappear to?” Hermione asked when Theo reappeared, a cocky grin painted on his handsome face.
“I talked to McGonagall and got added into another course, not Muggle Studies sorry,” Theo said to his fellow snakes, adjusting his sleeve to hide his knot tattoo a little better and sliding in next to them. At Hermione’s questioning look, he finally added. “Divination with Firenze, not Trelawney, she’s too deep in the sherry for me to listen to a word of what she says.”
“She’s given at least one true prophecy,” Hermione pointed out, pouring herself another cup of coffee and sweetening it heavily. “The second one was questionable in my opinion, but I’m open to being disproved.”
“But being a prophet isn’t exactly something that can be taught,” Theo pointed out with a wink. “You either are one or you aren’t. And I’m pretty positive that I am not. Alas.”
“So are you just trying to be the swottiest Head Boy ever, or do you have a plan of some kind, Theo?” Pansy asked, practising wandlessly stirring her tea with a long manicured nail, making circles in the air, her teaspoon circling the glass without clinking against the edge as proper tea etiquette called for.
“Why my queen, my plans all have plans of their own, you know that.” Theo laughed, his face stretching into a wide smile that Hermione couldn’t help but reciprocate. “Honestly it was either that or History of Magic and I just could not possibly subject myself to listening to Binns lecture for another year.”
“Oh, is he the only ghost that’s consistently around?” Hermione was missing the ghosts flying above in the Great Hall. Myrtle had witnessed Dirk Creswell Jr’s suicide over the summer and had vanished back up into her pipes and hadn’t been seen since.
“I think Binns probably lectured through the entire Battle and hasn’t stopped yet.” Theo stated sincerely.
“I think it’s the only class that none of us are taking,” Hermione laughed.
“I don’t need the nap time,” Draco sighed. “Although I’m already dreading my schedule.”
“I wonder if any of the eighth years are taking History of Magic?” Hermione asked, taking a bite of her pastry.
“Definitely someone in Ravenclaw,” Theo said with a roll of his eyes.
“Are you worried someone is going to try to get more NEWTs than you?” Pansy asked, examining her nails with a satisfied smirk.
“Never going to happen,” Theo declared with confidence. “Never.”
******
Introducing Neville as her teaching assistant in their combined seventh and eighth year Herbology, gave Professor Sprout a wide smile and earned Neville a round of applause from everyone. He’d blushed dark red and bowed to everyone very formally, drawing a laugh from even Pansy. Sprout had allowed him to introduce their first project: propagating the top ten most useful magic plants for anyone planning to set up a home potion brewing lab.
Hermione was excited until she considered that there wasn’t really a home for her to set up a greenhouse or a brewing lab in. Her parents' house had been sold during the war to fund their move to Australia so she had no idea where she was going to be living after their eighth year ended and that put a pall on the entire lesson. She took her notes diligently, but her heart just wasn’t in it.
Theo looked at her oddly, but continued taking his notes with a pen that he must have stolen somewhere in Muggle London, earning him confused stares from the other Purebloods in the class.
Draco and Pansy walked ahead of Theo and Hermione as they vacated the greenhouse, the sweltering heat and humidity replaced by the brisk Scottish morning.
The five little Slytherins were lost when Hermione found them and they stammered an explanation that was disjointed as they talked over one another.
“Someone said that we needed to…” Izzy said nervously.
Archer’s eyes were wide as he talked over her, “The green houses have to be…”
Gwennyth’s scar was far more pronounced under the light of the sun, the darkened claw scar bold against the paleness of her milky skin. “We don’t know where to go!” She whispered agonised and on the verge of tears that glistened in her lashes.
Hermione hated the way the three littlest flinched when she got close to them. Archer, Gwennyth and Isadora all looked far too thin and the edges of their robes were threadbare. They reminded her uncomfortably of Harry, like they were being shut up in cupboards and starved when away from school and she recoiled at the thought. Her imagination was getting away from her. Doll-like Evangeline was chewing her lip and Valentinian had his arms crossed stoically.
“Theo, wouldn’t it make more sense if they all met up and walked out to the greenhouse together regardless of House? There’s so few of them after all.”
“It makes sense to me.” Theo agreed. They turned back towards the greenhouses with the five little Slytherins in tow.
“Professor Sprout and Mr. Longbottom, can we interrupt?” Hermione asked from the door.
“Certainly, Miss Granger,“ Professor Sprout responded with a kind smile.
“I’ve found your lost Slytherin first years,” Hermione said, ushering the five students into the greenhouse. She looked at the little students already there with their red and gold, blue and bronze or yellow and black ties, easing over to allow the others a place. It was so strange to see all four tie colours together in a single class. “I’d like the first years to walk together from here to their next class. Where are you all off to next?”
“Lunch then Charms,” the little voices answered in a chorus.
“Alright so as Head Girl, I’d like you all to walk from here to there together. And then from there to Charms. Next Wednesday I expect you all to meet in the courtyard before you come out here to Herbology. You are a small incoming class and should all try to be at least cordial with one another.”
Some of the Gryffindors looked particularly suspicious and the little Travers in Hufflepuff looked shocked at the pronouncement; they'd likely already been hearing things from older students about the Slytherins. Hermione suppressed a frown. She didn’t want to scare the little ones.
Had she ever been so small? So sure about where the lines were? So confident that she knew who was good and who was evil?
These days everything seemed painted in shades of grey.
Professor Sprout smiled widely, looking over her class. “Thank you Miss Granger, I think that’s an excellent idea. And I’ll bring it up to the Headmistress as well. I imagine she’ll like this first year class to walk together to any class immediately following a meal. I expect you all and especially my Hufflepuffs, to show each other kindness and respect here at Hogwarts.” She turned her face back to Hermione, “Was there anything else Miss Granger?”
“No, that’ll be all. Thank you for your time, Professor.” Hermione refused to apologise for interrupting, she wasn’t sorry for making sure the little Slytherins were going to get to their classes.
Pansy had disappeared when Hermione rejoined Draco and Theo.
“She went to go take a nap,” Theo offered with a shrug when Hermione asked where she’d gone off to.
“Oh,” Hermione responded quietly. She already didn’t like it when they were apart. And Pansy wouldn’t be with her for this part of the morning, each week. The thought made her nauseous.
Herbology was followed by Advanced Runes and Hermione found herself zoning out a bit as Professor Babbling did her part to pretend that it was a normal first day of courses.
It wasn’t just a normal first day of classes and they really couldn't make it one.
The classes were full of missing students who’d died in the war or who hadn’t come back for the academic year. Hermione found her eyes flickering around the class, counting the empty seats. She thought that she’d do better when they had homework and projects to do, but a slow, meandering introduction to the syllabus wasn’t enough to keep Hermione focused on her professor and her mind wandered. None of the places that it wandered to were good.
She scooted a bit closer to Theo and wanted to put her head on his shoulder, but she didn’t think that would be appropriate during class.
How she wished that she didn’t care.
Under the table he took her hand, interlacing their fingers. She couldn’t help but be comforted by that. Draco looked over at her, as though he knew her heart was unsettled and she needed to be comforted by him too.
*******
“Fucking Death Eater,” a voice said from behind him right before Draco was hexed. The pain in his leg was instant and he could feel the warm trickle of blood on his skin. He didn’t even bother to pull his wand, as he couldn’t defend himself; it would risk his probation. And whoever had struck him knew that as well as he did. He needed to learn to take his lumps; it wasn’t as though he hadn’t earned their hatred, whoever they were.
Walking into the Great Hall, he cast a wandless scourgify on his pants and the droplets of blood that were following him inside.
“Draco,” Hermione must have caught some discomfort on his face as he sat down. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” he said, pasting the best fake smile he could without occluding.
“Are you sure?” She asked, touching him lightly on the arm. He was grateful that she touched him there instead of the leg. If she had done that then he would have flinched and given the game away.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I just got a little spoiled in the suite and I want to lay about and have someone bring me tiny sandwiches.” Draco’s laugh sounded false to his own ears, but Hermione didn’t seem to notice.
“Well no luck on the tiny sandwiches, but there is some food,” Hermione offered with a soft smile.
“It barely counts,” Blaise complained sitting across from them. “Is there nothing that isn’t fried or boiled into flavourlessness?”
“Have you considered bribing the elves to make Italian food?” Hermione suggested. “I’m not sure if they can read English, but maybe a cookbook with lots of pictures?”
“Are you going to deliver it to them?” Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m not particularly popular in the kitchens,” Hermione admitted with a grimace.
Their conversation continued in that vein, but Draco couldn’t concentrate on it because of the throbbing in his leg. Just when he thought he’d have to manage all the stairs to the Heads’ Dorm in order to get at their potions, Luna tucked a vial into his palm as she walked past.
Gods, his cousin was too perceptive by half, he thought as he covertly tipped the vial into his tea and breathed a sigh of relief as the pain in his leg finally started to subside.
*******
Luna kissed Blaise goodbye outside the Transfiguration classroom and she giggled when he offered to add the class, just to be with her. She shooed him away and entered the classroom, choosing a seat towards the back which wasn’t her style at all.
Transfiguration was the first class that Ginny was in with her and Luna was terribly nervous. She knew that plenty of the others from the summer would be in there as well. It was a combined eighth and seventh year class, but she didn’t need her lover or her friends to fight her battles for her. She wanted Ginny to support her choices, but if she didn’t there was nothing Luna could do.
What would Ginny do when she learned that Luna was a Malfoy? The Weasleys and the Malfoys had centuries of conflict and Luna was afraid that her and Ginny’s friendship wasn’t strong enough to face the inevitable explosion.
Draco himself was in the front of the class next to Hermione, toying idly with one of her curls as they waited for the class to start. Luna smiled at the look on his face, he was clearly deeply in love. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him so happy.
Luna had intentionally left a seat open next to her, hopeful that Ginny would sit with her. Seamus and Dean had given her a reassuring smile as they took the desk next to hers.
In the end, Ginny walked right past her and sat next to Hannah Abbott off to the side. Luna tried to ignore how much that stung. They’d grown up so close together and now Ginny was content to pretend that she did not exist.
Luna swallowed back a sniffle. Ernie Macmillan sat down next to her and smiled. “Zabini won’t break my legs for sitting next to you will he?”
“Well, that all depends on if you keep your hands to yourself Ernie,” she replied, not at all liking his tone. She resisted the urge to growl at him and kept her expression bland.
He fled to another seat. Good riddance.
Draco looked back at her, and she offered a shrug. His eyes narrowed and she knew that she’d probably have to explain what had just happened later. She was grateful that he cared enough to check on her, but she wondered if the roles shouldn’t be reversed and she shouldn’t be checking in on him. She hoped the pain potion had helped him earlier, she wondered why he hadn’t just told Hermione that someone had hexed him. Wizards were very difficult to comprehend sometimes, Draco more than most.
Luckily at that moment, Professor Delacour-Weasley walked in and the entire room was in awe of her aura. Luna, who'd had the gorgeous witch heal her extensively and had stayed in her home during the war, received a wink during the introductions.
It was impossible not to notice how stiff Pansy got when Fleur was giving Hermione attention. Luna bit her inner cheek and worried that this was going to cause greater difficulties. Pansy acted as though she was extremely confident, but the reality was that the Slytherin witch was terribly insecure, it had been one of many things that they’d fought over before deciding that they would be better as friends.
Hermione on the other hand was innocent when it came to the flirtations between women, and Luna had no doubt that Pansy would accuse Bill and Fleur of wanting Hermione for their unicorn before too long.
Perhaps she needed to pull Theo aside for a serious chat about the inevitable challenges that Fleur posed for Pansy and Hermione’s relationship. Someone in their little polycule needed to be mindful of all the undercurrents that were happening. The potential for misunderstanding seemed rife.
She frowned, unsure what to do. Maybe Blaise would have some good advice for her.
*******
Dinner was almost too much for the four of them and Hermione dreaded having to be social for another hour or more. But she was Head Girl and there were responsibilities that came with it along with privileges.
She absolutely refused to sit at Gryffindor’s table though, so instead she stood near the doors and spoke with everyone briefly as they entered, encouraging folks to sit at other tables. Hannah Abbott used the excuse to drag Susan Bones with her to Gryffindor to sit with Neville. Dozens of students sat with relatives from other houses and Hermione lingered by the doors until she was sure that no one else was coming and then walked to her snakes. If she had to be in the Great Hall, at least she could be with the people that cared about her.
*******
Despite Theo’s desire to be inside someone that evening, he recognized the exhaustion on everyone’s faces as they lounged all over the sofas as though they were going to melt.
He made everyone tea just the way that they liked it, serving them with soft hands and gentle touches and then went and fluffed the pillows. Pansy led Hermione by the hand into the bedroom with Draco trailing them, tightness around his eyes as he tried to keep the stress from his face. Theo could see that being back at Hogwarts with the full student body was wearing on him, but there wasn’t much he could do anyway.
They didn't talk much but just assumed their normal places, exchanged soft kisses that held the promise of more when they were rested and just relaxed in the comfortable silence, which pulled them under into the world of dreams.
*******
Pansy ran furiously through the halls of Malfoy Manor, but all the walls had turned to mirrors and everywhere she looked, there was the reflection of a Death Eater in his mask. He was chasing her, but he was everywhere. There was nowhere to escape.
She was desperate to get out, but it was impossible, there was no exit, just her own terrified reflection staring back at her whichever way she turned. Instead of continuing to run, Pansy slammed into the wall, shattering one of the mirrors. She gripped a shard in her hand, ignoring how it bit into her flesh and turned to meet her pursuer head on. She screamed a battle cry as she rushed forward.
The blunt force in her dream awoke her with a start and Pansy sat up, her breath coming fast, surprised that blood wasn’t dripping from her palm. She eased out of bed, her exhausted lovers snoozing deeply, and went off to search for some wine and stare into the fire for a while, ready to try to drown out the memories.
The fire crackled as the embers ate away at the wood, Pansy worked at the wine bottle and chewed at her lip until she tasted blood, complementing the red wine’s oak with the copper of her own pureblood.
“Pansy?” Hermione called from behind her.
“Yes Mi?” Pansy asked without looking back at where Hermione was certainly standing in the doorway to their shared bedroom, looking at her with those pleading Gryffindor eyes.
“Will you come back to bed?” Hermione asked softly. “I woke up and you weren’t there.”
“Do you need me?” Pansy asked, turning.
Biting her lip, Hermione nodded. “I had nightmares.”
“I’m coming, love,” Pansy responded, leaving the wine bottle behind and following after Hermione, her girl needed her and that was enough to pull Pansy from her own pity party.
She slid back into bed next to Hermione and pulled the brunette tight against her chest. “Sleep now, Mi, I’m here,” Pansy murmured into her curls. “I’m here and everything is going to be okay.”
Pansy wasn’t sure if her words were for Hermione or for herself.
Notes:
Oops on the accidental hiatus. And we're back again. This part of the story continues to be what I consider volume 2 of WBTODYS.
Love to hear your favorite subplot or what you'd like to see happen next. Who is your favorite firstie?
Chapter 35: ceilings
Summary:
ceilings
“But I don't wanna ruin the moment
Lovely to sit between comfort and chaos…”
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 35
Ginny wanted to be enjoying her solitary dorm room, one of the pleasures of finally being considered mature at Hogwarts. She was going to be Quidditch Captain. She should have been happy. However, Ginny couldn't actually remember the last time that she'd felt happiness.
Everything felt tainted with the war and grief.
She couldn't even manage a sweet letter to Harry for Godric’s sake.
Beyond being frustrated with her own inability to communicate, Ginny had ripped up three attempts at writing to her boyfriend in the last thirty minutes. The first had been short and it didn’t seem to be enough.
Dear Harry,
You won’t believe this! Hermione is dating Draco Malfoy! And Theodore Nott! And she’s best friends with Pansy Parkinson! I honestly don't know what is going on there, but she’s never more than an arm's length away from any one of them. Luna is dating a snake too! Zabini’s constantly touching her and I can’t even get close enough to talk to her! How could she do this to me after everything that happened? She’s my best friend and now it’s like he stole her from me! Maybe he's put her under the Imperius Curse?
McGonagall wouldn't allow such a thing to happen under her watch, would she??
I miss you so much. I wish you were here.
Love, Gin
She’d shredded it immediately. The word love in front of her name tasted like ashes in her mouth. Did she even still love him? Has she ever? Was it ever real? A lot of what she felt now where he was concerned was rage. Rage at herself for not being satisfied, rage at her mother for pushing them together, and rage at Harry for not behaving the way she’d been anticipating as she waited and dreamed of him during the war.
Dear Harry,
Where the fuck were you when you were supposed to be saying goodbye to me on the platform? You said you’d meet me there! I waited for you!
Ron and Hermione got into this huge fight in front of everyone and you weren’t there!
I had to see everyone look at me pityingly afterwards. And there was a Harry Potter shaped hole next to me.
Why are you treating me like this? What did I do? Tell me so I can fix it!
Gin
That one felt particularly pathetic upon a reread. The next attempt was smeared with tears while she was writing so that one immediately went into the trash. She didn’t know what to say to him. They were drifting apart and she didn’t know what to do, how she’d failed. Her mum had even suggested sneaking a little love potion into his coffee, but Ginny didn’t want to make him want to be hers with magic. She just wanted what they had before the war, what they had immediately after the final battle. Now she wasn’t even sure that he made her happy, no she knew that he absolutely did not make her happy. He couldn't care less. Did she want to be miserable for the rest of her life?
Was that what their future would hold? She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t get him to talk with her or prioritise her in any way. She was a burden as far as Harry Potter was concerned.
Ginny gave up on the bloody letter for her so-called boyfriend, throwing her parchment and quill to the floor, and put her hands in her face and wept. She couldn’t see how they could claw their way back to what they once were.
It had all been the trauma and longing of the war, but without obstacles to keep them apart Harry himself had to act like an obstacle.
All Ginny wanted was what they had in the days after the last battle: the closeness, and the comfort. It felt like they had been the only two people in the whole world.
She should have known it couldn't last.
Nothing good ever lasted for Ginny Weasley, not since Tom Riddle had possessed her anyway. That psychopath was still ruining her life, even from beyond the grave.
******
It was Hermione’s free morning, but as much as she wanted to opt out of breakfast and lounge about in bed, she knew that she couldn’t because of her responsibilities as Head Girl. She listened with half an ear to her lovers’ chatter around her, their protective presence keeping people (Gryffindors) from walking up to her and saying something rude.
She was far too busy being actively worried about the little Slytherin firsties. They were so fragile and small.
She wanted to stuff them full of bread pudding and then take them shopping at Honeydukes. They all could use a little fattening up. Hermione wasn’t into body shaming, but most of them looked more malnourished than she had after more than seven months on the run. The painful reminders of Harry when he first arrived at Hogwarts in her first year hit her again as she looked at them gathering together to head back to the dungeons they had just come from. She wondered what their lives were like at the Orphanage where they lived. She feared it was as bad as she imagined.
Theo kissed her on the temple and muttered something about divination.
“Go!” She urged in a low tone. “I’ve got this.” She waved vaguely towards the little children who were already looking at her curiously.
“You’re sure?” Theo asked with a concerned expression, darkening his sapphire eyes.
“Shoo, shoo, you don’t want to be late for Firenze’s class. It’s probably an ill omen,” she admitted with a smile, pushing him off. She rolled her eyes as he blew her kisses as he walked away.
She crossed the rest of the Great Hall and gestured for the first year Slytherins to come with her and headed towards the large doors. “Alright, little snakes, you know exactly where the potions classroom is and likely the Hufflepuffs too, but let's assume it might be Ravenclaws and Gryffindors’ chance to get lost today.”
She waved at the other first-years until they were gathered together, their fresh little faces staring up at her. They looked at her like she hung the stars. Once again, it was hard to imagine that she had ever been that young and innocent. She felt like Methuselah compared to them.
“It's double potions this morning with Professor Slughorn. He'll lecture for the first bit and then you'll get a chance to do some things for yourself. Be sure to follow directions to a tee. Things can tend to explode if you make a mistake. Come along now, he’s likely waiting for you all.”
Behind her, Zatanna, one of the little Muggleborns in Hufflepuff whispered urgently to another girl, “She has to be kidding right? Right?”
“She’s not kidding,” Evangeline Burke whispered back. And Hermione felt the swell in her heart at Slytherins helping Hufflepuffs, at Purebloods offering information to Muggleborns.
Once again she felt like she was a duck mother with a herd of ducklings on her heels as she gathered the children up to guide them to their next class. She listened to their little conversations about the castle, her role in the war and rumours about their potions professor without commenting.
As they arrived at the potions laboratory, Slughorn smiled at her, “Miss Granger, thank you for bringing our little first-years to their class. Isn’t she an exemplary Head Girl, children?”
There was a smattering of applause, most notably from the Slytherins. She smiled at them, then focused on Slughorn.
“Of course, Professor. I’d never be remiss in my duties.”
“I certainly hope that you will be joining us at the Slug Club this year, Miss Granger, although it’s such a loss that Mr. Potter has left us already.”
“He’s already so busy doing big things at the Ministry, Professor,” Hermione forced a smile. “But of course I’ll be so pleased to join the Slug Club again this year.”
“Splendid. Splendid. I’ll send your invitation when a date for the first dinner is set. And it wouldn’t go badly if you could convince Mr. Potter to come back as your plus one.”
“I’m afraid that position-” Positions really, but she wasn’t interested in having that conversation with Slughorn, especially in front of the children. “-Is already taken.” Although Hermione wasn’t sure which of her lovers she would subject to Slughorn’s smarminess. Pansy might poison him, and Hermione might let her.
“O-ho, ho, Miss Granger!” Slughorn laughed, clearly not believing her, and she resisted the urge to tell him she wasn’t joking. She offered a tepid smile in response before excusing herself. It was amazing to her that the gossip about her relationship had not yet made it to Slughorn. Well, it was only a matter of time.
Once she was sure that they were all safely in the potions lab, Hermione headed back up the stairs to the ground floor. She noticed many of the old Slytherin portraits staring at her as she worked her way up the spiral staircase. She considered going to the library just for comfort, she bet there was some volunteering that she could do even at this hour.
“Hey, Hermione,” Bill called to her down the hallway. Hermione turned to her old friend with a smile. It seemed like an entire lifetime had passed in the time since they had seen each other - had it really been just over a month? How different would life have been if she had gone to Bill and Fleur's when Fleur offered instead of returning to Hogwarts and falling madly in love with three snakes. It was hard to imagine it. She’d read briefly about multiverse theory a few years ago, and wondered if there was somewhere a Hermione who lived with Bill and Fleur and yet another who put up with Ronald Weasley’s shite for the rest of her life. She pitied the latter if so.
“I’m glad I caught you,” Bill began, “Fleur and I are supervising in Hogsmeade this weekend, are you planning to go?” At Hermione’s nod, he continued kindly. “Perhaps we could get lunch or dinner?” He tilted his head and looked more than a little lupine as he examined her. She wondered if Fleur had told him everything that she had shared with the part-veela over the summer.
“Oh absolutely, I’d love to catch up and Theo and I probably have to be in Hogsmeade anyway to oversee the younger students.” Hermione smiled. “I'd love for you to get to know him better.”
“Is there something going on there, young lady?” Bill asked with mock seriousness, crossing his arms.
“You are only a few years older than me, Bill Weasley.” Hermione shook her finger in his direction menacingly. “And I get enough judgement about my love life from Ronald; you can just stuff it.”
“What’s my idiot brother done now?” Bill raised an eyebrow in question.
“I take it you haven’t spoken to Ginny?” At Bill’s shake of the head, Hermione sighed and continued, “How about I’ll tell you at lunch on Saturday? The walls have ears around here, you know. Or at least the portraits do.”
“That's a deal. I will hold you to it!” Bill gave her the big brother I'm-concerned-about-you look that he must have perfected years past.
She responded with a dismissive everything-is-totally-fine wave as she strolled away.
*******
There was no doubt that Pansy had a new appreciation for Muggles after spending the weekend at the Savoy, but to say that she was excited to have Muggle Studies as a mandatory course would have been a bold lie.
Draco pulled the chair out for her, whispering, “Mistress,” into her bob as she sank elegantly into her seat. She was glad that he was with her. She missed Theo and Hermione, but Draco’s hand in hers was soothing. She wasn’t entirely alone. He continued to reassure her by drawing little circles on the inside of her wrist.
“Welcome students,” the new professor began. “I am Professor Lindstrom.” The petite thin blonde witch was as opposite of Charity Burbage as she could be physically despite the blonde hair. She reminded Draco rather of a bird with her sharp face and arms that moved about frequently when she spoke. She had a pointer in her hand instead of a wand, but he wasn't sure what she was pointing to, it was like she was a conductor and they were the orchestra.
“And I’m Hogwarts’ very first Muggleborn Professor. I was born and raised in the Muggle world until I was eleven and came to Hogwarts in 1974. I still lived in the Muggle world up until about seven years ago when a personal life change resulted in my taking a position in a magical library in York. Now how many of you have ever gone to the Muggle world for more than a brief stroll? Raise your hands.”
Pansy and Draco were surprised to be two of only ten hands that were raised.
“Now, keep your hands up if you’ve spent a full day in the Muggle world.” Pansy and Draco’s hands continued to stay up along with a handful of other students.
“Impressive,” the professor praised.
“Now keep your hands up if you have stayed overnight in the Muggle world either as someone’s guest or in a hotel.” Their hands remained in the air.
“Very good. Now keep your hands up if you’ve spent two nights in the Muggle world.”
Draco and Pansy were surprised to find they were the only students with their hands still raised.
“Well I must say that I’m pleasantly surprised Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson. Where did you stay?” Their professor looked at them encouragingly.
“We spent the weekend at the Savoy in London before returning to Hogwarts last weekend,” Pansy stated flatly, neglecting to mention that Theo and Hermione had been there as well.
“And how did you find it, Ms. Parkinson?”
“I found the hospitality superior to Wizarding establishments,” Pansy replied haughtily, daring any of the other Purebloods in the room to insult her with a glare. No one uttered a word. “Particularly the later night dinner service and selections of beverages. Private car service is also quite nice.”
“And Mr. Malfoy?”
“I’m a new fan of tattoo studios,” he stated simply, fidgeting with his shirt sleeve that hid his half sleeve of constellations. “And Muggle bookshops. We went to …was it…Waterstones? It was quite nice. Far more book selection than at Flourish and Blotts.”
“Just so,” Professor Lindstrom nodded with a thoughtful expression. “Well, that was an enlightening warm-up. Now let’s dig into the syllabus, shall we?” She turned her back to the class to write on the board.
Draco leaned closer to Pansy and whispered in her ear, “She reminds me of a bird.”
“I had the same thought,” Pansy replied without turning to look at him. They needed to be on their best behaviour after all, violating their probation was not something either of them wanted to do.
*******
Theo was grateful that Divination didn’t involve laying on the ground and staring at the centaur’s giant member. As much as he adored cock, that really had been a little much. Their class today was in a glade near Hagrid’s hut, each seat a log or ancient tree stump. Theo let his mind wander as the centaur spoke about the stars and prophecies and fate.
He knew that he hoped his fate was all tied up with two beautiful witches and a dragon that could be grouchy at the best of times. Maybe that wasn't fair, Draco was so much better now that going to Azkaban was off the table. There was no limit now to the time that they had to explore what gave Draco pleasure and what the future could hold for him, what changes he could be wrought in his life for the better.
The one thing he couldn't predict was whether Rosemerta would want Draco working in her pub.
Now that would take a real seer.
******
Hermione was starving and not just for food. She really was ready to ignore the rest of their busy schedule and fall into bed with her lovers.
She almost didn't taste the lunch that she was eating as she devoured a salad quickly. She was too busy envisioning Draco on his knees for Theo while Hermione rode Pansy’s face.
She struggled to follow the conversations at the table and a couple of times, she knew that her answers were not entirely on target from Theo’s look of vague confusion. What she adored about him was that he just rolled with it. He threw her a wink when he noticed Hermione squirming in her seat and then she got heated again.
They made an exceptional team. It was so wild to have partners who genuinely worked with her, she’d always been expected to always have everything under control before. She remembered uncomfortably Harry yelling at her on the Horcrux hunt. There had never been any equity in that friendship and some separation had improved her perspective in that regard.
Sometimes, that part of her life felt like a dream or a nightmare, and as though he could sense her discomfort, Draco took her hand and squeezed it.
She didn't think that she would ever get used to not having to be the strong one. But when Draco kissed her fingertips, she knew that she would try.
******
Advanced Arithmancy was held in one of the tower classrooms near the Ravenclaw dorms. Septima Vector was an intelligent witch who had taught Arithmancy for the entire time that they had been at Hogwarts. She had one of those unaging faces, so she had likely been teaching for much longer than that.
Theo loved arithmancy, it was his favourite field. He wanted to get several masteries, but Arithmancy was the one that he was by far the most thrilled over. Arithmancy was the foundation of so many fields of study.
If he was a master of Arithmancy, then he’d have studied more than enough on half of his areas of interest that passing the masteries for them would be easy as cauldron cakes. He tried to be proud of himself at that moment. He, Draco and Hermione were the only students in the room who were not Ravenclaws. It was hardly surprising. In 6th year, there had only been one or two more Hufflepuffs and Blaise. He had plenty of business opportunities lined up at this point and knew enough to make sure the arithmancy masters who worked for him weren’t lying or ripping him off.
Theo didn’t mind that the class had gotten so small. But it did feel a bit uncomfortable to have Pansy missing from their little group.
Draco and Hermione sat on either side of him and he was absolutely going to tease them during class. You know, keep the class interesting and his loves mentally stimulated. He couldn’t wait to have them to himself back in the head dorm later.
******
Once they were back in their dorm room, Hermione had dragged them into the bedroom not even allowing enough time for Theo and Draco to smoke. Pansy laughed at her neediness, pouring herself a glass of wine and waving the boys on to start without her.
“I’ll join you all in a moment,” Pansy shooed them off, sipping at her wine.
Her urgency had lit a flame in her lovers and they wasted no time stripping her naked and having their wicked way with her. Theo and Draco’s tongues and fingers and breath were forging her anew, the stress of the day melting off of her.
Sometime later, Hermione thought that she was going to implode. Pansy had four fingers deep in her pussy while Draco was slowly easing into her ass and Theo was fucking her throat. Her head was off the edge of the bed so that he could go as deep as possible and Hermione felt like every nerve in her body was on fire. Being the focus of all three of her lovers at once was like she was a deity that they were worshipping.
She felt like a wildfire made flesh or a supernova just about to explode, scattering stardust.
She lost track of her orgasms after the fourth, but knew she had managed to soak the bed, Pansy’s hand and face and Draco’s thighs, even as Theo continued to edge himself using her throat. They went on like that until Hermione could barely lift her head and was shaking like a leaf.
She’d been ridiculously horny all day and her state after they were finished made the suffering all seem worth it.
Theo held her in his arms while Pansy cleaned her gently and Draco changed the sheets. By the time she was tucked into bed she was already asleep.
*****
Draco lay awake holding Hermione in his arms as she slept, just to assure himself that she was there.
*******
Care of Magical Creatures hadn’t yet started. Hagrid seemed to be running a little late to the first class with the 7th and 8th years, but none of them minded. It was a good mix of all the Houses in this class. Theo, Dean and Seamus were chatting animatedly as Luna sat doodling in a journal. Ginny stood off to the side, not wanting to engage with anyone. Her face was a mask of disdain for those who were ignoring her bitterness.
“Aren’t Slytherin Quidditch tryouts going on right now?” Dean asked, with a curious expression. “Shouldn’t you be there? Rooting for the boyfriend?”
“I’ll be honest now lads, my favourite part of Quidditch is how the blokes look in their kits,” Theo replied with a wink, earning laughter. “The girls are down there watching. I’m sure to get the play-by-play after class and I can give Draco his just rewards.” He gave the two Gryffindors a saucy wink that caused them both to fall into gales of laughter yet again.
“Blaise will do great, I'm absolutely sure. I mean, he is the captain, so no doubts that he will make the team,” Luna added without bothering to look up from whatever she was sketching. “I can’t imagine that anyone will come close to Draco as a seeker, even with two years off.”
Ginny couldn’t help herself, she snorted in dismissal of what Luna had said. Malfoy was out of practice and he’d be a shite seeker this far gone from actually playing Quidditch.
Luna looked up at her with sadness and all of the anger that had been festering in Ginny fled, she just hated everything. She hated how everyone had just moved on from Fred's death, from the war, from everything.
Fuck this, she said to herself and started walking back to the castle.
“Ginny! Where are you headed?” Hagrid called after her as he arrived, but she ignored him. She couldn’t pretend to be fine around all these war criminals, murderers, terrorists.
How could the others forget everything that the Slytherins had done?
She would never forget, could never forgive.
******
The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch was in great shape since the construction crews that had been there had made the place even nicer than it had been prior to the war. There were lifts that went to the higher stands and suspended bridges that swayed gently between the different houses’ viewing stands. There was a separate professors’ viewing dock as well.
It was pristine and difficult to imagine that the entire thing had burned to the ground not so long ago.
The Slytherin hopefuls were joking around about how much nicer the new locker rooms were when the stern looks from their captain quelled them immediately.
Blaise was very serious in his role as Quidditch captain as he sternly laid out his expectations to the Slytherins intent on trying out for the team.
“No one is guaranteed their place back this year because I want to win,” Blaise proclaimed. “I want to win the Quidditch Cup just one bloody time in my entire eight years here at this school. So only the best of the best will make the team today.” His hawkish look was serious as he surveyed all of those trying out.
“We will be training hard this year,” Blaise added. “So if you are doing this just to have an easy way to score witches or wizards, this year is going to be anything but easy.”
“So zero judgement if you decide to head back to the castle now.” Blaise gave them all a stern look, but no one took him up on his offer to opt out. “Alright then, if everyone is sure that they are up for it, let’s get this tryout started.”
And the Slytherins scrambled into the air instantaneously, more than ready to show their captain that they had what it took to represent green and silver that year.
*******
It was a surprisingly warm afternoon, but the girls still were cuddled up together on the Slytherin stands, watching Blaise and Draco perform to their best. Luna had them under stern orders to give her the play-by-play of how Blaise did, since the fey little blonde hadn’t wanted to miss her first class of Care of Magical Creatures to see the tryouts herself.
Hermione had transfigured a fluffy blanket to wrap around the two of them, but it was mostly for privacy so no one could see where she or Pansy had their hands, fingers interlaced and tucked tightly between Hermione’s thighs. Pansy’s pinky ran gently along the tops of Hermione’s tall socks, writing her initials gently on the Head Girl’s tan skin.
Their eyes flicked back and forth across the pitch as the Slytherins played against themselves trying to show their skills to their best advantage. Blaise was an excellent Chaser and he switched ‘teams’ again and again, pushing the other players to see what they were capable of. The Carrow twins appeared to be the only ones who could match Blaise as Chasers. The girls whispered back and forth, their guesses on who would make the team, as well as their observations on how fit Draco looked in his uniform.
Jumping up in excitement, Hermione screamed as Draco caught the snitch, “That’s my boyfriend!”
Pansy laughed at her, a bright smile stretching the Slytherin witch’s face. It felt like Hermione was made out of happiness at that moment.
Draco flew by the stands, the snitch in his fist, and flashed Hermione and Pansy a grin that sent Hermione’s stomach fluttering with butterflies.
“Good job, love!” she called, hoping the wind carried her voice to him.
Notes:
"Feels like the start of a movie, I've seen before."
Chapter 36: I'm Yours
Notes:
CW: Jealousy, Sex Toys, Nightmares, Domestic Violence and Murder
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 36
I’m yours
Friday afternoon began with Astronomy, which would run late into the evening when they had their practical lectures and star mapping lessons. However, they would have to go up to the Astronomy Tower for that. Blaise wondered if everyone was emotionally prepared for that moment. He knew that Hermione and Draco had worked out their issues related to the tower, but not all of their cohort had desensitised themselves. Healer Cordelia was going to be busy this year.
“I can't wait until we are done being in this place,” Blaise whispered in Luna’s ear as the teacher reviewed their syllabus. “I’m going to parade you through every wizarding village in Italy, my love.”
“Mr. Zabini, I’m sure Miss Lovegood is able to attend to our discussion without your input.” The Professor frowned at him from the front of the room.
“My apologies, Professor,” Blaise responded, scooting away from Luna the tiniest of amounts.
It was going to be a long year, Blaise realised sadly.
Draco and Theo snickered at him, so Blaise imperiously raised a single eyebrow. He wasn’t going to tolerate any of their nonsense in class, and they needed to learn that immediately.
Unfortunately, the two menaces just started giggling more at his expression until they, too, were scolded by Professor Sinistra. Theo, once accused of behaviour unbecoming of a Head Boy, immediately pulled himself together. The other Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in the class looked at Draco with thinly veiled disdain and Blaise knew that he needed to expand his little spy network. Draco already had his loyalty, but with their imminent close ties through marriage, any attack on Draco was an attack on Blaise and his bride-to-be. Zabinis did not allow vulnerability. They struck first and struck hard.
*****
Saturday Afternoon
Preparing to go to
Hogsmeade
His pale face stared back at him in the bathroom mirror, even more bloodless than normal. He hadn’t slept well and glamoured away the dark smudges with a flick of his wand.
“Okay, now I want you to repeat after me,” Theo encouraged, with his hands on Draco’s hips, his chin resting on Draco's shoulder.
“Theo, you are fucking ridiculous. I am not doing this.” Draco’s eyes narrowed as he met Theo’s in their shared reflection.
“No, you are doing this, have I ever steered you wrong?” Theo asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Loads of times,” Draco pointed out, thinking of all the times that Theo had gotten him into trouble with his parents or Severus growing up.
“Not lately, though,” Theo stated with a wink.
No, not lately, Draco admitted internally, but refused to feed Theo’s ego any further by acknowledging it aloud.
“Come on now, repeat after me, I am a bad motherfucker, and I can do anything I set my mind to.” Theo’s face was serious despite the ridiculous words coming out of his mouth.
“Oh fine, if you won’t give this up until I do it. I am a bad motherfucker and I can do anything I set my mind to,” Draco sighed, rubbing his temples. “Seriously Theo, what sort of an affirmation is motherfucker?”
Theo shrugged, but continued on. “You are brave. You are amazing, and you can do this!” Theo repeated to Draco for what had to be the hundredth time that morning. It made the walk to Hogsmeade seem longer, or maybe it was his nervousness at the task ahead.
“I can do this,” Draco repeated, feeling as though that wasn’t entirely the case. His palms were sweating and he rolled his sleeves up, his new forearm tattoo visible to all, anything to illustrate how he had separated himself from the Death Eaters: the Dark Lord’s mark hidden under hours of Muggle ink.
“The worst thing she could say is to get the fuck out of her pub, in which case you send a Gringotts bank draft, and that part of your probation is done.” Theo clapped him on the shoulder and offered him a smile. Draco tried to control his disappointment that Theo didn’t offer a kiss or a hug. They were back in the wizarding world however, and Hogsmeade didn’t have the anonymity of Muggle London. The scandal that the pair of them would cause was probably not worth the comfort of the kiss.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the old wooden door.
Rosemerta stared at him as he made his way up to the bar, drying her hands on her apron. “I’ve been expecting you,” she stated without preamble. “So?”
“Well,” Draco’s brain lost what he had planned to say and he stared at her for a minute with terror in his eyes, he was sure. He needed to not occlude; occlumency induced psychosis was too possible, especially with all of his slip-ups of late. He could do this. “I wanted to tell you I’m very sorry for what I did to you. It was wrong - Merlin knows that’s the worst understatement of all time. And while I’ve been ordered to make restitution as part of my probation, I’d understand if you didn’t want me a thousand metres from you or your pub –” His throat closed up around his carefully practiced words.
Rosemerta looked at him with pinched lips, clearly not sure if she wanted to deal with him. “Are you actually going to work, or are you going to be a complete pain in the arse the entire time?”
“I have no problem working. I know how to clean and I’m strong enough to carry what’s needed, and I want to make this right,” Draco forced the words out. They were the truth, after all. Her eyes flicked down to his heavily tattooed forearm, the celestial scene obscuring the Dark Mark, the new tattoo seemed to seal the deal for her.
“Can I assume you're playing Quidditch?” The innkeeper asked after an interminable moment. “I recall that you used to play.”
“Yes, I made the team,” Draco began, uncertain as to how much information the woman actually wanted. His palms were sweating and he just desperately wanted this interaction to be over. He sincerely wished that she had just taken the money instead. He would have given her double, no triple, just to be done with this hell of his own making. How was he supposed to look her in the face every single day?
“Fine. Owl me your class and practice schedule, and I will come up with your weekly work schedule. Don't be late for your shifts, don't complain, and most importantly don’t piss me off. Or I'll lend you out to Aberforth to scrub his men’s room with a toothbrush.”
Draco nodded, more than a little intimidated by the woman in front of him. That dark, awful voice inside him whispered vile thoughts in his head about commanding her loyalty again, making her take the money - that he was too good to spend his free time working in this shite pub. His mouth dried and he vowed yet again to himself to not occlude any more. He was far too close to falling off the deep end.
****
Hermione was radiant as she smiled at their new professors and Pansy hated it. Hermione was just chatting with them at the bar while she and Theo waited for her at their table; there was no touching happening, but the jealousy was eating at her. Hermione had shared that Fleur had been the first woman that Hermione realized she was attracted to, and the husband was fit as hell even if a little rough around the edges. That was obviously Hermione’s type when it came to men.
But while Pansy was plotting murder, Theo seemed entirely unconcerned.
“You’re throwing daggers with your eyes, Pans,” Theo pointed out. “It’s hardly going to endear her friends to us.”
“That’s a pair of unicorn hunters,” Pansy hissed.
“That may be, but Hermione is content with us,” Theo offered. “We are making her happy. And if she didn’t take them up on their clear offer in the summer before she came to Hogwarts, she isn’t going to take them up on it now.”
“How are you always so logical?” Pansy turned to stare at him as Hermione began coming towards them with their drinks, with the professors following behind.
“I just know how Hermione’s mind works, she’s never cheated on someone, she’s not going to start now.”
“What about leaving us for someone else?” Pansy asked, lips thin, jaw clenched.
Theo leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the throat. “She’s not Daphne, love.”
Pansy nodded, her expression going blank, hating that her ex-girlfriend was still haunting her.
“And this is my girlfriend Pansy Parkinson, and my boyfriend, Head Boy Theodore Nott,” Hermione introduced. “This is Bill and Fleur Weasley.”
“Hullo, I believe you are both in my class, yes? I think I remember you too from the Tournament?” The part Veela asked with a smile, as she sat in the seat that her husband pulled out for her. “So glad that our ‘ermione found people to appreciate her. Bill’s brother - ‘e was no good for her. Ne sois pas offensé Bill, mais ton frère est un déchet.”
“I feel like I am supposed to defend Ronniekins here,” Bill Weasley said, taking his own seat with a diffident shrug. “But honestly he’s been a shite and I can’t be bothered.”
“I like you more already,” Theo said, tipping his head with a smile to Bill, before taking his glass from Hermione with a grateful kiss to her fingertips.
“And I am open to liking you both as long as you treat Hermione with the respect she deserves,” Bill responded with a serious glare that faded almost immediately into a grin. Despite the scars on his face, the man seemed to be incapable of being stern for long outside the classroom.
“Oh, we are well aware that Hermione is a princess,” Pansy responded, flicking her hair. “And we do our best to spoil her accordingly.”
“She can be terribly difficult about it,” Theo added with a wink to the offended princess herself.
“I let you pay for my tattoo and the suite at the Savoy without complaining,” Hermione argued with a frown, and the little furrow between her brow that Pansy adored.
“As you should, ‘ermione. Good partners will take care of you,” Fleur agreed with Theo and Pansy, waving her hand in the air animatedly. “You accepted too little for too long.”
“We certainly make sure Hermione has everything she could possibly want, and nothing little,” Theo snarked, causing Hermione to turn pink.
“Theodore!” She squealed, smacking him on the shoulder.
“So violent, Princess,” Theo smirked, blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “You know how much I like that.”
Hermione let out a dramatic sigh and Pansy hid her smile behind her drink.
Bill and Fleur just laughed.
*****
“I deeply need to get some tension out. Naked and on the bed all of you.” Pansy commanded as soon as they had returned to the Heads’ Suite. She didn’t even bother to look to see if they were obeying - if they knew what was good for them they would. They would take turns over her knee if they disobeyed.
For now she was focused on preparing her tools for the little scene that had been running in her head for hours.
She laid out her new sex toys on the table, dildos of every rainbow color. She sorted them by size and hefted each one to decide who was going to get each one tonight. Each had a little hollow cavity for her to insert one of the Muggle bullet vibrators. She couldn’t wait to experiment with them and wondered if she could get all three of her lovers to squirt like the pretty little sluts that they were.
She adjusted her new strap-on harness and smiled as she got the Muggle buckles to fit her just so. Damn her arse looked great in this. She caught Theo’s little smile as her gaze flicked over shoulder. They hadn’t completely stripped, so Pansy tsked softly.
“You all better be on that bed and naked when I turn around,” Pansy commanded, taking a few more minutes to ensure that the straps were all exactly right.
Turning around. Pansy saw that they have been obedient and are naked in bed, waiting for her. Draco and Theo's cocks were already hard, while Hermione was rubbing her thighs together. Pansy showed her approval by stroking her strap on.
Theo, who had been quite familiar with her previous straps, licked his lips in anticipation. Draco and Hermione looked equal parts excited and nervous.
Pansy spun about, displaying her new accoutrements.
“Look at all of the goodies that I picked up while I was Muggle shopping. They really put wizarding shops to shame.”
“Draco and Theo,” Pansy commanded their attention with a snap of her fingers. “Suck each other’s cocks while I take care of our princess.”
“As you command, my empress.” Theo replied, pushing Draco to the bed and climbing on top of him. Theo flipped around dramatically gripping Draco’s hips while he mouthed kisses all over the blonde's inner thighs. The blond almost immediately began to whimper as Theo took his cock into his mouth and waved his own in front of Draco’s mouth.
Such a good boy.
Draco’s toes were already curling and the noises that the two boys were making were obscene, wet and reckless as they sought their own release.
Pansy celebrated the boys’ obedience by grabbing their witch by the ankle and pulling her off the bed, roughly forcing a naked Hermione to her knees. Looking up into Pansy’s face, Hermione licked her lips, excitement clear in her golden honey eyes, her pupils blown wide. Pansy gently stroked her cheek, careful not to scratch that precious skin with her long sharp nails. Hermione leaned into her touch and then sat back with her hands in position on the tops of her thighs.
Oh, her good girl was ready to play, was she? Pansy was more than ready to deliver a little domination.
Grabbing Hermione by the hair, Pansy fucked her throat with one of the thinner new cocks, this one pink and sparkly, but long enough that it should be tickling the back of her throat.
“Tap my thigh if it gets to be too much, love.” Pansy stroked her face gently again, the caress designed to be in contrast to the roughness of her other touches. Hermione’s wide eyes looked up at her, pupils dilated so wide that they had swallowed all the honey with blackness and drool dripped down her chin.
Pansy did not think that Hermione had ever been sexier and bit her lip to keep from moaning. Instead, Theo moaned like a whore when Draco deep-throated him all the way to the base. It was a symphony of their pleasure tonight and Pansy was the conductor.
They had a long night ahead of them and Pansy intended to enjoy every moment of it.
*****
Everything about the world was wrong. Theo felt out of place in his own too small skin. His feet didn’t quite touch the floor in the dining room. His dinner sat before him cold and uneaten. His parents had left the room and were fighting as they went up the stairs to their room. “He's only twelve Thoros,” his mother was begging, “let it wait a bit, someone acceptable should catch his eye in the next few years.”
Somehow, he was no longer at the table, he was at the base of Nott Manor’s grand staircase.
“How dare you question me, whore, in front of my son and heir.” In slow motion, Thoros snapped her neck as Theo watched. Theo tried to close his eyes, desperate to not see the horror in front of him, but he couldn’t seem to move. He couldn’t even breathe, he felt frozen, unable to cry, scream or move. It was as though he’d been petrified.
His father dragged her limp body by her scalp and took her to the top of the stairs and threw her towards the bottom. She fell, hitting the banisters, her body rolling down the stairs like a broken doll and then she was at the bottom. Feet from where Theo stood in his boy’s body. As if she were a doll, she landed, sprawled out. Her face was bloody. Her empty eyes stared up at him.
Without even looking at Theo, Thoros walked down the stairs and to the floo.
“I need the DMLE, my wife’s fallen down the stairs. She’s not breathing and I think that she’s dead.”
Theo woke up, gasping for air. And while he could sense the warmth of his lovers’ skin around him, he couldn’t turn to look or to reach out for comfort. Theo felt the wetness from the tears dripping down his face and he could see their room, but he couldn't move. It was worse than being stupefied because the horrible dream couldn’t seem to be fully dispelled.
There was pressure on his chest, but no sign of Crookshanks, no tail flicking into his face, no reason for him to be unable to move. His heart thudded in his chest and he wondered if he was dying.
Suddenly, he was able to move after several awful minutes. He flew from the bed and rushed to the bathroom to retch into the toilet, ever so careful not to wake his lovers. His suffering needed to be his alone to bear, at least in these darkened hours just before the dawn broke.
Notes:
Heyyy so this isn't abandoned, nor any of my other fics, just 1 - the rising tide of fascism is a little overwhelming and 2 - this fic requires crazy amounts of cross referencing to ensure that things stay consistent. But I promise no plans to give up on this.
This chapter was going to be three times as long, but I split it here so you could enjoy this bit. Hoping that 37 will get to you soon.
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