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The Uneventful Story	By : SnowflakeImp Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 39189 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
The Uneventful Story
By: Snowflake Imp
Rated: NC-17
Chapter 19
Disclaimer: I claim nothing�NOTHING!! I am but a mild-mannered girl who has stolen the world of Harry Potter and perversified it for her own pleasures.

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~Men have hitherto treated women like birds which have strayed down to them from the heights; as something more delicate, more fragile, more savage, stranger, sweeter, soulful � but as something which has to be caged up so that it shall not fly away. ~

�Draco, oi! Malfoy!� Harry shouted over the crowd. People were bustling and moving all over the headquarters, making it almost impossible for Harry to get across the room. Since the War was over, the headquarters was being disassembled and many of the documents were being taken over to the newly reconstructed Ministry building.
�Not now, in a hurry. I have pressing matters to attend to at home,� Draco replied, not even bothering to look behind him. He was about to make a move to the door when a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.
�Like fuck � like hell you�re in a hurry!� Harry said, quickly correcting his slip of tongue. He was an adult now, he had to control himself. �Daisy told me you were sitting on that box looking at your shiny nails the whole morning.�
�They�re buffed,� Draco corrected. �And it�s known as good hygiene. Perhaps you�d like me to introduce the two of you sometime?� He gave a pointed look to Harry�s unruly hair.
Harry punched him in the arm. �Get your arse to work and stop trying to sneak off. Like you even care how clean your house is.�
Draco grimaced. �And leave Hermione to her own devices in there? With a feather duster? Don�t be daft.�
A few years ago � no to be honest, even a few months ago � hearing Hermione�s given name falling from Draco�s lips would have been stranger than strange. Having him say practically anybody�s first name would have been odd. Now he was saying Hermione�s name as easily as any other word.
Harry forced the corner of his lips down lest he showed any sort of fondness for his former nemesis. �Weren�t you the one who ripped her from her duties and forced her into your dank, little mansion?�
�This is coming from the tosser who was drooling over my estate? Besides, she�s still not fully recovered from it all yet. Best let her have some peace and quiet,� Draco said.
�Well, have me over sometime, yeah? Since Ron�s off catching criminals with Bill I need some sanity,� Harry sighed.
He had thought after Ron managed to make it to the final battle, leading an army of dragons no less, he would stick around and help with the aftermath. However, it seemed like he was bitten by the righteous-bug and couldn�t stop eradicating crime. Harry wouldn�t be surprised if Ron signed up to be an actual Auror after everything settled down. For now, thanks to an invitation from Bill, he was catching wizards and witches who had tried to profit from the War and laundered money from Gringotts.
�Yes well, maybe when we�ve cleaned up a bit.�

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Hermione sighed, running her hand across the gold gilded wall. It wasn�t even a spectacularly important hallway � all it led to was a few empty rooms. And yet gold was leafed all over the hall like some king was going to pass through at any moment. She was never too impressed with big houses, in any case. Sure, every man, woman, and child probably dreamed of living in an ornate and obscenely large castle at one point or another. But in reality it made her all the more aware of how alone she was.
Draco had gotten rid of all the servants save for a house-elf or two, so the place was essentially empty. Hermione, in a rare show of spine, demanded that the elves not be enslaved. They were to earn wages and receive sick leave. She was half-afraid he would be angry with her but the urge to stand up to him for the greater good was too strong. Surprisingly, he had merely smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
�You never change, do you,� he murmured, pressing her head against his chest. She had relaxed, enjoying the warmth. He almost sounded relieved that she stood up to him. He soon ordered the house-elves that they were free contractors and they would like it.
How mystifying then, that defying him so opening would earn such approval, while asking to go out and see Harry would earn her such ire. He had nearly flown off the handle when she mentioned that she missed her friends. He told her that she was to remain in the manor. She was not allowed to contact anybody, especially Harry. When she had bristled, feeling once again the spine she thought she had lost, he immediately calmed down and embraced her. She cursed his dirty tactics. He had explained, almost gently, that she had been gone for so long that there would be too much to catch up on.
She would be in the way.
They didn�t need her.
Hermione gulped. It was true that she hadn�t been a part of the Order for quite sometime and she would have to be briefed extensively if she wanted to be at all helpful. But then again, she was always fast on her feet, wasn�t she? Would they really see her as a burden?
Because if there was one thing�one thing that she was afraid of in this world, it was to be useless. She had strived hard to succeed her whole life. Not for vanity. Not even for the pursuit of knowledge. It was so she could save people, fight for causes she believed in. So she could save her loved ones. Whether it was to save them from a failing grade, to give them a warm place to stay or to rescue them from harm. She wanted to be there to take care of them.
The thought of holding anybody back made her shiver in Draco�s arms. He pulled her closer.
It�s okay, he had whispered. They may not want you�

But I do. I need you. More than anything.

She could feel the sincerity behind his words. He meant every word of it, all the way down to his bones. It slithered out of his mouth and wrapped around her like a halo. Hermione had felt, at that moment, even if he wasn�t being sincere, she would have still felt the same level of bliss.
Because he had just told her everything she had ever wanted to hear.

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Hermione wasn�t deluded. She knew Draco was changing. Or he had already changed. She wasn�t quite sure which. She knew something was happening to him and refused to believe his erratic and frightening behavior was somehow natural. A split personality perhaps? Was a dark spell taking over him? She was so close to finding out the answer. Hermione needed more time and she would just have to bear it.
No, he was a good man. What other conclusion could there be? He was raised in a house full of hate and prejudice. By all means, he should have grown up to be just like his father, if not worse. Even a saint raised in that kind of environment should have turned out to be a nasty piece of work.
Something had changed though. Perhaps it was the death of his mother; perhaps it was when he realized he didn�t have it in him to kill Dumbledore. Hermione didn�t know. All she knew was that from some point on, he forced his path to that of righteousness.
Not to say he was transformed into a knight in shining armor with cherubs tooting horns on high in his wake. He had almost strayed from his path countless times and even when on the damn path he took a lot of liberties most felt uncomfortable with. He could have easily betrayed them � he had so chances. In the end, however, he always did the right thing and that was what gave Hermione her faith.
�Easier said than done,� she whispered to herself, looking out the window into the courtyard. She rubbed the large bruise on her upper arm. Whatever moments of clarity Draco had, they were becoming more and more infrequent. It was hard not to give up on him. It was even harder not to give in to him.
Hermione felt like her mind was muddled whenever she thought about him. Mental strength could only last for so long. When faced with his rage, his manipulation, his seduction�it was getting harder to remember what she was doing there in the first place. Before she would hear her voice telling him things he wanted to hear. In the back of her mind, a little voice, her true voice, would tell her that this was only because he wanted to hear them and she really didn�t mean any of it.
But the problem was�she was beginning to have trouble deciphering which one was her true voice.
She had to cling onto her memories of the good Draco, the true Draco. Otherwise she would lose her mind. She had to focus on the positive. One heartening thought was that although he was becoming a frightening man when it came to Hermione, he was still doing wonderful things.
Just the other week, when Hermione had lamented the fate of the orphans from the War to him, he grew quiet. She was reading the Daily Prophet one morning and it was reported that a large number of orphans were highly neglected. They had no place to live, no funds to go to their daily needs, no education, nothing. The Ministry tried to provide care for them but currently their funds were stretched too thin to really combat the problem.
When she had told Draco this, he didn�t answer right away but when he did, his voice was like steel.
�That is unacceptable.�
He dropped the project he was on � consolidating funds for the Ministry and recreating funding schedules for all the departments � and quickly began communicating with his various sources. He knew the Ministry didn�t have the means to properly care for such a large number of children, so he turned to the part of society he knew best.
Calmly, with an undertone of sleet, he managed to coerce many generous donors. He targeted those who were too cowardly to take a side and had removed themselves altogether from the War. Once they heard there was a winning side and Europe wasn�t a steaming crater, they returned, hoping to resume their decadent lifestyle.
Of course, to be able to slither away from such an epic war probably took a lot of bribery to both sides and many other less-than-stellar activities. All Draco had to do was bring those up and lightly suggest a large donation here, an offering of an unused summer home there, and that would surely convince the public it was all just a big misunderstanding. In the end, Draco had single-handedly saved hundreds of lives, all without costing the Ministry a single Knut.
That kind of man was worth saving, wasn�t he?
Hermione shivered. She just hoped it wouldn�t turn out it was her that needed the saving.

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~ Love is more afraid of change than destruction. ~

Draco downed another shot of Ice Vodka, ignoring the muffled noises behind him. He didn�t like it. He didn�t like any of it. He hated whenever she would get that faraway look in her eyes. Or today, when she was staring wistfully out the window. He knew deep down he should�ve felt sorry for her. Try to figure out why she wasn�t looking happy and make her feel better.
But instead, all he felt was that fear gnawing away at him. She was thinking about things other than him. He knew if he let her mind stray long enough, she would leave him. No matter how good he was at anything, he knew there was something missing in him that didn�t make Hermione his completely. So he had to constantly test her. Assure himself that she wouldn�t leave him. It was only when she confirmed this did he feel at ease.
And something in him was changing. He was tenser, nervous, jittery. He lost his temper constantly. He was hurting her. He wasn�t in control of himself anymore. Who would stay with him, especially someone as strong as her. Draco couldn�t stand the thought of her leaving him. He was so used to her looking at him softly, like he was worth something. If she left him, he would die. If she changed and looked at him like she used to, like he was something she scrapped off the bottom of her shoe, he would do more than die.
He would suffer for all eternity.
He couldn�t allow that. He wouldn�t. He absolutely refused.
The Ice Whiskey was finally kicking in and he was relaxing. Draco turned back to face Hermione on the ground, admiring the sight of her in nothing but lingerie, blindfolded. Blood rushed down to his groin as he took in the erotic site. Although she had slimmed down considerably since the final battle, nevertheless he still found her incredibly attractive. The way the dark grey and white laced bra and panties wrapped around her body, the way her wild curls rested on her shoulders � to Draco, she was most beautiful woman in the world.
He sauntered over and wrapped his muscular arms around her. She stopped struggling but her back remained rigid. He began running his lips down the column of her throat, knowing that drove her wild. Soon enough she began softly moaning, encouraging him to slide his hand down to cup her warm center. Hermione tried to jerk away, startled by his intimate touch, but Draco merely held onto her tighter and slipped his fingers into her panties. With his other hand, he removed her blindfold, the fabric brushing softly across her face. Her eyes were wide and tinged with fright even though Draco knew he saw desire lurking within them.
�Do you want to leave me, is that it?� he whispered, making sure she did not avert her eyes. Draco heard her swallow a moan, which made him work his fingers even faster. It was like a test; let�s see how long you can stay quiet if I keep this up. She had to clench her teeth in order to compose herself and stay completely still. After a few short bursts of breath through her nose, she managed to shake her head.
He grabbed her thick hair and pulled her head back. �Liar!� he snarled. He saw the way she looked out that window. She was yearning to escape. The second he turned his back she would run away, just like that. Without a backwards glance, without a thought.
�You�re going to leave and forget about me, that�s what you want,� he said through gritted teeth. �Once I served my purpose you�d rather go off and play with Potter and Weasley, isn�t that right? You always wanted them over me, every time, every single bloody time you�ll choose them over me! You�re thinking about them right now, aren�t you?!�
�No!� she wailed as he pulled her hair even harder, causing her to fall onto her back. He turned so he could climb over her, his knees on either side of her legs. He moved both hands so that they pushed down on her shoulders and gripped them tightly.
Draco looked down at her through hooded eyes, his hair tickling his face. He could tell she was lying. Usually he would be uncontrollable with rage but when he heard her barefaced lie, he grew calm. A slow burning, cold fire was growing within him but he could finally see with clarity. He knew exactly what he had to do. All he had to do was make her his. Entirely.
He could have laughed at his past foolishness. Before he was trying too hard to shield her from others, to make himself stand out more than the rest. That wasn�t the way to go about it at all. No, no. What he needed to do was to smash everything and everyone around her into oblivion. Destroy them until they weren�t even a wisp of a memory. Once they were all out of the way, all that was left was to turn her to him. Make her realize he was all she ever needed.
He must have been lost in his thoughts for a while because Hermione gripped his forearms with cold hands. His silence and sudden lack of fury must have worried her. �I wasn�t thinking about leaving you, I never have, I swear!� she said desperately.
Oh, how bold her lies were. But no need to be angered over such petty details. Cocking his head to the side, he said with almost an amused tone, �You forgot I can tell when you�re lying, didn�t you.� She stiffened and shook her head. Gently, he stopped her by catching her chin with his thumb and index finger. �I can�t believe you almost forgot that I only have to look at you and I know everything, absolutely everything that goes on inside your mind.�
With that, he dipped down and captured her lips in what otherwise could have been a sweet kiss. He broke away only to press his forehead to hers and gazed directly into her eyes. �So please, please, don�t insult me,� he said, baring his teeth. Hermione whimpered. He took a few deep breaths, almost losing his icy composure. Once he felt calm again, he moved away so that he could re-tie the ribbon over her eyes, lifting her up in the process. �We�ll just make sure the next time you say that to me, it will be the truth.�
Draco turned her around and had his legs surround her small, huddled body. He could hear a sob being suppressed deep in her chest so he went back to kissing her neck, pressing his erection onto the small of her back. He only stopped when he felt moisture dripping on his face. When he pulled away and turned her head slightly, he could see two dark, wet spots seeping through the fabric. This time she couldn�t hold back her sobs as she continued to cry, tears beginning to fall clumsily down her cheeks.
The salty trails were looking irresistible and before Draco knew it, he was licking her cheeks, lapping them up. He tilted his head slightly so that his breath was hot against her ear. �Don�t cry,� he growled. �Even in death you won�t be able to escape me, so there�s no use in fighting this.�
Hermione started to cry even more, bowing her head. �As long as you�re with me, everything will be perfect. So don�t cry,� he said.
Why wouldn�t she stop crying? Why was she crying? Why wasn�t she overjoyed? Why wasn�t she loving him? It was the crying. If only she would stop crying, she would realize she wasn�t really sad and she would realize she loved him. She had to stop crying.
His hands crept up and enclosed her smooth neck. It was all coming from her throat, all that crying. He caressed her neck up and down, trying to sooth her but this only made things worse. �Don�t cry,� he repeated, more softly this time.
As his fingers curled around her neck, his grip tightened. It seemed to be abating. Lost in thought, he murmured, almost to himself, �Don�t leave me.�
The more he squeezed, the more he suppressed the crying. He could feel her squirming, trying to turn around to push him off. In the struggle, he pushed her back onto the floor and straddled her. Her frantic attempts to pull his hands off barely seemed to register with him. Looking at her without really focusing, he repeated, �Don�t leave me, ever��
That silence, that lack of crying, it a was one step closer to her realizing she loved him and would stay with him and all he had to do was get rid of all these distractions and then she�d see, she�d see that they were meant to be togeth �
�You�re�killing me!!� Hermione managed to cry.

You�re killing me.

Draco immediately let go, his eyes wide but back in focus. He stared at her in shock for a few seconds, numbly watching her touch her throat and hoarsely cough. Then he bolted out the room and into the bathroom.

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Hermione inspected her throat in the mirror. It was a good thing he stopped when he did, otherwise she would have had handprint-shaped bruises running all across her neck. Last night was close, too close. She was hoping whenever he had such psychotic episodes, if she could just talk through them, reassure him that she loved him, she was making him better. Hermione thought she was helping him to relieve whatever tension he was feeling, a bloodletting of some sort. But it appeared it was doing just the opposite. It was feeding a fire burning in him and each time she mollified him, he wanted more and more the next time. Draco was becoming insatiable. Eventually he would forget himself entirely and kill her.
She shuddered. She didn�t believe he would ever want to kill her, or even hurt her for that matter. But somewhere signals and thoughts became crossed and violence just struck out of him. To him, it became a necessary tool to accomplish his needs. And it was effective too. She found herself flinching, watching herself to the point of even convincing herself that her approved actions and thoughts were natural. If she weren�t so strongly committed to saving him and keeping her goals close to heart, she would have given in. It would be so easy to fall into the dream world Draco was creating.
But she mustn�t. If she gave in, it would only be embracing this new, terrifying shadow of the man she loved. Then any hopes of salvation would be lost.
Hermione suddenly spun around, a chill running down her spine. When nothing happened, she relaxed. She was getting very paranoid but with good reason. Draco was becoming more childlike in his lust. His behavior outside the manor must have been affected because he was coming home more and more frequently. She thought she heard a sound and thought maybe he came home early again today.
As her heart stopped racing, Hermione sat down to think of alternatives. He knew her will was still strong but he saw it as a defiance rather than her desperately wanting to retain a clear mind. He was getting harder to communicate with. However, it seemed that whenever she told him he was killing her, he stopped almost immediately. It was like those words triggered a break in his mind, clearing his thoughts.
It only happened a few times but each time he ran away, usually to the bathroom and stayed there for a long time. Under the guise of sleep, Hermione observed him through barely opened eyes. After taking a shower, he emerged and downed many shots of alcohol. He flopped down to sleep next to her and in the morning, left as usual. The next time they were face to face, he acted like he either didn�t remember what had happened the night before or like it wasn�t a big deal.
She didn�t know what it all meant, exactly, but it did show he still cared for her. He still had some humanity left in him. It was just getting more dangerous each time she had to utter those words.

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Draco was in the kitchen, watching the coffee seep through the French press. He couldn�t believe what he was doing. What was he doing? But no matter what he did, his body didn�t move. He just kept on staring at that press.
It had been weeks since he lost control and almost choked Hermione to death. When he came out of from the shower, he found her sleeping angelically on the floor. He had cursed himself while carrying her to their bed. He vowed never to treat her with such depravity again. What was he thinking? He had almost killed her � again. What was wrong with him?
Since then he tried his best to accommodate her and be the man that she deserved. Although he did draw the line at visiting Potter. She wasn�t ready to see him yet. Nevertheless, things were good, almost perfect. She was starting to talk to him normally again, the sex was indescribable, and no one was interfering with their lives.
But lately, she was withdrawn. She was closing up to him. It was after a beautiful evening and they were even laughing together. It was just like old times! Hermione seemed to be enjoying herself immensely and her impy sense of humor was beginning to surface again. And then, just like that, she stopped laughing. She looked at him, almost in horror, and then quickly masked it with a small smile. When asked if anything was wrong, she merely shook her head and told him she was tired and quickly retired. Since then, she was pulling away and hesitant.
It couldn�t be that she realized she didn�t love him, could it? That was impossible! But if it was impossible, what was he doing home, early, again, brewing the coffee? He hadn�t been doing anything wrong. He was doing things the right way this time, so why was she even more distant?
And so he had to use other means.
Every day, for a week now, he had been giving her coffee. Mostly coffee. It was only a pinch, really. Certainly, the powder itself was illegal but only in large amounts. He was barely putting in anything. Just a little to�focus her mind. On him. Not that he couldn�t do that on his own but it just felt like he was running out of time. If only she was reasonable and allowed herself to accept him with time, he wouldn�t have had to resort to this. But no, she was slipping away from him by the second. The second. What was her rush? Why didn�t she allow herself time to love him? He just needed a little bit of help, that�s all. Speed things along. It would�ve happened in due time anyway, so what was the harm?
Except this time, even the normal amount of reassurance wasn�t enough. His heart was racing. He poured the coffee expertly into the fine china cup. He added the exact amount of sugar Hermione liked. His hands felt cold. Were they always this cold? Robotically, he reached into his robes and produced the plain, brown packet. Just looking at it horrified him. It was working but�it wasn�t working fast enough. Just a little more wouldn�t hurt, would it? He watched his hands with disbelief as they poured a small stream of white powder into the cup. More than usual. Much, much more than usual. He should stop this. Really stop. There was a reason why it was illegal. Why was his doing this? Why won�t his hand stop? Oh, now he�s holding the cup. Now he�s walking out of the kitchen.
No, it should be all right. It wasn�t that much, he made sure of that. And she really was responding well to it. Now whenever he was with her she was regaining that sparkle, that look of adoration he craved. She was eager and alert and she loved him. So what if he had to use this powder. It just encouraged what she naturally felt anyway. She was so stubborn and she thought too much. It just made things simpler. Once she truly realized her feelings, he wouldn�t need the powder anymore. And then things would be perfect. Just the two of them.
He opened the door, not bothering to knock. There wasn�t a need to knock, not with what they had together. It looked like she was pacing the room and her face lit up when she saw him, standing in the doorway with the cup of coffee. She ran over to him, her smile bright, her eyes desperate. Draco looked down at her fondly. She was practically begging for her coffee. Begging for it�
�Hello darling,� he said, leaning on the doorframe.
�Oh, I was hoping you would come home early today,� she said, putting her hands on his chest and resting her head against it.
He loved the way she said, �come home.� Home, like it was their place, just the two of them. Returning home, like this was their rightful place to be and everywhere else was just a distraction. See, without the powder, would she have ever realized these were the words she wanted to say? Doubtful.
�I thought I�d bring you a cup of coffee,� he said with increasing enthusiasm. What worries he had felt earlier were all but gone after looking at her. She was so bright, so pure, so happy. Certainly, it would almost be a crime, then, to not nurse this side out of her. What was he thinking, thinking this was wrong.
�I�d love to!� she breathed, reaching for the cup with both hands. He deftly lifted his arm so that she couldn�t reach it.
�I believe your wording is slightly skewed, but very close,� Draco said.
She was practically clawing at him. �What do you want me to say?�
�Tell me what I want to hear.�
�I always tell you!�
�Then it really shouldn�t be a problem for you.�
�I love you.�
�I�m sorry?�
�I love you!�
�It feels like it�s lacking a certain something��
�I love you I love you I love you I love you! I love you forever and only you!�
Careful to not spill the coffee, he leaned down and kissed her deeply. She sank into his kiss and pressed herself against him. Once they parted, he let her have the coffee and she gulped it down enthusiastically. As he was twirling one of her curls around his finger, he couldn�t believe he was feeling guilty earlier. For this, he really didn�t care. He didn�t care if she couldn�t differentiate between love and fear, or love and conditioning, or love and sex, or love and dependency.
What mattered was that she loved him.

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He woke up with a start. He gasped for air and bolted upright. His heart was hammering in his chest. Draco turned around to see a very naked Hermione sleeping soundly next to him. Events of yesterday came back to him in pieces but it was all he needed to know.
After she had downed the coffee, he immediately pounced on her and they made passionate love right there on the floor without even bothering to close the door. Everything after that was a bit muddled but what was important was that on the floor, next to the bed, was that brown packet peeking out from under his jacket.
Draco had to use all of his willpower not to panic. He didn�t have time to panic. This was one of the few, increasingly rare times he had true moments of clarity and he couldn�t waste it on panic and self-loathing. He had to think. Soon he would never have these moments again, he was sure of it. He would remiss, never to come back and whatever monster he was becoming would be him.
If he didn�t do something soon, Hermione would be so addicted to the drugs that there would be no turning back for her. Gods, he didn�t even have time to think about what was wrong with him! He had to do something to save her.
He had to save her from himself.
�Shit shit shit shit,� he thought frantically as his body moved with pure instinct. He grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled something down before whistling for his eagle owl to come to the open window.
Once Draco knew the message would be safely sent, he gave himself a moment to relax before planning his next move. He watched the gentle rise and fall of Hermione back, oblivious to the chaos around her. He wondered if she knew. It was a given that she was brilliant but gods, the things he did to her. What he could remember of them anyway. What sane woman would stay with him?
But she did stay with him. A Gryffindor through and through. His lioness. He had told her so repeatedly. Hermione was so soothing to look at but at the same time, so very, very frustrating. She was like sand, beautiful sand, slipping slowly through his fingers. Draco walked over and knelt next to her, so that they were face to face. Combing his fingers through her hair was almost hypnotic. He kissed the tips of her hair.
Hermione slowly stirred, mumbling. She opened her bleary eyes in a lazy manner and Draco noticed faint circles underneath them.
�Draco?� she asked, her voice creaky.
Right when he looked upon her face, all his previous thoughts flew out the window. What was he thinking about again? It must not have been important.
�Let�s bathe together,� he said with a roguish grin.

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Severus Snape had thought that after the War, he would never have to move this quickly ever again. It just wasn�t proper. But here he was again, running as if his life depended on it.
Draco was acting very strangely lately. He was constantly absent from his duties and always looked like his mind was somewhere else even if he was present. He was moody, introverted, and distracted.
Not so much different from the young Draco at Hogwarts, but there was something else about him that wasn�t quite right. Also, he was always eager to go back to the manor, which was odd. Once the War was in full swing, he knew for a fact Draco hated his old home. But now that he was living with Miss Granger�
The nearly complete disappearance of Hermione Granger was yet another piece to this puzzle. She was not one to idly stand by and shirk responsibilities. She was not ill nor injured, that much he knew from Draco. So why was she holing herself up � she won�t even see Potter. Speaking of Potter�
The little twit just had to follow him. He just had to be there when he received Draco�s cryptic and frankly chilling message. Snape would have preferred it immensely if he could go alone. Draco was obviously going though some sort of personal crisis and the last person he would want to see him in that kind of state would be Potter. But no, it mentioned one-third of his little triangle and he bull-headed things into going his way, per usual.
The wards in the manor were strong � no one could apparate very near it unless they were members of the family. So now, he was forced to run through the front gardens like some common goon. The note said to use any force necessary to enter so Snape wasn�t being too considerate towards the flora and ornaments getting in his way.
The note. The final piece to the puzzle. Imagine his shock to find, in atypical sloppy handwriting, Draco declaring that he was killing Granger. Killing her. That he needed to be stopped and for Severus to taste her drink. And most importantly, not to listen to a word he says. Snape would think about those last bits later on, when he had the time to figure this whole thing out. What was important now was to make sure those two were okay.
Draco hurting Granger. The very notion was simply ludicrous.
Severus quickened his pace.

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After the immensely rewarding bath, Draco wanted to have breakfast in the kitchen, which was unusual. He usually preferred to eat his food in the nook or dining room, with the house elves cooking up something.
Hermione didn�t voice her concern because she was feeling strangely�distracted. When Draco went down first, she felt this drop in her stomach after he disappeared from her sight. Which was silly, since she knew she would see him in a matter of minutes. At the moment, he was busy preparing the coffee, adamant that he be the one to make it.
It was funny, prior to now, she never really caught onto the notion of coffee. She was always more prone to teas but lately coffee was becoming a ritual between them. When she drank coffee, he was always there with her and she just felt so safe and warm. She liked drinking coffee with him.
As she thought about drinking coffee and the smell from the press, Hermione began to feel strange, like something pulling at her mind. It was like she was parched but she wasn�t thirsty. She was in need of something and yet at the same time, she realized she really wasn�t in need of anything. The more she sat there, the greater the sensations became and she was growing anxious. Her anxiety was rapidly increasing due in part to not knowing why she was getting anxious.
Looking at Draco somehow made her feel better, but it wasn�t enough. Maybe if she went up to him? She felt like he could satisfy her, but for what? She could hear the light clinks of the silver spoon stirring inside the cup. Hermione licked her lips. It was getting so bad she could feel her chest constricting, her breathing was becoming labored � even her skin was hurting.
It felt like an eternity had passed before Draco finally turned around and carried the two cups to the countertop. When Hermione saw his face, she felt such a surge a joy, like he was the most glorious human being she had ever laid eyes on. And just in time, too. She could barely hear anything; the roaring in her ears was thunderous. Her whole body was aching for�something, something about Draco, that had to be it!
She picked up her cup with shaking hands and was about to sip it when she noticed Draco acting very odd. He was jiggling his knees, looking around, his eyes darting everywhere.
�Draco, are you all right? Do you want to lie down?� she asked softly, ignoring her body for the moment, as hard as that was.
�No, I�m fine,� he said, relaxing slightly. He reached out and placed his hand over hers.
She took a sip of the steaming liquid, hoping to calm her nerves. Then she took another sip. And another and another and before she knew it she had gulped down half the cup. Hermione felt it trailing down her throat and instantly felt better. Draco looked like he wanted to say something to her but he kept on closing his mouth. She should be concerned. She should be wondering why his eyes looked so pained but right now, she just really, really wanted to finish her coffee. She would focus her attention fully on him once she was done. As she lifted the cup to her lips, she nearly dropped it when the window behind her broke.
She whirled around, vaguely aware that Draco didn�t even bat an eye. Stepping through the now broken windowpane was�Severus Snape? Followed by�Harry?
Snape looked down to a piece of paper in his hands and his eyes suddenly widened. He rushed over to Hermione and snatched the cup away, nearly spilling the contents on the floor. Her mind was having a hard time focusing on what exactly was going on but this she could concentrate on.
He had taken her coffee.
Without thinking, she moved to take it back when Harry ran forward, the glass crunching underneath his shoes.
�Are you mad, Hermione? You don�t even have shoes on!� he shouted, holding her back by the shoulders.
The second Harry�s hands connected with her bare shoulders Draco immediately stood up. Sharp as ever, Severus noticed his sudden movement and turned to Harry.
�Potter, hold him down!� he ordered.
With no time to second guess, Harry was quickly in front of Draco and grabbed him. Though he was stiff, Harry was surprised that he put up so little resistance. It was as if he wanted this to happen.

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Harry was told that whatever calmness Draco had exuded then was completely gone by the time he was in a holding cell in Azkaban. He was screaming and demanding and fighting anyone within his line of sight. Once Harry made sure Hermione was safe and guarded back at his flat, he headed out to the prison.
Gods, Hermione. She was a wreck - he had no idea she felt so strongly for Malfoy. But now that he had a clearer idea as to what was going on, Harry had the feeling her reaction wasn�t normal. How dare that bastard, drugging Hermione with Thanotic. It was an illegal drug due to its highly addictive content. If the powder was ingested in small portions over a course of time, a person�s body could suddenly depend on the drug to survive. After a point, if the body did not receive the drug, it would stop functioning and the person would die. And because the drug was so rare and expensive, death usually awaited whoever was stupid enough to take it.
Snape said it was most likely used to make Hermione dependent on Draco. Thankfully, her body could still function on its own even if her withdrawals were going to be very rough. Harry thought Draco cared for her. So what was this? Some twisted, drawn-out scheme for revenge? It couldn�t be a spell because he was screened and nothing came up, not even Imperius. And he acted so normal whenever Harry saw him. No spell could force Draco to do such unspeakable acts and still act like he usually does.
He would get to the bottom of this. And someone would pay. Oh yes, they would pay.
�Draco!� he called out to the figure behind the bars. The tall blond turned slowly, his black eyes cold and his expression malicious.
�So kind of you to show up, Potter,� he said.
�How could you do those things to Hermione?� Harry asked, hoping, praying for some sort of way to make sense of all this.
�To keep her from being distracted by ants like you!� Draco snarled, gripping the bars with white knuckles.
Harry was taken aback at his tone, his words. True, they were nearly mortal enemies before, but never had he heard such hate, such disgust directed towards him.
�Wh-at?!� was all he could manage.
�How much more can I spell this out for you?� Draco shot back. �She. Doesn�t. Need. You. She doesn�t need any of you and neither do I!�
�You don�t know what you�re saying,� Harry mumbled. It wasn�t true. The time they spent together, the battles they fought side by side, the talks late in night about their hopes and dreams and fears�
�Face it Potter, you were a fun fuck to have around when I was bored, but now I don�t need you. Once I get out of here, and I will, I�m taking Hermione back and we�re going to a place even you can�t touch!� Draco declared.
�You�re our friend! You love Hermione, you wouldn�t treat her like some�some toy you�re scared of getting stolen!� Harry cried.
At this Draco scoffed. �Friend? Would a friend lie to your face, telling you your best friend was locked up for her own good because she would have fought by you?�
Harry was speechless. He told him�he gave him that letter�!
�Oh, I see it�s coming together finally in that small head of yours,� Draco taunted triumphantly. �She didn�t even know you were going to Voldemort, Harry. I forged that letter and I locked her up because I felt like it! I didn�t want her thoughts getting polluted by worrying about you!�
Harry gripped his head, the world spinning around him. Of course, it all made sense now. Draco had never cared for him. He was just an insignificant speck. In a way, he had never cared for Hermione either. She was just an object, and thing to possess without any thought or consideration of her feelings and well-being. He could see it all so clearly now.
�How does it feel to know that soon her thoughts won�t be getting polluted by worrying over you? Ever! I�ll see that you rot in hell before I let even the thought of you pass through her!!� Harry shouted as he turned to leave.
And just like that, he had cut all ties with Draco Malfoy. It was so easy to curse him and forsake him forever. Harry had chosen a path, a path that involved removing Malfoy from all their lives entirely. If only he had pleaded with him, asked him to believe in him, shown him something, anything! All he needed was just a little affirmation that what they had was true and Harry would have done anything in his power to help him. But now, realizing that he was really like this, the choice was simple. Erasing him from his life was simple because losing Hermione was so much more frightening.
Harry felt like now he had failed twice to save Hermione. No longer. Draco was the source of all her problems. He would eradicate him from this earth if that was what it came down to. He would save her this time.

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It has been a little over a month since they had apprehended Malfoy and things were becoming very, very tense. Harry could barely take how much Hermione had changed. It was as if she was utterly dependent on Draco and Harry wasn�t so sure it was all due to the drugs. Malfoy must have really done a number on her mind beforehand, making her think she needed him. But before he could show her that it was all just one big lie, he had to make sure all the drug was out of her system. At the moment, she was very nearly there, which meant her withdrawal was at its peak.
Malfoy thought he was so clever. Sneaking the drug into the coffee, making sure Hermione knew the source of her appeasement was him. Making her think that she was addicted to him, that she loved him. So very clever, so ruthless. Now she was mistaking her drug withdrawal for the need to see him. It didn�t matter how logically Harry explained things, all she wanted was her Draco. It was sickening what he did to her. Not only did Harry have to lock her in his bedroom, some nights he physically had to stand guard to make sure she didn�t break down the door.
Those nights were the worst. He would be sitting on the ground, his back pressed to door, his eyes and teeth clenched. He could hear her fingernails scratching the door, wearing them down to bloody nubs. She would bang and pound at the door. She would be screaming and sobbing on the floor, begging, pleading, shouting at him to bring her to him. It was torturous to have her like that. Pathetic and desperate for a man not even worth a single second of her time.
The process was slow and painful but with the help of Snape, Hermione was slowly getting weaned off the drugs. A month had never felt so long. Now she even had moments of clarity and Harry could see his old Hermione somewhere in the mist.
The other source of Harry�s concern was Malfoy. Through Snape�s connections, he managed to merely keep Malfoy in Azkaban without formally charging him with anything. In one month�s time, if he and Harry didn�t come to a mutual conclusion as to what to do with him, Malfoy would be thrown in jail for his crimes. The judge presiding over the case had told them that he would accept any solution so long as it was plausible and that they both agreed to it.
Harry couldn�t believe that Snape thought Malfoy was savable. There were potions available to suppress whatever dark intentions he had temporarily and he swore that he would find a cure for his godson. If the judge could make sure the case was suppressed and never saw the light of day, Draco could live a normal life, little by little. By living normally with the suppressants, it would help the cure later on, Snape was certain. It would isolate the darkness from his Mark and form a sort of barricade around it � the more normal he acted the stronger it would be � and ultimately make it easier for the cure to target.
It was all a bunch of bullshit, according to Harry. He didn�t give a rat�s arse about Dark Stream or whatever the fuck it was. The man was lethal and a threat, he deserved to be locked up. Of course, Snape had made it clear that locking him up was simply not an option. It would be �abandoning him� and a crime in itself. Why would you just shut the door and forget about him when there is a fighting chance of saving him, was what Snape had asked.
So in a rare show of diplomacy, Harry had offered that he was fine to let Malfoy walk amongst the innocent like he was an angel but only if he was Obliviated of all his memories of Hermione. The same went for Hermione if he couldn�t convince her even after the drugs. They would forget about each other and they would never see each other again. Harry thought that was rather generous of him.
Naturally, Snape thought otherwise. After many, many days of debate with chairs being thrown and tables being flipped (mostly by Harry), a shaky conclusion was reached. Harry was very displeased with it but Snape was a convincing man. At the moment, Snape was addressing the judge via fireplace, stating their (i.e. his) case.
�So are you saying you don�t want the two to undergo the Purge? I understand if you�re weary of the new spell, but I�ve been hearing wonderful things about it! I thought the whole point of your goal was to buffer their emotions?� the judge asked, perplexed.
�With all due respect, your Honor, I think buffering their emotions is too light of a solution. As I�ve discussed exhaustively with Mr. Potter,� here Harry rolled his eyes, �a temporary Obliviate would really accomplish the task much more effectively. A permanent Obliviate however, would defeat the purpose,� Snape said.
�And what exactly is the purpose?� the judge asked, finally getting to the meat of things.
�Forgetting their past experiences for a period of time would greatly assist Mr. Malfoy especially. The two could go on to live normal lives without hindrance, just like a Purge would allow. Mr. Malfoy is requires to forget entirely so that I may administer a suppressant for the Dark Stream. As I have explained in my report, the time spent not nursing the Dark Stream will be crucial in aiding the cure I am confident I will find.
�As for Miss Granger, I believe it will help her psyche if she was temporarily removed from her trauma as well as keep her away from Mr. Malfoy until their relationship becomes more�healthy. As of right now, she is not quite of right mind and would only further corrupt him and herself. What they experienced together is important, a part of their lives. It is not up to us to say what parts they can remember and what they cannot. We can merely stow them somewhere until they are not a threat to themselves or each other. Once they are of sound mind and still wish to permanently Obliviate their memories, I shall not stop them.�
The judge nodded, going over the very detailed report Snape had sent in. He perused over the method and it seemed promising. �So this temporary Obliviate, have you thought of the sign that will unlock its hold?�
�Yes, your Honor, an obscure cartouche will suffice in this matter. I understand that with enough reinforcement or even with enough time, a person could retrieve their memories without the unlocking sign, but this is an unfortunate risk we must take. Hopefully by the time if that happens, the Stream will have receded enough so that even if a cure had not been found, it will not be an immediate danger,� Snape intoned.
�But surely you have a ready explanation if their memories begin to slip back or for their obvious memory blocks?� Harry said listlessly, the boredom and obvious scripted tone instilled in his voice.
�Yes, yes that was what I was about ask as well!� the judge said enthusiastically.
�That was a wonderful question, Mr. Potter, and I am glad you asked that,� Snape droned with equal disdain for the ridiculous back-and-forth. Oh, the things he had to do to convince a judge. �They will undergo what they believe will be the Purge. The set conditions being Mr. Malfoy will think he will be Purged of the battle horrors he had to witness. Miss Granger has been reported to have underwent significant trauma during her mission in the Lancaster Mansion as well as what she believed to be a disturbing jealousy towards Mr. Malfoy during the War.�
�Very well, Professor, I have to consider all possibilities, but I believe there is great promise in your plan. Of course, if I do decide to allow this course of action, I will desire to be regularly updated on their progress. Depending especially on Draco Malfoy�s growth, I may at any time choose to place him back into Azkaban, is that clear?� the judge said.
They both nodded, Harry a bit more vigorously. He was already wondering innocently what exactly Malfoy would have to do to earn him a ticket back into the wizard�s prison.

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��and that�s basically the gist of it,� Harry said with a bit of forced cheer. Hermione, sitting next to him on the bed, said nothing at first. She had calmed down significantly throughout the month, but her eyes still looked so tired.
�Of course, if you just wanted to forget everything, I�m sure Snape won�t refuse you a permanent Obliviate,� he said hopefully.
At this, she shook her head. �No,� she said softly. �Severus� plan seems the best way. I don�t want to forget everything because I do love him.�
This upset Harry more than he thought it would. He had thought that she could have shaken off at least most of Malfoy�s influence by now. �Hermione, how many times do we have to go over this, you don�t! It�s all in your mind!�
�You keep saying that Harry, but why don�t I believe it?!� she cried out, grinding her palms over her eyes.
Harry wanted to reach out and enfold her in a warm embrace but she looked so small and fragile. She wearily wiped her tears with the back of her hands. �I�m sorry, I just�I�m still so confused,� she said in a choked voice. �I know he did horrible things but I�but I�just can�t get him out of my mind! When I�m with him, I just�I�ve never felt that way before. I thought all those romance books Lavender read were rubbish but with him, it�s like every damn cliché comes out! Even when he just kisses me it�s electric!�
�It�s because he�s good at it!� Harry yelled, standing up. �You said it yourself, it�s all just a bunch of rubbish! A kiss doesn�t tell you anything, this isn�t a fairytale story you�re living in!�
What could he do to make her see? What more did he have to do to purge Malfoy from her? In desperation, he grabbed her and slammed his mouth over hers. There was no sound inside the room except for the clock ticking on the wall and the occasional muffled sounds.
He finally pulled away, panting. It was an intense kiss, filled with anguish and hopelessness. Hermione looked at him in shock, her lips bright red from the force of his kiss. Her mouth opened a few times as if to speak. Finally, in a small voice, she said, �There�s still something different in his kisses.�
Harry dropped his head into his hands. This was definitely not working the way he wanted it to be. He just thanked the gods that Ron wasn�t here to see this. No doubt he would have gone ballistic and ended in Azkaban in the process.
�Can I see him at least? For one last time?� Hermione asked with so much hope it hurt just to listen to her.
�Absolutely not,� Harry replied steely.
At this she burst into another round of tears. He braced himself for the barrage to come. She would cling to him and beg with him. Plead with the biggest eyes he had ever seen. Use whatever trick that genius mind of hers had, she would try to bribe him, confuse him, force him. She would sink to the floor, prostrate herself, cling to his legs - anything, just to see Draco.
But surprisingly, she merely reached for a handkerchief and wiped her face. �Sorry. I just can�t quite get a gripe on myself just yet,� she whispered.
His eyes softened.
�Thank you, Harry, truly. I don�t know of many people that would stick by me after all this. It must be so frustrating, but you�re always there for me so�thank you,� she continued.
Harry reached out and grasped her hand. They sat there for some time, exuding a type of comfortable silence only close friends could have. Out of nowhere, her gentle voice broke the silence.
�Do you�do you think I�m beautiful?�
After choking down the requisite �Of course!� (thanks in no small part to the teachings of the great Lavender Potter nee Brown), Harry�s mind raced. It wasn�t the type of question Hermione was prone to ask, so there must be something behind it. She never cared if she was beautiful or not, and now was definitely not a time where she would suddenly be superficially concerned about her looks.
She must have picked up on his confusion and tried to clarify. �Draco,� she choked a bit on his name, �always tells me I�m beautiful. I�m the most beautiful woman in his eyes.�
There was such sadness in those words. Harry could see her valiantly trying to hold back her tears. The truth was crucial to her.
�Yes, you�re beautiful,� Harry said sincerely but with dread. What would she do with that conclusion?
If possible, her shoulders sagged even more. She looked down at her wrists, which still held faint reminders of Draco�s violence. �If�� she started, her voice cracking.
Harry leaned in closer.
�If all this happened because of �beauty��then I don�t want anything to do with it.�
She said it so softly he could barely hear it. He wanted to tell her that�s ridiculous, beauty is a blessing, it�s something to embrace but he couldn�t find the words. He realized that to her, if only she didn�t have this alien concept of beauty, what happened with Malfoy wouldn�t happen again. In some warped way, it all made sense.
�If you want, we can see if we could get one of those glamour spells cast on you,� Harry whispered, tucking her head in the crook of her neck. He could feel her nod, ever so slightly.
It was quick fix, a band-aid solution that really didn�t solve anything, but Harry was determined to try and accommodate any request Hermione had that didn�t relate to Malfoy. It was the least he could do. He was already thinking of that one spell where to those who didn�t really know her wouldn�t be able to truly see her. Her face would be an unmemorable shape, filled with the requisite eyes, nose, lips but utterly unrecognizable.
The eyes would rest on her for a second and then the brain would tell them to move along, nothing to see here. Their vision would get fuzzy and their eyes would water. They would all go, �Oh, her? Well she�s�her face is�huh, that�s funny, I could swear� she looks like, wosshername�well, I can definitely tell you it was indeed a female!�
Those that already know her and could imagine her face could force their way through the glamour after a bit of eye squinting. Her face would fade in and out of their sight but if they really concentrated, her true image could be seen.
�I�ll take care of it, �Mione, just leave everything to me.�

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�Was that what you came here to say?� Draco asked, bored. �Severus told me everything and frankly, I�m appalled, I truly am. You think some piddly, temporary Purge is going to stop me? I thought at least you would have the balls to take care of me once and for all.�
�Just say the word, you piece of fuck, and I�ll have you locked in here for as long as you�d like,� Harry said through gritted teeth.
�Oh, well in that case, please spare me, oh great Harry Potter, for I would not know what to do if not for your benevolence!� mocked Draco.
Harry couldn�t believe he used to think of man in front of him as a friend, as someone who mattered. He was nothing but scum. �I can�t wait until Hermione finds a real man for herself, then let�s see if you can keep that smug look on your pointy face,� Harry said, not even ashamed he brought himself down to taunt him at this level. �See if you can be so self-satisfied when she�s parading around with him!�
A cloud passed over Draco�s face but it was quickly replaced with a sneer. �You can wash her brain and add as many sparkly spells over her as you want, she�ll always come back to me.� Harry could tell there was a hint of desolation in his words. �She would never leave me!�
It was very small of him to do this but arguing with Malfoy brought out the smallness of everyone. �She�s already happy to be free of you, you deluded shit! You have no idea how ecstatic she is now that your talons can�t reach her!�
�Shut up, you don�t know what the fuck you�re talking about!� Malfoy�s eyes were wild.
�Just now she kissed me!� Harry announced triumphantly. �She kissed me right on the mouth saying thank you, Harry, thank you for saving me!�
Draco had no words to such a betrayal. The tension between the two crackled.
Finally, with a deep breath, �You�re lying Potter. You�re a horrible liar.� His already fractured psyche couldn�t handle a world where Hermione kissed another willingly.
�Believe what you want, the truth won�t change just to make you feel better,� said Harry. As he turned to leave, he couldn�t one last parting shot. �I can�t wait to find out how fast you can fuck things up, Malfoy. I�ll watch you so close you should be back in here within a week.�
As he strolled out the prison, heart pumping but spirits soaring, he was suddenly aware of a presence behind him.
�Incidentally, Potter, I�ll have to cast the spell on you as well,� Severus said silkily and waved his wand. He watched dispassionately as Harry�s body collapse to the ground from the temporary Obliviate. Potter was insane to think Snape would allow him to run around with full knowledge of the past. He had to be able to function normally in front of the two and not meddle things between them.
With a sigh, he began the thankless task of dragging Harry�s body to the closest Portkey.

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