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A Match Made In Convenience	By : ErisNight Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 47188 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 9
Disclaimer: The entire universe of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I make no profit from writing these stories. I am only borrowing her inventions for my fiction.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
A/N:
Summer class is still kicking my butt but I've been balancing writing and exams haha! Please bear with me during this time, as updates are a bit slower, once this class is over I'll be writing all day again and sticking to the status quo!
All I can say for this chapter is angst, violence and death.
Review Replies and Discussion are up at: http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/49940-a-match-made-in-convenience-review-replies-and-discussion/
I'm like in a perpetual state of happiness as I read the reviews and see the hits and ratings! This is the most exciting thing ever:) I'm busy bust busy so this has to be short but enjoy!
Here is Chapter 21: Masquerade Massacre
Eris

  “It’s hopeless Luna! He flat out told me he wasn’t interested and I’ve been charming him all night!” Hermione felt as though her spirit was crushed. She had done her best to get Draco's attention and had been feeling pretty damn triumphant until he turned her down.
            Even Luna had to agree that Draco was being particularly thick that evening and opted to rub her back. “Well at least you are the most stunning woman here. Go dance with other men and live it up. The majority of them are so obviously interested it’s amusing.”
            Hermione thought back to her encounter with Ronald and shook her head. “I would on principal, but I don’t want them. Let’s just face it; even with me acting like a whore he’s not interested. I’ve got to be half dressed and the only woman in the immediate vicinity in order to capture his attention. That’s the only reason why anything ever happened at Grimmauld.”
            Luna lifted her comforting hands and placed them on her hips. “Ever care to think that maybe Draco was so preoccupied trying to actually find you that he didn’t want to bring some stranger home.”
            “Ha!” Hermione replied bitterly tugging on her dress to smoothen it out. “If that were the case then he wouldn’t have spent the last three hours dancing with “Mia Déesse””
            She sighed though and crossed her arms. “Don’t let me ruin your evening. I’m sorry for venting. Find Harry and have fun.”
            She leaned forward and gave Luna a quick hug before turning away toward the balcony. She was in need of fresh air and peace of mind.
            It was a blow to her pride to be rejected by Draco. Especially since she had done her best at being the sexiest most interesting woman she knew how to be.
            There was just no way that the loose women Draco had brought home regularly worked as hard as she had for his attention. It truly wasn’t plausible!
            But there she was, a failure in her own right at attracting his attention. He had been distant the entire night, clearly just settling with her company to avoid Astoria Greengrass who had tried quite a few times to steal him away.
            Hermione sighed; at the very least she knew she looked beautiful that evening. Luna had been right. Hermione had received far more male attention than she knew what to do with and there was no other woman that had worn an outfit even remotely alluring as her.
            The “belle of the ball” she had heard numerous people calling her as she danced in Draco's arms.
            Maybe I should have taken Blaise up on his offer to dance. At least someone would have wanted to be seduced by me.
            Hermione pushed past the dark velvet curtains blocking the entry to the balcony and immediately felt the chill of the evening air as the warming spells boundary ended. She was glad that the veranda was empty and could immediately appreciate the wide expanse of hills that the surrounded the manor.
            She had only taken one step from the view of the hundreds of people in the ball room when she was abruptly pulled in the shadows behind the multiple folds of curtain.
            Wasting no time, Hermione opened her mouth to scream when suddenly she was spun around to face her captor. She immediately recognized the bright blonde hair that was shining in the moonlight and ceased her struggling. “Malfoy what...”
            Hermione cut herself off, that had been out of character and she hoped that he wouldn’t notice. Her heart pounded frantically in her chest as the fear induced adrenaline pumped through her veins and she waited for his explanation as she tried to catch her breath.
            But Draco didn’t say a single thing. Instead he was appraising her with his eyes. Those striking silver orbs traveling from her chin to her mouth and cheeks before finally resting level with her own and even though his mask hid the upper portion of his face, his smirk was enough to tell her what he was thinking.
            “I’m glad you came up to me tonight Mia, you are the most interesting woman I’ve ever met.” Then he took her hand and pulled her against his chest before turning and pressing her back against the stone wall.
            She tried to calm herself down enough to answer him. She wasn’t Hermione Granger tonight and Mia could handle herself around a clearly concupiscent Draco Malfoy. “Thank you, that is very…” but for the second time that day he silenced her with his lips.
            His mouth and hands seemed to be everywhere at once. His lips slanting roughly over hers as his hands gripped her hips, brushed against her breasts, and stroked her neck.
            When she was too stunned to open her mouth for him, he bit her bottom lip until she cried out at the slight pain and demanded entry.
            Draco groaned as soon as his tongue slid inside. He held her face in both hands as he tasted her, kissing her with such fervor that Hermione couldn’t help but cry out again.
            He ate up the sound though, his exploratory tongue probing repeatedly, sliding over her teeth, brushing against the roof of her mouth.
            It was as though he was starved and truly couldn’t get enough, sucking her tongue into his mouth as though she would be his last meal.
            His hands slid forward from cupping her cheeks, into her hair, winding the heavy length in between his fingers. She thought he might massage her as he had done before but instead, Draco yanked her head back, exposing her neck, and held her in place.
            His mouth broke away from hers reluctantly but then he was at the base of her throat, sucking the skin and nipping at the pulse. Hermione couldn’t believe the pleasure such an act was causing, she was beside herself with sensation.
            She reached forward to hold onto him but Draco pulled his fingers free and captured both of her hands in one of his own and held them strong above her head.
            “What if I were to say that I was completely incapable of making love to you right in this moment, because the overwhelming need to fuck you senseless is driving me insane.”
            Hermione didn’t know how to even think correctly much less answer him. But she forced herself to focus. She was not some timid little virgin tonight; she was a woman with a mission that was surprisingly still a go.
            “I would say “then that’s too bad” because a “fuck” is not what I wanted from you tonight.” Draco tsked at her, taking his free hand to draw patterns on her bare shoulders.
            “That’s rather unfortunate. Although I have to admit, I’m pretty certain I can change your mind.” Then his mouth was on her again, kissing her collar bone and chest until he had worked his way down to the identical mounds below.
            Suddenly a loud tearing sound echoed into the night and he was ripping the material of her bodice, tearing the front of her dress open as though it were made of paper. Her ample breast spilled forward and it all reminded her too strongly of the night of the storm.
            She gasped at the instant rush of cool air on against her skin and looked at him incredulously. “Are you mad!?”
            Draco angled his head toward her but smirked “No worries dear, if it was made with magic it can be fixed with magic.”
            Hermione’s body started to tremble. Here she was on clear display for anyone that happened to take a step past the dark curtains onto the balcony. Draco was holding her against the wall with a look so savage shining from his considerably darkened eyes that she almost began to rethink her plan.
            She had to regain control of this and quickly or else she would be forced to reveal herself long before she wanted to.
            “And what of guests? If someone comes out here…”
            “They’ll see me in the midst of ravishing your entire body and may even be privy to what will be an amazing orgasm for you Mia.” Hermione’s breath caught in her throat. How could he say such things so easily?
            It was like he had flipped a switch from completely rational and charming to this incredibly sensual and sexual being. Was this what she had in store had she not fallen asleep on him before?
            Either way she still needed to slow things down and calm down the desire that was whispering for her to allow him any and everything that he wanted. “You turned me down remember? So why all this?” Draco seemed to be waiting for that question because he answered almost immediately.
            “At the time, I was preoccupied with a bet that I engaged in.” He reached out with his free hand and began to trace circles around the perimeter of her areolas. He squeezed the delicate weights in his hands and caressed her breasts expertly but never touched where she needed him most.
            “Oh?” she asked in her most disinterested voice. Any slips now when they were discussing such a topic could potentially blow her cover and send him running off before she could coerce him into hearing her out.
            Draco looked up from her chest then, his fingers back to tracing circles closer and closer to the tender peaks teasingly. “I lost the bet and didn’t find her in time because I spent the majority of my night with you.”
            Damn right you did. “Would you like me to apologize?” Draco only grinned. “No, I want you to cum” and then his mouth was making its way down her chest, trailing rough bites on the ivory skin, hard enough to leave a mark.
            Her arms ached slightly from being held rigidly above her head but there was no way she was going to complain. Not when he was kissing the tops of her breasts and bringing that warm and wet mouth of his lower and lower to exactly where she needed it to be.
            “You’ll be my prize tonight.” Hermione didn’t know how she felt about that. Were women that interchangeable for Draco? “Instead of this woman you lost the bet with?” she inquired, doing her best to calm her nerves and clear her mind.
            “Only because apparently I can’t have her.” Hermione wasn’t flattered by his response, but she wasn’t in the right state of mind to argue with him.
            “That’s rather pathetic.”
            Draco fixed her with a speculative stare but shrugged his shoulders. “I agree, especially since she can have me whenever she would like. But alas, she likes to play games and so I’ll play along.” And then he was leaning back toward her, seeking out her flesh with the most sensual of intentions.
            A hiss escaped her mouth when he closed his lips over her taut nipple, sucking it in deep and massaging it with his tongue. He let go of her wrists and they fell unceremoniously to her sides as he brought his hand to her other breast and pinched the distended nub between his thumb and forefinger.
            The sudden striking near painful arousal added to the lingering shock of adrenaline the fear had caused was all too much. Draco laved at her nipple as though it were his after dinner desert and then switched to the other one without warning.
            His free hand squeezed the heavy weight of her breast and Hermione found herself thrusting herself closer to his touch. He increased the pressure of his licks until he was taking the tender peak in between his teeth and biting them none to gently.
            Draco sucked and nipped his way back up her body until he captured her mouth with another bruising and all-encompassing kiss. “I’ll only accept you, because she sees fit to hide.”
            Her nipples harden further as the wind chilled her wet tips. How could he say these things to her? Had she truly been another woman, his words would have hurt. “But what if you had her? What difference would it make? You’d be doing the same things to her.”
            Draco slipped his fingers down her hips to grab her bottom through the thin dress. He bit her neck and then her shoulder before bringing his mouth down back to her begging breast. She arched her body in his direction, and closed her eyes, holding back a moan.
            Hermione couldn’t believe what was happening to her, it was clear that Draco thought she was just one of the women that usually flocked to him but this was nothing like she ever expected.
            Here he was being completely terrible to a woman that he thought wasn’t her and Hermione didn’t even have the decency to defend the imaginary Mia Déesse because everything he was doing felt amazing.
            She couldn’t explain what was going on with her except for sheer undiluted selfishness. Any self-respecting woman would have left the moment he essentially called her a replacement. But not Hermione, oh no, she wanted him to continue no matter what he said to “Mia”.
            It was no wonder the women went wild over him. He hadn’t even done anything major to her yet and her underwear was already drenched. No wonder why they couldn’t leave him alone. Draco was magnificent.
            She could feel the desire bubbling up, threatening to spill over if he didn’t follow through with all his thinly veiled promises. She felt all her longing eat away at her common sense and for the span of this moment Hermione was ok with it.
            It was all crazy she knew, and she wouldn’t be proud of herself when it was over but fuck social norms. Fuck right and wrong. There wasn’t anything that she wanted more than for him to continue touching her.
            As if able to read her mind Draco stood and looked down into her eyes. “It would all be different between her and I.” Hermione wasn’t sure if she wanted to even have this conversation with him anymore. But the bigger part of her wanted to know.
            “How?” His hands smoothed their way down her sides until he was firmly cupping her butt within his grasp. “There would be things I would tell her. Things I had to make certain she knew.”
            Draco pulled her close and Hermione could feel the thick weight of his erection against her stomach. His eyes never left hers but the seriousness in his silver depths sobered her. “Tell me” she commanded.
            Draco only grinned at her instead of answering, before bending forward and meeting her mouth in another kiss.
            But this time he was soft and gentle, his lips brushing against hers as if he never wanted to stop. When he pulled back she noticed that he no longer looked as though he wanted to ravage her.
            “Tell me” she whispered on a shaky breath, wondering what he would say Hermione to make this situation different from that with Mia.
            Draco suddenly reached up and took off his mask; the dark green glittering in the moon light before it was thrown to the ground. Seeing his entire face uncovered blew her away. He was the most handsome man that she had ever met and for her, there would never be anyone else.
            Hermione felt her heart lurch painfully and all of a sudden she wanted to cry.
            She felt incredibly discouraged with her plan and didn’t know how she was going to go through with it. Despite how gun-ho she had been about her plot for the evening, Hermione wished that she could have just come to him as herself without the fear of rejection.
            She loved him, and was suddenly aware of just how much he would never love her in return. Draco was more than some ordinary man she could tempt and tame. He was more than anything she could ever offer him and no matter what piece of him she got tonight; he would never truly be hers.
            Draco hadn’t chosen Hermione. He had chosen Mia that night, and no matter what he said, that fact couldn’t be ignored. But still she wanted to know what the difference might have been had she truly been the one he wanted.
            “Tell me all the things you would have told her. Pretend…” her voice broke off and she did her best to quell the sudden rise of emotion. “…Pretend for a moment that I’m her.”
            “There’s no point, she likes to hide.” He told her, taking a small step back. Draco knelt in front of her and slipped his fingers under the dress, wrapping his hand around an ankle.
            He deftly pulled her legs apart, sliding them just so that she barely noticed that her knees were no longer clamped shut.
            “But if I ever got my chance with the woman that I really wanted, I would admit that she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” Hermione was confused and surprised “the woman from the bet?”
            Draco's hands slid up her legs resting at her calves. He massaged the muscle and stroked against her skin with his thumbs. Leaning forward he kissed her thighs through the dress and then worked his fingers higher.
            “I was talking about the woman that I’m in love with.” Hermione froze, when had the conversation shifted from her, to the other woman that Draco had apparently meant?
            His fingers rested against the waist band of her underwear; stroking the skin there and applying light pressure to the hidden mound. “You’re in love…” she whispered more to herself than to him.
            “Irrefutably…” Her eyes began to swell with tears and no matter how much she told herself to keep it together, she knew that she had to get out of there. “Well I wouldn’t want to ruin your chances with her. So I’ll just…”
            He looked up to her then, holding her gaze with his. “There is no one I want more than you.” Hermione was taken aback by the sheer honesty in his voice and eyes. He began sliding her underwear down past her hips. Punctuating the slow procession with truths meant for another woman.
            “I can’t live without you.”
            Her eyes widened and she felt every negative feeling melt away under his words. It was sick of her to be comforted by this, by his pretending. How could she possibly want him more even though her heart was breaking?
            “I belong to you.”
            His eyes never left hers, even as he lifted her foot to slip off her underwear and dropped them to the ground. Seeing the dark green lace that she had picked out especially for him made it all worse. How was she the kind of woman that could want him after all of that.
            “I’ve never wanted to spend my life with any one woman until I met you.”
            What kind of masochist was she to be listening to him confess these things to the woman he loved. The woman he was pretending she was. Why wasn’t she getting out of there? Why wasn’t she running before it was all too late?
            “There is no one else but you.”
            Why did she want to pretend too?
            Draco didn’t know how they had gotten there, how the atmosphere around them changed. He knew that he should have just told her that he knew her real identity. He should have just ended it all right then and there.
            But Granger had looked absolutely miserable at the prospect of him loving someone else other than “the woman from the bet” and it had instantly made him happy.
            For once he understood.
            Hermione Granger was in love with him, and all of this had been some sort of ruse to garner his attention.
            The sudden realization was so incredibly freeing that Draco didn’t know what to do. He could end it all right then and there. Tell her the truth about everything. But what if he had gotten it all wrong?
            What if she just wanted sex? What if she was just hurt because he was telling her things about another woman as opposed to focusing on her, when she had spent the night trying to woo him? He knew that those two alternatives were unlikely but he didn’t want to ruin that moment just in case.
            Either way Draco wanted to tell her how he felt, whether she knew he meant it all about her or not. He wanted to confess the things that had laid heavy, laden on his chest and then he wanted to make love to her.
            Everything between them could be salvaged later. But for that night, when he was Draco and she was Mia, he would take what she had offered and worry about the details later.
            Hermione couldn’t even begin to explain the cataclysm of emotion that was threatening to cause a meltdown. She was divided evenly down the middle, stuck between misery and euphoria.
            There she was with the man she loved, as he told her all the things he wanted to tell the mysterious woman that he was in love with and yet, there she was pretending that his heart was hers.
            Hermione was sickened and excited at the occurrence. How could she stoop so low and yet love the thought that in another life he might have meant her.
            She had to end this. For the sake of every single one of her own principals. For the sake of dignity she HAD to end this.
            Draco didn’t deserve her that night. He didn’t deserve to touch her and yet there she was silently egging him on. Wishing that he would send more imaginary endearments Hermione Grangers way; telling herself that if he could pretend, then so could she.
            If he could love someone while being with someone else, she could certainly love him while being someone else.
            Then Hermione made a reckless decision that she knew she would come to regret. Reaching down and grasping his shoulders until he was standing in front of her. She leaned forward and held his gaze.
            “It’s seems as though you were right Draco.” She pulled him closer until her bare chest was pressed against the front of his tux; until he held her gaze and focused completely on her. Until Hermione was sure that right then in that moment when she gave herself up, that it was her Draco was thinking about.
            “I’ll take that fuck after all.”
            And just like that, every bit of everything between them melted away. Every bad feeling, ever somber intention, every thought, every wish, every dream was gone. Lost in the irresponsible moment that she had initiated.
            You’re being stupid Hermione. She told herself honestly as she began to undo the buttons on his shirt. This is the irresponsible stupid choice. Her hands found the warmth of his skin and she sighed contently.
            Since he’ll never be mine then I’ll steal him for the night and do my very best to move on in the morning.
            Draco took her chin and titled it toward him as he kissed her again. The lull of their moment almost instantly forgotten as the burning arousal roared back to life.
            Draco was practically mad with lust, Granger was pressed up against the wall crying out at every touch and he couldn’t think past the need to be inside her. He kissed and stroked every part of her that he could reach and when that wasn’t enough, he kissed her harder and ground the raging bulge of his arousal into her stomach.
            Draco spread her legs wider with his knee but changed his mind and reached down to pull up her dress. He slid the smooth material up revealing her perfect curvy legs and thighs.
            When the dress was around her waist, Draco could only stare at what he had uncovered greedily. Falling to his knees for the second time that evening he instructed her to keep the dress up and to bring her left leg up onto his shoulder.
            Granger obeyed with little hesitation but immediately moved to put her leg back down once his mouth landed on the incredibly wet center of her. “Someone will see!” Her hands betrayed her though, entangling in his hair to push him closer even as she mewled out her weak objections.
            His name came out in little pants and Draco could not get enough of the sound of her saying it over and over again. He took his time tasting her, dragging his tongue down the length of her and licking her dry.
            Her legs began to tremble and he could feel that she was getting closer and closer with every flick of his tongue.
            Rising and seeking her mouth, Draco forced her to taste herself on him as he hoisted her up around his hips. Granger let out a low moan and her legs tightened around him like a vice. He swiped his tongue along her bottom lip before giving her a quick kiss.
            Draco couldn’t remember a time when he had been this desperate to be inside of a woman. Usually he took his sweet time pleasuring them but he couldn’t focus on anything else aside from how amazing Granger was going to feel cumming on his dick.
            He slipped a hand between her thighs and groaned at how wet she was for him already, even though he had just lapped it all up with his tongue. Sliding his fingers against her clit, Draco circled it until she arched her hips forward.
            He continued in this fashion using all her warm and wet to tease her engorged little nubbin until Granger was at the very edge of release. Then he would stop and kiss her, waiting until she calmed down enough for him to resume.
            It got to a point where she was begging him to allow her release, his name a steady mantra coming from her lips. When Draco was satisfied that she couldn’t possibly take anymore, he worked her until she was clawing at him, grabbing his shoulders and thrusting her hips harder down into his hand.
            Draco unfastened his pants and replaced his fingers with his hard length. Granger gasped at the feeling of but began to roll her hips against him. Draco closed his eyes at the sensation before he began to move.
            He loved the scent of her arousal and loved it even more because he had been the one to cause it. He brushed the tip of his cock against her slick center and continued his way upward to press against her throbbing clit.
            Draco couldn’t get enough of the feel of her quim against his arousal and immediately approved of the sound of that. Quim was definitely the word for Granger, her sweet little spot was nothing like he ever experienced before.
            He looked to her face, with her eyes screwed shut behind her mask and could see her familiar features clear as day. He would never know how he had managed to miss it all night, but even her hair was the exact same despite the color.
            Suddenly Granger bucked as he pressed rhythmically against her core and just like that she was lost, holding him close as she came. Draco had to bite the inside of his cheek in order to refrain from slamming into her, right then and there.
            He could feel the vibrations of her orgasm as he continued rubbing against her, but wanted nothing more than to feel it all from the inside. Granger was getting him so wet as she climaxed that his shaft was almost dripping with her essence.
            Draco bit back a groan as he watched his rigid flesh nudge deeper and deeper into her weeping center. Granger was so incredibly responsive to his touch; he would never get tired to watching her.
            She’s mine, she can only ever be mine.
            He lowered his head and took a nipple in his mouth. Sucking it in deep and circling the tender peak with his tongue. He timed his licks with the strokes against her core and swallowed her cries with a kiss when she came again.
            Granger’s head rolled back as she convulsed against him, her breast bouncing irresistibly in the moonlight.
            Draco couldn’t handle it anymore, he was on the verge of orgasm himself and he was aching with the need to bury himself deep inside her. He waited for her to calm down and catch her breath, then gave her a soft kiss.
            He wanted to do this properly, but he couldn’t bear to wait. He could feel the head of his shaft leaking at the sight she made, all wanton and hot beneath his fingers.
            He had wanted to do this in a bed for the first time, he really had, but there wasn’t anything that was going to stop him tonight.
            Even if the Daily Prophet wanted to come out and snap a few pictures, he didn’t care. He had the woman of his dreams in his arms and Draco was fully intent on claiming Hermione Granger as his own.
            He pressed kisses along the column of her neck and her cheeks, then looked into her eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
            Hermione couldn’t believe her ears. Had he just asked her if she was sure? She had no clue how this usually went for him, but she figured that he would just have taken her by now and left afterward.
            But instead, he had showered her with affection and given her the most amazing orgasms before asking her consent to continue. After all that he had done to her, it almost seemed ludicrous for Draco to ask her permission
            Hermione felt adoration swell in her chest, but she ignored that particular inclination. Malfoy was too sexy for words and one of a kind, but after this night she was going to have to let it all go.
            She couldn’t get caught up in the moment and read too far into his actions. She just needed to take this moment and hold it in her heart forever.
            Feeling bolder than she ever had, Hermione arched her hips closer and pushed so that the head of his cock slipped in further slightly.
            “Yes.”
            She could see the strain he was under but she rocked her hips to encourage him, bringing the head of his erection, in and out of her slowly.
            “Are you sure, this is your last chance”, Hermione felt a giggle bubble in her throat and in that moment she knew she was absolutely sure. A smile lit up her face, she had wanted to wait until marriage but Hermione had changed as of late.
            She usually never did anything impulsive and she had never gotten what she wanted because of it. Here she was with the most remarkable man alive, and he had given her the most perfect moment of them all.
            For the space of a moment she had been the sole center of his universe, and although she knew that Draco would never look at her, the true her, and feel that way, she would break her own rules tonight.
            She would have him, and keep this memory forever. So that when she got married to whatever man she found, she would have this beautiful night to remind her that once in a while the universe completely aligned and gave her the greatest gift of all, the man she loved.
            “Draco Malfoy, Yes…”
            Draco breathed a sigh of relief but smiled at her. He reached down in his pocket and pulled out his wand. Hermione was confused for a moment but figured it must be for the contraceptive charm. He slid a bit closer to her, pushing the head of his engorged length slightly deeper and pointed his wand at her “finite…”
            The rumble at her back was the only warning she received before the wall exploded behind her.
            She was ripped apart from Draco in the blast and could feel herself being propelled through the air. Her head struck against something solid and a numbing pain coursed through her entire body. She screamed out but lost consciousness before her body hit the ground.
            She heard someone calling her name “Granger! Granger, wake up…” but she couldn’t hear much more than that because of the roaring in her ears. There was pain, so much pain and she felt cold.
            “Granger please, you have to wake up!” She struggled against the competing desire to keep her eyes closed, but tried her best to open them. There was the bright light of the moon but everything else was a wash of greys and blacks.
            She heard her name again and turned toward the sound. But when she did, she was gifted with the visage of the most beautiful man she had ever known. Despite the pain, her lips lifted into a smile almost immediately.
            He was lying on his back under wreckage, alternating frantically between trying to reach for his wand and prying the stone off of him. His face was trained on her, watching her.
            “Granger please, stay with me! Don’t close your eyes Hermione!” She felt cold... so incredibly cold and she knew what it meant. She could feel herself getting weaker second by second.
            Hermione tried her best to reach toward him, but her hand didn’t move. She watched as he called out to her, commanding her to stay conscious. Draco, her precious wonderful Draco, it was already too late.
            She was no stranger to loss and she could feel it blanketing her. She was getting tired and all she wanted to do was rest. The pain was leaving her and weightlessness was spreading through her limbs.
            Hermione looked into the silver eyes that she adored and tried again to reach to him, this time her fingers moving slightly. “I…. I…” she could barely speak. It was just so much work to try and she was getting more and more tired.
            But she didn’t want to rest without letting him know the most important thing. Her fingers twitched as she tried to reach him and he struggled to lift the fallen part of wall off his legs.
            “I… lo… I… love…”
            “Don’t close your eyes Hermione. Stay with me. Stay. With. Me!”
            She couldn’t explain why, but suddenly her face was wet and her eyes were leaking. She reached toward him one more and their fingers linked as Draco freed himself and dragged himself toward her. “I… love…”
            Somehow saying those words meant everything to her in that moment but she couldn’t remember why.
            All Hermione knew was that her last thought was of the happy life she had wanted to live with that remarkable man and how she hoped that he found someone to love him just as much as she had.
            He gripped her fingers tight in his and pulled himself even closer to her. “Hermione, don’t. Stay awake. Please… please.”
            Her lips curved into another small smile, and the last thing she saw before everything faded away, was those stunning grey eyes and the tears that shined silver in the moonlight.
            Draco Malfoy I love you.
            Draco finished crawling over to the unconscious woman unable to stop calling her name. Her fingers went limp in his and her eyes fluttered close.
            “Hermione! Hermione please, please…!” He couldn’t help the tears that were falling freely from his eyes as he gathered her limp body into his arms. “Please… I love you too.”
            He noticed the thick shard of stone impaling directly under her heart and watched as blood leaked into the light material, staining it red.
            There was a large knot that was steadily swelling on her head and bruises rapidly forming on her skin. Her hair was turning back to brown before his eyes and the mask fell off her face as all the magic she had cast ended.
            Draco tried not to think about what that meant and rocked her in his arms. “It can’t be, It fucking can’t be!” he cried out, rejecting her death completely. With shaky fingers he reached out for his wand and held it close.
            “Hold on Granger, hold on.” Concentrating on her and only her, he repaired the bloody dress the best he could and ignored the pain that was wracking his body as he focused on getting her to the one place that could potentially save her.
            Draco felt a ripping sensation in his stomach and then they were gone with a pop.
            A guttural scream was wrenched from his throat as they landed in a heap of blood outside of St. Mungo’s. Within seconds there were staff rushing toward them, pulling Hermione from his arms, taking her to safety.
            “Fix her!” Draco demanded slowly rising to his feet. He immediately felt the gash in his leg lurch painfully and swayed for a moment. But he had to focus.
            “Fix her and keep her safe. Call the ministry, there has been an attack at the ball.” The world seemed to spin for a moment and he had to hold his head to make it stop.
            A nurse reached forward “we have to get you inside Mr. Malfoy, you’re suffering a severe concussion and bleeding. There might be other internal injuries.” Avoiding her touch, he shakily bent over and picked up his wand but his knees buckled under him.
            “I have to get back to help the others. You save Hermione Granger and you warn the rest of the ministry, do you understand.”
            “Mr. Malfoy you…”
            “YOU SAVE HERMIONE GRANGER AND YOU WARN THE MINISTRY! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
            The nurse flinched and nodded. Draco sighed but he was on edge and didn’t care to be courteous right then in that moment. “Good, I’ll pay triple your salaries once this is over. Go make sure that she is well taken care of and deliver the messages.”
            She ran off toward the hospital and Draco grit his teeth, concentrating on the balcony in which he had just come from. He allowed himself to be taken away despite the fact that he truly didn’t want to leave Granger’s side.
            Screams rang out so loud that they almost silenced the sound of the spells whizzing past and the crash of crumbling walls. Harry spun in a circle to access the situation and immediately saw a group in red hoods and white masks entering from every entrance.
            They were attacking any and everyone who got in their way, blasting hoards of guests to the center of the room as if rounding them up as they surrounded the crowd. There were witches and wizards writhing on the ground in pain and others dropping to their feet as they grasped their wands tight.
            Harry didn’t know what was going on. They seemed to be in severe pain, convulsing and screaming in their strain but he hadn’t heard a single Cruciatus curse cast. Not many wizards had the skill required to cast such a powerful unforgivable silently.
            “Apparate! Get out of here!” someone yelled and it was almost as if amidst all the chaos that order rang true.
            Harry however saw the man that shouted the command and disarmed him. “Don’t it’s a trap!” He yelled out as the wizard in the red hood fell to the floor. He pulled Luna into his chest but it was too late for the majority of the guests around him.
            They pulled out their wands but instead of being taken away to safety, their bodies instantly became splinched in the most grotesque of ways. Blood shot across the entire room as bodies were split in pieces, and limbs were left hanging midair.
            Harry watched as half of a wizard’s head was left in the spot where he had been standing as his body scattered across the room. The oozing brain fell to the floor with a splat and then a moment later the skull followed.
            Luna cried out in his arms but Harry was frozen into place as he watched hundreds die before him trying to escape. Suddenly the minister was at his side and they were surrounded by Aurors.
            “Orders sir?” His second in command asked quietly wand drawn. Harry snapped back into focus. “We’re forced to listen to their demands. They’ve stopped attacking for now. Protect the minister and Ms. Lovegood at all costs. Do not leave her side.”
            Releasing his hold on Luna, he kissed the top of her head before pulling off his mask. Holding his wand steady, he came to the front of the group of Aurors. “What are your demands?” There was movement from the right and out came a figure taller than the rest to the forefront.
            Harry tried his best to notice any specific identifiers about the hooded adversary but wasn’t able to ascertain anything specific with the mask and the hood. The man snapped his fingers and suddenly all the crows in the room dropped from their perches and began to dive bomb the guests.
            The screaming began anew as flesh was picked clean from the unfortunate guests who didn’t react quickly enough to defend themselves. Harry cast protection charms as fast as he could before raising his wand to the ceiling and giving it a firm whirl.
            In his mind he targeted every single bird moving. “Immobulus!” the birds stopped moving midair and it took a few minutes for the guests that were now hostages to calm down.
            The hooded man began to clap. “Quick thinking Mr. Potter, how admirable that you’re still the hero so many years later. It’s rather unfortunate that my associates forgot to mention the alterations we made to the anti-apparition field.”
            He lowered his hands and took a step forward. “It’s now a rather special one, the first field of its kind really. Instead of merely keeping our guests from Disapparating; our modified field allows them to try, but limits them to moving only a single inch in front of them, effectively spreading their bodies out in the immediate vicinity, if they dare to go further.”
            The man paused for a moment but immediately continued. “It’s the best kind of Halloween décor, don’t you think?”
            He turned to his associates and laughed and they all followed suite; the chorus of their mirth ringing out over the sobs.
            “What are your demands?” Harry repeated, wand raised. He began to devise an escape plan in his head but with the apparent anti-apparition field in place it was nearly impossible for him to get everyone out of the ball room safely.
            “We have no demands; we want nothing more than for the righteous to live happy carefree lives.” Harry felt the anger, he did his best to control, forcing its way to the surface. He felt revolted at all the death surrounding him but focused on getting justice for each and every life lost.
            “Who are you and what are your goals?” The man stepped closer; Harry didn’t see a wand in sight but didn’t let that draw his attention. He could feel that the man was extremely dangerous.
            “How hospitable of you Mr. Potter and since you’ve asked so kindly, we’ll oblige just this once.” He circled and waved his hand in the direction of every hooded member that was surrounding them.
            “We are The Valiant, eradicators of sin. We are your friends and your family. We are you and you are us. We are the feelings of resentment that you hold deep inside for those who have wronged us and we are the swift blade of justice that deliver you from these dark times. The ministry has failed our people long enough but we will stand idly by no longer.”
            “Explain yourself!” Bellowed out from behind Harry, Shacklebolt came up to stand beside the Head Auror wand drawn. Harry shifted closer to the minister, trying to cover the majority of his body with his own. But Shacklebolt stepped around him and repeated his command in a roar.
            “Avada Kedavra!” A flash of green whizzed past Harry so incredibly close that he felt the heat on his face and everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion. Harry turned to follow the bolt of light and watched as it struck Kingsley Shacklebolt in the chest.
            The minister stumbled back almost immediately before falling to the ground in a haphazard heap. Directly behind him stood a horrified looking Luna Lovegood and Harry immediately moved to stand in front of her.
            “We are never commanded” the robed man announced calmly. Harry saw the wooden stick in his robe sleeve and but held his ground despite the horrified energy in the room. Women were hysterically sobbing now and the entire Auror guard was clearly on edge.
            With the minister dead and the remaining hierarchy of the ministry unaccounted for, Harry was the highest ranking official and had to take the helm of command. He eyed the leader of the hooded men warily watching for any indication of magic.
            The man held out his hands in front of him almost in greeting. He shifted just so and Harry could make out a thick black stripe running down from the center of his hood to the bottom of his red robes.
            “I heard Amos gave you a clue, tricky thing riddles, but he favored them in the end. Did you figure it out Mr. Potter? I’m assuming not since we’re all gathered here tonight. “Destruction is imminent at elegant nott hill, a capital H and a capital L,” remind you of anything?”
            The leader of the hooded men brought out his wand and began to write the riddle in the air, the letters hanging there in smoke. Then with a flick of the wrist the letters of the words “elegant nott hill” began to rearrange themselves, just as Voldemort had done in his second year.
            All of a sudden Harry felt sick, he thought back to the night when Amos had been in the interrogation chamber. The older man had specifically spelled out his riddle with capitalization on the H and the L.
            When the smoky letters stopped moving they spelled “Destruction is imminent at Little Hangleton”
            It was like a punch to the gut to see the riddle solved so easily and suddenly Harry was fully incensed. More angry than he could ever remember being in the past four years.
            The peace he had fought so desperately for was crumbling right before his very eyes and he had been powerless to stop it.
            His hand seemed to move of its own accord and the words were leaving his mouth before he could even help it.
            “Expulso! Confringo!” He could feel the magic coursing through his body straight to his wand, ready to burst forth but nothing happened.
            It just gathered within him until it was painful, stretching out under his skin without release. It wasn’t like anything he had ever felt and the pressure only got worse and worse until he thought he was going to be split open from the inside.
            Yelling out, Harry fell to his knees and dropped his wand as holding it became unbearable. The pressure stopped immediately but the pain persisted. There was a chuckle and Harry glared up to the masked man while trying to steady his breathing.
            “I find it interesting that the Head Auror didn’t notice the funny smell in the drink. The great Harry Potter couldn’t tell that all the provided beverages had been spiked. I find that to be truly remarkable considering your reputation for being overly cautious since the war. I even made it easy for you, allowing the potion to be so obviously overpowering.”
            Draco had arrived just in time to hear the comment about the anti-apparition field and cringed at the sight that came to his eyes. It must be my lucky night, he thought bitterly as he accessed the situation and took in all the carnage.
            There was blood and the remnants of bodies everywhere. The ministry banister of the stage was doused in red and dripping and there were more guests either dead or twitching on the ground than standing.
            The leader of the group continued on about the anti-apparition field and Draco tried to figure out how they could have possibly done it.
            It was a commonly known fact that for all ministry functions an anti-apparition field was placed around the location of the entire event. Draco hadn’t ever heard of someone essentially hacking someone else’s magic and altering their spells but apparently this group had figured out how to do it.
            He just thanked his lucky stars that he just so happened to avoid death by coming back to the balcony and was glad that there was enough of the structure left to land on.
            As with every ministry function, there were always very specific apparition points for a controlled entry as well as an undisclosed emergency exit point. Much like the warming spell, the anti-apparition spell must’ve have ended at the balcony, which must’ve been the emergency spot.
            Draco healed as many superficial wounds that he could and mended his leg the best it would get for the moment. He peeked back into the ballroom at the backs of the hooded figures that had everyone circled and took a deep breath.
            Disillusioning himself, Draco walked into the room unseen and slowly edged his way around the outskirts of the room. “Would you like to know what you’re feeling Harry Potter?” asked the leader of the hooded men.
            Draco frowned, he couldn’t recognize the voice but it still unsettled him, it was eerily familiar but in such a way that he knew he’d never be able to ascertain the source. “It’s my own special blend. A potion in which both doubles the potency of your magic and yet restricts it from leaving your core. It’s quite painful right? To have all that energy jumping around, tearing you up from the inside out.”
            The hooded man took a step closer. “The good news is that I’m not a cruel man Harry. I’ve made it spell specific. The potion only affects the offensive spells you try to cast but you’re allowed to defend yourself. I wanted to give all of you a fighting chance.”
            Draco thought back to the odd smelling whiskey he had almost ingested if not for Granger but frowned. He was relieved that he could still attack but needed to have the perfect opening to take out the leader and that wasn’t going to be easy.
            Potter rose to his feel slowly but still held his wand out. “What are your demands?” His adversary took the remaining steps across the room until he was face to face with the Head Auror.
            “The ministry has failed us Harry Potter, time and time again. During our darkest days they left us victims. We seek justice, we are justice and we will eradicate our society of all the evil that has been allowed to prevail. We are a legion of blood; we are a family of the righteous.”
            He stopped and looked around the cowering room of guests. Draco crept forward stealthily stepping around puddles of blood to avoid leaving foot prints.
            “Halfbloods! Muggleborns! Although you want to forget, not so long ago Pureblood supremacists judged you, terrorized you, and murdered you in your own homes. Members of your family went missing, and came back irreparably damaged or not at all. The Dark Lord disrupted your lives, targeting you because of your heritage. But what did the ministry do? They gave as many of these terrorist pardons after our hero Harry Potter saved us. They allowed the villains to walk free!”
            Draco caught sight of his parents and took pride in the fact that they most likely had refused to leave despite the attack until they had found him. Draco raised his wand slowly focusing and crept closer still.
            The leader raised a fist and slowly the rest of his group followed. “But no more! We are here to set you free and shine the bright light of hope on the future of the righteous wizarding kind!”
            The man stopped and looked to the people he had rounded up and held his fist high in front of him.
            “We are The Valiant, eradicators of sin. We are your friends, your family, we are you and you are us. We are the feelings of resentment that you hold deep inside for those who have wronged us and we are the swift blade of justice that deliver you from these dark times. Pureblood supremacy must die if we are to truly be free and every Pureblood with it.”
            Gasps rang out in the room and panic rose anew. Someone screamed and many members of the crowd began to back away from the leader. He however took a step closer, not caring that Potter’s wand was level with his throat. “We will not stop until every death has been avenged. Blood for blood!”
            Draco took his chance and ran forward toward the leader. Swiping his wand through the air in a precise yet quick fashion, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the spell he wanted to cast.
            He felt the exact moment, that time stopped and despite the entire room freezing around him Draco rushed. “Expelliarmus! Stupefy!” Both red spells wound around each other and went rushing across the room, hitting the hooded man square in the chest.
            Draco canceled the hold on time and immediately cast as many protective spells as he could. “Bombarda maxima!” he shouted at the group of hooded men standing in front of him just as their leader was lifted in the air.
            His wand came flying toward Draco and he caught it swiftly before shouting. “Defensive spells! Protect yourself! Disarm them or use Impedimenta!” A wave of energy followed his words, spurring everyone into action and soon every hostage was shielding themselves and shooting off defensive spells.
            Draco fought his way toward where the leader lay but just as he got within ten feet of the man, every single hooded member Disapparated right before his eyes.
            He came up short where the man had been and looked down to the wand he had captured. It wasn’t familiar but maybe Ollivander could identify who the owner was.
            Draco turned toward the room to suggest it to someone, but quickly came to realize that with the threat neutralized here, he could go check on Granger.
            Harry turned to the sound of Luna gasping “Draco, all that blood!” The blonde accepted her hug quickly. “It’s not mine. I got a message to the ministry, so they should be sending more reinforcements but it looks as though all the enemies have fled Potter.”
            Harry nodded in confirmation of the news, but was more worried about what the man wasn’t telling him.
            “Hermione?”
            “St. Mungo’s.” Harry frowned, but knew that no matter how badly he wanted to leave to go see his best friend for himself, he was bound to the situation. He could tell that Malfoy was extremely worried about her though and it made Harry nervous. “Was she ok?”
            “She lost a lot of blood from a wound in her chest, but I’m not sure yet.” He explained what happened out on the balcony and Harry dropped the conversation there.
            It wouldn’t do them any good at this point to discuss it. Malfoy seemingly appreciated it though, he didn’t say a word but Harry could feel the strong flash of gratitude. “What do you need me to do?”
            “Calm the guests down and send them home. I’ll deal with the media.” Malfoy nodded and within minutes organized an efficient exit system for the guests. Shortly after, the reinforcements Malfoy had told him about arrived.
            Harry gave the Aurors their orders before sending them on their way; but was thankful that they had apparated to the outside of the manor in order to access the situation before coming in. He banished the media completely and brought in the appropriate team take care of the dead.
            With Malfoy’s help they got the remaining guests to safety from the balcony. It was a slow and tedious task but they weren’t willing to test the anti-apparition spell despite the fact that The Valiant had all Disapparated to make their escape.
            Malfoy found him about a half an hour later. “I’m heading back to St. Mungo’s. The ministry can handle what’s left of the guests, they are all leaving now.”
            Harry nodded but stopped his roommate as he turned to leave. “Thank you for saving her.” Malfoy only frowned though and his expression was morose. “We don’t know if I have yet” and then he was gone, lost amongst the crowd.
            “Head Auror Potter!” Harry turned to the sound of the voice and immediately recognized the ministry owl on his arm. Taking the letter tied to the bird’s foot, he broke past the wax seal and read the message quickly before nodding and turning away to the Aurors on duty.
            Harry ordered Team A to meet him back at the ministry for their full briefing and instructed the rest of the Aurors to have their memories of what they witnessed that night recorded in the ministry pensive as evidence.
            When he was finished he turned to his surprisingly calm girlfriend and pulled her into his arms. “I want you to stay at Grimmauld with me, at least for tonight. I probably won’t be home for a few days but it would make me feel best if I knew you were safe.”
            She stroked his cheek gently and he closed his eyes at her touch. Luna was his anchor during the chaos of that night and she made him feel sane despite how quickly things went sour.
            “Of course” she replied in her quiet voice, reaching up and kissing his cheek.
            Harry waited until the last guest had left and then made sure Luna was safely at Grimmauld before he went to the ministry.
            He rushed to throw on his purple robes and was out of his office in less than a minute. He had received the immediate summons for the emergency Wizengamot meeting.
            What he had found to be most interesting was that the summons had come with the official minister’s seal and that made him want to hurry all the more. By the time he was halfway down the hall he was in a dead sprint.
            The sight that came to his eyes, caused relief so poignant to crash his system, he had to lean against a desk. “Glad to see you as well Harry Potter” Kingsley Shacklebolt acknowledged but his expression was still grim.
            Harry went and shook his hand “how?” Shacklebolt sighed “Very dark magic, I was hit with the killing curse and I will die because of it, but the protective spells cast on a minister at their appointment prevent assassination attempts outright.”
            It reminded Harry too strongly of Dumbledore. “How long?” Shacklebolt shook his head as if to dispel the question but he still motioned toward the chamber door. “Long enough to bring the entirety of The Valiant to justice and that work starts tonight. Come, we’ve got a meeting to attend.”
            Harry followed after the minister but couldn’t voice his agreement. There was something about how the minister sounded that bothered him.
            Less than an hour later, 13 golden slips of paper rose up above the large round table almost in complete unison. The room was completely silent except for the pacing of the Aurors standing guarding the outside door.
            Harry could feel the sweat rolling down his brow but he refused to take his eyes off the golden votes that were now merging into one definitive result. Despite the events of the night and the emergence of The Valiant, nothing could possibly warrant this response.
            Kinglsey Shacklebolt took the parchment out of the air and at his touch the numbers formed. “Nine in favor and four against, the marriage law has been passed by the council.” Harry felt his hands tighten into fists at his own accord and he just looked down to the table disbelievingly.
            “As is protocol, each and every member of the Wizengamot has sworn an oath of secrecy. You are not to disclose the happenings of this meeting until they are officially announced. We will declare this new law effective immediately on Monday morning and demand compliance by January 1^st.”
            The room was so silent that a pin drop could be heard clearly. Without waiting for the official dismissal, Harry pounded the table and stood, his eyes searching each and every face.
            “I am the youngest on this council and the only one of age eligible for what you have proposed. We will not defeat The Valiant through matrimony. They are clearly well organized and dangerous! We need to focus , now more than ever, as opposed to forcing the majority of the young wizarding community into unfavorable futures! How dare you condemn an entire generation of witches and wizards because you are afraid? How dare you fail us after all we’ve been through?”
            Then without another word, Harry glared at the minister and left the room, completely and utterly disgusted.
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A Match Made In Convenience