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Pride & Prejudice & Leprechauns	By : Refictionista Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 4178 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Nothing from the wizarding world of Harry Potter is mine, and I make no profit off of my writing. The fact that this story is on this site obviously implies that I am a fan writing fanfiction.

Chapter List
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Hermione had been a good deal disappointed in not finding a letter from Ron during her stay at Malfoy Manor; and this disappointment had been renewed on her first day back at home.

She had just paid her respects to her father and mother and had returned to her bedroom, when she saw the emerald green light of someone traveling by Floo light up her fireplace. Mrs. Ginny Potter stumbled out, knocking off the ash and soot from her robes in an agitated manner.

“Merciful Merlin! What is the matter?” cried Hermione, with more feeling than politeness; then recollecting herself. “Let me call a maid. Is there nothing you could take to give you present relief? A glass of wine; shall I get you one? You are very ill.”

“No, I thank you,” Ginny replied, endeavoring to recover herself. “There is nothing the matter with me. I am quite well; I am only distressed by some dreadful news which I have just received from the Burrow.”

After saying this, Harry stumbled out of the fireplace as well. Upon seeing his wife so distressed, immediately tended to her, only to be shaken off.

“I must tell her,” said Ginny. Harry gave Hermione a sympathetic look and sat down on a nearby chaise.

Ginny burst into tears as she alluded to something, and for a few minutes could not speak another word. Hermione, in wretched suspense, could only say something indistinctly of her concern, and observe her in compassionate silence. At length Ginny spoke again. “I have just had a letter from Mama, with such dreadful news. It cannot be concealed from anyone. My brother, your intended, has left all his family, his friends, and his career—he has eloped; has thrown himself into the clutches of—of that annoying Miss Lavender Brown. They are gone off together to Gretna Green. You know him too well to doubt the rest. He has abandoned you.”

“He has abandoned us all,” added Harry.

Hermione was fixed in astonishment. She glanced at the ring on her finger, calmly took it off, and then placed it on the mantle.

“Please see that your mother gets this,” said Hermione as if in a trance. “I believe it was she who picked it out at Magorian Jewelers for me.”

“Oh, Hermione,” cried Ginny, “my brother has behaved abominably to you! Please know that my family has sided with you as a victim of this. I was surprised when Ron agreed so easily with my mother’s suggestion to your match, but I believed that the two of you were such good friends and that all was well. Wretched, wretched, mistake!”

Hermione made no answer. She seemed scarcely to hear her, and was walking up and down the room in earnest meditation, her brow contracted, her air gloomy. Harry and Ginny watched her with anxious eyes.

Finally, she quit her pacing. Head up, she turned to face them and locked her gaze with Harry’s.

“You will need to assign another Auror to the clover case. That must be my priority now. Luna is ill and unlikely to recover unless we can undo the curse. I will allow myself some period of time after we save her to mourn the loss of my intended and my dignity.”

“I will take up the case myself,” said he.

“I would suggest Draco Malfoy,” said Hermione. “By chance I was able to see the thoroughness of his work while at Malfoy Manor. He has experience with the fair folk and is also well versed in the Dark Arts.”

“Just so,” said Harry, “he has a predilection towards harassing you.”

“I would work with him,” said Hermione firmly. “He is the best chance to save Luna, and any possible arguments will only serve to distract me from my failed engagement.”

Ginny sat down, unable to support herself. “You are an extraordinary witch, Hermione. Ron was a fool to let you go.”

Harry laughed. “She is the brightest witch of our age. I have no doubt that this humiliation will soon be but a glimmer in her eye.”

“Thank you, Harry,” said Hermione. “And thank you, Ginny. Please pay my respects to your family. I hope I will see them soon despite this unpleasantness, for I harbor no ill will to anyone.”

Ginny hugged Hermione tightly, and then the Potters took their leave.

That afternoon, unable to stay at her home for a moment longer, Hermione decided to go to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

She needed chocolate, her waistline be damned—not that she would ever had said such a grievous thing out loud. She decided upon a large chocolate and raspberry flavored ice cream with chopped nuts and went to sit outside at a small table. She was licking her spoon discretely yet in an unladylike way when she heard the clearing of a throat. She saw on looking up that Theodore Nott was standing across from her.

Theo had been her potions partner many times during their school days. They had always gotten on well. Putting away the bowl immediately and forcing a smile, she said:

“I did not know before that you ever came here for a treat.”

“I have been taking a turn through the shops,” he replied, “as I generally do every week. A brisk constitutional always leaves me famished.”

“Please feel free to join me,” said Hermione politely.

“I have never broken bread with a Mud—Muggle-born witch before,” he said slowly, not reacting to Hermione’s wince. “However, I think it prudent to change my attitude to be in league with the times. I am honored for the invitation.”

As Theo spoke he observed Hermione looking at him earnestly.

“You need not be frightened. I may have a Muggle mother and father, but I assure you that I do not bite."

The joke was lost on Theo, who paled.

Hermione changed the subject.

“Have you heard from Mr. Zabini?” she asked, for Luna’s sake. “He and your mutual friend Mr. Malfoy seem such good friends. Malfoy is uncommonly kind to Zabini, and takes a prodigious deal of care of him.”

“Care of him! Yes, I really believe Draco does take care of him in those points where he most wants care. From something that he told me the other evening, I have reason to think Blaise very much indebted to him. But I ought to beg his pardon, for I have no right to suppose that Blaise was the person meant. It was all conjecture.”

“What is it you mean?”

“It is a circumstance which Draco could not wish to be generally known, because if it were to get round to the witch’s family or friends, it would be an unpleasant thing.”

“You may depend upon my not mentioning it.”

“And remember that I have not much reason for supposing it to be Blaise. What he told me was merely this: that he congratulated himself on having lately saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage, but without mentioning names or any other particulars, and I only suspected it to be Blaise from believing him the kind of young man to get into a scrape of that sort, and from knowing them to have been so much in each other’s company since Draco moved out of the Manor.”

“Did Mr. Malfoy give you reasons for this interference?”

“I understood that there were some very strong objections against the witch.”

“And what arts did he use to separate them?”

“He did not talk to me of his own arts,” said Theo, smiling. “He only told me what I have now told you.”

Hermione made no answer, and sat quietly as Theo talked on other subjects, mainly his upcoming wedding to Miss Parkinson, while Hermione’s heart swelled with indignation.

Draco Malfoy had been slightly peeved when the latest big case had been assigned to Ronald Weasley. He had worked hard, very hard, to get to his current position in the Auror department, while Weasley had just slid on Harry Potter’s coattails. He was sure that Weasley had insisted upon taking the case just to be utterly annoying, as usual.

He mulled over these thoughts while he went through his latest casework involving the fair folk. There were reports on banshees causing problems, ones that kept sneaking in from Ireland. Typically, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures handled banshee hijinks, but repeat offenders in direct violation of licensed behavior were submitted to the attention of the Auror department. It was strange that so many fay from Ireland were being sent to his attention lately.

Except for the latest big case involving the cursed four leaf clovers.

During these thoughts, Draco looked up to see that Harry was coming to his cubicle to meet with him.

Curious, thought Draco.

“Malfoy,” said Harry upon reaching Draco’s desk.

“Potter,” said Draco.

Neither spoke, and Draco smiled. He could win this game. Slytherins were known for their cunning. He would remain quiet until Harry broke the silence. It was a power play tactic Gryffindors were known to fall for.

Harry fell for it.

“Now that the pleasantries are over, Malfoy,” Harry said, pink cheeked, “I need to reassign you to another case.”

Draco raised an eyebrow.

“The cursed four leaf clovers.”

“I thought you gave that to your friend, Mr. Weasley.”

Harry’s ears turned as pink as his cheeks.

“Never mind that,” said Harry. “I need you to work with Miss Granger. Can I have your word of honor to treat her tolerably during such a partnership?”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Potter,” said Draco. “I was only a miserable git to many witches in my childhood. I haven’t said anything foolish or contemptible to Miss Granger since she was transferred to our department several months ago. I have no plans to revisit such behavior either.”

“Good,” said Harry, handing him a parchment. “Here is your authorization to work on the case.”

Draco opened it, and his eyes grew wide.

“Weasley has taken off without leave?”

“Yes,” said Harry through clenched teeth. “I also ask that you not mention his name to Herm—Miss Granger, if at all possible.”

“Not mention her fiancé?”

“He is no longer her fiancé.”
“Ah.” Draco smirked, steepling his fingers. “You can always trust my discretion.”
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Pride & Prejudice & Leprechauns