𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍-𝘏𝘈𝘙𝘙𝘠 𝘗𝘖𝘛𝘛𝘌𝘙

Chapter 17

Lovesbitca8 TAKES CREDIT THIS IS HER WORK - FOUND ON AO3

Hermione woke up the next morning with her blood still boiling. She rescheduled breakfast with Narcissa and locked herself away, researching and reading in angry solitude. Every time she'd let her mind wander, it would conjure images of Draco with Hermione's doppelgänger in his lap, moving as Pansy Parkinson moves and kissing like Pansy Parkinson kisses.

So she kept it occupied well past dinner time, until she was too exhausted to think.

She woke early on Sunday morning, determined to speak to Draco before breakfast. After compiling another list of questions for him — none of which had to do with the "convincing show" he and Pansy had put on two nights before — she finally left her room and rapped smartly on his door. She waited for a more than acceptable amount of time before rapping again. The door handle was immovable, as expected. She frowned in frustration. After fifteen more minutes of aggravated pacing, knocking, and waiting, she headed downstairs to meet Narcissa.

Only Narcissa wasn't at the table. The dining room was set for two, but it was empty.

Hermione had a brief flash of panic, remembering how all three Malfoys had disappeared before, leaving her alone for weeks.

"Mippy?"

A pop! sounded from behind her.

"Miss!"

"Good morning, Mippy," Hermione said, smiling down at her through the tightness in her chest. "Where might I find Narcissa?"

"Missus is in her study!"

Perhaps Narcissa had forgotten? "Thank you. I'll visit her there." She hurried out of the room before Mippy could blink her overlarge eyes.

Hermione traveled down the corridor to Narcissa's private study. She needed to see for herself. She needed to know they hadn't left her alone again. Lucius had been gone for weeks. Draco wasn't responding. If Narcissa was gone too...

She turned a corner and froze at the sound of a voice rising to biting tones, floating into the hallway from behind a cracked door.

Her pulse calmed when she recognized Narcissa's voice, then quickened with her rising curiosity. She paused, debating. Spying on Narcissa's private conversations felt like crossing a line.

Hermione took a quiet step backward, preparing to turn on her heel—

"...our son. And now he's off... dangerous and... He's out of his depth—"

Narcissa's voice cut out as she ranted. Hermione let the words wash over her, heart hammering in her ears. They were talking about Draco.

A few more heartbeats, and her self-control shattered. She tiptoed forward, ears straining for a response.

Was Lucius home?

She wasn't eavesdropping, she told herself as she crept forward, guilt twisting in her gut. She was simply going to take her time before knocking.

"... becoming a liability," she heard Narcissa hiss. "Even the Dark Lord must see. Remind him why these revels exist in the first place... not just to wet their cocks—"

Hermione's brows jumped, and she stifled a gasp at hearing such crude language from Narcissa Malfoy. She craned her neck to peek through the crack in the door and found her pacing at the opposite side of the room, in front of the fireplace. The Floo.

A low baritone rumbling from behind a pair of chairs, where Hermione couldn't see. She took a shaky breath and knocked faintly at the door, praying Narcissa wouldn't hear her.