Lifelines (Draco X Hermione)

Chapter 13 THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER

DRACO MALFOY was not sure where he had gotten placed in. The streets were littered with papers with a strange muggle language. The sounds of muggle cars drove in his direction. From the style of the cars, their loud engine sounds – he knew it to be an early model.

The men in the cars had a deep brown uniform with red lines on their pads. The group of four men marched towards the door, he recognized himself in the second man. Following them into the small bakery, he was met by an old man and his wife. "Is this your shop Madam?" the first man asked. They did not remove their hats or greet the shopkeepers with any kindness.

He could instantly see the wives worried eyes glance between the soldiers and the curtains that blocked the back of the shop.

"Yes sir, my family's establishment. Please here are our papers" the man's shaking hands reached down to retrieve some worn booklet and he handed it forward.

"Do you see Malfoy, how his hands shake" the first man sneered before grasping the book out of his hands. Malfoy laughed bitterly as he lazily walked around the shop inspecting the shelves. Much to the shop keepers dismay, he stood in front of the curtained door. His gloved hands pulled the curtain back to reveal a lady clutching a parcel. She met his eye in fear.

"Good evening, Madam, please do continue with your task" his voice was cold and mocking. The young lady nodded and quickly walked towards her parents and placed the parcel on the bench before quietly restocking a shelf. "Tell us your name, a pretty little thing should not be hiding in the darkness" Malfoy added to the young girl's horror.

"Hermione sir." Her answers were well trained and soft. She was trying to be brave, but her bright eyes betrayed her.

"Women have been ordered to be assigned husbands miss, I wonder why you are still in the care of your parents" at that, she stilled again – looking over at her parents for help. She held the attention of the whole shop.

"I am awaiting the letter sir. I have just turned 18" she added. Hermione knew that any sign of disobedience or distaste of the new system would see her killed. The blond man nodded before waiting for the shop keepers' papers to be checked. With a firm nod, the troop retreated out of the shop.

Draco Malfoy watched the car leave and a breath of releaf fill the room from the shopkeepers family. He hated the thought that they would be back. He had watched these stories play out too many times to know that Hermione would go without a fight. Alas, it seemed that their visit beckoned her letter faster than normal.

"This cannot be true. It says you have been pre-assigned" the old shopkeeper whispered in anguish. Tears filled the mothers' eyes as she started down at the paper. "This is outside protocol. They told us that you would choose" he whispered again.

Draco watched as Hermione blinked twice and sucked in a deep breath. He knew that look too well.

"And someone has chosen for me. I promise I will be fine. We knew that this would happen" her parents had not been as level minded. The scenario felt familiar to him, doing something for the greater good of his family. It was his life summarized in a moment. "When must I leave?" she asked again. Her father handed her the page, and Draco watched Hermione's eyes glance over it. She nodded and turned around. "I am going for a walk, I will be back to make supper"

Hermione bundled up into a coat and scarf and walked onto the streets. They were dark and bleak, except for the bright red propaganda like signs. It looked like a dementor had come through and sucked all life and happiness out of the streets. Hermione didn't seem to mind and following behind Draco would not have noticed that she was indeed crying if not for her sudden movement to wipe her face. She looked down to hide her face from the spectators. She walked past more uniformed men and sad looking children. She approached a stone bridge that went over a river. In the moment she looked up she saw green hills that hugged their little village.

"Shit" she swore before wiping her eyes again. Only this time her hands were shaking.

In the distance the clock tower chimed its familiar beat. The sounds carried Hermione's eyes to watch the bells waving in the distance. She couldn't help but remember when the sound would bring her pleasure. They used to chime the melody when there were celebrations and festivities in the village. Now it was a warning that everyone was to return home and the curfew was soon. Turning on her heel, she spotted a gaggle of soldiers laughing at the local beer house. They were the only ones who laughed these days. "Oi Miss, come keep us company!" and "Your looking lonely" were yelled in her direction. She used to get upset about it but now felt used to it. Without a second thought she glanced in front of her instead.
"The shopkeeper's daughter" a voice stated. The man standing in front of her was the light-haired man who had found her hiding – during their inspection.

"Good evening, sir" she stated.
"I heard you got commissioned a position as a wife" he states. She hadn't expected him to have paid so much attention to the likes of her. She met his eye for the first time.

"I am honoured to bring prosperity and longevity to my country" she states again. She had swallowed the decorum book and provided him with faultless answers. "Please excuse me sir, I should be home before curfew" she nodded before tucking her shaking hands in her pockets. The solider smirked before joining his friends.

Draco watched and hated to see Hermione reduced to a frail deer in headlights. He couldn't help but feel as if this timeline had broken her. Her hands were shaking and as Draco hurried to keep up with her, saw that her face was as white as a ghost.

She returned home to cook a soup and appeared to force herself to eat. Her expression was a clear translation that she didn't enjoy it, nor that she had the appetite for it. It was clear that the food did not agree with her, when Draco followed her out to see her throw up. The thought that was killing him, was not knowing what the letter said. When she would be forced to marry someone. He couldn't tell if he liked or disliked the idea of Malfoy being the person she were to marry. Draco followed her for a few more days and was surprised how Hermione Granger like the woman was. He had caught onto her rhythm fast enough. Suddenly the doors opened and the shopkeeper's family froze. "We have come to collect a Madam Hermione Granger" the man spoke reading the name from a page. Hermione stepped forward and without a word to her family followed the men out. Draco followed.

Hermione was loaded into a car with other girls who sat silently. They drove to a church where they were offloaded like animals and ushered into a room. A plump woman with her hair in a bun yelled for them to undress and change into new dresses. The observing Draco turned his back to give them more privacy. The plump woman spoke again signalling for him to turn, she read the names of the girls and told them to align in a position.

They were called out without wasting another moment. In the same line – uniformed men stood. The tips of blond hair on the fourth gentleman told him that he had selected her.

Draco lifted his wand and waved it forward, following the couple. Hermione had taken to keeping herself busy in the gardens and kitchens.

Malfoy had taken to his job. It appeared that the couple did not see much of each other until official occasions when they would be forced to act as if they could stand each other. "You have not produced any children yet" one man spoke, to which Draco slowed down his spinning. He watched the scene again in real time. He anticipated the panicked look on Hermione's face, instead she blushed and looked up at her husband.

"We are certainly putting all our energy on the task" Draco added.

The rest of the evening passed slowly, and Draco found himself getting fidgety to see how the pair ended up. He lifted his wand and waved again, pushing them a few years in the future. He saw Hermione tending to children, and Malfoy appeared to have grown in rank. Other than their older appearances, their relationship was ridged. It was not until the youngest child, Lewis, had gotten sick, did he see the couple come together and support each other. They had come to care for each other in a friendship sort of way. It was a love that had not occurred as dramatically as their last lifetimes. And with a tiered breath he returned to Hogwarts.