LUST | dramione

17 | Maledictus

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C H A P T E R  S E V E N T E E N | Maledictus

curse. a human can shapeshift into a snake; however, someday they can't change back.

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THE ENVELOPE CONTAINS A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.

It's a gossip column from Rita Skeeter, but it's not the name of the author that startles her. Taking up nearly half of the piece of paper is a photo of Lucius Malfoy with a woman who is not Narcissa. This woman is surprisingly young. Her long dark hair curls around her shoulders and a deep blush colors her smiling face. Their encounter was captured in Paris, just a few days ago, but the date on the article is for tomorrow's delivery.

She doesn't quite understand what the article has to do with her, but inside the parcel she finds a handwritten letter, the contents of which cause her hands to begin to shake.

H.G. -

You are expected at Malfoy Manor at 5 pm exactly - don't be late.

Do your part and your friend will be left untouched.

I've included Polyjuice and an outfit - I assume you are familiar with both.

Get ready; we'll be watching.

There is no name or identifying markers, but she can only assume that this is a gift from Cragov.

Hermione glances at the grandfather clock on the opposite side of her room; she has thirty minutes to arrive at the Manor, so she inspects the remainder of the box's contents. The Polyjuice is on top. She pulls out the cork and downs the sour liquid in one gulp. Then, she pulls out a short black dress, heels, a blazer, and stockings. At the very bottom, she comes across a velvet, draw-string bag. Inside, are various pieces of jewelry; golden rings with various gems, thin bracelets, and a unique necklace.

Once dressed, she can no longer recognize herself in the mirror. The woman before her is the woman from the photograph in the article.

Glenda Grouse -

She can't believe the Polyjuice made her growing belly disappear, and a part of her is worried about all sorts of troubling questions at the thought of how this is affecting Baby G. She inhales a deep breath before grabbing the coat Pansy lent to her months ago. After slipping the garment on, she removes the wards on her door, and she enters the hallway.

"Hey, Hermione. Can we talk?"

Her heart patters quickly against her chest as she turns to find Draco at his door. His face twists in suspicion.

"Glenda?"

"Wait, you know me?"

She attempts to leave, but his hand touches her arm. Her eyes meet his.

"Of course I know you. What's going on? You're not bothering Hermione Granger are you? You said the investigators wouldn't need her deposition for the trial." He studies her eyes, desperate for an answer.

"Uh - they won't need her deposition, but I just needed to ask her a few questions to clear some things up. I'm all done now, though. So, I'll just be leaving." She glances down at his hands, which fiddle nervously with a piece of parchment. "What is that?"

He hands her the note, and she instantly recognizes the fine script.

D.M. -

We need to talk.

Meet me in my room as soon as you get this.

H.G.

Hermione pushes past him, making a beeline for the common room, aware that the plan is becoming more complicated by the minute. Without any idea why Cragov would provoke Draco to arrive at her empty dorm is beyond her, but she hardly has time to think about any of the new details. She must focus on the task at hand - preparing to invade the Manor.

She slips through the castle without further questioning than a few curious glances from her fellow classmates. Her getaway to Hogsmeade is cleared of obstruction; just a few meters away. Then, Draco calls to her.

"Stop!"

For a fraction of a second, she does stop, but the more logical side of her forces her legs to stumble forward. It escapes her mind that she is in heels - a style of shoe she hasn't worn since Fleur's wedding to Bill, and those were just kitten heels. The heels that Cragov handpicked are painfully tall and especially dangerous on cobbled ground. She trips, but Draco is quick to reach her before she falls.

"Is that you in there, Granger?"

She's curious as to how he found out, but it must have been pretty obvious, since he had happened to catch her leaving her dorm room. She tears her hand from Draco's, and her brows crease over her eyes; he is ruining the plan and it hasn't even hit five o'clock. She pushes past him and marches for the boundary line between the strict Hogwarts grounds and the freedom of Hogsmeade.

"Please stop," he shouts as he chases after her at a full sprint. "At least tell me why you are parading around as my father's attorney. And that article? Is it true?"

She makes it to the barrier. It had already crossed her mind that this woman had to work closely with the Malfoys in one way or another.

Draco appears at her side. His arm extends and his hand grasps her by the coat, forcing her to look at him.

"Who is forcing you to do this? Just tell me and I can help you."

Her confidence wavers for a moment, but she is running out of time. Even if she did ask for his help, she couldn't forgive herself if something terrible happened to Draco. Cragov made the message clear that she was going to be within distance to oversee her plan fall into place. She has no room to screw this up. Then, her hand discovers her wand in her pocket. She's willing to knock Draco unconscious for the greater good.

"Please," she says, softly. "Let me go."

"I can't do that. I can't let you do something so positively stupid - not without me." His eyes are fiercely aimed at hers.

"I'm doing this because I love you."

His brows crease over his light colored eyes as the statement sinks in.

While he's distracted, she extracts her wand.

"Stupify."

He then falls to the ground with a thud, and she DisApparates to Malfoy Manor.

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