A/N: And, we're still here. We've left this story on a cliffhanger for quite a long time and I apologize for this delay. The chapter had been ready for quite some time, but real life had to interfere to put a halt on this story. But nevertheless, we're very happy with how this chapter turned out. We're very grateful for the love you've given to this attempt and hope we continue to keep your interest. All thanks to White Bishop who has given so much to this story and its development, who deserves all the praise and much more. Last but not least, please stay safe everyone in these tough times and don't forget to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.

Slytherin throughout the night

Nothing felt right; it was too obvious to be a Slytherin scheme. Zabini suddenly showed up with horrific revelations? He was obviously cross with Draco over his friend's lack of warning about the youngest Greengrass sister, but the things he suggested about the tools in Draco's potion lab were just too atrocious. Weren't they friends? Was this just some elaborate attempt to get her to break up with Draco? Blaise was a pureblood so it was plausible he simply wasn't happy with one of his mates dating a muggleborn, but something about that strange cauldron and Tinky's reaction just didn't feel right. Trusting Slytherins was always a bad idea, but Zabini's words didn't feel like a lie and if they truly weren't, then Draco was in big trouble.

Hermione was unaware of how obvious her silent seething had become until she sensed someone's probing gaze lingering on her. A fair distance away stood her best friend looking at her concernedly. He had his hand draped around his wife's shoulders while the redheaded witch socialized with some fellow guests. Judging by how excited the other party was, it was clear they were fans of Ginny's exploits with the Harpies rather than of the boy-who-lived.

The curly-haired muggleborn offered up a smile and shook her head to placate her friend showing she didn't need a savior quite yet. Harry's concern was sweet, but his Auror skills weren't required, at least not until she knew more. Implicitly understanding his friend's body language, Harry reluctantly returned his focus to his wife's conversation, while still keeping Hermione in his peripheral vision.

"My, my, Ms. Granger! To think you'd actually be here; I'd heard you'd gotten involved with the Malfoys, but I never expected this. Are you just after their galleons, or has their charmer of an heir managed to find his way into that stone heart of yours?" A remarkably well-dressed woman seemed to appear out of nowhere and dragged Hermione's attention from her best friends.

"Excuse me?!" Hermione's anger spiked at being met with mild condescension from a stranger.

"Shouldn't your dress be some gaudy shade of Gryffindor red? Showing up in that dress, one might presume you've been bought as a Malfoy broodmare. I'd think that might be an insinuation you'd have hoped to avoid. Seems I was mistaken."

Hermione barely suppressed her rage at the woman's mocking, but a matter of fact tone. "I'm sorry, who are you again?"

"Astoria Greengrass," the young woman smiled noticing the silver pendant, "Your predecessor, so it seems."

"A-Astoria?" Hermione was taken aback by the appearance of Draco's ex-girlfriend. She's seen pictures of them together in the Prophet, but she'd never paid much attention to be able to recognize the girl. Zabini's sour disposition toward the young Greengrass suddenly started to make much more sense to Hermione as she looked at the proud pureblood girl.

"Yes," the other woman answered. "And before you go making presumptions about me; I'm not bothered that you're dating Draco, nor do I care about your blood status. If dullards like Gregory exist, blood is at best a sensible rule of thumb and not a reason for bloodshed."

The younger woman's words suggested she wasn't a supremacist, but her tone was for lack of a better word, abrasive. Although that may have simply been because she wasn't fond of Gregory Goyle or that she'd seen Blaise scamper away moments ago.

Regardless, it became clear that everything about this witch suggested she wasn't one to be crossed. From her long black dress with its iridescent green glow to her crown braided hair; it was obvious why the Daily Prophet had once called Astoria Greengrass the Dark Queen of pureblood society. It also wasn't hard for Hermione to understand why Draco might have been happy at the prospect of marrying this girl. Astoria was beautiful, well-spoken, but also abrasive enough to suggest that it would be unwise to cross her. Speaking of her pale devil, where did he vanish to?

"Anyway," the Slytherin witch continued. "I'm still curious as to why you're here. Unfortunately, the only answers I've come up with are; that Draco has creatively bewitched that dragon around your neck, which would be quite unlike him; or Theodore's using you and the Potters to fix his family's image before he marries Ms. Davis."

Hermione frowned, was it really so absurd that she was willingly dating Draco Malfoy? Probably, or rather almost certainly. However, while it was odd, Draco had certainly changed enough for Hermione to forgive his past sins and their shared history. Dating him seemed like an insignificant step after that.

"Well, I doubt you're wrong about Theodore's motives; but the reason I'm here is to support Tracey. My dating Draco is more of a coincidence, really." Hermione answered politely.

The youngest Greengrass laughed, "So you dating Draco Malfoy is simply a happy accident? Sure, Granger."

"Why are you here Astoria, trying to get Draco back? Or just looking for another rich pureblood since you found Zabini lacking?" Hermione didn't know why she was being so confrontational with Draco's ex, but for whatever reason, she couldn't help herself. With a hand was on her hip, the muggleborn moved into the other girl's personal space.

Astoria's subtle smirk in response to the sudden challenge was eerily reminiscent of a certain prat's. "Neither, I'm here to keep an eye on my sister. She used to carry a bit of a torch for Nott and I'm making sure she doesn't embarrass the family. As for Zabini, his idea of monogamy was lacking so I obliged him with a trip to Mungo's when last we met," she shrugged sipping from a flute of champagne. "And Draco..." she paused, "I love him dearly, but after seeing our magical compatibility ending it was... mutually beneficial.

The younger woman's diplomatic answer piqued Hermione's curiosity and she took a step back, relaxing her hand. Astoria's choice of words revealed a truth that Hermione had come to know all too well and seemed to confirm theories she'd discussed with Ginny at Grimmauld place. Magical matching cut down healthy relationships without thought or mercy leaving misery in its wake. Hermione wanted to chuckle at the dark irony that magical matching was likely the reason she was now dating the Malfoy heir. Not because they were naturally well-suited for each other, but because they'd both found each other after Magical Matching took away something they both held dear.

"How are you okay with that?" The muggleborn questioned.

"I love Draco, probably always will." She began, "Unfortunately, the best-case scenario for us would have been a squib whose birth would eventually kill me," Astoria said with a hint of sadness. "Magical Matching probably saved my life and saved someone I love a great deal of grief. Not the best outcome, but Draco deserves a magical heir and a living wife. I couldn't provide him either, so our story came to an end."

Hermione was at a loss for words. While it was obvious that Astoria still loved Draco; it was also clear why the younger witch hadn't sought to fight against such a grim future. To do so would've only risked making Draco complicit in the death of someone he loved. Magical Matching may have inadvertently saved Astoria from death, but was living without someone you loved better? Hermione's own ill-fated match with Ron now felt insignificant; at least she'd been able to keep Ron as a friend, but the same seemed not to be true for Draco and Astoria.

"Don't look so down Granger, I'm alive and Draco seems happy with you. It's not ideal for me, but there's always a chance my next match will be a perfect one." The youngest Greengrass smiled. "Although, you and Draco might want to get your compatibility checked out before either one of you gets in too deep."

Hermione barely suppressed a snort at the suggestion. The idea of willingly submitting to that notorious practice again was absurd. Besides, she didn't even want to entertain the horrors of what might happen if she was well-matched with the Malfoy heir. The elder Malfoys already seemed to want to use her and Draco's relationship to repair the family's public image, the last thing the muggleborn needed was them seeing her as a suitable Malfoy broodmare as Astoria had joked earlier. Better to leave their compatibility a mystery to everyone, including to themselves, to let love decide. Unlike Astoria, Hermione would rather bravely face death for love than to let her life be ruled by Magical Matching.

Hermione's eyes fell on the door through which Draco and Theo had disappeared, only to see the Nott heir reemerge alone before moving to greet his future wife with a gentle kiss. The curly-haired witch sighed, while she could never be swayed in favor of that wretched process; she could acknowledge that her friend's love may have never blossomed without it. Her eyes turned to the boy-who-lived and his wife, lost in some private joke and off in their own little world with no regard for the dark memories that haunted this manor. Perhaps their favorable matching contributed to their blissful happiness as well. No, that's absurd. Harry and Ginny were like that long before magical matching. Besides, they're so stubborn I doubt a bad match would have stopped either of them anyway.

"Well, it seems my darling sister is starting to wobble; I best take her home before it's too late. Goodbye Hermione and best of luck dealing with the Malfoys."

Astoria's exit was as abrupt as her arrival leaving Hermione alone to muse about the mysterious pureblood. Slytherins were indeed an odd bunch, but Astoria Greengrass was something else. Watching the pureblood witch intercept her inebriated sister, politely excuse them both from the further conversation, then make a swift exit was amazing. Despite being a few years younger, the Greengrass girl's mastery of social graces was such that Hermione couldn't help but feel like an unsteady foal by comparison. Hermione's mind ached to know more about this intriguing woman and to learn more of why magical matching had predicted such a grim future for her, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

Zabini's revelations continued to trouble the muggleborn, and she wasn't about to wait any longer for answers. Since Theo had already returned, Draco likely wouldn't be far behind. His disappearance with Nott and Goyle earlier was troubling enough, then Zabini showed up trying to sabotage their relationship, then Draco's ex; too many strange things were happening and it was time Hermione got answers.

As her feet followed her thoughts, Hermione began towards the door behind which Draco had disappeared. Better to ambush him outside where she didn't need to worry about prying eyes or inadvertently making a scene that spoiled Tracey and Theo's night. Unfortunately, another Malfoy decided to ambush her first.

"Hermione, my dear. Where's your drink?"

"Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione smiled uncomfortably. "I think I've had enough for the evening, but thank you for asking."

Her refusal didn't seem to be understood by the hostess as she waved to an elf hovering a tray of goblets. "Nonsense, at the very least you should try this 1841 Veuve Clicquot," She offered one to Hermione. "It's a superior French vintage, and you'd be remiss to let this rare opportunity pass you by. Ordinarily, something so expensive would be reserved for distinguished guests; however, we've decided to make a rare exception to celebrate Theodore's engagement."

Hermione struggled not to gape at the Lady Malfoy's revelation, who in their right minds casually drank wine that was well over one hundred and fifty years old!? Malfoys apparently. When her boyfriend had mentioned that his family coveted quality and that the evening was one of absurd extravagance she hadn't expected this, and now Narcissa was expecting her to drink something that likely cost as much as her flat?

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy" she offered unsteadily as she took the flute, seeing no other option.

The older witch noticed how her companion's gaze lingered on the doorway while she sipped. Narcissa knew something was amiss. The girl's interactions with some of the guests, especially Draco's acquaintances had obviously left the poor thing rattled. In her son's absence, the lady of the Manor pursed her lips and decided to step in and conduct a bit of damage control. Draco had been too careless with his actions lately – forgetting valuable lessons. If the girl ran off now, it would only complicate plans further and leave their family's future uncertain.

Draco's feet came to a halt, as he approached the door as the murmurs of partygoers filtered out from the gaps between the door and its frame. He glanced back seeing Zabini still on the ground processing what had just happened. Meanwhile, the Malfoy heir's muggleborn was likely getting more and more cross with him for every moment he delayed returning to the party. Still, as much as haste was critical, Draco needed to be smart. Gauging her reactions properly would be key to avoiding disaster, but to do that he needed to be calm and in control of himself first.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Malfoy once again debated going back to interrogate Zabini. Sadly, he knew better than most that interrogating the Slytherin would be a fruitless endeavor; particularly after punching the Italian in the face.

Taking a deep breath, he donned his emotional mask and re-entered the brightly lit hall of his ancestral home.

His eyes quickly scanned the crowd and to his annoyance, his girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. He scowled at the Potters who were in conversation with Nott and his fiancé as well as a few other guests. Bloody Gryffindors, weren't they supposed to stick together? What's the point of those two being here if not to dissuade tossers like Blaise from speaking to Hermione.

His eyes sought out the darkened corners shrouded from the radiance of the room. While Granger wasn't the type to hide, if she was upset with him, she'd likely prefer their confrontation happened away from prying eyes so as not to cause a distraction. The last thing the muggleborn witch would want would be to cause a scene that ruined Davis and Nott's evening, a sentiment Draco shared, as well as the reason Gregory Goyle now lay unconscious in front of Malfoy Manor. He furrowed his brow continuing his search only to be interrupted by the sound of his mother's voice.

A quick glance in his mother's general direction revealed that the Malfoy matriarch wasn't alone. Unfortunately, and rather worryingly; the very person he sought to find among the crowd was standing next to the devious and manipulative woman who raised him. Even worse, the posture of both witches suggested that they had a rather unfavorable opinion of him at present.

"Draco, did I not raise you better than to leave a date unattended? You're fortunate Hermione is so understanding that she'd accept such improper behavior."

"Mother," He began; wincing slightly at Lady Malfoy's tone. "Theodore and I were pulled away; a former associate presented us with an issue that needed to be resolved swiftly." He turned to Hermione offered a nod. "Granger,"

"While that may have been the case, Theodore returned quite quickly to Ms. Davis' side. Where were you?" The elder Malfoy challenged.

"Attending to other guests. We are the hosts of this event and I was duty-bound to bid farewell to guests who decided to depart early." He answered, expertly blending lies with truth.

"That responsibility belongs to your father and me, Draco. First and foremost, your duty tonight is to Hermione, everything else should be secondary."

"I appreciate your concern Mrs. Malfoy, but I wasn't alone," Hermione offered, moving to Draco's side slightly befuddled by Narcissa's actions. "I was just talking to Blaise Zabini and Astoria Greengrass."

Hermione smiled at Draco, but it was far from the genuine smile he'd seen earlier this evening. Whatever Zabini and Astoria might've said it all boiled down to a harsh reality; Draco was in trouble.

Unaware of the nonverbal exchange happening between her son and his girlfriend, Narcissa continued stoically. "While I am pleased you've decided to actively socialize with some of our guests, Hermione. That doesn't absolve my son of his duty, even more so if you're speaking to Draco's friends and acquaintances." She shot an admonishing glare at her son, "As his girlfriend, Draco is responsible for making sure you receive a proper introduction to any and all guests who wish to make your acquaintance."

"And she will, Mother." Draco nodded, moving deeper into Hermione's personal space to emphasize his intentions.

In any normal situation, Hermione would've been offended by Lady Malfoy's insinuation and her boyfriend's misplaced gallantry, she was perfectly capable of introducing herself to anyone and didn't need Draco for that. Sadly, eschewing pureblood decorum would have to wait since there were more important matters Hermione needed to address. Blaise had left too many questions in his wake and if not for Narcissa's sudden interception, she'd be having a serious conversation with her boyfriend right now.

"Good; and since you were so intent on playing the role of host, Draco..." The elder Malfoy looked over towards an unoccupied grand piano standing proud under the spotlight. "Perhaps it's time, for a performance," she smirked sinisterly at her son before waking away.

Hermione froze as a spotlight from nowhere was now focused on them. Slowly, Draco guided them both over to the base of the raised platform upon which sat the grand piano. Pressing his lips to her knuckles in a very calculated manner, he stepped up to take a seat at the instrument and closed his eyes.

A sudden silence erupted as the Malfoy heir lifted the cover that protected the piano's keys making Hermione feel uncomfortable. She never enjoyed the spotlight and all the attention they were getting here was certainly overwhelming. Thankfully, the sound of music quickly captured everyone's attention allowing her to slip back into the crowd becoming just another face among many. Her unease faded away now that she wasn't the center of attention, but she was suddenly taken aback at the sight of the stone-faced Malfoy heir seated at the piano, hands expertly navigating the keys.

"Moonlight?" she whispered barely recognizing the melody.

"Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor." A calm voice whispered. Hermione turned and was surprised to see Theodore Nott standing next to her. "A rather a pleasant piece considering how much he hates performing for others. Last time Narcissa 'persuaded' him into this he played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor out of spite."

"I-I didn't even know Draco could play the piano." The sudden appearance of the Nott heir caught the curly-haired witch by surprise to say nothing of the revelation that her troublesome boyfriend could play the piano. Who plays Rachmaninoff out of spite?

"He's a pureblood, Granger. It's a sign of superior breeding, or so we were told," the dark-haired Slytherin offered, a hint of bitterness finding its way into his calm tone. "Most of us hated being made to perform. Actually, I think Draco and I are the only ones who can still play our instruments."

The former Gryffindor rolled her eyes at the dark-haired Slytherin's comments, "Why doesn't any of that surprise me." she remarked. In truth, the revelation of the two purebloods' musical acumen was a surprise, but she knew better than to give away too much in the company of Slytherins, especially Theo Nott.

"Because it's the kind of posh nonsense you expect of purebloods." He chuckled, "If you're feeling brave and you can find her, try mentioning the cello to Daphne. Although, just be sure to warn Draco first. She'll presume he told you and she'll hex him for it." Theo paused. "Well, I suppose you don't have to technically warn him, but I think we'd both rather Malfoy wasn't disfigured."

Hermione and Theo both listened in companionable silence as her boyfriend and his best friend continued to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Despite the beauty of Draco's playing, Hermione still felt uneasy. Theo was being far too open for a Slytherin; Astoria and Blaise too. It was suspicious; Slytherins rarely revealed anything unless it benefited them. Hopefully, Draco will be just as forthcoming later.

It was exhausting to deal with people who weren't straightforward. Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were much less complicated they spoke their minds clearly. Ravenclaws were a bit more challenging, but they were just unique rather than willfully deceptive and manipulative. Why did a pleasant evening of celebration and love, have to turn into an evening of unease that felt suffocating? As Draco moved into the next movement of the piece, she turned away from watching her boyfriend.

"I think I'll head off in search of Ginny and Harry." When Theo moved to join her, she promptly stopped him. "While I might appreciate the thought, Theodore, I think your time would be best spent elsewhere. Perhaps with your bride-to-be? You wouldn't want to give people the wrong idea or upset Hattie, would you? Besides, I think I can manage to find Harry and Ginny on my own." The distinctly Slytherin flair that permeated her words brooked no argument and left the Nott heir no choice but to acquiesce to her demands.

The light stung as Draco opened his eyes, while the crowd's applause rang in his ears. With a polite nod and half-bow to the gathered audience, he stepped away from the piano, his gaze subtly wandering towards where he'd last left his girlfriend. She was gone, which was hardly a shock to the Malfoy heir. Granger loved studying but hated being studied. She seldom sought the spotlight unless it was to help some poor creature. Admittedly, it hurt his pride somewhat to know that she hadn't stuck around to support him.

Although Draco was reasonably confident he could repair any rift caused by Zabini's actions; if Astoria had said something troublesome it might help explain why his little bookworm had disappeared rather than stay until he finished playing. The possibility that the relationship he'd spend months building might already be in ruins and that Hermione might be soon staring him down with hateful eyes felt like a cold hand crushing his heart.

As the crowd began to thin, the young wizard noticed his best friend standing alone just out of sight in the ideal place where Granger might have chosen to hide. Theo always came to watch his friend perform if only to tease him incessantly afterward and provided Nott himself hadn't also been made to perform. However, something about Nott's posture and slightly pinched brow suggested that Draco's current situation may indeed be as dire as he'd feared.

Theo tilted his head towards the door that led to the gardens, providing a clue as to where Draco's errant bookworm might have disappeared. Despite the expected nature of Hermione's departure; the reality of it undermined his parents' goal of making the young couple the center of attention and reflected very poorly on the health of his relationship.

At a glance, the displeasure on his parents' faces was clear. Mercifully, Narcissa and Lucius being masters of misdirection; granted their son a reprieve by announcing dinner, thereby distracting everyone from wondering where Hermione Granger had gone while her supposed boyfriend was performing.

Draco quietly made his way out of the room and ventured into the gardens. Concentrating on the magic of the silver dragon currently in repose on his girlfriend's chest, he followed the soft thrum of magic to track her location. The ever clever Slytherin had chosen to omit including a traditional tracking charm on the pendant since he knew his remains would've been beyond recognizable when she inevitably found it; however, passive magical detection didn't require spell work. As long as her emotions were in a heightened state he would be able to find her by focusing on the subsequent reaction caused by the dragon pendant's protective enchantments. A stubborn witch like Granger would never ask for help, so he developed this method to know when he might be needed, even if she didn't explicitly tell him. That it could also help him avoid her if she was angry was simply a coincidence, surely.

He soon found her sitting on a rock, near a bed of daffodils that surrounded the statue of his late grandmother.

"I didn't know you could play. It was beautiful, Draco." She said without lifting her eyes – stroking a yellow petal with her knuckle.

"Oh good, that means you missed the part where I buggered up the third movement." he joked, "Although, if you'd stayed it would have saved me the trouble of trying to find you. That is unless you like the idea of me chasing after you."

She raised an eyebrow at him looking over her shoulder. "Of course. Every witch wants to be wanted, Draco."

The anxious weight on Draco's shoulders lessened slightly looking at her playful expression, but he immediately schooled himself. No, this was even more dangerous. Her anger was easy to handle, but this Slytherin-like approach was too unlike her.

Disturbing his thoughts, she came closer. "If I hadn't left, we wouldn't have enough privacy for me to reward you for that beautiful piece you played." She pressed her lips to his pushing his desire for her to overcome his reason. He instinctively pulled her closer and enjoyed the intimacy he'd been longing for since he saw her in that sinful dress.

As his fingers caressed the soft skin of her back peeking through the dress, he pulled away to gauge her response to his touch only to find her smiling at him.

"Should you desire, my bedroom is just a thought away." He ran his thumb over her kiss-bruised lips, eliciting a sigh from the back of her throat. "You say the word and I'll spend the rest of the evening feasting on you instead of the meal our elves prepared." Her eyes widened and Draco chuckled darkly. "You'd best improve your tactics if you want to win against me, Hermione. Why did you leave? The truth."

She rolled her eyes and got out of his embrace. "It must be cold and lonely in that calculating mind of yours, Draco. I kiss you and you're instantly suspicious?"

"My girlfriend disappeared, and polyjuice potion exists, I'd say I'm being sensible given the circumstances."

Hermione sighed heavily, "If you must know, I needed air. It's suffocating; feeling like certain people are trying to manipulate your emotions with hints and subtext." She turned towards the statue and the flower bed surrounding it. "I wandered the gardens a bit and ended up here, where it feels oddly pleasant - very warm - welcoming."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's lack of reaction. "I thought it was a trick, at first." she continued playing with the dragon on her necklace. "A cheering charm like at Harry's wedding, but no charm past or present should be affecting me." She looked at him with a raised brow. Draco nodded confirming her presumption regarding the little dragon's protection. "So that leaves one possibility. These flowers; perhaps their pollen's been affecting me for months, making me feel safe in your arms, clouding my mind. I wonder if my feelings are nothing more than a drug-induced hallucination caused by these daffodils. Maybe that's why these flowers never seem to wilt, maybe they just make people hallucinate them remaining beautiful." She pursed her lips looking at her boyfriend, who continued to show no reaction despite her musings. "But, then this little guy also has detoxifying charms, strong ones. So it's not a hallucination. It's all real." Hermione let her words linger in the air, testing, waiting for Draco's reaction but none came. "You're still not sure it's me are you?" She asked looking annoyed.

"There are dozens of Slytherins inside that building behind me, Granger. If Potter had been keeping a proper eye on you..."

"Argh, for Merlin's sake Draco, it's really me! Wasn't this silly pendant supposed to keep me safe?!" she shouted.

"It was, but you've not been acting like yourself for quite some time."

His lioness scowled at him returning to sit on the rock upon which he'd found her; staring at the unwilting daffodils with what Draco could only describe as an adorably frustrated pout on her face.

This wasn't the kind of behavior Draco had been expecting from his girlfriend. With Zabini's cryptic boasting and her sudden departure from the party, Draco had expected to be facing down her fury and a horde of canaries. Instead, he was being treated to some of her unusual quirks. She's acting strange, even for her.

"Frustrated because you've yet to figure out the magic behind those flowers?" He offered, still trying to test the waters.

"If there weren't so many distracting thoughts clouding my mind," she said with a huff. "I would've figured it out by now."

Draco chuckled, "Distracting thoughts? Was an invitation to visit my bedroom too enticing?" As she glared at him, but Draco continued "Or perhaps you fancy the idea of us enjoying ourselves under the stars." For a moment Draco considered the possibility that his fellow Slytherin's attempts to drive Hermione away had failed.

"How about your lab?" She asked with a hand on her hip. "Is that an option?"

Fucking shite. Draco kept his practiced smirk in place, but his mind erupted. Her choice of location was enough to tip him off as to what Zabini had done. The clever and frustrating witch played him. She'd thrown an obvious romantic feint first to keep him off balance then struck in such a way that he couldn't refuse her suggestion without looking guilty. Why did she have to be so bloody brilliant?

The young Malfoy Heir really wanted to bang his head on that rock. If he was being honest with himself, this entire mess was because he'd been too wrapped up in Hermione and her project. He'd ignored Zabini to the point that his old friend had decided to take action on his behalf. Now Blaise's well-intentioned 'help' threatened to take away something precious Draco had spent the better part of a year trying to obtain, Hermione Granger's trust.

"Well, Ms. Granger. You claimed to be adventurous, but I'd have never guessed you'd be the kind of witch to fantasize about making love in a potions' lab. Perhaps I should consider accepting a professorship at Hogwarts if only for the interesting memories we could make."

"So, yay or nay on a trip to your lab?" It was obvious she wasn't going to let him deflect his way out of this mess.

Draco furrowed his brow. Her obstinate Gryffindor disposition was now on full display, making it clear that her interest wasn't in exploring carnal delights in his lab, but to find answers to questions his fellow Slytherin had left behind. "Yay." He paused, "However, I'm brewing some sensitive potions at the moment and I see no reason to risk them without knowing the depth of your desire."

"Oh, I'm simply looking to sate; among other things, a curiosity." Hermione moved towards him placing her hand on his chest. Trying to coax him into compliance with her touch.

"Curiosity, is it?" He questioned with feigned ignorance. "What curiosity could be sated in my lab but not my bedroom?"

They both knew the pretense of this conversation was hanging by a thread, but neither seemed to want to concede. Hermione was too stubborn to give up this Slytherin game of cat and mouse she'd started; while Draco couldn't afford to let her dictate the direction of their conversation.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "It's odd that you're so hesitant when a few months ago you gladly welcomed me into your lab. Are you trying to hide something from me, Draco?"

"Yes," He admitted, much to his companion's surprise. "I'm in the presence of the brightest witch of her age, and my lab is currently full of unpatented innovations and rare items that were absent during your last visit. Perhaps I'm being too cautious; however, I'd rather not take a chance with a witch capable of nicking the ingredients for Polyjuice potion from Snape's lab when she was twelve."

Hermione had enough. "You know full well I wouldn't steal anything, Draco Malfoy." She huffed annoyed with herself. She should have just been direct about this from the outset instead of behaving like a silly Slytherin. "If anything, I'd be more concerned about some of your so-called friends. Your lab might not be as secure as you believe. And for your information, I was thirteen."

"Hermione…"

"Zabini casually mentioned you have elf-bone cauldrons in your lab, Draco. He even admitted to wanting to steal one of them." Draco's expression hardened at the sudden declaration as Hermione continued to rant. "He's a Slytherin so it's not like I trust him. However, he did admit to wanting revenge against you for some incident involving Astoria; and the witch herself seemed to confirm that at the very least there was an incident." she chuckled nervously finally catching Draco's gaze. "I know Zabini was motivated to try to cause trouble, however, it didn't feel like anything he told me was a lie. So regardless of whether it's a lie or not, as your girlfriend, I owe you the benefit of the doubt and the right to try to explain."

"Hermione…"

"Why do you think he would construct such an absurd lie?" She continued, seemingly unwilling to let him respond. "I know some unscrupulous wizard folk illegally hunt fire crabs to use the shells as cauldrons, which by the way is absolutely an abhorrent practice but using elf remains? What kind of vile, greedy, opportunistic monster would do something like that?" The pain reflected in the young witch's eyes as she spoke showed just how caring a person she was. "Intellectually, I understand the need and use of animal products when synthetics are unavailable, but there are ethical ways to go about it. For Merlin's sake, elves deserve the same rights as anyone; they deserve respect in life and in death. There's nothing ethical about desecrating the body of a sentient being!"

There it is. Draco saw his opportunity, while there'd be no way to handle this smoothly, there was still some hope. It was risky, but lying to this witch would be far more disastrous. Not wanting to run the risk of her fist being reintroduced to his face, Draco stepped back turning away from her gaze. "Elf bone tools are imbued with an elf's own magic - they're not forcibly made against an elf's wish; it's a choice, not desecration. An elf might spend years suffusing magic into their own bones so that when they die, they might still be of use to their master. As ghastly as you might find all this; it's an expression of devotion and respect. So much so, that the quality of the tool created depends on their own desire and effort." He explained, watching for his troublesome lioness' reaction or oncoming attack out of the corner of his eye. "As subservient as elves might be, they still have their own will. While I could order an elf to infuse their bones with magic, the quality is only as good as they choose to make it."

Not wanting to say too much, Draco waited for some kind of reaction from his girlfriend, but the silence that lingered was deafening.

"So, it's true."

"Yes, Granger."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Tell you?" Draco curbed his snort. "I'm not Longbottom or one of your lions. If anything, I tried to keep this information from you. I didn't need you deciding to personally seize my equipment, and get my brewing license revoked out of spite."

She reached over to grasp his arm and Draco swore he would've turned to a pile of ash if looks could kill. "I want to see it."

Her tone was low – dangerous enough to make him extremely cautious. Her arguments he could handle with his wit - her anger with his charm, but the silence was deadly. "No - unless I have your word that neither of those two things will come to pass. I'm not about to surrender my livelihood or my property just to make you feel better."

"An elf is not property!" Hermione shouted.

"No; they aren't, but a cauldron is and I will not allow you to take what was given to me."

Her eyes widened. "Do you honestly believe that I'm that petty?" She questioned as she spun him around to look directly into his eyes. "That I would destroy your livelihood and seize things just because I was upset?"

"Perhaps it's more confidence that you value elves more, Hermione. That you'd punish me for perceived sins, against you and a dead house-elf you never met."

Hermione cringed at his words and averted her face. "How can you say that, Draco. I've dedicated years of my life to helping house elves, to making their lives better, to make sure that they are respected. It wouldn't be a perceived sin, what you're describing is just as bad as Walburga's wall of severed heads! It's the very thing I'm trying to fight."

Draco sighed trying to reach for her. Hermione pulled away shooting a scathing glare at him.

Draco tried his best to control his frustration, he couldn't afford to lash out in anger and ruin everything. "A cursory explanation, yet I'm still the villain." The Slytherin challenged getting her attention. "Odd, isn't it? You've just learned of this practice and yet you presume to lecture me on its morality; a topic of which you're still largely ignorant."

His tone wasn't as condescending as Hermione had expected rather he sounded a bit like Snape when the late professor would admonish a student which to her was even more frustrating. "Yes; play the ignorant card against me, Draco. I'll have you know I've done my best to learn everything I can about anything. I always try to seek out every source or book available." She defended. "Do you remember our first meeting? You suggested I lacked knowledge regarding house-elves and wizard customs."

"Which continues to be a prob... Gah!" He clutched his arm, as she shot a stinging hex at him.

"I'm still talking, you ferret." Hermione lashed out, pointing her wand at him. Ignoring his glares, she continued. "You took on the responsibility of educating me, didn't you? And for your information, I memorized all the important information in those books you lent me from your library. So - I wonder whose fault it is that I didn't know about this horrific practice, any idea?"

A loud finger snap rang out, followed by a pop. Hermione noticed a diminutive creature in her boyfriend's shadow, she was so distracted by the sudden interruption she missed out on hearing anything Draco was saying. By the time she realized just who had appeared, he was already gripping her hand as her world started to warp around her.

They landed soundly in a dark place and Hermione's eyes searched for Tinky but he was already gone. It was just Draco and the sounds of bubbling cauldrons.

"Your lab? Why did you bring me here? Where's Tinky?!"

"With Nott," The Malfoy heir's non-answer prompted her to press her wand to his jugular. "Hex first, answers later?" He snarked rolling his eyes at her. "Tinky was the simplest way to get you here without me wasting my breath asking for consent to apparate us. Your pendant protects you from most forms of magic; including mine, and as you know elf magic bypasses most wards. As to why you're in my lab; well, I'd wager that explanation would be much easier when I'm not being held at wand point." Draco stood stoically as Hermione silently lowered her wand.

"How is it that you're trying to guilt me into feeling bad when you've just admitted to willfully deceiving me and abducted me without consent?"

"Slytherin." He replied.

Hermione groaned, "Why is it always that part of you that seems to bite me in the arse... Don't! Don't you dare." Knowing her boyfriend was about to make a remark at her choice of words. "I want you to explain why we're here. Why you, who seemed to be so invested in helping elves, would have such a ghastly thing in your lab. Why you deliberately hid knowledge about house-elves from me, when you led me to believe you were sharing everything."

The hint of betrayal in her voice was unmistakable. Draco knew Hermione wasn't simply upset about being left in the dark about this aspect of wizarding and house-elf culture. She was upset he'd deceived her. Unfortunately, this omission was the least of his sins against her and was the reason his heart felt crushed in an icy grip.

"Ask yourself this, Hermione. Had you known would you be mere days away from making the life of every elf in our world better, or would you have ended everything months ago on principle?"

"That's..."

"Not fair, I know. However, it does explain why I might be hesitant to share, doesn't it?"

Seemingly unimpressed; Hermione folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin, waiting for him to explain more.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her but there was no change in her demeanor. He realized he needed to tweak his approach to better persuade her. He slowly approached her with a thoughtful expression. "Do you see that cauldron?" he said pointing to the same cauldron she'd examined all those months ago. "It was crafted from the remains of Tinky's mother.

Hermione felt nauseous thinking about her past experience with that cauldron.

"One of my mother's elves. Annoying; but kind to a fault," he chuckled smiling sadly, "She started imbuing her bones with magic after my first year at Hogwarts. Telling me that she'd help me best that awful mud... you know." Hermione silently took note of Draco's quick correction. "Silly little thing attuned it perfectly to my magical core. In my hands, it could brew miracles; to anyone else, it's worthless bone. The sad thing is, it would have been twice as powerful if Greyback hadn't killed her in a fit of rage after you all..." The young wizard took a deep breath and sighed glancing at the faintest scar on his girlfriend's neck. "I didn't find out she was gone until after my trial."

A painful silence followed his confession, but Draco saw that his honest statements had affected his kind-hearted bookworm. Although Hermione's gaze didn't soften, her posture relaxed as she stepped closer. "I-I'm sorry for your loss. I suppose those were dark days for us all." A companionable silence fell between the two for a brief moment before Hermione spoke again. "But don't mistake understanding for forgiveness, Draco. It's more that my time with Tracey earlier this evening opened my eyes to a few things."

Bloody hell, did it ever end? Draco tensed imperceptibly. Despite Draco's close friendship with her fiancé, the Malfoy heir knew Tracey Davis wouldn't hesitate to throw him under the bus if she felt it was in Hermione's best interest. That little silver dragon would have been ample justification for Davis to say something he'd rather she didn't.

"Draco, are you even listening?"

"Of course," he cut back. "Forgive me for not appearing attentive; I delight to hear what Nott's future wife revealed to you in her efforts to make me miserable."

Hermione looked confused by the sudden sarcasm, but dismissed it for now and continued on. "While I may never understand the bond you had with Tinky's mother or the one you share with Tinky; Tracey gave me the opportunity to see those kinds of bonds from a new perspective. You remember how Tracey and I were at loggerheads? This evening, I saw first hand why she so adamantly against me. "A soft smile formed on her lips at the memory."And honestly, were I in Tracey's place I might've been just as adamant, if not more so. Hattie's so fragile and still wants to help Tracey, to be useful. I wish..." Hermione trailed off lost in her thoughts. Shaking her head to address the reality, she looked at Draco with a conflicted gaze. "What I'm trying to say, I realize they needed each other. I saw something that transcended the bonds Helga Hufflepuff hoped for, I saw a family and that is what makes your revelation all the more horrifying."

"I fail to understand why seeing that elf fussing over Davis makes this practice horrific." He began, "If you've seen how stubbornly loving that old thing is, you should understand why the practice of using bone tools is the farthest thing from horrific. Would you refuse the final gift a loved one could give?"

"This is entirely different, Draco."

"How so? Isn't there a concept called organ donation in the Muggle world? I've no interest in muggle practices, but it seems similar in intent; to surrender yourself in death so that you might be used as a gift to benefit the living."

Hermione huffed raising her hands into the air. "Don't even start comparing those two. Organ donation is a benevolent gesture, this is just exploitation. It isn't honoring a life, it's profiting off of death. How many elves have suffered because of this practice? How many Pureblood families have exploited kind-hearted elves for their own selfish needs? What's to stop mass indoctrination of innocent beings, of normalizing this so that every elf believes they must infuse their bones with magic? What's to stop things from escalating further and turning into a full-blown business venture?!" She shouted, her questions becoming more frantic.

"Your worries are misplaced, Granger," he cut in. "While bone tools are superior, they are also fragile and have a limited number of uses. Only potioneers with exceptional skill can manage to make use of them; even then they prefer fire-crab shells since it's more reliable. As a businessman and potioneer trust me when I say elf bone tools are not a financially viable venture. Furthermore, the majority of wizards would rather have their house-elves doing their daily chores than suffusing magic into their own bones. The fact of the matter is, there's more value in keeping elves as servants than, you know, ordering them to make cauldrons of themselves." He stopped realizing his girlfriend's thoughts were in someplace else.

"Oh, Godric!" Her eyes suddenly went wide as she recalled an unpleasant fact. "A house-elf Ossuary, you said you had one on the Manor's grounds!"

Draco was losing it. Things were getting out of hand and his daft bint of a girlfriend wasn't listening. She was righteous to a fault, but for some reason, she couldn't see that her fear and objections were unwarranted. He needed to take control of the situation, to show her the reality she refused to accept. "House-elf Ossuary was and will always be a place for the house-elves of Malfoy Manor to remember their ancestors, nothing more."

"How can I believe that?"

"I'll take you there if you want. See it for yourself."

"No," Hermione protested with widened eyes. "I've seen enough death to last a whole lifetime. I don't, I can't..." She trailed off, memories of Dobby's lifeless body haunting her mind. If not for Harry, would Dobby have ended up there?

"Then let me take you back to the garden, you found it calming." Before Hermione could answer they were standing amidst the ever-blooming daffodils.

Hermione gasped at the sudden change of their location and shot a sharp glare at him. "Don't do that! Just when I start to believe you... wait! How did we get here? The pendant?!" She looked down confirming the green-eyed dragon still hung between her breasts.

He gently pressed a finger to her lips. "Belief is a dangerous thing, Hermione. I've told you many times you need to be able to spot deception, to see the truths and lies for what and why they are." He pulled her along and sat them down on a rock adjacent to the flowerbed. He knew he was playing with fire but he needed her thinking not just reacting. "Ask the right questions, and you'll know if you can trust my words. Use that mind of yours, instead of losing yourself to emotion. If you're going to accuse me of wrongdoing on circumstantial evidence make sure you know you're right."

Hermione took a deep breath to clear her mind and center herself. "How did we get here? You didn't call Tinky this time so explain yourself."

Draco smirked at the sight of his lioness' inquisitive mind taking over; she was always at her most beautiful to him when she used her mind first and her heart second. "An unregistered portkey; a gift from my late-grandfather Abraxas to his wife." The Malfoy heir slowly pulled a simple silver hat pin from his breast pocket and gestured towards the female statue. "Technically illegal, yes I know." He supplied answering the unasked question.

"And I suppose you're always carrying a lady's hatpin with you?"

"No, I had it with me just in case you decided to start a fight with one of this evening's more bigoted guests. I didn't really trust you not to make a scene. Which I suppose given our current predicament was somewhat prudent planning on my part."

She huffed, annoyed at his claim, but continued to press for answers. "So, do you claim to have never used a bone cauldron?"

"No. If I never used it, it would be an insult to our elves' dedication to The Malfoy family. However, I try to use them very sparingly, so as to not be wasteful."

"Aha!" She exclaimed trying to pivot out of his grip. "I've got a very good memory, Draco. I seem to recall you had a bone cauldron brewing a potion last time I came to your lab. That doesn't seem like using them sparingly to me."

"Are you referring to a time when I was still assessing the value of this project? A time when I admittedly still doubted aspects of your approach and was under no romantic obligation to change my behavior?"

"Yes, when you were a still frustrating prat."

Sensing an opportunity, Draco pivoted his approach once again. Honesty had served him well this evening when it came to dealing with his lioness, so perhaps it would be better to blend it with a bit of charm to make it more effective. "I still am a prat, Granger."

"Yes, I suppose you are." Hermione said with slumped shoulders. "Maybe it was naive of me to think you've changed."

"It was," His quick and honest reply shocked her. "You let a new perspective change your view on reality. You allowed yourself to be charmed by the aspects of me you didn't know existed and thought that was a sign of change; it wasn't." Draco watched as the gears in Hermione's head worked to resolve his revelations, but continued undaunted. "As you know, Malfoys go to great lengths to protect things we value." He turned his face up towards the darkened sky and placed a hand over the hidden skull and serpent mark on his arm. "This project, its ideals, and even you Hermione are things I've come to value."

Hermione stopped him. "You're getting off-topic, Draco. We're supposed to be talking about those cauldrons, not us."

"Context, Granger. When I first came to you about funding your project, I was skeptical. You seemed incapable of accomplishing anything of value, but I've known you too long. Your self-righteousness got in the way; it's why Davis was trying so hard to hinder you. So I sharpened your focus and gave you access to knowledge that could change your perspective and would benefit your goals."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "But not everything, which is the problem. You hid the truth, lied by omission."

"So did Severus Snape; and thanks to his deception, I'm not a murderer, Potter's not dead, and the Dark Lord is no more. Some deceptions can serve the greater good. I've already explained at length that the creation and use of bone tools is far less evil than you presumed it to be. Furthermore, the E.L.F. will benefit elves far more than that practice could harm."

Draco waited with bated breath. He was out of moves; if she still wasn't willing to accept his revelations and forgive him there would be no chance she'd ever forgive his knowledge of their magical compatibility no matter how she felt about him when that truth was revealed. This gambit was a test of her willingness to accept the idea that 'the ends justified the means'. He did feel some guilt using Snape as justification, but she'd pushed him to the limit of his cunning.

Hermione took a deep breath and looked at him. "See, I understand." When Draco raised a knotted brow at her, she shrugged. "But I disagree. You should have told me, you shouldn't have deceived me. Regardless of your intentions, you did exactly what I thought the old Draco would do. A man I want nothing to do with."

Her words hit him like a frozen spike driven into his chest. Everything he'd spent months working towards was gone. Not because of Magical Matching, but because of some silly old bones. Draco supposed that it was ironic that his least selfish action would have been his undoing.

"However," she continued "After having seen the close bond between an elf and a human. I won't judge you too harshly for the choices you made in the past. If everything you've told me tonight is true - I'll be verifying every claim, trust me - then I'll let this go."

The pain in his chest ebbed as she spoke, and Draco couldn't help but feel a small amount of relief that he'd chosen to be completely honest with her. Her search would only confirm his claims. Yet, her use of the words 'Too harshly' suggested he should remain on guard. "That's fair. However, I should point out there is no 'old' Draco, Granger. I am me, as I have always been past, present, and future."

"Nice try. All of us change, Draco; it would be better if you'd just acknowledge that fact. The 'old' you wouldn't have even tried to convince me at all." She smirked triumphantly at him, before continuing. "Also, while I can't forbid you from using that cauldron, I'm planning to add a clause in our appeal to harshly restrict the use and creation of elf-bone tools going forward. While I don't plan to fully forbid it because I believe elves have the right to choose; from now on, no house-elf will be made to participate in such a morbid activity without their full consent being determined and verified by The Office of Elvish Licensing and Freedom."

Even though Hermione looked calm and composed, Draco could see the determination in her eyes and knew not to argue but couldn't resist. "You realize that's going to increase costs, Davis is going to have a fit when you tell her."

"Luckily, I know a certain pureblood who'll gladly cover the full cost to keep me happy," said Hermione with a conspicuous smile. "It's quite nice to have such a caring and supportive boyfriend." Draco adopted a stoic look hiding all his emotions from her. "Don't you think, Draco?"

It was a loaded question and Draco knew it. The witch sitting beside him had adapted a Slytherin approach in dealing with the situation and some part of his heart was proud of it. Hermione's hypothetical solution created a situation wherein her proposal was seen as the only acceptable solution and her smile told him that she was confident that she'd backed him into a corner as a result. However, he'd been playing this game all his life and wasn't about to accept defeat.

"Yes it is; you're very fortunate to have me, Granger. However, I have a counter offer. In return to not imposing a restriction on the use of Elf bone tools, I will use my skills to brew a potion to help Davis' house-elf. I'm not going to promise a miracle, but I should be able to help her last at least until Nott's first heir is born."

"That's vile! You'd hold an innocent creature hostage for your own selfish gain?" She fumed.

"Hardly, I'm merely addressing the problem caused by restricting use. I've no issue with restricting the creation of bone tools and fully support you in that, both ethically and financially."

"Because it would increase the value of the tools you already own." Hermione cut in, still looking visibly annoyed.

"Hermione, my point is by restricting use you're limiting a potioneer's ability to act benevolently."

"And selfishly."

"Yes, but the restriction on the creation of bone tools does both anyway. Elf cauldrons have limited uses, remember? It's meaningless to restrict use when that happens naturally. Your restriction is mostly just meaningless regulation, but I'm not so naive to think I could persuade you of that fact without offering something you wanted in return for accepting my offer."

The former Gryffindor didn't say anything as she looked directly into her boyfriend's eyes. By his own admission, he was an opportunist, and this may have been just another example of that, however, she had to admit his argument was logically sound. "I want your word that you'll create that potion regardless of my decision."

"Done." Although it wasn't easy to commit to such a generous act, it was the best option considering the circumstances. He would be able to sate his own desire to brew and test a superior potion; at the same time, he'd be honoring his girlfriend's wishes and desire to help that old elf. It was a win-win situation for him. "I wasn't trying to dissuade your idealism, you know."

No sooner had the Malfoy heir finished speaking did he notice his lioness was giving him an amusing smile. "I didn't expect that to be so easy. You're losing your touch Draco."

Draco narrowed his eyes as the realization dawned upon him. "How much of this argument was just theater?"

"You'll never know, but I'm glad you came to the proper answer." she smiled smugly placing a finger on his lips. "I was genuinely cross with you, but you behaved like a gentleman; for the most part, and thanks to that no elf will ever have to suffer exploitation again."

It took a moment for Draco to put everything that had happened in order. In hindsight, small details suddenly gained new meaning. The romantic tone she'd had when he'd first found her on this rock was to unsettle him, then she capitalized on that by becoming obstinate to get answers about Zabini's revelations, finally she tested his values and the merits of their relationship all the while securing his aid regarding Davis' elf. This whole time she'd been showing unnatural self-restraint, blending her Gryffindor disposition with Slytherin cunning. Testing him, pushing him, deceiving him. Less than a year and she's already a near-perfect Malfoy bride. Quick learner my arse, she's a sodding prodigy.

Though he was the loser in this battle of wits, he couldn't ignore the pride he felt at how masterfully she's dealt with the problems at hand. He pushed her finger off and pulled her closer. "You're devious, Granger and I've never found you more attractive."

She let him kiss her as some sort of peace settled in her thoughts. Despite a few stumbles, and a bit of frustration Hermione had found a much better outcome than she'd expected, especially after the doubts Zabini's statements had created. She's also somehow managed to secure Draco's cooperation in brewing a potion to help Tracey and Hattie. As she pried her lips from his and rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes wandered back to the blooming daffodils.

The warmth and welcoming feeling returned again and this time she was able to focus. Draco had all but confirmed that this statue was Abraxas Malfoy's gift of devotion to his wife that Narcissa had mentioned so long ago. It truly was a sight to behold surrounded by the yellow flowers softly swaying in the moonlight. It was unexplainably elegant and a touch of magic seemed to permeate the air itself. Despite the serenity, a sudden thought struck her mind.

"Granger, while I might enjoy intimate silences, it would be a blow to my ego if you fell asleep on my shoulder. Perhaps we sho…"

"Oh my! How did I miss it?"

She jumped to her feet pulling a confused Draco along with her. Looking at the expression on her face he smiled. Her face lit up like a child at a candy store.

"These flowers, they're your father's gift of devotion to your mother, aren't they?"

"I knew you would figure it out."

"That's not all, I also figured out why they're always in bloom." She smiled triumphantly. "Those Daffodils stay in bloom by absorbing ambient magic instead of water and sunlight."

"That's two for two, Granger. I'm impressed how did you manage to figure out the mystery behind my father's magnum opus so quickly?"

"It's simple; we're on a magical ley line." Hermione was so pleased with herself that he failed to notice her boyfriend's eyes go wide. "Wiltshire is home to not only your Manor but Stonehenge. These flowers have an unnatural glow that mine don't have anymore. I don't use magic much at home which would explain why my daffodils aren't as beautiful as these. The ley line also explains why I feel so at ease here. We're standing in a magical nexus point." As she looked over to notice Draco wasn't looking at her but was staring at the rock they'd been sitting on with a troubled expression. "Draco, what's the matter?"

"If you're right about the ley line, which would be news to me. Then that means I was conceived on that rock." He offered emotionlessly. The curly-haired witch let out an audible gasp before she struggled to suppress her giggles. "Laugh it up Hermione; because once we get back inside I'm going to have either you or Nott obliviate this piece of unwanted knowledge out of my mind."

"Not a chance Draco, we're both going to have to learn how to live with it." She said as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"You've got me working on a potion for a house-elf; can't you let this one go?"

"Nope."

Draco sighed in defeat, hoping that when they both returned to the party he could 'celebrate' the knowledge away with firewhiskey. "Shall we head back inside, my lioness? I'd rather not face Potter or his fiery wife nor their wands when they come looking for you."

As Hermione took the hand Draco offered, she rolled her eyes at his lioness comment. Not the worst pet name, I suppose.

The ambient sounds of the Nott engagement party grew as they approached Malfoy manor, but Hermione was lost in thought. After finally uncovering the meaning and the secret behind those unwilting Daffodils she still had one question; Why had Narcissa shared such a gift in the first place? Especially at a time when Hermione was little more than a stranger and long before any hint of romance with Draco had bloomed. For now, she dismissed the wild theories that her imagination was creating and decided to examine things later. Tonight was a night to celebrate the love and devotion Tracey had found in Theo.

Hermione absentmindedly reached for the dragon on her necklace as they headed inside. It had been a mystery before, but now Hermione understood why Tracey treasured her raven. Knowing you were loved and protected. A tumultuous evening to be sure, but Hermione had successfully persuaded her boyfriend to promise to help Tracey spend a few more years with her aging elf, and she'd overcome doubts that might have kept her from the next step with her platinum prince. All things considered, not a bad evening, not bad at all.