Chapter Text
There was a time not very long ago where we lived in a magical world, full of elegant palaces and grand parties.
The year was 2003.
Harry Potter, her best friend, was the Chosen One, destined to save them all.
And he had.
They were celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. This year was in Saint Petersburg, where the Krum family moved to, to honor their fallen son, Victor. Each year the Ministry hosted a ball in a different location to show appreciation to all who aided in winning the war.
That night, no star burned brighter than that of the Golden Girl .
Dressed in an elegant turquoise gown, with sleeves to her elbow and a square neck, along with beautiful square gems gifted by Molly Weasley, Hermione Granger was quite literally the belle of the ball. She was every year.
After all of the court cases, acquittals and new found friendships, the Golden trio was excited for another celebration. All of their friends made it a point to attend, the Order, and other important ministry members, aurors included.
The evening went by perfectly. It was also the night Hermione planned on announcing her engagement with Draco Malfoy. It had been three years since the Prophet stopped referring to him as a Death Eater, and finally accepted him as a respected member of the wizarding society again.
With Ron gone so often for his Quiddich career, Draco actually spent more time with Harry and Hermione, becoming close with Potter and slowly falling in love with the bright witch.
And now, two years into their secret relationship, they were ready to go public, with the full support of their friends and family.
The ballroom was full of life, and Hermione danced and danced to the music until her feet were aching, and then she danced some more. Luna, Neville, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Pansy, Theo and Draco. Her love spun her round and round. She giggled into his chest, gasping when he dipped her and came face to face.
“What do you say we get out of here early, love?”
Hermione rolled her eyes as he swung her back up, clutching his bicep to keep her balance. “Draco,” she chided. “There's so much left on the itinerary. And our plans!”
Draco flashed her a grin, his white blonde hair perfectly in place. “A quick shag, then? I promise I won’t rip your dress like last time.”
She placed a hand on his face. “You are insatiable. And , I don’t believe you.”
Draco spun her again, right into Harry’s arms, chuckling as he conceded and went to mingle.
The palace was exquisite, with golden decor covering every surface. Red velvet furnishings, decadent paned windows and large, decorated mirrors. Paintings filled the halls, the portraits having a party of their own inside their ornate frames, and bundles of candles were in every corner.
Harry, looking smart in a new suit, gave her a warm smile as they began their dance together. “Hello Hermione, having fun?”
“Yes! Though I am quite nervous, and kind of hoping I was back in my office working on all of that paperwork I left behind.”
“Oh, Mione, one night won’t kill you. Well, perhaps I shouldn’t speak too soon. I’ll be sure to check on you later in case you feel faint. I have a fountain pen. If that helps, you can go write something down.”
“Bugger off, will you?” Hermione glared at him. He laughed.
Twirling past George dancing with his mother, Harry spoke up again. “I actually do have a gift for you, an early present before our trip to Paris next month.”
Hermione gave him a look, but also couldn’t help her heart swelling at the gesture. “Harry, you shouldn’t have.”
“Yeah, yeah, well I did. And since I told you, I might as well give it to you now. Come here.” He was shy, and it made Hermione stifle a laugh. Harry showed his love for his friends often, and always was nonchalant about it.
He led her from the dance floor to the tables where their names were placed. Hermione eyed Draco talking to the Minister, Kingsley, and he gave her a secret look that had her blushing. He tilted his head toward the stairs, presumably to their room on an upper level. She quickly nodded, heat filling her belly, having already changed her mind.
Merlin, she couldn’t get enough of that man.
Turning her attention back to Harry, they sat down, knees facing each other, huddled like they had a secret. While he was reaching into his suit coat for the gift, Hermione told him how excited she was to visit France.
“I know it is technically Ministry business, but I am very much looking forward to sightseeing and the like. Maybe you’ll find love there Harry, it is the city for it, supposedly. Since, you know, Ginny didn’t work out. How are you doing, by the way, we haven’t had much time to talk much since we were preparing for this-” She gestured to the room around them, the bustling party and witches and wizards conversing.
“Hermione,” Harry gave her a pointed look. “You're rambling. I saw Draco rush up the stairs after giving his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. I know. Just take the gift, please, so I can go gag elsewhere.”
Her face heated and she pursed her lips, trying to hold back a laugh. “Thank you, Harry.”
He handed her a necklace, the thin golden chain dangling from his hand with a small pendant hanging from it. It was emerald and on the back inscribed…
“Together in Paris?” Hermione whispered, quiet tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them back.
Harry shrugged, pushing his glasses back up his nose. “Yeah, well, I know how excited you are, and you work so hard, are always there for me. Mione, I couldn’t do this life without you, you will always be my best friend. And here,” Pulling another item from his coat, he produced a small matching oval box. “The necklace unlocks-”
“A jewelry box?” Hermione supplied.
Harry winked. “A music box.”
Her eyes grew wide and she waited for him to show her. As he opened it, a small melody began, two dancing figures spun inside. She gasped.
“Harry is that…?”
Shy again, he nodded his head. “Yes, the song we danced to while hunting horcruxes. Mal-Draco helped me pick out the box and we put the music in special. The necklace I did on my own, though.”
Hermione began to hum along to it and then sang, Harry joined her.
On the wind
Cross the sea
Hear this song and remember
Soon you’ll be home with me
Once upon a December
She leaned her head to his and thanked him again, holding the gifts close to her chest. “I’ll go put them in my room for safe keeping.” She whispered.
Harry jerked back, scrunching his face at her. “Ha-ha-ha, okay get out of here, you only have maybe twenty minutes until speeches start though. Draco usually quick enough for that?”
Hermione smacked his arm and he choked on a sip of champagne. “Oh hush!”
She took off upstairs, meeting Narcissa’s sparkling eyes as she delicately put a gloved hand over her mouth to hide her smile. As Hermione rounded the corner at the top of the staircase, picking up her dress to run down the guest wing hall, a firm hand pulled her into a closet.
“What in th-”
“Hello, love, we have to make this quick, don’t we?” Draco’s amused, low voice whispered in her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. She arched into him.
It was pitch dark inside once he shut and locked the door. Hermione fretted trying to see him until Draco kissed her below the ear and grabbed his wand.
“ Lumos.” He whispered, setting his wand on a shelf above them. She repeated the cantation and handed him her own wand to lie next to his. A soft blue glow filled the tiny room.
“Draco,” She chastised him in a quiet voice. “I had to put some things in my room, Harry got me a-”
“Music box, yes. I’ll put it away after we are done, don’t worry. Now turn around, and be quiet, love, unless you want Rita Skeeter getting an extra inside scoop.” His hands ran down her curves as he dipped his head to her neck, sucking and kissing a trail under her chin. She stretched her head up and began breathing heavily.
“Draco,” A moan, as Hermione reached her arms back and held him, twirling her fingers in his hair. He chuckled, hitching her dress up and sweeping his hand up her thigh. Draco’s other hand, the one he filled with tattoos from his fingers to his shoulder to cover the faded dark mark, slid from her waist to her throat, holding her in place, flush against his hard, hard body.
She whimpered as his long fingers clasped around her jaw and cheek, his thumb firm on her throat.
His voice was thick in her ear, “Are you going to be quiet for me, or do I need to silence the room?”
Hermione hummed in response, the sound vibrating on his fingers. The hand inching up her dress met her knickers and she inhaled quickly, excitement soaring through her. “Please,” She swallowed. “Draco, please.”
“ Evanesco. ” He vanished her undergarments and slipped his fingers ever so close to her core. She let out a choking sound, fidgeting against him even more. “Shhh. I’ve got you, little witch.” Draco finally touched her where she wanted, stroking her swollen clit with expertise. He knew exactly what she wanted and how she would break for him. Moving his hand from her throat to her mouth, he kept her lips closed and whispered naughty things as he continued to swirl his thumb around her clit, moving two other fingers to her entrance and pressing in.
Her knees buckled, but Draco held her up.
“Merlin, look at you, so beautiful. So responsive for me.” He praised her, whispers flowing from his mouth as he kept her firmly shut. The moans in Hermione’s throat hummed and he nipped at her exposed skin. “You’re mine, love, and tonight I get to tell the whole world that the brightest witch of her age is all mine . Maybe I should tell them how she begs for me, too. What do you think?”
Draco loosened his hand against her lips and Hermione gasped again as he pressed his fingers deeper inside, massaging that spot that made her see stars. “We-we don’t have time to pla-a-ay.”
Keeping his thumb rubbing circles against her, Draco cleared his throat and said, “As you wish, princess .” in a teasing manner. With his free hand he unbuckled and undid his suit trousers, pulling himself free and sliding against her until his cock was right at her entrance.
Hermione bent over a bit more and stood on her tiptoes, trying to entice him to push into her. She turned back to look at him, wanting to watch. Draco, tie loosened and shirt untucked, bit his lip and slid his cock through her wetness a few times, tapping his head against her clit and making her need to stifle more moans, before he grabbed her hip and entered her fully.
“Fuck!”
Draco chuckled. “What a dirty little mouth, love. Need me to wash it out for you?” He slammed into her repeatedly, both hands on her hips now. “Touch yourself, Hermione. Show me what a good girl you are and I’ll give you a reward.”
Hermione let go of the door frame with one hand and started playing with her clit, feeling Draco’s cock stretch her with each thrust. She was so close, almost there, and then he spread her apart and pressed into her as deep as he could. Hermione went limp, biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood as she clenched around him, coming hard. She let out a moan that was half squeak and Draco rubbed circles on her back, coaxing it out.
“Shhh, love, you did so good. Fu-u-uck.” Draco’s thrusts became erratic while he filled her. “Good girl, good girl. Look at you. Gods, you feel so good.” Still inside her, Draco pulled her back against him and she twisted her neck to kiss him. Their lips collided and they both let out a sigh of relief.
She was exhausted now, and ready for bed, but they had another half of the party to show face for. Hermione groaned and Draco chuckled at her.
“Come on, perk up. We have more exciting things to look forward to tonight. I’ll go and put the music box in our room, and you should keep the necklace on, you look stunning.” They were fixing their attire when Hermione noticed something.
“Draco, I cannot go commando for the rest of the night. Especially with a certain something dripping down my leg.”
Draco smirked at her, retying his tie. When she didn’t budge, he rolled his eyes. “Fine.” Grabbing both their wands, he transfigured his handkerchief into some panties for her to wear under her dress, and scourgafied both their bodies.
She thanked him and patted her dress down to smooth any wrinkles. He kissed her nose, forehead, then lips and said, “I’ll meet you back downstairs in a moment. I love you.”
“I love you too, I can’t wait to all go to Paris next month.” She flashed him an excited grin and he shook his head at her, too in love not to smile back.
“Me either, love.”
Hermione practically skipped back to the stairs before stopping to gracefully descend them. She spotted Harry at the bottom, talking to Ron, and then Narcissa across the room, talking to Molly. She was so glad to have all of her friends in one place tonight. Everyone she loved, enjoying life together. They all earned it.
But a dark shadow descended upon the wizarding world yet again. They never made it to Paris.
The candles flared bright around the room before extinguishing all together. Within the dark, a green glow emerged as a hooded figure entered the grand ballroom. The crowd parted for him.
Voldemort was back.
Somehow, someway, he came back again.
They should have had him, with all the ministry members and skilled aurors there with their wands drawn. But they were no match. Voldemort met her eye as Hermione continued to slowly make her way down the rest of the stairs, standing next to her best friends in the entire world. A sick smile creeped upon his face as he watched her every move.
When he was almost at the front of the room , Harry spoke. “How dare you return.” He tried to expose him for what he was, a fraud, weak. Harry would kill him for a second time, this time for good.
“You think you can kill me ? I am the Dark Lord. No one will ever defeat me!” Voldemort spat at him. A brave wizard shot a curse at him, and Voldemort deflected it without a second look. “Your little Order will die tonight!” He curses, that green glow coming from a necklace he wore burst bright. He crashed something to the ground and chaos erupted.
Where did he go?
Hermione gripped Harry’s sleeve as hundreds of green bats filled the room, somehow cursing the people below. Many fell to the ground immediately, never to get up again. An evil voice echoed around the room, Voldemort’s. “I will not rest until I see the end of the Order forever!”
She met Harry and Ron’s eyes as they all decided that they had to run. Tonight was not the night to fight back. Voldemort was consumed with hatred for Harry and the others. He sold what little was left of his soul for the power to destroy them. His death eaters, now bats, joined him once again to help carry out his plan.
For their dark purpose to seal the fate of Harry Potter and his friends.
He started the spark of chaos that turned to a flame. Everyone screamed and ran in all different directions. Witches and wizards alike were consumed with fear.
They held hands as they rushed from the room, dodging the evil little bats as best they could when Ron was struck down.
Time froze. Stood still. Everything was silent in Hermione’s ears. Harry dropped to the floor to grab their friend, yelling and crying at the same time. Hermione turned in a circle, watching the battle commence.
Luna, eyes open, laid across the table, Neville hunched over a chair holding her hand. Narcissa backed in a corner as twenty bats surrounded her, she tried to curl in on herself and smack them away, but they wouldn’t budge. Hermione reached for her wand.
Where was her wand?
She heaved Harry up, grabbing his tear stricken face that matched her own. “Harry, Harry, Draco has my wand. Draco is upstairs. We need to go. We have to leave him. Draco will help us out. We need to go, please.”
Harry nodded and stood, his wand in his hand. She turned back to Draco’s mother, shouting at Harry to help her first and they could all go together.
She was on the floor in a heap. Not moving. Blood covered her from the bats that continued to attack her body. Harry’s mouth was wide open in a sob, he followed her glance, and sent a curse in her direction to shoo the bats away.
They made it to the stairs. They would be wide open. Together, they held each other tight and Harry covered them as they moved. Bats followed them, extremely agile. They tore at Hermione and Harry’s clothes as they ran. She looked up and saw Draco running toward them.
“Go! Go, Draco!”
“Malfoy, run!” Harry shouted at the same time as her.
The love of her life didn't turn his back to her to run for cover, instead, he stood where he was and threw curses at the bats one by one until they both passed him. Only then did he join them and aim for safety.
That’s when they heard the whispers.
“Mudblood. Potter’s mudblood.”
The bats could talk. They sneered at the trio.
“Harry Potter. The boy who will die.”
“Blood traitor. Young Malfoy with a mudblood. You’ll pay.”
Making it to their room, Draco swung the door shut and slammed his back against it to keep the death eaters out. “The servants quarters! Go! It leads to outside!”
Hermione was being pulled by Harry. “Not without you!” She reached for him.
Draco turned around, pushing at the door with his hands as it kept getting pounded against. Little bat hands clawed from under the door. He stomped on them.
Hermione saw the look between Draco and Harry, just a split second before he looked at her again. “I’ll be right behind you, go. I love you.”
Harry pulled her through a hole in the wall as she sobbed and yelled back to him, “No! Please. I love you too. Please, Draco.”
“We will meet him outside, Mione. Come on, it’s okay. We have to hurry.” Harry assured her.
An explosion rocked the entire building.
“Harry!”
He continued to pull her along, until they reached the outside. “Don’t let go. Hold onto my hand!”
Cool night air brushed against her face. Harry pointed his wand to the rushing river and froze it in an instant, leading her directly onto the cold magic. If they could just make it to the apparition point, it was barely ahead. Hermione looked back, hoping to see Draco emerging from the palace and joining them. Instead, her heart sank.
“Harry, Voldemort is right behind us.” She told him, her mind and heart empty. Draco was gone.
She heard Harry curse under his breath and he tugged her harder. She stared at the spot Draco should be.
The spot Voldemort just emerged from.
Draco was gone.
The ice started to crack. Harry turned her to face him. “Hermione, listen. I’ll get you back.”
“What?” She was confused.
“I’ll get you back. I’ll fix this. I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you. I’ll send you somewhere nice and when it’s all over-”
“Harry?” Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. Voldemort was getting closer to them, they had to go.
But… Draco wasn’t there yet.
Draco was gone. Ron was gone. Luna was gone. Neville. Narcissa.
Harry moved them past the bridge. This was the apparation point. They could go now. She glanced up at him to see a look that shot fear and sorrow into her empty heart.
“Hermione, forgive me.”
He said it as the ice cracked, the sound deafening, but not as loud as the beating of her heart. Whipping her head around again, and again not seeing Draco outside, but Voldemort as he crashed through the ice, close enough to jump and grab her leg.
Her shoulder lurched as Harry held her firmly, even as she was pulled to the ice below their feet. She screeched, water colder than she knew possible lapping at her ankle where Voldemort hung on. He yelled about killing them. About not dying until they were all gone, no matter what happened.
Harry closed his eyes tightly before opening them again with a fierce yet dull look upon his face. She had seen that look before, when Draco was occluading, when his nightmares became too much.
Harry was blank when he pointed his wand at her and with precise rotation, he whispered at her words she would soon forget.
“Obliviate.”
So many lives were destroyed that night. But beloved Golden Girl, Hermione Granger, wasn’t ever found.