We see why Draco is so messed up. Peek behind the curtains into the Death Eater's world a little bit and end on a relatively fun high note.
===xxx===xx
Retiring to their quarters Hermione cuddled with Harry as he relaxed against her.
"I'm sorry Harry. I really thought it would be there."
"I think it was. I think Narcissa just went and got it before we could get there." Harry grumped.
"Which means that they have checked the hiding locations of the other anchors more than likely." Hermione frowned.
"Yeah I know. Which is going to complicate things a lot."
"Well we are not going to be able to do much about it right now. So let's just relax and calm down. Okay Harry?"
Snuggling against Hermione he kissed her gently. "Yeah sure. Another good idea."
===xxx===xx
Draco had returned to his home and was sneaking into his mother's drawing room to return the key. He had just managed to do so when the door opened and his mother came into the room.
"Good evening Draco. You've been out late."
"Yes I was having dinner with Ginny and her parents." He smiled politely.
"Oh really?" Narcissa said with a cold smile.
"Yes mother. They are beginning to trust me quite a bit. They allowed Ginny and I to walk about the castle unescorted." Draco smiled happily.
"Oh that is how you got the mud on your shoes?"
"Yes. We went out to the lake."
She looked at him before shaking her head, "Sit down Draco. We need to talk."
"Yes mother. I had come in here to look for you."
"No you came to put the key to Bella's vault back." She said flatly.
"What? no. Of course not mother. What would I want with Aunt Bella's vault?"
"Its not so much what you would want with her vault but what Potter would want. I am not sure how they managed to convince you to help them. Perhaps they offered the girl to you as enticement?"
Draco laughed, "Mother they have barely left us unchaperoned. If they had been offering Ginny to me they have been going about it rather oddly."
"Draco there are far better females, more appropriate to your station and blood. You are descended from two prestigious bloodlines,one ancient and noble, the other merely noble. I suppose you did not find Miss Parkinson stimulating enough. She has not grown very well and does remain rather plain."
"Its not that mother I rather like Ginny. Plus it gets me closer to Potter so I can spy on him and what they are doing."
"Really? You would betray him. Betray his family?" She asked crossing her legs.
"Of course mother. My loyalty is to my blood first."
"You loyalty had better to be the cause as well Draco. Your father is expecting that, and he has several bastards available to replace you should you fail. Never forget that." She glared at him.
"Yes mother. What would you require me to do to prove it?"
"Find a way to get Potter alone so that he can be kidnapped. Also bring us his daughter so that she may be given to Fenrir. He does so enjoy them, even if she is a bit older than his usual flavor." She coldly stated.
Draco swallowed to hide his sudden fearful reaction. As Fenrir Greyback was a dangerous and disgusting beast. He was ostensibly a human cursed with lycanthropy but he enjoyed it. He did not treat it as a curse but a gift and blessing and tried to share it with as many as he could. He had even managed to find a way to partially shift on demand. Which still passed the curse.
"Is there a problem Draco?" Narcissa asked pointedly.
"No mother I was merely thinking about their discussions. If there was anything that would fit and possibly at the Quidditch World cup. They will be visiting there with his godfather Sirius Black."
Narcissa hissed lowly when he said that name. "Yes well we will see what we can do about that then. Is there no other opportunity before then?"
"Not that I am aware of. They have not exactly told me their itinerary as they do not seem to have one. Planning is not high on his skills list."
Narcissa laughed, "Well I suppose you should keep working on it then. Just do not defile yourself with the girl or the mudblood. We will have several proper young girls brought for you to consider." Narcissa paused then studied Draco, "You DO LIKE girls do you not?"
Draco was taken aback at that sudden insinuation but nodded, "Yes mother I am quite fond of the female form."
Standing up she strode over to him and caressed his cheek. "Good. I would be rather disappointed if I had to use some potions and charms to make sure I had a grandchild. Now go to bed and relax. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."
"It is mother?"
"Yes. It is. Goodnight Draco. Make sure you closed the cabinet door."
"Yes mother." Draco sighed in defeat.
===xxx===xx
The next morning Draco was finishing breakfast with his father and mother when it was announced they had guests.
"Ah yes, thank you Tokal. Show them into the drawing room we will be there in a few minutes." Narcissa said with a smile.
"Yes ma'am."
Lucius set down the paper he had been studying. "Ah They are very prompt. I appreciate that."
"Yes. I know. Draco come with me."
"Yes mother. Who are our guests?"
"Andrew Selwyn and his daughter." Was all she said as they walked the halls of Malfoy Manor.
Arriving in the drawing room Draco saw the Selwyns. Andrew was a tall aristocratic looking man with a full beard trimmed neatly. His daughter was a nice looking brunette with cold blue eyes and full lips set in a heart shaped face. She wore her hair long and loose. Her dress today was a simple peasant style with slippers. Draco had seen her at school as she was in her seventh year.
"Ahh Andrew, Beatrice. Thank you for coming."
"Yes when Lucius called and explained things last night I was honored that he chose us." Selwyn said as he gave a slight bow.
"Yes well. Draco take Beatrice to your room, she will know what to do. Hopefully you do as well." Narcissa ordered.
"Yes Mother." Draco said.
===xxx===xx
Once the two of them entered Draco's room Beatrice smiled and stepped out of her slippers. She began to slid her dress off her shoulders as Draco stood there watching.
"Do I displease you so much Draco? Or are you just stunned at your first time?" She snickered turning to face him bare to the world.
"My first time?"
"I'm here at the bequest of your parents to introduce you to the adult world of pleasure. I am protected from both pregnancy and disease so do not fear that. And I will be gentle with you." She said sauntering over to him.
"I uh. You do not have to do this you know."
"I do my duty to the cause and my blood." She recited looking at him. "You do want to have sex with me do you not?"
"UH yeah well. I am a healthy teenage male you know."
"Then prove it Draco." She said sauntering over to the bed and laying down. Her right leg cocked up and her gaze directed at him, "Now."
"This isn't your first time." He observed beginning to undress.
"As I said I do my duty to the cause and my blood as I am expected. If I can enjoy it that is just a bonus." She sighed happily arching her back.
Once Draco was naked he moved to the bed. "Yes I suppose that would be a benefit."
Looking him over she said, "Well it does seem you are at least happy to see me."
"Of course." He smirked.
===xxx===xx
Draco and Beatrice came back down for lunch. Beatrice smiled and sat beside her father.
"Well how did he do?" Lucius asked.
"Obviously he was virginal, rather clumsy and quick for his first time. He did improve on his second and third performance." She reported.
"So that is good at least." Lucius said happily.
Draco was trying to keep his emotional equanimity as his father and Beatrice discussed his sexual prowess.
"So he will make a fair to decent lover?"
"Yes when he gains some more skill and talent. If you wish I can tutor him my Lord Malfoy." Beatrice said calmly.
"He will be spending the rest of the week meeting with his potential betrothed since Miss Parkinson has not interested him. So we will speak with you about that later." Lucius said.
"As you wish Lord Malfoy. I stand ready to serve." Beatrice said.
"You have a very good daughter Andrew."
"Thank you Lord Malfoy." He beamed as he stroked her hair.
===xxx===xx
Meanwhile back at the Hogwart's Castle several days had gone by since their failed trip to the vaults. Harry had been asked about the various things he had seen multiple times, as well as providing his memories for the pensieve.
The Grangers had been trying to find a location for their vacation this year and discussing it with the Potters. Harry had also been making the arrangements to go tot he World Cup with Sirius, apparently his cousin Nymphadora and her parents Andromeda and Theodore would be coming along as well.
Ginny was acting slightly odd, "Mom why hasn't Draco called or written?"
"Its only been a week since you last saw him."
"Yes but what if his family caught him or was angry and punished him or something happened to him."
"Alright use one of the school owls and write to him." Hermione suggested.
"I did and he hasn't written back."
"Well I'll talk to Harry and see if he knows anything or can talk to someone who might know something okay. So try to relax."
"I'll try mom." Ginny said with a deep sigh of eternal lovelorn suffering.
===xxx===xx
"Harry have you heard from Draco?" Hermione asked as she came into the greenhouse where he and Neville were working on some plants with Susan Bones.
"No, but this is the first day in a week Moody or Madam Bones hasn't been turning my head inside out to see what I saw in Bellatrix's vault." Harry grumped as Neville squeezed the plant he was trimming a bit too hard causing it to scream and try to stick him with a thorn.
"Neville." Susan admonished him.
"Sorry. Just. Yeah. Her."
"I know. Its okay." Susan rubbed his back until he calmed down. She whispered something in his ear that caused him to smirk and kiss her on the cheek.
"Okay. Well Ginny wrote to him and he hasn't written back so I am at a loss as to what's going on." Hermione pointed out looking at the plants they were working with. "Are those venomous Tentacula?"
"No they're a related plant from South America but not as toxic or dangerous. They use their thorns for defense and inject a painful toxin not a lethal one." Neville explained rapidly.
"Oh okay. Anyhow Harry, Ginny is worrying herself sick as Draco was her first boyfriend really and he's basically ignoring her she thinks." Hermione explained as best she could in a concerned tone.
"I know. Susan you think your aunt might know anything?"
"I can ask her. We're having dinner together tonight. She's coming over to Neville's estate and talking to Madam Longbottom about our situation."
"Your gramma still giving you grief over the harem?" Hermione chuckled.
"Uh yeah. I don't know why. We've got it all figured out who does what and when so its not like she has to worry about it." He said with a shrug.
"Besides with the three of us that means three times the grandchildren eventually." Susan snickered with waggling eyebrows.
Neville blushed but grinned. "When we get old enough to worry about stuff like that."
"Well yeah of course." Susan said kissing him on the cheek.
"Okay well we'll figure it out I suppose." Hermione said with a sigh.
===xxx===xx
Draco had spent the last week having various girls, daughters of fine upstanding families, brought to meet him. Some he knew from school like Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode. Others like Daphne's younger sister and the Carrow twins he had not met because they were still too young to come to Hogwarts. He shuddered that his parents had even considered betrothing him to them. Each of the girls was brought to the drawing room and given a chance to demonstrate how beneficial they would be to him, how proper and dutiful of wives they would be, what their health and breeding conditions were as well as their bloodlines. Like it was some damned pedigreed dog show.
He was pacing in his room trying to figure out what he was going to do. He had actually begun to like Ginny Potter as a person. She was fun, caring, kind, and honest with him. She didn't see him as a step up in society or a trophy and he knew if he tried expecting her to be submissive and dutiful he would have a few new orifices to breathe from.
His bedroom door opened and his father came in. "Draco. Have you made a decision yet?"
"I was hoping to speak with you father about that. I have developed feelings for Ginny Weasley and.."
Lucius backhanded Draco so hard that he was knocked backwards onto his bed. When he wiped his mouth there was blood on his hand.
"You will be silent about that mewling quim and her family. Put her out of your mind and heart and choose one of the proper girls you have been presented with or else we will chose her for you."
"But father I love Ginny." He said standing up.
"What does love have to do with marriage? Do you think I married your mother for love? No. It was an arranged marriage for mutual political benefit. Your wife will be a proper pure-blooded girl from an acceptable family and that is final. If you wish to and can convince her to be your bed warmer once the betrothal has been announced then fine you may keep her, after all that's what little whores like them are for." Lucius sneered angrily at Draco.
Draco gritted his teeth and declared, "Ginny is not a whore."
Lucius backhanded Draco again,harder it seemed like. Draco spat blood out as he stood back up. "The Potters are blood traitors. Bringing muggles into Hogwarts, exposing our world to their filth. Tainting the minds of our youth. I let you have your fun Draco but you did not produce anything useful, nor did you manage to hurt any of them in the slightest. So no on second thought no you will stay away from the Potters and if I have to force you to take an oath to that effect I will. You will not poison and defile your body by having carnal pleasures with her."
"Yes father" Draco said without conviction as his nostrils flared from breathing hard.
"You hate me now. You desire to strike me down don't you?" Lucius sneered at Draco.
"OF course not father." Draco looked at the floor, not sure if his father could read his mind or not but didn't want to risk it.
Lucius stepped up and grasped his son's jaw in his hand wrenching Draco's head up so he could look him eye to eye, "Someday you will be powerful enough to challenge me, and on that day we will see if you actually are capable of doing what it takes. Today is not that day. Do not try my patience any further. You will forget about that Potter girl. You will have nothing further to do with them and you will do your duty. Is that clear!" Lucius hissed emphatically into Draco's face.
"Yes father I live to serve." He grunted out through clenched teeth.
"Good" Lucius sneered as he shoved Draco back against his bed. "And as for your betrothal I shall call Cyrus and work out the details for his daughter Daphne. She was an attractive blonde with a nicely developing figure. She should be quite a bit more pleasing than the Potter defective. And there is the bonus of her sister."
Lucius sneered at Draco as if daring him to try striking him or fighting back any further but Draco simply sat on the floor leaning against his bed trying not to cry. "Pathetic." Lucius sneered as he turned and strode out of the room.
===xxx===xx
The owl Ginny had sent finally came back ruffled but not bearing a letter. Madam Bones had heard that Malfoy was auditioning young members of proper society as candidates for betrothal to his son she said. Hermione and Harry looked at each other in concern about that.
"Maybe that's just a rumor and Lucius actually killed him?" Harry said once they had heard that from Susan.
"Not funny husband dear." Hermione said flatly.
The daily prophet had been delivered and Harry was looking at the sports page while Hermione and Ginny looked at the rest of it when Ginny made a strange strangled gasp and slammed her glass of milk down so hard it shattered.
Hermione and Harry both jumped, "Ginny? What was all that?" Harry asked as Hermione cast a cleaning and repair spell.
"Draco got betrothed to some girl named Daphne Greengrass." She said dolefully.
Hermione took the paper and read the article, "The Malfoy family are proud to announce that their son Draco has become betrothed to Daphne Greengrass daughter of the owner and editor of the Prophet Cyrus Greengrass. The two families are quite pleased with the agreement and state that the youths are beside themselves with excitement and joy at this development." Hermione frowned as she shook her head.
"I have a feeling we have an answer as to his punishment for helping you." Hermione said dryly.
Ginny was sitting there staring at the table with a few tears running down her face. "I thought he liked me. He told me he actually liked me and we held hands even."
"I know Ginny. I. It'll get better." Hermione said looking to Harry for help only to discover he was frozen in confusion. She had taken Ginny hand and was holding it while she patted her on the arm.
"No it won't he told me his family doesn't care about his feelings or what he wants. They will brainwash him or erase his mind like what happened to me." She wailed.
"Maybe they won't but if they do then maybe you shouldn't be involved with them." Harry tried to suggest. Unfortunately Ginny glared at him with tears in her eyes.
"I'm going to go talk to gramma. Maybe she'll understand." Ginny said getting up and leaving swiftly.
"That went well." Harry said with a sigh.
"Yeah. You're the only boyfriend I've ever had so I have no idea how to deal with this kind of stuff."
"Like I do? Growing up with the Dursleys did not prepare me for healthy family interactions. Much less stuff like this."
"I think I better go find mum and see how Ginny is."
"Yeah good idea."
===xxx===xx
Hermione was heading for her parent's apartment when her dad came walking from that direction.
"Hey pumpkin. How ya doing?"
"Better than Ginny, have you seen her?"
"Yeah she's in with your mother having a good cry." Dan said pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. "But let's give them a bit. Walk with me?" He asked.
Hermione bit her lip but nodded, "I'm not sure what to do dad." She confessed.
"Well sadly it sometimes takes experience and not books to figure something out. So let's go for a walk."
They walked to a balcony overlooking the entrance hall.
"Now that is some sight don't you think?" Dan said appreciatively.
"I suppose so." Hermione said looking down.
"Well you've spent the last three years here. So maybe you're a bit too used to things."
"Maybe dad." She said leaning on the railing.
"So wanna tell me what happened?"
"We were reading the paper and saw that Draco got betrothed to Daphne Greengrass. After he hadn't written her back. Which made her become very sad."
"Well I can understand that. Your first crush can be hard to get over. I remember a girl in primary school I had a crush on. Margaret Hill. She was the first girl in the school to develop. So of course most of the boys had no idea how to deal with her, talk to her or even make eye contact."
Hermione frowned at her dad. "What does that have to do with this?"
"Oh well. I was one of those boys and had a major crush on her. She barely noticed I existed though until one day I got the nerve up to give her a card. She took that card and looked at it and then went over to Billy McRabe. She thought he was the one that had given it to her and she hugged him. Last I heard they got married and have kids now." Daniel sighed with a chuckle at the end.
"Okay so you obviously got over it." Hermione grumped.
"Well yeah. It took me a while, in University I met your mother though and realized that brainy girls are hot." He said looking back at some memory.
Rolling her eyes Hermione sighed, "Aside from the eww factor of talking with my dad about his adolescent love life how is this supposed to help me figure out how to help Ginny?"
"Well its not. Its to help you understand that as parents we have no real idea what to do and just sorta wing it. Your mum and I had talked about what would happen when your first crush hurt you. Root canal sans anesthetic was on the table, but you and Harry got together and it looks like you are really compatible and work well together so." He said with a shrug.
She frowned but nodded, "Okay. But some of the parenting books said,"
Dan started laughing, "Oh dear. Your mum and I have read several of those. Some of them are written by people who don't have children and wouldn't know a child from a corgi. Would you try to use the same method to say deal with Luna you would Lavender?"
"No I guess not. That might not turn out very well."
"Exactly each child is different. We knew you were going to be amazing from a very early age. We see that Ginny is a very special girl. She just needs some love, patience and support. She'll be alright but she just needs to know that for herself. Okay? And as her mother you'll need to know that you can't stop every pain from happening to your kids. All you can do is help pick up the pieces afterward by loving, listening and learning what your kids need more than what they want sometimes."
"Okay I think." Hermione frowned but hugged her dad. "Thanks dad."
"Hey no problem pumpkin."
===xxx===xx
Hermione had opened the door to her parent's apartment and poked her head in. Ginny and Mrs Granger was sitting on the couch drinking hot chocolate and talking. Ginny had been crying but seemed to have regained her equilibrium emotionally.
"Hi Mom." She said.
"Hey Ginny. Sorry I didn't help." Hermione said sitting by her daughter and giving her a hug.
"No gramma explained. Its okay. I'm sorry I ran off."
"Well you were under a bit of emotional distress." Hermione said with an attempt at a smile.
"I know. I feel stupid now." Ginny hung her head.
"Well don't. You're at an age where boys and girls are exploring their feelings, trying to figure out who and what sort of person they are, who and what sort of person they like. Sometimes you get it wrong, sometimes you find out too late and sometimes you find out in time. You have a long time to figure this out and don't need to jump into anything right now."
"But mom and dad are." Ginny said looking at Hermione.
"Yeah well they had a bit of outside interference involved. Magic, fate, or whatever you want to call it, decided they should be involved and so there it is. Emma said with a laugh.
"Yeah. I liked Harry before this and I have grown to love him. Just we had a bit of a sudden push to make it happen." Hermione agreed.
"And Draco may be having a push to not make this happen." Ginny said with understanding.
"That's possible too. We don't know for certain." Hermione said.
"But if it is then you have two options Ginny Accept it and move on or refuse and mope and hurt yourself. Or be patient and wait and see if this is just a temporary set back. But its up to you to see what you do." Emma said sipping her coca.
"Maybe I'll just join Neville's harem." Ginny said with a sly look.
"Uh I think Neville has more than enough trying to handle the four girls he already has. Plus I'm not sure Luna is still taking applications." Hermione chuckled.
"Luna for all her spacey hippy attitudes is an iron fist about that." Emma joined in the laughter.
Ginny smiled again. "Yeah but Neville seems pretty happy."
"Well of course. He's a teen boy that has four girls all cuddling on him. I'm surprised he ever stops grinning." Emma joked.
"I'm surprised he can walk sometimes." Hermione observed.
"Oh I'm sure he can walk its riding a broom that is the problem." Ginny laughed.
Emma smiled at how well the recovery had begun.
===xxx===xx
Draco entered his father's office with some trepidation. He had not been summoned to his father's office very often but when he had it was for failing to live up to some expectation, for failing to deal with Potter, for failure to be properly aristocratic enough.
"Yes father?" he asked with a false bravado.
"Ah Yes Draco sit down." Lucius said pointing at the the chair on the other side of his desk from him.
At least he was sitting behind his large mahogany and oak desk and not standing in front of it or sitting in his chair by the fireplace. That reduced the odds of a beating at least, Draco thought as he sat.
Lucius sighed as he looked across the expanse of his desk at his son. "Draco now that you are betrothed to Cyrus' daughter Daphne there will be certain expectations beholden to you. One of them is that you will honor the terms of the betrothal agreement."
"Yes I know father. You made that abundantly clear at the signing." Draco snorted.
"DO NOT take that tone with me. You should be grateful we found you someone of style, refinement and beauty like her. Plus with a sister who is close enough in age to make for a readily available mistress." Lucius growled his warning.
Draco inhaled audibly before nodding stiffly, "Yes father." He managed in a more suitably submissive tone.
"Well Cyrus is a bit concerned that you are not appreciative of his daughters and as such has asked for a bonding between the three of you."
"A bonding father?" Draco asked in confusion not sure what he meant.
"Yes more than a betrothal and less than a marriage. It will ensure that you are not persuaded or confused in your affections. It is a mark of distrust that he has asked for this and we will do all we can to ensure that his fears are allayed. Will we not?" even though he phrased it as a question it was obviously an order.
"Yes father. I will obey." Draco said trying to figure out a way to get around this.
"See to it that you do. They will arrive this afternoon and the bonding will occur then. You are confined to the manor until then."
"Yes father." Draco frowned.
===xxx===xx
Draco was sitting in the library when his mother walked in.
"Doing some studying?"
"Trying to find the stupid bonding thing father is going to put me through." He confessed to her.
Sitting downs he looked at him. "Why? So you can find a counter to it?"
Draco said nothing but closed the book he was reading.
"There is no counter to it Draco. Once completed you will never feel arousal for another woman, or man, again. Just the two of them. It will not affect your emotions, or your thoughts so you are not under a compulsion to act or not, although as it is in the contract, if you have not impregnated at least one of the two of them within a year of your marriage you will be given the appropriate potions to ensure it happens. The effects of the ritual are purely physical."
Draco raised his eyebrow, "Well that sounds very lovely."
Narcissa chuckled darkly, "Yes well it seems that your dalliances with the Potter girl have made some nervous as to your true allegiances. If you would be a proper husband or not. That is why he has called for this bit of insurance and your father to make up for the shame and embarrassment you brought to this family. To foster closer ties to Greengrass he, and I, have agreed to this."
Draco inhaled deeply, "But why mother? Haven't I explained everything sufficiently? Haven't I been dutiful enough?"
"NO. NO Draco. You were caught with the key to my sister's vault. You went there looking for something to help Potter. I had to beg, to plead for you not to be killed. This way of life is not a game, it is not something you can just walk away from or accept part of it and ignore others. Lucius was going to sacrifice you for what you did. You're fortunate Bella is still in Azkaban as what she would do would make you beg for death. So no Draco you WILL go through with this, You WILL be happy in your life or you will pay the price for your actions. When the dark lord returns he will reward those who are loyal, and those who falter will suffer." She said passionately with a fanatical glow in her eyes.
Draco managed not to recoil from his mother. The one parent he thought cared about him, loved him. She was trying to save his life in her own way he realized but still her fervor for the cause scared him. Was this what his future was supposed to be? How he was expected to turn out.
"I suppose I will await them in my room."
"That is what I was coming in here for Draco. They have arrived and we are ready for you." She happily declared.
"Wasting no time I see." He sighed as if being told the gallows were clear and ready for him.
Narcissa merely smiled and held her hand out to Draco to lead him to his duty.
===xxx===xx
Draco entered the workroom of his father. In the middle of the room was a small table that had a goblet of some strange liquid in it. Daphne and her sister Astoria stood on one side of the table side by side while their father and mother stood behind them. His father stood to the left of the table and pointed to where Draco was supposed to stand. He frowned as he saw Reginald Nott standing between the two groups.
Draco felt his mother push him into the proper position and keep her hands on his shoulders holding him there. His father was standing close enough he could easily grasp him as well.
Nott stepped forward pulling a dagger out, he nodded to Lucius who grabbed Draco's arm and held his hand out when Draco did not move. Reginald Nott took his dagger and sliced Draco's palm open his blood ran into the goblet. He repeated that action with the girls, only they willingly held their hands out. The potion in the cup boiled and bubbled and turned a deep scarlet.
"Blood calls to blood, flesh to flesh, with this rite we bind those who drink of cup in the eye of the ancient powers of Baphomet to each other alone. Their lust bound to their mate until life has fled their body." He intoned. When he was done there was a white glow from the cup.
He raised it and held it out to Draco. Draco set his lips only to feel his mother clench his shoulder with her sharp nails. He tried to avoid it but he cried out in pain allowing Nott to pour some of the potion down his throat. Draco tried to cough and gag but a sharp poke of his fathers wand in his side made him stop. He felt a sudden burning pain pass through his body spreading out across all of his and finally reaching his groin before it faded.
Nott then turned to Daphne and Astoria and gave each of them the goblet. They drank from it and shivered as well. Astoria actually gasping and falling to her knees before being roughly hauled to her feet by her father.
"As it is done, so it shall be. They are bound by blood. More than a betrothal, less than a marriage."
Lucius chuckled darkly and shook Reginald's hand once the ritual was over and Cyrus' as well.
===xxx===xx
Draco and his women were encouraged to retire to his rooms to get to further know each other. He was not happy about that but did not want to show it to the adults.
Once they had arrived in his room Daphne sat on his bed while Astoria sat in the bedside chair.
"You are not pleased by this Draco?" Daphne asked calmly.
"No not really. I do not like being forced into things." He declared as he pulled another chair over from his desk.
"Neither do we. Although as potential partners go you are probably the best. Some of the options father had been considering were not entirely palatable." Daphne observed.
"Why? You are one of the prettiest girls in Slytherin." Draco did observe.
"Yes and I do not want to wind up like Beatrice Selwyn. Whored out as a reward or test to any member of the group that the leaders feel like. Given to someone based on how beneficial the agreement they can make is or what they can offer father. You at least are not bad looking and somewhat nicer."
"Father was considering giving us to Nott." Astoria said hollowly.
"Well Teds not a bad guy."
"No not Theodore, his father." Daphne corrected.
"What!"
"Haven't you paid attention to anything that has been going on?" Daphne asked incredulously.
Draco blinked several times, "Apparently not as much as I should have."
"Like I thought. You've been a shallow, conceited, self-centered pompous idiot until recently. Some in the house thought you were just playing a game. I was wondering if it was real or not."
"I've been changing a bit. Noticing things."
"Not enough." Daphne shook her head.
"Well help me. Since we're bound together. Whatever that means." Draco scowled.
Daphne laughed, "You don't know what this did?"
"Not really. Mother tried to explain it. Basically she said I would be unable to perform with any other female."
"Yeah. The smell, or taste, of any other female than myself or Tory will make you physically ill, repulse you, as it will smell repugnant and taste worse. You will not be able to get it up for anyone. Hell even a Veela wouldn't get you hard from the way mother explained it." Daphne sighed when she was done.
"Oh great. And the two of you?"
Daphne shrugged. "Well all we have is that we cannot feel pleasure from the touch of anyone other than you. It will actually hurt us, not that it would stop some of the males in this group. There are some like Goyle who would actually get off on it."
Draco did know his friend Goyle was a bit on the sadistic side of things. He had never discussed his minion's personal feelings with him, not caring what they were as long as they were obedient and useful. Obedient and useful minions, not friends. Draco was having his entire worldview unravel.
"Oh I never thought about it."
"Of course not Draco. You're one of the elite. The lords of the organization. The prince and heir apparent. Why do you think everyone else in Slytherin listens to you or treats you with any consideration? Because your father would find out and cause, difficulties, for the ones who did it." The way she said difficulties did not make Draco feel comfortable.
"I see. So what can we do about this?" Draco sighed in resignation.
"From everything I have found there is no counter to this, no exit clause. Except the death of one of us and since it is doubtful both Astoria and I are going to die simultaneously you would still be bound to one or the other of us."
"Great. I wonder if Hermione would be able to figure something out." Draco considered.
"It is doubtful. She is smart but she is not Merlin." Daphne dismissed.
"Well hopefully you won't mind if I try asking her?" Draco sneered.
Daphne shrugged, "Your life. As we're bonded by this if you die it frees us, plus we get a portion of your inheritance in compensation." She smiled.
Draco frowned at her, "Gee I feel the love here."
"Draco. I do not love you. I barely like you. You need to recognize that. I will tolerate you, I will spread my legs for you but I will never love you." Daphne laid back and put her hands under her head, "However if you want to learn if Hermione can get us out of this I should be the one to talk to her. You're too heavily watched. If you even go near the Potters you'll be out of this bond pretty quick." Daphne chuckled.
"That means I'll have to trust you." He grumped.
"Well yes as much as I will have to trust you."
Draco scoffed, "Like I have any power in this. Any say in this."
Daphne sighed, "Draco you're the only male that can give myself or Tory any physical pleasure. We are stuck with you so we might as well make it as enjoyable as possible. If that means helping you, or working with you then we'll do that. Besides we are not entirely fond of the situation. As a male in this society you still have the say and power in the marriage. All we're supposed to do is be sweet, obedient, submissive breeders." She rolled on her side staring at him. As if daring him to disagree.
"And you want to be more than that?" He understood.
"Yes. So if I help you with this I want to be treated like you equal. I want Tory treated well and with respect. If she has to be your mistress you'll, if not love her, at least treat her decently."
"I can do that." Draco accepted.
"Good. Then come to your bed and snuggle with your wife, husband." Daphne said laying on her back.
Draco sighed.
===xxx===xx
"So are we packed and ready to go?" Daniel Granger was asking the family. Late in July.
"Where are we going again?" Harry asked for the hundredth time.
"We are going to Chateau Delacour. On the French Riviera. It is an old hotel run by a very charming family. We think Hermione was conceived there." Emma said with a happy tone.
"Great mom."
Dobby popped in suddenly, "Missus Potter ma'am. There is a girl here to speak with you."
Hermione looked at the others who looked as confused as her. "Uh Who is it?"
"Says her name is Daphne. You should know her otherwise she say." He looked less likely that he was going to go slamming his head into anything but still looked a bit worried.
"Daphne?" Hermione's expression suddenly changed as she recognized who it might be. "Oh. Uh yeah. Tell her I'll be down to meet her in a few minutes. In the reception room I guess."
"Yes ma'am."
"Daphne? As in Daphne Greengrass." Ginny grumped. "What does she want with you?"
"I don't know. She's coming in peace obviously so I should go talk to her."
"Do you want someone to come with you?" Harry asked.
"No you guys keep getting ready. Uh make sure we packed my blue swimsuit Harry. Please?"
"Sure Mione."
===xxx===xx
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The castle decided to shift one of the stairs at the last minute." Hermione cheerfully said as she came into the reception room.
Daphne sighed, "I never understood the reason for something as illogical as that."
"Yes well. I didn't build the castle I just live in it." Hermione said as she sat down, "So uh do you want any refreshments?"
"No, thank you though. I have come to speak with you about the situation Draco and I find myself in. He seems to feel that you might be able to discover a cure."
"A cure? What? Perhaps you should explain form the beginning."
Daphne nodded and explained about the bonding ritual. The potion and spells that were involved. While she was doing that Hermione was taking notes and listening very closely.
"So Draco has been punished for being too friendly with us?"
"Among other things, although I would not exactly call being betrothed to myself and my sister punished." Daphne calmly stated.
"My apologies. I meant more the being forced into doing things he doesn't want to do." Hermione politely apologized.
"He is a Malfoy. It is the life they lead." She shrugged dismissively.
"Oh. I suppose so. I never thought about it."
"Of course not. However I have." Daphne gave a brief empty smile.
"Yes I'm sure. So what do you want in return for me working on this cure?" Hermione asked simply. Smoothing her skirt over her legs.
Daphne smiled. The first real smile so far, "What do I want? A very interesting question. I want a great many things Mrs Potter. A great many things. However for now lets just say I want you and your husband to continue your efforts to defeat the dark lord and his followers. I want you both to work afterwards to help change our society into something more," she paused with her smile vanishing like the sun behind the clouds, "modern. Or at least palatable. I'm sure you've noticed in your research that brilliant as you are you will not have a great many options available to you as a muggle-born."
"I have looked into magical careers post school." Hermione agreed.
"Yes. While being a woman is not as crippling a handicap as it used to be your blood status is. Although there are some circles where being a woman is still downright Victorian."
"I have noticed that." Hermione nodded again.
"Well then I have given you enough information to answer your question." Daphne said smoothing her skirt down as she crossed her legs. Long immaculate fingers with perfectly polished nails on display. The betrothal ring bearing the Malfoy crest on her left hand.
"I see and understand."
"Good well, give your family my regards and thank you for your time."
"It was my pleasure. Give our regards to yours as well."
"I will."
===xxx===xx
Hermione explained the meeting to her family and told them everything Daphne had told her.
"SO Draco is being forced to stay away from me?" Ginny said hopefully.
"Yes and the ritual will make it impossible for him to be, around you as a boyfriend. It would make him violently ill. A wizard named Ludovico created it to control his daughter's husband when he was caught cheating on her." Hermione explained with her reference book in her lap.
"Okay. So he won't be able to have a mistress?" Ginny asked
"Well no but remember Astoria was part of the ritual. So he is attuned to the both of them. Anyone else he can't perform and will get violently ill if he tries with them." Hermione reminded them.
"Well that seems a bit excessive. Why not get a divorce and take him for everything but his undershorts?" Emma asked with a laugh as Daniel made a grimace and clasped his heart, before the two of them collapsed in laughter.
"Because in the wizarding world they did not have divorce at the time the ritual was created and its not much better now." Hermione said reading something closely.
"OH. Wow. That's not good." Emma said sitting by Hermione.
"Well looks like something that Daphne was talking about." Wanting to change aspects of the wizarding society." Dan agreed.
"Well we're not going to do this in an afternoon and our flight out of Edinburgh is tomorrow morning so we had better get moving. You can save the world when we get back." Daniel said grabbing his luggage.
===xxx===xx
Ginny's first trip on an airplane was an amazing thing for her. She was watching out the window and amazed. Whispering to Harry about how much higher than a broom they were.
Arriving in France they rode the high speed train and were soon in the south of France. Arriving at the Chateau they were greeted by Monsieur Delacour himself. He remembered the Grangers and their youthful enthusiasm. Shown to their rooms, Dan and Emma had one and the Potters had another.
Getting settled into their room Ginny sighed, "Okay let me know if you guys are going to do anything romantic so I can try and find someplace else to be."
"Harry and I will give you plenty of warning sweetie. Now let's get ready for dinner." Hermione said with a light laugh.
Dinner was excellent and the Grangers laughed and acted a bit more like newlyweds than the Potters did. Getting back tot he room Harry told Ginny, "Well I don't think its us you'll have to worry about getting too romantic."
"I noticed. Mom why are they acting like hormonal teenagers more than you and dad?"
"Uh I'm not sure." Hermione said, "Although if you really want us to we can."
Ginny rolled her eyes and huffed as she pulled her bedding off and went on the balcony closing the door behind her.
"Think she'll be okay?"
"We're on the third floor. I doubt there will be a blibbering Horndingle or whatever attack her."
"Considering how I have no idea what that even is I'll take you word for it."
"Now about that acting like hormonal teenagers." Hermione said turning out the lights.
The next morning Harry got cleaned and ready for the beach with his red and gold swim trunks. Ginny had taken her turn and come out in a bright blue one piece. Hermione came out last as they were waiting on her in a bright yellow bikini bottom and a light wrap.
"Uh Hermione dear I think you forgot part of your swimsuit." Harry said staring.
"No. Didn't mum or dad tell you the beach here is clothing optional? You can were as little or as much as you're comfortable with."
"n-n-no. They kinda neglected that."
Hermione raised her right eyebrow as she frowned. "Well lovely little joke. I thought you would be warned. OH well. Let's get ready to go." She said picking up their bag.
"But Mione. People will see you." Harry hissed.
"Yeah. Do I detect some jealousy?" She teased letting the wrap slide open a smidge.
"Uh no. I guess its culturally appropriate here. Right?"
"yes it is. But what's wrong Harry? They're just boobs and its not like I'm going to be doing anything sexual. THAT is prohibited on the beach." She said with some emphasis.
"Right of course." Harry said nodding breathlessly.
Ginny just shook her head and went out. Giggling a little bit.
ON her way out of the room Hermione sighed, "And I mean after all its not like mum likes to go nude on beaches like this."
As they came out of the room Dan and Emma came out of their room with a bag over Dan's shoulder a towel around his waist and sandals on his feet. Emma had a towel around her waist and sandals on with nothing else. Harry walked into Hermione's back then looked immediately at the carpet.
Emma and Dan laughed. "Harry its okay if you look. Otherwise you're going to be walking into everything."
"Uh right. Sure."
Hermione had to lead him to the beach as he kept trying to look anywhere but at the naked and half naked people, especially the Grangers as once they hit the beach the towels dropped.
Harry and Ginny spent a lot of time in the water. Hermione joined them some and spent some time working on her tan. Eventually Harry got relaxed enough to sort of look around him. By the end of the two weeks he was acting like it was no big deal to be playing volley ball on the beach with several naked, or half naked people.
By the time they got back tot he castle they were tanned and much more relaxed. Hermione visited the hospital and found Lavender there.
"Lavender? What are you doing here?"
"Oh helping out Madam Pomfrey. She said I could do a summer internship with her as she runs a health clinic in Hogsmeade and sent me back up here to pick up a couple of things. Mum liked the idea as it would give me more experience if I wanted to go into the healer role."
"That's nice. You'd make a good healer. As for why I'm here I was hoping she could cast a spell on me to make mum a bit more relaxed."
"Oh what spell?" Lavender asked with a grin.
"The pregnancy detection one." Hermione said quickly but quietly.
"I am but Harry and I were rather more active than usual and mother was concerned that with it getting close to the end of the month, uh, well you know."
"Right. Don't worry I know the spell too. Mother taught it to me." She said drawing her wand and pointing it at Hermione's abdomen. She said Gravida Revelio. When nothing happened Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"I'm not?"
"Not this time. Sorry?"
"Uh no. We're not ready for that yet." Hermione said with wide eyes.
"Okay well give me a minute and I'll get you another monthly potion."
They chatted for a few minutes. Lavender agreed to show her the Gravida Revelio as well as the purity detection one. Lavender found Hermione the proper potion and gave it to her.
"Thanks. Don't forget Harry's birthday party is this weekend." Hermione reminded her.
"Yeah I know. Neville and the rest of us are going to be there."
"Okay thanks."
Going back to her mother she showed her the spell and confirmed than none of the girls in the room were pregnant. The purity charm showed Ginny was virginal, Hermione wasn't and Emma was well experienced.
"Mom!" Hermione gasped.
"What can I say I went to University in the swinging seventies. Some of the stories I could tell you would curl your toes." She said with a laugh.
"Oh. My!" Hermione said shaking her head.
Ginny raised her eyebrow with a wry expression on her face.
"Does dad know?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah well I told him, you might not want to cast that on him either. He wasn't exactly a saint." She said with a laugh.
"The more you learn about your parents." Hermione said shaking her head.
"Sorry. We're only human too."
"I know but we love you still Gramma." Ginny said giving her a hug, "So what do you mean by swinging seventies?"