Rating:
R
House:
Astronomy Tower
Ships:
Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Characters:
Hermione Granger
Genres:
Angst
Era:
Harry and Classmates Post-Hogwarts
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Stats:
Published: 04/29/2005
Updated: 11/11/2005
Words: 46,788
Chapters: 23
Hits: 87,447

The Sweetest Sin

Annie

Story Summary:
In the years following Voldemort's victory in the second war, Muggle-borns must become slaves and servants to purebloods in order to survive. Over time, Hermione Granger has learned to suppress her pride and independence in households where she is considered lower than dirt. She thought she would be prepared for this new family, just like she was for all the previous ones. What she didn't know was that this new family was none other than Draco Malfoy's. Will she manage to hold up when she finds herself struggling to withhold her sharp tongue, returning hatred, and... something else?

Chapter 10

Chapter Summary:
Hermione has a hands-on encounter with magic for the first time in three years, and then finds out the real truth about Draco's past.
Posted:
06/17/2005
Hits:
3,535


Chapter 10: His Hidden Heart

The silence that fell after Hermione spoke seemed to stretch on for eternity. It was not an awkward silence, nor was it a comfortable silence; it was simply a very long silence. Hermione couldn't bring herself to look up and see Pansy's reaction, so she continued to stare down at the floor and concentrate on the painfully loud beating of her heart.

At last, Hermione heard a rustle from across her and she jerked her head up. Pansy, who was still looking at Hermione with an expression of utter horror, had hastily stood up and was slowly backing away. Without saying anything, she suddenly spun around and stumbled out of the room, leaving Hermione alone.

I can't believe I told her. Hermione's mind was reeling with mixed emotions over the deadly secret she had just admitted. She was barely even aware that Pansy had left the room. Everything from that night, every single detail, came flooding back to her and it was all she could do to not slip under. Tears began to form beneath her eyelids and trickle down her cheeks, but there was nothing she could do to stop them.

It had been Blaise Zabini, another one of her old school enemies, who ruined her. Of course, he hadn't known it was her, but she doubted anything would've been different if he had been aware. He was the first man to employ her, although the term "own her" was probably more appropriate. Blaise was the one who had broken Hermione into the harsh life of servitude. He was the first man to ever slap Hermione and the first one to violate her.

And Malfoy is no different, she thought bitterly. Little did Hermione know how true those words actually were.

--------

After Hermione's confession, Pansy began to spend less time in the house when Hermione was around and more time outside. Hermione wasn't exactly sure why Pansy went to such means to avoid her, but she was grateful for it because she didn't think she would be able to face Draco's wife anyway.

It happened that one morning while Pansy and the children were shopping at Knockturn Alley, Draco called Hermione upstairs to clean up one of the bathrooms. Hermione, who was in her own room brushing her hair, obediently dropped the brush and went upstairs.

When Hermione arrived at the room Draco's voice was drifting from, the door was shut. She pushed it open without thinking, then gasped and took a step backward. I have to remember that doors are always closed for reasons next time, she thought wildly to herself as she gaped at Draco.

Steam hung thickly in the air, the result of Draco just having taken a shower, but not thickly enough to hide that fact that he was standing in front of the mirror with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair hung over his face, dripping wet, and tiny droplets of water dotted his bare chest. As he heard the door open, he turned around, looking irritated.

Apparently he was unaware that he had caused any kind of surprise in Hermione because he gestured at the counter before him, which was covered in magical hair and skin products, and ordered, "Get rid of Pansy's rubbish."

Hermione's mouth was still hanging open rather stupidly. She quickly closed it and forced herself to shift her eyes away from Draco. Still, as she brushed past him and began to organize Pansy's items, the image of him standing before her half-naked lingered in her mind. Although he was nothing but an employer to her, there was no denying that fact that he was...well, extremely attractive. Hermione shivered as she recalled the broadness of his shoulders and how well they had contrasted with the sharp features of his face. As much as Hermione was disgusted by the thought, she had to admit he was more beautiful than any other man she'd ever laid eyes on.

Caught up in her thoughts, Hermione didn't even notice when Draco slipped out of the room. Now, as she put away the last of Pansy's things, she realised that she was alone in the bathroom. She was about to go outside and tell Draco that the room was clean when a long, thin object lying in the sink caught her eye.

Quietly, Hermione shut the door, then walked over to the counter and picked up the object that had caught her attention. It was Draco's wand.

The moment she touched the wand, a surge of warmth travelled through her fingers and up her arm. Hermione swallowed and cautiously grasped the handle. Its magic immediately began to flood into her, creating the tingling sensation of a thousand tiny batteries shocking her at once. It had been years since she last touched a wand, and a sense of foreboding overtook Hermione as she lifted the one she was now clutching with a trembling hand.

Even though she knew she would be severely punished, maybe even killed, if she was caught with a Pureblood's wand in her hand, Hermione couldn't bring herself to put it down. It felt so right to hold a wand again that the last thing she wanted to do was let go of it.

As if caught in a trance, Hermione tentatively pointed the wand at her hair and whispered the first spell that came to her mind: "Sedo capillus." Instantly, her chestnut locks were smoothed out as if an invisible hand had ironed her head. Split ends and frizz disappeared to be replaced with a shine her hair had never before known. Gasping, Hermione let the wand fall from her hand.

Just then, she heard footsteps approaching. Draco was coming, and there was no way he wouldn't suspect that she had used magic if he saw her transformed tresses and the wand lying on the counter beside her, proof of her guiltiness. In a panic, Hermione covered her head with both hands and bolted out of the room. Draco jumped back with a yelp of surprise as she barely missed running head-on into him.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled, but Hermione was already gone, having run past him so fast that he didn't get the chance to catch a glimpse of the change she had just undergone.

Not daring to look back, Hermione flew down the stairs and skidded to a stop in front of the door to her room. She promptly threw open this door and leapt through it. Once the door was shut tightly behind her, Hermione finally stopped to breathe.

"I am so stupid," she muttered to herself as she fought to catch her breath. "I can't believe I did that."

Groaning inwardly, Hermione stepped in front of the mirror and cautiously let her hands fall from her head. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw to both her dismay and pleasure that her hair still shone like molten copper. "What am I going to do about this?" she whispered nervously, fingering a lock of her hair.

"I think it looks rather nice," came a kind, motherly voice. Ripples appeared on the surface of the mirror as these words were said, and a few seconds later, Hermione found herself looking at a smiling glass face for the second time since she'd arrived at Malfoy Manor.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Hermione remarked dryly. "I'm still not very accustomed to seeing faces appear in my mirrors without warning."

The mirror laughed good-naturedly. "I would have thought you'd've gotten quite a bit of that back in Hogwarts."

"How'd you know I went to Hogwarts?" asked Hermione, surprised.

"All of the previous servants here have gone to Hogwarts. I think it may be because Draco feels better proving to those who were once his equals that he is now superior to them. That was the one lesson his father always emphasized - never let your inferiors believe for one second that they are worthy to be in your presence."

Hermione remembered all the times Draco had told her she had no rights in his house. "Looks like Lucius taught Draco well," she murmured.

"Indeed he did. The poor family," sighed the mirror. "I had hoped that when Mr Malfoy died and left behind the manor to Draco, this place would see brighter days. Let me tell you, I was very dismayed to find a few days later that with the death of his father, Draco was even more determined to make Malfoy Manor miserable for everyone living in it."

"Oh, is that what you were talking about when you mentioned Draco's change of character after Lucius died?"

The mirror blinked at Hermione. "Did I say that?"

Hermione nodded. "The first time we talked."

"Ah yes, I'm afraid my memory is fading. You're quite right, I did. And did I tell you how he changed?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Very well then. Let's see...where to start? When Mr Malfoy was killed during the second war, Draco lost his only support. All his life, his father's harsh comments had helped keep his heart buried away, something he thought would help him conceal his insecurities from those around him."

Unable to stop herself, Hermione let out a derisive snort of laughter. "Draco? Insecure?"

The mirror looked a bit shocked that Hermione had even bothered to question her words. "Why yes, Draco was and is extremely insecure. I daresay he used to enjoy putting down other students?"

Hermione nodded again.

"That's just his way of hiding his emotions. He always loved to feel better than others because at home, Mr Malfoy would often tell him he was useless. You see, as a young child, Draco didn't want to be a Death Eater. He wanted to do something more with his life. His reluctance to serve the Dark Lord made him weak in his father's eyes. Above anything else, Draco wanted to be the pride of his father, so he deserted his own goals to follow the goals his father had set for him. Regardless of the fact that the destiny that awaited him at the end of his chosen life was one he despised, Draco was relieved to have finally found something solid he could rely on."

"Oh," Hermione said softly. She felt her heart soften as she listened to the mirror relay Draco's childhood. "Go on."

"So, as you can guess, Mr Malfoy's death dealt a tremendous blow to the barrier Draco had built up around his heart. Unsure as to who to turn to, he became obsessed with the ways of the Death Eaters. It didn't take him long to worm himself into the higher ranks of the Dark Lord's followers. Draco had finally become the person his father wanted him to be so long ago, and he was so close to establishing what he believed to be a perfect life."

At this point, Hermione assumed the mirror had finished. "I never would have guessed that Draco was so..." Her voice trailed off as she searched her mind for the right word.

"Real?" suggested the mirror.

"Yes," replied Hermione. She smiled slightly. Good word.

"He would be glad to hear he hid it so well," replied the mirror with a chuckle. "After all, it's what he's always wanted. But wait, there's more. His story doesn't end there."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, surprised that there could be any more drama in Draco's life. "Okay, continue."

"Just when Draco was nearly there, something went terribly wrong: his fiancé was tortured to death by the Dark Lord himself. Iris Zabini was love of his life. In his eyes, she was closer to perfection than anything he'd ever had. Stunningly beautiful, Iris had stolen Draco's heart when he left Hogwarts. They were to be married, but her death occurred a month before the set wedding date. Draco was beyond devastated, yet he continued to work hard, if not even harder, for the very man who had murdered Iris. Now that his heart had been ripped apart, Draco felt no regret or disgust when he married Pansy. She was simply there to be an object in his life. After his marriage to Pansy, Draco hid away everything that reminded him of Iris in hopes of eventually forgetting about her. Thus, Draco accomplished everything he had set out to do." With a sad little sigh, the mirror ended its story.

Having now heard the end of the mirror's tale, Hermione was nothing short of astonished. "Iris...Zabini?" she choked out.

"Oh yes. I believe she had a twin brother named Blaise Zabini. You may know him; he went to Hogwarts as well while Iris attended Durmstrang."

Hermione was so stunned that words failed her. She shook her head.

"Is anything wrong, dear?" asked the mirror, sounding concerned.

"Nothing," whispered Hermione. "I...I have to go now. Thanks for talking with me."

The mirror nodded. "Have a nice day then...oh yes, and do arrange your hair that way more often, it looks lovely."

With that, the face on the mirror winked at Hermione one last time, then faded away.


Author notes: Mind you, this is going to be a very long post author's note, so bear with me please :)

1) I realised after sending my last chapter in and getting a few friends to read over it for me that people are either going to hate or love the direction this fic is going in. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you with anything in this story (a reviewer on another site said she was glad that Draco isn't the typical man with a troubled past, so I have a feeling she'll want to take her words back when she reads this chapter), but I honestly can't please everyone. I do, however, welcome constructive criticism so if you want to point out a grammar or spelling mistake I made, any canon errors, or any tips to convey the mood/tone of a chapter better, I would love to hear them.

2) I know Blaise was sudden. I'm sorry, perhaps I should have given a little more background on him before introducing him as a main character so quickly, but I had two reasons for making him the rapist. First of all, it really shows how interlinked the worlds of individual witches and wizards are now. The war was so devastating that it killed off over half of the population, so using Blaise, who we hadn't heard of up until last chapter, really enhanced that fact. Second, I really wanted it to be a shocker (Lucius wouldn't work since he was killed in the war, and Draco wouldn't work because...well, he just wouldn't) but at the same time, I didn't want to make up a completely random character. Anyway, Blaise is going to have a very important role later on in the story (already, his sister has been introduced as someone significant). As you read, you might come across more bits of information about him scattered throughout chapters, so don't think that I'm just going to leave him off here.

3) For anyone who knows Latin, I'm sorry if my made-up spell (Sedo means to flatten or smooth out and capillus means hair...or so I gathered from the Latin/English dictionary I used) made no sense at all.

4) As a random side note, I'd just like to say before anyone else points it out that yes, this chapter was a lot like The Beauty and the Beast. As with The Secret Garden similarities, I had no idea how alike this chapter was to the story when I wrote it. After I finished it and read it over, I realised the likenesses. Although I can't really remember whether or not The Beauty and the Beast had an enchanted mirror...all I can recall is a teapot, a teacup, a clock, and a chandlebra. But anyway, enough of my random thoughts.

heavengurl899 - Tommy is 4 years old (as I said in a previous chapter, I didn't even think about the ages until a reviewer brought them up and it was too late for me to go back and change the ages of Hermione, Draco, and Pansy. Therefore, you'll have to adjust to the fact that Tommy and Kathryn, who is 3, are very...developed children). Yes, Pansy was 16 when she had Tommy, but you'll have to trust me when I tell you that you'll find out really soon. In regard to whether or not Tommy is Draco's child...well, I'm afraid I can't tell you yet :) Finally, writing this story is loads of fun, but even more work. I have over 6 pages of notes on background information about each the main characters, because I have the worst memory ever and I always forget random things :P

MidniteShadow - Well, you're supposed to like Pansy, if that means anything :) I know right now it seems impossible that Draco and Hermione could ever get together under the circumstances, but I promise that over the course of a lot of chapters, they will.

avipup- Blaise is male; JKR stated so a while ago.

Queen Queso - Pansy doesn't know that Draco's cheating on her with like, 10 other women. She has her suspicions, but she loves Draco too much to ever leave him, even if she complains about it. And about the ages...see my reply to heavengurl899's question.

g-d,h-hr4eva - The girl is just a random girl. I don't think Draco even knows who she is; I don't even know who she is, lol.

Minetta Moonlight - Nope, Hermione would never tell Pansy something like that when Pansy is so distressed. As mentioned in the other chapter, Hermione was genuinely concerned for Pansy's well-being when she saw Pansy crying, which shows she doesn't have the heart to tell Pansy.

Becks_angel - Well she had to be a little disturbed after seeing Draco having sex with a random lady. Also, Hermione knows that Draco and Pansy have a bad marriage, but she just assumed it was because Draco never really liked Pansy anyway, not because he was having affairs with other women. About Pansy, she doesn't know about the other women and not only that, she loves Draco too much. It's a common fact that she's always simpering over Draco; she did that even back in Hogwarts. Now that she's married to Draco, she wouldn't let him go even if she knew he didn't love her. And the tree...well, he doesn't really care about her interest in the tree; he just doesn't want to see her near that tree. It's really complicated to explain. And it's okay, I'm not mad at you or anything because of the review; I appreciate that you took the time to point out anything that was bothering you :)

Sorceress014 - Well, Hermione will start warming up to Draco once she understands why he does what he does.

I'm sorry for making you guys read through all of that...I just wanted to set things straight. Again, I promise things will start unwrapping eventually. Next chapter: A lot of people will probably kill me when they read it...but I'll let you guys wait until I upload the chapter :)