Why We Fight

Red Raven

Story Summary:
A mess-up in Potions sends Draco and Hermione to the past where they meet a couple much like them. Hermione & Draco, James & Lily.

Chapter 10 - Tradition

Chapter Summary:
Hermione learns a little about pure-blood tradition.
Posted:
06/12/2004
Hits:
3,615

Part 10:
Tradition
(Saturday, September 3, 1977 - Continued...)

By the time the class period was through, every single person at Hogwarts knew about the infamous between-class kiss that Draco had given her. Hermione had been mortified; her lips were still swollen and slightly bruised. She had gone to Madam Pomfrey (whom Hermione was glad to see still there) for something to make the well-kissed appearance go away but Madam Pomfrey simply tut-tutted, saying that she wasn't supposed to heal non-magic-inflicted wounds. The Slytherins looked like they would kill her for daring to touch a Gryffindor. Everyone except Narcissa Black, Narcissa looked...to put it simply...jealous?

Even though Hermione had earned back most of the points that Flaherty had taken away earlier and had earned the respect of Professor McGonagall -- that was a masterful feat for a Slytherin -- she had lost all respect with the Slytherins because of Draco. As she entered the Great Hall for lunch, the Slytherins cast glares at her for daring to appear.

Merlin, is it so horrible that I kissed a Gryffindor? Hermione thought. She frowned as she realized what she had just thought. Honestly! The Gryffindors are the ones that should be upset because a Gryffindor kissed a Slytherin. No, no! I wasn't the one who did the kissing. Draco kissed me...and for that, I am going to turn him into something really...dreadful.

Severus didn't care who she had kissed (well, who had kissed her); he sat beside her at lunch. "I can't believe how--how mean Professor Flaherty is," she whined, trying to think of anything to say except mentioning Draco.

"That's what everyone thinks. Some say he's the Dark Wizard Grindelwald come back," Severus stated.

She frowned. "He can't be as bad as other wizards I've heard of," Hermione stated, shivering as she cast another look at the Marauders and Lily. Draco was involved in deep conversation with James; the handprint (unfortunately) had faded. Hermione wondered what he was up to; she didn't trust Draco as far as she could throw him to use a cliché. Especially after that kiss.

Severus swallowed hard and looked at Hermione. "Er...Hermione," Severus stated. "There's a dance on Halloween for the seventh years and I was wondering if you'd like to be my date?"

"In the friend way?" Hermione asked, eyes widening.

Severus snorted. "Of course in the friend way," he stated. "You're the sweetest girl, but..." his eyes were directed to Narcissa and Hermione suppressed another giggle.

"Why don't you ask Narcissa?" Hermione couldn't stop the words from tumbling from her mouth. Her eyes widened. Severus's face hardened. Note to self, keep far away from any mention of Narcissa Mal--Black, she mused. "I mean, money and power aren't everything, Severus. She might have hidden depths." Very, very, very hidden depths if she's shallow enough to marry Lucius, she mused and again visions of Lucius Malfoy's alabaster chest floated past her mind's eye. This whole trip is really messing up my hormones. I've gone through five entire years of relatively no influx of hormones whatsoever and now I'm drooling over Lucius Malfoy's chest. There is something terribly wrong with me.

Severus didn't seem to notice Hermione's sudden blush. "Even if my father hadn't ruined the Snape name...it's not like I have a chance...she's already betrothed," he said miserably.

"Betrothed? You mean, engaged?" Hermione asked.

"What else would I mean?" Severus asked.

"She's engaged? She's what, sixteen?" Hermione asked, eying the blonde that had ensnared Severus's senses.

"She's been engaged to one of the school governors, Lucius Malfoy, since her birth," Severus said.

"Since her birth?" Hermione frowned. "That's not right."

Severus's eyebrow rose. "It's a tradition to high-ranking pureblood families," he stated.

"And Lucius's and Narcissa's son?" she asked.

"Or daughter," Severus said with an arch of his dark brow. "I've heard that Lucius is already talking of a betrothal between his child and a Parkinson."

"Pansy," Hermione whispered, her eyes widening as she stared at Draco. Suddenly, she felt sorry for Draco (an emotion that she wasn't soon to ever have again): he didn't have a choice; he was already forced to marry that hag, Pansy Parkinson. Pansy wasn't ugly even with her stupid pug-nose; she was a pretty blonde thing with curves that Hermione had even caught Ron and Harry ogling on occasion...but her personality. Hermione shuddered; she had the personality of a troll and a simpering voice (not unlike Umbridge's) that would grate on a banshee's nerves.

"Excuse me?" Severus asked.

"Nothing," Hermione stammered but Severus gave her an odd look and the girl blushed under his scrutiny. "Okay, fine, it reminds me of someone I know. He's a pureblood and he's betrothed to this horrible, horrible girl named Pansy."

Severus seemed to want to ask her some questions but shook his head as his lips thinned. "Fair enough," he finally stated. There was a tense silence and Hermione watched Lily talk to a guy with dark hair that was about Hermione's age. He seemed vaguely familiar to her.

"Who's that?" she asked, nodding toward the black-haired boy.

"Regulus Black," he stated. "Much less annoying than his brother, Sirius." Severus scowled at the mention of Sirius.

Hermione's eyes widened. "He's a Gryffindor," she stated. Severus gave her a look that clearly said "and your point is?" Hermione frowned and decided not to go into depth why she had made the comment about Regulus Black being a Gryffindor. He would be a Death Eater and he was a Gryffindor. She had thought only Slytherins became Death Eaters. Her eyes traveled to Peter who gnawed his fingernails as he concentrated on the book lying before him, obviously doing some very last minute studying on something...Peter would become a Death Eater too. Suddenly, Hermione wasn't hungry anymore.