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Chapter Text

The Malfoys are the royal family that governs with absolute monarch Lucius II as the king. All the Order of the Phoenix members are imprisoned below The Dark Palace, which was built by expanding the Malfoy Manor to fit the Royals. The inside of the Royal Palace is full of dark green colors mixed with black interior, filled with elves and servants running the palace. Most of the news spreading in the Prophet highlights the greatness of the Royal family that helps the magical world to rebuild, and non-stop worships The God Voldemort.

Now, Draco Malfoy is the Prince. He is the number one bachelor in the magical world. After finishing dinner, the Royal Family has important things to discuss.

"You should pick one of the witches and start giving me an heir so that we can uphold this institution for a hundred more years," Lucius said, eyeing his son and heir.

The servants spread pictures of all the witches that have been approved. There are 50 single witches that Draco can choose from at the table in front of him.

"These are confirmed to be healthy and very eager to be your future Queen, Draco," Narcissa smiled at her son. "They all have been checked. Some of them no longer have their virtue, while some of them still have it intact. The red dots below their pictures indicate that they are still untouched. Only 15 women have red dots; most of them are from pureblood families. I like this one in particular," says Narcissa, pointing to Greengrass.

"I have my choice," Draco answered sternly.

"Which one, darling?" Narcissa beamed at him.

"I want her or nobody else at all. You may find a new heir if you want, Father. I don't care, but if you want me to be your heir, Hermione Granger will become my future Queen." Narcissa gasped, "The... muggle-born witch?"

Draco looked sharply at his father's eyes, and Lucius gave him a frowning look, but Draco stood up and walked away. "Let me know the good news; I always welcome the idea of becoming a free wizard."

He's gone, and Narcissa looked at Lucius worriedly. "I should've known...the fact that witch keeps bothering him throughout all his Hogwarts life. I should've known that he's interested in her. That's just how it is: when he likes something, he will always find a way to get its attention."

"Do you think I will approve that?!"

"You think Draco's lying? He never jokes around with you! Do you have another heir? Do you?"

"People will talk. The embarrassment that I will face..."

"They will obey their King as they should. She just has to give him an heir and that's all, Lucius." Lucius is furious about Draco's ultimatum.

"I'll check on her, Kreacher!"

"Kreacher at your service," he said, clasping his hands and bowing to Narcissa.

"Take Hermione Granger out of the prison cell, take a couple of servants to clean her, and bring her to the healer. Tell them to check her health and her body thoroughly."

"I will," and he's gone.

"What's happening?!" Hermione said, confused as her eyes looked at the guards as they grabbed her and took her into a room filled with five servants busy preparing her bath while one of them tried to strip her of her clothes.

"What are you doing to me?! Let me go!"

"Kreacher is following the orders of the Queen."

"She's not my Queen!"

"She is, whether you like it or not. It's been years since the war; it's different now. We live a peaceful life thanks to the Royal Family," Kreacher explained to her.

"Peaceful?! Peaceful?! I'm rotting in prison! I don't even know where my friends are right now?!"

Kreacher eyed one of the servants and two girls pushed Hermione into the bath. She struggled, refusing.

"No... What are you going to do to me?!" She sobbed.

"I heard you were a smart witch; why don't you just follow the orders until the end? You'll find the answer you're looking for," Kreacher said, looking at her unfazed.

Hermione breathed heavily, staring at the elf, and so did the elf. After the bath, they put her in clean clothes proper for a guest. They took her into another room where a healer was standing by.  "We will check on your health and..."

"For what?" She stood still, glaring at the healer.

"We are just following orders; you can ask the Queen when you meet her later."

They cast spells and spells, blue, red, yellow, and green static appeared after they finished. They cast "Incarcerous," the last spell tying her to the bed and caging her so she could not move. She struggled to move. "Stay still!"

"No! No! What are you doing?!" The ties spreading her legs open while the healer checked her hymen. One tear flowed through her eye.

"Still intact," the healer informed Kreacher.

Kreacher held her arm, and they apparated to one of the rooms in the palace. She wiped her tears, and he was gone, leaving her behind. She ran straight to the door, but it was locked. She crouched down, dropping to her feet and wrapping her knees to her chin, sobbing.

Chapter Text

The healer informed Narcissa about Hermione the next day. "Alright, make the preparations," she told the elves. Draco was standing in his potions lab, making his own special potions for his own use, like he usually did.

"Good morning, my Prince," Draco nodded.

"Topsy is here to tell the Prince information about Miss Granger after the Queen checked her thoroughly last night."

"Speak."

"Miss Granger is most perfectly fit to become the future Queen!" Topsy exclaimed, beaming at the news he was giving. Draco stopped his work for a while and continued.

"Miss Granger is right now enjoying her breakfast in her room."

"You can go now," Topsy nodded.

After he finished making his potions, he apparated and stacked them in his bedroom. He apparated in front of Hermione's room. After he knocked, he opened the door. She was standing by the window, looking out at the garden while everyone was busy doing their chores. Her food was untouched.

"You don't like the food?" he asked.

"I don't like many things that are happening to me right now." She turned to face him; he was wearing a suit. It was too much for home clothes. Oh right, he's a prince, she thought. "What are you going to do with me? Are you going to parade me in front of all your people to see how Harry Potter's best friend is rotting in your prison and then kill me afterward?"

He frowned at her idea; parading her was never on his mind. She was his only, for him only. "I'm here to tell you that you'll be my wife by tomorrow night."

She gaped at him; the idea of what he said was never on her mind. "Wife?" She laughed nonstop. "I'm not here to hear your joke, Malfoy!"

"It's not a joke. It never will be."

"And why would I do that?" She glared. "Are you bored? Huh? Is that why? Am I to be your toy to play with?"

She walked back and forth. "You cannot make me do that; I will never agree to what you just said."

"Do you want to rot in prison or up here in the Palace?"

"Neither."

"I'm saving you the best that I can."

"By doing this?"

"The world you knew before will never come back; just accept it."

"Because you and your family now rule?"

"Because I will become king one day."  

"You don't like your father; you should kill him!"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because... because... that's the right thing to do!"

"What's your version of right or wrong are different now? In this different world, the right thing to do is to follow the order."

"Whose order is that?" She challenged him.

"Your Prince, your future King."

"You cannot make me..." Her words got cut off by Draco suddenly apparating in front of her; they were so close that when they breathed, they touched. He touched her right hand; she struggled to get him to let her go, but he clenched her wrist, his other hand touching her lips. She stopped moving; they were looking into each other's eyes.

"Don't touch me!" She took a step back, but he pinned her to the wall and kissed her roughly. She struggled to push him away, but he caught her wrists and pinned them above her head and continued kissing her. When she stopped struggling, Draco released her. She was breathing heavily. "I'll see you tomorrow," he apparated.

Chapter Text

With magic preparing a wedding, it's much faster; all the elves and servants are busy running around the palace to prepare the Royal Wedding.

"I will not wear that!" Hermione refuses to wear the wedding dress that has been prepared for her, while a couple of servants bake off her as she tosses things around in frustration.

"Tell your prince I refuse!"

One of the elves disappears and informs Draco about Hermione. Draco apparates to her room, seeing all the mess she's making. "Get out, all of you!" The servants run out while the elves disappear.

He sighs, "Your parents..." He's looking down, as if he's ashamed, but she knows he's not.

She gasps, "My parents? What...what about...how do you?" She's in shock; all the fear she thought she knew is nothing compared to this.

"They're..."

Her eyes widen. "What did you do?!" She's closing her mouth, shaking her head.

"They're safe..." He's looking at her face.

"You...you threatened me with my parents now?!!" She's furious, her tears flowing out.

"I'll do anything to have you," he says, staring at her with his cold eyes, shamelessly.

"No, no, no!" She's falling to her knees, sobbing, crying, and feeling helpless.

"After we won, they were looking for you and your family. With all the new power we have, they found them. When I arrived on the scene as their prince, I could demand them for myself, so I hid them; no one knew."

"How can I trust what you just said?"

"Legilimency." Draco shows her the scene where he found them; Hermione spasms.

"They're somewhere safe, and only I know the place; they're safe with me."

After listening to her cry for 30 minutes, Draco rises from the chair. "You know what to do; behave, and you might see your parents again."

"Malfoy!" She's crawling at his feet. "Please don't hurt them, please..." She's begging him on her knees. He's looking down at her, frowning, and then he's gone. The elves and servants are coming back inside; this time, she's following the instructions.

Their wedding takes place at The Mercy, where they're practicing the Dark Lord's religion and see Voldemort as their God. High ceilings, black walls with Voldemort ornaments around, green candles floating everywhere; you can smell dark magic as soon as you enter the building. The Mercy looks like a big cathedral in the Muggle world. All the guests are wearing black coats covering their heads; thousands of wizards and witches are attending, invited to witness the wedding of their prince and their future queen.

Hermione walks in the middle in a black wedding dress, with six royal servants behind her holding her dress. She's looking right and left to see anyone she might recognize, but there’s no one. They're gazing at her; some are looking her up and down with stern looks, some are whispering, and some are even bowing to her in respect. She's staring straight ahead, and that’s when she sees Malfoy standing in a black tuxedo, with a black coat covering his head adorned with a gold pattern. He's looking at her with a cold stare. As soon as the bride closed, he stretched his arm at her. She was looking at him for quite a while before giving her right palm above his palm.

As the preacher worshipped their God, Hermione whispered to Draco, "Promise me, sworn to me you'll protect them and bring no harm to them." She turned her head slightly and said, "Swear it."

His eyes kept looking forward. "I swear," he replied. The choir was whispering something; they were chanting in a low whisper like prayers. When they stopped, the preacher started to speak.

"In the name of the Dark Lord, with the mercy of our God Lord Voldemort, and the blessing of our King, Lucius Malfoy II, the Prince Draco Malfoy will wed Hermione Granger, and they will seal it."

The preacher asked for Hermione's palm, sliced it in the middle, and squeezed it into a golden bowl filled with green liquid. Her blood mixed with the liquid inside the bowl, and Draco did the same. The healer came from the left, waved their wand, and the wound was healed. The preacher then continued to pour the liquid into two golden glasses, placing them on a golden tray. As the preacher lowered his body, kneeling in front of them, all the guests followed suit; they all knelt except for two people on their side.

This is blood magic, she thought in her mind. Draco drank the green liquid while Hermione stared at him, looking for his reaction, but there was none. She looked to the side and saw Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy standing and staring at her. She turned her head and noticed the guests still kneeling, and her eyes caught Draco's waiting for her. What would he do to her parents if she refused to drink this? She hesitated as she drank the liquid, but after she emptied the golden glass, she felt a warm liquid in her throat; it tasted like iron from the blood.

"Now you are officially husband and wife. The connection will never be broken; your blood will combine with one another inside, and your blood will produce new blood outside, in the name of the Dark Lord, as we all believe, and Lord Voldemort's mercy."

"Thank you for the mercy, my Lord," all the guests and Draco chanted at the same time. Hermione looked up and saw Voldemort's face looking down at her, smiling. The ornaments seemed almost real. They all rose up and looked at them. Hermione looked around, but there was no ring; she was suspicious that the liquid must be tying them together.

After the wedding ceremony, all the guests and the royal family were eating and celebrating. The choir was singing praises to the Dark Lord. They were chanting and repeating:

"Thank you for your mercy, my Lord... you're our merciful God... You sacrificed your soul to save us all, you're our guidance... you're our protector... we only believe in your power... I believe only in you. The Dark Way is the Light... I'm at your mercy."

"The song..." she mumbled to herself, but Draco answered, "The title is 'The Dark is the Light.'"

Hermione looked horrified, hearing the sound and seeing the sight. She saw people acting as if this was not happening; they were praising the Dark Lord Voldemort as their God. They were enjoying their food, drinking, smiling, and laughing. She was so terrified she was trembling. What is this? Tell me this is just a nightmare, she was thinking in her mind.

She couldn't breathe. "I need to... lavatory," she felt suffocating. Draco raised his hand to the servant, and one of them came closer. "Help her," they were nodding. Hermione stepped down from the podium where the royal family was sitting, holding onto the servant's hand as if she might fall at any moment. The servant helped her walk slowly, leading the way; she was breathing heavily. The new reality hit her in the face. This was all real; it was not just gossip or rumors and whispers she had heard in the prison down below. Up here in the palace, they were all real. What they had said.

"Get your act together!" someone whispered to her. She looked around; no one would dare speak to her like that, not in her position now. "Don't scream," the servant holding her spoke as she opened her mask. She didn't recognize her, but she seemed familiar. "The resistance still exists, Hermione." She stared at her face, thinking, is this really happening? Her eyes furrowed. "I'm here just for this moment to tell you about..." but Hermione cut her off.

"Tell me this is not real! What happened in there? Tell me! This is a lie! I'm just dreaming!" She leaned towards the informant, tears flowing. "This is real; this is the new world. While you were in prison for years, they built this world. You need to get yourself together! You're our last hope now! The day we read the news that the prince is choosing you, we knew you were our only hope, Hermione." She was confused. "Listen, we don't have much time now. All the Order of the Phoenix is in prison. Only you can do something from within. The resistance fights for their cause, and we'll never stop. We work in secrecy. There's a forest near the garden; one of our people will stay there. They will alert us if you go there. Try to get information that we can use!" She was nodding and wiping her tears.

"What's your name?"

"Eve. I registered to be a servant here under that name."

All of a sudden, all the fear and hopelessness she felt before was gone. She felt hope. There was a new power within her that was tickling from the inside. Could the old Hermione awaken? She had changed so much; her old self was buried for years. She had lost her, but this news felt like a dream from far away that she was desperately reaching for. They went back to the podium. She could see straight now, looking at their faces, facing them with bravery and new power. Draco was checking on her for a while and turned his face to the crowd. One by one, the guests were coming in front of them to get their opportunity to congratulate the royal family, hoping and wishing for prosperity for the kingdom and future. The royal baby.

Chapter Text

After all the celebrations are over, the servants help her change and bathe, cleaning her body thoroughly. The potions they put in the bath are like a perfume that never fades. She's drowning in her own mind, thinking of her conversation with Eve, what she said about her new hope, and all the things she can plan from now on. "My Lady, everything is done; you can follow her now," the servant points to another servant. "Where are we going?" But there is no answer.

It's a big hall, definitely not a bedroom. It's dark, with smoke everywhere from the incense. She can see from their wrinkled hands that they are old people, ten of them sitting silently. Their faces are hardly seen under their white coats over their heads. She keeps walking, and there is a square partition in the middle of the hall that separates those people. "You can enter, My Lady," the servant points to the square. She's not entering the square but circling it, checking from each side. What is this? In front of the square, there's a drawn circle with green and gold paintings, full of written words she doesn't understand; in the middle of the circle, there's blood floating. When she sees inside the square, there's Draco sitting and drinking in front of a table filled with food and drinks. The circle connects to the square where Draco is enjoying his food. This is a ritual, but the question is, what for?

She then enters; the servant is still following her from behind, pointing for her to sit beside Draco. Draco is unbothered; he keeps eating the fruits while the servant pours her a drink in each glass, and she's gone. "Begin," Draco suddenly says. One of the old people moves forward to the circle, and the others spread around the square, chanting.

"Det nobis dominus novus heres fortis, qui stemma domus nostrae regalis in viis obscuritatis domini nostri perseveret sub duce domini nostri, potestas eorum in sanguine suo in futurum pro nobis permanebit."

They're slicing their palms and squeezing the blood out; the blood falls to the ground outside the square partition, and then they sit back in their chairs, healing themselves. Another blood magic. "What did they say? Is that a spell?" Hermione asks Draco. But they don't use their wands.

"They're praying," he answers.

"Praying for what?" His face is troubled by the question. He suddenly looks magnificently handsome in her eyes. What is happening? The hall gets hotter, so she drinks the water that Draco also drinks, but it's not water; it's wine. Draco suddenly leans into her body and abruptly pinches her. "Aww!" He keeps leaning.

"What are you doing?"

"No!" She's struggling as Draco pinches her again. "Aww! Stop! It hurts!"

"You can go now, all of you," he orders them from inside the square that separates them.

"But the blood is still floating, My Prince; we cannot go until..."

"Go! Now! Leave! I will give you her virgin blood later if you really fancy that kind of stuff!" They're leaving in a hurry.

"What was that?" She's breathing heavily.

"Did they come here to witness..." she's gasping. "You're sick people!"

Draco shuts her mouth. "They will hear you." He goes back to his previous position, sitting straight and eating his fruits again. She's walking away, but she cannot escape the square; there's a ward. She's turning to him. "They're doing this so that we..."

"Eat and then go to sleep," he speaks sternly, not looking at her.

"You're just going to be calm and fine with all this?!"

"You...You're their prince; how can they do this to you?!" She's standing in front of him and looking at his back. There's a big bed that suddenly appeared.

"Do you know this would happen?"

"I read it somewhere."

Something is happening in her body; she can feel her blood pumping in her veins. She feels hot, and Draco looks so edible. "Malfoy, I..." She's breathing heavily, feels like there's a magnet pulling her into Draco, like she wants to be touched by him only. She gets closer.

"Stop!" Draco puts his palm in front of her. "Keep your distance!" She can see his chest rising and falling.

"I... I can't... I need... I need..." She's reaching for him, sitting on his lap, touching his face, and burying her face in his neck.

"Fuck!" Draco hisses. "Granger," he's breathing more heavily.

"I want you," she's licking his ears and kissing his neck.

"No, you don't," he moans.

"Please," she moves her hips against his groin.

Draco growls, "Stop that! You hate me, remember!"

"Yes, ahh..."

"But you want me now?" He's angry and frustrated.

"Yes, please..."

He's looking into her eyes sharply. "Say it again."

Please, Malfoy..."

He pinned her to the ground and opened his clothes. Seeing Draco do that, she's opening her clothes too; they are both naked now. When he sees her body, nothing can stop him now. He's reaching for her fold, and it's soaking wet. He's kissing her nipple with his mouth, and his hand is circling her clit.

"No, no, I need you now!" She's humping her hips to his hard length. "Ah..." They both moaned.

"I need to make sure it's wet enough; otherwise, it will hurt more."

"I don't care, please, Draco."

He's entering her with a thrust that makes her gasp. The blood that has been floating shattered onto the ground of the circle. She felt something being pulled and stinging, but all those sensations were defeated by the urge she craved. "Ah..." she moaned as Draco kept thrusting slowly.

"More... Draco." He's quickening his pace. "Harder," she moaned. He thrusting harder as her request. "Ahh" Draco moaned for her tight walls gripping around his length, his pase getting faster as he thrusts and something was released from her; it felt like something she had never felt before. She came, screaming that her voice echoed through the hall, and after her released. Draco came, growling. He moaned because he could feel her fold spasm, squeezing him. He's looking into where they are connecting and sees white seeds and blood leaking together.

After taking a break and drinking, their breathing returns to normal. Draco brings her body to the bed and covers her with a blanket. He then goes to check the circle beyond the partition outside the square where the blood was floating, seeing it all splattered on the ground. He then goes back to the bed and sleeps. In the middle of the night, he's restless with sweat on his body. He wakes up and sees Hermione on top of him, riding him slowly.

"Ahh, Draco... you feel so good."

"Granger!" He hissed. She grinds on him "Aaahh.." her eyes rolling backwards feeling the sensations and then she moved up and down faster closing her eyes for the pleasure she feels and then she came, crying out and throwing her head backward shaking. She's crushing down on top of him breathing heavily. He pushed her to the side and sighed, "What on earth did my mother do?" shrugging his face with his palm, but he has not come yet; it ached. "Fuck," he goes to his side seeing her in post orgasm phase she's glowing in pink cheeks, her nipples are hard peaked, her swollen pink glistening folds, he growls and spreading her thigh apart and ease himself to her, his palms squeezing and palming her two breast as He thrusts hard and fast until he came.

After an hour he's hard again it ached, he carresing her hips and she moans she felt sensitive by his touched, they did it one more time again with Hermione on her fours her hands holding the bed headboard as Draco thrusts roughly and faster "Ahh! Don't stop" she said their skin  slapping together echoed through the halls and they came.

When morning came, he woke up seeing Hermione sobbing in the corner. They both sober now; the incense is off. "I hate you..." she cries. "I hate your family and all your kingdom!" He sees dried blood on the ground near the table and on their bed sheets.

He swirled his wand, checking something, and sighed. "I checked everything before I came: the food, the water, everything was clean. I missed something; it's the incense." He looked guilty.

"I promise you it won't happen again." He's looking into her eyes. She's angry at him, but more at herself.

Chapter Text

She woke up thinking she must be crazy because she was dreaming about her wedding night. She is still sore when she moves. "This must be because of that damn ritual they did at the beginning," she mumbled to herself, shrugging her face with her palms. She looked to her side; there were jade roses in the vase beside her bed and a potion. When she thought about it, there were also jade roses in the garden when she was looking out the window.

After that night, they lived in separate rooms but on the same floor. Draco said, "No one will come to this floor except Topsy; he'll bring the food and everything you need, just call him," and then she stared at his back as he walked away from her to his room.

Every servant in this palace wore black coats over their heads. She saw Draco and his family also wearing black coats on her wedding day but with gold patterns that differentiated them as the royals. In her wardrobe, they also gave her black coats with gold patterns, which means she is also part of the royal family now. She needed a plan to be able to give information; she had to go outside.

"Topsy!" and he appeared.

"Topsy is here! How can I serve my lady?" He was beaming at her.

"What is this? Did you put it here?" She was pointing her finger at the jade roses in the vase and the potion beside her bed.

"It's from the prince, my lady."

He’s giving her flowers?

"The potion is for the pain. The prince made it himself. Our prince is very good at making potions, and the jade rose means someone is hoping, like a wish!" He became excited.

A wish? She brushed it off, "I need to speak to Malfoy." He flinched because no one ever called his name after they became royal family. He bowed his head and apparated.

After a while, he came to her room. He wasn’t apparating inside like he did before the marriage but knocked at her door and opened it. He came inside and looked at her. She cleared her throat.

"You cannot trap me inside this room forever; I want to go out." She was looking out of her window at the forest.

"I wanted to tell you that before you called me," she turned her head at him. "After the wedding, you can walk outside this room; you're free to go anywhere but only in this palace. However, you cannot go to the forest beyond the garden; it's warded." She should say thank you, but she wouldn't. He was the reason she was in this new prison in the first place. Or was it his family's fault? She went to her wardrobe instead, taking her coats, ignoring him, but he kept looking at her.

She walked outside the palace through the garden where everyone bowed at her as she walked past them. From down here, she could see her window up there. There was a gardener and a couple of servants planting something. She was curious, so she got closer and looked around.

"How can I help you, my lady?" she bowed.

She just smiled and leaned to see the plant, curious.

"It's jade roses, my lady."

Why are these people obsessed with these jade roses? Do they really make your wish come true or are they just another superstition? She continued walking and looking around when she saw everyone busy working. She went to a tree and hid. When she took a step forward, she felt the ward, so she stopped.

She looked around the forest and whispered, "Eve...." No one answered, but then someone appeared, approaching her from the forest. "I'm with Eve; my name is ..."

"I know who you are," he looked at her and continued, "we know who you are." She nodded, gazing at him and back at her. "Where is Eve?

"She's not in post right now; do you have information?"

"I have a plan."

"I'm listening."

"Tell Eve to register herself again into the palace, and I will choose her to be my assistance; that way it'll be much easier to communicate."

"I'll tell her." They nodded at each other, and he apparated.

She walked again as if nothing happened, counting the servants, the elves, and what they were doing. Every day she memorized each bedroom and each wing; she also went to every different building within the palace until she no longer got lost. After a week of doing that, she had it all in her mind. She found a balcony at the very top of the palace; from up there, she could see everything down and beyond the palace. After the garden, there was a forest, beyond that she could hardly see. Tired of exploring, she called Topsy.

"Topsy!"

"Bring me some tea and snacks; I like it here, and also a chair and table."

"Yes, my lady!" He came back with all the fancy tea-time sets, complete with all the snacks, chairs, and a table.

"Next time bring me only the tea."

"I will, my lady. Topsy also likes it here; it’s very beautiful. My lady picked a great place!"

"You can sit if you want."

"Do you think that I can get my wand back?"

He's giving me a sad face, and I know his answer. I turn my gaze somewhere else. A witch without a wand is just a muggle.

Every day when she wakes up, there are new, freshly cut jade roses beside her bed. She rarely sees Draco. When she is walking sometimes, she sees him with a couple of servants following behind him; from their heights and posture, they must be men. He is talking with them, discussing something; they are all listening to him and following him. If she could just follow them and listen to that important conversation.

It was afternoon, and suddenly, Draco appeared at her balcony while she was enjoying her tea. She almost choked. He cleared his throat.

"Can I join you?" he asked her.

"This whole palace is yours; how can I refuse?" she said, annoyed. He sat beside her.

The proper manner would be for her to offer him, "Would you like some tea?" She put on a blank face.

"Yes, please. Thank you," he smiled. He looked very happy for tea. While she made the tea, he kept checking her face; that was what she noticed about him; he always did that. The whole tea-making situation felt very intimate, the way he looked at her hands and her face, like she was the most important thing he owned. After she finished, while he drank his tea, he was staring at her. She could feel his gaze, but she kept looking straight ahead.

"It tastes very good."

"Thank you," her chin was up, looking at the forest.

"Will you make me tea again when I come here?"

Again? He's so politely dangerous, the damn prince and his manners. She nodded.

"I wanted to show you something; will you come with me?" 

The fact that he keeps asking for permission, knowing she will agree no matter what because he has her parents, is making her hate him even more.

He stood and stretched his arm to her. She looked at him for a while. What now? She touched his palm that he was offering, and they apparated.

From up here, she was seeing the Dark Palace where she was staying; right across from where she was standing, she looked down and realized she was standing on top of a castle.

"I've been building this for you. Building..takes..time." She thought she misheard what he just said. She was confused; from the Palace at her balcony, she should be able to see this castle, but she had never seen it before.

"I did conjuration so you can't see it from the Palace; now it's finished, and I want you to see it."
This castle, with its greyish exterior, circular towers, and intricate balconies detailing the windows, looked like a fairy tale castle that she had seen when she was little in the books she read.

"It's called Hermione Castle," he announced proudly. She turned to him, her eyes widening.

"It's a wedding gift and also an apology." He was looking at her face with emotions she could not describe.

Apology? For the wedding night? She blinked.

"You built another prison for me, great." But she could not lie; she was in awe looking at this castle. "How rich has your family become after ruling?"

"We were already fortunate before ruling, so adding that..."

"Okay, okay, you don't have to tell me; I get it."

"Would you like to look around?"

"Lead the way."

The castle > https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSj1XBMX7/

Chapter Text

She's walking around the hallway when she saw Draco with a bunch of servants behind him and his elf. He's staring at her from the second floor. She caught his eyes for a while and ignored him as she kept walking. She talked to one of the servants in the garden one afternoon where they were all busy harvesting the Jade Roses. When she suddenly asked:

"Where do you bring that to?"

"My lady," she bowed to her, smiling.  

"After we harvest them all, we bring them to the potions lab; the servants there will make the roses into extract, my lady."  

"Extract? From these flowers?"  

"Yes, my lady, Jade Rose extract has healing benefits that are used to make potions." I didn't learn that in school; is this a new discovery?

"Since when did you know about Jade Roses?"  

"After the war, people got sick. The prince helped us all," she explained to her.

"When Lord Voldemort grew powerless and was almost dead, the Prince brought Jade Roses to him, wishing for his health. Since then, the Jade Rose became a symbol of hope and wishes. It's very precious and expensive, but the Royal Family kindly gave us all a couple of seeds. Now, we are all planting the roses in our homes and throughout the kingdom. These roses also produce an enzyme that is very good for our bodies when you inhale it. I put one in my mother's room at home for her health, and also wishing for her safety," she smiled at her. Malfoy also gave her that Jade Rose.

"The prince's knowledge of the Jade Rose extract saved so many people, including my mother. People who were sick healed slowly. He saved us all," she said, almost in tears.

"After the Prince ordered it, it's been the tradition of the Royal Family to plant them. The Royal Family plants them in their garden; you can also plant your Jade Rose there, my lady," she smiled as a symbol.

She's nodding and smiling, I will not. Not...until I do my research or ask Malfoy since he's the one who found it.

Draco always gave her flowers every day in her bedroom, and she was wondering what he wished or hoped for.

"Topsy is here to bring the healer, my lady."

"Healer? I don't need one or ask for one."

"It's an order from the queen." She froze. The healer came to her room.

"You may lay on the bed, my lady."

"What are you going to do?" she spoke sternly. "You should tell me first; I'm not your prisoner anymore." The healer bowed.

"The queen ordered us to check on your womb to see whether you're pregnant or not." She flinched, flattening her lips and lying down.

She lay on the bed, and they did the spells. She could see that there was nothing moving. She sighed in relief, but the healer sighed in disappointment.

"You're not pregnant yet, my lady." Yet.

After he bowed, he was gone.

Topsy came to inform her that she had been invited to dinner.

"With who?"

"The king and queen, and also the prince."

The servants came and helped her change, and Topsy apparated her to the dining table. They were already sitting, waiting for her. Narcissa smiled at her, hugging her, and welcoming her to the family. It's been weeks; it's too late to say that, she thought. After dinner, Narcissa started to speak.

"The healer came to me to inform me that you're not yet pregnant," Thank Merlin.

"Fret not, my dear; with more efforts, you will be pregnant. That's what we all hope for; the bright future of our family. What this kingdom needs is only a royal baby." She's beaming.

"I told the healer to give you potions to raise the chance, but we all know that without the efforts from you two, even if you drink 100 potions, it will never affect you," she smiled.

"What do you think, Draco?" his mother asked.

"You're right, mother; I will put in more efforts." Hermione tensed.

Lucius looked at her with a hateful look and ignored her. After the king and queen finished, they both left the dining hall. She asked him:

"They must have rejected the idea of me." He was silent for a while and answered.

"They don't have another choice unless they have another heir."  

"Why are you doing this to me?" She waited for his answer, "You hated me...in school."

"I admit hate is one of the feelings I have for you."

One of?

She scoffed, "So you're telling me you're..." She's blinking, "this whole time you're...interested in me?"

"Interested?" He scoffed, "I would not choose that word for what I feel towards you."

If he's interested in me, I can use that.

He terrified her. Beyond his calm, princely demeanor, he's a person who knows what he wants and will have what he wants, even against his parents; he won.

He's walking away.

"I..." she stood up, turning to face him.

"I need assistance."

He's turning to face her. "You have Topsy."

"I need a woman, a human woman. It's different from an elf... They will understand me better since she's a woman. She will assist me when I need it; also, she can be a companion...a friend." He stayed silent, thinking.

"Just one; that's all I need," she looked desperate.

He sighed, "Alright," and then he was gone. Topsy got closer to her from the corner where he had been standing.

"Topsy will take one of the servants to..."

"No, I'm the one who will choose them," he nodded.

He brought them to her. "Open your hood; I want to see your face," she said. She's searching for Eve, but she's not there.

"Bring another; I want to see another," Topsy brought another, still none; after the third batch, she saw Eve. She was relieved.

"I want her; she seems ... friendly," she pointed her finger at Eve. Topsy nodded. Hermione walked out, followed by Eve, but stopped and turned to Topsy.

"I don't need your service anymore; I have assistance now. You can go, Topsy." He's Draco's elf; he's loyal to him, a spy.

He looked sad and sighed, but then he was gone.

Chapter Text

Eve told her that all the resistance put their trust in her; only with her help would this Kingdom fall. They all feel like Hermione is their new hope. Eve also told her that they would gather more people to join. They had all been hiding themselves for years, but now, with Hermione's help, they would thrive. She also told her about life in the district of resistance, where there are innocent people, little kids, old people, people who are not involved in the war, but who are all victims of this new world. She feels the light every time Eve tells her the story, as if she can grasp onto something while she's been drowning.

She woke up and went outside for her usual morning walk, but today is different. People are busier; some of the servants are running, and the elves are also busy. She reached out her hand to stop one servant. "Why are you so busy?" She gasped after realizing it was Hermione. "My Lady," she bowed. "It's The Annual Year of The Royal Army, My Lady."

She froze. An army...? "Where?"

"Pardon me, My Lady?"

"Where is this army?"

"They're in Hermione Castle, My Lady." She's nodding, and the servant walks away.

An army? The Royal Army? She's breathing heavily. I need to see it to believe it.

"Topsy!"

"I want to see the army... Royal Army." She tries to calm herself down.

"Topsy just wanted to tell My Lady that The Prince invited My Lady to stand beside him later."

She's nodding. "Take me there."

After Eve and the servants changed her clothes into a black dress full of gold patterns, she looked at the dress in the mirror. The dress looked majestic; it even had a hood over her head, also with a gold pattern. After she was ready, all the servants, including Eve, went to the castle, but Topsy appeared together with Hermione.

When she arrived, she already heard the chanting from afar. Slowly, as she walked, the chanting became louder and louder as she made her way to the balcony of her castle. She saw Draco standing, looking below him with his black coat, silver armor, and two skulls on each of his shoulders. He stood on the balcony. The chanting kept getting louder, as if a hundred people were screaming. As she walked to Draco's side slowly, the dress was heavy, and all the servants were holding the tail of her dress behind her. She saw not hundreds—no, she was wrong... it was more than that.

We fight for our Prince! The Prince! The Prince!

When she saw the army right before her eyes, the sight made her hands tremble, her legs were shaking, and her hand reached for the handle in front of her. She was breathing heavily

"How... how many are there?" she sighed.

"One thousand." She turned her head to Draco, her mouth parting slightly to breathe, seeing him looking at his army proudly. Draco's eyes darkened. "There's more... still training," he smirked. She saw Voldemort before; he looked evil, but in front of her now, the man she was looking at was more terrifying than Voldemort.

They kept chanting, making her dizzy. She felt nausea start building in her stomach like she wanted to throw up. How could Draco gather this many people to build an army? It had been just five years since the war. She grew pale, excusing herself as she turned around, as if she had just seen something horrific. She staggered and almost fell; tears flowed, and all the servants behind her grew worried, noticing she looked sick. When she reached across the balcony and nearly fell, Eve grabbed her hands, whispering to her,

"How many?" She searched for Hermione's eyes.

She couldn’t answer Eve; she was in shock. She was panicking. She could not breathe, and then she blacked out.

She thought there was hope to fight against this new world. After seeing that army, she was drowning again; the hope shattered, and the grip she was holding slipped from her hand.

She woke up with a jade rose in her palm. "Eve..." she called weakly.

"What happened?" She was still dizzy.

"You fainted! I was so worried!" she whispered. So she looked around.

Draco was here in her room, talking with five healers. They all bowed their heads to him repeatedly. He turned his head, caught her eyes, and all the healers came to her, whisking their wands to check on her. He was standing in front of her bed, his face very disturbed. Her mind kept repeating the scene again on the balcony at her castle. He looked a little different now; all the smirks and pride were gone from his face, leaving only a frown and a disturbed expression, as if he were thinking. They looked at each other’s faces intensely.

"How are you feeling, My Lady?" She turned her eyes to the healer.

"I'm dizzy," and then he talks to another healer, discussing, while the others are writing. She's turning her eyes to Draco again; his eyes never stop looking at her. The General of the Army... that's what he is. She's staring at him.

"You should rest well, drink these potions, and eat, My Lady. Your blood sugar is low."

"If you still feel dizzy, you can call me again." He bows to her and Draco and retreats.

She's rising; she wants to sit, so Eve helps her. After she's seated, Eve helps her drink her potions; there are three of them in three different colors.

"Bring the food," Draco talks to Eve. She's bowing and leaving.

"The Jade Rose... did you really the one who found it?" she's asking him.

"You need to eat; ask later."

"You... you saved people?"

He scoffs, "Is it really hard to believe?" He's smiling wickedly. "I'm not Voldemort," he continues.

The potions are working; she starting to feel good.

"Do you think murdering people will help me stay in this position?"

She's turning her head to the vase beside her bed. "Is it really true... about the Jade Rose?"

She takes the flower in her palm and inhales it. She's waiting for his answer, but he is just staring at her with the Jade Rose in her hand. She's sniffing the rose. "It smells like... soft mint or spearmint?" she furrows her eyes, thinking. Eve comes with the food.

"Eat and rest," and he apparates.

Chapter Text

Eve and Hermione are walking to the Garden near the forest to talk with the resistance outside the Palace. She is walking through the garden, and Eve is following her from behind. When people bow to her, she smiles at them and pretends to smell the roses. When everyone is back to their duty, she sneaks out behind the tree that covers her body; Eve follows her.

"Eaton!" Eve whispers. They waited for a while, then someone approached them. "Got some news, Eve?" He nods to Hermione, and she nods back. Eve and Hermione are looking around, and Eve speaks, "There are 1,000 more Royal Army troops," "We saw it all," Hermione adds.

"Do you think we can face 1,000 troops?" Hermione asks. The three of them frown. "How many do we have so far?" she asks.

"Not even close," he answered.

"Eve said you guys would recruit more?"

"We will, surely, after I give this information to all the resistance," he keeps looking down, thinking.

Hermione keeps looking at his face, worried. She sighs, "What can we do now?"

"There must be a reason why he chose you," Eaton said. Hermione is confused.

"Maybe... maybe he's interested in me, but I don't see how that could help anything for the resistance or saving my friends," she sighs.

"It could," Eaton said, looking down. "Look, we are men, we... a bit weak when it comes to..."

"You’re asking her to what? Speak clearly! Man..."

"Alright, alright! I was just thinking maybe you could persuade him or something; I don't know..." he shrugs. "He can let you out of the prison; maybe he can release the Order of the Phoenix." They all gape at each other.

"It was different; she was about to become his wife!"

"There's no way they would release the Order of the Phoenix members; it would endanger the royal family; that's why they keep them locked in the first place."

"Do you have any other plan?"

"I'll think of something; maybe after I tell all the other resistance members, someone will have a plan," he said.

They both keep arguing while Hermione is thinking. He's right; she needs to persuade him in any way. Even if just one member of the Order of the Phoenix is out, it would be a huge factor for the resistance.

"I'll... I'll persuade him," she finally speaks, and she knows what it means.

She walks back with Eve and thinks harder.

"You need to get me contraceptives so that I will not get pregnant."  

She nods, "I will."

"But you cannot give me any medicine or pills in my body; they will know."

"I think I know just the right one for that."

They quietly walk.

"Do you think it will work with the prince?" Eve is worried about her, looking at her face.

"I don't know, but I’ll try."

"You don't have to do this, you know; maybe... maybe there's another way. Eaton will come back with all the plans they always do." She's frowning.

"I know, but I have to do something; if this could help hugely... that would be great for all of us."

"The wedding night, did he..."

"He did."

"But you're not pregnant?"

"No, maybe because of the stress; I wasn't having my period as well."

They nod.

They're having dinner together one night; she cannot eat because the food won't go down her throat due to the things she wants to say to him. She was not sober on their wedding night, influenced by the incense. It's different now; she's sober, and she will offer him her body. She's grasping her utensils tightly. She tries to calm herself but fails. He's still eating when she suddenly talks.

"What your mother said..."

"I’ll do it." There she lays down her pride as a woman; he stops.

"My mother talks a lot; which one?

"The efforts." Her voice echoes in the room.

Draco stays still; he stops eating.

"But in exchange for my friends," she said sternly. "Let them go."

He turns his face and looks at her. The vibes are so intense; she can feel it in the air. He keeps looking at her while she cannot look at him; she looks ahead. When he’s still not answering, which means he's thinking, she keeps pushing.

"Your mother said what this kingdom needs is a royal baby... don't you want it?" She's gazing at him; she caught his eyes; his chest is going up and down.

They stare at each other, and he stands from his chair. She's gaping at him, knowing her plan has failed miserably. She's still grasping her utensils as he walks away.

Eve comes rushing at her. "This little magical stone will help; just hold it in your palm, and read this spell after you've done it," she gives her the papers of the spells.

"Don't forget to do this after; I'll hide it in your bathroom." She nods.

"Don't bother; I failed; he doesn’t..." She's shaking her head.

Eve sighs; she puts her hand on her forehead and closes her eyes. "It's alright; we can find another way," she reassures her.

Hermione speaks, "There's no way he'll release one of the members of the Order..."

When suddenly Topsy came, "My Lady," he bowed to her.

They both stopped breathing and stared at Topsy, eyes widening.

"The prince said My Lady may join him tonight in his bedroom; he will wait for you," and he was gone, apparated.

Eve closed her mouth, gasping. "We did it."

That night, after her bath, she came to Draco's room with her royal black coat over her head. She walked into his room when she opened the door; it wasn't locked. She was standing in front of his door in his room. She saw him.

He was holding a glass, drinking by his window, looking at the castle; she could see it from his window. She closed her eyes, thinking, "Just get it over with." They weren’t speaking a word, so she thought since she was the one who offered him this proposal, she should be the one to start. Be brave. He knew she was in there but acted like she wasn't; he kept drinking and looking ahead. She took a slow pace to his bed and eased herself, laying down, waiting.

He turned his gaze at her; he was still drinking and staring at her intently. He walked closer and offered her his drink. When she was about to take the glass, he poured the drink into her mouth. Some of the alcohol went inside her mouth, and some fell outside her lips. His eyes darkened as he looked at her, he brushed her wet lips and licked them. She gasped and backed off slowly as he leaned closer to her trying to catch her lips. He put his hand at the back of her head, stopping her from backing off. He kissed her lips, sucking and licking, until she felt her lips were swollen; she was dizzy from his kiss. One of his hands went into her panties, carresing her clit; she moaned. He kissed her neck, licking it while his fingers kept circling her clit, "Ahh..."

"Come for me, Granger," he said, circling faster; his other hand kneaded her breast. She's  whimpering her toes curled; she closed her eyes and came, shaking as Draco kept circling her clit. He looked at her while she was at the height of her orgasm. When she opened her eyes, she saw him staring, and she blinked, breathing heavily. He opened her coat and backed off slightly, "Take off your clothes," he ordered. She took off her clothes slowly. "Eyes on me," he said sternly. She kept her eyes on him, taking off her clothes. After she was topless, he devoured her breast, pulling her nipple with his fingers on the right and his mouth on the left. "Ah..." She had already come, but she felt the knot below her stomach building again; she moaned. "Aah..." Then he went down to her panties and pulled them down. She was looking at him, his eyes focused on her folds as if he was memorizing it. "Mine," he said, pushing her clit with his thumb; her body jumped, "Ah!" Then he licked her clean until he put his tongue inside her, She's moaning as He circled her inside walls; she felt like floating outside her body. When she could not take it anymore, he pushed his two fingers inside her until they reached her G-spot. She screamed as she orgasmed, her head bows.

It scared her how good he made her feel. She was breathing heavily, but she feels his length at her entrance as he pushed inside her, she gasps.

"I will give you heaven after heaven after heaven until all you can see is me."

He pumped while both of his hands locked her shoulders, caging her so she could not move away. He thrusts hard, hitting her G-spot over and over again as her eyes rolled backward. Yes, she thought she could see heaven now. His thrusts felt so good she could only gape with no sound, She came shaking "Aaah.. Draco!" He keeps going when she thought he would be done, but he took longer, it felt like he would never stop. She came again; they both came at the same time. He growled louder and shuddered.

The next day, Harry Potter was out of prison, but no one knew.

Chapter Text

When she heard the news from Eve that Harry was out, it confused her how Lucius let Draco do things as he liked, such as marrying her and letting go of Harry Potter. It's still a misery. She didn't see him today; he was usually walking around, also the next day. That's when Topsy came and told her Draco was out at the military camp for a few days. The servants came into her room, bowing at her and informing her that the royal advisors were coming and wanted to meet her.

"Who's these royal advisors?"

"It's the people who attended your wedding night," Eve said.

"What do they want?"

"A sudden visit? No appointment or any notice beforehand?" Eve asked Topsy.

"Topsy didn't get any notice either," he was confused.

Hermione changed and walked to a room. There were three people who attended her wedding night, the elderly people she was referring to, and six women. They were all seated in formation, with the three royal advisors in the middle and three women on each of their sides, all sitting on higher ground. Hermione came into the room and stood in front of them on the ground, so they could see her from above.

"One of the servants told me you wanted to see me?"

"You cannot summon the lady; don't you know the rules?" Topsy frowned, Eve standing behind her.

Hermione just stared at them, the royal advisors with their signature white coats over their heads, the women in black coats like all the people in this kingdom. They didn't cover their heads with their hoods; the hoods fell on their backs like they wanted to show their faces. They were all beautiful, sitting with their straight backs, high chins, hands clasped, eyes laser-focused on her. These people didn't bow or lower their eyes as they looked at her since she came. She was waiting since they were the ones who wanted to meet her, so she would wait to let them start the conversation. The woman in the middle started to speak sternly.

They took turns to speak. "It's been six months; I still haven't heard any news about pregnancy."

"Do you know how important these matters are?"  

"We would not have come here if this were not important."

"The future of our kingdom is in your hands; do you understand that?" she spoke in high notes.

"Less effort... that's what I heard."

"Or... you're infertile."

"We know you have been checked before, but maybe new health issues occurred after the marriage.. it could happen."

Hermione kept her straight face as the three royal advisors kept talking to her. She was thinking, no matter how many times we do it, I will never get pregnant because that's not part of my plan, as she looked down holding her smirk. She thought it was nice to fool these people. As they said, the future kingdom was in her hands when she didn't want this kingdom to have a future. It gave her a little satisfaction.

"I brought these six women. These women are qualified to be the future Queen; they have learned proper manners since they were little, and they have been trained their whole lives to serve the prince."

"Out of fifty candidates, these are the top six; one of them is surely fit to be the future Queen for our Prince."

She didn't know that. She didn't know that there were candidates. The fact that these women's goals in life were to be someone's wife, spending their lives training hard to become the Queen, made her feel bad for them. Even though they were all staring at her like they wanted to kill her or do anything to snatch her place, she also saw... envy?

"Do you know that there are rules?"

"If the Queen cannot bear any children or provide an heir, the King could take a new one."

A new one? She could not let that happen; she needed this position now that one of her friends was released. She needed them all out of prison; if she were to be replaced by someone else, she could not continue her plans or help the resistance from the inside. Now they had her attention. She was looking at the royal advisors and the women, thinking one of them could take her place. 

"Let them in," the royal advisor commanded.

A healer came in through the door. "What's the healer for?" Eve asked, on alert, as four of the candidate women stood, walked, and got closer to Hermione. Hermione stood still, and they suddenly grabbed her hands very hard. She struggled and frowned, looking at them in confusion.

"Let me go."

"You cannot harm her or even touch her!" Topsy said as he flicked his hand, but no magic came.

"You cannot use magic in this room; I put spell on it," the royal advisors said.

"Begin!"

The other two women grabbed Topsy and Eve as Eve tried to help Hermione, but she was too late.

"Let me go now!"

They were not listening to her as the healer pulled out a syringe, and the four women smirked at her.

"You cannot do this to the lady without permission!" Eve fought.

"Only royal healers are allowed to examine The Lady," Topsy screamed.

The three of them are struggling as they're being held; the healer puts the syringe in her veins to take her blood. Even though they will not find any medicine or contraceptive on her body, she’s cautious: what if what the royal advisors just said is true? What if she has an illness that forbids her from having a child that could ruin everything. She will not let that happen. As Topsy's magic is gone, she fights with everything she has. She rebels against her body hard and shakes her hands that have been held still by these women as the healer has already inserted the syringe. She's in pain. "Aw!" The syringe in her veins moves because of her body struggling; one of the women scratches her hands and the other's nails pinch her to bleed. "Ah!" While the chaos is happening, the women seem eager and enjoy what they are doing while torturing Hermione and seeing her in pain.

"Stop moving; you'll bleed," said the healer.

"Get that thing out of me!" Hermione screamed.

She kicked the healer in his knees; he let go of the syringe, but it punctured deeper as she pushed the two women with her body, and they all rolled on the ground. The syringe got pushed through her bones as they rolled, struggling, and she screamed, "Ah!"

She stepped on their feet with all her strength, and they screamed, "Aw!" "Aw!"

"Get off of me!" After Hermione is free from their hold, the two women are on the ground. The other two backed off, breathing heavily, staring at her. She pulls the syringe out of her veins, and blood scatters all over the place. Eve and Topsy gasp at the sight.

"My lady!"

"Oh no!" Topsy said tearfully.

Hermione, breathing heavily, holds her pain as she walks to the higher ground where the royal advisors are staring at her in horror with blood all over the floor and blood still dripping as Hermione walks. She stops in front of them and looks down upon them as they sit in their chairs and says, "Bow to me," coldly.

"I am your future queen; I should be the one who sits on this chair, not you."

"Do you not know the rules?" She's mocking back, looking straight into their eyes.

They slowly move, signaling the women to go as they stand up, seeing the sight in horror. They walk down to the ground; Hermione turns around, her eyes following them. They descend and stand on lower ground, bowing to her hastily as Hermione looks down upon them from the higher ground. The pain that she's feeling right now is replaced by the anger she feels building inside. They are walking out, and Topsy apparates.

"Healer! Get the royal healer!" Eve screams.

Eve grabs her hand to the spot that is still flowing blood. It's not normal how much blood she sees, like someone pouring gallons of red ink. She's looking at Hermione's hand, full of deep red scratches, blood, and a hole in her veins - so much blood. As Eve looks at Hermione's face to check on her, Hermione faints.

Chapter Text

Topsy apparated to get healers when Hermione fainted, faster than Eve. The Healers have been healing Hermione for half a day. She lost too much blood, and they stitched her veins. Bandages were wrapped all over her hands. She's still unconscious when Draco arrived. He's standing still, looking at her hands, her bruised fingers, and her weak breathing; to her face, there are scratches on her neck too. He knew seeing her would only burn him more. All of his anger has been building since he heard the news.

"Topsy!" he called out.

"Give me your memories; I want to see it with my own eyes." Topsy gave it to him, and he's diving into the Pensieve. He saw it all: Hermione standing still, looking confused as four women ambushed her. She's struggling; he can see her blood flowing as she's screaming in pain. They treated the future Queen like some laboratory mouse as they held her body down and poked the syringe into her skin. Blood flowed non-stop out of her veins, but she never cried. She arose above them, walking with her blood scattered on the floor like her own personal red carpet, like a true Queen.

He's clenching his jaw as he's holding back his rage. He walks out of the Pensieve room to ease his anger, his chest spasming. He's grasping his wand tightly. He puts his wand up in the air and summons his soldiers. After five minutes, fifty soldiers gathered at Hermione's castle as Draco stood in front of them. Before he went to the castle, Topsy gave him the pictures of their faces. Draco waved his wand, and all the picture duplicates appeared in front of all the soldiers. They grabbed the papers, and they could see moving pictures in them.

"I want them all in prison tonight, waiting for their punishment," he commanded them, and one by one, they apparated. The three royal advisors were waiting proudly, unafraid, as the royal army took them. The six candidates ran in horror, screaming, begging, and crying as the royal army came for them, one by one, to their homes.

"Have mercy! I was just following the advisor! They said I could be the new Queen, please!"

"The royal advisors, they imperio'd me! Please!"

"No, no, no! I did not do it! Let me go!"

"Please don't, Father! Help! They're taking me!"

"Mother, you told me to do this! I never wanted this, Mother! Mother!"

"She's not my future Queen, but I am... aren't you agree I should be the Queen, not her! You’re touching your Queen! Let me go!"

They were all captured and apparated to prison. The three advisors stood by their reasons, not begging for mercy or admitting anything, saying,

"I did this for my kingdom; I would do it again."

"She's going to bring doom to this kingdom!"

"She needs to produce an heir; that is her duty!"

The three royal advisors were sentenced to death; they could be killed by potions, but they died by the Unforgivable Curse, as per Draco's order. Tomorrow, the six women awaited their punishments. Draco was sitting in Hermione's room, reading the Daily Prophet, looking at what they wrote.

THE DAILY PROPHET

WE ARE STANDING WITH THE PRINCE!

THE TRAITORS SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST OUR FUTURE QUEEN!

THE SIX WOMEN INVOLVED ARE WAITING TO BE PUNISHED TOMORROW.

THE EXECUTION OF THE EX-CANDIDATES FOR FUTURE QUEEN

DO THEY GET THE SENTENCE RIGHT?

PUNISHMENTS FOR TOUCHING, HARMING, AND HURTING THE ROYAL FAMILY ARE PUNISHABLE BY DEATH ONLY!

WE ALWAYS STAND BY OUR PRINCE!

While he was reading by Hermione's side, he heard her moving, so he put down the newspaper on top of her table beside her freshly cut jade roses as he got closer to her. She's slowly opening her eyes. He looks relieved as he can see those brown eyes again.

"Granger?" she's mumbling. He's restless due to Hermione's lack of response.

"Topsy!" 

"My Prince."

"Bring the healer now"

The healers came; ten healers gathered around Hermione. Her eyes blinked slowly as each of them waved their wands, checking her stats.

"How do you feel, My Lady?"

"Where am I?" 

"In your room, My Lady."

"The room is spinning," she says, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Give the black one," the healer points to the other healer.

They insert it into the infusion.

Draco's looking at her, his eyes widening as he sees her in distress.

"Now, how are you feeling, My Lady? Any other symptoms?"

She turns her head to the side, looking at her jade roses and down at the newspaper Draco was reading. Her dizziness is slowly disappearing, but it still lingers in the back of her head. She wanted to sit, so Eve helped her but failed terribly; her body is weak. The sight made Draco's blood boil.

"Give her something!" he said sternly.

"My prince, the lady needs time to adjust; she just woke up."  

The others added, "She needs to eat to regain her full strength for recovery; all the potions will only do so much."  

"I'm fine, Malfoy; you all can go now," she said weakly.  

"Servant, bring the food!" Draco ordered. As one by one they left Hermione's room, it was just the two of them now.  

He was staring at her, frowning worriedly.  

"What is that?" she pointed at the papers.  

"What did they say?" She grabbed the Daily Prophet and read it; Draco was reading her expressions.  

"Are you the one who ordered the sentence?"  

"It's the rules; they know what to do," he said, sitting by her side now.  

"Then what are you gonna do to the women?"  

"By the rules, the same," he frowned. "Don't think about it; all you have to do is recover."  

"No, I can't help but think about it. Are you going to sentence them to death?"  

"Not me; the rules, Granger."  

"They're still young; they were just following what they were told to do."  

"They're not innocent, if that's what you want to say."  

"What other possibilities are there?"  

"There's no other. They knew what they were trying to do; they've been learning about the rules and crimes against the royal family—no excuses are allowed," he spoke sternly.  

They knew it, but they were still doing it. She suddenly felt pity for them. She was silent; Draco was searching for her expressions again. She looked sad.  

"Please..."  

His face was shocked. "Please what? Do not use that word from your mouth to beg for them; they don't deserve your pleas." She put her palm on her forehead in distress and closed her eyes.  

Draco sighed. "Below that sentence is amputation; I can do that if you prefer."  

"What do you mean, cutting their hands?" she gasped.  

"They touched you; only I can touch you."  

"No," she closed her mouth. She continued, "If you do that, you... you are taking their future. These women... they... they are just victims; they've been forced to do this."  

"I saw it all; I was in Topsy's mind, looking at the scenes of what was happening. They don't look like they've been forced, like you said; instead, they look like they're enjoying it." He clenched his palm.  

"No, Malfoy," she shook her head. "That's too cruel."  

"They hurt you, harmed you. You fainted, you lost so much blood, and you almost died! That’s cruel," he was furious.  

He continued, "They picked the day that I was not in the palace; they planned this. They were waiting for this the whole time, waiting to do that to you! Do you understand that?!"  

She shook her head. "You cannot..."  

"I can," he answered right away.  

"No, I will not let you put this guilt on me; it will haunt me all my life that they're losing their hands because of me!" Tears flowed from the corners of her eyes.  

"It's because of them, not you! You are the victim, Granger!"  

"Just don't carry out the punishment tomorrow; just postpone it!" She looked desperate; he could see it in her eyes.  

She touched her head; the dizziness came back.  

"You need to eat," he said, and he walked away.

Chapter Text

Harry has a message for you. He was asking how you got him out. also, he's asking if it's possible to get everyone out. Eve said to Hermione this morning when she woke up.

"I didn't tell them how; only Eaton and I knew. No one knew. What do you want me to say to them?" She's not answering Eve until Eve finally walks away that morning.

Of course, she can try like she did with Harry, even though she can't guarantee he'll release them—more nights of seducing the Prince. Eve once said men like it when women go down on their knees; maybe it could help, she said. She doesn't know if she can do that. She's shaking off the idea, the image she sees. The things she does for her friends.

She's still thinking about the candidates and their sentences—that's their ending, the fate they're choosing. She's looking down at the ground, wondering about her end; can she choose hers wisely? But she knows her ending: it's either the kingdom falls or she dies. What if the kingdom falls? What happens after that? will the resistance start to rebuild the old world, or maybe someone new will become the new king? Or even worse, she plays a part in this just like the women in the prison waiting for their end; it's in her hands.

The air became heavy in her throat. In the end, what would happen to her? What is left of her after sacrificing her body and soul, her pride as a woman? What if, in the end, the magical world became even more destructive? What if she chose the wrong way? She's shaking her head and shrugging her face. They put something in her potions that's making her sleepy, and if she sleeps too much, she often floats on her thoughts.

What if this is the better way? People say they feel peaceful, didn't they? What if the resistance is wrong? What if it's their fault they cannot adjust to the new reality, like Draco said to her when they met for the first time?

"Just accept it," that's what he said.

What if she can help Malfoy build a world that is not so dark? He released Harry. He listened to her when she told him to postpone the sentence. What if he's not that bad of a person? What if he is a bad person? Can she fix him?

"You're not moving," a male voice came into the room.

She's turning her head. Draco is standing in the corner of her room.

"You're looking down and not moving; at least breathe and blink."

"Why?" She's frowning. "Why do you care?" She challenges him. "Why are you here?" She's frustrated by the situation she's in, so she pours all her emotions out to him instead of out of spite.

But instead of fighting back, he said, "I'm here; I will always be here."

He continues, "With you by your side even if you want me or not."

He kept talking, "I drink your blood, you drink mine; we're one."

Drip, drip...

Blood is dripping from her nose. One thing she realizes, whether she wants it or not, the blood will spill. It's an illusion... Draco isn't really there; the potions they gave her were strong. She still cannot walk for a week without being dizzy. Maybe this is the side effect of not going outside. She heard Draco is looking for the healer that took her blood. He's missing, but Topsy said he may have already died by suicide since it's all over the news and they were hunting him. She's trembling; another drop of blood has spilled. What if, in the end, she's losing her mind? She thinks she will, without someone by her side. She thinks she will. She needs... she needs...what does she need?

She was a prisoner down below; now she's up in the palace. She can walk outside, but she's still in prison, just different names. That fact hit her hard—that it was less suffocating down below than up here.

She woke one night with chest spasms, sweat all over her body, gasping. Something fell on the ground. She looked at the source of the sound and saw, in the dark corner, Draco is sitting, He's sleeping, his newspaper fell from his grasp. He's here, Is this another illusion from the potions' effects? What is he doing in here? Has he been in here every night? 

His face looks restless even when he's asleep. She remembers when she was little, the first time she was going to Hogwarts. She remembered looking at him in the crowd, the only white-haired boy. His hair outshone the others. She thought, "How can someone's hair be that straight and silky when she's the opposite of curly and big?" She envied him at that time when they didn't know each other, when they hadn't met yet, when he wasn't mocking and bullying her. He was the boy she envied. How come they ended up here, in this life, this fate, the way they chose their lives to get to this point? At that time, if she could have just walked up to him and introduced herself, maybe, just maybe, the outcome would be different? Or maybe she would not have ended up in this prison? Maybe she could be his friend, someone he cares for or loves? Is he someone capable of love? Someone like Malfoy?

She's not thinking; it's just her body moving by itself as she's taking her blanket and dragging it on the floor. Her feet walk to the corner where the Prince of Darkness is sleeping in his chair. When she's about to put the blanket over his body, she sees his wand. 

She can grab it and try to go somewhere, even if the wards hold her. If she kills Draco, the wards will fall; she can be free. She's staring at the wand; the choice is right in front of her. He's so vulnerable right now; it is her chance at this very moment to end this all, to bring this kingdom to its fall. They all love their prince; he is their hope for the future. If he dies, it all ends. No more kingdom; no more different versions of prisons; no more secrets; no more struggle; no more plans; no more blurred future—it will clear as the morning sky. will it be? 

The question is: can she kill him? 

No more grey eyes staring at her; no more asking her permission; no more smiles as she offers him tea; no more castle and palace—they will be gone; no more morning jade roses; no more gardener smiles; no more heart-touching stories of the servants; no more Prince of Darkness. She's hardly breathing, her heart beating so fast. She's tempted by those ideas. She's trembling, her hand moving slowly forward to the wand handle, and she has made her choice.

Chapter Text

She grabbed the wand quickly; it awakened Draco. He put his hand in his pocket where the wand was, but it was gone. His eyes opened, gray eyes looking at brown eyes, the brown eyes pointing the wand at him, her hand gripping the wand tightly. Her heart was beating so fast. She was pointing the wand at the prince of this kingdom as he was staring at her with a calmness she wasn't prepared for. The clock was ticking, only their breathing was heard in that room. He stood up from his seat, walking towards her slowly.

"Stop right there!"

But he kept walking towards her, his body approaching the pointing wand, and the tip of the wand touched his heart. His gray eyes stared deep into her brown ones.

"Do it," her eyes widening.

"Do it, Hermione..." 

"Cast the spell."

"End this."

"A monster like me will be gone from your world." She was trembling and breathing heavily.

"This could be your last chance."

"Think about it, if the darkness is gone, nothing will cover the light."

"Do it now." He sounded like flowing water in a cold river.

Her eyes, looking left and right at his eyes, She's reading him. She could end this suffocating life, but she saw that boy she had seen on the train: the blonde, silk straight hair, the innocent little boy who was now standing in front of her with eyes screaming at her, ready for his death. His fate was in her hands, her choice.

She took a step back, the wand tip moving away from his chest, but he moved forward and kissed her lips, his body sticking to hers, his tongue dancing around her mouth. She gasped for air as if Draco had just taken all the air around her. His hand grabbed her hand that had been gripping his wand tightly. She kept backing off, and his body followed, his lips still on hers. She was hardly breathing with the sudden attack.

"Get off..." She gasped for air, but he kept kissing her until they bumped into the wall.

He let go of her lips. "No deal, and you are rejecting me?" He looked into her eyes, smirking.

"You love your friends that much to give me your body?" There was sadness in his eyes behind that smirk.

She was breathing the air, "No, I heard what your mother said, so..."

He laughed out loud; in this light, he looked like a dark, evil, handsome prince.

"Do you know what they say? Good people cannot lie because they're too good to cast lies in their lives," he scoffed.

"I believe that now," he nodded.

"What if I offer you a deal?" he smiled.

"What if I said I would free all your friends from prison?" He gave her a sad smile.

"What would you give me?" he challenged her.

"Can you give me your heart?" her eyes widened.

"Can you make sure that heart of yours only beats for me?" His smile disappeared and was replaced by a frown.

"Can you?"

"Because if you can, I will release them all right now," she was staring at him dumbfounded.

is this an illusion? This must be.

His left arm caged her, and his right hand touched her face softly. His fingers slowly moved to her lips, and his eyes pierced through hers.

"Can you make sure these eyes only stare at mine? Can you keep these lips sealing kisses only for me?" His face turned soft and sad.  

"Could you?" he was asking her.

"Make love to me...not sell your body for the price of your friends?" he was whispering. They were face to face, their hearts beating at the same rhythm, but it was two different hearts that wanted different outcomes.

"You said you hate me," she finally spoke.

"I said hate is one of the feelings I have for you. I have a lot more..." He frowned.

"I hate that I'm incapable of losing you." They were staring into each other's eyes.

"Don't get hurt, Granger...I hate to see their precious Jade Roses burn." He apparated.

Chapter Text

After a week of bed rest, she can now go outside and feel the wind on her face. It feels like she has gained strength after the sickness. She sees the light of the sun; the air feels different, soaking into her bones. She walks to the royal garden where the royal family plants their Jade Roses. The Jade Roses bloom beautifully across the yard. In the middle of the Jade Roses garden, there is a gazebo; it is not an ordinary gazebo, but a white-colored gazebo full of gold patterns and carvings in every corner with chairs and table. The yard is full of Jade Roses, with a beautiful gazebo in the middle. The view is something she has never seen before.

She walks along the footpath. No one is here, unlike the other garden, which is full of servants who are harvesting. She keeps walking slowly, touching the roses with her fingers; the petals are soft, and the scent is different from the red roses. It's interesting to her. She picks one, but her finger gets poked by a thorn; it bleeds a little, but she suddenly wants to test the theory. So, she crushes the petals and rubs them on her bleeding finger. The pain subsides, but the wound is still there. She's staring at the sun and feeling the breeze with a Jade Rose in her hand as she closes her eyes. When she opens her eyes and turns her head to the palace, she sees Draco looking at her from the 2nd floor with all his servants and soldiers, who are busy talking. They're discussing something, but his eyes remain on her intensely. She turns her head, ignoring him and walks to the gazebo.

The gazebo is on higher ground, allowing her to see the whole garden. She's breathing the air while holding onto the fence; this feels like a dream and a nightmare at the same time since she feels trapped. She always says this is her prison, but prisons don't have flowers, do they?  

After half an hour roaming around the garden, with the sun shining on her face, she's soaking in the warmth. Someone's voice came,  

"Do you know that butterflies cannot see the color of their wings? But humans can see how beautiful they are."  

She's listening but not looking at the source of the voice; she knows it's Draco.  

He continues "After looking at it with the sun shining down, indeed, it's beautiful,"

She's searching for the butterfly that he mentioned, but there's none as far as she can see, so she's turning to face Draco, following his eyes so she can see it too, but he's staring at her.  

He's smiling.  

She acts fool and gazes somewhere else. "The butterfly seems more luckier than me," she scoffed.  

"They get to fly away anywhere they want, while I can only play within the wards." She's testing him.  

He's looking down and slowly walking towards her at the gazebo, not answering her. He's sitting on one of the chairs while she is still standing, holding the fence.  

"The candidates, you have fifty of them, they're beautiful and perfect. I bet there are purebloods too. Why not choose one of them? They're fit to be a Queen; I heard they trained to be one."  

"I will have no other but you," he answered right away. They both became quiet for a while.  

I need to see Harry.

"I want to go outside," she said sternly.  

"Where do you want to go?" he asked curiously.  

Her mouth gaped at the bait she was throwing at him. "Somewhere not here... I'm bored."  

"You need to be specific," his eyes narrowed.  

She's thinking about where is the best place to meet the resistance without someone noticing it, with a lot of people around—a market.  

"Uhm... I want to see things. You like tea, don't you? Maybe I can brew you some tea, different kinds of tea I can get them in the market."  

"Market?"  

She's nodding. She knows he's staring at her while her eyes roam around the garden.  

"We have teas here, or if you say the name, they will go buy it for you."  

"I used to go to the local market. I miss that the most. When I was in prison, I dreamed of the day I could go again," she puts on a sad face.  

"You're not an ordinary witch now; it'll be difficult to..."  

She cuts him off. "I was never ordinary. I'm Harry Potter's best friend."  

He's still quiet; she keeps pushing.  

She's turning her head to him now. "You have a lot of troops; they can be my guards if that pleases you."  

He's breaking eye contact and gazing at the jade roses. "No," he's frowning.  

She's gaping; she wants to scream at him but she holds herself back and sighs. "You chose me to be your wife... or am I just your mistress?" she's crossing her arms.  

"What?" His face is disturbed by her words.  

"You're not a mistress."  

"So what am I?"  

"You're my future Queen."  

She nods. "If I am to be your future Queen, I need to see your people, their faces, so they would know their Queen. If I go to the city, they would see me. That's why I need to go."  

She's eyeing him, holding her rage. He still isn't looking at her.  

She's shaking her head, "What are you afraid of?" She's confused.

"Someone might steal you."  

She's dumbfounded. "Your whole kingdom knows I'm your Queen; don't be ridiculous."  

"No one's gonna steal me; I'm my own person!" he's standing up, walking to the corner of the gazebo.  

"I have enemies, you know... There are people who don't like my family ruling; they could harm you."  

"You have an army; use them to guard me if that makes you satisfied."  She inhaled

She's biting her lips to hold herself back. "Draco..."  

He's turning his head to her right away, his eyes widening.  

"Please..." she's begging. His eyes darken.  

As he's staring at her, she's coming towards him slowly where he's standing, close to his face. He's looking at her eyes.

"I'll come back to you," she said as she's looking into his eyes.  

He's taken aback by what she just said.  

After he walks away, she sees her finger; it healed completely.

Chapter Text

Hermione told Eve to arranged with the resistance that she wants to see Harry at the market near Diagon Alley. She walks down the stairs with excitement; she is going to see the world after years in prison, and more importantly, she is going to see Harry. As she walks down the stairs through the corridors, she sees ten soldiers waiting for her in the end of the room. In the middle of them, there is a portkey. Ten soldiers felt like too much for going to the market, and she sighed.

"My Lady"

They chanted together and bow their head when they saw her. She nodded. She saw the portkey with Eve behind her. "Ready?" she asked them all with excitement, but someone clearing his throat.

"Just so you know, if you try to run away, I will know." 

Hermione turned around and saw Draco leaning on the wall; beside him, there was a soldier in an at-ease position with a gold brooch on his coat, differentiating him from the others. Draco is looking at her intently.

I will never run away, at least not for now; I need this position.

"The potion that mixed with our blood that we drank at the wedding ceremony will alert me," he informed her.

After hearing what he said, Hermione's suspicion was confirmed: there was something in the potion that bound them together instead of the rings. She turned to the portkey and grab it.

The market was filled with people just as she expected, but they did not recognize her. She wore a black coat over her head, hiding her face; the soldiers were also incognito but following her. She's gazing at Eve, signaling her to show the way, so she grabs Eve's elbow and walk side by side. After the Malfoy ruling, all people wearing black coats like its mandatory. She feels like she is somewhere new, not in the old magical world she was in before. The Malfoy crest is everywhere she looked: inside the shops, outside the shops. As she walks, some of the people even had a Malfoy family Crest brooch on their black coats.

She keeps walking, and Eve turned at the corner; there was a tiny shop filled with teas there are four employees.

"I'll go to that shop," she said, pointing to the tea shop, and the people following her behind nodded. Some of them spread around; three of them stood in front of the corners, looking around. She goes inside and look around the shop; it was an ordinary tea shop. She watched the soldiers outside; they are checking on her, so she pretend to smell the tea leaves. When they looked elsewhere, one of the employees, standing beside her, he was wearing a coat that hid his face and his acting like he was arranging things.

"Hermione" 

"Harry?" they both whispered.

He grabs one of the buckets for her tea, and she put it inside. "Thanks," she said, checking the guards outside, they gazing at her, but they seems not recognize Harry. She looked at his face, but its not Harry's; only his voice is Harry’s—Polyjuice. Her eyes are glossy; she miss him so much that she wanted to hug him, but she couldn't. She took a deep breath and gazing for a short time into his eyes; they are green. She pretend to pick other tea leaves again slowly. Harry moves to the other side, and Eve stood in front of Hermione covering her.

"How are you?" 

"I'm fine thanks to you" he said she can sense he's smiling.

She smiles holding her tears.

"Did He..hurt you?" She's shaking her head.

"How's the resistance?"

"We're planning, but we need numbers we're still recruting"

"Good" She's relieved.

"Do you heard any news about Ginny or Ron?

"No"

"Ginny...i don't think i can breath and live knowing She's in prison " he told her

She can hear his desperate sounds, as she smell the leaves She's picking.

"How did you get me out?"

"I..i can't tell you i'm sorry it's better this way."

"Do you think we can win this Harry?" She needs this answer to go on

"We are planning to spread the news about the dark things they did. We are trying to ruin the royal family's name slowly. Maybe we can build more rebellions, and soon we will have the numbers.

He added "of course it will be more stronger of we can get the order of Phoenix out of the prison, we can work together joining with the resistance."

"I..I'll do my best Harry"

"Take care"

"I'll see you soon again" She said as She's going to the cashier Harry took her bucket filled with tea leaves that She chose, She's looking at his face, He looks awful, She then gazing away somewhere else.

"Thankyou for shopping" He said.

She nods looking at his eyes before she walks away.

Eve taking her teas to hold it and looking around, as Hermione walking slowly one of the guard walking near her , "let's go back my lady"

"Not yet i want to see Diagon Alley It's just right at that turn" She's pointing 

In front of all the shops and buildings in Diagon Alley also have Malfoy Family Crest, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Flourish and Botts, Ollivanders, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, Gringotts Bank.

It seems like she was just here yesterday buying all the stuff. Now it's all the same, but yet different. There's a group with the Malfoy Family Crest on their coats that is singing as they walk around the street. She's standing still as they walk past her, hearing what they say.

Only in Darkness there is the light...

We hope we wish with Jade Rose, our Prince save us all ...

Only in Darkness there is the light...

We hope we wish with Jade Rose, our Prince save us all ...

She freezes with the unusual sight , 

Everything is different.

Chapter Text

Hermione is sitting on her balcony where she sees the servants harvesting the Jade Roses. There are some running errands, the elves flying things around, and Draco talking with one of his men before he walks away. Hermione notices that this person is the only one who wears a golden brooch on his black coat, and this person is always beside Draco, following him around as if listening to his instructions.

Who is he?

She needs to see Ginny, so she asks one of the servants to tell her the way to the prison down below that the Malfoys built for the prisoners of the Order of the Phoenix and her friends. She points to a door behind the palace. She walks and searches for this door and it turns out it's on the corner. Two black doors; she pushes one of the doors and it opens. She walks inside down the stairs until she sees a big room with many tunnels. There are guards walking around, and one of them bows to her since she's wearing a golden-patterned coat. She keeps walking through the tunnels looking for her friends in one of these prisons. At the end of the tunnel is where the prison cell is. It's dark with a shadow of light from the room where the guards were. She sees there are people inside who look like Neville, and she's whispering.

"Neville?" No one answers or turns when she calls.

She walks to another tunnel, another prison cell. "Ginny?" Still no answer.

She walks to another tunnel. "Ron?" She sighs.

"Excuse me, my lady, do you need assistance? How can I help you?" He's bowing his head.

She's turning to face him; it's the prison guard.

"I’m... I’m looking for my friends." 

"What is your friends' names, if I may help you?" He stretches his arm, pointing back to the front room and leading her to the room. He's whisking his wand to the book.

"Uhm, yes... do you have prisoners by the names of Ginny, Neville, Cho, Cormac, Dean, Hannah, Katie, Padma, Parvati, Seamus, Susan, Ron?" 

He's tilting his head. "Those prisoners... we cannot..." 

"Just let me speak to them." 

"I'm afraid you have to.." 

"Just one... Ginny, I need to speak to her." 

"They're not on this level, and only the prince has access to them." He's smiling at her.

"What about McGonagall, Kingsley, Arthur, Charlie, Fleur, Molly?" 

"The Order of the Phoenix members were executed years ago for rebellion against the royal family." 

"No" She's gasped, closing her mouth with both hands.

She's walking out slowly. Without the Order of the Phoenix, how are we going to win? Harry didn't know they were executed. The last Order of the Phoenix members were McGonagall, Kingsley, Arthur, Charlie, Fleur, and Molly.

They killed Ginny and Ron's parents.

She's walking and thinking until she reaches the lake in the royal yard. She's standing beside the tree looking at the lake water. They killed the key people; without them, she doesn't know if the resistance and her friends can face the royal army. She hates the fact she despise Draco but knowing she needs him at the same time because she's about to beg Draco to release her friends.

She needs to get her friends out to strengthen the resistance, and Harry, he needs Ginny. She's walking back to the palace and sees Topsy while he's working.

"Where's Malfoy?" 

"Oh, the prince is in that room, but..." He's pointing his finger as Hermione walks there fast, ignoring Topsy.

She's barging in and sees Draco is sitting at a round table with all his men sitting in the 30 chairs in front of him. She freezes; all heads suddenly turn to her and they all stand bowing to her. She's flattening her lips. She's turning her head to leave but stops her feet before moving and decides to put her chin up and turn back at them.

"I need to speak..." She's turning her head down slightly, "to the prince." Her voice becomes lower, ashamed of how she called him that; she never did before, but she had to in front of these people.

They all look at the prince and Draco's nodding, putting his elbows on the table, clasping his hands in front of his face; her flustered face amuses him.

They all leave one by one, bowing at her as they passing her, except for the last man with the golden brooch, who looks straight into her eyes as he passes her. She's looking at his face to memorized him and he's giving her a side glance. The door closes.

"Something urgent, my wife?" He's asked playfully. 

"I didn't know... you were having a meeting," she blinks.

He continues, "I heard you stopped by the prison?" She's gazing at him on reflex; she's not moving from her place.

"I went to see my friends." 

"Which ones?" 

"Ginny... I wanted to meet her." She walks to the chair opposite from him, standing and holding the chair far away, 30 chairs apart to be exact.

"They said only you that have access to them," she continues. He keeps looking at her, waiting.

"Let me speak to her," she orders him in a soft tone. He's not answering.

"It won't be long, just...for a minute." She's pushing.

She knows she feels pathetic begging him, but this is the only thing she can do right now. She'll beg; she would even give her body; begging seems more...lenient.

"Are we going to make a deal?" He asks.

"What deal are you going to give me for this?" He's excited; his smile seems too sweet for his evil question. 

She goes quiet; she gulps. Nothing is free when it comes to her friends, his rebells, and the traitors. 

She nods, "I want to make a deal." She'll play his game, any game for them. 

"But I want Ginny and Ron out," he laughs. 

"Two?" He's smiling. "So if I release five of your friends, I guess you will give me an heir by the end of this huh?" His face looks so happy teasing her; his eyes widen. She is clutching the wooden chair tightly.

"I can't let Weasley out," he says. He was playing with her. 

"Why?" She's gaping.

"Can't let the golden trio slowly get together, don't you think." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I released Potter because I want him to feel alone, feeling helpless without his friends." He tilts his head and smiles wickedly at her.

"To let him see this world now despises him; they're not worshipping him anymore." 

Wicked Prince. 

"And that's why I cannot release Ginny weasley too; Potter will have support from his girlfriend then, risky..." He narrows his eyes.

She knew Draco always scared her. He's cunning, plotting, and planning things in his head meticulously; otherwise, he wouldn't have built this kingdom. He's the second smartest person at Hogwarts after her, her old self.

He walks to her; her eyes follow him as he gets closer, and his hand reaches for her face, carresing her lips, his eyes on her lips. 

"Who knows... If i let them out, they will be plotting to rebel against me," his eyes flip to her eyes, staring at her. She freezes. 

"Choose another; I have a lot of your friends, maybe...the one that is not very close to Potter." He kisses her forehead.

He walks away and speaks. "I saw you like looking at the forest," she froze.

"It just reminds me of the Forbidden Forest near our school," she brushed it off.

"Let's go there," he said.

She's shocked. "I just like looking at it from afar."

"I'll show you; the forest is different from the Forbidden Forest near our school."

"No, that's alright," she's shaking her head.

"It's beautiful at night with the stars; you should see it. I'll see you tonight," he said before apparating.

He knew she liked to see the forest; he watched what she was doing without her knowing.

This is dangerous. What if he found one of the resistance members who were standing by in that forest?

Chapter Text

Eve is finished helping Hermione after her bath at night. "Go to the forest now, tell the resistance not to go near the forest tonight."

"Why?"

"Malfoy wants me there tonight."

Eve nods and walks away.

She walks down the stairs and sees Draco in his black coat with a royal gold pattern, and she can see the inside of the coat; he wears satin silk pajamas looking so majestic with his wet hair. Why didn’t he dry his hair?  

He's turning his head to her and smiles, but his smile doesn’t fool her; she knows he wants something. Or does he know something about the resistance? She needs to find out. He stretches his arm toward her; she hesitantly puts her palm above his palm. He grabs her hand and kisses it while looking at her face princely. He helps her down the front stairs, and there's a servant holding a lamp. He gives the lamp to Draco, bows, and leaves. He clasps her palm and starts walking with her by his side.

"You smell very good," he says without looking at her. "You like the soap fragrance that i chose for you." He nods satisfied with himself. She's gazing at him and then back to her front.

"Is this our first date then?" he asks.

Hermione is restless. What game is Draco playing right now, asking her to go to the forest, which is the hiding place of her comrades. She needs to act chill and follow his game so he won't be suspicious. Draco is smart, but she has to be smarter to win.

"How many women have you brought to this star-gazing spot in the forest beside the palace?"

He nods. "I like it a lot; jealousy...do it more often." His eyes are staring at her like he's starving.

She's rolling her eyes at his claim that she is jealous.

"No woman likes the forest except my wife; they usually like something sparkling," he says, tilting his head toward her ear. He sometimes swings their clasped hands as they walk. After almost reaching the forest, she's looking around.

"What are you looking for?" he asks. All of a sudden, the vibe is tense. She's staring at him, dumbfounded.

"I’m... I’m looking because I haven’t been here," he smiles, guiding her. After walking for a while, he stops behind a big tree and, waving his wand, the lamp floats and a golden blanket appears. He didn’t say his spells; she noticed only advanced wizards can do that. He's sitting and reaching for her hand; she steps in, holding onto him; he guides her to lay down. She's lying down and looking at the stars among the trees above. He's right; it's beautiful. It feels like Draco summoned the stars to gather here, like he usually does with the elves and servants.

"I summoned them all to gather here so that my wife could see," he says.

She scoffs. 

"What is it?"

"I was just thinking about that," she answered 

He smiles.

"But no matter how powerful we are, no magic can move the stars and moon," she says.

"There's a limit to everything," she adds.

"Not for me," the Slytherin speaks.

She's looking around. "No guards in this forest?" she asks him.

"No, no one dares to go near the dark palace and the Hermione castle where my army is trained; it's just too suicidal," he's looking at her while she's still looking around.

"Give me the names," he says, looking at the big tree in front of them.

She suddenly feels nervous. Why is he asking her that now. "Dean and Cormac," she gulps, avoiding his eyes.

She's looking down, ashamed of herself. She can't do anything; she doesn't have her wand. She can't sneak into the prison wandless; even if she could, she needs to cast spells to open the cell. But Draco is ahead of her; even if she can sneak into the prison, he already put wards on her friends' cells so that no one can access them without his approval.

"We are husband and wife; there's nothing to be ashamed of," he says. She nods; she knows she has to do this. For the resistance, for her friends. He keeps staring at her.

"Look at me," he orders her.

He's leaning toward her and kissing her neck and ears slowly; his other hand goes down caressing her stomach and slowly to her abdomen. His other hand kneads her left breast and pinches her nipple; she gasps. She wears a black coat like Draco's, but she chose the one that has a zipper so she can hide her inside from the chilling night air; inside her coat, she wears lingerie because they only gave her lingerie in her wardrobe, so at night she always wears that. Draco opens her coat and puts it beside them; his eyes keep looking at her lingerie while her eyes look at his. He grabs his wand and wisks it. She gasps.

She suddenly feels the cold night air passing her inner thigh; her golden cream panties are suddenly in Draco's palm. He smells them. 

"You smell like my favorite perfume," his eyes darken.

"Spread your legs; I want to see what's mine," he orders, his eyes intensely waiting.

She's trembling by the order she gulps and slowly opens her legs. He stares at her folds for a while; she's trembling when the wind passes.

"Don't worry, soon I'll make you warm," he dives his mouth to her clit. She feels the pleasure erupting with Draco's tongue licking every corner; she can feel every brush of his tounge licking , the only sounds she hears in this quiet forest. She cries out, her eyes rolling as he devours her, licking and sucking. She's whimpering, backing away from the attack, but Draco cages her thighs with both his hands. Her thighs clench around his head as she moans, "Ahh..." Draco licks her inner walls in circular motions. She shivers from the chilly night wind and Draco's tongue in her folds. Her thighs begin to shake, and a scream tears through her throat, hoarse and strained as Draco sucks her clit hard. She came, and her arousal glosses his wide lips and chin. Slowly, he swipes his tongue around his lips, like he’s eating chocolate. 

"You’re my favorite dessert too," he said. He pull off his pants.

She heaves looking at the sky and Draco stretches his arm. She puts her palm above his shakily; he grabs and pulls her. “Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered. 

He gently scoops her thighs, and she circles them tightly around his waist. His hands grasp both her thighs and he anchors her back against the big tree, supporting their weight. His head is bent down, circling her nipples with her lingerie still on, and pulls it with his teeth. "Ah!" Hermione whimpers.

"You are mine. No matter what you think about me. No matter how badly you fight it. It’s already written in history, and in this kingdom, you’re mine. It's our fate; we are destined to be together." As he speaks, he slowly pushes inside her. 

She gasps her eyes widen. Draco growls as he feels her squeezing him tightly. 

"You," he thrusts deep inside her.   

"Will," thrusts. "Ah"

"Always," thrusts. "Ah"

"Be," thrusts. She gasps

"Mine." He keeps hitting her G-spot. The sensation increases as the gravity brings her back to her earth, which is Draco's length inside her. Her eyes roll backward as he keeps hitting the spot over and over again until she screams, "Aaahh!" as she comes shaking, her face frowning. Draco makes her fly above in the night sky full of stars. 

He tilts her hips up just enough to slam her down on his length, driving himself inside her the same moment. Despite having just come, she turns on again, her back bows, Draco tips his head back, a deep growl building in his chest. He presses her into the tree, grasping her, steadily sinking his length deeper. 

"Nothing can take you away from me," he whispers in her ears. Her eyes still flutter closed. 

She lets out another choked cry; the sensations make her mouth part, her attention split between his almost threatening words and the way he’s moving inside her. He withdraws to the tip, then seats himself completely inside her, his pelvis grinding into her. She can feel how full he is inside her. When he increases his pace, the hand on her thigh glides down until his thumb reaches her clit, circling until her eyes rolls back. He roughly pushes deep into her against the tree, continuing to circle her clit with his thumb. Her back stings a little bit even though Draco chose the smooth big tree, but she only has thin lingerie to protect her back from the tree. 

She comes again; her back bows, crying out from the sheer force of the orgasm tearing through her. She can feel herself clenching around him, his length spearing through her tight hole. He explodes with a deep growl, grinding his hips against her, emptying himself inside her. She sees the stars above her doubling as her high continues, and she spasms. 

When the sun is up, Draco comes to her room while she's sleeping. He wipes the jade rose extract on her back and kiss it after he finished. When she woke up, Topsy tells Eve to prepare Hermione; the prince will come and get her soon. He apparated them to one of the balconies where they can see Dean and Cormac being released. Dean first, and then after half an hour, Cormac is released. She chose them because they would be more useful in combat; she hopes the two wizards can help the resistance. 

"Not that it matters, but do you have any relationship with him?" Draco asks her, pointing his head to Cormac as they watch him from the balcony. 

"No, I think...one time he was interested in me." 

"I hope he lives..." he says, his eyes following Cormac like a laser. 

"So that he will know you're mine now."  

"So he will bury that interesting feeling or I'll bury him."

Chapter Text

She is sitting on her balcony and looking at the forest like she usually does, but today she suddenly feels a lot of difference. She's thinking, what if Draco intentionally brought her to the forest to do "the efforts" so that when she's drinking her tea and looking at it, she will think of the night in the forest with him. If it's true, he scares her even more than he already has. He has successfully ruined her safe haven and made her not want to look at the forest anymore. She stands up and looks at the garden below where everyone is harvesting, so she decides to busy herself with something other than looking at the damn forest.

"My lady."

"I want to help."

"No, you can't My Lady; it's not proper."

"I can and I will... Are you... telling me no?" She's frowning and tilting her head.

"No, no, that's not what I mean..." the servant is flustered.

"I'm just playing with you, it was a joke," she's smiling at the servant.

"What's your name?"

"Rose, my lady." What a coincidence, she smiles.

"Show me how to harvest them."

"Put on the gloves first, my lady; you don't want the thorns to stab your palms."

"If they stab my palms, we can always have their extract to heal it; no problem," she shrugs, smiling at her.

She puts on the gloves and turns to Rose. " You cut in here, my lady," Rose shows her, and she nods.

She cuts the rose and keeps cutting until she has a bucket, then moves it to the cart, where someone else will pick the cart to take it to the lab. She's found something to focus her mind on, and she loves it. She sees a troop walking to the palace with a man who has a golden brooch on his coat, leading them.

"Who is that at the front? Do you know him?" Rose looks where her eyes are looking.

"Oh, it's the Commander in Chief."

"You mean..."

"He's also The Prince's right-hand man."

"He's the Supreme commander of the royal army."

"He wears a golden brooch".

"Our Prince trusts him; he ranks the highest in the army, as a symbol he gave him that." Dangerous men, like she expected.

"What's his name?"

"He's one of the Prince's best friends I heard; his name is Theodore Nott." 

His face was familiar—now it's clear she saw him at Hogwarts; he's one of the Slytherins. "Another dangerous snake," she's mumbling to herself. She keeps harvesting until they all take a break. She feels her waist is about to break from crouching. When she gathers her bucket of flowers to put it in the cart, the cart is missing; someone must be bringing it to the lab.

"Rose, where is the lab?" Rose saw her hands full of roses.

"No, just wait here, my lady; the lab is a bit far for you to walk there." She's curious how they make this extract.

"No, I want to see the process, just tell me where."

"You should turn left and go straight until you see a long white house with a smoky chimney." She nods. She's wrapping the bucket with paper so it will not poke her arms and opens her gloves. She walks and walks, passing a lot of small alleys and corridors, with the bucket of jade roses in her arms. Suddenly someone's voice comes,

"You did it." She stops, searching for the source, turning her head around until she finds him. It's Theo the commander in chief is talking to her with his black coat standing in the shadow of one of the alleys.

He's leaning lazily against the wall. "One by one of your friends are released," he smirks wickedly.

"Should I congratulate you?" He's staring at her, tilting his head.

She should ignore him so that he doesn't think his claim is true; no one can know her deal with Draco. She's looking at him, ignoring him and starting to walk again, but he stops in front of her, blocking her way.

"After whoring yourself," he scoffs, his mocking smile and triumph as she's turning her head to glare at him. He succeeded in affecting her. With her reaction, he knows the information he gave is true. He walks back into his dark alley so that no one can see him.

Her eyes widen; the fact that he dares to call her that while everyone else can't even look her in the eyes in this palace makes him a dangerous enemy. Her chest spasms; he knows. She decides to face him, so she's turning and walking to his alley where he's standing, hiding where no one can see him. They're face to face, looking straight into each other's eyes.

His smiling mock intrigues her. He tilts his head, crossing his arms. "You shouldn't be mad; you're thriving," he says.

"And I'm here just to congratulate you, My Lady," he bows.

He continues, "But tell me, I'm curious; if I say I can get one of your friends out of prison, will you give your royal body to me?" He smirks.

She's about to slap him. The bucket of roses she freshly cut falls to the ground below them. He stops her hand and grabs her right wrist to prevent her from slapping him. He grabs her with a bruising force; she winces.

"You shouldn't blame me; I was just guessing," he says.

"What else can you do as a wandless witch?" her chest rises and falls with her anger.

"Don't be angry now; I must admit your skill... spreading your legs and making the prince release his top prisoners." 

"Even though I knew he's been obsessed with you since our school days at Hogwarts, I always kept it to myself until I read the news that he's marrying you." She winces from his grasp that is hurting her. 

"He hated me in school," she barks. 

"Maybe from your point of view, but from mine, as his closest friend," he scoffs, "he is obsessed with you in his sick, twisted ways." 

He continues, "But I know one thing: you will destroy this kingdom." He throws her hand, which he had grabbed, harder to the ground, making her fall; both her palms stop her face from hitting the ground, but the Jade Roses that are scattered on the ground stabs her palms instead. She's whimpering.

"You dared to touch me? The punishment for touching me is..." she's threatening him. 

"I know all the rules better than you, and I will not let you ruin my best friend and his kingdom. He will be king one day, and you will not sit beside him." He's turning away from her and speaks before he goes, 

"Just so you know, if you tell him what happened here, I will kill all your friends, since I have a wand and you don't. It's easier. Also, I always wondered why our prince bothers keeping them alive; they're worthless to the kingdom. Better to die than live, I would say." He apparates. 

She's in pain biting her lip, grimacing, and growling while holding the pain. She pulls her palms away and sees blood on the Jade Roses thorns; her palms are bleeding in dots from the thorns. She hisses; she also realizes her right wrist is red and bruised, and it hurts when she moves her hand. 

She's still in shock, even though she knew she is a whore, like Theo said. But hearing it from another person's mouth makes it real. She wonders if all the eyes that are seeing her from now will label her as that.

Chapter Text

She stands, leaving behind the bleeding rose; her hands tremble beside her body. Blood glides as she continues to walk to the lab and acts as if nothing happened. When she arrives, the servants are working, grinding the rose petals, crushing them until oil comes out. The dripping oil reminds her of her bleeding hands, which she hides behind her. Some of the servants who notice her bow to her. After the petals are crushed, they mix them with potions and let them soak. A pipe filters the pure extract as it drips, and the whole room smells fragrant.

She sees the final product on the table—the vials perfectly aligned, and she grabs one, knowing she needs it at the moment. She winces when she uses her right hand. She continues looking around, observing the lab. "What kind of potions are you mixing the rose petals with?" she asks one of the servants nearby.

"It's a special potions my lady; we don't know what it is. Only the prince knows," she's gazing at the potions.

"You don't know?" She's in shock at the fact that these people in the lab are just following the instructions they've been given and know nothing about the potions that make the extract, which means it is top secret. Draco made sure he's the only one who knows the recipe. Cunning.

"Our prince built this lab before he built the dark palace; he was always here to practiced and trained. He's a master of potions. He spent his life in the lab, gaining experience and making different kinds of potions. His skillful knowledge led to huge discoveries; that's how he found the benefits of Jade Rose," he brags as if he's proud of him.

She knew Draco was always at the top of the potion class at school; she never succeeded in beating him. She's sweating from holding the pain and heaves.

"Pardon me, my lady, do you perhaps see a vial of an extract here?" He's pointing at the missing one.

"I was counting, and I'm sure it was 50 vials." She blinks; he counted them. Shit. "Yes, I took it, uhm... can I have one?"

"Oh, did you hurt, my lady?" He's concerned.

"No," she shakes her head quickly.

"I just wanted to have one."

"It's very precious and expensive, my lady. If one vial is missing, I will be fired," his face is disturbed.

"But I can write the prescription to notify the people in charge that you took one, and they will approve it right away, and you can have it with you." 

She smiles. No, this will lead to suspicion.

She brushes it off. "No, you don't have to," she puts it back on the table. The servant's eyes gaze at her forehead, looking at her sweaty and heavy breathing. She sees his eyes and turns her head away. She walks out of the lab.

She walks to the lake and stands beside the tree near the water. She's looking at the water, biting her lips holding her right wrist because of the pain, and her palm wounds are pulsing. It would all be gone if she had that vial. She's looking at the sky, hoping today will rain, so she can cry and no one will know, no one will hear. Days like this makes her want to throw herself in the lake and never resurface, but the thought of her friends in the prison, rotting forever or killed because she's dead, prevents her from doing that.

A whore.

Theo's words come ringing back in her mind. That's who she is, whether she likes it or not. Theo knows this, as do Eve and Eaton soon; everyone will know, and slowly they will talk and laugh behind her back and label her. She gulps, tears flowing down her right cheek. She's crouching down; it's hard to breathe. She sees her reflection in the water. She touches the water to erase her reflection; she hisses from the sting as the water washes out the blood from her palm, but the wounds are still red.

She knows she has to be strong; she will do everything for her friends. They are in a worse position than her. She has more privilege while they're in dark prison cells. They don't have this beautiful lake to run to; they're not sleeping in a bedroom fit for royalty. They only have limited light, and they don't know whether they will ever see the outside again or not. Every day, they're slowly losing hope, the pressure building inside her head. She's burying her face in her knees, trembling and holding back her tears. She should be strong for them; whatever people will say, it will never disturb her as long as her friends are free. She tries to convince herself.

After an hour of staring at the water, leaning against a tree, her tears dry, and her breathing returns to normal. She turns her body around; she sees the dark palace looming over her. Theo said she will never become queen and she will never sit beside Draco. But when Theo said that, there was part of her hoping it would be true. She doesn't want to be a queen; she never wanted this. As she walks to the front door, Topsy suddenly appears in front of her.

"My lady, the prince is asking for tea on the balcony. Topsy has already prepared it," he looks excited, jumping on his feet but stops after seeing her face.

"Are you alright, my lady? You look..."

Her eyes widen. "I'm alright..."

"You're sweating."

"I...I was running, that's why I'm sweating," she smiles at him, acting like nothing happened.

"Shall we go there?" He's reaching for her palm. She hides her trembling palms behind her back.

"No, I...will go there by myself." She nods.

It's the first time ever she rejects the elf from apparating her. "You want to walk?" the elf tilts his head at her.

"Yes, I...I...need to grab...uhm...go to the lavatory before going to the balcony." 

"Oh! Topsy can get you there too, faster!" He's beaming at her.

He stretches his arm out to her. "The prince is waiting for you." He moves closer to her.

She takes a step back. "No, no, I'll walk," she said, and she walks away from the confused Topsy. As she's walking to her room, she takes a pair of gloves that have white ribbons to cover the wounds on her palms and her bruised wrist she change her clothes with longer sleeves to hide them, then she sees herself in the mirror; she looks bad, like something definitely happened to her. She cannot let it show, so she puts makeup on her face. After finished, She looks fresh; her puffy eyes from crying are gone, and the bleeding has stopped. She has to make sure Draco doesn't notice. She walks to the balcony, mumbling, making her own spells in her mind, hypnotizing herself: "Stay calm, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt" ignoring her pulsing wounds.

She sees him sitting with all the fancy tea set; the kettle is boiling the water for the tea. She walks over and reads his face carefully. He's looking at the forest and turns his head when he hears her walk.

"There you are!" he said. She sits in the empty chair beside him. 

"You promised me to make me tea again; you even went to the market and bought me some." He's smiling widely. He looks too happy for just tea.

"What kind of tea will you make for me?"

"Uhm...it's a different kind of tea leaves that I chose and mixed: white tea, rose, jasmine, dried fruits. Sometimes I put dried lemon, green tea, ginger, and also a little bit of cinnamon. It depends on the weather; it doesn't have a name."

He smiles at her. "I didn't know you're a tea expert; lucky me" He's tilting his head admiring her.

"So what kind of mood are you in today?" he asks, looking at her while she's staring at her tea set.

"It's gloomy. So something warm," she said

"Gloomy?" He said looking at the clear sky.

He rested his back on his chair, waiting for her. She hopes her hands don't fail her as she starts to work with them.

"You're wearing gloves,".

she blinks, "Yes."

"You never wore gloves before."

"I just realized it's pretty," she flips her eyes at him, reading him."

"New fashion trend," she blurts.

"Really?"

"Even if it's not, I hope it will be since I am wearing them."

She adds to convince him, "I heard people will follow what the royals wear."

He's smiling. "Embracing yourself as a Royal, I like that," his eyes staring at her proudly.

Did he really believe what she just said?

She's slowly grabbing her tea leaves and reaching for the teapot; the strain from her hand gives a painful pull. Her wounds start to pulse again. She clenches her teeth to hold it and continues. She grabs the lid of the kettle to open it and fails as the lid falls back with a sound. She checks on him in an instant. "It's...hot," she informed him even though it was not, she just couldn't bend her wrist.

Draco helps her remove it, and she throws the leaves inside and closes it with her left hand, knowing her right wrist couldn't handle it. She sits back and waits for the tea to boil, refusing to look at the forest. She looks at her hand instead, below the table, fisting it and unfisting it to relax; she tries her hardest not to wince.

After three minutes, she takes a deep breath and grabs the teapot with her left hand. Avoiding Draco's eyes since she's not using her right hand, she pours it carefully into his royal tea glass, trying not to spill the tea. After she fills Draco's cup, she fills her own and sits. This whole situation feels so difficult because of her wounded hands; she sighs. Draco puts one cube of sugar in and drinks the tea. She knows she needs to gain another strength to drink her cup, so she decides to drink it later.

"It's amazing" he tells her.

"What did you put in it?"

"Dried ginger, dried lemon, cinnamon white tea leaves."

"Cinnamon white tea leaves?" 

"They, uh... cover the white tea leaves with cinnamon and ferment them; they will have cinnamon flavor," she explains.

"Its very light and warm; thank you," he said politely.

"You could change it with black tea leaves for stronger taste" she said.

They are enjoying their tea, but when he's not looking at her, she takes a sip with her left hand; she doesn't want Draco to notice she's using her left hand.

After awhile gazing at the views he suddenly said,

"Give me your hand," He stretches his left palm above the table.

Her eyes widen, she gulps did he noticed?  but she keep her calm. She stretchs her right hand to him and he holds her palm.

He's gazing at her hand, her heart beating so fast, waiting for him to speak, she heaves.

"If I give you a ring, would you wear it?" She sighs, 

"No." She frowns

He scoffs, "I knew it," and he smiles.

"What about necklace?"

She is relieved by how this conversation is going. "I can't promise you."

He nods as he grabs her hand and kisses it; She's trying not to wince.

Chapter Text

I'd like to be my old self again but i'm still trying to find it

She's day dreaming by the lake one afternoon with Eve they're both silent and looking at the water the breeze passing through their face. 

"This lake is too peaceful for our chaotic life" Hermione said, Eve scoffed.

She continues "it's too peaceful too beautiful like...it mocking us" 

"Like it reminding me that i don't belong here..this royal life" Eve listening to her rants

"I need to do something i can't just sit around here and hope the old magical world comes back" She said She's shaking her head frustrated.

"Be patient we can not rush things" Even said, Hermione frowning.

Hermione gasped "I want to meet the resistance"

"Do you think it's possible?" Eve answered.

"I have ideas" She said, biting her lips.

"There's no way he'll let you out to our district"

Hermione is thinking," Can you get a portkey inside the tea shop?" 

Eve's eyes widened , "We do have a portkey there for Harry to come and meet you that time since then the portkey has always been there for safety."

"Good" she nodded, and pulled at her hair strands

"Here's my hair, get a girl to drink my polyjuice she'll stand by at the tea shop, she'll act like she's learning to brew tea in front of the soldiers that are standing by, and i'll go to the district and meet the resistance, she walks to her wardrobe, 

"Take this black coat give it to the girl to wear it. It has to be the same as what i'm going to wear"

"The portkey, how are you gonna grab it?"

"Under the tea table i will crawl to it"

"The girl should be waiting for me there so when i go under she'll stand replacing me we have to be quick we'll do it when they look away from me."

They both nodded "Didn't i tell you not to rush things?" Eve eyeing her

"I can't help my self " Hermione shrugged

"Tell malfoy I need to buy some tea leaves" Hermione told topsy

"and i'm planning to learn about tea, they have a class for tea making there and i'd like to join"

She's preparing her self, grabbing her gloves and wearing her coats walking downstairs, she sees the same soldiers near the portkey waiting for her, Eve following her at her back. She's turning around and she doesn't see Draco, Thank Merlin.

They arrived at their destination, and she walked to the tea shop, doing her routine, which involved pretending to smell the leaves and choosing them. That was her reason for going to the tea shop herself, because she needed to choose the leaves personally in case one of the soldiers reported what she did at the shop.  

When they were all spreading out and looking elsewhere, Eve nodded to Hermione and knocked on the table. The girl with Hermione's face crawled out, crouching, and Hermione crouched as well. The girl stood up in a second, replacing her act as if she were picking the leaves. She keeps crawling under the table until she reached a room, where she sees Harry is waiting for her. She hugs him, and they touch the portkey together. She arrived in the district where the resistance is living.  

She's looking around and seeing people ; there are a bunch of children running around and old people sitting in front of their camps. The people in here don't wear black coats over their heads; they are all free to wear anything they want in here. That was what she noticed; she feels like she's in the old magical world again.  

"Hermione," someone called her, and she turned her head to see Dean and Cormac looking at her. She gasped and hugged Dean.  

Dean speaks "Thank you for whatever you did, because of you i feel like i can hope and fight again," he said, looking deeply into her eyes. Her eyes are glossy She turned to Cormac, he hugged her.  

"I'll do my best here," he said to her. She nods.  

"We all will do our best," Harry nods.  

Her friends are here; she is so overwhelmed by them. Previously, she had felt alone, and now she has them in front of her eyes. They are free and ready to fight, which gave her hope. They walk to the camps where all the resistance gathered; everyone welcome her like family, and she hugs them one by one. Some even bow their heads to her.

"Why are you bowing your heads to me?" Hermione asked.  

"I respect you after what you've done; you sacrificed your freedom by staying there for us."  

"Don't," she replied.  

"I still see you as a lady from the royal family, but I don't agree with their way."  

"We all have our own sacrifices that we make; I respect each one of you," he nodded.  

"Cormac has been chosen to be the leader; he has so many plans for our cause to thrive," Harry said, and Hermione looked at him.  

"I don't have much time, but seeing that we are all gathered for the same purpose feels surreal to me. Eve always said I give you hope, but to me, you give me hope," she said.  

"How many of us right now?" she asked.  

"There are 300 more people who joined our cause, 50 standing by within the city, and 50 more scattered around the city right now," Cormac said.  

300..Malfoy has 1000 more

We are still recruiting; There are more people who went to school together with us. They're hiding in the crowd; they don't like the new regime, but they act like they do. We just need to ask them if they want to join us to fight for our freedom back, like in the old days. She's listening as they guide her to one of the rooms. There are people working: "We are working on something; we are printing the news so people will see." 

"Some of us have already scattered this throughout the city." She grabs the paper and reads it.

Voldemort is dead. 

The royal family is fooling us. 

There is no God to fear. 

A false God. 

Vanish the dark; you'll see the light.

"We are trying to weaken them," Cormac said. They keep walking around the camp. 

"What if you stay and live here? I'll give you a wand," Dean said. 

"I cannot leave our friends in prison. I don't know what they will do to them if I run away. They also gave me potions that will alert him if i'm running away from him; he will know even if I have a Portkey or a wand." Dean touched her shoulder. 

"You have to know, whatever you need, I will always be here to help," he said, looking at her. 

"I know, Dean, thank you." 

"My lady! My lady! Princess!" A bunch of children gathered around her. 

"Oh hi!" She crouched in front of them. 

They all took turns questioning her. "Is it true that you are living in the palace?" Her smile died and left bitterness. 

"Is it beautiful like they said?" the girl asked. 

"You're so lucky!" they beamed at her. 

"It's more beautiful in here," she answered. 

She continues "You're luckier than me" 

"Soon I'll be joining you. Will you let me live here too?" she asked. 

The children nodded and pulled her; they all walked to the camp holding her hands. The resistance followed behind. She walked around and saw the old people sitting in front of their camp with a campfire warming their hands. 

"How did you end up here?" she asked curiously. They took turns eagerly telling her. 

"We were just at home doing our daily routines, and suddenly the black-coated people came and told us to swear filthy allegiance to the royal family and declare Lord Voldemort as the new God." 

"I was shocked; all my life, I had never had a king and queen" 

"They dragged us out of our homes that day, and we have lived here ever since under the protection of the resistance." 

"I’d rather be dead than declare Voldemort as my God, Merlin" one of the old ladies said. They all nodded in agreement. 

"They took our wands and burned them" 

"You are our hope. I heard that, and I believe that we really do dear" she touched her hands

"We believe that. We hope someday we can go back to our home" 

"And the old world will come back" 

"Yes, we really hope so," she smiled bitterly and walked on. 

She saw pregnant women doing laundry, and their kids were holding their mothers' legs. These innocent people, they are the victims of this new regime. The resistance lives in an abandoned building; inside the building, there are rooms for them to sleep in. Each room has a balcony. She can see that in front of the building, there are trees standing like a gate through the main entrance; there's a big road leading to the city, this district is just outside the city.

After saying goodbye to her friends Hermione is portkeying herself back to the tea shop and crawling to the tea table and knocking on it. The girl looked at the soldiers for a while and crouched.

"Thank you very much," Hermione said, squeezing her hand before standing up to replace her. They went back to the palace, having succeeded.

Chapter Text

She's no longer spying around the palace from the balcony since she doesn't like the forest view now. She moves to the lake under the big tree. She told Eve to tell the servants to bring her chairs and a little table for her tea there instead. When they are walking to the lake just outside the palace, suddenly there are noises of marching troops. She turns her head instantly and searches for the source of the sound, with Eve following her on alert. From afar, she sees Theo leading the troops as he comes inside the palace. The troops are gathered outside the palace, waiting in formation. What is going on? Why are they in here?

Her instincts tell her to follow Theo as he goes inside. She walks hurriedly to the palace, hiding behind the inside wall. She sees Theo reporting something to Topsy. After he’s done, Topsy is apparating. She knows where Topsy will be gone to Draco. She walks fast, ignoring the servants who bow to her. She walks at a quick pace, Eve following her. They are eavesdropping on the conversation inside Draco's room.

"The troops have arrived, my prince. The commander in chief said they are ready."

"Tell Theo to send 50 men to stand by and report suspicious movement outside the city near the district before we arrive."

Hermione and Eve close their mouths as they walk to her room.

The people in the district...

"Go now, Eve! Alert the resistance. Hide the people and move them into hiding places for safety. I'll delay as much as I can." Eve nods and walks out.

Hermione walks to Draco's room, knocking, and Topsy opens the door. 

"My Lady," Topsy beams at her.

"Can I come inside?" Topsy opens the door and she steps inside. 

She sees Malfoy standing in front of a mirror. Beside the mirror, his general silver armor with skulls on both of its shoulders, wrapped with the mandatory black coat, is standing by ready for him to wear, with a couple of servants helping him. He's staring at Hermione through his mirror.

"What do I owe the honor?" he said while trying to tidy his cufflinks, Hermione clenching her fist and moving forward, gulping.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were busy," she acted like she didn't know what was happening.

"It's rare to see you here, in my bedroom," he tilted his head, amused.

She inhaled, looking at the servant's hands on his collar shirt. "Can I help you?"

He stopped struggling with his cuffs. Hermione's eyes moved from his collar to his eyes; they stared at each other for a while through the mirror. Hermione kept her eyes on him, not backing up.

"You heard the lady, that's a signal for you all to go," he said.

All the servants left the room. She's walking closer in front of Draco, clenching her fist and starting to tidy his collar, copying what the servant just did. Draco looked down upon her face, admiring her from close.

She ignored his eyes. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked.

"I will go to Hermione castle," he answered.

"Suddenly?" He seemed hesitant to answer her; she kept pushing.

"Something's wrong?" She's peering at him, moving her hand and buttoning his shirt.

"Checking the recruitments," he kept his answer short.

"Why recruits?" She's moving to his cuffs button.

"Bigger the better," he answered.

"Bigger army, is that really necessary?" A stupid question, she knew, but she had to act like a fool now to delay as much as she could; she's touching his hand purposely while buttoning his cuffs. He's looking at his hand that she touched.

"There's a report of suspicious movement in an abandoned district," she stopped breathing.

Think. She got close to Draco. Think of something; she closed her distance to him, their bodies almost touched.

"Did you train them yourself, the army?" She acted like the news was not bothering her, changing to his left cuff, tilting her head. He's looking at her, touching her face with his right hand.

"Yes, I'm their general; I need to know my soldiers' capabilities." He's still touching her; she moved closer to his body.

She's peering at his face. "You will kill people?"

"If I have to."

"What if they're innocent? Are you still gonna hurt them?" She's reading him.

"I'm protecting my people from the rebels," her lips were getting closer to his mouth.

She's sliding her hand on his chest. "Are they confirmed to be rebels?" Her hands moved up and down his chest.

"Not yet confirmed, but we'll know soon." She's talking with her lips inches from his.

He's reading her eyes. "What is this? Are you making a deal?"

She's closing her eyes. "I want you," her hand sliding to his neck.

His eyes darkened. "If that's what My Queen demands," he said with a hoarse voice.

She brings her palms up to his chest. He nips her bottom lip and then licks it; a moan travels up her throat. Her fingers curl, and she scrapes her nails down his stomach. She knew she needed to concentrate on her lust and stop thinking of the troops that are marching to the district and keep the prince in her arms longer; without the prince, there will be no order will be made.

She's backing off to the bed bench, eyes on the prince, and he follows. She spreads her legs welcoming him and bracing herself as her trembling hands slide to his belt buckle. He hisses and kisses her lips and then slides his tongue into her mouth, his palm sliding over her hip to the curve of her ass, her body melting against his.

She moves a hand to his hair, grabbing it with a slight tremble. She kisses a line down his neck, lightly sucking. She can hear her heartbeat in her ears from her brave movement. Her palms rest on his stomach. Draco kisses and sucks at her throat, her collarbone, and the tops of her breasts.

His fingers glide up the outsides of her legs, He's throwing her coat and pulling her dress upward until her panties showed. He drops his gaze, pushing his thumb on her clit and brushing it; she whines, the warmth of it sears through her. Following his eyes, she sighs, knowing he took her bait. She pulls her panties off very slowly; he grunts.

He's staring at her inner thigh while she keeps reading his face, she spreads her legs apart and she cups her folds slick with her arousal. She slides her fingers slowly from her slick, wet entrance to her clit, circling it once while he's watching intensely. "Ah," she fakes a moan louder than usual and pushes her fingers down from her clit to her entrance with her wet arousal and dips her two fingers in, torturing him, He groaned at the sight. Her mouth parts slightly and closes her eyes. She pulls her fingers out; he snatches them and puts them in his mouth and says, "Mine." She's breathing heavily, looking at his appearance and thinking she just woke a snake from the pit.

She sees his erection and slides her hand up and down his length, from base to tip. He growls; his gaze watches her rub him off through his pants. He is distracted, watching the movement of her hand. She starts working on his belt buckle, and he makes a tortured noise and mutters "fuck." His pants slide down, He spins her around, He's sitting on the bed bench, and she is on his lap. He pulls her closer to sit on his erection; she gasps and swallows as she feels the heat of his length at her entrance.

With her trembling hands she opens her clothes and bares herself naked in front of the prince; his attention drops down on her body, letting this man see her naked body makes her feel like she is standing near the lake where she wants to drown herself. She clenches her teeth.

She grinds on him a shaky breath escapes her, but it comes out like a needy whimper. His both hands squeeze her breast roughly and suck them. Her eyes roll back into her head, her pulse throbbing between her legs. He grips her hips and pushes her down until she sinks halfway onto his length. He groans. She gasps and pants, her thighs quivering as she tries to adjust. Slowly, she slides down, taking him all the way inside her. They both can feel the pulse, the need. The feeling of him inside her is so intense; her body trembles. She presses her face into his neck, hiding her shame.

She wants to make him forget about his troops for longer. His gaze catches fire, trailing from her parted lips to her bouncing breasts to where he slides in and out of her. She is so wet; it is dripping down her thighs and filling the room with wet noise. She's shuddering with the sensations.

He grips her hips, pulls her chest-to-chest, and bounces her on his length hard, up and down, not giving her a break as if he's in a war of his own mind; her moans and whimpers tremble in her throat with his force. She wants to scream Stop! with the pressure building inside her, but instead, she bites her lips hard; it bleeds. Her thighs are shaking, the knot, building hard, wants to release as she screams over and over as Draco hits her g-spot, making her blind. "Ah!" "Ahh!" "Aaahh!" and she came, screaming, "Aaaaaahh!" and shudders. Draco came and growls as her walls squeeze him tight. Something thick and wet slid down her thigh. After falling down from their high of orgasm.

He says "You can't keep me here forever, My Queen," he whispers in her ear kissing her nipple and, peering at her eyes. He moves her to the side and stands up. 

The snake looks extremely satisfied; have I just given the snake fuel before his battle?

He's fixing his pants as He says "Keep surprising me like this," he encourages her, walking to his armor, grabbing it, turning around to look at her one last time before he apparates.

Whore, whore, whore.

She breathes heavily, swallowed by her guilt and regrets, tears flowing; she tastes the iron on her lips.

Chapter Text

He usually takes his time with her, but that was quick; she knew Draco had to fasten his pace. She's changing her clothes in a hurry. She's not forgetting to do her contraceptive spells with her magical stone in her bathroom before running out.

"Tell Topsy I'm going to my tea class. I'll be back after I'm done." She said to one of the servant.

"But, my lady, are you going alone? Let me call the guards."

"It's alright; I can go alone, and I'm very late for my tea class. I have no time to wait for them," she said in a hurry as she was running.

She's running to the room from which she always travels. She grabs the portkey and, upon arriving, keeps running to the tea shop for her transit. She goes into the secret room and grabs the portkey. She transports to the district and sees many people who have gone; some of them are still running with their bags. "Go, go, go! Hide; follow the resistance!" she said to the people holding their bags and their children running behind. "Hurry, follow your father!" She's running, her head turning around searching for Harry.

"Harry! Dean!" She keeps running and searching inside the building. She sees that inside the room everything seems nonexistent; the room is cleared of the paper they were printing.

"Hermione!" Eve shouts, and she turns to Eve.  

"Where are they hiding?"

"You need to change first; let's go to my room," she nods.

They go inside Eve's room in a hurry. She gives her clothes, throwing her black coat into the small bag.

"I need a scarf to cover my face." Eve goes to her bags and searches for a brown scarf, covering her face and leaving only her eyes visible. They leave in a hurry, joining the resistance's hiding place.

"Harry!" She hugs him.  

"They're close; they're coming," he says.

"We hid all the people when you told Eve to alert us; thanks to you, they are all safe, hiding away," Cormac said to her.

"Thank Merlin," she nods in relief.

"Are we ready to fight them?" Hermione asked.  

"How many of them do you know?" Cormac asked.

"He ordered fifty men outside the city"

"We can fight them if it's just fifty men. We'll see the situation; there are people standing by in one of the rooms from the balcony, as well as on top of the building, to see clearly. They will alert us if they come," Cormac explained.

"How many are we right now that can fight?" Harry asked.

"We have one hundred here. The others are scattered throughout the city. We need time to summon them to gather here, but we don't have time for that now," Cormac answered.

"Take all your wands and be ready; wait for my command," Cormac shouted. All the resistance members prepared for war, scattered and running to their positions.  

"Hermione, come here," Dean grabbed her hand.

He led her to a room where some people were taking their wands.  

"Take one," Dean said.

She nods and takes one wand, the power flowing in her palm; she can feel it. They all hurry to their posts, hiding behind the walls of the abandoned building, waiting for a signal. All one hundred members of the resistance are silent. She can see the familiar faces she saw at Hogwarts, the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, most of them. She knew Ravenclaws must be blending throughout the kingdom; they're too smart for this, and Slytherins have taken power.

A Patronus came passing her to Cormac. 

The black-coated troops are coming, counting sixty of them, led by the commander-in-chief up front.

The Patronus disappears; all eyes go to the empty road in front of the gate. They are coming in formation, with Theo leading them in front; they halt.

Theo announces, "This is the order of the prince: your occupation of this area is dismissed due to suspicious acts"

"We know you are hiding; come out, whoever your leader is" Theo shouted. A shadow appears at the back of the troops; it's the prince, Draco. He's walking as the troops move, parting in half and bowing their heads as the prince walks slowly to the front with his black coat, silver-armored with skulls on his shoulders. He looks like the Grim Reaper, ready for his hunt. He stops slightly in front of Theo.

Cormac is gazing at Hermione; his eyes show no fear as he apparates to the road facing the troops. Cormac is a different wizard now—that's what Hermione notices. He's focused, fearless, and he knows what he's doing. From his eyes, he would sacrifice himself if he could. The once naughty Cormac has changed in this new world. He was trapped for years in that prison; Hermione can only imagine what he's been through, what they did to him, but all those hardships made him the person they need. She's glad she chose him to be released.

Two other wizards came beside Cormac. Three are facing sixty royal troops. Theo is gazing at Draco when Cormac apparated in front of them. He knows Draco was the one who released Cormac.

Draco smirked, "You're a disappointment, Cormac.. I gave you a chance to live, but you wanted to die so badly," Draco said.

"You're no prince of mine," Cormac said.

"My regret is to have buried you too long in the prison below my palace. You don't realize this new reality," Draco said, He's too calm for the situation, as he always is.

"You're a snake! I will not obey you!" He felt disgusted at the idea of following their orders.

"Mind your tongue," Theo pointed his wand at Cormac.

"We are not in school anymore, Cormac, even though I understand that you felt like you just graduated from school and went to war because I took years of your life in prison," he announced proudly.

He peered his eyes towards the building, staring at each balcony where the resistance was hiding. "I will presume you're not alone," he said.

"This is an abandoned building outside the city. It's a free place for people who don't have a home or choice, thanks to you!" Cormac shouted.

"This building, this area, is mine. You're still within my kingdom," Draco spoke calmly.

"There are people here trying to live. Why can't you just leave them alone?!" 

"Maybe you're not aware, but we live with rules now, we..."

"The rules that you're making!" Cormac cut Draco off.

"Every wizard and witch is required to follow the kingdom's rules as stated in the Royal decree, or they will face banishment from this kingdom," Theo stated.

"These individuals have peacefully resided in their homes, and you have inexplicably arrived and uprooted them because of your ridiculous regulations in this ailing kingdom that is victimizing innocent people under your oppressive regime!" Cormac raged.

"This area is mine, and after me, it will be my son's, and his son after him, and so on. You can remove yourself or be removed with force," he declared. Hermione narrowed her eyes.

Cormac gazed at the troops ahead and stretched his right hand down his right side with his wand. It was a signal to the resistance as they moved to the balcony, revealing themselves. Draco and all the troops looked up to each balcony, observing the resistance. Hermione followed, standing behind Dean with her scarf still hiding her face, readying her wand like the rest of them.

"If the choice is to be banished, we'd rather fight now than forever under your suppression!" He apparated back to the building.

Draco smiled wickedly, as if he had been waiting for this, as he whisked his wand in a big pattern mumbling the spells, one by one bats with Voldemort's faces appeared above each of his soldiers, like bullets flying as his troops apparated to the building.

Some of the resistance scattered in front of the building, waiting for the incoming attack from the troops. The bats nearly reached and surrounded the building quickly, but Hermione cast, "Protego!" The bats rebounded from the resistance, giving them time to attack first. Draco's eyes turned to her instantly as the resistance kept fighting the troops.

Cormac nodded to Hermione and turned his head. "Bombarda!" Cormac cast the spell at the bats.

"Confringo!" Spells flew, smoke appeared, and fire lit from the spells, with different spells shouted in different colors flying across the sky—green, yellow, red. Some of the troops entered the building and got attacked. "Stupefy!" One of the resistance members attacked them, and she saw some of them fighting the bats with Voldemort's faces flying everywhere like bullets, trying to bite the resistance.

"Depulso!" Hermione shouted at a soldier, and he fell from the balcony to the ground. She saw Draco fighting Cormac down below and Theo fighting Harry and Dean. From the looks of it, she felt like they could win this. She imagined what the future would be like if they killed the prince and Theo. As she threw her spells at the troops right and left, she saw Harry bounce to the ground from an attack. She apparated to him, casting spells to stop his bleeding. She saw Dean shooting the bats from above, one by one like a sniper from the balcony.

"Go behind me!" Harry said to her.

"You're bleeding; you should be the one who hides behind me!" 

She stood, facing Theo coming towards her. He cast, "Avada..." 

"Diffindo!" But Hermione was faster. Theo moves from her spell in milliseconds; instead of his head, Theo's hair was cut through by her spell. Not wanting to be too close to Theo, she apparated herself and Harry into the building. "Go hide!" Hermione shouted to Harry as he was bleeding.

Theo apparated to Dean while he was shooting the bats. Their spells flew at each other as Dean used his Protego. Cormac was on the ground, his face bleeding, but Draco was still clean, as if no spells had touched him. She knew Draco could kill Cormac in his current condition. He walked towards Cormac slowly, in the middle of chaos, like a snake eyeing its meal of the day. When he reached halfway, Hermione appeared, standing in front of Draco to block his way to the resistance leader. They were fifteen feet apart.

His eyes were on Cormac as he turned to her when she appeared. "Depulso!" She was whispering her spells quietly, but Draco dodged it. He was fast as he apparated backward. Hermione helped Cormac stand as he whispered to her, "Half of his troops are down; we could win this," as Cormac stood beside her. Draco was tilting his head, grinning widely like he was winning when he was not, at this very moment, he pointed his wand up towards the sky, and a green light appeared. Suddenly, black-coated soldiers began appearing one by one. He summoned more his soldiers just like that. The sight was terrifying to her as she widened her eyes. She saw all the resistance looking down at the summoned troops gathering. 

"Shit," Dean cursed.

All the resistance apparated and gathered on the ground beside Cormac, including Hermione, and all the troops gathered behind Draco, brand new and freshly summoned. Draco looked down on them, his face grinning. 

"We can keep doing this; I have more, I'm sure you're aware," he said coldly.

The resistance had some wounded but were still standing, wands ready at the troops. Cormac walked slowly forward, and the resistance followed. "Protego!" Hermione cast it again through all the resistance. She heard Draco give commands, and the troops apparated one by one, appearing beside the inner line of resistance. As they walked, they all turned to the soldiers beside them, and spells were flying. Hermione's Protego still provided protection as the troop's spells bounced back, and suddenly, Draco appeared beside her out of nowhere, his wand tip aimed right at her right side stomach. She could see the light shining from it, knowing Draco was casting a spell at her. As the wind blew from Hermione towards Draco, his eyes widened, and at the same time, his spell threw her ten feet apart to the side, where she lay on the ground. He turned his body to her and froze. Blood came out of her mouth, soaking her scarf and gliding through her neck. Draco saw the blood flowing from her neck to her chest. He took a step towards her. 

"Reducto!" Theo dodged and shielded his prince. Hermione's head turned to her side, looking at Draco. Draco's head turned to Theo, signaling.

Theo nods "Pull back!" Theo shouted.

He turned his head to Cormac as all his troops gathered behind him, the resistance looking at him. "I will give you a month to leave, or there will be war coming, and this time I will bring my army." He turned his body and apparated along with his royal troops.

Chapter Text

After all the royal troops are gone, they all run towards Hermione, who is still lying on the ground. 

"Get the potions!" Cormac shouted; Dean apparated away to grab them. 

Eve is running to her. "Hermione!" She opens her scarf from her face, some of the resistance gasping at her bloody mouth. 

She coughs the blood out, "Help me stand," she said, whispering as her voice was low. 

Eve helps her stand, while she is wincing and whimpering. Dean comes back and brings the vials of potions in a bag. Hermione gulps, "I need to go change. I need to come back before him" She is breathing heavily, panicking. 

Cormac's face is bleeding, but his eyes shows determination to Hermione, knowing that even though She is hurting, she's still thinking about the most important thing for the resistance, like the true warrior. 

He nods and apparates her to a room. "Eve, help me... faster!" 

"Slow down, you're hurt!" Eve is concerned by her appearance. 

"Just do it!" Hermione screamed. 

"Oh Merlin!" she mumbled as she changed her clothes; Hermione hissed. 

They apparated to the tea shop and back to the palace. Eve follows her from behind as she usually does; they start to act like their usual positions around the palace. She sees Hermione sweating and swabs her forehead right away with her sleeve. 

"Inhale, breathe," Eve whispered. That's the problem; she can't breathe properly, her stomach prevents that.

Eve checks her face. "Lessen the frown." 

She's leaning her hand on one of the palace walls, holding on for her dear life, saying, "I'm trying." 

She has to walk with a straight back, not crouching, but her stomach has just received a massive blow. She starts to tremble as she's trying to straighten her back. Eve checks the hallway, 

"There's no one in the hallway; quick, quick!" Eve whispered. 

She sighs heavily and grunts. They walking until they reach the stairs, they both freeze for a while, looking at the stairs. 

"You can do this, come on!" Eve said, still holding Hermione's elbow and guiding her. 

"The quicker, the better; just until we reach your room" Eve begs. 

Hermione puts her palm on her stomach, shutting her eyes as she takes each step of the stairs. Sweat falls all over her forehead from holding the pain. Eve swabs it again with her sleeve. When she reaches the last step, she falls. A servant from the corner turns towards her body at the sound of her falling, gazing from afar, and when she realizes it's Hermione, she bows to her from her place. Hermione suddenly walks with a straight back, clenching her teeth. Eve's eyes look at the servant's face and start to talk, 

"You need to eat, my lady, for strength. You don’t need to go on a diet; you’re so skinny" Eve tries to distract the servant.

"Look what happens when you don't eat; you're getting dizzy; that's why you should eat." She keeps her act and talks louder for the servant to hear. 

They turn to her door as Eve opens it for her and closes it afterward. She falls to the ground right away. She sighs and lays flat on the bedroom floor in front of her door; her chest spasms, and her eyes shut. 

"I brought the vials; these potions are good for healing" as Eve explains while she takes them out of the bag she brought. 

"My lady" Someone knocked on her door. They both stop breathing and look at the door, then turn to each other. 

"Fill the bathtub" Hermione points her hand toward the bathroom as she's trying to get up, but failing miserably because she can't bend her stomach. Eve runs to the bedroom. Hermione turns her body slightly and starts to crawl towards the bathroom. She growls, pushing her body to move faster. 

"Go open the door; whatever she says, tell her I'm in the bath," she whispers. Eve nods and walks to the door, grabbing the door handle. She's waiting for Hermione to get into the bathroom as she's crawling. When she reaches the bathroom floor, she opens the door.

"May I help you?" Eve said sternly. 

"I just want to restock the soaps," the servant said. 

"Oh, give it to me!" her eyes are on the bucket full of bottles of soaps. 

"But I'm the one who usually stocks them from the order of the prince.These soaps are..." 

Eve rolles her eyes "Oh, I know where to put it; I'm the one who grabs it for the lady to use" Eve cuts her off.

She shoves the servant away from the door after taking the bucket. She walks to the bathroom door and sees Hermione with her eyes shut inside the bathtub. 

"Drink this!" She hurries, grabbing the potions earlier and shoving them into her mouth. Hermione drinks them all; her eyes are still shut.

"I'm gonna put your soap in," Eve said, grabbing it from the bucket.

"Smells so good, like... there's a hint of mint or something," she poured a bottle into the bathtub water.

Mint?

"Hmmm," Hermione was still closing her eyes, and her chest was rising and falling.

Eve, talking to herself, said, "Did they put jade rose extract in this?" tilting her head to the side and smelling the empty bottle.

She turned her head to Hermione. "How's the wound feel, Better?" Eve asked.

Hermione began trembling. "The water... it's cold," she said weakly.

"Sorry, but they said cold water is good for healing wounds; better if we put ice in here," she pointed her finger to the water.

"Don't," she sighed. Eve nodded.

"Let me help clean you up," she started brushing her body. Eve saw her right stomach, where the blow was bruising red and swollen.

After they finished, she was holding her to her bed. She grabbed the hem of her lingerie slightly to see her wound again, and it turned purple now. "I hope tomorrow it'll be less painful," Eve said.

She continued, "I saw you today."

"You're great in battles," she smiled at Hermione.

"Amazing, to be honest; you protected us," she beamed at Hermione, but her eyes were still shut.

"But look at what happened; you got hurt." She's scolding her like her little sister.

"We should be the ones protecting you. Next time, you stay in the back, alright?" Eve said to her.

"I can't just stand in the back while someone is trying to kill my friends," Hermione answered.

"Gryffindor, indeed," she scoffed.

"What are you?" Hermione asked as the pain slowly subsided.

"Hufflepuff! We're the most loyal house, patient, and unafraid of toil!" she proudly announced.

Hermione gave a little smile and fell asleep.

The next day they were standing in her wardrobe room in front of the mirror getting dressed. Eve took a peek into her wound and surprisingly the dark purple from yesterday turned into soft purple. 

"Don't you think it's too fast to heal for just a night's sleep?" Eve asked Hermione. 

"Good potions they have there in resistance," Hermione shrugged. 

Eve shook her head, "No, no, I once got this kind of bruise; they don't heal overnight, especially purple bruises. It is known." 

Hermione was gazing at her wound on her right side of her stomach. She pressed her hand to it and winced slightly; it was still painful to touch. 

They walked outside to the lake for their tea, but there was a wall surrounding the lake; it looked like they were doing construction. Topsy was standing there with other elves and servants. 

"My Lady," he bowed his head to Hermione as she got closer. 

"What happened here?" she asked, looking around the lake that was now covered with walls. 

"Topsy is so sorry to inform that my lady cannot come to the lake for now," his face was remorseful. 

Hermione turned and started to walk back. "I knew it, I knew it," Hermione shook her head. 

"He always does this: first the balcony, now this lake. Why can't he let me have a peaceful place to ease my mind from this chaotic life?" She was grumbling. 

She clenched her teeth. "He always likes to torture me."  

Topsy came at night after dinner to Hermione's room. "My Lady, the prince is asking for you to come." 

"Where?" Her eyes flipped to Eve. 

"He didn't say, but I'll show you," he stretched his hand to her. 

"My Lady may want to get gloves; it's cold outside," Topsy added, smiling. He was too jiggly, which made him suspicious. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. 

He apparated her to one of the backyards of the palace and vanished. She saw the devil in a black royal coat with black gloves and his exciting face, the opposite of the grim reaper she saw yesterday in the district. Under the moonlight, his hair shone bright as white as the moon; she felt like she was looking at two different people in the same body, as if he had another twin with a different personality. But she knew she would not let him fool her with that face. He was still the devil in disguise as a prince, The Prince of Darkness. 

She walked slowly, too slow, as if she was hesitating with each step she took. She held her gloves in her hand. Draco's head turned as she walked closer. His expression changed in a flash from excited to serious, then to a frown, and then he brushed it all off with a smirk as She stopped in front of him. He took her gloves from her hand and shoved them into her hand. She was staring at him, surprised by the sudden act. 

"It's not that cold," she said. 

"Yet," he answered. He finished putting her gloves on. 

"Accio." A broomstick appeared; her eyes widened at the broomstick and she turned her eyes to Draco. 

"I want to show you something" he stretched his hand to her. 

"I'm... I don't ride..." 

"Don't be afraid; aren't you a brave Gryffindor?" he mocked. 

"I can be brave at something else." He reached for her waist, and she stepped back on reflex, shocked that he almost touched her wound. He was peering at her face. 

"I... I'll hop on," she hurried herself to the broomstick, but then two hands grabbed her waist from behind to help her. She winced and bit her lips while holding her breath. He hopped on and took both her hands to wrap around his waist. She frowned, disagreeing with this act but say nothing to him. They flew in the night sky; he took it slow as they circled Hermione's castle. She could see everything from above; she thought what a good spot it would be to spy and see what the army was doing down there. She smiled at her own thought. She closed her eyes and felt the wind blowing on her face; the air felt fresher up here. She opened her eyes as they passed above the dark forest. She wobbled her body from the uncomfortable feeling.

Draco shouts, "Easy with the wobbling!" as they're about to enter the dark palace. Draco ascends higher, faster. Hermione holds his waist tighter on reflex from the height rush and buries her face in his back; she feels like they are about to reach the stars above. 

"Do you see those stars?" Draco shouts. She nods her face against his back; he can feel her nodding. She watches his hand grab a fistful of the night sky. 

"Close your eyes; I will descend at high speed," he says as he begins descending. She's squealing and closes her eyes tight as the speed increases. 

When the speed slows down, Draco's voice comes, "Now open those brown eyes for me," he says. She can feel that he's looking at her face, and she can feel his warmth breath sweeping over her face. 

She opens her eyes slowly and sees his fistful palm in front of her eyes blocking her vision, and he opens his fist. She gasps at the sight; her eyes widen as she sees the lake down below full of yellow lamps floating around. The water is dark from the night sky, It feels like she is seeing the stars gathered on the lake.

"I told you I summoned the stars for you" 

"There are no limits to my magic when it comes to you."

He descends closer to the lake; she sees a boat standing by near the shore and a beautiful white gazebo with golden patterns beside the tree where she cried. They stop and hop off; her eyes turn to the boat. Draco's hand reaches for her palm as he guides her to the boat. The magic rows the boat by itself. She gazes around in awe, her mouth parted slightly as she is surrounded by the floating lamps in the middle of the lake until her eyes reach Draco's. He's not enjoying the breathtaking view like she is but looking straight at her. 

"Keep shining like those stars Granger, because if I can't see you, I will cover this world with darkness until I see your light shining, if that's what it takes for me to find you."

One thing about The Prince is that he can also change people's lives.

In the worst way.

Chapter Text

"He's giving a month," she said.

Hermione is looking down from the building, seeing the people down in the district with Eaton, Cormac, Harry, and Dean beside her. They are all looking at the three hundreed people inside and outside the buildings, some of them in the camps busy with their day; some people are on the road, the children crying with their mothers, the old people warming their hands by the fire. They are all here now, gathered for their fate.

She's turning to Cormac. "Do you have a plan?" Cormac is not answering.

"We should move," Dean said.

"Where? We don't have a home; that's why we are in here in the first place," Harry said.

"Somewhere else outside this kingdom. Didn't you hear him? He said he'll bring his army. We cannot fight him. We cannot risk these people who cannot fight being in danger," Dean pushed.

"So you say we will surrender?" Harry asked.

"We will fight, but we gotta find a new place for the others to move." 

"Eaton, you have lived longer in the resistance. Have you ever gone outside beyond this kingdom? Is there any other place we can go, another abandoned building perhaps?" 

"I didn't see any buildings. Maybe we could set up camp in the woods; that's the best thing we could afford," Eaton shrugged. 

They all fell quiet, eyes still staring at the people below. Hermione clenched her fists. "What should I do? Should I try to kill him?" 

"If I kill him, what's next?" She turns to Cormac. 

"You could get killed instead; don't do that," Harry said. 

"We make plans slowly; don't be hasty," Eaton added. 

"We'll try to find a place in a month," Dean said.

She's sitting in the gazebo one afternoon near the lake, looking at the view, but her head is somewhere else; she remembers her conversation with Cormac, who had said to her when she last visited the district. 

"I think it will be difficult for you to come here again." 

"Why?" 

"He limits our supply of food and resources by blocking the wards slowly to our district." Her eyes widened. 

Cormac continues "He's a snake!" 

She's restless: "Tell me, Cormac, just tell me what do you want me to do; I will do it. We cannot let the people starve with the limit of food: the children..." 

Someone clearing his throat brought her mind back to the present. Hermione, on reflex, turns her head. 

"Do you like it, my lady?" Topsy beamed, bringing her tea set. 

"The prince has made you a gazebo for you to drink your tea, and the boat!" The spy elf clapped. 

"It's convenient." 

"The prince saw my lady one day here; the prince noticed my lady took a liking to the lake, so the prince ordered to make a gazebo for my lady to sit and if it's raining my lady still can enjoy the view without worrying about being wet." He put his both hands on his cheeks, his big eyes mesmerizing at her. 

It still feels like he's giving a bed in her prison cell. 

"Where is he now?" 

"Oh, the prince is always in the Hermione castle these days, my lady." 

Of course seeing Cormac with the fighters, he'll be busy strengthening his army.

One day, Hermione walked around the palace. She was so frustrated by the situation of the resistance, she take long walks in search of a plan, digging deep inside her mind, but none came. After walking to every corner of the palace grounds, she ended up going to the lake. She saw Draco sitting in the gazebo there; it was a rare sight to see him these days since he was always busy building his army. He smiled at her as she sat on the chair, looking at the view.

"I heard you were looking for me?" he said, looking at the lake.

"I didn't." She answered right away.

"Topsy never lies to me," he turned his head to her. 

Whatever. 

"Something on your mind? What's bothering you?" 

Yes, you. 

"You don't like this gazebo?" He was searching her eyes. 

"They're fine." 

He nodded and continued to smile. "Seeing you here made me suddenly crave you"

She glanced at him. "Your.. tea." He smiled very playfully. 

"Not that I don't crave you; I always crave you," he winked. 

"Topsy!" 

"My prince" 

"Get the tea set" The elf nodded. 

"What kind of mood are you in today?"  

Frustrated. "Hazy blue." 

After Hermione finished making the tea, she poured it into his cup and her cup. Draco's eyes never left her. Intimately, she grew accustomed to him staring at her while she made his tea. He took the cup and drank it. 

"This one is also delicious; it's indeed blue," he said, turning his head to her. His eyes were admiring her. 

"It's white tea, but I wanted to make it blue, so I put butterfly pea flower leaf and some dried berries in it," she said. He nodded.

She peered at him after taking a sip, reading him and gazing away. She flattened her lips and asked, "What kind of feelings do you have for me?" She was looking at the lake. 

She kept pushing, "I mean, you said you were interested in me." 

He silently gazed at the lake.

"It's too sudden, and it doesn't make sense after what you did to me in school..." 

"It's not sudden; I assure you that," he smiled weakly. 

He continues "I like when you get mad at me, and I find the attitude that erupts from you to be exciting." 

He's sick. No, damaged. 

"They worship you on the street," she said.

"They may worship the prince, but the prince worships his lady." he answered without hesitation.

He walks in front of her gracefully falling to his knees, he's grabbing her hand. She looked down at him kneeling in front of her, her eyes widened. He gave her a serious look. 

"If you let me, I would love you more than anyone has ever loved another."

She's lying on his bed that night in her lingerie and no panties, on a mission. Even though she heard from Theo about his obsession with her, hearing it from his mouth is different; she feels it might be real now. She wants him to make a promise to her.

She keeps her eyes on him, reading his face and slowly getting closer to kiss him like she means it. She sits on his lap; she can feel he's hard, his length pushing against her inner thigh. She moves her hips slowly while kissing him. He hisses. She slowly goes down and opens his pants. He's staring at her like he wants to eat her. After she pulls it off, she can see clearly his length, and she puts her folds on his length and rubs it with her folds, up and down very slowly; he moans and parts his lips, the prince at her mercy. She clenches her teeth when Draco pushes his length to her clit; he's fighting her dominance. Her head bows down. She can't let him have the upper hand now; she puts both her hands on his chest, shifts her hips up. Draco's length stands up right away, ready for her, and she slowly puts his tip inside her folds just a couple of inches, clenching her folds tight, trapping him; he grunts.

"Promise me," she holds on. Her thighs tremble and scream for her to push down his length.

"Promise me you'll never hurt my friends," she pushes for more and clenches her folds harder. He hisses, eyes shut; she pulls up, and he moans with needy whimpers.

"All my friends from down in the prison and outside: Harry, Dean, and Cormac, all of them." 

He's peering at her as the name Cormac comes from her mouth. They are both breathing heavily from the pressure and the torturous acts.

"Promise me," she demands, like a command.

He frowns when she pushes half his length, "I promise," his chest heaving.

She swallows him full length until her folds and clit touch his groin; she is fully seated inside him. Her head rolls backward at the feeling of her walls wrapping him so tight that she can feel him twitching inside. After she adjusts, she starts to grind him in circles; she moans, shutting her eyes, soaking in the feeling of her nerves in her body coming alive. She feels so full of him inside of her.

She starts to move up and down; she can't help but moan with every thrust. "Ah!" Pain and pleasure combine like a dangerously addicting potion she consumes. Draco growls, the sound of her wetness and their skin slapping against each other echoing. She opens her eyes and sees Draco looking at her, "Ride me," he says. Her breasts bounce with every thrust as she rides him; he's sitting up, licking her nipple like a thirsty man. "Ahh!" His hand suddenly finds her clit and brushes his thumb in circles; she gasps, "No! Aaahhh!" She came, bowing when she was trying not to.

Draco is not finished yet; he wraps one arm around her spine and brings her body close to his chest as he pulls her onto his chest, he lies down flat on the bed. He kisses her, his tongue claiming every corner inside of her mouth while his other hand pushes and wraps around her hips. He moves his hips up where they are still connecting and begins to thrust into her roughly while he's caging her in his hold, not letting her move; she is glued to him from his thrusts. She whimpers as he's thrusting into her hard, claiming her. He whispers in her ear:

"You're my wife, my future queen."

"You are my Jade Rose."

"My hope, my wish, my happiness."

He moves his face to her mouth and seals his lips on hers, inhaling her cries as she screams nonstop from his thrusts until her voice is muted; she only parts her lips as he gets faster, reaching his climax. She comes hard, her whole body shaking with her whines as the high of orgasm hits her hard. He pushes her body down to him with one last thrust; she can feel him hit her G-spot, making her body jolt. He's shaking and shuddering as he comes hard. They both pant, he squeezing and caressing her ass not letting her go she lies flat on top of him until their breathing returns to normal; they're looking into each other's eyes, face to face.

He asks her, "What am I to you?"

Her eyelids are half closed, still high on her post-orgasm haze.

She answers him, drunk on post-orgasm, "You are a lightning in the dark as you struck me."

"You are a hurricane as you bring destruction into my life."

"You are a tornado; you sucked me in and keep me spinning around you."

He laughs, "Such a dark poem."

"But I still love that you think of me as powerful forces in your life."

He's definitely damaged.

Chapter Text

In the morning, she was standing at his bedroom window looking down at the lake. It was a cold morning, but she was just standing there with nothing but a thin coat. She shivered slightly, wanting to let the cold punish her. She let the cold air sink deep into her bones until it hurt. Suddenly, a blanket wrapped around her body. Draco was at her back, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her cheek; he enveloped her. His body felt warm despite his cold heart. He said, 

"I was dreaming,"

"In my dream, you loved me." 

The quiet after those words ringing in her ears was loud. It was sad. In another time, in a different world, he would never say those words to her, she thought. If there were no kingdom, he would never set his eyes on her. He would marry a pureblood woman fit for his status, have a beautiful family, and continue his pureblood legacy. But in this world, he can do whatever he wants.

"I have a surprise for you," he whispered in her ear.

"I thought you might be happy."

He apparated her to the balcony where they could see her friends being released. He was being generous as all her female friends were being released: Padma, Parvati, Katie, Hannah, Susan, and Cho; they were all walking out one by one. Her eyes widened.

She turned her head to him. "Why are you doing this?"  

"I don't know, maybe because in my dream you felt too real," he replied.  

"You were smiling at me"

"I have always wondered what it feels like."

His eyes were glued to her and full of hope, she glanced at him and turned her gaze toward her friends with longing eyes.  

"I thought if I released them I might see your smile again..am I too greedy?" He smiled lovingly, tilting his head.  

"Do you remember your promise?" she asked while looking at her friends.  

"I do. How could I forget?" He closed the distance to her and leaned in slightly, whispering,  

"You felt so good."  

She put on a blank face and said, "Never forget that," threatening him.

"My Lady!" Topsy is running at her. 

"You have guests," the elf said. 

"Guests? I have guests?" she's asking back. 

Topsy reaches for her hand. They apparate, and she sees all her friends sitting in the gazebo near the lake. The sight seems unreal to her as she walks to the gazebo, not believing what her eyes are seeing. She holds onto the gazebo's wood near the entrance, her eyes still glued to her friends, her mouth parted. Her eyes are glossy and become blurry, her tears falling down as the image of her friends appears again. Her hands tremble, and then she clasps them together tightly, wanting to know if she's not dreaming. She swabs her eyes, her lips shaking, her chest rising and falling. 

"Are you..." 

"Are you real?" 

They all nodded and began to cry and sob. As witches, they had lived together at Hogwarts since they were little; they felt like family to her since She was an only child. Her friends were all she had for a long time. They were always there for her; they went to school together, played together, ate together every day, celebrated holidays together, walked around school together, laughed together, cried together. They knew the sadness of losing friends in the war, sharing the same horror as they fought; they got separated, spending years alone in prison cells. The core memories they replayed every day eased their loneliness and emptiness, helping them hold on to their sanity. They understood each other completely just by looking into each other's eyes; that's what friends are. They have bursts of emotion. 

They are still seated in their chairs when she steps into the gazebo, and they all stand and run to hug her. They cry together in a circle, pouring their hearts out, some of them screaming in sadness. She hugs them one by one, her eyes swollen, nonstop tears flowing, her head pounding, but her heart is drowning in happiness. As she hugs Cho, she looks up at the palace where she was standing this morning in Draco's window, and with her glossy eyes, she sees Draco looking down at her from his window. She blinks her eyes, and tears roll down her cheeks; she can see clearly now. He's standing there with his hands in his pockets. 

Topsy clears his throat, and a bunch of servants come in, serving each of her friends food and drinks. They treat them like proper, honorable guests of a royal house. She glances at Draco once again, but he's gone. She sits and cannot stop looking at them one by one. They eat, and after that, she serves them her tea; they are enjoying the view.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I... I'm so, so sorry," she said, tears streaming down her face. She cannot look at them; she looks down at her lap.

"It's not your fault; it was never your fault from the start," Cho said.

"I should have tried harder; it's my fault," she said, trembling and holding back her tears.

"No, stop saying that," Katie said, frowning.

"We're all out now because of you, Hermione," Parvati said.

Hermione shakes her head. "Forgive me," she said, turning her head to them.

"What are you talking about?" Padma's voice is high.

Hannah comes to her, kneeling and holding her hands. "We don't know what you have been through up here, but I know you went through so much worse than us down there. Do you hear me?"

Hermione shakes her head. "No," she gasps, her eyes glossy.

"I know this question sounds stupid, but are you alright?" Cho asked.

She nods and cries. Cho knows she's not.

Hermione takes a step outside the gate with her friends, turning her head to Topsy and the guards that are following her. "I will walk with my friends; we’re just going to stroll around the palace. I'll be back," she said, ordering them.

"My lady cannot do that; the prince is going to kill us," he shakes his head at her.

"No, he won't. I'll make sure of that."

Topsy's hand tries to reach her as she walks by, almost as if he won't let go. "Please come back," the elf pleads, biting his hands. Topsy is restless at her leaving without guards. She nods at him, assuring him.

She walks with her friends outside the palace. They turn left into the woods, away from the guards. They see three wizards standing in the woods; she knows it's Harry, Dean, and Cormac, but their faces are not familiar, as they have drunk Polyjuice potion. They’re here to pick up the girls after she told Eve to inform them earlier.

The girls and the boys hug each other. "We hardly got through the wards to get into the city," Cormac said. They keep their distance from the palace.

"This might be the last time we will be able to go inside this city," Dean said.

Harry is searching for Ginny. "Where is she?" he asks Hermione. She shakes her head.

"I'm sorry." She squeezes his hand. He falls to his knees. 

"I tried, Harry; I really did," she gasps, closing her mouth as Cho hugs her while she cries. 

The girls are caressing Harry, calming him down. They all apparated one by one along with Dean and Harry after everyone was gone. Cormac was left behind; he apparated close to Hermione. 

"Come with us," he looks at her deeply. She stands still, looking back at the palace. 

"Cormac, I can't. You don’t understand how dangerous it will be for all of us. I would put us all in danger if I came with you," she said. 

"Just come with us, and we’ll figure it out later. This might be your last chance," he puts his hand on her shoulder, face to face. A light passes by Hermione, and Cormac falls to the floor, coughing blood. Cormac's wand flies to Draco in an instant. Cormac's face is still unfamiliar. Draco must have heard Hermione call his name. 

"You dare come to her after I released you" Draco stands fifteen feet apart from them. 

"What a suicidal move" 

"Are you desperate, Cormac?" His head tilts at Cormac, who is now down in the dirt, holding his hand against his chest. 

"Stop!" Hermione shouted. She stands, blocking Draco's view of Cormac, stretching her arms in front of him. 

"You’re making it worse. Defending him is just going to make it worse for him," his voice is cold, and his angry face turned to her. She heaves and lowers her hand. 

Draco points his wand at Cormac, panicking that Draco might kill the resistance's leader. She runs to Draco and hugs him tight. 

"Stop, please stop," she whispers in his ear, breathing heavily. 

"Please don’t kill my friends; I'm begging you, please..." she squeaks, her chest rising and falling. 

"Good; you can only beg to me.  

"But he has to die," he raises his wand at Cormac. 

"I’m yours, Draco; I’m yours!" she blurts out. 

His eyes widen; he turns his head to her, his eyes locking onto hers. 

"Say it again," he demands. 

"I'm... I'm yours," she heaves. They’re staring at each other, her heart beating so hard. He clenches his teeth. 

He hugs her and looks at Cormac. "Never touch her again," he gives an ultimatum to Cormac, and they apparate away.

Chapter Text

Theo is glancing at Draco. They are in Hermione's castle, sitting at a long table. Draco is reaching for one of the papers that are scattered around the table and reading it.

Voldemort is dead. 

The royal family is fooling us. 

There is no God to fear. 

A False God. 

Vanish the dark; you'll see the light.

They all gathered with the King, the Queen, the Prince, the Commander-in-Chief, the pureblood families that are related to the Malfoys by blood. They govern each region as representatives of the royal families, along with the 28 sacred members and their representatives. One by one, the people at the table spoke. 

"This marks the first occurrence in so many peaceful years", he looks at Lucius.

"This serves as evidence of rebels attacking the Royal Family.." 

"My King, it appears that people have started to whisper in the street, If we do not intervene, people will perceive this as true." 

"To some, this may seem like a minor issue, but if we allow it to persist, it could escalate into a widespread problem; small rebellions may emerge." 

"I propose, We should not permit them to get away; we must pluck these rebels from the root entirely," he remarked, regarding Lucius.

"They are seeking to obliterate our beliefs, our Lord; they are trying to incite opposition among the people."

"People may perceive this as true; however, there are those who might question us and harbor doubts." 

"It's fortunate that we learned the prince has already visited to the source of the problem." 

Lucius turned his gaze towards Draco, even as everyone watched him. Draco sat there, unaffected, with a face that was expressionless but tinged with annoyance.

"The rumors we heard indicate that the rebels involve the friends of the future queen." Draco's eyes turned in the direction of the pureblood discussing Hermione.

"Is it true?" All heads turned towards the prince. 

"Whoever they may be and whatever actions they take, they are unrelated to my wife," he stated firmly. Draco responded coldly. Narcissa nodded.

"We will head to their place, seize these rebels, by the forth night their bodies will be on public display in the street as a warning to rebels," Theo said. 

"At the end of this month, I plan to go there myself," Draco stated, rising from his seat. Theo trailed behind him as he exited the meeting. Everyone turned to watch him leave, and he could hear Lucius murmur,

"You may continue," as Lucius glanced at his son’s back.

"What are you planning to do?" Theo asked.

"Prepare the army as they needed; they do not realize the gravity of their words. They have not witnessed what I have seen. In their eyes, these rebels represent a significant threat, but in reality, they are merely a group of homeless individuals refusing to abide by our regulations. Just like in any other nation, there will always be homeless individuals and ineffectual opposition."

"Are you saying they are homeless? They fought against us! They are not just homeless. What are you referring to? The opposition did not make an attempt to battle us with their troops!" Theo looked at his prince with a frown and confusion.

"I am going to let them believe I will fight the rebels. Get the army ready."

"Are you not going to fight against these rebels? You saw it, Cormac and Potter, the prisoners, were there; they fought like they were prepared to die that day," Theo remarked, in disagreement with Draco.

"By the end of the month, they will be gone; I gave them an ultimatum," Draco said, glancing at his table.

"What if they don't?"

"Do you... have pity for them?" Theo narrowed his eyes at Draco. Draco was in his room, which was in another wing of Hermione's castle.

"I don't care about them," Draco answered.

"Do you not care that they are attempting to weaken your kingdom? They will do whatever they can to destroy what you have built."

"They will not be able to win against us." 

"I know that," Theo smirked at Draco.

"Are you seriously going to let them move around outside the city? Your city?"

"They can live outside the city," Draco confirmed.

"They will slowly give this another try"; Theo threw the paper to the ground disgusted.

"They will continue to do this for as long as they live. They won’t stop fighting, You realize this, right?" Theo said, frustrated.

"The only solution is to eliminate them all. As long as Potter and his friends are still alive, your kingdom will never know peace," he continued to urge Draco.

Theo continued, "Why do you even let them live? It would be better to just get rid of these traitors. Salazar knows they are useless!"

"They're useful," Draco answered right away. Theo understood exactly what he meant by that. He sighed and finally sat down. He also knows why Draco hesitated to kill all the rebels.

"How many?" Theo asked.

"Prepare the whole army," Draco's commanded .

"All of them? For that little group of rebels? We can take them down using only a quarter of our army, and you know that" He checked Draco's face.

"Here's the thing,Theo." Draco clasped his hands on the table.

"We need to put on a show to shut their fucking mouth, those who are seated at that table."

"Since when do you care about those people?"

"Since they brought up my wife's name." He walks, tapping Theo's shoulder.

"Take some time to rest Theo, your rage will be valuable in battle." Draco said before he apparated.

Chapter Text

"How's the resistance? Did they find another place outside the city?" Hermione asked Eve.

Eve shook her head. "Maybe they will go camp somewhere; I don't know. Three hundred people makes it hard to find a place to live in a month. I'm afraid if we camp in the woods, they will slowly get sick from the weather. It's warmer inside the building."

Hermione gasps she closed her mouth, her head shaking in denial. "I need to do something, i should do something".

Their silence was loud; they were not at the lake anymore since Hermione knew Draco could see her from his window. They were trapped at her bedroom window, looking outside.

"I want to fight for the people there; if the answer is we have to fight, I want to be there. Let's go pack our things," Hermione said, and walked to her wardrobe.

"You can't," Eve answered. Hermione turned to Eve.

"He blocked the wards completely; I can't even go back."

She heaves and start panicking "Completely? Are..are you sure? Have you tried?" Her eyes widened, searching for an answer from Eve about the news. She shrugs her face.

"After the last time we fought against the royal troops, suddenly they are blocking the wards from time to time. We don't know when, but slowly it is closing. Outsiders cannot come inside, and we cannot go outside; it's not just us, but all the people in this kingdom. He locked us in," Eve shakes her head.

Hermione gaped, not believing the news she had just heard. She's messing her hair with her hands, frustrated. "I'm stuck in this place!" Her chest rising and falling. She bit her nails and walked back and forth.

"I hate being helpless like this; there's always a way; there should be!" Hermione shouted.

Eve looked at the sky as she sighed. "I lived there longer in that district; we live day by day not knowing what the future will hold, not until we read the news about you. You marrying him makes a lot of difference. Like Eaton, he joined our resistance when he heard about you, and many more people joined to fight."

She continued, "We fought bravely; we did what we could." She looked at Hermione with somber eyes. Hermione stopped, and they stared at each other.

"No, I... I refuse to give up; that's not me," Hermione said to Eve and started to pace back and forth again, still biting her nails.

"What can we do from here?" Eve asked.

"I have an idea which involves a wand, and we don't have that. They don't let servants use their wands inside the palace; only elves can do magic," Eve biting her nails and inhaled deeply.

"We are fucked, aren't we?" Eve asked, turning and seeing Hermione flat on the ground, staring at the ceiling. 

"If you have any idea..we should discuss it together, alright? Do you understand? Don't be hasty," Eve said and looked suspiciously at Hermione, where she remained silent.

A day passed after Draco's agreement with the resistance. He spared them a day, and Theo knew why, and he wasn't happy with that. Theo apparated to the dark palace to meet the prince to report to him about the army, but before he went to him, the commander in chief had a mission of his own.

He walked to the lake as he was peering, but no one was there and continued walking to the royal garden. He glanced from outside, he kept walking to the prison gate in the corner of the palace, and waited for ten minutes. He saw the guards walking in and out, and then he walked again to the Jade Roses garden where the servants were farming. Glancing, he kept walking to the lab and searched in every alley; he finally apparated inside the palace. He went to the kitchen and dining room until he reached the grand ballroom near the entrance, seeing only servants walking around, he walked every stairs the palace had until he reached a rooftop where they had a balcony, chairs, and a table facing the forest, he stood there for couple minutes until someone gasped. He turned his head at the source of the sound and saw Hermione freeze in front of the door, her eyes widen in shocked .He smirked at her and apparated infront of her.

"My Lady, I've been looking for you," his eyes widened like he was looking at his longtime nemesis. 

He leaned in to her ear and grabbed her elbow. "Let's go talk somewhere, shall we?" He apparated them to the alley near the lab where they had their first conversation. They arrived as he shoved her off of him; she stumbled as she regained her balance. 

"What do you want?" She clenched her teeth, staring at him. 

"None of that; I don't have time right now, I'm quite busy." He said brushing his hand infront of Hermione's as she glared at him.

"You can thank me later if you want with this information that I will give you. I do accept payment by royal body," he winked at her. 

"I assume you can handle rough play," he was peering at her. 

"I know Draco likes it rough; he always did with his whore" he smirked devilishly. She's not bothered by him now that she knows what he is like. He took a couple of steps and turned his body to face her.

"Listen carefully, at this very moment the royal army is lining up in your district; we are going to attack your dear friends at that damn district," he said with his hand in his pocket.

He scoffed. "If they're stupid enough by still staying there, I honestly hope they are still in there; I really do." He noded.

Theo leaned his mouth to Hermione's ear. "Tomorrow we are going to display your friends' bodies on the streets; they will witness the fate of the rebels." Theo said sneering. She froze, her eyes widened.

"I'd give you advice: stay in that district. I can help you get there faster if you want—fight for your rights. You are a fighter, aren't you?" he chuckled.

"Your friend Cormac he's a fool!"

He continues "What did he say? Ah... we'd rather fight now than be forever under suppression?" 

He pulled his serious face "He's right; you all should fight. Who knows? You might win," he shrugged and he smiled widely at her. 

"Tell your friends that: fight or die," he nodded, tapping her shoulder before apparating. Hermione froze for a while and started to run to the balcony. She wanted to see it with her own eyes; she usually can see little glimpse of the royal army training in Hermione Castle from the balcony beyond the forest, but she saw no one.

"Topsy!" He's not coming, but instead, another elf came.

The elf bowed. "My Lady, Topsy is with the prince right now; I'm at your service for now."

"Where are they?" she asked the substitute elf.

"At the main entrance near the grand ballroom; they..."

"Take me there!" she cut off the elf.

"Now!" They apparated.

They apparated. "You can go now," she ordered the elf outside the ballroom.

She will not take Theo's offer to go to the district because she knows the key is Draco. If the prince isn't there, there will be no order will be made, but she cannot use her body again this time. She bites her lip, her fists are clenching; she knows he will not stop the war even if she offers him her body. She walks into the grand ballroom and sees Draco talking with Theo, her heart beating fast, her chest rising and falling, her eyes darting to the surroundings in the grand ballroom to ease her panic.

She's standing thirty feet apart from where Draco stands, She's looking at his battle armor he's wearing, which makes what Theo said valid. The servants and Topsy at his back. He is ordering something to Theo, and Theo walks out. Her eyes stop at the two blades that are hanging as wall displays on one of the walls. Her feet start to move by themselves as she grabs the blade and pushes it through her left chest. The sound of the clinking blade brings all eyes on her. 

All the eyes turn to the sound of the blade, and they all gasp at the sight. Turning his back, Draco watches as Hermione falls to her knees, and the pain courses through her body like electricity. She clenches her teeth and holds her voice to scream as the metal pierces her. It's painful to breathe because of the movement of her chest as she's breathing, the sharp metal digging on her skin. She didn't know what came into her;  maybe stupidly her Gryffindor's bravery gave her the strength to stab herself as the only way out of the situation, along with her hasty thinking that Eve keeps reminding her of, but it all happened so fast even magic couldn't stop her. It's more painful as she speaks loudly.

"You broke your promise," she breathes heavily as she glared at Draco. 

Draco's eyes widen his eyes are glued to the nightmare unfolding before him. He furrowed as he takes a step his eyes wanting to see more closely. He sees both of Hermione's hands pushing the blade through her left chest while she's enduring the pain. Out of all the calculations he did and meticulous planning he always puts in, this was never in his imagination; he never thought Hermione would try to stab herself. His instinct is to help and prevent her and go to her side. He takes another step.

"Stop right there!" she shouted as her eyes closed from holding the pain. Her chest spasms, her forehead is sweaty.

The room is silent, with only her heavy breathing is heard. She gulps "Stop the war," she ordered.

She frowned. "Pull back your army!" She chocked. The servants stood with their eyes widened, looking at the horror as their future Queen tried to end her life in front of their eyes.

Her chin is high as she looks down on him "Or you can find a new queen," she threatened. Her hands trembling as she pushed the blade down slowly, torturously near her heartbeat; blood came out of her mouth. The servants screaming, horrified and crying.

"Don't! Stop!" Draco stretched his arm to her from afar, his palm up in the air. "Stop!" He shook his head. His furrowed brow lessened as he realized why she was doing this. In Hermione's eyes, he was going to kill her friends, when he actually had his own plan, which was that this was all just a show. But Hermione didn’t know that. He paid the price as his future queen bled right in front of him, begging him to stop the war by sacrificing herself. He should've known her Gryffindor suicidal heroism would stop at nothing; even with no choice, they would make one for themselves. He clenched his wand tightly.

He screamed, "Topsy! Tell Theo to pull back, now!" The elf disappeared with teary eyes. Draco apparated to Hermione, her face now close to him. They stared intensely at one another.

"Bring the fucking healers! All of them!" he shouted angrily.

The servants all scattered, running out. His eyes looked at where the blade was on her left chest. Hermione frowned and hissed as Draco slowly pulled the blade out. She winced, and closed her eyes. After the blade was out of her body, Hermione’s body fell, but Draco held her and pulled her into his arms. He looks at her body on his arms as He stands and apparated them away.

Chapter Text

The perks of being a Gryffindor. Even after they lost the war, she always knew she would fight for whatever it was until her body could no longer handle it and her eyes closed as her heartbeat grew slower until the cold took over her. Because if it was for something she believed in, she would fight with everything she had.

There are two ways women can act in certain situations. One, he loves the body, so the body she uses against him as her weapon. Her bravery, her strong mind, her own bare hands and feet as her wand—no spells, but they’re deadly. Deadly enough that the mighty prince pulled back, screaming and running from the war, calling his commander in chief from the battlefield because his favorite witch is dying. When it’s do or die, there’s no shame in using it.

Two, he said she's his Jade Rose, so she'll use her thorns. Blinding him with her fragrance his favorite perfume, as she pricks him in his mind until it dulls and leaves him thinking with his heart, which is full of her. It's not women's fault that men tend to show their weakness easily. The weakness is only something the women can see, especially the one that his heart desires. If she makes it out alive, next she's planning to crush his hope and his happiness; in the end, either she will survive or not, it doesn't really matter, even if it destroys her.

That day, she opened her eyes and saw the high ceiling with the Malfoy family crest on it looking back at her, telling her, "You're still here." She was in her damn bedroom, a royal prison. She was alive, just like the pulsing in her wound. She should have just died; now she regretted stopping the blade pushing into her heart. It started with a threat, but it seemed like a good, selfish idea. Who wants to live in this kind of world anyway. Selfish—the word seemed foreign to her, but all humans are selfish in their own way, according to their own beliefs. She laughed but stopped as the wound forbade her from even laughing at her situation right now. She's not winning yet. This is just a small victory, a small treat for a cub.

She turned and stared to her side at another freshly cut jade rose standing beautifully on her table, which made her think. Should I try to burn all the jade roses in the garden? That would be fun. What is he going to do to me? put me back in prison? chain me? or kill me? Seeing his precious jade rose burning, what a view it will be like fireworks in my dark life.

She's drowning in her mind again as they put the potions into her system, drugging her in a delicious way of thinking, planning, and plotting. She was unconscious; now she's awake with fire in her heart. Someone comes; she turns her head to a servant woman. She bows.

"My lady, it's time to change your bandage," she said as she walked closer and helped her into a sitting position.

Her body is so stiff as if the muscles have been laying asleep. The servant is pulling her dress down from the top, only leaving her strapless bra that they put on her while she was sleeping so no strap would touch the wound in her left shoulder. A shadow appears in front of her bed; the dark shadow vanished as the prince stood, looking straight at her, Her chin is high as if she's proud of what she's done, and showing it in her face for the prince to see. He froze in his spot as his eyes followed the servant's hands slowly opening her bandage, unwrapping her. Hermione's eyes stared at him. The servant took a cloth that had been soaked in an olive-colored liquid from a bowl and brushed the wet cloth around her shoulder and into her wound; she flinched, and Draco's eyes turned to hers. They kept staring without words. The smell of the cloth strongly hinted to her that it was Jade Rose extract, and the amount of it in the bowl must have cost those fifty vials she saw in the lab that day. After the servant cleaned her wound, she wrapped a new bandage around it bowed and left the room. Now she knows why the bandage is olive-colored when it was supposed to be white: they soaked it in the extract. After an eerie silent she asks,

"Is this your love?" 

"Will you let your Jade Rose die slowly as you keep it in your fenced garden?"

His eyes widened, looking straight at her. His chest is rising and falling. He frowns; he seems disturbed. He's clenching his fists hard, his knuckles turned white. His calm demeanor is lost somewhere; he lost it with her words stabbing him in the chest. After a couple of minutes of silence, he starts to walk to her from the front of her bed to her side, where she is sitting. His hand stretches to her right shoulder; his touch is intimate as he caresses her right breast. His fingers glide down her cleavage; she can feel her nerves responding to his touch. His fingers move to her left chest and stop near her wound that is wrapped in bandages.

"Healers said… you missed half inch and your heart will bleed to death." His voice is cold; she got goosebumps from it. He put on a blank face, his eyes focused on her left chest wound.

"Before you try to kill yourself, you might consider trying to kill me first. Your friends may have a better chance to live"

"I'm not you; I don't go out killing people as i please," she roars.

After long days in her bedroom healing, she was finally able to walk outside. The pain comes from time to time, but she can handle it. She walks and notices that there are no swords or blades displayed on the walls anymore, when they used to be scattered in this palace-like museum. Women own their own bodies; they have minds of their own, and with that mind, she can think of any other way to walk away from men if she wants, as easy as it is to breathe, it should not always be a weapon like how men think. Good thing the palace has high balconies, high stairs, or the lake.

Chapter Text

"My Lady, tonight you will be accompanying the prince to the royal event in France," the servant informed her.

Hermione stared at nothing with a blank face; of course, they would be celebrating, partying, ignoring the rebels and the poor victims of wars.

"What kind of event?"

"It's a gala dinner, the prince's relative in France hosting it; all the prince's close friends will be there as well; they gather every year." She was silent; the servant bowed and left.

I can't refuse, can I?

Draco is standing by the fire, the portkey stands by in the middle with a black tuxedo and golden patterns down the line of his collar vest and sleeves, his family crest pin on his chest waiting for her.

"The soldiers already stand by in there, my prince," Topsy informed.

He's looking at her up and down; she wears a formal evening black dress with golden patterns matched with Draco's and a front slit on her right thigh, black gloves reaching below her elbow with a Malfoy family crest pin also on her chest.

He grabs her right palm and touches the portkey. When they arrive, all the soldiers are lining up on each side as they walk up the stairs to the chateau. As she climbs the stairs little by little, the chateau appears in front of her eyes. The chateau is as big as the dark palace, with white walls and a fountain in front of the main door. When they reach the inside, it’s blinding with the lavish decoration. The live music is blasting classical songs; all eyes turn to them. She looks around and sees Theo; her eyes widen.

"I'm the host of this evening, my lady; may I introduce myself?" The host stretches his palm to her, asking for her hand to kiss, but his eyes are looking for permission from Draco. Draco shakes his head, and he retreat his hand and bows instead, but Hermione stretches her hand to him like a noble lady with her chin held high, giving him a look to kiss her knuckles. She feels Draco's head turn to her face. The host smiles at her act and shrugs at Draco as he kisses her hand.

"I'm Draco's cousin, Louis Alexander Malfoy," he said. His hair is light golden, not as white as Draco's, and he has a genuine smile reaching his eyes. He turned his face to Draco. 

"Une autre année, une autre bénédiction alors que le prince revient ici, emmenant maintenant sa belle épouse," his face turned to her as he said. 

Louis continues "I would marry her too if I were you."  

"Je ne serai pas long, elle n'allait pas bien, je l'ai juste amenée ici pour qu'ils la voient," Draco said. 

"Vraiment? Qui sait, elle pourrait se sentir bien dans ce magnifique château," he goes to her other side. 

"Do you like the château?" Louis asked Hermione.

"This is the biggest château in France," he stretches his arm to the place. 

"It's actually Draco's, but he lets me stay here when he's not around, to guard the place." He's peering at Draco's. 

He's leaning toward her and whispers, "Why don't you stay for the night at the château, my lady?" 

He continues, "They say it's a good luck charm to get pregnant," he whispers. She turned her head to Louis. He smiles playfully and walk to Draco, Louis taps Draco's back and guides him to his friends who have been waiting.  

Hermione is glad they can separate. As Draco turns his head to her, she walks quickly to a table. The elves bow to her as she walks. Theo appears and says to Draco, "I'll stay with her." Draco nodded at Theo. 

Theo came from behind her, offering her a glass of champagne. She didn't want to take it, but she glanced around; there are a lot of eyes also glancing at her. If she rejects his offer, it would be rude, so she took it, planning just to hold it and never drink it.

"Aren't commanders in chief supposed to be in the castle with the army?"

"I'm his best friend, his number one trusted confidant. Do you forget?"

"How can I forget." she replied in a sharp tone.

Theo glanced at Draco before speaking to her, "Tell me, what did you do?"

"You were supposed to die on the battlefield that day with your friends." He's smiling, but she can feel his furious eyes.

He continued, "There's no way he'll pull back just for your cunt; that's not him."

"No one knew what happened as the prince ordered to pulled back that day, so tell me," he informed.

She smirked at him, looking at his face and enjoying his frustrated state as she whispered, "With a little magic, Theo," peering at him and giving him a small smile of victory.

Theo clenched his jaw, but brushed it off with a loud laugh. Thank Merlin for the loud music; otherwise, all heads would turn to them at his laughter.

"You're good," he nodded, smiling and blinking his eyes realizing something.

"That's why they sent you to him, right? You have a lot of experience, that's why you were chosen for the job! The great whore... even the whole army could lose against you." He gazed away somewhere and sneered.

"Your prince chose me, do you forget?" she shot back.

He rolled his eyes. "Now when can I get my payment? Perhaps tonight?" He looked at her up and down.

"I can apparate us somewhere around here if you want; I already told him I would stay with you."

"What payment?" She tilted her head.

"I didn't ask you to give me information so that I could prevent that from happening. I never asked in the first place," she said, giving him a tiny smile in triumph.

Theo glared at her. She's not afraid of him here; there are too many eyes for him to do something to her. She knows he will not risk it all.

"Do you see all the women here and the way they're looking at the prince?" Theo pointed his head at them.

She's looking around at the women; they are looking over their shoulders, stealing glances at the prince while he's talking to his friends. She's thinking she will give him to them if she can. She scoffs, feeling annoyed. There's a sound of clicking glasses, and everyone walks to the dinner table. The table is fit for all the guests. Hermione is waiting for everyone to sit; she's trying to find her seat, but only one is left available beside Draco at the head of the table. Draco's eyes are staring at her. She walks slowly to his side. The prince got to sit at the head of the table; isn't it supposed to be the host's place?

The elves brought the food, and everyone is eating. She only plays with her food as she loses her appetite eating with these people who are licking the ground the prince walked on. She only drinks until Draco says,

"At least eat the dessert."

She glances at him and eats a scoop of caramel vanilla ice cream in front of her. It's so good that she feels terrible after eating it because she suddenly remembers the children in the district. She drinks to brush off the taste from her mouth. When she glances up, she sees all the women to her left; they are all staring at her with the same look that the candidate girls used to give her. They are all very beautiful, adorned with jewelry on their necks, hands, and ears; they are shining. They are looking at the emptiness of her ears, neck, and hands. Someone suddenly speaks,

"Je veux proposer un toast pour notre futur roi et reine de notre royaume," Louis said, and everyone grabs their glasses. She doesn't understand but follows them a little late; some of the women giggle at her. She hears but keeps her eyes down.

"Nous attendons avec impatience un avenir radieux, À votre santé!"

After dinner, Hermione sees some couples starting to dance. She would throw herself from a window before having to dance with Draco, so she goes to the bathroom to hide, the only place where they will leave her alone. If she hides somewhere else, Theo might find her and force her to give his payment, or Draco might come to her. 

She is just sitting on the toilet seat, feeling out of place, staring at the beautiful bathroom door full of paintings of a flowery garden. She gasps; when she went in earlier, the bathroom looked unreal. To her, the bathroom looks like a living room with sofas and marble tables. The bathroom also smells fragrant. Suddenly, the voices of women came as they laughed and talked one by one.

"Did you see?" 

"Oh, I saw it. She definitely doesn't know French." 

"He's soooo out of her league!" 

"Like a servant at my manor; I have one like her." 

"Why do I feel ashamed for her?" They are all bursting with laughter. 

"The prince probably hesitates to give her their jewelry; that's why we see none. Poor her" 

"The diamond will decrease its value if she wears it" they all scoffed, and some of them laughed.

She doesn't really care what they said about her; for her, there are more important things. Since a blade went through her chest, those words feel more like a pinch. The bathroom goes quiet, and she goes out, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She would laugh at herself too over her situation. Someone came out of the bathroom door beside her. She's shocked when she sees her and bows her head.

"My Lady."  

Hermione was feeling fine she realized, what those women said was somewhat true, but now, the fact that someone knew she heard them makes her feel more embarrassed. She's avoiding eye contact. The woman clears her throat.

"My lady, may I introduce myself?" 

Hermione sighs, gulps, and hesitating turns her body to the women. Hermione doesn't want her pity, so she raises her chin at her. The woman smiles and says, 

"I went to Hogwarts too; I know it's been years," she said; her face does seem familiar. 

"My name is Daphne Greengrass," she stretches out her hand. 

"I'm Hermione Granger," she shook her hand. 

"Ignore her; she's been obsessed with Draco since we were in school. She thinks she will be the future queen; years of waiting have made her bitter."  

Hermione gazes at Daphne, surprised by her words. She's looking at her applying her makeup elegantly. 

"I was once one of the candidates—my sister and those women. Don't blame us; all parents wanted their daughters to marry well," she shrugs. Hermione inhales; what an irony, She never wanted this position, she thought.  

"We never knew Draco would marry you; he shocked us all. But Theo said he's been obsessed with you in school, secretly," she whispers. Hermione looks up at the ceiling. She can never believe those words. That just seems impossible to her. He is an enemy. When she is about to reply to Daphne, a woman with short black hair and grey eyes walks in and stop freezes at her.  

"You should bow, Pansy," Daphne said, ordering.  

She scoffed. "I would never!"  

"He will divorce her sooner or later. Rumor has it she's barren." Pansy continued.

Pansy crosses her arms, looking at Hermione up and down. Daphne gazes at Hermione. She is surrounded by the candidates, the women who should be his wife, and Hermione has taken their place. She understands why they're pissed; they would be even more upset if they knew the woman who took their place didn't even want it.  

Daphne walks and sits on the sofa in the corner of the big bathroom away from them. Pansy walks takes her lipstick that left on the marble table and shoves Hermione hard on her left shoulder. Her wound pulses slightly; she's almost falling from the unexpected attack. She's backing off and holding the bathroom wall.  

"You're so weak; don't be dramatic" Pansy rolled her eyes.  

"Where's your wand? Did you leave it somewhere?" Pansy points her wand at Hermione's left shoulder. She winces.

"Someone could kill you in an instant without a wand. Have you ever seen a snake eating a cub before?" She's threatening her and smiling wickedly, thriumph looking at her painful face as Pansy keeps pushing her wound. Hermione clenchs her teeth, her back leaning against the wall.

"Mudblood," Pansy added. Hermione glares to her, that word she had just spoken made her realize Pansy would be a perfect match for Draco, and it also lit a fire inside her. She pushed herself forward, growling as the wand pushed harder and Hermione pushed Pansy hard to the ground. Pansy didn't expect her to fight back since she thought she had the upper hand with a wand over wandless Hermione. Pansy fell into the trash bin, the sound of metal falling to the ground along with the trash that came out of it and scattered.

"How dare you!" Pansy pointed her wand at Hermione, but before she could cast a spell to Hermione someones cast, 

"Expelliarmus!" Pansy's wand flew to Daphne.  

"Do you want to rot in prison?" Daphne asked.  

"Why am I rotting in prison?" Pansy asked back at Daphne.  

"Because that's the best thing Draco could give to you. If he knew you harmed his wife, the future queen,"  

"Shut up! She's not! And she will never be!" Pansy shouted at Daphne.  

"You can keep dreaming, Pansy, but don't touch her if you don't want to lose it. Read the rule books." Daphne grabbed Hermione's left hand to guide her outside the bathroom, but she flinched and shut her eyes.  

"Are you hurt?"  Daphne asked.

Hermione shook her head and inhaled deeply. "I'm fine," they both walked outside.  

"Never knew the bathroom was not a safe place," Hermione said.  

You should stay with Theo, he's the commander-in-chief. He'll protect you," Daphne suggested.

Hermione looked into Daphne eyes, dumbfounded. That's the last thing Theo would do for me.

Chapter Text

Hermione and Daphne are walking out of the bathroom hallway, and Draco's eyes go straight to Hermione. She's holding her left arm. When her eyes find his, she lets go of her hand and walks as if nothing happened. She stops at the table to get a drink. She sees Daphne keep walking into the crowd. It's nice to know that there are noble women who act as a noble woman should, she thought. She bottoms up her drink; after what just happened, she needs alcohol to calm that rush of adrenaline. She has only been drinking since she got here, and the alcohol is surely taking its effect on her.

She sees Draco surrounded by his candidates, trying to talk to him, flirting. She understands they all want a piece of the prince, the prize they cannot have; at least they can see his face up close, maybe that is generous enough, or they know about the rumors that the lady is barren, and the prince will take a new wife.

They're all laughing; someone must have made a joke, but he's just standing there twenty feet away from her. When her eyes catch his, they have been staring at her with a blank face. She gazes away from him. She takes another glass, drinking it again and walks. There are fewer people than before, she realizes. She walks out of the chateau towards the fountain, she's  looking the chateau's white relics. It's so different from the dark palace; there's a bright aura from it, while back in England the dark palace gave her gloomy vibes.

She turns her body around after reaching the fountain and sees the chateau looming at her; it's the biggest chateau in France, Louis said. She thought the chateau is like the prince: too big to crush, too big to crumble. The royals have grown their roots since she's been in prison, she realizes that. Looking at the chateau, so big, it makes her feel small. She's alone, no friends at her side; she can't go to her friends either, she's trapped. She needs them to gain strength.

She finishes her drink and puts the glass on the fountain before crouching down and sighed. The more she goes down, the bigger the chateau appears in her eyes, so she buries her head in her arms in her drunken state into the darkness, hiding. This war is too big for her. The alcohol seems to kick in because it brings out different versions of Hermione. The fighter Hermione will not give up. She's strong; she's not afraid, but when you're alone in a foreign place, you feel those insecurities crawling in. She wants to scream; she feels her chest tightening. Everyone is inside with the music blasting; no one can hear her, right?

She's peering at the chateau and feels her left shoulder sore from earlier; bending it while crouching is not helping, as it adds pressure to it. She hisses as she touches the wound and stretches her arm. Tears suddenly fall from her eyes; no one is here, no friends, no family, no one to comfort her in this battlefield; she's alone. She's crying and sobbing her heart out for couple of minutes and hears.

"Did someone bully you?" 

She gasps and turns to her back, seeing Draco leaning against the fountain, looking at her. She wipes her eyes quickly. She doesn't like someone seeing her weak side. She stands up and inhales deeply, brushing her eyes.

"Did someone hurt you?" he asked.

"It's the..champagne." 

"Don't get hurt, Granger".

He continues "Because if you hurt, I will destroy whoever caused you to feel that way. Nothing is more important to me than you. Never forget that." 

She's laughing out loud at the words he just said. Her laugh is mixed with blurry eyes as the tears threaten to fall; she looks broken. He frowns at the sight of her. 

"You! You broke me the moment you laid eyes on me," her tears fall down, but she brushes them away with a chuckle; she seems completely drunk. 

She walks to him and points her fingers at the prince's chest, looking into his eyes. "The prince broke me...he shows no mercy, he threatened me with my parents, he took my friends hostage, and me. With his army, he can kill all innocent people in the district; and my friends... they are all I have left," she chokes on her words, her tears streaming down. 

"Even after I gave him everything I had, he's still not satisfied," her body is so close to him; she suddenly becomes aware and takes a step back, but the prince holds her waist, looking into her eyes wiping her tears.

But it was all in her imagination... 

She never said those words she wanted to say; instead, she just stood there staring at him, not responding to his words. She shakes her head; she swallows the words she wants to say because she cannot trust him. She never could. In her eyes, he's the reason everything became dark. Non-negotiable. The Prince of Darkness.

Instead she asks "What will happen to the people in the district?" 

"Are you gonna kill them?"

"They are rebels." He replied coldly.

She's nodding in frustration. She's thinking hard her eyes move from right to left continuously. She remember the thing that can stop him is when something happens to her or when she gives him something in return.

"Let's make a deal." she said sternly, biting her lips as if she wanted to prevent herself from saying the words she wanted to say.

He stands still, waiting for her to speak; they are staring at each other. She's trapped with the enemy standing in front of her, as big as the chateau behind him, with no way to run. The cold wind brushing her face probably feels warmer than the prince in front of her right now, as he's staring straight at her with her desperate last attempt she asks him.

"If I give you a baby..what would you do?"

His eyes widen in shock.

"What will you give me?" she asked, and he answers.

"Everything you want."

Chapter Text

The prince carries her towards the bed, gently placing her down over the covers. He tucks her hair behind her ear gently and keeps her gaze on him as he takes off her clothing one by one. She lies in the middle of the bed, bare and exposed to him. Then he crawls over her, licking a single line from her navel to the valley between her breasts, to her collarbone. She couldn’t contain her gasp. He's sucking her breasts, his tongue flicking over her peaked nipple. Her chest is rise and fall, and her body began to respond to him. Pressure began to build as her nipple tingled between his lips, and she whimpered against the pleasure when he switched breasts, swirl his tongue. "You picked the right time and place to make the baby." He says

She felt him move down her body. She looked down and saw he was lying between her spread legs, his head just inches from her exposed fold. She bit her lip to keep from gasping when he licked the slit of her fold slowly. His deep groan echoed, "You don't know how much I miss this sweet, perfect, tight little cunt of mine." He's parting her fold lips with his fingers. She felt cool air dance over her clit. She was gazing at the ceiling and gaping at the sight; even in France, the Malfoy family crest still looked at her every time she looked up at the ceiling, and she was sick of it.

She couldn’t stop the choked moan that slid from her throat as he lapped at her exposed fold, flicking her clit back and forth with his royal tongue. She felt good, and she hated that. She hated it and liked it so much that, to her mortification, she felt tears well in her eyes. They pooled before rolling across her cheeks. Tears of frustration, guilt, anger, hate, and helplessness.

He kiss her legs and spread it wider with his hands. He continued to slowly, almost languidly, stroke her between her folds. He found her clit, pressing and rolling it with the pad of his finger. She kept whimpering, trying to fight against the heady pleasure that was building between her thighs. She moaned at the feel of his lips against her fold, he kiss it before she feels his tongue circling inside her walls. She gasped, "Ah!" She moaned. She squeezed her eyes shut, but it only heightened her sense of touch and taste.

He moves up to her face and stare intensly to her lips as he caressing it, kissing her deeply; she tasted herself on his lips. She felt it was as though he was trying to suck the life out of her with how long he kept making out with her. When he finally pulled away, She can feel that her lips are swollen and hot from their maddening kiss. It lit the pulsing, aching, needy knot pooling inside of her. She look up; he scoop her waist and pulled her naked body pressed against his chest. His warm breath brushing the back of her ear. She could feel herself getting wetter the more time she spent in his arms as her nipple brushing against his.

He laid her on the bed his taking his time, glancing at her naked body with greedy lust as he hovered above her, trapping her within his arms. His eyes went further down of Hermione's body, dipping two slender fingers into her wet folds between her legs. She gasped at the intrusion, arching her back beautifully, her legs unconsciously spreading further to accommodate his body between hers. His gaze kept watch of the way his fingers disappeared knuckle-deep inside of her before trailing up to her slender stomach, her pert nipples, and up to her sweaty face. "This is all mine, you're mine" he said.

She's whimpering with beads of sweat falling on Hermione's temples as she stared at him. The prince leaned closer, pushing his fingers persistently back and forth while his thumb rubbed up against her clit. "Aaahh" Hermione released a sweet moan, rutting against his fingers in response as he began to remove his clothes. "Aaah" Hermione whining as he rubbed circles against her, her legs quivering when he curled his fingers, scraping gently against her inner walls. Draco, joining her in bareness as he slid his clothes off.

Draco made himself comfortable between her legs, hiking them up on his shoulders to get closer. She could feel his blunt tip brush against her opening, making her shiver, and then he pushed deeper and deeper into her. Hermione gasped; she could feel herself stretching to embrace his length as he kept thrusting. The sound of their bodies rubbing together echoed. Their breaths were panting as Draco moaned when he hit that sweet spot deep inside her until he was fully sheathed inside her tight, warm, wet fold.

Draco is staring down at her as he braces his shoulders on either side of her head before swiftly pulling out and then thrusting in. Hermione gasped, arching her back, pressing her chest up at his. Draco kept up his slow-paced thrusting, gradually increasing the speed with a gentle circling of his hips. "You feel so good, My Queen" He dipped his head, sucking into her sensitive skin. He groaned when he felt her clench around him, pulling her closer to him as he continued to thrusts her, her mind muddled with intense pleasure.

Draco sat up in a sitting position, hoisting her up until she sat firmly on top of him, thrusting her in his lap, hitting deeper inside her, her eyes rolled back. She let out sobs "Ah!" when he bounced her deeply, suckling on her collarbone as their skins slapped against each other. His hips began stuttering and stopped; he dropped them back onto the bed, he bring her legs up to his shoulder and hug them tight as He thrusts, Draco always stop and changing his pase and position when he feels their orgasm almost near, prolong as long as he could.

He bent her legs up to her chest at this angle so he could push deeper into her. “Aaah!” she gave needy whimpers, "Look at me," he ordered to make her look at him. He pumped her, making her moan. She looked so erotic, with a flushed face and tears at the corners of her eyes. The sounds she made were music to Draco's ears as he groaned at how she tightened around him; her walls wrapping around him was something he desperately craved. He swiped his tongue over her cheeks, wiping her tears away before diving his tongue deep into her mouth to get another taste of her. Her legs started to shake, and then she screamed as she came, bowing. Draco knew he wouldn't be able to hold on any longer when she coated him with her juices while squeezing him tightly. He came with a growl, his seed filling her up and leaking as he pulled out. He cupped her as he pushed the seeds that were leaking back inside her up to her sensitive clit; she jolted. After their breathing returned to normal, he let go of her, and as she closed her eyes, he couldn't help but admire his future queen as she fell asleep.

He wakes her up in the middle of the night when he began rubbing on her skin. His hands drifted down, snaking past her waist and down between her legs. Hermione frowned when he brushed up against her sensitive nub, and her eyes fluttered open.  

"If we want to make a baby, we will not just do it once," he said.

His hands moved back to her waist, giving her a gentle squeeze. He hiked himself up and looked down at her face, tracing her features with a finger before pulling away. He kissed all over her body. He spread her legs around his waist. Instinctively, she grabbed him around the neck as he adjusted them, and in one swift move, he buried himself balls-deep inside her, "AH!" making her moan against his lips. Hermione allowed his slow and gentle thrusts to continue as he pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers, and they locked eyes with one another. She was frowning, caught between pain and pleasure crawling inside her nerves. While Draco enjoying the view; he clenched his jaw while looking at her face thrusting into her. In her drunk and high of lust state she closed her eyes and speak,

“Let me go…” she gasped out when he hit into her deeply, moaning at the contact.

“Let me go, Draco..." Draco's hips stuttered in their movements before resuming at a quicker pace, trying to rid himself of her bitter words directed at him. Her hold on him tightened as her words were blanketed with a wave of increasing pleasure. She threw her head back in an unstoppable moan, "Aaaaah..." She gave him pleading eyes, clenching her teeth from the pressure as she tried to concentrate. She looked at him and gasped against him as he kept thrusting inside her. She saw a hint of hurt in him when she said those words.

She kept pushing. “You're killing me, ah..." she moaned. He pulled away, and he hit her in that sweet spot once more. "Ah!" she bowed reflexively as she felt his tip touch her g-spot.

She was panting. “I'm suffocating..." she breathed heavily, beginning to lose herself in the pleasure as his thrusts quickened and deepened into her, as if he wanted to shut her up from talking, swallowing whatever words she had for him with a hungry kiss. He groaned.

Her legs started to tremble, and her vision darkened at the edges. He lifted her hips slightly, and Draco's pace was bruising, and she was teetering over the edge. "Nothing can take you away from me," Draco growled, using his free hand to grip her hip, angling them up so he could slam into her even deeper. He wrapped her legs around him, her vision going almost entirely dark.

“You and I are bound.” He punctuated every word with another punishing thrust as his grip on her hips tightened even further. She came undone, and her entire body felt as though it was being shocked by waves of electric energy coursing through her. At her orgasm, Draco thrust hard and came. They both shuddered violently.

Nothing but me.

Chapter Text

When she wakes up, she's in Draco's room back in the dark palace, alone. The Malfoy family crest ceiling stares down at her. That day is snowy; she's wearing the white nightgown the servant put on her. She's staring at her royal black coat and hates the idea of wearing it. She realizes why they want all people in this kingdom to wear black coats: they want to make a statement that they are royalists, an army of their own, telling the world that they are united, when in fact, they are forced to. Mandatory.

But that day she's thinking she'd rather freeze than wear that, she hates it because it feels like as if the royal coat will provide her with warmth when it's the opposite. She ignores it and walks to the window. As she starts to remember the events of the last night when she was drunk, she regrets it all. She shouldn't have said that; she shouldn't have made a deal with the devil in the first place.

The snow falls beautifully; She can see in the back the gazebo where her friends were sitting, the boat, and the lake where she cried. as snow tries to cover them from her sight. She's staring at the lake. Her feet move outside the bedroom, walk down the stairs through the hallway, and she keeps walking outside the palace. The cold wind attacks her face; her breath becomes visible as she walks to the side of the path to the lake. The cold penetrates her skin and bones; she clenches her teeth and clasps her palms, holding onto nothing.

Something about winter, snow, and cold makes people do something irrational, as the sky is grey and gloomy for days ahead; it affects how you feel. The thoughts she has been pressing inside come out. How long will she stay here? How long until the world changes again? How long does she have to live in this nightmare? How long does she have to pretend? How long until one by one the people will die in the cold district or wood with limited food supply? She doesn't even know where they are right now or their condition. She's thinking too much; she hopes the cold will freeze her mind. 

She stands near the lake, stretches her hand, and watches the snow melt in her palm. Soon it's Christmas; she misses Christmas in her house, Christmas with her friends. God, have mercy, right? Not like him, God will never punish the victim, will he? If they choose their way out of their misery. When it's hard to breathe, when there's no way out, when they can't face another day, when they have no love, when they try their hardest but to no avail.

Her feet move by themselves as she steps into the freezing water with a blank face; she feels numb. She keeps walking until there are no stones to step on; she starts to swim, looking up to the sky floating above the water. She's looking at the sky, and she used to see Harry and Ron flying with their broomsticks. The water is not that cold, she thought. She loves the thought of washing off the traces of Draco from her body. Her body started to tremble, fighting to survive and alerting her to go.

She takes a deep breath and drowns in the lake, her arm reaching up at nothing as she goes down slowly, hoping the weather freezes her heart and slows her heartbeat.

Chapter Text

She opened her eyes and saw the nightmare come alive again. The Malfoy family crest on the ceiling was staring at her. Tears streamed down her face. Her chest hurt when she breathed. 

"My Lady."

"Why am I still here?" Her voice cracked.

"The prince saved you, my lady." 

"I didn't ask for that; I never asked for any of this!" She shouted and put her hand on her chest on reflex from the pain. She gasped for air, and it became more painful when she shouted. She raised herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was surrounded by the servants and Topsy, who clasped his hands worriedly.

"You should drink this tea, my lady," a servant offered her a cup of warm water.

"What is that?"

"It's Jade Rose extract mixed with potions that the prince himself specially made for you when you were unconscious." The elf and all the servants gave her worried looks. 

"Do you think I will drink that?" Tears streamed down her face in frustration as her chest rose and fell.

"After jumping into the cold lake to save my lady from drowning, The Prince went straight to his lab and made this for my lady," Topsy explained to her with his glossy eyes.

"I'm sick of this!" She brushed the tea aside, and it fell to the ground. Everyone gasped in shock. She frowned and held her hand back to her chest.

She gulped and tried to get off the bed to walk, but she fell to the ground. "My Lady!" All the servants rushed to her to help her, but she pushed them all back with her weak body. 

"Get away from me!" She spoke weakly, her words choked by the pain in her chest. They all scattered around Hermione, trying to reach her. She was panting from using her strength. 

"I need a bag," she told a servant as she walked to her wardrobe and grabbed a bunch of clothes. Topsy apparated after seeing the lady in distress.

After a while, Topsy came with a bag and helped her fill it with her clothes. She looked at the elf weirdly but continued to pack. After she packed, Topsy said, 

"The Prince is waiting for my lady in the grand ballroom." They all bowed and left. She was left alone and inhaled deeply, looking at the tea that had fallen to the ground and a tear falling down her cheeks.

Eve ran to her. "Should I go with you?"

"No, stay here; otherwise, they will be suspicious." 

"Where are you gonna go?" 

"I don't know, out of this place. I keep waking into this nightmare; I need to go so I can breathe," she said, shaking her head.

Eve's eyes were glossy as she looked at her appearance: blue lips, pale face, sorrowful eyes. "Go to the tea shop; they will help you," Eve said. Hermione stopped and stared at Eve and nodded.

"I will go and meet you there, alright? Put something warm on," she said as she grabbed a thick jacket and put it on.

"And... don't do anything reckless, please." Eve's words cracked as she cried.

"I know it's hard for you, but just don't do what you did yesterday," Eve said, sobbing.

"If you die, we all are gonna die. There's no more resistance; there will be no hope," Eve stared deep into her eyes.

"I'm tired." 

Eve hugged her tight in a warm embrace as she cried, mourning their miserable life. She was the only person who understood what Hermione had been through more than anyone else. Hermione put on a blank face, realizing what she had done. She could feel Eve's warm heart reaching hers as Hermione stared down at the floor.

She walks down the stairs to the hallway until she reaches the entrance of the grand ballroom with a bag on her back. She sees the wall that used to hold the blade that she used to stab herself; now, it's a painting of a wizard she believes is one of the Malfoys. She turns her body to her right and sees the Prince standing in the open door, his body facing outside.

She walks to the door. The prince turns his body, hearing her footsteps; he stares at her while she's walking to him, her face showing determination to leave this palace no matter what he says. He's clenching his fists, frowning; his eyes look somber, like someone just died. She doesn't see the prince she used to know before; now, in front of her, she sees a defeated prince. She stops in front of the prince, looking ahead outside the door. The prince is facing her side. They just stand there in silence.

He slowly grabs her right hand. "I've been thinking..." He stops his words as he sees the wrinkled fingertips, the evidence from the lake; he's frowning as if he's thinking hard.

"You will not go far; you and I are bound." He pulls her hand gently so her body turns to him; he touches her pale face, looking at her sadly.

"You should know my gate is always open for you," he says.

He comes closer and, looking at her purple lips, brushes against them and closes his eyes as he kisses her slowly and deeply. He takes his time kissing her for the last time; his kiss is warm as she opens her eyes. He rests his forehead on her temple, his eyes still closed. She sees him frowning as if he is hurting.

"Don't go..." The Prince whispers. The words resemble the wind, flowing by her as if he wishes to speak them, yet he knows he shouldn't.

She has never seen his face like this before, like he's been stabbed in the chest. She walks out the door to the ground towards the gate, but she hears him say,

"Hermione..."

She arrives at the tea shop. They are waiting for her. They show her her room. She says she will work hard for the room. They refuse and say,

"No, you don't have to."

"No, I insist," she says, smiling.

She opens her bag and arranges her clothes in her new room until she sees, at the bottom of her bag, a pouch. She opens it, and it is filled with vials and galleons. As she grabs the vials out and smells them, she finds that some of them are potions for healing and some of them are Jade Rose extracts. She grabs a handful of the galleons out from the pouch, but it is always full again, as if it refills itself after she empties it. She sighs and gives up, putting all the galleons back into the pouch.

She lays flat on her small bedroom, but she feels content. The next day, when she wakes up, she feels sick; she lies on the bed for the whole day. She's trembling. Eve comes in the morning, gasping at seeing her condition; Hermione has a fever. She takes the vial and opens it to give to her mouth. Hermione talks in her sleep as the fever takes over. Eve sleeps by her side until Hermione wakes the next day.

"You gotta drink these potions every day for healing; your body is still recovering."

"He’s the one who made it."

"Be healthy again so you can enjoy this freedom that almost cost your life," Eve scolds her.

She cleans the tea shop, making orders. She has her hood over her head, hiding her face, restocking the ingredients, throwing trash in the back, even though the owner always says she shouldn’t do that. She enjoys her daily life; she even dances after she throws the trash in the back and hums. She loves making tea; she just knows it in the back of her mind, like she’s done it thousands of times before. That’s how easy making tea is to her; she’s a natural. Every order she makes, people always praise the owner, saying his tea is getting better; he’s very happy and thanks the customers. The owner even allows her to add a new menu with her recipe.

It’s been weeks of her freedom; she likes taking strolls around before or after her work. She walks around the neighborhood with her coat and hood over her head and her head down. Sometimes she feels like someone is following her, but she thinks it’s just her imagination since she usually had someone following her in the palace. She always tries to touch the portkey every day to check if the wards are off so she can come to visit the district, but it’s never succeeded.

Chapter Text

"My Prince," Topsy said. 

Draco is sitting by the lake on the grass, leaning his back against the tree, looking at the water. 

"The commander-in-chief is here." 

"Tell him to come here." After a couple of minutes, he heard footsteps getting closer. 

"My Prince," he bowed his head. 

"You never call me that when there are just two of u..." Draco turned and saw Theo with Daphne, and behind Daphne there was a black-haired woman; the two women curtsied to him. 

"My Prince," they both spoke at the same time. 

The prince stood up and walked to the gazebo, and They all sat except the black haired woman.

"It's been a long time since we haven't gathered like this, don't you think? I brought Daphne and her beautiful little sister." Theo said. 

"May I introduce myself? My name is Astoria Greengrass, My Prince" she's smiling, standing in front of the prince. Theo glanced at Draco but he only giving blank face, Theo nodded at Astoria.

"You can sit, Tori," Theo said. Astoria walked and sat beside Draco while Theo sat beside Daphne.

"I didn't know you sat on the grass leaning against the tree kind a prince Draco," Daphne smiled at him. 

"What a picture that was, our dazzling prince. By the way, Daph, he's the prince; he can do whatever he wants," Theo laughed. 

"Thank you for welcoming us, the uninvited guests," Daphne said. 

"If we don't do this, he will never invite us to come anyway. Good thing you have a friend like me; my brain is advanced," Theo smirked. 

"You seem bored, Draco. Why don't we have fun like we used to back at school?" Theo continued

"I can bring Blaise and Goyle too if you want. Salazar knows they miss you so terribly," Theo said. But Draco stay silent.

"This is a beautiful gazebo," Daphne said, walking and looking at the gazebo. Theo glanced at Astoria and then back at Draco. 

"Tori here, is very good at tea; you should try her tea, Draco." Astoria nodded stiffly. 

"Draco, be a gentleman; show Tori around the palace. She has never been here before; this is her first time ever. She said she has always wanted to see the palace." 

"Why don't you" Draco said, annoyed. 

"Oh, I'm busy here," Theo running walked to Daphne and they started to walk around the lake. Theo pointed his finger at something to Daphne, ignoring Draco. 

"It would be my honor, my prince," Astoria said with beaming eyes. 

Astoria looked elegant in her black dress, full of gold patterns, with a pearl necklace, earrings, and red lipstick, completed by her wavy hair. She looked like a perfect pureblood noble woman. Draco stood and sighed, glancing at Theo.  

Astoria kept her pace as she try to walking beside Draco fast legs. They first walked to the royal garden. She gasped, "This is the famous royal garden; there's also a gazebo in the middle" she turned her eyes at Draco to check his face and back to the garden.

"The Jade Roses are very beautiful," she said in awe. 

Draco stared at the gazebo in the middle of the royal garden and looked down. He started to walk and Astoria hurried to follow him. They went inside the palace; the servants and elves bowed to Draco as he was passing by. The servants were whispering as they saw Astoria walking beside Draco with her chin held high. They passed the dining table, but Draco skipped the grand ballroom. They arrived at the garden where the servants were farming. 

"May I see the castle, my prince? I heard it's beautiful." 

"You may ask Theo for that; he'll show you around." He said coldly that his face gave a hint of annoyance.

"But Theo said from the balcony we can see the castle. Theo said the view is breathtaking"  

She got closer, touched his left hand, and stared into his eyes. "Could you bring me there, please?" 

Draco frowned at her hand touching his hand and sighed; he Apparated them to the balcony. Astoria ran to the view. "Wow, you can see the castle and the forest from here too!" She said excitedly and she smiling widely.

Draco stared for a long time at the castle and the forest too. Suddenly, there was a sound of glass clinking, and Astoria walked toward it. Draco turned his eyes and saw Topsy arranging the tea set. 

"My prince, the Commander-in-chief told Topsy that the prince wanted the tea set to be brought here." 

"Thank you, Topsy," Astoria said. Topsy bowed to her prince and Apparated away. 

He stared at the empty chair and table with blank face. 

Astoria sat in the chair. "I heard you like tea." The prince feet moving  by itself he walked to the chair and sat, as if the chair was pulling him like magnet. 

"Like?"  he mumbled

She opened the tea box and looked confused by the different kinds of teas in the box; she glanced at Draco. She picked the darkest tea leaf and smelled them, and she put aside other ingredients like dried berries, dried lemon, dried ginger, and cinnamon. She then took hot water and poured it to brew the tea. She glanced at the box, hesitantly grabbed a pea flower leaf, and put the leaf in it. The tea water became darker than before as she combine black tea and pea flower leaf together. His eyes followed her hands' movements as she prepared the tea. The way she made her tea was bothering him: her stiff movements, her confused pace as She's  thinking while making the tea, the smell of the tea were all wrong and the color was off. 

"Wrong," he said. She peered at him confused but continued.  

It all seemed wrong to him. Hermione's hands were never stiff when she made her tea; she was always smooth, never confused with the steps, and she never thinking or hesitate when she made her tea. She listened to her feelings, sensed her mood that day, The color was always pretty, as it tasted amazing, and the smell was fragrant.

His gaze moves to the chair he stare at it for long time and slowly moved his eyes up and see Astoria's face; he puting a blank face, hated to see the woman that sitting in front of him, was not Hermione's face. It's not Hermione's tea; and it was all wrong. He's leaning back in his chair, and closed his eyes. 

"I love tea," he said to himself.

Chapter Text

It's a cold, snowy day which makes for fewer customers or more; they usually come for hot tea or to buy leaves to stock up for use at home. She loves the vibe of the yellow light tea shop with a couple of tables and boxes full of tea leaves that the customers can choose from. The tea set is displayed with glass for making the orders so people can see. It's another day at work, as a woman, she felt liberated that she could work.

The lady came and ordered a tea, and she ordered to add cinnamon and ginger to her tea. Hermione started to make her order with the amount she knew perfectly. An old man came after her and ordered a tea with a strong flavor, so she made black tea with cloves, cardamom, and ginger; he added milk and sugar. After they left, a woman came to buy tea leaves, and Hermione helped her choose the leaves. 

The shop was empty until noon. She was sitting and reading a book while looking at the people passing by. It was peaceful; she gave a small smile. A black-haired man came, and she wanted to call the owner but at the same time didn't want to. She was contemplating, so she took the order and left the book on the table.

"May I help you?" she said. He answers,

"I love tea."

She smiled, "You came to the right place," she replied.

She continued, "What kind of tea do you prefer? Strong, mild, light?" He was staring at her and then moved his eyes to the menu.

"We also have fruity tea if you'd like; we have lemon, berries, and we also have cinnamon and ginger if you want to add."

"Uhm, if it's alright with you, i'd like you to decide what is good, I trust you will make me a good tea," he gave her two sickles.

"Yeah, sure, I can do that." Excitedly knowing someone wants her to make their tea, she smiled widely at him. He was just staring at her, almost frozen.

"Sir... sir?" She reached out to him, giving him the receipt.

"Pardon me," he reached out and took it.

"You may sit there; I will bring it to your table," she said with a smile and walked to the tea set to make the order. He slowly sat down and looked at her making the tea. The man sipped something from a bottle and put it back in his coat. She thought that alcoholic people rarely like drinking tea, but he said he loves tea.

She gave him ginger, cinnamon, and also black tea with a little milk and one cube of sugar. She brought it to his table.

"Thank you," 

"You're welcome." She didn't smell alcohol from him; she thought she was wrong about him.

He drank the tea and nodded. Turning his head to her, "It's delicious; it's warm perfect tea for the day."

"I'm glad you like it," she smiled at him. He stares for awhile and continues

"What's the name of this tea?" he asked.

"Uhm, it's... sunshine" she answered. He glanced at the sky; it was gloomy from the snow, but he give a little smile. He takes his time finishing the tea and He grabs the book that has been sitting on the table, reading her page.

He finished his tea and stand "Thank you for coming," she said when he walked slowly outside. He gazed at her and left.

Two days later, the black-haired man came again; this time he brought a bag.

"What would you like to order?" she smiled.

"Yes, I would like another tea today."

"What kind of tea?"

"Surprise me," he said.

She smiled "Alright," she answered.

He sat down and pulled out an orange fat cat from his bag and patted the cat. When Hermione came to his table, she gasped. "I had one just like that!" Her eyes were glossy as she put his tea on his table.

"What's its name?" Hermione asked while looking at the ginger cat.

"You want to pet it?" he asked her, giving the cat to her. 

She nodded eagerly. "May i?"

"Please," the man said pointing his hand to the empty chair in front of him. Hermione sat down and petted the cat, brushing her eyes. The black-haired man sipped his tea while staring at Hermione and the cat.

"I don't have a name yet," he said to her.

"Perhaps you have a recommendation for me since you had one?" He asked.

Her eyes widened at him, the fact that he asked her about a name to give to his cat. "Uhm, what about... Citrus?"

He laughed, and she laughed too. "Is it weird?"

"It's an orange cat, so its a Citrus," she shrugged, patting the cat. The man kept staring at her and smiling widely, shaking his head and look down. Is he blushing?

He's staring to Hermione. "It's Citrus then," he said.

Her eyes widened. "Really?" Hermione was shocked; he nodded and drank his tea. 

"Do you like the tea?" She's curious.

"Always."

They looked into each other's eyes, her eyes searching his eyes, confused but saying nothing. Another customer came, and she ran to the lady, helping her. The man's eyes never left her.  

"This is very good if that's what you prefer," she said to the lady.  

"I will take that to drink at home," she said to Hermione as she grabs plastic bag to put the tea leaves.

"You're very helpful, dear. I sometimes get confused with my tea. Thank you," she said to her. After she paid and walked to the door, she turned around to Hermione and said,  

"I think your face is a bit familiar, but I forget," the lady said, and walked out.  

"Thank you for coming," Hermione shouted. Hermione gazed at the man sitting; he seemed unaffected by the old lady's words as he sipped from the bottle and hid it in his coat again, and then drank his tea. The cat ran to Hermione, and she hugged the cat and kissed it. She brought the cat to his bag. The men staring at her.

"I'm sorry if I'm being rude to ask, but what is that you're drinking?"  

"Uhm..It's my medicine."  

"Are you unwell?"  

"No, it's kind of like a vitamin." 

she nodded. He took his time, as he always did, finished his tea, and walked out.  

"I'll see you again, Citrus!" Hermione waved and smiled widely. The man just stare at her; there was a bit of a twirk on the left side of his mouth, almost like a smirk.  

"I will see you again," he said confidently, and he was gone. His demeanor was very familiar to her, she thought. He kept coming two or three times a week.  

"There's an order from the palace."  

"What?"  

"They said every tea shop within the kingdom is required to join; otherwise, they will close the shops If we refused, If the shop is closed, we can't provide the district people a way to hide or enter the city when one day the wards are off."  

"You know I can't go there and show my face."  

"I know that, a lot of people wear scarves these days you can wear a scarf; it's snowy, it will hide your face, the mandatory coat already hides our heads, which is good; you just need to put your head down."  

"Merlin," she sighed.

Chapter Text

"Come with me!" Eve said, barging into the tea shop one afternoon.  

"I'm working."  

"You need to see this!" She dragged Hermione to the portkey, and Hermione's eyes widened as they touched the portkey, seconds before they disappeared.  

"The ward is off!" Hermione shouted and turned her body when they arrived in the district. Her eyes went straight to the district, and seeing completely different buildings, it's not an abandoned building anymore but a brand new building—not just one but three buildings standing, looming at her.  

"I touched the portkey before I came to you, and the ward is off! And I saw this", Eve stop and looking at Hermione.

"Cormac said The prince, he did this! can you believe it!" Eve shouted.

"What do you mean?" Hermione frowned.  

Cormac came from behind. "He did; they started to build this a month ago. They came and said it's the order of the prince; they built these buildings for the homeless and war victims and told us to stop rebelling, so I agreed. We were in such a difficult situation; if I refused, I think people would die slowly that day."  

A month ago?  

"Now we are all living inside the buildings. We will farm for our food. He also gave us the magical seeds of 'rose of something'; what's the name?" He turned to Eve.  

"Jade Roses. They're expensive, Cormac." Eve answered sharply 

"Yeah, that. He said to plant it and use it as needed for the people."  

"He also said I have to report to him every six months; he chose me to be the district representative to the royal." He shrugged.  

"I was shocked; I didn't believe it at first, but he seemed like a different person that day, like almost sick, depressed, I don't know," he frowned, shaking his head.  

Hermione just stood still. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never believe what they said.  

Hermione turned her head to them. "He demanded something back, didn't he? What's the deal? What does he want?" Hermione asked.  

"What deal?" Cormac tilting his head, confused.  

"He didn't; he just went after that, and here we are—fed, with a roof over our heads, warm, freely outside the hell, living—and he never forced us to submit to him or his kingdom, like I thought he would," Cormac added.  

"Let's go inside; I'll show you around."  

Hermione blinked in confusion. They walked into the building and met the older people. One by one, the older folks spoke to Hermione, rushing towards her.  

"We heard this is all thanks to you; oh dear we couldn't be more grateful."  

"You saved us all!" They all hugged Hermione while her eyes widened, dumbfounded, not believing her eyes.  

"You are our hero; you made that prince do this," the old lady pointed at the room. On each level, there are rooms like apartments in the muggle world.  

"This is pretty much like my prison cell," Cormac said suddenly after he looked inside one of the old lady's rooms.  

Hermione's head turned to Cormac instantly. "What? What do you mean?" Hermione asked Cormac.  

"My prison cell back then: bed and bathroom inside. It's almost like a hotel, actually," he said, annoyed.  

Hermione gaped at him. "It's not a dark prison cell where you sleep on the floor? But I saw it; I went there; I saw those prisoners!"  

"I saw those cells too when they dragged me out, but we are in a different level, not like those," Cormac explained.  

"But we cannot go out; obviously, it's still a prison," he added.  

"I thought he locked you in that dark, cold cell..." She's shocked by the new information she received from Cormac. She never asked him or any of her friends, afraid it would just bring up sad memories, so she never dared to ask.  

"I hate that he's loaded," Cormac rolled his eyes.  

"He built a massive castle, Cormac; these buildings seem like a small favor," Eve replied.  

"Good thing he uses that galleons for something like this—helping people and not forcing them into something they don't want, I didn't know that snake has a heart. I thought it was all dark inside of him." Cormac widened his eyes.

I wonder what changed him to almost kill us all and now build us a home," Cormac questioned as Eve glanced at Hermione.

"I guess you brought light into his darkness," Eve said, her eyes glossy as they both looked at the buildings.

Eve turned to Hermione. "You did it, all the sacrifices. They all were worth it, don't you think? You saved them all," Eve choked and put her hand over her mouth.

The children came running to Hermione from another building.

"Hermione! Hermione! We have our own room now!"

"I have a bed!"

"Mine is pink!"

They were all shaking Hermione's hands, pulling her to their new home. Hermione felt like she was dreaming. In her dreams, she always imagined that the people in the district were safe, happy, and had a proper home to sleep in. 

He did all this?

"Are you married?" That day, the black-haired man came ordering tea as usual. Hermione was lost in thought when he asked her, after what happened yesterday.

"Sorry, what did you say?" she asked him again. 

"Are you married?" he asked Hermione, staring deep into her eyes, his chest rising and falling like he's nervous, waiting for her answer as if it were the most important thing. 

She didn't answer and looked down in silence. She didn't know how to answer that question. He smiled widely at her, as if he loved that she didn't answer him. He gave almost a victorious smile. 

"Do you have plans tomorrow before work?" he asked her after finishing his tea. 

"Uhm... No." 

"Let's have breakfast together; I know a great restaurant nearby... if you want to." 

She thought for a long time, contemplating. He stared at her, waiting.  

"Alright... but just one time," she smiled bitterly. He nodded and sighed. 

"I'll pick you up tomorrow," he said and walked out. She was thinking; usually when someone didn't answer that question, it meant they were married or in a complicated relationship and men would back off, but he surprisingly did the opposite. 

They were ordering food at the restaurant. The black-haired man ordered a lot of food: meats, chicken, eggs, seafood, complete with vegetables and fruits. 

"Do you eat this much for breakfast?" Hermione's eyes widened at the food on the table. 

"I do," he said calmly while cutting each piece of everything onto Hermione's plate. 

"Thank you," she said, looking at him back and forth from her plate. After they finished eating, she surprised herself by finishing all the food on her plate. 

They walked to the river near the bridge, sitting on the grass and looking at the river and the bridge. It was a quiet morning; they could hear the sound of the river flowing and the cold wind. The snow fell beautifully. Hermione curiously looked around the place since she had never been there before. 

"It's beautiful," she smiled, but the man didn't reply back, so she turned her head to him, and he was staring at her. 

"It is..." he smiled. 

He didn't take his vitamin today as he usually did. They are enjoying the scenery of a snowy morning. After awhile he suddenly asked,

"Is it still sunshine?" 

"It's snowy now," she chuckled at his randomness.

"I love that you smile easily and you laugh a lot too. I hope it's always full of sunshine in your life."

Hermione laughed. "It was the name of the drink, but thank you for wishing that, that's very kind of you." 

They stared at each other; her impression of him was that he was a random warm, cold and mysterious guy, but her smile slowly faded as she saw, little by little, the tips of his black hair turning white, his face becoming sharper, his brown eyes turning gray, and his upper lip changing to a bow shape and the rest of his body.

Her smile turned into horror as she saw the man in front of her transform into the prince of darkness. His face frowned as he spoke, staring into her eyes with a defeated look. 

"Is it turning into the person you hate?" he asked weakly. Hermione's eyes widened in shock. She froze. 

His hand reached out to Hermione's face; he caressed her cheek. 

"Did he take your smile away?"  

He brushed her lips gently. "If I say... please come back.. I might kill you myself. So I won't." Tears fell on the prince's face. 

The prince was crying in front of her.

"I'm sorry that I love you." 

Hermione's chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was in shock. He stood and walked away slowly. Hermione gulped; she looked at his back, her mouth open as if she wanted to say something but no words came out. She looked down, contemplating, and then looked back at his back, slowly getting far. Staring at the prince walking away from his queen as the snow falls.

I realized Draco is like Jade roses beside my bed, the one thing I always ignore and use when I need it.

Chapter Text

Hermione and the owner of the tea shop where she works are standing in line before entering the dark palace, along with others who also received orders from the palace. She keeps her head low hiding her face in her scarf when people glance around. She peeks ahead twenty feet in front of her; the palace's grand door, black and adorned with gold patterns and the Malfoy family crest, slowly looms open. One by one, people who are ordered to come to the palace walk in after telling the guard their names and getting confirmed.

The tea maker is located in the same grand hall but is covered with thin white, almost transparent curtains, to separate the guests from them. They have their own stand prepared with a full set of royal standard tea sets available for use. They can see that all the guests are standing, chit-chatting, and waiting for the royal family to arrive. She can see Theo and Daphne talking among the guests from afar.

It's a royal celebration day that is held every year to celebrate and strengthen the kingdom. Attended by noble houses of every pureblood and their relatives from all over Europe, Slytherin Royalists, the high-ranking army, soldiers, and their families, the royal family sits on a higher podium while the rest of the guests are seated in circular chairs, leaving an empty space in the middle.

The royal guests are given a menu to choose from appetizers, main courses, desserts, and tea, so the servants will deliver the exact choices they make. Hermione submits her tea by the name Jade Rose Tea. The other shops submit their tea names as well. She makes her tea the color of Jade Rose made it from green tea, mint, and jasmine. It has a green color, smells fragrant from dried jasmine flowers, and has a hint of mint like the Jade Rose. She sees the menu of the other shops' tea names on the list: Blossom Tea, Royal Tea, Prosperous Tea, Dragon Tea, Bloom Tea, Lily of the Valley Tea, Emerald Tea, Eternity Tea, and Loyal Tea.

Lord save us all... Lord save us all... Lord save us all...

From the blinding lights into the darkness, blanket us in your mercy...

The choir on the second floor of the grand hall starts to sing in low harmony, signaling to the guests that the royal family is arriving.

"All HAIL"

"ALL RISE"

"THE KING, THE QUEEN, THE PRINCE"

The royal servant's announcement echoed in the room as the royal family entered the grand hall. All the guests instantly went silent and bowed their heads. Hermione could see it all from the gap in the curtains. She saw the prince sitting and noticed that beside him there was an empty chair.

"You may sit," Lucius announced, and all the guests walked to their seats.

"Begin," The king declared. 

The sound of drums began playing by itself, combined with the choir singing. The royal advisors with their white coats entered one by one in line, bowing to the royal family and starting to position themselves in a circle in the middle of the room. They began to draw blood from their hands and whisk their wands, making the blood float and move like ink, drawing huge circles, different kinds of patterns, and an M sigil in the middle. After they finished drawing the patterns in the middle of the circle, they began chanting together as the chants echoed throughout the room.

ut sunt fundamenta nostra.

prout sunt nostra regalis familia.

ut protector noster es.

ut sunt nostri futuri.

hoc sanguine, in hac die celebratione alium annum regni firmioris signabimus.

The patterns glow with a yellow light, and the M sigil shines blindingly. They whisk their wands, and the blood that is scattered in a pattern on the floor moves to a goblet. The servant then takes the goblet, puts it on a gold tray, and brings it in front of the royal family, on his knees, presenting the goblet. The black bowl with a gold pattern is brought to the front by another servant, full of black soil. The servants are also kneeling when they arrive in front of the royal family. The Prince stands up, walks over, he wears black leather gloves. He grabs the Goblet, and pours the sacrificial ritual blood onto the black soil in front of him. After the ritual is finished, the servants and the white coats bow and walk out of the grand hall. The choir stop singing , the drum stop playing as the live music starts to play, and the servants begin to bring the food to the table. The guests are starting to eat Lucius turning his head slightly to the prince.

"Where is your wife?"

"She's unwell," Draco answered right away.

"But still, she has to be here; the people will be questioning her absence; that's her duty" he fake a smile to their front.

"Let them," Draco answered sharply.

"Lucius, we're in the middle of a celebration," Narcissa said, touching his hand to make him stop.

"She cannot bear an heir; the least she can do is to be present," Lucius whispered to Narcissa. People were glancing around at the empty chair beside the prince.

"Unwell… is she perhaps pregnant?" Lucius asked Draco. But Draco didn't reply

Hermione turned her head to her tea shop owner; they exchanged a look after seeing the ritual. Hermione asked him to inquire with the servant. 

He asked "Sorry, I want to ask what was that inside the black bowl?"

"It's soil that will be scattered around the kingdom from north to south, west to east, for protection," he nodded to the servant after giving him the information he sought.

After hearing the explanation, while lowering her head, Hermione gulped, "This is making me sick." She could smell the blood in the room.

The owner whispered to Hermione, "They're using blood magic, which is very powerful." They continued to make the tea for people who ordered it, like any other tea shop. The servants were busy coming in and out to the tea stand to grab the teapots, bringing them to the guests' tables to pour into cups and serve upon request.

The live music never stopped playing; some couples started to dance in the middle after finishing eating, and some came to the podium to pay their respects to the royal family. Hermione kept glancing at the podium through the gap in the curtains; She could see the prince sipping the wine. The elves kept presenting the guests one by one as they came forward to meet their king, queen, and prince.

Theodore Nott came forward with Daphne Greengrass; they bowed their heads as Lucius smiled at him.

"Congratulations on another year, my king, my queen," Theo said.

"This year is not so peaceful as I wish it would be," Lucius told his commander in chief.

"I don't want to hear of any rebels next year, commander," Lucius ordered Theo.

"There will be no rebels," Draco cut in. Their heads all turned to the prince.

"I have taken care of it," Draco continued. Narcissa signaled the elf to keep going.

"The Greengrass," the elf announced. Theo moved to the prince's side of the table.

"My king, my queen, my prince," Astoria bowed elegantly slightly in front, with her parents and Daphne in the back joining in.

"Welcome, my dear," Narcissa said, smiling widely as she stood up and grabbed Astoria's hand. She introduced Astoria to Lucius and Draco.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Narcissa said, her eyes glancing at Draco.

Hermione stopped her hand as she saw the interaction happening at the podium from the curtain's gap. A servant grabbed a teapot from her tea stand, and Hermione's eyes followed the servant as she walked to the podium where the royal family was sitting. The prince ordered her Jade Rose tea.

Before the servant poured the teapot into Draco's cup, Narcissa said, "Why don't you serve the tea to the prince, my dear?" Narcissa nodded, smiling and signaling to Astoria. Astoria nodded and smiled at the queen, walking to Draco's side to pour the tea into his cup. The Greengrass family and Theo walked out from the podium, smiling, while Narcissa looked satisfied as she walked back to her chair.

Astoria sat on the empty chair beside Draco.

She slowly poured Hermione's Jade Rose tea into the cup in front of the prince as Hermione watched. Her eyes never left the scene as the other guests in the grand hall began to whisper when Astoria sat in the future queen's chair. Pouring tea for the prince, she smiled widely, beaming at him, and poured herself one, too.

Astoria waited for the prince to grab the teacup that she had poured, and she followed him to take a sip of the tea. Astoria’s eyes never left his eyes.

"How's the tea, my prince?" Astoria asked as she saw the prince staring at his tea cup.

Hermione turned around. "I need to go to the loo," she said to the tea shop owner.

She ran out of the grand hall, feeling nausea build in her throat. Her chest rose and fell as her right hand held onto the tree nearby, slightly bending. Her eyes were teary as she tried to throw up, but nothing came out. She shut her eyes as the nausea built again. She stopped breathing when she heard someone shout,

"My prince!"

Hermione peeks over her shoulder and sees the black-haired woman she had seen on the podium running, trying to keep pace with the prince as he walked, looking down the hallway toward where Hermione stood. Hermione's eyes widened; she hid her face in her hood and turned her body away as they passed behind her. She closed her body against the tree, looking down on reflex and hiding her face in her scarf. After a while, when she heard the sounds of footsteps getting farther away, she turned her body slowly, brushing her mouth with her hand, and saw the black-haired woman giggling beside Draco as they moved further away, looking at Draco's back. Her nausea slowly subsided, but she was left with a tight chest.

She stood there by the tree, holding her lower belly.

Chapter Text

Another day at the tea shop. Hermione knew she was pregnant because her period had never come. Except for the smells of tea, everything else made her feel nauseous; she could hardly eat. She saw the future now, clear as the sky on a summer day. She would be living with her child, just the two of them. Since she had witnessed what happened in the palace, she knew he would take a new wife—his father and mother looked pleased. His friends were very supportive. She heard people whispering that day about the black-haired woman, who was Daphne's little sister, a noblewoman, a pure-blood witch—elegant, beautiful, ladylike; everything that she was not. It was supposed to be Astoria's from the beginning; Hermione had stolen it from her. Hermione needed the future queen's position to use, to gain from it, to benefit from it, she thought.

Eve came one day and told Hermione that Ginny, Ron and the her others Gryffindor's friends had been released and had joined them in the district as well. She hadn't regretted her decision, knowing the resistance and her friends were safe in the district. He released them just like that. She never asked; she never made any deals. Hermione came to the district once in a while when her body was feeling better; she didn't want her friends to worry about her if they knew her condition. Even Eve didn't know she was pregnant. She felt weak because she wasn't able to eat properly; her stomach refused food, rebelling against her body. She just drank peppermint tea, lemon, and honey to ease her nausea. She looked at herself in the mirror: dark circles under her eyes, skin pale, her cheekbones starting to show.

Sometimes the thought of disappearing passes through her mind when she's alone on a cold winter night. It's always there in the back of her mind, never leaving. She thinks that if she just dies slowly with her child inside her womb, the problems in her life will be solved, but it's not fair to her, as she touches her lower belly. She wishes her baby were a girl and had all her genes, so it would be easier to blend into society without people's eyes glancing her way. A fatherless child is already hard enough to live with.

"I'm sorry," she whispers to her baby.

She wears a sweater that day, but the chill of the air soaks into her bones as she grabs the trash to take it out to the back of the tea shop where the trash bin is located. When she opens the back door, she sees that there are two guys standing and laughing, one wearing a blue beanie. They are smoking and holding drinks; she knows it's definitely not tea. She quickens her walk to the trash bin near an alley. One of the guys shouts at her.

"You look cold!"  

"We can get you warm," they both laughed.

She put the trash in the bin and heard footsteps coming closer to her. She closed the trash bin as she turned around and saw the two guys standing behind her. The alcohol hit her nose right away; they were drunk and started pressing their bodies against her.

"I'm not cold," Hermione glared back as she tried to escape, but they blocked her way.

"Let me see," the guy touched her neck, and the other grabbed her left hand. She tried to push and pull her hand away, but she was too weak from not being able to eat. The guy dragged her to the dark alley as she struggled to pull her body away. They pressed her against the brick wall.

"Let me go," she grunted as the guy's hand bruised her small wrist.

"Her face is a bit familiar, don't you think?" the blue-beanie guy said as he moved her jaw left and right to see.

"I can't think now," the other guy giggled.

"Are you famous or something?" the blue-beanie guy asked.

"Are you mad? Why would a famous person be here in the alley throwing trash?"

When he got distracted, Hermione bit the hand that had been squeezing her wrist. "Aw!" he let go of her wrist on reflex. Hermione tried to run and got choked by his other hand. The blue-beanie guy was still standing still, staring at her face. The guy who choked her slapped her hard; it darkened her sight for a second as she felt it was almost like a punch, and she felt blood running out of her nose. She hated that she felt weak as she slid down to the ground. The two guys just looked down at her.

"Good, are you already in position?"

"They're laughing" They are both holding their wands.

Suddenly, their wands snatched and flew into the sky and burned in the air like fireworks as their eyes followed. The guy who choked Hermione flew into the brick wall, his head crushed into the bricks. He screamed as his nose bled; he shut his eyes, lying there in agony. The blue-beanie guy's eyes widened as he turned his body and saw the prince standing in front of him.

"The, the, the... prince," he stuttered and fell to his knees.

"I told you she looked familiar," he mumbled in horror.

"My prince, I didn't do anything! Please, have mercy!" The guy flew out of the alley, smashed into the pavement, lying there in agony.

Draco apparated to the guy who choked Hermione, who had been whimpering in pain inside the alley, five feet in front of Hermione, holding his bleeding head. Draco crouched, grabbed his collar, and started to punch the guy brutally. Blood splattered out as his royal leather gloves became drenched in blood. Hermione stared in horror at the sight she was witnessing before her eyes. The guy's face was crushed, swollen, blue and black, drenched in blood. The prince seemed unsatisfied; as the guy lay unmoving, he pulled the guy's right-hand sleeve, pressed it to the ground, and slashed the guy's arm's vein with his wand slowly, while the guy screamed from the torture. Blood splattered widely as the prince looked down at the art he had created. The guy's right arm split in two, wide open, with the cut from his arm reaching to his palm and to his middle finger.

"She's mine," Draco said devilishly cold.

The blue-beanie guy, trying to run away, stumbled. Draco turned his head at him and hexed his leg. The guy fell, screaming, but he was still dragging his feet and running. Hermione's eyes opened wide at the gory scene that had been playing in front of her. She knew the guy who had touched her was now lying dead before her, having lost so much blood because his veins had been cut open to the bone as he died, screaming slowly.

She was breathing heavily, looking up as the prince stood over the guy's body. She sighed, realizing the nightmare had stopped playing in front of her. Leaning her back against the brick wall, she shut her eyes, trying to ease her heartbeat. When she opened her eyes, she saw the prince's face looking down; he looked like he had won the battle but still felt defeated as he gazed at her. Blood was coming from her nose, her cheek, and her wrist was bruised—so weak, so fragile, and defenseless.

They stared at each other, no words spoken. The snow was falling, trying to blur their sight of each other as it covered the blood that had been spilled and the tragedy in their lives. Hermione struggled to stand, holding onto the wall as she trembled, walking out of the alley to the back door of the tea shop, leaving the prince standing alone in the snow.

Three days later, Topsy came into the tea shop.

"My lady," he bowed.

"Don't do that here, please," Hermione said, cautiously glancing around.

"You came for tea?" Hermione asked Topsy, the elf shaking his head. His face almost looked like he was about to cry.

"Will my lady help Topsy?"

"Help?" she asked, confused.

"The prince has been unconscious for three days now," the elf started to cry.

Hermione was shocked as she heard the information. Three days ago was the night he came to save her in the alley.

"What happened?" she asked the elf.

"Someone found the prince lying on the sidewalk that night. The prince's back is sliced open." Hermione, thinking about that day, remembered it vividly; he was not harmed when he was killing the guy. Someone else must have harmed the prince that night when she went inside the tea shop, leaving him behind.

"I'm sure you have a more talented healer in the palace."

"We do; it's just... the prince keeps calling my lady's name," the elf sobbed.

"Maybe if my lady visits him, he will get better," the elf said, coming close to Hermione, reaching for her hand, holding it, and pleading with her.

"Please..." the elf begged helplessly.

Hermione stared into the elf's eyes for a long time, contemplating. Then she nodded, "But after that, I have to go back; I will not stay," she said.

The elf nodded, brushing away his tears. "Thank you, my lady."

My lady..

The elf apparated them to the portkey and straight to the palace. When she arrived, she didn't even know why she was agreeing to this, but she had to see if the information was true—what the elf had just said: that the prince was unconscious. She had to see it with her own eyes because she could hardly believe it. The elf apparated her to the prince's room, and as she saw the mighty, cold, wicked prince lying on his bed, she asked,

"What did the healer say?"

"They said we can only wait for the prince to wake up."

The elf continues "My lady can call Topsy when my lady is ready to go back," the elf said before apparating.

She walked slowly to his bedside and sat down in the chair. She saw bandages wrapped around his body. Who did this? Why? She still remembered Draco saying that there were people who didn't like his family ruling, but she thought it was just his excuse to prevent her from leaving the palace. They knew the prince had come to her that night, alone. But why weren't they killing him when they had him that night? Why keep the prince alive when that was probably their only chance to find him alone without his soldiers?

She turned her head to the jade roses beside his bed, looking at them. Someone must be hoping and wishing for him to heal, as the jade roses were freshly cut in the vase. She took one and smelled it, staring at the flower. She then broke the head of the rose from its stem and placed it in his palm, just like he had done to her when she was unconscious. She stared at his face and remembered the day when he came and punched the guy's face until he no longer had a face and sliced his arm open murderously.

Her hand suddenly moved by itself, slowly reaching to his face but before she touched the prince's face, someone opened the door. She pulled her hand back instantly and saw Astoria Greengrass walking in, with her chin held high as she brought more jade roses with her. She stopped when she saw Hermione sitting beside the prince, her eyes widened. Hermione realized she didn't know Astoria, and Draco's relationship was already so close, close enough for her to walk casually into the prince's bedroom inside the palace. Hermione felt like she should not be in here, as it felt like Astoria was looking at her boyfriend's ex, coming to steal her boyfriend. Hermione blinked, rose from the chair, and slowly walked out.

As she passed by Astoria, and she saw her up close she was in awe of her well-dressed, fitting for a noblewoman, black high-heeled dress. Her hair was silky, her makeup was perfect, her face is sharp like Draco's, and the Malfoy family crest brooch on her chest, which she wore proudly. She stood there glaring at Hermione, then started to walk over to the chair where she had been sitting, ignoring the intruder, the thief. She started arranging her jade roses like a proper royal woman. She looked picture-perfect from where she sat, beside her prince. Like a devoted wife.

She glanced at Draco one last time and saw Astoria glaring at her, as if she was afraid Hermione would steal her prince. Hermione looked down and closed the prince's bedroom door with another woman inside it. The woman who was willing to be his wife, his lady, his queen. The woman who would not offer him a deal in exchange for something, definitely not a woman who would sell her body to the prince for her benefit. She was leaning against the door, looking at the floor. She remembered at the royal celebration day when she had nausea near the tree, Astoria followed him. They might already be intimate or maybe already talking about their wedding.

She looked up and saw her bedroom. She saw a flash of the day when she offered herself as she walked to the prince's door that night. Is Astoria sleeping in there now, or in the prince's room? She walked away slowly roaming around the palace for the last time. She saw the dining table where she had dinner with Draco, talking about their deal, and the grand ballroom where she had stabbed herself, then the hallway where she was stumbling after Draco's hexed her in the district. She walked up the stairs to the balcony and saw the chair and table still there. She could see the forest and the castle from that view. She walked until she reached the royal garden. She saw the gazebo in the middle where they had their conversation about butterflies and her wanting to go to the market to buy some tea.

She walked to the gazebo surrounded by the jade roses, entered the gazebo, and looked at the jade roses that were freezing.

Draco was awake. He saw Astoria beside him arranging the flowers. But when he moved his hand, he felt a jade rose flower in his palm.

"Someone was here?" he asked.

Astoria gasped, relieved that the prince was awake. "Oh My prince, you're awake, thank Merlin!" She closed her mouth with her hand, her eyes teary.

"How are you feel..."

"Was Hermione here?" he cut her off.

Astoria's eyes widened. She held her chin high and answered sternly, "No" Astoria lied.

The prince ignored her and gazed around. "Topsy," he called.

The elf apparated instantly as his prince called. "My prince, you're awake!"

"Topsy will call the healers..."

"Was Hermione here?" Draco cut in.

Topsy nodded, "Yes My lady was here, it works! My lady, awaken my prince!" Topsy rejoiced, jumping up and down. 

"Where is she?" the prince moved his wounded body out of the bed. Topsy helped him stand, while Astoria stood by, her chest rising and falling from holding her anger. 

"My wand" Draco asked Topsy. Topsy gave him his wand and his black royal coat. Draco Apparated.

Chapter Text

She looks at the snow falling on the Jade Roses in the garden from the gazebo. They are freezing but still standing beautifully, useful, and full of benefits to help people in need. She's looking up at the sky, a tear falling on her cheek. She doesn't understand the melancholy of this place; these roses must have something in them, she thought. She gulps; her chest rises and falls. It's sad, something makes her tears fall, something that she should not be feeling. But she knew; she realizes it now. She's definitely pregnant, she blames it on the hormones. Yes, it must be that. She hears a voice,

"You're real... you're here." 

Draco is smiling widely reaching up to his eyes, not believing his eyes. She sees him standing there, he looks pale, he definitely looks in pain, but somehow he can put on a smile. He walks to her slowly, never taking his eyes off her. She's looking at him full of pity from his sick appearance. Does he deserve to be called "pity"? She doesn't understand why she has that feeling now. Maybe because she can feel his desperate gaze. It's the hormones; it must be. He touches her face and sighs, like she is his Jade Rose that heals him and makes his pain subside.

She asks, "Who did this to..." 

"Please don't go, I'm begging you," he leans his forehead to her temple, closing his eyes. Hermione is taken aback by his words as she's searching his eyes. 

She frowns. "What do you mean? You're with Astoria now."

"Never. I have never been with anyone else but you. I told you once, in this place."

Hermione inhaled deeply and says "I'm here just because Topsy asked me to..."

"You're killing me."

Hermione's eyes widen by his accusation. 

"You're pregnant with my child, but you're not here where you should be." He looks miserable; his face shows that something tragic has happened in his life, like he is in pain but not from his wound.

Hermione gasps, shocked that Draco knew she was pregnant when nobody else does. "You knew?" 

"Of course I knew" he smiles weakly at her and frowning.

"I made the potion that we drank at the wedding ceremony; it will alert me if you are pregnant." Tears suddenly fall from her eyes. 

"You're crying," he says, brushing her tears away. 

"It's been... difficult," her voice cracks; she admits it. She hates that she feels fragile and weak; this is not her; this is new. She feels strange. 

"I will ease it; I'll make it go away," the prince assures his lady in distress. He hugs her, and she welcomes his embrace, sobbing in his warmth. After she calms down from her distraught hormones, Draco grabs her hand. They're sitting in the gazebo. 

"What's his name?" He tries to distract her from her sadness. 

"Who?" 

"Our baby." She stays quiet for a while, trying to process the words that he has spoken. 

"I never thought I would get pregnant or have children of my own," Hermione said. 

"You name it," she continues. 

"When I felt that you were pregnant, you made me the happiest man alive; you should know that." 

He rises from his seat and slowly falls to his knees, kneeling in front of his queen, not a slight wince seen from him. He looks deep into her eyes. 

"I will put a crown on your head, and I will never rest until it happens. I will try to bring happiness into your life, even if it’s just a little smile on your face; I will bring all the magical world to its knees to worship the light of its Queen." 

"I wouldn't dare ask for your love that I know I will never have. I never dared to hope." 

"Just stay by my side; only you can fix me..." 

"I've been broken since you left; I've been lost since you’re gone. Only you can save me." 

"You don't know... you shouldn't say that," she chokes and cries. 

She continues, "You should hate me; I used you; I tried to ruin your life; I tried to kill you, and so many more. You don't know..." Her voice cracks. 

"It doesn't matter," he cut her.

"You should hate me. What should I do to make you hate me?" 

"Nothing. Nothing you do will make me hate you; nothing you do will make me leave you, so don’t bother to find one." He brushes her tears from her face. 

"Why don’t you?" She's sobbing. 

He narrows his eyes at her. "You know why... I tell you all the time." 

"Forcing me to marry you will not give you what you want. Why did you do that?" 

He glanced away inhaled deeply and looking back at her "Do you know about chances?" He asked. 

"I will take any chances. I will take any chances when it comes to you. Even though it may be small, I will take it. Maybe today you don't have any feelings for me; who knows when tomorrow comes, your heart might beat for me, even slightly. That still counts. I'm taking my chance here; your heart beating for me once in your lifetime—that's a rare thing," he smiled. 

"I will wait for it; I will wait for your love." 

"My love for you is not ordinary Hermione; I will not give you up just because my feelings are not answered. I will keep loving you until I feel your heart beating for me." He leans closer to her before he kisses her lips and whispers, 

"My heart beats only for you, so stop fighting yours.."

Thought I found a way out, but you never go away.

Chapter Text

Hermione's wish is not granted as the little prince is born with his father's genes. She bore the prince's twin, as he resembles his father. His hair is white but curly like her. He has Hermione's characteristics as he is brave but more cunning than Draco. When he turned one year old, his father made the biggest birthday celebration for the young prince. 

He's sleeping in his room as Hermione stays with him, looking at the little prince and adoring him. She thought she could stare at him forever. She kisses him again and again.

"You'll awake the prince," Draco said, suddenly apparated to his son's bedroom.

"I love him; he's so cute."

"I thought you didn't love me," Draco said 

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Draco.

"He looks exactly like me, which means basically you are saying you love me, to me, and I'm cute," he's teasing her.

She's dumbfounded and then rolled her eyes, "I never."

"Scorpius is not you."

"He is... look at him, my twin, the exact copy of me."

"He's not. He has my characteristics and curly hair."

"When his hair is wet, it straightens, just like me—no difference," he shrugs.

Hermione rises from the little prince's bed and tries to move, but Draco comes above her, kissing her lips as Scorpius lays asleep beside them. 

"Stop, Scorpy will awake" Hermione struggles to push him away. Draco moves his lips to her neck, kissing her non-stop. 

"Am I that bad in your eyes that you don't want your son to be like me?" he asks while kissing, sucking and licking her neck. Hermione squirmed, looking at the ceiling, processing Draco's words.

"Draco, ah..." she moaned as Draco's hands kneaded her breast. 

"We're always stuck at snogging," Draco complains.

"Can't I kiss your other lips?" He give Hermione a sad face, he apparated her to his room, straight to his bed. His hand brushes against her wet panties.  

"If you just listen to your body, it's screaming for me; your body loves me even though you're not," he moves his hand slowly inside her panties while looking into her eyes. Hermione's mouth is parted as he circles her clit. His other hand pinches her nipple and opens her clothes up to her neck, and he feasts on her breast as his hand keeps circling faster. Hermione is whimpering as Draco sucks at her nipple and licks it deliciously.

He pushes his two fingers into her folds Hermione gasps, he whispers in her ear, "I miss this tight door of heaven," his thumb circling her clit and his fingers inside.

"Will you let me in, my queen?" Hermione moaned.

"Just tell me what you want, I'll give it to you—anything."

"You said that before... Ah!" she screams as his finger knuckles deep and touches her g-spot. She's panting.

"Can you... can you?" she grabs his face with both hands and brings it to her, so he'll focus on what she says.

"Tear down this kingdom and bring back the old..." Draco increases his movements faster, and then she blesses him with her holy water.  

"Aaahh!" she shudders.

"I can't."

"But you said..." he kisses her lips, silencing her, pulls down his pants and hers, thrusts his length into her, never letting go of her lips. Hermione tries to talk, but he won't let go. He moves deep in each thrust as Hermione's eyes shut because she feels him deep inside her; he intentionally keeps the bruising pace to keep her quiet. It works as Hermione can only part her mouth. Draco can feel her walls tighten, and he stops.  

He flips his queen, scoops her waist, and thrusts deep while she's on all fours. Only wet skin slapping is heard in the room as he pumps her fast. But as her pulsing knot builds and tightens again, she starts to whimper. He retreats again and groans as he holds back their release. "Why do you keep doing this?" Hermione asks, breathing heavily as Draco keeps stopping before reaching their peak.

"To punish you," he moves to a sitting position, hugging her tight as her hard nipples brush against his chest. He looks down and pushes her clit twice with his hard tip. 

"Ah!" Hermione jolts and frowns at the act as Draco keeps prolonging and brushing her clit. Draco then pushes his length inside her as Hermione is sitting on him; he bounces her slowly, building again even though he craves his own release. Hermione's body is weak as she feels like Draco is soaking her strength by stopping near her peak. "Please..." she begs at her prince and gives needy whines.

He smiles, "It's been a long time since I heard that word coming out of your beautiful mouth." He pecks her lips adorably. She squirms, looking down at their connection as they both swell, red and pulsing, as Draco keeps thrusting slowly, always taking his time. Draco apparated them while still connecting, and pushes her against the bedroom wall. "Say you love me," he pushes his waist up, and she slides down onto him deep, his tip touching her sweet spot that made her eyes roll back.  

"Say it," he spears inside her; she feels as if he will cut her in half. He's fastened his pace, sparing her walls. Hermione is screaming as she starts to quiver, "Don't you dare stop!" Draco laughs. Hermione came, shaking hard, "Aaaaaaaah!" The building and stopping give her different peaks of heaven, like she stepped into hell for a while through the torturous act, and Draco brings her back to heaven on repeat. Draco comes with his mouth parted, eyes shut, "Ah," he moans, feeling her walls massaging him heavenly; he growls. They slide down to the bedroom floor with Draco on top of her.

Hermione caresses his hair; the wicked prince starts to speak, looking up at her face, "Do you like my sweet torture?" The prince smirks at her, satisfied.

"I am not going to get pregnant again if that’s what your aim for," Hermione smirks.

"I came to the healer to make sure of it," she announces proudly.

"It’s alright... as long as you are with me," Draco reassures her.

"You are just missing another cute sleepy face that you can look into and kiss," he shrugs, teasing her. She's staring at him, Cunning Snake.

"Imagine, just imagine, alright... white blonde hair with curly hair and little pink dresses with bows in her hair, smiling at you, and you can also call her little princess; how cute."

"She will have my hair color!" She protested.

"Alright! We are going to take out whatever you put inside your body; let’s go to the healer," Draco stands up and walks to his coat. 

She's giggling, "Your royal high-ness is out, my prince," Hermione bites her lips as she stares at it.

Draco looks down, "He’s been working, serving his queen; be a good queen and say thank you for your service, will you?" He furrowed his brows at her, grab the coats and wraps her and himself.

"Thank you? You're torturing me, you said." She scoffs 

"Do you want to kiss it?" Draco looks into her eyes with a serious expression.

"No!" Hermione eyes widened at him and runs away; they're both laughing and Draco apparates in front of her, chasing her, trying to catch her.

"It's not fair; you used your wand!" They are gigling, she punches him softly on his chest. He wraps her in his embrace.

"I love you, always," he whispers. Hermione glances at him and gazes down, never saying the words back.

One afternoon, Eve and Eaton came to visit the palace as proper royal guests this time, not as spies. They were sitting on the gazebo by the lake. Hermione was making them tea with little prince Scorpius sitting in another chair with a royal servant accompanying him. 

"Eaton here said he missed you. Can you believe that? I knew it’s just his excuse to go inside the palace," Eve said, shaking her head.

Eaton nodded acknowledging Eve, "That’s a good accusation, Eve. Very good," Eaton laughed.

"How’s life?" Eaton asked Hermione.

Eve glanced at him. "You’re a bit rude there Eat."

"Really? I’m just wondering." He shruggs.

"She’s your future queen; the way you talk to her is too casual, don’t you think?" Eve lectured.

"No, no, please don’t, Eve..it’s alright, Eaton can talk to me however he wants." Hermione said.

"See..." Eaton smirked. Eve rolled her eyes at him.

"It’s... weird. To be honest."

"What do you mean weird? You’ve been living here for two years now." Eve frowned.

"It feels different... I have my wand; we are not spying anymore," she scoffed, shrugging.

Well, that's a good thing; we are moving forward, living our lives. I’m so glad everyone is in their happy place now, not constantly on the brink of war," Eve sighed and nodded.

"If I said I wanted to bring back the old world, what do you say?" 

Eaton flipped his eyes to Hermione instantly. "Can you do that?"

"I don’t know; I’m asking for your opinion." Hermione gave them worried face.

"Why would he do that?" Eaton said.

"He built a kingdom, you are his future queen and you gave him an heir ; why would he tear it all down? If I were him, I wouldn’t," Eaton said.

"You’re not happy here?" Eve asked.

"No, I’m... I just think it doesn’t feel right." Hermione looks down.

"All your life, you have been in prison, war. That's why, when your life is not full of fighting anymore, you feel restless. Time will heal."

"What about the people in the district?" Hermione asked.

"Last time I checked, they’re happy; I feel happy. We can enter the city in and out as we please and are working. Just a different home, more like a hotel, I’d say, more comfortable I must admit," she closed her mouth, giggling. 

"Also, the fact that the prince allowed little wizards and witches to go to Hogwarts just like we did it feels normal to me. I’m content thinking that little Scorpius will become king one day and that he has you by his side. I know you’ll make him a great king."

"It may feel new for you, but for us, we have lived seven years now in this new world; you’ll just have to get used to it."

"Seven years of waiting," Eaton mumbled.

"Were you the one that told him to lift the mandatory black coat?" Eve curious.

"No, I just said one time, I hated it." 

"Well, he definitely took it seriously then," Eve giggled.

"Where is he?" Eaton asked.

"Oh, he’s in the castle, I think.. maybe i don't know" 

Eaton glanced around, and there was no one on this side of the palace near the lake. Eve was drinking her tea, Hermione too. He gazed at the servant who was playing with the little prince, "I always wanted to meet the little prince," Eaton stood up and went to Scorpius.

"I like this peaceful life," Eve said, closing her eyes. Hermione smiled at her.

Suddenly, there was a sound of something falling to the ground. Hermione and Eve turned their heads instantly and saw the servant fall on the ground. "Avada Kedavra!" A green light flew towards Eve, her wide eyes opened, turning green from the spell as she fell dead in front of Hermione. Hermione’s eyes widened, her heart beating fast as she grabbed her wand and pointed it to her left and seeing Eaton carrying Scorpius in his right arm and his left hand pointing his wand at the little prince's heart. 

He smiled wickedly, "You don’t want to do that," he said to the lady.

"What are..." her eyes went to his wand that threatened the little prince's life and then gazed back to Eve lying frozen still on the ground. No sound came out of Hermione’s mouth as she was shocked and couldn’t believe what just happened in a flash. Eve was alive and now dead.

"Eve," her voice cracked, her chest rising and falling, still processing what's happening.

"Throw the wand into the lake now," Eaton ordered.

"Or say goodbye to the little prince." 

"Why?" Her hands trembled, her tears falling down in horror.

"Throw it now," Eaton threatened her she saw a green light shone from his wand tip, Hermione immediately threw her wand away into the lake, it floated.

"Please don’t, please don’t hurt him," she sobbed.

"Mother," the prince turned his head at her.

"Little prince here is a good boy. He said he wanted to take a look at my wand, sneaky little fella," he poked Scorpius and Scorpius chuckled not understanding the situations.

"What do you want?" Her eyes terrified as her eyes staring back and forth to her son and Eaton.

Eaton crouched and put Scorpius on the ground, "Stay here, my prince."

Eaton walked behind Hermione and pulled her hair; she shut her eyes from the pain but was forced to open them as she had to see her son.

"Mother," Scorpius walked to her.

"No, no. Stay there, stay there. Don’t come close, my love" Hermione shouted at her toddler, he stopped at his place. 

"Good boy, Scorpy." She smiled at her son while holding the pain.

Her head was pulled back. Eaton whispered in her ear from her back, "I heard the prince likes to watch from people’s memories. I bet he’ll watch this from your son’s eyes then."

"I’m being generous here; I’ll give him something to watch." He then smashed Hermione’s head to the table full of the tea set and glass falling to the ground as her body fell. Scorpius started to cry after being shocked by the loud sound. Hermione whimpering in pain, face down on the ground started to move while blood flowed out of her head.

"Look at your wife falling beautifully," Eaton spoke to Scorpius as if he were talking to Draco. Eaton crouching behind Hermione, but in a swift motion Hermione grabbed a long shard of glass from the shattered teapot on the ground and tried to slash his neck, but he dodged her bloody-handed knives, and she slashed his cheeks instead. Blood flowed as his cheek slashed. He smiled at her "Feisty little lioness you’ve got here, my prince," he remarked as he wiped his cheek and saw his blood

Hermione was dizzy, but adrenaline coursed through her as she thought maybe this would be the last time she’d be able to see her son. She tried again to stab Eaton in the chest; her glass pierced his left chest but was not deep. Eaton backed off, trying to pull the glass from his chest, and she crawls to her son, kneeling and hugging him and shielding him while he stood silently, crying watching his mother’s brutally assault. Her blood transferred to Scorpy as she hugged him tightly; he was crying, and then she kissed all over his face like it was a goodbye kiss. Eaton came from behind her and pulled her feet, dragging the future queen out of the gazebo like a sack, leaving a trail of her blood on the gazebo's floor. Hermione looked at her son, crying, reaching her hand toward him in the air.

"Topsy!!!!" Hermione screamed despreately at the top of her lungs before Eaton apparated with her.

Chapter Text

Day 1

"There's a reason that a person behaves the way they behave; there's always a reason for everything. You can blame it on anything previous trauma, current situation, personality type, or revenge. but none of those are valid. Why they do the things they do is not an excuse; it's an explanation."

"I'll get to the explanation later, after I hear you screaming." Eaton's voice echoed.

Hermione's face down on a wooden table. Her hands and feet are tied. She tries to wiggle her way out but fails. She can feel cold air brushing against her back skin; they opened her shirt, leaving her back bare. There's a lamp above the table shining down on her back. 

Hermione smirks at him with her swollen forehead; there are several small cuts on her face and bruises. "You're not scaring me. You cannot threaten a person who has already died," she challenged him.

She continues, "Either I will die or alive by the end of this, but you have already sealed your fate by doing this. You will die; he will find you." He moves to Hermione's side, standing and looking down at her bare back.

"We'll see about that" he replied.

He points his wand at her back, and a green light shines from his wand to her skin as it slices her skin slowly. Hermione starts to tremble and groans in pain as she tries to hold her screams that are edging the tip of her tongue. He cuts her skin in slices like he's writing patterns. Blood leaks from her skin to her side waist, gliding to the table where she lays. She heaves, shutting her eyes; her forehead is sweating from holding the pain as it sears through her nerves becoming stronger as Eaton cuts more slices on her skin. On the third slice, Hermione screams as she cannot hold her pain anymore as Eaton keeps cutting her skin. He made four slices on her back. 

Hermione, panting. More blood dripping on the table to the floor, creating spilled red ink. She feels her strength slowly decrease.

"That sounds lovely, my lady." He apparated.

Day 2

"I have so many plans in my head; sometimes it hurts. Every day a new plan comes to my mind. You don't have any idea how long I've been waiting for this day to arrive."

He circles her, touching her swollen red wounds. She hisses and frowns as the pulsing comes alive. He then crouches as he's looking at her face, loving to see her suffer in the agony he created.

"Don't blame me; you would do what I did if you were in my position." He then forces her to drink water; she coughs, but the water awakens her. Hermione sways her head left and right, struggling as she feels the pain from the wound.

Hermione frowns. "He'll find me."

"He won't; I made sure of that. I didn't plan this for a couple of weeks, no. I planned this for six years now; i just haven't found what i was looking for yet at that time." His eyes widened, looking at Hermione as if she were his prize.

"I was waiting patiently for a chance," Eaton explained.

He continues slicing her back as Hermione's head rolls back, jolting from the new pain that intrudes her back. She screams, not able to hold back the pain as it adds to the wounds from yesterday. Eaton makes three slices on her back skin; she growls, holding her pain, after a while, she starts to sob.

"You killed Eve..." she said weakly.

She cried and mourned the loss of her friend that helped her survive.

"She trusted you! And you killed her!" Hermione screams at Eaton, giving out the strength that was left inside of her. Her wound starts to pulse, and she frowns.

"She was useful," Eaton replied coldly.

Hermione closes her eyes, tears streaming down. "How could you..." Hermione's voice cracked.

She remembered all the things Eve had done for her; one by one, the memories came back. She survived because of Eve. Eve was all she had. When there was no one else in the dark, she comforted Hermione in her worst days. She felt like family, like a sister she never had. And she died in front of her just like that.

"I needed her to trust me, to made her introduce you to me. When I heard the prince was marrying you, I knew you were what I was looking for."

Day 3

Someone walks into the room. Hermione opens her eyes, blinking. First, it’s a blur, then she sees the guy in the alley, the one with the blue beanie. 

"You.." her throat is dry.

"I didn’t remember your face at that time, but I knew the prince’s face. After I knew he was in town, I told Eaton right away. Eaton didn’t kill the prince; he said he has other plans for the prince," the guy is fidgeting.

"Here’s some water. You need to hydrate," he gave her a straw to her mouth; she drinks it. 

"That night when they found the prince, I was there in the back while Eaton and his guys did their thing. The one that I met earlier with you was different from the one that I saw with Eaton. He looked devastated, unfocused. Eaton said the snake looked sick. He just let us attack without fighting; we almost thought he was not the prince for a second; he was weak. It was way too easy to kill him that day," he bows stiffly at her, looking at her worriedly, and walks out.

"Wait," Hermione whispers. 

The blue beanie guy stops and turns around. "How many... how many people are with him?" Hermione asked him out of breath.

"Not that many, but they all hate the prince, hate enough to do this to you." He’s gone.

Hermione remembers that day she left him in that dark alley, looking defeated. He was standing alone.

I left him.

Eaton came that day, his wand going directly to her lower spine, and gave her three slices. Blood leaked to her side as she screamed in pain. Hermione is sweating, and her chest rises and falls. When Eaton left her, she cried.

Day 4

She opened her eyes and saw Eaton looking at the small window. There was sunlight coming in. It hurts when she breathes now, as her chest rises and falls, her wound pulsing. Every day when she wakes up, someone has already cleaned the bloody floor.

"Do you think the people who have passed away will find their peace after they die?" Eaton asked her.

"Do their pain subside?" 

"Do they still remember us?" 

She can see her assailant is tearing up, looking up at the small window.

"People do crazy things for the people they love; I'm sure you understand that," he walks closer. Hermione, on instinct, tries to move her body away from him, wiggling, but it just adds pressure to her wounds. He cuts her two slices with his wand. Hermione shuts her eyes tightly as she screams. He walks out of the room.

She gives a long sigh her strength leaves her body, along with the blood she has lost. Hermione whispers helplessly, 

"Mom..." her voice is hoarse after her screams.

Day 5

"How long are you going to do this?"

"Until I am satisfied."

The pain is maddening as he slices her in a circular pattern. She screams and sobs from the pain. Her body trembles from the gruesome pain. 

By day five, she grows weaker; her strength is gone. She starts to hallucinate. That night, she sees Scorpius’s face crying like the last time she saw him; she misses him.

"Mother," he walks to her slowly. 

She speaks while closing her eyes, whispering, "Don’t cry, Scorpy," she said weakly, her hand reaching for the little prince’s cheeks to wipe his tears. She's falling into sleep. She then dreams of her son running around her in that room. 

"Flying... flying, flying!" he screams excitedly, just like every time Draco took him flying with his broomstick.

She gives a small smile as her dreams feel like a Jade Rose to her wounds. 

Day 6

A voice comes to awaken her from her disruptive sleep. "It’s been six days;" He's laughing like he's winning, sitting in a chair, looking at Hermione's face and talking to her.

"He must be going crazy now," he giggles and chuckles.

A tear falls on his cheek. "I’m so happy; I’ve never been this happy in seven years!"

"Thanks to you," he said.

"He thinks he’s so mighty that no one will touch him?" He laughs.

"But oh, he’s so wrong; when you love someone, they become your biggest weakness."

"I don’t have any now..." His expression changes; he clenchs his jaw, staring down at the floor.

After a while of silence, he continues, "I feel strong, like I could tear down his kingdom."

"I took you!" His expressions are uncontrolled, changing fast; he’s definitely drunk. She can smell the alcohol. Hermione cannot move her body even slightly as the wound pulses and swells, burning her back.

"What they say? a friend could become your worst enemy, is so true. It's so easy to be a fake friend. My Ravenclaw brain never disappoints me," he announced proudly.

"With all the army he has, brick by brick of his kingdom's walls he built to protect you, still he could not save you," he laughed, satisfied with what he had done.

"His torture is my victory."

He keeps laughing loudly like a mad man it echoed through out the room his voice wickedly haunted her ears as he cuts her skin slowly, two slices. She pulled all the strength she had left as she screamed, 

"Dracooo!!!" 

She whimpers in pain blood dripping from her new wound, her back is burning by the pain, the old wounds started came alive pulsing rebelling against her body from the tearing skins, Hermione's body started to shakes, not be able to hold it any longer her body failing her as her breathing became weak, she faints.

(                 M                 )

      (            A           )

        (          L          )

        (          F          )

     (             O             )

  (                Y                 )

"Malfoy" was written on her back.

Chapter Text

I always said I hate the dark palace, now I'm craving it. I said I hate the Malfoy family crest ceiling staring at me when I'm opening my eyes, now I'm dying to see it.

Eaton is not merciful as he carved each letter as big as he can, reaching from her left shoulder to her right, covering her whole back. It hurts when your skin gets slashed, but it’s more painful near her bones as the pain sinks in.

This is my karma, i sins.

"Drink this, my lady," someone put a straw to her lips. Hermione can only mumble half-conscious.

He's not coming.

"This will numb the pain," she sucks the liquid with her eyes closed. After a couple of minutes pass, she can no longer feel her body; she feels like cardboard. The women are practically moving her body, not her own. They help her sit down, bathe her, brush her hair, and put makeup on her face, lipstick, and blush. She's seeing herself in the mirror. If someone saw her right now and she told them she had been tortured for six days. no one would believe it.

He's not coming.

They put the mandatory black coat on her. There are three women dressing her. The potion calms her nerves and makes her heartbeat slower, put her on relaxing state. After they finish, one of the women knocks on the door while the other two hold her so she won't fall. Hermione stares into the small window in her room, looking at the sunlight.

He's not coming.

Eaton came. "Look at you! Beautiful, spotless!" He took a Polaroid picture of her.

I gave him an heir.

"Mobilicorpus!" Eaton cast the spell as he moved Hermione like a puppet; he has control of her body.

He doesn't need me anymore.

He smiles full of anticipation as he says, "It's show time!" He's clasping his hands together. They apparated to a room and touched a Portkey.

He changed his mind.

Draco emerges from the Pensieve after seeing Scorpius's memories of Hermione's kidnapping. He clenches the Pensieve tightly, his head is low. He heaves, his jaw clenched. He grabs his wand and apparates to the gazebo. He's standing there, looking at Hermione's blood trails on the floor. He's rewinding what he just saw. He saw how Hermione was smashed against the table and fell to the ground, whimpering in pain. He saw his wife fighting with blood flowing from her head. He saw how desperately she was crawling to Scorpius, and He saw how he tore a mother from her crying son and dragged her body away.

His body felt weak as he kneels helplessly, staring at the bloody floor. He frowns in agony, as if someone had smashed his head and it's his blood that he sees on the floor. His palm reaching out, touching his wife's blood that has spilled. His face is boiling with rage that's building in his chest for the loss and the horror he just witnessed with his own eyes. His castle crumbling down bricks by bricks as he's fisting his wife's blood in his palm.

He stands looking at the lake. "Accio!"

Hermione's wand flies to his hand. He's staring at her wand with a vine design from its handle to half of the wand. He keeps staring at it longingly, as if it's his missing wife's face he seen, his brows furrowed. Her wand, smeared with her blood from his palm, reminds him of when he saw Scorpius earlier, after he apparated back to the palace with the news. How Scorpius's body bathed in his mother's blood. His mother's last embrace that blanketed him trying to soothe the petrified little prince.

His left hand holds Hermione's wand tightly, and his right hand points his wand to the ground, and a green light appears. He's summoning his army.

The prince apparated to Hermione's castle, and all his army gathered. They were chanting together when their general arrived.

"My Prince!" 

His eyes laser at his army, his chest rises and falls jaw clenches face shaking with fury. "Hear my command!" the Prince screamed at his army.

Papers flew with Eaton's face and information for the army to see. "Bring him to me!"

"Alive!" he shouted in rage, in front of his army like he never had before. They grabbed the papers and then apparated one by one, following the order of their Prince.

WANTED: EATON KAVO "ALIVE" HIGH REWARD

THE FUTURE QUEEN KIDNAPPED

THE RESISTANCE MEMBER TOOK THE FUTURE KING'S MOTHER!

THE MISSING FUTURE QUEEN

SIX DAYS WITH NO CLUES OR HINTS

WE WILL NOT STOP SEARCHING FOR OUR FUTURE QUEEN!

All the newspapers, and soldiers were running around the city and all over the kingdom. The royal army was spreading throughout England; some were spying as muggles, and others were all over Europe to find the missing future queen. Rewards were offered for any sightings or information about the lady. The resistance and Hermione's friends were helping the royal family as soon as they heard the news. They searched every corner of the kingdom, but the prince was not searching.

He was hunting.

Draco's eyes scanned Eaton's room in the resistance building outside the city. Soldiers were busy searching through every corner of his room; some soldiers flipped his bed and tore it in half, while others went to the bathroom and some to his balcony. Draco opened his drawer and saw Eaton's things scattered.

After they searched his room and found nothing, they moved to Eaton's old house inside the city. The Kavos are one of the richest families. Their manor is designed with white walls and blue relics and patterns. Draco saw a couple of Jade Roses in front of their yard before getting inside.

All the soldiers rushed from behind him, searching every room; they searched the attic, dungeon, basement, and any hidden doors inside the walls and floor. There was also permission for an explosion if needed. He walks around the living room to the outside and then walkes to the backyard, continuing into the forest behind his house, exploring every corner of the forest until he found the Kavo's graveyard. There were old tombs, and he scanned and saw a new one that remained clean, with fresh flowers on top of it. He crouched as he saw the name on it, "Beloved Belinda."

After the soldiers took the suspicious items from the manor, they all stood in front of it in an at-ease position. The prince shot a spell, igniting the Kavos' manor in flames. Burning the jade roses in front of the yard. The fire reflected in Draco's eyes as he stood there, staring at the burning manor; his grey eyes turned red, as it inflating the fire within him.

At the Hermione Castle, Theo came with reports. He gave them to Draco. Theo was looking at Draco's face. Theo has never seen this side of his best friend as long as he has known him. He always kept it together, always calm in any situation, but now the Draco he sees in front of him looks like he's ready to kill anyone at this moment. Awfully dangerous and terrifying to look at. A hungry snake.

Name : Eaton Kavo

Born : 1 November 1980

Blood status : -

Martial : -

Species : Human

Gender : Male

Hair : black

Eye : grey

Skin color : light

Occupation : Heir to his father buissnes fortunes

Family member : Adopted at the age of 12 by Richard Kavo and Marry Kavo

House : Ravenclaw

"Find me the information by the name Belinda, also his orphanage," he ordered. Theo nodded and apparated. While Draco was reading the papers that scattered on top of his table, Topsy came in with a blue letter in his hand.

"My prince, there's a letter," Topsy said as he handed the blue letter to Draco. Draco grabbed the blue letter and opened it.

"Hogwarts Express today at 12 PM, I have a surprise for the Prince."
                                                    

There was a picture inside the letter. He grabbed it and saw his wife staring to her right slightly. Draco's eyes widened; he froze, staring at his Jade Rose's face. Hermione's face is full with make up, but her eyes were empty. He sat in his chair, loosening his tie in a frustrated way. His chest rose and fell as he put his palm over his mouth, his eyes glossy; he lowered his head. He's looking at her face. The day when he lost her felt like the day that his kingdom fell. The bricks had fallen, and only Hermione could put it back and make it whole.

His eyes still glued to Hermione's face. He turned the picture over; on the back of it, there were words written.

I took really good care of the future queen.

A woman was holding a suitcase in her hand and walking in the station towards the Hogwarts Express train. Her clothes screams nobilty with diamonds around her neck and ears, high class elegant, her chin high, high heels shining, her smiles spreads around and nod to the people that is staring at her sophisicated look.

Once she was inside, she sat in one of the private cabin and closed the door. She lay her suitcase on the train floor and knocked. The suitcase opened by itself from the inside as Eaton came out of the suitcase holding Hermione's hand, guiding her slowly, followed by men coming out from inside the suitcase. Hermione staring at Eaton, She has her suspicions that Eaton didn't work alone against the royal army; that would be too suicidal. Now that she has seen with her own eyes, he has his own army on his back. She also realizes that he hides her inside the suitcase, not in a place like she thought it would be. He's smart.

One of Eaton's men nodded at him and started to scatter throughout the train, hijacking it. Screams were heard here and there throughout the train, and passengers inside the train started running out. One of Eaton's men operated the train to their destination with all his army fully inside. As the train was departing. The woman with the suitcase spoke to Eaton,

"We're finally here; seven years to get to this point! I still can't believe it!" The woman smirked at Eaton.

"I know" Eaton smiled at the woman. Hermione sat stiffly in the chair looking at them.

"This will be fun! You're so smart, brother" she squeaks excitedly and held Eaton's head with both of her hands and kissed his crown lovingly.

Eaton turned his head to Hermione, "May I introduce you to my sister, my lady?"

"She's keeping us hidden well these days." He said, proudly. He was sitting on the chair in front of Hermione with his sister beside him.

"The fine gentleman you just saw are also my brothers, but not all of them some of them i found, then i paid them generously, they love my gold." He shrugged.

"I'm so glad I was raised in an orphanage, you see.. I have loyal sisters and brothers; we grew up together. Even after my parents fostered me, we are still very close. I went there very often."

"We never leave our true family. We're not afraid of anything as long as we have each other," he said, beaming at his sister lovingly.

His sister squeezed his hand and then turned her head to Hermione. "My lady, It's an honor to meet you," she bowed her head to Hermione elegantly.

"Look at her manners" Eaton laughed, adored by his sister's act.

He turned his head to Hermione. "Bow back!" Hermione's head bowed immediately as Eaton waved his wand, controlling her. Her chest rose and fell as he exerted force on her body.

"Just follow my orders; don't try to fight the spells, it will hurt," Eaton said, looking at her.

"Where are we going?" Hermione whispered weakly.

"It's a surprise," his eyes widened, full of anticipation.

From the order of the prince, the train station is empty, and the snow is falling. The prince and his army are standing by, waiting. The resistance and Hermione's friends are all present: Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Cho, Cormac, Dean, Hannah, Katie, Padma, Parvati, Seamus, Susan, and all the Hufflepuff students who joined the resistance. They are holding their wands, ready to fight for their friend. Draco stands in the center, with Theo behind him and his royal army. Their heads turn to the railroad as the Hogwarts Express is slowly heard from afar, whistling and releasing its steam. It moves slower as it arrives at the station.

There's a slight tingle in Hermione's back that makes her frown. The pain starts creeping in as Eaton grabs her arm and pulls her. One by one, Eaton's army apparates on top of the train, looking down at the royal army and the resistance. The resistance's eyes lock on the army above the train, readying their wands against them. The train comes to a complete stop as steam billows out of it. It's an eerie silence of heartbeats, as Draco's eyes scan each door of the train.

Eaton walks out of the train door from the middle, smiling excitedly at the prince. All his army readies their wands, lining up above and hiding inside the train.

"My Prince," he bows and peers at the prince. Draco's face is filled with wrath, his eyes following Eaton's movement, not letting him out of his sight.

Eaton's eyeing the prince. "It must have been very difficult days for you; I sincerely apologize," he feigns a sad face.

"Where is she!?" The prince’s furious gaze glares at Eaton.

"I told you, I took really, really good care of her. It pains me that you don't believe me," Eaton gestures with his hand to his chest, frowning.

Eaton whisks his hand, lowering his head, keeping his eyes glued to Draco's face; he's waiting, as if it's the most anticipated sight of his year. Hermione is slowly walking from inside to the train door, followed by Eaton's sister behind, pointing her wand at Hermione's back. They stop at the train door. Hermione, still looking down, closes her eyes and feels uncomfortable from the creeping pain as her body moves by itself. When she finally looks up, she sees her friends there. The sight makes her chest rise and fall, her eyes glossy, knowing that they are here, but she can hardly move, so she just stands there.

"Surprise!" Eaton shouts.

Draco's eyes widen as he sees his wife standing there, his mouth parted. He scans her body, and from the outside, she seems skinnier than the last time he saw her. Her friends gasp at the sight of her; some of them are crying, and some of the girls cover their mouths, deeply affected by her kidnapping.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry shouts, with Ron and Ginny standing beside him.

"Something's wrong," Cormac whispers to the resistance, their eyes still glued to Hermione.

"There's no need for this, my prince. I'm returning the future queen back as I should," Eaton frowns; his face is changing to serious looks.

"I just took her for a short vacation, isn't that right, my lady?" Eaton says, looking at Draco's face, satisfied by it, as Draco glares, his face burning up with rage.

Eaton apparates behind Hermione as his sister walks back to their room. She nods to Eaton before turning inside. Eaton waves his wand, forcing Hermione to walk. Hermione winces as the pain becomes stronger, the potions she drank slowly leaving her body. Hermione takes a step from the train door; Eaton’s eyes flip to the prince and give him a smirk.

"Expulso!" Eaton's army, that has been standing above the train, casts the spells together, shooting at the resistance and the royal army as the ground explodes, blasting smoke. People are scattered, falling, and apparating to dodge the spells. "Bombarda!" The spells keep coming at them nonstop. The smoke blurs everyone's vision on the ground as they cough.

The resistance starts to fire back. Ginny casts "Confringo!" Cormac apparates above the train to fight Eaton's army, followed by Dean, Ron, Seamus, and Neville. Harry runs to where Hermione last stood, but he can't reach her as spells fly around; he tries to dodge. The royal army glances at their commander-in-chief, waiting for a signal to attack. Draco gives the signal to Theo, who shouts, "Attack!" All the royal army apparates inside and above the train. The soldiers fight Eaton's men as a couple of Eaton's men fall from above the train to the ground. Theo leads. Inside the train, Eaton's men are hiding as they are shooting spells from behind the soldiers.

Draco apparates to the train door, but Hermione is not there. Smoke blinds his vision. Draco screams, "Hermione!" but there's no answer.

The silent train station is now full of smoke, explosions, and rainbows of spells, with snow falling beautifully from the sky above, ignoring the chaos that is happening on the ground. Some of them lose their footing as the ground shakes from the spells bombarding. Dust and stones scatter all over the place, blinding everyone. The Hogwarts Express train wrecks as the soldiers shoot at Eaton's men above it. One of the train's carriages blows away, detached from the train.

Susan, Katie, and Hannah get hexed from behind as they turn to see some of Eaton's men apparating behind them. They struggle to stand, but Padma casts "Stupefy!" at Eaton's man, and Parvati shields them with "Protego!" Cho and Ginny apparate above the train. "Reducto!" Ginny casts the spell at the train attic; it turns into pieces as she and Cho enter the train from above. They shoot at Eaton's men who have been battling with Theo and the royal army inside the train.

The prince casts "Pestis Incendium!" He conjures a massive flame of a dragon, infused with dark magic, flying and seeking out Eaton's army that has been fighting above the train and attacking them upon contact. All eyes follow the dragon's flame as it flies to consume and burn the train's carriage where Eaton's men are fighting.

"Flipendo!" Out of the smoke, a spell shoots toward the prince; Draco is knocked back, and his right forehead scratches. He turns his head to see Eaton standing there, smiling wickedly at him. "Depulso!" Eaton shoots again. Draco dodges it, and he whisks his wand, a black light flying toward Eaton, shooting at him. Eaton is thrown back and his back smashes against the metal train. He coughs from the impact, blood coming out of his mouth.

Still caughing Eaton struggles to speaks "The dragon flame, that was quite a spell, my prince," Eaton breathes heavily. Draco walks to Eaton, his face contorted into a mask of wrath, eyes blazing with a fire that could melt steel.

"Where is she?! Where's my wife?!" Draco whisks his wand at Eaton, shooting black arrows that puncture Eaton's hands and feet against the train's metal, trapping him.

"Fuck!" Eaton screams in pain. Draco apparates in front of Eaton, aggressively points his wand at Eaton's chin, his eyes bulging. Eaton slowly laughs in satisfaction as he sees Draco's face up close while blood comes out of his mouth. Eaton groans in pain from the arrows pressing against his hands and feet.

Suddenly, Draco hears a small whimper from his right; he instantly turns his body away from Eaton. He knows exactly whose voice he just heard; his eyes widen, and he runs to it, searching for the source of the sound. Eaton's sister apparates in front of Eaton, while Draco is distracted; she helps her brother, leaning him on her shoulder.

"I hope you like my gift! I made it special for you!" Eaton laughs nonstop before apparating away.

Out of the smoke, Draco sees a woman's silhouette. Hermione's hand is leaning against the pole; when she can no longer hold on, her body starts to fall. Draco apparates and catches her before she falls.

"I got you," he holds her in his arms, his eyes frowning at her face. Sweat is running down her forehead as she breathes heavily in pain. She frowns as she opens her eyes and sees Draco's grey eyes staring at her brown ones. She's reaching her hand to Draco's face. She touches it and whispers in a low tone,

"You came."