A Lamb to the Slaughter

Blood of My Blood

Draco smoothed his hair back for the fifth time, hoping his hands would stop shaking.

He knew he shouldn't have taken tea this morning. He should have stuck to his regular cup of espresso, but his mother had brought it in and insisted, and he hadn't felt like fighting...

"You look wonderful." His mother said softly. "My handsome boy. You couldn't have looked better on your wedding day."

"Don't call it that." Draco fought to keep his voice neutral. "This is a binding ceremony forced on both of us. Nothing more."

"If you had allowed it, I could have made this a joyous occasion. We could have had it in the garden, with your friends by your side and a six tier cake-"

"And who would have been by her side?" He finally looked at her. "If she's trapped here, if she's miserably tied to me forever, the least I can do is suffer with her."

Narcissa covered her mouth with a gloved hand. Sympathy and regret went to war in her eyes. She saw it all so differently from him.

Narcissa - and by extension Lucius- wanted Hermione to feel at home. To make her a part of this family and celebrate her becoming a Malfoy.

But Draco knew that even if Hermione smiled and said her thank you's and yes ma'am's, it would all be a mask.

She was a slave here, and Draco never wanted to exploit her lack of choice.

But this, he couldn't fight. Orion wanted a marriage between them - the first in their history- and whatever a Black wanted, they got.

Pevensy appeared before them, and Draco sighed in relief.

"My lady is almost ready."

"Send her down as soon as she's finished." Lucius ordered. Pevensy nodded before popping away again.

His father turned to him. "What are we to call this again? Since you won't reveal to her what it really is."

Draco ground his teeth. "A necessary blood ceremony."

"She's a smart girl, Draco." Narcissa said as she adjusted her silk gloves. "She'll figure it out. And she'll hate us all for lying."

"She already hates us, Mother. We're her captors."

A knock came on the office door. They were in Lucius' study, since it was more spacious and neutral than Draco's. He offered Draco a sip of his firewhisky, and when Draco declined (for the fifth time that day), he knocked it back and set the empty glass on the mantle.

"Come in." Lucius ordered.

Draco fought to keep his expression cool as he saw Hermione.

Pevensy had tailored the robes to fit her form perfectly, accentuating her hips and breasts to the point that Draco had to focus on not staring. The shimmering, pearly white color of the fabric brought out the freckles and moles that spattered across her bronze skin. He wanted to count them all and recognize them like he did the constellations at night.

Her hair was twisted up, though several loose curls framed her face. A pair of his mothers pearl earrings hung from her ears, and someone had dusted shimmery powder on her eyelids and lips.

She was radiant light incarnate, and he was the darkness that was hoarding her from the rest of the world. He wasn't going to be able to do this-

"You look stunning, Hermione." His mother wrapped her arms around the young witch. He watched as Hermione awkwardly patted her back.

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy."

"No, none of that. Only Narcissa."

"Narcissa, then." Hermione gave her a hesitant smile.