Becoming Beta

Chapter 26

A/N: Beta love to brownlark42. She turned this around super fast, just for you guys!

You can still find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff.

"I'll just... I'm going to go, ok?" Hermione said and she bolted from the room. Draco wanted to hang his head in shame, but his muscles weren't quite his own yet.

"Good, I'll take you all to myself," Aunt Bella smirked up at him. Draco did feel his lip curl slightly as her sour breath washed his face.

She began kissing her way down his torso and Draco was finally able to close his eyes, but he still couldn't move his arms or hands.

It was then that the door to his suite blasted open, and Snape and Uncle Rodolphus stood in the doorway with Hermione hovering just behind.

"What in the bleeding hell are you doing, Bella?" Uncle Rodolphus shouted as he grabbed his wife by the upper arm and yanked her away from Draco. Draco desperately wanted to sigh in relief, but couldn't.

Draco stood frozen for a moment longer before Snape realized he'd been petrified and canceled the spell. He tossed a towel at Draco, while Hermione pushed from behind Snape to reach him. Draco just managed to cover himself before she threw her arms around him and asked if he was alright. He could only nod.

"I've told you before, Bella, you are a Lestrange now. Not a Black. No incest. He's your nephew for Merlin's sake! It's disgusting," Uncle Rodolphus lectured as he pushed Aunt Bella out of Draco's suite.

Draco looked from the pair to his godfather, "Thanks," he muttered. It was humiliating to be caught out like this. He should be better. But he also thought he would be safe in the family wing.

"She tripped the family wing wards. Your mother was tracking me down at the same time Miss Granger found me. Do be sure to keep a wand on you," Snape glared down at him. Draco nodded and dropped his gaze to the top of Hermione's head. She still had her arms around him and was hugging him fiercely. He felt like he needed another shower.

"All the same, thank you, Severus," Draco replied and extended his hand. Snape raised his eyebrow at him, nodded, and left, leaving Draco with his hand hanging in the air. He ran it through his drying hair instead and then pushed Hermione from him so he could see her face.

"Thank you, too. For realizing what was going on. I..." he couldn't finish.

"Oh, Circe, I was terrified when I found her in here with you! I didn't know if it was just petrification or if she had Imperiused you or was using some spell I've never seen. I'm so glad Professor Snape and Mr. Lestrange were there to help. And I wasn't sure if I could break character and hex her..." Hermione rambled.

Draco let her go as they moved back out into his suite. Snape had repaired his door on the way out and Draco felt another wave of gratitude wash through him. For all the man's poor personality and bad attitude, he truly was an excellent godfather.

Hermione wrung her hands nervously as Draco showered again - quickly this time - and then dressed for the ball. The last thing he wanted to do was go downstairs and glad-hand Death Eater's while they all laughed behind his back for being a werewolf, for being saddled with a mudblood, for being impure. He'd much rather take Hermione away for Christmas, showering her with all the gifts he'd bought her, making love to her. That sounded like the perfect Christmas.

As they made their way downstairs, Draco briefed Hermione on what was going to happen over the next few hours. "Any of the Death Eaters know I'm a werewolf. I haven't come right out and told Pansy or Theo or anyone at school, though. They might be here and they might have heard from their fathers. They believe that you are my 'assignment' from the Dark Lord. So, put on a show, act enthralled and simpering. Just play it like you did when you arrived and you'll be fine. The Dark Lord will be here, but I don't know if you'll have to greet him or not," hesitated, "If you do, don't make eye contact. He's a master Legilimens and he'll read you just from the eye contact alone."