As Hermione listened to idle chatter go on between Draco and her husband, Harry led her into a large room where a table fit for ten stood before her. The surprisingly warm room with a fire blazing and content chatter going on about it made her oddly confused. Since when was Malfoy Manor a place of such... joy?

Maybe joy was an exaggeration, but as Hermione was pushed into a chair seated adjacent to Severus', she decided not to dwell on it. She simply had to take things as they came. And oh, would that proclamation be put to the test that evening.

Looking about her, she was surprised to see certain other faces at the table. Lucius Malfoy was directly across from her, staring at her creepily enough, Narcissa was next to him on the left which explained more at the dirty look Hermione received from the witch. Next to her, however, led Hermione to see that Pansy Parkinson was there and completely engulfed in... Ron? Sitting right next to her. What on earth were they doing, chatting up a storm as they were? It was blasphemous, in her mind, for Ron should be hers! Besides that, weren't they both purebloods?

Hermione knew that she herself was well and married then, nothing but death allowed to tear apart her union, yet there she was. Her heart was tugging her to stare right at Ron and Pansy, but her mind gave a sharp prick as to Narcissa and Lucius' gazes.

Why were they both giving her indecipherable looks?

She looked about the rest of the table and saw another surprising face, Remus Lupin seated confidently against his chair on the same side Hermione was seated. He had an unidentified wizard next to him who Harry seemed to be skillfully ignoring right next to her, and Draco was placed at the head of the table, the other end filled in by Severus.

Food suddenly appeared before them, yet no one made to take anything as Draco stood.

"I would like to thank you all for being here tonight, especially the Weasley's here for returning a day early from their honeymoon," Draco indicated towards Pansy and Ron, and it took every solid nerve in her body to keep Hermione from retching. "As you all know... it has been four years today since..." he seemed to catch in his speech, looking suddenly vulnerable which made Hermione a bit scared in all honesty, "Since the beloved Albus Dumbledore, keeper of peace, passed on."

This time, Hermione could not keep her surprise confined to her conscience. Her mouth emitted a startled gasp causing those at the table to look strangely at her. Severus took her hand squeezing it as he looked back up to Draco and smiled.

The contact felt off, and as Hermione held a lingered gaze upon Ron, she couldn't help but notice the worry Lucius Malfoy had passed her. Were things that different here?

"He was an admirable advisor, a wonderful Headmaster, and true peace-giver. When Severus took over for him, and Remus, you filled his spot as leader of The Order, things didn't feel the same for a bit."

"They still don't," Remus spoke gently.

"No," Draco agreed, "But you both have been wonderful in your positions. I couldn't ask for a better soon-to-be head Auror, either."

Obviously, Harry was being indicated towards, and Hermione had to contain her excitement for him. Her friend looked just barely pleased, however which confused the brunette witch immensely.

"So, we eat tonight and gather together in Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore's name."

Everyone rose their flumes with an almost coordinated motion, and Hermione hurriedly followed, feeling her heart pick up at her lack of decency. Maybe there was a better way she could have done this instead of going in head-first?

Well, it's too late now, isn't it? She told herself mockingly.

The meal was solemn, and slowly but surely Hermione learned piece by piece of her new life in regular conversation. Their exchanges proved useful as she listened and fed on every single detail that was thrust upon her. Luckily enough she was able to contain herself most of the time when startling facts came across her unsuspecting ears.

Ron and Pansy had been dating since fifth year apparently after Draco and Harry had finally shoved them together. Hermione had supposedly admired Snape for his work over the years and that's when she'd "snatched him up" after school to abide by Draco's new statute. There had been no talk of it, really, all but congratulations on its approval. Congratulations had been passed, and Hermione could tell Draco was proud of it... something about how it would make not only more witches and wizards, but also hopefully prevent the increasing amount of squibs and muggles born to magical lineage.

Hermione had huffed, but there really was no blood prejudice, in a sense. So how bad could it be?

Although, Ron and Pansy's relationship seemed to be one of those special cases, the way he and Draco acted gave Hermione no surprise though, that the minister approved his request for their pureblood marriage. It meant, of course, any of their children would forcibly marry a muggleborn, squib, or muggle... at least they could choose that person, they simply could pick no person of strong magical lineage.

It was all quite annoying, but so long as there wasn't any wars, she guessed that it was alright... for now. Those laws wouldn't last long if she had anything to say of it, she determined. It may not be blood prejudice, but it was still forcing people to do something they may not wish to.

Quickly enough, however, Hermione found she was not allowed to say much. People spoke for her on many occasions as for Pansy and Narcissa. Draco seemed to do the same for the man on his right, but the wizard said nothing in protest. Hermione easily gathered just who he was to the minister of Magic.

Madame Malfoy irked Hermione to no end, almost as much as her staring husband. She would bicker at the few things Hermione did say, and they would go on for minutes until someone pushed between them. It was baffling for the Madame Snape to see how easily she could fall into character with that witch.

Lucius would say little, but he wouldn't cease to stare at Hermione and catch her eye, a few times a smirk lay on those thin lips of his. She nearly feared for her life with his gaze constantly upon her.

Xander Fielden, the wizard with whom Draco associated, was proabably the most passive man Hermione had ever encountered. He wouldn't say much, simply agreed and looked warily at Harry whenever he spoke with Draco. Apparently, in this timeline Draco had been in Gryffindor and the four of them had grown together... Ron and Pansy had only gotten together across Slytherin and Gryffindor house because Draco was raised with her, and she was kind. Her mind digressed, Hermione again focused on Draco's partner who laughed and watched along like a timid kitten.

The man was attractive, and admittedly so was Malfoy then, but she couldn't really assess him, could she? With how little she knew, that was.

Severus and Remus got along well, which of course baffled her as well... as did the fact that Harry's parents had died not twenty years prior... but six.

When Harry was fourteen, the couple had run into none other than a "Rogue Witch." The terminology startled Hermione, especially when she found it was Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix, that had attacked them and brought an end to the couple just as Auror's got there and ended her life as well.

The story seemed unbelievable, but that truly was what happened as the Malfoy matron expressed that that was why she preferred Andromeda —Remus' mother-in-law— anyways.

That was probably the singular thing that hadn't been the least-bit altered; Remus's marriage to Tonks. He was utterly in love with her, and by Merlin Hermione was sure that she couldn't have been happier for the very happy couple. They still even had Teddy, the wonderful little animorphmagus he was. Still, however, Lupin was inflicted with lycanthropy which was all in all disappointing, yet Hermione couldn't complain if he was alive. The condition also allowed him to marry whomever he chose, any human of any Wizarding status could be his so-called mate which was why the law was null and void to him. 

There were no words on Sirius, and Hermione was too timid to dare ask. 

When dinner ended, Hermione felt as lost as she had when waltzing into Spinner's End. Everyone stood, but no one made to leave. They all dispersed about the manor and held separate conversations, Hermione following Severus around like a lost Puppy as he discussed something of sorts with Draco.

Harry, Remus, and Ron were all merrily jeering at a television that seemed to be rigged now to watch a quidditch game, and Narcissa spoke lowly with Xander and Pansy. Herself and Malfoy Senior just listened in on the business going on in front of them.

Hermione had thought that Malfoy would be more intrigued, yet he seemed to only be staring at her. Was she really that offensive in his home that he was attempting to stare her out? His gazes were ignored by her, and she gently rested a hand on Snape's shoulder wearily. That was what witches did with their husbands, no? She had no idea what was right from wrong there, and Hermione was hard-pressed to try.

"Madame Snape, you look bored, why don't you follow me and we may discuss more... exciting topics?" Lucius suddenly offered from her side, Draco hardly looked up, and Snape just shrugged her hand off, not even caring to glance.

Lucius held out his arm for Hermione to take, and she smiled weakly, taking the limb.

"Sometimes I can hardly believe my son is the minister for Magic... he's doing so very well for himself."

Hermione nodded numbly, not sure how she felt by being escorted on a Death Eater's arm. He was significantly taller than her, his blond hair tied back this time despite the eased evening that happened to occur. For a remembrance dinner in the late Dumbledore's honor, everyone seemed rather joyful. Though Hermione supposed that the old wizard would have preferred it that way.

"Do you like Xander?"

"You ask me that constantly, Hermione, my answer remains unchanged," he replied with a tight smile, and the look rather startled the brunette.

"Humor me?" She played it off, smiling sweetly as he just gave in. Why was this so easy?

"Surely, Madame. I find the boy too quiet, as though he's plotting against him. I want Draco to be happy, not swirling about in state of settling for nothing. There will always be someone I prefer for my son than that young wizard."

Hermione was surprised at the blond's heart-felt sentiment towards his son. He was capable of those? The thought almost amused her, but she needed to keep her emotions in check if she wasn't to give anything away.

After walking for another little while, useless chatter happening between them, Lucius stopped them in a small hall that jutted just off a rather longer one.

It wasn't very dark, but it was portrait-less, no talking paintings to be seen whatsoever, yet the window at the end was a dark stained glass, set out into the world beyond the walls of the manor.

Before her thoughts could process what happened, Lucius' hands were in her own and she was pressed against the wall.

"You have been a tease all night, Hermione, why do you do these things to me?"

Heart racing, Hermione stuttered a questioning reply, "What?"

His gray eyes looked into her brown ones and an unsettling chill ran down her spine as he spoke.

"Don't play coy, love, you've acted long enough now. Just kiss me and cease my torture."

Eyes wide, Hermione was stuck between a Malfoy and a hard place, her eyes darting to the exit as his lips descended to her own.