The silence sent shivers down her spine. She summoned whatever confidence she had left and said, "Do I make myself clear?"

His eyes were dark, the grey fading into black dilated centers. She felt his breath on her cheek and the heat from his chest just inches from her own.

Dropping his eyes once more before finding her gaze again, he whispered, "Perfectly, Granger."

"Good," she said, stepping back and reaching for the door.

She disappeared back to her own room, letting her mind wander to the 'convincing show' Pansy had put on in her own body, wondering if she would be able to replicate it the following week.

Chapter End Notes

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Chapter 17

Chapter Notes

Love to the gals, as always.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Hermione woke up the next morning with her blood still boiling. She rescheduled breakfast with Narcissa and locked herself away, researching and reading in angry solitude. Every time she'd let her mind wander, it would conjure images of Draco with Hermione's doppelgänger in his lap, moving as Pansy Parkinson moves and kissing like Pansy Parkinson kisses.

So she kept it occupied well past dinner time, until she was too exhausted to think.

She woke early on Sunday morning, determined to speak to Draco before breakfast. After compiling another list of questions for him — none of which had to do with the "convincing show" he and Pansy had put on two nights before — she finally left her room and rapped smartly on his door. She waited for a more than acceptable amount of time before rapping again. The door handle was immovable, as expected. She frowned in frustration. After fifteen more minutes of aggravated pacing, knocking, and waiting, she headed downstairs to meet Narcissa.

Only Narcissa wasn't at the table. The dining room was set for two, but it was empty.

Hermione had a brief flash of panic, remembering how all three Malfoys had disappeared before, leaving her alone for weeks.

"Mippy?"

A pop! sounded from behind her.

"Miss!"

"Good morning, Mippy," Hermione said, smiling down at her through the tightness in her chest. "Where might I find Narcissa?"

"Missus is in her study!"

Perhaps Narcissa had forgotten? "Thank you. I'll visit her there." She hurried out of the room before Mippy could blink her overlarge eyes.

Hermione traveled down the corridor to Narcissa's private study. She needed to see for herself. She needed to know they hadn't left her alone again. Lucius had been gone for weeks. Draco wasn't responding. If Narcissa was gone too…

She turned a corner and froze at the sound of a voice rising to biting tones, floating into the hallway from behind a cracked door.

Her pulse calmed when she recognized Narcissa's voice, then quickened with her rising curiosity. She paused, debating. Spying on Narcissa's private conversations felt like crossing a line.