Lost Control- Dramione Fanfiction

12. The Disastrous Dinner Party

Exactly one week later, Hermione and Draco stood, hand in hand, just outside the magnificent gates of Malfoy Manor. Draco could feel how uneasy Hermione was, he would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous as well. He ran his finger over the back of her hand in comfort and murmured, "we can do this, she'll adore you."

But even Malfoy didn't believe his own lie. His Mother was furious when he had told her he would be bringing Hermione with him.

"A Mudblood?" she had shrieked, "In our ancestors' home? Draco, how could you?"

Draco had looked down at his feet, too nervous to meet her gaze. He knew it wouldn't go over well, he had just hoped, after everything they went through after the war, after everything that had happened with his Father, she would be more supportive of him finally finding someone.

"Mother," he mumbled, as she threw herself into the nearest armchair, "please, she's changed. We've changed! Just, please, give her a chance."

Mis Mother was still not pleased with the arrangement but promised her only son she would try.

"Are you ready?" Draco muttered, coming back to the present and kissing her on the forehead.

"Definitely not." She chuckled nervously. Draco muttered a word which caused the gates to swing open and they walked slowly down the gravelled driveway, still hand in hand.

The door swung open as they approached, Draco suddenly ripping his hand out of hers. If she wasn't already nervous enough, him pulling away from her made her want to keel over and be sick in his garden.

Narcissa was standing in the archway of the door like a vision. Arms wide open, in a beautiful, silky black gown she smiled, "Draco."

"Hello, Mother," he muttered, returning her hug. Hermione smiled as she stood on the steps awkwardly, her eyes following the beautiful, snowy white peacock strutting down across their lawn.

Narcissa coughed slightly, pulling Hermione's attention back to her. With an obviously considerable amount of effort she said, "Hermione Granger, what a pleasure."

Hermione stepped forward to meet her, holding out her hand to offer her a hand shake. "Thank you for having me in your home, Mrs. Malfoy. It's lovely to finally meet you" She spoke, her words catching in her throat.

Narcissa stared at Hermione, ignoring her faltering handshake. Hermione lowered her hand and chuckled awkwardly. She could tell what Narcissa was thinking; the same thing Hermione was. This wasn't the first time they had met, and it certainly wasn't the first time Hermione had spent time in her home.

Narcissa continued to stare, only breaking away when Draco let out a short, awkward cough. She looked back at Draco, beaming, "Well come in, Tilly has just finished serving dinner." She turned and walked away, the hem of her skirt whipping dramatically behind her.

Hermione looked up at Draco, craving some sort of confirmation, but his eyes were trained on his Mother. Without looking at Hermione he raised his hand, indicating for her to follow Narcissa inside.

Hermione sat awkwardly at the vast dining table. Narcissa had seated herself at the head of the table, with Draco on her right while Hermione was placed at the other end, sitting directly opposite her. They ate in silence, Hermione's eyes kept darting to Draco, who kept his gaze firmly on his plate.

After a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence, Narcissa spoke, her words dripping with false friendliness "So, Hermione Granger, tell me. Where has the fame and fortune of saving the Wizarding World led our Golden Girl?" Hermione glanced over at Draco, who was still refusing to look at her. Bewildered by Narcissa's words, she cleared her throat nervously and spoke slowly "Well, Mrs Malfoy, I didn't enjoy it very much, so I left and found myself a Muggle job. That's where I met Draco." She chuckled uneasily. But Narcissa didn't find her amusing at all. Instead, Narcissa spoke, her words soft but incredibly dangerous, "Ahh, a muggle job, just like your Muggle parents. Draco has told me all about his endeavours in the Muggle world." Her eyes shone with sinister glee as she continued, enjoying the sight of Hermione now fidgeting uncomfortably in her chair. "At first, I despised it, telling Draco that the Muggle world was not a place for such a well-bred wizard as himself. But he assured me, see, he told me 'Mother, you don't need to worry. It's just something to keep me entertained. Once I'm bored, I'll toss it to the garbage pile and move on to the next thing." She ended her words with a high, tinkling laugher and, keeping her eyes firmly trained on Hermione, she leaned over and kissed Draco on the top of his head. Hermione knew that, with Narcissa's last sentence, she was no longer referring to Draco's 'Muggle job'.

Narcissa seized the continuing silence, now hungry to hurt Hermione the way Hermione had hurt her family. "See, I presumed, silly me, that the 'brightest witch of our generation' would be doing something more fulfilling with her time, like, oh let me think, throwing innocent people in Azkaban."

Hermione was, thankfully, rescued from having to reply when Draco threw his knife and fork onto his plate with an echoing clang. Still looking down he uttered, with force "Mother, may I please speak to you in the next room."

He stood up, pushing his chair violently away from himself as he adjusted his suit jacket and walked angrily out of the room. Narcissa stared at Hermione for a moment, before getting up and following him out.

Once they had left, Hermione sunk into her chair, feeling like she hadn't taken a breath since she walked through the door. Her appetite was gone, she just wanted Draco to get her out of here. Through the wall, Hermione could here Draco and Narcissa whispering angrily to each other, but couldn't make out exactly what they were saying.

Eventually, Draco and Narcissa returned, Narcissa smiling smugly as she swung the hem of your dress around and settled gracefully down in her chair.

"Hermione," Draco said softly, again refusing to look her in the eyes. "Dinner is over."

"Oh," she said stunned, trying her hardest to conceal the relief she felt spread over her body. She stood up and walked over to Draco, who, to her surprise, sat back down next to his Mother. Hermione was confused, "what are you-"

"I'm not coming with you Hermione."

Hermione's jaw could have hit the floor. "Oh." She whispered again, every ounce of breath now knocked out of her body. Narcissa was gazing up at Hermione, a broad, triumphant smile on her face as she enjoyed the scene in front of her.

Draco sneered as he resumed eating with an air of indifference, "Let yourself out, the password for the gate is Mudblood." Narcissa giggled as she watched Hermione take in the information. Before they could see the tears spill over onto her cheeks, she muttered a choked 'thank you' to Narcissa before turning around and walking quickly out the door.

Running up to the gate, Hermione almost doubled over with her heavy sobs, tears streamed down her face. She had never felt more worthless and disgusting in her life. Wiping her nose with the back of her hand she wept "Mudblood" at the gate. It swung open, giving her the sickening feeling she had just been released from prison. Walking through the gate, she placed her hands on her knees to steady herself as fresh waves of grief took over her body. With one final glance in Draco's direction, she disapparated from Malfoy Manor.