Catalyst

A/N: I do not own or profit from this story or any of the characters within.

Hermione arrived at work late the next morning, tapping her feet impatiently in the lift as she waited for her floor.

“So,” came a familiar voice from behind her. “How was it, anyways?”

“How was what, Harry?”

“Whatever you and Malfoy got up to that made you late this morning,” he supplied in a low voice.

“I can’t begin to know what you are talking about, Harry. I’m late because I forgot to set the alarm last night.” She turned her head slightly, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. “What’s your excuse?”

He scoffed. “Like I need one.”

It was safe to say that, in the years following Voldemort’s demise, Harry had grown quite comfortable with utilizing his standing within wizarding society to his full advantage. He would never enjoy the repercussions of the fame, the staring and the constant public eye, but he had learned that there were benefits, such as strolling into work at any hour and being welcomed without question. Hermione, on the other hand, was fully expecting a stern dressing down upon her arrival.

“Come on, I’ll walk you in and say I kept you on important department business.”

He stepped off the lift with her and walked her to her office, flashing a winning smile at her department head and thanking him for being so understanding of the situation.

“You never answered my question,” he reminded her once they were closeted away in the small office. “It’s the least you can do, after I so gallantly came to your rescue just now.”

She looked at him skeptically. “Did you honestly want details?”

He laughed. “I suppose I just want confirmation that you’re happy, and that you’re okay with whatever did happen that night. You were pretty upset when you left, and while I didn’t think there was any reason to worry, I would feel awful if you really had needed us to follow after you.”

She smiled fondly at him, reassured by the hint of concern she could hear in his voice. “No, I was fine, just surprised to learn that my closest friends hadn’t batted an eye at my abduction. Anyhow, how was the rest of your weekend?”

“Fine. Though probably not as good as yours.” He gave her a sly smile. “Speaking of which, what are your plans for this weekend?”

“I hadn’t made any yet.” She looked up at him, suddenly suspicious as she noted the obvious anticipation written across his face. “Why?”

“It’s Halloween!”

“So it is.”

“We’re having a party,” he supplied, with the enthusiasm of a small child. “A costume party.”

After a long silence, she gave a long-suffering sigh. “We’ll see, Harry.”

He scoffed. “You already admitted you hadn’t made plans. I’ll see you there. Bring Malfoy along; you two can coordinate your outfits.” He grinned at her. “Oh, I need his address to send along his invitation.”

She was rummaging through her desk and replied without looking up. “I think I have one of his cards in my wallet. You can get it out of my purse.”

He grabbed her bag, rifling through things for the card.

“Ummm…. Hermione?”

“What?” She was rapidly losing her patience, already very behind in her work for the day.

“What exactly is this?”

Throwing her quill on to her desk dramatically, she looked up at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “What?”

“This.” He gestured to the tiny photo in his hand.

Suddenly realizing exactly what he was holding, she shot up from her seat and snatched it from his hand. As she glanced down at the tiny figure flitting about the photo, she couldn’t restrain a burst of laughter. Harry was looking at her expectantly.

She shrugged. “Draco’s mum gave it to me,” she filled in, looking unrepentant.

“That’s Malfoy?!”

“Umm-hmm.” She looked down, smiling at the 2-year old Draco as he pranced about waving a toy wand, wearing little more than a pointy hat that was clearly much too big for his head and a familiar smug smile.

“Huh.” The sound of his voice brought her back to reality and she realized that he was standing directly behind her, watching picture Draco over her shoulder.

“Harry,” she scolded, tucking the photo away into a desk drawer, “I very much doubt that Draco would appreciate your ogling.”

“Did he appreciate that his mum gave you that picture to begin with?” His green eyes gleamed mischievously.

Hermione shuffled the papers on her desk. “He doesn’t know,” she mumbled. She could only imagine his reaction to her possession of the picture, not to mention the topics of conversation she and Narcissa had shared during their day together.

Harry roared with laughter at that. Pushing up from his chair, he headed for the door. “Just come on Saturday. It’ll be fun.”

* * * * * * * *


“No way in hell am I wearing that, Draco.” She eyed the gold contraption contemptuously. “Disregarding the fact that I have no desire to parade about before a sizable crowd wearing little more that metal undergarments, I already vetoed anything involving a collar.” She turned her glare to the blonde wizard. “It seems ludicrous that such a restriction was necessary, but apparently it was. Not only does that ensemble include a collar, there is a chain extending from said collar. A chain!”

He rolled his eyes, giving her a bored look. “You said you liked the mover.”

“Movie,” she corrected.

“Whatever. I would have gotten to carry a weapon- a life saver-“

“Lightsaber.”

“Whatever. And I could lead your scantily clad body around by a chain. Everybody wins. I cannot fathom why you insist upon making this such a chore.”

Hermione remained silent, praying for patience. They’d been searching for costumes for the better part of the evening and had not yet come close to anything they agreed upon.

“What about this one?”

She crossed her fingers before turning around to investigate whatever it was Draco was suggesting.

“Pirates?” She looked pensive for moment. “That could be fun.”

“Pirate, actually. Technically I’d be the pirate.”

She felt a sinking sensation in her belly. “And I’d be…”

“My wench.”

She stared at him.

“Though I suppose the wench is still a pirate of sorts. Perhaps just a subdivision of pirate organization.” Evidently he believed this to be appropriately conciliatory, as he beamed at her.

“So I’d be wearing what, exactly?”

“Something like this.” He gestured towards one of the display costumes, featuring over the knee boots with stiletto heels, a corset over a gauzy off the shoulder top and a ragged looking miniskirt. She stared at the costume, then looked back to him. He was watching her intently with such a hopeful expression that she could feel her resolve crumbling.

“Draco…”

“You’d look brilliant dressed like that,” he murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his body. “And I’d have a sword. I would have no qualms with doling out swift retribution for anyone looking at my wench the wrong way. That’s a promise.” His tone was playful but his eyes held a steely glint of determination. Hermione made a mental note to make sure that he didn’t get his hands on a real sword.

She sighed, looking back to the costume once more. She felt his lips graze her forehead as he held her to him.

“Fine. Pirate and wench it shall be.”

* * * * * * * * * * *




“So when can I expect to meet the muggles responsible for raising my little wench?”

Hermione glared at him. In the days following the selection of their costumes, he had taken to referencing her role as often as possible.

“Don’t call me that.” She resumed eating. The Saturday of the Halloween party had arrived. They were out to a late lunch before the preparations began. Hermione had promised Harry and Ginny that she’d turn up early, pledging Malfoy’s assistance as well.

“Alright. When can I expect to meet the muggles responsible for raising such a charming and even-tempered young lady?”

She avoided his gaze, tinkering with her napkin and searching the recesses of her mind for a topic that would effectively distract him from his line of questioning.

“Hermione.” His voice had an almost indiscernible edge to it. He wasn’t truly annoyed yet, but was clearly headed in that direction.

“Mmm?” She looked up, schooling her features into a mask of innocence.

“It was your condition, remember?”

“Well I hardly expected you to agree to it.” The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them. She winced as she looked up at his face, his handsome features now hardened.

“So you don’t plan on introducing me then?” His voice was monotone. “It’s not that I mind not meeting them yet, you see, it’s just that the fact that you so obviously have no intention of introducing us, ever, does make me wonder.”

“I do plan on it, Draco. Sometime,” she added vaguely.

“I see.”

The silence that followed was deafening, growing more uncomfortable with each moment that passed. She could tell he was waiting for her to say something, to explain, but could find no words.

“I find that I’m not in the mood for a party this evening.” His voice was carefully controlled, his eyes steely, as he finally replied. “I’ll be in touch.”

He tossed a few bills on the table to cover the tab and walked from the restaurant. She watched his retreating form, wanting very badly to stop him, to explain away the hurt that she could tell was lurking beneath his impassive exterior, but remained silent, at a loss for words. It was only after she had retreated to the seclusion of her flat that the tears finally came.


* * * * * * * * * *



She woke with a start several hours later. She’d dropped into bed, exhausted, and fallen into a restless sleep. The sound of a throat being cleared had jerked her from her nap. She looked about groggily, her eyes gradually focusing on the blonde wizard leaning against her doorframe, watching her with an unreadable expression.

“Hi,” she greeted him softly.

“I just came by to bring you this.” He waved a sheet of parchment at her, crossing the floor to her bed and dropping it in her lap.

She stared at it for a moment before looking back to his face, which remained devoid of expression. Finally reaching out to pick up the parchment, she was dismayed to notice the trembling of her hand as she smoothed it out, taking a deep breath. Draco sighed and pulled the parchment from her hands.

“As long as I’m here…”

He cleared his throat and prepared to read. Hermione tried desperately to quell the flutterings in her belly.

He stared at the parchment for a moment before dropping his head and crumpling it into a ball.

“Screw it. Do you know that I went home today and I actually made a list of reasons why it was totally ludicrous that you don’t want your family to meet me? Can you imagine? I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, composing an argument as to why I am worthy of being introduced to a bunch of muggles.”

She opened her mouth to respond and found it swiftly covered by one of his hands as he seated himself on the bed.

“Don’t.” His grey gaze was steely and fierce. “I’m really not interested in any more of your evasiveness at the moment. And I’m not here in an attempt at persuasion either. I just want a straight answer here, Granger. I’ve never been in the position of being closeted away as a dirty little secret before, and I don’t think I care for it much. Precisely what is it about me that you view as unsuitable?”

“Draco,” she began, stunned by his words. “That’s not it at all.”

He snorted and stared fixedly at her bedspread.

“I’m not worried about their reaction to you. I’ve no doubts that they’d be delighted to meet you.” She reached out for his hand. “I’m worried about your reaction to them. They’re muggles, as you’ve pointed out numerous times. And given our history, well…”

She trailed off and he suddenly understood. “Hermione, I was a kid.” He was hit by a wash of guilt as he looked into her worried face. “I’m sorry I acted the way that I did. But I never dreamt you were still worried about such things, given our current relationship.”

“I know that things are different now, that we’ve both grown up. It’s just that you’ve become very important to me and I can’t bear the thought of you meeting my parents, who I love dearly, and despising them.”

He sighed and stretched out next to her, pulling her to him and wrapping her arms around her as she snuggled against him.

“There’s no need to bear the thought because it’s not going to happen.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head and sat in silence for several moments, neither sure what else to say. “Now,” he began, pulling them both upright, “I believe we have a party to attend.”

* * * * * * * * *


A low whistle sounded as Hermione stepped out of the fireplace at Harry’s house.

“Very nice, Hermione.” Harry was standing in the middle of the room, holding his wand and leering appreciatively at her.

“Harry James Potter!” came the shriek from the direction of the kitchen. The door flew open, revealing a very irritated Ginny. “Please tell me that you weren’t just whistling at another woman.”

“Yes, Potter. I’d hate to have to begin doling out punishment before the party’s even begun.” Draco was brandishing his sword, having stepped out of the floo just in time to hear Harry’s comment and catch the appreciative look.

“Sweetheart, you know I only have eyes for you.” Harry pulled her into an embrace, mouthing ‘hormones- PMS’ over her shoulder to Hermione and Draco. Hermione giggled. Draco raised an eyebrow and swung his sword idly with a meaningful look that promised worlds of pain for anyone caught attempting to poach his wench.

“So, what can we do to help?”

Ginny turned to their guests, her eyes lighting up as she took in their costumes.

“You look brilliant! Draco is a better influence than I gave him credit for if he got you into that get up.” She nodded her approval, eyes roving freely over the cleavage evident in the corset top and the expanse of creamy thigh exposed by the impossibly tiny skirt.

“Yes, well.” Hermione didn’t have a response for that other than tug at her skirt and scowl at Draco, who was looking very smug indeed.

“Quit pulling at it,” Ginny hissed, slapping her hand away. “You don’t wear a costume like that and then go all modest. Just wait ‘til you see what I’m wearing,” she whispered to Hermione, her lips curling up wickedly. “I promise you’ll be in good company.”

“Hmm.” Somehow Hermione did not find Ginny’s reassurances comforting in the least.

“Come with me, you can help me get ready while they finish setting up.”

Hermione found herself being dragged from the room and cast an apologetic look over her shoulder at Draco, who looked mightily annoyed at being left alone with Harry to be put to work.

“Draco doesn’t look half-bad either,” Ginny whispered conspiratorially as she pulled Hermione up the stairs, “not that I’d admit that to him. A man that vain needs no encouragement. But that body… not bad at all.”

Hermione had to agree. He looked quite dashing in his costume with his his longish blonde hair falling loose around his face. The eye-patch in specific gave him an especially dangerously attractive look, inspiring visions of him mercilessly ravaging her. She fanned herself as they entered the master bedroom.

“Is it warm in here?”

Ginny shot her a knowing look and giggled. “Settle down, Hermione. It’s going to be a long night if you keep that up.”

* * * * * * * * * *


It was much later that the two witches resurfaced, costumes in place, to find the large living areas nearly unrecognizable.

“Note to self: never again leave Harry and Malfoy alone together,” Ginny muttered.

The combined charms work of both men was impressive indeed, if a little over the top. Glistening cobwebs spread nebulously over every surface, accented by spindly-legged spiders animated to move sinuously across the webs. The room was dimly lit with floating candles, the charmed black surface of the walls sucking up their glow. Shimmering mist poured from cauldrons placed strategically about the room, each filled with bubbling, deliciously scented liquid.

“What’s in here?” Hermione wondered aloud, hovering above a cauldron filled with a transparent blue liquid.

“Beverages.”

Harry and Draco stood in the doorway, looking quite pleased with their handiwork, each holding large tankards of brightly colored liquid.

“See, we put the glasses under each cauldron,” Harry continued, pointing. “So you can scoop straight out of it.”

The girls bent over to inspect. Sure enough, shelved units containing rows of large tankards supported the weight of each cauldron.

“And what, exactly,” began Hermione carefully, “are these beverages?”

“They’re brilliant! Malfoy taught me the recipes.” Harry took another sip and hiccoughed.

Two pairs of eyes narrowed in suspicion at Draco, who was unable to keep a wicked smile from his face.

“Malfoy…”

“They ARE delicious. We serve these at all social functions held at the Manor. Just try some, Granger.”

She sniffed the glass suspiciously, noting the greenish tinge to the liquid. “Why’s it that color?”

“It’s decorative. Festive. For the Halloween celebration.” He sighed at her reluctance. “Come on, Granger, do you honestly think I’d give you something that would cause you bodily harm?”

She raised the tankard to her lips, tipping a bit of the liquid into her mouth and promptly spewing it back out in shock. She stared at Draco, who looked bewildered.

“That stuff should have an octane rating!”

Harry giggled happily and lifted his glass, which was promptly snatched away his irate wife. She tried a small sip, wincing slightly. After a moment, her eyebrows lifted in surprise and she shrugged, taking another gulp.

“Ginny!” Hermione looked aghast.

“Well it DOES taste good. I expect everyone will end up inebriated one way or another. Might as well make it a bit easier,” she explained reasonably.

“Inebriation is common,” Draco sniffed haughtily. “Malfoys do not get drunk. It’s undignified.”

* * * * * * * *


“Malfoy, for the love of god, put that sword away this instant.”

Hermione watched in dismay as Draco swung the weapon dangerously close to Seamus Finnigan, shouting incoherently as the unsuspecting wizard scampered away.

“He was looking at you.” He wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, swaying slightly. “And no one makes a move on the woman I love and lives to tell about it.”

“Yes, yes, we’ve heard it about a hundred…” Hermione trailed off, a funny expression on her face. “Wait, what did you say?”

Draco puffed his chest up, tapping the handle of his sword menacingly. “The Dread Pirate Malfoy shows no mercy to those who covet his beloved. None shall besmirch your honor.” He looked her up and down, a lazy smile on his face. “Except me, of course.”

She gaped at him, rendered speechless by a combination of affection, shock, and amusement. No doubt he had no idea what he had just let slip in his state of intoxication. His blonde hair was mussed and his eye patch askew as the result of several tussles over the course of the evening.

“Yes, well.” She cleared her throat, unable to formulate a response. “There’s been no besmirching. Not to worry. But perhaps it’s time to head home.”

As if on cue, Harry and Ron shoved through the crowd, stopping inches from the couple.

“Home?” Harry looked horrified.

“No!” Ron grabbed Hermione’s arm. “You can’t make him leave yet!”

Malfoy, managing to look disdainful even in his drunken state, pulled the offending hand from her arm.

“I must insist that you unhand my wench immediately.”

Hermione snorted. “Seriously. We’re going.”

Three sets of eyes pleaded with her. She sighed, checking her watch. It was nearly two in the morning. Somewhere from the back of the room she heard a deep voice bellowing about a wet t-shirt contest.

“Now.” She dragged the recalcitrant blonde towards the fireplace, barely pausing to say their goodbyes on the way.

Once they’d flooed back to her flat and Draco was sufficiently undressed (the sword was carefully removed and banished from the room), he fell into bed and promptly began snoring. Hermione went about preparing for bed, climbing in after him a few minutes later and wondering just how serious he’d been when he called her “the woman I love.”


*A/N: I do love Halloween. And pirates. Therefore I very much enjoyed writing this chapter. It\'s like having little puppets to play dress up with. Sexy blonde Draco puppets.... But I digress.

Like it? Hate it? Think they should have gone as Sonny and Cher? Hit the review button and let me know what you thought!

Thanks SO much to everyone who has been reviewing and have a wonderful Halloween! As always, let me know if you\'d like to be added to the email update list.