Puppy-Dog Tales

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Chapter 16 - Baths, Breakfast, and Brats

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Hermione sighed and tugged at the warmth next to her.

Draco looked down at her as she snuggled her face against his shoulder.

This was what he had wanted all along. Now as he was himself, and not the puppy. She was his angel.

Hermione moaned, "Prince?" She sat up and squinted a little.

"Woof," Ptolemy said softly as he went to her and licked her cheek.

Draco looked at his bride-to-be and her doggy. That was sweet, but she should've noticed that he was in bed too.

Hermione tucked the puppy close in her arms and lay back on the bed stretching an arm out so her hand rested on Draco's stomach.

Ptolemy groaned and wriggled in his sandwiched place. He leaned up and licked Hermione's ear.

“Hermione, Love,” Draco murmured as he leaned closer to her.

Ptolemy growled a little and shoved his cold, wet nose to her neck.

"Naughty man!" Hermione giggled.

“It was the dog,” Draco said and moved the puppy away from her, kissing her neck with his hot lips.

Hermione's eyes sprang open at the hot lips on her neck, and she pressed close to Draco.

“How are you, Love?” Draco asked, rubbing his nose along her chin.

"What are you doing in here?" Hermione asked, biting her lip as Draco shifted to press her into the mattress.

“I was sleeping here. You invited me,” he said and kissed her cheek.

"You should go," Hermione said, "Your father is escorting me to breakfast."

“Well, I can escort you. Would you like that?”

"No," Hermione said, "I promised Lucius that he could escort me." She stood up and stretched.

“But Love, don't you like me better?”

"I don't know whom I like best, and your father asked first," Hermione said, opening her trunk and pulling out a wine red dress.

Draco sat on the bed and pouted.

"You should go," Hermione said as she dashed into the bathroom.

Draco followed her to the bathroom door.

Hermione shut the door before brushing her teeth and checked the temperature of the bath she was running.

“Hermione Granger, let me in!”

"Draco Malfoy, you go away," Hermione called back.

"Woof!" Ptolemy gave a high pitched bark.

Hermione opened the door just enough to let the puppy in before shutting and locking it.

“I can wash your back!” Draco offered.

"Go away," Hermione snapped, "I'll see you later today."

“But I am all yours...wouldn't you rather have me all to yourself?”

"Your father is very HOT! I was considering asking him to be my first." Hermione grinned imagining Draco's reaction to her statement.

“You will not ask him!” Draco pounded his fists on the door.

Hermione covered her mouth before climbing into the bath and quickly bathing.

“You are to be my bride!”

"I am at least to be a Malfoy bride if your father beds me. I should think he would not be willing to share with you. Your father is so handsome, do go and tell him it is my wish that he join me," Hermione said, splashing in the tub. "This tub is perfect for two people!"

“I will join you! Let me in!”

Hermione sighed, "Will you fetch your father for me?" She stood up and wrapped a towel around herself as she finished.

Draco was fuming.

"Tilly," Hermione called.

A small elf popped into the room.

"What can Tilly do for Miss?"

“Can you tell Master Lucius I will be soon ready to meet him?”

Tilly bowed.

"I can escort you to breakfast!"

“Draco, calm down!”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Do come in," Hermione called as she smoothed her dress down and opened the bathroom door.

“Hermione!” Draco ran to her and hugged her tight.

"Draco, you will wrinkle my dress," Hermione said, pushing him off. "And I told you to leave."

Knock.

"Do come in," Hermione called.

Lucius opened the door and stepped just into the room. He bowed to Hermione.

He noticed Draco clinging to the witch and frowned.

Hermione pushed Draco off and almost ran to Lucius who reached a hand out to take hers.

“I apologize for my son's behavior.”

"His misconduct can hardly be blamed on you. I am sure you did your best raising him, but he is obviously bad by nature," Hermione said, "Where is Lady Malfoy?"

"She had to go to her sister. Teddy is ill, and Cissa is a trained mediwitch."

“That's very sweet of her,” Hermione said and ignored Draco's crestfallen look.

"So I am afraid that it is just the three of us for breakfast," Lucius said, leading her from the room.

Draco followed taking no notice of the fact that he was wearing only a pair of boxers.

“Son, why don't you get dressed?”

"You're a pervert," Draco said. "You are trying to court my witch!"

“It's not perverted to court a witch. It's perverted to be in a lady’s room in your state of dress when you are not engaged to her.”

"I will not..." Draco began.

"Draco, if it is your desire to please me, I suggest that you leave and find some decent breakfast clothes."

Hermione rested her cheek on Lucius' arm as he escorted her out onto the front porch overlooking a large lake.

Draco wanted to hex his father badly.

Hermione smiled as Lucius pulled out a chair for her and helped her scoot to the table.

"I hope Belgian waffles are to your taste," Lucius said as he watched Hermione turn the syrup holder to look over all the flavors.

“I'm spoiled for choice.”

"Only the best my dear," Lucius said, taking his own seat. "I hope you slept well."

“I did sleep fine.”

"I am glad to hear it. I hope you won't think I'm being too intrusive, but I do desire to know why Draco was in your room this morning mostly naked this morning," Lucius said, staring at the creeping vine sprouting out large white blossoms. A light blush tinted his cheeks as he spoke.

“Oh...it was nothing really...”

“Well a half-naked man is not nothing...have you chosen your suitor then?”

“No," Hermione said, "Draco was quoting, or attempting to quote rather, Romeo and Juliet. I incited him into climbing a tree and he hurt his knee when he jumped from the tree to the balcony. I didn't have the heart to send him back to his room after I healed him. He refused to let me get his mother. I didn't know she was a mediwitch."

“That's admirable of you. I wonder if he faked the fall though.”

"No, I saw his knee, it was twisted to the side badly.”

“Then it might have been a legitimate injury. I do hope he was not improper in any way with you.”

"No, he was quite fine till this morning when I suggested that he ought to obey my wish to seek you out and invite you to join me for a bath," Hermione teased, putting a hand on Lucius' knee briefly as a waffle appeared in front of her.

“I am flattered that you wished to share a bath with me, alas I am afraid it can only happen if we are engaged.”

Hermione smiled, "I am not wholly certain yet of whom I would wish to be with exclusively, but I do think you are quite lovely."

"I quite understand," Lucius said, taking a bite of waffle. "You are quite young."

“But I want a good husband.”

"I know, my dear," Lucius said. "I have no doubt that you will marry well."

Lucius' hair fell over to block his face.

Hermione reached out and pushed it back.

“I adore your hair. It's gorgeous.”

"Thank you," Lucius said, tilting his head opposite her own tilt.

Hermione leaned in closer to Lucius.

"Good Morning, Love," Draco said, flouncing to Hermione and kissing her cheek.

“I didn't expect you,” Hermione murmured and ducked out of Draco's reach.

Draco frowned and sat next to Hermione stretching an arm around the back of her chair.

“Where have your manners gone, son?”

Draco glared at his father, "Whatever happened to being a good father?" he retorted. "Hermione loves me!"

“I don't know whom I like most,” Hermione said. “Right now your father seems the best.”

"You love me," Draco declared. "He is brainwashing you. He is devious."

“Draco, bugger off. You sound obsessive and childish.”

Draco pouted, "You never give me a chance."

“How can I give a chance to a child?”

"You sit and flirt with my father and you expect me not to be jealous?" Draco asked, "You said that you would spend the week with ME."

“Well, I am reconsidering now.”

"You would break your word? How un-Gryffindor of you."

“No just changing what I meant...very Slytherin of me,” she said and smiled at Lucius.

Draco pouted and stormed off. He had to find something to convince her to spend the day with him. His father was upstaging him. He wouldn't lose his witch to his father. That would be the most humiliating thing that could ever happen.

Everyone would make fun of him for the rest of his life.

He walked quickly toward the stables and saddled a beautiful mare Lipizzaner and his own black Friesian. He swung up and rode the horse out of the barn.

Hermione was animatedly talking to Lucius and leaning closer to him.

Draco draped the mare’s reins over a fence rail and directed his own horse about keeping an eye on Hermione and his 'father.'

"Tilly," Draco called.

An elf popped up.

"Would you pack a picnic lunch for Miss Hermione and myself?"

The elf nodded and vanished.

He would show her how grown up he was!

He urged his stallion to a canter, "Help me impress the pretty girl on the porch, and there is an extra helping of oats in it for you."

The horse tossed his head and began to stretch its canter elegantly as Draco rode toward the house.

Hermione had almost managed to sneak into sitting in Lucius' lap.

Lucius smiled at her as she moved to stand behind him a moment later and began to braid his hair.

“I love your hair, Lucius. I hope my children will have your hair.”

Lucius spun to her and took her hips to pull her between his legs a bit and stared at her with heated eyes as he caressed her sides.

“Don’t tease me about wanting children,” Lucius said, looking up at her before placing his cheek on her stomach and tugging her closer for a moment.

“I wasn't teasing you,” Hermione said seriously.

"I would love another child or four," Lucius said, sliding a hand around to press against her abdomen as he imagined seeing her enlarged with his baby.

“Or four? I didn't know you wanted a large family.”

"I always did. I have enough room and more than enough money for a large family. You wouldn't mind having several children, would you?"

“I would love to have many children if I had a loving husband.”

"I guarantee you a lifetime of love and affection if you become my wife," Lucius said.

“But wouldn't your already existing wife be against that?”

"Narcissa understands. We had this discussion years ago. She always wanted more children around the house as well. As long as she was allowed to enjoy the children with us, I am certain she would have no objections and not be hurt," Lucius said, rubbing his hand over her stomach reverently.

“Of course I would let her enjoy the children and give input in parenting.”

Draco growled as he watched them. He had to make this madness stop. She should be paying attention to him.

Why was she not disgusted by the old man?

He fell back on the saddle limply and the horse quickened its pace.

"MERLIN!" Lucius shouted when he saw Draco limp on the saddle. He leapt away from Hermione and raced down and stopped the horse.

Hermione gasped as Lucius carried Draco up the stairs.

“What happened to him?” Hermione asked as she rushed to his side.

Draco slit his eyes open.

"He has a heart condition that there is no treatment for," Lucius said, carrying Draco into a small sitting room and laying him on the sofa.

"Heart condition?"

"He must not have taken his potion this morning," Lucius said, stroking his son's hair.

"Where is it?" Hermione asked, "I'll go and get it for him."

“It is in his bathroom, in the cabinet under the sink,” Lucius explained as he carried Draco to a couch.

Hermione raced away.

Draco's eyes slit open, "Where is Hermione?" he asked, weakly lifting a hand.

Lucius stroked Draco's hair back as he knelt on the floor next to his only child.

“You should never forget your potion, son. You know that you could fall into a coma if it gets very bad. Hermione went up to your room to fetch it.”

Draco moaned, "My heart is breaking."

"It's alright," Lucius said, "Your potion will make everything alright."

“No, it won't. I want to die. She doesn't like me. She looked like she'd want you to take her right there on the table. I think I should've never survived the heart operation as a baby.”

“No, son. You are special. I need you here very much.”

Lucius stroked Draco's face as he heard those words.

"Is he alright?" Hermione asked, racing into the room.

"Hermione," Draco asked, looking around. "Hermione."

“I'm here Draco. What happened to you?” she asked, holding out a purple potion to him.

"I'm fine now that you're here," Draco said, smiling weakly at her as he reached for the potion.

“Why didn't you tell you're so ill? I would've not upset you!”

“I am okay. It's just a little hole in my heart which keeps on opening again...the potion solves it all.”

Lucius kept stroking Draco's hair, "Be glad your mother isn't here."

Draco took his potion and sighed, "I planned a picnic for us today near the lake." Draco rested on the pillows.

“You need to rest Draco! And you need to tell me about all important health issues!” Hermione chided him.

"Will you stay with me?" Draco asked, reaching for her hand.

"Of course, I will," Hermione said, combing her fingers through his hair.

“I shall leave you two alone. Draco needs to explain himself to you.” Lucius exited the parlor swiftly.

"No please stay, Lucius," Hermione said, "He may relapse."

Hermione shifted up and lifted him so she could sit on the sofa more comfortably and she let him rest his head on her lap.

"Yes, Father, feel free to stay," Draco said, relaxing as she played with his hair.

“I don't want to interrupt,” Lucius said, bowing out of the room.

“Draco, promise me you will always tell me when you feel bad? I don't want to hurt you.”

"I'll be fine as long as you stay with me," Draco said.

"Woof. Woof," Morgana barked and stamped her feet on the floor.

Ptolemy tackled her. The girl puppy struggled against the stronger boy.

Hermione looked down at Draco, "You didn't have any breakfast, did you?"

Draco shook his head.

“You need to eat...something light. I'll feed you!”

"Ok," Draco said, taking her hand and kissing it.

“You got me scared there for a moment. I thought you'd died!”

"I love you," Draco said.

“How do you know that, Draco?”

"I always have," Draco said, closing his eyes and smirking on the inside.

Hermione would spend the whole day with him. All his. No sharing with his old man.

“Did you really love me? It didn't seem like that at all.”

Draco lifted a hand and put it on his chest.

"You're alright," Hermione said, and she stroked his hair gently. "Just relax."

“I don't know what it was what I felt when I saw you when I was younger. I was first irritated that a girl could best me...then that you were paying so much attention to Weasel and Potter. I wanted to be the one who got the attention.”

"Just relax, Draco," Hermione said, picking up a cherry and offering it to him. "I don't want you to overstress yourself."

“But how can I not stress knowing that my father bests me?”

"Bests you?" Hermione asked.

Draco took the cherry and sighed.

“I saw how you were standing with my father.”

"And he saw how we are sitting now," Hermione said, giving Draco a strawberry.

“This is different. What were you talking about with him?”

"We were wondering where you'd sneaked off to," Hermione said, putting another strawberry in Draco's mouth.

"With his hand on you tummy, it looked like you just said you were preggers or something," Draco said, snuggling his face into her shoulder as he sat up.

“I'm not pregnant, that I can assure you.”

Draco smiled against her shoulder, "You didn't do anything with him or Severus when you were alone with them?"

His hand slipped toward her right breast, aching to feel its weight settle in his palm.

“No I didn't do anything with them. And you shouldn't try to do anything with me, too,” she said swatting his hand away.

Draco blushed and dropped his hand to her hips. “I apologize, Love. I wanted to be special to you and...I may be a little too eager to be yours.”

"It's alright," Hermione said, beginning to rub his back in soft circles. "It's nice to know that I am physically attractive."

“Is it wrong that I want your love and care?”

“No, of course, it's not wrong,” she assured him. “I just have trouble choosing.”

"You are a wonderful witch, Hermione," Draco said, lifting a strawberry to her lips.

“Thank you, Draco. After you eat, you should take a long nap. Let yourself get some rest.”

"Actually, the Healers say it is best for me not to rest too much after just taking the potion. They suggest exercise so my heart gets stronger."

“Really? I don't want to strain you.”

"A nice horseback ride, maybe," Draco said, licking her fingers as she offered him another berry.

“I have only ridden a pony as a child. I don't know how I will manage this,” she said and fed him a pastry.

"You could ride behind me," Draco said, "Hold on to my waist. The grounds are pretty."

“But I'd be afraid to fall.”

“I'd make sure you're fine. Or would you like to ride on your own? We have a wonderful mare; she's patient and good with beginners.”

"Whatever you think is best," Hermione said.

"Well, I would love for you to ride behind me," Draco said, "But I think you would find it more fulfilling to learn to ride. Horseback riding is a very popular sport among the society elite."

"Swear to never forget your potion again!" Hermione demanded.

“I swear I will take my potion as required!”

Hermione grinned and swooped in pressing her lips to Draco's.

Draco tried to pull her closer for a full-blown snogging session.

Hermione pushed him back, "Shall we have the horses made ready?"

"If you like," Draco said, staring at her lips. “Or we could do different riding in the bedroom.”

"Should I tell Lucius on you?"

“Well you wouldn't, now, would you?”

"If you continue to proposition me, I would be left with no recourse. It would then be best if we were chaperoned, as you would be showing your inability to control yourself."

“Please don't ask for a chaperone?” he begged, looking very innocent. “I promise to be good!”

"I won't at the moment," Hermione said, "But your father surely wouldn't want a bastard in the family." She petted his hair after Draco ordered that the horses be brought up to the front by a barn elf.

"We will need to borrow a pair of Mother's riding boots for you," Draco said, taking her hand as he sat up. He placed her hand on his arm and led her up the stairs toward the hall entrance to his mother's closet.

“Will she not object to us just going in and taking thing?” Hermione asked cautiously.

“No, not at all. After all, you're going to be her dear daughter-in-law.”

Draco slipped into the closet and grabbed a nice pair of black riding boots and reached up to grab a helmet.

“And no child of mine will be a bastard. I don't sleep around. And I love you and I love all the children we will have.”

"Draco, we have no understanding," Hermione said, "And I may not choose you. I really do like my other of my suitors.

“What do you like about them?”

"They are both handsome and sweet. Your father is an absolute doll."

“Hermione, it makes me sick when you talk about him. I feel like I am the last person on your mind.”

"You asked," Hermione said, pulling on the boots. "You act like you are interested, and then you get upset by honesty."

"It hurts my feelings that you are so friendly with him. He is old and barmy."

“Draco, if you keep on talking that way, I will not go ride with you. You act like a child!”

"He is my father," Draco said. "It is hurtful to think that I could lose the only girl I like to him. And it's embarrassing and shaming. And I don't know how to be better for you."

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment.

Draco led her out to where two horses were waiting for them ready to be ridden.

"Which do I ride?" Hermione asked.

"Queen Anne," Draco said, pointing to a white mare.

"Miss Granger," Lucius called approaching them quickly.

Hermione smiled at Lucius brightly.

Draco glared at him.

"May I speak with Draco a moment alone?"

“Of course,” Hermione responded.

Lucius walked over to his only child who had lived.

"Draco," Lucius said, taking his son aside.

"What do you want? To steal Hermione before I get any quality time with her?"

"Draco, I am going to tell Miss Granger that I can not court her any longer," Lucius said, ignoring his son's hateful looks.

Draco's face burst into a grin, "Really? No jokes? No tricks? Wizard's oath?"

“Yes, I don't want you to die. Your mother would never forgive me.”

Draco hugged his father, "You're the best father.”

Lucius held the boy close. He squeezed him tightly.

Draco pulled back, "Tell her now!"

“Maybe after your ride it would be a better time.”

"NOW!" Draco said.

“Fine, you little spoiled brat. But for this, I demand you make many grandchildren for me. Or else I'll do it myself.”

Draco grinned, "I will make lots of children!"

“You better,” Lucius growled and then stepped closer to Hermione.

Hermione blushed and looked away from the handsome wizard.

"Miss Granger, I have something important to discuss with you."

“What is it, Lucius?”

"I'm sorry, but I can no longer court you," Lucius said, looking her level in the eye.

“Why? Did Draco threaten you?”

"No," Lucius said, "I'm not afraid of my son harming me. I am afraid of losing my son. I won't do anything that could hurt him."

“But us courting doesn't hurt him!”

"It does. He can not help his heart condition. His emotional state directly affects his heart. I can't. I'm sorry. He is my dearest treasure."

Hermione looked heartbroken. “Draco's exaggerating!”

"He is not. Today proved that. I went to his room, and he had taken his potion this morning and was still quite affected by our behavior."

Hermione was close to crying. She had liked Lucius much better than Draco.

"If our circumstances were different...If I'd met you twenty years ago," Lucius said, taking her hands and kissing them, "Believe me when I say, nothing would have kept us apart."

Hermione was crying now. Was she really so pathetic that men who courted her found reasons to leave her? She ran past the wizards towards the gate of the manor.

"What did you do?" Draco demanded, before racing after her.

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There was Chapter 15. Am finally done with school. Hope you all enjoy. *HUGS*