The Given Choices

*~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter Twenty-five – The After-math of the Choices Made *~*~*~*~*~*~*

“All I saying that it is not right,” Hermione protested as she finished the last of her chocolate mousse at ‘their’ dining room table at the Lestrange’s Manor, which was just recently given to the newly weds. It was the last day of their short honeymoon and they just finished dessert as it was about an hour till Snape was to show up.


Draco chuckled as he replied, “Yes, I know all about your opinion on House-elf rights but all I am saying is let’s keep them as is till after we discuss the best thing for them. They came with the estate as part of the wedding gift from Bellatrix.”


In the back of her mind the words communication and compromise ran in the back of her mind, those two words were the things that her mother, Mrs. Granger, had always said was the best way to run a marriage on. Hermione smiled at her new husband, who she kept in mind was raised on house-elves, had at least offered to pay them but refused to set them free. It was true that the matter could be settled when they came to the Manor, whenever that was. She raised her champagne, which she could get used to drinking, and replied, “Fine, they stay as is and we’ll discuss it later.”


Draco’s mouth dropped, as he was stunned that she conceded so fast, but it quickly turned into a smirk. “Good. Now, come over to this side of the table and let me get some kissing in before my godfather makes an appearance.”

“I suppose but no more than kissing,” she quipped as she sauntered to his side of the table. He pushed back from the table enough for her to take a seat on his open lap. As soon as she was close enough, he pulled her quickly against his chest and slipped his hand up the back of her thigh under the uniform skirt. His passionate kisses immediately made her pulse increase and her body start to burn to the fire he started within her body.


Those fast Seeker fingers of his found their way into her lace knickers and dipped into her folders. A moan from the back of her throat was all he needed before he stood up and lowered her body in front on him on the cherry dinning room table. His teeth nipped at throat as she purred, “Okay, maybe a little more than… than kissing. Yes, right there.”


Two fingers pumped in and out of her core as her hands quickly worked at his belt buckle. His other hand pushed up her sweater of her breasts and his mouth immediate sucked at the white lace pebbled nipples. Her back arched up as her hands stopped their movements only a second and then went back to the task of unzipping his pants. Draco nipped at one peak and then headed to the other as he huskily spoke, “Bloody hell, I am going to miss doing this whenever I want to, especially after meals.”


Once his member was released, he leaned back and tugged her wet knickers, which were simply in the way, off her body. The lacey fabric got tucked into his back pocket as he raised one of her legs and then the other onto his shoulders. Both groaned as he sunk his hard, cock deeply into her hot core. Her head thrashed from one side to the other as she tried to with hold her moans as he plunged in and out of her body again and again. They had done similar acts almost too many times to be counted over the past fifty-two hours.


They pace quickly grew as his fingers played with her clit and her muffled moan became full-blown, loud moans. Her nails scratched at his white shirt and pulled his tie to bring his lips crashing down on hers in needy frenzy. The kisses became more frantic as her pants where barely forming his name and a mix of ‘yes,’ ‘more’, and ‘harder.’ His hand wiggled out from between them and went to her bare chest to pinch her nipple in just the right amount of pressure that Draco had learned.


A final ‘Draco’ escaped her lips as she came hard and a two pushes later her lover followed. His sweat-damp shirt clung to his chest and back as she traced the outline of his peaks as they tried to catch their breaths. The gold and red tie lay between her bosom and he was enjoying playing with the bottom that ended at her belly bottom. A clearing of the throat made both freeze and the young Slytherin curse some phrase about his godfather and bad timing. Draco covered the view of Hermione’s body as she quickly button her shirt.


“Its is not that I am too old to appreciate that vision, I’d rather not see it again. Please cease your couplings till at least a half-another before my arrival, Draco,” Professor Snape drawl came from the entrance behind the blond Slytherin.


The deep blush was on her cheeks as he fixed his own body parts and she tried to flatten her hair. The Potions Master chuckled at the display of the young married couple. Draco kissed her cheek as he helped her off the table. They strode up to the professor and the younger male said, “I certainly hope it will be the last time as well. We are ready.”


Snape watched his godson that he was respecting more and more as he helped his bride on with her cloak. He knew that it had not been an easy choice of becoming a double-spy for the son of Lucius Malfoy to make but he was proud that he made the choice on his own. He had shown his clips of early raids and the things that truly happened during them. Also, a few choice vision of the past were young Lucius mercilessly raped girls younger than Miss Weasley. Severus had watched the expressions on Draco’s face during the time in his captured memories that he was not proud of but he had to do all he could do, short of disclosing his position in the Order, to persuade Draco to not go down the dark path he had.


Draco coughed from the door of the manor as Hermione and him stood waiting for their mentor. The youth raised his eyebrow but did not say anything as the professor joined them. The carriage outside was going to take them to back to Hogwarts. It was much like the Knight Bus as it went at the same speed as the motorized vehicle in barely a few minutes but it was much classier method of transportation to Pureblood society.


Hermione, Draco, and Severus sat in silence as they rode in the carriage back to Hogwarts. Their days of just them were gone and they were going back to putting up an act again. His pale hand squeezed hers as they reached their destination. Remus was standing at the door with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He walked up to them as Severus got out of their carriage and held his hand out to help Hermione. She gave a slight smile and Remus turned to Snape as he said, \"Dumbledore thought it best if you two headed to his office first and we’ll follow in a few minutes. So, it doesn’t raise suspensions.\"


Draco leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before following the professor into the castle. Her eyes followed the man she loved with all her heart but the man, who was her father, spoke, \"I was told this morning what happened. It seems that I was wrong about him. You didn’t have to do it, my dear.\"


She subconsciously rubbed her arm where the Dark Mark was. There was so much she wished that she knew but they began to slowly walk inside as she said, \"I know but I did it for the Order and Snape. He’s done so much and is a great asset. Besides, soon the two of us will be within the inner circle and that is very valuable to our side.\"


\"True, but your life is not worth loosing to get information. What you will be asked to do is not going to be easy, Hermione. I feel so helpless to you now. I can’t protect you from them,\" her father admitted as they walked through the silent hallway.


Her hand reached out to his and took it as she quietly replied, \"Severus and Draco will protect me. Don’t worry. Things will all work out some how. I know that you will be there for me when I do need you.\"


They stopped in front of the Headmaster’s office and Lupin turned to her before giving the password. He squeezed Hermione’s smaller hand in his as he asked, \"Ready to be inducted into the Order.\"


\"Well, can’t be as bad as the other,\" she kidded and she gave the password to head upstairs to where the Order was gathered to hear the new turning of events.


In the office sat about ten people from the Order, who were all giving Draco Malfoy leery looks as he sat in a single chair in front of Dumbledore. Mr. Weasley smiled at the sight of her but she thought it will not stay when he finds out what has happened. Mentally, she thanked Merlin for Mrs. Weasley not being there. Talk about a huge scene.


\"Thank you for joining us, Hermione,\" Albus said as he stood as she took her seat next to Draco. Remus took his place behind her and Severus took a spot behind Draco’s chair.


The Headmaster smiled as he began, \"I have called you all here for some things that need to be discussed that have arise within that passed few months but have become a point that needs your attention.\"


\"Get on with it all ready,\" Moody barked from their right. Draco smirked at the man’s impatience, which almost matched his own.


Dumbledore said, \"Well, it all started last June when Bellatrix told Severus here that she had a daughter that was not known to anyone but her. After some digging and discussing, it was discovered that Hermione is her daughter that the Grangers adopted when a young Bellatrix Black left her after birth.\"


Mr. Weasley spoke, \"What. Who is her father?\"


Remus squeezed her shoulders in a loving way as he admitted, \"I am. Lets just say that Hermione was result of a one-night stand but I consider her so much more than that.\"
Arthur Weasley conjured a chair for himself at the point when he kept looking from her to Lupin. The Headmaster started again as he stated, \"It seems that Bellatrix promised to have her join the Death Eaters by this June and-\"


\"That’s outrageous. She’s got some nerve,\" the redhead commented as he shook his head.
Snape rolled his eyes and stated, \"Yes, now let the man finish. There’s a lot more to be covered. So, save the rest of your reactions till the end, if you don’t mind Arthur.\"


Albus chuckled as he stated, \"As I was stating, she wanted her to join the inner circle by August to become a valuable spy as Harry’s best friend and Head Girl. Well, to make a long story short. Draco and Hermione have become close friends over the year and started dating sometime during the winter holiday, if I am correct.\"


Hermione smiled and admitted, \"Yes, that’s right. Of course, I do wonder how you know all of these things.\"


\"I have to keep some of my secrets to myself, my dear,\" the headmaster replied. \"But Lucius wanted Draco, here, to get the mark sooner. But this put a… what is it the muggles call it, my dear, a wrench into their relationship?\"


She nodded and he smiled as he then continued, \"So, he was to get the dark mark last Saturday but he came to Severus and me to offer his services to join our side of the war. No doubt that his feeling for the beautiful, Hermione had something to do with it.\"


Hermione blushed at that and Draco reached over to hold her hand in his. Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled at the sight of love between the two and stated, \"But Voldemort wanted her sooner than June. He ordered Severus to deliver Hermione or to face the consequences. Well, it seems that she found out about Voldemort’s demand and offered to become a spy as well.\"


Several gasps came from around the room but with Draco’s hand in hers and Remus’s reassuring manners made her calm down. Dumbledore got up from his chair and walked around to the front of his desk to directly in front of the two students. \"What she and Draco did is both very brave and gave us an advantage over them. But Voldemort did not stop there. He ordered Severus to bring all things in order for a binding and if either of them seemed like they were aware of it, he would suffer. So this past Saturday, both of these intelligent, powerful students became new Death Eaters and married by Voldemort, himself.\"


\"What?!\" Arthur jumped out of his seat. \"There must be something to undo this.\"


Hermione spoke up, \"No, there isn’t, Mr. Weasley. But that’s okay. I love Draco and this is the way it is supposed to be. I know what could happen and I am prepared to face them. But this is war and I can not just sit on the sidelines. Not when I have a chance to make a difference.\"


The wizard looked at her in a mixture of awe and confusion as he took his seat again. The Moody asked, \"Is Harry to know?\"


Dumbledore shook his head and spoke directly to Hermione. \"Harry is not to know. With Voldemort having the ability to enter his mind, there can be no knowledge of their marriage or her getting the Dark Mark. No, only those in this room will know. Beside a few on their side.\"


Moody walked to him and asked, \"How is that possible? Weren’t they marked in front of all of the other Death Eaters?\"


\"Yes, but the Dark Lord insisted on keeping her identity to the rest a secret, which works in our favor,\" Snape explained. \"We created a new identity for Hermione. Only those who wear these bracelets can see through her new mirage. To the rest of the Death Eaters, Draco is married to Silver Draconis. So, only Lucius, Bellatrix, Voldemort, and myself can see her as Hermione when she transforms and we make physical contact with her or speak her true name. But her name will come out as Silver. I sent Narcissa a bracelet too. I figured it would help.\"


Draco looked back to his mentor at the mention of his mother’s name. Severus looked down and commented, \"She hoped you would join the side of the light with Hermione. I made sure I told her of your decision to be a spy myself, before she panicked when she heard you got the mark.\"


Mr. Weasley asked, \"What happens now?\"


Dumbledore replied, \"These two will show that they are friends but not showing loyalties any different to as they were before two weeks ago. Hermione is to there for Harry as Voldemort wants her. Draco is to remain her friend but not friends with Harry as expected. But there is another reason I called you all here together.\"


He walked around back to sit down in his large chair as he continued, \"Severus told me the story about the death of your sister, Miss Granger. Oh, you must forgive us to remain calling you that because we are not supposed to know. But I must ask, is that the first sign of your wandless magic?\"


Hermione gave him a confused look. \"Wandless magic? Do you think I had something to do with the edge falling?\"


\"The first time with the mad dog, yes, but the second time no.\"


Severus glanced from Hermione back to the headmaster as he stated, \"Wandless magic with the elements of the ground, fire, water, and air is rare. Moving the ground and such is not a normal ability.\"


Draco eyes shifted as he spoke up and commented, \"Then there is something you such know. I had some similar incidents when I was younger. But it was with the wind or the air.\"


Dumbledore smiled and leaned back in his chair as he said, \"Yes, suspected as much. There are two others within the walls of Hogwarts at this moment, which have these as well. Harry has a form of this but it is more of strength and power than just over certain elements. I believe this is what we have been looking for. Now, we just need to do some planning and some teaching.\"


Hermione glanced over to Draco and the Headmaster continued, \"Next year, the both of you will be made Heads but your training up of your abilities will begin this summer. Severus, you will be in charge of their teaching at their Manor during the beginning of the summer. Then the four students will be brought together here to continue their lessons together.\"


She slumped back into her chair and her head started to ache again. Draco leaned over and whispered, \"Don’t worry, love. We’ve made the right decision with the choices we were given. I love you and I always will.\"


\"I love you too,\" Hermione replied as she held his hand and listened to the details of their summer and training that was to happen. So much was happening but inside her heart she knew that whatever was to happen and the trials that their love would be put through that they’d make it together. He was right. No matter how things were changing they made the right decision with the given choices.

~*~*~*~ The End *~*~*~

A/N: I want to thank all of my fans, who stuck through me during this fic. I am going to be writing a sequel to this called Trials of Love. I am going to take a break to get the plot ironed out and time to read the next book. Thanks also to my great betas and friends. :hugs all of you: