Laying the Blame

Disclaimer: Obviously, not mine.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I have updated Dangerous Games as well. I am working on Power and Forbidden Feelings. As stated before, some of the characters are a bit OOC but hopefully not too much and only to help the story along.


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Laying the Blame

Chapter Three


Hermione hesitated before the old, red telephone box that was the visitor’s entrance to the Ministry of Magic. She didn’t often have a reason to visit and when she did, she felt uncomfortable. However, this morning she was willing to overcome her hesitancy. Last night had been quite a shock for her.

Draco and Harry.

Her husband and her best friend. Why hadn’t she seen it? The pieces that had been haphazardly thrown together now seemed to smoothly fit into place. What she didn’t understand was why. That was something she needed to know and there was one person who could provide the answers. The one person who was responsible for all her problems. Okay, maybe not all her problems. She grudgingly admitted that she might have played a part in all her misery but this man could have prevented it, should have prevented it.

How dare he use her like this!

Thoughts of retaliation comforted her as she dialed the required numbers: six, two, four, four, and two. The cool female voice asked her name and business. Hermione answered her questions and then put on the badge that appeared in the coin return.

After passing through the security measures inside the building, Hermione quickly headed for the lift. Thoughts of what she would say to him filled her mind as she pressed the button for Level Two.

Once she exited the lift, she walked down the corridor and turned the corner. Pushing open the heavy oak doors, she walked toward the cluttered cubicles.
Hermione steeled herself for the confrontation to come as she marched toward the handsome man standing a few feet from her.

“Hermione. What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk,” she said abruptly, and then added, “privately.”

He gave her a mystified look but waved his wand, obligingly.

“There,” he said looking warily at her. “Now, what is this all about?”

The rehearsed speech that had spurred her on suddenly flew out of her head as she angrily pointed her finger at him.

“You!” she yelled accusingly. “You knew about Draco all along and yet you let me, no encouraged me, to marry him!”

“Hermione,” he began but was quickly interrupted.

“You used me for your own gain!” she continued. “How could you?”

“As if you didn’t have your own motives,” he countered. “You are not exactly innocent in all this.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I just wanted to settle down. I wanted a husband. Someone to spend my life with…”

“Liar!” he accused her. “That is not all you wanted. If you were honest with yourself, you would admit that there was something else you wanted from your happy marriage.”

She looked at him incredulously. How could he accuse her after everything he had done. “I don’t know what you are referring to,” she responded coldly.

“Lucius,” he spat at her.

Even as she started to deny it, a telltale flush stole over her cheeks.

Instead she ignored his accusations. He would not turn this on her. She was not to blame for this incredible situation. She was hurt and angry that he would betray her in this manner.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Harry?” she cried. “I thought you were my friend and yet you let me marry your lover.”

“Right. Like I could have changed your mind,” he replied wryly.

“You could have tried! You could have told me about you and Draco. That would have done it.” Her brown eyes blazed at him.

“I couldn’t tell you because of Lucius and his bloody agreement! He told Draco that he would turn a blind eye to his indiscretions if he agreed to marry and produce an heir. As if our love was just a seedy affair,” he mumbled bitterly as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. “That man! I don’t know what you see in him.”

Hermione started to open her mouth but stopped at the look of anguish on Harry’s face.

“You have to understand. I love him, Hermione. I know I should have told you but Lucius made us promise not to tell anyone. He wanted a suitable wife for Draco.”

“Why? Why would Lucius want a Mudblood wife for Draco anyway?” Although her voice was calmer, emotions were still coursing wildly through her.

“That is something you should have asked before the marriage.”

“I did,” she spat, her anger coming back full force. “Lucius said it was his way of making amends with the Wizarding world. I believed he was now less prejudiced than when he served Voldemort.”

Harry laughed without humor. “Because that is what you wanted to believe.”

“How dare you!” she yelled. “You don’t know anything about it.”

“I know more than you think,” he stated calmly. “I remember, Hermione. I remember during the war, when Lucius suddenly came over to our side. The look of hope in your face.”

She just stared at him, not trusting her voice.

“I think a part of you wanted to be near Lucius, and that is why you married Draco.” He smiled sadly at the furious shake of her head.

“He is married, Harry,” she answered grimly. “I would never…”

“You are also married, Hermione.”

“How dare you speak to me about faithfulness Harry! You are shagging my husband, after all.”

“Draco and I have been together for four years!” he protested.

“And now you are sharing him. Is that what you wanted?”

“Of course not. But if he has to produce an heir. I would rather it be you than anyone else.”

“I still don’t understand. Why did you both go along with Lucius’ plan? Why not just leave? Draco would probably have lost his money but if you love each other why would you put up with any of this?”

“It is very complicated, Hermione. Draco loves his family. He is a Malfoy. He not only feels a duty to carry on the Malfoy name; he wants to have an heir. That is something I could not give him,” he added sadly.

“But you still could have told me!” she yelled. She was still angry but now it was not totally at Harry.

“Lucius could make our lives hell. After surviving Voldemort, we just wanted to be together. To be happy. Is that so much to ask?”

Hermione sighed. She was not going to let him make her feel guilty. Not when he had deceived her!

“Surely there were other ‘suitable’ candidates. Why me? Draco could have had his pick of brides.”

“You still don’t understand, Hermione. There was no choice. There was no other possibility. Lucius was quite clear on this point. Draco had to marry you.”

She stared at him in stunned silence.

“If you want someone to blame, Hermione,” he continued. “Go after Lucius. This was all his idea.”

“Don’t worry, I will!” Hermione turned to leave and then spun back toward him once more. “And Harry, don’t think I have forgiven you for this.”

Hermione left with a determined look on her face.

She was just getting started.


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Harry pulled the door to the office open and quickly stepped inside. He shut it behind him as the sole occupant of the room looked up from the work he was doing.

Draco watched his visitor warily, trying to gauge his current mood.

The dark haired wizard walked over and stood in front of the desk. Draco let out a loud sigh, finally breaking the silence between the two men.

“Are you here to have another go at me, then?” he asked testily. “Because I am done having this conversation with you.”

“I think that much is obvious!” Harry said heatedly.

“What?” he asked in surprise. Although he had expected Harry to want to continue their argument from the night before, nothing had prepared him for the anger now radiating from the young wizard.

“You couldn’t just leave it alone, could you?” he yelled, his green eyes flashing.

“Harry, I have no idea what you are on about. The point I was trying to make to you last night was that she is your friend. I would think you would want her to know.”

“So you just took it upon yourself to enlighten her.”

“I…what? No, I didn’t. What do you mean?” Draco suddenly had a churning feeling in his stomach.

“Don’t play innocent, Draco. We both know you have never been able to pull it off.” He crossed his arms over this chest and waited for him to confess. It soon became apparent to him that Draco was not faking it.

“Harry, I don’t know what you are talking about. Are you saying Hermione knows?”

“She just came to see me and she was spitting nails. She knows, Draco.” He paused, looking intently at the blonde wizard. “You didn’t tell her?”

“No, of course I didn’t.” He sat down again at his desk and put his head in his hands.

“Well…”

Draco interrupted him by putting his hand up, signaling for him to remain quiet.

Slowly he raised his head and looked up at his lover.

“When I got home last night, I was very upset…” He paused not sure how to go on.

“And…” Harry prompted.

“And, well I had a lot of pent up emotion. Since we were sidetracked from what we were doing by the argument, I was still…Well you know what I mean, Harry.”

“What did you do, Draco?” he asked worriedly.

“Hermione and I had sex.”

“Not that I like it, but this is hardly the first time.”

“This time was different.”

“How?” Harry questioned, knowing he was going to have to drag the answer out of the other man and also sure he was not going to like it.

“It was very intense and all I could think of was you…”

“Draco…”

“I might have screamed your name…I don’t know. I mean, I can’t be sure.”

“Oh, Merlin. No wonder she was so angry!”

“I don’t want Hermione hurt, but I have to say I am glad she knows. It was hard keeping up the pretense.

Harry walked around the desk and put his arms around the blonde wizard.

“I know. I am sorry. This has been really hard for you,” Harry whispered as he placed his cheek against Draco’s.

“At least we don’t have to argue about it anymore.” Draco leaned into the warmth and comfort of Harry’s body. He felt a rumbling and to his astonishment he realized Harry was laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinking…I wouldn’t want to be in Lucius’ shoes right now.”