Merlin's Coven

Merlin’s Coven

Chapter Three

“My Lord, I stayed as long as I could. I thought his lordship would find this information useful. If I could have stayed longer, I surely would have. The guests were ushered out into the night after the thirteen were chosen.”

“You did well Lucius. And your traitorous son, he was one of the chosen?”

“Yes, my Lord. The shame I feel in my heart cannot begin to make up for the crimes young Draco has committed against his supremeness. I offer myself to you in whatever small regard you may find useful to our cause.”

“You make me sick Lucius. You grovel before me asking my forgiveness. Get up!”

“Yes, my Lord, whatever you wish of me.”

“What about Harry Potter? Is he too one of the chosen thirteen?”

“No sir. He was not as such. He seemed agitated by this fact too,” Lucius said bowing his head before Voldemort and the circle of masked Death Eaters.”

“Dumbledore must have had other plans for him.” Voldemort sneered and then threw his head back “I may still need your services Lucius. Consider yourself lucky, because if I hadn’t found good use of you then I fear that you and your wife would join my army of inferi,” Voldemort bellowed in laughter as the Death Eaters that surrounded his throne laughed along nervously. Lucius’s eyes narrowed at Avery but he too smiled. Lucius knew that Avery was just as worried about being murdered for his failures, but it was Lucius on his knees before Voldemort begging the Dark Lord to spare his life.

“Whatever you ask of me, it is done my Lord.” Lucius lowered his eyes.

“You will seize this opportunity to get close to Harry Potter. With the mudblood and the blood traitor caught up in this new coven, it will leave Harry Potter in the open. I trust you can remember how to use a simple polyjuice potion spell? Become Potter’s best friend. Feed into his isolation and create distance between Harry and his friends. I am working on a plan to infiltrate the coven of Merlin as we speak. Merlin? They think some old coot that is long dead, can save them? Overrated was Merlin. He was no match for the Dark Lord. Now go Lucius, the sight of you makes me sick with pity.”

“Yes, my Lord. Thank you my Lord. I shall not let you down.” Lucius backed up on his knees and then smirked as he walked away.

“Draco,you are going to pay for my reduced status.”

In the Room of Requirement…

“Gather around, everyone,quickly,” Tonks said clasping hands with Lupin and a shaky Ginny Weasley. Hermione and Draco were the last to join the coven in the circle. Draco gave Hermione a comforting squeeze of the hand and then the trunk was opened.

“What is it? Is that a …a…baby dress?” Neville Longbottom said.

“It’s a christening gown. Bill and Fleur have one similar to it. This one is much more beautiful, though and old by the looks of it,” Ginny said. Tonks picked up the christening gown from the trunk and took her place back in the circle.

“Is anyone here expecting?” Blank faces around the room said that nobody had any clue to which the gown belonged to. “I’m going to pass it around the circle. Hold it and see if you feel any connection to it.” With that, Tonks began to pass the outfit around the circle. One by one the girls and boys (as silly as that was) held the dress in their hands, passing it carefully to the next person.

“Oh good grief!” Ginny cut across the circle and plucked the precious garment from Lavender Brown’s hands and then made a bee line for Hermione. “I think I know who this belongs to,” Ginny said thrusting it into Hermione’s hands while Draco looked on in complete shock.

“That’s not nice Ginny! It’s not as if you are a virgin either. In fact none of you are!” Hermione said glaring at Lavender and Pansy primarily. Hermione held the baby gown in her hand and then a strong breeze blew her delicate brunette curls into the air. She was overcome with the smell of babies. It brought tears to her eyes it smelled so wonderful. Without thinking, she hugged the gown against her, smelling it and beaming. The room was filled with whispers. Draco turned to Hermione and spoke.

“A baby? My baby? Our baby?” His hands moved towards her middle and Hermione let her arms fall to the side with a smile plastered to her face. He rubbed her lower abdomen and then looked up at Hermione with a gulp. She almost laughed when she saw his adam’s apple bulge and his eyes grow wide, but then his eyes were locked on hers.

“What does this mean?” Draco reached out with his thoughts.

“I think it means that last night we created something beautiful and lasting,” Hermione said back with her thoughts.

“Then these are also yours.” Tonks and Lupin removed the rest of the garments and items from the second trunk. Tonks placed a simple crown on Hermione’s head. The crown was made from soft leaves and twigs from the woods. Lupin placed the second crown on Draco’s head.

“Our leaders have been chosen for us.”

“Oh, no wait a minute. Malfoy is not my leader.”

“This isn’t a day at the quidditch pitch Ron. This isn’t some joke. We have all been bestowed the greatest honor there is. We are a coven under Merlin himself. Has it occurred to you that Hermione and Draco’s baby may carry the blood of Merlin himself? We don’t know what we are dealing with here, so I suggest that you show some respect. The meetings we hold here in seclusion are not equal to some snog and a dance at the Yule Ball, what we do here carries great importance and deserves respect. Our actions thus forward should be of noble servitude. Accept your position with pride and goodwill. I know I will.” Tonks looked livid as she cast Ron a disapproving look. She knelt before Hermione and Draco, and Lupin followed her lead. Soon the entire coven was kneeling before Hermione and Draco. Finally, Ron released his anger and knelt too.

POP

The third trunk popped open.

“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Fred and George were hovering over a trunk filled with the most unusual looking weapons.

“Lupin and Wood, would you please pass them around,” Draco said but unsure as to why he had said it. Lupin nodded deeply to Draco and both Wood and Lupin stepped up to the trunk while Fred and George backed away with their hands up as if to say sorry for touching them. The first item they pulled from the trunk looked very much like a silver sword, only shorter then a regular sword but bigger then a knife blade.

“Wood that is yours,” Draco said and Oliver Wood held it and again the wind came.

Lupin picked another ancient weapon from the trunk that was the full-length sword to Wood’s cut off one. Draco motioned to Lupin to take it and indeed he was right.

“How are you doing this? Hermione whispered in her thoughts to Draco.

“I dunno really. I feel very familiar with these weapons though.” Draco responded to her without moving his lips.

Wood pulled out a large silver star with blades that projected from the circular center. They were sharp and shiny and everyone’s eyes lit up.

“What the bloody hell is that?” Ron said.

“That’s mine,” Draco said, eyes gleaming as if he had just found his best friend again. He held the blade in his hand and then without warning he whizzed it towards one of the bedroom nooks. It spun through the air on a level plane, slicing through the sheer curtain and then whizzing back into his hand. Draco smiled and tossed the Silver Star into the air as he caught it with the movements of someone who had thrown the star a million times before.

“I apologize, but I’ve waited years to do that again.” Hermione’s eyes grew wide with that comment by Draco, but it wasn’t any more shocking then the news that she was most probably pregnant with Draco Malfoy’s baby, and that the both of them were wearing crowns like two actors in a Shakespearean play. All of this was head spinning. Fred and George were giving silver staffs, which they seemed thrilled to receive. Ron was given a silver slingshot, to which he grumbled about and Neville had received a small pouch of a shimmering powdery substance. When all the weapons had been passed out to their rightful owners, Neville spoke.

“Umm, I hate to ask silly questions, but why do we have these weapons?”

“Draco?” Lupin looked to him for an answer. “Can you enlighten us?”

“I can indeed. These are the tools Merlin has given us to fight Voldemort and the Death Eaters.” Silence fell amongst the coven.

“What did you think we were doing here?” Hermione said, looking around the circle.

POP

When the fourth trunk popped opened a blue smoke filled the room. When the haze settled, they all looked at each other in shock. Their clothes had changed. They were now all draped in royal blue cloaks, except Draco and Hermione, who were wearing white cloaks with blue and silver trim. Draco opened the cloak to reveal that he was wearing body armor underneath, in fact all the males were. The women had Romanesque silky toga type garments on underneath their cloaks.

“Hermione, your hair!” Ginny pointed to the beautiful sweeping hairdo Hermione had now, the soft curls forming ringlets at her temples. Draco gazed at her and once again gulped nervously. He had never seen a more beautiful image. Hermione reached up and pushed the soft wisps of platinum hair away from Draco’s left eye and he caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers sweetly.

“I can’t watch this,” Ron said, but he was comforted by Pansy Parkinson, who hooked an arm around his waist. Ron looked at Pansy and suddenly felt the urge to kiss her. Hermione watched eagerly at this display and suddenly she felt her own guilt at hurting Ron ease up. She was falling in love and whether Ron was hurt or not, it didn’t change the fact.

“What’s going to happen when this all goes away? Will you still love me?” Hermione said to Draco, never wanting this whirlwind romance to end. He looked so handsome, like a Prince in a book that her mother had read to her as a child.

“I can’t imagine loving you any more then I do right now…and I can’t imagine the way I feel for you just apparrating away in the blink of an eye. Try not to worry.”

Ginny looked exotic with her hair pulled up away from her face and soft makeup lining her eyes. She wore a slender green gown under her cloak, much like Hermione’s in that one shoulder was bare, the silky garment hugging all the right places but allowing freedom of movement. Even Neville looked handsome and princely in his light armor and Pansy Parkinson for once in her life didn’t have all that black shit around her eyes that made her look like a raccoon. Ron was gazing at her like a lovesick puppy, seemingly unaware of Hermione, now that he and Pansy had formed some kind of a bond.

“I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of the others, but this was also in the second trunk,” Tonks said holding a small box made of driftwood to Draco and Hermione. Draco looked at Tonks and opened the box slowly. He smiled and looked at Hermione nervously. Tonks and Lupin were both waiting eagerly to know what it was. Tonks had a mischievous expression and Hermione wondered if she had peeked already.

“What is it Draco?” Hermione said with anticipation. Draco took her by the hand and dropped to one knee.

“Hermione, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Draco produced a ring and held it to her ring finger. Hermione’s eyes sparkled like a priceless jewel as she breathed deeply and then replied with a resounding, yes. He slipped the ring on her finger and then stood. Hermione slid the ring in the box for him onto his finger.

“This is wonderful!” Tonks exclaimed.

“I can help you make it official whenever you are ready for a proper wedding,” Lupin said.

“Engaged? Gosh this is happening so fast.”

“Change tends to happen swiftly in the Wizarding world,. It’s the way it’s always been Hermione,” Tonks said.

“Well, you weren’t going to try to keep it a secret were you?” Ginny said with a flat expression that Hermione couldn’t read. She ran to Hermione and hugged her tightly, the anger from earlier all but gone.

“So, I’d have never guessed it would be Malfoy, not in a million years, but I guess all of us are sort of different now. I’ll hex you if you don’t treat her like a queen,” Ginny said to Draco and Draco nodded, preferring not to get into it with Giny Weasley. Draco wondered why Ginny wasn’t given a weapon like the men in the coven, because she was certainly just as tough and able to handle herself as Wood, or Lupin.

“I know Ginny, all of this is just….phewww” Hermione made the motion of her hand flying over her head. It was mind numbing how fast all of this had happened. The trunks, the unveiling, last night in bed with Malfoy, and now.

“So do you feel pregnant?”

“Ginny, I only did it the once and it was just last night, so I’m sure I’m not pregnant. Could you imagine me having to go through the school year pregnant? The stares? The whispers?”

“Hey! It isn’t every seventh year student that can say they are carrying my baby. I’m sure it isn’t all that bad, is it Hermione? Though I figured, I’d be a little older before becoming a father. I wonder if it will look like me. I want a boy of course,” Draco said seemingly wounded by her previous comment, but recovering just fine.

“Draco I can’t be a mother! What do I know about being a mother?”

“We will stop by the hospital wing and get a test from Madame Pomfrey. That sound good?” Draco grabbed her hand in his and led them away.

“Everyone, first class is beginning soon so let’s all get changed out of our formal attire and into our uniforms. I do think it wise to wear the blue cloaks over top of your house clothes though. We need to show unity,” Tonks said and everyone nodded before hurriedly changing and exiting the Rom of Requirement.

Hermione and Draco had advanced Potions together as their first class. In fact, aside from one or two classes they had all their classes together. She wasn’t sure how their new relationship was going to play out before the whole school. Harry Potter was going to be the first test, as he fumbled through is textbook disinterestedly, going over the lesson that was on the board. Draco escorted Hermione to the table they shared with Potter. This was sure to be interesting. Draco pulled Hermione’s chair out for her and Harry’s eyes narrowed on Draco.

“Someone slip something in your pumpkin juice this morning Malfoy?” Harry said at seeing a chivalrous Malfoy hold Hermione’s chair out for her to sit in. Draco sneered at Harry and ignored him for now.

“Pumpkin juice? Hermione are you hungry. We missed breakfast after everything this morning with the coven. Do you want me to run down to the Great Hall and see if I can get you anything?” Draco said looking at Hermione.

“I am hungry, but I’ll manage until lunch time.”

“No. I’ll be right back.” Draco stood and began to leave before turning back. “I realized I don’t know what you like?”

“I’m famished. Anything Draco, and thank you. Don’t go to too much trouble. Honestly, I really can wait.” Draco smiled and left.

“ New hair do? What’s going on Hermione? What’s gotten into him today?” Hermione was dreading this conversation. It was bad enough that Harry was left out of the coven, but to be left out of this…well…she had no idea how to tell him that they had made love, declared their love for each other, gotten engaged and oh yeah, she might be pregnant.

“Harry, I don’t quite know how to tell you this…” Just go for it, she decided.

“Hey, is this Advanced Potions?” A tall boy with auburn hair said to Harry and Hermione. He dropped his book bag down and took a seat next to Harry.

“Uhhh, yeah…who are you though?”

“Franz Herrin, just moved here from Bulgaria. I transferred from Durmstrang to Hogwarts. My parents took jobs at the Ministry, so now I go here.” He smiled and then pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and started to write down the illegible scribble on the blackboard at the front of Snape’s old classroom. Harry shot Hermione a look and Hermione shrugged, as if she had no idea who their new potions partner was. About this time Draco returned, and not a second too soon as the Potions Professor returned to the classroom, clearing her throat to make an announcement.

“I apologize for my tardiness, but professor McGonagall informed me that I have a new student. Franz Herrin, welcome to Hogwarts. We do things a little differently here, so keep your head down and ask questions when appropriate. The rest will follow. Now, if you would all turn to page one fifty seven and take notes students, we will be making this potion tomorrow in class. It’s a rather difficult one and if you aren’t careful you could turn your skin green.”

“Psst. All they had were muffins and strawberry tarts left. I hope my baby has a sweet tooth,” Malfoy said grabbing Hermione’s hand and bringing it to his mouth. He couldn’t help it, he wanted to touch and hold Hermione. He suddenly caught sight of a stranger at their table, who was glaring at him. Harry too was startled to see that act of affection between Malfoy and Hermione and he opened his mouth to speak.

“What in the hell is going on Hermione?”

“Harry we don’t have time now,” Hermione whispered.

“Who the fuck is that?” Draco said tossing his head and narrowing his eyes on the new boy.

“Transfer student from Durmstrang,” Hermione whispered back to Draco with a perplexed look on her face.

“’Mione, just because I’m not in your club, doesn’t mean we aren’t friends. Why the fuck is Malfoy holding your hand and why are you both wearing rings?” Hermione held her face in her hands. This wasn’t going well at all. Harry wasn’t going to let it go. The teacher was popping her head up and down every two seconds to see whom it was that was talking, the detentions soon to follow. As Head Girl and Boy it wouldn’t look good to get detention. Hermione’s stomach growled and she bit into one of the muffins Draco gave her. He smiled and slipped an arm around her before leaning in and kissing her on the cheek softly. She leaned into his chest without thinking and then Harry stood up.

“RIGHT! What is going on, Hermione.” Harry moved on Draco and now Draco was standing too.

“You want to know what’s going on Potter? I’ll tell you since you can’t mind your own bloody business. Hermione and I admitted our feelings to each other and this morning we got engaged. We are in love and if any person in this fucking school has anything bad to say about it then I will personally kick your arse all the way to the quidditch pitch! Got that all of you’s?”

“Sit down Mister Malfoy!” The Professor said and Draco slowly sank back into his chair. Whispers could be heard throughout the room but Draco didn’t seem to care. Hermione was mortified, but just seeing him so confidant made her know that she could get through it too. He wasn’t lying. She did love him.

“Hermione. I’ve never felt more betrayed in my life. How is Ron taking this? Not well, I take it. I hope this is what you want.” Harry got up and left with that. Draco had quidditch the next period and then they were to chaperone a trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione opted not to go, and would rather visit the hospital wing to have a pregnancy test done.

Draco yawned as he watched the third and fourth years enter Honeydukes. He remembered his first trip to Hogsmeade, it was filled with anticipation, but now, in his seventh year it was old news. He found himself wishing that Granger, the mudblood up until recently, was with him, chaperoning the trip. He eagerly awaited the results of her visit to the hospital wing. He had said that he would go with her for support but she wanted to do it alone. He respected that. Hermione was always an independent girl and he admired that about her. Clearly, the only girl in the school with enough intelligence to date and marry Draco Malfoy. Marry? He shook his head in disbelief. He bowed his head and looked at his ring, rubbing it with his thumb. He missed her. Is this what love feels like, or is this a spell? Draco was pretty sure that it wasn’t just the spell. He had intentionally insulted, provoked and annoyed Hermione for years because he thought she was cute and since she hated him, it was the only way to get her attention. He would never admit that to her, but it was the truth, something he’d only just admitted to himself. It was all he had anyways. His family would never allow a union between their only son and a mudblood, so in some ways Draco’s torture of Hermione served two purposes. He could get the attention from her that he craved, and he could also distance himself from the thoughts he had late at night about Granger. He knew she would never reciprocate the feelings he had for her and his insults insured that. He remembered those nights where he lay alone in his bunk rubbing himself at the thought of her mouth around his cock and his fingers stroking her creamy white thighs. He had wanked over Granger at least a dozen times in the course of his school career. Now those visions were replaced with sweet visions of their special night last night. The way her tight body felt underneath him. Her soft kisses and the way she touched and caressed his body. He was lost in the passion again, so much so he didn’t see the pack of Slytherin seventh years that were walking up the trail from Hogwarts towards him. He popped another lemon drop in his mouth and continued thinking about his future wife and their baby. He wondered if it would be a girl or a boy.

“If it isn’t the blood traitor. Word is allover the school that you are engaged to the mudblood. Did you think we would let you make a fool of us like this?” Draco spun around to face Crabbe, Goyle, Flint, Avery and Bulstrode.

“Fuck off you lot. You don’t have any idea what you are babbling on about. I’m in a coven you morons!” Draco popped a cherry lollie into his mouth now and acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world, hoping they would back off and leave him the fuck alone.

“So are you in Gryffindor now? We know it was you that turned our Dad’s in, Draco. You told the Order everything!” Draco knew what was coming next and as Head Boy, he had no intention of getting into it with Flint and Avery. They could be real arseholes when they wanted to be. He got up and attempted to walk away, but his wand was tight in his fingers, ready for an attack.

“Let’s duel right here, right now, Draco, and see who’s better shall we!” Flint called out and Draco turned around slowly. “Protect yourself because my curses are coming at you, you pathetic mudflood fucker. I hope your dick falls off from fucking her.” Draco’s eyes narrowed and he raised his wand. Just as a brutal wand fight was about to commence Draco’s wand and all the Slytherin’s wands flew out of their hands. Draco looked to see a glowering Harry Potter standing with a pile of wands at his feet. He picked them up then strode inside Honeydukes, turning his back on Draco. What he did that day probably saved Draco’s life, but Draco was furious at that very moment as the Slytherin boys attacked him four on one. Draco blacked out after swinging and connecting with Goyle’s face and Flint’s stomach several times. He seemed to remember two redheads joining the battle at some point on his side but it was all a blur. When the attack was over Draco lay bloodied and beaten on the ground. He felt strong arms pulling him up to his feet.

Madame Pomfrey was in a pleasant mood when Hermione arrived. Hermione could barely get the audible words out of her mouth that she needed a pregnancy test. Madame Pomfrey just stood, arms folded, waiting patiently for Hermione to work up the nerve. Hermione would start but then she’d clam up.

“I need something…”

“Would that something be a test perhaps?”

“Yes!” Hermione said relieved that Madame Pomfrey seemed to know where she was headed with her request.

“Do you think you might be with child? Are you having symptoms?”

“Oh lord no. It’s just that last night I had unprotected uhhh, sex.”

“You know, there is a simple charm that could have prevented an unwanted pregnancy my dear.”

“Yes, but this child is wanted and possibly even needed.” That thought hadn’t occurred to her until now. With the christening gown, it was as if she was supposed to get pregnant with Draco’s baby. She would definitely have to do some research in the library today about Merlin and his sister and any relevant prophecies, as much as she didn’t believe in prophecy’s or their power.

“Here we are my dear. Just hold still while I wave this over you. We should have our answer in just a few moments.” Madame Pomfrey had a round ball in her hand that was clear but looked to be alive in the way that it made slick sucking noises on her hand. Some kind of squishy, jelly ball is what it looked like. She squeezed it between her fingers as she moved it in circles over Hermione’s lower abdomen. Hermione watched as the ball turned a powdery blue color and then Madame Pompfrey smiled and blushed. She excused herself and then came back carrying a bag in her hands that she handed to Hermione.

“Well? Am I…pregnant?” Before Madame Pomfrey could get the answer to her question out, Hermione felt flushed hot. She suddenly felt like someone kicked her in the back and she fell forward to her knees. Excruciating pain ripped through her skull and she curled up on the floor in the fetal position, and then she could hear Malfoy in her head, crying out as blood fell freely from Hermione’s nose.

Review!?

I am so glad people are liking this story! Sherri- Thanks! Yes, this story is much closer to what I write in original fiction so that’s great to hear you say that. With the Broomsticks series, I am using them as a writing exercise, trying different genre’s a bit. Alibi’s is close to my normal style and genre of story.Bondage-Erotic and Bedfellows-intense and scary even!

Thanks to all my reviewers! I read them all!