Under a Nameless God

It took Draco three months to talk to her. Hermione suspected he wanted to see if she was showing. They had a few shifts together, walking around the dark castle. He would linger in rooms, as if waiting for her to burst into tears and beg him to marry her.

Hermione was never one to beg. Or burst into tears. Maybe he realized it. Or maybe he suspected the truth.

Still, it was not a conversation she expect to have in the library, even as late as it was. Eager ears, eager eyes.

"Can we talk?" Draco asked. "It's about Head stuff."

Hermione took a moment to arrange her things before standing.

"I can pencil you in."

The walk to her dorm was slow. Hermione made sure to keep a respectable distance. The sort of distance you give a snake.

Hermione had a small office attached to her dorm, where she met with students to tutor or discuss shifts. It was the office that she took Draco, but not before adjusting the spells to keep nosy teachers from hearing.

"Okay, what is this about?" Hermione asked.

She set her books down and took a seat. Draco did the same.

"I wanted to talk about—Did you take the test?" Draco asked. It was awkward. Still, Hermione kept a straight face. She wanted to laugh at him. Test not needed, asshole.

"I took it. I'm not pregnant."

"How—How do you not tell me that?" Draco seemed confused, as if this were not going the way he planned. And Draco always had a plan, even if it was stupid and idiotic.

"What is this about Draco?"

"Malfoy."

"You stuck your dick in me, I can call you whatever I want, ferret. What do you want to talk about?"

"My father wrote me. There is a burn mark on the Malfoy family tree," Draco said.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Do not play stupid, Granger! We fucked. You're the only girl I-"

Draco went white.

Hermione felt her mouth thin out, stretched unpleasantly across her peaked face. "The only girl you tried to get pregnant?"

"Pansy saw you go to Pomfrey." Draco was invading her space, his pale face inches from her own. If his eyes weren't coated in fire, Hermione thought he might kiss her again. She moved away, for her own good. She gained her feet.

"I was ill."

"You did something. What did you do?"

"Are you implying something?"

"The only time a burn mark appears is when someone dies. Someone died. What did you do?!" Draco seemed to be getting angry now, pushing out his chest. His hands flew around him, like he was casting a spell with his unhappiness.

"How could I be pregnant, Malfoy? I was on seven spells."

Draco blinked. He didn't seem to comprehend her words. "Spells don't always work. They can fail."

"And whose fault would that be?" Hermione demanded. "The only way to break those spells is to cast a Line spell. So what happened?"

"You are blaming me?"

"There is no one else to blame."

"You aren't normal. You aren't. No one says the things you do. No one would do this if they were sane. You need to be locked up."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "You knew."

"Do you know what a waste it is? Your magical core could..."

"You're lucky I don't press charges. You're lucky I want to put this behind me." Hermione was close to snapping. She wanted to shove her wand into his brain and call it a day. She wanted him to suffer. "You used me and you lost. Guess you will keep your dick to yourself in the future."