Merlin's Coven

Merlin’s Coven

Chapter 6

The Hogwarts student stood motionless in the Dark Lord’s lair. Severus Snape looked on with disguised complacency. She was pregnant with the Dark Lord’s baby. She had no knowledge or memory of the act of Voldemort forcing himself upon her. She was imperiused each time she was brought before the Dark Lord. This time would be no different. She was showing again. The rape, and the subsequent impregnation of the Hogwarts seventh year student had happened months ago. She was brought before the Dark Lord once a month, where a spell was cast upon her abdomen, so that she did not show, her six months pregnant tummy, hidden from the unsuspecting. Voldemort could not risk the girl finding out about it, not yet anyway.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this to her. She is bound to feel the baby move inside of her. You have to come up with a new plan after this visit,” Snape muttered, as he cast the spell over the girls body, and the baby bump shrunk. He had found that using complicated glamour charms, worked well in hiding her pregnancy. Almost too well, and Snape wished he hadn’t been so quick to offer this solution to Voldemort when he had asked months ago after raping the Hogwarts student. He feared for the life of the student though. If she was found out or if Voldemort’s plan didn’t go exactly as he wished it, he would kill her, and get a new girl. Snape felt he was committing the lesser of two evils.Severus Snape had been thorough in cleansing her mind of the rape. He felt sick watching her tears and agony after Voldemort raped her. She begged Snape to kill her and he wanted to honor her request out of common decency, but instead he Obliviated her. At least she wouldn’t have to remember the horrible night she spent with Voldemort writhing over top of her.

“This is why I am the greatest sorcerer to ever live and you are just my servant Severus. I chose this girl for a reason.”

“Ahh…Yes, I understand now,” Snape said with fear behind his eyes. He had to get out of here so he could warn the Order. Voldemort had kept such a tight leash on Snape these days though, that he didn’t know how he would ever escape.

“Back so soon Lucius?” Voldemort hissed and Snape’s attention was drawn to the pretender,Franz Herin.

“ Bring Narcissa in!” Voldemort shouted, his eyes red and piercing as Lucius kneeled before him on his throne. Nagini coiled itself around Lucius’s legs and he fought back the urge to slice its serpent head off. He hated the Dark Lord’s snake and Voldemort was keeping it close these days.

“Lucius! Is Draco…alive??” Narcissa shrieked. She had been chained up and flogged, her frail and weary body, beaten for Draco’s crimes. It was by Snape’s quick thinking and masterful ability with healing potions, that she had even remained alive, after Voldemort had finished torturing Draco’s mother. He held her captive now, dangling her life over Lucius’s head. In doing so, Voldemort had found the perfect puppet in Lucius, to do his bidding for him. Lucius nodded quickly to Narcissa, his face contorted with pain as he had to look at his once beautiful wife, chained and shackled, batered and bruised. He blamed Draco for this, but even more then that, he blamed himself.

“You’re not looking so good these days Cissy,” Bellatrix laughed in her wicked tone.

“Silence!” Voldemort snarled and Bellatrix recoiled. “Have you told me everything Lucius? Is the mudblood pregnant?” Lucius thought about it and then answered, “No my Lord. Not as of yet.”

“If you are lying to me, your wife will die,” Voldemort threatened.

“If she is pregnant, then I am not privy to the information, is all that I am insisting upon my Lord.”

“Severus,” Voldemort motioned to Snape who had finished with the Imperiused Hogwarts girl . He stepped forward and ushered Lucius away and into a dimly lit room. Once inside, Lucius plead with Snape, not to reveal his deception.

“Hush Lucius, you are a stupid fool! He will find out and then he will kill both of us. You should have told him the truth!”

“They baby is my grandchild…Though Draco is a failure; he is still my only son. What if the baby is of Merlin, Severus?” Lucius whispered as Snape pretended to be sifting through a large potions pantry, as if looking for the Veritserum.

“You are stupid to talk of such things in this place! You will get us both killed. You should have told him. The coven would have strengthened upon his hearing about the prophesized child,” Snape said through gritted teeth.

“You won’t reveal my deception, will you?” Lucius plead. “They will kill Narcissa for my treachery.”

“I have to think,” Snape cursed and paced about the room. “You will return to Hogwarts and immediately send word that your son’s wife is indeed pregnant. It’s the only way. I will handle things from my end, as best I can. I have the notion that the Dark Lord is bluffing you anyway. He needs your help with the pregnant girl. I can’t keep hiding her belly. I told him. He will want you to push Potter towards the girl, as a means of protecting his spawn.” Lucius nodded and thanked Snape. Snape grabbed Lucius by the scruff of his neck and dragged him back out before the Dark Lord.

“He is not lying. The Veritserum does not lie and he is telling the truth. He has no knowledge of a prophesized baby’s existence.”

“I will work harder my Lord!” Lucius promised, kneeling once again by the hissing pet of Voldemort’s.

“Yes, you will. I have a very important job for you Lucius. If you carry out my bidding, your status may be reinstated. Do you wish to serve me as such?” Lucius nodded and Voldemort’s eyes glowed red.

Back at Hogwarts…

Franz Herrin scrawled on the parchment and then climbed the steps to the owlery. It was a cold, crisp night, the stars winking at him from above. He gulped and attached the letter to a tawny colored owl and then watched as it flew away into the night. He had to trust Severus. He had no choice. Perhaps the coven would strengthen. He wouldn’t allow Narcissa to be killed. It was how it had to be.

Outside the Great Hall…

“Need I remind you that there is an innocent baby that just heard what you said,Potter?” Draco stood rigidly, Hermione’s eyes wide with fear seeing the hatred in Harry’s eyes.”

“Harry…Just calm down. Lower the wand and let’s talk,” Hermione soothed Harry Potter with calming words. Draco moved slowly, drawing his wand under his robes and pivoting with his feet, ever so slowly, as not to startle Harry.

“’Mione, I’m sorry. I don’t know what made me say what I did in the Great Hall. What’s happening to me?” Harry slowly lowered his wand and Hermione reached out to her friend and hugged him against her body.

“I don’t know Harry, but we are going to figure it out.”

“He’s under one of the Dark Lord’s spells Hermione. Don’t trust him,” Draco reached out with his thoughts. Hermione looked at him and then to Harry as if trying to decide if Draco’s theory carried with it any merit.

“I’m sorry ‘Mione.”

“You bloody well should be sorry. That was a sick comment you made mate.” Ron had bounded through the doors of the hall to arrive on the scene.

“I guess I’m nervous about what I have to do tonight. The Order is helping me, but I just know it’s a trap! Things haven’t felt right for weeks.”

“Tell us what it is you have to do tonight. The Coven will help you.” Hermione urged and Draco cast her a disparaging look. He knew that the coven could not fight until they were beckoned. Their palms would blink red, and then and only then, would they do battle. Hermione knew this as well. Draco decided that Hermione must see something in Potter that he didn’t. She must know that he is on the edge, enough to even lie to him.

“I’ll help you mate. We are in this together Harry. We may have different roles now but we are all on the same side,” Ron encouraged and Harry pulled away from Hermione, looking at Ron. “Come on Harry. Let’s go talk,” Ron motioned to him and Harry went with the redheaded boy, their forms meandering around the castle corridors. Ron looked back to Hermione and Draco and nodded, as if to say that he would get the story out of him and check back with them later.

“He’s under the Imperius Grang-Hermione,” Draco said flatly.

“No…I don’t think so, but there is something different about him.”

“So are you ready for this?” Draco asked.

“For what?”

“For what? We are getting married in less then an hour.”

“Oh that.” Hermione was still thinking about Harry and her voice sounded less than enthusiastic when she responded to Draco. He cocked and eyebrow and glared at her. “I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life Draco. I love you,” Hermione smiled now realizing her mistake and she buried her head into her lovers chest.

“Let’s do this then!”

“Are you upset that your parents will not be here?” Draco asked.

“In a way, I suppose. They wouldn’t understand though. I’d just assume deal with them after everything calms down. Besides, they are skiing in Vail.” Draco looked at her oddly. “It’s a muggle ski resort in America.” Draco wished his mother could be there to see him marry, but he pushed the thought from his mind. He had a new family now.

In the Room of Requirement….ten minutes before wedding ceremony..

POP

Draco swaggered over to the newly opened trunk and jumped back when something leapt from the trunk.

“Five hundred years I’ve been cooped up in that box!” He pulled his wand on the tiny creature. It was a spry little man with pointy shoes and even pointier ears that stuck our from his head like muggle shoehorns. On his back, he had a pair of thinly sheathed wings, that sparkled silver. “After all I do for you Merlin! I should like to give you a severe throttling. Where…am…I?” The creature spun in circles, until finally dizzying itself where it fell flat on its arse.

“What…are..you!” Draco stammered.

“I should ask you the same thing. You wear the cloak of Merlin, yet you are not Merlin,” the creature said in it’s ornery little voice.

“You wear clothes and talk! What are you?” Draco asked.

“I am Worth…Your humble servant,” the little being said. “I am your everyday, average forest sprite.”

“Hmm,Well, forest sprite. I am about to marry my bride.” Draco paused and then asked,” So you have to do what I command? Is that how this works?”

“Yes, Merlin. I mean…Sir.”

“Please call me Draco. Worth, I need you to stay here while I get married. I will talk to you later,” Draco shook his head in bewilderment. Maybe Hermione knew what a forest sprite was. He didn’t want to reject the gift, but he didn’t have time for it right now.

“I shall await your return,” The tiny man with wings said, bowing in place.

Great Hall…

“Hermione…Harry is gone. He just said he had something to do and then he popped out. One minute he was talking to me on the Astronomy tower and the next he was gone,” Ron said, panting. “Wow, look at you! Hermione, you look gorgeous!”

“Thank you Ron. No matter. I’m not getting any smaller,” Hermione ran her hand over her bump. “I can’t wait for Harry. Ron, since Harry isn’t here I was thinking…Maybe you could give me away?” Ron pondered the idea for a moment and then hugged Hermione against his coven dress robes. The blue robes matched his eyes. Hermione’s heart fluttered, thinking about how sexy Draco was going to look. Her Draco. She shook her head and remembered how not so long ago the thought of marrying Malfoy would have been about as plausible as her cutting her left arm off. Now though, he was everything she wanted in a man and she was having his baby.

“Ron, can you pop into the Great Hall and tell me if Draco is there?” Hermione worried.

“He’d be crazy not to be there Hermione. You are worrying for nothing. Come on, let’s go get you hitched.”

“Ron, please.”

“He’s there Hermione. Golden Boy is there with bells on. I just talked to him a second ago. He was worried that you wouldn’t show.” Ron admitted and Hermione smiled and blushed.

“Alright, let’s do this! Ron…I can never thank you. I really love you. You and Harry have been like family to me.”

Hermione, on Ron’s arm, glided through the doors to the Great Hall. Every head turned. Gone was the bushy headed girl with buck teeth. She had grown into her body and now she was marrying the Slytherin Prince. Her head was spinning, but in a good way as she held her head high and traipsed down the aisle with Ron on her arm. There were some students who snickered and whispered. Hermione could hear them but she didn’t care, not when she saw Draco looking at her with love in his eyes. Other students smiled and cried, thinking about their own wedding day. Hermione kept her eyes face forward. The coven stood in their formal attire, the men in blue robes and body armor, the women in their gowns with their hair pulled up like a roman goddess. Ginny smiled widely at Hermione and the rest of the coven fell in behind Hermione, as they all congregated at the head table. Draco looked dapper and handsome. Hermione knew that she had never seen such a vision of beauty on all of her life, as he stood regally next to Lupin, watching with his heart caught in his throat. Hermione joined him at the front of the hall. Lupin joined their hands together and then proceeded to utter the wizarding world marriage vows. Draco, first looked into Hermione’s eyes and vowed to honor and protect her, to love her and honor her and then Hermione repeated the same words. Professor Lupin, by official capacity of the Ministry of Magic, pronounced the couple, husband and wife.

“You’re shaking, Mrs. Malfoy,” Draco whispered.

“It isn’t everyday that I get married to such a dashing and handsome man.” He tilted his head, wisps of blond falling over his left eye. As he leaned into her, she became vividly aware of her senses. In that single moment, they shared the same air, his warm breath on her mouth, the intoxicating smell of his expensive cologne, the feel of his warm hand on her arm, stroking her tenderly and then the brush of his lips against hers, deliciously moist. The tip of his tongue lightly touched her upper lip and Hermione opened her mouth to allow him access. His tongue was soft and warm as it circled her own. She could feel her heart beating in her throat. Deeper into her mouth his tongue plunged, his lips pressed firmly against hers. Hermione licked and sucked, wanting to taste him forever. The back of her neck tingled and she arched her back into him, wanting to feel so much more with this man that kissed her so passionately. He was her husband now and Hermione’s heart leapt for joy. He slowly pulled away, and nobody else existed but her beautiful Draco.

“I’m going to love you and our baby, forever.” Hermione hugged Draco against her and squealed with happiness. He turned and offered her his arm and he began to guide her back down the center of the great hall. Students cheered the clapping erupting throughout the Hall.

“Shouldn’t we stay here for the party?” Hermione said to Draco as they made for the doors leading out of the Hall.

“Now that we are officially married, I should tell you something.” Draco said pushing the door open and leading his wife out into the empty hall. “I have this fantasy of marrying the girl of my dreams and then carrying her to our bedchamber where I make love to her.” Draco waited for her reaction.

“Am I the girl of your dreams?” Draco smirked and then scooped Hermione up into his arms.

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