"Satisfied, Granger? That makes one of us." Draco is a little riled up after one of Hermione's "practice sessions." A companion piece to The Auction Collaboration with NikitaJobson  Cover art by Abrilas

Chapter 7: Wedding Day, Part Two It was unreasonably sunny. The perfect number of clouds swam under a radiant sun. The light glinted off the pond, and the f*****g peacocks were preening. But of course it would be a perfect day for Draco Malfoy's wedding, Theo grumbled to himself. He stood alone near the veranda, watching as the guests filed in. Pansy was inside getting Granger and the Weasley girl ready. Blaise was best-manning. And Greg wasn't invited. Theo was still trying to figure out...

Chapter 6: Godfather Over the heads of the cooing females surrounding my wife, past the neutral yellows, greens, and beiges, just beyond the pile of discarded gift bows that Pansy says we have to keep to make a "cradle" out of, Blaise looks like he's falling asleep. In fact. He is asleep. I can recognize Oculus Dolus anywhere. His eyes are trained on Ginny Potter as she collects the guesses for gender, birthdate, weight, and all that rot, but they don't blink. And his head is lolled against...

Chapter 5: Special Occasion The restaurant was far too nice. Hermione felt underdressed just standing on the sidewalk. Draco's hand on her back guided her inside, and she shifted from foot to foot as he spoke lowly with the maître d'. Within moments they were being led to a table near a window, and she felt every eye on them on the long walk. She'd suggested going to a Muggle restaurant, but he insisted. He already had a place in mind. The menu was decadent. The wine list extensive. But...

Chapter 4: Pygmy Puffs "LUCY!" The nine-year-old wobbled down the stairs into the entry hall and looked at her father. "Yes?" "Did you do this?" Draco asked. He didn't even bother gesturing toward the mess. Lucy looked over the entry hall at the six dozen Pygmy Puffs littering the floor, tumbling around each other and squeaking wildly. She turned back to her father over the pink and purple sea of fluff, and said, "No." Draco lifted a brow. "No?" She shook her head, lifting a brow right...

Chapter 3: Ambition "And then, once I'm Head Girl, I will graduate at the very top, and they'll let me give a speech at the end of the school year, and I will go to a Muggle university for four years to make sure I didn't miss anything," Lucy babbled, balancing on the edge of her chair. "And then, once I'm done, I will come back and take over Malfoy Consulting Group because Daddy will be old and Mummy will be Minister of Magic by then. And then, when I'm older, I'll be Minister for Magic....

Chapter 2: My Brilliant Wife When people say she's the brightest witch of her age, they don't even know the half of it. She has discipline. She has drive. She is stubborn and correct until proven wrong. She catalogs small details — colored light bouncing across walls with each turn of a crystal glass, the folds in parchment that indicate how long a letter has been pressed in a pocket, the song of a bird on your windowsill as it mimics the tune on the radio — but she would never bore you...

Chapter 1: Wedding Day, Part One "Pansy." Pansy turned over in her sleep, dreaming of Cedric Diggory's hard muscles. "Pansy." Since dying, Cedric Diggory had become quite skilled with his tongue, and she wondered if all angels were given vast amounts of sexual knowledge upon death. It seemed only fair. "Pans!" She blinked awake, and turned over to see Draco standing next to her bed. Well, this dream had taken an unexpected turn, but she'd take it. Coming fully to consciousness, Pansy...

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Blaise Zabini's trial began on 26 July, a rainy and humid Monday. Hermione spent an hour Occluding in the tub before she dressed and Apparated to Edinburgh. A crowd of reporters stood around the entrance to Parliament Hall, pacing like starving wolves. A sharp click cut through the quiet of her mind, and then she was flooded with flashing lights and harsh sounds.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 On Sunday, Mippy picked up an order for her at the newly-reopened Madam Malkins. Despite having a full wardrobe full of Pansy's clothes, there was nothing fitting for her new role. So Narcissa had helped her place her order by owl that Friday, enclosing a clipping of an article from the Prophet that morning.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Stepping through the Manor doors and into the entryway was like slipping into a familiar dream. The chandelier glittered, reflecting light onto the pale marble and high arches. The stairs beckoned her up, where she could crawl beneath the covers and wait for the nightmare to end.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Ginny, I know there's a lot still unsaid between us. There's so much I want to know, and even more I want to tell you. But for now, the most important thing is that I need to speak with you about my year at Malfoy Manor.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 The curtains fluttered. Sound disappeared in a vacuum. Behind Hermione's eyelids was an imprint of Draco's silhouette — his eyes on hers and his hand reaching out. "NO!" Hermione blinked, and it was gone.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 The sun was high over the Manor. A May wind danced in trees near the gazebo, and the peacocks were sunbathing on the bank of the pond. And Draco still wasn't home. Hermione stood on his balcony, watching the grounds with a sickness in her chest. Narcissa had left the room hours ago, yet she still felt the weight of the tremor in her voice — the tears in her eyes. The three of us won't survive it.

CONTENT WARNING: Horror, violence. ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 The Portkey spun them like a top, pressing in on them tighter and tighter before flinging them to the ground. Hermione stumbled to her knees, and when her eyes focused, she found Draco's hand outstretched in front of her. She took it, and let him help her to her feet. The air was brisk, sending chills down her bare legs. Hermione rubbed her arms as she glanced around. They were at the edge of a small town —...

CONTENT WARNING for this chapter: Torture and murder of an underage minor character. ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 A wind danced across her skin. A line of carriages waited, led by dead horses. The pale-haired boy lifted her up the step and guided her into a seat. Two other companions followed. An older couple. They murmured to each other, their eyes darting towards her and away. Her dress was a thick weight on her shoulders.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 "Basilisk venom, Fiendfyre, the Sword of Gryffindor." Draco pushed off his father's desk and crossed the room, staring at the opposite wall. "You're sure there's nothing else that can destroy a Horcrux?" Hermione's fingers slid from her lips. "As far as we know, yes. The book your father confiscated only listed Fiendfyre and basilisk venom. The Sword is a special case." "But it's missing.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Lucius Malfoy prowled through a thick wooded area, following a small sphere of light that did little in the way of illumination. Hermione dropped into the memory next to a gnarled tree, Draco joining her a second after. She rushed to follow Lucius as he cut through an untraveled path, slicing branches and thickets away with his wand. Draco's footsteps were light but close behind her. "Did you watch all of his memories?" Her heart beat...

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Draco blinked at her, his jaw tightening. "Test it on you." "Yes." She peered inside the cauldron. "I think there's just enough left over for one more dose." Spinning around, she grabbed a spare vial off a nearby shelf before returning to the table. "Once we know that it works, we'll get the directions to Charlotte with her memories—" "Granger, wait."

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 A sharp gasp jarred her awake. Her eyes popped open into a pitch-black room. Her bed felt unfamiliar, and there was a person next to her — moving. Hermione jerked upright, twisting to find Draco's pale skin in the moonlight. He jumped out of bed, dragging his trousers back on. "Go back to sleep, Granger." Draco. Draco getting dressed.

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Yellow light burst in front of her eyes, blinding her. A spell zipped by her ear like a bullet, and the floor rattled below her feet. She ducked, her arms coming up over her ears, and then she was being dragged by an arm around her waist — slipping in her heels. She jerked her head to where she'd just seen George, but there was no flash of orange hair. "Granger!"

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 Someone was knocking her elbow. Jarring her, helping her lift a glass. Champagne flooded her closed lips. The girl in the white dress swallowed, her throat moving delicately as the champagne poured into her mouth. Fireworks crackled and boomed, and the girl's skin glowed blue and red and green — a white canvas to paint on. Warm breath whispered against her ear — "Granger, close your mouth or you'll catch lacewing flies." The stretched elastic...

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8 The days grew shorter and colder. There was a chill about the Manor whenever Hermione was left alone in it — her fireplace never quite working to its full potential, the water from the taps never quite warming her bones. She hadn't felt this ill at ease in the Manor since she first arrived. Narcissa had returned only hours after the three of them left. She'd arrived at Hermione's door with Mippy, the tea and coffee, and a forced...

ETL Echo presents The Auction by Lovesbitcas8. "Viktor!" Minister Grubov grabbed him by the shoulder. He was just as tall as she remembered, outfitted in smart, blood-red robes. He kept the beard he'd grown when she'd seen him last. Adrenaline swept through her veins as she took him in, her heart pumping so fast she was lightheaded. "Have you met Lucius Malfoy?"