The Lion's Den

Dear draco needs to tell the Lion's in the tower to quiet down, but who knows how they'll like having a snake in their mists. Politics aren't just for slytherins. AU. Set in 7th year. Somewhat OOC. R&R please :)

Making his way through the castle, Draco grumbled angrily about how unfair it was that deputy headmistress had sent him to tell the Gryffindors to quiet down and go to bed. Nearing the portrait, he could hear the celebration party creeping in through the cracks of the cold stone walls. Hogwarts was a place of sentient magic, but he supposed that sometimes you just have to yield a lion's roar. Snapping out the password to the obviously drunk portrait, Draco stalked in through the passage and set in motion a new world of politics.

Stepping into the common room, he was immediately bombarded with the full effect of music playing through a sonorus near someone's radio. Looking around, he takes in the fireworks blasting off at random intervals, shooting confetti over the room's inhabitants. Sensing something coming his way, he immediately ducks and stays low to the ground, barely escaping a flying bludger. Growling, Draco spots the two Gryffindor beaters playing a drunken game of quidditch. Reckless, he thought before he spotted something coming his way. Eyes widening, he jumps to the left as Weaslette flies straight towards him at a dangerous speed. Laughing at his expression, she veers up and circles back around the room, looking down and smirking at him, then glancing at something in the back of the crowd.

Face flushing furiously, Draco shoves and pushes his way through the drunken crowd (excusing 1st years of course). Stepping up on a stool, he casts a sonorus on his voice, plastering on his trademark Malfoy sneer. "Parties over, Gryffindorks. Your head of house sent me over here to shut you down. You guys must really suck if she doesn't want to deal with you either." drawling out the last sentence, he surveys the now quiet crowd that strangely look gleeful despite what was said. "I mean it, gryffindorks. Cut the shite and go to bed. First years, head out. Now." At that command, the firsties shuffled their feet before grumbling under their breath about meddling snakes and git Head Boys.

Waiting till the firsties left, Draco surveys the rest of the crowd, checking for any change in expressions. Finding none, he begins to order the second years to bed. "Where's your precious head girl? Did the little muggle-born get too spineless?" At that, he thought he heard a growl from the assembled group. Bloody Lions.

Unbeknownst to Draco, the crowd behind him were splitting slowly. Someone shot a stinging hex at his arse to garner his attention. Jumping in surprise, he turned around to begin taking points from whoever had hit him, just for him to stop and for his jaw drop at the sight that greeted him. At the back of a room sat the trio of the Gryffindor House, a Potter, a Weasel, and a Bookworm. Nestled on a red velvet lined couch with gold trimmings, set against a glass window, Potter was sprawled lazily with Granger lay curled against him as he ran his long fingers up and down her arm. Granger tilted her head and regarded Draco with a nonchalant air, as if he didn't register in her line of vision. His vision of them however, reminded him of a queen with her trusted consort.

"Well, well, well. Look at what slithered in. Welcome to the Lion's den, Malfoy. Come to join us?" Dragging out the words mockingly, Hermione sat up and ran her hand through her mess of hair, drawing it back from her face so her amber eyes shone more prominently. Amber eyes scanned him head to toe, lingering on his wand clutched in his hand. Smirking at the silent Slytherin, she tilts her head up to make eye contact with Harry- an unspoken conversation passing from amber to emerald to amber again; Nodding slightly, Hermione shifts so Harry could stand up. Easing up slowly, Harry stretched out his limbs and runs his hand through his mop of jet black hair, scowling slightly. Offering Hermione his hand, he bows slightly- noticed by the slytherin aristocrat. Grasping his hand, Hermione stands up and links her arm with Harry's, letting him escort her the few paces to where Draco was standing.

Stopping a foot away from him, she leans forward slightly, gazing up at his tall frame from under her lashes, laughing eyes taunting him. "What? Lion caught your tongue? No hisses for me?"

"Shut up, Granger. Why haven't you told your freaks to go to bed? Its bloody 2 am and everyone's sick of your shite. What? Is the goody two shoes Gryffindor princess too scared to stand up to her lions? Told you that you wouldn't last as Head Girl."

Tilting her head slightly, she smirked in a way that he thought only Malfoys knew how. Unlinking her arm from Harry, she takes a couple steps closer to him, raising her hand slightly to brush her fingertips against his cheek, drawing out her words in a way that made him shiver, "Haven't anyone told you that a lioness is the heart of a pride?" snapping her fingers against his ear, Potter stepped forward, grabbing his arm.

"Get the bloody hell off me, you git. Disgusting half-blood protecting a mudblood" he sneered. At that, the whole of the common room branded their wands and aimed it at his head. Sensing a shift in power, Draco backed up into a wall, hand clenched around his wand so tight his knuckles were turning an even paler shade of white.

"Lions, keep your claws sheathed. Our little snakey friend had a slip of the tongue. Lets allow him to correct his mistake. After all, snakes are so good at politics." Hermione mocked, coaxing her lions to calm down. "C'mon Malfoy… say sorry. You don't want to get scratched, do you?"

"Who cares about Malfoy? Lets hex him like those slytherin jocks have on our teammates every game!" Ron yells out as he passes a bludger back and forth to the other Beater. Several voices murmur in agreement, but quiets when Ginny levels a glare into the crowd.

"There's nothing to say sorry for, Granger. I spoke the truth. You're just a filthy mudblood. Sanctimonia Vincet Semper. Purity will always conquer." He sneered, eyeing the wands aimed at him. Snapping his focus back on Granger, he notes just how cold her eyes are. A frozen fire.

Turning back slightly, Hermione makes eye contact with Harry again, her lips curling slightly in a sneer eerily reminiscent of a lioness before she attacks. Nodding curtly, Harry sets out an order for everyone but 7th years to clear the common room. When the room is cleared to her satisfaction, Hermione faces Draco and offers a way out of the predicament he's buried himself in.

"How about this… Instead of siccing Gryffindor House on you, you take me 1v1 in a Wizards Duel? Winner gets the next win in Quidditch. Loser throws the game. Deal? Fair and square? It's a muggle saying by the way." she mocked.

Growling, Draco brandished his wand. "Deal, Granger. Just don't go crying to your precious Head of House if you lose."

Smirking, Hermione stepped back and set the respectable pace for dueling. Half heartedly bowing, she holds her wand lazily, looking as if she'd drop it at any second.

"Oh, I won't be the one crying when Snape gives me detention for throwing your precious game."

Draco sneers at her comment and her lack of respect, before stepping back and giving the same courtesy. Shooting off a Flipendo at her, he readies for another shot when his wand soars out of his hand unexpectedly. Staring at Hermione in horror, he realizes she cast an expelliarmus wordlessly and casted a protego at the same time. Dropping to his knees in defeat, his mind runs through the utter hell he'll get from his House for letting Gryffindor win. Sheathing her wand, Hermione strolls over to Draco slowly, stopping an inch in front of him.

Bending halfway down and tilting her head, she regards him for a second before shocking everyone in the room. "Be my pet, Draco. Avoid the shite your Housemates will no doubt give you, and become my pet. Granted your dueling skills have much to be improved upon, I do quite enjoy intelligent conversations, after all, it is my understanding that you've been nipping at my heels in marks. Hold your tongue enough with the slurs, and I'll treat you like a good snake you should be." Holding out his wand in a silent offer, Hermione licks her lips at the prospect of owning the Slytherin prince.

Looking up at Granger from under his almost silver eyelashes, his grey eyes searched hers. Finally he slowly nodded and reached out to accept the offering. Rising up on one knee, he bows his head in submission to her. Brandishing her wand and laying it on his head like a queen knights her soldier, she announces to all, "As of this moment, Draco Malfoy the Slytherin Prince is now mine. No harm shall come to him as long as he is in my service."

Stomping their feet and yelling as loud as a lion's roar, their agreement was made. He belonged to their Gryffindor Princess.

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione Granger strolled into the Great Hall with Draco Malfoy as her escort. Shocked whispers and curious glances were tossed their way as they made their way to the trio's normal spot at Gryffindor table. Stopping at hermione's spot, she leaned up and kissed Draco gently and lingeringly before dismissing him to his own table.

Sitting down she loaded her plate and ignored the whispers surrounding her. Harry leaned over and whispered something in her ear, causing her to break out laughing, a sound that rolled out with a sense of confidence not normally shown in teenage witches. Making his way to the Slytherin table, Draco ignored his mates as they peppered him with questions about the new development.

Loading up his plate, he glanced up and searched out his witch. Sensing his eyes on her, Hermione glanced back and make eye contact with him, steel grey eyes making contact with fiery amber. Smirking, Draco winked at her and mouthed Told you it would work. She rolled her eyes and mouth slowly Malfoys are so dramatic.