A/N: This story is for the Slytherin Cabal's Twist-mas fest. I was given the prompt "spiked eggnog" and told to twist it into something dark and, well, twisted. Please note: this story contains non-graphic dub-con. Many thanks to Tassana Burrfoot for beta-reading this for me and providing her feedback.

~oOo~

Part 1

You'll never know what hit you

Won't see me closing in

I'm gonna make you suffer

This hell you put me in

I'm underneath your skin

The devil within

You'll never know what hit you.

Digital Daggers, Devil Within

"I will not remove the equal rights clause and the penalties! I've already watered it down enough as it is to get it past the Wizengamot!" Hermione Granger snapped, hands on her hips as she glared up at the pompous arse that was Lucius Malfoy.

"The only reason the Wizengamot is remotely considering this proposal is because you've tied it to the Minister's budget!" Malfoy hissed at her like the snake she knew he was.

It had been a flash of genius really, sneaking an anti-discrimination clause into the Minister's budget that required equal rights in all areas for muggleborn witches and wizards and instituted hefty fines for discrimination or failure to comply. In all fairness, it had absolutely nothing to do with the budget, but she'd managed to convince Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt that fines raised as a result could be split between the affected muggleborns and the Ministry to help fund initiatives to ease the transition of young muggleborn students into the magical world.

She could not make pureblood snobs like Lucius Malfoy like or event really respect muggleborns, but she could damn well ensure that they paid the price for discriminating against them in decisions regarding hiring, housing, and other matters. It was an open secret in the magical world that the Malfoy family businesses only hired purebloods and engaged in a lot of underhanded business tactics to drive muggleborn start-ups out of business. The fines that could be levied against Malfoy business interests alone could likely fund entire departments in the Ministry of Magic.

Undoing the horrific discriminatory laws and policies set in place during Dolores Umbridge's tenure at the Ministry of Magic had become her life's work, her obsession, her raison d'etre. Kingsley had done his part in the immediate aftermath of the war, but there was still so much work to do to make their world a more egalitarian place. Hermione had pushed for years to actually punish those who attacked, discriminated against, or otherwise harmed muggleborn witches and wizards, first as a Ministry worker and then as one of the few muggleborn members of the Wizengamot and a senior aide to Minister Shacklebolt.

The bulk of the Wizengamot's seats were hereditary, passed down through bigoted, pureblood families, allowing them hold onto their concentrated power and wealth, all whilst passing laws and judgements designed to maintain the status quo. It was nearly impossible for a muggleborn to achieve much in the way of professional or financial success because the odds were stacked so firmly against them the moment they set foot in the magical world. Hermione was painfully aware that she'd only accomplished what she had in large part because of her connection to Harry Potter and the role she'd played in helping him defeat Voldemort. It had bought her a tremendous amount of popularity and goodwill in the larger magical community, but it had yet to help her achieve her dreams of legal equality.

Over the years, she'd learned to accept defeat gracefully, she'd learned to compromise, and she'd learned how to be sneaky.

Lucius Malfoy held one of those hereditary seats on the Wizengamot as well, and on issue after issue, he'd opposed her. And on issue after issue, he'd won. It grated on her nerves, and it frustrated her to no end that he was always one step ahead of her.

But not this time. This time she would win. And when she did, she would have the power to dismantle the Malfoy family's financial empire if they did not fall into line.

It was everything she'd worked for, and it was so close to coming to fruition.

And that was precisely why Lucius Malfoy was looking down his pointy pureblood nose at her, sneering in disgust as his grip tightened on the utterly ridiculous snake-head cane he still carried everywhere.

She was not particularly worried about him drawing the wand she knew he concealed in the cane. This was a Ministry event after all, and engaging in any kind of magical fight at the formal Yule Ball at the Minister for Magic's residence was simply not done.

"Don't get your wand in a knot because I out maneuvered you, Malfoy," she said smugly.

"Miss Granger, my wand is in perfect condition, thank you very much. I must advise you to wipe that smug look from your face though because you have not outmaneuvered me at all, little girl," he said with a sneer.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do not call me a little girl! I am your EQUAL!"

He laughed then, drawing curious glances from onlookers before leaning in toward her, the spicy scent of his cologne invading her senses.

"You will never be my equal. You are beneath me. That is where you belong, and that is where you shall stay," he said in a low enough voice that only she could hear.

His words and the unexpected sexual innuendo sent a shiver down her spine, a shiver she ignored as she glared back at him. "Only a fool would ever want to end up beneath the likes of you. You've lost, Lucius Malfoy, and on the day that bill passes, I will pour a glass of champagne and celebrate the destruction of the last vestiges of Tom Riddle's absurd war for blood supremacy."

"You may want to keep that bottle of champagne corked, because you have not won. Far from it," he said in a tone she found vaguely threatening. It was easy to see how he'd bullied other members of the Wizengamot to do his bidding over the years.

"We'll see about that," she said with a huff, eager to get away from him before she was tempted to continue arguing with him. Nothing good would come from that, surely. She turned on her heel and stalked away from him then, in a rustle of Gryffindor red silk and chiffon. What a disgusting, pompous, bigoted arse he still was, she thought to herself as she looked around the ballroom for her friends.

She found them easily and joined their conversation, but to her irritation, she could still see Lucius Malfoy out of the corner of her eye, watching her.

Ugh, that stupid prat, she thought to herself. Why couldn't he just… go away? For good.

Someone passed her a glass of eggnog, served in an elegant goblet, she smiled at the sight of it. The wizarding world tended to consider itself separate from the muggle world, but eggnog appeared to yet another little thing that both cultures had in common. It was a pity most of them were too bigoted to see it. She took a long sip and then sighed with delight. She'd never admit it to Malfoy or his cronies, but this eggnog truly was better than anything she'd tasted in her Christmases in muggle London with her parents. She downed it quickly and smiled at the magic that refilled her glass.

The evening passed in a blur after that. She nibbled on exquisite delicacies, danced with Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, and other friends from school and colleagues from the Ministry. She felt Malfoy's eyes on her a few times over the course of the night and made sure to glare at him each time. She made polite conversation with members of the Wizengamot, danced and laughed with her friends, and drank more eggnog. The hour grew late, and Harry left with a pregnant and exhausted Ginny, but the party was still in full swing. Everyone was in such great spirits, and she honestly could not remember the last time she'd had this much fun at a Ministry gala.