Ficcage:: Those Falling Words
For chanteur_dombre: Bunny #44 Hermione is the Imperio Bride of Lucius. Or is she? with Prompt 064. Fall
Title: Those Falling Words
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Lucius/Hermione
Prompt: 064. Fall
Summary: They gave her a title. He gave her a way to use it.
Author's Plea: Eh. The word "fall" isn't actually written, but the entire story felt like a slow fall down a dark tunnel. Missing... something. Humour? Enjoy if you can.
Those Falling Words
astarvingwriter
Standard Disclaimer Applies
They pitied her.
When she arrived at functions, adorned in splendour and accompanied by her beautiful husband... they pitied her.
It was all there in her eyes, they said. Her eyes were dead to the world and had been since her supposed courtship.
It was entirely too obvious, they said. The true Hermione Granger would never have married him, but she was gone now. She was gone beneath his skill, beneath his spell, and it was doubtful she would ever have the will to return.
They pitied her, yet they did nothing to save her from her supposed doom.
It was all rather senseless.
It was also rather circular. Her happiness at her new arrangement had been partially false. After all, her marriage was merely business. The pity that met her everywhere brought on the pained expression that had now become permanent. The rumours had then been supplemented by her hurt which had only hurt her more.
She wondered vaguely if perhaps a rumour could become self fulfilling.
At the manor, she was free to rant and rave and relieve her stress with any number of powerful spells designed to tear down the world around her. She would sigh and cry and pant her frustration until Lucius called her back upstairs to face the next round of hypocrisy.
But only at the manor. When she found herself outside, all hope of dissuading anyone faded. Letting them believe she was forced into her current position was ultimately better than the disappointment that would meet her if they ever came to understand the truth. Still, it hurt, and no number of presents from her new husband could cure the illness of her despair.
Perhaps his attentiveness was by far the most suspicious of their arrangement. He was only doting when there were curious eyes about, going so far as to treat her like an invalid. His explanation had been tedious and revealed a truth she disliked all too much: the only way he could please his snobbery and still marry her was to act in such a way as to further imply the public's belief.
The 'Imperio Bride' title the Prophet placed on her must have been a godsend to him.
"This was supposed to be a mutually beneficial agreement!" she shouted at him regularly.
"It is, my pet, had you but the inclination to use what you have been given," he replied once, all other times remaining silent in the face of her rage.
It took several long months of drudgery to understand his intent. It took several long days to accept it. Afterwards, she found it was all too easy to take advantage of her titles.
She was merely the Imperio Bride of Lucius Malfoy. She merely sat there unheeded, an abandoned victim quickly forgotten while her company spoke of other, more pleasant things and then other, more important things.
She was merely the Imperio Bride of Lucius Malfoy, and she knew everyone's secrets.
*
FanFic100 Prompt Table
Title: Those Falling Words
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Lucius/Hermione
Prompt: 064. Fall
Summary: They gave her a title. He gave her a way to use it.
Author's Plea: Eh. The word "fall" isn't actually written, but the entire story felt like a slow fall down a dark tunnel. Missing... something. Humour? Enjoy if you can.
Those Falling Words
astarvingwriter
Standard Disclaimer Applies
They pitied her.
When she arrived at functions, adorned in splendour and accompanied by her beautiful husband... they pitied her.
It was all there in her eyes, they said. Her eyes were dead to the world and had been since her supposed courtship.
It was entirely too obvious, they said. The true Hermione Granger would never have married him, but she was gone now. She was gone beneath his skill, beneath his spell, and it was doubtful she would ever have the will to return.
They pitied her, yet they did nothing to save her from her supposed doom.
It was all rather senseless.
It was also rather circular. Her happiness at her new arrangement had been partially false. After all, her marriage was merely business. The pity that met her everywhere brought on the pained expression that had now become permanent. The rumours had then been supplemented by her hurt which had only hurt her more.
She wondered vaguely if perhaps a rumour could become self fulfilling.
At the manor, she was free to rant and rave and relieve her stress with any number of powerful spells designed to tear down the world around her. She would sigh and cry and pant her frustration until Lucius called her back upstairs to face the next round of hypocrisy.
But only at the manor. When she found herself outside, all hope of dissuading anyone faded. Letting them believe she was forced into her current position was ultimately better than the disappointment that would meet her if they ever came to understand the truth. Still, it hurt, and no number of presents from her new husband could cure the illness of her despair.
Perhaps his attentiveness was by far the most suspicious of their arrangement. He was only doting when there were curious eyes about, going so far as to treat her like an invalid. His explanation had been tedious and revealed a truth she disliked all too much: the only way he could please his snobbery and still marry her was to act in such a way as to further imply the public's belief.
The 'Imperio Bride' title the Prophet placed on her must have been a godsend to him.
"This was supposed to be a mutually beneficial agreement!" she shouted at him regularly.
"It is, my pet, had you but the inclination to use what you have been given," he replied once, all other times remaining silent in the face of her rage.
It took several long months of drudgery to understand his intent. It took several long days to accept it. Afterwards, she found it was all too easy to take advantage of her titles.
She was merely the Imperio Bride of Lucius Malfoy. She merely sat there unheeded, an abandoned victim quickly forgotten while her company spoke of other, more pleasant things and then other, more important things.
She was merely the Imperio Bride of Lucius Malfoy, and she knew everyone's secrets.
*
FanFic100 Prompt Table