Dearest Reader,

I am excited to begin my first Draco/Hermione fanfic. Please don't be afraid to let me know what you think. I tried this same story a short while ago but have added some things. If you have already read it please read it again. This is just the prologue so more information about the world will come into view in my later chapters. Please remember that this is in an alternate universe. I do not own these characters but simply have borrowed them from J.K. Rowling. All of their rights belong to her. I will answer any questions that you may have. You can leave them in a review or send them to me through a private message. I can't wait to hear from you all.

Love Always and Remember To Review

Jordan

The sound of hoof-beats against the cobblestone pavement chilled me to the bone; surging deep within my body until I thought that my very being would be split in two. The small carriage I had been forced to travel in was nothing spectacular which, in truth, was a slight comfort. Still, it surprised me. I had heard tales about the family I was supposedly entering into contract with. The rumors that circulated among those like I were that they had wealth beyond compare. This idea sickened me. I had not been part of this world for very long and was still, in many ways, considered to be a child. Yet, even I had come to the realization that the search of power and prestige was the driving force behind every action.

It seemed like the past two months had flown by without a care. Had it truly been that long? It must have been. I had been careful to count the number of sunrises and sunsets since my awakening. If my calculations were correct I had been under the control of the agency for about six weeks. Everything before that was a blur.

"You're very beautiful. Those looks will be a curse if you're not careful."

I lifted my head, my gaze falling upon the golden orbs of the young woman who sat across from me. She was older than me, about twenty-five years of age. A large scar twisted its way around her face, following the bridge of her nose and snaking down across her cheek. Her short hair was wavy like mine and appeared to be of a dark blonde nature. I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was very weak and soon found myself wondering when her last decent meal had been. If she had come from a place such as I had there would be no real way of knowing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Eden Howard. What's yours? Do…do you remember?"

Normally I would have considered her question to be rude or odd. Still, I could not deny that any memories I had of my past were foggy and hard to come by. I could recall certain things but I didn't really have any detail in order to support my claims. I knew that I was eighteen but was unsure of when my birthday had actually been. The paleness of my skin seemed to suggest that I didn't spend much time enjoying the outdoors. This seemed to be supported by the fact that I enjoyed reading; a fact that I could distinctly remember from an otherwise vacant childhood. It was my belief that I had been an only child. I had no recollection of any siblings or friends and thereby had come to the conclusion that I must have enjoyed spending much of my time alone.

"My name is Hermione."

"Are you a half-blood also?"

"What do you mean?"

Sadness swept across her face and for a moment I thought that she might burst into tears. She lifted her hands; covering her mouth as if she were trying to keep from speaking. Her entire demeanor had changed and she now appeared as if she were mourning the loss of a dear friend. I suddenly felt as if the air around me were closing in; filling my lungs with a hot and sticky mass that made it unable for me to breathe.

"You're a muggle!"

I had heard that word many times over the last few days but still had not managed to discover its definition. I had asked many of the women who had been held with me at the agency. However, it seemed to be a taboo subject that none wished to speak of. I couldn't blame them for not wanting to share any information they had. They were most likely only trying to ensure their own survival. However, my companion had been the one to bring the topic up in conversation. Although it may have been by accident I was determined to extract any details that she was willing to give.

"I…I'm not sure. I can't get anyone to tell me what that means."

"Do you have any magical powers that you know of? Do your parents?"

"I…uh…"

She leaned forward; guiding one of my stray curls so that it was tucked neatly behind my ear. Despite her obvious lack of energy she smiled, a both warm and inviting gesture that I had not witnessed in some time. The gleaming moonlight allowed me to catch a better glimpse than I had before. Her cheeks were sunken in; no doubt from her fatigue and lack of nutrition. Small wrinkles spanned from the corners of her eyes and mouth. She had truly been happy at some point in her life.

"Listen to me Hermione...do…do you remember how you came to be at the agency?'

"I don't think so. Why? Is it important?"

"It is very important. Only slaves who are of muggle decent have their memories taken from them. This is done to protect the world which you are now part of. It must have been the dementors that brought you here. I wonder what a death eater like Lucius Malfoy would want with you?"

"Who is Lucius Malfoy?"

"He is a powerful man; the head of a wealthy pureblood family who answer only to the one my kind know as Lord Voldemort. Now…listen Hermione this is crucial…you must never speak Lord Voldemort's name out loud. The consequences will be catastrophic if you do."

"But you just…?"

"I know. I know. You are obviously of a muggle. The same rules don't apply to you. You must always be aware of that. I promise that everything will become clear in due time."

"If it is so bad to be a muggle why am I still alive? Why did they not kill be back at the agency?"

"I am sure that Malfoy has his reasons."

The door beside me suddenly swung open; revealing a short and portly man who looked as if he hadn't bathed in weeks. I had been so engaged by my conversation with Eden that I had failed to notice that our carriage had come to a complete standstill. Warm summer air rushed across my body; allowing me a brief moment of happiness and relaxation. I could hear and owl somewhere in the distance and had to remind myself that despite the humidity we were still under the cascade of darkness. The man beside me had a look of distance and disgust upon his face. I noticed two black scarfs in his hand and immediately turned to Eden is search of answers.

"It's alright. We won't be blindfolded for long. They simply don't want us to know our exact location."

"Did I say you could speak? Filthy urchin. Now hurry it up. Your new master is waiting."

A.N. – Things You May Need To Know

1: Hermione never went to Hogwarts and was never a member of The Golden Trio. She grew up as a muggle and is unaware of the existence of magical beings.

2: Hermione has not lost her entire memory but rather any recollection of human ties to her past. She is not a brainwashed zombie.

3: Eden Howard is a made-up character based slightly on me. I always hide myself in my writings. I wanted Hermione to have a friend and confidant.

4: In this story Hermione is eighteen and Draco is twenty-three. I felt that the age gap made him even more terrifying.

5: Harry and Ron do exist and might make an appearance in later chapters.

Thank you for reading. Please remember to leave a review. I really want this story to do well. If you have any questions let me know. I will do my best to reply to them all.