AN: So guys, I've been waiting a really long time to get this story up, but I never like to start a story unless I have at least two chapters started, so here we go! I'm excited to give you this story because I really enjoy the plot and writing it. So I hope you all enjoy it :D
Against the Grain
Chapter 1: Hell Frozen Over
The war was over, Voldemort and his followers had succeeded in taking over the Wizarding world at the Battle of Hogwarts. Ronald Weasley had died in the war, and Harry had been so distraught that the Dark Lord easily over powered him without actually killing him for some unknown reason. The Boy Who Lived was now a personal slave to the Dark Lord as well as his closest friend, Hermione Granger. It had been almost a year since the Battle at Hogwarts and things had spiraled out of control with the rise of the new government. Bellatrix Lestrange was now Headmistress of the school and the only house being Slytherin. Wizarding London was run down and desolate to anyone who wasn't a Death Eater, while Grimmauld Place was destroyed by Voldemort himself since most of the Order meetings went on there.
Jade McHale, one of Voldemort's most trusted followers was walking through the halls of Malfoy Manor one afternoon, the dark wizard had summoned her from work and she held herself firm as she walked into the parlor.
"You called for me, sir?" She spoke as she bent one knee and bowed her head in respect to the pale man.
"Ah, Jade," Voldemort chimed as his lips turned up into an evil grin. "Yes, I actually have a gift for you." He snapped his fingers and Fenrir Greyback appeared, pulling a brunette girl dressed in dirty rags. When she looked up at Jade, her dark brown eyes were burning with hatred as she clenched her jaw and tried to pull away from the massive werewolf that held her. "Lucius can no longer stand the sight of this mudblood in his manor. She seems to keep disrespecting him and his son, so I'm giving her to you, to reward you for your past service to me."
"My Lord," The raven haired girl said calmly as Greyback threw the girl and Jade gently caught her by her shoulders before she could fall. "Making me Head of the Department of Law Enforcement and gifting me my own estate was thanks enough. I can't ask anymore of you."
"Good thing you don't have to ask." The Dark Lord hissed as Nagini appeared while he stood and walked towards the blue eyed girl. "You're always so modest Jade, without you the war wouldn't have been won, without you, we'd still be fighting for the purification of this world. So this is my gift to you, a life given for the life you took. Just make sure to keep her in line." Voldemort chuckled as he grabbed the brunette's chin and looked her in the eyes. "Take the afternoon off and get this animal acquainted to your home, but watch out, she's feisty." He laughed again as he turned and walked away with Nagini. Jade bowed her head until he left the room before grabbing the brunette and apparating to her home. Her manor wasn't as large as Malfoy's, but she liked it since she had more land. She led the girl silently in by the arm as they walked up the large curving stair case and into the first room at the top of the stairs. Through there, she led the girl into another room, a bathroom, where Jade stopped and proceeded to unbind the brunette's wrists.
"You do know how to bathe?" Jade asked firmly as the brunette rubbed her wrists and glared at the taller woman before her. "It'd fare best for you if you'd acknowledge me when I speak to you."
"Yes," The girl hissed finally as she straightened up and scowled. "I know how to bathe. Just because He never let me doesn't mean I don't know how, thank you." Jade smirked at the fire in the girl's eyes before walking towards the clawed tub.
"Splendid." She quipped as she reached down and plugged the drain. She turned on the hot water before adding the cold to make sure it wasn't going to scald the girl's skin. "Get to it then, oh," Jade snapped her fingers and a silver cuff materialized on the brunette's wrist with the initials, J.L.M. on it. "Don't try to escape, because that," She pointed down at the cuff. "Will keep you on the grounds if you wander too far, and in a very unpleasant manner."
"Thanks for the warning." The girl's voice was dripping with sarcasm as she eyed the cuff.
"What is your name, by the way?" Jade asked as she placed her hand on the doorknob. "You do have a name, don't you?"
"It's Hermione." A smirk grew on Jade's lips as the brunette answered, she nodded before turning the brass knob and walking out of the bathroom.
x-x
Hermione waited until Jade had left the bathroom before stripping off her filthy garments and slipping into the hot water. It burned a little at first, but at the same time it felt equally cleansing as she sank down lower until the water was touching her chin.
"What did I get myself into?" She asked herself quietly before tipping her head back and submerging her grimy locks into the water. Within the year, she and Harry ad only just been captured five months prior, when they heard there was a resistance building in Scotland. Of course, this had been a set up. "Damned Malfoys, if I just would've kept my mouth shut I could've stayed with Harry." A sudden jolt of sadness filled her as she thought of her dearest friend back at Malfoy Manor, under the watchful eye of the Dark Lord. Apparently, calling Draco a spineless coward was frowned upon and had earned her the bruises that now adorned her upper back. The warmth of the water was soon soothing her anxiety and for a brief moment, she forgot she was enslaved, until there was a knock on the door.
"I have clothes for you when you finish." Hermione sighed at her broken daydream as reality came crashing back down around her. She was enslaved, for the rest of her natural life, Voldemort had won, and one of her best friend's was dead. Her hand searched blindly for the plug before tugging up with a jerk and stepped out of the tub. There was a dark green, fluffy towel hanging on a rack nearby that she wrapped herself in before catching her reflection in the mirror. The young witch had grown gaunt and pale where she was once healthy and fit, but five months of poor living and scraps for food will do that to a person. When she opened the door to the bathroom, Jade was sitting on the large, king sized bed with her elbows resting on her knees. This must've been Jade's room, it was too elaborate for anyone else. Hermione couldn't stop herself from lingering on the dark haired woman's face, she couldn't be more than twenty one, but she looked worn and empty. Blue eyes looked up to see the shorter girl wrapped in the large towel as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "They might be a bit big, you're a bit shorter than I am, but we will go out tomorrow and get you some proper attire." Brown eyes stared at the grey button up shirt and worn black slacks lying on the bed as the Death Eater rose and left the room. "I'll be waiting in the living room when you're finished."
"Wait," The brunette called before Jade could shut the door. "Where are my old clothes?"
"I burned them." The dark haired woman answered coldly. "They were beyond repair and with a start of a new life, something old should be destroyed." The door clicked shut as Hermione looked down at the offered garments and sighed. This woman was odd, none of the Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor treated captured Order members like people, let alone like equals. Either way, the girl slipped on the clothes and dried her hair with the towel. She groaned in frustration at how long this took. Since her capture, her wand had been destroyed so she could hardly manage the simplest of spells without difficulty since she never really mastered wandless magic. She sighed again, this time to steady her nerves, before opening the door and stepping out of Jade's room. The house itself was very simple and elegant in a natural kind of way. Her eyes followed the décor as she descended the stairs and assumed the room with the roaring fire was the living room. Jade was sitting in a large leather chair in front of the fire and upon noticing Hermione, she beckoned her closer with her hand.
"A bit big, but they'll do for tonight." The woman observed as she stood and circled the brunette like prey. "Cale, could you come here please?" Her voice wasn't necessarily a yell or a shout, but it was a call and soon a young girl, probably around sixteen, came into the living room wearing a dark blue skirt and white blouse with a green sweater that contrasted her blonde hair.
"Yes, Mistress?" The girl curtsied and hazel-green eyes glanced towards Hermione curiously.
"Cale, this is Hermione," The Death Eater motioned to the brunette who nodded at the younger girl. "She's the new help and I wanted you to show her around the house and the grounds. I have to get back to the office to make sure everything is running smoothly."
"Of course, Miss." Cale answered softly as she bowed her head before Jade disapparated with a soft crack and the two girls were left alone in the room. The blonde girl ushered Hermione back up the stairs and led her to a room that was two doors down from Jade's on the left. "This is your room." It wasn't small, but it wasn't as large as Jade's. Hermione found it rather cozy with a full size bed and a dresser with a mirror. "We are only allowed to be in here at night or if you're ill." They left the room and Cale showed her the bathroom that was on the right between their rooms.
"Do you have your own room too?" Hermione asked quietly as Cale led her to the study which was the door between the brunette's room and Jade's. "I shared a room at Malfoy's with four other girls in a room smaller than mine now."
"Yes, Miss is very generous despite the fact that she's a Death Eater." Cale answered with a small smile as she moved back down the stairs and into the dining room. "She took me in when I was only ten years old and even though I was muggle-born, she fed me and clothed me. She can be harsh though, so don't go trying to escape or anything like that." They made their way into the kitchen were the blonde girl showed Hermione where all the plates and silverware were along with the cellar where a large portion of the food was stored that they would collect from the gardens that had been canned. They then entered a room that was joined to the kitchen with a large brass tub and a faucet. "This is the laundry room, and speaking of, we should probably get started on it."
"So, you don't mind being a slave?" The brunette asked finally as her curiosity got the best of her. Here was this young girl who seemed to be enjoying her life despite being enslaved to a Death Eater. Cale smiled before nodding and dumping in a small basket of dark clothes. "Doesn't it bother you that Jade owns you?"
"I don't have anywhere else to go, Hermione." The blonde answered quietly as she scrubbed a black shirt. "Mistress takes care of me, so no, it doesn't bother me if I can repay her by doing some chores. You'll learn to appreciate her as well as time goes on. She's not like the others, oh, and you should put this on."
x-x
Around seven o'clock, after making dinner, Jade finally returned home with a soft crack. Cale was there immediately to take her master's cloak and hang it up as Jade walked briskly into the living room and flopped down on her leather chair.
"Fucking Malfoy," She hissed as Hermione offered her a glass of fire whiskey and handed it to the blue eyed woman. She was now wearing a white skirt that brushed her ankles, much more appropriate since she was to be serving. "Thinks he can go over my head and interrogate prisoners, slimy bastard." Jade threw back the alcohol in her glass and stood up, handing the brunette her empty glass. "Cale, Lucius and Draco will be here soon for dinner, please set two more places for them." The blonde nodded and disappeared into the kitchen as Hermione stood next to Jade to refill her glass. "Go help her please, it's been a while since she's had any help around here." The brunette nodded before following the younger girl as two soft cracks resonated through the house and Jade rose to greet her guests.
"McHale," Lucius greeted stiffly as he extended his hand and Jade shook it firmly. "What is you wanted to discuss."
"Over dinner, Lucius, please, this way." The raven haired woman ushered them into the dining room and Cale and Hermione had just finished setting the extra places. "Care for a drink?" Instead of answering, Lucius just held up his glass and the blonde girl poured some whiskey into his glass. Jade then looked at Draco. "What about you, young Malfoy?"
"No, thank you." The boy answered quietly as his eyes trailed to Hermione who was trying hard not to lose her temper at the sight of the Malfoys. Jade nodded as Clae and Hermione disappeared momentarily before returning with the meal that they placed on the table.
"I need to talk to you about your son, Lucius." Jade said finally after their first course of the meal. "He's been going over the Ministry's head, over my head to interrogate some rebels who were to be put on trial tomorrow. I'm assuming because Draco was involved with something and the prisoners had dirt on him." Her blue eyes glared at the young Malfoy who just scoffed and continued to shovel food into his mouth. "Voldemort is in power now, but he still wants a just judicial system and I can't overlook this…again."
"I assure you, ma'am," The elder Malfoy said calmly as he sipped his drink and eyed his son. "Draco had nothing to do with this mishap, he was with his mother and I last night while…" Jade raised her hand to silence him before sliding a piece of parchment towards Lucius.
"This is our prisoner interrogation list," She said cooly as she sipped her water as Malfoy senior's eyes scanned the paper. "Do you see that name, that's your boy's. Do you see the name next to it? That's Luna Lovegood's, in case you had trouble reading it." Lucius tensed as he read over the list. "She was not scheduled for interrogation and your son was not on duty, please, explain this to me." The woman sat back with her arms folded over her chest as Lucius began to stutter.
"Sh-shall we move this into the parlor for more privacy?" The elder wizard hissed nervously as he looked over at Hermione and Cale. Jade nodded as she stood and the Malfoys stood with her. "Not you, Draco, you stay here so Jade and I can discuss these matters."
"How am I supposed to defend myself if I'm not present?!" Draco spat as he clenched his fists.
"That's why your father is here, boy." Jade glared at him before turning to her servants. "Whatever is left over you can have, just make sure you clean up when you're finished."
"Of course, Mistress." Cale bowed her head and Hermione followed suit as the two Death Eaters disappeared down the hall. Hermione sighed heavily as she began clearing the table with Cale who was picking up all the leftover food and carrying it to the kitchen.
"Bitch," The blonde boy hissed as he flopped back down in his chair, running both hands through his platinum hair and closing his grey eyes. "Why can't she just look the other way like everyone else does?"
"Because Miss is very honorable," The younger girl answered as she cleared his plate. "And please, don't speak ill of my Mistress in her own home."
"Was I speaking to you, slave?" Draco growled as his eyes fell on the blonde girl before he stood up and pushed his chair back angrily. Hermione went to grab his goblet when she accidentally brushed her elbow against his shoulder. "Don't touch me you filthy mudblood!" He shouted before back handing her in the face. The goblet fell to the floor as Hermione fell hard holding her cheek where Draco's hand had made contact. There was rage blazing in grey eyes as the blonde boy walked towards her with his fist raised. Cale rushed over and hit him with a metal serving platter to keep him from attacking as Hermione struggled to her feet to no avail. The blow had blurred her vision as her head throbbed and she sat back down on the floor to try to regain her composure. "How dare you attack me!" This time, Malfoy took the young girl by the neck and pinned her against the wall. "Do you know who I am?!"
"Stop!" Hermione cried as she wobbled up to her feet and tried to pry the boy's hand away from Cale's willowy neck. Draco just grunted before tightening his grip as the blonde girl scratched frantically at his hand. Suddenly, there was a ferocious growl and Cale was released, gasping for air as Draco found himself hoisted off the ground. Bright blue eyes glared menacingly at him as he whimpered under the vice grip on the collar of his suit.
"How dare you attack my girls in my own house!" Jade roared, her canines had grown longer as she bared her teeth at the young Malfoy. "I should teach you a lesson on respect, you insolent little rodent." Hermione was helping Cale to her feet as she saw the ferocity in Jade's eyes as her grip tightened around Draco's collar.
"I-I'm sorry!" He yelped as another deep growl resonated in her throat.
"Please, let him go, McHale!" Lucius called as he stood back from the action, fear creeping into his body at the sight of the slim built woman holding his son a clear foot off the ground. "It was…a misunderstanding, right Draco?" The younger wizard nodded frantically as Jade snorted and dropped him to the ground with a heavy thud. Draco stood up and ran to his father.
"How much longer are you going to make excuses for him, Lucius? He's a coward, plain and simple. A spoiled brat who thinks he can get away with anything right under your goddamned nose! Take care of him before I do, is that clear?!" Jade's voice was loud and demanding as she spoke to Malfoy who nodded and bowed his head to her slightly. "Leave now, Lucius, before I change my mind on your offer." The man nodded as he grabbed his son by the arm and disapparated. The two servants were still huddled behind Jade when she turned and looked at them. "Did he hurt you, Cale?"
"I'm fine, Miss." Her voice was a little raspy, but she did her best to smile at her mistress. "Just a sore neck, a little rest and I'll be as good as new." Hermione was astounded at what had just happened. Not only did Jade defend the girls, but she was ready to destroy Draco for laying a hand on the young blonde.
"And you, Hermione?" Blue eyes glanced over and Hermione felt them linger on the dark bruise that was forming on her cheek. "Did he do that to you?" The brunette nodded as her fingertips brushed her cheekbone and she winced. "Why don't you two take the rest of the night off, go bathe and relax."
"Of course not, Mistress!" Cale exclaimed as she briskly started to clear the rest of what was left on the table. "I can finish up here and then I'll rest when I at least get most of the dishes done…" Jade held her hand up to silence the girl who quieted immediately and bowed her head slightly as if she had been reprimanded.
"I haven't forgotten how to do dishes, Cale." Jade chuckled as pulled her hair back into a low pony tail and rolled her sleeves up on her dress shirt. "You and Hermione get upstairs and relax, that's an order." The brunette just stared as she watched Cale try and argue, but Jade was hearing none of it and the blonde eventually conceded and slowly trudged up the stairs until it was just Hermione alone with Jade. "I'd like to examine your head later, if you don't mind." Jade said before she disappeared into the kitchen momentarily before returning with a damp cloth to wipe down the large table. "To make sure you don't have a concussion."
"My head is fine," Hermione said quietly as she watched the blue eyed woman wipe the table off smoothly before replacing the candelabra that sat in the center when meals weren't being eaten. "But, uhm…if you insist, just come to my room when you're finished." Hermione wasn't one to take advantage of a situation, but if Jade was offering to do their chores, she wasn't going to argue. She turned and left the dining room as she heard the raven haired woman chuckle as she walked up the stairs. Once in her room, the brunette laid down on her bed with a heavy sigh. This was all becoming confusing for her. She was living a life of slavery, but it wasn't so bad in the McHale home. Hermione was treated with respect and Jade never ordered them around like Lucius and the Dark Lord had. In reality, when she thought about it, this wasn't a horrible situation. After a few minutes of her lying down with her eyes closed, there was a gentle knock on her door before Jade walked in. Her sleeves were rolled up past her elbows and there were a couple water marks around the lower half of her shirt from scrubbing dishes.
"How are you feeling?" The woman asked softly as she pulled a chair up and sat down next to the bed. "Have any headaches or blurred vision?" Hermione sat up to face the woman who gently grabbed her face and examined the bruise. "It doesn't look like it's too horrible, but that bruise might be there for a while." The brunette blushed slightly at the close contact as she averted her gaze to the ground as Jade brushed her thumb along the length of her cheek.
"I'm sure it's not as bad as it looks." Hermione retorted quietly as she tried to look sternly at the blue eyed woman, but soon she found herself getting lost in blue eyes as Jade ran her hands down the length of the brunette's neck, gently massaging her muscles.
"Your neck is a little tense," Jade whispered as her brow furrowed slightly and Hermione swallowed hard at the sensation from gentle hands. "Probably from the initial hit, does this hurt?" Jade applied a little more pressure at the base of Hermione's skull and she winced. "You should try to soak in a hot tub before you go to bed tonight." The brunette blushed when she felt Jade's eyes move down her neck to her exposed collarbone as her fingertips brushed along it slowly. "You might have a stiff neck in the morning."
"As long as there's no long term damage." Brown eyes fluttered shut as she felt a warmth growing in her chest as Jade's fingers ran along her jaw gently. "Do you have any medical background?" Jade chuckled and shook her head slightly before sitting back and Hermione had to stifle a whimper at the loss of warm hands.
"Just muscles," The blue eyed woman answered as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I'm rather good with my hands, so I'm told." Hermione blushed again as she looked away and cleared her throat. "I'll let you get some rest, I'm sure you could use it." She stood and ran a hand through her raven hair. As she put her hand on the knob, Hermione stood and gently grabbed her wrist.
"Th-thank you." She stuttered as a blush crossed her cheeks. Hermione wasn't used to thanking Death Eaters, let alone the one who held her captive. "For…well, for keeping Cale…and me safe. Anyone else, they just would've let Malfoy assault us." Brown eyes fell to the floor as Jade smirked and moved in front of the brunette.
"I'm not like other Death Eaters, Hermione." The woman said gently before brushing a stray curl away from the younger girl's face. "In time, I'm sure you'll come to like me." Before Hermione could react, Jade leaned forward and brushed her lips against her cheek. The brunette froze at the feather soft touch as goose bumps erupted on her skin. Her breathing was getting heavier as Jade pulled away and smirked. "You have a good night, Hermione."