A/N: So… yeah, it's me again, guiltily posting another multi chapter… oops. Anyway, I've read a few of these, and although they all seem to have the potential to be great, they're all a little too OOC for me. So hopefully this stays a little more true to Hermione's character.

Also, for those of you who know me (and my rubbish updating habits) I have chapters already written so don't worry, I'm actually going to update regularly.

—

"What the hell!"

Hermione spun round and grabbed her wand from the dresser beside her bed. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house!"

The wizard who had just apparated into her hallway didn't look like a ministry official. He certainly wasn't from Hogwarts. He calmly walked towards her, waving his wand and before she could do anything her wand flew into his hands. "Hey! What do you want?"

Hermione was panicking now. She was alone in the house, she didn't have her wand, and her phone was downstairs. Not that there was anyone she could call anyway. The police probably wouldn't really cut it in this situation.

"Isabella?"

Hermione looked at him. Now that he was closer she could see that he was a man slightly older than her father, wearing traditional robes in a deep green. She had no idea who Isabella was but she was pretty sure that he had appeared to the wrong house. He didn't seem dangerous though, so she relaxed a little.

"Can I have my wand back now?" She spoke firmly, keeping her eyes fixed on him. "I don't know who Isabella is-"

He laughed. "You live here yes?" He curled his lip slightly and Hermione scowled defiantly.

"Yes, I live here. This is my house. You're trespassing."

He shook his head sharply. "You will respect me girl. I shan't stand for your cheek."

"I don't know what you're talking about but you should go."

He sighed irritably. "They told me you were smart. Clearly the filth you've lived with has poisoned your mind more than I thought."

Hermione's eyes flashed angrily. "How dare you!I don't know who you are but you should leave. Now. Before my parents come back."

"Parents." He scoffed at her and she looked back at him utterly bewildered.

"Uh… yes?" That was fairly obvious, she thought.

"Not anymore. I'm Mr Nott, your real father. You don't really think that someone as smart as you could be a mudblood do you?" He kept talking while Hermione watched him in disbelief. "We left you here almost 17 years ago, but don't worry, you can come home now." He smiled for the first time, and he looked almost kind. Not that she believed he was here for any kind of altruistic reason.

Hermione snorted. "That is rubbish. My parents would have told me-"

"Well, of course they don't know! You don't think we'd trust a couple of muggles with our secret do you? A couple of spells is all it took to convince them that you were their daughter. A couple more and they'll forget you ever existed."

"What! You can't do that! Are you crazy?"

He watched her patiently. "I apologise for leaving you here in this despicable place for so long but really, we had no other option. Now, you will come with me, do you understand?" His voice was steely and Hermione was still utterly confused.

He held out his arm. "We will travel by side-along apparition. Come along my dear."

"No way!" Hermione didn't know what this man was thinking. Of course she wasn't just going to follow him when he had broken into her house and was making up a load of rubbish.

"I will explain more if we can just get to the manse."

"Look, Mr Nott. I don't know why you think I'm your daughter but I'm sure I could owl St Mungo's, they could check you out…" Hermione trailed off. That this man was insane was obvious, and she was concerned for both herself and her neighbours.

"Hermione?" She saw the man spin round and she froze as her mother stepped through the front door.

"Who's this? Sir? Step away from my daughter please." Mrs Granger's voice was firm, but Hermione could hear a slight tremble as she faced up to the older man. The man sneered and raised his wand once more.

"Obliviate." He muttered and the woman sunk to the ground. "Don't worry, I'll come back and do a more thorough job later."

"How- How dare you? This is my family!"

"You should be grateful I didn't kill them." He snarled and grabbed her arm tightly. Suddenly it was as if the floor had dropped out beneath them and her stomach flipped over as they left.

—

They landed with a thud, and at first Hermione was too disoriented to fight the firm grip holding her in place. She looked around the room they were in. A huge entrance hall, with an elaborate staircase, thick carpets and grand portraits lining the walls. The place was grand, but cold. There was an air of gloominess throughout the hall, despite the candles in the chandeliers burning brightly.

"Welcome home."

She looked up sharply to see the man looking down at her. She shook herself free and took a step back, with no idea where to go.

He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared. "Dinky. Take Mistress Isabella to her room." He turned away and Hermione found herself dragged away by the elf.

"Dinky! Stop!"

"Mistress must be coming with me." The elf gave her a toothy grin.

"I'm not your mistress. And you have to stop- I need to go home."

The elf ignored her and continued running along until they got to a dark wooden door. She pushed it open and dragged Hermione inside. Hermione turned around to run back the way they had come and demand she be taken home but the elf disappeared with a crack and the door swung shut.

Hermione rushed to open the door but found it locked from the outside. Without her wand she had no way of opening it. She turned to the windows and found them bolted as well.

Finally she gave up. Close to tears she sat down on the bed and looked around her, taking in her surroundings for the first time. The bed was a huge four poster, similar to the beds at Hogwarts but far prettier. The wood was beautifully carved and the covers were a deep blue. Bookshelves lined the farthest walls and she couldn't help but wander over to see what books there were. The floor was wooden, and this room, unlike the others she had passed, was well lit by a wide window. She couldn't help but feel that if she had to be imprisoned somewhere, this was a rather nice cell.

Her practical nature kicking in, she began to walk around the room, carefully looking through every drawer and cupboard in an attempt to find something- a key left carelessly lying around, even simply something she could use as a weapon to defend herself. Everything was empty, until she looked in the large wardrobe that stood beside the bed. Inside, on one solitary hanger, was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. As she reached out to touch the fabric a note fluttered out. All thoughts about the dress gone, she eager scanned the note.

Dearest Isabella,

I would like you to join us for dinner at 7 o'clock this evening. The door will be unlocked and I expect you to come and find us in the dining hall (the third door on the left on the ground floor).

She scowled once she'd finished reading. That was it? No explanation? She looked around the room but couldn't see a clock- there appeared to be know way of telling when 7 o'clock was. Impatiently she began to pace the room, searching again for some escape route.

—

Eventually the door clicked open. Hermione jumped up from where she had thrown herself down in frustration and ran out, looking around for whoever had opened it. Seeing no one, she crept down the stairs, looking for a window or a door.

When she reached the hall they had arrived in it was empty. She ran eagerly towards the door and had just touched it when there was a crack. She turned to see Dinky the house elf glaring at her.

"Dinner is this way, mistress." She pointed and Hermione, seeing no alternative, followed reluctantly.

"Ah Isabella." The man from earlier looked up at her as she entered. He was sitting at the head of a long table, in a room that was empty except for a dark haired boy who continued staring down at his plate.

"I see you didn't wear the gown I provided." He looked over her jeans and cardigan and sneered disapprovingly.

"No. I didn't." She glared at him. "I think you owe me an explanation. You abduct me from my home, jinx my mother, keep me locked up here, and then refuse to explain who you are."

He tutted. "A little respect wouldn't go amiss. But perhaps you're right. After all, I did leave you with that filth for seventeen years. And I do apologise that you had to be locked in, I had some urgent… business to attend to."

She scowled at him, crossing her arms defensively.

"Do take a seat my deer. The venison is particularly delicious tonight." He waved an arm and the seat next to him drew back from the table.

"I'll stand." She said defiantly and he sighed.

"Where do you want me to begin? You were born in the middle of a war, it was a dangerous time. Your mother and I worked for the Dark Lord, and as the war drew to an end we knew that we would not be on the winning side. When your mother died in childbirth, I knew that I could not raise two young children from Azkaban. My sister agreed to take one child, but I could find none willing to raise you." He paused, taking a sip of his wine. Hermione stood watching him, her fists clenched by her side.

"So I did what I had to in order to keep you safe. I couldn't allow my daughter to be raised by blood traitors and taught lies about us. I thought it was better to leave you with a muggle family and retrieve you as soon as I was released from Azkaban. I simply altered the muggle's memories and left you with them. Unfortunately, I was delayed for several years more than I had hoped, and it is only now that I am able to welcome you home."

"I'd like to go home now." She said, her voice firm.

He snorted in return. "This is your home now. You are back where you belong, and I intend to keep it that way."

"Clearly you are delusional. I have a home, a family-"

"A family who no longer have any memories of you. Even if you went home they wouldn't recognise you."

Hermione spun round and walked out.

"You can't leave! The wards won't permit it." The man called after her but she ignored him, stalking up the stairs back to the room she had left earlier. Once there she slumped down onto the bed, sobbing into her pillow in a combination of fear, anger and confusion.