((Summary)) Lucius and Draco had been in hiding for a very long time. When a truth comes out about Hermione, and both men find themselves locked together with this know-it-all Gryffindor, will all three of them be able to find a way to get along? Or will this all end up destroying not only an old standing family, but in the end the entire wizarding world along with it?
CHAPTER 1 : Who she really is
Hermione Jane Granger, Know-it-all Gryffindor and famous Mudblood was anything but. Her real and full name was, Hermione Jane Leda Grange Devron LeBeau. The last remaining heir to the wizarding royal line, Daughter of Leda Rosacia Cerulian LeBeau, Queen of all the Wizarding World. Her husband Johnathon having just been lain to rest after a surprise attack at of all places, a muggle supermarket. For some time, Voldemort had been secretly sending the Carrows out to kill the remaining Royal heirs one by one as he found out about them. Most of them having gone into hiding before his first death, and none of them returning yet, as all of them were very aware of the fact he'd be returning. Thus, when Leda and her husband took the last name 'Granger' taken from one of Hermione's middle names, and took on the life of muggles, they had thought they might be safe.
Only two people in all of Hogwarts new the truth, and for once, Dumbledore wasn't one of them. No... it was Poppy Pomfrey and Severus Snape. Severus Snape having gone to school with Johnathon and secretly been his friend and confidant all through the times in dealing with being inducted into the Death Eaters as well as the happenings with Lily and Harry. And Poppy having been the phycisian of the Royal family since before she fully finished going to school.
Neither of these two people having told Hermione about her father's death, now led the 'muggleborn' student to Dumbledore's office. Each one having a silently comforting hand on a shoulder of the 7th year student. Once they began climbing the steps, the girl only then looked up at her Potions professor and asked softly, "Severus? ... Is it bad?" The worry on her face showing, through on all the possibilities it could be on what was wrong.
Unable to lie to the girl, he merely grunted. "Wait till we get to the office Hermione. I'll answer everything up there." His seemingly soulless black eyes flicking to the side where they caught the concerned glance from the grey eyed Pomfrey. A moment of silent communication had her soundlessly catching her breath, struggling to hold back tears as only the slightest dip of his chin answered a soundless question.
The sound of Dumbledore's voice sounded on the stairs, calling out in that same jovial tone that gave evidence to today being a heavily dosed with sugar mood. "Come in Severus... Madame Pomfrey? Miss Granger? What can I do for you today?" The solemn moods however seeming to stall the normally constant twinkle in his grey/blue eyes and the smile seeming to slowly slide into a frown.
"Headmaster, before I answer that question." Severus intoned, he nodded towards the portraits and then back again. Waiting for the headmaster to block all the portraits from being able to hear or see anything. Leading the 7th year female to sit down before then saying, "What I tell you, has to be kept in the strictest of confidence. I'll need a wizards oath from you Headmaster, I'm sorry I wouldn't ask but...lives are at stake."
Again Albus frowned as he looked between the three. A brow lifting faintly as he noticed that the 7th year, Head Girl wouldn't meet him eye to eye. She'd look at his shoulder, at the center of his forhead, but never direct eye contact. For a brief moment he began to think back to other conversations, had she ever given him direct eye contact before? The musings were interrupted with the medi-witch cleared her throat faintly. Causing the old wizard to remember to bring out his wand, letting the oath be taken from him.
It was only once the oath was complete that the Potions Master went to the fireplace, tossing in floopowder and called into it whisperingly. Stepping back with a sweeping swish of his robes. Only a couple of moments later before the flames burst and out stepped the most beautiful woman that either Albus Dumbledore had ever scene, even since his meeting of the now Deputy Headmaster, Minerva McGonagall. Wearing a set of silken copper robes that were designed with a high cynched waistline of a black gown underneith. An over sized hood covering a feminine face that had coiling ringlets of a copper brown that matched her robes running down her shoulders. Upon her chest a single brooch that glimmered in the light with an anciently strong power. Holding the Royal sigil of the wizarding family.
The tanned skin of a slender hand began to lift gently moving the oversized hood to show a pair of amber colored eyes. The older woman holding herself with a regality that couldn't be faked, while at the same time the Headmaster knew he was having a glimpse of what Hermoine was going to look like when she got older.
Before the Headmaster was able to say anything, a soft sob came from the 7th year student, as she rose with a grace she'd never shown before. "Mother!" Came her cry of worry. The two women looking at each other as the woman the old man had known as 'Mrs. Granger' opened up her arms and she whispered in a softly mourned tone, "I'm sorry love. They found him. They found your father... we're the only ones left."
A clearing of his throat was the only thing that stopped the soothing though barely restrained tearfilled croons that woman bestowed on the daughter now clutching to her. Those crinkled eyes lifting as she says, "Perhaps I should introduce myself... I am High Queen Leda Rosacia Cerulian LeBeau. And apparently, other than my daughter, I am the last... of the Royal family. I've come to ask for your help. I need my daughter protected at all costs. My daughter Princess Hermione Jane Leda Grange Devron LeBeau is the last of the royal line. If we fully die out, then it doesn't matter what Harry Potter does on the field. The wizarding world will be destroyed and fall into darkness."
CHAPTER TWO : Always in the Light
To say that the Hogwarts Headmaster was stunned would be an understatement. Managing to remember to rise up and give a proper bow to the noble woman before ending up slumping back into his chair. Watching as the three other adults in the room had shown Hermione back to the couch. Severus on one side of her, Poppy in front of her and her mother on the side that wasn't taken by the Potions Master. The man acting much like a guard on duty but also much like you might expect a beloved uncle or big brother to act. It was easy to see the way he held her as she sobbed out her grief was anything but sexual.
As he continued to watch this, different things ran through his mind. The child's commanding presense, her self-confidence as well as the amount of power she seemed to have. Her love of knowledge and almost instant grasp of it. Her lack of fear, and always sticking up for the Potions Master. After a long moment, the soft look went back to Snape, "You know there's only one person who could adequately protect her now, don't you Severus. The both of them. There's no other way. It'll make your job that much harder though."
Whatever it was that the old coot was trying to say had the Potions Professor up in arms as he shoved the suddenly startled Princess into her mothers arms as he suddenly shot to his feet. "You can't be serious. Albus, it took him 16 years to get to where he is now! What about his vaults! What about his wife! What about his son! What abou-" He was about to continue yelling out the things that in his mind apparently to senial old buzzard hadn't thouht about yet when a sudden scream came from the youngest royal. Her back arching as her head had been thrown back. Her normally amber/cinammon colored eyes a brilliant ice blue in color, with no whites left in the gaze. Her hands clenched in tight fists.
"The shared blood shall share their hearts.
Where houses were rival now are joined.
Father and son must join together against the dark,
Join together in a love shared,
And accept the love of a rival heart.
If he who brings night and destruction Wins against the love that blossoms So shall the world of magic feel the sting of death and utter death of all eternity.
If those that hold the golden heart,
Learn to join in tandum and give recognition To the emotion unnamed, power beyond reason Shall spring forth to aid the Chosen One.
Bringing prosperity and spring to the coldness of winter."
Just as suddenly as the choir of voices that seemed to all spring from the lips of the 7th year old girl, it was over. Her body falling hard on to the floor before anyone could think of catching it. It was the medi-witch who was there first, her wand beginning to work furiously on diagnostic spells. As she worked, the old man who had moved quicker than one would have thought someone of his age was able, said to the raven haired man next to him. "Go and get them Severus. Get them both. These two deserve to know... she'll need them. Especially now."
With the crispest of nods the man once again went to the floo, muttering into it before sending out his doe of a Patronus out with another whispered instruction. Moving to stand behind the now wide eyed and worried looking queen with a protective stance.
It was only two minutes later when a long white haired man of his own regal bearing slipped through the green flames of the floo. Casting a quiet 'Scourgify' over his clothes to clean them, before letting his own blue eyes track the room to take in who was there. About the time those thin lined lips looked about to say something as a forced looking sneer noticed the girl on the floor, the door opened to admit the bane of most of Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy. Turning his own attention on the older mirror looking version of himself, they both just lifted a brow and then looked to Dumbledore who said one thing. "Tell them the truth Lucius. You can trust them, and they need you."
Unable to stop the change over, both Draco and his father Lucius seemed to change almost before everyones eyes. The normal sneers and looks of distain slowly melting to looks of concern. Lucius being the one to move over quickly, kneeling down next to the medi-witch, only after noticing the brooch that 'Mrs. Granger' was wearing giving a deep bow of greeting though saying nothing, and placing a hand on the unnaturally cool skin of the Gryffindor Princess as he looked down. "My wife has actually been dead since a year after Dracos' birth. Which is why though she comes to meetings, she never says anything and has 'developed' the dislike of being touched. It's an illusion I have moving about the room occassionally, or sometimes one of the servants with polyjuice potion. She was caught in the crossfire of the attack sent to the Potter home. Riddle had promised me that she wouldn't be a part of any of those attacks, but the night before the attack, he used Imperio on her, raped her, and then took her with him. He was going to make her kill Harry herself. So he could shatter her soul and then steal her from me as his mate. It ended up killing her though, she wouldn't do it and he wouldn't let her disapparate home." Frowning faintly, the elder Malfoy began to without noticing what he was doing, rub his hands over the arms of the still unconscious Princess.
"I came to Dumbledore and begged for him to help protect me and Draco, I knew Riddle would be back. And I didn't want to lose my son the way I'd just lost my wife. Tom was pretty indescriminate when it came to who or... what sex he would choose for his mate of the night." Paling faintly and shuddering under some memory. He seemed to fall silent, and this seems to be where Draco, realizing what thought his father was caught in stepped up to continue.
"We've both been working for the Order of the phoenix for years. I have pretty much since the day I was born, and father... well.. since Dumbledore took us in from Voldemort. Everything we've both done, we've done only because we had to. Like the book against Ginny Weasley, we chose the lesser of three different objects, the one that we could hopefully guide Potter through Doby how to defeat. It was the only way to ensure that one of the other of us wouldn't be killed for defection. Severus just wasn't as deep into the inner circle as Father was, and it was easier for him to also find out any rogue attacks going on that Voldemort may not have known about and get to Severus." The younger eyes of Draco, looked down at the fallen Hermione, having noticed her eyes open, though tired looking she was listening without comment.
"So." Continued the elder Malfoy now, continuing to rub warmth back into the arms of the now conscious though befuddled looking Hermione. "I guess you could say though we walk beside the shadows, we're always in the light. We swore an oath to the Order of Phoenix different from everyone else, that would alert Dumbledore if we even thought of any sort of defection. Now I believe you must need our protection for something if we had to finally give ourselves away?"
The headmaster nodded faintly, watching as Severus, Poppy and Lucius all moved to help the young girl stand. Though her eyes were back to normal, her face was still lacking it's normal lightly tanned tint. Moving to sit back down with her mother, as both women just watched the Malfoy men. The 7th year girl seeming oddly silent in comparison to how she was around those who knew her. Watching as Dumbledore showed both of the men the prophecy that had apparently been made, not so much as stiffening as they looked at each and then at hermione and then back again before looking to Dumbledore. "So we have to stop spying then?" Asked Lucius, as Draco was frowning even further as if in trying to find someway to rebel against the prophecy that had obviously been talking about them. "We have a place of safety but... well. I think it may be better to wait until the holidays before moving her there. She would be better off staying here until then, perhaps I could join staff in some way?" A slender white brow lifting faintly. "If my son and I are to look after her, it's only right that we are both in the same location to do so.
Dumbledore, Poppy and Severus all looked about to answer all at once, when it was of all people, Hermione that straightened slowly. Her body oddly stiff and still ice cold. "Have him teach hand to hand combat as an elective. I can tell by how he carries himself he knows how and how he carries the cane and is able to use it. Perhaps it'll give Harry and Ron a reason to step up their studies? The attack is only a month away... and it would help alot of the younger kids too." Those amber/cinnamon eyes flicking around to all of the adults. Seeming unsurprised at the hint of the smile on her mothers face.
Continued soon!
CHAPTER THREE : Getting to Know you
