Chapter 1- Beaten.
Hermione Granger stood up behind her office desk and gathered up her papers. It was ten p.m. and she had finally finished her over-time shift at Hunley and Bass Charms Inc. Outside the office windows it was already dark. Hermione didn't warm particularly to the fact that she would be walking home on her own that night. But, she reminded herself, she only lived a 20-minute walk away- not long at all. Then an idea hit her. All she had to do was find a dark alley and Apparate out of it- simple.
She stepped out onto the snowy streets of Lumos Wizarding Business Park. Only ten days until Christmas. Another Christmas spent by herself. It was always the same. A bit of cards-containing-money-opening in the morning; a small lunch (usually toast) and then a long, un-paid shift at work. Everyone else in the office were doing something nice at Christmas and she always let work take priority... God, she was lonely.
Still. Better lonely than dead.
She found a small back-alley between two warehouses. She prepared her mind for Apparating, still and silent.
Quite suddenly, a large, gloved hand clamped over her mouth. It stiffled the shriek she let emmited.
'Look here Crabbe, Goyle,' a harsh voice sneered, 'look who I've caught!'
Two shadowy figures lumbered across.
'Who is it?' one asked thickly.
'It's that Granger Mudblood, Goyle. That's who.'
Hermione recognised the voice. It belonged to Draco Malfoy, sneering, festering wizard gangster. She froze- what now?
The grip on her throat had loosened and she was roughly pulled around to face Malfoy. The light of his wand was making his grey eyes glow evilly.
'Anything to say for yourself, Mudblood?' he leered. 'I see you haven't got Potter to save you. Is your past still repelling him, eh?' Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.
'All I can say, Malfoy, is that you really haven't changed much since Hogwarts. Have you?'
'Why did I need to change? There wasn't anything wrong with me in the first place.'
'I seem to remember you to be a rude, selfish son-of-a-'
'Language Mudblood.'
'Can't you get a better insult? Maybe you should read something for once.'
'I can't believe you just told me to *read*.'
'I can't believe you are being such a bloody infuriating pure-blooded BASTARD!'
She had struck home. Malfoy's face contorted with livid anger. He flicked his wand. Thick ropes flew up to bind her hands and feet. She toppled onto the ground. Goyle grabbed her and shoved her against the wall hard. Malfoy slowly walked towards her.
'My dear, I think you have gotten worse without Potty and Weasel and I think it is time to sort out your attitude. I will do that I think.'
Now a gag flew to her face and the puching and kicking started. She knew she was helpless. There was no way of getting to her wand and she couldn't fight back. Now she was on the floor and the kicking had ceased. Malfoy leaned over her.
'I hope you have learned a lesson. For old time's sake then.' With that he planted one huge boot in her forehead and the world went black.
***
Harry Potter left the Love Potion Night Club surprisingly sober. He hadn't done anything embarassing all night and was enjoying his three-month anniversary with Cho Chang very much. He was convinced that she was the one for him. 'Maybe,' he thought, 'maybe one day I'll marry her- I wonder if she'll say yes...'
Cho Chang had been known to have had many un-workable flings since she left Hogwarts. None- except Harry- had lasted more than two weeks, so three months was quite an achievement for her. They had got together when they had met at a celebrity charity Quidditch match. They got chatting and Harry had asked her out for dinner- they struck it off instantly. Both of them were regarded as brilliant Seekers but Cho, unlike Harry, had chosen it as her career. She was Seeker for the Puddlemere United Quidditch squad. Also on the team was one of Cho's ex-flings and Harry's Hogwarts team captain, Oliver Wood.
Harry, however had chosen a career in Defense Against The Dark Arts. He was an Auror for the Ministry of Magic and usually kept well out of the Wizarding Public's eyes (especially those of the Daily Prophet newspaper).
They walked down a back alley, totally absorbed in each other, when Cho tripped over something lying on the icey floor. A body. A *girl's* body, to be exact. Neither of the two recognised her- she was about Harry's age (twenty-two) and had long, curly brown hair that fell over her brown eyes. She was sporting a large, bloody lump on her forhead. On closer inspection, they found her hands and feet were tied and her mouth was gagged. Cuts and bruises covered her arms and legs. Basically, she looked a state. Harry pointed his wand at her chest and muttered 'Enervate'. Nothing happened. He tried again. Nothing.
'Damn, Cho, why isn't she responding?'
'I dunno- does it only work on Wizards?' she asked.
'I doubt it. But what would a Muggle be doing in Lumos?'
'Good question. Do you think we should take her to Mundungo's?' Cho gestured at the girl's limp form.
'What if she IS a Muggle- they wouldn't let her in.'
'Well she needs a bath, food and shelter- I think we should take her with us.'
'Really Cho?' Harry looked surprised. 'That's exactly what I was going to say.'
'We really are alike. Either that or I know you too well.' She laughed.
'Well. I'm pretty certain I know quite a bit about you.' He kissed her. 'C'mon- we should move her.'
*******************
Well, that's the first chapter done. Next: expect a bit of a surprise when Hermione wakes up. Fake identities and Ron (YAY!).
Disclaimer- It's J K Rowling's books and Warner's film (lucky sods...)!
Hermione Granger stood up behind her office desk and gathered up her papers. It was ten p.m. and she had finally finished her over-time shift at Hunley and Bass Charms Inc. Outside the office windows it was already dark. Hermione didn't warm particularly to the fact that she would be walking home on her own that night. But, she reminded herself, she only lived a 20-minute walk away- not long at all. Then an idea hit her. All she had to do was find a dark alley and Apparate out of it- simple.
She stepped out onto the snowy streets of Lumos Wizarding Business Park. Only ten days until Christmas. Another Christmas spent by herself. It was always the same. A bit of cards-containing-money-opening in the morning; a small lunch (usually toast) and then a long, un-paid shift at work. Everyone else in the office were doing something nice at Christmas and she always let work take priority... God, she was lonely.
Still. Better lonely than dead.
She found a small back-alley between two warehouses. She prepared her mind for Apparating, still and silent.
Quite suddenly, a large, gloved hand clamped over her mouth. It stiffled the shriek she let emmited.
'Look here Crabbe, Goyle,' a harsh voice sneered, 'look who I've caught!'
Two shadowy figures lumbered across.
'Who is it?' one asked thickly.
'It's that Granger Mudblood, Goyle. That's who.'
Hermione recognised the voice. It belonged to Draco Malfoy, sneering, festering wizard gangster. She froze- what now?
The grip on her throat had loosened and she was roughly pulled around to face Malfoy. The light of his wand was making his grey eyes glow evilly.
'Anything to say for yourself, Mudblood?' he leered. 'I see you haven't got Potter to save you. Is your past still repelling him, eh?' Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.
'All I can say, Malfoy, is that you really haven't changed much since Hogwarts. Have you?'
'Why did I need to change? There wasn't anything wrong with me in the first place.'
'I seem to remember you to be a rude, selfish son-of-a-'
'Language Mudblood.'
'Can't you get a better insult? Maybe you should read something for once.'
'I can't believe you just told me to *read*.'
'I can't believe you are being such a bloody infuriating pure-blooded BASTARD!'
She had struck home. Malfoy's face contorted with livid anger. He flicked his wand. Thick ropes flew up to bind her hands and feet. She toppled onto the ground. Goyle grabbed her and shoved her against the wall hard. Malfoy slowly walked towards her.
'My dear, I think you have gotten worse without Potty and Weasel and I think it is time to sort out your attitude. I will do that I think.'
Now a gag flew to her face and the puching and kicking started. She knew she was helpless. There was no way of getting to her wand and she couldn't fight back. Now she was on the floor and the kicking had ceased. Malfoy leaned over her.
'I hope you have learned a lesson. For old time's sake then.' With that he planted one huge boot in her forehead and the world went black.
***
Harry Potter left the Love Potion Night Club surprisingly sober. He hadn't done anything embarassing all night and was enjoying his three-month anniversary with Cho Chang very much. He was convinced that she was the one for him. 'Maybe,' he thought, 'maybe one day I'll marry her- I wonder if she'll say yes...'
Cho Chang had been known to have had many un-workable flings since she left Hogwarts. None- except Harry- had lasted more than two weeks, so three months was quite an achievement for her. They had got together when they had met at a celebrity charity Quidditch match. They got chatting and Harry had asked her out for dinner- they struck it off instantly. Both of them were regarded as brilliant Seekers but Cho, unlike Harry, had chosen it as her career. She was Seeker for the Puddlemere United Quidditch squad. Also on the team was one of Cho's ex-flings and Harry's Hogwarts team captain, Oliver Wood.
Harry, however had chosen a career in Defense Against The Dark Arts. He was an Auror for the Ministry of Magic and usually kept well out of the Wizarding Public's eyes (especially those of the Daily Prophet newspaper).
They walked down a back alley, totally absorbed in each other, when Cho tripped over something lying on the icey floor. A body. A *girl's* body, to be exact. Neither of the two recognised her- she was about Harry's age (twenty-two) and had long, curly brown hair that fell over her brown eyes. She was sporting a large, bloody lump on her forhead. On closer inspection, they found her hands and feet were tied and her mouth was gagged. Cuts and bruises covered her arms and legs. Basically, she looked a state. Harry pointed his wand at her chest and muttered 'Enervate'. Nothing happened. He tried again. Nothing.
'Damn, Cho, why isn't she responding?'
'I dunno- does it only work on Wizards?' she asked.
'I doubt it. But what would a Muggle be doing in Lumos?'
'Good question. Do you think we should take her to Mundungo's?' Cho gestured at the girl's limp form.
'What if she IS a Muggle- they wouldn't let her in.'
'Well she needs a bath, food and shelter- I think we should take her with us.'
'Really Cho?' Harry looked surprised. 'That's exactly what I was going to say.'
'We really are alike. Either that or I know you too well.' She laughed.
'Well. I'm pretty certain I know quite a bit about you.' He kissed her. 'C'mon- we should move her.'
*******************
Well, that's the first chapter done. Next: expect a bit of a surprise when Hermione wakes up. Fake identities and Ron (YAY!).
Disclaimer- It's J K Rowling's books and Warner's film (lucky sods...)!