Melancholy
A/N : Due to my friend pointing out certain things, I have decided to change some things. I have deleted the old Melancholy and uploaded this new one. I dedicate this to Silver Book, I'm very sorry if I hadn't posted for I was away. But this is for you.
"No, you're lying…" Her voice cracked; tears we're impending but she refused to cry.
"I'm not lying you stupid little Mudblood." He stated coldly, his back on her. "Get out now or do you want me to drag you forcibly?"
"Draco... She took a step forward so that she's inches away from him. She put a hand on his stiff shoulder. "Tell me what's wrong. We can sort this out. We-"
He rashly turned around and slapped her hand away. He was blazing, his face was so screwed with anger that she took one step back, looking warily at him.
"Are you that stupid Mudblood?" He spat. "Haven't I made myself clear that I don't want you here? I told you to get out!"
"No!" She shouted back. Tears we're falling from her eyes now. "This is not you! You told me you loved me! You told me you cared for me! You told me you would do anything in your power to protect what we have! Y-You told me you love me..."
He let out a cold, mirthless laugh. "I thought you were smart. I can't believe you're that gullible. Did you actually believe every lie I told you?"
"I know it's not a lie, you meant it, every word of it! Draco, please-"
"I say a lot of things I don't mean Mudblood. You were nothing but an instrument for pleasure, a mere puppet. And now I've grown tired, I wish nothing more than to dispose of you."
He locked his cold grey eyes in her brown ones. She tried hard to hold his stare but she was too weak and fell on her knees, sobbing on the cold marble floor. She ran her hand absentmindedly on her stomach.
"Draco...why are you doing this...?"
"Stop trying to find a loophole Mudblood." He sneered. "I'm doing this because I want to. I only used you, it's not my fault you were too stupid to believe everything I told you. Honestly, me, in love with a Mudblood? Me, a prominent pureblood lower myself to filth like you? Rubbish!"
She stood up. This time, she was trembling not with fear but with rage. With two strides, she walked towards him, lifted her right arm and slapped him as hard as she could that he staggered sideways.
"How dare you! You have no right! I can't believe this, you're still the bigoted, self-absorbed coward-"
His face contorted with rage once again. And with an almighty force, he punched her. She fell on the ground, clutching her bleeding face.
"Do not call me a coward!"
She was shaking. She lifted her face to look at him, her tears falling, mixing together with blood. She looked at the face of her husband; the one who told her he'd protect her…the one who told her he loved her. But the one standing in front of her was very different from the person she knew once before. He hurt her…
"Get out!" He repeated. "I said get out of here you filthy Mudblood!"
She lifted herself from the floor, grabbed her things and headed out the door without a backward glance. But before she got out the front door, she spoke…
"I hate you…"
Hermione's eyes shot open. Her eyes wavered around her bedroom as if looking for something unusual. She got up and wiped the sweat off her face and headed to the bathroom. She opened the water on the sink, washed her face and glanced at her reflection. A young, tired looking woman looked back at her. She ran her hand to her unruly hair and sighed. She had that dream again; she's been having that often than usual. She hated visiting the worst memory of her entire life every night.
"Mum?" A tiny voice called from outside. "Mummy? Are you all right?"
She strode outside the bathroom to her bedroom and opened the door. A young girl looked up to her, her equally bushy hair a little disheveled, her platinum eyes boring into hers…
"I heard you scream."
Hermione smiled, lifted her and brought her to her bed. "It's nothing honey, Mum just had a nightmare. But I'm fine now."
"But you've been doing that almost every night." She said quietly and embraced her. "You know you can tell me Mum, maybe I can help."
Hermione smiled and ruffled her unruly hair. "It's ok Sophie, I really am ok."
Sophie snuggled closer and frowned. "This is about Dad, is it?"
Hermione tensed, she gently detached herself from her daughter. She held her shoulders and looked her in the eye…
"Sweetie, what gave you that idea?"
She shrugged and fidgeted with her bed sheets as if contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not. .
"Sophie…" She said softly. "What made you think that it involves you're…" She couldn't bring herself to say 'Dad'. "…that it involves him?"
Sophie stopped fidgeting with the sheet but didn't look her directly in the eye. "You were yelling 'I hate you'. I always hear it at night. At first, I didn't think it was Dad but then, one night, you had an awful nightmare again and you shouted his name together with 'I hate you'."
Hermione bit her lip and cursed herself. "Sweetie, I'm sorry."
"No Mum, you don't have to apologize." She was looking firmly at her. "It's not your fault." She hesitated at first but added. "I crept in your room that night that you shouted you hate Dad. I-I saw you crying. Did he hurt you Mum?" Seeing the look on Hermione's face, she answered her question herself. "So he did hurt you."
Silence crept in the room. Hermione looked closely at her beloved daughter. She had inherited her brown, unruly hair and her inquisitiveness. She also had the same love for books and knowledge like her. Ron often teased that Sophie was a 'Hermione in the making' and will awe Hogwarts with her incredible knowledge when she arrives there. And yet, she had inherited something from her father too. She was a clever little girl when it comes to scheming and plotting jokes on everybody. She had an uncanny disregard for rules and is incredibly sly; it often awed and unnerved Hermione to no end. But the most noticeable thing she had inherited from her father was his piercing, silver eyes. They always send jolt down Hermione's spine and couldn't help but remember her former husband whom she had loved dearly. Her former husband who used her and threw her away. Oh how she despises him. But Hermione didn't resent Sophie because she reminds her of the person she hates the most. In fact, she always thought Sophie was a blessing that made her life complete. She loves her daughter to no end.
"I hate him…" Sophie finally muttered after a long silence. Hermione blinked.
"Sophie…"
"I hate him." She looked outside the window to the dark sky, the silvery moonlight slightly illuminating her face. "He hurt you Mum and left you. He left us."
Hermione's eyebrows met in worry. "Sophie…" She muttered soothingly. She looked at her. "He's your father."
"I don't care. He did things, unfavorable things. He deserves to be hated." She said defiantly.
Hermione looked intently at Sophie and ran her hand to her curly hair. She kissed the top of her head...
"Ok, it's time to sleep." She said, deciding to waver from the subject. "Do you want to sleep beside me tonight?"
Sophie nodded and settled herself beside Hermione.
"Good night Mum." She said.
"Good night dear."
"Don't worry; I'll never ever leave you…" Sophie mumbled before drifting off to sleep.
She kissed the top of her daughter's head and fought the imminent tears. At that moment, she heard it, like a distant whisper...the voice of her husband who promised the exact same thing...
"Oh Mum!" Sophie whined. "I want a broomstick! Uncle Ron told me I can have one! He told me he'd pay for it."
Hermione shot Ron a furious look. She then looked back at her expectant face. "You're only ten. I will not allow you a broom until you turn fourteen."
"Fourteen?" Sophie said indignantly. "But when I go to Hogwarts, students are allowed to bring brooms in their second year. Uncle Ron told me."
Hermione glared daggers at Ron.
"What? D'you expect me to lie?" Ron said thickly through a mouthful of chocolate sundae. They were sitting outside the Florean Fortescue eating ice cream and waiting for Harry and Ginny. "She asked me a lot of things. A reincarnation of you, that one. Who knows, someday she might follow your steps and be an insufferable know-it-all."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh please Ron. She's just curious about a lot of things."
"You were a know-it-all Mum?" Sophie asked her, eyeing her with amusement.
"Oh yes she is." Chirped Ron. "She always goes. 'Oh Professor Professor! I know the answer to that! Call me and be awed with my unsurpassable knowledge!'" He chuckled, putting up a very good impression of Hermione.
Sophie chortled and Hermione punched Ron playfully on the arm.
"So, what else has Uncle Ron told you about Hogwarts?"
"Hm, he told me about the 'pathetic dirt bag Filch and his prowling cat Mrs. Norris'. Uncle says he's a git."
"First, I would like if you do not use 'dirt bag' and 'git' again. Now, don't believe whatever Ron says ok?"
"Hey!"
But Ron's retort was cut short when Harry and Ginny arrived, their sons James and Albus behind them and their daughter Lily in Ginny's arms.
"My brother annoying the hell out of you Hermione?" Ginny asked conversationally as she sat beside Hermione. "You'd better be used to it. After all, you've been putting up with him for such a long time now."
"Thanks a lot Ginny." Ron said bitterly.
"No problem." She smiled.
"Hey Hermione." Harry smiled and hugged her.
"So James received his letter then?" She said as she saw James brandishing an envelope bearing the Hogwarts seal in front of Sophie with a smug expression. She and Albus were scowling.
"Yes." Harry said, turning to look at the three children too. "And he's been gloating about it since. Poor Albus' getting jealous."
"Oh well, they'll receive one soon enough. So where do you think James will end up?"
Ron raised an eyebrow. "That boy has Weasley and Potter blood in him. Of course he'll be in Gryffindor."
Hermione laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot. With all that Potter and Weasley blood running in his veins, he'll be a Gryffindor for sure." She looked at Sophie who's examining the Hogwarts letter and smiled. "I just hope Sophie has enough Granger blood in him to end up in Gryffindor too." She muttered quietly.
Harry, Ron and Ginny looked at each other and did not reply. After finishing their ice creams, they had set off to a stroll to Diagon Alley. Hermione had refused point-blank to heed Ron and Sophie's plea for the broom. Pouting and grumbling, Sophie settled with a toy snitch that Ron bought. After that, they went to a restaurant to eat.
"But your dad bought James one." Sophie argued, eyeing the new Flash broom in James' hand. "Why can't we have one?"
Albus laughed and eyed Sophie in awe.
"You know, I often have to remind myself that I'm talking to a girl. I've never seen any girl who loves Quidditch like you. I always though girls prefer nail-polish and make up, rather than brooms and snitches."
Sophie wrinkled her nose. "Mum says that too. She hates flying you know. One time, she bought me this make-up kit, she thought I'd use it but I only stock it under my bed. I prefer books and brooms than playing dress-up."
"You're a weird one." Albus said as he played with Sophie's toy snitch. "Anyway, Dad said James can't bring his broom to the school yet. But he's going to be unbearable when we get home. He's been gloating about the letter since he received it."
"So, when you start at Hogwarts, which house would you prefer?"
Albus pondered for a while before answering. "Dad says he's sure James will end up in Gryffindor. But I want to be in Gryffindor too even if James will be in there. He's annoying but he can't tease me that much at school even if we're at the same house. But if I can't be in Gryffindor, I'd rather be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff than in Slytherin."
"But one of your names' from a Slytherin isn't it?"
Albus nodded. "Dad said it came from Severus Snape. He said he's one of the bravest men he knows. But I don't want to end up in Slytherin; Uncle Ron says most of the bad wizards…er…"
"What's the matter?" Sophie asked as Albus suddenly fell silent.
"I-I'm sorry." He stammered. "Your Dad's in Slytherin right?"
Sophie glanced at the adults whose busy talking to James about Hogwarts.
"Yes he was. But I don't care about him."
Albus' eyes widened. "But he's your father."
"Unfortunately." Sophie muttered bitterly. "But he's made Mum cry several times. And he left us so I hate him. And when I go to Hogwarts and I'm sorted to Slytherin, I'll just pack my things and go back home. I don't want to follow his footsteps."
"I've never seen him." Albus mumbled, feeling uncomfortable.
"Me neither, we didn't even have pictures of him in the house." She shrugged. "I reckon Mum burned them or something. But she did tell me one time about me having the same eyes as him."
"Really?"
Sophie nodded. "I've contemplated on changing my eye color since then but Mum won't let me."
The food finally arrived and they all ate. After the meal, they went out to the Leaky Cauldron.
"We'll be dropping by the Burrow first, you sure you don't want to come Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione shook her head. "It's getting late, we'd better go home."
"All right. Take care." Ginny smiled and embraced her.
"Thanks." Hermione embraced Ron then Harry. She kissed James, Albus and Lily before heading out. "Bye."
The three waved at her.
"Are we going to Apparate Mum?"
"Yes."
"I hate Apparating. If I just have a broom, I'd fly us home." She grumbled.
Hermione smiled and ruffled her hair. "Well, I hate flying."
The two of them turned to a deserted alley before Apparating. They arrived at the front yard but something was wrong. The gate was hanging on its hinges and the front door was ajar. Hermione felt goosebumps on her skin. She quickly whipped her wand from her pocket, eyes darting here and there.
"Is there something wrong?" Sophie asked worriedly.
"I don't know. Be quiet honey and stay close to me." She pulled Sophie close to her as they slowly neared the front door.
"Mum?" Sophie's voice shook.
Hermione gently pushed open the door. Everything seems to be in place and nothing was broken. But Hermione's sense of foreboding was increasing still. She closed her eyes and muttered a spell. A silver otter shot from her wand and darted out of sight.
"Sophie, I'm going to drop you off to Mrs. Connolly next door ok?"
"Why?" Sophie looked up to his pale mother. "I want to stay here with you."
But Hermione was already pulling her outside the gate to their neighbor's house. Amid Sophie's protests, she rang the doorbell.
The door was opened a crack. A batty, old woman peered from the inside and smiled at the sight of Hermione.
"Oh Hermione dear." She exclaimed as she opened the door wider. "What's wrong?"
"Mrs. Connolly, I just need to do something. Could I please leave Sophie here for a while?"
"Yes, yes of course." Mrs. Connolly was watching the protesting Sophie.
"No! No Mum!" She was refusing to be pushed inside the house. "Let me go! I'll come with you!"
"No, Sophie listen – no, listen to me!" She held her firmly on the shoulder. "You will do as I say and stay here. Do you get me?" She muttered sternly that Sophie stopped squirming and nodded solemnly. She kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
She went back inside the house and examined the whole living quarters. Nothing was indeed missing so the thought of a burglar was immediately erased from her mind. She went to the kitchen but nothing was stolen or broken. She shook her head. Maybe she was just being paranoid. But then, she sensed a movement behind her. She quickly turned around, wand at ready. Her eyes widened as a tall, man with blond hair came into view…
"Well well well…if it isn't the Mudblood." He sneered as he drew closer, wand pointed at her...
Hermione's grip on her wand tightened...
.
