((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?
OOC : Thank you to madbrat for pointing out a lack of continuity from the first chapter to the third. And to everyone elses kind words. Thank you very much and I'll post again as soon as I'm able!
CHAPTER 3 : Getting to know you
Once Hermione was able to stand, she found herself tucked rather securely between the two standing Malfoy men. Neither one seeming to notice that the other had a hand under the elbow they were closest to. The stark contrast of the two white haired men in comparison to her own dark walnut locks was like apples and oranges. And yet, oddly enough even in just the simple protective stance that both men had on an unconscious level, their magics seemed to meld with hers giving a feel of static electricity around the trio.
The Cinnamon colored eyes flicked about the room and she asks softly, "Mother, will there be a funeral?" Seeming used to Severus' stare, she ignores it rather pointedly, especially at his incredulous stare in reaction to her question. The soft 'hrmph' heard by the mediwitch also being ignored almost as if she knew them well enough to know that it was coming.
"No my dear. I'm sorry, but there's no safe way for that to happen. I have to go back home, to the castle so I can talk to the family spirits. Thankfully, it's still hidden under the blood charms, but it's better if you don't go there right now. And ... with what they did to his body." The royal 'Mrs. Granger' just let her voice trail off as her gaze turns rather unfocused until the hand of the Potions master touched her arm just faintly at the wrist. Enough to bring her out of her grief for the time being. "You'll be safe here for the two weeks before winter break. After that we'll plan on having you and the to Malfoy lords moved to the safehouse and you can continue your studies there for the time being."
It was only the clenching and unclenching of her jaw that truely showed her 'know-it-alls' reaction to this. But in the end her chin lifted faintly, her grief pushed down into her stomache as she merely nodded crisply. "What do I tell Ron and Harry? Ginny?" Looking now to the Potions master who seemed to be unsurprised at the question.
The telltale sneer that comes to the pale mans lips unable to be hidden, though whatever comment he was about to make breaks off when of all things the Queens hand raised and smacked the back of his head, "Don't even think it Severus." Came the rather crisp command, making him scowl and rub the back of his head. "Fine. Everyone will be told he was killed in a death eater attack as those in the school who ARE deatheaters would have been told to spread the news anyways. But nothing else. And I mean... nothing." Those black eyes flicking to the men on either side of her and then back again.
"I'm tired." Came a soft whisper from the normally boisterous Gryffindor. And that was all the warning the two slytherin men on either side of her had before her knees started to give out under her. Finding herself rather easily swept up into the elder man's arms, her head finding a comfortable place to rest on his shoulder as she couldn't help the sudden heaviness in her eyes or the blackhole in her consciousness that seemed to suck her in giving her mearly seconds to whisper a "Thank you." And she was unconscious.
Again there was the mediwitch moving her wand over the now unconscious princess and saying to the others in the room, "Her power is drained. Normally I'd say keep her in the infirmary, but I think it best if I set up the potions she needs next to her bed. She has her own dorm room, and since Young Draco here is the Head Boy, you and your father can watch over her, without anyone being the wiser. I'll just tell people that you're off visiting your father this week, and her friends will be told that her grief has made her ill and she's not having visitors for the remainder of the week. Don't you agree Albus?" The old man used to being run ramshod by the woman he had started staring at her with a rather unreadable gaze before nodding. "Yes." Comes the easy answer.
It was just a matter of minutes as Poppy came back with all the medicines and instructions for them for the young girl. Then after the malfoy's and the potions master as wwell as the queen left, it left a silently fuming Head master and an equally silent mediwitch just staring at each other.
"I couldn't tell you Albus. I was sworn." Came the soft comment from Poppy.
"You couldn't 'tell' me, there were always other ways, and I wouldn't have told anyone. You kept this from me, Poppy. Me." Disappointment in the craggly voice.
"You're right I did. At someones request who had more understanding of your manipulative ways of controlling situations when you have all the information. This isn't something you're to have control of, and so help me Albus Dumbledor if you even try, I'll divorce you so fast your head will spin. Do I make myself clear?" The old woman's voice never once raising but the hardness in it making the man blink in shock.
"I don't-" BUt he was cut off by the glare he received and followed it with a clearing of his throat. "I only do what's necessary for the war, do you understand how useful this would have been to know? Her power could have ended this a decade ago!"
The sadness that just seems to appear in the mediwitches eyes seemed deeper set than something new would have put there, as if it had been festering for years. "And that. Is why you weren't told. And why I hate to do what I have to do." The quickness of her movements startling even the Headmaster as he suddenly had a wand pointed point blank at his face, "If you'd just left it alone it wouldn't have been an issue."
The spell that came from her lips even a language he didn't know, and it worked instantly. Forbidding him from speaking, writing, showing or in any other way communicating or using the information he had learned that night without permission from the Queen. For the first time in his life, Albus Dumbledore, knew what Severus Snape had felt since he was a teenager, and realized, just how much he didn't like it. The last thing he remembered before waking up the next morning was a sleeping spell being put on him was Poppy's eyes filling with tears of anger as she packed her things from their shared room and her voice whispered, "I'm staying in my room next to the Infirmary, I don't know when I'll be back." He had no choice but to sleep when the full power of the spell hit, but not before a tear slid into the thick expanse of his beard.
CHAPTER FOUR : Just let me cry
Once the medications to help her regain her power were given along with the spoonful of Dreamless Sleep, Hermione found herself tucked into her bed with her mother's soft voice humming to her. Even as tears rolled down the young girls cheeks till she fell asleep fully.
When she woke there was no telling what time it was, other than the hint that there was no light outside. That and the two Malfoy Men that had transfigured chairs into lounging couches to sleep on. The sudden incolsolable rage that hit her, scared even her the moment she felt it. She couldn't understand why all of a sudden she was mad at them, as if it was all their fault. But she couldn't fight the feeling as she looked around for her wand, and when she couldn't find it, started instead throwing her pillows at the men, yelling inconsolably, "Its all your fault!"
Had the rooms not had a natural silencing ward attached to them, the whole school would have long since come running in responce to her screams. The two men not having had any warning both rolled off their beds, wands brandished and ready to hex whoever had come to attack them. That is until jars of cold cream went sailing for their heads and they realized. It was HErmione.
"I hate you! I hate you! It's all your fault! It's all your fault!" Anything and everything she could throw that was in reach, even her shoes were being thrown rather hard at the two men.
Lucius Malfoy's reaction being for his eyes to open almost comically wide, though he never threw a single hex or insult her way. Just tried to dodge the objects, and started to wonder just how many things she had available to her anyways.
Draco, not having gone through this grief process, as he was too young to have remembered when his mother died. Tried standing up and holding up his hands in supplication. "Hermione... please. it's ok. We were just looking out for you. It's ok please do-" His words cutting off as he found a rather large jar of moisturizer stunning him rather well and he found himself falling over.
Unable to help himself, the laughter that starter to bubble up from Lucius' chest at the sight of his son falling over the lounger with his heels going over so he did a flip was just too much. Practically hugging himself with mirth, "Dear Merlin, child. Now I know why my son was so impressed when you broke his nose. You have one hell of an arm!"
The young woman not having been expecting the sudden roaring laughter, stopped in her tearful tirade and looked to where Draco was upside down with his feet in the air. One slipper hanging lopsidedly off his foot, the only sounds coming from him being a light groan of pain.
The rather hard laughter coming from Lucius was too hard to ignore though and even though twars kept falling down her cheeks she found herself joining in until suddenly without rhyme or reason she found herself sobbing all over again. Her hands covering her face while her slight frame shook hard enough to make the bed bob.
This was enough to make Malfoy Sr. stop laughing and move quickly to the bed, wrapping his arms around the girl and just pulling her to his chest as he started rocking gently. Trying desperately to find something to say to calm her tears. The small hands, rather dainty to have pulled a punch that had given his son such grief were clutched on to his shirt as if to some way be able to shake him and make herself feel better.
Though she shook him rather consistantly he never once tried to stop her, nor did he say anything when his son slid on to the bed and started stroking her hair gently. Realizing after a time the closeness she must have had with her father when she whispered as if her heart had been ripped from her chest, but left her alive with just the pain of living in its missing state. "Just let me cry. Just let me cry." One of her hands having found Draco's not even pulling away when he'd scooted close enough to be leaning in against her back as if to try and add come added warmth to his own father's hold on the girl.
While the tears continued to fall, and her body shook hard enough to give some people the worry of her breaking something in the process, the two men shared a look. Silently communicating, while never once stopping their attempted soothing of the young Princess. Finally in their silent agreement finally found, they had managed to shift her enough so she was once again lying down. This time between the two of them. With Draco tucked up against her back, spooning her gently, while Lucius had settled down to laying in front of her. Her fingers having curled themselves so tightly into his shirt he had no choice but to stay tucked so she could curl into his chest.
This was going to be a long night for the both of them and they knew it. It wasn't long though before the warmth of the three bodies lulled them all into sleep, even though in her sleep it was over two hours before her tears fully stopped and she could sleep without nightmares.
Continued Soon!
CHAPTER FIVE : Should I trust you?