Authors Note: I am terribly sorry for the long wait on this story. I hope those who have been keeping an eye on it like this chapter, as well as for the reviews and adds. I look forward to hearing your opinions!
When Hannah awoke she was laying in a bed with smooth green silk sheets that felt sensational against her skin. She had no intention of opening her eyes, not ready for any light which would cause her headache to worsen. She gently felt around her trying to get an idea of where she might have ended up. She did not recognize anything and sent a silent prayer that she was not at some random mans house alone.
Finally she decided she needed to open her eyes and figure out what situation she was it. She squinted her eyes open slightly to see the light of the full moon shining in through a massive window.
She opened her eyes fully and looked around the room. She had never seen such a beautiful place before. Although it was dark she could still make out most of what occupied it. Across from her was a large dresser with a beautiful silver mirror hanging above and on her left side was a small night table that looked very old and precious. On the other side closest to the window there was an extravagant looking fireplace that was dimly lit and surrounded by two high backed chairs. Hannah noticed a door that was half open and could only guess that it lead to the bathroom. Wanting to get a better look, Hannah raised herself up slightly only to be hit with a blinding headache and excruciating pain in her stomach. She knew instantly that she was going to be sick.
Ignoring the pain, Hannah jumped out of the warm, comfortable four poster bed and ran towards the door she assumed was the bathroom. Luckily she was right. She knelt down next to the toilet and began to heave up all that she ate and drank only a couple of hours ago. This continued for some time even after all the contents left her stomach. She was throwing up bile and felt weak and shaky before it finally stopped and Hannah flushed then rested her head against the wall. She felt awful.
'What happened last night? Where am I?' Hannah asked herself as she looked at her hands. They were cut and bruised but looked like someone had mended them. She tried hard to remember the events of last night, only to fail when she reached the memory of the pub that her friend Athena suggested they go to.
'I've probably just drank too much.' Hannah thought, 'And this is probably just Athena's house.'
She hadn't seen Athena since she moved into her new home and she was told that it was much more incredible than the last one she lived in. The room that she was in proved that this house was extraordinary compared to her previous home.
Hannah sat against the wall, dry heaving occasionally, until she heard a knock on the door. She looked up from her spot and saw a face look in.
"How are you feeling?" Lucius Malfoy asked her. She didn't respond so he fully merged into the bathroom with a glass of water and a vial.
"Lucius?" Hannah asked in disbelief. 'That's where she was? Oh no. Did they sleep together? Is that why she felt so raw?'
"Yes Hannah, don't you remember?" He asked as he approached her slowly. He sounded annoyed.
"Remember what?"
"I found you last night, in an ally."
'What was I doing in an ally?' Hannah thought to herself.
"Hannah you were drugged last night." Lucius said cautiously as he watched for a reaction.
"N-no I was just drunk."
"Sadly not, I found a vial next to you with a potion to treat drugged victims. Whoever did this to you must've gave it to you. I guess he wanted you to know what had happened because he also left a note attached to it saying, 'I told you the last one would be your favorite'." Lucius said as he knelt down in front of her.
Hannah looked at him in shock. She remembered. Athena had left with a man and she had stayed alone at the counter with a wizard who had bought her a few too many drinks, and she didn't watch as they were being made.
"Hannah do you remember who brought you to the ally last night?" Lucius asked as he stared intently into her eyes.
"Evan." She barely managed to choke out.
"Evan who?" He sighed.
"Just Evan." She said as she began to cry. How could she have been so stupid. She looked away while he was getting her drinks and it didn't cross her mind of asking for a last name. She never did this sort of thing and there was no explanation as to why tonight was any different. She cringed as she remembered parts of that evening and she suddenly felt foolish, and dirty.
"I didn't give you the potion he left, but I made you a new one. One that isn't laced with another drug. You shouldn't have left with someone you didn't know Hannah." He said to her firmly. "Drink this. And some water to wash away the taste, you'll feel better." Lucius handed her the open vial and placed the cup of water next to her. She did not sense any compassion is his voice. It didn't make any sense as to why he was caring for her at all. He stood after watching her open the bottle and walked out of the bathroom.
Hannah did as she was told. The potion burned as it went down and she quickly picked up the glass off water to sooth her sore throat. The potion had been horrible but it made her feel a tremendous amount better than she had when she woke up. She stood, hoping that she would not feel sick again and slowly made her way to the comfortable bed then climbed in and rested her throbbing head against the satin pillow.
'What a strange evening.' She thought.
The last time she had seen Lucius Malfoy it was not a pleasant visit. He was never truly pleasant to her so why had things been so different this evening? The Lucius she knew would have just left her alone in that ally without a second thought, but instead he brought her to his home and tended to her.
'He probably didn't know it was me.' She concluded. 'Not until he brought me here, then realized what a mistake he made.'
Hannah continued to think about him, and the last time she had seen him then decided she was right. There was no way a man this cruel would ever be kind to someone like her. Eventually she gave up on thinking and the potion slowly took it's full affect. She wrapped the covers tightly around her as she drifted off into a quiet slumber.
After leaving the bathroom Hannah occupied, Lucius went to his study. He closed the door behind him and took a seat in one of the two chairs placed in front of the luxurious fireplace but although the fire was big, he still felt cold. Lucius summoned a bottle of fire whiskey and poured himself half a glass. He wasn't tired. Hannah had been in such rough shape when he found her. The moment he realized who she was, she passed out there in the ally and he knew he would not be able to leave the poor girl there even if she was stupid enough to put herself in that position. She still was that innocent young girl he had known all those years ago. He immediately brought her back to his manor and tended to her open wounds, then let her rest in his bed until she woke. Lucius couldn't get the image of her broken and bleeding body on the pavement out of his head. What was going on with him? He'd seen her in much worse conditions than this before and that hadn't affected him, he couldn't understand why this time was any different. It had been a long time since he had seen her and it wasn't until now that all the horrible things they had been through swam to the front of his head. He had no intention of seeing her again and did not want to be reacquainted in a way such as this.
Lucius sat in his study and continued to drink his fire whiskey until half of the unopened bottle was gone. He started to feel drowsy so he leaned back in his comfortable chair.
He sat on a couch in the Slytherin common room reading one of his favorite books, one that his father had sent him on his previous birthday when Yaxley approached him.
"We've got a nice one in the old History of Magic classroom if you'd like to meet her." He said and smirked at Lucius.
"Ah yes, I suppose now is as convenient as ever." He drawled as he stood then followed Yaxley out of the common room and up to the fifth floor.
It was Sirius Black's girlfriend they were holding hostage in an attempted to scare Sirius into joining the Dark Lord who was growing into power. They already had his brother Regulus but wanted Sirius because of his family bloodline. They believed that if they tortured his beloved girlfriend enough he would finally come around in an attempt to save her. They rounded the corner on the fifth floor and reached the abandoned classroom Yaxley had mentioned and Lucius could vaguely hear the crying of a young girl inside which sickly satisfied him. He loved reducing people into feeling terror in his presence, it gave him a sense of power and control.
When Yaxley opened the door, Lucius caught sight of the girl crumpled near the far wall.
"Now now, Avery, don't torture the girl too much." Lucius said smirking at his friend. "Give everyone else a go."
He walked towards the girl and threw a spell at her. She screamed in pain and flew back against the wall then slid down holding her arm which had twisted unconventionally as she hit the stone wall. She attempted to push herself up but Lucius cast another spell forcing her to stay down. He was now standing over her with a dangerous look on his face.
"Please stop." The girl whimpered. "Please, I'll do whatever you want."
"I do not want anything from you girl, the pleasure your suffering gives me is quite enough." He said as he kicked her over onto her back. He leaned down next to her face and gently pushed her dark hair out of her face. It was when she opened her eyes and locked them with his that he realized how difficult this would be. Her eyes seemed to look right into him, and he was unable to look away. He sat there staring at her as she looked back, pleading with her gaze.
"Leave me." He said suddenly, not taking his eyes off hers.
"But Malfoy what about the plan-" Yaxley started.
"I said leave." Lucius said in a much stronger tone and finally looked away from the girl to send an icy glare towards his two friends.
Avery and Yaxley did as they were told and when Lucius heard the door close behind them he stood up. He sat on a desk near the girl and looked at her pathetic form laying on the ground.
"Get up." He ordered.
She did.
"What is your name." He asked as she sat against the wall he had previously thrown her against.
"H-Hannah, Hannah Nox." She stuttered while looking down. She was holding her arm while painfully wincing every time she put pressure on it.
Lucius admired her. She was truly beautiful. She had long, thick, dark hair that shaped her porcelain face. She had a small frame but was curvy in all the right places which caught Lucius' attention the most.
'At least Black got one thing right.' He thought to himself.
He got off the desk and began to walk towards her. When he knelt in front of her she closed her eyes and turned away which made him angry so he forcefully pulled her head to face his.
"What are you going to do?" She asked so quietly it was barely audible.
"I'm going to fix your arm." He said in a gentler tone than he intended and pulled out his wand. Slowly and carefully, he rolled up the sleeve on her robes and rested her arm on his leg. He tapped his wand twice and muttered an incantation and instantly, Hannah's arm glowed a subtle yellow.
"Better?" He asked.
"Much. Thank you." She whispered, still looking away from him. Lucius pushed her arm away from him and stood abruptly. He began towards the door when he heard her speak again.
"What is your name?" She called.
He turned and smirked at her, then turned back to the door and walked out, leaving her in the classroom alone.
Suddenly Lucius was being shaken lightly awake by someone. He snapped open his eyes and saw his house elf Dinky standing in front of him.
"What the bloody hell do you want." Lucius snarled at the house elf.
"Dinky was wondering how many places to set at the breakfast table sir." Dinky asked shakily.
"Set two." Lucius ordered and Dinky apparated with a pop.
Lucius sat back thinking about his dream. It wasn't a dream though, it was the first time he had met Hannah. It was a memory.
Hannah laid awake in the bed she found herself in last night and gazed up above her. She couldn't get the events of the night before out of her head and she wanted nothing but to remember the things her memory excluded. She knew something bad had happened but she just didn't know how bad it was. His name was all she could remember. Evan. In the pit of her stomach she knew she had sex, she couldn't deny it, but she couldn't decide whether it was forced or not. Although she ended up at Lucius' home, she didn't think it was with him, although right now she wished more than anything that it had been.
She knew there was no excuse for her actions last night and she also knew Lucius would be livid if he knew the extent of it. He had always been angry when she slept with someone and even more so when they weren't actually together but Hannah never understood why. She had been a big flirt back when she was younger. So much so that she couldn't put an exact number on the amount of boys she was in relationships with but Lucius had been the same way. That is until he met her. Lucius and Hannah were never truly a couple because no matter how hard she tried he always found a reason for them not to date. They had a very close relationship before that sinister day and those times before that she had cherished her entire life. Never had she been more happy than when she was in his presence but she was soon reminded that he did not feel the same for her.
He did the unthinkable and Hannah had never been able to forgive him for it no matter how much he begged and apologized. She knew he had not done it with the intention of hurting her but she could not shake the horrible feeling she had for months after it. She had given him her heart and he stomped on it without hesitation and for that Hannah would never look at him in the same way again. She was thankful he was there last night to help her but that didn't change anything between them. She agreed with herself that she would be polite but never again would she put her trust in that vial man.
Her's thoughts were interrupted by a light knock on the bedroom door. She swiftly made her way to the door and opened it to a tiny house elf.
"Hello." She said to the elf.
"Good morning miss. Dinky is to tell miss that breakfast is done and ready if miss wants some." Dinky told her.
"Thank you Dinky, I will be right down." Hannah said and waved the elf goodbye. She shut the door and looked around the room for her clothes. She found the dress she had worn laying on the dresser but when she picked it up she noticed several tears in it. Instead of putting on the tattered dress she decided she would just venture out in what she was already wearing. She woke up last night wearing an oversized black long sleeved shirt with plaid boxers.
Hannah left the bedroom and walked down the wide hall in the direction she guessed lead to the staircase. She was right and when she reached the end of the hallway she saw a large, winding staircase wrapping around an extravagant green and silver crystal chandelier. As she descended to the main floor she noticed many objects of the house, it was much more lavish than she had expected. It was decorated with a dark color scheme but the light that shone through the many large windows lightened up the place. Like her manor, it was furnished with many antique decorations which made her feel oddly at home.
'Malfoy has good taste.' Hannah smiled to herself as she continued her way through the house in search of the breakfast table. The only other times she had been here was when she was to meet Lucius' father and to attend the annual Malfoy winter masquerade ball many years ago, and it had changed a lot since then.
She wandered throughout the main floor searching for the kitchen when finally the scent of warm food that smelt amazing drifted into the hallway. She traced it's origin to a set of large oak doors that were opened widely and she could only guess that that was where the tasty breakfast was hiding. She entered the room an noticed it hadn't been occupied. Thinking Lucius had already eaten she shrugged and took a seat with a plate placed in front of it and loaded it up with an assortment of fruits and some eggs then poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice. She was just about to start eating when she heard loud footsteps approaching the room. Hannah looked to the door to see who it was, when she saw Lucius walk casually into the room.
She put her fork down gently and watched him take a seat next to her at the head of the table.
"I'm sorry, I thought you had already eaten." Hannah said quietly, embarrassed that she hadn't waited for the owner of the house before she indulged.
"Thats quite alright." He said while piling food onto his own plate and looked over at her. "You are allowed to eat."
"Oh yes, right." Hannah said nervously while picking up her fork and sliding a grape into her mouth.
The two of them ate without speaking which made Hannah feel awkward. The only noise in the room was the clanking of utensils against the china plates and the sound of birds chirping in the trees just outside the large glass doors. She knew that she was unwelcome here and him not speaking or looking at her made her feel even more out of place.
Lucius finished his breakfast before her and to her surprise he sat and waited until she was finish while reading the Daily Prophet. When Hannah finished her meal she looked at him and cleared her throat noisily. Knowing she wanted to say something, Lucius put down his paper and turned his attention to her with a slight smirk on his face.
"Yes?" He asked.
"I just wanted to thank you for everything." Hannah said shyly.
Instead of replying, Lucius turned back to his paper.
"I'll just go then?" She said as she started to raise from her seat.
"You don't have to leave right away." Lucius said still looking at his paper. "If you are still feeling ill you may stay the rest of the day, but I have quite a bit of paperwork I must attend to."
"Okay, if you're sure." Hannah said holding back a grin at his seemingly uninterested words.
"I'm sure." He said and put down his paper for a second time. He pushed himself away from the table and stood then began for the door. Before leaving, he turned to her and said, "Just don't wander, Hannah." then walked out of the room.
'He knows I like to wander.' Hannah thought to herself, while grinning.
Hannah stayed in the same clothes for the rest of the day. It was warm outside and she enjoyed the random gusts of warm summer air as she adventured the grounds. She took a long walk around the property, exploring the thin woods that surrounded the large lawn. A path she stumbled upon in the trees lead her to a small glistening lake which was where she spent most of the day. The blue sky was reflected on the waters surface which brought ease to her soul. Hannah had always loved the water. Back at Hogwarts she spent many Saturdays swimming and wading in the shallows of the Black Lake. Today she felt too weak to swim in the lake so instead she walked the shore, letting her bare feet feel the coolness of the water and the smoothness of the sand.
When the sun started to go down, Hannah mellowly made her way back to the manor and when the house came into her view she could see Lucius sitting on a bench under a group of tall trees reading a book. She smiled at the sight of him sitting outdoors. It was rare for her to see Lucius at ease like that and she thought it was one of the most alluring sights she'd ever see. He still hadn't noticed her as she got closer, it was only when she sat down that he looked away from his book.
Lucius watched her, admiring every inch of her face. It was only a few hours ago that he had seen her at one of her lowest points and now it seemed that she was a completely different person. She had a kind look on her face and her skin was glowing. She was perfect in his eyes.
He didn't realize that he was staring at her until she spoke and her soft voice dragged him out of his trance.
"How is your book Lucius?" She asked.
"Interesting." He said, closing the book and placing it in his lap. He loved the way she said his name.
Hannah smiled at him and looked off into the distance to watch the sunset. The two sat quietly as the sun fully disappeared and Lucius desperately wanted to break the silence between them.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her.
"Hurt." She said simply.
He gave her a questioning look that he knew she didn't see.
"I know I didn't know the guy and all, but I put my trust in him while he was buying me drinks. He seemed like a sweet man who was actually interested in me for once. I didn't think someone would betray me like that again. And to lose my memory of the other things that happened scares me." She answered while clasping her hands together.
Lucius observed her intently. He knew he should be sympathetic to her but instead he was just angry at both her and the man. He knew she wasn't raped. He could tell because there were no markings on her that indicated she was.
"You don't remember anything." He asked with little comfort in his voice.
"No." She said still looking away from him. She could sense his anger and she knew he believed she willingly slept with that man. Despite her loss of memory, she could confidently say he was right.
"Will you be having dinner?" Lucius asked bitterly.
"I'm not hungry."
"I'll have Dinky retrieve your things then." He said getting up. She sat still on the bench for only a moment before she too stood and followed him. They walked towards the manor together, again not speaking. Lucius held the door for her as she entered the house and led her to another door at the end of the hallway.
"Before you leave I have something to give you." He said as he walked into his office. Hannah followed him slowly as she took in her surroundings. It wasn't like the rest of the house, it was different but she couldn't describe how. She figured that this is where he spent most of his time because the room felt like him, and she felt comforted by it.
Lucius rummaged through the papers and folder that littered the top of his desk until he found what he was looking for. It was a large bundle of parchment. He handed it to Hannah before walking back around his desk.
"These are the documents related to your new job at Hogwarts. I was meant to set a meeting with you in order to hand them out but now seems convenient enough. Fill out the ones that require it, and read the rest. I will need them before you start teaching. If you wish you may owl them to me, but if not, you know where I live." He instructed, then lead her out of the room.
Hannah followed him to the front entrance where she saw her dress and other items she had brought with her to the bar last night waiting on a table in the large room. She gathered her things and held them in her arms before walking towards the front doors. She was half way out of the house when Lucius' voice stopped her.
"Hannah," He called. She turned to face him. "Congratulations on your new job. I know how much you've wanted to work at Hogwarts." He said sincerely.
Hannah gave him a weak smile before walking through the door and shutting it behind her. She walked to the end of the path that lead to the manor and sighed. She looked up at the almost black English sky before apparating back to her home in Scotland