Chapter 3
Hermione apparated to Malfoy Manor, but she couldn't get any further than the gate. The wards were completely un-penetrable. The gates were so far away from the house, even her yells weren't heard, and no one responded to her presence. It was just complete silence with the occasional bird song from the thick forest that surrounded the property.
She was not going to get any further than the gate. She couldn't even make a dent in the wards. She was trying to think, think of something to do to fix this. She needed help, Malfoy had just kidnapped her son, he could not get away with that.
She apparated to the Burrows.
"He's taken him." She cried.
"Who?" Molly said.
"Lucius Malfoy! He came and he just took Oscar."
Molly looked concerned. "Arthur!"
"Yes dear." He responded coming into the kitchen.
"Hermione says Lucius Malfoy came and took Oscar."
"Oh no." Arthur said, but he wasn't panicked which did assure her somewhat. "I don't think he will hurt Oscar, Hermione, Malfoy is a sod of the first order, but he doesn't hurt children."
"He tried to hurt me." Hermione yelled. "We have to do something."
"Yes." Arthur said. "Let's go talk to Percy."
"Percy?" Hermione said disbelieving. "The aurors. We need the aurors."
"Perhaps, but I think it would be prudent to talk to Percy prior." Arthur said. "Lucius Malfoy is a calculating man. He doesn't act on impulse."
"How is he even out?"
"He got out a few days ago."
"How did that even happen?" Hermione said with exasperation.
"As he always does things, he bends ears." Arthur said. "Don't worry Hermione, we'll fix this. Come, let's talk to Percy."
They flooed to the Ministry. Hermione felt like she was doing the wrong thing meandering around the Ministry when she should be looking for Oscar, and Oscar was not here.
Arthur led the way, he knew where he was going. They took an elevator and talked down endless corridors. "Here we are." He said cheerily.
"Percy." Arthur said. "We have a problem. It seems Lucius Malfoy has abducted Hermione's boy."
Percy's eyebrows drew together. Hermione had to repeat the whole story to him.
"Lucius was released last week." Percy said. "His sentence has been commuted."
"How can he just go around and steal someone's child?" Hermione challenged.
Percy seemed uncomfortable. "Let me go talk to someone, I'll be right back."
Percy left and Arthur tried to comfort her. "It will all be alright, you'll see."
After ages, Percy returned. "He filed a Heres Clamore a few days ago."
Arthur sucked in his breath. "Can that be legal?"
"What?" Hermione demanded.
"It is legal." Percy said. "It is still law."
"What!" Hermione repeated.
"He's claimed Oscar as his heir." Percy said.
"So?"
"It gives him rights." Percy said.
"What? How?"
"It is an ancient law." Percy explained. "From a time when succession was treated with great gravity."
"He can't just take my son!" Hermione looked at them like they were insane.
"Surely he cannot deny access to the boy." Arthur said.
"No, luckily." Percy beamed. "If it was a few hundred years ago, he could, but not anymore. We need to put a petition together."
"How long will that take?" Hermione demanded.
"A little while." Percy said. "The defence will require a bit of time to prepare, then the Wizengamot will rule. They only sit once a month, so it could take maybe six weeks."
"Six weeks!" Hermione said. "That is completely unacceptable."
"But there is little reason for why it wouldn't be granted." Percy said. "The rights of mothers are guarded."
"Really?" Hermione responded with anger. "A man came and abducted my child and you're doing nothing about it. How exactly are my rights being protected?"
"I'm sorry Hermione." Arthur said. "The pureblood families have had laws to suit the purposes for millennia. But there are safeguards and we will fix this." He was quiet for a moment, then he continued tentatively, " It might be easier to get a better outcome if there were any way to prove that Oscar was not related to the Malfoy family."
Hermione wringed her hands and dropped her gaze to her lap.
Arthur patted her in the shoulder. "Irrespective," he said try to sound upbeat, "we'll get you and Oscar back together."
"In six weeks." Hermione said. She was ready to break down. She needed to be alone.
"You should start on the petition, Percy." Arthur said.
"I need to go." Hermione said and escaped the room. Arthur called after her but she just ran.
And she didn't stop until she got to the only place she could go, as close to her baby as she could get. The gate to Malfoy Manor. She was going to stay there until she got her son back. Maybe he would hear her, if she yelled. She dreaded to think that he was distressed and crying for her somewhere in the big horrible house.
Hermione stayed. The chill was creeping in as the sun went down, but she didn't care. She just thickened her clothes with her wand. It was a cold, long night and she didn't sleep. The creepy noises coming out of the forest weren't helping.
There was a scraping noise that woke her at the crack of dawn. Lucius stepped out of the gate, looking absolutely enormous from her vantage point balled up against one of the pillars.
The man stood stock still. His cruel features impassive.
"He is my heir and he resides here."
"You can't deny me access." She said. "They are preparing a petition."
"No doubt." He said. "But it will not change things. He resides here, and I will make all the final decisions for him and his wellbeing."
"You can't do this."
"He is a Malfoy and as much as you might not like the fact, you'll find that I can." He said. "Now if you are of the mind to behave and accept this, you may come inside."
She wanted to spit in his face, claw his eyes out, but she wanted to see her baby more. She scrambled up from the post and followed the man who was already walking back towards the house. There was no noise other than the crunching gravel as they walked.
Within his cloak, he was this moving block of black. The white hair spilling down his back, perfectly manicured, swaying slightly with his steps.
He held the front door open and waited for her to pass.
"Behave, Miss Granger." He said coldly. "This is my house and my rules will be respected."
Hermione didn't argue with him, she didn't want to risk seeing her baby.
"He is upstairs in the nursery. Wally will take you." Lucius said and turned away, leaving an uncomfortable looking elf hopping between its feet.
The elf waved at her to follow as it started up one of the stone staircases. Hermione followed the elf down dark, cold corridors. This house is horrible, she thought, just like its owner. She'd never been before, but it did look like somewhere she could imagine Draco Malfoy growing up.
The elf opened a door and she saw Oscar sitting on the ground playing with another elf holding a miniature sized broom and doll.
Oscar was happy to see her, and she rushed to him and pulled him to her. She sat there holding him for a long time. It would have been longer, but Oscar was over the reunions and was now more interested in the toys.
The nursery was brighter than the rest of the house. The walls were white at least, but it was old. Everything was old. This nursery had been there for a while. This might even have been were Draco was reared. She felt a twist in her gut. She had mentally severed any linkages between her boy and Draco Malfoy.
Hermione stayed in the nursery all day. The elves were obviously beside themselves playing with a child. She suspected it had been a long time since they played with a child. They must have been alone in this house for years. As much as she wanted to protect her son, they were all having a roaring time.
Although being with Oscar soothed her, the stone in her belly wouldn't leave. She just wanted to go home, but she was afraid what would happen if she tried. Actually, she knew what would happen, she would likely end up being without Oscar for the next six weeks. She couldn't do that to him, he would suffer. As much as she hated it, for now, she had to put up with it.
Oscar went to sleep shortly after dark.
"Dinner is being served downstairs." The elf said. "Or I can bring it to your room."
She had the elf bring her to her room. She didn't want to eat with Malfoy, she didn't even want to see that hated man.
After she'd eaten, she decided that she needed to go deal with the horror of a man that was downstairs. She found him in what must have been a library. Actually it was a very impressive library, but she dismissed that from her mind.
"Why are you doing this?" She demanded bitterly. "He is not yours."
"He is a Malfoy and he must learn what that means." He said from his plush leather chair, he didn't even look at her.
"He is half muggle." She said, stretching the truth a bit to make her point.
"He is a Malfoy." He said still staring into the fire. "I don't expect you to understand."
"I don't." She said sharply. "I'm sure in the umpteen generations of your 'venerable' family, his blood, my blood would be a blight."
Lucius didn't answer.
"You are still a man." She continued after he didn't answer. "You can 'beget' a child more suited to your history."
She sensed a moment of uncomfortableness in the man.
"And what of Draco?" Lucius said. "Shall he be forgotten."
"I'm pretty sure this isn't the way he wanted to be remembered." She said. "It was not some rebellious romance between us, Mr. Malfoy. In fact, it was not a start that you would wish to burden any child with."
Lucius closed his eyes for a micro second. "It is not important."
"Really?" She said. "I think its pretty damned relevant. Draco would never claim this child."
"Inconsequential." Lucius said a raising his voice. "The boy is a Malfoy and he will continue the line. It is of the highest importance. It surpasses any concerns you have."
"He is my child."
"He will be raised in the old ways." Lucius said raising his voice further.
"Really?" Hermione spat coldly. "Because that worked out so well last time, didn't it? Last time I checked your progeny is dead, a traitor, a criminal. Not to mention a rapist. You did such a good job, you really should be put in charge of another child."
She left brusquely, she couldn't bare looking at him. The insufferable bastard. Who did he think he was?
