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Re-uploaded chapter two!


Chapter Two:

Hermione hadn't slept that night. Fearsome imagines plagued her mind – blood, death, murder. Screams echoed throughout her head - pleas, begging and prayers. Horrible thoughts. Horrible memories. She felt the sickening feeling overwhelm her again; she pulled herself over the willow and retched - a bitter taste filled her mouth as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, collapsing back at the bottom of the tree.

How could I have forgotten ten years? Is this a spell? A test, a curse? Hermione felt her eyes sting. A punishment? She didn't know what to think, she didn't know what to do; and she didn't know why it took all her self-control to stand up and take a few stumbling steps to Apparate. It all remained a dizzying blur.

--

It was the same place, the same alleyway she had Apparated to many times before. It had the same similar musky smell and dampness, the usual path she'd take to visit her parents on holidays. It's where I told Malfoy I was going, she thought. I hope he doesn't come looking for me…

The very thought of seeing Malfoy again scared her, his presence was like a dagger dangling above her head – threatening to drop at any time with the trigger being a miss-said word on her part. At the beginning she didn't think going to her parents was necessary, that they wouldn't understand what was going on and end up in trouble themselves – it was something that they would blame witchcraft on. But now she knew she had to see them. Hold them close.

Hermione walked down the muggle street, it was barely dawn – there were no cars, the road was half blown apart – small fires remained in the corner of her eyes, freshly started, and shadows loomed over the once pleasant lane. Her heart stopped.

Fire.

She couldn't think.

Her parent's house was ablaze. Hermione found herself running, jumping before her mind had come to terms – sprinting as fast as she could towards the front door that laid in ruins a few feet before her. She rushed into the blaze, coughing as a wave of black smoke hit her.

"MUM!" she wailed, her voice could barely be heard over the roar of the flames. "DAD!" Her vision was a haze, darting across the front entrance into the living room – a wetness soaked into the carpet touched her bare feet, her hand covered her mouth to help prevent another heaving retch.

It was blood.

She stared around the room, walls splattered, the hem of her robes drenched in crimson blood – and two bodies laid spread-eagle in the middle of the living room floor. Hermione screamed in dismay. She couldn't reach them; a divider of the burning inferno prevented her from going any further. She heard the loud bang of the fire making contact with the small gas line in the kitchen; it was only a matter of seconds until the whole house would be blown apart with her and her dead parent's bodies along with it.

Hermione noticed a shadow of another person enter the room – it was calling out her parent's names. Her head felt foggy and thick, her legs refused to move – a part of her wanted to die in the house, another part of her didn't mind when the unknown individual lifted her off her feet and swung her over their shoulder, carrying her out of the smouldering residence.

The person was jogging as fast and further away down the street as they could go – though all Hermione could comprehend was the rhythmic pattern of herself being heaved along and the sight of her parents bodies left in the flames. Another bang – the house had disintegrated in a blast of rumble and fire, it seemed they were much further away than she thought.

"Hermione?" the voice she heard she recognized as the man that saved her life placed her back down on her own feet. She did not respond nor pause to look at his face – but bolted down the remainder of the road before Apparating back to the last place on earth she wanted to go to: The Malfoy Manor.

--

She knew. He thought she was ignorant of the act he played, but she knew – and she was fuming.

Hermione knew what Draco Malfoy had done. He had murdered her parents without mercy. The blackness of Apparation faded.

--

Hermione barged into the drawing room – hair wild, cloths torn, covered in mud and blood with an expression of misery and rage. Unaware that Draco had guests, Hermione marched across the room towards him. "What have you done?!" she said darkly, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. His expression remained unnaturally still as he nodded an apology to his visitors – seizing Hermione by her upper arm; he dragged her from the room, closing the door behind them.

He turned to face her, his strong grip remained firm.

"I told you," Draco said calmly. "Long ago – that if you ever tried to leave – there'd be punishment."

Hermione was stunned into silence, then twisted her arm from his reach. "My parents!" Hermione moaned. "My parents?"

She fell to the floor, her cries echoed throughout the manor. Draco turned his back to Hermione, facing the door; he opened it and let himself in, stating with a pleasant smile. "My apologies. My wife, she unwell." The door closed once more, leaving Hermione sobbing in the hall.

--

It took Hermione a while to realize that someone came to sit beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"There, there, Mistress," a House Elf said soothingly. "Let's take you to get cleaned up."

Hermione wiped her eyes to see the elf more clearly. She – for it was a girl – had taken Hermione gently by her blood-covered hands and was leading her up a nearby staircase and into an extraordinarily decorated washroom. Four other House Elves awaited them in the room, each holding different soaps and perfumes. They each took a part of Hermione's grubby dressing gown that still covered her nightdress and lightly pulled it away. It took her a while to regain her ability to speak.

"Thank-you," she whispered sincerely to the first House Elf that had retrieved her from the entrance hall. "What's your name?"

"Millie," the House Elf said. "Mistress Hermione's personal House Elf!"

The Elf gave a low bow so that her nose almost came in contact with the cream tiled floor. Hermione was stunned at the fright in the Elf's squeaky voice as Millie joined the other House Elves in ushering Hermione towards the bathtub, filling it with delicate-looking potions.

"P-Please!" Hermione said politely. "I can… I can do it myself! It's no trouble!"

The House Elves continued, pausing only for a second to give one another quizzical looks.

Millie took Hermione's hand once again and led her into the sweet-smelling bath. The water felt good against her skin – it calmed her and helped her mind clear. "Mistress must look her best for Master's visitors." Another House Elf stated quietly. The Elves wrapped her in a fluffy pink towel, Mille was brushing her hair; tying it up in a graceful knot similar to the way she had it at the Yule Ball back in fourth year. That's was over thirteen years ago now…

"Millie," Hermione began uncertainly. "I have a job for you - if you'd like to do it, please."

The Elf blinked at her and gave another low bow. "Of course, Mistress."

"First, you don't need to bow like that," she said kindly. "And call me Hermione if you like."

Millie looked uncertain but stayed silent for Hermione to continue. "I need you to find two wizards: Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. When you find where they are, come back and tell me. Please, it's really important Malfoy… I mean Draco, doesn't know about this."

--

Hermione re-entered the drawing room, this time clothed in emerald green dress robes with fine silver-thread embroidery. Malfoy was seated at the sitting table with two other people also dressed in expressive-looking garments. As she entered the small group looked at her pleasantly.

"Hermione!" Draco said joyously, she had a strong urge to spit at him. "How nice of you to join us!"

Kill me… she thought bitterly. "Draco darling," Hermione began, sitting beside him. "I am sincerely sorry for my actions a few moments ago - and I hope that our distinguished guests will accept my apology. I have been feeling rather ill as of late."

"Of course you are pardoned," said the female of the company, then added coyly. "Is there an heir on the way?"

Draco laughed as Hermione tried her hardest to chuckle. "Let us hope." she stated with a strained smile. Not…

--

A few hours later, in Hermione's room, since the one she had woken up in that day before was Malfoy's; a loud crack was heard as she sat at her desk, trying to figure out everything that had happened in the past day and a solution to it – the only thing that came to mind was Hogwarts library.

"Mistress," Millie squeaked. "I have found the residence of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."


Wow, chapter two complete! Please don't hesitate to ask questions!

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Hazel-Buttafly