Chapter 3

Harry was lead through the manor being shown every part of the house he would be serving. He was not surprised to find everything within the house was done with rich decor. Grand marble stair cases. Rooms upon rooms of hardwood flooring. Dark wood, hand-carved furniture. Art that no doubt cost a few thousand galleons. The sear number of rooms themselves were displays of wealth.

Going up the stairs one found themselves in a lounge with an enormous fireplace. Fifteen large grand bedrooms- including the master- found on the second floor. Each bedroom had it's own on-suit toilets. There were five full bathrooms meant for hygienic needs. The attic was filled with various discarded items with a single path to the bell tower turned into an owl paradise. On the bottom floor, there was a lovely sun room, found next to the indoor pool and sauna. Which was across from the music room. All down the hall to the grand ballroom that took up a fourth of the bottom floor. There was three libraries between both floor. As well as a personal study for Lucius. Two dinning rooms; one for formal affairs while the other was meant for more social means. A kitchen complete with walk-in ice box- which was a whole other room in itself- and two pantries. They even had a whole armoury.

Outside was a patio for ball guests that lead to at least a dozen different gardens. The gardens themselves were large mazes of colour and scents. There was four green houses and a dog kennel found beside a five acre orchard. Behind the orchard, past some hedges, was a well kept graveyard. Harry noticed a row of tied sticks making crosses along the shadows of the tree line on the far side. He did not need to ask to know those graves belonged to slaves past.

Through each place, Hermione gladly spoke endlessly about the history to each room. It was interesting how intelligent she was. He became curious in wanting to know her more. As they marched back through the gardens towards the manor, he could not help but ask, "How long have you been on your own?" Upon seeing the suspicious look Hermione gave him, Harry added, "It's a pretty big place. Was it always just you taking care of things?" He knew the answer, but he preferred to pretend he did not in hopes of getting her to talk again.

Hermione sighed, "No, it wasn't always me. There used to be others. We had all lived together in a one room cabin behind the green houses. Lord Malfoy would lock us in there after curfew because someone had tried attacking the family at night. There was an unfortunate accident during a lightening storm, and... well, Tonks and I were the only survivors."

"I'm sorry," Harry spoke solemnly.

"It's alright, it happened nearly eleven years ago," Hermione shrugged. "I had only just been taken from my parents, so most of them were still strangers to me. It's easier to forget people you never really knew to begin with."

"Yeah, I guess. How did you two get out?" Harry asked changing topics. He and Hermione stopped at the far corner of the manor. When Hermione waved her wand over the ground, the grass opened up into a stair well leading into the basement.

"I had called Lady Malfoy... something rude," Hermione continued as she descended the stairs. "She had me locked in the dog kennels for the night as punishment. Tonks had chose to sit with me outside the cage. I say it was purely luck, but Tonks claims our good fortune was a reward for giving the Malfoys trouble. Perhaps that's why she's always angering her uncle despite the punishments delivered."

Harry snickered, "She's a first gen, right? That's why she's marked like us."

Hermione nodded, "they treat her more like us than one of their own. But other than that, it's not really my place to tell you things about Tonks."

Harry shrugged, "Whatever. So, misbehaviour is lucky, huh? Maybe I should give it a go, and see how my luck turns out." His words gained a slight smile from Hermione as she paused at the door.

"We both know you don't need an excuse to cause mischief. But if it does work, be sure to let me know. It's been some time since I've done something against the Malfoys." With those words, she pushed the dingy, little door open. "This is where we stay now, by the way."

Harry stepped into the room. It was a cellar that had been separated in half by old sheets hanging from the ceiling. Over head was a dozen or so lines of drying laundry. In place of kegs in the walls, the shelves held ratty bedding and pillows for the hand full of second hand mattresses laying on the floor. There was also a number of cleaning potions- and cauldrons and ingredients for those potions- lined along the makeshift shelves. There was a single wardrobe in the far right corner. On the far left was a make shift lavatory. It was only just big enough for one person to move about with the shower, sink, and toilet. Another ragged sheet acted as the only means of privacy. Even with a couple small windows, most of the lighting was a combination of torches on the walls and the wood burner next to the door. Despite the conditions, especially compared to the rest of the mansion, Harry had to admit this had to be the nicest servants quarters he had ever been in.

"Sheets and pillows are in the closet there. Pick whichever unmade mattress you'd like. When we're not doing chores, we're supposed to be down here or outside," Hermione explained. She walked over to the only wardrobe and began to search through the clothes within.

"Let me guess, the family doesn't want us sullying their noble house with our presence but they still expect us to keep the place clean?" Harry grumbled as he searched through the sheets for a half-decent set.

"Well, that's not the way he put it, but yes, that's about it."

"Royal bastards." Hermione rolled her eyes. Seeing this, Harry enquired, "so what did you call Lady Ugly that you were locked in a dog kennel?"

Hermione blushed as she pulled out one last set of uniform robes. She mumbled something too low for Harry to catch. "Sorry, what did you say?" Harry asked.

"I said I called her a bitch that shags more dogs than men," she finally said loud enough for him to here. Harry's jaw dropped at first. Then, within the blink of an eye, he was laughing.

"You said that as a five-year-old?" he laughed with disbelief.

"I over heard it back in my home village!" Hermione defended. "I had no idea what I was saying; just that it was rude." Harry continued to snicker. Hermione huffed still blushing. She stormed over to him with her arms full of different dress pants and tops. A bow tie dangled from her elbow. "Hold still," she growled. He tried to remain still but the thought of a five year old Hermione telling off Narcissa Malfoy kept appearing in his mind. After holding up a couple sets and tossing them aside, Hermione muttered, "You really are skinny." Finally she handed him a pair. "Try these on. I can have them adjusted if they are slightly too large."

Harry took the set and laid it down with the bedding. When he made to remove his overly large shirt, however, Hermione shouted at him, "Harry! I meant in the bathroom." He glanced over at her noticing both a blush and her hand dangerously poised for her wand. Oops.

"Look, I know that every time you've seen a guy in undress he's usually trying to rape you. So yeah, I get you are scared."

"I'm not scared," Hermione hissed.

"Nervous, then. The point is, even though I don't plan on walking around naked, I'm still going to be here long enough that you might see me in only my boxers or a towel. So could you just look away?"

"And leave myself blind to an attack? No way. Either keep yourself covered, or I swear I'll hex you into an oblivion." The two of them stared eye to eye unblinking.

"You know what," Harry reached into his pocket to withdraw his wand. Hermione instantly had hers fixed on him. Without so much as a flinch to the threat, Harry tossed his wand to Hermione's feet. Then tensely ready for an attack, he went back to changing. He watched her blurry image from the corner of his eye. Hermione slowly lowered herself with her wand still at the ready. Once she had a hold on Harry's wand, she shot back up to full height. When Harry was finished, he turned to her with a few steps.

"See? Now can I have my wand back?" She eyed him carefully. He noticed her eyes for a moment glanced behind him before falling back on his face. Against his curiosity, Harry remained staring at her as though he had not noticed any change. Finally she took a couple of steps towards him, and held his wand out to him. He smoothly took it without rush, but not slow enough to indicate tension. "Thank you," he said. Hermione nodded some and then lowered her wand. She walked over to the made mattress next to the wall across from Harry's. He noticed she had purposefully turned her back on him. He ignored the gesture, and turned his attention once again on his bed. A quick spell later, and it was perfectly made. He took advantage of his looking at the bed to glance at the curtain separating room and cellar from his peripheral vision. He did not see anything odd, but decided not to put his wand away just yet.

Both parties sat on their respective beds trying to relax but still keep an eye on the other. Hermione's brown eyes glanced to Harry's side where his wand sat in reach. "Why haven't you put your wand away?" she asked.

"Because you haven't put yours away," he answered coolly.

"As I've said once before, I don't intend to be defenceless around you until I know you were not lying about why you're in the program."

"You just turned your back to me. If I had wanted to, I could have hit you with a jinx then."

"But I still have my wand with me, and- just so you know- Tonks' fiancee is a teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Which he teaches me every time he comes to visit. I probably know far more spells than you could ever hope to know."

"You're bluffing."

Hermione once again had her wand ready, "Would you like a demonstration?"

Harry snarled, "Why? I haven't done anything and it's going to stay that way. Unless you're telling me you've used your spells to take advantage of the wizards brought in here."

Hermione's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You're honestly claiming I would do that?"

"Yes, I am. How many of those wizards did you say tried forcing themselves on you when- maybe- the truth is, they were probably trying to keep you off them!"

"Excuse me? Don't you dare insinuate I would sink so low!"

Harry cut in even though Hermione clearly was going to say more, "Tonks is a New Blood. She can come and go as she pleases leaving you behind. Not to mention she's engaged. Eleven years can be a long, lonely time. Who knows what someone smart like you would think up in the mean time."

"And using wizards like toys is my plan, is it? Honestly, Harry, if I didn't want to be alone that badly, I would have given in with the first wizard! But I'll have you know I'm still innocent; despite some greasy pigs' attempts. And it's going to remain that way until I die! So keep your twisted ideas to yourself, because- I swear- if you are like the rest of those cockroaches, you'll be sorry!"

The air seemed to radiate in electricity from their rage. Both glaring heatedly at one another. It was silent for a whole minute, but the time snailed by. "You know what," Harry snapped. "Forget it." He took off his glasses and laid out on his bed with his back to her. He hoped to ignore her with a long nap, but knew he probably would not. He listened to the silence feeling her gaze bore into him. Then he heard her sigh in defeat.

"Harry?" she called softly. He glanced blindly over his shoulder without a verbal response. "I'm sorry. It's true that eleven years is long and very lonely. That does not mean I'm desperate, though. With Tonks away so much, all I really had were books. At first they were to pass the time until she returned, but now I love to read. The point is, although my hobby has granted me extensive amounts of knowledge, it really does nothing for my social skills."

Harry turned over onto his back to continue looking at her without the kink in his neck. "I've met worse," he admitted honestly. "Besides, I can't really be cross with you... all you're doing is defending yourself."

"True. But I somewhat feel foolish having my guard up with you. You can't help being here anymore than I can."

"I can help it... sort of. All I need is to give the royal wankers a reason to send me back into the system. Then I'd never have to look at this miserable place again."

"It's not going to work," Hermione stated bluntly. "You're apart of the New Blood Production Program now. Your only way of getting out of here alive is if you're sterile- which, I believe, was checked for during the pre-sign-up physical exam- or you committed a crime so terrible you're to be executed."

"I'll break out then. I never wanted to be a slave, anyway," Harry yawned as he found his body was starting to relax into the soft bedding.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Hermione's tone was a mix of curiosity and utter disbelief he was even thinking of such a thing.

"I don't know yet, but I'll get us out of here before your birthday so they can't breed us."

"Us? You'd take me with you?"

"Sure," Harry was starting to feel the exhaustion from restless nights sleep creeping in on him. As his mind began to doze, he heard Hermione whisper, "Thank you."

"What are friends for," Harry yawned. He completely missed the look of shock crossing Hermione's face. "I think I'm going to have a quick kip," he muttered half-coherent. He snuggled up into his bedding, and was asleep in moments. Hermione, in turn, settled on her bed after a few minutes thought. From her pillow case she drew a large book. She settled against the wall, and tried to read the small font. Instead, her mind lead her eyes back up to Harry's sleeping form. Unlike with wizards before Harry, it was not from paranoia leading her to check if he was really sleeping. No, her eyes were soft, and a smile graced itself upon her face. In her mind repeated the same words wondering if they were real...

"What are friends for?" She smiled again as she returned her attention once more to reading. Hermione Granger- muggle-born prisoner in the Malfoy house and unofficial little sister to Nymphadora Tonks- for the first time in her life had someone her own age that called her 'friend'.

HP*HG

I really don't like fillers, but they are needed (doesn't make me any less disappointed in this chapter, though). So, to make up for it, you guys are getting a double update tonight. Talk about lucky, eh? Just please remember to leave a review! I want to know if I'm doing a good or bad job here. Take care.

~Nemarra