I didn't have a Harry part on my last chap so I thought I'll start off with that this time and then move on to Draco/Hermione. Don't know if you guys remember what happened with HARRY and JADE on chapter 5, but if you don't they were basically chatting about how Harry could try and remember his past
"Maybe you should like, see a psychiatrist or something… " She suggested, making Harry laugh.
" Aww come on, I'm not that crazy yet " He laughed rolling his eyes. "what can a shrink do? Hypnotize the past out of me?"
Jade merely shrugged, looking slightly defensive. "Well its better than nothing. You try coming up with a better idea "
"Sorry Jade, I didn't mean to be offensive. I just don't think there's anything a shrink could do. And besides if they here my dreams they'll send me straight to the psycho ward "
She shrugged again " I guess you're right. Did you have anything at all on you, when you woke up"
"Good point. Yeah I did but those weren't exactly too helpful. Well I didn't think so anyway "
but he dug his hands into his pockets and pulled out a dagger, intricately designed and for some reason he felt attached to it, as if he had been given it by someone he cared about. He also pulled out a small jewelry box and handed them to jade for her to inspect.
She looked at the dagger marveling its beautiful design, then handed it back to Harry letting him know she couldn't figure out anything by that.
Then she opened the jewelry box and inside was a beautiful silver necklace with a name pendant that read 'Hermione' in cursive letters.
"Harry this could be totally a clue/b Jade murmured inspecting it. b Maybe its something you brought for your girlfriend or something" She added fingering the delicate pendant.
" I doubt it " he replied uneasily
"You never know"
"That's the point. I don't know" he muttered bitterly.
"Well its definitely a clue. Is this all you had on you"
"Yup now all we need is Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and case will be solved"
"God you're definitely British alright with that never ending sarcasm. And a name is better than nothing "
"I wasn't being sarcastic. It was the truth. It's a name and I can't remember any names"
The thing was, this wasn't all Harry had been found with. There were something else but showing that to jade would definitely be a ticket straight to the psychiatrist unit.
Still unable to believe that she was alive, Hermione left the dining room and headed towards the kitchen where she was sure to find a relieved and shocked Raven.
"Jane! Are you ok? What happened to your hand? Did he tell him? Merlin"
Hermione smiled at her friend's confused muddle of questions.
"I'm ok, I broke a bottle of wine by squeezing it too hard, and Draco didn't tell Voldermort about it afterall, probably because Merlin is watching over me. Either that or Draco has something worse planned"
" OMG I'm so sorry I wish there was something I could do... wait...rewind that a little. Did you say 'didn't tell? Are you fooling around with me because if you are this is not a god time or a good topic Jane"
"I'm not fooling around with you. Draco did try to tell Voldermort. He started to them kind of...changed the sentence and now they are discussing some kind of mission of Draco's"
"But why would he... "
"I don't know why he protected my identity but I think he has something worse 'planned or maybe some pod person suddenly took over Draco's body" She giggled.
" Jane its not funny" Raven replied horrified. "What if he does have something worse planned? Hmm that's hardly a matter to laugh about"
"I'm just glad I'm alive and unhurt right now...well sort of unhurt". She added looking at her hand and the blood soaked cloth that had been hastily wrapped around the cut. She untied it slowly wincing in pain.
"Here, wash it. You must be quite strong if you broke a wine bottle just by squeezing it"
"Actually it was just me being a scaredy cat that broke it"
" Whatever you say. At least you only broke a wine bottle. I probably would've done something worse"
"Such as..."
" I don't know. Pee on my pants or something"
"Gods Raven. You morbid person that's not funny either you know"
"Yeah I know. I'm just relieved that's all"
Raven washed her hands and wrapped a fresh cloth around it. It was still stinging like hell and Hermione suspected that it might infect. Glass wasn't safe to go untreated afterall.
"Yeah, me too..."
The sound of someone walking into the kitchen made them both turn around and there stood Winky with a slightly apprehensive look on her face.
"Lady Narcissa wanted Winky to tell miss that miss is to go to the stables and stark cleaning them. The stable boy is supposed to instruct the miss on what to do" The elf muttered all in one breath, turned and left abruptly.
"They have a stable boy"
"Yeah. He's one of us too. About a year older than us. Nice guy...When he's not being a sarcastic bastard anyway... I can't believe you haven't met him yet...oh yeah you spent the night in the kitchen"
Hermione sighed. She was exhausted and starved. But not enough to disobey yet.
"Well I suppose I'd better get going huh" She muttered and with a quick hug to Raven she made her way across the garden and towards the stables. If she didn't hate the people who lived here so much and her own place in the manor she would have certainly enjoyed the beautiful walkway to the stables. Never had she seen a place that complimented the natural beauty so much.
As the large and spacious set of stables came to view Hermione gasped. They were really, really huge. The place the Malfoy's horses were kept were probably bigger than the house that was shared by all nine Weaslys.
She quickened her pace and made her way around the back towards the fron of the stables and spotted a young man who she assumed was the stable boy. He stood with his back to her, grooming a gorgeous black stallion.
""Erm...excuse me"
He turned around, with a raised eyebrow and Hermione's eyes widened slightly. He had dark long hair that looked extremely unkept but suited him anyway with tanned skin, unusual yellowy green eyes and a tall lean physique he was definitely good looking. He was dressed in some tattered black baggy jeans and a T-shirt and also had a piercing in his left ear.
"Hey you must be Jane" he asked, offering her a light smile.
"Uh yea...Erm I'm supposed to clean out the stalls" She replied returning the smile.
But he pointed to the many stalls and she noticed what he meant. They were all mucked and in perfect order. "I've Already done them. I'm Nick Chiara By the way". Offering her a strong hand to shake.
"Nice to meet you Nick "
"It would have been much 'nicer' to have met you somewhere other than the armpit of the universe, but what the hell. Nice to meet you too"
She laughed at his laidback description of the Malfoy household. "I think 'armpit of the universe' would be the understatement of the century for this place"She replied. "Is there anything else I can do? I was sent here by Narcis...er 'Lady Narcissa' and apparently you're supposed to instruct me on what to do"
"Hmm do you know how to groom horses"
"I can learn". She replied
He laughed. "Meaning you have no idea in hell how to groom a horse and you want me to 'instruct' you"
And before she can reply he wandered off into the stables and came out leading a beautiful brown mare and tied it loosely to a railing then picked up what looked like a soft bristled brush and handed it to her.
"It's not hard. You use the soft one to brush the forelock and face of the horse. Make sure you keep away from the eyes k? and you use the medium brush -" He handed her another one - "do the rest of the body. Keep an eye out for any blisters or anything out of the ordinary then you use some conditioner – ask me for it when you're ready – to untangle the hair and for that you use the stiff bristle brush. Got it"
Hermione nodded. That sounded easy enough.
She picked up the soft brush and approached the horse with just a little bit of apprehension. She loved horses but had yet to do anything other than ride one for a very brief period of time.
But when she started it was quite easy and the mare was as calm as could be and after a while she even started enjoying herself. This was so much better than all the cooking and cleaning.
"Stupid question, but just for the sake of making conversation how are you finding it so far here"
"Better than I expected " She replied truthfully, raising her eyes from the horse to look at Nick who was now inspecting the horses hooves carefully.
"Really? That I think as far from Raven's idea of this place as could be"
"I guess. I mean, knowing the Malfoys I thought it's be as bad as living with Voldermort. But so far I'm being proven wrong"
He looked up at the mention of Voldermort. "Wow finally someone who's not scared shitless of a name. Thank Merlin"
Hermione shrugged. "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself"
"Absolutely. But I suggest you don't make the mistake of speaking his 'holy' name in front of the high king hard head senior or Junior. That could just prove your theory of life here correct"
"High King Hard Head! Couldn't suit Draco Malfoy better. Nice! But yeah. Don't you think it's strange that even Voldermorts most loyal are too afraid to say his name?"
"yeah I guess. By the way you have something against Draco Malfoy other than you being a servant in his house don't you?" He was perceptive.
"Yeah. We go way back" and at the strange look he gave her she laughed. "Not i that /i way. Eww. But we used to go to Hogwarts and lets say Draco Malfoy wasn't my best friend. He was always a cocky little ferret and he still is. Just worse" She explained while brushing the horses body carefully.
Nick laughed, looking slightly more relieved. "Sweet. Sounds like you two hit it off nicely. Beauty and the beast...or rather beauty and the ferrate. Wasn't that what you called him?"
"Yup" She nodded.
"Ah. Young love" he sounded extremely sarcastic.
"Eww. The thought alone makes me want to go drown myself" She muttered wincing " Now I see exactly what Raven meant when she said you were 'nice' when you're not being sarcastic. I think I prefer the 'nice' unsarcastic you"
"really. More than you prefer Draco Malfoy???? " He smirked leading his horse inside the stable, not giving Hermione time to reply. She really was starting to like this guy. He was actually making her laugh which was saying something while living in Malfoy residence.
After a while, he still hadn't returned. Hoping he'd have forgotten about Malfoy she finished grooming her horse and she too lead the mere inside the stables wondering what on earth Nick was doing and she found him inside re-filling the horses water bucket. He looked up when she walked in.
"You done? Put her there" HE pointed towards an empty stall and she lead the horse in and walked out then turned to face another horse in the stall in front of her.
It was a black mare but what caught her eyes was a calf that stood at the mare's side. It was a gorgeous little thing and Hermione couldn't help letting out a little squeal at the site of it.
Nick who had been watching her smirked. "Was that squeal for Dear Draco?" He asked arching an eyebrow.
"Can you quit it, about that Stupid cocky arrogant filthy spoiled brat of a hard headed ferrate who couldn't give a shit about anything other than himself"
"Wow Granger, your vocabulary has certainly gotten more coloureful since Hogwarts. Wonder what Potter will think of his know-it-all girlfriend swearing"
Hermione's eyes widened and she could see Nick sober up instantly, his fun lighthearted Demeanor disappearing instantly. She might be safe for the moment. But she had no idea what reason Draco had kept her a secret from Voldermort for, but she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of power either. If he got mad at her and did something, so be it. There was nothing for her to live for anyway.
Taking a deep breath she turned around to face Draco Malfoy's sneering face.
"Why Malfoy. Back from licking Voldermorts feat? I don't remember the oh-so-powerful Malfoy being so cocky in front of him"
His smirk widened and his gaze traveled to the makeshift bandage on her hand. "I don't remember you being so 'brave' or lippy in front of him either for all you talk of 'bravery' Granger"
She scowled. It was true. But she had a good excuse.
"Maybe so Malfoy, but I'm not the one who's supposed to be all pals with Voldermort. What do you call your self? Was it 'The Dark Lords Most Loyal or something? For some reason I'd have thought that 'status' would make you a little more relaxed around him. Seems I was proven wrong this evening. You're nothing but a big bully Malfoy, so just go screw yourself"
She couldn't believe she was swearing but around him she couldn't help it. He brought out the worst in her.
"screw myself? That's the best you could come up with? Nah I think I prefer someone of the opposite gender assisting me with that particular pleasure. But then you aren't likely to understand that kind of experience now, are you? Or did the Weasle and the Potter help you with that too? "
She could feel her cheeks redden just a touch. "Harry and Ron were my friends and just friends. But then I can't really expect you to understand what 'friendship' is can I? You never had any real friends, only two forced sidekicks from what I remember" It was perhaps a cruel thing to say and had it been anyone other than Draco Malfoy Hermione certainly would've regretted it.
He arched an eyebrow amusedly at her.
"You presume to know my life, when the only place you've seen me at was at school? That's a bit narrow minded for you isn't it? And besides we weren't discussing friendship we were discussing sex experience with Potty and Weasle"
He sounded sardonically pleasant and infuriating. Yeah Hermione wasn't very comfortable with where the conversation was going and from the warning hand Nick placed on her shoulders she knew he didn't like it either. She had almost forgotten that he was there, a shadow behind her and he edged closer to her.
"And your so-called 'experiences' with...who was it again. Slytherin slut Parkinson? I'm sure that would provide you a good insight as to what pleasure is" She snapped, then paused for a moment before continuing. "Although I'm not entirely sure she can be classed as a girl of course" She added almost as an afterthought.
It was again so childish but that was what went on between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy; Childish insults that always end up in dire consequences. But until those consequences hit them awake, their childish games would go on. But right now their situations aren't what they used to be and perhaps this time those consequences might hit one of them harder than the other.
Just as she finished the last part of her sentence she noticed Draco's lips twitch slightly, but then almost instantly went back to their stony state. Had he been about to smile? Not possible. It probably was a trick of the light.
He was about to reply when someone interrupted their conversation. Someone who had been standing in the stall next to Draco had decided to nuzzle his head with its face. It was the beautiful white stallion; Hermione had seen Draco ride the day before. And instead of replying to her comment, her turned and stroked the horse's face gently.
Draco Malfoy was actually capable of being 'gentle'?! She seemed to learn something new everyday.
She glared at him waiting for a reply when she felt Nick's hand tighten slightly. "Leave it Jane and just get on with the other Horse" He murmured to her giving her a way out. Perhaps in her situation she should have taken itinstantly. But she didn't want to. But she wasn't exactly in a position to do what she 'wanted' to do. So she nodded to him.
"I'm done with wasting my time with you ferrate" She muttered to Draco, wishing she could wipe of the satisfied look that had taken his face, but buried the urge and moved to another black Stallion. The Malfoys sure had a lot of horses.
She led the horse outside and began brushing it gently. Running her hand through the horse's silky mane she started to drift off into her own little world of thoughts. Thoughts were about the only thing she had left for herself now and that was something no one could take away from her. She could still dream of freedom couldn't she? Nick was still inside and so was Malfoy so she was out on her own.
"You're such a beautiful thing". She murmured to the horse not realizing she was actually speaking aloud. She ran the brush through its mane and the stallion turned its head and nuzzled her almost as if it understood her distress. She wrapped her arms around the horse's neck wanting to feel comforted. In times like this when she could go into her own thoughts she wished of her friends being alive. The friends that Malfoy seemed so keen on reminding her of.
"Gods, what wouldn't I give to get them back. I miss them so much" She whispered still unaware that she was speaking aloud and almost subconsciously working on the horse. "Why did I have to end up alive for god sake /b tears were starting to flow down her cheeks freely and she didn't even realize it.
There wasn't a minute in a day that her mind wondered away from her friends and family; everyone that had been robbed of their lives for no crime other than being born. She knew life was never fair but this much unfairness should never befall anyone, least of all the loving caring family and friends that she had lost to a monstrosity that cared of nothing but power.
She was so deeply divulged in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the footsteps that strode out of the stables, nor did she notice the beautiful white stallion being led outside by non other than Draco Malfoy. She didn't notice him starting to groom his own horse with a most practiced manner.
And Draco Malfoy too was in his own thoughts, although he most certainly wasn't as far gone as Hermione Granger was.
Her comment about Pansy had certainly 'almost' made him laugh, although he would never end up actually admitting that to her. But then Parkinson pretty much lived up to everything Hermione Granger had mentioned.
She always seemed to know exactly what nerve to tamper with and that pissed him off. As much as he tried to keep his composure there were sometimes just the simplest things she said, that would get him worked up and he hated her more for that ability more than the blood she was born into. He hated her with a passion that drove him to be as hurtful to her as possible.
Why had he not given her away to Lord Voldermort? Knowing Granger she was probably dieing to know but he wasn't about to give her the answer for that yet.
He looked up from Astrid, (which meant 'Star' in Greek) to see Granger who didn't even seemed to realize he was here. She had a far gone look on her face that was almost dreamy and certainly much more relaxed than what he had seen of her in the last few days. His eyes caught something else. He couldn't resist on commenting on that.
"Well, well, well the brave Gryffindor Granger is actually crying?"
Startled, and just realizing that she wasn't alone anymore she spun around to face him, her face slightly confused. But when she saw him her soft brow eyes caught fire as she glared at him.
"For someone who hates me Malfoy, you sure seem keen on conversing with me. Don't you have anything better to do? Like Maybe go lick Voldy's toes for him or something?"
He smirked. Voldy, well that wasn't something he had heard before.
"Yeah I have, but since what I want to do is none of your business and you still haven't answered my question...were you crying? Thinking of Potty and Weasle? Or was it your mudblood parents"
She glared at him, controlling the burst of anger that engulfed at him making fun of her losses. You could hardly expect anything else from him.
Then without comment she turned back to the horse and began the second stage of the grooming and started to run the brush through its body when she was yet again interrupted.
"Concentrating on your job aren't you Granger. But its more effective if you use the right brush. I don't like it when our horses groomed improperly"
Only then did she realize she had been using the soft bristled brush for the body. She swapped it and continued, doing her best to ignore him. He hadn't exactly sounded hostile with that last comment. He had sounded more amused which definitely intrigued her. Come to think of it, Hermione realized he hadn't sounded as horrible as he had done before and reminding her about Harry, Ron and her parents was pretty useless since she had never forgotten them anyway.
But the question that ran through her mind the most was what happened at lunch and she pondered if asking him would get her the reason as to why he hadn't handed her over to a fate worse than death itself. She probably wouldn't get a proper reply anyway. Well she didn't necessarily need a 'proper' reply. Any reply would be useful to provide the slightest clue to her confused mind.
Unable to hold it in any longer she turned to him and took a deep breath.
"Malfoy, why didn't you tell Voldermort who I was like you threatened to in the morning?" She blurted out quickly, her heart pounding as she hoped for an answer.
He looked up at her and met her gaze with a blankly stoic look, then simply smirked and turned back to his stallion.
She held herself in check for a while but no answer gratified her patience and she burst out with a sigh.
"God you can't even answer a simple question Malfoy. What the hell is wring with you"
"I simply don't see a point in wasting my time talking to you Granger"
She scowled at his imitation of a reply she had given to him in the morning. But she ignored it,
"Won't Voldermort be unhappy if he found out you hid something from him?"
He finished grooming his horse and mounted it with an amazing grace that surprised Hermione. He turned away from her and began to ride off, then paused and turned back.
"I'd learn to keep my mouth shut if I were you Granger. You're a slave and in no position to demand for anything and that includes answers...one of the slavery is that you should 'speak only when spoken to. I suggest you keep that in mind"
With that he rode off to the other side of the garden leaving Hermione extremely confused. wasn't he the one who had started speaking to her...and if he thought she as going to obey some dumb rule he had another thing coming.
Just as he rode off Nick came out of the stables. " "I'm sorry I couldn't help you out there. I honestly had no idea what you two were on about and he ordered me to clean Astrid's stall when he came out with him""
Hermione looked up, meeting his concerned and apologetic gaze reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. Trust me this is not really new for me"
"Yeah I kind of noticed..." He paused for a moment hesitating a little. "Jane.."
"Hermione, call me Hermione…just not in front on Narcissa " She interrupted him. She never really liked her middle name.
"Ok, Hermione, When he said 'Potter' was he talking about 'Harry Potter' ?"
"Yeah he was"
"did you date Harry Potter?"
"NO! Malfoy was juts being an asshole. Harry, Ronald and I met during our first year at Hogwarts and were best friend ever since...and well now that they...well they're g-gone... " She swallowed unable to get the words out as a lump seemed to be blocking her throat.
Realizing her distress he reached out and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you"
She held on to him, needing the comfort that little hug offered. Resting her cheeks on his chest she blinked away the tears and swallowed hard and spoke up in a whisper b "it's not your fault. He just keeps mentioning Harry and Ron every time he gets the chance and I just...god sometimes I wish I had died with them. What am I saying? Not sometimes all the time. Every single person I cared about is gone and I'm stuck in the house of Draco Malfoy and there's nothing I can do to help anyone and..".
His arms tightened around her "Hey, don't give up just yet. Miracles can happen you know"
It was a pile of nonsense. There was no way out of this pit, but it was an attempt to lighten her heart and she was glad of it.
She wished she could help the countless people she saw in the streets dieing of starvation. Being killed for fun; as if they were worthless bugs that had to be squished for the simple reason that they existed. She wished her family and friends were alive. Just one of them. Someone. Anyone. She wished she knew what happened to the rest of the Weaslys.
But right now she wished she could figure out what the hell was going on in her life at this very moment. She wished she could figure out the enigma that was Draco Malfoy.
But what neither she nor Nick noticed was the pair of piercing blue eyes that were fixed on them, from afar, watching them with an intensity that was startlingly fiery.
Suddenly a the white stallion he was riding surged forward and Draco Malfoy rode towards the pair, startling them apart.
"We are not keeping you here to cuddle each other, get to work" He snapped glaring at them, his eyes settling on the watery cinnamon gaze below him. Something he couldn't comprehend had triggered in his head at the site of them together like that and he didn't like that feeling….he didn't even know what it was.
