A/N Please read! And enjoy! And Review!

Hermione gripped tightly onto Draco's shoulder as they landed, her eyes fluttering open. She furrowed her brows, looking around them. They were in the middle of a clearing. She turned up to look at him, but he just pulled out his wand and waving it once, the manor appeared. She would know this place anywhere. She took a step away from him, finally letting go of his arms. As he walked forward, her hands clenched into fists, knuckles white. She could feel the scar from where Bellatrix had carved into her arm, covered by the charm. "You coming?" Draco's voice cut through her memories, the kind that shook her to her core. The kind that had her sweating in seconds. She looked down at Giovanna's silky arms and back up at him, nodding. "Well, come on. We don't have much time."

Hermione followed after him, taking his hand and lacing her fingers with his. She shivered slightly, looking up at the ominous building. She turned her head from the home, into his shoulder. "I'm sorry- I- I suddenly got nervous."

"That's alright." Draco muttered, his gaze down on her. "It's a big place….filled with followers of the Dark Lord. I'd be worried if you weren't scared."

"I'm not." She shook her head, turning it up to look at him. "I'm not scared. I'm just nervous. It's different."

"Okay." Draco nodded and squeezed her hand, holding her close. He waited a minute. "You ready?"

"Yes. We can go now." She smiled softly at him and he began to walk, heading in the direction of his home. Hermione pulled her cloak closer around her, her hood up around her face. Entering Malfoy Manor through the front entrance was different when you weren't tied up. She smiled as the white peacock ruffled its feathers, walking across the lawn. They still had that creature? Surely, Voldemort would have killed it by now. Seeing as it held some purity. She gripped Draco's arm tightly as they walked up the steps, where they stopped in front of the grand doors. Draco lifted his hand, clanging the knocker against the marble doors three times.

They swung open and Hermione shifted on her feet. No less than eight Death Eaters greeted them, wands pointed out to them. "Remove her hood." She rose a brow as Draco turned to her, roughly pulling down her hood to reveal her face. She straightened, looking at the Death Eaters with renewed bravery. "Middle name?" The wands all pointed to Draco, save for two, who kept their eyes trained on Giovanna.

"Abraxas. After my grandfather." The wands moved to Giovanna as a woman ran forward and Hermione recognized her immediately. Narcissa's arms wrapped around her son. "Mother, I'm fine." He pushed away and Narcissa looked behind her to her husband, who nodded once. "Now, if you would. Lower your wands. I've already made sure this is her. She's going to help us cure Blaise." The wands hesitated, but the sound of a hiss amongst their feet had them listening to Draco. Nagini slithered around their feet and the crew split. Draco kept his head raised and if the girl beside him was shocked as Voldemort made their way over to them, she didn't show it.

"I would like to look at her. Before I allow her into our….beautiful home." The Dark Lord stopped before the two young blondes. Draco moved to kneel as they were approached, but Giovanna stayed standing, her eyes on the dark wizard in front of them. "You do not kneel." It wasn't a question and Hermione was glad. Instead, she gave him a tilt of her head.

"My dress was expensive." She retorted, earning her a laugh. He gazed at her and she tilted her head down, curtsying. "I'm afraid that's the most you'll get while I'm in this dress."

"Then perhaps we should get you out of it." Hermione smirked, looking up at him. He looked like his younger self- the one that had appeared from the diary in their second year, only a tad older. He was handsome, but those eyes. Those eyes would always betray who he really was. His pale hand reached out to take her by the shoulders and he gazed into her own colored eyes. Hermione had a split second to lift her shields before he dove in, searching through her memories. There were several fake ones, some that Hermione had acquired from the family of the blonde who bore her face. She was already dead when Hermione realised she'd have to change her face. Luckily, she found a way to take memories from the corpse, something she did not even know was possible.

The Dark Lord sifted, looking for any sign that this girl might be in allegiance with the light. He saw the arguments between Giovanna and Fleur when the former showed her distaste for Fleur's husband, but that wasn't what shocked him the most. What shocked him was that he saw Hermione Granger's death. He pulled from her mind, his eyebrows furrowed together. "You were there when they got rid of the Granger girl?" Draco's head snapped up, his eyes on the two before him. "You were there? How?"

Hermione closed her eyes, taking a moment of relief before shrugging from Voldemort's grasp. "I would like nothing more than to tell you. Really, but there's a boy dying in your hall and I'd rather not let that happen. If you'll allow me to, I will tend to his wounds the best I can and perhaps we can speak as I brew the potion to save him."

Voldemort watched her and her unwavering challenging stance and nodded. "Very well. Show my Death Eaters how to keep him alive. Then, start on brewing the potion. I believe McNaire and Goyle went to get the ingredients." He turned on his heel and paused, looking at his people. "Make sure Zabini does not die on your watch." With a nod from them, he headed back into the manor, his snake following close behind. The Death Eaters dispersed until it was only the Malfoys and Giovanna. Draco turned to her, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You were there? And you didn't tell me?" He gripped her shoulders tightly, obviously angry. "Do you realize how that makes me look in front of him? He could decide to kill you or worse, keep you. Is that what you wanted?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." She shoved him away, shaking her head. "And don't ever touch me like that again." She pushed past him, heading towards where Blaise was waiting, laying on the couch. She crouched down beside him, her eyes flickering over his wounds, surveying him. "Shit. Someone really did a number on you." She whispered, watching him shiver and groan. His veins popped against his skin, pulsating with the curse. "I just hope it wasn't one of mine."

Hermione crossed her arms as she watched the group of Death Eaters perform the spell she'd just taught them. "Good. Now, do this every hour and he won't die." She turned on her heel and headed out to the hall, stopping as she caught sight of the blonde man hanging near another door. "Draco." She made her way over to him, brows furrowed. "What are you doing out here?" He kept his eyes on the floor, seemingly in his own world. She snapped her fingers in front of his head and his hand shot out to grab her by the wrist. "Ow…Draco, that's tight. I'm sorry, I-"

"You're. Sorry?" He looked up at her and his eyes were cold. "Listen to me, Giovanna. You have placed yourself in a very tricky situation. A situation where you can't not bow down to the Dark Lord and you certainly can't talk to me like you did out there. Especially not in front of my parents." His grip only got tighter as he straightened himself out, pulling her down to look at him. "You got involved with me. Not the other way around."

"You asked for my help." She groaned out, looking at her hand, which was slowly turning a darker color.

"You didn't have to agree. But that's not the point. I care about Blaise and I care about my mother. I would do anything for them. But I will not tolerate you speaking down to me like you have before. Do you understand?" He had her pulled up against his chest and she watched him, her eyes flashing challengingly. For a moment, she said nothing, she didn't even look away and then, she looked down at her feet and nodded. He released her from his grip. "Good. Now, take a second and then come into the room. The potion awaits and so does the Dark Lord."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek after he'd walked into the room, closing her eyes. She took a breath. She had begun to forget why she hated him so much back at Hogwarts. She opened her eyes, fixing her hair and pushing the door open. She smiled as she looked around the room. McNaire and Goyle were setting the ingredients down while the Malfoys were sat on one side of the table, their son across from them. Voldemort sat at the head, his snake coiled around him. "If they're done setting the stuff, I'll begin the potion now." She removed her cloak, folding it over and handing it to Draco. As she walked over to the cauldron and the table, she lifted her blonde hair up into a messy bun, taking her wand from it's holster in her combat boots.

"Ms. Richard, do tell us the tale involving Hermione Granger." Hermione's head snapped up to look at Voldemort and she nodded, pointing her wand to the cauldron.

"Aguamenti." She looked over the potion book, twisting her lips to the side. The potion would take a few days. There was no telling if Blaise had that long. "There's no telling this potion will work." She looked over at Draco. "I just want you to understand." He nodded, looking over at his parents. "As for the Granger girl, there's a very simple explanation. I was held captive."

She took a few seeds off a plant, using the edge of a knife to crush them, squeezing the juice in. "Apparently, she'd left England for France before you decided to tie everyone here down. The same day as the battle at your old school, Draco. I met her there." Hermione moved easily, reading and working, explaining. "I didn't know who she was, I-I know it's hard to believe. Nearly everyone around the world knew about the war, but it was all Harry Potter and-and you." She looked up at Voldemort. "There wasn't much on her in France. Your people didn't think about her going to France. So, I met her there and we'd talk. Nothing about her old life, really. It was all about her new life. She didn't last long, if you'll remember."

"Three months." Draco replied, crossing his legs. "Her body was found three months after the war was won."

"Yes." She nodded, licking her lips, concentrating on the number of mint leaves that went into the potion. "If I remember correctly, her body was charred beyond recognition? You had your people run a spell to identify her." Narcissa and Lucius nodded, deeply intrigued in her story. "Well, I was there when she was killed because I was with her when they took her. I guess, whoever it was and I suspect I know who, thought I was a follower of the light, because I was with her. We were taken while on a night out in Paris." She looked up at them. "You have to understand, if I had known who she was- I would never had-"

"You'd never had what? Spent so much time with her?" Draco looked up at the blonde, confused.

"Exactly." Hermione looked back down at the book, eyes flickering across the page as she lifted her wand to stir. "We were kept in this room, filled with dirt and two others. I was there long enough to watch her be killed. Not all of it, but the official killing curse, that one I saw. They did it in the same room, to scare us I suppose. I had to convince them to understand I had nothing to do with the war." She paused. "See, I believe those that killed Ms. Granger are those hunting you down now."

She could practically hear the shift in the air, the tension mount. "How so?" Lucius looked spoke to her directly and she dropped her wand, adding in a salve.

"Well, it makes sense they were using the killing curse before. I mean, the killings they've done, each one is more intricate than the rest. They get grander and bloodier. I think they might have just been starting out. I think at first, they went after all those that were of significant cause during the war. And now, they've changed direction or someone has helped steer them. They only look for your people. Your Death Eaters." She closed the book, setting a timer with a flick of her wand and then resuming to stir the potion. She moved towards the table, unsure if she should sit. Her gaze flickered to Voldemort and he tilted his head slightly, allowing her. She took the seat beside Draco.

"And do you have any idea who they are?" She shook her head, turning to Draco.

"No, you know I don't. I'd tell you if I did. I hate seeing you so upset." She took hold of his hand. "I wish I could help you, but- these people know how to hide." She winced as she felt a tug on her mind, turning her head to look at Voldemort, her shields went up.

Minutes passed and then he pulled his eyes from her own. "She tells the truth. I find you interesting, Ms. Richard. I find you fascinating and from what Lucius tells me, so does Draco." Giovanna smiled, looking over at the blonde beside her. He kept his eyes downcast. "What do you think of him? Do you think he'd make a good husband?"

"My Lord? Are you proposing to me for him?" She looked over at Narcissa with a smile, while the elder witch chuckled.

"Draco must find a way to do that on his own time, Giovanna." Voldemort's eyes flashed and a shiver rand own her spine.

"Oh! I-well, he's very handsome." She crossed her legs. "And he's….brave. He's strong and I do believe he'd care for me, if given the chance." Hermione gave a small shrug and played with her fingers, fidgeting.

"I believe he would." Narcissa spoke up, nodding to the girl. "Lucius and I were in an arranged marriage, but we grew fond of each other soon after. And then we loved each other."

"Mother." Draco sat up and looked at the girl. "How long for the potion to be ready?"

"A few days. Maybe a week." Her eyes met his and she frowned. "I don't know if he'll last that long, but at least we'll try. The potion must stir for the night and tomorrow morning, I will return to add more of the ingredients. But I must leave it stirring for nine hours."

Draco nodded, looking to his leader. "Permission to show Giovanna her room?" The man nodded and she followed Draco to the door, her cloak clutched in her hands. Narcissa's name on her lips, had her pausing.

"Yes?"

"I've wondered. Your name, it's not French." The older woman looked truly curious and Hermione chuckled, shaking her head.

"No, it most certainly is not. I was named after my mother's best friend. An old classmate." Draco took her hand and pulled her out of the room before she could continue. The two headed down the hall and towards some stairs. The room he led her to was on the third floor and it was amazing. It could easily fit all of the first floor of the apartment she shared with everyone. She blinked, looking about the room. It had a king bed with a wonderful white down comforter. There was a cream canopy hanging over the large bed. To the left was a desk and four large bookshelves, all completely occupied. There was a door beside it, one she figured led to the bathroom. A four drawer chest was up against the wall, holding contents she knew had to be expensive. On the right there was a sofa, a loveseat, and two single armchairs around a coffee table. A fireplace was in front of that, the embers glowing softly. She turned to Draco. "My gosh, this place is amazing."

He smirked, shrugging. "Get used to it. If we get married, we'll be living in the manor." He pointed to the drawer. "There's clothes in there for you to sleep in. and the closet is in the bathroom, I'm sure you can find something to be presentable in for breakfast tomorrow. We always eat with him. Not everyone, that'd be preposterous, but a good few. After breakfast, you'll resume your work on the potion. My room is across the hall if you need anything." He took her hand and pressed a kiss to it before looking up at her. "Try not to need anything."

With one last look, he was gone and Hermione shuddered, placing her cloak on the chair before the desk. She undressed quickly, debating whether she should send her friends an owl. She twisted her lips, deciding to write to Fleur. Surely, that wouldn't be so suspicious. She wrote quickly, attaching the note to an owl that'd been waiting nearby. It was gone in the blink of an eye, flying out towards the darkness and she sighed. It had been a long day. As much as she hoped tomorrow would be easier, she knew better.

It would only get worse from here on out.

A/N So, I know Draco's a bit angry, but I think that's a really important part to him. He's not a nice person and I think we'll see some character development and hopefully that will change. However, ultimately, I'd like to make it known that even when he's being nice, he's being mean. I'm trying to move the story along a bit faster. I know it seemed a tad slow in the last chapter, but I'll move it along. Thanks for reading! Please Review!