There was nothing to do, but appear normal. Hermione kept Damon out of sight in the kitchen the whole evening. She had spent the evening waiting on the nine guests with Lotte, who was happy to show Hermione the ropes of servicing an intimate dinner party. The guests had all been friendly and nice, not a single one recognizing her as Hermione Granger. Malfoy had definitely done a disfiguring charm to her appearance. Although when she looked in the mirror and saw herself it was clear no one else except maybe Malfoy and Damon could see the real her.
Malfoy had arrived, late, halfway through the dinner and taken his seat at the head of the table. Lotte had told Hermione to quickly give him a glass of red wine. When Hermione fetched the wine and brought it to Lotte to bring to him, she was busy using a charm on salad plates and told Hermione to just bring it to him and ask if he wanted a salad or not. Fear gripped her, but she bit it back. If he had meant to harm her he surely would have done it already. He wouldn't have brought her to his house to be a maid if he intended to kill her today. Slowly she walked into the formal dining room, past the guests, to the head of the table, to Malfoy. She set the fine crystal glass of wine down and quietly asked:
"Salad?"
His eyes turned from his dinner guests onto her. The naked feeling of vulnerability washed over her. She began to feel that primitive instinctive feeling of fight or flight begin to pump through her veins. She was leaning toward fight at the moment. His expression revealed nothing, but his eyes held hers in an forceful lock before he looked down at his glass of wine.
"No."
She turned on her heel and as quickly without being noticeable she returned to the kitchen. She managed to stay away from him the rest of dinner and spent the majority of the time in the kitchen wielding the housework wand on the dirty dishes and transferring food to the fresh dishes to be brought out. It was past nine o'clock and as Hermione worked on the dessert plates she noticed Damon had fallen asleep. He lay softly on a bar stool leaned over an island counter top resting deeply.
"Lotte?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I could put him in bed quickly?"
"Of course, you remember how to find your quarters?"
She had shown them to Hermione before the guests had arrived. They were startlingly large and luxurious, far nicer than anything Hermione would have imagined. The room was large with a massive fireplace better suited for a kitchen than a bedroom. The walls were decorated in a green and black wallpaper that looked expensive. The furnishing were large mahagony made and warm. The bedroom was quite different from the entryway she had first come to earlier that day. Here one could have an enjoyable evening and even laugh. Hermione had changed into her service attire in the bedroom before coming back down to begin working the dinner. The dress was identical to the one Lotte wore, a crisp white dress with a velvety black apron. The dress and apron were both large on her, she had become too skinny in hiding.
"Yes, I remember. Be right back."
Hermione lifted and carried Damon to her quarters. He had been given his own, down the hall from hers, but she would see to it that he slept with her tonight. She would make sure to lock the door before returning back to the dinner to make sure he wasn't disturbed or moved. When finished tucking him in and returning to the kitchen Hermione found Lotte bringing in the last of the dishes.
"They are all done, they will be going to the parlor now for drinks and smokes. The house elves can finish up here if you would like to go on up to bed? Or we can join them in the parlor for a drink."
"I would rather not, it has been a tiring day."
"I understand, don't forget my room is close to yours and we have a lounge in between our rooms we may meet in if you need anything. Master Malfoy should have had all of your belongings sent to your room by now. We can talk more tomorrow about the Manor and I would like to hear more about yourself, Christine. See you tomorrow at eight-thirty. Good night."
Hermione couldn't get to her room soon enough. There she could remove this mask and stop the charade she had been thrown into for the past several hours. She would be free to feel and to think. She entered the bedroom to find Damon undisturbed and went her bathroom. A hot shower would do her well. Although the thought of being naked in Malfoy's house made her weary. She would shower quickly. On the thought of her belongings being brought up, she had none, but the wardrobe and dresser of draws was filled with simple clothing. Someone had taken the liberty to fill them with pants, robes, a few dresses, night clothes and a robe.
She showered, put on a dressing gown and climbed into the bed alongside Damon. Exhaustion swept her, but she could not fall asleep yet, not before she had had a moment to make sense of all of this. Malfoy knew he had found her... but instead of imprisoning her, he had brought her to his home... as an employee. Then there was the matter of Damon. What did Malfoy make of Harry Potter's son? Why hadn't he separated him from Hermione? Why did no one bring up at dinner that Hermione Granger and Harry Potter's son has been found? Was he keeping this a secret? For what purpose could that serve? And her appearance... what had he done there? As these thoughts continued to dance around her mind she began to feel a terrifying feeling of closing in. Of not being able to run away from it all anymore. It was all falling down around her.
There was a sudden rapt on her door. She jumped from the anticipation and knew it must be him. Who else could it possibly be? Lotte? That would be only too lucky. However, she had a feeling he would not knock on her door. She opened the door to reveal a small house elf about three feet tall.
"Master Malfoy has summoned you to his study."
