Hey all! Well first off, huuuuge apologies for not posting, my laptop had a complete meltdown and I've been without it for almost two weeks now! But to make up, I've written three chapters by hand, ready for typing! So, when I get to nine reviews, I'll post again until all three are up! I'm also busily making changes to Slaves Of Blood, with the help of HilaryWeasley and soccertessa91. And I've had an absolutely CRAZY idea! Thinking up a totally awesome story, wanted to use the HP characters, but its so AU, it should probably be illegal! Any thoughts? So, to pearls-and-crystal-blues for your continued support and review catch up session, enjoy and Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: It all belongs to J K Rowling, apart from the obvious changes :P

Chapter Ten: Malfoy Manor

"But where are we going?" Hermione asked once more, greatly displeased that her Master had not yet given her a straight answer despite his various pushing and her constant whining. She had been awoken vigorously that morning by him, receiving a sharp kick to the head, causing her to bite her own cheek and bleed out painfully. Immediately she had had her dress thrown at her and been loaded with several cases and heavy bags before being thrown out of the Slytherin Common Room along with Crookshanks, in a worse state than she had seen herself in a long time. Even now as her hair and clothes were stuck out in all directions, she cared little for it, instead was more intent upon discovering the reasons behind their departure.

"Seriously, do you not shut up?" Asked Stewart, looking at her as though she were absolutely insane. He was clearly annoyed that she had thrown all bags onto him and continued to pester her Master with little regard to anything else, but she did not care, was still furious that she had been kept in the dark about their sudden embarkation.

"But-" She began again, scuttling towards her Master as they neared the Hogwarts Express that had just pulled into the station of Hogsmeade. Yet she received a sudden blow to the back of the knee, causing her to buckle a little and she stumbled to the floor, struggling to keep herself upright.

"For Merlin's sake shut it!" Stewart shouted at her, causing surrounding people who were beginning to board to stare at them bemusedly. Hermione herself felt little embarrassment, yet her Master flushed a little, a pink tinge creeping over his cheeks. Rounding on them both, his eyes were bulging,

"Quiet Ackerley!" Stewart stood up straight immediately, looking instantly ashamed with himself, but also extremely annoyed as a smug grin spread over Hermione's face. Yet her own soon fell as he rounded on her too, his lips pushed together tightly as he spoke through gritted teeth, "You too Granger." She pulled a long face and nodded solemnly as the band around her arm tightened painfully, allowing him to walk away from her, beginning to board the train himself. Her mouth once more running away with her, she tried again,

"But-" Yet he stopped, hanging out of the train and glaring at her, obviously annoyed with her persistence. He took a firm hold of her wrist and yanked her forwards, their noses almost touching.

"Shut it woman!" He hissed at her, his gaze lingering longer than she would have wanted, making her feel far too uncomfortable, resisting a little as she was pulled onto the vehicle with him, Stewart following behind closely.

"But...Train..." She said quietly and he did not even turn back to face her. Accepting that he was not going to satisfy her, she let out a loud sigh and followed him obediently, "Sir." She mumbled, biting her lip a little as them entered a compartment, shuffled down the isle and found Rhys already seated. Her Master pushed her opposite him roughly and bent down to her level, taking a lock of her hair and pulling her in close to him.

"Sit." He said to her, dangerously low, his eyes not moving from her face even as she winced for the twangs of pain shooting through her temples from her earrings. "Don't move. Or I'll smack you so hard I'll knock the brown right out of your hair." She immediately felt incredibly insulted by his threat, resisting the urge to take her foot to his face in retaliation. As he stood up from her, a smug grin gloating down at her, she bit her cheek and pursed her lips as he spoke. "Unless I feel the need for a foot rub of course Grunge." He laughed at her and gave her a small flick to her forehead. He turned, beginning to walk from her, yet her eyes squinted in fury after him.

"You think I'm some kind of dogsbody?" She cried out, baring her teeth fully. Yet her Master did not turn back to her, simply continued walking, throwing a casual,

"Yes!" Over his shoulder before disappearing from the compartment without even a glance back.

"How rude..." She muttered angrily and haughtily, folding her arms into one another and sticking her nose into the air with a loud, "Hump!" The two boys were staring at her, open mouthed and in awe of her courage and obvious stupidity.

"How do you do it?" Rhys asked her aghast, leaning forwards over the table and pushing his face as close to hers as he could. She leaned back into her own chair, studying him carefully,

"Huh?" She replied foolishly, looking at him as though her face had just collided with a brick wall.

"Speak to him like that!" Rhys cried, still in shock of how her brain had escaped her and she had gotten away with it again. Hermione had to admit, she did seem to be allowed to speak her mind much more than anyone else did, was allowed to voice her opinions with less retribution that her fellow slaves. Yet if she truly thought about it, it had become more of a game for her, one that she played with confidence and intelligence, knowing when it was time to be silent.

"She's thick." Stewart's voice broke through her thoughts suddenly, and she blushed a little at the realisation that she had been staring blankly and open mouthed at the two of them in a rather unflattering fashion.

"I'm not thick!" She said quickly, a small dribble of saliva falling from her mouth and onto her hand. She moped it up quickly and looked down at her lap, feeling utterly idiotic and putting herself into such a predicament.

"Yes...You are. You don't see the rest of us talking to him like that do you?" Stewart scolded, looking as though he were talking to a small child who had recently done a wrongful deed in the face of one of its parents. Yet Hermione felt a little confused, pondering his words and finding it all rather amusing.

"Well...Why not?" She giggled at him, temporarily forgetting who the three of them were to Master Draco, having come to regard him as more of a boy from her school that she was not particularly fond of. It was difficult to think of him as a higher power than her, especially when they had spent little time together, his disappearing acts more common than she had anticipated. She had such a different relationship with her current Master than she had with her previous Master. Neither had been particularly spectacular, both extremely unorthodox, and she would not want to remain a part of either of them if it had not been for her ties to the other slaves of the school. Yet she felt, within her deeply, if they had met somewhere else, in another time or perhaps another place, their relationships would have had a very different outcome.

"He's the deputy Minister of Magic's son Hermione." Rhys pulled her back into their conversation and her eyes shifted towards him lazily, her focus barely recognisable as she continued to stare at her two counterparts.

"Well...Only just though." She said slowly and quietly, barely aware that she was even speaking. She jolted suddenly, alert to what had just left her lips as she looked horrified at herself.

"Hermione? What do you mean?" Stewart asked suddenly, his voice low as all three of them bent in, the train shuddering suddenly as its engines burst into life, the village of Hogsmeade slowly leaving them behind.

"Well, I was with him. And Professor Snape." Hermione replied quietly, looking around her as to make sure that no one else was listening in. Their terrified faces looked at her blankly, their mouth's hanging open, eyes bulging and staring. "His father's been incarcerated." She said in a very hushed tone, being very careful not to mention any names as she spoke. The boys eyebrows shot into their hairlines, clearly in complete disbelief.

"Impossible..." Rhys whispered, sitting back into his seat, seemingly barely able to contemplate what he had just heard. Hermione however felt incredibly pleased that she had been able to provide some kind of worthy information, making a note to tell Master Harry at some point, despite knowing that their was a heavy weighing chance that she would forget anyway.

"No, honestly. No idea what for." She continued hastily, nodding as she spoke.

"And I thought he was just serious ill...That we'd see him when we got there." Stewart added, sitting back as well and staring directly out of the window.

"Got where?" Hermione asked excitedly, her stomach bubbling at the thought of her questions finally being answered.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rhys replied, looking at her as though she clearly had been in a coma for the past few weeks. Hermione shook her head, suddenly very unhappy that she was about to find out where they were going, dread filling her very bones. "Malfoy Manor." He stated simply and her head fell, eyes closed in pain. She sat back and let out a large long sigh, looking first towards the ceiling and then straight ahead, catching sight of a flailing body through the window of the compartment. She squinted, seeing a familiar body doing an overly extravagant dance just outside of the door. She squinted and her mouth fell open as her former Gryffindor slave friend did some form of Egyptian dance, pointing at her and then down towards the toilet compartment at random intervals.

"You alright?" Stewart's voice rang out over her and Hermione's head snapped back in his direction and she spoke before really even knowing what she was saying.

"I need wee." The boys looked at her in ultimate confusion, looking to one another and then back at her. "A wee!" She tried to correct herself, though found more rubbish spewing from her mouth, "To wee!" She tired once more, disturbed by her brains lack of functioning, "I need to wee." She said finally, breathing heavily, knowing that the longer Carla was feebly dancing outside their compartment the more conspicuous she would become.

"Go to the toilet then?" Stewart looked at her as though she were completely inept. Yet she simply nodded, looking and feeling rather stupid as her head lolled from side to side, capturing random snapshots of Carla's ever erratic movements.

"Yeah...That's where wee goes..." Hermione replied quietly, mumbling to herself, the other two clearly unimpressed with her. A moment of silence passed as Hermione contemplated what the girl could possibly want.

"Well, go! Before you piss yourself!" Rhys said suddenly giving her a kick in order to motivate her to move. Yet she straightened up suddenly, looking overly horrified that he would suggest her do such a thing.

"How dare you..." She mumbled, scowling dangerously back at him. Yet he simply smiled, presumably at a rather amusing memory. He rubbed his eyes a little and let out a long laugh.

"Didn't stop Hilary first year. Snape scared her shitless, wouldn't even dare to move. Freezing it was too. Unfortunate really..." He continued to laugh to himself despite Hermione's uncomfortable and slightly disgusted look.

"Wow..." She said slowly, standing and tuning her back on the two of them, watching as Carla sped away and into the girls bathroom. Slightly apprehensive, she followed cautiously, walking into the mainly empty and open bathroom, seeing one of the cubicle doors slightly ajar, a pair of chocolate eyes staring out from behind them. Pulling the door back slowly, she was dragged violently inside, the door shut behind her with a snap, the bolt pulled across quickly. It was a tighter squeeze than she had imagined and was even more shocked as Master Harry appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, a liquid mirror like invisibility cloak clasped tightly in his hands.

"Hermione!" He smiled at her, despite her wide open mouth gaping back at him. Yet as the three of them were pressed together in the tiny, cramped cubicle, it suddenly occured to her how awkward she should feel about her current predicament. She cleared her throat loudly, looking directly to him,

"I hope you realise that this is the creepiest thing I have ever done." He smiled at her widely, laughing a little and even earning a large grin from Carla. True, Hermione was overly pleased to see the two of them, especially seeing them doing so well, yet it also made her a llittle envious or their lifestyle and relationship, knowing that she could never have such a thing.

"I'm not going to molest you." He laughed at her, earning himself a small, weak smile along with a small cough as Hermione shuffled uncomfortably. "Well, why are you here? More importantly, what can you tell me?" Master Harry said quickly, not wanting to waste time with any mindless chattering, desperate for any information that Hermione could possibly give him.

"Er, I'm going home. To Master's home for Christmas. Um, just the same really, he disappears a lot, and likes apples!" Hermione felt instantly disappointed with herself and her information, knowing there was little that she could provide that would be of any kind of use for him.

"That's it..." He breathed out, not hiding his disappointment from her, not caring if he hurt her feelings, she knew that she had not done enough. Yet her brain suddenly gave her a quick kick, her memory bringing not so distant recallings to the front of her mind.

"Wait! Wait! Professor Snape's had a hold of him!" Instantly Master's Harry's face lit up with excitement, filling Hermione with happiness as she felt massively pleased with herself, knowing she could produce such a reaction. Yet before she was able to continue, Carla gave a quick tug upon Master Harry's arm.

"Ooh, Sir!" She said in what she thought was a hushed tone, clearly annoying him now, even if it was without her own knowledge, "Sir! Sir! Sir!"

"What? Shhh!" He snapped back, a thick vein now clearly pulsating across his forehead,

"But you're the one being loud." Carla tried to reason, looking rather smug with her nose held high in the air. Looking as though he were about to continue to shout at her, she turned from him, instead talking directly to a bewildered looking Hermione, "I got a pegasus jumper!" Master Harry's mouth fell open in shock and awe that she had interrupted him for such a trivial thing.

"Shut up!" He said rather harshly, ignoring the smile creeping across Hermione's face, "Anyway, just tell me!" He turned back to Hermione, a gleeful look in his eyes. Yet she never managed to speak, for Carla pushed him back, pushing her face into Hermione's.

"It's purple! I think you'd like it Hermione!" She said, obviously wanting to lighten the mood. Hermione smiled, actually wondering whether she was about to produce such a garment and force her to wear it until they returned after the Christmas break.

"Carla!" Master Harry shouted at her, though he seemed to regret it instantly, his voice having reached a volume that it should not have and could have possible have them discovered. Hermione shifted a little uncomfortably, and under the gaze of Master Harry who was nodding encouragingly at her, she continued speaking as he pushed Carla behind him.

"A couple of things about a plan he's got, said he has nothing to do with Mistress Bell-" Yet Hermione was cut off once again, this time through her own choice as Carla's head appeared over Master Harry's shoulder, a hand to her forehead and her index finger extended, wiggling about furiously.

"It has a horn!" She said quietly, her teeth white and large, as her grin spread wide. Yet Master Harry rounded on her, glaring in bewilderment at her continued exploration of how far she could test his patience.

"This is exactly why you can't come places with me!" He scolded and she drew back into herself, flushed and looking towards the floor, her glasses slipping to the edge of her nose. Hermione coughed a little, continuing with her small speech, hoping to get it all over and not induce any more of his wrath.

"Not much else, but something big is going to happen. Though I'm not even sure he's happy about it." She finished with a large shrug, not sure what more she could possibly say to him, her mind drained of information.

"Something big?" He repeated, his hands grasping his chin in deep thought, "It sounded...Imminent?" He asked, looking at Hermione. Yet again she felt an utter disappointment, not able to really provide much more for him to contemplate.

"Yes and no. Something' taking more time than he thought. I'm sorry; he doesn't say much to me." Yet rather than his fury, he shook his head gleefully, taking a hold of her shoulders and shaking her excitedly.

"No. No, this is good. It's something at least. I need to know where he's going." He continued, releasing her and beginning to pull the cloak back over him until only his head remained visible. "Can you find out?"

"I can try." She replied breathlessly, still slightly freaked out by his seemingly floating head, despite her knowing better.

"Good. You had better get back." He said with a large grin before turning to his slave. "Let's go." He said with a scowl, pushing her towards the cubicle door.

"It has wings!" Carla smiled gleefully, flapping her arms in an unflattering fashion before Master Harry disappeared beneath the cloak and she out of the door. Hermione let out a long and heavy sigh, followed by a loud and chaste laugh at the pair of them. She true missed them and was glad that she had at least got to spend a little time with them albeit only to provide information about her Master. Smiling to herself she hurried herself out of the bathroom, unfortunately running straight into a couple who were inches from the door.

"Oh my! I must apologise Sir, I really-" She began, rather flustered, patting herself down and bowing low at the boy she had just run straight into. Yet as she looked up and realised who was stood in front of her, she straightened immediately and placed a hand to her hip in an ugly and awkward pose. "Oh. Master Weasley, and Mistress Shit." She said nastily at the ginger haired boy and his accompanying blond girlfriend.

"It's Brown you little bitch!" She sneered back at Hermione, her face brushed red, her hair standing out on end. Hermione internally cursed herself for not bothering to adjust her appearance that morning and make herself more presentable, though reasoned that she had not known she would see anyone other than her own Master and that the two of them did not deserve to see her at her best anyway.

"Apologies Mistress Brown, must have slipped my mind." She gave a low, sarcastic bow, making sure to fan out her green dress as wide as it would go and show off her various silver snake like ornaments that tied her to her Master and to Slytherin, seeing their obvious distaste.

"Yeah right! Tell her Won Won!" Mistress Brown scowled at her and then pulled upon his arm repeatedly, batting her eyelids up at him. He shuffled on the spot nervously, scratching his neck and then ruffling his hair making it look rather untidy. Hermione blushed a little, her heart beating a little faster, her voice almost stuck in her throat. Yet she refused to back down to such a girl.

"Yeah...Tell me Ronald!" She said, speaking to him directly and drawing his pleading eyes into hers. She held them for only a few seconds, knowing she would not be able to control herself if she did so any longer, instead turning back to the small girl beside him. "Tell me what exactly Mistress Brown?"

"You cow...I'll strangle you!" Mistress Brown spat back, though she made no attempt to seize Hermione's neck, and the slave girl took full opportunity to humiliate her further, wanting to squash her into the ground and make her feel as worthless as she did.

"You go ahead! Let's see what kind of a fight I give you." She said in a low voice that she knew shocked both of them. Yet she was not prepared for Mistress Brown to pull him down to her and capture his lips so fully, directly in front of her and purposefully. Hermione found her insides tightening painfully, her eyes wet and moist as she fought not to slap the girl full in the face.

"You find me later?" She said sweetly, winking at him and then grinning evilly at Hermione, knowing exactly what she had done, whether it for her own personal pleasure of to simply break Hermione.

"Yeah." Master Weasley breathed, watching her walk away, swinging her hips and flicking her hair as seductively as she could. Hermione felt she could take no more and turned her own back from him, readily on her way back to her compartment. Yet he cried out from behind her suddenly, taking a hold of her wrist tightly. "Er, wait!" She yanked herself away from him as though he had burned her with only his touch. He looked around nervously, only occasionally taking small glances at her, seemingly afraid of the anger etched into her face. "How've you been?" He asked in a rather strained tone.

"Why? Worried?" She bit back, perhaps a little harsher than she had wanted to, but not regretting a single word. His face seemed to light up momentarily, maybe a little happy that she had at least agreed to speak to him without trying to verbally attack him.

"Er, I guess...A bit." He said cautiously, looking slightly more hopeful. Yet his face fell once more as he looked into hers, seeing her strained face and the glare that was coming from her face, her moist eyes staring up at him defiantly.

"Don't be." She spat heavily, earning an almost distraught look in return, a twang of guilt hitting her heart. She bit her lip a little, not wanting to let her emotion overpower her even for a second, knowing that it was growing inside of her, threatening to force its way out through her vocal chords.

"Why are you being like this? It may not be like old times, but there's no need for this!" He said quietly, placing an arm upon her shoulder, seeming as though he were about to pull her in close, hold her tightly. Yet he did not, and as her lips trembled, she allowed herself to lose herself.

"There is every need! I mean...Why her? Her of all people! I-" She stopped suddenly, ashamed of herself she turned her back to him, visibly shaking as her chest tightened, her breath caught in her throat. "It's disgusting." She squeezed out, hating every inch of him with everything she could, trying to ignore that squealing of delight at being alone with him.

"Lav and I-" He began suddenly, obviously about to try to justify using her and then casting her aside like some kind of old carpet bag. She rounded on him, fury pouring from her very body,

"You go back to your fiancé Master Weasley. Our conversation is over." With that she span on her heels, walking into her compartment and slamming the door behind her, carefully and discreetly wiping the tears from her eyes.

~x~x~x~

As the three of them were pushed roughly into a wide gravel driveway which had led off of a small and yet lengthy lane. A high yew hedge that had followed them curved around, running off into the distance beyond a pair of impressive wrought-iron gates which barred their passage. A rustling somewhere to her right caused Hermione to jump, backing straight into Rhys who chuckled at her slightly. A pure white peacock creasted the hedge, strutting magestically and cocking its head from side to side at various watched them intently as her Master gave an unfamiliar salute, the three of them pushed towards the gates indefinitely. Hermione braced herself, ready fo the metal to hit her, though it never came, and neither did the laughter of her highly amused Master. Instead, all of them passed through the gates as if it were smoke, unharmed and in one piece as they breached the boundaries of the land. A handsome manor grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows. Somewhere around the darkened garden, a fountain spurted water playfully into its own basin, calming Hermione a little, the sound of the splashing water soothing her despite her obviously terrified and very edgy state of mind. As they reached the front of the great structure a large wooden door swung inwards, revealing the mansion to them even though nobody had visible allowed them access. The hallway that they entered was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the cold stone floor, Hermione suspecting that this was some kind of ruse to make their home seem more warming. Yet the pale faced portraits that hung upon the walls glaring down at them, the frames various occupants muttering at them dissipated any kind of homely feeling that the building could possibly possess. Her Master stopped suddenly in front of her, turning and extending an arm out towards a shabby looking wooden door to their left, before nodding to both her and Rhys. "You two. To the kitchen." She bowed low, not bothering to look up at him as she did so, simply listening as he addressed Stewart just as severely, his tone low and harsh, slicing through the air like a flame through ice. "You. With me. NOW." She heard them shuffle away, her heart beating heavily against her chest, jumping a little in surprise as Rhys took the crook of her elbow, pulling her away. She did not look to them, instead simply focuses upon putting one foot in front of the other, determined to make it to the kitchen without her legs leaving her. As they entered the surprisingly small and cramped room, Hermione shut the door hastily behind her, sighing heavily and giving Rhys a worried stare.

"I don't like it here." She breathed unsteadily, gulping loudly, taking in the various wooden worktops that were thick with dust apart from a small set of thick candles in their centers, cobwebs sweeping the ceiling and walls. A large stove and oven had been cast aside by what appeared to be an opening to a small cellar, a few cupboards lying near it.

"I never have done, creeped me out the first time, always will I think." Rhys said cautiously, walking over towards the brackets high upon the walls and fixing a candle into each before striking up a long match, lighting each to bring a little illumination and warmth to the room. Feeling slightly better, Hermione cleared her throat, looking around a little more a the seemingly new jars and cooking ingredients scattered around the place, seemingly having been purchased specifically for the two of them to use.

"It looks like it's never been used, not in years..." Hermione said, dragging a hand through the dust of the table, creating a massive cloud of collected particles, causing her to splutter and cough a little as she inhaled them. It was clear that the only new things within the room were the food items, even which of those had been hastily dumped by whomever had last entered the room before them made their speedy exit. A small chuckle from the open gap in the floor by the stove saw a head of flicky brown hair pop up, blue eyes piercing the two of them, cocked to one side and staring up at them, a goofy grin staring them in the face.

"You'd be right there Hermione!" He said in a rather deep and booming voice which echoed over them both, even as Hermione's brain struggled with itself to even recognise who had spoken to her. Yet her eyes lit suddenly as her mind gave her a slight shove, propelling her towards him and holding out a hand to help him upwards.

"Adam!" He gratefully accepted her help, both of them pulling him up and into the kitchen despite his very lengthy and muscular build. He was still wearing his green and silver Slytherin attire of waistcoat and jeans, just as they were wearing theirs, though his seemed slightly more scuffed and ruffled than theirs did, suggesting to her that he had already been here a while, his lack of shirt making her blush and look away a little.

"Long time no see." He grinned at her, giving Rhys a quick salute which was reciprocated happily. He took a cloth from his shoulder and began rapidly dusting down every surface he could reach, engulfing the three of them in a large cloud, one that Hermione had hoped she would not once again find herself in. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping not to inhale anything either, yet as she did so, she could have sworn she had seen a flash of ginger hair sweep by her. She snapped her lids open again, gasping and almost making herself sick with all of the air contamination. She gave herself a small shake, obviously having mistaken the flame of one of the candles for a familiar person she did not want to meet under such circumstances. "Didn't expect you to be here at all." Adam's voice drifted over towards her and she snapped her head back around towards him, her frizzy mess obstructing her view as she patted it back and them smoothed out her dress, clearing her throat loudly.

"An unfortunate meeting I suppose." He nodded at her, though only halfheartedly, staring down at a small piece of paper that he held tightly in one hand, Rhys peering over his shoulder intrigued. Something withing her twinged a little, a sad sense of foreboding whipping up over her, not even wanting to know what was written there. Yet it seemed the boys had other ideas, Rhys leaning over and pointing at the words, confusion etched into his heavy features.

"Look, here." Rhys's face furrowed ever more as he looked to Adam who turned the paper over, obviously looking for further instruction or indication of what they were to do. "Dinner for thirty?" He exclaimed ludicrously, stepping back and leaning against a wooden bench, feeling more comfortable with it now that it had been properly and thoroughly cleaned.

"Are they mad?" Hermione laughed a little, a little nervousness creeping into her as she become more uneasy about the coming Christmas period. She had never wanted to come to such a place, despite who her Master was, had hoped that during her last two years she would be able to avoid the place at all costs. Now already she had entered the old building twice, neither time bringing her any form of pleasure.

"To serve our honoured guest." Adam pointed out, staring at the two of them with his eyebrows raised high, his foot tapping the floor in a pondering fashion. "Who could that be?" He asked directly when neither of his companions gave him any kind of response. Immediately Hermione wished that he had never spoken, gagging repulsively and having to turn her back on both of them, her stomach churning. Whomever this 'honoured guest' was, they were not someone that Hermione wished to meet or greet, especially not in the daunting and precarious halls of such an establishment.

"Not really sure I want to know." She managed to force out, the boys clearly not noticing her reaction, or perhaps choosing to ignore it out of privacy for her. She clutched her stomach and drew in a long hard breath before spinning back around to face them, a harsh and forced smile stretched over her face.

"It couldn't be anyone too bad...Could it?" Rhys asked cautiously, shuffling around a little where he stood, his eyes flitting from one end of the room to the other, pausing over the two bodies each time he passed them.

"I wouldn't want to find out." Replied Adam, breaking through the silence that had gathered around them, coughing a little and chuckling to himself as Hermione walked over, peering at the list for a menu around his arm. "Hmm." Hermione looked up at him suspiciously, knowing instantly that he had cottoned onto what she was looking at, him beating her straight to it. "I'll take the raspberry torte." He gave her a devilish smile and then bolted towards the farthest cupboard, leaving her open mouthed as the piece of paper wafted lazily towards the floor.

"Dibsies soup!" Hermione ran towards a cupboard and threw it open, determined to keep the conversation light, to keep her focus upon the task at hand and try to ignore her growing fear. She gave herself a quick shake, knowing that she only had to hold herself high and push on forwards, not look back and not allow anything to take over her whilst she was inside the the hideous household.

"Naww, I don't want to make fish. I'll stink!" Rhys cried out, picking up the scrap and staring at it dismally, disbelieving that he had been so slow to begin making a particular dish for that evening. Hermione gave a small grin, her mood lifting ever so slightly as his face fell even further, eyeing the sink that was filled with dozens of fish, their cold and lifeless eyes staring back at him.

"Well, you've got another two hours. So I'd get on with it." He threw Hermione an evil and unappreciative look to which she giggled a little, turning around to a large pot and pulling it towards her, beginning to chop vegetables directly into it.

~x~x~x~

"You're ready I assume?" Madam Malfoy's voice rang out over the three of them as her head squeezed around the door to the kitchen looking overly flustered. They had slaved to their hearts contents preparing such a feast for thirty people and Hermione had to admit she was overly pleased with herself. She had indeed pushed herself and exceeded all of her own expectations, her fears and worries slowly ebbing away as the time passed them by, the minutes wearing on, the hours dragging by. She could barely believe that her Master's mother was here already, asking fr her assistance just as she was busily filling a large tureen with all of her strained over velvety soup.

"Yes Madam Malfoy." She replied, looking over to her whilst placing a rather wide ladle into the pot and following her out of the room. The two of them continued further down the hallway and towards a bronze door at the very end. They stood outside, Madam Malfoy's hand hovering over the door nob. Yet she paused, a stony and expressionless face upon her. She turned to Hermione and placed her hands upon either of her shoulders and looking deep into her eyes. Initially Hermione stiffened, fear setting in instantaneously, yet as she focused more upon the blue eyes that bore into her, she softened, sensing a twinge of fear in the woman herself, an uncomfortable emotion that she was obviously not used to.

"Well, hurry up. Serve the far end first. Address him as 'My Lord' and nothing else. The others as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'. Understand?" Hermione nodded as she breathed out her words and then stood up straight, her back pulling her form up completely as she stared down at Hermione willfully. Shuffling the tureens handles into a more comfortable position, Hermione's nerves set in once more.

"Yes Madam Malfoy." She replied quietly, extremely distressed that the hardhearted woman she had come to fear was disheartened herself. She recieved a curt nod as the older woman placed her hands upon both doors, giving them a large push.

"Alright...Go!" Hermione stepped into an overly familiar room which sent a chill down her spine, remembering all too clearly the dimly lit Drawing Room that she had entered only months earlier, now filled by a large, long table that seated many people, all eyeing her eagerly. As the doors swung shut, Madam Malfoy walked around her, sitting close the the middle of the table next to her son. Hermione's feet however simply refused to move, her face fixed upon that of her Master's who had a horrified expression upon his face, simply staring down at the cutlry in front of him, ignoring the constant pokes and sadistic grins from his aunt who was sat across from him. Even Madam Malfoy was choosing to ignore Madam Lestrange, instead looking directly ahead, unblinkingly. Her legs trembling, Hermione forces herself forwards, her small footsteps echoing throughout the hall as she made the journey towards the opposite end of the room. It seemed to take forever as the end of the table neared ever closer, a skeletally tall and pale man sat with his long fingers intertwined, a smug smirk over his pastel features. Hermione's insides froze, livid, scarlet eyes and a nose as flat as a snakes with only slits for nostrils staring back at her. She knew that he had sensed her fear, knew of her repulsion of his waxy and disfigured features, but she pushed herself towards him regardless, trying desperately to ignore all eyes that were on her, especially his.

"Soup My Lord?" Her voice quivered as she removed the lip of the tureen, allowing the smell to waft out over him as his nostrils flared up indefinitely.

"Ah...Pheasant? An excellent choice." His hissing voice prompted her to immediately begin filling his bowl as quickly as she could, not daring to look at him, focusing solely upon not spilling a single drop. "Enough." His voice fell over her and she ceased her pouring immediately, nodding profusely and bowing to him. She could not even look at her own soup for fear of throwing up into it, wanting to finish her job and run immediately.

"Yes My Lord." She mumbled, turning from him and to another wizard she did not know, offering out her dish to him, "Soup Sir?" Yet before he could even reply, the ladle half over his bowl in an offering motion, a hiss filled the air once more.

"Stop." Hermione straightened immediately, her body on auto rotate as she spun around to face him, the blood draining from her features, her knees vibrating against one another violently. "You girl...I have not seen you before."

"I have only just entered service, My Lord." Her heart pounding in her chest, she barely managed to even speak, her tongue stiffening inside her mouth as he gazed at her intently. She could only assume his eyebrows would be raised, his lips curled tightly, if he were to have any.

"Under our youngest Malfoy I presume?" He asked of her, speaking surprisingly softly, the hint of a last laugh entangled in his words. Yet she felt as though she were not able to speak, was unsure if she was even aloud to reply. When she did not speak, he sat back into his large, comfortable and elegant chair, staring at her expectantly, "Well?" With his full permission she gave a quick nod, the queasiness within her settling slightly, though still telling her to be on her guard.

"Yes My Lord. Master Draco acquired my assistance at the end of last year." She frittered away, a little apprehensive of herself, wishing she had given a simple 'yes' rather than an unneeded explanation speech.

"You are a brave girl, aren't you?" Hermione winced a little, her brain flooding with quick and witty replies that she would have given her Master instantly and with little regret. Yet now as she faced this new man that she knew nothing of, she chose instead to select her words carefully and cunningly as to neither outwit nor upset those present.

"I'd like to think so My Lord. Though bravery is not always everything." She said quietly, expecting an imminent scolding, anything other than the sudden smile that grew over the mans face, his features creasing as he looked to her astoundingly happily, unnerving Hermione completely.

"Ah...Intelligent too." He reached back into the table and took up his spoon, raising it towards her in a rather polite gesture, clearly pleased that despite her status and being a woman, she would possibly prove of greater value that first thought. "Well my dear...Do carry on." He plunged his spoon into the liquid gracefully, watching as she bowed back to him once more.

"Thank you My Lord." She said uncomfortably, returning to serving the wizard she had begun to previously, trying not to notice him eating the food she had so lovingly prepared.

"Delicious." He said softly, his eyes not once leaving her.

Japan's Arc Angel x