Chapter 10: Convergence of Players Danger Approaches and Some Answers
Hermione's mind was on upheaval; and she felt needy and wanton. And there was the bloody incident before the wedding, at an awards ball, the damn Tango, the same one that made it hard to go to work for an entire week. Afterwards, Draco had played tangos on the wireless for one month. Let's face it; the Tango was never far away from her mind, she dreamed about it many nights. Why, oh, did such things happen to her?
Awareness washed over her, her mind opened, and she understood that If Lucius just would call her by name, she would go and straddle him, in front of everyone, and hell with the conference and everything else. However, she wasn't breaking down on her own, the arrogant monster.
And just like that her mood changed. She felt scared all of a sudden, and was certain that she was being watched; and it wasn't the first time.
It started right after the infamous 'Incident,' all of sudden, she would feel someone following her, often by more than one being. Yes, even at the ministry, therefore it begged an answer, why hadn't Camellia, her fearless-pint-size-Hades-spawn, warned her of danger? Well, time out, Camellia had snarled and growled at the empty air, but not every time.
The entire situation was rather scary; and was it the same person, she also wondered, the one responsible for all her missing clothes?
And now, right there at the convention, albeit of the feeling being stronger, thus far, no clothes had gone missing. While she was deeply submerged in her ruminations, someone tapped her shoulder.
"Granger, did you ask Draco about his divorce? Here, read the Prophet today," Pansy passed the paper to her, "poor Draco, what a bitch." She no longer spoke to Lucius; they had a fall out a while ago. Lucius was also reading the Daily Prophet and seemed quite upset.
Hermione sat at the back of the booth and read while eating some chocolate-chip biscuits.
The first thing she saw was a picture of a teary-very-angry-looking Astoria.
During an interview with the nasty bug Skeeter, and Astoria confided the bug while tears filled her eyes, "And he went to sleep every night clutching an old hanky and pressing it to his nose. It was filthy, covered with some yucky brown and red sauce, and in the middle of his sleep he screamed the name of another witch, I won't mention the name, but she is rather dirty, you understand, like mud-dirty. You get it, right? I am just allowed to say the M word. "
With great disgust, she further explained," No account for taste, I guess some like it dirty. Does the word Dirty Tango, strike a note? I am sure it does for many readers and listeners." Those were her exact words, and they scared Hermione Granger.
The next headline made her blood run cold. "IS THE HEIR TO THE MALFOY EMPIRE A WITCH'S LINGERIE THIEF- DIRTY KNICKERS MALFOY?" Hermione read on, her cheeks burning already.
Skeeter quoted Astoria, to have found a stash of items hidden at his nightstand. She had found several female's jumpers, hair bands, a scarf, one glove, one winter cap, one rose color silk tight, a matching pair of lace and silk burgundy color knickers and the bra size 34b, three more knickers, two unmatched bras, and one left-foot lime green trainer, size 37.
Hermione's face was now colorless. So that must be where bras, knickers, jumpers, scarves, and even the missing pair of her favorite trainers, had gone; something troubled her, Astoria had only found one trainer, so, who had taken the other shoe? She had misplaced more items, at least four or five more knickers, bras; she kept clothes to go running or to the Ministry's new gym in the bag that stayed on the side of her desk. What on earth was going on? Was Draco a cross dresser? Oh, god, she just figured out a reason why he might want her clothes, and she turned bright red, again.
Dossier on Hermione
The second report, that one was very interesting. Lucius thought as he read.
Requested information collected by: G. Montez. Report for Lord M.
1978. Yuletide. France, … or who is her father?
Jean was 20 and Gil was 31. (There were photos, several pages, from different Muggle sources). She looked pretty much like Hermione Granger, except for the hair and her eye color. Jean had straight blond hair, but otherwise she used to look like her daughter, a carbon copy; and she had not really aged…
Gil Granger was her professor during her first year of Dental Studies, and she told the reporters that she had fallen for him during that time.
Lucius noticed that Gil was going bald, and Hermione's mom had fine hair blond hair, where did the mass of chocolate and golden curls come from? He read on.
**Dr. Gil Granger was known to like the ladies. And, alas, he had kept a few facts secret; i.e. he was sterile as a result of an STD (Muggle diseases transmitted through sexual contact). It was dishonest; however, he later said that he had known and had not wanted to lose her. He knew that having a child was important to her, but he was not adverse about adoption, and he asked her to marry him.
[**This was an extract from a tabloid's transcript after Hermione was born.] She must have accepted, and they went to France. They were to spend the holidays with her family at one of their ancestral homes.
The temperatures were really too cold to hike, but they were both rather fit adept hikers and climbers, and loved the outdoors. Hence, they decided to explore the region and to hike from 10 to 20 kilometers daily.
That morning, one day before yuletide, they both dressed for the outdoors with heavy winter clothes, packed the car, took the proper gear and left. Her parents and grandparents were beyond upset; it was not a good idea to venture in the forest during certain times of the year. They pleaded to no avail, and the couple laughed at their stupid fears, and at the old people's stories about shifters, wolves, witches, fairies, and dark creatures who stole humans for their shiny souls, or to bear their children; never mind the stories of ghosts of the WWI (Muggles World War I) who fought in the trenches (See extract about Muggle warfare). (**Also from gossip magazines)
While they prepared their tent, a bug, allegedly, bit Dr. Granger. He later said the pain felt as if someone had thrown acid on his skin. A bug in the middle of winter, nobody believed him, it was farfetched; granted that it was very mild cold season.
As she ran towards him, she twisted her ankle when her foot sank in a small hole in the ground; it was painful although not real bad.
Minutes later, Gil became incoherent, and the swelling had already shut down an eye. The place where he was bitten, right above his lips, bled profusely, rather strange; he had a fast climbing fever and was barely conscious; so she left to seek for help. She clearly remembered walking back towards the car about three kilometers away; always keeping in mind that it would be dark in a couple of hours.
It was dark, and she was not back. Gil's fever subsided within one half hour of her departure. He was up and around in 45 minutes; rolled the camping gear, wrapped himself in a couple of blankets and waited.
Once the sun fell, he got his lantern and went to look for her. He stayed on the path, walked towards the car park, and his heart sunk when he saw her parents' Jeep still parked on the same spot. He drove back to town to look for assistance; it was a ten-minute drive. He came back with the local gendarme, but it was too dark to conduct a search and nothing could be done.
A searching party, her parents, the workers, and half of the town came to look as soon as the sun started to rise. Town women prayed with their rosaries, sprinkling holy water, and murmuring old incantations of protection; it quickly turned into a media circus for the next days. "Heiress kidnapped, or Heiress murdered, or- Heiress abducted by night creatures-, or- UFO or aliens, and whatnot."
Things got complicated, a local doctor checked Gil; where the giant swollen bite should have been, and not a trace could be detected. Her parents thought that he had killed her, and he spent yuletide and 24 December in the small town's jail. He later said it was one of the best Christmas dinners, he ever had. The town's folk never doubted him for a second; therefore they took care of all his meals, complete with wine and cordials.
Seven days passed since she went missing, when she was found walking on the country road. She was wrapped in an expensive fur jacket stitched by hand, and she wore expensive jewelry to include a crown like circlet around her forehead. The experts said the fur might be ermine, but not one they could readily identify, nothing local. The buttons were made out wood and encrusted with stones, she seemed dazed, and there was nothing wrong with her ankle.
Two unexplained items, her hair was neither blond or straight, but had a few strands of blond and other colors, and her eyes were not blue but instead amber color with flecks of gold and indigo blue, she reportedly still has 20/20 night vision (speculations).
Further examination by experts, showed that her hair follicles matched natural curly hair and the color was not a die; and reports of rape were filed.
[Lucius stopped his reading to look at the pictures of the Heiress with curly hair, damn if it wasn't Hermione's hair.]
However, as the hair grew it turned straight once again and lost the highlights. After she gave birth, her eyes reverted to blue.
The report found by the investigator also indicated…
The local examiners reported that she had been sexually abused, many times, over and over, there were physical indications consistent with the rape; there were also multiple bruises, abrasions, scratches, and punctures.
A famous Parisian doctor, who had come because of the media attention, said they looked like she had been bitten and tortured. Then he reconsidered, and told the fiancé that he couldn't find evidences of rape, and he was sure it had been consensual and just too much sexual activity, and just shrugged his shoulders and went back to Paris. To date he refuses to talk about the case.
*** Other notes from newspaper reports.
Jean had lost a lot of blood and suffered from anemia. A significant issue was the round brand, or was it a tattoo?
She could not remember what happened. The first day, while she was disoriented, she had talked about a handsome prince with black wings and non-human eyes.
And she also spoke of Fairies; of a world found through an entrance in a large tree; about a wedding where she was the bride dressed in spider webs softer than any silk with bridegroom with a face covered with blood giving her sinful pleasures.
She would often breakdown and scream, "Me, me, me, why me, why am I back, why me? [Verbatim transcribed from the gendarmes report].
She had a fever and was obviously delirious. When the fever subsided, all she remembered was leaving Gil and hearing a noise behind her. At this, the old nanny would sign herself. The medical report also noted a strange mark, raised, more a brand than a tattoo on her left thigh (see above from newspaper reports). The mark was a circle that shone of gold, with a raised dot inside and two small waves below.
Nine months to the day, she had gone missing; she gave birth to Hermione, who was pretty much her mother to include the curly hair. Her eyes, however, were a strange brown, the color of dark amber that changed into strange flecks of greens and browns.
The item noted on the report, at the time of birth had reported, a matching birth mark that mirrored her mothers and that now looked pretty much like hers, with some differences, instead of gold, the circle was a dark green, and instead of two waves, it had three (St Mungo's latest report on the young witch).
Hermione Jane Granger was born with pointy ears. She had corrective surgery to reduce them, at least twice, as per her medical reports. Although her ears are still not 100 percent normal, she always covers them with her hair...
Lucius read the report and had made his own theories.
In the region, just by her parent's ancestral home, there were legends of missing women. This had gone on for centuries, and every time seemed that the chosen were the most beautiful maidens. Upon their return they told some tall-tales; and each one of them had disappeared after their sons were of age and married, but those sons never had children and would eventually go away never to come back. As for daughters, little was known; he hadn't seen a report of daughters being born.
As far as Hermione went, Gil Granger accepted the girl and treated her warmly. However, when she went to find them after the battle, and Hermione restored his memory back, he asked for a divorce. Even though, Hermione remained his heiress.
Gil claimed that he had developed a deep fear to be around his wife. The Muggles said it was some kind of melancholy, hmm, they called it an oppression something or other.
A Muggle charlatan, whose job aim was to change Dr. Granger's behavior, was treating him. That was something Lucius couldn't fathom; why change the way one behaved, and how did that make you feel less oppressed?
Why not give him a potion instead? Lucius wondered, putting the report away. The report was consistent with Justin's assessments and his theories. The young Wizard would be a valuable asset. He would also retain his exclusive services along with Muctis, only the best for the Malfoys.
An interesting day and it was just the beginning.
"Hermione, Hermione, darling, sweet pea," Hermione thought she was hearing things.
It sounded like—her mother? And if so, what was she doing there? Not that she minded, although she had never before shown any interest on her activities, not even the ones with formal invitations.
Jean Granger was now single, and she was quite beautiful. Maybe she would befriend a nice wizard; she knew of several who would not mind Muggle women for spouses, and that would be great.
Where was Camellia? She wanted to restrain her before she ran away. The dog was crazy about Jean. And yup, Camellia just cleared the booth in one easy jump; she flew, that was for sure, and landed on—her grandmother's arms, aka Jean Granger.
And whom on earth was that man with her mother? Handsome was not the right appellative; it was too small of an adjective to describe him. Hermione was disturbed at the way his eyes seemed to know her, a very familiar look.
Bill and Artix' hackles rose sensing a change, and Fleur was uneasy to say the least. All of a sudden Fleur needed to go the loo, "Pardon." She whispered to Pansy, who left right after her.
Lucius felt a current of fear run down his spine. He suddenly felt scared for his son and himself. He stood up and walked towards the new comers, he wanted to be near Hermione incase the newcomer tried a wrong move.
As Lucius walked towards them, he remembered the report; the one he had received about her parents and read just a while ago and looked at the couple with great care.
At the same time that Hermione was greeting her mother, Draco was just checking- in. "Please, my luggage must be taken to my room." He passed them a small satchel, "and my belongings should be enlarged and put away."
After leaving the reception desk, he started in the direction of the signs pointing to the conference, and before going far, he turned around," I will need valet service before dinner."
He was not feeling well at all and didn't want to come. What was the sense, Granger didn't care about him, and would hate him after reading Astoria's interview. And where was Justin?
Was that… no, he guessed not but that one, he had to be, "Justin, hello Justin, hey wait for me!"
Justin finally heard him and turned around and waved his hand at the same time.
"Draco, I am glad to find you here. I just came over. I was given an anonymous tip, and I found a couple of books for your father at an obscure bookstore at Paris. They are written in a very old Gaelic tongue that I don't recognize, and the translator charms I found won't work. Perhaps, your father can read them. However, the pictures are interesting." He pulled one of the books and opened it to a page he had marked with a ribbon.
"See here," he was pointing at the picture of three Veelas, all tall and winged. They were strange Veelas. For one, their feet were normal, almost, they had razor sharp talons, and their hands' nails fell close behind.
"These guys seem like giants, at least by the proportion to the witch watching them from a door, there she closed the door on them," Draco noted.
"Yes, see? They have black wings, their thick hair down their waist, streaked with red, black, and green." He pointed as he explained.
Looking closer, there was somebody in the center. Ah, they were kneeling on a bed, no sure. However, whenever they would move, you could see a naked female. By their estate of arousal, and their semi-closed colorless eyes, they all loved her and were demonstrating it. And by Merlin's toes, if that were not an interesting scene, one of the Veelas, was an older one with a crown and hair down his waist, he was bigger than the other two, and he wore a circlet around his head; the other two could have been Draco's brothers, or maybe one was a little older.
"Very hot," said Justin, and he meant it. The creatures were plain beautiful.
Draco was thinking that it wasn't. He did not think he would be able to share his Granger. Not even with his dad, although the image of his father pleasing the witch sounded a bit erotic, more than that, very, very hot.
He might want to see how she reacted at being touched. He was hard at the second he thought of the witch, and a small-strangled sound escaped his lips. He had dreams of tearing her clothes and possessing her, of drinking her blood with relish, of loving every inch of her body, and sinking his face between her thighs.
Draco wanted to do what the Veela in the picture was doing. And while he stood watching the pictures his mind was filled with her presence.
He knew exactly her scent, of woman, of flowers and moss, of rainwater and sex. She had not left his mind since that day at the Ministry. He had visions of possessing her, he wanted her, and he would not rest until he made her own. He was full of wanting to live for her, and it felt good.
He could see Hermione's small figure moving with grace, stealth, and purpose along their office; he could see her in his arms dancing, the day of the Tango, while he pressed his hard sex against her, he had actually come, it had been explosive, but he was the only one who knew. It was the moment he smelled her intense arousal, and he could actually feel her muscles tightening and her body trembling.
He had made love to her in his mind, a thousand times. He hated himself for treating her bad in Hogwarts, and realized he had treated her bad, because he had been afraid of the feelings he had today. Fuck he wanted to be inside her and stay there until he couldn't move …He could feel his penis inside of her, she would be writhing beneath him, her hands touching him everywhere, and his hands on her breasts, they were soft, gods he loved Hermione.
He had not even noticed Justin staring at him, he saw the eyes changing and found it fascinating. Draco's hair was also transforming; it was like watching a Muggle movie and seeing Draco morphing right in front of his very eyes. His hair was growing past his shoulders, amazing.
Draco kept thinking that sharing her with other Veelas, or anyone else was just too weird. It was the weirdness factor that gave him cooties, besides; he did not like wizards, not one bit, and most definitely not his dad. However, wow, he was hoping he would look as hot as the Veela in the picture, and if he did…Hmm, he was younger than his dad, it would be good to make him jealous, and a way to show him he was better than him, once in his lifetime.
"Justin, have you seen their weapons, their lances? Shit, they are verifiably dangerous." He knew he was not that big, damn.
"Yes, it would seem they are proportional to their increased sizes. It would be hot to be one of those Veelas, imagine to be sharing, damn I am envious." Justin was thinking of the fact Draco and Lucius needed to share, and Lucius had paid him quite well for him to help with all he could. What a good gig, he would miss it when it was over.
He was as thinking a little of himself. He would not mind being part of the bunch, but it was wishful thinking, he was sure that he was under her snare, it was all pheromones, artificial for all and also for him, it was pure fantasy; but not for Draco and Lucius, for them it was survival. "Really, don't you see how hot? They all appear in ecstasy. It would be totally super-hot."
"Maybe," Draco said non-committal.
Now, the Veela in the paintings, seem to be taken turns, judging by the blood in their faces, and there was only one down at the time. Maybe, he thought grudgingly, he didn't want either one of the Malfoys to die; he didn't want his dad to die. And in the moving pictures they all seemed to be in the throes of ecstasy, like one of the moving pictures that Blaise liked, where the beings in the Muggle picture moved across the room with their eyes blank. He smiled remembering Blaise and his stupid moving pictures, zombies that was it.
They were approaching the area where the conference rooms were located, when one of the young barristers working at Draco's office came towards them, "Dr. Finch-Fletchley, the satchel you left is by my desk. I have to go inside to help."
Justin appeared confused, "I just arrived today, and I don't even know you." He answered to David Fudge.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am certain that Dr. Fletchley has been here since the first day. He signed up to be the one of the attending Medi-wizards for this conference." He appealed to Draco thinking something was wrong; Draco was his boss, and he needed to alert him. Afterwards David ran to tell Hermione that something wasn't right with Dr. Fletchley.
Draco did not like the sound of it, and neither did Justin. When they opened the satchel, it was empty, except for an odd shaped key and weird looking bar made out of a hard stone, the shape reminded them of something, but they weren't sure of what.
They hurried to the area where the booth was set up. Upon turning a corner, somebody saw them and turned around to run in the opposite direction, whoever had seen them, was too fast for them to be identified.
Draco was feeling rather restless but with more energy. The closer he got to the large lobby where the booths were set-up, the better he breathed.
He had not been around Granger for nearly seven days. The entire affair with Astoria had been hard. To make matters worse, the witch had destroyed all his beloved's stash; now, all he had left where the last knickers his dad took for him, and his old hanky, nasty jealous bitch. Nobody, but nobody was taking Hermione away from him, he was in with his father, he should have joined his father's endeavor since day one.
He touched the knickers inside his pocket for reassurance; he was very dependent and had yet to figure out how to have them out in the open; for example when he went to a restaurant. Just looking at them settled him. Of course, when he had the original he might not longer want her knickers, he hoped.
He could see Granger and his father, what was going on?
His step was lighter, and he had already caught her scent. It hit him right on his groin, gods he wanted to be inside Granger. The next scent acted like a cold shower, his father's smell, of fear. He proceeded with caution and held Justin back. His body was already growing.
At the booth.
"Hermione, you are very beautiful. I did not expect less, but of course I have seen you before and have followed your steps. Yes, we could see you but not well. You are exceptional, as my mother had predicted. Sorry for the Snake's fiasco, I was detained at the time, really detained, forbidden was more like it." He seemed truly crossed for a second.
The man came forward, but before, he wrote symbol on the air, and Artix, Charlie, and Bill looked alert, and Fleur just coming back from the conference room, stood in place looking at Hermione and the woman, one who looked exactly like her friend. And found that her earlier feelings for Hermione, her friend, were all gone.
Those around the booth, who had been under the unmated Hermione's enthrallment, felt liberated. It was as if a veil had been lifted from their eyes, and a weight lifted from their chests. Lucius did not feel any changes. If any, he was more anxious and very afraid. Neither did Bill or Charlie, there feelings were different, their feelings were beyond than a mere enthrallment; as the solicitor had remarked, life was a tragedy
The being, he was not a wizard, not even a human, of that Lucius was certain. He looked into Lucius eyes for less than a second. His eyes were otherworldly, they were not one color, but instead, the shades of a forest in springtime, or at fall, or summer, or perhaps even winter. He felt as if had looked inside of a vortex, and he was truly afraid.
A/N I am looking into all my fanfics, cleaning files as I go. I have learned a lesson, back up your stories carefully