As always, all things Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Twelve:
Hermione had been torn between fitful sleep and that tingling awareness of one's surroundings where you hear a creak or a piece of fabric flapping in an unseen draft for hours. Her mind was too busy to allow the deep unconsciousness that her body so desperately needed. Thoughts of her Father, so unlike all the stories she had been told for years. Thoughts of her Mother, with that obvious glaze of insanity clouding her eyes yet the type of love and loyalty when she turned her gaze on her only child that even Albus Dumbledore couldn't accomplish. Thoughts of Lucius Malfoy, very unwelcome yet Hermione could not deny she was worried about the man. She would even go as far as admitting in her mind only that she harboured a deep infatuation for the frustrating blond.
Thoughts of her family, the Death Eaters, always drug thoughts of her best friend to the forefront of her mind. She whimpered in her sleep as she replayed practically handing him to her Father on a silver platter. Hermione could almost see him- a white, smoky haze in her mind's eye. The glasses, the messy black hair, only he was smiling. He was most definitely not smiling the last time she saw him.
"Harry, is that you?" Hermione heard her own voice but she had not said anything.
"Hermione let me go. I am with my parents and so are you. Everyone deserves to know their family and now we can both find out what we were missing." He was still smiling. Standing there, becoming more solid by the second, he was smiling more brightly than she had ever seen. He looked so peaceful that it brought a tear to Hermione's eye. Harry looked so happy.
"But you are dead, and it is my fault!" Again, Hermione heard her voice in her mind yet had not physically said a word. It was as if she was being forced to watch outside of her body and she fought towards consciousness, she wanted to hug him or touch his face and assure herself he was there.
"Mione, listen to me. It is not your fault. This would have happened anyway. It was destined before I was born for Merlin's sake." Finally, Harry stopped smiling. He looked concerned.
"Are you really with your parents, Harry?" Hermione needed to be sure. She was not about to tell him, even in a dream, that his death had not been destined unless you consider Albus Dumbledore god. She felt as if her mind was playing tricks on her, making her believe what she desperately wanted to believe so she herself could be happy.
"Yeah, they are just like I saw them in the mirror of Erised; remember me telling you about that?" Harry said with a ghost of the previous smile once again on his face. He really did look happy and Hermione felt relieved for the first time since her Father fulfilled that blasted prophecy.
"You are really happy? Are Sirius and Dumbledore there and what about Ron and Ginny and Professor McGonagall?" Hermione didn't feel quite as guilty as she should have about Professor McGonagall and no matter how much she thought about it, she just could not make herself feel like she was the one in the wrong.
"Ginny isn't here, Mione, I don't think she is dead but everyone else is and we are happy. Stop feeling guilty and start getting to know your family. Be happy for me, Mione, please." With those words, Harry's face faded until she could no longer see him in her mind.
"Harry, wait!" Hermione exhaled a surprised breath; she had called out to Harry Potter in the Slytherin common room. If Severus was still here, she was in for it.
Hermione's eyes flew open and immediately landed on the rumpled yet still very attractive form of Lucius Malfoy sitting in the chair beside the nearly extinguished fire. He was uncharacteristically slumped in the chair, his left booted foot resting on his right thigh.
Hermione's eyes trailed agonizingly slow upwards, taking in the expensive black dragon hide boots, silk trousers that must have been slept in despite looking as if they just came off a coat rack, exquisite Slytherin green shirt which was also silk and adorned with polished buttons and cufflinks that appeared to be platinum, and straight into half closed diamond eyes that were currently glued to her face.
Hermione blushed and said the first thing that came into her head, "Well, at least you aren't Severus." She instantly regretted it however as Lucius' elegant right eyebrow shot upwards.
"What, Princess, afraid of Severus hearing about you having naughty dreams about Potter?" Lucius sat up and several of the platinum hairs escaping his black ribbon fell around his face, giving him a very rumpled look. "Or is it that Severus would run tell Daddy and you do not want him hearing about it?" Lucius said with a smirk.
Hermione gaped at him for a second; internally shocked he would even suggest any type of romantic relationship between her and Harry. "Oh honestly, Mr. Malfoy, he was my best friend for 6 years. Did you expect me to just forget him?" Hermione asked with a smug look on her face. "And for your information, I've never had a naughty anything regarding Harry Potter."
Lucius stared into her eyes and gave her one of those superior looks. "Could have fooled me, you woke up screaming his name after all. You should have a constant keeper, little girl."
'Little girl? Who the bloody hell did he think he was!' Hermione stared at him a moment until an idea struck. He was jealous and she would make him regret it. Realizing she only wore the yoga pants and tight fitting shirt she had under her robes she kicked the blanket off her body and stretched. Closing her eyes and yawning she arched her back and threw her arms over the arm of the couch. Hermione's breasts were not exceptionally large but she knew he approved of what she did have so she lengthened and held the stretch for a full minute in which time Lucius Malfoy did not make a sound.
Opening her eyes slowly she gazed at the infuriating man and noticed his eyes glued to her midriff. "You aren't looking at me like I'm a little girl, Mr. Malfoy." With a very proud smirk on her face, she vaulted to her feet and took off running out of the common room as soon as she grabbed her robe. Hermione could swear she heard something break right after the portrait closed behind her and giggled. 'Score one for the little girl.' She thought as she headed out of the dungeons and toward the Great Hall for lunch.
Hermione cringed when she saw who was waiting on her outside the Great Hall. Severus Snape was like a tall, dark, annoying watchdog or worse, babysitter. "Are you my own personal annoying shadow or something?" she snapped before she could stop herself and walked around him.
When she felt an iron grip encase her arm, she readied an angry retort for Severus. The enraged face and platinum blond hair that met her the moment she was harshly spun around threw that perfect little comment straight out of the window.
Lucius Malfoy stared her up and down for a moment before practically snarling at her, "I told you that you needed a keeper. I'll teach you not to use that delectable little body against me." Lucius then proceeded to half drag; half snatch her towards the head table where her Father was sitting watching them approach with an amused look on his face.
"I asked you to let Hermione know lunch was served, Lucius, not drag her in here like a disobedient child," Lord Voldemort admonished while grinning at Lucius.
Lucius walked right up to the table, still holding Hermione's arm in a tight grip and stared at The Dark Lord as if daring him to delve into his mind. Hermione cursed and jerked her arm when it became apparent that was exactly what her Father was doing. After about two minutes, he pinned her with a surprised look as Lucius started talking, completely shocking Hermione with his words.
"I've decided your suggestion regarding my betrothal to your daughter is the best solution, My Lord. She clearly needs a firm hand or she will embarrass you at every turn."
Lucius turned his head towards Hermione and smirked with his eyes flashing like a stormy gray sky.
Hermione gasped and sputtered in her Father's general direction, "YOU suggested, Father? Tell me you don't intend for me to marry this bloody wanker!" Her eyes never left those of the aggravating wizard in front of her, furious honey locked with stormy grey. "There is no way in bloody hell I'll ever marry you, Malfoy, and that is a promise!" she spat, catching a shadow out of the corner of her eye.
Severus Snape had just entered behind them and had obviously heard every word of their exchange considering he was shaking with silent laughter. Her humiliation could not be anymore complete.
Lucius Malfoy's hand felt like a band of steel around her wrist and it was steadily getting tighter as her Father spoke. "Hermione, you will marry Lucius. You will obey him like a proper pureblood wife and I will not hear another word on the subject. You were told you would be punished when you ran away from the fortress and my faithful follower here has provided a perfect punishment, not to mention a perfect way to keep that rebellious spirit of yours in line. I refuse to allow my only child to disobey me!" Her Father's voice had risen to the point everyone in the Great Hall could hear him clearly.
Hermione was furious, beyond furious. Her face was red with rage and her mind was moving a million miles a minute. 'If I argue, Father will not hesitate to crucio me in front of everyone here; I've pushed him too far. I cannot push my luck but there is no way I am marrying anyone, much less Lucius Malfoy. He has lost his mind!' Hermione forced herself to calm down and gently pulled her arm out of Lucius' grasp, which he seemed to be against and said, "Fine, Father, may I be excused?"
The Dark Lord seemed to perk up at her obedience and stood. "No, you may not. I have something to show you." Lord Voldemort said as he walked around the table and extended his arm. Hermione took his arm gratefully and turned her nose up at Lucius, not at all upset at the thought of leaving him behind.
Her warm fuzzy feelings were shattered as Lucius and Severus followed her and her Father out of the Great Hall. They also stopped when The Dark Lord stopped her outside of a new archway directly across from the entrance to the dungeons. Hermione was staring down the long corridor curiously, it appeared to be the same stone used in the rest of the castle yet she knew for a fact it was new. This passage had not been there the day before.
"We had the house elves working day and night to provide proper living quarters." Severus was saying as Lucius stepped up to her right side and along with her Father, began to guide her down the corridor. It was wide enough for the three of them to walk comfortably, in theory. In truth, it was driving Hermione mad to have Lucius Malfoy that close.
The walls of the corridor were lined in portraits, most appeared very old and the witches and wizards occupying them gave the impression they were stuck up, privileged purebloods. Hermione had to stifle a giggle when she realized she was thinking her relatives were stuck up.
All too soon, the corridor opened into a circular room with five dark wood doors with names engraved on them. On Hermione's left the door read, "Lucius Malfoy, Minister of Magic." The door next to it read, "Hermione Black, Head Girl." The door directly in front of her simply read, "Lord Voldemort." Next to her Father's sat, "Draco Malfoy, Head Boy." Lastly, on her right were the words, "Severus Snape, Headmaster." Hermione had several problems with this setup. Number one, she was expected to live next to Lucius Malfoy and number two, Draco was Head Boy? She could not quite get her mind settled on that little fact.
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but her Father had begun speaking as he opened her door. "Come, not only do I have something important to speak to you about but I also have a little surprise." Hermione was still trying to formulate an intelligent argument in her head as she was ushered into one of the most beautifully decorated rooms she had ever seen. Normally she detested silver and green, she spent her Hogwarts days as a Gryffindor but the plush emerald carpets and black and silver furnishings completely caused her head to clear.
Hermione was staring at the fireplace, it was an enormous stone contraption with silver detailing, mostly snakes around the hearth when her Father started mumbling. The next thing she knew she was waking up face down on the black sofa feeling as if there was a fire at the base of her neck. She was woozy, she was hot, and yet she had never felt more alive. It was as if there were two people inside of her, two very powerful people inside of her. Giving her Father a glare that Severus would be proud of she said, "What did you do to me?" in a very shaky voice.
Lord Voldemort simply smiled down at her as Lucius moved to sit beside her on the sofa. Hermione was determined to ignore Lucius and continued to stare at her Father, awaiting an explanation. Finally, her Father started speaking yet it sounded fuzzy somehow, as if she was hearing it from a very far distance. "I simply marked you, in a way. I imprinted the shield of Slytherin in the base of your neck much the same as I would brand my Death Eaters with the Dark Mark. Powers you should have been honing and perfecting from birth were returned to you."
'Honestly, could this day get anymore screwed up?' Hermione thought as she tried to control her temper. 'You are viewing things wrong, Princess.' Hermione heard in her head and immediately knew what the other person feeling was, her Father was listening in on her thoughts and it was a very uncomfortable feeling.
"Will you always be in my head, what powers are you talking about and while I'm asking, why did you knock me out without my permission?" Hermione asked.
Her Father simply smiled and spoke in that slightly off voice again. "No, I will not always be in your head although we have a connection now; both by blood and by your mark. Your mark was placed in the core of your spine and brain; it is deeply embedded there by the strongest magic I possess. It would have been extremely painful therefore, I stunned you. As for what powers, you are exhibiting two of them as we speak. Our minds connected and you must have noticed I am speaking parseltongue. Now, would you like your surprise?" Her Father had yet to stop smiling.
Having no desire whatsoever to overanalyse anything just yet, while she knew her Father was listening in on her thoughts; Hermione stood and let The Dark Lord lead her toward the stairs. The stairs were the same deep black wood as the rest of her rooms and were covered in a plush emerald green runner. At the top, The Dark Lord led Hermione toward the first door and slowly turned the knob. The person sitting on what was obviously her bed was such a shock Hermione felt her world going dark for the second time that day.
