Ch 21
Hermione had left shortly after they all arrived back at headquarters. She had made up some excuse about having to take care of business with Potter. Draco sat near his father and Deimos, he was trying to brush Pansy off of him but she was being twice as flirtatious as when Hermione was around. It was annoying, she kept complementing him and he was trying to ignore her pointless chatter. He stopped trying to throw her off his lap when something Deimos was saying to his father caught his ear.
"It was indeed I who helped the Dark Lord bring Miss Granger into our ranks. I am starting to regret it though. Her resolve is wavering. She has been as cold as ever to me but I have seen her on one or more occasion admiring her old friends with something akin to fondness" Deimos was saying. Draco tuned out the chattering Pansy who was whispering pointless nothings into his ear. He however pretended to acknowledge her for she was a good cover for him to listen in on the conversation taking place between the older men.
"I don't think it is anything to worry about Deimos. Draco is watching Miss Granger closely. We don't have a risk. The Dark Lord doesn't seemed worried with her as of now anyways. He wanted her as a Deatheater now that way she will have already been faithful to us when she becomes a member of the Order of the Phoenix." his father said leaning back casually.
"Indeed" was all Deimos said.
"So tell me Deimos how exactly did you rope this marvelous girl. From what I had always gathered she was immensely loyal to Potter." his father questioned.
"Yes it was indeed me. It took a while to think it all through and a while longer to get it into play, but I was ready by the time summer came. See what I had to do was convince her that she was unloved. So I started with her parents of course. I made sure they were strictly in my control under the Imperius. So they beat her everyday thorough the summer until I knew she had no love for them. I also had to worry about her contacting Potter and Weasley. That was easy enough as she used only owl post as a contact. So I intercepted all outgoing and incoming mail I rewrote and sent the letters to fill my purposes. Finally she had resigned to her fate and that's is when the Dark Lord sent you" Deimos said pride in his voice for having accomplished something as this.
"That is truly Slytherin. I thought she would be hard to convince. Indeed I had thought that our Lord had been deceived at some point when he gave me this plan to fetch Miss Granger. She surprised me when I got there. She was strong and cold and powerful. I had never felt so much hate radiating off of one person. She attacked me and Draco it was impressive her agility and grace." he said.
"Indeed" Deimos said. Draco felt himself becoming more nauseous by the second. Would he tell Hermione about this new development or should he keep quiet. But indeed if he kept quiet and she found out that he knew he would become a target on her list.
"She had changed her appearance as well. Before she was covered in bruises and scars. She looked like road kill from the neck down. Did you have influence on that too?" his father asked Deimos.
"No I was quite pleased when she did change her look. It would suit her new personality. Dark and alluring was precisely the look she needed to be accepted with grace into our ranks." he said.
"And indeed she was accepted with more then welcome arms. Even though half the Deatheaters don't know about her true identity." Lucius said his lip curling slightly.
"Yes I quite wondered about that too, but who are we to question our Lord. It would be death to torment him with idiotic questions." Deimos said.
"Well I have not noticed a change in Miss Granger. Although she seems quite attached to Draco. She only wanted to dance with him at the ball. I wouldn't mind the match but the Dark Lord forbids it. He does not want to destroy the pure Malfoy lines. She would of course have been fun to not only Draco but me as well." Lucius said and Draco felt anger rising in his chest but he made no sign that he had heard anything. He also began to feel guilt this indeed proved all Hermione's fears on what they would do if they found out.
"She was indeed fun to play with. Nice she was with her youthful body" Deimos said malice in his voice. "But alas she is ignoring me. I told her that she had to stay low and play friend to Potter and she got a bit rash with me. "
"That's nothing to fear, she'll come around. Do you want another drink?" Lucius asked and Draco noticed for the first time that the two men were drinking. This must be the reason they were talking so freely.
"Draco are you listening to me?" Pansy's voice cut his musings like a knife.
"Of course I am keep talking" he said giving her a charming smile. She did and Draco kept on the conversation.
"Maybe keeping an eye on her is the safest thing. But involving Draco is crossing the lines Deimos. Keep my son out of it. I will speak to him myself. But do as you see fit. I for one do not want to suffer the Dark Lords wrath." Lucius said ending the conversation about Hermione. Draco stood up and asked his father if he could go home. He made up the excuse of tiredness. Lucius looked a little disgusted at his son but let him leave all the same. Pansy tried to follow but he managed to shake her off.
He couldn't believe this. Should he tell Hermione. She would want to know and perhaps it would bring her to him. He loved her and would do anything to have her. He walked up to Hogwarts in contemplation. He should tell her about this deception against her. So with a resolution he walked up to the castle in search of her. He knew in the back of his mind that she was probably in Gryffindor tower but he searched fruitlessly any way. After an hour he gave up and went to his dorm. He laid in his bed thinking of the best way to tell her then he drifted off to sleep.
He found her in the great hall the next morning and tried sending her signals that he needed to talk to her, but she ignored him and stayed close to the idiotic Gryffindors. That whole day she ignored him and his obvious attempts to get her attention. Even her friends had noticed it and pointed it out only then did she send him a scornful look before returning to her friends. Not seeing another way to tell her, he found her in the halls after dinner walking with Potter back to the common room. They were talking pointless nonsense when Draco interrupted them.
"Granger I need to speak with you" he said. She gave him a look of disgust.
"Well speak then" she said coldly.
"It is private" he said looking at Potter.
"Anything you have to say can be said in front of me Malfoy" Potter said.
"Indeed but this business concerns something of a darker nature then what you are used to Potter" Draco said looking pointedly at Hermione. She sighed.
"Alright Malfoy but you have only five minutes if it interests me even that long. I'll catch up Harry" Hermione said and to Draco's amazement Potter nodded before retreating. Hermione also felt the surprise because she looked bewildered. Draco beckoned her into a classroom and he locked and put a silencing spell on the door.
"What do you want Malfoy" she asked him her voice weary. Draco suddenly didn't know how to proceed.
"Well… last night after you left I … overheard a conversation with my father and Deimos" he started faltering only slightly at her raised brow.
"I am sure they have many conversations. Why should I care.?" she asked her tone cold.
"Well it was about you. About how they got you to join the Dark Lord." he said watching her reaction. She didn't seem to have one.
"That is not a great secret Malfoy. Most of the Deatheaters know how I came to be in their presence. And your time is wearing thin so I suggest you make your point"
"Well it was Deimos who brought you to the Dark Lord" Malfoy said hurriedly but before he went on she interrupted him.
"It was you and your father who went to my house that night not Deimos." she said.
"I know but listen, Deimos made your parents hit you and he intercepted all the letters you tried to send. Nobody on the light side even knows what happened to you over the summer. Those marks and scars that you had… no one ever knew" he said the last part quietly. Looking down. He didn't want to see her face. She was quiet for a while.
"Why would you lie to me like this Draco? I thought you loved me?" she said quietly all coldness gone from her voice. He looked up at her. Her eyes began to fill with tears.
"Why would you say such horrible things. My friends did know. I can't see Deimos doing…" she stopped talking suddenly. A realization came over her pretty face. Her breath began to quicken and she stumbled toward the door. She flung it open with her wand and ran smack into Harry who was standing there with a flesh colored string in his hand. His face was that of shock.
"Harry" Hermione croaked and she fainted.