A/N- My laws, y'alls support and feedback on this story is just awesome. Y'all are the bomb diggity. Your reviews and support are seriously what keep me writing. For those out there that voted for me in the Haven Awards 2018, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I didn't win, but I would like to congratulate those that did. It means the world to me that I was even elected, let alone made it to the finals. Anyways, enough of this business, we all know that all of you want to hear the next chapter!
Disclaimer: Nothing about this story belongs to me aside from the specific twist on the story line. The rest belongs to J.K.R. or fanfiction writers that came before me. I haven't made a knut of this story or any others.
Chapter 25
December 28, 1995
Lucius Malfoy liked to think that he was a man that could separate family from business. He had always been able to in the past, keeping his work frustrations from affecting his family and vice versa. However, after Draco had been tortured by his crazed sister-in-law, this just wasn't so. The family accounts needed tending daily, holidays excluded of course, but Lucius had been at his wits end for the past two days.
While the blond knew that Severus would never allow harm to come to Draco, the fact that he wasn't able to check on his son's condition, he wasn't able to walk to his room and see what he was doing, it bothered him. He was worried out of his mind, his son had been tortured for almost twelve hours by the darkest of his lord's followers, and he had yet to hear from him. Lucius knew that the Dark Lord had said that Draco would survive, but until he heard from his son personally, he still couldn't help but fear the worst.
Lucius was able to keep his anxiety hidden. The Dark Lord already knew the depth of love that he had for his son and Severus suspected it. The others, however, didn't know and if they did, it would be perceived as a weakness. Sure, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Parkinson, and Greengrass all had children the same age as Draco, but their parents didn't seem to care for them to the level that Lucius cared for Draco. Well, that he knew of. For all he knew, they could have been hiding it as well, afraid of being weak. Whichever it was, it truly didn't matter.
Lucius was as immaculate as ever. This could not be said for Narcissa. His wife had not been aware of what had occurred in her son's bedroom until hours after Severus had left. She had been devastated that her own sister would act that way towards her nephew and she was worried sick about Draco. Lucius had had to dodge several hexes from his wife's wand because he hadn't told her before Draco had been taken to Grimmauld Place. She had wanted to check on his condition and say goodbye. He had tried to explain that their son hadn't even been conscious, that he couldn't say goodbye, but that had just resulted in having a priceless Ming vase thrown at his head. As angry as her actions made him, he understood her frustrations. He felt the same way.
The only comfort that he had in the whole situation was that Bellatrix was dead. Isabella Riddle had made damn sure that the bitch had suffered before she died too. Lucius wasn't entirely sure as to what to call the girl that would surely be his daughter-in-law. He knew that her grandfather called her Isabella, but everyone else that knew her still called her Hermione. He supposed that he would call her whatever Draco called her when they were in a private setting and he could call her Isabella when her grandfather was present.
Lucius was secretly pleased that Hermione Granger had turned out to be who she was. While he had never liked her because of her inferior blood, he had always been able to admit that she would have been perfect for Draco. His son needed a witch that could match him mentally, not just twitch her hips at him and have him drooling. Severus' daughter was now not only the most brilliant witch at Hogwarts, she was assuredly the most beautiful. Nobody could ever say that Severus was an attractive man, but when his genes mixed with Alexandra Nott's, the outcome was a glorious specimen. When she reproduced with Draco, even Potter for that matter, their children would be the equal to none.
He wasn't completely happy with the fact that Draco mating with this girl would lose the Malfoys their standing in the Sacred 28. He was also a practical man and seen the level of power that the girl was capable of, had heard the prophecy regarding her children. Only a fool wouldn't welcome her into their family with open arms. It was this fact that had prompted him to speak with Draco about his mate.
Lucius was all too aware of the fact that the Dark Lord seemed to be a bit more mad than he had been when he had been vanquished in the first war. Lucius had always believed they should keep muggles and muggleborns alike as servants, slaves if you will, but the Dark Lord wouldn't hear of it. There had been a muggleborn that he had wanted to save, though nobody ever knew of his wishes. That was precisely the way he hoped to keep it.
In truth, Lucius had found a muggleborn witch that caught his fancy just two months after Narcissa discovered that she was pregnant. He loved his wife but was by no means in love her. They had struck a deal when they married. When they married, they would only sleep with each other until an heir was conceived. Once the Malfoy heir had been announced to their world, they were able to go their separate ways and they could both take lovers as they chose as long as they were discreet.
Narcissa had just announced her pregnancy to their world when he met Mara. She had been a fiery Gryffindor, a muggleborn, several years behind him, she had been in her seventh year of schooling in fact. Lucius had met her at Flourish and Blotts and they had fought over the last copy of the same book. She had been so bloody smart and smart-mouthed, that he had wanted to throttle her. It had almost come to blows, but in the end, he had settle for snogging her.
They had started a full-blown affair. It had lasted six months, six glorious months, and they were the best in his life. He wasn't sure that he loved her, but there had been strong feelings that he hadn't felt with any of the other witches in his life. He never stuck with just one partner, not since Narcissa had become pregnant, but he couldn't find the passion in anyone else that he had found in Mara.
It had all ended just a few days before Draco had been born. Mara had discovered that he was a Death Eater, he had forgotten to disillusion his Mark one day when they had hooked up at the Leaky Cauldron. Mara had lost her mind, ranting, raving and screaming at him at how stupid he was, how bigoted he was. It had hurt him at first, that she would think such things of him, but in the end, he realized that she was right. As strong as his feelings for her were, he had never once considered reproducing with her. He never once felt that any offspring he might have had with Mara would have been equal to those he produced with Narcissa.
The argument had been epic. Lucius had said a lot of things that he knew he didn't mean while she had said plenty that she did mean. It ended between them and though Lucius had been heartbroken, he had shrugged it off. Until four days later, anyways, when the Dark Lord had raided her home and captured not only Mara but her mother and sister as well.
He had been forced to rape and torture Mara's sister in front of her while she begged for him to stop, begged for him to take her in their stead. While he knew that he cared for the girl, he knew that he could never grant her request. Her last moments had been spent being raped by Antonin Dolohov. Lucius had been torn apart at what she had been forced to endure. She had kept eye contact the whole time Dolohov had been riding her, tears streaming down her cheeks into her ears, silently begging him for help. He didn't dare help or endanger Narcissa and Draco. It had been a relief when Dolohov had finally grown tired of her and AK'd her.
Narcissa had known that there was something wrong, but she had never questioned him. He stayed out of her business and she stayed out of his. He knew it wasn't the kind of marriage that he had wanted growing up, but it was what he had gotten. He had grieved for almost a year, and after swearing that he would never condemn his son for loving a muggleborn if that was what happened, he had finally moved on. It had been painful, true, but he had managed.
Now, Lucius found himself in the position that he had always promised himself that he would never condemn Draco for. He was in love with a witch that wasn't of pure blood. Lucius had suspected it long ago, but it hadn't been certain. Not until the Dark Lord had announced that his granddaughter was seeing his son. While his son's choice in less than pure blood made him unhappy, he would stick by his word and support him regardless.
Lucius was drawn from his thoughts by an own pecking on the window of his personal study. He waved his wand and opened it, a gust of wind floating the owl in, so it could rest on his desk long enough for the Slytherin to take the letter offered. Once he detached it, he told the owl to go down to the kitchen so he could get a treat from the head kitchen elf Nono. When he opened the letter, his heart lifted instantly when he saw that it was from Draco. Without a second thought, Lucius ripped open the letter and began to read.
Mother and Father,
I hope this letter finds you well. I have had better days, but it isn't my worst either. I have been awake a day. As soon as I woke, Harry was shoving potions down my throat and fussing over me as much as Madam Pomfrey would have been. You should be happy with my care, it's been equal parts of arguing with Harry to let me out of bed and taking disgusting potions that Severus ensures me will lessen the scars caused by that crazy bitch Bellatrix.
Just an hour after waking, Harry asked me to join him and attempt to heal Hermione in the same way that she and Harry healed me. While I feel that we didn't really do anything of importance, her scars did lesson just a tiny bit after we worked on her. I suppose it had just been too long since she had been injured for us to do anything more. Harry, Severus, Sirius and Remus all seemed pleased with the result, but I feel as if we could have done better.
While Madam Pomfrey has given me a clean bill of health thanks to the potions that Severus had them give me, Hermione has yet to awaken. At first it didn't bother me, it was expected, you know? Now, I can't help but worry that she hasn't woken yet because her injury is far too serious, and she simply isn't going to. I try to brush these thoughts aside, but it's far more difficult to do than I ever imagined.
I have nothing else of import to report. Hermione hasn't wakened, but everyone in the household seems to be treating my existence here well. The twins and Ginny Weasley seemed worried about me, almost as if I was their friend. The other Weasleys have been passable. My cousin, Sirius Black, and our ex-professor Remus Lupin have seemed to take me in under their wing, almost as if I was one of their cubs. It's been very disconcerting, but Harry tells me that allowing them this behavior makes them happy. While it does make me just a tad bit nervous, I will do my best to keep my discomfort hidden.
I suppose I will go for now, so I can take a nap. While Madam Pomfrey says that I am healed, I find myself exhausted in the afternoons. I must get my sleep if I am to be awake for Hermione's awakening.
I love you,
Draco.
Lucius, while thrilled that he had heard from his son, was saddened to hear that Severus' daughter hadn't. He knew that she had had a curse cast upon her that was of Dolohov's own making, refusing the counter curse even upon death and dismemberment. That meant that while Lucius was now rejoicing, his friend was still grieving. He vowed to do everything he could to ensure that life would be the easier he could hope for while at holiday. He would ensure it.
Severus was, after all, his best friend.
-O-
Harry was miserable. While he knew that Draco had awoken late on Boxing Day, confused as to exactly where he was, he also knew that Hermione was still unconscious without a definite end in sight. Madam Pomfrey had told them that it could be several days before she woke. Harry had tried to heal her one more time while everyone was asleep, hoping that he had just been too nervous to accomplish it, but that had not been the case. He simply hadn't been strong enough.
That alone was a horrifying and sobering thought.
Harry had waited hours for Draco to wake up. His scars had healed quickly, leaving behind only thin marks that were barely visible. When he had finally come around, he had been more than confused, thinking that he had still been in his room at Malfoy Manor. Harry had tried to explain, only for the blond to argue with him. It had taken Severus to get the situation under control, to where Draco had believed everything that Harry had told him.
He still couldn't believe that Hermione was alive. Harry had been sure that she was going to die; after all, everyone had made clear that the girl wouldn't live if her father didn't do his best to stop the curse in the stead of himself and Draco. Staying the curse had worked admirably, even Harry could admit that. While Hermione hadn't gotten any better, she also hadn't gotten any worse. Therefore, when Draco had been awake and aware for more than a couple of hours, he had made sure that the Slytherin knew just what was at stake.
Draco had been quick to agree that they needed other help on hand. Just having their trio and Severus didn't seem to be enough. Harry knew that Albus was one of the most powerful wizards of the world, but he would never agree to Dumbledore being relegated to the end of the decision-making process. It was decided in the end that Hermione would remain as she was, to retake her spot in the decision-making skills of their group.
It had now been two full days since Hermione had been ensconced in the library, not regaining consciousness in the least. Draco had woken late the night of the 26th, only to find Harry, Severus, Sirius, and Remus. Even though Draco had been nervous, he knew that nobody there would hurt him if for no other reason than he was there at Harry and Severus' request. Harry had made sure that he was alright, right after Severus had done so, and then requested that he did all he could to help heal Hermione with him.
*Flashback*
Harry pulled Draco over to Hermione's side, hoping that the closeness between the two would boost the power. He knew that hoping for the healing effect that he had shared with Hermione was a longshot, but he had to hope for something positive.
He had already informed Draco that they would need to perform the spell, per the Dark Lord, if she was to survive. While he was sure that they would be able to, he was still extremely nervous, Draco had only been awake for a couple of hours, most of his time being spent being checked over by Severus. Harry could tell that the older Slytherin was thrilled at the aspect of his godson waking up, he was still heartbroken that Hermione had remained unchanged.
"You have to help me heal her, just like we healed you after Nott cursed you." Draco gave him a wide-eyed stare, almost as if he was nervous about the whole situation, but he nodded bravely.
Harry took the lead and laid his hands-on Hermione's bare chest. She had had a light sheet over her chest, covering her wounds for modesty's sake. Harry didn't adhere to the sheets and the limits that they imposed on everyone else. After shoving them down with little to no compunction, Draco joined him with his hands on her wounds.
Professor Snape had done his best to heal the wide wound on her chest, he had worked for hours on the endeavor. However, there just wasn't much that either could do to ensure Hermione to be scar-free. The only chance that she had to heal the wound was with Harry and Draco both working their magic on her wound.
The magic between them hummed dangerously, something that it had never done before. Harry wasn't nervous or afraid of the magic, he was only hopeful that it would do as he wished and heal the love of his life. Draco, while he didn't vocalize any of his wishes, could be felt through the bond trying to coax the magic between them alive.
In the long run, it had worked. While her scar hadn't disappeared completely, it had lessened in severity. It was no longer raised and ropy, but a faded white that was flush with her skin. It wasn't gone, but it was much easier on the eyes. While Harry didn't care about the scar, he had a feeling that Hermione would.
All they could do was sit back, wait for her to wake up, and see how she felt about it.
*End of Flashback*
The wound that Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape had both worked so hard to heal had finally closed. It had been an ongoing worry between the group at large that the wound on Hermione's chest wouldn't heal and she would slowly die because she didn't stop seeping blood for even a moment. When he and Draco had concluded their healing session, Harry had breathed a sigh of relief that matched that of her father, Sirius, and Remus.
Since both older Gryffindors didn't seem to understand just what was happening between the three of them, Professor Snape had done his best to try to explain. Both the animagus and the wolf had seemed disbelieving at first but had slowly come to grips with the truth when they saw just what their healing spell had done to the girl in the bed. It was quite clear that they were still in shock about the whole situation, but it was what is was.
Ginny, Luna, and the twins had spent several hours a day in the library since Hermione and Draco had appeared injured. Harry was unsure of their true motive, but since it was the three Weasleys that he considered true friends, he hoped that their intentions were as pure as he perceived them to be. The rest of the Weasleys, though they asked about Hermione every time they entered the library, didn't seem to be truly put out at their injuries. Molly made snide little comments about the position that Hermione had found herself in, comments that made Harry and Draco both want to hex her until she couldn't speak again.
It was Arthur that finally brought the smart comments to an end. Harry and Draco had both witnessed the Weasley patriarch losing his calm façade and telling his wife that if she continued her path, she would see them kicked out of Order Headquarters with no invitation to return. While Harry didn't think that Arthur would be too upset if he missed a meeting, he had no problems using it against his wife to insure her silence on the matter.
Once Draco woke, Ron had stayed clear of the library, almost as if he knew that he would most likely be hexed on sight due to his past comments. Harry didn't mind, in fact, he enjoyed the hours on end after he and Draco had done their best to heal Hermione where they weren't bothered by the troublesome redhead. None of the adults seemed to mind his lack of presence either.
Harry turned his thoughts to the chess game at hand. Draco was a far better opponent than Ronald had ever hoped to be. While he hadn't even been a match for Ronald, he couldn't help but be just a slight bit embarrassed by the fact that Draco was whipping him without a second thought. It was while the blond had been concentrating on his next move that Harry realized that there was a slight movement on the bed next to them. He didn't want to get anyone overly excited if it was a false alarm, therefore, he kept quiet but kept his eye turned to the love of his life.
It was with a quiet gasp of surprise that he alerted everyone to the fact that Hermione now had her eyes opened and she was staring directly at them.
-O-
All Hermione knew was pain. The Gryffindor had never experienced this level of plain, and to be frank, she never hoped to experience it again. The pain originated from her chest, but she was unsure as to why. Hermione began wracking her brain, trying to discover the reason as to why she hurt so badly. Just when she was sure that there was no way that she could possibly remember just why she hurt so badly, her memory from Draco's room resurfaced.
Hermione had no idea just how much time had passed since she had saved Draco from the clutches of Bellatrix, but she was hopeful that her actions had done exactly as they were supposed to have done and saved him. She realized out of nowhere that her father must be very disappointed in her since she had killed Bellatrix.
Sweet Merlin, she had killed Bellatrix Lestrange. She had not only killed the dark witch, she had tortured her. What kind of person did that make her? How much evil did it take in a person for them to resort to the kinds of things that Hermione had? Suddenly, she worried that not only would her father be disappointed in her, but Harry and Draco would be as well. Her mind then drifted to Sirius and Remus and their reactions and her self-hatred was complete.
Despite the pain, Hermione gathered all the strength that she could muster so she could open her eyes. She had been aware of voices in the room with her, mostly Harry, Draco, Severus, Sirius, and Remus, but there had been others mixed in here and there. Once her eyes were opened, she realized that Harry and Draco were playing wizards chess on a table next to her bed while the three adults that had hardly left the room were reading quietly to themselves in the corner of the library. It took several moments for anyone to realize that she had awoken, but when they did, Harry leapt out of his seat.
"Holy fuck, 'Mi!" Everyone turned to his voice and Hermione was eager to see the expressions that graced the faces of her closest family and friends regarding her. To her complete and utter surprise, there was only relief.
"Sweet Merlin, Hermione, you gave us quite the scare." It was Remus that broke the silence that had fallen in the room. While Hermione wanted to respond, a frog leapt up in her throat, making it impossible for her to speak. Draco crawled on the bed next to her while Harry stood next to her side, his fingers entwined with hers. Her eyes weren't for them; they were only for her father.
"Do you hate me, Daddy?" A look of disbelief crossed his features as he stood to make his way to her side. Harry fell to the wayside easily, he seemed to sense that the conversation between father and daughter needed to take place. Her father took Harry's place and brushed hair back from her forehead.
"Why would I hate you, sweet one?" Hermione tried to control the tremulous waver of her voice, but it was just so bloody hard.
"I disappointed you, don't tell me that I didn't." Severus gave her a soft smile.
"I'm disappointed you weren't there to see how it all ended, sweet. I'm not disappointed in your actions at all." Hermione knew she sounded pathetic and she hated it. As much as she hated it though, she needed the reassurance that her father didn't hate her.
"Really?" He nodded solemnly and for the first time since she had opened her eyes, the pain in her chest seemed to lessen just a tiny bit. Hermione couldn't quite believe that her father wasn't disappointed in her when she had exhibited the same traits that he hated with a passion in her grandfather.
The details of that morning flooded back to her, the way Bellatrix had looked, the sounds of her screams, the visual of her chest exploding and the heat of the blood and gore from the witch that had covered herself and Draco. She had done that, she had caused that pain and destruction. How was she any better than her grandfather, the very evil that she had sworn to defeat? Severus must not have told anyone what happened because everyone was still looking at her like they were exceedingly worried about her.
Just as Hermione had decided that the others must not know, that they couldn't possibly know, Draco squeezed her hand from her side on the bed. She turned to look his way and saw nothing but love and acceptance there, something that frightened her. She didn't deserve his love, she didn't deserve his kindness, she was a monster just like Voldemort. If anything, Hermione deserved everyone's hatred. Her father seemed to sense where her thoughts had gone so he grasped her hand tightly in his and forced her to meet his eyes.
"You have no reason to feel guilty. You protected Draco just as I would have protected you. Am I evil because I would have done whatever it took to save you?" She gave him an affronted look.
"Of course not, you're not evil at all, you don't want to hurt anyone." Her father graced her with a small smile.
"I know, I don't. Neither do you, so why are you held to different standards than myself?"
Hermione didn't have an answer. She contemplated the question that her father asked her for more than a few moments, trying to decide if there was a correct answer. When she came up with nothing, her father turned solemn once more.
"I killed him, you know. I tortured him for over four hours, peeled his flesh from his bones, broke every bone is in his body, extracted every internal organ aside from his lungs and heart from his body while he was still alive, before I granted him death. The other Death Eaters are suitably terrified of me, terrified of hurting you and your mates. I swore that I would never call the Dark Lord my father, and I did. I fell to my knees, thanked him for the opportunity to avenge your injuries, kissed his robes, and enjoyed every second of it. If you can't find my actions reprehensible, then you can't find your own to be the same." Hermione still wanted to argue, she had tortured and killed a woman after all, but how could she when what her father admitted would put him in the same hideous category as herself. Therefore, she could only nod and admit that her father had a point. While she found her own actions to be abhorrent, she didn't find his to be so. She could only chalk it up to matter of intent. The Gryffindor decided to table her guilty feelings and see how she felt about them in a few months' time; maybe then she could view the situation with perspective. When she spoke again, it was to the room at large.
"What happened after I killed Bellatrix?" Harry went around the bed, so he could sit next to Draco on top of the bed while Severus took a seat next to her on the chair. He smoothed his robes nervously before he answered.
"Bellatrix had just exploded everywhere when Dolohov slipped past me. Rodolphus and Rabastan had ganged up on me and had forced my hand. It was either twist and leave an opening into the room or die. Dying wasn't an option so the result was what we have before us now." Her father sighed.
"Dolohov slipped by me and rather than go after you like I thought he would, he shot a curse at Draco, trying to kill him. I was confused at first, but there was nothing I could do about it at the time. I let my anger take hold and I stopped Rodolphus and Rabastan in their tracks. My father then stopped me from harming Dolohov; I had instantly wanted to kill him with no thought to the recourse. He immobilized me and explained to me the benefits of waiting to make quite the impression amongst your peers.
Voldemort allowed me to bring you back here to Headquarters with Draco, telling us exactly what we needed to do to keep you alive. I followed his instructions to the letter. I went back to Malfoy Manor and tortured and killed Dolohov while Potter waited for Draco to wake up. Once Draco awoke, he and Potter performed the same healing on you that you both performed on Draco. You had already stabilized, but it did lessen your scar somewhat." A look of horror crossed Hermione's face. She hadn't even considered the idea of a scar on either her or Draco. How terrible were they?
Suddenly, she had to see for herself. Hermione pulled the front of her gown forward, so she could gaze down the front of her shirt. What she saw horrified her. The scar started at the top of her left breast and ended at the top of her right hip. While it was white in color, as if it were several years old, it was long, wide, and ugly. She had no idea what it had looked like before the healing and she wasn't sure that she wanted to know.
How was she supposed to have this scar in a boarding school and not have questions asked of her? True, she didn't stay in Gryffindor Tower with Lavender and Parvati now, but that wasn't saying that she never would again. While she wasn't that keen about changing in front of other people, this would be near impossible to hide since it would show if she wore the wrong shirt. Hermione didn't wear promiscuous clothing, but she wasn't going to say that she never would. Nobody knew what the future held. Both of her boys were going to find this scar horrid, ugly, and surely, they wouldn't want to stare at it for the rest of their lives. As if realizing her train of thought, Harry and Draco scooted closer. Harry took her hand and squeezed it, making her meet his gaze.
"Quit thinking like that. Draco and I have both seen your scar. Neither one of us care what it looks like, neither one of us thinks that it makes you ugly. We think it makes you look like a warrior goddess. Please don't start looking at yourself like you're ugly." Hermione couldn't believe that she was that easy to read. She met both the boy's eyes before she looked down shamefaced.
"You both deserve someone that's whole, someone that isn't forever blemished by dark magic. I'm sure that you both want to say that I'm still beautiful. This is me giving you the chance to back out with no recourse, no hard feelings. You both deserve someone that's beautiful on the inside and out." Harry handed her a pain potion, almost as if he thought that the words coming out of her mouth were due to overwhelming pain. She tipped the vial up into her mouth and while the pain did indeed lessen, it did not fade.
"I'll have you know, Hermione Jean, that we are with a girl that is beautiful on the inside as well as the out. We don't see any ugly scar, we see a badge of honor that you received while fighting for your mate's life. Stop this business, we won't have you feeling like you aren't good enough any longer. If anything, it's you that are too good for the both of us."
Even though Hermione couldn't help but feel ugly in the situation that she found herself in, she nodded. She really didn't want to fight with either boys, and if they both wanted to stay with her despite her scars, she wasn't going to complain. After a small smile, both boys pulled her in close carefully, wanting to be close but far too scared to hurt her by being rough. She didn't care though. She wanted to feel close to them and she wanted to feel like there was a sense of normalcy in her life. It was when they pulled away that she felt that she needed to get the full scope of things.
"How injured was I? I am still in quite a bit of pain, how long will that last?" Neither of her mates or her father seemed to want to answer her question, so she assumed that she wouldn't like the answer. It was Sirius that finally answered the question and when he did, he sounded extremely sad.
"You almost died, Poppet. Poppy gave you a dozen different potions and even that didn't guarantee your survival. We didn't even expect you to wake up until tomorrow. You've seen your scar. Whatever the curse was the Dolohov hit you with, it was custom. He confessed under the duress of torture that he had designed it to kill its victim slowly, slowly seeping the blood from a massive wound. Your wound appeared on your chest. He never designed a counter curse since he didn't believe in saving people, but in murdering them." Hermione gave a nod at her uncle's words.
"How long will it be until I'm well again? I understand that I'll always have a scar, but how long until I feel like I can roll over in bed without wanting to hurl from the pain?" Remus chimed in this time.
"Poppy couldn't say for sure, Mina. She suspected that it's different for everybody that's hit, depending on where they're hit and so forth. You took the hit directly to the chest and for that reason, she suspects that you'll be taking several potions for at least the next month. She isn't entirely sure when you'll be out of pain completely." This was not the good news that Hermione wanted to hear. A month? How was she going to hide the fact that she was taking a dozen potions a day once she returned to school? Sure, she could take some of them at night while in the Room of Requirement, but what about the pain potion? If she took that during class, or even between classes, someone was sure to notice and question her. The last thing that they needed right now was suspicion from others in the school. Severus seemed to understand her line of thinking.
"We'll cast a notice-me-not spell on the potions that you can't take in the privacy of the Room. Nobody will even notice, and if they do, they'll take about as much interest in it as they would in dissecting a flobberworm." She gave her father a faint smile before she settled back into the pillows behind her. Draco set about rearranging them, fluffing them so she would be comfortable, when there was a light rap on the door. Sirius stood quickly to open the door, revealing a very flamboyant Albus Dumbledore. His bright purple robes dotted with stars stood out in a crowd from two kilometers.
"Ahh, Miss Granger, I see you have woken. I am happy to see you on this side of the living." Hermione wanted to laugh in his face. If it weren't for the fight with Voldemort, she very much knew that the Headmaster would love to see her dead if for no other reason than it would protect his secrets. Instead of making a scene and seeming churlish, she gave a brief nod.
"Thank you, Headmaster. I'm happy to be among the living." His grandfatherly gaze twinkled, and Hermione wanted to barf. She refrained, however, and decided to get to the point.
"What can I help you with, Headmaster?" He took one of the seats next to Remus and Sirius, both looking distinctly uncomfortable at the proximity of which he sat. The Headmaster smiled serenely and folded his hands in his lap.
"I wonder if I could answer that question in privacy?" Hermione instantly knew that the conversation would turn to horcruxes, so the Headmaster would naturally want both Remus and Sirius to leave. She wasn't going to ask the men to leave; she trusted them and didn't think that they would betray their confidence for all the gold in the world. The Headmaster, however, had no such compunction.
"Could I ask both Remus and Sirius to give us a few moments of privacy?" Both men looked distinctly unhappy and cursed quite a bit under their breaths, but they finally stood and made their way out of the library. She had no doubts that they would all be questioned ruthlessly once the Headmaster left. Once the two men were gone and silencing charms and wards around the door were cast, Dumbledore spoke.
"I understand that you're injured, but we must carry on with the plan that was already set up. Your holiday would be the best time for us to flesh out one of his horcruxes. I want to take both Harry and Draco in three days' time and try to retrieve the object." Hermione was already shaking her head no. There was no way in blue fucking hell that she was going to allow both her mates to go with her scheming Headmaster all on their own. She didn't trust the old man any further than she could throw him.
"Absolutely not. They aren't going with you until I am able to go. No offense, Headmaster, but I don't trust you any further than I can throw you, and believe me, that wouldn't be very far." Dumbledore did his best to pull off looking offended and hurt at her words. Hermione wasn't having any of it. She leaned forward and made sure that the Headmaster met her eyes.
"What have you done to make me trust you? Kidnapped me, bound my magic, lied to me for years, kept one of the men that I love in an abusive home, made my father give you an Unbreakable Vow securing his loyalty, and let my uncle spend twelve years in Azkaban that were completely unnecessary. Keep that wounded look to yourself, it doesn't suit you." The grandfatherly look disappeared, and Dumbledore gave her a hard look.
"As much as you may disapprove of what our plans need to be, the fact remains that it must occur while you are on holiday. While I could sneak you out during term time, it would be much more difficult to explain why any of you were off school grounds if something happened or if we were caught. Therefore, this must happen now." Hermione knew that he was right, but that didn't mean that she had to like it.
"Fine. If you're still going on this mission, you're taking my Dad with you." Her fury spiked when the Headmaster shook his head no.
"We can't. To where we travel, space is limited. Two full grown wizards and two children wouldn't be allowed to pass. Not to mention who knows what would happen if Severus was summoned and unable to go to his father's side. The whole gig would be up if he decided that his son was hiding something from him and he tortured the information out of Severus. Sending him on our mission, even if he could get through with so many of us, would be irresponsible." Hermione cursed inwardly. She knew that the Headmaster was correct once more, but there was nothing that she could do about it. The Gryffindor would simply have to accept the situation and make the best of it. Grudgingly, she nodded at the Headmaster.
"Fine. I'm warning you, Headmaster, no funny business. Everyone on my father's side knows what I'm capable of. Make no mistake that I will repeat my actions without remorse if my mates meet undue harm." The twinkling was back, and Hermione wanted to snap at the old man. Did he think that that look made people more at ease? If anything, it made her more nervous.
"I will do everything in my power to make sure that your mates come back to you alive and unharmed." Even though she could tell that he was patronizing her just a little, she decided to let it go. The last thing she wanted to be doing now was have a conversation with their esteemed Headmaster.
"When are you going?" Dumbledore raked his hand through his beard as he answered.
"In three days' time, the evening of New Year's Eve. Even if others were paying attention to our movements, they would be distracted since it's a holiday. I think that would be for the best." Hermione looked to both boys to see just what they thought of the situation. Both gave her a serious look before nodding just a fraction. She turned back to the Headmaster, eyes hard.
"Very well. We'll see you back here on the evening of New Year's." Dumbledore clapped his hands together happily and Hermione couldn't help but think that he seemed as if he was the cat that just got away with the canary.
The Headmaster seemed to notice her suspicion, so he quickly made his excuses, gave his well-wishes to Hermione and her health, and then made his way back to the castle. As soon as he was gone, the door swung open and both Remus and Sirius entered once more. Both men gave her a silent look before she sighed.
"I wish I could tell you both, but the mission is top secret. Dumbledore has been very clear that nobody is supposed to know." Sirius looked like he wanted to say something but thought twice about it. Instead, he let Remus speak.
"Is it dangerous?" Hermione and both her mates nodded but said nothing else. Sirius raked a hand through his hair before he sighed.
"I know that you're all a part of this war, but I hate that you're putting your lives on the line while nobody else is none the wiser." Hermione nodded.
"I understand. I just hope that you believe me when I say that we'll tell you as soon we're able." Both men smiled at her and nodded.
"We trust you, Poppet. You'll tell us when you're able." She didn't get a chance to respond because there were shouts outside the library. Remus sighed, as did Sirius. Both men rose and started for the door.
"The twins have been pranking Ron since you've been in here. We told them that if they got caught we would lie to Molly and vouch for them. I doubt she'll believe us, but we have to keep our end of the bargain." Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at their promise. Both men left, leaving Hermione with only her father and her two mates. Draco looked distinctly uncomfortable when he spoke.
"I've waited until Hermione woke to tell you all this." This caught everyone's attention and they gave the blond their undivided attention. He gave a slight shake before continuing.
"The day I got to the Manor at the beginning of the holiday, my father took me into his study. He's already deducted that Hermione isn't serious about her defection to the Dark Lord, he's positive that if Hermione isn't the real deal, then Harry isn't either." Hermione felt her blood run cold his words. It only took one person to blow their cover and then the gig would be up. She was running scenarios in her head, variables as to what could possibly happen if they were exposed, when Draco spoke again.
"He isn't going to expose you. When it comes down to it, he wanted to help us. He's realized that the Dark Lord is unhinged, that he's capable of truly terrible things. My father was very clear that he didn't regret any of the things he's done, he hasn't changed, but he's willing to admit that Hermione and Harry are what's best for the Malfoy name. As fucked up as my father is, he's always held family as his priority." Hermione considered his words carefully. It could go one of two ways. Lucius could be attempting to gain favor with her, hoping that if she did indeed side with the Dark Lord that he would be protected. A smart move if she did say so herself. The other possibility, the one she hated to consider, was that he was trying to set her up, so she would reveal herself in which he could alert the Dark Lord and gain favor. Either way could blow up in her face. Harry seemed to be considering the blonds words just as she was.
"What do you think his true intentions are, Drake? Do you think he's genuine or just trying to trap the mudblood that's going to sully his bloodline?" Draco considered her question carefully before answering.
"I think he's genuine. He knows that if he were to go to the Dark Lord, if he didn't die, I would have an extremely high chance of being killed. Like I said, he holds family dear. I think that if it came down to it, we could trust him." Her father spoke for the first time.
"I agree with Draco. I think that if Lucius had the stones to put words to his suspicion, he wouldn't dream of pissing you off. You now have the knowledge that he doesn't trust your words, something that he knows the Dark Lord would kill him for. All the Death Eaters have seen how your grandfather favors you. You killed his most loyal follower and he didn't bat an eye. He paraded everyone through Draco's room, so he could show them what would happen if they harmed your mates. He wouldn't take the chance of putting himself out there like that if he wasn't genuine." Hermione nodded slowly, taking the information in and processing it.
"Very well. We'll keep him on a list of people that we can trust if push comes to shove. I suggest that we don't tell the Headmaster." Everyone nodded. Severus spoke next, and he seemed almost reluctant to do so.
"The Dark Lord asked after you, Hermione, before you became injured. I told him that you were enjoying your time here with Remus and Sirius. I told him that I felt they would follow your allegiances since you are all so close." Hermione gave him a sharp look.
"Why would it make a difference if they follow my grandfather or not?" Her father raised an eyebrow at her tone, but let it pass.
"If the Dark Lord thought that they had switched sides because of you, he would likely put them on a no-harm list just like he has Potter and Draco. It would keep them safer. I would never do it without their consent, but it would keep them alive. There is a standing order to kill Remus not only for his status as a werewolf, but because he refused to join Greyback's pack. Now that Black has been reinstated into society as an innocent man, I doubt that he will go long without a kill order. He defied the Dark Lord several times during the first war, he doesn't easily let slights of that nature go." Hermione gave a small nod.
"I suppose that makes sense. We should talk to them before the end of the holidays. I suggest we keep that from Dumbledore as well."
When everyone agreed, Hermione settled back down onto the bed. She had already been up far longer than she should have been, and it had taken it's toll on her. She was exhausted. Both boys snuggled into her side, their warmth spreading to her, so she would sleep soundly. When her father realized that she wanted to go to sleep, he stood and held out his hand.
"One more thing, sweet. I'm not saying that this would have saved your life, or saved you from injury, but I'm saying that we don't know, and we shouldn't take the chance anymore. As much as wearing jewelry from your grandfather makes me nervous, if it keeps you safer, I think it's a good idea." Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about the situation either, but she supposed that her father had a point. It may have saved her from Dolohov's curse but then again, it may not have. Harry spoke, his fingers carding through her curls, brushing the hair back from her cheeks.
"I agree with Professor Snape. If there is even a tiny chance that it could keep you safe from something like that curse, I say you wear it. Your mind is a steel trap, he can't penetrate it. If you have that good of discipline, it's probably true that you can resist the Imperious. He wouldn't dare try to control you through it because he knows that you would rather die than help him against your will. I also think the sicko genuinely cares for you. If it keeps you safe, I say go for it." Draco nodded, his fingers twisting one of her more errant curls.
"I'm with them, Princess." Hermione didn't think that any of her protests would be heard anyways and she lacked the strength to fight back. Plus, there was a good chance that if she were to consider the situation and make her own decision, she would come to the same conclusion that they had.
Hermione reached out and took the ring from her father and slipped it onto the middle finger of her right hand. It slid right off, even though her hand was held upward, making it impossible for it to be the work of gravity. Severus and Draco both chuckled while both Hermione and Harry looked puzzled. Draco finally took the ring from the bed where it had fallen before dropping it instantly. He hissed in pain as he inspected his hand.
"I should have known better, of course he would put curses on it." Hermione was just becoming more annoyed at the fact that neither her father nor her boyfriend was explaining what the fuck was going on. She narrowed her eyes at Draco, but it was Severus that finally reached out and took the ring. He slid it onto the ring finger of her right hand where the ring glowed for a moment and then became normal again. Her father saw her heated look and explained.
"Purebloods have family rings, signet rings as some would call them. They are worn on the ring finger of the right hand, showing all that see it that they are either the head of their house or the heir. It wouldn't stay on any of your fingers except your ring finger because he has given you what appears to be the family ring of the Gaunts. He is proclaiming for all those that know of the family that you are his heir. I'm quite certain that he has indeed affixed many protections on it. It is also common knowledge that nobody but someone of the blood line can touch the rings without burning or something of the like. It is a failsafe, so rings can't be stolen." Her father gave Draco a look that she took to mean that he was an idiot. Hermione admired the ring once more, just a little bit touched at the gesture on her grandfather's part.
"Basically, he's telling the world that I'm a descendent of the Gaunts just like he is and that he claims me as his heir?" Severus nodded as he leaned back.
"In a nutshell, yes. Even after you are wed to Potter and Draco, they won't be able to touch it. Any children that you have will be free to touch it as they please. That's why I am able to touch it without any repercussions." Hermione nodded again, settling against her pillow again.
All three of them seemed to realize that Hermione wasn't capable of anything else at that time. She couldn't make out just what the three of them were discussing, but truthfully, she didn't care. Her boys were on either side of her, one of their hands caught in her curls, probably Draco. He seemed to have a fascination with her hair. Her father had a chair pulled up to the side of the bed, a book laying to the side. Hermione let her eyes slide closed, thanking Merlin that she had survived the encounter with Dolohov.
Tomorrow would be a new day.
A/N- I swore to myself that this chapter wouldn't be as long as the others since it was just the day she woke up and nothing truly catastrophic happened. Alas, it didn't work out. Therefore, if this chapter seems rambley, if that's a word, I apologize. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Leave me a message after the beep, I do so love to hear your thoughts (;
Next up, Hermione stays at Grimmauld while the two boys go hunt a horcrux.
Love,
Alicia