A/N: I know I'm busy with another story, but the idea for this has been niggling at me for a few days now. MW, I know you gave me several emphatic "no"s and a "finish the other story first" but I couldn't do it – I'm weak. For those of you reading my other story, I will be continuing it. I thought I would just put this one out there and see if you'd like me to continue with it.
Summary: Hermione was separated from Harry and Ron when the Snatchers came after the three of them. She had been held at Malfoy Manor up until the events of this chapter, with Ron and Harry having escaped. More will be revealed as the story continues…
This first chapter is quite short but I needed to end it where I did or it would have gotten far too long. Enjoy and review.
Hermione awoke, cold and hungry, to the sound of a creaking door. She shielded her eyes from the light spilling into the room; it felt harsh and intrusive after so much time alone in near darkness. A woman stood framed in the door; Hermione was unable to make out her face, her eyes still adjusting to the flood of light. Her arms shook with effort as she pushed herself up and into a standing position. Hermione prepared to defend herself as the woman threw something at Hermione's feet; her eyes widened at the site of her magically enlarged bag. She looked back at the figure who spoke to her in an urgent tone.
"Pick it up and follow me – now!" Hermione didn't move. It felt like an age had passed before the figure spoke again, moving towards her as she did, "Pick it up you foolish girl! If you take any longer someone will notice what's happening and your chance of escape will be gone!"
Hermione couldn't hide her shock as Narcissa Malfoy came into focus. She scrambled to grab her bag, hoping that her wand was still within. She felt panic overtake her as she weakly fumbled through the bag. The panic was replaced by tension when she felt Narcissa's fingers wrap around her wrists. Hermione looked into the witch's eyes, straightening and forcing a fake confidence. She was weak and the effort made her feel slightly dizzy.
"Why should I trust you?" she spat at Narcissa, voice laced with venom.
"There is no time for questions! Follow me, now!"
Hermione resisted the witch's attempt to pull her out the door. Narcissa turned back to her, her face flooding with anger and frustration at the realisation that Hermione would not move without sufficient reason.
"I can no longer protect my son in my own home. As much as it pains me to ask someone of such inferior blood, I need your help. He won't leave without me but I cannot leave Lucius. You will take him away from here. Say that he saved you and get him protection from your beloved Order." She pulled harder on Hermione's arm, "I will help you till a certain point and then you will obliviate these memories from me."
"You insult me and then ask my help?" Hermione scoffed at the older witch, "What's to stop me from just leaving you two to your fate once I'm free?"
"Because you have a conscience; would you really leave two people to die at The Dark Lord's hand after they defected and risked their lives to help you?"
"Risked their lives to help themselves." Hermione corrected.
Narcissa gave her an angry sneer and pushed her through the door roughly. The impact of hands on her back sent pain shooting up Hermione's spine. She stumbled out the door before falling against the opposite wall; pain radiated from her knees as they made contact with the stone floor. Through her dishevelled hair she could see a pair of men's shoes at the end of the passage. She looked up to see their owner was Draco Malfoy, anger surging through her at the sight of the blonde Slytherin. His attention was drawn to her as she stood and swore at him. Draco simply sneered at her as if she was an annoying insect.
"I don't see why we need to help the mudblood, mother." There was a notable tension in his voice as he shot Hermione another contemptuous look.
Hermione was glad of his distress – he deserved any discomfort brought on him after what he had done in the past. She let out a surprised grunt as she felt herself being lifted from the ground by the neck of her tatty shirt. She heard it tear as her feet found the floor. She was forced to stumble forward as Narcissa's voice came hot and angry near her ear.
"Enough Draco! We have spoken of this before! We need a bargaining chip if we are to seek refuge with the Order. Now go ahead and check if it is safe to leave the manor!"
Draco scowled at his mother before turning on his heel and disappearing from sight. He was not used to his mother using such an abrupt and angry manner with him. Once her son was out of earshot Narcissa turned back to Hermione and wretched her hand towards her, forcing it open and placing her wand tip on the palm of her hand. A strange warmth spread from the spot where wood touched flesh and Hermione squirmed in an attempt to free her hand. Narcissa stiffened her grip as she continued to mutter an incantation. Narcissa dropped her hand in disgust as soon as she had completed her spell.
"That was a binding spell. Draco will not be able to apparate back here without you. Once he realises that I won't be following you he will try and come back for me. You are not to allow this to happen. Get far away from here and get him to the Order."
"I don't want to be bound to your filthy ferret of a son!" Hermione spat at Narcissa.
Narcissa gave her an indignant glare before shoving her down the passage way and instructing her to arm herself. Hermione rummaged in her bag before extracting her wand and holding it at the ready. Tension fed her muscles as she searched for any signs of danger. She was still uncertain of Narcissa and her intentions but she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to escape. Draco came round the corner and gave his mother a curt nod to indicate the coast was clear. They moved through the manor silently. Narcissa pulled Hermione into an unused room as a Death Eater turned into their passageway. Draco remained in the passage to act as distraction if necessary. Hermione heard the other Death Eater insult him as he walked past and disappeared into a room down the corridor.
Narcissa pulled Hermione from the room once Draco gave the all clear. Hermione glanced at Draco to see him staring down at the room in which the Death Eater had disappeared into. There was a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. Was it anger? Contempt? Whatever it had been it quickly morphed to disgust as he turned towards her. Hermione returned his look in full before turning and following Narcissa once more. They had to stop several times to avoid being detected by stray Death Eaters. Their progress felt too slow and Hermione was starting to feel nervous, to doubt her decision to follow Narcissa and her son. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears as they turned the final corner into the kitchen. Hermione assumed they would be exiting to the grounds through a service entrance; there would be less chance of it being guarded.
Hermione bumped into an immobile Draco as she entered the kitchen. She was about to swear at him for getting in her way when she tensed at the sight of two Death Eaters sitting at a table in the corner. Tension filled the air as they turned their attention to the trio; there was a brief pause before realisation as to what was happening dawned on their faces. Narcissa reacted first sending a silent stunning spell at the bigger of the two. He threw himself to the floor in order to dodge the red light as his companion flipped the table to form a barrier between them. Hermione lifted her wand to send a reducto at the table but was pushed over into a cabinet by Draco as he dodged an avada. The impact of her body sent dishes toppling on top of her and to the floor. The sound of them shattering against the floor echoed through the kitchen adding to the cacophony of the fight. Shouts from within the depths of the manor replied to the sound.
Hermione pushed herself away from the cabinet and sent a stunning charm at the Death Eater closest to her. He had been distracted by Narcissa and was unable to defend against the spell in time; he slumped forward as it hit him pushing the table away from the second. Draco took advantage of the gap sending his own stunner and hitting the mark. Narcissa urged them forward as the voices from within the manor grew louder. Draco reached the door first and flung it open; he gave his mother a panicked look as she stopped to obliviate the memories of the two they had just fought. Hermione realised he really had no idea she intended to stay behind; this would be problematic in the future, she knew it. Narcissa gave a graceful jump over the unconscious bodies and ran through the door, following closely behind Draco and Hermione. They three ran to the edge of the wards; Hermione's legs burning with the effort.
Draco crossed the wards and turned to see where his mother was. A look of shock was illuminated in red light as he was hit by a stunning spell. Hermione whipped round to see Narcissa stopped dead her wand pointed in the direction of her son. Narcissa's face carried a pained expression as she turned to Hermione.
"You need to attack me after you erase my memories of these events. A strong repulso should rouse the least suspicion." She gave her son one last look, "Take him away from this; keep him safe."
Hermione lifted her wand to the witch and uttered "obliviate". Narcissa's eyes glazed over slightly and before she could return to her senses she was sent flying into a nearby tree. Hermione couldn't help feel a pang of guilt at the sound of her body hitting the tree. She turned to run as several Death Eaters spilled out of the manor sending spells flying through the air at her fleeing body. As she crossed the wards she felt a searing pain in her leg as a spell connected with it. She forced herself to continue to where Draco had fallen before she collapsed on top of him. Gripping him tightly she closed her eyes and concentrated on a distant location before she felt the familiar pressure of apparition. A large crack echoed through the air as the Death Eaters cursed their escape.
The two appeared in a forest Hermione had once visited as a child. A chill wind bit at her face as Hermione pushed herself off Draco's unconscious body. She stumbled to the side, pain from her leg lacing every step, as she sent a beam of wand light around them in search of any pursuers. When she was certain none had followed she summoned the tent she was carrying in her bag. She had managed to stuff it into her bag before the snatchers grabbed her. She threw it on the ground and flicked her wand at it; it began to assemble itself as if controlled by a pair of well- practiced hands. As it did so Hermione began to set up a perimeter of protective wards. It was slow, laborious work with her leg injury and she soon felt herself begin to tire from the effort. She decided on adding a slightly modified repelling ward to ensure that Draco couldn't escape. Hermione reasoned that he may have useful information for the Order – if he was willing to talk.
She turned to him and gave him a contemptuous glare before haphazardly levitating him into the tent, dumping him on the cot bed Harry had used before they had been separated. Hermione longed to see her two best friends again; they had only been separated a few days but it felt like a lifetime. She would have to contact them inform them of her escape from the manor, to let them know of her unwelcome tag along. Hermione contemplated sending a patronus but decided against it – she had no idea where Harry and Ron were and the sudden appearance of a shiny, silver otter might do more harm than good depending on their situation. A sudden surge of pain from her leg distracted her from formulating a plan; contacting Harry and Ron would have to wait till she treated her wound. She tried to move to a nearby chair but the pressure of her step caused the leg to buckle beneath her; a grunt escaped her as she hit the ground. Her body ached and Hermione wanted nothing more than to sleep in her bed, encapsulated in its warmth and comfort. She widened the rip caused by the spell's impact and winced at the site of an angry red burn spreading across her pale skin. She summoned a vile of burn ointment from the tent's medical supply box and poured it over the wound. The tent was filled with her shriek of pain as the liquid made contact. Eyes fluttering with pain, Hermione fell back against the floor. Her head rolled from side to side as she tried desperately to stay conscious. In her last moments of consciousness, she slipped her wand into a hidden pocket in her torn jeans, she be damned if Draco was to get her wand. Hermione let out a small whimper before she fell into darkness.