Awwww no one liked that I might update in two days:P HAHAHA
Im sorry looks away ashamed Hmmm…. thinks hard maybe I just wont tell you when im updating?
Ok ok, ill stop being rude and making you angry
It's a little early I know, but I couldn't keep you waiting!
Malfoy walked through the kitchens as the house elves worked around him, not once making eye contact.
When he was through the kitchen door, one elf, Mocky spoke to the others.
'What do you think happened to that girl they lead down here a few months ago?' he squeaked, quiet enough as not to be heard by his masters, but loud enough for the rest of the kitchen to hear.
'I don't know…maybe she is dead?' one elf respond, by the name of Socky.
Malfoy walked through some large rooms until he found his father, sitting at a table with someone. This someone had a cloak on and hood up, but Malfoy had the sneaky suspicion who it was.
'Father.' Malfoy said coming up quickly, not wanting his father to think he was eavesdropping.
'Yes Draco what is it?' his father asked, turning to him.
'I think Granger should have something more comfortable to sleep on.' He said, noting that the stranger in the cloak was looking patiently at him.
'Really son? And why should she?' Lucius asked, now a little curious.
'Because she's sleeping on a stone cold floor with nothing but her cloak for a blanket.' Malfoy explained, a little shamed of what he was saying.
'Right. Fine, get Socky to give her something else to sleep on- but under NO circumstances is she to leave that cell understood?' he then sounded cold.
'Yes, of course father.' Malfoy said, before going back towards the kitchen.
'I would watch her Lucius.' Voldermort said, watching the retreating back of Malfoy.
'Watch who my lord?' Lucius asked, turning his full attention on his lord.
'Miss Granger.' Voldermort answered. 'She is a muggle born, but she is pretty. Your son is already asking for her to sleep in better conditions…she still has her wand does she not?' Voldermort knew that lucius's son might have some feelings towards the girl, and he knew that he wouldn't disobey his father, but he wasn't about to take chances. He was too nice to the girl already.
Lucius nodded. 'Very true. I shall speak with him.'
Malfoy had his back on the wall and was listening to their whole conversation.
Shit! They think I like her? Thinking quickly, Malfoy walked at a very past pace to the kitchen were he called his elf. "SOCKY!'
'Yes master?' came a small voice from behind him.
Malfoy flipped around and saw his elf Socky standing there, a T towel in one hand, a plate in the other.
'Can you get me a blanket? An old blanket?' he added, remembering what he had heard. Socky nodded and walked off quickly, returning in a matter of seconds with a blue blanket.
Malfoy nodded, took it from her and proceeded to Hermione's cell.
Hermione was still curled up in her cell when Malfoy unlocked the door and walked in, the lantern still by her side.
'Hey! You!' he said, snapping back to his old tones.
Hermione rolled over to look at who her visitor was.
Malfoy walked over, ripped her cloak off and put the blanket on roughly. Hermione stared at him while he moved back into the corridor, and shouted. 'SOCKY!'
Hermione could only guess he was calling a house elf when sure enough, a little one bounced into her view.
'Get me the food Granger has been fed.' He ordered. Socky nodded and scampered off while Hermione pulled the blanket tighter around her.
When Socky returned with a tray Hermione knew as her food tray, Malfoy took it from his elf, dismissed her and shut the door.
Putting the tray on the ground, Malfoy walked over to Hermione, taking advantage of her weak movements, he forced her into a sitting position, ignoring her quiet protests.
'Now, you are going to eat weather to like it or not.' Malfoy said forcefully as he got something sloppy (it was actually mashed potato) onto a spoon. Knowing full well what he was about to do was against the nature of which he had been brought up to live by, Malfoy moved the spoon closer to her mouth.
Hermione didn't protest, she didn't move and she didn't open her mouth.
'Please don't make me force you.' Malfoy said, pausing.
'I'm not hungry.' Hermione whispered. That was all she could manage.
'Sure you are.' Malfoy insisted. He put the spoon back on the tray and moved closer. He got the glass of water and looked at Hermione. 'Apparently, this is all your touching.' He said, looking at the water glass.
'I figure it's the only thing not poisoned.' Hermione answered, clutching her wand tighter.
Malfoy snorted. 'Granger, if they wanted to kill you, don't you think they would have already without going through the trouble of poisoning your food?'
Hermione thought a minute, and knew he was right, but still didn't open her mouth. Realizing that he needed to prove to her that it was ok to eat, Malfoy raised the spoon and ate the potato!
'Hmmm yummy' he said, though inside he was about to puke, 'See, its fine.' He swallowed.
Despite of everything, and where Hermione was, she smiled.
'Come on, please eat something.' Malfoy asked, getting the spoon full again.
'I can't now. You've eaten off the spoon.' Hermione pointed out the hygienic logic.
Rolling his eyes, Malfoy called for his elf again, though asked her to bring a spoon. When Malfoy had a new one, he winked. 'Can't get out of it now. Open up and eat it!'
'Will you leave me alone?' Hermione asked.
'No because I can't.' Malfoy answered, resting his back against the wall.
'Why not?' Hermione asked.
'Because my father has given you to me as a duty for the holidays.' Malfoy answered closing his eyes.
'Right. I'm your duty. And what happens if I die?'
Malfoy shuddered. 'I'd rather not think about it.' He answered.
'You know Voldermort don't you?' she asked, thinking about the fact that he must be somewhere above her.
'Not personally, though our paths have crossed.' Malfoy looked at her. 'I was told you have already met him and didn't seam too afraid.'
Hermione shrugged. 'Inside I was terrified and still am.'
'Why?'
'Because I'm being used as bait to trap my friend!' Hermione snapped.
'Would you rather be moved to a room?' he asked shivering from the cold.
'I don't care where I am. But I really would prefer not to be here at all!'
Malfoy faked a look of hurt. 'That hurts me Granger, this is my home.'
'I wouldn't think that Mr. Draco Malfoy would sleep in a dungeon.' Hermione retorted, looking around.
'No, your right, I sleep in the highest room and the nicest. My parents believe in spoiling me so I won't turn.'
'That's worked a real charm!' Hermione snapped.
'Hey look!' Malfoy snapped getting to his feet. 'I didn't know you had been taken here of all places until about two hours ago! so don't snap at me!'
'And what,' Hermione said, meeting his anger, standing up though she wobbled, 'Do you think I've had a pleasant time here? With the prospect of death? Meeting Voldermort? Being held here with no one to talk to or nothing to do except think that someone's coming and they're going to put me out of my misery every time there is footsteps?'
'Listen Granger, I could lock you up now and not let anyone feed you and let you starve!'
'Well I really don't think that will be a problem!' Hermione screamed, though her voice was cracking and she thought her voice box might pop out. 'I'm used to starvation!'
'Not the one im talking about!' Malfoy said, starting to lower his voice a little.
'I really don't care which one you're talking about!' Hermione answered him, also lowering her voice. 'How many are there?' she raised her voice again.
'One, there is the one your doing, and two there is one that you will beg for food within a week!' Malfoy replied.
'Well let's just see how long I last!' Hermione said pointing to the door.
'No one tells me to leave a room in my house Granger!' Malfoy said.
'Well there's a first time for everything!' Hermione snapped, sliding back down the wall, unable to stand any longer.
'First time for your death too.' He whispered before taking the food tray and walking out, slamming the door.
That left Hermione with a sore throat, and a bad feeling in her stomach. It wasn't what Malfoy had said, it was the way he said it, and because of that, she actually believed it.
Tossing the blanket he had given her, Hermione got her cloak again, as it was warmer, and went back into her ball.
A few nights later, Hermione had got the blanket, and used it as a pillow as she sat in the darkness, (she had extinguished the lamp) waiting for her death. Then someone walked down the corridor and into her little room.
It was Narcassia.
Hermione had never spoken to her, though Narcassia always seamed to be nice and was treating Hermione carefully.
'Hermione?' she whispered.
The Gryffindor pulled herself into a sitting position as Narcassia walked in with a light.
Walking over to her, Narcassia sat down and talked with Hermione.
'I'm not sure if you know my name, but I'm Draco's mother, Narcassia.' Mrs. Malfoy began, looking at the wild child in front of her. Hermione nodded. 'I hate to see you like this Hermione. Can't you just eat something?'
Hermione shook her head. 'No.' she said quietly.
'Well if I moved you to a proper room and treated you like a guest, would you object?' Hermione thought for a minute, then shook her head. 'Good my husband, Lucius has spoken with my lord, and found that an order hadn't gotten to him.' Hermione waited.
'We were to put you in a proper room, and treat you like a guest. Of course, with the plan,' she stopped, thinking she had said too much, 'Well, anyway, Lucius had thought that he was to treat you nicely, but he didn't as it wasn't his orders.'
'He has a funny way of treating people nicely.' Hermione remarked, pointing to her shoulders and her cheek.
'That wasn't Lucius.' Narcassia said, a dark shadow crossing her face. 'That was a man called Gorter who was punished for treating you like that.'
'It didn't seam like he would when I was standing at your front door being hit with your husband watching.'
'He doesn't like to leave a bad impression.' Narcassia explained.
Hermione snorted, and looked around thinking, no, of course not, no bad impression is left!
'I know this cell isn't what you would think of as leaving a good impression, but unless he was under orders, it was the best we could do.' Narcassia said, reading her mind. Standing up, she held out her hand.
Hermione stared at the hand, then at the face. Grabbing her cloak and her wand, Hermione slowly extended her hand. Narcassia helped Hermione gently to her feet, knowing that Hermione was dehydrated and very weak, then set out of the room, with Hermione swaying behind.
At first, the Gryffindor had to take small steps, because she hadn't actually walked more then ten meters in about four months. She was shaky, and often had Narcassia catching her before she fell, but she made it down the corridor.
In the kitchen, the five house elves paused after seeing this girl then went back to work.
'Harpy.' Narcassia said as a little elf, who looked like a girl, walked up to her.
'What is mistress wanting?' the elf asked politely.
'You are to serve this young lady here from now on, understood?' Narcassia asked.
Hermione was confused. After everything people had said about this family, one seamed to be treating the house elves with the respect Hermione had been fighting for. She didn't seam to care Hermione was a muggle born, nor that she was scruffy.
Harpy nodded. 'Of course mistress.'
'Come with us.' Mrs. Malfoy said, as she walked onwards. Hermione followed, with harpy bringing up the rear.
Hermione felt very self conscious as she walked through a corridor that was spotless. She was dirty, bloodied, dusty and probably smelly.
Narcassia noticed her mood and look. 'Don't worry Hermione. Harpy, you will take care of this please?'
Harpy nodded, her ears flopping around.
They walked past a room full of men. All stopped their conversation and looked at Hermione.
'What the hell?' one with light orange hair asked, his eyes rooming over Hermione's appearance.
'That is one of our guests.' Hermione heard Lucius say from somewhere within the room.
The man with orange hair chuckled. 'I hope you don't treat all your guests this way!'
At once, even though Hermione wasn't in this family, she knew the man had said the wrong thing, for as she was walking further along the corridor, towards the front doors, she heard him scream in pain.
Narcassia ignored it and kept walking and turned to go up some stairs.
Hermione tried mapping where Narcassia took her, but there was too many twists and turns. All the corridors and hallways were stone with a green carpet. Paintings and portraits were on the walls, and their eyes followed the three as they walked past.
Then Narcassia stopped at a black door. She pulled out a key and unlocked the door.
Hermione walked inside after her, harpy trotting along.
The room was something Hermione had never thought she would see again- comfort. The room was stone, like the corridor, and had a huge round, green carpet in the middle. A bed was on the far wall, and, it was you guessed it, green! The frame of the bed was wood, with green bed sheets and green curtains.
Must be the Slytherin showing through Hermione thought as she walked into the middle of the room.
To her right was a door that Narcassia said led to her bathroom. A table and chair was to her left, and next to that was another door. This one, according to Narcassia lead to a walk-in-wardrobe.
'there's nothing in the closet, because we didn't know your size…'
lame excuse. Hermione thought.
'In an hour or two, we will go shopping and get you something other then your uniform to wear.' Narcassia said, then left the room, leaving Hermione alone with the house elf.
'Is Miss wanting anything?' harpy asked.
'Erm…while I have a shower, could you possibly wash these for me?' Hermione asked, pointing to her school robes. Harpy nodded.
Wanting to get clean, Hermione went over to the bathroom, stripped, and handed harpy her clothes.
She heard the elf leave then she hopped into the shower.
Hermione had to be careful because she was very weak and scared. Her cut on her check was infected, and the dirt was almost embedded in her skin. Hermione scrubbed at her face, leaving the cut alone, and after ten minutes, her face was clean. Hermione ignored the pain of her bruises as she washed her arms. Her hair was a massive clump on her head when Hermione tried to wash it. It was knotted, dirty and had lots of split ends.
When Hermione got out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and went out into her room.
It then that Hermione saw a glass door that let to a balcony. Hermione waited on her bed for her elf. Then ten minutes later, she heard a knock on her door.
'Come in.' she said, her voice still not very strong.
Instead of the elf, it was Malfoy.
'Oh.' Hermione said, disappointed.
'Where you waiting for me?' Malfoy asked, winking and noticing that she was wearing nothing but a towel.
'No.' Hermione answered, turning a little red.
'My mother told me you had been moved up to here.' Malfoy said, walking over and sitting on her desk chair. 'and that your cut is infected.'
'What would you know?' Hermione asked, tenderly touching her cheek.
'A lot more then you think.' He said, then got a box from under the desk. He walked over to her and sat on the bed, only about 30 centimeters from Hermione. He looked into the box and pulled out a cream. When he tried to put some of it on her face, Hermione pulled away.
'Come on, it will hurt, but it will be worth it.' He insisted. Hermione couldn't find the point in resisting so she let him clean up her cut. Hermione winced every now and then when his fingers touched her face, but after a few minutes, Malfoy was satisfied that he had treated her wound.
Then there was another knock on the door. 'Yes?'
This time, it was Hermione's elf carrying her clothes neatly pressed and folded.
Hermione got up and walked over; making sure the towel was covering everything. Thanking the elf, Hermione returned to her bathroom and got dressed into something clean for the first time in four months.
When she came out, her room was empty. Too tired to care or eat, Hermione got her cloak and curled up on the floor, too used to it.
half way through the night, Hermione woke, and noticed something. She could get out. Somehow get out, unnoticed and slip past the gates…then she would find her way back to Hogwarts. But she didn't know how. Deciding she would worry about that when she came to it, Hermione got up.
She put the cloak on and got her wand.
Breathing in and out, Hermione crossed to her door and opened it silently. She peeked out and saw no one in site.
Slipping out, Hermione closed the door quietly and tip toed down the corridor.
She came to a dead end.
Crap!
She turned around, and made her way back up quicker. She passed closed doors, and prayed no one could hear her heart that was beating very loud.
Hermione found herself in a corridor she remembered and walked down in. down another. And another. Then one more. Turned a corner. Down a corridor. Past a room with an open door. Turn left…down a corridor.
Again Hermione pasted a room with an open door, but this time she heard voices. Cursing silently, Hermione lent against the wall and listened.
The voices sounded like Lucius.
'I know, it's alright.'
Hermione took a deep breath then took a leap past his door.
'Did you just hear something?' Hermione heard someone say when she landed with a soft bump.
Hermione bolted.
'SOMEONE'S THERE!' a person bellowed from the open door, sending a curse to Hermione. She rounded a corner and the spell bounced off the wall.
Hermione could hear footsteps running after her and yells, but she didn't slow down or stop. She came to a large set of stairs. Knowing that if she took them one at a time, her followers would catch her, but if she took them two or more at a time, it was likely she would fall head over heels and break her neck. None sounded like a good option. Hermione decided on jumping on the hand rail and sliding down.
'CATCH THEM!'
Landing on the floor, Hermione collected herself in the Malfoy foyer and raced for the door.
She could hear people shouting all over the place about someone running and escaping. Hermione yanked open the door and bolted out into the night. She ran off down the path, not knowing what else to do.
When voices of people subsided and grew to nothing, Hermione slowed to a walk, a painful stitch in her side.
It was then that Hermione saw something denser then the night coming towards her, bobbing like they were jogging. A black cut out against a pitch black night.
Hermione ignored it, hoping that who ever it was didn't know she was running. She walked, head held high, her cloak wrapped tightly around her.
'Granger?' someone said in the dark as the figure got closer.
'Malfoy?' Hermione asked, not believing her bad luck
'What are you doing?' they asked each other at the same time.
'I asked you first.' In unison.
'I'm jogging.' Malfoy answered and Hermione saw he was sweating. 'You?'
'Running for my life.' Hermione answered, hearing shouts again- they were catching up.
'What?' but Hermione ran past him.
He was too quick for her and grabbed her around the waist, sending them both tumbling into the ground.
'Let me go!' Hermione begged, trying to get out of his grasp.
'No!' Malfoy answered.
Hermione punched and kicked, but nothing worked. He held on like a snake and his pray. All he had to do was sink his teeth into her skin and paralyze her. Or in the word of magic, say "Petrificus Totalus" and that would take care of it.
Scrambling around on the ground, Hermione found a sharp stick and stuck out blindly. Malfoy rowed, and Hermione knew she had got him. She had actually scratched him on the cheek and quiet deeply considering it was a stick.
He let her go momentarily and just when Hermione was on her feet, he was on her again, pinning her to the ground.
Hermione struggled. She pushed against his chest with all her might, but couldn't budge him. Again searching the ground, Hermione's fingers closed around a rock. She brought it up and hit Malfoy hard on his temple.
He rolled of and Hermione jumped up and bolted again.
Groaning, Malfoy got to his feet, as he saw figures running down from his house. Turning, he ran after Hermione, who was lost.
She turned around, not knowing if she had gone back towards the house, or if she had gone away. This way looked like that. She had come to a crossroads. Deciding to run forward, Hermione pushed on and after three minutes, found herself seeing a large gate in the distance.
Malfoy ran to the crossroads, unsure of what path to take. Thinking that Hermione wouldn't have ran anywhere but forward, he followed. He heard the people behind him splitting up, none following him.
Hermione stopped when she came to the gate.
What now? Hermione asked herself furiously. She was still extremely dehydrated, and was amazed she hadn't collapsed. While she was quickly thinking about what she should do, before she knew it, something large was on top of her.
Hermione rolled over and saw Malfoy panting. 'Hi.' He said grinning.
Again she tried to get him off, but nothing worked. Malfoy was expecting her to hit him with anything so he pinned her hands to the ground.
This could look wrong. Hermione thought suddenly, frighten.
'Well done Young Master Draco!' someone called, running up. It was the man with the orange hair. He was sweating and panting. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Orange boy pointed his wand at Hermione. 'You get off her now Draco, she's not going anywhere.'
Sensing that this man was going to hurt Hermione before he took her back up to his house, Malfoy shook his head. 'It's alright Williams. I'll take her- let my father know it was me.' Williams was about to complain when Malfoy got to his feet and pulled Hermione to hers.
'Come on.' He said. 'Go and get the others Williams.' He ordered to the orange man. 'Go!' he barked.
Taking one more look at him and Hermione, Williams nodded and walked off into the darkness.
'Now, let's get back up to the house.' Malfoy said holding a firm grip on Hermione.
Before they started walking, the air went freezing. It was cold before, now it was freezing. Everything seamed to be going darker around them.
Then something or someone was moving down the path in front of them. It was Voldermort.
He ignored Malfoy at first and lifted his hand. Hermione was hoisted off the ground a few inches, so she was eye level. Voldermort stood in front of her and wagged his index finger from side to side and he clicked his tongue.
He put her down and looked at Malfoy. 'Well done Draco.' He complemented. 'Come back up to the house and tell us how you caught this fiery spirit.'
Hermione's eyes were wide and fearful, but she walked on, behind Voldermort, and in front of Malfoy.
Oooo bad Hermione! Hehehehe
I'm sorry if Draco seamed ooc…but I thought VOLDERMORT was a little OoC but I think I covered it ok…with Draco and everything.
If people are wondering why Hermione was moved from her cell into the nice room, it was because Voldermort thought it would be best otherwise she'd die and a dead bait isn't good!
But don't worry, all you cell lovers! Hermione will end up being back in it (though maybe not straight away) because I plan for her to be rescued being dehydrated and weak, having to be carried out! Hehehe
You know, it was so funny, I was writing this chap today, and as I was writing it, people were reviewing! So I had about 6 boxes appear saying I have a message from fanfiction! It was very funny. Well I thought so.
Ok, Aj.