Chapter 6
I try my best to keep from crying as I walk down the dormitory hallway. I must be strong! I can't lose my nerve now. I remind myself.A firm hand grabs me and pulls me into a nook. I startle at the swift motion. I look up at my captor, and it's Harry. I am relieved. I wrap my arms around him.
"You must know by now," He says to me. I look into his eyes. There is a cut on his left eyebrow.
"What happened?" I ask him, reaching a hand to the gash.
"I got into a fight with Draco Malfoy," He says to me, "After the Picking Ceremony."
"What happened at the Ceremony?" I ask Harry.
"Draco was the first one to pick. He's the son of the President, it makes sense he would be…but when he announced your name, Hermione, I—I—I was in complete shock," Harry admits to me, "By the time it got to me, I did what I thought you'd want me to do. I picked Padma. To protect her."
"That was the right thing to do," I say to him, "Why did Draco select me? Was there only a certain amount of options?"
"All of your pictures were displayed on the screen. And Primary and Core girls who graduated years ago—"
"What?! It wasn't just the Academy upperclassmen?"
"No. There were hundreds of girls to select from," Harry tells me, "Many I recognized from years ago. Like Angelina. And Fleur."
Fleur was a beauty. She was easily the most beautiful girl to grace the halls of the Academy; Bright blonde hair and perfect bone structure. Three years ago she rejected the advances of Blaise Zambini, and that same year failed the annual exam and was placed in Core status. I always suspected the two incidents were related- that somehow Blaise was able to fail her.
"Let me guess, Blaise Zambini paired with Fleur?" I ask Harry.
"Close. Her younger sister, Gabrielle," he says to me.
Of course. Torturing Fleur's sister would be even greater punishment to Fleur than torturing her directly. Blaise was evil.
But why did Draco choose me? With true beauties like Fleur to select from, why me? Was getting back at me really that important to him?
"I think Draco has something sinister planned," Harry says to me, practically reading my mind, "Maybe he wants to hurt you."
"That's what I thought, too. Harry, we don't have any rights in this status. We can't—" I start, but Harry interrupts me.
"I know, Hermione. I think I know more than even you do. The past day I've spent hours in trainings about our new structure. There are things they aren't telling you. And I can only imagine the plans they are keeping from us. Almost all the Elite women and girls are dead. Meridian is already underpopulated from the recent attacks, but will be severely underpopulated in the next ten years as a result. No Elite women means no Elite babies. No Elite babies means-"
"No Elite." I finish the sentiment.
I nod my head, "Makes sense. Thousands of women died, but this all happened so quickly. It feels rushed. Not thought out."
"You wouldn't feel that way if you were in the meetings I've been in. They have planned everything meticulously. They want us to procreate as quickly as possible. The Collective is essentially ordering us to conceive the next crop of Meridian babies," He explains.
"This is madness!" I say to him.
"Hermione, they showed us the hundred girls that would be available in next year's ceremony…the seventeen-year old."
"Luna?" I ask, my anger rising.
"She was part of the preview," He says with a disgusted tone, "I know for a fact some of the Elite men have no intention of conceiving with their current partners. And they have every intention of holding out for next years' partners."
I feel sick. My stomach turns. Luna is beautiful. She has bright blue eyes and a soft skin. She will be a target for Elite scum to prey on.
"This is barbaric!" I say to him.
"It's temporary. We'll come up with some sort of plan!" He says, his eyes beaming.
"There is no beating Meridian!" I say to him defeatedly, "Look what happened yesterday! And that was from refusing to wear the pink dresses!"
"We'll think of something. I have to go. I shouldn't be here. I'm not allowed to speak about any of this," Harry tells me, "I need to get Padma and leave. I don't know when I'll see you next but take this."
Harry presses something firmly into my hand. I open my palm and see it's a small pocket-knife.
"Protect yourself!" He urges me, "But don't press Draco. Just stay under his radar. Don't make him angry. Don't insult him."
"I hate him!" I say with gritted teeth.
"I do too. But Draco isn't as cruel as someone like Blaise Zambini. Or Crabb. Or Goyle—"
"Yes he is!" I fire back at Harry, "Remember mid-levels? What he did to Myrtle?"
Harry's face becomes saddened. He doesn't want to remember.
"If you have to kill Draco, if he attacks you, if it comes to that, do it! Kill him," Harry's voice is serious, "Then come find me. I'm living in the set of green stacked houses near the Military Laboratory. Look for it on your ride through the City. It's the building with large dark columns out front. My street is called Mulberry Lane. Remember that."
"Mulberry Lane, green stacked houses, large dark columns, Military Lab," I repeat.
"Number 301," Harry says, "Hermione, if you have to kill Draco, make sure you take a quick, clean shot. Don't lose your nerve. He's strong and quick."
Harry gestures to the cut on his eyebrow, "I learned firsthand."
He checks the hallway and sees it's clear. He leans down and kisses me gently. Is this our last kiss? I wonder. And before I know it, he's gone.
I walk into my room and jump at a figure standing in the center. Draco?! Already? The figure turns and it's G. She stands over my trunk. It is open and she is going through the contents.
"G—?" I say, but I am quickly interrupted.
"I can't seem to find it." G says to someone in the corner. I look. An older Elite man with red hair stands in the corner. This must be G's father.
"G, what are you looking for?" I ask G, confused.
"An expensive necklace I left behind," She says coldly as she closes my trunk firmly, "I must have lost it. Or one of the Cores that helped me move out stole it." G says with a judgmental and cruel tone to her father.
"Let's go, Ginny." Her father says decidedly.
"Goodbye," G says to me shortly as she and her father quickly walk out the door. I stand alone, shocked. G barely even looked at me! Her voice and tone were unrecognizable to me. It's like she's a completely different person.
I take a seat on my bed. My pink dress doesn't have pockets so I tuck the knife between my bra and my body. I wiggle around a bit to ensure it is firmly in place. It doesn't move. I am unsure about many things, but one thing I know with absolute certainty, if Draco Malfoy tries to touch me- I'll kill him. I know exactly which organ to quickly puncture for a quick, quiet death.
I wait in my room for Draco to collect me. Hours go by. I don't want to wait in the Common Room with the other girls. I want to be alone. I need to be alone.
Finally, the door swings open. Draco walks in. I get up from the bed. We stand for a moment just staring at one another. Draco looks me up and down with a look of disgust. I don't say anything.
"You aren't very pretty, are you?" He asks me. I say nothing. Normally I'd fire back at hime, but I'm afraid. I am no longer a student under the protection of the Academy. He could strike me and there would be no consequences.
After a moment of silence he adds, "Are you ready to leave?"
"Yes, I am ready. But I'd like to see my sister-"
"We can't." Draco replies to me. He snaps his finger and a Core Worker walks into the room. Draco gestures to my trunk. The Core worker picks it up and carries it out.
"But I don't know when I'll see her again!" I say to Draco.
Draco ignores me. I know I can't go see Luna without Draco. I didn't have free range of the Academy as a Primary, let alone as a Petal.
Draco hangs in the doorway. I can see the back of his upper right shoulder. There is small amount of blood seeping through his light-green shirt. Probably from his fight with Harry. I think to myself and smile.
"Come on, Red." Draco presses me.
"Please! I need to see my sister!" I say in a tone that is too forceful and demanding. I catch myself too late. The words have already left my mouth.
He takes a step toward me, his eyes angry. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, "I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here if that's what it takes. But either way, we are leaving now."
I know there is nothing I can do. I nod my head. He turns and exits and I follow him. I take one last look at the empty dormitory room. It's bare. It looks as I feel- empty. Lifeless.
I follow Draco and the Core carrying my trunk. He leads me deeper through the Academy. Eventually I find myself farther out of the Academy grounds I have been. Draco walks by my side. I do my best to keep a large enough gap between us. The Core loads my trunk into the back of an SUV.
I haven't ridden in a vehicle since I was brought into Meridian and started at the Academy. The Core servant opens the door for me. I stare in, admiring the beige leather seats.
"Get in, Red." Draco says coldly.
"My name is Hermione," I say to him as I step in. I hear Draco scoff. I am surprised when he gets in next to me.
"Aren't you going to sit up there?" I ask him.
"With the driver?" he says in a condescending tone. I scoot from the middle seat over to the window to put as much space between us.
"You really should get used to being around me, Red," He says with a devious smile.
I say nothing, but I'm quite certain I'll never get used to being around him.
The Core servant gets into the driver's seat and starts the SUV. My eyes are fixated out the window. I'm trying to take in as much of the city as I can.
We pull up to the Academy's large gates. Military Guards, mostly Cores, stand at the entrance. The driver flashes his badge, and they look into the back seat. They eye Draco and me. In a moment, the gate is swinging open and we are driving through. I've dreamt of this moment for over a decade. I'm leaving the Academy. I just didn't realize it would be under such insidious circumstances.
The first few minutes of driving is just open land: grassy hills and dirt. It spans as far as my eyes can see. It's beautiful. I haven't seen this much open land in years. Then we reach the first part of town. I'm in full alert looking for the Military laboratory, so I know the area where Harry lives.
This part of town is small shops and houses. I don't see any large buildings. My eyes dart to the other side.
The driver sees my eagerness and smiles. "Miss, if you'd like me to explain what everything is I can," he then looks at Draco, "If that's aright with you, Master Malfoy."
Draco looks to me for a second, "Go ahead," he says in an unattached way.
"Where are we?" I ask the driver.
"This is the outskirts of Meridian city. Small houses and shops. Cores live out here,"
"Cores!?" I say confused, "I thought Cores live in their own city?"
"You're thinking of Midtown. Yes, many Cores live there as well. But some Cores, Cores that have proved themselves, get the opportunity to live inside Meridian City. Me for example," the driver says with pride, "My house is not far from here."
"Do any Primaries live in Meridian City?" I ask.
The Core driver chuckles, hearing my questions. Draco has a large smile.
"What?" I ask him.
"Primaries live in the Primary District." Draco answers me.
"Why do some Cores live in Meridian City and Primaries can't? I don't understand,"
"You don't need to trouble yourself with questions like this. It doesn't affect us," Draco says.
Us? I think to myself. Did Draco Malfoy just group us together? Did he just insinuate we had the same circumstances? That we were the same?
"You," Draco catches his mistake and corrects himself with a cold tone, "It doesn't affect you. For now, anyway. Maybe in a year once I'm done with you,"
I feel a lump in my throat.
I look outside the window. Within five minutes, the buildings are larger. I gasp. I've never seen such beautiful architecture. I feel Draco's eyes on me.
"What's that building?" I point at a large dark building with pillars thinking it's the Military Laboratory.
"That's the Collective Congress Building," the driver says, "We are now getting deeper into Meridian City. The metropolitan area."
"What about those buildings?" I point at a tall building.
Both the driver and Draco lean their heads over to get a better look, "Just residential buildings. Apartments, I think. Nothing of note." The driver answers.
"People live there?!" I say with my mouth hanging open, "It's so pretty!"
Draco scoffs, "If you think that's nice, wait until you see my house."
As we get deeper into the city the buildings are tall and grand. I see it: A large building with dark pillars in front.
"What building is that?" I ask the driver, coyly. But before the driver can answer, Draco weighs in.
"That's where I will work on occasion," Draco explains, "That's the Military Laboratory."
"Why do you work there? You aren't a scientist," I ask him, trying to avoid any condescension in my tone.
He replies with a simple, "I work all over Meridian."
We pass a beautiful, shiny building. A work of art more than a building, "What is that?!"
"Do I look like a fucking tour guide?!" Draco barks.
"I was asking the driver—" I begin.
"The tour is over. Your voice annoys me," Draco says forcefully.
I sit back in my seat. Through the rear-view mirror I lock eyes with the Core driver. His expression delivers a message- be careful.
We pull into a separate, smaller street. Large houses on either side. Each of them with beautiful stones and colored doors. We finally reach the end of the street and pull up to a gorgeous stone home. A fountain sits in front, and a garden with roses and tulips. The front door is an inviting bright green. Draco steps out of the SUV. My mouth hangs agape at how beautiful it is.
The Core driver opens my door. I step out.
"I'll bring your things in, Miss," He says to me. Draco is already walking to the door. He turns around to me.
"Hurry up. I have things to do," he barks.
I step inside. It's even more grand than the outside. There is a beautiful piano in the foyer. The furnishings are expensive. I take it all in.
"Come on, Red!" Draco barks deeper into the house. A Core servant, a middle-aged female, passes me with my trunk. Her presence startles meat first.
"Just set it down and go," Draco says to her. The Core does as instructed and is gone. Then it settles in. I'm living with Draco Malfoy. I'm afraid to move.
"Red!?" He calls to me from deeper into the house.
"Do you live alone?" I ask him. I try and sound confident. Not hinting at my concern. He appears in front of me, "Or do the workers live here as well?"
"Are you afraid to be alone with me?" He asks with a devilish grin.
"I know you didn't pick me because you enjoy my company or find me particularly nice to look at," I say to him.
He laughs at me, "You think I picked you?" His face turns to disgust, "If it were up to me, you would have been my last choice. I wanted to pick Fleur. But Crabb got her."
"I thought you picked first," the words slipped from my mouth before I could think. Stupid! I think to myself. Think before you speak! Normally I am very clever and calculated, but in the past few nights I've hardly slept a few hours total.
"Who told you that?" Draco said seriously.
"I just assumed because you're the President's son," I say coyly.
"Juts because I had the first pick, doesn't mean it was my decision. Don't flatter yourself."
"So, you don't want to torture me?" I ask him.
"I didn't say that," He says, amused. And I swallow, "But if anything, you living here will torture me. Your voice. Your appearance. And don't get me started on your smell." He says, disgusted. "Now come with me."
He walks down the hall. I follow.
We come to two doors at the end of the hall. He points to a dark door, "This is my room. You are not allowed inside. Everywhere else in the house and on the property you're allowed. But not here. Understand?"
His tone is so serious. I nod.
"Good," he says and gestures to a door across the hall, "That's your room."
And with that, he disappears behind the dark framed door that is off limits to me. I look to the door he pointed out as mine. I open it. It's a spacious room with a connected bathroom. The bed is a grand oak frame with large pillar on all four corners. The linens match the drapes: all gold and maroon. There is a matching oak desk and chair.
I have so many questions. If Draco didn't want to pick me, then why am I here? Who made him choose me?
I explore the rest of the spacious house, ever so careful to listen for Draco's door to open so I can rush back into my own room. The house has a large, gorgeous kitchen. The living room finely furnished. And a small library filled with books; many are rare books that were published before the war. I grab a few. I drag my trunk into my room with my new books and slam my bedroom door. I will hide in here forever, and never have to deal with him again. I decide. I go to lock my door; there is no lock. There is an indentation of having previously been one, but it has been removed.
I push my heavy trunk up against the door to block it from opening.
I spend the rest of the day consumed in reading. I read myself to sleep and wake up in the middle of the night. I look to the door: my filled trunk still pushed up against it keeping me safe. I feel for the knife lodged against my sternum. It's safely in place. I fall back to sleep.
I'm awoken to my stomach grumbling. I haven't eaten since yesterday. I dislodge my trunk from the door and quickly sneak out. I tiptoe lightly, so Draco can't hear me in the kitchen. I open the refrigerator door and fill my hands with as much food as I can. This should last me a few days. I think to myself. I close the door and startle, dropping most of the food to the floor. Draco is sitting directly in front of me at the table. He raises his eyebrows at me.
I quickly pick up the food and scurry back to my room, slamming the door shut and scooting the trunk back as a barricade. I spend the next two days in my room. Each night I think Draco will come for me. But he doesn't. I haven't even heard him in the house.
On the third day, I finally bring myself to unpack my trunk. I was keeping it full for the weight. But there are enough things in the room to refill it with once I have emptied it. I open it. On the top is the letter accusing me of cheating. I pick it up to put it on the desk, but another paper falls from it. Something else is here. I pick up the fallen paper, and it is a much larger paper folded many times. I don't recognize it. I unfold it.
I look down at the large parchment. It's a hand drawn map of Meridian City. It has many of the street names, and the buildings are labeled. It even has where the security checkpoints are located into Midtown and the Primary District. The detail is fantastic. Who did this? And then my mind jumps back to my dormitory room. G! She was there with her father. She was looking through my trunk for a necklace! Of course- G wouldn't care about a necklace. She hates jewlry. I look at that beautiful detail of the map. She slipped it into my trunk that night. She's the only one with this much knowledge of the city. My heart fills with hope. G is still my friend! She is still looking out for me!
I fold the map back up and hide it inside a book. The cheating accusation letter I display on the wall. It's my reminder that even though times seem bleak, at least I'm alive.
The doorknob jiggles. I startle. It jiggles again. It pushes open, my trunk getting pushed in the process. Draco walks in. He scowls at the obstruction. He turns his eyes up at me.
"I'm having people over." He says, "You're expected to act accordingly."
"You should knock!" I say to him, "You should knock before entering."
"It's my house," He says matter-of-factly.
I open my mouth to protest, but I stop myself. I need to choose my battles. I've been here for three days, and he hasn't attacked me, or harmed me, or even spoken to me. If walking into my room unannounced is the worst thing Draco Malfoy does to me over the next year, I can live with that.
He hangs in the doorway a moment and with a fierce tone he warns me, "Don't talk about your life here with anyone. Don't talk about me. Don't say what we do."
"We don't do anything—" I start but immediately cut myself off, "Understood."
He walks out. I understand what he's telling me. Don't say what we don't do.