[The Superior Quality: V i n t a g e]

**BOOK II**

Chapter 11:

"Blood is thicker than water and softer than the heart.

The heart is more foolish than the mind but more honest.

The mind is far too complicated that it outstands anything."

Threatening compromises and the new guest.

**~¤~**




Left in ruins, the hall was no longer recognizable. Dust thickened it's marble floors, as the heavy portions of walls and ceilings rested over them, unattended.

Even if the room looked devastated, it was a bustling area of the entire school.

Students sat on the leftover benches and tables as they were cared for. To their fortune, most were in no critical damage. Scratches, bruises, and cuts were the only things present, and this they thanked for. Madam Pomfrey, along with Mrs. Weasley, zipped round and round in the room to help those who need them. They seemed very stressed, yet they were very determined to help as much as they can. The more stressed was Mrs. Weasley, who had only hoped that his younger son Ron was still alive after his capture.

The teachers huddled talking to themselves in a far corner; they too were fortunate for all they have gotten were minor cuts. One of them had a long white beard, his face plastered with small bandages, and his face doubtful to the words he was listening to.

--"How do you suppose we do this? The girl has already chosen her side, there is nothing else to do but to get rid of her first. You know that I am right about this."

--"Please, Severus, you cannot propose this idea! We must not give up so quickly, there must be another way!"

--"I.. I actually agree with you, Snape, for once you make sense. We know she is the one that could mean the defeat of the world, and the one Voldemort cannot stand against. But she is on her side."

--"You must understand, we have to try to do something else! There must be another way other than getting rid of her."

--"Enough, Minerva! There is no other way. Maybe if Harry Potter was here to help us, I could think of something else to do, but he is not here is he? She knew better, and she took him."

"Stop this," Dumbledore announced, his blue eyes gazing to the Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick, "Minerva is right, we don't have to go through getting rid of her first. There is another way."

Snape's eyes crossed to him, "What other way? Do you think we could go to her and beg her to come back?" he snapped, "Ridiculous, Albus! She'll kill us first."

"And what if I say that you are exactly right, that my plan was to beg her back?" Dumbledore replied, ignoring the man's rudeness outburst, "Hear me out, Severus, and you will see what I mean." Standing up from his seat carefully, Dumbledore moved through the rubbled hall and out its doors; the teacher's following him as he silently asked them through gestures.

Stepping outside, the teachers, all except Dumbledore, stood in awe as the portrait of a large flower field near the door filled itselves with most, if not all, of Hogwarts paintings. One stood out clearly in front of all of them, and she gave a bow and smiled kindly.

"Albus, so you haven't forgotten I was still here?" the woman spoke softly.

"Of course not Beatrix, you were always the beautiful portrayal that stood out." Albus chuckled shortly before stopping himself and giving a large breath, "Beatrix.. there seems to be a problem.."

"Yes, yes, I know." Beatrix nodded, her golden curls bounced slightly on the sides of her face, "She has chosen wrongly. I know what I must do, I am only waiting for your permission and command."

"Albus," Snape whispered to him, "What does this woman mean? Is she the one who will beg for us?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, she will be helping us try to convince her back."

"But.. how do you plan to do this? I didn't think you were serious that the plan was in fact to beg." McGonagall interrupted, her voice in disbelief, "She is a portrait, what can she do?"

"More than what we can, Minerva." Dumbledore watched as Beatrix began to walk farther away in the portrait she was in, until she became a small dot in the far back.

§~*~§

"Wake up."

As gray eyes lifted themselves from sleep, Draco turned his head to the person who had woken him.

Her arms crossed in front of her, and her face forming a displeasing scowl, Hermione stood beside the bed and looked down at him, "Wake up, and go shower and dress. We have breakfast at the hall and we need to start early on our plans."

Draco stared at the girl in silence before speaking, "Good morning to you too." he drawled and sat up.

Hermione scoffed and turned her heels around, "There's nothing 'good' about this morning." she retorted and walked off to the door where she stopped suddenly and turned around, "The bathroom is over there (--she pointed to a door behind a mahogany dresser--) and you have your clothes there also. I hear, your mother is here. She is expecting you over there now. So I suggest you wake up and do as you're told for her sake, if not yours."

"Woke up the on wrong side of the bed, did we?" he snapped back, noticing Hermione's threatening words and tone.

"I woke up in hell, if you didn't notice. And yes, it was a very wrong side indeed. Unless you want to see 'that' side, you better just keep your mouth shut and get your ass out of bed." she gave a huff and slammed the door behind her as she exited.

Mumbling out in annoyance, Draco threw the sheets aside and got out of bed. He walked towards the mahogany dresser and into the door, entering with a heavy sigh.

§~*~§

Upon entering the hall, Hermione was greeted by a tall woman in an elegent black witch dress, and long blond hair. She gave a curtious smile and bowed gracefully, "Narcissa Malfoy, my Lady." she notioned, and stood straight once more.

Hermione gazed at the woman, relating on how beautiful, and especially differently endowed she was from how Lucius and Draco were. Returning her welcoming smile, Hermione gave a short gesture with her head, "Good morning, Mistress Narcissa."

At this, Narcissa looked at her wide eyed, "Mistress? But Ido not work here.. I only came down because my husband (--she gestured a hand to Lucius Malfoy, already seated at the head table with a silent Voldemort--) has asked me to."

Hermione didn't bother looking at where she pointed out, instead she kept her eyes at her interestingly, "Yes, I know." she replied, "But I would like you to be Mistress. I could use another hand around here. One that will obviously help me a great deal."

Narcissa gave a short laugh, catching on that the Lady had just hinted her thoughts of her husbands 'quality to assist'. Calming down shortly afterwards, Narcissa nodded, "I'm greatly honored, my Lady. I think.. I think I will take your offer, but my husband will be forbidding."

"Hmmph, your husband has no say in this." Hermione huffed. Crossing her arms, she began to walk towards the head table, "Dine with us, Mistress? Your son will be down soon. Forgive him, he has only risen seconds ago."

Picking up the front of her dress a little ways up, Narcissa gladly followed beside her, "Ah, and how is my son? I hope he is not being as stubborn as," she whispered the last part, "as my husband?" she gave a small chuckle.

"Hmm... they are so alike, aren't they?" Hermione amused, "Well, actually, Draco has been pretty good. I am a bit, disappointed at him right now." She stopped at the foot of the head table and turned to Narcissa's questioning curiosity.

"Oh.. why is that?"

Opening her mouth to answer, Hermione quickly shut them tight. She thought for a minute about what she was going to say, and it was really not something she wanted to openly discuss. At these thoughts, her mind began to hurl questions at her. Questions involving her reason of hating Draco, the truth behind the reason, and what lies she would say to hide them. Noticing the frustration straining to be released in the back of her mind, Hermione shook her head violently; her dark-brown hair whipping the sides of her face harshly.

".. My Lady?" a worried Narcissa asked from her front, and instantly she stopped.

She looked at the concerned woman searching wildly in her eyes with her own. Hermione forced a smile, "Forgive me, I seemed to be out of it for a while there."

Narcissa bit the bottom of her lip, her eyes still probing at Hermione's, "Is anything wrong? Has Draco done something to hurt you?" she asked in a small voice.

"No." Hermione answered quickly; she inwardly kicked herself for saying a little too quickly, "It's not him. You see, I didn't have much sleep last night as I was preparing for our strategies today. It's nothing, really."

"Oh.." Narcissa muttered, sounding like she was giving up on asking her.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, "Good..."

Turning back to the steps and saying no more, she began to make her to the table; brushing past the two men who already sat there, she didn't bother to look at them. She found her seat, the middle armchair that bore large devil-like horns all around them. She sat down, watched Narcissa sit down two seats away from her right (reserving the one beside Hermione for Draco), then looked to her left where Lucius and Voldemort sat quietly; she gave a winsome grin, "Morning." she greeted haughtily.

Voldemort looked up at her, and to her surprise he smiled kindly to her, "Good morning, my Lady. I hope you have our new plans ready this morning."

"I have." Hermione answered, trying to compose herself from the feeling of sudden victorious glory; knowing that Voldemort has completely stepped off, "Don't you fret."

"Please forgive me about my actions yesterday, my Lady, I was purely being selfish and jealousy controlled me." at this Voldemort stood up and gave a deep bow to her.

Waving a carefree hand to him, as a sign of dismissal, Hermione scoffed, "It was all I expected you to react, Voldemort. I had to admit, it was quite childish, but you are forgiven."

Through his lips, he hid his gritting teeth as he answered, "Yes, my Lady. Thank you." and sat back down.

Meanwhile, Lucius spotted his wife sitting at the head table; he angrily stood up, "Narcissa! What the hell do you think you are doing?! Didn't I tell you that you can't sit here, you are not involved with us! Get down now!"

Frantically, Narcissa readied herself to stand when Hermione glanced a look her way and indicated her to sit back down. Following her order, Narcissa sat back down, eyeing her husband in concerned fright.

"Narcissa!" Lucius shouted, seeing that his own wife did not follow him. He raised his wand up, intentioning to teach his wife a lesson, only to find it fly towards Hermione.

Hermione eyed Lucius dangerously, which made him sit back into his seat with a scowl on his face, "Lucius..." she began, her hand taking hold of his wand that hovered in front of her, "You don't like me, right? You didn't like me from the minute I was born, and I know for certain that you hate me even more for taking place as leader."

Lucius gave a deep, low growl, but kept silent as he listened to her speak.

"I don't like you either." Hermione stated, "And because I don't like you, you are relieved as a second command to leader, and I know how assured you'll be, to be assistant to Voldemort, so you are exactly that. And Voldemort; would you like know your position?"

Now it wasn't just Lucius acidic eyes eyeing her with distaste, there was also Voldemort.

Hermione smirked and held a glass of red wine to her lips and took a short sip before continuing, "It's a harsh degration, as far as from where you came from, but Voldemort, you will be appointed Scout Leader." she could hardly contain her laughter, and let out a small chuckle.

Voldemort had to hold himself down from lunging at her and beating her mercilessly. Instead, he gave a curtsy nod and accepted his position. He looked over to Lucius, motioning to do the same.

"Whatever you say, my Lady." Lucius spat, taking his seat once more. He gave a ludicrous eye to her before turning to his food, "Just who is your second in command then?"

Hermione portented a hand lazily at Narcissa; which staggered back a bit from her seat.

Lucius' eyes widened with shock and fury, but he kept his agressive words to himself.

"My.. My Lady! I cannot be your second in command." Narcissa stammered, noting the look her husband was giving her.

"Why not? Lucius can't do a thing to you as long as I'm around." Hermione said sharply, and surprised the couple, "And if he tries, he will suffer consequences," she turned to face Lucius dangerously, "understand?"

Lucius shoved himself to face the front and began to start on eating; silently agreeing with Hermione.

"And you, Narcissa?" she turned to her, "I would love to have your son by my side as second in command, but he's a little 'wry' at my intentions right now." Hermione's face contorted disappointingly.

Narcissa gave a sigh and placed a smile on her face. She looked over to Hermione with a dignant respect towards her; she was a woman that herself could not be, or rather, had no choice to be. With a brilliant new perspective of the new role in her life, Narcissa nodded, "Of course, my Lady. I shall work hard to fit your needs."

"Thank you, Narcissa." Hermione gave a small smile at the corner of her lips and turned back to her plate, "Now please enjoy your breakfast."

Once she said that, her morning was once again interrupted by a new visitor; a young woman with blond hair corrupted the silence of the room as she came in.

Hermione quickly stood up from her seat, her eyes blazing over to the new visitor with disbelief and hate, "What's she doing here?"

Pansy saw her stand up, and quickly she sped towards the head table, not taking her eyes off of Hermione's. Once she stood below the steps of the platform, Pansy brought out her wand, "You bitch! Draco was promised to me, not to you!" she lifted her wand up and pointed it to her.

Hermione's lips formed a sly smirk, "Who promised you this?" she said with unpassable eyes.

"Lucius Malfoy." Pansy answered gruffly, her eyes turning to the man who owned the name, "I was promised that if I left your little 'blossoming' relationship with Draco during your damn insanity period so that Voldemort could get to you, Draco would be mine in the end." Pansy left her gaze of Lucius and back to Hermione, "So give him to me, you dirty Mudblood bitch."

"Dirty? Hardly." Hermione's smirk disappeared, a frown taking its place, "Mudblood bitch? I might be." with a quck movement of her wrist, she stole Pansy's wand, making her shriek and jump back. Hermione placed the wand in her hands and snapped it in two. She moved her eyes to a cloaked figure nearby, "Tell your daughter, Parkinson, that if she wants to live, she must apologize for her rudeness, and her bloody ugly face." she sniggered a laugh.

Right away, the cloaked figure stepped out of the line where he stood and held onto Pansy's arm, "Come on, Pansy. Don't you do this."

Pansy fought the figure and freed herself from her grasp, "I'll do what I wish, dad!" she angrily stepped up infront of the table Hermione sat behind and leaned foreward to her face with a smart smirk, "Whether or not Draco stays with you, is entirely up to him."

As Hermione was about to retort something back, the entrance of the hall opened up revealing Draco. He was wearing the clothes that were placed in the bathroom for him (a pair of khaki pants and black turtleneck sweatshirt). His eyes darted foreward to the person standing up in front of Hermione. Quickly shuffling his feet to the front, he stepped up to Pansy's side with a curious look.

"Pansy? What are you doing here?" Draco asked her, then turned to his face to Hermione's angry one.

"Draco, you're coming with me." Pansy replied, not bothering to greet him formally, "Tell her that she can't control your life." she sneered to Hermione.

Hermione turned back to her and slit her eyes, "Shut up, you stupid wench. Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that? Don't you know who I am? I am-"

"-the new leader? So what? I'm not fighting you for leadership, dearie. I'm here to collect what's rightfully mine." Pansy backfired, liking the fact that she was infuriating the woman who almost stole Draco's heart.

"Draco will not leave." Hermione stated calmly, "He can't ever. He is mine. He stays beside me at all times. He stays in this 'team' at all times. He'll never leave because I say so." she gave a triumphant smile, knowing that her words were unbeatable. She watched as Pansy's face crinkled up with so much hate, she wanted to laugh at her, sneer at her. Though her little silent celebration was brought to halt as Draco spoke against her words.

"I can leave when I want." he drawled in such a cold tone, that Hermione, remembered he often did when speaking to her in school years ago, "Pansy's right, you can't control my life. I have no reason to stay."

Hermione's eyes dimmed slightly as they darted from Pansy's smirk to Draco's spiteful face.

"Besides," Draco continued on, his eyes overlooking her with what looked like disgust, "You're not even the real Hermione. Why would I want to stay with you?"

At that very moment, Hermione's mind went from top point uncaring, to the midst of a breakdown. He had stated she wasn't the real Hermione, and that he didn't want to stay with her because of that. And somehow, those words he spoke broke the dam that was built between her mind and soul, letting everything get flooded inside her.

Around her, people were clueless as to what was going on inside her. Everyone but Narcissa, who caught it in her eyes.

Narcissa stood up, catching her son's attention, "Draco, my dear, I surely think you don't mean that?"--she saw Hermione's eyes lift to hers with hope--"This is the real Hermione."

Draco shook his head, "No mother, she is not. The real Hermione hangs upon a wall in a portrait, trapped in their because of her." he had said the last word with so much spite that Hermione heard herself gasp.

To the other corner, both Voldemort and Lucius enjoyed the little dramatic arguement in front of them. Both kept silent, parading themselves with their own words in mind.

Opening her mouth to speak, all that came out was a frustrated moan as she stared unbelievably to Draco. He had accused her again. He had said it was her fault that Hermione was separated two ways. Had he not listened to her words? Had he just ignored her explanation last night? She felt herself lose, she felt herself start to drown in the words that never came out. In her eyes, she could feel the tears dangerously edging closer, teasing her that they're coming out and there wasn't any way to stop them.

Draco only eyed her with an indifferent look, knowing that she is nothing to him, "I don't care for you because you're just a defected copy, Hermione." his feelings towards her seem to escape the locks in his mind and out through his lips, "Don't think that you showing that you actually have some sort of emotion other than evil and hate, is going to make me change my mind about what you really are." Draco turned around briefly, "Let's go Pansy."

"Gladly Draco!" Pansy squealed and held onto his arm as they descended down the steps. Giving her a look back, Pansy smirked once more to Hermione. This time, in glory of her prize.

Hermione watched, her face blank and dull. Her mind raced with thoughts, thoughts from her and thoughts from the 'other' on the portrait. She started to breathed raggedly as she watched the two walk slowly away from her and to the door.

He called me a 'defected copy'.
He said I wasn't the real Hermione.
He said it was my fault.
... he said he didn't want to be with me...

Narcissa began to take in Hermione's actions and glanced at her son, "Draco! You come back here now!"

Draco halted and turned around to face his mother, "Not you too, mum? Oh bloody hell! Have you taken her side also?" he asked annoyed. Annoyed that both his parents were tricked into her side.

Fighting to find the words she wanted to say to him, Narcissa stuttered a reply when she was suddenly stopped with a loud piercing scream from the woman beside her.

"Draco!" she screamed, her face red with anger.

The room echoed with her call, sending the cloaked figures immedietly on their knees and on the ground.

"You will not leave me, you hear!!" her eyes bulged with searing pain and clouded hate, "If you dare walk out that door with that ugly mutt, I swear I'll kill Hermione!!"

Draco exhaled quickly, "You wouldn't..." he replied to her, the same cold tone, "If you do, then you'd die also."

"I don't care! As long as she dies, and you live knowing it was all your fault, I'd be a good enough excuse for me to do it!" breathing rapidly, she managed a deathly smile, "Defect or not, I'm not stupid. I know you'd regret it if she died because of you. You'd regret it so much that even you would kill yourself." she began to laugh a disturbing laugh.

Narcissa stared uncertainly to the girl, she could hear the slight depression in her laugh. She was not meaning about her words. She glanced over to her son, begging him not to argue.

Eyes fixed intently at Hermione, Draco scoffed, "Even if you tried to kill her, you can't. Voldemort can't even kill you. You can't die, remember?"

The laughing Hermione, stopped and fixed a grin in her face, "Voldemort can't do it. No one can do it..." with her right hand, she grasped the end of the butter knife beside her plate and brought it up to her front, "But I can." with a quick thrust, she forced the knife through her the hollow between her left shoulder and collarbone. She moved foreward in pain, but only laughed out when she was felt her throat want to give out a groan.

The room gasped at her move, and Draco couldn't believe what he just saw her do. He saw his mother stepped quickly by her side, and place a hand over her arched back. He watched in horror as Hermione twisted the knife in her shoulder, making large amounts of blood poor out suddenly, and she cried out in an agonizing pain which then turned into a frightening laugh. Meanwhile his mother beside her began to frantically make her stop. Though, Hermione wasn't listening.

"You see the blood?" Hermione laughed, her eyes turning to Draco's drained face, "I can do it. I can kill her." she pulled out the butter knife from her shoulder and threw it to him; landing it right in front of his gray boots, "Check her, Draco. See if she isn't bleeding in pain." she said coyly, holding on to her left shoulder as the rushing pain racked her body.

Quickly, Draco turned his heel and dashed out of the room, no longer arguing with Hermione if she was bluffing or not.

"Ah, wait!" Pansy shrieked, as she began after him. She was soon stopped as some unknown force hit her on the back and caused her to fall to her face unconscious.

Hermione pushed away Narcissa, as she felt her began to act motherly, "Please sit, Narcissa. I can handle this!" she commanded her.

Narcissa bowed her head and placed her hands beside her, "Yes, my Lady." she muttered before she sat down. Narcissa watched as Hermione staggered to back on her seat, inhaling sharply as her back collided with the chair.

"Parkinson." Hermione called out to the cloaked figure nearby, "Send your daughter to the dungeons." she ordered placidly, trying not to show anguish she was suffering both physically and emotionally, with her tone. After her orders, and watching the cloaked man carefully walk up to his daughter's body to carry her off, Hermione moved her hand from her shoulders. The wound was open, and it still bled. She gave a smile at it, knowing such an ironic way to death could only come from herself.

"Fetch me a clean cloth and some water, Narcissa." she instructed to the woman who had her eyes to her the whole time.

"But, my Lady, why not let me heal it with my wand?" Narcissa recommended quiply.

Hermione shook her head and gave a quiet scoff, "Magic cannot heal any wound on me, whether big or small, in such little time. Even so, it cannot heal me at all." she stuck a reassuring but understanding smile to her, "It will heal in moments time, as long as the wound gets cleaned. It will do it's own magic, and completely disappear in, let's say, two to three days."

Narcissa, learning the new information, opened her mouth in awe, "You mean, you can't use magic on it, but it will completely heal by itself? Without infections? Without catching diseases? Without any stitches or muggle medicine?" --Hermione answered her with a simple shake of the head-- "But how does it do this?"

"Because," Hermione replied, her voice going soft, "I am no woman, nor living being. I am a dream, an illusion, sent here to fulfill a wish that had once had been wished for." she turned her face to the door, "From Hermione."

§~*~§

Racing down the long corridor, Draco breathed in deep as he rushed inside the room.

As soon as he stepped in, he could hear a faint sob coming from the far back. Draco swallowed a lump that formed in his throat and immedietly made his way to the wall size portrait. Pulling the black veil away from his view, he stepped back at the sight of the woman, crumpled up on the floor, blood trailing from her left shoulder, and streaks of salty tears washing down her cheeks.

"This can't happen.. that's impossible.." Draco whispered to himself, feeling a sudden anger and guilt towards himself. His eyes fixed pityingly at the woman on the floor as she sobbed and held her wounded shoulder in agony.

He slowly moved closer, his hands reaching out to touch the velvety canvas at the spot in where she was in, "Hermione? I'm sorry..."

His heart lunged backwards as the Hermione in the portrait shuffled to her feet and run far from the front of the portrait, sobbing for him to stay away.

"I'm sorry!" Draco groaned out, not wanting the woman to leave him now. He wanted her to understand that he didn't mean it. He knew it was his fault, and he knew he shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have threatened to leave, or have said all those words in spite to the other Hermione; after all, she did say last night that they were connected somehow. That meant, whatever she happens to her, can happen to the real Hermione.

"I'm sorry, dammit Hermione!"

"Draco... you're scaring her."

Draco's eyes widened in shock at the other woman who was in the corner left side of the portrait, "What... what are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper.

In the portrait, Beatrix leaned to the side of the wall and gave meek smile, "Hullo again, sir knight. I see you need some help on rescuing the damsel?"

§~*~§



Author's note:
Whatcha think? I think it's a little short and weird o.O... oh well. Anyways, I made Narcissa play a sort of 'friendly/motherly' role in here because there's going to be major drama later on. Plus, I think Narcissa is purely innocent in the Harry Potter books. She hasn't done anything to make me hate her (well, except that she married a bastard) but the point is, I think giving her a role in this would be a very good idea. And I believe she does have a kind hearted personality.

Thanks to will be on the next chapter.

What else? Oooh.. spoilers for the next chapter ^^!
-Beatrix will tell her story.
-A gruesome plan is unfolded.
-Something.. BIG will happen.
-Beatrix will give some advices, and explain some things.
-Draco realizes something.
-Hermione (in the portrait) will talk.
-Hermione (not from portrait) will be affected with a new emotion.
-And, Hermione (not from the portrait) will do something totally out of her intuitions.
-Mushy/Fluffy scene!
-..Love will come back to my story..
-Lucius and Voldemort discuss their own plans.
-Harry and Ron show up :D.

O.o it's kind of a big teaser.. Expect it to be extremely long. Stay tuned! Luv you all, and thanks for the reviews!