Title: Curiosity
Rating: R language and sexuality…
Spoilers: Books
Key: Hermoine/Draco mmm….
Summary: Hermoine's mother takes a turn for the worst, and Draco seems to only exacerbate it.
A/N: This'll take me time, I'm writing it in AP Gov, (easier than notes, eh?)
**
before
**
There was always someone to beat up, his father taught him, always someone to hurt or torture or mess with. So why wasn't he out there hurting someone?
He found himself by his desk, pulling out a quill and addressing a letter:
"Mud blood," He wrote, angrily, "Good Riddance."
He looked at the paper, with the angry words and the frenzied handwriting. Good, he thought, at least I'm hurting someone.
He sealed it with some wax and tied it to the owl. At least this was done.
**
**
now
**
The owl came while she was scrubbing the wood floor. She was on her hands and knees and her hair was pulled back under a handkerchief. Her fingers were raw from scrubbing, from the splinters that came up from the unfinished floor. It was da's latest project; he'd been writing to her thru owl, telling her all about it.
She continued to scrub.
The owl, a rude thing, came swooping through an open window, screeching and clawing its way down the hall, leaving feathers and droppings as it searched for her. The stupid bird dropped the letter into a pile of dirty dishes and then squawked its way back out.
Hermoine let out a string of curses and then gave up, letting her hands fall to her side. It was useless, the bird was gone anyway. She dug through the dirty dishes and pulled out the letter.
It was Malfoy's bird, she could tell from its silvery feathers and rude disposition. Whatever could he be writing to her for?
The letter explained itself, and it gave her a brief moment of laughter. It started as a quick intake of breath and bloomed into a fit of giggles. She covered her mouth with a gloved, soapy hand, the other one still holding the letter in front of her.
"How-" She managed to tell no one in particular, in between giggles, "- Sweet!"
**
Malfoy realized his mood had not changed since he had fired off the letter. In fact, it had gotten worse
Stupid Mud blood.
**
Hermoine had finished cleaning the floor and after scrubbing the bathroom she went back to read those two words and laugh some more.
It was funny.
Then the phone rang, and she dropped the letter and ran back into the kitchen. The phone rang of its hook by the kitchen sink, and for a brief moment she wondered if it was Harry or Ron, or, god forbid, even Malfoy.
Hogwarts doesn't have a phone, but she picked it up anyway, hoping.
It was the nurse from the hospital.
Mum died five minutes ago.
Would she like to come and see the body?
Would she like to make the arrangements?
Or let them handle it.
Would she...
**
The respirator was off and the IV was put away and Mum looked so much better.
And Hermoine had to turn away and ask the nurse to call her a taxi.
The nurse's arm was around her shoulder and was making small circles on her arm. She pulled the sheet back over the bruised face and pulled Hermoine away. Her feet didn't seem to be working right and she wondered if she was under a spell.
No, she remembered, Mum's dead.
She couldn't cry. She tried, her face had crumpled when she first ran into the room, breathless and anxious, and she collapsed by the bed and no tears came out.
Not even broken sobs or hitching cries.
She just stared at the body that once was her mum and decided that it would be a good time to throw up (and she did.).
The nurse had been kind enough to empty the trashcan afterwards.
Hermoine followed the nurse out and she was led to a cot that she could lay on and pass out. She did and when her eyes opened again, light was streaming through the windows and Hermoine remembered and threw up again.
Wiping her mouth, and pushing her self away from the trashcan she found another letter, sealed with wax and bearing the Malfoy seal.
She didn't open it, simply tucked it in her back pocket and slipped out of the room. Checking the hall, she slipped back into her mum's room, and remembered for the second time that morning that she was dead.
An old man, his forehead dotted with liver spots studied her angrily, and she backed out without apology.
The nurse had found her, and her stupid hands went back around Hermoine's shoulders and led her away. Her stupid fingers (that couldn't save mum) rubbed slow circles around Hermoine's arm, and whispered important nothings in her ear as she led her away. The stupid doctor (that couldn't save da) told her about the arrangements for the funeral, that the insurance covered everything, and that until the funeral (of both mum and da), she would have to stay at a foster home.
Everything had been arranged.
And too tired to argue and too tired to fight she agreed, and followed the policeman out that would take her back home so she could pack.
The trunk went into the back of the police car, and the bobby was nice enough to let her ride up front.
The foster home was nice enough.
She guessed.
**
It was when she was tucked in bed did she read the letter.
"Granger," It began, "I hope you are having a miserable time taking care of your mud blood mother."
"Hope she dies."
"-Malfoy"
She crumpled the letter, the red wax staining her fingers, threw it against the far wall, and tried to fall asleep.
She could not.
**
Malfoy was feeling vaguely uneasy.
Something was wrong, he could feel it in the roots of his hair. He had done something that (quiet possibly) crossed some line he did not know existed.
He had done something and he didn't know what it was and he was feeling bad about it.
It couldn't be about Ron or Harry; when he slammed them into the walls, he didn't feel the least bit bad. It felt good, real good in fact.
So it couldn't be Ron or Harry.
Crabbe and Goyle?
No, he enjoyed messing with them as well.
That left the mud blood Granger, and he wondered how she was doing, and (surprising even himself) if she needed any help.
He punched his pillow a few times and tried to go back to sleep.
Something was wrong.
**
There was something tapping on the window.
When she woke up, her pillow was stained with red, and she briefly wondered if she had a bloody nose.
It wasn't blood, just the red wax from the letter.
Stupid Malfoy.
But that didn't work.
The tapping continued and it was a silvery white owl. Not Malfoy's (thank god).
She opened the window and hoped the foster parents hadn't heard. It was Harry's owl, and she looked a bit perturbed. Her feathers were ruffled and her wide eyes stared at Hermoine accusingly.
The letter clasped between his talons bore the seal of Harry Potter. Inside was both the scrawl of Harry and Ron, alternating every other paragraph. Harry began by telling her that they all missed her, even Moaning Mertyl had asked were she'd run off to. He told her how they all hope that her mum would get better and that they were all really sorry about her father's death.
Right.
She read about the recent Quidditch game (from Ron) and how Gryffindor had whipped Ravenclaw, and how Ron was absolutely brilliant with a bludger (again from Ron). Harry admitted (briefly) to catching the snitch and soon the letter (surprisingly long) delved back into classes and all the gossip she was missing out.
Both Harry and Ron were arranging a trip to visit her in the next few weekends and if she wouldn't mind letting them sleep over (they would gladly help with any chores).
The letter was crumpled as well and thrown in the trash with Malfoy's.
The foster parents came clomping up the stairs. They talked to her briefly, explaining that she would only stay a few days and then she would be carted off to a boarding school for orphans.
Boarding school.
Hogwarts.
She crossed her arms and scowled until they left.
And then she finally cried.
**
Rating: R language and sexuality…
Spoilers: Books
Key: Hermoine/Draco mmm….
Summary: Hermoine's mother takes a turn for the worst, and Draco seems to only exacerbate it.
A/N: This'll take me time, I'm writing it in AP Gov, (easier than notes, eh?)
**
before
**
There was always someone to beat up, his father taught him, always someone to hurt or torture or mess with. So why wasn't he out there hurting someone?
He found himself by his desk, pulling out a quill and addressing a letter:
"Mud blood," He wrote, angrily, "Good Riddance."
He looked at the paper, with the angry words and the frenzied handwriting. Good, he thought, at least I'm hurting someone.
He sealed it with some wax and tied it to the owl. At least this was done.
**
**
now
**
The owl came while she was scrubbing the wood floor. She was on her hands and knees and her hair was pulled back under a handkerchief. Her fingers were raw from scrubbing, from the splinters that came up from the unfinished floor. It was da's latest project; he'd been writing to her thru owl, telling her all about it.
She continued to scrub.
The owl, a rude thing, came swooping through an open window, screeching and clawing its way down the hall, leaving feathers and droppings as it searched for her. The stupid bird dropped the letter into a pile of dirty dishes and then squawked its way back out.
Hermoine let out a string of curses and then gave up, letting her hands fall to her side. It was useless, the bird was gone anyway. She dug through the dirty dishes and pulled out the letter.
It was Malfoy's bird, she could tell from its silvery feathers and rude disposition. Whatever could he be writing to her for?
The letter explained itself, and it gave her a brief moment of laughter. It started as a quick intake of breath and bloomed into a fit of giggles. She covered her mouth with a gloved, soapy hand, the other one still holding the letter in front of her.
"How-" She managed to tell no one in particular, in between giggles, "- Sweet!"
**
Malfoy realized his mood had not changed since he had fired off the letter. In fact, it had gotten worse
Stupid Mud blood.
**
Hermoine had finished cleaning the floor and after scrubbing the bathroom she went back to read those two words and laugh some more.
It was funny.
Then the phone rang, and she dropped the letter and ran back into the kitchen. The phone rang of its hook by the kitchen sink, and for a brief moment she wondered if it was Harry or Ron, or, god forbid, even Malfoy.
Hogwarts doesn't have a phone, but she picked it up anyway, hoping.
It was the nurse from the hospital.
Mum died five minutes ago.
Would she like to come and see the body?
Would she like to make the arrangements?
Or let them handle it.
Would she...
**
The respirator was off and the IV was put away and Mum looked so much better.
And Hermoine had to turn away and ask the nurse to call her a taxi.
The nurse's arm was around her shoulder and was making small circles on her arm. She pulled the sheet back over the bruised face and pulled Hermoine away. Her feet didn't seem to be working right and she wondered if she was under a spell.
No, she remembered, Mum's dead.
She couldn't cry. She tried, her face had crumpled when she first ran into the room, breathless and anxious, and she collapsed by the bed and no tears came out.
Not even broken sobs or hitching cries.
She just stared at the body that once was her mum and decided that it would be a good time to throw up (and she did.).
The nurse had been kind enough to empty the trashcan afterwards.
Hermoine followed the nurse out and she was led to a cot that she could lay on and pass out. She did and when her eyes opened again, light was streaming through the windows and Hermoine remembered and threw up again.
Wiping her mouth, and pushing her self away from the trashcan she found another letter, sealed with wax and bearing the Malfoy seal.
She didn't open it, simply tucked it in her back pocket and slipped out of the room. Checking the hall, she slipped back into her mum's room, and remembered for the second time that morning that she was dead.
An old man, his forehead dotted with liver spots studied her angrily, and she backed out without apology.
The nurse had found her, and her stupid hands went back around Hermoine's shoulders and led her away. Her stupid fingers (that couldn't save mum) rubbed slow circles around Hermoine's arm, and whispered important nothings in her ear as she led her away. The stupid doctor (that couldn't save da) told her about the arrangements for the funeral, that the insurance covered everything, and that until the funeral (of both mum and da), she would have to stay at a foster home.
Everything had been arranged.
And too tired to argue and too tired to fight she agreed, and followed the policeman out that would take her back home so she could pack.
The trunk went into the back of the police car, and the bobby was nice enough to let her ride up front.
The foster home was nice enough.
She guessed.
**
It was when she was tucked in bed did she read the letter.
"Granger," It began, "I hope you are having a miserable time taking care of your mud blood mother."
"Hope she dies."
"-Malfoy"
She crumpled the letter, the red wax staining her fingers, threw it against the far wall, and tried to fall asleep.
She could not.
**
Malfoy was feeling vaguely uneasy.
Something was wrong, he could feel it in the roots of his hair. He had done something that (quiet possibly) crossed some line he did not know existed.
He had done something and he didn't know what it was and he was feeling bad about it.
It couldn't be about Ron or Harry; when he slammed them into the walls, he didn't feel the least bit bad. It felt good, real good in fact.
So it couldn't be Ron or Harry.
Crabbe and Goyle?
No, he enjoyed messing with them as well.
That left the mud blood Granger, and he wondered how she was doing, and (surprising even himself) if she needed any help.
He punched his pillow a few times and tried to go back to sleep.
Something was wrong.
**
There was something tapping on the window.
When she woke up, her pillow was stained with red, and she briefly wondered if she had a bloody nose.
It wasn't blood, just the red wax from the letter.
Stupid Malfoy.
But that didn't work.
The tapping continued and it was a silvery white owl. Not Malfoy's (thank god).
She opened the window and hoped the foster parents hadn't heard. It was Harry's owl, and she looked a bit perturbed. Her feathers were ruffled and her wide eyes stared at Hermoine accusingly.
The letter clasped between his talons bore the seal of Harry Potter. Inside was both the scrawl of Harry and Ron, alternating every other paragraph. Harry began by telling her that they all missed her, even Moaning Mertyl had asked were she'd run off to. He told her how they all hope that her mum would get better and that they were all really sorry about her father's death.
Right.
She read about the recent Quidditch game (from Ron) and how Gryffindor had whipped Ravenclaw, and how Ron was absolutely brilliant with a bludger (again from Ron). Harry admitted (briefly) to catching the snitch and soon the letter (surprisingly long) delved back into classes and all the gossip she was missing out.
Both Harry and Ron were arranging a trip to visit her in the next few weekends and if she wouldn't mind letting them sleep over (they would gladly help with any chores).
The letter was crumpled as well and thrown in the trash with Malfoy's.
The foster parents came clomping up the stairs. They talked to her briefly, explaining that she would only stay a few days and then she would be carted off to a boarding school for orphans.
Boarding school.
Hogwarts.
She crossed her arms and scowled until they left.
And then she finally cried.
**