Hermoine lay silently in her bed letting her silent tears run tracks down her face. She could still hear them arguing downstairs, her mum and dad. Every holiday it was the same, she would exit the platform, where she would be met with excited hugs and affection, all for show of course, and then she would proceed to her parents home, not far from their London dental practice.
For a day or so it was always smooth sailing, but then something would remind them that she was not a normal girl. It had been this way for six years now. And currently at the age of 17, nearing 18 she knew she wouldn't be able to bear up much longer.
Certainly she didn't have it as bad as Harry, she was never locked in a cupboard for the summer, but she still allowed herself a small pity. She was trapped in her parents muggle world. Currently they were downstairs fighting over how to 'deal with her foolish wand waving fantasies' and such. Hermoine grimaced as she turned over and put her arm into the fresh bruise on her side and laid on the matching mark on her arm.
She reflected on the earlier day and how things had reached the bursting point they now approached.
She had come back from shopping with her mum, who insisted on getting Hermoine's hair straightened, trying to give her a more 'adult' look. What her ma'm really meant what that she wanted to see her daughter dating as she had at Hermoine's age. So with now flat and straight hair they made their way to an outdoor café for a bite of lunch before heading home to greet her father in his return from a conference in Glasgow. At the lunch she had been talking to her mother about Ron and Harry, leaving out any notion of magic as part of their lives at Hogwarts, Hermoine quickly learned to avoid the M word and all it's moorings in her family's mind.
It wasn't her fault that the owl had chosen that point in time to drop by with a letter from some wizard or another. Her mum, of course, jumped and sent Hermoine a cross look that let her know she would get it later for her interruption of their illusion of normalcy.
Hermoine discreetly fed the owl a scrap of food from her plate and watched the snowy avian take flight, leaving the letter in a burgundy casing behind. Her mother calmly finished her meal, while Hermoine took the opportunity to tuck the letter away in her purse. When the check was paid her mother gave her a curt nod and they both stood, the mother angrily and the daughter stoicly. There was nothing she could do, and no pain her mother could inflict on her could equal that of the Crutacious curse or its forbidden counterparts.
Once home Hermoine quickly ran to her room to deposit her purse with the curious letter, and then just as quickly returned to the sitting area of the house. Her mum was in the parlor making a call to her father, making it known that his daughter has caused an embarrassing scene in the restaurant and so on.
Her father was home shortly thereafter and she was dragged by her mother to the den, where her father loomed, seated in his 'dad chair', lending him the supposed authority of Voldemort. She sat quietly as he father watched her, then suddenly, as was bound to happen, he stood bolt upright and started yelling, a display that would make Professor Snape proud Hermione was certain. Naturally while he yelled he would occasionally shake Hermoine or throw something at her. Her mother would pipe in now and then to express what a disappointing freak she had turned out to be, and things would continue as such for the rest of the evening, ending with a battered daughter and two disgruntled parents, who would continue to yell even after they ordered her to bed.
And so she lay.
Suddenly, however, she remembered the letter that had started this bout of family relations, and she quickly scrambled out of bed to find the letter. Reaching in her bag she withdrew the red tube. Looking for the magical seal she nearly dropped it when she witnessed the markings of the closure. A gothic capital V entwined with a snake resting within a skull. And suddenly dread filled her as she recognized it as Voldemort's personal seal. Whatever was within You Know Who had sent it personally.
She stared at the tube for some time before she decided, against better caution, to open the tube and read the letter. She was already battered, she had already done worse, what could she hurt by opening a letter?
So she slid forward and popped the seal on the canister. As it opened she felt a flush of strong magic, reading her and seemingly measuring her. Grabbing the parchment within she began to read:
Miss Hermoine Granger,
It has come to my attention that things have changed. You have tried my tests and passed quite measurably. This invitation grants you access to the home of Lucious Malfoy on the date of August 28th.
V.
Hermoine sat staring at the letter, the words swirling as if made of fire. And was sorely tempted. The date was not far off, but by a few days, and she was curious. What had she done to gain He Who Must Not Be Named notice her, then suddenly terror struck her as she realized what he had to have noticed. And she knew that she had no choice. So it was that she began packing her things and preparing. She had no doubt as to what occurred at the Malfoy residence a few days from now, odds were it was a Death Eater Revel. She had heard whisperings of them from some of the Slytherins in Potions. She would leave tomorrow. She would need robes that lacked the Gryffindor and Hogwarts seals, and she would need a few other supplies as well, as she doubted she would have much time to shop for school supplies later.
The next day she finished her packing and waited for her parents to come home. She ended up waiting in the Foyer, ready to leave as soon as she informed her of her need to leave. She sat in on of the chairs as her father entered, her mum close behind. They looked at the girl sitting in the Foyer with her trunk and cat and both narrowed their eyes.
"So my girl." Her father began quietly, barely resembling the man who just last night had bruised both her mind and her body, "it's time for you to head back to school again 'Moine?" The chill under his voice warned her to tread carefully.
"Yes sir, I got a letter yesterday informing me that I needed to return to Hogwarts a bit early, probably due to my duties as Head Girl this fall." She said quickly and quietly.
"Well then," Her mother said brusquely, "I suppose you'll need a taxi and money." As she said this her father walked to the phone and made the call while her mother pulled out a sum of money and handed it to her.
"I don't expect to see you here anytime soon then Hermoine. You have been utterly ungreatful to us, you walk around like some great fool, daydreaming about your magic world, and dangerous 'war'. We will, of course be at graduation, but until then leave us be, ok girl?" The commentary ended with her mother's nails digging painfully into Hermoine's wrist.
"Yes Ma'am I will see you and Father at Graduation in a then." With that she nodded and walked out the door of the house , pulling her trunk and cat behind her.
Climbing into the taxi a few moments later, Hermoine enjoyed the ride to London, where she would enter Diagon Alley to pick up the few things she needed, and pray no one she knew would be there.
Slipping into the Leaky Cauldron, hermoine looked around for any familiar faces, seeing none she let out a sigh of relief, reserved a room, and proceeded to walk through to Diagon Alley. She made quick her exchange of money, and her school purchases. After her shopping was completed she walked back to the Leaky Cauldron and retired for the evening.
All and all the day had been entirely uneventful, she had bought her books, and a few extras, purchased her stores for Advanced Potions, also purchasing a few extras, and finished with purchasing her new school robes, finding nothing appropriate for a Dark Revel at madame Malkins shop.
Hermoine fell asleep to the dreadful thought of going to that darker corner of Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley.
The next morning Hermoine woke up early in hopes of missing anyone that might know her from Hogwarts. Going to Knockturn Alley was dangerous enough without having twenty people or better ask her what she was doing there.
Making her way to the darker district of Diagon Alley Hermoine wondered how all this would pan out. At some point she would be asked to hand over Harry, of that she was sure, but how would she do that? Harry was her best friend, and she was a Gryffindor! She was loyal! And that's what made her the perfect target for Voldemort.
Hermoine shuddered as she crossed the threshold of, what was commonly referred to as, the dark wizard's quarter. Perusing the stores Hermoine spotted a robe shop, and quickly ducked inside.
Looking around the shop Hermoine was greatly impressed. The robes in the shop were more beautiful than anything Malkin could dream of producing, which made it all the more perfect for her needs.
"Can I help you my dear?" A quiet voice whispered from Hermoine's left side.
The girl jumped as she turned and saw a woman exiting a fitting room. "Yes, um I need dress robes for a certain gathering I will be attending in a few days."
The woman narrowed her eyes at Hermoine, thinking of the gathering the girl must be speaking about. "You be careful before you jump into something like this ok young lady? He is nothing to get involved with a trifling thought." Nodding and heading to the back the woman once again disappeared.
Hermoine stood nervously in the shop, glancing to her sides and watching the window as people passed by, more than one of them looking quite shady. Some few moments later the woman returned with a stunning Green robe with graceful silver accents knotting about the hems of the sleeves and neckline in an almost Celtic fashion.
"They'll never know you in a gown like this would they?" The woman said slyly.
Hermoine's eyes widened at the implied knowledge in the statement, "C-could I try it on?"
"Of course." The woman smiled as she gestured Hermoine to the changing room off to her right. Sliding into the room Hermoine changed from her basic black robe to the green and silver beauty. The woman was right though, who would recognize the devout Gryffindor in Slytherin colours? And this gown seemed to change her entirely, and it was then that Hermoine realized that the robe was doing what it was supposed to. No one would recognize her, at least not easily. Her hair appeared to had red highlights and to be less bushy, and more voluminous, her eyes looked alluring and hooded, and her waist looked thinner. Granted, the dress physically changed nothing, as the woman explained upon Hermoine's exit wearing the gown.
Nodding and listening as the woman explained she happily paid out the 2 galleons and 15 sickles the woman charged her. Sliding out of the shop, package in hand Hermoine headed back to the Leaky Cauldron and her room.
Sighing as she reached the end of Knockturn Alley she jumped when she heard someone address her.
"Well if it isn't Hermoine Granger, and on Knockturn Alley no less, I am amazed." A silky voice intoned in her ear.