Draco paced back and forth between the bed Hermione was shivering on, and
the tight doorway. He closed the door behind him and glanced at her. She
was still so very angry but she was so confused. She decided to postpone
her anger after she was done with her questions.
"How…how did I get here?" She shuddered against the thought. Then her eyes literally slammed into his.
Draco took a deep breath. He didn't know why but he had the strangest feeling in his stomach whenever her eyes challenged his. He also didn't know why he felt she deserved an explanation.
Maybe because she saved your life, an inner voice whispered.
He found it hard to swallow his pride. Here she was his past enemy from school and she saved him. He now felt guilty for what he had done to her in school. He remembered in one particular year he tortured her. Always cussing at her and calling her things he didn't even know his mouth was capable of.
His solemn expression remained pasted on his face. He was surprised how this woman could make his insides turn and his head spin. He took a deep breath. He lowered his voice as if the walls had ears.
"You fainted. A commandeer from the Darkside found you and he took you back." He lied. It wasn't a whole lie but it wasn't the truth either. The truth was a woman from the Lightside, saved him and he took her back in return. Although, she would probably be scared shit when she learned where she was. Then he would tell her that she was considered captured and she'd probably never see her friends or family again.
"Why did he take me back when I'm fighting against his own side?"
Draco ignored her and straightened his shoulders. He continued to pace, in a very military-like manner. His eyes narrowed and he growled, "I do not have to answer that. Now, go into the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up. Your training starts tonight."
Before she could even scowl, scream, or cry he turned from her and exited the room. Hermione didn't know what she was feeling at that moment. She jumped in the shower, blew out her hair, and looked through the closet for some robes. She found hers washed (with some rips) but she didn't think that putting them on would be such a good idea. She put on some navy blue and green ones and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't like the woman who was staring back at her. Her skin regained some of her color back but she still looked sick. The dark rings around her eyes made her almond colored eyes look deadly, and her they didn't contain the sparkle that they used to.
She felt alone, scared, and confused. Her early meeting with Draco was what made her feel scared and confused. Everybody probably thinks she's dead and she hadn't talked to her children in weeks. She had no idea where she was so she couldn't run and even if she did, she didn't have the strength to go on. Her mind was impelling her forward but he body was just about to give up.
She also didn't know what Draco meant about her "training". She wanted to curl up in a ball and die. She missed her old life. She missed Oliver and her kids. All she wanted was her life before the war. It was so much worse in reality but in her dreams it haunted her; the very idea that it would never end.
So now she was captured, on her very first battle. Were Harry and Ron looking for her right now? Did someone see her leave with someone from the Darkside? She didn't have time to think when a knock on the door startled her from her disturbing thoughts.
Hermione didn't even have a chance to invite them in when a young girl who looked about seventeen poked her head in. She wore the same robes Hermione did but she looked so tired and worn.
"Miss. Hermione? Hi, I'm Jade Walker. I just came in to tell you dinner will be room serviced here in a little while."
Hermione invited the girl in and she sat down. She thought this girl would be nice enough to answer some of her questions.
"Jade is it? Well Jade, do you think you could tell me where I am?"
"Dormitdle Manor, the official Darkside manor." Hermione recognized the name at once. This was the manor she was asked to go to from the mysterious person on the phone.
"Am-am I the only person from the…the uh…" She hesitated if she should ask her. The girl might turn on her.
"The Lightside?" Jade finished. "Heavens no. I was captured, too. Not on the fields though." Jade sniffled and tried to control the tears welling up in her eyes. Hermione felt pity for this girl. She was probably stolen from her life too. Still she wanted to know more about where she was and who was here.
Jade explained that this was the largest Darkside building and that there were over 1,000 people in the manor. She mapped out the entire building for her and she told her also about the nursery and that that was where she was stationed.
"I had to send my kids away to a Safety Manor." Hermione explained to Jade. Jade also told her that Lord Voldemort was going to be arriving here any day. They both shivered in unison at the thought of him.
Dinner arrived at her door and they both ate while talking about nonsense and for just those moments Hermione felt she had a friend and she wasn't so lonely. She still hadn't been outside the room but she didn't want to face all the stares. She was the new girl, without the Dark Mark, captured by their commanders. She would rather be back in the battlefield than to be in that Manor. Everything felt so…not right.
"My 'training' starts in an hour. I don't really want to go. I don't see why I have to go. What room are you in, Jade?"
"I'm right down the hall actually, to your left. But most of the time you can find me in the nursery. I usually sleep in there with the kids. I have to get back to work. It was nice meeting you. Please come visit me. I'm glad I have a friend here." Jade smiled and left the tiny room.
At 8:30, Hermione quietly slipped from her room. She kept her eyes straight ahead and struggled to remember the directions Jade told her about. She ignored all of the comments and was surprised to see that most people were in their rooms. It wasn't that late but she was happy. She headed toward the bottom floor, where most of the training goes on. She walked into the gymnasium and froze when she saw Draco speaking with another man. About 50 people were in 5 straight lines, standing silently.
She trotted over to an older woman who seemed to be taking down names. "State your name and your station." The woman said coldly.
"Uh…my name is Hermione Wood. I'm a um…Nurse." The woman growled and stamped her hand. "Over there by the red tape."
She walked over to her line and stood there awkwardly and waited for someone to tell her exactly what she had to do. Someone directed her into the line and she stood there for a good ten minutes. A young woman suddenly yelled.
"Ten laps around the red line. Then your trainer will direct you outside to your obstacle course for one hour. Then you will go to your specialize skills station and complete your daily training. Start now."
After about three hours of training, Hermione was exhausted and was ready to drop. She had had about every kind of training possible. She trudged through the crowd and upstairs to her room.
She turned on the light and saw Jade sitting on the bed, her face tear- stained.
__________________________________________
"How…how did I get here?" She shuddered against the thought. Then her eyes literally slammed into his.
Draco took a deep breath. He didn't know why but he had the strangest feeling in his stomach whenever her eyes challenged his. He also didn't know why he felt she deserved an explanation.
Maybe because she saved your life, an inner voice whispered.
He found it hard to swallow his pride. Here she was his past enemy from school and she saved him. He now felt guilty for what he had done to her in school. He remembered in one particular year he tortured her. Always cussing at her and calling her things he didn't even know his mouth was capable of.
His solemn expression remained pasted on his face. He was surprised how this woman could make his insides turn and his head spin. He took a deep breath. He lowered his voice as if the walls had ears.
"You fainted. A commandeer from the Darkside found you and he took you back." He lied. It wasn't a whole lie but it wasn't the truth either. The truth was a woman from the Lightside, saved him and he took her back in return. Although, she would probably be scared shit when she learned where she was. Then he would tell her that she was considered captured and she'd probably never see her friends or family again.
"Why did he take me back when I'm fighting against his own side?"
Draco ignored her and straightened his shoulders. He continued to pace, in a very military-like manner. His eyes narrowed and he growled, "I do not have to answer that. Now, go into the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up. Your training starts tonight."
Before she could even scowl, scream, or cry he turned from her and exited the room. Hermione didn't know what she was feeling at that moment. She jumped in the shower, blew out her hair, and looked through the closet for some robes. She found hers washed (with some rips) but she didn't think that putting them on would be such a good idea. She put on some navy blue and green ones and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't like the woman who was staring back at her. Her skin regained some of her color back but she still looked sick. The dark rings around her eyes made her almond colored eyes look deadly, and her they didn't contain the sparkle that they used to.
She felt alone, scared, and confused. Her early meeting with Draco was what made her feel scared and confused. Everybody probably thinks she's dead and she hadn't talked to her children in weeks. She had no idea where she was so she couldn't run and even if she did, she didn't have the strength to go on. Her mind was impelling her forward but he body was just about to give up.
She also didn't know what Draco meant about her "training". She wanted to curl up in a ball and die. She missed her old life. She missed Oliver and her kids. All she wanted was her life before the war. It was so much worse in reality but in her dreams it haunted her; the very idea that it would never end.
So now she was captured, on her very first battle. Were Harry and Ron looking for her right now? Did someone see her leave with someone from the Darkside? She didn't have time to think when a knock on the door startled her from her disturbing thoughts.
Hermione didn't even have a chance to invite them in when a young girl who looked about seventeen poked her head in. She wore the same robes Hermione did but she looked so tired and worn.
"Miss. Hermione? Hi, I'm Jade Walker. I just came in to tell you dinner will be room serviced here in a little while."
Hermione invited the girl in and she sat down. She thought this girl would be nice enough to answer some of her questions.
"Jade is it? Well Jade, do you think you could tell me where I am?"
"Dormitdle Manor, the official Darkside manor." Hermione recognized the name at once. This was the manor she was asked to go to from the mysterious person on the phone.
"Am-am I the only person from the…the uh…" She hesitated if she should ask her. The girl might turn on her.
"The Lightside?" Jade finished. "Heavens no. I was captured, too. Not on the fields though." Jade sniffled and tried to control the tears welling up in her eyes. Hermione felt pity for this girl. She was probably stolen from her life too. Still she wanted to know more about where she was and who was here.
Jade explained that this was the largest Darkside building and that there were over 1,000 people in the manor. She mapped out the entire building for her and she told her also about the nursery and that that was where she was stationed.
"I had to send my kids away to a Safety Manor." Hermione explained to Jade. Jade also told her that Lord Voldemort was going to be arriving here any day. They both shivered in unison at the thought of him.
Dinner arrived at her door and they both ate while talking about nonsense and for just those moments Hermione felt she had a friend and she wasn't so lonely. She still hadn't been outside the room but she didn't want to face all the stares. She was the new girl, without the Dark Mark, captured by their commanders. She would rather be back in the battlefield than to be in that Manor. Everything felt so…not right.
"My 'training' starts in an hour. I don't really want to go. I don't see why I have to go. What room are you in, Jade?"
"I'm right down the hall actually, to your left. But most of the time you can find me in the nursery. I usually sleep in there with the kids. I have to get back to work. It was nice meeting you. Please come visit me. I'm glad I have a friend here." Jade smiled and left the tiny room.
At 8:30, Hermione quietly slipped from her room. She kept her eyes straight ahead and struggled to remember the directions Jade told her about. She ignored all of the comments and was surprised to see that most people were in their rooms. It wasn't that late but she was happy. She headed toward the bottom floor, where most of the training goes on. She walked into the gymnasium and froze when she saw Draco speaking with another man. About 50 people were in 5 straight lines, standing silently.
She trotted over to an older woman who seemed to be taking down names. "State your name and your station." The woman said coldly.
"Uh…my name is Hermione Wood. I'm a um…Nurse." The woman growled and stamped her hand. "Over there by the red tape."
She walked over to her line and stood there awkwardly and waited for someone to tell her exactly what she had to do. Someone directed her into the line and she stood there for a good ten minutes. A young woman suddenly yelled.
"Ten laps around the red line. Then your trainer will direct you outside to your obstacle course for one hour. Then you will go to your specialize skills station and complete your daily training. Start now."
After about three hours of training, Hermione was exhausted and was ready to drop. She had had about every kind of training possible. She trudged through the crowd and upstairs to her room.
She turned on the light and saw Jade sitting on the bed, her face tear- stained.
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