Disclaimer: I think you all have done this a great deal and know the rules. None of us own a bloomin thing.
This is, as per usual, dedicated to my baby sister Steph. Cuz she lights up my life, and stuff. ;)
(PS Steph this thing is turning out to be a long fic, and I am afraid I might run out of new dedications for you, may have to go redundant on you...ahhh well a promise is a promise!)
Warning: More of the OC's (original characters)
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Chapter 3 Part 1 The female is always the most dangerous of the species.
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The children were crowding around me, touching my hair and clothing. The smiles on their faces looked like any other child, but still I felt as if I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then as quickly as the fear had entered my body is was gone again, lulled away by the tranquility of the room and the soothing hands of the children.
"I am Ilse." The girl told me, placing her hand on my cheek.
"I am Julian." The first boy stated, and stroked my frizzy hair.
I looked at the second boy.
"Oh that is Dominic, but he doesn't like to talk, do you Nic?" Ilse looked over at the second boy and he shook his head.
"I'm starving." Ilse said.
"Yes, I am starving too." was Julian's quick response.
"Should we go down to the kitchens and get something to eat?" I asked the children. They leaned back and looked at me with fear.
My instinct was to scoop them up and protect them. The mother earth fantasy was surfacing again. Which was odd in and of itself, I had never really had the whole biological clock ticking thing happen before, I had never walked around Diagon Alley cooing and peeping into baby prams. Yet here I was feeling a warm maternal feeling over come me in the face of these children's obvious fear. Maybe it was best to just stay here in the safety of the nursery where nothing could hurt these precious children. Yes that seemed best.
I literally shook my head to clear it. Safety of the Nursery? Where did that come from. I was having some very Un-Hermione Granger thoughts. Something was going on. I could feel a twinge of recognition in the back of my head, but couldn't place the feeling. It would come to me. In the meantime I told myself, just spend time here, protect the children, keep them safe, love them, maybe they would like to play paddy-cake. I smiled at the children and they smiled at me. I was Hermione Granger and I was going to take care of everything!
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Why they are absolute little angels I said to myself. I looked at the sleeping faces of the children, and sighing, quietly closed the copy of "Practically Spelling: A children's guide to reading comprehension, done in a Rhyme Thyme Format." I had found the book to be very informative, although Ilse had complained about the lack of pictures, and had mentioned that they were only JUST starting to read chapter books. Whatever that meant. But for all that it hadn't taken long before the children were just as interested in the book as I was, their little eyes glazed over with anticipation and concentration. I am not sure how long they had been asleep before I noticed the deeper breathing coming from the (enchanted willow tree) beds.
I got up and put the book back up on the shelf, reading the other titles to myself...
"Clippity, Clop, Clippity, Clop: Centaurs are people too,"
"And the Dragon Says RAWR!!"
"Its not nice to stare at the Witch with Green Pustules: A parents guide to teaching children the importance of proper Hex Etiquette"
"Never Give an Elf a Sock" (never give a mouse a cookie, witchy style.)
"How much is that Demon in the Window: Black magic in three easy steps, free soul selling contract included."
I shuddered at that one, if that was Malfoy's idea of proper child rearing I guess I couldn't be surprised he was having trouble with the children. Bespelling them to sleep...I fumed mumbling to myself a bit (but not in a crazy person, talking to themselves fashion. Not at all.) I took the book from the shelf and carried it between my thumb and forefinger to the tray that was near the door on a "tree stump" table. Morio could collect the book and throw it away, when he came to collect the, now empty, tea tray.
We had had our night time tea in the nursery because the children wouldn't leave the room.
"Uncle Draco wouldn't like it." Ilse had stated firmly.
Uncle Draco? Uncle? Hmph, I thought not! I knew very well that Draco had no siblings, he had been his parents only "pride and joy." (thankfully) Since I now knew the children were 10 almost 11 years old that would have made Draco 14 when they were conceived. He had been a precocious child, but I don't remember any blatant chasing of the opposite sex until he was about 16 or so...I made a face when I remembered the night I had caught he and Pansy Parkinson snogging in the hallway. Tongues everywhere, UGH! Something like that is enough to put you off your food. OK its not like I wasn't getting a little lip action at that age too, but this was Malfoy we were talking about!
No he definitely wasn't their father no matter what side of the blanket they were born on. So I was basically back to square one, I didn't know who's children they were. I also had no idea why I was here. So far the children had been a delight, no trouble at all. They have even taught me some games. Being an only child and a BIT on the serious side, I guess I missed out on some things growing up. So it was quite fun to chase the children around the room playing "Spell Tag" Or singing at the top of our lungs to "Hogworts Express Comes Rumbling Down the Track." I sighed. This could be just what I needed to break the boredom of my mundane life. Maybe I should change careers or something, it was clear I was very good at the child care thing.
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I was beginning to get tired, but wasn't sure about leaving the children alone in the night, what if they got scared? I looked around the room, there seemed to be very little for me to sleep upon, except the enchanted hillocky floor of the nursery. Knowing my luck I would end up sleeping with an imaginary rock in my back all night. I looked around the room again and my eyes lit upon one of the "toadstools." Smiling I pulled it into the center of the room, pointed my wand at it and uttered "Vera Verto." Instead of growing and expanding, the enchanted chair gave a hiccough and crumpled in upon itself like a very wobbly custard. Soon all that was left was a flat, slightly lumpy, toadstool shaped pancake. Well that wasn't helpful!
I looked down at my wand, and shook it a bit. Green sparks came out of the end, hmm....looked fine. Maybe I wasn't allowed to tamper with enchantments, I hadn't really been in a room like this, so wasn't sure of the rules. I would have to ask Malfoy about that too. The list to ask him was growing longer by the minute.
Taking the three remaining 'toadstools' I clustered them together, and carefully organized myself on the makeshift bed.
I took one more look over at the children before letting my eyes slide shut.
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Something woke me, and no it wasn't the fact that the three toadstools had separated again and my rear was hanging through the gap. I had gotten used to that particular sleeping position by this time of night. The children were still asleep, I could just make them out by the light of the firebug nightlights that fluttered above the beds. So that couldn't be what had wakened me either. I started to close my eyes again when I heard the unmistakable sound of a fight. I strained my ears and caught a thump, then yelling, there were muffled footsteps, and then more yelling. For some reason I couldn't get up the energy to get up and investigate. I just couldn't be bothered, besides the nursery was safe, the children were sleeping and I was tired again. I felt a warmth of good will spread through me and sleep claimed me again. I was completely oblivious to any lingering sounds of conflict in the house.
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I looked over my shoulder and smiled at the two men who were following me up the hill. Harry and Draco looked back at me, but there were no smiles on their faces only looks of intent. Oh ho ho...I chuckled to myself. So they thought they could catch me this easily. I turned forward and started walking again. The summit loomed very near and I scrambled to the top. The air was lovely, smelling of fresh flowers, and flume-berry muffins. A small blast ended skrewt was foraging for slugs a few feet from me, and the chorus of the Muggle musical Chicago was practicing a particularly tricky bit. I sighed, ahhh it was lovely weather for balloon sighting, if only Harry and Draco would hurry. I turned to look back over my shoulder at the trial and saw that the two men were just rounding the last curve. I put my hand out to wave...."Ahhh!" I found myself falling backward, tumbling, my rear hit the solid rock beneath me and my shoulders and back were suddenly wedged in the space between two boulders. It appeared I was trapped, I wriggled my arms a bit, but to no avail. Then Draco reached the summit and I put my hand out to ask for help. I saw him pull his wand and mutter something I couldn't hear. The earth started moving and I was falling backward again. I put my hands up to protect my head but it was too late.....THWACK!
My eyes snapped open as my head hit, the dream dissipating. I carefully probed through my matted hair, I felt a lump rising. Darned toadstools. The two that had been supporting my back and head had shifted apart completely, resulting in my falling. I was now lying on my back with my lower legs still resting on the top of the third toadstool. It took a lot of scrambling (and YES cursing) to right myself. I felt a bit lightheaded and a bit ornery as well, I have never really been a morning person, probably because of too many late night study sessions. I yawned and ran fingers through my hair trying to bring it to a semblance of order. I knew that was a futile gesture. After my night on the makeshift bed it was probably frizzing beyond belief. I felt my heart lighten as I noticed the children stirring.
"Good morning. How was your sleep." I tiptoed over to Ilse's bed. A look I didn't recognize crossed her face.
"Good morning Hermione. I am happy you are still here." She looked up at me her big gray eyes wide and innocent. That maternal instinct tugged at my heart and I was almost overwhelmed with the desire to hug her to me. Before I could follow through with my intent she scrambled off the bed and went to wake Julian then Nic. There was a hidden door behind the waterfall that opened revealing dressing room and bathrooms. Ilse led the other two in through the door and it closed behind them. I wasn't sure if they needed help getting dressed or not. But decided to stay where I was, unless they asked.
Soon all three children were gathered around me again dressed for the day in matching red tunics, legging style trousers in black with red cris-cross ties around the lower leg, and soft red flat shoes.
"Hermione, what do you want to do now?" Ilse asked.
I was getting a bit tired of the nursery, and thought we should go and get something to eat. At that thought a feeling overcame me that I can only describe as 'otherworldly.' A prickle flushed across the flesh of my arms. I didn't want to leave the nursery at all. I wanted to stay here and protect the children. Play games with them, snuggle them...read to them. I felt a dopey look come over my face.
OK NO I really wanted to go find Draco Malfoy and ask him what the HELL he had done to the nursery.
I suddenly recognized that all those mother earth fantasies were not from my own mind but part of the enchantment of the place. The sooner I got out of this place the better.
"We are going to go to the dining room and have some breakfast." I smiled down at the children, and struggled against the enchantment that wanted me to stay in this room at all cost.
"No Hermione we can't leave, Uncle Draco will be mad." Ilse looked up at me, her eyes filling with tears.
We were so leaving this room!
"I will handle UNCLE Draco." I moved to the door and opened it, a tingle flowed over my skin as I left the room and stood in the hall.
The children were clustered together in the room, holding hands and not moving.
"Come on." I smiled and motioned for them to follow me.
Ilse shook her head. "We can't!"
I went into the room...maybe we really shouldn't leave, the nursery was so nice and safe...and ARGH!!! ENCHANTED! It didn't help to know what was happening to me, I still felt that security enfold me and it took all my strength to overcome the feeling.
I took Ilse's hand in mine and led her to the door.
"Say I can leave Hermione, say I can leave!" She implored me.
"OF course you can leave the nursery Ilse!" I smiled down at her, she skipped across the threshold as if she hadn't a care in the world.
I looked back at the other two, but they hadn't moved. Leaving Ilse in the dim hallway I returned to the lovely, safe, secure, really shouldn't leave it, nursery. I gritted my teeth and took Julian and Nic by their hands.
"Say they can leave Hermione!" Ilse prompted from the doorway.
"Of course Julian and Nic can leave the nursery Ilse, any time they want!" I noticed a look on Ilse's face that, even with the comforting feeling of the nursery dulling my senses, still worried me.
Julian and Nic tugged me from the nursery. As I left that tingle flowed over me again and all my feeling of good will and security went up in as if in a puff of smoke. I had a sudden idea I might have made a little mistake by bringing the children out of the nursery.
(Maybe.)
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A/N Thanks for everyone who has reviewed and/or put me on their favorites lists. I don't have time to respond to everyone, wish I did...:( BUT know that I appreciate your comments very much! Some of you make me laugh a great deal, and that is a very good thing.
I have this story pretty much plotted out but then Hermione does something I don't expect her to do and I have to revise. I will attempt to get another chapter out as soon as I can, but with Hermione changing things on me and work being what it is, it could be a week at least.
Until next time, when we get explanation from Draco as to why Hermione is there, and just who the children are. FINALLY! SHEESH! ;)