Disclaimer, goes as it normally would. :)
Here you go May...more Filler! :P
Naturally there are going to be some of [[ ]] those. I like them. I don't like there to be any confusion......OK the trick to NOT being confused here is that anything NOT in the brackets is NOW for Hermione....and the stuff, in the brackets, is flashbacks from the day before and earlier 'today' for Hermione...it is read as a direct continuation to the first part of the chapter.
*******************
Chapter 4 Part 2 The Lay of the Land (or should that be Lie???)
*******************
Crookshank's kneading claws on my shoulder pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Ouch you." I moved him to lie next to me on the bed and stroked his silky head. He rolled over on his back indicating that I should pet his tummy. I started feeling very soothed with the rhythmic purring of Crookshanks in my ear, and the warmth of his fur under my fingers. I guessed I should get to sleep, it was back with the children again tomorrow. I needed to have a chat with Draco sometime soon, it couldn't go on as it had.
[[I grumbled all the way to my room, following Morio down the hall. For the first time since I had gotten here I didn't notice what the Malfoy Portraits were doing. I didn't notice a thing, I was too irritated with Lord of Malfoy Manor. Blah, Draco Malfoy, bossy. Telling me to stay in my room, NO ordering me to stay in my room. I wasn't one of the children, I would go where I pleased. I would go when I pleased, I would go how I pleased! If I wanted to do laps around the top turret of the house I would do so...barefooted! (I was getting quite caught up in my rebelliousness.)
Morio led me to a room that was two doors down from the nursery, the enchanted birds and butterflies on the door, of the nursery, seemed to beckon me to them. I should at least see how the children were faring, shouldn't I? I started toward the nursery. Morio just stood holding the door, to my room, open. I had a feeling it wouldn't take much for him to start his incessant hand rubbing. Or the ever popular smashing of one's head into door jambs. I wondered if perhaps if it was too late for me to start up my Elf liberation movement again.
"GRANGER!" I started at the sound of Malfoy's voice.
I calmly turned around, there he stood at the end of the corridor, running his hands through his hair and looking exhausted. Why have Morio take me to my rooms, in the first place, if he was going to skulk along behind like some...some...uh...some...OK I couldn't really think of any good skulking things but you know what I mean.
"I am just checking on the children." I hoped my tone brooked no argument.
"NO, you are just going to go to your room." Hmm, apparently my tone wasn't as effective as I had thought.
"Draco..." I started and he put up his hand.
"No Hermione, please, I don't have the energy tonight and my temper is starting to fray!"
Starting to fray? Starting? I could feel my eyes get big at his understatement.
"Just go to bed, the children have been taken care of for the night."
I knew what that meant, he had put them to sleep again.
"Draco..."Once again up came his hand.
"OK fine but this will be your last time to bespell them! Guaranteed." I flounced past Morio and slammed the door to my room behind me.
I really couldn't sleep it was too early and I didn't know if Draco was out there in the hallway waiting to catch me out if I left the room so I did the thing that I do best. I sat down at the small desk in my room, pulled out a piece of the Malfoy Crested stationary and began to write ideas about my plan of attack.
After about ten minutes I looked down at the paper. Ok, nothing on there was going to be even slightly helpful with the children.
I had numbered the page 1 to 20 and on each line were the same three words.....Hex Draco Malfoy!
Urgh! I grabbed the paper off the desk and crumpled it in my hand, before throwing it into the waste paper basket.
I got up and paced the floor for a bit, and then crept to the door. I pressed my ear to it and could hear movement in the hallway. Slamming my hand against the dark grained wood, I pushed myself from the door and spun around. Fine I would just go to bed and try to forget everything, tomorrow was sure to be a busy day.
Not even taking the time to unpack my bags, I let Crookshanks out of his carrier and found my nightshirt before settling onto the large bed. If I had imagined my thoughts would keep me up, I was wrong. I found my eyelids closing before I even settled the covers up over myself. ]]
My cat yawned and stretched his paws upward resting them on my cheeks. It was time to sleep.
I spent the next half hour or so getting ready for bed. Once my teeth were washed and my frizzy hair pulled back into a messy braid I got a book and crawled into bed to read. The book was open but I can't say I did much reading, once again I drifted into thoughts of my day with the children.
[[I yawned and stretched. It was still dark out, no sunlight peeking through the heavy curtains.
"Mmm..." I stretched.
What time was it? Crookshanks was still dreaming and making cute little kitty whisker twitches and lip smackings. I smiled at him and then tried to get off the bed without disrupting his slumbers. The room was colder than I kept my apartment and even wearing my long flannel nightshirt I shivered my way to the shower. Standing under the hot water, I planned what I would do with the children. Draco had said that their mother had ingrained the DeathEater beliefs into them. Maybe the first step would be to try to re-educate them about non-pureblooded wizards and the good that they had done. I had always found my answers in books there was no reason to believe that I wouldn't this time. A bit of an history lesson could be all the children needed. Yes that sounded just about right.
Morio came and fetched me and let me to the nursery.
Ilse ran to me.
"Hermione! We thought Uncle Draco had made you leave us!" She put her head in my shoulder and hugged me tight. My arms went around her, poor girl!
"I am not leaving you Ilse, not you, nor Julian nor Nic. I am going to take care of you until you go to school." I pulled away from her and smiled. She looked over to the two boys and they came to me also, we stood in a silent circle hugging. The warmth of the room making us contented.
DAMNED NURSERY!
"DRACO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" My furious shout filled the house.... ]]
******************************************
I wanted to give you all something, but have had somewhat of an evil week, so this is rather short. We will be getting into the good stuff pretty soon...one more little bit to finish out this chapter and then we get a bit of action...:)
Thanks to you reviewers, and once again no time to say individual Thank-you's, but just know I do appreciate you all. :)
Until next time