Disclaimer: Same as it always was.
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Chapter 4 Part 3 The Lie of the Land.
To be read in direct continuation from the last two parts. [[ ]] equals flashbacks.
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[[I got no response from Draco. Instead of stomping down to his office and stomping on his head, I simply arranged the table and asked Morio to organize some breakfast for myself and the children. The room was doing its best to persuade me I was happy and contented. Of course, since I had vowed never to set foot into that place again until the soul sucking properties were lifted, the irritation of having had to go back on my word to myself, did a fairly good job of keeping me on my toes.
By lunch time I still hadn't seen Draco, I did however receive an owl from Ginny. She asked about the children, and my health, and I could read between the lines that she would be happy to come over and help "take care of things" if necessary. As far as I was concerned that was the last thing I needed. I owled back that everything was wonderful, couldn't be better. In other words I lied through my teeth!
I read the children stories of various famous mixed blooded wizards and they seemed interested nodding at the appropriate places and asking intelligent questions. I even got them into bed at a reasonable hour. With hugs all around and a little smile and a wave I left the nursery and went to crow to Draco about my talent with the children.]] (we all know where that led)
I had just put the book on the bedside table and extinguished the lamp, when the door to my room creaked open. Crookshanks jumped up onto my side and looked in that direction, it was too dark to see much of anything. Where my hand was resting on him, I could feel the hair on his back standing on end. A low growl filled the room, and he inched across me and bounded from the bed to the door.
"Miss Hermione, Ohhh Miss!" A whiney voice told me at once who my nighttime intruder was. I felt foolish all of a sudden, what was I expecting? The ghost of Christmas Past? I raised my wand, from the table, where it rested while I slept, and lit the lamp again.
The dim light filled the room with wavering shadows and I could see that Crookshanks had Morio backed into a corner.
"Crookshanks! Come here. Let him be!" My cat looked over his shoulder for a moment, and then as if he didn't care at all, (and it was his idea entirely) he put his tail in the air and strolled over to the padded arm chair by the bookcase. Fine, I was being treated to hurt male pride, if he wanted to sleep in the chair he could.
"Miss Hermione, is a good Miss Hermione." Ok, fair enough.
With saying that Morio scuttled over to the bed and disappeared under it. I laid on my stomach and hung over the side. Lifting the skirt around the mattress I peered under the bed.
"Come out Morio." He was huddled around the middle support beam with what appeared to be no intention of ever coming out.
"What is the matter?" He just shook his head, and held on more firmly to the post. Ok now what.
I got off the bed and knelt on the magic carpet, lifting the bed skirt again, I tried to convince Morio to come out from under my bed at once. I maneuvered myself as far under the bed as I could, but still couldn't reach the house elf. Its hard to sound firm when you are lying on your stomach, in your nightdress, half under a bed. All I could get out of Morio was that the Master was mad at him. Ahh the Master. Yes well the "Master" was just plain old MAD as far as I was concerned.
"Ahem." Someone cleared his throat behind me. Damn...I squeezed my eyes shut, wouldn't you know it! I shook my head, then hurriedly backed out from under the bed and got to my feet.
A haughty look on my features just made Draco's smile larger.
"What on earth were you doing?" He quirked his eyebrow at me.
"I was..." What was I doing, I searched my mind for something, the bratty part of me was not about to give Morio up to Draco Malfoy!
"I was looking for Crookshanks."
"Your cat?"
"Yes...yes, that's it, my cat." I pretended to be looking around.
"You were looking for your cat?" He said again, my goodness was the man hard of hearing?
"Yes, I was looking for my cat!" I stated slowly and firmly.
"You mean THAT cat?" He pointed over to the chair where the orange marmalade was sleeping contentedly, oblivious to everything.
"Oh...my goodness, I didn't see him there." I rushed over to the chair and picked up Crookshanks.
"Bad kitty, where have you been." I found myself giving a half nervous giggle, and wanted to shoot myself in the foot for it. There was NO way that Draco was going to believe any of this. I put Crookshanks on the bed and turned to face "the Master" as Morio called him, not that I would ever call him that mind you!
He was looking me up and down, from my frizzled hair in its braid, my flannel nightdress all the way to my bare toes peeking out from under the hem.
"Hmph...." He snorted. "Lovely as usual I see." His face held that contemptuous sneer that he made famous. (He really did make it famous actually, he was Cover Wizard for the Spring issue of WWQ, Witch and Wizard Quarterly.)
This wasn't nearly the first time he had looked me over and found me wanting, Prat!
"Yes and you MIGHT want to think of something new to say once in a while." I smiled sweetly back.
A scowl overtook his features. A new look wouldn't hurt either!
"Have you seen Morio?"
"Um..." I put my finger to my lower lip and contemplated, "Short, big ears, obsessive hand rubbing? Yes we've met." Sometimes I do have to wonder at the perversity of my nature which makes me say things like this to Draco Malfoy.
Draco advanced on me. In my defense I didn't step backwards, I held my ground. He stopped only inches away and I could feel the warmth radiating off his body, so close was he. I suddenly remembered that all my snide comments aside, this man was still a force with which to be reckoned! I gulped, my throat tight all of a sudden.
"Ahh, Hermione, you know what I mean." His voice took on that silky quality, that led the shivers on a parade up my spine. He leant in close, his breath fanning over my cheek. My breath caught in my throat and my heart started thumping.
"You will let him know that I am looking for him, won't you." It was clearly a statement not a question.
Without another word, he was gone. My heart rate didn't seem to want to return to normal, he hadn't even laid a finger on me and I was petrified. Wait a minute did I just admit that?
I stood where I was thinking of all the things I would like to say to Draco. On second thought most of the things I wanted to say would have gotten me in worse trouble than I was now. Its probably good I'm not quicker witted, or we could very well have come to blows tonight!
Morio peaked out from under the bed, the mattress skirt arranged around his head like a bed cap. He looked up at me, tears filling his huge eyes. He smiled and then tugged on my night dress.
"Thank you Miss Hermione Miss, I knew you were a good Miss Hermione! Morio will help Miss Hermione, all she has to do is ask." And then I was suddenly alone, with my cat, in my room.
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That is the end of that bit, and next we will get some child rearing tips care of Hermione Granger.
Thanks to all you folks who make this so fun!
dracohermioneluver...sorry you were a bit confused and all. :(
Ezmerelda...yeah I don't think that there are "how to raise your little death eaters to be upright citizens" type books out there but you never know. ;)
Willow...thanks I hope my week gets better too. And the chapters should get longer now that this is taken care of.
sweet77thang...thanks. ;)
May, how you wound me mate....LOL Ok or not. :P.....Yes I do know where this is going and I promised after this bit we would see some action...yes? Everything has its purpose even boring death inducing filler...well to me.:\ In any case HOW could I ever hate someone who put so much thought (not to mention lines) into a review? Simple answer I couldn't! I am happy to hear anything anyone might say, good, bad or indifferent! :)
glitter kitty....here is a bit more and yes I think there will be some Hermione Draco love...:)
Spaced out....the kids aren't too bad if you like awful little children. ;)
Burgandyred...I will have to find some time to catch up on your stories....I wish I could get chapters out as quickly as you! :)
Arbitrary...:) Thanks for updating your fiction...loving it more than I can say! :)
Preciousonee.....:)
Noisyamie...thanks for the happy Halloween! Hope it was a great day for you.
If I have missed anyone, I am sorry...:(
Well Until Next Time...Tra la!
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I forgot to mention last time....READ ARBITRARY'S Temporary Insanity...its really really great, and was just updated! YAY!
Also if you like Draco and Hermione you should look up S0rceress, she writes some epics, the Fires of Beltane is a great fiction, and its completed, she is working on the sequel right now. Then there are some side stories too. Very fun.