Disclaimer: These are not mind. They are all lovely JKR's.
A/N: I've just got a beta! Thanks to her and thanks to Thegraylady and all of you who read and review.
Enjoy!
O
Dark, dark, and dark.
Run, run, and run.....
'Argh.......!'
Hermione shot up right on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open feeling sore as the sunlight glowing from the window touched her eyes. She realized she was laying on a warm, comfortable bed covered with dark green silk cloth; she herself was also wearing green pajamas with silver neck line, 'Slytherin' was the first word came to her mind.
Hermione started moving her eyes around the room. The walls were built of white stone but the colour had changed to dirt brown due to the passage of time, Hermione thought. There was only one window but there were two doors, one was on the left side of her bed with black doorknob, Hermione assumed that was the door that lead to the hall way and the other one was near a wardrobe just opposite to her bed, surely it was a bathroom.
She inspected the room closely; there was a nice, small fireplace covered with new ash, next to it was a small couch also covered with dark green cushions, her eyes lit up when seeing a long shelf full of books. As she investigated the room, confusion started filling her. "Where am I?" She softly asked herself for the second time. "Was I dreaming?" She remembered Voldemort and his talk to her in the dark room and let out a sigh "at least I was not truly facing him." Though she was in a completely unfamiliar room, Hermione felt a bit light headed now.
She thought she had dreamt about Voldemort because if it were real, she would be in a dark small room with no window, fireplace or bookshelf right now.
As she started to climb down her bed, a small pop and a she house elf appeared before her. It squealed in delighted.
"Oh miss is awake, Pinky is wondering what miss is wanting."
Hermione was beyond confused now. She asked the elf politely.
"Please, can you tell me where I am?"
The house elf was getting more and more excited. It shrieked and jumped up and down, clapping its hand and beaming at Hermione. Hermione could not suppress a smile she chuckled softly and asked the elf again uncertainly.
"Eh... Pinky? Can you tell me what is this place?"
"Pinky is sorry miss," the house elf said in small voice, it stopped jumping now "she can't tell miss, but master will, Pinky is sure."
Pinky walked close to Hermione and bowed its head "Master said miss will be starving as she didn't eat for two days but he wants miss to get changed before lunch."
Then the house elf pulled Hermione to the wardrobe, it opened the door and asked her what she wanted to wear. The girl didn't answer so the elf pulled out a light blue satin robe asking her permission Hermione could only nod and was pushed to the bathroom.
She was so confused that she didn't complain, not until the house elf started to undress her did she realize what going on. She pushed Pinky away and said, embarrassed "I can do this myself Pinky," her checks were reddened now as the house elf looked at her puzzled "I mean I'm not used to having someone bathing me, eh... I...I'm shy."
Pinky grinned and squealed delightedly "Pinky understands miss. Pinky is leaving miss alone." And with a pop the house elf had vanished. Hermione sighed again she took off her clothes and went to the bathtub trying to relax her muscles and her mind but she kept wondering about what was happening, who was the master Pinky had said and her dream, but was it really a dream? Hermione didn't know.
O
"Ah! Severus, do come in my boy." Said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling.
Severus Snape rolled his eyes but he did step into the headmaster's office, he took a seat in his favourite place near the fireplace. Dumbledore waited for his potions master to settle himself first than offer some tea that had surprised Snape, for he had grown used to Dumbledore offer Lemon Drops or some kind of candy but this time he offered him tea instead.
Snape took a sip from his steaming tea than looked up to find Dumbledore looking at him expectantly. He cleared his throat. "As you know Albus, last night the Dark Lord did not call me so I don't know what he has done," He stopped, looked at the headmaster apologetically. To Snape, failing Dumbledore was a hard thing to face even though the old man didn't blame him it was still a burden and he hated himself for being such an idiot. Dumbledore merely gestured for Snape to continue.
"This morning, Lucius Malfoy came to visit me" he went on "he wasn't summoned also last night and was worrying that the dark lord had stopped favouring him." He sneered at the memory. Dumbledore though looked thoughtful, stroking his long, white bead and said.
"So you believe Malfoy didn't know about Miss Granger's disappearance?"
"I believe Albus, Malfoy didn't know anything yet." Answer Snape. "He kept complaining about how the dark lord unfairly favoured Wormtail and how bored he was when the dark lord being this calm."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled but just for a moment when the grave reality started eating his heart again. He said seriously "I am worried too. Tom can be very dangerous when he is serene."
"As if he was not already dangerous." Snape muttered under his breath, bitterly.
If Dumbledore heard him he didn't comment, he simply continued "Wormtail is also dangerous, he may not brave or powerful but he was extremely cunning and dare I say evil."
Snape nodded "I agree, though I don't know if he was involved in this matter or not since he was rather close to the dark lord than the other deatheaters." the potions master looked thoughtfully. Both wizards were quiet for a heartbeat lost in their own thoughts. Snape decided to break the silence and brought out the disturbing question in his mind.
"Albus, you do not seem too worried about miss Granger's welfare at all." It was merely a statement, as he couldn't bring himself to ask the question directly. Dumbledore turned to face his potion master in amusement "Ah, Severus I didn't know you care about miss Granger so deeply." Dumbledore teased.
The younger wizard snorted "I was only feeling sorry for Hogwarts if it was to lost a brilliant student even if it is an annoying one."
The twinkled eyed Dumbledore laughed harder, Snape glared at him realizing he had just complimented that certain miss Gryffindor know-it-all. Angrily he asked, "What is so amusing?"
Dumbledore wiped his eyes with his slave before answer "Yes, Severus. I'm worried about miss Granger." He looked grave one more, "just not only her welfare." He trailed of looking far out of the window at the blue sky.
Again, Snape felt Dumbledore was telling him the truth just not all the truth, however, he didn't comment.
O
A/N: Tell me do I make some progress! Please review!