Title: The Given Choices (1/?)
By: granger2malfoy
Rating: R (in later chapters)
Pairing(s): HP/HG, DM/HG, RL/BB,
Disclaimer: The characters are JK's. I just enjoy using them for my
own amusement. ;) Yes, I have made one little change to the JK's
characters. I have Bellatrix and Narcissa cousins, not sisters. It
would get rather sticky with Draco and Hermione, if I did not change
it. Please forgive me but it works out better that way.
A/N: This story's plot bunny is from Chrissy and is my take on the
family's story. Please see the group home pages for the stories in the bio section.
for exclusive 24hr chapter updates for this story or on my livejournal at Granger2Malfoy. Please review on either spot and do not send flames. It makes Severus VERY unhappy.
Summary: After Bellatrix's husband and brother die, there is a
secret discovered and it all comes down to the choices given to
Hermione Granger.
A cloaked, hooded figure stood along the side of a white marbled
foyer. The person was examining a very large painting of a stone
castle with a moving storm dancing in the background. A few times
some lightning flashed and a soft thunder rolled.
The lady of the manor entered the foyer to greet the new arrival.
Her long blonde hair reached far down the back of her long green
dress robe. She smiled as she approached the hooded arrival. "I am
so surprised to see you, but happy nonetheless. May I say I am sorry
to hear about the death of your husband? He will be missed. "
The figure lowered the hood to reveal silky black hair that reached
a few inches past her shoulders. The woman unclasped the black cloak
and placed it on her arm. She was wearing a long navy robe with
black lace on the cuffs at her elbows and the hem of her skirt. The
woman spoke, "My dear cousin, thank you for saying t hat. But that
is not the reason I am here tonight. I require the assistance of you
and your family; especially your charming son."
"Bellatrix, you are looking well-rested and back to the young woman
I once knew. Of course, the Malfoys will do anything you need.
Please, let's move this conversation into the study," Mrs. Malfoy
stated as she lead the other woman down the closest hall of Malfoy
manor.
A few months later and a few days till the end of July, Professor
Severus Snape slammed the doors wide-open to the Order's
Headquarters. His face was in his normal scowl as he walked into the
living room and saw the Headmaster talking to Harry Potter. It was
the summer before their sixth year at Hogwarts and Dumbledore was
giving him Occlumency lessons three times a week. Albus Dumbledore
looked up as Snape entered the room. "Severus, we weren't expecting
you until tomorrow."
The Potions Master gave Potter a normal glare of death and the soon-
to-be sixteen-year-old got the hint. Harry left the room muttering
rude words under his breath. Once they were alone, Severus closed
the wooden double-doors to the living room. He began, "We have a new
problem, Albus. Bellatrix has hinted that she is expecting to hand
over a very special' person to the Dark Lord by the next June. When
I asked her who, she stated she was confident that her daughter'
would be joining the ranks and soon-then-after by her side within
the inner circle."
"I was not aware that Rodolphus and Bellatrix had a daughter,"
Dumbledore admitted as he took a seat in a high winged-back chair in
front of the fire.
Professor Snape took a seat opposite of him and he remembered the
conversation he had just had with the recent-widow in a shop near
Knockturn Alley. Her husband and brother were both killed in a raid
by the Order about a week after the summer had started. Snape had
known her even as Bellatrix Black since schooldays at Hogwarts
because she was only two years ahead of him. "Nor was I aware of
that new piece of information. And I highly doubt her husband or her
brother knew of a child. I suspect the child was born sometime her
graduation and the wedding two years later. So, that would make the
girl's age so were between fifteen and seventeen years old."
"She could be at Durmstrang, but a slight possibility that she is at
Beauxbatons. I don't believe any of your fifth, sixth, or seventh
year Slytherins could possibly be her daughter," the Headmaster
stated as he ran his hand down the length of his long white beard.
"I agree to a point. It all depends on what happened to the daughter
since the birth. She could've been sent to live with someone in far
away and go to Durmstrang. If she is at Hogwarts, she could also be
in Ravenclaw. Bella is very intelligent but she always leaned more
to the cunning and arrogant. Her sorting would also depend on the
father. I'll look into the possibilities amongst the Ravenclaw
girl's within the possible age range."
The Potions Master got to his feet as the Headmaster spoke, "Well,
we'll have to keep our ears open and examine the pieces of
information as we get them. Some how they must make some sense. And
we will have to keep our eyes open to watch for any suspicious
actions by any girls fifth year and up."
Severus Snape snorted at that statement as he opened the double
doors again. Dumbledore chuckled and stated, "Okay, more suspicious
than normal for a teenage girl."
Harry tromped up the stairs of the Order and headed to a bedroom,
the bedroom of his best friend. He gave a quick knock before he
entered and shut the door hard behind him. With a quick flop on the
bed, he covered his eyes with his forearm as he heard his friend
ask, "The lessons went that well, huh?"
He turned on his side and looked up to Hermione as she sat with her
knees up re-reading the Charms textbook for the upcoming year. The
female Gryffindor was dressed in a tight red tee shirt and hip-
hugging blue jeans. She had arrived a week after the school had
ended and Harry arrived two days later. As per the norm, she made
him sit with her for the first two weeks to complete their homework
for the summer. Ron and his family decided to stay at the Burrow
till Harry's birthday and were due to arrive the day after tomorrow.
The friendship between him and Hermione had become much stronger as
she had helped him deal with Sirius's death and the prophecy. He had
not told Ron yet because he wanted to tell his quick-tempered friend
in person.
Harry didn't want to admit it but he was starting to have more than
just friend-type' feelings toward his female best friend. Hermione
was now more than a know-it-all that knew him better than anyone
else, but he hadn't gave her a hint of his new feelings. With a long
sigh, he started to play with her shoestrings, as he talked, "No,
the lessons went fine and he said I should be done in two weeks.
It's just that Snape came in just as we were finishing up. Yes, I
know it is not his fault for Sirius's death but the fact he hated
him and my father till the days they died just really pisses me off."
Hermione put down her book and sat up as she looked down on him. She
placed her hand on his as she said, "I know its hard Harry but he is
on our side and just remember that you don't have to endure any more
Potions Classes."
"True, are you sure you want another year of Potions? Ron and I
would love to have you stick with us and take the Healing classes
with Pomfrey."
She laughed as he gave her his cute puppy-dog face. "That look won't
work on me Harry James Potter. I asked her to send me the list of
books, so I can study it independently. Speaking of Ron, I got a
letter from him while you were at your lesson. He finally got up the
nerve to ask Lavender out and she accepted, of course."
"Of course. Ever since she's been spending so much time over at the
Burrow this summer, I figured it would only be a matter of time. He
can be so dense at times," Harry remarked as he tied her shoes
together without her noticing.
Hermione was about to swing one of her legs off the bed and other
one swung off with it. It almost caused her to fall of the bed.
Harry started chuckling, which became harder as she gave him an evil
look that resembled Snape's glare. She leaned over and picked up her
wand. Since Harry and Hermione had been practicing their defense
skills, the Order allowed a shield over the house to not pick up
student's wand using during the holidays.
With a flick of the wand, Harry's normally jet-black hair had turned
into a light blonde. It was now Hermione's turn to start cracking
up. He turned to the mirror and saw what she had done to him. He sat
up and pinned her to the bed as he tickled her in
retaliation. "Turning my hair to look like Malfoy's, you'll play for
that you little witch."
After a few minutes of non-stop tickling, he stopped and noticed how
attractive she looked with her cheeks flushed. He held her arms down
on either side of her to stop her from trying to get away and to
stop himself from kissing her. The red tee shirt she wore raised and
fell with her quickened breathing from his tormenting. He sat up as
he moved his body away from her and smiled as he handed her wand
back to her.
With a slight giggle, she changed his hair back and picked her
Charms book back up to start reading again. "Your right, you look
better this way."
End of Chapter One
So, what do you think? Please let me know comments and suggestions.
This will be a different kind of story than I am used to writing.
This will be more of different views and scenes that are happening
than just one person's point of view.