Disclaimer: Hi yes. My name is Annie, and I own Harry Potter. ::cowers waiting for divine smiting:: have I been tackled? Sued? Locked up? Struck by lightning? No? ::straightens up looking around warily:: Oh hey would you look at that? I guess I really do own- ::OA is struck by lightning:: ow…::three large lawyers step into view. The first two drag OA away and the second begins to read from an official looking document:: JK Rowling owns all characters that you recognize as well as all the spells and Annie's immortal soul.
BIG QUESTION: This seems familiar? Have you copied this/written it before and taken it down? No I have not copied it from anywhere. I have a story called "From the Ground Up" which is this story's prologue. This is the same story but I have changed the name and resumed posting. RESPONSES ARE AT THE BOTTOM. Much love to my betas Geekofyerdreams and DarkAngelB. The-Sexy-Flower thanks for INTENDING to beta ::huggles:: my fault, I didn't give you enough notice.
Chapter One
Suspicion In Its Place
The pain has stripped
away all rationale
And left suspicion in its place
I wish I could cling to this with different arms
And never know the feeling of loss or emptiness
--"Stop Me" Anacrusis
Hermione surfaced slowly, struggling to fight off the fog that seemed to blanket her mind. Brief snatches of conversations wafted across her, whether they were memories or actual ones, she didn't know. Not then.
'Can't you just be normal…?'
'Going to the library again…?'
'Severe case of exhaustion…malnourishment…bed rest for the next several days' she drifted off again then. Slipped back into the blessed release of unconsciousness. She did not know how long she stayed there, in the dark place, but it seemed as if mere moments had passed when she heard the screams.
'My baby! Please take her! He…he can't have her! I won't let him! Please…please help me? Help me…' the frenzied cries trailed off into sorrowful sobbing, and she longed to call out to the woman, the woman whose voice held such pain, such fear. She longed to tell this woman that yes, yes she would help her, and then, quite suddenly, she was aware that this was a dream. That she was dreaming. That this woman was not real, and that she could not help her. The sobbing seemed to fade at the thought, and Hermione's heart ached, it sounded so real. But it wasn't. She tried valiantly to open her eyes, but her lids felt heavy, weighed down, and they simply fluttered weakly against her cheeks, like a bird's wings against the bars of its cage. She shivered weakly as she became aware of the cold in the hospital room. She pulled the blankets tighter around herself and rolled over, preparing to drift off again.
"-nger! Granger!" The annoyed voice wove in and out of her hearing as she began the slippery slide back into the suffocating darkness. And then, abruptly, she was no longer in danger of slipping back in, for it was as if the voice has grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from that drowsy in between place, and into the conscious world.
"Oh no you don't Granger" the voice drawled "the nurse said to keep you awake if you did come to" it paused for a moment and then continued, the sneer the speaker's facial features must have been twisted into was evident in the voice "although I can't see why personally, you're so much more pleasant when you are incapable of speech."
Only one person Hermione knew could speak in such a condescending tone. She opened one eye and peered blurrily out from her huddle of blankets, groaning she closed the eye and rolled over so her back was to the speaker.
"Now, now Granger is that anyway to treat your new older brother?" the voice sneered, a hint of anger leaking into his tone.
"Oh go bugger yourself Malfoy!" Hermione snarled, her response muffled by pillows still reached Draco's ears, tinting his skin a pale pink and making his grey eyes flash with anger.
XOXOXOXOXO
Unballing his fists he gave a small smile. She never failed to get a rise out of him, when he himself never seemed to get one out of her…oh a hot flash of anger, sure, but anything deep, anything tangible…never…except for that unfortunate incident in third year…but he preferred not to speak of it.
"Such a mouth on you! Mother will have a fit! No Malfoy woman swears in public!" he said, knowing this would infuriate her, while at the same time shuddering at the thought of giving the name, and the curse that went along with it, to anyone, even a mudblood…former mudblood, Draco corrected himself.
Hermione sat up with an enraged shriek, throwing the covers off, her striking auburn eyes flashing in anger, took in the unexpected sight of Draco Malfoy in muggle clothing. A long sleeved black collared shirt accentuated shoulders that had broadened in the last year, and the dramatic black a striking contrast against his pale skin and white hair, and a pair of jeans covered his long legs that stretched before him, crossed nonchalantly at the ankles. Hermione shook of the shock at seeing Draco lowering himself to muggle clothing, the most expensive of muggle clothing, but still muggle clothing. Regaining her composure she snarled at him.
"I. Am. Not. A. Malfoy!" Hermione bit each word out, her teeth grinding together. Draco smirked.
"Well not YET, mother and father won't let you use our surname until they polish you up a bit." He forced a grin "I mean can you imagine? You walking around with your bushy hair and crude muggle mannerisms? We'd never live it down!"
Hermione growled, her jaw working furiously but, to his surprise, instead of swearing at him again, or cursing him into oblivion, she shivered and then simply grabbed the blankets from where they rested about her waist, wrapped them around her shoulders, turned around and thumped back onto the mattress. Refusing to respond to anymore of his taunts.
Draco tore his eyes away from the lump of blankets, the few stray strands of golden brown hair peeking out from beneath the white coverlet the only clue that the pile really was a person and not just a mound of pillows and blankets. His eyes traveled slowly around the generic, white hospital room of Saint Mungo's, a privet room of course, and then to the clip board that hung at the end of the bed. His grey eyes scanned the official looking document, his pale eyes widening almost imperceptibly.
"Malnourishment? Exhaustion?" he asked, disbelief coloring his voice "What the hell is this all about Granger?"
His words penetrated the haze that surrounded Hermione's mind. She sat back up, blinking.
"Why do you keep calling me Granger?" she queried, evading his question. Draco blinked, startled at her artless evasion. But then again what had he expected? She was a Gryffindor after all.
"Ah yes, I suppose that is very remiss of me, calling you Granger. It would be Bennett now wouldn't it?" he asked sarcastically "Of course until it becomes Malfoy. But you know what they say, old habits die hard." He smirked "Now answer the question."
Hermione worried her lower lip with her teeth as she tried to find a reason. Draco stared, fascinated, as the small white teeth nibbled on her lower lip. He wondered how those teeth would feel on him, nibbling and nipping their way up his-Draco cut himself off, ashamed at the direction his thoughts were going, imagine thinking about a filthy mudblood like that.
'Ah yes but she isn't a mudblood anymore is she Draco, old chap?' a voice whispered somewhere in the back of his mind
"Come on, the truth, not some silly excuse." He said, his tone harsher than he had intended.
Hermione opened her mouth and then shut it again. He could see her trying to find a way out of this. He watched absently as she rubbed her arms as if she were cold.
"Out with it" he sneered, Hermione harrumphed, offended by his tone.
"Fine. If you simply must know, it's because I've been much too busy, and I just…kind of…forgot" She finished lamely, her answer accompanied by a firm nod.
Draco ran his long fingered hand through his white-blond hair in exasperation.
"Busy doing what?" he asked, aggravated
Hermione's lips twitched, as if she were suppressing a smile, which she was. She knew what his reaction would be to her response
"Why, studying of course." She said in a dry voice.
Draco just stared at her for moment, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Finally he managed to force a coherent sentence from his throat
"Why are you studying? It's the middle of the summer Granger." He said his eyes wide with disbelief.
Hermione smirked "Exactly" she replied "and when we start school again it'll be our fifth year. Our OWL's year…how could I NOT study" it was Hermione said in a falsely exasperated tone, she so enjoyed that blank look on Draco's face when whatever she said stumped him…it made him look as dumb as she knew he was.
Draco shook his head and returned his piercing grey eyes to the clip board, scanning over numerous figures and official looking dialogue, as he approached the bottom he noticed a hand written note in the margin of the page.
"What-"he began to ask, but then as he read the note he cut himself off, looking up at Hermione, his eyes narrowed in consideration. Perhaps she wasn't as Gryffindor as he thought, if what the note said was true, than she was a very good liar, perhaps as good as his father, perhaps as good as him. Maybe all of them were lying with the same proficiency, and all at the same time. Draco repressed a snort of derision. Wouldn't that be ironic? The deceived deceiving the deceivers. He looked at the note once more, just to make sure he had read it correctly. He hoped the doctor was wrong…but if he wasn't, well, he would be keeping an eye on her anyways.
Hermione was staring at him again, a puzzled expression on her beautiful face. Good, he thought, let her wonder. The less she knew about him and his father's plans the better. Just thinking about what Lucius wanted to do made him sick. His father's plans always made him sick. His thoughts had begun to travel down a darker path when there came a sharp rap on the door and a plump nurse who reminded Hermione greatly of Mrs. Weasley came bustling in. She had a wide, flushed face that emanated warmth and caring. Hermione instantly relaxed. Draco was instantly on guard. The woman walked over to the window, her sensible flats making no sound on the linoleum floors. "'Tis dark as a cave in 'ere" she said with a slight lilt in her bright voice, it made Draco want to cover his ears, as she reached the window and drew the curtains back, letting in rays of sunshine.
It wasn't real sunshine of course, being as they were several stories underground; however it had the same affect on Draco and Hermione as the real thing. Hermione's face seemed to glow, instantly seeming healthier, and more energetic as the rays hit her. Draco edged away from the intruding beams and frowned as they fell on him despite his attempts to avoid them.
The nurse, Mary, turned around and studied the two teens in the room. She frowned at them, for they truly were a study in opposites. The slim girl in the bed a child of the light, warm healthy skin, sparkling brown eyes, and long, curly blonde-brown hair, she seemed to glow in the soft sunlight, Mary sensed the warmth that seemed to radiate from her, the innate kindness, surely the girl had many friends, and was never lacking companionship, but then on closer inspection Mary noticed several things that the unforgiving sunlight had illuminated, the pallor of sickness on the girl's face. The frame Mary had originally mistaken for slim she saw now was thin to the point of emaciation; Mary would have been surprised if she had weighed any more than six stones. The haunting quality of the shadows under her eyes, and the hollows of her cheeks. A story, a mystery, a lie, a reason, a reason she was laying in the hospital bed with her wrists so thin they looked hollow. A reason for the shadows of old bruises, and the hunted look, the fear in her eyes. The small young woman was an enigma. She had a youthful body, but a weary soul.
In contrast the boy sitting in the chair was a child of the night, his eyes grey like the clouds in the midnight sky, his skin pale and seemingly cold, his hair glimmered with the same white as the stars, Mary knew that he would be quick with his lies, and light on his feet. Out of necessity, Mary decided looking at him. For he had the same hunted look at the girl, however he didn't seem at all lost. He sat in the chair confidently, his posture screamed 'lackadaisical arrogance', and he held himself with a predatory grace, he was like a sleek leopard a breath away from movement, it seemed as if he knew exactly what he was doing. His eyes though, his eyes were defiant, angry, they were eyes that had witnessed atrocities no human should ever be forced to see and behind the icy grey Mary caught a glimpse of an ancient soul, a weary soul. Mary didn't understand why these two teens, little more than children, had such tired faces, ancient souls, and knowing eyes, and so she pushed it to the back of her mind and did what she did best.
Mary moved to Hermione's bedside, fussing with the rumpled blanket, smoothing the coverlet and fluffing her pillows. Pulling her wand from a pocket on her white nurses uniform she accio-ed the clipboard from the end of the bed into her hand, and with a precise wand movement in Hermione's direction, numbers began to appear at a rapid pace on the blank page held by the clip. Mary tut tutted. "I was right! You don' way any more than six stones and yer blood sugar is still awfully low, which is never a good thing. I'll be right back with summa potion fer that" Then without another word the comforting presence of the nurse was gone and Hermione and Draco were once again alone.
Hermione leaned back resting her head on the pillow; closing her eyes she enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight on her face. The warmth was comforting, especially in this room that seemed so cold, and as if triggered by her thoughts another shiver ran through her body. Why was she so cold? She huddled under the blankets, awaiting the return of the nurse, stubbornly ignoring the pale young man who was sitting in the far corner of the room staring at the wall above her head. The silence stretched on. Draco lost in thought and Hermione refusing to do anything to interrupt the quiet.
She turned over onto her side, her knees pressed tightly to her chest, the blankets rustled, seeming excruciatingly loud in the quite room. Her mind slowly drifted to the problem at hand. What was she to do? She had just been told that she was a pureblood, something Hermione doubted very strongly. If that was the case surely Dumbledore would know, and would have told her, and while she was on that subject, there was no possible way she could be related to the Malfoy's. Hermione ran through what she knew about the Malfoy family. Lucius Malfoy was as slippery as an eel and had more lives than any cat. The name Malfoy was gold, in the most literal sense, in the Ministry of Magic. Draco was a complete prat…and Narcissa she had seen only once. There was no possible way she could be related to that…dysfunction. It was too absurd to even contemplate. Obviously Lucius was lying. But why would he lie…?
Hermione's musings were cut short by the entrance of the nurse. Mary approached Hermione's bedside with purpose, the vial of a bubbling green viscous liquid held at arms length as if it were in danger of exploding. Setting it down on the cheap wooden bed side table she instructed "Drink it right quick 'afore it goes cold."
Hermione sat up and stared at the vial dubiously as large mucus colored bubble formed and then popped on the surface. Grimacing she reached out and took the vial, her vast experience with potions telling her that it was going to taste as vile as it looked. Giving the vile one more apprehensive look she tossed back the vial of thick liquid expertly. Draco pressed a fist to his mouth; it was all he could do to keep from falling off his chair laughing at the expression on Hermione's face. Hermione sent a nasty look at him as she smacked her lips and gagged, doing anything she could to try and get the taste from her mouth.
Mary watched, absurdly satisfied as Hermione began to rapidly wipe her tongue on the collar of her night gown. If anything would keep the girl from ending back up in the hospital it was that potion. In fact she had chosen it over the more pleasant tasting potion for just that reason. It provided all the necessary healing properties, and the taste would leave a lasting reminder as to why she should eat. Conjuring a glass of water, she handed it to Hermione with a false coo of sympathy "Oh you poor dear." She murmured, hiding a smile, as Hermione ripped the glass of water from her hand and drained it. Hermione glared at Draco as he fell from his chair, clutching his side and howling in laughter.
XOXOXOXOXO
Much, much, much later, when Draco regained control of his snickers he turned towards Mary, still smirking, and asked "When may Granger leave?" Hermione tensed up where she sat on her bed, her back pressed firmly to the white wall and her knees crossed Indian style beneath her, her shoulders and back going rigid. Her head whipped around from where it had been resting against the wall, to stare at the nurse, her golden brown hair settling over her shoulders. Mary looked up from the clipboard where she was making additional note in the margin, and frowned "Well…Miss Granger should have bed rest for the next few days, no strenuous activities." Hermione relaxed; surely she would be staying here. But then the nurse's next words make her freeze like a deer caught in head lights "Although I see no reason why she can't do it at home"
Hermione ran her tongue across her teeth, grimacing at the lingering taste of the potion; did she have a home anymore? The Grangers weren't her family anymore, thank Merlin, it was the middle of summer so she couldn't go to Hogwarts, Ron hadn't invited her and she would hate to impose, and Harry…well…Harry…Draco's voice brought that train of though to an abrupt halt.
"Get up Granger, we're going home." Hermione stared at him blankly for a moment, but regained control quickly "Home?" she queried.
Draco shook his head quietly, despairing over her lack of perception. "You're living with us, Granger. In the Malfoy family manor. That's what being a guardian means, it means feeding and clothing, and giving a home to an ungrateful former mudblood."
The nurse gave him a sharp look, and with an insulted sniff, turned on her heel and stomped from the room, slamming the door behind her. Hermione frowned after her, considering "I'm not going anywhere with you." She said flatly, looking determinedly at a point next to his right ear, and her arms crossed sullenly over her chest. Draco swallowed a growl of annoyance. "Granger, get up, get dressed. Now." He said softly, his eyes narrowed into icy slits.
Hermione frowned, her auburn eyes were slightly glazed, as if she were looking through him, and seeing only something she could, however her answer was clear and concise "Malfoy, I would rather eat glass." Draco's pale cheeks flushed a pale pink, and he scowled at her.
"Granger, you can walk out of here, or your unconscious form can be levitated out of here. I much prefer the later, but I'm giving you a choice."
Hermione's chin jutted out, and her eyes snapped to his face. "Malfoy you can kiss my arse."
Draco just gave a silky smile and fingered his wand.
XOXOXOXOXO
"Bloody bastard…sodding wanker...just you WAIT until I have a chance…ooh, I'll make you wish you were never born…" Hermione mumbled under her breath as she trudged sullenly after Draco, dragging her feet and scuffing the sidewalk with her sensible, flat, shoes, not fifteen minuets after the confrontation in the hospital room. It hadn't gone well at all, Hermione frowned, remembering. She hadn't actually expected him to use the full body bind, or mobilius corpus…the bloody arse rag!
Draco turned around to stare at the slim girl who was walking a good ten feet behind him, her steps sluggish, as if she had to force herself to take every step...she looked to be on the verge of turning around and running
"If you walk any slower, we won't make it to the portkey until well after dark." He called to her.
"Good, then maybe the muggers will get you." She mumbled, as she drew up alongside him
"What was that?" he sneered.
Hermione glanced up at him, giving him a dazzling smile that made Draco's breath catch in his throat
"I said" she stated slowly "I hope the muggers get you." She than broke into a stirring rendition of 'God Save the Queen' and skipped off in front of him.
Draco winced as her merry, although horribly off key humming rang through the crowded streets of muggle London. She knew nothing of decorum…just like a filthy mudblood. She stopped skipping and slowed to walk almost immediately, he could see her chest heaving, just from expending even that tiny amount of energy. Draco studied her tiny frame as she weaved expertly between groups of muggles, and with quick, long strides that ate up ground; he was next to her in seconds.
"It's through there."
He said indicating a dark, narrow side alley that Hermione had almost walked past, wrapping his large hand, callused from years of Quiddittch, around her thin upper arm he steered her firmly into the alley. Releasing her arm, he motioned for her to follow as he stepped over a cracked vial, and skirted a condom with as much arrogance and effortless grace he must have when waltzing across the floor of a ballroom. Hurrying to keep up with his much longer strides she followed him deeper into the dank alley. Stepping daintily around a puddle of something that looked suspiciously like vomit she sneered
"Your family sure has class, Malfoy"
Draco ignored her and slowed his steps as they approached the brick wall, covered with graffiti, at the end of the alley. Sparing a quick glance over his shoulder he pulled his wand from the back pocket of his designer label jeans. Muttering to himself he began counting bricks, three bricks up and two to the right, Hermione counted silently along with him as he found the brick he was looking for. Tapping it with his wand, it popped out, reaching out a pale hand he grasped the loose brick firmly and pulled it out, leaving a gaping hole where the brick had been, holding the brick in one hand he reached his other hand into the gap blindly for something first just with his hand and then he reached further back into the hole and his entire arm disappeared. He bit his tongue as his hand groped blindly for whatever it was looking for.
"Ah" he said "here it is!" and with that his arm reemerged, much to Hermione's disappointment, for she had been desperately hoping something behind the wall would bite it off, and while he was screaming and rolling around on the dirty alley floor bleeding she could make a break for it. In his hand he held a signet ring, the Malfoy crest. An Emerald the size of Hermione's pinky nail was surrounded by a silver snake that wrapped around the jewel, its head placed in the center, its body forming the actual ring. Grabbing Hermione's hand he shoved it roughly onto the ring finger of her right hand, placing a single finger on the ring, he brought his wand up and set it on the ring, activating the portkey.
Hermione closed her eyes against the unnerving sensation of a hook just behind her navel being tugged inextricably forward, she had the most uncomfortable feeling of her feet leaving the ground and the world whirling around her, and then just as suddenly as it had started, it was over and her feet were once again on firm ground. She could have fallen to her knees and kissed it. Hermione frowned; she really could fall to her knees. Draco began to move away from her, taking away the only support she had. Wrapping her arms around her stomach she doubled over. Taking a portkey had never made her feel this nauseous, not even her first time. Her head pounded fiercely and her stomach churned viciously. She was dimly aware of the fact that Draco had stopped his approach to the manor and now stood statuary several yards in front of her.
Groaning she straightened up and took several unsteady step towards where Draco stood, watching her awkward progress with amusement. Hermione glared at him. Weaving across the lawn towards him in what, if Draco hadn't known better he would have believed to be a drunken stupor. Sneering he reached out a hand to support her, but it was violently slapped away, and Hermione continued the lopsided march past him and, in what to her must have been a straight line, towards the manor that sat atop one of the rolling emerald green hills.
It was to bad Hermione's eyes couldn't focus on anything but the house that appeared to be moving, houses don't move, Hermione assured herself, because if she had been feeling even marginally better she would have stopped and gaped at the lovely country side. A vivid cerulean sky framed the impressive grey stone manor that sprawled across acres and was surrounded by bright green grass that seemed to stretch for miles in all directions. But for the moment Hermione was focused on the singular task of placing one foot in front of another, and ignoring the protests her stomach and head made. It was probably that damned potion. Draco followed several paces behind, sniggering quietly at her weaving progress. Granger was a laugh a minuet…Draco frowned, that wasn't right, Hermione was never funny…it must be the potion.
XOXOXOXO
Hermione leaned heavily against the door jam, gulping air into her furiously working lungs, and trying very hard to not think about the dull throbbing in her head, or the nausea that had not abated during her trek across what had seemed like miles of up hill slopes. Pressing her cheek against the cool grey stone of the wall she studied the immense double doors that would swing open into her new life. They were enormous, stretching up at least twenty five feet, and made of some beautiful, dark gleaming wood that probably cost more than three of the Granger's houses put together. There were detailed carvings all over the doors, ancient ruins, Hermione knew. The ones closest to Hermione's eyes were ones of power and protection.
"Ready Granger?" Draco queried insolently from behind her, and, not waiting for an answer he stepped past her and banged the ornate silver door knocker that was modeled as a snake, it's head formed the knocker and it's body twined up and around in a circle where it attached to the door. Draco's pale, callused hand wrapped confidently around the head, obscuring the small glimmering emeralds that were the heavily detailed knocker's eyes.
Hermione could only shake her head at such extravagancy. She knew the Malfoy's were rich, but to be so filthy rich you displayed it on something as trivial as a door knocker? That just seemed excessive. It was like blowing you nose on one hundred dollar bills. Even as Hermione mulled over this, the immense doors swung open without so much as a squeak.
Without hesitation Draco stepped into the cool, dimly light interior of the entryway. Hermione took a staggering step inside and could only stare in wonderment at the sight that awaited her. The house had seemed positively enormous from the outside, but inside it must have been as big as Hogwarts. Gaping she looked straight up past curving white railings and green marble floors, she could just barely make out the ceiling. Her eyes widening with each passing moment Hermione turned in a circle taking in the lavishly decorated entry hall. The floor was the finest of green marble with elegant silver inlay, the hall itself was bigger than three of her homes. The large rectangular room flowed seamlessly into another to her left, which appeared to be a ballroom. To her right the hall bled into yet another enormous room. Directly ahead of her was a behemoth stair case of silver and white marble that went directly up and then split into two separate staircases, one that veered towards the left, and the other towards the right.
Draco observed Hermione's awe with a snicker
"Probably never seen anything this nice, eh Granger? But what would a mudblood be doing in an ancestral home of a pureblood?" he sneered
Hermione sniffed. True it was her first time in pureblood's ancestral home, and it certainly lived up to expectations, it wasn't her first time in a pureblood's home, but this outshined the burrow by quite a bit.
"Fascinating" she murmured, staring down at the carvings in the floor, crouching down to get a better look she ran her finger over it considering "How long as this house been in your family?" she asked softly as the rune on the floor began to glow at her touch. Draco shrugged his shoulders
"Several millennia, I suppose" he replied nonchalantly, Hermione simply nodded, that had been her guess.
XOXOXOXOXO
Draco led Hermione up yet another flight of stairs, she trailed along behind him, her breathing shallow. Sparing a quick glance back at her small frame to make sure she hadn't fallen over dead, he reached the landing and waited for her to catch up, he didn't have to wait long before Hermione, holding onto the railing with a death grip, dragged herself up the final stair, huffing and puffing.
"Sadistic" Hermione gulped in air "bastards" and then another gasp "all of you." she finished weakly. Draco just smiled down at her flushed face, his gray eyes laughing "That's why the ladies love us." He smirked
Then without waiting for an answer, he placed his large hand in the small of her back and began to propel her along the hallway. Hermione went rigid at his touch and kept her eyes downcast as a flush, which had nothing to do with physical exertion, crept across her cheeks. She studied her plain black shoes, ugly some would say, but she thought them sensible and the polished grain of the wood floor beneath them intently. She didn't like being touched, but it would be rude turndown a gesture that was meant to be helpful, and was obviously second nature to him, he was probably hardly aware of doing it.
Draco grinned down at the top of Hermione's head lasciviously. Who would have thought that underneath all those demure, baggy clothes Granger had a nice ass? Well he knew now, being as his hand rested right above the soft swell, and he slowly began to inch it downward, but stopped himself right before he could do anything he would regret, Hermione was under the impression they were cousins, and not for the first time he damned his father's lies to hell.
All the pleasant thoughts of Granger's derrière were pushed firmly to one side, after all he didn't want her thinking he was some sort of incestuous prat…he wasn't a Weasley after all. Stopping in front of a large oak door, he removed his protesting hand and opened the door.
"Your room madam." He said in a false French accent and then gave her a light shove into the room, stepping in after her he waited for her reaction. For the second time that day Hermione was completely taken aback by the lavish appointment of the Malfoy home. With a soft gasp she took another step into the room, Draco following closely behind, a small smile pasted to his face. The room was done in varying hues of blue, from the color of the summer sky to the dark blue of the ocean at night, with gold accent pieces. An enormous four poster canopy bed was set in the middle of the huge room, lush blue velvet hangings with golden embroidery obscured most of it from view, but Hermione could just make out a pile of pillows in whites, gold's, and blues at the head of the bed. On the wall opposite the bed was an enormous golden fireplace, a pile of wood set in the grate. In the far corner next to a window that took up most of the east wall was a large cushy blue arm chair. Hermione could see herself curling up in it with a cup of tea and a good book. Her eyes were then drawn back to the window. It looked out over the rolling English countryside that Hermione had been to busy to notice before. Draco's voice made her tear her eyes from the breath taking view.
"The bathroom is through there." He said indicating a door near the arm chair "and the library is right through there" he said pointing towards a door to the right of the fireplace. Hermione's eyes immediately light up. "You can't go there yet though." Hermione turned around slowly to look at him "Father wants to speak with you."
XOXOXOXOXO
"You can floo anywhere in the house from the fireplace. To go to Lucius's office simply say 'Third floor office.' Got it?" Hermione nodded quickly, clenching and unclenching her hands where she stood in front of the fireplace. Reaching a shaking hand she grabbed a pinch of floo powder from the mantel pieced. Throwing it into the fire that Draco had just started, the flames leapt alarmingly, turning bright green. "Third floor office!" Hermione said calmly, and stepped into the emerald flames.
XOXOXOXO
Lucius sat behind the large oak desk, his long fingers steepled beneath his chin and his grey eyes watching the fireplace expectantly, as a cat would a mouse hole. His fall of platinum blonde hair was tossed nonchalantly over one shoulder, and his snake headed cane was propped against the arm of the green leather chair in which he sat. Lucius was a man used to opulence, he was a man who indulged freely in his wants, his needs, but he was not soft like many men who were born into similar settings, similar wealth. No, Lucius was a hard man, a skilled liar, a glib conversationalist, a charming man many would say. He was an adept curse caster, a proficient torturer, terrifying many would say. He possessed a sharp wit, and the patience of a saint, determined many would say. A predator is what Lucius thought himself to be. His body was honed to react to the smallest noise, trained in hand to hand combat, and his wand was always at the ready, he was perfectly misleading, his lies and his charm his stripes to hide him in the tall grass. He could wait for hours, days, years for the opportune moment to strike. He sat in his chair with an easy grace, with the confidence of a man used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. The flames in the fire flashed a tell tale green a moment before the small girl came hurtling from the grate onto the emerald carpeting of the floor.
A small predatory smile graced his lips as she stood, brushing the soot from her rumpled blouse and skirt. Standing up he cleared his throat. Hermione's head snapped up, her amber eyes icy with hate as she met his own mild gray ones. "Please take a seat…Hermione" her name rolled of his tongue slowly, as if he were savoring it, his voice as smooth as silk. Hermione shuddered in disgust. Lucius Malfoy, the man who had ruined Ginny's life, Lucius Malfoy the man who had attempted to kill Harry, Lucius Malfoy the man who had tried to execute Buckbeak, Lucius Malfoy the right hand man of Voldemort.
"I'd rather stand, Mr. Malfoy" she said quietly, her chin jutting out defiantly
Lucius simply smiled at her impudence, his gray eyes raking across her body in a manner which made Hermione feel as if he could see right through her clothes.
"Please, Hermione, there's no need to be so proper! Call me Lucius for now." Hermione crossed her arms sullenly "Very well" she said "I'd rather stand…Lucius." She sneered his name.
"Nonsense Hermione! Take a seat." He said, his gray eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly as he kept up his façade. One pale hand gestured towards the green armchair opposite him.
Hermione met his eyes for a moment, in a stand off of wills, but what she saw in those grey depths made her drop her gaze almost immediately, cold, she saw ice in his eyes. Hate. She suppressed a shudder. Crossing the room quickly she dropped into the seat across from Lucius, her eyes clenched as if she expected lightning to hit her. When she wasn't incinerated on the spot she opened one eye, and then the other, just in time to see Lucius take his seat. Leaning forward he once again steepled his fingers under his chin. With a small smile he began to speak "I understand what Mr. Gils's informed you must have been quite a shock, however I hope in time you will be able to accept you new life…" Hermione stopped listening and simply nodded at places she deemed appropriate as her mind began the process of organizing all the different information she had been given in the last day. As she did this she began to see more and more gaps in the story she had been fed, reaffirming her speculation that this was all a lie. Her suspicion grew with each passing second. Mr. Gils had given her no information on why she had been given to the Grangers after her parents had been killed. Nor in all her readings about the Bennett's had she found any mention of Adriana's relatives being the Malfoy's. In fact Hermione had been under the impression Adriana was a muggle born. Hermione frowned. Yes, something was definitely something afoot. Something that undoubtedly involved Voldemort.
XOXOXOX
The Forbidden Forest stood at the edge of Hogwarts land, it had been there as long as any Wizard could remember, it had been there as long as there had been recorded word, it had been there longer than Hogwarts itself, it had been there since the beginning. The tangled brush and twisting trees held the secrets of millennia's, it stood as the only witness to the dawn of man, the first war, the first love, the first birth, the first death. It had been there since the first. The forest was cloaked in legend, in mystery. It stood unchanged by the passing of centuries. The same gnarled trees, twisting roots, the same creatures. One of these many creatures stood deep in the center of the forest, far deeper than any human had ever been, at least while it was alive. Its man like head was tilted upwards staring at the stars that glimmered through the dark canopy of leaves. The sound of hoof beats alerted the stargazer to the approach of another of its kind.
"It has begun." The first whispered, its eyes glued to the heavens. The other looked upwards, a sharp indrawn breath the only indication he had seen what the first had.
"Her fate has been set into motion." It said mistily as a third joined their party
"See how brightly her star shines." It said quietly
"Her fate has been entwined with Harry Potter's since the beginning. We have seen it" The first said "but now her star outshines even his." It continued
"She walks a hard path, at the end lies only despair and death." The second said as two more of the creatures joined the group and tilted their head back to study the stars.
"But her death will save us all. There is no other way. Sacrifice is the only choice." A new one said.
The other centaurs agreed silently, pawing the earth with their hooves as they continued to try and interpret the stars and planets.
A/N: Whew. Finally done! I'm sorry it's taken me so long. My updates are going to be farther apart then they were with my last story because, as all my stalkers…er…LJ friends know, I've been very, very, VERY busy. For all you readers of TOAI you probably noticed the BIG change in my writing style. I hope you liked it!
Draco: FINALLY I show up
Hermione: I thought you didn't want to do this?
Draco: ::shrugs:: I don't, but I'm the only thing saving this story from complete ruin
OA: ::lip trembles:: I KNEW YOU CARED DRACO!!!!!!!! ::tacklehugs::
Draco: Geroff! Geroff! You insane woman! ::struggles out of OA's grasp:: All I'm saying is that I have nothing better to do. ::straightens robes:: and it gives me a good chance to practice my sneer ::sneers::
Hermione: ::shakes head in disgust:: you are such a vain prat
Draco: SO?
OA: awww…you guys are so CUTE together! That's why I write HG/DM, but Hermione's going to get some action from some other guys to ::winks lasciviously::
Hermione: …you disgust me. ::curses OA into oblivion::
OA: …that's what I get for trying to lighten the mood
Draco: stay dead you foul woman!
OA: …only if they review.
Draco/Hermione: please, please, PLEASE REVIEW
OA: Please notify me of any errors made, any constructive criticism is much appreciated. Tell me what you liked, tell me what you didn't like. Share your ideas. Your disgust with the over used plot line. (But trust me. Twists are on there way)
RESPONSES:
the-sexy-flower: Hello my love, sorry I posted before you got a chance to read through it, I was in kind of a rush.
Geekofyerdreams: Hello love, I can't wait to read your new story! Thank you for betaing, you're a doll!
Hazel Tree: ::gasp:: COMPLIMENTS! CONSTRUCTIVE comments. You're my new love.
Haystack8190: Ah yes…the plot…let me assure you while it may seem overused…I have some twist in store for you.
Donniedarkobunnyover: I'm glad you think so. Love your name.
Paprika90: Thank You
Bea: If Hermione's mother were REALLY related to Narcissa then yes, they would be related.
Oni Tenchie: I posted this story under a different name before, but then started it over here.
DarkAngelB: I love you Sally! I hope you enjoy it
Dancing in rain: I'm glad you enjoyed my last story, I hope you enjoy this one as well.