A/N: sorry that it took sooo long to update, first I got sick, and didn't feel like writing, only sleeping. And then, when I was finished with chapter three and only had left to edit and post it, my computer broke down, and then had to wait for four days for it to be fixed. And they had to replace everything. But gladly, its working again.
Thanks a lot for all the reviews, I really appreciate them.
Hermione's POV:
"I guess that I'll start from the beginning." Draco said, as he turned away from me to look in the roaring fire.
"My parents marriage was an arranged one. Lucius never really appreciated my mother. I think that he though of her as a trophy wife. He would constantly hurt her, or ignoring her, and not let her be who she truly wanted to be. My mother was once a great healer, and loved being able to help others. After they got married, Lucius insisted that women stay at home, clean house and make babies, and she was never able worked again. So, she became the shell of a woman that I have know all my life.
When I was born, Lucius became even more distant then before. I believe that was the year that he decided to join Voldermort. I remember vaguely that when I was two, was the first time he hit me, told my mother that he was building character.
He continued on with the beatings, steadily getting worse, as time went on. By the time school started, he was using unforgivable's on me. I thought, that when school started, that he would just get bored, and go and serve his master, and leave me and my mother alone, but this was not the case. The beatings got so bad, that he would only stop if I screamed out in pain, which I didn't do often, not wanting him know how much pain he was putting me through, or if I pass out from the pain.
When I would wake up, I would have deep cuts, and bruises that would mar my skin. My mother would heal what she could, but I still have most of the scars.
At school, I was a complete prat. I was selfish and I was rude. I truly believed that if I would act like him, cold, distant and inhumane, that he would accept me,. Again, my attempts were in vain, for a cold-hearted bastard would not change his ways.
When I was in fourth year, was when my sister was born. During that time, I would take all of Lucius's beatings, making sure that he didn't hit my mother. She was not only vulnerable at the time, but I didn't want her to suffer anymore than she had too. She was the only one to ever show me real love me, even if it wasn't that often, not wanting to upset Lucius.
When he was captured and put into Azkaban in fifth year, that's when I changed my attitude towards life, or at least it was the summer before sixth year.
When my father was gone, my mother, sister and I lived in peace. She not only showed me that 'mudbloods' are equal, but that I did not have to be like my father. I guess that is why, last year, I tended to blend into the shadows, and not stand out too much."
At this point in his story, he stopped, and recollected himself. By this time in his story, silent tears were falling down my cheeks, slowly.
"Lucius escaped at the end of the summer. He was hiding some where, but I did not care, as long as he stayed away from the Manor. The last night of the summer, the day before we were going to leave for the Hogwarts Express, our house was attacked, with multiple Death Eaters. They took the three of us to a forest, in the center of a clearing, where even more Death Eaters were waiting.
As they formed a circle around us, I saw that Voldermort was there, standing within it. I made sure that I was guarding my sister, who's only still a baby, and my mother.
Soon I saw him give a slight nod of his head, and then two rushed forward, and dragged me toward him. As I tried to struggle away from them, others grabbed my mother and sister, beating them and cursing them until they screamed out in pain."
As soon as he said that, tears were falling down his face, and his voiced choked with raw emotions.
"Soon they passed out from the pain, or at least I think they did, but I'm not too sure. The two that grabbed me, brought me right up to Voldermort, and as I looked into the decrepit, dying red eyed snake, I knew Lucius had a big part in this. Before I knew what was exactly was happening, I felt a burning on my left arm. It was then that I realized that the Dark Mark was being branded onto my forearm. The pain from that alone, was horrible. It was about ten times worse than any punishment that my father ever gave me. And to add insult to injury, after that was done, they threw me to the ground, and beat and cursed the hell out of me. All of them.
When I woke up, which was early the next morning, the pain was tremendous. All of the Death Eaters had left by that time, probably off to enjoy there favorite past time, torturing others that they think are below them. I saw that my mother and sister were still out of it, but at least they were still breathing. As I gathered them up, and realized that I could not wake up my mother, much less heal either of them. So, I apparated us to St. Mungo's, and they healed them the best that they could, but there still in coma's.
That night, I did not get much sleep, trying to keep the medi-witches from know that exactly happened, and to keep them from seeing the Dark Mark. But they knew, you could tell that they knew. I told them that we were attacked, that some burglars stole into our house, and left us for dead.
I have them both in a protective ward, where no one can do them harm. Lucius was the one to do all of this, and if it the last thing that I do, I will kill him." he said, as he finished his story.
"I did not know any of that." I said, as I looked him in the eye.
"I never told anyone about that." he said.
"What's your sisters name?" I asked, as I tried to change the subject.
At the mention of this, his eyes light up, and he smiled through his tears.
"Her name is Carrington, it's an old English name, and means beautiful. She almost four, and her birthday is in November." he said, pleased.
I looked over, and saw that Emma was still fast asleep, now lying on her back, the dragon still in her tight grasp.
"How is she dealing with their death?" he asked, as he say my gaze drift towards her.
"She's dealing, not too well, but better then what can be expected. She only wakes up a few nights a week from nightmares, but other than that, she's being a two year old," I said, as I looked over to him again, "well, as normal as she can be, what with the craving to learn and all." I said, letting out a little laugh.
"Yeah, she does have this caliber to her, she acts just like you did in school, as least a couple of years ago." he said, giving a little snicker.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." I stated. "At least she get's this at a young age, and understand's what is being taught to her" I said, proudly.
I looked at my watch, and saw that I was past nine o'clock, and that we have been talking for about two hours.
"I have to go and put her in her bed, I'll be right back." I said, as I picked Emma up off the floor.
"Mione?" she said in her tired little voice.
"Yes, baby?' I questioned.
"Where am I?" she asked, confused.
"In the common room, come on, I'll put you in bed." I told her, as I carried her to the stairs.
"Night Draco." she called over my shoulder.
"Good night, Emma.' he said softly, as I walked up the stairs
I changed her into a pair of her pajama's, and then tucked her into her bed, while she was still clutching to her dragon, with her kneazle curled up on her pillow.
"Thanks Mione, I love you." she said, as she sank down comfortably in her bed.
"Night sweetheart, love you too." I said, but it fell on deaf ears, as she was already asleep.
I also changed into a pair of sleep pants, and a oversize tee, and made my way down to the common room, a book clutched in my hand.
As I walked back down the stairs, Draco was in the same spot, but now his face was wiped clean of any tears that were shed.
"And what about you, how are you doing with their death's?" he asked, as soon as I sat down.
"Again, as well as can be expected." I said. "I use to wake up during the night in a cold sweat, but now, not so much. Sometimes I think that I'm in a living nightmare, but I know that I'm not, that it's just my life.
What about you, how are you holding up?" I asked, not wanting to talk about my life anymore. "I mean, didn't it just happen a couple of days ago?"
"Yeah, it did. When I think about what happened, I feel so useless that I was not able to protect them, and that it was all my fault. Tonny is still so young, she should not have to go through any pain. At least not the same that I went through." he said, as he stood up. "Well, I'm off to bed, good night."
"Good night" I told him.
I stayed in the common room for a little while longer, just reading. Around eleven o'clock, I climbed the stairs to my room, and when to sleep.
The next day, I woke up from a nightmare less sleep. I got ready, and then woke Emma up around 7:30, and got her dressed.
Since my first class, History of Magic, started at 9:30, we had about an hour to eat as we went to the Great Hall.
"Hey guys." I said, as I sat across from Harry and Ron.
"Hi Mione." they said in unison.
"How was your summer's?" I asked, feeling a little guilty that I haven't been around lately.
"I stayed at Grimmauld place this summer, not having to go and survive another summer at Privet Drive. We were allowed more involvement in the Order, but were not able to join until were done with school." Harry said.
"Yeah, we pretty much stayed there also, mum not wanting to leave us at home." Ron said, talking around the toast he was eating. "She even let Percy come back home. Well, not home, seeing as how he got himself a flat in Diagon Ally. But back into the family." he finished.
"That's good." I told him, putting jam on a piece of toast, and piling pancakes on a plate for Emma.
"Mione, were really sorry about your parents." Harry said.
"I know, thank you guys for not pushing me, you really don't know how much I appreciate it." I told them.
"Of course Mione." Harry said, finishing his breakfast. "What is your first class?" he asked
"History of Magic," I told him, "and yourselves?" I questioned.
"Divinations" they said, again in unison.
"You too have spent too much time together." I said, and as I say there confused faces, I smiled.
"You do you say that." Ron asked, again talking around the food he was eating.
"Never mind." I said, as I gathered up my books. "I'll see you guys later, I have class in twenty minutes, so I have to get going." I said to them, as I stood up, and turned to leave.
But before I could tell Emma that we were going, she stood up, and ran over to the Slytherin table.
"Not again." I whispered under my breath. Walking over to get her, I again got a lot of sneers from the Slytherins.
Emma had crawled up on the bench next to Draco, and was whispering in his ear.
"Come on, Emma, I have class soon." I said, ignoring the sneering students.
"Alright." she said, as she finished her conversation with Draco, and ran ahead of me to the doors, going where ever she wanted.
"No, this way." I yelled to her, as she started down to the dungeons.
She stopped in her tracks, and started running in the direction that I was pointing. I ran up and caught her just before she passed the door.
Just as I was taking a seat in the classroom, the professor entered and floated to his desk.
"Mione, he's a ghost." Emma squealed loudly.
"Quiet, Emma." I whispered in her ear, as professor Binn's looked over at her.
Class went by slowly, and I had to catch myself to be sure that I stayed on track.
Emma was enthralled, she loved it. Every so often, she would raise he hand as high that it was able to go, and ask questions, or put her own input in, which would make others silently laugh at the little girl who tried to understand a past that she was not born into, and didn't know anything about.
After class, I had Herbology, in greenhouse number four. As Emma and I made our way out of the front doors, and down the steps, it started to rain, in a huge downpour.
"Come on Emma," I said, as I grabbed her hand, and started to run to the greenhouse, with her closely behind me.
We made it to the class with only minutes to spare, as class was about to start in five minutes.
Herbology went by really fast, with only a few questions from Emma.
As soon as lunch was over, we ran through the rain storm to the stairs that lead into Hogwarts, and made our way to the great hall, while I preformed drying spells on Harry, Ron, Emma and myself.
Care of Magical Creatures was canceled, due to the full blown thunderstorm that raged through Hogmedge and Hogwarts.
After lunch, Harry, Ron, Emma and I made our way to my common room.
As we were sitting in the common room, working on homework, Emma fell asleep curled up on one of the chairs next to the fire.
"Mione, what's the poison content of barberic root?" Ron asked, as he was working on his Herbology essay.
"Of course, the Weasel doesn't know anything about class, typical." Draco said, as he entered through the portrait.
"Bugger off, Malfoy." Harry said, as he joined the argument. "Why don't you go and admire yourself in a mirror, or something."
"What's the matter, Potter, have to come to the rescue all the time?" Draco sneered at Harry.
"Well, at least..."
"Draco, can you go and put Emma in her bed?" I asked, as I wanted to stop the fight that I knew was coming.
"Yeah, whatever." he said, as he picked Emma gently up off of the chair and walk the stairs to my room.
"Mione, I can tell that you formed some sort of relationship with him, but I still think that he's dangerous." Harry said, as soon as Draco entered my room, and closed the door.
"I know what I'm getting into." I told him, a little harshly, as I went back to my essay.
"Herms, Harry's right," Ron said, "With how he's...."
Before he could finish that thought, I interrupted hin,
"Don't call me that, and I'm old enough to know what I'm doing." I said, as I leaned back in my chair, knowing that I wouldn't get any work done now.
"Mione, were just trying to watch out for you." Harry said.
"I know, and I'm grateful that you feel the need to, but you don't have to ever second of the day." I got up, and walked to the couch that they were both sitting on sat in between them, "you guys are my best friends, and always will be, but I can make my own choices." I told them, and I think that I finally got there attention
"Aw, look at that Harry, our little Mione is all grown up." Ron said to Harry. Since they are both taller then me, they had no problem looking over my head.
"Yeah, our little Mione." he said, with a little twinkle in his eye.
As I looked over to Ron, I saw that he had the twinkle in his eye also.
"Oh no, I know that look, your plotting something." I said, starting to get an uneasy feeling.
"How can you think that, we're your best friends, we would never do anything to you." Ron said, as he gave me a puppy dog eyes, the twinkle still there.
As I got up and started to run, they tackled me to the floor and began to tickle me.
"Stop," I yelled, a little while later, through the tears that were falling down my face, "I'm gonna pee!". As soon as I said that, they both jumped back with disgust clear on there face. I got up and ran up the stairs to the bathroom.
When I was done, I walked into my room, to see how Emma was doing, and saw that she was shaking and crying in Draco's arms.
"What happened?" I asked, as I sat next to them, rubbing Emma's back.
"I was just about to leave, and she jumped up and screamed. I'm guess that it was from the thunder." he said, as Emma had now quieted down, and fell asleep.
"She has never really been particular to storms, especially if she is all alone." I told him, as he laid her back down.
"Neither was Tonny." he said, looking off into the distance.
He looked so helpless, and before I knew what I was doing, I leaned over and gave him a hug.
At first he tensed up, just like he did with Emma, but after a couple of minutes, he relaxed a little, and hugged me back, his head dropping to my shoulder.
A few minutes later, he got up, and walked to his room through the bathroom.
Even though he was opening up, he still had a long way to go.
I checked on Emma again, and then went back down stairs and finished my homework, while chatting with the boys.
"Come on Emma, bath time." I said, a little while after dinner when she was in the common room with Draco.
"Kay, Mione." she said, as she ran ahead of me and up the stairs to the bathroom.
After her bath, we went down to the common room, since it was still half an hour till her bed time.
"Hermione," Draco started, as he was still sitting in the common room, but now he had a letter in his hands, and he was staring ahead in the fire, "Would you not mind coming with me to the hospital on Saturday?" he asked timidly.
"Sure, I guess," I told him, "Can Emma come?" I asked.
"Yeah, I was hoping that she could, the Medi-witches said that Tonny has come out of her coma, and she's scared. I believe that Emma will help her." he said, as he waved the letter in his hands.
"That's great news." I told him, as he smiled."Is Draco Malfoy actually smiling, well this is new. What, where's the smirk." I said as I teased him.
"Mione, what are you talking about, Draco always smiles." Emma said in confusion.
"It's nothing." I said. "Well, then I guess that your stuck with us on Saturday." I said, as I quit teasing him
After that, Emma curled up on the sofa next to me, as I read her a book that she picked out on the founders of Hogwarts.
At I was a quarter of the way through the book, she fell asleep, again. And as I glanced at the clock, I saw that it was an hour past her bedtime, so I picked her up and took her to bed.
"Good Night, Draco." I said, as I left him in the common room, working on some homework.
"Night" was his reply.
After I put Emma down, I took a quick shower, and around ten o'clock, I crawled in bed, and fell asleep.
A/N: again, thank you for all the reviews. Hopefully next chapter won't take so long.