The Dark Lady
Chapter 4 – Doubting
By gracie5412
Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters or places from the books.
Harry was pacing his room; Ron and Ginny were sat on his bed silently watching him.
"Harry what's wrong?" Ginny finally asked. "Just sit down and tell us what it is you're thinking. A problem shared is a problem halved. Well thirded I guess." She shrugged. Harry stopped pacing and looked at his two friends. He sighed and sat down with them.
"It's Hermione. I don't know what but something's wrong. It's just the something doesn't seem right. She's just fought one of the most powerful wizards in history and she thinks she'll just sleep it off. She's acting like it was no big deal."
"Harry, come on! She's just been in a huge battle, probably been subjected to loads of Unforgivables, she may be in shock or something. She probably just needs a little bit of time to get her head around it all. It's happened to you, you should know what she's going through, you didn't just jump back into the swing of things now did you? No. You locked yourself away for days at a time thinking you could get through it on your own. The best we can do is be there for her when she needs us and give her a little time." Ginny ordered.
"But she just didn't seem herself, something was missing. I don't know. Maybe I'm just imagining things?" Harry sighed and covered his face with his hands.
"Well do we tell her about your dream yet?" Ron asked thoughtfully.
"Not yet. But we will, we'll have to. It's not fair if we don't. But let her get back into things before we do. It's not something to be taken softly really is it?"
Hermione sighed and waved her hand through the air as though batting away a fly or something. Instantly the voices of Harry, Ron and Ginny left the room. She turned to Malfoy who had made himself at home and was lounging on the bed.
"So they're keeping something from me then!" She snapped stamping her foot on the ground in annoyance.
"Don't worry Mistress, it won't be anything we won't find out soon." He assured her. She sighed and started pacing up and down the length of the room.
"When do you expect to be rejoining us at the House?" Draco asked watching her. She didn't have the spell upon her so he could see what she now really looked like. Her black hair was smooth and silky and fell to just below her shoulders, perfectly straight. She was slightly thinner and taller. Her eyes were a darker shade of brown and her skin was pale but in a good way. Her futures were sharp but made her look beautiful and slightly regal. She was dressed in tight black leathers trousers and heeled leather ankle boots; a fitted black roll-neck sweater accented her curves perfectly. She sure did look different from when he had last seen her two years ago when they had left Hogwarts. He was suddenly snapped out of his thought from the sound of footsteps.
"Mistress, someone approaches!" He hissed and quickly transformed into a little green lizard that crawled underneath her pillow. Hermione quickly cast the spell to change her appearance. A knock came just as the purple light faded away and Harry walked in.
"I see the concept of 'come in' has gone out the window." She muttered darkly as he shut the door. He stopped and gave her a look of concern and hurt. "Sorry Harry," she sighed, "I guess I'm still a little tired. I didn't get much sleep and now I'm a little snappy. I had some really weird dreams."
Harry's face turned to a look of sympathy and her gave her shoulder a small squeeze.
"Listen, Herms, I just wanted to say that I'm here for you if you ever need someone to talk to ok? We all are, me Ron and Ginny."
"Sure Harry." Hermione smiled and an idea flashed through her mind. "Oh I spoke to Dumbledore a little while ago. He said I should ask you about a dream that you had?" she lied.
Harry bit down on his lip for a second before hesitantly going on to tell her about the dream that he had had.
"So have you got any idea who this woman is? The one in your dream?" Hermione asked when he had finished telling her. Her face showing real concern, although not for the reasons that Harry and all the others were concerned for. She was purely worried that she would be found out before she wanted to be.
"No not yet but Dumbledore had set the seers looking for any visions of who she may be." Harry explained before quickly saying goodbye and leaving.
As soon as she was sure he was gone she lifted the spell and pulled Draco's lizard form from under the pillow and back out onto the bed. He quickly turned back to his usual human form.
"Those stupid wenches must be dealt with!" She snapped "I'll take no chances for us to be found out so soon. Gather a group and kill the seers. It'll teach them to sick their noses in where they don't belong!" she turned to Draco to see him still stood there "Well go then!" she yelled and he quickly disapperated away to the Riddle House.
Hermione slept soundly that night as the left wing of the house was engulfed in magical flames. They didn't burn the house or the furniture, just the humans who were sleeping soundly, unknowingly in the block of fire. She didn't hear the screaming or smell the smoke. In the morning she put the spell upon herself before dressing and joining them all to mourn the loss of the wise old women lost that night.
After a tearful breakfast she quickly made excuses and left for the Riddle House. She appeared in the hallway taking some death eaters by surprise. Draco and two other hooded people approached her and went down on their knees.
"Mistress we were not expecting you today. It is still two days until the ceremony on Saturday."
"Well I'm here now instead. Who are these two blundering idiots with you?" she snapped.
"Ah you remember Crabbe and Goyle from Hogwarts do you not?"
"Ah yes of course. You two will go and inform the elves to prepare a large meal for myself and my right hand man." She motioned to Draco "And Malfoy you shall come with me."
"Right hand man Mistress?"
"Yes. You seem to know all the death eaters and have a good knowledge of spells you were faithful to Voldemort so there's always the fact that I can trust you. Yes you'll do for now I suppose."
She set off quickly down the hall until she reached the library. She entered and sat down in front of the fire on a velvet green high-backed armchair.
"Please. Do sit." She said to Malfoy. "Now I do hate to admit this but I need your help. I have all this power up here." She said tapping her head. "But I don't know how to get it to come here." She then pointed to her wand. "I want you to teach me."
"Wait let me get this straight. You probably the most powerful witch of our time doesn't know how to use her powers?" He laughed.
"I may not be able to use all of them but I certainly know how to shut you up right now so don't piss me off ok? Else I shall hurt you very badly." She hissed and Draco quickly shut up.
"Sorry Mistress, yes it would be a great honour to bring you into the fullest use of your powers and I shall do my best to help you achieve it." He said solemnly and in a very sincere voice.
