Hrm!
Hello folks – I'm back! As usually I'll have to give lots of credit to my beta… like LM/HG? Check her story out ;)
And thanks to my reviewers! Love you!
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Hmm… I've been thinking a lot lately (not that me thinking is soooo unusual – but hey, this is about my fic DUH!) I'd just like to know – do you think that a happy ending in this story is a good idea? Shall I make Hermione and Lucius fall in love with each other?
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Disclaimer: Nope – not mine!
Disclaimer: The lyric belongs to Metallica and is called until it sleeps… heh…
Until it sleeps – why me?
Where do I take this pain of mine
I run, but it stays right my side
So tear me open, pour me out
There's things inside that scream and shout
And the pain still hates me
So hold me, until it sleeps
She stared at the ceiling and only stared for several hours. Friends knocked on the door and begged her to open the door. They even threatened to blow it to pieces or worse if she didn't let them in NOW!
Hermione turned to her left side and noticed that the sun had long ago sunk behind the forbidden forest's numerous trees, She checked her watch; 21:30. How long had she dwelled here?
If she could she would've been crying, screaming and cursing. But she couldn't, every last tear was wept, her vocal chords were battered as a result of all her earlier screaming. All her swearwords and curses where already thrown at her despicable fate.
'Why me? Oh my god, why me?' That question twisted in her mind, over and over again. She kept on questioning. 'Why me? Why does he want to marry me?'
A life with Lucius Malfoy or a life in Azkaban were her choices. 'Well, that's the same thing isn't it?' she grimly thought. A life with mental abuse or a life with physical abuse, what a choice! She almost laughed out loud. With the dementors she would at least know what would come next but with Lucius Malfoy…she shivered and numbly shook her head. She remembered that night when he had caught her in the dungeons…
'Oh no my little one, it's just you and me here… alone in the darkness, you aren't afraid of the darkness are you?' she could almost hear his mocking tone as if he stood beside her…
'Alone in the darkness.' He'd asked her if she feared the darkness, and the answer was yes. Yes she did.
Hermione feared the dark, feared a room without doors and windows, and feared a dark forest. She could just imagine how it would be if he found out how much she despised the darkness. How would life turn out for her in the future? Insane, half-dead in Azkaban or forced to share a bed with a well known death eater?
'I would be the ickly-little Ferrets stepmother…' this time she couldn't hold it back, she laughed and laughed and laughed, this was insane!
"Hrm… Miss Granger?" there was a knock on the door but Hermione didn't care. She laughed! Hysteria, tears and a crazy, boiling laugh welled up inside; she threw her head back in a peal of laughter and wrapped her arms around herself in pure laughing-cramp.
"Miss Granger?" She recognized Albus' voice. Some logical part of her mind told her that she should at least show some respect and open the door, but one other part of her mind screamed:
'Screw Dumbledore! Screw this! I'm insane! Laugh, laugh while there's time!'
"Miss Granger, open your door this instant!" There were some heavy thuds on her door and she kept laughing. They could remain where they were, she didn't fucking care!
There was a loud crack and an explosion. Hermione stared dumbly at what was left of her once intact door. On the other side she saw a concerned Albus Dumbledore. She blinked once, twice and then she started crying again. Not like before, but quiet and gentle.
"There, there child, hush…" She found herself in the old wizard's arms, his purple and enormous sleeves were wrapped around them both, "The blame is on me."
"D-d-don't say that headmaster, don't say that." Hermione drew a shaky breath, "You've done everything in your power… you couldn't possibly prevent this."
"If I only knew that he was planning to…" Albus words died on his lips and he sighed deeply.
"Who was planning this? Why?" Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. Even though this was horrible and she hated everything about that law, the curious side of her wanted answers.
"Lucius Malfoy," The Hogwarts headmaster sighed, "is a very complex man. He wants power and he won't stop at nothing to get it."
"What does all this have to do with me?" Hermione questioned and wiped her eyes.
"After the war he had to work very hard so that he would, once again, reach the top in the ministry, but this isn't enough. I've heard rumours that his goal is the prime-minister post and for that he needs to…"
"Be cleared of suspicions regarding his muggle hate." Hermione finished for him. It made sense now… she was just a… a façade for a higher purpose.
"Maybe, maybe not," Albus said, "You were chosen amongst many other muggle born girls. Maybe Lucius wants precisely what this law was being created for; powerful magic."
"Wh… what? I don't understand"
"You're a powerful witch, Hermione. Your magic would pass on to your children… Lucius is also indeed a powerful wizard. I would sink so as low to say that… that your union would result in very powerful children."
"But what about me being a muggle born? He hates me!"
"Of course he hates you; you and your friends brought a downfall to something he'd spent an enormous amount of money, time and cunning in. But Lucius, you see, is far too clever to believe all that rubbish about pure-bloods being the muggle born's superior. What he doesn't like is the fact that someone like you can show the whole world what he already knew about."
"This doesn't make sense." Hermione mumbled: "What will I do?"
"Listen to me, Hermione, listen very carefully." Albus gripped her shoulders and caught her eyes with his. "Azkaban is not an option! Whatever is to come, it's not an option. You're not a criminal and therefore you'll not spend the rest of your days in Azkaban. Promise me that! Promise!"
"I'll not choose the prison," Hermione said, "and I'll not let him break me that easily neither."
"That's a good girl!" Albus said and smiled. For a mere second Hermione once more found that twinkle in his gaze that she'd grown so familiar with. "Can you now consider letting your friends in? They've brought you food and you'll need them, now more then ever."
Hermione nodded and stared at her broken door, Albus Dumbledore laughed, pointed his wand at the mess he'd caused and said with an amused voice:
"I'll better see to your door, Miss Granger – Reparo!"
Just like the curse, just like the stray
You feed it once, and now it stays
So tear me open, but beware
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So wash me, until I'm clean
Lucius Malfoy awoke early that morning, thus almost causing the poor house-elves to have a heart attack when he ordered breakfast one hour earlier then he usually did. When his morning meal was delayed by five minutes, he ordered them to punish themselves so that they would learn that nothing is to be assumed; not even his morning habits. After that he quietly spent the rest of his morning reading the daily prophet. Ten o'clock he served himself a cup of coffee and then he went to the bathroom and had a shower. After that he (as usual) neatly took care of his hair; he put it up in a ponytail and held it steady with a green silk ribbon. After a cleaning spell and an anti-bad-breath potion he'd finished cleaning his teeth.
Wrapped in a towel, he went to his bedchambers and got dressed. As usual he wore his black trousers, high black boots, black shirt with high collar and a black waistcoat adorned with green embroideries. On top of all that, he chose a black cloak with green lining and a black hood. He fastened the cloak with a couple of snake-shaped silver buckles and then put on his black skin gloves. With a cane in his hand and perfectly clothed, Lucius Malfoy was ready for a new day.
This day was, of course, important. Yesterday he'd sent his proposal to the ministry, making sure that he was the one to marry the Granger girl. Really, this could be the best plan he'd ever had in his entire life…
'Well almost…' he thought amusingly.
That night in the Slytherin dungeons he'd decided that she was a perfect tool for him to use. With a muggle born wife he could easily convince those who still accused him to be a death eater that he wasn't. And when he'd done that, his final goal would be the prime-minister post. Besides that, she would be useful in a number of other occasions… and then there was that fear. The fear he'd seen in her eyes was the sweetest sight he'd seen in ages. Not even Narcissa had shown him such fear on their wedding night. Maybe that had something to do with her being of muggle offspring. In the muggle-world arranged marriages weren't very common; they married for love.
'Such weakness,' Lucius thought, 'Love… it'll only make you weak, make you a target for your enemies.'
To be completely honest, Lucius didn't even love Draco. He was proud of the boy of course, he had good grades and made head boy, but love? No absolutely not! If somebody targeted Draco because they wanted to hurt him, they, of course, were in trouble, just as they would be if they blew up his home or targeted him. And he would seek revenge, not because he loved Draco. No, he would seek revenge because someone had dared to touch something that belonged to him.
It grips you, so hold me
It stains you, so hold me
It hates you, so hold me
It holds you, so hold me
Until it sleeps
So tell me why you've chosen me
Don't want your grip, don't want your greed
"'Mione, are you really sure you ought to attend this class today? I mean surely even Snape must understand what you've been through these past couple of days?" Harry measured her with his intense green eyes; she shook her head and said:
"I can't afford to miss this class, Harry. Our exam is just a couple of weeks away."
"You could pass that exam any day, 'Mione, and you'd still have the highest grades of the school this year." The black haired boy pleaded with her. Was there some other reason than the one he'd told her earlier that made him so worried about her attending her potions class?
"Why, Harry? I'm not alone on this one. It's not like somebody would make fun of me, right?"
"You're forgetting yourself, 'Mione." Harry told her. "There's someone who will make fun of you and take royal pleasure in doing so."
"Malfoy." She stated with a shaky voice. Maybe this was a bad idea after all?
"He's been a pain in the arse ever since that proposal ceremony. I was so close to hexing him this very morning. If Ginny hadn't been holding me back, I swear that our dear ferret-boy wouldn't be opening his big mouth in a long time."
"I'll have to face him some day either way, Harry." Hermione told her friend. "I'll be living in the same bloody house as the creature!"
"So you're going to marry his father then?" Harry asked her as they made their way to the dungeons, his voice held just a little edge of disappointment.
"I'm trying to find a way out of it. I'm reading everything I can think of but…" Her voice died away on her lips, there wasn't much hope or much time. In just a couple of days she had to face the man of her nightmares; face to face.
"I'll be there for you, 'Mione. Ginny will be there for you too, and all the other Weasley's. And mark my words, if Ron had been fully conscious you wouldn't have had to worry about that beast. I'd bet our friend would have tore your future-husband to pieces." Harry told her and she felt his larger and warm hand searched for hers.
Hermione stopped outside the potions classroom and made Harry stop too. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, he meant so much to her.
"It'll be okay, 'Mione, you'll see. We'll think of something to get you out of this mess." Harry stroked her cheek and smiled weakly.
"I hope so." She told him in a trembling voice and struggled to hold her tears at bay.
"Ready?" Harry asked, she nodded and the black haired boy pushed the door in front of them open.
The air inside of Snape's classroom was cold and moist. Hermione could smell the scent of chopped belladonna and mashed hellbore. It was dark inside the dungeon; Hermione couldn't understand how Snape could stand living down here, all alone in the darkness. Maybe he was related to a vampire just like some students had said. Or maybe he just liked the solitude that darkness gave him.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" someone drawled behind them, Hermione knew that voice and hated it with a passion. "Isn't this my soon to be stepmother?"
Harry had his wand out in a mere second. Hermione spun around to find herself face to face with Draco Malfoy; the tall, blond and muscular Slytherin leader.
"Watch your step ferret-boy or you'll be a ferret permanently." Harry threatened.
"Are you going to let him threaten me like this, mother?" Draco asked Hermione with a smirk playing on his lips.
"I'll never be your mother you bastard." Hermione hissed. "I'll never ever be a fucking Malfoy while I'm still alive and breathing! You can tell your sick, perverse father that!"
"No you'll never be a Malfoy, mudblood, but you're going to sleep with one and give birth to some." A devilish smirk was pasted upon Draco's lips. He leant forward and whispered, "But if you are a good girl I'll maybe consider helping my father with some husband duties."
There was a loud "crack" and one second later Draco Malfoy was on the floor. His hands covered his nose and he screamed and cursed whilst his nose continued to drip blood. Hermione had hit him with all passion, anger and strength she was capable of. Her fist was still clenched and if Snape's silky voice hadn't reached her ears she probably would have continued kicking and hitting that ferret until the only thing remaining of him was a wet, bloody sludge.
"Miss Granger? Care to explain this?"
"Professor, let me…" Harry started, coming to Hermione's defence, "Draco was bullying her about her engagement with his father, sir."
"There'll be no Punch-ups in my classroom, Miss Granger, twenty points from Gryffindor." Snape turned to a bloody Draco Malfoy and said with a silky voice, "And you Mr. Malfoy ought to know that this law is nothing to make fun of. Let this be a reminder to you."
"Yes, sir- professor," Draco said and smirked in Hermione's direction, "I'm so sorry, Granger."
"That's enough, Draco. Now run along to the hospital wing and get your nose taken care of." Snape said and fixed Draco with his stare. The young male bowed exuberantly and exited the classroom.
"Well what are you two waiting for? Go to your seats! And that applies the rest of you, too!" Snape bellowed. It was then that Hermione realised that they hadn't been alone.
I'll tear me open, make you gone
No more can you hurt anyone
And the fear still shakes me
So hold me, until it sleeps
It grips you, so hold me
It stains you, so hold me
It hates you, so hold me
It holds you, so hold me
Until it sleeps
Close to Harry she made her way to her seat beside Neville Longbottom, whom took her hand and squeezed it tightly. She smiled weakly and slumped down in the chair next to him. Harry placed himself on her other side. Inwards she felt warm; she had such good friends.
"Well class, today we'll be making the 'confusing and befuddlement draught'. Would someone care to explain to me how it works?"
By force of habit, Hermione's hand shot in the air, and just as usual, Snape ignored her, and just as usual, Hermione started waving her hand in the air. Snape continued to ignore her and sneered at his class. He started with a silky voice:
"I can't believe my eyes. Here in front of me I have a seventh year class who will graduate next month and no one can answer my question! Back in my time, a second year could have told me that the 'confusing and befuddlement draught' first dazes the mind and then slowly affects the brain so that the affected person can't get their perspective right about time and space."
"Professor – SIR!" Hermione protested and rose from her chair: "The 'confusing and befuddlement draught' more specific takes control over the right half of the brain and then erases some specific memories, which leads to a confused state for-"
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for interrupting a teacher and being an insufferable know-it-all!" Snape's eyes glowed with a maniac sparkle and his lips were twisted in a dangerous grimace. "Didn't you think that twenty points was enough? You just had to make yourself important no matter the cost, didn't you? Isn't the sympathy for your fate enough, miss-soon-to-be-Mrs Malfoy?"
That was a blow under the belt, Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she covered her face with her hands. She could hear reduced laughter from the Slytherin side and muffled whispers amongst the Gryffindors. Both Harry and Neville laid their arms around her and cursed their ill-tempered potions master.
"Now if you please…." Snape was interrupted when a bang echoed in his dungeon. Someone had thrown the door open. In the doorframe Hermione saw a terrified second year Gryffindor named Albin.
"Yes!" Snape spat. He was obviously irritated to no limits.
"S-s-sorry, sir, b-b-but professor Dumbledore requires the head girl's presence in his office right away, sir… one Mr. Malfoy is here to see her and…"
"If that's all, you may leave us now and take Miss Granger with you!"
I don't want it
So tear me open, but beware
The things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So wash me, 'till I'm clean...
I'll tear me open, make you gone
No longer will you hurt anyone
And the fear still shapes me
So hold me, until it sleeps...
Until it sleeps...
AW! Sorry- but this is the end for now... but never fear I'll be back... If you answer my question... Will there be love in the end or not?
Thanks to my reviewers - love you - and keep on feeding my large ego ;)