Chapter 26
"Taken"
Harry paced Dumbledore's office. The Order had left. Ron had to go to St Mungo's for Lavender was in labor. Harry couldn't believe it, he just couldn't.
"But how could Hermione be Katrina? She's Hermione!" roared Harry.
Dumbledore explained to Harry the prophecy of the Dark Lady and all the signs that proved Hermione was the reincarnation of Katrina.
"She even has the memories." said Dumbledore.
Harry stopped pacing the room and flung himself down in a chair. He could feel something creep over him, happiness.
"He has her. That filthy son of a bitch has her." roared Harry, jumping up out of the seat and pacing the room again.
Harry kicked at the wall in pure frustration. He wished he hadn't done so for his foot hurt terribly. He stopped and leaned against the wall.
"I love her too much to let her throw away her life like that." said Harry in a cool, calm voice.
Dumbledore starred at Harry.
"You will understand everything when the proper time has come." said Dumbledore.
Harry took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. He pinched his nose, feeling a headache coming on.
"Please Harry, lie down for a while. Everything is under control." said Dumbledore.
Harry put his glasses back on and nodded his head.
"Yeah, maybe a nap will help. I haven't had any decent sleep in days, not since the raids began." Harry said.
Harry went up to lie down on the couch. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
'Maybe some sleep would help me.' Harry thought.
Hermione had closed her eyes for the disapparating had made her dizzy. She felt the earth spin around her, then slowly stop. She hated disapparating or apparating.
"We are here." said Tom.
Hermione opened her eyes to see a well-lit room with lush red carpet, a crackling fire in the fireplace, a flight of stairs, and several sofas. This was the living room. The Death Eaters were busy moving about. Tom led Hermione to a sofa.
"I will be right back." he said as he kissed her hand, flashing a brilliant smile.
Hermione sat there, starring into the fire in the fireplace. She felt something slither around her legs and looked down to see a large, black snake with red eyes slithering around her. Hermione froze as the snake rose up to stare into her eyes. Hermione froze.
"Behave Nagini." said Tom as he stepped up to the snake.
Nagini lowered herself and slithered under the couch. Hermione sat there, not sure what to do, and starred at Tom. He was leaning against the wall, starring at her with utmost curiosity. His arms were crossed across his chest and his leg was wrapped around the other. His handsome face was illuminated by the flames in the fireplace.
"You know, if it weren't for you striking me with that muggle contraption called a car, we might not have ever met. You could have been easily killed by one of my Death Eaters during a raid, but yet, fate had it. After many years of believing you were dead, you came back to me, but why?" he said, watching he closely.
"I came back because I knew you needed me." she said.
Tom got up and walked over to her. She starred up into those emerald green eyes.
"You are friends with Potter." he said. "The very boy whose father was responsible for your death, the very boy who was responsible for my downfall when he was barely a year old, the very one who I have been trying my hardest to destroy."
He stood there. Hermione could tell he didn't understand.
"Maybe," she said, making this up, "I have become friends with him to make it easier for you to get to him."
"Yes, maybe you are right." Tom said.
Bellatrix came in.
"My Lord, " she said while bowing low, "I have come to show Hermione to her room. She will need rest."
"Yes, she will. I have much work to do." he said as he helped Hermione to her feet.
"Goodnight." she said to him.
Tom leaned in and met her warm lips, something he had so long forgotten. He quickly drew back.
"Goodnight." he said.
Bellatrix hooked her arm around Hermione's and led her through a door down a dark hallway.
"Where are we?" Hermione asked.
"Ah, somewhere far away from that blasted Ministry." said Bellatrix.
They went through a large, wooden door. Hermione took in the warmth of the room. A large bed was in the middle. Armchairs and bookcases stood near the lavender colored walls. The carpet was a deep purple and the only spot of wood floor was around the unlit fireplace. A lovely chandelier hung from the roof above. A large oak dresser with a mirror on the side and a little changing screen added to the loveliness of the room. Hermione kicked off her shoes and felt the carpet beneath her feet. She took off her robes and threw them on a nearby chair. She danced around in her jeans and pink sweater.
Bellatrix laughed and lit a fire in the fireplace. She watched Hermione dance around.
"You're quite yourself, Hermione." she said.
Hermione stopped dancing and sat on the floor by the fire. Bellatrix sat by her.
"You know, I find it hard to believe you're here, I mean, after all these years, believing my best friend was dead." said Bellatrix.
Hermione starred at her. Oh, how she knew Bellatrix was evil, but she felt like she was wrong.
"Um, is there anything I can slip into that is a bit more comfortable?" Hermione asked.
"Ah, yes, in that dresser over there. The muggles who owned this place left their stuff here." said Bellatrix.
Hermione walked over to the dresser and opened the door. There were several articles of women's clothing hanging up. Hermione found a wonderful silk nightgown. She went behind the changing screen to change. She slipped off her pink sweater and jeans and put on the nightgown. The gown was a lavender color that matched the room walls. It went all the way to her ankles. The neck was v-cut the hems were hugged by lines of white lace. She placed her wand in a little pocket on the side. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror.
"Beautiful as always." said Bellatrix while examining Hermione.
It was like this every night for a several weeks. Hermione would be escorted back to her room where she was locked in. She would try her door each night to find it locked. Not even alohamora would unlock it. She would always join Tom for dinner where he would sit later with her by the fire to read, the only time she spent with him, and then Bellatrix would come in and take Hermione away. Hermione would read in her room with Bellatrix by her side, then Bellatrix would leave, sealing the door behind her.
This night after dinner, Tom asked Hermione for a dance.
"Why read when we can dance?" he said.
Hermione took his hand. It was a change, but a start to growing close to him once again. She felt he had changed quite a bit from when she last remembered him. He was not the mysterious, reclusive guy she had met many years back, but a bit flaky, power-hungry. The way he held her felt different. She knew he love her, but that love was different. She craved for what they had, but dared not say a word to Tom. She hoped that somehow, she would change him.
One night while dressing into her lavender nightgown and about to sit by the fireplace to read, Hermione asked Bellatrix a question.
"Bellatrix, what is it that Tom does that he has to hide it from me? Why is he not the same as I once knew him?" Hermione asked.
Bellatrix's eye twitched. She then got up.
"I'll go make us some tea. Don't leave the room." she said.
A tone in her voice added a hint of warning to Hermione. Bellatrix gave Hermione a strange look and left the door cracked. Hermione waited for a while to make sure she was gone before sneaking out.
"Taken"
Harry paced Dumbledore's office. The Order had left. Ron had to go to St Mungo's for Lavender was in labor. Harry couldn't believe it, he just couldn't.
"But how could Hermione be Katrina? She's Hermione!" roared Harry.
Dumbledore explained to Harry the prophecy of the Dark Lady and all the signs that proved Hermione was the reincarnation of Katrina.
"She even has the memories." said Dumbledore.
Harry stopped pacing the room and flung himself down in a chair. He could feel something creep over him, happiness.
"He has her. That filthy son of a bitch has her." roared Harry, jumping up out of the seat and pacing the room again.
Harry kicked at the wall in pure frustration. He wished he hadn't done so for his foot hurt terribly. He stopped and leaned against the wall.
"I love her too much to let her throw away her life like that." said Harry in a cool, calm voice.
Dumbledore starred at Harry.
"You will understand everything when the proper time has come." said Dumbledore.
Harry took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. He pinched his nose, feeling a headache coming on.
"Please Harry, lie down for a while. Everything is under control." said Dumbledore.
Harry put his glasses back on and nodded his head.
"Yeah, maybe a nap will help. I haven't had any decent sleep in days, not since the raids began." Harry said.
Harry went up to lie down on the couch. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
'Maybe some sleep would help me.' Harry thought.
Hermione had closed her eyes for the disapparating had made her dizzy. She felt the earth spin around her, then slowly stop. She hated disapparating or apparating.
"We are here." said Tom.
Hermione opened her eyes to see a well-lit room with lush red carpet, a crackling fire in the fireplace, a flight of stairs, and several sofas. This was the living room. The Death Eaters were busy moving about. Tom led Hermione to a sofa.
"I will be right back." he said as he kissed her hand, flashing a brilliant smile.
Hermione sat there, starring into the fire in the fireplace. She felt something slither around her legs and looked down to see a large, black snake with red eyes slithering around her. Hermione froze as the snake rose up to stare into her eyes. Hermione froze.
"Behave Nagini." said Tom as he stepped up to the snake.
Nagini lowered herself and slithered under the couch. Hermione sat there, not sure what to do, and starred at Tom. He was leaning against the wall, starring at her with utmost curiosity. His arms were crossed across his chest and his leg was wrapped around the other. His handsome face was illuminated by the flames in the fireplace.
"You know, if it weren't for you striking me with that muggle contraption called a car, we might not have ever met. You could have been easily killed by one of my Death Eaters during a raid, but yet, fate had it. After many years of believing you were dead, you came back to me, but why?" he said, watching he closely.
"I came back because I knew you needed me." she said.
Tom got up and walked over to her. She starred up into those emerald green eyes.
"You are friends with Potter." he said. "The very boy whose father was responsible for your death, the very boy who was responsible for my downfall when he was barely a year old, the very one who I have been trying my hardest to destroy."
He stood there. Hermione could tell he didn't understand.
"Maybe," she said, making this up, "I have become friends with him to make it easier for you to get to him."
"Yes, maybe you are right." Tom said.
Bellatrix came in.
"My Lord, " she said while bowing low, "I have come to show Hermione to her room. She will need rest."
"Yes, she will. I have much work to do." he said as he helped Hermione to her feet.
"Goodnight." she said to him.
Tom leaned in and met her warm lips, something he had so long forgotten. He quickly drew back.
"Goodnight." he said.
Bellatrix hooked her arm around Hermione's and led her through a door down a dark hallway.
"Where are we?" Hermione asked.
"Ah, somewhere far away from that blasted Ministry." said Bellatrix.
They went through a large, wooden door. Hermione took in the warmth of the room. A large bed was in the middle. Armchairs and bookcases stood near the lavender colored walls. The carpet was a deep purple and the only spot of wood floor was around the unlit fireplace. A lovely chandelier hung from the roof above. A large oak dresser with a mirror on the side and a little changing screen added to the loveliness of the room. Hermione kicked off her shoes and felt the carpet beneath her feet. She took off her robes and threw them on a nearby chair. She danced around in her jeans and pink sweater.
Bellatrix laughed and lit a fire in the fireplace. She watched Hermione dance around.
"You're quite yourself, Hermione." she said.
Hermione stopped dancing and sat on the floor by the fire. Bellatrix sat by her.
"You know, I find it hard to believe you're here, I mean, after all these years, believing my best friend was dead." said Bellatrix.
Hermione starred at her. Oh, how she knew Bellatrix was evil, but she felt like she was wrong.
"Um, is there anything I can slip into that is a bit more comfortable?" Hermione asked.
"Ah, yes, in that dresser over there. The muggles who owned this place left their stuff here." said Bellatrix.
Hermione walked over to the dresser and opened the door. There were several articles of women's clothing hanging up. Hermione found a wonderful silk nightgown. She went behind the changing screen to change. She slipped off her pink sweater and jeans and put on the nightgown. The gown was a lavender color that matched the room walls. It went all the way to her ankles. The neck was v-cut the hems were hugged by lines of white lace. She placed her wand in a little pocket on the side. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror.
"Beautiful as always." said Bellatrix while examining Hermione.
It was like this every night for a several weeks. Hermione would be escorted back to her room where she was locked in. She would try her door each night to find it locked. Not even alohamora would unlock it. She would always join Tom for dinner where he would sit later with her by the fire to read, the only time she spent with him, and then Bellatrix would come in and take Hermione away. Hermione would read in her room with Bellatrix by her side, then Bellatrix would leave, sealing the door behind her.
This night after dinner, Tom asked Hermione for a dance.
"Why read when we can dance?" he said.
Hermione took his hand. It was a change, but a start to growing close to him once again. She felt he had changed quite a bit from when she last remembered him. He was not the mysterious, reclusive guy she had met many years back, but a bit flaky, power-hungry. The way he held her felt different. She knew he love her, but that love was different. She craved for what they had, but dared not say a word to Tom. She hoped that somehow, she would change him.
One night while dressing into her lavender nightgown and about to sit by the fireplace to read, Hermione asked Bellatrix a question.
"Bellatrix, what is it that Tom does that he has to hide it from me? Why is he not the same as I once knew him?" Hermione asked.
Bellatrix's eye twitched. She then got up.
"I'll go make us some tea. Don't leave the room." she said.
A tone in her voice added a hint of warning to Hermione. Bellatrix gave Hermione a strange look and left the door cracked. Hermione waited for a while to make sure she was gone before sneaking out.