Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I would be snogging Harry right now and not writing fan fictions.
A smile came across her face. He could do that to her with ease. Just one look from Ron, and her heart melted. Isabella couldn't quite get that smile off of her face. She definitely liked Ron, but how could they make it serious? He was still so scarred from the events of the war, and they were living in constant fear of being caught. Then there was her other fear. The other woman…
Hermione marvelled at the sheer size of the place she had been put in. It was huge. She had never imagined that the Riddle Manor would be like this. She had heard tales, but they were never quite this big. The phrase "the Dark Lord added onto it" was an understatement. It was beautiful too, like a huge palace decorated with the best of everything that money could buy and magic could build.
This was the life Hermione had dreamed of. The life she had always envisioned herself living, but now she was just a slave like all the rest. There was no future for her anymore. She was doomed to servitude. That was a life no person, no being deserved. After all that she had done for the world, for the cause of good, Hermione was stuck in the foyer of the Riddle Manor, her hands bound by magical chains and her face and arms scarred.
The woman from the slave market, Hermione's new master came into the home and smirked despite herself at the sight of Hermione. This caused the slave to twist her head in a questioning manner. Smirks were never good. Draco and Lucius smirked, and anything the Malfoys did was not something that Hermione considered a "good sign."
The woman was wearing a beautiful, perfectly tailored white dress (it was really more a ball gown) and long, dangling chandelier earrings that complemented her long, blond hair perfectly. This was one of the most gorgeous women Hermione had ever seen, and her outfit was gorgeous as well. She looked as if she was dressed for a ball, but it was just a normal day for her. That's what life was like for a pureblood who sided with the Dark Lord during those days. Her entire existence was better than any of Hermione's dreams.
The woman drew her wand from the pocket of the black cloak she was wearing over her ball gown and pointed it at Hermione. Hermione flinched. 'Oh God…don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me,' she thought. The woman flicked her wand and laughed as the chains that were keeping Hermione's hands together vanished. She raised an eyebrow at Hermione once she was done with her quick laugh. Hermione twitched invountarily. Why was she laughing...
"What did you think I was going to do? What reason would I have for harming you?" the woman asked.
Hermione remained silent though. She was too confused to speak. This didn't make any sense. This woman was her master, and it was her duty to make Hermione's life as awful and close to hell as possible. Why was she being so kind and considerate? Something just wasn't right about this whole situation.
"Well, dear, I'm Isabella. I think you need a proper meal. You look famished," she said, leading Hermione into the dining hall. "Sit down."
Hermione picked a seat in the huge dining hall. There was a plate there loaded down with food. It was getting even more unbelievable. Hermione considered pinching herself to see if it was all real but decided to begin eating and not question anything just yet. She would have plenty of time to figure what was really going on later.
Hopefully, Isabella would offer up this information so that Hermione didn't have to ask. She had been conditioned to hate the idea of speaking at all. It's amazing what could happen in a few months. Hermione had so many questions that she was holding in. What had happened to Ron? What about Tonks? How was the rest of the Order? Was there any chance of a revolt? Was there a possibility of an overthrow?
"Do you want anything?" Isabella asked as she sat down across from Hermione, who shook her head. "Yes, well, I have things to do, a boyfriend to meet, all that…so when you're done Alec will show you where you are to stay. I shouldn't be gone too long."
Hermione almost asked who Alec was, but she instantly realized that it was a scruffy-looking, teenage boy who didn't look too much younger than Hermione. He came into the dining hall, possibly because he heard his name mentioned but Hermione didn't ask and she was sure he wouldn't answer if she did, and walked over to Isabella without showing that he had even seen Hermione. The boy had sandy blonde hair that went just past his ears and a rather sinewy, lean body. She felt vaguely attracted to him, at least physically, but shrugged the feeling off for the sake of being able to get back to eating. Food was such a miraculous thing, and her eyes lit up with every bite.
"Take Miss. Granger to her room when she is finished eating, Alec," Isabella instructed.
"Yes, Ms. Riddle. I will," he said to the woman, but he didn't act afraid.
Isabella Disapparated without another word, but she found herself gaping without being able to control it. Riddle? As in Tom Riddle…That wasn't possibly. The leader of the Wizarding World had one, single heir, and from what Hermione had heard she wasn't a person that one would want to cross ever. In fact, just being around her was said to have given chills to even the bravest of wizards. She was a frightening person or so Hermione had been told, but Isabella seemed so sweet. How could they be the same person? Hermione almost let herself gasp aloud but contained it when she remembered the name she had been told to fear. People had told her to be terrified of Bella Riddle, but there was nothing terrifying at all about her as far as Hermione could tell…
A.N.- So sorry for the delay and the shortness. I've been busy. The next one will be longer and better, I promise. Please review. I appreciate all of them. Reviewers rock. Thanksies.
