UNEXPECTED SUPRISES
Summary: It's the summer before the trio's sixth year at Hogwarts, and Hermione receives some unexpected news. How will Harry and Ron react when they learn what it is, and how will they deal with what their best friend has become?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
CHAPTER 3
LIES UNCOVERED
"Why him? Why, of all people, him? The one who tormented me for years? The one who called me Mudblood? Who tormented me for years for being first in our class? Just because I didn't dress like a sex crazed groupie and didn't droll over him? That BASTARD!" I screamed. I was pissed beyond all belief. "Why not Harry or Ron or someone who wasn't a total prat? Mum--"
"What?" Athena and Mrs. Parkinson said at the same time.
I sighed. I could see that I was going to have to clarify who I meant when I said that. "Athena. Why him? And when did I have the Memory Charm cast on me?"
She looked at Mrs. Parkinson, who said, "She doesn't know that, Maria. I do. I was the one who cast the charm so that you would be safe. You were around four years old. The Dark Lord wanted to give you the Mark then. He knew that you would do great things, even then. You showed your powers at such a young age. I even think you managed to Apparate around the Manor when you were two or three. Pansy could never do that. You managed to get stronger powers than anyone we had ever seen, and we didn't know why. Your father thought maybe I had cheated on him, but I proved that I didn't with a potion. I don't remember the exact name, but basically all I had to do was put in the ingredients, put in a lock of your hair and a drop of his blood. If he hadn't been your father, the potion would have turned emerald green then black. If he was, the potion would turn gold then blue. It turned gold and blue. We knew then we had to protect you. We staged an accident and transfigured a chair into your dead body. We told everyone you had the flu and died from it. You were so ill when you were younger, it didn't surprise anyone. As far as why him, we really didn't have a choice. It was prophesized over two hundred years ago, and no one has been able to figure out who it pertained to. Once we realized it was you, we had to protect you by any means necessary."
I was shocked about that. The entire Wizarding World believed I was dead! That was why no one had wanted to tell me before that. But wait...didn't Athena say she heard it when it was prophesized? Mrs. Parkinson kept speaking, a sob catching in her throat. "It was--the hardest thing we had to do--to let you go, to let you believe you were what you weren't. Whenever Pansy--would complain about you--we would tell her to behave. We told her last summer--before school, that her sister was--alive, and at Hogwarts. She didn't--" At this point, she lost it entirely. She began sobbing, saying, "We shouldn't have done it. We should have kept both of you. We could have made it work."
I reached out and gave her a hug. She clung to me, sobbing harder than ever. I looked at Athena and knew I had to go with Mrs. Parkinson. I knew I had to do this for her to make her feel like her family had finally come together again. I had to help her get over the grief she felt for giving her daughter away. I just hugged her harder, telling her it would be all right and everything would work out. She finally calmed down, but we didn't stop hugging. It felt right, like I had finally found where I belonged. With Athena, I always felt like something was missing. Now, I felt like I would never be let go and I never wanted to lose that feeling. I looked at her and said, "Mum, let's go home. I want to meet everyone. I don't want the glamour taken off though, I want to see everyone's reactions when it comes off."
My new mum just smiled and said, "All right, Maria. It will be a surprise. We're going to hold a grand ball for you. Your date, though, will be predetermined. He will be Lucius's son. I know you don't like him, but you are fated to be together. Your father and I also betrothed you when you were born to him. So either way, you will marry him. I'm sorry, love."
I just rolled my eyes. I had to attend this ball with the Amazing Bouncing Ferret. I could pay him back for all the hard times he had given me...maybe Transfigure a chair or something during the ball into a stuffed ferret! I had an evil look on my face, and Athena knew what that meant. "Mia, don't do anything too nasty to the boy," she warned. "He may have given you a hard time the last five years, but remember, you gave him just as much crap. So if you do try anything, don't be surprised if he gives it to you back."
I smiled. "OK," I sighed, "but can you and Michael come to this ball? I have a feeling that I'm going to need reinforcements. I don't think the people at this party are going to be too accepting of me. And another question...how did you hear this when it was prophesized if it happened two hundred years ago?"
Athena sighed. "I knew this day would come," she moaned. "Mia, I'm a vampire. I can't go out in sunlight. I always told you I was allergic to the sun, remember? The only time I went out was when I was covered in sunscreen. As far as the party goes, that's up to Mrs. Parkinson."
Mrs. Parkinson smiled. "I think we can do that," she said. "Why don't Michael and Athena accompany you as your parents? At eight o'clock, we will reveal your true identity. We will have Draco greet you though and accompany you during the party, though; I don't want you left alone, even if it is with your parents. I wouldn't feel safe because most of the people there are in the Dark Lord's service. Draco will have to know your true identity, though."
Shit! The ferret had to know the truth...great. That's just what I need, to have the ferret know my big surprise. "Mum, can you do me a favor? Can you just call me Mia? It's kind of a compromise between Hermione and Maria. I've had that nickname for the longest time and I think I could adjust better if I was called by a name I was used to. Wait...Athena, you're a vampire? I don't believe it! Why don't you have fangs or suck blood or anything?"
"All right," Mrs.--Mum said. Shit, this would seriously take some getting used to. Well, something else that would be extremely weird would be being civil with Malfoy. That conversation hasn't even happened yet, and I'm already scared of what will happen.
Athena began talking right after Mrs. Parkinson. I'm trying to get used to the idea that she thinks she's my mother, but I think that she's so blinded by grief and regret she's grabbing at any thread of hope that she can reuinite her family. "Mia, do you want proof?" I just nodded my head. Athena stood up and her eyes changed from the honey brown they've always been to a deep blood red. I could see the fangs begin to slide down her chin, and she was staring at me like I was some particularly appetizing meal. I stood up and backed away slowly. She sat down and slowly, her appearance began changing back to the one I had always known.
"When will we tell Mal--Draco the truth?" I asked hesitantly. I was scared of Athena, actually. She obviously wasn't lying about being a vampire. I had met one before in London when I was out partying with my Muggle friends, but that's a story for another time.
"Why not right now?" Mrs.--Mum asked. "We can Floo there and tell Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco the truth. They will help us with the ball. We have to change the marriage agreement though; after we told everyone you were dead, we changed it so Pansy was marrying Draco instead of you. We have to do this, we don't have a choice. They will want to help with this; after all, this is a different situation than what it was twelve years ago."
"I can't do that tonight," I said honestly. "I've had too much going on today to even consider going to the Malfoy's. All I want to do right now is go to my room, listen to my CD's, and crash. So I'm out. Peace."
I left the room and slowly ascended the stairs to my room. I put a my favorite CD into my stereo that I had gotten for getting into Hogwarts. I automatically switched it to the eighth track.
I tear my heart open
I sew myself shut
And my weakness is that I care too much
My scars remind me that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel
I'm drunk and I'm feeling down
And I just want to be alone
I'm pissed 'cause you came around why don't you just go home?
I've channeled all your pain
I can't help you fix yourself
You're making me insane
All I can say is
I tear my heart open
I sew myself shut
And my weakness is that I care too much
Our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel
I tried to help you once
Against my own advice
I saw you goin' down
But you never realized
That your drowning in the water
So I offered you my hand
Compassion's in my nature
Tonight is our last stand
I tear my heart open
I sew myself shut
And my weakness is that I care too much
Our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel
I'm drunk and I'm feeling down
And I just wanna be alone
You shoulda never come around
Why don't you just go home?
Cuz you're drowning in the water
And I tried to grab your hand
I left my heart open
But you didn't understand (but you didn't understand)
(Go fix yourself)
I can't help you fix yourself
But at least I can say I tried
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life
I can't help you fix yourself
But at least I can say I tried
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life
I tear my heart open
I sew myself shut
And my weakness is that I care too much
Our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel
I tear my heart open
I sew myself shut
And my weakness is that I care too much
Our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel
I was crying by the time the song was finished. It described my life perfectly, what I was going through. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep that night. I went downstairs and they were still talking. I looked at Mrs. Parkinson and said, "Let's go get this over with. Let's go tell the Malfoy's the truth."
Chapter 3 is done! The song is "Scars" by Papa Roach off of the Getting Away with Murder album. Don't own the song. Please Review! It makes my day! hippielover459, your review said that this seemed a little rushed. Remember, it's been twelve years since Mrs. Parkinson has been able to talk to her daughter. If you had to give up your child to protect him/her and not talk to this child for over a decade, wouldn't you want to talk to them and take them home as soon as you could? I know I would...I'm basing the scenes with Hermione/Maria and Mrs. Parkinson off of the guilt Mrs. Parkinson feels, the belief that Hermione truly is her long lost daughter, and the desire to be able to get to know her again as fast as possible.
Hugs & Kisses,
SlytherinGrlForever
