Message in a Bottle

Chapter 13

Hermione sat in a darkened corner of Knockturn Alley feeling almost at home. And why shouldn't she? Her father was one of the darkest wizards to ever live.

Her tears streamed down her face as her mother approached. "Hermione, dear," she said. "Why are you crying? I don't understand?"

The young girl looked up into her mothers eyes as she reached her arms around her, clinging to her like a little child would. "I've missed you so much mum!" she cried out, sobbing into her shoulder. "So much has happened and I just...I wanted so badly to crawl up on the couch with you and cry, to tell you all my problems but I couldn't 'cause you were gone! Why did you go? Why did you leave me with that...that...that horrid man!"

Helen pushed her daughter back slightly and looked at her tear stained face. "It's not that simple, sweetheart! You think I WANTED to leave you?"

They had no more time to talk for already Voldemort and Draco were coming forward. "'Mione? Are you okay?" Draco asked, running to her side and holding her in his arms as she cried against him. "Sh...it's okay. I'm here. Relax. Take three deep breaths." She inhaled deeply. "That a girl. Now let's wipe your tears away and put on that Granger smile that I used to despise." The corners of her lips rose up high and after a moment, she stuck her tongue up, blowing a raspberry his way. "That's it! Perfect! I knew it was there somewhere," he said sarcastically.

Hermione hit Draco playfully on the arm and turned to her parents. "I'm better," she choked out.

"Good," Voldemort said. "Now let's go have that talk!"

They walked to the Hog's Head and took their seats at a booth in the corner, making sure no one was around that could hear them.

"What do we have to talk about?" Hermione finally asked Voldemort, wanting to get it over with. "I think that everything is pretty self explanatory. You both left me alone so you could be responsibility free. Understandable. So now that we've "talked", can I go? I do not desire to be seen at the same table with the Dark Lord."

"Hermione," her mother said with annoyance clear in her voice. "That is no way to talk to your father! Now apologize!"

"I will not apologize to the man that I have been fighting against ever since my first year at Hogwarts! He attacks my best mates, threatens my new ones...I have no reason to apologize!"

"Enough!" Voldemort hollered. "I am your father regardless! You will show me respect! And even if I wasn't your father, respect would be expected just considering who I am!"

"Who you are? You think you should be respected because of your name? Well I've got news for you, FATHER! Your name is the very thing that makes me HATE YOU!"

"All daughters hate their fathers at one point or another. Your hatred is to be expected after everything that has happened but right now I'd like to discuss what you were whining about to your mother about earlier in the alley."

"That's what I wanted to discuss," Helen cut in. "You seemed to be unhappy staying with Riley this summer. Why? All he's ever been to you is kind. He's loved you like his own daughter! Riley has kept us fed and sheltered for over sixteen years! I know your father doesn't like him but he has his reasons! Now would you kindly explain yours?"

Hermione seemed to be petrified at the topic of conversation and so she just sat there biting her nails. After a few minutes of silences, Draco decided to speak up for her. "That man was certainly not kind as you put it, Mrs. Granger."

"Andrews, young man. Ms. Andrews. I sent the divorce papers ages ago! But I'd much prefer you call me Helen!"

"Sorry...Helen. What I was trying to say though was that the man that you allowed Hermione to stay with all alone this summer was not as kind as you thought. Make her roll up her sleeves and take off the concealment charms! Then you'll see what I mean!"

Helen gasped at the news that she had just heard coming from the boy sitting across from her. "Hermione, what is he talking about?" she asked.

Hermione glared at Draco with malice in her eyes. "I thought you said you wouldn't tell anyone!" she whispered through gritted teeth.

"She's your mother. She should know!"

"But I don't want to tell her!"

"Then I will! One way or the other, she's got to know!"

"She left me with him, Draco! She has no right to know!"

"EXCUSE ME!" Helen raged. "I'm still right here! Would one of you PLEASE explain to me what the bloody hell is going on?"

Hermione cautiously rolled up her sleeves one by one exposing her unmarked skin. Draco then took out his wand and said a spell allowing the bruises to come forth. Helen's hands instinctively flew up to her mouth, trying to hide her gasp of shock. "Oh my word!" she cried out. "And you say that Riley did this to you?" Hermione nodded her head.

"And worse," Draco let out, feeling it his duty to inform his loves mother of just what went on without her there.

"What do you mean by worse, Mr. Malfoy?"

"You can call me Draco and what I mean is that he didn't just beat her from what she told me in the letters we passed back and forth. She was cut off from any form of contact with anyone. He never knew about our letters though. We wrote almost daily, unless she was beat too badly. But all the mail that came for her from the school, from her other friends, the mail that came through the mail slot, it never got to her...and the phone calls...Well I remember one letter she wrote that told me that her dear old friend Potter gave her a buzz and the punishment was...well...undeniably painful, enough to make sure she was too weak to pick up a quill for over a week!"

"That's enough, Draco," Hermione said with in an angry voice. "Just shut it now! I think they get the point." She didn't want to tell them anymore then that. She didn't want to admit what had really happened that summer. She didn't want to tell them how she had been degraded day after day. She didn't want them to know the abuse her body had gone through. She just wanted to forget it ever happened.

Helen was near tears at the sight of Hermione's arms. She didn't need to know anymore to know that leaving Hermione alone with the man had been a huge mistake.

"Why did you leave me with him?" Hermione finally asked. "How could you just abandon me?"

"Hermione, calm down. It was only one summer!" Helen yelled in defense.

"One summer? That's what you think it was? One summer? Look at my arms, mother! It only took one summer! The truth is...it only takes one day, one minute to ruin a persons life! I had a whole summer of those days and those minutes! A whole summer of my minutes feeling like hours! A whole summer of my days feeling like years! A whole summer of hell! And I owe it all to you for screwing up my life!"

Helen then took the opportunity to use Hermione's hatred for her true father to take some of the heat off herself. "Would you have preferred growing up with the Dark Lord as your father?"

Hermione became stumped and opened her mouth to say something but then shut it again, knowing that anything she was going to say would be contradicting everything she had ever believed.

"I thought so!" Helen exclaimed in triumph. "Now, Tom, Hermione and I are going to go do some girl things. I'll take her shopping and we'll go out to lunch. While we're out, why don't you buy dear Draco here a drink?"

Hermione could have sworn that she heard a grunt coming from him at the suggestion but he didn't say anything. Instead, he kissed Helen on the hand and then turned to face his daughter. "I'm not kind, I'm not young, and I'm not the kind of man that a girl like you would idolize but I am your father, like it or not. And despite all the flaws you would seek to find in me, I do know how to love family and even if we are on different sides, I will hold to my beliefs...Blood is thicker than water. That means that you come before everything, including me killing Potter, but that doesn't mean you can go and get in the way of it happening."

Avoiding any further eye contact, Hermione stood up, gave Draco a nice little kiss on the cheek, mainly to annoy her 'father' but also because she wanted to, and walked out the door not daring to look back.

Draco watched the two girls walk away with his jaw dropped open. "From everything I heard from your father, Malfoy, I thought you hated my daughter," Voldemort said.

"Yes well...time changes everything! As you have already pointed out, I have grown quite fond of her. In fact, sir...I've come to love her."

"Does she know that you love her?"

The color red flashed across his cheeks as it dawned on him that he was actually confessing his love to the wrong person and it should have been Hermione that he was telling and NOT her father. "Actually, she doesn't sir."

"And why is that? Are you afraid, boy? Afraid she won't love you back? Afraid she'll turn you down? Afraid she loves Potter like I read in the Daily Prophet a few years back? Or are you afraid I won't approve?"

"I'm not afraid of any of those things sir. But I am afraid that she's not prepared for a relationship after the horrid summer that she's had. You see, I love her enough to know when to back off and right now all I think I should offer her is a friend that's always there for her."

"You sound like you're trying to impress me or trying to get on my good side. Stop. I don't want to hear that garbage. I want to hear about the real you. Your father beats you, correct?"

It took Draco a long while to respond. "Correct." But he wasn't expecting what the older man responded, though he probably should have been.

"Good. It'll make you stronger. I like strength. I approve of you liking my daughter."

"You APPROVE of me liking her? As if you really had a say! I don't even have a say! No one chooses who they fall for!" Draco had grown quite angry by that point, feeling as though the man across from him was out of line. "I'm sorry if I sound rude or disrespectful but it's just that...with Hermione...well everything is just so frustrating. You think I want to be in love with her? I hate her friends with a passion and the Gods know that I'm not mature enough to handle a real relationship but that didn't stop me from falling for her. For years and years we've been at each others throats but every time I'm around her my heart starts beating really fast and I feel the heat rising in my cheeks, which tells me one thing...I'm hopelessly in love!"

He stood from his seat and began pacing back and forth, trying to organize his thoughts. After a few moments, he sat back down and looked at the old man in front of him.

"Believe it or not, young Malfoy, I understand love. I understand how unpredictable it is. Though I understand love, I don't think you should let it affect you as much as you do. Love and emotions, they are weaknesses that can be used against you. I know your father told you much about me and so I know there is no need to tell you any more but listen to an old man's advice. Don't let a girl cloud your vision. I can see that you will be great if you stay strong. Next summer, you will receive the Dark Mark along with my daughter and then you will both join my ranks and become two of the most prominent Death Eaters amongst us."

Out of nervousness, Draco forced a smile and thanked him for the supposed compliment. "Thanks sir. Do you want a drink now? I'll go order you a firewhiskey from the bar." Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and walked to the bar, desperate to get away.

A/N...Written August 9, 2004, 10:35 PM. I know Voldemort seems a little too nice but you have to imagine him the way I'm seeing him right now. I see him from my stories perspective - the guy who lost the girl of his dreams because of a silly little misunderstanding. Remember that in this story, he DID fall in love when he was still Tom Riddle. Now when he's around Helen, he almost becomes the old him. She just brings back the more gentle side of him but I'm trying to keep him still sort of mean and Voldemort like. But family softens ppl so this is how I imagine Daddy Voldemort. I hope you can try to see him through my eyes and don't flame me for this.

Also, right now I'm trying really hard to focus on this story but I have to admit that I have serious writers block and I'm not sure how I want this story to go. I think that the story will end soon but I might change that so don't hold me to it.

Hope you enjoyed and I can't wait to read your reviews.