Hello Everyone!

Sorry about the long update, but I have a project due by the end of the week and I'm going to be away this weekend, so things have been pretty hectic.

FairyDust4Ever: Hopefully this chapter will set all right again.

Justanotherharmlessprankster: Thanks, I'll try to update every week once or twice... it's project season at school though, so I might be a bit flexible with that.

lil-RaBi: Me too!

H.L.Mittermair: gulp haha... lol

Badgurl13a: Thanks, but there's quite a few stories out their like that...this is just my spin on it.

adamo393: Yes Sir! lol

Jasmine-Signet: Thanx!

Disclaimer: Hint- anything you recognize is MOST LIKELY not mine.

Chapter 3: Clang!

"Excuse me Miss, but Mistress says it is high time for you to be getting up."

Hermione rolled over to see two huge, bulbous eyes staring up at her. She shrieked and fell of the bed, landing hard on the thin area rug. Rubbing her side, she sat up, blinking.

A skinny House elf was standing in front of her, wearing what looked like a very dirty scrap of…drapery over her frail body. At least, Hermione thought that's what it was. It padded up to her and offered her its hand.

"Can Loopy assist the Miss?" She asked. Hermione looked down at Loopy and felt sorry for the poor thing.

"No thank you, Loopy," she replied, "I can get up myself." Pulling herself to her feet, she said, "You can't possibly like doing this, this servitude? I mean, wouldn't you like to be set free--"

"Oh no Miss! Loopy wants to serve her masters faithfully and to the best of her ability!" Loopy was practically squeaking. "We should be getting Miss ready, Mistress said—"

"But wouldn't you like to be paid, at lea—"

"Oh NO Miss! Loopy wouldn't like that!" Loopy cried, stumbling as she started to walk. "If Miss would comes with Loopy and stop talking so, if she would please!"

Hermione sighed and followed Loopy, mulling over what had made the elf so unhappy. She started as Loopy tapped her on the leg.

"You're bath is ready Miss," She began. "Yous has 10 minutes." She closed the door, leaving Hermione alone.

Hermione looked around the bathroom and her mouth dropped open. The whole room was done in cream marble, and gold touches, or so it appeared."Is everything made of marble?" she asked incredulously.

"I believe so dear," said a kindly voice from behind her.

Hermione spun and came face-to-face with her vanity. "Did you say that?"

"Of course I did." Replied the mirror.

"And everything really is made out of marble?"

"Well, except for the gold touches…"

"Right."

"If I may say, my dear, you now have only eight minutes."

"Oh, right."

So being said, Hermione undressed and slipped herself into the tub, which was as big as a small swimming pool, feeling the hot water close over her body as if it was pushing all her weariness up with it. She soaked and thought about the turn the last twenty-four hours had taken. There was the matter of her being pureblood; she still couldn't imagine being in the same class as Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Draco Malfoy. Thinking of that, she gave a mirthless chuckle: watch them call her mudblood now! She completely despised all that they stood for, but maybe the Emsleys were different. After all, Sirius was a pureblood, wasn't he?

Now about her parents. They seemed all right, they weren't followers of Voldemort at least, if their story was true. They seemed to love her, if anything. She would be able to see them better, anyway, as the day progressed. So, she was Alyanna Hermione Emsley, agreed? Alright. That brought up another point. Where were the Grangers? It seemed her parents had reached an unspoken agreement not to tell her. She felt a pang of grief; they didn't even say goodbye…

Her thoughts were cut off by Loopy coming back through the door. She got out of the tub and dried off, taking the offered robe. She sat while Loopy brushed and styled her hair, rubbed all sorts of concoctions on her face, and tastefully applied make-up. Loopy then told her to get dressed, 'if it pleased Miss to do so', and handed her a dress made of a light blue material. Hermione donned the garb, and studied herself in the mirror. Her jaw dropped. Gone was the bushy hair of yesterday, and in its place smooth hair fell in waves down her back. The dress, needless to say, fit her perfectly, hugging and falling where needed. She looked…really pretty. Not that I wasn't pretty before, she reminded herself, but this looks somehow more like…Alyanna Hermione Emsley, pureblood.

That sent shivers down her back. Going back into her room, her jaw dropped again. How in the world did I not notice THIS? Somehow, in her sleepy stupor of last night and this morning, she failed to note on her bedroom. Looking around, she figured roughly that 5 of her old bedrooms could fit into this one. The walls were a light gold, while all the furnishings were a deeper one. All the fabric looked like silk, and in fact, nothing looked cheap. She tread lightly to the door, not wanting to disturb the finely-woven area rugs, and over to where Loopy was waiting.

She was led through several confusing hallways (where many of the portraits called her by name, which was only slightly disturbing), down a back stair, and through several more hallways until she reached the dining hall. There Loopy left her, snapping her fingers and disappearing with a crack!. Hermione crossed the room over to where her Parents were sitting at a long wooden table, and sat down.

"Good morning, I trust you slept well?" Charlene said politely from across the table.

"Yes, thank you," replied Hermione.

"Ready for a busy day?" asked Bryson, "Lots of planning to do."

"For what?"

"Why, your Coming Out Birthday Ball!" exclaimed Charlene. "We are going to formally introduce you to society as our daughter, Alyanna Emsley. Everyone who's anyone will be there. Most everyone will be so pleased you're here, especially the family of your betrothed…"

CLANG

Charlene and Bryson both looked concernedly at Hermione, who had just dropped her silverware and looking as if she were nauseous.

"My what?" she asked in a low voice, staring at her parents.

"Your betrothed," began her mother, "really a quite political thing, always set up directly after the birth of a pureblood, it's just to keep relations up and running, you know…" She trailed of, deciding she didn't like the scary look on Hermione's face.

"Tell me you can undo it." She growled.

"Well no, you see, they're done by contract. Nothing can undo them save for the consent of both parties. But don't worry dear, these people are the highest of purebloods. Only the best for an Emsley." Her father declared proudly.

Only one word came out of Hermione's mouth.

"Who?"

"Oh, a fine family," exclaimed her mother, " How would you like to be Alyanna Hermione Emsley Malfoy!"

There was a thud as Hermione fell of her chair in a dead faint.

Hermione looked up into the worried faces of her parents. What happened? She thought, groggily sitting up. Then it came back: She was betrothed. To Malfoy.

Taking her fathers han as he helped her back up, tears flooded her eyes. She would never be able to choose the man she would marry. She would never Fall in Love.

"Hermione dear. Are you alright?" her mother asked, looking concerned.

Returning her gaze, Hermione realized that this wasn't their fault. They would probably undo it if they could. No reason to make their life a living hell.

"Yes," she forced out, "I'll be fine."

A house Elf entered the room. "The Little Miss is up, madam," he announced, bowing so low his nose touched the ground, (A/N: Which isn't so low, lol. Sorry. Continuing…) "and she is ready for her walk.

"Oh Hermione, why don't you take Annie out and around?" exclaimed Charlene, who obviously was still worried about Hermione's current state. "The fresh air would do you good."

And that's how, fifteen minutes later, Hermione could be found on the grounds with her sister. They really were beautiful, with colored flowers everywhere, and advantageously placed fountains and trees. Little paths stretched on seemingly forever, though they just ended up looping and merging with each other. She had been afraid that she would get lost, but as Charlene put it, 'You can't get lost in your own gardens.' Whatever.

Sitting on a low stone bench, she looked down into the baby buggy at her sister. "How are you doing babe?" she asked her. Annie looked up into Hermione's eyes and smiled, showing off what few teeth she had. Hermione smiled and continued.

"Apparently I have to marry my arch nemesis, Draco Malfoy. He's such scum, Annie, I can't believe it. He and Pansy were going to get married and leave us alone. But noooo, Hermione gets to marry him. Life isn't fair, I can't imagine having to spend the rest of my life with him. What do you think?"

Annie held Hermione's gaze for moment, and then her little baby laugh burst out.

"Well then maybe you can marry him." Hermione muttered, getting up and pushing the buggy, whose occupant was still gurgling happily, back towards the house.

Hey! I've seen this in other fics, and it's a pretty good Idea, so here's how it works: When you reveiw, leave one of the Hogwarts houses at the end. Each review is seven points.

i.e.

Reviewer:

This is a great fic! You must be totally AWESOME!

Gryffindor.

something llike that, k?

Alrighty.

Ready?

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REVIEW!