A/N: Thanks for the reviews. And now we finally return to Hermione and how she is coping with everything…
DISCLAIMER: I only own the plot and the other five slaves!
Chapter FourThe next twenty minutes after clearing away the plates of food, Hermione readied herself for the trip to Diagon Alley. Narcissa and her horrible son would no doubt put her on show. Pureblooded and halfblooded witches and wizards would make cruel jibes at her and possibly physically harm her. The other slaves kept reminding Hermione to be strong. Scott even gave her a hug before she left the kitchen trying to tame her frizzy hair.
She stopped in the corridor and took deep breath's willing herself to calm down. She declared to herself if anyone dared lay a hand on her today she would try to remain calm and not attempt to do anything that would possibly see her facing death or worse, a kiss from a Dementor. She entered the foyer where Narcissa was waiting with a bored Draco. When Draco looked at her, he didn't smirk or make any comments. He just looked at her, his face looking to find an emotion to show on it. Hermione looked down at the ground, finding his odd facial expression's unnerving.
"Let's go," said Narcissa gesturing to the front door.
Hermione sighed and ran over to it, pulling it open for her 'masters'. Narcissa nodded to her as she walked past, but Draco looked ahead. Hermione walked out beside them into the blistering cold. She had nothing on to keep her warm, only her toga dress. But it was colder then normal. Hermione didn't like that fact at all. As she walked towards the carriage thing that would automatically apperate them to Diagon Alley she looked up at he sky. They were breeding again. They would spread even further during muggle's attention closer to discovering the truth. This was not good at all.
"Come along!" snapped Narcissa.
Hermione ran forward and pulled open the carriage door. Narcissa climbed in followed by Draco. Hermione climbed in after them and sat across from the two Malfoy's. The carriage gave a great lurch forward.
"Here," said Narcissa handing Hermione a black cloak with a sliver M embroided on the front. It also had a hood, "Put this on and wear the hood over your head."
"Why?" asked Draco, "We should show everyone that we caught the long time wanted mudblood."
"I believe in many things Draco but I refuse to allow any harm to come to my possessions."
"She is only a slave. We can just replace her."
"Shall I replace you whilst I am at it?" snapped Narcissa glaring at her son.
Throughout this Hermione remained silent. Mother and son glared angrily at each other in anger. Hermione looked away, out the window. She pulled the cloak on and raised the hood to hide her face. She was surprised that Narcissa wanted her to hide who she was, but she also now looked at the woman in a slightly different light. She glanced at Narcissa, who was watching her. Hermione looked away quickly, not catching the small smile from the older woman.
Finally the carriage gave a huge spin, causing Hermione to cling onto her seat in terror. Across from her Narcissa and Draco sat calmly, their heads tilted to the side to move with the spin. Obviously they were used to it. By the time the spinning stopped Hermione was on the verge of being sick.
"Suck it up," muttered Draco as he stepped past her to get out of the carriage.
Thankfully the cloaks hood hid the dirty look Hermione shot him. She climbed out and held back a gasp. This was not Diagon Alley. It couldn't be! She looked around her in a circle and felt like crying. It looked lifeless, hardly anyone spoke. Everyone walked around as though they were the living dead. Narcissa stepped over to Hermione and pulled her along to begin their days shopping.
"Sorry Mistress," apologized Hermione still looking around her.
"Father wouldn't put up with this behavior," snapped Draco too his mother in a sulky manner, "I don't know why you do."
"I am not your father, Draco," replied Narcissa looking in a store window selling dress robes, "Unlike him I do not like to create scenes. If you have nothing better to do then criticize me, perhaps it would be best if you went off on your own."
Narcissa shot her son a cold smile and Draco crossed his arms in annoyance.
"And you wonder why Pansy calls you immature," snapped Narcissa, "Look at how you are acting in a public place!"
Hermione glanced at Draco and saw his face go red. He looked as though he was holding the urge back to yell at his mother. Hermione didn't know what to do. She didn't understand their relationship and it would not be her place to say something.
"Hermione," said Narcissa turning to the quiet young woman, "Please accompany Draco to buy some vegetables. We are running low I assume?"
"Yes we are Mistress."
Narcissa handed Draco a pouch of galleons, "Off you go."
Draco scowled under his breath and jerked his hand at Hermione, "Come on Granger."
Hermione followed him making sure to keep a safe distance between him and her. She didn't trust him and obviously had every reason not to do so. He kept looking back at her as though trying to decide upon something. As they drew closer to the food store, his walking slowed. Automatically Hermione slowed down, but she suddenly squealed in surprise when Draco grabbed her by the arm. He yanked her close to him, so that there were mere centimeters between their two bodies. She looked up at him in surprise and could only gasp as he pushed her cloak hood back revealing her face for all too see.
"Let's see what scene I can create today," he said pulling her along behind him roughly.
"Please don't," prayed Hermione to him, "I beg you, don't do this!"
Draco didn't seem to listen to her as he pulled her through a crowd of witches and wizards.
"It's that Granger girl!" yelled one suddenly noticing whom Draco was yanking along behind him, "Master Malfoy! Did your father purchase this trash?"
Draco turned and smiled at the man, pulling Hermione around to stand beside him, "He did indeed. Horrible little thing isn't she?"
"Quite ugly indeed," sneered a woman with a flat nose and brown round eyes.
Hermione shot a glare at the woman and Draco tightened his grip on her arm to keep her mouth shut. Hermione only let out a little 'hmph'.
"Is she as feisty as the ad claimed?" asked another man eyeing Hermione up and down.
"If you do not remove your eyes off me I will show you feisty!" snapped Hermione and instantly regretting it.
"That little foul mouthed Mudblood!" cried the flat nosed woman, "Aren't you going to punish her?"
Now Draco was trapped. Would he punish her? If he did his mother would know of what he did and that would put him further in her bad books. He spun Hermione around and raised a hand to slap her across the face.
"DRACO!"
"Oh Merlin," he whispered as his mother stormed through the crowd, literally shoving people aside. He released a terrified Hermione, who fell backwards into the ground, much to the enjoyment of the crowd of onlookers.
"What is the meaning of this?" she screeched at her son in disgust pulling her wand out and pointing it to the crowd, "All of you! Get!"
The crowd left reluctantly, two purposely treading on Hermione's fingers causing her to gasp in pain. Narcissa looked at her son in disgust, "Get up, girl."
Hermione managed to stand and pulled her hood on to hide her tears of pain and humiliation.
"I am disgusted in you," she hissed at Draco, "Utterly disgusted. You are not the young man I raised. You are just as horrible as your dead Aunt Bellatrix!"
"It is what Father would have done," replied Draco coolly.
"You are not your father, Draco. Come along, girl."
Hermione walked past Draco keeping her head down, but as she passed him she let out a soft sob. She didn't mean too but she couldn't help it. How could someone be so cruel? She had never done anything to him to cause this. She kept close behind Narcissa knowing that although she was a cold woman, she would protect Hermione from more humiliation. For the rest of the shopping, Hermione did as she was told and avoided all contact with the male Malfoy. Never again would she think he could be someone with a heart. To her he was a carbon copy of his father.
HD
Two hours later Hermione stumbled into the kitchens with the bags of food. The other slaves rushed over to her and took them to pack away.
Scott led Hermione to her corner and sat her down with a glass of water. He beckoned Bridget over who sat down in front of Hermione as silent tears trickled down her cheeks.
"What happened?" asked Scott worriedly glancing over at the other three muggleborn's, "Look at your fingers! They are bruised badly! Sophie! Get a cold compress for Hermione, now!"
"He humiliated me," whispered Hermione looking into her cup, "Narcissa gave me a cloak to hide my identity from everyone and s-she sent with Malfoy… he… he pushed the hood off and showed me off to everyone… they all looked at him like I was… like I was dirt… he degraded me."
Hermione had to stop. Never before had she felt so low about whom she was. Draco had made her feel disgusted with her self. Bridget took the cold compress from Sophie and pressed it gently against one of Hermione's hands.
"How did this happen?" asked Scott indicating her fingers.
"I… I said something that I shouldn't of. And Malfoy was going to hit me when Narcissa arrived. He let me go and a fell backwards… Narcissa told the crowd to go and as they left some of them trod on my hands."
"What a monster," snarled Bridget, "We should spit in his food from now on."
"What will that achieve?" asked Scott in an amused tone.
"Nothing, but only we will know."
Even Hermione had to chuckle, but as she did, Bridget wiped some blood from Hermione's middle finger causing her to gasp.
"Everyone" shouted Bridget turning slightly to face the other three, "From now on… we spit in Draco Malfoy's food… just don't let those three loser's know."
"N-Narcissa isn't as bad as the other two," said Hermione reasonably, "She didn't want this to happen. I mean you should have seen her fa-"
Hermione stopped speaking as she heard the tinkling in her head, "Narcissa wants me."
With help from Scott, Hermione stood. She gave him a smile, which he returned. He brushed a light brown lock from his face and turned away as she left. Hermione walked through the Manor following the tinkling noise. On her way she passed Draco but kept her eyes on the ground and her injured hands to the side of her body. They ached horribly and thankfully Hermione had a strong pain resistance otherwise she would be in tears from it. She followed the tinkling past the dining room and main reading room. She reached two closed doors and reluctantly knocked, biting her lower lip from the pain.
"Enter!"
Hermione opened the door and walked in closing it behind her. She turned to Narcissa and lowered her gaze.
"What would you like, Mistress?" asked Hermione.
"Come here. Let me see your hands."
Hermione walked forward to the wall length painting Narcissa stood at. She held her two hands out and focused on them to avoid the light blue gaze. Narcissa made an "tsking" noise and walked past Hermione over to her desk.
"Come here, girl."
Hermione walked out and saw Narcissa holding her wand, "What are you going to do?"
"Heal your hands of course. It was not your fault they rudely trod on your hands."
"Oh… but I spoke out."
"You were only defending yourself. It's human instinct."
Hermione gave a small nod and allowed the woman to heal her injured hands. Narcissa muttered a spell and Hermione felt a warm sensation ripple through her hands. She watched as the bruises began to fade with the cuts. After a minute or so her hands once again looked normal and the pain was gone.
"Thankyou Mistress," said Hermione genuinely before saying something she had only ever told her three closet friends, "I always wanted to be a Healer at St Mungo's."
Narcissa looked at Hermione and gave a small smile, "I wanted to work at the Ministry when I was your age. But my family had different plans for me."
"Oh… where in the Ministry did you want to work at?"
"The Law Department. But life has many paths in it. We all make choices and this was mine."
Hermione didn't know how to reply. Here she was, being told things from a woman she always saw as evil as her husband and son. But obviously there was more to Narcissa Malfoy then met the eye.
"If you do not mind me asking," said Hermione quietly, "Do you regret your choice?"
At this question, Narcissa sighed, "I can never honestly answer that question. The answer changes everyday. Today my answer is I do. Look at my son… I still am disgusted in what he did to you. Despite our blood difference you are as human as I am and have feelings. He knew that what he was doing was wrong and yet he still did it. My husband… he is not much better, that I am always certain about. He influences Draco's opinion on everything. Draco is old enough to decide what he thinks about many things."
"My parents," Hermione paused as her voice quavered, "My parents… they always let me decide on what I think about everything. Although instilled their opinions in me about certain things, like love, sex… the normal moral things."
"Your parents are wise people."
"Were… they were wise," corrected Hermione, "They were killed the day I was captured."
"I am sorry to hear that."
Hermione shrugged and stood upright, "Would you like me to do anything for you?"
"No. Not at this moment. I just wanted to see if you were coping well after the ordeal. And your hands needed healing."
"Thankyou again for healing them," said Hermione with a small smile herself, "I should return to the kitchens. Dinner needs to be cooked. Do you have any requests?"
"None at all. Just ensure it is not burnt."
Hermione nodded and left the reading room feeling much better physically and emotionally. There really was more to Narcissa Malfoy then what met the eye.
HD
"You didn't?"
"I did."
"We both did actually."
"Did he notice?"
"No. He enjoyed it… from what he said."
Hermione pulled a face of disgust and Scott and Bridget laughed. They had just taken dinner out and both had actually spat into Draco's food. Hermione didn't seriously believe earlier that they would do it, but obviously both were true to their word.
"Just don't spit in mine," said Hermione as she helped Sophie wash the dishes, "I want mine stale... not spat on."
"Stale food is just the best," joked Sophie earning a grin from Hermione, "Are you serious when you say Narcissa healed them?"
"I am. There is so much more to her then what everyone else sees," replied Hermione handing Scott a stack of dishes to pack away, "She is nothing like her husband and son."
"I always thought she was worse then them," admitted Scott, "My uncle owned the Potion Store… he is a muggleborn as well… anyway whenever I was there during the holidays and she would come in she would always have this constant sneer on her face."
"Maybe she was acting," shrugged Bridget, "Everyone puts on a front to look a certain way to others. I used to act like this real goody two shoes when I was at school, when really I was a trouble maker."
"I think she does act," mused Hermione, "To make everyone think she enjoys her life."
"Yeah," nodded Bridget, "Anyway I so dead on my feet. I'm going to get some sleep."
"Me too," nodded Sophie emptying the sink and following Bridget to get a blanket.
Hermione and Scott packed the last of the dishes away and both got a blanket and pillow. Hermione settled down in her corner and was surprised when Scott laid down beside her. She then realized it was the only remaining spot.
"So… what are your friends like?" asked Scott quietly.
"They are all great. Harry constantly worries about everyone else… Ron… we used to date but living so close made things hard, so we broke up and have remained really good friends. Ginny is my only close female friend. She knows what my moods are and bad habits."
"They sound great. Mine are all over the world now. Most are in hiding and some got to Australia."
"Lucky them."
"Yeah. I envy them."
Just as Hermione was about to reply a dreaded sound filled her ears. He was calling her. She sat up with a groan.
"Hermione? What's wrong?" asked Scott sitting up with her.
"He's calling me."
"Who is?"
"You spit in his food."
"Let me go."
"No," said Hermione firmly placing a hand on Scott's chest, "He's calling me. I have to go."
"I'll wait up for you."
"No, get some sleep. I'll be fine. Harry taught me a few things about how to fight without magic."
"Okay."
Hermione hurried out of the kitchen, stepping carefully over bodies of her sleeping friends. She pushed open the door and walked up the staircase and down the hall. He was in his room as he was last time. She made her way there and knocked on his door.
"Come in Granger."
She pushed the door open and walked into the room. He was sitting at his desk, staring out the window, not that he could see anything with the mist blocking out the night sky.
"You called me," said Hermione with reluctance.
"Obviously I did or you wouldn't be standing here," he said looking at her, "Unless of course you just couldn't stay away."
Hermione clamped her mouth shut not daring to say anything back. Draco seemed to take it that he had struck gold.
"Loss of words, mudblood?"
"Oh no. I just know it would be best if I kept quiet," replied Hermione, "What would you like?"
"Just a visit… after all today was interesting, wouldn't you say?"
Hermione's eyes instantly narrowed, "If you call be humiliated interesting then by all means I hope you have pleasant dreams about today."
"Oh, I know I will. I assume you didn't find it interesting?"
"No I didn't," said Hermione tears in the corners of her eyes, "I see nothing at all interesting about being glared at, ridiculed, dropped to the ground and then having my hands trampled on by arrogant people like yourself!"
"You are calling me arrogant? Granger, look in the mirror," he stepped forward and pulled her over to his mirror, "What do you see?"
Hermione glared at her reflection, taking in her slim frame, bushy hair, brown tear filled eyes and pink lips, "I see a human being who has feelings like you. I see someone who is proud for the blood they were born into, a see someone who had dreams that were soon ripped apart by the Death Eaters who torment muggleborn's because they are bored with their own life's. Only they don't realize that the world is falling apart before their very eyes… soon they will have nothing and who will they come running too, to fix it? The very people they tore down and sent into hiding!"
"That is complete crap. You know what I see?" sneered Draco standing behind her and leaning in close to whisper into her ear, "Muggleborn trash… a worthless human being. A-"
Hermione spun around glaring at him, "Your names don't hurt me Malfoy. Because they are only words! You have said them so often they have no affect on me! What more can you possibly do to me that you haven't done?"
Draco laughed coldly, "More than your naïve mind can possibly imagine."
Hermione backed away from him as he stepped closer to her coldness in his eyes, "You wouldn't dare."
"What can you possibly do to stop me?"
Hermione's heart was racing as he stepped closer. Within seconds he was inches from her. Then he stopped and laughed.
"Come off it Granger, I was kidding! Like I would possibly screw you."
Hermione watched him as he laughed. With such force and anger she stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face. His laughter stopped instantly. He didn't move, he didn't speak. He just stared at her.
"YOU FOUL LOATHSOME… DEATH EATER!" she screamed with enough force to shock the Malfoy further into shock, "How can you possibly get any joy from that? Don't you have clue as to how scared I was?"
Draco didn't say anything. He was literally too stunned for words.
"Obviously you have had your fun," said Hermione, "Sleep well Master."
With that Hermione turned and stormed out of the room before breaking down into tears.
A/N: Well… I hope you all enjoyed that one and the next chapter will see it from the Malfoy's view! Please review!
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