Too Late
Chapter 2
A/N: I hoped you liked the last chapter. Please review.
Hermione woke to the sound of an owl tapping on the window. She sat up and groaned. As she was walking to the window to the let the tired animal, she passed her mirror. She stopped in her tracks half way between the mirror and the window, then, slowly backed up. Hermione gasped in surprise as she saw her reflection. Her hair was no longer the dull brown bush she had the previous day, but long silky and a midnight black. So black that in certain light it look as if it had blue streaks in it. Her eyes were blue with a small rim of black around the iris.
Hermione was shaken out of her thoughts as the owl tapped impatiently on her window. She walked over to the window and opened it. The owl flew in and dropped a parcel in her hands and perched on the back of chair giving Hermione an angry glare.
Hermione gave the owl the same look, "Don't give me that look, I didn't ask you to deliver me a package. Give the person that sent you that look." Hermione sat on the edge of her bed and opened the package that sat in her hands. She untied the string and carefully unwrapped the brown paper. The parcel contained a letter and a jewelry box. Hermione decided to open the box first. Inside was a silver chain with an 'H' pendent. The 'H' had vines on the sides that connected in the middle. Hermione unclasped it and put it on. Next she picked up the note.
Our Dearest Hermione,
We are both truly sorry about giving you away, but we had no choice. We didn't want you to grow up influenced by the Dark Lord. But now it seems as if you have no choice but to become a Death Eater, unless your friend Harry Potter can kill him before your inauguration. Again we are truly sorry, but enough of that for now. Let us talk about your family and our history.
You have only one sibling and he is your older brother, Aiden. He is transferring from Durmstrang to Hogwarts at the beginning of this year. He will be in your year even though he is a year older. He was born in December and was accepted late. If you cant recognize him look for a necklace similar to your own, only his is an 'A'. I'm sure that the Headmaster told you that you would be resorted. I should tell you that your chances of getting into Slytherin are very high; our entire family has been in Slytherin. You and your brother both will most likely end up in Slytherin.
I should also like to tell you that you are betrothed and who you are betrothed to but I'm afraid I can't tell you who just yet. I will tell you when we meet in person, which should be very soon.
Please don't be too angry with us. We only gave you up to protect you, and we will continue to protect you until the day we die.
Your loving and regretful parents,
Adrien and Ariana.
Hermione set the letter on her nightstand and got dressed. She walked out of her room and walked up to the Headmasters office and knocked.
"Come in Miss. Van Tassel." Dumbledore called. Hermione slowly pushed the heavy door open slowly.
"Sir, I was wondering when I could meet my parents." She said sitting down across from Dumbledore.
"Ah yes. Well let's see, how about this afternoon? You can stay there till term starts or you can come back after your visit, its up to you. Your room is hooked up to the floo network."
"Thank you Professor Dumbledore. I think I'll stay there till term starts." Hermione stood up and walked out of the office and back up to her room to owl her parents.
Dear Mum and Dad,
If it's all right I'd like to come to day and stay with you till term starts. Sorry the note so short.
Hermione
Hermione tied the note to the owl still perched on her chair and sent it off out the window. She sat down to wait. She picked up a book and began reading. A few minutes later the owl flew in and landed on Hermione's knee.
Dear Hermione,
Yes it is all right if you come today. The letter is a portkey. It will take you to the outside of our mansion at 11 o'clock.
Mother and Father
P.s. the owl is yours his name is Douglas. Douglas means Dark, so I am sure you'll understand why he is named so. He is only friendly to you. And he is very protective.
Hermione did understand why they had named him Douglas. The owl's feathers were black and his eyes were a dark blue. He was a beautiful bird, very majestic looking.
"Well Douglas, why don't you fly home and I'll meet you there at 11, ok?"
The owl hooted in response and took off out the window. Hermione sat down and began to read. An hour passed and she looked up at the clock. 'Twenty minutes left, I suppose I should pack.' She thought getting up from her bed. Hermione walked over to her closet and took out enough clothes for two weeks and packed them in her trunk. She grabbed a few books and packed them too. She looked up at the clock again and shut her trunk. She grabbed the letter and the handle of her trunk and soon felt a familiar sensation behind her navel.
Hermione opened her eyes and gasped as she stared at her new home. It wasn't really a mansion; it was more of a European castle. The front doors opened and out rushed two people whom she suspected to be her parents.
"Hermione! Oh my how you've grown! Well of course you would have grown! It's been almost 17 years! Well let's get you inside and settled." Her mother said pulling out of a hug.
"Welcome to Leeds Castle Hermione dear." Her father said giving her a hug.
Hermione stepped through the large wooden doors with her parents on either side of her.
"Could you tell me about the history of the castle?" Hermione asked her father.
It was her mother who answered. "Leeds Castle was originally a manor house owned by the Saxon Kings built in 875 AD. The original castle was an earthwork enclosure with a timber palisade and two timber towers along the perimeter. King Edward the Confessor granted the Manor to the powerful house of Godwin. Over the next several hundred years the castle was the center of sieges and fighting resulting in many changes of ownership. Leeds became the stone castle of the Norman Crevecoeur family. It has been a Norman stronghold for over 900 years. In 1119, Robert Crevecoeur started rebuilding the castle in stone. The Cellar is the oldest surviving part of the castle and can be seen today; it dates from the mid 12th century.
"In 1278, Leeds was given to King Edward I of England. This was the beginning of a long royal ownership of Leeds Castle. King Edward I built the fortified mill and barbican; he made extensive alterations to the castle including the moat. He enlarged the castle by building an outer stone curtain wall around the edge of the larger island, with cylindrical open backed flanking towers and a square-plan water gate on the southeast. The gatehouse and a single tower pierced by an arched passage were improved. The fountain court, the central courtyard of the Gloriette, dates from the 1280's. In the 14th century a system was devised for bringing piped water from springs in the park into cisterns beneath the paving to supply the fountain. The same springs supply the castle today.
"Falling to King Edward II's troops in 1321 because his Queen was refused admission, the castle was never again besieged because of its reputation for being a ladies castle. A Royal residence for over 300 years, Leeds Castle was the home of six medieval Queens of England.
"In 1552, Leeds was granted to Sir Anthony St. Leger, the Lord Deputy of Ireland. His successors, the Smyths, built a Jacobean house on the larger island selling it in 1632 to the Culpeper family. Supporting Parliament during the Civil War, the Culpepers allowed Leeds Castle to become a Parliamentary arsenal.
"From the Culpepers the castle passed to Lord Fairfax. The 6th Lord Fairfax Gothicized the main house, entertaining King George III in 1778. Leeds Castle has been constantly inhabited and rebuilt since. Most of the castle today is the result of the 19th century reconstruction and additions. Leeds Castle has been constantly inhabited and rebuilt since. Most of the castle today is the result of the 19th century reconstruction and additions.
"In 1926, Lady Baillie, my great-great-great grandmother, bought the castle from the Wykeham Martins. Lady Baillie filled the castle with fine medieval furnishings, ceramics, tapestries and paintings, all of the highest quality. Her collection of 18th century Chinese porcelain is remarkable. Lady Baillie's achievements culminated in the most radical development at Leeds Castle in its long history; by her will, the Leeds Castle Foundation was created to maintain the castle, garden and park. Today Leeds Castle has become a national treasure, faithfully restored by the Leeds Castle Foundation." When her mother finished they were out side of two large oak doors.
"Well go ahead Hermione, open them." Her father gently pushed. Hermione set the end of her trunk down and pushed the doors open and gasped as she looked around. Her bed had a dark headboard and red paisley quilt with white cotton sheets. Her floor was a dark wood with a beige area rug underneath the bed and extending out from under it a few feet. She had a walked in closet, the shelves were the same color as the doors, floor, and headboard. There were two extensive windows on either side of a stone fireplace. The walls were light beige with a light pink tint. The curtains were a shade lighter than the walls.
"Its beautiful!" Hermione exclaimed as she dragged her trunk into her room.
"We're glad you like it, why don't we go down to the garden and ring up some tea?" Ariana asked.
"I'd love to." Hermione answered.
The three of them walked down to the enchanting garden and sat down under a canopy of grapes.
"Mother," Hermione paused. "Who am I betrothed to?"
"I knew this would come up sooner or later. Well I'm going to tell you now that you wont be happy. You're betrothed to Draco Malfoy." Ariana moved back waiting for Hermione's temper to break loose, but instead of Hermione yelling she simply said "Oh, ok."
"That's is? No big argument about it?" Adrien asked.
"No. I can't really complain if I haven't met the real him and I don't know how he'll be towards me now that I'm a pureblood and more powerful than him. So I'll wait till I meet him to make my judgment." Hermione said sensibly.
"Ok. Ah, here's our tea." A maid came out of a door carrying a silver tray with white teacups.
"You don't have house elves?" Hermione asked.
"Oh we do but they work in the kitchen. You can't find a better chef than house elves. And don't worry, they get paid one gallon a week and have sick days and vacations." Her father explained.
After they had finished their tea, they decided to have a look at the rest of the castle. The first place they went to was the library, which Hermione instantly fell in love with. The shelves reached from the floor to the very top of the ceiling. There was a ladder that swung around the circular library. In the middle, there were couches, tables, and overstuffed chairs. There were four windows that reached from about a foot off the floor up to the top of the ceiling. There were also two fireplaces back to back in the very middle of the room.
After leaving the library, or after dragging Hermione from the library, they went to the indoor pool, the rest of the garden, the dining room, study, and the den. Last but not least they went to the horse stables, where Hermione met her horse, Sebastian. Sebastian was a deep brown with a slightly lighter mane and tale.
After leaving the stables they went back to the castle and had dinner. After dinner Hermione went to the library pick a rather large book and walked back to her room and began to read. A quarter of the way through, Hermione looked up when there was a knock on her door.
"Come in." Hermione called.
"I just wanted to say good night and to tell you not to stay up to late. The Malfoy's are coming over tomorrow to meet you." Adrien said.
"Oh ok. Night daddy." Adrien leaned over and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek and closed the door as he walked out. Hermione put a bookmark in her book and laid it on her nightstand, waved her wand and her lights went out and the curtains closed.
A/N: Leeds Castle is a real castle and I got the history off of http/ The only thing I changed was that I made Lady Baillie into Ariana's great-great-great grandmother. Please review!