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Disclaimer: You know the drill by now…

Their Immediate Family

By: Dragoneyes5000

Chapter 4: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Leaving Draco's office Hermione didn't feel like going back to the hotel right away. She needed time to assimilate all the happenings of the last couple of hours. She still couldn't believe how drastic her life had changed in those few hours spent during the reading of the will. She'd left Italy that morning thinking she only had to hear the reading and she'd be out of there in a flash and back home by the next morning. Oh how wrong she was she thought.

Feet aching from all the walking Hermione spotted a park bench and sat down. Going back to her thoughts, realization hit Hermione of what Draco's cryptic words at the end of their conversation meant the day he'd phoned her. He knew exactly what was coming and didn't warn her. She'd left his office right after everyone cutting of his attempt at apologizing, telling him she needed to think. Now calmed a bit she regretted her hasty retreat.

Hermione didn't know how long she sat on the bench. Lifting her head and looking around she saw many people rushing about the busy streets coming in and out of taxis, the double decker buses stopping to pick and off load passengers. Looking up at the sky and then at her watch Hermione was astounded at the time. It was now 6 pm. No wonder they were all rushing around she thought. The day had ended. Standing up, Hermione adjusted her purse string and started looking around for a cab. She saw one coming and hailed it and got in giving the driver the hotel's address.

In her suite, Hermione took a long and relaxing bath in the tub. She wasn't feeling hungry. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. But now lying down on the cool silk sheets she was avoid of sleep. Closing her eyes, Hermione's mind drifted to her past.

She was seven years old when she was placed in the State orphanage. Her birth mother said to be unfit to raise her. What she remembered of her life before seven was a bit hazy. She remembered her mother and her moving from one place to another every few months, every time moving in with a different man. All kinds of people coming in and out of the house day and night getting drunk on alcohol and high on pot and behaving outrageously. At those times Hermione would go and crawl under the bed and cry herself to sleep dreaming of being anywhere but there.

She also remembered her mother every time slapping and yelling obscene words at her like "I wish you were never born" and "Keeping you was the biggest mistake I've ever made" when ever she interrupted them. Hermione always thought she didn't mean it until the last time her mother had hit her causing her to fall down the stairs breaking her leg in the process.

Her dream came true the day the police came busting through the house and took away her mother and the man they were living at the time with. She was moved to the orphanage but living there wasn't any better. Miss Cranky, the woman who was in charge was just as hard and unkind as her own mother. She would laze around all day and have Hermione and the other kids do all the chores. The only time she was remotely kind to them was when they had visitors. One time Hermione remembered calling her up on it and she was dealt a slap across the face and forced not to tell anyone or else. After that Hermione pretty much never said another word about it and did what she was told.

At school she was the brightest person the teachers ever knew or so they said. She was always on her own, her head stuck in some book or doing work. All the teachers liked her and never had any complaints much to the aggravation of Ms. Cranky. She was disliked by all her peers who called her a Know-it-all bitch as time grew. Hermione never told them anything, always keeping to herself. Even if the teachers did realize what was going on they never said anything and vice versa.

Drifting back to reality, Hermione sat up on the bed and shook her head trying to stop the memories coming but to no avail. She turned to her side and sank her head back onto her pillow shutting her eyes tight.

Drifting back to her past, Hermione remembered the day she met James and Lily. She was seventeen. Ten years had passed since she was bought to the orphanage. Nobody had wanted to adopt her because they found that she was too old. The couples always wanted small children or babies. But Hermione's luck was about to change and for the better. At least for now.

It was a few days before Christmas and the last day of school before the holidays and she was walking back to the orphanage when she looked and saw a book on Mythology. She was always interested in that sort of thing, myths and legends of the world. The book intrigued her so much that Hermione really wanted it. She went into the shop and asked the shop keeper how much it was but when told she couldn't afford it, Hermione left feeling saddened. The next day she went back to the store and stood in front of the showcase and stared longingly at the book. Hermione remembered how she stood there in the freezing cold staring for hours at the book, people walking pass and staring at her as if she was a vagrant dressed in rags with only a thin coat on. She remembered how determined she looked to get the book. She'd left when it got dark and was scolded severely by Miss Cranky for not doing her chores that day. Beaten so harsh she went to bed that night lying on her small cot crying softly. The only thing that calmed her down was the book she wanted, so with determination she had started thinking of ways of getting it.

Hermione opened her eyes and stared at the darkness. She sighed and remembered the look and smile she had on her face when she finally decided how she was going to get the money.

It was the day before Christmas Eve. Making sure to get up early and do all her chores so she wouldn't be scolded when she got back Hermione left the orphanage. She walked all the way to the more prominent side of London and stood inside an alleyway. She remembered how nervous she felt that day. Her hands were clammy and her eyes twitchy. She had tried to abandon her plans twice but the book kept popping into her head making her go ahead with the plans.

It was around noon when Hermione spotted her victim. He had pulled up in a black Mercedes-Benz SLR in front of the Bank. From the looks of his car alone Hermione could tell he was rich. He was dressed in a blue suit and a coat that Hermione knew was worth more than her. He stepped out and went round the front of the car and opened the passenger door to reveal the most beautiful woman Hermione had ever seen in her entire life. She wore a green dress which didn't clash with her bright red flowing hair. Together the couple made a striking pair. They walked passed Hermione's hiding spot and went into the bank. Hermione had then crept out and stood by the bank doors ready to set her plan into motion.

Half an hour later the couple came out of the bank arguing.

"See James, I told you not to let him have his trust fund early. But no…u just had too. Look what he's done now. Drawn it all out and spent it on a motorcycle, and a yacht. A yacht James! What was he thinking? I swear when I get my hands on him, I'll kill him," said the woman angrily.

"Now darling don't be hard on him. I did a similar thing at his age remember," the man said smiling.

"Yes James, but yours was for a good cause whereas your son's cause is an egotistical attempt to show those friends of his who is better well off."

The man stopped and turned to the woman, "If it makes you feel better I'll talk to him…"

"I demand that you do better than talk to him James. You're always too soft when it comes to him. He gets away with everything he does," the woman had snapped exasperatedly.

"Fine I'll…"

At that moment Hermione decided to make her move. She walked hurriedly to the couple and bumped into James accidentally. He was pushed backward. By then Hermione had composed herself and looked at the man.

"I…I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. Excuse me?" With that said, Hermione ran off shaking hard with every step she took. In the distance she heard the man shouting about his wallet being stolen. Running faster Hermione hid inside a café and tried to calm her nerves down.

That same afternoon she went to the book shop and bought the book. The shop keeper was stunned when she paid him the money for the book but kept quiet. That night Hermione went to bed happy.

It was Christmas Eve when Hermione got the shock of her life. Miss Cranky had told them that a couple was coming to the orphanage to donate money and that she wanted them to be on their best behavior. The kids had spent the entire morning cleaning the whole house. By afternoon, Hermione was exhausted and just wanted to go to her room and relax. She was sitting in the play room reading the book when Miss Cranky came into the room followed by two people Hermione never wanted to see again in her life. To say she was shock was understatement. They introduced themselves and started chatting with the kids and Miss Cranky who was all smiles.

Hermione remembered making herself scarce. She was frightened as to what they would do to her if they saw her. She kept herself busy in the kitchen until it opened to reveal Miss Cranky and her guests. Hermione's eyes went wide when she saw them enter. The couple was also stunned into silence. Hermione lowered her head and didn't say a word.

"Miss Cranky, do you mind leaving us and the young lady alone for a few minutes," the man asked.

Miss Cranky looked baffled. She had no clue why the couple wanted to be with Hermione. Her eyes narrowed and she looked at me warningly, her eyes flashing saying behave or else. Turning and smiling, she told the man in a sweet sickeningly voice, "Why yes of course Mr. Potter."

When she was gone, the couple looked at each other and then the man spoke.

"I see we meet again Miss...um… I'm sorry but what is your name?" he asked

"It's Hermione," I said shakily

Before her husband could say anything the woman cut him off, "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl like you. It's Greek is it not?"

"Thank-you Madam and yes my…my n…name is Greek."

"You may call Mrs. Potter dear. And don't look so frighten. My Husband and I mean no harm," she said coming up to me and raising my chin to look at her.

I saw her smiling and nodded in understanding.

"It was a very foolish thing you did yesterday Hermione," said the man suddenly.

"James! I thought we agreed to let it pass."

"What? I'm just saying. And I know what we agreed. But really, Miss Hermione here doesn't know what she could've gotten herself into," He'd said pointing out to me.

Hermione started trembling and said shakily, "Look Sir. I know what I did was wrong. But I can explain."

Hermione had then sat at the dinning room table and explained to the Potters why she did what she did and apologized again. Afterwards they all agreed to forget it. The afternoon continued quite nicely with them all chatting about all sorts of things until the Potters said they had to go. Hermione had told the Potters to wait and had gone to her room and brought the wallet and handed it to Mr. Potter apologizing once again. They had then left saying their goodbyes and that they would keep in touch.

The next day Christmas came as a shock to her when the Potters and an unknown blond haired man came back and went to chat with Miss Cranky. A couple of hours later Miss Cranky, the Potters and the other man, who was introduced later as Lucius Malfoy came looking for her. They had told her that they were adopting her and that she was coming to live with them. Hermione was stunned and remembered asking them if they were serious. They had shaken their heads saying yes with wide smiles. Feeling the happiest she had ever felt in her life, Hermione had lunged herself at them and started crying. She had left the orphanage that day never to return to it.

Her new life was beautiful; she now lived in a house with people who cared for her. Who gave her everything she ever wanted sometimes her asking and sometimes they giving her freely as much as she protested. The Potters had taken her out of her old school and put her into a private school where she quickly succeeded beyond her level. She had graduated at the top of her class with honors. And she had then gone on to study Law, succeeding in that too.

She had also made lots of friends, but her best friend being Draco Malfoy, whom she attended Law School with. He was the son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.

Hermione's only problem living with the Potters or in other words Aunt Lily and Uncle James as she had dubbed them was their son Harry. From the first day they'd met he had never like her and vice versa. He didn't like the fact that she was taking advantage of his parents' generosity towards her as he had told her at the time. From then on she had kept clear of him when ever he was home.

The avoidance had continued until he had moved back permanently home to carry on his duties at Potter Industries. She had continued to avoid him until one day she had come home early and went to the pool to cool of. She didn't know he was there till he had spoken her name. Recoiling she had let out a shriek and yelled at him for not telling her she wasn't alone. She remembered him watching her, his eyes roving all over her body. She had felt like was under a microscope. She had told him to stop staring and he had just given her an amused look and got out the pool. Hermione had sucked in her breath when he had risen from the water. He was only wearing swimming trunks. The upper half of his body devoid of clothing and glistening from the water drops slithering down his lean and muscular torso. Running a hand through is black shaggy hair he had turned around and caught her off guard ogling him.

He had then given her a sexy smirk and then said silkily, "See something you like Granger?" He had watched her open and close her mouth with no words coming out. He had then laughed out loud and picked up his towel and walked into the house still laughing. Hermione remembered feeling so mortified at her reaction towards him that day.

Over the next few weeks she had cursed and slapped herself whenever she remembered. She didn't once stay at the house long enough. She worked long hours during the day and at night kept to herself in her room. She had kept that routine for three whole months until Lily had called her on it. Hermione never told her anything about what happened the day at the pool. All she told her was that she didn't want to fall back on her studies. Lily had believed her and said nothing more.

The sound of screeching tires brought Hermione back to reality. Looking at the digital clock beside her she saw it was 2am in the morning. Sighing exhaustedly from replaying the past she laid her head back onto the pillow and drifted to sleep.

AN: Well that's it for now…I have to say though I'm not exactly pleased with this chapter…felt I could have done a better job…so please review and tell me what u guys think…

Dragoneyes