CHAPTER UPDATED January 2022

Happy reading :)

Settings, stories, characters are all cannon, set in an AU, from a different POV!

Disclaimer: It all belongs to J K Rowling, apart from the obvious changes


Chapter Two: Being A Servant

Hermione sat by Master Weasley's bed, her eyes shut tight and facing the open window, allowing the light to drizzle over her face and basking in the morning rays. She often thought back to that day. The day she had met him, and her nightmare had begun. She remembered those first words, his proclamation of claiming her as his own, as his property and as his slave. How foolish she had been in thinking she would have only had to have been his 'helper' whilst progressing her own magical education.

She looked over to his matured form, half hidden behind the drapes of his bed and sleeping soundly without a care in the world. An onlooked would be forgiven for thinking the last five years had been the easiest of his life, not knowing he had spent most of that time making hers the hardest. He no longer had little chubby cheeks, and a small childish body. Instead, he had grown several feet, his long and lanky but well-built frame hanging over the edges of his bed awkwardly. A silly mop of messy ginger hair still draped across his face framing the ridiculous number of freckles that dotted his skin, reminding her of his younger self.

Hermione blushed a little, giving herself a small shake and looking away, becoming aware that she had been staring at him for far too long. She looked over to the bed behind her, half expecting to see Carla busily folding Master Potter's clothes that had been hastily discarded the night before. Yet she saw only the remaining sleeping boys within the room, 'I bet he's not half as lazy as Master Weasley. I barely ever see Carla picking up after him.'

Closing her eyes once more, she knelt beside Master Weasley's bed, her mind flashed backwards again, thinking how she had felt the first time she had been made to sit like this. She had been sat upon his bed, dumbfounded by his declaration as he moved a step closer to her. She had flinched a little, remembering how rudely he had treated her upon the platform and the sense of foreboding cruelty she felt from him. This was not someone she had wished to ever see again, never mind to be 'helping'.

"Your wand." He had said flatly, extending his hand to her,

"What?" She had looked at him as if he were insane,

"What Master!" He had shouted back at her,

"There's no need to call me Master, Weasley. Hermione is just fine." She smirked seeing his face redden, allowing her to enjoy herself a little. He took another step towards her, pushing her backwards and onto his bed further and flat onto her back. Kneeling beside her and bringing his body up to her head he placed his hands either side of it and glared down at her. Hermione's body had run cold, suddenly terrified of him,

"You will call me Master, slave; now give me your wand. You are not allowed to steal any more magic, it's to be snapped. By order of the Ministry." She squealed in horror and recoiled, trying to push her way from him, desperate to keep hold of her wand. From the moment she had felt its touch she had felt complete. Without even knowing there had been a piece of her missing, everything had felt so right since that day, and she had had no desire to lose herself again.

"No!" She had shrieked, "You can't take it from me!" She had pushed him off her with a sudden burst of power and made a dash for the door. Just as her fingers brushed the hooped handle she had been thrown violently to the floor from behind and pinned beneath him as he rifled through her pockets. She squirmed and threw herself about in futile protest before finally pulling the thin piece of wood from beneath her robes and stepping away from her. She had begun to sob hysterically, scrambling towards him, and begging him with all her might not to destroy such a precious object and take away a piece of her.

"Please! I'll do anything, please! Don't break it, please!" He had looked down at her pitifully, his face etched in something she could not decipher. Perhaps hate, perhaps even disgust, she couldn't tell through her tear-filled eyes. Taking her by the wrist he had dragged her to the side of his bed and pushed her down to her knees.

"You sit here. I expect you still there in the morning, and every morning from now on." She had knelt, tears still slipping from her eyes and rolling down her cheeks to gather upon her chin. Drawing a great shuddering breath, she watched him climb onto his bed and look back at her with a scowl upon his face. Hermione had thought that she almost saw a flicker of sympathy within his deep blue eyes, a pang of guilt perhaps. Yet it had vanished almost as soon as it had appeared and he had snapped his head around hastily and he drawn the drapes hanging around him, only his shadow visible to her teary eyes through the thin material.

She had heard an almighty crack from inside the curtains, watching as his fingers pulled the brittle wood apart. It was at that moment she felt her dreams shatter, falling into silence and she sobbed soundlessly until sleep took her.

And still she sat, all those years later, now leaning her head backwards and looking towards the dark wood ceiling, still clearly remembering the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach all those years ago. It was marked in her memory as the day when he had taken her future away from her. In that single snap of wood, she had succumbed to grief, mourning the loss of the future and her only chance to ever be accepted by the wizarding society that she had been brought into.

That had been their worst night together. That night had wounded their time together over the previous years and she would never forgive him for what he had done. Hermione had learnt to live with it and, for the most part, keep her emotions locked away tightly. And so, their time together had passed slowly but eventfully. He could be cruel with his words and with his commands. He would often instruct her upon arduous tasks and speak to her using the most despicable words, but he had never beaten her or drawn his wand against her. For that at least she could be grateful.

Yet the public humiliations and taunting had never stopped and his demands for her to run about after him constantly had not let up. He had even degraded her by giving her the most ridiculous outfit to accompany him out in, a small French Maid's outfit that she had vastly outgrown over the years and was now far too snug for her to even bend down in comfortably. He had revelled in her embarrassment and mocked her overly large pants as the years had progressed.

She had always much preferred the Hogwarts robes she had originally worn on her journey to the school above all else. They were comfy and unflattering and gave her freedom of movement, and she had at least been able to purchase a new set each time the previous became too small for her. And although not as comfortable, she would always happily settle for her Gryffindor dress above the horror Master Weasley had chosen for her.

And here is where she found herself. She sat in her full-length red, long-sleeved dress, a small gold apron tied around her waist, with her normally bushy hair pinned to the top of her head, waiting for him to wake up. A small grunt from above her indicated his final arousal from sleep, the last of the boys in the now empty dormitory to do so. He stirred reluctantly, turning over to face her. His hair fell over his eyes as they snapped open, the blue crystals beneath his eyelids slowly surfacing and clearing fully, piercing her forcefully from beneath his ginger mane. Lifting a hand, he pushed the hair from his face, a ruby studded gold ring flashing in the morning light. Hermione quickly held her head forwards to look down at her knees, placing her hands by her sides, hands flat against the floor. She felt his feet touch the floor next to her as he stretched, yawning loudly, and then waited as he walked over to his drawers.

"Come on Granger, get shifted." She looked up at him staring out of the window, his hands upon the sill, dressed only in his boxers and a deep burgundy dressing gown that barely reached his knees. He was facing away from her and waiting expectantly. She stood and made her way to his drawers, opening them and collecting his various items of clothing and then arranging them neatly upon his bed, ready for him to change into as he pleased. She then turned and bowed low to him and then stood facing away as he began to change.

"Oi." She turned to find him dressed in his Gryffindor robes already, "Where's your uniform?"

"What?" Her face twisted in confusion, looking down at her dress. 'Shit', she thought, remembering that her Hogwarts robes were required for their morning outing down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She had spent the previous evening repairing and fluffing his quills and had absentmindedly dressed in the same outfit that morning.

"Your uniform Granger. Why are you not wearing the correct uniform? I'm hungry!" He moved towards her, but she stepped back, gulping slightly.

"Yes Sir. I'll change for you immediately."

"Oh, you think you will! This calls for your special uniform this morning." He smirked at her as her face paled.

"No! Master no!" But still he reached under his bed and threw a small bundle of clothes at her,

"Now!" She bit her lip as pain shot through her, stemming from the earrings that were dangling from her head. It had not taken long for her to realise that not only were they a symbol of ownership, but they were also a tool for control. Any direct command that he had ever given her sent an unpleasant and sometimes painful electric current through her entire body as long as he wore the ruby ring upon his hand. If ever he needed her, he had only to touch it and she would know of his summoning. Hermione despised the entire draconian system and often wondered how he would like to be subject to such barbarity.

He was glaring at her, and she turned from him, shame burning devastatingly in her cheeks. Yet, without arguing, she still made her way over to a small screen beside his bed, slipping behind it and changing distastefully. As she stepped out his grin grew larger as he completely looked her over, smirking wildly, and she tried to cover herself further, yanking her clothing down over her. He unnerved her. He didn't even look at her with lust or longing, just with glee at the thought of her humiliation. She knew that people would stare and whisper about her, and she knew the enjoyment her Master would get from this.

"Please Master Weasley; this is so embarrassing every time!" She looked at him in hope that he would change his mind and allow her to return to her Hogwarts robes, though knowing it futile and that he would not be overruled.

"It's not like people will be looking up your skirt. People like us wouldn't want to be with people like you anyway Granger." He replied with a snort. Her cheeks puffed out slightly and she huffed, earning a glare from Master Weasley, as if he were daring her to voice her opinions. He sneered in her direction and then left the room, as she followed, she could see him waiting in the Common Room for her, steadily becoming more impatient with every passing second. She obliged readily, not wanting to incur his wrath further, sighing and knowing that it would not be the last of the day she took a deep clearing breath before proceeding out of the door, down the stone spiral staircase and into the Common Room. Here Master Weasley pushed her hurriedly and violently ahead of him out of the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, intent on being in the Great Hall instantly for breakfast.

~x~x~x~

Hermione stood clutching the bottom of her uniform so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, her entire face burning with embarrassment. She couldn't believe that when Master Weasley had chosen the uniform for her over five years ago, it had almost reached her knees and felt extremely baggy, fitting loosely around her hips and chest, the sleeves dragging down to her elbows. Yet now it was lifted to mid-thigh at best when she was stationary, barely covering her at all as she moved. It was uncomfortable, almost to the point of being unbearable. Now she could hear people snickering, feel the flame of their fixed gazes upon her back from all over the Great Hall. The four long tables of each house were filled, a few servants stood about behind their Masters or Mistresses awaiting instruction, or occasionally pouring them juice. She brought her head up high, trying to avoid any stares, looking to the enchanted ceiling that reflected the bright morning sky. But still the giggles came, floating over to her ears.

Yet Master Weasley paid no heed to this, instead piling his plate high with toast, sausage, and bacon, whilst pouring himself gallons of pumpkin juice, clearly annoyed at Hermione's lack of initiative to do so for him in the first place. He ate noisily, sloshing and forcing it down as quickly as he could, just as he had always done, using the excuse of being a 'growing boy'. She took a deep breath and glared at the back of his head, restraining herself from hitting him hard as hard as she could and mashing his face into his food in anger. She could see the other Muggleborns standing with their Masters, glaring in disgust at Master Weasley, looking sympathetically towards Hermione at having been burdened with such a piggish eater. She knew what they were thinking, what they had always thought.

Apart from the Slytherin slaves, she was one of the worst-off slaves in the entire school regarding embarrassment and humiliation in communal spaces. It was common knowledge that the Slytherin's beat their servants. They whipped them within inches of their lives and kept them in dark rooms, but none of this was ever seen. None of it ever displayed publicly. These slaves were never even brought up from the dungeons, seen mainly only ever in the kitchens amongst the House Elves and the other servants. The other houses may have not had as cruel methods as the Slytherins, but it was still rife between the three of them.

Those of Hufflepuff were treated the best of any slaves, even allowed by their Masters or Mistresses to roam freely, only called upon when needed urgently. Ravenclaw were divided, half sided with Slytherin methods, whilst the others desperately worked hard at trying to find a way to override the spells cast over the magical objects tying the Muggleborns to their Masters.

The Gryffindor's however, for the most part, barely spoke to their servants, except for when they were demanding things. They choose instead to ignore their predicament, almost ashamed to find themselves in such powerful positions. Very few developed any kind of relationship with their slaves, Master Weasley being seen as the most brutal even amongst his housemates. He crushed Hermione into the ground at any chance he could by belittling her, earning himself praise from those alike him, and a sense of great disliking between the Muggleborns that had remained at Hogwarts through Hermione's years.

Now here she was, watching him slosh food into his face like there was no tomorrow. She could feel five years' worth of anger from watching him eat boiling inside of her. That, coupled with the giggles and pitiful looks, caused her to erupt and she rounded on him, unable to contain herself any longer,

"Will you stop eating!" Half of the surrounding students fell silent at her outburst, watching as Hermione clamped a hand to her mouth in shock of what she had done. She watched him freeze and began to back away slightly as he put down his cup and fork, suddenly standing and rounding on her in an instant. She could see the anger in his eyes, the burning disgrace he now held, and the determination to settle it.

Silently he took hold of her wrist and pulled her towards him, causing her to collide with his puffed-out chest. Fear surged into her own eyes as she could see his ablaze with anger. Without warning he took her other wrist in the same hand and slung her over his shoulder in one swift move, walking from the table and out of the large wooden doors, leaving the remainder of the hall stunned into silence. Hermione whimpered a little, the face of a concerned and matured Kevin swimming passed her view as he ran to the door and watched her be carried helplessly up the enchanted staircase.

~x~x~x~

Master Weasley threw her down onto his bed, glaring at her spitefully. "How dare you speak to me in that way! You should be grateful I don't curse you Granger!" He turned from her, fists curled into a ball as she quivered slightly, "You just dares to talk to me like that again," He walked back towards her slowly, staring at her small face as she desperately tried to avoid his gaze, looking anywhere but at him, knowing that she had crossed the line. "I'm going to class now; you get this room scrubbed clean or you'll live to regret it." He seethed at her, turning away, and reaching the door, but seeming to change his mind before rounding upon her once more. Walking from the door and back to her, he took her chin and looked into her fear-filled eyes, "Do you understand me Granger?"

She nodded as quickly as possible, and he threw her away from him with a quick jerk, leaving rather ungracefully and slamming the door behind him. As soon as the door shut, she gave a strangled sob and clutched at her face, crying slightly, and breathing ridiculously heavily. It was stupid. She always felt so brave, so fearless in the moment, but afterwards, when she remembered the threat of his magic, she would crumble in defeat. Standing, she ran to the heater in the middle of the room, opening the top and hurriedly climbing inside. Instantly, she was transported down into the kitchen quarters, falling out of a small fireplace, and landing in a heap upon the stone floor. She quickly tried to stand, still whimpering slightly, tumbling forward blindly,

"Justin! Justin!" She cried out expectantly, but she was suddenly scooped up by Kevin, who had run forward straightening his apron and shirt, followed by several House Elves. Kevin too had developed so much over the last few years, becoming thin, toned, and tall. He was a consistent strength that Hermione could always rely on and had always supported her. His loving chocolate eyes always watched over her and the other slaves, giving them a shoulder to cry on and comforting them whenever they needed it.

"Hermione! What did he do to you? Tell me, please!" He spoke in a deep voice and carefully pulled her upwards. She took a moment to gather herself and calm a little before walking with him towards a small table and set of chairs. As she crumpled into one of them, he kept by her side, listening carefully as she blithered about his latest humiliation and outrage at her. And although he had heard something similar from many slaves a hundred times before, he still showed the same compassion and understanding every time.

They had fallen into silence, holding hands across the table and Kevin staring at her intently through the flicks of his soft auburn hair. The three House Elves, Dobby, Winky and Hokey surrounded them, all of whom were busily fussing over Hermione, bringing her various biscuits and cakes whilst pouring tea from a large teapot that was at least twice the size of one of them.

It was a while before Kevin finally spoke, "Maybe you should write another letter to your friend Master Viktor, it must be a while since you heard from him after his return to Bulgaria. He seems to have always had a calming effect on you I've noticed."

She raised an eyebrow at him cautiously and he smiled broadly,

"It may be good for you to talk to someone outside of our situation, get advice from a different perspective. Nothing we suggest ever seems to make a difference!" He laughed to himself, and she looked up at him from her feet and smiled.

'He's right' She thought, he always knew what was right for her and gave the best suggestions. 'At least I can speak freely to Viktor, and he doesn't judge me like the others.'

"I guess that could be a good idea. It'd be nice to hear from him as well I suppose. He invited me to stay with his family over the summer you know. I almost went too." She felt slightly saddened at the thought of what she could have been doing the previous few months, feeling as though she had missed out somewhat on a chance to enjoy herself and has some freedom to experience a new culture. Kevin looked at her quizzically,

"Well…What with having to stay with Master Weasley whenever he's at Hogwarts, I couldn't see mum and dad until the summer holidays." Kevin squeezed her hand tightly and smiled, reciprocating gladly. "I will write to him, soon. I promise."

"And I promise you that it won't always be this way. We'll finish in two years, and then we can expose this whole thing for what it really is. We're going to save everyone Hermione; there won't be any more Muggleborns to suffer from this place."

"No one should have to suffer, never. Not us, not the House Elves, no one. It's not fair. Magic is magic; we all deserve to be a part of it." She let go of his hand and put her own together and onto her lap, sighing heavily, "I think I miss my wand the most...But I suppose that you can't really miss the magic if you never really experienced it." She said sadly, remembering how it had felt in her hands on the Hogwarts Express that day, and when it had been cruelly prised from her grasp. "Oh Kevin," She sighed heavily, having calmed drastically since she arrived. Trying to sound more positive she added, "I have to go and clean his room. He is a dirty tramp after all." They both chuckled a little, agreeing that Master Weasley indeed was far messier than necessary.

"Meet me after, okay?" Kevin smiled at her, and she stood and nodded, walking back over to the fireplace she had previously stepped out of. Turning to him she gave a feeble wave,

"Bye, I guess." Allowing red flames to consume her.

~x~x~x~

Ron and Harry steadily trudged through the Entrance Hall, broomsticks held firmly in one glove covered hand, dirty, sodden red Quidditch robes in the other. They began making their way up the staircase, patiently waiting for it to change so they could reach the second floor. With wet hair splattered against their heads, and dirt flecked all over their arms and faces, it was a clear indication of the harsh weather that had raged through the largest part of the day and well into the evening. As the staircase began to move, Carla came running up behind them, her spectacles bouncing up and down upon her face, hair pulling free of its tight bun. She stumbled into view, bowing to Harry as she went.

"Carla, come on, you're going to trip and break your neck! Stand up properly while you're moving about." Harry said exasperatedly, causing her to blush and straighten herself out, patting down her apron in a flustered manner, "Especially in that dress. All you need is a caught foot and bleugh! Mashed face." He looked at her disapprovingly,

"Yes, Master Harry!" She chirped happily, and Ron looked on at them both disgusted,

"How can you be so, so, so...nice...to your slave?" He asked eying the girl carefully. Harry frowned at him,

"They're not just slaves; maybe if you got to know Hermione a bit more, you'd see how great she could be." Ron saw Carla nodding unintentionally from behind Harry a great smile upon her face but stopped quickly when she realised what she was doing, becoming still and stony.

"Harry, she's a Muggleborn. Dad works at the Ministry. You really think I can be seen associating with people like her unless I must? It puts my entire family at risk!" If he'd explained himself to Harry once, he'd done it a thousand times. He just did not seem to grasp the situation that the Weasley family found themselves in during recent times. "Nope. I'm staying away from Granger...actually, I'm starving. She can get her arse up there with some food."

They stepped out onto the fourth floor, turning onto the staircase up to the fifth and Ron took off his glove, rubbing the ruby on his finger lightly, thinking at the same time, 'Food. Now!' As the three of them continued to the seventh floor Carla collected Harry's robes from him and carried them behind the two boys. They came to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who giggled wildly whilst casually petting a hippopotamus and eating a bowl full of never-ending grapes hastily. She turned to them and squealed in a luxuriously choral voice,

"Password?"

"Mimbulus mimbletonia." Harry said flatly. She nodded politely and then swung forwards to reveal a large circular hole, opening into Gryffindor Tower and leading directly into the Gryffindor Common Room. As they were about to step through there came a loud shuffling and the sound of raucous laughter from behind them. Looking back down the staircase to the sixth floor they saw Kevin and Hermione stepping onto the landing, Kevin holding a large plate covered with a cloche.

They were chatting inaudibly and giggling quietly together, Kevin dragging Hermione around in a spin and allowing her to lean upon him, chuckling to herself as he whispered something into her ear. Kevin pulled her into a gratefully received one armed embrace which she reciprocated, cuddling in tight. Ron could practically see the appreciation etched into her glowing face and it filled him with uncontrollable fury. He could feel Harry looking at him, aware that his face was beginning to burn, his ears reddening and cheeks glowing, anger evident within him. Refusing to look at Harry he leant over the banister, seeing Kevin give Hermione a light kiss upon her forehead and snapped. Refusing to contain himself further, he began shouting down to them,

"OI!" They broke apart and stared up at him like wild animals caught in a poacher's trap. "HERMIONE!" She gave an embarrassed look, carefully taking the plate gratefully from Kevin and began to walk up the stairs, momentarily stopping as he put a hand on her arm and whispered something to her.

"NOW!" She gave a last fleeting look to him and then ran up the stairs towards Ron who was glaring at Kevin and tapping his foot impatiently.

~x~x~x~

Hermione was always so grateful to Kevin, both he and Justin had always cared the most for her as she did for them. Their support could always be counted on whenever she had needed it. As she had felt the call of her Master flood her brain, beamed through the earrings still suspended from her lobes, he had helped her plate up a variety of fruits, meats and cheeses and then carried it up to the sixth floor for her. As they reached the staircase to the seventh floor, she prepared to take it from him so that he could descend to the fifth floor to return to his own Common Room.

"Thank you so much Kevin, for everything, I really needed this after my earlier meltdown." She smiled widely at him and giggled a little, pushing him slightly. He pulled her around him, seeming glad that she had calmed and was taking the time to enjoy his company.

"Good job I'm well aware you're more than a bit batshit then, isn't it?" He pulled her into him whilst laughing, earning a large grin from her. She felt calm while he held her, happy in herself and with Kevin, her feeling of loneliness and isolation having all but disappeared as they joked together. Kevin lightly kissed her temple, and she giggled a little again, sharing a moment of happiness and contention with him, grateful that she had such a wonderful friend. However, her moment of bliss was suddenly broken by a loud shout coming from the top of the stairs next to them,

"OI! HERMIONE!" Letting go instantly they stared upwards, finding Master Weasley bearing down at them furiously, Master Potter and Carla standing halfway through the portrait hole, clearly confused by his sudden outburst. Her face reddened and she sighed awkwardly, inwardly knowing that she was already in trouble before even getting up to her Master,

"Damn..." She whispered bending her head forward, though still grinning slightly. She accepted the plate of food that Kevin handed to her and took her first step up the staircase, resigned to make her way towards Gryffindor Tower. Yet she stopped as she felt Kevin take her arm gently and she turned to face him fully,

"Don't worry about it; we'll talk again later, okay? Whenever you can get away." He was interrupted yet again by an angry Master Weasley, who was screaming at her lividly once more,

"NOW!" She gave Kevin a hurried smile and then ran quickly to the top of the stairs. She was met by her furious Master, who glared past her at Kevin, even though Hermione could have guessed that he had been sensible enough to quickly disappeared. It appeared as though their fellow Gryffindors had had the same idea, as they were now nowhere to be found. She was left alone with him, quivering slightly by the entrance to Gryffindor Tower as he extended a long arm and bony finger towards the hole, silently demanding that she enter.

She hurried forwards, her head bent low, stepping inside, and walking out into a surprisingly empty common room. Pausing to look around for any signs of life, she almost spun around as she heard a loud clatter from behind her and was suddenly pulled backwards. Hermione almost spilled the contents of her arms before hitting something hard behind her and two arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her in tight, overpowering her.

She felt her heart begin to beat faster and faster, she was barely able to breathe properly, like she was being unintentionally suffocated. She could hear Master Weasley's hard breathing by her ear, feeling it warm and sticky against her neck. He seemed abruptly crazed, uncontrolled, and emotional. 'What the hell…' She was frozen in place, confused more than scared.

He let out a huge sigh and a small moan, resting himself against her heavily. There came a small bang from the stairs leading up to the dormitories directly across the room from them and his head shot up. He suddenly seemed very aware that anyone could come and interrupt them in the slightest moment as did she. Staying but for only a few more moments, his breathing calmed, and he reached a hand forward to her own, pulling off the cloche and taking an apple from beneath it before replacing it again. He whispered slowly and calmly,

"Clean my Quidditch kit." Her heart sank momentarily. This was her most hated task, the stains were always unbearable and practically impossible to remove to his ultimate satisfaction. Yet her breath hitched suddenly, and her heart began beating rapidly once more as she felt his lips connect with her high cheek bone for mere seconds before he pulled the tray from her hands. He let his clothes fall to the floor, walking from her and busily munching his selected fruit as he made his way up towards his dormitory.

She stood staring after him, utterly dumbfounded. But he did not once look back. Hermione realised that she had been steadily holding her breath, and as she let it go, she sighed heavily, holding her chest tight, only moving as she heard a sharp,

"NOW GRANGER!" coming from the top of the stairs. Inhaling deeply, she knelt and began to gather his various garments from the floor, trying to concentrate upon the amount of scrubbing she would have to now do rather than the incessant hammering of her heart inside her chest.

"You leave my brother alone; do you hear me?" Came a shrill voice she had not expected. Hermione looked up, unprepared to come face - to - face with her Master's sister, Mistress Ginevra Weasley, who took her cheeks in between her hands and lowered her head to Hermione's level.

"You. Slave." She said slowly, "You are a suffering my family ought not to know. You may be able to wind him around your pretty little finger, but you don't fool me. I won't let you endanger my family with your nonsense; do you understand?"

Mistress Weasley let her go and threw Hermione's face away harshly. Hermione glared at her defiantly, ensuring the young woman could not sense an ounce of fear in her face. She had long since learnt to hide it from her and, in a way, doing so had convinced her as well. She did not shudder under Mistress Weasley's gaze as she once had, finding her more of an annoyance than anyone to fear.

The two of them had never connected since that day at Kingscross Station all those years ag, Hermione previously only having been privy to the odd snide comment, and long-standing glare. Mistress Weasley had changed more than any of the siblings since their first meeting. She was no longer a little girl who hid behind her numerous brothers. She was at the front of the pack, and she made it clear to everyone around her that her family loyalties had only strengthened. They were her only priority and she was highly protective of every single one of them, despite being the youngest. Something which Hermione admired about her.

"You watch it Granger. You do as you're told and stop messing with him." Mistress Weasley stood abruptly and turned her back on Hermione, disappearing back to her dormitory without so much as a look over her shoulder. Hermione sat still and alone, incredibly confused thanks to both siblings.

What had her Master been playing at? She could accept that he had been angry with her for taking too long with Kevin. He was always angry at her for something or other, though she assumed it was mainly just an excuse to take out his frustrations on someone. But why had he held her, why had he kissed her? She flushed brilliantly and was grateful there was no one around to see her behaving like a giggling schoolgirl.

"It really wasn't that big of a deal…He's just trying to wind you up…' She thought to herself nodding a little and resigning herself to the fact it was just another one of his strange ways of embarrassing and humiliating her. But to then be accused by his sister of…well…she didn't know what. For their first exchange in five years, it had been perplexing for her to say the least.

She put her head into her hands and dragged them down her face, rubbing her eyes vigorously and drawing another great breath, before continuing to gather his clothes. Once piled high in her arms she stood and turned to the dying embers of the Common Room fire and walked casually into them, vanishing from sight.


Japan's Arc Angel x