Disclaimer: Not mine
A/N: Okay….this chapter is about explaining things JKR never will. We know nothing about Hermione's family except that her parents are dentists. But one can only learn so much about the wizarding world once they find out they are going to Hogwarts and I find Hermione has an unusual amount of knowledge when she arrives at Hogwarts. Some people complained in another story of mine that Hermione would not be "well off" financially as I had her and this story takes it even further, but I beg to differ. Both her parents are dentists…are those people telling me dentists are poor in England? Well, I hope you enjoy the little cookie crumb I give at the end of the chapter. Keep reading and reviewing and more will be explained—can't give it all at once now can I?
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Chapter 15
Letting Go
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home…
--Evanescence
Hermione was not looking forward to this. She knew this day would come and she would be responsible for cleaning the house out, but that did not make it any easier. Taking one last look around her Head Girl room, she decided she had everything required of her to make it through a weekend away from Hogwarts. With her school bag stuffed with books over her shoulder, she headed down the stairs into the common room.
There was an odd tension in the Gryffindor common room. Remus seemed to be the only one at ease. Harry wasn't as wary looking as the other occupants, but seemed taken back and nervous all the same. It didn't take Hermione long to figure out what had caused such a drastic change in the common room environment. Standing next to Remus was her other escort—Lucius Malfoy. Remus smiled brightly at her, though she knew he was simply trying to keep her spirits up. Remus glanced at her school bag.
"Is that all you are taking? School books?"
Hermione nodded.
"I have clothes at the house."
Remus nodded his head with a light of understanding upon his face. She hugged her friends goodbye and whispered into Harry's ear, "don't forget to talk to both of them."
He smiled and said okay, but she hadn't left her friends yet before Ron spoke up.
"You know, Hermione, there are other places it could be at."
She noticed Ron's eyes shift to Lucius. She couldn't deny the truth in that statement. No matter what had occurred between them in Lucius' past he was still a Death Eater today. Her forehead crinkled in slight worry and confusion. Why in the name of Merlin was McGonagall sending an Order Member and a Death Eater to watch after her? She didn't know, but she would find out before this weekend was over.
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They took a train from the nearest Muggle village to Kings Cross. The ride was long and mostly silent. Lucius said nothing as he sat across from Hermione. Remus and Hermione both sat there reading. Once they arrived at Kings Cross Remus, lead the way out placing Hermione behind him and Lucius kept behind her. No one dared to come near them and Hermione couldn't but notice those surrounding them. Lucius definitely emanated power and evoked fear in those around him. It was unmistakable and made Hermione smile slightly.
Once they exited Kings Cross, Remus headed toward a black car. Lucius noticed, once Remus opened the back door he reached behind him and grabbed Hermione's hand to lead her in after him. Lucius felt the sneer appear on his face and blew it off as disgust for Remus willingly touching a Mudblood. To Hermione's utter horror, Lucius slid into the back after her placing her in between the two men. Both men were looking around them outside.
"Its all clear," Remus spoke.
The driver nodded his head in understanding and began to pull out of the pick up area. Hermione looked up noticing the driver.
"Joseph!"
The dark haired man nodded and smiled.
"Hello Miss Hermione."
She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Joseph, I have told you a million times you need only call me Hermione."
He simply chuckled.
Lucius was fascinated by this. Hermione knew this man and he referred to her as a servant would refer to their master's children. Remus still had Hermione's hand, Lucius noticed.
"Remus, do you often hold hands with students?"
Remus slipped his hand out of Hermione's leaving her feeling abandoned and cold. Her head turned to the blonde next to her, that even when sitting could look down his nose at her.
"Remus is no longer my teacher, Professor Malfoy and he is the closest thing to a father I have left."
Hermione turned her head to look straight ahead not wanting to look at Lucius for fear of crying. In the rearview mirror, Joseph's dark eyes moved from Hermione to Lucius and then back again. Remus decided to try to cheer her up slightly.
"We thought a ministry car would be a big red flag as to who we were so we checked out your driver." Hermione turned and smiled at Remus. "You never told me you were surrounded by magic all your life Hermione. I had to find out from your driver," Remus continued with a bit of a teasing inflection in his voice. Lucius' ears perked up at this.
Hermione shrugged.
"It never seemed important," she spoke lightly. "Either way I was still a Muggle-born and that is what stands out in the wizarding world."
Silence followed that statement. After about thirty minutes of silence, they pulled into a long winding cobblestone drive lined with willows entwined with wisteria. Lucius looked all around him and when the house finally came into view with its three stories and old warn brick of all the ancient manor houses, he turned toward Remus.
"We are staying at the Dagworth Estate?"
The car door opened for them.
"Miss Hermione!"
Hermione was immediately enveloped in a motherly hug.
"Hello Janet."
The woman looked to be about what Hermione's mother's age would have been.
"I have your room ready, Miss and the two guest rooms on either side of your room for the gentlemen."
"Thank you Janet."
The three began to follow Janet into the house as Joseph gathered their luggage. Once inside, Hermione felt a rush of anxiety and despair overcome her. The house was full of happy memories, but right now, they served to do nothing but sadden her. Janet had disappeared and now reappeared in the foyer where they stood waiting for some movement from Hermione.
"Miss, dinner is ready in the dining room."
"Thank you, Janet."
The two men followed the obvious lady of the house into the dinning room. The place setting at the long table was at one end for three people. She felt her heart break a little more when she noticed the place setting was the exact as when she was home with her parents. She knew Janet would expect her to take the head of the table, but she couldn't bare it. She was not her father. Silently she took the seat her mother typically sat at. She fully expected Lucius to sit at the head of the table and he did not disappoint. Dinner progressed in a mournful silence until Lucius finally spoke up.
"Miss Granger, how is it that you know the Dagworth Estate?"
Hermione chewed the bite in her mouth very slowly as she looked at Lucius. She was debating whether to even answer him or not. Finally, deciding she was done eating, she dabbed her mouth and placed her napkin in her plate.
"I grew up in this house, Professor Malfoy. I can understand that you would find that hard to believe. Now, I am the sole heir of this estate and I don't want it."
She stood from the table and swiftly left the room. Lucius and Remus were left sitting at the dining room table wondering what else was unknown about Hermione Granger, Muggleborn.
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Hermione cried herself to sleep. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she also knew she had to let go of the past and move on. As long as she was heir to this estate, she would be haunted by the memories of the Dark Mark wavering above it setting it in an eerie green glow. When she woke up the following morning, she packed up her room immediately. By the time she came out of her room and entered the drawing room, it was brunch and Janet had placed varying breads and cold cuts on the side table.
Hermione walked into the room with a smile for Remus and ignored Lucius all together. Grabbing a roll on her way to a chair, she glanced over at the Daily Prophet sitting there and proceeded to peruse it. Lucius watched her. His curiosity was piqued. Glancing around the room, he noticed the table she picked the Daily Prophet up from had a small framed picture he recognized. Walking over to it, he picked it up and looked back at Remus. Holding up the picture, he spoke.
"Jane Dagworth. It has been ages since I have seen her."
Remus nodded as if to let Lucius know he heard him. Then a mumbled reply came from Hermione.
"Dagwoth-Granger."
She folded the Daily Prophet back up, sat it down, and stood up. She stepped up to Lucius. His eyes pierced into hers and she felt an odd exposure steal over her…as if he could see her very soul. Gently, she removed the picture from his grasp and put it back. Looking away, she explained.
"Jane Dagworth married my father's uncle, Edward Granger. She hyphenated the name in order to keep her wizard family's last name. It lessened the blow of the heir of the Dagworth Estate marrying a mere muggle. She loved my father as her own son. When I was born and it became apparent that I had magical abilities she insisted my parents move into the estate so that I would not enter the wizarding world at eleven totally ignorant of it."
Lucius' eyes followed her as she spoke and proceeded to look over wall hangings and packing up little things sitting on tables and such.
"Miss Granger, if I am not mistaken, Jane Dagworth-Granger did have a son of her own."
She stopped what she was doing and looked at Lucius as if he should know the problem there.
"Yes and he died a Death Eater."
The hate came out in the vehemence of her voice. She surveyed Lucius for a moment.
"Don't worry, Professor Malfoy, your world has not changed a bit…I am still a Mudblood."
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Lucius stood at the window looking down at the grounds behind the estate. He watched the small figure that was illuminated by what little bit of moonlight there was. She sat in the grass with her knees drawn up to her, resting her chin on them. Her gaze traveled across the small lake and even from where he was at, he could tell she had been crying. He was reminded of his seventeen year old self watching her from a distance. It angered him. She was in Slytherin…she should have been pureblood, but no…she was tainted.
Something in the sky caught Lucius' eye. It was small, but seemed to be flying closer as the size grew. Wind swirled into the room as Severus flew in the window.
"Hello Severus," Lucius greeted him as he dismounted the broom.
"Lucius. I trust you delivered the phial to the Headmistress?"
"Yes, I did."
They stared at each other in silence for a moment, as if a silent duel of the wills was in progress. Severus' eyes shifted to over his shoulder at the girl down by the lake. The wind circled the room again. Severus' eyes shifted back to Lucius.
"Has the Headmistress shown the Potter brat yet?"
With a small smirk, Lucius shook his head no.
"He insists on Miss Granger accompanying him through it, so it is waiting until we return."
Severus nodded curtly and mounted his broom. Without another word, Severus flew off and disappeared into the darkened sky he had come from. Glancing back out his window, Lucius saw Hermione moving back inside. As quiet as any Slytherin, Lucius moved down the stairs and waited in the darkness of the drawing room for her to enter. From where he stood by the fireplace, he could see through the archway to the door, Hermione came in from. Remus was standing there waiting for her with open arms. Lucius felt an odd beat of his heart as he watched Remus kiss the top of her head before leaving her to turn in for the night.
When Hermione stepped into the drawing room, she felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Lucius sat in a chair with his eyes trained on her as if she were a servant beneath him who had misbehaved. The only light in the room was from the fireplace and it gave Lucius an almost angelic glow. He stood and took a couple steps closer to her and for a moment Hermione was back in Lucius' seventh year and those eyes were piercing her soul. Then reality crashed back down on her and she felt the intimidation that accompanied those demanding eyes.
"So, Miss Granger, for what reason are you giving all this up," he asked motioning around him. "You are giving up a legacy."
Hermione's eyes narrowed at him. She felt a heat rise to her cheeks.
"Professor Malfoy, as you said it is the Dagworth Estate…pureblooded wizards. I am a muggleborn who just happened to inherit its burden. I think it is safe to say this is not my legacy."
He surveyed her for a moment and for a moment, he was in seventh year again wanting to reach out and pull her to him. For a moment, she was before him, frightened of her own bed looking to him for protection.
"Do you understand what you are giving up?"
"Do you understand what I am giving up, Professor?"
Hermione looked around the room as she circled it.
"In this very room I took my first steps."
She stepped through the archway into another room and stopped. Lucius hadn't moved, remaining in the drawing room wondering what she was doing.
"Are you coming Professor?"
With a snarl of disgust, he followed her into the conservatory with his mind wondering how Severus survived all those years as her professor.
"In this room I learned classical piano from Aunt Jane."
She walked into a large room that served as the ballroom when parties were held.
"In this room I danced my first dance with the first man in my life…my father."
He followed her into the library.
"In this room I learned to read sitting on my mother's lap and found my first magical book. In this room I read my first letter from Hogwarts."
She went into the dining room and spoke as her fingers gently caressed the long table as she walked its length.
"In this room I stayed in the most trouble…from transfiguring my baby food into pudding to sliding in socked feet across the polished table onto piles of pillows I would place on the floor." She stopped and laughed slightly. "I still have the scar from one incident I missed the pillows and hit my head."
Lucius kept his eyes on her watching the memories flash in her eyes before she spoke. She swept from the room and into a small room surrounded by windows and filled with wonderful flowers. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest, but she continued on. He may be an evil Death Eater, but she would make him understand if it killed her. Her voice became small and faltered as she spoke.
"In this room Death Eaters killed my mother and father. In this room my father begged me to run for my life."
He could see the tears in her eyes as she opened the door leading out near the lake. He followed her across the grass, toward the woods next to the lake. She stopped at the edge of the wood and looked back at the estate. The wind circling them, indicated rain was on its way. She took a deep breath that didn't seem to help as the emotions seemed to take over her and her chest began to heave in deep breaths.
"And this is where I took one last look back at the estate. This is where I heard the screams of my parents' last moments. This is where I saw the estate glowing from the green of the Dark Mark floating above it."
Lucius could see the tears slowly streaming down her cheeks. She didn't care anymore though. She looked back at him.
"I want no part of this estate, Professor. You call it a legacy, but it is not my legacy. I will make my own legacy."
She angrily wiped tears away. Lucius watched her feeling all the emotions that were flagged solely for her since he was seventeen wash over him. He took a step closer.
"Where is this scar you mentioned?"
She looked at him as if he were mad.
"Right above my neck behind my left ear. It was awful."
He took another step closer and Hermione became a bit uncomfortable, nervous, wondering what he was getting at. His hand moved forward slowly as if he feared scaring a small creature and making it run for cover. His hand reached her hair and ran through it, moving it slowly out of the way. He stepped closer, Hermione, at the feel of his fingertips grazing her neck on their way through her hair, instinctively moved her head back, and to the right a bit, so Lucius could see. She felt his fingers move ever so gently over the scar and felt his breath tickle her neck. Chills ran through her body as her heart began to pound wildly against her chest. The seventeen-year-old Lucius never did anything like this.
Lucius didn't think. He couldn't. For the time, he was seventeen standing outside with Hermione standing before him. Tears still streamed down her cheeks. He began slowly lowering his head as he had moved his hand, as if trying not to frighten a small animal into hiding. Her mind went totally blank. For one nothing existed in her world…nothing except the barely there pressure of Lucius' lips caressing the small scar.