Chapter Three – Finding out the truth twice and home again?

'YOU WHAT?'

Both Harry and Ron screamed at Dumbledore.

'HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID TO LET HER GO?'

'Now Ron, that is no way to speak to your headmaster!'

'Sorry mum.'

'Molly it's ok, I understand that Ron and Harry are upset. You need to understand that she had no other option. It was either run or face being arrested by the Ministry.'

'She could have gone back to Hogwarts, it's safe there.'

'Yes Harry we did offer her that, but she doesn't think she can face going back there. It has a lot of bad memories for her.'

The boys looked away. They knew that he meant the bad time they had given her, her being bulliedand her cutting herself amoung other things.

'We must ask you NOT to go looking for her that's to everyone. Molly, Arthur we know that you're worried about her but please don not look for her or worry about her. She assures me that she will be safe.'

'BUT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE SHE IS! HOW CAN SHE BE SAFE IF SHE IS ON HER OWN AND DOESN'T NO ANYBODY!'

Everybody turned to see who had spoken. Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Ginny were standing in the doorframe. To their surprise it was Bill that had shouted at Dumbledore. They all gave Bill a curious look.

'She is like out little sister, just like Harry is like our little brother. She has no family now and we look out for her.'

'Wait, she has no family?'

Bill ignored Harry and Ron's confused comment and continued.

'When one of us is hurt, we all are. It's just like this. She needs our help. She needs people around her, people that love her and you let her run away to god knows where on her own. Dumbledore you are a wonderful yet strange man, you have pulled some very strange things and they have always worked out in the end, but I fail to see a positive outcome on this. I'm going to the Ministry, see if I can find something to help me find her.'

With that Bill and Charlie Weasley apperated to the Ministry. Fred and George also left, but they went to find some map, which would help them find any person with magical abilities in the country. Sighing the old man turned back to Harry and Ron.

'3 weeks ago, her parents were killed by some of the remaining Death Eaters. She didn't tell anybody what had happened, especially you two. The order knew of corse and I allowed her some time out to arrange and attend the funeral.'

'Why was she on her own? Why weren't we told? Ron, and me we could have helped her!'

'You hurt her pretty bad. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it, it was all around the school. The Slytherin's made sure of that. McGonagal kept an eye on her, she had some relatives there but no one else.'

Harry and his head in his heads, you couldn't tell if she was crying or not. Ron had tears in his eyes and was looking at Dumbledore. Mr Weasley put his arm around Mrs Weasley and she was silently crying. Ginny ran up to her mum and hugged her. McGonagal who had stayed silent through out this spoke up.

'I no this has come as a shock, it has hit her pretty bad. That's why she has shut her self out from everybody and everything. She doesn't want to cause anybody else any pain or hurt anyone. She says she can't take that risk. It was her wishes that you didn't know a thing, but we thought it best that you knew. She doesn't want to be found, if she did then she would have told us where she went. You know Hermione, if she doesn't want to be found then she won't be. Please convince the others that it's a waste of time. We don't even know if shes in the country-'

The second she said this she regretted it.

'YOU WHAT?'

'SHE COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE WHOLE BLODDY WORLD!?'

'Ron! Minerva you can't be serious, you let her go and she could be anywhere between here and Australia! She could be in more danger on her own! Minerva you should have insisted that she went to Hogwarts or here, it would have been better than nothing.'

'Molly please, Minerva said that rather harshly, I have an idea where she went, but it's only and idea and before you ask, no I will not tell you. She does NOT want people to look for her, you must respect her wishes.'

The arguments continued and Albus refused to say where he thought that she was. Fred and George came back with lots of old intruments and ignored Dumbledore's attempts to tell them that they shouldn't do it. He left shortly after with Minerva.

Charlie and Bill came back and said that the ministry were also searching for her, they didn't want to arrest her any more they just wanted her back in their world and make sure that se was safe. She has given the magical community quite a scare by upping and leaving. Charlie and Bill were going to scan the continent if they had to, they will find her. At this Fred and George said that they would join them too and left the map searching to Harry and Ron. They wanted to search with them but Mr Weasley insisted that if they search then they must find other means than joining them. Ginny was helplessly trying to comfort her sobbing mother while Mr Weasley was called to the ministry to help with their search.

3 weeks had passed since Hermione Granger had left, she thought about going to stay in her parent's house in Sydney, nobody would be there and not many people new that place existed. The she remembered that her parent's rented it out to people in the summer. She thought about her other relatives. Most of them lived in England but two of her cousins lived in Paris. That's where she wanted to go. She had no other option.

Dumbledore thought that Hermione would go to her parent's summerhouse, but she never went there. He tried several possibilities, but couldn't find her. He was starting to get worried when he hadn't found her or heard from her in 3 weeks. He tried to locate her in his mirror but she had put a charm around herself so all he could see was white fog.

'Have you tried all of her relatives?'

'Yes, all that where there at the funeral. Minerva I'm worried.'

'Albus, what are we going to do! How are we going to find her?'

'Wait, her cousins-'

Looking in the bathroom mirror of her cousin's flat, Hermione Granger was getting ready to go out. She changed her appearance somewhat and spent most of her savings on new clothes. She couldn't run the risk of being recognised by anyone. Her hair was the same length but she had coloured it so now it had blonde streaks in it (thanks to some useful charms.) She coloured her eyes so they were blue and wore contact lenses instead of her glasses. (She didn't wear glasses often, just for reading ect.) Her complexion was always flawless and didn't need any foundation or that sort of makeup. She had a nice tan now, which made her eyes shine. She got her original curvy figure back and wore a lot of 'clubbing/beach/summer' clothes. Her wardrobe was now lots of little tight skirts, little clubbing top and well as tank tops. She had a lot of bikinis. She got her belly button pierced and two tattoos. She got one of a lion on her hipbone and the word 'magic' in Latin written on the small of her back.

Hermione now went out at night, clubbing and coming back in the early hours to sleep. She went with her cousin but usually came back alone. Her cousin was 2 years older than she was, so she usually picked up a guy and came back the next day.She got on pretty well with her cousin but she wasn't her 'friend.' She didn't know anything about Hermione's other life or the pain she gone through in the last year.

'10 minutes Maya and then we're leaving!'

Her cousin shouted at her through the door in her funky French accent, which made Hermione jump a little. Her cousin told her that Maya was a better name for her, so she got stuck with it.

Maya pulled on her pleated short black skirt and got her red and black FCUK top that read 'FCUK with me and die.' She changed her belly bar to a red and black swirled crystal. She pulled on her black knee high boots and applied some black eye liner, black eye dust and some lip gloss. She shook her head that made her hair fall down to her back and she was ready.

Out side the club 'Black cat' Maya and Lauren (her cousin) were being 'eyed up' by some cute French boys. Lauren was the kind of girl that didn't date a guy. She would 'date and dump,' just having fun with guys. She had been hurt in the past, which made her mate the whole of the male species.

'Hey ladies fancy a drink with me and my friend here? We've been looking for some gorgeous girls to have a good time with. Anything grabs your attention?'

'What make you think that you are worthy of me and my cousins attention? Yes, we are gorgeous and no we ain't slag's so run along to your mummy and leave us the hell alone.'

'What's with you bitch?'

Maya walked up to the guy and grabbed his man hood. He looked shocked and her cousin thought it was hilarious.

'What with me? Guys like you think you think that every girl is easy and is just going to throw them selves at you. News flash! We aren't all that desperate. So go find some skanky tramp who will have you and leave us the fuck alone?'

She let go of the guy and turned away. Hurt, the guys turned away and Lauren turned to Maya.

'Maya! I'm impressed, I would have never have thought that you would have said or done anything like that!'

'Yeah well this is the new me, I'm a bitch with attitude!'

Laughing the girls turned in to the club. She would turn 17 in October but her new look made her a lot older. The club played a lot of R 'n' B music. They parted ways and Maya made her way to the bar. She could Hear 'Usher, Yeah' and watched as the couples grind and wined on each other. A guy about her age noticed her from across the room. He was 6'2 and very toned. He had spiky blonde hair and blue-y grey eyes. Maya didn't notice and turned to the bar man.

'What can I get such a lovely lady such as yourself?'

'A freak in the bed.' They bar man's eyebrows were almost hidden by his hair. Laughing at him Maya said

'It's a shot of vodka, shot of rum, twist of lemon and lime in a citrus glass.'

'Yes ma'am, you certainly know what you want!'

'That 3Euro please.'

'I'll get that.'

Hermione turned to see who had paid for her drink, but before she could see his face, he told the bartender to keep an eye on their drinks and she was pulled onto the dance floor. He snaked his hands around her waist as she started to mover her hips to the music. A new song came on 'Christina Millian, dip it low.'

She put her hand behind his neck and his rested his chin on her shoulder.

'Dip it low, pick it up slow, roll it all around'

Their bodies fitted together perfectly and they knew each other's movements. Then Maya made it interesting. With her back to him she was grinding to the ground. Her arse moving slowly then fast, she got near the ground

'I'm gunna show you how to make your man say ooohhh'

Smoothly she wound her self up, everybody in the club was watching them. They'd never seen to people dance like this before. It was like they were communicating their needs through dance. No words were said between the two, the just continued to dance all night. Their drinks lay forgotten. This was the first time in two months that Hermione had totally forgotten about her life, what she was and her past. Neither of them knew each other's names, where they came from, they knew nothing of each other. But there was a connection between them. She turned and put her hands around his neck. They stared into each other's eyes. They both thought the same thing. There is something familiar about these eyes. What are they? That thought was soon wiped from both of their minds. They couldn't concentrate on anything but each other. Both their pasts lay forgotten. There were only two people in the world. It was all about her and her mystery partner.

He couldn't believe that this girl could dance like this. Even if she was in this club she was no older than he was. Defiantly no older then 17. He didn't no a girl this age that could dance like this, especially where he came from. He could see that she had two tattoos. One was a lion on her hipbone and the other was the word 'magic' in Latin. They intrigued him, he wanted to know why these particular tattoos. Moving his hand across her tattoo he could feel her shiver slightly.

'Why these?'

'I can't hear you'

He pulled her away from the dance floor and away from the crowds, they sat at a table, not noticing a strange couple behind them.

'Dray.'

He extended his hand for her to shake, he wanted to know who she was. There was something about her that drew him to her. He introduced himself as 'Dray' but that wasn't his real name. His real name was Draco Malfoy. He didn't tell anybody in France who he was, he just wanted to be alone from the magical community for a while. He still read the paper to keep up with the news but since his father was killed by her he had to get away. His mother wanted nothing to do with him. He didn't care his parent's never really loved him. In a way he was thankful to Hermione Granger for setting him free. He could never admit it. She shook his hand.

'Maya.'

'Maya, that's a beautiful name. So Maya, how come you have a lion tattoo and the word 'magic' on your back?'

'You speak Latin?'

'Yeah my father taught me before he died.'

'O, I'm sorry.'

'It's ok, really, but please tell me about those tattoos. What made you get those?'

'I'm not sure really. The lion represents my personality apparently. It also represents history of- my erm past.

She was going to say history of her house, but then he would wonder what she meant by house. She looked away from him, she had just brought up Hogwarts. Somewhere she didn't want to go or even remember. It had to many painful memories for her. That part of her life made her miserable and only caused her pain.

'Magic, well that used to mean something about me. It doesn't any more. It used to represent a part about me, but well lets just say that part of my died along time ago.'

This was so strange for him. Lion – Gryffindor house. They were all put into the houses closest to their personalities. And Magic, used to be part of her life? Was she a witch? He could tell she didn't want to press it any further so she left it. He looked at her, she was looking at her hands. Something was paining her, he could see it in her pail blue eyes, she was hiding something, perhaps about her past, or about her. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head so her eyes met his. They stared at each other, he could see that in her eyes there were flickers of amber. He'd never seen eyes like these.

'There's something about you Maya, something hidden. I think it's got something to do with these tattoo's aswell.'

'How- what makes you think that?'

He moved closer to her, so now his legs were spread and she was placed in between. She looked down and he grabbed her hands. His thumbs were moving slowly over the tops of her hands.

'I can feel it, there is something about you that draws me to you, I feel I've known you years and at the same time I don't know you at all.'

She looked up into his eyes, it felt that his eyes were searching her soul. She felt a shiver down her spin, not a bad shiver but something of excitement. He brought his hand up and brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She tensed up and he chuckled.

'You seem so familiar but I can't place it, and you don't strike me as the nervous type.'

'What makes you think I'm nervous?'

With that she ran her hand up his thigh and stopped just centimetres away from his sensitive place. He looked at her and she had a mischievous grin on her face. Two can play at that game he thought and he placed his hands around her waist and moved her so she was sitting sideways on his lap. She put her hands around his neck to steady herself.

'What did you do –'

He didn't let her finish. He captured her lips with his. This felt do right, so natural. He lightly bit her bottom lip, asking her for access, She willingly agreed. Their tongues danced in union just like they did on the dancefloor. They knew what each other wanted. He slid one of his hands around her back and up the back of her shirt tracing little circles on her back. His other way slowly making it's way up her thigh. One of her hands moved to behind his neck and pulled him forward to deepen the kiss. The other one was on his chest. She could feel his rock hard muscles beneath his shirt. She could also feel the fastening pace of his heart. He was excited and so was she. Someone then bumped into the back of Dray, causing him knock forward. Maya would have been sent flying if Dray didn't have a tight grip around waist.

'Thanks.'

'No problem.'

Her cheeks were flushed and her hair wasn't as perfect as it was at the beginning of the night. He was catching his breath and his cheeks to were flushed. She turned and looked at him and asked him a question

'You never told me if you have any tattoos?'

'Erm,'

He did have a tattoo, a mark more than a tattoo. The dark mark. He regrets getting it. His father made him a Christmas last year.

'No.'

'You hesitated.'

'No I didn't.'

The sleeves of his shirt were pulled up and his eyes flickered towards it. She saw this and her eyes to looked to the mark, she did see a glimpse of it and reached for his arm.

'Come on show me, it can't be that bad.'

'Only if you knew' He mumbled.

'Ok but it doesn't mean anything, my father wanted me to get it for my birthday last year.'

He showed her his arm. Her eyes widened in shock and put her hand to her mouth. He didn't notice and pulled his arm away.

'See nothing special.'

She couldn't believe he was a Wizard. She couldn't believe he was a Death Eater! How did they find her? She had to get away now. She jumped up from his lap and made for the door. Just before she could leave she felt someone grab her wrist.

'What's wrong?'

'Erm, nothing I just have to go.'

'You're lying, you have to go suddenly because you saw my tattoo-'

He realised that she knew what the tattoo was.

'You, you know about the dark mark don't you?'

'Of corse I fucking well know! It was only a matter of time before you lot found me, so if you want to leave here alive I suggest you let me leave.'

'Are you a witch? What do you mean 'before you lot found me?''

'Yes I'm a witch- you have no idea who I am do you?'

'Maya, what are you talking about?'

'Dray, let go!'

'Not until you tell me what's going on.'

She looked at him confused, He didn't go and look for her, and he found her on the off chance.

'You weren't sent to look for me?'

'No, Maya tell me what you're talking about.'

'I'm the most wanted witch in the wizard community for taking down the dark lord.'

'That's ridiculous, the witch that brought down him was Hermione Grang-'

It hit him. It all made more sense. The tattoos and what she said about them. Her eyes and why they were familiar, The fact he knew her but didn't at the same time. She was Hermione. The one that rid the world of the dark lord and his idiot Death Eaters. (He was given the mark but never followed him, his father forced him to get it.) He dropped her wrist and watched her leave the club with tears in her eyes. He was in shock, he couldn't believe what just happened. The person that he felt that connection with, the person that made him forget about his life and his past was the one person that had taken away his family in the first place. He couldn't let her go that easy. He had to explain to her and make her see that he wasn't a Death Eater, but would she run again when she found out who he truly was? The person that he tortured for six years because she was a muggle-born. One third of the 'golden trio.' All these things that his father brought him up to hate. He didn't, he had his own views.

She ran down the street, tears in her eyes. The only person in two months that she was comfortable around was not only a wizard, but also a Death Eater. She couldn't take it all in. She had such a connection with him and he was one of the people that wanted her dead. He made her feel so free, he made her forget her life.

He had to find her again and find out. He had to know her. She was incredible. He did notice that the two people sitting behind him moved seconds after Maya did. He wasn't going to think about it now. He was thinking how he could find her.

She could hear someone call her.

'Hermione wait!'

She stopped, only one person in France knew her name was Hermione and that was her cousin Lauren. It defiantly wasn't her calling her. Turning around she saw Dumbledore and McGonagal were behind her

'How, how did you find me? I could have been anywhere in the world, Anywhere in Paris! But you came to this club? How?'

'Hermione, I may be old but give me some credit. I figured that you would stay with a relative and these were the only ones that didn't live in England.'

'Shit, does any one else no? Of corse they do what am I saying! They've been searching for the person that attacked 7 Death Eaters and 3 ministry officials, I'm surprised it took them this long. I bet the whole ministry no! I mean if Death Eaters can find me in the middle of Paris then who can't! I should have gone to Sydney. Shit.'

'Hermione breath, I don't know how the Death Eater found you. Back home they have all been caught. This one must have got through some how, I'm not even sure who it was. You're NOT a murderer, you were protecting yourself against those animals and you're a hero. Yes, the ministry are looking for you but they just want you back safe, they are worried about you we all are.'

'No, they're worried about who I might hurt next.'

'Look please can you come back to Hogwarts with us? We can protect you there. Please Hermione.'

She had never seen her headmaster so desperate before. He was right they could protect her there, but did she really want to go back to a place that for the last year only brought her pain? Only bad memories were there. But she couldn't stay here. Not if Death Eathers are here. She could go back to Hogwarts until she thought of something else to do. She turned and faced them.

'Don't patronise me Albus. I know what I am and what I was. I'm a murderer, I've ruined some many lives and I'm not sure that I can face them yet. I can't face anybody yet. I'm not a good witch, I can't control my curse and that puts many people in danger, including yourselves. The old Hermione has gone. She has gone. Long gone. Dead. I'm nothing anymore, I have nothing and no one. I'm a murderer.'

Tears where coming down her face. McGonagal was getting angry with her.

'Hermione! You're a hero, you saved the wizard world and the Muggle world. We owe you everything! You will learn to accept your power and control it. You're a very powerful witch. It is NOT a curse, it's a gift. You were meant to have it.'

She began to glow red, but just before she did, she was pushed into a dark ally way so nobody could see her. They stepped away from her. McGonagal and tears in eyes and Hermione was hysterical. Dumbledore was staying calm and listening to what they were both saying.

'I don't want it! I don't want any of this! You should not have followed me here! You should have left me alone, I've been alone for the last year and I handled it fine! I'm a danger to people and a murderer. This is not a gift it's a curse. It's left me with nothing! I'm dead, my Parent's are dead and I no I'm only going to kill more! I I I Don't want this any more, I want my old life back. I want, I want my mum, I want my dad!'

She fell to her knees, tears just fell from her eyes.

'How is this a gift if all it's brought me if pain? I've hurt to many people and I can't do that anymore. You know what it was like to be on the receiving end of this and that's was before it grew! No I can't, this is a curse and will only bring me pain. It lost me my parents and made me a murderer'

'O Hermione.'

McGonagal joined her on the floor and put her arm around her. The glow had faded and she began to breathe properly. She turned to McGonagal.

'Hermione died for good the night her parents did.'

She continued to cry in her hands and McGonagal turned to Albus.

'Hermione, if you come back to Hogwarts then you can figure out what you want to do from there. It is far too dangerous for you to stay here. You need to be somewhere safe. I'm not asking you to come back and join the school, I'm not asking you to see anyone from the ministry or Harry and Ron. You can do anything you wish and we will support you in that. If you get back and think you can't stay then we can find you somewhere else, All we are asking you is that you come back to somewhere safe, where you can clear your head.'

She looked at her headmaster confused.

'Why are you doing this for me Albus?'

'You are like a Grand daughter to me Hermione, I want to make sure that you are safe and happy. If you are not then I will try and help you, I want to try and help you to understand your power. You are one of the most talented witches I've seen in 50 years and I do not want you to waste your gift. Hermione if it wasn't for you I could be dead right now, I don't care what you say, you saved thousands of witches, wizards and muggles, to me that is a great thing and should be rewarded.'

She gave him a weak smile and for that moment he thought that he had got through to her. Perhaps changed her opinion on herself.

'Ok, ill come back to Hogwarts for the time being. I can't promise I will stay for long, or rejoin the school, but I will come back. Thank you both so much, I no I said that I wish you never followed me, but if you didn't then I might have killed somebody else.'

With that the three of them apperated back to Hermione's flat. Dumbledore wrote her cousin a note to explain that she had gone home and to thank her for taking her in. He left her some money for her hospitality, even though Hermione was insisting that he didn't. McGonagal helped Hermione pack all of her things and make it feather light. She got changed into some tight fitting blue jeans and a white strapless top. When she was ready she took a deep breath and apperated infront of the Hogwarts Gates.