The Strength Of Our Roots
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and no money as been made out of this.
Chapter 2
There was a man. Or was it a woman? His back was turned to her, so she couldn't see his or her face. But guessing from the body shape, the person surelly was a man. He was tall and imponent, with ginger straight hair shoulder length. But not a Weasley ginger. It was a dark red, almost brown. He wore a summer wizard robe, and was moving his arms in the air, as if calling for someone.
It was only then that she saw her surroundings. To her left, there was a beautifull lake, full of wild life and clean water. She could see many fishes, along with some frogs and other animals as such.
To her back, and basicly surrounding the all area, there was a very dense forest. From time to time it would be possible to see something in the edge of it, but as soon as it apeared, it was gonne. This and the darkness between the trees were a very efective way of keeping unwanted visitors away. It was obvious that only a person who had been there already and knew the ways around it wouldn't be scared or lost for good.
The next thing she saw was a huge mansion, far away. Around the lake, it was all grass, with some mud obviously, but near the mansion there was a garden. Well, it really wasn't near the mansion. It was as if it started very elaborated, taken cared of and with many diferent speacies of plants, and as further as it got to the mansion, the wilder it was, until it turned into a completely wild envyronment.
Only then she notted the litle figure running towards the man. It looked to be a two year old girl with dark untame curly hair, styled in two ponytails, one on each side of her head. Her eyes were of a light brown, with some yellow and red striks. She had a small litle green dress, and was running bare foot. Her expression was a mixture of hapinnes and excitement all at once.
"Careful Hermione! We don't want you to end up with a scratcheed knee again."
Behind the litle girl, who now Hermione knew to be called Hermione, came a woman. She had black untamed curly hair, just like her daughter, only hers was midback length, and was let floating freely behind her. She had pale skin, and her eyes were dark, but with the right light, they could be described as purple. She was wearing a black thin dress, with an elegant corset.
The girl squirmed in delight when finally reatching the man. He lifted her up and tuirled around, arms raised in the air above his head. Hermione could see now that the man had a short beard, covering his shin, uper lip and part of his cheeck. His eyes were brown, just like the litle girl's. She was probably his daughter.
When her father finally placed her back on the ground, she hapilly run to the water, trying to catch a frog so she could play with it.
Meanwhile, the woman had reached the man. He wraped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer for a kiss. The woman leanned into the man, resting her head on his shoulder. She was almost a head shorter.
"She is really excited, isn't she?" the man smiled, observing his daughter, who was now holding a white wild bunny. Hermione identified the voice as one of her dreams.
"Of course she is. Today it's her birthday after all. She kept talking about how much fun she is going to have with her cousin Draco. I feel bad about the House Elfs. Had to hear her for more than an hour." there was a twinkle in the woman's eyes, as if she wasn't really upset about it. Her voice had been in her dreams before too.
They shared a look. The woman took something from her pocket and hided it behind her back. They smiled foundly at their daughter (at least Hermione thought she was their daughter).
"Hermione, come here for a second, pumpckin pie!"
Hearing his father voice, the litle girl set free the rabit and went half jumping half running toward the couple. She had a slight blush on her cheeks and her eyes were shining.
"What is it Dady?"
"We have something for you." the woman showed her the litle box. Hermione's eyes (the two years old Hermione's eyes) opened with ansiety when she took the box in her hands and unwraped it.
Inside, there was a litle green box, with some silver and black drawings. She openned it, and immideatly a song started playing. The song went like: Olha o céu, lá no fundo do chapéu. Olha o Sol e a Lua a namorar. Olha o céu lá no fundo do chapéu onde eu e tu, vamos chegar...
She knew those lyrics. She had heard them before. Were this her memories? Then why didn't she remember any of this? The litle girl's name was the same as hers, and they sure looked very similar, but still... Her hair was brown, not black, and even if it was untamed, the curls were missing. But still, that was her music box. The music box who no one knew where it had came from. And besides, since the box also sang the lyrics, and not only the melody, it had to be something magic.
The next thing the couple did solved this mistery. They gave her a key. The same key Draco had given her. This was the US, wasn't it? The "us" she had to trust. Her family. Her true family. It was hard to believe, but there were just to many evidences to refuse. Draco was her cousin. He probably kept the key as a memory of her.
Sudendly, the couple looked at her. Their eyes were hollow, showing no emotions. In fact, it was as if they had no emotions. They started getting smaler, and smaller, and smaller... NO! They weren't getting smaller! They were distanciating themselves!
Hermione run to them! She had to see more, hear more, understand... However, as much as she run, they kept getting further and further from her. She reached her hand out, trying to hold on to their image, but that was not enough. She was being chased by some darkness, and when she had almost reached them, something grabed her ankle and pulled her back.
Her legs were traped, her left arm too, and something was trying to wrap her face. When the family finally disapeared, the only thing left was darkness. Hermione was floating, scared about the recent events.
Sudendly, she heard a hearpiercing sceam, and felt herself fall at highspeed. She felt she was going to dye, but then...
She opened her eyes and found herself sitting up right in a wight sheets bed. Her breath was quick and she was still trembling from her dreams. She stared at her hands. It had felt so real. Those people had been so close, so...
"Oh, I see you are awake, Miss Granger. I believe you are fit to go back to classes today. I brought you some breackfast and I've already warned Professor Snape that you would be arriving a bit late, bu- Oh dear!"
Madame Pomfrey had just entered the enfermery, holding a tray with some toasts and milk, that was now all shatered on the ground. She had been so ocupied informing her patient about... well, everything, that she hadn't taken a proper look at the student.
Madame's Pomfrey reaction scared Hermione. She looked at her reflexion in the glass of water that had been place at her nightstand. She was... diferent. An older version of the litle girl she had seen in her dream. Her brown hair was now black and full of curls. That was the most ovious change. But it was a BIG one. She no longer looked like the Gryfindor know-it-all.
With her breackfast on the ground, she was told to dress herself and go to class. They had let her sleep big part of the morning, so Potions was the only one she would atend before lunch. She could wait an hour to eat.
She made sure she had the key before leaving to class. What she couldn't take out of her mind was all this knew things she was learning about herself. And her fisical change too. Why didn't this happen before? Why now? It all started with that spell. It was as if something, something like a wall or a volt had cracked, and now there was some information escaping. And the more information escaped, the bigger the crack would became and the more information would escape.
In the end, it was a good thing. At least she had discovered who she really was. Well, not yet at least. But soon she would. One way or another.
She nocked on the door, and waited for permission to enter the classroom. As soon as she heard the Potions Master's voice, she walked in, and directed herself to the professor desk. She was about to start explaining when Snape started reprimend her.
"Miss Granger, I hope this is the last time your late to my class. A THIRTY minuts late is a lot, and next time, I won't let you came into class, understood. As such, ten points will be ta- " he had lifted his eyes from the papers he was evaluating to stare her in the eyes, but what he saw left him gapping. In front of him was almost the spitting image o- No, it can't be! Can it? He had doubts, but the prove was in front of him.
Some students had looked when the door opened to see who was there, but they mistook Hermione for some other student who was there only to give professer Snape some message from other teatcher.
Realizing he had been staring, Severus Snape changed the subject.
"Miss Granger, all students have already started their potions. As such, you better join Mr Malfoy. Now go."
"Yes, sir."
Professor might think that by being paired with Malfoy she would be disapointed or mad or angry, and she normally would, but not this time. It was just perfect! Now she had the perfect excuse to speak with Draco.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Harry and Ron. She gave them a reassuring smile, receiving a wave and a smile from Harry and grunt from Ron.
"It seems the fate really is on your side Granger." Draco started placing some stuff on her side of the table.
"In a way. And it's not Granger, is it?"
"No. Figured that one out, ãh? How did you do it?"
"I had a dream."
"A dream?" they switched positions so Hermione could add some ingredients.
"Yeah. I'm almost sure I saw my real parents. And they were talking about you coming to my birthday. They said you were my cousin. So what I need to know is: why is this only hapenning now?"
"Well, I've asked myself that question before. My parents told that the night your parents were taken, y-"
"Taken where?"
"That would be telling, and where's the fun in that?" he glanced to her from the corner of his eye, just in time to see her frown. She might had seen her parents, but she only knew their apearence, not their names. That was normal, after all she had grown up in that horrid Muglle World, and those were not things one could learn in a book. "Any way. The night your parents were taken, the people who took them told mine you were dead. And if you don't remember, than they probably obliviated you. I think the spell in professor Flitwick class broke slightly the spell, and now, the more you know, the more information will probably come back to you."
"I had already thought about that possibilaty. But who would have the courage to send a child to a wold where they don't belong? Carefull, Snape is staring." Hermione lowered her eyes to disguise their convesation.
"Of course he is. Everyone is! You're looking exacly like my aunt! Gonna give the creepes to some people, I'm sure. Can't wait to see Dumbledork's face! And besides, Potter sufered the same fate, didn't he?"
"But he was with his familly! The right thing to do was to place me at your parents care to be fair!"
"If I were you I wouldn't worry about that." After that mistirious affirmation, one that Hermione couldn't ask what it meant thanks to Snape glarings, they staied in silence for a long time.
Finally, Hermione put together the courage she needed and asked "Do you really think he's going to speak to me about... this? I mean, I know he cares about Harry, but he IS the Chosen One..." she looked at their work. In the cauldron was a thick silver shinning lickid, still fumming. She let a leaf of orangetree fell and it imideatly turn bronze and hardened, sinking.
She felt happy with the results, not only because it was an incredibly dificult potion, with diferent levels of brewing, but because it also was the first time she had worked with someone who wasn't Neville. In other words, she hadn't simply ordered someone what to do, but actually worked together. "Professor, we've finished our potion."
"You do realise you're much more powerfull than him, right? And of course he is going to speak with you!" Draco said barely moving his mouth, since Snape was now aproching them.
Severus leaned in the cauldron and smelled the potion. He then filled two vials with it, probably to evaluate them later, and to have something more concret than just his memory to base their marks on in the end of the term.
He gave Hermione a long look. The litle Gryfindor felt like an insect in his presence.
She knew Snape was thinking of an explanation for this change. Hermione was not sure if he knew who her mother was, but it was very likelly.
She felt something on the back of her neck. Like a hand was walking to her up her spine. The only person who could have donne that was Draco, since he was the only one near her. However, his arms were crossed in front of his chest, staring at her.
Legilimancy! She had read about it. The abillity to break into someone's mind and to hear their thoughts and see their memories. Luckily, being the avid reader she was, she had immideatly reaserched for something to fight this, and had came across Oclumency. She had been practissing for many night's now, but her walls had neer been put to test.
She cleaned her mind from all thoughst, and prepared herself. Seconds later, she felt something brushiming her hair, right before the same felling of walking throught a ghost but warmer hit her. It felt like a hand was starting enter her skull. The idea of a door being openned apeared in her mind. Realising what was hapenning in time, she gadered all she had learn about Oclumency and erased the door from her mind with extreme and surprising facillity.
She could tell by the way a fiercess rage in Snape's eyes that he hadn't been expecting her to block his entrance. That was the only reason why she had been able of doing it anyway. But the truth was that he couldn't do it now without her knowing.
They had been like that for time enough to get awkward, Snape staring her down throught a curtain of black hair, when Draco placed a hand on her lower back. Her immediate instinct was to straighten up, and Snape leaned back a litle. Odd... I wondered if it was Dumbledoor who told him to do this... Danm, Draco's opinions are really getting to me! Her new friend patted her back, as if saying Well Donne!. She wondered what was hapenning with the people around her. It can't be all because of what hapenned yesterday, can it? God, if at least someone could tell me who my parents are! She stared angrily at Draco, who sent her an half apolegetic half mocking smirk when Snape was inspecting their potion once again,
"Mr Malfoy, Miss... Granger." the Potion Master said her last name slowly, each syllabe full of distrust and even MORE hate than before! " You may leave the class. Ten points to Slytherin and Gryfindor."
The two students cleaned their table in silence, Hermione thinking about how her talk with Dumbledoor would go and about all the diferents reaction she had been getting, Draco giving her the space he knew she needed.
They left the Dungen shortly after confirming if they hadn't forgoten anything (Snape would do anyting to take those ten points he gave to Gryfindor back).
Hermione waved Harry and Ron goodbye as Draco was openning the door for her, the reflection of the gentleman he had been educated to be. Harry waved back with an unsure but warm smile (who wouldn't be unsure in such a situation?) and Ron sent her a nasty look and went back to chop the Tentaculla's roots with fierciness. Why does he have to behave as if he is the one being injured? Can't he see that I'm the one in the worst position in all this story!? If anyone has a reason to sulke it's me!
Draco pated Zabini, who was having trouble with the potion, on the shoulder and followed Hermione out. Luckilly, she didn't saw the look he gave Ron, otherwise there might have been problems.
Both the Gryfindor and the Slytherin student decided to go for a walk, since Hermione had the start of a migraine and Draco didn't feel it was safe to live her alone in such a state.
"Look, in case you need to be alone, or some space after the conversation, or anytime... Don't hesitate to come to me, ok? We're cousins after all." he squized her hand trying to calm her down.
"Thank you Draco. Really." she looked him in the eye very serious. " I think Snape tried to use Legilimency on me."
"What?!" the heir of the Malfoy familly grabed her hand and pulled towards the Whomping Willow, where he knew no one would go and so they couldn't be heard. "That's terrible! It means Dumbledoor is already on it!"
"On what Draco?! It's not funny anymore! Why don't you just tell me?" Hermione enjoyed this knew friendship with Draco, and with everything that was hapenning in her life it felt good to have someone there. But it also hurt to know that he had all the answers she needed and he revused to tell her.
"It's not a matter of being funny or me jocking with you. I can't tell you. I'm not even sure of what hapenned. It needs to be Dumbledoor." he sat on the grass staring at the Whomping Willow. He losenned his tie and threw his bag away. "Do you think I don't want to tell you? But if I do, you will be influenced by MY opinion! Me, my parents, even yours I'm sure... all of us want you to make your own choice." Hermione sat next to him.
"Is it bad?" she said after a long minut of silence.
"What?"
"Being a pureblood? The truth about my parents? Being a … Death Eater?" she wispered the last sentence. The Malfoys would never admit being involved in such activities, but after everything, she knew Draco would trust her with that one litle secret.
"It's better than you think. When you learn the truth, you're going to be shocked and confused. When you met your parents, I think you're going to be relieved. Many things are not what they look like. And about being a Death Eater... your going to be surprised too." he layed down and closed his eyes.
They heard students coming from the castle, meaning it was lunchtime. She thought about Harry and Ron and Ginny. How would the Weasleys react to her being a cousin of the Malfoys? Maybe I should wait until I have all the information. But what if they get angry with for not telling them what I already know?
The Gryfindor official know-it-all stood up and cleaned her skirt from any possible dirt and grass. She looked down at Maldoy, who stood still.
"Are you coming?"
"Nah. I'm gonna wait for Zabini, Goyle and Crabe here. I want to explain them what's going on. Nothing to much really, just that they shouldn't pick on you anymore and that they'll know the why later. Are you ok with that?" he said with his eyes closed.
"If they're going to leave me alone them it's fine, I suppose. I'm gonna have lunch with the boys and try to explain as much as possible to them." she turned on her arounds and started walking to the castle.
She heard her name being called and turned back to Draco once more. He was still in the same position, but had a smile on his lips. A real smile, not those he sent towards the other Houses when they lost points.
"I doubt they will leave you alone. You're one of us now." he opened his eyes and winked at her. "And don't worry, I forgive you that punch."
"Get lost Malfoy."
Hermione walked away with a smile on her lips. Who would say that Draco Malfoy could be nice? At least something good came out of this mess.
She entered the the Great Salon and headed to the Gryfindor table. She immideatly saw her friends all sat together, already picking at the food on the silver plates.
She walked towards them and sat next to Ginny, who sent her a curious look. In front o her was Harry, who seemed to have already gotten used to her knew apearence, and Ron, who was still in full mood.
No one else seemed to note her new looks. It wouldn't take long thought. She was sure her fellows Gryfindors would be sure to tell everyone, even if not on purpose. The fact that Neville had seen her would only help the news travelling faster, since he had been spending a lot of time with Luna latelly.
"Hey Hermione. What hapenned to you?"Ginny grabed one of her new perfect curls and pulled it, making it bounce up and down.
"Did Ron and Harry already told you about yesterday?" she looked at the boys. Harry nod her a yes, while Ron just kept eating his fried chicken. "Good. So, after they left me in the enfermerie, I found a message in the pocket of my robes. It said that if I wanted to know more about the events of the class I should go to the Trophey room at one a.m.. It said that I should go alone, otherwise I would get none information."
"So you went alone to met this mistirious person? What if it was a prank? What if you had gotten hurt?" it felt good to know that even after all this confusing events Harry still worried about her.
"I thought about that, but if I needed anything I could allways scream and Filtch would came in the same instant, right?"
"Still, you should've told us!"
"And how was I supposed to do that Ronald! I don't have an owll, I couldn't ask anyone to tell you and you didn't come back to see me!"
"But I bet you told ferret! You looked so happy to be paired with him today in potion class!"
"Ron, I think that's enough! Hermione has her reasons, and she will tell us if and when she sees fit." Harry placed a conforting hand on his shoulder and he seemed to calm down a litle. But just a litle, because when Malfoy looked her way and smiled he almost stood up.
"Yeah Ron. Shut up, I want to hear the rest." Ginny, as allways, was eager for a good gossip. I'm starting to wonder if I really did the right choice.
"Anyway. At one a.m. I went to the Trophey room and met with Malfoy. He didn't said much, just that I should trust him, and gave me a key. Then Filtch apeared and we had to leave. I went to bed, thinking about the key and had a dream. I think I saw my real parents. They were talking about my birthday and said that Draco was my cousin."
"What?! Who are your real parents!?And you're Malfoy's cousin?! "
"Ron, shut up and let Hermione continue!"
"Thank you Harry. Then the dream turned into a nightmare and everything went dark and I heard screams. But before the screams the couple there gave a music box to the 'litle Hermione' with a key. That key is the one that I now have." Hermione showed them the silver key with the green esmerald. "Then I woke up and saw that I looked like this. Today in Potion class Draco told me that I was probably obliviated, and that his parents thought I had died. He said it was likelly Dumbledoor would talk to me about this. And that's basicly everything." Hermione thought it was better to leave the fact that Snape had trid to perform Legilimencies on her out for now.
She looked at her friends' faces. Ginny was gaping, Harry seemed a litle uncontable and Ron was glaring at her with hate. The red head was about to say something, when his face was covered in a shadow. The two girls turned around to see who was there and found them facing a very serious Transfiguration Professor. Her mouth was pressed so tightly that it seemed the woman in front of them had no lips at all.
"Miss Granger, the Headmaster would like to have a word. Please follow me." her teatchorvoice was cold and distant, as if she was talking with Umbridge.
Hermione stood up quickly and gulped. She had never seen Minerva McGonnagal like this. She waved at her friends, who were already talking in ushed voices. Harry no longer seemed on her side, his face now like Ron's, as well as Ginny's.
She followed her professor to the statue that guarded Dumbledoor's office. Along the way, she could see the students whispering about her. Now that she was with a person of certain importance, people had started comparing her with that Gryfindor Perfect, coming to the realisation that they were in fact the same person.
She saw some of the older students passing throught her in a hurry. She saw confusion on the eyes of the youngers, shock on the eyes of her fellow fifth year students. She saw fear in the eyes of some students, big part of them purebloods and halfbloods. She saw that fear turn in hate in some, others waved her not sure if what they saw was real. She saw Zabini who winked at her.
It seemed that everyone knew more than her. The Slytherin students seemed to be ok with the last events, some of them even happy. In the other Houses, some of the Seventh and Sixth years tried to get a better look at her, and them scuried off when their eyes locked with the ones of the person in question.
Hermione had been so focused on her thoughts that McGonnagal had to tap her shoulder to bring her back to reality. Her teatcher nodded towards the stairs, and the Gryfindor student started climbing slowly, almost afraid. Of course she wasn't afraid of Dumbledoor. She was afraid of the reactions of Harry and Ron. Their expressions of hate couldn't seem to get out of her mind.
When she finally reached the door, she looked over her shoulder just to see that her teatcher hadn't followed. This was about to be her first conversation with Dumbledoor alone, and she couldn't be more nervous. She cleaned her sweaty hands on her sweater and nocked. The door opened magicly, without her having to touch the handle or a voice ordering. She took it as a sign to come in.
The office was just like Harry described. It was filled of bookcases, each one with more interesting books than the one before. Oh, how she would love to get her hands on them. There were also strange object, a 3D macket of the Deathly Allows, Dumbledoor's Phoenix, stairs that lead up, probably to his bed chambers. She wondered where the Pensive could be.
Remembering the what Snape did, she thought if she should put up her walls. On one side, she did not enjoy having people snooping around in her mind. But Dumbledoor could take it as an ofence or a sign that she was against to him. Her conversations with Malfoy weren't nothing special. The only problem was Snape.
It was said that he worked as a spy for Dumbledoor, and that look of hate he sent her didn't help. It was plain obvious that he had told the Headmaster about that too. Certainly Dumbledoor would try to see if it was true. Faced with this facts, Hermione decieded it would be best to play dumb.
She aproach the desk where Dumbledor was sitting, petting his dear bird. He smiled brightly at Hermione. However, she didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing.
"Miss Granger, what a pleasure. Would you like a lemon drop?"
"No thank you, Sir." he recoiled his shoulders and grabed one himself, poping it in his mouth.
"Very well. So, I've heard about the... incident in Charm's class. Very confusing, isn't it?" Hermione only nod. She couldn't see how Harry could idolatrate this man. To her, all this sweeteness seemed fake. "I understand how you feel."
Oh, really?! Have you ever discovered you're familly is not who you allways thought it was?
"Well, to explaine all of this, I believe it would be better to start from the beginning." he let out a small laugh at his own jocke. "It all hapenned after Voldemort fall." she resisted the urge to shiver when she her that name. "He had many followers, the Death Eaters. Some of them went to Azkaban, others claimed they had been on the effect of the Imperius curse." Like the Malfoys, you mean? "However, some of them were very loyal. They would do anything to bring him back to power. One night, a group of Death Eaters evaded the house of Alice and Frank Longhbottom, whose son Neville studies in your year if I'm not mistaken. Those Death Eaters were Barty Crounch Junior, who brought back his Lord last year, the Lestrange brothers, Rodolphus and Rabastan, and Bellatrix Lestrange née Black. They tortured Frank and his wife to insanity, and were taken that same night to Azkaban. Frank Longhbottom was a very famous Auror, with a First Order of Merlin, an now resides in St. Mungus with his wife. The four Death Eaters were put to trial and now face a sentence of a life in Azkaban."
He stoped to let her take in all this knew information. She had no idea this had hapenned to Neville's parents. How was she going to face him!? Well, I'm not my parents. At least everyone got the chance to know me before this came to public. And was he trying to guilt trick me with that thing of 'Neville studies in your year if I'm not mistaken'? Of course he knows he is in my year! He gave us points already!
"In that same night, after the arrest, we sent a group of wizards and witches and to the Black Mansion. They were to retrive the daughter of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange."
"You mean me, porfessor? And who are 'we'? she had thought the Ministry was guilty in the beginning, with the influence of Dumbledoor, but if her guess was now correct, she would have some revenge to do.
"Yes Hermione. You are the heir of both the Black and the Lestrange family. That night, the Order retrieved you from your parents house. We told the Ministry you were dead, and sent you to live with a Muggle familly who were Minerva's friends. You see, we didn't want you to grow up with all those pureblood ideals. It was all for the greater good."
You didn't want me to be like my parents you mean! So you just took me away from my familly!
"I understand this is a lot to take in. You mustn't feel guilty over your parents actions. And don't worry, we will protect you from anyone who can be considered undesired." Feel guilty?! Me?! You are the one who should feel guilty! Oh, and I bet I know exacly who you want to 'protect' me from.
"Professor, who had the idea of take me? And... who helped?" Hermione paused, seeing now how much this sounded like revenge. "I just want to have an idea of who really can protect me from 'undesired ones'. I mean, if they broke into a Mansion, then they certainly know what their doing." she smiled sweetly. Two can play this game.
"The idea came from Sirius. That night Moody, Professor McGonnagal, Molly and Arthur, and me of course, broke into the Mansion." Dumbledoor smiled, as if he was proud of what he had donne. So used to everyone believing that he is such a nice person that doesn't even nots when he is beeing made of full! And Sirius and will need to have a chat.
"Thank you Professor. For all this... information. Is there anything else?"
"You're welcome. And remember that nothing will change from now on. You're still one of ours. And yes, there are some litle details. First, you must choose wich last name you would like to use. You may keep Hermione Jean Granger, or have your name changed to Hermione Morgana Black-Lestrange. Also, there is all of your heiritance. As soon as the papers are donne, you may visit all the houses and masions. And there is nothing to worry, as soon as you have made a decisio, I will go to Gringots to sort things out." He smiled in his grandfatherly way, but somehow that didn't ease her fears.. "You have one week to decide if you would like to keep all you're fortune or give some to charity and wich name you would like to use."
"I don't think that will be needed. I would like to keep everything. And I prefer the name Hermione Morgana Black-Lestrange." Hermione didn't felt it was safe to let Dumbledoor deal with the papers, but what choice did she have?
The Headmaster's face paled a litle, but his smile didn't flatered. He knew by McGonnagal that she was an excelent witch, just like her mother. She had also heinerate her love for learning and books. Luckilly for them, she had her father's temper, so she allways tried to reason before acting. However, they had never seen her in a real duel.
They had feared this day. They would try to control her, to keep her on their side, but that wouldn't be easy. Even without the influence of her parents, she already behaved so much like them. When she was mad, she would storm of just like Bellatrix, and her snappy coments were Rodolphus face. But seeing her options with this simple matters worried him. Maybe he should take more time with the papers.
"Professor, I would like to be the one to tell my friends about this." Dumbledoor nod his agrement. "When do you think this will come to public, Sir?" Hermione only wished Skeeter wouldn't be the first one to hear about this.
"Oh, don't worry, We will keep everything ush ush. The Prophet won't know anything about this, unless certains events come to happen."
"Uhm... Thank Professor. For everything." she stood up and walked out, without waiting for permission.
Those people... those she had called friends had used her. Harry, Ron and her school friends probably didn't even know. But she couldn't stop herself from thinking that all the things the Weasleys had donne for her were only ways to keep her controled.
All those visits to the Burrow... They were just trying to keep an eye on me! How could they do this!? Was this what Draco was talking about? Well, if he had told me this I would have gotten really mad with him and probably acuse him of being a liar... I swear that if I get my hands on Sirius he would wish to have never gotten out of Azkaban!
The sun was already starting to disapear when the conversation ended. She had no idea how ong she had been inside the office, but what looked to be just half an hour was in fact one or two.
She wanted to go and tell her friends these new information, having someone to talk about. However, she feared their reaction. Hermione wondered if they already have an idea of what was going on. That would explain Ron's reaction.
She thought about Draco. He really was her cousin. What a twisted thing to happen. And right on the O.W.L.S. Year!
Sudendly, she remembered Umbridge. What would the Ministry do?! Her back went back to the papers, and she had an idea. Maybe there was someone who could take care of that asides from Dumbledoor.
She turned around and run to the Quiditch pitch. Hermione had been walking with a fast step towards her Comon Room, but if there was any possibility of her idea working, than she needed to talk to Draco as soon as possible.
She remembered he said he had Quiditch's trains every tuesday at five, and if the late events hadn't messed with her head too much, than the blond boy should be there.
She passed Luna on her way, who said something about her having Nargles flying all around her head. No one payed her really much attention, asides from some Slytherins. Now that she wasn't with a teatcher, the students didn't make the connection between her and the Gryfindor Perfect.
The air was cold outside, as it was normal in November. There was no snow yet, so she arrived at the Quiditch pitch rather quickly.
Walking by Hagrid's Hut, she asked herself if her life would ever be as simple as before. Likelly not.
Once in there, she saw the brooms flying in the sky. She considered interupting the train, but the last thing she wanted was to atract more attention. As so, she sat quietly, waiting.
She watched the other students silently. They were all Slytherin's, big part of them was probably waiting for a fellow colegue just like her. From that distance, she couldonly distuing Pansy and Milicent.
While waiting, she lt her mind wonder to all the things that had happen in the last two days. This new friendship with Draco. It seemed so easy to be around him, even thought they had been together only a few hours.
Her parents. Both of her famillies. She really wantd to get to know the Malfoys. She remembered them from the Quiditch Cup of last year. Hermione hoped they wouldn't mind.
She wondered to her muggle parents. How much did they know? Were they victims too? Did they ever wanted her?
She thought about who was Hermione Morgana Black-Lestrange. Surprisingly, that seemed to be the only thing she knew. That Hermione was the same Hermione as before, but with more money. She laugth quietly at that thought. But it was true. She wasn't going to change just because of a name. She wondered if she would've been diferent in another life. One where she was never taken away from her familly. There wouldn't be much diference. She would've been in Slytherine, maybe would have act jus like Draco towards muggleborns... But essencial would've been there. She would be exacly the same Hermione.
She thought about her parents. Her real ones. She wondered if they knew she was alive. The thought o both of them rotting in a place like Azkaban, surronded by Dementors hurted more than she thought. Even without knowing them, she loved them. She had turned the silver key into necklace, so that she allways had a part of them with her. Of course she was terrified, knowing that she was the child of not only one of the most powerfull witchs, but of two of the most loyl Death Eaters and th heir of two of the most powerfull pureblood famillies in Britain.
"Hermione, are you alrigh?" she turned around to face her blond friend, worrieness wrighten all over his face. Without thinking, she flunged herself towards him, hugging his neck and sobbing.
"No! Everything is not alright! People who thought cared about me were likely only using me, my real parents are in Azkaban, this will be all over the papers soon... What am I supposed to do?!" tear feel down her cheecks, weting her friends robes.
"Hermione calm down. You have to give them a chance. As much as I hate, I think you're friends really like you. Why don't you tell me what happened?"
And Hermione did. She told him all about Dumbledoor taking her away from her familly, her new name, her desire of meeting his familly. Draco listened atently to all of this, offering a coment here and there. Finally, now more calm, Hermione told him about her plan.
"I don't trust Dumbledoor to turn everything legal. I know I'm asking a lot from you and you're family, but I was wondering if you're father wouldn't mind to do that?"
"No problem Hermione. My father will deal with that first thing tomorrow. And if you have any problem with that dog freak Sirius, just tell me and I'll make sure he doesn't forget his place." he smiled meanly, earning a laugth from his cousin.
"Thank you Draco. Really. I don't know what I would do without you cous'." with that, Hermione kissed his cheek and left.
Walking back to the castle, she prepared herself for the conversation she would have with her friends.
To be continued...
A.N.: And here it is, the second chapter. The true second chater. The othe I had posted was from my other bellamione fanfiction, broken mirror. I'm so sorry! Anyway, here is the true second chapter, and soon (probably today) I'll post th third. Thanks for all the reviews, principaly to Lady0fgaladhrim, who alerted me to this, and for all the favorites and follows. Sorry for any mistakes, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me hear you're thoughts. Adeus.