Chapter 11

~Chimera~

Disclaimer: English isn't my first language, ergo you might encounter mistakes.

a/n: I'm a bit busy at the moment. I don't have a lot of time, nor am I fully able to get my writing started. When I snap out of it, I'll update more often. In the mean time, expect sporadic chapters whenever inspiration hits me. oh, and btw, I consider this chapter a bit darker for some reason, so let me know what you think, because I'm still debating it.

It was a whole week later that an early knock at the door made me jump off of my bed. It was the middle of the afternoon, the house didn't open for at least another three to four hours. Even after so many years, I still stretched my hand beside me, grabbing for my wand. Useless act.

'Just a minute'

I wrapped a robe tighter around me. it was so hot in the room, but they didn't bother with a cooling charm, we had to wait until a client put one up. I could feel my hair sticking to my neck. It was at times like that I hated my hair for being the untameable mess that it was.

I hauled the door open and stopped. I had no idea what he was doing there, and for a moment I didn't even care, for a moment all that went through my mind was "why was he always privileged?"

I swallowed down the reply that sat on the tip of my tongue and waited for him to say something. He didn't. He smirked, leaned on the threshold and waited for me to motion for him to enter. I didn't.

After a couple of minutes of staring, he sighed and took out his wand. He didn't hex me, merely moved my hand away and came in. despite all the hatred I felt towards him, I couldn't not be at least a fraction of a bit grateful for the cooling charm he put in place.

He took his spot on the armchair and looked around. I hated him even more for being able to see into my life as his eyes went over my unmade bed, the nightgown I had thrown off hours ago, the book that stood open on the middle of the bed and especially my dishevelled hair and bare face. He had no right to invade my privacy… the only one I still had. I thought about talking his head off, knowing he'd hate it, but I just couldn't be bothered to hear his reply. So I just tried to ignore him, sitting back on the bed, going back to my book.

Surprisingly, he didn't speak for an hour or so.

'touch yourself'

I tried not to let any emotion show.

'my shift starts in two hours. I don't have to do anything you say till then'. I turned the page of the book, even though I hadn't finished it.

'I could have you thrown out, you do know that…'

'You don't own me, Malfoy.'

'Not because I can't'

I put my book down and stood.

'While I don't deny you not wanting me, I assure you, Malfoy that even if you did, you wouldn't. I have went through much more than you can possibly imagine, there is nothing you could do to hurt me, there is nothing in this world I hold dear that you could hurt me with, you have taken everything, and now you have hit rock bottom'

his eyes glinted. For a moment I regretted what I had said, only because it was something that in his sick way, gave him pleasure.

'touch yourself' he whispered again.

I frowned, not being able to understand his thickness. 'No' I answered, resuming my book.

And then another hour passed. i knew he was waiting for my two hours to come to an end, and I abhorred him more and more for it as every minute ticked by. But then, just a couple of minutes to eight he got up and approached me.

'You' re wrong, granger, there are many, many things I could use against you… many, so long as you still have hope.'

My eyes snapped to him, enraged. I was half a second away from scratching his eyes out before he left.

And I remained there, with the stupid cooling charm that I now hated, knowing that he was right, and more painfully, knowing that he wouldn't rest until he took away the last shred of hope I had left.

The next day, I received an owl.

The first page of the Daily Prophet read: 'First muggleborn slaves market to open on August the 15th'

The eagle owl flew out the window. The newspaper flew in the trash.

Hermione Granger wasn't subscribed to the periodical.