Chapter IV- Baby, I'm a Fool:

Guest (5/11): Yep! It's gonna get interesting now...

Draco and his parents had left them alone for a while, allowing the newfound father and daughter duo to talk. Voldemort had told her he'd answer anything she wanted to know so she'd asked him about her mother. He told her that he'd met Sofia at Hogwarts. She'd been in Ravenclaw and he Slytherin so they hadn't ever interacted much. He said the first time he'd really noticed her was when they'd both been invited to the Slug Club, which Hermione proudly told him she was also a member of. It gave it so much more meaning to know that it had been a part of her parents. According to Voldemort, Sofia had told him how to create horcruxes, which he used to divide his soul so he could live forever. He wanted her to do it as well but she said she valued the frailty of human life, and he would never force her into something she didn't want to do. When he'd found her body he said it had been the one moment he'd regretted it. But only for that day, he promised, they'd had a great life together until it had been unfairly cut off, but she wouldn't want to extend it to a lifetime.

Sofia had been so happy when she was born, he told her, smiling earnestly, she'd had such dreams for her. Hermione told him about her life then, everything she'd accomplished and was set to. There was one thing bothering her though. "You said Draco and I were betrothed through some magical contract," she said slowly. "Does that mean it's not real? That it never has been?"

Voldemort saw her suffering immediately, no matter how well she tried to hide it, using the same techniques as her mother. "Oh my dear, no! Lily Potter," he spat out the name. "Has clearly not educated you in Pureblood matters." He touched her hand and she was surprised at the warmth that radiated throughout her. Her body seemed to recognise this as someone she should know, someone she had known in fact. "The contract is merely that, a contract. It handles the legal side of things and serves as a way to bind families. Like an arranged marriage. Whatever feelings that arise are entirely your own." She nodded and with a wink, he took her hand. "Why don't we go talk to the man himself, and your in-laws?"


Lucien and Narcissa had just as much explaining to do to their son as their friend had to his daughter. Once he got past the fact that his girlfriend who he'd thought his parents would automatically loathe was actually the child of their best friend, he moved onto the topic of said dark wizard. "You've had him in this house for fifteen years?!" Draco exclaimed. "How?"

"You were never the sharpest tool in the shed," his father teased, but his ever-elegant mother whacked her husband about the head.

"I'm sorry sweetheart," she apologised. "But it was necessary to hide the truth from not just you, but everyone."

"Indeed it was," The three Malfoy's turned around to see the still somewhat weak Dark Lord, supported by his long-lost daughter. "But now I am back to most of my former strength, and I would like you both to be involved in my plans." The two teenagers nodded resolutely, Hermione for she was determined to get vengeance, Draco for he was adamant that he would at last be parry to the secrets concealed in the dark cobwebs of his family and society. Voldemort smiled. "Excellent."


Several hours of planning and feasting later Draco and Hermione had to return to Hogwarts. Everything and everyone there would be in a different light for her now.

She was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to tell everyone about Draco and be with him openly as she'd hoped she would, but it was for the best for her father's plan. It was stunning how quickly her mind had shifted the role of father from James Potter to Tom Riddle, but he'd opened up to her so completely and willingly. He'd shown her more in the last few hours than her mother had in sixteen, or rather, fifteen, years, and given her a wider picture of those around her as well rather than moulding her views to his own advantage. He hadn't hidden his mistakes, or all the awful things he'd done, but she was more willing to accept these than the foundation of lies she now knew her life had been built upon.

As they said goodbye to the three adults, Mrs Malfoy looked as though she might cry. She kissed Hermione daintily on each cheek, handed her a box of homemade brownies, apparently a hobby of hers, and told her, "do come and visit whenever you can get away from those stifling Order members, Adele dear."

Hermione nodded. "I will Mrs Malfoy, but, uh, I don't suppose you could call me Hermione?" Spotting her father's hurt look she quickly added. "It's a beautiful name, but to have grown up with one name and then to have to adjust to a new one, it's a little too much, with so much else to adjust to as well."

"Of course," Mrs Malfoy nodded, cocking her head to the side mischeviously. "But only if you'll call me Narcissa."

Hermione grinned. "I can agree to that deal." She moved over to her father and leaned up on her tiptoes to give his cheek a goodbye peck as well. "When this is all out in the open, I'd like to be known as Hermione Adele Riddle."

His stony expression wavered. "Just as poetic." She hugged him, feeling the tight way he held on to her as if someone would try to rip her away again, and then she took Narcissa's arm as Draco took his father's, vowing one last time that she would come visit again whenever she could.


When she got back to Gryffindor Tower after a reluctant parting with Draco everything looked somehow different. She didn't feel like she belonged here anymore, even less so than before.

She wasn't sure how long shed been sitting staring at the fire, lost in thought but when she heard her nickname called she turned to see her faux twin and his sidekick racing towards her. The sharp differences between her and Harry seemed even more pronounced now. "I can't believe you missed it-"

"That's what happens when you spend the whole of your free day at the book store," Ron scoffed, and her 'brother' didn't even defend her. In fact, he gave a small smirk at Ron's comment. But she gritted her teeth. Soon she would be able to acknowledge her real family; both biological and of her own making.

Harry shook her arm, trying to ensure he had her full attention. "Katie Bell was imperiused! Malfoy must have been behind it, I'm sure of it.

She raised a hand, and an eyebrow. How the hell did he come to that conclusion! "Slow down. Start from the beginning."

He nodded, though he looked disappointed she wasn't just going to join in with their hysteria. "Well, uh, we were walking back from Hogsmede behind her, and Katie was arguing with her friend while she was carrying this package. Then she dropped it or something, I'm not really sure, but it ripped open an-

"She flew right up into the air!" Ron declared. "It was bloody weird. Like something out of one of those stupid muggle thrillers Dad brings home for Ginny-"

"Oi!" The redhead shouted. She was one of a large crowd that had amassed around them to hear the sensationalised story straight from the sources. And now that they had a willing audience, the boys weren't going to disappoint.

"What happened next?"

"Who could have done it?"

Ron told the crowd to quiet down, as if he hadn't just been yelling to attract their attention. They both seemed to have forgotten that they'd come to inform their friend and instead had focussed on their audience. "It was all silent and her arms were spread out, her eyes sort of rolled back like she was possessed," the redhead told them, leaning forward like it was a ghost story. Everyone cried out for more. Hermione felt sick. This was a girl. A girl who'd suffered from idiotic curiosity, but nonetheless she'd suffered, and they were profiting off it.

"Then her mouth went really wide and she let out this terrible scream," Harry added. "Like I said. I'm sure it was Malfoy. He's the only one evil enough to do this. And we all know he comes from a bad lot." A bad lot? She couldn't believe everyone was just eating it up, but indeed, they were all nodding and sounding their agreement. She was sure he had the ability, probably the only one in the school beside her, but there was no way Draco would do this, besides, he had an alibi, a strong one. Her. But she couldn't exactly reveal that.

What she could say was that he had no proof, and so she did. Not that it put a dent in her brother's determination. When Harry thought he was right, she should know by now, there was little she could do to prove him wrong. He was a stubborn one alright.


When they met up in their classroom the next evening Hermione apologised on behalf of her 'friends' for what was being spread about him. Draco just shrugged it off. "As if I care what Pothead and the Weasel are saying about me." He kissed her hard, taking her breath away, but she frowned.

"It doesn't bother you at all?" Draco just shrugged again. "I mean, you're innocent. Doesn't it frustrate you in the slightest to know that-" He smothered her lips and she succumbed to it for a moment, then she looked up into his eyes. He didn't look into hers. Not quite. "Or are you?"

He sighed, stepping back a little and resting against their teacher's desk. "Your father asked me to do something for him." She nodded for him to elaborate, folding her arms over her chest. "He wanted me to Imperius someone to go get a package and send it to him. He told me I couldn't go because they'd suspect me-"

"I defended you..." she put a hand to her head. Draco tried to reach out and take her hand but she shook him away. "I thought you were my family, both of you, but you lied to me, just like they did. You're no better!"

"Hermione-"

"Shut up!" She cried and hurried out of the room, glad he didn't follow her. He was certainly faster than her, could have if he wanted to. Her surroundings seemed to zip past her and when she finally stopped and leaned back against the wall her vision was swimming and she wasn't sure where she was. She'd been at this school for four and a half years. It was her home, and it was uncomfortable to realise she didn't recognise this area whatsoever. Just like the people in her life she didn't know it. She didn't know anything anymore. Her surroundings was empty, as was most of the castle at this time of night, or at least she thought so. After a few minutes of the world spinning around her she heard footsteps approaching accompanied by voices she couldn't yet make out, but they must be near, so she shrunk back into a passing place, leaning against the wall and hoping they didn't hear her.

As the words became audible she could tell they were talking about Katie Bell. And that 'they' were Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin and her uncle Sirius. "...a horcrux?" The familiar word her father had spoken today sent an attention grabbing jolt through her body and she strained to make out what came next. Lucky for her they were approaching rapidly, on a mission, it seemed.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "It's in my office so we can destroy it."

Remus sounded uncertain as he spoke the truth they'd preached for years, "but he's dead... there's little point destroying them to kill him if he'd already gone."

"We never saw him killed," Arthur reminded him. "And Lily was upset that day. She wasn't paying attention. Who knows if he's still out there, recuperating-"

Sirius growled as he passed her and she shrunk back, not just from the fear of being caught but the shock at the viciousness in the usually playful voice, "and getting schoolchildren to collect his items so he truly can't be killed."

They turned a bend and their voices faded into the darkness, leaving Hermione even more confused than before. Why wouldn't her father just tell her if this was what he was doing? Didn't he trust her?

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