4 weeks later.
Hermione was being haunted. Everywhere she turned she found herself confronted by her past. The memories of her friends, the life she use to lead.
The life he had taken from her.
The past few weeks had been a struggle, but once she got her feet on the ground she managed to pull through.
The day after her stay at the shelter, Hermione had begun work on her potions. She could never use her wand, so potions were her only hope.
She only really needed one potion in particular.
Hermione had spent years working on it, starting in her second year of school and completing it on her 21st birthday. She had managed to recreate the imperius curse in liquid form.
They didn't call her the brightest witch of her age for nothing!
When she had finished creating the potion she found an apartment and met with the landlady. When she wasn't looking Hermione put a drop in the lady's tea and within the hour Hermione had her own apartment rent-free. Hermione felt a little bad, but she had no choice. She needed a place to stay.
The past 4 weeks had been tough and busy but it had all paid off. She was in her small but nice apartment, with bits of furniture here and there. Over time she would fill it up but for now she was happy.
She didn't like to venture far from her new home. She suspected Malfoy would have his scouts out and Hermione couldn't risk being caught. She would have to stay out of trouble.
Hermione went and stood in her kitchen. She made herself some tea and just waited around. It was late at night, but she wasn't tired. She found it hard to sleep.
She walked out of the kitchen and went to sit on her lounge. As she was sitting there was a knock on her door.
Hermione jumped out and reached for her wand but came up empty handed.
She forgot she had placed it in a box and hid it in her room.
She walked up to the door slowly and looked through the peephole.
It was her neighbor. The very hot, single neighbor she heard the others whispering about. His dark brown hair was messily swept to the side, his deep blue eyes staring at her through the small glass.
She opened the door just enough for her head to fit through.
"Can I help you?" She questioned. What could he possibly want at this hour?
"Hi… I've locked myself out, can I use your phone?" He asked innocently enough.
Hermione frowned and sighed quietly. She opened the door fully and allowed him to come in.
"Phones just there" She said as she pointed in its general direction.
He thanked her and he then made his call.
Hermione watched silently, her body stiff and on guard.
She didn't know this person. She couldn't trust him. What if he was a spy? Someone sent here to kill her?
She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts.
She knew she was getting way too paranoid.
He hung up the phone and turned to face her.
"Thanks, my brother has my spare, he's on his way," He said with a smile.
"No problem" Hermione said nicely, even though her voice was strained.
" My names Mike by the way. I've seen you around, you just moved in right?" Mike asked.
"Hermione. And yeah, almost 4 weeks now. I'm still settling in as you probably noticed" Hermione replied.
" I understand. It took me a good two months to settle in when I moved. You're doing better than me," He said with a laugh.
Hermione laughed with him, and felt herself growing more comfortable with him. If he was going to kill her he would have done it by now.
"Would you like some tea? I just made a fresh pot," Hermione offered.
"Why not? You can tell me more about yourself," He said as he followed her into the kitchen.
Hermione poured him a cup of tea as he asked more questions.
"So, how old are you, got any family around here?" Mike asked as he sipped his tea.
"24, and no. It's just me" Hermione replied.
"Must be tough living away from them?" He asked not realizing the change in her demeanor.
"Yeah it is. Look, its late I might head of to bed" Hermione said, a touch of sadness entering her voice.
Mike noticed.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to –"
"No its fine. I really am just tired" Hermione said quickly.
"Okay well, how about we get a coffee tomorrow and I can show you around?" He offered.
"Um... I don't know…" Hermione trailed.
"My treat! C'mon, my way of saying thanks for letting me use your phone" Mike said as he tried to convince her.
"Okay tomorrow then I guess," She said with a small smile.
"Great, I'll come and get you tomorrow lets say 5pm?" Mike said and Hermione agreed.
"Goodnight Mike"
"Night Hermione"
Mike left the apartment and Hermione locked the door behind him.
Well that was different to what I was expecting, she thought as she walked to her room. She lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come and collect her.
"Well? Have you found her?" Draco shouted to his men, "How hard could it fucking be?"
"She isn't using any magic, it's harder than we thought" One of the men said.
" Put more men on the job then. I want people on every corner in London, I want her found!" He roared as he smashed his fist down on the table, causing some of the men to jump slightly.
"Yes sir" The men said in unison and then they left, leaving just one behind
Blaise Zabini.
" How hard is it to find one stupid girl?" Draco asked more to himself than to Blaise.
" I think we both know this girl isn't stupid. It's going to be tough finding her mate" Blaise said quietly and Draco sighed loudly.
" I had her Blaise. I was this close to killing her and then she set me on fucking fire" Draco said angrily.
Blaise just laughed.
"You have to admit that it's pretty funny. The Great Draco Malfoy being lit on fire" Blaise said still laughing a little.
"Ha ha very funny Blaise, I'm pissing myself with laughter" Draco said very sarcastically.
Blaise just laughed even harder and Draco just rolled his eyes.
"On a different note, what are we going to do about you know what" Blaise asked, his voice lowered to just a whisper as a precaution.
" Don't worry about that just yet. When the time is right is I will make the final move. Things are looking good Blaise" Draco reassured his friend.
" That's good… I was starting to get nervous. On a different note I noticed you've cleaned the manor up" Blaise said changing the topic.
"Yeah… it had to be done. Too many memories of my parents" Draco said with a hint of sadness as he closed his eyes.
Flash Back
The dark room was empty apart from the two figures in the center of the room.
"There is one thing you must do before you can be part of our circle young Draco" The Dark Lord said to a kneeling Draco.
"Anything my Lord" Draco said quickly. He would do anything the Dark Lord asked of him.
The Dark Lord smiled evilly.
"You must kill Lucius"
Draco paused for a small moment.
"Yes My Lord" Draco said. He never liked his Father. Killing him wouldn't be so hard.
"And your Mother"
Draco's insides froze. He couldn't kill his Mother. He just couldn't. He loved his mother, always protected her when his father was violent. He couldn't kill her.
"My Lord, I don't understand?" Draco said slowly. He knew he shouldn't question the Dark Lord but he just couldn't kill his mother.
"This will be the true test Draco. You will kill your father easily. Your mother on the other hand… you care for her deeply. If you kill her, then I will know how true you are to the cause. This will prove your loyalty to me," The Dark Lord explained.
Draco raised his head slightly and looked at his Lord.
"I will prove my worth My Lord"
End Flash Back
"We all had tests Draco" Blaise said sympathetically.
" I know" Draco acknowledged, " I got rid of almost everything"
" Almost everything?" questioned Blaise.
" Everything except for this" Draco said as he pulled the little orb from his pocket. Over the past few weeks the light coming from the orb grew stronger, but it was still dim. It would take sometime for it to fully glow at this pace, but Draco didn't care all that much. He didn't even know what the damn thing was, and yet he couldn't throw it away.
He placed it on the table in front of him and looked up at Blaise.
Blaise leaned forward, his hands reaching out to grab the orb.
He looked over at Draco and then realized something.
"You don't know what this is do you?" Blaise asked as he rolled the orb in his palm.
"No idea" Draco replied.
" Merlin, you're fucked now Draco" Blaise said grimly.
Chapter 3 complete.
Thanks for the reviews.
Ezmaye Ezmaye