Hello again! :3 Wow, when I checked my email this morning it was like BAM! Haha. There's like seventeen alerts already! Woah, thats almost up to my other stories that have like four chapters(almost)! I only got four reviews, but thats good too! So, this chapter is dedicated to:
Eryk Lestrange, native-kitten, IGOTEAMEDWARD, and anangelwithnoname
Thankies, guys! So, here we go~
Chapter One
A Summer's Night
Hermione had always hated August. August was the month that kept her from September, October, and all those good months at school. It also stretched the wait before her birthday. It was particularly hot outside that day, her sweat sticking to her pale skin as she arrived home from a day out in London. Scratch that -Diagon Alley-.
The small house she called home was sitting at the end of a lively street, muggle children playing happily as their parents looked on from afar. Hermione smiled and hummed a tune to herself. She lived with her parents in a town a small ways away from London.
"Hey, Mione!" A neighbor called to her. Hermione waved back at the lady, who had bright red hair tied in a bun, and was wearing an apron. "Tell Katherine I said hello, will you? I haven't seen her since our last card game."
Hermione nodded as she finally reached her home, it's lawn sprinkled with lawn gnomes and faeries. Her mother always had adored everything and anything magickal. Having a witch for a daughter, you'd think she'd be more excited. She wasn't.
"You have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" An eleven-year-old Hermione sung out. "Mum, I always knew there was something different about me and- and look at this!" She waved the letter in her mother's agape face.
"Mum? You alright?" Katherine turned deathly pale and fainted.
Her father's reaction had been a tiny bit better. Just a bit.
"Mum, dad, I'm home." Hermione muttered, slipping off her shoes. She tore off her socks and put them in her sneakers, before heading into the kitchen. It was a larger kitchen, pots and pans hanging from the walls, with an island in the middle.
Katherine Granger moved noisily around the kitchen, with chocolate smeared across her concentrated face. Her glassed fell down the bridge of her nose, whilst her curly brown hair was all over the place. Hermione was the spitting image of her.
"Mum." Hermione said loudly, gaining her mother's attention. Katherine's gaze snapped to her daughter's. Her light blue eyes were the only difference between them.
"Mione, love!" The older woman squeaked, running to hug her daughter. The chocolate frosting mashed into Hermione's red tank top.
Katherine pulled back and looked her daughter up and down. "Dear, it must be hot outside. Your all wet." Hermione blushed and nodded. "It's in the nineties."
Katherine frowned and returned to her baking. "Good thing I'm in here baking all day." Hermione giggled. She always found it funny how her mother loved to bake, but both her parents were highly paid dentists.
"What are you making anyways?" Hermione asked, leaning on the island and sticking her finger into a bowl of chocolate frosting.
Katherine pouted. "I'm baking a few dozen cupcakes for Bree's daughter's birthday party tomorrow."
Hermione nodded and licked the chocolate off her finger. Bree was her mother's best friend, the lady with the flaming red hair. They and the other neighborhood ladies had formed some type of cooking, card-playing, housewife club.
Eh.
"So, how was your day, Mione?" Katherine asked absentmindedly, checking the cupcakes inside the oven. Hermione sighed. "Fine, I guess."
"What's wrong? You don't sound fine." Hermione pursed her lips. "It's August. I hate August." Katherine chuckled but said nothing.
Hermione was about to say something when a ring sounded from the stove. "Oh, dinners ready then!" Katherine said happily skipping towards a boiling pot. "Mione, dear, go get your dad. We're having his favorite tonight."
"Mhhm." Hermione said quietly, then made her way upstairs to get her father. He was in his study, as usual. She knocked on the door slightly and heard the ruffle of papers from inside the dimly lit room. After few moments, Brayden Granger appeared.
"Hey, sweet-pea." He said, with a grin on his face. "Hello, father." Hermione said, raising a brow at him suspiciously. "Dinner's ready. Mum made your favorite." Brayden's grin grew larger.
"Good! I'm starved." He stepped around his daughter and towards the stairs. Hermione stared at the study. Never once in her entire life had she been in there. Not once. It was one of the biggest rules of the house, and Hermione was a very obedient child.
But, now she was curious. What were they hiding from her?
"Come along, sweets!" Brayden called from the bottom of the stairs. Reluctantly, Hermione moved her feet from their spot and carried them to dinner.
All throughout dinner her parents questioned her about the wizarding world.
As always. "How is that friend of yours, Harry is it?" Katherine asked quietly, passing her husband some mashed potatoes.
Hermione nodded. "Oh, um, he's fine... I guess. His uncle, Sirius, has just passed away."
Katherine tutted. "Oh, well, poor boy. How did the man die?" Hermione bit her lip.
"Erm, well he was, uhh..."
"Spit it out, Mione. The stories you tell us are quite amusing." He smiled at his wife. "as if they were right out of a book!" Hermione laughed nervously.
"I believe he was killed by, his cousin who had escaped from jail, s-sir." Katherine looked taken aback.
"Bellatrix?" She gasped. The awful women's name coming from her mother's beautiful mouth felt so wrong to Hermione. Like they shouldn't even be in the same vocabulary.
"How'd you know?" Katherine blinked, and then leaned back into their white leather chair.
"Didn't you mention her last year too, mione?" Hermione pondered this for a moment.
"Oh, I suppose I did. Yeah." Katherine smiled, and then stood. She gathered the plates and asked sweetly, "Anybody care for some cupcakes?"
Hermione nodded slightly. Her father was staring intently at her. "What are you doing at this school of yours? Fighting goblins and such nonsense?"
Hermione snorted. "Goblins? Really, father?" Brayden chuckled lightly. "But really, what are you kids up to?"
Hermione frowned. They never really seemed interested in her personal affairs, besides academics, since she started Hogwarts.
"Well, being normal witch and wizard teens, I suppose." Brayden seemed somewhat convinced. Katherine came floating into the dining room, placing a tray of cupcakes and the table. Hermione reached from one and brought it to her mouth.
Ah, bliss. What could be better then chocolate?
"Are you excited for your birthday, Hermione?" Katherine asked, taking a small bite out of her own cupcake. Hermione nodded and swallowed. "Mhmm. Finally seventeen!" She said proudly. Almost an adult.
Hermione was a year old then most of her friends. They were born in 1980, whilst she was born in 79. She started the same year as them, for whatever reason.
"Almost an adult..." Katherine murmured, glancing worriedly at her husband.
She'd be at Hogwarts for her birthday, as always. Her parents always made sure to send her wondrous gifts, though. Harry, Ron, and Ginny usually threw a little-
"Oh, before it slips my mind, I'm going to spend the rest of the summer with Ron and his family. Hope you don't mind, but I promised."
Katherine frowned. "Hermione, I don't think thats such a good idea, what with your seventeenth birthday approaching..."
Hermione stared. "They need me, mum."
"For what?" Brayden asked, eying his daughter carefully. Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry but I have to go against you all on this. It's important to me."
Katherine gave her husband a look, and then put an arm on his shoulder. Her gaze was steady. "I think it's time we told her."
Hermione's eyes widened in confusion. Told her what?
"Hermione, love, we have to tell you something." Brayden explained, standing. "We shall talk in he office. Katherin stood up as well, followed by her daughter.
Why couldn't they just tell her in the dinning room? What was going on? Her curiosity was eating her alive.
Her father opened the oak door that connected to the study. Shakily, she stepped in, following her parents.
Newspaper articles hung everywhere. The Daily Prophet. Articles on the Dark Lord, Bellatrix LeStrange, Maeve deaths, Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and even some about herself. There were so many moving pictures it overwhelmed her.
On the desk in the far corner were books stacked high with familiar titles.
Hogwarts, A History.
Her throat was dry. So her parents were eerily obsessed with the Wizarding world? No big deal, most muggles who get a glimpse of Magick never want to let go. What really got under her skin though, was that most of the articles were about Death Eaters. The Dark Arts. He-who-should-not-be-named.
Voldemort. Bellatrix.
What was this, a shrine? The few pictures of her, Ron, and Harry stared back at her.
"So, you guys are a little obsessed, it's okay, most muggles get like that."
Katherine shook her head, and gently took her daughter's hands into her own. "Hermione, we aren't muggles. Not really."
Hermione's eyes widened. "What do you mean? O-of course you are!" She almost laughed.
Brayden sighed and retreated to the desk. Hermione watched him open a drawer and pull out two wands. She gasped in horror and fell to the floor.
"No...no. That's not possible, I..." She covered her mouth. How could they lie to her like this? Katherine hugged Hermione closer to her.
"You don't understand, Mione." She begged for forgiveness. "We couldn't bare to lose you." Hermione stumbled away. "What are you talking about?"
Brayden put his hands on her shoulders. "Voldemort would have corrupted you, had he gotten his hands on you." He said firmly, his eyes flaring. Hermione stared in shock.
"What were you two doing mixed up with him?" She hissed. Katherine scowled. "Do not speak of the Dark Lord so lowly. I know he can be very terrifying at times, sweetie, but he is still very important to your father and I."
Hermione fell to the floor. "Why did you want to protect me from your precious lord then, mum? If he is so close to your hearts?"
Katherine sunk to her knees, and crawled closer to Hermione. "We hold you closer to our hearts, Hermione. If he knew someone of your stature and power was born. Someone with such influence the moment she was conceived, he would have taken you from us. Robbed you of your childhood."
She sat back, her palms behind her, looking much(to Hermione's horror) like Bellatrix. "I guess we were being rather selfish." She shrugged, then smiled. "But we can also make it up to him."
Hermione was having a mental breakdown. She edged away from her parents, as if they were the enemy.
"H-how could you?" Her parents were always the most kind people she knew. "What about all your muggle friends? Bree?"
Her mothers eyes went cold. "They were necessary for the act. No one would suspect us if we were muggles. So, we moved here, changed our names and made us seem less attractive. Muggle dentists." She snorted. Her father seemed a bit more effected.
"It was the safest way to assure you grew up with some chance of happiness." He said quietly.
"I'm so happy now, aren't I?" Hermione spat. "I don't even know who I am."
"Oh, that's simple. Your Hermione Jean Maeve. I am Catrina Anne Maeve, and your father here is Bryson Taylor Maeve."
What was happening to this world. "You aren't going back to him, are you?" Catrina, her identity now known frowned.
"Well, the entire wizarding world thought we were dead. " She glanced at Bryson. "It will be tough to explain that, now won't it?"
Bryson nodded, and joined them on the floor. "We could always say we needed a small break. Perhaps, to get away from the press to raise our daughter. Mm, yes the ministry will be as pleased as Voldemort, wont they?" It made Hermione sick how they were on first name basis with the horrible person declared a Lord.
There was no way this was happening.
"W-wouldn't coming back put me in danger?" Hermione asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Oh no., I doubt it." Catrina said lightly. " Your all grown up now. You can make your own decisions. Whether you follow the Dark Lord or not is all up to you. We can't force you."
Hermione was taken aback. So, they weren't going to force her to be a Death Eater? They weren't going to whisk her away to some secret hideout to be trained and beaten?
"But, wouldn't he, he-"
Bryson sighed. "Hunny, we are too much on his good side for him to even consider attempting to force you or torture you. The only way you were in danger as a child was because your mind was still being molded and very impressionable. Didn't want to force anything upon you."
Hermione blinked, and stared at them. "So, what you're saying is you two are loyal Death Eaters?" They nodded. "But you wanted to raise me away from the pressure...in hopes of what?"
"We wanted you to make the choice yourself, Mione. We'd hope'd that you'd be a Slytherin and transition into the Death Eater position, but fate had not smiled upon us. We never gave up hope you'd join the Dark Side."
Hermione said nothing.
"A loyal Death Eater, is one that chooses it freely." Catrina smiled. "Belly said that." Hermione didn't even ask. Her head was throbbing and her throat ached.
"I think I'm gon be sick..." She mumbled.
"Oh, dear, would you like me to make you some chicken noddle sup?" Catrina said fondly. "One of the best muggle inventions..."
"How am I going to tell my friends?" Hermione asked herself, pressing the balls of her hands to her eyes. Her mother rubbed her back supportively.
"Don't worry. We will be announcing it to the wizarding world soon enough."
Hermione moaned. "What are you, celebrities?"
Bryson grinned. "I'm surprised you haven't heard, what with all your brains. Mother's side I suppose. Why don't you look us up?"
Hermione kept her mouth shut. She was still having much trouble taking it all in. How was this even physically possible?
How could she be pure blood? How could her parents be Death Eaters! For merlin's sake!
She must have been a horrible person in a past life. She could already imagine the looks on all her classmates faces. Urgh, Draco would probably die. Though, that wasn't such a bad thought. Stupid git.
Wait, why was she thinking about that prat in an emergency like this?
She sat with her parents quietly on the study's wooden floors. No one spoke for a good few minutes.
"What are your plans?" She asked after a while. Catrina started grinning. "Well, we were planning on moving back to our old home. Oh, Mione, you would love it! Such a beautiful place! A nice, small town with lots of witches and wizards, oh yes, but anyways, after that we will get in touch with Voldemort and see what he has to say." Hermione's stomach twisted in a knot.
"He will probably welcome us back, but will be a little ticked." Bryson added. "By this time, though, you will be with your friends. A little before you start school we will announce our return, as well as your identity." He smiled apologetically. "Voldemort will most likely seek you out, but you have every right to refuse."
"But we want you to seriously think about it." Catrina added hopefully. "After the time away, you will come see us during the holidays and have cleared your head."
That sounded good to Hermione right about now. Time away from all this.
"Remember Mione, that no matter what side you choose we will always be your parents and will always love you." Bryson said soothingly.
"Even if we do end up killing some of your friends or their family members." Catrina said, sighing. That gave Hermione disturbing thoughts. She thought about the situation for a while.
It was all complicated and twisty and she didn't like this situation one bit. But they were her parents. They gave her life.
"Although I do not approve of your beliefs or actions, I will not shun you or shut you out. I also must say I will most definitely not join the Dark Side, either." Catrina frowned. "You are my parents, and I love you. That's all that matters."
This was not going to end well. Her parents were close to Voldemort, and she was in the Golden Trio. Someone was going to die, and lines would be drawn, pushed, probed, and eventually crossed. No one would like it.
But she was too upset to care. She hugged her parents tightly, for it may had been the last time.
"We ask one thing of you, Hermione." Said girl hiccuped.
"Tell no one where we stand. If you keep this secret, we will do our best to make sure you and your friends stay safe."
The pleading look in her father's eye told Hermione he was truthful. She nodded stiffly. A single tear fell down her cheek and into her mouth.
It tasted salty. Nothing at all like chocolate.
Her parents left her there after an hour. Their happy voices echoed through the halls. Hermione let out a silent sob, her shoulders shaking. This was horrible. Terrible! Her world was falling apart. After a few more minutes, she eventually got up and left the study and went to her own room.
Slowly and solemnly she packed up her stuff into her trunk. She was crying the entire time. She tossed the trunk out first. She wished her parents the best of luck in whatever they did, and climbed out her window, climbing down the vines.
She hit the ground with a soft thud.
The young witch grabbed her trunk, and tugged it down the road of her childhood home.
"Blessed be." She said under her breath, never looking back.
END
So, what do you guys think? (: Next chapter will be more on the Malfoy/ LeStrange side. When people first discover the Maeves are alive and Hermione is out there. Oh, Bellatrix will be very livid. hehe.
Review, pwease!