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Secrets Chap 2

Incessant knocking pulled the girl from her thoughts, shoving the note back into her pocket Hermione rises from her seat and goes to answer the door. Gripping her wand tightly she glances out the peephole before cursing and throwing the door open. "What do you think you are doing?" Hermione hisses out backing out of the way as Severus Snape drags a sopping wet Draco Malfoy into her house and out of the rain.

"He failed to fulfill his mission, thus he needs a safe place to hide." Snape drawls out, drying both himself and his godson as Hermione hurriedly closes and locks her door.

The Gryffindor glares at him before pursing her lips as she takes in Draco's shivering form. "Put him by the fire for now, I'll make tea." She states turning away before anything else can be said. The automatic movements of putting a kettle on calmed the woman and allowed her mind to examine the new development. Turning from the stove she crosses her arms over her chest and examines the wizard hovering in her kitchen doorway. "Explain."

"No one will think to look for him here." Severus comments glancing back towards the drawing room before stepping closer and lowering his voice. "He needs someone to keep him safe, to give him a chance. Narcissa begged me to protect him, and as his cousin you are the best protection I could think of on short notice."

Hermione scowls and turns her back on Severus as she reaches for the tin of tea leaves in her cupboard. "He has other cousins." She states stiffly freezing when she feels the man press against her as he grabs the tea tin for her.

Setting the tin on the counter Severus turns the witch to face him. "You are the only Black member unknown to the rest of the world."

"Then I suppose we're lucky that bastards aren't shown on the family tapestry." Hermione comments tugging a strand of hair before tucking it behind her ear. "He can stay, but you have to tell him to listen to me. Everything we're doing is too important to be risked by a spoiled child."

Severus nods and glances at the kettle as it begins to whistle. "I can only stay a short time, even now I should be leaving."

"Talk to him first, then go. I take it his things are still at Hogwarts?" Hermione asks grabbing the kettle off, at Snape's nod she lets out a breath and arranges the tea tray. "Good, I'll have them brought here." Suddenly feeling physically drained the witch levitates the tea tray to float ahead of her rather than carry it. Knowing the Snape would follow she hurries to where Draco was, frowning slightly when she sees Crookshanks curled in the boy's lap. "Your room is upstairs, second on the left. It has a blue comforter on the bed and I'll have your Hogwarts things brought here soon." She states sitting the tray on the table and dutifully dealing out the drinks before straightening and glancing between the two Slytherins. "There's something I have to do, now before anything else happens. I'll be back shortly." Offering only a nod she turns and apparates from the house.

Reappearing on a grimy dark street Hermione tightens her collar against the torrential rain and rushes to her family's home slipping into the dark house unseen by muggles. Carefully making her way around the troll-leg umberella stand Hermione grips her wand and dries herself before making her way down the long hall. Only to stop in the kitchen doorway when she sees the wizard reclining at the kitchen table.

"Don't just stand there, come in, take a seat." The man states his gray eyes watching her as she slowly sits down. "You're the second guest I've had tonight, the first was a thief. Of course, I made sure to relieve him of the family silver before I obliviated him ."

The witch purses her lips and eyes the man's wand as she slowly takes a seat. "You seem to be rather good at Memory charms, or so I'm told." She comments keeping a tight grip on her wand as she observes the man known as Regulus Black. A first glance he might pass for a healthy, slightly less handsome Sirius Black, the brothers obviously shared looks from their gray eyes to their curly black hair. The curls being the main feature she inherited from her father. They even shared a fashion sense, she notes saying nothing as Kreacher places food and drinks infront of them.

"Kreacher is sorry for offence given, mistress." The house elf states grudgingly. "But the blood-traitor was suspicious of you."

Hermione blinks at the elf in surprise. "Of course you had to keep up appearances but, you knew? You knew who I was all along? And how could Sirius be suspicious of anything?"

However, it was Regulus that answered. "You look like your mother, though Kreacher's told me that you share some of my personality as well. As to why he knew the truth, well it was incase anything did happen to me." The man stated before slowly eating a biscuit. "And Sirius, well, he knew I was seeing Alysia Diggory."

"Yes, but you obliviated the doctor and nurse, made them think she died during a miscarriage." Hermione points out ignoring her food as she slowly loosens her grip on her wand. "Everyone believed it, Eldritch Diggory was so grieved by his daughter's death that he quit the Minister of Magic position that he had held for ten years. Even Amos took a leave of work to deal with his sister's death."

Regulus shrugs before shoving a curl out of his face. "That might be true, but Sirius knew it was my illegitimate child she carried, the fact that it happened at a muggle hospital and only a month before I died seemed suspicious to him. Especially since I was having second thoughts about being a Death Eater, and then you come along; the right age, looks and personality. I'm surprised he never confronted anyone about it, he was never known for his patience."

"The locket, do you have it?" Hermione asks trying to change the subject as she pulls out his crumpled note and pushed it towards the man.

The Black heir nods and reaches for the note, smirking when he reads it over. "I wish He had been the one to read this. After the Inferi attack I was unable to do anything for a while, I had died briefly, thus my name on the family tree showed I was dead. For once in my life I was free, so I checked on you with your… muggle parents, before heading off to find what effectively destroys dark objects. When I tried to come home I couldn't find it, it was only after Dumbledore died that I could remember where Grimmauld Place was. However, I'll be moving into another Black estate tonight, to escape any surprise drop ins. Once I'm settled I'll destroy the locket."

"Well, it looks as though you have it all worked out and you won't be needing me." Hermione states pushing away from the table and rising. "No matter how long this talk may be overdue I have other pressing matters to attend. I hope that you remember where my parents house was, should you need me I'll be there. However be warned that, apparently, I'm to serve as a halfway-house for rogue family members, Draco Malfoy has taken up residence in my guest room. I will find out whether he has been made aware of our relation once I go home. And Kreacher, if it's not difficult could you please fetch Draco's things from Hogwarts and bring them to me? He'll be needing clothes if he is to stay."

The house elf bows low before disappearing with a crack.

Hermione glances at her father once more. "If you had shown yourself sooner then perhaps Sirius would still be alive." She comments softly no real accusation in her voice.

"He might still be." Regulus comments, at his daughter's look he taps the side of his forehead. "Think Hermione, did he fall into the Veil before the Avada hit him, or after?"

Hermione stared at her father unable to fully process what her father had just hinted. Wracking her brain the witch tried to remember how everyone explained Sirius' death. "I don't know, no one said exactly, I'll have to ask…" Trailing off the witch stares at her father. "Good luck on your Horcrux hunt, keep me updated please. I'll do what I can with everything I have. Thank you." She says finally, Regulus nods and rises from his seat offering her his arm before walking his daughter from his childhood home.

Please Review.

I must admit, I was surprised by this chapter suddenly hitting me and while it may seem as fast paced you have to remember that this is Hermione's first meeting with her sire. I'd be a bit uncomfortable too. Also, for those of you who noticed Hermione's mother is a Diggory, making Cedric her cousin. Alysia is the only Diggory I created the others including her father are real though it never says how close a relation Amos and Eldritch have or what years Eldritch is Minister. In the Minister of Magic list there is no name for ruling of 1969 to 1979 and ten years is not strange when placed against other Ministers so I gave that to Eldritch and made him Alysia and Amos' father. Alysia died giving birth but to hide his daughter Regulus obliviated the nurses and doctors making them think she miscarried instead.