Hermione had always been an early riser and today was no exception. She awoke as six and gently removed herself from her husband's arms. She walked silently to the window and looked out. She could see the sun rising. After a few minutes her stomach growled loudly. With everything that went on she hadn't been hungry last night at dinner, but she now found that she was starving. Hermione looked back at Draco who had grabbed a pillow after she left. He seemed perfectly content.
Although she had never been to the house before, Hermione thought she had seen the kitchens on the way to the dining room. If she waited a couple of hours she knew that Draco would show her the way, but she was really hungry and didn't have the heart to wake him so early.
Hermione quickly got dressed and quietly tiptoed out of the room and into the hallway. Several staircases and hallways later she was thoroughly confused. She thought she had come the same way as the previous night, but it seemed she was nowhere near the dining room.
In fact she was completely lost. All of the hallways looked the same: same carpet, same doors on either side, same paintings. Nearly every portrait was of a blond-haired man who looked very smug. Only one painting really stood out to Hermione and that was because the person in it appeared to be holding up a severed head. Most of the paintings seemed to laugh at her. A few shouted insults while others slept.
A slight panic arose in Hermione as she tried to figure out what to do. It reminded her a little of her first day in Hogwarts only there were no helpful older students here. She slammed her fist into the wall in frustration and then jumped when a voice reprimanded her.
"Tut, tut!" the voice exclaimed, "That's hardly the way a woman such as yourself should act."
She turned to the portrait that had spoken and examined it. The man in it had shoulder length platinum blond hair and what Hermione thought of as the typical Malfoy smirk lingering on his lips. His bright green eyes looked at her appraisingly as she looked at him.
"What do you mean by that!" Hermione demanded.
The man seemed to be enjoying her frustration, "I mean simply that you are a Malfoy and should behave as such. You never saw my wife wandering around, banging on walls."
"Well I'm lost in this stupid, ridiculously large house and I'm starving, so forgive me for showing my annoyance." Hermione all but shouted at him.
"Forgiven." He smirked.
"Oh I give up!" she exclaimed turning away from the portrait, "If you're not going to help me I'm leaving."
"And you'll find your way by randomly choosing hallways? If that's what you want then go ahead, but who said I wasn't going to help you?"
Hermione turned back round, "Why would you help me? You obviously don't like me."
"My dear if I didn't at least find you intriguing we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I would be pretending to be asleep while I secretly enjoyed your situation. From what I've heard you're exceptionally smart and Lucius loathes you. I'll admit your heritage and intelligence are somewhat of a turnoff, but I have always despised my nephew and I think he would be quite pleased if you perished from hunger in the hall. Naturally therefore I feel it is necessary that you survive this experience in order to bother dear Lucius with your existence for many more days. Follow me."
With that he slid from his painting to the next one and waited impatiently for the girl to follow. In a matter of minutes Hermione found herself in the kitchens. The man from the portrait had left her at the door saying, "Good luck finding your way back. I'm not helping you twice. I don't like you that much."
As she looked around she noticed two house elves. One was cooking something that smelled delicious while the other washed dishes. They looked up from their tasks as she entered and asked her what she wanted. She told them and they quickly began making it.
She was just about to offer to help (she still hadn't completely gotten over S.P.E.W) when she heard someone else enter the room. It was Lucius and he did not look happy.
"Ah, dear Hermione, I see that you have found the kitchens." he said coldly.
"Nothing escapes you…sir." she replied with equal venom.
He took a step towards her and she instinctively stepped backwards. This seemed to amuse him greatly. He continued to approach her until she backed into a wall. His height loomed over her.
"Let me be frank with you Ms. Granger. I did not invite you here. That you married my son is a disgrace to the Malfoy family name." he said in a dangerously quiet voice, "I just want you to be clear that should something tragic happen to you I would be overjoyed and I have the perfect pure-blood witch for Draco to marry in your place."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly at the implied threat. She was surprised to find that this early in the morning she could smell alcohol on his breath. She glanced behind him and noticed the house elves had silently left the room. She was alone with him and more than a little worried.
He stepped closer to her then closing the distance between them. He placed a hand on either side of her head and brought his mouth to her ear.
"I do see why Draco is attracted to you though." he whispered, gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, "You are quite beautiful for a mudblood bitch."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she repressed a shudder. She quickly slapped his hand away and made a move to duck under his arm but he grabbed her wrists in an iron grip forcing her to remain where she was.
"I'm not afraid of you!" Hermione exclaimed, but it sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
"Is that so?" Lucius inquired raising an eyebrow, his tone mocking, "I had been told you were smart; it seems someone lied."
There was a moment of tense silence and then an angry voice shouted from the doorway, "What's going on in here!"
So what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Let me know. I know that it's been awhile and I'm sorry. Life had me busy.