A/N: HI!!! It's been forever since I've updated. I know. And I'm happy to say that I now have a new chapter for you all. I really hope that I've made a good come back. However my computer is out. I will update as soon as possible still. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Thanks to all for your reviews. I'm hoping I don't disappoint you. Love to all!
Disclaimer: All characters and settings used in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. Some settings however are mine.
A Mudblood's Slave
It had been two weeks since Draco and Narcissa Malfoy had had that important conversation about his father, and Draco found he was still very confused about it all. He had never had to make a decision this difficult before. Sure, he'd made some pretty horrendous decisions in his short lifetime but none of them had to do with betraying his blood. He sat at the table ripping wings off of winged scorpions as Hermione stirred his mother's potion. Something had gone wrong in their first attempt and the whole potion had burst into flame and dissolved before their very eyes. Neither Draco, nor Hermione could figure out what they'd done.
"I'm hoping it works this time," Hermione sighed. "Are you done with those?" she asked referring to the winged scorpions, which were now dead and stacked neatly on a wooden cutting board. Their wings, pinchers, legs, tails, and stingers were in a separate pile.
"I think so," Draco muttered thoughtfully.
"Throw the bodies into the potion… This is where we went wrong last time. I think it's because we put the whole scorpion into the cauldron. The directions say only to put the body." Hermione brushed a piece of goat root off of her robes and put her butcher knife down.
"Where did it say that?" Draco asked, walking over to the book and examining the directions.
"It's a note at the bottom of the page. I think we both missed it," Hermione replied. She suddenly appeared next to him and plucked the dead scorpion that he'd been holding, out of his hand. She quickly went and collected the others and dropped them carefully into the cauldron, cringing as she stirred.
"Has it burst into flames yet?" Draco asked, as he came and sat back down at the small round table. The afternoon sun shone in on the small kitchen and Draco looked around with an affection that he'd never felt for any other place that he'd been in his whole life.
"Nope," Hermione said turning and smiling triumphantly at him. "I think we got it this time."
"We should tell mum," Draco said happily standing up, as the color of the potion went from dark red to fiery orange. "Where is she?"
"I don't know," Hermione mused, putting her hands on her hips. "I actually haven't seen her since this morning."
"She's probably just outside or something," Draco said, although his brow was furrowed.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked. "You look worried."
"No," Draco replied absently. "I was just thinking about something." She watched as he stood and exited the kitchen to go outside.
Draco walked slowly around the huge fix-me-up home that Hermione and he had been working on steadily. It was beginning to look like a real home. Hermione had agreed that since it would be much too hard to paint the house seeing as there were three stories, that they would do that part with magic. He'd also talked her into laying down the tile, wood, or carpet, through out the mansion with magic as well. She'd agreed to that after she'd glued her hands to the floor.
"Mum?" Draco called. "Where are you?"
It was silent for a moment and then he heard a high pitched meow come from somewhere in the thick trees that surrounded the residency.
"Mum?" he asked again, this time alarmed. It was the way the meow had sounded. It sounded desperate, almost at the brink of panic. He ran towards the trees calling her over and over again. By the time he found her he practically tripped over her. He found her little body lying amongst the leaves; her snowy white fur now matted with blood.
"Oh my GOD!" Draco shrieked. "MUM!"
Inside the small cottage, Hermione's head shot up at the sound of Draco' s voice. She could hear him yelling frantically. She stood up, her book falling to the floor and ran outside. She hurried towards his yell, only to come face to face with a huge gray wolf. It hunched its back, the fur bristling, as it growled viciously at her. Its sharp teeth were covered in blood, and its chomps were littered with snowy white fur.
Draco suddenly came up behind the wolf, holding a tiny bundle in his arms. Whatever he had, it was wrapped in his over robes. He stood in a T-shirt and Hermione suddenly had a very good idea about what was going on.
"Granger!" he said startled. At the sound of Draco's voice, the wolf turned and looked at him. It brought its head down low to the floor as though it was about ready to pounce. Hermione quickly grasped her wand and bellowed a hex. The wolf froze in its tracks and fell on its side.
Draco stared down at it shocked.
"The potion's ready," Hermione said. Draco didn't say anything. He simply stared at Hermione, his eyes wide and uncomprehending. She walked towards him and cautiously reached out, grasping the hem of Draco's over robe. She then pulled it back to reveal Narcissa's small furry head, the fur matted with red. She drew her hand back quickly as though something had burned her.
"Oh my God!" she said. "Draco we have to get her inside!"
When Draco didn't move, she quickly reached out and grabbed Narcissa's small limp form. She could feel wet spots on the robes where the small cat's blood had seeped through.
"Draco!" Hermione called as she ran towards the cottage. "Come on!"
Draco blinked and when he realized his arms were empty, he hurried after Hermione, leaving the wolf where it lay. He would deal with it after he'd tended to his mother.
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Hermione quickly laid Narcissa in the bathtub and unwrapped her carefully.
"Narcissa?" Hermione asked. The small cat's ear twitched ever so slightly in Hermione's direction. She let out a sigh of relief, seeing as she'd feared the worst for Narcissa Malfoy. Draco came into the bathroom shortly after them, holding a cup of the potion.
"Are you sure it's ready?" Draco asked, setting it down on the rim of the bathtub. Hermione's eyes were closed and she held her hand up for silence as she ran the tip of her wand up and down Narcissa's side. Draco watched as the deep gash in the back of his mother's neck disappeared. He was afraid she'd already lost too much blood.
"It's ready," Hermione said after a few minutes. "Putting in the stingers cuts back on the time it takes for the scorpions to simmer." She looked down at Narcissa, who was breathing deeply, her eyes closed. She reached down and ran her fingertips over Draco's mother's tiny head. Draco looked down at the fiery orange potion, which had flecks of red and yellow. It had the consistency of melted crayon wax but if it worked, then it would've been worth everything.
"Do you think she's going to be alright?" Draco asked, looking down at his mother's small form concerned.
"I hope," Hermione said honestly. "We'll just have to wait and see. She looks like she took a beating.
Draco, suddenly filled with a sharp rage stood, his jaw set, a determined expression seeping into his now cold gray eyes.
"I'll be back in a little while," he mumbled. "Watch over my mum."
On Draco's way out of the cottage, he grabbed his sledgehammer and walked into the yard, with full intentions of killing the beast that had done this to his mother.
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The Night before the Attack on Narcissa MalfoyLucius Malfoy stood in the corner of his dining room, with a glass of Fire Whiskey in his hand. He swirled it casually as he watched his old comrades interact. They talked of the old days and how things had been so grand back then. It was as though they'd blinded themselves intentionally as to their true circumstances. It seemed they'd totally forgotten what sort of position their incompetent leader, Voldemort had left them in. He shook his head with a bitter smirk on his face, just as he was approached by somebody he hadn't seen in a very long time.
"Lucius Malfoy," came that silky smooth voice. "How odd it is to see you back in your home after all this time…"
Lucius chuckled and took a sip of his whiskey. "Delaney Dempsey," Lucius drawled, bringing his shoulders back and lifting his chin ever so slightly. "Pleasant seeing you here… of all people."
Mr. Dempsey held out his left hand to Lucius who stared down at it with slight distaste.
"Oh come now Malfoy," Dempsey said with a soft smile. "Sure we've got water under the bridge but why carry it with you this long? I'm here to make a proposal that I'm very confident you will not be able to refuse."
Lucius took in his long time adversary, comrade, and friend with the same malice he'd had since the two had met. Delaney Dempsey was about six foot, one. And Lucius was proud to know that his own son was now taller than Dempsey was. He didn't know why he was… He just was. Seeing as Lucius himself was only six feet tall.
Delaney had fine black hair that was as straight as the edge of a ruler. It was unruly and fell into his lively brown eyes constantly. His skin was as pale as Lucius' and he had a straight hawk like nose. His jaw line was prominent, as was his chin. His lips were full and smooth. He wore a black trench coat that he'd had for five years or better now, and a pair of combat boots. His shirt was plain and black.
Lucius reached out and took his hand slowly, never breaking his eye contact. Delaney's hand was icy cold in his, even though he'd just been wearing leather gloves, which he'd removed to shake Lucius' hand.
"What have you got for me?" Lucius asked, withdrawing his hand and placing it in his pocket. He took another sip out of his cup as a house elf came up and offered Delaney a refreshment. Delaney waved his hand absently at the house elf, who departed quickly.
"I've heard tonight that your wife is still alive," Delaney said casually examining his nails. Lucius felt his blood go cold.
"And where did you hear that?" Lucius asked trying to keep cool.
"Well," Delaney said. "The others know. I've heard that you have some interest in getting your son and wife back under Malfoy Manor's roof."
"Because this is where they belong," Lucius said simply. "That would only be natural…"
"Yes of course," Delaney replied.
"So what's this proposal you speak of?" Lucius asked. The two were standing in close proximity to each other as they conversed. Lucius swirled his drink inattentively as he listened to Delaney. The other Death Eaters were beginning to notice the two. It wasn't normal for Dempsey and Malfoy to be in the same room together with out trying to rip out each other's Adam's apple. Lucius seemed intrigued with what Delaney was whispering to him. As a matter of fact, he was smirking widely…
"Yes but why would you want to do this for me?" Lucius asked, his brow furrowing momentarily. Delaney chuckled.
"Let's just call it a favor," he replied. "And one day… Who knows? I might ask you to return it."
"I don't know if I trust you with something as important as this," Lucius muttered. He quickly downed the rest of his drink and waved a house elf over. Bronks hurried to his master's side and replaced the fire whiskey quickly.
"Lucius, Lucius, Lucius," Delaney sighed. "Have you really got a choice?"
"There's always more than one option," Lucius said. "I've got to think this through."
"If you say she's at the mudblood's home up on the hill, then your only option is clear," Delaney said with a shark tooth grin. He pulled up his left sleeve to reveal his bare wrist. Dempsey had been a servant of Lord Voldemort in the Dark Lord's time, but he'd never been marked due to his position as a spy. Just as Severus Snape, except Snape had been marked simply because Voldemort had given Severus the time of day. Dempsey was never given that kind of hospitality. But his loyalty had always been questionable and because of that the Dark Lord never trusted him. Fortunately for Dempsey, he'd never been caught doing anything that could have gotten him killed.
"No mark, no Death Eater," Delaney licked his lips. "I can get on the premises and bring her back to you. Draco however… He's going to be a little harder to get my hands on."
"Not just a little harder," Lucius said. "Him and the Granger mudblood have seemed to grow close in the time he's stayed with her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's rubbed off on him. He's beginning to remind me of Potter in his way of thinking. Just the other day he told me I should retire and live the rest of my life clean and free. He thinks that's the way all of the Death Eaters that haven't been captured should be living."
"Riiiight," Delaney murmured his hand on his chin. "It sounds like somebody's gotten under his skin. They've gone and confused him… Would you like me to get rid of this woman as well?"
Lucius looked surprised at this.
"I would kill her myself just as soon as I'd look at her," he replied. "She's meddling. Draco's always been weak. He can't think for himself and-"
"He needs somebody to set him right again?" Delaney asked.
"Yes I suppose that's it," Lucius nodded and sighed. "It's disappointing."
"Yes well, your son has always been a disappointment to you," Delaney muttered.
"Not always," Lucius began. "When he fought alongside me, it was like we bonded in a way that we'd never bonded in before… I was his father for once, not just his teacher and master. We were together… Really together. You know?"
"I can't say that I do, Malfoy," Delaney replied. "I don't have a son. Or any children for that matter."
"You've never even had a woman," Lucius replied smartly. Delaney laughed, letting his head fall back.
"You know that's not true, Lucius," he said with a wide smile. "I've had plenty of women."
"Not any that you've seen steadily," Lucius said, his index finger sticking out as if to enunciate his point.
"Yes, but I did see them," Delaney said winking.
"Naked," Lucius added, brushing a strand of blonde hair out of his gray eyes.
"That's right," Delaney said making a crude jester with his hips.
The two laughed.
"So do you accept my proposal?" he asked Lucius after a moment.
"I don't know," Lucius said finally. "I don't understand your motives."
"Let's call it a jester of peace," Delaney said, raising his eyebrows at Lucius. "Alright? That's all. We've got to start working together if we want our plan to pull through… ALL of us," he replied, turning to face the room with his arms out. The drunken Death Eaters cheered, raising their glasses to the two men in the corner. Delaney turned back to face Malfoy. "Can you accept that as an explanation?"
Lucius studied him for a long time then he nodded.
"Alright. I'll let you do it," he said. "Just don't hurt her."
"And the mudblood?" Delaney asked.
"If the mudblood gets in the way," Lucius said with such malevolence that it startled him for a moment, "You may kill her. If it comes to that, make sure there's nothing left."
Delaney nodded and turned to leave.
"All I needed to know," he said before motioning at a house elf to bring him a drink. He then turned, tapped the rim of his glass against Lucius Malfoy's and turned to mingle with his old 'friends.'
Lucius couldn't shake an awful anxiety that something wasn't quite right after that little conversation. But he let it roll off of his back. He was one step closer to his goals. He then strutted out of the dining room and climbed the stairs to his son's bedroom. He could hear Bronks' wife reading to the girls.
"Misty?" one of the girls said. He believed it was Anya… Although he didn't really like that name for her. Sure they weren't awful names but they weren't their names.
"Yes dear?" he heard the ancient houses elf say.
"Why hasn't our father come to say goodnight?" she asked. Lucius stood outside of the door and out of sight for a moment.
"Your father is being busy with his guests," Misty replied. "He should be coming any time soon Grace."
Lucius smiled at the use of that name.
"Is Grace not happy with Grace's new home?" Misty asked. Lucius frowned for a moment.
"It's not that," the little girl whispered. "Ever since I can remember, I never belonged. Serenity got along with our other daddy a lot more than I did. But I was always having these dreams where I was getting picked up by a man with no face and he was taking me away."
By the sounds of it, the other twin was asleep.
"I always thought that my real family was somewhere far away and that I'd done something bad. I thought they didn't want me anymore so they gave me away to somebody else."
"Oh no young Miss Grace!" Misty said. "Your mummy and daddy is very nice people. They is never giving you away on purpose! They just was not able to take care of you due to the war. Your daddy, Master Malfoy was always being busy with being a hero. But he is never stopping loving you!"
Lucius nodded in approval.
"Why do you call me Grace, Misty?" his daughter asked suddenly. Misty laughed softly and he chanced glancing through the doorway. He found the small house elf stroking his daughter's hair. He figured there may have been at least one or two house elves at their former home. Usually children who'd never seen one before were deathly afraid of them for a while.
"Because Grace is what Master Malfoy and his wife is calling you before you was stolen from them," Misty said. "Your mummy was giving birth to you second, after your sister. Her name was always going to be Linda, ever since the Malfoys be knowing you were on the way."
Lucius finally showed himself.
"Hello," he said quietly. Misty jumped slightly and turned. She got up slowly and bowed before her master, her tattered tea cloth was draped around her bony shoulders loosely.
"Master Malfoy," she said politely. "I is telling Grace why I is not calling her the other name."
"That's fine Misty," Lucius replied. "You may go and take a break. Be back in twenty minutes."
"I is thanking you sir," Misty replied as she hobbled out of the room. Lucius took the small wooden chair next to Draco's old four poster bed. He didn't know it, but Draco had had many a girl in this bed with him. In the most intimate of ways. If he had known, he would've made the girls stay elsewhere.
"Hello Grace," he whispered as to not wake Linda. Grace smiled at him settling into her pillows. Her eyes shone with a curiosity that reminded Lucius much of the twins' mother.
"Hello," she said politely. Her formality worried him a little.
"Aren't you tired?" he asked. She shook her head.
"I was waiting for you to come in and say good night," she whispered back to him. "But I never get tired this early at night. Serenity always falls asleep early and leaves me by myself most nights."
"Her name is Linda," Lucius whispered with a smile. "Serenity is the name your fake parents gave her. Grace is what your mother and I named you."
Grace smiled, her eyelids drooping ever so slightly. Lucius reached out and placed his hand across the small of her back, his whole hand covering her small waist. This was a trick that had worked on Draco when he was only a little boy. He began to rub her back very gently and almost immediately, Grace had fallen asleep, her breathing deep and gentle. He smiled and leaned forward, his cold lips kissing her small forehead. She rubbed her cheek against the silky emerald green sheets and let out a sigh. Lucius stood quietly and walked out of the room. He had business to attend to.
Delaney Dempsey was an Animagus. The animal he took shape as was a huge gray wolf. Lucius would send him to do his work tomorrow. If he succeeded, then Lucius could be reunited with his wife as soon as tomorrow evening.
Lucius thought he might have a good idea as to why Delaney was so willing to help him. But if he turned out to be right, Lucius would deal with Delaney later on. In the past, he'd had his wife do many favors for his fellow Death Eaters to make sure certain deals came through and the transition went smoothly. His wife hadn't been very much inclined to do these certain favors at first but she had eventually seen the importance in keeping Lucius' connections loyal. He knew she'd never liked having to serve so many men, but she'd done it because she loved him. Lucius reentered the Dining hall and was greeted with cheers from his fellow Death Eaters.
For the meantime, he needed Delaney. So he would keep quiet. After all, if his suspicions were correct, it was his own fault. He wasn't worried though. It wouldn't take much to put Dempsey back in to line.
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Draco stormed to where the wolf had been before he'd gone into the cottage, but when he reached the area on the floor, the animal was no longer there. Draco cursed under his breath and went around the mansion to the front gate where he proceeded to check under the porch and in the trees. The creature was no where to be found.
"Fucking lucky," he growled, holding his sledgehammer at his side.
"Malfoy!" someone yelled rudely at him. He looked up to find Potter and Weasley standing at the front gate both glaring at him.
"What?" he asked defensively. He saw the two men study him, both sets of their eyes falling on the sledgehammer last. They then returned their gazes to his face.
"Let us in," Ron snapped. "We've been standing here nearly three minutes while you crawled around on the floor by the porch. One would think you're looking for drugs or something under there."
"Yes, Weasel," Draco jeered. "Because I hide all sorts of drugs under this here porch. I came to get my fix and then go jump in bed with Granger."
Ron turned a bright shade of red at this last comment and just as he was about to retaliate, Harry reached up casually and put his hand over Ron's mouth.
"Smart move, Potter," Draco said with a nod. "If you let him keep talking, you two would be stuck out there until kingdom come."
"Can you just open the gate Malfoy?" Potter snapped. Clearly both of his childhood adversaries, now fully grown mature adult enemies, were in really foul moods this afternoon.
"I don't know Potter," Draco said, strutting over to the gate. "What's in it for me?"
"I won't shove my foot up your arse!" Ron bellowed before Harry covered his mouth again. Draco raised his eyebrows at Ronald.
"Do you remember the conversation we had about your homosexual tendencies Weasel?" Draco asked with an evil grin. Ron began to wrestle with Harry once more to get free.
"I think they're starting to show again. You'd like to shove something up my arse wouldn't you?" Draco finished, chuckling. Ron finally wrenched Harry's hand away from his mouth.
"Just open the bloody gate Malfoy!" he shrieked at him. Draco smiled.
"No… I don't think I will," he replied turning to walk away.
"We need to talk to you about your father," Harry blurted out finally, stopping Draco in his tracks. He turned slowly.
"What about my father Potter?" Draco asked.
"If you let us in, we can tell you," Harry replied. Draco took a few hesitant steps towards the gate, before he stopped and shook his head.
"I can't just let any one in Potty," Draco drawled. "I have to go confer with my mistress."
"We're her best friends!" Ron yelled at the blonde. "I'm sure she'll be fine with us visiting."
"Maybe she doesn't like you any more Weasley," Draco replied, setting the head of his sledgehammer down, leaning on the handle. "You really don't rub her the right way."
"Like you'd know," Weasley said with a derisive laugh.
"I do know," Draco said with an evil sneer. "She talks to me."
"She talks to us too, Malfoy," Harry said.
"Probably," Draco said with a shrug. "But it's likely that you haven't even heard of the things she's told me."
The two men looked worried.
"I'm sure she won't mind," Harry said.
"One can never be too sure Potty," Draco replied mockingly. "Hold tight. I'll be back before the sun sets."
"I'll kill him," Ron growled as Harry sat down on a rock that sat beside the heavy gates.
"He won't leave us here all afternoon," Harry said, although he sounded very uncertain.
A/N: Hope you liked this new chapter. I have more coming. Review. Tell me what you think and all that good stuff.