Chapter 9: Humanization

Hermione's heart pounded as she watched Snape disappear into the blackness. She knew her life would soon be over. Snape would tell Voldemort of her whereabouts, or worse, he would tell Malfoy. Malfoy would be more than furious to know that his obsession was hiding under his own roof this whole time.

What were her options? Run? Hide? None of those would work with the summoning bracelet on. The second Malfoy called for her she would instantly be at his side, so running and hiding were futile. She was doomed.

She needed to find a way to take the bracelet off of her, and quick.

Hermione ran down to the kitchens faster than she ever thought was possible. She pulled out what looked to be the sharpest and most dangerous knife and began to try and saw off the bracelets. It had to work. It was her only option.

She tugged and pulled and sawed on the bracelets but nothing worked. None of it did any damage to it either.

Time was running out.

How much longer would she have before Snape revealed her secret?

How much longer did she have before she was surrounded by Deatheaters and Voldemort himself?

How much longer did she have before Malfoy called on her?

This motivated her to saw harder.

Hermione was on her fourth knife when the pain came. Her wrist burned from the heat of the bracelet.

She was out of time.

There was nothing left to do now. If she didn't let Malfoy summon her, the pain would only get worse.

Hermione had no other option as she felt the familiar tug at her naval and with a blink she found herself standing in Malfoy's room. The girl started panicking the moment she arrived. She looked at her warden who seemed very annoyed and this suddenly relaxed her. He didn't know, not yet at least.

"Where have you been? I thought I told you to be in my room when my guests left."

"I was putting away a few things from dinner." She lied quickly.

"You're not a very good liar Velia. You're lucky you did so well at dinner. Otherwise, I would have needed to take action on your behavior. However, since it is your birthday and since you were so entertaining to my guests, I'll let it slide. But mark my words, if you fail to obey another direct command there will be consequences."

"I'm sorry, sir." Malfoy shook his head and began to undress. He threw his clothes on the floor and pulled the covers back. Hermione watched him warily, waiting for a surprise attack and curse her for being a mudblood. Just as he was sliding in he looked up at her and threw her an odd look.

"You're acting rather odd tonight." The man continued sliding into bed and covered himself with the comforter. "Well, are you going to undress yourself and get in or do I need to do it for you?"

Hermione quickly slid her dress off her body. It landed into a pool of material at her feet. She then unhooked her bra and crawled into bed next to Malfoy. It had been like this for the past couple of weeks. He always wanted her to sleep next to him, as if they were wed.

The blond man put his arm around her and slid her closer to him. He planted kisses on her neck and shoulder as he scooted her as close as possible. The smell of firewhiskey on his breath was almost unbearable. The kissing continued as he pushed his pelvic bone into her back and forth. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for what was to come as he finally slid off both of their bottoms and climbed on top of her.

The next morning Hermione awoke early to an empty bed. It was unusual for Malfoy to get up early, especially early enough to be up before herself. But what was even more surprising was that he didn't wake her.

Normally, though the occasion seldom arose, he would wake her and have a little morning sex when he woke up early, knowing that his day would be too busy to do it later. So it was a surprise to Hermione when she found herself awake and alone in Malfoy's bed. She slowly trudged out of the covers and slipped on her robe that she kept in the bathroom for times like these. The houselves had already picked up her dress and bra and the manor was far too cold to walk down to her room and clothe herself.

After Hermione was dressed and fed she made her way back to the attic. It was her current project and so far it had turned out to be a bigger project than she expected. It was amazing what wizards kept over the years, especially a wizarding family as old as the Malfoy's.

There were piles of books of genealogy scattered everywhere. Old family portraits sleeping in their frames covered in dust, long ago forgotten by the newest generation. There were trunks full of old school supplies. Cabinets with scarce potion ingredients like lacewings, rattails, and what looked to be like human fingers.

Hermione set to work, starting first with the genealogy of the Malfoy family. There were piles of parchment everywhere. Each had a picture and name beside it, including birth and death information. The first pile dated back to the 1600s. She vaguely wondered how far back the Malfoy family went.

Without a wand, it seemed like this job would be endless. She really needed some sort of filing cabinet to store them properly.

She must have been working for hours and yet the room was still a disheveled mess. Her stomach grumbled as she picked up yet more piles of genealogy parchment. That was when she saw the small red frame. It was a wizard photo of Malfoy with his mother and father. She was whispering things in his ear that made the young boy belt out in laughter. Senior Malfoy watched his sun glow with laughter and even he managed a genuine smile. Draco must not have been more than eight in the picture. He looked happy and carefree.

Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of the picture. The young child's smile and laughter were mesmerizing to her. She didn't think that Malfoy eve knew how to laugh genuinely. She felt as if she were peeping on his childhood secret that he once was, in fact, innocent.

Watching the young Malfoy laughing in such a guiltless manner humanized the grown Malfoy that she hated. It made her realize that he wasn't always the evil prat she knew today, but was actually a kid at some point, just like she was. She wondered if there was any part of the boy she was looking at in the picture left in the one who was off doing the Dark Lord's bidding. It made her realize that the Malfoy's were once a normal happy family.

A voice broke her out of the spell.

"That was before my father became obsessed with the Dark Lord again." Hermione nearly dropped the frame in surprise. "I remember the day he came home with my first real broom. We must have rode for hours that day."

Hermione silently set the picture on the cabinet, unsure of what to say.

"The last time I saw him he put his hand on my shoulder and nodded. It was the most affection I had received since school started. It was his way of saying he was proud of me."

"What happened to them, your parents?"

Draco became silent as he gazed out the window of the attic as if he could see the memory being displayed in front of him.

"I had just gotten back from capturing several wanteds on the traitor list and Voldemort had promoted me to the inner circle. I'd never seen father so proud. My mother looked as though she was just grateful I was still alive. She always worried about me. Scared I'd get cursed or killed. Making sure I ate enough. Double checking for injuries. It was her way of making up for all the times she had been too drunk to care about me after father became obsessed with Voldemort again.

"We were making plans for my birthday when Voldemort showed up at our doorsteps. He ordered them to head a raid in Italy. It was the day before my birthday. He said it wouldn't take more than a couple of hours to subdue the muggles. So they made their apologies to me and left to do their work.

"It was the last time I saw them.

"It was a trap. Punishment from Voldemort for my parents' failures in capturing the mudblood. That's how I was appointed to the job, through their death.

"He doesn't know that I know the truth, that he gave the orders to murder my parents. It was his way of getting closer to me so I could fulfill his wishes without any regret. My parents were all I had in the world. With them out of the way he could mentor me in his ways without my mother or father fretting over me.

"His plan worked. He showed me everything he knew. I was his best student, or so he said. He said he was proud of me, of what I had become over the years. Cold, heartless and powerful, just like him. He sent me on dangerous missions to do his dirty work, making sure everyone still feared him and his followers. He started calling me the son he wished he had.

"When my parents arrived at Italy they were ambushed by deatheaters of his inner circle. Betrayed by their closest friends. They didn't have a chance to blink before their so-called friends turned their wands on them. The flash of green light was brighter than the sun because there were so many spells cast at the same time. Their bodies didn't withstand the curse. There was nothing left of them to bury."

Malfoy's face was stony. It displayed no emotion. The empathetic part of Hermione made her want to hug the orphaned man in front of her. It was something they had in common. All four of them were orphans, Velia, Draco, Hermione, and Harry. But then she remember all of the terrible things he had had done not only to her and her friends, but to muggles, mudbloods, and blood traitors alike.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. It was all she could manage.

"Don't be. I intend to pay them back." He said darkly. "Every last one of them."

It was this side of Malfoy that she feared. The one who held no emotion for anything or anyone. She could handle the angry Malfoy, the sad Malfoy, the obsessed Malfoy, and even the sexist Malfoy, but this dark evil side that he carried with him scared her more than Voldemort himself did. He was a man scorned. Betrayed, just like both his and Harry's parents.

The commonalities continued to grow. All betrayed by one man.

"We're going out for dinner today." Malfoy broke the piercing silence.

Hermione's heart jumped. Out!

"Where are we going?"

"To dinner. I have to make an appearance at an old friend's engagement party. I'll be expected to have an escort. Seeing as I broke it off with Astoria last night, I'll need you to stand in her place."

"But sir, don't you think people will recognize me?"

"Not after I'm through with you. You need to be in my room at 4." With that said Malfoy turned around and walked out the door, his boots clicking down that hardwood floor with every step, as if they were telling Hermione she would never leave her prison.

The rest of the day seemed to drag on slower than ever. Hermione had never been more excited to go out into the public, even if it was with a bunch deatheaters. This would give her a chance to see how the world was changing while she was being kept prisoner.

Finally, four o'clock arrived and Hermione made her way to Malfoy's bedchamber. She knocked on the door and was greeted with the sight of the aristocratic blond standing in front of her, smirk plastered on his features, shirtless. Her eyes involuntarily grazed over his exposed skin before she could stare at the floor. She saw his smirk widen out of the corner of her eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ready?" He cocked his right eyebrow at her. Hermione wanted to slap his cocky smirk right off his face, but she remained where she stood and nodded her head at him.

Malfoy led her to his bathroom and sat her on the counter. He looked her over excruciatingly slow before finally pulling his wand out and pointing it in her direction. She tried not to flinch at the sight but her movement did not go unnoticed.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Now stay still, I need to make this perfect."

Malfoy began flicking his wand at her and muttering spells. His face was impassive as he concentrated on his work. Hermione could feel the tingles of her skin and bones changing slowly as he redisguised her. She could see her hair color change on her shoulder. It went from black to brown to red and settled back on brown. The length of it was shortened then long again. It went from pin straight to curly until he finally settled on a nice in between wave.

An hour passed and Malfoy's mutterings were finally over. He pulled her off the counter and dragged her into the bedroom where a silk dark green dress laid across his bed. He flicked his wand at her and her clothes vanished from her body leaving her clad in only underwear. Malfoy grabbed the dress off of his bed and pulled it over the now brunette witch's head. He adjusted it on her hips and pulled it down so it flowed around her ankles.

Hermione looked down at her body. The dress hugged her waist and hips, but found the chest area to be quite loose. She glared at his face which was full of amusement. Malfoy then flicked his wand and mumbled a few spells and the area tighten around her skin. However, when she looked down, the dress had not gotten smaller, but her breasts had grown by more than a few centimeters. Her face reddened with anger at the audacity of his action.

Malfoy smirked at her reaction and handed her a pair of heels as if nothing happened.

After she was completely dressed and ready, Malfoy pulled on his black dress robes and scrutinized her one last time.

"Something's missing." He stated.

Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow.

"You're eyes."

Malfoy took a step towards her, his steel gray eyes concentrating on her own. He whispered a spell and flashed his wand for what seemed to be like the millionth time that night. Her eyes itched lightly as he transfixed his magic on her.

Then he was done.

Malfoy stepped back and looked at her one last time.

"Perfect."

The sun was barely peaking over the horizon as if to say one last good bye before the moon took over. Street lights filled the air with a buzz as they popped on, as if on cue to the sun's good bye. Hermione stood on the sidewalk, arm in arm with her master, in front of the most grandeur hotel she had ever seen.

People were walking in and out of the hotel laughing carelessly. Not one of them dressed down in normal attire. Hermione could feel the excitement in the air as if everything were normal.

She wanted to scoff at the thought.

Nothing was normal anymore. Not when everyone's lives were being ran by a dark wizard.

A quick tug pulled the girl out of her thoughts as Draco made his way across the street and into the hotel. Hermione gasped once they entered the rotating doors. There was a beautiful chandelier hanging from the second floor. On both sides of it were a set of grand spiraling steps that led up into an abyss of rooms and lavish furniture.

Her heels clapped loudly on the black marble floor and Hermione was grateful when she entered the room where a red rug was laid across the middle of the floor. As they made it to the reception desk Draco inquired what room his party would be in. The witch fumbled with a few pieces of parchment and gave him instructions on how to get there.

He smiled gracefully at the clerk and gently pulled Hermione in the direction of the conference room. The moment they arrived in the room Draco was surrounded by people giving him friendly greetings. Some a little more friendly than others by the single witches until Hermione finally ahemed, Malfoy's words echoing in her mind.

You're name is Gemma Lotus. We met on vacation to Australia. We've secretly been seeing each other for five months. You're English. You don't like tea with lemon, just sugar. You're pureblood, of course, and are descended from the ancestors of Rowena Ravenclaw, but you went to Beauxbaton's school and were enemies with Fleur Delacour. You loath her and her veela ancestors. You're very possessive of your mates and won't back down from a fight when another girl tries to steal your man. You're absolutely head over heels for me. Most importantly, you can hardly keep your hands off me.

She could still see his smirk at that comment.

One more thing, if you play this part well you won't regret it. I promise you that. I'll give you anything you want, within reason, of course.

"Ladies," Draco smirked at her cough. "I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend-"

"Gemma Lotus." Hermione interrupted. "A pleasure, I'm sure."

The women looked a little taken aback by the gesture, but smiled politely and introduced themselves anyhow. Hermione didn't recognize a single face amongst the men and women at the party. For some reason this surprised her. She thought Malfoy only hung out with his Hogwarts groupies. Apparently, she was wrong.

As it turned out the engagement party was for an old girlfriend of Malfoy's. They had known each other since they were in diapers and Pansy was a mutual friend. She wondered why Pansy hadn't joined the festivities upon hearing this, but decided not to interfere.

As Hermione watched Draco interact with the crowd, making sure to touch him at all times, like he had said to, she found herself humanizing him. The way he laughed a genuine hearty laugh with his friends was something she had never personally seen from the man himself. It reminded her of the picture she had looked at earlier. She always remembered most of the female population of Hogwarts having an obsession with the supposed sex god, but it never occurred to her why until now. As she watched him open his mouth in a smile and hear the low seductive laugh that came out of his mouth she couldn't help but wonder where this new man had come from. In all her years, she had never known Malfoy to be so genuine. She became absorbed in his laugh as she felt the tingling vibrations in her hand as she had placed her hand on his back. The feeling of the vibrations of his laugh was sensational and seductive.

Hermione quickly removed her hand the moment the thought came.

What was she thinking?

Malfoy? Seductive?

Malfoy looked at her questioningly at the sudden jerk of her hand. She reluctantly placed her hand back on him, this time on his upper arm hoping to diminish the vibrations of his laugh.

The talking hushed down as dinner plates arrived by butlers. There was the usual clatter of utensils sounding off against porcelain as the food was served. Hermione made sure to be part of the conversation at the table, knowing it was part of her mission as Draco's new pureblood girlfriend. They had warmed up to her by the time dessert was finished.

Hermione stood from her chair, her stomach full of steak and wine, and followed a few of the girls into the lavatory. The other women spoke happily to each other, a little tipsy from so much wine as they filled up all of the stalls in the bathroom. As the brunette entered the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and let out an audible gasp.

She looked curiously like, herself. She peered into the mirror more closely examining the body Malfoy had given her. Her hair was the same color and style as it was in Hogwarts, only much tamer. Her chocolate brown eyes were just as she remembered them to be. Hermione touched her face noting her old freckles, her small nose, strong chin, and supple lips. She was nearly identical to her old self. Something wasn't quite the same, but the resemblance was extraordinary.

She wondered if Malfoy had meant to do that? Was this how he remembered her?

Then she promptly looked down at her chest. No, she was never nearly as busty as she was now.

"So Gemma," one of the girls started. "We've all been dying to know. Are they real?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your breasts, are they real?"

"Well of course they're real, I would never-"

"You know, she looks sort of familiar. You're sure we haven't met her.?" Another female cut in.

"No, but I do agree with you. We've definitely seen someone like her."

The room was quiet for a moment as the girls readjusted themselves an applied more make-up. Hermione made her way into the stall as one finally became vacant.

"Hermione Granger!" The blonde yelled as she stepped out. Hermione froze in panic. "You look just like Hermione Granger!" She relaxed a bit and went to wash her hands. "Her face is posted everywhere. I don't know how I didn't see it."

"Of course! It all makes sense now."

"You know, he's been obsessing over the poor mudblood for months now. Poor girl, probably doesn't even he's only dating her because she looks like the-"

"Excuse me, but I am right here you know. I can hear everything you're saying. And for your information Draco and I are quite happy with each other and he doesn't like me just because I look like some fugitive." With that she made her way out of the lavatory and back into the dining area, her face red with anger.

When she entered the room she found herself to be shocked at the transition of the room. What used to be an extravagant dining room was now an elaborate waltzing floor. Soft music was being playing from the ceiling in a slow low tone. Memories of the Yule Ball flooded into her mind.

She remembered how nervous she felt those minutes before opening the ball with Krum. He played the perfect gentlemen the whole night, offering to get her drinks, swinging her around the ballroom. It was a beautiful memory. Until Ron and his temper ruined it all.

Her gut wrenched at the thought of Ron.

Not now, she told herself.

The moment Draco laid eyes on her he knew she was mad. He knew that look all too well. "What happened?"

"Why do I look like Hermione Granger?" She demanded.

He smirked at her.

"Answer me."

"Dance with me." Draco reached out for her hand, but she snatched it away. His calm face momentarily collapsed before returning to a carefree expression. "Remember our deal, Gemma."

Hermione huffed and took his hand. He twirled her around the dance floor in large whisks since they were the first to dance.

"They know." Hermione said.

"Know what?"

"They recognized me as Hermione Granger and started talking about how obsessed you are with her. Why would you turn me into her? You knew they'd see the resemblance. Do you really want everyone to see how obsessed you are with one girl?"

"There are plenty of girls who have brown hair and brown eyes. Why would people jump to the conclusion that someone with those traits would be Granger?"

"Because I bloody look exactly like her!"

"So? I think you look beautiful."

Hermione was a bit more than taken aback by his statement. Did that mean he thought she, Hermione Granger, was also beautiful. It was something she didn't want to think about.

"I want to go home now." She whispered.

"You were doing so well, but if that's what you want."

"It is."

"Okay, let's give our farewell then shall we? No need to be rude."

Sorry for the delay! I'm SUPER busy with grad school stuff! I hope you enjoyed it anyway though! I have been working other chapters than I intend to insert somewhere towards then end. It may be awhile before I update. I know that's not something you want to hear about, but don't give up! I plan on finishing this fic!

Don't forget to review please!