Chapter 11: Fallen

It was safe to say that Hermione was sick of being incessantly pursued. He was like a fly who refused to leave her alone while she was trying to have a nice dinner outside in the sun. She wanted to squash him like the filthy bug he was.

He had been constantly wooing her ever since they went shopping together. Every day held something new. Flowers of all kinds decorated her new room he had opened upstairs for her. It was conveniently down the hall from his quarters. He bought her jewelry on a weekly basis. Took her out to eat, cooked her gourmet meals. Cuddled her and lovingly kissed her nose.

It would have been every girls' perfect courtship. If she were a normal girl, that is, and if Voldemort didn't rule the world.

It had been endearing at first with the way he was never put out by her attempts at dismissing him, but now it was just plain annoying. She knew his game and was bent on not playing into his hands.

The worse part of the whole deal was the shagging. It had gone from hard cold sex to sweet touches and caresses, loving kisses on the mouth, and nearly satisfying her completely before the night was over with.

She hated herself for the way he made her feel almost every night. It made her feel like she was powerless to him. Her body was betraying her.

The upside to his courting was that he removed the bracelet that was keeping her from performing wandless magic. Not that she really needed it since she was no longer required to clean or cook, but it did give her something to do.

Christmas came and went without too much trouble. Draco had disguised her as herself again for the ball and they must have looked like the most romantic couple at the whole galley. He stayed by her side for almost the entire night and was not once confronted by snobbish women telling her she wasn't good enough for Malfoy.

Malfoy was constantly gone. His obsession grew stronger by the week. His outbursts had increased considerably, which endlessly stressed out Hermione. Every day she imagined he would turn on her and curse her to dust, but she knew she couldn't live in fear.

Spring had finally arrived. Hermione spent most of her days in the garden either rereading Hogwarts: A History or some other book from the large library. The gardens were beautiful in the springtime. Flowers were blooming. The white peacock came out of hiding, blazoning his glorious feathers every chance he got. It was mesmerizing to watch him in the afternoon as he showed off his brilliant white feathers.

It was the first week of May when things started changing for the worst. Malfoy's mood was growing ever darker. He sulked and brooded for most of the day, making the occasional friendly gesture at her. The shagging became more intense, heated. It was less about wooing now, and more about power and release, much like it had been in the beginning.

Before Hermione knew it, her one year anniversary of being a slave to Draco Malfoy was upon her and she found herself hopelessly depressed on any chance of leaving the Malfoy manor and fulfilling Harry's promise.

"Come sit by me, love." The blond man motioned to the spot next to her. "Do you know what today is?"'

"Yes."

A simple answer. She would have liked to say far more than that. Something along the lines of him being a sexist idiot who didn't deserve to live such a perfect life and that she wished he would burn in hell for the rest of his afterlife would have done nicely. But his temper had been quite unstable lately and she didn't want to provoke him.

"Can you believe it's been one year already?"

"Oh yes, it's really just flown by." She said sarcastically.

He smirked and put his arm around her.

"I knew you felt that way. I must say it's really flown by for me too. Do you remember our first night on this very couch."

She was quiet.

"You were sputtering about your life to me when you kissed me and begged me to shag you."

"I did no such thing!"

He laughed darkly.

"That's not how I remember it. I'm pretty sure you begged me to fuck you, love."

"Maybe in one of your moments of insanity you hallucinated that I actually wanted you."

"I think maybe we should replay that night, with a little less firewhiskey in your blood, don't you think? I know I haven't completely satisfied you in the last couple of months so I'd like to make it up to you." He leaned down and kissed her neck. "What do you think?

Hermione closed her eyes and took in the heat of his lips on her skin. Her body prickled with bumps as he placed more kisses on her neck and collarbone.

She hated this the most. He made her body betray her. It was pure evil, and yet. No one had ever made her body feel this way.

"No." She whispered.

"What was that?"

"I said no."

Draco leaned his head back to look into her eyes and smirked. His piercing gray eyes connected with hers, as his minty breath fanned her face he leaned closer to her ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine. Her body wanted him, there was no denying that. He was appealing, seductive.

"That's not what your body is telling me." He whispered hot and lustful in her ear. "And I'm keen on listening to that part of you anyway."

Without warning he was upon her, placing kisses in some of her most sensitive spots that made her head spin beyond imagination. It was the first night he had ever completely satisfied her. He had been gentle with her. Something she had never felt before and she could tell he was fighting back his own desires to please her until she could be pleased no more.

She would never forget it. Her conscience would make sure of it.

The guilt and shame Hermione felt after that night had been horrendous. How could she let him do that to her? They were supposed to hate each other, not play without their knickers on. It was in these moments she knew why she felt so guilty.

She, Hermione Granger, was starting to fall for the man who had, for the last six months, wooed her into a courtship.

..

It had been a curiously quiet evening. Hermione had attended her chores during the day, dined with Malfoy, and now they were sitting near the fire together as he slowly pulled his fingers through her dark tresses. The fire crackled in front of their eyes as they stared, as if mesmerized by the dance of the flames. It was peaceful. Hermione didn't even cringe as he steadily stroked her long mane.

Like most things, though, the peace was not meant to last as a dark man burst through the double doors.

"Hermione Granger!" The man yelled, the woman jumped to her feet and faced her accuser. Draco stood and stared at the man as if he were insane. "We've found her Draco! We're bringing her here!"

Draco's face went from incredulous to absolutely devious. His excitement showed through his aristocratic features as Blaise opened the double doors widely and in poured about a hundred deatheaters with a bounded and gagged prisoner.

"What's the meaning of this Blaise?" Draco's face immediately angered. "Who are all these people?"

"Hermione Granger. We found a whole camp of resistance claiming to be the mudblood. So we figured if we rounded them all up the real Granger would come forward." Blaise shoved his prisoner in front of Malfoy. "Who are you?"

It was a young girl no older than seventeen. Her hair was a deep red that stopped right at her chin. She lifted her nose in the air defiantly and opened her mouth. "I'm Hermione Granger." She said matter-of-factly.

Draco's jaw twitched. He brought his wand up and performed a number of spells the whole time the imposter stood her ground as if there weren't a care in the world. The blond man took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. He knew it wasn't her from the very start, but he made sure to perform the proper spells that would reveal her if, in fact, she really was Granger.

"This is not Hermione Granger." Draco said gritting his teeth. He seemed deadly calm. Hermione knew better. It was the quiet before the storm. Draco Malfoy was about to be very angry.

Hermione looked around them room. All of the prisoners were women. Their clothes were ragged and it looked as if they hadn't eaten properly, nor bathed, for months. She felt very guilty. If she had given herself up to Malfoy, perhaps none of these poor women would be in this position.

"This is not Hermione Granger!" Draco yelled fiercely. The room became dead quiet. "I want you to take all of these women to the dungeons and lock them all in separate cells. Interrogate them, curse them, do whatever it takes for you to find out where she is! Have I made myself clear?"

Yes sirs were mumbled as the men made their way to the dungeons. The prisoners struggled to get out of the grip of the deatheaters, but it was no good. They were far too scared of the consequences of losing the real mudblood.

The room was quiet by the time the deatheaters finally filed down into the dungeons. Draco was still standing in the same spot, lost in thought.

Hermione stared at the doorway that the deatheaters filed into. All of those women were about to be tortured for her sake. All because she had yet to have to guts to reveal herself. Never in a million years had she thought so many people would be defending the light side quite literally in her name. If she gave herself up now, the other women had a chance for survival. She knew Draco would eventually give the orders to kill the imposters. She couldn't let that rest on her conscience.

This was it. She was going to give herself up. Save the brave souls who had taken her name. She started for Malfoy, prepared for her death, which was bound to be painful.

"Draco," a voice came to snap him out of his reverie. "Don't you think it's about time to forget about the girl? Your obsession is not healthy."

It was Snape. Hermione cringed, maybe she didn't need to give herself up after all. Snape would do it all for her.

"They're part of the resistance Severus. They need to be punished for acting against the Dark Lord."

"I think we both know you're obsession with the girl has nothing to do with Lord Voldemort." Draco would not look at his godfather so the dark haired man walked closer and put his arm on his godson. He spared a glance at Hermione. She swallowed hard, knowing her fate was going to meet her at any moment. "People are moving on with their lives now Draco. They're settling down, getting married, having kids. You need to start thinking about your lineage Draco. You need someone to pass on the bloodline. If you continue obsessing over the girl you will have no chance at meeting a wife."

"My lineage Severus? Kids? Why would I want to bring kids into a world with the Dark Lord. Their fate would be concealed the moment a child would be conceived. You know as well as I do that the Dark Lord would be more than pleased to have another son. Then he would probably kill me and my child's mother just so he could educate him like he did me." Draco went silent. "I won't have that. I don't want my child to live the same life I did."

"Then you know what must be done Draco." Severus lowered his voice so that Hermione couldn't make out what he was saying. "I've noticed you've become quite attached to your servant as well."

Both pairs of eyes darted to Hermione. Her cheeks reddened as she stared back at them, unknowing of the conversation.

"Perhaps, she would be a good place to start a family." With that said Snape walked out of the room, his cloak billowing behind. Draco stood glued to his spot staring at the dark haired woman.

The idea was preposterous. He couldn't possibly marry his servant. She was merely at his disposable for entertainment purposes.

"Sir, we've got one to talk!" An unnamed deatheater entered the room dragging behind him a bloodied girl. Draco pulled out a chair and motioned him to sit the girl there. He roughly threw her in the chair as Draco squatted to face the girl.

Hermione stood horrified as she looked at the girl before her. Her face was cut and bloody. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut. If it hadn't been for the piercingly silver hair, Hermione would not have recognized her. Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's sister.

Hermione remembered how stunning the young girl had looked at the wedding. The girl shouldn't have been anywhere near a deatheater at such a young age and yet hear she was at the Malfoy Manor, being tortured for her own whereabouts.

"Who are you?"

"Je suis Hermione Granger, furet!"

Draco pulled his hand back and punched the girl across her face. Gabrielle spit blood in hisface, her face looking just as murderous as Malfoy's. Hermione flinched. She couldn't just stand and watch them hurt the girl. It was her duty to intervene.

"Draco wait!" Hermione yelled as he pulled his hand back to slap the girl again. He paused and looked over to his servant. "Please, don't hurt her." Hermione stood between him and the girl. Draco stood to his full height and looked down at her.

"This is none of your business Velia, step out of the way."

"No."

"Don't make me ask again."

"I can't stand here and watch you hurt a thirteen year old girl."

"Then leave." Draco put his hands on her and shoved her away. "Hold her still, be sure she doesn't interrupt me again." Then he leaned back to do the girl at hand.

"Where is Hermione Granger. I know you know where she is. So you either tell me now, or you can die a long painful death. So what will it be."

The young girl began speaking what sounded to be like obscenities to him. Draco looked positively bored at the speech.

"Talk to me in English you brat! Where is the mudblood?"

"Well no one knows, do they?"

"What do you mean?"

"No one knows if she's even alive. No one's heard from her in the last three years."

"You're lying. Why else would all of you protect her by chanting about her name."

"Because if she is alive, she'll know that it's okay to come back. She'll know that we'll still follow her to the end. Just like she followed Harry Potter to the end." Draco slapped her again.

"Do not speak his name!"

"Why not ferret? You did go to school with him, and Ron, and Hermione. Are you afraid the golden trio is going to pop out of nowhere and slay the great Dragon? Kill your master, or worse, you?"

"Shut up!" Draco yelled.

"Fuck you!" She spat. "You're nothing but a cowardly-"

"Crucio!"

Gabrielle's scream filled the room. It was soul shattering to Hermione to hear the young girl in so much pain. She tried to jerk out of the deatheaters grasp to stop Malfoy from causing the child pain, but he held on tightly.

"Malfoy! Draco! Stop!"

The screaming stopped as he lifted the curse. Gabrielle's mouth was dripping blood. She spat at the man, effectively drenching his face in her blood. "Did you know I was there when your parents were betrayed? I was part of the raid that your parents were supposed to subdue. I watched all their friends whisper and gather at the mention of their names. None of them felt sorry for what they were going to do. In fact, they sounded quite excited."

"Shut up."

"When they arrived there was barely any time to blink before they were cursed to dust. Nothing was left of them. The deatheaters spat on their ashes and kicked them around. Snape seemed to be the only one who cared that your poor parents were blown to smithereens. He gathered their ashes after everyone left. No one else cared. They got what they deserved, just like you will."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. When did the sweet young innocent girl turn so cruel?

"Crucio!"

Gabrielle let out another ear-splitting scream. She saw her bite down hard are her lip and blood poured from the wound. Hermione yelled at him. Desperate to stop his torturous acts.

"Please Draco! Stop! Please! It's—"

"Silencio!" Draco pointed his wand at her.

Hermione lipped the rest of her words, but none saw them form on her lips.

It's me you want! I'm Hermione Granger!

"Tell me where your precious mudblood is!"

"Je suis Hermione Jean Granger."

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light swept the room and Gabrielle's body hung limp in her chair, bruised, bloodied, and lifeless. The deatheater finally let go of his grasp on the girl and Hermione darted toward the veela. She brushed her pin-straight hair from her face and gently closed the cold blue eyes. Hermione hugged the lifeless body to her as if it were the only piece of humanity she had left to hold on to. The world was worse than she thought.

"I'm here. You can rest now. I promise you, I won't let you die in vain." She whispered silently.

Author's Note: Sorry for the wait guys! On a more positive note I have a nice break from school coming up and hopefully I can go ahead and finish the story. We are starting to come to an end so prepare yourself.

Please review!

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.