Draco smiled to himself. Granger was tired, not really with it, but he had her trapped now. Swiftly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. He could feel her shaking. He brought her into where the other slaves were sleeping and snapped on the light.
Not many slaves were asleep. They all looked at him with fear and hatred. More gave Granger a look of distrust. It was good she wouldn't be staying here for too long, he thought, for her own good. They didn't seem to like her every much.
He wasn't going to help the situation either.
"You," He said to a seventeen year old girl who was shooting Granger dirty looks. "Get up."
The seventeen year old jumped out of her bed, "Yes sir."
He pushed Granger down onto the bed. "Sleep," he ordered her. "I'll come back tomorrow."
She nodded then turned away from him and closed her eyes.
"You," he turned back to the seventeen year old who looked scared, "Sleep over there." He pointed to a corner.
Two red dots appeared on her cheeks but she still nodded, "Yes sir."
At least she has more respect than some slaves, he thought, glancing back to Granger for the last time before marching off.
But Draco was feeling very happy with himself.
*
"Hermione," A voice awoke her from her sleep, "Hermione!"
Hermione opened dark puffy eyes.
That damn first year was there again.
Hermione felt a vague confusion as she looked around. Shouldn't she be in Hogwarts? Then her mind really awoke and the memories of slavery washed over her. Including Justin's death.
"What time is it?" Hermione looked around at the empty bedroom.
"You slept late," the first year said.
"I'm sorry, you might have told me before, but what's your name?" Hermione asked.
"Laura." she answered. "Now, please, tell me. What happened last night? What's Draco Malfoy playing at?"
"Please," Hermione said, "Just call him Malfoy."
"Why? Does he like being called that?"
Hermione smiled slightly because Laura was so naïve. "No."
"Oh."
"The bouncing ferret suits him more," Hermione said, and found a flicker of enjoyment at the memory of Malfoy as a ferret.
"The bouncing ferret? I'm not even going to ask. So, you know Malfoy from a long way back?"
"I've been in the same school as him for five and a half years," Hermione answered. "But needless to say, we didn't like each other much."
"So that's why he's all with the personal slave thing?" Laura asked.
"I guess so."
"It couldn't be because he liked you in any way?" Laura prompted.
Hermione stopped and just looked at Laura, her eyebrows high.
"Look, I'm only a stupid fourth year, I know." Hermione was surprised at this. The girl looked very young for her age. "But I know one thing about boys. When they go to this much trouble to get your attention, they're smitten."
"Or else they just hate you and want to drag out your death," Hermione interrupted quickly.
"Hermione, Malfoy is dangerous. If he does have a crush on you, it could get dangerous. Lust, obsession, and jealously. It isn't a pretty picture."
"Listen to me," Hermione said, feeling annoyed. "I know Malfoy. He really hates me and I really hate him. For God's sake, he killed Justin."
"And what were you doing with Justin before that?" Laura asked in that same pleasant tone.
Hermione didn't answer.
"Could Malfoy have been jealous?"
"I," Hermione stuttered. "Well, I-I- Justin and I were kissing."
"You'd want to watch yourself," Laura said. "Anyway, I figure life is going to get pretty shit for you at the moment so I'm giving you this." Laura pushed something into Hermione's hands.
"It's lovely," Hermione said. It was a diary which was decorated in pick. Laura also handed her a pen.
"Write in it if you get a chance when Malfoy's asleep. It might just keep you sane."
"Thank you," Hermione said.
The two girls smiled at each other then Hermione got up and had another shower.
*
Hermione had been working in the gardens when two men had come and took her by the arms and pushed her back into the manor.
Hermione tried to struggle against them. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her arm. The man on her right had injected something into her arm!
She screamed, suddenly very afraid. The injection was effecting her already.
Everything was spinning. She dimly saw a worried face in her spinning vision which could have been Laura.
Everything became unbearable. Everything was too bright and loud. Hermione suddenly felt herself give away and her body slumped into the two men's arms.
*
The two men had thrown Granger onto the bed, after injecting a mild poison into her. She'd be out for a while, Draco knew.
He approached her, leaning over to get a proper look at her. It was the first time he had ever seen her asleep.
She didn't look peaceful. He hated when people referred to people sleeping as peaceful. But it was a nice change. Her expression was utterly blank, not hateful or angry.
He looked around her new bedroom. It'd do nicely. It was a girlie room, well, in his standards and there was a bathroom adjoined for her. It was near to his room as well, so it was convenient.
Something was missing though. It didn't have a Granger touch on it.
An idea struck him and he smiled to himself. He strolled to his own room, merely a second's walk away, approached his library, scanned over his books, and picked out an unread book.
He returned to her room, noticing that she hadn't moved at all, and lay down the book on the table.
Hogwarts a history.
Now, it looked like Granger's room.
He lit up the fireplace with a wave of his wand and left her to rest.
*
Harry was smiling at her. His scar was shining on his head and Hermione stared at it before asking, "Where am I?"
He laughed.
"Harry?"
He kept laughing.
"Harry, I'm scared."
She didn't know what of. But something she couldn't remember was scaring her. Harry was scaring her now, with his unnerving never ending laugh.
"Harry, what is going on?"
He leaned in and kissed her.
*
She was mumbling again. Draco tried to make sense of it but it was just an incoherent jumble.
"Harry!" she mumbled loudly.
Draco cursed under his breath. Why did he even care? Why did he feel jealous? So jealous that he wanted to rip Potter into pieces right that moment.
Why bother? He thought to himself suddenly. Draco relaxed. Potter wasn't here. Granger belonged to him. He had got rid of his only present threat, the Hufflepuff.
Suddenly she jumped up. Draco, who had been leaning over her trying to hear mumbles, was very close.
She kissed him suddenly and he let himself be drawn into it, not asking any questions.
She was brilliant. Draco let himself be carried off in a frenzy of passion.
She sighed suddenly, dropping back onto the bed. Draco's face flamed as he realised she was still poisoned and had not been in her right mind at all.
She fell back into her deep slumber but not before he heard the whispered words escape her mouth, "I love you, Harry."
*
Draco stormed up and down his room. Harry potter… that stupid annoying Gryffindor who took everything away from him. How he hated Potter…
His hands were wrenching at his sides. He wouldn't use his wand to kill Potter. No, he'd kill him by pounding him into the ground, maybe burying him alive or letting him bleed to death in the dungeons.
God, he was jealous. He had always been jealous of Potter. How the Golden trio always saved the day, how Potter was always the hero. He hated when Potter was the youngest seeker in first year and how he always won against Draco in all the Quidditch matches.
He had always hated Potter but he had never wanted to kill him before. Until now.
All because of her.
All because of Granger, the annoying Book worm that he loved to tease and make her cry. How he loved to call Mudblood. How he loved to laugh at her frizzy hair.
How he loved… her.
Draco couldn't help it. He knew now that he really had feelings for Granger. He knew it because everytime he saw her his heart beat quickly and he wanted to scope her up into his arms, and protect her from the world.
Why had she had to kiss him like that?
He couldn't get the taste of her away. He couldn't push away any of his feelings right that moment. He felt like he was going to shatter.
And she loved Harry Potter.
He had known it before, as he had watched them, glaring at them. The way she watched him when he used to talk. The way she used to pretend she was reading but was instead sneaking glances at him. They way she listened to every word he said as if it was between life and death.
The way she was always there for him when he needed her.
The way she worried about him. The way her eyes filled with tears at the end of fourth year. The way she'd do everything and anything to help her.
Yes, Granger loved Potter.
And Potter loved her.
Draco had always had a talent for reading people. Potter was so readable, so expressive. Draco had seen Potter's eyes, the way his pupils expanded just by the mention of her name. He had seen the way Potter had reacted when Granger had been attacked by the troll in first year, paralysed in second year, tied up under water through for the challenge in fourth year.
Potter, the royal hero, would do anything to save his precious mudblood.
Damn it, Draco kicked his bookcase and enjoyed the sound of it crashing on the ground before picking up on his rage again.
He was so jealous. It was past the human capacity of jealousy. He had overcame that and had now reached a new level of jealous. Inhuman jealousy.
He stomped back into her room. She looked different now. The slaves had cleaned her up and put her in new fancy robes. Her hair was acting as a pillow for her head.
She was breathing deeply, not mumbling like before. That was good because if Draco heard her mumble 'Harry' again…
He didn't know why he cared so much. These feelings had just pounced on him and he wasn't sure how to react.
He wasn't repulsed by his feelings. He didn't care that she was a mudblood. It felt natural. He didn't want to push away his feelings any longer.
Okay, he shook his head. He wasn't convincing anybody. He was repulsed by his feelings and he wanted to push his feelings away he was just too weak. He couldn't.
Every second of the day his feelings grew sharper. They had increased rapidly when he had seen her with the Hufflepuff.
*
A day passed. Draco occupied himself with a book and although sitting beside her bedside reading it would have attracted too much attention, he did check on her frequently.
He had just been looking at her, at about seven o'clock when she moved.
He, having thought the poison would last longer, was surprised.
Her face was shiny from sweat. Confusion showed in her dark eyes but she didn't seem angry or upset.
"Dad, what are you doing in my room?" she asked calmly.
He laughed, and when she still looked at him confused, he said, "You're joking, right?"
"I hope you're not going to try talk me out of going to Hogwarts again. I told you no." she said flatly.
"What?"
She jumped out of bed suddenly, with a strong spring. Once her foot touched off the ground, she stumbled. Draco watched as she caved in on herself, crumbling to the floor.
He kneeled to face her.
"I don't feel very well," She said faintly and passed out.
Draco picked her up and threw her onto the bed. What was wrong with her? She felt hot and clammy when he touched her forehead.
Just then he saw the two men he had sent to get Granger. They were stupid but big just like Crabbe and Goyle.
Their faces told Draco everything he needed to know but he let them say it anyway.
"We gave her the wrong poison."
*
She was running. A death eater was after her. "Mudblood!" he screamed.
She was tripping over herself trying to get away. Her wand was gone, and she knew there was no hope.
He had caught up with her now.
That was the exact moment Hermione knew she was going to die.
*
Draco could feel the anger run threw his veins. The two men looked scared, and were keeping their heads down.
"You gave her the wrong poison? How, prey tell, did you do that?" His voice was laced with fury.
"It was right beside the sleeping poison and it's the same colour," one tried to defend himself.
Draco hissed, "And what will it do to her?"
"She'll feel whatever happens in her dreams. They will, literally, be real to her," one answered.
"It won't kill her," the other one said shortly as he saw Draco's face, "She will experience pain which she will be able to feel. She will hallucinate if she wakes up and will not be of good mind. It may only last two days or a week."
Draco whipped out his wand and said, "Crucio."
Both men fell and cried out pathetically. Draco was pondering whether to kill them or not when Granger left out a scream and a sharp cut appeared on her head. This put stop to his train of thought and he lifted the curse off the two men and didn't notice them meekly sneak out of the room.
He watched Granger with dark angry grey eyes as more cuts appeared.
*
Hermione tried to get up but fell down again as he hit her again.
"Get away from me! Stop! Please!"
Hermione didn't know what was happening except this death eater was using her as a punch bag.
She screamed as she felt pain wrap itself around her.
*
"Death eater…" she murmured. "Stop… please."
It was strangely suiting that she'd be having a real nightmare about a death eater, Draco thought. She couldn't be having a nice dream. No, it had to be one where she was getting tortured.
Slaves were gathered around her, stopping her bleeding.
It's good, Draco thought, that father is gone on his trip. If he'd have seen Granger, he'd have disposed of her. He didn't like people who weren't useful. Granger was anything but useful right now.
He couldn't protect her. Not from this poison. There was nothing to do but sit and watch her.
It was slowly driving him insane.
*
Hermione laughed as she watched Ron leap around. Why was he wearing a bunny costume?
"Good old Ron," Harry said, from beside her.
"Why is he dressed up like a bunny?" Hermione asked.
Dumbledore's voice answered her, "He wants to make you laugh. He wants to cheer you up."
"Well," Hermione giggled. "He did just that." She watched as Ron bunny hopped around with his butt wiggling in the air.
*
Draco frowned as Hermione let out a giggle. Her dreams seemed to change rapidly. The Slaves were healing her. Now her dream seemed to be good. She was giggling and smiling.
Was she dreaming about Potter?
He nearly preferred when she was getting tortured. At least he knew what was going on. Because whatever was happening in her dream, was actually happening to her. She was the real Hermione Granger in her dreams. So when she kissed Potter in her dreams, she was actually kissing Potter.
Well, not really Potter because he wasn't really there. But she Hermione Granger, was there and she'd remember it when she woke up. She'd remember how it felt, and maybe want to do it for real…
Damn, Granger is driving me mad.
"Bunny…" she murmured.
Draco shrugged, confused about what he was feeling. He couldn't read his book at the moment. He needed something, something that reminded him about Granger. He needed to feel close to her.
Glancing again at the sleeping girl in front of him, he noticed Hogwarts a History, on the table beside her.
He picked it up and began to read, occasionally listening to her murmurs.
*
Hermione walked down the hall of Hogwarts.
What was going on?
She saw Harry and ran to him but when he turned around, she realised it wasn't Harry at all but Malfoy.
*
"Malfoy!"
Draco lifted his head directly when he heard his name.
Granger was dreaming about him!
He quickly set down his book, which was actually quite interesting, and went to her side.
Her face was blank, revealing nothing.
He leaned in closer, noting how pretty she looked. Noting how he felt at that moment.
Suddenly her eyes flew open. Draco, who had been hovering over her, reeled back with surprise.
Her face showed confusion, and as her eyes set on Draco, distrust.
"Malfoy, you won't get away with this! Dumbledore will have your neck!" she said.
"Dumbledore?"
"Where's Crabbe and Goyle? What kind of a trick is this?" she demanded.
Draco, though glad to see her awake, was feeling utterly confused. Trick? Crabbe and Goyle?
He looked over at her with piercing eyes. She was pale and sick looking. She probably wasn't with it all yet.
"I want to get out of here now. Harry and Ron know where your common room is, you know. They've been here."
Draco felt his eyes narrow. When had Potter and Weasley been in his Hogwarts common room? What an insult!
"They're going to come and rescue me and beat you up," Granger told him.
Draco was furious. Okay, she thought they were in Hogwarts. She thought he was playing some kind of trick on her. Her last words enraged him.
"Yes, well, where are Weasley and Potter now? When you need them? When you're my…" He was going to say 'slave' but she wouldn't understand so there wasn't really any point.
"They'll come," she said stubbornly. Suddenly her eyes became more dazed. Draco watched as she smiled dreamily and said, "I wish Nearly headless Nick was here," Before she fell back asleep.
Draco smiled to himself. She had odd dreams. The poison would be coming to an end soon and then she'd be back to normal.
*
She had been tortured twice more in her dreams. In one, she had started crying and had murmured something about a doll she loved, and she had started giggling madly and shouted 'ferret' loudly, causing Draco to slightly lose his temper at a Mudblood slave.
Then, three days after the spell, she had opened dark eyes and looked at Draco.
"Well, what now?" he asked, expecting some strange reply, putting down his book but not before flicking down the page so he could return to the page at a later time.
"What kind of a poison was that?" she asked.
"Oh, you're back," Draco said with a tone of distaste, trying not to smile to himself.
"Why did you poison me?"
"I can do whatever I want to you, slave. You do remember, don't you? You're my slave."
She nodded. "I remember…" her eyes flashed with anger, "Everything."
He smirked, "I suppose you're talking about the Hufflepuff. Good, you wouldn't want to forget a memory like that."
"You disgust me," she said forcefully.
"You've already been tortured in your dreams already. You wouldn't want to have to add a new experience to your memories now, would you?"
Draco could see her think carefully about her next words. Finally, she said, "No sir."
"Don't call me sir," he said. "There's no need. Call me Malfoy, if you want. Only call me sir around other people, like my father."
"Okay, Malfoy."
"Actually," he said, "On second thoughts, call me Draco. That is my name."
"Okay."
"Okay, what?"
"Okay," She paused then said, "Draco."
He loved the way she said his name. Nobody ever called him Draco, except his parents.
"I feel a bit shaky. Can I go to the bathroom, please?" she asked.
He noticed how cold and indifferent her voice was. He nodded 'yes' to her question and watched her stumble to the bathroom.
She'd learn to like him more. After all, he was going to be the only person she had contact with for a very long time.