*
"Comfortable?" Came a sarcastic voice that shook Hermione from the light sleep she had drifted into.
Hermione opened her eyes to find two icy cold eyes bearing down on her. Narcissa Malfoy was in full jovial humour, smiling, smirking, and looking every inch the cool calm sophisticated mental patient.
It didn't take more than a second for Hermione to realise that she was strapped into a chair and couldn't move to escape. The ropes that bound her tore into her thin wrists and ankles, eating away slowly the small bit of flesh that rested there, every time she tried to move.
"Immensely so," Hermione answered.
*
"Harry!"
"Ginny, come on! We have to keep going!"
"Where are we even going, anyway?"
"I thought that was obvious," Harry said a tad irritable because he was cold and hungry and tired and terribly aware that she was too. "Hogwarts."
"Harry, listen. Let's stop for a while."
"No, if we just keep moving. We're not too far now."
"How do you know that?" she asked her voice a tad shrill, "You haven't a clue where we are. All I'm trying to do is tell you…"
"Tell me what?" asked Harry uncertainly.
"Look, Harry, I'm sick of games. You know I like you."
"I like you too, Ginny."
"But I like you like you. I really like you. I want to be with you."
"Ginny…?" Harry's eyes showed open confusion. He was too tired for this.
"Harry," she murmured but that was all she could think of to say so she instead advanced upon him slowly. He stood, waiting for her to give him some inclination as to what she was going on about at such an ungodly hour (It was four in the morning) when she tiptoed up to his face level and touched his lips with her own with such a gentleness that Harry almost forgot who was with.
But he remembered much too suddenly for Ginny to be pleased. Without further hesitation, he jumped back and started, "Ginny, I mean, no. You're Ron's little sister! I like you but that's it as far as my feelings go." He saw the hurt on her face and quickly apologised, "I'm really sorry, Ginny. But you know my feelings for Hermione. I just don't feel that way about you."
There was a shocked pause and then Ginny realised it. He's rejecting me. Harry Potter is rejecting me.
"Hey," Harry exclaimed, suddenly excited (And probably glad for the diversion of having something to say!) "I think I see the top of Hogwarts Castle! We're nearly home, Gin!"
Needless to say, Ginny didn't share his enthusiasm
"Great," she said, feeling like her body had just been fed to famished dogs, "Just great."
*
Draco Malfoy was not having a good night. He knew Hermione was down in the slave quarters, unprotected with his mad mother running around. He was in a predicament. He could send for her and risk his mother finding out everything and putting Hermione in immediate danger or he could lie here, bored, and going crazy with worry for her. And he needed to see her. It had been only a couple of hours since he last saw her yet for Draco, it seemed like years.
He needed to see that frizzy hair of hers. He needed to see her sensual mouth and fantasise of kissing her yet again. He needed to see her little nose, slightly upturned like his. He needed to see those defensive brown eyes. Those eyes. There was nothing special about those eyes. Except they belonged to her.
Her.
Hermione Granger.
By Merlin, he loved her. Beyond all reason, beyond all limitations. He loved her. And if anything happened to her, well…
"Blinky," Draco said to the house elf once the house elf had been summoned. "Get Herm-," he stopped. He should be more careful. "Get Granger now. Quickly!"
Blinky scurried off in a hurry with a look of alarm upon his (Or hers – Draco never could tell) face. Draco, much to his shame, just had to look in the mirror before seeing her. He quickly sleeked back a bit of his blonde hair, picking at a couple of stray strands. Once he had finished, he cast himself a self assured smirk. How could Hermione resist him?
Blinky scurried back in, his (Draco presumed him to be male now) face full of fear. "Sir," he said fretfully, "Miss is gone! Miss is gone!"
In the mirror, Draco's face could be seen going paler (Well, paler than his usual pale) and his mouth slightly dropping. There was a heavy silence until Draco exclaimed, "Shit!" and rushed out of the room leaving a terrified Slinky to tiptoe (For fear of making nose and angering his master) after him.
*
Ron Weasley awoke to see Laura shaking him. "Ron," she hissed, "Come on. Ron!"
He opened his eyes reluctantly. With a glance around him, he knew he should have stayed in his state of sleep. They were surrounded by spiders. Spiders! The one thing that Ron couldn't stand.
He realised that he was an even worse state than Laura. Sure, she was shaking and her eyes were moist but Ron himself was trembling violently and hot tears were on his face. This thought made his ears slightly red and he wiped away his tears quickly and tried to find his bravery.
"Ronald Weasley," a deep rumbling voice cried out.
His bravery, once found, left him yet again. The tears were back along with the trembling.
"W-w-what?"
"Where is Hagrid?" Aragog asked in a storming voice.
"Hagrid?"
"Yes."
"W-w-ell I imagine he's stuck in the castle with everyone else," Ron replied in as calm a voice he could muster.
"Hogwarts castle?"
"Yes, er, everyone's stuck there," Ron said.
"If you let us leave," Laura squeaked, "We were going to try break in and set everyone free. Please…?"
"YOU! If the Hogwarts professors could not, what makes you think you could break them free? No… no, this is a job for The Spiders. It's time to help my old friend back."
And with that the spiders hurried away towards the castle, totally ignoring the two teenagers rustling trees as they went and making tall shadows fall upon them.
"Well, who would have thought…" Laura started but Ron heard no more because he had just collapsed from his suppressed fear.
"Ron!" Laura exclaimed, dragging him back to standing, "You're such a girl!"
This got Ron standing on his two feet again, "I'm not a girl!"
"You so are!" She stuck her tongue out at him immaturely.
"Listen, Laura, I'm best mates with the Boy-Who-Lived," Ron huffed, "I've accompanied him through all his adventures. Like, in first year…"
Laura rolled her eyes and giggled. Well it got him moving again, she thought. Unbeknownst to Ron as he was still bragging and proving his point, she began to lead him to Hogwarts and to his best mates – the spiders.
*
Pansy awoke to Draco shaking her harshly.
"She's taken Hermione," Pansy said quickly, awaking almost immediately, grogginess not exiting in such a state of panic.
"She's taken Hermione," Draco said and his voice held a vicious note, "And if she's hurt her then I'll kill her. I swear I'll kill her."
"Let's go," Pansy said, with a note of delight in her voice (Accompanied by her fear and anger). She never had liked Draco's parents much.
*
"What are you going to do to me?" Hermione asked. In spite of her mind numbing fear and racing anger at being tied down like some helpless… slave, Hermione was curious.
She was curious because they were not in a dungeon or a torture chamber, which one would think. They weren't even in a cold dark room with morbid paintings and weapons conveniently placed around. Instead, they were in a warm room, decorated with red and gold (Ironically the Gryffindor colours). A fire place lit the room and the painting were neither morbid nor gruesome. They showed flowers or beautiful sights – typical pictures with a touch of expense attached. The room was large, spacious and unless Hermione was mistaken, rather classy and elegant. Hermione couldn't see Narcissa taking out a chainsaw and hacking her to bits in such a room. Not out of compassion, for Hermione could see none, but it would seem Narcissa wouldn't want to dirty her room.
Of course there was some subtle signs that the room that showed it didn't belong to a perfectly sane person. Hermione was especially irked by the vase beside her. Inside were the stems of roses with the heads resting beside them on the wooden table. Why would anyone cut off the head of a rose, Hermione wondered?
There was also no pictures of the Malfoy family nor any personal objects. But perhaps this was not Narcissa's actual bedroom in which she resided and slept in although the bed in which Narcissa was presently sitting looked good enough to sleep in. Fit for a queen and almost fit for Narcissa Malfoy.
Narcissa Malfoy herself was sitting with her legs crossed on the large bed, looking utterly relaxed and almost bored. She had one wine glass in her right hand in which she gracefully slipped from every now and then. She was wearing a new black dress with longer sleeves then the one she had wore for her meeting with Severus (Of which Hermione was still oblivious to) and covered more of her long legs. Her long blonde hair was hanging lose and was slightly wavy. She wore thick mascara and dark lipstick and she was smirking at Hermione, watching her with thickly done eyes. Narcissa looked great and she knew it.
"Miss Granger, may I ask your first name?" Narcissa inquired.
"You may ask," Hermione replied, "But I may not answer."
Narcissa paused, Hermione tensed, and then Narcissa laughed languidly. Then in one fluid movement, she stood up from the bed slowly. Hermione watched her, wishing she could have kept quiet. Narcissa was still laughing when she took Hermione's face with her cold hand and forced Hermione to look directly at her.
"You're witty. That's good. Yet that won't amuse me but something else will. Now tell me your name."
"Hermione," she answered. After looking straight at Narcissa's face, she was puzzled and disoriented. And scared. There was something cold in those eyes. Something Hermione didn't want to witness again. And what else would amuse her?
A bloody end to Hermione Granger?
"To answer your question, Hermione," Narcissa said referring to her previous question, "I shall give you a makeover. A permanent makeover. We shall see how Draco will feel about you then, shall we? We'll see if he'll still hold his strange affection for you then, yes?"
*
Well, there we go. The end to another chapter. Yep it's a bit short (But I wanted to get it up) and yep this is going to be a long AN. I have a lot of thanks you's to give. So if you'll just bear with me now, (Or ignore all this and scroll down to the end).
So, on to the Thank you's.
For chapter 22 –
Kippinater, OrioCookie (The Dark side is always more exciting!), That's my point – (Ouch, you got me on the spider thing. Had the exact same idea. Ginny just really really really wants Harry. I don't know if she classifies of evil but she has definitely pushing the boundaries of good. And Voldie – you'll just have to wait and see for that question!) HpRulez, U no who (Cheers. Sorry for the wait), Draco-Malfoy-Severus-lover (You make me laugh so much. I mean, seriously! I love your story!) Wickedqueen (You'll just have to see!), Ardent Entity, couch-potatoe01 ( I'm a very evil gal), Soccergirl2044 (Nobody really cares what happens to Laura. I just didn't want Ronniekins to be on his own. I don't really think Ron would survive on his own.), Mixer, :D ~ :D ~ :D, burgrundyred (Your fics are great! Lol, Narcissa is one cool chick! I like to confuse people!) AnitaBlake1414 (I didn't not like England exactly. I'm from Ireland so I'm used to the rain. I just wasn't with nice people. England has cool shops though! Narcissa's such a bitch, I know!) super sycoh, Sorceress Eve (I'm a girl, hence my love for Draco! And Harry!) PinkTribeChick (Glad you like it so much!), Courtney83 (Thanks again! Next chapter and you'll find out more about Narcissa and her dislike on them all) Happigolucki616, Tom4eva, Kady Rilla Wholi (Checked out the story. Did you get my review?)
Thanks and reviews are loved and cherished!