It's been a while since I've updated, so sorry! Here's the next chapter, it was more difficult then I thought it would be but it's finally finished. The next chapter will be much better; this chapter is just to introduce characters to the setting and stuff.

Chapter 9

Routine and planning

Hermione awoke to the sound of screaming. She sat up wildly staring into darkness her heart hammering against her chest painfully.

"What's wrong" a voice asked from the darkness beside her.

Hermione sat there panting heavily. She struggled out of her blankets and threw them to the floor in panic and an attempted to cool down. She felt the sheets wet with sweat, stick against her body and the heat radiating from her face.

"Did you have a bad dream?" the voice asked, a light thump was herd along with foot steps as Becky strode over to the wall and found the light switch. Light filled the room, chasing away the horrors of the nightmare world.

"Are you alright?" Becky asked again. She sat down at the edge of Hermione's bed, her face full of concern. Hermione sat still, her breathing slowly returning to normal as she listened intently.

"I heard a scream" she gasped eventually.

"Yeah, that was you" Becky told her

Hermione sat there confused, "Me?"

"Did you have a bad dream? Can you remember anything?"

"Nothing specific," she lied. Well it was part true she couldn't remember all of it, yet all her dreams were full of darkness now there wasn't much of a difference between them. A long uncomfortable pause passed between the two girls, Becky shivered and stood up.

"Do you want me to keep the light on?" she asked kindly, beginning to yawn. Hermione shook her head, "No, sorry if I scared you" she leant over onto the floor and dragged her blanket back onto her bed feeling slightly foolish.

"Ok," she got up and turned the light off, plunging the room in darkness, bringing an odd relief.

"Night"

"Night" Hermione replied back. She brought her knees into her chest and sat looking into the darkness for a while. Not wanting to go back to sleep; besides she had more important things to do then that; planning her escape.

Knowing she was the new girl, she realised all eyes would be on her for a while. Expecting her to try and run again. She would have to be patient, gain their trust and then use it against them. Firstly however she had to get to know the house and grounds. It seemed the jewellery each member of staff had, stopped them from apperating. Something she had tried many times to do every time she had been left alone throughout that day.

If she was to escape it would most likely have to be on foot, at a time when nobody would notice her missing. Yet as soon as she was found missing they would work out the radius around the manor as to the distance she could have travelled. They would find her in a second flat… if only there was a quicker way. A broomstick perhaps; thinking harder she decided she would be safer on foot then in the air. Flying was not her forte.

Another idea hit her, floo powder. If she could find a fire place linked to the network she could easily get away, find her way to the Order. All she had to do was say 12 Grimmauld Place and she would be straight in the Orders Head quarters. Her heart lifted in the darkness at the thought, the floo network was probably her best chance. Her stomached clenched however at the thought. She highly doubted that she would be able to stroll into any of the rooms and analyse each grate as to whether she would be able to travel. It would be risky, she guessed that the main private rooms of the family members would have fire places, most of the rooms in the house she had seen so far did. The only problem was getting into these rooms and finding them.

After a very troubling night Hermione finally fell asleep near day break her mind buzzing with thoughts.

Hermione was awoken as someone shook her shoulder, moaning for a few more minutes she rolled over. She wasn't ready to get up, not yet. The bed was too comfy and warm.

"Hermione, wake up we've got work to do"

She didn't recognise that voice, why was a stranger in her room? She snapped her eyes open, trying to focus them. She sat up wildly banging her head on the low ceiling.

"Ow!" she covered her head with her hands, rubbing it.

"There is a ceiling there in case you're wondering" Becky smiled sitting at the edge of Hermione's bed. "It's a wonder you didn't hit it last night"

Reopening her eyes, now the pain had subsided she remembered where she was.

"Don't worry; it normally takes people a while to get used to moving in and stuff. You'll soon become used to waking up this early, although it doesn't get any easier" Becky told her with a laugh, Hermione fell back onto her pillow and pulled the blanket over her head, Becky it seemed was a morning person something she currently was not. She was just going to have to force herself to become used to the new situation, much to her irritation.

"Come on wakey wakey!" Becky pulled the covers off her face sharply. "Today is your first day and you want to make a good impression. How are you feeling?" Hermione felt her leap off of her bed and stride over to the other side of the room. A bright light suddenly flooded her closed vision. Hermione moaned again and covered her eyes with her arms.

"Alright I'll get up, just turn the light off!" Hermione mumbled.

Using the dimmer switch Becky turned the brightness down slightly.

Yawning Hermione pulled herself up into a sitting position, making sure not to bang her head again. "What time is it?"

Becky didn't answer for a moment, her head half in the Chester draws throwing certain clothes onto her bed nearby. She stood holding a green robe and closed the draws.

"Early. I find its best not to know, it makes me feel better just slightly." Picking up items and a clean robe she placed them on Hermione's bed for her. Picking up some of her own things she headed over to the door "You can get changed in here, if I'm lucky I might be able to grab the bathroom before it gets to busy" she left leaving Hermione on her own.

Sighing Hermione pulled her legs over the bed and rubbed her eyes. Sitting still for a few moments she realised how exhausted she felt. After all the drama of the last week she wasn't surprised. Standing she stretched deeply and yawned again. Slowly she undressed and changed into her new clean clothing. Sitting down once she was finished she noticed a small chest at the bottom of her bed. She frowned surprised she hadn't noticed it the night before. Kneeling onto the floor she carefully opened it. Inside were a number of useful items some were wrapped in a brown paper. She guessed these were the items Mae had spoken about being delivered the day before. A hair brush and tooth brush was among them. Along with small packages of clothing and surprisingly what felt like a book. Picking it up she felt the weight of the parcel on her hands, she ripped the paper open to find a reasonably sized hard backed book. She gasped at the sight. She rubbed her hand over the front of it, taking in the new smell of the pages. She sat on the floor hugging it to her chest a true smile on her face. Books, her one true love, how she had missed them.

The front cover wasn't anything special just a bold title 'Eye's open'. She opened the first page and scanned the blurb; it was a fiction story, an educational thriller from what she could tell. She gazed at the first few opening sentences; the vocabulary was rich and complex. Something perfect to get her mind working again, she wondered whether Zabini had chosen these items himself. Sitting crossed legged leaning against the bed she began to read. She hadn't gotten very far when Becky returned now fully dressed.

"What are you reading?" she asked curious

"I found a book in the chest, 'Eye's open' it's called" Hermione told her not looking up from her page.

Becky shrugged and began to make her bed. "I never was in to the whole reading thing, I'm too fidgety. I need to be up and about doing something"

Hermione wasn't surprised; she continued reading as Becky continued talking.

"I'm sure I've got a book around here somewhere as well, you can have my one if you want" She tucked in the last corner of her blanket in and smiled in achievement. "Right, you'd better use the bathroom and then we'd better hurry down stairs."

Closing her book in disappointment Hermione grabbed her toothbrush and stepped into the corridor. The girls bathroom was only a few doors down and wasn't difficult to find. It was a clean white and freshly laid towels stood in a pile in the airing cupboard. This she had learnt the night before.

After being taken back up to the house after her first escape, Mae had brought her to the bathroom to help clean her up. Her face sweaty and flushed with dirt and tears. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and her situation began to sink in. Rushing into a cubical she was violently sick. She heaved painfully, their being nothing for her stomach to bring up. She coughed and spluttered clinging to the rim of the toilet seat. Mae stood behind her rubbing her back gently saying soothing words of 'just let it all out'. The fear and adrenaline was too much for her body to deal with. Eventually her body began to calm and she finally sat trembling clutching a towel and glass of water.

"Better?" Mae asked

Hermione merely sipped her water to ride her mouth of the vile after taste of vomit and bile.

"Now I think it might be best for something light to eat then sleep."

Hermione nodded weakly, and slowly got up. After being escorted back to her room, she was brought up some slices of plain toast and another glass of water. After finishing them both (the toast with a little difficulty) she eventually drifted into an uncomfortable sleep; that was until her nightmare.

Ignoring her reflection in the mirror she quickly brushed her teeth and washed; vowing never to become dirty again. Just as she was leaving she passed Emily, who was fully dressed. She her closely for the first time Hermione saw very pointed features with light skin and blonde hair. Once again she was glaring.

Hermione forced a small smile, hoping not to make a fuss. Emily's look if possible darkened. Looking away Hermione hoped she hadn't made an enemy already. She saw Emily's hand reach out and grab onto her arm tightly. Hermione was forced to stop and look at her. Emily now had a smirk playing on her thin lips.

"I know the rest of the house doesn't know but I know who you. You're Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's friend" she smiled deeper as she saw Hermione pale and her eyes widen in fear.

"I'm surprised you have the guts to show your face in civilised society, especially as your face is all over the prophet. Lucky I saw the paper this morning, the face of a criminal all over it"

Hermione palled herself from her grip sharply. "What do you mean by that?" she questioned her anger beginning to rise.

"My Mother and Father could do magic. It was people like you who gave them the stupid idea of fighting back. They died defending the cause of so called 'good'. I told them it was pointless, just join him and spare all our lives. They said he would kill me because I was a muggle but I know the Dark Lord rewards his followers. It's because of people like you that made 'him' angry. I lost my home and my family-"

"All those memory charms have made you insane" Hermione told her, fearful of the mad look Emily had; her pale cheeks flushing in anger.

"My parents thought I was insane to following the Dark Lord too" she hissed "I'm not crazy, I'm just not stupid!"

"The Dark Lord kills people like you for fun!" Hermione stated "I will not be threatened by a brainwashed lunatic!" giving her a dark look she strode away rage pulsing through her veins.

"You'd better stay away from me or I won't be scared of telling everyone who you are" Emily cried after her.

Hermione shivered, unable to believe anyone would feel that way about someone who had killed their parents; a muggle no less!

She stormed back into her room; Becky was in the middle of tying her hair up. She sat staring at Hermione in surprise her arms caught in midair. "Is everything alright?" she asked carefully, not entirely sure how to deal with her new friend.

"Perfect!" Hermione spat, pacing the room fists clenched.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No"

Shrugging Becky finished her hair quickly, hoping to get out of the tense room as soon as possible. "We'd better hurry downstairs for breakfast" she said a little quietly, scared that any moment Hermione might actually explode from anger.

Hermione nodded sharply and followed her out the room muttering under her breath. As they made their way down, Hermione passed a window and scowled seeing that the sun wasn't even up yet.

As they entered Hermione noticed that a lot of the house staff was already eating. Sitting down at the table she was given a bowl of porridge.

"How are you feeling?" a girl called Hannah asked, "Mae said you were ill last night?"

Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye Becky motion a warning look at the girl. Taking a deep breath Hermione tried to calm herself down. Emily was not present in the room, and it would be best not to make anymore enemies or ill content.

"I'm feeling much better thank you" Hermione said politely, picking up a spoon she slowly began to eat, finding it strange actually eating something with a flavour for once.

She saw Becky relax slightly, noting the danger beginning to pass.

Once breakfast was finished Becky lead Hermione to the store cupboards on the second floor. "Right where do you want to begin? We've got to clean the rooms and bathrooms, change the sheets and…" she saw the look on Hermione's face. "Maybe you should just follow me" grabbing cleaning supplies she shared them out with Hermione and they began to make there way round the house, cleaning as they went. They met Mae and her second Kate as they were walking to a spare bedroom with a large pile of clean sheets between them. Hermione was in the middle of stating what was the point was of changing sheets every week of a bed nobody ever even used, at the time.

"The Master likes to be prepared at all times for unexpected guests Hermione. You will not question your orders" Mae ordered hearing her. "Why you're here, Kate this is the new girl I was telling you about"

Kate was slightly taller then Hermione and looked to be in her mid twenties. She had mousy blond hair which was curled. She had a pale complexion but it suited her. She was thin and although not really pretty she had a natural beauty; she wasn't surprised if the rumour of that Zabini like her was true. She was dressed like Mae and carried a think brown book.

"Nice to meet you" she greeted.

"Well we won't keep you two dallying, make sure you bring the old ones down Becky, last time I found a pillow case left in the middle of the room. You know what happens when you make mistakes"

Becky paled slightly clutching her pile of clean laundry tighter, "It won't happen again I promise"

"Good, well get going then"

Dragging off a sheet from a double bed Hermione flung it onto the pile of dirty laundry in the centre of the room. The room she was in was beautifully decorated, along with the rest of the house.

"Will you stop looking and help me with this!" Becky panted trying to fit the new sheet on over a corner which refused to fit.

When they had finished in the spare rooms they collected all the dirty items, Becky did a thorough search before they left, and piled it into a large basket she had fetched earlier. Each of the girls took a handle and slowly made there way downstairs. After dumping it in the laundry room they made there way to the kitchen, ready for lunch and then an afternoon of more chores.

It was on Hermione's third morning when she and Becky were passing the main hall when Becky grabbed her and made her stand beside her close to the wall. Frowning in confusion, she realised Becky's reaction; she saw Zabini and three others coming down the main staircase. She hadn't seen him since that fateful day when she was delivered and her heart hammered in her chest with anxiety.

"Don't look them in the eye, when they come near curtsey and don't say anything unless they say something to you" Becky muttered beside her.

Hermione couldn't help but ignore the advice and stare. This would be the first time she had seen his family, they had apparently been away abroad.

Blaize was in the lead laughing beside a young girl, who looked very similar to him. She guessed it was his sister; she was talking with him with a large grin and looked much to Hermione's surprise kind and innocent of the horrors her family had committed. Like the rest of her family she had dark brown hair, hers being long and straight and a tanned complexion. Behind them followed she knew was his parents. Blaize's father was an almost splitting image, except he looked older and more dangerous. His features more pinched and dark look upon his face, his complexion however was much lighter compared to his wife's. The woman beside him had light brown hair and tanned skin, which her children had inherited. Hermione couldn't place where she was from; she guessed she was European maybe Mediterranean. She reminded her of Malfoy's mother Narcissa, she would have been pretty had it not been for the grimace and fowl look on her face matching her husbands very well. She was in the middle of a conversation him at that moment; he she saw didn't look very pleased.

The young girl hurried down the last few steps and giggled loudly running towards the dinning room. She passed Hermione and Becky; she dawdled slightly seeing Hermione; noticing she was new. She smiled at her and ran into the room wanting her breakfast.

"Abigail, don't scream and run like that it's not lady like!" her mother barked, hurrying after her into the dinning room, ignoring the two maids who curtsied slightly as she passed.

Blaize slowed down to allow his father to walk beside him. Hermione noticed he was no longer smiling now his sister wasn't with him. The same look of blankness was present again. Hermione understood what Becky meant. When he was smiling with his sister, his face was full of love and kindness. Much to Hermione's disgust he wasn't ugly, but very good-looking. Yet now with his father, she saw an emptiness, danger and nastiness to his features. He looked exactly what a Deatheater would look like, she concluded just like his father. Hermione finally looked away and at the floor seeing the two males near.

"How have things been while I've been away?" he asked his son.

"Fine father" Blaize said bluntly not looking at him.

"After breakfast we will talk in my office, we have much to discuss" he hurried into the dinning room, leaving Blaize behind. As Blaize passed, Hermione looked up at him, her stomach jolted as he looked back with a piercing gaze. It was a short uncomfortable look, and Hermione begged him to look away. Finally he did as he passed them into the room. She took a short exhale of air as the door closed. Becky finally looked up, not noticing the look between Hermione and the master.

"Glad that's over; it's always so awkward when they are all together like that; too much power in one room" Becky hurried down the corridor and into the kitchen. Hermione followed deep in thought.

Mae was busy giving orders as was to be expected at that time of day.

"They're down for breakfast" Becky told her, sitting down against the table and resting her head against her arms.

Mae immediately reacted to the comment, becoming ridged and military like. "Right, let's get on with it, remember everybody best behaviour, they've been away for a while so I expect they'll be a little high maintenance"

"More then normal you mean"

"Let's just deal with it in out stride" Mae said loudly, ignoring the comment. The kitchen staff and others began to rush round madly for a few moments. A house elf entered from an adjacent room to the kitchen.

"We are ready Miss" he stated in a squeaky voice. Hermione looked at it in pity; it had a little sheet like outfit on with the Zabini crest.

"Right then everybody, I don't want any mistakes. If you get in trouble you know not even I can help you!"

Please review! I'll update when I can