Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize from the Harry Potter books.
A/N: Two chapters in one day? Say Whaaa? I am not that great with writing emotional bits so excuse the awkwardness in this chapter. I actually finished it a lot sooner than I thought I would so here it is, enjoy!
The next day Hermione did not have any lessons due to the meeting that night. After breakfast she went for a walk around the Manor feeling the need to just stretch her legs. She wandered around for a while not really paying much attention to her surroundings. She found herself staring at beautiful landscape painting lost in thought as she marveled at the beauty of the rolling green hills with a tall stone structure in the background carved with ancient symbols that over time had lost their meaning. She felt as though she had somehow seen this place before.
She didn't notice that there was someone standing just a few behind her until a voice softly broke the silence.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Hermione turned to face Rudolphous nodding. "Your mother painted it; she said that she often saw this place in her dreams."
Hermione turned back to the painting her eyes filling with tears as sadness filled her. She had loved her muggle mother but lately she couldn't help but feel cheated that she had never known Mira, the woman who had looked at her so lovingly in those old photographs that Bella had given to her.
"You were her brother." It wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement of fact.
"Yes, Mira was my little sister. You look very much like her you know. You are a beautiful young woman and it saddens me that she never got to see you grow up." His voice cracked and Hermione turned to look at the man who was her family.
He was standing with his hands clasped behind his back standing very tall as he looked at the painting with a deep sadness in his eyes and a single tear escaped him as he thought of his beloved sister. Hermione didn't know what possessed her but she walked toward the man and embraced him tightly. His arms moved around her holding her to him. Hermione hadn't realized until then how much she had missed human contact.
"Now that we have you back I will personally make sure no one will harm you." When the embrace broke she realized how tired and broken down he looked. There was silver creeping into his dark hair and he had dark bags around his eyes which made him look much older than the rest of his body had begun to show.
"Take this, if you ever need help simply call my name and I will find you, you're the last family I have left and I swear to protect you." He handed her a small silver ring with the Lestrange family crest surrounded by opals. The silver band had runes carved into it. She slipped it onto her middle finger and once more hugged the man tightly.
"Thank you Uncle." He nodded and gruffly cleared his throat.
"Come, Narcissa is likely to be going mad looking for you. It's about time for you to get ready."
Hermione followed him through the Manor until they reached the entrance hall where they found Narcissa who quickly ushered Hermione up the stairs to get ready. Hermione glanced over her shoulder to get one last look at her uncle who was still standing there watching her go.
Some of the knots in her chest that she had developed since coming here began to loosen. She had family, a guardian, someone who would watch after her through this ordeal. She could tell by the way he spoke to her and looked at her that he truly loved her and would protect her and that gave her a feeling of comfort that she hadn't felt in quite a long time.
Hermione looked at herself in her full length mirror. She was ready for the meeting after a couple of hours with Narcissa. She hardly recognized herself as she stared at her reflection. She was wearing a long floor length black dress. It had a modest v-neck and hugged her tightly until her hips where it flowed slimly down her legs; the material was a soft silk that had been embroidered with lace and beads on the bodice. Narcissa had managed to tame Hermione's hair enough to pull it into an elegant bun with soft curls framing her face. Her makeup was soft with the exception of a dark smoky eye.
She looked like a dark princess, very much fitting for the daughter of the Dark Lord. And as much as she hated to admit it, she liked the look. She felt beautiful and regal, she felt like a woman which was an easy thing to forget when your only friends were Harry and Ron.
Narcissa was standing behind her with her hands clasped together over her chest.
"You look beautiful dear, now just remember our lessons. Walk straight, don't look anyone in the eye except those who are of equal status. Oh and one more thing." Narcissa left the room and the quickly returned with a long black cloak that matched her dress.
She wrapped the cloak around Hermione's shoulders and fastened the latch and pulled up the hood. "Now do you remember everything you're supposed to do?"
Hermione nodded and Narcissa flashed a smile at her. "Your Uncle will be here shortly to escort you down dear." With that Narcissa left the room.
Hermione sat on her desk chair and took a deep breath. She didn't want to do this. The meeting as she had found out yesterday was not exactly what she had thought. It was more of a party than a Death Eater Rally. Tonight she was going to be presented to the elite of Voldemort's Army as his long lost daughter home again.
She would be required to dance with her father and his Generals. Lucius had pulled her into his office yesterday to inform her of the details and whilst doing so made some not so veiled threats as to what would happen should she step out of line and embarrass her father.
Hermione couldn't risk not doing her best tonight even though her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was run, run as far as she could away from all of this. She wanted her old life back; she wished that she had never known who her parents really were. She wanted to be a muggleborn again.
Before she could get any further into her thoughts a knock came to the door. She stood up and composed herself as she walked to the door. She took a deep breath and opened it. Her uncle stood before her in brilliant dark green dress robes and he offered his arm to her.
"Milady." His eyes sparkled with humor as she took the proffered arm and began to walk with him.
"Don't be frightened little one, your father is a complicated man but there is more to him than meets the eye." Hermione looked up at her uncle with a puzzled look but he merely put a finger to his lips and winked at her. They were in front of the ballroom doors. Her uncle adjusted her hood making sure it still covered her face and gave her a quick peck on the forehead before turning to open the doors.
Her fight or flight instinct was leaning heavily towards flight as the large double doors opened up.
"I present to you my daughter, Hermione Mira Riddle."
Applause reached her ears as she numbly walked forward. There were three chairs on a small platform, more throne like than chairs, in the center of the back wall where Voldemort stood with his arms open. She felt her arm slip from her uncles as she climbed the steps up to her father who embraced her lightly.
Hermione fought the urge to pull away and run but it was over quick enough. She then took the seat to his left and the chair to his right remained empty. Hermione vaguely wondered who the chair was for but didn't have much time to think about it before Voldemort began to speak again.
"Tonight, is a night for celebration. Sixteen years ago my beloved wife Mira's life was cut short by Dumbledore and his men. They also stole away my only child. Since then these chairs have stood empty to remind us why we fight. Tonight my daughter has returned and her chair shall never go empty again."
Cheering echoed through the room again, it went for a few moments before Voldemort held up his hand to silence the crowd who immediately obeyed.
"However one chair still stands empty, we will not forget why we are fighting. The muggles have infiltrated our world far too much. They have diluted our magic and are risking our exposure to the world. The supposed light side thought that they could use my daughter to convince the rest of the world that great magic can come from muggleborns. They stole her away knowing that her magic would rival even my own. She is the product of two founder's lines of lineage, the blood of not only Salazar Slytherin but also Rowena Ravenclaw run through her veins. They took her and placed her in a muggle orphanage so that she would be adopted into a muggle family."
Gasps could be heard in the crowd as this was revealed and then Voldemort continued. "In doing so Hermione Granger came into existence. She has been called the smartest witch of her age but what would our world say if they knew that she was not in fact a muggleborn? My loyal followers, I present my daughter, formerly known as Hermione Granger."
Hermione lowered the hood of her cloak as she had been earlier instructed and stood. There were whispers spreading throughout the crowd. Hermione stood there awkwardly not sure what she should do. A lone clap filled the air and Hermione's eyes immediately met with theirs. Stormy grey eyes looked up at her as Draco clapped and soon enough the whole room broke into applause.
Hermione kept her face neutral just as she was taught and nodded to certain members of the audience. But on the inside her emotions were a jumble. She had never thought of it that way before. Had the Order been using her for her entire life? In a way it made sense, why would they have not killed her along with her mother if they hadn't had any plans for her?
Anger began to bubble up inside her as she contemplated this but then Voldemort took her hand and led her off the platform as a waltz began to play. Hermione could not concentrate on both her anger and dancing as she really was rather horrible at it. She focused on her feet until she began to get the hang of it. She looked into Voldemort's eyes for a moment before quickly looking back down.
"Hermione, you look beautiful tonight. Your mother would be proud." He whispered in her ear and just like that the song had ended and Voldemort stepped away as her uncle stepped in.
"Are you alright little one? You look troubled." Her uncle looked at her concernedly as he twirled her around the dance floor.
"I guess it had never crossed my mind as to why I was taken away." She admitted. "Do you think that is really the reason?"
Her uncle looked at her for moment thinking about the question. "What other reason could there be? Why risk letting the daughter of their greatest adversary live and learn magic if they didn't have some greater purpose for you?"
His answer reflected her own thoughts and she simply hung her head feeling defeated and tired. She had hoped that he could have offered a different explanation.
A finger lifted her chin and she looked up at him and saw her own sadness reflected in his eyes. "Come now little one let us not dwell in the past but enjoy the now." A wicked smile that reached his eyes spread across his face as he spun her out and then back in into a low dip. She laughed a little at his antics and began to feel a bit better.
When the song ended he stepped away and bowed low, she did a small curtsey and smiled at him. A tap came to her shoulder and there stood Draco.
"May I have this dance?" He to bowed low to her before taking her hands in his and began to move them across the floor with a surprising amount of grace.
"My father has informed me that I am to watch over you once we return to Hogwarts."
Hermione nodded. "Yes so you mother has told me." He nodded stiffly and continued to dance.
"Thank you Draco." Hermione said softly. His eyebrow quirked at this.
"And what have I done to earn thanks?"
"For healing me in the library and well for breaking the awkward moment earlier." For some reason she blushed deeply at this, feeling rather foolish.
If she hadn't known any better she would have thought that he had smiled for a second but it quickly turned into a good natured smirk, which in itself was surprising.
"Well honestly it was a bit uncomfortable for all of us. I mean most of them have cursed the name of Hermione Granger at least once."
Hermione couldn't help herself as she laughed at this. "Oh please I'm really not all of that."
"Oh but you are, you really are the brightest of our age although I would say I am a close second." He winked at her which made her laugh even more.
"Who knew that Draco Malfoy could actually have a personality?" She teased.
A sudden thought crossed Hermione's mind. "Draco, when you were healing me in the library were you using non-verbal magic?"
Draco smirked and wagged his eyebrows at her. "Why yes it was, do I finally know something that the famous know it all doesn't?"
She slapped his arm playfully and laughed. "Yes, but actually I was hoping you would teach me, I've been having problems with it and Bellatrix isn't helping at all."
Draco looked at her for a moment to see if she was serious. It was very un-Hermione like to ask for help.
"Yeah, I suppose I could but you have to swear one thing to me."
"Oh and what would that be Mr. Malfoy?"
He smirked. "Never slap me again. That time in third year still haunts me."
She burst out into laughter, that certainly wasn't what she had been expecting.
"Deal."
They continued to dance for the next couple of songs, neither noticing that both of their fathers were watching them very closely.
Toward the end of the night the music stopped and everyone turned towards the seats to face Voldemort who beckoned Hermione to his side.
"Tonight we will be inducting the newest members to the elite, as I call your name please step forward."
Hermione looked into the crowd nervously; she hadn't been made aware of this beforehand.
"First brothers and sisters welcome Draco Malfoy." Draco stepped forward and knelt before his Lord. "Draco has proven himself worthy of my trust. Therefore he shall be joining his parents within the elite circle. Please stand Draco."
Draco stood and exposed his left forearm where the Dark mark stood out against the pale skin. Hermione sucked in a deep breath, she hadn't been aware that Draco had already taken the mark. Voldemort lightly touched his wand to Draco's mark and she watched it writhe on his skin. It glowed faintly and then where Voldemort's wand had touched appeared a small crown that rested on the snakes head.
"Welcome my son, go and join your brethren." Draco bowed respectfully and turned to stand with his parents.
A few more names were called but none that Hermione recognized. The same process was repeated on them as it was with Draco. When the last one returned to the crowd Hermione thought that it was finally over but then Voldemort turned to her.
"And now my daughter shall receive our mark so that she may be known to all of our kind." Hermione's eyes grew wide and she began to panic as he grabbed her wrist and turned it to expose her forearm. As he touched his wand to her flesh a searing pain shot up her arm. She did not cry out but instead kept her eyes locked onto his not wanting to show weakness.
When it was over she looked down and examined the mark. It was the same as the others she had seen with one exception. The snake held a single rose in its mouth. She looked up at her father again who had a genuine smile on his face. It looked so unnatural to her to see such a look on a man who she had only known to be solemn or angry.
He took her hand and raised it above her head and turned her to face the crowd who erupted into cheers once again. Hermione fought tears as she tried to smile at the crowd.
She was now marked, tainted as were the rest of the Death Eaters, She felt as if Hermione Granger was slowly dying and Hermione Riddle was coming forward but Hermione fought it. She wouldn't allow herself to be changed so easily.