A/N: Thanks to everyone who thought my story was tempting enough to follow, favourite and review.
This chapter contains dialogues from Deathly Hallows, some unpleasant situations and crude violence. I therefore rate it as: M. I tried my best to keep up with the original story line of Rowling. Keep in mind that Draco can be extremely cruel when angry.
And don't forget to rate and review.
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental.
Chapter 7: Submission and Submersion.
Geccemp was in his usual good mood when Hermione found him in his office at Gringotts around ten thirty in the morning. He was humming gently in Goblin language as he hand-engraved the handle of a knife with hammer and chisel in his workshop adjacent to office.
Hermione patted her robes and stood expectedly by an arm chair waiting for Geccemp to look up. She did not wish to break his concentration and her patience paid up when Geccemp looked up from his work, smiling.
"Ah! Jean." He cried out, "When did you come?" He asked her brightly.
Hermione stiffened an urge to roll her eyes. The eccentric Goblin had told her to enter his office and then completely forgotten it. "Just a few minutes ago." she answered, looking amused.
Geccemp motioned her to seat and put down his tools. He took the knife in his long fingered hand and approached Hermione. "How does it look?" He asked her.
Hermione looked at the intricately designed shiny knife in his hand and could not help but admire it's beauty. It was a piece of perfection embodied in a simple knife. Geccemp's goblin hands could bring out wonder in the most simplest of the things.
"Amazing." Hermione exclaimed.
Geccemp beamed at her, "It is one of the twelve throwing knives that I am creating for Monsieur Dufort." he informed her. "But I don't believe you visited my office in Saturday morning to admire my handiwork, Jean." he said to her skeptically. "What is it?" he asked her raising an eyebrow.
Hermione sighed as she retrieved a roll of parchment from her inner pocket and placed it on Geccemp's table. "I came to apply for a vacation." she admitted.
Geccemp snorted, "I thought you forgot what a vacation is." he commented. "Never took one since you joined here and it's about time you take one." He said as returned to his workshop and came back empty handed to take his seat behind the desk. He unrolled her parchment, read it silently,dipped his quill in ink and signed it without another question.
"Here." he held out the parchment for Hermione, "Enjoy your holiday." he said.
"Merci." Hermione thanked his boss and pocketed her application.
"Where are you going?" Geccemp asked her, placing the tips of his fingers together.
Hermione smiled at him, "I plan to visit Belgium this summer." she informed him, "I heard that the Belgian Gringotts is organizing a workshop on Cursed Belgian Diamonds. It's once in a lifetime opportunity to actually see and undo the curse of those Famous Diamonds that claimed so many lives." she said excitedly, "Like the famous 'Le bleu de France' or what the Muggle's call Hope Diamond."
Geccemp shook his head in amusement, "You know what, zat iz the reason why you are our Chief Curse Breaker, Jean,a woman who seeks after Cursed Diamonds on her first holiday in four years." he commented.
Hermione was about to retort when someone knocked at the office door.
"Enter!" Geccemp called from his chair.
The door opened and a goblin who Hermione knew to be called as Greepak entered the office. He strode to Geccemp's desk and bowed, "Bonjour, Sir. Monsieur Malfoy is here and wishes to meet you." he informed Geccemp in impeccable English.
"Monsieur Julian Malfoy?" Geccemp enquired.
"Yes, sir. Him and his cousin from Britain - Monsieur Draco Malfoy." Greepak affirmed.
Hermione's smile died in her lips. She eyed Geccemp and Greepak with apprehension, her body shaking from head to foot.
Geccemp noticed her sudden change of demeanor but preferred not to question it. Instead he looked at Greepak, "Please apologize to them on my behalf and tell them make themselves comfortable while I finish an important conversation." He commanded his subordinate.
Greepak bowed and left without another word. After he closed the door behind him, Hermione jumped to her feet.
"I am sorry Sir but I must be off before they come." she declared, her voice trembling.
Geccemp eyed her with concern, "I assume so, Jean. But if you leave through that door now you'll definitely come across them." He affirmed her, "I suggest that you to stay at my workshop until they leave." He offered.
Hermione could not think of any better option and nodded. She would have cast upon herself a Disillusionment Charm had she not been in Gringotts – a place where any concealing charm was prohibited.
Geccemp had already left his seat and ushered Hermione to his workshop. It was a large cavern lit with torches and decorated elaborately with most intriguing of toolbars by the goblin himself. He hid the place from prying eyes behind a stained glass window.
"You are safe here." Geccemp assured her. "The window is enchanted so that only you can see or hear them while they cannot." He informed her, "Be seated and calm yourself!" he advised her and left the workshop sealing the entry behind him.
Hermione felt her legs go numb and she slumped on the nearest stool, waiting for the dreaded encounter as Geccemp walked to his office door, opened it and ushered the visitors inside.
•••••
Draco and Julian were not seated for more than five minutes when the silver door leading to the chief Goblin's office swung open and he poked his head out.
"Bonjour Monsieur Malfoy." he addressed, seeing them, "Forgive me. Please come in." He gestured them inside.
"Bonjour." Julian replied as he and Draco rose from their chairs and entered the office. Draco looked around the spacious office as they seated themselves in front of the large mahogany table.
"I see you are alone, Chief Geccemp." Julian commented.
Geccemp settled himself behind his large desk, facing the Malfoys now, "I was not aware, Monsieur, that you were expecting someone else here." he said. "And this must be Monsieur Draco Malfoy." he enquired, fixing his beady eyes upon Draco.
Draco nodded in response to his query. Julian, however, smiled. "I heard, while waiting outside your office Geccemp, that Chief Curse Breaker Jean was present here and thus wished to meet her. Her skill on that particular field is indeed very rare and she's worth our salt." he professed.
Draco looked at Julian in amazement. "You mean Jean is a Woman? A woman curse breaker?" he asked him incredulously.
Geccemp chuckled in response spoke: "Yes, Monsieur Malfoy. Mademoiselle Jean is physically a woman but mentally she's far better than her opposite sex. That's why she was promoted as Chief Curse Breaker so early in her career." He did not endeavor to hide the pride in his voice. "But let us put this discussion aside." he told Draco and turned to Julian, "Sir, I believe you wished to meet me for some important reasons?" he asked.
"I do." Julian responded and reached inside his coat. He retrieved a small box and passed it to Geccemp who opened it to find a large diamond ring. "This ring was passed onto us recently after the death of one of mother's aunts. I heard that now-a-days diamonds are being subjected to innovative curses to prevent the new bearers from wearing them and thus wish to consult your expertise. And that's where the topic of Curse Breaker Jean came in." he informed the Goblin.
The Goblin examined the diamond with slightly furrowed eye brows. "Very well Monsieur. The matter will be taken care of most earnestly." he finally spoke and assured Julian.
"By Mademoiselle Jean? If not, then I explicitly request her expertise in this matter. After all it will be worn by my mother, Lady Audré and I shall not tolerate any carelessness on her regard." Julian pressed.
"As you wish, Monsieur Malfoy." Geccemp ensured him. "Anything else I can do for you, sir?" he asked.
"Merci. That will do for the time being." Julian replied.
Draco who had been silent during his cousin's conversation took the opportunity to speak the question nagging in his mind: "This Curse Breaker Jean, is she a Pureblood?" he asked Geccemp.
Geccemp eyed Draco sharply as Julian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Why do you ask so, Monsieur Draco, Sir?" he asked pointedly.
"Because only Pureblood Witches can have such kind of rare magical abilities - passed to them from generations of strong ancestors." Draco replied proudly.
"But Monsieur, correct me if I am wrong, Lord Voldemort of Britain was a very powerful wizard too and he was a Half-Blood. Surely you know better, Sir, since you come from there." Geccemp said with an unmistakable tone of sarcasm in his voice.
He had touched a nerve because Draco's face reddened at his remark. "You speak of Dark Lord with such careless ease, Goblin!" he said coolly.
Geccemp smiled at Draco, "I do, Sir, since he's no longer worth than a Knut in dirt. Pity he could not even afford a decent burial from his Pureblooded followers." he remarked
Julian sensed the dangerous turn in their conversation and stood up before Draco could retaliate, "Merci, Geccemp for your valuable time." He said, "It was most relieving." he motioned Draco, who was glaring at the Goblin silently, "Come Cousin. Let's be off. Au revoir, Geccemp."
"The pleasure was only mine, Monsieur. Have a good day." he bowed to both wizards and opened the office door for them as they left. After securing that they had really left for sure he strode to the entry of his workshop and unsealed it.
He found Hermione sitting ashen faced and tight-lipped on a stool.
"Jean." Geccemp called as he walked to her, "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
Hermione did not respond. "Jean." the Goblin called her again.
His voice brought Hermione back to her senses. She looked down at him, her eyes blank and rolled the sleeve of her left forearm. She offered it to the Goblin who looked and saw a thin bright cut across her skin that wrote: Mudblood
"Draco Malfoy's Aunt Bellatrix Lestrange did it." she told her boss, her eyes tearful now, "I hope you understand why I did not want to meet them." She explained.
The Goblin had no words to convey his feelings and remained silent.
"I never showed it to anyone here except you, sir." she admitted, "But today while trying to save my honour, you earned a place of trust in my heart and I assure you that there can be no higher honour for me to work here with you." she said tearfully and stood up.
"Au revoir." she offered the silent Goblin goodbye and left the office, almost running.
•••••
Hermione arrived in her bedroom, which was blissfully empty, after using the special Floo from Gringotts and started to undress immediately. She left her top and skirts on her as she reached for her bathroom.
She had seen him today – Draco Malfoy. She had seen him at last – her tormentor.
Hermione wiped her eyes and turned on the shower. As the cold water started pouring she settled herself on the floor beneath it and closed her eyes.
29th March, 1998. Hermione will never forget that date as long as she lives.
It was almost a week before Easter holidays and she had been planning to make something special for the occasion. On that day while her friends – Harry and Ron sat idly to catch the latest broadcast of Potterwatch in their small radio – she decided to visit the local food market for some eggs, chocolate, flour, sugar, butter and milk. She had been trying to remember her mother's recipe for chocolate cake and these were all she could come up with.
She had borrowed Harry's Invisibility Cloak and apparated near a small market. Once there she removed the cloak, folded and tucked it in the bag she had brought to carry her purchase.
Not wanting to thieve the foods that she would be using to make the Easter cake, she bought them all with the Muggle money she was carrying and put them on her bag along with the cloak.
Tired, after an hour of shopping and walking with a heavy bag, she had decided to return to their tent and surprise the boys.
Had she known what surprise was waiting for her there, she would have made sure to put on the Invisibility Cloak.
When Hermione appeared in the campsite the tent was silent as grave. Panicking and not knowing what to do dropped her bag and called the first name that came in her mind: Harry.
Flashes of red jet hit her and she sprawled on the ground, stupified. When she came back to her senses she heard rough voices and felt someone carrying her.
"Delicious girl…what a treat…I do enjoy the softness of the skin…" said the horribly familiar, rasping voice. Hermione shivered.
"We have caught Potter's accomplice. Let's take her to the Ministry, Greyback." someone offered.
"To hell with the Ministry, Scabior." Growled Greyback. "They'll take the credit and we won't get a look in. I say we take her straight to You-Know-Who."
"Will you summon 'im? 'ere?" Scabior sounded terrified.
"No" snarled Greyback, "I haven't got – they say he's using the Malfoy's place as a base. We'll take the girl there."
Hermione was terrified. How did this happen? How could they get caught like this? Everything was fine when she had left for market? What could have happened during her absence? And most importantly where were Harry and Ron?
Questions after questions came bursting in her head and she felt the familiar sensation of apparition. She squinted her eyes open and saw they landed in a country lane. She saw a pair of wrought iron gates at the foot of a long drive as one of the snatchers strode to the gates and shook them.
"How do we get in? They're locked, Greyback, I can't – blimey!" he whipped his hands away in fright as the iron contorted, twisting itself into a frightening face, which spoke in a clanging, echoing voice: "State your purpose."
"We've got Potter's accomplice! Greyback roared triumphantly, "We've captured Potter's girlfriend."
The gates swung open.
"Come on." Greyback told his men and Hermione was hitched forward through the gates and up the drive, between the high hedges. She closed her eyes shut, feigning unconsciousness.
"What is this?" she heard a woman's cold voice.
"We are here to see He Who Must Not Be Named." rasped Greyback.
"Who are you?" the woman asked indignantly.
"You know me, ma'am." there was resentment in werewolf's voice, "Fenrir Greyback. We have got Potter's Mudblood girlfriend."
Hermione felt herself being dragged forward and she landed painfully as they dropped her on the landing. With immense control she refrained herself from crying in pain.
"Bring her in." she heard the cold female voice. "Follow me." she instructed them.
Hermione was lifted by strong hands under her arms and carried forward while her knees made painful friction with the cold floor. She dared not to open her eyes. Finally after what appeared like hours they brought her somewhere where floor was covered with rich carpet. She was thrown unceremoniously on the floor where she sprawled like a broken doll.
"What is this, Narcissa?" she heard dreadfully familiar drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy. Her heart skipped a beat.
"They say they have got Potter's Mudblood." said Narcissa's cold voice. "Where is Draco? We need him to identify her."
"He's upstairs. I will call…" but he saw interrupted as a third voice echoed across the room.
"What's this? What happened, Cissy?"
Hermione squeezed open her right eye and saw Bellatrix Lestrange as she walked into the room. She approached Hermione who shut her eyes again.
Things cannot turn any worse than this. Bellatrix was a pure maniac and took exceptional pleasure in torturing Muggleborns. Hermione was racking her brains for a way to escape. She heard footfalls approach her and then someone shifted her using a foot.
"But surely this is the Mudblood girl." Bellatrix said quietly, a voice that had foreboding calmness "This is Granger."
Hermione expected her to cast a Cruciatus on her immediately. She could no longer feign unconsciousness if she did so. But then someone cut in.
"Are you sure?" Hermione heard Lucius's uncertain voice, "Well, then the Dark Lord must be informed at once." he said.
Hermione felt the footfalls move away from her, Bellatrix was leaving her for the time being untouched, buying her more time.
"I will call Him." she cackled from somewhere near her head.
"I was about to call him, Bella." Lucius shouted, "I shall summon him, Potter's Mudblood was brought into my house and it is therefore upon my authority…"
"Your authority?" roared Bellatrix, "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius. How dare you! Take your hands off me." she shrieked.
"This is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the Mudblood–"
"Begging your pardon Mr Malfoy," interjected Greyback, "But it is us who caught Potter's Mudblood."
Hermione took advantage of the commotion and opened her eyes fully to see Narcissa standing by her, her wand in her hand, watching the tri-party conflict. It was now or never.
She jumped on her feet, yanked Narcissa's wand from her hand as she took her hostage and pointed Narcissa's wand to her own neck before she could even flinch!
The commotion died instantly as all the other occupants glared at Hermione.
"If anyone dare approaches me," Hermione said through gritted teeth, "She dies! I swear it!"
"You won't dare touch my wife, Mudblood!" Lucius warned her releasing Bellatrix's hand.
"Try me, Lucius Malfoy!" Hermione said as she started to back away from the room, gripping Narcissa tightly. "No foul play, Narcissa Malfoy." she warned her, "Take me to the entrance! Now!" she ordered.
"You can't get away with this, Mudblood!" Bellatrix said, pointing her wand to them.
"I swear I'll kill your sister if you try to stop me!" Hermione was desperate to put as much distance as possible between them. She knew she couldn't kill Narcissa even if she wanted to but her threat seemed to do it's job because both Lucius and Bellatrix were eyeing her warily. They started to back away.
And then suddenly someone grabbed her hair and pulled it painfully. Hermione lost control of her body and released Narcissa and her wand.
"How dare you touch my mother?" she heard the familiar drawl of Draco Malfoy from behind her. "How dare you threaten to kill my Pureblood mother, Mudblood?" he pulled her hair more painfully.
Hermione's eyes watered in pain. "Bravo! Draco!" she heard Bellatrix cackle in delight. "Leave the Mudblood to me and I will teach her the meaning of pain!" she offered her nephew.
"No!" Draco snarled, "It will be me." he dragged Hermione by her hairs only, who struggled to release his iron grips. "I will teach her to behave properly with her superiors." he said maliciously.
"Be careful Draco. She must be alive for the Dark Lord." Lucius warned his son.
"She will be alive, father. Physically, at least." Draco replied.
"Release me, you twitchy little Ferret!" Hermione struggled vigorously.
"Ferret, huh!" Draco said as he opened a door and started dragging her downstairs by her hair.
Hermione screamed in pain as her body hit the stone steps but Draco paid no heed. He was panting as he pulled her deeper and deeper in the dungeons. Her body met rough cold stones once the stone steps ended and Draco threw her on hard floor. Hermione groaned in pain.
"You wanted to kill my mother?" he said and kicked her on her stomach as she rolled on her side clutching her stomach painfully trying to avoid it. He stopped after kicking her several times relentlessly. "I will kill the Dark Lord himself if he lays a hand on my mother and you, a Mudblood dare to touch her?" he shouted.
"Malfoy, I did not mean to do it!" Hermione panted. "I was desperate."
"You did not mean to? huh?" Draco laughed maniacally, "You did not mean to, Mudblood? But I mean to do what I want to do." he bellowed at her as he stooped and grabbed her pants.
Hermione froze! She grabbed his hands trying to stop them, "What are you doing, Malfoy?" she asked horrified.
"Teaching you your proper place." he replied as he yanked open her pants and Hermione screamed.
•••••
Hermione was screaming, clutching her skirts and the bathroom door burst open.
"What happened?" Apolline enquired as she entered the bathroom and found Hermione shaking uncontrollably under cold shower, screaming and clutching her skirt tightly, her eyes shut!
"Oh my poor child!" she exclaimed and reached for her, she turned off the shower and embraced the girl tightly in her arms!
"Ssssshh! Sssshh! Hermione! What happened?" she asked her as she tried to comfort her.
"He is here! He is here! He is here!" Hermione repeated hysterically. "Draco Malfoy is here! I saw him today." she exclaimed as everything suddenly became blank.