A/N: Thanks to everyone for the huge response after my last update.
One of the Guest reviewers asked me not to include Astoria in the story very much as he/she does not like her. I read about this character before starting the story and found that she was considered better than Pansy Parkinson even by Rowling. Astoria was his cannon compliant wife and I must include her to preserve the sense of the story.
This chapter contains explicit bad languages. I therefore rate it as: M. I don't like describing rape or non-con scenes and thus omitted them in my last chapter. Sometimes subtlety conveys more feelings than actual description.
Please leave your reviews after you read.
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 9: The Cycle Completes.
Hermione's whole body ached. Her scalp burnt from repeated painful hair pulling, her eyes stung from constant crying, her lips were bruised from forceful kissing, her throat hurt from prolonged screaming and her limbs ached from brutal beating. But none of those pains were equivalent to the one she felt between her thighs: the place that bled due to loss of innocence.
She lied motionless on her side in Malfoy Dungeons, too tired to even open an eye after the vengeful encounter with Draco Malfoy. There were occupants in the dungeons: Lucius and Bellatrix.
"Your handiwork is perfect, Draco." Bellatrix praised her nephew after observing her captive's condition, "Especially the blood between her thighs look so deliciously temping. I guess she was a virgin." she licked her lips, "Greyback had been requesting me for the Mudblood. I guess this sight will arouse him beyond anything." she let out a high pitch maniacal laugh.
"Let's get her dressed, aunt." Draco said from his stand on a corner.
"Why be so shy, dear nephew?" Bellatrix mocked him, "You just violated her, did not you? Besides it's more fun to torture naked victims." she cackled, "Crucio!" she cried suddenly.
Hermione's nerves were too taut to feel any kind of physical pain. She writhed in silent agony as Bellatrix subjected her to Cruciatus Curse again and again and again.
"Enough, Bella!" Lucius called from his seat across the dungeons, "We need her alive and sane for the Dark Lord. He will be needing to question her about Potter's whereabouts."
Bellatrix lifted her curse reluctantly. She kicked Hermione on her naked stomach.
"I will come back later, darling Mudblood." she said sweetly. "But before I leave, I would like to bestow a gift upon you. So that you never forget who you really are."
She grabbed Hermione's left hand and brought her forearm to her mouth, biting the flesh hungrily.
Hermione screamed this time and tried to pull her hand away: she could not take such pains any longer. But Bellatrix ignored her and continued biting.
"Look at your new signature." she commanded her when she finished; "It says Mudblood." she let out another maniacal laugh.
"Lucius! Call your house elves and tell them to clean this mess before putting her with the other prisoners in the cellar." Bellatrix said her brother-in-law sharply as she released Hermione's hand.
Lucius clapped his hands and two house elves appeared who bowed deeply to him.
"Clean that Mudblood, dress her and take her to the other prisoners in the cellar, vermins.' he spat at them.
The elves bowed again. Within minutes they started cleaning and dressing Hermione in her clothes.
"Draco, do you think Potter will come to save his Mudblood?" Bellatrix asked her nephew.
"He should." Draco replied curtly and left his place in the shadows. "I am returning to my room." he declared, "I need to clean this muck." he indicated the blood in his groin.
"But your seeds inside her are precious considering her blood status." Bellatrix teased him, "After all, they are pureblood seeds." she said proudly. Draco did not respond and left quietly.
The Elves finished dressing Hermione, who was too weak to think who might be her next prison mates. Then in the click of a finger, they brought her in a dimly lit cellar and left her.
Hermione curled herself into a ball and lied motionless. She heard footfalls approaching her but she did not care.
"Hermione?" a voice screamed in surprise and she looked up at last.
"Luna?" she said weakly, too tired to exclaim. "So they brought you here?" she commented.
"Yes. But how come you are here?" she enquired her.
Hermione sighed, "Long story." she replied.
"Are Harry and Ron with you?" Luna asked her again and she shook her head. "Water." she said instead.
"Yes, of course. I am sorry I did not think that you might be thirsty." she said and went to fetch her some water. "Here." she brought a pitcher and placed it before her, "They don't give us goblets to drink so we drink directly from this." she indicated the pitcher.
Hermione sat up with difficulty and reached for the pitcher. She tried to drink without spilling water but her hands were weak and her throat dry.
Luna eyed her for any visible injury. She reached forward to touch the scar across her left forearm proclaiming 'Mudblood' but Hermione withdrew her hand. "Don't touch me." she said to Luna gravely.
Luna eyed her as she drank some more water and sighed, "They will not know about it, Hermione." she said simply.
Hermione looked at her with fear. Surely Luna has not realized her unfortunate condition. She could never let anyone know what Malfoy did to her, even upon her death.
"What are you talking about?" she asked Luna suspiciously.
Luna smiled sympathetically, "You know what I am talking about, Hermione. But I promise I'll never breath it to a soul." she replied.
Hermione's body went rigid, "How do you know?" she asked her incredulously.
"It's simple" Luna answered quietly, "Your aura has changed. It has increased and it's brighter now." she said airily.
Hermione looked at Luna in utter disbelief. It was one thing to say that Nargles or Crumpled- Horned Snorkack's existed and it was another to comment that the aura of a violated female body has increased.
Hermione was brought back from her reverie as a small body shifted against her and she looked down at her sleeping son.
Her son: Adrian Thomas Granger. The child born from the 'precious' seed of Draco Pureblood Malfoy, that was planted on her Mudblood womb on that fateful day.
Hermione knew now what Luna had meant that day. Her aura did change because a new life was taking it's form inside her body.
She glanced at the form of her sleeping son. He was snuggling her and his small chest rose and fell rhythmically with each breath he took.
Mrs. Delacour had discovered her in her bathroom earlier that afternoon, soaking wet under cold water and screaming hysterically. She had fainted soon afterwards and they had called their family Healer Monsieur Jonas who had given her a strong Calming Draught and Stress Reliever. She was lying on her bed now, calmer than before but awake and reliving the unholy events that took place in the Malfoy Dungeons more than six years ago.
She had seen him today at Gringotts. The arrogant teenager was now a full grown even more arrogant man. He was wearing black and as he had talked she had noticed a ring in his left ring finger. His silvery blonde hair had grown longer, now touching the nape of his neck. He was taller now and leaner. Hermione still could feel the power of those muscles when he had forced and beaten her mercilessly.
Harry and Ron had saved her, Luna and the other captives from the cellar eventually with the help of Dobby the House-elf, who perished in Bellatrix's hand and succumbed to death on the shores beside shell cottage.
Hermione did not want to think about Harry or Ron anymore. It was the past she wanted to forget for good. She had only one present now: Adrian.
•••••
Draco had spent his first two weeks in France by visiting famous Parisian landmarks: The Louvre Museum, The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. His uncle's family – his aunt and cousins – had accompanied him and Narcissa to all those places.
Paris was a city full of life and the more he scoured the city more he felt how very lonely he was. He would see couples clinging to each other - hugging and kissing and it would remind him of his wife, Astoria. He would see families walking on the streets – fathers with their sons held securely on their laps and mothers clutching their daughter's hands – and it would remind him of his Scorpius. He could have been here too, carrying his own son in his arms, laughing and kissing his wife Astoria.
Today Julian was taking him to Musée d'Orsay or Orsay Museum which housed the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world. Draco was not interested in watching paintings any more but he had nothing else to do at home. He had already visited Ruelle Les Halles thrice this week on pursuit of ingredients for Headache Potion for his aunt, which he had brewed two days ago.
Julian was in exceptional good mood and he apparated Draco and himself to their destination from their Château. They appeared in a quite alleyway and Julian showed him the way.
"The museum building was originally a railway station, called Gare d'Orsay," he started his usual history lesson, "situated on the left bank of the Seine, built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography by world famous Muggle painters including Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh."
They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon until lunchtime in the museum. Draco was watching the paintings half-heartedly and wanted to leave but Julian's enthusiasm refrained him from doing so.
"Julian, can we finish watching the rest of the paintings tomorrow?" he enquired his cousin at around two o' clock. "I am getting confused. I don't know all these Muggle painters as well as you do." he professed. "Besides you said you have to return to your job at the Ministry in the afternoon." He reminded Julian.
Julian smiled at Draco, "I am aware of that dear cousin but my shift does not start before three o' clock." He informed him. "Do you wish to return to Château?" he asked.
Draco shook his head and looked at his cousin. He had all the usual Malfoy traits except for the silvery blond hair. Instead he had inherited his mother's black hair. "No, thank you. Is there any other place where I can spend some time alone?" he asked him.
"Well, there is Tuileries Garden, just across the river Seine." he guided him to the exit and they came out from the Museum. "Let me take you there." he offered Draco.
Draco held out his right hand and stopped Julian, "No." he shook his head, "I don't want to be escorted to every place I go." he said, "Please, Julian, I insist that you return to Château and prepare for your afternoon shift. I assure you I'll be alright." he affirmed.
"Are you sure?" Julian probed Draco, "This is your first time in Paris." he said.
"I am not a child, Julian." Draco told his cousin irritably, "I can speak French fluently and it's been two weeks since I came here. Besides if I want I can apparate back to Château any time." he confirmed.
Julian did not press the matter further. He showed Draco the way across the Seine to reach the Tuileries and waved him goodbye before apparating away.
Draco started walking on the pavement to reach his destination: Tuileries Garden.
•••••
Hermione was leaving for her Belgium tour tomorrow morning with Adrian, Gabrielle and her friends Eva and Edmound. She had spent her last ten days quite busy as she shopped in Muggle and magical markets; studied at the magical section of National Library of France: Bibliothèque nationale de France looking for books on Cursed Diamonds and packed for their upcoming journey. She had also bought tickets from Thalys, which is an international high-speed train operator originally built around the North Paris Railway Station in high-speed lines between Paris and Brussels.
The most enthusiastic person in the whole Delacour House was Adrian who had been running around the house from the morning and questioning everyone about Brussels. He was making such uncharacteristic racket that Hermione found it very hard to concentrate on her research about the Diamonds. So she called Eva after lunch (Gabrielle was still at apothecary) and asked her to take Adrian to nearby Tuileries Garden.
"He likes that place." she told her friend Eva who was already visited many places with Adrian, "Just don't let him out of your sight." She instructed her.
Eva assured her that she'll take great care of Adrian. She and her brother Edmound had already packed their bags and she had nothing else to do for the approaching evening.
Hermione dressed her son in a pair of blue jeans, a red and white striped T-shirt and matching blue cap to protect his delicate eyes from sunlight.
"Now little rabbit, be a good boy and never leave Aunt Eva's hand." she kissed her son tenderly, "Don't talk to strangers or eat anything they offer. Understood?"She asked him.
"Yes Mama." Adrian squealed and nodded.
"Don't worry, Jean." Eva assured her and took Adrian by his hand before leaving the house.
Hermione returned to her book soon afterwards. She had just two hours to finish it before Adrian returned from his afternoon excursion.
•••••
Draco had spent his after afternoon walking inside Tuileries garden aimlessly. The place was vast and he was soon lost in his thoughts. He did not even notice when he left the garden and reached the street outside.
Astoria had always wanted to visit Paris. She had told him to select Paris as their honeymoon destination but his father had forbidden him from doing so, reminding him of his French aunt. He had chosen Venice instead.
Now that he was walking the streets of Paris while staying with the same French aunt and her family, he felt guilt fill his heart. It was Astoria who had to suffer for his father's nonsense prejudices.
"OUCH!"
Draco was brought to his senses by a sudden thud and a loud cry of pain. Startled, he looked around for the source of the sound and after a few moments of frantic scrutiny of surroundings, realized that it was coming from a small boy who lay at his feet, rubbing his eye.