A/N: We are back again in our regular chapters.
Thanks to louisethelibrarian, surugasasa, Grovek26, roni2010, Ramyfan, aryaa, Nikki98, happyhoper and aisling66 for their reviews. I'll be replying them all very soon.
I never thought I would receive such a great response from all of my readers. : )) Many many thanks to you all.
Acknowledgements:
The rules of 'Escargot' were taken from websites on French children's games.
Creepy Carrots is copyright to Aaron Reynolds.
'Printemps Street of Lé Pecq' was written after consulting the street view map in Google.
Well I guess that's all and now please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review.
An album with the pictures of OC's of this story can be found in my profile. Based on it I have created another poll and would like to see everyone vote.
My fiction 'The Poisoned Apple' has been nominated for The Hogwarts award in the category Hermione Romance. It is posted on the site and I would like you to cast your vote on the site under 'vote' tab.
The website is hogwartsawards DOT weebly DOT com **replace DOT with a . The link can also be found in my profile.
For Swear words and adult theme this chapter is rated M.
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 46: The Hand of Glory
"Mama, take off my jumper! I am feeling hot!"
Draco leaned on the balustrades and looked down at the boy playing with his new friends while his mother looked over him from a garden bench: Adrian and Hermione.
At his son's appeal, Hermione got up from her seat and silently took off the light jumper Adrian had been wearing over his red Mr. Strong T-shirt before the boy joined his playmates again in a strange Muggle game Draco had never seen before.
After returning from his office, he had been watching Adrian and Hermione from aunt Audré's favourite terrace all afternoon and was intrigued by the strange rules the players followed.
On a patch of garden, a giant snail has been drawn which consisted of twenty squares with decreasing numbers that led towards a blank center square. In turns, Adrian and his five new friends were hopping on one foot to and from the center square of the large snail without landing on any drawn line while claiming a box and marking it with their name initials. After the claiming a box, the players must jump over the opponent's box or otherwise they will lose their turns to play and can't claim a box. Draco watched silently as Adrian claimed four boxes at crucial points with his name initial written in a scrawny large 'A'.
Even in games, his son was naturally talented like Draco and thanks to him Adrian had grown up without a father's name while his mother had been considered by many as a slut.
The whole thought left a bad taste in Draco's mouth.
Swallowing several times to beat it off, Draco concentrated on the solitary woman who was sitting and watching Adrian closely.
Even from a distance of sixty feet Draco could see that Hermione looked lost in her own thoughts and occasionally jumping back to reality when Adrian called her to inform that he had claimed another box on which she would smile weakly.
He watched her solemnly, wondering why Hermione was so silent and unresponsive.
'Was she sad?'
'Depressed?'
'Worried?'
'What is wrong with her?'
A floral aquatic smell reached Draco's nostrils and awakened his olfactory senses. Moments later Audré's voice came from behind.
"And I thought my cold hearted nephew never stares at woman!"
Draco looked around and found his aunt occupying her usual seat while chuckling with evident amusement.
"Hermione is unusually silent." He told her quietly and went back to his previous occupation of watching her.
Audré's snort was audible, "Who is silent?" she enquired playfully.
"Hermione is silent." Draco replied firmly this time while his eyes roved down the feature of the woman from distance, "Something is wrong with her."
"Who is Hermione?" Audré asked in a taunting voice and unable to tolerate anymore Draco whipped around.
"My wife 'Hermione' is silent." He stated, "Do you need any more explanations?" he asked her coolly.
Audré whistled lightly, "Yes," she nodded while chuckling merrily, "I would like to know since when did you start to call Jean as Hermione from her universal name of Granger?"
Not preferring to answer that particular question Draco returned his gaze to Hermione, "What is this Muggle game called?" he asked her instead, "I have never seen such strange game where all players do is hop on boxes." He remarked.
"That is called Escargot." His aunt replied, "It is a French variety of American Muggle game hopscotch. Americans usually draw a linear diagram but here in France we draw the board in the shape of a giant snail or an 'escargot'. " She explained, "And on a lighter note, I have never seen a stranger pureblood that you who whiles away time watching Muggle games." She commented.
"Bloody pureblood!" Draco muttered under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Audré cleared her throat, "Did I hear something even more unusual than 'the sun rises in the West'?" she asked.
Deciding that it was high time that he puts an end to his aunt's light jibes, which were interfering with watching Hermione closely, Draco faced Audré, "The sun rises in the East, aunt and I am a bloody pureblood." He declared, "Happy, are we now?" he asked coolly before returning to his previous engagement.
Audré pouted her lips into a skeptic 'O' while arching an eyebrow, "Now I think that the sun indeed rose from the West today." She remarked, "That brings me to the real reason behind this idle talk which I am sure is interfering with your close inspection of a Muggleborn witch." She said looking highly amused, "After the sun sets in East today, Draco, we will be visiting Pasteur." She said plainly, "And this woman by the name of 'Hermione' is going with us too."
As soon as the words reached Draco's over-sharpened ears he took his eyes off Hermione and faced his aunt.
"Of course not!" he said resolutely.
"Says who?" his aunt asked simply.
"Says me." Draco replied firmly.
"And you are?" Audré asked in a challenging tone.
"I am her hus…" Draco started and paused noticing Audré's gaze turned cool, "I am her rapist." He replied looking away, "And I don't want Hermione be ogled my other men, especially by convicted criminals. She is pure and innocent." He tried to explain as the sinking feeling in his chest and the bad taste in his mouth deepened.
"Do you know how ridiculous you sound, Draco?" Audré asked with a loud snort, "I must admit that, that ridiculous confession of yours is 'Riddikulus' enough to kill an entire army of Boggarts."
"So what do you want me to confess, aunt?" Draco asked back, his temper and guilt both reaching the Neptune, "That I am a vile monster who subjected this innocent woman to a ruthless world where she was blamed for a crime that I committed? That I subjected my own son, my own blood, to be ridiculed about his father's identity even before he was born? That I am a criminal who should be thrown into Azkaban or Château d'If for his crime?" he asked furiously and nodded, "YES! YES! YES! I AM A CRIMINAL! I SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR DAMAGING HERMIONE! I AM GUILTY AND SHE IS INNOCENT!" He bellowed in despair.
To his immense surprise Audré was smirking at him instead of being affronted for being shouted at, "You are scaring the crows with all that shouting, Draco." She said lazily noting the loud cries of birds, "May I enquire why that void heart of yours suddenly filled with such an abnormal emotion, which if I am not mistaken, is almost close to remorse?" she enquired.
Discarding his cool demeanor, Draco slumped on a chair opposite Audré and hid his face behind his hands.
This feeling that has started after he came out of memory two days ago wasn't leaving Draco alone for a moment.
It was making him mad.
It was making him want to run away and hide his face.
But there was no escape from it.
It haunts him from morning to evening to night.
And even into his dreams where he visits the distorted version of those memories he had seen in the Pensieve; where Vincent succeeds in his vile crime.
With that he wakes up drenched in sweat in a cold French October.
"It is remorse." He stated from behind his hands.
"Remorse?" he heard Audré repeated after him, "This is remorse?" she snorted again.
Draco removed his hands and gave his aunt and incredulous look, "This isn't remorse?" he asked as his heart beat heavily.
"Can you even spell the word remorse properly, Draco?" Audré asked back, "No, I don't think so." She shook her head, "This feeling that you are having a mixture of wounded self-pride, guilt and emotional turmoil. It will go away in a few days." She waved her hand airily, "Ask me what remorse is Draco, for I lived with a man who suffered from it. It is enough to make you go mad." She said coolly.
"I am going mad!" Draco said desperately, "I am aunt! I am! I just can't think of anything but it."
"Really?" Audré smirked broadly, "We will see!" she remarked lightly, "Now, I think you should get ready to escort your 'silent Hermione' to prison because no matter what you say or feel or explain or do, Draco, she is going with us. I want her to be in the thick of the matter; she will deal with those families and if she doesn't know what Pasteur is like, she won't be able persuade them." she said and stood up, "In the meantime, let me give you a free advice." She smirked and Draco frowned, "Brace yourself." Audré said and with a mysterious smile she left the terrace.
Trying to decipher the meaning of his enigmatic aunt's even more enigmatic warning Draco resumed watching Hermione from terrace and found that the game was over with Adrian claiming a maximum number of eight squares with a large 'A' etched inside them.
"He has won." He whispered as the hollow feeling inside his chest subsided a little, "My son is a born winner." He muttered proudly.
As the little boy returned inside the Château half-dancing beside his sober mother, Draco left the terrace and started for his suite.
A small satchel containing thousand galleons from his compensation money lay on the table as he took off his day's clothes and walked into the bathroom to take a bath contemplating over three issues.
'What was wrong with Hermione?'
'Why his aunt advised him to brace himself?'
'How to live with this unbearable guilt?'
Half naked Draco stood before the mirror for a very long time until he came back to his senses when a loud knock issued on his door.
"Cousin? Draco?" Julian was rapping his bathroom door loudly, "Are you there?" he asked.
"Yes, Julian." Draco replied irritably, "What's it?" he asked.
"If your beauty bath is over, maman has asked you meet her in her parlour." Julian's voice said from behind the closed door, "Maman and Jean are waiting for you to go to Pasteur." He said.
"Hermione is waiting for me?" Draco repeated incredulously and without a moment's delay he hurried to take his shower.
Fifteen minutes later freshly bathed and donning a green shirt underneath a heavy black travelling cloak, Draco walked into his aunt's parlour, slightly panting from running all the way down to meet his wife and aunt.
To his surprise he found Hermione sitting alone in the parlour and shifting through the pages of an evening newspaper while there was no sign of Audré.
Draco noticed that Hermione was wearing a black dress that somehow enhanced her uncharacteristic grim and silence. Her usual unruly brown curls were drawn into a tight bun while a few escaped curls were tucked gracefully behind the ears. She gave no indication that Draco had entered the parlour and continued reading the paper as if her life depended on it.
Draco immediately noted lack of proper winter clothing for Hermione was wearing only a light cardigan under her travelling cloak.
Wondering where his aunt might be, he came to a halt before the resolutely ignorant woman and cleared his throat audibly, "erm…Herm…" he paused, "…Granger, where is aunt Audré?" he asked in a casual conversation tone.
In reply Hermione simply tilted her chin to the door indicating that Audré went out and shifted another page of the paper she appeared to be reading.
Draco has never felt such uneasiness in his entire life. The hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach and the heavy weight over his heart was increasing with every passing moment. He couldn't even make himself to look at her for more than two seconds although his treacherous eyes kept wandering at her direction.
He wondered if he should warn Hermione about her clothing for they are bound to be inadequate for Marseilles, which due to its situation in the Mediterranean coastline, was much colder than Paris or Château de la Grange-Bléneau.
Taking his aunt's advice and bracing himself, he cleared his throat again to catch Hermione's attention.
Hermione simply read her newspaper.
"Erm…Granger?" Draco called Hermione as softly as he possibly could.
Hermione tucked another stray curl behind her ear and kept reading her paper.
Draco sighed internally; it was going to be tougher than he thought.
"Granger, I think you should wear some heavy winter clothes because Marseilles is colder than this place." He said trying to sound logical.
As soon as his words reached Hermione, she stood up, folded the paper, threw it on the table and left without a backward glance.
Draco breathed his relief and leaned against his sofa, "Merlin!" he muttered, 'I hope she puts on a heavy cardigan this time.' he thought contentedly.
But to his dismay, when Hermione entered the parlour following Audré she has got rid of her earlier cardigan and was wearing her plain black dress underneath the travelling cloak.
Draco gaped at her.
"You ready, Draco?" he heard his aunt enquired and not knowing what to answer he stood up.
"Sorry, dear, I had to answer an urgent Floo call from the Minister François Guizot." Audré explained the reason behind her absence, "Jean, why are not wearing any coats or jumpers or anything?" she noted Hermione's plain dress, "It will be cold in Marseilles."
"I am just fine, aunt Audré." Hermione replied with a superior look, "And I don't like unwanted people to advice me about anything." She said dismissively.
Draco stood there as Audré's eye shifted between him and Hermione as she tried to gather what might be the reason behind Hermione's strange statement.
"Let's go then." Audré offered them after some time and Draco left the parlour behind his wife and aunt.
The walk to apparition point was silent.
Draco glanced sideways at Hermione several times and wondered what the reason behind her irrational behaviour could be.
The shores of Marseilles were cold and windy when they appeared there minutes later with Audré.
As predicted Hermione's body shivered slightly when the cold and salty air of Mediterranean touched it.
Deciding that he has had enough, Draco took off his thick woolen travelling cloak and handed it Audré to be offered to Hermione.
"I told you it will be cold here." Audré reminded Hermione warily, "Here take this cloak." She offered her Draco's cloak.
Hermione didn't even glance at the black travelling cloak, "Aunt, how are we going to reach Château d'If?" she asked looking at anything but Draco and his cloak.
"There! Look at that tiny bobbing light!" Audré indicated at the light coming from the small boat that would take them to the French Wizarding prison while handing back a disappointed Draco his cloak, which he didn't don in spite of shivering in cold, "The prison authority sends their personal boat to take us there. It is not possible to apparate in or out Château D'If." She explained.
They waited patiently shivering slightly in cold as the boat with two heavily dressed wizard guests on board came nearer and touched the small dock in the shore.
Draco climbed in first in order to help his female companions to get on the board. He stretched out his hand to grab Audré's who took with a smile before following him on board.
Next was Hermione and Draco offered his hand to her as well.
But instead of taking it Hermione looked down cautiously at the boat that was bouncing slightly on water.
"Here take my hand, Jean." Audré deciphered her reluctance to take Draco's hand and offered her hand instead while Draco withdrew his hand with a sigh.
The journey started when everyone settled themselves on board. Audré and Hermione were sitting side-by-side while Draco sat opposite them facing the prison guards. There was no talk among the occupants of the boat at it took them to their intended destination.
Draco glanced several times at Hermione and found her lost in her own thoughts again.
'That's almost five days since that outburst and Hermione hasn't spoken much since. Not even to Alexis.' he thought to himself, 'Why is she so silent? What she brooding over?'
He pondered over the matter while the boat swayed sideways in rhythm with the tide of the sea underneath.
The three storied and almost square Château d'If flanked on three sides by three large watch towers under the control of Dementors, looked grimmer behind the curtain of fogs of early evening.
Draco felt his penitence heighten as the formidable and foul Dementors cast an air of despair and extra cold around them.
Hermione was openly chattering her teeth now and Draco felt bad feeling in his mouth deepen.
'Why did I ever tell her to put on more clothes?' he thought irritably, 'It is clear from her attitude that she wants nothing to do with me.' He thought morosely.
The wizards that were accompanying them conjured their Patronuses and guided them through the Iron Gate that barred the opening of the actual fortress.
Draco didn't pay much attention to his surroundings as the burly jailor led them to Pasteur's dungeon cell.
The once emaciated prisoner looked better this time and Draco noted with immense displeasure that his eyes hungrily fixed on Hermione.
"So, Madame Audré Chombrun Malfoy." Pasteur addressed Audré lightly while his eyes glinted and roved down every inch of Hermione's modestly covered body, "I never thought the Minister would send me such a pretty reward for my endeavors." He grinned.
Draco was about to whip out his wand and hex Pasteur into oblivion when Audré's cold voice echoed across the dungeon.
"I think it is quite the opposite Pasteur." She said with a sickly sweet smile that reminded Draco of Bellatrix as she settled lazily on one of the chairs set before Pasteur's cell, "I had a conversation with the Minister just before I came here and he gave me full authority to decide your fate. Since I am being forced to visit filths like you, I think I would ask the jailor to get you rid of your genitalia as well as that tongue so that I can hang them in my parlour as a reward to my endeavors in solving this case. You know Pasteur, that Audré is well capable of doing that." she shrugged, "Should I ask the guards or my nephew who I am pretty sure is dying to do the honours for insulting his wife before him?" She arched a challenging eyebrow.
Draco glared as Pasteur narrowed his eyes and fixed them on Audré.
"If you try to threaten me, Audré, I won't provide you with any information." He hissed.
"And if you try to threaten me, Pasteur, I will ask the jailor to take you out of this cell and place you inside one of the three watch towers with the Dementor; that too after removing the aforementioned body parts to adorn my parlour." Audré said silkily.
"What do you want?" Pasteur barked at Audré.
Audré took out a small bundle which Draco recognized at the letters Marie Delacroix had given them and handed it to the jailor who showed them to Pasteur.
"I want to know who wrote these letters to Robert Delacroix that are addressed as 'letters from the rave'." Audré demanded, "And this time, I am not in a mood of cat and mouse play, Pasteur." She warned him sternly, "Either it's the name or names of the culprits or it is you spending the night in the charming company of the Dementors." She said proudly.
Pasteur smirked, "You know what, Audré Chombrun Malfoy, I think I will comply with you this time." he said smugly, "Not because of your threats but because…" he paused, "…I like tough women like you. They are so delicious! Why didn't you meet me in my youth? I could've made good use of your strong body and determination." He jeered.
Draco didn't know how it happened because next second he knew, three different wands has thrown three Stunning Spells at Pasteur who flew out and slammed on the roughly hewn stone floor of his cell.
"Bastard!" he yelled at Pasteur's unconscious form, "How dare you talk to my aunt like that? Had it not been for her, I would have Cruciatused you until you licked her shoes and begged for forgiveness."
"Says who?" Hermione's voice asked from beside Audré and Draco shifted his gaze at her.
Although she looked very white her eyes were glinting with mad rage.
"Says who?" she demanded again, "You Malfoy? You? You who assaulted someone at the age of seventeen?" she asked furiously.
"Jean!" Audré warned Hermione in a low voice, "We are here to deal with Pasteur. You will have plenty of opportunity to deal with the other assaulter once we return to Château." She said giving Draco a very cold look, "Draco, go and check that filth." She indicated at Pasteur's senseless form. "Revive him because I need to question him right here, right now."
Draco dared not to reply Hermione's accusations in public and followed the jailor into Pasteur's cell.
Rage boiling inside his veins, he kicked Pasteur several times to get rid of his frustration before casting the Reviving Spell on him which brought Pasteur into his senses.
"Pin him to the floor." Audré's voice instructed, "He is not worthy enough to sit up and talk with me; he is better off pinned to the cold dungeon floor while I squeeze the information out his filthy guts." She said icily.
Draco complied without another word and pinned a feebly steering Pasteur to floor while Audré entered the cell with Hermione on tow.
"Chombruns are famous for their patience, Pasteur." Audré proclaimed once she reached the offender, "But I see that you are out of common formula and thus fit enough to be whipped regularly. Now I will count up to three and if you didn't tell me who wrote those letters, Pasteur, I will take away all the small comforts that you have been allotted by the Minister as well as ordering the jailor for regular whipping sessions. One…" she started counting.
Pasteur panted and kept his mouth tightly shut clearly indicating that he wouldn't comply.
"Two…" Audré's voice resonated across the cell.
Pasteur kept glaring at Audré.
"Three…" Audré finished and turned away from Pasteur, "Monsieur Jailor, please withdraw all the facilities…" she started but Pasteur's growl cut her.
"His name is Jacques Mesrine." He blurted out, "He was the one who wrote and delivered those letters to Robert Guithot Delacroix."
Audré's didn't even turn to face the man on floor, "How would I know that you are not lying?" she asked coolly.
"Because if you use Veritaserum on me, I will die." Pasteur stated plainly, "And I won't risk my own life for some filthy traitors."
Draco was reminded of all the three men who were captured the night Rochés men attacked Audré and Adrian. He knew how they died from Veritaserum poisoning during interrogation.
He watched as Audré considered Pasteur's words and turned to face him.
"How do you know about that poison?" she asked Pasteur sharply.
"Because it was my idea to give the new recruits Deadly Nightshade Poison so that no one can use Veritaserum on them to wriggle information out." Pasteur replied looking distasteful.
"And now you fell on the hole that you dug for others, didn't you Pasteur?" Audré commented.
"Not completely." Pasteur replied and Audré frowned, "Ask the jailor, because he knows."
The small group turned to the jailor who was stone faced.
"…Pasteur, you bastard…" he growled before lunging for the man on the floor but Audré stopped him.
"Monsieur, control yourself." She said sternly, "Tell me what it is." She demanded.
The jailor was shaking in rage as he replied, "Jacques Mesrine was freed just two days ago. He was here under my very nose and this bastard…" he said but Hermione cut her this time.
"…delayed us on purpose by leading us to find the Delacroixes." She finished with a stunned look, "He wasted our time looking for the Delacroixes while the real man was here in Château d'If." She shook her head in disbelief, "What a psychopath!"
"That is astuteness, young Madame." Pasteur replied from his place on the floor, "That is sharp intellect. Now you have to look for him in order to use him in the trial." He said gleefully.
Audré gave Pasteur a stern look before leaving the cell with Hermione, Draco and the jailor who was still wrestling to control is rage.
"Just let me use my special whips on him, Madame." He said furiously, "It will straighten everything about him."
Audré held out a hand to silence him, "Monsieur, I believe you have records of all the criminals in our office?" she enquired.
"Yes, Madame." The jailor nodded.
Audré placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, "This is my nephew Draco Malfoy. He is working with me in this case. Take him to your record room and give him a copy of all the records about this Jacques Mesrine. Meanwhile, I will return to my Château with my daughter-in-law and see what could be done." She instructed the jailor.
It was just at that moment that Draco was hit by that idea.
He looked at Hermione who was deep in thought as if trying to figure out how to catch Jacques.
'I will avenge you Hermione.' he thought as a new determination took over his earlier guilt, 'I will avenge you no matter what happens to me. You go home to Adrian and be safe. I will return once I am done with him.'
He bade his aunt goodbye and followed the jailor to his office in brisk steps.
The thought that he will take revenge on behalf of Hermione made everything so meaningful and perfect.
As if he has a new aim in life.
As if he could breathe without that heavy guilt weighing down his chest.
As if the gut wrenching hollow feeling was replaced by a strong resolution.
The office of the jailor was guarded by two heavily dressed wizards and Draco was checked thoroughly before being let to enter it.
Without wasting another moment the jailor reached for a filing cabinet while Draco looked around the stone-walled room.
"Monsieur Jailor," he addressed the man who took out a file and opened it, "How is it possible that Pasteur knew his fellow man was here? Did someone from among your staff tell him?"
"I think he saw him during the monthly medical check-up." The jailor replied gravely, "As per Wizarding law, Healers from St. Louis Hospital come here and check all the prisoners of Château d'If once a month. We round out all the prisoners in a large underground hall room because it is not possible to take the Healers to every cell. I guess, he saw Jacques there." He explained and used a Geminio Spell to make a copy of the file he was checking, "Here, Monsieur Malfoy, you will find all the information about Jacques Mesrine here." He offered the copy to Draco.
Draco looked down at the file and prepared to execute his next plan.
"Monsieur, this man reminds me of another man that we recently came across. The record named him as Vincent Blanchard who is being strongly suspected for association with the Knights of Walpurgis." He lied smoothly, "The Wizarding Intelligence Bureau informed us that he was thrown into prison for five years. Is he still here?"
"Vincent Blanchard?" the jailor repeated after Draco, "The balding man who was a librarian before he tried to assault a young pregnant woman?" he asked.
Draco tried hard to beat down the bitter taste in his mouth that arose every time he remembered that memory.
"Yes, the very same." He replied solemnly, "Is he here?"
The jailor shook his head, "No, Monsieur. He was freed almost a year ago." he replied.
"Aha!" Draco feigned disappointment, "But I guess that you have his record here in your office?" he enquired.
"Yes, of course. Do you need it?" the jailor asked.
"If possible, yes." Draco replied, "We are already lagging behind in Minister's case and I don't want to waste any more time to come here for the files again." He explained.
The jailor offered Draco a seat before his desk as he started looking for Vincent Blanchard's file.
When he finally handed Draco a copy of the file, he could swear he was feeling like a Death Eater for the first time on his life.
•••••
Cold to her bone, Hermione settled down on the sofa with a steaming mug of coffee and wrapped the thin blanket around her while her son laid down his head on her lap.
"Mama, tell us a story." He appealed to her showing his rabbit that was resting on his little abdomen.
"Adrian, Mama isn't feeling well enough to tell you a story, my love." Hermione confessed with a weak smile.
Her son's innocent grey eyes widened considerably, "Why Mama?" he asked anxiously as he sat up and placed a small hand on Hermione's forehead, "But you don't have fever." He noted the temperature.
Adrian's genuine concern touched Hermione's heart, "Come, little rabbit, come inside the blanket with Mama." She invited him.
"Okay." Adrian piped in before slipping beside Hermione under the same blanket, "Mama, why aren't you feeling well?" he asked her curiously.
Hermione pinned her son's small body to her with one arm and tried to forget the real reason behind her downcast mood, "Tell Mama a story, little rabbit." She offered him instead.
Adrian snuggled against Hermione and gave her mug of coffee a curious look, "I will if you let me have coffee from your mug." He said innocently.
Surprised, Hermione looked down at her son who looked considerably guilty for bargaining a story in exchange of some coffee from his mother's mug.
"You are trying to smart mouth me, Adrian?" she asked him.
Adrian shook his head with a pleading look, "No, Mama, I was just curious to taste some coffee. That day grandma gave me some tea. Please Mama, just a bit of coffee and I will tell you a good story." He proposed.
Hermione was speechless for several seconds realizing how her son sometimes displayed his father's Slytherin traits. With Draco Malfoy as his father, it was inevitable for Adrian and Hermione certainly wouldn't blame him for it. Neither did it concerned her for she knew her son well and trusted him. It was this dual intermingling of two opposite natures – she and Malfoy- in her son that intrigued Hermione to no end.
"Well, first tell me the name of your story and then I will consider if I can make a deal with you." She told him curiously to know what her son would reply.
Adrian nodded, "It's from a book uncle Alexis gave me. It's called Creepy Carrots." He stated.
Hermione snorted at Alexis's choice of book for Adrian, "Creepy Carrots? Hm?" she considered the proposal, "Sounds interesting!" she remarked and looked at her son who waited anxiously for his mother's verdict, "Deal."
"Yay!" Adrian exclaimed happily and kissed Hermione on her cheek.
"There is a rabbit called Jasper and Jasper loves carrots." He started his story after taking a sip from Hermione's mug, "Especially the carrots that grew in Crackenhooper Field. They are fat, crisp and free. Jasper rabbit ate carrots all the time…when he went to school…when he came back from school…when he went to play with friends…and at night before bed." He paused for his appointed sip of coffee.
Shaking her head Hermione offered Adrian her mug and the little boy took a small sip from the hot beverage before starting his story again, "Jasper just loved carrot. He couldn't get enough of them. But then the carrots decided to take revenge." He paused and gave Hermione a suspenseful look, "Do you know what they did, Mama?" he asked Hermione.
In spite of spending almost all her reading books Hermione had no idea how carrots can take revenge on a rabbit, "No." she replied earnestly.
Adrian's eyes were almost popping out when he replied, "The carrots started to follow Jasper." He paused and glanced at Hermione's mug again.
Realizing that her son was prolonging his story on purpose to have more share of coffee Hermione decided to let him have his way and lowered her mug.
She watched as he took another sip.
Oh how sweetly Adrian wrapped his little hands around the heavy porcelain mug before pulling it to him!
And how cute he looked when his soft pink lips became almost red from contact with the hot beverage!
Hermione could spend all her life here, in this moment, sitting under the same blanket and sharing a mug of coffee with a story about carrots.
"One day when Jasper was coming home from his little league game, he noticed carrots following him." Adrian resumed his story, "When he was brushing his teeth at night he saw the creepy carrots. Then he saw them in the shed and on his wall. By the end of one week Jasper saw creepy carrots creeping everywhere." He paused as Hermione burst into a laugh realizing the significance of naming the book as creepy carrots.
It took her five whole minutes to control her laughter during which Adrian earned another sip from coffee, "What happened after that?" she asked feeling considerably lighter.
"Jasper then made a plan." Her son replied, "He built a fence and a moat around the field where the creepy carrots lived. He was very pleased when he saw that the carrots can't escape this time and follow him and left the field." Adrian paused, "But when the sun set, Mama, the carrots cheered." He said in a mysterious voice, "Do you know why, Mama?" he asked Hermione with wide grey eyes.
"Why?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Because the carrots had made a plan and it worked. Now, Jasper rabbit would never get into that carrot patch ever again." Adrian finished with a flourish.
Hermione didn't know whether laugh or to cry for whatever she had expected, it wasn't this.
She looked down at the happy face of the five and half year old boy who looked exceptionally pleased with himself.
If this life of hardship and loneliness was worth anything in this world, it was worth only one person for her: Adrian.
But with Draco Malfoy slowly plotting against her like a filthy politician to take away her son, she wondered how long she would be able to keep Adrian under her sole care.
He had once tried to kidnap Adrian and almost succeeded in his way had it not been for Adrian who rejected him on his face.
Realizing that he can't win Adrian from her, the Slytherin was now after those whom Hermione trusted.
The filthy bastard is trying to prove now that Hermione is having illegal affair with Alexis.
He is trying to degrade Hermione's character before the world; just like everyone did when she was pregnant and gossiped about her.
And also he was showing false concern about her to prove that he was a loving husband.
But she wasn't going to let him win.
Draco Malfoy can never lay his hands on Adrian.
Those hands that ravaged her, groped her and fingered her core before violating her.
The hand that have the Dark Mark of a Death Eater.
•••••
Thanks to Lupus Venom, Draco's vision was providing him an excellent view of the street he was standing on even in semi-darkness.
Printemps Street of Lé Pecq - a western suburban city of Paris.
According to Vincent Blanchard's files, the man had been living here until he was arrested six years ago in an attempt to rape case and thrown into Château d'If.
As soon as he left the French Wizarding prison with the files of Jacques Mesrine and Vincent Blanchard, Draco had fine tuned the plan he intended to execute tonight.
The probability being very high that Blanchard would return to his old home and live there away from public eyes, Draco had decided to try his luck and visit the Muggle suburban city not very far from Paris.
And now he was bathing under the glory of Malfoy luck.
Vincent Blanchard still lives here and in the Printemps Street none the less.
Draco took a deep breath and tried to calm down his racing heart before checking the watch which said it was half past eleven o' clock.
He knew his mother, aunt and cousins were waiting anxiously for him but he didn't care now.
He won't return to them until he avenged Hermione.
Until he avenged the person who wouldn't even look at him, who wouldn't care where he was wandering late at night and who would take off her cardigan if he advised her to put on another.
Such deep ran Hermione's hatred for him.
And why wouldn't she?
After all it was he, who taunted her by calling her a Mudblood; he, who raped her in the name of punishing her; he, who blamed Hermione for her violation and he, who made her go through all those that she had to suffer as an innocent pregnant woman.
Every time the realizations hit him, Draco felt the heaviness on his heart increase to the point of suffocating him.
The street he was standing on under the Disillusionment Charm was nearly deserted except for a few passersby who seemed to be returning home from late night cafés.
He looked at the six storied Muggle building across the street.
Almost all the lights were gone as the inhabitants of different flats were slowly going to bed.
Draco waited patiently.
Everything has a time and his time is very near.
The light coming from the flat on the upper right corner of third floor was still on.
That was where Vincent lives and he was awake.
Draco can simply apparate at his doorway and complete his mission with absurd ease.
But he won't because he needs it to look like a Muggle's job. The neighbourhood being a Muggle one, it would be easier.
The lights in Blanchard's flat turned off at last and Draco checked his watch again.
It was half an hour past midnight and it was time to act.
He crossed the now deserted street and entered the grounds of the Muggle building for the second time that night.
Draco felt a strange sense of tranquil engulf him as he reached the stairs that will take him to Vincent's flat.
Hermione was right when she said Malfoys could go to any length to get what they wanted for Draco had collected all informations regarding Vincent within an hour of his appearance in a completely new and stranger neigbourhood.
According to his Muggle neighbours that had been questioned by Draco who casted a particularly good Glamour Charm on himself to make him look almost like Severus Snape with black eyes and black hair, Vincent lived alone in his flat. His wife had died of some strange disease that they couldn't name and his only daughter was married off to an eccentric guy who wears robes whenever he visited his father-in-law here. The morons didn't seem to have any idea that Vincent was in fact a wizard.
The most intriguing part was what they told Draco about Vincent being thrown into jail.
"Vincent's daughter told me that her father had been transferred to a good library in Marseilles for five years for his excellent knowledge and service." The elderly woman who lived two flats away from Vincent's was a constant chatterbox and Draco couldn't deny that sometimes talkative people came very handy to collect intended information about others.
He had awarded the woman with a special Memory Charm of his own; something that he had been practicing ever since he returned from Brussels for his aunt Audré won't always be around to modify people's memory on his behalf.
He stood before Vincent's flat for sometime before unlocking the door with simple Unlocking spell.
'The old moron uses Muggle methods to lock the door.' Draco snorted as he opened it just enough to slip in, 'Maybe the Dementors of Château d'If has sucked his magical abilities.' He hoped.
His night vision being sharper than ever, Draco looked around the dark Muggle flat.
It was not larger than his own suite in the Château and Draco wondered how an entire family lived in a small flat once. The first room that he was standing on appeared like a living room with an old worn-out sofa and a Muggle box that he knew was called something like felevision or television or some sort of vision. The room on the right had a Muggle gas oven with a kettle on it - it was the kitchen.
The room on his left was the bedroom where Draco was certain Vincent was fast asleep, unaware of what awaited him.
Draco smirked as he turned the knob and pushed open the bedroom door.
The room was dark just like the previous two and Draco's prey sleeping on a bed in a corner.
With steady steps Draco approached him and came to a halt just beside his bed.
He looked down at the sleeping man.
Vincent Blanchard appeared thinner than he was in Apolline's memory. He was fully bald now and his skins were sagging, thanks to the hospitable guards of Château d'If. His mouth was loosely open and eyes tightly shut: he was lost in his dreams.
'Or maybe nightmares.' Draco corrected himself, 'But after tonight he won't have any nightmares.' He though smugly.
It would be considered cowardice to attack his prey while he slept so Draco decided to rouse him.
"Vincent!" he turned on the bed side lamp and called the sleeping man in a sweet voice, "Vincent! O Vincent!" he called before kicking him hard on his crotch.
The man woke up with a scream which was silenced immediately by wave of Draco's wand.
He watched in glee as the man looked around the room frantically for a possible assaulter but found none.
"You want to see who I am, dear Vincent." He cackled almost like Bellatrix would in this situation, "Okay, dearest I will show myself." He declared before taking off the Disillusionment Charm.
Vincent's grey eyes dilated in undulating fear as Draco appeared before him.
"Wondering who I am?" Draco asked the man as he kicked Vincent when he attempted to leave and he landed on the center of the bed, "Do you want to know who I am?" he asked again.
Silenced, Vincent could only nod at his assaulter.
"I am no one." Draco replied simply, "I am no one but I come from someone you damn well know – Jean Grange, the woman you tried to rape in archive room." He announced.
Vincent's mouth fell open.
'He…Vincent…he paralyzed me with a Full Body Bind Curse and Silenced me…then he took away my wand…' Hermione's voice echoed inside Draco's head and he slashed his wand in mid air.
"Petrificus Totalus!" he bellowed.
The man slumped like a wooden log on bed as Full Body Bind Curse hit him and Draco climbed on it before looking down at the motionless form.
'…he laid me down on a table and started to…' Hermione's voice cried '…it was just like the time when Malfoy…undressed me…I couldn't move a finger…and he almost removed my shirt…then he…squeezed my…over by brassier…you know they are already painfully engorged…because I am pregnant and…my baby will need milk…I tried so hard to get rid of the curse…I fought…I tried to scream…but it won't go…then he tried to take off my skirt…he was cackling when he placed his hand on my bump…'
'…I tried so hard to get rid of the curse…'
'…I fought…'
'…I tried to scream…but it won't go…'
"Scream bastard! Scream!" Draco bid as he kicked Vincent again and again until his legs hurt and the man stopped rolling over.
'…then he…squeezed my…over by brassier…you know they are already painfully engorged…because I am pregnant and…my baby will need milk…'
"How dare you touch Hermione? How dare you squeeze her breasts?" Draco was panting as he climbed down the bed and dragged Vincent after him on the floor, "You touched her with this hand? Didn't you Vincent? You touched her with this hand?" he barked and squashing Vincent's right hand painfully under his heavy boot.
The man on the floor was blue in pain when Draco let go of his hands and he crouched down beside him.
'…he was cackling when he placed his hand on my bump…'
"You know what, Vincent, I am going to teach you a lesson that you will never forget for touching my innocent wife and son." He spat, "I am going to make sure that you never touch anyone again." He said as he arranged Vincent's hands beside his body, "This is the last of your filthy hands!" he said before standing up and pointing his wand carefully at the right hand.
'He…Vincent…he paralyzed me with a Full Body Bind Curse and Silenced me…then he took away my wand…'
'…he laid me down on a table and started to…undressed me…'
'…then he…squeezed my…over by brassier…you know they are already painfully engorged…because I am pregnant and…my baby will need milk…'
'…I tried so hard to get rid of the curse…'
'…I fought…'
'…I tried to scream…but it won't go…'
'…he was cackling when he placed his hand on my bump…'
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Draco bellowed.
When he looked down Vincent's right hand was separated from his body and gushes of blood flooded the floor.
"Bloody hands!" he muttered before his eyes moved to Vincent's left hand.
•••••
Narcissa and Audré were sitting in the garden bench waiting for Draco to return.
"What is keeping him so late?" Narcissa asked irritably while Audré checked her watch which said it was half past one o' clock in the morning.
"Maybe he went back to ministry, Narcissa." she offered trying to sound reasonable.
"Maybe, Audré, maybe!" Narcissa emphasized the uncertainty of the word, "What if he didn't? Didn't you tell him to return to Château with that file?" she demanded.
Audré nodded silently and was about to reply when her nephew apparated in the garden.
"Wait till I whip the hell out of him!" Narcissa said furiously as she started for her son and a silent Audré followed.
For a man who had declared he was going mad in remorse, Draco appeared very calm. There was a strange tranquil in his grey eyes that Audré didn't miss and he faced his angry mother solemnly.
"Where were you, Draco?" Narcissa demanded from her son, "Do you have any idea what the time is?"
"It is thirty-three minutes past one o' clock in the morning, mother, and I am home at last." Draco replied soberly, "You don't need to whip the truth out of me for I went in pursuit of something that was disturbing my sleep recently. Now I think I can sleep peacefully." He said and reaching inside his travelling cloak he took out a file, "Here, aunt, this is Jacques Mesrine's file," he handed it over to Audré, "Good night." he bade and without a backward glance at them he left the elderly ladies on the garden.
Narcissa was staring at her son's retreating form when she found her voice at last, "What was that, Audré?" she asked her incredulously.
Audré sighed and gestured Narcissa to follow Draco inside the Château, "That was something Morpheus felt before he left Malfoy Manor for good." she replied smugly.