For the whole week, Hermione spent most of her time in her room apart from working in the office, reading the books she took out from the vault. She recognized all the words in them and managed to remember the general grammar pattern. Still it was not enough; the books mentioned nothing about the locket.
Finally, she came across the word "open" on a page.
"Otкři," she shouted.
Nothing happened. She said it loud one more time, the locket still gleamed like before. A huge surge of disappointment crushed her, now it almost seemed like the locket would never open.
"Perhaps it's grammatically wrong," she muttered.
She thought of going back to the vault and see if she missed out anything, but the sphinx's riddle was not easy, she was fortunate for the first time, but no one could promise that it would not be difficult next time. After hours of pondering, she finally decided that she would write a letter to Gringotts and transfer a portion of gold to her personal vault.
Reading the old diaries used up a lot of energy. Not for long, her mind was swollen and she could hardly think. Somehow she reckoned that she was getting more and more tired as she went deeper and deeper into the journals. Her temple ached so much that she could not help but stop reading and rubbing her temples, hoping that her head could be a little less heavy.
A knock rang on the office door while she was examining one of the old journals. Lisa came in, seeing Hermione massaging her temples, she said,
"You look a bit unwell. Perhaps I should give you a migraine cure."
"No, it's okay," she says. "Just a little bit exhausted, that's all."
Lisa sat down, eyes fixed on the book on the desk.
"What's this?" asked Lisa, holding the book with amusement. "Some fairy language?"
"Reivenklom," Hermione replied.
Lisa frowned, she picked up the book, trying to read the words, only finding them foreign and strange.
"Never heard of it," said Lisa. "What are you going to do with it."
"My biological parents speak it."
"I thought your parents are human?"
"Some kind of home language they invented, perhaps," said Hermione. "Olivia Walker says my mum used to speak it, but she never learns it or knows who else can speak it."
"Do you parents have siblings?"
"One, dead."
"Who?"
"Someone called Gwendolyn Winter."
"I remember her!" exclaimed Lisa. "That day, Marcus told me Millicent Bulstrode actually has an uncle."
"Yeah?"
"He said her uncle loved that Gwendolyn Winter and intended to marry her," explained Lisa. "But she fell in love with a Muggleborn, so Bulstrode tried to kill that Muggleborn but failed. The curses rebounded on him and he nearly died. The doctors at St. Mungo's managed to heal him physically but his mind was all ruined. Now he lived in St. Mungo's, he is calm but rather broken. Gwendolyn Winter later hung herself."
"How does your boyfriend know this?"
"Well, Slytherins are exceptionally close to each other than to other houses."
"So if I go see him," said Hermione slowly. "Then I may have some more clues."
"Well, if you insist, I can't block you."
"His wand must have got confisticated. He cannot harm me."
"Just be careful," reminded Lisa, she stood up and walked to the door. "You never know who's watching."
After she left, Hermione quickly apparated to St. Mungo's, searching for the man. The Welcome Witch at the reception area directs her to the fourth floor. She remembered this floor very well. Professor McGonagall stayed here when Dolores Umbridge gave her four Stunning Spells in the chest. Hermione simply could not imagine how it would be if it was her, Four Stunning Spells could kill.
There was also Gilderoy Lockhart at the Janus Thickey Ward, who was somehow "back to normal" and still enjoy signing autographs. Hermione felt lucky for him, at least he forgot pain and lived happily. The patients living opposite were not so lucky, unable to recognize their son, not to mention taking care of him. She hated the Death Eaters even more upon knowing this; the Longbottom family was destroyed all because of the Cruciatus Curse. This was merely tip of the iceberg, how many families were crushed in the hands of Death Eaters?
"Mrs. Malfoy!"
A Healer comes by and greets her.
"Good evening."
"Looking for someone?"
"Yes, I am looking for Mr. Bulstrode."
"Oh Mr. Titus Bulstrode!" exclaimed the Healer. "This way, Mrs. Malfoy."
The Healer leads her to the Janus Thickey Ward. Gilderoy Lockhart popped out from the door, smiling.
"Ladies! Want some autographs?" he asked, showing his pearly white teeth.
"Naughty Gilderoy!" exclaimed the Healer in a motherly way. "Slipping out of the ward again!"
"Want some autographs?" asked Gilderoy while the Healer carried him back into his armchair.
"Not now, little one," said the Healer. "You need some rest."
After Gilderoy got settled and calmed down, they head to the last bed. The last bed laid a feeble man, his sunken eyes stared at the ceiling and his hands were scraggy. As the Healer and Hermione approached him, he turned his head and grunted.
"Hello, Mr. Bulstrode," said the Healer cheerfully. "We get a visitor here."
Hermione sat down at the chair with unease. The Healer whispered to her ear,
"He's okay, just a little bit uneasy to see strangers. You may stay at the ward for fifteen minutes; the Healer apprentices will come and check up on the patients."
"I understand," said Hermione.
The Healer left the room.
"Mr. Bulstrode," said Hermione. "I'm Her—Athena Wilkes."
The man turned around as he heard "Wilkes".
"Gwendolyn…" muttered Bulstrode. "Anthony Fern…what a nice pair!"
Hermione quickly assumed that Anthony Fern was the Muggleborn her aunt fell in love with.
"Thirty five years…" murmured Bulstrode. "Was it not long ago?"
Hermione could not quite follow his mind, but she decided to wait for his explanation.
"La belle dame sans merci, why did you leave me?" he laughed. "You would rather marry a Mudblood than a Pureblood, what a joke!"
Hermione sniffed a little when she heard "Mudblood", but she understood.
"Mr. Bulstrode, do you understand this?" She took out her mother's journal and let him read.
Bulstrode laughed again as he read.
"A strange language she said and wrote but never could I learn."
"You recognize this?"
"She used to write it, and speak it!" he said. "Siřuta mǎna nёm tja temev, she said. And my heart was left broken."
"My heart is not for you?" Hermione repeated.
"Vör nёm močëti bedeze mǎnam siřusim," he yelled.
"You can never get my heart…" muttered Hermione, knowing that this man before her could speak some Reivenklom.
"I tried so hard to please her, and she went off with that Mudblood!"
"Mr. Bulstrode, do you know this locket?"
She showed her the locket, the man suddenly calmed down and smiled.
"The winter secret!" he hushed, grinning so evilly that she could not help shuddering. "Hide behind the walls! Creeping! Creeping!"
"What creeping?" asked Hermione.
The man got out of bed and leaned against the wall.
"Listen! They are creeping! Beware!"
Hermione could not make sense out of him and so she quickly left the ward as the Healer apprentices came. When she got out of the ward, her hand ran pass her bushy hair. Letting out a slow deep breath, she tried to organize Bulstrode's words. Obviously there was something hidden behind the walls and it was much alive.
The moment when she walked around the corner, she bumped into a large dark figure.
"Mrs. Malfoy," said the cold voice.
Hermione shivered as she met the eyes of her father-in-law. His eyes examined the environment and took a few steps forward; Hermione withdrew until her back leaned against the wall. Standing close to each other, as his cold breath breathed onto her face, nausea came and she tried hard not to throw up.
"What makes a lovely young lady staying inside Janus Thickey Ward at dusk?" he whispered into her ears, giving her shudder.
"Work," replied Hermione curtly.
"I don't think so," hissed Lucius. "Where is your little assistant when you are here investigating?"
Hermione bit her lips, his eyes stared through hers and instantly Hermione knew he was trying to use Legilimency. She could feel her Occlumency weakened as she met his eyes, so she looked aside.
"What do you want?" she gritted the question through her teeth.
"Perhaps I should ask my dear son to lock you up in case you wander off into somewhere you should not be going."
"Excuse me; I am not your slave."
"Do not go into the ward again, do you understand?"
"Why should I listen to you?"
"Because you are going to regret."
He grabbed her wrist and apparated.
It was a tough landing; Hermione could hardly stand as her feet touched the floor. She was back in the Malfoy Manor. Draco was standing in front of her, emotionless.
"Draco, I strongly recommend you to take care of your wife these days," said Lucius. "In case she wandered off to somewhere dangerous."
Lucius went out of the room. Hermione massaged her wrist and sat on the bed.
"Now you are happy, I can see," snapped Hermione.
"Next time be smarter," said Draco. "You don't even know you are spied on."
"What?"
"Do you think my father would know your whereabouts within a couple of minutes?" yelled Draco, agitated.
Hermione was confused, not knowing what he meant.
"For heaven's sake, can you not realize that someone can follow you around and sell you out?"
Hermione was deep in thoughts. Who could have betrayed her? The only person she talked to at the ministry was Lisa, nobody else.
"It cannot be Lisa," said Hermione. "She is my friend."
"Yes, she may be your friend, but her boyfriend is not!"
Lisa's boyfriend—Marcus Avery.
"Damn it," hissed Hermione. "How can I forget?"
"You'd better be more careful—."
"Well thank you for your kindness!"
Seeing that his wife was not in a calm mood, he walked into the bathroom and locked himself in there. As Hermione could sense the steam coming out from the bathroom, she tried to reorganize everything in her mind. It was obvious that she should stay away from Lisa as much as possible to avoid surveillance. But what Bulstrode said remained as an enigma. Where were the walls he mentioned? Could it be in her parents' house? It did not seem reasonable that he would visit her parents and stay there long enough to figure out there was something hidden behind walls. Could it be in Gwendolyn Wilkes's house? But where was her house?
She thought of asking Harry to help out, but after all these, she felt apologetic for asking him to help out in her own family matter. Harry was a free man, she was married, it did not seem reasonable that she would ask Harry to help instead of Draco. But could Draco help at all? She never denied that he was intelligent but Draco did not appear to be helpful, especially when his father was spying on her.
Since it was a Sunday and Draco went out with his colleagues, Hermione decided that she should visit Ginny. It was a relief when she knew Harry and Ron went to help out in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Ginny got her a cup of tea as they settled down in the parlour.
"Does Malfoy know you are here?"
"He doesn't care."
"It's hard to say;" said Ginny. "Sometimes I think he likes you."
"Don't be silly, he never likes me."
"If only you can love him as much as you love Harry."
Hermione stayed in silence. Love Potter? It seemed ages ago when she still wanted Harry badly.
"Do you still love Harry?" asked Ginny.
"I guess….no," replied Hermione whisper. "Not as much as before, at least the passion fades a little. It sounds bad, but good in a way."
"And here I thought you are still madly in love with him."
"What do you mean?"
Ginny took out a silver ring, Hermione's heart sunk. She knew she should feel happy for both her and Harry but disappointment kept appearing.
"Harry gives you this, as a declaration of love?"
"I turned him down."
Hermione was shocked.
"Why?"
"I know he still has feelings for you," explained Ginny, taking a sip of tea. "I don't want him to see me as a replacement of you. It will only make both of us suffer."
"Harry won't do that," said Hermione, but knowing that she could not convince Ginny. "He won't hurt you."
"You are lucky, to have someone like Harry, standing by your side no matter what."
"But I have a husband whom I never love. There is nothing for anyone to get jealous of me."
"I only envy you for one thing—Harry."
See you after two months! Reviews (not too harsh, please) welcomed!