Just a few more notes about this story. Firstly this is not going to be a "Dramione" story. It's a "what if" scenario, exploring what would happen if Hermione was fostered by the Malfoys at a young age. Secondly the concept of "Muggleborn Re-location" is not pleasant and this chapter may be upsetting. Hopefully there will be some interest in it though.

Once again the Grangers were faced with a wild goose chase as they tried desperately to find out what was going on. They searched for information on Malfoy Manor only to be told by the National Trust and the local tourist board that such a place did not exist. And there seemed to be no trace of the Malfoys either. As a last resort they tried to get Hermione to control her magic by teaching her deep breathing techniques that she could use when she got upset and hopefully keep unpleasant officials away from their house. Mr Granger even considered taking an impromptu holiday although he knew it would be hard for both him and his wife to take time off at short notice. And that crow was back, sitting on the wall of their back garden and watching them through the window, or so it seemed. When Mr Granger went out to the car to go to work one morning the crow perched on the roof, looking directly at him which unnerved him for much of that day. Not that the Ministry gave them much time to do anything as it was only a week before all their lives were turned upside down.

oOo

It had been a strange Saturday morning so far. Breakfast had been later than usual and her parents had let her watch a lot more TV than they normally did. They'd been acting oddly again, with whispered conversations and worried faces. Her daddy had to go to the surgery for an emergency filling and now her mother was looking out the window a lot while she did the washing up and the ironing. Hermione didn't mind that it was raining outside as she was working on a jigsaw at the dining table. It was aimed at older children but she was determined to finish it. In any case, her friends seemed to think she was a bit odd these days so she was glad she couldn't go out to play and there was plenty to do in the house.

She was nearly finished the jigsaw when her daddy came home and seemed relieved to see her sitting at the table. A little later her mummy was drinking coffee and she was enjoying a glass of milk when the doorbell rang, making her mummy jump out of her skin. Hermione looked out the window of the sitting room to see Mr LeRoy on the doorstep accompanied by a lady with chestnut hair and what looked like a green cloak.

Her mother opened the door just a tiny bit and told the visitors that she didn't want to talk to them and that they needed to leave.

"It would be best to let us in," Mr LeRoy announced solemnly, "We can enter without your permission but we would prefer to do it this way." She knew he wasn't joking. As she stepped back the door seemed to open wider of its own accord and the two visitors stepped into the house, both as dry as a bone despite the heavy rain outside. The door closed behind them just as mysteriously.

"John!" she called out, just as her husband came rushing down the stairs.

"I told you to get out the last time," he snapped.

"Mr Granger, we have been through all this and you have received plenty of notice. It simply isn't safe for Hermione to stay here." Mr LeRoy explained with a sigh, producing a piece of paper from thin air. "This is our official warrant, allowing us to relocate Hermione Granger from this address-"

"You will not be relocating anyone. If you don't leave immediately I will call the police," he told them firmly, still trying to keep his temper in check.

Mr LeRoy put down the warrant just as Hermione peeped around the door before rushing to her mother's side. The lady with Mr LeRoy smiled at her but she clung to her mother's hand, with a mixture of fear and excitement that these people were actually magical, like she was.

"Right, you haven't left so I'm calling the police," her father was saying now, his hand on the receiver of the phone.

"It would be best not to do that, Mr Granger. There are protective spells around this house right now, preventing any Muggle from entering. Or leaving. They will, of course, disappear when we leave."

His colleague then spoke for the first time, her voice gentler but still with a sense of authority. "Mr Granger, we know this is difficult for you both. But please believe us, this is for the best. Maybe we should go into the living room?"

She turned to Hermione. "Hello Hermione. I've been hearing all about you. And your family of course." She smiled at her parents and held out her hand to them. "I'm Mrs Elsie Trehurst and I'm a colleague of Mr LeRoy."

But neither of her parents seemed to want to shake her hand and her mother led her out of the hallway and away from the argument that was going on. Hermione was looking over her shoulder, watching the two officials with wide eyes. "Mummy, what are those shiny things around the magic people?" she asked in a whisper.

"What shiny things?"

Her daughter didn't get a chance to answer as the two officials joined them in the living room, her father following behind them.

"We haven't agreed to this, you know. And we haven't signed anything," he was telling them. "And I don't remember inviting you into our living room either." He tried to grab Mr LeRoy's shoulder to steer him out again but found that his hand made contact with some kind of force field.

"A Shield Charm," he explained, "Unfortunately we've found them necessary in our line of work."

"Can't Daddy see it? It's all around him," Hermione whispered, as her mother tried to figure out what her child was talking about.

Mr LeRoy sighed and sat in an armchair without being invited. "Mr Granger, you need to get your daughter ready. The Malfoys will be arriving at the Ministry very soon. It's all been arranged and the sooner you accept this, the better."

Her mother spoke up just then. "Is this…really necessary? We've been trying to help Hermione all week, teaching her deep breathing exercises to try and keep her magic in check. Maybe if we try that for a while, see how it goes?"

The wizard stared at her in astonishment. "You've been trying to get her to suppress her magic? Mrs Granger, that is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Believe me, we've had a lot of problems with that over the years. No, the best thing is for Hermione to live with a wizarding family for a while and learn about her world and her culture."

"For a while? So it really will be a temporary placement?"

"All placements are assessed individually but yes, we will see how Hermione gets on. And of course, you will have your monthly visits." He announced this quite calmly while flicking through a pile of papers from his briefcase.

Her father had been relatively calm but that last remark got his attention again. "Monthly? We were under the impression it would be more often than that."

Mrs Trehurst answered this time, her voice calm and a little friendlier than her colleague . "We've found monthly visits are best. It gives the child time to get used to their new family, settle in a bit. And just think, you'll have plenty of news for each other."

"Now, hold on, is there anything else you need to tell us? Because it looks like we're getting half the information here. "

Mr LeRoy looked up, as mug and annoying as ever. "Oh, I think we've covered everything. The first visit will be thirty days from today and every thirty days thereafter. Communication will be by owl post and we will leave instructions about that," he recited, conjuring up another piece of paper and sending it over to the window sill. "And now… please get Hermione ready. You were given instructions on what she needs to bring and she was supposed to have been packed by now. We need to leave fairly soon." His patient façade had disappeared and the Grangers could tell he just wanted to get away.

"Well, we're sorry we held you up in the course of your duties," Mr Granger sneered.

Hermione could not bear it any more. She wanted to be a witch and to learn about her magic and this exciting world but she didn't want her parents to be upset and angry about it. Her father had always a nice, friendly person and he never talked like this, at least not in front of her. Breaking away from her mother, she ran to the door to escape to her bedroom.

"I don't want to go!" she sobbed, "I want to stay here!" A book fell off the bookshelf, landing with a soft thud on the carpet. She jumped in fright and span around. "I didn't mean to!"

Mr LeRoy put a hand on her shoulder and made the book fly back into its place with his wand. "Mr Granger, you're making things difficult for your daughter by putting this off. It's clear she can't stay here," he explained to him with no hint of emotion.

With another argument now underway and her mummy trying to calm things down, Mrs Trehurst got up and came over to Hermione, gently leading her out into the hall away from the noise. She knelt in front of her and took her hands in her own.

"Hermione, dear, listen to me," she said gently, "We need to leave soon, all right? Will you show me where your bedroom is and we'll pack a few things for you?" She wiped the child's tears with a handkerchief. "I know this is scary but we'll look after you and just think, it will be an adventure! Now, do you have a favourite toy you'd like to take with you? A doll maybe, or a teddy bear?"

Hermione kept her head bowed. "Lucy," she managed to blurt out.

"Is Lucy a dolly?"

She nodded, her eyes still on the floor.

"Well, how about we go upstairs and find Lucy?" She squeezed Hermione's hands.

Mrs Granger was right behind them. "I can do that," she told the older woman, taking Hermione's hand. They heard Mr LeRoy telling his colleague to go with them as they ascended the stairs. In Hermione's room, Mrs Granger took a pink backpack out of the wardrobe and looked at the witch with fearful eyes.

"Wh-what does she need?" she asked softly.

"I'm sure the Malfoys will take her shopping very soon," Mrs Trehurst replied. "But for the moment, an outfit or two will be fine, enough for a few days. And of course, a toy or book or two will be acceptable as well. Just lay everything on the bed and I'll take care of it."

Her mother placed two pairs of jeans, along with a few t-shirts and two jumpers, along with socks and underwear on the bed, then sent Hermione to the bathroom to retrieve her toothbrush and bubble bath. She placed the items on top of the clothes but her hand seemed to be trembling.

"I-I'm not sure everything will fit," she whispered a little hoarsely.

"Don't worry; just put it in the pile. Oh, is this Lucy?" Mrs Trehurst asked, picking up a doll in a pink dress that had been lying on the pillow. Hermione nodded. She still could not take in what was happening.

"Will we put her in the backpack or would you like to carry her?"

"I'd like to carry her," Hermione's voice was shaking a little and her mother hugged her.

"Very well. Now, watch!"

She took her wand and pointed it at the pile on the bed and then at the backpack. They both gasped as everything shrank and flew neatly into it.

"W-will I be able to do that?"

"Oh, you will, and so many other things! You won't believe the things you'll learn! Now, shall we go back downstairs and say goodbye?"

At the top of the stairs her mummy stopped and turned around. "Is there no other way?" she pleaded.

"I know this is difficult for you-"

"Do you? You keep saying that but do you really? Have you any children?"

The other woman looked around uneasily. "Yes, two."

"And what would you do, if they were taken from you?"

When there was no answer she just sighed and walked down the stairs slowly, her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Her daddy was still sitting in the armchair but he no longer looked angry, just sad and lost. She went straight to him and hugged him. Then both her parents knelt on the floor so she could hug them both properly. "We love you so much, you know that, don't you darling?" her mother said, trying to fight back the tears. Her father pulled her against him gently and whispered in her ear.

"We'll bring you home again, I promise."

They hugged for what felt like a long time and Hermione breathed in the smells she loved, her father's aftershave and her mother's apple shampoo. She looked at the books on the shelves and the picture of the waterfall above the fireplace, wondering when she would see her beloved house again. Then Mr LeRoy cleared his throat behind them.

"It's time," he announced, with a note of irritation in his voice.

"Hermione, come and stand with us please, dear," Mrs Trehurst urged her softly.

Her parents told her again how they much they loved her, that they would see her again in a month and to behave herself in the Malfoy's house. She cried as Mrs Trehurst took her by the hand but still managed to whisper "I love you too". Just before leading her away, the witch laid her other hand gently on her mummy's shoulder and squeezed it a little.

"We're going to Apparate to the Ministry with Hermione now," she explained, although her voice seemed to waver a little. "That means we will disappear from this room suddenly and re-appear within the Ministry, where the Malfoys will meet us. I just want you to be ready for it."

Hermione did not think she could look at her parents, still kneeling on the floor with their arms around each other. A month seemed like such a long time. She closed her eyes, trying to fight back the tears and the next thing she knew she felt like she was being squeezed through a very narrow pipe.