Fic: Two of Wands
Title: The Lion, The Dragon and Too Many Changes
Author: scarletladyy
Type: Fiction
Length: 3,806
Main character or Pairing: Draco Malfoy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and content belongs to JK Rowling
Warnings: Voldemort-Wins AU, background abuse
Summary: Draco's been away seven months, and when he gets back he finds none other than Hermione Granger cleaning his rooms. As time wears on he realises just how much the world has changed since he's left, and just what he's going to do about it.
Card Interpretation: In spite of the fact that Draco is supposed to have everything he's ever wanted, he still isn't happy.
Author Notes: Thank you so much to my beta felidaeryl.
Draco placed his suitcase on the floor next to his bed and entered his en-suite bathroom, intending to have a bath. He was sweating, having just come back from one of the Dark Lords missions, and needed nothing more than a good wash.
When he opened the door to the bathroom, however, he was surprised by the sight that greeted him. There, bent over his bath, was a woman, wearing a very thin white dress and, presumably, scrubbing it clean. At the sound of his entrance she jumped up and squeaked, then bowed her head and curtsied. He frowned, finding this behaviour very odd, and not having a clue why she was even here in the first place.
"I'm sorry, Master Malfoy," the woman said quietly. "Your father ordered me to clean your bedroom and bathroom, but I'm afraid I haven't managed to finish on time."
"It's fine." Draco sighed and turned back to the bedroom. "I'll bathe when you're done."
Taking a deep breath, Draco placed his hands in his pockets and fronted a cool exterior before heading towards his father's study. He wanted to know who on earth this woman was and why she was cleaning his bathroom when they had house elves to do that very same thing. He didn't like people in his room, going through his private things, especially when she appeared to be cleaning by hand.
Draco tapped once on the study door, waiting a few moments before his father called him in.
"Ahh, Draco," said Lucius, placing his quill down on the desk. "I see you are back. How did it go?"
"Good," Draco replied, shutting the door behind him. "Who is the woman in my room?"
Lucius sneered. "She is still not done? I told her an hour ago that you would be here soon. That insolent girl needs another punishment."
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Lucius smirked. "Things have... changed around here while you've been gone. The Dark Lord has landed us with a Mudblood, but don't worry, she's only here temporarily. You know her, though."
"I do?" Draco tried to remember what the woman looked like, but with her head bowed in the way it was, he never got a good look at her face. All she had was short brown hair, and that could have been any number of females that he'd met in his lifetime. "Who?"
"Hermione Granger." Lucius stood up from his desk and walked over to Draco, placing a rather firm hand on his back. "She is our property for the time being."
Draco couldn't help but laugh. The Hermione Granger he knew would never be anyone's property, least of all his fathers. "You can't be serious. That woman up there was certainly no Granger. She was meek and timid, she called me 'Master Malfoy' and curtsied. No, Father. You have been given a fake. A look-a-like."
Lucius hissed, angered at Draco's words. "I have been given no fake," he sneered, turning them both around and pushing Draco forcefully towards the door. "You have been away seven months, son. Things are very different indeed. With routine and discipline, anyone can be trained. Including Hermione Granger. Come with me, you'll see."
With his father's hand firmly on his back, Draco was led back to his bedroom and into his bathroom. The woman was still there, but she was on her knees this time, scrubbing the floor. She stood and curtsied to them, her head bowed and her hair covering her face, still leaving her identity a mystery.
"Mudblood." Lucius's tone was cold and harsh, nothing like how he had spoken to Draco only moments earlier. "I thought I told you to have this done by the time my son came back."
The woman didn't speak. She just kept her head tilted towards the floor and placed her hands behind her back submissively. Draco was certain that this was not Granger. It couldn't be.
"You have learnt not to answer me back, I see," replied Lucius, stepping towards her. Draco did not miss her sudden flinch. "But apparently it takes you all day to clean one bedroom and bathroom. That is just not good enough, is it, Granger?"
Draco watched the woman shake her head as Lucius walked round to stand behind her. He grabbed her hair roughly and pulled her head back, but she still had her eyes trained on the floor. Whilst she did look familiar, Draco still wasn't willing to believe it was Granger. Not yet.
"Look at him," Lucius hissed into the woman's ear. "Look him in the eye, Hermione."
The woman lifted her eyes, and Draco gasped loudly. She certainly looked like Granger, the resemblance was uncanny, but her behaviour and attitude were so far off the mark from the girl he'd known at school. "You're Hermione Granger? The Hermione Granger?"
She looked up at Lucius and received a nod from him before saying quietly, "Yes."
Draco shook his head fervently. "You can't be. No. I'm not buying it." He knew the world he had known was long gone now, but this... this was too far in the other direction to be plausibly true. For his own sanity, it had to be.
"You don't need to buy it," replied Lucius. He let go of Granger's hair and she looked back towards the floor. "Hurry up, and come to my room tonight for your punishment." Granger nodded, and Lucius left the bathroom, giving Draco a look that meant he wasn't pleased with him.
Still in shock, Draco stood in the bathroom for several minutes as Granger began to clean up around him. When all was done but apparently the spot he was stood on, she nudged gently at his feet with her hands. He moved backwards into the bedroom, but still could not take his eyes off her. If this really was Hermione Granger then the most terrible things in the world must have happened to her, for he couldn't see any other way she would behave in such a manner. When she collected her things and stood up, Draco said, "You're honestly Hermione Granger?"
"Yes."
"What happened to you?"
There was only sadness in her voice as she crossed the room and said sadly before leaving, "Life."
*
When Draco saw Granger the next day at breakfast, he was horrified to notice the lashes on her back as she bent over him to serve him pumpkin juice. He couldn't help but blurt out, "What the hell happened to you?", but soon regretted it once his father shot him a scathing look and muttered something about punishment. He had seen some things when he was on his mission for Voldemort, the worst kinds of death and torture, but seeing things like this being done to someone he grew up with was a lot harder to stomach.
It was easier to blur it all out of his mind when he didn't know the people it was happening to. He could just pretend they were nothing, nobodies, had no lives or families or friends. But with Granger... he knew so much about her. He knew she was intelligent, that she had friends and a life, that she had many things worth living for. To see her being treated as though she was nothing, despite the fact that Draco was sure it was what she deserved, well, it was hard to see.
“A cooked breakfast, Master Malfoy?” Granger squeaked as she finished setting the table. A clearing of his father's throat told him that Granger should not have asked this. Before he could answer, his father spoke.
“I have already told you what my son wants for breakfast, Mudblood. Was last night's punishment not enough for you? Craving for more, are you?”
Granger shook her head quickly and stared at the floor, bowing slightly. It didn't appear to be a question that warranted an answer. Only when Lucius waved his hand did she run out of the kitchen, presumably to make their breakfasts.
"A little harsh, father?"
"You have to be harsh with these creatures, Draco, else they never learn. Surely you found that on your mission?" Draco knew he was fishing for information on what his mission had been, but he wasn't about to give away any details. It was strictly confidential, and it drove Lucius insane. That, of course, was just a bonus to Draco.
"You know perfectly well I cannot reveal any information, Father," Draco said coyly as Hermione came in with their breakfasts on a tray. She gave out the bread and butter first and then the fry ups, and everything was served to his father before him. Whatever had happened to her, she had been trained well. He shuddered to think exactly how.
"Indeed, indeed." The annoyance was evident in Lucius' voice, but he tried to keep it as hidden as possible.
Draco began to cut up his sausage as Granger stood in the corner, waiting for them to finish so she could clear up. "So, you said she's with us temporarily?" It was an open ended question, requiring no answer in particular.
Lucius nodded. "Yes, the Dark Lord wants her housed with us for a few months, to break her and train her for his will. What he'll do with her when he gets her back is anybody's business." A nasty smirk crossed his face, and Draco didn't like to think of what could possibly happen to her after she left here.
"How long has she been here so far?" He tried to appear casual in his asking, as though it didn't really matter, but, honestly, he was dying to know the answer. He'd never liked Granger, hated her even, for beating him at everything, but she didn't deserve this.
"Three months. The Dark Lord could call for her at any time." Lucius shrugged. "I've done my best. I think she's trained well, don't you?"
Draco nodded; he really did think she'd been trained well. No Hermione Granger he'd ever known would behave like this without a good amount of 'training'. He was just glad he didn't know the full extent of exactly how she had been trained.
"And you girl," Lucius called to her. "What say you?" Granger looked absolutely flabbergasted by the question,and seemed to not have a clue how to respond to it. This seemed to please his father, though. "Yes, I've done my best. Months ago, she would have responded very differently to that question. Now she's just worried about pleasing me."
Draco was sure she was more worried about whether or not she'd get a beating for saying or doing the wrong thing, but he knew it wouldn't benefit anyone if he said that, so he kept schtum. "I thought I'd go into Diagon Alley later," he said, changing the subject. "There's a few things I need now I'm back."
"Take her with you, would you? I want a bit of peace and quiet for a change."
Draco arched an eyebrow; she wasn't making a sound, and she was stood in the corner of the room, though her presence was a little unnerving, as it felt as though she was watching and judging everything that was going on. "She can be trusted outside?"
"I'll put her outside collar on her," replied Lucius, cutting up the last of his bacon. "Trust me, she won't try and escape with that thing on. Will you?" He looked at her and saw her go ghostly white as she shook her head. "She's been out with me frequently. She's no trouble."
"So why do you want rid?" Draco frowned and placed his knife and fork on the plate to signal he'd finished. Immediately Granger scurried over and grabbed the plate from under him, taking it back into the kitchen.
"Let's just say," Lucius smirked widely, "I'm entertaining."
Draco daren't ask what the heck that meant, certain he was sure he didn't want to know. "Fine." He sighed heavily, not wanting to take her with him and have her act out all the courtesies she'd been taught. He just wanted some normality. The world had been turned upside down, and the one person he never thought would give in had been forced to.
*
Draco was buttoning up his robes when Granger came down the stairs behind his father. She was indeed wearing a rather large collar that he assumed had some magic attached to it to stop her running away. He bloody hoped so, he didn't much fancy chasing down the street after her like a lunatic. His father would go mad.
"Ready?" His tone showed annoyance, but she didn't seem to notice it. She just nodded her head.
"If there is any trouble, Draco," started his father sternly, "I expect you to be able to deal with it. You have, after all, spent the last seven months doing something worthwhile for the Dark Lord, I'm sure."
Draco arched an eyebrow at his father and put on a confident exterior. "You really think I can't cope with one collar-bound Mudblood? Father, you disappoint me."
"Hmm." Lucius looked at him sceptically, but pushed Granger towards him anyway. He grabbed her arm roughly and Apparated them to Diagon Alley, landing them right outside Flourish and Blotts. In spite of Voldemort's takeover, the street was still abuzz, just with the right kind of people. True magical folk. Indeed, there were newer shops set up, including a Ministry propaganda one which sold leaflets and books about Mudbloods and Muggles, and gave 'advice' to those who were concerned about a particular thing.
Once he'd gathered himself from the dizzyness of the Apparition-it had always made him queasy-he let go of her and placed his hands in his pockets. He began to walk towards the Apothecary, and got five steps forward before he realised Granger wasn't following him. He sighed heavily and turned around, only to find her staring at the window display of Flourish and Blotts with wide open eyes.
Typical Granger.
"Come," he hissed at her, but she didn't stir. His annoyance brewing, he walked back and grabbed her arm, pulling her away. She seemed sad to leave it, but he didn't have time to care that she didn't get to look at books. Anyone could be watching and, for all he knew, taking Granger out with him had been one of his father's little tests. There could be spies anywhere along the street and he wasn't prepared to take the chance that his father wasn't so nosy. "Do not leave my side, Mudblood. If I move, you move. Got it?"
She nodded submissively and squeaked out a quiet "Sorry."
"I need some Potions supplies," he said, heading straight to the Apothecary. There were a couple of Potions the Dark Lord wanted brewing straightaway, and since Snape was away in Scotland at the moment, the task of Potioneer had fallen to him. Sure, he had had a few 'lessons' underneath Snape's guidance,but that it was it and he was very nervous of taking on such a task.
The shop was very dark and dingy, and sold a lot of ingredients now that before were illegal. Several of these were ones Draco picked up today and felt no shame about doing so. If you wanted any of these before the fall of Dumbledore or the Order, you needed special permission or you had to know the right people. Of course, Draco's family had known the right people, but it was just so much easier when the goods you wanted were sitting on a shelf.
Whilst he picked up everything he needed, Granger wandered around the shop at his side, seemingly taking in every detail. She didn't touch anything, though she really looked like she wanted to, and leaned in on several on the items, completely fascinated by what was now being sold. When they eventually exited the shop, he gave her the bags to carry and she looked at him with a look of shock that was nothing to do with having to carry the bags.
He sighed audibly. "Yes, I know, there are illegal potions in there and I just bought some. In fact, no, they're not illegal anymore."
"They should be," she muttered, then gasped as she realised she'd said it out loud. There was the Granger he remembered. When he moved to continue onto the next shop, which was behind her, she flinched and must have thought he had been going to hit her. "I'm sorry-"
"Just keep it shut." His tone suggested obedience, and she appeared more than happy to give it. There was nothing but relief written all over her face and he wondered how his father would have reacted to such a transgression. The thought didn't even bear thinking about. "I just need a couple of new robes and some stationery supplies and then we can be getting back."
Granger nodded silently, not daring to open her mouth lest she say anything else forbidden. The rest of the shopping trip was uneventful and he figured he must have spent at least two hours in Twilfitt and Tattings, trying to find a robe that was appropriate for the do's he was going to, and then have it tailored to his size. Granger stood the whole time they were in there, and he didn't know how she managed it since his legs were aching so much he had to take a five minute break to sit down.
Picking up the new quills and parchment he needed from Scribbulus' Writing Instruments only took an eighth of the amount of time since he knew exactly what style of stationery he wanted. There were several letters he needed to write later on tonight, most notably one to Snape to ask how to brew a particular potion he'd been lumbered with.
"Right," Draco said wearily, handing the Scribbulus bags over to Granger. He could have just spelled them to fit in his pocket, but he felt it more fitting to give them to her and it was certainly what his father would have done. "Let's be off then." When he took her arm, she took one last look around the alley before the Disapparted back to the manor, and seemed almost sad to be home. Well, his home. It wasn't hers by any stretch.
The first thing he heard as he took off his travelling cloak was a raucous laughter emanating from the parlour. Curious, he followed the noise and then really wished he hadn't. He'd forgotten his father had mentioned entertaining and apparently that meant having several Death Eaters and the Dark Lord round. He bowed towards his Master and then greeted his father with a courteous nod.
"How was your trip, Draco? Did she behave herself?"
Only then did Draco notice Granger was still by his side, carrying the bags, probably because one of the last orders he'd given her was to stay close to him. She had gone a deathly-white and he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. "Yes, she did."
"What a remarkable job you've done, Lucius," said the Dark Lord, looking Granger over as if she were a piece of meat. "I really never thought it could be done, even by you. Come here, girl."
"My methods are truly astounding, my Lord," said Lucius proudly, as Granger placed the bags on the floor by his feet and swept past him to stand in front of his master.
The Dark Lord patted his knee and flashed her a sickly sweet smile. "Sit here, my child." She obeyed him and he began to stroke her hair in a way one would treat a pet. "Yes, indeed, she is finished. I shall take her tonight."
"My Lord," started Lucius, in a voice that didn't suggest too much confidence, "may I ask what you are going to do with the Mudblood?"
The Dark Lord's smile changed to one of evil. "Why yes, Lucius, you may. She is the beginning of my project to train Mudbloods and Blood Traitors alike. In ten years, I hope every Pureblooded family may have a servant like her, so that, generations from now, there will be not even a thought that they could be anything more." That certainly explained why Draco had been supervising the building projects in Scotland, then. They could only be used as training centres if what he had gathered from the Dark Lord was correct. He shuddered, not wanting to think about what could possibly go on in one of those places.
"What a fascinating plan, my Lord. I am very honoured I was chosen for the task of breaking her." Lucius sat tall now, looking very proud.
"You have indeed redeemed yourself, Lucius." This only served to make Lucius' ego grown larger, and Draco really wished he could just back out of the room now and forget this whole conversation. "I must be going now. I have many things to get sorted. As Draco will know all too well, the buildings in Scotland are already up and running, are they not?."
"They are, my Lord," replied Draco. Lucius looked towards his son coyly and didn't seem so envious of his task anymore.
"Good, good," said the Dark Lord, waving his hand dismissively. "Up!" he commanded Granger, and she dutifully obeyed him. She looked almost sick now, but as though she was trying to put on a mask of nonchalance. It wasn't working. "Come with me, child. Your new home in Scotland awaits."
Draco watched in silence as the Dark Lord left the manor with Granger in tow. He knew having her here was only temporary and that he had wanted her gone as soon as, for she reminded him of an earlier time, but the fate she would have now would be a heck of a lot worse than her stay here. That he was sure of. This had almost been a sanctuary for her, and if what the Dark Lord was saying was true, she would be practically thrown into the lions' den. "I shall retire upstairs."
He excused himself from the room and went to his study, aiming on writing the letters he'd bought the stationery for, but he found he could not. His entire thoughts and concentrations were centred on damnable Granger, and he knew that something had to be done. Without lingering a second longer, Draco sent an entirely different letter to Snape, very coyly written so he could see where the mans loyalties lay without revealing anything that might get himself killed.
With any luck, the letter he was writing would stop the future the Dark Lord envisioned coming true, because even though Draco was a Pureblood, that was certainly not a society he wanted to be a part of.
Author: scarletladyy
Type: Fiction
Length: 3,806
Main character or Pairing: Draco Malfoy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and content belongs to JK Rowling
Warnings: Voldemort-Wins AU, background abuse
Summary: Draco's been away seven months, and when he gets back he finds none other than Hermione Granger cleaning his rooms. As time wears on he realises just how much the world has changed since he's left, and just what he's going to do about it.
Card Interpretation: In spite of the fact that Draco is supposed to have everything he's ever wanted, he still isn't happy.
Author Notes: Thank you so much to my beta felidaeryl.
Draco placed his suitcase on the floor next to his bed and entered his en-suite bathroom, intending to have a bath. He was sweating, having just come back from one of the Dark Lords missions, and needed nothing more than a good wash.
When he opened the door to the bathroom, however, he was surprised by the sight that greeted him. There, bent over his bath, was a woman, wearing a very thin white dress and, presumably, scrubbing it clean. At the sound of his entrance she jumped up and squeaked, then bowed her head and curtsied. He frowned, finding this behaviour very odd, and not having a clue why she was even here in the first place.
"I'm sorry, Master Malfoy," the woman said quietly. "Your father ordered me to clean your bedroom and bathroom, but I'm afraid I haven't managed to finish on time."
"It's fine." Draco sighed and turned back to the bedroom. "I'll bathe when you're done."
Taking a deep breath, Draco placed his hands in his pockets and fronted a cool exterior before heading towards his father's study. He wanted to know who on earth this woman was and why she was cleaning his bathroom when they had house elves to do that very same thing. He didn't like people in his room, going through his private things, especially when she appeared to be cleaning by hand.
Draco tapped once on the study door, waiting a few moments before his father called him in.
"Ahh, Draco," said Lucius, placing his quill down on the desk. "I see you are back. How did it go?"
"Good," Draco replied, shutting the door behind him. "Who is the woman in my room?"
Lucius sneered. "She is still not done? I told her an hour ago that you would be here soon. That insolent girl needs another punishment."
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Lucius smirked. "Things have... changed around here while you've been gone. The Dark Lord has landed us with a Mudblood, but don't worry, she's only here temporarily. You know her, though."
"I do?" Draco tried to remember what the woman looked like, but with her head bowed in the way it was, he never got a good look at her face. All she had was short brown hair, and that could have been any number of females that he'd met in his lifetime. "Who?"
"Hermione Granger." Lucius stood up from his desk and walked over to Draco, placing a rather firm hand on his back. "She is our property for the time being."
Draco couldn't help but laugh. The Hermione Granger he knew would never be anyone's property, least of all his fathers. "You can't be serious. That woman up there was certainly no Granger. She was meek and timid, she called me 'Master Malfoy' and curtsied. No, Father. You have been given a fake. A look-a-like."
Lucius hissed, angered at Draco's words. "I have been given no fake," he sneered, turning them both around and pushing Draco forcefully towards the door. "You have been away seven months, son. Things are very different indeed. With routine and discipline, anyone can be trained. Including Hermione Granger. Come with me, you'll see."
With his father's hand firmly on his back, Draco was led back to his bedroom and into his bathroom. The woman was still there, but she was on her knees this time, scrubbing the floor. She stood and curtsied to them, her head bowed and her hair covering her face, still leaving her identity a mystery.
"Mudblood." Lucius's tone was cold and harsh, nothing like how he had spoken to Draco only moments earlier. "I thought I told you to have this done by the time my son came back."
The woman didn't speak. She just kept her head tilted towards the floor and placed her hands behind her back submissively. Draco was certain that this was not Granger. It couldn't be.
"You have learnt not to answer me back, I see," replied Lucius, stepping towards her. Draco did not miss her sudden flinch. "But apparently it takes you all day to clean one bedroom and bathroom. That is just not good enough, is it, Granger?"
Draco watched the woman shake her head as Lucius walked round to stand behind her. He grabbed her hair roughly and pulled her head back, but she still had her eyes trained on the floor. Whilst she did look familiar, Draco still wasn't willing to believe it was Granger. Not yet.
"Look at him," Lucius hissed into the woman's ear. "Look him in the eye, Hermione."
The woman lifted her eyes, and Draco gasped loudly. She certainly looked like Granger, the resemblance was uncanny, but her behaviour and attitude were so far off the mark from the girl he'd known at school. "You're Hermione Granger? The Hermione Granger?"
She looked up at Lucius and received a nod from him before saying quietly, "Yes."
Draco shook his head fervently. "You can't be. No. I'm not buying it." He knew the world he had known was long gone now, but this... this was too far in the other direction to be plausibly true. For his own sanity, it had to be.
"You don't need to buy it," replied Lucius. He let go of Granger's hair and she looked back towards the floor. "Hurry up, and come to my room tonight for your punishment." Granger nodded, and Lucius left the bathroom, giving Draco a look that meant he wasn't pleased with him.
Still in shock, Draco stood in the bathroom for several minutes as Granger began to clean up around him. When all was done but apparently the spot he was stood on, she nudged gently at his feet with her hands. He moved backwards into the bedroom, but still could not take his eyes off her. If this really was Hermione Granger then the most terrible things in the world must have happened to her, for he couldn't see any other way she would behave in such a manner. When she collected her things and stood up, Draco said, "You're honestly Hermione Granger?"
"Yes."
"What happened to you?"
There was only sadness in her voice as she crossed the room and said sadly before leaving, "Life."
*
When Draco saw Granger the next day at breakfast, he was horrified to notice the lashes on her back as she bent over him to serve him pumpkin juice. He couldn't help but blurt out, "What the hell happened to you?", but soon regretted it once his father shot him a scathing look and muttered something about punishment. He had seen some things when he was on his mission for Voldemort, the worst kinds of death and torture, but seeing things like this being done to someone he grew up with was a lot harder to stomach.
It was easier to blur it all out of his mind when he didn't know the people it was happening to. He could just pretend they were nothing, nobodies, had no lives or families or friends. But with Granger... he knew so much about her. He knew she was intelligent, that she had friends and a life, that she had many things worth living for. To see her being treated as though she was nothing, despite the fact that Draco was sure it was what she deserved, well, it was hard to see.
“A cooked breakfast, Master Malfoy?” Granger squeaked as she finished setting the table. A clearing of his father's throat told him that Granger should not have asked this. Before he could answer, his father spoke.
“I have already told you what my son wants for breakfast, Mudblood. Was last night's punishment not enough for you? Craving for more, are you?”
Granger shook her head quickly and stared at the floor, bowing slightly. It didn't appear to be a question that warranted an answer. Only when Lucius waved his hand did she run out of the kitchen, presumably to make their breakfasts.
"A little harsh, father?"
"You have to be harsh with these creatures, Draco, else they never learn. Surely you found that on your mission?" Draco knew he was fishing for information on what his mission had been, but he wasn't about to give away any details. It was strictly confidential, and it drove Lucius insane. That, of course, was just a bonus to Draco.
"You know perfectly well I cannot reveal any information, Father," Draco said coyly as Hermione came in with their breakfasts on a tray. She gave out the bread and butter first and then the fry ups, and everything was served to his father before him. Whatever had happened to her, she had been trained well. He shuddered to think exactly how.
"Indeed, indeed." The annoyance was evident in Lucius' voice, but he tried to keep it as hidden as possible.
Draco began to cut up his sausage as Granger stood in the corner, waiting for them to finish so she could clear up. "So, you said she's with us temporarily?" It was an open ended question, requiring no answer in particular.
Lucius nodded. "Yes, the Dark Lord wants her housed with us for a few months, to break her and train her for his will. What he'll do with her when he gets her back is anybody's business." A nasty smirk crossed his face, and Draco didn't like to think of what could possibly happen to her after she left here.
"How long has she been here so far?" He tried to appear casual in his asking, as though it didn't really matter, but, honestly, he was dying to know the answer. He'd never liked Granger, hated her even, for beating him at everything, but she didn't deserve this.
"Three months. The Dark Lord could call for her at any time." Lucius shrugged. "I've done my best. I think she's trained well, don't you?"
Draco nodded; he really did think she'd been trained well. No Hermione Granger he'd ever known would behave like this without a good amount of 'training'. He was just glad he didn't know the full extent of exactly how she had been trained.
"And you girl," Lucius called to her. "What say you?" Granger looked absolutely flabbergasted by the question,and seemed to not have a clue how to respond to it. This seemed to please his father, though. "Yes, I've done my best. Months ago, she would have responded very differently to that question. Now she's just worried about pleasing me."
Draco was sure she was more worried about whether or not she'd get a beating for saying or doing the wrong thing, but he knew it wouldn't benefit anyone if he said that, so he kept schtum. "I thought I'd go into Diagon Alley later," he said, changing the subject. "There's a few things I need now I'm back."
"Take her with you, would you? I want a bit of peace and quiet for a change."
Draco arched an eyebrow; she wasn't making a sound, and she was stood in the corner of the room, though her presence was a little unnerving, as it felt as though she was watching and judging everything that was going on. "She can be trusted outside?"
"I'll put her outside collar on her," replied Lucius, cutting up the last of his bacon. "Trust me, she won't try and escape with that thing on. Will you?" He looked at her and saw her go ghostly white as she shook her head. "She's been out with me frequently. She's no trouble."
"So why do you want rid?" Draco frowned and placed his knife and fork on the plate to signal he'd finished. Immediately Granger scurried over and grabbed the plate from under him, taking it back into the kitchen.
"Let's just say," Lucius smirked widely, "I'm entertaining."
Draco daren't ask what the heck that meant, certain he was sure he didn't want to know. "Fine." He sighed heavily, not wanting to take her with him and have her act out all the courtesies she'd been taught. He just wanted some normality. The world had been turned upside down, and the one person he never thought would give in had been forced to.
*
Draco was buttoning up his robes when Granger came down the stairs behind his father. She was indeed wearing a rather large collar that he assumed had some magic attached to it to stop her running away. He bloody hoped so, he didn't much fancy chasing down the street after her like a lunatic. His father would go mad.
"Ready?" His tone showed annoyance, but she didn't seem to notice it. She just nodded her head.
"If there is any trouble, Draco," started his father sternly, "I expect you to be able to deal with it. You have, after all, spent the last seven months doing something worthwhile for the Dark Lord, I'm sure."
Draco arched an eyebrow at his father and put on a confident exterior. "You really think I can't cope with one collar-bound Mudblood? Father, you disappoint me."
"Hmm." Lucius looked at him sceptically, but pushed Granger towards him anyway. He grabbed her arm roughly and Apparated them to Diagon Alley, landing them right outside Flourish and Blotts. In spite of Voldemort's takeover, the street was still abuzz, just with the right kind of people. True magical folk. Indeed, there were newer shops set up, including a Ministry propaganda one which sold leaflets and books about Mudbloods and Muggles, and gave 'advice' to those who were concerned about a particular thing.
Once he'd gathered himself from the dizzyness of the Apparition-it had always made him queasy-he let go of her and placed his hands in his pockets. He began to walk towards the Apothecary, and got five steps forward before he realised Granger wasn't following him. He sighed heavily and turned around, only to find her staring at the window display of Flourish and Blotts with wide open eyes.
Typical Granger.
"Come," he hissed at her, but she didn't stir. His annoyance brewing, he walked back and grabbed her arm, pulling her away. She seemed sad to leave it, but he didn't have time to care that she didn't get to look at books. Anyone could be watching and, for all he knew, taking Granger out with him had been one of his father's little tests. There could be spies anywhere along the street and he wasn't prepared to take the chance that his father wasn't so nosy. "Do not leave my side, Mudblood. If I move, you move. Got it?"
She nodded submissively and squeaked out a quiet "Sorry."
"I need some Potions supplies," he said, heading straight to the Apothecary. There were a couple of Potions the Dark Lord wanted brewing straightaway, and since Snape was away in Scotland at the moment, the task of Potioneer had fallen to him. Sure, he had had a few 'lessons' underneath Snape's guidance,but that it was it and he was very nervous of taking on such a task.
The shop was very dark and dingy, and sold a lot of ingredients now that before were illegal. Several of these were ones Draco picked up today and felt no shame about doing so. If you wanted any of these before the fall of Dumbledore or the Order, you needed special permission or you had to know the right people. Of course, Draco's family had known the right people, but it was just so much easier when the goods you wanted were sitting on a shelf.
Whilst he picked up everything he needed, Granger wandered around the shop at his side, seemingly taking in every detail. She didn't touch anything, though she really looked like she wanted to, and leaned in on several on the items, completely fascinated by what was now being sold. When they eventually exited the shop, he gave her the bags to carry and she looked at him with a look of shock that was nothing to do with having to carry the bags.
He sighed audibly. "Yes, I know, there are illegal potions in there and I just bought some. In fact, no, they're not illegal anymore."
"They should be," she muttered, then gasped as she realised she'd said it out loud. There was the Granger he remembered. When he moved to continue onto the next shop, which was behind her, she flinched and must have thought he had been going to hit her. "I'm sorry-"
"Just keep it shut." His tone suggested obedience, and she appeared more than happy to give it. There was nothing but relief written all over her face and he wondered how his father would have reacted to such a transgression. The thought didn't even bear thinking about. "I just need a couple of new robes and some stationery supplies and then we can be getting back."
Granger nodded silently, not daring to open her mouth lest she say anything else forbidden. The rest of the shopping trip was uneventful and he figured he must have spent at least two hours in Twilfitt and Tattings, trying to find a robe that was appropriate for the do's he was going to, and then have it tailored to his size. Granger stood the whole time they were in there, and he didn't know how she managed it since his legs were aching so much he had to take a five minute break to sit down.
Picking up the new quills and parchment he needed from Scribbulus' Writing Instruments only took an eighth of the amount of time since he knew exactly what style of stationery he wanted. There were several letters he needed to write later on tonight, most notably one to Snape to ask how to brew a particular potion he'd been lumbered with.
"Right," Draco said wearily, handing the Scribbulus bags over to Granger. He could have just spelled them to fit in his pocket, but he felt it more fitting to give them to her and it was certainly what his father would have done. "Let's be off then." When he took her arm, she took one last look around the alley before the Disapparted back to the manor, and seemed almost sad to be home. Well, his home. It wasn't hers by any stretch.
The first thing he heard as he took off his travelling cloak was a raucous laughter emanating from the parlour. Curious, he followed the noise and then really wished he hadn't. He'd forgotten his father had mentioned entertaining and apparently that meant having several Death Eaters and the Dark Lord round. He bowed towards his Master and then greeted his father with a courteous nod.
"How was your trip, Draco? Did she behave herself?"
Only then did Draco notice Granger was still by his side, carrying the bags, probably because one of the last orders he'd given her was to stay close to him. She had gone a deathly-white and he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. "Yes, she did."
"What a remarkable job you've done, Lucius," said the Dark Lord, looking Granger over as if she were a piece of meat. "I really never thought it could be done, even by you. Come here, girl."
"My methods are truly astounding, my Lord," said Lucius proudly, as Granger placed the bags on the floor by his feet and swept past him to stand in front of his master.
The Dark Lord patted his knee and flashed her a sickly sweet smile. "Sit here, my child." She obeyed him and he began to stroke her hair in a way one would treat a pet. "Yes, indeed, she is finished. I shall take her tonight."
"My Lord," started Lucius, in a voice that didn't suggest too much confidence, "may I ask what you are going to do with the Mudblood?"
The Dark Lord's smile changed to one of evil. "Why yes, Lucius, you may. She is the beginning of my project to train Mudbloods and Blood Traitors alike. In ten years, I hope every Pureblooded family may have a servant like her, so that, generations from now, there will be not even a thought that they could be anything more." That certainly explained why Draco had been supervising the building projects in Scotland, then. They could only be used as training centres if what he had gathered from the Dark Lord was correct. He shuddered, not wanting to think about what could possibly go on in one of those places.
"What a fascinating plan, my Lord. I am very honoured I was chosen for the task of breaking her." Lucius sat tall now, looking very proud.
"You have indeed redeemed yourself, Lucius." This only served to make Lucius' ego grown larger, and Draco really wished he could just back out of the room now and forget this whole conversation. "I must be going now. I have many things to get sorted. As Draco will know all too well, the buildings in Scotland are already up and running, are they not?."
"They are, my Lord," replied Draco. Lucius looked towards his son coyly and didn't seem so envious of his task anymore.
"Good, good," said the Dark Lord, waving his hand dismissively. "Up!" he commanded Granger, and she dutifully obeyed him. She looked almost sick now, but as though she was trying to put on a mask of nonchalance. It wasn't working. "Come with me, child. Your new home in Scotland awaits."
Draco watched in silence as the Dark Lord left the manor with Granger in tow. He knew having her here was only temporary and that he had wanted her gone as soon as, for she reminded him of an earlier time, but the fate she would have now would be a heck of a lot worse than her stay here. That he was sure of. This had almost been a sanctuary for her, and if what the Dark Lord was saying was true, she would be practically thrown into the lions' den. "I shall retire upstairs."
He excused himself from the room and went to his study, aiming on writing the letters he'd bought the stationery for, but he found he could not. His entire thoughts and concentrations were centred on damnable Granger, and he knew that something had to be done. Without lingering a second longer, Draco sent an entirely different letter to Snape, very coyly written so he could see where the mans loyalties lay without revealing anything that might get himself killed.
With any luck, the letter he was writing would stop the future the Dark Lord envisioned coming true, because even though Draco was a Pureblood, that was certainly not a society he wanted to be a part of.