A Bellamort Tale

Part 29

"I see, you're about to enjoy being her first. Good for you Draco. If you are really tough enough to force yourself onto the girl who loathed you most of her life. But as she likes your looks, you may have a chance by getting her drunk." The dark wizard cackled. "Why did you call me? It better be important as you tore me away from my woman and child!"

Draco bowed deeply and apologised before telling him the news.

"My lord, I am deeply sorry for interrupting the most important interactions, but Hermione has something of great value. She knows the full prophecy concerning you and Harry Potter!"

"Or Neville Longbottom!" The girl interjected. "If interpreted a little more openly, you would almost come into consideration as well. It was made by the most incompetent, bungling seer who ever lived and I still can't understand why Dumbledore, who she made it to, that's why he could show it to Harry and he told me and Ron, would believe it to be a real prophecy and not just one of her acts." Her voice held a lot of spite and anger.

Voldemort cocked his head. Did he just hear contempt and hatred in the 'Gryffindor' girl's voice?

"I'm beginning to see a bright future for you in our ranks, mudblood Granger. Get this anger to work for you and you'll soon do a damn good Cruciatus. Now tell me the prophecy. Given your reputation you probably can recite it word by word, right?"

The always hard working and for the best result aiming student in her nodded eagerly and started to speak:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...."

"I can tell that you want something in return for your information. Tell me what it is and I'll consider your request."

Hermione sighed exasperatedly.

"If only I knew what to do. I can't betray my friends, yet I also can't endanger this gorgeous, little girl. It's all a bloody mess. I would like to ask for Harry's safety, but once you figure out the whole truth... Just that without me they won't get very far anyway. Because I carry the most essential ingredient with me."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes and watched her intensely. Then he ordered the young man.

"Draco, search her. Make her undress until she's completely naked and bring all her belongings to me. She may keep her wand, as there isn't any chance for her to leave the warded premises anyway. And don't even dare to be a gentleman and look away. She has to be watched while undressing so she won't be able to hide anything at all."

To Hermione's widened eyes he laughed viciously and leaned down to her, his high pitched voice directly beside her ear.

"If you don't feel comfortable with Draco watching you, I can send Greyback or do it myself. Your choice, so you better not try to fight it!"

The witch gulped but didn't react otherwise.

"I'll see to it, my lord!" Malfoy said hoarsely and reached for the girl's sleeve. "Come with me!" He ordered pulling her into his own bathroom with him. There he let her go again and mumbled.

"I'm sorry for that. But if you had kept your mouth shut as I told you before, you wouldn't have spilled the information about any ingredient. Now look what you've gotten us into!"

The witch scoffed.

"As if you wouldn't enjoy watching me undress. I mean, after all those things you said earlier."

"That's different. I am not the type of man who likes to do anything against a woman's will. It's wrong and it makes me feel sick. But believe me, you're not the first to undress in front of me to be searched. The dark lord and Snape had a lot of fun, letting the captured muggleborns undress in front of me, as I was obviously their worst nightmare." Draco told her about his life over the last months and years.

Hermione inhaled deeply and closed the space between them again after he had stepped away to give her at least some privacy. She laid her hand on his forearm, just where she imagined the dark mark to be, and spoke to him very softly.

"I'm very sorry for all the things you had to go through. As well as for all the years your father treated you as if you constantly needed to prove yourself worthy of your name and heritage. If I had something to say, I would tell you that the Draco you revealed to me today, is a much better man than the pathetic, egoistic wuss you were before. If 'man' really was the right word to describe you. Because honestly, you're seventeen. I am eighteen already and just can't see myself as a grown up woman."

Malfoy tried to ease up the situation with a joke.

"Actually, I could help you with that! Becoming a woman, I mean. And before you try to hurt me, I was kidding, Well mostly, but you know..."

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing and by achieving that calm her rapidly beating heart as well.

"Here goes nothing!" She then grumbled and began taking off her coat. Next she grabbed the hem of her sweater and pulled it upwards, yet the muscles in her arms were still sore from being tortured the day before and she hissed in pain as she tried to lift them above her head. The young wizard's face showed his compassion and also that he knew how she felt when he offered.

"Let me help you, yeah? I promise to close my eyes and to touch you as little as I can."