When Hermione Fights

New Truths

Hello, my beautiful readers . Welcome to the first chapter of the main story in 2020 ♥

Did you read our last chapter, 'Love Lessons'? It describes what happened before Hermione and Draco arrived at Rose Cottage and you will find it among the Specials to WHF. More 'outtakes' and background stories will come soon.

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

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"I see the Dark Lord was pleased," it came coldly from me. Loud hisses could be heard as everyone took a deep breath when I confirmed where Draco had been and also because of the stoical manner in which I dealt with the situation. Draco laughed dryly, but said nothing. "Oh, it seems he was pleased, wasn't he? However, the way you look, something went wrong... He wants me?" I asked now, sounding serious but serene. Daphne made a quiet, frightened noise, otherwise there was a deathly silence in the usually cheerful room.

"Shit! Yes, Hermione. He found, after realizing what Narcissa's death meant for him-" He was interrupted when he mentioned his mother's death so succinctly. He nipped this interruption in the bud with just a glance from his steel-grey, cold, unfaltering eyes and went on talking. "... and Father and how positive it could turn out for them, he did not care much about Bella's squawking. That was the only funny thing... she kept nagging until he chased her out of the hall with a few curses - very painful curses. It was wonderful! One of the good moments.

"But then... Well, Hermione, he knows he didn't give any orders of that kind. So he wanted to know who killed Mother... Father's mask almost slipped out of place for a moment. I never thought he would be able to want to protect you like this, but he asked for time until the intonation ceremony when I get the mark," he said slightly excited. Everyone looked startled and shocked now and had their mouths pressed together into narrow lines.

"Figures. Although, I'm sure Lucius has toyed with the idea even before that. Remember his words in the parlour... He wants me in the ranks of the Death Eaters," I soberly recalled.

Inside, icy cold seized me and I suppressed the impulse to shudder anxiously. I recognized the possibilities as well as the danger for me. This would be a highly dangerous act. Lucius was a truly thoughtful, unfeeling strategist. I, a Mudblood, in the ranks of the Death Eaters! Essentially impossible; an utterly unthinkable possibility, but that was probably the reason why it was so ingenious and brilliant in its consequence!

Who would suspect such a thing? Who would expect it?

This was the perfect cover and I would be the perfect hidden weapon that could carry out the best jobs. Yes, Lucius was extremely dangerous in that respect. He didn't let anything get in the way of his thinking. Phrases like 'It can't be done!' were probably not part of his vocabulary. He would reply: 'Nothing is impossible. There is always a way to make the impossible possible,' and that's exactly what he seemed to have in mind for me now, after he realized in the parlour what I could do. And he still didn't know everything and yet he had seen me as an added value. And if he did, the Dark Lord would do the same and let himself be convinced by Lucius' point of view, if that was even necessary.

I myself knew how I would be able to convince the Dark Lord of my value, so that he would neither kill me nor take me prisoner, but would be delighted to burn his mark upon me. Not only could I fight, but I offered him something that only Severus could offer: the skill of brewing. Yes, but also through the development and creation of curses and in something else I would be very valuable for him. No one had ever said that I couldn't make a career among the Death Eaters, I thought very pragmatically, but also very cynically.