Hermione Bellatrix Riddle

Escape artist

Hermione's pov
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Saturday, the 23rd rolled around. The letter, according to Theodore Nott, was sent, and we were already half way through the day. No one suspected a thing, but I couldn't help but feel an impending sense of dread settle upon my already anxious mind. Something was bound to go wrong, I could feel it in my bones, but maybe I was just psyching myself out. Last thing I wanted to do was voice my concern and jinx the entire operation. Boy would I kill for a calming draught right now, but alas that would be suspicious. I needed to keep up the act of a bored disinterested caged bird so I wouldn't attract attention to myself.
"Hermione hold up a minute!" The voice of Blaise Zambini froze me in my place. "Is what they're saying about you true?" He asked me in an accusatory tone.
"What? What do you mean?" I asked him, trying my best to keep my voice from wavering.
"Don't play dumb. Your mother is having everyone look for you, you're all that anyone can talk about!" He said grabbing my upper arm and dragging me towards the library. My heart was beating in my ears and my breath hitched.
"I have no idea what you're on about." I croaked out, now trying to swallow the huge lump in my throat.
"Don't shit with me hermione. The dark mark!"
"W-what?" I asked him, confusion replacing my fear.
"Is it true?" He asked me expectantly.
"Blaise just tell me what you think I'm doing!"
"Are you taking the dark mark?!"
"What! No! I would never!"
"But your mom said that you were..."
"Okay, a. She is not my mum, b. I would never willingly take the mark." I told him and he let go of me.
"Well according to your mother, I mean Bellatrix, you're taking the mark tonight."
"I beg your pardon, I will not!"
"You don't have a choice dear." I turned around to see the familiar face of Bellatrix staring down at me from the second floor of the library.
"Okay you people need bells on your necks, doesn't anybody announce themselves?!" I asked no one in particular.
"Snakes are sneaky like that. But you are taking the mark tonight. Furthermore, you will take it seemingly willingly, don't make me imperius you." She said pointing her wand menacingly at me. I looked at the tip of the crooked wand up to the face of the owner. I wonder if this is what it's like to look down a barrel of a gun?
"Get that thing out of my face!" I said while batting the wand away from my t-zone. "I'll take the mark, besides, I don't have a choice but I'd rather do it on my own accord."
"Good choice, I'll see you tonight, a gown and cloak are waiting in your room."
"Bellatrix." I shouted after her and she turned and hummed in response. "Where is Theo Nott?"
"Oooo! Got ourselves a crush do we?" She inquired with a purr.
"Yeah, sure. Something like that." I answered while itching the back of my neck.
"No need to look for me darling, I'm right here." Theo announced as he strode into the spacious library.
"Theodore." Bellatrix greeted with an air of authority.
"Miss Lestrange." He said and dipped his head in respect. "May I speak to your daughter, alone?"
"Of course. Blaise." She answered and motioned for Blaise to follow her. As soon as they were out of sight Theo dragged my by the arm to the other side of the library.
"OW! Theo! What the heck?!" I inquired but he shushed me.
"Quiet, we don't want anyone to eavesdrop on us." He whispered and I nodded. "I just heard the rumors, I assume they're true?"
"Unfortunately."
"Shit. Now what?"
"We could possibly leave prior to the mark." I suggested but Theo shook his head.
"No time to owl Stag again, Plus it's so easy to get caught before midnight." He told me in a hushed voice.
"Shit. What do we do?" I asked him.
"You've got to take the mark. It's the only way. I'm sorry hermione, but you must."
"No! No. No no no. I won't. I won't! I'll be crucified if they find me with a mark! They order might just abandon me if they haven't already!" I whisper yelled at him and he shook his head again.
"If we run before midnight we'll get caught for sure, and I might die! Hermione it's die now right here, or later and at the hands of the order." He told me seriously.
"Gah! This is so unfair. It's like the universe is against me! The order won't harm us, but they definitely won't be happy." I told him gravely and he pursed his lips in response.
"Welp, we have 12 more hours until you get the mark, so you wanna get some lunch and go over the plan together?" He asked me and I nodded.
"Oi! Theo, Mione! Did you guys get a parcel too?" Draco asked as he waltzed into the far end of the library followed by his whole posse (ie. Vincent, Blaise, Pansy, Gregory, millicent, Astoria, and Daphne.). Theo and I looked at each other and then back to Draco.
"Well obviously hermione got one, she's all that our dad can talk about." Astoria quipped and the group turned to face Theodore.
"What do you guys mean?" Nott asked.
"We all have cloaks in our rooms, apparently we're also taking the mark tonight."
"All of us?!" Theo asked with raised brows.
"Yup!" Daphne answered those time around.
"That's great! Hermione and I were about to have lunch, do you guys want to join?" Theo asked and I turned to him with exasperation. These people weren't our friends! They would turn us in to the other death eaters given the chance. They gave murmurs of agreement and called a house elf who promptly wobbled as she appeared in the room. They all told the wobbly elf what they wanted for lunch before it turned to me.
"What can mopsy get for misses?"
"Nothing- actually- you know what? Screw it. Can you also get me a bottle of rosé and a wine glass?"
"Any specific bottle Miss?"
"The most expensive one." I answered and she nodded and popped away.
"Plan on sharing?" Draco asked me while everyone looked at me with bewilderment.
"Nope!" I told him. After about 20 minutes the elf returned with food and we all had lunch while leaning against the old book cases.
"Can anyone tell me why were eating here?" Astoria asked snootily.
"Because I want to avoid contact with other humans. I know the second I run into someone, it'll be congratulations for receiving the honor to get my arm fucked up. I don't want to deal with that shit right now." I stated bluntly, not bothering to filter my speech.
"When did little miss perfect start swearing? Does McGonagall know yet?" Astoria quipped and I sent her a glare.
"Screw off. I am a hostage in a den of snakes, I honestly don't care at this point." I said before pouring myself a generous glass of the rosé. I sipped I n silence while everyone else talked animatedly about various topics. After everyone finished their food, and after half the bottle of rosé was done, I stood up, tipsy and borderline drunk, grabbed the bottle of rosé, and handed it to Theo who looked like he needed a drink.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." I told him and he took a large swig and passed it to Draco who called mopsy to get another bottle and wine glasses for the group. We drank until the sun began to set, meaning that it was time to get ready for the ceremony. We said our goodbyes and stumbled to our rooms to get ready.
I waved my wand over my body and gazed into the mirror and saw my alter ego staring back at me. She was Hermione Granger, a good girl know it all, who never swore, never drank, and most importantly wasn't the spawn of satan. With another wave of my wand I became Hermione Riddle, a girl who was tired of the injustice that she faced on a day to day basis, and had seen horrors that Hermione Granger had only heard about. They came from such different backgrounds that it was hard to believe that they were the same girl.
I am Hermione Riddle, but also Hermione Granger. I am a know it all who has seen things that you have only dreamed of. I am a girl who is trapped. I am a girl who will escape.