His Alone

Nearing the door of Hermione's room Lucius couldn't hear a word, not even a breath. His face set he went through the ajar door and found his son sitting on the desk chair and Hermione relaxing on the balcony. Neither paying the other any sort of attention. Satisfied with their silence he cleared his throat, startling the pair.

"Father." "Sir." They responded.

"I find that you two were able to tolerate one another while I was indisposed."

Unsure if that was a question or a statement the two just looked at him. After a minute or so Hermione rested her back down upon the cushioned frame of the window and watched the elder Malfoy. Draco sat still, tense, waiting for his father to give an order in his direction.

"So, what did you two speak of while I was gone?" His curiosity peaked at their odd silence, or perhaps at the lack of bickering the two were displaying.

The first to answer, "Nothing father. I escorted her here and we've been waiting for you to come." His voice softly filling the space, strong, but undeniably subservient to his father.

Disbelief evident in his fathers voice, Draco winced externally only slightly but shook internally at his fathers response, "Is that so?" Never knowing just what would set his father off.

Responding, perhaps in an exasperated manner, "Yeah, we have nothing to talk about. I'm a prisoner and he's-well I don't even know what he is, but we haven't a thing to talk about since neither of us has done anything in… Well… How long have I been here?"

Her forward tone grated against Lucius Malfoy's ears but what could he expect. She'd used a wand, her confidence, her bravado was back somewhat. Well that was nothing but easy to take care of. "Not long enough." Her face fell at the lack of information given to her and she fell backwards, her back making a distinguished thump against the pillowed window frame. "Draco, it's time to go. We have something to discuss."

"Yes father." The young man says as he rises from his seated position.

As son and father reach the door Lucius turns, "Poppet, we will talk later." His only response is a roll of the eyes but he'll let it slide, just this once. She's done well on this day. Or perhaps he's getting soft. "We shall be going out soon Poppet. I'm sure you're excited to get out of the Manor." He says smirking, knowing all to well how she hates the ventures he takes her on.

"Yes sir, overjoyed." Her tone laced with tension and resentment his smirk becomes wider.

"Yes, yes I'm sure you are. Although, I have a feeling you'll enjoy this little adventure. Now, come along Draco." The door closes and Hermione's left to her own thoughts.

The happy animals running about are too happy. The world is too bright for all the evil and darkness that are happening. A wave of sadness, despair, discouragement, and disappointment rush through her and a tear leaks out. Followed by another. And another. Rising and standing up and moving to the bed, the only sanctuary that is hers, she lays down beneath the covers and cries, her tears echoing out and back into her ears, the sound only willing her to cry harder.

Down the hallway, both Malfoy's stop and listen for a moment. "Father-"

"I know Draco. I know." The silence around them eaten up by the tearful cries from Hermione's room. "Move along Draco." And they do move along. Down the long hallway and down the great stairs to Lucius Malfoy's study where the two enter, awaiting them is Severus Snape.

In disbelief, "Uncle? What-what are you doing here?"

A smirk, "I suppose I should be asking you the same question. Lucius, shall we?"

A nod. "Yes. Sit Draco."

The three Slytherins sit in silence for a minute until Draco breaks the silence barrier. "So… What's this about?"

"Granger, Draco. It's about your fathers pet."

"What about her?"

"It's complicated. With Milcasts appearance here, she may no longer be safe."

"Why?"

Breathing hard out his nose, "Because Draco, if Milcast thinks that he has a chance at taking her, who knows what other plots are being hatched to take her from your home." A pause. "You don't want her to leave do you?"

An unsure shake of the head. "Uncle, I didn't even know she was here until just a few days ago."

"So you don't care then? Don't care if say, someone like Dolohov were to take her from your father?"

"Oh-what? No. No. I don't like-I didn't mean it like that."

"What did you mean Draco, your uncle and I are wondering."

"I-I well he's a bad man."

Laughing outloud his fathers voice fills the room. "Both your uncle and I are bad men Draco."

Perplexed for a minute, "Well, no, yes. You are but-but you're my father and my uncle. It's different. And besides," with conviction, "You respect her intelligence and wouldn't waste it on something like-like sexual."

The two older men look at Draco, each with a smirk on his face.

"And-and, well, you don't gain anything if-if," whispering, "we lose, if she says you mistreated her." Thinking for a minute, "Well I'm not sure what Uncle Severus gets out of that, but still. It is productive to keep her alive, obviously, and doing more than just surviving, existing, right?" When neither answered, the young Malfoy repeated himself, "Right?"