You Raise Me Up

You guys are great. I love all of your reviews, and look forward to more.

FlowersBecomeScreens - I know...I'm terrible for not giving Americans a good rap. I promise I'll stick another American in there somewhere, and next time they won't be so white trash. Americans honor!!

Donavon - Thank you for pointing out the whole Diagon Alley/Hogsmeade thing. THat is what I meant, I was just thinking about other stuff. I fixed it...

LadyBlueEyes - I love your reviews. And yes, Mione has a lot on her plate. She's about to get another helping of stuff...
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Hermione was stretched out on the sofa in the library, her head on a pillow, the pillow resting in Bellatrix’s lap. The whole trip the day before had been terrifying. Once she had gotten ill, she made the excuse that she had eaten something that didn’t agree with her, and the group had come home. Only Bellatrix knew of the real possible reason that she was ill. She was afraid that everyone else would shun her…well…except Snape…he could care less.

Lucius and Narcissa might not be too keen on having a half-blood grandchild. Draco might not be too keen on having a child at all…she knew Bella didn’t care, as she’d already told her so.

“What if he hates me?” she asked, her voice breaking. She felt Bellatrix’s fingers at her hairline, gently scratching her scalp.

“He won’t. Draco is more honorable than that. Besides…he knows that it takes two people to create a child…” she said. “By the way, when is your appointment?” she asked.

“In an hour and a half. I scheduled it for four o’ clock so that Lucius and Narcissa would be busy with their afternoon romp in the gardens and I could get to Draco first.” She murmured.

“Sneaky, sneaky…” Bellatrix teased. “You know what you need to do, right? You need Narcissa on your side as well. Lucius is going to be the only one that might crack. If I know Narcissa, and I know her fairly well, she won’t be too averse to this if you’ll fill her in. When she found out Andromeda was pregnant with Nymphadora, she was almost willing to betray her bloodline to go coddle with her. Narcissa was enthralled when she got pregnant with Draco. She’s always secretly envied Molly Weasley because she wanted more than one child. Take the chance, my dear. Tell Narcissa before you tell anyone…” she said softly.

“Tell me what?” said Narcissa, who had just walked into the room. She saw Hermione lying on the couch, and frowned. “Are you still not feeling well, my dear? I do hope the healer is able to fix you up. I hate seeing you so ill.” She said softly.

Bellatrix cleared her throat lightly, signaling Hermione that now would be a good time.

“Well…Narcissa…there’s something I need to tell you.” She said, her voice shaking slightly from her nerves.

“You can tell me anything, my dear!” she said with a smile. Hermione sat up, and then propelled herself shakily from the sofa.

“Might I please tell you alone?” she asked. Narcissa tilted her head.

“Of course. We can go into Lucius’ office. He’s not using it now.” She said, and gently took Hermione’s hand, leading her to the office that was just off the library.

Bellatrix could hear the soft murmur of Hermione’s voice, and then she heard a slight pause. But then she heard a joyous shriek, and smiled to herself. “Knew it…” she said. Severus walked into the library, a book under his arm.

“Knew what?” he asked.

“Damn…you’re so nosy.” she teased, emphasizing the word. He sneered slightly. “Not that it’s your business, but Narcissa just found out she might be a grandmother in a few months…” she said. Severus’ eyes widened slightly.

“Draco? Fathered a child?” he asked in disbelief. “Who would-” he started to ask, but when he saw the look on Bellatrix’s face he knew immediately. “She and Draco…? Well…”

“You’re so blind…” she said, smiling as Narcissa led a very relieved looking Hermione out of the office.

“Of course I’m on your side, silly girl! Do you want anyone to go with you to the healer?” she asked. Hermione shook her head. “Of course not…it will look suspicious. Okay. Be careful…if you are pregnant I don’t want you damaging my first grandchild…oh!” she said, and pulled a small kerchief from thin air to dab at her eyes. “I have gone over so many scenarios in my head to get you and Draco to be able to wed…but none of them worked out! I never thought of this one!” she said. Hermione frowned.

“Wed?” she asked.

“My dear! Not that I mind…but this is going to be the very first half-blooded Malfoy…Lucius will accept this eventually, but he will never accept a bastard grandchild. You two will have to marry to legitimize the child…” she said. Hermione’s face paled. Marriage… “But don’t worry about it too much until you get back from the Healer. I’ll have Lucius nice and sedate for you…” she said. Hermione gave her a little half-smile, and then trudged slowly out of the room to go get ready for her appointment.

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She walked out of the Healer’s office with tears streaming down her face. She had just been told she was five weeks pregnant, and had been sent to the neighboring apothecary to immediately begin her regimen of prenatal potions. She walked into the sweet-smelling shop slowly, and handed the paper to the witch behind the counter.

“Ah! Prenatal potions! Congrats on the baby!” the young witch said cheerfully. Hermione nodded mutely. Ten minutes later she was walking out with her bag laden with the vials and powders.

She walked slowly back towards the Apparition point, ignoring people staring at her. As she walked past the last Alley near the point, strong hands reached out of the shadows and closed around her. One over her mouth and one hand around her stomach. She gave a futile cry as she was dragged into the shadows. She heard a muttered silencing charm, and felt the arms let her go.

“’Ello there, Poppet…” She could just make out the outline of a scraggly wizard. “Ain’t you the one ‘oo done freed the Malfoys and that mangy Lestrange lassie?” he asked, the smell of alcohol and tobacco assaulting her nose. She felt the need to vomit, but even her stomach seemed frozen with fear. “Not too smart ta be out ‘ere on yer own…you got lots of enemies…” he said. She shuddered as a rough, calloused finger caressed her cheek.

“P…please…” she begged softly.

“Aw…she wants mercy…” she heard another voice, and felt thin fingers wrap around her throat. She choked slightly as the fingers closed. “Think we should give it to her?”

“I don’ know. She’s so soft…I wonder what else about ‘er is soft? Them nice…firm breasts look very touchable…” she heard, and the alcohol and tobacco scent assaulted her nostrils again. She felt the calloused finger brush over rapidly heaving chest. She tried to scream, but felt a hand strike her mercilessly across the face, cutting her off midway.

“No one can ‘ear you scream, lassie…” he taunted cruelly, and she gasped loudly as he ripped open the front of her blouse. She began to cry as she felt the cool touch of a blade on her chest. The blade was situated at the front of her bra, and with a quick tug downward, her breasts fell free of the slashed material.

“Oh yes…very touchable…” the scraggly wizard said, and she sobbed as the rough hand assaulted her breasts. The wizard with the thin fingers let his hands travel down the front of her trousers. He caressed the front of her knickers, and she shivered as his finger traveled into the band.

Her head gave a sudden lurch forward, and to her delight made contact with the forehead of the scraggly wizard. He fell back with a cry, and immediately a fist made contact with her face. She was not allowed to fall back, however. The thin-fingered wizard punched her several times in the face; until she was sure she had a broken nose and possibly a broken jaw. He let her fall to the ground, and she immediately fumbled for her wand. Instead of trying to fight, she raised her wand and set off a bright red light, specifically used to call Aurors. She heard cursing, and scrabbled to pull her shirt around her to cover herself.

The two wizards scrambled to escape, unable to Apparate due to wards against civilians. But they were unable to escape before the familiar ‘pops’ of Apparition, signaling the arrival of two Aurors. She squinted her eyes as one of them lit up the Alley with Lumos, and saw the bright red flashes of a stunner. The Auror with the lit wand then knelt down beside her, and she felt cool hands push her hair from her face, and an intake of breath when they surveyed the damage.

“Wait a minute…hey Potter! Isn’t this your friend Granger?”

Hermione vaguely registered boots on the hard ground coming towards her. She felt another presence at her side, and this time warm hands touched her face.

“Shite! Yeah…you take these hooligans back to headquarters. I’ll take her to the Burrow. She’s just a little banged up, and Molly can deal with her. I’ll contact the Malfoys from there.” He said. Hermione had almost forgotten what Harry’s voice sounded like. But it was very calming and deep. She felt a strong arm underneath her head, and an arm beneath the bend at her knees.

“Is this her bag?” said the other voice. Hermione nodded against Harry’s arm, afraid to speak with a damaged jaw.

“She says yes. Lay it on her stomach.”

She felt the light pressure of the bag on her stomach, and then the pull of Apparition. She heard Harry call for help, and then the rush of feet, and screams from Molly. Harry settled her on a soft surface, presumably a sofa, and she coughed, spraying blood on the front of his black Auror robes.

“You….Aur..or…” she mumbled. She heard him laugh softly.

“Yes. A junior Auror, yes, but one nonetheless.” She heard Molly fussing behind him, and he stepped aside as the motherly witch began to gently wash her face with a cool cloth. One of Hermione’s hands reached up, and wrapped around Molly’s wrist.

“Sor…sorry…” she gurgled. She heard a choked laugh.

“My dear…we may have our disagreements, but you’ll always be family to us. I won’t pretend to understand what’s been going on in that curly little head of yours, but you’re hurt, and we will take care of you. Harry’s off now to contact the…er…the Malfoys….” She said. Hermione patted Molly’s hand gently, before her own fell back against her side.

A small smile twitched at the sides of Hermione’s mouth. She knew she was in very capable hands. Maybe she could make peace with Harry and the Weasleys through all this. She felt Molly gently lift her apothecary bag from off of her, and the cool rag on her face again. She tried to speak again, only making a gurgled groan. Her face hurt like hell, and that made talking difficult.

“Shh, my dear. It’s under control. You’re going to be okay.” Molly assured her. Hermione nodded, and then her world went black, and she fell unconscious.
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Oh no! How will this turn out? This should be really interesting when the Malfoys come to get their teacher...

Tell me what you think! Rate the story! Lucius says that he'll try to be understanding...but he can't promise anything...