Just Around the Riverbend

Oh my gods, the apocalypse is coming! She's updated within a few days!!

JK, but it did feel nice to actually have a muse again. I will now take the time to respond to the reviews that I got in this chapter, since it's not five in the morning. It's only midnight!!

angeles
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Alina

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Hermione looked around the suite of rooms she had picked out. It was actually one of the smaller ones, but it was still larger than her flat back home. She had also chosen this suite because it had a nice large personal library that would just about fit all of her books that the elves were bringing to this place. Which reminded her…she needed to make a mental note to tell Lucius that she could move her own bloody books, and that he needed to stop telling his elves to touch her things.

She had spent one final night in her old flat, and had a very heated argument with Harry about what she was doing. In the end he had acquiesced that she was a grown woman, and was capable of taking care of herself. He had, though, made her promise to tell him if Malfoy tried anything unseemly. When they had finally parted that night, it had been with hugs and friendly kisses. Hermione had packed all of her clothes and personal items, miniaturized them, and brought them with her.

It was a rather warm night, so she shimmied into one of her loose satin pajama sets. It was a yellow teddy-type shirt with knee-length matching pants. She then slipped on her favorite bunny slippers, and restless from being in a new place, decided to get a jump start on looking at the Malfoy library. She’d heard wonderful things about that library. There were books in there that hadn’t seen print in centuries, and books that had never seen print, only hand-copying. She wanted so badly to get her hands on some of those books that she almost ran to the library.

It was late, so she wasn’t expecting anyone to be there. When she arrived at the library, she poked her head inside the door, and pleased when she didn’t see anyone, quickly entered the library, the smell of dust and paper exciting her a little.

~~

He was restless. The day had been quite trying, and he just wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. But he couldn’t. Damn it all to the murkiest, hottest, most torturous bowels of hell!

Perhaps a bit of light reading before bed would help him set his thoughts straight. Hmm…he didn’t have any books in his room with him. He’d just have to go to the library. He looked at the pajama shirt he had waiting for him on his chair, but decided against it. It was a rather warm night, and his pants were just fine to keep him decent.

Besides….it was late, so he wasn’t expecting anyone to be there.

He walked to the library, his own rooms being much closer than the others, and walked right into the large place. He wondered how long it would be until there was a curly-headed witch in this room at all given times.

As he rounded the first bookshelf, he stopped immediately in his tracks. Said curly-headed witch was already there, and in nothing more than satin scraps on her, reaching on tip-toe to try and retrieve a high book. He could see her soft, rounded feminine tummy as her shirt rode up, and he could also see the peaks of her nipples brushing the front of the shirt. It was rather cool in the library…

“May I help you with that?” he asked, his voice strained. He felt very warm all over, despite only having on sleeping pants.

Hermione jumped, and stumbled backwards, conking her head on the edge of a shelf. She yelped and stepped forward, her hand going to the back of her head. Lucius, alarmed, stepped forward.

“I apologize, Miss Granger….I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He said, and gently moved her hands away to check her head. He could easily look at the top of her head with his height advantage. He gently touched her scalp, and felt her wince when his fingers touched a small bump. “Would you like for me to send for an elf for this?” he asked softly.

“No, no.” she said, and stepped away from him, suddenly realizing he had no shirt. “It really hurt my pride more than my head….What…what are you doing here?” she asked, her face going a little pink when she also realized she didn’t have on a bra. She tried to cross her arms as nonchalantly as possible. Lucius nearly forgot to breathe when it only served to push her breasts up.

“I live here.” He said, his voice going a bit strained again. Hermione reddened again, but this time not from embarrassment.

“Yes, well…I know that….what I mean was….what are you doing in the library?”

“I was coming down for a bit f late-night reading.” He said softly. Hermione rolled her eyes. Hermione noticed his eyes wander downwards a little further than they should, and she blushed scarlet. She then cleared her throat.

“’Scuse me, but my face is up here.” She said, wrapping her arms tighter around herself.

“I apologize again. I was merely…..admiring the view presented.” He said, and smirked a bit when she looked absolutely flattered and terrified at the same time.

“I….I need to go.” She said, and hurried past him, walking as quickly as she could. He turned and watched that perfectly shaped arse sashay out of the library. She shivered and groaned as he felt his cock stir to life. He really was an arse man…

~~

The next morning became a little more complicated. When Lucius came down for breakfast, he was startled beyond reason to find Draco sitting at the table, reading the Prophet, with another copy sitting beside him.

“'Morning father.” He said softly, turning a page. “Did you see the Prophet yesterday?” he asked.

“No…no I didn’t. I was busy with……business. Why?” he inquired, suddenly suspicious. Draco closed his own copy of the paper, and pushed the extra copy he had towards his father.

“I think you’ll find that very interesting.” He said, a smirk forming.

Lucius approached the table, and looked down at the headline.

Chasing Down Crime!

Seen in this photo is a young vigilante chasing down a purse-snatcher. The identity of the young woman is unknown, but many reliable sources believe it is none other Lucius Malfoy’s American cousin. Americans have long been known for their rash behavior and crusades for the downtrodden, but this reporter believes the child is taking it a bit far. A girl in her position shouldn’t be chasing down common thieves. Leave that to the Aurors, girl. Is she being taught anything here, or has her cousin given her free reign of the country? This reporter would like to see the girl show some class.

Rita Skeeter

The picture was a fantastic shot of the young purse-snatcher grabbing Hermione’s purse, and Daisy taking off after him. Thought Lucius’ face betrayed no emotion, Draco saw his father’s eyes darken considerably. Oh yeah….he was pissed.

He left the paper on the table, but left the room. Draco stood immediately, a grin on his face. He wanted to see what was about to go down. He followed his father into the main family room, where Lucius summoned an elf.

“Benson!” he hissed. The elf appeared, looking a bit nervous at Lucius’ demeanor.

“Yes, Master?” it asked, its ears flattening against its head.

“Go fetch Miss Melfy from her bed.” He said. The elf disappeared with a bow, and a few minutes later, a sleepy and swaying Daisy was popped into the room.

“S’matter? Izza house on fire?” she asked, and yawned. She was jerked out of her half-awake state when Lucius grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the Breakfast room. “Ow! Cousin, don’t pull so hard! You’re hurting me!” she gasped. He pointed silently to the paper, and stood back, crossing his arms. Daisy rubbed her arm gingerly, and stepped forward to read the paper. Her eyes widened a bit when she finished, and she looked up at Lucius.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked, his voice deadly soft. Daisy didn’t think that boded well for her.

“I just….I just reacted. He grabbed Hermione’s purse and almost knocked her down. It wasn’t right-” But Lucius shot forward and grabbed her forearms, gripping her tightly and shaking her.

“It wasn’t your place! You should have reported it and been done with it! Do you know what people are going to think now?” he hissed. Daisy whimpered softly. He was hurting her arms and she was afraid to speak. “They’re going to think I’m teaching you to be some impulsive vigilante. That I’m allowing you to do whatever you damned well please with no repercussions whatsoever. You could have been killed, Daisy….do you know that?” he asked, his icy blue eyes boring into hers.

“I didn’t think-”

“Exactly! You didn’t think!” he said, and shook her to emphasize the point.

“Please….” She whimpered. “You’re hurting me…” a few tears squeezed from her eyes, wetting her face. Lucius was so angry at her he didn’t know what he was capable of next. He pushed her back, and let go of her. She stumbled slightly, and wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing at the places his hands had gripped.

“Go up to your room.” He said, turning away from her. Daisy hesitated for a moment, and opened her mouth to speak. Lucius whirled back around, his pale blonde hair actually fanning a bit. “Get out of my sight right now or I’ll thrash you the whole way up!” he snapped. Daisy turned and fled, a few anguished sobs escaping her on the way up.

Draco had watched the whole thing with sadistic glee. Maybe his father would get rid of the little Mudblood savage. His job here was done. He disappeared with a pop, leaving his father standing in the Breakfast room.

~~

Daisy ran to her room as quickly as she could. She slammed her bedroom door behind her, her breathing coming in short, terrified puffs. She looked down at her arms, dismayed to see that she had perfect finger-print bruises already forming. She was scared. What was her cousin going to do to her? She wasn’t going to stick around and find out!

She threw on her deerskin clothes again, and this time she packed several more outfits. She had lots of clothes made from that material. She retrieved her wand and threw open her window. Then she made like an escaping prisoner, using a few sheets tied together to get from the third story window to the ground. And then she ran. She ran for the forest, clinging to her bag like her life depended on it. In her mind….it very well did.

She ran until her sides ached, and when she finally stopped, she fell to her knees, sobbing loudly. She balanced herself on her forearms, her body shaking with loud sobs, crying until she was too spent to move. She moved herself to her bottom, pulling her knees up against her, still sniffling softly.

"Is that you, little Daisy human?"

She turned her head to see Arbino standing at a tree not too very far away. She sniffled, but gave a small smile.

"Who else is brave enough to come into the forest?" she said, and gave a soft laugh, which was ruined by a hiccup.

"You are leaking, human." he said, eyeing the tears on her face.

"I got into a fight with my cousin....I'm just crying." she said, and wiped her eyes.

"Did you at least bloody his nose?" Arbino asked, sauntering closer to Daisy. She laughed.

"Not a physical fight, Arbino! An argument. He was angry at something I did, but I didn't think it was too bad..." she said.

"You ran away from him?" he asked. She nodded silently. He bent at his waist, and offered her his hand.

"You may stay with us, Daisy human. Your things were retrieved from the forest, and can be set up in our camp if you so wish." he said. Daisy's sad face broke into a grin, and she took Arbino's hand.

"It'd be an honor!"

~~

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me what happened?” Lucius hissed at Hermione, surprising her as she came into the Breakfast room.

“What are you talking about, you crazy arse-hole?” she asked, becoming angry that he was yelling at her.

“Why didn’t you tell me Daisy ran down some purse-snatcher like she was mentally off?” Hermione backed off immediately. She’d seen the piece in the Prophet. She’d assumed Lucius had seen it too, and was merely ignoring it as she’d done. But he hadn’t, and he wasn’t.

“I didn’t think it that important to tell you. She had a lapse in good judgement. I scolded her thoroughly for it, and she understood it was stupid.” Suddenly her eyes narrowed. “What did you do, Malfoy?” she asked.

“I took her to task for it. I’ve sent her to her room, and I won’t be letting her out today. Or maybe even tomorrow.” He said.

“You can’t just lock her up like a misbehaving animal-”

“Well maybe if she wasn’t acting like a misbehaving animal I wouldn’t have to lock her up.” He snapped, interrupting her.

“You, Mr. Malfoy, are an pompous, arrogant, selfish idiot!” Hermione snapped, and turned to leave the room, leaving Lucius shocked. Why was he selfish? He didn’t understand…

Hermione marched straight to Daisy’s suite, and went to her door. She knocked gently, trying not to frighten the girl.

“Daisy? It’s me, Hermione. I just wanted to talk to you.” She said, and waited. Silence. “Daisy? Come on, Daisy, open the door…” she said, knocking again. She drew her wand from her sleeve, and magically unlocked the door, pushing it open. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the open dressers, the open window, and the sheets tied to her bed frame and thrown out the window.

“Mr. Malfoy!” she cried, and ran back towards where she had left Lucius.
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Oh mah goodnes.....so much DRAMA!!!

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