Lord of the Land

Chapter 17





Finally the bug-off potion, Sleeping draft, and Smoothing hair potion was ready.

Many of the farmers were in line to get Bug-off potion as Hermione was filling the small vials, when a woman with three children came up to her and asked, “It works on all bugs?”



“Yes it keeps the flies, bees, and ants away.” she commented.

Hermione looked at the children who looked like they haven’t washed in few days and were scratching their heads and backs. The children’s hair appeared as though it was recently cut, something parents do when the family has a very bad bout of lice.



“What about bugs on your body and hair? We’ve been travel for weeks. Just got here this morning from Brill looking for family.”



“Yes.” Hermione said, noticing the one girl and two boys had shorter hair, “Though boil their bath water first, and let it cool a little then pour this in,” Handing the woman four vials, “and wash their hair in it too.”



“I have something else for you,”

Hermione added, and poured some Smoothing hair potion into four vials as well.



“Put this in their hair while it is still wet. It should make it easier to comb through,” handing the small bottles to the mother.



The woman started looking through her pockets for money.

Hermione felt awful, the woman didn’t even have shoes.

“How much do I owe you miss?” the woman asked.

She looked at Harry with a look of ‘I can’t take money from this mother.’



Harry smiled and nodded.

Hermione leaned toward her and said,

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a gift.”



The woman with a worried smile,

“No I have a little money, please let me pay for it.”



“It’s not necessary.” Hermione said.



The woman nodded with tears in her eyes.



Harry leaned over to Hermione, and whispered,

“Heard they have to burn most of the houses in Brill because so many people died. The fires got out of control and burnt other homes. Whom ever survived or got out lost everything.”

It gave Hermione a chill.



A few moments later the oldest girl came back in and gave Hermione an old coin made of wood with some gold still on it.

The coin was basically worthless.



She hadn’t seen one of these in ages and showed it to Harry.

“See mom has a little money,” the girl said wearing a hopeful smile.



Hermione looked up at the window and saw the mother had a cart with some belongs in it.



The little girl was turning to go when Harry said,

“Wait. “ he dug into his pocket and pulled out two silver pieces,

“You forget your change.”



The little girl looked surprised. She took the two coins, thanked him and left.



Harry said,

“Don’t bother asking for money it’s easier just giving it to them. Besides they are keeping Draco out of here.”





Hermione went back to filling the vials and bottles of potions and handing them out to people.



The old woman came for her sleeping draft. Hermione went in to the cauldron, filled a bottle of the potion, and gave it to her.





Harry put his hand on her shoulder and said,

“Check the potions in the other room, I’ll hand these out.”

Hermione nodded.



She entered the private room and there on the end of the table was a man pulling out tools. He was wearing a dark shirt with a leather apron.

He was an older man with some wrinkles and small gray eyes and he hadn’t shaved in a day or two.



“Excuse me, but can I help you?” she asked.

He looked up at her and glanced around,

“I’m here to help you,” he announced shyly with a warm smile,” I’m the goldsmith. Close the door. I got five blades, I hope that’s enough.”



“I hope so too,” Hermione prayed out loud.



“I’m almost ready for you. Keep an eye on your potions we don’t want anyone coming back here,” the goldsmith said.



Hermione stirred the sleeping draft and started filling the bottles until she was out.

Harry was busy filling the bottle with smoothing hair potion in the other room.



The goldsmith called Hermione over and took her hand and placed her ring finger between to small pieces of wood and another piece pushed the ring up so that the smith could slide a thin piece of leather between Hermione’s finger and the ring.



“I’ll try to do it slowly, otherwise the blade could heat up the ring and it burn you or I could accidentally cut you. Now stay very still,” the gold smith advised.



The goldsmith pulled the blade slightly it and Hermione heard it sing out a pretty tone. The blade was long and very thin like a piece of gray spaghetti. It looked fragile. The saw looked like a question mark. The man put on his glasses, waxed the blade, and put the blade to the ring. He started out slowly. Hermione saw small sparks coming off the ring. As the goldsmith cut deeper in to the ring the sparks got darker and darker like little bits of coal.



He was half way through when Hermione noticed two more of the potions were ready.



He stopped sawing and allowed her to stir the potions and start bottling the stain remover and rash/acne potion. She went out in to the other room for a few minutes and came back as soon as she could.



The gold smith continued for a few stokes of the blade when a loud bang from the other room made Hermione jump and move her hand breaking the blade.



“Oh, I’m sorry!” Hermione apologized.

The man got out another blade. He unscrewed the broken blade from the frame and as he screwed the new blade in to his jeweler’s saw. He reminded Hermione to check the potions.



The Pep up potion and Grow Back Bones potion were in the busy room.



Madame Pomfrey was stirring the Grow Back Bones potion, smiling at Hermione, “You got a real flair for this. I know a school in London…”she started to say but stopped.

Hermione looked up and the nurse was looking at Harry in a weird way.

Harry had a frown on his face,

“One thing at a time Poppy, lets get the ring off first.” and she heard Harry whispering,

“She’s pregnant. How long will it be before they won’t let her go to school? If they let her in at all.”



“She gifted my lord. They’d take her in a second. We’ve lost many good healers and potion makers,” she scolded at him.



Hermione was filling the bottles of potions as a feeling of hope and excitement flowed through her. She looked at the ring with the cut in it knowing she will be free of it soon. And Madame Pomfrey who thought she was talented in potion making telling her about a school in London.

Hermione hadn’t felt so happy in so long.

She finished filling the bottles for Pep up potions and she and Harry gave them out.



Madame Pomfrey took the bottles of grow back bones and Pep up potion and put them in her bag.



Hermione went back to the other room, closed the door, and the goldsmith started sawing again.



It took longer than Hermione expected but finally the saw blade made it to the other side of the ring with a high ping sound as that blade broke.



“Can you pull it apart?” Hermione asked.



“No. Now I have to cut the other side to cut it off and break the charm, “ the gold smith said.



The goldsmith spun the ring half way around and slowly started to cut into it when the blade bowed and broke.



“Damn!” the goldsmith hissed, and sighed “My dear why don’t you check your potions again while you have a moment.”



Hermione added the last ingredients to the Snore No More potion.



She went in to the main room and removed the fire under the cauldron of the beauty potion and stirred it. Hermione looked up to see Harry watching her with a satisfied expression on his face.



“Your having fun. You’re enjoying this aren’t you Hermione?”



Hermione smiled, “Yes I am.” She moved the caldron to the corner where it was cool. Harry walked up behind her.

“You look so happy, so beautiful you shine, or is that because of this one?

Harry asked touching her belly.



“Both,” she laughed, “I’ve got to get back in the other room.”



Harry nodded, ”Yes.”



Hermione went back to the other room and the goldsmith started sawing away at the ring again.

Again sparks came off the ring.

He was midway through the ring when that blade broke.



Hermione went to inspect the potions.

The Snore no more potion was ready so she put the potion in to bottles. She went back to the main room. The sore stomach tonic was also ready so she put them in to vials.



The Looking fair beauty potion had cooled and she quickly poured them into bottles.



The love potion was finally ready. She had never seen so many men wanting a love potion in her life.

But there were very few women around the village and some women were traveling through the area and the men were desperately trying to find wives.

Hermione sighed with relief that all the potions were bottled and people still trickled in to get the potion they needed.



She returned to the private room and the goldsmith started to saw away at the ring again.

The blade made it to the other side of the ring with a ping sound.



Hermione sighted, “At last.”



The goldsmith put down the saw and looked puzzled.



Hermione tried to pull off the ring but it wouldn’t come off.

“No! Come off. Come off.”



He grabbed Hermione’s hand, looked at the ring, and spun it around. There was only one side sawed.

Hermione looked at it closely and saw it was slowly fixing itself.



“It’s..” Hermione started to say.



“Mending itself,” the goldsmith said.



The goldsmith sighed and said, “I can try again but it could burn you or even cut you the process.”



She gave him her hand, “Do it.”



The goldsmith started sawing away at top speed, but it took a while to go through the ring and when the blade cut through to the other edge it broke grazing Hermione’s finger.



The goldsmith wasn’t fast enough and it had mended itself.

Harry came up behind Hermione.



“No. This has to come off. Please!” she begged.



“I’m sorry I’m out of blades.” the goldsmith replied.



“NO it’s got to come off! I can’t have it on any longer. It’s got to come off now,” she cried pulling at it frantically.



Hermione picked up a sledgehammer and held it high in the air.



“No Hermione!” Harry shouted, grabbing her hand and making her put down the tool.



Hermione turned to Harry and grabbed on to his cloak burying her face in his chest and started weeping,



“Please, help me my lord.”

He held her in his arms.



There were no more blades. No more hope.



Hermione wept harder as the cloak in fingers slipped away at the same time as her legs weakened and she slid down onto in the floor at Harry’s feet sobbing.



Hermione felt Harry gather her up in his arms and carried her over to the chair.



He then went to the door nodded and shouted

“Hagrid, make the announcement.”



Hermione barely understood what Hagrid bellowed out just out side the door.



Looking up into Harry’s eyes she saw them welling with tears.

His voice was soft and gently,

“In a few weeks the village will pay homage to my family. The Malfoys haven’t given anything in years. We’ll think of something,” and he embraced her.



The goldsmith packed his tools and Harry tried to pay him.

“My lord I didn’t complete the job I shouldn’t be paid.”

“This is for your effort then,” giving him a five silver pieces.



The goldsmith smiled “Thank you, sir.”



Harry held Hermione’s hand as they walk to the main room.

He got her a cup of tea and some soup, but she couldn’t eat.



Draco came in to the tavern.

“Hermione it’s time to go,” he declared.



Hermione got up with out looking at Draco.

Harry got up as well and walked with her to the center of the room.

As they said ‘good bye’ the look they gave at each other gave them away.



“How dare you embarrass me like this you hussy slut,” Draco hissed at Hermione.



“How? I was just saying good bye to his lordship,” she protested.



Draco pulled her by the arm outside and through the crowd,

“You won’t be seeing him again too soon. And don’t think for one minute that you’ll get away from me. Even if I’m dead you will follow me.”



Draco dragged Hermione to the fitting rooms looking for Posy.

Hermione peeked behind a curtain found Posy in the fitting room naked fucking with the tailor.



Hermione pushed the drapery back wanting to erase what she had just seen.



Draco walked up to her and asked,

“Where the hell can she be?”



Hermione pointed to the curtain that was behind her.

Draco pulled back the curtain and shouted,

“Posy stop fucking him and get your clothes back on, we leaving.”



A minute later Posy was coming through the curtain half naked with tailor behind her helping her get dresses.



They got into the carriage Hermione eyes welled up with tears as she saw Harry getting into his carriage.



Posy was still fixing her dress and corset. Her breasts were bulging over the top and her nipples were showing.



“I hope the tailor is better at his profession then he is at fucking. But then again I’m not paying him money to make the corsets.” Posy said laughing.



She rearranged her self and stared at Hermione,

“What are you looking at you prude, really Draco your wife needs a lesson or two in …..” Posy began hissing out.



“Posy, darling don’t get yourself in a state, Hermione here will soon learn her place,” Draco commented.



“Place? What do you mean place?” Hermione asked. Draco just smiled.



The carriage took a different turn than normal. Hermione looked around to see that they were at the other end of the village.

They stop in from of the large hotel.



Draco got out and told Hermione to stay in the carriage.



Posy followed him into the hotel.



Hermione waited and waited. She dosed off for a few minutes here and there.



It was dark now and the lights were on in the buildings.

Hermione decide to look for Draco in the hotel.



Hermione entered the hotel. People were standing around drinking and talking.

There was a strange smoke in the air that made Hermione feel relaxed and light headed.

She asked the woman at the desk where she could find Draco Malfoy.



“Second floor room 216.”



Hermione made her way up the stairs.

She went down a hallway to 216 and knocked on the door.





Lucius Malfoy answered the door. He wore a robe that he neglect to tie so he hide nothing,

“Hermione what are you doing here?” in an unhappy tone



“Looking for Draco. Is he here with you sir?”

Hermione heard giggling from behind him and one girl peeked out at her.



“Maybe you should try upstairs my dear. He tends to like the girls upstairs. Unless you would like to …” he licked his lips and smirked “join us?”



Hermione felt ill and shook her head,

“No,” backing away.



She turned and with all speed went up the stairs on to the third floor.

She listened for his voice. Hermione heard him moan and went to the door.



She paused for a moment wondering if it was a good idea to disturb him, but she didn’t want to be in the carriage all night.



Hermione knocked on the door and waited.



A blonde hair woman answered the door,

“Ah, can I help you?” she asked.



“Is Draco Malfoy here?” Hermione posed.



She heard the springs of the mattress and knew he was getting up.



The woman was pulled from the door and a moment later Draco stood there naked and erect with a glass with grey liquor in it.



“What are you doing here?” he whispered in an angry tone.



“You left me in the carriage waiting.” she explained.



He snickered.

”Oh right! “ he cleared his throat looking back at the woman on the bed and turn to Hermione and said,

“Go home Hermione,” slamming the door in her face.



Hermione was on the landing of the second floor when a naked girl ran into her laughing and being playful chased by three men.



The girl looked at Hermione and said,

“Excuse me,” and Hermione looked at her.



“Posy?” Hermione said.



Posy looked at Hermione and said, “Came to join in the fun or ….” she raised her hand up to Hermione’s cheek and caressed it, “are we still a prude? Are you blushing my dear sister. You haven’t seen anything yet.”



The men grabbed hold of Posy and started to caress her large breasts and rubbed her between her legs.



To Hermione surprise Posy was shaved clean between her legs making her look like a white marble statue except for the red spots where she had shaven.



Posy also had put to much perfume on. Combined with the smoke in the place was getting Hermione very dizzy so she opened the closest window and stuck her head out to breath in some fresh air.



Hermione breath in deeply clearing her head and popped her head back inside.



“No. I’m going home.” Hermione told her as she started toward the stairs.



Hermione got out of the hotel as quickly as she could.

She told the driver to take her the Malfoy mansion.



The house was basically empty. She wanted to kick her self for not going home to the farm for the night. She thought for a moment and turn and walked out of the large house and to the gate.

She thought to her self, ‘I could leave and come back tomorrow,’ she was at the gate and abruptly she was pushed back.



The gate had a charm on it, once you’re in your trapped.



Hermione turned and went back inside the house.





Homage - respect or reverence paid or rendered, something done or given in acknowledgment.

A farmer gaves a small portion of his harvest.
A carpenter may make something or offer his services.
Also called a tribute.