The legacy of the Diary

Stumbling, then regaining her ground Hermione felt sweat pouring down her back as she ran across the Quidditch pitch towards Harry’s falling body. She heard screams in the distance then suddenly a black hooded figure appeared, tripped her, and then it was her who seemed to be falling. More screams as she fell through the pitch, looking up as she fell she saw the hooded figure again, blonde hair blowing in the breeze but his face not discernable. She continued to fall, down and down into blackness. Falling, falling until finally…

Hermione woke with a start, safe in her bed, following the disturbing feeling of landing from her nightmare. She couldn’t remember the last time she had had such powerful nightmares. Dreams – yes, but not nightmares like that. Why after such a wonderful night had she been woken by a nightmare? Her head pounded and from the light filtering through cracks in the shutters she gauged that it was already afternoon.

She sat up. Where was Lucius? Why had she slept so late? Why did she have such a headache? She remembered the figure from her nightmare and an unsettled feeling came over her. Had he drugged her? She felt the traces of the trust she had for Lucius evaporate as she slid from the bed.

Last night had been explosive but she had done what she had been determined not to. She had been diverted from her business there with the Veritaserum and she had once again been seduced into Lucius’ bed. Oh, who was she kidding, she had wanted it as much as him. But the fact remained, she was there to give Lucius the Veritaserum and that was probably something that was not on top of his ‘to-do’ list for today.

One thing nagged at her though, the screaming in her nightmare had been so real, almost as though she were really hearing it. She dismissed the thought and headed to the bathroom to wash.

~~~xx~~~

Having found a dress in one of the wardrobes (an old one of Narcissa’s she presumed) and throwing on her own cloak, Hermione headed out of the bedroom in search of Lucius. As they had apparated into the bedroom the night before, she was in unfamiliar territory and decided just to walk until she could get her bearings.

The hallways were richly carpeted down the centre, giving way to ancient oak floorboards at the sides. Stone walls were hung with tapestries and portraits, many of whom were tutting at her as she passed or demanding to know who she was until a rather flattering portrait of a twenty-one year old Draco silenced them and told them she was an old school ‘acquaintance’ of his.

The halls fell silent and Hermione made her way to a grand staircase. Descending, she found herself on the ground floor. Surely, now, it would not be hard to find Lucius? But the house was a maze of corridors and rooms, not unlike Hogwarts it seemed, but at least none of the staircases were moving!

She reached a vast hall with several doorways leading off it and stood in dismay, looking at the numerous options before her. Then she heard it – a scream, it was definitely a scream. She ran towards the room from where the sound seemed to have emanated but when she got there the room was empty, merely an afternoon parlour, plush comfortable sofas and wizard chess set up on the coffee table.

She looked around the room, confused, then the scream came again, this time louder, but definitely not in this room. She went back into the hall, intrigued and more than a little frightened. As she stood there wondering what to do next the scream came a third time, this time she pinpointed its location, down by her feet. A cast iron filigree metal grate, probably some kind of ancient ventilation system, in the floor. Instantly she lay down and pressed her face against the grate trying to see the source of the screaming but everything was black.

‘Aaaaarrgghhh! Please! No!’ Came a voice from below, louder still and bloodcurdling.

‘Hello? Who’s there?’ Hermione shouted back down the grate. But the screaming stopped.

Hermione waited a while then called again. Nothing. Total silence. Almost as though she had dreamt the whole thing. Well, her head was still a little fuzzy.
She was just thinking about her headache again when a tap on her shoulder made her jump out of her skin.

A house elf was staring at her, mute, but looking as if to say ‘what are you doing lying on the floor?!’ Hermione pushed herself up then stood up, glancing back at the grate before following the beckoning house-elf.

The elf led her through several more rooms and corridors before finally showing her into a light and airy dining room with French doors onto the garden.

Another house elf swept in and pulled back a chair at the dining table for Hermione. ‘Mistress will sit down to eat.’

She wasn’t sure whether it was a request or an order so she complied.

‘Where is Lu… er… Mr Malfoy?’ She enquired of the elf.

‘The master is away but will be back presently. He instructed me to feed you, should you wake.’

The last statement made Hermione sound like an abandoned pet and she bit her lip to stop herself from scolding the elf – he was only doing what he was told.

He snapped his fingers and the table groaned with dishes of all kinds. Hermione stared at the table then at the elf.

‘I can’t eat all this.’

‘Mori was not sure whether mistress would want breakfast or lunch so he ordered both.’ He handed Hermione a glass of what looked like water. ‘Mistress will drink this.’ He insisted.

‘Oh, no thank-you.’ Responded Hermione, seeing a jug of pumpkin juice.

Once again the glass was thrust towards her. ‘Mistress, must drink this, Master Malfoy’s orders. Mori will be punished if mistress does not drink it.’

Hermione looked at the glass suspiciously as she took it from the little elf. ‘What is it, Mori?’

‘It will make mistress feel better.’

He watched as Hermione drained the glass, which tasted of pure spring water, then he snapped his fingers and was gone. Instantly, Hermione did feel better. Her headache had gone, she was wide awake instead of feeling groggy and she suddenly had a voracious appetite. Reaching for the spoon in a nearby bowl of fruit salad, she filled her own small bowl and began to eat.

~~xxx~~

She had hoped that Lucius would join her while she ate (she had lots of questions for him!) but he did not and after a while She found herself standing over at the window gazing at the light fading in the garden. It was the one thing she hated about this time of year, the short days. Suddenly realising that this meant it was late afternoon Hermione decided she needed to find Lucius, that , or get back to Hogwarts to let Snape and Dumbledore know that the agreement had been broken.

She strode out of the dining room back into the hallway, bumping into Mori as she went.
‘Where is the Master’s study?’
‘Mori usually apparatus there.’ He replied quizzically ‘But,’ he continued, ‘at the end of this corridor is the main entrance hall, it is at the end of one of the corridors off that.’

Hermione set off down the corridor towards the main entrance hall, she felt like a character in a computer game, being directed towards some strange destiny. When she got there she noticed several corridors leading off, which one would she start with? No, there was something far more interesting. There was a staircase, a staircase leading down. Down where? In a house like this it could only mean one thing – dungeons. It was where the metal grate had led and where those screams had come from.

Hermione felt her cloak pockets. In one was her wand in the other the Veritaserum. Wand in hand she set off down the staircase into the Malfoy dungeons.

xxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Sorry for the hideously long time taken to post this latest chapter, this is my second attempt at writing it since the first attempt was dire. I promise not to take so long over the next one. Also – sorry had to do a bit of plot here – don’t worry though – more smut coming up in the next chapter. (Well she is in the dungeons after all – wink, wink!)