Hermione's Little Secret

A/N~~ hey everyone! a new chapter, and we're getting close to the end! two more chapters I think.

REPOST OF THIS CHAPTER! FOUND A WEE ERROR!


to everyone who's nice enough to leave a review, thank you thank you thank you!!! I love hearing from everyone...oh and if anyone wants a michigan recipe....email me! I think i have my mom's old one somewhere. (Carmen!, I live just outside plattsburgh in saranac. But I grew up in Peru, which has unfortunately been in the news lately:( )))

Now, for the chapter.


marti


Lilah listened to the sounds around her. After crawling into the log and crying herself asleep, she'd awakened to the sounds of animals outside of her hiding place. She had peeped through a hole in the brittle bark to see absolutely no animals, but she'd seen a deer hanging in the air, bits of it being ripped from the body. After that she'd curled up even tighter, fearful of the world she'd been brought to, hoping that whatever was out there would just go away, or that her Daddy would show up and get her. With her knees bent up to her chin, she dropped her head down and cried some more, too afraid to even brush the bugs that had crawled up her legs off of her.

(This part of the chapter hadn't been copied and pasted for some reason! Well here it is now!)


Hermione kept her wand leveled in front of her as she walked slowly through the forest. She didn’t dare call out for the girl, so she kept her eyes sharp, checking for spaces a small girl might wedge herself for privacy. She fumed as she remembered what Draco had found when he’d come back from his quarters. The response from his ex-wife had been opened, obviously read by the woman’s daughter. She understood completely why Narcissa wanted to hex her former daughter in law. Hermione would be waiting right behind her with her chance. What kind of mother thought of her child, much less treated that child, like dirt?


Draco had entered the forest nearer to the lake, while she had followed the path RJ had pointed out. Her wand glowed blue whenever she neared a human. It had glowed only once in the last two hours, when her and Hagrid’s paths had crossed. She was glad she’d changed into her sneakers, or her feet would be blistered by tonight.


Ahead of her, she heard the unmistakable sounds of Thestrals, and she slowed her advance. If she scared them while they mated, they’d automatically attack her, tearing her apart immediately. She needed to proceed with caution. She looked down at the wand and swore. It glowed bright blue. Lilah was somewhere near the mating beasts.

Steeling herself, Hermione flashed sparks and loud noises out of the tip of her wand into the clearing she was entering. She grimaced as the wild horses turned as one to stare at her with their blood red eyes. She shot more sparks and watched with satisfaction that they left instead of attacking her.

“Lilah? Are you here? The horses are gone, love and it’s safe to come out now. We’re very worried about you. The Forest isn’t very safe: there are a lot of wild animals and other things in here that can hurt you. Lilah?” Hermione heard a slight sniffle to her left and turned in that direction. She stopped in front of a log, lying on its side. She sat, knowing Draco’s daughter was inside it, probably having squirmed in there when she heard the Thestrals enter the clearing. “You know your father is very worried. I’ve never seen him so frazzled before, until Adrianna said you were in the Forbidden Forest. He loves you very much.”

“Mom hates me though.” Hermione heard from inside the log. Hermione sighed, wishing she could pull the girl into her arms like she did her own daughter.

“I’m sorry about your mum. Your father tried to keep you from knowing how she felt. I think she’s absolutely wrong! You need some training for your abilities, but some Muggles have a difficult time dealing with their children’s sudden magic.”

“I used to blow things up when I got mad. She stopped taking me to the park ‘cause of it.” Lilah now understood with sorrow why her father had put in such an expensive and expansive backyard play area for her. It wasn’t because he was spoiling his little girl, but because of her mother’s complaining. So much of her life was ignored in her mind, defending her mother’s attitude towards her, if not ignoring the child completely. But with the letter to her father, the blinders had come off of her eyes and she could see the truth so clearly now.

“Your father tried to keep you from knowing all that, love.”

“She doesn’t love me, does she? She’s having another baby.” The voice filtered through the wood of the log. Hermione’s heart ached for the child with every word she muttered. Mentally, she reviewed all the things she could do to the former Mrs. Alicia Malfoy.

“She loves you, I’m sure. Oh, come out, sweetheart. Your father’s looking for you and we’re not exactly safe where we are. If you want we can sit and talk for a little bit though.” Hermione offered the little girl. In attitude, she reminded Hermione of her daughter, when she and RJ argued. After a moment of silence, she heard the rustling of clothes as Lilah appeared, her white-blond hair covered in dirt and raining bugs down her shoulders. She shook herself like a wet dog, clearing most of the debris off of her, then sat next to Hermione, leaving a space between the two of them. Lilah sat slouched, her hands on the log on either side of her.


“I wanted to go home, that’s why Daddy wrote the letter to Mommy.”

“Your father would do just about anything for you.”

“I miss my friends.”

“You can make new ones here. I missed my friends when I was sent to Hogwarts. But I’m a witch, as you are. I needed to learn how to be one without hurting Muggles.”

“Did you mom and dad like you being a witch?”

“They were very proud of me, yes.”

“I’m sorry I was mean to RJ.”

“It’s alright. He’s used to it with Adrianna.” Hermione smiled at the girl. She gave him a small smile back.

“Do you love my Daddy?”

Neither of them heard the movement behind them, so soft that it didn’t bother any of the wildlife. Draco leaned against a tree, watching his lover talk with his daughter. His eyes misted briefly as he realized that this was something he’d never seen with his ex and would never have seen with her if he’d stayed for the sake of Lilah.

“I really like your Daddy. We knew each other when we were Adrianna’s age and we need to work through some stuff. You know your father loves you, even with Adrianna in the picture now, right? He’ll never ever stop loving you. Just like Adrianna’s other father’s family will never stop loving her.”

Lilah scooted closer to the older woman. Hermione smiled and put an arm around her loosely, not wanting to make the girl uncomfortable.

“My grandma is kinda mean.”

“Grandmothers are a little different. If I remember correctly, your grandmother doesn’t know all that much about the way you grew up, in the Muggle world. Your father is a pure-blood, and when he left the Wizarding world, it was a very big change for him. Mrs. Malfoy isn’t used to it. You’re a bit more outspoken than most little girls raised here in England. It’s quite refreshing.” Hermione grinned down at the girl. Lilah giggled and ducked her head shyly. “Now, that is not a Malfoy move. I never remembered your father being shy about anything.”

“I’m not my Daddy.”

“Good answer. Are you ready to get back to the castle? Rianna and RJ were very worried about you. And we have to save the Headmaster from your grandmother. From what your father said, they don’t get along very well.”

“He’s mean, and he’s always frowning.” Lilah wrinkled her nose as she remembered the one dinner she and her father had had with the headmaster. He’d almost growled at her when she’d reached for the bowl of peas.

“Severus isn’t so bad. He’s just always been like that.”

“He and Grandma are a lot alike.”

Hermione laughed and hugged the girl to her side. Looking back, she did see that Narcissa Malfoy was the perfect foil for their snarky headmaster. “I think you’re right. Ready?”

“Is Daddy gonna be mad at me?”

“Do you think he should be? You ran out into the Forest, even though you’ve been warned it’s not safe. But, considering the circumstances, I’m sure we can work out a lighter sentence for you.”

Lilah sighed and stood up. Hermione smiled at the girl again and stood with her. She brushed some of the dirt from Lilah’s face and bent to kiss her forehead. They walked off in the direction Hermione had come. Draco remained where he was, watching them even after they’d gone beyond his sight. Something clenched in his chest as he thought about Hermione with his daughter, acting like the mother Lilah should have had. He grinned and Disapparated to the edge of the forest near Hagrid’s hut, then trotted up to the castle. He hurried in and up to the Headmaster’s tower, breathing the password to the gargoyle, and barely waiting for the stone staircase to reveal itself. He ran up the staircase, anxious to tell his mother that Lilah had been found.


“Mother! Severus, Hermione found Lil—What the bloody fucking hell is going on here?” Draco turned around immediately, covering his eyes with one hand as he listened to the rustling of clothes behind him. He wished he could Scourgify the vision he’d seen when he entered, from his mind. His mother on her back, on Severus’ desk with the Headmaster between her raised….’No, Draco, don’t think about it!’ He admonished himself. He shook his head to keep the image from returning.

“Don’t you know how to knock, Professor Malfoy?” Severus drawled as he buttoned himself, watching Narcissa blush prettily as she put her dress back on quickly.


“Gods, if this is what I’m going to see if I come in here, then I’ll not only remember to knock but to wear a fucking bell.”

“Language, Draco!”


“Yes, Mother. Hermione and Lilah are coming back to the castle. She’s alright, just really upset. Are you dressed yet?” Draco practically whined. Severus fixed his shirt and cocked one eyebrow at Narcissa, who walked around his desk to seat herself primly in one of the guest chairs.

“You may turn around, Draco.” Severus sat in the chair he’d pushed back against the bookshelf when he’d laid the Malfoy widow on his desk a few minutes before, smirking at the younger Potions Master who was now even more pale than his mentor.

“Only a few hours ago the two of you were at each other’s throats. Nevermind, I don’t want to know. Lilah’s coming back with Hermione. I think my daughter will be less confrontational now.”

“I really wish you’d let me hex that bitch, Draco.” Narcissa studied her fingernails nonchalantly, as if being caught coitus interruptus wasn’t so unusual.


“I’ll deal with her. She went too far. You should change the password if you’re going to be up in compromising positions, Severus. Good day. I’m going to meet Hermione and Lilah in her quarters. Adrianna and RJ were worried sick when I saw them last.” Draco turned back towards the stairway, throwing over his shoulder, “Oh, and Mother, your blouse is buttoned wrong.”