A Life Altered

Chapter Three: Obsession Takes Hold


Lucius followed Draco into the muggle club with a slight air of disdain. He was not comfortable in these places. They brought memories of times when he was a different man.

He was not proud of his past. He had worked for all these years to try to make amends for the mistakes in his judgment, but the constant feeling of never being able to do just that was a feeling that constantly haunted him.

He had tried to beg off when Severus and his son had told him there was something he needed to see here at this Muggle Pub. He had made the usual excuses and tried to act incredibly put out about being forced to go, but neither of his companions would be dissuaded.

As they entered the establishment, Draco turned and spoke in a soft tone, “Father, I would not have insisted you see this except you worked side by side with Severus and I that I cannot help but think that you need to see that which we have found as well.

Lucius shrugged. “I simply fail to see why the two of you cannot see your way clear to just tell me of your discovery. Why must I witness it firsthand?”

As he neared the bar, Severus turned and placed a tumbler of whisky in his hand. “Because, my old friend. If we were to attempt to only tell you what we have seen,” he shook his head, “you would never believe it.”

Lucius lifted an eyebrow in mock amusement. “Indeed?” he questioned even as he brought the drink to his lips and took a sip.

Even as he did so, the lights dimmed and a soft, gentle melody began to play. Turning his attention to the stage, he paused with the glass held to his lips.

The woman was standing center stage, dressed in a evening gown of the deepest purple. Her hair was pulled back on the sides, yet was freely cascading down her back to her hips in riotous curls.

He let his eyes wander over her form, smiling in pleasure at her beauty. However, the moment was short-lived. When his eyes lit on her face, he stared.

Baffled, he gawked at her for what seemed an eternity before glancing at Severus. “What jest is this? This cannot possibly be---.”

Severus cocked his head and his lips quirked as he responded, “Oh, trust me, Lucius. It is. But the show is just beginning, and we have a long way to go before this story is completely explained.”

Draco turned from where he had been standing staring at the stage and looked his father over before nodding. “Yes, your face does look much as mine did when I first saw her. But wait.” he smiled, “there’s more.”

The senior Malfoy opened his mouth to respond with some amount of sarcasm but the words died in his throat when the young woman began to sing.

Stepping around Draco, he watched her with a mixture of bewilderment and admiration. She had the voice of an angel and her song was so sad, it called out to him, making the deepest part of him want to go to her and fall on his knees.

He moved wordlessly to stand before the stage, where many others were. Draco and Severus had followed him, with their attention on the woman on the stage as well.

Her words seemed to speak straight to Lucius’ heart and he found himself growing emotional. The song seemed to speak to his inner pain and feelings of disappointment and regret.

Her own emotion also tied into the song in a way that made him feel as if she knew exactly how he felt. Her face was beautiful and made his breath catch.

His hand went to his heart as he felt a small part of the pain banished away by the beauty of her voice. A longing such as he had never felt before came over him, making him feel as if he had been connected with a missing piece to his soul.

His eyes closed as the melody flowed over him, making his heart pound and his senses tingle. When he opened them, he found that she had moved and was standing before him, looking straight at him as she sang.

Bemused and overwhelmed, he lifted his drink in silent salute, and felt blessed when she offered him a tender smile in return.

He felt as if his sins against her in the past had been forgiven. He watched as she turned her attention to another member of the audience. A smile graced his lips as he turned to look at Severus and Draco. “She’s alive,” he whispered softly.

Shaking his head in wonder, he turned back to watch as she made her way across the stage as she sang. He was mesmerized by the witch. She held him spellbound. The stirrings of desire made him ache.

Draco’s voice broke in on his reverie, “Yes Father. She is alive. But she has had her memories taken from her.”

Confused, Lucius turned to look between his two companions. “Obliviate? Who did that to her?”

Severus scoffed. “This was more than a simple Obliviate. He took more than just a single memory. She is missing her entire history.” He shook his head, looking back to the woman who sang so beautifully. “She doesn’t even know she’s a witch.”

Lucius had to put his hand to his chin to keep it from dropping. “What you are saying. . . You are telling me. . . That she has no memory of who she is, or the part she played in the fall of the Dark Lord?”

Draco leant toward him and spoke in exaggerated hushed tones, “dark lord who?”

His jaw did drop then and he was silent for several more moments as he stared in shock at his son. “She knows nothing?”

Severus sighed. “She believes that she is an American. She came here with her father and works in the Nightclub as a singer.”

He gazed past Lucius to the woman who had now finished her song and was making her way toward the bar. “And she believes her name is Helena Riddle.”

Lucius coughed as the whiskey he had been drinking went down the wrong pipe at Severus’ words. He put his hand to his chest as he worked to clear his airway.

Turning to stare at Severus as if the other man had grown two heads, he whispered, “Riddle is dead!”

Draco answered, “That one is. But apparently, if I am to understand Severus correctly, Tom had a twin; A brother by the name of Aleryn.”

Severus shifted, turning and looking lazily about the darkened room. “Yes, and he looks very much like Tom did before he became Voldemort.” His lips moved into his normal smirk. “He is a Wizard as well, but he is very much different from his brother. “He did not do what was done to Miss Granger with any intent at maliciousness.”

When Lucius opened his mouth to argue, Severus stayed him with a lift of his hand. “His intention was to replace her sad life with a happier one.”

The blond lifted an eyebrow in response before he turned and gazed again at the beautiful woman who was laughing happily at something the barkeep said. “I daresay he may very well have succeeded,” he mused softly.

Draco glanced between the two elder wizards before sighing and stepping between them. “Not to change the subject, but she has a small amount of time before she takes the stage again. I’d like to speak with her.”

Lucius’ face lit with a broad smile, “Yes, let us meet the beautiful young woman. I find myself quite excited to make her acquaintance.”

Severus ran his tongue across his sharpened fangs before clicking it in agreement. “Just remember, we must play into her reality. To introduce anything of who we really are, or who she is at this point could be very damaging.”

As the three men made their way toward the woman they each remembered as Hermione, each was captivated anew with her smile and her radiance as she spoke animatedly with the barkeep.

She laughed at something he said and patted his shoulder before turning and noticing them standing there. Immediately, she remembered Draco from their past encounter.

“Well, hello!” she offered him a smile so brilliant Draco wondered if he might go blind from it. “I was wondering when I might see you again. How are you?”

He returned her smile and offered her his hand in greeting. “I am too enthralled with you not to.” He gestured toward the two men flanking him. “I even wanted to show you off to some others.”

Turning he inclined his head to Severus, “Helena, may I introduce my uncle, Severus Snape and my father, Lucius Malfoy.”

Severus offered the young woman a courtly bow, while watching her face for any signs of recognition. He felt a momentary pain in his chest when he saw none.

Lucius, stepped past the other two men and captured Helena’s hand in his own, and brought it to his lips. He touched her skin to his and had to work to recover from the way her scent invaded his senses.

Closing his eyes, he willed his control to return before rising and meeting her gaze. “My son told me you were beautiful with the voice of an angel.” He squeezed her hand before slowly letting it go. “I must say that he was correct on both points.”

The woman he had always known as Miss Granger blushed under his attention before gifting him with her beautiful smile. “Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. I am glad you weren’t disappointed.”

Her gaze then moved from him to Severus, and she inclined her head, “Mr. Snape, is it? I’m so glad you could make it.”

Severus watched her with intense eyes and whispered, “I assure you, Miss,” he paused, reminding himself not to say her true name, “Riddle, the pleasure is all mine.”

Draco looked at the two wizards beside him and suddenly felt very threatened. They were both attracted to her. He could almost feel the testosterone beginning to build. He imagined that at any moment they would strip their shirts off to measure their pecks.

Balking, he shook his head before stepping closer to her, and gaining her attention. “So. . . Is there a chance that you might be free tonight? After the club closes, that is? I’d love to take you out for a bite to eat.”

Hermione smiled and nodded. “I’d like that, yes. I have one more set to sing in about thirty minutes, then I could leave early.” She bit her lip, “that would actually be really nice.”

Lucius watched as his son grinned like a kid. “Wonderful. I’ll be waiting for you.”

She winked at him before turning back to Lucius and Severus, who were watching quietly. “It’s nice to meet you both.” Then she turned and walked away, leaving them staring after her.

Lucius was the first to recover. Turning back to glare at Draco, he asked, “What do you think you are doing?”

Draco returned his glare with no hesitancy. “I am taking her out. On a date.” He growled under his breath. “She’s my age. You are both too old, father.” Glancing at Severus, he added, “ I told you of my attentions, Severus. This should come as no surprise to you.”

Severus looked away. He had yet to tell Draco about the words her surrogate father had used when he had spoken of the quad relationship and what they would become, basically, because he had been unsure how to. Now, did not seem like the ideal time.

Draco looked both men over, then glanced at his watch. “I see no reason for the two of you to stay. I can find my own way home later.” He turned and started away before stopping and addressing Lucius, “Oh, and Father?”

Lucius turned to meet his gaze, and Draco gave him a crooked smile. “Don’t wait up.”


A/N: The song she sang that touched Lucius so deeply was “Missing” by Evanescence. The words are below.

MISSING
By Evenanescence

Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
Maybe someday you'll have woke up,
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:
"Isn't something missing?"
You won't cry for my absence, I know -
You forgot me long ago.
Am I that unimportant...?
Am I so insignificant...?
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?
[CHORUS]
Even though I'd be sacrificed,
You won't try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone.
Isn't someone missing me?
Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
I know what you do to yourself,
Shudder deep and cry out:
"Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?"
[CHORUS]
And if I bleed, I'll bleed,
Knowing you don't care.
And if I sleep just to dream of you
And wake without you there,
Isn't something missing?
Isn't something...