The Fall of Hermione

Author\'s Notes-

Short, I know, but I wanted to leave it there.

And I apologize for this taking so long. Easter, followed immediately by strep throat, put me behind.

******

The Fall of Hermione

Chapter Seven

Someone Else Suspects

Dusting the soot from her robes, Hermione stepped onto the thick carpeting of Rabastan\'s parlor. She knew approaching Rabastan in any condition other than immaculate would cause speculation as to the true intention of her visit. So intent was she in her task that she failed to notice she was not alone.

\"Bellatrix, to what do I owe the honor?\"

Hermione looked up to meet the brown eyes of Rabastan Lestrange. He stood before her in deep green robes, his thick, blonde eyebrows raised in question. Behind him, several lower ranking Death Eaters stared at her from their seats on the lavish furnishings; equally puzzled expressions upon their faces.

Pulling herself up to her full height, which was several inches higher than the stature of her old body, Hermione replied calmly and in a manner that Bellatrix would.

\"I apologize for interrupting, Rabastan. However, I have just received some rather curious news and I was wondering if I may have a word in private?\"

Before Rabastan could answer, the other men in the room stood as one and began to move into the foyer, each giving curt nods of their heads to Hermione as they left, closing the door behind them. A small smile spread across her face; being Voldemort\'s right hand certainly had its benefits.

\"I do hope this is important, Bellatrix,\" Rabastan said in a voice of barely suppressed contempt. \"I was in the middle of a very important meeting. The Dark Lord has only given me two days in which to have everything in order.\"

Hermione, saving her conjecture over his sudden hostile attitude toward her for another time, replied, \"It is indeed important. Imagine my surprise when, after our meeting this morning, my sister should turn up for tea and deliver the news that your \'gift\' may already be with child. Surely you do not think that you need Lord Voldemort\'s permission to procreate?\"

\"I am well aware of the fact that our Lord does not feel the need to regulate our breeding habits, Bellatrix,\" Rabastan spat. \"If I were that daft, I highly doubt I would be a member of The Inner Circle. Not that it really concerns you, but I have long felt the need to carry on the Lestrange name since it was quite apparent neither you nor my brother would do so.\"

\"Then why did you put forth your suggestion at the meeting?\" Hermione questioned. \"I do agree that the next generation must be brought about, but it does not solve the immediate problem of our low numbers.\"

\"I have my reasons,\" Rabastan sneered, his left hand twitching toward his sleeve and undoubtedly his wand. Hermione eyed him warily, debating whether or not to reach for her own wand, as he continued. \"However, I shall keep them to myself for now; and unless you have anything else you wish to discuss, may I show you out?\"

\"Actually,\" Hermione began, noticing the way Rabastan\'s hand moved ever closer to his sleeve. Carefully, she began to move toward her wand. \"I did not come here to talk about the meeting. I came to offer my services to you.\"

\"Services?\" Rabastan\'s eyebrows arched upwards once more, his hand almost at its goal. \"What sort of services?\"

\"I can confirm the pregnancy for you.\"

The words were barely out of her mouth before Hermione found herself pressed against the wall with Rabastan\'s wand against her throat.

\"What makes you think,\" Rabastan hissed venomously. \"That I would let a murdering whore such as yourself anywhere near my unborn child? You have already killed my brother!\" A flicker of fear passed through Hermione\'s eyes, and Rabastan smiled as he continued. \"Yes, I know all about that, even if I cannot yet prove it. Rodolphus confided in me long ago that he suspected you of having an affair, and that he thought one day you may just try to kill him. But, I am a patient man, Bellatrix, and I will wait as long as necessary to prove just what a disgrace to purebloods you truly are!\"

Hermione thought frantically. What do I do? Obviously he\'s not going to let me anywhere near Ginny. I could kill him, but then that leaves six men in the next room to get past. There are too many to fight, and sending them away would be too suspicious.

In the back of her mind, Hermione could hear a voice saying something. Forcing herself to focus on it, she prayed that her subconscious was trying to tell her what to do. Instead, she heard words spoken in a husky voice, causing her to give an involuntary shudder.

And they sorted you into Gryffindor, Mudblood? Where\'s your courage now?

Then, Hermione felt herself move as if controlled by an unseen force, words escaping her lips that she did not intend to say. She watched as, in one swift motion, she drew her wand, knocked Rabastan\'s across the room and pinned him against the wall.

\"Now, listen to me, brother dear,\" Hermione heard herself say in a voice that was hard and unfeeling. \"It is not wise to threaten the right hand of Lord Voldemort. What do you think would happen if I told him of our little encounter? Here I was, merely offering help, and you accuse me of murdering my husband. You admit yourself that you have no proof to offer, how long do you think our Lord would allow you to live for uttering such things about me? Out of all his servants, I am the only one he trusts completely.\"

\"And there lies his weakness,\" Rabastan hissed.

Hermione felt a sharp pain tear through her left hand, only to realize that she had broken Rabastan\'s nose with it.

\"How dare you say such things about the Dark Lord!\" she cried.

A knock sounded on the parlor door. \"Bellatrix? Rabastan? Is everything alright in there?\"

\"Everything\'s fine,\" Rabastan called as Hermione felt herself push her wand harder against his throat. \"We\'ll only be a moment.\"

\"Very well, Rabastan. I shall leave you with this to think about. I am not so simple minded as to try to get away with killing another Death Eater, even one I despised as much as your brother. If I really wanted him dead, there are many more cunning ways in which to go about it, particularly when Lord Voldemort relies upon me to be his eyes and ears among you. Remember that the next time you feel like accusing me of something, and always know that there are thousands of ways I can make you suffer.\"

Hermione felt as her wand was sheathed and she moved quickly to the fireplace, throwing in a handful of Floo Powder.

\"Good day, Rabastan. Lestrange Estate!\" In a flash of green flames, she was gone.

Carefully, Rabastan walked across the room to retrieve his wand. Quickly, he healed his nose and cleaned the blood from his face and clothes, all the while thinking. You really think you have me, don\'t you, Bellatrix? Well, perhaps you should consider the thousands of ways I can make you suffer. Oh, if you only knew what I have in store for you, starting with my little proposal at the meeting this morning.

Smiling, he waved his wand at the door, causing it to fly open. The other men returned to their seats, eyeing him cautiously. He ignored them for the moment, returning to his thoughts. How interesting, that not once did she claim to be innocent. Surely someone who had nothing to hide would protest such accusations rather than dish out threats.

\"Is everything truly all right, Rabastan?\" one of them asked, stirring Rabastan from his thoughts.

\"Yes, Douglas,\" Rabastan replied. \"Everything is fine. Now, where were we?\"

******

Only when Hermione had emerged from the fireplace in Bellatrix\' parlor did she feel that she once again had control over her body. Not bothering to dust off this time, she began to pace, leaving a trail of soot in her wake.

Damn! Damn! Damn! I was so sure that Rabastan had a good relationship with Bellatrix. But no, he hates her, and isn\'t too far off in his assumption that she killed his brother. So, what do I do now? There must be another way to get to Ginny. Perhaps if I wait until tonight; surely he\'ll be alone then. I can grab Ginny, kill Rabastan if necessary, kill Snape, and then leave. My courage will not fail me again!

That thought sparked something in Hermione\'s mind, and she recalled the words that had gone through her mind before she had lost control of her body.

\"Why did I call myself a Mudblood?\" she asked aloud, thoroughly perplexed.

You didn\'t call yourself a Mudblood, Mudblood, that same voice spoke in her mind again. I called you that, and rightly so I should think.

\"Oh Gods!\" Hermione exclaimed. \"Bellatrix?\"