Dramione: Skills for life

20. The truth

"Mommy." A frail voice cried.

"Quite." A stern voice commanded. The young child was yanked through the dark and dank hallway. The two adults that tugged her along were ragged looking, as though they had been sleeping in the streets for many days. They hallway stretched endlessly, but that is how prison's typically were. The woman pushed open a heavy steel door. A faint Patronus patrolled outside the door, though it did little to ease the nightmares that began in the little child's mind. She heard screaming and howls from all around.

"MOMMY!" She wailed again.

The woman turned, quick as lightning, and slapped the child across the face. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall down her cheeks, leaving trails in the dirt that smeared them. However, she sucked up her sobs and was silent. A male guard open the door with a swish of his wand.

"You have a visitor." He barked. A fat woman appeared, dressed in tattered prison clothes. Her fat face was somehow gaunt and sunken.

"Hem hem." She uttered. The trio stepped into the light, the adults grinning manically.

"We've got Granger's rodent." They sang. The prisoner grinned maliciously.

"Good." She simpered.

"What are we to do with the brat?" The male spoke gravely. The prisoner seemed to ponder this.

"Hmm...I suppose...well," She let out a chuckle. "keep her alive. For now."

Days turned into weeks, which then turned into months. The Life Skills class ended without much hassle. Many of the parents were upset in having to give their children up, but some were relieved. A few of the couples had opted to adopt their children. Lavender and Ron had promised to visit their child, as had Harry and Ginny. The parents with the younger children had it slightly easier, as their children wouldn't remember them. Hermione had remained in the apartment with Draco for the duration of the class. The pair received an outstanding in the class, but Hermione believed that was partially from pity. Harry and Ron treated her like she was a porcelain doll who would break with a single mishandle. Draco and her were on tentative ground. They were still together, but the romance and passion was completely gone. It seemed as though they stuck together merely for comfort.

Now, it was nearly Easter Break. Hermione was spending the break at the Weasley's and beginning her internship at the Ministry. Hermione bid Draco good bye on the platform, after greeting Narcissa Malfoy. She walked carefully to where the Weasley clan plus Harry stood.

"Hello Hermione." Molly greeted cheerfully.

"Hello Molly, how are you?" She replied politely.

That is how the next few hours went. Polite conversation amidst dinner affairs. Hermione retired early to Ginny's room, ready for a long rest. She decided to give herself a small break for the next few days, as she was already ahead on her mound of homework the teachers had assigned. She tucked herself into the small cot, her mind drifting off to thoughts of Draco and Olivia. Happy thoughts allowed her pleasant dreams for the first time in days.

The next morning, Hermione woke early and ready to get to work. She dressed in her finest robes, well the finest that were still work suitable, and tied her hair in a long braid. She tucked her wand in her sleeve and headed out, meeting up with Harry along the way. He too was dressed rather formally.

"Ready?" He muttered as they flooed in. She shrugged.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." She whispered back. He gave her a one armed hug and a kiss on the cheek before exiting on the Auror floor. She got off on her level and went right away to meet with Kingsley.

"Hello Minister." She greeted as cheerfully as possible.

"Hermione, please call me Kingsley." He chuckled. "Now, today you will be working under me."

"But, don't you have Minister duties to attend to?" She asked curiously as they walked into his office. He nodded.

"Yes, but given the past few years I have assumed both positions as Auror and Minister." He answered. Hermione nodded.

For the next few hours she followed him around, running errands for hims and things of that nature. After a lunch with him and Harry, she was given a job. Hermione was to sort through case files from the most recent trials. She found most of them to be incredibly interesting, but one caught her eye. It was that of Dolores J. Umbridge. She was currently serving a life sentence at Azkaban for crimes against humanity. Something struck Hermione as odd though. Dolores had made mention once or twice that she was of the Selwyn family. Hermione thought that the family line had ended a while back, but according to the document at hand, it didn't. There was one, the closest living relative to Dolores. It was a female cousin by the name of Agatha Selwyn, aged thirty one. She was connected to a man named Charles Giza. Hermione's head snapped up, as she gasped. Quickly, she pulled out her wand and copied the document.

"Hermione?" Kingsley's voice boomed. She squeaked and stuffed the duplicate document into her robe pocket. Hastily, she smiled. "You're free to go."

She nodded, smiling. Hermione quickly met up with Harry and returned to the Burrow. She was one edge all night, and by default for the rest of break. Easter came and passed, with chocolate and lots of delicious dinner. Molly and Arthur bade them a safe trip back to Hogwarts and good luck on their NEWTs. Hermione went into the train with Harry and Ron. They got a compartment and were soon joined by Ginny. She curled up beside Harry, her brown eyes tired. They were all quite tired. Hermione got up once in the entirety of the trip to search for Draco. She was eager to give him the news she had found out, but she couldn't find him. Reluctantly, she decided to wait until dinner to greet him. Once they arrived, many students rushed about searching for friends who had remained at the castle for break.

"'Mione, where are you going?" Ron called after her. Hermione turned around, her thick brain flipping over him chin. She pointed towards the Slytherin table.

"I have to talk to Draco." She shouted back, before sweeping over there. The hoards of students clad in silver and green stared at her disdainfully, or didn't even bother to cast her a glance. She spotted a tuft of white blonde hair near the middle of the table. Draco was beside Blaise.

"I have to talk to you." She muttered, bending down to whisper in his ear. His eyebrow raised and he set down his goblet. Blaise, who had no actual animosity towards the young witch, tactfully turned away and struck up a conversation with Pansy Parkinson, which under any circumstances wasn't very easy.

"What about?" asked Draco slowly. She blinked.

"Olivia." Hermione returned. Draco shook his head. He swung his leg over the bench and clasped his girlfriends hand in his own.

"Hermione, love, you need to give up on this. Olivia's real parent's came and took her. There isn't anything we can do about it." He said coolly. Hermione blinked and felt a surge of emotions, none of which were positive.

"Is that what you think?" Hermione breathed. Suddenly, her emotions changed. "You think I should give up? Well for your information, all I wanted to tell you was that I found out her real parents weren't her actual parents."

This time, Draco looks confused. Hermione narrowed her eyes in anger, the chocolate color flashed. Draco opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, he sighed. "What are you going on about now?"

"Olivia was kidnapped by relatives of Dolores Umbridge." Hermione snarled. "Not that you give a damn."

With those harsh, parting words the young witch stomped back to her niche. Harry and Ron cast peculiar glances her way, but she said nothing. Once dinner was almost over, a mousy and frightened looking first year Slytherin tapped her shoulder. She said nothing, but handed Hermione a slip of paper.

Mione,

Room of Requirement. 11:00 o'clock

-DLM

She read the note twice over and blinked. She cast a glance toward the Slytherin table, but saw he wasn't anywhere to be seen.