Aftershock

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As soon as he stepped out of the floo, Draco was met with a pair of narrowed eyes. "Master Draco, we were expecting your arrival." Kreacher. He must have relocated to the Manor after the death of his mother in order to continue serving the Black family line. "Where is my father?" he spat at the elf, not even acknowledging his welcome. Hermione would have hit him with a bludger for his treatment of the ragged house elf that stood before him, who now bowed his head, leading him to the drawing-room. 

He hadn't been back since the war. The thought of being there without his mother made him want to vomit. Walking through the halls now, he noticed that the Manor hadn't seemed to change at all. The same elegance decorated the walls, courteous to his mother's excellent interior design skills. The distinguished air of Slytherin green painted almost every wall, accompanied by the mahogany wood floors. Portraits of every Malfoy lined the halls, all of them staring at him. Some with pride that the heir to the Malfoy fortune had returned home, some with disgust; no doubt in regards to the presence of a certain unwanted "guest". And then there was the air. It still wreaked, thick with the suffocating stench of dark magic. 

Finally reaching the room he tried so hard to forget, Draco took a deep breath before pushing open the doors. Before him painted a terrifying nightmare. To his left sat his father, Lucius Malfoy, and his aunt Bellatrix, deep in conversation. Lucius looked lean and malnourished, almost as if they had been living in squalor and not a lavish mansion. The dark circles under his eyes also told a story of despair. Behind his father was the portrait that he had to force himself to look at. It was his mother, just as she was before she had died, elegant and beautiful, wise beyond her years. Below the painting was a beautiful blue vase that was encased in glass. His stomach twinged. He looked back at his mother's portrait to see she had a look of nervousness about her as her eyes seemed to look across the room. He tore his gaze away. To his right, he found the source of her discomfort.

 Bound to the large bookcase that lined the far wall sat Hermione, battered and bruised, still in her gown. Her dress was torn in certain places and her face and arms were covered in dried blood. It took everything in him not to curse everyone in that room. As soon as he stepped in, her eyes shot straight to his with an incredulous look. He slightly shook his head, silently pleading that she say nothing. If this were to work they needed to look as though they still held each other in disdain. 

His father looked toward Draco with a sly grin, not even a hint of surprise at the arrival of his son. "Draco, how wonderful of you to join us." His father spoke slowly, carefully. Draco remained stoic as he replied, "Father, aunt Bella, you both look rather well for two people who are meant to be dead." Bellatrix laughed, more like cackled as she strode towards him. "How is my favorite nephew?" He ignored her as he spoke again, "I didn't come here to chat. I came to collect what was stolen from me." Bellatrix's eyes went wide as she smiled, skipping over towards Hermione, who was now trying to scoot as far away from her as possible. Bellatrix sank low on her heels next to Hermione as she spoke, "You mean the mudblood? I never knew you had such a soft spot for-'' she grabbed Hermione's hair, pulling her head in hard as she deeply inhaled, "- half-breeds." He had to refrain from lunging at her. 

He took a breath, cracking his neck as he turned away from Hermione. "Of course not. I only need her to remain out of Azkaban. You do remember, father, that I have a Ministry-ordered obligation?" He now faced Healer Mason. "And no amount of corrupted imbeciles you hire to double-cross Shacklebolt will change that fact. I would rather be slumming it with this filthy mudblood than the filth that resides in Azkaban ''. 

Healer Mason looked at him and smiled as she said, "My dear boy, why do you think I paired you up with the girl in the first place?" Draco stared at her as he replied coldly, "You set this up on purpose?" She gave a low chuckle. "Of course. I was originally sent to keep an eye on Mr.Potter, but hearing how vulnerable and utterly destroyed Miss Granger had become, I immediately suggested she become our top interest." Draco snarled. "And you didn't think to let me in on this little plan of yours?" Before Healer Mason could respond, his father put up a hand, silencing her, as he said, "Of course Draco. We shall remedy this unbecoming situation immediately. But for now, let's talk business shall we?" 

He motioned as if he wanted to move the conversation elsewhere. Draco was not about to let Hermione out of his sight. "Let's not make pleasantries father. If you have something you wish to discuss with me, pray say it now. I don't particularly enjoy being here. After all, you were the one who got mother killed" His aunt snarled. Lucius suddenly rose from his seat, slamming a fist on the table. "Do not speak of her in this house! I will not be accused of such grotesque lies in my own home." Draco rolled his eyes but remained silent. Lucius sat back down, trying to recompose himself as he spoke again, "As you may have already concluded, we have been using legilimency to spy on Miss Granger here." Draco scoffed. "Yes, a simple owl might have sufficed. I could have done without the splitting headaches thanks." His aunt hissed, "Watch your tongue boy. You would do well to respect your elders!" 

Again, his father raised a hand, dismissing the outburst. "My apologies. We needed to be certain that your loyalties still lied with the cause." The cause...meaning Voldemort. That was what all this was about? "Of course they do," Draco replied immediately, "but what is left of it if the Dark Lord was defeated?" Bellatrix laughed maniacally. "Not defeated, boy, never defeated. Only delayed." She sang in a sinister tone. "But Potter killed him, we were all there." 

Lucius only smiled as he sat back down behind his large onyx desk, crossing his leg over the other. "The Dark Lord shall return my boy. For we have acquired the last ingredient. His father snapped his fingers. Draco heard Hermione whimper. He snapped his gaze in her direction, just as a large snake slithered out from behind the desk, slowly climbing over her legs. It moved around Draco, slowly making its way to where his aunt stood next to the lounge. She leaned down to pet the scaly creature as it hissed. His father had a sinister smile on his face. Draco shuttered slightly at the realization. "Nagini," was the only thing that came out of his mouth. The legendary Golden Trio had missed the last fucking Horcrux. 

"Bone of his father, blood of his enemy, flesh of his servant." Lucius smiled as he recited the resurrection potion. Draco drew his attention to his aunt who began playing with her necklace. Only on the end of the pendant was a small, beige, chalky-looking object. The bone of Tom Riddle's father. The flesh of his servant could be either his father or aunt, that was an easy guess. The last ingredient though, the blood of his enemy. He looked at Hermione, who seemed to be putting the pieces together just as he was. Draco returned his attention to his father who was still reveling in the plan he had laid before him. Draco spoke flatly, "You are going to resurrect the Dark Lord." 

Before his father could respond, Kreacher apparated into the room. "Pardon me, masters, dinner is served in the dining room." Lucius then stood, waving a hand to Healer Mason again. "Take the mudblood to her cell. Come Draco, we have much to discuss." Draco watched, almost in slow motion, as Healer Mason waved her wand, un-binding Hermione from the bookcase, dragging her by the hair, kicking and screaming all the way down to the dungeon below the Manor.