She just stared, time passed by but Hermione simply just stared.
Her dainty hands empty, palms faced towards herself as she looked down on them. The dim candlelight gave an alluring glow to her tanned skin, no longer soft and smooth, but rough and worn out.
She stared
She stared at the ridges and dents where her joints held her fingers to her palm
She stared at the lines horizontally crossing their way through her skin
She stared and stared and stared.
The contract was left discarded on the floor, near the nightstand. The parchment paper crumpled on the sides.
Enough she whispered in her head do not cry
Do. not. cry.
She needed answers, not lies, not false hope, not information she didn't understand, she needed clarity, she needed a sense of direction, and she would get it on her terms, not the terms of Malfoy, or Pansy, or Theo or anyone.
She would not wait till they came to her room and forced her to sign the contract, and she would accept the terms in hopes to get her wand back. To escape.
She would not wait, she would not accept
Slowly Hermione lifted herself off the bed, bending down with an unsteady hand to retrieve what she dropped. Taking one step at a time she walked across the grotesque bedroom, the darkness following alongside her.
The double Victorian door stood its ground in front of her, heavy built with dark mahogany wood and crafted bronze handles, holding deep engravings of various designs. It stood there in mockery, knowing she was weak and powerless, it stood there staring down at her, a force completely impenetrable. She lashed out at the door before, only to bruise her fist but this time she accepted its challenge. Whether it was magically sealed or warded to keep her in, she would leave. Her hand reached towards the handle and Hermione turned it all the way, pushing the door but it didn't budge. It remained locked.
Hermione sighed, lips quivering slightly as she recollected her thoughts and concentrated on her magical pulse, it fluttered vibrantly somewhere inside her veins, too afraid to come out. A simple alohamora was all she needed. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, hands shaking as she spoke out to the darkness, a simple plea.
Please
Before she could manage to pry her eyes open again, the door immediately swung wide open, a gush of dust and air settling on her face. As the desolate silence of the hallway greeted her.
It... Did it work?
All you had to do was ask nicely
She refused to give in to the voice, refused to reply or to understand it. Right now she needed to get out.
The hallway was dimly lit, an eerie atmosphere surrounding the area which warned her not to trust it, the silence goaded her, she didn't have a plan. Only focus and anger. She would find her wand soon enough. Holding a single candle, the flame lighting the way as she began to move, a faint echo rang through her ears with each step.
A few moments passed by and Hermione was lost, except for a small light which illuminated in the far end of the hall, enticing her to enter the room.
Maybe she should?
Before she took another step a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Immediately she spun on her heel, gripping the candle tightly.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you." He drawled, leaning back against the wall with his legs crossed at the ankle.
"Theo- how did you know I left the room," Hermione replied, face spreading with irritability at being caught
He smiled lifting himself off the wall to look directly at her "Let's say I had a hunch"
"Oh?" She boarded him "and do tell why I should not go in there?"
His smile grew wider. "My my Hermione so many questions" he stepped closer. His scent radiating around her fragile body. He smelt of something foreign, something exquisite.
"Don't call me Hermione." She hissed
"Do you wish I call you Mudblood instead?" He retorted, eyebrows raised as he leaned his head down facing her, his face well within her eyesight. "Does that word make you feel dirty Hermione, or..." he slightly brushed her arm "does it make you feel something else."
The dreary and barren hallway suddenly felt tighter, as if it were closing in on them. The single flame of her candlelight, useless against the darkness that surrounded them, and his scent. Oh, it was inviting itself to suffocate her lungs. What was it? She thought to herself, mind partially distracted by their closeness.
Her heart skipped a beat, but she allowed it to settle before looking up at him. "Only my friends call me Hermione, and you Theo are not my friend."
He moved back but his features remained in a grin, a grin that promised mischief "Here I thought we were getting to know each other" dragging the last few words, he sighed.
"Why would you think that?" She asked curiously. He did after all work with Pansy to lock her up in this Manor
"Why wouldn't I? You don't see it now but I have a feeling we will get along great."
"No," she said simply, she wouldn't be friends with any serpents.
"Yes"
"No"
"Pleaseeee"
Hermione's eyes flew wide open
Did he just whine about - about not being her friend?
"No" she huffed and added as an afterthought "stop whining" her lips turning up at his sudden childish behaviour.
His smile grew even wider, "I'm only playing with you." but as he went back into the darkness, his scent still lingered around her. It was purely addicting. She sniffed softly, dazed in the aroma.
"Theo" she spoke again into the dark "why am I here?"
A few moments passed before his voice broke the silence, deeper this time, the sound coursing through her with every word.
"Did you not read the contract?"
"I did" she whispered
"And?"
"And... what? Why should I believe a word the contract says, ''do you take me for a fool." She hissed softly, fury emitting in her words
"No, but I take you for a corpse seriously what has the Order been feeding you?" He chuckled
"None of your concern"
"Granger by all means the doors are wide open. If you would like to leave, it is most certainly up to you but what the contract states are spellbound, there are no lies. Only the truth."
"Oh that's rich, you're telling me this right here is the truth!" She practically yelled at him, hands angrily grabbing the parchment and ripping it open to reveal What she believed to be an utterly disgusting attempt to manipulate her, use her for their war. But she wasn't on their side, she wasn't a part of the den of vipers or their little court of what she could only believe to be darkness and destruction. No, she was a lion, she was.... was... was
Past tense that's all she realized before clearing her throat roughly and speaking out. Reading every single line of the contract, gritting her teeth between each sentence.
"Hermione Jean Granger,
Upon the arrival of the ongoing war, your skills throughout the years have admirably shown to be wasted upon the movement against The Dominus, the new world ruler. At this opportunity, we invite you to work alongside us in creating a new wizarding world order without war, without any spill of magical blood. The protection of Mudbloods, Halfbloods and Purebloods alike will remain under the Dominus's rein if you decide to work with us. The huntings will cease to stop and those who go against this order will face execution or a fate the Dominus deems necessary.
For this rule to stay intact, you must submit your entire allegiance and work within Malfoy manor. You must vow to never speak a word of this arrangement or the Dominus you serve. As doing so the binding magical contract between two parties, that is broken by either party, will result in imminent death.
Your decision heavily rests upon the fate of the wizards and witches of your kind, but if you refuse the punishments will worsen with the state of the Dominus.
We expect that you will make the right decision and more information will be given when the spellbound takes place. The Unbreakable Vow.
Decide wisely"
" I see no problem with the terms." he jeered
"The terms" she practically spat out "Make absolutely no sense, this is inhumane, why does your Dominus need me if he is all so powerful, and why is it up to me whether the others who do not fall under the category of blood purity are saved."
Suddenly she didn't think it could be possible but the hallway became darker and chilling. Goosebumps littered her raging skin but she pressed on
"It just goes to show that you do not care for the spill of magical blood, if you need me as a spy for the Order you will not be getting that either, you will not be getting any of my help until it is ensured they will be saved."
"So I am correct in assuming that you will make a list of rules to add to the contract?" Theo noted
"I - yes that is correct" she paused, catching her breath.
"Very well then as the Dominus's right-hand man I will listen to your concerns, but please no more questions, sometimes it's best not knowing all the answers"
"Right-hand man? Isn't that Blaise's position?" she mocked his words eager to kick him off the pedestal he continuously placed himself
"No" he spoke, his grin faltering slightly "Blaise, what he does, -nevermind" Theo shook his head, conjuring a parchment and magical ink to write Hermione's requests
She didn't ask further, but before she could state her terms a voice in her head told her not to, it was her voice she recognized and she's right. She's doing this out of anger.
"What's the hurry? You believe I will submit without having a clear chance to analyze?" She spoke up
"Can't say I'm surprised" he grinned and handed her the parchment. Casting a spell with his wand caused the quill to fall in her hand.
"Think about it, then," he said stepping further into the darkness, before disappearing completely.
...
Her back ached, the hard stone-cold floor leaving little to no comfort as the slight peaks of morning rays shone through the large ornate windows of the Manor. Her hair lay in a tangled mess of curls as she lifted herself off the floor.
What truly woke her were the faint footsteps that got louder through each passing second. Dangerously high heels tapping the floor, coming closer until they stopped right near Hermione's arm.
"Well would you look at that, we provide a highly comfortable room for you with luxuries your filthy blood couldn't even afford and here you are laying on the floor?" Pansy said words quipped with disgust as she raked her eyes over the state Hermione was left in "Seems like you know where you belong"
"Not now" Hermione answered shaking off the pain and drowsiness from the night before.
"What were you doing here," Pansy asked eyeing the parchment and discarded quill left on the floor
"I don't know," Hermione said, slowly lifting herself to her feet.
"For goodness's sake go shower, I cannot stand to be near you right now." She replied. Placing a dainty manicured hand onto her temple and shaking her head.
Hermione took this as an opportunity to go over her notes and work to ensure everything checked out, but before she could steadily remove herself from Pansy's presence the dark-haired girl grabbed a hold of her notes before she was able to leave.
"Well, what do we have here." She opened the parchment in her hands' unscrolling all of her previous work. "You are in no position to make demands Granger, Honestly I cannot understand what led you to believe that we shall abide by any of these rules you have listed here"
Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Pansy cut her off waving a hand to silence her "dear Merlin, this is what happens when we treat prisoners as humans" she laughed wickedly "they suddenly think that they are free to make wishes they desire."
She scratched the parchment with a single long nail, instantly the words were erased with that action. Then continued to do so.
Another pair of footsteps were heard in the distance. Hermione instantly knew who it was, not by the sudden steps but by the whistling call of a rebel, bored and looking for something to pry on.
"By the look on your face Pansy dearest I seem to sense that you are utterly unsatisfied, shall I offer my assistance?" He teased coming close enough to Pansy, to peer over her shoulder.
"No that won't be necessary" she replied twirling around to face him "I'm just setting the Mudblood straight, did you know she has demands us?"
Theo's devilish smile grew wider-reaching his eyes."Yes I'm the one who gave her the quill"
"Theo, your not supposed to interrupt, do not meddle in this" Pansy fumed, red tinting not only her full lips but her cheeks and temples, that didn't go unnoticed by him.
"You're the one who brought me into this." He boasted "you said we needed her for his sake."
"Theo shut your mouth" she snapped back immediately, voice filled with venom.
"She will find out eventually" he replied with equal ferocity.
"Find out what?" Hermione's hollow voice interrupted what could only have been a heated argument forming between the two of them. Yet Theo seemed to enjoy watching Pansy's fangs come out to play.
She was met with both of their gazes focusing on her words before Theo turned his head back around
"It's not our place anymore Pansy" his voice softened but held strong, making his point.
"Doesn't matter he can't just take over things" she argued
"But he can, and you forget that"
Pansy glared at him and offered a piercing look, but Theo didn't step down.
A few moments of silence passed by between the two. Exchanging looks that told Hermione this conversation was not over. The tension in the room increased as Theo challenged her with a slight smirk playing on his lips.
Finally, Pansy spoke sighing visibly "Theo just go and do as you're told, I know well enough you're not supposed to be idly lounging around the place when his state keeps getting worse." Her voice slightly shaking as she finished the sentence.
"Blaise is with him" Theo stated
"Blaise takes up more than he can chew and with the death eaters going rampage, you need to see to it." She replied but shifted her focus back to the parchment. A sign that the conversation was over
Theo's view shifted back to where Pansy was looking before he resorted back to his initial teasing. "Now why would I go and do that when I can stay here and bother you, did I also mention you look ravishing?"
Pansy visibly paled, but kept her mouth shut, biting her lip, clearly holding back a retort. For her, the conversation was not to be continued.
He wasn't wrong tho, Hermione could give him that, Pansy draped in her green and black attire, with delicate jewels that not only made her look like royalty but made her look powerful, fitting for the Lady of a Manor. All of them had an aura around them that belittled her existence, and Hermione hated every moment of it.
Her magic pulsed a second before the morning daylight turned grey, the atmosphere dreading what was coming while the shadows of darkness emerged themselves from the cracks and corners of the room, spreading into the vast space.
A dark pool of liquid steamed to deathly fumes right before her eyes. She was out of time.
The little moments of freedom Theo had given her last night had come to an end
He was coming
And the vow would be made.