The Dark Lords Protégé

Chapter Twenty-Four

Severus Pov:

I awaited her return in the living room we had arrived in. Nerves wracked my body as time ticked on. Would she survive the wolf? Of course she would. She's the strongest person I know. I wish she wasn't who she is. Then she would be mine. And mine only. That stupid mutt. Something's wrong with this whole thing. But who could get passed the dark lord? I sigh and continue pacing the floor, awaiting her arrival with great Ernest. Please. Please return soon.

Hermione Pov:

She was waiting for me outside the room which I escaped. She had a sad expression seemingly frozen on her face at all times. I've only seen her a couple of times at meetings but we've never spoken. She was timid and shy but apparently a force to be reckoned with. She was muggle born. Her ratty jeans and sweatshirt showed that. She looked up at me through her long blond hair and bit her lip. Her eyes were bloodshot and her lips cracked and bleeding. She looked so pale.

"Who are you?" I demand crossing my arms across my chest.

"I'm advising to play on a man's ego. That will get you what you desire. Once you know how to stroke a man's ego, you can break him. Bring him to his knees before you and make him beg for it. Make him beg for his life or his death. If he begs, you know that you have won. Make his last words be meaningless." She pulled away then and left me standing in the hallway baffled by this young girl.

"Wait! Who are you?" I demand, turning to follow her to find her gone.

"Hermione?" A feminine voice inquires stepping out from the shadows.

"Mother?"

"Who were you speaking to?"

"I don't know. The blonde muggle born girl at our meetings, I've never spoken to her. But she said something strange..." I murmur turning back to look down the long hallway which the girl disappeared down.

"What girl? There are no muggle born girls here" Bellatrix says her lip curling up in disgust.

"What do you mean? The girl with the long blonde hair, around my age? She's always wearing torn and tattered clothing and she looks like she's slightly ill....mom you have to have seen her! She's at every meeting!" I exclaim, irritation evident in my tone of voice.

"Hermione...there's no girl like that here. Muggle born girls don't last long. They die". She says laying a soothing hand on my shoulder.

"I've seen her! She's been at every meeting since I got here! She never says anything and is always just watching and waiting! I'm not crazy!"

"Hermione...many people have died here. And when people die in a violent way sometimes they leave a part of them here. Like a stain".

"Like a ghost?" I murmur looking into her deep dark eyes.

"Yes sort of. I would advise you to be careful if you see her again. Sometimes stains or ghosts aren't here to help us. Misery loves company".

I can hear her sigh and give me a quick peck on the top of my head.

"Goodnight darling, we will see more of each other once this war is finished. For now I'll just have to cherish these moments we have together". Mother murmurs smoothing my hair down, she looks up at me with tears in her eyes but cracks a smile.

"I love you mother" I smile, giving her a quick hug before I head back towards Severus and back towards hogwarts.