With Me

'I want you to know: with everything, I won't let this go

These words are my heart and soul

I'll hold on to this moment, you know

'Cause I'd bleed my heart out to show that I won't let go'

With Me by Sum 41

4th October 1998

The spacious chamber was cold, the kind of cold that seeps into bones and removes all memories of warmth. The only light was emitted by the dying embers of the small fire at the end of the long room. Six beds were pushed closely together, the only space between them were the small bedside tables that held all the earthly possessions of its owner. She shivered, drawing the thin and frayed blanket up and around her slim shoulders. The nightwear issued by the institution was thin, and not at all suitable for the harsh October weather.

Her dark eyes carefully watched the sleeping girls around her, huddled into their quilts. She could name all the girls around her, having gone to Hogwarts with them, but the time in the institution had really cemented their friendships. Six months with no outside influences and having to band together led to bonds like no other. In the bed furthest from Hermione lay Lavender Brown, her pale face still shining with dried tears. The beds opposite, and next to Lavender, were occupied by Padma and Parvati Patil. Ginny Weasley lay across from Hermione, her palm enclosed around a small locket that she had managed to keep hidden from everyone. And the bed closest to Hermione, containing a pale blonde girl, was her best friend. Luna Pandora Lovegood had remained a calm and reassuring figure to all the girls, despite the difficult situation they found themselves in.

Voldemort and his army had won the Battle Of Hogwarts and had quickly taken the ministry, a mere ten days later. Within two weeks, the whole of wizarding Britain was under the rule of Lord Voldemort. He had publicly executed his enemies in full view of the wizarding world, making sure all the newspapers had publicised the executions. Lord Voldemort had ordered them to be hung, drawn and quartered; a punishment that had been reserved for treason against the monarchy in the medieval times. Hermione didn't miss the fact that Voldemort was proclaiming himself King. Sometimes, Hermione wondered to herself, why Lord Voldemort had used a muggle method to dispatch those who opposed him. Hermione had watched the executions of Molly and Arthur Weasley herself and Ginny had seen the end of Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick.

The only reason traitors to Voldemort's regime (traitors like Hermione, Ginny and Luna) had been excused was due to the dwindling numbers of the magical population in Britain. The war had wrought many casualties to both sides and the new magical members were desperately needed.

With Purebloods producing more and more squibs or only birthing one live child, help was needed to stop the extinction of magical folk. Voldemort, as Minister of Magic, had opened a special 'home' for troubled girls. It had been named Lambert and was run by Death Eater, Alecto Carrow. Muggleborns (and unruly halfbloods and purebloods) were placed in Lambert House for the sole reason of being used as a broodmare. Every high-ranking ministry official, Auror, death eater and snatcher were granted admission into Lambert to use the girls as they wished and to sire magical offspring.

The babes produced from such unions were to remain with their biological mothers for a mere six weeks (apparently even evil bastards were able to see the benefits of breastfeeding) before they were handed over to their fathers (and their wives) to raise as 'upstanding' citizens. Halfbloods and purebloods could join their infants as a 'nanny' if the father was kind. If the father wasn't, they were required to remain in the institution until they had had five successful pregnancies resulting in magical infants. Muggleborns weren't offered the opportunity.

Tomorrow, Hermione's group would be offered up to the death eaters and death eater sympathisers. Hermione shuddered, her pearly white teeth worrying her bottom lip. She did not wish to be a whore or to bear a child to a man she detested. But worst of all, she couldn't imagine giving up her child up, especially to an abhorrent man. How can my life be over at eighteen? she thought miserably, fat tears rolling down her pale face.

Katie Bell had been one of the first 'consorts' at Lambert, and she had been a firm favourite of both Augustus Rookwood and Fenrir Greyback. Bell had been a beautiful halfblood, who had been placed in Lambert as punishment for fighting against Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts. At Lambert, she had been clever enough to pit Greyback and Rookwood against each other, hoping to destroy the institution from within. But when Greywood had smelt her pregnancy on her, and discovered it was Rookwood's bastard she carried, he had gone crazy and rip her apart, limb by limb, before attacking three other girls. The three other girls had been muggleborn, and therefore expendable, and considered useless without their attractiveness, they had been put down.

To Hermione's utter disgust, Greyback was still allowed to visit Lambert and enjoy the services of the girls. Probably to terrify us into submission, she thought bitterly. Madame Carrow had put rules in place to keep 'her girls' protected after that. The girls were only allowed to service one wizard at a time, and once that wizard was bored of his 'consort' and the pregnancy tests were negative, they were free to be used by another.

Hermione was terrified about tomorrow, the only piece of good news being Greyback being directed away to a mission. She lay down on the lumpy bed, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the tears. She heard Harry's voice ring out clearly in her sleep-addled mind…

'You can do this, Mione'.

XX

Notes: Thank you for reading my story. This chapter is only short to gauge reactions and see whether, it is worth continuing. I have a few ideas up my sleeve though.

Pairings have not been decided and I don't mind people suggesting ideas. After all, your suggestions may give me a view of something that will work better than the original.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and the Warner Brothers. I have no claim on it. Only the ideas in the story belong to me.

Fancasts (some will be the actors and actresses that originally play them) of those mentioned in this chapter:: Hermione Granger – Emma Watson, Luna Lovegood - Evanna Lynch, Ginny Weasley – Bonnie Wright, Padma Patil – Afshan Azad, Parvati Patil - Shefali Chowdhury, Lavender Brown – Ruby O'Donnell and Alecto Carrow – Jessica Hamby, Fenrir Greyback – Dave Legeno, Augustus Rookwood – Édgar Ramírez , Voldemort – Ralph Fiennes, Harry Potter – Daniel Radcliffe, Molly Weasley – Julie Walters, Arthur Weasley – Mark Williams, Pomona Sprout –Miriam Margolyes, and Filius Flitwick – Warwick Davis.