Darkest Before Dawn Snippet (Patreon)

Since the description I wrote didn't describe this story the way I wanted, I decided to write a little snippet to give everyone a better idea. Keep in mind this is just a way for me to get thoughts out of my head and one paper, so to speak. I'm not sure what new story(ies) I'll start once I 've finished a couple. Hopefully, this will give you a better idea on what this story would be about. To the Hermione haters, sorry. This one isn't for you. I'll try and come up with an idea that doesn't include her, or maybe go back to Never Say Never if I can think of an ending I like. Anyways, without further ado, here it is. 

Snippets from Darkest Before Dawn

“You have everything?” Harry asked.

Daphne looked over at her back, counted all four, and then checked her pockets. Why she needed so many clothes for a weekend in Paris for a couple of business meetings, he didn’t know, but he knew better than to ask.

“Yes,” she nodded after a moment. “Tonks, are you ready!?”

“Coming!” she yelled from the other room.

“If she makes me late for my Portkey, I swear I’m going to make you punish her for once,” Daphne muttered.

Smiling, Harry placed his hands on the curve of her wide hips. He pulled her close until her large breasts pressed against his chest and reached up to brush a stray lock of her golden blonde hair behind her ear.

“It’ll be fine,” he said softly.

Daphne sighed, “I just want to make a good impression.”

“You will,” Harry assured her.

Smiling, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him forward for a kiss.

“I’m going to miss you,” he said as they broke apart.

“I’ll miss you, too,” Daphne replied. “But it’s only for two days, and this contract will really help our business.”

“I wish I could go with you,” Harry said. “I hear France has great beaches.”

Daphne smirked at him knowingly.

“You just want to see me walk around without a top,” she said.

Harry grinned unabashedly.

“Maybe next time,” Daphne smiled.

“I’m ready.”

Harry and Daphne turned to the door as Tonks walked in backwards, dragging a bulging suitcase with the leg of a pair of pants hanging out.

“You call that packing?” Daphne asked, rolling her eyes.

“I was in a rush,” Tonks said defensively.

“You had all morning,” Daphne huffed.

“No, I had an hour,” Tonks said. “Harry wanted a blowjob before I left, and then one thing led to another… You know how he gets.”

Smilingly bashfully, he shrugged his shoulders. Hey, if they were going to leave him alone for a weekend, he needed something to hold him over.

“What am I going to do with you?” Daphne asked.

“Shag him rotten,” Tonks grinned. “That’s what I usually do.”

“Enough. We need to get going,” Daphne said, turning to Harry. “Remember, I need you to do the ordering for the Apothecary while I’m gone. Make sure it’s in by Sunday night for the Monday morning rush.”

“I’ll handle it,” Harry said.

Cupping his cheek, Daphne gave him one more kiss before walking over to the kitchen table to pick up the Portkey that had arrived that morning. With a grin, Tonks wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

“Thanks for letting me go,” she said gratefully. “It’ll be good to see mum again.”

“You’re welcome,” Harry smiled. “Tell her I said hi, would you? And remind her she can come visit anytime she wants.”

“I will, but you know how she feels about England,” Tonks said.

Harry nodded, knowing very well how much Aunt Andromeda hated England.

“We’ve got less than a minute,” Daphne said.

“I love you,” Harry said, kissing her cheek.

“I love you, too,” Daphne smiled. “Come on, Tonks. Grab hold.”

Picking up their bags and touching the wooden statue between them, Harry waved goodbye a moment before they swirled into nothing. He sighed, Potter Manor suddenly feeling far too quiet and empty.

“It’s going to be a long weekend,” he grumbled.

~

“Hello, Harry,”

“Hello, Aunt Narcissa,” Harry smiled. “You look wonderful as always.”

Smiling, Narcissa waved him inside. He might not be too fond of his aunt’s husband, Lucius, or their son, Draco, but he really did care for Narcissa. She’d been like a mother to him growing up, always willing to listen and give advice. Why Draco didn’t listen to her more, Harry would never understand. His aunt’s advice and teaching led him to own three successful businesses straight out of Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Draco still lived at Malfoy Manor, waiting to take over for his father. And unless Draco planned on killing him, that could take decades.

“Draco and his friends are waiting for you in the lounge,” Narcissa said.

“Thank you,” Harry replied.

Unfortunately, with Daphne and Tonks away for the weekend, Harry hadn’t had an excuse to turn down Draco’s weekly invitation to play cards.

“How is the Apothecary coming along?” Narcissa asked.

“Really well,” Harry smiled. “Daphne’s in France now, looking to secure a steady supply from the continent. If all goes well, we could look at expanding into Hogsmeade.”

“Impressive,” Narcissa smiled. “Especially considering you’ve only owned it for three months now?”

“Four, actually,” Harry said. “I’m just glad it’s bringing in a profit at all. It was losing more than it made when we bought it.”

“Certainly, it was a risk. But I knew you and Daphne could turn it around,” Narcissa said, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder. “You two make a very good match.”

“We do,” Harry smiled.

“Now, if only I could get Draco to settle down and take his life as seriously as you do,” Narcissa sighed.

“I’m sure he’ll come around,” Harry said, though privately he thought otherwise. “Is Lucius home?”

He could do without another lecture on how to be a proper Slytherin. How the man could speak so much and yet say so little, Harry didn’t know.

“No, he’s out with his friends,” Narcissa replied stiffly.

Harry nodded and dropped the subject. He didn’t know what they were doing that was upsetting Narcissa, but considering the company Lucius kept, he was probably better off not knowing.

All too soon, they reached the lounge, and Harry was forced to leave Narcissa’s lovely company to deal with her son.

“Ah, finally deigned to grace us with your presence, eh Potter?” Blaise Zabini, a handsome, olive-skinned young man, smirked.

“I had some free time,” Harry said, taking a seat at the card table.

“It’s about time,” Draco said haughtily. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding us.”

“I’ve just been busy,” Harry said. “Businesses don’t run themselves.”

“Merlin, Potter,” Theodore Nott, a rather small, frail-looking young man with thin, straw-colored hair, groaned. “We’ve only been out of Hogwarts for a year. What’s the rush?”

“Unlike the rest of you, I need to rebuild what my family had,” Harry reminded him, taking his cards as they were dealt.

“Mudblood! Get us some drinks!” Draco barked harshly.

Hearing a squeak, Harry finally noticed the girl hiding in the corner. She was about his age, with tangled, bushy brown hair and chocolate-colored eyes. She was thin with dirt all over her pale skin. A filthy, tattered sheet was all that covered her from view. Despite all that, she was still an attractive girl.

“Yes, sir,” she said, her voice trembling softly.

As she rushed past the table, Harry wrinkled his nose at the smell of stale sweat. He didn’t know how Draco could stand to keep her in that state. At least Harry took care of his slave, Tonks. Of course, he knew Draco could be cruel, but he could at least let the girl bathe.

“Useless,” he scoffed once she was gone. “I’m glad I finally talked father into buying me a new Mudblood.”

“What are you going to do with that one?” Nott asked.

“Get rid of her,” Draco shrugged.

Harry kept his face impassive, but inside, his stomach roiled unpleasantly. Lucius was known for going through a slave or two a year. It was never said what happened to them, but Harry wasn’t a fool. Draco’s slave had been a present from his father for making the Quidditch team in their fourth year, so Harry had seen her around for quite some time. The thought of her suddenly being gone didn’t sit well with him.

“Could I buy her from you?” Harry asked before he could stop himself.

“What for?” Draco asked.

Harry racked his brain for a believable reason.

“I could use help testing some things for our enchanting shop,” he said. “Things that are too dangerous for me to test myself.”

He actually had no intention of doing that. They already had much better and safer tests in place.

“Alright,” Draco nodded. “I sell her to you for… six hundred.”

Harry scoffed, “I could get a new one for that. Look at the state of her. I’ll give you three.”

“She’s still young,” Draco countered.

“Yeah, too bad I can’t say the same about the stench coming from her,” Harry said, causing Nott to laugh, Zabini to smirk, and Draco to scowl. “Look, since we’re friends, and my businesses are doing well, I’ll give you four. That’s more than fair.”

“Deal,” Draco smirked.

The blonde might’ve thought he weaseled Harry out of more money than he should have paid, but the truth was, Harry didn’t really care. Four hundred Galleons was pocket change for him anymore. Just like back at school, Draco was always a step behind.

Shaking his hand, Harry felt the magic of the slave bond wash over him. As soon as they let go, he handed over the money to a gleeful Draco. The girl came back while he was tucking his coin purse away.

“Mudblood, you belong to Potter now,” Draco said.

The girl looked shocked, and Harry reached out to take the drink from her hand before she could drop it. Swallowing nervously, she looked at Harry. Their eyes met for just a second before she looked away, staring at the floor. After she finished passing out the rest of the drinks, she walked back over to the corner and stood, her expression vacillating between hope and fear.

Harry played cards for two more hours, occasionally glancing over at the girl. Each time he caught her looking at him, she’d quickly turn away, chewing her bottom lip. Eventually, the game ended, with Harry walking away with half the money he’d paid Draco jingling in his pocket.

“Thanks for the game, gents,” he grinned.

“Why did we invite him again?” Blaise drawled.

Smirking, Harry collected his winning and stood.

“We’re leaving,” he said, turning to the girl.

With her head bowed, she followed after him, her hands twisting in her sheet. Harry’s heart ached for her. He knew she would not have been treated well, but now wasn’t the time to try and comfort her. As he made his way to the front door, he ran into Narcissa.

“Are you leaving?” she asked, looking at the girl curiously.

“Yeah, I have to go into the Apothecary early tomorrow,” Harry said.

“And you’re taking her?” Narcissa asked, nodding to the girl behind him.

“Draco sold her to me. He said Lucius was buying him a new one,” Harry said.

Surprisingly, Narcissa looked like she was holding back a smile.

“I see,” she said. “Well, I’ll let you go and get her settled. Do try to come by more often. I miss our talks.”

“I’ll try,” Harry smiled. “Maybe we could invite you over for dinner when Daphne gets back.”

“I’d be happy to,” Narcissa smiled.

In a rare show of affection, she stepped forward and hugged him softly. Surprised, Harry nonetheless wrapped his arms around her, trying desperately not to get excited by the feeling of her lush curves pressed against his body. Pulling back, she caressed his cheek with a smile before stepping back.

“Have a good night,” she said.

“You, too, Aunt Narcissa,” Harry smiled.

Leaving through the front door, he followed the path past the wards. Reaching for the girl’s arm, she flinched at his touch.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you,” Harry told her softly.

Biting her lip, she looked at him nervously. With a smile, he Disapparated.

The girl stumbled as they reappeared at Potter Manor, eyes wide as she panted. It occurred to him that she probably hadn’t Apparated since she’d been taken to the Malfoys in the first place.

“Welcome to your new home,” Harry smiled. “Come on, let’s get you inside and cleaned up. What’s your name?”

The girl stared at him for a long moment before finally answering.

“Hermione. Hermione Granger,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “Sir.”

“Just Harry,” he told her gently. “You only have to call me sir when we have guests.”

Hermione nodded as they entered the house. Her gleaming brown eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail as Harry led her towards the bathroom.

“The first thing we need to do is get you clean,” Harry said, wrinkling his nose. “Take off your sheet.”

Turning, he started the shower, checking the temperature with his hand before turning back. Hermione stood completely naked, looking at the shower with longing. She had decent size breasts with pointed, soft pink nipples. Harry frowned at how much her ribs were showing.

“Daisy,” he called.

Almost instantly, a House Elf popped into the bathroom, startling Hermione.

“Yous called, Master Harry?” she asked.

“Daisy, this is Hermione. She’s going to be staying with us. Could you make us a meal? Something filling?” he asked.

“Of course, Master Harry,” Daisy smiled before vanishing with a pop.

Grabbing his shirt, Harry pulled it over his head and then stepped out of his trousers. Once he was as naked as Hermione, he held out his hand. She took it hesitantly and followed as he pulled her into the shower. Closing her eyes, she sighed under the spray. The water turned brown as it rolled off her skin, washing away the dirt and grime.

“Hold out your hand,” Harry said.

Hermione did so with a curious look. Reaching over her shoulder, he gave her a washcloth before he squirted some of Daphne’s body soap onto her palm. She stared at it for a second and then brought it to her face, inhaling deeply. Smiling, Harry squirted some into his own washcloth and started washing her back. Hermione did the same to her front, her hands scrubbing roughly, leaving her skin pink once the suds were washed away.

Harry was more gentle with her back, but he made sure she was clean. Setting the washcloth aside, he gently gripped her shoulder and guided her forward until her head was under the spray. Grabbing the shampoo, he poured a large amount onto her curly locks. He tried to be gentle, but her hair was so knotted and snarled it was difficult not to.

He hoped Daphne or Tonks knew a spell that could help.

“Feel better?” Harry asked, pouring conditioner into her hair.

“Yes,” Hermione said blissfully before her eyes snapped open nervously. “Thank you, sir.”

“I told you; you don’t need to call me that,” he reminded her.

Biting her lips and closing her eyes, Hermione moaned softly as his fingers massaged her scalp. Smiling, he spent a little longer than necessary lathering her hair before guiding her back under the spray. Once she was rinsed off, Harry shut off the water and grabbed a pair of towels. Handing one to her, they dried themselves off before he took her hand and led her down the hall.

“This is the master bedroom,” Harry said, stepping inside and walking over to her wardrobe. “Tonks’ room is next door, and yours will be next to it. I think you would fit in my fiancée's clothes, but I’m too scared to start handing them out. So, you’ll just have to wear some of mine until she gets back. I’ll have Tonks get you some of your own next week.”

Hermione nodded as he handed her a T-shirt and a pair of flannel pants. She opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it before a sound could leave her lips. It took him a moment to realize he should explain.

“Oh, right, sorry,” Harry said. “Daphne is my fiancée, and Tonks is my other slave. They’re both in France at the moment, but they’ll be back by Monday afternoon.”

“Oh,” Hermione said, chewing her lip nervously.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll get along fine,” Harry smiled.

Taking her hand, he led her back down the hall and into the kitchen. Daisy had put out a large chicken dinner with plenty of sides. Two plates sat next to each other, already loaded heavily with food. Harry really wasn’t that hungry, having eaten before he left. Hermione, on the other hand, was practically drooling as she gazed at the table.

“Go ahead,” Harry said. “Dig in.”

With stuttering steps as if she was ready to flee at any moment, Hermione walked toward the table. Picking up the plate, she moved off to the corner of the kitchen and picked up a pile of green beans with her fingers before shoving it into her mouth ravenously. Harry frowned as he watched her shoulders hunch, wrapping her body protectively around her plate.

“Hermione,” Harry called softly.

Blinking, she looked up at him worriedly.

“You can sit at the table,” he said, smiling softly. “And use the silverware.”

“Sorry,” Hermione blushed, walking back to the table. “Master – my last master – never let us use the furniture.”

“You don’t need to worry about him anymore,” Harry said, cursing Lucius and Draco in his head. “This is your home now, and I want you to treat it like one.”

Hermione looked up at him as he sat, her eyes misty.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Smiling, Harry patted her shoulder before turning to his second dinner. He didn’t eat much, but Hermione cleaned her plate. On the one hand, he was glad to see her happy, but on the other, he was disturbed that she’d been denied such basic human pleasures for so long.

Once Hermione had her fill, her eyes began to droop.

“Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” Harry said.

Helping her to her feet, he pulled her by the hand down the hall. Opening the door just down from Tonks’ room, he pushed it open and turned on the light.

“It’s not much now,” he said, looking at the plain room. “We use it as a guestroom for when Daphne’s sister comes to visit, but it’s yours now. We’ll get you some more furniture and decorations next time we go to the Alley.”

“I get a bed?” Hermione asked, her voice brimming with hope.

“Of course,” Harry said, his smile fading and his brow furrowing.

Hermione saw none of that as she ran her hand over the blankets.

“I used to sleep on a pile of rags,” she said so quietly he almost missed it.

“Not anymore,” Harry said, his hands balled into fists. “You can stay in here tonight, or you can stay with me if you want to.”

Hermione froze with her back to him. Wondering if he’d said something to upset her, he started to move toward her before she suddenly turned around.

“I’ll stay with you,” she murmured softly, looking down as her hands played with the bottom of her shirt.

Placing his hand on top of hers, she stilled as he took her hand. Smiling, he led her over to the master bedroom. After he closed the door behind him, he turned around to find Hermione taking off her shirt.

“Hermione?” Harry asked, looking at her questioningly.

“I thought you wanted me to sleep with you,” she said.

“Oh!” he gasped, realizing how his words had been taken. “When I said sleep, I meant just sleep. I will never, ever, order you to have sex with me.”

Picking up her shirt from the bed, he handed it to her with a smile.

“As much as I enjoy seeing you topless, I want you to be comfortable,” Harry said.

“I usually sleep naked,” Hermione admitted. “The sheep was always dirty and itchy.”

“You do what makes you comfortable,” he told her. “Naked or clothed, in here or your room, you sleep however you want.”

Cupping her cheeks, he kissed her forehead. When he stepped back with a smile, he pulled off his shirt and sat on the bed. After taking off his shoes, he removed his trousers and climbed into bed. Hermione watched him from the end of the bed, chewing her lip thoughtfully. Eventually, she dropped her shirt on the floor and took off her pants. Folding them carefully, she set them back on the floor and climbed into bed.

“I should warn you. I’m told I like to cuddle in my sleep,” Harry said.

Hermione cracked a smile and giggled softly. Smiling back, Harry opened his arms in invitation. Nibbling her bottom lip, she looked at him for just a second before scooting closer. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her head to his chest. Looking up at the ceiling, he stroked her back gently. A few moments later, he felt Hermione start to shake. Looking down, he watched in concern as her shoulders hitched, and she sniffled quietly.

“Hermione?” he asked quietly.

A broken sob burst from her lips. Tightening his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head.

“Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe.” He murmured.

“T-thank you. Thank you,” she chanted between heaving sobs.

Harry held her, murmuring to her reassuringly as he caressed her back until she cried herself to sleep. It took a long time before he, too, drifted off, his mind plagued with heavy and uncomfortable thoughts.

This is the starting point where Harry starts to question the world he lives in. Until now, he's been sheltered at Hogwarts, but spending time with Hermione shows him how bad things really are. He'll go on to fight the Death Eaters and Voldemort, but getting justice would be a long way off. Hopefully, this clears things up and calms some fears. There is darkness in this story, certainly, but it's not the focus, and things will get better.