Author: Brandi Vincent
Disclaimer: This is the sequel to Demon Beneath My Will; I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters except for Shane Pompe.
Summary: Back to Hogwarts for the remainder of the year! Hermione finds out something that almost makes her die inside and Lucius is still on the loose. How the hell will Hermione survive this year and survive under those damned eyes? (This is R, meaning it's NOT NC-17, highly suggested to read Demon Beneath My Will first)
~~~Chapter 1: Fatal Attractions~~~
Hermione turned back to her parents and bid them farewell for the rest of her 7th year. Running with her cart into platforms 9 and 3/4, a tear almost escaped her eye. It felt like the first day she got that dreadful news of being stuck with Draco for the time being, then the last day she would ever look into his beautiful gray eyes again.
Remembering those eyes, she shuddered in pain. Why did he have to look at her with those eyes? Making her regret ever slapping him or laughing at him, even though he would always laugh at her for her stay at Hogwarts. It felt so right, and then it felt so wrong. Of course, this would get out, and even more people would point and stare at her, she would probably lose Ron's friendship, and possibly Harry's although she got the feeling he understood. She hated forever liking him, but she did not regret the time they spent together.
She felt people's burning stares already.
Storing her luggage away, she walked down the lonely train with her head hung, and opened the compartment door. Luckily, Harry and Ron weren't in there yet, so she would have some time to think and think up a very good explanation as to what had happened.
Why not tell the truth? Something hit her, but it would feel even worst to admit it. She would be an outcast. Sooner or later, everyone would hate her. Even Ginny. Yet, if any hope left, the word wouldn't get out and she would be saved the embarrassment. Maybe.
Steering into a more positive state of mind and pulling out Hogwarts: A History to read, until his eyes flashed across her mind, and she broke down, crying mournfully.
Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me? She thought, tears burning her skin. Hearing people near her compartment, she wiped her tears away quickly and stuck her nose in the book.
Laughing and joking, Harry opened the compartment door and stepped inside with Ron. Once they saw Hermione, they silenced right away and sat down, keeping her to her own thoughts. All too obvious, Ron probably knew what had happened since Harry saw the whole thing. Damn it, Harry, she thought, pretending to read and choking back tears. I hate Draco so much now it hurts...or maybe that's a different kind of pain...
"So, what did you do over at Dumbledore's, Harry?" Ron asked out of the blue, becoming uncomfortable in the awkward silence.
"Nothing much. It was sort of fun, I guess," Harry replied, scratching the back of his neck.
Please don't talk to me! Please don't talk to me! Hermione pleaded inside, closing her eyes tightly.
"Hermione, what about you?" Harry asked, hoping to start up conversation. She didn't reply. "Hermione?"
"What?" She asked, more of a demand. She didn't mean for her tone to be so harsh, but it slipped out of angst.
"What did you do over at...over your break?" Harry said, steering clear of upsetting her more but to get a little more information out of her.
"Nothing. Just hid away from the crazy Lucius," she replied, keeping it simple.
"That all?" Harry asked after a few moments.
"Yes. Nothing more. Nothing less. Unless any of you have something to add, please, be my guest," Hermione kept her entire face covered by her book. A long period of silence lasted about a few minutes after the train pulled away.
"I saw what happened," Harry almost whispered, keeping his head down, wishing she wouldn't snap too hard.
"Go away," she croaked, pulling her feet up to her stomach.
"Well, what happened? I think we deserve an explanation," Harry insisted, becoming more independent.
"You deserve an explanation? Of what purpose?" She snapped, turning the page even though she wasn't reading. Ron kept quiet.
"Come on, Mione. It was...Draco! The king of bastard lizards!" Harry replied, looking up intently at her.
"You don't seem to know him, do you? Yea, he might have been a bastard. But his life was much worst than yours, Harry. Lots have it a lot more worst than you but you still insist on using your family as an excuse to whine. Some kids have drunken parents and they wish they didn't even know them! Some have abusive and some have smoking crack heads and some have suicidal! Hell, a lot of kids don't even have a home! All they have is garbage and a blanket. And you think you have it bad. Harry, I don't even know why you whine so much about your parents, and you weren't old enough to remember who they were! A lot of kids have no idea who their parents are, but they don't seem as unhappy as you always are. We are all damned, obviously. But you are the only one who likes to make a big fuss about it. I respect the dead, I fucking do, but you don't see me using that as an excuse for why I'm so miserable every gawd damned waking minute!" Hermione snapped, breathing hard. There, she had said it. And only until now she had realized it was true. Harry had it a lot easier than others, yet he seemed to be the only one who would persist on the subject.
"Why?" Ron spoke up, "Damned if Harry gives a shit and I know what you said was true, but what happened? How did you fall for the amazing bouncing ferret?"
That shut Hermione up for a moment. Did she really need to give an explanation? She hated her feelings, anyway. It's not her fault. She didn't want to. Then again, she could say…. "He kissed me. I didn't make the move." She felt so bad now for saving her own butt. Surely Draco would want to see her squirm, but denying to everyone that he made the move on her was terrible.
"Didn't he say he loved you?" Harry asked, looking at Ron. Ron only held up his face with his hand on his knee, afraid of the answer.
"Yes," Hermione whispered, putting her nose back into the book.
"And… Didn't you too?" Harry asked again, suddenly feeling he was getting somewhere with her.
Hermione sighed deeply. "Yes…"
"So what I'm asking her is… do you love him?" He finally asked, already knowing the answer. He saw her reaction to Draco being lost somewhere, and knew this would probably really pain her, but he wanted to be sure.
Hermione didn't reply. The burning tears came back again, and she kept staring at the pages. I don't want to remember him, I don't want to remember him…she kept thinking, trying to push Draco's eyes out of her mind. "I hate him," she said in her cruelest tone. Yea, you hate him for going away, another side of Hermione told herself.
Harry knew it hurt her to admit it. So he didn't push it any further. But Ron's face looked more pained and hurt than Hermione's. Looking at them made him feel awful inside. Gryffindor's Golden Trio will never be the same. He never really saw Hermione gullible before, but now towards Draco, that's all he saw. And Ron looked like someone had just ripped out his heart and stomped on it a million times. But for Harry, he just sat back and closed his eyes. Maybe later in the year they would feel a little better, and Hermione not mock him or his life. He hated this.
They hit rock bottom, but there wasn't much hope. It is possible to drill through rock and make it deeper, right?
~~~~~~~~~~
The train halted to a stop. Ron got up first, swung open the door, and quickly walked down the hall off of the train. Harry sighed and left next, leaving Hermione alone.
That's it, Hermione thought, I can't go on like this. He's staying out of my mind for good. With that thought in her head, she stood up, closed her book, and walked bravely off of the main. No more.
"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny called to her and motioned for her to sit in the carriage with her. Reluctantly, Hermione ran towards her and hopped in the carriage. "What's up?" Ginny asked, sitting opposite side of her.
"Nothing," Hermione replied clearly, no ball in her throat.
"Well, I'm still angry Dumbledore wouldn't let us have the rest of the year off. But glad, because it was getting rather boring. I still hate Novembers, though, you?" Ginny complained, twiddling her fingers.
"Same here," Hermione lied, opening Hogwarts: A History again. After a long period of silence, Ginny spoke up again.
"I think it's sweet what he did Halloween, Hermione. I don't care what anybody else says. I mean, Draco isn't my favorite person, but if you travel along with a guy like him that long, I must admit even I would fall for him," she insisted, hoping to cheer Hermione up.
"You know, too? How many people know?!" Hermione's final year was not going to be fun.
"Word gets around fast…" Ginny trailed off, suddenly becoming intrigued by the floor.
"Grrreat. Well, thanks anyway. Though I'm trying to forget him."
"Oh yea! Speaking of the Malfoys, rumor is Lucius is still on the loose. Good thing Voldemort is dead, but nobody knows how except for Dumbledore! Anyway, people keep saying Lucius will come back to finish Harry, possibly Dumbledore but I know that's a lie, well, they say you, and Draco."
"Ginny, Draco's dead…" then Hermione remembered at the funeral. They never found his body…
"Everyone keeps saying that he isn't though. That he's hiding from Lucius. But Dumbledore won't say!" Ginny seemed to be taking the situation a little more brightly than others are. Maybe because she's a girl and she understands, or the fact that she's Hermione's best friend.
Whatever the case, Hermione did feel a little more secure. They talked a little more on different topics until they made it to Hogwarts.
"Go straight into the main hall for Dumbledore to announce something very important!" Professor McGonagall called out down the rows of carriages.
Poor first years, this year will probably suck for them, Hermione thought, walking towards Professor McGonagall. "Professor, am I Head Girl this year?" She asked with a gleam in her eye. Though she knew she had been told so before, she wanted to be sure.
"Of course, Ms. Granger! Along with Head Boy in Ravenclaw, Shane Pompe," Professor McGonagall replied, pointing over to a handsome 7th year with short brown hair and a charming smile standing over by a pole.
Oh yea, I can get used to this I guess, Hermione thought walking over towards him. He was just standing around, probably letting the crowd die down a bit.
"Hey, I'm Hermione Granger," she greeted, holding out a hand to shake. It was only polite.
"The pleasure's all mine," he replied softly, taking her hand and kissing it gently. Blushing, Hermione figured he hadn't heard about Draco kissing her. The thought of him still made her shiver with emptiness. Maybe only the Slytherins and Gryffindors knew about it.
"I'm Head Girl now, and you are Head Boy, correct?" She asked standing next to him. She had to forget 'him' somehow, and this seemed to be the way. After-all, it had been a couple of weeks since the funeral.
"Yes, maybe now girls will see me for more than good looks, do you think so?" he replied in a glum, sarcastic way.
"Not a chance, sorry to say," she sort of giggled, feeling better. She looked in the crowd and hoped nobody has spotted her yet.
"Aren't we supposed to have our own common room and bedrooms?" Shane smiled, shuffling his feet. Hermione nodded a yes and spotted Neville walking by. "Then I look forward to it."
Realizing what he had just said, she blushed again. From out of the crowd, a tall supposed male completely draped in a black cloak growled and forcibly shoved pass Shane, almost knocking him over.
"Rude," Hermione said, taking a few guesses on which it might've been.
The crowd of stampeding students narrowed down to a few, so Shane and Hermione pushed their way into the castle and down to the main hall.
Everyone was gossiping and talking about what they did over the break. Even Harry and Ron were talking about it. Deciding to steer clear of them, she sat next to Colin and Ginny, Colin showing Ginny all the bruises he got from Dudley and his fat friends.
"Hey, Hermione! Remember when Draco went to the mall and beat them up bloody?" Colin exclaimed as Hermione sat next to Ginny.
"Yea," Hermione laughed a little. She didn't want to forget all the fun they had together. It was a good thing she had good memories, because she knew when she'd leave Hogwarts this year, she'd have a lot of bad ones. A lot of Gryffindors just stared at her in disgust. Guess they forgot he saved their asses, she thought wryly. All people ever care about is whom you like and what you do, rather than worry about themselves. The first years got sorted into their rightful houses. Dumbedore cleared his throat.
After a few more minutes, Dumbledore stood up and motioned for everyone to quiet down. Taking a few more minutes, Professor Snape had had enough.
He stood up and shouted, "SILENCE." Shutting everyone up right away, he sat back down.
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Dumbledore nodded towards him and turned back to the students with a delighted expression on his face. "Fellow students of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry! I am guessing you all had a fine vacation? Well, the news just got brighter! Lord Voldemort shall no longer be feared! He is dead, and trust us, we made sure of it! Although, I will not let the secret out," a sudden outburst of cheers and applauds rang out through the main hall. Even Hermione got into the spirit of things. Once they quieted down again, Dumbledore went on, "I would like to bring up all that made this possible right now! Since I'm already up here, I'll go on. Indeed, Harry Potter of Gryffindor!" Everyone applauded and cheered Harry on until he stood up there. Dumbledore went on, "The young Hermione Granger of Gryffindor! Also remember how she kept dodging away from Lucius Malfoy for three months!" Luckily, she got applauded and some cheers, mainly from Colin and Ginny. She stood next to Harry on the stage and peered across the crowd. No Draco, though there was that cloaked man again leaning against the wall in the back. "Professor Severus Snape! Though I know he'd rather sit. Professor McGonagall! And all of the brave combatants that gave their life in, as you all like to call it, Gore-Fest. Yet there is one combatant that stands out from the rest, his name Draco Malfoy. As much as some of you would rather have him dead, he saved your life under a deadly deed of Voldemort. He could have let the Black Satan get to him. But he risked everything for the sake of humanity," Some didn't care as much as others. But the Slytherins cared. Even though they hated Draco for obvious 'mudblood liking' reasons, but Draco was, after all, Slytherin. After Dumbledore's pause he finally said,
"He's not dead."
~~~Draco~~~
Draco appeared in the basement after he shoved the knife through his heart. He collapsed to the dirt-covered floor and looked up at the cauldron that had given his soul back. What a rush, he thought. He had pretty much tricked everybody into thinking he was dead! Draco began laughing uncontrollably at their reactions. A ton of wizards had turned to see his disappearance, with no clue to where he was going! His chest pounded with pain and even though the knife had only killed the Black Satan and not him, it still hurt to breath and anything else. He continued to laugh like a lunatic, banging the floor with his fist lightly since he didn't have much strength left in him.
"You will appear in the basement where the cauldron is, since it was the one who gave back your soul. Regain your energy there," Dumbledore had instructed at the mansion, "and if you say you choose to give everyone a scare and surprise them later at Hogwarts that you are still alive, you should lay low."
Draco laughed until his throat hurt and his eyes watered, until he remembered how he had left Hermione. His laughs turned into loud sobs and his eyes squinted tightly as burning tears escaped them.
Our day will shine soon, Draco remembered him saying. Well, it sure did, he thought, then snapping his mind back on Hermione. The last thing he had said to her before he disappeared was "I love you."
It was true, he now realized he loved everything about her, and hoped she felt the same. He dragged one numb hand over the rigid knife that had killed the Black Satan along with Voldemort.
"Right when that green mist surrounds your feet, you must and exactly at that time slay it through your heart. You will not die but the demon that had grown inside of you will. Do not lose it," Dumbledore had also informed him at the manor. Draco knew it would be a painful aftermath, but it was for the best. He had hurt Hermione horribly inside, he was sure of it, but she would see him. Soon.
~~~
A few days later, after regaining full energy and food from Dumbledore, he apperated with all the Black Satan he had left in him to his manor. Inside was all of rubble and papers tossed about. Most likely Lucius had been there, either angry or looking for something or someone. Draco sighed, throwing the rigid sword down to the dust covered floor. The place was a mess.
He walked over to the bathroom where the mirror was blurred and wiped it a bit with his pale arm. Staring blankly into it, he noticed the scar on his left cheek. Been a long time since I looked at that, he though distastefully, tracing a finger over it.
This manor is where it all started! He thought, stepping into the silent corridor. It's one huge memory, really. Bloody hell, was it ever… I can't deny running around all over the place with Hermione wasn't fun, being Jack London and all, Draco chuckled, remembering Hermione's expression when he had thought that one up.
This is it, he thought, throwing his arms down at his sides. All I have now. I better pack for Hogwarts, hence it being about two to three weeks until I go back.
In a way, he sort of missed it all. The first time seeing Hermione's face at his doorway, running away, going to the Weasley's, a hotel, and Dumbledore's all seemed but a blur.
"Gawd, I miss her already," he said out-loud to himself, heading up the old, marble stairway. Going to his room, he passed the closet where his crazy dad had sliced her chest. Still trembling as he passed it, he walked into his dark room. There, sitting atop of his bed, was his faithful guard dog.
"Lucifer!" He shouted, running over to his black, messy bed. The black lab snapped its head towards Draco and gave a rough, cheery bark, getting up. Draco swung his arms around it and scratched its back. "Where've you been, buddy?" After a moment of petting him, he stood up right again and found another one of his suitcases, packing more crap he probably didn't need for the school year. After storing most of his clothing and other material away, he reached into his back pocket to find his wand there. Smirking, he went over to his closet to retrieve something dear and important to him.
His back up, leather Matrix trench coat. It was glossy and polished, just as he had left it. He grabbed it off of the hanger and pulled it on, also grabbing an extra pair of clean combat boots, completely better looking and not scuffed up, unlike the old ones he was currently wearing. Don't know what I'd do without these, he thought, picking up his luggage and walking out of the doorway, whistling for Lucifer to follow him. He did, and they together walked down the hall.
They ran down the marble staircase and to the heavy, oaken door. But somebody was already there, holding Draco's sword.
"Long time no see, Draco," Lucius Malfoy greeted calmly, twirling the rigid sword in his fingers carelessly, "Where've you been?"
Draco took no time to reply or stand there like an idiot, he dropped all of his things and ran as fast as he could to the kitchen where the butcher knives were. He didn't say a word, only grabbed as many as he could as Lucius appeared at the kitchen door, appearing annoyed.
"You ruined everything I had in mind this year, Draco. You knew you had this coming," With that said, Lucius dodged over to Draco just as Draco stopped the sword from slaying his head with a sharp butcher knife. With his other hand, Draco threw knife after knife at Lucius, but to no avail. They began an intense sword fight, tension storming between the two of them.
"You know you are going to lose," Lucius grunted, attempting to shove the sword into Draco's under belly.
"Yea, but I'm thinking I'll guard you off until I think up something better to do," Draco replied, keeping full focus on his father's movements. He needed that sword back, just so he can call it his own. But it was going to be a tad difficult to do so. Just as Draco tried cutting Lucius' leg, Lucifer pounced and did the work for him. His sharp, white teeth dug into Lucius' rear end. How the dog maintained a clean coat and a healthy balance was a mystery.
As Lucius cursed in pain, Draco stole the moment and slapped the knife out of his hand, grabbing it in his own.
"When did you become such an expert at sword play, boy?" Lucius asked, kicking the dog off.
"Practice," Draco grimaced, pointing the sword at his throat.
"With that in mind, I will return much more prepared. And that will be sooner than you will expect," He disappeared once more, leaving Draco and Lucifer alone once more.
Draco sighed a heavy relief, "Come on Lucifer, let's get the hell out of here before he decides to finish me off again," he stored the sword away under his trench coat and padded back to the front door. He looked to the door hanger at the side of the doorway and noticed a long, draping black cloak. Useful for his surprise return to Hogwarts. Snatching it up and stuffing it into his suitcase, he picked his luggage back up and walked out of the door, having some idea on where to go.
~~~
He stayed at the hotel Hermione and he had stayed at before they went to Dumbledore's long ago. It was surprisingly the same suit, and the same unforgettable bathroom where he had first witnessed her breasts. He stayed there a few more weeks until it was time to return back to classes. Hating to leave behind his memories there, he carried all of his crap to the Hogwarts station with the black draping coat surrounding him. Nobody seemed to acknowledge neither him nor who was under the black cloak, since most of the people there were muggles. Whistling, Draco put his stuff onto a cart and pushed it towards platforms 9 and 3/4, where he saw her.
Hermione. Breathing a deep sigh of emotion, he watched as she bid her parents good-bye and pushed her cart into the platform as no one was looking. They bit their lips and walked away wistfully, as Draco began to hurdle through the platforms. He saw her getting ready to go on, a big knot in her throat.
Gawd, I wish I could reassure her everything will be okay. I'll just have to save that for Hogwarts, he thought, doing the same and finding a compartment next to Hermione's luckily. She still hadn't noticed him.
He only tapped his fingers against the windowpane, anxiously waiting to see her again. Hopefully she was thinking about him as much as he was she. He was a little too excited, though not excited to see the ignorant Slytherins again and his old cronies, but all the same this would be an interesting year. Yes, he was also at the funeral, hidden in the shadows where not a soul except for Dumbledore had spotted him. His body never found indeed.
He saw her expression; heart broken. It almost broke his heart in half, but only ending up to recollect his emotions. How could she have bewitched her so…then he heard some shouts from the other compartment. If only he could see what was happening, instead he pressed his ear up against the wall and chuckled. Only Hermione outsmarting the dumfounded fools. It would be so pleasing to see Ron's face right about now, he thought, sitting back down.
The rest of the time he kept to himself, messing around with his sword until the train halted to a stop. He pushed himself up and sighed, pulling back on his black cloak over his entire body and walking out of the compartment. Hermione obviously hadn't yet, so he sped out of the train and past the crowd and into an empty carriage.
"Almost there," he muttered, laying back. When was Lucius to show up again? He couldn't apperate on Hogwarts ground. Possibly Lucius will show up another way. The ministry was still out to get him, so it wasn't likely for him to stick to one place and appear in the most obvious places, for example Hogwarts. Probably when they go on a field trip of some sort, Lucius will attack then. There was no telling him. The whole carriage ride, he kept thinking of the many possibilities of his father's attack. But like he had said, he was not going to come back empty handed, and he was not going to come back without a new move or two.
"Go straight to the main hall to for Dumbledore to announce something very important!" He heard Professor McGonagall announce as the carriages halted to a stop. Groaning, he lay back against the soft seat again and waited another minute until 'he' was ready. (Draco may be sane and in love again, but he still is Draco; arrogant and beautiful.)
What time is it? He thought, looking at his green and silver watch. Groaning again, he got up and hopped out of the carriage with his black cloak completely covering every inch of his body. A huge crowd he had to trample with, but he wasn't one to wait by the side and leave when everybody was almost gone.
Feeling his sword's pointy blade from underneath his black shirt, he glanced over to a Ravenclaw and Hermione talking by a pole. He managed to make out what they were saying by reading their lips, and he did not like the outcome.
"Hey there, getting a little too friendly, are we?" Draco growled as the Ravenclaw had an obvious attempt to hit on her. "And you're going to be living in the same common room? Pretty boy isn't going to be pretty if he dares try anything on her," He couldn't control his anger and jealousy, (though he preferred to call it handling a situation through a serpents eyes, which was mainly it). He slammed into the pretty boy's shoulder and promised to himself that he would give him a black eye later.
He walked into the main hall and glanced over at the Slytherin table where all of his slime ball friends were gossiping about probably the most obscene things. It scared him to think he was once one of those slime balls, talking about Voldemort and how their day will shine. He also spotted Pansy Parkinson. Cringing, he remembered her confessing her undying flames of passion and love for him at the end of 6th year and clinging onto his arm. Most likely she would still fight for him, even if Hermione stood in her way. Pansy really did scare him a lot of the time. She was an air headed, foolish girl with false hopes. No way in hell was he ever going to sit next to her again. Then he saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting across from her, most likely waiting for him. Only he knew the Slytherins still must adore him. He's Draco Malfoy with a fulfilling fortune and sculpted features and they still, even after Voldemort dying because of him, adored him. Instead of sitting down with him, he leaned against the wall, choosing not to eat. He over heard them talking about him, though.
"He's a Slytherin!" One said, "He's alive and will rein terror again!"
"He's so hot!" Another girl gushed, "Of course he's not dead! He probably fought his way through with those muscles!"
Draco rolled his eyes, hating each and every Slytherin that predicted his fortune for him, almost all of them guessing wrong. He's had enough of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, even though he still was one. Even though he was not one to complain, his arm ached and pounded and his chest still pained him and it hurt to breath still. But he ignored it, like he always had. He was not a supporter of killing all muggles, suddenly. He found it pointless, because just because they didn't have power like wizards did, they didn't deserve to all die. A lot made many accomplishments, he found out in Muggle Studies.
And me hot? Well, okay, I am, sexy, Draco thought arrogantly, remembering when Hermione and he went to the mall and almost every girl goggled at him. But who said anything about fighting his way through? He only killed himself…in a way…
After the first years getting sorted, Dumbledore began to announce a few obvious things. He knew Dumbledore saw him, because when Draco looked over at him Dumbledore winked at him. He was going to tell him Draco was still alive.
Draco couldn't decide whether to surprise everyone now or surprise Hermione first. After Dumbledore winked at him again, he decided Dumbledore had in mind of he showing himself right when he announced it. Perfect, Draco thought with a smirk, this WOULD be fun.
Dumbledore began calling up Harry and Hermione for their bravery and participation. Finally, he got to what Draco had been waiting for.
"He's not dead." Everyone began gasping or saying, "I told you so!" Hermione's expression was priceless. It was mixed with happiness, shock, and tears.
After Dumbledore looked towards Draco again, Draco smiled evilly and pulled off of his cloak. After the students quieted down a little, Dumbledore pointed at the back towards the doors. Every single student turned in his or her chair and gaped at Draco's smirking face, only his face showing from the black cloak. He heard Pansy screech, "Draco!" It disgusted him on how most of the girls fainted and all of the boys cheered. He was sort of shocked; he thought everyone would either hate him for kissing Hermiome, turning against Voldemort, or for just being a Malfoy. But a lot of them cheered; must have not heard of the news. Though a lot still hated him, and clearly showed it. He kept to himself against the wall, not moving and not planning on moving. His eyes trailed up to Hermione, and it almost broke his heart again. Her eyes were misty and watering up, and it looked as if she were dying inside. She broke into a run off of the stage, and it didn't look like she was going to greet Draco. Everyone stared in silence as she ran past the table, past Draco, and out of the main hall.
Dumbledore motioned for Draco to go after her. Draco, bewildered, ran out of the main hall and after Hermione. Where is she? Draco thought, looking from one corridor to the other. Then he heard her low, padding footsteps run towards the second floor. He ran down another corridor in order to cut her off, but by the time he made it to the stairs, she was already on the other stair well as the one she was just on was changing.
"Hermione!" Draco yelled, cursing to the stairs. She didn't look behind her, only ran. She's afraid of me, Draco thought, punching the railing. It finally changed to where Hermione had run off, and he ran up it as fast as he could, hoping it wouldn't change.
He heard Hermione running down another corridor to his right, and slamming a door. The broom closet, Draco thought, running towards the direction of the broom closet. He opened the old door slowly, a small creak escaping the hinges.
"Hermione?" Draco said in a low, soft tone. Not a sound was to be heard; she wept silently. "Please, Hermione…" He had never been so sincere and kind like he was being in his entire life. Well, someone had never infatuated him so much like she did before in his life.
"I want to be alone," Hermione whispered in the darkness; Draco didn't dare turn on the light.
He sighed deeply and stepped inside a little more, closing the door until it was an inch; "I meant it."
"…Meant what?"
"I love you. And I'm being sincere," Draco sighed, leaning against the wall and looking up, "I suppose I realized that right when I put the knife through my heart."
"That reminds me. Why did you go away? Why did you make it seem like that was the last kiss I would ever receive from you?" Hermione cried, adding, "Why did we have to fall in love? I feel more of an outcast than ever now. Every girl hates me for well, because of us. I normally don't care who likes me and who doesn't, but this year is going to be a complete disaster!"
"Hermione," he drawled smoothly, finding Hermione in the little light they had. "We probably have most of our classes together. As long as we have each other, who gives a rat's ass what they think or say? If they were your true friends, they wouldn't make fun of you in the first place."
He grabbed her arm softly, an inch away from her face. After a moment, Hermione shivered and pulled away, and did something completely unexpected. She pulled her right hand back and slapped him straight across his face, leaving a huge red imprint. Draco stood there shocked, wondering what to do and what she was thinking.
"You completely misled me! You pretended to be dead and knew I was suffering! You…you…you fuck faced ass hole!" Hermione yelled, punching his stomach, but inflicting no pain. Her punches were weak and his stomach was tough and firm, so Draco only felt soft touches. He felt almost as horrible as she did from what he had done to her.
Hermione's meaningless punches slowed down to a stop until she rested her hands against his chest and cried in his black cloak, feeling helpless. "Why did you go away?"
"This sword," Draco pulled it out from under his shirt and cloak gently and shined it in front of her, "It didn't kill me, only Voldemort and the Black Satan. It had a special sheath for it to only do exactly that. Even though it didn't kill me, it still damaged me a great deal. I had to regain my strength. Dumbledore told me to stay low, since Lucius would think me dead for a while, as well, it would be safer that way. Besides, he thought it would a nice surprise for the beginning of the year. I guess it was a better time than ever to say I love you."
Hermione stopped crying for a moment and turned the gas light, looking up into his black, damned eyes. They never looked so fulfilling and determined.
"I love you too," she whispered, kissing his perfect lips for a moment, before pulling away and taking his sword in her hand. She twirled it around a bit and examined it from left to right. A frightening face flashed across the blade, making Hermione jump.
"What the hell?" she said mainly to herself, squinting at it hard.
"What is it?" Draco asked, sliding an arm around her waist.
"I could have sworn I just saw Voldemort in this…" she stared at it in puzzlement, her tears drying up quickly. Suddenly, she just thought of something. "Draco, Voldemort had his soul attached to the Black Satan, didn't he?"
"Yeah, it killed the Black Satan and him, why?"
"Because I don't think he's dead," Hermione examined, seeing flashes of Voldemort's angry expression go away, "I think you just pulled out the Black Satan, Voldemort with it. Voldemort's soul is attached to the Black Satan; he's still alive, only in this sword…"
Draco closed his eyes tightly, cursing loudly.
"Holy crap, he's in your sword! Do you think he can get out?"
"Nah, I think you have to do something to get him out. But I'm not going to take me chances breaking it; he might pop out. SHIT. I know Lucius is going to want this."
"We need to tell Dumbledore."
"Yeah," Draco exhaled, giving her an affectionate squeeze.
"I'll give it to Professor McGonagall when she shows Shane and I our new common room."
"That reminds me, the next time I see him, I'm going to kick his pretty boy ass."
"Jealousy, I sense? You don't need to worry, Draco; he's not going to bed me anytime soon. Besides, if he knew what was good for him, he'd avoid getting on your bad side."
Draco chuckled lightly, all too happy Hermione and he could have a civil conversation together. "Come on, let's go back. I want to make it clear to Pansy to stay away from me this year." Hermione, luckily, agreed, feeling a ton better and satisfied. Draco hid the sword underneath his cloak again as she rested her head on his chest, sighing happily. Though there was one thing that kept itching Draco to say, "I'm sorry."
"As long as you're here right now, I don't care anymore," Hermione replied, breathing in his wonderful, warm scent.
~~~~~~
Lucius flipped through a pile of documents at his hideout, all too aware that the ministry had his mansion surrounded. He punched the wall and cursed in frustration. He remembered having that sword fight back there with Draco, seeing something flash across the blade…. Flash across the blade?! It hit Lucius so hard that he almost made himself fall over. He smirked that charming, evil Malfoy smirk and cackled.
"Bingo, baby," he mumbled under his breath. He needed that sword. No matter what it took him or how he got it or how many people he had to kill to get it.
Draco has it, he thought, falling back in his seat. The boy is at Hogwarts, and I know exactly how to get the sword and get him.
~~~TBC~~~
Chapter Two of Damned Eyes: Shane and Hermione get introduced to their new rooms and common room as Head Boy and Head Girl and Lucius plans his surprise…
BrAnDi's Note: Man, that was long…that was fun to write, though! I can't believe it's the sequel…just seems like yesterday when I was writing the very first chapter out of writer's block from Death's Lover. I hate that fanfiction now! I am NOT putting that stupid story in R just because NC-17 got erased. They had to torture US, the people who actually want to read R, and now everyone is passing their sex stories off as R. And I thought I got AWAY from those sex stories… it's ALL coming back to me now! Why me? Those stupid, plot-less stories! Anyway, I hated the last chapter for Demon Beneath My Will, I just did it to get it over with. But I worked pretty hard on this chapter, so don't bitch. Anyway, I was already starting two other Draco and Hermione fanfictions. I always do that… I wanna get a Play Station 2 and Kingdom Hearts! That looks SO TIGHT! But with me, I buy a game system thinking it's new, than a better one comes out the next month! Thanks! You can review if you want, do what you want. I don't mind flames, just as you give SUPPORTING REASONS as why you did not like it or why it is etc.