Disclaimer: The Harry Potter franchise is not mine. This story was written for fun and no money was obtained from it.
This piece was written for SD's Halloween Fest. With that said, this story is a horror story of some sort. Consider yourself warned. Special thanks to weestarmeggie for beta-ing my work and making it more pleasant to the eyes.
"I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river, and it made me complete"
- Somewhere Only We Know, Lily Allen
Seirên
Sapphire Snowflake
Snap.
Snap.
Crack.
The sounds of branches and twigs snapping resounded through the forest as two figures could be seen running across the Forbidden Forest.
"Stop! I'm not – "
Huff huff.
"Please!"
"Impedimen – "
Snap.
Whooosh. Splash. Whoosh.
He was running again, this time from a few other Slytherin students who wanted to seriously hurt him due to his family's defection when he stumbled upon a bluish-green lagoon in the Forbidden Forest with a breathtaking waterfall cascading down to it. He looked behind him to check that he hadn't been followed before he stepped into the open space to explore. He was not aware that such beauty was hidden inside the dangerous and frightening Forbidden Forest.
"Hello Malfoy." He was startled out of his wonder when a voice called out not far from him. Looking around frantically, he saw a wavy-haired woman appear from behind a large boulder by the edge of the lagoon.
"Granger? What are you doing here?" He remembered the news of her sudden disappearance just a day after the Final Battle a few months ago, as it had caused quite the stir in Magical Britain. Almost the entire Auror department was mobilized to search for the much beloved War Heroine to no avail. But here she was, very much alive and with a smug look on her face.
Hermione's eyes were sparkling with something he couldn't quite pinpoint. She was wearing a round neck dress with puff sleeves that reached until her elbows. It was tinted light pink unevenly all over. Looking down, he saw that the bottom of her dress was lined with mud and moss. "I could say the same to you. Running from your friends?"
"They aren't my friends." Draco scoffed. "You're supposedly missing." He added after a pause.
"Harry and Ronald won't be able to find me here."
"Are you hiding from them?"
Instead of replying, she only sighed and gave him a small smile. She turned around and headed towards a large rock at the edge of the lagoon near the waterfall. Draco stood rooted to the spot at the bizarreness of the situation until she motioned for him to follow her and they soon arrived near the edge of the waterfall where a small cave was hidden. "They won't find you in there." she said.
He stepped into the cavern followed by Hermione. There was an asphodel shrub that was probably grown magically because it was shaped like a bed with its flowers growing around the headboard. Thick fluffy moss was placed on top of it that served as some sort of cushion. A big round rock with a flattened top was in the middle of the cave and there was a bronze cauldron right beside it. "Do you actually live here?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.
She ignored him. "They say the waters of the lagoon has magic imbibed in it. This place is a beautiful reprieve. Do you happen to know the legend about this place?"
"No, I don't."
"Pity. Are you taking any interesting classes this year?" She sat cross-legged on the floor of the cave and leaned on her bed.
His lips drew in a line when he noticed that she was avoiding giving direct answers to his questions. Oh well, he thought. Maybe some other time. He frowned as thoughts of wanting to come back surfaced in his mind. Beautiful, peaceful reprieve from everyone. "Alchemy has been interesting so far."
Her eyes glittered at the new information. Draco suppressed a smirk at the realization that even after everything, Granger still hadn't lost her passion to learn. She was still the Hermione Granger he had known all those years, just a little more muddled and more feminine. His eyes quickly darted to her clothes. He wanted to ask lots of questions; however, given their history, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to pry. Besides, just like what she said earlier, this short reprieve from his life had been pleasant so far. Even though she was slightly indifferent to him, the lack of animosity was a welcome change. Still, he couldn't resist asking just one more question. "So, is this new lifestyle of yours to your liking?"
She smiled that perplexing smile again, "I want to be free. Don't you?"
He was here again – this time of his own volition – with two books, a roll of parchment and a self-inking quill in his knapsack.
"Running away?" She asked knowingly. There was a smug look on her face that had Draco itching to say something foul in return. He held back though since it defeated the purpose of finding a place of solace, even if included in that package was Hermione Granger.
"Can I stay here for a bit?"
"As long as you won't be a prejudiced prat and call me names, I don't see any problem," she said cooly.
"Why thank you for your generosity. Even though this isn't really your property." He quipped, settling himself by her makeshift table.
"You're off to a bad start Malfoy," she warned.
He heaved a sigh. Despite his disinterest towards her, their interactions were an improvement to his everyday ones with his other Hogwarts schoolmates. His Slytherin housemates loathed him and hexed him whenever professors weren't looking. The rest of the school either spat at him or avoided him like the plague because of the mark on his arm. At this point, he was just so tired of everything. "Sorry. Habit."
He spread his school materials around him and started his essay in Alchemy without saying anything more. Beside him sitting by her bed, Hermione watched him with jealous eyes. She was not able to hold herself back after a few minutes of hearing his quill scratching across the parchment and peered over his shoulder.
"What are you writing about?"
"Nothing of your concern."
A few minutes passed before she spoke again. "That's wrong Malfoy. A soul couldn't have any physical properties even if Dementors use them for sustenance."
His quill skidded to a halt and he turned to her with narrowed eyes. "You know, if you're that starved for studying, you should've returned for the repeat of 7th year," he rasped, irritated at her invading his space.
"You have no idea, Malfoy," she muttered under her breath.
They stood at the edge of a rocky shore of the lagoon near the waterfall. "The water looks really deep Granger. And you say it's the only place where Pritcher's Porritch grows?"
"I didn't say it was the only place. There might be some growing elsewhere for all I know. This is just the place where I found some growing," she quietly muttered. Her hands were itching at her sides. Just a little bit more, Malfoy.
"Fuck! I can't reach. And I really can't use a wand?"
"No. It'll retaliate if it feels anything magical near it," she lied. "Move a little bit closer to the edge Malfoy. It's easier to reach that way."
"Okay." Draco held on to the stone at his side and stepped forward slowly, being careful not to slip. He was so focused on trying to reach for the magical plant that he did not see Hermione's right hand rise to push him off and into the deep lagoon. At the last minute though, he moved to his left and plucked the plant at the edge. Hermione gave an annoyed huff. At the sound, Draco turned towards her and was a little bit surprised at the murderous look she was giving him. Chucking it off to impatience due to his slowness, he waved the plant at her and chuckled, "You're so impatient Granger."
"Just die already." She walked away from him and disappeared through the foliage.
He thought it was a joke.
Snap.
Snap.
Crack.
The sounds of branches and twigs snapping resounded through the forest as Hermione ran across the Forbidden Forest, away from her pursuer. She wanted to throw some spells but it was too dark in that area and she was afraid that any spells would just attract more attention from other unpleasant identities
"Stop! I'm – Please!"
She couldn't hear clearly what the man said since it was drowned by the sound of her heavy breathing but they were nearing a clearing of trees where the moonlight gave ample enough light that she would be able see clearly – that would give her some time to deliver some defensive hexes. Turning brusquely, she pointed her wand at the figure behind her and shouted, "Impedimen –" So focused was she on him that she did not notice the sapling of a Whomping Willow by her feet.
Snap.
It attacked and pulled her feet backwards and into the edge of the ravine. As if in a slow motion, she saw the blonde head of the man who was running after her, illuminated by the moonlight.
Whooosh. Splash. Whoosh.
'Malfoy', was her last thought as she sunk into the depths of the water.
"Granger."
"Malfoy," she looked at his approaching figure with heavy-lidded eyes. It was all your fault.
"I brought you some books. So you won't go breathing down my neck as I do my homework on my own," he emphasized the last three words at her.
"Hmp.", she jumped from the rock she was perched on and swiped the books from his hands. "Don't pretend you don't like having stimulating conversations with someone who actually has a brain. You've been coming here for more than a week already."
He did not contradict her.
He was staring at her again even as he pretended to read his notes. She didn't notice it though, so absorbed was she in the tome he had brought her. He couldn't remember when he had started noticing how her eyelashes were long, or how even though her dress was loose and frumpy, it accentuated her white skin perfectly. Her hair was as wild as he remembered it to be all those years and it was tickling his neck as she leaned a little bit towards him for warmth. It was surprisingly soft, and he suppressed the urge to run his fingers through her unruly curls.
He rolled the parchment in his hand. "It's still surprising that you're just loitering out here. I would've expected you to go out and do some saving the world shite."
"Everyone expects me to, and it's very suffocating to be boxed in people's expectations. You of all people should know that."
His eyes drifted to his left arm. "That's true. Still, don't you regret not coming back to Hogwarts?"
"Sometimes... Freedom is – "
"Lonely?"
She frowned, "Boring." And then her expression turned playful. "Thank god for you stealing all these books for me."
"Hey! Those are loaned out. I'll return them when you're done."
He didn't.
She smelled like grass and honey.
They were lying on the damp ground beside each other, looking at the towering trees and the shifting clouds above them. "Don't you miss your parents and friends?"
"Who said I don't see them?"
His head turned slightly at her. "Potter and Weasley wouldn't be running amok across the world if they knew where you were."
There was a pause before she replied, "I see my parents sometimes. They're not very happy with me though."
"Why?"
"Just didn't meet their expectations, I suppose? They expected me to finish my schooling. But here I am."
"Then why didn't you?"
"If you must really know Malfoy, it's because of you.", Hermione turned to her side and looked at him straight in the eyes.
His eyes drifted down to her slightly parted plump lips. He gulped. "You're very close with your friends. Don't you want to see them too?"
"It's okay. You're company enough," she subtly shifted her hand so her little finger would touch his.
His ears went pink. "Stop. You've succeeded with your dastardly plans to unnerve me. I'm not going to pry anymore." Hermione giggled.
"Harry will find me anyway." Her voice quivered with some emotion, but he couldn't pinpoint what it meant. It was only a moment though before her tone returned to normal and she continued, "In the future. For now, I'll take it easy and enjoy the peace around me. I haven't had that for so long because of the war. I deserve a little reprieve. You've been coming here almost every day now. It's been almost two months since the first time."
"Do you want me to stop?"
"Stay." She curled her fingers in his hand.
The smell of apples filled his senses as he approached her. Gingerly, as if afraid she'd break, he tucked her hair behind her ear. He was breathing heavily as his lips descended to hers, their eyes closing in the process. His tongue skimmed her lips asking for entrance and she granted it and opened her lips slightly. He ran his tongue across her teeth as his hands wove into her hair at the back of her head and pulled her closer. However, he felt something wet and sticky on her hair near her nape.
"What – " He pulled away and looked at his hand. It was wet with blood. His gaze flew to Hermione in horror. She looked the same, still captivatingly beautiful and immaculate except for the blood now flowing down her neck.
"Have you forgotten Draco? You did this to me," her smile was slightly feral and unhinged. She glided her hands from the back of her neck and scooped her hair up, giving him a glimpse of the large, angry wound on her nape. Her hands glided from her neck down her collarbones, her sternum and to her side, staining the path it took in deep red.
The surrounding area suddenly became eerie and a chill ran up his spine. The mixed emotions unsettled him, and he found himself stepping away from her, turning around and running away. Again.
Snap.
Snap.
Crack.
The sounds of branches and twigs snapping resounded through the forest as Draco ran after Granger. His clothes were tattered, he was starving after eating nothing but grass and random mushrooms for a week. The bushes slapping on his skin added to the pain that he was currently feeling. However, he could not stop the chase since he needed her help so badly, before his captors realize that he had escaped from them.
"Stop! I'm not – " It was hard to finish his sentence as his breathing turned labored from running. Perhaps Granger didn't recognize him, he thought. Or she probably thought he meant her harm. They were nearing a clearing of trees where the moonlight gave ample enough light that she would be able see him clearly. Perhaps when she saw him she would realize that he needed help and he didn't mean her any harm. Gathering more strength, he tried to keep up with her and called out, "Granger!" Huff. "Please! Help – "
He saw her turning with her wand pointed right at him. Moonlight illuminated her features and she looked like a woodland nymph with her white nightgown flowing until her ankles.
"Impedimen – "
There was movement behind her and before she could finish her spell, Draco watched in horror as the Whomping Willow swept her off her feet. Her wide eyes caught his as she slipped and then she fell into the ravine.
Whooosh. Splash. Whoosh.
"No, no no no no!" He fainted.
The next day, he woke up feeling very disoriented, famished and thirsty. He slowly got up and tried to remember what had happened the night before, but everything was so fuzzy and his head was throbbing greatly. He couldn't remember how he had reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest even as he tried to when a bunch of Aurors questioned him on why he was there and who his captors were. He couldn't remember anything besides the sound of water rushing and a pair of brown eyes widening in horror.
He was here again.
He couldn't stay away, even after what had happened a fortnight ago. It was like he was being lured by sirens with their enchanting songs to this place, even if it meant death. Just one more day he thought. I just want to see her one last time. And then I'll stop coming.
He knew it was a lie.
"You're here again." Hermione's voice spoke from behind him. Hermione appearing out of thin air would have surprised him immensely weeks ago; now however it was only disconcerting since the truth was out.
Hermione Granger was dead. And she was haunting this place.
Alone.
Just like me.
"I brought you books."
Hermione snorted. "He brought me books, he says. As if that's what I want."
"What do you want then?"
Hermione stood in front of him, their bodies separated by only a few inches. She was petite and still very much beautiful, he thought. But dead. His heart constricted at that thought. I killed this beautiful, exquisite being.
Hermione reached out and pulled his left hand and cradled it to her cheek. "Warmth."
Her resolve was dwindling.
Draco continued visiting her day after day even after discovering that she was nothing but a remnant of her old self. Her hatred – which has accumulated over the months since her death - was slowly stripped from her as Draco brought books for her to read, gave her a teasing grin whenever they had intellectual debates, held her hand in comfort when she mentioned Harry and Ron, and kissed her under the stars.
She knew she should stop showing up before him, discourage him from coming back so that he could live his life like a normal person. That was the proper thing to do especially now that she had realized that she was falling in love with him. Oh how her heart hurt at the thought of not seeing him again, of staying all alone by the waterfall without his touches, smiles and kisses to keep her company.
She should tell him to stop coming.
"Hermione." Draco smiled at her radiantly as he approached her, another book borrowed from the library in his hand for her.
Gods, he's so beautiful it hurts.
She should make him stop.
"I think I'm in love with you, Draco Malfoy."
She can't.
"I'm sorry." Draco murmured as he cradled her cold body in his arms. They were lying on her bed of asphodel whispering stories of their childhood and sweet nothings to each other.
"Okay." She simply said without even bothering to ask what it was he was apologizing for. He understood it though. She was forgiving him for everything.
The flowers growing on her headboard caught his eye and something clicked into place and he groaned, "Of course. Bloody hell, I feel like a dimwit for not realizing. Asphodels. Flowers of the Elysian Fields. Flowers of the dead."
"I did wonder when you'd catch up," she teased him, kissing his cheek.
"Even beyond the grave you're still a swot," he grumbled.
Her laugh was music to his ears. He sat up on his elbows and plucked a flower from the headboard. He tucked it behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Hermione Granger."
They shared sad smiles.
"It's already June."
"Yes."
"Hmm… What does your family do for a living?"
"Besides extortion and plotting the death of Muggleborns and Harry Potter?"
She rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, besides those things."
"We have some business dealings with making and modifying potions to enhance their effects."
A voice inside Hermione's head reminded her that whatever this was between them was ephemeral, and that he would be gone soon. Nothing lasts forever, Hermione. You're dead, Hermione. Let him go Hermione. Set him free, Hermione it chanted. She breathed deeply and tried to still her quaking voice. "You – you do have a knack for Potions and Alchemy. I'm sure you'll do well."
Draco looked at her curiously but said nothing for a while. He stared at her dainty face as she tucked her wild hair behind her ear and waded her feet in the water. The edge of her nightgown nearest to her neck was lined with blood and a small thin line was dripping down behind her, a sharp contrast to the light pink dress. Her dress was originally white, but the mixture of her blood and the water from the lagoon had obviously stained it that color. He never noticed it before – not before he'd discovered her dismal fate.
He smoothed his hand down her hair and situated it to the other side of her neck, displaying her fatal wound in the process. His other hand then trailed down her back to her side and pulled her flush to him. Hermione watched his ministrations with bated breath, her non-existent heart throbbing deep within her soul. He kissed her forehead and looked back to the water and watched the cascading waters from the top of the ravine. A few minutes passed before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bookmark.
"For your books I stole from Madam Pince," he grinned at her. Hermione flushed and was about to admonish him about the importance of returning books on time when she spotted the shrunk pressed flowers on the piece of cardboard.
"Primroses," she breathed out.
He stood with her at the edge of the ravine, water running around their feet down to the lagoon.
"You don't really want to do this, Draco. Please don't. You're going to die, you know.", Hermione pleaded and grasped his hand, trying to pull him away from the edge half-heartedly.
He pulled back and kissed her hand, "Wasn't this your plan all along? To beguile me to my death so you wouldn't be alone in this place." His eyes were teasing as he spoke. Hermione couldn't see any fear or indecision in them.
"But I don't – "
He interrupted her by kissing her softly, his lips slightly parting as he took her bottom one between his. His hand glided from under her chin to her cheek and caressed it. She could feel the love he felt for her reverberating from him. And when he broke the kiss to breathe he murmured, "You have nothing to doubt. With you, I'm in paradise."
And so he pulled her hand, and together they fell.
Harry Potter stood at the edge of the numinous lagoon, grief shrouding his features. No one knew what had happened to Hermione when she'd disappeared months ago. And then a few months after that, the news of Draco Malfoy's disappearance flooded the papers. Now everyone would know what became of them. But discovering her remains in the middle of the lagoon with her hands intertwined with Draco Malfoy's, both with serene looks on their faces, just added more questions than answers.
Answers that only the waters held.
"And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?"
- Somewhere Only We Know, Lily Allen
AN: This was written cause it's Halloween and thus I wanted to write a ghost story. And then it just turned into a twisted, dark story while I was writing it. This is FANTASY so don't take the theme seriously and please don't assume I approve of what Draco did. It just fits well to the horror theme I had in mind.
I'm obsessed with flower meanings.
Primrose: I can't live without you; Eternal love
Asphodel: Flower associated with death; My regrets follow you to the grave; Said to be growing in the Elysian Fields of the underworld.
Apples: Based from some online source, it can also symbolize as a hidden wish for peace. It has some interesting symbolisms in various cultures such as being said to cure all sorts of diseases and bring immortality to the gods.
Maybe that's why Draco loves apples. ;)