Chapter 1: Death and life live as one
The light flickered benignly casting shadows over the paper. Drops settling as the quill moved rapidly over its surface. Small scratching sounds were made in the rush to write it all out with a rather withdrawn flourish it ended in a dot, one which she raised her arm for and signed it like a death warrant
But wasn't that what it was after all?
The walls of the stone gave of a eerie chill she'd not known before, so drasticly unlike hogwarts. Even the walls seemed like home, friends, giving it the stability that made you feel safe. Here it was far from it and yet she forced herself to creep further into the lair. She gulped, closed her eyes momentarily to keep the tears back, further into the building. That wasn't the right word for it. It had been once, but now he emanated from it much like Hogwarts emenated a sense of Dumbledore and his paternal protection.
Instead here what she found feeling for was dread, terror ready to strike, but one that would wait malisciously. He'd know she was coming, but it didn't matter she told herself. It was all going to work out somehow. Somehow she'd find a way to help it all.
Mad, yes. She was rather. Mad to do this. Everyone would think so, that even she'd gone farther than they'd have imagined. into dreams, drifting into a nightmare that she had beckonned. But not long now if she didn't find him, he'd find her. No doubt to that.
Mad, in more ways than one. She'd always felt mad. Mad at the way life had dealt the cards, how one person seemed to have all the bad luck in the world and the one thing she could see he wanted more than anything, was normality. Wizard normality of course, but normality never the less. She knew instinctively what it was he'd be dreaming of having, like reading his mind she imagined he wanted to walk down the street without people looking at him and he wanted fun days in the sun with his friends and to be known for his quidditch skills
Not life with a scar people recognised everywhere you go. Not whispers and secret and friends who want you for your fame, and not danger at every turn, an enemy at every door, behind every back
He needed freeing from it, the burden he'd had all his life, simmering away until his 12th birthday when all was revealed and in that moment of joy, all the pain had come forth too.
She had one wish to give him that back the joy, the freedom. To set him free, to set all the world free from Voldemorts grasp
They cowered at his name, practically handed him power on a platter and noone wanted to step up and challenge him; not after last time. After what happened to those who did, and harry was the remnant. The reminder of what was true,what she had decided she would do.
She wasn't sure how she'd expected to meet him. Him appearing behind silently wasn't it though.wasn't even as dramatic as she'd have thought.Maybe he'd lost his flair and his patience after the years of waiting.
"Hello hermione" he said almost graciously like a gentleman, fooling her for a second. She could have believed he was a pleasant if a little strange old wizard who'd happened to come across her except his face gave him away. The look from his figure made her shiver, behind the smile was an all too real malevolence, he looked like he was only allowing her to live for some twisted entertainment value.
"Voldemort."She stood straight, her head up high and gave back to him a brave cold stare, looking slightly as if he had broken the rules and she couldn't be standing for it. He had all the power though. no point pretending she could beat him.her plan relied on logic. On a carefully, meticulously planned strategy. Her concilation for whatever he would do to her was that she knew it would be worth it. Even death. She'd do anything for it, she'd die for him if she had to. Just as long as it came off ok. As it should.The silence was broken "I know you would my dear."
She
stopped still. he couldn't have could he? was he just guessing or did
he really know? if he did then he'd know what it was she was here for.
"I know"
"Be sure I know"
He slid over the flagstones towards the fire in the hall and warmed his hands upon the flames
"...And be sure I won't kill you. As I know what you meant to do."
He laughed softly at her ignorance
"You
were to destroy me or die trying. And in dying you'd seal the last
defence against me, just like his mother did. I see it was quite clever
of you. Either way I am defeated," he continued bitterly, "for a while
atleast"
And then he did the strangest thing. He looked straight up
into her and turned to face her completely and approached with the
sound and look of a proffessor correcting a students faulty theory.
"Shame you never thought of what I could do without killing you."