A/N: Wow, I didn't know there was this much interest in the sequel. I'm
flattered. Oh, by the way, those reviews are working, I'm very much
inclined to write again. Keep going, and this story will update faster!
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.-
CHAPTER 2: Bound for All Time
Draco Malfoy stared out of his tent at what used to be Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was here that he had spent the happiest days of his life, and it was here that he decided to turn his heart to stone. The defenses of the school were crumbling, and by tomorrow morning, Hogwarts would be no more.
He could not help but wonder where she was. Contrary to what the Dark Lord thought, Hermione had never left his heart or his mind. There was not a day when he did not think of her, there was not a day when he did not yearn to fold her in his arms, again. He had loved her, and he loved her still. But love was not the problem, it never was. It simply wasn't enough.
Even now, he did not regret his actions. He did not regret the betrayal, he did not regret breaking her heart. He had craved the power, and he had known, long since, that he was destined to greatness. With this final battle, the Dark Lord would be secure in his power, and through him, Draco would reign. Wizards would once again walk the earth as what they are- superior beings, drawing respect and fear from those who had never learned the art of magic. It was nearly over.
"Mommy!!! Mommy no!!!! Mommy don't leave me!!!!!"
The scream that pierced the night air brought Draco to his senses. He rushed out of his tent. This was his domain - not even the most important of his Generals was allowed near the camp, not even the strongest of magic could break the shield. Yet, she was there.
As he approached the hunched body of a crying girl he felt his stomach knot. Those brown tresses, long and unruly, reminded him too much of the girl he had once known. But when he turned the sobbing child to him, he found himself staring into his own likeness. The tear drenched eyes were the same dark grey as his, so was the sculpted nose and thin mouth. But the heart-shaped face, belittled by the mounds of hair, was Hermione's. It was her child . . .and his!!
Draco felt his fury unleash itself. Hermione had had a child, and she had never told him! All this time, for five long years, she had kept her child from him, and him from her. If he had known . . .
His thoughts stopped as reality hit him. Even if he did, it would not have changed his decision.
"Are you my father?" the shaky voice resonated in his head.
Slowly, he nodded. There was no need to question, no need to deny. The girl staring at him had his eyes, his features, his blood.
Thwapp!!
The slap took him by surprise, but he was ready as the small fists attacked him with full force. He lifted the child, kicking and screaming, and brought her inside his tent.
"Stop it!" He ordered - a voice which would have caused the most accomplished of Dark Wizards to shake with fear.
The child ignored him.
She proceeded to kick him, punch him, doing absolutely anything to bring him harm. Stunned, Draco remained still, waiting for the child's strength to leave her. It did.
She fell down at his feet, panting with exhaustion. But her eyes were still filled with anger, her lips pursed mutinously. She did not speak.
"You know that I am your father?" He stated.
She nodded.
"Then why did you attack me?"
She stared at him.
"Speak!"
"You're evil! You're making mommy die!" She spat at him, her eyes, once again, filling up with tears.
Draco's breath caught as reality hit him. The only reason Hermione would have given up her daughter to him was if she were dead. And now, the child was in his tent.
Slowly, he kneeled down.
"What is your name?"
The girl let her tears fall and violently shook her head. In doing so, she drew attention to the silver chain on her neck.
On the chain was a silver ring- two snakes entwined, their ruby and emerald eyes glittering in the night. Even without touching it, Draco could feel its texture within his hand. The remnant of a gift and a curse - given when he still thought that love would endure the tests of fate.
~~~***~~~
He rushed through the dark halls, trying desperately to rein in his fear. Since the day he followed her into the land between life and death, it was as if they shared the same soul. He could sense her fear, he could sense her pain. He would know even before he could see her tears fall that she was crying. Likewise, she could sense his restlessness, his ambition, and his dilemma. She could sense the evil that was calling to him; she could feel him slowly reach for power.
And now, he could sense the shadows closing in around her. For days he had known that she was slipping closer and closer to the edge, and he had done nothing. What could he do? Unlike the last time that the shadows called to her, he was the center of her pain. He was the pressure that was overwhelming her, the warmth that was deserting her, and the fear that was tearing her apart. And now, if he did not find her, she would once again be drawn into the abyss of pain and blood.
He slammed through the doors of the astronomy tower, and there he found her staring, knife in hand, gazing into the black night that held neither star nor moon.
"Hermione, I . .."
She turned towards him, her eyes drenched with tears as they were once, a year ago. Slowly, he reached for her, and took the knife out of her hands.
"I was so close, Draco. I almost .. . . . if you came a moment later . . . . . . if you . ."
Her voice broke, and with a stifled curse, he drew her into his arms, willing that his strength would pour into her, stopping her will from breaking.
"It's alright. I'm here now. I'll always be here for you. You've fought it for so long, I won't let you break again. I promise."
His voice was soothing, but even then, he could sense her doubt. She knew far too much; too much for her to believe that he would always be there for her.
"Did . . . . did you do it?" She asked.
He felt his heart freeze. She knew!
She looked up at him, her heart in her eyes.
"Why?"
He shook his head. There were some things that were better left unsaid.
"You ask questions you do not want to hear the answer to." He smoothed her hair with his hand.
"All you need to know is that I love you. Isn't that enough?"
He could sense her shattering, a light torn apart one breath at a time.
"I could forgive anything, Draco." She said softly.
"But what you do, what you feel, what you choose, it tears me apart."
Her eyes grew haunted and he could feel warmth leave her.
"Tell me you didn't kill them! Tell me, and I'll believe you." She pleaded.
He shook his head. Her tears were pouring freely now, silver drops desperately filling the void of night.
"I don't have your strength Draco. Your quest for power will destroy me. You're forcing me to choose between you and what I know is right! Do you know how many times I've been tempted to tell Harry and Ron what you did, what you're going to do?" She accused.
"Did you?!" His grip tightened, his eyes shone with malice.
"There! Can't you feel it? Just a mention of crossing you stirs your hatred! There's an emptiness in you, an unquenchable hunger. It's like you're walking into a void, and you're dragging me through it as well!"
"Did you tell them?!" He ground out.
"No. I didn't! Are you happy? And that's what's killing me! That's what's eating me up inside, making me want to do anything, do hear me, anything, so that I won't have to face it day and night."
Her words were tumbling out of her, laced with fury and despair. Yet she clung to him, leaning on him for support.
"I love you Draco, and that love is killing me!" She whispered.
"I won't let it!" He snapped.
She looked up at him.
"Soon, I'll have to choose sides. And Draco, it won't be with you. It can never be with you."
He cupped her face in his hands and stared into her eyes.
"It will."
With those words he pulled a ring off his finger and slipped it onto hers. The entwined snakes gleamed in the night, the Malfoy signet.
"Legamo."
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she heard the curse. Swiftly she tried to pull the ring off, but it was too late. The emerald and ruby shone with a light of its own. The two streams of light entwined and reached to circle his finger.
Hermione looked up at him in horror, her eyes accusing, questioning, and begging.
"Draco, no. Don't do this."
He shook his head. His decision had been made long before this day.
His eyes clouded, and as if in a trance, he murmured.
"For as long as your love for me outweighs all, we will be forever bound. My strength will be your strength. My Will will be your will. My heart will be your heart."
His words rung through the still air, and then, slowly, his eyes cleared.
"Now, you can never betray me." He said, his voice fire and ice all in one.
Hermione's voice rang with heartbreak as she moved into his embrace.
"But you have already betrayed me!!"
~~~***~~~
Now Draco understood why his control over her had broken the day she saw him accept the Dark Lord. Now he understood why she was able to warn her friends from danger once she had regained consciousness. It was not that she had no longer loved him. She simply had loved their unborn daughter more. In that love, she had broken the spell; she had set herself free.
As he gazed at his daughter, still staring morosely into the fire, ignoring him and his pain, Draco felt his chest tighten for the first time in many years. She had kept this ring; she had kept their daughter. No matter the paths they had taken, the betrayal, heartbreak, and despair he had caused her, she had cherished what he had given her. They were still, and forever will be, bound!
____________________________________________________________________________ ____
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
A/N: In case you didn't know, you can ask me to email you when I update. All you have to do is tell me in your review and WRITE OUT your email in the review, whether you're signed in or not. Then whenever I update, I'll write you an email.
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.-
CHAPTER 2: Bound for All Time
Draco Malfoy stared out of his tent at what used to be Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was here that he had spent the happiest days of his life, and it was here that he decided to turn his heart to stone. The defenses of the school were crumbling, and by tomorrow morning, Hogwarts would be no more.
He could not help but wonder where she was. Contrary to what the Dark Lord thought, Hermione had never left his heart or his mind. There was not a day when he did not think of her, there was not a day when he did not yearn to fold her in his arms, again. He had loved her, and he loved her still. But love was not the problem, it never was. It simply wasn't enough.
Even now, he did not regret his actions. He did not regret the betrayal, he did not regret breaking her heart. He had craved the power, and he had known, long since, that he was destined to greatness. With this final battle, the Dark Lord would be secure in his power, and through him, Draco would reign. Wizards would once again walk the earth as what they are- superior beings, drawing respect and fear from those who had never learned the art of magic. It was nearly over.
"Mommy!!! Mommy no!!!! Mommy don't leave me!!!!!"
The scream that pierced the night air brought Draco to his senses. He rushed out of his tent. This was his domain - not even the most important of his Generals was allowed near the camp, not even the strongest of magic could break the shield. Yet, she was there.
As he approached the hunched body of a crying girl he felt his stomach knot. Those brown tresses, long and unruly, reminded him too much of the girl he had once known. But when he turned the sobbing child to him, he found himself staring into his own likeness. The tear drenched eyes were the same dark grey as his, so was the sculpted nose and thin mouth. But the heart-shaped face, belittled by the mounds of hair, was Hermione's. It was her child . . .and his!!
Draco felt his fury unleash itself. Hermione had had a child, and she had never told him! All this time, for five long years, she had kept her child from him, and him from her. If he had known . . .
His thoughts stopped as reality hit him. Even if he did, it would not have changed his decision.
"Are you my father?" the shaky voice resonated in his head.
Slowly, he nodded. There was no need to question, no need to deny. The girl staring at him had his eyes, his features, his blood.
Thwapp!!
The slap took him by surprise, but he was ready as the small fists attacked him with full force. He lifted the child, kicking and screaming, and brought her inside his tent.
"Stop it!" He ordered - a voice which would have caused the most accomplished of Dark Wizards to shake with fear.
The child ignored him.
She proceeded to kick him, punch him, doing absolutely anything to bring him harm. Stunned, Draco remained still, waiting for the child's strength to leave her. It did.
She fell down at his feet, panting with exhaustion. But her eyes were still filled with anger, her lips pursed mutinously. She did not speak.
"You know that I am your father?" He stated.
She nodded.
"Then why did you attack me?"
She stared at him.
"Speak!"
"You're evil! You're making mommy die!" She spat at him, her eyes, once again, filling up with tears.
Draco's breath caught as reality hit him. The only reason Hermione would have given up her daughter to him was if she were dead. And now, the child was in his tent.
Slowly, he kneeled down.
"What is your name?"
The girl let her tears fall and violently shook her head. In doing so, she drew attention to the silver chain on her neck.
On the chain was a silver ring- two snakes entwined, their ruby and emerald eyes glittering in the night. Even without touching it, Draco could feel its texture within his hand. The remnant of a gift and a curse - given when he still thought that love would endure the tests of fate.
~~~***~~~
He rushed through the dark halls, trying desperately to rein in his fear. Since the day he followed her into the land between life and death, it was as if they shared the same soul. He could sense her fear, he could sense her pain. He would know even before he could see her tears fall that she was crying. Likewise, she could sense his restlessness, his ambition, and his dilemma. She could sense the evil that was calling to him; she could feel him slowly reach for power.
And now, he could sense the shadows closing in around her. For days he had known that she was slipping closer and closer to the edge, and he had done nothing. What could he do? Unlike the last time that the shadows called to her, he was the center of her pain. He was the pressure that was overwhelming her, the warmth that was deserting her, and the fear that was tearing her apart. And now, if he did not find her, she would once again be drawn into the abyss of pain and blood.
He slammed through the doors of the astronomy tower, and there he found her staring, knife in hand, gazing into the black night that held neither star nor moon.
"Hermione, I . .."
She turned towards him, her eyes drenched with tears as they were once, a year ago. Slowly, he reached for her, and took the knife out of her hands.
"I was so close, Draco. I almost .. . . . if you came a moment later . . . . . . if you . ."
Her voice broke, and with a stifled curse, he drew her into his arms, willing that his strength would pour into her, stopping her will from breaking.
"It's alright. I'm here now. I'll always be here for you. You've fought it for so long, I won't let you break again. I promise."
His voice was soothing, but even then, he could sense her doubt. She knew far too much; too much for her to believe that he would always be there for her.
"Did . . . . did you do it?" She asked.
He felt his heart freeze. She knew!
She looked up at him, her heart in her eyes.
"Why?"
He shook his head. There were some things that were better left unsaid.
"You ask questions you do not want to hear the answer to." He smoothed her hair with his hand.
"All you need to know is that I love you. Isn't that enough?"
He could sense her shattering, a light torn apart one breath at a time.
"I could forgive anything, Draco." She said softly.
"But what you do, what you feel, what you choose, it tears me apart."
Her eyes grew haunted and he could feel warmth leave her.
"Tell me you didn't kill them! Tell me, and I'll believe you." She pleaded.
He shook his head. Her tears were pouring freely now, silver drops desperately filling the void of night.
"I don't have your strength Draco. Your quest for power will destroy me. You're forcing me to choose between you and what I know is right! Do you know how many times I've been tempted to tell Harry and Ron what you did, what you're going to do?" She accused.
"Did you?!" His grip tightened, his eyes shone with malice.
"There! Can't you feel it? Just a mention of crossing you stirs your hatred! There's an emptiness in you, an unquenchable hunger. It's like you're walking into a void, and you're dragging me through it as well!"
"Did you tell them?!" He ground out.
"No. I didn't! Are you happy? And that's what's killing me! That's what's eating me up inside, making me want to do anything, do hear me, anything, so that I won't have to face it day and night."
Her words were tumbling out of her, laced with fury and despair. Yet she clung to him, leaning on him for support.
"I love you Draco, and that love is killing me!" She whispered.
"I won't let it!" He snapped.
She looked up at him.
"Soon, I'll have to choose sides. And Draco, it won't be with you. It can never be with you."
He cupped her face in his hands and stared into her eyes.
"It will."
With those words he pulled a ring off his finger and slipped it onto hers. The entwined snakes gleamed in the night, the Malfoy signet.
"Legamo."
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she heard the curse. Swiftly she tried to pull the ring off, but it was too late. The emerald and ruby shone with a light of its own. The two streams of light entwined and reached to circle his finger.
Hermione looked up at him in horror, her eyes accusing, questioning, and begging.
"Draco, no. Don't do this."
He shook his head. His decision had been made long before this day.
His eyes clouded, and as if in a trance, he murmured.
"For as long as your love for me outweighs all, we will be forever bound. My strength will be your strength. My Will will be your will. My heart will be your heart."
His words rung through the still air, and then, slowly, his eyes cleared.
"Now, you can never betray me." He said, his voice fire and ice all in one.
Hermione's voice rang with heartbreak as she moved into his embrace.
"But you have already betrayed me!!"
~~~***~~~
Now Draco understood why his control over her had broken the day she saw him accept the Dark Lord. Now he understood why she was able to warn her friends from danger once she had regained consciousness. It was not that she had no longer loved him. She simply had loved their unborn daughter more. In that love, she had broken the spell; she had set herself free.
As he gazed at his daughter, still staring morosely into the fire, ignoring him and his pain, Draco felt his chest tighten for the first time in many years. She had kept this ring; she had kept their daughter. No matter the paths they had taken, the betrayal, heartbreak, and despair he had caused her, she had cherished what he had given her. They were still, and forever will be, bound!
____________________________________________________________________________ ____
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
A/N: In case you didn't know, you can ask me to email you when I update. All you have to do is tell me in your review and WRITE OUT your email in the review, whether you're signed in or not. Then whenever I update, I'll write you an email.