Hellbound

by Perpetual Thoughts and Meaning

Set after the books. After Draco receives his mark, he's captured by the good guys. All he wants to do is kill them, but now that he's a prisoner, he has to form a plan, and how he's horrible at planning...

3. Chapter 2

Began writing this the 10th of January in 2005

Eh… I thought that I had better post this edit before people ruin their eyes and get confused by reading two versions of the chapter, which were both the 'edited' versions. Wordpad bites my arse.

HELLBOUND;

File is also known as 'the beginning of the end of the war.'

-chronicle currently fragmenting-

Segment forming… Sequence Chapter 2.5 commencing…-

I saw it,

I saw it,

I tell ya no lies!- Fairies Wear Boots by Black Sabbath

Simple Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters unless I say so... I own Marth Hiatt and Draco's Uncle Nigel so far, but that won't be all when I'm finished with this stupid fic... Marth Hiatt is a fictional character and any resemblance to other psychic demons in any original story, Anime/Manga, etc, is purely coincidence. And remember kids, take anger management, and if you see someone's arm glow green, it's a safe assumption that you need to go to the nearest crazy farm. No demons or fate mark bearers were harmed in the making of this fic. Draco still wants his dagger, by the way...

For those who are confused:

-Inside this are Marth's thoughts… Don't worry, you'll find out about him soon…-

This is Draco or Hermione's thoughts, depending on the POV at the moment.

(if there is a number in parentheses after a sentence, then I'll be talking about it to clear up the confusion at the end of the chapter.)

Chapter 2.5: Stupid Mudblood/Death Eater…

We resume with Draco's POV

11:34 AM

The same day

You take a mortal man,
and put him in control.
Watch him become a god.
Watch peoples heads a'roll.
A'roll...- Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth

It's times like now that I loathe the DA. It's obvious what Granger's plan is. She wants me to go on her side. Permanently. I don't know what she's thinking, but I'm a true Death Eater, mark or not.

I never really respected my father for bowing down to someone who had ½ Muggle blood in their veins, but somehow, Voldemort was more evil that way. I didn't really like him, but I went along with the fun killing in the missions… Damn, I wish I was back at home, planning an attack on the DA… (1)

I've learnt much within the past hour. In fact, I'm two pages away from finishing the book. Nice, eh? It hasn't helped my plan at all. This alchemy issue is very disturbing. Who is the other? I'm sure that they're not in the DA, so how would I even find them? (2)

"Malfoy." Her bored tone caught my attention.

She had great timing, or she had been watching me. Either way, I was now finished. She creeps me out with how smart and scrutinising she is at times. I don't like to be watched, but due to my current position, I could do nothing.

"Yeah, Granger?" I drawled with an arch of my eyebrows.

She smiled innocently down at me. "Breakfast is now," she said.

My stomach roared. "Do you time these things?"

She simply shrugged. "I'm good at that kind of thing," she said, a smile forming on her light features.

"Well," I said, climbing up to my feet, "you should have built a career on that."

I stretched out my arms, yawning lightly. I felt the book being wrenched out of my fingers and I opened my eyes to see Granger clutching it to her chest, rubbing her face against it. Yeah, that was the old Granger, all right…

"Nah," she replied with a shrug. "It's much more fun tormenting you. Now, come on. Let's go before the others start worrying."

I scowled. "Prisoners eat in their own cells."

Granger shook her head, her frizzy curls flying with the action. "No. Every prisoner here eats with their jailers."

I walked over to her and leaned down until I could stare into her dark eyes, placing my hands on her shoulders and scowling down at her. "Are your lot insane?"

She smiled up at me. "No," she said sweetly. "It's just you. Now, come on. It'll be cold if we don't hurry!"

"You know that I hate you, right?" I grumbled as I released her, mentally reminding myself to wash off my hands. (3)

She raised her dark eyebrows at me. "I'm leaving now," she said in an annoyed tone.

"Okay, sensei," I muttered.

I was tuning her out as I studied everything around me. I needed to remember every inch and detail to get out of here successfully later. I almost had to run to catch up with her after surveying every inch of the cold hallway.

"Were you making your plan to escape?" she asked me with a chilling tone.

Scene again in Hermione's POV

Changes in you,
changes in me.- Burning Bridges by Arch Enemy

I've been watching Malfoy for over an hour. It's not very entertaining, but it's my job to examine his every move when he's awake. I could just quit, since being an Auror is volunteer and all, but some part of me just craves the adrenaline and action. It's one of the things that drive me to wake up every morning with a bright smile and books cradled to my chest. (4)

I raked a thin hand through my matted hair before standing, trying to now free that hand from my bushy mane. I winced as I ripped out a huge knot from my twisted hair. I walked leisurely over to Malfoy and gazed down at him for a few moments, watching how his emotions changed from curiosity to scepticism.

"Malfoy," I stated.

He glanced up at me, daggers falling into his eyes from his platinum bangs. I almost smiled at his appearance and how he almost seemed unguarded, like I could touch him without him saying anything. I don't know why, but I wanted to push away the platinum hair from his glassy silver eyes and try and read his expressions. I've never been able to read him completely, only back in the forest, when he was fainted in front of me.

He arched his pale eyebrows and asked emotionlessly, "Yeah, Granger?"

I smiled down at him. It was the closest emotion of happiness that I was able to show him now. I have to be cautious about everything, even how he looked at me.

"Breakfast is now," I replied.

His stomach then growled. "Do you time these things?"

I shrugged my shoulders in reply. "I'm good at that kind of thing," I replied casually.

"Well," he said in annoyance, rising to his feet and towering over me, "you should have built a career on that."

My book, my book! As Malfoy stretched out his arms while yawning, I ripped my precious from his gritty fingers and clutched it to my chest. (5)

"Nah," I shrugged it off. "It's much more fun tormenting you. Now, come on. Let's go before the others start worrying."

He scowled, his silver eyes calculating. "Prisoners eat in their own cells."

I shook my head. "No. Every prisoner here eats with their jailers."

I had just set the book atop my bookshelf right next to the barred door when I felt two cold hands on my shoulders. I swallowed as he scowled down at me. "Are your lot insane?"

I masked my surprise by smiling up at him. "No," I said, then added as I saw scorn in his silver eyes, "It's just you. Now, come on. It'll be cold if we don't hurry!"

"You know that I hate you, right?" he grumbled as he released me.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "I'm leaving now," I said.

I thought I heard him say something, but I shrugged it off. It probably wasn't anything but an insult to me, anyway. I watched him over my shoulder as he examined the hallway. I switched my gaze to the door ahead of me when he sprinted next to me in an attempt to catch up.

"Were you making your plan to escape?" I asked him, obviously taking him by surprise, because he hesitated in his step, his mouth twitching.

Resumed in Draco's POV

Anger came from frustration.
I can't back down from aggression.- Blood for Blood by Machine Head

So, the Mudblood thinks that she can read me, eh? Well, I'll just have to prove her wrong.

"No, I just really like this place. Really," I replied in a brash tone, "I love it."

"Well," she continued as if my comment hadn't been said, "I wish you the best of luck. None of our prisoners have escaped. In fact, they like it here. Just watch their expressions."

I gazed over her shoulder as she slowly opened the rusty, barred door. Indeed, the prisoners were slurping down whatever was in their bowels, and some were talking with their guards. I could find no malicious face in the room, only mine.

I shoved my hands into my pants pockets and followed behind Granger, a sour expression upon my face. I didn't meet the questioning eyes of the other prisoners; instead I was silent and gazed in front of me. I sat reluctantly beside Granger after she found her seat, and stared at my reflection in the soup. Damn, I looked horrible! (6)

My platinum hair was falling over my silver orbs in twisted clumps. My eyes were a deep red from all my stress, and bags were weighing them down. The two scars under my left eye looked even worse, they looked infected. And what I could see of my robes, they were even more ripped than I had thought.

I sighed and picked up a spoon next to the bowel. I scooped up a small portion of the soup and was about to stick it into my mouth when Granger's voice brought me out of my sudden depression.

"Prisoners eat with their hands. They don't contaminate their jailers spoons, sporks, or forks," she snapped.

I glanced up at her and found her mouthing something to the jailer behind me. I grinded my teeth tightly and propelled the spoon deep into her mouth. I grinned as she nearly swallowed the spoon and glanced over at the other prisoners to see what their reactions would be. About 1/3 of the prisoners were holding back laughter and 2/3s had almost choked on their soup.

"What!" I grumbled as I felt Granger's angry eyes upon me.

"Sit in the desk in the bottom right corner, be silent, and eat your soup!" she shouted, her cheeks burning in anguish.

I scowled darkly. How would I be able to get used to obeying a Mudblood? Damn…

Scene again in Hermione's POV

A violent new disorder,
feeding off mistrust.
Forgot what we were fighting for.
A worthless aim,
a victory stinking of despair.- Dead Eyes See no Future by Arch Enemy

A small part of me loved to have the upper hand. I don't know why, but I liked surprising people with my observational skills. It isn't very nice of me, but I liked proving people wrong, especially the evil. (7)

"No, I just really like this place. Really," he replied sarcastically, "I love it."

"Well," I added almost cheerfully, "I wish you the best of luck. None of our prisoners have escaped. In fact, they like it here. Just watch their expressions."

I slowly opened the rusty barred door. I nodded at my fellow jailers and the prisoners sent me no mean looks. I wandered over to my seat next to Ginny, which conveniently had another empty seat to my right. I could feel the hate coming from Malfoy's silence, but I took the time to see how I looked like for the day. I had almost been too busy trying to wake up Malfoy that if I hadn't taken my shower before then, that I would have not been able to take a shower at all. I had been in such a rush that I used Ginny's shampoo, which smelt like strawberries, not the lavender scented one that I used almost every time I showered. My only thoughts had been: who in the world would care about how I smelt, anyhow?

I looked a little worse for wear, but not as bad as Malfoy. My hair was frizzier than usual, a blackish brown with clumps knotted together. My eyes were their normal dark brown, with only slight bags weighing them down, and a pimple was forming on my nose. Oh well, no one ever looked at me like I was special but Ron, and I was planning on breaking up with him soon anyway. He gets too jealous at times.

-Konnichiwa, Granger-chan. How has your morning been?- one of the telepathic prisoners, Marth Hiatt, decided to ask me.

Like crap. Malfoy has enough sense to be your little brother. (8)

-Ah, that's too bad... Did you get enough sleep?-

Hiatt, just bugger off.

-Your wish is my command, sensei-

I heard Malfoy sigh and I glanced over at him in time to see him pick up my spoon. I let him dunk it into the soup, but I interrupted him before he could dirty my spoon with his germs. "Prisoners eat with their hands. They don't contaminate their jailer's spoons, sporks, or forks."

I mouthed the code of silence to one of our newest aurors. I was about to respond to her confused expression when Malfoy plunged the spoon deep into my mouth. My heart pounded and I almost swallowed the spoon before I spat it out, my breaths shallow and laboured. (9)

-Now that wasn't very nice…-

Yeah, you're telling me!

"What!" I glared at him as he stared at the prisoners.

"Sit in the desk in the bottom right corner, be silent, and eat your soup!" I shouted, feeling my cheeks burn.

Resumed in Draco's POV

It's all about the blood,

the sweat,

the tears,

a tribute to the strength built through the years.- The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears by Machine Head

I scooped my bowel into my hands, pushed my chair back (which resulted in soup being splashed into my eyes and my lap), trailed to the damning desk, and then plopped down noisily into it. My scars were burning and it was hard to maintain my mask. In a few moments, I was gazing indifferently at my horrible reflection in the grease-coloured soup.

-I know how you feel- a deep voice invaded my thoughts.

I glanced up from my bowel, half-expecting that it was one of the DA behind me. No one was looking at me. No one was behind me. Damn, I'm losing it…

Just calm down, wait it out… I told myself silently.

-Do you want to be weak? You're a Death Eater, so act like one- the unknown voice from before stated acidly.

Damnit, stop! I almost voiced my thoughts. The hand that was clutching my spoon was shaking.

The once harsh voice was low as it sighed. -Look, you're not insane… I'm talking to you telepathically… Glance over the other side of this room, I'm the raven-haired guy… I'm holding my head in both of my hands with my eyes closed, and I'm in all black…-

I groaned through my teeth and averted my gaze from the soup for what seemed the sixth time to the other side of the room, directly behind me to the corner.

DAMN!

-Never you mind… The right side of this room… Your right, you twit.-

I gazed over to my right and finally spotted him. I was weighed down with relief. I wasn't insane after all…

-Spotted me-

Yeah, I replied. Remind me how I'm talking to you again?

-Telepathically…- He sounded bored.

I know, but how?

-You're apart of the new troupe, aren't you- He now was using a slightly annoyed tone.

Actually, it's going to be difficult to tell a stranger anything…

-Marth Hiatt. I was a DE for six years, but I was caught a month ago by those bitches. I was on the defence troupe and that's merely one reason why you don't recognise me. I do however know you.-

"Damn," I cursed to myself.

"Malfoy!" Granger growled at me from her seat. "No talking means silence!"

Damnit, I hate her…

-Yeah- Marth's voice was dark now. -I've hated her since I first saw her eleven years ago. I was doing some work for our Lord and I was disguised as a student. In fact, I had killed the student, but kept her hair and her corpse in my trunk. I used her constantly to make a Polyjuice potion so I wouldn't blow my cover.-

Hmm, I think I remember you… Were you the exchange student with the German accent?

-Mon ami… You are incorrect.-

I nearly slapped myself. Of course! Now I know you! You were the exchange student that switched with Blaise Zabini. By the way, where really was Zabini?

-Meeting our Lord- he drawled apathetically.

You don't like Zabini, do you?

Marth propped his head with his left hand, and then I noticed his crimson orbs. -No, I think he's too arrogant. He overestimates his ability.-

Hmm… I glanced over at him, scowling to myself. What made you think that?

-It's not like I hate him… He has brains and all, but he sometimes rushes into things without thinking. Such can cause some… unfortunate accidents… My eyes for example… Back onto the subject of Zabini…- He sighed aloud this time and I blanched at his pointy canines. -In my last mission with him, he narrowly avoided being killed. I slipped a portkey into his pocket earlier and when he reached in for his wand, he was back in the safety of our Lord's castle… It's too bad that it was the only portkey, but I hadn't been thinking at the time, either.-

Oh, I muttered. So, do you think that we'll be able to talk any time besides lunch?

-Breakfast, you mean. Lunch is at 5:56... And yes, there are other times. If both of us behave in a good manner, we can visit another's cells, but we'd be under the supervision of both our jailers.-

Damn… I want to learn some inside information… I furrowed my eyebrows, but Marth shook his head at me.

-Telepathy, kid.-

We shared a secret grin before Granger ended our conversation.

"Come on, Malfoy," I heard her from behind me.

I sighed heavily and stood from the desk. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marth talking with a familiar-looking short redheaded girl, a serious expression on his face. I turned to Granger and saw her watching me curiously.

"What? Why is everyone always staring at me? Volde', I know that I look hideous, but you don't have to do those faces in front of me!" I grumbled with my arms crossed over my chest.

Granger raised her eyebrows. "Were you and Hiatt becoming friends, or was that just my lack of sleep tricking me?"

I just about cracked a smile. "So? What about it? I'm allowed to have friends, aren't I?"

She shrugged. "It's just that... Hiatt is almost exactly like you, in a sense. I thought that you two would become friends, but not as soon as you set your eyes on another!" she grinned. "It's that these things make me think, that's all."

"You have a lot of time on your hands, don't you?" I scowled at her. How dare she try and calculate what I do!

She smiled. "The girl he's talking to is Ginny Weasley. They're becoming pretty close."

I controlled my jaw muscles and forced them not to give away. "You're telling me this, because…?"

"I'm trying to help you become used to talking with me," she said in a sour voice. "I'm not saying that you can't have friends. I also just wanted to tell you that before you vomited your guts out if you saw them, you know…"

"Snogging?" I raised an eyebrow at her red cheeks.

She pointed a skinny finger to my right. I followed her finger and felt my cheeks redden, too. Marth was embracing the redhead, practically crushing her in a kiss.

"So, yeah… Want to reconsider thanking me? I'm guessing that you would have been petrified to see that without the proper knowledge…" She began, but I raised a hand to stop her.

"Never," I drawled. "I will never thank you. Don't hold your breath, either."

She glanced down and I caught her gazing at my cloak. I hardened my expression when she glanced back up at me.

"Nice place to have a soup stain," she grinned mockingly at me and I grinded my teeth tightly.

"Take me to my damn cell," I spat.

She shook her head. "Thank me first."

I practically cut my teeth by how hard I was grinding them together. "No."

-Twerp… What in the hell are you doing-

Not now, Marth!

-Listen… You're opportunity is right there. I was going through your thoughts and found alpha, right? Well, this can jump-start your plan-

How exactly am I supposed to do jump start alpha with a simple 'thank you'?

-Heh… It doesn't have to exactly be a thank you, does it? It could be more.-

Like you and the Weasley chick?

-Don't call her that! But yes, that's a good example…-

Damn, I don't-

-Do you want out of this dump-

I suppose…

-Then do it-

"Thank me now," she steadily commanded.

I can't do this… I forced myself to gaze into her brown ice-chipped orbs, my stomach churning. I couldn't understand what was happening to me. I furrowed my eyebrows, scowling down at her flushed cheeks.

She gazed up at me, a worried expression replacing her angry one before. "It wouldn't be that hard, Malfoy. It's just a simple 'thank you.' See? I said it, so you can, too."

Scene again in Hermione's POV

Enter the arena and hit the lights.
Step up now you're in for a ride.
This is war,

ain't no fun and games.- Crush 'Em by Megadeth

"That just wasn't right," Ginny said, her gaze down at her soup.

"I know. That's almost exactly what your boyfriend said," I replied casually. Ginny glanced over at me in fatigue.

"I know that you don't like Marth," she began, "but I do. I might even love him. You should try and look for someone you like, Hermione."

I scowled over at her. "It's that easy to tell?"

She nodded. "Even easier to tell that I'm smitten with Marth." She sighed dreamily then, staring into space.

"You know, if he was in here, I would move my schedule to the nearest breakfast time," I confessed. "I just really don't like Ron like I did before. It's like the phrase. Crap happens."

"Shit happens," Ginny corrected me with a grin. "If you would like, I could break you two up. However, you have to promise me that you'll support my decisions, no matter how ludicrous they are. Deal?"

I glanced down at her outstretched hand. "I guess," I replied, accepting her hand with a similar grin.

"Hey, looks like your prisoner is talking to himself," one of our new recruits, Miranda Shirr stated.

I sighed and glanced over my shoulder at Malfoy. "Probably making friends with your boyfriend," I muttered to Ginny.

Ginny blushed. "Well, you have to scold him now."

"Malfoy!" I stated more heatedly than I meant. "No talking means silence!"

"Nice job," Ginny muttered.

I stared down at my grease-coloured soup. "About as nice as the crap we get served. We should hire some better cooks."

"House elves would be helpful," Ginny began, but cut herself off when she saw my angry look.

"May I remind you that I am still the Granger that attended Hogwarts?" I growled, my teeth grinded tightly.

Ginny pursed her lips into a scowl, and then twisted a scarlet lock in deep thought. "Well, we'll have to go soon, if you haven't forgotten. Ron's lunch is right after our breakfast."

"Crap," I muttered. "I almost forgot about them."

Ginny was now gazing ahead of me. I rolled my eyes and stood from my seat and glanced over at Hiatt. Should have known. I walked over to Malfoy's desk and scowled to myself when he made no acknowledgment of my presence. "Come on, Malfoy," I said in my most bored tone.

He sighed heavily and climbed to his feet, towering over me again. I watched as his silver eyes remained blank and followed his gaze to Ginny and Hiatt before watching him again. After a moment he met my gaze and scowled darkly.

"What? Why is everyone always staring at me? Volde', I know that I look hideous, but you don't have to do those faces in front of me!" He stated defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.

-Rather self-protective, isn't he?-

I'm so enthusiastic that you agree with me... Aren't you supposed to be talking to Ginny?

-Yes, I was, but she's talking to me at the moment…-

Then why don't you listen to her instead of talking to me?

I raised my dark eyebrows at his sudden emotion. "Were you and Hiatt becoming friends, or was that just my lack of sleep tricking me?" I decided to change the subject for my sanity, not his, since I suppose he lost his when Harry first beat him in Quidditch our second year.

I caught humour in his eyes before it quickly vanished. "So? What about it? I'm allowed to have friends, aren't I?"

I simply shrugged. "It's just that... Hiatt is almost exactly like you, in a sense. I thought that you two would become friends, but not as soon as you set your eyes on another!" I let myself grin at him. "It's that these things make me think, that's all."

-About how ironic... Life can be?-

Exactly, Hiatt-san. Now could you leave me alone for a moment? Go and snog Ginny.

-...Gladly.-

"You have a lot of time on your hands, don't you?" his tone was agitated. I could almost read his mind. He probably didn't like people try and guessing his moves.

I then remembered that he had been staring at Ginny and Hiatt. I smiled up at him. "The girl he's talking to is Ginny Weasley. They're becoming pretty close."

"You're telling me this, because...?" It wasn't even a question; it was more like a sarcastic statement.

"I'm trying to help you become used to talking with me," I replied in an equally sarcastic tone. "I'm not saying that you can't have friends. I also just wanted to tell you that before you vomited your guts out if you saw them, you know..."

I had been glancing over at Ginny and Hiatt for some time, and Malfoy probably hadn't noticed, because he was lost in his own little world. My cheeks were flaming hot.

"Snogging?"

I pointed my right index finger over at them. I watched his cheeks redden as well. The two were still kissing, I suppose.

"So, yeah... Want to reconsider thanking me? I'm guessing that you would have been petrified to see that without the proper knowledge..." I began, but Malfoy raised his left hand to cut me off. I scowled at him.

"Never," he acidly stated. "I will never thank you. Don't hold your breath, either."

I glanced down at the soup spilled on his cloak and pants. I glanced back up at him and saw his expression not fatigued anymore but pissed off.

"Nice place to have a soup stain," I stated with a mocking grin.

"Take me to my goddamn cell," he spat at me. I rubbed my left cheek with the sleeve of my shirt to wipe away the spit.

I shook my head after placing down my left arm. "Thank me first," I persisted.

"No," he growled.

I watched for several moments as his face was changing in emotion, from angry to sarcastic to a blank mask. I crossed my arms over myself as I waited impatiently for him to recognise me. I scowled, and then finally gave up having patience.

"Thank me now," I commanded through grinded teeth.

-Look at his eyes. Don't they seem a bit... Peculiar?-

I bit my bottom lip and gazed up into Malfoy's silver orbs. They were filled with the rare emotion of hesitation. His light eyebrows were furrowed and I felt my cheeks burning. "It wouldn't be that hard, Malfoy. It's just a simple 'thank you.' See? I said it, so you can, too."

Resumed in Draco's POV

In black
cataracts,
wouldn't whitewash away
her filthy smoke stack.
She burnt me like a furnace,
for my future suicide.- Nymphetamine by Cradle of Filth

-Something Christmas-like above your head…-

Marth, if you're shitting me, you'll be dead!

-Nice little rhyme. Did you notice that Granger is blushing-

Tch!

Damn it, Granger was blushing! I let some of my curiosity leak through my mask. She obviously caught it, because she was now gazing away from me.

Can't I make the 'thank you' simple?

-No, and besides, the mistletoe could be your excuse later.-

I was so agitated that I voiced my thoughts aloud. "I... damn it!"

'Damn it' must be my curse-word for the day...

One day in my sixth year, I lost my temper after the longest and most annoying Transfiguration class of my life. We were having a quiz on parchment and apparently, one of the Gryfucks forgot to study and wanted to take advantage of my brains (yes, I, the blond, possess intelligence), and copied my entire paper.

Being the bitchy Slytherin-hating Gryfuck housemaster she was, the professor instantly gave me a detention and a failing grade for it. Even though it didn't look like I possessed brains, I care about my grades. I had earned my way into my Prefect status and I wasn't about to let a Gryfuck steal my talent!

Afterwards, in the Great Hall, Blaise Zabini and I had an interesting conversation, which jump-started our friendship. We both agreed on having a curse for the day, and that we would only use that one curse for the day, and that we would only use that one if we needed to curse. We usually had the same curse for the day, but that wouldn't be possible now.

-Just get on with snogging her! The quicker you do it, the better-

I am not snogging that overgrown buck-toothed beaver!

-Listen to me. You have to kiss her. It's tradition-

Screw tradition.

-Okay, fine, but Granger seems like she would do it for you. Don't you think you should make the first move-

First- ooh! You're talking about alpha.

-Do it for alpha, kid.-

I repeated those words in my mind as I leaned down, but Granger's blood red face and worried voice made me hesitate. Me, a Malfoy! Since when have I ever hesitated in front of a Mudblood? Damn it, all this mushy shit is annoying me... I'm used to fighting and blood, not holding someone without them mere corpses and me ripping out my dagger...

"What are you doing?"

I regained my courage and pressed a finger to her surprisingly warm and parted lips, then shook my platinum head. My heart was beating a bit abnormally, but not fast enough to cause me to think improperly. I inhaled deeply and found it a mistake, because I inhaled a different scent from yesterday- strawberry. Damn it, I loved strawberries.

"Shut up," I commanded in the coldest voice I could manage.

My mask had been reapplied again. Granger obviously didn't know how to hide her emotions, because I could read her face like a book. The stupid girl was a violent red and her dark eyes were glazed over, probably thinking about why I was being so... So damn foolish! The girl was probably about to faint, too!

"This isn't any way to thank me," Granger's calm voice was forced and I watched her lips tremble beneath my finger.

So, why was my heart suddenly racing? Granger is a normal-looking girl, she had no extraordinary features, and she was plainer than the wallpaper they used in the dungeon. Her hair is darker than it was in our 7th year, but it's natural for hair to grow darker as the person gets older in some cultures. Her hair was a curly mess, and seemed to frame her face, even though it reached her knees, with no calmness in sight. Her robes were similar to the ones we had in 7th year, only much more baggy, and without the badge or tie, and her underclothes were a normal Muggle shirt and jeans. She actually hadn't changed much from the last time I saw her.

My lips curled at the thought. "You wouldn't know a 'thank you' if someone spelt it out for you," I drawled without even masking my voice. I didn't have to, because Granger flinched at them without the extra drawl.

She instantly glared up at me, but I could see the pain in her eyes. "Don't forget, I have the power here, Malfoy." It was rather funny. Why was Granger's voice so damn squeaky? I almost laughed aloud.

-Heh. You have her in your hands... You just have to use the right words.-

Right words?

-Something menacing, something hateful.-

I let my mask darken. "We'll see about that, Mudblood," I growled.

-I wonder what the Mudblood will do now... This is your time kid.-

Granger froze as I placed my left hand under her chin and found yet again that her skin was warm. Everything so warm... I felt my right hand tremble and quickly wrapped it around her small waist hopefully before she could notice and instantly crushed her into my chest. Damn it, everything was burning...

She was blushing again, but I was concentrating on not letting my mask break as I leaned forward. -Do it- My heart- it was so loud that I could barely hear her shallow breaths as I turned my head slowly to my right.

Can't... Damn it...

-I'm busy talking with the Mudblood…-

...Fine, just... I'll do it.

I pressed my lips hesitantly to Granger's warm ones. My stomach flew and I became warm, so agonisingly warm as I felt my stomach explode with the heat. Granger was slow, but I watched her close her dark eyes through my slightly open ones, and the kiss became even. The warmness touched my head like an angel's caress to my black-socked feet as the kiss grew soft when Granger began to kiss me back and I felt her place her small hands on my shoulders and lean up to meet the kiss. It was just so damn warm...

All my life, I had been cold. Over a short time, I had grown used to this coldness and built this sort of barrier around myself. Surprisingly, who would be the one to melt it but the Mudblood? It's damn ironic...

I then broke the kiss. I felt my cheeks burning, but they paled as Granger raised a thin hand to my forehead. Just as I was beginning to grow cold again, my forehead grew warm at her touch. I flinched and wrenched my fingers around her wrist and ripped her hand away. It however didn't help me; the warmth continued to spread from my hand.

"Did I ask for you to touch me, Mudblood?" I growled, deliberately squeezing her wrist to prove my point.

Granger glared up at me. I felt her left hand slide from my shoulder and the coldness burdened me. She attempted to free her wrist, but I kept my grip tight and secure. "Let go of me, you prick!"

Damn it, why did I suddenly feel like a part of me died? She before has verbally abused me, so what's the difference now?

I shook my head, my eyes boring into her brown ones. I held her tightly to me with my right hand, wanting to at least try to remember the warmth when I was dead. Granger furrowed her dark eyebrows, her cheeks the pinkest so far.

She was annoying me with this little act of hers...

-Listen, I'll leave you two now, but after I confuse the hell out of Granger…-

All right?

I felt my insides blacken. "I'm not finished with you yet."

Silence seemed to fill the void inside of me. Everything now was blank, jagged and torn. It felt like the warmth had been frozen over into an icy glacier. I felt my left hand trembling and I pursed my lips into a firm scowl. Granger then decided to let the waterworks free, hot streaming tears and all.

Scene again in Hermione's POV

Bared on your tomb,
I'm a prayer for your loneliness.
And would you ever soon
come above unto me?
For once upon a time,
from the binds of your lowliness,
I could always find
the right slot for your sacred key.- Nymphetamine by Cradle of Filth

What was with Malfoy? He appeared as if he was fighting with himself. He was scaring me, with that odd expression in his silver eyes. I felt my cheeks heat and I gazed away from him.

"I... damn it!" I heard him curse.

-Hey, Granger…- Hiatt's teasing voice danced around my head.

I sighed inaudibly. What do you want now, Hiatt?

-Don't look now, but…- He sounded amused. -Above your head is... something very... startling.-

Let me guess... The word starts with a 'm' and ends with an 'e.'

-Heh. You're a sharp girl- he drawled mockingly.

Oh, crap... I thought distractedly.

My heart was thumping wildly and it felt like my chest was caving in. It took everything to breathe normally, my racing heart made my breath want to come in pants. My stomach was fluttering and I felt my cheeks heat even more.

"What are you doing?" I whispered as he leaned forward.

He pressed a cold finger to my parted lips and shook his head. "Shut up," he coolly commanded.

How was he able to be so apathetic and unaffected, when I'm almost about to faint from the tension? I wish that I could see into his soul and see if he was feigning his indifference and if he even kind of felt the same. I actually don't want to kiss him, since it would be my very first and I'm kind of saving it, especially since Malfoy and I don't have a very good past and all...

-What's wrong, Granger? You're practically a crimson red-

Why should I have to tell you anything?

-Touché, Granger- he drawled amusedly.

"This isn't any way to thank me," I stated in the calmest voice I could muster, which wasn't really extraordinary, because I was too flustered to pronounce a word longer than five letters.

I can't explain it... His appearance is awful, with his platinum bangs covering his silver orbs, his two scars bleeding... His robes were ripped in random places and he appeared severely dishevelled. The old Malfoy wouldn't have let even one speck of lint be on his robes or allow even a minor flaw with his image to continue. It was rather interesting to see him like this, so much out of character.

His thin lips curled into a sneer. "You wouldn't know a 'thank you' if someone spelt it out for you," his voice was dark and rather moody.

I glared up at him, but inside, something snapped at his words. "Don't forget, I have the power here, Malfoy," I stated acidly. Was my voice normally squeaky, or was that just my imagination?

Malfoy's orbs darkened. "We'll see about that, Mudblood," he growled.

-I wonder what the Mudblood will do now…-

My heart was racing, I couldn't even think straight. I was still as Malfoy's left hand slid under my chin and I noticed his shaking right hand before it slipped around my waist and crushed my small frame into his chest. I was crimson yet again, lost in his stormy eyes as he leaned forward, turning his head a bit to his right.

No, it can't happen like this!

-Heh, he would be your first, eh-

I didn't want your-

Malfoy cautiously pressed his cracked lips to mine, with a mixture of anguish and loathing that both had me rising and falling at the same time. (10) I was determined to not kiss him back, but I allowed myself to slowly close my eyes and let the overwhelming hatred consume my soul. However, that was when the kiss grew much softer and my stomach flew. I realised that I was kissing him back as I slowly leaned up on my tiptoes, my hands on his strong shoulders.

-Heh... You two are an awesome snog-team.-

Snog team! How dare you! It's the Christmas spirit thing, not him!

-Uh-huh... Sure…-

I cracked open my eyes as he broke the kiss after a long moment. His cheeks were slightly flushed and I didn't have time to stop myself from raising a thin hand to brush his platinum bangs from his silver eyes. I wasn't surprised when he flinched at my touch and ripped my hand away.

"Did I ask for you to touch me, Mudblood?" he spat, his left hand cutting off the circulation in my right.

I glared up at him. I slid my left hand from his shoulder blade to my side and tried to rip my wrist from his iron grip, but it didn't budge. "Let go of me, you prick!"

He shook his platinum head, his eyes now a dark, malicious colour. His right hand held me tightly to him and my heart was pounding. Why wouldn't he release me? I furrowed my eyebrows in worry, my cheeks very pink.

"I'm not finished with you yet," he whispered dangerously.

-How about I leave you two alone-

Aww, but you were helping me so much!

-It would appear weird to someone who came in and saw me just sitting down in a chair watching you two like some perverted freak.-

I listened to the dungeon door close softly, gazing away from Malfoy into space. His left hand was trembling around my right wrist. I felt my eyes grow wet and I blindly blinked away the hot tears. I would not let myself cry, especially in front of my enemy.

Resumed in Draco's POV

Great, now she was crying!

I could tell that she was trying to fight it, but the crystalline tears streamed like a torrent down her pale cheeks. A strange feeling was beginning to invade my stomach, one that I realised later was guilt. I scowled down at her as she continued to struggle.

"Bugger off," I heard her chafing tone, but didn't see her face.

I gazed over her shoulder where I had sat before at the old desk. My eyes wandered over my bowel, 3/4s empty, but none in my stomach. My spoon was lying uselessly on the floor by Granger's left foot. I really don't want to do anything for a Mudblood, but like yesterday, what else could I do? I released her wrist and quickly shoved both my hands into my cloak pockets.

"I didn't want to touch your filth, anyway," I disdainfully said.

Instead of the tears ceasing and her walking away, they flowed even greater, but her eyes were black, an icy black chipped with frosty anguish.

"You're the bastard who kissed me!" she shouted, her face close to mine.

I stared away from her and refused to meet her antagonising glare. "It's the damn mistletoe," was all I said.

It's not like I couldn't have come up with multiple retorts to chuck at her. Believe me, I had about twenty of them, which all would have been suitable retorts, but something about those tears of hers held me back. My voice nearly cracked and I wanted to walk out of the dungeon, but something told me: stand up for yourself, but also, you have to learn how to lie back a little.

"I hate the mistletoe," I heard her say in an almost hateful tone.

I glanced down at her and let my surprise leak through for a second then masked it quickly.

"I thought young girls often fanaticised about snogging their crush under the mistletoe," I drawled slyly.

She raised her dark eyebrows. "The second time I checked," she began angrily, "I was going out with Ron!"

I felt my heart blacken at her statement. "Well, then why are you in another man's arms?"

Her face heated. "I didn't want to be here, all right? You're the git that kissed me!"

I masked my anger with my usual apathetic face. "Even as a prisoner, I still follow tradition."

"You could have kissed my cheek, not steal my first kiss!" she screamed, her hands balled into tiny fists.

"Bullshit! I wasn't the one who placed the mistletoe directly above this desk!" I shouted back, my silver eyes narrowed.

"I didn't either," she replied quietly.

An idea hit me. I glanced around the dungeon and my hypothesis was proven accurate. "I don't see mistletoe anywhere but here..."

Granger furrowed her dark eyebrows. "Well," she began, "who would do such a thing?"

The golden Brain can't even tell? Christ, I was the one who was silent in class, and I could string situations together to form a motive, and she couldn't? She really hasn't slept any today.

"Someone who likes to be the puppet master..." I thought aloud. "We've been puppets for far too long. I think I know exactly who did this, too."

I wrapped my left hand around her left wrist and tried to drag her with me to the barred door, but she wouldn't let me. "Hold on," she said as she struggled to wrench her wrist from my fingers. "The person would have to have access outside to get the mistletoe, or snagged one of the keys to our Christmas supply closets."

A simple problem strings with a simple solution.

"Unless he persuaded some ugly redhead for one," I concluded.

Granger's brown eyes widened. "Do you think it was Hiatt? I don't really think that she would have let-"

"She let Tom Riddle get her easily," I interrupted her with a smirk.

She scowled darkly at me. "Look, I know Ginny, and she wouldn't let anyone do that unless she loved him with her entire soul!"

"Whatever," I grumbled and released her wrist, "I'll do it myself if you're too persistent."

I started for the barred door, and almost made it if not for Granger sidestepping in my way.

"You're not going without my supervision or permission," she acidly stated, her dark eyes narrowed.

Stupid Mudblood... I thought angrily.

"Get out of my damn way," I growled venomously.

Scene again in Hermione's POV

"Bugger off," I acidly said.

He released my wrist after a moment and I popped my wrist a couple of times to get back the feeling and grinded my teeth tightly together.

"I didn't want to touch your filth, anyway," he spat maliciously.

I knew it! He's a bloody git! I hate him; I loathe his entire soul, every bit and fibre of his being! I felt my tears quicken and I this time didn't attempt to hide my hurtful expression. I'll make him hate himself by making him faint by my horrible breath.

"You're the git who kissed me!" I shouted, deliberately placing my face close to his.

He gazed away from me almost in an embarrassed way. "It's the damn mistletoe."

I nearly choked. Malfoy was backing down for me? What the bloody hell? Maybe chivalry doesn't die with the arrogant and rich...

"I hate mistletoe," I muttered after a moment.

Malfoy glanced down at me and I glimpsed the rare emotion of surprise flicker in his silver eyes before it disappeared.

"I thought young girls often fanaticised about snogging their crush under the mistletoe," he drawled slyly.

I raised my eyebrows. "The second time I checked," I began heatedly, "I was going out with Ron!"

Malfoy's expression instantly darkened. "Well, then why are you in another man's arms?"

My face heated. "I didn't want to be here, all right? You're the git that kissed me!"

I glanced up into his silver eyes and my stomach twisted at his apathetic expression.

"Even as a prisoner, I still follow tradition," he stated in an eerily calm voice.

"You could have kissed my cheek, not steal my first kiss!" I screamed, my hands balled into fists.

"Bullshit! I wasn't the one who placed the mistletoe directly above this desk!" he shouted back, his dark eyes narrowed.

Why would he have been?

"I didn't either," I replied.

He suddenly glanced around the dungeon. "I don't see mistletoe anywhere but here," I heard him grumble.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Well," I began, "who would do such a thing?"

"Someone who likes to be the puppet master..." Malfoy muttered. "We've been puppets for far too long. I think I know exactly who did this, too."

"Hold on," I said as he tried to pull me with him to the door. "The person would have to have access outside to get the mistletoe, or snagged one of the keys to our Christmas supply closets."

"Unless he persuaded some ugly redhead for one," Malfoy suggested.

I felt my eyes widen. "Do you think it was Hiatt? I don't really think that she would have let-"

"She let Tom Riddle get her easily," he stated with a smirk.

Hmm, that was true.

"Look, I know Ginny, and she wouldn't let anyone do that unless she loved him with her entire soul!"

"Whatever," he grumbled and released my wrist. "I'll do it myself if you're too persistent."

He started for the door, his long legs making it hard for me to catch up with him. I sidestepped in front of him just as he was reaching for the doorknob. "You're not going without my supervision or permission," I stated with grinded teeth.

Stupid Death Eater…

"Get out of my damn way," he growled.

Resumed in Draco's POV

"How can we really be sure that Hiatt really set us up? He's probably too caught up with Ginny to even want to mess with us! It could be someone totally different trying to make us think Hiatt planned this..."

I shook my head to cut her off. "He's probably so bored he wanted to trick the nearest people. I think we should tell him that he needs to find some new puppets, because we've cut our strings. At least, one of us has," I icily stated. "Unless you want to continue being controlled, I suggest that you follow me."

"You don't even know where his cell is, and besides, you haven't been on your best behaviour," she reminded me in her usual know-it-all tone.

I sighed and leaned back, raking my hands through my thick tangled hair. I glared at her between the narrow slits of my fingers, my mouth twisted into a malicious scowl. "Damn it, you won't make this easy for me, will you? Tell me why it wouldn't be him, then! He's been talking with us in our minds since we arrived in this dungeon, hasn't he?"

Granger's brown eyes widened. "Are you sure that blond is your natural hair colour?"

I scowled humourlessly down at her. "Granger, you're avoiding the question."

She shrugged her small shoulders in reply. "I suppose he has. I didn't know that he was talking with you, though," her voice was a bit miffed, but her face revealed that she wasn't lying.

Ah, now we're getting somewhere!

"And was there anyone else trying to sway our choices of action?" I kept my voice calm, like an interrogator would be to his suspect.

She shook her head silently. I watched the mixed emotions on her face as she stepped out of my way. I detangled my hands from my hair and watched her questioningly.

"Okay, I'll take you to his cell... But I'm going to have Ginny on my butt after..." She muttered disagreeably, not yet knowing that she actually was predicting the future outcome of this tiny quest of ours.

"Good," I replied sarcastically. "Mudbloods first."

I nodded at her, smirking my neutral smirk. She rolled her brown eyes at me and faced the door. I followed behind her closely once we were in the narrow hallway, which happened to be near her enough for her to feel my breath down her neck. I could guess this simply because she glanced over her shoulder at me and I raised my eyebrows curiously.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd not be directly behind me. If you wanted to be close, you could just walk beside me. I don't bite unless provoked," she stated between grinded teeth.

I felt my face flush. "I didn't know that I indicated such a thing," I drawled. "I merely thought, since it was your job to watch me, that I could at least stay behind you. But if you wanted for me to so much to be next to you, you're wasting your time, because I loathe your guts."

She rolled her dark eyes and sighed angrily. This seemed to be how she reacted lately when she was annoyed. "God, not this again... Now we're back to arguing like little children!"

I scowled darkly. "Whatever," I muttered. "Let's just talk to Marth, then I can feel better when I get the hell out of here."

I watched her push open the large, steel door. She placed her thin hands on her hips, and then I glanced over at Weasley and Marth. Granger cleared her throat and Weasley glanced up at us. Marth ignored our presence entirely, focused on another task at hand: drawing.

"We need to talk with Marth," I coldly stated. I felt Granger's weary gaze on my and ignored it.

Marth sighed emotionlessly and sat down the roll of parchment he had been sketching on and his quill. He stood with slight difficulty and wandered over to us, his crimson eyes blank.

"Konnichiwa, mina-san," he drawled in fluent Japanese, his lips set in a firm, straight line.

"Hiatt, we have to talk to you about what happened in the dungeon," Granger stated, standing to my left. "Alone," she added.

Marth raised his black eyebrows at us. His lips then curled into a half smirk. "I see," he drawled in a monotone, then faced Weasley. "Sayonara, Ginny-chan."

Weasley eyed Granger and me suspiciously and scowled darkly. "What do you guys want with Marth?"

"Never you mind. It's not any of your concern," I snapped quickly.

Weasley huffed, her ears tinged pink. "Marth! Do something!"

Yeah, like nothing...

Marth sighed almost sadly, "Goman, Ginny-chan. Goman nasai. I have a nudge inside telling me that it's quite a glowing problem."

If only he knew how ironic those words would be in the future...

She muttered something stupid and I didn't bother wasting my time in the room and followed Granger with Marth behind me back to my dungeon. I stood in front of the barred door, watching Granger flop down on her bed and Marth sit down soundlessly on the silver couch I had slept on the night before. I crossed my arms over myself and leaned against the barred door, my head bent down with my chin brushing against my chest, my eyes closed.

Scene again in Hermione's POV

"How can we really be sure that Hiatt really set us up? He's probably too caught up with Ginny to even want to mess with us! It could be someone totally different trying to make us think Hiatt planned this," I tried to reason with him, but he shook his platinum head.

"He's probably so bored he wanted to trick the nearest people. I think we should tell him that he needs to find some new puppets, because we've cut the strings. At least one of us has," he stated venomously. "Unless you want to continue being controlled, I suggest that you follow me."

"You don't even know where his cell is, and besides, you haven't been on your best behaviour," I reminded him with a smug expression upon my face.

He sighed and leaned back, raking a pale hand through his thick platinum hair. He glared at me between the slits of his fingers, his mouth twisted in a scornful way. "Damn it, you won't make this easy for me, will you? Tell me why it wouldn't be him, then! He's been talking with us in our minds since we arrived in this dungeon, hasn't he?"

I felt my eyes widen. "Are you sure that blond is your natural colour?"

He scowled maddeningly at me. "Granger, you're avoiding the question."

I shrugged my shoulders in reply. "I suppose he has. I didn't know that he was talking with you, though," I replied truthfully.

There was a spark of inspiration in his silver eyes. "And was there anyone else trying to sway our choices of action?"

I shook my head silently. I couldn't protest, because he had a point here. Darn! He might actually be right on this...

I sighed and stepped out of his way. He detangled his hands from his hair and eyed me curiously. "Okay, I'll take you to his cell... But I'm going to have Ginny on my butt after..."

"Good," he replied almost lightly. "Mudbloods first."

He nodded at me, smirking his usual cockily annoying smirk. I rolled my brown eyes at him and faced the door. I wrapped my right hand around the knob, twisted to the right, and then trailed outside the dungeon into the narrow hallway, with Malfoy breathing down my neck. I glanced over my shoulder at him and he raised his eyebrows in silence.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd not be directly behind me. If you wanted to be close, you could just walk beside me. I don't bite unless provoked," I stated between grinded teeth.

Malfoy's pale face flushed. "I didn't know that I indicated such a thing," he drawled. "I merely thought, since it was your job to watch me, that I could at least stay behind you. But if you wanted for me to so much to be next to you, you're wasting your time, because I hate your guts."

I rolled my eyes and sighed angrily. "God, not this again... Now we're back to arguing like little children!"

Malfoy scowled darkly. "Whatever," he muttered. "Let's just talk to Marth, then I can feel better when I get the hell out of here."

I ignored his comment and stopped in front of cell number 164 and pushed open the large steel door, which was reserved for the most creative Death Eaters. I placed my hands on my hips when I saw Ginny sitting on her bed beside Hiatt, who was drawing on a roll of parchment.

I cleared my throat and caught Ginny's attention. Hiatt remained drawing. I felt Malfoy's uneasy presence standing beside me.

"We need to talk with Marth," Malfoy stated acidly. I glanced over at Malfoy with raised eyebrows.

Hiatt sighed emotionlessly and sat down the roll of parchment and his quill. He stood with ease and wandered over to us, his scarlet orbs blank.

"Konnichiwa, mina-san," he drawled in fluent Japanese, his thin lips set in a straight line.

"Hiatt, we have to talk to you about what happened in the dungeon," I stated, glancing over at Ginny. "Alone."

He raised his black eyebrows at us. His lips then curled into a half smirk. "I see," he drawled in a monotone, then faced Ginny. "Sayonara, Ginny-chan."

Ginny eyed Malfoy and me suspiciously and scowled darkly. "What do you guys want with Marth?"

"Never you mind. It's not any of your concern," Malfoy replied haughtily.

Ginny huffed indignantly and glanced over at me for support, but I scowled grimly at her. "Marth! Do something!"

Hiatt sighed almost in forlorn. "Goman, Ginny-chan. Goman nasai. I have a nudge inside telling me that it's quite a glowing problem."

"You and your nudges!" she muttered.

Resumed in Draco's POV

I'm provoked into sick confrontations,

brutal time after time.- Message in Blood by Pantera

"So, how are my puppets today, hmm?" Marth's voice was gentle, but as I listened closer, I could trace a bit of glee and sardonic pleasure.

I don't know how, but I managed to remain calm only for that moment. I managed to remain aloof, raising my right leg so that my knee grazed against my stomach. I wanted to race up to Marth and wring his stupid neck. "You think this is just a game, don't you?"

"Do you even fathom how boring it is here? I can barely even have a single spark of inspiration before the schedule ruins my muse," Marth replied in a steely voice, but I could sense that he was annoyed.

"So, you're experimenting, then? Trying to find and maintain your muse?" Granger asked Marth heatedly.

I chuckled under my breath. About time she realised something before me.

"Smart girl," Marth drawled frostily.

That was it. My fuse's exploded, no more control, just rage...

I was too fast even for a Death Eater veteran like Marth. (11) Once my fists hit his face and stomach however, he began reacting. He raised his arms and blocked three of my strikes, but wasn't fast enough to evade my grab at his left wrist and I swung his body from the couch into the barred door. I was soon held back by Granger, who seemed as if she had just recovered from shock and been jolted back into reality. Marth raised his head and met my furious glare with a much blacker one.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, kid," he growled, blood caking his mouth and fangs.

I then observed the damage that I caused. His lips were bleeding and cracked. His robes were sticking to him in places by his sticky red blood. His long black mane was clumped and appeared sticky with sweat. His crimson orbs were heavy lidded and his breathing was somewhat laboured.

"Imagine what I could do if we fought for an hour," I thought aloud to myself.

Marth placed his hands on his knees and pushed himself up to his full height. I noticed the bars were coated with blood where I had thrown him. "It isn't nice to attack the unaware. If I had been ready, then you would be the one entrapped in the glass door of your pitfall," he breathed in hatred.

I glanced over my shoulder at Granger. "Did you understand that?" I asked her, arching my eyebrows.

"He's saying that if he'd been ready, that you would be in his place," she replied smartly.

That's your second mistake!

-Come on, take me, you oaf!-

I broke free of Granger's grasp quite easily and charged at Marth. I heard my heard hit the cold metal, but I didn't feel it. I climbed up to my feet almost instantly and felt my arms tingle. Damn it, now wasn't the time to be weak!

"Stop evading me..." I met his crimson orbs. "And fight like a man!"

I've decided. I am going to wring his neck. We advanced at another and I caught his throat with both my hands. Hey, since when did my hands glow? Maybe it was the light...

Marth struggled, but I was winning.

"You call this 'fighting like a man'? You're glowing green..." He coughed, blood hitting my face.

I was about to slam his head repeatedly into the bars, but a voice of authority stopped me.

"Mr. Malfoy, release Mr. Hiatt..."

-Yeah, you heard him…-

I released Marth and let him drop to the floor. I turned around and maintained a mask over my emotions when I met Dumbledoorknob's questioning gaze.

"Hullo, old Headmaster," I drawled.

Scene again in Hermione's POV

Devoid of emotion,

it lives to cheat.- Blood for Blood by Machine Head

Hiatt followed silently behind Malfoy and me as we walked back to Malfoy's dungeon. I twisted the doorknob and stuffed my hands in both my pockets as the boys followed behind me. I plopped inelegantly down on my bed. Malfoy remained leaning against the barred door, his arms crossed over himself. Hiatt sat down softly on the silver couch Malfoy had slept on the night before.

"So, how are my little puppets today, hmm?" his voice was now soft as silk, but I could detect a trace of demonic edge in his crimson orbs.

"You think this is just a game, don't you?" Malfoy asked in a calm voice, his silver eyes closed.

I remained silent as I watched them, marvelled at how well they could keep so blank and yet so dramatic at the same time. I held my head in my hands, crossing my legs over another, sitting in 'Indian style,' as my mother called it.

"Do you even fathom how boring it is here? I can barely even have a single spark of inspiration before the schedule ruins my muse," Hiatt replied in the same voice, only his crimson eyes were set on the ceiling. He was lying on the couch, his arms folded under his long black mane, his mouth set in an annoyed scowl.

"So you're experimenting, then? Trying to find and maintain your muse?" I asked him through grinded teeth.

Malfoy chuckled under his breath. Hiatt smirked haughtily at me and nodded his head. "Smart girl you are," he drawled icily.

I couldn't believe my eyes when Malfoy reacted quickly. My mouth was agape, and I was on my feet as Hiatt was thrown into the metal bars. I quickly was behind Malfoy and held his arms behind his back and was surprised that he didn't lash out on me but remained still.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, kid," he growled and I felt myself pale as blood ran down his mouth as he raised his head.

Hiatt was on his knees, his left touching the floor, and his right in a painful looking position beneath him. He however, did not in anyway appear affected by the new set of scars on his dark skin. He was right: he definitely wasn't one to take a beating and not get you back in return. That was one of the reasons why he had the heavy steel door instead of the bars Malfoy had.

"Imagine what I could do if we fought for an hour," Malfoy said cockily.

Hiatt placed his dark hands on his knees and pushed himself up to his full height, towering over Malfoy and me. I wrinkled my nose when I saw the fresh blood coating the bars where Malfoy had chucked Hiatt.

"It isn't nice to attack the unaware. If I had been ready, then you would be the one entrapped in the glass door of your pitfall," Hiatt breathed acidly.

Malfoy glanced over his shoulder at me. "Did you understand that?"

"He's saying that if he'd been ready, that you would be in his place," I replied.

I wasn't prepared when Malfoy easily snaked from my grasp and came at Hiatt again. Hiatt stepped out of Malfoy's way and I grimaced as I heard the sickening clang of his head against the metal.

Malfoy's silver orbs flashed. No, I mean it; they really flashed an emerald green colour as he climbed to his feet. "Stop evading me..." His arms were now glowing. "And fight like a man!"

I felt my throat tighten as Hiatt came at Malfoy, only to have Malfoy meet him head on and grab him with both hands by his neck.

I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that Malfoy would kill me, too. Damn, where was my courage? (12) I could only watch as Hiatt struggled.

"You call this 'fighting like a man'? You're glowing green..."

Dumbledore, where in the heck are you?

"Mr. Malfoy, release Mr. Hiatt..."

Malfoy released Hiatt and he fell to his knees, coughing blood. I watched Malfoy turn around and face Dumbledore.

"Hullo, old Headmaster," he drawled coolly.

TBC...

The trails of the thrilling... Numbers. Don't you dare complain that I'm unoriginal, because I've known that since I began writing, which was when I was born... I think, anyway. I'm never going to do the number thing again, because I always have something to say about almost everything...

(1) For those who don't have this clear, Draco is a sadist in this fic... He isn't a vampire, but he more than kind of craves for gore and violence. The main reason why he's a Death Eater is because he can take advantage of the free blood and slaughter. In other words, he really likes the feeling of power and dried blood against his fingers... Personally, I'm like Hermione. I never liked blood, and I never will!

(2) I just love to tweak around with the wording... Just in case you haven't been paying attention (or your mind is in a haze and trying to fathom that I made them kiss in the second chapter of all places), I suggest you do so from now on. I'm actually going to finish this story, and if something appears coincidental, then you can probably make a safe assumption that things aren't as they seem... Damn, I need to stop using long sentences...

(3) This may be the most resemblance from the cannon Draco that I've had in forever... Scary, huh?

(4) Believe it or not, people actually volunteer to be hunted down like rabid dogs by Death Eaters. I mean, they volunteer to be aurors. Ah, damn it.

(5) That made me think of a certain LOTR villain... 'My precious...' xDD

(6) Ooh. Pretty boy is having a bad day... He finally realised how normal people feel when they see him... -Is chased by rabid Draco fans.- Goman! I didn't mean it!

(7) I've always believed Hermione to be the kind of person that liked to prove people wrong.

(8) Keep a note that Marth has a brother, because he may be introduced later in this story...

(9) Have you ever tried to swallow an entire tablespoon? Well, I have, and it's hard AND annoying!

(10) I think the kiss came far too fast... In the unedited version the kiss didn't even happen, Draco just rips down the mistletoe and beats Marth to a pulp... Kind of in that order, only a lot of things are missing... Do you see why I sent you this version? I like the bloodier version (unedited) better, but you guys can't read it. Ha!

(11) In the unedited version, the fighting scene is about two pages long... Does that give you any idea how much better I can be?

(12) In the unedited version, Hermione's never lost her courage. She constantly tried to hold Draco back, or was accidentally kicked in the shin by Marth, but never backed down. Shows you a tremendous difference, eh?

Note: I managed to get this edit out almost in time for Valentines Day... Man, you wouldn't believe how many edits I've made to this thing... I've reposted up the Prologue and Chapter 1.5, plus I edited this chapter, and I'm still editing 3.5... You aren't reading the unedited version of this BTW... Also, I won't be posting the unedited version of the story anywhere, because it's far too long, and too detailed... So, you kids have to deal with my shitty edited version... Lucky you.

Don't be sad. You should be glad that I'm not giving you the real version... It includes tons of flashbacks and detailed gore, which would make me have to change the genre from action/adventure (even though I haven't written action/adventure in my life) to horror. If you're interested and if you leave your e-mail address in the review, I could send you a list of the differences between the edited version and the unedited version... Of course, don't expect much from me, considering I'm only 13 and all... I can still pull off Draco's POV if I really wanted to.

Yes, I left you at a cliffhanger... Let's just say that I can't control them. If I had made this chapter any longer, it would have been 23 pages long. I'm not used to writing so much, but I can't stop myself. My fingers move on their own, forming what you're reading right now... Really, I can't control them.

At the last pages of the chapter, I've slackened in my editing... I mean by I haven't been looking over my grammar in this version and spelling... So yeah, there might be mistakes, there might not. I've been too busy with the unedited version and bloodying it up...

WARNING!

WHACKYNESS WILL INSUE! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT DRACO AND HERMIONE OOC! READ HOWEVER IF YOU'RE A GUY WHO WORKS FOR JKR SO I DON'T GET MY ARSE BLOWN OFF!

WARNING!

My name is Jamie Lynn McCarver, and I'm forcing Draco and Hermione to do a disclaimer together!

Draco: "Good God… At least make an effort with making a different announcement with your disclaimer! That's the exact same warning you used last time, and the same opening statement!"

Hermione-She glances up through the TBC and the body of the story.- "Hmm. Well, give her credit for using a different secondary title…"

Me: "Hey, if you guys remember the last disclaim-"

Draco: "Oh, that thing… Yeah, I remember. And I can still kick Granger's arse, even though I've aged so much since the last time you posted." -He took this opportunity to glare icily at the authoress.-

Hermione: "Be serious, Malfoy… You know that I can kick your slimy butt any day of the week!"

Me: "I had the vague feeling that you were about to defend me! Thanks a lot!"

Hermione: "Sorry."

Draco: "…" -He scowled at the authoress and Hermione.- "Am I supposed to do it this time?"

Me: "Just say the thing and then I can get back to writing! Do you know how behind I am on my other sites?"

Hermione: "That's what you get for posting on different fanfiction archives."

Me: "I like to know what people think."

Hermione: "But do you really like to do all the editing? I mean, look at all these listings… On one of them, you can't use linkage or special characters, and that totally screwed up our little leet friends. One of them, you have to include the html for your fanfics, and you know how horrible you are at html, and also, the site only allows one font, which also screws up HELLBOUND. And another won't allow different fonts and you have to specifically beta your story to their requirements, and you can't have your A/Ns included and this disclaimer makes the story invalid…"

Me: "What's your point?"

Draco: "You two bore me. Can I just say the damn disclaimer and go to sleep?"

Hermione and me-We glance over at Draco, jolted from our little argument.-

Me: "Sure, go right ahead!"

Draco: "This young girl isn't even old enough to legally own anything in her room. If you check her pockets, you'll find nothing but her little lint bunnies. And-"

Me: "Huh? You found Hiei and Kurama-chan?" -She eyes Draco with amazement.- "Where are they now?"

Hermione-She is trying not to giggle.-

Draco: "You named them!"

Me: "WHERE ARE MY KOOT WITTLE BUNNEHS! TELL ME NOW, YOU-"

Draco: "…Under your pile of shonen-ai fanmanga…"

Me: "Really?"

Draco: "Believe me, I wouldn't even glance at them if they weren't… It's disgusting how you buy those things… Why do you girls like them, anyway? It's so disgusting!"

Hermione: "You should see the ones that have you and Harry." -She bends down to sort through the fanmanga and gasps, then leafs through one.- "I didn't know that you liked H/K!"

Me-She pales considerably.- "Don't spread it around. And I only like them because Kurama-chan is so girlish and that their relationship would involve tons of angst."

Hermione: "Yeah, I understand why. They're almost cuter together than Ginny and Hiatt!"

Me: "Yeah! Aren't they, though?" Blabber, blah, jibber-jabber…

Draco-Sweatdrops forming on his forehead.- "In case you're appalled by this sudden yaoi surge, let me comfort you that you're not the only one… I'll continue the disclaimer once my stomach settles… I'll be back in a moment. -He rushes off in a mode-tastic frenzy to the bathroom which appeared out of nowhere to vomit.-

This was brought to you by Jamie McCarver, who does not in any way own any illegal substances to abuse them so to make sure that this appears way too goofy and let yaoi actually be discussed in the disclaimer of all places, and who does not own any of the characters who appeared in this stupid story, and who let this sentence be a major run-on.

-Message ended January 20, 2005