Note: I won't even begin making excuses for my absence because the truth is I have none. I had that writer's block again and just gave up. I apologize. I had lost interest in writing this story. That is the ugly honest truth.
Before we start, I would like to give a shout out to my new Beta Sinckerdoodle Black. Thank you so much!
Now, enjoy the story.
Previously…
I shook her, but she didn't wake up. I feared the worst. I check her for breathing and a pulse. Luckily, she had both. I kept trying to wake for what must have been 10 minutes before someone finally stepped into my line of view.
"Hello, Granger. Want her to wake up?"
I looked up utterly dumbfounded as to who was standing in front of me.
I was confused. I was dismayed. I was… relieved. It sounds awful even to this day, but I was relieved. I could breathe again because even in the midst of this horror, this nightmare, this evil, there was some small inkling of peace. I suppose it was because once I had found out Malfoy was dead I had this irrational fear that I would be face-to-face with an inhuman beast –the kind of villain you only find in fiction. What I was facing was human, which meant there was a way to deal with this. It would never make it okay, and it would never make it easy, but it made it better. I knew some part of me was capable of handling this situation, but despite all this knowledge, I was frightened. I was terrified! But I knew I had to fight –for myself and my daughter.
I suddenly felt strong, and this was the kind of strength that came not only from the adrenaline pumping through my veins, but from the anger that had coursed through them for the past few years of my life. I thought of all the hurt and pain I had been through. I gathered strength from all the fights I had taken part in. I fought a war for Merlin's sake! Hell! I didn't just fight it, in a way, I helped lead it. Hermione Granger was going to fight again. I had been beaten and broken by this bastard for the last time.
I lifted my wand to stun my opponent, but before I could, I felt everything stop. I felt numb, like every part of my body ceased to work except my ears, my eyes, and my mind. I had once again lost to the man standing over me. If only I hadn't wasted time being surprised by what was right in front of me! If only I had reacted instantly instead of using those few precious seconds to play the awestruck victim, which was what I was now. I, Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of my age, had once again let Draco Malfoy get the best of me. I should never have believed he was dead. I shouldn't have listened to Harry because I wouldn't have been so damn surprised. I could have ended this there and then. Of course, if I had done that, I wouldn't be where I am now.
"Granger, Granger, Granger." The horrible man admonished. "I'm disappointed. You still haven't learnt that you can never beat me. I own you, or have you forgotten? Maybe I should remind you how much you belong to me?" He looked at me with his trademark smirk- the one that suggested there was a double meaning to his words. I understood all too well what he meant. I found my voice to be still working.
"I never have and never will belong to you, you repulsive snake." I said with venom in my voice that could have even made Voldemort flinch. For the briefest of moments, I saw a flicker of fear across his face.
"You mean you don't know? Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, hasn't figured it out yet?"
I was confused, no, baffled, by his words. "What are you talking about?"
He smirked again. "We're soul mates." he said, so simply and casually that it sounded like a joke. In fact, it sounded so much like a joke that I lost myself and began laughing. It was wrong to laugh. I was in a dire situation that was probably going to end badly, but I laughed. I laughed so hard I cried. "Laugh all you want, Granger, but you'll see it's true. All the signs point to it. One day you'll see it. That is why I have done all this. I needed to get you into a room with me where you wouldn't have brought an Auror. I knew you would do anything to save our daughter."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "So, you mean to tell me, you murdered the Carters just so you could talk to me? Azkaban made you crazier than you already were!"
"Actually, no, I didn't murder anyone. I intercepted your letter from the Carters saying you would be there. I had originally planned to simply kidnap you. I arrived and saw the whole thing. Two Muggles dressed in black crept in and shot the Carters. I tried to save them, but I couldn't. Then I saw an opportunity. I saw our daughter, or rather, she saw me. I took the opportunity that had been granted me. I knew you would be there soon. I set everything in motion. I cast a charm to make Mia sleep. I took her. I set up the note. I then waited, brought her here, and waited for you –my soul mate." It was then that he released the spell he had put on me. I had complete control of me again. That is, until he pulled me to him and kissed me.
I tried to pull away, but he was stronger than I was. I did the only thing I could. I kissed him back. I kissed him more passionately than I ever thought possible. It did exactly what I meant it to. He thought I wanted this and let his guard down. He gave me an opening. I was able to pull back and push him away. He was surprised and then angry. He charged at me, but I had already found my wand. I did something then. It was wrong –I knew it was wrong. It was unforgivably wrong and I, Hermione Granger, member of the Golden Trio, should not have used it– but it felt so right. I hit him with one of the strongest curses I could think of.
"CRUCIO!" I cried with everything in me. He writhed in pain for a moment before my curse stopped affecting him.
"Come on, Granger. You know you have to mean an unforgivable to make it work properly." Then, it happened. To this day, I'm not sure what he did, but it was wand-less magic. I found myself sitting in the chair next to me with my wand on the floor, and I was unable to move, again.
"I tried to be nice. I told you the truth and explained myself, but you just can't accept it, can you? I have tried to deny it, but I can't anymore. We –are –soul mates." he spat choppily, "Whether we like it or not, we can't change it. Maybe you aren't familiar with the concept of soul mates, at least, not in the Wizarding world. See, Muggles think a soul mate is someone you love and spend your life with and all that crap. The truth is a soul mate is someone you are magically forever bound to. Your fates are linked. You can never truly exist as a whole without them. They become a part of you. Love has nothing to do with it. You can hate your soul mate with all you have and choose not to be with them, but you are never rid of them. You think of them so much it consumes you with a burning passion: good or bad. They will always affect your life. Sound familiar at all?"
That was when I realized that Draco Malfoy was certifiably insane which meant very bad things for me. A million thoughts raced through my head of what he might do next. Would he kiss me again? Would he kill me? Would he confess undying love for me? Would he hurt me? Would he do a bit of both sides and rape me? I realized I had no way of knowing what he was capable of. Everyone knew the soul mate link was a myth. I opted for careful skepticism to keep him talking.
"I know of the soul mate link, but isn't it fiction?"
"Everyone thinks it is, but that is only because most people never experience it. You may never meet your soul mate, but once you do, there is no stopping it. Sometimes you don't even realize what it is. I didn't when we first met. In school, I teased you because I didn't understand, and I don't mean that I don't understand Muggles and Muggleborns. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I never knew why. And when we got older it developed into more than just fancying you. I needed you. I lusted for you. Admit it. You felt it too. You know it to be true. We are soul mates."
He was mental. I was left lost for words. I didn't have time to find any anyways because the next thing I know I woke up in a strange room with a voice next to me ringing out, "Good morning, sunshine."
Note: It's not that long, and it's a little strange, but bear with me. It will (hopefully) all make sense in the end, which is not, at this time, near (I think). So let's get on with the questions.
1. What do you think?
2. Should I be brought out into the streets and stoned for not updating until now?
3. Do you think Draco is mental, correct about soul mates or something else entirely?
4. What do you think will happen next?
5. Do you have anything you would like to see happen in this story?
Well, until next time.
