Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Hello everyone! I know I have been abstent for a while but I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. Read and Review.

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Upon entering the premises I was overwhelmed by the architecture. Everything had been done in alluring colors. The lush green of the grass was just the base to a structure made out of wood, inhuman in its design, ethereal in its complexity. Flowers of innocent pink and blushing apricot interwove themselves to the tree's limbs. There were many budding plants in faint blue and pristine white. Huge solitary columns marked the road towards a colossal mansion fashioned with the darkest wood.

"It's beautiful."

Antoine started walking, our interlocked arms guiding the rhythm of our steps.

"I am glad you like it. It would be an honor if you came to think of this place as your home."

A majestic door opened to reveal a grand staircase and a very red Malfoy.

Malfoy's stare bore into Antoine's face, only to soften slightly as he saw me. He came towards me in slow steps and hugged me, severing my hand from Antoine's grasp.

Without a single word he let me go and positioned himself between Antoine and myself.

"Draco I hope you have found your accommodations up to the Malfoy standard?" Antoine's voice was as that of one speaking to a dear friend.

While Draco's voice was barely civilized, "It is sufficient."

Antoine appeared unmoved by his tone and proceeded to ascend the stairs.

"If you care to accompany me, I'd love to show you your accommodations Hermione."

Without turning to look if we followed, he continues to ascend the stairs. Draco walked by my side, concern clearly written in his face.

Antoine gave me a room next to Draco's and proceeded to say lunch would be served in an hour and left us by ourselves.

As soon as he closed the door Draco started his tirade.

"YOU certainly know how to pick them. You do realize we are his prisoners. This is no social visit we are paying here."

I sighed and sat on the mattress of my bed.

He just carried on, "You do realize Voldemort knows by now we are here. By this point I have no idea in whose hands we would be worse off. He knocked me unconscious without blinking. His behavior so far hasn't been neither ethical nor moral. He tricked you didn't he?"

"How did you know?" I said, closing my eyes and massaging my forehead.

"Because he tricked me, before you came down to breakfast we agreed I would be going into the tiara and I would be the one obliterating the damn Horocrux. Didn't Tom dear tell you about his trickster nature?"

At his words I looked at the window.

"Don't call him that. Look we are stuck in here, there is no way we can leave this place out of our own free will. He is just too powerful, but I am almost sure he is not evil. Not in the conventional sense. He is helping us destroy Voldemort a dear friend. I noticed he was shaking slightly just after he knocked you out right before he tossed me towards the Horocrux. He can't bring himself to do the actual deed. But he is doing his best."

Malfoy went and rested his back against the wall.

"Even if he is willing to help us destroy Voldemort, there is something that does not add up. He is hiding something."

I smirked.

"A man… Vela like him is more than likely hiding a world of things. The important matter is if he will let us kill Voldemort, after all the Horocruxes are gone, will he let us kill his friend?"

Draco looked at me and said, "I hope he does, because if he refuses, we don't stand a chance against both him and Voldemort."

I stood and opened the window to my left which oversaw a small pond.

"Either way there is not a single thing we can do, but try to learn as much as we can while we are here. Besides it will be a relief not having to feed those wards. We will be left alone by Voldemort here."

Draco came to stand beside me.

"After all this time, you never cease to amaze me. You are truly naïve if you think that Voldemort will leave us alone here. My bet is he already knows we are here, and he will come pay his old friend a visit. If only to ensure you are alright."

The door opened and in walked Antoine with a different outfit in the same plain style.

"Draco here is absolutely right. Tom has asked to join us for dinner tonight. It would be dreadfully impolite to send him away."

Draco grabbed my shoulder, his hand digging painfully into my flesh, " Given that politeness is such an important aspect in this household where conversations not meant for your ears are easily spied upon. You are absolutely right, I find no reason whatsoever in denying a mass murderer the pleasure of our company."

Antoine snapped his fingers and a beautiful statue of a mermaid appeared in the middle of the pond. The mermaid was swimming amongst dolphins. Out of the dolphin's mouths came jets of colorful water.

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm Draco. Though you are right I should've warned you that since I am master of this house nothing happens here without me hearing about it. I have no option, for I am connected to every timber in this place, sort of like you are connected to your magic. You can feel it inside of you so I can feel your words and actions in my property.

Secondly, I would really appreciate if you didn't call Tom names for though you are right in your estimation of him. He remains a dear friend, and I wouldn't hold myself accountable of my reaction were this occurrence to repeat itself.

If you so choose you might absent yourself from dinner, but Hermione here must come for Tom insisted upon her presence at dinner. Now if you would follow me, lunch is ready."

There was the slight spice of anger in his voice. I felt goose bumps on my arms. Antoine's words came back to my mind "while Tom did always have your best interests at heart I might not"

Lunch was a quiet affair, till I decided to break the ice.

"So Antoine, what about that secret you mentioned earlier. Since we happen to be at your place I would love to have a peek before Tom arrives. My curiosity did always get the best of me."

I intended to make him upset and send him into a fit, forcing his hand towards violence. If he were to harm me, Tom wouldn't stand it and if I got lucky they might kill each other.

To my utter astonishment nothing of the sort did happen. On the contrary laughter filled his violet eyes and joy dandled from his smile.

In a sudden burst of energy he came to sit on the table right by my side, his feet dangling from the table.

"Oh, Hermione if you could only know how your words are music to my ears. It has been far too long since I've had intelligent company. Tom was always so circumspect and evasive regarding your person. He never wanted to share details about you. I had to trick every bit of information about your person from him. Are you really as smart as he is?"

His violet eyes were lighted like those of a child with a new toy.

I couldn't help blushing.

"Antoine don't be silly, Tom was inlove with me. His perception was biased. I am sorry to disappoint, but I am not his equal by far."

If there was one thing I did not need was another genius as my friend. Last time that had been my mistake with Tom, revealing to him I was his equal in intelligence. If I hadn't, he never would've bothered with me in the first place. No friendship would've developed between us and therefore no love. I did learn from my mistakes.

Antoine's eyes lost some of its luster, just to regain it a fraction of a second afterwards.

Quicker than lightning, he cast a spell with a wand towards Draco. I paled, his wand movement was perfect in its horribleness, I did not know what spell he had cast, but I did know Draco would suffer greatly and die if it were to touch him. It had all the components of Dark Magic. The pattern of the design brought together a horrible enchantment.

Without thinking I drew my wand and started casting on the spot. Praying I could counter every movement with one of my own.

A jet of orange light left my want just in time to intercept Antoine's purple hex a hair away from Draco's face.

Antoine jumped from the table and clapped his hands.

"Excellent! Not even Tom himself could've done that better. The fact that Tom fell in love with you is testament enough of your value. I hope you don't mind my little experiment."

I looked at him and stood in all my height next to him and slapped him.

"How dare you! That spell was horrible, you just flicked that thing at Draco to prove my worth? Tom was mistaken he always spoke so highly of your ethics an moral code and overall behavior I thought you were almost a saint."

I was about to strike him again when Draco grabbed my hand and said, dreadfully calmed, "Hermione."

I blanched. I had slapped him. I'll be damned, I would see this through, he had looked for it.

As I looked into his face, I was blown away by his reaction.

He was smiling and looking fondly at me like I was a 3 year old with a handmade gift for him.

He laughed.

"My, my, Tom never stood a chance. If you weren't spoken for by my dearest friend I would consider proposing to you myself. That intelligence and spirit, you are his equal in every aspect, but where it really matters, in the heart.

My dear girl, Tom's description of myself is accurate. That spell would've disintegrated upon touching Draco here. I would've absorbed the spell from the environment. I could never bring myself to harm either of you.

Let me be honest with you little girl, since you both have become dear to me in such a small amount of time. Upon my word I won't let any sort of evil befall you, not even by Tom's hand.

Now by all means do come with me and let me show you my little secret. Though I must ask you never to reveal it to Tom, for sometimes that boy's ambition makes me tremble in fear and I would hate to see what he could do with what I am about to show you."

Just like that he strolled out of the room.

"I am glad you stopped that curse Hermione. I can't bring myself to thrust him."

Draco's skin had a peculiar pallor to it.

I grabbed his hand to reassure him and myself that everything was ok.

"I am not entirely sure I want to see what he is hiding. Draco, in what have we gotten ourselves into? Do you realize just how much power one person must hold to stop the sort of curse he just created? Let alone to be able to dissipate it, in thin air?"

Draco grabbed a piece of toast.

"No, I don't. But if you think it is bad, then it must be so. I learnt in Snape's class never to underestimate your advice, even if you were giving it to Longbottom. I never thought I'd say this, but I am glad Voldemort is coming. Each of them will make sure the other doesn't kill us. I am sure Voldemort would be quite displeased to find I had died at another's hand. Come on Hermione, I don't think our host likes to be left waiting. I really don't want to see him upset, if he can conjure spells like that in his best mood…"

I grabbed a piece of toast myself and walked after Draco.