Several floors away, Hermione was sitting in Dumbledore's office giving him a detailed (though leaving out a few things of course) report of her time alone with the young Malfoy.
"And then Professor Snape came in sir…I apologize for my conduct sir, but I wasn't about to allow him to just curse me. Truthfully I expected something like that from him. But I did as Snape told me, I gave Malfoy his wand back, and came straight here."
Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself, she felt like the last few days had lasted forever. It was nice to finally know that all of the strangeness, being locked up with Malfoy was finally over. Hermione though tried not to pay attention to the voice in the back of her head, that told her she really didn't mind taking care of the blond, nor the little snog session she had with him. But your not going to think about that Hermione, there are more important things to think about right now. She tried not to think about the dreams that had almost plagued her nightly, except for last night…the night she had spent in Malfoy's bed.
Dumbledore for his part was being just as mysterious as always, sitting back in his chair, he seemed to listen patiently for Hermione to conclude her story. When she finally did finish, he barly seemed to notice at all. Eventually though he gave a slight throat clear, and his whole face seemed to reanimate as he spoke to her. Hermione noticed that his eyes were once again twinkling slightly.
"Miss Granger I do not blame you for you actions against Mr. Malfoy. Though the whole situation was regrettable, I shall not hold it against you to defend yourself. Especially against one such as Mr. Malfoy who is in a very tense situation, and is liable to lash out at anyone he can." Hermione personally didn't want to tell Dumbledore that she thought Malfoy was just being an arse like usual, that 'lashing out' had nothing to do with it. But she knew when to keep quiet.
"I know that this situation is going to be very confusing for everyone. Bringing such a young Death Eater into the order, and a Malfoy none the less is extremely dangerous on my part. But as the headmaster of this school I cannot allow such a young man to ruin his life when he has no choice in the matter. And as the leader and Secret Keeper of the Order, I have to accept any and all chances I can take to fight Voldemort."
"Of course sir…"
"Excellent, then I must ask something important of you. Seeing that as you and Mr. Malfoy seem to have survived well enough when under such close quarters, I would like you to be his Order Guard."
Dumbledore's eyes didn't even loose their calm appearance as he talked, he seemed for all the world to be as calm as ever, as if he was just discussing the taste of his morning tea. Hermione on the other hand had felt as if her eyes were close to popping out of her skull if they bulged out anymore. She had expected Dumbledore to of course mention what was to be done with Malfoy, but she didn't expect she was going to be involved with it!
"Guard sir? Are-are you telling me that you want me to guard Draco?" Hermione hadn't realized she had slipped and called Malfoy by his given name until it was too late.
"Miss Granger that is exactly it, though you are not an official member of the Order of the Phoenix, I am sure that you like your friends Mr.'s Potter and Weasley are eager to join us. And I believe it would prove a good test of your skills, if you were to watch Mr. Malfoy for the next few days."
All Hermione could do was nod along, though she didn't like the idea of having to trail the blond for any amount of time, she had to admit that she wanted to take a more active part in the war against Voldemort, all three of them did.
"Miss Granger I must tell you, that I am quite sure that if Mr. Malfoy had been given an actual choice of joining Voldemort that he would of not taken it. But I am not entirely convinced that he is loyal to us. He may not in his heat be loyal to the Death Eaters, but their way of dealing with traitors is a most compelling case when it comes to the decision to leave them"
"But Headmaster, he did have a choice, do you not remember? He even told me he chose to join you-k- excuse me, Voldemort. He all but bragged about it, he seemed for all purposes to be proud of his decision."
Hermione could remember quite well the argument the two of them had, how he had talked about it like it was something so great.
"Miss Granger, surely you know that is just what he wants us and possibly himself as well to believe? If even he believes that he made that choice on his own free will, then he is lost. Surely you can imagine what would of happened if he were to renounce his father's teachings in front of Voldemort? Or his parents themselves? No Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy has been conditioned to believe like that, he has been raised to hate us, to hate muggles, and to all but worship Lord Voldemort. I believe that to his family's eyes, there is very little else Draco is supposed to live for. "
Hermione thought this over for a moment, and she had to admit that it made sense. Why she was practically making the same point to the blond just the other day. It seems strange that I was right, but even more so that someone else, especially Dumbledore believes the same thing…
"Sir…Do you think that he is actually loyal to us? Do you think he has any reason to turn against Voldemort? Or that he even would want to? Especially considering how dangerous it is."
Dumbledore pierced her with his eyes, the twinkling now seemed to dim, his eyes were sad. The hint of a frown was on his face, Hermione was actually touched by the empathy the Headmaster showed for his students, even the ones who stood against him.
"Miss Granger, you are very correct to say that for a Death Eater there is danger in leaving, in fact there can be no greater danger, or punishment for one who wants to renounce his oath of servitude. I believe you have heard of Sirius' younger Brother Regulus?" When Hermione shook her head, he continued.
"Regulus was several years younger then Sirius, and unlike his brother he was not the so called black sheep of the family. Indeed I believe he was very much favored by his parents, unlike his older brother. I was regrettably unaware of his involvement with Lord Voldemort until his demise. He very much like Mr. Malfoy, he became a Death Eater sometime during his tenure at Hogwarts, I believe sometime in his late sixth year, or early seventh. Sometime after his graduation, not even a full year afterwards truthfully, Regulus was killed by his fellow Death Eaters, for trying to leave them. From what I am told, his betrayal only lasted a few weeks before he was caught."
Pictures of people running, and screaming, dark houses being lit up with the Dark Mark. Hermione wondering how terrifying it must have been to know that you were being chased by people you once accounted as allies, people who now were being sent to kill you.
" Yes Miss Granger, to leave the Death Eaters, is to mean a death warrant. But the same goes to those who oppose him. Truthfully Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy would be in no less danger then you or I are in were he to leave Lord Voldemort's circle. And unlike the late Regulus Black, he would also not be alone, he would have the protection of the Order, and myself."
"But he would need a reason to leave before he would accept that, and though I think what he's been through already is reason enough, I do not think he will see it that way."
" Can you not think of a single reason why he would actually want to leave his servitude behind? Can you not think of a single reason he might not want to return to his Master? Voldemort has never been a forgiving man, nor is he an understanding one. I believe Mr. Malfoy has a very good reason to never return to his fellow Death Eaters, and she's sitting right in front of me."
"Sir, you can't possibly mean-"
"Miss Granger I know that neither one of you believe it, but I still stand by my position before, I believe that on some level the two of you are connected, it is his love for you, that will lead him against Lord Voldemort."
Hermione was just about to contradict him, laugh at him. Say something about how that was the craziest thing she had ever heard, and that was taking in stories Malfoy told people about the 'greatness' of his family, and Ron's tales of his worldwide known womanizing skills. Even if Malfoy would want to leave the Death Eaters. And she knew there were no good reasons not to leave.
Draco Malfoy could never love me, and he definitely would never turn against his Master for me!? Its laughable…he doesn't even like me.
But she couldn't find the words. Her mouth was glued shut, her tongue tied. Her eyes were focused somewhere else, as she remember last night, as she remembered their shared dreams, and their kiss once again.
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For what seemed like an eternity had finally ended for Hermione. As soon as Dumbledore let her leave his office, reminding her to go to all her afternoon classes after lunch. Hermione all but skipped as she realized she was now allowed to go where she pleased. The last few days locked up with Malfoy felt like they were a different world entirely. She felt like she had been secluded from the world for weeks instead of less then two days. I wonder if anything interesting happened while I was gone…if Harry and Ron even missed me?
Finding her way to the Great Hall, Hermione quickly pushed her way past the doors and found her seat at the Gryffindor table.Quickly grabbing a plate and helping herself to lunch Hermione was quick to grab Harry and Ron's attention, away from their food.
"So how was everything while I was gone?"
Like a bomb being dropped, both Ron and Harry stopped eating, and looked up in surprise. Harry's head whipped up so fast his glasses almost flew off his head, while Ron stabbed himself in the chin when as his head moved, his hand still trying to feed him.
Twin shouts of "Hermione!" echoed through the Gryffindor table, causing a few heads to turn in surprise, namely Ginny and Neville.
"Hey Hermione!"
"Where have you been?"
"Yeah tell us." Ron asked, his hand now resting safely on the table, the fork on his plate.
"Dumbledore mentioned something about St. Mungo's and the potion right?" Harry seemed to of been the only one who had paid any attention to the events going on around them.
Hermione smiled at all the people asking where she had been, all of them seemingly curious if not worried about her absence, smiling all the more, all the thoughts about Malfoy, and the Order, strange dreams and forbidden kisses were gone.
She quickly gave them the story Dumbledore told her, about how St. Mungo's had after a few tests and experiments, couldn't find the reason of the potions strange lack of effects, and had concluded that they must of made the potion incorrectly.
"They say you fudged up the potion? Please, they obviously don't know who they were dealing with. You've never gotten a potion wrong before." Hermione beamed at Ron's compliment, thanking him graciously. A compliment from Ronald Weasley was one to take seriously, as rare as they were.
"Didn't they test you two though? Make the potion themselves, and have you both take it then?"
Always the voice of reason and logic, Hermione smiled at Harry's sensibility.
"That's just it though, the potion would have had to be taken on the same day, at the same time to have a certain effect. They could of whipped up any old love or lust potion. But if they wanted to truly test our claim, they would have had to make the Metoninosus and had us taken it on the same day, at the same time as we did. It's a Love potion under any circumstances, but depending on the cycle of the moon, the seasons, whether it's a solstice or an equinox, it has a diverse effect on the potion."
" The seasons effect the outcome of potions? I've never heard of that before…"
Hermione continued to smile even wider, always loving to share information with those who weren't informed.
"Well it depends on the potion, though essentially the ingredients, Metoninosus is a very advanced potion, and the components of it are very rare and magical, which makes then susceptible to the patterns of magic. The seasons, the whether, the phase of the moon, the distance of the sun…all these things have a small effect on the properties of certain magical ingredients."
The blank faces of the two boys before her, both made her amused and annoyed at the same time. Boys…not the most intelligent of Natures creations…
"So for example if you completely randomized the time the ingredients were harvested, like ones from mid summer, to ones from winter, to ones during the morning and what not…how diverse could you change Metoninosus around?"
Taking a few bites of food, Hermione shrugged a bit as she look over at them.
"Essentially, you could create nothing more potent then tap water, something that wouldn't create a feeling of lust in something the size of a worm, or on the other hand, you could create something so powerful it would be like the worlds most powerful aphrodisiac."
Ron seemed to be thinking about something profound, as if he had discovered the secrets of the universe, while Harry seemed to be holding in laughter.
"Wow…who would of imagined something interesting about potions…" Hermione just sighed. Not even wanting to remind him of the benefits of actually studying. Harry it seemed couldn't hold in his laughter's as he snorted into his eggs. finally asking what was so funny, Harry just looked over at her with a glint in his eye.
" Sorry, its just I was just amused by what you said…you said Metoninosus could in essence become the worlds most powerful aphrodisiac right?"
Hermione nodded, wondering with some trepidation where he was going with this.
"I just got the image of you and Malfoy hooked up on that stuff…could you imagine the two of you on something like that? Like you had both tried to overdose on ecstasy or something. Maybe it's a good thing Saint Mungo's didn't try to make the potion."
"Harry!" reaching her hand over, she smacked the bespectacled boy on the head, before sitting back and trying her best to ignore the two of them
Hermione all but shuddered at the images that Harry had thrown in her head. A good thing indeed…all any one would want is me and Malfoy going at it like a pair of…oh Merlin…thank you Harry, thank you very much, for that mental picture.
A few seconds past as the three of them continued to eat. Lunch was almost over, and Hermione was looking forward to all of her afternoon classes, it had felt like so long ago she had been in class.
"So what exactly is overdosing on Ecstasy?"
Hermione and Ron both snorted into their food, Harry almost spraying them all with pumpkin juice.
Hermione was about to divert the subject onto their afternoon classes, when an unexpected object smacked her in the side of the face.
"What in Merlin's name was that?" Looking down at her plate, Hermione saw that it was a letter addressed to her in a flowing script. Glancing towards the cloudy ceiling Hermione noticed a small owl flying away out of sight.
"Little late for post isn't it Hermione?" asked Harry, recovering from his embarrassing
"Do you know who its from?"
"No idea." she answered.
Reaching down Hermione delicately opened the letter, to see that it was as usual a piece of parchment, and like the name of the recipient on the front, it was written in a very formal, flowing script. Hermione could only guess at first who it was, it wasn't until she had started reading the letter that she knew for sure who it was.
Dear Miss Granger,
As we were more occupied with discussing other matters, I did not fully explain to you your directions when I asked you to be an Order Guard. As you can guess the term 'Order Guard' is as much a title as it is an description of your duty. Though it is quite misleading, as I do not expect you to protect your charge from danger.
What is expected of you Miss Granger, is that you shall become a shadow, following behind footsteps and seeing where your charge goes and to what purpose. I am not asking you to spy, as you will not be sneaking up behind anyone in dark corners, but walking along side as much as you can. Because the public eye always adds more suspicion, I ask that you keep a much more discreet during the day light hours, perhaps an ingenious tool of mischief can help you in your task?
It is during the night though that I would like you to take a personal touch in watching, one of my most trusted advisors has already spoken with your charge of your order's and you should not allow resistance in any way. It is not only for their own good that you are there, for if trouble does arise, you can be quick to notify myself and others to come to aid you, but to our own organization as well. For if the loyalty of this one is indeed not align with our own path, then we shall at least know the truth.
I know that you are new to this, and therefore I ask you to meet with me in person, if you have any problems or difficulties with your orders, take care of yourself, and keep a close eye on your charge Miss Granger.
At this moment you can consider yourself an unofficial member of the Order of the Phoenix. I ask of you not to notify anyone of your objectives, not even your two companions, I must remind you to take your orders with absolute seriousness, I am trusting you with this miss Granger, you must always remember that we are at war. Even if it is a war held in the shadows it is a war at any rate. Lives are at stake at all times.
Keep your eyes open, and your head down. If there are any changes in your orders, or if I need you to complete a different task, I shall make sure you are aware.
Please dispose of this letter after you are done reading it, lest it fall into the wrong hands.
Torch Bearer for the Order of the Phoenix
Taking out her wand, Hermione quickly spelled the parchment to burst into flames, and burn quickly. When Harry and Ron looked at her strangely, Hermione just smiled and shook her head. She was happy to see them both give her one more strange look before nodding their heads as her. Hermione knew that they had understood her unspoken statement. Sometimes friends have to keep secrets from one another, but only for the best of reasons.
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Night quickly came for Draco Malfoy, the day light seemed to seep away as his own nervousness rose. He had spent most of the day just recuperating and thinking, after the last Crucio that Snape had cast on him, and the knowledge that he was to be called to meet with the Dark Lord personally, he decided some time alone would be good. If not on my mind, then just on my muscles…
In his dorm, Draco was laying down on his bed, thinking over all the things that had happened in the last few days. Not even twenty four hours after he had become a servant of the Dark Lord, did he find himself trapped by the enemy, and now forced to spy for them
And now I have to go meet with him, to beg for forgiveness and another chance…and I don't even know what's in store for me…
Images of himself being tortured worse then he had been on his initiation night ran through his head, all it did was make him feel slightly queasy with nerves, and cause his arms and legs to ache even more.
"Why did I have to fuck up so badly…"
Closing his eyes he tried to will the images away, but they wouldn't leave him…they continued to play over and over again…like an endless nightmare he saw on just the other side of his vision, almost superimposed over his sight. Looking over at his desk, he thought he'd concentrate on homework, hoping school would distract him from his upcoming duties. Moving over, he shuffled a few pieces of parchment aside, a few old beginnings of essays, Charms homework, Transfiguration notes, and a few problems from Arithmancy. With Granger…
Draco's eyes closed tightly at the thought. Granger…I completely forgot about her, her and HER duty towards me…my damn watch dog…watching my every move, detailing where and what I do. Merlin this isn't working… Tossing a few pieces of parchment and quills through his room, Draco quickly withdrew his wand and tried to blast a few of them with various spells. If homework won't distract me, then this will. Draco continued to ball up some parchment and toss it in the air, then quickly wielding his wand, and trying to curse it before it hit the ground. Practice makes perfect…
When Draco found that he barly hit more then half his targets, that more often then not his spells just barly missed his mark, scorching wall instead of paper, he let out a small shout of rage.
"Damnit! I'm better then this, I have to be!"
Grabbing more pieces of parchment, he balled them up and tossed them in the air, now focusing on his Unforgivables, trying to cast a Crucio on one paper, then Avada Kadavra a second time. Draco smiled with pride when his second curse hit its mark, causing the paper to burst into bright green flames, that quickly consumed themselves leaving only the smallest of ashes to float to the floor.
Draco continued with his impromptu training session, quickly forgetting about his duties, about his school even. Casting spell after spell, he didn't even think as he spoke the words, a few times he found himself skipping over the words, and for once he was successful with his silent casting.
HA! I can do it! Finally. Draco had been trying to days, no weeks, to get his silent casting under control, and so far he had only been able to master the easiest of spells, first year and second year ones.
And like anyone is going to care if I can cast Lumos, or Agilis quietly… He couldn't even get Petrificus Totalus, or Expelliarmus to work with perfect efficiency.
Not exactly the best way to start out my Death Eater career. Shaking his head Draco tried once more to get a few spells out without speaking, but now they weren't working with him.
Too Distracted Draco…stop thinking about it all.
For the next fifteen minutes Draco practiced, and practiced…until he eventually ran out of parchment, and he had to resort to transfiguring quills and spare bits of trash into makeshift targets.
After a few more minutes Draco's arm was getting tired, and he thought it best time to quit. Grabbing one of his transfigured quills in hand, which now resembled a small black ball. Draco tossed it in the air with a short, wide arc. Taking careful aim Draco cast the first spell that came to mind and watched with excitement as the red beam shot out of his wand and hit the ball with dead on accuracy, causing it to explode with a shower of gold and silver sparks. Bet Granger never had so much fun teaching herself to cast silently…
Draco whipped his head up at the thought, and proceed to kick his bed in frustration, his job was to try and not think about anything going on outside his dorm, and here he was just after he had finished practicing his magic, back to thinking about the mudblood again. Stupid bushy haired beaver muggle loving mudblood WHORE!
Kicking his bed in frustration twice more, Draco ran a hand through his now slightly damp hair. All the magical exertion had caused him to sweat slightly, his arms tired from throwing, and his body feeling physically drained. Looking down at the mess he made, the ashes and parchment balls all over the place, the disaster and scorch marks all his spells made through the room, Draco wondered idly how he was going t explain this to his dorm mates. But then he remembered that he truly didn't give a damn. There are more important things to deal with.
Looking up from the disaster that was his floor, Draco glanced down at his trunk at the foot of his bed. Taking a quick look around his empty room, Draco cast a silencing charm on the door, and as best a locking charm as he could. Reaching down to his trunk he opened it slowly to reveal, all his school supplies, his potions kits, ingredients, books and spare bits of parchment. Draco closed the lid, and tapped it three times with his wand, opening it a second time he found all his clothing, his robes, his hats and gloves, his trousers. Even some Quidditch gear was stashed near the bottom of the trunk. Closing it again, he once again tapped it three times with his wand, this time speaking a password each time he tapped it.
"Sacer Concendo Somnus"
Draco opened the trunk a third time, this time much slower then the last, while glancing over his shoulder at the door, as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. Laying in this trunk was his secret, of secrets. Laying down on a small pile of black robes, and cloaks, was what looked to be a skull. It was only a partial skull, modeled after a human one, but missing the lower jaw bone. It was Draco's Death Eater Robes the lay before him, his mask, hood, robes and cloak. The uniform of the Death Eaters, each one was unique to the wearer, designed by the Dark Lord himself, each skull had one small aspect about it that was unique, a way to distinguish one Death Eater from another Draco thought.
Running one hand down the side of his mask, Draco almost felt a childlike curiosity and excitement at the whole idea, even now. He ran his finger down the side of the skull, to just below the right eye socket, where a large crack extended down through the rest of the mask. Draco, feeling the smooth surface of the skull, and looking at the way the mask looked at him, both evil and yet sad looking at the same time. He once again wondered if the mask was the actual skull of some unfortunate person as he had heard rumors too, or just the work of some excellent spell work.
Draco knew that it really didn't matter one way or another, as some excellent spell work could technically create something as close to an actual human skull as you could get, but the idea that he wore someone's actual remains, someone's actual head. It fits in with the Dark Lord to do such a thing…
I wonder if it was a person…was he a victim of the Dark Lord? Was he a enemy of him? Or a Death Eater? Was it a spy? A follower that had turned against him?….Like me?
Draco continued to look at the skull in front of him, and his mind turned to the mark on his left arm. Turn his arm up, Draco pushed his sleeve down and looked at the mark burned into his flesh. Have I really turned again the Dark Lord? Am I really a traitor to my master? To my family? Is it really possible for me to get away from him? From them? From all of this? The entire war? Is it possible to escape?
As if answering his questions, Draco's mark suddenly turned a violent shade of black, so dark he could no longer see the outlines of the mark, until it was nothing more then just a black shape on his arm. With it came pain, like a brand on his arm, a white hot iron, it burned into his flesh so much he almost expected to hear his skin sizzle.
Gritting his teeth to stop himself from screaming out loud, Draco quickly did his best to don his Robes. Placing his mask in a pocket, Draco cast a concealment charm on himself, so no one would notice his strange look of attire. Taking one last pained look back at his bed, his comfortable Slytherin dorm, where he had spent the last sixth years or so sleeping peacefully, with nothing more then school work and Harry Potter to worry about. Draco left his dorm and quickly ran out of the common room, eager to get out of the castle just so he could apparate away and end the pain his arm was in. As Draco finally felt the wind and cold air on his face, as he was nearing the Forest where he could apparate safely, he wondered if he would ever see his dorm again. If he would even survive this meeting, or whatever it was the Dark Lord wanted him to do.
Just Seconds after he had dissaparated, Hermione Granger appeared out of thin air a few meters from the spot he had just left, holding an invisibility cloak in her hand, and a rumpled piece of parchment she looked in determination at the spot where he had been.
"I'll be waiting for when you get back Malfoy…"
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The ground was soft and wet, like mud Draco thought when he apparated. It was also very dark, so dark it was almost impossible to see anything. He seemed to be in some kind of forest, though he couldn't tell where. Surely this isn't just some part of the Forbidden forest? Surely the Dark Lord isn't hiding out just miles from Hogwarts?
Walking a few steps forward, Draco had to be careful to keep his balance as he felt like one false step could cause one left to be stuck in the ground, while the other kept going, causing him to fall face first into whatever it is he was stepping on. I hope to Merlin that it is mud…but this forest…its so dark…so unholy almost…almost like a Dementor. Sucking all the good out of you…
It only took a few more steps before Draco felt him, almost like a Dementor himself, Draco could feel his presence, and it was all together unsettling.
"So young Malfoy, you have answered my call…You were not afraid to come back to me?"
Dropping to his knees, Draco winced at the squelching sound his knees made when he hit the ground, he could just barly see the outline of his Master before him, so pale he seemed to almost radiate a cold light. Bowing his head before him he spoke, his tone subdued, no hint of a drawl, or sarcasm in it.
"No my Master…I come before you willingly, with every intention of fulfilling whatever it is you want of me."
Voldemort's let out a cold dark laugh, a soft chuckle that pierced the woods around them, like a dark wind.
"Yes I do hope for your sake you have every intention of fulfilling my wishes, you failed me utterly on your Initiation Draco…you were caught, and by a mudblood, but not just any mudblood. Harry Potters Mudblood no less…Now that he knows you are a servant of mine, that Dumbledore knows…you are all but expendable…you know this don't you?"
"Yes Master."
"And yet here you are, you came to my summon as if you, like your father, are my loyal and obedient servant…why is that "
Draco shivered at the way the Dark Lord spoke of his father, a man who taught him Malfoys are the greatest of the Wizards, who had the purist line. And here was a man he knew to be a halfblood, to speak of his Father as if he was nothing more then a slave, then a poor house elf with no rights or dignities.
"I came because I am yours to call Master, I bow before you, I serve only you, on my oath I swore it."
Draco didn't hear him, or see him. But suddenly lord Voldemort was right before him, placing one hand on each of his shoulders.
" Yes you are my servant Draco…mine to do with as I wish." Voldemort shoved both his hands backwards, and with a surprised gasp Draco flew to the ground, and actually sunk into a the ground a few inches. Draco was astounded at the strength the man had, who he knew had to be at least seventy by now, and yet he held the muscular strength of an ox it seemed.
"You do not even deserve to kneel at my feet yet Malfoy, you who failed me on your first night, should be killed like the useless fool you are."
Draco watched with horror as the he withdrew a wand from his robes and pointed it at him, he watched the tip of his wand as if he expected it to shoot forth with a blast of bright horrifying green. Draco wondered what it felt like to die for the first time.
"You have one last chance young Malfoy, before I dispose of you as you no doubt deserve…you do know this don't you?"
"Yes Master."
"You know that you are worthless do you not? That I should kill you now?"
"Y-yes Master."
"What was that?"
"Yes Master, I know."
Voldemort's eyes blazed with cruel amusement as he stared down at Draco, his wand not moving the slightest.
"Then say it to me…that you deserve to die."
"I-I" Draco felt sweat on his forehead, even through the cold of the night air, he felt his body sweating. He didn't know what to say.
"SAY it!" Draco felt a quick blast of Crucio from the Dark Lords wand, though he had never seen it coming, hadn't seen a burst of light, or a spoken word.
"I-I deserve to Die, my Master."
"You deserve death."
"I deserve death." Draco felt his hands shaking, he wished for a moment that he could go for his wand, to do something but he knew it would have been suicide to even appear to be defending himself…no matter the comfort it would be to just hold the wood in his hands.
"Ask for it…"
"My Lord?"
"Ask for it!"
"I-I want death my lord."
"What do you want?"
"I want to die…"
"As you wish young Malfoy…"
Draco couldn't keep his eyes on the Dark lord, he hoped in the darkness it was impossible to tell where he was looking, but Draco knew it wouldn't matter. He was going to die anyways. Snape had lied to him, he had told him he had one more chance…one more try to prove himself worthy. And here he was, tricked by his Master into a word game, to ask for death. But what could I do, if I refused to say it, he would of killed me…but now I just asked him to kill me?!
Seconds past by, and Draco still didn't feel any pain, or change in the wind. He was still alive, and slowing sinking into the mud at the Dark Lords feet. Realizing he had his eyes clenched shut, he opened them to see the Dark Lord smiling down at him, his wand still pointing at him.
"Crucio!"
The pain went on for some time, Draco didn't know. It got to the point where he no longer knew if he was screaming or not, sound seemed to disappear altogether. And then suddenly it stopped, he could hear himself panting, somehow he had ended up on all fours, now completely covered in mud, his throat hoarse from no doubt screaming. Trying to wipe some mud from his face, Draco tried to catch his breathing, not sure if he should be thankful that the spell had been lifted, or fearful of what may come next.
"Malfoy…As I said you have one last chance to please me…and as you just said yourself. You do not even deserve that, but nothing less then death. And I shall give it to you, if you fail me. In fact, it might even be your father himself who does it…once I get him out of Azkaban, he would be just fine killing you if I asked it…"
"So here I give you your last orders…I ask of you to complete a task for me. One that shall both redeem you, by showing me how capable you are, and how willing you are to follow my orders. And as an attack against that Mudblood loving fool Dumbledore…"
Sitting up now, Draco shakily got to his feet, and stood staring that the Dark Lord dutifully, trying his best to stop his legs from twitching.
"I ask you once more, one last time. On your oath, you swore to do any and everything I told you to, under penalty of death…is your oath binding?"
"It is my lord."
Voldemort's eyes gleamed red for a moment, Draco imagined that his skin actually lit up with its glow, but he knew it was just his imagination and fear taking over. The Dark lord is just knowledgeable in the dark arts…he is not truly evil, he is in control of his power, and his greed…I'm sure of it…
"Then here it is…before the summer months have come, while you are still in your sixth year of schooling, I want you to locate a family for me. A muggle family, two people, a man and a women who are the parents of one of your fellow classmates. This family I want you to make an example of them, I want you to use them to break the spirit of both Dumbledore and Potter. Can you do that for me?"
Draco knew there had to be more to this, for such a last chance it was too open ended…he knew there was more.
"Yes my lord…but which family of muggles do you want me to make an example of?"
"Well, Snape tells me that the fool of a headmaster you have has used the very girl who found you, to be your guard. He tells me how you are now pretending to be a spy for them and their damn order. I want you to get back at the Mudblood for this…it is her parents I want you to locate, and make an example of."
Draco felt his insides go cold. Granger…he wants me to kill Grangers parents…
"You want me to kill them before the school year is over my Lord?"
Laughing once again, he shook his head.
"No Malfoy…I want you to find them, before the school year is over. On the first day back from Hogwarts you are to go to the Mudbloods home, and while she is watching I want you to completely and utterly ruin her. Make her watch, make her cry, make her soul shatter in horror at what you do. And then kill her after you have disposed of the parents. I want you to use the Mudblood position as your guard to your advantage. Snape told me how you too were forced to room together during your recuperation, use whatever you can to get her to trust you if you want, maybe she will tell you where she lives…women are weak, use it to your advantage."
He wants me to torture them, and Granger…I have to kill her…and her parents…Snape is a loyal Death Eater…he told him all of this… Draco swallowed past a large lump in his throat, though he knew his task was not going to be a pretty one, he hadn't expected it to be so personal. Though he by no stretch of the imagination liked Granger at all, he knew her. For sixth years, he had gone to classes with her, ate meals in the same room as her, they had the same teachers, knew the same people, they've had to work on projects together, and just days ago he had spent over a full day locked in a room with the girl. To kill an stranger is one thing…to kill someone you know, to torture them and their family…
"I understand my lord…I will find the family, torture all three of them, and dispose of them as you have asked."
"Not yet Malfoy…you have not heard what I have in mind for them."
"Do you have a particular method of torture you want me to use my lord?"
The smile that came to the Voldemort's face made Draco cringe, it was happy…eerily so.
"Oh yes young Malfoy…I have the perfect method for you to use…"
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A half hour later found Draco Malfoy stumbling towards Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Ironically similar to just a few days ago, Malfoy though this time was not fighting to get to the castle from pain, but from desperation and fear. And disgust…utter disgusts.
Feeling absolutely sick to his stomach, Draco's mind flashed back to the images the Dark Lord had put into his mind, literally put into his mind. Fearing the blond would not get the point across, the Dark lord had put an actual visual of what the general idea of what he was supposed to do. Draco was forced to watch for half an hour the 'torture' he as supposed to put the grangers through, he watched an image created by the Dark Lords twisted imagination as he did things to the grangers that was to him, beyond horrible.
He…he…actually wants me too….
Falling to his knee's Draco threw up all over the lawns of the school, his stomach heaved, and his mouth burned. But the images wouldn't leave his head.
It was after a few more violent heaves that he finally wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, and tried to get to his feet. His whole body was shaking, but he didn't know if it was from the cold, the vomiting, or the things he was told to do. If I don't…I die…
Death might be better…
Shocked that he actually believed that, that he felt the words to be true, Draco hurried to get into the castle. Tripping over his own feet, Draco felt the image come once again, now it was playing through his eyes, disrupting his vision as he tried to walk. One second he was in the middle of the night with the doors to the Castle in sight, a split second later he was in what the Dark Lord imagined the Grangers living room to look, hearing the screams of the family as he…
I can actually hear them…screaming…I can feel myself…their blood on my hands…their skin torn…I can see, and hear, and feel it all…
Draco fell to his knee's at the feet of the Castle steps, placing a hand up to his face, he was surprised when it felt wet. Glancing up at the sky he was confused when he saw it was a clear night sky, and that it hadn't rained in days. It took him a few seconds to realize the wetness he felt were tears, his tears…coming down hot over his cheeks. I…Merlin…what…what am I going to do? What can I do…either I do what he asks of me…or I die! What am I supposed to do!
Shaking a bit, Draco felt himself curl up in a ball at the feet of the castle, no longer caring who saw him he now let him self cry, his sobs ringing against the silent night, almost seemed to echo across the grounds.
Draco felt himself sob for several minutes, before he realized he wasn't alone. Not caring who saw him at this point, Azkaban would be better then what I have to face…
He looked up expecting to find another person who now discovered his secret, hoping it was Potter to put him out of his misery, he was surprised to see that it was Granger who was standing before him. She at first seemed to have looked down on him with a look of anger and disgust when she apparently saw his tear strained face.
"Oh, its just my shadow…"
"Malfoy…what happened?! Are you hurt, did they torture you again?!"
Granger…don't say torture please…
Draco felt his stomach twitch just at the sight of the girl, and the things he was told to do to her.
I want you to break her Draco, Break her family, make her watch…then break her while her family watches….take their lives while she is already at her worst, while the wounds are still fresh. And then when you are finished with them, kill her…and send my sign in the sky. It won't take anyone long to realized what exactly happened to them…the results will shatter Potter and Dumbledore…their sense of good prevailing over evil, of light over darkness, will be destroyed.
Like a mantra, like a horrible dream, Draco couldn't get the Dark Lords voice out of his head, get the images the sick freak put into his head, like it was a freaking bedtime story.
"Malfoy, what's wrong? Here let me help." Reaching towards him, Draco jumped away, over the side of the stairs, down into the mud.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Where I belong now…
He crawled backwards, trying to get as much of a distance away from her as he could.
"Get away from me Granger…Don't touch me!"
"Malfoy what's wrong?! What happened, what did he do?"
Closing his eyes, Draco felt himself wanting to throw up once more. No matter what he did he had to be near Granger, he had classes with her, he ate meals with her. And now she was his shadow for the Order.
I have to tell Snape this…Dumbledore…She'll find out…I-I can't tell anyone what he wants me to do…I…no…please…
"Malfoy? Draco? What happened?"
Its not what happened…
Opening his eyes Draco looked up at Hermione Granger, who for all the things he's done to her, for all the mean things he's said to her. She actually looked concerned for him, actually fearful for the Death Eater lying in the mud before her, covered in all sorts of filth.
Suddenly I feel like the dirty one, while she looks so pure and good…
Those images…they seemed so real…I could feel myself, I could feel them…hear them.
What am I going to do?
Draco close his eyes and tried to think of something happy something peaceful. The image of the Room of Requirement came to mind, of Hermione kissing him in the middle of the night, of waking up next to her.
And then he pictured himself pushing her off the bed, of binding her hands and legs, her mouth…and finding her parents and…
Please no…
"Malfoy! What happened to you!"
Looking up at her, Draco could barly talk, his voice shaking from his tears.
"Its now what happened to me, its what's going to happen to you."
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A/N: I hope you all like this Chapter, I've been trying to get this one out for some time, but I had to have all these scenes...it just didn't seem right to cut it in half, so here you go, a nice long Chapter to keep you happy. and I know I didn't say exactly what Draco's mission is, but I'm sure if you think about it you can guess. It'll will of course be given full detail in the next few chapters. But I hope you all enjoy this one and please review...this will most likly be my last update of the year, unless I have lots of free time and the inspiration to just want to write alot.
Please Review! and thank you, -Sises