Draco wasn't sure he was actually moving through time or whether the time turner had actually worked, that is until two seconds later when he watched his past-self walking at a speedy pace around the room like he'd just done moments before, until he exited through the door and the room became empty again. The only awareness he had of moving through time now was the view out of Hermione's bedroom window, he could see clusters of student moving in blurs, the trees swaying at unnatural speed, until eventually they slowed back down to their normal speed and Draco knew he was four hours in the past.
He looked around Hermione's room. Nothing was different, where were their past selves though? He was answered by the sound of muffled voices coming from outside the door of Hermione's bedroom. He practically vaulted under the bed, but noticed that the voices were not getting any closer. He still scolded himself for being so reckless; the last thing he wanted was to run into his past self, that would be one way to ensure he ended up in St Mungo's.
He heard the voices become more distant and the portrait hole close. If his timing was correct that would be him and Hermione leaving, which meant Ernie would still be in the common room. He cast a disillusionment charm on himself and looked in the mirror as his body became a human chameleon. He knew he wouldn't be completely invisible, but if he kept close to the walls and corners he could ensure he wasn't seen.
He walked towards Hermione's door, and opened it as quietly as possible. He slipped out, but stayed close to the wall. Ernie was grumbling under his breath; Draco thought he heard the words 'Malfoy' and 'prat' involved. He smirked. Ernie was clearly grumbling about the blackmail his past self had threatened him with.
Draco slid as smoothly as possible along the wall towards the portrait hole. Ernie was currently tying his shoelaces, when he suddenly looked up, Draco froze. Ernie looked over the wall for a moment with narrowed eyes, before he shook his head and continued getting ready. Draco breathed out a sigh of relief and moved toward the portrait hole. He opened it as quietly as possible and slipped out, ensuring he cushioned it as it swung shut again.
He was now out in the corridor. It was dark, except for a few torches on the wall, and it was completely empty, since the only people who ever really travelled past were the Head Girl and Boy.
Draco moved down the corridor, towards the direction of the staircase. There were only a couple of students making their way down the stairs; the usual early risers, Draco supposed. He knew his past-self was currently getting ready in his dorm and would soon be at breakfast. Draco thought it best to wait in the Slytherin Common room until his past-self returned.
As he got to the dungeon, he waited patiently for someone to come out of the portrait hole. Twenty long minutes later, the portrait hole opened and he pressed himself against the wall as he watched himself step out and walk up the corridor toward the Great Hall. Draco caught the portrait before it swung shut again and slipped inside to find it relatively empty. He decided to sit in a deserted chair in a shadowy corner and wait until something happened.
He wondered whether he might be able to stop Hermione from leaving, but he wasn't sure when she actually left. He'd been so angry at Pansy that morning, he'd stopped focusing on Hermione and let the rage distract him. He was also worried about revealing himself to her, knowing his past self could show up at any time. He had to make sure he was invisible the whole time.
Sometime later, Draco saw Pansy enter the portrait hole looking rather angry; she sat in front of the crackling fire. Draco wanted to hex her, but he held back. She had probably seen him in the great hall, though he hadn't seen her, and she would find it more than odd that he was in two places at once. Another problem was, if he ruined her plans now, he would never know about them in the first place. Time travel was a confusing thing, he decided.
He heard saw Blaise emerge from his dorm, say a quick 'Hello' to Pansy, and then step out the portrait hole. He knew his past-self would be back soon, and he was correct.
What seemed like only ten minutes later, his past-self barged through the portrait hole and stood straight in front of Pansy. He watched them argue, and Pansy spilt her plan, looking all too pleased. He watched himself go to leave as Pansy sent a stunning spell at his back, causing past-Draco to fall to the ground, stiff. He watched as Pansy levitated him into his room and ten minutes later, came out carrying her bag, she turned toward the door.
Draco raised his wand from the shadows and sent a stunning spell at her back. She became as stiff as a board, and Draco didn't bother hiding his smirk as she fell forward and crashed into his bedroom door. He levitated her body into her dorm, letting her drop to the ground. He then warded the door ensuring that if she was to try and get out, it would take her a while. His wards were definitely too advanced for her.
He opened the door to his room and saw himself lying on his bed, stiff. He sent the reversal spell from around the corner and saw himself shoot up as fast as possible, before looking around at the empty room confused. His past-self didn't seem to be too worried about who had reversed the spell, however, because in seconds he'd raced out the door and out the portrait hole.
Draco decided to leave a note for Blaise in case he came looking for him. He penned a quick note on a scrap piece of parchment he found lying on the coffee table and stuck it in his room, before warding the doors. If Blaise did come looking, Draco wanted to ensure he stalled him enough so he couldn't follow him to Hogsmeade. At least then he knew Blaise would not be killed.
With that, Draco ran out the portrait hole, up the stairs, and out the castle doors towards the Womping Willow. He remembered Hermione saying something about a knot in the tree, pressing it opened up a passage to the Shrieking Shack. As Draco approached the tree, which was reasonably calm at the moment, he spotted the knot. Did you just walk over and press it? He moved closer, and only just managed to dodge a branch that came swinging at him. He looked around there were no deserted sticks on the ground. Could he hit it with a spell? It was worth a try.
He aimed his wand toward the knot, and shouted "Stupefy!" The light hit the tree directly and it immediately froze. Draco saw an opening at the roots and crawled down it. The tunnel was dark and smelt like a swamp. He lit his wand, and began traipsing through, crouching down to avoid hitting his head.
In less than five minutes Draco could make out the opening up ahead. He climbed through and found himself in a rickety old building. The Shrieking Shack.
The squeaky floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, and what light that shone in through the windows only illuminated the dust particles floating in the air. The walls had random holes in them, and giant claw marks down the walls. He also faintly saw traces of human blood that looked to have been there for a sometime.
Draco walked toward the door he assumed to be the exit. He swung it open and stepped out. From his view point he could see a rocky path leading toward a barbed wire fence about two hundred metres away. He knew that was where Hermione was headed.
He began to run up the path as fast as he could. His shoes were still covered in slimy mud from the tunnel under the Womping Willow and occasionally he slipped on a rock because of it. There was no time to stop though, Hermione would be close.
He was just about to make it up the last steep slope towards the fence when he heard a yelp of pain. He froze. He heard another one. It was definitely Hermione. He frantically began closing the distance between himself and the fence. He stood behind the fence, still disillusioned, just in time to see a bulky Death Eater Sylvester flying straight toward him.
The force of the hit knocked Draco off his feet, and sent him sliding a few metres down the slope he'd just frantically climbed. He had to give it to Hermione; she was definitely good with a wand.
He managed to get to his feet and struggle back up the slope just in time to see the Death Eater run after Hermione who was racing down the road towards Hogsmeade Village. He knew she wouldn't make it though. He began to race after the two and as Sylvester raised his wand towards Hermione, Draco sent a silent 'Reducto!' toward the man, causing him to fly forward several metres and land in an unconscious bundle on the ground.
Hermione turned to see the Death eater land at her feet in shock. She looked around frantically for the person who had caused it. Draco wanted to physically push her toward Hogsmeade, but knew he couldn't. She seemed to come to her senses, however, and began running towards the small village that could clearly be seen in the distance.
She froze suddenly, when another Death Eater stepped out from behind a dead tree and began shooting spells. Draco raised his wand to fire, but was surprised when a spell passed his head from behind and hit the Death Eater in the chest causing him to fall over stunned. Draco spun around to see his past-self striding toward Hermione, who had fallen to the ground, bleeding from a slicing hex.
He watched as he knelt down next to her, and began attempting to stop the bleeding, he saw Hermione give a small smile.
"I can do it," she said softly, "Healer in training remember?" Draco looked up, and smirked.
"Guess I forgot," he stepped back slightly and allowed her to say the charms that healed the wound on her leg. He helped her stand, as she gingerly tested whether she could walk.
Draco was so absorbed in watching the interaction between Hermione and himself, longing to go and hold her himself, that he didn't notice the raven haired girl approaching from behind a tree on the opposite side of the path. That is, until she sent a hex causing Draco's past-self to fly forwards several metres, taking Hermione with him. The crash they made as they hit the tree was carried by the wind. Draco winced as he felt the pain all over his body, from the injuries his past-self had just sustained.
As quick as lightning the girl had revived the two death eaters, just as Draco sent a disarming spell her direction causing her wand to fly out of her hand, and sending her flying sideways. Pansy looked around at the two Death eaters, "What the hell are you doing?" She screeched, "I already knocked them out, stop sending spells flying everywhere!"
The two Death Eaters looked ready to argue, but she silenced them with a glare.
"Are you idiots or something?" She hissed, "I practically handed them to you, and you can't even do the rest!" She threw her hands up in frustration.
"Calm down Parkinson," said Smith, glaring at her, "Not even Voldemort himself could handle Potter or his little buddies."
"I don't give a crap about Voldemort; I want them to pay for what they did to my family! My father! That blood traitor sold him out, all because he wanted that frizzy-haired Gryffindor bitch to like him." Pansy hissed, "I don't care what you do with her, do whatever you were told, but I want to finish him." She glanced toward the Draco who was unconscious by the tree.
Sylvester snorted, "You honestly think you can get rid of him on your own?" He said, amused, "A little thing like you?"
The two Death eaters shared an amused look. Pansy sneered.
"If you haven't noticed, that little Gryffindor bitch almost got rid of you." She said smugly, "You'd both be done for if I hadn't turned up."
Both Death Eaters looked as though their ego's were shattered. Draco, however, wished they would hurry up and say their plans. He couldn't risk hexing any of them for fear they would see where the spells were coming from. The last thing he needed was these three seeing him, when he was clearly over by a tree unconscious. Not to mention what they might do if they got their hands on the time turner...
"Look, I don't care," Pansy said impatiently, "Just go get him! You can take her and do whatever you like."
The Death eaters shrugged, and Smith went to retrieve Draco's unconscious form from the under the tree, and dragged it to where Pansy was standing. Hermione was still lying there, face down.
"Well aren't you going?" She asked impatiently.
"Think we'll stay and watch this for a bit," they said amused, Pansy sneered again.
"Rennervate," muttered Pansy, pointing her wand at the past-Draco.
Draco watched as he awoke slowly, squinting in the light, before looking around and realising where he was. He suddenly got to his feet alternating between pointing his wand at the Death Eaters, who laughed, and Pansy, who didn't seem to be in the mood for their high spirits right now.
"Don't look at us," said Sylvester, "It's her you'll be dealing with. We've got the pleasure of deciding what we do to your little mudblood girlfriend though." The Death eater leered at past-Draco, whose eyes instantly went to Hermione's form under the tree.
"Don't you touch her," Draco threatened.
"We'll do more than touch her," Smith said, and they both laughed as Draco attempted to run at them, before Pansy restrained him with ropes that flew out of her wand. Draco turned to her and sneered.
"Look at you," he said, hissing, "not so pathetic with your wand now are you? And here I thought you were just a dumb bitch, who used sex to get what she wanted."
Pansy didn't look offended at all, "Not as simple as I look, am I Draco? Who would've thought you'd be into the bookish type, maybe I'd have let a bit more of my talent show. But it did me good to hide it now, didn't it? You weren't threatened by me, bet you regret that now, don't you?"
Draco sneered, "I regret everything to do with you, Pansy. You were my biggest mistake." He looked her up and down, disgusted.
Pansy ignored him, "You honestly think getting Blaise, or whoever it was to stun me and lock me in my room would give you time to save her?" She asked amused, past-Draco looked confused but didn't speak, "Millicent came and found me when I didn't turn up for our first lesson. She had to get someone else to take the wards down of course, but there was still enough time to catch you, and look at you now. Pathetic."
Past-Draco snorted, "I'm not nearly as pathetic as you, Pansy. You're doing all this because you can't handle that things didn't go as you like. Grow up, little girl," he hissed, "Life isn't fair. Your father got what he deserved."
From where Draco stood, watching his past-self and Pansy interact, he could see the anger on her face. He braced himself when she raised her wand and hissed, "Crucio."
Draco fell to the ground, at the same time his past-self did. The feeling was horrible. His skin was on fire, his muscles aching. He felt like a thousand red-hot knives were stabbing through him. His bones felt like they were breaking everywhere. He could hear his past-self groaning in pain and used all his energy to prevent any noise from escaping his lips. Draco had been under the Cruciatis curse many times, but it was never something that someone could get used too. He was relieved when Pansy broke the spell, but he knew his body would still ache for days.
He cast a quick 'Silencio' on himself, in case Pansy wasn't done cursing his past-self, who he could see was also feeling the aftermath of the curse. In the safety of his silence, Draco let out a ragged breath, and turned his focus back on the scene in front of him.
Pansy, it seemed, was only getting started. She sent a couple of slicing hexes his way, leaving gashes down the side of both past and future Draco's face and chest. She alternated between this and the Cruciatis curse, leaving both Draco's exhausted and in physical pain.
Draco knew that his past-self's wand was still under the tree near Hermione, so he was defenceless. He knew how to cast silent spells, but he'd never quite caught the jist of wandless magic, especially casting spells strong enough to get himself out of this bind. Draco knew he would have to intervene to stop his past-self from being tortured if he had a hope in getting out of this alive.
Draco stood and moved around the trees behind the two Death Eaters, next to Hermione. He kneeled down to check she was still breathing, and let out a breath of relief when he felt a pulse. He moved back over to the tree behind the Death Eaters, just in time to feel another slicing hex across his leg. He hissed in pain, knowing he couldn't be heard anyway.
He raised his wand, just as Pansy raised hers to cast another Cruciatis curse on his past-self, and sent a silent 'Reducto!" toward the raven haired witch, sending her flying several metres backwards, hitting the ground hard. She groaned in pain, before glaring at the Death Eaters across from her, who were looking between each other and the girl in front of them who was practically bursting with rage.
"Are you FUCKING IDIOTS?" She screeched, loudly, "What did I tell you about aiming your fucking spells at the right person?"
Both the Death Eaters shared another glance. "Well that wasn't me," Sylvester said, holding his hands up defensively, "It was probably him." He pointed to Smith.
"Oi!" The other man protested loudly, "Don't try to blame me for your shoddy skills; I've seen you use a wand, you've got aim like a drunk troll!"
The two men began arguing between themselves, and despite the situation, Draco couldn't help but snort in amusement. Pansy didn't seem quite as amused, and she was glaring at the two men. She raised her wand and sent a slicing hex that cut them both along the chest in one swift slice. Both men yelped in pain and raised their wands towards the girl.
"Don't even think about it," she said threateningly, "in the time it takes to hex me, I could send the killing curse to either one of you. Do you really want the 50/50 chance of being killed?"
Both men looked between each other and lowered their wands, hesitantly. Pansy looked smug, knowing she'd just scared two fully grown men, and turned back to the Draco who was lying on the ground in front of her, bleeding.
Future-Draco removed the silencing charm briefly and used the opportunity to point his wand from behind the tree toward Sylvester, and whisper, "Imperio."
The Death Eater suddenly stiffened, Draco noticed. He thought, 'Hex Pansy with 'Reducto',' and was pleased when Sylvester raised his wand and said the spell. Pansy didn't have time to react before she was thrown backwards even further then the last time, straight into a tree. She slumped, unconscious on the ground.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Smith bellowed, turning to Sylvester. Sylvester, who was no longer under the control of the Imperious curse looked at the other Death Eater, confused. They began to argue between themselves, once again, and Draco couldn't help but realise why they'd never really made it into Voldemort's inner circle.
As the two men were still arguing, Draco could see people in the distance; they seemed to be coming from Hogsmeade. As they got closer, Draco recognised their Auror robes. He breathed out a silent sigh of relief; Blaise had seen his letter, in which he'd briefly explained the situation and told him to contact the Order. He noted to himself that the next time he saw Blaise Zabini, he was probably going to kiss him out of pure and utter happiness. The thought had Draco cringing with disgust; he might just buy him a Fire whiskey instead. He was, nonetheless, thankful that Blaise had survived. Now he just had to make sure Hermione did too.
This thought had him moving toward the girl. There was a shout of, "Put your wands down!" from an Auror, several metres away, and both Death Eaters stopped their arguing and looked towards them. They ran toward Hermione, completely forgetting about past-Draco, who was still on the ground.
Draco wasn't sure why his past-self was still so injured, when he was only feeling slightly weak and sore, but mostly steady on his feet. He assumed it was because, as he was from the future, his wounds had time to heal from where he'd sustained those just moments before. It was a confusing concept that he quickly dismissed before he added 'headache' to his list of problems.
Sylvester was hit with a stunning curse as he ran, falling stiff to the ground. Smith however made it to Hermione and picked up the girls limp body, using it to shield himself. Draco was still holding onto Hermione, not willing to let her go. He watched as Aurors swarmed over to his past-self on the ground and Pansy by the tree. A group was holding their wands up towards Smith, "Put the girl down," one Auror said, stepping hesitantly toward the Death Eater.
Smith simply chuckled; probably realising he'd be done for if he lost his human shield. In a split second, Draco felt Smith turn and saw the Aurors rush towards him, but with a crack, he disapparated with Hermione, and unbeknownst to himself, Draco.
Draco felt the tug at his stomach, as he felt his body squeezed and pulled this way and that. He knew he didn't have an excellent grip, and was thankful when they landed on hard ground, and he was no longer at risk of getting splinched.
Draco looked around and recognised the Forbidden Forest, though they were on the outskirts of the entrance, Hogwarts was all the way over the other side. They would have to walk all the way through before they exited on Hogwarts grounds. Draco groaned inwardly, thinking of the distance it would be to get back to the castle.
He turned his attention back to the Death Eater, he seemed to get sick of carrying Hermione, and began levitating her behind him as he walked through the entrance of trees. It was a long journey, and Draco was thankful that he still had a while to go before he had to get back the castle and meet back with his past-self.
After close to an hour of swift walking, Smith stopped and looked around. Draco wasn't sure what he was looking for, none of this forest was recognisable, and they could have been walking in circles for all he knew. However, the Death Eater seemed to sense that they were close enough to the castle, but not close enough to be spotted by any Aurors who would, no doubt, be patrolling.
The Death Eater let Hermione fall to the ground and Draco knew it was time to act. As the Death Eater raised his wand and began to say, "Avada-", Draco had cut him off with, "Petrificus Totalus!" and breathed a sigh of relief when the Death Eater dropped to the ground, stunned.
Draco thought about killing Smith, in fact, he raised his wand a few times to do just that. But he decided, after a while, that death was an easy way out; he wanted this monster to rot in Azkaban like his and Pansy's father. And possibly even Pansy herself.
Draco turned back to Hermione, she still wasn't awake, but he knew she was alive. He needed to get her some help though, and he couldn't very well go walking in with her, when he was probably already in the castle hospital wing right now. He thought for a moment. He knew one way that would get attention, get Hermione help and allow him to slip away unnoticed.
Many times he'd been there when the Death eaters had killed. He'd never participated, but they'd made him watch, as though it might actually tempt him to join them. Many times he'd watched as the Dark Mark was cast over the houses of witches and wizards. He saw the reaction it got; he remembered earlier that day. He knew, however, that instilling fear in people for a short time was worth it if it meant saving Hermione.
He gave her one last glance, before he raised his wand to the sky and shouted, "Morsmordre!"
Instantly, in the stormy sky was a glowing skull, with a snake weaving in and out of its mouth. It could be quite mesmerising, if it wasn't associated with such sadness and pain.
Immediately, Draco heard shouts. They were obviously close enough to Hogwarts for them to see it immediately. He waited patiently by Hermione; he didn't want to leave her until he was sure they'd found her. He could hear the shouts getting closer, and he knew they were nearby.
Not five minutes later did Draco see the first Auror racing through the trees followed by several others, including Orders members, like Remus Lupin. Draco knew he didn't have much time and began to run toward the castle, just in time to hear and Auror shout, "She's over here!"
As Draco ran he saw several more Aurors and Order members running past him toward Hermione. He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Now he just needed to get back. As he exited the clearing, Hogwarts was similar to how he'd seen it earlier. There were Aurors everywhere, he looked back briefly and saw the Dark Mark still floating in the sky. This time, however, it didn't hurt him as much to look at it. She's okay.
He ran in the castle doors, as students were gathered around trying to get a look. He ran past hearing the whispers.
"I heard they brought Draco Malfoy into the hospital wing..."
"...attacked by Death Eaters...
He ran past them, and up the staircase, waiting impatiently for it to shift. He eventually made it outside the doors to the Hospital Wing; he pushed them open.
Inside he saw himself lying on a bed at the far end. He walked towards himself, just in time to see him disappear. Draco removed the disillusionment charm from himself and slipped into the bed. He wanted to wait up and see Hermione when they brought her in, his plan however wasn't to be.
Madam Pomfrey stepped out of her office. "What on are you doing awake? And what happened to your bandages?" She scolded. He listened to her rant about ungrateful students, as she healed his wounds and bandaged them back up for good measure.
"Now, here," she said, handing him a vial of purple potion, "If you won't sleep on your own I'll have to force you too."
"But, I can't sleep, I have to make sure-," The woman cut him off with a raised hand and a stern look.
"Do not try to argue with me, child. You will not win. Now drink up."
Draco opened his mouth to protest again, but thought against it as she gave him another stern look. He downed the Dreamless Sleep potion, sulkily, and lay his head down on the pillow. The woman gave him a smug smile and walked back into her office.
Draco fought the feeling of heavy eyes and a light head, as he waited for the doors to the hospital wing to open. Just as they swung open, and a group of Aurors raced in, carrying someone, Draco lost his fight against his unconsciousness and begrudgingly slipped into a deep sleep.
A/N: So there you go. I have to admit, I sort of dont like this chapter much. It was a pain in the behind to write too. It was extremely confusing, with the timing of things and the fact that I was referring to TWO different Draco's. I hope it's easy to understand, otherwise my efforts will be for nothing :S
I had this chapter planned completely differently, but it just sort of ran away on me. I wonder if I'm the only one that cant keep control of their own story? LOL
I think there might be only one more chapter after this, just to wrap it up. I hope I didnt make too many people mad for killing off both Blaise and Hermione...I just like drama, and I got them back anyway. Just wanted to scare you :3
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, favourited, subscribed, or even read this, even if it was to decide it was too crappy to bother with! Until next time...
Cheers, Leni