Chapter 13:
Normandy, France
Narcissa couldn't help the gasp that escaped her when she saw the palace of Hermione's forefathers for the first time. The fabled magical castle was located on an island just off the mainland of France in the English Channel. The strong magic that guarded the palace kept the waters around it churning, the mist coming off the turbulent seas providing a constant camouflage to the island's existence.
Narcissa thought it was a shame that such beauty had to be hidden, for the castle was a marvel to behold. The island rose up to form a peak with the castle being its crown. It was a veritable fortress, with battlements befitting a citadel. Turrets located at the four cardinal points of the compass each housed a man-sized revolving glass wall that acted like a prism. Anyone lucky enough to have stumbled on the island uninvited was caught up in the beams of light refracted from the prisms and transported away via a rainbow to nearby Blonville-sur-mer on the Normandy coast.
In spite of its grandeur, or maybe because of it, the Royal Palace was intimidating. Old….ancient….mysterious….Other. Narcissa's skin tingled from the feeling of wild magic all around her. It was a place half-in and half-out of the mortal world. Its roots were not of the earth.
When Hermione saw the castle for the first time, she gave Draco's hand a squeeze. She did not feel quite the same as Narcissa, however. The home of her ancestors pulled at her heartstrings. Even though she had never been there, it felt familiar; like she'd seen it before somehow…..perhaps in a dream.
Hermione gave Draco a quick glance. "What do you think?" she asked him.
"That we will need to make sure our future children can swim," he quipped. Grinning at her, he added, "Moats are bad enough, but this? All these waves…..," he gestured with his hand to the tide's constant crashing on the rocks below them.
"Oh shush," she said, blushing. "Children are a long way away yet."
But Draco had stopped teasing. They had entered the courtyard of the palace, and he was looking in awe at the site where they were to perform their bonding later that evening.
"It's…it's beautiful," he uttered.
Nodding, Hermione agreed. In the middle of the courtyard, an ancient yew tree grew. Its branches reached up to touch each turret. Beneath its shade, the circle of magic was carved into the lush carpeted grass. They both could feel the pulse of primal, deep magic underneath their feet.
"The Old One," she murmured, referring to the tree. "Legend has it being from the very start…..Evergreen, Everlasting…..and Eternal."
"Where He-Who-Needs-No-Name completed his own bonding ceremony," said Draco as he moved closer to inspect the trunk of the tree. "Look, Hermione….the stain is still here."
"His mark of claimship," she uttered. "A love bond."
"You do realize…if we complete our bonding here…..," Draco said as he pointed to the circle underneath the tree, "the effect it will have on our union….?"
Hermione gazed at her mate. "Our bond will be… like this one here….without end."
He nodded. "Yes. Declaring me as your consort wasn't a binding union, but after we do this…..there is no going back. Love, are you sure this is what you want?" Hermione looked confused and a bit hurt at his question, so Draco quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand me. I want this more than anything. But you…..you could do so much better….."
Hermione placed her finger on top of Draco's lips. "I don't want another…. I want you."
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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Highlands, Scotland
The next few days after the singing competition were some of the best in Ron's life. Nearly every girl went out of their way to speak to him and several had asked him to accompany them on the next Hogsmeade weekend.
At first, he wondered if it was just because they wanted to use him as a means to get to Harry, but after he had sung again at Madame's Pomfrey's request, he realized his voice was doing what ditzy Luna had said. He'd found the power to reel in the females. Ron had even started signing autographs for the younger year students, much to the disgust of Ginny and the amusement of Harry.
"Say….it's good to be Ron Weasley these days, isn't it, Mate?" Harry joked as they made their way back to their new common room.
Ron flung himself down onto the expensive leather couch. "Aye," he grinned. "The birds love me."
"Thus saith the crab," snorted Ginny. "But what does a crab know?"
Ron sat up when some of the Slytherins giggled at his sister's jibe. "Shut up, Ginny," he glowered. "Your jealousy is showing."
"Hey now," Harry started, "She was just teasing…."
"Stay out of this, Harry," Ron said.
"But she's my girlfriend!"
"And she's my sister. But I'm done with her loud mouth…and Fred and George's, too." He looked angrily at his sister. "So mind your ways, Gin…if you know what's good for you."
Ginny didn't know whether to throw a bat bogey hex at Ron or to let his temper slide. She generally could hold her own with her six brothers, but since Ron had achieved an almost instant fame for his voice, he had become…different. Unbearable, actually.
To heck with this, she thought, he's been asking for it. Out loud she said, "I don't know that I care to claim being your sister. You've become an even bigger, pompous, arrogant pain in the arse than you were before."
Ron's face began to turn a reddish purple, never a good sign. "I finally have something to be proud of! And it's all mine. You're just jealous, like I said. You can't stand it that another Weasley is now more popular than you."
Harry was looking back and forth between Ron and Ginny. He felt torn in two. Gin was his girlfriend, but Ron was his best mate. As for the other Slytherins in the common room, the confrontation between the two Weasleys felt increasingly hostile. Weren't Gryffindors supposed to be the good guys? The ones who were true and brave and all that? Despite the reputation Slytherin House had, when it came to their house, Slytherins were loyal. And family was held as sacred. Seeing Ron and Ginny fight like enemies was truly disturbing to them.
"Jealous? I don't think so," Ginny fired back. "I wouldn't want the cheap sort of popularity you're claiming. You're pathetic, did you know that? You think all those girls love you? They just like the way your voice sounds." Stopping to catch her breath, she gave him a withering glare and said, "Congratulations, Ronald. You've become the wizarding version of a muggle jukebox."
That did it. Ron had been getting angrier and angrier, and when he heard his sister scathingly talk to him in a tone that was eerily reminiscent of Hermione, he lost it. The regret he had carried of not appreciating Hermione until it was too late and the hurt he'd felt when she'd chosen Malfoy over him pushed Ron over the edge. Before he fully realized what he was doing, he struck. He leveled the same curse Antonin Dolohov had used against Hermione at the ministry...and he'd aimed it at his own sister. Ginny just stood there with her mouth open in shock. She knew that curse and what was coming.
"Ginny!" Harry screamed and dove in front of her to push her down. But he was too late. He screamed again, this time caused by the curse hitting him square in the back.
If it had been successful in hitting its intended target, Ron's curse would have struck Ginny directly in the heart.
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Normandy, France
With the Queen's token, Blaise was able to apparate directly to the Palace. Walking through the gates, he paused as he took in the courtyard with all the preparations in place. The massive yew tree was casting its shade in the day's last sunlight. Soon, it would be dusk and as soon as the first stars came out, they would begin the ritual.
Blaise swallowed hard. He could do this, he told himself. He could get through this for his brother. He just had to quit thinking of himself and concentrate instead on Draco. Yes…..that was it. He was still giving himself a mental pep-talk when he heard Hermione cry out, "Blaise! You're here!"
He looked up immediately when he heard her voice, and saw the Queen rushing joyously toward him. Her face showed how delighted she was in seeing him. When she jumped up into his arms to give him a big hug, it was all Blaise could do to not press her tightly to himself and capture her lips. Those lips that had caressed his best friend.
Get a grip, man! he scolded himself as he reluctantly released Hermione to give Draco a hug instead.
"My brother," Blaise said as he gave the blonde the crushing hug that he wouldn't indulge in with Hermione.
The subject of Blaise's desire grinned at the two young men as they clasped each other's shoulder.
"So….this is it," Blaise said to Draco. He saw a deep sparkle in his friend's eyes. At first, he didn't recognize it, but then he realized it was because he had never before seen it in Draco. It was peace.
"Yep….this is it, alright," Draco agreed and beamed down at Hermione as she took his arm. "And I couldn't be happier…"
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St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries London, England
Pansy didn't know what was worse; hearing Harry's shrieking screams or knowing he was now in pain beyond the ability to give it voice. As she watched him sporadically shudder underneath the starched linens of the hospital bed at St. Mungo's, she wondered what was happening to his friend, Ron. Not that she imagined they'd remain friends after this.
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At first, Ron thought he was in a dream. Did that really happen? Had he really tried to kill his baby sister? No, it couldn't be possible. He'd just gotten so mad, he'd lost all reason and control. Just the thought of that curse hitting Ginny made him feel sick. Not that he felt any better that it had hit Harry. As soon as he heard the first scream, Ron's head had cleared, and he'd realized what he had done. Adrenaline coursed through his body as he'd fired off a patronus to the Headmaster asking him to lift the ward off the school so he could apparate Harry directly to the hospital. Dumbledore instead had immediately materialized in the Slytherin common room and had taken Harry himself. That left Ron to face a livid Snape and McGonagall who had demanded an explanation. Unfortunately for Ron, Millicent Bulstrode had been only too happy to tell the professors what had happened to her beloved Harry. The result of that had been the heads of Slytherin and Gryffindor for once agreeing on what should be done. They had handed Ron over to the Aurors. Even then, Ron thought they would just reprimand him and perhaps make his father pay a fine. Not that his family could afford that, but he figured Harry wouldn't mind lending him some more galleons…that is, if Harry lived…..
But it was no use thinking about that now. If those wandering around him found out how miserable he was, they would just try to make it worse. But he wouldn't let them get to him, he told himself. This was only until Harry got better…..only until he learned his lesson. At least…that's what the Ministry had told him. He tried to scratch his nose, but it was hard. He never imagined the chains one had to wear in Azkaban were so heavy.
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Normandy, France
Blaise felt like heavy chains were wrapping around his heart as he watched Hermione and Draco take their places in the circle. He knew now. He could tell their relationship had become one of deep intimacy. He had lost.
No….that wasn't right. To lose meant one first had a chance. And he never had. Hermione was Draco's. And Draco was hers. And he was…..nobody's.
Stop! He scolded himself. You're being as self-absorbed as Pansy.
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St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries London, England
Pansy forgot about herself and her hatred of all things medical as she sat keeping vigil at Harry's bedside. Ginny had been so beyond grief with what had become of her brother, she'd collapsed into her mother's arms when she'd seen her and immediately left with her family to return to the Burrow to grieve in private.
Did you forget something, Ginny? Pansy mentally asked her roommate. Your boyfriend only saved your life. Some gratitude, Pansy thought scornfully. Well….blood will out, as they say, she considered as she absently smoothed Harry's hair back where it had fallen over his forehead.
You deserve better than this, Potter, she added sadly.
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Normandy, France
My blood, your blood
My life, yours to take
Your wounds, mine to heal
I am for you
My twin
My flame
Death can ne'er part
What cannot break
When Draco and Hermione finished saying the words of the bonding, Blaise and Narcissa together declared, "So it is spoken. So shall it be."
After they'd made their witnessing affirmation, Draco pulled his wand from his pocket and made a small slit above Hermione's right breast, near her heart. As drops of her blood pooled and fell, he captured them in a crystal vial. Then using his wand again, spoke the words to stop the bleeding but not to seal the wound. When he was done, Hermione followed suit and did the same to him. They then exchanged the vials with each other.
"As a testimony to all Souls bound on earth and those set free in Heaven, now mark your Mate with the essence of your life," intoned Professor Snape, who at the request of both Draco and Narcissa agreed to fill the role of patriarchal priest in Lucius' stead.
Dipping her finger in her own blood, Hermione drew swirls and patterns along Draco's naked chest, particularly along his new wound, shoulders and neck. When it was Draco's turn to mark Hermione, he took care to stand in front of Blaise so the other boy couldn't see the circles and zig-zags Draco drew on Hermione's exposed chest, wound and upper arms. He didn't worry about Snape; he'd already seen the older wizard look discreetly away. Draco couldn't help but gaze at his beloved….now covered in his blood and looking at him with focused desire.
Closing their robes, they once again clasped hands, while with their free hands aimed their wands at one another and said the spell of the bond, "Unam Animam."
As soon as the spell left their mouths, the air around the two lovers became thicker and started to slowly swirl around them. Motes of matter began to fly up from the ground and join in the swirl, making it appear as if Draco and Hermione had their own solar system orbiting around them.
Wind inside their circle began to pick up. Hermione's hair began to lift off her body and fly madly around her. Draco's hair flew back off his forehead and his eyes began to take on an unearthly glow. The swirl became faster and faster. As Narcissa and Blaise worked their magic to help stabilize the spell of the pair before them, Blaise began to see visions. He would see Hermione bared before him in all her beauty and power. He and Hermione. Then Hermione and Draco. Then He and Hermione. Then…
All of a sudden, he heard a noise and a female voice cried out, "What Are You DOING?"
Blaise came out of the trance he had unknowingly fallen into to find himself no longer a part of the ritual. Snape had pushed him out of the circle's influence and had taken his place right before the bond had come to its most critical stage. No longer a part of the ceremony, Blaise could more clearly see the power of the magic.
At that moment, Draco and Hermione's bodies were phasing in and out of the Mortal Plane. In a final surge of magic, the swirl of motes converged on the couple and a display of what looked like white sparkling diamonds flew out from the wounds on their chest upward to meet in the air above them in a brilliant starburst. Then like confetti slowly falling, the sparkles floated down to be absorbed back into their bodies.
As they opened their eyes, Hermione and Draco could see that their wounds had been changed to a mark that looked like the joining of the letters P and X.
"The rune of Eternal Love," Draco said softly as he traced his fingers over Hermione's mark. Hermione shivered once, then held him in a tight embrace.
"I feel you now," she whispered. "All around me….all within me…"
"I feel you, too," Draco murmured as he buried his face in her hair.
As they clung to each other in the afterglow of the bonding, they looked at their audience of three. They had been too caught up in the ceremony to have heard Narcissa shout at Blaise; Draco and Hermione had been in a trance-like state themselves. Even now, they didn't sense anything amiss and were still blinded to anything but the wonder of their union.
But the same could not be said of Narcissa and Professor Snape. They moved over to where Blaise was standing just outside the power of the circle and Draco's mother hissed, "I saw you in the swirl. You were releasing your essence into the bond…why did you do that? Do you realize what could have happened if you continued?"
"Not could have happened, Cissa…would have," said Snape gravely.
Blaise looked shamefacedly at the both of them. "I'm…sorry….I didn't know...I was….I didn't mean to…"
"Well…..let's just be thankful it didn't get to that point," said the Professor. "I would hate to think of the consequences if it had…."
Blaise nodded mutely. He felt ashamed and miserable, and he had never wanted to leave a place so badly as he wanted to leave there at that moment.
"I'll…just go," he began.
"No...If you leave without speaking to them, they'll wonder…..and we can't let that happen. It's best if you act normally," whispered Narcissa just before the couple came over.
"Is everything alright?" asked Hermione. Looking at Blaise, she added, "You don't look well, Blaise. I hope the spell didn't drain you…or affect you…or….."
"I'm fine, your Majesty," he lied grandly as he put on a brave face.
Hermione quirked her head at his comment. "Are you sure? I just thought I'd felt…..well," she chuckled at herself, "Maybe it's just me."
Blaise smiled weakly at her remark and quickly turned to Draco. "Congratulations, Mate."
Draco gave his best friend a hug and said, "I've got to say…..I feel like Hermione. Are you sure you're alright?"
Blaise attempted a laugh. "Turning those Gryffindor friends of her Majesty into Slytherins has been exhausting. So I'll beg my leave and make it an early night."
No one noticed Snape's grimace when Blaise mentioned Harry, Ron and Ginny.
"You're not staying the night with us?" asked Hermione. "Please, Blaise? We see so little of you now."
"Your Majesty, Mr. Zabini and I must be getting back to Hogwarts," Snape said as he decided to take pity on the Italian lad.
Blaise sighed in relief. Please….just let me go…
"Well….if you must," said Hermione doubtfully. "But you'll come back soon to visit, won't you, dear friend?"
Blaise gulped. Did the Queen have to look at him like that with those beautiful, pleading lilac eyes?
"Don't forget…..I could order you here," she laughed.
Blaise laughed, too…the phoniest laugh he had ever uttered, he thought ruefully.
As soon as Blaise and the professor left, Narcissa bid the young couple good night and retired to her suite. Hermione and Draco made their way up the massive staircase to the King's bed. After they had celebrated their bonding by loving each other's bodies until they were both limp and sweaty, and before they went to sleep, Draco whispered to Hermione, "You weren't off, you know. Something was wrong with Blaise. I felt it, too."
And when Blaise had wearily gotten back to his dorm room at Hogwarts, he received the shock of his life. And it wasn't hearing about how Ron was now imprisoned in Azkaban or in Harry fighting for his life at St. Mungo's. It was in taking off his shirt before going to sleep and seeing a faint imprint of a combined P and X on his chest, right above his heart.
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AN: I think this might be one of the longest chapters I've ever written. Hope it wasn't too long, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Are any of you visual folk like me? If you want, look me up on Pinterest. Same name, trinka belle. I have a board called The Three C's. There you will find pins of my visions and inspirations for this story.
Let me know if the pictures in my head match what's in yours!