"Ah. Young mister Malfoy has rejoined us." Voldemort stood up as Draco walks into the dining hall of Malfoy Manor. The few windows that graced the walls were covered with black coverings and candles were lit everywhere. He was already missing Hermione. But he put on his face and walked through the hall. He didn't think it was possible for the Manor to get any darker. But since Voldemort had taken up an unwanted resident within, the place seemed to carry no natural light anymore.
"Yes. Gave the Granger girl the slip." He drawled before sitting next to his father. He could feel Voldemort poking around in his mind. But he knew better, he had already put up the barriers on the memories of the cottage by the sea and replaced them with memories of him being held in a room on the main floor of the cottage. And the memory of him slipping out in the early morning just yesterday.
Voldemort smiled, seeming to be pleased with what he saw in Draco's mind, before sitting back down. "Well you are just in time for dinner." He points to the food on the table. Draco nodded his head and everyone began to eat.
Idly chatter began to fill the room. Draco listened the talk around him but paid little attention to what was actually been said. He mind, kept slipping to the cottage. His thought were safe for now. Draco knew that once the Lord had pointed around once, he didn't feel the need to continue. He was pulled form his thought when his father elbowed him slightly in the side.
"Draco. Your mother will want to see you after dinner. She has been a mess." His father whispered to him, though he didn't actually look his way. Draco nodded, wiped off his mouth with his napkin.
"I'll go now." He excused himself from the table before anyone could protest.
He found his mother sitting in her room, staring outside watching the rain pour down. He closed the door quietly behind him. Her face was a little bit sunken in and her clothes hung slightly around her.
"So. I have a daughter-in-law." Narcissa said, not looking away from the window.
Draco rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes." Really there was no point in lying to her. "Are you disappointed?"
She finally looked his way, shaking her head softly. "No. I am not. I know you must love her very much if you bound yourself to her." She patted the spot next to her on the bed. Draco moved quietly to her. She took his hands into her. "You are far too young to be fighting a war." Her voice was laced with sadness.
He watched as his mother rubbed her fingers over his knuckles. "Mum..."
She shook her head. "I should have fought harder to not let you take the Mark." Her fingers traced his arm. He doesn't say anything while he watched her trace the angry black lines of the skull.
"I had to protect you." His laced his fingers with her and gave them a slight squeeze.
She sighed heavily. "You are 17 years old. You shouldn't be protecting your parents. It should be the other way." She looked away from him. Her eyes dance around, following the drops streak down the large window.
"Mum. What is this about?"
"When I figured out what you two were bound together. I panicked. Not because Miss. Granger is a muggle-born. I panicked because I realized in that moment that you could die. And you were okay with it if it meant that you saved her. You two bound yourselves to protect each other, didn't you?"
He reached up and brushed the tear that fell from her eyes. "It was her way of protecting me. She knew I wouldn't switch sides cause of you and father. It was the only way she knew I would be okay. But in a way, I agreed because I knew it would protect her too."
She reached up and grabbed his hand again, bringing it to her lips. "When did you grow up?
He smiled at her. "Wish I knew." She laughed. "Mum. Will you tell me the story of Hades and Persephone?"
She gave him a small smile. "You probably know it better than I do."
"I know. But...I want you to tell me...again. Please."
She nodded. "Anything for you." He smiled at her. She wrapped her arm around him and began the story.
"A long time ago, the Goddess Demeter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She named her Persephone. When she grew up, she caught the eye of the king of the underworld, Hades..." He looked out the window as he listened to the story, hopping that Hermione was doing well.
Hermione sat on the swinging chair outside the cottage, watching the rain fall down. Her wild hair was braided, resting on her shoulder. She looked up at the sky, knowing she couldn't actually see the stars. But Draco had pointed out the different constellations so many times that she knew where they were. She could hear Harry and Ginny moving around the kitchen, making dinner.
"When did you know?" She looked up to see Ron, standing at the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.
"Know what?"
"That you could handle being bonded to him." He said, not looking at her, but out into the rain.
Hermione fiddled with her hands in her lap. When did she know? She wasn't sure when she truly forgave Draco for all the nasty things he said to her while they were growing up. But during the summer, when she had seen his so carefree and actually enjoying himself.
"We went to the zoo. We were feeding the giraffes and a little baby came up the fence. It's legs sill kinda wobbling around. Draco wasn't paying attention and the piece of lettuce he had in his hands was hanging over the rail. The little baby came up and stole the it right from his hands. It's tongue licking up his fingers. It startled Draco. But he looked down at the this little baby, and just smiled before pulling off another piece and feeding it to the baby. I, for sure, thought that he would get this look on his face and scoff. But no, he just smiled."
They didn't say anything for a while. Just listening to the rain. Finally, Ron moved and sat down next to her. He still didn't look at her, but he smiled a little and grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
The four of them brushed off the ash from their clothes as they looked around the empty street of Hogsmeade. Building boarded up and no life that normally filled the busy streets.
"This place has seen better days." Ron whispered as they followed Ginny to a door on the other side of the street. They all squeezed in a tiny room. Ginny moved over the painting and opened it.
"Now, did Malfoy tell you what we are looking for?" Harry said as they walked down a dark and dusty hallway.
Hermione shook her head. "No. He said he couldn't get a clear view of it when You-Know-Who would practice Occlumancy on him. All he said was that it was silver and it was hidden somewhere in the Room of Requirements."
"I don't know why he didn't look for it himself. He spent enough time in there." Ron scoffed, holding his wand a little higher so they could see where they were going.
"He said he tried. But was running out of time by the time the cabinet was finished." Hermione whispered back.
The four of them stopped at the end of the hallway. Ginny whispered something to the wall and a door appeared. The four hurried through the door and Ginny shut it behind them, causing it to disappear.
"I thought the Room only had one door." Harry said, looking around the room the was filled the brim with stuff.
"I think it will show itself to those who need it most. Regardless." Ginny said.
"Honestly, I have learned to never be surprised by this school." Ron said as he started pulling things aside.
Hermione started on her own pile and the four of them begun searching for the unknown object.
After about an hour with no luck. Ron threw his arms in the air. "There is nothing here! I think Malfoy is sending us on a wild goose chase." He whined.
Hermione sighed and sat down and rested her head in her hands. Something silver catches her eyes, hidden under a pile of books. She ran over to the pile and started throwing things left and right before coming to a silver crown. Her fingers traced over the engraving of the raven.
"That's it." Harry said. "I can feel it."
Hermione handed it to Harry before there was a loud boom and the room shook. Harry screamed, holding his forehead in his hands. All three of them rushed to his side. He looked up, eyes wide. "He's here."
There was another loud boom and the room shook more, causing things to fall and shatter.
"We have to destroy the crown!" Ginny yelled over the noise of the room caving in. Hermione pulled her bag and reached inside, pulling out the sword. Handing it to Harry, he plunged the sword onto the crown. The four of them where pushed back from the explosion, causing the room to cave in even more.
"We have to get out of here before the room caves completing in!" Hermione yelled. She got up as fast as she could. There was no way out, the door was blocked from bookshelves that had fallen over. They were stuck.
Author Note:
I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry! It has been a very very busy semester! But do not fear, I promise update will come faster now!
xxDomo