In Hell with: Draco Malfoy
Chapter 22
An Unpleasant Train Ride
It was the last day of school. Everyone was hustling around to make sure they had packed all of their things. Seventh years and their friends shared tears of joy and sadness about leaving the school and the thought of starting their own lives. There were many conversations about students moving into their own homes and others going to an extra school for the job they want.
The main topic of that day was the lives of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Everyone had their views on the couple. Some thought they were the cutest thing, others thought it was a stupid idea for them to get engaged.
Hermione never knew how nosy teachers could be. Once the news got out of the two's plans of marriage teachers were constantly asking them to stay behind. Hermione couldn't keep track on how many times Professor McGonagall had told her that she was ruining her life by having such a big commitment at a young age. Hermione was constantly trying to explain to the Professor that Draco and her would be getting jobs at the ministry.
Hermione was actually glad that school was over. She knew that she was going to miss the place, it held so many memories, but at the same time she was happy she never had to go back to Hogwarts again.
Hermione folded her last shirt and put it in her suitcase. She closed it and left it at the side of her bed for the house elves to get. She walked down to the Slytherin common room to see Draco waiting there for her.
"About time, the train leaves in fifteen minutes."
"I know, I know, I just got up late." Hermione smiled. "Do you think we have enough time to get something to eat?"
"Nah, I don't think we're even aloud in the Great Hall at this point. We can just get something on the train."
Hermione walked over to Draco and kiss him on the lips. "You're paying," Hermione said.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." The two smiled at each for a minute before Draco said, "Come on, before we're late."
They left the common room and walked down the deserted halls. Most people were already in the trains by now. They walked outside and got into one of the horseless carriages. Hermione and Draco hurried towards the trains. The train was about to leave. They climbed onto the train and the doors closed shut right after they got in. Hermione and Draco searched the train for a compartment and found one with Harry, Ron, Neville, and Lavender in.
"A little crowded, isn't it?" Ron said when Draco and Hermione sat down.
"Deal with it," Draco said.
The train jerked and everyone was on their way home. "Well I've got exploding cards," Ron declared.
"Ron! You know we're not aloud to have those." Hermione stated.
"Oh come of it, we're not even in Hogwarts anymore," Ron said back.
Ron, Harry, Draco, and Neville started playing different card games, most of which they had just made up. Everyone once in a while you would hear an exploding sound and the boys cheering. While they were playing their games Hermione and Lavender were in a conversation about Ron and Draco. Neither of the two boys seemed to have noticed. They were too distracted over the explosions of random cards.
"Aw, Hermione you're so lucky!" Lavender said. Hermione blushed. "How did you know that he was the one?"
Hermione shrugged. "I guess it just feels right."
"Oh I hope Ron is the one for me! I just don't know how great of a father he would be!"
"Why would you think that?" Hermione asked.
"Oh well he tends to be forgetful at times. He would probably leave our kid somewhere and then wouldn't be able to remember were he was." The two girls laughed.
"Sounds like something Ron would do!"
Ron turned his head away from the game. "Did you say my name?" he asked.
"No," the two girls said together. Ron shrugged and turned back to the game. "Well I'm hungry," Hermione announced as she saw the food cart move down the isle outside of the compartment. "Does anyone else want something to eat?"
Hermione collected money from everyone in the compartment. "I'll go with you," Draco said. "I think you'll need help with remembering what everyone wants."
The couple left the compartment. "Ugh there's a line," Draco was looking at the long line that developed at the food cart. "We should hurry."
"What's the rush?" Hermione walked over and went to the back of the line.
The line was moving, but it was hard to tell at times. Many kids would change there order last minute and would take extra long looking for that extra coin to pay the lady. Hermione noticed that Draco seemed to be getting nervous. He kept on looking behind him and jumped if someone passed him by.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
Draco nodded his head. "I'm fine."
There were only two people in front of Hermione and Draco now. "We're almost there, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," Draco repeated.
"Uh- can I have one of those? No wait I want two of that, what is that? Got anything with chocolate?"
Draco grumbled impatiently. "I swear if he doesn't order soon…"
"No wait Sarah's allergic to chocolate…"
"That's it." Draco pushed the kid to the side. "Stay over there until you make up your mind you stupid prat."
"Draco!" Hermione yelled. Draco ignored her and began ordering the food. Hermione grabbed his shoulder and spun him around so he was facing her. "What is your problem!"
Just then the train began to shake. It stopped as quickly as it started. Then it started again, this time more violently. Things started to fall and screams echoed the train. Hermione fell but caught herself on the wall. Draco took her hand. "Come on," he said.
He led her back to the compartment. He slide open the door, pushed Hermione in, and then slammed the door shut.
"Are you guys alright?" Harry asked.
Neither Hermione nor Draco answered him. Draco was to busy putting some kind of spell on the door. Hermione on the other hand was freaking out. "Draco what is going on? DRACO! Answer me!"
"Shut up!" Draco yelled back at Hermione. "Just shut up for once in your life will you?" The room went quiet. Draco finished his spell and turned towards everyone. "If you all want to get out alive, you have got to trust me, not matter what."
Harry stood up. "Tell us what's going on."
"Look out the window."
Everyone in the compartment rushed towards the window except for Draco. Lavender let out a small squeal when she saw what was outside. The train was now hovering over the tracks about fifty feet in the air. Hermione saw about four Death Eaters standing outside with their wands pointing towards the train.
"There are four for each section of the train, two on each side." Everyone turned and looked at Draco. "They are going to take the train and move it to the side so that it is off the tracks, then they will lower it and come into the train. They will kill a few then send a message to Dumbledore that they have us hostage. Dumbledore will come and he will be killed."
"How could you." Harry moved closer to Draco. "You lying son of a bitch. You tricked us all! I am going to fucking kill you." Harry took out his want and pointed it at Draco.
"Harry," Harry turned his head to see that it was Hermione. "Please don't."
"I can't believe you! You want to spare him? He could have stopped this! None of us would be in danger!" Harry shouted.
"Stop this?" Draco yelled back. "Stop this? Should I have run off and told Dumbledore so that the Dark Lord would kill my family? You would never understand Potter."
"We're going to die!" Lavender screamed. There were other shouts of terror coming from the train. The other students most of have realized that they were surrounded by Death Eaters.
"SHUT UP!" This time it was Harry who yelled. "You, will leave this compartment right now." He said looking at Draco
"If I leave you will die." Draco said back.
"If you don't leave then you will die." Harry kept his wand pointing at Draco. When Draco didn't move Harry began to make his threat come to life. Green sparks were starting to come for Harry's wand.
"No!" Hermione yelled. It was too late the spell had already flew from Harry's wand, but the train jerked once more and everyone stumbled causing the curse to completely miss Draco. "Draco, get out!" Hermione yelled at him. Draco still didn't move. "GET OUT!" she screamed.
"I can't leave you. I won't let you die."
"You've already killed me. You killed everyone in this train. Now leave."
Draco still didn't move. "You'll pay for this," Draco said, "All of you will die." He turned around and undid the jinx he put onto the compartment. He left and slammed the door shut. Hermione glared at him through the compartment window. He didn't leave; he was standing outside the door starring into their room. He made a gesture with his wand and a red X appeared across there compartment window. Draco continued to glare into the compartment.
"I think he just marked us to be killed." Neville stated.
"What should we do?" Ron said looking at Harry.
Harry sat down and put his head in his hands. After a few moments he looked back up. "Is he still there?" Hermione nodded. "I guess we'll just have to fight."
"We're almost at the ground." Lavender was still looking out the window.
"Take out your wands," ordered Harry. Everyone obeyed. The train shook again. This time everyone was able to keep there balance.
Everything went silent. The train doors slide open. They were inside. Hermione starred out the compartment window. Draco's cold glare pierced her very soul. The glare made Draco seem like the only emotion he had ever felt was hatred. Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of him. Her heart stopped as she saw a small tear drop fall almost unnoticeably down his cheek. At that moment Hermione realized what was going to happen. "I love you," she whispered to him.
"They're coming." Ron mumbled. "I can hear their footsteps." It sounded like the Bulgarian Quidditch team was storming around the hallway like they had just one a game. Every time there was a scream it was followed by cheers and laughter.
"Sick bastards," Neville said with rage.
"Draco, my boy!" Hermione heard one of the Death Eaters say. "Everything seems to be working out perfectly, might I dare say."
Draco didn't turn his head, he kept his glare one Hermione. "Is the Potter boy in there?" The Death Eater asked noticing were Draco's attention was. "Good, good, you've done well."
"Opens from the outside, locked in the inside." Draco finally spoke.
The Death Eater seemed to realize he was talking about the compartment door. "Ah, very good, should we send the message to Dumbledore now? Yes, yes make it very clear to come alone. Make sure he knows we don't mind sparing a few children. Shall we have a look in the compartment then?"
"Get ready." Harry commanded the group.
The Death Eater opened the door. Before anyone could do anything The Death Eater flicked his wand. Everyone's wand went flying out of their hands onto the floor. With another flick the wands went zooming towards the Death Eater. "You won't be needing these." He snapped them in half and threw them on to the ground.
"You'll never get away with this." Harry said.
"Oh I won't? Who's going to stop me? That old hag Dumbledore is foolish enough to come here alone; he wouldn't risk any of the lives of his precious students."
"There are teachers here, they'll stop you." Harry pointed out.
"Ha! You think we haven't thought of that already? You under estimate us Potter."
"He's coming, Nott!" shouted another Death Eater.
"There's too many of you here. You, you, you, and you," Nott said pointing towards Hermione, Lavender, Ron, and Neville. "Come with me." They exited the compartment followed by the Death Eater Nott. "Go straight," he told them.
Draco cold gaze was still on Hermione. It seemed different though. Hermione noticed behind all the hatred there was fear. Hermione remember all of the things Draco had said to her.
"They'll kill you Hermione, and they'll kill me too."
"I would never let them hurt you."
"You have got to trust me, not matter what."
"I can't leave you. I won't let you die."
As Hermione passed Draco she felt something be slipped into her hand. At once she realized that it was a wand. She pushed it up the sleeve of her school robes so that it wouldn't be noticeable. She didn't look back, but whispered a silent. "Thank you," hoping that some how Draco would hear.
"In here," said Nott.
The four of them obeyed and went into an already cramped compartment. The door slid shut behind them. The room was silent. The children in it were all huddled together for protection. Hermione noticed that all of their wands had been snapped in half too.
"Are you going to save us?" asked a small blonde boy in the corner of the compartment.
"How the bloody hell are we supposed to do that?" Ron snapped.
"Calm down Ron," Hermione said.
Ron turned his focus on her. "Calm down? CALM DOWN? HOW THE BLOODY HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO 'CALM DOWN'?"
"We can get out of here. We need to help Harry." Hermione took out the wand that Draco had given her.
"How'd you get that?" Lavender asked.
"Draco gave it to me. I think it's his." Hermione looked out the small window into the hallway. "They're everywhere. We need to get this to Harry."
"I don't think that's why he gave you the wand." Neville whispered.
"What?"
"He wants Harry to die. He just doesn't want you to die."
"He used me. He used me to gain the trust of Harry. That was his plan all along. He didn't want anything to do with me. It probably sickened him at the thought of us being a couple. He just wanted to gain Harry's trust." Hermione repeated.
"But," Ron said. "His plan back fired. He fell in love with you Hermione, we can use that against him. You became his weakness."
"What does it matter?! He is useless to them! He is only seventeen. He's so young." Hermione turned away from everyone. She didn't want them to see the tears that silently fell from her eyes. She shouldn't be crying at a time like this. She had to be strong.
Suddenly the compartment door slide open and screams filled the room. Draco stepped in. "Come! Dumbledore arrived and he didn't come alone. There are a few other people with him. The Death Eaters are in panic, it is time for us to go."
Draco grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her out of the room. Neville, Ron, and Lavender followed. They ran down the hall of the train pushing past Death Eaters and screaming children. Draco found the nearest exit.
"Going somewhere?" It was Nott. The five of them stopped. "Draco, you can stop the act now, let me have the blood filth."
"I'm not acting."
Nott laughed. "Oh I guess you have become a blood traitor too then? Your father will be disappointed."
"No he won't" Draco spat.
"And how's that?" Nott was grinning.
"He'll never find out." Draco grabbed the wand in Hermione's hand and pointed it at Nott. "Adva Kavera!" A green light went flying from Draco's wand and hit Nott in the chest.
Hermione was shocked. He had just killed Nott like it was nothing. She felt a tugging on her arm and realized it was Draco trying to get her to leave the train. "Hermione!"
"You just..."
"Not now!" Draco pulled her and Hermione fell out of the train. Draco started running across the open field. He hid himself and Hermione behind a small patch of bushes. Neville, Ron, and Lavender quickly followed.
"Do you remember that book that Dumbledore was so afraid of loosing?" Draco hastily asked Hermione. Hermione nodded her head. "I stole it for you. It contains spells and secrets that only his own blood can learn and understand. If Potter dies today you are the only hope left. Here," Draco took out a piece of paper "It's where you will Apparate too. It also has where the book is hidden. You must go quickly."
Hermione nodded her head.
"We may never see each other again," Draco said. "We are now on different sides. I will fight for my family and you will fight for yours, but I want you to know this, I will always love you."
Hermione wanted to cry, but she knew there was no time. "I love you too, Draco."
"GO!" Draco yelled at her. Hermione looked at Neville, Ron, and Lavender. They nodded their heads, they knew what to do. The four of them stood up. "Wait," Draco handed Hermione his wand. "You'll need this."
"Goodbye." Hermione whispered. There was a loud CRACK and the four friends had disappeared.
Draco still was kneeling on the grass after they had left. He stood up and saw a black figure moving towards him. "Where have you been?" said a Death Eater. Draco recognized him.
"I was trying to capture the mudblood and her friends, Sir."
"And where are they?"
"They out numbered me. I tripped and they took my wand, Professor."
"You are pathetic, but I have some good news. Dumbledore has fallen and Potter is dead. The Dark Lord is victorious," grinned Professor Snape. "Come now, we are to celebrate."
"Yes, sir." Snape turned back towards the train were all of the other Death Eaters where. When Draco was sure Snape was out of ear shot he whispered, "Not for long, sir."
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