A/N: I know everyone, I know. I can practically hear you guys screaming, "Where the hell have you been!" I'm so sorry, like you will never know how crappy I feel. Life sucks right now (a few of my family members have recently passed away) and I'm dealing with transitioning from high school life to college life. But I should have updated sooner and I'm sorry. Let me tell you, this chapter was really hard for me to write. I couldn't believe how many times I had to trash it and start over again because it sucked! I hope this final result doesn't stink too badly. Let me know if it does so I can find a way to fix it or something.
I'm sending this chapter in without being beta checked, like the last one. I want to get it out really quickly because again, like the last one, I waited so long to update. I love you Forever Tom's Mannequin! If you still want to beta this then I'll repost it after you're done! Muah!
Well, I hope you guys like this. I hope you guys still read this after all the waiting I put you through. (sends you all love and chocolates)
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Draco was not known for being the suave and composed Slytherin. Years of trying to duplicate his father taught him to be cruel and prejudiced, but the ability to remain cool and collected in even the most difficult of times seemed to be talents that only his father possessed.
That's why Draco found it mildly amusing that at a time like this he was as calm as he'd ever been.
This was his judgment day, and oddly enough he wasn't afraid of what was to come. He was silent and stood straight backed as those bright blue eyes bore into him; his father would have been proud to see him now.
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure you know why you are here before me." Dumbledore began.
Draco was surprised by the softly spoken words. He had expected to hear something harsher, not that harsh would have bothered him.
"I do headmaster." He said dully. There was no point in arguing.
"Do you understand the seriousness of your actions?" Albus asked calmly.
"Please spare me any speeches on your wisdom of rights and wrongs and just deal out the punishment. Yes, I am a Death Eater. Yes, I tried to kill Hermione Granger. No, I don't care if I get sent to Azkaban. No, I'm not sorry."
Draco almost smirked at the look of surprise on Dumbledore's face.
"You don't care if you are put in prison?" Albus asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "You do realize you will be there for the remainder of your days?"
"I've been imprisoned my whole life headmaster, it will be no great change."
Albus bowed his head for a moment and stared pensively at the top of his gadget cluttered desk. When he brought his gaze back to Draco there was a look of utter sorrow in those normally bright and happy eyes of his. Draco wasn't bothered by sight in the least bit. Who cared if the old man was sad?
"You do realize that Lord Voldemort will not be coming for you. You failed to kill Miss Granger which means…"
"I assumed she was still alive as soon as I saw Peter outside your office." Draco rudely interrupted. "I suppose the traitor will be let off easy for saving the day. It was he who fouled up my mission, no?"
"Mr. Pettigrew's fate is none of your concern Draco. I admit I am surprised by your lack of distress for your own future. While you may have been under your father's rigid control for many years, you were never exposed to the true horrors that Azkaban will inflict upon you."
"Do you mean to scare the guilt out of me Headmaster? It will not work." Draco's face remained blank, as did his voice.
"I know Draco." Dumbledore replied. "You seem quite far gone…but there may be hope for you yet. Hope for all of us."
Draco raised a blond brow in mild surprise.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
Dumbledore smiled at him, his blue eyes twinkling for the first time during their meeting.
"It means that while you may be sent to Azkaban, your stay may not necessarily be permanent. That is if everything goes according to plan."
"And what plan is this?" Draco asked curiously.
Dumbledore merely shook his head and rose from the plush seat behind his desk. Draco knew that he wouldn't explain himself further so he just let it go. Besides, he didn't need to think of things that might give him hope. There was no hoping for anything in Azkaban, except for maybe an early death.
"I will not ask you to apologize to Miss Granger because I know you are not sorry but I hope that you will one day see the error of your ways. To expect this of you would be foolish of course, but I've always sought out the best in people."
"Your greatest weakness," Draco commented quietly.
Dumbledore smiled. "Some would say so."
There was a knock on the door.
"They're here Mr. Malfoy."
Draco merely shrugged.
"Please come in." Dumbledore called softly.
Draco's attention was focused on all the lines and wrinkles on Dumbledore's face, and he thought the old man looked tired…very tired. Funny how he should noticed such trivial things at a time like this.
Several grimfaced men in black robes entered the room and approached Draco as soon as they spotted him. A tickling sensation on the back of his neck told him that they were performing spells on him, probably to keep him more securely in their custody in case he tried to escape. As if he would try to escape. As if he had some place to go. Not now anyways…not after he had failed the Dark Lord. He was actually looking forward to prison rather than facing Voldemort's anger at the fact that the Mudblood wasn't dead.
"Draco Malfoy," A stern voice said from behind him. "You are charged with…"
"I know what I'm charged with sir; you do not need to inform me of what I've done or where you are planning on taking me."
The Auror who was speaking fell silent. Draco let out a grateful sigh; the less talking the better in his opinion.
"Dumbledore, we'll be taking him now." A different man spoke this time.
Albus nodded his head. "Goodbye Mr. Malfoy." He said solemnly.
Draco's dull gray eyes showed no emotion as the Aurors grasped his arms and wheeled him around towards the door.
This was it. His life would soon consist of foul tasting food and dirty clothes and a small cell that he would call home for the rest of his life. But where was the fear he should be feeling?
"Perhaps it died out with the rest of me." He thought to himself as he was taken from Hogwarts, never to step foot there again.
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Harry, Ron, and Ginny watched from a window in the Gryffindor Common Room as Draco was walked across the snow covered grounds of Hogwarts. There were many Aurors waiting beyond the schools gates…waiting to escort Draco to Azkaban where they all knew he would spend the rest of his life.
"I wonder how Dumbledore got Draco here." Ron said quietly.
"He probably has some way of summoning people to him." Harry commented.
Ron snorted. "It wouldn't surprise me, with all power he's got."
Harry and Ron both looked at Ginny who was staring out the window looking oddly grim.
"You ok Ginny?" Harry asked. He took her hand in his and squeezed it a little for comfort.
Ginny squeezed his hand back, but she didn't avert her gaze from the window.
"I'm just sad I suppose. I mean, I know Draco deserves this, but I rather pity him. If everything works out with Tom, then I hope Draco will be brought up better…happier."
At the mention of Tom, Ginny felt Harry's hand loosen a little. The three teens were still waiting for Tom and Hermione to return from the chamber, though none of them were looking forward to seeing the couple. Not when they had to tell them the news of Harry's discovery.
"I can't do this you guys." Ginny said miserably.
Both boys knew what she was talking about because they felt the same way.
"It's going to be hard, but we have to. We have no choice." Harry told her. "If Tom stays here then nothing will have changed. And while I'm happy that he's here and happy that he and Hermione are in love, I can't help but be a little selfish. I want a life without Voldemort, a life without all this worry and pain…I want a life with my parents."
"And you'll have it mate." Ron said, patting him on the back. "We'll all have a better life."
"But…what about Hermione?" Ginny asked sadly.
The boys stood silent, unsure of what to say. Then, as if the moment couldn't get any more tense, the doors to the Common Room burst open and in walked Tom and Hermione, both laughing happily and hugging all over each other as any other loving couple would.
"I can't believe you just tripped like that!" Tom laughed.
"Well it isn't my fault that you kept tickling me and made me lose my balance." Hermione said as she playfully punched him in the arm.
"Oho! Think you're tough do you?" Tom said with that only too familiar mischievous grin lighting up his face.
"Stay away Tom!" Hermione giggled as she tried to move out of his reach. Tom was too quick, however, and he grabbed her around the waist before she could get away.
He pulled her down in one fluid motion and landed on top of her where he preceded to tickle her mercilessly.
Hermione's eyes were scrunched up and watering as she tried to wriggle out of Tom's hold, but it did no good.
"T-Tom," she laughed. "St-stop…please! Y-you great o-oaf!"
"Oh, so now I'm an oaf, am I?" Tom teased. He stopped all the same though. Tickling can become painful if done for too long.
"You're a handsome oaf, how about that?" Hermione said, a little breathless from all the laughter.
Tom laughed. "That's good enough I suppose." He sat back on his knees to help Hermione up and only then did the couple notice the other three teens standing at the back of the room near the window.
Hermione jumped up on her feet and pulled Tom with her as she rushed over to their friends with an excited look on her face. Tom stood beside her, a little breathless from being dragged hastily along across the Common Room, but he couldn't help smiling and shaking his head fondly at Hermione's giddy state.
"Oh you guys, we had a wonderful time!" Hermione gushed. "The chamber was so beautiful and Tom gave one of the most amazing things!"
Hermione reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a small square item no bigger than a galleon.
"I shrunk it because I didn't want anything to happen to it on our way up here."
She pulled out her wand and tapped it on the small item once, twice, three times before muttering the spell that enlarged it in the blink of an eye. She now held in her hands a large, rather aged looking book but the excitement on her face told her friends that it was something important.
"Tom found this in the chamber when he first discovered it and now he's given it to me! It's a diary of sorts written by the founders themselves if you can believe it. They wrote down many complex spells and secrets that went into creating Hogwarts, and now we get to find them all out!"
"That's really cool Hermione." Harry said.
"It's the perfect gift for you." Ron commented.
"It's wonderfully sweet." Ginny said.
Hermione's giddiness died out immediately. She was so excited and happy that she didn't even notice how miserable her three friends looked.
"W-what's wrong?" She asked hesitantly.
The three were quiet for several moments before Harry decided to speak up.
"We just saw Draco being taken away." Harry said. "Dumbledore brought him here somehow and now the Aurors have him. He's probably in Azkaban already."
"Oh." Hermione said softly.
"Good!" Tom exclaimed. "I hope he rots there for what he's done!"
Harry just shrugged and Tom looked at him curiously.
"He tried to kill Hermione." Tom said quietly.
"Yes, we know." Harry said.
"Then why do you all care if he was taken away?" Tom sounded a little angry.
"No Tom, Hermione…it's not that." Ginny said miserably.
"Then what is it? What's wrong?" Hermione begged.
"We, ah…well lets just say that we found a book too." Ron said.
Hermione stared at him. "Why does a book have you all acting like someone died?" She asked.
Harry and Ron took to staring at the floor while Ginny looked on at Hermione and Tom with tears in her eyes.
"Harry," Tom began gently, "Was it you who found the book?"
Harry nodded but said nothing. He was grateful that his messy bangs were long enough to cover his eyes; he didn't want anyone to see the tears that had gathered there.
"Does it have something to do with time…something to do with me?" Tom asked in a steady voice.
Again Harry nodded.
"It's how we are to send Tom back, isn't it? You found the missing spell." Hermione said. It was obvious to her now what they were talking about and why they were so upset.
"I'm so sorry you two." Ginny confirmed sadly. "Harry found it just this afternoon. We didn't want to have to tell you like this and now of all times, but we…"
Ginny stopped abruptly. She could feel a tremor coming from the hand that was still holding hers…Harry's hand.
She looked at him and her eyes widened. Harry's face was whitening before her eyes and she noticed that he was slightly trembling all over.
"Harry, are you ok love?" She asked nervously.
"I dunno, I feel funny…dizzy." He replied in a shaky voice.
"Harry you're going to faint." Tom said as he noticed Harry's pale lips. He and Hermione stepped closer to him, as did Ron, but Harry shook his head.
"I think I'm going to vomit." He said while trying to move his lips as little as possible.
"Harry…Harry what's…"
Harry's sudden howl of pain cut Hermione off.
Thankfully his four friends were standing close because he suddenly fell forward but avoided hitting the floor as they all reached to catch him. Harry was clawing at his scar as if he wanted to tear it off his head and suddenly his friends knew what was happening.
"Voldemort!" Tom, Hermione, and Ginny cried in unison, while Ron shouted out, "You Know Who!"
"He knows…he knows I'm not dead!" Hermione said.
Harry had tears streaming down his face from the pain but he was trying hard to fight against it.
"Dumbledore," Harry said hoarsely, "Get m-me to Dumbledore!"
Tom and Ron moved quickly to either side of Harry and put his arms around their shoulders as they lifted him up. Harry sagged against them and his feet were dragging as they ushered him quickly across the room with Hermione and Ginny following close behind.
"Hermione, Ginny, go ahead of us and tell Dumbledore what's happening." Tom told them hurriedly. "We won't be far behind."
The two girls moved forward and rushed to the door, but before Hermione left after Ginny she turned and looked at Tom who was staring at her as he and Ron helped Harry along.
The couple shared a look of despair before Hermione turned back towards the door and quickly followed after Ginny. That one look said a lot…Tom was going back and they would soon be without each other, and neither was sure if they were ready to separate.
"It'll be ok Tom." Ron said rather breathlessly. Harry was heavy and the boys were rushing which had them feeling rather winded already.
"I know Ron." Tom replied. He didn't want to think about that at the moment. "How you holding up Harry?" He asked as they exited the Common Room. They could just see Hermione turning the corner ahead of them.
"The pains less." He said quietly. To prove this he stood a little straighter and picked up his feet as much as he could. It helped a lot for the two boys and they were able to move a little faster under his weight.
"Tom…I'm sorry."
"Shh, it's ok Harry. You don't have to say anything." Tom told him as they rounded the corner. "We'll be ok…all of us."
He hoped he sounded sincere because he really wasn't sure what was going to happen or if any of them would indeed be ok. But he would try his hardest in hopes that they would be…he would try his hardest to make everything right.
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Dumbledore's office
Peter stood before Dumbledore and tried to stay calm. He was twitching like the nervous little rat he was and he couldn't quell the fear and panic rising inside him.
After all that he'd done for that Granger girl, he was still going to Azkaban. He couldn't believe it when the headmaster told him but he knew he should have expected it. He was a Death Eater after all, and one good deed wasn't enough to save a follower of the Dark Lord…at least not without paying some sort of price first.
"I will testify for you Peter. I will make it known to the Wizengamot of what you've done for Miss Granger and that you are leaving the services of Lord Voldemort forever. You will have to spend a few years in Azkaban, but I daresay a few years are better than the rest of your life." Dumbledore said.
Peter glanced nervously at Snape who was standing quietly off to the side of him. As to be expected, the oily haired professor looked rather indifferent towards Peter's impending incarceration. He merely quirked an eyebrow at Peter in amusement, as if he already knew what he was about to say.
"B-but, Severus never went to Azkaban." Peter said miserably.
"I never killed anyone Peter." Snape said calmly. "Nor did I fake my own death to avoid capture. You did, however," Snape said sneeringly, "and such actions deserve punishment. Saving the life of one girl does not make up for the many lives you destroyed on your little quest to be in with the most powerful."
If anything Peter looked more nervous than before. His shoulders slumped pitifully, hunching his back even more and his eyes kept darting from Dumbledore to Snape, as if waiting for one of them to strike out at him.
"When will I go?" He asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Now Peter. I've asked Severus to escort you. If Aurors were to take you then they would no doubt be in a mad panic at trying to lock you away forever. Severus will be there to make sure a trial date gets set."
Peter nodded his head. In sudden desperation he considered trying to escape, but he doubted he could get very far with Dumbledore so near. And as if he was reading his thoughts (it wouldn't surprise him if he was) Snape stepped forward and seized his forearm. He wasn't going anywhere now, except with Snape…and to Azkaban.
"I'll make sure his trial date is set soon Headmaster." Snape said.
Albus nodded. "Watch where you go and who you talk to Severus. Voldemort will be looking for you as soon as he finds out what's happened, which may be very soon now that Draco has been taken away. I was able to summon him from his home without his mother knowing, but she will be informed of her son's imprisonment soon, if not already, and she will go straight to Lord Voldemort."
Snape nodded and grasped Peter more tightly around the arm. "Let's get going." He said gruffly.
Snape practically dragged Peter to the door. He was about to reach for the handle when the door suddenly flew open, nearly hitting him in the face. He stumbled back quickly, almost knocking Peter off his feet, and stared at Hermione and Ginny who were breathing heavily and already moving into the office.
"Headmaster, it's his head. It's the scar on the head. It's the Harry head scar." Ginny gushed. She was in such a flustered state that she hadn't even realized how jumbled her words sounded.
"Headmaster," Hermione said in more calm a voice than Ginny. "Harry's having an attack. Voldemort must know what's happened."
"Where is he Miss Granger?" Albus asked calmly.
"He's coming. Tom and Ron are…"
Just as she said this, Tom and Ron rushed through the doorway, both still supporting Harry who seemed a little better but still looked very pale a little shaky.
Albus walked to him immediately while Snape stood back, making sure that Peter wasn't about to sneak off in all the commotion.
Tom and Ron settled Harry down into a chair, and the bespectacled boy gave them both appreciative smiles. Ginny and Ron stayed next to Harry while Hermione went to stand by Tom. Their hands met automatically and they shared another look of sorrow before giving their attention to Dumbledore.
"What happened Harry?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"He knows Headmaster. He knows Hermione isn't dead." Harry said. His voice was firm but he sounded very tired.
Albus nodded his head in understanding before looking up into Hermione's sad face.
"We'll have to put you into hiding Miss Granger for the time being. Tom will join you of course, as will Severus. Voldemort will put all of his efforts into capturing any one of you, so we'll keep you hidden until Harry is able to discover the way for Tom to return to his time."
At this Harry looked up at Tom and Hermione. The couple knew he was asking silent permission to tell and they both nodded their heads for him to do so. Harry gave them the best proudest smile he could muster before looking back at Dumbledore.
"I've found it Headmaster. Today in the library, I found the book that contains the spell. I waited to tell you because Ron, Ginny, and I wanted to tell Tom and Hermione first."
Dumbledore appeared momentarily surprised before he turned sorrowful eyes towards the young couple before him. "Where is the book Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly, his gaze still focused on Hermione and Tom.
"Safely hidden," Harry replied.
Dumbledore nodded his head in approval. "You know what I'm going to say Miss Granger and Mr. Riddle." He said softly.
"Yes." They both replied. Their voices were very low, almost like whispers. The heartbreak was starting to sink in and everything suddenly hurt. Holding each other's hands hurt, talking hurt, breathing hurt, and there was nothing they could do about it but to accept it.
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "I will need to see this book."
"I can get it." Ron said quickly. He needed to do something, anything, to help.
"Thank you Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said.
Ron got up from where he was crouched next to Harry and sprinted out of the office, wanting to get the book and get back as soon as possible.
"I shall have a look at the spell and will assist you all in any way possible." Albus told them.
The four teens nodded and all fell quiet in the office for a moment before Dumbledore spoke again. This time he addressed Snape who was still standing off to the side with Peter right next to him.
"Under the circumstances I suggest that you escort Mr. Pettigrew as soon as you can before returning here with haste Severus. Be wary while you are out of Hogwarts grounds."
"I will Headmaster." He said. "Let's go Peter." Snape had to once again pull Peter along as they headed across the room and exited out the door.
Harry stared after Peter and felt an odd sense of closure. He knew Snape was taking him to Azkaban, and he was relieved that his parents betrayer was finally being put to justice. He smiled at this thought and then looked at Ginny who was crouching next to his seat and softly caressing his arm; his smile grew wider.
He never knew he could feel so happy and so sad at the same time. He looked away from Ginny and stared at Tom and Hermione. The couple were standing very close and holding hands and both were staring intently at the others face. Harry figured they were trying to memorize each other's features and that broke his heart.
And then he saw something that surprised him. The couple, both looking so sad just a moment before, started smiling at each other. Bright happy smiles that lit up their faces and showed no signs of the grief or pain that he expected them to be feeling.
Harry looked around the room at Dumbledore and then at Ginny for they too were staring at the couple, and they were both beaming at what they were seeing. Harry knew that none of them had any regrets…not Dumbledore, nor Ginny, nor Ron, nor himself, and certainly not Tom and Hermione.
He knew at that moment that everything would be ok. They were all strong and they could get through anything no matter what happened.
Harry never felt so at peace in his life as he did now.
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Whew! Ok, I hope you guys aren't mad at me. I know this chapter was kind of jumbled, but like I said, I was having a rather hard time with it. Writing Draco's part was a pain in the butt but I tried my best. Also, I see that switch point of views a lot and that really bugs me because I don't even realize that I do it. I hope I don't confuse anyone, but I don't feel like going back to fix it because that would mean re-writing this chapter again for like the hundredth time. (lol)
And again, I'm so sorry about my crumby updating. As I first started writing this I was updating all the time but then ideas became scarce and life became hectic and now I'm at where I am today…updating every couple of months. (sighs) There are a few more chapters left but you guys can be damn sure that this story will be finished before the year is out…way before! I love you guys! Muah!