((Chapter 25!!! WootWoot! Sorry for the wait. It's been a little hectic. REVIEW!!))
Chapter 25::
And So It Begins
Rain came slamming onto the roof of Malfoy Manor as lightning crashed all around. Every soul within its walls could hear the angry sound. Many within the clutches of the storm were far too frightened to step outside and into its rage. The usually quiet manor was abuzz with whispering bodies, as it had been for days. The Dark Lord had ordered all Death Eaters to remain close together and away from Auror hands. Choosing Malfoy Manor as the place to be, everyone mingled around, minding their own business. The final battle was on the horizon; they could all feel it.
It's been 6 days since Onyx Raven admitted she was Hermione Granger. Since then, there has been no sign of her. Witches and wizards have looked endlessly for days trying to find her. Even Voldemort, upon hearing about her real identity, searched for her. Contrary to what everyone thought, he didn't care about her blood anymore. She was his ticket to winning the war, so she was to not be harmed in anyway. Dumbledore and the Order have also been on the search for her; following every random storm or tidal wave imaginable.
The Death Eaters themselves were disgusted with their Dark Lord's new toy. After being told who she was, they were adamant that she was spying for the Order. These rumors were silenced when they had to acknowledge the fact that the Order never discovered their plans or raids—therefore, she had not been a spy. The wizarding world had been hectic since she disappeared.
Draco Malfoy, in particular, was the biggest mess of them all.
"Mate, come on. Your mum is worried, come down and humor her by eating at least something small." Blaise tried, for the third time, to get Draco out of his room.
"Go away, Blaise." Draco mumbled, not moving from his window.
This scene was not one that surprised anyone. It had become a repeat occurrence since Hermione came clean. From the moment they arrived home from the meeting, and Draco met up with them alone, he had been moping in his room. After two days of him not coming out for meals, his mother tried many times to get Blaise and Pansy to bring him down. In the end, she settled for having the house elves bring him his meals, which would return to the kitchen barely touched. Draco was looking more sickly and miserable as every day passed.
Blaise walked over to Draco's still form, "You've got to snap out of this, Draco! I mean honestly, you are looking pitiful."
Draco didn't even acknowledge what he said.
Getting frustrated, Blaise threw up his hands and groaned. "This is bloody pathetic! It's not that big of a deal!"
Snapping his head around, Draco glared at his best friend, "Not that big of a deal? Are you bloody daft! The love of my life turned out to be a fucking know-it-all mudblood that I've hated since I was a kid! Not that big of a deal, my bloody arse!!"
"Yes, you're right. She was a bloody know-it-all mudblood and we all hated her! This was the past, Draco! Not now!" Blaise yelled right back.
Draco stood up and got in his friend's face. "Not now!? What are you playing at, Blaise?! This is Mudblood Granger! She's fucking scum!"
"No, she WAS fucking scum, Malfoy! NOW she's Elemental Granger and the love of your bloody life!"
"WRONG!! RAVEN was the love of my life! NOT Granger!!"
Blaise pushed his friend back, "Raven is Granger! It DOESN'T matter how much you try and deny it, because it will never change! They are the same person! Just two different sides of her!"
"How could I EVER love her now that I know who she is!?!"
"EASY! You've been in love with Granger since the moment she bested you at everything and didn't fall for your bloody Malfoy charm! She's the one who completes you, but you were too bloody stubborn to see it!!!"
They were both purple in the face and panting. In all the years they have been friends, they've never gotten into a fight. Just the mere fact that it was over Hermione, made Draco dizzy. His heart would ache whenever he thought of her. But he couldn't admit it to himself. He loved Onyx Raven. Not Hermione Granger. They just couldn't be two sides of the same person. It just didn't feel right… did it?
Blaise looked his best friend in the eye, seeing the battle in his heart and soul. Granted, Blaise didn't really care for muggleborns himself. But, even as Granger, Hermione was different. Now that he has seen who she really is, he couldn't bring himself to hate her at all. Just by watching the way she looked at Draco, he could see into her heart. She was truly genuine, no matter whom she really was.
Deciding he wasn't going to get anywhere, he turned and walked to the door. Right before he walked out, he glanced back to his best mate, "Pansy and I know who she is and we don't care, Draco. We really don't. She was a great friend and she loves you, mate. If there was one thing she couldn't fake, it was what she felt for you. Think back to the past and try to think outside of your prejudices. You've always had feelings for Granger. It's only you that's holding you back."
Draco watched as the door snapped shut behind Blaise. Could he be right? Did it really matter what blood status she was? She did, after all, open up a part of him he never knew existed before. A part, he knew, he would never want to lose. The real question here was: Was he willing to forgive and forget every lie she had told him and get to know the real her?
Sitting back by the window, he continued to watch the rain pound onto the glass. Was it Hermione causing this storm? Was she full of such rage that the storm was pelting down the loud raindrops on only them? To be honest, he couldn't blame her if she was. He wasn't exactly full of understanding when she told him her deep, dark secret.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
6 Days Ago…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I'm not really Onyx Raven."
"Of course you are!" He shouted throwing his arms up in the air. "You might be an Elemental, but you're still Raven!"
"No, I'm NOT!" She shouted, and finally spilled the beans. "I'm Hermione FUCKING GRANGER!"
All that could be heard was the loud splattering of the rain onto the grass as a lightning bolt struck down between the stricken couple.
Even as he felt the bolt hit near his feet, Draco was frozen to the spot; unable to move. What the bloody hell was she saying? "What do you mean you're Hermione Granger?! Hermione Granger is dead!"
"No," Hermione was happy it was raining. He couldn't see her tears. "I'm not dead. I'm right here, Draco."
This just wasn't making any sense. She just couldn't be Granger. He knew Granger and there was no way she'd be able to do everything Raven did. "I don't believe you." His voice was a mere whisper.
One, apparently, that Hermione heard, "You have to. It's not going to change." Her voice was low and filled with pain. While she knew this day would eventually come, she didn't think it would be under these circumstances.
"No." Draco said, loud and firm. "No, you're Onyx Raven; pureblooded witch who grew up on the streets!"
Hermione stamped her foot, causing a bolt of lightning to hit the ground with it, shaking the earth. "No! I'm Hermione Jean Granger from muggle London! The one you've called names since first year and the one that punched you in the nose in four years ago!"
"Stop lying to me!" He couldn't believe her. No, he wouldn't!
"Bloody hell, Malfoy!"
That did it. Draco didn't know if it was the tone of her voice or the look that flashed through her eyes that drove the truth home. Either way, he now believed her. Only Hermione Granger could scold him like that.
He could feel his heart fall through his stomach. It was a lie. Everything was a lie. Every time they held each other; every time they kissed; every moment spent together; every moment they made love. It was all a lie. A sham that she cooked up, he knew, to ruin his life.
"Oh, dear Merlin," His voice faltered as he started to step back and away from her.
So much pain washed through him at once as he put together the pieces. He should have noticed it before. Her love for reading, her passion; it was all the same. Even in her features he could see who she really was. The glory of what a little magic could do… the glory that was tearing him to pieces inside.
"Draco," she took a step forward.
"Stop!" he shouted, pulling out him wand. "Don't you dare come near me, you filthy liar!"
Tears were brimming in her eyes, "I never lied to you about the important things."
He couldn't help but laugh at this, "Right. Every word out of your mouth has been a lie. You played me. You played me for information!"
Raven—Hermione—was shaking her head furiously, "No! I never played you, Draco! I meant every word I've said to you!"
His laugh came out cold and harsh. He was angry. More than angry, in fact, he was furious. Draco let the emotion fill him up. It was, after all, better to feel angry then hurt. "Sure. I'm sure you bloody well loved me! If you didn't play me for information, then you were out to ruin my life!"
"That's not true!" She screamed, the rain coming down thicker and thicker.
"Stop your bloody LIES!" He shouted, knees shaking.
"Fine!" Before he could react, she ran at him and jumped into his arms. As her cold lips clamped onto his, every angry thought flew out of his head. Those lips, plump and pink, were so familiar and comforting. It made him feel like maybe everything was going to be alright.
Draco started to return the kiss. Just as his arms were about to encircle her waist, a thunder clap sounded overhead, bringing him back to his senses. With more strength then he honestly meant, he pushed her back and caused her to fall into a heap on the ground. Mud now riddled her soaking clothes.
He stared at her, laying on the ground with mud covering her body. A sudden thought flashed through his mind. One that, he knew even then, he would regret with every fiber of his being. "You have no right to touch me! Stay where you belong, Granger!" The next sentence tasted wrong on his tongue as he said it, "You filthy little Mudblood!"
The look that crossed her face nearly brought him to his knees. It was full of such anguish and guilt; reminding him of the look he say cross her face when she realized she killed Bellatrix. Draco could feel the pain in his heart increase as he watched her; cold and shaking in pain. All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her tight; to tell her it will be ok.
Instead, he did something that, ever since he realized he loved her, he never thought he would do to her—he walked away.
Whenever he thought back to that day, he could always feel that same feeling he felt then. True, she lied to him. True, she was a muggleborn. But, in reality, did that matter to him? If you had asked him a few months ago, his answer would have been a swift and firm yes. Now, after all the pain and anguish he was feeling, the answer might be a little different.
Up until he meant Raven, he didn't know how to love. Love was a foreign word to him. His mother loved him, yes, and he loved her. But that was a different form of love. The one he lost with Rav—er, Granger—filled him with joy and hope. It told him that there was a reason to look forward to the future. Now the only thing he felt was an empty void. The void had been there before, but it had not hurt like this. Now he knew what he was missing.
He missed the way she bit her lip when she read books.
He missed the way her forehead crinkled while she studied.
He missed her nervous tap of her fingers whenever they took an exam.
He missed the way her eyes would flash in anger, sadness, joy, or surprise.
He missed feeling her warm body next to his in the middle of the night.
He missed the feel of her lips against his first thing the morning.
He missed her. He wanted her. He loved her.
Was he willing to except every side of her to be by her side? This, he was not sure of.
Cold. Dark. Empty.
Just the way she liked it.
Hermione lost track of the days she was there. Had it been a day? A week? A month? That was all relative to her. It didn't matter if she was there an hour or a year. All that mattered was that she was there and she was free to avoid all of the pain wanting to crash down all around her. Even as she weaved through the thick trees, it seemed as if she was running from something.
After Draco's betrayal, Hermione had been lost, hurt, and humiliated. She had disclosed her deepest secret and he threw it back in her face. Had she counted on him reacting differently? Maybe not. She had not, however, expected him to lash out so painfully. More so, she didn't expect it to hurt quite so much.
This pain was nothing like everyone imagined. No, this was mind-numbing and body jerking. Every cell in her body felt as if it were dying, slowly. If she had thought losing her parents had been painful, she had been proven wrong. Nothing in this world could compare to the pain of being thrown out of your soul mates life. It was as if nothing she did mattered anymore; as if she had finally found the point of her life. To love and save Draco had been her mark on the world. Without him, she felt empty. She had failed at the one thing she was meant to do.
Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind. Hermione didn't want to face that pain yet.
The rain grew fiercer around her, pushing her forward. It was unclear where she was. Somewhere in Brazil, maybe? Or was it somewhere in America? Through the days, the 'where' no longer seemed to matter.
After Draco abandoned her, she gave herself over fully to her Elemental powers, granting her to ability to dissolve into the rain and flow through the clouds. Now, as long as there was water, she could do anything. Whether it is swim in the oceans, dance in the clouds, or flow through fog, her abilities were limitless. There was one thing, however, that she couldn't do that she wished she could. She wished she could tune out the sounds that came with the package. Being an Aqua Elementai not only included having the ability to control water, but the ability to communicate with it instead.
Hermione could never explain the wonder she felt when she discovered she could communicate with water. It caught sounds, amplified emotions. She could watch a scene unfold in any house she wanted if it was raining outside. She could feel the pain radiating from a wife washing dishes as her husband yelled at her. Every sound and feeling blew her away and made her feel sadness and joy for everyone.
However, this wondrous gift came with a price. Whenever it rained in England, she could feel the pain and death associated with the war. Whenever a tidal wave washed up on shore, she could taste the blood on the sand. The final battle was growing closer and closer with each passing day. The possibility of her partaking was still uncertain. There were many different ways she could go; ignoring it being in the lead.
What made her avoidance difficult was when she would sense Harry, Ginny, or Ron. They were still alive and fighting; a fact that made Hermione proud. Though, when she could taste their distress or fear, she would rush to their location and watch them from a distance. There was so many times where she wished she could intervene. But, in the end, she did not. Sure, she'd cast down a severe storm here and there, but she tried to stay out of it. So much damaged had already been done by her—a life was already lost. Even the thought of meddling in the lives of people who loved her made her sick to her stomach. No, she would not make herself a burden. She would continue to run with the rain, ride in the clouds. This was where she belonged.
So much anger and rage circled through the castle. Dumbledore sat in his study, staring at the wall. He could practically feel the fear within the walls of Hogwarts. The final battle was close now. So close, even, that the rising body count was just outside the walls of the school. Hogsmeade had been hit, taken over. The few students left here were far too frightened the leave their common rooms. The teachers, themselves, were full of dread for what they knew was coming.
So many concerns and worries riddled his plate. Despite them all, only one seemed to grasp his complete attention.
It's been a week since Hermione disappeared. News spread throughout the wizarding world that Hermione Granger was alive and well. There was even a bounty on her; not one to kill, one to be detained. Both sides of the war wanted her new power. Both sides didn't care if she survived or not. They just wanted to win in the end. This was not true of Dumbledore, McGonagall or the Order. They all knew Hermione; loved her. If there was anything they wanted from her, it was for her to come home.
That, Dumbledore knew, was probably not an option in her eyes. She'd taken a life. Blood was on her hands and it was difficult if not impossible to come back from that. From the moment the news of Bellatrix Lestrange's gruesome death reached the Order, Dumbledore had come clean. Remus, Kingsley, and McGonagall already knew, but it was time to bring the rest of the Order in. To say they were angry did not do a justice. They were in absolute rage.
Molly and Arthur Weasley were more so then others. Hermione should have been home with them, they said. She needed love and care; not a task that could end up killing her. After many tears and curses sent from her wand, Molly settled in to do a job that kept her anger at bay. She cooked. After that, she sent a letter to Ron, Ginny, and Harry. They were staying somewhere secret, but the letter was spelled to arrive in their hands. They had a right to know, she said. She'd seen her babies crying enough in this cruel world and didn't want them to suffer and grief the death of their dear friend anymore.
It's true; it had been a long week. It was days like today that made Dumbledore feel every year of his ago. He felt weaker than usual; tired. So many young ones he's seen through the years were dying at his feet. Hermione, his dear friend, was now lost to the world. There was no doubt in his mind that she had given herself over to her Elementai powers entirely. The raging storms and thick fog that had been circulation since her disappearance had been proof of that.
Did she now know that she could see, hear, taste, and smell everywhere that water is located? He suspected she did. Now and again, when the rain bounced on his window, he could feel her watching him. He'd tried to talk to her here and there; even swore he heard her giggle when he retold old stories of her first few years at Hogwarts. Whenever the rain grew slow and quiet—he knew she was crying. It pained him to know that one so young has given up all hope. Maybe, just maybe, one day, she'll be able to come back home.
"ALBUS!" McGonagall's sudden shriek bounced into his study from the stairs below.
The door had barely opened when she ran in, hair sticking out at all ends. So much fear and distress shown on her face that Dumbledore jumped onto his feet, "What is it, Minerva?"
Her breathing was coming out in rapid pants. "The Death Eaters are grouping on the grounds. I don't know how they got in, but they're here!"
Panic swept through Dumbledore's old body. This was happening too fast! He sprang into action. "Get the younger students to a safe location! Tell all the older ones if they want to fight to meet in the Great Hall! I'll call the Order!"
"But, where could I possibly hide the younger ones?! Where's safe anymore!?" McGonagall felt as if her heart would burst from her chest.
Dumbledore placed a shaking hand on her shoulder. "Try the room of requirement. Minerva, do try and stay calm. We don't want the younger students to panic. No need to start a chaos!"
With a sharp nod of her head, Minerva flew off quickly. He'd never seen her run quite like that before. He wasn't sure he liked it. Going to his window, he looked out into the darkened night. Sure enough, he could see dozens of Death Eaters forming a circle just before the doors of the school. They weren't moving, weren't casting spells. They were waiting for him. For Voldemort. Casting out his patronus, he sent along his message, urging the Order to hurry. The final battle was here. There was no avoiding it. He wondered whether or not he wanted to send the same message to Harry and the others. No, he wouldn't have to. They would know. They would come.
As he took a step back from the window, he could see a light fog coming in from the west. He let out a sad smile before rushing out of the room. Hermione would sense what was going on. He just hoped she'd finally make up her mind in time.
The fight was on.
Hogwarts.
How did he know the final battle was going to be here?
"Bloody hell!" Ron whispered as he stared past the thicket of trees to the sight of the Death Eaters huddled near the doors.
Ginny, using the wrist that was not in a cast, grasped Harry's hand tightly. "This is it, isn't it?"
No words could calm or soothe his terrified girlfriend. So he just nodded and held her hand tighter. They all went through hell to get to this point. Several bones had been broken and injuries had been healed. They'd even had to watch some of their friends die. Harry had almost lost Ginny on more than one occasion and that angered him more than anything else.
"What's the plan?" Ron asked, his voice strong and firm.
Ever since Harry had told them of Hermione's task, they'd been eager to see her again. Ron especially; as he planned on telling her that he loved her the first chance he got. Harry didn't encourage this; didn't really say much. Dumbledore had gotten the message to Harry a few days ago. Hermione was alive, but the task had blown up in their faces. She'd fallen in love with Draco and took a life. Even though it was the life of a psychotic killer, it didn't make any difference. Hermione was pure of heart and now her new Elementai powers took that from her. The other two knew of her new powers and knew of the accidental murder. But, Harry couldn't bear to tell them Hermione was no going to be in the war at tall; that she'd given herself over to the call of the sea, so to speak.
"We try to get around them." He took a step back and headed towards the back of the school.
"Where are we going?" Ginny asked, wiping her dirty face on her already tattered shirt. It had been a tough couple of months and she was sure it showed. They were bruised, battered, and filthy. None of them were going to make it out of this unscathed.
Harry looked at her, his own face nearly undistinguishable under all the grim of the forest, "We're circling towards the back so we can sneak in. They're all huddled at the front doors, if they stay that way we have a chance."
"What makes you think they will?" Ron asked, brandishing his wand and playing lookout around them. A few months back he'd made the mistake of letting his stubborn behavior get the best of him. He even abandoned his sister and best mate in his anger. He refused to make the same mistake twice.
Harry's eyes darkened and his body shook, "Because he's not here yet."
Harry hated not being able to call the bastards name. Outside the safe confines of Hogwarts, anyone who said the V word could get traced and trapped. They'd learned this the hard way when Harry said it out loud once. McNair and Greyback circled their tent, setting it on fire to draw them out. Granted, they managed to get away, but Ginny got her wrist snapped in two places in the process. That wasn't going to happen again.
This was the final battle and Harry was out for blood.
"Mate!" Blaise slammed through his bedroom doors, "You heard the call, I take it?" He asked as he watched Draco slide on his shoes and cloak.
"Indeed." Draco was tired and confused. The last thing he needed was to be called to some stupid meeting. "You'd think they could put this off for a little while. Why do we need so many boring meetings, anyway?"
"No, mate." Blaise said, slightly panicked. "This isn't a meeting."
Draco froze. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Blaise began to pace, "That most of the Death Eaters were sent to Hogwarts. Only a few of us were left here."
No, Draco couldn't believe it. Not yet. This was not happening! It couldn't be! "It's time!?"
Blaise nodded ferociously. "It's circulating. It's the final battle. We're to arrive at the Dark Lord's side."
Fear slid down his spine and pooled at his feet. Why was this happening now? "What changed?"
"The Dark Lord thinks he's bested Dumbledore. He's ready to end this."
Hermione's faced flashed through his mind. But, it wasn't Raven, Hermione. It was the Hermione he'd grown up with. At first the picture disgusted him. Then, as he thought back and examined every feature, he knew that he was lying to himself. He loved her, damn it. He always did.
So why did the final battle have to be the day he realized he didn't care about blood status anymore?
That didn't matter. He had an obligation. As long as Hermione didn't show up, he would do his job. "Let's go."
As they walked to the door, Pansy came in, tears in her eyes. "Are we really going to do this, then?"
When they nodded, she looked at Blaise, "If we survive this, you're never getting rid of me, Blaise."
Draco looked away. His own heart aching to hear those words from Hermione.
Blaise smiled and kissed Pansy hard. "I'll hold you to that."
"Ok," Draco was getting uncomfortable. "We ARE going to survive this. So, how about you not suck face until tomorrow, huh?"
Pansy, sensing Draco's hurt, launched herself at him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Please, promise me Hermione won't be there," She whispered into his ear. "I couldn't fight her, Draco."
He nodded his head. "I know. Me neither."
"DRACO!!" His father's voice shot through the house.
It was time.
Hermione watched from above as Voldemort and the Death Eaters overtook the school. Everyone was cloaked, so Hermione couldn't see her dear friends amongst the throng. The fog she used to smother the fight made her feel all of the terror emitting from the students who stayed behind. The Order arrived as the front doors were blown apart, trying to hold the Death Eaters at bay. So many were falling before her eyes, causing her tears of sorrow to turn into a light drizzle.
An hour passed, many died. As the castle was being torn down bit by bit, Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't watch all the death and mayhem. All of the years she fought with Harry and Ron at her sides were worth too much to be destroyed by such hate. It was time to go back to who she was. Elemental or not, she still had her friends who loved her. She wouldn't let them die. She was going to fight.
It suddenly started to storm.
((Don't hate me!! I hope you all liked this chapter. I tried to put a little bit of everyone in here. The next chapter is the final battle! Stay tuned and review!!!!))