A/N: Sooo...long chapter! The longest chapter I've ever written so far, actually. The story is almost over and I have a long list of mixed feelings so I'll just go cry in a corner while you guys read this chapter.
Draco paced his room back and forth. It seemed like everywhere he looked, his mind projected a terrible image of what might be happening at Hogwarts. He suddenly heard loud banging coming from downstairs. He opened his door slightly and poked his head outside. The banging got louder and more frantic. Nobody seemed to be awake and with their recent lack of house elves, Draco descended the stairs with hesitant steps to open the door.
"Where's the Dark Lord?" Snape demanded as he strode hastily into the Manor, followed by a limping Alecto Carrow.
"What happened?" Draco asked.
"Where is the Dark Lord?" Snape repeated, gritting his teeth.
Before Draco could respond, the door to Voldemort's room flew open and he nearly flew down the stairs, followed closely by Bellatrix.
"I followed your orders, my lord." Snape said, "But we were outnumbered; the teachers and the students are fighting with him."
Voldemort was silent for a moment, Travers and Rookwood were now standing behind Bellatrix whose eyes gleamed eagerly. With a sudden jerk, he grabbed Snape's arm, pulling up his sleeve and pointing his wand at his mark. Snape bent his knees, almost falling down at the sudden pain he felt as his mark started burning. Draco felt his own mark burning furiously, he struggled to mask his pain.
A few minutes passed then Death Eaters started appearing in front of the huge gates of the Manor, unable to enter. Voldemort glanced impatiently at Draco who was so distracted by the stinging fire in his arm. Bellatrix moved, pointing her wand at the gate. In a familiar scene, her spell bounced off and flew back at her, missing Draco's head by a few inches.
"Draco.." Bellatrix urged in a small shrill voice and Draco looked up to find everybody looking at him expectantly.
A pair of red eyes narrowed on him, sending a shiver through his spine. He raised his wand up and pointed it at the gate, mumbling some words under his breath. The once transparent barrier that protected the Manor was now visible. It looked like thin glass. The light that came from Draco's wand cracked it then it crumbled to the ground. Yaxley and Dolohov who only left the Manor hours ago, walked through the gate, standing before Voldemort.
"Yaxley, go to Golgomath. Bring him and the rest of his beasts and follow us to Hogwarts." Voldemort dictated and Yaxley rushed out of the Manor's garden to follow the orders he was just given.
"Dolohov, do the same with the Dementors." Voldemort went on.
Dolohov's face contoured in fear amd he swallowed visibly. For a minute he looked like he was going to argue. To ask for a task that didn't include those terrifying creatures. But Voldemort narrowed his eyes on him questioningly and Dolohov didn't have the nerve to argue. With slow reluctant footsteps, he left the Manor.
"Where's Lucius?" Voldemort demanded, looking at Draco.
"He's..upstairs. Probably sleeping. He's.." Draco stammered, stopping when he felt his aunt's hand closing discreetly over his.
"Draco will go find him, my lord." Bellatrix interjected, "Now." she hissed, pushing Draco towards the door.
Draco hurried up the stairs, knocking persistently on his father's door. When he got no answer, he pushed the door open. To his surprise, his father was awake. He was looking at Draco with wide eyes.
"Draco, how could you barge into our room like that!" Lucius berated as he fastened the last buttons of his shirt.
Our room, Draco grimaced at the words. Right then and there he was so tempted to tell him the truth of his mother's death and end his misery. There was no chance he would get over it soon.
"The Dark Lord is fuming, he wants you downstairs, now." Draco informed.
Lucius raked his hand through his hair. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he was looking directly at Draco who frowned at him in confusion. Lucius moved towards Draco. He raised his hand and cupped his cheek. He tilted his head to one side, looking like he was memorizing Draco's features. Draco tensed, uncomfortable with his father acting as if he was on his death. They both rushed down the stairs, dissolving into the increasing crowd that almost filled the Manor's garden.
"We're heading to Hogwarts." Voldemort announced.
The crowd before him cheered enthusiastically. They mounted their broomsticks and followed their lord. Bellatrix followed Voldemort like his shadow, never letting Draco leave her side. The night was dark, cold and ominous, promising equally dark events. They flew for too long until Draco was finally able to see the castle in the horizon.
He sighed in relief when his feet touched the ground; he didn't think his sore arms could hold the broomstick any longer. A shiver ran through his body and he felt as if a cold hand gripped his heart. Every bad memory of his, suddenly came back to haunt him. He looked up to see over twenty Dementors flying above their heads. Loud thuds came from behind and Draco felt the ground shake beneath his feet. Four horrendous giants stood behind the increasing crowd of Death Eaters, led by Yaxley with a triumphant smirk on his face.
"Do we attack now, my lord?" Bellatrix urged.
Voldemort didn't look at her. He was looking intently at the castle in front of him. He raised his hand in a silent order for Bellatrix to shut up. Raising his wand,he pointed it above his head and muttered something inaudible. A faint light came from the wand, engulfing him for a brief moment before vanishing.
"I know that you are preparing to fight." Voldemort's hiss pierced Draco's ear. It was similar to the sound of a snake gliding over marble floor, quiet but lethal. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical me Harry Potter, and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded." he coaxed. "You have until midnight." he finalized his ultimatum.
Bellatrix grimaced, unsatisfied with having to wait any longer. Draco was as eager as his aunt to enter the castle, although for a different set of reasons. Scabior almost crashed to the ground on a broomstick he couldn't handle, probably because it wasn't his to begin with. Around thirty other men followed, looking as filthy and untidy as him.
"My men and I came as soon as we heard there was a battle in order." Scabior said, bending his head submissively.
"Your men, Scabior?" Bellatrix scoffed, quirking her eyebrow at Scabior.
"We..we are all but the Dark Lord's servants." Scabior corrected himself quickly, daring to shoot Bellatrix a venomous look the moment she turned her back to him.
Voldemort who wasn't paying attention to the spar taking place next to him, raised his wand to the sky. A huge hourglass materialized above their heads. Filled with odd looking sand, crimson in color as if it was mixed with blood.
Lucius never left Draco's side. Bellatrix kept hovering over the two of them. Mostly glowering at Lucius or scolding him for showing weakness. A fair share of her words were directed to Draco, encouraging him to avenge his mother's death. Draco did his best to show enthusiasm but he was seeing an extremely hysterical side of his aunt and he now realized what was it about her that made some of Voldemort's toughest men fear her.
A protective streak had appeared in her out of nowhere. She followed him like his shadow most of the time. Knocking his room's door at random times, making it hard for him to leave the Manor as freely as he did before. If he hadn't known his aunt well enough, Draco would've sworn she was trying to step into his mother's place. But Bellatrix was as far from motherly affections as humanly possible. The only affections his aunt showed were the ones she shamelessly displayed towards Voldemort.
How a man like Rodolphus tolerated his wife's queer behavior, was beyond Draco. He spotted the tall bulky man, hovering behind Voldemort. Was it out of sheer loyalty that he found Bellatrix's fascination with Voldemort acceptable? Draco twisted his mouth in disgust; he would trade his cocked up family for a Pygmy Puff anytime of the day.
Time went by at an agonizingly slow pace. Despite being outside the confines of the Manor, Draco felt suffocated. The air was humid, thick with tension. The Dementors' presence was only adding insult to injury. He had to fight an urge to run as far as his legs could take him. Most of the men and women surrounding him seemed equally affected by the Dementors. With the exception of his aunt and Antonin Dolohov who probably spent enough time in Azkaban to get used to the ominous creatures.
Draco could feel his father nervously shaking next to him. He had expected him to have a much better reaction to Dementors, given the time he had spent in Azkaban. But at this point in his father's life, the last thing he needed was a creature that evoked his most depressing thoughts. He was already haunted by them.
Tension rose to extreme levels as the last drop of sand announced midnight. Everybody looked at Voldemort, waiting for confirmation. Voldemort began the first wave of attacks on the shield that engulfed the castle. Everybody else followed suit.
"Draco," Voldemort called, "does the vanishing cabinet still work?" he demanded.
"I..can't be sure." Draco replied cautiously.
"Then take some men with you and find out." Voldemort ordered impatiently.
Draco was followed by three of Scabior's men. Lucius tried to follow him but Voldemort's stern orders for him to stay, fixed him in his place. Draco was about to apparate to Borgin and Burkes when thin finger closed over his arm. He looked next to him to find Bellatrix, apparently seeking the fastest possible way into the castle.
As they barged into the empty shop, Draco contemplated whether or not he should let his aunt into the cabinet. He knew that by now the other cabinet was probably destroyed. He also knew what would happen to anybody who tried to transport themselves through a broken cabinet. Despite everything, Draco didn't want to live with the guilt of watching his own aunt walk into a death trap. She stepped forward, reaching for the cabinet's door and Draco's hand instantly closed over her arm, pulling her back.
"You go first." Draco ordered the other men.
"Why?" Bellatrix and the men asked at the same time.
"Check if the other cabinet is working properly, and if it is, come back to inform us." Draco explained, exchanging a brief glance with Bellatrix.
"What happens if the other one isn't working?" one man raised his eyebrow suspiciously at Draco.
"Nothing..you just won't be transported..nothing dangerous." Draco lied, hoping the men were as stupid as they looked.
"Alright." the man mumbled as he entered the cabinet, followed by the other two.
"You'll find the spell carved into the back of the door." Draco said, closing the door behind them.
Bellatrix looked at Draco curiously, with her hands on her waist, expecting an explanation.
"The other cabinet might be destroyed." Draco said, "If it is, whoever tries to use it would die. They wouldn't be fully transported." he admitted.
Bellatrix's eyes widened at the information she just heard. A hint of what seemed like pride flashed over her face. She reached for the door once more, with hesitant fingers this time. She opened the door slowly, blinking rapidly before slamming the door shut angrily.
"It's broken." she muttered before grabbing Draco's arm and disapparating from the shop.
The minute they were back, Draco could see clearly Hogwarts' defenses had broken. He rushed into the castle, maneuvering his way through the huge giants who wrecked havoc all over the castle. His eyes frantically searched every corner of the hall, looking for Hermione. He was desperate to know Hermione was safe and equally desperate to let her know about the dagger he had in his pocket. At this moment, he didn't even mind sharing his information with Potter or even Weasly, but he couldn't see any of them.
Eventually, Draco spotted the top of Hermione's head. She was with Ron, both of them running towards something rather than from something. Draco dashed after them. On his way he spotted Tonks, cornered by two other Death Eaters. He pointed his wand at the men, stunning the two of them respectively. Tonks looked up to see him, she walked in his direction with a grateful smile on her face but Draco didn't wait for her. He caught a glimpse of Hermione ascending one of the stairs with Ron.
He did his best to cut the distance between them, calling after Hermione who couldn't hear him over the loud noises of the battle. Draco frowned in confusion when he saw them entering Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He entered the bathroom to find it empty. A huge pipe dominated one of the walls. Draco approached it cautiously, he looked inside it only to be met by darkness. He heard a loud noise that sounded like a huge flood of water followed by a high-pitched scream that echoed through the rusty pipe.
Without further hesitation, Draco let himself slide through the dirty pipe. He fell to the wet floor before jumping upright instantly. He froze in his place as he looked at Hermione. He could see her back, she was soaked wet. Her face was cupped between Ron's hands while her hands were clenched into fists by her sides. Ron glanced over Hermione's shoulder. Seeing Draco, he flashed him a look of challenge before looking back at Hermione who pushed him off and stepped back.
"Ron.." Hermione exhaled sharply, "I..I can't..because.." her voice trailed off when she saw Ron looking at something behind her back.
"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise.
She frowned in confusion when Draco stared at her with accusative eyes. Why wasn't he making any move in my direction? Hermione's frown deepened. And then it dawned on her that Draco witnessed the kiss. She realized what it must have looked like to him. Before she could explain, Draco turned on his heel and climbed back to the pipe.
"Draco, wait!" Hermione ran after him.
"Ascendio" Draco yelled, letting his wand ascend him back to the bathroom.
"Draco.." Hermione called desperately.
Draco could hear Hermione's voice calling after him but he insisted on blocking it out. Blocking Hermione's whole being out seemed like the wise thing to do. Did he even have the right to be mad? Draco questioned himself as he headed back to the battle, looking for his father. The truth was, he had no hold over Hermione. But to see her running back to Weasly the moment he turned his back, felt like a hard slap across his face. She was just kissing him less than a day ago and now this! The mere idea of her choosing Weasly over him started a flame of fury inside Draco. But you weren't there to choose from to begin with, he reminded himself sarcastically. Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts once more.
"Wait." Hermione pleaded as she made her way to him.
Draco nearly ran away from her. Not caring about the curses that flew above his head. He spotted Harry walking with Ron and suddenly remembered the dagger. He followed him relentlessly until he saw him enter the room of requirement. As he followed him, Crabbe and Goyle appeared out of thin air, obviously keeping an eye on Harry themselves.
"Draco!" Crabbe looked surprised to see him. "We saw Potter, he just entered the room."
"He was looking for something called a die-dum" Goyle informed.
A diadem? Draco frowned in confusion. He stood in front of the wall, bending his head down and closing his eyes in concentration. He urged the right thought into his mind, spending enough time in that room taught him the perfect way to manipulate it. After few tries, the room of hidden things revealed its door. Draco followed the direction of Harry's footsteps.
"Hold it, Potter." Draco hissed, alarming Harry to their presence.
Harry glanced around him, he couldn't hear any noise that indicated Ron's presence. He wasn't sure what to make of Malfoy's sudden appearance. Was he finally showing his true colors? Had they been fooled all along? Or was it his friends he was fooling?
"So, how come you aren't with Voldemort?" Harry asked, directing his question at Malfoy rather than his friends.
"We're gonna be rewarded." Crabbe smirked triumphantly, "We 'ung back, Potter. We decided not to go. Decided to bring you to 'im" he boasted.
"Good plan." Harry mocked. His eyes were scanning the room. He knew where he had last seen the diadem, he just had to move closer to it.
"Harry!" Hermione's voice came from behind them.
"Descendo!" Crabbe pointed his wand at a huge pile of old furniture that barely stood upright next to Hermione. The top of the pile fell into one of the isles while the rest of it threatened to crush Hermione.
"Finite!" Draco yelled at the shaky pile and it stilled slowly. "If you wreck the room, we might bury that diadem thing!" Draco fumed at Crabbe.
"What's that matter?" Crabbe dismissed lightly, "It's potter the Dark lord wants, who cares about a die-dum?"
"You don't understand.." Draco huffed impatiently.
"I don't want to!" Crabbe roared at Draco, "I don't take your orders no more, Draco. You 'an your dad..are finished." he smirked at him venomously.
"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled, pointing her wand at Crabbe.
"Expelliarmus" Harry aimed his spell at Goyle, missing him and hitting Draco instead. Draco's wand flew from his hand and landed in Harry's.
"Crucio!" Crabbe spat furiously, pointing his wand at Harry.
"STOP!" Draco shouted at Crabbe, "The Dark Lord wants him alive."
"So? I'm not killing him, am I?" Crabbe sneered, pushing Draco back forcefully, "But if I can, I will."
Hermione tried to once more aim her spell at Crabbe only to miss him by inches.
"Avada Kedavra!" Crabbe bellowed, his voice laced in fury.
Draco watched with wide eyes as Hermione jumped away from the green ray of light. He could hear Harry's voice casting one spell after the other at Crabbe and Goyle who were both aiming their wands at him.
"Don't kill him! DO NOT KILL HIM!" Draco bellowed at them frantically.
Crabbe was randomly flailing his wand everywhere, casting a killing curse on everything his eyes fell on. Draco spotted the old diadem and made a run for it, already suspecting it was another Horcrux.
"Draco!" Hermione's voice pierced his ears.
He looked back to find a huge wave of fire coming his way. Ron, Crabbe and Harry were running as fast as they could. "Run!" Harry bawled at him.
Hermione joined them as they ran for their lives from the flames that ate whatever came in their way. "What can we do?" she screamed.
Harry spotted a couple of broomsticks, taking one and throwing Hermione the other. "Ron, come on." Harry urged impatiently when Ron made no move to mount the broomstick behind him.
Hermione pushed the heavy broomstick into Draco's hand. He mounted it, pulling Hermione behind him. After a moment of flying towards the door. Draco looked back. He could see Goyle desperately clutching one of the several towers of junk that filled the room. Draco hovered next to him and Hermione extended her hand to him, after several tries, she was finally able to pull him onto the broomstick. His weight almost sent them crashing to the floor but Draco managed to fly them back up in the direction of the door.
Hermione was starting to lose consciousness. The room was too hot, the smoke too suffocating and she started coughing breathlessly. It was only when she couldn't think she could take it anymore that a breeze of fresh air cleared her lungs. She threw herself onto the cold floor, taking deep breaths of air to replace the smoke in her lungs. Draco and an unconscious Goyle followed. Draco was kneeling on the floor, coughing loudly as he gasped for air. Shortly after, Ron and Harry followed.
"Harry, what's that on your arm?" Hermione asked, squinting her eyes at the diadem that hung onto Harry's arm.
Before Harry could reply, the diadem started trembling. A small crack appeared in it and soon the whole thing was breaking into pieces. From every crack, leaked what looked like thick black blood. Harry threw the diadem away, covering his ears when shrill screams echoed in his ears, coming from the diadem. A long moment passed before the diadem finally stopped twitching and its remaining pieces rested motionlessly on the floor.
"That..that.." Hermione stammered, struggling to form a proper sentence. "That means we only have the snake left!"
Draco shot upright, "You owe me a wand, Potter." he hissed at Harry before leaving them without another word. Hermione groaned in frustration; she had already chased him all over the castle to explain but he was so determined on ignoring her existence.
Draco wandered around the castle, looking for his father everywhere. The battle went on for hours and hours, Draco realized as he saw the first rays of sunlight in the sky. Frustration got the best of him as he opened another classroom door to find it empty. Just as he was about to leave, Voldemort's cold voice echoed in his head once more. "I command my forces to retreat immediately." were the words that lingered the most. He knew his father was probably with those forces at the forest. That -of course- was if he was still alive, Draco brooded.
Draco moved to the door only to be pushed back forcefully by Hermione. She slammed the door shut behind her and stood in front of it with her hands on her waist.
"I can't believe I actually have to trap you inside a room to be able to talk to you!" Hermione fumed at him. "You're being..childish." she accused, "I have something to say and you will hear it."
"Go ahead." Draco replied curtly as he stood upright, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I..I..you completely misunderstood what you saw." Hermione said.
"There isn't much to be understood about it, you know." Draco retorted.
"Yes there is! I wasn't kissing Ron." Hermione insisted.
"I'm pretty sure you were." Draco contradicted
"No! I mean..he kissed me but I didn't kiss him back." Hermione pursued.
"I'm sorry did my sudden entrance interrupt you?" Draco smirked.
"Stop being such a prat!" Hermione stomped her way to him, "I didn't kiss him because..because.."
"Because?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her.
"Because I don't love him. We're friends but..I don't love him." Hermione replied.
"That's good for you." Draco remarked smugly, barely masking his relief. He couldn't quite put his finger on the reliving part of Hermione's statement but it was good to know she hadn't willingly chosen to be with Weasly. It kind of sent a streak of hope. And although Draco was scared of how desperate he was for any hope for the two of them, he couldn't stop himself from clinging onto that hope when it presented itself. No matter how faint it was.
"Because.." Hermione paused, taking a deep breath and exhaling it sharply. "I love you." she whispered.