Hey, quite a few notes for today, please take a minute to read them. :)
1) Probably the most important thing. You're getting this update (and another in a few days) early because I'm going away. I will be gone on holiday for the first three weeks of July and hence unable to update and when I get back, I probably need a couple of days to get things sorted. This break means nothing and I trust you all to be enjoying your own summer while I'm gone. ;)
2) I have gotten a lot of requests to read and comment on people's fics. I find this extremely flattering, but alas I do not have the time for this. I already have several fics lined up that I want to read that I have had to postpone for months, so this will not be possible. I'm sorry, but at least know that it's not personal in any of your cases.
3) For a while now I've been hearing that I'm not going to write the sequel to Silencio because I'm having a baby and stopping ficcing altogether. Funny that I should be the last to know, eh? Some people need to learn to read, it seems. They have misunderstood everything and are spreading these false rumors. I thought I'd managed to set everyone straight, but it appears not. Please stop these inane rumors and if you see them, squash them. Here is what I always said: I will stop posting to ffnet, but not certain other sites. I also never said I wouldn't write the Silencio sequel. What I DID say was that I wouldn't do it until Bracelet was finished. That is all.
Ginny colored slightly, her back going stiff. "Nobody was talking to you, Zabini."
"No, you were just copping a feel. Really, there are better ways to get me under you than knocking me over."
Hermione was enthralled. She didn't even want to guess at what was going on, but it was extremely intriguing.
The color in Ginny's cheeks heightened as she angrily narrowed her eyes at Zabini. "Trust me, I cannot tell you how much I do not want you under me or anywhere else."
"That's what you say…"
"Wanker."
"Harridan."
"Cunt."
He just smirked. "Slag."
Ginny actually blanched a little. "You wish," she snarled, lowering her voice.
"Then I would already have gotten my wish, wouldn't I?" Blaise's voice was also low and calm, but nevertheless clear enough that Hermione couldn't miss his meaning.
"Don't believe anything he says," Ginny hissed at her.
"Think Potter would believe me, then?" Blaise coolly studied Ginny, who was now looking as if she might panic.
"You wouldn't," she whispered.
"I might. Maybe you should consider being nicer to me, hm?"
The normally stoic Ginny was shaking slightly and lowering her eyes in defeat. Hermione gaped. She didn't think she'd ever seen Ginny back down from anyone or anything like this before.
Abruptly Ginny turned towards Hermione. "So, are you coming?" she asked in a falsely bright voice, avoiding Hermione's eyes.
"Um…" Hermione frowned slightly. "Yes, in a minute. Malfoy just needed to get something for me. I'll come over after."
"Good. Ok. See you then." Ginny fled.
There was an awkward pause, where Hermione was just staring at nothing, trying very hard to not think about this scene and what it had meant.
"It's not as bad as it seems," Blaise finally said, not seeming the least embarrassed. "She's never been unfaithful to your precious Potter if that's what you're worried about."
"Well, that's always something," Hermione muttered. "But how—no, never mind."
Blaise shrugged. "She's a firecracker. It just sort of happened, but once the lust was sated the bickering just became tiring. She's terrified that Potter will learn about her liaison with an evil Slytherin like me and end their relationship. It's too good not to use."
Hermione shook her head. "He'd think worse of being lied to. But… doesn't your kind consider her family blood traitors?"
At that Blaise outright grinned. "If I had that many scruples about who I slept with, I'd hardly ever have any fun!"
She scowled at him. "You know, for someone who's only seventeen years old, you sure sound like you've had a lot of fun."
"I'm eighteen."
"Oh, that makes all the difference," she sarcastically replied.
He shrugged. "I always liked girls. It never harmed anyone."
"Sounds like you're harming Ginny."
He shook his head. "Not really. I haven't told him, have I?"
"But you're blackmailing her!"
"Only to behave a bit around me. I have nothing to gain from telling that git that I was there before he was."
"You'd better not do it, or so help me…"
"Do what?" Draco was back and frowning disapprovingly at Blaise.
"Agitating Potter is Draco's territory, not mine," Blaise said, not bothering to explain to Draco. "I really couldn't care less."
"Go away, Blaise, and leave her friends alone," Draco said, scowling.
"See?" Blaise said. "A total bitch!" But he still left.
Hermione's head was spinning. She recalled how upset Ginny had been when she had thought Hermione had lied about sleeping with Draco. She'd called her a poor friend and even a 'blemish on their house' at the time. Perhaps that was how she was feeling about herself? As if she had betrayed everything she was supposed to stand for and everyone that cared for her by having what seemed like a fairly short and meaningless fling? Hermione frowned again, trying to digest this. Of course, she didn't approve of this big secret, and she really hoped that Ginny would tell Harry soon, but it wasn't anyone else's place to tell him. Besides… Ginny and… Zabini? It boggled the mind that those two would have… and together! She wrinkled her nose, trying hard to block an 'ew' from her thoughts.
"Sorry for the delay," Draco muttered, bringing her thoughts somewhat back to the present. He looked at the ring with a strange mix of longing and dread. Swallowing and his hands shaking, he finally put it on. Hermione didn't feel a difference, but he shuddered and closed his eyes. "You're not angry," he whispered.
She had forgotten to be angry. Mostly, she just wanted this over with. She put her wrist forward again.
He hesitated for just a second. "I really didn't mean to—"
"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Just take it off."
She did her best to ignore his crestfallen expression as he reached for the bracelet.
"There you are, Miss Granger!"
They both jumped as if caught doing something they shouldn't, Draco rapidly dropping his hands and Hermione spinning around to greet Professor McGonagall in what she hoped wasn't a too forced manner.
Ultimately, Hermione had to go with McGonagall without having the bracelet removed, as some extra work was required of the head students and prefects today and they could hardly remove it in front of the professor without risking questions.
Draco stared at the ring he was wearing, knowing he should take it off again.
In the end, he wasn't strong enough to do what he ought. He left it on, justifying it by swearing to himself that he'd do everything he could to find her in Hogsmeade and truly free her.
It was just a few minutes' indulgence. An hour at the most. She wouldn't even notice.
Three hours later Draco was still wearing the ring. It wasn't that he was really avoiding her, but she looked like she was actually having fun with her friends and he didn't want to interrupt for something this trivial. After all, thanks to him, it had been a while since she had truly enjoyed herself. He would free her as soon as she was alone; no need to intrude.
He sighed at his own lame reasoning and went into Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. He still had errands to do.
He was surveying some quills that seemed to be priced for their opulent design rather than their usefulness. He didn't mind handsome things, but this was absurd. He was well aware that there was a time where he would have just bought them without a second thought, but as it was, his mother would soon have to sell her jewelry, and there was no reason to do that for quills.
Suddenly nothingness slammed into him with no warning, making him knock over several quills and stagger, grabbing a desperate hold of a table and fighting to regain his breath.
He was wearing the ring and she couldn't remove the bracelet on her own, yet she was gone. A chill went down his spine.
No! She was fine just a second ago!
Suddenly he was blindly running out the shop and towards the place where she'd last been. He tried to remind himself that it had been the same when she had been knocked unconscious; she had probably just… fainted. Girls could faint, right?
It didn't help his panic. Somehow he couldn't picture Hermione fainting. She was too stubborn to lose consciousness unless forcefully hit. He refused to even contemplate what else her mental absence could mean. She wasn't dead. She would be fine.
Who would hurt her? She was with friends and there are Aurors everywhere!
He reached the spot that he knew without a doubt had been the last place to see a conscious Hermione. It was on the road back to Hogwarts and there was nothing there. Nothing at all. It was still early—why had she been going back? And where were her friends? He tried reasoning that maybe they had been with her when she fainted and had carried her somewhere, but knowing that she hadn't fainted, he also knew that couldn't have been the case. And why had she been going back on her own so early?
He should never have let her out of his sight.
He looked around. She couldn't be back in Hogsmeade, because he just came from there, and it was unlikely she was hauled all the way from here to the castle. But in between there weren't a whole lot of places to take an unconscious body. He narrowed his eyes. There was a smattering of trees off to the side of the road. It being late November, they didn't really hide much, but it was all he had.
He hurried over to them and was both worried and gratified to see that there were more trees behind the first than he'd thought. And although he was hardly a naturalist, he thought it looked like someone had recently walked through here, breaking branches and upsetting undergrowth.
Of course, it was most likely wishful thinking.
He drew his wand and, as silently as possible, went deeper into what still hardly constituted a forest.
When he was far enough in that he could no longer see the road or Hogsmeade, he thought he saw movement ahead of him. Keeping himself hidden as best he could, he slowly inched forward until he could see. It was hardly a clearing, but more like one of the countless holes in the vegetation that this sorry excuse for a forest boasted, and in it… was Hermione lying perfectly still with a brown-haired man kneeling over her. He was no student playing a prank; Draco recognized him as one of the Aurors meant to protect them.
Caution was the better part of valor. Funny enough, Draco, who had always boasted plenty of the first and hardly any of the latter, found it impossible to do the sensible thing, which would be alerting someone. He couldn't see if Hermione was even breathing and it drove him to desperation. Noting that the man had put down his wand next to him, Draco jumped out and with a few flick of his wand sent the man against a tree, securely binding him. Strangely, the man didn't even seem inclined to fight back.
"What have you done to her, you bastard?" he hoarsely asked, not waiting for an answer but dropping to his knees next to her lifeless form.
"She's fine," the man said.
Draco didn't take his word for it, but checked for himself. Relief flooded him when he found that she was breathing and he carefully smoothed her hair back, checking if force had been used. He would repay it tenfold if it was the case.
The man wearily sighed. "It's a magical state."
"Why?" Draco asked without looking up, still checking for any bruises.
"Because she's wearing the bracelet… Draco."
Draco's head jerked up. "You know who I am. Good for you. Then you know who will make your life a living hell from now on."
"How long has she been wearing it?" the man asked, ignoring the threats. "That thing isn't a toy!"
At this Draco shot to his feet and turned on the man. "Who are you to speak to me like that?" he demanded.
"Your father, you insolent boy!"
Draco blinked and then laughed derisively. "What?"
"You think it was easy to spirit away an Auror and take on his identity? I have been trying to get to you for weeks!"
Draco stiffened at the haughty note in the other person's voice. "Father?"
This Auror hardly could have less in common with the Lucius Malfoy that Draco knew. He was… plain was the best word Draco could find to describe him. He was unremarkable in every way.
"Yes," Lucius said. "Could you perhaps release me now?"
"No!" Draco adopted a stance that he hoped showed that he would not budge. His feet spread slightly and his arms crossed over his chest. He couldn't help but glance at Hermione again, making sure she was still ok. He should get her off the ground; it was cold and damp. Her thick cloak offered some protection, but she would become ill if left there for long.
"Son, listen to me. Whatever you think you're feeling… it's not real. It does that to you after a while and it will pass after you stop wearing it. You shouldn't have used it on a Mudblood."
Draco felt anger surge through him, but he did his best to control it. "Oh, look who's giving me advice on what to do and what not to do. The man who put his own son in a position where he had to commit murder or be murdered. Not to mention that thanks to you, Mother was forced to betray either her son or her husband—I can assure you she's not happy, and she would have even more miserable had she chosen otherwise. Forgive me if I don't listen to what you have to say."
Lucius winced and briefly struggled against the magic that held him. Draco coldly watched. "I'm here because I want you to come with me," Lucius said. "I have arranged for amnesty for you and your mother. We can be a family again."
"Amnesty?" Draco felt his stomach churn. "A family? And what kind of family will that be, Father? One that follows You-Know-Who around like faithful little lapdogs, grateful for scraps and accepting any kicks?"
"It's the only chance we have!" Lucius hissed. "Do you want to see your own father back in Azkaban? The Order of the Phoenix might have some forgiveness for you and Narcissa, but they want me Kissed! Is that what you want too?"
Draco looked away. It was easy to pretend it was not the case when he was looking like a stranger, but this was his father. A man who had always doted on him and tried to give him the best of everything. "No, of course not," he quietly replied.
"We just have to stay in You-Know-Who's good graces. As long as he doesn't notice us and we don't anger him again, we'll be fine."
Draco sighed and with a quick motion released Lucius's bonds. It was his father for crying out loud; he wouldn't hurt him, and Draco himself wasn't likely to turn his own blood over to the authorities anyway.
"I'm glad you're seeing reason, Draco," Lucius was saying, collecting his wand. "First we need to get rid of the Mudblood."
The small hairs at the back of Draco's neck were standing on end and it had nothing to do with the cold November air. "You're not doing anything to or with her," he said, positioning himself between Hermione and his father. "If you try, I swear I'll see you in Azkaban myself."
"It's not real, Draco," his father said, using that patronizing tone he had known all his life.
"It doesn't matter. You're not touching her."
His father's lips tightened in obvious dismay. "Very well. I suppose we can just leave her here."
Draco shook his head again. "I'm not coming with you."
"You're being unreasonable."
"No, Father. You are being unreasonable! You want to deny me my friends, my education, and my freedom just because you want to play house? Maybe Mother will come back with you, I wouldn't blame her, but I'm staying."
"I can't get to your mother," Lucius hissed.
"I'll tell her about the amnesty," Draco frostily replied. "Are we done now?"
"So you refuse?"
"Yes. I refuse."
Lucius sighed, suddenly looking very tired and defeated. "So be it. But you do know that we cannot have contact, I cannot help you financially, and you cannot get your personal inheritance until you're 25? I have made choices that cannot be undone and the Dark Lord will be furious that you refuse him."
Draco forced himself not to think of the implications. Not now. Not while Hermione was unconscious on the cold ground. "I know. I'll manage."
Lucius nodded. And then, just like that, he was gone.
Draco bent down and carefully picked Hermione up, not trusting himself not to float her into a tree in his current mental state. He didn't know how to lift her sleep, so it seemed she would be spending another night at the hospital wing because of him. No wonder she wanted to get rid of him so badly. He sighed. He would grant her wish as soon as she was safe again.
For a long moment, he just looked at her, his eyes going from pleading to desolate as he realized she wouldn't budge. Then he abruptly stood, his face shuttered. "You're punishing me for this past month? So be it. I'll tell them. Not like I'd ever get my family back anyway." Before she could say anything else, he turned and left.
