Chapter 32 – A New Insight
Draco awoke with a start, his adrenaline flaring. The last thing he remembered was being thrown back after kissing….
Sweet Salazar! He had kissed Hermione Granger! Wait…where was she and where was this odd bluish glow coming from? Since when did the moon glow blue? What had happened?
With a barrage of questions swirling in his mind, he sat up abruptly and found her laying several yards away. Scrambling over to her, he frantically checked for a pulse and sagged with relief when he found a steady beat. He had been so concerned about her well-being that it took several moments for him to recognize the glow was coming from them. He realized suddenly they were the sole source of light in the surrounding inky darkness. Glancing rapidly back and forth, he noticed thin blue runes shimmering softly over every inch of visible skin. The runes were on both of them. He felt horror wash over him as memories of the initial vessel ritual flooded his mind. These were no ordinary runes, these symbols were the ones that started it all. Panic began to rise as his breath shallowed.
Beside him, she stirred with a soft groan.
"Draco?" came her small voice.
"I'm here Hermione. Are you alright?" he questioned, his fingers curling around hers.
"What happe-Where is that light coming from?" she whispered, panic rising in her voice, "Draco, what are those symbols?"
She grasped at him, her hands framing his face as she eyes bore into this skin. Draco shifted uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze.
Isa. Hagalaz. Jera. Mannaz. Nauthiz. Eiwaz.
Cosmic Coherence. Transformation. Cycles. Divine Union. Shadow. Magic.
She repeated the words over and over, her eyes widening with each recitation. With each spoken word, he was drawn closer and closer. If felt as if she was speaking a soothing lullaby, sending a shiver down his spine. He mirrored her movement, gently palming her cheeks with his hands. Despite the anxiety caused by the thin, blue runes, he suddenly understood as if they meant no harm. Her eyes softened and gave him a searching look.
"Draco?" she breathed out, countless questions written in her eyes.
"I'm fine, I promise." he assured her, taken aback by her vulnerable expression, "How are you?"
She gave a soft shake, her curls tossing gently, and snaked shaky arms around him.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you. Never in my wildest dreams." She murmured.
"I know," he responded, giving her head a soothing pat, "Let's go inside, it's very late and we won't' get much figured out in the dark." He commanded, wrapping an arm around her small frame.
She burrowed into his side as he wordlessly cast a Lumos and led them silently to the cottage. After a quick wash up, they trudged up the stairs together, and quietly changed into their nightclothes.
"Will you stay with me?" She ventured, lifting shy eyes framed by dark lashes, "Not just on the cot but actually next to me?"
Draco felt his heart thump mercilessly. She was looking to him for comfort. He couldn't remember the last time someone had genuinely needed him. Not Blaise needing him for some aristocratic familial nonsense nor Pansy attempting to get in his trousers.
"Yes," he answered stoically, watching as she slipped into the bed, leaving space for him to join by her side.
He crept under the covers, leaving a respectable space between them. She had allowed him into the bed, but had provided no other permission. Silence descended into the dark between them, the only sound was her even breathing. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to comprehend the day's wild events. He had celebrated the birthday of someone he had spent a large portion of his life vowing to loathe, only to kiss her with a passion that equally matched his previous hatred. He had been overjoyed when she returned his kiss, equally matching his intensity. Beneath it had lain another emotion, another fire that had their kiss been allowed to flourish, would have encouraged him to claim her as his own that very night. The moment his lips had touched hers, he had been taken prisoner. He clutched their shared blanket, trying to will the wild thoughts into submission.
"I can hear you thinking from here." Her voice cut through the darkness.
He froze, releasing the quilt from his worrying and slightly clammy grasp.
"Come here." she murmured, her hand fumbling for his.
Her fingers wrapped around his wrist and guided him flush against her, causing his body to curve to against her backside. He twitched awkwardly before immediately relaxing into the warmth of her frame. Cautiously, he placed an arm over the curve of her waist and pulled her close. Her leg lifted and threaded between his when she gave a small shiver.
"Figures Slytherins would have cold feet." She giggled lightly, the heaviness of sleep laced in her voice.
He gave no answer, feeling none was needed, and pressed his face into the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply. He wasn't sure if it was her presence or something else, but for once he didn't feel so broken in spirit. Almost as if he were lighter, more connected. She was like a soothing balm and Draco wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to give her up.
Hermione woke up and immediately noticed the unfamiliar weight draped across her. Glancing down, she found an arm curled protectively around her midsection. She gave a quick squeak of surprise when realization dawned.
The runes. The glow. THE KISS!
She muffled another yelp before it disturbed him. Peering closer at his arm, she noticed the runes were still slightly visible, gleaming silver lines tattooed delicately into his skin. She looked down at her own arms and realized she had a matching set, only in glistening gold. The colors corresponded to their manifested magic, she thought with alarm, that couldn't be coincidence. It felt too purposeful, too deliberate.
Shifting out from under him, Hermione crept down the stairs and into the kitchen. As the kettle boiled, she tidied the living space and opened the windows to let in fresh air. She gave a small shiver, surprised at the coolness of the morning air. Had they really been here so long that the prospect of another winter was before them? She wondered how the wizarding world had changed in their absence. Was everyone safe or had some been lost? She felt her heart constrict at the distressing thought.
The whistle of the kettle distracted her thankfully and she turned to remove it from the heat when she was hit with yet another dizzy spell. She staggered over to the screeching pot, desperate to stop the sound as her world spun relentlessly. Gripping the edge of the counter, she squeezed her eyes shut to block out the whirling colors. Her stomach rumbled angrily at the force of her vertigo and a sweat broke out on her brow. She released a low groan and pressed a hand to her belly. This was the most intense dizzy spell she had encountered yet and it was draining her quickly. As a dull roar reverberated in her ear, she missed the sound of Draco calling her name. She only noticed his presence when his cool hand touched her forehead, causing her to jerk in surprise.
"Your burning up Hermione." His voice echoed around her, "And extremely pale. Let me help you before you collapse here in the middle of the kitchen."
He half-guided, half-carried her to the couch before gently pressing her down. He briefly left her field of bleary vision to return with a cool rag that he placed tenderly on her brow. If she didn't feel absolutely wretched and halfway to sick, she might have been endeared to his actions. Releasing another groan, he knelt closer and brushed curls from her face while casting a Cooling Charm for which she was extremely grateful.
"What happened?" he demanded, "What are you symptoms?"
"It's never been this bad before." She mumbled, feeling quite delirious and terribly warm.
"Before?" his voice crackled with anger, "You mean this has been going on for a while and you didn't think to mention it?!"
Somewhere in the corner of Hermione's mind, she knew she had made an error but the continuing onslaught of dizziness wiped that concern away. She gave a grunt of acknowledgment to which he let out a long string of obscenities in response.
"Granger." He let out in an aggravated sigh, "I don't know how things worked between you and those two dunderheads you call friends, but you will inform me immediately of any sickness, magical or physical, in the future. Am I understood?"
She managed a tiny nod of acknowledgement as the dizziness begin to wane. She gave a shiver, small tremors wracking her body. Draco placed a cool hand on her forehead, his face scrunching slightly in concern.
"You've definitely got a fever. I am going to go get some things and once I am back, I expect you to explain to me what has been going on. I'd rather not have a repeat of the Gospel of the Witches-draining incident." He stressed, tossing her a cursory glance before heading upstairs.
When he returned, he replaced the rag on her forehead and adding another to her neck while fixing a cup of mint tea to settle her stomach and something to nibble on just in case she felt the urge to eat. After placing a light blanket over her, he settled into the chair across from her.
"Now what's been going on that you've chosen to conceal from me? Clearly, it is something rather concerning or else you wouldn't have gone to such lengths to keep it hidden." He asked with a pointed look.
She hesitated, suddenly feeling very guilty, as if being reprimanded by a teacher. She toyed with the edge of the blanket before finally deciding there was no point in hiding it anymore. She'd been found out.
"It started after the incident with your birthday." She started, noting he gave a slight flinch at the words. "After I woke up, I started having these small dizzy spells accompanied with some nausea. As time went on, they've been getting stronger and more draining. Today has been the worst one yet." She finished, nervous on how he would react.
Draco sat silently, a blank expression on his face minus the wild emotions flashing behind his eyes. Hermione could practically see his mind ticking, desperately blaming himself for her current illness. She pushed forward, hoping it would stop that particular line of thought.
"I didn't say anything because I didn't want to worry you or cause you to think it was your fault." She continued, "Since the vessel ceremony and research, we've both known my health would be affected. Its been over seven months since that day and Cerridwen warned us what the consequences might be."
Hermione heard the words echo in her mind as clear as the day Cerridwen had whispered them. In a whisper, she spoke the words to him:
You've been alone in this semi-bonded state and you'll waste away. The boy feels the bond more intensely. Without him, you will cease to exist. Without completing that bond, the consequences are unimaginable and directly affects how magic manifests for all magical beings. Too long you've ignored our powers and its draining faster than you can replenish it.
His eyes snapped to her face as the words left her lips. Hermione shrank under the intensity of his gaze. For a long time neither of them spoke, the tension palpable. Hermione felt deep shame, knowing this revelation was absolutely damning and would send any normal person reeling at its implications. Finally, he broke the silence.
"To say that I am absolutely livid that you did not deign to share this colossal bit of information is an understatement. However," he began, raising a hand to signal no interruptions, "I am more concerned for your well-being at the moment. This doesn't appear to be a normal sickness and could very well be tied directly to our incomplete bond. I promised I would make myself worthy of you if only you would have me."
"But I do find you worthy Draco." She replied softly.
"Even so, we both know I could do much more. The ceremony, the runes, and our shared magic. Nowhere in our research, beyond those conversations you have had in your head with Cerridwen and that one terrifying encounter I had when we first arrived here, have we been able to determine just exactly how to truly bond." He noted as he leaned towards her, "And there are many ways to bond."
Hermione gave a shiver, its cause certainly not due to her illness.
"I have an idea but I would need your full consent before I even consider pursuing it." He started.
"It can't be any worse than how miserable I feel at the moment. Tell me." She urged, giving him a small smile and a nod of encouragement.
"Do you recall how I shared magic with you? Perhaps, we can continue this method to keep your magical core somewhat stable then perform a simple grounding ceremony on Mabon that provides some sort of Pepper-Up effect and continue this cycle until Samhain." He finished with a solemn expression.
"Why Samhain?" she questioned before realization slammed through the feverish fog of her brain. "The veil. Its thinnest on Samhain. You want to purposefully drag out Cerridwen on Samhain and communicate with her." She concluded in a small voice.
He sighed heavily, rubbing his face in a manner that spoke volumes to the reservations he held about the idea. She knew he was genuinely wary of Cerridwen and she didn't blame him. Every experience he had with the goddess had either left him hurt or her incapacitated.
"Its too much." She spoke quietly, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she considered what this might cost him, "To drain your magic for weeks on end, perform what will probably be a series of complex rituals, and then also speak at length with an entity that has hurt you several times. I couldn't ask that of you."
He gave a snort of amusement and fixed her with a level face.
"I already drained my magic for you once and I'd do it again without question. I participated in the complex ritual that brought all this goddess nonsense on us in the first place. The Dark Mark ceremony was just as complex, but infinitely worse to experience." He tensed briefly before continuing, "And you forget that I had to speak at length with both my Aunt Bellatrix and the Dark Lord. They hurt me much worse than Cerridwen ever did."
Hermione stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. How had she not considered THAT? She had no choice but to respect his reasoning, especially as she could find no logical retort. She let out a defeated sigh.
"I can't find a particularly terrible flaw in that plan beyond being slightly fearful that I'll end up in another magical coma and a healthy dose of concern about your magical well-being." She explained, "But we've got a month and a half before Samhain to prepare as best as we can. I trust you Draco."
His eyes widened slightly, a movement she would have missed had she not being watching his face so intently.
"No need to worry about my magic, but," He breathed out. "Let's hope your faith in me is well-placed on Samhain."
Post A/N: The runes used are based on Proto-Germanic/Norse & Elder Futhark runic system – their translations vary wildly, so I just used an amalgamation of all applicable runes that I felt fit the storyline.