Chapter 6 The Faults

Authors Note: Yes, another update! Also swimming is over so I should be able to post more often if anyone even cares. Anyway enjoy!

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The middle of November came swirling into view as the first trip to Hogsmade was announced. To Hermione's displeasure Draco hadn't shown up to their last week of patrol and after another partners came and went she was currently stuck with Vane. A rather dopey girl with big black curls. Her and Malfoy hadn't talked since the night he found her crying. The question of their black eyes always found its way to the forefront of her mind when she found Draco in the Library. However, he was also too busy to even notice her walking by. Every time they made eye contact he went pale and looked away. She also started to notice his absence from the Great Hall. And when he did show up it was like a ghost was occupying the seat rather them him.

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It took Draco two months to finally find a book on the vanishing cabinet. All he needed was a way to find the brother and or twin of the one in Burgin and Burks. Quickly he grabbed the book and started walking down various corridors. His father had sent him a necklace coated in dark magic to give to the headmaster. During the Hogsmade trip he would just force someone and have them deliver the necklace. Simple, now however he needed that cabinet.

"Room of Requirements!" He slapped himself on the head before swiftly making his way to the 7th floor corridor. He paced back and forth thinking carefully over his request.

"I need a place all lost things go; I need a place all lost things go …"

Suddenly a small steel door appeared that was only big enough for one person at a time. He steeped through the barrier and watched the door disappear before facing the room. His eyes started but saw nothing. There were small tunnels and walkways that opened up between the piles and piles of trash. Brooms, robes, tables, couches and so much more were piled 50 feet high.

Draco careful started to walk the room when his eyes feel on a six-foot-high piece of furniture with a white cloth carefully draping over it.

Slowly he grasped the white fabric and yanked it to the floor, stepping back from the force. The brothering cabinet sat before his eyes. The year was looking up for him at least.

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"Hermione hurry up or we are going to miss the carriage!"

"Ronald a new one comes ever hour and you only want to go for the candy."

He looked at her sheepishly before joining Harry in the small compartment.

Ron and Lavender had officially been dating since quidditch tryouts. Every time she saw them snogging she felt the urge to throw up but all in all she had accepted her fate. Ron never liked her and she made the whole thing up. At least they were now on speaking terms again. However, it didn't stop the butterflies in her stomach every time they brushed against one another.

"It's bloody disgusting if you ask me." Harry, Hermione, and Ron had taken a seat in the Three Broomsticks with their butterbeers.

"Honestly how do you think Ginny feels every time you snog Lavender?"

"But."—

"Not buts about it. She should be allowed to snog any guy she wants if you can snog any girl you want."

"Hermione look." Harry's voice broke through the common bickering.

She turned to see Draco entering the bar through the back room. He scanned the room and locked eyes with her. Quickly he turned around and left while Hermione let a pout show on her face.

"Um Hermione you have …" Ron moved his fingers over his upper lip as she quickly whipped the butterbeer away. Malfoy probably thought she was an idiot.

"Want to call it a day guys?"

"Sure."

"Yeah let's go."

Slowly the 3 left the Three Broomsticks and started walking back to the carriages. Katie Bell and her friend were only 20 feet ahead arguing about something.

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Draco was patiently waiting in the girl's bathroom at the Three Broomsticks for his victim. Girl after girl walked in until he saw Katie Bell.

"Imperio." He whispered the words so softly and watched as Katie sniffed the air and fell into a trance. Why was such an unforgivable curse that easy for him to use.

"You will deliver this package to Dumbledore. No one else. Got it?"

"I will deliver this package to Dumbledore."

He watched her go and slowly left afterwards. Upon entering the bar his eyes locked with Granger. Her lips were covered in butterbeer. His Veela had the strongest urge to jump her right then and there and lick it off ever so softly. However, that could never happen so instead he turned around and left without a change in facial expression. He could not fall for Granger. It would hurt both of them in the long run.

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Katie and her friend started to fight over the package. Suddenly endless screams were escaping Katie's lips as her body flung 6 feet up into the air and started thrashing around.

Harry ran to get help while Hermione and Ron went to help Katie. Only minutes later Hagrid was running with Katie in his airs back to Hogwarts. Flitch sent the necklace to McGonagall who called in professor Snape. She was eyeing the Golden Trio while Snape preformed numerous checking spells on the necklace.

"It seems the necklace is infested with Dark Magic. It is a miracle she didn't die from the touch."

"Thank you Severus, please leave and take the necklace with you." Snape flashed Harry a nasty look before levitating the necklace and leaving with a flip of his robes.

"Now." McGonagall turned to face the students. "Why is it that every time something bad happens the three of you are always there?"

"It was Draco Malfoy."

Hermione looked directly passed Ron and stared hard at Harry. "Harry …"

"Yes Mr. Potter I agree with Miss Granger, that is an extreme accusation to make."

"It was Malfoy."

McGonagall looked between the three. Focusing on Hermione's scowl a few more seconds the necessary. "Alright Mr. Potter you may all leave now."

Hermione nodded her head before joining her best friends. Harry telling a teacher he thought Draco was a Death Eater is completely different from telling his friends that Draco bloody Malfoy was a Death Eater. Plus, Harry had no proof. He never liked Draco and never saw a Dark Mark, so he was only guessing. That didn't sit right with Hermione.

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"Harry I can't believe you! That was so irresponsible and crazy! You can't go around telling everyone that Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater!'

"But." –

"No Harry. That was so reckless. I can't stand to look at you. Next time know the full information before you make huge accusations!" With that she stormed out of the common room and started running down corridors with no destination.

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Meanwhile, the Dark Lord heard of the mix up with Katie and called a meeting. Draco stood in the center of the room facing the Dark Lord. His parents and other various Death Eater surrounding them. He was the focus point once again tonight.

"My Lord, it was my mistake. I shouldn't have been so foolish."

"Crucio." Draco's body begin thrashing on the floor. The Dark Lord flung his wand side to side watching as Draco smashed into every wall. All he could do was bite his lip until it was all over. Slowly blood filled his mouth as he held back screams of agony. After 5 more minutes of endless torture the Dark Lord smashed Draco's body into the ground for one last blow.

"Let this be a lesson to anyone who fails me again." With that Death Eaters stated to disappear. Slowly Draco rose from the stone floor now covered in droplets of blood and left with his mother. She whipped away the blood on his cheek before he appeared back in a Hogwarts corridor. Normally he could make it to a bed or empty room but this time he felt weak and drained of all life. He barely made it a step before smashing into the ground and seeing everything as black and white. He felt his wings erupt before his eyes blurred and stated to shut. Why couldn't supernatural healing be a trait of Veela's.

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Hermione was currently running down corridor after corridor. It was after curfew so the library was closed and she just left the common room to get away from Harry.

"Ugh!" Hermione's new rage made her question many things. First off why did she care what Harry said. Over the patrol meetings and duties, she learned new things about Draco. They weren't friends because she was still a mudblood but she saw the side of him no one else did. The nasty word rang through her head before a suit of armor blew up. Hermione found a shaking wand in her hand.

"Ow…." A soft mumble brought her attention to the floor. A body lying in a poll of his own blood with great black wings resting at his sides.

"Dra…. Draco?"

"Mhm…." His hair was stained red from his own blood. Hermione quickly ran over and checked for a heartbeat. Resting her cheek on his cold chest that smelt of blood and sweat.

"We have to get you to the hospital wing!" She started to rise from the floor when his cold lifeless fingers grabbed her small wrist.

"I can't go to the hospital wing. Please... Help... Me…" She watched in horror as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his entire body went limp. His head fell to the side like he no longer had any fight in him.

She started pacing back and forth racking her brain with a place to go. The kitchen would have to do. She could at least get water and cleaning tools from there. Quickly she levitated his body and ran to the kitchen. Cleaning the pool of blood, he previously bathed in.

"Miss Hermione can Dobby get you anything?" Right when she walked in she placed his body carefully on a kitchen table, completely forgetting Hogwarts had elves.

"Dobby I'm so happy to see you! Could you please get me towels, water, blood replenishing potion, and a healing potion?" She looked down into the elves big blue eyes.

"Dobby can miss." With a snap of his fingers he disappeared and reappeared with everything she asked for. She instantly placed everything on the end of the table and ran back to Draco.

"Brackiam Emendo." She ran her wand along his body looking for broken bones. Good, there were none. Now she had to find where all the blood was coming from. First she went to his head and cast a quick "Tergeo." To clear the area of dried blood. His blonde hair shown through the dimly lit kitchen when the red color was removed. She careful tilted his head and found the deep gash close to his neck. "Episkey." She watched in satisfaction as the deep gash slowly started to heal itself. Now on to the rest of his body. She slowly rolled up his pant legs and found minor bruising. The healing potion could fix that. Next she moved to his chest. Cautiously she started unbuttoning his shirt and pushed it to the sides of his torso. Exposing his pale muscular chest. She let her eyes drift to the toned abs before seeing the major bruising by the ribs and deep gash that spread across his left peck.

"Like what you see?" Startled from her trance she met his molten silver eyes, for the first time in what felt like forever. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the pain he was feeling.

"Draco your awake! Quick take these." She thrusted the two blood replenishing and single healing potion into his hands. He took them without question. He sat up on the table and took them in three large gulps.

Hermione reached out and touched his bruises that were slowly changing color. "Ouch!"

"Could you please hold still." She cast another Episkey on his torso then went back to the bruises. Happy they were starting to disappear she moved to his right arm and reached out rolling up the sleeve. This arm looked fine so she walked to his left side reaching for his arm.

Quickly he drew it to his exposed chest and looked her straight in the eyes with such shock written all over his bruised features. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Um… checking for injuries? Now give me your arm."

"No Granger look." He started moving his fingers and shaking his arm to prove it was fine.

Hermione was about to say fine when the realization hit her. That was his left arm. The arm all Death Eaters got the mark imprinted for life on their bare skin. How could she not see the signs! Harry had been saying all year Draco was a Death Eater but she never wanted to believe it. He was only 16 for crying out loud.

Malfoy was currently buttoning his shirt when she took a step away from him. He seemed to notice and meet her glossy brown eyes.

"Granger?"

"Who did this to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's not like you feel down the stairs, so I'm asking who did this to you?"

Draco stood from the table and closed the space between them. Inches away he stood towering over the small Gryffindor princess. Slowly he closed his eyes and took in her scent. The heat radiating from her small body sent chills down his spine. Clearly the Veela had awaken from his state of unconsciousness. Draco hadn't even noticed his wings disappear while Hermione was taking care of him. His eyes however were still a darker shade of sliver. On the verge of turning black.

"From all the things you've seen tonight, your first question is who did this?"

Surprised by his question her mouth gaped open for a few seconds. See had seen his black eyes before but the wings were new. She had never heard of a wizard having wings so she had to assume it was a side effect of the spell used against him. "Well yes."

Draco started to laugh before opening the kitchen door and waiting for her to exit first. She shot his left arm a hesitant look before agreeing.

"You never fail to amaze me Granger." She stopped dead in her tracks as Malfoy continued to walk laughing. The thought of him giving her a complement was strange. She concluded he only allowed her to save him because he couldn't wait for a non-mudblood to walk around the corner. Maybe that was his strange way of saying thank you. She scoffed and started laughing at her own thoughts. There is no way, he's Draco Malfoy. He has never said sorry in his life!