Whoa! REALLY LONG TIME SINCE I UPDATED!!!!!
Hermione stared at Malfoy, who looked cheesed off. He was growling about something, then stopped.
"We should keep moving." He said sharply.
"Why?" Hermione asked softly.
Malfoy snapped around. "What?" he asked, not daring to believe it. Was the Gryffindor Princess giving up? Was she simply letting it all go and not bothering to fight back?
"Think about it Malfoy. What is the point? They know we're here. They know that we are in here…somewhere." She said slowly. "They'll come looking for us after a while…and we wont have to waste any more energy on this…"
"Are you serious?" Malfoy asked, watching her as she slowly stood up and looked extremely weak and confused. "You want us to give up?"
"Yes." Hermione said simply. "Harry and Ron aren't coming. No one is coming. May as well be saved by Voldemort." Hermione said this as though it was every young girls dream.
Malfoy shivered. "I am not giving up, and as long as you are with me, you aren't either. Nope, I'm sorry Granger, but I won't wait around here, twiddling my thumbs just so the Death Eaters and my father, can see me fail and sit here on my ass."
Hermione was silent a minute, then mumbled. "It was only a suggestion."
"Well, consider your suggestion heard, but dismissed." Malfoy said firmly.
Then, looking around he pondered on which direction they should take. "How about this way?"
"Whatever." Hermione replied, dejected.
Malfoy tried to ignore Hermione's sad expression, as he led the way. She trailed along behind him, her head low, and her feet dragging along the ground.
Malfoy was grinding his teeth angrily. How dare she give up? Now she was just…just not herself…not a Gryffindor.
How could my life end like this? Hermione thought desperately as she walked. How could I be so smart, and yet get myself in something so deep, that I cant get out? And what about Harry and Ron? What the heck are they going to do when it came to exams? Who's going to take care of them and help them study? And Ginny…aww I wont be there for her wedding to Harry…and Crookshanks…I wont see him catch any more gnomes at Ron's house…in fact, I'll never see Ron's house again…the burrow…never again. And my parents? I wont be there to go on the cruise to France with them just before their anniversary… I wont ever get a job. Never use my intelligence to be useful to anyone…wont be able to find a counter-curse to Avada Kedarva…or research the other unforgivables…
My life was pointless. What did I ever do to contribute?
First year…I helped little…second, well, I was completely useless, third year I helped by wolf whistling, then put my and Harry's life in mortal danger…forth…that was all Harry's glory. Fifth. No. nothing. Sixth, bugger that year.
How could I have let myself be such a failure?
And I never…I never had a real boyfriend…god, what the heck was I doing with my time?
Easy answer- Studying. Studying in preparation for a life I will never get the chance to have.
A lone and salty tear dripped down Hermione's cheek.
Malfoy tried to block out Hermione's sniffles. He wondered what was bothering her so much.
Well, that's obvious idiot! She's missing Potter and Weasley.
I wonder who I miss? Not Pansy…not Blaise…not Crabb or Goyle… I don't miss anyone…
A sudden loud rumble of thunder bought the two wondering students out of their minds. Both glanced up through the tree tops and saw the sky was a menacing black, with flashes of white lightning.
"God damn it!" Draco cursed. Another bloody thunderstorm!
Their pace quickened, as both felt light rain drops sprinkling down on them. The ground turned to mud, the mist became heavier, and the wind became colder. Hermione's feet splashed in the puddles and squelched in the mud as she walked along behind Malfoy. She wasn't as keen to get out of the rain.
Malfoy however, seemed to be desperate to find cover. His hair was falling into his eyes, and his skin was crawling with Goosebumps. He felt the cold spread right to his fingertips and toes and turn his blood blue.
Draco pulled his cloak tighter around his body, trying to conserve that precious body heat. Hermione was walking along, her arms folded, still not that concerned.
Draco felt the ground slope, and found they were marching up a hill, that wasn't covered in trees. Now the rain came down heavier, with no trees to catch its majority.
The thunder continued to roll, and lightning clapped in long spidery streaks across the sky.
Draco saw his salvation. About 300 meters away was a cave of some sort. Without considering that this may be dangerous, Malfoy charged up the hill towards the cave that was set into a rocky mountain side.
Hermione saw where he was heading and lazily followed.
Malfoy reached the cave and stopped short.
Hermione, who was lost in her thoughts again continued to approach, watching her feet imprint the mud.
Such a waste…all the things I'll never be able to do…places I'll never see…Australia, Spain, Japan, the magical Africa…America…gosh, everywhere!
My life was such a waste…my parents…goodness, I wonder if they know yet…
CRUNCH
Hermione snapped out of her daze and looked around in confusion. She had stepped on something that had snapped. Hermione looked at Draco who was looking at his feet, his mouth open in disgust, and his nose wrinkled.
Hermione's eyes slowly drifted down and a wave of decomposed animals drifted through her nose. Hermione's nose wrinkled up like Draco's and her expression was the same when she saw hundreds and hundreds of fish carcasses.
Hermione recalled hearing about Harry and Ron's trip in the Chamber of Secrets, and the fish bodies they found. This…this was the home of the basilisk!
"Malfoy, we've got to go!" Hermione said, turning around to head back out into the rain. But Malfoy caught her arm.
"No, we stay. I don't care what ugly thing lives in here. We're staying out of the rain. Otherwise, we'll both catch a cold…and it looks like you already have," Malfoy observed as Hermione sneezed and sniffled.
"I'm fine!" Hermione replied. "This is the dwelling of a carnivorous creature! No way am I staying here!"
"I thought you didn't care anymore." Malfoy remarked smirking.
"I care enough to know I care about being eaten!" Hermione snapped.
Malfoy shrugged. "Fine. Lets go."
Malfoy led the way back out into the rain, and along the mountain. Both struggled as they made their way along the now slippery mountain. Soon, however, they were coming up to another cave.
Hermione gave her approval, as there was nothing inside it, and both hurriedly got inside. Hermione lent against a stone wall, and rubbed her arms. Draco sat down opposite her, and tightened his cloak.
They stayed silent a minute, before Malfoy spoke.
"You weren't serious when you said you didn't want to try anymore, were you?"
Hermione considered her answer, before she spoke. "Yes." She said softly.
"In Merlin's name why?" Malfoy asked almost angrily.
Hermione shrugged. "I look back now and see how pointless my life is." She looked towards the entrance of the cave and watched the rain as she continued. "I mean, I never, ever had a boyfriend, was never appreciated by anyone, unless it was my academic achievements…I never really mattered to anyone, even Harry and Ron- they only loved me because I helped them with essays and homework.
Ginny…I don't know about her. Crookshanks loves me because I feed him…my parents have to love me…I just…don't- didn't matter."
"You mattered to me." Malfoy said looking directly at her.
Hermione's eyes flicked to look him in the eye.
"I mean, if you're gone, who else am I meant to torment and share a dorm with? No one can handle my jokes, pranks and insults like you can…" Hermione smiled at him, despite the fact that what he was saying wasn't really flattering. "You keep me on my toes…I cant slack off…must always be on my guard…and you help me to try and reach goals with my school work…mostly trying to beat you."
Hermione laughed then coughed. But she was still smiling. "Thank you."
Malfoy shrugged. "Don't get to nice…I'll get squiggly around the edges…lose my toughness."
Hermione smiled. "Hm, wouldn't want that."
Malfoy jokingly poked his tongue out at her and then went serious. "Well we're not giving up. Sleep while the storm lasts- ill be look out. But once it clears, we're heading off."
Hermione was about to open her mouth and ask if he had listened to anything she had said, when she sighed, and rested her back on the wall, and closed her eyes.
She could still hear the rain, and Malfoy's steady breathing as she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
Malfoy watched as Granger's breathing slowed and steadied as she fell slowly asleep. When he was sure she was sleeping soundly, he looked away, and watched the mouth of the cave.
Fifteen minutes later, Malfoy was playing with a piece of fabric from his cloak. He raped it around his finger, then unravelled it. He shivered, and noticed how draftee this cave was. A cold breeze was blowing through the cave, and Malfoy saw Granger shiver and sifted potions, her teeth chattering.
He stood up and walked out the cave, his hand over his head and looked for some sticks. He had heard that muggles made fire without magic, how he didn't know, but intended to find out. He paused, after his mind asked him how he was going to start a fire with wet sticks. Then he thought he could simply wait for them to dry off, or try to…dry them with his cloak.
He ran towards the base of a tree, almost tripping over his own feet as he ran down the hill. He found some sticks and twigs, put them under his cloak, and started back up the hill.
Once he had reached the cave, he sat down and laid the sticks out in front of him. He waited for two minutes, then checked the sticks…still soaking wet. "Damn."
Malfoy tapped his finger on his knee for another five minutes, then checked them again. "Oh, how long does it bloody take?"
Another ten minutes later, Malfoy was sitting on his knees, leaning over the sticks. "Come on, dry! Dry, you wooden bastards!"
Hermione heard him shout, and sat up. She glanced over at him and almost laughed. Malfoy was cradling one of the sticks, and was blowing on it, muttering "dry, come on, dry!"
"Malfoy, what are you doing?" she asked eventually.
Malfoy looked up and saw her. "Trying to start a fire." He mumbled.
"With wet sticks?" Hermione raised a skeptical eye brow.
Malfoy scowled. "They're not as wet. I'm waiting for them to dry…"
Hermione shook her head and watched as Draco continued to shout abuse at the sticks, and blow on them. Ten minutes later, Malfoy shouted triumphantly. "They're dry!"
"Congratulations." Hermione said lazily. "Now how are you going to light them?"
Malfoy frowned. "I…I don't know…" he pondered for a minute, and Hermione took pity on him.
"Malfoy, try rubbing the sticks together, really quickly. Oh wait; you'll need a rock…"
"To do what? Throw around if it doesn't work?" Malfoy said half cocky and half curious. "Or perhaps bash the sticks and crush them into powder to throw onto the pile and say 'hey, come up, oh red flames of th-"
Hermione threw a rock at him, which he caught just in time. "Now, rub the sticks on the rock."
Malfoy, with raised eye brows, tried to rub the sticks and the rock together. He struggled so much, that within five minutes, Hermione asked "Err, need some help?"
Malfoy shook his head. "No, I can manage!" he said stubbornly.
Hermione shrugged and watched, with a smile on her face. She let him try in vain for another ten minutes before getting up and helping. "No, like this," her hand touched Malfoy's as she reached for the sticks and rubbed them together. Malfoy watched, in wonder, as Hermione helped him. Within minutes, a small orange flame was burning.
"There." Hermione said, getting back up and going back to her wall.
"The way muggles survive surprise me sometimes." Malfoy said
"Well, they had to get on some way without magic." Hermione said yawning. Within a couple of minutes though, Hermione was shivering from the cold, and crawled over to the fire.
"Ahh, I knew they'd be a day when you would crawl on your hands and knees towards me." Malfoy said smirking.
Hermione scowled as she lay down opposite him on the other side of the fire. "Oh shut up. If you were as warm as the fire, maybe I would crawl to you." She said as the warmth of the fire spread through her body.
"Oh, but I am even hotter than that fire." Malfoy said cockily.
"Hm, and have a much bigger ego than it." Hermione mumbled as she drifted off to sleep again.
Malfoy sneered. He found it amazing- five minutes ago they were having a civilized conversation- heck, granger was even helping him. But now, they were back to their old ways of snapping and bickering.
555
Malfoy was asleep, leaning against the wall, while Hermione was curled up in a ball beside the now dead fire.
Hermione yawned and rolled over, before sitting up and looking around. She looked out the mouth of the cave and saw clear blue sky.
"Perfect." She mumbled. She had hoped that it was still raining, so that would give her an excuse to pos-bone their little adventure.
She stood, stretched and walked quietly over to the mouth of the cave.
A light mist had settled over the tree tops, and the grass was wet and shiny.
Hermione started walking slowly down the slippery slope, and into the jungle. She was on the look out for something to eat. Her stomach rumbled loudly and Hermione couldn't remember the last time she ate something.
She looked around, to the tops of the tall, tangled trees, but couldn't see anything that she recognized to be eatable.
She was just examining a bush, looking at the blue berries when she noticed another bush, with peculiar fruits on it. She edged closer and reached out. Her hand enclosed around a pear shaped fruit, but it was blue and purple.
Hermione was about to take a daring bite when she saw the bush was moving. Hermione bent down on one knee and looked closer. The largest, fattest, most ugliest Flobberworm Hermione had ever seen, was eating its way up the stem of the bush.
Her hand felt wet and sticky, and when Hermione looked down, she saw a hole, in the bottom of the fruit she was holding. Juices were leaking onto her hand, and started to slide down her arm. Hermione quickly threw the fruit over her shoulder, and moved away, the scene of the Flobberworm's intense eating making her retch.
555
Draco woke up and rubbed his neck. Leaning against a stone wall all night had stiffed his neck, and bruised the back of his head. His shoulders ached when he stood, but he got the shock of his life when he noticed Granger wasn't in the cave with him.
"Oh shit!" He figured something must have taken her while he slept- though how they did was beyond him. He was a fairly light sleeper, and he knew that Granger wouldn't be taken lightly or quietly. He looked around for any signs of a struggle, or anything that Granger may have dropped.
But there were no signs of blood on the ground, and no drag marks in the dirt.
Draco stopped and considered his position. Where was she? Had she been taken? Or was she simply just outside the cave, playing a trick on him?
Draco marched quickly to the cave mouth, and looked around. But he couldn't see the familiar brown headed Gryffindor.
He spotted movement, however between the trees and decided to check it out. He had no idea why Granger would elect to go back into the jungle, especially alone, but then, she was particularly stubborn, and maybe, hopefully went to let off some steam.
Draco slipped down the hill, and into the trees. He looked around, and followed the sound of rustling bushes.
He stopped and hid himself behind a tree when he saw Granger, bent down and looking at the base of a bush. He shook his head. Unbelievable.
Granger then looked at her hand, threw the fruit away, and moved on to another bush. He watched for a moment, unsure of how to surprise her. Should he jus pop out? Or should he stalk her for a little longer and wait for the perfect moment?
But that perfect moment wasn't going to come this morning.
Just as Draco was thinking of a good plan of attack, he noticed something else watching Granger. Something almost made out of wood- but it wasn't the trees. It was hiding in the bushes, but from Draco's angle, he could make it out.
He had no idea what the creature was, but it had wooden features- sharp nose, pointy ears, and piecing eyes. The arms were long and spidery, and the legs looked like thin sticks.
Draco also noticed that the wooden man was holding a spear, and was starting to crouch.
Draco looked quickly at Hermione who was on her knees again, picking some sort of fruit, her back facing the wood man.
Draco had a moment to think. He saw the wood man was eyeing Granger like pray, and was almost ready to pounce. But Granger stood, and moved slightly closer to Draco's hiding place. She was still picking bloody fruit!
The wood man had to change positions. He shifted silently towards Draco, but still hadn't seen the blond. The wood man was now in a perfect place to attack Granger from the side.
Draco jumped out from his hiding spot, just as the wood man pounced like a cat. Draco tackled Granger, and brought her crashing to the ground. She started to scream, but stopped when she noticed who it was. Her scream turned to shouts.
"Malfoy! What are you-"
But Draco ignored her as he looked over his shoulder and noticed the wood man, who looked stunned, but soon was ready to attack. He raised his spear, and started circling.
"Gee Granger, it's not even midday and I'm saving your ass." Draco mumbled as he stood up and looked around for a weapon.
He was about to dive for a stick and use that, but the wood man lowered his weapon, and looked at the two teenagers strangely.
"Youish arentay froma arounday hereish." He said, in a deep voice.
"What?" Draco asked, completely confused. "We're not tourists."
"Malfoy, he didn't ask if we're tourists." Hermione said, getting up and dusting herself down.
"You can understand that?" Draco asked looking flabbergasted.
"It is an ancient language." Hermione said. "I cant understand it, but I can get what he's saying. It belonged to tribes of woodmen, who lived in deep forests. I didn't think any were left…" Hermione looked at the woodman who was looking back at her.
"Whatay isish yourish businessa hereish?" the woodman asked.
"We. Were. Sent. Here." Hermione said slowly and clearly.
The woodman followed her every word. "Sentish?"
"Yes."
"What are you saying?" Draco asked, getting slightly frustrated.
"Areay youish looka forca theay Deadish Lakeay?"
Hermione ran over his sentence. "The Dead lake?"
"Yesay."
"What is the Dead Lake?" Hermione asked, remembering that they could understand English.
"Iay thoughtca itay wasish whatay yourish looka forca."
"What are you saying damn it!" Draco hissed.
"He said ' I thought it was what your looking for.'" Hermione whispered. "No," she said to the woodman. "We're looking for…" she turned to Malfoy. "Exactly what is it we're looking for?"
Malfoy shrugged. "Father didn't tell me."
"Does he live in a house?"
"I don't know."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Then she looked back to the woodman to finish her sentence when the woodman spoke first.
"Yourish looka forca theay Darka Shadowa?"
"Dark shadow?" Hermione mumbled. "Is that a man?"
The woodman nodded. "Theay mostish Darka mana inay theay forestca."
Draco poked Hermione, and insisted on translation.
"'The most dark man in the forest.'" She said.
"Iay canish takea youish therea."
"'I can take you there.'" Hermione quickly said to Malfoy.
"Tell him yes. We'll go, and if it's a dead end, then we can start again. Its not like we know where we're going or anything." Draco said to her. Hermione nodded.
"Ok."
The woodman turned, and started walking off. Hermione and Draco followed.
Ha, the woodman. Love his language. Try reading it aloud…its actually quite a tongue twister…
Please R&R.
I know it was very long since I updated…but…sorry!
AJ.