Disclaimer: The real Horcrux story had a lot more twists and turns than mine has - I read through the whole Wiki page on Horcruxes again, and I think if I have to corroborate with everything Ms. Rowling said, it'll be a writing nightmare for me! That said, the ingenious concept of Horcruxes, and the entire background of the Harry Potter world are her property.
A/N: I was enjoying myself when writing bits of D/H exchange, because I could almost imagine the scene in my head when they are talking. However, at the same time, I'm a bit worried that the pace of things might make them seem a little out of character. Do let me know if I did okay (: I quite like the way this fic is going so far, even though for the next few chapters, I've been editing again and again because of various loopholes and things like that. Thanks for the reviews, they were awesome, and I really love reading all the little theories that some of you have! :D
Till then, enjoy! (:
It was late at night when Draco returned to the Slytherin common-room. Upon arrival, there was a huge buzz. But it wasn't because of him – in fact, none of them seemed to have noticed him entering the room. He didn't know whether to be annoyed because of the lack of attention, or secretly relieved that he wasn't going to have to explain much since they weren't very interested. But it turned out that his disappearance was old news, and besides, had been accounted for as a school matter by Professor Snape. Rather, the latest news was of course, the disappearance of Astoria Greengrass and Severus Snape himself.
Daphne Greengrass was seated in the middle of the commotion, sobbing uncontrollably as she wailed. "She must have been taken away by the Death Eaters!"
"Why're you so sure?" demanded Pansy, sharply. "It's not as if Astoria has done anything to annoy them, has she?"
Daphne knew better than to elaborate, and merely blew her nose loudly.
"Draco?" Blaise's incredulous voice rose amidst the buzz.
Suddenly, the whole room was silenced. Even Daphne forgot to sniff. Everyone turned to stare at the entrant.
"Dumbledore was interviewing me for possible further opportunities – I figure it's Head Boy," snapped Draco, obviously prepared to answer. "Anything else?"
Nobody dared say anything, although there was a look of awe on some of the lower years' faces. There was a suspicious look on Blaise's face however.
"I heard about Astoria. How did you find her missing?" Draco walked towards Daphne.
"She was missing in her bed early this morning..." Daphne burst into tears again. "And – and I thought maybe she was feeling sick or something, but she wasn't at the Hospital Wing... not anywhere else... couldn't find her..." Then suddenly her eyes widened, and she stopped sniffing. She looked back up at Draco. Her mouth opened a little, and she stared hard at him.
Draco immediately knew that she wanted to speak to him – about the pendants.
As if on cue, the sound of the Slytherin common-room door opening was heard, and everybody stared at the doorway. Professor Slughorn appeared, his face a little red and his movement a little awkward as he squeezed through the doorway for his announcement.
"I am to be your Acting Head of House while Professor Snape is uhh – away. In the meantime, please do not panic unduly. The school is trying their very best to investigate the matter, yes." Professor Slughorn looked pleased with himself for making such an important speech. Then his gaze landed upon Draco. "Oho!"
Draco gave him a rather rude glare.
Slughorn looked quite unable to say anything beyond the exclamation of surprise upon seeing Draco return, so he gave a deep gulp and hurriedly excused himself. Draco felt the mark on his arm burn a little, and he scowled deeply as the Potions professor left.
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, and Pansy made to walk towards Draco. However, Blaise tugged at her, as he saw Draco and Daphne exchanging looks. Quickly, Draco made his way out of the common-room.
He walked all the way to the middle of the dungeon corridor till he heard the door swing open and footsteps followed. Then he turned around to meet the wary gaze of Daphne Greengrass.
"You know where my sister is?" she asked, slowly.
"No, I don't."
She looked angry. "Sure you do! You're one of them!"
Draco shrugged. "And why would we take her?"
"You know my grandmother's identity!" Daphne cried, furiously. "You must have snitched to You-Know-Who!"
"Finally, Greengrass, some measure of intelligence in that brain of yours." Draco smirked.
"So you admit it!"
"I admit nothing," Draco replied, smoothly. "Tell me, did Astoria say anything to you the night before or anything like that?"
"No, but at least she told me what a horribly evil person you are!" Daphne spat.
"It's not my bloody fault that your grandmother's the half-sister of a Dark fugitive!" Draco shot her a piercing glare. Then he tried to calm himself down. "Did you notice anything suspicious or anything?"
Daphne debated whether to answer, as she was starting to find Draco's interrogations a little disconcerting and puzzling. It showed on her face, and Draco stared at her impatiently. "Well?"
"Pansy – " She paused, surveying Draco's expression impatiently. "Wait, why are you asking me this? Are you trying to revel in how your fellow friends did this? Or maybe you did, seeing that you've sneaked into our room before?"
"You can check with Professor Dumbledore if you like," said Draco, in a challenging tone.
Daphne still looked suspicious, but she relented. "Pansy said she woke up in the middle of the night, and the dorm door opened. But then she saw that it was just Millicent coming back to bed from sitting outside in the common-room. Millie always does that when she can't sleep. Then Pansy said she remembers looking around at all the other beds and everyone was in bed, including Ria. Nobody remembers noticing anything else. Then the next morning..." Her voice began to crack.
"Does Astoria usually go out of the dorm?"
"No, she doesn't! She never goes out at night as far as I know. And she will always wait for me to wake up so that we can have a short chat in the dorm before going out!"
Draco frowned. Then this would most certainly have to be an internal job.
Millicent had left the room and come back. She sounded the most suspicious – she could have let someone in!
But it wasn't the kidnapper who really bothered Draco; it was the fact that Astoria had been kidnapped. Nobody else knew that he had confronted Astoria about the pendants; he was sure his mind had been watertight then. Unless...
"Does anybody else know?" He shot her a sideways look.
"No!" Daphne shouted angrily, but her voice was wavering.
Draco stared at her for a while.
"Then what about Professor Snape?" Draco suddenly felt his skin turn cold and clammy upon thinking what could have possibly happened to Snape. If he's found out, it'll be my fault! He cringed inwardly. "Professor Dumbledore didn't tell me anything about it, until I heard it from someone."
Daphne gave a shudder. "I don't know... we were all supposed to continue attending lessons as per normal, although I really wasn't paying attention... then during Defence class, Professor Flitwick came to announce that Professor Snape was absent... I mean – he never, ever, absents himself from any class. Then when we went to Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall was noticeably jittery. And Hagrid came in once to talk to her – we heard him mention Snape, and Professor McGonagall hurriedly shushed him. So we think something's not very right either."
Snape was definitely missing, since Dumbledore had said that there were two from his House who were. Draco felt rather uneasy thinking about possibilities. His brain was rather saturated from many things, including flashbacks of the day before. Not to mention that thinking about that made him think of somebody in particular. He could feel the familiar surge in frustration and despair within. Somehow or another, he really felt like he needed Hermione Granger right then.
Except that he was supposed to be angry with her.
When they had returned, he had been sharp, cold – even spiteful. But he just couldn't bear to ignore her altogether. He had to sneak glances at her once in a while, and he had seen her fall sound asleep in the bed, her pale face wrought with crinkles of worry.
Maybe it's just guilt, he thought bitterly.
"Draco?" Daphne's tentative voice floated him back down to earth.
"Get back," he muttered gruffly. And then he turned to walk away, leaving Daphne Greengrass staring at him with a very confused expression.
-.-.-.-.-.-
Hermione's return to the Gryffindor common-room had been a lot more welcoming than Draco's. When she stepped into the room, there was a blur of somebody flying towards her, and she realised that it was Ginny who was hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe.
"Oh, Hermione, I didn't have time to talk to you last night..." Ginny whispered fiercely into her ear. "But you were just so – so – brave! I mean, I can't imagine that you actually..."
Her voice trailed off as Harry came up, a half-amused and half-pained expression on his face. "Gin, you need to let Hermione go, she needs space."
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione managed a smile, and sputtered a bit as Ginny let go.
"Oops, sorry, Hermione," the redhead muttered sheepishly. "Didn't mean to."
"Are you alright?" Ron's voice piped up from the sofa, tentatively.
Hermione looked around the common-room. It was only the four of them.
"Yeah, well, relatively." She maintained her smile, glad that her friends weren't interrogating her the moment she had come in. "Where're the rest?"
"Dumbledore told us to tell them you've been away only because you were being seriously interviewed for opportunities, possibly Head Girl," said Harry, and he pulled Ginny towards the sofa, who led Hermione along. "So we told them you might be tired and would need some space when you're back."
Hermione shot him a grateful look.
"Neville and Corrinne are..." Ron cleared his throat. "Having some – talk." He looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Talk." There was a mischievous glint in Ginny's eye as she solemnly nodded in agreement.
"I heard about Astoria Greengrass and Snape," said Hermione, after a moment's silence.
The other three exchanged looks, and Harry looked very grim. He pulled out his wand to cast a silencing charm, before he continued. "I don't know, Hermione," he said, at last. "Lots of people have been saying Death Eaters, but I don't see what Astoria Greengrass has got to do with them." Hermione tried not to show discomfort upon hearing that, as she thought about the pendants. "Her family has been pretty neutral, haven't they? And Snape – I mean," Harry grimaced, "it could go either way. Either he's been summoned back to join them, or he's been found to be a member of the Order. I'd go with the former; I don't believe Snape joined the Order of his own accord. Voldemort must have planted him there."
"Dumbledore trusts him." Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah, but I don't," came the sharp reply.
"Hear, hear!" Ron added.
"Hermione, what – exactly happened in the caves?" Ginny put a hand on Hermione's wrist.
"Did he harass you?" Harry asked, pain evident in his eyes.
Hermione sighed. "Will you stop blaming yourself, Harry? I'm back in one piece, right?"
"He was willing to leave you behind even after all that you had helped him with." Ron snorted. "Bloody hell, Hermione, why'd you go off with him for?"
"Maybe it's because he needs my brains?" Hermione offered, although it hurt her to say that.
Ron looked scarcely mollified. "Parasite."
Hermione ignored him, and looked at Harry. "Surely you didn't believe that he wanted the locket from you because he wanted to turn it in?"
Harry grunted. He didn't like to admit that he had been possessed by the locket.
"He jolly well looked like it," Ron muttered. Then he glared at Hermione. "So what's this about Maldash Wentervale and that cup Malfoy was holding when he came back? That's about the only two things that we know about and you haven't explained anything!"
Ginny jumped in before Hermione could answer. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I had to tell them."
"Wentervale's dead," said Hermione, flatly. "But we found out from him the whole story of Lucius Malfoy's death."
Suddenly, the rest looked very interested.
Hermione sighed, and decided to narrate from the beginning, how she and Draco (she had been careful to say 'Malfoy') had been led to the abyss by Dumbledore, and the dragon encounter. There were audible gasps at the point when she had been injured so badly that she was unconscious. Then she made sure she emphasised that Draco had saved her and brought her through the Veil with him, and even finding his way through the labyrinth. Eventually, when they had met Wentervale, Draco had gotten Wentervale to Heal her.
She then elaborated on Wentervale's story that Lucius had been killed by Voldemort for letting Wentervale off twice, when the exiled man had known more than what he should know about the Horcruxes. When she was finished with that bit, Ginny looked at her uncomfortably.
"I didn't think Lucius Malfoy would have done that for his family. Or Wentervale either. But it's really strange – how he can stop at nothing for a stranger, but yet die for his family."
Hermione knew Ginny must be recalling the incident of Tom Riddle's diary, and shot her a sympathetic look. "Wizards and witches are still humans at heart."
"Ginny nearly died," said Harry, in a quiet voice that was more intimidating than anything else.
"Lucius has died," snapped Hermione, uncharacteristically. "It's more than tit for tat."
"Go on." Ginny urged.
The story continued with them searching through the caves, and eventually finding their way to the cauldron room through a hole in a floor. She could remember the entire scene vividly as she narrated how she and Draco had been separated by some magical force, and had to venture on their own. And of course, she conveniently left out the various heart-fluttering moments she had experienced.
Harry looked terribly frustrated knowing that he had left Hermione to fend for herself, and Ginny's hand on his arm was not much of comfort.
Finally, she told of the encounter with Augustus Rookwood, and the soul of Tom Riddle that had arose from the cup. Ginny winced, remembering her ordeal, and Harry and Ron stared in amazement.
"No wonder you were quick to think that Slytherin's locket was possessing Harry!" Ron was enlightened. "But Hermione, you were against three of them!"
"D – Malfoy was on my side." Hermione glared at him.
"Yeah, maybe because he was on the brink of death for being a traitor, coming to find Wentervale and all and not killing him!" Ron retorted. "And he needed you to save him!"
Hermione felt something rise in her, and had to take a few seconds to calm herself down. "Well at least, he distracted Rookwood and Riddle's soul enough so that I could destroy the Horcrux!"
"You destroyed it, not him!" Ron accused, triumphantly. "He's just using you, Hermione!"
"There was a Dementor there!" Hermione shot back. "He can't go back to them once the Dementor tells tales on him!"
"On what? He let Augustus Rookwood go, didn't he?" Ron lashed out.
Hermione was speechless for a moment as Ron continued to look triumphant. "Look, there's nothing more for me to say if you're condemning him to being a Death Eater who's bent on killing people. I think that he's been extremely courageous, determined, and – " She struggled to get the next word out. "Well, gentlemanly, even. He's nothing like what we've always made him out to be."
"Made him out to be?" Ron glared at her incredulously. "Hermione, he called you a – " Even he couldn't bear to say the word, and ran his hand through his mass of red hair with an air of frustration.
It was as if something had ignited within Hermione, whose body seemed to be filled with a pumping flammable chemical. There was no stopping the explosion from happening as she stood up.
"I KNOW HE CALLED ME A MUDBLOOD! I KNOW HE'S BEEN DOWNRIGHT MEAN AND SPITEFUL AND INSULTING! BUT HE'S NOT EVIL! AND IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE HE'S A DEATH EATER THAT YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL I'M WELL AND ALIVE NOW!"
The others were completely shocked by her outburst, and Hermione sat down, flaming red. Then she covered her face with her hands. "And it's because of me that he's going back to being that jerk!"
Harry looked a bit thankful that he had cast the silencing charm, although he was pretty dazed. Ron gaped like a goldfish, while Ginny looked skeptically at Hermione.
Feeling the heavy weight of their suspicion and shock on her, Hermione got up again and fled the common-room.
"Hermione, wait!"
-.-.-.-.-.-
"Is there a cold war going on in there?"
Hermione stopped short, turning to her left as she was about to head right after exiting the Gryffindor common-room. Draco Malfoy was lounging against the railing, eyeing her – the expression on his face was just hard to fathom.
"No sound coming out of there, but you look like you've just been through hell and back," he commented casually, looking away.
"That's none of your business!" she snapped, irritably, and turned to walk away from him.
"Stop there."
She spun around. "I'm not your lackey, so don't tell me what to do!"
"Shouldn't I be the one to be furious with you?" Draco's face darkened as he pushed away from the railing and advanced towards her. She took a step back. "Shouldn't you be afraid that if you defy me, I can kill you?"
Hermione glared at him defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy."
"That's why you did it, didn't you?" He brought himself right in front of her – she was immobilised the moment he stepped within centimetres of her. "That's why you told your friends, didn't you? And that's what you told them, huh, Draco Malfoy is pathetic, come and save his sorry arse!"
"I said nothing like that." Hermione gritted her teeth.
"Maybe that's not what you said – maybe Potter did." Draco's lip curled menacingly. He scanned the area swiftly, before turning back his fierce gaze onto her. "Potter told you to come spy on me, the pathetic Malfoy who has lost his father, go find out if he's gone to be a Death Eater to boost his ego and replace his father! And so this little brave Gryffindor tries to be too smart for her own good, asking all kinds of questions and pretending to show that she cares when all she's doing is drawing a huge trap for me to walk in!" His voice was not raised, but he uttered every word with such cold fury that Hermione could hardly breathe.
Then he leaned closer. "You were a bloody good actress for someone who sucks at lying, Granger."
"Go away." She turned defiant eyes on him, but he merely smirked.
"I'm not your lackey either." His face was too close for comfort, and she jerked away. "So don't tell me what to do." His breath lingered on her face, and her eyes fluttered shut. Why does he have to have this effect on me?
"I betrayed you, alright?" she hissed. "Now you can go ahead and do whatever you want, stand on whomever's side you want, just leave me alone!"
Beware though, she could be a wolf in sheep's clothing... Wentervale's words came to Draco's mind, and he glared furiously at her, angry at how she had 'fulfilled the prophecy'. "So you just used me, and then you're pushing me away now? You think you can get away with that?"
"You've done that, too!" Hermione was feeling deflated from arguing. "You dare deny you've been using me for my brains?"
Draco felt his heart skip a beat; that seemed to fuel his anger. "I'm not denying anything!"
"Go away, please." She felt weak for begging him. His words were not helping her heavy heart.
"Did you hear me? I said do you think you can get away with using me?" His hand was reaching for his wand in his pocket.
"Maybe it's not because I'm a good actress, maybe it's because I was telling the truth!" She found some strength to hiss back. "I told you I was doing this partly for Harry, and I wasn't lying when I said I know you're not meant to be a..." She trailed off, shaking.
That was true. She had said that. And the reason why he had believed her back then because she wasn't lying. Or at least, he thought so.
"Alright, do what you want." Hermione was defeated. "I know you're not going to forgive me, so you can just – I don't know, hex me, kill me, whatever."
"You're trying to make me break my principles, aren't you?" He glared at her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, after a moment's awkward silence. The tension between them was so thick, but strangely enough not repelling. Instead, she was fighting the urge to fling her arms around his neck. "And I know it's not enough."
"Do you know what you did?" Draco's low voice was shaking; she opened her eyes to see the same pained expression in his eyes once again.
This time she found some strength to at least move, but he backed her all the way to a deserted corridor. Then he slammed his fists against the wall, effectively caging her within his arms. His proximity was so difficult to endure; Hermione closed her eyes again, gasping for breath.
Her puffs of breath on his face were laced with the same strawberry scent that drove him insane.
"You said you were going to help me," he whispered, his voice suddenly very different from the cold and angry tone that he had used earlier. "Then you made me pour my soul out to you, and you took it, and wrangled it like you would squeeze a towel. Do you know what that feels like?"
An intense pain was wracking her body with the impact of each word; maybe that's how it feels like.
When she did not answer, he put his left hand on her cheek, startling her to open her eyes and stare at him in wonder and fear. His hand was so cold, but it seemed to set her entire body on fire.
"I'm the one who's gone to hell," his whisper was so raw it hurt, "and I'm not back from it yet."
He didn't know why he was doing this. One moment, he was so enraged it hurt him to even see her; the next, he was staring into those soulful brown eyes that begged for forgiveness, the same ones that saw through his every layer. He knew he was exposing himself to more hurt, being so vulnerable in front of her. But he couldn't bear to wear the mask any longer. And he couldn't bring himself to stay away from her any longer.
"I know I – I betrayed you, but I didn't do it in hope to hurt you." Hermione fought the urge to cry. "I swear. I admit I did it at first because Harry wanted me to get close to you. But... but it was different later on..."
Draco looked directly into her eyes, a very penetrating look that made her shiver all over. "How am I supposed to believe you?" His voice was now a little harsher, brittle even.
"I care, Draco." Hermione suddenly couldn't hold it in any longer. "I really, honestly, truly care, that's why I did it. It's because I care that I didn't tell Harry and Ron about all the things you told me until we had to go for this – this adventure, and I was scared we would both die. But somebody has to kill Voldemort. And then I couldn't possibly save you myself."
The use of his first name no longer made a warm feeling spread through his body; instead, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as she said it. And those two words.
I care.
Her voice was now choking as she continued. "I don't have the right to try to know you, but I do know you. Dumbledore was right – you won't kill somebody you think doesn't deserve to be killed. But he's wrong; it's not your weakness. It's your strength. That makes you human. You're nothing like those ruthless Death Eaters out there. I don't know why you wanted to make Dumbledore think you're still working for Voldemort, I don't know why you – you could even think of leaving me behind, I... I just, well, I don't... no, I mean, you..."
She couldn't speak any longer, because Draco had pressed his lips onto hers once again.
It wasn't like the gentle kiss in the narrow and dark underground corridor; she whimpered a bit under the pressure on her lips; the heat from it was making her dizzy.
He pulled back quickly when he heard her whimper.
"Stop it!" She gasped. "Stop doing that!"
Draco looked down; his hand moved from her cheek back to the wall again. Her words steeled his resolve to counter her once again.
"I could think of leaving you behind because I am selfish," he said, the coldness returning to his voice. "Because I want to carry out this Horcrux mission myself."
"Why are you doing this?"
"It's my father, it's none of your business." Draco scowled. "And I don't need Saint Potter to cover my back. This is between the Dark Lord and me. If Potter or any one else related to him comes into the fray, it's no longer a personal vengeance. And the more people despise me, the more they hate me, the stronger I am."
"You don't need strength in that way," argued Hermione. "That's just sadistic!"
"How long have you known me, Granger?" His voice had taken on a dangerous note. "I've always been that sadistic."
Then he muttered, "I don't need anybody's interference at all. Not Saint Potter. Not almighty Dumbledore."
"Including me?"
He raised his eyes to meet hers. The grey orbs were slightly misty.
"Yes."
"Stop being so proud!" Hermione felt agitated. "If you do have a weakness, it's pride!"
"A Malfoy inheritance," he retorted, darkly.
"Then why did you kiss me?"
He felt his breath stop. He wanted to deny everything that was overwhelming him now; he wanted to push away all his emotions, ignore them, be brutal, harsh and cover up the trail of weaknesses he had left behind. He wanted to have the strength to pull out his wand and brandish it in front of her. Forget everything that had transpired before; forget that he had the irresistible urge to kiss her time and again.
"You care, don't you?"