Looking around at the crowd that had gathered in the ministry atrium, Hermione was surprised to find no reporters anywhere. But the large group of Ministry employees and Aurors did little to tame her nerves. As the crowd that had gathered seemed to be filled with an ominous presence that seemed to turn malicious as every moment passed.
"Look I know it looks bad but I know Draco didn't do this!" She insisted pointing to Astoria who was being healed nearby.
"He... He did I swear," the girl choked out as tears began rolling down her face while one by one her wounds were healed. "And he's not Draco anymore he's a monster!" The blonde sobbed out before a sleeping drought was forced down her throat.
"We're taking her to St. Mungos, hopefully, she'll make a full recovery," the medical witch said as Ron nodded in understanding.
"No, no he's not and I can prove it," Hermione said as she reached into her messenger bag and pulling out her mirror.
"Show me Draco," she asked as the mirror glistened. Looking down at the man she had come to know Hermione turned it to show the crowd. Gasps of fear filled the area as Hermione's eyes widened. "I know he looks frightful. But he's really very kind and gentle..." She said turning the mirror back to her, "he's my friend," she said smiling down at the image she couldn't tell where he was since his face filled up the whole mirror but he looked devastated and she didn't know why.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have feelings for this monster," Ron spat as he glared at his old friend as she looked back up at him her eyes filled with hatred.
"He's not the monster Ron, you are!" Hermione shouted as the crowd seemed to hum with anger but all of it was directed at her.
"He's obviously spelled you to say so. Should we leave this monster to attack another?!" Ron questioned turning to the crowd as they all answered no. "Then I say we kill the beast!" He shouted as cheers of agreement rang out through the crowd.
"No! I won't let you!" Hermione cried as she suddenly found herself restrained between two Aurors.
"If you not with us you against us," Ron shouted turning back to her, grabbing her wand he tossed it to another Auror. "Lock her up, hopefully, whatever spell she's under will end when his head hits the floor," he ordered as the Aurors began dragging Hermione away as she flailed and screamed.
"Aurors follow me, where we are going to is unplotable... But I've been there before!" He said as he disappeared followed by at least a hundred Aurors.
"Let me out! you're making a mistake!" Hermione shouted as she banged her hands against the door off the padded cell, she'd been thrown in.
"Mistress!" A high-pitched voice called out as Hermione turned around finding Kiki standing in the room with her.
"Kiki!" Hermione sagged in relief now she could at least warn Draco what was coming.
"Mistress must come, the manor is under attack!" The elf said as she clasped Hermione's hands.
"I know but I can't get out of this cell" she shouted as the door opened. "Harry!" Hermione sighed in relief as her best friend stood in the doorway.
"Something's wrong why are you in here? Where are my Aurors?" He asked leaning against the door frame.
"Ron took them, they're going to kill Draco," she said desperately as she gripped the bars of her cell.
"Hermione," Harry sighed as he ran his hand over his scar.
"No Harry he's changed and I have to save him," she insisted as he looked up at her. Narrowing his eyes, he nearly choked at what he found there.
"You love him," he said in amazement.
"I... We can't just let him die." She plead.
"Please Harry Potter must hurry the wards cannot hold much longer," Kiki said as she too stepped forward putting her hands on the cell bars as well.
"You mean to tell me they are attacking right now?!" Harry growled in rage as he looked at Hermione for confirmation.
The girl nodded her head as the little elf gasped in fear, "They're in!"
"Harry Potter give me my wand!" Hermione shouted as Harry stepped back smiling as he pulled her wand out of his sleeve.
"Master, bad men is fighting the wards," a little elf said as he looked at his master. He was sitting in his room, eyes straining as he watched the single rose under the case of glass. The sole petal swayed tauntingly as if it wanted to join the others on the table top below.
"Just let them come it doesn't matter now," Draco sighed as he wrapped his arms around the glass that held the rose. He knew now there was no more hope.
"Take whatever you want but remember the beast is mine!" Ron shouted as they stormed the manor.
But upon taking a single step into the manor it came to life. Holes appeared on the floors sending dozens of men down in an instant. Pots, pans, and knives flew through the air chasing out all that they could. Growling in anger Ron dodged a rake as he spotted a hanging ladder. Rushing forward he left the others to deal with the mess as he went after the beast.
Ron shifted his weight as the stairs below him collapsed. He could still hear the distinct sounds of battle coming from the ground floor as he crept towards his prize. He thanked Merlin that he had the forethought to read over the letters his girl has sent his sister. He sneered at the thought of Hermione knowing this estate so well, she practically bragged about how much she had enjoyed staying here in nearly every flow of her quill. She never could leave well enough alone. Hearing a huff up ahead Ron blasted the door wide open finding the beast.
"Well look at the all mighty Prince of Slytherin now," he jeered at the animal in front of him growled arms wrapping around a single rose hanging in suspended magic, all but one of its petals we're scattered on the table below.
But rather than charge him the beast simply stared down at the rose, if he didn't know any better Ron swore that a look of longing passed over the animal's face. Growling Ron cast a redactor curse just as the beast jumped out of the way, the glass surrounding the rose shattered, as he heard the monster race off.
"You know I don't get it," he began as he shot another curse causing a hole to form in the roof. He watched as the beast climbed through the hole as the red head made chase. "Why would she want something like you, when she has someone like me!" Ron roared as he pulled himself out of the opening.
Rain assaulted him as he raised his wand firing off three curses, two cuts into his target's arm which Draco had raised in defense. The third had missed knocking another hole in the roof. Which allowed him to hear the sub-vocal hiss that accompanied Harry casting in Parsletounge, Ron froze knowing that his best mate wasn't here to lend him a hand.
He and Harry had been drifting apart over the years, Harry's appointment to head Auror four years ago hadn't worked out like Ron had planned. Harry was supposed to give him a promotion and a huge bonus every year but that never happened. Just like he was supposed to marry Hermione, and she'd give him the five boys he knew he deserved. He'd have been even generous enough to let her keep her job instead of staying home with the kids like a proper wife.
Draco roared as he charged the red head in his moment of fear as he had stalled. Ron jumped out of the way as Draco slide on the tiles of the roof nearly falling off as Ron jumped behind a turret. Turning he looked for the beast narrowing his eyes sending off three more curses in quick succession. He heard a satisfying thump and maneuvered around the turret hoping he had hit his mark. Confused as the roof before him was bare, Ron crept forward hoping the beast had fallen off of the roof.
Soon he realized his mistake as he felt his feet leave the tiles as a deep and territorial growl sounded behind him. Struggling as Draco clasped him by the throat, dangling him over the roof. He reached out his hand his wand falling as he tried to grab hold of the arm holding him.
"Draco!" A familiar voice shouted as the beast turned to the sound a look of hope flashing across the beast's face.
Dropping Ron back onto the tiles of the roof the beast leaned in "Get out," Draco growled in the Weasley's whimpering face before turning to go towards the owner of the voice who had called out again. Ron's face contorted in anger and fury as he watched his girl smile at the monster as he neared her.
"You came back," Draco said as he reached out to touch Hermione's face.
"I came home," she corrected rubbing her cheek against the paw that held her, as Ron's world bled red.
Yelling, he stood removing the blade he kept in his boot and jamming it between the monster's ribs. Draco roared as the blade hit home swinging back knocking the unsuspecting red head off the roof. Ron fell with a scream as the last thing he saw was Hermione pulling Draco into the house as the beast's blood colored the tiles.
"Arestum Momentum, Incantartus" the spell spokes as Ron stopped nearly a few inches of the ground his body trapped in ropes. "Well Auror Weasley let's talk about your crimes," Harry hissed his face contorted in anger glaring at his former friend.
"Draco!" Hermione cried as she finally managed to pull him into the room crying as she saw the blade that was lodged into Draco's side. She knew it well; Ron had a sick kind of satisfaction about carrying around the blade that had nearly killed her. When he'd get too drunk, he used to taunt her with it as if he believed that it was a comforting act instead of one which terrified her to no end.
"I can't take it out, it's cursed you'll die before a healer gets here," she said tears filling her eyes.
"Maybe..." Draco gasped. "Maybe it's better this way..."
"Draconis Lucius Malfoy! Don't you dare talk like that!" Hermione screamed in his face hands clutching the fur on his chest. "I told you I'd break this curse, and damn it! I keep my word!"
"At least I got to see you one last time," he said pulling her head to look at him.
"No, you're not allowed to talk like that!" She shook her head, tears pouring out of her eyes as she collapsed against his chest.
Cautiously Draco wrapped his arms around the sobbing witch. Looking up he scowled as he saw a figure walk into the room. He thought he heard Hermione sighed that she loved him but nothing else mattered as he watched his mother walk into the room. Her face filled with absolute hated as she raised her wand but as she did the appearance fell away to reveal an old hag with hair and eyes wilder than his aunt Bella as she cast a sickenly familiar green curse towards Hermione. Without thinking he tuned so his back would take the curse as everything went black.