Sign Your Name Across My Heart
Chapter Eleven: Deceptio Necesse
Proclaimer: I own this story, along with Synning Nymph, my best Muse. She's the one who comes up with the pretty cliffies. Hehe. If Nymphy was real, we'd be co-writing this.
****
Flashback:
Draco kept his eyes on the dark shadowy outlines of the leaves underneath his feet, his heart racing, as questions floated around his head, but he did not have time to decide, he had no time to think now, he had to act-
"Yeah," Draco sighed in a voice he hoped was heavy with emotion. "Ron's so lucky, to have someone like you as a girlfriend..."
Draco smirked slightly as Hermione's eyes watered, the unshed tears glittering in the moonlight. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and he mentally congratulated himself on his acting job.. See, all it took was a bit of concentration... he grinned slightly. Everything was alright- Or maybe you weren't acting, a nasty voice whispered in the back of his head. You really do think Weasley's lucky, to have this...
****
"Hermione? What's going to happen with us?" he kept his head down, acting as if he really were worried.
Hermione bit her lip and thought for a moment. "I'll have to break up with Ron.. But I need a reason to.. I-I suppose I could tell him that it just didn't work out.."
Draco nodded, "Why don't you go back to your room and think about what to tell him? I um.. have to go now."
Hermione frowned. "You know, you don't have to go to the meetings.. You still have time to change your ways. Talk to Dumbledore, please!" She had a desperate look in her eyes, and she looked up at him with a sad face.
Draco sighed. "I'll talk to Dumbledore in the morning. But I have to go tonight."
Hermione nodded and, giving him one last loving kiss, turned and headed back to her room.
Draco sighed again as he watched her leave. How could he possibly keep this act up any longer? His mind was yelling at him to go with her, to give up his charade. He shook his head to clear his mind, and headed for the edge of the anti-apparition wards.
Draco Apparated quickly onto Voldemort's property, and hurried up the walk to his 'Master's front door. He opened the door, not bothering to knock as Voldemort already knew he was on his way. He walked calmly through the hallways to His study. "My Lord," Draco said, bowing.
"Good, good.. You arrived just in time. Tonight, I have decided to let you practice a few... very useful... curses. Pettigrew!" the Dark Lord snapped. "Fetch me.. the boy."
Pettigrew scuttled out of the room and returned with a certain red-haired boy. Draco smirked. "I get to practice on him?" he asked, with a hint of childish glee in his voice, and a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
Voldemort nodded and stood, moving to stand next to his heir. Oh, he didn't know it yet, but Voldemort had already decided to name Draco as his successor. Voldemort pointed his wand at the frightened boy, and said the Cruciatus spell. The boy doubled over in pain, screaming and convulsing.
Draco raised his wand and started to repeat after the Dark Lord, when he was interrupted. "No, no. You must first channel all of your energy into hating him. You must want to see him in deep pain, you must enjoy it. You cannot just point your wand and say a spell, otherwise anyone could use it. Now, concentrate."
Draco set his jaw and forced himself to want him in pain. To enjoy causing the Weasel to cry out in agony. Hermione's face popped into his head, and he used his jealousy of Weasley and all that he had to fuel his anger. He levelled his wand and said, very clearly, "Crucio."
Draco felt his stomach clench as Ron's eyes popped as he bent over, as he screamed aloud, ear-splitting, heart-wrenching screams-
"Stop," Voldemort hissed suddenly, his voice harsh. "You must not kill the boy- yet."
"You- you can kill with Cruciatus?" Draco asked, quietly, as Ron's gasping for breath coincided with a vivid mental image of Hermione... Granger, Draco told himself furiously, and was soon able to override his sudden worry and alarm with a strong wave of jealousy.
"Of course, of course," Voldemort was whispering, his eyes glittering in the darkness. "Nearly any curse can be fatal if performed with enough strength, enough emotion..." Voldemort took a long rattling breath and Draco felt himself tense up. "Apparently you have very deep hatred for this Muggle-loving scum before you... Admirable... admirable indeed..."
"Yes, my Lord," Draco murmured to fill the silence, though he wasn't sure what he was agreeing to.
"Yes... yes..." Voldemort hissed softly. "Yes... you have mastered Cruciatus... that is excellent... but not good enough... there is one left... one more to master..."
"What- what is that, my Lord, sir?" Draco asked tentatively.
"Ahh... but of course..." he rasped after a long silence; "Of course... the final curse... the ultimate curse... Avada Kedavra," he finished, his voice a low whisper.
"The killing curse, sir?" Draco asked, his head still bowed in deference, but he was longing to look up-
"Of course..."
"Am I to kill him, sir, my Lord?" Draco uttered, his heart racing.
"No, of course not-"
Draco sighed with relief-
"I will."
****
A/N: Hehe... Sorry for that cliffie, and for the story being shorter than usual, which is actually pretty short in and of itself... It just screamed to me, and my Muses wouldn't let me continue writing. Oh well. As long as none of you know where I live.
RebelRikki: Hope my email helped! Haha, no one's 'just a lowly reader'. You're a writer yourself, so I really appreciate reading reactions from other writers. Thanks for reading!
Sil3ntdeath: Thanks much! I'll check it out!
Riley17: Heh, I'll pretend that that wasn't what I planned to do the whole time so that everyone blames you for all my evilness.... Hehe...
DanishGirl: Thanks! Keep reading, please! Love ya!
Angel baby7: Thanks, and sorry for the late updating! Hope you enjoy!
ss: Oh, I don't know if she'll be breaking up with Ron... But then again, who knows? So many possibilities... Hehe...
willowfairy: Geez, thanks for talking to my Muses, now they've bombarded me with evil, mean things... I sure hope you like evil, mean things, cause it's your fault, lol. :)
Katrina E Malfoy: There ya go, hope you like it!
moondocc: Oh, I get worse. Don't worry. :) Hehe..
Psycho Chic: Ahh, I hope you keep feeling better, being sick sucks (it's why it took me so long to update).
Mrs. Nikky Weasley/Grint: Oh... gee.. I didn't mean to leave that cliff-hanger... or the previous 9... or this one... or my next several... Heh.....