* Draco's Angel *
* Chapter 6: A Light At The End Of The Tunnel *
*By Cyber Gal *
Draco Malfoy awoke the next morning to the sound of bushes rattling. For a moment he forgot about the bushes and focused on his surroundings. His head was pounding and it felt as if it were going to split open. He thoughts on last night were mostly blurred but the same picture kept appearing in his mind. Draco saw his mother's lifeless body sprawled on the floor, her eyes blank and emotionless. Mostly, he remembered how cold she felt. He would never forget the icy feel of her fingertips as he touched her motionless hand.
Draco shivered. He felt very cold, not just cold on the inside, but cold all over and inside of him. Draco suddenly stiffened up, trying not to feel grief as the bushes rattled again. If it was anything his father ever taught him, it was not to feel grief or sadness. He had been taught that grief and sadness lead to pain, and pain leads weakness. Weakness was something that Draco's father would never have.
There was another loud rustling noise coming from the bushes. As Draco leaned forward, he saw two eyes staring back at him. But before Draco could react, a figure emerged from the bushes and lunged at Draco. Having to surprise attack advantage, the future shoved Draco, hard, against a nearby rock. It jumped on top of him and pinned Draco to the rock, sending shooting pain all through his body.
"What the fuck?" Draco screamed trying to move out of the things grasp. But it was useless since the creature was much stronger then Draco. All the noise that was going on suddenly awoke Hermione from her sleep.
"Draco! What the…Sirius?" Hermione asked confused. "Sirius what are you doing?"
"Well I'm trying to save you're life if you don't mind," Sirius replied. He returned his attention back to Draco and pointed his wand at Draco's heart. "What the hell do you think you're doing. I knew we couldn't trust you and your family. But Dumbledore wouldn't listen."
"Fuck you," Draco hissed glaring up at Sirius. Sirius just shoved him harder into the rock sending more pain shooting through Draco's body. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
"You didn't do anything wrong?" Sirius repeated him sarcastically. "Well kidnapping Hermione and bringing her as a prisoner to your wretched house fits under my category as wrong."
"Sirius," Hermione tied to explain. "Draco didn't do anything wrong. If anything, he rescued me, not you,"
"What?" Sirius asked baffled.
"It was Lucius Malfoy who kidnapped me and locked Draco and I up in his dungeon. He's working for Voldemort," Hermione explained again.
"Hermione they must have you under some sort of spell," Sirius continued not letting go of his firm grip on Draco. This is the Malfoy's we are talking about here. They're known for supporting the Dark Lord. He's probably working right along side his father and Voldemort!"
"I hate when people talk about me like I'm not here!" Draco yelled up at the two of them. "And I am not working for Voldemort. The guy's totally crazy."
"See Sirius," Hermione said folding her arms across her chest.
"Hermione," Sirius said getting annoyed at her stubbornness. "Can't you see he's lying! I mean look at those little beady eyes. I've learned that you can't trust people with eyes like that. They're just like Wormtail's and look how he turned out!"
"I do not have beady eyes!" Draco screamed at the top of his lungs. "Why are you comparing me to Wormtail!?"
"Sirius I am not under a spell and Draco is not working for Voldmeort. Sure he can be a little evil, mean hearted, cruel-"
"Hermione!" Draco interrupted her.
"Sorry," she replied. "Sirius you have to trust me on his one."
"I'm sorry Hermione but I'm taking any chances. Stupefy!" Sirius yelled and Draco fell limp against the rock. He carelessly threw Draco over his shoulder, took his wand, and returned back to Hermione. "Hermione don't get all angry at me. Just think what you would do if you were in my place." Hermione scowled at him and folded her arms across her chest. Sirius sighed and started walking back the familiar path to their tents with Hermione behind him.
* * * * * * *
"Ah, Lucius. It's a pleasure to see you," Lord Voldmeort said sounding pleased. "How are the children?"
"Um, well you see master…"
"Very good. I think now would be a good time to bring them up to me."
"Master," Lucius hesitated. "They escaped."
"What?" Voldemort yelled slamming his fist down and jumping up from the table. He grabbed the front of Lucius's cloak and yanked him up into the air.
"They, they got away. My, my wife. She helped them. It wasn't my fault master!" Lucius stammered.
"Wasn't your fault?" Voldmeort laughed. "I thought I could trust you with my plans, but no. I was wrong. You're just like the rest Lucius, and now you most suffer." Voldemort dropped the trembling Lucius to the floor and returned to his desk. "But I think I've got a better plan now. Yes a better one indeed. Unfortunately for you, Lucius, you messed up twice. You were supposed to make Draco weak, weak enough that I would be able to control him." Lucius gulped. For once he was actually scarred. Voldemort was known for torturing those who disobeyed him. "But yet, he's not weak Lucius. In fact, he's got a very strong will and he's able to over come all of this. You screwed up again Lucius! AGAIN!" There was a silence in the room. "But luckily," Voldemort continued. "I've got a better plan." Voldemort took a piece of parchment from his desk and started to write something on it. Lucius couldn't see what was being written, but it looked like a lettter. When Voldmeort was finished, he folded the letter in half, and wrote something on the front. "Here Lucius," Voldemort said handing the letter over to him. "I've got a real easy job for you. Please go down the owlery and send this to Maria Silver." Lucius nodded and took the letter. "Oh, and Lucius," Voldemort added when Lucius was at the door. "Don't mess up."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Oh thank god you're all right," came the voice of Professor Lupin. He ran up to Sirius and Hermione and grabbed them both in a giant hug. "I thought something might have happen to you."
"No, fortunately I'm fine," Hermione replied giving Lupin a smile. "Sirius didn't tell me you were here."
"Well with all you're constant bickering, I didn't get a chance," Sirius answered.
"Bickering? Why, what's wrong?" Lupin asked worried. "And Sirius, who is that?" Lupin asked pointing to the body of a boy Sirius had over his shoulder.
"It's Draco," Hermione explained scowling some more at Sirius. "Sirius stunned him because he's a good for nothing little-"
"It's all very simple Remus. Hermione has been put under the Imperius Curse and Draco here, was in on it. The real Hermione would have had more sense to believe that the son of Lucius Malfoy is on our side."
"I'm fine! Sirius quit being an ass!" Hermione yelled at him.
"All right you two. Calm down. I believe you Hermione, but we can't take any chances. You know that. So Sirus, we have an extra tent, you can put Draco there - Hermione don't look at me like that. I won't give into you." Remus said strictly. "I know you're going to be mad at the both of us but if you were under a spell, just think of what could happen." Hermione sighed.
"Alright. Ut when you finally figure out that I'm not under a spell, you're both going to owe me big apologies.
"If that's the case, then yes. Sirius and I will apologize. But for now, we have to lock him up.
"Well I'll let you two chat while I go and lock Draco up, ok?" Sirius asked. Remus nodded.
"Anyway Hermione. I need to know what happened while you were inside the house. This is very important. We need to know everything."
When the three had finally settled down, it was late at night. Hermione was inside her tent, lying on her bed, but she couldn't go to sleep. She looked around to the room. It looked similar to the tent she had slept in while her, Harry, and the Weasley's were at the Quidditch World Cup. Hermione had been camping in tents before, but she enjoyed wizarding tents much more. Inside they were just like miniature house with furniture or anything that you would want to bring.
Hermione had the sudden urge to go check on Draco. She felt really bad about what had happened and that he had been falsely accused. Quietly, she got up and opened the door leading out side. Remus and Sirius had gone into their own tents, and Hermione could here their snores. On the far edge of the clearing was the small tent that was Draco's
"Draco?" Hermione asked stepping inside and letting the door shut behind her. This tent had only one room and was very dark. There was a bed in the corner of the room, and she could she Draco lying on top of it.
"What do you want?" He mumbled. His was lying on his stomach with his head buried into the pillow.
"Draco," Hermione said again placing a hand on his back.
"Ow, don't touch there. My back is killing me.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione replied snatching her hand away. "I mean I'm not sorry for that, but for everything. Sirius is being an asshole and I don't know why. I know you're innescent but they don't believe me." Draco sat up wincing a bit at first.
"Don't apologixe. I hate apologies."
"I'm sorry - wait, never mind. I just wanted to say thanks. Without you, we'd still be locked up in that dungeon and Voldmeort would have won. In a way, you saved my life," Hermione replied quietly.
"Please stop," Draco answered. "Don't say that because I know you don't mean it."
"Yes I do. You have no write to tell me what to say or what not to say!"
"Just don't, okay Hermione?
"No you hear me out. I'm sorry Draco. I'm sorry that you're father wrecked you life by getting involved with Voldemort. I'm sorry that your mother died and I'm sorry that you're father was so cruel to her. I'm sorry that you couldn't have had as good as life as everyone else because that's what you deserve. Draco, you can be mean and cruel sometimes, but I know somewhere you have a heart. Don't deny it Malfoy because you do. Why can't you always act the way like you did last night. I liked being with you last night Draco, I really did. You're good to talk to when you cut all the obnoxious crap. I'm sorry that you don't act that way more because then I could have gotten to know you better. I'm sorry that I ever used to pick on you and lastly, I'm sorry that you're locked up in this tent!" Hermione sighed It was good to get that off her chest. She was sitting on the side of his bed nervously awaiting for him to say something.
"I'm speechless," Draco replied after several minutes.
"Yeah, for once," Hermione added half-smiling. "I don't know what's going to happen from here on in Draco. I fact, I'm totally cluless. More has happened to me this past couple days then in my whole entire life. But I wanted to tell you that I like you being yourself. You dpn't have to put of that touigh guy act. That just makes me hate you more. There is one thing I do know. Whatever might happen in the future, I know I'd like it better if I was with you." Something inside Hermione clicked. She didn't know what she was saying, but she knew it was all true. Everything she had ever felt was being released and she couldn't stop it, nor did she even want to.
She looked into those sad blue eyes and then she felt her lips meet Draco's. She melted into the kiss and felt her knees buckle out below her. Always quick with his reflexes, Draco caught her, and pulled her closer to him. Hermione had never kissed someone like this before. She had always liked Harry, but not like how she felt about Darco fight now. All her other kisses had just been out of attraction for the other person, but this was pure desire and almost, hunger. The kiss broke only for a second so the two of them could breath. Then they returned and Hermione felt her heart beating faster then it had ever beaten before. The two were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice someone stepping into the tent with them.
"Malfoy! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" came the voice of the stranger.
It was Harry.
The End (until the next chapter)
Ahhh! Today I'm really short on time so I didn't get to check spelling! I know there must be tons of mistakes in here! Well…how was that chapter? Looks like Harry came up at a bad time, huh? Anyway Sirius was being a real ass…don't mind him. But I did, as requested, bring in Sirius and Lupin. There was only a little bit of them in this chapter, but there will be tons more later. Why do all my romance stories turn into action and adventure? Every time I try to write a good romance story it always has tons of adventure in it. I can't help it. I just sort of happens. I'm sorry if you don't like that kind of stuff
~*~Thanks Section~*~
Dracos~*~Girl-E, Trance, Lid, Ankita, Deborah Windcaster,