* Draco's Angel *
* Chapter 10: Coals of Fire *
* By Cyber Gal *
"Holy crap! Malfoy wasn't kidding when he said his house was big!" Ron muttered as he stared up at the large castle before him. Hermione held onto her silver ring tightly as she looked up. Malfoy Manor stood high up on a hill, overlooking the small village beneath it. Hermione found the whole village almost funny, as it was very small and poor, while Malfoy Manor was, well rather large. The manor gave the village a dark and gloomy look and it was almost like outsiders weren't welcomed. Hermione shivered. She didn't know what was happening inside that castle. She knew Draco was inside, she could feel it. But it wasn't a good feeling either. It was telling her to get inside as fast as she could; or else something horrible was going to happen.
"Hermione," Ron said taking his eyes away form the castle. "Now how are we supposed to get in? I mean I don't think Lucius Malfoy would take it very well if we showed up on his door step demanding for Harry and Malfoy back."
"Ron, don't be such a prat," Hermione replied giving him a sharp look. "Just shut up and let me think for a moment."
"Wait a minute Hermione," Ron demanded. "You dragged me out to this castle on this urgent spur of the moment rescue mission and now your telling me that you don't even have a plan? I thought you were the smart one!"
"Ron your not helping the situation!" Hermione yelled back at him. "Look, before I wasn't thinking-"
"Yeah, I'll say so!" Ron muttered.
"Ron!" Hermione gave him a murderous look. "But I am thinking now."
"Ok good, your thinking. So what's the plan?" Ron asked.
"I'm not done thinking," she replied glaring at him.
"Well do you want to know what I think?"
"Not really."
"Well I'm going to tell you anyway. I think that since we don't have a plan and this is obviously a suicide mission, we should just run up to that door, break it down, and barge in."
"Ron do me a favor?" Hermione asked.
"Sure what?"
"Don't think!"
"Well at least I'm doing some thinking!"
"Ron don't start with me," Hermione glared at him. "If you would stop talking, then maybe I could get some thinking done!"
"Alright fine. Have it your way."
"Fine," Hermione repeated. Ron sighed. He didn't even know what he was doing here, or even why. Hermione had woken him up and dragged him out with her and on this crazy adventure.
"Ahhhhh!" Hermione yelled awakening Ron from his thoughts.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing Ron. I have an idea!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Well don't get too excited," Ron muttered sarcastically.
"Ron," Hermione replied giving him another dirty look. "What are the only type of people that the Malfoy's let into their house?"
"I don't know Hermione," Ron mumbled "But if your plan is for Lucius Malfoy is to invite us into his house then you better think of another one fast."
"No Ron. That's not my plan. Think."
"Um………Voldemort?"
"Close."
"I don't know. Satin himself?"
"No! Think!"
"I don't know Hermione. Death Eaters?" Ron guessed.
"Yes!" Hermione replied happily.
"Well great plan but where do you suppose we'll be able to find a Death Eater in this amount of time?"
"Right there!" Hermione answered pointing around the bend of trees to a long pathway leading up to Malfoy Manor.
"Ok. So you've found a Death Eating. Now what?" Ron asked confused and obviously not getting Hermione's plan in the least.
"While you've been talking aimlessly about nothing, I've been watching that door that leads into Malfoy Manor. Do you see that reddish light coming off of it?" Ron nodded following her gaze at the large door. "Well I'm betting that the reddish light coming off of it is some kind of identification spell that only let's in certain types of people, like Death Eaters for example."
"Well good observation Hermione but I don't see how that's going to help us," Ron replied still not understanding.
"You didn't let me finish. If the person's identity is correct, then the red light stop for a couple of seconds to let the person through the door, meaning for those few second, the spell is turned off."
"And…" Ron said still utterly confused.
"And, those couple seconds are enough for us to get inside." Hermione finished, smiling at her own brilliance.
"Oh, ok I see know." Ron replied starting to get her plan.
"Good, but before we sneak in there's one more thing I need to do," Hermione said.
"Like what?" Hermione didn't respond but instead ducked behind one of the bushes and aimed her wand right at the walking Death Eater.
"Please forgive me Dumbledore and the rest of the Ministry of Magic. I am doing this for a good cause," Hermione whispered softly. "Imperio!"
"Hermione!" Ron yelled shocked. What the hell did you do that for? You could be sentenced to Azkaban for life!"
"Ron don't you think I know that. Look, we have to have him under our control, just in case," Hermione explained.
"How the hell did you learn to do that?" Ron asked both curious and shocked at the same time.
"Well, let me ask you this? Why is it that I only spend a week at your house every summer and that you can only get in touch with me at certain times throughout the summer?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Ron replied again looking confused. "You're always busy, or away."
"Well what would you say if I told you that that was all a lie." Hermione asked, teasing Ron a bit.
"I'd say you better start doing some explaining!" Ron demanded.
"Ron I would have told you, but McGonagall and Dumbledore made me swear to keep this a secret. You see every summer I go away to this defense training camp where I learn a bunch of different defense spells to protect myself," Hermione explained.
"But, why?" Ron asked.
"Well Dumbledore and McGonagall figured that since I was close friends with Harry Potter and that I am one of the smarted witches to ever enter Hogwarts, that I would need to learn how to protect myself, you know, in case anything bad ever happened."
"Wait a minute! I'm best friends with Harry Potter, so why don't I need protection?" Ron asked feeling left out.
"God Ron!" Hermione yelled getting annoyed. "You're impossible!"
"Me impossible? I wouldn't be talking Miss I-know-everything-and-I'm-always-right," Ron added matter of factly.
"Ron just shut up and lets get going," Hermione said angrily throwing the Invisibility cloak over the two of them and heading forward towards Malfoy Manor. Hermione held her breath as her, Ron and the Death Eater approached the large door leading into Malfoy Manor.
"Ron," Hermione whispered. "As soon as that red light goes off, run as fast as you can into the house. Understand?" Ron nodded in response. Suddenly the large doors opened revealing a huge front entrance room with a large marble staircase ascending upward to the many floors of Malfoy Manor. As commanded, the Death Eater stepped forward. There was a slight pause and then suddenly the red light stopped. Hermione and Ron ran, as fast as they could, through the front room and into a smaller one adjacent from it. Hermione let out her breath slowly as Ron shut the door behind them.
"Well now Hermione. Now that we've got into Malfoy Manor, what do you plan on doing next?" Hermione smiled devilishly. "Why do I get the feeling that this is a really bad idea?" Fifteen minutes later Hermione banged on the closet door. "Ron let's go! Come out now. You're wasting time!"
"I'm not wearing the pants!" Ron whined from behind the closet door.
"Why not?" Hermione asked finally prying open the door. "Oh, I see," Hermione replied looking him over. "Ron I must say that you look very good in leather pants." Ron turned bright red. In fact, Ron did look quite good in tight leather pants. Hermione smiled to herself as she pictured how good Draco would look in them.
"I can't even bloody walk in these pants! They're so tight!" Hermione laughed. "I can't believe I'm wearing a Death Eaters clothes! I can't believe I'm in Malfoy's house! I can't believe-"
"Ron!" Hermione replied giving him one her now famous glares.
"Hermione aren't they going to notice my face?"
"Well they would be able to, but after I'm done with you they'll just think you're one of the guys."
"Wait a minute Hermione. What are you going to do?" Ron asked.
"Oh you'll see," Hermione replied. "Now this might hurt a bit."
"Ow!" Ron cried as Hermione muttered a spell under her breath. Suddenly the features on Ron's face started to change. His normal red hair started to thin and became a dark brown. His nose became bigger and rounder and his eyes changed to a sort of blackish color. Ron's freckles started to fade and in their place stood a tiny white scar on his left cheek.
"Let me guess. You learned this from your defense camp?" Rona asked when the transformation has stopped.
"No actually it's a beauty spell from Witch Weekly, I saw it under the headline 'Look Like Your Favorite Witch Stars.' It's sort of like the Polyjuice Potion, but you don't become that person, you only take on some of their features, and it only lasts for about two hours. Here, take a look at yourself," Hermione finished handing him a small pocket mirror.
"Yuck!" Ron yelled as he stared into the mirror. "I look like Millicent Bulstrode!"
"By the looks of all that cat hair on your clothes I'd say you just became her father," Hermione replied trying not to laugh.
"This is great Hermione." Ron sighed. "Just great."
The End (until the next chapter)
Well everybody the title to this chapter is called Coals of Fire. It's from a biblical passage and it means getting revenge on your enemies, sort of what was happening in this chapter. Anyway I know I said this was going to be the second to last chapter but I changed my mind. The next chapter is the second to last one. So…I'm not going to say much because I'm afraid that I'll spoil the ending for those of you that have really followed the story and paid good attention. Anyway just be aware, what you think you know is not always right…especially in this story. In the next two chapters everything will be explained, and all your questions (like who the hell is that Maria Silver) will be questions answered. Well I have made up my mind and there will definitely be a sequel to this story. I think it's going to be called Draco's Angel II: Amor Aeturna. Amor Aeturna means Undying Love in Latin. Thanks Tara for translating it for me! Anyway, What do you guys think of the title? Would it make you want to read? I might change it though. Anyway please visit my Draco's Angel web site and join the group. So far it's been a lot of fun and we've even started out own round robin. If you care to visit go to
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~*~ Big Thanks Section ~*~
Ankita (no I'm sorry, sadly enough Lucius Malfoy is not going to die even though I want him too. You see I've got this good idea planned out and he's involved in it so you see, I can't kill him off…yet) hey (yeah I guess Harry did get dumped) Angie (sorry about the cliffhanger but their sort of like my trademark now since I do them in every single chapter)