Chapter 15- All an illusion

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You think I would learned after my last chapter that short ones are not good but when I wrote the last sentence of this chapter I knew it was the perfect place to stop. You will probably not agree. I'm so happy with the amount of reviews I got for my chapter 14 even though it was awfully short. Okay in this chapter there is a major twist and you'll probably think I have gone mad but this idea came into my head and I really wanted to try it out. I think there will only be about 3-4 more chapters in this story and then I am going to write one with much less plot and a whole lot more fluff. What do you think? Who should the characters be in my next story? What should the pairing be? Email me at jess_speight@hotmail.com or put in your review what you think. Also any suggestions or requests are greeted with much enthusiasm and I would love to be given story ideas. Knock yourselves out! Anyway on with the story…

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***

"And you!" she suddenly yelled, pushing him away. "You're the worst of all. All this love/hate stuff is really bugging me. Stop screwing around Draco, what's it to be? Love or hate?"

Draco lifted his head and stared straight into her eyes.

"Love!" he said defiantly.

As soon as the word left his lips there was a blinding flash of light and the world seemed to shake sending Hermione into Draco's arms. Looking wildly around them they noticed that the farm house was…fading? Then everything started spinning, they were surrounded by swirls of colours and all sense of reality was lost. Then the voices started echoing around them:

"DON'T ACT INNOCENT. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID!"

"I have been surprisingly merciful to you both. Run away little children, do not look back. I may not be so merciful next time."

"DON'T EVER LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"If Dumbledore is killed Voldemort could take over."

"DRACO, RUN!"

"The two children are not a problem, they can be easily handled."

"NO! I mean everything like nearly kis…kill you!"

"I've got you now, Draco."

"Draco you never let on that you loved the mudblood."

"I know a lot more than you think."

"You disobey me again and I'll make yours more so."

"I live only to please."

"Il y a beaucoup de choses que vous ne connaissez pas sur moi Hermione, comme, par exemple, que je vous aime de tout mon coeur!"

"I love you."

"Love!"

Hermione recognised some of the voices others she didn't, many frightened her and as the last voice boomed around them she let out a shriek.

"ARE YOU ENJOYING THE GAME, MY CHILDREN?" the voice belonged to none other than Lord Voldemort.

***

Draco gripped Hermione to his body and wondered what the hell was going on, suddenly, as quickly as everything had begun it stopped. Draco and Hermione fell onto a hard surface and lay there panting for a few minutes, Draco was the first to raise his head and survey their surroundings. He immediately whished he hadn't as he saw they were encircled by the robed and silent death eaters amongst which was his own father and that outside the circle they made there was pitch blackness. Hermione and himself seemed to be lying on a stone floor but it felt strange to the touch and it was also midnight black. Draco rose shakily to his feet and faced Voldemort's supporters rebelliously.

"Well?" he snarled looking at each death eater in turn. A few of them, Draco was pleased to see, shifted their feet nervously. Lucius spoke up.

"Didn't you enjoy the game Malfoy? Aren't you having fun anymore?"

"What game? What are you talking about?" Draco was confused as well as angry.

Lucius let out a cruel and mirthless laugh.

"Don't tell me that a son of mine couldn't pick an illusion when he was in one. Ever since you got off the Hogwarts express you've been in a world conjured up by Lord Voldemort and myself. For a while you escaped us which is quite a feat for two underage wizards."

"Why?" Draco asked even more perplexed, "why would you put Hermione and I in an illusion?"

"The dark lord prophesised that you would one day join with a mudblood girl and through your combined powers conquer him. We decided to set up a number of challenges to discover who the mudblood was and to get rid of her. If you fell in love and admitted your feelings you would be automatically released from the illusion and transported here. That mudblood there," and he pointed at Hermione who was only just beginning to stir, "was chosen as the first subject and it turns out she was the one."

"An illusion!" Hermione muttered, "the expulsion and everything, all a game set up by Voldemort." Her face darkened a deep red and her eyes became coals of fury. "You BASTARDS!" she screamed throwing herself at the nearest death eater, kicking and lashing out at him. The man grunted and fell over with a vicious Hermione laying into him with everything she had. Draco would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious but he hurried over and scooped her up in his arms before any of the other cloaked figures had time to react. She struggled a little but then he felt the fight go out of her and she leant against him, breathing heavily.

"So what happens now?" Draco asked, dreading the answer. Lucius smirked and this time Draco sensed he had genuine pleasure in his next announcement.

"Well the prophesy has rather strict rules about how the danger is nullified. In order for the power to be lost one of you must kill the other…"

***

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Well, well, well. The plot thickens so to speak. What did you all think please let me know in your review (subtle nudge towards the blue box below!)

Thankyou to:

Calypso in love: Thankyou very much for saying so. I think Hermione should rule. Usually she does, she just happens to be a little pathetic in my story!

G*ness: I think goodness just about sums up your review. I said "Goodness" in surprise when I saw how long it was and it was filled with goodness! I can't believe how nice your comments were! Thankyou, thankyou, a thousand times thankyou!

Chikata: Well I love them so too bad! Thankyou for expressing your opinion!

NeverSayDie: Thankyou so much for saying so. It was really great.

Steph C: Ha. Ha and don't I know it!

Ravenclaw's Graduate: Thankyou so much for your review and that was precisely why I wrote that chapter, so that I would have at least posted something!(p.s. I loved 'the most valuable thing you own', really sweet!)

StarShine: I wish I could draw, my friend draws the cutest sailor Saturn's! You didn't scare me too much and I'm happy you reviewed again!

weetziefairie: I think Herm does agree it's just that she doesn't have the chance to tell him yet! Thanks for your review.

Kate: yes I know (*hangs head in shame*) but if you put these two chapters together it is about the size of a normal chapter!

Mione G: Well Hermione does attack a death eater in this chapter so I guess that is a little spunkier! Thankyou for saying cliffies rule. I totally agree.

Rory: Hermione didn't cry in this chapter! Yeah, and they thought it would never happen! Thankyou for saying it is great!

Violet Blues: Thankyou for all of your reviews. I like your French very much! Well no need to track me down here is the next one.

Anna Marie: Nicolas can't really be dumped because 1. Hermione wasn't going out with him and 2. he was an illusion as you find out in this chapter! Yes I know I am a big meanie but you love me really!Thankyou.

JudgeDP: Wrong but hey it was a good idea! Thankyou as always!

Sucker For Romance: As you wish (brrn watching too much Princess Bride)… thankyou.

Icy Stormz: Nicolas was anything but gay but no need to worry as he didn't really exist! I'm so glad you thought it was sweet this one is a bit darker.

Kristina: well I hope the ways are interesting, I would like to go out with a bang! Thankyou so much for your review.

Amo il ragazzo: A lovely long review, ah I do love them so! I hope your like/dislike thing isn't as life threatening as Draco and Hermione's and that it resolves itself soon and that it turns into love! Yeah cliffies are great so don't knock 'em! Thankyou so much for saying I am talented! Some would simply call me twisted for the whole Lucius thing but never mind. I do like peanut butter but only the crunchy kind smooth is awful! I'm so happy you like my fluff, I love fluff and I'm sure your fluff is fine. Thankyou again!

Gaille: Okay you can't hate an illusion so everything is fine! Thanks for saying it was fantastic, you're fantastic too!

Strife21: wow I'm becoming quite dizzy at being thrown around so much but I do love it so! Unfortunately there isn't too much fluff in this chapter but in my last few there will be so much you will be gagging on it. Thankyou my ever constant reviewer.

Cyberbunny: Absolutely this is me, writing more. I love Easter I will be able to write heaps more!

Kml: Okay, okay, here it is. I hope it satisfied you! Thankyou.

Darkillusion: If you kill me I really won't be able to write any more! I'm so happy you love my story! Yippee! Thankyou!

And that's all my thankyous out of the way. What did you all think of this chapter? I thought it would be a different variation on the fluff theme. However there is still plenty of fluff in me. I originally thought that Harry and Ron would come in and save Hermione but now I don't think so. Do you agree? Any way thanks for reading and expect the next chapter really soon!

Love Jess J