A/N: Tenth chapter… *gasp* There are actually events in this chapter. I didn't actually intend on writing it this way--the funeral was gonna come first--but it came out this way so who am I to complain? Anyway, I don't flatter myself on thinking you may remember the third chapter (This is, after all, the tenth), so the Kristallinneres, to all who don't remember, is the crystal globe thing that Draco gave to Harry with all the memories and… yeah.
I live up to my name (Angst) in this chapter. Draco is definitely angsting in this chapter. ('Tis a little bit of an archive fic…) We learn more about how the Unspeakables work, just a tad, and well, as I said, there are events. Wow, I hope this is going to work. Well, here it is. Chapter ten. Enjoy! And review! Please?
A/N2: Um. I reposted this again without the lyrics, because I was gonna run out right about now, in fact. So, poof go the lyrics. If anyone actually minds, I'll put 'em back, but I have a feeling no one will. The title will stay the same though. Now read!
Chapter 10
At noon on August 1st, Draco Malfoy was completely and utterly miserable.
He had spent all of five minutes setting up his few belongings in the other master suite. He carefully placed the Kristallinneres on his bedside table and tried not to look at it. He could almost see the reflection of Harry's face in it, and that was something he didn't want to think about.
"Nothing is more important than love, not even life... I did it for you, Draco, I did it for everybody.. you're free now... do what you've always wanted to do. I love you, Draco.."
Had he not known better, he would have thought he was going mad.
The voice was coming from the globe resting there on the table. How could such an object know the very words that had driven him to drink and barred him from sleep for two days?
He dared not sleep, because of the dreams that would come. He would rather pass out into a drunken stupor than lay in bed, thinking about him and dreaming of him.
Did Hermione have alcohol in this behemoth of a house?
Against his better judgment he found himself reaching for the Kristallinneres. He knew it would do no good to brood. Still he reached for the only way he could see Harry again, because that was all he wanted. A fix.
"Do what you've always wanted to do"… Harry, all I wanted was you.
A dark night on the Quidditch pitch, nobody there. The sweet taste of Harry against him, the soft touch of his skin. Breathing in the love of the one who used to be his worst enemy. A warm touch against his face, a loving touch so rare to him.
A memory he had never truly seen arose in response; Mother, when Father wasn't looking, secretly crying for her son who would eventually become just another Malfoy, killed, gone, for pointless beliefs.
It dropped from his hand onto the wooden floor with a loud thunk. Draco awoke from his reverie, and the wall he had built inside of his mind to block out everything crashed. Tears budded from his eyes and dripped down, two dark spots on his black mourning robes.
He reached for his bag, pulled out some parchment, quills, ink, and started to write.
Master Severus Snape,
I am grateful beyond reason for the letter you sent me. I will return the favor soon. But this letter is more than just a thank you, you must understand. As I am now divorced from the Ministry itself in many a way, I do not--and must--know where Narcissa Malfoy, my mother, has gone. On a personal note, I do not care what you have done with my father or where he is, but as soon as I am sure of this, I will pay any price I must to have my mother. She is all I have left in this world.
Here he bit his lip. It was getting far too personal. He touched his hand to his forehead, glanced down at the drying ink and continued even so.
Your response would leave me forever in your debt.
With esteem,
Draco Malfoy
He put down the quill, rolled up the letter and went to go out searching for one of Hermione's three owls. They were a pain, he had already figured out after only living there for six hours. He eventually found one in the bathroom, managed to get it off of the towel rack and sent it on its way.
He passed a mirror. He stopped. He took a long, hard look at himself.
"I hate you," he said to the mirror. "I hate you." It didn't respond, not that he expected it to. "I hate you because you are weak and there's no way for me to escape you. Harry was the only one who ever saw me as anything more than what I was. What I am. And now that he's gone... all that's left is you and me."
He glared into the pale, tear-bruised eyes of his reflection. "I hate you." He took a step back, and touched the near-black bags beneath his eyes. "I hate you!" he screamed, and lashed out with his wand.
The mirror shattered. Reality shattered. Draco found himself on his knees, surrounded by silver glass, shaking. "Reparo," he murmured. The mirror quickly remade itself. He slowly collapsed until his head was between his knees.
He didn't move from that position for what seemed a very long time. Finally his hand slapped against his upper arm and his head snapped up. "Hermione," he said. He stumbled up, still clutching his arm and ran for some parchment and ink.
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Hermione, for once, was not busy.
Because of the lack of, well, Voldemort, there wasn't a huge amount of research going on. Her coworker, Dianthe Donnelly, was flitting back and forth through the library doing potions research. She was currently writing a letter. It read so far:
Ron,
I had a surprise visit from Draco Malfoy this morning, and you must think me stupid if you think I don't know you sent him there. It's all right though, he's staying at my place. There's definitely space to share.
Things are much too quiet, Ron, and you know as well as I what happens when things are quiet. Keep your eyes open. I'm honestly worried, and I'm not being paranoid. Really.
"Granger," Dianthe yelled from what sounded like a very high shelf. "There's an owl at the window for you. No Ministry seal, be careful. Who are you giving the address out to, anyway?"
"No one dangerous," Hermione yelled back. "Which window?"
"East!"
The Unspeakables' library was indescribably large. The one in her office was no comparison, and only had basic books. Almost every book of magic known of was in the Unspeakables' library, and it was almost impossible to leave if you didn't either have a map or countless years of experience getting out. This was a major problem, as Apparation was impossible in the library. There was too much magic and the books resented it. The East window was somewhere close to a meter away from the table she was occupying currently.
She set her quill down, took a map from the table and started her way towards the East window. After about fifteen minutes and a few missed turns, she reached the window. One of her own owls was waiting for her there, and it looked rather harried. She coaxed it down from the windowsill and untied the letter from around its leg.
It was, as she had expected, from Draco.
Hermione,
The Mark is burning on my arm. I think Father's looking for me. Talk to the Ministry, quick, this is very important. I think the Death Eaters might be free.
Draco
She ran back the whole way and, panting heavily, crashed into the chair and finished off the letter to Ron.
Told you so. Malfoy just owled me saying that the Mark is burning. Owl me immediately if and when something happens.
Love,
Hermione
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It was dinner at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore nor Snape were at the faculty table.
Dumbledore's face was grim. "Severus… something has happened."
Snape raised his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark in its full dark glory. "I know."
A/N: Mwahaha. Suspense. I know the mirror part's weird, so sue me ^_^()… I was actually angsting myself so that just came out like that… but anyway, go and review now…
