Broken Against a Stone- Ch. 7
Hermione considered her arbitrary inclination towards Draco as she sat at her desk in her dorm room. She felt extremely anxious about talking with Malfoy that evening. It was getting close to the time designated to meet him outside of the Gryffindor common room. She was trying to be optimistic about the common room being deserted. She did not want to appear suspicious to anyone by waltzing out of the common room and bumbling about outside its door.
She picked up the chalice of water from her desk that she'd been sipping and proceeded to take a long satisfying drink from it. She felt that she needed to be well hydrated for the strenuous encounter ahead. She threw her cloak around her and strode out of her dorm room and into the common room quickly. She was pleased to see that it was indeed empty. Only the last burning embers of the fire could be seen.
Wand in hand, she whispered 'lumos' as she carefully ventured out of the door and stood by the entrance outside. It was very drafty, and that seemed to stir her already choppy emotions. She was beginning to wonder if Draco was leading her on and wanting to mock her, when she felt something delicately touch the fingertips of her hand that was at her side. She was quite startled.
Draco materialized before her-a blue vial at his lips. Hermione was aghast, yet enthralled.
"You scared the living hell out of me Malfoy," said Hermione unevenly.
She glared at him with eyes protruding. Draco merely put his index finger to his lips and then to hers, silencing her voice and her glower. He put the blue vial in his cloak pocket and pulled out another vial that was violet. He dipped his finger in the vial gracefully and put it in his mouth. He completely disappeared from view at that precise moment. Hermione was completely mystified by what she had just seen.
"Malfoy, what are you playing at"? said Hermione haughtily.
"I'll show you," said Draco translucently. "Cut the conversation-just open your mouth."
Hermione did not have an opportunity to say anything. She felt a finger on her lips coated in a cold liquid that smelled faintly of bergamot. Although she could not see him, strangely enough she trusted him. She did as she was told and allowed him to slip his finger into her mouth. Instantaneously, she could see that she had become invisible. She could see Draco in vivid color before her.
"So, we're both invisible now?" said Hermione in amazement. Draco smiled triumphantly.
"Yes, if individuals take the Aslantae draft simultaneously, they are the only ones that can see each other. No one else can view them. The Daslantae draft will make one visible to everyone again," said Draco softly.
"But how did you-
"Shhh..let's go to your room now. I don't want anyone to hear the chatter," said Draco.
He put his hand in hers and asked Hermione to lead the way. Hermione could feel her hand quake beneath his grasp. She nervously whispered "pink frost" to the unsuspecting fat lady and entered the common room. She led him across the room and into her dorm. She sat on her couch and Draco followed suit. They were still invisible. Hermione shifted timidly in her seat and gazed at Draco who looked at ease but unnaturally pasty in appearance.
"Would you like a drink or something?" offered Hermione.
"Yes, that would be lovely. I'll just have a spot of water I think," said Draco.
Hermione poured a glass of water for him from a crystalline pitcher and handed it to him. She sat back down beside him anxiously.
"I'm really glad that you suggested to meet Draco," said Hermione with as much accuracy and precision as she could possibly mouth the words. She did not want to appear outrageously disheveled by his presence.
"I'm glad to be here Hermione. I'm sorry about before-but you don't know all there is to know about me by any means. You only seen a falsehood of what I am intended to be by others," said Draco.
"Well, you can first enlighten me by letting me know what the situation with that hooded entity was about," said Hermione. The level of boldness she put forth in that statement overwhelmed her.
"The 'figure' as you refer to it, was my uncle Canterlivius," said Draco in a matter-of-fact tone. "He came to tell me about my family's plans for me. He rather disagrees with the nature of what is being scheduled. As far as his peculiar sense of fashion, he has always been my father's eccentric brother."
Hermione found that an outpouring of curiosity was taking over her body. She decided it was appropriate to dig deeper.
"But it seemed the he only said one word to you at the most. He vanished within a nanosecond. Why didn't he just owl you or something," said Hermione breathlessly.
"The only word he said to me was 'prepare,' said Draco. "He wants me to prepare for the worst in other words. Father wishes for me to attend deatheater meetings with him so that I can be initiated into the coven of Voldemort's realm of sacred knights. Voldemort has been forming a union of dark knights to help continue work in his cause. They are called the Tenebrous Coalescence. They are to spread his sick way of life if anything should happen to him."
"But are you refusing to get involved," said Hermione with steady cadence.
"Yes, and that is precisely the trouble," said Draco. "Father intends for me to return to Malfor Manor during the Christmas holidays in order to discuss matters with me. He is not ecstatic with my so-called insubordinate refusal. So, I have been under quite a bit of unwanted strain."
Hermione was exceedingly bemused by Draco's confessional. She could not seize the concept of him sharing this personal information with her.
"Why are you professing this to me," said Hermione listlessly. She still had her defenses ready for an assault.
"Because I have never in my existence had anyone who remotely cared for me," said Draco with amorous truth etched into every syllable. "I am only a pawn to my family and I have no one here at Hogwarts to confide in."
Hermione's vision began to swirl. Sounds and all that surrounded her became lucid. She had never heard such a profound utterance from such a person. She could never conceive that Draco would say something like that to a "mudblood" life herself. She looked at him with a thirst for understanding embedded in her skin.
"But you consider me to be a "mudblood," said Hermione. Why have your sentiments changed so radically from when I met you after the Halloween ball?"
Draco looked at her soothingly.
"I came to the utter realization that my father and certain members of Slytherin house have programmed me into a vacant bastard for ages. I do not think that you are unclean Hermione. My family instilled the principals of magical hierarchy in me at a very tender age. Even though I loathe my father, some distasteful habits can become challenging to destroy. It is especially trying when one is around Slytherins all day who think you are completely deranged if you don't see things their way. I no longer desire to be a prisoner and a loyalist to the name Malfoy."
Hermione could not help hear the muggle poet Shakespeare of her youth encircle the threads of her memory with a voice that chanted "deny thy father and refuse thy name." Hermione viewed Draco with a new type of consciousness. She no longer felt the uncertainty of times past. She felt as though she understood what it was like to exist in his troubled life. She wondered what could possibly be done to sort out his predicament.
"What are you going to do?" said Hermione in a determined yet pensive sort of voice.
"I an not really sure to be quite honest. Everything is so complicated and tedious right now. But I think that if the most clever girl at Hogwarts has befriended me, I have a better chance of not being Avada Kedavraed," said Draco with light humor.
"I'll do what I can," said Hermione.
She leaned over to remove a droplet of opalescent moisture that had collected in the corner of Draco's mouth. She delicately wiped it away with her pinky and let her hand rest on his forearm. His seemingly paper-thin flesh amazed her. His skin reddened underneath her touch. She looked up at him and could see that Draco was devoid of the duplicity that had made its home in his eyes for as long as she had known him. His eyes now emitted immeasurable empathy. Before any sort of inquiry could be formed in Hermione's mind about the placement of her hand, she felt his carmine lips close over hers. The first colors of the kiss could be seen behind Hermione's closed eyes. Grand shades of purple and red danced with small circles, as their mouths became vessels of gorgeous entwinement. Hermione felt power behind this kiss. It was a union of an almost desperation of being. As the kiss descended, they looked at each other with bated breath.
"Thank you," said Draco with a growing smile.
"For what?" said Hermione distractedly.
"For being here to listen and comprehend. Thank you for offering to help, but most importantly, thank you for being no one else," said Draco. "I need to leave now Hermione, but I don't want to. Crabbe and Goyle will be wondering why I'm not in my bed. I just cannot bear listening to them tomorrow." But you will encounter me again sooner than you think. I swear to you. Now, you've got to take the Daslantae before I leave."
He pulled the blue vial out of his cloak pocket. Hermione looked at him strangely.
"How did you come across that potion? Surely it is dark natured," said Hermione.
"Yes, it is unmistakably a dark arts potion. My father taught me how to brew it when I was fifteen. It is made with a base of bergamot oil and coriander," said Draco.
He dipped his finger into the blue vial and pressed it to Hermione's lips.She accepted it and became visible again, no longer being able to see Draco. He let his finger linger a bit then caressed her cheek with a glorious satin stroke. Hermione found it very odd-the concept of an invisible person touching her.
"I will see you again very soon," said Draco as he swept his hand through her hair and left the dorm like a wisp of smoke from a recently extinguished candle-with only the fragrance remaining.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I think that their relationship is scrumptious. I can almost smell the bergamot in the air! Until next time- -CheersDahling "I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am." -Sylvia Plath
Hermione considered her arbitrary inclination towards Draco as she sat at her desk in her dorm room. She felt extremely anxious about talking with Malfoy that evening. It was getting close to the time designated to meet him outside of the Gryffindor common room. She was trying to be optimistic about the common room being deserted. She did not want to appear suspicious to anyone by waltzing out of the common room and bumbling about outside its door.
She picked up the chalice of water from her desk that she'd been sipping and proceeded to take a long satisfying drink from it. She felt that she needed to be well hydrated for the strenuous encounter ahead. She threw her cloak around her and strode out of her dorm room and into the common room quickly. She was pleased to see that it was indeed empty. Only the last burning embers of the fire could be seen.
Wand in hand, she whispered 'lumos' as she carefully ventured out of the door and stood by the entrance outside. It was very drafty, and that seemed to stir her already choppy emotions. She was beginning to wonder if Draco was leading her on and wanting to mock her, when she felt something delicately touch the fingertips of her hand that was at her side. She was quite startled.
Draco materialized before her-a blue vial at his lips. Hermione was aghast, yet enthralled.
"You scared the living hell out of me Malfoy," said Hermione unevenly.
She glared at him with eyes protruding. Draco merely put his index finger to his lips and then to hers, silencing her voice and her glower. He put the blue vial in his cloak pocket and pulled out another vial that was violet. He dipped his finger in the vial gracefully and put it in his mouth. He completely disappeared from view at that precise moment. Hermione was completely mystified by what she had just seen.
"Malfoy, what are you playing at"? said Hermione haughtily.
"I'll show you," said Draco translucently. "Cut the conversation-just open your mouth."
Hermione did not have an opportunity to say anything. She felt a finger on her lips coated in a cold liquid that smelled faintly of bergamot. Although she could not see him, strangely enough she trusted him. She did as she was told and allowed him to slip his finger into her mouth. Instantaneously, she could see that she had become invisible. She could see Draco in vivid color before her.
"So, we're both invisible now?" said Hermione in amazement. Draco smiled triumphantly.
"Yes, if individuals take the Aslantae draft simultaneously, they are the only ones that can see each other. No one else can view them. The Daslantae draft will make one visible to everyone again," said Draco softly.
"But how did you-
"Shhh..let's go to your room now. I don't want anyone to hear the chatter," said Draco.
He put his hand in hers and asked Hermione to lead the way. Hermione could feel her hand quake beneath his grasp. She nervously whispered "pink frost" to the unsuspecting fat lady and entered the common room. She led him across the room and into her dorm. She sat on her couch and Draco followed suit. They were still invisible. Hermione shifted timidly in her seat and gazed at Draco who looked at ease but unnaturally pasty in appearance.
"Would you like a drink or something?" offered Hermione.
"Yes, that would be lovely. I'll just have a spot of water I think," said Draco.
Hermione poured a glass of water for him from a crystalline pitcher and handed it to him. She sat back down beside him anxiously.
"I'm really glad that you suggested to meet Draco," said Hermione with as much accuracy and precision as she could possibly mouth the words. She did not want to appear outrageously disheveled by his presence.
"I'm glad to be here Hermione. I'm sorry about before-but you don't know all there is to know about me by any means. You only seen a falsehood of what I am intended to be by others," said Draco.
"Well, you can first enlighten me by letting me know what the situation with that hooded entity was about," said Hermione. The level of boldness she put forth in that statement overwhelmed her.
"The 'figure' as you refer to it, was my uncle Canterlivius," said Draco in a matter-of-fact tone. "He came to tell me about my family's plans for me. He rather disagrees with the nature of what is being scheduled. As far as his peculiar sense of fashion, he has always been my father's eccentric brother."
Hermione found that an outpouring of curiosity was taking over her body. She decided it was appropriate to dig deeper.
"But it seemed the he only said one word to you at the most. He vanished within a nanosecond. Why didn't he just owl you or something," said Hermione breathlessly.
"The only word he said to me was 'prepare,' said Draco. "He wants me to prepare for the worst in other words. Father wishes for me to attend deatheater meetings with him so that I can be initiated into the coven of Voldemort's realm of sacred knights. Voldemort has been forming a union of dark knights to help continue work in his cause. They are called the Tenebrous Coalescence. They are to spread his sick way of life if anything should happen to him."
"But are you refusing to get involved," said Hermione with steady cadence.
"Yes, and that is precisely the trouble," said Draco. "Father intends for me to return to Malfor Manor during the Christmas holidays in order to discuss matters with me. He is not ecstatic with my so-called insubordinate refusal. So, I have been under quite a bit of unwanted strain."
Hermione was exceedingly bemused by Draco's confessional. She could not seize the concept of him sharing this personal information with her.
"Why are you professing this to me," said Hermione listlessly. She still had her defenses ready for an assault.
"Because I have never in my existence had anyone who remotely cared for me," said Draco with amorous truth etched into every syllable. "I am only a pawn to my family and I have no one here at Hogwarts to confide in."
Hermione's vision began to swirl. Sounds and all that surrounded her became lucid. She had never heard such a profound utterance from such a person. She could never conceive that Draco would say something like that to a "mudblood" life herself. She looked at him with a thirst for understanding embedded in her skin.
"But you consider me to be a "mudblood," said Hermione. Why have your sentiments changed so radically from when I met you after the Halloween ball?"
Draco looked at her soothingly.
"I came to the utter realization that my father and certain members of Slytherin house have programmed me into a vacant bastard for ages. I do not think that you are unclean Hermione. My family instilled the principals of magical hierarchy in me at a very tender age. Even though I loathe my father, some distasteful habits can become challenging to destroy. It is especially trying when one is around Slytherins all day who think you are completely deranged if you don't see things their way. I no longer desire to be a prisoner and a loyalist to the name Malfoy."
Hermione could not help hear the muggle poet Shakespeare of her youth encircle the threads of her memory with a voice that chanted "deny thy father and refuse thy name." Hermione viewed Draco with a new type of consciousness. She no longer felt the uncertainty of times past. She felt as though she understood what it was like to exist in his troubled life. She wondered what could possibly be done to sort out his predicament.
"What are you going to do?" said Hermione in a determined yet pensive sort of voice.
"I an not really sure to be quite honest. Everything is so complicated and tedious right now. But I think that if the most clever girl at Hogwarts has befriended me, I have a better chance of not being Avada Kedavraed," said Draco with light humor.
"I'll do what I can," said Hermione.
She leaned over to remove a droplet of opalescent moisture that had collected in the corner of Draco's mouth. She delicately wiped it away with her pinky and let her hand rest on his forearm. His seemingly paper-thin flesh amazed her. His skin reddened underneath her touch. She looked up at him and could see that Draco was devoid of the duplicity that had made its home in his eyes for as long as she had known him. His eyes now emitted immeasurable empathy. Before any sort of inquiry could be formed in Hermione's mind about the placement of her hand, she felt his carmine lips close over hers. The first colors of the kiss could be seen behind Hermione's closed eyes. Grand shades of purple and red danced with small circles, as their mouths became vessels of gorgeous entwinement. Hermione felt power behind this kiss. It was a union of an almost desperation of being. As the kiss descended, they looked at each other with bated breath.
"Thank you," said Draco with a growing smile.
"For what?" said Hermione distractedly.
"For being here to listen and comprehend. Thank you for offering to help, but most importantly, thank you for being no one else," said Draco. "I need to leave now Hermione, but I don't want to. Crabbe and Goyle will be wondering why I'm not in my bed. I just cannot bear listening to them tomorrow." But you will encounter me again sooner than you think. I swear to you. Now, you've got to take the Daslantae before I leave."
He pulled the blue vial out of his cloak pocket. Hermione looked at him strangely.
"How did you come across that potion? Surely it is dark natured," said Hermione.
"Yes, it is unmistakably a dark arts potion. My father taught me how to brew it when I was fifteen. It is made with a base of bergamot oil and coriander," said Draco.
He dipped his finger into the blue vial and pressed it to Hermione's lips.She accepted it and became visible again, no longer being able to see Draco. He let his finger linger a bit then caressed her cheek with a glorious satin stroke. Hermione found it very odd-the concept of an invisible person touching her.
"I will see you again very soon," said Draco as he swept his hand through her hair and left the dorm like a wisp of smoke from a recently extinguished candle-with only the fragrance remaining.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I think that their relationship is scrumptious. I can almost smell the bergamot in the air! Until next time- -CheersDahling "I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am." -Sylvia Plath