Disclaimer – Everything you recognise, belongs not to me, but the talented JK. Anything else is more than likely mine.
Authors Note – Another Pansy Draco story, our favourite couple. This is going to get quite dark and our three favourite main characters are going to be shown in quite a different light.
Crudelis Ferreus
Chapter Three – Torn"Well done Draco, you have bound her to yourself just in time to thwart me,"
Everyone fell silent. My Mother froze mid step and my Father froze in mid congratulatory kiss with Narcissa. Draco pushed me from my perch and stood up, a muscle in his cheek beginning to twitch. I stood up with him and stepped forward, only to find myself meet his arm.
No one even breathed.
"Parkinson I wish to converse with you," Draco's hand grabbed my arm. The Dark Lord smirked nastily.
"She is safe, Malfoy," he began, "Am I not a man of my word?"
And he is. It is a pledge of The Dark Lords that he will not touch any woman already betrothed or engaged when they join The Death Eaters. Hence there was an increase in the number of Slytherins getting engaged in their last year. I had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. What if that was the only reason Draco asked me to marry him? At least it showed he cared for my safety. But it could be addressed later.
He reluctantly let his hand fall. I walked toward my Master, who placing his hand on my back swept me out of the room. I can tell you his touch did not cause pleasant shivers on my skin.
"I have a new mission for you, Pansy," he said abruptly. He always cut straight to the chase.
"More dangerous than any you have previously been on. And if you don't perish, I might consider terminating our bond. I feel as though I can trust you, as you have never let me down."
Way to build someone's confidence, "If you don't perish."
"What is it you ask of me Master?"
He smirked and swept me away from prying ears.
"He wants you to what?" Draco jumped upwards on the bed, banging his head on a low beam of wood.
"Oh fucking hell," he said irritably.
"Draco how dare you use such language in front of a Lady," I said in a falsely shocked voice.
"Don't mess with me Pansy," he replied rubbing his head.
"Here" I said, sitting next to him on the bed and kissing the red mark that was forming. Draco jerked away. I felt hurt I must say. But I said nothing.
"He wants you to break into Gringotts and steal the most heavily guarded item in the world?" he repeated my earlier words, "It's bloody insane."
"It's going to be bloody fun though," I reply. It will. I haven't been on a proper mission since the last time I met Potty and the Weasel with Granger in tow.
"Not for me it won't. I'll have to sit at home worrying about you."
"Draco you sound like a girl." I said in a frustrated tone.
"I don't care what I sound like, I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," I said grabbing his hand, "Draco anyone would think you cared"
He sat watching me all the while I prepared. Black catsuit, cloak and wand. Hair tied back. That was all I needed. He was silent until I told him it was time. I'd stayed at Malfoy Manor since he had proposed, in Draco's quarters, although we hadn't actually, you know, gone all the way.
"Make's me wish I'd already shagged you" he grumbled. I swatted at his head.
"I love you," he whispered into my hair, squashing me against him.
"God anyone would think you thought I wasn't coming back," I tried but failed to grin.
"Don't say that," he replied, "I'd have to find a new wife then and that would prove most difficult."
"Why? There are plenty of eligible young women queuing up to marry you" I replied with a certain smugness to my tone.
"Yeah but none of them are you."
Ok so I had arrived at the dingy back entrance to Gringotts. Dingy about summed up the grotty little hole in the earth in front of me.
"I have to crawl through that," I whispered, wondering why I was trying to look upwards at my head. It just wouldn't work.
"Yes," he hissed, "There is no other way to enter the building secretively, even for one as powerful as you."
"If I'd been given more than five days to prepare I would have found something" I muttered mutinously.
"Parkinson," came his warning tone.
"Well, here goes nothing" I thought and I thrust my head and shoulders down the dank hole.
"Lumos," he muttered impatiently. But before I had a chance to reach for my wand something slimy grabbed me around the shoulders and dragged my whole body into the hole. It pulled me forwards and with astonishing speed began to carry me down the twisting tunnel. Instead of fighting I let it carry me, if the thing tried to eat me when we got to the end of the tunnel I'd blast its head off.
Roughly five minutes later the slimy thing deposited me into a puddle and disappeared.
"Nice service," I muttered, trying to brush slime and earth off my clothes.
"Time for that later," he said, "Get to the chamber."
I pulled out my wand and muttered "Lumos". I was in a larger tunnel, the ceiling stretched out for miles above me.
"Fancy," I muttered. Heels sticking in the mud I began my journey along this new tunnel.
"Pity they didn't have a slime-thing to carry you down this tunnel," I muttered an hour later, "When I get out of here I'm definitely putting in a complaint."
"Have you still not found it Parkinson? Wait… around this corner…"
And there it was. A rough wooden door in the mud wall opposite me. I ran the rest of the way and crouched next to it. "Most heavily guarded item in the world?" I'm beginning to think they have overestimated it.
Ok now what have they put on this door and where is its centre?
You see when witches or wizards put certain guarding charms on doors they have to make a part of the door a centre, so they can open it themselves. Or if you're me you can use any object under the sun as a centre. Imagine the funniness of a horde of Ravenclaws stampeding out of a room because the door kept locking and unlocking by itself. Hilarious.
Anyway back to the door. It seemed to have no handle, the usual centre. In fact it had no distinguishing features at all. Which made me think…yes there it was. A mound of mud sticking out a few centimetres from the wall. I tapped it lightly and the door swung violently open, knocking me to the floor.
"Oh for fucks sake," I mutter.
"That wasn't very ladylike now was it," he taunted.
I ignored him and cast my wands light into the room. It was bare except for a pedestal in the centre.
"Now remember," he said, "Step on the wrong stone once and sections of floor will fall away. Twice and the remaining stones will turn explosive."
I nod. Now the fun starts.
Firstly though I need more light.
"Sunlita," I shout and a great, yellow, flaming ball forms in my hand. I throw it upwards and it settles near the ceiling. Light suddenly blazes outward from it, filling every nook and cranny of the room.
"Perfect" I said. I slowly step into the room, making sure I'm standing on the small amount space between the door and the first stones.
"Right so I'd need to know which of you babies will fall away," I said. To be honest I didn't know if this would work but hell I'd give it a go.
"Relous Secriti" I shouted. For a moment nothing happened. Then huge chunks of floor began to fall away.
"Not good," I mutter.
"On the contrary, very good Parkinson. You are rid of half of the wrong stones already. Now just find out which stones have explosive tendencies and avoid them."
Easy.
"Relous Exploi" I shout. Half the remaining stones glow bright red.
"So all I have to do is avoid them? Piece of cauldron cake,"
I jumped and landed lightly onto the first stone. Then the second, third fourth and fifth. The sixth was a little harder, on a wonky diagonal but I made it. Now I was getting cocky. The next one I back flipped over to. Only two more now. I stepped onto the second to last and grinned. I had to make the final jump something special. Turning my back to it I threw my weight forward and then backward into a back somersault. Unfortunately for me I landed awkwardly, my foot only a centimetre away from a glowing stone. Throwing out my arms I gradually brought my balance under control. Then grinning I turned to the pedestal.
"Oh fancy putting all those absurd protections on the room and not even spelling the stone," I exclaimed grabbing the tiny crystal off its stand. So this little thing was what I'd come to collect. Pitiful.
"That was a nice show you put on for us Parkinson," a familiar voice commented. I spun round on my heel, my expression turning from anger to amusement in the blink of an eye.
"Weasel, and Potty. Oh and the Mudblood. What a treat!" I said with false brightness.
Granger's expression was so proud you'd have thought she had already locked me Azkaban. Doesn't that girl realise I'm not beaten until I'm dead?
"Shut it Parkinson," she said, "There's no getting away this time"
Potter just stood contemplating. I didn't like the way his brain was ticking, probably working out why some blocks were glowing and others weren't. I hoped to The Dark Lord they didn't understand the protections this place was under.
They obviously didn't as Ron blindly took a step forward, thankfully onto a non-glowing stone. He was inanely grinning from ear to ear. Stupid boy. I dared not move, just watched his feet. If he weren't careful he'd blow me to kingdom come.
Another step onto a non-glowing stone. But my sigh of relief caught in my throat as he brought his foot up again. The step directly in front of him, the one he was aiming for, was glowing a deathly red.
Thankfully Potter called out before he placed his foot down, "Wait Ron. She doesn't want you to step on the glowing ones."
Damn him and his heightened perception.
"Ok" Ron said slowly, blindly trusting. He made his way over to me, avoiding all the glowing stones, his long legs making ease of the jumps mine hadn't. There was no glorious finish when he reached the closest non-glowing stone to me however.
"Put the crystal back, Parkinson," he said triumphantly, "And come quietly."
That was his undoing. Quick decisions had to be made. Eying the distance between us my mind was set.
"No,"
Quick as a flash and before he could react I threw myself toward him, knocking him off balance. Harry and Granger watched on in horror as Ron tumbled toward a gap in the stones. Trying to save his own life he reached out and grabbed the nearest stone. Unfortunately for us all it glowed red.
"Ron," the Mudblood screamed as I threw myself into the air. The stone beneath me exploded, as did all the stones, sending pieces of rock flying through the air. As I opened my mouth to shout a spell one flew at me out of nowhere. It caught me a thudding blow to the head. I screamed as I began to plummet toward the vast blackness that had once been the floor. I froze suddenly in mid-air though. My head snapped toward Potter. His wand was out and he looked determined.
"Thanks Potter," I whispered before disappearing before his very eyes.
"You have yet again made me proud Pansy," The Dark Lord said, "Please stand. Once I have made the necessary arrangements I will honour my word and remove our bond. Until then I hope you enjoy the new term at Hogwarts."
I turned to go.
"And well done for saving us the job of eliminating another Weasley."
"As we begin a new term I am afraid I must start it with some distressing news. Another member of our school community has lost their lives in the fight to defeat Voldemort,"
I shudder. How dare anyone not worthy speak his name?
"Ronald Weasley. A popular Gryffindor and worthy member of the cause lost his life three days ago whilst trying to protect a valuable crystal, " Dumbledore's gaze travelled over to me, "Our thoughts are with his family, whom have already given so much for our cause. It doesn't seem a year since we announced the death of his younger sister, Ginny. Our thoughts are with them all."
Students rose to pay their respects to the Weasley's. Except me however. Draco stayed in his seat too, as did most Slytherins. I grabbed Ferkis, a first year, as she jumped out of her seat and yanked her back into it.
"We don't commemorate Gryffindors," I spat.
"Especially ones you've killed," Draco whispered in my ear, "Did I remind you of how much I love you for ridding the world of that twerp?"
"You did and I hope that's not the only reason you love me?"
"Of course not" he said, planting a kiss on my cheek, "There are a thousand more."
"Good because I was going to disembowel you if you said yes and that can get messy."
"I know. And stains are so hard to get out of your school uniform"
I eyed a piece of brown toast apprehensively.
"Eat it," he ordered.
I've said before, you never disobey an order from a Malfoy.
Granger eyed me all the way through Potions. It got to me so much I accidentally spilt a whole jar of Ketiux Solution into my Transforming Potion.
"Whoa Pansy," Draco exclaimed, "Careful. You'll blow us all to smithereens."
Granger made a strange short of shriek and rounded on us, "It wouldn't be the first time," she hissed. Potter grabbed her arm, his face emotionless.
"And it won't be the last either," I hissed back at her. She dived for me but Potter held her back.
"Mr Potter, Miss Granger if you do not wish to lose your house fifty points each, I suggest you both get back to brewing your potions," Professor Snape's silky voice cut in.
Reluctantly they both turned back to their cauldrons. Draco was on his feet next to me, seething.
"When I get my hands on Potter…" he began to mutter.
I just put my hand on his shoulder and pushed him back onto his stool.
That evening as Draco escorted me from the Great Hall after dinner I caught Potter and Granger eyeing me nervously from a dark corner, whispering suspiciously. I decided not to mention it to Draco, it was probably nothing more than, "One day we are going to get her," They were going to be in for a long wait.
"So no more being in your head then?" Draco asked for the umpteenth time.
"No more being in my head," I repeated. We lay stretched out atop my bed, arms around each other. Draco was letting his fingers slide teasingly up and down my spine, sending shivers along it.
"Pansy," he said, "You know we have been together for some time now?"
I nodded; completely mute to what I thought he was about to say.
"And how we are going to spend the rest of our lives together?"
I nodded again.
"Well I want you to sleep with me."
So like a Malfoy, I want.
"There's nothing I want more," I replied, entangling my hand in his blonde locks. He rolled on top of me, catching my lips with his own. One hand slipped under my school shirt, brushing up the tender flesh until it reached my breast. He brushed over it, the barest of touches. But it drew a moan from my lips. His hand slid back out from under the shirt and his fingers hurriedly reached to undo the buttons whilst his lips hurriedly tried to devour my neck.
The shirt unbuttoned I arched upwards as he pulled it from around me. Kissing passionately we crashed back down onto the bed. His hands slid round to my back, hastily unclasping my bra. I slipped it off as his lips traced their way from my neckline down toward that tender, newly revealed flesh. He cupped one in his hands and his lips were reaching toward it when the door flew open.
He shot round to face it as I scrabbled for my school shirt but we both froze in shock.
Potter and Granger came crashing through the door.
To shocked to react Draco was knocked to the floor as Potter dived for him. I dived toward my wand on the bedside cabinet but Granger shouted, "Petrificulus Totalus" with so much satisfaction in her voice I wanted to punch her. But there was nothing even I could do in this state without my wand.
"Get your filthy Mudblood hands away from her Granger," I could hear Draco shouting. I couldn't see him however. Granger meanwhile tried to hoist me off the bed but even my slim figure was turned into a deadpan weight with this curse.
"I can't lift her," she moaned. Rolling me over I spied Draco. He was struggling like mad to try and free himself from creeper-like vines, which had worked themselves up the far wall. If I could have I would have screamed the counter curse at him, it didn't even require a wand.
"Pansy," he roared, "Keep away from her Potter. If you touch any part of her, I swear I'll kill you and every person even distantly related to you."
Harry said nothing but noting that there was no way Draco could escape he crossed toward me. I noted with satisfaction that when he realised I was naked from the waist upward a blush crept onto his cheeks.
"Could we, um, cover her up do you think Hermione?" he asked, manfully averting his eyes.
"Yeah I suppose we should," she replied. Grabbing a spare blanket from the end of my bed she slung it over me. I suddenly wondered why none of the other Slytherins had come to investigate the source of the noise.
This seemed to have crossed Draco's mind as well as he began to shout, "Help Slytherins help. Potter and the Mudblood have entered our common room. Did you hear that? A Mudblood in our common room."
"It's no use Malfoy," Potter said, "We placed a silencing charm on the room,"
Draco did indeed fall silent.
"Come on Harry, hurry up," Granger whispered nervously.
"Potter when I get out of here I will kill you," Draco hissed. But his eyes were on mine.
Potter grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me upward.
"I love you Pansy," was the shout that carried me out of the common room.
Through the school they ran, not taking nearly as many of the secret passageways as I would have when walking the school at night. Then again they were Gryffindors. They didn't have a sneaky bone in their body. Or did they?
This is what they must have been planning after dinner. This little kidnap. Well when that Mudblood took this curse off me she was going to get a nice surprise. And when Draco got free there would be hell to pay.
We stopped outside of the Fat Lady; the portrait I had discovered hid the opening to the Gryffindor common room in my first year. Hey did I not say I am a terrific spy?
Anyways with great difficultly they finally managed to get me through the portrait hole and into the actual common room, a horribly cheerful place full of mismatched furniture. If I could have shuddered I would have.
Anyway we carried on right up into what I must assume was the boys dormitories. Granger went round and charmed the other boys and then Potter kicked upon a trunk at the end of what could only have been his bed, and dropped me into it.
Yes he dropped me into it.
A magically enhanced trunk so large that the inside was actually a cave. I landed with a loud thud. Potter dropped down lightly beside me and pulled a pouch out of his pocket. Opening it he pulled out a glimmering purple stone. I willed my body to move back but it couldn't. His hand slowly reached out, my eyes on it all the time, and rested in front of my forehead. The next minute the stone was no longer between his fingers but embedded in my head.
"Hermione take it off her now,"
Heres my chance. I fell suddenly limp and had to lie there for a full minute before I regained my senses. Then shrieking I tore toward Granger. She was taken aback and didn't move in time. I slammed into her, the force sending her to the ground with me on top. I got in a few good punches before I felt Harry's arms around my waist. Sinking my hands into her bushy mop I grasped hold of it tightly. Granger screamed as Harry tugged at me and I in turn ripped at her hair. The next minute there was only air below me and I was holding two huge clumps of brown hair. I threw them at Granger in disgust. She was curled into a ball on the floor, sobbing away.
Harry placed me feet on the floor. Oh how I longed to fling all those horrific dark curses I knew at him. But I couldn't. That stone in my forehead stops all magic.
Well maybe not all. I still had the connection with my Master.
"What on earth do you think you're up to Potter?" I span on my heels to face him. God when did he grow? I practically have to bend backward to look into his eyes. "How dare you touch me."
"You killed Ron," he stated simply, but he blushed and pushed the blanket toward me"Now you're going to pay. You're going to help us for awhile."
"You think I'm going to help you?" I scoffed.
"If you don't we'll kill you," Granger spat, dragging herself to her feet. Oh she was going to have a good black eye tomorrow morning.
I rolled my eyes, "You wouldn't dare,"
"Try me," she said, her voice deadly low, "You killed my best friend and my one true love. I wouldn't hesitate."
"Oh boohoo" I shot back.
She smirked however. Now that worried me.
"You'll know how it feels soon" she replied, still smirking.
"You lay one hand on Draco and I swear I will turn you inside out and keep you as a statue," I spat. I was slightly panicked now.
"Hit a nerve?" she said, "Don't worry Parkinson. It won't be us that does the killing."
"What do you mean?" I said narrowing my eyes. Potter however decided to intervene.
"Come on Hermione," he said, "It's late and we have classes tomorrow."
She signed and floated off toward the light that was the common room. Harry followed her. I waited until darkness surrounded me before I sank to my knees. You never show weakness in front of the enemy.
But anyway I had the Dark Lord. He would send help or notify Draco.
"Master," I thought, "Master I need help. Please Master reply"
But I felt as if it was falling on deaf ears. That part of brain that remained fuzzy wasn't there. I started to get a sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Master," I called, panicking, "Master. MASTER?"
I began to bang my hands against the hard floor, as tears began to fall. I hit them harder and harder, until deep pools of blood surrounded me. Then finally I sank downwards, the dark enveloping me.
Minutes away in the Slytherin common room Draco was being placated by Professor Snape and Blaise. An owl flew into the room through the chute that led to the Slytherin common room from the owlery.
It dropped the letter on Draco's head and flew quickly away. Luckily for itself since Draco shot round with a murderous look in his eye. He picked up the letter and ripped it open quickly.
His hand went limp and the letter floated down onto the floor.
The Dark Lord had cut the connection, moments before Potter and Granger had burst upon the scene. Pansy now had no way to contact them.
