A/N Just to point out, I changed a few things in Ch 12....nothing big, just
a couple words to make it sound better.
I know that once again I have once again posted before this chapter was reviewed by you Brit, but as with the last one, I'll fix almost anything you tell me to! Lol, unless I have a good reason not to, as I did with that last bit of the last chapter. 2003 better be a more productive year, hope you all have a safe and happy new year. Don't drink and drive, or buy discount condoms. Lol
Disclaimer: "You are neurotic and depressed, it doesn't mean that you are sad." ~Everclear (Band)
"I wrote this fic and sired it, it doesn't mean that I should get any credit" ~Mandy (Author)
I know I know, my disclaimers are really beginning to suck, but what can I say? I try. At least my chapter titles are pretty good.
CHAPTER THRITEEN: Cessation of Agony
By now, it had been a week since Draco had gotten a good night's sleep, and it was beginning to show. Hermione had noticed and repeatedly asked him if he was alright; she was worried. Draco couldn't bring himself to tell her what really was wrong, even through he knew she would understand. He was afraid of altering the future in any way that could cause him to lose what information he had.
Draco had had the dream again. It had happened at night, while Hermione slept, and he wasn't quite sure whether he had done it purposely or not. Draco had been sitting there, awake, thinking about trying to remember again. What had scared him the most was that he hadn't remembered on his own, not since the few flashes he had seen before remembering entirely. Usually the premonitions would come back to him; he would remember small details at unexpected times and had to piece them together himself.
Suddenly, Draco felt his brain lurch and knew what was coming. He held tight to Hermione, who, as always, was resting on his chest. He tried to stay quiet, not wanting to wake her, but the dream had started and Draco found himself unable to control his actions.
The dream was exactly the same, down to the gash on her neck he had noted before. The dialog was the same, and Hermione still begged him not to drink the tea. As he woke, Draco observed Hermione first, trying to determine if she were awake.
"Hermione?" he whispered. No answer. Draco relaxed a bit and thought back on his current situation. The dream had been the same, meaning he had been successful in not changing the future. Also, Hermione had still asked him not to drink her tea, and Draco was glad.
The tea was the only indication he had as to when the mystery man captured her. The tea with Harry had not been 'that' tea, and he had known it, but still did not drink it... just in case. Now all there was to do was wait for Hermione to make him tea, but Draco didn't like having to wait for something he knew was terrible. He sighed.
"I love you too much, Hermione... really," he whispered to her, then smiled. It was true, but he didn't want it any other way.
* * * * * * * * * *
Hermione woke with only one thought on her mind. She had gotten used to sleeping with Draco, and was no longer greeted by an uneasy feeling when she woke. This morning, she woke up frustrated and worried.
"Draco, you better not be awake..." she whispered under her breath. She couldn't see his face, so she couldn't be sure if he was or not.
"Hermione? Go back to sleep, love...it's only a quarter after six," he said with care. Hermione did not heed his word and pushed up with her arms to look at him. She looked angry and worried, and Draco was bewildered. "What?" he asked, sheepishly. She sighed, the worry overpowering her anger now.
"Draco, why are you never asleep when I wake up? I know you well enough to know that you've probably never been up this early in your life, without reason, and now, suddenly it doesn't matter when I wake, you're always there." Draco didn't know how to answer that. He couldn't tell her, and he knew she wanted him to. In the end, he decided on a smile and a cheery shoulder shrug. Hermione was not satisfied.
"You'd rather I not be here?" he said smugly, knowing he was twisting her words. She sighed again, sadly.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. I'm just worried about you." He placed a gentle hand on her cheek, comforting her.
"Don't be. I'm fine, really," he assured her. Hermione placed her hand on his and smiled.
"I don't believe you," she said.
"Then don't, but I'm fine." He was smiling and it was reassuring. She nodded and rested herself back on his chest.
Draco did not tell her about the dream, hoping it was the right choice to make. She already suspected something and telling her about it would only make things worse, making her more suspicious. He sighed, but made it sound more cheerful that he felt. He was glad she trusted him enough not to be too inquisitive, but he knew she was still worried.
Hermione tried to think of a reason why Draco was always awake; there had to be a legitimate excuse. She knew the premonitions had worried him and she believed that he had seen them, but it was hard to believe without seeing it herself. It had been almost two weeks since he had had the dream, and it hadn't reoccurred, so Hermione didn't really believe that was the reason.
She didn't think he was ill, although he had been looking terrible the last few days. Hermione even briefly considered that he might have taken it to heart when she complained about having to wait for him to get up, but brushed the thought away. Draco wasn't that ignorant. Something was defiantly wrong, and he wouldn't tell her. It hurt that he was keeping something from her, but she knew he must have a reason.
Hermione and Draco stayed that way for maybe a half an hour more, not speaking. Draco had his hand placed gently on her shoulder, caressing it with his thumb. Hermione had almost fallen back to sleep, but Draco took a deep breath and yawned, jolting her awake again. She smiled; so he wasn't indestructible. She squeezed him close to her for a moment, then shifted to get out of bed. Draco looked a little disappointed, as well as exhausted, and she smiled at him. Hermione stood from her berth and walked from the room without a word.
Draco watched her leave, then closed his eyes. He wanted to stay in bed forever, but it was vital to Hermione that he stay awake. He needed her more than he needed sleep. Draco got up and slunk into the common room. Hermione wasn't there, but Draco was not immediately overcome with worry, but was still in enough of a right mind to realize that she should be here and wasn't.
"Hey, Hermione?" he called, sitting down.
"Yes, Draco?" came her reply from the bathroom. **Where else would she go, her room?** he asked himself sarcastically.
"Oh wait, never mind," he said as if he had wanted to ask her something, but had figured it out himself. She didn't reply except to turn on the water in the shower. Draco sighed, she would be in there for a while, and he was alone with his thoughts. Draco thought about possibly studying, but dismissed it. Both he and Hermione had read almost every book in the library and if there was a question on that test he didn't know the answer to, it couldn't be that vital of information. Draco sat there, alone, and before long unwillingly closed his eyes. He fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, not waking until awoken.
Draco was only allowed to sleep for about fifteen minutes; awoken abruptly by the bang of the bathroom door. Hermione exited, but did not notice Draco there until he spoke.
"Alright?" he asked groggily. She looked to him and realized that she must have woken her baggy eyed inamorato. Hermione walked to the couch where he was sitting and sat on the edge next to him.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Go back to sleep, Draco... everything is fine," she said gently as if coaxing him back to sleep. Draco wanted to take up the offer, but knew better.
"No, I'm alright, Hermione," he said, sitting up a little straighter. Now Hermione was becoming frustrated with him. She spoke calmly, however, not wanting to alert him to her anger.
"Don't lie to me, Draco. You haven't slept in days; did you think I wouldn't notice? Please...you're no good to me like this." She was right, but Draco wouldn't let himself admit it. He couldn't sleep; he had to watch out for her...but he wasn't quite sure how much longer he could last. He looked at Hermione, almost pleadingly. She looked back, the same way. He couldn't say no to her. Draco knew he would never forgive himself for sleeping now, but his exhaustion clouded his judgment. He nodded, looking defeated. Hermione smiled widely and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. She rose and left him there, hoping he would sleep for at least a few hours. Draco took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and drifted off to prayers for Hermione.
* * * * * * * * * *
There was another dream. It was almost the same as the previous dreams, and it occurred about an hour after Draco had fallen asleep. Hermione was sitting by the fire, reading, and watching Draco sleep. She was glad he was; he had seemed distant the last few days... as if waiting for something.
Draco had not dreamed previously through his short sleep, but now the images were clear. He noticed it was much brighter than either of the other dreams had been, but the scenery was the same. Everything was the same. Hermione still lay broken and torn on the ground, victim to an unknown number of thins, the mysterious man still stood above her laughing as he had before, and Draco still was not present. Fully aware of what was happening, Draco was nervous. It was the same, but during the day... would it end the same?
He felt his heartbeat slow as Hermione cried out to him; 'Don't drink the tea, Draco! Please!' The tea was all he had, and he had to hold onto it. He woke, immediately after the dream, suddenly. His eyes popped open and he lifted his head. Draco noticed Hermione sitting in the chair closest to his sofa and sighed in relief.
Draco felt better, but he was still exhausted. There was no way he would let him self go back to sleep now, however. Hermione noticed Draco's head rise and looked to him casually. She smiled, but Draco could see the disappointment behind it.
Hermione felt guilty; she was the reason Draco could sleep. She was flattered, but a little angry. **Why does he think I can't take care of myself?** She sighed; he was just worried about her. Draco cared about her and he wanted to make sure he was there to rescue her if anything happened. Hermione couldn't be mad at him; he was right; she did need him.
Draco could have flipped her feelings around and asked her if she was disappointed that he was back, but he knew that wasn't what she meant and this didn't seem a time for joking. Hermione cared about him and had only best intentions for him. She was trying to hide her concern, and that made him smile.
"Hey," she said quietly, knowing it would be much harder to get him to sleep again.
"Hey," he repeated, grinning. Hermione smiled and looked back to her book.
"That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" she said calmly, smirking and not looking back up. Draco smiled and picked himself up from the couch. He stepped toward her, still smiling. Then, he planted a kiss firmly on her lips.
"Yes, Hermione. It was," he whispered into her ear and quickly turned to make his way to the bathroom, not waiting for her reply. She watched him go and frowned slightly as he closed the door. ** I'll never get him to go back to sleep now; I have to do something. This is getting out of hand...** Hermione seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then smirked deviously; you could almost see the light bulb flash on above her head.
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco showered as quickly as possible, taking only the amount of time needed to hastily cleanse himself. He used a spell to dress and emerged from the bathroom after only about five minutes. Hermione looked up in surprise as she heard the door swing open.
"That was quick," she said absentmindedly. Draco took it as disappointment and looked hurt. Hermione noticed, "What?" she said, concerned. He sat back down on the sofa and looked at her seriously.
"Am I annoying to you?" She was taken off guard. Hermione would have come back with sarcasm if not for the look on Draco's pale face.
"What?" she asked, disbelieving. "Whatever would make you think that?" Draco smiled weakly. He was glad for her reaction; it meant her answer was no. However, Draco knew he had to give her a truthful explanation, and that made him nervous. He took a deep breath; why was he always sharing his feelings with her? He had never told anyone else how he felt, and he had turned out just fine. **Oh wait...good point.** Draco started rambling, as he often did when Hermione asked him a heartfelt question.
"Well, a while ago there was that "I don't want to talk about it' thing..." Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Draco cut her off. "Wait, before you say anything, just hear me out, alright?" She nodded and he continued, "Well...then there was that 'I've been waiting for two hours for you to get up'. After that, the 'Why are you always awake, and there' conversation, which goes along with 'Why don't you just go to sleep?' Now, you make a comment about me not taking long enough in the shower... so I ask again, do I annoy you?" Hermione sat there with her mouth hung open in shock. ** How could he misconstrue the situation so badly?**
"No, Draco... it's not like that," she said quietly. Then, reality seemed to fall back around her and she perked up, trying to explain. "We already talked about me not wanting to talk about it...I was messed that day; I didn't even know what 'it' was. When I said I'd been waiting for you, I had...but I wasn't complaining.
I would do it again, except you haven't been sleeping. I didn't ask you why you were awake and suggest that you go to sleep because I didn't want you there, just because I'm worried about you. Draco, you haven't slept in days...that's unhealthy." She paused briefly, "And about the shower; I was just stating the obvious. You weren't in there for more than five minutes, at most." Hermione smiled and Draco sat there, no longer looking hurt, but more like he was trying to comprehend her words. "I love you," she ventured, trying to please him. Draco looked at her and smiled.
"I know," he whispered.
* * * * * * * * * *
They had talked for a while, but now all was silent. Draco sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, eyes glued open in a frightening manor. Hermione was at her desk, busily doing something with her hands. She got up and walked over to Draco, holding something out to him. Draco was too exhausted to notice her presence until she spoke.
"Here, drink this," she said kindly. Draco looked to the cup in her hands wearily.
"What is it?" he asked suspiciously and she smiled.
"It's just tea. If you insist on staying up, it won't hurt to get some caffeine into your system." For a moment Draco was happy; she understood why he had to do this. Then, understanding and recollection overcame him and he paled considerably. Draco took the cup cautiously into his hands, afraid of it. Hermione was beaming.
"Tea? You said it was tea?" he asked, knowing she had. Hermione nodded and her voice echoed through Draco's head. ** ' Don't drink my tea, Draco....please!' ** He shuddered and turned to look at her. "What did you put in it?" he asked sternly, obviously convinced she had.
Hermione's smile broke and she paled a little.
"H-how did you...?" she said in disbelief. Draco's eyes filled with terror. She thought he would be angry and immediately tried to explain. "I'm sorry! I had to do something, I couldn't let you go on like this! I didn't want to deceive you, Draco... I was desperate," she said, a tear or two falling.
"This is not good Hermione, not good at all." Hermione knew now that he wasn't angry, but rather very scared. She was semi-confused.
"What do you mean, Draco?" she asked, honestly not knowing.
"The dreams, I've had them twice more," he informed her, now looking down to the floor tearily.
"Oh, Draco...why didn't you tell me?" Now Hermione was scared.
"In them, each time, you begged and begged me not to drink 'your tea'. I didn't tell you because if I did, it would have affected your actions regarding it, and the tea was all I had to go by. This is the tea you warned me not to drink; this is the reason I wasn't with you when you were taken," He said and paused before looking to her. "What did you put in this?"
"J-just some Negrosphamine potion..." she said, shaken and scared.
"Seven hours then, Hermione. Sometime within the next seven hours, something is going to happen," he told her, trying to remain calm. She nodded, too many emotions were overpowering her; she couldn't cry. "But it's different now... I am not drinking that. I'm here, now, Hermione... and I'm not going to leave you."
Hermione threw herself at Draco and he held her tight to him, as if holding onto life. In Draco's eyes, he was. Hermione was his life and he was desperately close to losing her.
"I love you," he whispered, not letting go of her. Hermione squeezed him as tight as she could and began to answer back.
"I lo-" Hermione's sentence was interrupted by her sudden disappearance. Draco gasped.
"Hermione!!" he shouted as he jumped up. She had vanished into thin air... it had started.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Wouldn't it be incredibly evil of me to stop right there? Mwa ha ha! Well, that would be a short chapter....and I am only moderately evil, so I don't see why I shouldn't continue....
* * * * * * * * * *
"...love you too," Hermione said and opened her eyes. She gasped and threw herself backward. "Wh-who are you?" she demanded of the hooded figure that stood before her. The mysterious man only laughed coldly.
"I didn't know you cared, Miss Granger." Hermione, scared beyond comparison, got up from the ground as quickly as possible and began to run. She ran through the trees of what she subconsciously assumed was the forbidden forest. Hermione hadn't gone far when she tripped over a loose tree root and slid across the rocky ground.
She gasped as she felt the sharp sticks and stones cut through her legs. Hermione was crying now, and her tears mixed with the blood from her cuts, dripping onto the cold earth. She hunched up against a tree and tucked her knees under her chin, just sobbing.
Hermione could hear the laughter get louder as the mysterious hooded figure moved closer to her. She closed her eyes and thought of the one thing she knew would keep her going; Draco. ** He didn't drink the tea, he'll come for me...I know he will...**
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco panicked. Her ran frantically through the common room screaming her name. Heart racing, he check the bathroom, both bedrooms, and the balcony, not really expecting to find her. Draco shrunk to the floor, devastated and helpless. He was on the balcony, kneeling on the ground, with his hands over his eyes.
Suddenly, his head perked up. A scream echoed across the Hogwarts' grounds, and it send shivers up Draco's spine. Relief mixed with intense fear and worry as he recognized the voice.
"Hermione?" he whispered; then shouted, "Hermione!" Draco leapt to his feet and flew back through the common room to the portrait, then out into the halls. Coincidentally, he ran through the painting and directly into Professor Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy! What are you doing?" he asked in his traditional drawl with an added bit of surprise. Draco was hysterical and couldn't speak coherently.
"Professor! Hermione! Gone...tea, forest...help!" he said quickly and took off running. Snape looked surprised for a moment, but his expression changed quickly and he hurried off in the direction opposite Draco.
Draco flew down the many staircases to the main doors of the castle. He hurried out, into the afternoon air, and headed immediately for the forest. More than half way across the expanse, he skidded to a stop. **I'll never find her on foot...it's impossible.** Then he thought of something and turned immediately to the Quidditch field.
* * * * * * * * * *
By this time, Hermione had already been subjected to various curses from her unknown attacker, and was hovering inches from the ground in an intense battle against the man.
"Where is this lover of yours, Miss Granger? I see now how much he loves you," he said, dropping his current curse and letting Hermione fall to the ground in a heap. Hermione cried harder; she was sure Draco would come, but he hadn't. She was getting worried...**What if I was wrong...what if he doesn't come?** She couldn't let herself think that way; he had to come. He loved her, she was sure he did.
"He does love me! Draco will come, I know he will!" she screamed at the man, who chuckled to himself. Then, a voice that belonged to neither the man nor the girl chimed in.
"Of course I've come," it said. Both grounded figures looked to the sky; Draco was hovering a few feet above them on his broom and landed between them, standing protectively in front of Hermione.
"Draco!" Hermione shouted when she saw him, but Draco's full attention was on the attacker. Holding his wand in front of him, Draco was ready to duel. The figure approached Draco and he threw his broom to the side.
"You won't be needing that either, Mr. Malfoy; expelliarmus!" the man shouted and Draco's wand flew from his hand. He mentally slapped himself; why hadn't he thought of that? Draco stumbled back and kneeled in front of Hermione, not taking his eyes of the mysterious figure.
"Draco..." she whispered, shaking in pain and fear. He looked to her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. The man cleared his throat impatiently. Draco turned back to him, moving so that his body blocked Hermione's from harm.
"What do you want from her?" Draco demanded. The figure chortled; he always seemed to be laughing at them.
"I seek nothing more than what I have already gained," the man said, then paused. "Well, I suppose that isn't entirely true, but what I want I shall have very shortly." He rose his wand to them and Draco backed protectively in front of Hermione. The man took a breath as if to say something, the paused; he had changed his mind. "Crucio," he ended without feeling.
Draco doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. Hermione screamed his name and Draco was reminded that she was there. Through waves of excruciating pain, Draco managed to keep himself in front of his inamorata.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Leave them alone!" a familiar yet unidentified voice sounded. The figure dropped his wand to his side in surprise, lifting the curse from Draco. As the pain diminished, Draco collapsed on the ground in a heap, but stayed that way only a few seconds before getting back up. Hermione was kneeling beside him, one hand on his back, the other covering her shocked and tear stained face.
"R-Ron?" she asked, disbelieving. Draco heard this and looked to the new presence. It was indeed Ron Weasley, and he was holding out his wand, directly at the unidentified man. All of Ron's concentration was on the attacker and he didn't even acknowledge Hermione's question. The man was as shocked to see him as either Draco or Hermione.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" the figure asked, taking a step back. Ron smirked.
"I could ask the same of you, but your intent is painfully obvious." The man's new found stance showed his anger. He raised his wand to Ron, but the fiery boy was ready. "Stupefy!" he yelled and a brilliant stream of blue light flew from his wand and hit them man with full force, causing him to fly back into a nearby tree.
The man slunk to the ground in a heap, unconscious. Ron smirked triumphantly and sheathed his wand. He then turned to Draco and Hermione, taking a step toward them.
"Are you guys alright?" he asked. Hermione was too shocked to speak and Draco felt out of place, therefore not speaking. He rose shakily to his feet and held out a hand to Hermione. She didn't move, and Ron took a step closer, concerned.
"Hermione?" Draco asked, snapping her out of her current state of shock. She looked to Draco, then took his and rose to her feet. Ron stayed rooted to his spot, unmoving.
Hermione stepped into Draco and put her arms around his waist. He pulled a protective arm tightly around her while she hugged him. There was silence for a moment, then Hermione turned to look at Ron.
"Yes Ron, thank you. But, what are you doing here?" she asked him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Snape, Dumbledore, and Harry Potter. Dumbledore was the first to speak. After taking his fill of the scenery and piecing a few things together, he turned to Draco and Hermione.
"Are you quite alright, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked. Draco looked to Hermione, who smiled slightly and nodded. She tightened her embrace around him and Draco turned back to the old man.
"Yes, Professor. May I ask what is going on?" he replied and Dumbledore nodded.
"I believe Mr. Weasley should be the one to explain that, Mr. Malfoy. However, this is not the place for such talk. Come, all of you, we shall continue this in my office." He had only just finished when a soft moan was heard from a figure not so far away; the hooded man was waking up.
"Who....is that?" Hermione demanded, speaking for the first time since Ron's arrival. She spoke softly, clinging to Draco. Ron paled a little, then looked nervously at Harry. Harry nodded once, then said one thing.
"Tell her."
Ron nodded and turned to the man. He walked to his side and bent down next to him. Slowly, Ron pulled the hood from the mans head, revealing his identity. Hermione gasped and Draco's arm tightened around her.
"Percy?"
Mwa ha ha ha ha.....I've always hated that kid. Now I made him evil, as apposed to Draco who is way too hott to be truly evil. Percy on the other hand....well...with a name like Percy, it's not too hard to come to terms with, is it? Haha. I am having a very bad vocabulary problem recently, I just can't think of any words to say at all!
PRF:
15DramaQueen- Thanx. I dunno, I always got that subtle vibe from Hermione, about being pissed at Harry and Ron. I damn well would be if I was in her shoes. Don't die, how will you review? Lol. And (this goes to anyone else who asked) If while reading this your main question was 'What the hell was the red crap?' I think you missed something. That, actually, never gets explained, but it doesn't really matter. Well, there is some explaining, but you never find out what it is. It really doesn't matter. Fine, its....paint. There you go; uncreative, but it works.
CassieXanthe- I liked your story too! And, coincidently enough, Chapter fourteen is called 'all will be revealed' so I guess I will reveal all! Lol
*karly* - As you wish, and t4r!
Hasapi- Of course I've written ahead. When you have dozens of angry fans breathing down your neck, its good to have something to throw at them if absolutely necessary. Lol.
S-Star- Yep, nine more.....a clue? Hm... okay....they all begin with the word 'Chapter' lol. Thanx, nobody's ever mentioned the music selection, but I quite enjoy hearing other people say they like it. That CD inspires me every time I write, so be thankful to they lyrical masterminds that call themselves Lifehouse. Thanx again!
CLARICEKARN1234- Lol, thanx!
Night Angel - Lol, I will, thanx, and don't we all? Myself included ;o)
Dragon Girl - No rushing has come forth, just anticipation and really cold fingers! Lol, t4r! What's Narnia? Isn't that the place the kids went in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe"? forgive me if I sound stupid, but I think it's something like that.
Dreamfire - Any more cyber beatings and I wont be able to type....you know what that means, don't you? Lol I'm glad you like my story so much; I've updated, and it's no longer a cliff hanger, or not really....sort of....I don't know, what's the def. of a cliffhanger? Lol.
Parvarti_p - I emailed you, but I want to put it in here too. I know muggle devices don't work at Hogwarts, but I really don't care. It IS to set a mood, and I don't expect them to live without Lifehouse for the entire school year....how could they DO that? Yes, next chapter, they DO figure it out. You don't figure out what the red stuff is, but it doesn't make a difference anyway....is PAINT. Lol. No, I only write HP fanfiction, and then only H/D romance (And then only this one) but only because I absolutely love Draco and Hermione is more like me than Ginny or Padma, or Pansy, or....Parvarti, and I can't think of any other suitable girls for him, lol. Plus, I like Hermione's name, hehe. T4r!
I know that once again I have once again posted before this chapter was reviewed by you Brit, but as with the last one, I'll fix almost anything you tell me to! Lol, unless I have a good reason not to, as I did with that last bit of the last chapter. 2003 better be a more productive year, hope you all have a safe and happy new year. Don't drink and drive, or buy discount condoms. Lol
Disclaimer: "You are neurotic and depressed, it doesn't mean that you are sad." ~Everclear (Band)
"I wrote this fic and sired it, it doesn't mean that I should get any credit" ~Mandy (Author)
I know I know, my disclaimers are really beginning to suck, but what can I say? I try. At least my chapter titles are pretty good.
CHAPTER THRITEEN: Cessation of Agony
By now, it had been a week since Draco had gotten a good night's sleep, and it was beginning to show. Hermione had noticed and repeatedly asked him if he was alright; she was worried. Draco couldn't bring himself to tell her what really was wrong, even through he knew she would understand. He was afraid of altering the future in any way that could cause him to lose what information he had.
Draco had had the dream again. It had happened at night, while Hermione slept, and he wasn't quite sure whether he had done it purposely or not. Draco had been sitting there, awake, thinking about trying to remember again. What had scared him the most was that he hadn't remembered on his own, not since the few flashes he had seen before remembering entirely. Usually the premonitions would come back to him; he would remember small details at unexpected times and had to piece them together himself.
Suddenly, Draco felt his brain lurch and knew what was coming. He held tight to Hermione, who, as always, was resting on his chest. He tried to stay quiet, not wanting to wake her, but the dream had started and Draco found himself unable to control his actions.
The dream was exactly the same, down to the gash on her neck he had noted before. The dialog was the same, and Hermione still begged him not to drink the tea. As he woke, Draco observed Hermione first, trying to determine if she were awake.
"Hermione?" he whispered. No answer. Draco relaxed a bit and thought back on his current situation. The dream had been the same, meaning he had been successful in not changing the future. Also, Hermione had still asked him not to drink her tea, and Draco was glad.
The tea was the only indication he had as to when the mystery man captured her. The tea with Harry had not been 'that' tea, and he had known it, but still did not drink it... just in case. Now all there was to do was wait for Hermione to make him tea, but Draco didn't like having to wait for something he knew was terrible. He sighed.
"I love you too much, Hermione... really," he whispered to her, then smiled. It was true, but he didn't want it any other way.
* * * * * * * * * *
Hermione woke with only one thought on her mind. She had gotten used to sleeping with Draco, and was no longer greeted by an uneasy feeling when she woke. This morning, she woke up frustrated and worried.
"Draco, you better not be awake..." she whispered under her breath. She couldn't see his face, so she couldn't be sure if he was or not.
"Hermione? Go back to sleep, love...it's only a quarter after six," he said with care. Hermione did not heed his word and pushed up with her arms to look at him. She looked angry and worried, and Draco was bewildered. "What?" he asked, sheepishly. She sighed, the worry overpowering her anger now.
"Draco, why are you never asleep when I wake up? I know you well enough to know that you've probably never been up this early in your life, without reason, and now, suddenly it doesn't matter when I wake, you're always there." Draco didn't know how to answer that. He couldn't tell her, and he knew she wanted him to. In the end, he decided on a smile and a cheery shoulder shrug. Hermione was not satisfied.
"You'd rather I not be here?" he said smugly, knowing he was twisting her words. She sighed again, sadly.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. I'm just worried about you." He placed a gentle hand on her cheek, comforting her.
"Don't be. I'm fine, really," he assured her. Hermione placed her hand on his and smiled.
"I don't believe you," she said.
"Then don't, but I'm fine." He was smiling and it was reassuring. She nodded and rested herself back on his chest.
Draco did not tell her about the dream, hoping it was the right choice to make. She already suspected something and telling her about it would only make things worse, making her more suspicious. He sighed, but made it sound more cheerful that he felt. He was glad she trusted him enough not to be too inquisitive, but he knew she was still worried.
Hermione tried to think of a reason why Draco was always awake; there had to be a legitimate excuse. She knew the premonitions had worried him and she believed that he had seen them, but it was hard to believe without seeing it herself. It had been almost two weeks since he had had the dream, and it hadn't reoccurred, so Hermione didn't really believe that was the reason.
She didn't think he was ill, although he had been looking terrible the last few days. Hermione even briefly considered that he might have taken it to heart when she complained about having to wait for him to get up, but brushed the thought away. Draco wasn't that ignorant. Something was defiantly wrong, and he wouldn't tell her. It hurt that he was keeping something from her, but she knew he must have a reason.
Hermione and Draco stayed that way for maybe a half an hour more, not speaking. Draco had his hand placed gently on her shoulder, caressing it with his thumb. Hermione had almost fallen back to sleep, but Draco took a deep breath and yawned, jolting her awake again. She smiled; so he wasn't indestructible. She squeezed him close to her for a moment, then shifted to get out of bed. Draco looked a little disappointed, as well as exhausted, and she smiled at him. Hermione stood from her berth and walked from the room without a word.
Draco watched her leave, then closed his eyes. He wanted to stay in bed forever, but it was vital to Hermione that he stay awake. He needed her more than he needed sleep. Draco got up and slunk into the common room. Hermione wasn't there, but Draco was not immediately overcome with worry, but was still in enough of a right mind to realize that she should be here and wasn't.
"Hey, Hermione?" he called, sitting down.
"Yes, Draco?" came her reply from the bathroom. **Where else would she go, her room?** he asked himself sarcastically.
"Oh wait, never mind," he said as if he had wanted to ask her something, but had figured it out himself. She didn't reply except to turn on the water in the shower. Draco sighed, she would be in there for a while, and he was alone with his thoughts. Draco thought about possibly studying, but dismissed it. Both he and Hermione had read almost every book in the library and if there was a question on that test he didn't know the answer to, it couldn't be that vital of information. Draco sat there, alone, and before long unwillingly closed his eyes. He fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, not waking until awoken.
Draco was only allowed to sleep for about fifteen minutes; awoken abruptly by the bang of the bathroom door. Hermione exited, but did not notice Draco there until he spoke.
"Alright?" he asked groggily. She looked to him and realized that she must have woken her baggy eyed inamorato. Hermione walked to the couch where he was sitting and sat on the edge next to him.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Go back to sleep, Draco... everything is fine," she said gently as if coaxing him back to sleep. Draco wanted to take up the offer, but knew better.
"No, I'm alright, Hermione," he said, sitting up a little straighter. Now Hermione was becoming frustrated with him. She spoke calmly, however, not wanting to alert him to her anger.
"Don't lie to me, Draco. You haven't slept in days; did you think I wouldn't notice? Please...you're no good to me like this." She was right, but Draco wouldn't let himself admit it. He couldn't sleep; he had to watch out for her...but he wasn't quite sure how much longer he could last. He looked at Hermione, almost pleadingly. She looked back, the same way. He couldn't say no to her. Draco knew he would never forgive himself for sleeping now, but his exhaustion clouded his judgment. He nodded, looking defeated. Hermione smiled widely and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. She rose and left him there, hoping he would sleep for at least a few hours. Draco took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and drifted off to prayers for Hermione.
* * * * * * * * * *
There was another dream. It was almost the same as the previous dreams, and it occurred about an hour after Draco had fallen asleep. Hermione was sitting by the fire, reading, and watching Draco sleep. She was glad he was; he had seemed distant the last few days... as if waiting for something.
Draco had not dreamed previously through his short sleep, but now the images were clear. He noticed it was much brighter than either of the other dreams had been, but the scenery was the same. Everything was the same. Hermione still lay broken and torn on the ground, victim to an unknown number of thins, the mysterious man still stood above her laughing as he had before, and Draco still was not present. Fully aware of what was happening, Draco was nervous. It was the same, but during the day... would it end the same?
He felt his heartbeat slow as Hermione cried out to him; 'Don't drink the tea, Draco! Please!' The tea was all he had, and he had to hold onto it. He woke, immediately after the dream, suddenly. His eyes popped open and he lifted his head. Draco noticed Hermione sitting in the chair closest to his sofa and sighed in relief.
Draco felt better, but he was still exhausted. There was no way he would let him self go back to sleep now, however. Hermione noticed Draco's head rise and looked to him casually. She smiled, but Draco could see the disappointment behind it.
Hermione felt guilty; she was the reason Draco could sleep. She was flattered, but a little angry. **Why does he think I can't take care of myself?** She sighed; he was just worried about her. Draco cared about her and he wanted to make sure he was there to rescue her if anything happened. Hermione couldn't be mad at him; he was right; she did need him.
Draco could have flipped her feelings around and asked her if she was disappointed that he was back, but he knew that wasn't what she meant and this didn't seem a time for joking. Hermione cared about him and had only best intentions for him. She was trying to hide her concern, and that made him smile.
"Hey," she said quietly, knowing it would be much harder to get him to sleep again.
"Hey," he repeated, grinning. Hermione smiled and looked back to her book.
"That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" she said calmly, smirking and not looking back up. Draco smiled and picked himself up from the couch. He stepped toward her, still smiling. Then, he planted a kiss firmly on her lips.
"Yes, Hermione. It was," he whispered into her ear and quickly turned to make his way to the bathroom, not waiting for her reply. She watched him go and frowned slightly as he closed the door. ** I'll never get him to go back to sleep now; I have to do something. This is getting out of hand...** Hermione seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then smirked deviously; you could almost see the light bulb flash on above her head.
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco showered as quickly as possible, taking only the amount of time needed to hastily cleanse himself. He used a spell to dress and emerged from the bathroom after only about five minutes. Hermione looked up in surprise as she heard the door swing open.
"That was quick," she said absentmindedly. Draco took it as disappointment and looked hurt. Hermione noticed, "What?" she said, concerned. He sat back down on the sofa and looked at her seriously.
"Am I annoying to you?" She was taken off guard. Hermione would have come back with sarcasm if not for the look on Draco's pale face.
"What?" she asked, disbelieving. "Whatever would make you think that?" Draco smiled weakly. He was glad for her reaction; it meant her answer was no. However, Draco knew he had to give her a truthful explanation, and that made him nervous. He took a deep breath; why was he always sharing his feelings with her? He had never told anyone else how he felt, and he had turned out just fine. **Oh wait...good point.** Draco started rambling, as he often did when Hermione asked him a heartfelt question.
"Well, a while ago there was that "I don't want to talk about it' thing..." Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Draco cut her off. "Wait, before you say anything, just hear me out, alright?" She nodded and he continued, "Well...then there was that 'I've been waiting for two hours for you to get up'. After that, the 'Why are you always awake, and there' conversation, which goes along with 'Why don't you just go to sleep?' Now, you make a comment about me not taking long enough in the shower... so I ask again, do I annoy you?" Hermione sat there with her mouth hung open in shock. ** How could he misconstrue the situation so badly?**
"No, Draco... it's not like that," she said quietly. Then, reality seemed to fall back around her and she perked up, trying to explain. "We already talked about me not wanting to talk about it...I was messed that day; I didn't even know what 'it' was. When I said I'd been waiting for you, I had...but I wasn't complaining.
I would do it again, except you haven't been sleeping. I didn't ask you why you were awake and suggest that you go to sleep because I didn't want you there, just because I'm worried about you. Draco, you haven't slept in days...that's unhealthy." She paused briefly, "And about the shower; I was just stating the obvious. You weren't in there for more than five minutes, at most." Hermione smiled and Draco sat there, no longer looking hurt, but more like he was trying to comprehend her words. "I love you," she ventured, trying to please him. Draco looked at her and smiled.
"I know," he whispered.
* * * * * * * * * *
They had talked for a while, but now all was silent. Draco sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, eyes glued open in a frightening manor. Hermione was at her desk, busily doing something with her hands. She got up and walked over to Draco, holding something out to him. Draco was too exhausted to notice her presence until she spoke.
"Here, drink this," she said kindly. Draco looked to the cup in her hands wearily.
"What is it?" he asked suspiciously and she smiled.
"It's just tea. If you insist on staying up, it won't hurt to get some caffeine into your system." For a moment Draco was happy; she understood why he had to do this. Then, understanding and recollection overcame him and he paled considerably. Draco took the cup cautiously into his hands, afraid of it. Hermione was beaming.
"Tea? You said it was tea?" he asked, knowing she had. Hermione nodded and her voice echoed through Draco's head. ** ' Don't drink my tea, Draco....please!' ** He shuddered and turned to look at her. "What did you put in it?" he asked sternly, obviously convinced she had.
Hermione's smile broke and she paled a little.
"H-how did you...?" she said in disbelief. Draco's eyes filled with terror. She thought he would be angry and immediately tried to explain. "I'm sorry! I had to do something, I couldn't let you go on like this! I didn't want to deceive you, Draco... I was desperate," she said, a tear or two falling.
"This is not good Hermione, not good at all." Hermione knew now that he wasn't angry, but rather very scared. She was semi-confused.
"What do you mean, Draco?" she asked, honestly not knowing.
"The dreams, I've had them twice more," he informed her, now looking down to the floor tearily.
"Oh, Draco...why didn't you tell me?" Now Hermione was scared.
"In them, each time, you begged and begged me not to drink 'your tea'. I didn't tell you because if I did, it would have affected your actions regarding it, and the tea was all I had to go by. This is the tea you warned me not to drink; this is the reason I wasn't with you when you were taken," He said and paused before looking to her. "What did you put in this?"
"J-just some Negrosphamine potion..." she said, shaken and scared.
"Seven hours then, Hermione. Sometime within the next seven hours, something is going to happen," he told her, trying to remain calm. She nodded, too many emotions were overpowering her; she couldn't cry. "But it's different now... I am not drinking that. I'm here, now, Hermione... and I'm not going to leave you."
Hermione threw herself at Draco and he held her tight to him, as if holding onto life. In Draco's eyes, he was. Hermione was his life and he was desperately close to losing her.
"I love you," he whispered, not letting go of her. Hermione squeezed him as tight as she could and began to answer back.
"I lo-" Hermione's sentence was interrupted by her sudden disappearance. Draco gasped.
"Hermione!!" he shouted as he jumped up. She had vanished into thin air... it had started.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Wouldn't it be incredibly evil of me to stop right there? Mwa ha ha! Well, that would be a short chapter....and I am only moderately evil, so I don't see why I shouldn't continue....
* * * * * * * * * *
"...love you too," Hermione said and opened her eyes. She gasped and threw herself backward. "Wh-who are you?" she demanded of the hooded figure that stood before her. The mysterious man only laughed coldly.
"I didn't know you cared, Miss Granger." Hermione, scared beyond comparison, got up from the ground as quickly as possible and began to run. She ran through the trees of what she subconsciously assumed was the forbidden forest. Hermione hadn't gone far when she tripped over a loose tree root and slid across the rocky ground.
She gasped as she felt the sharp sticks and stones cut through her legs. Hermione was crying now, and her tears mixed with the blood from her cuts, dripping onto the cold earth. She hunched up against a tree and tucked her knees under her chin, just sobbing.
Hermione could hear the laughter get louder as the mysterious hooded figure moved closer to her. She closed her eyes and thought of the one thing she knew would keep her going; Draco. ** He didn't drink the tea, he'll come for me...I know he will...**
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco panicked. Her ran frantically through the common room screaming her name. Heart racing, he check the bathroom, both bedrooms, and the balcony, not really expecting to find her. Draco shrunk to the floor, devastated and helpless. He was on the balcony, kneeling on the ground, with his hands over his eyes.
Suddenly, his head perked up. A scream echoed across the Hogwarts' grounds, and it send shivers up Draco's spine. Relief mixed with intense fear and worry as he recognized the voice.
"Hermione?" he whispered; then shouted, "Hermione!" Draco leapt to his feet and flew back through the common room to the portrait, then out into the halls. Coincidentally, he ran through the painting and directly into Professor Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy! What are you doing?" he asked in his traditional drawl with an added bit of surprise. Draco was hysterical and couldn't speak coherently.
"Professor! Hermione! Gone...tea, forest...help!" he said quickly and took off running. Snape looked surprised for a moment, but his expression changed quickly and he hurried off in the direction opposite Draco.
Draco flew down the many staircases to the main doors of the castle. He hurried out, into the afternoon air, and headed immediately for the forest. More than half way across the expanse, he skidded to a stop. **I'll never find her on foot...it's impossible.** Then he thought of something and turned immediately to the Quidditch field.
* * * * * * * * * *
By this time, Hermione had already been subjected to various curses from her unknown attacker, and was hovering inches from the ground in an intense battle against the man.
"Where is this lover of yours, Miss Granger? I see now how much he loves you," he said, dropping his current curse and letting Hermione fall to the ground in a heap. Hermione cried harder; she was sure Draco would come, but he hadn't. She was getting worried...**What if I was wrong...what if he doesn't come?** She couldn't let herself think that way; he had to come. He loved her, she was sure he did.
"He does love me! Draco will come, I know he will!" she screamed at the man, who chuckled to himself. Then, a voice that belonged to neither the man nor the girl chimed in.
"Of course I've come," it said. Both grounded figures looked to the sky; Draco was hovering a few feet above them on his broom and landed between them, standing protectively in front of Hermione.
"Draco!" Hermione shouted when she saw him, but Draco's full attention was on the attacker. Holding his wand in front of him, Draco was ready to duel. The figure approached Draco and he threw his broom to the side.
"You won't be needing that either, Mr. Malfoy; expelliarmus!" the man shouted and Draco's wand flew from his hand. He mentally slapped himself; why hadn't he thought of that? Draco stumbled back and kneeled in front of Hermione, not taking his eyes of the mysterious figure.
"Draco..." she whispered, shaking in pain and fear. He looked to her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. The man cleared his throat impatiently. Draco turned back to him, moving so that his body blocked Hermione's from harm.
"What do you want from her?" Draco demanded. The figure chortled; he always seemed to be laughing at them.
"I seek nothing more than what I have already gained," the man said, then paused. "Well, I suppose that isn't entirely true, but what I want I shall have very shortly." He rose his wand to them and Draco backed protectively in front of Hermione. The man took a breath as if to say something, the paused; he had changed his mind. "Crucio," he ended without feeling.
Draco doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. Hermione screamed his name and Draco was reminded that she was there. Through waves of excruciating pain, Draco managed to keep himself in front of his inamorata.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Leave them alone!" a familiar yet unidentified voice sounded. The figure dropped his wand to his side in surprise, lifting the curse from Draco. As the pain diminished, Draco collapsed on the ground in a heap, but stayed that way only a few seconds before getting back up. Hermione was kneeling beside him, one hand on his back, the other covering her shocked and tear stained face.
"R-Ron?" she asked, disbelieving. Draco heard this and looked to the new presence. It was indeed Ron Weasley, and he was holding out his wand, directly at the unidentified man. All of Ron's concentration was on the attacker and he didn't even acknowledge Hermione's question. The man was as shocked to see him as either Draco or Hermione.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" the figure asked, taking a step back. Ron smirked.
"I could ask the same of you, but your intent is painfully obvious." The man's new found stance showed his anger. He raised his wand to Ron, but the fiery boy was ready. "Stupefy!" he yelled and a brilliant stream of blue light flew from his wand and hit them man with full force, causing him to fly back into a nearby tree.
The man slunk to the ground in a heap, unconscious. Ron smirked triumphantly and sheathed his wand. He then turned to Draco and Hermione, taking a step toward them.
"Are you guys alright?" he asked. Hermione was too shocked to speak and Draco felt out of place, therefore not speaking. He rose shakily to his feet and held out a hand to Hermione. She didn't move, and Ron took a step closer, concerned.
"Hermione?" Draco asked, snapping her out of her current state of shock. She looked to Draco, then took his and rose to her feet. Ron stayed rooted to his spot, unmoving.
Hermione stepped into Draco and put her arms around his waist. He pulled a protective arm tightly around her while she hugged him. There was silence for a moment, then Hermione turned to look at Ron.
"Yes Ron, thank you. But, what are you doing here?" she asked him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Snape, Dumbledore, and Harry Potter. Dumbledore was the first to speak. After taking his fill of the scenery and piecing a few things together, he turned to Draco and Hermione.
"Are you quite alright, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked. Draco looked to Hermione, who smiled slightly and nodded. She tightened her embrace around him and Draco turned back to the old man.
"Yes, Professor. May I ask what is going on?" he replied and Dumbledore nodded.
"I believe Mr. Weasley should be the one to explain that, Mr. Malfoy. However, this is not the place for such talk. Come, all of you, we shall continue this in my office." He had only just finished when a soft moan was heard from a figure not so far away; the hooded man was waking up.
"Who....is that?" Hermione demanded, speaking for the first time since Ron's arrival. She spoke softly, clinging to Draco. Ron paled a little, then looked nervously at Harry. Harry nodded once, then said one thing.
"Tell her."
Ron nodded and turned to the man. He walked to his side and bent down next to him. Slowly, Ron pulled the hood from the mans head, revealing his identity. Hermione gasped and Draco's arm tightened around her.
"Percy?"
Mwa ha ha ha ha.....I've always hated that kid. Now I made him evil, as apposed to Draco who is way too hott to be truly evil. Percy on the other hand....well...with a name like Percy, it's not too hard to come to terms with, is it? Haha. I am having a very bad vocabulary problem recently, I just can't think of any words to say at all!
PRF:
15DramaQueen- Thanx. I dunno, I always got that subtle vibe from Hermione, about being pissed at Harry and Ron. I damn well would be if I was in her shoes. Don't die, how will you review? Lol. And (this goes to anyone else who asked) If while reading this your main question was 'What the hell was the red crap?' I think you missed something. That, actually, never gets explained, but it doesn't really matter. Well, there is some explaining, but you never find out what it is. It really doesn't matter. Fine, its....paint. There you go; uncreative, but it works.
CassieXanthe- I liked your story too! And, coincidently enough, Chapter fourteen is called 'all will be revealed' so I guess I will reveal all! Lol
*karly* - As you wish, and t4r!
Hasapi- Of course I've written ahead. When you have dozens of angry fans breathing down your neck, its good to have something to throw at them if absolutely necessary. Lol.
S-Star- Yep, nine more.....a clue? Hm... okay....they all begin with the word 'Chapter' lol. Thanx, nobody's ever mentioned the music selection, but I quite enjoy hearing other people say they like it. That CD inspires me every time I write, so be thankful to they lyrical masterminds that call themselves Lifehouse. Thanx again!
CLARICEKARN1234- Lol, thanx!
Night Angel - Lol, I will, thanx, and don't we all? Myself included ;o)
Dragon Girl - No rushing has come forth, just anticipation and really cold fingers! Lol, t4r! What's Narnia? Isn't that the place the kids went in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe"? forgive me if I sound stupid, but I think it's something like that.
Dreamfire - Any more cyber beatings and I wont be able to type....you know what that means, don't you? Lol I'm glad you like my story so much; I've updated, and it's no longer a cliff hanger, or not really....sort of....I don't know, what's the def. of a cliffhanger? Lol.
Parvarti_p - I emailed you, but I want to put it in here too. I know muggle devices don't work at Hogwarts, but I really don't care. It IS to set a mood, and I don't expect them to live without Lifehouse for the entire school year....how could they DO that? Yes, next chapter, they DO figure it out. You don't figure out what the red stuff is, but it doesn't make a difference anyway....is PAINT. Lol. No, I only write HP fanfiction, and then only H/D romance (And then only this one) but only because I absolutely love Draco and Hermione is more like me than Ginny or Padma, or Pansy, or....Parvarti, and I can't think of any other suitable girls for him, lol. Plus, I like Hermione's name, hehe. T4r!
