Author's Note: Sorry it's been so many months since I posted anything…not only was my schedule really hectic (I know, excuses, excuses) but I had horrible writer's block! But it's over, and I'm happy with this chapter…so, enjoy, and remember that none of the characters belong to me, J.K. Rowling writes the actual Harry Potter books, but I do own my plot!
Defeated We Rise
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Sin
Six years pass, years in which full-blown war falls upon the wizarding world, forever to change the universe, for better or worse, depending upon who should win. In these six years, our two main characters don't once cross each other's paths. Working towards opposite goals, they secretly avoid each other, knowing it to be their duty to kill the other upon first sight. This is not to say that Hermione Granger loves Draco Malfoy. It is only to say, that for all the blood and horror she has seen in the past few years of her auror-hood, she is still a warm-hearted woman, and cannot find it within herself to harm someone she once did love…she cannot find it within herself to hate him, no matter how many wrong deeds he commits towards her and her kind. Instead, each keeps carefully posted on the other's whereabouts and actions, about their private as well as business life.
Hermione Granger is 23; she is unmarried and without boyfriend. She resides within the highest rank of Aurors and is on the Dark Lord's 'potentially dangerous' list. Living alone in London at an unknown location, she is said to have few friends and it has been rumored that she has an affinity for alcohol. Her friends are the same as always—Ronald Weasley, former Beater for the Chudley Cannons and new Minister of Magic, Harry Potter, former Auror resigned to the quiet life of fatherhood and husbandry, with his wife Ginny Weasley, a model-turned-mother of three.
Draco Malfoy has just reached the age of 24; he is rumored to be severe in all his dealings, and while immensely popular among the ladies, there are none whom he has taken seriously. A favorite on the 'most-wanted' list in the muggle world, Hermione watches many cheap criminal shows on late night television to catch his picture and hear the muggles latest version of his dealings. He has been accused of bombing various important muggle landmarks around the world, and killing innocent civilians; each landmark was a disguise for various Ministry buildings and each person inside a Ministry official. He is the sole survivor to the Malfoy name, and consequently a very wealthy individual. He is, as always, without friends or company, but it is a known fact he loves his alcohol dearly.
Opening a bottle of red wine, I poured myself one generous glass. I knew I had been accused of alcoholism; such was not the case. I liked wine, for its flavor and for the warmth it occasionally allowed my body, but it was not, as of yet, a necessity. I turned on the television, then flicked it off again. No more criminal shows. Goddamn that man, six years and I still couldn't get him out of my head. Recently returned from Paris, where I had been hailed heroin of the city, it was nice to be home again. They had almost succeeded in destroying the Notre Dame, and while I have an affection for muggle cathedrals, I would not have gone out of my way to stop them. But Notre Dame wasn't really a cathedral, was it? No. Top Ministry headquarters in all of France, Voldemort had been plotting its downfall for months now. I happened upon a chance bit of information, almost too late. But I saved Harry's life, Notre Dame still stands—one more victory for us, hurrah!
Harry Potter, turned 'Man-still-living', one of my dearest friends, is said to reside with his wife Ginny, and is said to want nothing to do with this war. Of course, none of us want to deal with war. But do you really think Harry Potter could just sit back and let the rest of us go at it? Of course not. Our top underground hit man, Notre Dame was his closest call yet.
My fingers itched to get at the control. It would be on in five minutes. Not tonight, Hermione; you need your rest. It was 11:55 at night and all I could think of was seeing his picture blazing across that large, black screen. It would appear, he had been spotted in America yesterday, and had killed many 'innocent civilians' my compatriots. I had been lucky, escaping his grasp after all these years, after all the times of yearning just to run into his arms, put all this behind me, willing to give it all up for just one more kiss. I had kept myself carefully in check, and I no longer yearned as I used to. Harry and Ron had tried, to no avail, to set me up with various men, but they always repulsed me, so I lay alone in my bed and tracked Draco Malfoy's whereabouts.
***
Helping myself to my third glass of a tangy white wine, I liked the way the room became ever-so-slightly blurred. I didn't like sharp edges, since that was what I was all about. Sitting in front of the large black muggle invention called television, I contemplated what to watch. On channel 31, I knew I would be making yet another guest appearance on their 'most wanted' list. Channels 11, 17, 23, and 52, Hermione Granger would be making multiple appearances as France's newest and dearest heroin. Which to watch?
Of course, this wasn't too difficult a decision, after all, I knew perfectly well what I had done in America, and how close I had come to being captured. Quickly turning the television to channel 52, I saw a close up of her face, beaming, in a smile suggesting hours of hard work finally paying off in floods of relief. Soot smudged on her face and it appeared her lip was bleeding, because she kept dabbing at it with a handkerchief. Her hair was still long, but it was knotted and thrown back messily. The innocence was gone from her large brown eyes, and despite the relief of the moment she didn't look happy. She looked tired and I felt overcome with the sporadic desire to abandon everything and make her my wife. Angrily, I turned the television off, finished my wine, and went down into the dungeons to check on my many captives—a favorite pastime of any gory Death Eater.
***
"Listen, Hermione, I know you've all but given up on these blind dates, but you really need a break from all your work, and I happen to know this great guy who's a bit…infatuated with you. Won't you give him a chance? I told him you'd meet him at the Café Au Lait tomorrow at five."
"Ron, for the last time, I'm not interested, I don't want to go, and I don't really need you making all these plans for me. I'm fine, really. Anyways, I can't, because I promised Sirius I would get right on that clue about Voldemort's top circles' whereabouts, and I have a feeling I'm going to be spending tomorrow evening investigating a certain apartment complex on the upper east side."
"Great! I'll send him along!"
"Ron, as the Minister of Magic, you, of all people, should know you can't get random people involved in these things! I'm sorry if your job's boring, but can you please stop toying with my personal life?" I was joking with him, and he knew it.
"Alright. Who do you suggest I send in your place this time?"
"What about Melanie? Or are you sweet on her?"
He blushed a bit and said, "Melanie? Of course I'm not sweet on her! Our relationship is completely business oriented. But I don't think this would be the guy for her…Caroline?"
"Sure. I don't know the guy, so one girl is as good as the next, I suppose. I wanted to tell you about my lead ins with this Voldemort business…apparently his top circle is congregating somewhere tomorrow night, and, mark my word, they're up to something. I'm not sure who exactly will be there, but I have a feeling it could get messy. I think they're in the Trafalgar Apartments. I think they've bought the whole building. If that much money is being used for one meeting, then there's only one man who could be behind it…"
"The infamous Draco Malfoy."
"Right. He's back from America, and I think they're targeting our Ministry this time. I suggest you clear everyone out."
"I can't clear everyone out. We have five locations, and if they own the building, they can squat and wait till I put everyone back to work. They've got to be squashed. But are you sure you're the woman for the job? Can you deal with him?"
"I don't know if I can deal with him, but I'm the only one Sirius trusts to lead the units in. Listen, I'm going over there tomorrow at six, just to check everything out; if you don't hear from me within that night take it as a bad sign and have everyone on duty but at unusual locations; have them work from home for a few days if possible. I have this idea…Ron, do you remember what I told back in seventh year? How I would eventually kick Voldemorts' ass?"
"Yeah, but, 'Mione, times are different now. You can't just march in there. They won't accept you."
"They'll accept me for long enough. I finally figured out a spell which should disarm Voldemort of Gaia's power…it won't kill him, but it will make him vulnerable again. I plan on getting in there, and using it."
"How do you plan on getting out?"
"If I can, I'll try to do it at a time when I can kill every witness to my crime and then escape, or…"
"Or what, Mione? You need back up."
"Can you work that out?"
"You bet. Harry's still our best weapon, and this is a fight he'll be all too willing to participate in."
***
Trafalgar Apartments were lush, exquisitely furnished, and equipped with the best wizarding security. Overall, I was quite pleased with my choice. Voldemort had left me with specific instructions. Plan the destruction of the British Ministry, the death of Minister Ronald Weasley, and plan for every plan to be interrupted. Voldemort had suddenly decided that the rest of the world didn't really matter. He would conquer Britain, and then we could try at France and America once again.
Halfway through the first stratagem, the door disappeared with a popping noise and in its place were at least a hundred wizards with only one goal: to kill us. They were dressed haphazardly, unlike our own uniform of black silk, but one stood out among many: a girl with flowing chestnut hair, deep chocolaty eyes, tight azure robes, and a look of such complete confusion I almost didn't recognize her. It was Hermione Granger, standing no more that fifty feet from me, doing nothing, while her cohorts shot curses all around. Then her eyes met mine and she let out a small gasp. Taking quick, sure steps forward, she grabbed me by the wrist, and, with her lips just grazing my ear, whispered, "Draco! You've got to get me out of here! I've made a horrible mistake…" She looked weak and so I plucked her wand from her fingertips and apparated back to Malfoy Manor, not really caring what went on in the Trafalgar Apartments.
***
My heart beat in my chest like a locomotive gone awry, as he took my wand out of my fingertips, placed his arm securely around my waist and disapparated. Within moments I was standing in the entrance hall to Malfoy Manor, and I was under wand-point.
"Hermione Granger. I really didn't expect to see you again. Nor did I expect you would make everything so easy for me. What are you doing, handing yourself over without a fight?"
"Draco, I…" at this moment I stopped being Hermione Granger and flung on the disguise I knew I would have to wear. "I realized I've made an awful mistake! I don't care if you put me in your dungeons, I know I deserve it, but please listen to me…" I felt all my pride being shattered as I begged for penance at his feet. He looked down at me and the wand was wavering in his hand.
He sighed, looking slightly bored, yet very much taken aback. I realized that in six years he had changed completely. He didn't have any of the heart he had had in earlier years. He took me roughly be the forearm and led me down countless hallways in a meandering path. Trained to memorize directions, I tried, but found myself dizzy with the complications. Finally we came to a staircase, and he began to pull me down it. Halfway down, I began to hear the shrieks, and smell the rot of old flesh. I was to be put in the dungeons.
Mumbling something under his breath one of the cells opened, and he placed me inside. Once I was securely locked up, he sat down opposite me, outside my cell, and said, "You had something you wished to tell me?"
***
Locked up and somewhat terrified, she glowed with a radiance I had seldom seen on any woman. I was slightly apprehensive, because I knew I could very well be leading myself into a complicated trap, but at the moment I was in complete control over the situation. "You had something you wished to tell me?" I asked her indifferently, pretending not to really care, as every atom in my body focused on the words about to come out of her mouth.
"Draco, I have tried, for six years, to fight for Dumbledore and to avenge my parents deaths. I have fought what I considered a noble cause…but last week, after the whole Notre Dame incident, when I came so close to death—God knows I've come close many times—I realized I couldn't go on like this anymore!" she paused, and I caught myself leaning forward in my seat, so I could be closer to the body which spoke these words. Is it possible? Could she still yearn for me as I yearned for her? "I suppose in some ways you know me like the palm of your own hand, and you know that I would never give up my beliefs for someone else—otherwise I wouldn't be sitting behind these bars tonight, would I? If it weren't for my damned confusion and my refusal to see what I should have seen years ago, I could have had everything my heart desired. But I was stupid and headstrong, and I wouldn't accept…" she paused again and sniffled a little. Her eyes were beginning to grow red along the rims and she pulled out a very crumpled piece of parchment. I realized with a pang it was the ending letter I had written her so many years ago. "I don't need this anymore, I have it memorized, but I was wondering if you would be true to your word…I know I have done your compatriots great harm, I may have even wounded you at some point—but there hasn't been a night I haven't wished I could be in your arms, and now that I see which side will clearly win this bloody war…" She hung her head, and I knew that it must have greatly wounded her pride to say all of that to me. I reached through the bars for her hands, and took them in my own.
In a great effort to steady my voice, I whispered, "A Malfoy is ever true to his word, and, should you like to join us, should you like to join me under the Malfoy name, you are, as always, welcome, Hermione."
"Despite my parentage? My actions?"
"It is clear you realize you sinned, so there is no reason we should be anything but forgiving. I think it unnecessary for you to stay behind bars, tonight." I smiled at her as the door opened to her cage, and pulled her up from her crouching position on the floor. She came close to me and nestled her head gently upon my shoulder. Then, to save us the trouble of walking such a long distance, I apparated us into the Malfoy bedchamber's which I now occupied, and had the house elves fetch her clean robes, and bring us dinner.
***
Just like that he had bought every word out of my mouth. Was I that convincing? Or did he have a greater plan in mind which I knew nothing of? Maybe his ego had just grown enormously big over the last years. It had been large when he was still at Hogwarts, but he wouldn't have bought those lies in a million years. What if they used a truth potion on me? I had been trained to resist them, to lie through them, but if he used a strong one, resisting would kill me and nothing would be accomplished. Slowly I coiled my hair around my head, tugging at the white night dress I had been given. It was shorter than the one I wore at home, and cut much lower at the neck, but it was very beautiful, nonetheless, and I could only wonder who else had worn it. Had it been his mothers?
A slight chill cascaded down my spine when I realized I was beginning to enjoy my stay with him again. Part of me was repulsed, knowing his hands were anything but clean of sin, knowing that within hours Ginny would be yelling in outrage at my treachery, Ron would be worried sick, since I didn't tell him what I actually had in mind, and Draco…he planned on making me his wife! I hadn't seen that one coming, only him being infatuated enough to have a little fling…but to be bound to his soul under God in holy matrimony…both my parents had been highly religious, and the thought of bringing harm towards him after that…oh, how would this story end?
A slight tap on the door, and I glanced nervously once more at the mirror before shyly opening it. I may have seen battle, saved lives, taken lives, helped Ginny through birth during the famous battle of Thames, but I had never been close to anyone, not since my Hogwarts days in the Astronomy Tower, so many years ago…as I opened the door I looked directly into his slate gray eyes, and I knew that deep within my soul, I didn't want to hurt this man. So I resolved to love him with all my might, give him everything I could, and hope he would understand my mixed plans of actions and eventually forgive me…if I would be alive to be forgiven.
After several glasses of wine so divine alcoholism seemed next to God, I felt his lips close in on my own and I felt a surging up of wholeness within my body once again, as his lips trailed down my neck to my collarbone and his smooth, gentle hands softly slid the straps of the nightgown off of my shoulders. He pushed me down onto that bed of silk and down feathers, and when it was done I couldn't look away from him, I couldn't keep from touching him, playing with his hair and intertwining his hand in my own…
When I was relaxed almost to the point of sleep he began to speak. "You were the only woman I ever truly loved…" His voice was slurred but these were not the words of a Death Eater, nor of a drunk man. "In the beginning, when I took the amulet from you, I didn't do it of my free will…then, I made the bargain and saved your life, but I never thought myself lucky enough to be with you, loving you again…I never thought you would understand or forgive me, I didn't think even you had this much room in your heart for love…" and then he was asleep and I lay sleepless, wondering what grievous sin I was about to commit.