Chapter 8: Ominor Terribilis
They sneaked out of the Great Hall midway through the celebrations. Running into the castle grounds, they collapsed by the lake laughing about how Peeves had poured a bowl of pumpkin juice all over Filch.
"Draco, we have to go back soon, the Aspectus Deceptio only lasts till midnight."
"I know, Hermione. But no one will see us here."
"Good" she said, snuggling up to him. It had just stopped snowing she was a bit cold in her thin dress robes. Malfoy wrapped both of them under his black cloak. They sat in silence for a while, watching the merpeople having their own Yule celebrations in the lake.
"Hermione," Draco broke the silence.
"Mmm?"
"I think we need to talk about something. About us."
"Mmm. Yes, I know Draco. I was waiting for you to bring it up."
He held her close to him.
"I-I-think I love you, Hermione."
"Me too. I mean, I think I love you, Draco."
"Can you really love me after such a short time?"
"Yes. I wouldn't have thought it possible before, but I'm pretty sure of it."
"I'm glad, 'Mione. Cause I feel the same way."
They sat for a while more.
"What is it Draco. I know you have something more to tell me."
Draco wondered how she knew. Then he gave up, they always seemed to know what the other was thinking nowadays.
"Hermione, don't be upset or scared by what I am going to tell you. I need you to be strong for me."
He felt Hermione stiffen slightly then squeeze his hand more tightly. It was a little too dark to see her expression. Encouraged, he went on.
"As you know Lucius wants me to be a Death Eater. What you don't know is that the initiation ceremony will be on my 21st birthday. Before that my body will be too weak to take the Ritual and I might die. I am running out of time, Hermione. I have three more years left to figure out a way to resist my Father and Voldemort. Meanwhile, my father will kill anybody who tries to turn me from my path…and that includes you."
Draco heard Hermione gasp. He pulled her closer to him.
"I've spent all my life resisting Lucius. I got beaten and cursed terribly as you know…but he wouldn't actually kill me. You see, apparently I have some very important purpose to the Dark Lord to fulfil on my 21st birthday but he won't tell me what it is. I've spent all my free time here researching ways to protect myself against my fate, but I can't find any way of resisting being a Death Eater. They have ways of… persuasion… Hermione, that would make you sick if you knew. …The only way to resist successfully is… to die."
Hermione did not know what to say. She had always assumed that if Draco just continued standing up to his father, or ran away or something, Lucius would just get fed with the whole things and leave him be. She didn't know that Draco had a special role to play on his 21st birthday. A role that seemed inescapable.
"You okay, Hermione?"
She nodded, her thoughts still in a whirl. They sat for a while in silence.
"You can give me up you know, 'Mione. There are other wizards out there who would make you happy,…maybe even happier…than I ever will."
That seemed to snap her into action and she laughed bitterly. "Not bloody likely, Draco!" She seemed to have found her voice again. "You don't seriously believe that I'd let you go after you've just changed my life forever? Dammnit Draco, maybe you could tell me these things before you kiss me and make me fall in love with you?"
At first he thought she was angry, then he realized that she just sounded determined.
"Mione, I'm sorry about all this…I…"
"…and furthermore, you are NOT going to die, if it's the last bloody thing I do. If you think I'm going to roll over and give you up to Lord-I'm-So-Scaly-And-Evil-Voldemort just like that – oh, sure Mr Voldemort sir, here's my Beloved please feel free to torture him and corrupt him- then you don't know Hermione Granger Draco Malfoy!"
She was crying now.
"Oh Hermione! Must you cry? I believe you, I do. I think that deep down inside, I always knew you were a special type of woman- stronger and braver than the rest. I just never thought that one day, you would be fighting for me!"
"Well you're damn right I'm going to fight for you Draco Malfoy! When I'm done with them Lucius will be vomiting up Lord Voldemort crumbs for the rest of his life."
"Miss Granger, such language!"
She smiled and clutched at him fiercely. "Draco, we CAN do this you know. I will help you. There must be something we can do."
"I know."
"And I think the first thing we should do is tell Dumbledore."
"WHAT? No, we can't do that."
"WHY NOT?"
"Because that would be aligning myself with the other side. Right now, my loyalties are ambiguous. As far as Lucius is concerned, I'm just a stubborn kid. To involve Dumbledore would mean I've made up my mind."
"Well, HAVEN'T you Draco?" Hermione sprang up from their sitting position and stood in fornt of him…arms akimbo, eyes flashing dangerously.
Draco couldn't meet her eyes. "I- I told you I was weak Hermione. And selfish."
Hermione practically spat out the next words at him, "Draco Malfoy, do you remember what you told me that Sunday morning when I asked what you most wanted?"
"Y-Yes."
"Say it."
"Oh Hermione."
"SAY IT!"
"To have love. Acceptance." He whispered, staring at her slender form standing in front of him. The moon had come out from behind the clouds. A soft winter breeze blew her green robes against her slim body. Her brown hair hung like a mantle to her waist. He looked up to meet her eyes. They were desperate, pleading.
"Draco, I let myself fall in love with you when you said those words." She whispered. "Don't ever go back on them."
He started up on his knees in front of her and clasped her round her waist. "Oh I won't, I won't Hermione! If I do, slap me! I've been such a damned fool! How do you do it? Why do you have all the answers?"
She knelt down in front of him so their faces were on the same level. "Well, I'm not the cleverest witch in the school for nothing, Draco."
He held her so tight she thought he would crush her.
"Hermione?"
"Draco?"
"Will you help me?"
"Will you let me?"
"I want you to."
"I want to."
