Ashes and Dust : Chapter 3 : Conversations and Confessions
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, so don't sue me. It really isn't worth it.
A/N: This chapter is slightly shorter, but it explains more than previous ones. Just conversations between Hermione and Draco.
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"Why didn't they capture the Death Eaters? Who gave the Aurors the power to incapacitate?"
Hermione let her eyes fall from the sky, and they locked with Draco's. Silver grey spoke of fear and loss. Brown was hard, emotionless.
"The Ministry. Once they had found that Voldermort was attacking in public areas, they allowed the Aurors to kill the enemy."
Draco nodded. He had seen many of his friends – or former friends – submit to the Aurors. He had seen even more die at their wands.
"How long have you been a Death Eater?"
Draco looked up, surprised. Hermione's question held no curiousity, and he shifted his position on the grass. He pulled up his left sleeve, brandishing the Dark Mark. It was faded and bruised, but it was there nonetheless.
"Middle of seventh year."
"So they were recruiting under eighteen's?"
"Yeah." He pulled the sleeve back down.
"Do you know how many were from our school?"
"Approximations. Most of the students were from Durmstrang. A few from Hogwarts. We were to help plan the attack on the schools."
"Did you?"
Draco didn't answer for a moment. He debated inside. The seconds ticked by. "Yes," He finally said. "It helped that I was a Prefect."
Hermione nodded and didn't say anymore. So Draco took the chance.
"Who was fighting when we… when the Death Eaters attacked?"
The girl bit her lip, and a sad smile formed. "Together, we would have outnumbered the Death Eaters, but because of the Ministry…" She trailed off. "Most of those missing were those fighting. Many of the younger students were given Port Keys to Muggle areas. We were lucky Voldermort knew it was foolish to attack public places."
"Public Muggle places."
"Mmm."
There was another pause. A comfortable silence. Draco sighed, looking around them. Wondering what had happened to everyone. How so many wizards could just go 'missing'.
"Malfoy? Why did you switch sides?"
"Did I?"
"Yes, you did. Why did you betray the Death Eaters? Why did you kill Lucius?"
Draco tried to sneer, but he couldn't. This was Lucius they were talking about. His father. In the middle of the battle, he had turned his wand on his own father. How he had escaped, he still didn't know. Draco leaned backwards, so that he was lying on his back. At least now he didn't have to look at her eyes when he was talking.
"I'm not sure." He finally confessed. "You know? When you feel like everything in your life has been planned out for you, when everything you know is a just there, laid out for you. That's okay. But imagine the life planned for you involved killing anything, everything that got in your way. Friends. Family. People I know. Knew."
"I thought being a Death Eater means accepting all that." Hermione leaned against her knees, huddled into a ball. All this talk felt like a cold wind blowing.
"Accepting what? Killing their own families?" Draco sighed again. "I guess some people do. I was there because I was a Malfoy. My father was there, and he signed my life to Voldermort."
Hermione was shocked, though Draco couldn't see it. She turned to face him. "You mean you didn't want to be a Death Eater?"
Draco turned his eyes to her. "I never said that."
"Then what did you say?"
"I am a Malfoy. Malfoy's were always committed followers of Voldermort. Still are."
"Voldermort's dead."
"You don't know that."
"Well I believe it." Hermione said firmly. Then she shivered. "So why did you kill your father?"
He eyed her. "Are you cold?" Pulling his cloak from underneath him, he handed it to Hermione. "Here."
She took it. "Thanks." Then added: "You're avoiding the subject."
"I know." He sighed again. "I killed him because it meant I didn't have to follow his anymore. If he died, his allegiance to Voldermort died with him. And so did mine."
"So you never meant to help us. Just to break the bond with Voldermort."
"Breaking the bond with Voldermort immediately means I joined the other side. The enemy of my enemy…"
"…is my friend." Hermione finished.
"Yeah."
"Why."
Draco sat up. "Why what?"
"Why did Voldermort move to attacking all wizards, and not just Muggleborns or Muggles?"
"Attacking Muggles could expose them. And there aren't enough Dark wizards to deliver an attack on all the Muggles. There are too many."
"Muggleborns?"
"And Muggle Lovers supposedly. Everyone is given a chance in their life to be a Death Eater. Over the last two years Voldermort had doubled its army. Tripled it with Dementors and students. You were either with them or against them."
Hermione nodded. It was true. Anyone without the Dark Mark on their arm was hunted down and destroyed. All they could have done was attack back.
"Malfoy? So why did you stay here?"
"Where else is there to go? Beyond these boarders Aurors are waiting. Anywhere the Aurors haven't reached, the Death Eaters are banded."
Again, Hermione nodded. It was like comforting words had long since dried up. Draco crossed his legs, looking out across the lake. The moon was huge, half a silver beach ball suspended in mid-air. The reflection of it in the water showed it more beautiful than in real life, and Draco picked a stone and threw it at it. It slipped into the glowing moon.
"At least we're not alone." He finally said.
"No," Hermione whispered back. "At least we're not alone."
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Please review. And I realize this is turning into a rather depressing fic, but I like it a lot despite. Oh well. =P
