Bound
By Angel Of Music
Chapter Seven: The Death of Old Ways
"As you all know, many of our kind have left me." Voldemort mumbled, stroking his chin. "All of them abandoned me in my hour of need. When I tried to call upon them, where were they? They tricked me, all of them. Lied to me. They left my dying for 13 years. Sure, there was that git Quirrel and the silly little diary in which that Weasley girl took a hold of (Thanks to Lucius), but I remained sealed in a constricted form. Not until Wormtail came along did I prosper. But those who abandoned me must pay, for I will not tolerate that behavior." Draco swallowed and shut his eyelids, trying to picture Blaise's mournful ruby eyes in his mind. He had fallen in love with those eyes. They were so beautiful; they reminded Draco of a sunset on an autumn evening. "My mission," Began the Dark Lord once more, "Is to rid the earth of those despicable treasoners once and for all." Others around Voldemort nodded frivolously, including Lucius. Draco stood still, face fixated on his feet.
He could not believe that his usual solid, aloof self was falling apart. Falling in love. He and Blaise had been friends for so long, and it seemed unlikely that they were now beginning to admire each other. But if he was commanded to kill her...where does listening to your superior end and insanity begin? The line between the two grew hazy as Draco rubbed his eyes and slouched even further down upon the moldy stump.
"And so I have already sent some of you to kill them. And I will assign you all someone to kill. You must complete these duties in no more than one month. Once I call your name and victim, you may go." Lucius smirked and ran a hand through his glossy, sliver-blonde hair. "Lucius, I have decided since your son is somewhat of a rookie, you and he shall be paired. Both of you get the Fredcook family. I want them all done away with, you hear? You may go." Both Lucius and Draco stood and jumped upon their brooms. Draco's head was swimming with thoughts. He had to do something to stop this. He had to warn Blaise immediately. He, Draco Malfoy, was expected to kill someone. No, not someone, many people. A whole family. A family he'd bet anything on wasn't too different then Blaise's. He sighed and kicked off into the air. So many questions were running through his mind that he hardly heard Lucius gurgle,
"I'll send you a letter in about one week telling you what the situation is. Draco, you know this will help get some things off your mind. Killing always has that effect on me. Like a breath of fresh air." Draco paused and glanced up at his father.
"You know something," He began quietly, "You're sick." Lucius halted his broom in mid-air, his expression looking furiously cruel.
"What did you say, boy?" He spat.
"You're a sick man." Draco said in a small crescendo.
"And why is that?" Lucius snarled, tilting his head as if able to understand his son better this way.
"Killing for pleasure? That isn't what I call a healthy pastime." Lucius's eyes widened and he inched himself closer to Draco.
"Excuse me, your highness," He barked, glaring. "But I didn't think your opinion mattered that much."
"Well excuse me!" Draco yelled, startling his father. "But my friend is one of those people who is going to be killed!"
"Your friend?" Lucius laughed, a bemused grin playing on his lips. "Now that you are a death eater, you will forget your friends and concentrate on what's important."
"What's important to me, Lucius, is Blaise Zambini. There, I said it."
"How dare you..." He started, breathing heavily. He flew over to Draco and gave his broom a good kick in the side. Losing his balance, he toppled off of the broom and into the thick brush of the forbidden forest. Bruised and bleeding, he stood and dusted himself off, pivoting his head to look for his broom. He paused when he spotted a few bristles sticking out of a dark bush, and made his way over to the now damaged broom. Above, he could hear his father cackling, "Good luck finding your way back..." He sifted through the bush and picked up a now destroyed broom, wondering how he would ever get back to the castle. He had to be at least an hour away in walking distance, and he didn't know the way back. He would have followed the path straight, opposite from where he came, but he retained a few sharp turns that he had made on the way to the meeting. He sighed, and began to head in what he thought was east.
The sky was cold and dark as it wrapped itself about Draco. He shivered sparsely, hoping that he'd get out of the forest before the deep of night. It was black as a blank memory in the forest, and the moon could barely be seen in the thick serenity of the evening. Draco tried to find the stars. It had to be past midnight by now, and Hogwarts was no where in sight. He stopped shortly and sat upon the ground, embracing himself as he shivered. He closed his eyes and attempted to picture something that would get the strange noises of the forest out of his mind. Clearing his thoughts, he concentrated on the warmth of the castle. He tried not to think, but just let the image slide into his mind. But what came was something he never expected to see.
* * *
'He has to be the lowliest of men I've ever met.' Hermione scribbled into her journal, scoffing. 'Always pushing himself into things that aren't any of his business, like my life. Everything about him bothers me. His hair, his eyes, his looming gaze, and by far his attitude. Can't he just for once understand that everyone hates that about him? I cannot understand him.' She signed her name quickly and slammed the notebook closed, shutting her eyes. She sprawled out upon her bed and left herself to her thoughts. *Why is he always hanging about that Blaise girl?* She contemplated, wondering why she was wasting valuable thinking time on Malfoy. *If he's so worthless, why do I care?* She added while she pondered. She exhaled slowly and sat back up.
Classes were commencing again in two days, and Hermione wanted nothing more. At least she'd be able to escape from reality for a moment, and have a little time to herself. That was always why she liked learning so much; she was able to run away from exile for a while, and concentrate on her work. She stood, stretching, and made her way over to the open window, which was emitting a small burst of cold air. She leaned upon the windowsill and look outward, glad that the room wasn't lit so that she could see unto the grounds. The forest was so peaceful at night, although she knew that on the inside it was not. She leaned her burning forehead against the algid window, leaving a small imprint in the condensation. She was about to return to her bed when movement caught her eye.
Something from inside the forest was emerging, shadowy and dark against the midnight sky, and Hermione strained her eyes to see it. She could not, so she quickly dashed to her bedside and grabbed her wand. Sticking it out the window, she muttered "Lumos," and the wand illuminated.
Malfoy. And he had seen her. And she had seen him. As their eyes met, he shuffled away, trying to pretend that she wasn't blatantly staring at him. Hermione, after realizing that she wasn't moving, tucked her wand away and shut the window as fast as she could without being audible. She threw it onto her bedside table and jumped back on the four poster bed, shutting the curtains. *What was Malfoy doing in the forest?* She wondered, turning onto her her side. But before the answer had even touched her mind, she fell into a deep slumber.
* * *
Draco darted softly into the common room, trying hard to wake no one. Granger had seen him exit the forest. She was sure to tell someone, and then much would be found out. His stomach ached in fear of the events to come, and he walked quietly over to the dying fire.
"Oh my God, Draco, where were you?" Whispered a harsh voice which belonged to Blaise. "I waited up all night for you! Something has happened, Draco, something horrid."
"Blaise!" He retorted. "I have to tell you something. Everything. Promise you'll listen." She stared at him, not quite knowing whether to be angry, concerned, or to just obey. But it was just then that Draco noticed tears forming in her eyes.
"Something's happened." She repeated, more alarmed this time.
"What is it?"
"My parents were...killed." She put simply. Her throat swelled and tightened as her darting eyes focused on his face. "By your kind. Why couldn't you have told me that Voldemort was going to do this? Why didn't you warn me?"
"I was going to, just now!"
"Just now? It's a little late, don't you think, Malfoy? Jesus, did you think they'd wait?"
"But-" He began. "Voldemort just instructed us tonight. They couldn't have been killed."
"Well I just got an owl a half of an hour ago that was sent at around 9:30. When was your meeting adjourned?"
"8:00..." He stuttered, leaning upon a chair to keep his balance. "I'm so sorry, Blaise."
"Draco..." She started, noticing something. "If Voldemort instructed you all to kill someone, were you also told to do so?"
"I...yes..."
"And are you?"
"I don't think I have much of a choice. I talked to my father-" Blaise let out a small cry.
"Then I don't think I have much of a choice, either. I can't be associated with someone like that. My parents are dead, Malfoy, because of something you agreed to do. What would you have done if Voldemort had told you to kill my family? Would you have done it? Of course you would have, because of your father. I don't think you have any idea of what the principles of right and wrong are. I mean, where does it end? You have to draw a line somewhere, Draco. You should have said no in the first place when your father asked you to be a Death Eater. I know that you can be emotionally stronger than he is. But you have to find that out for yourself, and put your morality into play. You have to stop somewhere. You're succumbing to your father's power."
"I knew from the start what this would result in destroying my basis of morality, Blaise." He snapped, trying to find words for what she had just said to him. He HAD tried to draw the line. He DIDN'T want to kill. But he had to.
"Draco, I don't...I don't think that we should speak anymore." Blaise said softly. "I can't live with this. I don't know whether to be sorry, or..." She brushed a falling tear from her chin. As she trailed off, she turned and climbed the stairs to her dormitory. "To avenge my parents." She whispered, shaking her head.
* * *
Draco paced slowly down the corridor that he'd nearly memorized by now. He hadn't even started his Transfiguration project yet, and it was time he started to work on it. He had nothing better to do, anyway. Still walking, he shut his eyes and rubbed them, trying not to think about what he'd seen in his mind that night in the forest. He continued to dawdle, his eyes still closed, and hit hard into something. He heard a crash just before opening his eyes. "Granger." He acknowledged, noting the books that were now splattered upon the ground. "Nice job."
"That was your job, Malfoy, compliment yourself." He raised his eyebrows and glanced down the perpendicular corridor that Hermione had just emerged from. "What are you doing here?"
"Why so curious?" He asked, sneering.
"I'm not." She began defensively. "Just hoping your not going to the library."
"As a matter of fact, I am."
"Goody." She sighed sarcastically, throwing her books into her bag.
"Well, this has been, er, fun...have a perfectly Potter-free day, for your own sake."
"Is that your new salutation? Its pretty bad." She chuckled to herself, standing. He shook his head in noting her answer and began walking away from her."
:"Hey Malfoy!" She called, catching up to him. "Why were you in the forest last night?" Draco coughed quickly. "Oh c'mon. One of us had to mention it."
"None of your business, Granger. Stay out of it."
"Fine, but McGonagall is going to have to hear of-"
"Alright, alright!" He hushed her. "I was...I was going for a nighttime broom ride, and I...I fell off of my broom while I was flying over the forest. It was destroyed, so I left it there." She gave him an I-don't-believe-you look and bit her lip. "Don't tell McGonagall."
"And what would make me not want to? I mean, I could get you into an awful lot of trouble. And I could tell her about the dagger, too. And the bond-"
"What do you want me to do, Granger? Seriously."
"I guess nothing." She admitted, frowning. "Or, wait...I've got an idea."
"What?" He snapped, gazing at her amused expression.
"I want you to admit that Harry's better than you at quidditch. Because, honestly Malfoy, you know it's true?"
"Excuse me?" He sputtered. "I will not lie."
"Then Professor-"
"Fine! My God, your bothersome. Potter-"
"Wait! Hold on." She drew out he wand and pointed it at Draco. Before he could protest, she shouted "Recordiam!" At him, and nudged him to say it.
"Potter...Potter is...better...better than me...at Quidditch..."
"Merecordiam!" Hermione shouted, tucking her wand back into her pocket. Before it was fully gone, she burst out laughing. "That- that was the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life!" She breathed between giggles. "Honestly, that was hilarious."
"What was that spell?" Malfoy demanded, very annoyed. "And you're not going to tell McGonagall, are you?"
"I just recorded what you said. Hope you don't mind."
"You what?!"
"Yeah, that's your punishment for making me keep some secrets, Malfoy."
"Oh, geez." He sighed.
"And no, after that, I wouldn't tell McGonagall." Malfoy sneered and strolled ahead of her, flustered.
"Wonderful bribery, Granger. A quality I never knew you had." And with that, he walked out of sight.
As Hermione slowly dawdled towards the library, laughing to herself, she smiled a bit. Because Malfoy hadn't called her mudblood even once.
* * *
It was nearing four o'clock when Draco completed his project. He rubbed his eyes and stuffed the long parchment into his bag, making his way over to the Dark Arts Defense section of the library. He glanced at it for a moment, then located the book that he'd wished to see. 'Magical Favors, by Garson Gryndilflower.' He drew it from the shelf, then went to sit at one of the wooden tables. Lowering himself onto a chair, he opened the book directly to a useful page. 'Ten useful ways to break a wizard's debt.' It stated. He scanned them and ran over a few. 'The most useful way to break a bond created by a wizard's debt is by saving the person whom saved your's life. Then second most effective way, amazingly enough, is a kiss. But only a true kiss. One that within it holds passion, romance, desire, and love.' Draco chuckled and looked over the rest. All of them seemed impossible. He sighed and placed the book back on the shelf, too depressed to read on. He stood and left the library, wishing that he could go back to the common room and see Blaise. To tell her everything.
He stepped slowly up the staircase that led to the Slytherin common room. He was nearing it, and he was very tired. Maybe he'd get some sleep when he returned.
Completely forgetting about the stair that he always skipped, he stepped right upon it. He'd never really knew what it did, but his head boy had always told him not to step on it. Now he understood. It felt as if he was falling through several layers of ice. His blood grew cold and felt as if it were about to freeze. He yelled out at first, but as the cool air rushed through his hair he became more calm. After a moment of falling, he suddenly landed upon stone ground.
The place was unfamiliar, but it looked as if it were a part of Hogwarts castle. He stood and brushed himself off, glancing around. On his right was a large metal knight, gazing coldly at him. On his left was a golden framed picture of an obese woman in a pink dress, apparently sleeping. He shook his head and began to walk forward, trying to figure where he was. But before his thoughts could come to him, a creaking brought him to. He glanced quickly to where the sound was coming from. The portrait of the fat lady had swung open, and Hermione was climbing out if it. Shutting the framed picture, she turned to him.
"Malfoy!" She shouted, startled. "How long have you been here?"
"Only a few moments, Granger calm down."
"No, you didn't see..."
"Yes, I saw, but does that make a difference? Passwords, remember? I don't want anything to do with your stupid common room anyway."
"I can't believe this- how did you get here?"
"Actually, Granger, I don't know. I stepped on a wrong stair...and here I am."
"I'm going to kill myself."
"Please do, then I'll be able to stop you and end this stupid bond."
"Malfoy," She began, sitting. "There was no way out of that bond, and you know it. Either you died, or this happened. And you know you don't want to die."
"Yes I do." He corrected, also sitting.
"Why?" She questioned without thinking.
"Why? You want to know why?"
"No-" She said quickly.
"Don't be so concerned with other people's affairs, Granger, remember they are their own."
"Whatever." She mumbled. They both sat in silence, but it was surprisingly comfortable.
"Remember what you said to me?" He started after a while. "In the library."
"I've said a lot of things to you in the library."
"Don't make me repeat it." She smirked.
"I vaguely remember something. What about it?"
"I think...I think I understand what your talking about." She gave him an extremely curious glance, widening her eyes. *Come to think of it,* Thought Draco, flashing an equally curious gaze. *Her eyes are quite nice.*
* * *
By Angel Of Music
Chapter Seven: The Death of Old Ways
"As you all know, many of our kind have left me." Voldemort mumbled, stroking his chin. "All of them abandoned me in my hour of need. When I tried to call upon them, where were they? They tricked me, all of them. Lied to me. They left my dying for 13 years. Sure, there was that git Quirrel and the silly little diary in which that Weasley girl took a hold of (Thanks to Lucius), but I remained sealed in a constricted form. Not until Wormtail came along did I prosper. But those who abandoned me must pay, for I will not tolerate that behavior." Draco swallowed and shut his eyelids, trying to picture Blaise's mournful ruby eyes in his mind. He had fallen in love with those eyes. They were so beautiful; they reminded Draco of a sunset on an autumn evening. "My mission," Began the Dark Lord once more, "Is to rid the earth of those despicable treasoners once and for all." Others around Voldemort nodded frivolously, including Lucius. Draco stood still, face fixated on his feet.
He could not believe that his usual solid, aloof self was falling apart. Falling in love. He and Blaise had been friends for so long, and it seemed unlikely that they were now beginning to admire each other. But if he was commanded to kill her...where does listening to your superior end and insanity begin? The line between the two grew hazy as Draco rubbed his eyes and slouched even further down upon the moldy stump.
"And so I have already sent some of you to kill them. And I will assign you all someone to kill. You must complete these duties in no more than one month. Once I call your name and victim, you may go." Lucius smirked and ran a hand through his glossy, sliver-blonde hair. "Lucius, I have decided since your son is somewhat of a rookie, you and he shall be paired. Both of you get the Fredcook family. I want them all done away with, you hear? You may go." Both Lucius and Draco stood and jumped upon their brooms. Draco's head was swimming with thoughts. He had to do something to stop this. He had to warn Blaise immediately. He, Draco Malfoy, was expected to kill someone. No, not someone, many people. A whole family. A family he'd bet anything on wasn't too different then Blaise's. He sighed and kicked off into the air. So many questions were running through his mind that he hardly heard Lucius gurgle,
"I'll send you a letter in about one week telling you what the situation is. Draco, you know this will help get some things off your mind. Killing always has that effect on me. Like a breath of fresh air." Draco paused and glanced up at his father.
"You know something," He began quietly, "You're sick." Lucius halted his broom in mid-air, his expression looking furiously cruel.
"What did you say, boy?" He spat.
"You're a sick man." Draco said in a small crescendo.
"And why is that?" Lucius snarled, tilting his head as if able to understand his son better this way.
"Killing for pleasure? That isn't what I call a healthy pastime." Lucius's eyes widened and he inched himself closer to Draco.
"Excuse me, your highness," He barked, glaring. "But I didn't think your opinion mattered that much."
"Well excuse me!" Draco yelled, startling his father. "But my friend is one of those people who is going to be killed!"
"Your friend?" Lucius laughed, a bemused grin playing on his lips. "Now that you are a death eater, you will forget your friends and concentrate on what's important."
"What's important to me, Lucius, is Blaise Zambini. There, I said it."
"How dare you..." He started, breathing heavily. He flew over to Draco and gave his broom a good kick in the side. Losing his balance, he toppled off of the broom and into the thick brush of the forbidden forest. Bruised and bleeding, he stood and dusted himself off, pivoting his head to look for his broom. He paused when he spotted a few bristles sticking out of a dark bush, and made his way over to the now damaged broom. Above, he could hear his father cackling, "Good luck finding your way back..." He sifted through the bush and picked up a now destroyed broom, wondering how he would ever get back to the castle. He had to be at least an hour away in walking distance, and he didn't know the way back. He would have followed the path straight, opposite from where he came, but he retained a few sharp turns that he had made on the way to the meeting. He sighed, and began to head in what he thought was east.
The sky was cold and dark as it wrapped itself about Draco. He shivered sparsely, hoping that he'd get out of the forest before the deep of night. It was black as a blank memory in the forest, and the moon could barely be seen in the thick serenity of the evening. Draco tried to find the stars. It had to be past midnight by now, and Hogwarts was no where in sight. He stopped shortly and sat upon the ground, embracing himself as he shivered. He closed his eyes and attempted to picture something that would get the strange noises of the forest out of his mind. Clearing his thoughts, he concentrated on the warmth of the castle. He tried not to think, but just let the image slide into his mind. But what came was something he never expected to see.
* * *
'He has to be the lowliest of men I've ever met.' Hermione scribbled into her journal, scoffing. 'Always pushing himself into things that aren't any of his business, like my life. Everything about him bothers me. His hair, his eyes, his looming gaze, and by far his attitude. Can't he just for once understand that everyone hates that about him? I cannot understand him.' She signed her name quickly and slammed the notebook closed, shutting her eyes. She sprawled out upon her bed and left herself to her thoughts. *Why is he always hanging about that Blaise girl?* She contemplated, wondering why she was wasting valuable thinking time on Malfoy. *If he's so worthless, why do I care?* She added while she pondered. She exhaled slowly and sat back up.
Classes were commencing again in two days, and Hermione wanted nothing more. At least she'd be able to escape from reality for a moment, and have a little time to herself. That was always why she liked learning so much; she was able to run away from exile for a while, and concentrate on her work. She stood, stretching, and made her way over to the open window, which was emitting a small burst of cold air. She leaned upon the windowsill and look outward, glad that the room wasn't lit so that she could see unto the grounds. The forest was so peaceful at night, although she knew that on the inside it was not. She leaned her burning forehead against the algid window, leaving a small imprint in the condensation. She was about to return to her bed when movement caught her eye.
Something from inside the forest was emerging, shadowy and dark against the midnight sky, and Hermione strained her eyes to see it. She could not, so she quickly dashed to her bedside and grabbed her wand. Sticking it out the window, she muttered "Lumos," and the wand illuminated.
Malfoy. And he had seen her. And she had seen him. As their eyes met, he shuffled away, trying to pretend that she wasn't blatantly staring at him. Hermione, after realizing that she wasn't moving, tucked her wand away and shut the window as fast as she could without being audible. She threw it onto her bedside table and jumped back on the four poster bed, shutting the curtains. *What was Malfoy doing in the forest?* She wondered, turning onto her her side. But before the answer had even touched her mind, she fell into a deep slumber.
* * *
Draco darted softly into the common room, trying hard to wake no one. Granger had seen him exit the forest. She was sure to tell someone, and then much would be found out. His stomach ached in fear of the events to come, and he walked quietly over to the dying fire.
"Oh my God, Draco, where were you?" Whispered a harsh voice which belonged to Blaise. "I waited up all night for you! Something has happened, Draco, something horrid."
"Blaise!" He retorted. "I have to tell you something. Everything. Promise you'll listen." She stared at him, not quite knowing whether to be angry, concerned, or to just obey. But it was just then that Draco noticed tears forming in her eyes.
"Something's happened." She repeated, more alarmed this time.
"What is it?"
"My parents were...killed." She put simply. Her throat swelled and tightened as her darting eyes focused on his face. "By your kind. Why couldn't you have told me that Voldemort was going to do this? Why didn't you warn me?"
"I was going to, just now!"
"Just now? It's a little late, don't you think, Malfoy? Jesus, did you think they'd wait?"
"But-" He began. "Voldemort just instructed us tonight. They couldn't have been killed."
"Well I just got an owl a half of an hour ago that was sent at around 9:30. When was your meeting adjourned?"
"8:00..." He stuttered, leaning upon a chair to keep his balance. "I'm so sorry, Blaise."
"Draco..." She started, noticing something. "If Voldemort instructed you all to kill someone, were you also told to do so?"
"I...yes..."
"And are you?"
"I don't think I have much of a choice. I talked to my father-" Blaise let out a small cry.
"Then I don't think I have much of a choice, either. I can't be associated with someone like that. My parents are dead, Malfoy, because of something you agreed to do. What would you have done if Voldemort had told you to kill my family? Would you have done it? Of course you would have, because of your father. I don't think you have any idea of what the principles of right and wrong are. I mean, where does it end? You have to draw a line somewhere, Draco. You should have said no in the first place when your father asked you to be a Death Eater. I know that you can be emotionally stronger than he is. But you have to find that out for yourself, and put your morality into play. You have to stop somewhere. You're succumbing to your father's power."
"I knew from the start what this would result in destroying my basis of morality, Blaise." He snapped, trying to find words for what she had just said to him. He HAD tried to draw the line. He DIDN'T want to kill. But he had to.
"Draco, I don't...I don't think that we should speak anymore." Blaise said softly. "I can't live with this. I don't know whether to be sorry, or..." She brushed a falling tear from her chin. As she trailed off, she turned and climbed the stairs to her dormitory. "To avenge my parents." She whispered, shaking her head.
* * *
Draco paced slowly down the corridor that he'd nearly memorized by now. He hadn't even started his Transfiguration project yet, and it was time he started to work on it. He had nothing better to do, anyway. Still walking, he shut his eyes and rubbed them, trying not to think about what he'd seen in his mind that night in the forest. He continued to dawdle, his eyes still closed, and hit hard into something. He heard a crash just before opening his eyes. "Granger." He acknowledged, noting the books that were now splattered upon the ground. "Nice job."
"That was your job, Malfoy, compliment yourself." He raised his eyebrows and glanced down the perpendicular corridor that Hermione had just emerged from. "What are you doing here?"
"Why so curious?" He asked, sneering.
"I'm not." She began defensively. "Just hoping your not going to the library."
"As a matter of fact, I am."
"Goody." She sighed sarcastically, throwing her books into her bag.
"Well, this has been, er, fun...have a perfectly Potter-free day, for your own sake."
"Is that your new salutation? Its pretty bad." She chuckled to herself, standing. He shook his head in noting her answer and began walking away from her."
:"Hey Malfoy!" She called, catching up to him. "Why were you in the forest last night?" Draco coughed quickly. "Oh c'mon. One of us had to mention it."
"None of your business, Granger. Stay out of it."
"Fine, but McGonagall is going to have to hear of-"
"Alright, alright!" He hushed her. "I was...I was going for a nighttime broom ride, and I...I fell off of my broom while I was flying over the forest. It was destroyed, so I left it there." She gave him an I-don't-believe-you look and bit her lip. "Don't tell McGonagall."
"And what would make me not want to? I mean, I could get you into an awful lot of trouble. And I could tell her about the dagger, too. And the bond-"
"What do you want me to do, Granger? Seriously."
"I guess nothing." She admitted, frowning. "Or, wait...I've got an idea."
"What?" He snapped, gazing at her amused expression.
"I want you to admit that Harry's better than you at quidditch. Because, honestly Malfoy, you know it's true?"
"Excuse me?" He sputtered. "I will not lie."
"Then Professor-"
"Fine! My God, your bothersome. Potter-"
"Wait! Hold on." She drew out he wand and pointed it at Draco. Before he could protest, she shouted "Recordiam!" At him, and nudged him to say it.
"Potter...Potter is...better...better than me...at Quidditch..."
"Merecordiam!" Hermione shouted, tucking her wand back into her pocket. Before it was fully gone, she burst out laughing. "That- that was the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life!" She breathed between giggles. "Honestly, that was hilarious."
"What was that spell?" Malfoy demanded, very annoyed. "And you're not going to tell McGonagall, are you?"
"I just recorded what you said. Hope you don't mind."
"You what?!"
"Yeah, that's your punishment for making me keep some secrets, Malfoy."
"Oh, geez." He sighed.
"And no, after that, I wouldn't tell McGonagall." Malfoy sneered and strolled ahead of her, flustered.
"Wonderful bribery, Granger. A quality I never knew you had." And with that, he walked out of sight.
As Hermione slowly dawdled towards the library, laughing to herself, she smiled a bit. Because Malfoy hadn't called her mudblood even once.
* * *
It was nearing four o'clock when Draco completed his project. He rubbed his eyes and stuffed the long parchment into his bag, making his way over to the Dark Arts Defense section of the library. He glanced at it for a moment, then located the book that he'd wished to see. 'Magical Favors, by Garson Gryndilflower.' He drew it from the shelf, then went to sit at one of the wooden tables. Lowering himself onto a chair, he opened the book directly to a useful page. 'Ten useful ways to break a wizard's debt.' It stated. He scanned them and ran over a few. 'The most useful way to break a bond created by a wizard's debt is by saving the person whom saved your's life. Then second most effective way, amazingly enough, is a kiss. But only a true kiss. One that within it holds passion, romance, desire, and love.' Draco chuckled and looked over the rest. All of them seemed impossible. He sighed and placed the book back on the shelf, too depressed to read on. He stood and left the library, wishing that he could go back to the common room and see Blaise. To tell her everything.
He stepped slowly up the staircase that led to the Slytherin common room. He was nearing it, and he was very tired. Maybe he'd get some sleep when he returned.
Completely forgetting about the stair that he always skipped, he stepped right upon it. He'd never really knew what it did, but his head boy had always told him not to step on it. Now he understood. It felt as if he was falling through several layers of ice. His blood grew cold and felt as if it were about to freeze. He yelled out at first, but as the cool air rushed through his hair he became more calm. After a moment of falling, he suddenly landed upon stone ground.
The place was unfamiliar, but it looked as if it were a part of Hogwarts castle. He stood and brushed himself off, glancing around. On his right was a large metal knight, gazing coldly at him. On his left was a golden framed picture of an obese woman in a pink dress, apparently sleeping. He shook his head and began to walk forward, trying to figure where he was. But before his thoughts could come to him, a creaking brought him to. He glanced quickly to where the sound was coming from. The portrait of the fat lady had swung open, and Hermione was climbing out if it. Shutting the framed picture, she turned to him.
"Malfoy!" She shouted, startled. "How long have you been here?"
"Only a few moments, Granger calm down."
"No, you didn't see..."
"Yes, I saw, but does that make a difference? Passwords, remember? I don't want anything to do with your stupid common room anyway."
"I can't believe this- how did you get here?"
"Actually, Granger, I don't know. I stepped on a wrong stair...and here I am."
"I'm going to kill myself."
"Please do, then I'll be able to stop you and end this stupid bond."
"Malfoy," She began, sitting. "There was no way out of that bond, and you know it. Either you died, or this happened. And you know you don't want to die."
"Yes I do." He corrected, also sitting.
"Why?" She questioned without thinking.
"Why? You want to know why?"
"No-" She said quickly.
"Don't be so concerned with other people's affairs, Granger, remember they are their own."
"Whatever." She mumbled. They both sat in silence, but it was surprisingly comfortable.
"Remember what you said to me?" He started after a while. "In the library."
"I've said a lot of things to you in the library."
"Don't make me repeat it." She smirked.
"I vaguely remember something. What about it?"
"I think...I think I understand what your talking about." She gave him an extremely curious glance, widening her eyes. *Come to think of it,* Thought Draco, flashing an equally curious gaze. *Her eyes are quite nice.*
* * *
