Bound
By Angel Of Music

Chapter Eighteen: Every Rose Has it's Thorns

Even in the deep darkness, the auburn hair that framed the speaker's face was a dead giveaway. Blaise Zambini stood before the partners, her hands upon her hips, tapping her foot incorrigibly. She stared, smirking silently for a moment, until she drawled, "Years of hard work and preservation of his soul, and Voldemort perished under the influence of a mudblood and a spoiled git. Congratulations." Her smile broadened as the two gazed menacingly at her. After a pause, Draco sputtered,

"Don't mock us, you poor excuse for a Zambini." The almond-locked girl raised an eyebrow.

"You've killed the greatest Lord our world has even been introduced to, and still you haven't found this out?" She bit her lip.

"What in heavens name are you talking about?" Draco snarled.

"It just goes to show that the world is a rather ironic place, wouldn't you say?" She hummed softly for a moment, her moist eyes glistening under the moonlight. The tent of trees above sheltered her expression, casting shadows over her. She inhaled audibly, and running a hand through her hair whispered, "you are both so naive. If you hadn't been, maybe you'd have figured out the story by now." She sighed softly, then began.

"Sixteen years ago, only a single year before the dark lord fell, Lord Voldemort conceived a child with a beautiful temptress named Sara. She gave birth to this daughter, and as it had it, Voldemort wished to raise this girl to be his heir. When Sara would not allow it, he brutally tortured and murdered her." She paused and smirked as Hermione winced. "The dark lord made for a back up plan, in the event of his death. He hired a small family of death eaters entitled the Zambini's to take care of his daughter, and when he weakened when the girl was one, she stayed with this family. They immediately left the dark forces, and as the girl grew, they informed her of her true identity. Of course, when Voldemort rose again, he wanted the Zambinis dead. And this he did." She trailed off for a moment in thought.

"Haven't you ever wondered why my parents were killed, and not I? It is because I am that child, and my father has raised me to be strong. You may have killed him, but his heir will never falter. If you want to save this stupid, ironic little place we call the world, you're going to have to get through me." The woods were silent. Draco Malfoy gaped, and Hermione rocked visibly.

"You?" He asked shakily, putting a palm to his forehead. "But all these years we've been friends..."

"Yes. You know, I truly did fall for you, Malfoy. You snared me into your little trap at such an early age. And here I've been trying to chase after you, to let you share my feelings, and you haven't seen it. My father chose you to wed me because he thought you were fit for the job. But he was right. You've got no dark pride. That Malfoy is gone with the rest of his traits. He has gone with the Malfoy that used to despise mudbloods, to follow in the footsteps of his father, used to sneer when he heard Voldemort's name. Yes, he perished beside my faith. Isn't that...too bad." She blew at a strand of hair that had fallen across her cheek. "Any last questions, lovers, before I mercilessly kill you?"

"I just don't believe that you're the heir to Lord Voldemort." Draco whispered breathlessly.

"If you want proof, I'll show you." She thrust out her finger thoughtfully into the algid night air and inhaled shakily. A name suddenly appeared, surrounded by a faint glowing light. It stated, 'Blaise Delvin-Yechaws Riddle.' Blaise tilted her head as if to get a closer look at the name. "Delvin after my mother, Yechaws after my grandmother." She quickly drew her finger up once more and the letters rearranged themselves to state, 'I've always been Riddle's child.' Draco's jaw dropped, though as he realized this, he shut it with a snap.

"V-very well." He stuttered. "If you're so clever, then perhaps you can explain why Riddle had such a large scar across his cheek." Blaise's scarlet eyes flickered.

"I'm going to murder you anyway, so I might as well tell you this." She reassured. "That night that my father was weakened by that fiend Harry Potter, he incinerated a lightning scar upon Potter's forehead. Well, what most don't understand is that cursed scars always have a brother wound. When Riddle fell after Potter's display of immortality, the scar was left on his face. It was small at first, but as he grew weaker, the blemish grew larger. He usually covers the wound with magic, but recently it's gotten so large he hasn't been able to do much about it. He was growing old and very tired, as it took most of his energy to transfer his powers into me." Hermione looked taken aback and began to visibly oscillate. "It would be a feat to see that when Voldemort was destroyed, Potter's scar grew smaller. It's too bad that it won't be something either of you will witness. With my power, Potter will be dead by Tuesday." Hermione began to draw towards Blaise at this, but Draco tugged to hold her back from throwing a punch at the brunette.

"You're sick, Zambini." She hissed. Scoffing, Blaise corrected thoughtlessly,

"Riddle." Narrowing her eyes, Hermione flashed soundless hatred towards Blaise. "You know, Malfoy," She began after the short silence. "After I saved your life, this is how you repaid me." Draco raised his eyebrows questioningly. She let out an exasperated exhale, then began, "My father was going to kill you after that little stunt you pulled with the muggle, you know. But I told him to spare you. I should have allowed him to kill you all along, because then perhaps he'd still have life in him yet. I will avenge my father, you know."

"So you were the one that proposed a wedding vow." Draco figured.

"Very good, Malfoy. It's taken you this long. Unfortunately, this will be the end of everything. You can forget about all I said earlier- your whole existence was a facade of lies. I don't know the real Draco Malfoy." She retorted coldly.

"As if I know the real Blaise." Draco argued, pulling out his wand. Blaise cocked her head to the right, allowing her chocolate tendrels to dance across her back in an untidy array.

"She's dead now." The witch responded softly, and began to slowly turn around. "Unfortunately, one part of her will always linger." She whisked around once more and brushed a palm over the boy's tender cheek. "Years and years of hopeless admiration can never pay off, but I still haven't learned my lesson." Beginning to bring her lips to his, she commenced to kiss him gently, massaging her hands through his knotted locks. Lethargically putting a palm upon his chest, she brought her mouth to his ear and whispered, "Crucio." He fell instantly, and she heaved a smirk onto her lips. "I'll let him stay for a while, Granger, you and I have some knots to work through." Swallowing, Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Take the curse off him." She whispered threateningly. "Now."

"Don't be so feisty, we've got a long way to go. Believe me, dear, I would never allow Draco to die so easily after what he did to my father. Neither of you will be given such an honor as to perish as so." She furrowed a frown.

"Fine." Hermione said after a second of thought. "He would be too strong, anyway, to die under a curse so feeble as yours."

"Feeble?" Blaise questioned thoughtlessly. A broad sneer twitched across her face, and she began to laugh. "No. I believe you've got your facts mixed up. We'll see whose curses are feeble."

Hermione shut her eyes, trying to block out the muffled cries of Draco. She had to say something, anything, to make Blaise halt. "Don't be so certain, Riddle." She huffed, emphasizing Blaise's surname as a final refuge. "Draco's curse did kill your father."

"There are reasons for that, mudblood!" Blaise cried, absent-mindedly tearing the curse from Draco. "When a wizard is weakening, as my father was, and two unforgivable curses clash, it creates what Voldemort used to call the 'bond of righteousness.' Only a caster with good intent may provoke this bond, and it is a rare feat. My father feared it would be the end of him. Fortunately, since he also believed that he was one of the only that knew of it, he kept the idea well hidden. But my father is too powerful for his own good, and that too led to his downfall. He had the ability to place images in the minds of his greatest enemies; the images of his own thoughts. As he cast the cruciatus curse upon Malfoy here, he worried that the boy would find out of his weakness. And this rather stupid mistake led to his death. The bond of righteousness overtook him, and since his flesh, his bones, and his mind were made of nothing but evil, the caring diminished him." She paused, mingling in her own thought for a moment. "It's a good thing I'm not weakening, eh?" She chuckled.

"How do you know all of this?" Hermione questioned, rocking slightly upon her heels.

"Easily, Granger, and I'd be most happy to share it with you. You see, at the time that all of this was occurring, Voldemort was placing his powers into me. He was dying, and I was therefore obtaining what he was losing. At the moment that Draco cast that final curse, his thoughts entered my mind. I knew what had happened, and I knew what would occur. And I also know that both of you will die today." Though frightened, Hermione made her way slowly over to Draco, kneeling beside him.

"I can't wait to prove you wrong." She spat, running a blanched palm through a trembling Draco's moist hair. She took his hand and helped him to his feet. "You're alright?" She asked him. Nodding, he strung his fingers through hers.

"Blaise," He began, wiping the perspiration from his brow. "You're a pretentious little prat, and I fear Hermione and I are going to kill you first." Blaise laughed mirthlessly.

"Isn't that a funny little thing?" She began. Continuing to cackle, she shouted "Crucio!" At Hermione. "It's wonderful not needing a wand for the unforgivable curses. And seeing as that mudblood over there still has my wand, it's even more useful." She told Draco. The boy shook his head, worry spreading across his expression. Blaise dawdled over to the convulsing girl, and bent next to her. Snatching Hermione's wand from her robes, the brunette smiled and whispered, "Accio wand." And, throwing the cherry wand back upon the girl's chest, she sneered, "You'll need this." With this, she cut the curse off. Hermione, stuttering to her feet, stared gruffly ahead of her into the misty light of the forest. Though blindingly dark, the trio could still make out Blaise's wand hurtling towards them from the distance. She smiled curtly as she caught it, running a steady palm through her thick tendreled hair. "How convenient." She put mockingly, testing it's reliability by incinerating a nearby shrub. Hermione menacingly inhaled, her expression one of absolute determination. "You must really despise me," Blaise began coldly, chuckling a bit to herself. Draco, at this, nodded vigorously.

"You're damn right I do." He retorted. She rolled her eyes in mock giddiness, giggling and batting her long, midnight eyelashes.

"Oh...my...god, Malfoy!" She began, doing a rather exaggerated impression of Hermione. "Like, um, do you think that Blaise girl actually cares?!" She continued, the teasing, false voice of the sandy-haired girl trailing off near the last few words and being replaced with Blaise's true, mysteriously seductive voice. "Seriously, Malfoy, you must have learned by now that your comments hardly matter to me anymore. Prepare for a pretty nasty death." She aimed her wand at him and shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Draco shot into the air like a cannonball, Blaise sniggering as she made him encircle her high in the air. He flailed helplessly, yelling,

"Hermione!" The girl was in a near trance. But as she heard her love's desperate voice, she drew herself out of it and thrust her wand at the auburn-haired girl.

"Accio!" She screamed, saying the first spell that came into her mind. For a moment, it seemed nothing had occurred. Blaise widened her eyes, bemused, and shook her head at Hermione.

"Good one, Granger." She jeered, breathlessly chortling. But before her words could fully conclude, an ember from the fire flew forth and smashed at high speed into the back of Blaise's head, setting her hair aflame.

Draco plummeted. She immediately cut the curse off, screeching so loudly that Hermione had to cover her ears. The flames were intense, and the blanket began to incinerate the back of her scalp. Yelping audibly, she squealed between breaths, "Hydroreducto!"

Suddenly, from the looming sky above, two pale clouds formed. And, with a curt smash of thunder, rain began to pour upon her sizzling skin. She cried out breathlessly, hissing as the element hit the flames and killed them. For a moment, she ran a palm over her tender flesh, mumbling something like, "Mudbloods..." After the awe-stuck silence where the lovers simply stared, Blaise flicked her head toward them and whispered, "What in the name of Voldemort is wrong with you, you little no-blood sack of slime?" Hermione remained rigid, not daring to respond. Blaise, after noting this, repeated, more loudly this time, "I asked what in fucking Voldemort's name is your goddamn problem!?" Looking taken aback, the girl muttered,

"Language, Riddle." The rather ominous, smoked-scalped woman responded with a sarcastic exhale.

"Unfortunately for that, Granger, I think your little partner here is going to pay. Dearly." A smirk suddenly tickled her lips as she slowly drew forth her wand. "I think I'll use this for once." She giggled mockingly, her eyes narrowed.

"You can't do this, Blaise." Draco retorted suddenly, his lips slightly ajar.

"And why is that, Malfoy? I never thought you were afraid of death. Thought you welcomed it with open arms, so to speak. What happened to those days? Hmm? Lost with all of your other sense? Lost with the pureblood Draco?"

"Eat dung." Hermione responded shortly.

"I would, Granger, but I've got other things on my mind." And then, as if in a flash of lightning, she had shouted, "Avada Kedavra." At the blonde.

"No!" Hermione shouted, her heart suddenly taking a seemingly flying leap from within her chest. She flung herself at the place where Draco had been standing, tears suddenly beginning to form in her widened pupils. "How could you?" She screeched absent mindedly at Blaise, gasping for air between sobs. "How could you?" She made her way over to the precise place of Draco's shot, but- "He's vanished..." The sandy-haired girl proposed, her suddenly prepossessing tendrels dancing over her cheeks. "But where...?" The answer came almost immediately.

"Looking for something?" Both girls were suddenly aware of the familiar voice from behind them. There the boy stood, grinning ever so slightly as he twirled Blaise's wand between his long, blanched fingers. "Or haven't you noticed it was missing." The brunette let out a stifled, bothered breath of air.

"Nice, Malfoy. I see you've used that skill my father gave you wisely. Now give that here." Hermione crept next to Draco after a second, and embracing him vehemently, shared a few feelings of relief. He weakly smiled at this, and took her hand.

"No, I really don't think that would be a great idea. I'll keep it for now, thanks." He pointed coolly. As if not realizing that this was an option, she argued,

"I don't care, give it." Both Hermione and Draco began to fervently shake their heads in disagreement. Blaise, whom was quite fed up with the weak fight, charged at them. "I've had it about up to here with your little alliance, Slytherins are supposed to be like me!" She shouted, tugging at Draco's robes for her wand. "I've been wanting to say it all along: I think you've lost your mind! Look, Draco, you could be here with me- the husband of Voldemort's heir...we could have had children to pass the legacy forth! Look where all of this doubt has brought you! To the pits of hell! Holding the hand of a mudblood!" Breathing heavily, she took a step back in order to let her soliloquy sink in to the boy's mind. After what seemed like a minute of depthly thought, the boy released Hermione's palm. Draco paused, seemingly still contemplating, and stood just before Blaise.

"You are most certainly correct about one thing." He nodded, taking in the expression of victory upon the auburn-locked girl's face. "And that one thing is laudable and most certainly considerable; I COULD have been there with you. But instead, I am here with Hermione, and this is how I damn well like it, even if you are the contemptuous 'heir of Voldemort.'" He concluded, his dispatch of her monologue so prevalent it was palpable. She clicked her tongue disapprovingly and took another step towards him so that their bodies were nearly touching. Reaching her hand forth, she brought it to his chest and began to explore it with the tips of her fingers, rubbing gently. And then, as soon as it begun, it seemed to have ended, and she was radically sneering. Between her fingers was her wand.

"You're easily seduced, Draco. Perhaps too easily." She grinned and licked her lips. It looked odd, as her locks were crumpled in all directions and the back of her scalp was hairless. The boy frowned. It was sudden, but Blaise began to stick her wand out at Draco and murmur strange things. Hermione had instantaneously had enough of it. She reached into her robes to grab her own scepter, but it was not there. Instead, what emerged from the loose-fitting clothes was an enormous, glittering ruby sword, with small letters engraved in the steel stating, 'Godric Gryffindor.' Hermione gasped, but did not let it fall.

"The sword of Gryffindor..." She coughed, rectifying the perplexed expressions on both Blaise's and Draco's face. "I've read about it before- never actually seen it...it's beautiful...only a true Gryffindor." But as she had taken the time to mutter, Blaise had also taken the time to draw forth her wand and point it at the girl.

"Hermione!" Draco called, and the girl looked up. Just in time, actually. The woman had approached her ferociously, obviously not keen on the fact that Hermione now had a sword to battle with. Hermione pivoted her head up and quickly jumped to the side as Blaise threw a leg-locking curse at her. Dodging it, she exhaled,

"Draco, I haven't any clue of how to use this!" He dashed before her and took the epée from her, saying nothing but,

"Run, Hermione." But Hermione did not run. She stayed rigid to watch as her love charged forth at Blaise, whom had just transfigured a nearby twig into another cutlass.

The battle was incredible. It was unlike anything the girl had ever seen. Both Slytherins fought well together, thrusting and blocking when necessary. Blaise lunged at Draco, and yelling, "just go, Hermione!" he shielded himself. The perspiration was becoming visible on both opponents brows, and as they quarreled seamlessly, they screamed cusses at one another. Hermione, suddenly unable to bear it anymore, reached for her wand and shouted a curse at Blaise.

It hit her. She curled upon the ground in what looked like the Petrificus Totalus curse. Making her way swiftly over to the blonde, she cried, "Draco, how did you learn to fight like that? Both of you!?" Malfoy shook his head, visible droplets of sweat falling from his forehead.

"I told you our parents used to be acquainted." He mumbled, his shirt sleeve dancing across the perspiration. "They taught us both how to defend ourselves."

"Well I'm proud of you..." She began, clasping her palms around his middle. "Now, what shall we do with her? Bring her to Dumbledore?"

"It's too late for that, mudblood." Blaise's voice sounded. "And it's also quite ironic for both of you that Draco was right. Our parents did teach us how to defend ourselves. And escaping the full body bind was one of their specialties." She sneered. Suddenly morbid, bitter rage flooded the body of the blonde boy.

"I'm ending this once and for all!" He shouted. And with the final conclusion of his statement, before Blaise could retaliate, he had swung the great sword down and thrust it clear through her chest. She stuttered for a moment, apparently losing consciousness. As she began to fall from reality, her fingers grasping death, she muttered her final words,

"I'll always love you, Draco Malfoy." And with this, she fell, her great scarlet eyes fluttering shut. Suddenly, everything had halted. But Hermione's eyes did not fall upon the girl, they landed upon Draco, whom had hunched to the ground, roaring in pain and grasping his right forearm.

"Draco, what's wrong?" There was silence, and the boy looked upward. He flung his wrist out gently to show Hermione. "It's gone-your mark..." She began inaudibly. The blonde nodded and bent towards his love.

"We've done it, Hermione...I-" He leant towards her, his gray eyes bold with passion. Shutting her own lids, she waited, expecting to feel the soft, warm glow of his lips upon hers. But that did not come. Instead, she heard a muffled shout.

She immediately popped her eyes open. What she saw was indescribable. Blaise has sat up in a final attempt at defeat, and had strung the sword through the back of Draco's torso. The girl wheezed, then dropped into death. "Draco, NO!" His fiancè screamed hysterically as he fell backwards. "You can't do this...no," She wept, throwing herself upon him.

"Hermione, I love you." He whimpered, his lips trembling as blood ran down his stomach. Shutting his great chrome eyes, he craned his neck weakly forward and embraced her lips with his. The fiery desire and romance within the kiss was overwhelming, though Hermione did her best to stay held in his arms. They broke apart after a moment, Draco smiling weakly up at his love. "And the bond is broken..." He sighed. "Now I expect repayment for that." The girl exhaled shakily at his comment, and wrapped him further into her caress.

"And I you, Draco Malfoy." He bit his lip, and his eyelids danced downward. After a moment, when all movement seemed to conclude, Draco, the last of the Malfoy heir, lover, son, and man, student, friend, and hero, fell softly to his dissolution. And with a brief, asphyxiated exhale, Hermione allowed her advancing tears to carry his body over the mist, rising through the canopy of trees, and up to his passing.

THE END
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A/N: And thus ends my tale, my fellow readers, but I've still got an epilogue. That will be out by latest, Friday. Expect it to be out by tomorrow though. I thank you all for reading and reviewing, you've been wonderfully supportive. Hope you've liked it, and I also hope you look forward to reading the epilogue, and my next new fictions: "Broken" and "Vers Libre." E-mail me for more information if you wish. Thank you once more! .
-Angel Of Music