Immortal

By Cedar1

A/N am now on a bit of a roll with this story! ( sayin that I'm prob gonna end up with writer's block in a couple of days, touch wood that won't happen!). This chapter is a bit low on Herm/ Draco action * dodges rotten veg * but the stuff that happens will kick start all the events that will follow onwards! Does that make sense? Hmmmmm. Anyway here goes..

Chapter 11: The beginning or The end?

" Fuck!" Draco cursed out aloud as his hands pushed up his thick robes. The dark mark was burning, cutting into him. The air around took an almost hazy quality as it began to glow dully, calling him to the lord's destination. Draco couldn't help but congratulate Voldemort at his penchant for shit timing. Draco made his way along the dark winding corridors, his heavy footsteps an indicator of his bad mood. The little act with Granger was going so well, well until the point when he thought his arm was going to drop off with the stinging sensations that were shooting up and down it.

As he opened the main doors, the cold that hit him immediately cooled him down. Normally the bitter conditions that descended on Hogwarts in autumn did nothing for him; with a smirk he realised that his skin must have been hotter than it normally was. Digressing back to the feel of her body reacting to his, he stopped temporarily on the steps, his heart beating faster and faster with the memory. Each time she sighed under him signalled a new piece of her soul being surrendered to him. And in that short time he had managed to collect every fragment of her. She was under his control now, and he could smash her at will. But the question was when it came to it, could he do it?

" Malfoy." The whisper was light, dampened by the wind.

Nervously Draco looked around, his mind whirring over possible excuses he could give to curious professors. A few paces ahead of him he could make out a tall, lanky figure dressed in black robes. As it came closer Draco felt for his wand in his pocket, but his grip immediately slackened when he noticed strands of greasy dark hair and a prominent nose in the blurred features. Snape.

" Good evening Professor Snape."

Snape quickly cast he eyes over the boy stood in front of his. His cheeks glowed with an unnatural shade of red. Snape found his suspicious side instantly on alert, for Malfoy's hardly ever strayed far from their pale complexion.

" In a rush Malfoy."

" No." The boy's eyes wrinkled at the random question.

" You appear a bit flushed."

" Simply the cold."

Snape noted the way his eyes glinted with mischief. No. No cold weather could do that to a seventeen year old boy." Shall we go?"

The two men walked into the depths of the forbidden forest, Draco leading the way, finding the only spot in Hogwarts that allowed the magic of apparation to take place. His feet stepped hastily over the branches and roots that cluttered the forest floor, desperate to increase the distance between himself and his professor. But no matter how many trees separated them he could feel Snape's eyes boring into him, trying to get under his skin, appraising him. Draco couldn't let him find out. Find out about Hermione, and what she knew. He would tell Voldemort and it would no longer make a difference whether Draco knew if he could sacrifice Hermione or not, for he would probably be already dead. An audible sigh of relief could be heard from him when he reached the desired spot, finally he could escape. He waited until he could see Snape approaching, before stating his intention and apparating away.

The familiar feeling of the ground falling beneath his feet took over him as tingles of electricity shuddered his body. Following seconds of dizziness Draco felt his feet sink into soft soil, the smell of damp earth filling his nose causing him to want to wretch. His face must have shown his revulsion to the surroundings for a concerned Snape, who had apparated minutes after, was looking back at him, a fatherly hand patting his shoulder, " Are you alrite Malfoy." Draco glanced up at his potions master and for the first time saw something other than malice and sarcastic humour in his murky black eyes, worry and tenderness. But no sooner then it was there that it faded away, when the figure of his father came to their sides.

"Snape." His father nodded in greeting.

Snape's supporting hand rapidly left its reassuring position, almost as if had been scorched. "Lucius I advise you to give your son some apparation lessons."

Draco watched the man stalk away, confused at his change of disposition. The rough hand of his father pushed him out of his thoughts. " What's this about? Stop being such a pathetic boy! Apparation.." His head shaking in disgust. Draco quickly changed the subject before he was put through yet another speech on his uselessness. " Pansy father," he butted in. May be not the best time to bring it up, but it would have to do for want of better ideas.

The plan worked and his father stopped mid-rant. " We'll deal with that later." His eyes daring his son to argue, but Draco remained silent. " We have business now." Together father and son made their way to the rest of their group within the dense forest of Frenki trees. Covering his head with the heavy robe hood Draco slipped within the unit of faceless figures. Their hushed whispers barely passing his ears.

"Why are we here?"

"Does he have a plan?"

"Is he punishing us?"

All questions and no answers. Just like the thoughts in his head, questions whizzing around without any clue to their solution. Why was Snape behaving so oddly, almost fatherly? Was Pansy going to be by his side for the rest of his life? And what of the brown haired girl lying bruised and battered in a hospital ward?

Unlike Draco's problems, the death eaters got an answer to theirs as Voldemort apparated into their midst. Simultaneously they dropped to their knees, worshipping the 'man' before them, awaiting the words that were to leave his mouth.

" The time has come my death eaters. Two years of waiting, two years of hiding, two years watching the ministry and Dumbledore rebuild their defences. But that will turn to dust as of now. It's time for our revival, our victory." Anticipation filled the air, surrounding the death eaters and their master. They were finally going to reveal themselves again.

" And what better way to start, then to kill those who killed us. Inferior wizards who dared to challenge our beliefs, who have helped to create a society that sees purebloods concealed in darkness while muggles roam our streets." A flick of his wand and a group of figures were apparated into the centre of the assembly. The elderly man, know doubt the loving father and husband wrapped his arms around his children. Trying to shield them from the darkness that was encircling them. His wife on the other hand glared at each of the hooded figures that were stepping closer and closer, determination blazing in her eyes. Willing to fight until her death, which she knew was evitable. It was these last images that Draco could see before the thirsty pack of death eaters closed in on them, shutting out any more light from getting into their lives.

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Under red sheets the sweaty body of Harry Potter squirmed. The thin cotton wrapping around the struggling figure, tightening around limbs; while the boy tried to escape the shrieks of suffering that bombarded his mind, filling his head. Thick red liquid flooded into it, drowning all faith. He bolted upright, breaking from the nightmare, the visions. He lurched to the side of his bed, as he vomited on the newly cleaned wooden floor. A shaky hand was brought to his mouth wiping away any remnants. Avoiding the mess, he made his way to the bathroom. Not bothering to turn on the light he entered the chilly room, the large sink mirror providing the only light that flitted from surface to surface. After several attempts he was finally able to open the tap, the water gushed into the sink. Splashing his face with the cold water he pulled himself out off the grogginess of sleep, and back to the harsh realities of life. His body all of a sudden felt tired, his muscles weak and all he wanted to do was collapse on the floor, hide in a corner and forget what he saw.

But he couldn't do that, however much he wanted to. Staring into the mirror, he hated what looked back at him. Green eyes, messy hair, legacies from his parents and a world famous scar, a gift from their murderer. He was ' Harry Potter' and no matter how much he tried to deny it, it was his responsibility to warn people, and to fight against it. Images of defeated bodies formed within the glass, writhing in agony. His visions being replayed in front of him again and again. In a moment of anger and despair his fist went flying into their faces, shards of glass flew into the air, finally scattering on the bathroom floor. Harry sank downwards joining the broken remains. Blood from his knuckles dripped onto the tiles, spreading out before him. Voldemort was back, the end was coming.

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The atmosphere was thick with the smell of blood and pain. His body was buzzing under him, vibrating from their echoing screams, and from the sense of power that was coursing through his veins. The death eaters had now retreated back to their circle formation, four bodies marking their success. Looking into the glassy eyes of the husband, Draco was not seeing the cold look of death but instead the memory of fear as he had pointed his wand for a 'Cruciatus' curse.

***********

Suffering from a rare sense of fair play Voldemort had allowed the Griffith family the use of their wands. Needless to say five wands could not be compared with the forty that bordered them. Thus one by one they had fallen, and Draco had simply watched as their stiff bodies dropped to the floor. Death had been described to Draco in both words and pictures, but seeing a person's last shred of life disappear from their eyes in the flesh had come like a bucket of ice water. Cold and mind numbing. It was due to his haziness that he was slow to register Voldemort's high-pitched voice calling for him.

" Draco, I believe you have yet to have a turn."

Draco remained silent.

" Do you not want to please your lord?" The question was laced with the underlying accusation of unfaithfulness.

" No I merely wanted to face the man one -on -one. Rather than hide in the shadows of others." The lie slipped out smoothly.

Voldemort nodded, the answer was accepted but not necessarily believed, and with a wave of his gnarled hand he ordered the death eaters to move away from the prey. The separating of the black robes revealed the shadow of the man who hours ago had been described as an auror who had locked away several dark wizards. However to Draco this man looked like he couldn't even capture a tortoise. His previously passion filled eyes had dulled, as the feeling of hope had gradually bled out of him throughout the night, with his blood and that of his family's; whose bodies he was protectively cowering over. The wizard registered Draco's challenge and stood up, his wand shaking by his side as fresh tears trickled down his face.

At first Draco had been reluctant to utter spells; a strange sensation of shyness washing over him making him reluctant to speak out in front of his superiors as well the nagging idea that what he was about to do was wrong. Duelling with a man whose family lay at his feet did not in any sense of the word appear moral. But feeling the estimating glare of Voldemort against his back, all arguments were forgotten as at last he took aim, firing spells at his enemy, until Voldemort was satisfied that he was indeed a loyal subject. And although the man had not died under Draco's hands the after-feeling that came from the fight was just as his father had described in their late night bedroom stories when he was a child. He could feel the pulsations in the wand caused by the strength of the curses, pass into his body, crawl under his skin; the power seeping into every cell it passed. And as the elderly man had crumpled to the floor, his screams had produced a cloud of euphoria that encased Draco, making him feel that he could overcome anything or anyone. .....

************

" Well done, my death eaters," came the approving voice of Voldemort. Underneath cloaks were faces desperately trying to resist the urge for smug smiles to come to the surface, for the lord seldom gave complements. However the self-congratulatory attitude was soon deflated, .. " But you appear to have forgotten one." With a lazy flick and a whisper of ' Imperio' a figure rose from their hiding place under the hanging branches of one of the Frenki trees. The small body glided along the earth silently, as the death eaters watched eagerly, the look of hunger returning ten fold. Settling in the centre of the gathering, another flick and the form hit the ground. However instead of caving in, it stood straight, its head raised proudly, though its face remained hidden by the overly large hood. But no amount of pride could hide the trembles that were causing the filthy robe to quiver.

" I think this one should be dealt with by our newest recruit." Delight could not be hidden from his voice as he once again threw Draco into the spotlight.

But this time Draco wasn't afraid, still high on the last encounter he confidently strode to his victim. He could do this, it was in his blood. Reaching out, his elegant fingers grasped the rough material of the hood, and harshly he yanked it down. What he saw caused all his resolve to shatter into pieces. Stood in front of him was a girl, no more than thirteen years, but it was not the age that had caused Draco's heart to stop but the features that reminded him so much of the girl he had just left re-cooperating in a cosy bed at Hogwarts. Dark hair, pouty lips but it were the eyes that had produced the shivers running up and own his spine. They were hers, large, honey-brown and screaming with the emotions that rocked her soul.

" Do it Draco. Show her what darkness it." The words echoed in his head. But it was not his voice that was whispering orders but that of his master's by his side.

" Kill her."

Bringing a hand to her face, he tenderly stroked it, wiping away the trail of tears. Wand positioned over her heart he brought himself to look into her eyes.

" I'm sorry." He murmured so only she could hear. The second word of the fatal curse on the verge of leaving his lips she answered back, " I forgive you."

"...kedavra." Draco stood still as the girl collapsed into his arms, her hair falling in waves down his stained robes. The lifeless figure dropped onto the ground, as he relinquished his hold. He had to let go off her.

Voldemort let out a single clap at the actions of his youngest and most promising follower. Casting his eyes over the congregation he gave his final prediction " Tonight marks a new beginning, ...for all of us."

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A/N Sorry if it's really over the top, but was letting the drama queen in me take over. But am gonna be rather smug with myself cause have managed to update within 2 weeks. PARTY!! But to get me into further party mood you guys have to review! So go on put a cheesy grin on my face, press that blue review button! ( on the bottom left hand corner in case any of you need directions!).

And to u brill people who reviewed last time( do u know how much I love hearin from u)..

Mesmer: Thanx! I ave written the final chap, but guessin its gonna be a while yet, prob say I'm half way throu so far - so u haven't got rid of me yet!!

Thalion: Cheers for your encouraging words. Am def gonna keep on writing this story cos have actually written the ending! Weah! Oh and u better review! * me trying to sound vaguely threatening- crap isn't it?*

dracoNmione: Huge apologies for the wrongly written lyrics in chap 1, have now changed it! The word 'dumbass' is now stamped on my forehead, cos I can't even read a cd cover! Duh! Hope you keep reading and reviewing!

Alexa: I def have an idea how to respond to those 3 letters. Hmmmm. Glad u liked the last chap, hope I've managed to top it with this one!

Serpent Du Feu: keep reading on! They may or may not get together- am not gonna say any more! * evil laugh *