Disclaimer: You know the drill, the characters aren't mine.
I was both concealed by Harry's invisibility cloak as well as several enchantments, but I still didn't feel safe. I felt as though my breath would never calm and that there was no one who could miss me. But so far, no one had. They were distracted by the attack Dumbledore had masterminded. I was walking slowly so that my shoes- which had already been charmed to be noiseless- wouldn't cause a sound on the hard wood floor below me. I kept repeating my mission in my head: get the red piece of parchment, get the red piece of parchment.
It was simple, break into Malfoy's office, steal a bit of parchment. The most heavily guarded piece of parchment in existence, but it was still just a piece of parchment. All I needed to do was sneak into Malfoy manor unnoticed, down all the long corridors without being heard, thru a door with more enchantments on it than there are stars in the sky, past a supposively sleeping, but easily awoken Draco Malfoy, then thru another heavily enchanted door, and past Draco's "sleeping" father. Of course, that was all child's play compared to the inpregnanable safe with a spider's web of enchantments on it, 3 maybe more goblins, a dragon and a desk inside. Of course the parchment was located in one of the hundred drawers of the desk, each of which was sealed with a lock- the keys to which Neville had gotten, costing him his left arm- and a dozen more enchantments. No problem. I was armed with my wand, which, if used, was likely to set off alarms, and a muggle rifle spelled so it didn't make even the slightest noise, which I was particularly not fond of using. Both of these were last resorts. For the most part, I needed my own natural charm and wits.
I wasn't completely alone. Draco, if awoken, was already partly under the OoP's control, with the snap of my fingers, he was mine, and Oliver was ready with Harry if I called for backup and to institute plan B if required. Remus was waiting to assist with the extraction process.
You make ask why I, the only woman in the field, was asked to do this task. I wasn't asked, of course, but there really wasn't anyway around it. I was the only one who knew anything about Malfoy manor, having both visited when I was dating Draco and being captured at the start of the war. Neville and I were the only choices. However Neville was clearly out of the picture, occupied mostly with attempting a new process to re-grow limbs. Thus, I was inside Malfoy manor.
I was very near Malfoy's office. My heart quickened, if that was possible. I paused: What if I failed??? I pushed that thought out of my mind as I heard Harry's enchanted voice ring in my ear: "Are you in position?" I took in a breath it seemed I had forgotten.
"Yes." I murmured.
"You can do this." I heard Oliver whisper, "I love you."
"I love you too." I whispered back.
I was starting at the door. The magical door, which could keep even goblins, whom were incredibly crafty at entering and exiting, out. I was, in fact, nearly suffocating from the mere presence of so many enchantments. I thought for a moment, pressing myself against the door. If I waited a moment, the words would come to me. The words so many wizards and witches had worked into their spells so that their spells could be undone if anything went terribly wrong. These words, which only I knew, had been my life's goal. I had known, as soon as I knew I was a witch, that all magic had to have been created. All spells were written by someone. And most spells were written by the same few witches and wizards, the ones that existed even before Hogwarts. I studied countless spells, realizing quite suddenly that the spells followed a pattern. Several different patterns, in fact. I had narrowed it down to 10 different patterns and then there were the random spells that didn't follow a pattern at all. It occurred to me that each pattern was a wizard or witch. There were 10 wizards and witches that created most spells. The other spells had been created at random by people later. I knew more than any other witch when I figured this out. All that was left for me was to identify the witches and wizards, then find the out they had left in their spells. I knew there was an out. Of course there was. The witches and wizards had no idea whether their spells would work. It only made sense to leave an out, a quick way to disable the spell in case things went wrong. How I found this out, I cannot say, for there are too many knowledgeable eyes reading this. And I will not say what the words are, except that they are one per witch and wizard, and each is different, but they always work. I know how valuable this information is, and charmed myself so that I could not remember them unless my mind followed the specific track I have just written. This way, even under truth serum, no one will find the words.
Whispering the words, near silently, so not even Harry or Oliver could hear, I felt most enchantments melt away. There were only a few left, some which had not been created by the 10 creators. These spells were of little matter. I pulled out my wand and whispered a spell to reveal what spells were left. I removed the Armino charm, meant to go off if the door was open, by using the counter charm and found the rest to be only in existence to enhance the enchantments which had already melted away. There was still, of course, still a lock. "Alohamora." I whispered and the door swung slowly open. I stepped inside. No alarms. "I'm in." I whispered.
It was dark in the room, but it made no difference because my eyes were well trained in the dark and charmed for night vision. I saw Draco sitting on the bed. Of course he was awake. He can't see me, he can't see me, I told myself. Of course, I neglected to remind myself, he could still see the door.
"Stop." He said. Sharp as a fresh blade, that one. "Reveal yourself, whoever you are." He was whispering. At least he was kind enough in that aspect. I really had no choice. I pulled down the hood of the cloak. My head appeared floating before him, not something he wasn't used to. "Hermione?" I nodded, "What are you doing here? Get out! I don't want my father to catch you again!" I sighed. He was still loyal to me. If only he were loyal to the rest of the OoP. I walked to him. He was standing now. I put my finger to his lips.
"Shhh..." I whispered, "Don't worry about me." I pressed my lips to his, raised my hand to the back of his neck, and snapped my fingers right in his ear. I pulled back, "I was never here. I'm just a dream. Go back to sleep."
Draco grabbed my hand. "That spell doesn't work on me anymore." This I hadn't expected. The spell, for the most part, was undoable. It was so simple, some muggles could do it. It required no magic at all. This fact was what kept most wizards from knowing it. Who else knew how to hypnotize and more important, how did they undo my own hypnosis? "I can't let you go through that door."
"Draco..." I whispered, cupping his face with my free hand, feeling his soft skin against mine, "You've been looking out for me for so long. Do you know how I appreciate it?" I whispered, inching my face closer to his. But his face was like stone, "Kiss me, Draco." I was lacing my voice hypnotically. Draco leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. He was rough about it. It almost felt nice. Finally he pulled back.
"I just wanted to do that again. The spell still isn't going to work on me. You have to leave."
"I won't." I said, my arm wrapped around his neck. His arm was wrapped around my waist, one of his hands still gripping mine.
"You've always been stubborn." he said, almost to himself, "You have to go. There are things behind that door you don't know about. You'll be dead before you can even think to react."
"Then come with me." I whispered, "Protect me."
"By letting you through that door, I would be murdering you." He said, tugging me closer, "Don't go. If not for me, then for Oliver."
"You know?"
"I know."
I looked into his sad eyes, "I'm sorry Draco."
"Don't." He tensed.
"I wish I didn't have to." He knew what I was going to do, but he didn't pull back.
"Then finish it."
"What?" I asked, did he mean what I knew he meant?
"Either you do it or my father will. To be honest, I'd rather it be you."
"I could never..." The idea of actually finishing it, the idea of ending his life was unfathomable.
"Then I will." He said, letting go of my hand, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a vial.
"No." I said, knocking the bottle from his hands. At this distracted moment, I pressed my lips to his one last time, and without his response, I pressed my thumbnail against his spinal cord. He opened his eyes to meet mine and went limp, falling to the floor before me. It made hardly a sound. I covered my eyes. They were damp. Without doubt, either way, I had ended my first love's life. If I didn't get him out of there before his father found him, at the very least. I picked up the vial which had fallen and stuffed it in my pocket, just in case he still had the same ideas when he woke.
"Focus, Hermione." Something said in my head. Harry, I suddenly realized. He was right. I nodded and walked to the door. What if Lucius was awake too? Of course he was awake. That snake never slept. I cloaked my head again, allowed my mind to follow my thoughts of discovery again and whispered them against the door. The enchantments melted like butter in a saucepan and I opened the door, my hand clutching the muggle gun at my side.
"I've been expecting you." A deadly voice whispered. I did not enter but looked around inside. I could see no one. Of course, Lucius was cloaked as well. Damnit, would I have to shoot the whole place up just to hit him? I moved out of the doorway, back into Draco's room. "Do come in." Lucius hissed. Think, Hermione, think. I shot the gun off at something inside Draco's room. "I said, come inside!" Lucius said angrily.
"Come and get me." I said, throwing my voice to Draco's body.
"Fool!" I heard Malfoy Senior growl, "I will not leave this room."
"And I'm not leaving this one." I said, my voice still seeming to come from Draco's own mouth.
"Then are we at a stalemate?" There was a smirk hidden in that sentence.
"By no means at all. I am but still waiting for you to make your next move." I could only guess, but I suspected our dear Mr. Malfoy to be standing in the doorway between his and Draco's rooms. I could only guess, of course. And I only had one chance. Another shot would tell him exactly where I was standing if he paid attention. Was it worth it?
"I believe it is your move,"
"I have already over spent my plays with your son."
"He was a useless fool. Those moves didn't count." Yes, yes it was definitely worth it. I aimed my gun at what I hoped and suspected to be Lucius' stomach, perhaps manhood, or perhaps heart.
"Fine. Then my move it is." I shot. It seemed an age before I saw the blood, clearly appearing in midair.
"Wench." The wizard snarled. I knew he had his wand at ready. And now he knew where to aim. I assumed that I had hit the man's midsection and aimed higher, shooting again before he could even get out the words of a curse. More blood spurting from midair. "Aarrah.." He let out a strangled cry. His hands, visible because of the blood covering them, had dropped his wand. He fell. I heard the thud on the floor. Was he dead? Or was it a trick? Blood was slowly appearing everywhere. His body began to reappear. An invisibility charm. Very difficult. Must have practiced for a long time. Not long enough that it would last through his death. He was definitely dead. I 'accio'-ed his wand to me, and stuffed it in my cloak. Then pointing my own wand at Draco, collapsed on the floor, "Waknum." I whispered. Blue sparks touched him and he sat up. His father was very near.
"Help me." I said, letting my cloak down so that he could see me again.
"You killed my father." He said.
"Or he would have killed you."
"You saved me."
"You didn't kill me. I returned the favour. Please, help me get into your father's desk."
"It's impossible. I've never even seen it, but he has told me there are goblins in there, he's even hinted at a dragon." Draco said.
"Nothing we can't handle. Please Draco, I know there is good in you. Show it to me."
"I have none. You took it with you when you left."
"You joined sides with your father, there was nothing I could have done. You told me to go!"
"For your safety, I know why I did it. My father would have killed you... but that moment, when I let you go, I knew why my father is -was- the way he was. Because love hurts and being good hurts. There is no good in death and there's no good in life. If there is, I want nothing to do with it. Good come with pain and pain isn't any good." He said.
This was true. And I knew why he said it. At the moment, I was hurting so bad for him, and it was all good. It was because I was good that I was here sharing this pain with him. "Draco, please, help me." I knew that without him, I was far worse off. I definitely didn't want to go to plan B, which was to give up Harry for this bit of parchment.
"I can't. I don't know how."
"I can teach you."
"I don't want to learn. I want to rest, Hermione. And I don't ever want to wake up. I am so tired, Hermione!" He sat down on his bed.
I could see it in his eyes. He was tired. More than just sleep-deprived tired. He was death tired. Like he had been living too long and only death would provide enough rest for him. Once again, I felt tears swell in my eyes. How did this happen? When did it happen? Had Lucius been sucking power from him? Or was this just due to his unfortunate stressful position?
"Please, Draco."
"I can't help you."
"I don't need you to, just sleep. And get that look out of your eyes. I cannot bear such unhappiness. Sleep. When you wake, you'll feel better." He stretched himself out on his bed. I went to him. His head hit the pillow and he stared at me with sullen eyes, not even a quarter of the way open. "Good night, Hermione." His eyes fell shut.
"Good night, Draco." I whispered. He was already asleep. Whether or not he wakes, is another tale.
I was both concealed by Harry's invisibility cloak as well as several enchantments, but I still didn't feel safe. I felt as though my breath would never calm and that there was no one who could miss me. But so far, no one had. They were distracted by the attack Dumbledore had masterminded. I was walking slowly so that my shoes- which had already been charmed to be noiseless- wouldn't cause a sound on the hard wood floor below me. I kept repeating my mission in my head: get the red piece of parchment, get the red piece of parchment.
It was simple, break into Malfoy's office, steal a bit of parchment. The most heavily guarded piece of parchment in existence, but it was still just a piece of parchment. All I needed to do was sneak into Malfoy manor unnoticed, down all the long corridors without being heard, thru a door with more enchantments on it than there are stars in the sky, past a supposively sleeping, but easily awoken Draco Malfoy, then thru another heavily enchanted door, and past Draco's "sleeping" father. Of course, that was all child's play compared to the inpregnanable safe with a spider's web of enchantments on it, 3 maybe more goblins, a dragon and a desk inside. Of course the parchment was located in one of the hundred drawers of the desk, each of which was sealed with a lock- the keys to which Neville had gotten, costing him his left arm- and a dozen more enchantments. No problem. I was armed with my wand, which, if used, was likely to set off alarms, and a muggle rifle spelled so it didn't make even the slightest noise, which I was particularly not fond of using. Both of these were last resorts. For the most part, I needed my own natural charm and wits.
I wasn't completely alone. Draco, if awoken, was already partly under the OoP's control, with the snap of my fingers, he was mine, and Oliver was ready with Harry if I called for backup and to institute plan B if required. Remus was waiting to assist with the extraction process.
You make ask why I, the only woman in the field, was asked to do this task. I wasn't asked, of course, but there really wasn't anyway around it. I was the only one who knew anything about Malfoy manor, having both visited when I was dating Draco and being captured at the start of the war. Neville and I were the only choices. However Neville was clearly out of the picture, occupied mostly with attempting a new process to re-grow limbs. Thus, I was inside Malfoy manor.
I was very near Malfoy's office. My heart quickened, if that was possible. I paused: What if I failed??? I pushed that thought out of my mind as I heard Harry's enchanted voice ring in my ear: "Are you in position?" I took in a breath it seemed I had forgotten.
"Yes." I murmured.
"You can do this." I heard Oliver whisper, "I love you."
"I love you too." I whispered back.
I was starting at the door. The magical door, which could keep even goblins, whom were incredibly crafty at entering and exiting, out. I was, in fact, nearly suffocating from the mere presence of so many enchantments. I thought for a moment, pressing myself against the door. If I waited a moment, the words would come to me. The words so many wizards and witches had worked into their spells so that their spells could be undone if anything went terribly wrong. These words, which only I knew, had been my life's goal. I had known, as soon as I knew I was a witch, that all magic had to have been created. All spells were written by someone. And most spells were written by the same few witches and wizards, the ones that existed even before Hogwarts. I studied countless spells, realizing quite suddenly that the spells followed a pattern. Several different patterns, in fact. I had narrowed it down to 10 different patterns and then there were the random spells that didn't follow a pattern at all. It occurred to me that each pattern was a wizard or witch. There were 10 wizards and witches that created most spells. The other spells had been created at random by people later. I knew more than any other witch when I figured this out. All that was left for me was to identify the witches and wizards, then find the out they had left in their spells. I knew there was an out. Of course there was. The witches and wizards had no idea whether their spells would work. It only made sense to leave an out, a quick way to disable the spell in case things went wrong. How I found this out, I cannot say, for there are too many knowledgeable eyes reading this. And I will not say what the words are, except that they are one per witch and wizard, and each is different, but they always work. I know how valuable this information is, and charmed myself so that I could not remember them unless my mind followed the specific track I have just written. This way, even under truth serum, no one will find the words.
Whispering the words, near silently, so not even Harry or Oliver could hear, I felt most enchantments melt away. There were only a few left, some which had not been created by the 10 creators. These spells were of little matter. I pulled out my wand and whispered a spell to reveal what spells were left. I removed the Armino charm, meant to go off if the door was open, by using the counter charm and found the rest to be only in existence to enhance the enchantments which had already melted away. There was still, of course, still a lock. "Alohamora." I whispered and the door swung slowly open. I stepped inside. No alarms. "I'm in." I whispered.
It was dark in the room, but it made no difference because my eyes were well trained in the dark and charmed for night vision. I saw Draco sitting on the bed. Of course he was awake. He can't see me, he can't see me, I told myself. Of course, I neglected to remind myself, he could still see the door.
"Stop." He said. Sharp as a fresh blade, that one. "Reveal yourself, whoever you are." He was whispering. At least he was kind enough in that aspect. I really had no choice. I pulled down the hood of the cloak. My head appeared floating before him, not something he wasn't used to. "Hermione?" I nodded, "What are you doing here? Get out! I don't want my father to catch you again!" I sighed. He was still loyal to me. If only he were loyal to the rest of the OoP. I walked to him. He was standing now. I put my finger to his lips.
"Shhh..." I whispered, "Don't worry about me." I pressed my lips to his, raised my hand to the back of his neck, and snapped my fingers right in his ear. I pulled back, "I was never here. I'm just a dream. Go back to sleep."
Draco grabbed my hand. "That spell doesn't work on me anymore." This I hadn't expected. The spell, for the most part, was undoable. It was so simple, some muggles could do it. It required no magic at all. This fact was what kept most wizards from knowing it. Who else knew how to hypnotize and more important, how did they undo my own hypnosis? "I can't let you go through that door."
"Draco..." I whispered, cupping his face with my free hand, feeling his soft skin against mine, "You've been looking out for me for so long. Do you know how I appreciate it?" I whispered, inching my face closer to his. But his face was like stone, "Kiss me, Draco." I was lacing my voice hypnotically. Draco leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. He was rough about it. It almost felt nice. Finally he pulled back.
"I just wanted to do that again. The spell still isn't going to work on me. You have to leave."
"I won't." I said, my arm wrapped around his neck. His arm was wrapped around my waist, one of his hands still gripping mine.
"You've always been stubborn." he said, almost to himself, "You have to go. There are things behind that door you don't know about. You'll be dead before you can even think to react."
"Then come with me." I whispered, "Protect me."
"By letting you through that door, I would be murdering you." He said, tugging me closer, "Don't go. If not for me, then for Oliver."
"You know?"
"I know."
I looked into his sad eyes, "I'm sorry Draco."
"Don't." He tensed.
"I wish I didn't have to." He knew what I was going to do, but he didn't pull back.
"Then finish it."
"What?" I asked, did he mean what I knew he meant?
"Either you do it or my father will. To be honest, I'd rather it be you."
"I could never..." The idea of actually finishing it, the idea of ending his life was unfathomable.
"Then I will." He said, letting go of my hand, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a vial.
"No." I said, knocking the bottle from his hands. At this distracted moment, I pressed my lips to his one last time, and without his response, I pressed my thumbnail against his spinal cord. He opened his eyes to meet mine and went limp, falling to the floor before me. It made hardly a sound. I covered my eyes. They were damp. Without doubt, either way, I had ended my first love's life. If I didn't get him out of there before his father found him, at the very least. I picked up the vial which had fallen and stuffed it in my pocket, just in case he still had the same ideas when he woke.
"Focus, Hermione." Something said in my head. Harry, I suddenly realized. He was right. I nodded and walked to the door. What if Lucius was awake too? Of course he was awake. That snake never slept. I cloaked my head again, allowed my mind to follow my thoughts of discovery again and whispered them against the door. The enchantments melted like butter in a saucepan and I opened the door, my hand clutching the muggle gun at my side.
"I've been expecting you." A deadly voice whispered. I did not enter but looked around inside. I could see no one. Of course, Lucius was cloaked as well. Damnit, would I have to shoot the whole place up just to hit him? I moved out of the doorway, back into Draco's room. "Do come in." Lucius hissed. Think, Hermione, think. I shot the gun off at something inside Draco's room. "I said, come inside!" Lucius said angrily.
"Come and get me." I said, throwing my voice to Draco's body.
"Fool!" I heard Malfoy Senior growl, "I will not leave this room."
"And I'm not leaving this one." I said, my voice still seeming to come from Draco's own mouth.
"Then are we at a stalemate?" There was a smirk hidden in that sentence.
"By no means at all. I am but still waiting for you to make your next move." I could only guess, but I suspected our dear Mr. Malfoy to be standing in the doorway between his and Draco's rooms. I could only guess, of course. And I only had one chance. Another shot would tell him exactly where I was standing if he paid attention. Was it worth it?
"I believe it is your move,"
"I have already over spent my plays with your son."
"He was a useless fool. Those moves didn't count." Yes, yes it was definitely worth it. I aimed my gun at what I hoped and suspected to be Lucius' stomach, perhaps manhood, or perhaps heart.
"Fine. Then my move it is." I shot. It seemed an age before I saw the blood, clearly appearing in midair.
"Wench." The wizard snarled. I knew he had his wand at ready. And now he knew where to aim. I assumed that I had hit the man's midsection and aimed higher, shooting again before he could even get out the words of a curse. More blood spurting from midair. "Aarrah.." He let out a strangled cry. His hands, visible because of the blood covering them, had dropped his wand. He fell. I heard the thud on the floor. Was he dead? Or was it a trick? Blood was slowly appearing everywhere. His body began to reappear. An invisibility charm. Very difficult. Must have practiced for a long time. Not long enough that it would last through his death. He was definitely dead. I 'accio'-ed his wand to me, and stuffed it in my cloak. Then pointing my own wand at Draco, collapsed on the floor, "Waknum." I whispered. Blue sparks touched him and he sat up. His father was very near.
"Help me." I said, letting my cloak down so that he could see me again.
"You killed my father." He said.
"Or he would have killed you."
"You saved me."
"You didn't kill me. I returned the favour. Please, help me get into your father's desk."
"It's impossible. I've never even seen it, but he has told me there are goblins in there, he's even hinted at a dragon." Draco said.
"Nothing we can't handle. Please Draco, I know there is good in you. Show it to me."
"I have none. You took it with you when you left."
"You joined sides with your father, there was nothing I could have done. You told me to go!"
"For your safety, I know why I did it. My father would have killed you... but that moment, when I let you go, I knew why my father is -was- the way he was. Because love hurts and being good hurts. There is no good in death and there's no good in life. If there is, I want nothing to do with it. Good come with pain and pain isn't any good." He said.
This was true. And I knew why he said it. At the moment, I was hurting so bad for him, and it was all good. It was because I was good that I was here sharing this pain with him. "Draco, please, help me." I knew that without him, I was far worse off. I definitely didn't want to go to plan B, which was to give up Harry for this bit of parchment.
"I can't. I don't know how."
"I can teach you."
"I don't want to learn. I want to rest, Hermione. And I don't ever want to wake up. I am so tired, Hermione!" He sat down on his bed.
I could see it in his eyes. He was tired. More than just sleep-deprived tired. He was death tired. Like he had been living too long and only death would provide enough rest for him. Once again, I felt tears swell in my eyes. How did this happen? When did it happen? Had Lucius been sucking power from him? Or was this just due to his unfortunate stressful position?
"Please, Draco."
"I can't help you."
"I don't need you to, just sleep. And get that look out of your eyes. I cannot bear such unhappiness. Sleep. When you wake, you'll feel better." He stretched himself out on his bed. I went to him. His head hit the pillow and he stared at me with sullen eyes, not even a quarter of the way open. "Good night, Hermione." His eyes fell shut.
"Good night, Draco." I whispered. He was already asleep. Whether or not he wakes, is another tale.