Highly Attracted ~hotsleekeyz~

Chapter 4

Almost Revealed

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Draco was eventually in his room and he lay on his bed tired as ever. The work he had to do as prefect was towing on him though he didn't complain. Despite the fact that his father was very much against Dumbledore, Draco still strived to please the wise, old Headmaster.

//God, what's this. I was talking to her like we've always been friends--- as if we never grew mad at each other even for a day in our lives. Draco, this is not you. . .you're not being discreet//

Draco suddenly heard some things falling from inside his huge closet. He sat up straight and immediately checked out what was wrong with his perfectly piled-up clothes and other personal belongings.

He opened the great wooden door of his closet and at once, a silver dagger with the handle studded with gems fell on the floor. Draco wasn't surprised the least---it was his.

The only thing that bothered him the most was that he knew well that he buried that knife long before---and that he had put a spell on it so as not to be once again found by any wizard.

//I buried this months back. . . who would have been playing a joke on me? Wait---I'm positive that I buried this last year! My father was even there with me!//

With such thoughts in his mind, Draco panicked. The dagger he used was long dead. He was able to forget about it soon after he last used it. Draco thought it was very impossible for it to be taken out of its resting place and into his room.

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Harry stared at Hermione very carefully. He tried to read every move and every expression on her face.

"So, this could not be transfigured into an oat as its---", said Hermione as she explained to Harry the lesson they just took---only that she was cut in by Harry.

"Mione, you've been seeing someone, am I right?", queried Harry blankly.

"Excuse me?", asked Hermione who gave Harry a questioning look.

"You've been meeting a guy here at Hogwarts"

"Harry, what are you talking about? You know that my love life is inexistent as of the moment and besides, I wouldn't have the time for that. I have to study well as the finals is coming very soon and I want to be certain of a position in the Ministry after we graduate"

"You're seeing Malfoy", said Harry pointblank.

"Seeing MALFOY? Harry, I think that's absolute rubbish as I have not the intention to get anywhere near that ferret"

Hermione at last realized what Harry could have had been pointing out. She didn't get what Harry meant as she doesn't see talking with Draco as SEEING a guy. . .

"Mione, don't lie to me now. I was there", said Harry nonchalantly.

"You were where? Harry, could you tell me what exactly you're trying to get at?"

Harry breathed deep as Hermione was in fear that Harry might have been in the same room where Draco took her that day.

"I was in the same room where Malfoy took you. I was there. I had detention with Dean Thomas, cleaning the room when all of a sudden, we heard the door open and so we decided to hide. I didn't realize immediately that it was you with him. It was only when I heard you speak that I realized that you had a concealed relationship with our enemy"

"But Harry, It's not what you think it is. We are just being civil to each other, that's all"

Harry looked away, seemingly not believing what Hermione reasoned out.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I tell you Mione. Whatever this is you have with that git, I reckon you end it now"

"Look, he's not doing anything against me. He just needed someone to confide with. Besides, it was his offer to settle things with me once and for all"

"Can't you see how every little detail is connected?"

"What do you mean?" "First, you got an anonymous package back at the train from King Cross'. Out of nowhere, Malfoy comes in and for the first time in his damned life that he wanted to sit beside you. It's odd, isn't it? And then, you told him about the old hag that attacked you in your dormitory. He said that there was a thief in his room. It could have been the same person who warned you and the same person who stole Malfoy's ring. And someone returns the necklace of your mother. . . the hag comes telling you that the one who sent you the package was the same person who killed your mother. Can't you see it? Malfoy must be the same murderer and stalker you have right now"

"Harry, you made sense but as what Draco's been acting lately, I reckon that's not possible"

Harry breathed hard again.

"Have you ever thought of the reason why after our six years in Hogwarts, our enemy would suddenly come up in the open, proposing friendship to you? Isn't THAT alone suspicious? Malfoy must be up to something"

Hermione started to get irritated. She thought she knew well how Draco was when they were together. Harry wouldn't have known that.

"Draco could never kill anyone, Harry. I know him"

"WHAT? YOU know MALFOY? Come on Hermione Granger, come back to your senses, this is the slimy git we're talking about. You can't possibly know him because it's only recent that you had a relation to him. You can never be sure of the intention of a probable Death Eater"

"That's enough insult Harry. You're judging him right away by linking all the events in MY life together and making your own fairytale out of it. It's just silly, you know! And now, you accuse him of being a Death Eater? I think that's a very serious accusation! I'd say you reconsider your thoughts again and tell me when you've realized you're WRONG"

"Ms. Granger, since when did you ever side on Malfoy? Now you give me more reason to assume that there is something more between you and Malfoy. By the way, have you thought of the reason why the ring is lost?"

"NO!", Hermione spat furiously.

"Why won't you consider the hag as a very old entity that lived way before and knew of your past? That you and Malfoy were once together, though cursed? That it's once again coming true that the enemies' worlds would collide?. . . But what if, Malfoy was really the one that killed your mother? Hermione, think! You're being irrational!"

"You know, Harry, I'd say I had enough of your stories. I want to rest now and I'll leave your book to you and you study yourself!"

Hermione slammed the book shut and quickly walked away from Harry.

"Well think about it! I wouldn't regret a thing if anything happens to you. I've warned you about this Mione. Don't tell me I didn't!" snapped Harry back.

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"What have you done. . ."

A cold, hissing voice came from nowhere as Draco tried to get some sleep that night. He shook his head awake as he recognized at once who it was. . .

"Master, an honor to meet you once again", claimed Draco who was deep panicky.

"What have you done, young Malfoy?"

"Master, what are you talking about?"

"WHERE-IS-THE-RING?"

"Master, forgive me. The ring was lost. A thief broke in here and took it away. I've asked the Headmaster to help me find it. I assure you, my Lord, I will have it back in my hands as soon as possible"

"Let me remind you that your present clock is ticking. As you have done a very evil deed, you are condemned to your Fate. Now, you must find the ring before it be found by the person who owned it before. . ."

"She's alive?"

"Yes. . . and she is at Hogwarts. . . Find the ring before your Fate happens again. You wouldn't want to marry a Mudblood, now do you?"

"Hermione Granger is the owner of the ring?"

"Yes, young Malfoy. Hermione Granger is the woman you married before. . . the sin to the Dark Lord that you've married once before. And it can never happen again young Malfoy. I would not allow you to repeat this curse again"

"Why is Hermione the woman--- but how? I don't understand this!"

"Try you must. You should be able to find the ring before an old hag returns it in her possession. If not, you will live again in another time as punishment to the will of the Dark Lord Harold"

"An old hag? My Lord, Hermione Granger had told me that a hag entered her room last night. It couldn't be the same hag, could it?"

"Criselda has come to Hogwarts? And wait young Malfoy, did you just tell me that the Mudblood told YOU about it?"

Draco's head lowered at once. "Pardon me Master but the Mudblood and I have been civil to each other already"

"This can't be Draco Malfoy! You are once again putting your life at stake! This must mean that you are repeating what you once did! You end this at once or I'll be the one to kill you. Did she ever tell you about a golden necklace that was returned to her?"

"I haven't heard any of that sir---at least not from her. I returned one to her last night. Why sir?"

"You are very stupid Malfoy! Why did you give it back to her?"

"I returned it only because it wasn't mine. Besides, it was supposed to be back with her as I took it from her mother's corpse"

"Her Mother's corpse?! That Granger is dead?"

"Yes my Lord--- I killed her"

Silence.

"WHY in Merlin's name did you kill her? Why didn't you consult me?"

"My Father instructed me to do so My Lord! I was just following my father's orders!"

Draco grew afraid of the man in front of him. The man was fuming mad, nearly close at rage.

"Do you have any idea who you killed?"

"Yes. . . she is the mother of the person my Father most disliked. I wanted to please him and so I did as I was instructed"

"It's not just that, that she is to you!"

"I know sir. My father told me. I don't want to be connected to anyone of my past"

"But why didn't you tell me in the first place? Your Father knew nothing about your past! Draco Malfoy, this is exactly your past. You killed your own mother. . ."

"What?" asked Draco flabberghasted as he thought he knew what role Hermione's mother played in his past life. Draco thought that the innocent mother's only sin was bearing the child that is another mudblood---another disgrace to the pure wizard's race.

"You killed that Granger before as you were filled with great hate for the person your father hated. I'm afraid I should stay with you until you find another woman to marry. I shall make sure that the ring be given to another person so that you could break the curse"

"She is my mother? How did that happen?"

"The mother of the enemy is your mother as well! The reason why Lucius wanted to have her killed is because he is reminded of his own flaw---of his mistake to have slept with a Mudblood once when he was out of the wizarding world. He was greatly astonished by how that Granger grew to be that beautiful. But now I tell you, stay away from that old hag. She will make it happen that the curse be continued"

Draco was greatly surprised that it took him time to recover and come up with a reply.

"My Lord, Hermione can't be my kin. . . I reckon I already love her. . ."

Voldemort slapped Draco straight at his pale skin and from his bed. Draco was thrown to the wall hard. Voldemort eyed the dagger that lain upon Draco's desk and he flickered his finger so that the dagger would levitate to his hand.

"Love, Malfoy? You speak of love---or is it just lust that you have for her?" said Voldemort as he twirled the dagger through his fingers.

"I love her sir! I couldn't lie about it!"

Green sparks came off Voldemort's hand and it went straight to Draco, imposing much pain on him. Draco groaned in pain as he curled at the unexplicable torture he was going through.

"Damn you! I shall stay away for the moment and have use for this dagger"

"What are you going to use it for?" asked Draco in pain and fear.

"To kill someone who's intervening with my plans. . ."

"Who?"

"Your Father"

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A dream came into Hermione as she laid sleepily over a desk at the library and her subconscious let her drown in it. . .

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"My love, we have to leave. Dark Lord Harold is after you. . . he is going to kill you", a flaxen-haired guy that held a woman dearly said in pleading.

"I am contented like this. If it's death that awaits us both, I will allow it", the woman replied with her suppressed tears close to falling from her auburn eyes.

"I don't want to lose you my love. We will live---only if you come with me now"

Hermione seemed to be inside the dream as well, though she knew it was probably her mind in her dream---in truth, her mind seemed to be fully awake. In that dream, not one of the two in it seemed to see her, as if she was a ghost, watching two lovers in a small shack.

"Drache, I could break my vow of marriage to you so that you could be saved", the woman said as bravely as she could.

Hermione was surprised at what she was hearing---then it daunted on her that the man in her dream looked a lot like Draco except for the length of hair.

"No Maria! I will not allow your life be cut because of this. Have you forgotten that once you have that ring with you, you're forever bound to me? My wife, please. . . We will surpass this once more. We could do it together, just trust me with this one. Our child must be able to survive"

Hermione saw the sorrow between the lovers. . .

Wait a minute! That woman looked like her!

From outside the door, strong fists pounded on it and tried much to break the door and get inside.

"They are here love. There is nothing more to do but face death"

Drache's hand grew tighter on Maria. "Please, leave with me now. I don't want to lose you"

"But can't you see, we will die together, and in death we would still be together"

"Die without honor? Die without exemplifying courage? Maria, I will not die without fighting. I love you and you will not die with me today. We will die fighting"

"No brother. This love is our surrender. We have sinned against ourselves and our own kin"

"Do not tell me that I am your brother because I am not! Maria, this love isn't our sin, nor this is our surrender. If we have done wrong to them, we haven't to ourselves. We are following what our hearts dictated to. . . and our child that you are conceiving is the result of our love. We must live for the child"

"This child is the result of our lustfulness. . . he is evil from the day I conceived him"

The door swung open and Hermione, who was in tears herself, stood away from the mad people's way, too late, that she thought they'd run over her. . . only that they passed through her---as if she was really a ghost.

The people's wand where aimed at Drache and Maria. When a superior voice reigned over their vengeful auras, they were silenced and they immediately stood to the side, to let the man see the two sinners.

"My, my. . . Drache and Maria are here to face their death. A pleasure to have your life ended by Dark Lord Harold, isn't it?", exclaimed Harold in sarcasm.

Drache put his arms around Maria to protect her. He held her as if not to let go of her ever. . .only to feel Maria stiffen in his arms and put all her wait on him.

Drache looked at Maria and saw that her eyes were shut. . . only bleeding. . . and there was no breath that came out of her. Maria was dead. Maria killed herself.

Tears immediately won over Drache who was known to be a stone-hearted man. Every one in the room except for Harold, put down their wands and sympathized at the sight of Drache crying like a child.

At last, Drache's eyes met Harold's, in anger too great to be measured.

"You will never have the pleasure of killing me because I will do it myself!", yelled Drache at his Lord.

Drache walked towards his closet and took his dagger. In front of the many people inside the dusty room of their secret house, Drache stabbed himself, dropping to the floor dead.

Hermione went to run to Drache, passing through the other wizard bodies and saw with her eyes, the necklace that Drache clutched in his other hand--- the same necklace that her stalker returned to her.

Hermione was about to touch Drache when she felt herself being pulled away in a swirl of wind. . . her mind went in a daze and soon, her sight was blurry. After some moment to what seemed like traveling with floo powder, she felt herself, slump her back on a hard surface.

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Hermione opened her eyes in a gasp. The first thing she saw was Draco looking terribly worried in front of her.

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LOL. That made my head ache. That was a lot of twists!

Please review!

Smile!

~kaye~