Chapter 22: The Initiation Ceremony
Hermione Apparated to the Riddle House and immediately hid behind some shrubs to watch. Most of the Death Eaters were already there, including Lucius Malfoy. Hermione inwardly shuddered as she saw him; his cold gray eyes piercing through his mask, his infamous cane gripped in his right hand. She looked away and scanned the throngs of Death Eaters for Draco and Harry. Harry was no where to be seen, but Draco was conversing with Snape in hushed tones. After it seemed that no one else was coming, the Death Eaters and new recruits stood in a circle around on particular gravestone. A puff of red smoke came from seemingly nowhere and when it cleared, Hermione laid eyes on the hideous form of Lord Voldemort.
Voldemort's thin, pale lips curled into a smirk as he looked upon the fresh new faces. He paced around the circle and paused at each new recruit, scrutinizing them carefully. When on cringed under his gaze, he immediately administered the Cruciatus Curse on them. He finally stopped at Draco, who looked emotionless and did not flinch when Voldemort began to speak.
"Well, well, well...if it isn't little Malfoy Junior." Draco continued to stay still and silent. He looked straight ahead, not wanting to look into Voldemort's red, slit-like eyes.
"So you've gotten rid of the little Mudblood, I see." It took all of Draco's self-control to keep his temper in check.
"Yes, my Lord," he answered instead. Voldemort smirked.
"Look at me, boy." Draco knew better than to hesitate when Voldemort asked you something, so he made sure to guard his mind and looked straight into those ugly, cold, red eyes. They stood like that for a while, staring into each other's eyes. Finally, Voldemort let out a small chuckle.
"You hid your thoughts well, boy. You will go first." Hermione blanched as she heard those last few words. She heard some movement going on behind her, but saw nothing. She assumed that it was just the Aurors and she immediately felt safe. She looked back to the ceremony. Draco was now in the middle of the circle with Voldemort, kneeling at his feet. Voldemort chanted something under his breath and green flames surrounded both him and Draco. Through the flamed, Hermione could see that Draco had his left arm out and Voldemort had his wand pointed at his arm. Hermione was just about to lose all self-control when two things happened: She was grabbed from behind, a hand over her mouth and someone else yelled, "Now!"
As she was being dragged away from the bush she had been hiding behind, about thirty Aurors, including Tonks and Kingsley, ran from their hiding places and began to duel with the Death Eaters. Voldemort was distracted and looked away just long enough for Draco to say the countercurse for the green flames and begin to fight Lucius. Whoever had Hermione finally stopped to put her down a good distance away from the action. Her captor pulled off his Invisibility Cloak to reveal...
"Harry?" she said, unbelievingly. "Harry! You're supposed to be down there!" She pointed towards the battlefield. Harry held her by the shoulders.
"And you're supposed to be safe in bed at Hogwarts! What are you doing here?" She was about to answer when Harry held his hand up.
"Never mind. There's no time. Listen to me, Hermione. Get yourself away from here. It's not safe."
"But Draco-." Harry shook his head.
"Draco will be fine. Now, I have to go. Promise me you'll go back to Hogwarts."
"I-." Hermione was cut off as a spell just narrowly missed them.
"I have to go!" Harry gave her a kiss on the cheek before running off to join the fight. Hermione was about to turn around and do as Harry told her, when she was hit with the Cruciatus Curse from behind. She screamed in agony and fell to the ground. The spell was lifted off of her and she looked up to see who had cast the curse...Pansy.
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Draco looked up when he heard Hermione's scream. He saw her fall to the ground, Pansy pointing her wand at her. He began to run towards Hermione, but was stopped short as Lucius came after him, directing the Full-Body Bind on his son.
"Why do I have the feeling that all this," he waved his hand at all the fighting going on around them, "had something to do with you?" Draco glared at Lucius. Lucius smirked and looked towards Hermione, who had just stunned Pansy and was now running full speed towards the fight...full speed towards HIM! Draco looked from his father to Hermione, panicked. Lucius looked down at his poor excuse for a son and saw that flash of feeling when he looked at Hermione. Rage filled Lucius as he put two and two together. He angrily revived Draco and picked him up by the shirt.
"You didn't end it with her, did you?"
"I did!" Lucius struck him.
"Do not lie to me!"
"I'm not! I DID end it! But I told you! I LOVE HER!" Lucius struck him again and Draco fell to the floor.
"I thought I made it very clear...I never want to hear you say that again," he said in a dangerous tone. "I'll show you what happens when we let our weaknesses show." Lucius held out his wand and began to walk straight towards Hermione.
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"You're such a fucking coward, Pansy...hitting me while my back is turned," Hermione spat through gritted teeth. Pansy looked unmoved.
"You stole Draco from me!" Hermione now stood to face Pansy.
"I didn't steal him from you. He was never yours to begin with. And anyway, what difference does it make? He's just like you and all the other Slytherins." Pansy scoffed.
"Did you honestly believe all of that? That was all just and act. You broke him, Granger. You made him go soft. And they made you Head Girl! Honestly...how else do you think you survived the Odius Mors?" Hermione's eyes widened and Pansy's words sunk. "Amor Vincit Omnia." Love Conquers All. Hermione shook herself as Pansy continued on.
"One thing's for sure, Granger, you're still a filthy, little Mudblood and I think Draco did the right thing in dumping your sorry little ass. You don't even deserve him. He's all mine." As soon as the words left her mouth, Hermione hit her with a stunning spell, then ran towards were Draco lay, stiff as a board, next to his father. Lucius took one look at her and performed the countercurse, only to pick Draco up by the shirt, yell at him, then hit him. Hermione picked up speed.
"...But I told you! I LOVE HER!" Draco's words rang out through the air and reached Hermione's ears. She stopped dead in her tracks. He really did admit it to his father...he really did love her! She began running again when she saw Lucius hit Draco again. He turned and marched towards her, his wand out. Hermione took her want out, but he was quicker.
"Expelliarmus!" yelled Lucius. Her wand went sailing through the air and she was pushed about six feet back. She landed painfully on her back and he caught the wand expertly in his other hand. She made a move to stand up, but he kicked her, sending her back to the ground with a yelp of pain.
"Crucio!" She writhed in pain, screaming, as she was put under the second Cruciatus Curse of the night. Both Draco and Harry heard her screams and made their way toward her. Lucius lifted off the spell, and before she could compose herself, he lifted his wand again.
"Avada Kedavra!" But as soon as the words left his mouth, Harry tackled him to the ground. The spell still came hurtling towards Hermione, but Draco, with his quick Seeker reflexes, jumped in from of her and took the spell for her
"NO!" she screamed as Draco fell lifeless to the ground. She knelt next to his body and held his head to her chest. She rocked back and forth, mourning the loss of her first love. Harry looked on and felt the pain of loss as well. He respected Draco. They were in on this together. He turned to Lucius, rage taking over his being.
"You bastard! You killed him!" Lucius looked just as shocked. He had not meant to kill his son. The Dark Lord needed him! Now what? His worries were interrupted as Harry's fist connected with his face. More punches went flying through the air as Harry hit any part of Lucius he could. But he stopped abruptly and held his hands over his forehead. That could only mean one thing...Voldemort. Harry stood up straight, despite the feeling that his head was going to explode, wand at ready. Hermione held on tighter to Draco's body and watched, gripped with fear.
"So we meet again, Harry Potter," Voldemort drawled. "Ready to finally meet your end?" Harry smirked and shook his head.
"I'm not quite ready yet, Riddle." Voldemort cringed at the use of his true name. Harry's smirk got wider and wider and yelled "Expelliarmus!" catching Voldemort off guard. His eyes went wide as Harry advanced on him with the brother wands pointed straight to his chest. Harry began to chant inaudibly and red and gold light emitted from the end. It surrounded Voldemort and criss-crossed around him to form a cage.
Harry's face was dripping with perspiration from concentrating so hard. He gripped the wands tightly and the beams of light began to swirl around and around Voldemort then lifting him up into the air. Everyone dueling had stopped to watch Harry and Voldemort. Harry was still concentrating hard on not letting the spell break. The beams of crimson and gold swirled faster and faster and finally began to pierce through Voldemort's body. He screamed in agony as beam after beam burned through his body. Finally, with a burst of gold and crimson, Voldemort was finished. Harry fell to the ground, exhausted. Hermione left Draco's side to run to Harry and congratulate him.
"You did it, Harry! You fulfilled the prophesy!" she squealed with delight and pride for her best friend...The-Boy-Who-Lived. All around them, the bodies of Death Eaters fell to the ground as they were all caught off guard when a seventeen-year-old boy had finally defeated their master. When the last Death Eater had been brought down or captured, Harry and Hermione finally were brought back to reality as they remembered Draco. Tears began to flow down her cheeks again as she, once again, held Draco close.
"Draco," she called softly. "Draco, love, it's all over now. You can wake up." A sob escaped from her throat when he didn't respond. "Draco! No! You have to wake up! You promised me you'd never leave me! Draco!" Hermione was frantic by now. Harry gently put his hand on her shoulder. She bent down and nuzzled her cheek against his head. Harry knelt down next to her and comforted his broken hearted best friend.
"We said we'd live happily ever after," she whispered, too tired to talk in normal tones.
"Hermione," Harry called softly. "Hermione, come on. It's time to go." She shook her head and held Draco closer.
"Not without Draco." Harry pulled her up off the ground.
"It's all right. He'll be taken care of." After a long hesitation, she finally kissed Draco's cold forehead and set him down.
"I promised that I'd always love you, Draco. And I always keep my promises." Harry helped Hermione to her feet, but she was too weak with grief to keep walking. Harry lifted her with ease into his arms and Apparated themselves back to Hogsmeade. He carried her through the gates of Hogwarts and all the way up to the hospital wing. He set her down in a bed and Madam Pomfrey came bustling in. For a short moment, Harry wondered if the woman ever slept.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked briskly. Harry swallowed down a surge of grief before he spoke.
"She saw Draco Malfoy get killed. She's in desperate need of a Dreamless Sleep draught." Madam Pomfrey's expression softened and looked down sympathetically at the sobbing Head Girl. She nodded and bustled about the infirmary. Harry pulled up a chair and held one of Hermione's hands.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered.
"It's all my fault," she mumbled.
"Hey, don't say that! It was NOT your fault." Hermione glared at Harry.
"YES IT IS!" she exploded. "IF I HAD JUST STAYED HERE AT HOGWARTS LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO, MAYBE DRACO WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"
"Maybe," Harry said quietly. "And maybe not." Hermione sat up and just looked at him sorrowfully. He reached over and pulled him to her and held her close.
"Harry...it hurts so much. I feel like my heart has just been ripped out." Harry stroked her hair and remained silent, just letting her cry. He understood what Hermione meant about how she felt. It was exactly how he felt when Sirius Black, his godfather, died. Madam Pomfrey finally came back in with the potion and gave it to Hermione. Harry then left and went up to his own dorms. He collapsed onto his bed and immediately began to cry. He cried for Draco, for Hermione, for his parents, for Sirius, for finally having beaten Voldemort , glad it was over, but sad for all the loves lost, and for himself in general. He cried and cried, glad it was all over, but sad for the losses. He finally fell into a restless sleep as the sun peeked over the mountains.
Yay! Only two more chapters! Whoo!
Hermione Apparated to the Riddle House and immediately hid behind some shrubs to watch. Most of the Death Eaters were already there, including Lucius Malfoy. Hermione inwardly shuddered as she saw him; his cold gray eyes piercing through his mask, his infamous cane gripped in his right hand. She looked away and scanned the throngs of Death Eaters for Draco and Harry. Harry was no where to be seen, but Draco was conversing with Snape in hushed tones. After it seemed that no one else was coming, the Death Eaters and new recruits stood in a circle around on particular gravestone. A puff of red smoke came from seemingly nowhere and when it cleared, Hermione laid eyes on the hideous form of Lord Voldemort.
Voldemort's thin, pale lips curled into a smirk as he looked upon the fresh new faces. He paced around the circle and paused at each new recruit, scrutinizing them carefully. When on cringed under his gaze, he immediately administered the Cruciatus Curse on them. He finally stopped at Draco, who looked emotionless and did not flinch when Voldemort began to speak.
"Well, well, well...if it isn't little Malfoy Junior." Draco continued to stay still and silent. He looked straight ahead, not wanting to look into Voldemort's red, slit-like eyes.
"So you've gotten rid of the little Mudblood, I see." It took all of Draco's self-control to keep his temper in check.
"Yes, my Lord," he answered instead. Voldemort smirked.
"Look at me, boy." Draco knew better than to hesitate when Voldemort asked you something, so he made sure to guard his mind and looked straight into those ugly, cold, red eyes. They stood like that for a while, staring into each other's eyes. Finally, Voldemort let out a small chuckle.
"You hid your thoughts well, boy. You will go first." Hermione blanched as she heard those last few words. She heard some movement going on behind her, but saw nothing. She assumed that it was just the Aurors and she immediately felt safe. She looked back to the ceremony. Draco was now in the middle of the circle with Voldemort, kneeling at his feet. Voldemort chanted something under his breath and green flames surrounded both him and Draco. Through the flamed, Hermione could see that Draco had his left arm out and Voldemort had his wand pointed at his arm. Hermione was just about to lose all self-control when two things happened: She was grabbed from behind, a hand over her mouth and someone else yelled, "Now!"
As she was being dragged away from the bush she had been hiding behind, about thirty Aurors, including Tonks and Kingsley, ran from their hiding places and began to duel with the Death Eaters. Voldemort was distracted and looked away just long enough for Draco to say the countercurse for the green flames and begin to fight Lucius. Whoever had Hermione finally stopped to put her down a good distance away from the action. Her captor pulled off his Invisibility Cloak to reveal...
"Harry?" she said, unbelievingly. "Harry! You're supposed to be down there!" She pointed towards the battlefield. Harry held her by the shoulders.
"And you're supposed to be safe in bed at Hogwarts! What are you doing here?" She was about to answer when Harry held his hand up.
"Never mind. There's no time. Listen to me, Hermione. Get yourself away from here. It's not safe."
"But Draco-." Harry shook his head.
"Draco will be fine. Now, I have to go. Promise me you'll go back to Hogwarts."
"I-." Hermione was cut off as a spell just narrowly missed them.
"I have to go!" Harry gave her a kiss on the cheek before running off to join the fight. Hermione was about to turn around and do as Harry told her, when she was hit with the Cruciatus Curse from behind. She screamed in agony and fell to the ground. The spell was lifted off of her and she looked up to see who had cast the curse...Pansy.
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Draco looked up when he heard Hermione's scream. He saw her fall to the ground, Pansy pointing her wand at her. He began to run towards Hermione, but was stopped short as Lucius came after him, directing the Full-Body Bind on his son.
"Why do I have the feeling that all this," he waved his hand at all the fighting going on around them, "had something to do with you?" Draco glared at Lucius. Lucius smirked and looked towards Hermione, who had just stunned Pansy and was now running full speed towards the fight...full speed towards HIM! Draco looked from his father to Hermione, panicked. Lucius looked down at his poor excuse for a son and saw that flash of feeling when he looked at Hermione. Rage filled Lucius as he put two and two together. He angrily revived Draco and picked him up by the shirt.
"You didn't end it with her, did you?"
"I did!" Lucius struck him.
"Do not lie to me!"
"I'm not! I DID end it! But I told you! I LOVE HER!" Lucius struck him again and Draco fell to the floor.
"I thought I made it very clear...I never want to hear you say that again," he said in a dangerous tone. "I'll show you what happens when we let our weaknesses show." Lucius held out his wand and began to walk straight towards Hermione.
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"You're such a fucking coward, Pansy...hitting me while my back is turned," Hermione spat through gritted teeth. Pansy looked unmoved.
"You stole Draco from me!" Hermione now stood to face Pansy.
"I didn't steal him from you. He was never yours to begin with. And anyway, what difference does it make? He's just like you and all the other Slytherins." Pansy scoffed.
"Did you honestly believe all of that? That was all just and act. You broke him, Granger. You made him go soft. And they made you Head Girl! Honestly...how else do you think you survived the Odius Mors?" Hermione's eyes widened and Pansy's words sunk. "Amor Vincit Omnia." Love Conquers All. Hermione shook herself as Pansy continued on.
"One thing's for sure, Granger, you're still a filthy, little Mudblood and I think Draco did the right thing in dumping your sorry little ass. You don't even deserve him. He's all mine." As soon as the words left her mouth, Hermione hit her with a stunning spell, then ran towards were Draco lay, stiff as a board, next to his father. Lucius took one look at her and performed the countercurse, only to pick Draco up by the shirt, yell at him, then hit him. Hermione picked up speed.
"...But I told you! I LOVE HER!" Draco's words rang out through the air and reached Hermione's ears. She stopped dead in her tracks. He really did admit it to his father...he really did love her! She began running again when she saw Lucius hit Draco again. He turned and marched towards her, his wand out. Hermione took her want out, but he was quicker.
"Expelliarmus!" yelled Lucius. Her wand went sailing through the air and she was pushed about six feet back. She landed painfully on her back and he caught the wand expertly in his other hand. She made a move to stand up, but he kicked her, sending her back to the ground with a yelp of pain.
"Crucio!" She writhed in pain, screaming, as she was put under the second Cruciatus Curse of the night. Both Draco and Harry heard her screams and made their way toward her. Lucius lifted off the spell, and before she could compose herself, he lifted his wand again.
"Avada Kedavra!" But as soon as the words left his mouth, Harry tackled him to the ground. The spell still came hurtling towards Hermione, but Draco, with his quick Seeker reflexes, jumped in from of her and took the spell for her
"NO!" she screamed as Draco fell lifeless to the ground. She knelt next to his body and held his head to her chest. She rocked back and forth, mourning the loss of her first love. Harry looked on and felt the pain of loss as well. He respected Draco. They were in on this together. He turned to Lucius, rage taking over his being.
"You bastard! You killed him!" Lucius looked just as shocked. He had not meant to kill his son. The Dark Lord needed him! Now what? His worries were interrupted as Harry's fist connected with his face. More punches went flying through the air as Harry hit any part of Lucius he could. But he stopped abruptly and held his hands over his forehead. That could only mean one thing...Voldemort. Harry stood up straight, despite the feeling that his head was going to explode, wand at ready. Hermione held on tighter to Draco's body and watched, gripped with fear.
"So we meet again, Harry Potter," Voldemort drawled. "Ready to finally meet your end?" Harry smirked and shook his head.
"I'm not quite ready yet, Riddle." Voldemort cringed at the use of his true name. Harry's smirk got wider and wider and yelled "Expelliarmus!" catching Voldemort off guard. His eyes went wide as Harry advanced on him with the brother wands pointed straight to his chest. Harry began to chant inaudibly and red and gold light emitted from the end. It surrounded Voldemort and criss-crossed around him to form a cage.
Harry's face was dripping with perspiration from concentrating so hard. He gripped the wands tightly and the beams of light began to swirl around and around Voldemort then lifting him up into the air. Everyone dueling had stopped to watch Harry and Voldemort. Harry was still concentrating hard on not letting the spell break. The beams of crimson and gold swirled faster and faster and finally began to pierce through Voldemort's body. He screamed in agony as beam after beam burned through his body. Finally, with a burst of gold and crimson, Voldemort was finished. Harry fell to the ground, exhausted. Hermione left Draco's side to run to Harry and congratulate him.
"You did it, Harry! You fulfilled the prophesy!" she squealed with delight and pride for her best friend...The-Boy-Who-Lived. All around them, the bodies of Death Eaters fell to the ground as they were all caught off guard when a seventeen-year-old boy had finally defeated their master. When the last Death Eater had been brought down or captured, Harry and Hermione finally were brought back to reality as they remembered Draco. Tears began to flow down her cheeks again as she, once again, held Draco close.
"Draco," she called softly. "Draco, love, it's all over now. You can wake up." A sob escaped from her throat when he didn't respond. "Draco! No! You have to wake up! You promised me you'd never leave me! Draco!" Hermione was frantic by now. Harry gently put his hand on her shoulder. She bent down and nuzzled her cheek against his head. Harry knelt down next to her and comforted his broken hearted best friend.
"We said we'd live happily ever after," she whispered, too tired to talk in normal tones.
"Hermione," Harry called softly. "Hermione, come on. It's time to go." She shook her head and held Draco closer.
"Not without Draco." Harry pulled her up off the ground.
"It's all right. He'll be taken care of." After a long hesitation, she finally kissed Draco's cold forehead and set him down.
"I promised that I'd always love you, Draco. And I always keep my promises." Harry helped Hermione to her feet, but she was too weak with grief to keep walking. Harry lifted her with ease into his arms and Apparated themselves back to Hogsmeade. He carried her through the gates of Hogwarts and all the way up to the hospital wing. He set her down in a bed and Madam Pomfrey came bustling in. For a short moment, Harry wondered if the woman ever slept.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked briskly. Harry swallowed down a surge of grief before he spoke.
"She saw Draco Malfoy get killed. She's in desperate need of a Dreamless Sleep draught." Madam Pomfrey's expression softened and looked down sympathetically at the sobbing Head Girl. She nodded and bustled about the infirmary. Harry pulled up a chair and held one of Hermione's hands.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered.
"It's all my fault," she mumbled.
"Hey, don't say that! It was NOT your fault." Hermione glared at Harry.
"YES IT IS!" she exploded. "IF I HAD JUST STAYED HERE AT HOGWARTS LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO, MAYBE DRACO WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"
"Maybe," Harry said quietly. "And maybe not." Hermione sat up and just looked at him sorrowfully. He reached over and pulled him to her and held her close.
"Harry...it hurts so much. I feel like my heart has just been ripped out." Harry stroked her hair and remained silent, just letting her cry. He understood what Hermione meant about how she felt. It was exactly how he felt when Sirius Black, his godfather, died. Madam Pomfrey finally came back in with the potion and gave it to Hermione. Harry then left and went up to his own dorms. He collapsed onto his bed and immediately began to cry. He cried for Draco, for Hermione, for his parents, for Sirius, for finally having beaten Voldemort , glad it was over, but sad for all the loves lost, and for himself in general. He cried and cried, glad it was all over, but sad for the losses. He finally fell into a restless sleep as the sun peeked over the mountains.
Yay! Only two more chapters! Whoo!