~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 24: The Art of Seduction ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione stepped out of her morning shower smiling, giggling and mostly blushing at the memory of last nights events. Wrapping herself in a terry robe she stepped into the bedroom to get dressed.
"Draco!" she gasped when she saw him sitting in a chair in the room.
"Sleep well?" he asked. His face was expressionless.
"I-I slept fine," she answered.
Draco smirked and got up from the chair. Hermione had temporarily forgotten the effect he had on her as she watched him approach her, a predatorial look on his face. He stopped just in front of her and gazed down at her. She didn't trust herself to meet his gaze. She kept telling herself I'm with Harry, I'm with Harry, but Draco's presence was really interfering with her mantra.
"I just wanted to return this," he said as he held out his hand.
A necklace dangled from his fingers, a silver key with snakes and emeralds was attached to it. Hermione reached out and touched the key, admiring it. Hermione had a sudden image of him handing her a small jeweled box. She turned around and walked to her vanity opening a drawer and pulling it out. She remembered where she kept it.
"You gave that to me along with this," she said as she turned around and walked back to Draco, holding out the box.
"Are you remembering things, Her—ahem, Granger?"
Hermione winced inwardly at his sudden cold demeanor towards her.
"Little by little, things are coming back. Mostly flashes of images that are triggered by something."
"Hmpf," Draco said smirking.
"What?" she asked. She didn't like the look on his face, it bordered on sneering at her.
"Listen," he said impatiently suddenly turning serious. "This is very important. I want you to wear this necklace. It is very important that you wear this necklace at all times. You can tuck it in your shirt if you'd like so that, um, others don't see it if you wish."
Hermione put down the box onto the bed and took the necklace from Draco's hands.
"Allow me," he said taking the necklace back and walked around to stand behind Hermione, very close to Hermione.
She felt her breath become ragged as he stood behind her, she leaned back slightly so she was against him. Her body flushed with the contact. Draco brought the necklace over in front of her. She gathered her hair and pulled it to the side, tilting her exposed neck to him. Draco's senses were going haywire with the smell of her fresh soap and now the sight of her exposed skin. He clasped the necklace in place, his hands still lingering. She gasped slightly when the cool metal of the key touched the hot skin of the valley between her breasts. Draco's left hand stayed at the clasp while his right hand followed the chain of the necklace. His fingers left behind a trail of fire on her skin as she closed her eyes in ecstasy.
"Does he know that I have this effect on you?" he whispered into her ear.
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"The alarm was raised when the entrance guard was found dead," said Kingsley.
"How many aurors did we lose?" Dumbledore asked.
"None, sir, but we have a couple of serious injuries."
An impromptu meeting of the Order was called as they all sat around the kitchen table at 12 Grimmauld Place.
"How many were there?" Harry asked.
"Fourteen. We managed to injure at least one bad enough that they had to carry him out. But we couldn't see who they were because of their cloaks and masks" Tonks said.
"But we did manage to find this." Kingsley laid a long object on the table.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"It's a staff of some sort."
Harry looked at the staff in front of him. It was long, gold and had funny pictures on it. On the top was an eagle perched atop a black jewel. Harry knew instantly what it was.
"Hold on. It's Egyptian," Bill said. "These are hieroglyphs. I've seen this before. Egyptian wizard priests use it in ceremonies."
"Ceremonies?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yeah, magical ceremonies."
"Dark magic ceremonies," Harry spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him. "I've seen it before." Harry slumped back in his chair deep in thought.
"Do you think You-Know-Who had anything to do with this?" Ron asked.
"No," came a voice from the doorway.
"Severus, so glad you could join us. I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you," Dumbledore greeted.
"I was called away." Everyone got his hidden meaning. "Might I have a word with you Headmaster?" Snape's eyes flickered briefly over Harry and Ron. Dumbledore got up and he and Snape left the room.
"What kind of dark magic do you think they were doing there?" Tonks asked.
"What kind do you think?" Lupin said sullenly. Harry got up from the table and looked outside a window.
"But you can just bring back people from the dead like that. They'd be popping up all over the place!" Ron exclaimed.
"You're right, you can't," Harry said still looking outside the window. "But you can bring someone back whose living trapped in the world of the dead."
"Oh my God!" Tonks gasped, her hand covering her mouth. You could only think of one person.
"Sirius didn't die in that room. He was still alive when he fell through the veil," Lupin said thoughtfully.
"So what are we going to do?" Ron asked.
Harry turned around and faced the Order. "We wait. Whoever did this didn't go through all this trouble just to kill him instantly. We wait for their first move."
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Hermione's eyes flew open and she stepped forward away from Draco.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said forcing her body to calm down.
"I'm talking about Potter," he sneered. "Tell me, did you enjoy his company last night? He had to have stayed the night."
Draco sat down in a plush chair. He had flown straight to her balcony immediately after meeting Voldemort only to find Potter in her bed. He already hated Potter before, but now he just loathed him. Seeing him lie there with his arms wrapped around Hermione wrecked havoc on his mind and heart. He hated himself for having feelings for the mudblood in the first place. He hated the fact that Potter could love her freely. He loathed him because after seven years, he could come back and worm his way back into her life, their lives.
"Not that it's any of your business, but what do you care?" Hermione asked confidently.
"I don't," Draco smirked.
"Are you sure about that?" she asked raising an eyebrow. For some reason deep down inside, she wanted him to care. "What is this thing anyway?" she asked fingering the key that rested upon her chest.
"It's a key to your vault at Gringott's," he answered eyeing her fingers.
"Why is it so important that I wear it?"
She backed up into a bedpost as Draco got up out of the chair and walked toward her. He stopped and stood in front of her. He lifted his hand and grasped the key. Hermione's breathing hitched and her skin burned with desire where his fingers grazed.
"I put a powerful protection charm on it. It will protect you only if you wear it," he said softly to her.
"Am I in some sort of danger?"
"You have some deadly enemies."
"And I thought you didn't care," she said breathily tilting her head up to him. They were inches apart.
"I don't," he said then gently tugged her chin down. "So don't get any of your hopes up," he said looking into her eyes.
Hermione brushed his hand away. "Believe me, in regards to you, I wouldn't," she said dryly as she stepped around him.
"Just moments ago you were ready to toss aside Potter," he grabbed her arm gently to stop her.
Hermione's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Draco tightened his grip on her arm as he stepped toward her.
"Why him?" he asked through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Stop it Draco. You're hurting me."
"ANSWER THE QUESTION! Why?"
"Because I love him!" she shouted back and he let go in surprise. "And he loves me." Her eyes began to well.
"How do you know that? You can't even remember who you are…were…whatever."
"The heart never forgets," she said quietly. "I remembered him. He helped me remember what happened between us."
Draco sighed and walked over to the window of the balcony. Hermione sat down on the bed in silence, willing her tears not to fall.
"And what about us? Did your heart forget about us?" he asked quietly.
"Was there an 'us'?" Hermione got off the bed and walked over to him. "You always pushed me away. You never let me get close."
"It doesn't matter anymore," he said stiffly.
"It matters to me," she turned him to her and placed her hand on his cheek. "Don't push me away this time."
"What do you want, Hermione?" he asked coldly.
"I want you to help me remember us."
"What good is it? You have clearly made your choice."
"I want to remember my life! If you were a part of it, I would like to know."
"It was never meant to be, Hermione. So. Just. Let. It. Go."
"That's not fair!"
"Fair?!" he rounded on her. "Do you want to talk about fair? Life isn't fair! It isn't fair that you got off that fucking plane! It isn't fair that you are left with only a shell of yourself! It isn't fair that you were born a mudblood and that he can love you freely! And it isn't fair that you love him and not me!"
"I don't know how I feel about you! It's all so confusing."
"What is it you want? Do you want me to sleep with you too so you can figure who can fuck you best? No thanks. Potter can keep his mudblood whore."
SLAP!!
Draco's cheek stung where she had slapped him. He deserved it, he knew it. He didn't mean what he said, he was just hurt and angry. But he didn't dare look down at her to meet her face, he was too ashamed to. He didn't want to see the hurt that he caused on her face. He didn't say anything either because he didn't know how he could make anything better. Maybe it was better this way. Yes, he should just leave.
Hermione was furious at his words. Her hand stung. She had slapped him. Hard. But he didn't look down at her again, nor did he apologize. Instead, he just turned and walked away. Walked right out of her room. Seething, she stormed into her closet, throwing some clothes on herself, all the while cursing his existence. How dare he? She sat in front of her mirror and began to angrily brush her hair. She stopped and looked at herself long and hard in the mirror. She let out a cry of frustration as she swept her hand over her bureau, scattering the items that were on top to the floor.
"I HATE THIS!" she screamed. She picked up a vase that was on the table nearby and threw it on the wall shattering it. "WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?"
"Her-my-oh-ninny?" came the voice of Viktor as he opened the door. He had heard the commotion in her room and came running. He ducked as a lamp barely missed his head and shattered above him.
"GET OUT!! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hermione screamed at him as she grabbed another item and threw it at him. "I SAID GET OUT!!!"
Viktor quickly closed the door just as the item hit it and the glass shattered. He was going to get help.
Hermione picked up a small item off the floor to throw but she stopped when she saw what it was. It was the box that Draco had given her long ago, the box that contained the key she wore around her neck. She sobbed and sank to the floor.
"I just want my life back," she cried softly.
She laid herself down on the floor crying, trying to calm down.
"Hermione."
"Vere is Ginny?" Viktor asked the young wizard in the parlor room.
"I think she's downstairs in the basement. She's training," the wizard replied.
Viktor rushed past the young man and flew down the stairs.
Hermione stopped crying. Did she just hear her name? She rolled onto her back. Was she going crazy now?
"Hermione."
She sat up. It was barely a whisper but she definitely heard it. Someone was calling her name.
"Who's there?" she called out.
"Viktor? Viktor what's the matter?" Ginny asked him. He had come running into the training room, like a bat out of hell, looking for her.
"It's Her-me-oh-knee. She's gone crazy. She's destroying her room! You haff to talk to her!" he panted at her.
"Okay. Let's go."
"Hermione."
She turned slowly around. The whispering voice was coming from behind her.
"Hermione."
It was coming from her fireplace. She crawled over to it, stopping just before it as she concentrated on its insides.
"Stop! Wait, did you just hear something?" Ginny asked Viktor as they walked up the stairs to Hermione's room. They stood still as they strained and listened.
"Hermione."
Viktor and Ginny looked at each other in alarm then began to run up the stairs.
Hermione scrambled away from the fireplace as a low vibrating hum began to emanate from it, filling the room. She cowered to the corner of the room and covered her ears as the humming began to get louder.
They were halfway up the stairs when they stopped and covered their ears.
"What the hell is that?" Ginny shouted.
"That's magic. Powerful magic," Viktor shouted back. "Something is breaking through our protection vards."
Suddenly, a figure ran past them, wand drawn.
"Draco!" Ginny called out.
Billowing smoke poured out of her fireplace as the humming got louder and louder. Suddenly, the humming went away and there was absolute silence. The room was bathed in a green light and the sound of a sonic boom as an invisible shockwave flew out of the fireplace. Everything in Hermione's room flew to one side as the wave passed through, taking Hermione along with it. She slammed into her bed and fell to the floor. Coughing, she picked herself up off the floor. Footsteps echoed on the now bare wood floor as she watched its owner approach her. She quickly stood up and gasped.
"I apologize for the dramatic entrance, but it was necessary so I could get past the wards."
Hermione knew instantly who he was.
"Voldemort."
"Alohomora! Shit! It didn't work!" Draco cursed as he tried to open the door.
"Hermione!"
"Her-me-oh-ninny!"
"It's me Ginny. Open the door!"
They all yelled at her on the other side, above the loud humming noise. Smoke and a green glow rolled through the crack under the door. The three of them stepped away in surprise.
"What the hell is going on in there?" Draco shouted in surprise.
Viktor looked at Draco who mirrored the panicked look on his face. Then they both nodded and began to throw themselves at the door, trying to break it down.
"Fuck!" Draco nursed his bruised shoulder.
"This isn't working!" Ginny shouted.
Draco stared at the door. "Right. Viktor you stay here and work on this door. I'm going to Hogwarts to get some help. Ginny you find your brother. Tell him to bring Potter."
Just then the humming stopped and there was complete silence. They stood in front of the door, still as statues.
"What's going on?" Ginny whispered.
Suddenly there was a loud boom and a force threw them over the banister to the living room two floors below.
"I'm not afraid of you," Hermione said bravely.
Voldemort just smiled. "Under normal circumstances you should be."
"What do you want?"
"Tsk. Tsk. Such rude manners coming from such a beautiful lady. But I suppose we should just get down to business. I'm here to help you."
"Help me? Don't you specialize in hurting people like me?"
"Hurting is such an objective word, do you not agree? Well, normally I do not get along with your kind. But for you, my dear, I would make an exception."
"Why me?"
"I've been watching you for some time now. I have seen you grow into the extraordinary woman you are. But it is a pity to see you now. Stumbling around with half a mind, it really is a crime."
Hermione stood her ground as he approached her.
"How can you help me?" she asked defiantly.
"I can bring it all back to you. Your memories, your skills, your intelligence…your love." Voldemort waved his hand and the top two buttons on her shirt unbuttoned revealing Draco's necklace. Hermione gasped and covered it with her right hand.
"Oh, yes. I know all about you and young Mr. Malfoy. And I will admit I was surprised he was able to keep it from me this long."
Hermione suddenly thought it very important, desperately important, that she keep all thoughts of Harry out of her mind.
"But he needn't have gone through all that trouble," Voldemort continued. "Like I said, I have been watching you, biding my time. Waiting for the perfect moment to arise. And it has."
"Why are you here?" she hissed.
"You and I have a common enemy. Harry Potter. I never thought it possible for you to hate him, but after he abandoned you when he murdered your parents, leaving you to fend for yourself. Well, now, I can see why you hated him."
Hermione stood there in shock. This didn't sound right, deep down inside she knew he was lying to her. But she still didn't think of Harry, she willed him from her mind.
"So you want to help me by bringing my memory back?"
"Correct."
"What's in it for you?"
Voldemort smiled and leaned into her and whispered in her ear. Hermione's eyes widened.
"Do we have a deal?" he asked her.
"How do I know you won't hurt me?"
"I can't. As long as you keep that necklace."
"Why?"
Voldemort just gave a small smile.
"How do I know this will work?" she asked.
"If it doesn't, then the deal's off. We both lose."
Hermione chewed on her lower lip.
"So, my dear, do we have a deal?" he asked again.
She looked up at him.
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A/N: Welcome new reviewers and returning ones! I am soooooo sorry for this long update. Things were a little crazy with finals, the holidays, me throwing up every morning (wink, wink). I'll never take this long again, I promise. The story will be finished in a few chapters (I hope), but it will continue in a sequel. I'm also currently working on a new story. This one will be more of a romantic comedy (H/Hr) since this story was a little dark. I'll post that story when this one is finished, or close to being finished so keep your eyes open for that.
