Chapter five: trust

Disclaimer: do I have to say this every chapter.

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"People who cease to believe in God or goodness altogether still believe in the devil. I don't know why. No, I do indeed know why. Evil is always possible. And goodness is eternally difficult." - Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire

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I trust you.

You do?

Yes, I trust you with my life and with my heart. Just please don't break it. It would crush me.

The girl held out her heart, held it out with such confidence, such hope.

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The path was long, winding and it cut through the dark parts of the forest. The walk took most of the day and was now cutting into the night. Hermione's feet had never hurt more in her life. Her calf muscles were sending screaming pains up the back of her legs from so much over use. The trodden dirt was lighted by a single lantern which the man in front of her carried. Bright eyes stared at them from the shadows of the forest waiting for the light to go out. The only noise that filled the space was the incessant humming of the ever constant Gnome behind her.

Numerous times during the walk she would get the urge to turn around and hit him for repeating the same lines of a song over and over again. As if feeling her anger, Brynn would not only switch songs but run ahead of both her and Tavon.

Unfortunately for Hermione not far enough that his annoying trill of a voice couldn't be heard. Hermione was rubbing her temples, staring at the beady eyes of what she didn't want to fathom. "How much longer until we reach our destination?"

If Hermione had been alone and had even a remote idea as to where they were going, she would have apparated. As it was. she was stuck with a hiking trip. The man glanced over his shoulder, not ever slightly winded from the long walk and smiled. "Not much farther. Think you can hang on for a few more minutes?"

This was a waste of her time! She could be saving Harry at the moment, saving him and escaping from this nightmare with the rest of the order. But no, she had to be on some wild goose chase with two men she didn't even know. One who wouldn't stop singing and the other who seemed to be enjoying her torment, perhaps they were Voldemort's minions. They definitely seemed evil enough and it was very plausible that she was walking right into a trap.

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"Mr. Malfoy if you would please pay attention. Now class we are going over the transformation." Draco zoned out again, focusing on the trio across the room. Slowly he raised his wand, levitating the glass of some unknown fluid off the counter next to them. Glancing every now and then at Professor McGonagall as she idly wrote a few details on transfiguration. He could still remember her voice from the first day of school, ".most dangerous and complex magic you will ever learn at Hogwarts."

His eyes briefly traveled across the tea kettle they were supposed to turn into a kitten, but mainly he focused on the glass levitating, He was going to pour it over wonder boy's head. Having no idea what it was, and not caring, he was sure that McGonagall wouldn't miss it.

"Mr. Malfoy! What do you think you are doing?" His concentration slipped and the container and its contents crashed to the floor. "You know very well not to mess with unknown magic and you know not to do it in my class. Detention for you."

Draco glanced down at the floor where the glass had broken, the stone had turned a decidedly ugly shade of brown compared to shinning grey, and a few layers had melted away. If only it had made it to Harry's head, where would the boy be now?

"Uh hum," someone cleared their throat from behind him, snapping Draco out of the memory. Professor McGonagall's classroom had been warped into an armory. No longer could you see the desks, but instead piles of weapons. For the Goblins he had seen hanging out at the kitchen, Draco guessed.

Never in his lifetime had he thought this would happen. He knew his father had talked about taking over Hogwarts, but Draco honestly didn't think it could be done. Especially not with the whole of the order sitting in one room discussing how they would bring down the dark wizard. Now look where they are, trapped behind bars. What good are they there?

Not that Draco minded, having never cared for any of them. Not the school, not Dumbledore, not his father or Voldemort, he didn't care who won. He just wanted to be on the winning side.

Of course, that was just Draco. He had to be the best and that Granger girl always beat him. Always. and he despised her for it. Granger. He wondered what she was doing at the moment with Hogwarts under siege and the order in their captive. Perhaps she too was down there in the dungeon, fighting off rats the size of dogs with hunger in their eyes. He would definitely put visiting the dungeon on his list of things to do, along with checking up on ancient texts.

He laughed, catching an odd look from the DeathEater that had been nominated the Butler. "Are you ready, sir?" Draco nodded, straightening his cloak as the man pushed open the door leading into the Great Hall.

Nothing unusual caught his attention at first, but then a new addition to the room nearly caused him to run from the room. Hanging from the ceiling were two chain cords, which had shackles on the end from which dangled a boy. No, Harry Potter. Harry was shirtless and unconscious. His black hair hung over his face hiding numerous bruises. From the unmarred appearance of his skin, Draco figured that he had just been brought in. Next to him stood a man in black, holding a coiled whip in his hand. His face was blank as if the upcoming torture didn't bother in at all. In fact the whole room had that blissful oblivious look to them, as if they ignored it. It wasn't wrong.

"So nice of you to finally join us, Draco," the voice was positively joyous. Voldemort or Tom stood slightly behind Harry's form, hands clasped together and face bright with happiness. "Look what these two fine gentlemen have brought me," he motioned to two men who were just happy that they had made it to Voldemort's good side. "It's Harry Potter."

Draco could only compare Voldemort's utter glee with a child's on Christmas night as they stare at all the presents awaiting them and the fact that tonight, SANTA BRINGS MORE. It was sick to compare the innocent with this monster in front of him.

"Draco, my dear boy, why don't you do the honors," Voldemort's words condemned Draco to hell Voldemort would experience himself. The man in black stepped forward, offering him the whip and in Draco's mind he was offering him an invitation to eternal damnation.

Great, either way he was doomed.

Draco took the whip, his fingers curling around the leather. He had been taught to use one, as he had been taught to use many other devices of torture, but he had never thought he would have to actually feel the whip as it ripped into skin, pulling a scream from a man's lips.

Draco glanced back at Potter, even if it was him. At that moment, Harry groaned, lethargically lifting his head, hair shifting so that Draco was staring straight into the eyes of the man he was about to torture.

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And he took it, but not gently and not with care. He took it recklessly, and he dropped the porcelain-like object.

And it shattered into a million pieces on the wooden floor. A million pieces of love, of hope, of care.

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Hermione sighed, stretching out her tired legs. They had stopped to rest and Hermione was all to excited to agree. "Dare I ask how much longer we have?"

"Not much longer. It should be just around the corner," Tavon was fiddling with the lantern. From across the path it looked like the wick had pretty much used itself out. Glancing past Tavon into the darkness, she thought it better be just around the corner.

Brynn was back to dancing in the path, singing a new chorus for them both. It sounded like a love song, but with Brynn Hermione found that one could never be to sure.

"You have to kiss that fairy gently on the head. Good morning beautiful."

"Brynn," Hermione interrupted him. "Do you think you could not alert the whole forest that we're here?" Hermione couldn't understand how the two men, so different in appearance and attitude could get along together.

Before Brynn could respond, Tavon rose to his feet, "Come along, no use dawdling." They were back to walking down the never ending pathway, with the Gnome crooning some love song to his invisible fairy lover as they walked farther and farther from Harry. Hermione felt like she was in Hell.

Hermione stared at the ground, following the two mechanically. What was she doing? This was ridiculous. She should just stop, give both the men a piece of her mind and leave. In fact, that was what she was going to do. Hermione Granger was tired of being trampled on. "Look-" she started as she raised her eyes, but the words escaped her.

Before them was a gigantic tree, but that wasn't what had caught her attention. In the branches of the monstrous structure was a tiny building, which connected to other by rope bridges until there was so many it formed a small village, lit up by floating lights that drifted in a pattern around the trees.

Beautiful.

Wonderful.

"What are we here for?" Hermione blurted out.

"Like I told you," Tavon said, walking towards the tree. "If you were to go into the castle like that everyone would notice you and then you would be caught."

"Well, what do you suggest I do?" Hermione watched him with interest as he slowly ran his hand down the bark. It glowed for a moment and then the tree slid open revealing a small compartment big enough for two people. Tavon picked up Brynn, carrying him inside and waiting for Hermione.

"I have something to give you," Tavon said as if it explained everything. The door opened up again, revealing a wobbly looking bridge. Hermione carefully, gripping the rope rails tightly crossed, envying Tavon for him nimble and graceful walk across.

He pushed open the door leading into a small cabin-like building nestled into the tree. It was a male room, scarcely decorated with earth tones. A Bow and quiver of arrows hung from a tack in the wall, on the table lay numerous daggers and resting against the head bead post was a long sword. Hermione's eyes widened, but she said nothing.

Tavon crossed the room, lifting a small chest from his book case. Opening it, he pulled from the contents, a silver necklace. "This necklace," he began, "belonged to my mother. She was an elf, beautiful," he smiled, "and wise." He placed it around Hermione's neck, clasping it. "Its powers will help you on your journey to save us."

"What does it do?" Hermione asked, staring down at the beautifully carved silver feather.

"I'm getting to that," Tavon chuckled. "It alters your appearance to whatever you what to look like in your mind, but only to those you don't trust and those who have no goodness left in their hearts. So, Hermione, give your trust to no one you are not sure of."

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Mr. Silar paced back and forth in front of the huge Hogwarts School, staring at his watch. It was late and they still weren't here. Voldemort was going to have his head.

He stared up into the night sky, waiting. for it was all he could do. Wait and ponder on the numerous things Voldemort and the rest of his group would do him.

A cold wind rushed by, causing him to shiver. But the cold outside was nothing in comparison to the cold that filled him. It was the cold of impending death and this was a cold that not even his coat could help.

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What does one do without heart, you wonder?

Many would think that you would die, but they are much mistaken.

Without a heart you just become cold, distant.

You loose your dreams, your hope, your passion.

And what is life without passion.

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Sometimes it hurts more then we can bear.

If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace.

but we would be hollow...

Empty rooms shuttered and dank.

Without passion we'd be truly dead


--David Boreanaz - Angel" in ((Passion)) (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

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Okay, guys, here is my next chapter. I've decided to forget goals and all that. Lol. I write for fun and for those few who stick with me.

Scabberssucks: thanks for sticking with me through these chapters. It took a long time to really get started.but you kept reading. Thank you.

Slowly c r a s h I n g: thanks, also. I'm glad you like the story. And yes, you do have to wait, I'm not telling you what is going to happen, it would spoil the story.

Coz~e~ness: you also stuck with me, thanks a lot.

Well, guys I definitely have to say this is my longest chapter yet. Maybe the next one will be longer. And Draco and Hermione actually think about each other in this one and the three stories, or well, two of them at least collide. Wonder what will happen?

Hermione meets Draco in the next one! Can't wait.

Comments, thoughts, pointers, criticism, and dare I say flames. go ahead and leave them. but about the flames.  not to hot. they do burn.