AN: Ok, sorry sorry sorry it took so long. I had a bought with really really really bad internet access. It worked about three times out of ten and when it did, I had to use it for school. But it's summer now, and we FINALLY got dsl, so I'm hoping to post a ton of my stories. So anyway, here's the rest. Sorry again!!
Hermione soon found herself in a holding room on the other side of the building. She was face to face with Malfoy now. He looked terrified.
"They took a DNA sample." He said as soon as they were alone. "Did they test it?"
"Yes." She sat in the chair opposite him and looked at him intently for a moment. "It's positive. She's yours."
He sighed heavily and dropped his head into his bound hands, running his fingers through his messy hair. "What now?" he said, his voice trembling slightly.
"Well, the good news is, since she is biologically yours, you're not a kidnapper." She stood up, pulled out her wand and vanished his restraints. "Legally we can't hold you, but we'd like to keep you here so we can sort all of this out."
"I won't leave Adrian. Not ever."
"That's another thing." Hermione tried to sound sympathetic, "She doesn't want to see you."
He laughed an exhausted, sad laugh. "Of course."
"Well, you did abduct her." She stopped right away. "Are you…crying?"
He was hiding his face from her. He said nothing.
"Well, there's something else that's kind of interesting. Voldemort has taken his muggle name. He apparently goes by Tom Riddle now, at least as far as his—your daughter is concerned."
Malfoy looked up. His eyes were red. He had been crying. "That doesn't make any sense."
"I know." She replied, "And I don't like it. Something's not right here."
"When I was watching them back at the house," he recalled. "He was so gentle with her. I think he might genuinely care about her."
"She sure cares about him. He's the closest thing to a father that she's ever had."
He suddenly pounded both fists on the table and stood, making Hermione jump. "It's not fair." He shouted, "I'm her father. I should have been the one to raise her. Not that…that thing!"
"I know this can't be easy for you."
"No, you don't. And I hope you never do." Their eyes locked for a moment. "I want to see her."
Draco watched his daughter through the cracked glass. She was crouched in one corner staring at the ground. "Why does she look so sick?" he asked Hermione, noting the girls pale complexion and the dark circles under her eyes.
"We don't know." she said honestly, "she's been getting worse since she got here."
"Can I talk to her?"
"I wouldn't recommend it. I'm sure she's quite upset with you."
Malfoy ignored her and stepped inside. Adrian snapped her head back, ice blue eyes locking with Malfoy's. "You." She said, "You did this."
He said nothing. He just looked at her.
"He'll come for me." Adrian continued, "He won't let you get away."
Draco moved closer to her. He knelt at her side and tentatively touched her cheek. She jerked away violently. "Don't touch me!" She shouted. She stood, ran a few paces and turned to face him again.
During the silence that followed, Hermione slipped silently into the room. Malfoy turned and stood on the spot. "There are some things you have to know." He said. His tone was heavy and heartbreaking.
"There is nothing you can say to me. I won't listen to a word until I see my father."
Hermione was in awe once again. The little girl in front of her suddenly seemed much older than she was. She projected a kind of strength that she had never seen in a child.
Next she noticed Malfoy's reaction. She watched him trying to suppress his anger. His fists clenched and she saw a fire in his eyes. He charged Adrian and grabbed her by the arm. "He's not you father!" he shouted through clenched teeth, "I am you father! You are my daughter!"
Her eyes went wide and Hermione saw the same fire in the child's eyes. Her chest heaved with angry breath. "You're a liar! Let me go!"
Before anyone knew what was happening, a sphere of white light engulfed her. It blasted outward, striking Malfoy and sending him across the room. He hit the wall with a thud and fell to the floor.
Hermione ran to his side. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine; he replied weakly, coughing, "I just got the wind knocked out of me."
Suddenly a strange sound pierced the air. It was a high-pitched screech. They looked up to find Adrian standing in the middle of the room, mouth open. But the sound she made wasn't at all human, it sounded more bird-like.
As they watched, dark wings sprung from her back. For a moment she looked like some strange dark angel, but the rest of her soon transformed into a bird. Where a little girl stood not a moment ago, there was now a large, black raven. She fluttered her wings and headed towards the door, which swung open on its hinges.
"Stop her." Draco said, still unable to move. Hermione took off after Adrian.
She made a grab for the bird, and managed to catch one of her feet. Adrian screeched wildly, flapping her dark wings, but Hermione held tight. She managed to pin Adrian's wings between her hands.
Adrian continued to screech, but soon the sound transformed into human screams. The bird began to shed feathers, and in another instant, Adrian had returned to her human form.
The screams stopped, and Hermione stood, holding Adrian by the shoulders. The girl looked shocked, and stood motionless for a few tense seconds. "You're…killing…me…" she barely whispered. She then made a strange, chocking sound.
She collapsed suddenly, going completely limp in Hermione's arms.
"I just don't understand it." The doctor told Hermione later that day. "I've never seen anything like it."
"Neither have I." Hermione replied distantly, looking at the girl sleeping in the hospital bed in front of her.
"But an Animagus? At 10 years old?" She asked Hermione. "How is that possible?"
"She's an extraordinary child." Hermione replied. "Now, what's wrong with her?"
The doctor suddenly looked more serious. "Well, like I said, I've never seen anything like it. It definitely has something to do with her transformation, but…" She seemed unsure of how to continue.
"What?"
"Well, Animagus is very tricky business. It's very dangerous, which is why it isn't taught to children, and why all Animagus have to be registered with the ministry. As far as I know, there has never been a case of a child this young even attempting to transform. More than likely, it just pushed her to exhaustion."
"She'll recover, won't she?" Draco, who had been listening silently, asked.
There was a long pause. "I just don't know. Without more information on her condition I won't know how to treat her. I'm afraid…unless something changes…she'll only get worse."
"Could this kill her?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her emotions in check.
"Unless I discover a treatment, it will."
Draco left the room silently. The doctor excused herself and left shortly after. Hermione stayed in the observation room, looking at Adrian. The poor girl had almost died a few hours ago, and she wasn't much better off now. She was so weak and helpless.
Hermione felt a strong compassion for her. It was totally irrational, but she found herself willing to do anything to save this girl. Anything…if only she knew what it was.
She needed to be alone for a while. She sighed and left, walking down the empty corridor to one of the many unused rooms of the hospital wing. She opened the door to find Draco sitting at the window, staring up at the moon. He startled at the sound of the door.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, "You probably want to be alone." She stepped out of the room and started to close the door.
"No, it's okay." He said, "I could use someone to talk to."
Silently Hermione stepped back inside and moved to the window.
"It's my fault." He began slowly, looking back at the stars. "All of it."
"No," Hermione said, "You can't blame yourself. You thought you were helping her."
"I may have killed my own daughter." He laughed sadly. "My daughter." He repeated, "All these years, and I never knew…"
She didn't know what to say to that. "I'm so sorry—"
"It wasn't supposed to be like this. We could have raised her together, me and Shannon."
There was another long silence. "Hermione? Could you do me a favor?"
"Anything." She blurted out. She bit her lip.
"Could you stay with Adrian for a while?"
"Sure." She said feeling a bit relieved. She turned to leave but then turned back. "Draco," she said, placing her hand over his. "We'll figure this all out. We won't let her die, I promise."
To her surprise, he squeezed her hand gently. "I hope so."
Hermione was worried. When she arrived in Adrian's hospital room, she was sleeping peacefully, but shortly after, that had changed. She began to toss and turn as if she was having a nightmare. It had slowly intensified, and now the girl was sweating, thrashing, and calling for her father. It had been going on for about an hour, and it had only gotten worse.
At some point, she reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. She held it tightly now, and Hermione thought the girl took some comfort in that. She was calm for a short time.
Now though, another wave of sickness came over her, much worse than the others. She kicked at the air and called "Father!" Over and over.
Hermione didn't know what to do, so she just held her hand tighter. "It's all right, Adrian." She said as soothingly as she could. "You're safe."
She was strangely relieved when Adrian suddenly woke up. She sat bolt upright and looked around frantically for a moment. At last she realized where she was and she turned her attention to Hermione, any trace of emotion gone from her face.
It was amazing, Hermione thought, after all this girl had been through, she didn't look the slightest bit afraid.
"Adrian, how do you feel?"
Adrian said nothing. Instead she sat back and closed her eyes, but it was clear that she wasn't sleeping. Her lips moved slowly, as if she was reciting something.
"What are you saying?" Hermione asked pleasantly.
She didn't reply.
"Is it something your father taught you?"
"Yes." Adrian replied flatly. "It's a poem." She said nothing more, and continued to mouth the words to herself.
"Oh." She let a few moments pass before she spoke again. "Adrian, I'd like to ask you a few questions. See, you're sick, and I would like to know why. I think you can tell me what's wrong."
She laughed sarcastically. "You couldn't possibly understand."
"Does this have something to do with Volde—With Tom?"
"Yes." She said, and then sighed impatiently, almost as if she was becoming frustrated with a child. "My father and I share something; call it a spirit, a soul, whatever you wish. It is totally intangible, but I guarantee it is very real."
"So you share this…thing? What exactly does it mean?"
"We are connected in the deepest way possible. It's impossible to describe, really. It's a very incredible experience." She sighed suddenly. "It's why I'm sick. We can't be apart for very long. I will be drained of all my energy, until…" She looked distant for a moment, but then looked back to her. "but that won't happen. My father is coming for me."
"What can I do to help?" Hermione asked.
"There's nothing you can do for me." She sat back. "I need rest." She closed her eyes and almost immediately dropped off to sleep.
"How is she?"
Hermione must have dozed off. She was jerked awake by Draco's question.
"She's ok right now." She said, "But that could change."
"I'll stay with her awhile." He said, "You should probably go home…get some rest."
She nodded, stood, and crossed to the door.
"Hermione?"
She turned to find him looking at her. The look was strange, like he wanted to tell her something that he didn't quite have the words for. "Thank you." Was all he said.
She managed a weak smile and left.
He turned his attention to Adrian. She was sleeping soundly now, so peacefully. There was almost no sign of struggle she had been though.
It could have been different, Draco thought to himself, it shouldhave been different. We could have been a family. We all could have been happy. I could have spared you all of this. If only I had known…
If only he had known. That one thought kept plaguing him since he found her. What would have been different? Voldemort still would have killed his wife, and he knew full well that he would have never been able to get to Adrian. No, knowing he had a daughter wouldn't have made any difference.
A sharp gasp from Adrian brought him back to reality. She gasped again, arching her back as if she was struggling to breathe. After a few tense seconds she relaxed and looked at if she was breathing normally. Her head rolled from side to side, and her ice blue eyes opened. She looked dazed, almost as if she didn't know where she was. "Father?" she called into the air.
Malfoy stayed silent. He didn't know what else to do.
He was shocked as she turned to look at him. "Father?" she said hopefully. She reached out a trembling hand to him.
He hesitated and then took the little girl's hand. "I'm here Adrian." He said.
"I'll be brave father," she said, "you taught me to be brave."
Draco cringed. He was sure now that his daughter wasn't really looking at him, she was looking at Voldemort. He shoved all the anger to the pit of his stomach and managed to smile at his little girl. "Yes," he said softly, "You are so brave."
She smiled weakly, but then suddenly looked more serious. "Father, you told me that you'd tell me about my mother one day."
The question hit Draco so hard it almost knocked him backwards. "Your…mother…"
Adrian nodded. "It's ok. I'm old enough now."
It took almost a minute for him to reply. "Your mother was…incredible. She was warm, and giving, and so beautiful. She was so much like you. I wish you could have known her."
Adrian looked at the wall dreamily. "I like to think that I remember her, but I was just a baby when…"
He touched her cheek tenderly. "We'll talk about that another day." He said. "You should rest now."
She reached to one side, and Malfoy realized that it was exactly where her nightstand was back in her bedroom. "Read it to me?"
He suddenly remembered the book that he had taken from her room. He still had it in his pocket. He took out the old book and turned it to the marked page. It was a short poem, and the title alone almost brought tears to his eyes: Forgiving our Fathers. He cleared his throat and began to read.
"Forgiving our fathers
"Maybe in a dream: he's in your power
You twist his arm but you're not sure it was
He that stole your money you feel calmer
And you decide to let him go free
"Or he's the one (as in a dream of mine)
I must pull from the water but I never
Knew it or wouldn't have done it until
I saw the street theater play so close up
I was moved to actions I'd never before taken"
He read ahead silently for a moment, and the words caused a lump to rise in his throat. He read the next stanza with a strained tone.
"Maybe for leaving us too often or
Forever when we were little maybe
For scaring us with unexpected rage
Or making us nervous because there seemed
Never to be any rage there at all."
His voice broke. It was all so true. He had left her, and he had frightened her. He did his best to pull himself together before he continued.
"For marrying or not marrying our mothers
For divorcing or not divorcing our mothers
And shall we forgive them for their excesses
Of warmth or coldness shall we forgive them
"For pushing or leaning or shutting doors
For speaking only though layers of cloth
Or never speaking or never being silent"
Tears began to fall from his eyes, and he made no effort to restrain them.
"In our age or in theirs or in their deaths
Saying it to them or not saying it-"
He stopped for a long time, thinking about the last line. His voice was a barely audible whisper as he read it.
"If we forgive our fathers…what is left?"
At last he looked up at Adrian. She was sleeping soundly again. He tightened his grip on her tiny pale hand, laid his head down, and cried.
"Sir?" Hermione said as she stepped into Fudge's office the next day.
"Come in Ms. Granger." He said, and motioned her inside.
"I'm here about Adrian." She said, seeing no need to beat around the bush. "She's…she's dying."
"Very sad." Fudge said.
"Yes, but I think I may have a way to save her. She told me that she shares her—her essence with someone else. I've done some research, and her getting well is as simple as reuniting her with her—with her soul mate."
"Sounds acceptable. Where is this other person?"
"Well, there's the problem. Sir, Adrian's soul mate is—" she hesitated, desperately searching for a way to cushion the blow. But she knew full well that nothing she could say would make this any easier. "It's Voldemort sir."
He jumped to his feet. "It's who?"
"Voldemort. He's alive; He's been hiding out."
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"I tried—"
"That's unacceptable!" he shouted, face reddening. "You should have brought it to my attention immediately!"
"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again."
"It may not." He suddenly mumbled.
"Sir, if we could get back on topic please." She said, "I believe that reuniting Adrian and Vold—You Know Who, is the only way to save her."
"You are suggesting that we invite Voldemort, the most feared wizard of all time, the monster, responsible for thousands of deaths, here to the secret location of the Ministry?"
Hermione stared him right in the face. "Yes." She said fearlessly.
He laughed sarcastically. "You must need a vacation Ms. Granger."
"It's the only way, I'm sure of it."
"You will have to find another." He said. "Good day."
"Sir, please—"
He leaned over the desk, looking her in the eyes. "Under no circumstances are you to even attempt to contact Voldemort." He said sternly and slowly. "Is that understood?"
"Yes sir." She said through gritted teeth. She turned to leave, but stopped with her hand on the door. Then something must have snapped in her mind. She was not going to stand for this. She spun around and charged his desk, hitting it as hard as she could with both fists.
"No, sir." She shouted "It is not understood. I don't understand why you would let an innocent ten year old girl die for nothing more than your stupid pride! I'm tired of sitting by and watching people die because of you! Why are you making her suffer? You can save her life!"
"Are you quite finished Ms. Granger?"
She was enraged that he wasn't more affected by this. She took a few deep angry breaths and leaned close to him. She spoke in a cold, low whisper.
"You are no better than he was."
Without another word, she straitened up and walked from the room calmly.
Hermione was exhausted, but she was trying to force herself to stay awake. It was good to be home, lying on her own couch. But she didn't want to sleep; she felt like she didn't deserve it. How can she be comfortable when Adrian was dying? But still, she was so tired.
She was beginning to doze when the doorbell rang. Hermione opened the door to find Draco Malfoy standing there. He was soaked from the rain, and his ordinarily neat blonde hair was plastered against his forehead. She gasped a little at the look on his face. She had never seen him look so vulnerable, or so afraid.
"I…I had to get out." He said, eyes downcast. "I didn't know where else to go."
"Come in." she replied softly, and let him inside. He sat on a nearby couch and stared at the floor. "I'll get you some tea." she said, and busied herself in the kitchen.
"The doctor said…she said…she doesn't have much time." He said after a few moments.
By then Hermione was returning with the tea in her hands. She stopped at his words. "Oh." She said. Her hands began to shake.
Suddenly he stood up and moved in front of her. He took the cup and set it aside, and took her trembling hands in his. He said nothing and just looked at her.
"I—I'm so sorry." She added at last, her tone chocked with emotion.
"Me too." His voice was as strong as his hands.
"I fought for her, I really did."
"I know."
"This isn't fair." She said, finally faltering. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "It's not…" She closed her eyes and sobbed silently.
She felt a gentle touch on her cheek, and opened her eyes to find Draco wiping her tears away. "I'm sorry." She said between sobs.
Draco wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. She laid her head on his chest. They stood for a long time. Eventually Hermione quieted and lifted her head. She looked him strait in his steel gray eyes.
He moved closer to her until their lips were almost touching. She wanted to kiss him, but something stopped her. She pulled away. "I—I just need a few minutes." She ran into her bedroom and closed the door.
What are you doing? She thought harshly to herself, how can you even think about that at a time like this?
But she had been thinking about that. She had wanted Malfoy so much at that moment, she wanted to feel his kiss, his touch, feel his strong arms around her…keeping her safe…
She mouthed a disgusted sound. This wasn't about her, this was about Adrian.
Her heart broke as she thought of that sweet little girl. She was going to die, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it…or was there?
The door opened and Draco stepped in. "I—I know this is probably a weird time to tell you this, but back at school, I didn't mean all of those awful things I said. I never really wanted to hurt you…I didn't want anyone to hurt you."
Hermione managed a smile. "Thanks Malfoy. Please—sit down." She motioned to a spot next to her on the bed. He sat, looking a bit uncomfortable.
She laid on one side facing him with her head propped up on one arm. "Hey, relax." She said laughing a little, "You look like Snape."
He smiled. She liked to see him smile. They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the rain fall on the roof. "You want to talk?"
"I don't know." He replied, "What would we talk about?"
She shrugged. "Anything."
So he started a conversation. They talked about dull things at first; the weather, Quidditch and school, but eventually they moved to deeper things. They talked about their hopes and dreams, told each other their deepest secrets and fears. Draco told her all about his wife and their short, but wonderful marriage.
Hermione was laughing. "I can't believe you really did that!" she exclaimed, slapping him playfully on the arm.
"Yep, we were so drunk though, I barely remember it." He laughed back. "Shannon had to tell me about it the next morning. She could always hold her liquor better than me." The smile faded from his face. "She was…"
"I'm sure she was wonderful." Hermione said softly.
He cleared his throat and stood up. "Well, it's almost 2 am. I should be going." He seemed hesitant to leave.
"You know, you don't have to go." She laughed, "God, I sound like a desperate teenager, "I'm sorry. I just mean, maybe you shouldn't be alone and…I don't want to be alone… Oh," she added at the strange look on his face. "Just to sleep."
He looked a little relieved. "I don't want to be alone." He said at last.
Hermione lay down and reached out for him. "Come here kiddo."
He slid onto the bed and fell into her arms.
"Goodnight Draco." Hermione whispered, but he was already asleep.
Darkness.
Draco awoke in darkness. He looked around, but couldn't see anything. "Hermione?" he asked at last. "Are you there?"
A voice boomed all around him. "If we forgive our fathers," it said, "what is left?" It took him a moment to recognize it as Adrian's.
"Adrian, where are you?" he got to his feet and moved around blindly. "Adrian?"
A column of light appeared out of nowhere, with Adrian standing at the center. He gasped at her. He saw his daughter with the same dark wings she had before she transformed; he couldn't help but notice that she looked like the lamp on her night table. She stared at her with her cold piercing eyes.
"Am I dreaming this?"
A form ran towards him. It was Hermione. "If your dreaming, then why am I here?"
Adrian didn't respond. "If we forgive our fathers," she said in her supernatural, booming voice, "What is left?"
The column of light vanished, plunging the space into darkness. Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and held it tight.
A second later the light reappeared, but in Adrian's place was a man dressed in a long hooded robe. The light surrounded Draco and Hermione as well.
Hermione was the first to find her voice. "What's going on?" she asked him.
"This is a kind of shared dream. We are all asleep, yet we are all here."
"How?"
"I expect Adrian brought us all here. On some level, she must want us to reach an understanding."
Draco finally spoke. "Why would I ever want to understand you?"
Hermione squeezed his hand. "You could just listen to him, for her sake."
He stared at Voldemort. "Talk."
"I'm not sure where to begin—"
"Why?" he asked, "Why did you kill her? Why did you take my daughter? Why does she love you and not me?"
"Very well. I killed your wife in retaliation. The secrets you told the ministry after your defection almost destroyed me. I was very angry."
"What about Adrian?"
He sighed and thought for awhile before he continued. "I had held your wife for about a month before I discovered her situation. There were…difficulties throughout the pregnancy because of Shannon's weakened condition."
"Don't you ever say her name!" he shouted. "Not after what you did to her!" He stepped forward and Hermione held him back.
"I did kill her." He said, so calmly that it made Hermione shiver, "But prior to that moment, I never laid a hand on her. However, a few of my supporters would not be denied when someone so close to their betrayer is at hand. They were the one's that harmed her, and I assure you, they were disciplined severely."
There was another pause. Hermione glanced at Malfoy nervously, who was staring daggers at Voldemort.
"The child was born with some health problems, but I did nothing at first. A few weeks after she was born however, your wife was killed. Then the girls health took a turn, it was very strange, almost as if she knew about her mother."
"But you saved her?" Hermione asked, "Why?"
"After Shannon's death, I formulated a new plan. I was not content with your suffering just yet. I knew I could use the child against you."
In the moments that followed, Voldemort's features softened. "But after the sharing, something changed. I began to have these feelings...compassion…and remorse."
"But how?"
" It is very complicated. In my arrogance, I assumed that would affect her much more deeply than she would affect me. I was very wrong. She changed me. She was so innocent and so pure that she lit up part of the darkness in me."
"I don't believe you." Draco said.
"I don't expect you to, but it is true. The only evidence I can offer is that I have raised Adrian as my own, and I love her. She means more to me than my own life. It doesn't excuse the life I have lived, but I honestly have changed."
Hermione didn't know what to think. She couldn't actually believe him, but something in his tone told her that he wasn't lying. Could he really have changed? Could Voldemort actually feel…love? "Adrian is very sick. She'll die if we can't help her."
He sighed, and he lowered his head. "The only way to save her is to reunite us."
"That won't be possible, she's in a secure location, and the ministry won't let you anywhere near her."
"Then it appears that there is no hope. Adrian is going to die."
She felt Malfoy tense up at her side. Then suddenly the light around them grew brightly blinding them. Then it vanished, leaving them in darkness.
Hermione jerked as she awoke, but before she opened her eyes a strange sense of peace washed over her. She knew it was wrong to feel so contented at a moment like this. It must have been a side effect of the shared dream. She stretched and felt around her, finding her bed empty.
"Draco?" she asked. She had felt him at her side a moment ago, but now he was gone. He must have disapperated, she thought fuzzily as she opened her eyes.
Then it all came flooding back to her: Adrian, Voldemort, and the dream. She wondered briefly if she had survived the night. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she was in no condition to hold them back. She wasn't sure how long she cried, but she soon managed to force herself to calm down..
She sat up. She had to believe that Adrian was alive, and she had to help her, no matter what the cost.
She threw on some clean clothes, grabbed her wand, and apparated herself.
Draco stood in the dark room for a moment, just watching her. She thrashed weakly in her bed, calling for her father.
He couldn't believe what he had just done, and what he was about to do. But he had no choice. "Lumos." He whispered to the stolen wand he was carrying. He approached the bed.
"Adrian, honey, wake up."
She stirred and woke. "Dad?" she said, her eyes, pleading. She lapsed into a convulsion.
"Adrian it's going to be ok, I promise." He gathered the child in his arms, picked her up, and carried her from the room.
He moved through the halls silently for a while, not quite sure how he was going to get out. He became so preoccupied with his thoughts, and he got careless. He rounded a corner and stopped. Someone was standing at the end of the hall. He had been caught.
The figure raised a wand at him. "Draco? What are you doing?"
"Hermione." He whispered. "I—" He knew there was no way to explain himself out of this. He took a step forward. "I've made a decision." He said, strengthening his resolve. "I'm taking her back to Voldemort."
She stayed motionless, wand still pointed at him.
Malfoy quickly grew desperate. "Hermione, please, don't do this. Don't turn me in."
Suddenly Hermione lost her composure. Her shoulders sagged and her face fell. "I—I can't…" He could see the struggle on her face.
"Please."
She lowered her wand.
"Thank you. Now, I have to find Voldemort."
"No," she said heavily, dropping her gaze to the ground "You won't."
In the doorway from behind her Voldemort appeared. Hermione looked up, meeting Draco's astonished gaze. "I found him for you."
Adrian jerked in his arms. She drew a sharp deep breath. Voldemort brushed past Hermione and stood in front of Draco. "Give her to me."
Malfoy hesitated. "How can I trust you?"
"If you want to save her, you'll have to."
He gently handed her over, and almost immediately he noticed a change in her condition. Her breathing became easier.
"We have to get out of sight." Hermione said, and they rushed out of the hall.
They managed to find an abandoned room with a small bed in it. Adrian was laying there now, sleeping peacefully for the first time in days. Tom sat at her side, holding her hand. Draco was on the other side of the room staring at the pair intensely. Hermione paced the room nervously, wondering how she was going to get any of them out of this mess. She finally stopped to speak with Draco.
"How are you doing?"
"She's looking better." He said without moving his eyes from the bed, "I think we may have gotten to her in time."
"Yes, but how are you?"
"I just can't believe this."
"I know."
"Hermione, what are we going to do now?"
She opened her mouth to speak, but she just didn't have the words. Suddenly she felt very lost. She had always had all the answers, but now…
She was saved from having to reply by the sound of Adrian waking. She opened her stunning eyes and blinked a few times. Then, all at once, her face lit up. "Father!" she shouted. She sat upright and pulled him into a tight embrace.
She watched Draco cringe and turn away. It must be killing him to see his daughter in the arms of his enemy.
"I knew you would come." She said, burying her face against his chest, "I knew you would never leave me." She was crying, but they were tears of joy.
Tom returned her embrace warmly, and Hermione noticed tears in his eyes as well. It was then that she knew that he wasn't lying. He truly did love this child, and he truly had changed.
She cleared her throat softly and stepped forward. The pair broke apart and Adrian eyed Hermione suspiciously. "Why is she still here?" she asked her father.
Tom sighed heavily. He took Adrian's hands and looked her in the eye. "There's a lot you have to know." He began. "You see, I—I haven't always been who you think I am. Before you were born I was very different. I—" he paused for a long time, looking for the right words, "I did bad things. Very bad things. And one of the worst of those was taking you from your family."
Adrian pouted slightly, as if thinking. "Father, what are you saying?"
"Adrian, I raised you and you know that I love you—"
"And I love you father." She replied lightly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Adrian, I'm not your father. This man is."
Her eyes widened as her gaze fell on Draco. He wanted to do anything to reassure her, but instead he just sat there, staring back.
"No," she said after a moment, "It's not true. He just said that to scare me. It's not—" she turned her attention to Tom again, eyes pleading.
"I'm sorry Adrian, but it is true. I took you from your mother when you were only an infant. When she died, I raised you as my own."
"I—I don't understand."
"Neither do I. I don't think we ever will."
Hermione left the room. She walked across the empty hall to the window, dragging her fingers roughly thought her tangle of curls. She sighed. "well, at least she knows." She said out loud to herself, "Things can only get better from here, right?"
She sighed. She knew she was in trouble when she couldn't even convince herself that there was a chance things could work out. "Boy Hermione, you are in trouble."
"Hey, what are you doing here?" an unfamiliar voice said. She startled, and turned to find someone standing a few feet away from her, looking at her with the light of his wand. He stepped forward into the moonlight. She didn't recognize him, but he wore a ministry uniform. He must have been new, she deduced, only an eager new employee would patrol the catacombs of the building at night.
His light moved to her face briefly. "Oh, he said, "Hermione Granger."
She thought quickly, trying to think of how to get out of this. Finally she smiled fakely. "Oh, you know me."
The young man shrugged. "Who doesn't." he suddenly looked down at the stone floor shyly "I mean—your just, sort of famous."
"Well, I'm flattered. You know, not many guards think the empty halls are worth patrolling. Your doing a very…um… thorough job."
"It's just my job." He said, not looking up. Hermione thought she saw his cheeks go pink.
"Fudge will be pleased. I'll be sure to inform him personally."
He smiled.
"But as you can see, there's nothing going on here, so you may go."
He nodded finally looking up. "It was a pleasure meeting you." He said.
Right as he turned to leave, a crash in the room opposite them caught his attention. He spun around again and moved towards the door that concealed Malfoy, Adrian, and Tom.
"What was that?" he asked her.
She was becoming frantic. "Oh, I'm sure it was nothing. Just…um…the wind."
He stood by the side of the door and reached for the knob.
"No," Hermione said, "Please—"
But it was too late. The guard had already opened the door and gotten a look at the scene inside. Hermione gasped as she saw it.
Malfoy was lying unconscious on the floor, near a tipped over chair. Voldemort sat next to him looking down at his motionless form.
Maybe the young man recognized the scene before him as dangerous; maybe he recognized Voldemort, or maybe he just panicked. Whatever the reason, he pointed his wand square at Tom's chest and shouted "Expelliarmus!"
He flew out of his chair and his hand was torn from Adrian's. She cried out as he hit the wall. The moment it was over, she jumped out of her bed and ran to his side. After the shock had worn off, Hermione pushed past the young guard and knelt at Draco's side.
"Draco," she whispered softly, "Please wake up."
"Nobody move." The guard said, obviously very scared, "What's going on in here?"
Hermione didn't respond, she was too preoccupied. "Please be alright." She whispered, more to herself than him. She sighed with relieve as he opened his eyes.
"Hermione," he said quickly, "He's telling the truth. It's all true." She helped him sit up and his eyes fell on the guard. "What's happening?"
"We've been caught. It's over."
"What's going on here?" he repeated.
No one answered. He looked closely at the occupants of the room. Hermione and Draco looked back at him, and Adrian sat on her knees beside Tom, who was still unconscious.
He looked hard at the old man. There was something very familiar about him, almost like he had seen him before, but he couldn't quite place it. When it hit him, his eyes widened in shock. "That—" he sputtered, "That's—"
"Voldemort." Hermione finished.
He let out an amazed sigh and walked past Hermione to stand in front of Voldemort. He leaned over slightly and examined him in awe. "I heard horror stories when I was a child about him. Funny," he added, looking over the frail man, "he doesn't look that frightening." He raised his wand.
Suddenly Adrian leapt to her feet and stood between them, right in the wands path. "What are you doing?" she demanded.
"This man is wanted by the ministry." He replied as if he didn't expect her to understand, "I'm taking him into custody."
"No!" she shouted, "He's my father, and he's not going anywhere. I won't let you take him!"
She stared him down fearlessly. He hesitated, and an intense silence fell.
Unexpectedly, Voldemort jerked awake and grabbed Adrian's wrist from behind. The guard jumped back and panicked again, blindly shouting the first thing that came to his mind: A curse that was almost always fatal.
It happened so fast. The second Draco saw the guard point his wand at Adrian, he leapt to his feet. He got there just in time to shove Adrian out of the way. He took the full force of the curse and collapsed to the ground on his stomach.
"No!" Hermione shouted, she crawled to him and rolled him over. "No." she said again, this time it was a chocked whisper.
She cradled his head in her lap and looked up at the guard. "Get help now!"
Eyes wide, he nodded and ran from the room.
Draco coughed and winced. "Adrian?" he asked.
"She's fine." Hermione glanced at her; she was clinging to Tom.
"Hermione," he said, his voice barely a whisper, "I'm sorry."
"Don't talk Draco, just hold on."
He shook his head. "It's too late."
"No." she whispered, her voice breaking. She closed her eyes as tears began to fall from her eyes. After a moment, she felt a warm touch on her face. She opened her eyes to find him wiping away her tears.
He smiled at her weakly. "Take care of her."
She nodded. "I promise." She leaned close and kissed his forehead, just as his eyes closed.
Hermione couldn't give up. She forced herself to stay calm and think. Draco was right, help would never get there in time. But she could still help him, she just had to…
Then the answer came to her. It was so obvious, it made her gasp. She looked up at Tom, who held Adrian tightly. "This Sharing," she asked him, "how does it work?"
His eyes widened, almost as if he regretted not seeing it sooner. "This." He said, pulling a small object out of his pocket. "You both hold on to this."
She grabbed it from him, beyond caring why he had it with him. "Then what?"
"Well, it's hard to explain."
"Try."
"In order for it to work, he has to accept you. This," he said indicating the artifact, "will allow you access to his mind, and—if it's not too late—he will have access to yours. He may be resistant, but if you really want to save him, you will force him to listen to you."
It sounded so far fetched. Last minute doubts surfaced in her mind. What if he was lying? What if he wanted to trick her into killing herself? No, she told herself, Draco trusted him, he said so himself.
What if I can't save him? This scared her more than anything. She forced herself to focus on what she had to do.
She pressed their hands together with the artifact in between. She closed her eyes. A few tense moments went by and nothing happened.
"Come on Malfoy," she thought, "Don't be stubborn."
"Don't give up." She heard Tom say.
She squeezed his hand and focused harder. Then she felt it. There was a warm tingling in her hands, spreading up her arms. She gasped once as she felt herself being pulled away. When she opened her eyes, she was somewhere else.
This place was strange. It was surreal, almost as if it was a dream. She looked around her anxiously. "Malfoy? Where are you?" she asked.
She found him lying on the ground near her. She shook his shoulders gently. "Malfoy, get up."
She feared for a moment that it was too late, but then he stirred slightly. "No."
She shook him harder this time. "This is serious Malfoy, you have to get up now."
"Why?"
"If you don't come with me, you'll die."
"So?" His voice was totally flat and emotionless. It made Hermione shudder.
She didn't know what to say. "Malfoy, Please—"
Suddenly he rolled over and sat up, facing her. His face was as expressionless as his voice. "I mean it." He said, "What reason do I have?"
"What about Adrian? She needs her father."
He laughed sadly. "Some father. All I've done is scare her half to death." He shook his head. "Tom's her father."
"Maybe that's true, but what will happen when this is all over? Voldemort will be captured and who knows what will happen after that? She'll need someone to take care of her."
"You promised--"
She suddenly felt great urgency. They were running out of time. "I know I promised I would take care of her, and I will I promise." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "But without you I—" She stopped dead and pulled her hand away.
His eyes suddenly locked on her. She saw a change in him. "Say it Hermione."
"Without you, I can't do it. And I don't think I want to. I…really care about you. Come back with me."
He looked at her. She could feel there surroundings dissolving…they were out of time…
Then, just as she thought she had lost him, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was incredible, but there was something more. She was flooded with strange sensations…they were…emotions…memories…
Then all at once, she was yanked back into her body. She felt dizzy. She swayed and collapsed just as help arrived.
Hermione sighed and stretched, keeping her eyes closed. She didn't want to wake just yet. She felt so comfortable here, and there was something else. It was something she had never felt before....contentment.
She opened her eyes to find herself lying in a hospital bed. She stretched again and looked to one side. Draco was in a bed next to hers, looking back.
"Welcome back." She said, and smiled warmly. He returned it. She loved that smile.
Slowly she got up and moved to the edge of his bed. She sat by his side. "How do you feel?"
He looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. "Strange." He said, "What happened?"
"That jumpy guard almost killed Adrian. You pushed her out of the way, and, well, I should say he almost killed you." They laughed at the same time. Hermione didn't quite understand why it was funny, but she felt to good to care.
"No, there was something else. Something after that…my memories fuzzy."
"Oh, mine too." She agreed quickly.
"Your lying." He said, eyebrows furrowing in thought. "I don't know how I know."
Hermione blushed. "Well, your right." Why are you telling him this? She asked herself, Why aren't you lying? But something had changed. She actually wanted to tell him the truth. "I did something—to save your life—I hope your not mad." She looked away nervously. What if he was upset about it?
Another sincere smile put her at ease. "Tom told me how to share myself with you. It's the same with him and Adrian."
"Oh. Thanks."
A sigh of relief escaped from her lips.
"Hermione?" he asked her, "What's this feeling?"
"I don't know. It's incredible isn't it?"
"Yeah."
They sat in silence for a long time. "How's Adrian?"
"She's okay. A little shaken, but fine."
"And Volde—Tom?"
"In custody, I'd imagine. I don't really know, I passed out when…when…" she lapsed into silence again.
"So," Draco said, trying to sound optimistic. "What happens now?"
They all sat in the courtroom, awaiting the verdict on Tom's case. He sat at the front of the room facing the judge. Draco sat behind him, near the front. Hermione sat beside him with Adrian between them. She wore a simple white dress and watched the proceedings with great interest.
"I've reached a decision." The judge said.
As he spoke Hermione saw Adrian shift in her seat. For the first time since she had met her, she looked afraid. She took Adrian's hand and squeezed it gently. The girl had warmed up to her over the past few weeks, she only hoped the same would be true for Draco.
"There is no doubt in my mind," the judge continued, "that the crimes that Tom Riddle has committed against humanity in general warrant the maximum penalty."
Adrian squeezed back.
"However, given the unique circumstances of this case," he continued, glancing at Adrian, "I am forced to find an alternative solution. It is very clear that something binds these two people physically, and that one cannot survive without the other. He paused, "I cannot punish the innocent party." He glanced at Adrian again.
"I can't in good conscience release the guilty party of his sentence. Therefore, I have decided to hold the defendant in a local facility until such a time that his union with this child can be severed. Furthermore, for the health of the child, she will be allowed frequent visits."
The room exploded with chatter. Most people were furious, but Draco, Hermione, and Adrian sat in stunned silence. At last the little girl sighed. She was relieved, but not totally happy with the decision.
The judge pounded his gavel on the desk and called for order. After a long time, two guards took Tom from the room.
Adrian released Hermione and pulled on Draco's arm. "When can we see him?"
I
Draco held Adrian's hand as they walked down the short hall. They entered the room that housed Tom Riddles cell. He was glad to see that it was guarded by humans—Dementors would be too painful for Adrian.
Tom stood as he saw them and walked to the bars. Adrian ran to him and reached her small arms through the bars. "Let me in." she called. "Please."
Draco nodded at one of the guards, and he reluctantly unlocked the gate. Adrian threw herself into his arms and to Draco's surprise, started to sob.
"Father, I was scared." She said though her tears, "You told me to be brave, but I—I"
He held her affectionately. "It's ok, Adrian, everything's fine now."
"But…I was afraid that they'd take you away from me."
"I'm fine, honey. And I'm not going anywhere soon."
Draco turned away. He knew how Voldemort felt about his daughter, but he still didn't think it was fair. He had killed so many people, and he still gets to live. Not only that, but he gets to be happy.
But, he reminded himself that this made Adrian happy, and that would have to be enough.
"But, what will happen when they figure out how to reverse it?" she asked.
"That won't happen for a long time. You know what? It may never happen."
That made Draco think of Hermione. The verdict affected them as well. As soon as they found a way to fix whatever they had done, their union would be dissolved and they would be free of each other. But is that what he wanted?
This feeling was very strange. He felt connected to Hermione, not only his mind, but his soul, and his heart…he hadn't felt such a deep bond with anyone…since Shannon.
It was crazy, he knew, but it was wonderful at the same time. He even knew what she would say now. "Malfoy, calm down, think of Adrian." She could almost see her face as she spoke those words. The thought made him smile.
"Don't worry." Tom was now saying to her, "It's going to be scary sometimes, but you're a very brave girl. You're going to be fine." Then he did something that surprised him. He looked strait at him and said. "Draco will take care of you."
Tom hugged her one last time. "Adrian, can I have a minute alone please."
Reluctantly she agreed. "Ok father, I love you."
"I love you too Adrian." She left and the guard relocked the door.
Malfoy kept his face like firm as he approached the cell. He stood in front of his wife's killer and stared at him for a long time. "You killed Shannon. For that, I can never forgive you."
"I know. I'm not asking for your forgiveness."
"But," Draco continued as if Tom hadn't spoken, "You saved my daughters life." There was a long, heavy silence between the two men. "For that, I can never repay you."
Tom looked down. "I have something for you." He produced a small box from somewhere. He wasn't sure where it came from, but it didn't matter.
"I only hope it will help you. It will work when both you and Adrian touch it. Goodbye Mr. Malfoy."
"Goodbye Mr. Riddle." He took the box, turned, and left.
"Adrian, I'd like to show you something."
There was no reply from upstairs, but he knew she was listening. "Please? It'll only take a minute."
He heard her walk down the hall and saw her peek around the corner.
"You know, there's no reason to be afraid of me."
"Who says I'm afraid?"
He smiled and held up what Tom had given him the day before. It turned out to be a small, strange looking orb. He held it out to her. "I know you're curious."
She walked forward cautiously and reached out for it. The second she touched it they were taken to another place.
The sun was warm, but there was a cool breeze blowing on his face. The air smelled sweet, like—"dandelions." He whispered
For some reason he remembered that Shannon always loved dandelions. She let their yard fill with them. He found himself in a large field. Tall grasses grew along with the yellow flowers. A few yards away there was a blanket spread out on the ground. He remembered this place. But he couldn't really be here, this happened years ago. All of his confusion melted away when he saw her.
Shannon emerged from the woods at the end of the clearing. He gasped. She was so beautiful, even more than he remembered. Her long curls were pulled up into a loose bun, and tendrils fell down around her radiant face. Her eyes were bright blue, just like Adrian's.
She didn't see him right away. She walked along the grass barefooted, watching the ground and sniffing a dandelion. She looked up and smiled brightly. It had been so long since he had seen her smile, it made him want to cry.
She was running towards him now, calling his name. He wanted to run to her, but he was frozen. He only made it to the blanket before she caught up with him. "Oh, Draco." She said, hugging him close.
"Are you—" he murmured against her hair. "Are you really here?"
"Yes. I'm really here." She smiled again, and this time he couldn't hold back. Tears began to stream down his face.
"Don't cry, please." She whispered softly, kissing his damp cheeks. "This is no place for tears."
"I remember. This is where I—"
"Where you proposed to me. You know, I would have said yes no matter where you asked me, you didn't have to make it so perfect."
He smiled at that.
Suddenly her face grew sterner. "I have something important to tell you. I know what you want me to tell you to hold on to me. To miss me forever."
"I have. I've missed you every day. Shannon, I love you."
She hushed him gently. "And I love you." She held his face in her hands. "But you have to let me go. It's alright to miss me, but you can move on."
"I—I don't think I can."
"Yes you can. I know what's in your heart." She looked at him knowingly. "Lately things have changed, haven't they."
He automatically thought of Hermione. "Yes, they have."
Her face suddenly went serious. "But you have to remember one thing: this isn't over, not for either of you."
"What do you mean?" he asked, disturbed by her ominous warning.
"You have to protect her. No matter what." She kissed his cheek and smiled at him once more.
She released him and spun around. They found Adrian standing nearby, watching Shannon with great interest. She approached the girl and knelt down in front of her. "Hello Adrian. Do you remember me?"
Adrian said nothing.
"I only held you once, when you were a baby. Do you remember that?"
Adrian wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes tightly. She did remember, but she had always thought it was a dream…She slowly lost her composure. Her lip began to tremble and tears welled up in her cool blue eyes. "Mommy?"
Shannon pulled her small daughter into her arms and held her tight. "Oh my love," she said soothingly, "I've missed you."
Adrian continued to cry for a while in her mothers arms. Shannon finally pulled back to look at her. "You're dad will take care of you now. He loves you very much, you know that, right?"
She nodded. "I—I don't want you to go."
"I have to go, but I'll always be with you." She looked at Adrian and sighed. "You know, when Tom took me, I had just one thing with me. She slid one hand over
Adrian's, and a book appeared there. It was Adrian's only it was brand new."
"I liked one particular poem." Adrian looked at her, wide-eyed, and Shannon looked at Draco. "It's time to forgive him Adrian."
She hugged her one last time, and then kissed her on the cheek. Then she looked up at Draco. "It's time for me to go."
"No, please—"
She pulled him close and gave him one last kiss. "Take care of her, and remember what I said." She smiled at him, but even as she watched, her smile faded away.
The pair found themselves back in the living room. Adrian looked stunned. She took a few steps backwards and then ran upstairs.
Draco stayed still for a long time, trying to fight off tears. He felt something heavy in his hand. He found that the orb had been replaced with a ring. His wife's wedding ring.
The doorbell broke his train of thought. He pocketed the ring, dried his eyes and ran to the door.
Hermione stood at his door a long time before ringing the bell. While she waited, an owl swooped overhead and dropped a letter into her hands. On it, the name "Ms. Adrian Malfoy" was written in familiar green ink.
She rang the doorbell and heard a slight commotion before the door opened. She smiled at Draco. "I've got something for you." She said, and handed him the letter.
He looked at it for a moment. "It won't be easy for her, having been raised by him. I don't suppose we'll be able to keep it a secret." He looked down for a moment before he looked up and smiled. "So, what brings you by?"
"Well, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. How's she doing?"
"She's fine. She's adjusting well…I think." He laughed, "I actually don't really know what I'm doing."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She hesitated "Well, I guess I'll go. I'll stop by again later, if you'd like."
"I'd like that."
She took a few steps backwards. "Goodbye then."
Hesitantly he closed the door. She stopped, then ran back to the door. She had hardly knocked when he swung the door open. "You forgot something."
"What?"
Suddenly she kissed him. She threw her arms around his neck and drew herself close to him. For a few moments he returned it and wrapped his arms around her waist. They stood in the doorway for a few moments. Finally Hermione broke away and stood back.
She cleared her throat and straitened her clothes. "You," she said breathlessly, "You are very impulsive Mr. Malfoy."
"Oh, you're blaming that on me?"
"Well we have been taking on each others personality traits. I certainly would never have—"
"Hermione." He sighed, then leaned forward and kissed her again, short and sweetly. She fell silent. "You talk too much."
They looked at each other for a long time before Hermione cleared her throat again. She looked down, as if she was suddenly ashamed. "I just wanted you to know that I understand. I know how you felt about your wife, and I know how much it hurt you when she…when she…" she lost her voice for a second, and wrung her hands. "I just…I understand." She met his eyes hopefully.
Malfoy was silent, but she could see his struggle in his eyes.
She took his hand and squeezed it gently. "That's all I wanted you to know." She took a step back, intending to leave, but she didn't let go.
He looked at her blankly before he seemed to regain his focus. "Would you like to come in for some tea or something?"
Immediately she stopped and smiled. "I'd like that."
"There's just one thing I need to know." He said, returning her smile. "How long do they think it will take to cure this thing?"
"Oh," she said sarcastically. "it could be decades." She shrugged and feigned annoyance. "We'll just have to put up with each other until then."
He squeezed her hand firmly, and looked at her. "Well, that's alright with me."
The End
Ok, I thought the poem part was a little corny, but other than that is pretty good, right?