A/N: The first part of the finale.
Chapter 8 – Revelations Part 1
Thick mists wafted through the dark forest as the moon glowed faintly behind gnarled trees. The cold harsh wind wailed through them like a banshee and Draco shivered fearfully.
Where am I? he wondered. He didn't recall taking any excursions into the forest.
A light in a distance attracted his attention. He then saw the back of a silver-haired figure kneeling in front of a stone grotto. Draco recognized the man -- Father!
What is he doing here?
Draco crept closer and hid behind some thorn bushes. Lucius' head was bowed low as he lamented, "Master, we need you. Ever since you have departed from us, we have been hunted and banished from our homes. Without you, we are lost. Hear my cry, Master!"
The ground suddenly shook and the cold stone rolled aside by itself revealing a skeletal figure in hibernation. Draco's blood ran cold as he saw a worm-infested body rouse from his sleep and stared at Lucius with glowing red eyes.
It's impossible…Voldemort is alive!
"Lucius, my faithful servant. Why do you call to me? My time has not come," Voldemort said, exhaling with difficulty.
"Master, many of our supporters have begun to lose hope and have deserted us. You are the only one they will listen to and obey. You must rise now to lead us," said Lucius.
Voldemort became silent. "Long have I slept in this decaying body…my people need me." Turning to Lucius, he asked, "Do you love me Lucius?"
"Yes, I do," Lucius answered, looking albeit shocked and perturbed.
"Then are you prepared to do my will?"
"Yes, Master."
Voldemort curled his skeletal fingers into fists. "At last! Immortality is mine. My wand..."
With trembling hands, Lucius passed the precious wand to his master. The dark wizard lifted it and began chanting in an ancient language. A strange purple mist shot out from his wand and circled Lucius like a mystical rope.
"Lucius Malfoy, prepare to deliver your children's children to me. Your blood will flow through mine and I shall live in you and all your generations!"
The mists stabbed Lucius in the heart and his body went into violent spasms as he cried out and crumpled to the ground. Draco almost wanted to run to his father when he suddenly felt an invisible power smothering him. He felt as if his blood was on fire and his skin was burning up.
Unable to move, he let out a frantic scream and everything started spinning…
ooooo
Draco woke up in his own bed in Malfoy Mansion drenched with cold sweat. He had been having this disturbing dream over and over again. A sudden knock on the door made him jump. He cursed softly as Crane walked in.
"Madame Lestrange is here to see you, Master. She's waiting in your study," he said. Draco took a deep breath and walked into his study to meet his aunt. She had not appeared at the Mansion since being on the Auror's wanted list. Usually, she would owl ahead before her arrival but this time she appeared unexpectedly.
What did she want from him?
Bellatrix Lestrange rose from her seat to greet him. He noticed her long wispy hair had turned from black to streaks of gray and her thin appearance made her look almost brittle.
"Aunt Bella. What brings you here at this odd hour?"
"Draco, dear." Bellatrix had a sinister smile on her lips as she hugged him. "I'm so happy for you."
"Really?" Draco cocked his eyebrow with mild bemusement. "Why should you be happy for me? I haven't done anything."
"Oh, but you will!" she said, excitement twinkling in her green eyes. "I have been pestering Lucius to initiate you into our group for a long time."
Draco's smile faded.
"You will be an important part of our Master's plan to return to our world."
Draco frowned as Bellatrix's revelations were eerily similar to his dreams. Could it be real?
"Thank you, Aunt Bella. I shall not let our Master down," he said deadpanned.
"Well, hurry up! Take your cloak. The others are waiting," she said.
They had apparated to a place called Boscastle in Cornwall. He had heard of this place many times from his father. The thick mists and jagged coastline that surrounded the castle was a perfect hideout for Death-eaters on the run from the Ministry's Aurors. The spiral stone staircase led them to a small room fully lit by candles. Inside, a group of Death-eaters had assembled in a semi-circle. There were werewolves, dementors and other dark creatures among them, presumably friends of his father.
"Bring the girl!" she commanded. A door at the end of the room opened -- two men led a thin girl out and threw her at Draco's feet. He guessed she was no more than eighteen years of age but something struck him about this girl; the color of her hair, the same frizzy curls and brown eyes.
"Hermione!" Draco wanted to scream but he couldn't move. It wasn't her but she looked so similar to his wife that he was shaken to the core.
"Help me," she pleaded with large teary eyes but he remained cold, expressionless.
He watched helplessly as the other Death-eaters hovered above her. It was bloodlust frenzy as hands tore at her robes and violated her body as blood dripped from her wounds turning the ground red. In his mind, he saw what the Death-eaters would do to Hermione if they caught her.
"It is time. Do it now, Draco," Bellatrix ordered.
Draco swallowed hard as he stared at his aunt. With a trembling hand, he pointed the wand at the girl and mouthed the words, "Avada Kedavra."
A blinding
flash flew from his wand and hit the girl.
The incredible surge of power through his veins was overwhelming -- he
could hear her heartbeat grow faint as life drained from her body. She didn't
scream as she turned her head and stared sadly at him.
"Draco…" she whispered his name and fell lifeless.
The sound of the Death-eaters cheering sickened him. He felt no pain as Bellatrix carved the Dark Mark on his arm. The initiation was complete.
Back in the mansion, he stumbled into the bathroom. Turning on the tap, he washed his face many times. He stared at his reflection in the mirror as he braced against the side of the sink, feeling the bile rise in the back of his throat. He had killed a girl by using an unforgivable curse – the blood of the innocent had tainted his hands.
He heard his bathroom door open but he kept his eyes shut. Slowly he raised his head and met her eyes in the mirror. She was wearing a clingy black lacy nightgown that hardly covered her breasts. It was blatantly obvious what she was here for.
"What do you want, Pansy?" he snapped.
"How did you like the nice twist in the initiation?" she said with a smile. "She looks a lot like the mudblood Granger, which makes it all the better."
Draco stared at her with disdain as she threw her head back and laughed. "Have you said enough?"
"I didn't come here to talk. I came here to welcome you into Voldemort's exclusive group," she said in a seductive voice as she sidled up next to him. She reached up and kissed him hungrily.
He flinched as if electrified by her touch and caught her hand before it wandered further down his body. "Go away," he warned as his grip tightened around her fragile wrist, keeping the distance between them.
Pansy winced in pain as tears started to well up in her eyes but Draco refused to play her game. He pushed her aside roughly and fled the house.
ooooo
From the balcony of her flat, Hermione watched the moonlit sky. It was a warm summer's night and she had been having this odd feeling all day. Her heart was troubled – it had been five days since they last saw each other and Draco still hadn't replied any of her owls.
Please, please tell me where you are tonight…She hoped to find her answers in the stars but they told her nothing. A sudden gust of wind blew through her bedroom window and the curtains fluttered. She sensed someone was watching her and scanned the surrounding area but there was no one there. Sighing, she shrugged off the sensation and went inside. Hermione sat on the bed and stared at the empty space beside her. Wiping a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek, she drew the pillow that Draco had slept on into her chest, breathing in his scent and closed her eyes.
It was getting harder and harder to face each day alone.
The next day, Hermione was with Ginny in Diagon Alley. They stopped by the bookstore and she noticed Ginny was looking through some travel books. She had suggested that they should take a trip to the French Riviera for the summer – Harry and Ron had indicated their interest in the trip. "I don't know," Hermione said pensively.
"Come on, it will be fun!"
"I'll let you know soon, I promise," replied Hermione. A change of environment would be nice, she thought as they walked down the busy street when they almost bumped into Pansy Parkinson and Milicent Bulstrode.
"Well, Well, Well, isn't that Hermione Granger, the mudblood witch?" Pansy's eyes were blazing angrily while Milicent scowled.
Before she could answer, Ginny had stepped in between them and warned, "Pansy, you should mind your own business and go before I make you sorry."
"Hiding behind a junior witch now are you, Granger? Are you afraid of us?" she sneered and Milicent laughed.
"No I'm not afraid of you," she said calmly and stepped from behind Ginny. "Come Ginny, let's go."
Hermione could tell Pansy had expected a confrontation but she refused to stand up to the challenge. "Beware, mudblood, your days are numbered," she heard Pansy shout and shivered.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea overcame her and she nearly stumbled. Bracing herself against the wall, she threw up in the bushes.
"Mione?"
She looked up miserably at Ginny as she quickly came to her side and gently patted her back. "Are you all right? Maybe you should see Pomfrey."
"No," she said, leaning against the wall for support. "I just need to rest for a while."
"You could use my room if you like," Ginny offered, looking very concerned for her. "Let's get back to the school."
Hermione smiled gratefully and spent the rest of the day resting in Ginny's room. The queasy feeling was beginning to occur almost every other day. She hadn't felt so weak and tired before.
"Are you sure you don't want to sit this lesson out, Granger?" Senior Auror, Nymphadora Tonks asked in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
"Tonks is right…you do look very pale today," added Harry, giving her a sympathetic look.
"No, I'm fine," she insisted. She had prepared for this class all week. They were learning new deflecting spells in DADA class. A slight mistake could cause the victim to suffer intolerable pain. Concentration was of utmost importance.
"All right, Granger. You will partner Potter. Each will take their turn in casting and deflecting the spells we have just learned today," Tonks declared as the trainees took their places.
Harry looked at her and shrugged. "Here we go."
Wielding their wands, they began to practice the deflecting spells in the open field. She knew the spells by heart and was eager to try them out. Before she could proceed, everything suddenly became hazy. She saw a flash of light leave his wand but she could not do anything. The spell hit her at full force, sending her hurtling a few meters away. Hermione lay in a crumpled heap unable to move.
"Mione!" she heard Harry shout before she lost consciousness.
ooooo
Harry watched in horror as the spell flew and hit Hermione in a blinding flash.
No!
He raced to her side and felt her pulse -- she was still breathing. "Mione, are you all right?"
She merely smiled at him then, her eyes glazed over and fell limp. Panic rose in his heart as he lifted her in his arms and rushed to the infirmary. "Hold on, Mione," he said as he gently laid her on the bed.
Madam Pomfrey quickly administered medi-magic to her.
"How is she?" Harry asked.
"A little shaken but she'll be fine."
He breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, Tonks had cautioned against using the full spell – otherwise, Hermione could have been mortally wounded.
"Can I stay with Hermione?" he pleaded, ignoring the whispers among the other students.
The medi-witch looked sternly at him and said, "You should leave, all of you. Hermione needs her rest."
Everyone was chased out of the infirmary but Madam Pomfrey had a concerned look on her face. There was something she was not telling him. What could it be?
At the Great Hall, Harry hardly touched his food as his thoughts were on Hermione.
"It's not your fault, Harry," Ron said, giving him a nudge.
He looked at Ron and sighed. "I should've been more vigilant."
"Nobody wanted this to happen," added Ginny as she gave him a sympathetic nod. "You can't blame yourself. Hermione has been behaving rather odd these days and she refuses even to talk to me."
Ginny and Ron had noticed the change in her too, as if the light in her eyes was taken away leaving behind an empty shell. Despite his friends' urgings, he still felt guilty for hurting Hermione.
In the evening, he crept into the infirmary to see her and heard her quiet sobs behind the curtains. "I'm sorry, Mione. I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered.
"Harry?"
A hand reached out and pulled aside the curtains. "Harry, what are you doing here?" she asked, wiping away her tears as she sat up on her bed.
"I came to apologize…"
"It's not your fault, Harry. I was unprepared and I deserve to be hit by the spell," she said rather sheepishly. "Don't worry about me. Madam Pomfrey said I'd be fine in a day or two. You should go before she comes back."
"I'll see you tomorrow," he told her.
"Most definitely," she replied with a wan smile.
ooooo
At the table in her room, Hermione penned a message under candlelight–
"I need to see you. It's important. HG"
She rolled the message and tied it to the owl's feet. "Fly. Fly swift and quick," she whispered as she watched the owl disappear into the night. Hermione was afraid – she didn't expect that this would happen…
Hermione felt very much better after resting in the infirmary under the watchful eye of Poppy Pomfrey. She was about to pack her things when Madam Pomfrey came to her. "Granger…Hermione, do you have a minute? I'd like to speak to you about something important."
"Of course."
"You should sit down," she said grimly.
Hermione was puzzled by Pomfrey's sudden concern for her. She thought the effects of the spell were gone and she was completely healed.
"Hermione, you have not been eating regularly and I imagine you must be under tremendous stress right now but you have to consider your child's well-being," she began.
My child? I have a child… I HAVE A CHILD!
She saw Pomfrey's mouth moving but she couldn't comprehend the words. "Huh? What did you just say?"
"Did you know you're pregnant?" Pomfrey asked again.
"N…No, I didn't," Hermione stammered a reply. A gamut of emotions ranging from joy to despair hit her as she realized the nauseous feeling; the irrational behavior and tiredness were caused by her pregnancy.
Madam Pomfrey patted her shoulder and pulled out a paper file from her robe. "Here are the results of the pregnancy test. I thought I should let you know before speaking with Dumbledore and your parents."
ooooo
The pregnancy test couldn't be wrong but she had to be sure. Taking out the results from her drawer, she looked at it again, the word screamed 'POSITIVE'. Hermione buried her face in her hands desolately.
What have I done? My parents will kill me. Harry and Ron will definitely kill him. What am I to do? I'm so confused.
Letting out a long sigh, she sank down on the bed. It won't be long before her clothes became too tight and she won't be able to hide her condition any longer. She ran a hand through her tangled tresses and burrowed into the pillows. Draco…
A sudden knock on the door made her jump. "Hermione! Are you in there?"
She recognized the voice to be Ron's and hastily hid the test results under her bed. Just as he stepped into the room, Hermione stood up and smiled. "Hi, Ron…what's the matter?"
Ron didn't seem to notice her trepidation as he said excitedly. "We are going to London with Tonks…on a real Auror's assignment!"
"What?" Hermione was confused. "But Ron, we are not prepared for this. It's too dangerous."
"Don't worry. Tonks said it'll be a routine patrol," Ron replied. "I know you wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this. C'mon."
Hermione reluctantly agreed and followed them. Two other senior Aurors accompanied them as they walked the streets of London. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary despite an earlier report that there were Death-eater sightings nearby.
They were about to return to the Ministry when a loud scream was heard. Tonks and the two senior Aurors ran ahead to the site followed by Harry, Ron and Hermione in their wake. The scene in front of them was a gruesome one – five Death-eaters surrounded a helpless man who was writhing on the ground. They were about to drag him away when Tonks and her fellow Aurors descended on the unsuspecting Death-eaters scattering them with the 'confundus' spell.
Harry and Ron took out their wands and gave chase while Hermione ran to the injured man's side. "Are you all right?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady as she put pressure on his bleeding head.
"Y..yes, thank you," the stranger stammered.
"Don't worry. We'll get you to St. Mungo's soon," she reassured him.
Suddenly, the man's eyes widened with fear. "Death-eater behind you…"
Hermione felt a cold chill run down her spine as the man's eyes rolled back and passed out. Harry and Ron had disappeared down the alley and she was alone. She kept very still and heard the fluttering of robes in the wind.
They have come back for him…or did they come back for me?
Beads of sweat were beginning to form on her forehead as she held her wand tightly. She was at a disadvantage – the enemy could easily take her out with 'avada kedavra' before she could even wield her wand.
Hermione didn't envision her life would end like this, but her baby…her innocent baby. The thought made her tremble with fear as she waited for her enemy to make the first move.
But he didn't…her brows creased into a frown. What was he up to?
She slowly stood up, careful not to make any sudden moves and turned around.
A tall hooded figure stood a few feet away. They stood silently in the street facing each other. The Death-eater's eyes glowed like fire as he raised his wand. Suddenly a blinding flash came out from nowhere and hit the enemy in the chest. Everything happened so fast that she began to feel dizzy. A gray smoke screen had engulfed her and strong arms spirited her away from the scene.
The familiar feel of his body pressed against hers and the scent of his cologne could only be none other but Draco. She smiled and hugged him tighter. When they came to a secluded place, he put her down and said, "You're safe now."
It had begun to rain and they found a small shelter under a row of shops. "Draco, how did you know I was here?" she asked.
He pulled away from her embrace and his eyes were cold and hard. "I am one of them."
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. "What are you saying?"
He rolled up his sleeve and showed her the Dark Mark on his arm. "That's how I knew there was going to be a raid tonight."
She gasped in horror -- pain, turmoil, despair and anger coursed through her. This was all too much as she bit her lower lip, trying to control her raging emotions.
Why did you have to choose this path?
Was everything we had only a dream?
You're not like them -
You're not a killer
Draco, we have a baby…"Why?" she demanded, her voice wavering with anger.
"I have no other choice," was his answer. "It's my destiny."
Hermione was adamant. "No! That's not true. You had a choice and you chose to be one of them!"
A sudden clash of thunder interrupted them and Draco was about to leave in the rain when she ran after him and shouted, "Stop!"
He turned around and was surprised to see her wand pointed at him.
"I cannot let you go."
Draco cocked one eyebrow in mock amusement. "You're doing this for yourself or for the Ministry?"
"I have beaten you before and I will do it again," she warned. It was easier when she had hated him the last time.
"That was because I let you," came his arrogant reply.
"Bullshit!' she swore and launched herself at him.
Their sparring was fluid and fast as she tried to defeat him with her superior knowledge of spells. Draco began to have trouble deflecting her onslaught. A misjudged parry was all it took when a stray spell hit his right shoulder and he cursed loudly as his wand fell to the ground in a clatter. Hermione stood in shock at his bleeding shoulder.
What have I done?
She had to fight every muscle in her body not to run to him. She stood riveted to the ground as the rain hid her tears well.
I won't let you see me cry…
"You were always the better wizard," he whispered as he staggered to his feet.
Suddenly, she heard some voices coming their way – it had to be Harry and the other Aurors. Immediately she turned to Draco but he had disapparated from the scene.
TBC