A/N: yea, I know. I forgot the disclaimer. Oops...don't sue me...please?
LOL
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and my own twisted ideas...although
I wouldn't mind if Draco was mine...or Tom Felton, I'll take either.
The One I'll Always Love Chapter Two: Dying Souls
Hermione knew Draco was too weak. She knew she should have stopped him. But something held her back. Something told her he *had* to do this, even if not for her, for himself. But all Hermione could do now was hope Draco and her two best friends got home safely. She trudged back to her dorm; eyes full of tears, a heart full of woe and too many thoughts roaming her mind. 'Why did he kiss me? And call me his love? He can't-he doesn't like me that way. I just know it. He's just doing you a favor.' Even though she had convinced herself that he never meant anything by what he had said, a nagging voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she was happy about what he had said.
Meanwhile...
At Malfoy Manor, Draco arrived with a POP! and promptly dropped to his knees exhausted. 'Maybe I should have listened to Hermione. I may not be able to Apparate myself back to Hogwarts, let alone two other sixth years. I doubt I'll even be able to stand up against my father should the need arise.' Draco slowly got to his feet and looked around, knowing he was near where he had seen Harry and Ron. Knowing better than to yell out their names on his father's property, Draco searched silently in his animagus form-no one would recognize the pure white wolf as the sixth year Slytherin prefect. Draco the wolf crept quietly towards where he had seen the two Gryffindors earlier. When he got there, he reverted back to his human form. He saw faint traces of blood on the ground marking where Ron had been only moments before. "Never thought I'd live to see the day that I was helping a Gryffindor." murmured Draco. "I didn't either." said a silky-sounding voice from inside the woods. Draco whirled around only to face his leering father. "Father, fancy meeting you here." sneered Draco. "You're surprised? This is my property after all. I am rather surprised that you dare show yourself here though. Fraternizing with the enemy. And a mudblood. Your mother would die of shame if she weren't already dead. I tell you what though. To prove to me and the Dark Lord that you're still on the correct side of the war, bring me the head of the mudblood girl and I shall return the two traitors of the wizarding world to you." replied Lucius. "Yea, like hell you will. I'm not gonna kill the only person I could or would ever love just for you to not give me Potter and Weasley." Lucius stood there, mouth agape at what Draco had just admitted. "You...you're in love with a-a mudblood? A Gryffindor mudblood too. O my head." Draco rolled his eyes at his father's melodramatics. "However, you are still my son, so I should help you get over this mudblood-loving disease of yours. Crucio!" Draco screamed in agony as his weakened body was hit with the most painful curse his father knew. Draco, who had been trained to ignore pain at all costs, fell, for the first time ever, to his knees as his 'loving' father hit him with the Cruciatious Curse for the second time. Lucius, pretending to not enjoy his son's suffering, put a fake look of sympathy. Mr. Malfoy removed the curse and said with a sneer "You know better Draco. What else am I supposed to do? Accept it?" Lucius laughed evilly as Draco struggled to his feet. A noise in the forest at Lucius' back caused the older Malfoy to whirl around, giving Draco enough time to yell "Stupefy!" at Lucius' now unprotected back. Mr. Malfoy fell to the ground. Draco staggered over to the sound, somehow knowing that when he found its source, he would find Potter and Weasley. He was right. Huddled in the corner were a very scratched-up Harry and a very pale Ron. Draco said softly "I'm here to help. Herm-Granger is blackmailing me into it. Now, can either of you Apparate?" Seeing both boys shake their heads, Draco sighed. "Alright, hang onto my arms and do not, I repeat, do NOT let go. OK, hang on." Harry held onto Draco's left arm and Ron held the right. Back at Hogwarts...
Hermione was pacing the Great Hall anxiously waiting for Draco and her two best friends. She had no idea which passageway they would travel through, so she waited impatiently near where she and Draco had met earlier. Suddenly she heard a panicked cry of "O my God! Somebody! Quick, help!" The cry came from just outside the door. Hermione ran as fast as she could and threw open the big doors. There she saw Harry and Ron bent over an unconscious Draco. Hermione felt her heart stop in her chest as she gasped. Harry turned and said "He saved us. We have to get him to the Hospital Wing. Hurry!" He and Ron gathered the bloody, bruised and exhausted Draco past Hermione, leaving her alone with her slowing dying soul.
The One I'll Always Love Chapter Two: Dying Souls
Hermione knew Draco was too weak. She knew she should have stopped him. But something held her back. Something told her he *had* to do this, even if not for her, for himself. But all Hermione could do now was hope Draco and her two best friends got home safely. She trudged back to her dorm; eyes full of tears, a heart full of woe and too many thoughts roaming her mind. 'Why did he kiss me? And call me his love? He can't-he doesn't like me that way. I just know it. He's just doing you a favor.' Even though she had convinced herself that he never meant anything by what he had said, a nagging voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she was happy about what he had said.
Meanwhile...
At Malfoy Manor, Draco arrived with a POP! and promptly dropped to his knees exhausted. 'Maybe I should have listened to Hermione. I may not be able to Apparate myself back to Hogwarts, let alone two other sixth years. I doubt I'll even be able to stand up against my father should the need arise.' Draco slowly got to his feet and looked around, knowing he was near where he had seen Harry and Ron. Knowing better than to yell out their names on his father's property, Draco searched silently in his animagus form-no one would recognize the pure white wolf as the sixth year Slytherin prefect. Draco the wolf crept quietly towards where he had seen the two Gryffindors earlier. When he got there, he reverted back to his human form. He saw faint traces of blood on the ground marking where Ron had been only moments before. "Never thought I'd live to see the day that I was helping a Gryffindor." murmured Draco. "I didn't either." said a silky-sounding voice from inside the woods. Draco whirled around only to face his leering father. "Father, fancy meeting you here." sneered Draco. "You're surprised? This is my property after all. I am rather surprised that you dare show yourself here though. Fraternizing with the enemy. And a mudblood. Your mother would die of shame if she weren't already dead. I tell you what though. To prove to me and the Dark Lord that you're still on the correct side of the war, bring me the head of the mudblood girl and I shall return the two traitors of the wizarding world to you." replied Lucius. "Yea, like hell you will. I'm not gonna kill the only person I could or would ever love just for you to not give me Potter and Weasley." Lucius stood there, mouth agape at what Draco had just admitted. "You...you're in love with a-a mudblood? A Gryffindor mudblood too. O my head." Draco rolled his eyes at his father's melodramatics. "However, you are still my son, so I should help you get over this mudblood-loving disease of yours. Crucio!" Draco screamed in agony as his weakened body was hit with the most painful curse his father knew. Draco, who had been trained to ignore pain at all costs, fell, for the first time ever, to his knees as his 'loving' father hit him with the Cruciatious Curse for the second time. Lucius, pretending to not enjoy his son's suffering, put a fake look of sympathy. Mr. Malfoy removed the curse and said with a sneer "You know better Draco. What else am I supposed to do? Accept it?" Lucius laughed evilly as Draco struggled to his feet. A noise in the forest at Lucius' back caused the older Malfoy to whirl around, giving Draco enough time to yell "Stupefy!" at Lucius' now unprotected back. Mr. Malfoy fell to the ground. Draco staggered over to the sound, somehow knowing that when he found its source, he would find Potter and Weasley. He was right. Huddled in the corner were a very scratched-up Harry and a very pale Ron. Draco said softly "I'm here to help. Herm-Granger is blackmailing me into it. Now, can either of you Apparate?" Seeing both boys shake their heads, Draco sighed. "Alright, hang onto my arms and do not, I repeat, do NOT let go. OK, hang on." Harry held onto Draco's left arm and Ron held the right. Back at Hogwarts...
Hermione was pacing the Great Hall anxiously waiting for Draco and her two best friends. She had no idea which passageway they would travel through, so she waited impatiently near where she and Draco had met earlier. Suddenly she heard a panicked cry of "O my God! Somebody! Quick, help!" The cry came from just outside the door. Hermione ran as fast as she could and threw open the big doors. There she saw Harry and Ron bent over an unconscious Draco. Hermione felt her heart stop in her chest as she gasped. Harry turned and said "He saved us. We have to get him to the Hospital Wing. Hurry!" He and Ron gathered the bloody, bruised and exhausted Draco past Hermione, leaving her alone with her slowing dying soul.