Disclaimer: I don't own it, I don't own it, I don't own it, I don't own it, I don't own it, I don't own it, but I do own the plot.
A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! Hope you like it!
The New Prophecy
Chapter 11- New Year's Incitation
It was breakfast on New Year's Eve (day) when Hermione and Draco received letters from their fathers. Draco opened his fearfully while Hermione opened hers with an expression of boredom. Draco gulped and read his letter.
Draco,
The Dark Lord has requested that you come receive your dark mark. With his war drawing so near, our Lord Voldemort is in need of loyal servant to help him defeat Potter and his followers, especially that old fool, Dumbledore. It would behoove you to show up. I do believe Lady Hermione will be there. I will not be pleased if you do not show (and you know what can happen). The ceremony is tonight at 11 o'clock. Be there...or I will find you.
Your father,
Lucius
Draco read the letter once more. His time had come. He had no choice but to go. He didn't want to be a Death Eater. He was tired of his father controlling his life. What should he do?
Another interesting thing he noticed was the fact that his father mentioned Hermione. Either he was going to try to set them up, or his father had another agenda. Now that pissed him off. That was his Hermione!
Draco got up and walked over to Dumbledore.
"Sir, may I speak with you for a moment?" he asked quietly.
Dumbledore looked at him with that twinkle in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Of course you may, Mr. Malfoy."
He led Draco into the room that Harry went into during the TriWizard Tournament. Dumbledore closed the door and pointed to some chairs. They sat.
"Now," Dumbledore began, "what do you wish to discuss, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Well, sir," Draco said tentatively, "I received a letter from my father. He wants me to become a Death Eater. But I don't want to. If I don't go, I don't know what will happen to me. I just don't know what to do."
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment. Draco could've sworn he saw that twinkle in the elderly man's eyes again.
"Well…" said a somewhat dazed Dumbledore, "you could go tonight, become a Death Eater and make your father proud, or you could go tonight, become a Death Eater, and become a spy of some sorts for me and Mr. Fudge."
Draco thought about it for a while. It did seem like a good idea. He would be able to get back at his father and that bastard he followed around like a lost puppy. But what about Hermione? Would she like it if he spied on and betrayed her father?
"And…" said Dumbledore, shaking Draco from his reverie, "you don't have to worry about Hermione. She came to me shortly after she received her dark mark. You know, she really hates her father. She chose to be a spy without hesitation."
Draco looked incredulously at Dumbledore. Hermione, a spy? Against her own father even. That's harsh. He thought about the offer and decided to take it.
"I'll do it."
Draco walked up to Hermione after his meeting with Dumbledore. They greeted each other and talked while they walked to their common room. Finally, Draco's chance to tell Hermione his news came up.
"So are you going tonight?" she inquired.
"Yeah. I'll go. Who knows what'll happen if I don't," he answered. They were silent for a beat.
"So, what did you talk to Dumbledore about?"
"I told him about the letter that I got from my father."
"Really? And…"
"I'm going to be a spy…just like you I hear." She laughed her melodious laugh.
"You caught me. So…I'm a spy. So what?"
"I think it's great." He wrapped his arms around her and turned her around so she could face him. They were about to kiss when Professor Snape walked up to them.
"I hope to see you two at the little…get-together later this evening," Snape drawled. "Oh yes, Professor Snape. We'll be there," Draco answered. Snape nodded, processing the answer.
"Very well then. I'll inform your fathers then. Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Riddle."
Snape's gaze on Hermione lasted a little too long for his liking. He could've sworn that Snape was checking her out. He did, however, catch the look of jealousy and malice on Snape's face as he left.
Hermione just stood there, looking out of the window they were next to. This incident sparked a recent memory in Draco's mind. He remembered the encounter they had with Snape before the talent show.
"So…" he started, "what's the deal between you and Snape?"
"Um…well…" she seemed unsure if it was safe to tell him.
"You can tell me anything, you know," he assured her.
"::sigh:: remember when Snape asked to see me after class the day before our break?"
"Yeah…" said Draco, growing apprehensive now.
"Well, he started coming on to me. It really gross. He obviously hasn't been doing this for a while. Anyway, he cornered me and told me how beautiful I was and he wanted me to kiss him. I said no and tried to run, but he caught me and shoved me against the wall. Since I won't stand for that kind of behavior, I used my powers to him "gently" to other side of the room. I ran back to our room and hasn't been the same since."
Draco was silent for a while. While things looked calm on the surface, beneath it was a raging storm.
'That bastard!' he thought. 'That's my Hermione! Mine! I'll kill him!' he started to walk after Snape, but Hermione stopped him.
"Don't" was all she said. Draco looked at her and relaxed. She was right. Even though she only said one word, she had said a lot. Snape wasn't worth it.
"Let's go up to our room and relax. We could watch a movie or something. After all, we do have a busy night ahead of us," she suggested.
"Alright," agreed Draco.
Later that night, at 10:50, Hermione and Draco got ready to go to the meeting. They were going to floo there. Draco was just wearing black pants and a black shirt since he didn't have his Death Eater cloak yet. Hermione was wearing a black cloak that covered he face with a shadow when the hood was up.
"Ready?" she asked Draco.
"Sure…" answered Draco. He was evidently nervous.
Hermione stepped into the fireplace and yelled "Riddle Manor!". In a flash she was gone. Now it was Draco's turn. He got into the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder, and shouted "Riddle Manor!"
Draco felt that familiar feeling of spinning out of control that one got when traveling by floo. Son, nevertheless, the spinning stopped. He was in Riddle Manor.
Draco got up off the floor and dusted himself off. He soon located his father and went over to him. Lucius was elated to see his son there.
"Ah, Draco. You came," greeted Lucius with a smile.
"Yes, father. I'm here," said Draco, trying to sound nonchalant.
"The meeting is about start, son. You and the rest of the soon-to-be-Death Eaters must wait in that room over there."
Lucius pointed to a door where a bunch a kids dressed like Draco were gathering. Draco bid goodbye to his father and headed towards the room.
Around 11 o'clock, the meeting got underway. Lord Voldemort and Hermione were announced to the group before they came out. Draco watched Hermione walk in with her father. Their hoods were the only ones allowed to be left down. When they entered the room everyone bowed. Draco was amazed that Hermione could keep her cool when she was standing next to the man she was betraying.
The meeting was pretty boring. They just talked about Harry and how Voldemort wanted to destroy him. Draco also noticed that Hermione held the attention of most of the men in the room, including his father's. Draco's blood began to boil.
'How dare he!' Draco thought. 'And her father's right there! No wonder she never like going to these things (A/N: she had complained before to him). Poor Mia.' At that moment, Draco knew becoming a spy was right. He wasn't sure at first, but now he knew. He would do it to ensure Hermione's safety.
At long last t was time for the initiation. It was around 11:55. The ceremony wouldn't take long seeing as there were very few people there. Draco was last in line.
He watched as others pledged their loyalty to the Dark Lord. It was a grotesque sight in Draco's opinion. These mindless morons would pledge loyalty to a shoe if it told them what to do.
Soon it was Draco's turn. He walked into the middle of the circle and stood facing Voldemort. The older man was hideous, but Draco had to stay calm.
"Do you, Draco, pledge your undying loyalty to me?" he hissed.
"I pledge my loyalty. If I break it may I rot in hell," said monotonously.
Voldemort smiled, his red, snake-like eyes curved upward in approval. He took his wand and pointed it at Draco's wrist. He then proceeded to mutter an incantation so no one could hear him. Draco started to feel pain in his left wrist. It was excruciating. He started to scream, just like those before him, and like the others, he fell to knees his knees.
But as quickly as the pain started, it was over. Draco was left panting on the ground. When was able to stand he looked at wrist. On his wrist was an ugly, black skull with a snake coming out of the mouth. It was official, he was Death Eater.
A black cloak and face mask were brought out to him and he put them on. Just as he finished putting his things on the clock struck midnight. Voldemort spoke.
"The meeting is adjourned, my faithful followers. Happy New Year."
'Yeah. And what a way to start it,' Draco thought. 'Happy New Year.'
A/N: ::crowd cheers :: Yay! Another chapter up and running. Hope you liked it! It might be corny in a few places but oh well. Deal with it. Haha. I'm in the process of writing chapter 12. I don't know when it'll be up but I think it'll be soon. Xander: "No more. I've cut you off." Buffy: "Did it hurt?" (hehe. I love that show!)