(A/N: I've spent the majority of the day writing this, neglecting a paper due and everything so don't expect another chapter till Saturday if I have another week like last week! I'm srry, I wish it didn't have to be that way butâjust think, only a few more years till I'm done with school forever! I wanted to thank the 5 or 6 people who reviewed alreadyâyou all are the best and your reviews were so nice this chapter! THANK YOU! As for this chapter, it's basically the same chapter as last except in the point of view of Hermione and Draco. I actually was not planning to go this route orginially but it works soâyea. Enjoy and REVIEW! Hugs, Haystack)
Usual Disclaimer
To my lovely Reviewers
dracoisahottie13: thank you for understanding! Yes, it's very stressful especially trying to get my requirements in and I just recently got the lead role in a musical soâyes life is hectic. Glad your enjoying the story! Thanks for being such a faithful reviewer!
Smiles28: Your review made me smile! (no pun intended) Yes I'm glad everybody is still alive tooâI believe Sort Tordu had quite a lot of morbid chapters didn't it? Writing action chapters are rather time consuming since I do not have every spell's spelling and use memorized (gasp huh?) but I always think the effort pays back later. Thanks for reviewing!
Taela: You write very nice reviews did you know that? Yours was so refreshing from the typical: update soon thanks stuff I quite enjoyed it! Yes I did intentionally try to imply that maybe Dumbledore was Voldemort returned from the dead, but if that was true then I'd have to think of a new "last battle" and then this series would have never endedâbut I'm very glad you liked it! Yes and I did think that you all deserved a break from all of 'haystack's evil cliffhangers' lolâthanks for reviewing!
SlytherinRoyalty: Glad your enjoying it! Don't worry about the reviewingâI understand with updating how life gets very stressful. Thanks for reviewing!
Courtney Anne: awwâit's always nice to know that an author can create tears or laughter from a reader. I'm very happy you love it. Thanks for reviewing!
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: "I KNOW"
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At first glance, nobody had noticed the figure standing in the doorway. But after she'd been hit with a 'diffindo' and had been knocked to the ground, her eyes wandered back the shadow she'd thought she'd seen. But there it stood still, not moving, only watching.
Inching her way along on her stomach even though the gash in her side was producing more blood than she thought possible, she was finally close enough to recognize that it was a person. Nothing was visible about him, except a pair of blue eyes. So blue in fact that it was almost hard to look at them. They shone with sadness, something that confused her, but then dramatically switched to a mischievous shimmer; and suddenlyâ.suddenly she knew who he was.
"'MIONE WATCH OUT!" Ron screamed at her as the killing curse flew her way. Leaping out of the way, she fell, all of her energy drained from her. Ron rushed over towards her, gathering her in his arms calling Draco towards them. But just as Hermione was settling in his strong arms, finally feeling safe for once, she and Ron came tumbling to the ground as he was hit with a crucio.
"AHHHH" He screamed in pain, water threatening to fall from his blue eyes. Hermione, tears of her own on her face, grabbed her side in an attempt to stop the bleeding, and crawled over to Ron where she sat behind his head, smoothing over his hair, desperately trying to ease his pain.
"Shhâit's okay Ron. You'll be fine. We're all going to be fine." She choked
He gave no response but more screams that made Hermione cry harder, seeing she had no effect on him whatsoever.
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Avery stood, and laughed as he carelessly flicked his wand muttering "Crucio" casually under his breath and watched with amusement as Weasley, Potter's sidekick, Part of the newly re-formed Golden Trio, cried out in pain.
Hermione was at a loss for what to do, so she stupidly kept stroking Ron's face, unaware that Avery had his wand pointed to her
'And now for the second part of the trio' thought pleasantly "CRUCIO!" He yelled
At the sound, Hermione perked her head up, to see a jet of light headed for her. She cried out helplessly, she was too weak to do anything else.
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Draco saw the spell headed towards his girlfriend. He threw an "Avada Kedavra" at Dolohov who with a scream, fell face down to the floor where Draco heard a crack that was inevitably his nose breaking.
Without a second glance backwards, he ran to Hermione, and grabbed her by the waist, the spell hitting her long hair but nothing else. He shoved Ron who was moaning, to the side, a rock that served as an overhang nearby covering him up from view, and for now, safely protecting him.
Transferring Hermione to his side, he fought with one arm, stunning Avery and making his way over to a large rock where he intended to place her. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him for dear life. Ducking a spell, Draco quickly sat behind the rock, placing a protective hand on her back, feeling her shake.
"Shhâ.it's okay. I'm here"
She said nothing, fear from the episode that had just occurred still pounding in her veins.
"Don't leave me" he heard her whisper
Gingerly, Draco placed his finger underneath her chin, slowly lifting her tear strained face to his. "Hey" he said softly "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay here all bloody night if you want me to"
Hermione nodded and leaned her head against his chest once again, savoring the feeling of his arms around her.
Draco smiled a faint smile. It may not have seemed like a time to smile, but Draco couldn't help it as he looked down at the woman in his arms. She'd always appeared so strong and independent, with everything figured out and the answers to everything. But yet here she was, shaking and crying in his arms, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. And to Draco, there was some mysterious pleasure in taking care of her, in keeping her safe.
Smoothing out her hair, he planted a kiss atop her head, and then attempted to once again cradle her in his arms. Smiling at how light she was, he did this with no difficulty and was feeling pretty satisfied with his nurturing towards her until he glanced at her face.
Her face deathly pale, and clammy to his touch, Hermione's eyes were closed and her grip had become light. "Hermione?" He asked, voice straining
She slowly opened her eyes, and tried to smile "mm" she said
"Hermione what's wrong?" He asked panicking now
"uh huhâmm" She mumbled, closing her eyes again.
Draco's heart racedâsomething was wrong with her and it wasn't just the emotional scare she'd had earlier! He shook her as gently as he could and he watched a grimace appear on her face, her arm immediately holding her side.
Draco's eyes traveled there and suddenly he became very sick. A gash not longer than 5 inches graced what used to be beautifully tan skin. The cut was about an inch or two deep, pretty serious, and blood just seems to pour out of it mercilessly.
He felt so stupidâhow could he have not noticed before?! Shaking her awake once again, Draco quickly took off his shirt. "Mione! How'd it happen?"
"What?" she asked weakly
"How'd you get this?" He asked, as he began ripping his shirt into shreds, and motioning towards her side.
"Diffindo spell" she muttered
"Damnâokay hang on this might feel weird" And with that Draco began stuffing pieces of his shirt into her
Letting out a little gasp, Hermione fully opened her eyes and looked at Draco—little beads of sweat dripping off his forehead in worry, the way he concentrated on nothing but stopping the blood that was beginning to seep through the material-- smiled and reached out her hands to him.
Looking up he saw Hermione; a smile on her lips and arms reached out for him, and stopped what he was doing.
"You're so sweet" she said
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Yes I think so"
As he bent his head down to her, Hermione traced his features with her fingers, wiping the sweat off his forehead, running her slender finger down the length of his pale face, kissing his nose, and playing with his hair as he spoke "I won't let anything happen to you" He whispered in her ear, making Hermione shiver with pleasure as she felt his warm breath on her cheek.
She smiled at him and kissed his cheek "I know"
"I'm always going to be here to take care of you"
"I know"
"I love you"
"I know. I love you too," Hermione said softly as he bent in to capture her lips with his.
As Hermione grabbed Draco's neck and pulled him closer to her, a moan escaped Draco's mouth at the intensity of the kiss. He snaked his arms around her petite waist, weary of her side, and rolled to the left; flipping her on top of him, so that he was now on the bottom. The couple had just gotten started when a sound came from the back of the cave.
Ginny's voice echoed throughout the room, grabbing the attention of everyone present. Hermione pulled away and snapped her head up to see what had occurred. Reading her mind, Draco got up, pulling her against him as he did so.
"Can you stand?" He asked
"y-yes"
"Can you walk?"
"I think so"
Taking a few steps, Hermione found it much easier than earlier. Now up, she surveyed the scene.
Neville was caught in somethingâor someone. Looking closer she identified it as some Death Eater. Ginny was lying on the ground and HarryâHarry was running to her with all of his might. Some Death Eaters made their way over towards the trio but othersâHermione looked around realizing her and Draco were soon attracting many of the hooded people to them.
Tightening his grip on Hermione, Draco flipped his blonde hair out of his eyes, and stoodâwand at the ready. Fear already replacing the security she'd felt moments ago, she searched around desperately for some sign of hopeâand then—then she remembered.
"Can you stand alone?"
"I'm not sure but I need to tell you someth--"
"Can you fight?"
"I'll try but Draco--"
A nearby Death Eater laughed "So you two have decided to come out of hiding huh? I thought you lot were in Gryffindor!"
"I'm in Slytherin thank you very much!" Draco replied coolly
"Ready for round two?"
"Ready if you are"
"FineâAVADA KEDAVRA! CRUCIO! DIFFINDO! AVADA KEDAVRA!" The death eater screamed as the others followed
Draco dodged the spells rather easily since this Death Eater had focused on the quantity instead of the accuracy of the spells. More curses broke out, and Hermione who had been in mid-sentence had to hold her thought as she jumped away from other spells and threw her own.
"Draco!" She yelled over the noise
"What is it?" He shouted back "Are you hurt?"
"No I'm notâbut Draco!"
"What is it?" He asked
"We don't need to fight"
"What are you talking about?"
"Look over there!"
"Who is it?"
Hermione grinned "It's Dumbledore"
"Dumbledore??" Draco asked, freezing in the position he was in, shocked expression on his face,
"Yea" she said quietly
"Well his timing's real off" Draco began "And I'd never have thought I'd say this as a Slytherinâbut I'm sure as hell glad he's here!"