A/N: Well, here I am again, with yet another chapter! Thanks again to all
of my reviewers. although I have to say, if I don't hit 50 reviews with
this chapter I may consider holding the next one to ransom, so if you wanna
read more, you know what to do!!!
Once again BIG THANKS to the lovely Spazy Sange for dutifully ignoring my paranoid ramblings and getting this chapter sorted!
Disclaimer: I keep forgetting these. bad me!!! I don't own anything.
Chapter 7: Stolen Moments
Draco's sudden change of attitude both confused and worried Hermione. Just five minutes before, he'd been desperate to explore the house and investigate his past, but now he was reluctant to even look at his house. He walked swiftly and with purpose down the corridor back to the entrance hall, and Hermione was reminded of the stalk that he had perfected during their Hogwarts years. He deliberately avoided looking at the beautiful tapestries and portraits on the walls and kept his eyes on the rich carpet ahead of him. She was desperate to ask him what was wrong, yet she didn't wish to pry into his private affairs. The internal struggle of curiosity against reserve kept up until they reached the staircase down to the kitchen.
Finally, reserve won out and wordlessly, she followed him down into the kitchens, annoyed at herself for being so spineless. The staircase was a far cry from the ones that they had seen so far, and brought home the true nature of the Malfoy household, although it may appear refined and tasteful, the cruelty and malice simmered just below the surface. The walls were bare stone, as was the floor, and although it was clean and dry, there was a sense of neglect present, that was absent in the rest of the house. 'Obviously Lucius cares even less about his servants than he cares about his son, and that's saying something. God, I hate that bastard! A guy like him should never be allowed to have servants, let alone children!' Hermione thought, disgusted with the way Lucius behaved around other people, and his family.
When the two reached the kitchens, they observed the hub of bustling activity for a few seconds before they were noticed. A sudden change went through the house elves, and they cowered back against the wall, while one, obviously the leader approached the two people stood quietly by the door.
"Good afternoon, master. What can we do for you and the young mistress? Is there something that has displeased you? Should I bring any elf to you for punishment? I will go and fetch the beating stick." The trembling elf started to turn to fetch the item in question before Draco stopped it.
"Umm. elf. whatever your name is, there will be no beatings issued ever again. I have. changed, and things will be a lot different around here from now on, I promise. Now, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could we please have some food, whatever you've got around will be fine. Oh, what's your name by the way?"
A large tear swelled up in the elf's eyes, and slowly rolled down his wrinkled and ugly face. The joy in his eyes was almost too much for Hermione to bear, and she leant down and kissed the elf on the head.
"It'll all be fine now, you'll see." she said, trying to comfort the elf, but only succeeding in making the old elf cry more.
"I've been kissed by an angel," he breathed, and Hermione blushed, "Hop to it elves, we shall cook up a feast to be proud of!" He yelled to the kitchen full of stunned faces, and a huge cheer rang throughout the kitchens.
"Do you have a name?" asked Draco, once again, smiling to see the elf's reaction to Hermione, although it obviously embarrassed her. He felt slightly proud, that he was able to change the house elves lives, and for the better as well. That was something that Hermione would do, not him, and it was a nice feeling.
"My name is Devlin, master. If it would not be impertinent, would it be too much trouble to enquire what the name of Master's angel is?"
"Well Devlin, she's not my angel, she's everyone's angel! Her name is Hermione, and you must get her anything she asks for, okay?"
"Anything for Angel Hermione, Master."
"Oh, and one more thing, no more of this Master stuff. Draco will do fine, okay Devlin?" Draco's words had a profound effect on Devlin, and the old elf started shaking again, and Draco was concerned about the poor old servant's health.
"Do you want to sit down? Are you alright, Devlin? Here, have some water." Draco suggested, grabbing a nearby glass, and filling it from the large pitcher that was stood on the table.
"Oh, Master, no! You mustn't! It isn't the thing to do! Master's must not be waiting on the servants! That isn't the way it's supposed to work! Oh, if my mother could see me now! So ashamed she would be! I cannot call Master by his first name! It isn't fitting for a servant to do that!"
Draco could see the elf working himself into a state of near hysteria, and tried to calm him down before he gave himself an aneurysm or something (A/N: An aneurysm is this nasty thing where a blood vessel in your brain explodes and you die.)
"Okay, alright, calm down. If you won't call me by my first name, how about Mr. Malfoy then? Hmm, will that be alright?" As the elf nodded, Draco continued, "Now then, I did say that things around here would change, and I'm going to need your help to change things, okay? Good, then will you come and see me tomorrow morning at nine o'clock in the." Draco trailed off, trying to think of a suitable place for a meeting.
"The library?" Devlin suggested.
"The library. Perfect, I'll see you tomorrow then Devlin. Oh, by the way, can we have that feast at nine tonight, and some sandwiches to tide us over until then?" Draco had barely finished speaking when a huge platter of sandwiches was placed on the table in front of him.
"Wow, there's enough there to feed an army." Laughed Hermione.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
The two continued to explore the house, finding more bedrooms down each of the upstairs corridors. Both Draco and Hermione were surprised at the number of them.
"I don't know about having enough food to feed an army, but you could definitely fit one in your house! We must have seen at least a hundred bedrooms, and I know for a fact that there were only three in your family! You could have spent three nights in each room, and it be a year before you were back to the original one. Those poor, poor house elves!" Hermione exclaimed, as ever moved by the plight of the undervalued, under appreciated creatures.
Draco was amused by Hermione's sympathy that wasn't needed, he knew that the elves loved their job, and would never want to do anything else.
"Come on, we haven't even explored the ground floor yet!" He was seized by a sudden childish impulse and called out "I'll race you!" He set off sprinting down the stairs and across the stone entrance hall, pushing open one of the heavy oak doors set into the wall. He heard Hermione call out, and start running after him, and he slowed his pace to one where she could keep up. Together they raced through banqueting halls, large sitting rooms with roaring fires, and ballrooms. There were huge arched ceilings and plaster walls with cherubs and pastels in some rooms, and vaulted ceilings with gargoyles and classic gothic architecture in others. Only in a magic house could you find such variety and range of decoration and it was breathtaking.
Hermione's side started to ache, and she began to slow down in pace. A plan popped up into her mind, as she saw that the next room was the last in this wing.
"Ooh, ow, owwwwww! My side! I've got a stitch. Draco help. Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!" As Draco stopped running and turned around with a concerned look on his face, Hermione congratulated herself on being such a fantastic performer. Draco missed the evil grin on her face, and walked back to where she was standing, doubled over in feigned pain. As he bent down to see what was wrong, Hermione took off with speed that even she didn't know she had, leaving Draco stood still, confused for a few seconds. By the time he realised what was going on it was too late, and she was too far ahead for him to win.
He started running all the same, cursing Hermione under his breath, as she slowed down, and hit the wall triumphantly with both of her hands.
"I WIN!!" She screamed ecstatically
"No fair Hermione, you cheated!" He whined, sulking that he'd been beaten by a girl, when it was his idea in the first place.
"All's fair in love and sport." Hermione taunted, dancing around in glee.
One fault in Hermione was that she didn't know when to stop, and as she crowed in triumph, she missed the devilish look that flitted across Draco's perfect features.
"Yeah, okay you win, but."
"But what? I won and you can't take it!! Na na na na na!!!" Winning brought out the child in her and she taunted Draco mercilessly, laughing all the while.
Draco had had enough, and grabbing Hermione round the waist, he heaved her up above his head with one quick flex of his well toned muscles. Hermione stopped laughing and started screaming, she was terrified that he would drop her, and within five seconds, he had reverted to his old status in her mind.
"Malfoy, you bastard, put me down and do it NOW! I swear that if you don't put me down I will curse your ass into the next century so fast you won't even know where your manky blonde head is. This isn't school any more, and I don't have to take this shit from you! PUT ME DOWN!!!!"
Draco had intended on spinning her around until they were both dizzy, and then putting her down, but at her first words his plan disintegrated.
"I thought my name was Draco." He whispered quietly before putting her down and walking out of the room.
Hermione felt sick with anguish and rushed after him as quickly as she could.
"Look, Draco, I'm sorry, it's just that it was so like the way it was before that I. I must have just gone back in my mind. I didn't mean it, I know you were only playing; it's just hard to redefine someone permanently in such a short space of time."
"Maybe you should leave."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"No."
"What did you say?" asked Draco, turning around with his heart in his mouth. He hadn't meant to ask her to leave and he bitterly regretted it.
"I said 'No'."
"I thought that's what you said." They had stopped walking in one of the large ballrooms, that was decorated with cherubs and pastel paints. It had large ceiling to floor windows on the two walls, both facing out into the beautiful gardens. Draco walked towards Hermione, and stopped when he was a short distance away from her. He was taller than she was, and she was looking directly at the base of his neck where she could see a pulse jumping underneath his pale skin. It was strange but the pulse underneath the fragile covering of cells reminded Hermione how close he had come to death, and she didn't like that thought.
She kept staring at his neck and breathed in his scent of soap, clean clothes and skin with the barest hint of vanilla that was so uniquely his. She couldn't remember ever smelling something so good before, and it made her want to close her eyes, and lean close to him, making him put his arms around her and never let go.
He wanted to put his arms around her and never let her go. His perfect angel. The one who saved him from death, lead him through the dark places to this room, filled with golden light and her. She filled his mind, taking up places that once belonged to dark things and indefinable monsters. She was Good and he was saved. She was the smallest and biggest thing in his life and he didn't ever want to be without her. 'This is love' he thought, and instead of the panic he expected, there was only a dull warmth and comfort.
He watched her. She watched him. Neither of them moved for the longest time, each wrapped up in their own thoughts of the other. Hermione was the first to move, she lifted one smooth cool finger that soothed so many fevered brows and softly stroked the place where his pulse fluttered. She could feel it jump and speed up under her touch, and she slowly stroked it with her index finger.
"I'm not leaving. I'm your doctor, and it's my duty to look after you. I don't neglect my duties and you should know that. I'm not leaving until you're better."
"Good."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
They turned and walked back into the entrance hall and faced the last door that was in the entrance hall, the one that lead to the second staircase downwards. The one that they had both been dreading, although for different reasons. The staircase was narrow and twisting and Hermione was scared that she would fall, although Draco sped down it with a confidence that was unnerving. The first room confirmed Hermione's fears.
It was a large room with a cauldron in it, and the dark markings were evident on the walls. It was filled with jars that contained unspeakable atrocities, and Hermione's stomach turned. It was a horrific room, and fully demonstrated that the Malfoy's were an unspeakable Dark family. Draco's past was not as clean and pure as his present.
The pain was immediate and paralysing for Hermione the minute that her feet touched the floor, although it was possible for her to move inside the room, unlike in Lucius's room. Draco could sense that she was in pain, and she stepped back up onto the stairs where the pain immediately vanished, leaving a dull ache in its place.
"Maybe I could carry you across, if you don't touch the floor, maybe the spells won't work. Well it's worth a try anyway." He added at the sceptical look on Hermione's face. She nodded and Draco slid an arm underneath her legs and one around her waist and lifted her up. She put her arm around his shoulders and nodded, bracing herself for the pain she expected.
Draco stepped down into the room and Hermione's body arched up from the intense pain that once again streaked through her body. It was hard for Draco to breathe as her arm had tightened around his neck with feral strength, he slid her down his body onto the stairs, and her body sagged down with exhaustion. He knelt down next to her, and stroked her hair away from her face.
"I'll go on my own. I won't be long I promise." Before his courage deserted him, he leant down and quickly pressed his lips against hers. He spun and walked quickly out of the room before Hermione could react and was gone. Hermione's mouth dropped slightly open and her mind raced to catch up with the past few seconds. She'd felt a trembling mouth against her own and then he was gone before she could react. She licked her lips, and smiled at the taste of him, her heart leaping around in a crazy dance of joy in her chest. 'You never felt this way when anybody else kissed you. Not even Harry. You're in deep girl. I think you might be in love.'
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Draco continued quickly until he was around the corner and out of sight of Hermione before he sagged against the stone wall of the dungeon. He smiled and licked his lips; once again tasting her as he'd been wanting to since he came out of the coma. He stood for a few seconds in silent satisfaction and pleasure before pulling himself back to the task in hand. 'It's stupid that you're so affected by such a small kiss. I've probably kissed my grandmother like that! Pull yourself together Draco! What would you be like if you had sex with her?! You'd probably explode or something!'
He walked further down the corridor with the pleasant image of having sex with Hermione still in his brain. That was what sustained him all through the horrifying sights that he was confronted with in room after room filled with Dark magic artefacts and ugly relics that gave off waves of power and evil. Draco steeled himself as he faced the last door. The only door left in the house that was a mystery. The one that he feared most of all.
Summoning up all of his courage he kicked open the door and stepped in. The room was in total darkness, and muttering a lighting spell that had worked in other rooms in the house he journeyed further into the room. It lit up with a blinding flash and Draco screamed before pitching forward onto his knees. His mind was awash with images and he couldn't cope with the constant stream of terror and pain that swamped him as he lay curled into a ball on the floor of his father's pride and joy; the torture room.
It was a small room, but the echoes of pain were soaked into the walls and assaulted the senses from every angle. The walls were covered in torture implements from all ages of history, and all of them were oiled and ready for use. The table in the room had chains and locks to restrain even the strongest of people down, ready to be worked on. Draco's memories of this room flooded back, and his head felt like it was about to split apart.
The memories flashed past, almost too quickly to see, and they were full of things that most people couldn't imagine. From the very first moment of his life, Draco had been abused and tortured by his father in attempts to make him strong. Even when he was a tiny baby, Lucius had cut and burned his infant son, to make him immune to pain. Every year of Draco's life had been devoted to finding ways to make his father proud of him so that the pain would stop.
Images of knives cutting into his skin, pokers searing delicate flesh, and his muscles forced to lift intolerable weights flicked through Draco's mind. Unhearing he screamed, a noise so full of pain, anger and anguish that it ripped out Hermione's heart as she sat on the stairs, waiting for Draco to return. She heard it, and knew that she had to do something. Draco was in pain and she had to help him, no matter how much it would hurt to get across the room that lay ahead of her.
She stood up, and braced herself for the pain that lay ahead, and sprang out into the room ahead of her. Hermione let out her own scream as she raced across the floor, resisting the pain burning through her veins with strength she didn't know she had. Even with this newfound talent, she barely made it through the room, and if the spells had carried on down the corridor all would have been lost. Fortunately, the spells were only in that room and Hermione collapsed outside the room, panting from the ordeal she had just been through.
Draco screamed again, and Hermione was spurred into action, racing down the corridor, through all of the other rooms and into the chamber where Draco lay. Taking a brief look around, Hermione deduced why Draco was in such a state and decided that she needed to get him out of there. He was curled up in a ball in the middle of the floor, and was shaking with such intensity that Hermione was afraid he might hurt himself.
She put her hands under his arms and heaved. Draco slid a few inches across the floor and then stopped; this was going to be a harder task than Hermione thought. It took her several minutes to get him outside, but as soon as she did, he started to recover. He uncurled and sat up, dazed and aching all over. He looked around in confusion before he noticed Hermione lying flat on her back beside him, chest heaving and tears rolling down her cheeks from the residual pain. He leant over and lightly caressed her cheek.
"Are you alright?" He asked gently. She nodded and started sobbing with such force, that Draco was afraid that she'd hurt herself. He pulled her up so that she was sat in his lap, as he put his arms around her and rocked her gently.
"Hey, come on. It's okay, there's no need to cry, everything will be alright. It's fine, you're okay, come on." He continued mumbling reassurances as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms to try and comfort her. It seemed to be working, as her sobs were receding to hiccups, and she wasn't gripping the front of his clothes quite so tightly as she was before. He kept up the slow stroking of her arms and kept on gently talking to her until she seemed calm enough to talk.
"How did you know that I needed you?" He asked, as he was fascinated by her sudden appearance in his darkest hour
"You screamed, and it was. I don't know how to describe it. It was the worst sound I've ever heard in my life. It was like the scream of a dying child or something. It was full of such pain." She seemed to be on the verge of starting to cry again, so Draco quickly changed the subject.
"But how did you get to me, I mean you couldn't have gone through that room, did you find a secret passage or something?" Draco's eyes widened as she shook her head.
"You mean you. you went through that room for me?" He asked, amazed that she would be willing to endure such an incredible amount of pain to save someone that had made her life hell in the past. Again Hermione nodded and Draco felt humbled and honoured.
"Nobody has EVER done anything like that for me before."
"Maybe you didn't know the right people."
"Obviously not. Thank you. It seems so insufficient, I. there's nothing that I can say to make you understand."
'Maybe nothing that I can say, but maybe something I can do.' Draco thought.
Slowly, he slid his hand up her arm. He gently trailed his fingers along her shoulder, and onto the smooth skin of her neck. Seeing her pulse leaping in the same place where she had observed his, he traced his index finger along it, and up to her chin. He used the tip of his finger to lift her chin so that she looked him in the eyes. Hers were tear drenched, making the usual light brown colour darker, almost black, and so deep you could lose your soul in them.
"You're so beautiful" he whispered, so quietly she almost didn't hear him, a few seconds later though it didn't matter.
He slowly lowered his lips to hers, giving her plenty of time to back away, and his heart leapt when she didn't. Her lips were everything that he'd ever dreamed of. Full and soft, they trembled slightly below his, but they stilled when he increased the pressure between their mouths. He ran his other hand up her side and onto her back, pulling her closer into him, until he could feel her heart pounding through his chest. Her mouth opened slightly, and never one to miss an opportunity, he deepened the kiss. His tongue quickly flicked out, and retreated, making Hermione unsure as to whether she'd imagined it. Then just as quick it was back again.
This time, she caught it with her own, and they began a fully fledged kiss that Hollywood would have been proud of. Full of passion, longing and hidden love it was most definitely the best kiss of the age, if not in the memory of the world. It seemed to last forever, yet also only an instant. They reluctantly pulled away and an awkward silence fell, as neither of them knew quite what to say. Hermione shifted slightly as if to get up, but found that her muscles couldn't quite manage it.
"I hate to break this moment, but I can't move and I think that we should probably get out of here."
"No problem." Draco swept Hermione up into his arms, and she sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, and she lifted her chin to press a quick kiss against his lips, but had pulled away before he could react. Together, the two moved off up the corridor, like the heroes from an old romantic movie, away from the pain of Draco's past. He had escaped the memories for now, but these were stolen moments, and the idyllic façade of their lives was about to come crashing down.
A/N: Oooooh spooky.lol. Anyhoo. review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review,. Thank you. !MWAH! that was a big kiss from Draco to those of you who review. so if you don't review, then sorry, you'll just have to go without!!!
Once again BIG THANKS to the lovely Spazy Sange for dutifully ignoring my paranoid ramblings and getting this chapter sorted!
Disclaimer: I keep forgetting these. bad me!!! I don't own anything.
Chapter 7: Stolen Moments
Draco's sudden change of attitude both confused and worried Hermione. Just five minutes before, he'd been desperate to explore the house and investigate his past, but now he was reluctant to even look at his house. He walked swiftly and with purpose down the corridor back to the entrance hall, and Hermione was reminded of the stalk that he had perfected during their Hogwarts years. He deliberately avoided looking at the beautiful tapestries and portraits on the walls and kept his eyes on the rich carpet ahead of him. She was desperate to ask him what was wrong, yet she didn't wish to pry into his private affairs. The internal struggle of curiosity against reserve kept up until they reached the staircase down to the kitchen.
Finally, reserve won out and wordlessly, she followed him down into the kitchens, annoyed at herself for being so spineless. The staircase was a far cry from the ones that they had seen so far, and brought home the true nature of the Malfoy household, although it may appear refined and tasteful, the cruelty and malice simmered just below the surface. The walls were bare stone, as was the floor, and although it was clean and dry, there was a sense of neglect present, that was absent in the rest of the house. 'Obviously Lucius cares even less about his servants than he cares about his son, and that's saying something. God, I hate that bastard! A guy like him should never be allowed to have servants, let alone children!' Hermione thought, disgusted with the way Lucius behaved around other people, and his family.
When the two reached the kitchens, they observed the hub of bustling activity for a few seconds before they were noticed. A sudden change went through the house elves, and they cowered back against the wall, while one, obviously the leader approached the two people stood quietly by the door.
"Good afternoon, master. What can we do for you and the young mistress? Is there something that has displeased you? Should I bring any elf to you for punishment? I will go and fetch the beating stick." The trembling elf started to turn to fetch the item in question before Draco stopped it.
"Umm. elf. whatever your name is, there will be no beatings issued ever again. I have. changed, and things will be a lot different around here from now on, I promise. Now, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could we please have some food, whatever you've got around will be fine. Oh, what's your name by the way?"
A large tear swelled up in the elf's eyes, and slowly rolled down his wrinkled and ugly face. The joy in his eyes was almost too much for Hermione to bear, and she leant down and kissed the elf on the head.
"It'll all be fine now, you'll see." she said, trying to comfort the elf, but only succeeding in making the old elf cry more.
"I've been kissed by an angel," he breathed, and Hermione blushed, "Hop to it elves, we shall cook up a feast to be proud of!" He yelled to the kitchen full of stunned faces, and a huge cheer rang throughout the kitchens.
"Do you have a name?" asked Draco, once again, smiling to see the elf's reaction to Hermione, although it obviously embarrassed her. He felt slightly proud, that he was able to change the house elves lives, and for the better as well. That was something that Hermione would do, not him, and it was a nice feeling.
"My name is Devlin, master. If it would not be impertinent, would it be too much trouble to enquire what the name of Master's angel is?"
"Well Devlin, she's not my angel, she's everyone's angel! Her name is Hermione, and you must get her anything she asks for, okay?"
"Anything for Angel Hermione, Master."
"Oh, and one more thing, no more of this Master stuff. Draco will do fine, okay Devlin?" Draco's words had a profound effect on Devlin, and the old elf started shaking again, and Draco was concerned about the poor old servant's health.
"Do you want to sit down? Are you alright, Devlin? Here, have some water." Draco suggested, grabbing a nearby glass, and filling it from the large pitcher that was stood on the table.
"Oh, Master, no! You mustn't! It isn't the thing to do! Master's must not be waiting on the servants! That isn't the way it's supposed to work! Oh, if my mother could see me now! So ashamed she would be! I cannot call Master by his first name! It isn't fitting for a servant to do that!"
Draco could see the elf working himself into a state of near hysteria, and tried to calm him down before he gave himself an aneurysm or something (A/N: An aneurysm is this nasty thing where a blood vessel in your brain explodes and you die.)
"Okay, alright, calm down. If you won't call me by my first name, how about Mr. Malfoy then? Hmm, will that be alright?" As the elf nodded, Draco continued, "Now then, I did say that things around here would change, and I'm going to need your help to change things, okay? Good, then will you come and see me tomorrow morning at nine o'clock in the." Draco trailed off, trying to think of a suitable place for a meeting.
"The library?" Devlin suggested.
"The library. Perfect, I'll see you tomorrow then Devlin. Oh, by the way, can we have that feast at nine tonight, and some sandwiches to tide us over until then?" Draco had barely finished speaking when a huge platter of sandwiches was placed on the table in front of him.
"Wow, there's enough there to feed an army." Laughed Hermione.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
The two continued to explore the house, finding more bedrooms down each of the upstairs corridors. Both Draco and Hermione were surprised at the number of them.
"I don't know about having enough food to feed an army, but you could definitely fit one in your house! We must have seen at least a hundred bedrooms, and I know for a fact that there were only three in your family! You could have spent three nights in each room, and it be a year before you were back to the original one. Those poor, poor house elves!" Hermione exclaimed, as ever moved by the plight of the undervalued, under appreciated creatures.
Draco was amused by Hermione's sympathy that wasn't needed, he knew that the elves loved their job, and would never want to do anything else.
"Come on, we haven't even explored the ground floor yet!" He was seized by a sudden childish impulse and called out "I'll race you!" He set off sprinting down the stairs and across the stone entrance hall, pushing open one of the heavy oak doors set into the wall. He heard Hermione call out, and start running after him, and he slowed his pace to one where she could keep up. Together they raced through banqueting halls, large sitting rooms with roaring fires, and ballrooms. There were huge arched ceilings and plaster walls with cherubs and pastels in some rooms, and vaulted ceilings with gargoyles and classic gothic architecture in others. Only in a magic house could you find such variety and range of decoration and it was breathtaking.
Hermione's side started to ache, and she began to slow down in pace. A plan popped up into her mind, as she saw that the next room was the last in this wing.
"Ooh, ow, owwwwww! My side! I've got a stitch. Draco help. Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!" As Draco stopped running and turned around with a concerned look on his face, Hermione congratulated herself on being such a fantastic performer. Draco missed the evil grin on her face, and walked back to where she was standing, doubled over in feigned pain. As he bent down to see what was wrong, Hermione took off with speed that even she didn't know she had, leaving Draco stood still, confused for a few seconds. By the time he realised what was going on it was too late, and she was too far ahead for him to win.
He started running all the same, cursing Hermione under his breath, as she slowed down, and hit the wall triumphantly with both of her hands.
"I WIN!!" She screamed ecstatically
"No fair Hermione, you cheated!" He whined, sulking that he'd been beaten by a girl, when it was his idea in the first place.
"All's fair in love and sport." Hermione taunted, dancing around in glee.
One fault in Hermione was that she didn't know when to stop, and as she crowed in triumph, she missed the devilish look that flitted across Draco's perfect features.
"Yeah, okay you win, but."
"But what? I won and you can't take it!! Na na na na na!!!" Winning brought out the child in her and she taunted Draco mercilessly, laughing all the while.
Draco had had enough, and grabbing Hermione round the waist, he heaved her up above his head with one quick flex of his well toned muscles. Hermione stopped laughing and started screaming, she was terrified that he would drop her, and within five seconds, he had reverted to his old status in her mind.
"Malfoy, you bastard, put me down and do it NOW! I swear that if you don't put me down I will curse your ass into the next century so fast you won't even know where your manky blonde head is. This isn't school any more, and I don't have to take this shit from you! PUT ME DOWN!!!!"
Draco had intended on spinning her around until they were both dizzy, and then putting her down, but at her first words his plan disintegrated.
"I thought my name was Draco." He whispered quietly before putting her down and walking out of the room.
Hermione felt sick with anguish and rushed after him as quickly as she could.
"Look, Draco, I'm sorry, it's just that it was so like the way it was before that I. I must have just gone back in my mind. I didn't mean it, I know you were only playing; it's just hard to redefine someone permanently in such a short space of time."
"Maybe you should leave."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"No."
"What did you say?" asked Draco, turning around with his heart in his mouth. He hadn't meant to ask her to leave and he bitterly regretted it.
"I said 'No'."
"I thought that's what you said." They had stopped walking in one of the large ballrooms, that was decorated with cherubs and pastel paints. It had large ceiling to floor windows on the two walls, both facing out into the beautiful gardens. Draco walked towards Hermione, and stopped when he was a short distance away from her. He was taller than she was, and she was looking directly at the base of his neck where she could see a pulse jumping underneath his pale skin. It was strange but the pulse underneath the fragile covering of cells reminded Hermione how close he had come to death, and she didn't like that thought.
She kept staring at his neck and breathed in his scent of soap, clean clothes and skin with the barest hint of vanilla that was so uniquely his. She couldn't remember ever smelling something so good before, and it made her want to close her eyes, and lean close to him, making him put his arms around her and never let go.
He wanted to put his arms around her and never let her go. His perfect angel. The one who saved him from death, lead him through the dark places to this room, filled with golden light and her. She filled his mind, taking up places that once belonged to dark things and indefinable monsters. She was Good and he was saved. She was the smallest and biggest thing in his life and he didn't ever want to be without her. 'This is love' he thought, and instead of the panic he expected, there was only a dull warmth and comfort.
He watched her. She watched him. Neither of them moved for the longest time, each wrapped up in their own thoughts of the other. Hermione was the first to move, she lifted one smooth cool finger that soothed so many fevered brows and softly stroked the place where his pulse fluttered. She could feel it jump and speed up under her touch, and she slowly stroked it with her index finger.
"I'm not leaving. I'm your doctor, and it's my duty to look after you. I don't neglect my duties and you should know that. I'm not leaving until you're better."
"Good."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
They turned and walked back into the entrance hall and faced the last door that was in the entrance hall, the one that lead to the second staircase downwards. The one that they had both been dreading, although for different reasons. The staircase was narrow and twisting and Hermione was scared that she would fall, although Draco sped down it with a confidence that was unnerving. The first room confirmed Hermione's fears.
It was a large room with a cauldron in it, and the dark markings were evident on the walls. It was filled with jars that contained unspeakable atrocities, and Hermione's stomach turned. It was a horrific room, and fully demonstrated that the Malfoy's were an unspeakable Dark family. Draco's past was not as clean and pure as his present.
The pain was immediate and paralysing for Hermione the minute that her feet touched the floor, although it was possible for her to move inside the room, unlike in Lucius's room. Draco could sense that she was in pain, and she stepped back up onto the stairs where the pain immediately vanished, leaving a dull ache in its place.
"Maybe I could carry you across, if you don't touch the floor, maybe the spells won't work. Well it's worth a try anyway." He added at the sceptical look on Hermione's face. She nodded and Draco slid an arm underneath her legs and one around her waist and lifted her up. She put her arm around his shoulders and nodded, bracing herself for the pain she expected.
Draco stepped down into the room and Hermione's body arched up from the intense pain that once again streaked through her body. It was hard for Draco to breathe as her arm had tightened around his neck with feral strength, he slid her down his body onto the stairs, and her body sagged down with exhaustion. He knelt down next to her, and stroked her hair away from her face.
"I'll go on my own. I won't be long I promise." Before his courage deserted him, he leant down and quickly pressed his lips against hers. He spun and walked quickly out of the room before Hermione could react and was gone. Hermione's mouth dropped slightly open and her mind raced to catch up with the past few seconds. She'd felt a trembling mouth against her own and then he was gone before she could react. She licked her lips, and smiled at the taste of him, her heart leaping around in a crazy dance of joy in her chest. 'You never felt this way when anybody else kissed you. Not even Harry. You're in deep girl. I think you might be in love.'
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Draco continued quickly until he was around the corner and out of sight of Hermione before he sagged against the stone wall of the dungeon. He smiled and licked his lips; once again tasting her as he'd been wanting to since he came out of the coma. He stood for a few seconds in silent satisfaction and pleasure before pulling himself back to the task in hand. 'It's stupid that you're so affected by such a small kiss. I've probably kissed my grandmother like that! Pull yourself together Draco! What would you be like if you had sex with her?! You'd probably explode or something!'
He walked further down the corridor with the pleasant image of having sex with Hermione still in his brain. That was what sustained him all through the horrifying sights that he was confronted with in room after room filled with Dark magic artefacts and ugly relics that gave off waves of power and evil. Draco steeled himself as he faced the last door. The only door left in the house that was a mystery. The one that he feared most of all.
Summoning up all of his courage he kicked open the door and stepped in. The room was in total darkness, and muttering a lighting spell that had worked in other rooms in the house he journeyed further into the room. It lit up with a blinding flash and Draco screamed before pitching forward onto his knees. His mind was awash with images and he couldn't cope with the constant stream of terror and pain that swamped him as he lay curled into a ball on the floor of his father's pride and joy; the torture room.
It was a small room, but the echoes of pain were soaked into the walls and assaulted the senses from every angle. The walls were covered in torture implements from all ages of history, and all of them were oiled and ready for use. The table in the room had chains and locks to restrain even the strongest of people down, ready to be worked on. Draco's memories of this room flooded back, and his head felt like it was about to split apart.
The memories flashed past, almost too quickly to see, and they were full of things that most people couldn't imagine. From the very first moment of his life, Draco had been abused and tortured by his father in attempts to make him strong. Even when he was a tiny baby, Lucius had cut and burned his infant son, to make him immune to pain. Every year of Draco's life had been devoted to finding ways to make his father proud of him so that the pain would stop.
Images of knives cutting into his skin, pokers searing delicate flesh, and his muscles forced to lift intolerable weights flicked through Draco's mind. Unhearing he screamed, a noise so full of pain, anger and anguish that it ripped out Hermione's heart as she sat on the stairs, waiting for Draco to return. She heard it, and knew that she had to do something. Draco was in pain and she had to help him, no matter how much it would hurt to get across the room that lay ahead of her.
She stood up, and braced herself for the pain that lay ahead, and sprang out into the room ahead of her. Hermione let out her own scream as she raced across the floor, resisting the pain burning through her veins with strength she didn't know she had. Even with this newfound talent, she barely made it through the room, and if the spells had carried on down the corridor all would have been lost. Fortunately, the spells were only in that room and Hermione collapsed outside the room, panting from the ordeal she had just been through.
Draco screamed again, and Hermione was spurred into action, racing down the corridor, through all of the other rooms and into the chamber where Draco lay. Taking a brief look around, Hermione deduced why Draco was in such a state and decided that she needed to get him out of there. He was curled up in a ball in the middle of the floor, and was shaking with such intensity that Hermione was afraid he might hurt himself.
She put her hands under his arms and heaved. Draco slid a few inches across the floor and then stopped; this was going to be a harder task than Hermione thought. It took her several minutes to get him outside, but as soon as she did, he started to recover. He uncurled and sat up, dazed and aching all over. He looked around in confusion before he noticed Hermione lying flat on her back beside him, chest heaving and tears rolling down her cheeks from the residual pain. He leant over and lightly caressed her cheek.
"Are you alright?" He asked gently. She nodded and started sobbing with such force, that Draco was afraid that she'd hurt herself. He pulled her up so that she was sat in his lap, as he put his arms around her and rocked her gently.
"Hey, come on. It's okay, there's no need to cry, everything will be alright. It's fine, you're okay, come on." He continued mumbling reassurances as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms to try and comfort her. It seemed to be working, as her sobs were receding to hiccups, and she wasn't gripping the front of his clothes quite so tightly as she was before. He kept up the slow stroking of her arms and kept on gently talking to her until she seemed calm enough to talk.
"How did you know that I needed you?" He asked, as he was fascinated by her sudden appearance in his darkest hour
"You screamed, and it was. I don't know how to describe it. It was the worst sound I've ever heard in my life. It was like the scream of a dying child or something. It was full of such pain." She seemed to be on the verge of starting to cry again, so Draco quickly changed the subject.
"But how did you get to me, I mean you couldn't have gone through that room, did you find a secret passage or something?" Draco's eyes widened as she shook her head.
"You mean you. you went through that room for me?" He asked, amazed that she would be willing to endure such an incredible amount of pain to save someone that had made her life hell in the past. Again Hermione nodded and Draco felt humbled and honoured.
"Nobody has EVER done anything like that for me before."
"Maybe you didn't know the right people."
"Obviously not. Thank you. It seems so insufficient, I. there's nothing that I can say to make you understand."
'Maybe nothing that I can say, but maybe something I can do.' Draco thought.
Slowly, he slid his hand up her arm. He gently trailed his fingers along her shoulder, and onto the smooth skin of her neck. Seeing her pulse leaping in the same place where she had observed his, he traced his index finger along it, and up to her chin. He used the tip of his finger to lift her chin so that she looked him in the eyes. Hers were tear drenched, making the usual light brown colour darker, almost black, and so deep you could lose your soul in them.
"You're so beautiful" he whispered, so quietly she almost didn't hear him, a few seconds later though it didn't matter.
He slowly lowered his lips to hers, giving her plenty of time to back away, and his heart leapt when she didn't. Her lips were everything that he'd ever dreamed of. Full and soft, they trembled slightly below his, but they stilled when he increased the pressure between their mouths. He ran his other hand up her side and onto her back, pulling her closer into him, until he could feel her heart pounding through his chest. Her mouth opened slightly, and never one to miss an opportunity, he deepened the kiss. His tongue quickly flicked out, and retreated, making Hermione unsure as to whether she'd imagined it. Then just as quick it was back again.
This time, she caught it with her own, and they began a fully fledged kiss that Hollywood would have been proud of. Full of passion, longing and hidden love it was most definitely the best kiss of the age, if not in the memory of the world. It seemed to last forever, yet also only an instant. They reluctantly pulled away and an awkward silence fell, as neither of them knew quite what to say. Hermione shifted slightly as if to get up, but found that her muscles couldn't quite manage it.
"I hate to break this moment, but I can't move and I think that we should probably get out of here."
"No problem." Draco swept Hermione up into his arms, and she sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, and she lifted her chin to press a quick kiss against his lips, but had pulled away before he could react. Together, the two moved off up the corridor, like the heroes from an old romantic movie, away from the pain of Draco's past. He had escaped the memories for now, but these were stolen moments, and the idyllic façade of their lives was about to come crashing down.
A/N: Oooooh spooky.lol. Anyhoo. review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review,. Thank you. !MWAH! that was a big kiss from Draco to those of you who review. so if you don't review, then sorry, you'll just have to go without!!!