A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, I've just been so busy of late! anyway, here's this chappie, enjoy and let me know what you think. Your reviews have been so appreciated! Keep em' coming please!
Chapter 17
As soon as Lucius was gone, Hermione and Malfoy sat up and stared at Snape.
"What was that all about?!!" Malfoy demanded. "Telling him what you think regarding me and the others?!"
Snape sighed, tired of this whole stupid thing. He would have rather been in his cozy dungeon quarters with a nice glass of firewhiskey.
"Never mind that, Mr Malfoy, we have to figure out how we are going to escape!" Snape reminded Malfoy.
"Professor, are we close to You know who's lair?" Hermione asked
Snape looked around at his surroundings "Yes, I'd say we have only a mile or so to go."
"Why didn't you all just apparate to his castle?" Malfoy asked curiously.
"This many wizards and all those cracking noises that go with apparating would have drawn attention from the Centaurs." Snape replied absently.
Hermione's face went from an expression of extreme depression and hopelessness to and expression of joy and revelation.
"Of course!!!" she said excitedly. "The Centaurs!!!"
Malfoy and Snape looked at her quizzically for a moment before realization dawned on both their faces. But Snape looked suddenly downcast again.
"forget it, Miss Granger. The Centaurs don't care about what happens to us. It's just going to end up in another battle, but this time we'll have added another enemy to fight." Snape said with a sigh.
Hermione thought about this, and looked disappointed.
"Come on, we'd better get moving, or they'll come looking for us again." Snape announced, getting to his feet.
Reluctantly, Hermione and Malfoy stood up too and followed snape.
Snape had suggested that they make it appear as though he had preformed silencing charms on the two of them, so as not to raise suspicion.
They walked a fair distance behind the other deatheaters in silence for the most part. Malfoy occasionally grumbled about stepping into holes and tripping over tree roots. Snape merely sighed in response.
It seemed like they had been walking forever when suddenly all the deatheaters stopped and gathered into a circle.
Snape, followed by Malfoy and Hermione was the last to join the circle.
Keeping up appearances, Snape shoved Hermione and Malfoy roughly into the center of the circle.
Hermione landed with an "oof!" on her rear next to Malfoy who was sprawled on his stomach. She looked to her right and saw Harry and Ron. They were awake now and were sitting quietly.
Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with relief.
"We thought you were a gonner!" Ron mouthed to her.
Hermione shook her head and cast a glance at Snape.
Harry and Ron seemed to understand and nodded.
Malfoy rolled over and sat up, brushing dirt off of his robes and scowling at Snape, who ignored him.
Then, he looked at his fellow captives. Harry and Ron looked at him, they looked ok, save for a few scratches and cuts here and there. Ron was sporting a spectacular black eye and fat lip. Harry's lip was bleeding and he had a cut on his cheek.
Hermione didn't have a blemish on her, and she was looking at Harry and Ron with concern.
Malfoy found himself wishing she would look at him like that.
Then, with fear, he saw her crawl over to them. He looked quickly around at the deatheaters.
A few of them made to move and grab her, but were held back by other.
"We cannot harm her!" they were reminded. "She mustn't have any bruises or scratches at all!"
Malfoy then proceeded to follow her closely and crawled over to Harry and Ron by her side. He figured seeing as they wouldn't touch her, if he stayed as close to her as possible, they couldn't touch him either.
A few of the deatheaters looked perplexed that he had figured this out. Lucius looked amused and a little proud, but hid it well.
Hermione and Malfoy reached Harry and Ron.
"Are you two ok?" Hermione whispered
Harry and Ron nodded.
"Are you two?" Harry whispered back.
"I'm fine, Malfoy has a few scratches, but that's it." Came her reply.
"I wonder why they let you come over here to us?" Ron wondered.
"Apparantly they can't harm me. You know who needs me for something and he want's me perfectly intact for it." Hermione replied in a hushed tone.
"Do you know what it is?" Ron asked Malfoy.
Malfoy shook his head. "Sorry, no idea, but whatever it is, it can't be good." Malfoy whipered back.
Harry and Ron looked worried.
Hermione tried to look reassuring. "Don't worry guys, Dumbledore knows and is probably planning a rescue mission as we speak."
Malfoy nodded. "when I went and told Dumbledore what had happened, he went into action immediately."
Harry and Ron looked somewhat comforted by the knowledge of Dumbledore working on the case.
They were rudely interrupted by the deatheaters chanting something or another. Just then, a strange green mist surrounded them all.
The trio heard Malfoy mumble "Uh oh!" before getting dizzy. It felt as though they were floating, they couldn't see anything.
Suddenly, it all stopped and the mist cleared.
Looking around, they found themselves in a dark stone room.
"Where are we?" Hermione whimpered.
"Looks like we are here." Malfoy said softly. "We're in Voldemort's lair."
An audible whimper was heard from Ron. Harry hushed him.
"Now what do we do!" Ron whined.
"Shush Ron!" Harry persisted, his scar felt like it was going to explode.
"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "what's wrong?"
"It's my scar, I feel like my head's going to explode!" Harry replied through clenched teeth.
Snape, from his position across the room, noticed Harry's pain and without drawing attention, he took out a vial of potion from his robes and pretended to tie his shoelace as he placed the vial on the ground at his feet, then he stood back up, then kicked the vial over in Harry's direction. No-one seemed to have noticed.
Malfoy spotted the vial as it rolled towards them and looked at Snape, who cast a fleeting glance in from the vial to Harry. The glance was so quick, it merely looked as though Snape was glancing around the room, but Malfoy got the message.
He rearranged his cloak so that it covered the vial as it reached them and picked it up. Then he handed it to Harry.
"What's that?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"Snape rolled it over here, it's for Harry." Malfoy replied.
Hermione looked at the potion within. "It's a pain reliever potion." She informed them "Harry, you should take it."
Harry winced as he looked at the potion Malfoy had handed to him, then squinted up at Snape.
Snape's eyes swept the room and fell on Harry. He saw that Harry had gotten the pain potion and so Snape gave him a small nod, encouraging Harry to drink it.
Harry pulled out the stopper and downed the potion as inconspicuously as he could. A few seconds later, the pain in his head disappeared.
He looked at the others who were watching him anxiously, and smiled reassuringly.
They all looked relieved.
Harry made a mental note to thank Snape later, if they survived this. If they didn't, he would come back as a ghost and thank him anyway.
Suddenly, all was quiet and all of the deatheaters bowed.
Harry spotted the evil git right away. Voldemort had come.
The four students huddled together, clinging to each other as Voldemort approached them, grinning evilly.
The boys moved to shield Hermione, who was only too grateful to be shielded from Voldemort's gaze.
Hermione buried her face in Malfoy's robes.
"Awww, how touching!" Voldemort sneered in his snakelike voice. "I do so hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you three will have to move aside." He said simply gesturing with his hands.
Some invisible force grabbed the three boys and threw them violently aside, leaving Hermione exposed. She had curled herself up into a ball when she felt the three boys being thrown from her and simply refused to look at Voldemort.
Harry, Ron and Malfoy landed painfully on the stone floor about 4 feet from Hermione.
Voldemort stood over Hermione. "Now now, my dear, is that any way to greet me?" He said smoothly. "Come, stand up and let me look at you!"
"GO AWAY!!!" Hermione screamed at him, still not looking at him.
"Ah, I see I shall need to be a little more persuasive!" Voldemort merely replied.
"NO!!!" Malfoy yelled and bolted toward Hermione and threw himself over her, shielding her.
A flicker of recognition flickered over Voldemort's face as he surveyed Malfoy.
"Draco Malfoy." He said smoothly. "what a surprise."
Malfoy didn't reply, he merely glared up at Voldemort with all the hatred he could gather.
"Why do you guard this girl from me?" The Dark lord questioned.
Malfoy remained silent as he wrapped himself around Hermione tighter.
Harry and Ron watched in fear as Malfoy put his life on the line, quite literally, to protect Hermione.
Voldemort appeared to be losing patience. "Will someone explain to me as to why this young boy, son of one of my most faithful followers, is against me?"
Lucius Malfoy stepped forward meekly. "My lord, forgive my son, he has been blinded by matters of the heart!"
Voldemort turned to regard Lucius. "Matters of the heart?" he sneered. "You mean to say, your son, the great Draco Malfoy has fallen in love with this mudblood?"
Lucius nodded. "It is what I believe has occurred my lord."
Malfoy felt Hermione freeze beneath him.
"Is this true, Draco?" Voldemort asked.
Malfoy's heart plummeted into his stomach, wishing the ground would just open up and swallow him. "Yes, it's true!" He admitted quietly.
Voldemort laughed so hard that he could barely stand. He laughed for a good few minutes before composing himself as best he could.
"Well, that is easily cured, is it not Severus?" Voldemort said turning to Snape.
Snape stiffened and bowed. "Yes, my Lord." He replied.
"I think a good old fashioned crucio curse ought to restore our young Draco Malfoy's heart and mind to us!" The dark lord went on casually, rolling up his sleeves and holding up his wand.
The most unbelievable pain shot through Malfoy, he felt as though he was being torn apart limb from limb.
Voldemort held the curse on him for a few minutes then lifted it, leaving Malfoy weak and shaking, but still clinging to Hermione.
"Still love her Draco? Think she's worth all this pain?" Voldemort goaded.
"YES!!! I WOULD DIE FOR HER!!!" Malfoy shouted defiantly.
Lucius Malfoy looked at his son with pity. He himself had said those very words regarding his wife, when he too was in this situation with the Dark lord many years ago.
Voldemort raised his wand again. "That, Draco, can be arranged."
Suddenly, Malfoy felt Hermione wriggle out from beneath him and she stood up between Malfoy and Voldemort.
"What's this?" Voldemort said.
Hermione raised her head and looked at Voldemort. "Take me, but spare him." She said quietly. "And Harry and Ron." She added.
"HERMIONE NO!" Harry cried.
"That's the deal. Take it or leave it." Hermione told Voldemort.
Snape looked frantic, shaking his head.
Malfoy's heart practically stopped beating. What was she doing!? He wasn't worth this!
Voldemort pondered her offer. "You will come willingly if I spare Draco's life?"
Hermione stared at Voldemort. "Yes, but you must let Harry and Ron go as well."
"Hermione." Malfoy said softly.
Hermione turned to Malfoy.
"Hermione, don't do this!" He said pleadingly. "I'm not worth it!"
Hermione placed a hand on his cheek and looked at him with an emotion he didn't recognize.
"Very well, Miss Granger," came Voldemort's voice "It's a deal!"
Hermione looked at Harry and Ron who looked shocked.
Voldemort moved back a few feet from Hermione then beckoned her with his finger.
"Come my dear."
Hermione took one more look at Harry and Ron and a tear fell from her eye. Then she looked at Malfoy, who looked as though he had just lost the most precious thing in the world to him.
Then, she walked to where Voldemort stood.
Suddenly she heard shouts and spun around to see several deatheaters grabbing Harry and Ron and Malfoy and dragging them out of the room. Snape was mouthing "Dungeons" as inconspicuously as he could.
"NO!!!" Hermione cried as Voldemort Grabbed her "WE MADE A DEAL!!!!"
"Think about whom you made the deal with, my dear!" Voldemort said mockingly "You didn't think I would actually fulfill my side of the deal did you?"
Hermione watched helplessly as her friends were drug out of the room.
"Foolish Gryffindor!" Voldemort laughed as he drug Hermione out of the room and up a set of stone stairs, then along a dark corridor that had at least 30 doors. He opened one numbered 20 and pushed her inside the room.
"Make yourself comfortable, help yourself to whatever you want, you will be here a while whilst I prepare the ceremony." Voldemort said in a snakelike manner before slipping out of the room and locking the door behind him.