Chapter 19
Meanwhile, while the student's slept and Snape brainstormed, Voldemort and co were preparing for the big event.
"Yes Goyle, put that over there with the others!" Voldemort instructed as Goyle Snr passed by with a post of dark mahogany wood.
"Lucius!" Voldemort shouted. "Come!"
Lucius Malfoy went over to the dark lord and bowed. "Yes my lord?"
"Don't look so down in the dumps, you're depressing to look at! You should be happy!" Voldemort said optimistically.
Lucius forced a weak smile.
Voldemort sighed. "Now see here, Lucius, I know you are disappointed about Draco, but really, it's good for the boy to be punished! A spell in the dungeons with the-boy-who-just-won't-die and his feeble friend ought to jostle some sense into him!"
Lucius looked up at Voldemort hopefully. "Then you aren't going to kill Draco?"
Voldemort waved a hand around nonchalantly "Merlin, no! He's going to be of use to me this evening, as well as in the future. Great evil potential that boy!"
Lucius looked relieved. "Thank you my lord, you are most merciful! Narcissa will be most thankful also!"
"Thank you, thank you. Now, as for that Potter and his weakling companion, they won't be so lucky. I have a nice plan all ready to set into motion as soon as tonight's event is over. I want to make them watch and see what happens to their beloved Miss Granger!" Voldemort allowed himself a cruel laugh as he rubbed his hands together. "Oh yes, they will see! MUAAAAHAHAHAHAcoughcoughcough!"
Snape shivered in his room upon hearing Voldemort's evil laugh echoing through the castle.
Snape had been in deep thought, putting together his most daring plan yet. Ok, so it was his only plan since...well, ever! Dumbledore still hadn't arrived, so he figured he would go ahead and start with his most daring plan ever.
He transfigured his shoe into a cauldron and took out his 'travel' potions set from his robes and with a wave of his wand, had returned it to full size. He set to work making a strong sleeping draught. They didn't call him the Potions Master for nothing y'know!
Meanwhile in the dungeons, Ron sat up when Voldemort's laugh echoed around the place.
Harry was already up, having slept only 20 minutes, and looked troubled.
Malfoy grunted as he woke up and gave an angry shout as he sat up. "For Merlin's sake! Some people are trying to sleep here, and there he goes laughing and waking us all up! Honestly, some people have no consideration for others!!!!" He ranted.
Harry and Ron looked at him, agog.
"Um, Malfoy? It's Voldemort you're talking about!" Ron reminded the blond haired Slytherin.
"Consideration isn't exactly top on his list of priorities." Harry chimed in.
Malfoy rolled his eyes and scowled.
"How long were we asleep?" Ron wondered out loud.
"About an half an hour." Harry replied.
Malfoy sighed in frustration and muttered something about beauty sleep.
"I hope Mione's faring better than we are!" Ron said sadly.
"She will be." Malfoy said suddenly.
Harry and Ron looked at Malfoy curiously.
"How do you know?" Harry asked.
"Well think about it!" Malfoy said "You know who needs her for whatever reason, I'm sure she's been made comfortable."
Harry studied Malfoy closely. "What are your suspicions Malfoy?"
Malfoy merely shrugged. "I don't really have any." He said.
"Maybe... Maybe he's going to Sacrifice her!" Ron piped up, fear evident in his blue eyes.
Harry pondered this for a moment before Malfoy snorted and interrupted his thoughts.
"Don't be an idiot, Weasley!" Malfoy said. "Who's he going to sacrifice her to? He's the one that is worshipped!"
"Oh, never thought of that." Ron said meekly.
Harry was looking at Malfoy closely. He could see concern and frustration in those grey eyes, pain and longing. "You really do love her don't you, Malfoy?" He said quietly.
This took Malfoy off guard and he looked at Harry with surprise, but quickly recovered. "Yes." Was his quiet reply. "Why do you ask?"
Harry shrugged "No reason. It must have been hard for you to admit that."
"Yes, Potter, it was." Malfoy replied. "it's hard being me sometimes, Malfoy's aren't allowed to show any emotion except anger, and disdain, you know." he added as-a-matter-of-factly.
"That's awful!" Harry responded. He truly pitied Malfoy for being in such a position. No wonder he was always so bitter all the time, always bullying other people. "But it explains a lot!" he added.
Malfoy nodded and gave Harry the smallest of smiles. It was nice to have someone to talk to about it. He had never told anyone that.
Ron, meanwhile, was being very quiet.
"Ron, are you alright?" Harry asked.
Ron nodded weakly.
But Harry knew better. "What's the matter?" He pressed.
"It doesn't matter." Ron answered with a shrug.
"Tell me." Harry persisted.
"It's nothing!" Ron replied glancing at Malfoy then back down at his hands.
Harry noted the glance Ron had given Malfoy, obviously, whatever was bothering Ron had something to do with Malfoy. He decided to drop the subject for now and made a mental note to ask Ron later, when Malfoy was asleep or something.
There was a brief silence before Harry spoke. "So, has anyone thought of a plan that involves Snape to get us out of here?"
Ron looked thoughtful then shook his head and gave a shrug. "Sorry mate, I couldn't think of anything!"
Harry looked at Malfoy, who was sitting with his knees under his chin, frowning. Then he looked up at Harry. "Nope, me neither!"
Harry sighed, feeling heavy hearted. He hoped Snape had come up with something.
1 hour later in his room, Snape had finished making the potion. He put it into a vial and hid it in his robes, then cleared any trace of his potion making away and transfigured the cauldron back into his shoe.
Now, all he had to do was administer the potion to Voldemort and all of the other death eaters and go down to the dungeon and free Potter and the others. It was a simple plan, so simple that Voldemort wouldn't have thought it of Snape to think it up! But Snape did think it up, and felt very proud of himself about it too!
Up in her tower, Hermione was still asleep. She was dreaming about being back at the ball at Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Malfoy having fun and dancing. Suddenly, Snape appeared and asked her to dance and she screamed and ran away, she was caught however, by Malfoy, who whisked her around the dancefloor to the strains of a romantic waltz. She felt like she was floating on air as Malfoy leaned in to kiss her.
He was millimeters away when BANG....
Hermione's eyes flew open and she sat up in shock. What had made that noise?
She looked around the room, but it was so dark, she couldn't see anything. She strained her ears to catch any sound at all. she could hear footsteps and they were coming towards her bed.
Her heart was beating so hard, she feared whoever was in the room with her could hear it! Fear gripped her and she moved as far back as the bed would allow, holding her knees up at her chest.
Suddenly, a voice said "Lumos!" then a light appeared, illuminating a small circle of the room.
Hermione's eyes adjusted to the new light and the person who's wand was casting the light was not who she most wanted to see at this time!
"Go away!" She shouted, half in fear, half anger.
"Now now, Miss Granger! Where are your manners!" Lucius Malfoy said in a coy manner.
"I don't want to waste my good manners on the likes of you thank you very much!" Hermione snapped.
"Well, what a pity." Lucius remarked smoothly.
Hermione just glared at him.
"I trust you found the bathroom? Rose scented water was made just for you." Lucius said in the same smooth manner.
Hermione continued her silent glare.
Lucius suddenly leaned in very close, too close, and sniffed her lightly.
"Good, now, your dress was a bit of a mess when you arrived, due to the long trek through the forest, wasn't it?" he said nonchalantly. "Well, the dark lord sent me here to see if you were all nice and clean and given that he took your wand, you might find mine to be of more help. Do stand up so I can look at you and see what needs to be done?"
Hermione glared harder and stayed right where she was.
"I see you want to be difficult, well, that can be dealt with." Said Lucius. He then reached over and grabbed her wrists and hauled her off of the bed and onto the floor.
He held her by one wrist to make sure she stayed still and waved his wand, all of the lights came on in the room.
"There, now I can see you better!" he remarked.
A look of distaste came on his face as he looked her over. "Oh dear, this will never do!" he said shaking his head.
"I like it!" Hermione snarled.
"Yes, well what you like doesn't matter does it? It's what the dark lord wants that's important. He trusts my judgment on these matters, so he sent me here to fix you up for tonight!" Lucius said cheerfully.
Hermione looked at Lucius closely. He was handsome, and she could see where Draco got his eyes and hair from. There was, however, a sadness in his eyes, it was barely noticeable, but it was there, she could see it. There was something else in there too, guilt, fear. His tough, no nonsense attitude he portrayed, like Draco's, was an act, a front! Suddenly, Hermione felt a pang of pity for Lucius Malfoy.
"What is happening tonight?" she asked quietly as he moved her arms up so she was holding them out to the sides.
He seemed surprised at her sudden attitude change. "You are going to be honoured." Was all he said.
He waved his wand over her dress, and it became a beautiful flowing white gown, much like the one she was already wearing, only improved.
"Aren't you worried?" Hermione suddenly asked.
Lucius eyed her carefully. "About what?" he asked as he started fingering her hair, trying to figure out how to style it.
"Draco." Came her reply.
Lucius froze for a moment, he stared at her, taken off guard, before quickly recovering. "Of course not!" he sniffed indignantly.
"You are, I know you are!" she said quietly. "I can see it in your eyes."
"You see nothing!" Lucius snapped.
"I know you don't really want to do this!" Hermione continued. "You don't want to be a deatheater, do you?"
"Foolish girl, you don't know what you are talking about!" He said angrily. "Now be quiet so I can do your hair!"
Hermione stared at him with pity as he waved his wand and her hair styled itself into loose glossy curls that cascaded down her back.
"And stop looking at me like that!" He snapped.
"Like what?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Like you feel sorry for me!" He replied.
"Well, I do!" she said softly.
Lucius was thoroughly confused now. "Why?"
"Why what?" Hermione asked.
"Why do you feel sorry for me?" He asked incredulously.
Hermione shrugged. "I just do!"
Lucius sighed and shook his head, then proceeded to wave his wand over her face and natural looking make-up appeared, enhancing her beauty.
He stepped back to check out his work, and nodded in approval.
"Is he going to kill Draco?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"No." Lucius said flatly.
"How do you know?" She pressed.
"Because he told me!" Came the snappy reply.
"He told me he would free Harry and Ron and Draco, but he lied to me. What's to say he didn't lie to you too? What if he's going to kill Draco anyway?"
Lucius looked unsure now. She had cast a shadow of doubt on him regarding Draco. "I trust him!" he said more to himself than to Hermione.
"Then you are a fool!" she declared.
"I won't stand here and listen to this!" Lucius snarled. "Good day to you Miss Granger!"
and with that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door on his way out.
Hermione threw herself onto the bed and screamed into a pillow. Her attempt to turn Lucius Malfoy around had failed. All she had managed to do was make him mad! Maybe she didn't really see what she thought she saw in Lucius Malfoy, maybe he really was just evil!