Hello to everyone who is still reading this. I am so totally sorry for the delay in the update. Writers block, Internet connection problems and the fanfiction net not letting me get onto the page for some reason, all conspired against me.
Well anyway, answers to questions:
wintermoon
keep reading. all will be revealed, soon....
Gia
The update
Lebbie Black
Sorry to put you into a stupor. I hope you enjoy the direction this story is going in.
Zel
Story ! will stay as a PG13, but part 3 will be an R. Lota scenes! Thank you for praising my romantic scene but I still think it lack something!
I know that Draco's character is way off, but wait!! The bed scenes, wait and see.
Baroness Jumping Rain; Sidda
Thank you for the praise.
Katie
Here we are.
Jedusor
Thanks you for putting me on your favs. Also, as I wrote, lodsa probs. Don't worry. I made a pact with my cousin that this story will be completed. I will finish!
Mistress Chaos1
You sound confused. I hope this clears and befuddlement.
RiverWhiteDragon
Harry is dead, but I haven't finished. Keep reading and all will be revealed.
destinywriters
It's continued.
lady leah
Good guess, but I'm not telling. Twisty stories are my speciality and I love to write them. Keep reading
RAVENCLAWPUNK
'fraid so.
chibidark angel
What can I say? Wow! Thank you so much. I was so happy to see your 'extra long' review. And thank you for the praise. As I have said, all will be revealed soon so don't worry.
I do hope that this story is at least slightly unique. A slight hint to all: Harry was NOT having dreams about the present involving Vin!!
Anyway, here is the next chapter. As usual, I do not own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. For this you should all be relieved!!
DARKNESS OR LIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?
Chapter 24 - Where Are Harry And Draco?
A lone figure walked along one of the streets that led from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. It was dark and only a few stars glittered in the night sky, the rest being obscured by the grey clouds which also covered the moon.
It was also quiet. No one else was walking along the lonely stretch of road, so no one saw when the figure stumbled slightly, nearly toppling over and then righting themselves again and continue walking. If they had, they would have noticed the pale blonde hair, streaked with red. A hand grasping a blood soaked pair of black glasses and ripped robes flapping around the body of the person.
Even if someone had seen this person, they would never of guessed that it was Draco Malfoy!
"Draco. Draco, God damn it, wake up."
Draco's head was swimming. He knew before he opened his eyes that the room was spinning due to that and the fact that his stomach turned over as soon as he moved. Groaning, he opened his eyes and squinted at the blurry image that stood next to him, shaking his shoulders.
Lucius.
"Come on, get up."
Draco ignored his father completely and his mind flickered back onto the last thing he remembered.
"Harry," the name escaped from his lips and he felt his body begin to shake. The image of Voldemort, standing over Harry, wand in hand and laughing, staring down at the body of the one who had eluded him for over fourteen years was very clear in his mind. Desperate to hold in the sobs, he bit down hard on his bottom lip until he tasted blood.
"Draco come on." He felt his father gripping his shoulder again, trying to get his attention. In what could be described as a reflex action, Draco's hand on his opposite arm flew out and slapped his father hard.
"Don't touch me!" he hissed. What he got in return was a cuff around the back of the head via his fathers cane. He slipped off the bed he had been laying in and on his way down to the floor, he caught the point above his eyebrow on the corner of a chest of draws. The next thing he knew, he was sitting in a heap on the floor, blinking blood out of his eye and a heavy pounding had accompanied the swimming sensation.
"You stupid idiot." He vaguely heard his father muttering above him. "Do you want to get out of here or not?"
"I don't care anymore," Draco responded tonelessly, wiping at the flowing cut with a hand. It was the truth. Hew didn't care. He had just seen the person he loved killed right in front of him and his father was surprised that he wasn't jumping up, ready to escape. "Leave me alone."
"Like hell I will," Lucius muttered. "I may have gone along with this but I'll be dammed if I let my only son meet the same fate. I'm getting you out of here now, so come on." He grabbed at Draco's arm and yanked him upwards, nearly pulling him totally off his feet and onto the floor again. Lucius then pulled him out of the room and down the corridor.
Draco let himself be led, not really caring where he was going. He felt numb. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He barely acknowledged his surroundings as he was pulled down the corridor, apart from the fact that it was red. He could hear his father muttering to himself as he was pulled and jolted around corners and down steps, mainly on the suspicious lack of people in his path outside. A few minutes of this and he was then pulled outside. It was dark and a cold breeze whipped his hair into his face, some of the strands hitting his cut and causing a stinging sensation causing Draco's already upset stomach to heave slightly. The strands of hair came away from his face slightly bloody. It wouldn't stop bleeding.
Lucius grabbed at one of his hands, the one covered in blood and hissed at him sharply. "Listen Draco. You must go back to Hogwarts. You must tell Dumbledore what has happened. I cant guarantee your safety here. Go." He kept his grip on Draco's hand, blood staining his gloves and shoved something metallic into it then stepped away. Draco felt a jolt behind his navel and was then hit by a display of flashing lights and gusty winds.
He landed on the same gravel path that he, Granger and his father had been walking along before anything happened. Draco looked down at his hand and stared at the port key that his father had given him.
It was Harry's glasses!
His vision began to swim as tears filled is eyes. His throat tightened and his hand clenched around the frames, making them bite into the skin of his palm.
"Harry," he whispered. He stumbled forward along the path, sobs beginning to escape. The tears slid down his face as soon as he blinked and he made no effort to wipe them away.
~~
Something was very wrong. Ron had a bad feeling deep in his gut, which he couldn't shake. He sat on a chair in the hospital wing next to Hermione's bed, winding and unwinding a length of red liquorice around his fingers. It had gotten dark quite quickly and the air had become bitingly cold.
Harry had left that morning and Ron had heard no word at all from either him or Draco, whom Blaise had told him earlier, had went to Hogsmeade, Hermione trailing along after him. Harry had followed along later. The last person to have seen Draco, Hermione, was still unconscious. Her wrist had been bandaged and Madame Pomfrey had healed the wound, but she would not wake up.
"Harry," Ron mumbled, taking a small bite of the red liquorice. "Where are you?"
"Ron?" Pansy whispered, her voice still echoing slightly in the near empty room. "Go to bed. You need to sleep. I'm sure Dumbledore will find them."
"No," Ron replied obstinately, not looking at his girlfriend who was sitting on the other side of the bed. "I need to be sure that he is all right. He's been gone too long."
"He will be fine." Ron heard the doubt in her voice, even though her voice was positive. He nodded at her, then turned back to the window, once again staring out over the grounds.
"Ron?"
Hermione's croaky voice made him start and he whirled around, dropping his liquorice and turning back to the bed. Pansy had moved forward as well and they both leaned over Hermione
"Hermione," Ron reached out and took one of her hands in his own. "How are you feeling?"
Hermione stared at him. Ron got the distinct impression that she wasn't actually looking at him, but past him. As he watched, her eyes filled with tears and she closed them. Her breath became raspy and sobs erupted.
"No, no, no, no," Hermione ripped her hand from Ron's and covered her face. "Please no. Harry, Malfoy." One of her hands reached for the bandage surrounding the opposite wrist and began to scrabble at it, loosening the knots.
"Hermione, stop it," Ron made a grab for her wrists and held tightly. Pansy backed away from the bed then ran towards the nurse's office, yelling for Madam Pomfrey.
"Harry, Harry. Please no! I'm sorry. Get out of there. He'll kill you!"
"What?" Ron's body felt cold and he shivered. He let go of Hermione's wrists and grabbed her shoulders. "Where is Harry? Where did he go Hermione and where is Draco?"
He didn't realise that he had been shaking her until he felt his hands being prised away from Hermione's shoulders. Madam Pomfrey pushed him away gently and then poured liquid into Hermione's mouth. Ron felt warm arms encircle him and he leaned into Pansy's embrace.
"What did you give her?" He asked after a few moments. Madam Pomfrey continued to look down at the now calming girl.
"A calming draft. It will last for a while but I suggest one of you get Dumbledore down here now."
"I'll go," Pansy released Ron and made to leave the Infirmary but the Headmasters presence in the doorway stopped her. Ron and Madam Pomfrey both turned to face him.
"Help her to sit up Poppy," Dumbledore's voice was commanding, no sign of his normal humour.
As Ron watched, he stepped into the room and a few seconds later, Professor's Snape and McGonagall entered. Snape went straight over to Hermione and placed a hand on her forehead.
"How long ago did you give her the calming draft?" He asked the nurse.
"About two minutes ago," she replied. Snape nodded, then to Ron's surprise, placed an arm around Hermione's shoulders and moved her into a sitting position. Hermione turned to look at him and wiped the tears out of her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. Snape then made to let go of her shoulders but Hermione gripped his arm tightly and shook her head. Snape consented to leaving it there and sat down on the bed next to her.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore stepped forward and stood at the head of the bed. "I don't suppose you could tell us what happened to Harry, and what happened to you?"
Hermione nodded. Pansy moved forward and wrapped her arm around Ron from behind, leaning her head on his shoulder while Hermione began to speak in a shuddering voice.
"While I was at home during the summer, just before Harry came to stay, I had a small stress attack. My father claimed that I worry too much and took me to the doctors. They proclaimed that I had a high blood pressure problem and I had to slow down. They gave me tablets to take, which would help. I refused to take them, deciding to slow myself down and not to worry so much. When Harry came, we took the holidays easy, only doing our homework in the evenings and even so, only for an hour a night and not at all on the weekends. This helped."
Here, Hermione stopped for breath and asked for a glass of water, which Madam Pomfrey gave to her. Ron pulled over a chair and sat down, pulling Pansy onto his lap. Hermione continued.
"I had always known I was attracted to Harry and spending the holidays with him strengthened those feelings so I resolved myself to spending as much time with him as I could. I didn't need those pills, but after he collapsed in the library and slipped into a coma, my chest began to hurt and I decided that I had better begin to take the tablets, lest I have another fit. They calmed me down, but my feelings for Harry became irrational and obsessive. I told him my feelings and got him to agree a relationship with me.
The tablets had helped me, but it seemed that I couldn't stop taking them and my obsession for Harry grew. He was always in my sight, I felt restless when he wasn't."
Ron nodded at this, remembering the way Hermione had pounced on him, demanding information on where Harry was.
"One day, he came back to the tower, restless, distant and he wouldn't shake it off, no matter what I said to him, then I noticed Blaise Zabini paying more attention to Harry. Zabini himself admitted that he was attracted to him. At this time I began watching him like a hawk, especially on Halloween." Hermione turned and looked at Ron questioningly. "Have you told anyone about Harry's vision?"
"No," Ron whispered. "I should have done but I didn't."
"I will then, " Hermione continued. "He went into some kind of trance while in Hogsmeade. He then began muttering words:
Death, destruction, blood. So much blood.
Betrayal, hurt and anger. All will lead to the creation of him.
The one who is stronger than he who must not be named.
He is coming and no one can stop him.
Vin!
I have no idea what it meant. I still don't, but It scared me."
"Vin?" Dumbledore spoke in a questioning tone. "Are you sure that was what he said?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded. "Anyway, two days tater, after the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Harry broke it off with me. I began taking the pills each time I felt pain in my chest but at the same time, I grew more irrational, especially when I found out that Harry had begun seeing Malfoy."
There were gasps from Snape and McGonagall at that. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore showed no surprise.
"I was angry," Hermione continued, ignoring the unsettlement that her words had caused. "In my head, the words 'Harry is mine' kept running over and over. I wanted revenge on Malfoy for taking him away from me. It was irrational and wrong, I know that, but I couldn't stop myself. I cast that spell on Malfoy, but I only succeeded on making Harry beyond angry and myself suspended.
When I got home, I found out that my mother had left. She had packed up her things and gone to her brothers. Dad wouldn't tell me anything but that she had gone on holiday and he gave me another pill container with stronger pills. I was hurt, angry and alone and I began to take them. My time after that is very fuzzy but I do remember with clarity what happened when I reached Hogsmeade station on Christmas Eve."
"What happened?" Dumbledore prompted after Hermione fell silent. She didn't reply, just grasped her throat and shook her head. "Cant you say?" She shook her head again.
"Veritaserum Albus?" Snape asked, making to move away from Hermione, but was stopped by her grip on his arm.
"Yes Severus, but Poppy has some."
Ron stared at the nurse, who had already moved towards her office. "Isn't it kind of dangerous to keep Veritaserum in the Infirmary?" he asked. "Anyone could rummage through the medicine cabinet looking for it."
"It's kept in my private cabinet Mr Weasley." Madam Pomfrey back out of her office, back toward the bed. "One with a private locking spell. I don't keep dangerous potions on display for everyone to see." She handed a small, clear glass vial to Snape, who took out the stopper. Ron nodded his acknowledgement to the nurses answer and turned back to Hermione.
"Open your mouth," Snape requested to Hermione. She complied and Snape poured three drops onto her tongue. She swallowed, her eyes closed then opened again, glassy.
"Are you ready to answer my questions Miss Granger?" Dumbledore sat down at the end of the bed, staring at Hermione.
"Yes." Ron noted that her voice sounded flat, hollow.
"What happened when you got off the train at Hogsmeade station, Christmas Eve?"
Hermione's mouth opened, closed then opened again, as if she was fighting between two different spells, which Ron suspected she was, in a way. Finally, she spoke.
"When I got off the train, I was met by Lucius Malfoy. He asked me to join him for a drink. I was suspicious, but not terribly so. He then told me that he wanted to talk to me and it was not about what I had done to his son. Maybe if I had been more clear headed at this point, I would have told him where to go and made my way back to school, but curiosity won out and I followed him into the village and into the Hogs Head.
Malfoy asked me about my relationship with Harry, if I was seeing him. I told him about Harry's relationship with his son, wanting him to get in trouble. Malfoy was shocked, asked if I was sure then began mumbling to himself on how he was going to catch him off guard with Draco hanging around him."
"Malfoy," Ron hissed angrily. "He's always up to something, that bloody bastard."
Hermione nodded. "He then grinned at hi, then asked if students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade on Boxing Day. I nodded, then he grinned wolfishly at me, tapping my cheek and said that I would not be able to breathe a word of this conversation to anyone. He then left me alone in the pub."
Here, Hermione paused, finishing her answer to the question and awaiting the next one.
"Where you with Harry this morning?" Dumble dore asked.
"No," she replied, "I was with Draco and Lucius Malfoy, in Hogsmeade."
"Why was Draco in Hogsmeade?" Snape asked no one in particular, but was answered by Ron.
"He got a letter from his father this morning. Lucius wanted to discuss the relationship that Draco was involved in with Harry. Lucius was totally against it. Draco was going to tell him to stuff his concerns. He didn't care what his father thought any more." Ron tightened his arms around Pansy and shivered. He was cold and worried. Not just for Harry's safety but for Draco's as well.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore turned to the girl on the bed again, "Why did you go to Hogsmeade with Mr Malfoy and Lucius?"
"I wanted to stop Malfoy from going," she replied. "I felt that something was wrong. I knew Lucius was up to something after what he had said to me, but I couldn't say anything. What he had told me, about not being able to tell anyone else what he had said was true. Every time I tried, my throat would close up."
'Hence why she was clutching her throat while she was crying!' Ron understood. Pansy stared down at him, then took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently.
"Continue," Dumbledore encouraged.
"I waited for him outside his common room this morning. He was reluctant to let me join him, but in the end, he said he didn't care. We both made our way to Hogsmeade in silence, until we met his father outside the Quidditch supply store. He didn't seem surprised to see me and offered to buy us both a drink. Draco refused immediately and asked him what he wanted. Lucius didn't answer, just led us up the gravel path which led away from Hogsmeade. He then asked him to break off the relationship with Harry, which he also refused immediately. I once again tried to tell him that his father was planning something, but I still couldn't speak. It was then that Harry appeared, running up the path towards us."
"Then what happened?" Ron urged. He was desperately worried.
"Lucius clicked his fingers and then Death Eaters jumped out of the trees and grabbed Harry. Four of them held onto him. Lucius then informed Malfoy that You Know Who wanted to see them both. I was sitting on the floor, crying and apologising tat I couldn't say anything. They decided to leave me behind because I was no longer needed, then they Apparated away, Harry first. Lucius hit Malfoy across the face with his cane, then he was taken away. They left me alone on the path."
The room was silent for a few moments, after Hermione had finished her story, then Dumbledore stood up, a very worried look in his eyes.
"Minerva, Severus. We must look around Hogsmeade. Try to find anything relating to their disappearance." He then turned to Ron and Pansy. "Could the two of you go back to your common rooms, just in case either of them turn up again?" Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Dumbledore held up his hand. "Please Mr Weasley. Do this. It is important."
"Okay sir." Pansy slipped off of Ron's lap and left the infirmary in a hurry. Snape and McGonagall followed. Ron hesitated, then turned to face Hermione, whom Dumbledore was laying back down, Madam Pomfrey hovering over her anxiously.
"She'll be okay," he responded to Ron's unspoken question. "She'll sleep, then feel better in the morning."
Ron nodded, then turned and left the infirmary, making his way to the Gryffindor common room.
~~
When Draco reached the Shrieking Shack, his knees gave way and he collapsed onto the mud spattered and wet path. He just lay there, not moving, staring at the dark houses of Hogsmeade.
"Oh hell. Malfoy?" The voice of Sirius Black cut through the gloom and then a figure in a black cloak ran towards boy laying on the ground. "What happened? Are you okay? Where have you been?"
Draco didn't answer. As if sensing that he was safe, his eyes closed and very soon he was in a deep sleep. Sighing in worry, Sirius lifted the unconscious boy into his arms and began to carry him towards the castle.
~~
Okay, I will update this a lot sooner that last time, providing my Internet connection stops mucking me around. As always, please review and tell me what you thought. I do hope you are still enjoying this.
Love Rie
xx