Disclaimer:  Um, I think we all know the routine.

A/N:  Hey everybody, um I really don't know what's going to happen in this chapter I'm making it up as I go along.  Lol, so um yeah.  Ok Reviewer of the Chapter is…………………………………………………………………………………………(lol this is fun) ……………………………………………………………………………………~Paris~!  *YAY* Thanks to everyone who reviewed!  On with the story!

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Whisper~Mad~Crazy                                                                     Chapter 14-When the Morning Comes

          Draco shoved his hands in his pockets and ascended the staircase leading to the Head Common Room. 

"Quaere Verum."  He muttered to the portrait.

"Anything wrong young master Malfoy?"

Draco's head shot up as he glared at the young man standing before him.

"How do you know my name?"  He asked.

"I know a lot of things about you Draco."  Erin replied.

"Oh yeah?  Like what?"  Draco snapped.

"Like how every time you do something you're not supposed to, something that goes against your fathers wishes you get punished." 

"Big deal, every kid gets punished when they do something they're not supposed to." 

"Not the way you do." 

Draco raised an eyebrow towards the young man.

"Go on."  He said calmly.

"I know how you are tormented at night, how your dreams attack you both mentally and physically.  I know that they are getting worse every night because you fall asleep thinking about her."

"You don't know anything!"  Draco yelled.

"Oh but I do.  It's like he can read your mind isn't it?  Like he knows what you're thinking and doing and he's punishing you during the night.  But during the day you still feel his presence, it's always been there but now it's getting weaker.  It used to be that he could totally control you.  You were a mere puppet but now, now you are breaking free and that angers him.  That angers them."

"Who are you and how do you know me!"  Draco yelled once again.  His eyes held a fierce gaze and he clenched and unclenched his hands in anger.  Erin took a deep breath and slowly stepped out of the picture.  Draco narrowed his eyes.

"How did you do that?"  He asked slowly.

"One question at a time Draco, which would you like to have answered first?"

Draco thought for a second before speaking, "Who are you?"

"I am Sir Erin of Lexult…" he replied.

"That name has no meaning to me."  Draco snapped quickly.  Erin held up his hand to silence him.

"You did not let me continue.  I am Sir Erin Malfoy of Lexult."

Draco stared at Erin for a moment.

"So you're my…"

"Well I don't know exactly how I'm related to you."  Erin replied.  "I just am."  Draco nodded his head.

"Ok well that takes care of that question.  Now, how do you know me so well?"

"Ah, well you see Draco we are alike in a lot of ways but before I launch into the story shall we have a seat?"  He motioned to the wall and they went and sat down against it.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning?"  He asked.  Draco nodded and he began.

"When I was growing up there was a dark wizard by the name of Letroverin.  His name was Alex Letroverin but no one even bothered to use his first name.  He was very much like Voldermort except not nearly as powerful.  That doesn't mean he wasn't feared though.  He too had his band of followers, they called themselves Ghost Shadows."  He looked to Draco to make sure he was comprehending everything.  "Well my father Gregory Malfoy he was one of these Ghost Shadows.  He brought me up to believe that I was superior to everyone and that to show feeling or emotion was weak.  I too attended Hogwarts perhaps that is where the trouble started.  I remember the first day I arrived here.  I was nervous as was expected from a first year.  My father told me not to worry, he said I would be sorted into Slytherin and that I would rule that house just as he had."

"You weren't sorted into Slytherin were you?"  Draco interrupted quietly.  Erin smiled.

"No, no I wasn't.  I was sorted into Ravenclaw.  As you could imagine my father was furious.  He took me to the Headmaster and demanded that I be put into Slytherin.  The Headmaster would hear nothing of this.  I said to my father that it was all right, that I didn't care if I was in Slytherin or not.  That's when I realized that my father wasn't who I thought he was.  He wasn't someone to be looked up to.  He was just another Ghost Shadow.  He said to me, 'I don't care what you want!  You are a Malfoy and Malfoy's are to be in Slytherin!  I expect it, Lord Letroverin expects it!'.  I told him, 'I don't care what Alex wants!  I'm happy!'  'Happiness is an emotion,' he said, 'Malfoy's do not show or feel emotion!'  'Well then maybe I don't want to be a Malfoy!' I yelled at him.  Then he came for me, wand extended about to perform one of the Unforgivables I expect.  It's a good thing the Headmaster was there or I probably wouldn't exist right now.  After that I was disowned.  I had no family so I lived at Hogwarts.  I was top of my class and I was Head Boy but no one cared because I had no one.  After graduation I stayed at Hogwarts.  The Headmaster said I could assist the teachers and possibly become one myself.  That summer a war broke out.  Letroverin and his Ghost Shadows attacked Hogwarts.  I was among the many defending the great castle.  I can hardly remember any of the battle though.  I remember we were all fighting and then everything became blurry.  It was as if a silver shroud had enveloped me and everything was going on in slow motion.  I dropped to my knees and spoke, but the voice that came from my mouth was not my own.  You see I was foretelling a prophecy."

"A prophecy?  Like the one that involved Potter and Voldermort two years ago?"  Draco asked.

"Yes.  The prophecy stated that Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy would be the deciding factor in the final battle of the war between the Light Side and the Dark Side…"

"No you must be mistaken."  Draco interrupted.  "Potter's the one who's going to kill Voldermort."

"I didn't say that you would kill him Draco.  I said you were the deciding factor."

"No I'm not!  I'm just Draco Malfoy.  Potter's the Wonder Boy.  It's him that saves the world not me!"  Draco said angrily standing up. 

"Draco you aren't listening!"  Erin protested.

"I don't want to listen anymore!"  He turned towards the empty picture frame.  "Quaere Verum!"  Suddenly Erin vanished from where he was standing and appeared back in the picture frame as it swung open.  Draco hastily entered his room and found a black owl sitting on his desk.

"Bugger!"  Draco yelled.  "I do not need this right now!"  He took the letter from the owl and ripped it open.

Draco,

You are to begin training tonight.  Fly to the Manor immediately.

Lucius

Draco crumpled the letter and lit it on fire with his wand.  He quickly changed into his school uniform and grabbed his cloak from off of his bed.  He picked up his broom and walked out onto the balcony.  He took one last glance back into his room and then took off towards the setting sun.

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          Hermione gazed out the window of Hagrid's hut, catching snippets here and there of the lively conversation.

"So you caught it?  Then what happened?" She heard Ron say among the jumble.  Suddenly she felt a hot pain seer through her hand and a wave of anger washed through her.

'Oh no.  Draco.'  She thought.  She stood up almost knocking over her cup.

"I have some research to do."  She stated.  She walked over to Hagrid and gave him a hug.  "Thanks for the tea Hagrid."

"Anytime Hermione."  He replied.

"Bye guys."  She said turning to Harry and Ron.

"Bye Hermes."  They replied in unison.

She walked slowly up the path towards the castle, that was until she knew she was out of sight from Hagrid's hut.  She dashed up the front steps and into the Entrance Hall.  She ran by a couple of confused 2nd years but paid them no heed.  She approached Erin breathing heavily.

"Quaere Verum."  She said still gasping for air.

"As you wish milady."  Erin said bowing deeply as the portrait swung open.

"Draco!"  She called upon entering the Common Room.  "Draco?"  There was no sign of him.  She went to his door and softly knocked.

"Draco?  Draco are you in there?"  She asked.  She listened intently but didn't hear anything from inside the room.  Hesitantly she grasped hold of the door handle and pulled.  She poked her head inside his room.  "Draco?"  She noticed the doors leading out to he balcony were open.  She stepped out into the fading sunlight just in time to see a figure fly away on their broom.  The person was already pretty far away from the castle but Hermione instantly recognized his dark blond hair as the sun bounced off of it.

"Where are you going Draco?"  She said softly to herself.  "Where are you going?"

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          Hermione awoke the next morning feeling groggy.  She had been up most of the night worried about Draco.  She hadn't heard him come back.  She groaned, today was the first day of classes.  They had arrived at Hogwarts on Friday and thankfully had the weekend to get settled.  She picked out her school outfit and entered the bathroom hoping a hot shower would help to wake her up.  A little while later she came back out of the bathroom feeling quite refreshed and in a much better mood.  She was about to go back into her room to grab her book bag when there was a knock at the portrait.  She quickly walked over and opened it to find Professor McGonnagle waiting for her.

"Ah Ms. Granger, you and Mr. Malfoy are to have a meeting with the Headmaster today during lunch.  I expect you can pass that message on to Draco?"  She said sternly but still kind.

"Yes Professor."  Hermione replied.  McGonnagle smiled and with a nod left.

Hermione approached Draco's door.  She knocked softly.

"Draco."  She asked cautiously.  She heard some commotion from inside the room.  It sounded like doors being opened.  "Draco?"  She asked again.  Still no response.  She opened the door and glanced inside.

"Oh my god, Draco."  She said.  He was leaning heavily against one of the bedposts and there were many cuts and bruises tainting his usually flawless face.  Blood flowed from his mouth and down the front of his robes.  She rushed to his side and grabbed him around the waist as she helped him to sit on the floor.  His usually piercing eyes were clouded and his gaze was far off and distant.

"Draco."  She said taking his head in her hands making his gaze meet hers.  "Draco what happened?"  She stared into his eyes; it was eerie how empty they looked, totally devoid of emotion.

"Leave me alone."  He said softly.

"What?"  Hermione asked tears stinging her eyes.

"You have to leave me alone.  He'll come after you."  He continued.

"Who?  Who will come after me Draco?"  She replied as a tear traced its way down her cheek.

"One of them.  I don't know which.  You have to leave Hermione.  I can't lose you."  He said.  The last sentence was barely a whisper.  He reached up and cupped her face with his hand, wiping away a few tears with his thumb.  "Please you have to trust me.  Just go."  He said pulling away.  She nodded trying to hold back her tears.  Slowly she stood up and exited the room taking one last glance back at him.  She smiled knowing that the great rush of emotion that had just flowed through her heart was true.  He was fighting his evil ways.  He was beginning to love.

A/N:  Ok well there you go.  But don't think they're gonna just start having love sessions.  That's not the way the fo shizzle goes down in this bizzle.  Um right sorry.  Anyway thanks again to everyone who reviewed.  Especially ~Paris~ Thanks!  Well read and review.  It's 2:00 AM; I'm going to bed.