A/N: Once again I would like to thank everyone who is reading this. It's harder than I imagined to write a fic and see it through to the end so; it's nice to know some people are following it. Also thank you so much to my reviewers!
I have had the ending planned right from the start and so I think there should be one or two more chapters until I reach the end. I will try and make chapter sixteen long.
I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The deafening sound of silence filled the room momentarily as the two students stared helplessly out of the window. Tearing his eyes away from the falling whiteness, Draco looked down at the Gryffindor girl. There were tears silently falling from her eyes as panic gripped her stomach and a feeling of helplessness overcame her.
"Shh," he whispered, gently wiping away her tears, "don't worry".
"What do you mean don't worry?" She shouted, "a girl's going to be murdered and there is nothing we can do about it! Don't tell me not to worry!" The head girl fell to her knees helplessly and after a second, the Slytherin prince knelt down beside her, taking a hold of her hand, comforting her with reassuring words.
"If only I could have seen her face," she mumbled in a much quieter voice, "we could have warned her". She remained silent, many what ifs going through her mind. And then, amongst all the futile thoughts, something occurred to her, she looked up at the blonde boy, and after a moments contemplation she asked quietly, "the man in my dream… I'm sure it was your father, but what could the girl have possibly done to him to make him kill her?
He shrugged carelessly, however, as he subconsciously processed the question through him mind, he remembered something his father once said, and a look of horror replaced the boys previously calm features.
Flashback.
"I could kill you now… but what's the fun in that?" He snarled, not releasing his son from the curse until he had said all he had to, "first I'm going to take away everything you have, kill everyone you love, until on the inside you are nothing more than a burnt out fire. Then, I will torture you to such extremities, you will be begging me to kill you and let your torment be over." He snarled, "Do you really think you can refuse the Dark Lord and get away with it, you are a disgrace Draco, you are no son of mine".
End of Flashback.
Draco looked up at Hermione, the words, "kill everyone you love," resounding in his ears.
He leapt up from where they were sitting, "I need to talk to McGonagall," he explained, rushing around in an attempt to find his wand. "Stay here".
"I'm coming with you," the brown-eyed Gryffindor insisted, standing up from the window, and wiping her tear stained face.
"NO!" he shouted, then continued in a shaky voice, "You're safer here. Promise me you won't leave this room until I get back".
"But…"
"Promise me!" He insisted.
The girl could see something in his eyes she had never seen before. Fear. She nodded reluctantly and watched as he ran out of the room in order to find a teacher.
Draco had never been so scared in his whole life. Scared of loosing the one thing he truly cared for. Hermione. He knew his heart controlled his actions now, and he would do anything to protect her. He was adamant to keep her out of harms way.
If only he knew, his actions were doing the exact opposite.
And as Draco Malfoy rushed down the long dimly lit corridor in order to change what seemed to be fated, he played into the hands of inevitability. He did not notice the other shadow, which walked behind his, nor did he notice the hand reach out from behind him until it was too late. He felt the cold fingers wrap around his mouth and another hand taking hold of his neck, restricting his breathing. The blonde boy attempted to struggle free, however every time he did, the fingers around his neck tightened.
He could do nothing as the figure dragged him backwards, deeper into the shadows of Hogwarts school.
Thinking fast the boy made a reach for his wand, however, before his fingers had even entered his pocket something sharp struck him on the back of the head, causing him to fall to the floor, momentarily blinded with pain. As he lifted a shaking hand up to his skull, warm blood spilled onto his hands, staining the crisp white of his shirt sleeve to a brilliant crimson.
Using up the last of his strength, he made a futile attempt to scream out, however his cries were wasted in the empty space around him. As Draco Malfoy collapsed hard on the cold concrete floor, he could have sworn he heard laughter.
A hooded figure stood silently next to the unconscious form of Draco Malfoy, he looked down upon him, a pretentious smirk resting on his lips. Lucius had offered his son more power than he could have dreamed of, and the ungrateful little bastard ruined everything. He lowered his hood glaring down at his son; he had waited a long time for this… and now, he planned to enjoy every second of his torment.
He glared down at his only son and heir and snarled, as though he were looking at something filthy stuck on the bottom of his boot. "Wake up boy," he commanded having lost all patience, "you're ruining my schedule," and with this he kicked him carelessly, waking him from his unconsciousness.
The blond boy blinked hard, trying to work out where he was; he made an attempt to sit up, but a sharp pain surged through him and he instantly flung a hand up to his head, in an attempt to stop it from throbbing. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain was intensified with every move and yet despite all this, he kept the outer composure, which he had been taught. In his fathers presence there was one rule, and one rule only. Never show weakness.