Chapter Five
Draco ducked behind the tall mahogany tree, panting. What the fuck? He wailed furiously. What was I thinking! Then a small voice said from the back of his head, oh but you liked it very much… It said evilly. Draco shuddered violently. Thank God he ran away just in time. If anyone, even that filthy mudblood, saw him commit the deed, he would simply die.
"That was disgusting." He said briskly, wrinkling his nose in deep disgust.
What he had been thinking, he didn't know. He arranged his memories in his head, going over them. He couldn't sleep, so he took a walk all around Hogwarts. When he was almost finished completing his semi-circle of the lake on the fourth time, somebody was standing there, close to the water. As Draco neared, he saw her. The girl's hair was rippling gently behind her. She was huddled on herself, her face pressed slightly towards the lake. Draco neared and looked at the girl's face. Her eyes were closed, and there was a nostalgic smile on her mouth. She looked so peaceful that Draco was actually a bit freaked out. No one is supposed to look like that. He thought. He then had smirked to himself, thinking that it was this was the girl's lucky night. He, the Great Draco Malfoy, had found her attractive. She's actually quite pretty, he thought.
Then as he moved for the closing kill, he realized with a start that the girl standing in front of him was none other that Hermione Mudblood Granger, Hogwart's official bitch in residence. His hands froze in front of her face. Draco expected to belch, but to his surprise, his hands had moved with a mind of their own. He ran his hand across her neck, running his other hand down her waist. Draco pressed himself snugly as he heard her sigh and lean against him. Draco lowered his head to her neck, intending to start sucking on her pale, smooth skin. It was a bit of a fetish to him, actually. As he was descending, he thought, this is Hermione Granger! But he brushed it away.
Then Hermione suddenly pushed against him, scrambling away as fast as she can. With a muttered curse, Draco ran towards the trees, pumping his long legs as fast as they could carry him. When he looked back, he saw Hermione oddly looking at the spot that he was on a mere three seconds ago. He was a fast runner. Then Hermione turned, running back towards the castle.
Draco shuddered again, lifting his hands to his face. He pressed them against his cheeks. They were hot. He thought of his father, who would kill him if he knew. Draco winced subconsciously. He still had several bruises hidden underneath his solid black robes. My poor, otherwise flawless body… A small voice said in the back of his head, and Draco subconsciously nodded in reply. Poor Mum, he thought vaguely. Though he thought that she was nothing more than a weak, insignificant woman, he still winced for her with every shuddering blow that his father had showered upon her back. Oh she had tried to express her love for him, but Draco adored his father. He was always right, after all. Women were only mere possessions of men. A woman's place was in the man's bed.
And if she wasn't, then a good beating should serve her just fine.
Draco turned and started back to the castle. All this thinking of women crying out loud in pain had given him a hard-on. He tried to forget about the mudblood encounter. He looked forward to seeing Pansy again tonight.
Students' clatter filled Harry's ears as he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny waded their way through the winding streets of Hogsmeade.
"Oh, I've never been here! Let's try here for once!" Ginny said beside him, pointing to a two story brick tavern.
"Oh I suppose something different would be nice." Hermione said, already starting off towards it, Ginny hot on her heels.
Ron shot Harry a dark look.
"Looks girly to me..." He said.
Harry shrugged and followed the girls slowly. They passed by several shops before their destination. At one shop, Seamus and Dean were gushing excitedly into a broom shop, though Harry suspected that the only reason they were in it in the first place was the pretty girl behind the counter.
Harry was about to go in with the others when he spotted something suspicious.
"Come on mate." Ron beckoned to him from inside the tavern.
"I'll join you in just a moment." He waved distractedly, his eyes following the back of a blonde head that was weaving hurriedly through the crowd. Harry knew in his gut that it was Lucius. He was moving fast, and Harry banged into a few people as he started to jog.
"Hey! Watch it punk, or I'm a bust you're freakin brains out! Freakin-" A girl immaculately dressed in black with a hundred rings on one ear and none on the other bellowed to him, shaking her fist which had a tattoo of a naked girl.
"Sorry!" Harry called back then did a double take. He turned his head to find the girl again, but she had vanished. Harry gave himself a little shake and searched for the blonde head again. Luckily, just when he thought he had lost it, a blonde head emerged from a store and hurried again to the direction that Harry was heading. There were a lot of blondes, but Harry knew in his gut that this was the one. Harry ducked behind a barrel as the head looked back, then he crouched rapidly to gain on Lucius. Harry didn't know why he was following Lucius, but he felt that if he didn't follow, he'd be missing out on something. Something big. Harry caught sight of the man's head as it went ducked into the alleyway behind Hog's Head. Harry hesitated, then cautiously followed. The alleyway was empty. Harry's ears started to ring. He felt his chest tightened.
"Shit... " He muttered under his breath.
As he turned, it was just in time to see to see an arrow rocketing straight towards his heart.
Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
Harry swam in the darkness, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, feeling nothing. He was nothing. Then one tiny circle of light opened before him. He didn't have a body. He was just a mass. But Harry started running towards it. How and why didn't exist in this world. There was just nothing. But Harry ran.
What happens next
What happens next
Harry ran towards the light in a never ending tunnel. As he passed by, manic laughing reverberated all throughout, echoing mercilessly. He turned his head and saw that skulls adorned the walls. He saw without seeing, he heard without hearing. Then he felt the darkness swallow him. Fear clutched his heart. He was losing.
Dare you to move
I dare you to move
Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
Harry heard voices calling to him, taunting him as he ran towards the light. Sinister laughter echoed by manic screams hurled at him from every direction. He felt his chest tighten, his lungs heaving. Then he felt nothing.
I dare you to move
Dare you to move
Like it did never happen
It did never happen before…
Harry once more feebly opened his eyes. The light was so far away… he reached his handless hands towards it.
Welcome to the far out
If only he could reach it…
Welcome to existence
Just a little more…
Tension is here
Tension is here
Harry was weakening…
Between who you are and who you could be…
Between how it is and how it should be…
His life flashed before him. His parents, the Dursleys, Ron and Ginny, Cho…. Hermione….
Dare you to move
I dare you to move
Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
Faster, ever so faster. Cho, Ron, Ginny, Hermione. Ron, Ginny, Hermione. Cho. Hermione. Ron. Hermione.
Dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like it did never happen
It did never happen
The images were so fast that Harry couldn't even see them anymore. Just felt them. Then darkness swallowed him whole once again. A strange feeling of peace and contentment settled over him, and Harry began to close his eyes softly.
Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right by you found
Where can you want to escape from yourself
Harry felt the peace and contentment settle over him, and he was happy. The light was very far away now…
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here…
Before he could close his eyes, the light suddenly shone brighter. It was a fire raging, filling the darkness with immeasurable warmth
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
Fire raged through him, burning his very core. Ice flowed through his veins, freezing his soul.
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like it did never happen
It did never happen
It did never happen
It did never happen before…..
The light had filled the darkness. Blinding, hot light. Deafening noise. Throat wrenching shouts. Harry opened his eyes. He was alive.
Harry opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he saw was Hermione's worried face hovering just above his.
"He's awake!" She shrieked.
Ron came into view, then Ginny, and soon there were a dozen faces that swam in front of his face.
"Oy! You kids get out of there! He needs his peace!" A woman's voice echoed through his sluggish consciousness.
"Get well soon, Harry…" Hermione's voice swam in his head before he sank back into unconsciousness.
"It was lucky she was there." Ron said.
"Yeah. Harry was actually dead when she got to him, right? No spell to take back the dead…" Hermione whispered.
Ginny nodded silently.
That Akira had brought Harry back to life was no secret. Hermione had whipped from the tavern when she heard the shouts, Ron and Ginny beside her. When she had gotten out onto the street, a dozen kids had already circled Harry. Why he was in the alleyway Hermione did not know. She had started towards him. When she got to him, McGonagall was already beside him, gesturing for everyone to get back. Hermione fell beside her with a cry when she saw the arrow protruding from his chest. McGonagall looked as if she herself was about to cry. A low buzz had filled Hermione's eyes as the first tears fell. Beside her the professor was muttering over and over.
"He's dead. He's dead. He's dead. Oh God, Dumbledore… He's dead…" McGonagall slumped.
Then there was a shout, and students began backing off. Hermione looked up through a veil of tears to see Akira kneel beside her, her hands on Harry's chest. She began chanting, and to Hermione's eyes, a strange glow had begun to surround her. Hermione squinted. Akira was dimly glowing. Then there was a cough, and Hermione looked as Harry gave a great cough, then the arrow just… disintegrated… into a million bright lights that trailed slowly up into the sky. Then McGonagall was on her feet, bringing Harry with her wand towards Hogwarts. He was still unconscious, but the arrow was gone, and so was the gaping hole on his chest. Hermione shook her head in confusion. She had no chance to ask Akira. As soon as Dumbledore got out from Harry's ward, he had whisked the girl away. Half a week later, Harry was still unconscious, and Akira was nowhere to be seen. And for some reason, Draco was fuming. She had seen him walk around red in the face, muttering and snapping angrily to his friends. Hermione shook her head. Ron and Ginny waited silently with her outside the hospital wing. It was soon expected that Harry wake up for good. They were all waiting eagerly.
The door slowly opened. Madam Pomfrey slowly put her head out.
"He's awake. But not the three of you together; he's still a bit weak." She said.
Ron waited for Hermione.
"No, you both go ahead." She whispered.
They both nodded and went in. Hermione stood alone outside, wringing her hands. She felt very nervous. And scared. There was no doubt in her mind that she loved him. Loved him for so long. But he didn't know. In the past, it was Hermione herself who had helped Harry patch up his relationship with Cho. It was her who had swallowed her anger and jealousy, remaining to be his friend. She knew that Ron liked her… But Ron will never be Harry. And Harry… well, Hermione knew that he was still in love with Cho Chang.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave…" She muttered to herself.
"Oh, how right you ever are!" drawled a voice behind her.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" She hissed as she turned.
"Nothing at all whatsoever! I was just passing by, when I noticed the stench. I figured you were nearby." He replied, gesturing to the air and wrinkling his nose. Then he sneered at her.
"Stuff it. Why don't you just get a life?" Hermione said angrily. She was nearing her limit.
"But I enjoy putting filthy icky mudbloods into their rightful places. If I had my way, your sniveling kind wouldn't even exist in the first place. I'll wipe every single one of you till the air we Purebloods breathe is actually clean." He said slowly, rubbing every single word to her.
Hermione felt her face tighten. That was too much.
"Why you pale faced, skinny little piece of shit!" She hissed. Draco blinked. "You think you're so much better? Just look at your ugly, sickly face, why don't you! Just look at yourself! No body loves you, Malfoy! You're father would kill you if Voldermort just so implies it! Your mother doesn't give a fuck, so long as it doesn't overly concern her! And every one of your so called friends would as soon as stab you in the back if they thought it would get them somewhere. You're pathetic, Malfoy. You're born alone, you'll live alone, and you'll die alone. So why don't you just do us a favor and kill yourself?" She hissed at him, her face red.
Draco just stood there, staring at her. He blinked several times.
"Why you little bitch…" He muttered, starting towards her.
Hermione raised her chin. She was not afraid of him. Malfoy pressed himself against her, pushing her all the way to the wall. Hermione could feel him shaking with anger. His face was red, and his eyes were murderous. Under her robes, she gripped her wand tightly. Hermione had never been so close to Malfoy, and despite the situation, she had time to notice that the color of his eyes were very startling. They were a vivid ice blue.
Then without another word, he whirled off, cloaks billowing behind him. It was Hermione's turn to blink several times.
"Well, he's feeling a bit better now." Ron announced as the door swung fully open. Ginny trailed after him.
Hermione nodded and went in.
"Hermione..." Harry gave a weak smile from where he lay down.
Hermione smiled in return, standing quietly beside him. Then Harry took her hand in his, and gave a weak squeeze. Then almost immediately, his eyes began to close. He opened them hastily, but almost at once they started to inch down again. He muttered something incoherently.
Hermione nodded in understanding. He was too weak yet. There had been some unknown poison on the arrowhead. To think it actually pierced his chest. She shuddered and put the thought away. She gave his hand a small squeeze, then went out the door, leaving Harry muttering in his sleep already.
End of Chapter