A/N: Hi all - at last! An update! I'm slowly updating all my current fics because I miss doing them so much! I've just not been able to find the time of late which gets me down...much rather be writing than working! Enjoy all and thanks for the reviews as always!
Draco Apparated straight into the Dark Lord's chamber with a little too much force. He stumbled forwards clumsily and tripped on an old, moth eaten, browning rug that lay in front of where Voldemort sat near the fireplace.
Draco lost his footing and fell to his knees, the roar of the fire before him coming dangerously close to his face. He could feel the burn on his skin but tried to ignore it as his humility wore away.
"Welcome Mr. Malfoy," the same, sinister snare came, the Dark Lord emphasizing the 's' in mister so he sounded more like a snake than ever. "So glad you could join me tonight. Didn't pull you from anything pressing, did I?"
Draco looked up at him, detecting an unfriendly tone in his voice although undoubtedly subtle. Draco chose to ignore it and put all his energy into pushing Hermione from his mind and filling with lesser, more horrifying thoughts of Pansy or Millicent instead.
"No, my Lord. Of course not," Draco replied, standing up, his frame casting a broad shadow over the twisted face of his Master.
"Good," Voldemort relied, looking up at the young Malfoy, his face hidden by shadow. He put his hands together in his lap before speaking. "Sit."
Draco obeyed without a word, stepping backwards until his legs found the edge of the chair and he sat down without so much as a backward glance. Draco looked straight ahead at the Dark Lord, his silver grey eyes attempting to penetrate him, trying to see what he saw.
"What is your biggest fear Draco?" Lord Voldemort asked him clearly after a small silence. His eyes bored into Draco as he awaited his answer.
Draco furrowed his brow slightly, trying desperately to keep Hermione from his mind and what had just occurred between them and why. His biggest fear was the death of a Mudblood – how could he possibly explain that to Voldemort?
"I fear failing you my Lord," Draco replied as mechanically as he could.
"Liar," Voldemort replied quietly, still watching him intently.
This struck Draco for he was not expecting such a response. He did not know what to say so he panicked. Was he now about to be murdered? Did the Dark Lord know everything that had been gripping him day and night, threatening to ruin him and his reputation.
"You fear nothing Draco," Voldemort replied, saving Draco of trying to think of a good reply before he was struck down dead on this grubby, foul stone floor.
"You do not fear failing because you know that whatever you do, you shall excel one way or another. Failure is the last thing on your mind. You fear me to some extent but no where near as much as you should. You do not fear your father because you have lost all respect for him. You do not fear your own death because you feel you have nothing and no-one to live for but there is something inside you Draco, a burning, righteous anger that you fight day and night. It is for a female."
Draco looked at Voldemort and feared more than he ever had in his life. He felt the sweat begin to form on his brow, be it from his enormous fear or the ferocity of the fire beside him. He gulped and his throat was dry. Hermione. Oh Hermione.
"You've disliked that Mudblood since the day you met her. You did not know her, know anything about her but the fact she was impure and disgraceful was enough to fuel your hatred for her. A Deatheater at eleven. Glorious," Voldemort reveled, looking at Draco which could be described as pride but what Draco found downright horrifying.
"This Hermione," Voldemort continued, saying her name as if he had the most terrible taste in his mouth. "Is she in some of your classes?"
"She is," Draco replied quietly. "Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts." Draco wanted to die at the mention of that lesson, one which he would never be going to again.
"How would you describe her attitude to you?" Voldemort pressed.
"She hates me with all the fire of Hell," Draco replied somewhat sadly because he knew it was the truth.
"Draco, I believe in you. You are showing such high potential to do practically anything. I haven't quite tightened my plan yet for my transition back into the wizarding world but when I do, you will be by my side Draco Malfoy. And you will be my ally in the downfall of Harry Potter."
Draco looked at him. The words were finally arriving, his fate. His destiny. His probable downfall too.
"Befriend Hermione Granger in the best, most unsuspecting way you can. Do it wisely, do it slowly, do it without attention. Get her trust in anyway you can. Get her love if possible for love blinds even the smartest and most powerful wizards. Do it properly Draco and it will be the best thing you can do. Confuse the girl and lead Potter to me. He will follow for his jealously and loathing shall will him. Trust me, trust yourself. Trust no-one else."
Draco was fighting the urge to cry for the first time in his life. Never had he been put in such a position. To betray the only person he ever truly felt something for. He could see her face so clearly in his mind when she found out it was all a charade to just gain Harry all along. He couldn't face knowing the hurt she'd feel, it was unbearable.
But at the same time, the Dark Lord had practically told him to go out with her. Get her love if possible…now that was something Draco could willingly do. If only it wasn't to lead to such destruction.
"Yes, my Lord. You shall be pleased with my progress when we next meet," Draco replied.
"No doubt I will. Till next time Draco," Voldemort said slowly and Draco knew it was time to leave.
He stood up and pulled his wand from his robes. Just as he began to Apparate back to Hogwarts, he watched as Nagini slid her disgusting, black green shiny body under his vacated chair and to Voldemort's feet.
Merlin, he loathed that snake.