-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

When My Heart Tore To Pieces

By Queen of Serpents

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

Chapter Two: Fire

"Tell me it all," Granger said, tucking a lock of frizzy brown hair behind her ear as she looked at me expectantly.

"Tell you what?" I asked her not really knowing what she wanted from me.

"Tell about what happened when your heart tore to pieces..." she elaborated.

Should I tell her, my mind pondered as her demand was processed in my mind. I wanted to. Hermione Granger was one of those girls that you just wanted to pour everything that's on your mind out to. It was mainly because of her nagging, persistent personality or the fact she was understanding. Probably the first girl I ever felt that was. However she was also an annoying know-it-all and she hadn't changed.

"Not today," I said my voice still a little hoarse from crying like a sissy a few minutes ago. I couldn't believe I cried in front of her. Merlin she won't even let me live this down. "I'm not ready," I added after looking at her. Maybe saying that would get her to shut up for a while.

There was silence after that, just as I thought there would be. Outside the rain was pouring heavily pounding on the rocks and the earth. Drip, drip, drip. She started a fire with her wand in a manner of seconds and transfigured her hair band into a blanket which she wrapped herself in and closed her eyes.

"All right. Tell me when you're ready," she said her eyes still closed. "I'll be waiting," she added.

And then there was another silence and I was left sitting there watching her sleep. Her chest rose and fell softly. The fire was casting a shadow on her making her eyelashes seem longer than reality, which were touching her cheeks. Her blanket was drawn all the way up to her chin, her hand clutching a fistful of it to keep the cold breeze from outside to not freeze her.

Her mind was elsewhere in a world only her subconscious knew where and I was left sitting there with pictures of her still sprawled around me. I stood up and picked each of them one by one, anger swelling deep within me as I saw her blood red lips curve into a smirk. I tossed them all into the fire, watching the edges of the photos crumble up and burn into ashes.

I stayed leaning against the stone cave wall. The warmth of the fire was too far away to have any affect on me making my nose sting and my eyes teary. My teeth chattered without my control. My eyes were open, yet I could see nothing except for the orange fire in front of me, blazing and roaring, trying to keep going without the wind from outside to keep it from blowing out. It was seizing all the oxygen it can consume in order to keep going. Orange fire. Blue fire.

That was another thing that reminded me of her. Must everything I see have to do with her? Why can't I be able to forget?

My eyes were opened yet unseeing. My mind trying to concentrate on the outside world, trying my best to not think. However that only led me to thinking more and that thinking led to the person who I wanted to forget. However she kept resurfacing as many times as I block her out.

-:-

"Dray," said she. An evil woman. Beautiful in only ways that man's deepest darkest corner would want. A Temptress, a Seductress. The Serpent itself had given birth to her it was said. Yet I knew it was not true, however seeing her with my own eyes I wished to believe it. No human could possibly give birth to such evil. Even the Dark Lord was in awe with her.

She called me. Albeit that was not my name, and when others would call me such, I would have hexed them to the next century, hearing her say it was fine by me. Dray, how cold it sounded to my ears, yet how much I longed to hear her say them. It took me years to find such a person as her. Years for someone to match my skills. The woman in front of me even surpassed them.

"See the fire?" she said, her lips brushing against my ear, sending a tingling of desire to ripple deep within me. I wished to throw her on the bed which lay but a meter away from us, but my eyes were directed at the fire blazing before me out of the mouth of a dragon. The one my ancestors passed on from generation to generation and down to me. The last of the Malfoys. The fire was red. Pure red. Not orange or yellow. Not even a hint of blue. It was pure red.

It used to be blue before. Blue-white. Almost silver. The color of the Malfoys.

"Yes," I growled as her nails raked over my bare chest. It felt as though the fire was being charred into my skin by her fingers. I put my hands over them and felt them burn.

"The Fire, my Dragon," she purred, her breath icy, deep contrast to her flaming fingers. "The Fire burns Red, but soon Dragon, when the world shall bow to the Dark Lord it shall become a mighty Black," she informed me. I turned my head to the side so that my eyes were able to search into her dark black ones. I could almost see those black flames in her eyes. Scary, but a good thing. Such that would arouse me so much, I would loose my self-control.

"All Black, Dray," she said, leaning forward so that her lips were brushing against mine. "Black... As darkness."

-:-

Now seeing this raging fire going from red orange to blue, I imagined the red flames turn into black and wished it never would happen. Silvery blue flames were burned into my closed eyelids and I sunk down into my knees, and slept. Unknown to me, a blanket was draped over my shoulders. The warmth of it stopped my body from shaking. The memory had caused my eyes to sting before my mind was drifting off to the land of dreams. A tear was brushed away by a soft hand. Gentle lips touched my cheek. Brown eyes looked at me in concern before they too closed.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

I was awaken by a noise. A slither and a hiss. Opening my eyes I looked around for Granger. Her blanket was on the floor beside the fire that had gone out. Smoke still lingered in the air. I blinked my eyes and looked stealthily around. Granger. Where is she? I thought.

I stood, carefully as to not make a sound and crept toward the mouth of the cave. It was dark outside still but the sky was red towards the horizon. The moon was settling back down to rest, shrinking back from the fiery gaze of the sun. The trees were dotted with water droplets. The ground was damp and there were a few puddles here and there. Water dripped from the tops of the caves. A bird chirped in the distance and soon it's mate returned the call and folks of birds soared into the air.

The hissing persisted. My worry increased. Where was Granger? She shouldn't have left. I turned back and stomped on the remaining coals used for the fire and picked up Granger's blanket and mine as well. Where had it come from? I don't remember transfiguring a blanket.

I left that thought alone and picked up our pack, slinging it over my shoulder. My wand was outstretched and I headed outside to look for her. She couldn't have gone far.

I heard another hiss and furrowed my elegant brows in concentration. The hiss didn't seem like any ordinary snake. Something was amiss.

I ventured out into the forest trying my best to not step on the water puddles as to not make a sound. "Granger," I called out softly. Where could she have gone?

The slithering continued. And then a voice. Smooth yet with hisses. It reminded me a lot like the Dark Lord's voice. Could it be? Is he here? Is he looking for me? For us?

I shook my head and walked further. Straining my ears to listen for any sound that would make me sure Granger was there. I'd think about the voices later. Right now I needed to look for her. What if she's in danger?

"Did you sssssee them?" Hissed someone not too far away. I was concealed by a bush yet my eyes scanned the area for the source of the sound.

"No. Masster ssshant be very pleased," said another. It was a female's voice. Eerily sexy and enchanting. I shook my head and tried to see through the leaves in order to see the couple.

I saw them. One was a woman. Gorgeous in blonde flowing hair and deep blue eyes. They were stony and sharp. I couldn't look at them for too long. Her breasts were bare, her long hair covering them. And below? I couldn't see. Were they naked? The man was well built yet sleek and slender. Almost snakelike.

"I ssssmell sssomething," said he.

I panicked. Did they sense I was here? And where was Granger? Should I show myself or keep looking for her. I won't be able to find her unless I yell out her name. But doing that would make me known. What if the two were hostile people?

"A mudblood," he continued. I let out a sigh of relief. They didn't sense me.

"That way," the woman said pointing her finger to the opposite direction. They began to go that way, away from me. I let out a breath I must have been holding and resumed my search for Granger. Why couldn't she just wake me and tell me she was leaving? Did she ditch me?

I shook my head. Our food provisions were with me. She couldn't have ditched me. Maybe she was in trouble. And who were the two people looking for?

Where they looking for us?

Suddenly it all made sense. Of course they were looking for us. Who else could it be. They said mudblood.

Oh no. What if they found her? What would they do?

I ran towards them as fast as I could. I couldn't let them get to her. I couldn't. If something were to happen to her...

I didn't finish the thought. Merlin would it have been better if I had my broom right now. Too bad all I have are my two feet. I ran as fast as I could, towards the direction the two odd people were talking about. There was a trail there but I decided not to take it. Perhaps Granger was inside the forest. Maybe going that way would be a shortcut. I hoped to Merlin it would.

I got cut by a branch. A screw this! I yelled out mentally, dabbing my finger in the blood. It was a little cut but it hurt.. Still I pressed on, determined to find Granger and make sure she was safe. My feet were drenched in water and mud. Stains were soiling my expensive robes but I didn't care. I had to get to her.

I heard water flowing. A stream perhaps?

Finally I reached it. It was a stream like I thought it was. Why did she come here? To get water perhaps? I heard the splashing of water and saw the silhouette of a figure in the distance. It was still dark around here. The sky a little rosy but the tops of the trees cut off the little sunlight there was.

I heard the hisses of the two people I met earlier. They were coming. I ran over to the figure, grabbed the person's hand and dragged her into a nearby bush not even looking at the person's face.

"You bloody bastard!" I heard the familiar voice of Hermione Granger say. "How dare---"

I silenced her with a hand over her mouth and looked deep into her eyes. She was angry but I didn't know why. Hell, I just saved her! Her cheeks were stained in red blotches and she was shivering so I brought her close to me so she wouldn't go away. Her skin was smooth, my mind absently reflected.

She didn't know that the two people were coming. We had to keep quiet. Unfortunately she didn't get the message and began to hiss through her teeth trying to push me away. I glared at her and put a finger to my lip after I heard the woman's voice.

"Clothesss," she said. Clothes? I wondered. Where did the clothes come from?

I then looked down at Granger, widened my eyes and closed them at once. No wonder she was angry. But I couldn't do anything now. I tried not to look at her, but the damage was done. I saw her. I felt the color rising to my cheeks and looked straight ahead at the couple trying to take my mind off of Granger being naked. I could feel her body pressed into mine now. Every curve and angle since I held her tight as to not let her move.

She was silent watching straight ahead as was I. I couldn't move. And it wasn't at the thought of being caught by the two people, but at being caught seeing Granger naked. How embarrassing. Yet I couldn't keep my mind off. Her hair was dripping with water and my robes were soaked. She changed. She looked so se...

I didn't finish the thought.

"They must be nearby," said the man. It was still dark and I couldn't see them clearly. However I did make out one strange thing. They had only one leg. And it was trailing behind them.

And then I realized why they were hissing like snakes.

"Homodrakes," Hermione Granger whispered in awe. I wondered how she was able to talk and realized I must have snatched my hand away when I realized I held her nude.

"Homodrakes?" I whispered back. "What are homodra--"

I couldn't continue. The woman's blue eyes were fixed around the place we were hiding. Her nostrils flared and then she slithered forward. Her bottom half was the body of a snake's. Her upper half was that of a human. A Snake-woman. "Homo" Latin for human. And "drake" Latin for snake. She was half-snake and half-human. I remembered now. They were the Dark Lord's new experiment. I remember hearing Ruby's plans for them but never knew they were able to create them. Now I knew. And the two of them were coming straight at us.

I felt Granger's body tremble and I held her close. I held my breath and raised my wand ready to attack if they got near. I didn't want to show myself. If they were to see me and get away, they'd report that back to the Dark Lord and a whole troop of his men would come to get me. I had enough problems as it is. I couldn't afford being caught and neither can Granger.

I felt Granger's hands clutch the front of my robes. The Homodrake's presence were unnerving. I could feel my blood running cold and then hot in my veins. The female Homodrake opened her mouth, it's fangs dripping venom. She didn't see us yet.

Suddenly she stopped moving and drew back.

"Masster isss calling," said her companion.

She hissed back and then retreated. "Yess. We musst go."

And within moments they vanished. The sun was high up in the sky now, brightening up the area by the stream. Hermione's clothes were left by the edge of the water and I released her from my grip as though she were fire. I turned my head.

"I'm sor--sorry about that," I said, finding it hard to apologize. "If I had known..." I drifted off not knowing what else to say. Her cheeks were still red with heat, I was able to see with the corner of my eye. I handed her the blanket she had left in the cave and she snatched it from my hand.

I closed my eyes as she turned and I waited for her to get dressed. The both of us were silent the whole time. I was unable to take my mind off of something I shouldn't be thinking about. Curse the gods for landing me in such a predicament.