Draco knew it would happen. Hell, everyone could see it. He tried to warn her, her and her stubborn friends. Dumbledore had died trying to save something that was already dead and lost. The golden three still lived, and he was thankful for that. She knew how he felt about her, he told her just before she left. Before she had left for the war. Open battle. Luckily, no harm had really come to her. Yes, he had warned her. He had warned them all.
Maybe if he could persuade his father and Lord Voldemort to keep her alive... Maybe if he could convince her to see that this way was better. It would be hard, considering she was Muggle-born, but he would try his damndest." She could surely be kept alive if...
If she was useful.
Draco had made up his mind to go and talk to his father. It was a truly horrifying thing to do, but he would do it. He lo... Well, he knew how he felt and so did she. However, before talking to his father, he would go to talk to her. He went to the main hall that used to be for dining. The Death Eaters had put groups of children, regardless of house or age, caged and barely clothed; like animals. Draco didn't like it, mostly because it felt inhuman and because they were filthy. He had a good idea of what she looked like. They treated the Golden Three worse of all. Hell, they had their own cage together. Truly a pitiful sight. Especially the Golden Boy himself.
However, when he walked in the hall, a most disturbing sight met him. His father, Snape, and Voldemort were talking around their cage. That of course couldn't be good. He walked up keeping his expression clearly bored and his tone neutral.
"Milord," he said, with a bow to Voldemort. "Father, Severus." He bowed again to his elders it was protocol really. Besides, his godfather really wasn't as evil as he seemed.
He looked up to see the corners of Lord Voldemort's mouth turn up. The oddest thing Draco found was staring at a white haired Tom Marlovo Riddle. Voldemort had regained his human physical appearance. Even though he looked human, one could easily tell he was inhuman. Cruelty practically bred into his facial features and voice. His Lord scared him.
"Draco," said Lord Voldemort, his voice chilling Draco. "How nice to see you."
"As you, Milord," responded Draco, with a polite incline of his head.
"What brings you here?" asked his father.
Draco glanced at him and saw only mild curiosity, even though he felt that calculating stare of Snape. Sometimes, his godfather didn't know how to keep his large nose out of things.
"I've come to make these filthy peasants useful." He looked down his nose at them in the cage.
It was no surprise that Harry and Ron glared at him. Hermione, huddled up in her corner with just a mere throw rug covering her, looked resigned to her fate. He hated her looking that way and had to fight hard not to look sad.
"Useful?" inquired Snape, with a raised an eyebrow as he glanced at them.
"My slave, godfather," clarified Draco. For the oddest reason, he felt a strong foreboding telling him he shouldn't have even asked. Draco gripped his wrist behind his back to restrain a noticeable sign of apprehension.
"Which would you have?" asked Lord Voldemort.
Draco couldn't help but looked surprised at him. It was very rare Lord Voldemort indulged in anyone, and shamefully, he felt pride at being thought special.
"That one," he said, as he pointed blatantly to the brunette girl.
"The Mudblood?" asked his father, as he wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"What for?" questioned Snape, with a look at Hermione in distaste.
Draco felt anger well up in him but knew better than to show it. Besides, it appeared Lord Voldemort would very much like to know his answer.
"Whatever I please," he drawled, with a casual glance at the cage.
He saw both that Gryffindor boys shook with rage. Draco even saw Hermione trying her best not to break down. Draco had no idea what he felt like to only be thought of as property, and maybe not even worth that. Nevertheless, he never felt worse in his life. Not even when he hadn't let them escape. He knew better than to let them go. Death Eaters would only kill them when they found them, and they would've been found. Here, at least they had a more likely chance of living. Maybe only just, but living still the same.
It seemed, that the answer pleased Lord Voldemort because he smiled. Draco squeezed his wrist behind his back harder because the smile never ceased to horrify him.
"Well, I've been planning this for some time," began Lord Voldemort. "It seems the time has come. Just as I knew it would." He chuckled in Harry direction and smiled as evilly. "A contest." He clapped his hands together as someone would at dinner to say 'tuck in'.
"Oh, a contest," grinned Lucius, plainly interested.
"Yes, Lucius a contest," chuckled Lord Voldemort. "You should benefit from this as well, Severus."
Snape raised a dark eyebrow and waited for their Lord to continue.
"I think we have enough students in here to give to everyone in our society," started Lord Voldemort. "Maybe even two for a select few. This will be a challenge, starting with them." He pointed at the Golden Three's cage.
"A poison will be administered to them and every one of my children will have the antidote. However, we'll see how this goes with just you three. You," he pointed to Draco and company, "will be in your rooms continuing your day. The point is that they'll be dazed and confused stumbling about the castle for a master. Whoever administers the antidote to them becomes their master. A moonless night is necessary for this. They will be the only ones walking the halls and only certain places will be lighted. If they do not find a master..." He laughed, high pitched as if this was a normal conversation at a tea party. "They die."
"I like that," said Snape at once. "I really do." His eyes glinting as he looked in the cage.
Draco already knew who had in mind. It was so obvious, even the one he had his eye on knew it. Draco, however, smiled automatically. He'd have to find a way to make it easier for Hermione to find him. He didn't want Hermione ending up with his father or Snape. He cringed on the inside as he thought of the things they could do to her.
"I knew you would, Severus." Lord Voldemort seemed to be in good spirits. He always did whenever he caused someone pain.
Hate seemed such a weak word for what Draco felt towards him. Loathing. Antipathy. Abhorrence. None of these words could really give feeling to what Draco's emotions whenever Lord Voldemort was around or mentioned.
"I would like to try this soon," said Lucius, as he eyed each of the three brown creatures in the cage. "They would be much more entertaining than a house elf."
Draco pushed his nausea down, hoping his father wasn't implying anything.
"Did you know tonight will be moonless?" notified Lord Voldemort.
Draco felt the bile rise and in throat and tried to quell it. He looked at the cage and seen the fear in Hermione's eyes. They screamed "Help me!" at him. However, he knew he could do naught. He would be killed and so would she. He dug his fingers in his skin to keep his tears at bay. Damn he felt like the lowest scum on earth to ever be allowed to live. Truly.
"Something wrong Draco?" asked his father, as he strangely looked slightly concerned.
Draco was more than glad Lord Voldemort didn't ask him. He'd never learned Occlumency, and he knew Lord Voldemort loved to cruise inside people's minds.
"The vapours of their stench are getting to me," he complained, while he wiped his eyes with a feigned grimace.
Apparently, his father took the bait. "You are quite right. They do emit a strong foul smell." Draco bet his father's nose was wrinkled as he turned to look all around them. When he looked up, he was right.
"Perhaps we converse in a more hygienic setting," prompted Snape. "Then we can work out the finer parts of our... Little contest."
"Of course, Severus," purred Lord Voldemort. Draco learned that the Lord spoke to certain individuals he'd been intimate with a certain way. Didn't matter if he was just speaking to them formally or even if he was angry, he just had a certain way of wording things with select people.
"You're dismissed, Draco," said his Lord, with an incline of his head.
Strange, he must be really thought of to get that kind of acknowledgment. "Milord, Father, Severus." He bowed accordingly and left. He knew he couldn't think of anything by tonight. He'd just hope and wait.
He paced. His heart beated apprehensively hard and fast. Nausea felt extremely strong. Vomiting was a strong possibility as well. Draco couldn't help the cold sweat that broke out all over his body.
He knew they'd been released about three hours ago. The poison would fully kill them in four and no knock had come upon his door. Yet, he mentally said. Yet.
He waited and waited. About twenty-one minutes and seven seconds later, Draco's resolve broke. Even though he was so frightened he trembled, he grabbed the antidote and left his room. He edged along the walls and squinted in the darkness as he listened for any sounds. No one was to be around except the contestants. Come dawn, it would be determined whether the contestants found their goals. If they did not, they would search the castle for them.
He unconsciously shivered. More from fear than cold. Draco could feel the walls and darkness close around him like quick sand. Don't panic, he repeated to himself as he slowed his breathing everything now and then. He felt entirely too stupid to turn back now, and too stupid not to turn back.
Ten minutes later, Draco wanted to cry. Cry for having failed. Cry for his life, for he would surely be killed if found. Cry for Harry and Ron going through life without their friend. They had no one to love or love them. Harry's family and most of his friends were gone and dead. The same for Ron. Hermione was their support and it would his fault if she died. He restrained a sob but tears found their way down his face. He hadn't cried in years. It'd been so long, he couldn't even remember ever crying.
Suddenly, a sob not of his own making sounded. He straightened and ran quietly towards it. It sounded as though the sound was just beyond that door, a door that led to a lighted room. He dropped to the ground a few feet away to look underneath the door. He saw too bare feet stumbling around and knew it was her. His Brownie. He smiled and walked quickly to the door. He looked around and tried to open the door.
It was locked.
Draco shoved panic away mechanically. He tried the usual unlocking spell Alohamora, but it didn't work. Draco didn't even notice the tears of foreboding slide now his cheeks.
"Hermione," he said desperately, to the door.
"Draco!" He heard her scramble to the door and land against it with a light bump.
"H-H-Hermione," he sobbed, as he started lose his grip on his sanity fast.
She was breathing hard. Merlin... She wheezed. Draco sobbed openly now trying every unlocking charm and spell he could think of.
"Draco..." She sounded faintly.
Merlin, she will not die!
"Silly girl," was murmured behind the door.
Draco heard a thud and dropped to the ground. Hermione lay unconscious on the floor. Draco hadn't even heard the voice in all his panic and lunacy. He didn't even know what had happened, he only thought she fainted. Yes, she's just fainted.
He put a shielding charm on her from underneath the door and stood.
"REDUCTO!" bellowed Draco, standing obscenely close to the door.
The door was blown fully off of its hinges. Draco didn't look around he just kneeled at Hermione's side.
"Brownie." His nickname for her did not make her stir and another heart wrenching sob left him. He touched her only to find her frozen. Alarm bells rung in his head but he kept going. Besides, it was too late now and they sounded so far away... He turned her over and realised, with slow agony that she was petrified.
Someone was in the room. He had good idea who.
"Associating with a MUDBLOOD!" yelled his father. Well, Draco must've really pissed him off. No use caring now.
"Falling in love with one is just... Well it's more than obscene." Snape sure knew how to rub salt in wounds with the most force.
A hard foot kicked Draco away from Hermione and he reached out for her with a whimper, only to have his hand hexed away. He looked at the shallow cut on his hand and knew it was the beginning. The beginning of his end.
"I had heard rumours, Draco," reprimanded Voldemort. "However, I didn't believe them to be true. Nevertheless, I figured I'd wait it out and see how you behaved." The snake chuckled. The man was in far too of a good mood than he deserved for the pain he caused to others. "When you came to inquire about a slave at that cage I wondered. It really sparked my curiosity."
Voldemort walked around into the centre of the room with a disappointed Snape and his enraged father. Voldemort looked at him with those ominous red eyes. "I expected you to pick Potter. However, when you didn't hesitate to point to the girl... I knew." He laughed that sickening sound that made Draco's stomach turn. "I thought of the other possibilities of why you might want her. Boys of your stature would choose lowly being like her only for worries of the flesh. However, I knew she was more than a warm place to sate your needs in every night. An intellect. Powerful witch. Oddly charming. Sadly, she's a filthy blood traitor. Should've been drowned at birth."
"SHUT UP!" bellowed Draco, all sanity gone. "YOU EVIL SNAKE BASTARD!"
Draco saw the purple vein in his father's forehead and Snape's truly appalled expression. If the snake bastard hadn't beaten him to it, he would've laughed.
"I see some of her Gryffindor bravery rubbed off on you has it?" asked Voldemort, smiling with cruelty. "I hope she hasn't contaminated your pure blood."
Draco grinned madly. "Her, contaminate me?" He laughed just as madly. "I'm surprised they're not dead standing next to you and breathing the air you breathe. Besides, YOU"RE THE FLITHY LITTLE MUDBLOOD!"
Voldemort was angry, that could he see. He was prepared to die anyway. All that could've been lost was. Draco was right when he was flung to the wall on the other side of the room. However, he wasn't dead and felt no real pain except from the kicks and hitting the wall.
"You will die a terrible way," said Voldemort slowly, with eyes that glowed like hot coals. He glanced behind him. "She will die damned."
"She's dead already and she did nothing to be damned!" spat Draco, with as much viciousness as he had left.
Voldemort chuckled suddenly again and Draco felt sick. "Oh no, she's still quite alive. But not for long." He let Draco hit the floor with a painful thud and walked over to Snape. "Fetch Payton, I want this new blood traitor to watch."
Draco had to admit to himself later he didn't remember much of what happen next. Not their journey at least. When he finally cared to pay attention, they were in the owlery. Strangely clean, and owl-less. He was chained to the wall. A long chain and he wondered why.
There wasn't enough time to wonder when Voldemort appeared again and lit all the torches along the walls. Hermione was levitated to the middle of the room and chained to the wall still petrified. Suddenly, the air left his lungs and all he wanted to do was either die or be near her. Something.
A thin man wearing rags stumbled into the room with Snape's wand trained on the back of his neck.
"You know what to do," commanded Snape, face contorted in disgust at the man. "And you know what happens if you misbehave." The man nodded and went over to Hermione.
"What the fuck!" shouted Draco, as Lucius just smiled.
"Ennervate." She immediately woke. His father grabbed the vial from Draco's pocket and gave it sparingly to Hermione.
"I want her to feel every second of this," said Voldemort, watching everything like a hawk. "I don't want the poison to interfere with any of the pain."
"Payton," ordered Snape, as he nudged his wand into the man's neck.
The man nodded again and shook violently suddenly. He stilled just as suddenly. The man was crouched in Snape's shadow turned mostly to Hermione. So all Draco saw was his back. Draco watched rapt in fright and mild morbid fascination.
"Let him see!" hissed Voldemort.
Snape grabbed the man dirty black hair and yanked his head to reveal...
"No..." said Draco, even before he could stop himself. He shook fiercely, couldn't breathe, and shook his head to the point dizziness. "NO!"
"Ah, but yes," replied Voldemort calmly.
Draco didn't sob, he wept. "Please... Don't... No..." He coughed and trembled as a wave of emotions overtook him. He didn't know up from down, but he did know couldn't just let them do that to her.
He looked up again, blurry through tears, two sharp long fangs. The bloody emancipated man was a bloody vampire. They were going to let him feed on her...
"W-Why?" he croaked, feeling broken. No use holding on to pride now, he thought.
"You must be taught a lesson," said Voldemort evenly.
"Do it," said Snape.
"AHH!" The scream broke from the girl. It seems the poison finally cleared away her drugged.
Did no good to scream although Draco and Hermione did. Hermione clawed at Payton as she tried to get away from him. Draco could see the claws instead of fingernails in Payton's hand digging into Hermione's skin, making her bleed. Making her hurt. Scarring her. Her screams died to whines and her clawing became twitches. Draco didn't care if he had sweat, tears, snot, and drool all over his face from crying. His Brownie. His lovely...
"Stop!" commanded Voldemort, and the man was loath to stop until Snape put a well placed lash on the back of his neck.
"You've killed her..." Draco didn't have enough energy for living. He wanted to die. To just sank into that dark oblivion. He childishly sniffled.
"She's not dead yet," informed Snape, matter of factly.
"What?"
"Finish," said Snape softly, clearly threatening the vampire. Yelling was what Lucius did whenever he was pissed and his godfather was the exact opposite.
"Watch." Voldemort slit his eyes at him.
Draco looked up because he knew if he didn't they would make him.
The vampire had cut on his wrist it seemed and put it to Hermione's lips...
Abruptly, it hit Draco so hard he almost fell over. They were going to... The reason they didn't wait until tomorrow. The reason why Voldemort said she would be damned. The reason why they said he would die a horrible death. Oh Merlin... The reason why they were in the owlery. They would turn her and then come morning...
Draco screamed and fought against his shackles. He could feel the burning pain and the desperateness of his soul to stop them. Fracture, break, split. His throat was raw; his whole body ached and soon after more screams joined with his. However, he was rasping by the time they were finished.
Hermione screamed and howled as her body died. The shackles around her delicate wrists cut into her skin and bled her. She contorted in pain and stilled suddenly. Just as the man had done. She blinked and sat up looking around as if it were a whole new world. A world from a vampire's point of view.
"Hermione!" a voice cracked.
Draco turned to see Ron and Harry with wrists and ankles chained to the top and bottom of a wooden pole. They brought her best friends to watch... He looked back Hermione and she touched one of her brand new fangs. She flinched, drew back her finger, watched it heal itself, and then... She screamed.
So much screaming... So much pain...
Voldemort only laughed. His folly brought to life and set in stone. A madman.
Draco was a madman now too.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," said Voldemort, gesturing to his father, Snape, and Payton to leave.
Ron and Harry started to protest until, with a flick of his wand, Voldemort gagged them. Draco just looked at the shocked Hermione, sitting there with a stunned look on her face.
He crawled over to her and she crawled toward him. The chains made them stop just a few, mere inches from each other. She reached out her hand and Draco reached to take it. Only... The fingers were so close, almost brushing but never there.
"Draco..." panted Hermione, trying to reach his fingers.
Draco could feel the tears welling in eyes. He already knew Voldemort meant for it to be this way. So close... But unable to touch. A sob escaped him, and he could hear the quiet sounds of her best friends weeping.
"Hermione..."
She looked up, mouth parted, fangs still there, brown eyes red and moist. She chuckled suddenly. "My dark angel."
Draco, despite the situation and future to come, smiled. "My Brownie."
They stared deep into each other eyes, forgetting the world around them. Draco was assaulted with memories past of them together. He wouldn't speak about it because he already knew she reminisced as well. It kept a lingering, languid smile on both of their faces.
Abruptly, Draco heard sounds of Harry or Ron scuffling. He looked up to see Harry and Ron both struggled fiercely, eyes wide and fearful. Draco looked around and noticed dawn beginning to creep upon them.
Panic seized his heart and he looked at his love.
"Draco..." she said, resigned to her fate.
Sanity was lost a long time ago.
"I cannot let you go!" Draco reached for her fiercely, the chains dug into his skin and he grit his teeth.""I will not let you go. Not this way!"
Even though Hermione just shook her head, a glance at the many windows in the room made her expression direly frightened. Despite what she had tried to communicate to Draco, she reached for him blindly. Desperation taking over both lovers.
Draco tried to take off his robes in hope that he could shield her with when the sun came, at least for a little while, but the chains prevented him from doing so. He heard a scream. Hermione's.
With all his energy, he grabbed for her, ignoring the skin he tore and the pain. Their fingers touched and grabbed at the knuckles. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He knew in soul that that would be the last time he ever saw her smile.
Sunlight spilled slowly into the room. Ron and Harry's hard pants and muffled yells were lost on Draco and Hermione. This was their moment. Their only moment. Once. Time. None. Sunlight beams fell across Hermione's bare feet and instantly the girl convulsed and screamed. Draco just gripped what little he had of her fingers and didn't even notice when he was screaming as well.
Draco's heart was breaking as he saw the sunlight devour his only love. They only person he had really felt for. She couldn't even move when the beams were at her neck.
"I love you."
"I love you, Hermione!" said Draco, fiercely.
She smiled one last time before her eyes went wide as her flesh turned into ash. Draco stilled. Hermione was a ash statue. He feared moving would upset the ash and turn it into fine dust. Draco heard Ron and Harry grieving their fallen friend. The ash fingers in his hand were so delicate. Of her. His Brownie. He, her Dark Angel.
Tears made their way down his face silently. Shock. Numbness. Pain. Draco couldn't tell which he felt or if he felt anything at all. All he focused on was the ash fingers in his flesh ones.
Bang.
Being unprepared for the loud sound made Draco jump and unfortunately, undo what he had been so carefully keeping together. Something broke inside him, especially, when Voldemort spelled the ashes outside through the windows. The red eyes grinned at him uncaring and mocking.
"Take them." Voldemort gestured to his lackeys for them to roll Harry and Ron away, who looked as though they had become bonded with Draco after seeing such a tragedy. Like they wanted him to live.
Silly thought Draco.
Draco screamed and tried to attack Voldemort with his bare hands, chains ranging and restraining him for even getting close.
"Silly boy," murmured Voldemort, looking at Lucius and Snape. "Lucius, you have another heir on the way don't you?"
"Yes, I do," answered the pale demon, calmly.
"Well, guess we won't be needing him then?" Voldemort gestured lazily to Draco.
"Not really," said Snape, as he looked bored with the proceedings.
"We'll just leave you here to rot, bye Draco."
Draco couldn't even find the words to express his rage, his betrayal. Incoherent screams and yells, then he was alone. He thought of Hermione and her ashes and decided he would glide along the wind with her.
Everyday, Draco Malfoy tried to climb the walls to jump out the window. He tried climbing until the tips of his fingers bled and became nubs. Various gashes from the chains were left in his arms. They got infected but he never cared. No one came to see him, feed him; they forgot about the moonchild Draco Malfoy. His madness swallowed him and three weeks later, he died from dehydration and starvation. Even his magical spirit could not keep him alive. His corpse never left the room. It was left there to show others a lesson, a point. True love does not conquer all, the message was.
Power conquers all.