Disclaimer: I own nothing. Harry Potter and the characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Still the plot is mine although I wont sue you for stealing it. I will just cry! ::sad face::
A/N: Well here is part two... everything in italics is a flashback/dream.... Hope you enjoy.
Broken Vow
Chapter Two
Warm sun hit her golden face. Her brown eyes memorizing the horizon. Remembering what her childhood school looked like in the dimming spring light. Several groups of fellow seventh years walked along the grounds of the school. Giving warm hugs and smiles. Some tears of goodbye and laughs of past jokes floated threw conversations. She smiled brightly as Harry and Ron headed towards her. The joy written across there matured faces.
They embraced the girl they loved and cherished. Laughing and congratulating each other. There pride obvious to all those who knew the three best friends. She was leaving Hogwarts with the label of First. She was number one in her year. Often called the cleverest witch in her time. Ron nodded his head towards the direction behind her. She turned and faced the blond hair boy walking across the lawn in her direction. Without hesitation she began to walk towards him. Her smile beaming for all to see.
He smiled back at her, a small box in his hand. She knew it contained a ring. She knew she would say yes. She was almost in front of him when she noticed the sky around her began turning red. Dark deep red. Blood red. She stopped walking and looked around. The field was still full of students but some began fading away. Luna screamed as her body disappeared. Seamus Finnigan followed after. The screaming became loud. She reached up and covered her ears watching in horror as her fellow students, mainly those most loyal to Harry and Dumbledore, screamed out with pain before fading away.
She looked back towards Draco. Looked to him with desperation. He was doubled over with pain. He also screamed and began to fade away. She took a few steps toward him reaching for him. Her eyes burning from all the red. Like the sun was in front of her face. He was almost gone and then something different happened. He stopped screaming and began to stand up straight. He looked at her and she felt sick. His eyes were black and his entire body seemed to be covered in shadow. He smirked at her and then the red engulfed her completely. She closed her eyes and screamed.
She felt wet. A sickening smell filling her nose and submerging her senses completely. The smell of blood. She opened her eyes and found herself covered in it. Like she had been thrown in a pool of blood. But that wasn't possible. This blood was still warm from its owner. Whoever that had been, she knew they didn't matter anymore. She had to get out. She looked around and saw no one.
She saw the fireplace at the end of the long hallway. Looking down at her hand she realized the once sandy powder meant to save her was clumped and thick due to the amount of blood covering her hand. Still she began to run, run for the fireplace that seemed to be a hundred miles away. It seemed to be getting farther away with every step she took. Her right ankle either sprained or broken was causing her to limp but she kept going. Her eyes fixated on her salvation.
She finally reached the stone mass. She touched the cool stone as her fingers left a trail of blood where she traced the grout. Warm tears mixing with warm blood. Swirling down her face to her neck. Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder and whipped her body around.
She smiled brightly a Draco as he rocked her back and fourth gracefully to the soft music. The candles burned all around them in the simple living room. His grip around her waist tightened and he bent down and lightly kissed her lips.
"Happy anniversary Mrs. Malfoy." She put her head against his chest and relaxed into him.
"One year of marriage and were both alive. I'd say a happy anniversary indeed." He pushed her away a spun her around before pulling her back towards him.
"To think so many more to come." He said dryly. She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips lightly. She pulled away after a moment and smirked.
"Are you dreading those to come?" She raised and eyebrow and smirked. Her reached up and brushed away a stray piece of hair out of her face.
"No." He lightly smirked.
"And why is that Mr. Malfoy?" She put her hands on her hips jokingly as he stopped rocking them to the music.
"Because Granger," He bent down and kissed her cheek. When he pulled away he placed his mouth next to her ear. "I'm going to kill you." He whispered the words and she swore his breath was as cold as ice. She stepped back from him. The fear coursing through her body. "And what could be more fun then that Granger?"
Hermione's eyes shot open. The nightmare replaying in her mind within seconds. She didn't fight it. She let the memories flow through her brain. It was useless to fight them. She would only dream of them again the next time she slept. The one thing she couldn't shake. The one thing she couldn't control.
Her nightmares.
She looked up at the ceiling. So often did she wake up feeling more tired then before she had fallen asleep. It seemed to her that she was destined to never get any rest. He had probably planned on it. No screw that, she knew he planned on it. And probably got some sick and twisted pleasure in it. That thought alone made her want to throw up.
She slowly sat up. Wincing slightly at the pain from her broken ribs. Harry had told her how many but she couldn't remember. It didn't really matter she figured. They were still broken. She looked at the man sleeping in the chair besides her bed. His glasses crocked and his hair in a mess. Besides him a women with long red hair. Also asleep yet she seemed more relaxed in her chair then Harry. Even when he was asleep she could see the stress playing on his features.
He stirred lightly and opened his eyes slowly. A small smile of relief seemed to tug at the corners of his mouth. He slowly sat forward placing his hands on her bed. When they were younger he would have gone on and on about how reviled he was she was okay. But now after so many near death experiences they both stayed calm and unfazed.
Not because they didn't care but because it was apart of there lives. A main part of there lives. If Ron where here he would still get excited but she was tired and secretly thankful he was off on some mission of some kind until tomorrow. Harry reached out and touched her hand lightly.
"Are you okay?" She squeezed his hand and looked at him. Her eyes meeting his for comfort.
"Yes. I'm fine. A little hungry but that's all." He nodded as he returned the squeeze.
"And they didn't find anything out."
"Yeah. They didn't learn a thing. On the other hand they learned that five days isn't enough to make me dumber then them." He lightly laughed and looked away from her. When his eyes reached hers again they were more serious then she had seen them in a long time.
"And him?" She looked down at her hand for a moment remembering his words. She looked back at Harry and smirked.
"He showed up about a minute before I got away." She took a few moments to gain control of her tear ducts before forcing out the next part. "He called me Mrs. Malfoy."
"Oh Hermione I'm so sor..." She put her hand up in the air stopping his words.
"Don't. Don't feel sorry for me." He didn't say anything only waited for her. "How did everything get so messed up? How did I lose him Harry?" Her voice was distant. He knew he wasn't supposed to answer the question. He didn't know how. He just knew it was something she dealt with on her own. In her own way and he knew she didn't want pity. Hermione Granger what not one to feel sorry for. Still when she looked into Harry's eyes, any ones eyes actually, she saw the pity.
Even in Snape's.
"He uh," she let go of his hand and took a breath before continuing. "He mentioned something about recent attacks. Anything knew since we last talked?" Harry was about to speak when Ginny's eyes fluttered open.
"Hermione!" The young girl leaped forward and wrapped her arms around the other being careful not to hit her ribs. "I'm so glad your okay." She hugged the girl back as best she could. Her arms weak and thinning from lack of food. She tried to smile.
"Yeah I'm okay now." Ginny pulled away suddenly. And smiled.
"I'll be right back with something for you to eat. Give you some time to change." Hermione nodded thankfully as Ginny and Harry left her in her small room. She stared at the closed door for a brief moment before climbing out of the small bed. Her feet hit the cool floor and she lightly shivered. She walked over to her dresser and opened the drawer.
She didn't have many things. She didn't need many. So very rarely was she actually at the place she called home. It was the closest thing she had to one. The last place that had really felt like home had been burnt to the ground two years ago. She ignored the though as she pulled out some clean cloths. She quickly changed and sighed when she realized her pants were now hanging off her body.
"Wonderful." She pulled out an oversized sweater from the bottom drawer and threw it on. Wrapping her hair into a messy bum she sat back down on the edge of her bed. Thinking back over the past week. Her mind replaying the events back and fourth.
Normally she could go all day without thinking of him. Her mind to busy, her life too dangerous and hectic. Only at night did it usually get to her. But when she saw him. When she physically spoke to him it changed her for a few days. She would drift with thoughts of him. How dead he looked. How cold he was.
She stared at the nightstand besides her. Knowing exactly what was hidden inside under papers. She slowly reached out on touched the knob. She closed her eyes before pulling out the drawer. She opened her eyes and reached in pushing aside several papers and quills before she finally found what she had been looking for.
The simple gold ban was cool to the touch. It fitted her perfectly. It was the only thing she still had from him. Well that and a few scars. She held the ring for a few moments before tilting it to read the inscription.
'Forever is my promise.' She smirked. "Bullshit." There was a knock at the door causing her to jump. She quickly put the ring back and closed the door. "Come in." The door slowly creaked open as a man with jet-black hair walked into her room. He didn't close the door though.
"Miss Granger. Glad to hear you're alright." Hermione smiled at the man.
"Thank you Professor Snape." True he was no longer her teacher but the truth was everyone still refereed to him as so. Even Harry. It was almost a way of them holding onto there innocent days at school. Days filled with people and fun they missed. He turned to leave the room. He stopped and turned to face her. The uncertain frown on his lips. She took him out of his misery and answered his unasked question. "He didn't hurt me."
"Good." He turned quickly and left. She had figured it out long ago. Snape felt guiltier about Draco Malfoy then anyone walking the face of this earth. He had defended the boy in his school days and she now knew he felt responsible for her situation in a way.
He was a fool.
It was only her fault. She was the one who had gone against everything she knew about him. Everything in her mind that had told her otherwise. She had listened to her heart. She had done what all the great love stories do. What all the writers write about.
And she had been left with nothing.
Draco Malfoy stood inside the darkened room. The one that had been previously occupied by his once wife just hours before. He walked around a few moments trying to figure out how she had escaped. He knew all to well he would most likely never figure it out. He bent down and looked at the shackles that her wrist had been in. They were wet with blood. In fact there were speckles of her dried blood around the room.
But not enough.
He stood and walked out of the room. He grabbed the nearest death eater around the neck and slammed him into the wall.
"I told you to practically kill her. Not slap her around for a week." The fear in the mans eyes was apparent. Draco's voice was not loud. It was a deep growl. One that caused the man to tremble with fear. "Next time I say torture someone and you simply starve them, then it will be you on the end of the torturing." He released his grip and the man fell to the floor.
He walked away leaving the cell behind. Shaking his head at the situation Hermione constantly put him in. The Dark lord would not be happy with her escape. He was sure he would be beaten for letting her slip by. That's not what worried him. What worried him was that he couldn't bring himself to kill the women.
He really had to work on that.
He walked down the hall and opened the door at the end. Slamming it close it behind him.
"Sit down Draco." Lucius Malfoy's voice was simply scary. Even to someone as deadly as Draco.
"Yes sir." Draco smoothly took a seat. His father unaware of his sons fear for him. Draco hid it well. He was a master at hiding things.
"So she got away again." Draco nodded. "Honestly Draco this is getting ridiculous." The aggravation in Lucius's voice was thick.
"What would you have me do? She has information we need. It's not my fault your pathetic little minions continue to doubt her abilities. She is not the helpless mudblood they see her as dear father. She has magic that I fear and am not ashamed to admit is stronger then my own."
"Is that a fact?" Lucius voice was full of amusement. To this day he saw Hermione as nothing more then a speak of dust. Draco knew better though.
"Yes sir. That is a fact. One you and others must realize to finally win this war. Hermione Granger along with Ronald Weasly are Harry Potter's source of everything that keeps us a bay. Yes they are pathetic and useless but only to us. To Potter they are like having two extra wands in his bag of tricks." Lucius walked across the room and opened the door.
"I was supposed to hex you a few times but I believe it to be pointless. Right now I need you unharmed and frankly I don't feel like wasting anymore energy on you. I also have a message for you," His father looked at him for a brief moment with what almost seemed care. Almost. "If you ever again let her get away your life will be taken. So in short Draco. Just kill the girl." And with that he left. Draco sat in the room for a few moments.
"Perfect." He said to no one but himself. He had finally been given the order he had been dreading. To kill her. The women he had once sworn his soul to. It's not that he didn't want to kill her. In fact it couldn't be more of the opposite.
Hell he looked forward to the day when he finally squeezed the life out of her.
Yet there were things between them, magic, that made it physically impossible for him to kill her. It came with their marriage and several other useless promises he had stupidly made in a time of personal insanity. He inwardly knew that magic was fading away the more the time between them grew. Today he had almost been able to raise his wand at her. Almost could have struck her down. The situation was a double standard for him of course. It meant that she would also be able to finally attack him. And he had said it himself. She was stronger. Thank god the stupid girl didn't know that.
Or so he though.
Somewhere in the world Hermione Granger stood looking into a mirror. Healing away most of the bruises on her face and arms. Quietly chanting the difficult spells without any troubles. Her mind in a different place and her heart dyeing slowly.
And her hate for him growing with every bruise she healed.
A/N: Well that was long. For me at least. Almost six pages. Well I hope you all liked it! I will update my other two stories on Wed. I have been working like a crazy person and my new job sucks!!! But a lass I get on my hands and knees and beg you all for something dear to me... ::clears throat:: REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP AND WHIPPED CREAM!!!!!