Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is god among men

Rating: R…so stay on guard

Summery: confessions from Draco and pain from Hermione…yhey

(a/n): please review….im so sorry that it took me so long , please let me know what you think….but I do not want your flames, keep that to yourself

Chapter 8

Stepping out of the green flames of the hearth Draco made his way swiftly to his bed in the center of his room. Hermione clung limply to his neck as he slowly lowered her body down onto his bed.

Hermione let out a small groan as her back was placed on the cool surface of his black silk sheets. Draco placed his pillow underneath her drooping head. As he did so he glanced down at his now empty arms, which were covered in Hermione's blood. She was twitching every few seconds and her blood was silently seeping through his sheets.

Once Hermione was situated on the death eater's bed he hurried back over to the fire place from which he had just emerged. He threw the floo powder back into the now orange flames shouting, "Headmaster's office!" Draco shoved his head into the hearth quickly for he could hear Hermione's breath hitching in her throat.

"HEADMASTER!"

Draco frantically turned his head from side to side searching every corner of Dumbeldore's office. The man was gone, in fact even most of the portraits were missing.

"Fuck!" Draco pulled his torso back through the flames and quickly turned back to the girl lying on his bed. " Hold on Granger," Hermione stiffened slightly at hearing his voice and turned her head towards him searching for the sound. "I promise I will help you."

The girl had a large cut just above her brow which was steadily bleeding down her face. She had bruises covering both of her cheeks and her left eye was surrounded by many small cuts. Her lip was split and bleeding down her chin, from both her attempt to contain her screams and the many slaps that the green eyed death eater had swung at her. Her bangs were caked with blood, and her brow was tight and her eyes were clenched holding in her pain .

Draco turned back to Hermione, she looked awful. Her face was bloody and cut, but what was worrying him was what other injuries she was victim to. He flicked his wand and her wind breaker disappeared, leaving her in a black v-neck shirt, that was soaked in blood.

Draco lifted her shirt till it rested just under her chest. Hermione had a large deep gash covering most of her stomach. It was too deep for Draco to heal properly, but he could stop the bleeding. He checked the rest of her abdomen, finding large bruises and several smaller cuts, before he took out his wand and muttered a spell. A large bowl of hot water and a wash cloth appeared on his bed side table. He dipped the towel into the water enough to make it slightly damp and then pressed it to her forehead that was covered in her blood. Hermione's eyes clenched tighter together.

The pain that was rushing through her body was overwhelming. Every part of her was screaming, begging for it to end. Her right arm was broken along with her wrist and fingers , the death eaters had tried every thing to get the dagger that was still clutched in her hand. Her legs and arms were covered in bruises from the death eaters physical beatings. Along with the gash on her stomach she had also been hit with the shredder curse, apparently a favorite of the green eyed man, across the arm and shoulder. From her collar bone to her elbow she had a large gash that was dripping blood down her arm and covering her hand and the bed beneath her. Her legs had also been cut and her jeans dripped with more blood.

Draco rubbed the cloth across her forehead and removed it now blood stained before muttering another spell. This cleaned most of blood from her stomach. Her gash was much to deep, Madam Pomfery would be able to heal her fully, when it was safe to take Hermione to the hospital wing. He knew that it was being watched. The death eaters did not doubt that it was Harry Potter that had saved Hermione, after all that is how he had planned it, and where would Potter take her, but to Hogwarts hospital wing.

Draco began to search her body for more wounds. He looked down at her hands. One was clutching the bed sheets and another was clutching the object that he had been sent to find. That hand was covered in blood. He tore his eyes from the dagger and let his gaze travel Hermione's right arm. He knew it was broken, along with her fingers. But he could tell that the blood was coming from her shoulder.

He reached up and ripped the sleeve of her shirt off revealing her bleeding shoulder. He moved it aside and saw that the wound stretched across her collar and part of her neck. Draco drew in his breath, he had seen torture, hell he had tortured but never had be seen a girl look so….bloody. Draco could not heal her. He reached for the towel again and cleaned it with another flick of his wand. He dipped it in the water again.

Neither of them had spoken, Draco because he thought he had nothing to say. He also feared that she would recognize his voice. And from what he knew of Granger he was sure that she would not enjoy him helping her, let alone her being in his bed. He was after all a death eater.

Hermione, because the little strength that she still held she was using to keep herself conscious. But as her strength drained so did her consciousness. As Draco reapplied the damp cloth to her forehead she felt her strength die, as she let her body relax she fell into an unconscious sleep.

Draco felt her relax and knew that she had passed out. He continued to wipe the blood from her face, knowing that the cuts were still bleeding an soon blood would again run down her cheek. But he had nothing else to do. He worried that if her were to try to heal her major injuries he would only hurt her even more. Also Madam Pomfery would need to see them so that Hermione could be fully cured.

Draco stared at her, she was so helpless. He had spent the better part of 7 years of his life tormenting her, but seeing her now, defenseless, actually dependant on another, he was racked with guilt.

"Why could I not get to you sooner." Draco spoke aloud as he laid the cool cloth across Hermione's brow. "I should have found you sooner."

Draco picked up her hand and gently squeezed it before standing and again moving towards the fire. "Hospital Wing " he said as he threw off his Griffindor robe and stepped through the hearth.

"Malfoy!" The man was surprised, he had been staring at the fire until they were to turned green, his wand was drawn, but he had been expecting Potter.

"Lower your wand," Malfoy spat, the man obeyed. Draco looked straight into his bright green eyes and walked till he was right in front of the man, "is she here yet?" Draco's voice was cold and emotionless, it was the voice of a death eater, the voice that murdered and spoke to murderers. "You know," Draco continued, and at this, the other man lowered his eyes from Draco's empowering gaze, "you let her go. You let both the dagger and the girl go." The man lowered his head even more, now looking directly at the floor.

"I know." He spoke through gritted teeth, speaking almost inaudibly, but Draco heard him.

"Then I must warn you, our Lord does not regard the dagger as just a small weapon, I suggest that you go to him before he finds you and makes you kneel at his feet, that dagger some how means more to him then he lets on, your punishment, if you do not reprehend yourself will be painful other wise."

"Yes I know, our lord has secrets. The other is the girl"

At this Draco shifted his feet slightly, the green eyed death eater did not notice, but Draco was still uncomfortable at the fact that this man might know the truth.

"And what do you think the girl has to do with it." Of course Draco already knew what Hermione had to do with the dark lord he just hoped that this man did not know it as well.

"She is the key to getting Potter, no?"

Draco did not replay to the man's question, instead he turned his back to him and asked, "When will you leave the wing?"

" Soon." he replied, " I must met our Lord before he sends for me."

"Good. Keep me posted if Potter shows up."

"I will see you at breakfast then Malfoy,"

And with that Draco again walked throw the flames that lead to his room. He turned at looked at the body of Hermione. He walked over to her and took her hand in his, " Sorry."

The word some what shocked him, never he said it with an ounce of sincerity, and what shocked him further was that it was the truth. He was actually quite sorry, sorry that he could not save her, sorry that he was not quick enough. At least she was not dead yet.

Draco was still holding her hand. It was limp and cold, and his large hands held her small one completely. Her hand fit perfectly with in his own as though his hand was a glove covering her cold fingers.

He had never told anyone, only two people knew and that was only out of bear necessity. They had never questioned the motives behind his actions, and he had never revealed them. No one knew, and that was the way he had always wanted it. But now seeing her lying in his bed he wanted to give her an explanation, his explanation. He wanted her to know who he was, or at least the part of him he never let others know.

Draco took a deep breath and squeezed Hermione's hand a little tighter, " I've never done this before," he said. " and its weird, finally wanting to tell someone." he took a long breath, steadying himself, " god you can't even hear me and I'm nervous… hell, its better this way," He paused for a while and took the time to rub his temples, for he had a headache that was threatening to take over his mind. He gently caressed Hermione's hand as he continued.

"Well… you know that I have the mark. You know that it was my choice to take the mark. You also know that my father is in Voldemort's most inner circle. But you do not know that I too am in that circle." he paused here, running his hands through his sweaty hair. 'why am I telling her this,' he whipped his brow with his free shoulder as the small conversation took place in his head.

"Damn I swore to my self that I would never tell anyone this, but yet here I am. Why? I have no idea…but,… I don't know….for some reason I feel like I need to protect you. Its crazy I know? You of all people, the 'mudblood'." Draco laughed at this.

"God I'm such an ass. I tell you my secrets while you are unconscious and I still have to insult you." He paused again looking out the window, wondering when it would be safe to take Hermione to the hospital wing.

"Anyways, for some reason I feel the need to protect you, I know what he wants with you…I know what he will do when he gets you. God help but I cant let him complete his fantasies."

"I'm not a good person, I don't do this to save the world and all of the innocents in it. I'm not a saint, I have no real virtue. I'm a selfish man. Its just that my conscious is too weak for me to be… me." He took a long breath, why stop now he thought.

"I am no Potter, I never will be. Its just that I found out at an early age, maybe too early, that emotion is strong. If you can harness your anger, you are unstoppable. But if you let others harness your anger, you stop. And I,… I guess sort of like you I can't really stop."

"You see…I'm not my father, hell I don't even like my father…but I have his features. Pride, arrogance, intelligence, the cunning ability of the all wonderful talent that is manipulation, fuck I even have his hate. But there is one thing I have that he did not give me, and that is freedom……. I am no man's slave. I bow to no one and will bloody not follow any one who can not do his own bidding. You see Granger, that is what a death eater is; a slave. He becomes you. He burns his dirty stain into your flesh and then you are no longer you. You are him. Your dreams die, and you take on his. What you accomplish is not yours…it never will be. For you are him and what is yours will never again be in your possession." Draco let go of Hermione's hand, only just now realizing that he was holding it.

"He haunts your life, not just your waking mind but your sleeping mind, your voice, your eyes…nothing that was ever you stays you after he burns his skull into your arm. He brands you and plagues you with this thoughts, his eyes, his voice. I am not fucking slave."

"Don't think me too selfish. Of course I am, but I do have a small collection of morals. I do have loyalty. That part of me at least is honorable. You see, I guess that I do serve a man. I do follow some orders, but they are ones that I willingly follow. There are also orders that I give, I lead the evil men to the traps that the good men set, that I set."

"Yes Granger, now it is out there. With the skull on one arm and the Phoenix on the other. Your dear Mr. Potter is not the only one to hate Voldemort, and use him against himself.

(A/N): I am so sorry that it took me so long, maybe if I get some review I will be speedy with my updating….hint hint hint. But I do not want your flames. But I do apologies, but as my excuse…I hate math and apparently it hates me just as much. I love to hear about your guesses as to what is going to happen so o not hesitate to guess, I will answer them if I can (HAHA)

p.s. I have a blog of any of you want to check it out, its not that cool but I am (hehe joking) but please do check up on it…it's a http/calaburchechos. I really hope that you liked it. And trust me there will be more coming , and hopefully soon too

profet