Chapter 16

Not Like This

I don't know whether or not she was conscious but her head was hanging down over her chest. I struggle as Marissa ties my hands firmly behind my back. She hits me in the back of the head again and forces me down into a chair where she binds my feet. She's humming cheerfully to herself as she finishes up the knots and stands back to admire her handiwork. Then she smiles at me and leans in close.

"You know, Draco, it really is too bad it had to turn out like this. You had so much potential." The last comment is filled with inuendo as her eyes slide over my body. She kisses me quickly on the lips and leaves, closing the door behind her and locking it. I'm left alone with Hermione.

"Hermione!" I hiss in her direction, trying to keep my voice low. I struggle on my chair and manage to move it an inch or two closer to her. "Hermione!" I let my voice rise slightly in hopes that this will rouse her. Nothing. I try whistling sharply and then blowing cool air on her face. Still nothing. Damn, I wish I had my wand. I twist my hands around in hopes of loosening the knots. The rope is coarse and rubs against my wrists painfully. The wooden chair is digging into my bare back and my feet are freezing. Stupid slut wouldn't even let me get a shirt or shoes on before she abducted me. I bounce up and down on the chair in hopes of breaking it and waking Hermione. Instead I lose my balance and crash sideways into the floor. "Ow!" My right arm aches and I think I bit my tongue.

"Mmmff…" Hermione stirs slightly and her eyes flutter open. It takes her a moment to survey the situation and then she looks at me on the floor and struggles to get loose. "Mmmff Grrrmmm Frummmf!" She tries to talk with the gag still firmly tied. She shakes her head trying to rid herself of it to no avail.

"Shhhh," I tell her to quiet down. I'm lying awkwardly on my side but I continue to wriggle my hands and I can feel the rope begin to loosen. "I've almost got my hands free, then I can help you." She nods and begins working on her own binds. Soon the rope around my hands is worked enough that I can slip my left hand out. I quickly undo my feet and set the chair back upright, moving to Hermione's side. I first remove the gag and then untie her hands. She thanks me quietly and rubs her wrists. She then undoes her feet and we move silently to the door. I peer out through the bars but I don't see anything. I motion for her to be very quiet as I pull on the handle. Nothing happens. I try again and then I remember that Marrisa locked it when she left. I reach for my wand and then realize I don't have it so I turn to Hermione.

"You'll have to use your wand to unlock the door." She looks at me, wide-eyed.

"I don't have my wand."

"What?" I hiss sharply and she winces.

"Your father knocked it out of my hand and I…" Her lip starts to tremble.

"Ok, ok. It's fine we'll just have to try and reach it through the bars…" She looks at me skeptically. "You got a better idea?" I ask harshly. She shakes her head so I reach through the bars and try to feel my way around for the outer lock. It's more difficult than I anticipated, the window is higher and akward to stick my arm through and my fingers are still tingly from lack of blood. I pull my arm back inside and try to rub some feeling into them.

"Bring me that chair." I tell Hermione and she quickly brings over one of the chairs. I kneel on the chair for height and try again, this time I reach the lock without much difficulty and unhook it as quietly as possible. I pull my arm back through and this time when I try the door it opens with a loud creak and groan. Hermione and I hold our breath in hopes that noone else heard it and then begin to tiptoe down the hall quickly but quietly.

"Where are we…? Hermione asks in a barely audible whisper, she's following so close at my back I can smell her hair. I put a finger to my lips and pull her close against the wall. Voices. The hall is dark but if we had rounded the next corner they would have seen us. They walk by without even glancing sideways, the shadows hide our dark forms against the wall. We stay there for a few minutes to make sure they've gone. I can feel Hermione's warm body against mine. I can feel her trembling and her heart beating rapidly. She looks up at me slowly, her eyes meet mine and I brush a strand of hair from her face. I want to kiss her so badly… Instead I take her hand and pull her around the corner, this is the wrong time and the wrong place for this. I have to get her out safely.

"I think we're in the Malfoy Mansion." I whisper softly to her. "We must be somewhere in the lower basement." She squeezes my hand tightly but I don't look back at her.

We soon reach the stairway that leads to the upper floors. We head up them tentatively, wary of any sound that might be a threat. We reach the top of the stairs and I can hear voices coming from the livingroom… my father, Marissa, Eldora and… my mother. I quickly pull Hermione down the opposite hall in the direction of my room. I open the door and we slip through quietly, stopping to catch our breath.

"The front door is down the other way past the livingroom, we'll have to sneak right by my father and the others if we want… to…" I stop and look at Hermione. She's looking back at me oddly. She moves closer. I can feel my breath catch in my throat, what is she doing? She presses herself against me and reaches up to kiss me. I'm startled but I can't help but kiss her back. Her mouth is warm and wet and I wrap my arms around her tightly. I can feel her tongue moving playfully around mine, her warm body against my bare chest. Her hands are pulling my lower back and my mind begins to dart frantically. It takes all my will power to push her away.

"Hermione…" I start breathlessly. "We can't, this isn't right… I thought you were with Ron?"

"You're the one I want, Draco." She moves towards me again but I hold her at a distance, my hands wrapping around her upper arms.

"Why are you doing this? After all I've done… how could you want…" I can't even finish, my voice catches in my throat. I can feel tears begininng to well up in my eyes. She removes my arms and wraps herself around me again. I look at her and want to cry, I want her so bad and here she is… throwing herself at me and I can't…

"Draco, I was wrong. I want you…" Her voice is low and seductive, she begins to undo her shirt.

"Hermione…" I watch her slide her shirt off. "God, I want you so much… you have no idea… but I can't, this isn't you… they've done something…" I run my hands through my hair. She begins kissing my neck and running her hands along my sides. I shiver as the tingles run through my body, wrapping my arms around her again slowly. She feels so good… so warm and soft. We're kissing again, passionately. Our mouths pressed tightly against each other's. She pushes me back onto the bed and climbs on top of me. She kisses down my chest and I run my fingers through her hair. I close my eyes as she runs her hands up my legs, gasping slightly at her bold touch. I bite my lip as my body screams yes and my mind protests. I remove her hands gentley and sit up.

"Hermione, I can't do this. I want you but I want you to want me back…" She looks at me quizzically, her head cocked to one side.

"I do want you." The response is automatic. There is nothing Hermione about it. I pick her shirt up off the floor and help her into it, buttoning it slowly for her. Then I go over to my closet and pull out a fitted black t-shirt, dark jeans and a pair of black shoes. I dress quickly as Hermione watches from her position on the bed. She looks hurt and confused. I take her hand and kiss it.

"I'll fix this, I promise." I pull her to the door of my bedroom and open it slowly. The voices can still be heard from the livingroom. We make our way down the hall and I motion Hermione to stay still and quiet. I peek around the corner cautiously taking in the situation. My father and mother are sitting on the closest couch with their backs to me. Marissa and her mother are on the other couch facing towards me. I can see two wands on the table beside the couch. I swear to myself, Marissa must have grabbed mine before we left the dorm and the other one must be Hermione's. I turn to her and briefly explain the situation, using as little words as possible. Luckily the livingroom company seems to have had quite a bit of wine and are talking and laughing loudly. We drop to the floor and begin to crawl towards the front hall. I usher Hermione ahead of me and move to the table with the wands. Noone has noticed us yet but my heart is pounding so loud I'm sure someone will hear it any moment. I make sure Hermione is safely across and try to motion for her to get out of the house. She shakes her head and signals that she won't leave without me. I'm touched by her gesture but I still wish she would go. I need to know she'll be safe if something happens. I reach up slowly and close my hand around the wands sliding them slowly off the table. I take a deep breath as my hand is safely back out of view. I catch Hermione's eye and roll her wand across the floor towards her. She picks it up gratefully and begins to edge down the hall, beckoning me to follow. My eyes widen in horror as I try to signal her… too late. She backs into a large iron coat rack and it goes down with a large crash! I jump up immediately to see the looks of surprise on everyones face. Their reactions are slow and it gives me just enough of an advantage.

"Impedimenta!" I shout and point my wand at the lovely, shocked Eldora. But I can't get them all… Marissa pulls out her wand and points it at me an evil smile forming on her lips.

"Exp…" She begins, but Hermione is quicker.

"Impedimenta!" She freezes Marissa in her tracks. I back up slowly, shielding Hermione. My father is on his feet and looking furious. My mother is also standing, looking stunned and almost removed from the situation. Hermione has her wand on my mother. I have mine pointed squarely at my father, his wand pointed squarely at me.

"Tsk, tsk, Draco." His voice is calm and condescending. " You have failed me again. Have you no guts at all? I practically hand her to you and still you can't make her yours. You pathetic fool."

"What did you do to her?" I snarl at him, my eyes narrowing in anger. He laughs.

"Oh nothing much… just a little imperius curse to make her a bit more… co-operative." He snickers and I want to kill him. "You should thank me, Draco. She deserves better than that second-rate Weasley boy. Why love a beggar when you can love a prince?"

"You can't force someone to love you!" I scream. He grins slowly and looks in the direction of my mother.

"No? Are you sure…?" His smile is mocking and I shake my head slowly, tears building behind my eyes.

"You're a monster. I'm not like you. I'M NOT LIKE YOU!" I scream again. His smile fades and his face turns grim and serious.

"How… disappointing." His wand twitches nervously and I know we are near the end. "You were to be my perfect heir. My only son… it's a shame really. But since you have proven so troublesome, I have no further use for you." My eyes widen as his mouth begins to speak those unspeakable words. I know Hermione screams and I know my mother screams but all I hear is the words.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"