Goodnight my Hermione

Chapter 2

Draco's Story

Fear. One thing all living creatures feel. It griped at the heart of men lost at sea and tortured the minds of even the bravest of lions, and was right now swimming in one girls soul waiting to make its terrorizing presence known.

Glistening red eyes bore in to her own as she faced the most feared wizard in the wizarding world. While his were filled with mild humour, hers where brimming with pure hatred and anger. She reached her hand into her pocket where her only link to safety lay, and whipped out a long piece of wood. But then someone came into the hall from the living room.

"What is -" Mr Granger never finished his surprised sentence, as cracks sounded all around them. Death Eaters appeared all over the house: at the top of the stairs, in the kitchen and coming up through the basement door. The one that had apparated into the living room, which her father had occupied only seconds previously, grabbed him from behind. The patient creature made its move. Fear ripped through Hermione as she saw the look of desperation spread across her fathers face.

"Father!" she screamed taking her wand off of Voldemort and focusing it on the Death Eater that held her father captured. The Dark Lord used this as his chance.

"Expelliarmus!"he caught her wand as it flew out of the air. His hollow cold laughter rang through the house. "Miss Granger I presume?" She heard a yelp from behind, that probably came from her mother as she was grabbed by a Death Eater. Flinching she wished her parents were any where but here.

Her espresso brown eyes travelled down to her feet, but not in shame or regret: she dearly wished to look in to those eyes of crimson. But because she had heard of Voldemort's talent of legimency, and she was not about to go betraying her friends or the Order by letting him scour her mind.

For Death Eaters there was nothing better than seeing a broken enemy. Apart from perhaps a begging broken enemy. However Hermione Granger was definitely not broken and nowhere near begging. Her head was bowed and her breath ragged, but her fists where clenched tight knots and her eyes where burning with intense hate and determination. Her lock of curly chocolate brown hair flew over her face as she was thrown into a corner of the sitting room, Mrs and Mr Granger where thrown in to the opposite one.

"Miss Granger I am here to offer you the chance of... a lifetime, as muggles say." his footsteps echoed through out the silent house as he approached her. There was a hint of distaste ringing in his voice. "Taking your heritage into account I shouldn't even be considering this, but I would be a fool to ignore your... exceptional abilities... and let you become a powerful enemy, when I could have you as a powerful ally." The aftermath of his words started to sink in as she realised what he was proposing. Her, the muggle-born friend of Harry Potter, join the Dark Side. If she wasn't in this situation she would have laughed. Thinking of Harry hurt as she realised that she might not see him or any of her other friends again. She was pulled away from her thoughts as he crouched down next to her and continued to speak. "Or alternatively I could just kill you, but where would be the brains in so heartlessly disposing of so much promise?" He moved some of the curling strands out of her face in an attempt to make her look at him. She just turned further away.

His sneer widened. So this pathetic mudblood was the one with the brains behind all of Harry Potters victories against him. Oh how he would love to see the look on the falling dunderhead boys face when he realised that he'd lost that. Who was the wind beneath his wings?

He swiftly stood up and his laughter yet again rung through the house.

"So, Miss Granger, what will it be join me, or suffer the consequences?" He looked questioningly at the girl before him. She didn't give the answer a second thought, it came out sharp and hard.

"Never,"she said her head still bowed to the ground. "I would never join you," the hatred was etched into her every word, "I would never betray my friends!" Her voice was a controlled angry hiss. She lifted her eyes from the carpet on the floor and fixed them on her parents for one last time, she was going to die and so were her parents. But what came next was worse, much worse.

Voldemort raised her wand above his head.

"CRUCIO!" She felt searing pain tear through her body, her bones felt as if they were on fire and her head filled as if it would explode. But what was worse was the knowledge that it was with her own wand. She keeled over and heard her mother scream.

"STOP IT!" Sadly those where the last words Emile Jane Granger would ever utter.

The curse was lifted and Voldemort's cruel voice sounded through the room.

"Changed your mind Miss Granger?"

She shook her head and moved to her knees. She looked at her parents and shook her head.

"No? Well mudbblood I'll just have to be patient but now I think that's what I should have done in the first place. From my experience it works better to turn out loyal servants." He turned to the quivering muggles in the corner. Hermione saw her parents eyes widen as her wand was turned onto them.

No. she thought. He was going to kill her parents in their own house and with her own wand, worst of all there was nothing she could do. She looked at her parent for one last time.

I'm so sorry... Good bye.

"Do you know what happened?"

"No, nothing. Apart from what I already told you."

There was a sigh. She heard the voices from far off, they appeared to be getting closer but she heard no footsteps. Every breath she took seemed to tear away at her lungs and dazzling pain shot through her hole body. To top it all of she had a killer headache that only seemed to get worse as she slowly regained conciseness.

"Shhhh, she's waking up! Ohh! Harry and Ron will be delighted!" She recognised this voice as Mrs Weasly. But what was she doing here?

Groaning, she tried to open her eyes. Bright light welcomed them and she shut them tightly again. She finally regained her self and looked up at the two witches in front of her bed. Mrs Weasly and Professor Mcgonagall. They both had the same confuting look in their eyes. Shit what happened? she thought. Then the memories of her parents death came sweeping back in to her head. She clasped her hand over it as pain flushed through her, falling back on the bed as she groaned in pain. Then the tears came. They came hard and stung her eyes like a thousand bees. But with every tear a bit of the pain ebbed away and she became aware of people talking to her.

"Hermione," It was Harry. She lifted her head and looked at him puffy eyed. He was holding her hand, giving a slight squeeze he enveloped her in a hug. She hugged back and felt fresh tears spill out of her eyes. "It's okay." he said and hugged her harder as she cried onto his shirt.

She had calmed down and was sitting up in the bed, knees curled up to her chest and head bowed. They where dead. Both of them were dead. And why? Because she had let them die. At that thought she remembered the look in her fathers eyes once he understood what was going on. What was it? Understanding? Acceptance of fate? Or a wish that she had made the right decision no mater the price? Now it plagued her, had she made the right decision? Had she just sacrificed her parents for nothing? And what did Voldemort mean with those words?

"No? Well mudbblood I'll just have to be patient but now I think that's what I should have done in the first place. From my experience it works better to turn out loyal servants."

He wanted her to become a Death Eater. Why? The question tore at her mind more memories.

"I would be a fool to ignore your... exceptional abilities... and let you become a powerful enemy,"

Exceptional abilities, powerful enemy. The words swam in and out her head as she felt another head ache come on.

"Miss Granger, would you mind telling us what happened?" It was Professor Dumbledore. She finely looked up at her surroundings. She was in Hogwarts hospital wing with curtains around the bed. There was only Harry, Ron, Mcgonagall, Mrs Weasly and Dumbledore. That made it easier. She nodded her head and started her story. She went through all Voldemort said then up to the part she blanked out. By the end there were pearly tears rolling down her cheeks. She turned away from the party of people and buried her self deep in the blankets, silent tears making there track over her smooth skin to fall noiselessly on to the pillows. She just lay there trying to block out the whispers around her and the images of green light that filled her head.

It was quiet. It was always quiet at the manor. Apart from when there was a party or a ball and that only happened about once or twice a year. It was around eight o'clock in the evening and Draco Malfoy was sitting in the study drawing. A Quidditch match plan to be exact. As well as headboy he had been appointed Quidditch captain too. His father was out again on Death Eater businesses. He decided not to think on what but focused his mind on the plan.

He was going to become a Death Eater. Well, if he could have a choice he probably wouldn't take part in this stupid war. But being who he was, and his dad being what he was, there wasn't much choice. His father had really strong beliefs in what he fought for. Although he had tried to hammer them in to Draco his mother had diverted him from believing them.

He wasn't Lucius Malfoy and never would be. His father was a good man. Well, apart from the whole kill mudbloods and dark arts thing. He was a loving husband and for Draco he was a good father.

At that moment when his train of thought was drifting there was a pop behind Turning he saw a house elf at his door.

"Yes" he said There was a hint of command and impatience in his voice.

"Young Master Malfoy, your father has requested your presence in the hall." The elf replied it appeared to be scared. What could his father want? It wasn't late, his father was normally back much later than this...

He nodded and made his way down stairs, what he saw took him completely by surprise. In the hallway was his mother and father as well as a bunch of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. He didn't let his face show his surprise; that was just stupid. Bowing respectfully he went and stood next to his mother.

"Now, my Death Eaters, there is something of great importance I wish to show you." He turned to the Malfoys a wrinkled smile upon his snake like face. "Love. It's such a confusing feeling. It can make men do spontaneous things without giving a second thought. Such a annoying emotion. Don't you agree Lucius?" the senior Malfoy nodded his head. "Yes my lord"

Draco didn't like where this was going.

"Now my deatheaters I will show you what happens when this weak emotion makes men choose" he turned to Lucius. Draco felt his mother stiffen next to him. "It makes those who are worthy strong." his eyes travailed to Narcissa and then back to Lucius "Kill her." His cold voice was filled with malice as where his eyes. They then turned to Draco. "Kill her or I will kill them both." Dracos eyes widened as he saw his father turn to his mother. He watched as their eyes locked and silent words were sent between his parents souls, words of understanding and love.

Narcissa looked down at her hands and removed a ring from her finger. It was her wedding ring. She reached out to Draco and put it in his hands. There were tears in her eyes as she looked at her only son. A silent goodbye escaped her rosy lips.

"For Draco." She whispered to her husband.

Draco couldn't believe what was happening.

Lucius also turned to his son. He moved him away from his mother. And through the painful look in his steely eyes, told Draco that there would be no arguing.

Draco looked on in horror as his father raised his wand to his Mother and uttered the last words she would ever hear. The words of death. He felt part of his soul crack and crumble as he watched his mothers limp body tumble elegantly to the ground. Even in death she was the most beautiful woman Draco had ever seen or known. And ever would. A beautiful creature ruined by Voldemort.

There where cracks all around them as the Death Eaters and Voldemort apparated away.

Draco watched speechless as his father fell on to his knees at his beloved side. He saw tears slide down his fathers cheeks, something he had never seen before.

"I'm so sorry, my love." He whispered tentatively into his wife's body. Then standing he went upstairs to his chambers to send an important letter to one of Narcissa's relatives. He still couldn't believe what he'd done. His mind was blank, swamped in pain and confusion. He attached the pre written letter to his eagle owl and sent it out the window.

One pale hand went to his side drawer and he brought out a small blue vile. Uncorking it he downed it in one go and fell slowly on to the rich mahogany bed. His breathing rasped and slowed and he took one last sigh as all the pain that had been slowly building up over the years devolved in to the air. Lucius Malfoy was dead.