He knew about Sphinxes. Despite most peoples' opinion, he had actually gleaned something from 6 odd years of schooling. He couldn't give you the exact quote from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them—but he knew enough not to run away screaming at the sight of the beasts. That was a sure way to get your head sliced clean off your body by a huge, cat-like paw.
He stood frozen. There was a huge metallic door in front of them, the blue flames of the torches cast weird, dancing reflections onto its ornately carved surface. One of the massive monsters slowly blinked her almond shaped eyes and turned her gaze towards the four paralyzed teenagers in front of her.
"You may hear our riddles, or you may back away now," she said. Her voice was low and rumbling, and caused the hairs to prickle on the back of Draco's neck.
"Can't we hear the riddles and then back away?" asked Potter uncertainly.
"No," replied the other sphinx flatly. Potter turned slightly green. The Trio exchanged significant glances. Potter looked at him. Surprise at the consultation, Draco merely shrugged. What the hell? Why not. Getting sliced to bits in here, or going outside and getting blown to bits by Death Eaters…He'd take his chances.
"OK…" said Potter, drawing a deep breath. He looked scared, but determined. Draco knew that expression all too well. Could Potter be…human? Nah…
The sphinx's voice resonated at a low purr as she spoke, her voice rising at a rhythmic hum that seemed to fill the entire cavern.
"What blossoms in the morning, bears fruit in the afternoon, and wilts in the evening, but lives and breathes without petals or leaves?"
They were all silent for a moment. Then, Granger stepped forward. Who else, thought Draco. He might have sneered, but he was a little too terrified at the moment.
"A woman," she said clearly. Her voice pierced the stillness of the cave, echoing off the many faceted walls. "Maiden, Mother, and Crone."
"Correct," said the first sphinx, her beautiful impassive face showing hints of what could have been a smile. "You may step beyond." The doors creaked open, revealing a rectangle of inky blackness in the space beyond. Granger walked forward and stepped over the threshold of the door. The rest of them moved to follow her, but the second sphinx emitted a low growl which froze them in their tracks.
"She has proven herself. She alone may pass." It fixed them with an icy stare. "You may not."
Granger looked as shocked as they did. Draco could almost see what she was thinking reflected in the terror in her eyes. They were all quite unlikely to be able to solve the riddles without her aid, conceited as it sounded.
Without warning, the second sphinx began speaking again.
"What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?"
Draco tried desperately to stay calm. Potter and Weasley looked as though they were thinking very hard, or possibly like they were in immense pain—perhaps both. Thinking probably didn't come naturally to them. Potter looked ready to open his mouth. Draco felt a thrill of terror. A wrong answer would get them all sliced to ribbons.
"It's a river," said Draco loudly, cutting Potter off.
"I was going to say that," said Potter indignantly.
"Correct."
Draco couldn't suppress a smug grin as he strode forward and stood next to Granger's side. Granger looked stunned. She was giving him that look again—like she had never seen him before, which was ridiculous. She had seen him almost everyday for the past six years.
Why did she have to look at him like that? With a look that wasn't exactly the look of seething contempt she usually threw at him? She hadn't really been any…kinder to him recently. Should she be? Why did he even care? And why, why did he kiss her? Or maybe she kissed him. Yes—that must have been it. She kissed him, because she was a filthy Mudblood harlot. Yeah. That was it. He was confused, and grieving, and she took advantage of him! She was horrible.
Draco sighed. Yeah, right.
Potter and Weasley were looking nervously at each other again. The first sphinx had already asked another riddle.
"What does man love more than life, Fear more than death or mortal strife, What the poor have, the rich require, and what contented men desire, What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?"
Potter looked at Weasley, who nodded reassuringly. Another misguided attempt at chivalry, no doubt. Idiot.
"Nothing," said Potter, exhaling sharply. "The answer is nothing at all."
"Correct." The first sphinx nodded again. The second sphinx turned his piercing gaze onto Weasley, who looked rather pale.
"I have a head but not a face, with crooked teeth but not a mouth, I can take you any place, with the twist of my head and the grasp of my brow. What am I?"
"Well, er—" Weasley grasped the back of his neck with his hand, shuffling nervously. From beside Draco, Granger looked as though she were quite ready to explode and scream the answer at the top of her lungs. Weasley furrowed his brow, then, slowly, a look of comprehension crossed his face.
"You're a key," said Weasley brightly. "It's a key." He looked surprised.
The second sphinx nodded and bowed its large head. Weasley stepped forward through the doors and joined his friends, looking immensely relieved. They all immediately took off down the passage. Draco could hear the metal doors grating against the stone as they swung shut behind them.
"That's cheating, you know, Weaselbee," Draco hissed superiorly in his ear. Weasley looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Sod off, Malfoy," he grumbled.
000
They walked for what seemed like ages. The torches were much sparser in this stretch of cave, making it even darker and more unsettling than the rest of the tomb. Hermione looked at her watch. They had been traveling since early in the morning.
"Do you want to stop for awhile and rest?" she asked them, feeling rather like a mother hen. Ron and Harry were embroiled in a debate about Quidditch, and Malfoy was skulking silently along in front of them.
Harry looked thoughtful. "Well…I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea," he said.
"Do you think it's safe?" asked Ron uncertainly. He gazed around at the walls of the cave, as if expecting acromantulas to start pouring out of every crevice in the rock. "We could take turns taking watch or something," he offered.
"I don't think that's necessary," said Hermione, shaking her head. "Nothing in here is…free roaming. Locations are specific. We should be fine."
"Alright," shrugged Ron. They all conjured pillows and settled down. She, Harry, and Ron slept on one side of the narrow strip of passage through the cave, while Malfoy slept on the opposite side.
Hermione felt odd sleeping inside a cave, let alone a cave that was also an elaborate tomb, but she was rather exhausted and decided it didn't matter. She felt safe with her friends by her side. She curled up against her pillow and closed her eyes. She could almost hear the cave whispering to her as she drifted off to sleep.
Hermione was standing in the window of a high tower, overlooking the Hogwarts grounds. The rolling hills and trees she was used to seeing seemed different somehow, but not unfamiliar. She extended her hand forward and a large, white eagle fluttered down onto it, steely talons glinting in the sun.
Her hand was different too—slightly paler than usual with long, graceful fingers and adorned with a billowing, dark blue sleeve. She turned and surveyed her chambers as a sharp knock sounded from behind her. The room was decorated in rich shades of deep blue and bronze—with lavish velvety hangings and golden finish. There were books and papers littering every available surface—maps, Arithmancy runes, telescopes, history texts, potions books—every discipline imaginable.
She turned to a mirror and caught sight of her face. It was white and smooth, with dazzling blue eyes. A sheet of jet black hair cascaded down her back in loose, silky waves.
"Come in," called a feminine voice that, like the body, was not her own.
The door swung open. A man entered. He had black hair and pale skin as well, though his eyes were cold and black. The robes he was wearing looked exquisitely expensive, and were deep green, trimmed delicately with silver.
"Rowena—" He began. Hermione turned haughtily towards the window, waving her hand so that the eagle swooped gracefully away.
"Rowena, please," he said, irritated. "You know I would never—"
"I don't know what to believe," she said sharply, not looking at him.
The man slipped next to her from behind, wrapping one hand slowly around her waist, and running his other hand seductively across her neck. She gasped.
"I want you back," he said silkily. "We were happy together, once. Don't let the lies of those simpering fools drive us apart…" One of her lily white hands closed on his.
"Godric said…" she began is a soft voice, turning her head to meet his eyes.
"Gryffindor is a liar!" he spat, his voice rising in pitch. "A Muggle loving, sympathetic fool!"
Something flashed in her eyes, and she snapped her head back out the window. "Fine," she said icily. "If that's how you feel…"
"What do you mean by that?" he snapped.
"You—you hate Muggleborns," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "You think they're unworthy…"
"They are!" he said fiercely.
"You…I…Salazar—I—" she looked desperately around the room. "I'm Muggleborn."
The silence seemed to fill the entire room. "You're what?" he hissed.
"You heard what I said," she said viciously. "I forged my lineage. The Ravenclaws from Glen are Wheelrights—and occasionally scholars. They have been for centuries—until me."
He pushed her roughly away, stepping back, away from her as if she were infected. "You—lying—whore!" he yelled.
"I never lied to you!" she screamed back, matching his volume. "I am a witch!"
"You are a liar and a whore!" he hollered.
"Get out! Get out of my chambers!" She pointed furiously at the door.
"Fine," he said, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Aren't you a clever little girl?"
She fumed at him. Hermione could feel the blood screaming in her ears. "Godric was right about you." Her voice trembled. "Did you—the Lacarres—last week someone—did you kill them?" The anger drained from her voice somewhat, and she simply looked frightened.
"Yes." Salazar's dark eyes blazed madly, a very ugly look crossing his features. "They were unclean, unworthy of this place."
Hermione swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "GET OUT!" she screamed. She grabbed a vase and threw it at him. An explosion of blue and white fragments skittered across the floor. "YOU ARE A MONSTER! GET OUT OF MY CHAMBERS!"
He backed away, his face livid, his black eyes icy. "You're as unclean as all of them, you foolish whore. You'll all die. I shall have my revenge, even if it takes a thousand years."
"OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" She threw something else, a delicate silver instrument that had been clicking softly on the table. It shattered noisily against the door. "GET OUT!"
Hissing darkly under his breath, he turned and swept out of the chambers, his deep green cloak billowing behind him.
The door slammed shut and Hermione sank down onto her knees, her back leaning heavily into the wall just below the window. She began to cry.
000
Draco was walking down the halls at school, wearing his usual uniform. His robes were stuffed haphazardly into his bag. The halls seemed bright, but deserted. He heard a dull clapping sound on the stone floor—footsteps ahead of him. He sped up, trying to catch up with the person in front of him.
It was a girl. She turned a corner, out of sight. He broke into a run. She was close to him now, a schoolbag slung over her shoulder. He lunged forward, spinning her roughly and pinning her to the wall.
Hermione stared at him evenly through intense brown eyes. She raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?" she asked, folding her arms expectantly. "What do you want?"
He paused for a moment, cocking his head slightly. Then he answered, the word slipping through his lips before he could stop it.
"You."
He grabbed her roughly and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the favor, loosening the tie around his neck with one of her hands…
Draco woke up gasping, and for the life of him—couldn't get back to sleep. He stared wide eyed at the ceiling, refusing to look across the cave.
000
"The next passageway is the reason the Dark Lord cannot enter the cave," explained the instructions Regulus had written. "Don't worry Sirius, it won't affect you."
Hermione could only assume it wouldn't affect any of them either, but cursed Regulus again for being vague. It seemed he could be nearly as brash as his older brother when he wanted to.
They were walking again in the long and seemingly endless tunnel. Hermione was haunted by her dream last night. Usually she rarely remembered dreams—they faded like smoke as soon as she opened her eyes. This one was different however. She remembered each sight, each sensation quite vividly. It didn't seem like a dream at all—more like…a memory. Only it definitely wasn't her own.
"You think they'll ever catch Snape?" Ron asked Harry.
"Not if I catch him first," said Harry darkly. Ron didn't speak for a moment.
"So..." said Ron. "Ginny is looking forward to seeing you at the wedding." Harry turned slightly pink.
"Er...me too..." he said nervously.
"If you break her heart I'll kick your arse," said Ron seriously.
Harry grinned. "So I've heard."
Malfoy rolled his eyes. He cast a quick glance at her, paled slightly, and looked away. Oh, Merlin. What was his problem now?
The passageway spilled out into a lofty, vaulted chamber. There didn't seem to be anything particularly interesting about the chamber, except for the stone effigy of a snake perched atop the entranceway as if it were slithering out of the rock. Hermione eyed it warily. The idea of Ravenclaw having a serpent effigy in her tomb was rather baffling, especially after what she had just seen. Still, Regulus hadn't elaborated much about it, so she could only assume they should ignore it as well.
Harry and Ron were laughing behind her. Then, Harry suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong, mate?" asked Ron.
Harry opened his mouth, but the only thing that came out was a series of low hisses. At first Hermione was confused, but she quickly realized--Parseltongue.
"Er--you do know I don't speak Parseltongue, right?" said Ron slowly, sounding perplexed.
"You're a freak, Potter, if I haven't mentioned that lately," pointed out Malfoy, folding his arms and leaning casually against the wall.
Harry whirled around to tell Malfoy off, but again all that came out was another bunch of unintelligable hisses. Harry was starting to look panicked. He turned to Hermione and continued to hiss frantically, waving his arms and jabbing madly at the air, which didn't do much to make him any easier to understand. Hermione frowned, her eyes falling on the snake effigy. She watched its gem stone eyes light up with an eerie green light every time Harry opened his mouth, and suddenly she understood.
She grabbed the still panicking Harry by his shirt collar and dragged him backwards into the stone passage they had just traveled down. Ron followed by his friend's side. Malfoy sighed and followed reluctantly, pushing idly off the wall. The glow of the effigy faded as Harry and Hermione crossed the threshold of the chambers.
"Ssss hssss eeehhhh ssss hhhhhsss the hell is going on!" demanded Harry. "Oh, Merlin." He panted, placing his hand on his chest and looking strained. "What was that?"
"That, I believe," said Hermione, "is Ravenclaw's way of keeping Salazar Slytherin from disturbing her eternal rest."
"But I'm not a Slytherin," said Harry, looking highly affronted.
"Yeah, he's the git in Snake Breath's house," said Ron, pointing accusingly at Malfoy.
"Hey!" protested Malfoy.
"No offense, Harry," said Ron.
"None taken."
"I'm offended," complained Malfoy.
"Good," said Ron, cheerily, "No one cares."
"Oh, stop it, Ron," said Hermione. "Look--it's the Parseltongue, not the Slytherin...ness. That must be why Voldemort couldn't enter the cave himself."
"Why did she hate Slytherin so much?" asked Malfoy curiously.
"Because he was a git?" offered Ron snidely. Malfoy scowled at him.
"Actually..." said Hermione delicatlely. "Ravenclaw and Slythering had quite a...falling out when Slytherin left."
"I thought all the founders were fighting," said Harry, confused.
"Yes..." She felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I think...they were lovers."
Ron let out a low whistle. "Betcha won't find that anywhere in Hogwarts, a History."
"She was Muggleborn," added Hermione quietly.
Malfoy's hand slipped ungracefully off the wall, and he had to stumble to catch his balance. "She was what?" he said in disbelief. "How do you know that?"
She shrugged, looking away. "I...I don't know...there's just something about this place, that..."
Saying "I saw it just now in a dream" was a very un-Hermione-like thing to do, she told herself, and she wasn't about to start that anytime soon.
"Um...right," said Harry diplomatically. He glanced at the cavernous room before them. "How can we fix this?" he asked, after a pause.
"There's only one thing I can think of," she said, sighing. She strode out into the passage, into the cavern, and leveled her wand at the effigy. "REDUCTO!" she screamed. The light that burst from her wand was deflected by a shield charm. ricocheted The curse ricocheted off the walls, tearing an extremely large hole in the ceiling above her as she scampered back to her friends.
"The only plan Hermione can come up with involves violence?" said Ron, sarcastically. "I'd say were doomed."
Harry paled slightly. "It's not coming off, is it?" Hermione shook her head, her lips drawn.
"You all have to go on without me," he said heavily.
"Harry--" said Hermione.
"No way, mate," said Ron, shaking his head. "We're in this together, remember?"
"We're not in this at all if you don't get the Horcrux," said Harry resolutely. "I'll go back alone."
"No you won't," protested Ron. "We'll all go together."
Hermione bit her lip, trying to be pragmatic. They had come this far. Someone had to go ahead, or everything they had done so far would be useless.
"I'm going back," said Harry firmly. "The rest of you have to go ahead without me."
"If you're going back I'm going with you," said Ron.
Harry sighed. "Ron--"
"This is not open to debate," he replied. "You can't go back alone."
"But then..." Harry looked at Hermione and Malfoy.
Hermione looked at him and smiled, trying to be strong. "I'll be OK," she said.
"You can't go alone either," said Ron, looking even more alarmed.
"I'm not alone..." said Hermione, looking at Malfoy.
"Oh, no," said Ron. "NO."
"I need him to read the diary," she said, shrugging helplessly. Malfoy was leaning against the wall again, his face impassive. Harry and Ron suddenly grabbed him and dragged him farther down the passage, out of earshot of Hermione.
000
Potter and Weasley pushed him roughly against the wall, glaring at him. In the distance, Granger sighed and tapped her foot impatiently.
"If anything--anything happens to her--I will personally kill you," said Potter coolly.
"Not if I get to him first," growled Weasley.
"Do you understand me?" said Potter.
"Yes," said Draco quietly.
"I still don't trust him," said Weasley, eyes narrowed.
Draco sighed. "I swear on my Family's Honor, I won't let any harm come to her."
"Oh the honor of the Malfoy's," said Weasley sarcastically. "Now I feel better."
"Well I wouldn't expect you to know anything about Pureblood Honor, you bloodtraitor--" snapped Draco.
"That's enough," said Potter sharply. Weasley shut up, but still looked irritated. "Do you swear?"
"I do," he said.
"Fine," said Potter. Weasley turned and jogged over to Hermione, wrapping her in a hug and saying goodbye. Potter moved to follow him.
"You--" Draco began quietly. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted uncomfortabley. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"
Potter looked at him strangely. "Of course she does."
"Oh, I...well..." He nodded. "On my honor," he swore again, not sure why he felt so obligated.
Potter nodded as well, and then walked away.
000
Hermione's blinked back tears as she hugged her friends goodbye.
"I won't be long," she promised.
"Come back safe," Harry squeezed her so hard she was having difficulty breathing. "We couldn't do this without you, you know."
She smiled. "I know."
"If Malfoy is mean to you, let me know," said Ron seriously. "I'll kill him for you."
She chuckled, hugging him. "I know you will."
She handed Harry the crest that the vampire had given them. "Be safe," she said. "I'll see you on the other side."
They turned and walked away.
"If you get into trouble, just turn around," called Harry over his shoulder. "We'll find another way."
In her heart, Hermione knew there was no other way. She would either get the Horcrux, or they would never defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore was gone, there was no one else to save them.
"You can use Malfoy as a human shield if you need to," added Ron.
"Bite me, Weasley," retorted Malfoy.
She waited as they walked away down the tunnel, refusing to continue on until they finally faded away into darkness.
"Well," she said briskly, covertly wiping a tear from her face. "Shall we?"
Malfoy shrugged. "Sure."
Hermione moved uncertainly forward. Malfoy smiled, his usual cocky grin, but it seemed less tinged with malice than usual.
"You know the way. Go ahead," he said casually. "I'll follow you, wherever you think we need to go."
I'll follow you. To where you're going. To the ends of the earth.
Hermione nearly dropped the diary in her hands.
Nodding weakly, she set off into the darkness, Malfoy close behind her.
000
AN: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I'll try to post again soon. I've been having a very bad week. My grandmother passed away. :(
I hope everybody liked this chapter! I hope the Founders drama wasn't too out there, lol.
I'm a little too tired to respond to reviews, maybe next time. I do appreciate them though! Thank you.