Name: Chamber of Destinies

Author: Sweet-calmness

Genre: Romance/Action/Angst

Disclaimer: I own the plot, nothing more

Chapter 8

Hermione had her fair share of rumors going around, but she never thought it would go to such levels. It took less then a day for everyone to hear about the friendship or 'affair' between Draco and Hermione, and even less time for the whole school to make the assumption that Hermione is a deatheater.

What astounded everyone the most was how the rumor even got started. Yes. Harry Potter started it. How could that be? Just a day ago they were best friends, everyone would ask. No one dared to ask Harry though. Everyone seemed to get the jest that he does not want to be disturbed.

However, Harry was not Hermione's only concern. Ginny Weasley, as a matter of fact, also seemed to believe Harry. Although Hermione had tried countless times to talk to the younger girl, the youngest Weasley would not budge one tick. Not even Draco could do anything about it. Both of them were literately shunned by the school.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry was sitting by the fire. Sirius's voice has been speaking to him for ages, ever since that day of the Yule ball.

Don't do this to her...

Help her...

Please help her...Harry closed his eyes and ignored everything. It's her fault; it's all her fault for liking that Malfoy.

'Leave me alone…'

Please leave me alone.

Christmas arrived. So many students are leaving school, and Hermione could not help but feel a slight bit responsible for it. The parents must be really scared to take their children out of the safest place in the world.

Hermione sighed sheepishly. Things don't look as if it's going to get any better. A few days ago Draco chucked a spaz because a few year twos were pointing and whispering at them. He went as far as giving them jelly legs and beaver teeth and in turn got landed with five weeks of detention with Filch.

Yet, somehow he seems quite happy about it.

Crookshanks's meowing started as they walked out onto the ice. He missed Draco. Ever since the cat scratched Harry and Ron during Potions class one day, Draco has became greatly fond of the creature. Hermione wished that he could stay with her during Christmas, but they both know that if Draco do not attend the Malfoy's traditional Christmas celebrations, Lucius will definitely get suspicious enough to stop doubting the rumors that he hear from his 'colleagues'. So it is decided that her cousin go back to Malfoy manor, and Hermione and Crookshanks head for the Gryffindor manor alone.

'Crookshanks, it's time to go.' Hermione called out as she takes one last look at the Hogwarts Castle fields. She could see Hagrid's little hut at the very crook of the field and wished that she could go to him. Even during third year when she had that fight with Harry and Ron she had at the very least have some other friends. Now the only one she can really count on is Draco and her cat.

It's weird how things change so quickly without you knowing.

Hermione called out to Crookshanks's name a few more times. The familiar did not return to her, nor was there any response. She knows from experience the cat is a lot smarter then it looked, so it couldn't possibly run of without a reason.

'Crookshanks!' Hermione screamed, her voice becoming quite hoarse. That's strange, she's only been out for a little while, and the cat was by her side just a moment ago.

Her legs carried herself to the Shrieking Shack. From a few meters away she sighted paw prints – definitely Crookshanks. Unfortunately, she missed the small dots of another's track.

Really unfortunate.

Hermione screamed out as she saw red on snow and a bit of mangly ginger fur sticking out of the thick snow. She was at the entrance of the Shrieking Shack now. Fear gripped her like vice grips as she remember what happened the last time she was here.

She heard a hiss like a snakes, then little squeaks like a rat.

'Gryffindor...'

And that was when something grabbed her from behind. She choked out, but her screams were muffled by a hand. Not human though. No. It was strangely metallic and cold.

It stung at her, making her lips bleed. She could taste the strange metallic-ness in her lips and her brain started to freeze.

Hermione struggled with a last few breathes left. She tried to do her wandless magic, but it just doesn't seem to work. An act of desperation made her reach for her wand.

It wasn't there.

Instead, she felt a strange coldness, like glass shards scratching her skin, and felt something poking the crook of her neck.

'Crucio.'

She woke up in a violent twitch, her sapphire eyes cold and unfocused. Blindly feeling her surrounds, she found some sort of soft furry creature. It bit her hand harshly and she let out a gasp of pain.

A sudden crash of water caused her to convulse horribly. The little food that she's had last came out in an aqueous mess, its unfamiliar stench made her feel even worse. Her eyes burned as it finally focused, and backed away slowly when she saw her attacker.

'You!'

Peter Pettigrew laughed, making his enlarged teeth and beady eyes even more obvious. To think, her father was his best friend was just atrocious. Finally getting tired of hearing his voice, the Gryffindor viciously spat on his face, and a trail of saliva ran down his eyes in its victory.

'Why you-!' Wormtail started, grabbing her wrist without warning. She felt a surge of pain through her arm muscles as he twisted it. A shot of blue light made him let go and Hermione whimpered slightly in relief. Despite that, her arm now looked grotesquely out of angle, and sharp dots started to align themselves among her iris.

'So Gryffindor. I am pleased we meet again. I don't think we've been formally introduced. I am Voldemort.'

And there he was in front of her. This is the first time she's seen him since the attack on her home back with the Grangers. Recollections of Sirius unwilling unturned their graves in Hermione's memory, making her wince and turn away from the dark lord's scarlet ever-seeing eyes.

'Oh Hermione…you know that you'll be able to see him, just as long as you join me. You have power, and I have the means of using it. What do you say?'

Hermione muttered something incoherent.

'What? I didn't hear that.'

'No.'

'You know that we'll resort to other means of making you join us Hermione.'

Voldemort smiled. From what Hermione can see, the stupid bastard (a/n, sorry, language, I know. I'll make the T? Should I?) is clearly playing with her. If she knows him as well as she think she knows him, then he's clearly got this whole capture planned out. One way or another, she'll be forced to join him.

Well, everything is just fine and dandy, no?

And Hermione did what she knew that would make Draco proud of her. She smirked.

'Try me.'

A/N CLIFFIE! And very short, yep yep. But at least I got it out of my system. The truth is I already wrote the next chapter…but it sounds all very ugly to me so I'll be doing some quick editing before it gets released. SORRY! Ohh…by the way, should I make this story a T? There's gonna be a lot of swearing, a lot of pain…a slight bit of angst and serious Harry bashing…LOL. Don't worry, it will be a happily ever after, me promise!