Disclaimer: Same old line...I don't think I need to repeat
A/N: evil laughs yes, I survived the exam! And here's the next chapter! This is sort of rushed because I had chapter 19 done first...and I can't post chapter 19 before I post 18 (sorry, jillz, for spoiling it for you!)! I want to thank those who reviewed for the last chapter! I'm sorry that some of them are really late! Also to those who didn't get a reply from me, i.e.: the ones who didn't leave an email address...I want to thank you for your support!
So...I'll stop babbling...
Blood
He would admit that he had been careless. He had been too concentrated…or maybe over confident. He truly had no competent rivals in dueling on Dumbledore's side except Potter. And Herm- Granger.
He hadn't expected Potter to come to him. He'd thought he would follow the Dark Lord in locking the Weasley into that cell with his sister. But apparently not.
Potter had chosen fighting instead of rescuing.
He chose to win the war instead of the battle.
Draco retrieved his wand while keeping a close eye on Potter's bent body. Potter kept an eye on him too. Sizing each other up. Seemingly satisfied with what they saw. When he picked up the piece of wood, he found Blaise readied to join this fight.
"Pansy got hurt." Draco said to Blaise, who lowered his wand quickly. No further words were needed. Blaise headed to find the woman.
He turned back to Potter.
This was one of the many important tasks the Dark Lord entrusted him.
And he would complete it.
Not for Lord Voldemort.
But for himself.
He would do it for himself. He must find a peace that he lacked since he became active in the Death Eater's ranks.
He quickly cast a ward around their arena. It would be nice to be able to kill Potter. Yet it was the Dark Lord's order. He would not be pleased if some stray spells finish Potter's annoyingly defiant life.
"Potter. It's us again." He drawled out at his opponent as he approached. "History loves to repeat itself."
"It likes it a little too much for my taste." He drawled as he quickly cast a protection charm around Lupin. Preventing further damage.
How thoughtful…and foolish.
The end of this damn war was closer than he'd previously thought. All he had to do was damage him enough and deliver The Boy-who-lived to his Lord. He smirked at that thought. He could almost touch the finish line.
He hurled a stunning spell at him.
Potter blocked with a fluid movement that even he, an opponent, had to admire.
"You seriously underestimate me, Malfoy." The black haired man spat. "I'm stronger than you."
"We'll see." He returned. "Let's see what you'll have to say once your slut is taken care of. You know, Lestrange loves them willful. He likes to break them. To see them fall apart…bit by bit. He likes to see the blood dripping from their ragged bodies."
Potter sent a leg-logging jinx then asked coolly. "Is that what you do to Parkinson? No wonder that whore looks no better than a house-elf."
Draco made no reply. But sent another curse.
"Protego."
"Experlliarmus!"
Getting started.
xxXxx
Both of them were tiring. But neither's pace slowed. One mistake would be an end. Both of them knew it so they fought with the same fierceness they started with.
Amateur spells thrown at each other. Damaging enough to be wary of but not enough to cause serious harm.
The Dark Lord arrived. From the corridor behind him. He could feel him behind his back. If he hadn't, he would know too, seeing the stiffening of Potter. The slight jerk of his wand.
"Well, well, well" the Dark Lord hissed, swirling a broken and battered wand on his fingers. Potter seemed to recognize the wand and glared. "So you recognize this. How does it fell, to know that you're friends are all dying for you? To know that the lives of your two precious Weasleys are on the snap of my finger?"
Potter glared and did not reply.
"How will you feel, when your other mudblood slut dies in the hands of young Malfoy here?"
He showed no emotion while Potter's continued to stared poison into the Dark Lord's pallid form behind him.
"Malfoy, continue." The Dark Lord ordered, seating himself in a regal seat.
He did.
Spells clashed with spells.
The air sizzled with energy.
Long gone was the time of testing each other.
Long gone were the taunts.
Complicated dark curses flew back and forth.
Some of them so ancient and morbid that he did not even recognize them.
Their bodies anointed with sweat.
Air smoldered in their lungs as they breathed laboriously.
Their footsteps and spells telling a story of war.
"Diffindo." Two voices said.
A spell from him.
A spell from the Dark Lord in his seat.
Potter's eyes widened as he dodged unceremoniously out one of the spell's way. But the other severing spell cut his shoulder. He dropped to his knees from the impact. His wand dropped from his injured limb.
Blood seeped through his clothes. Making his dark clothes even darker. His face steadily paled.
"It comes to an end like this." The Dark Lord said triumphantly. "You're going to die. The Weasley will join you soon. And the Mudblood…what good is she?"
Potter made no reply as he gasped for breath. He slowly pushed himself backwards. Towards Lupin's fallen body. Dragging his wand with him.
"You want to be next to the werewolf?" The Dark Lord asked, his eyes gleaming. "Let me help you."
Draco watched as the limp body of Lupin was flung in Potter's way. The body crashed into Potter. Trapping him. He watched Potter moved from underneath the werewolf, hand clutching his wand. He watched as the Dark Lord sent the Cruciatus.
He watched, because it was coming to an end.
Potter convulsed spastically under the spell. But refused to scream. Refused to succumb to mortal pain. Refused to show weakness. Refused to admit the defeat of his body and mind.
He gripped the hem of Lupin's robe tightly. Potter bit into his lip so hard that it bled. The blood dripped. Crimson drops. Not at all different from his own blood. Or anyone's blood.
The curse was lifted.
Potter heaved. As all victims of the curse did. His body slumped forwards. Like all his foregoers. But then, there was a misty glow of satisfaction in his eyes. He smirked. He smirked through his bloodied state at the Dark Lord.
And before his eyes, Potter's body mutated.
Clothes became baggy as the muscle shrunk. A soft curvy rise appeared where a flat chest had been moments before.
No.
The glasses dropped. Green eyes turned caramel.
No.
The scattered blackness on his head lengthened and lightened. Curly and messy tendrils appeared.
No.
Hermione.
NO!
His lover, wounded, bloodied but still prideful, appeared in Potter's place. He watched the woman force her bleeding arm to move. She sent a blinding spell at the Dark Lord who was too shocked to protect himself for a moment. He understood the Dark Lord's feelings. Victory slipped out of his very grasp.
Dread raised in his heart.
A painful reality crashed into him.
It was time.
"KILL HER!" The Dark Lord screeched.
"Silcencio."
It was aimed at him.
He watched, mutely. Eyes wide with horror, or was it sadness, as her hand danced the deadly steps. He felt his eyes stinging from the strain of staring at her gliding wand.
The thin thread between them snapped. Leaving them stranded.
Her face. The peace. In his forgotten year. It flashed brightly in his mind.
He was stranded in the darkness of the past.
Alone.
Empty.
Dead.
"Avada Kedavra."
A/N: I'm evil, I'll admit it...it must be my inner scorpio...(that'd be what my beta would say) So what do you think is going to happen next! You're welcome to guess...but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell you anything -grins-.I'll stop my waffling here...but REVIEW! Please! Please! PLEASE! I'm so close to my first 100th!
P.S. I'll make the next chapter extra good...-hint, hint-