To TinkerbellPrincess92, yeah, I was rushing through the first few chapters… trying to slow down now… And about that Felton and Radcliffe thing, it was meant to be like that… I did it on purpose, just for a lil' fun. Even if I made a mistake and it was supposed to be Malfoy and Potter, it would be wrong because Malfoy and Potter are Seekers, so they shouldn't be bothering about the Quaffles flying in the air. :-) thanks for the review, though! hehe
So, here's the 8th Chapter. Enjoy!
Hermione lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She woke up that morning feeling just as terrible as she did the previous day. She had been lying in that position for three whole hours so far. Two periods of lessons had gone by, but she still didn't get up. She didn't care if she failed her NEWTS. She just wanted to know if Draco was okay.
"Hermione?..." Lavender whispered, opening a small gap in the door. "Are you okay?"
"Lavender, hi... I'm fine, thanks," Hermione replied.
"Oh, please. Your hair is messed up, you have eye bags and they're all puffed up, and you have that blank look on your face like someone just died. You're obviously heartbroken," Lavender concluded expertly.
Hermione had to laugh at that. "You have a talent, Lavender."
"C'mon Hermione... You missed two lessons already and Ron and Harry had to cover up for you with lame, unconvincing excuses. Harry muttered something about you having peacock or turkey pox or something," Lavender said, a confused look on her face.
"Chicken pox," Hermione said. "Some itchy sickness muggles get, usually when they're babies," she explained.
"Genius you," Lavender complimented. "I know Malfoy's gone and all... but get over it, Hermione. Move on with your life. If he could handle leaving you, you can handle leaving him. Put him in the past, and go get someone worth it. I see you're working something with Dean. Or was it Seamus?"
Hermione blushed and got out of bed, putting on her robes. "It's Seamus. I'm not interested in him, if that's what you're thinking."
"But he's definitely interested in you," Lavender grinned. "And that Ronald too! Annoying, but sweet. See, Hermione? You have plenty of boys for you. What are you doing in bed, crying over one?"
"You're right, Lavender. Absolutely right. Let's go!" Hermione said, feeling more cheerful and more determined. They grinned and walked out of the dorm room, arm in arm. And finally, the thought of Draco was fading from Hermione's mind.
"Hermione!" Seamus called out. Hermione turned around and saw Seamus running to her. She was on her way to the great hall for lunch after lessons. "Would you uh... like to have lunch with me today?" he asked shyly.
Hermione smiled. "I'd love to." They walked in together, and took a seat quite a distance from Hermione's usual friends. Hermione felt awkward not to be sitting at her usual place with Ron and Harry, but she guessed Seamus wanted some privacy, and he certainly didn't want Ron snooping around either.
"So... have you solved that problem of yours?" Seamus asked.
"Oh yes, I think I have," Hermione replied uncertainly.
"I see... uh... cool..." Seamus said slowly, unsure of what to say.
A few tables away, Ron and Harry sat together, munching on Ron's favourite dish - chicken wings. A third year boy walked up to Harry and asked him if he could take the empty seat beside him, eager to sit beside the boy who lived.
"Uh, sorry, we're saving this seat for someone else," Harry replied, and the boy walked off sadly. "Where is Hermione anyway? Maybe we shouldn't save a seat for her… she probably isn't coming."
"I hope she's not in her room crying over Malfoy again," Ron muttered.
"Why… well actually… I just spotted her over there, sitting with Seamus," Harry said with his eyes wide open.
Ron leaned back to see the row of people and sure enough saw Hermione's bushy brown hair fluffing everywhere, with Seamus beside her, grinning. Ron turned red with jealousy and looked down at his chicken wings. He took a whole stack of them and got up.
"I'm leaving," he announced.
"So soon?" Harry said.
"Yeah. See you in Charms, Harry," Ron said, and stormed out the hall.
Hermione laughed. "Good one, Seamus."
"Yeah... still can't get over that joke. Hey look, it's Weasley. He isn't looking too good," Seamus said. Hermione turned around and saw Ron hurrying out the hall.
"Oh, God. Not again…" Hermione said, getting up. "I'm so sorry Seamus, but I have to go. I'll catch up with you later, okay? Lunch with you was great!" She ran out of the great hall, leaving Seamus muttering curses at Ron for taking Hermione away from him.
"Ron! Ron!" Hermione called out. Ron continued to walk as if he never heard her. "Ronnn!"
Ron quickened his pace, eager to stay distant from Hermione, but as a result, he dropped two of his chicken wings on the ground.
"Look what you did, Mione. You made me drop my chicken wings!" Ron scolded.
"Oh shut up, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes, catching up with him. He picked up the chicken wings he had dropped on the ground and blew away the grass and dirt, then put it in his mouth as if nothing had happened.
"That's disgusting, Ron."
"Then don't watch me eat and get lost," he snapped.
"Ron, talk to me. What's wrong with you?" Hermione said, panting.
"You're always with that fag Seamus," Ron muttered, tearing the meat off his tenth chicken wing.
"He's not a fag. He's very nice to me alright? Unlike someone I know," Hermione said.
"Oh, so now you're saying his better than me?" Ron spat angrily.
"What is wrong with you, honestly? Why are you so angry when I'm with other boys?" Hermione said, oblivious to the reason.
"You really wanna know, Mione?" Ron said quietly.
"Yes, yes I do. Tell me why you've been treating me badly these few days, and why you get angry everytime Seamus comes around. Tell me why, Ron," Hermione pleaded.
"I never got over you," Ron said softly. "I still love you."
Hermione stared at Ron like he was crazy, ready to burst into tears again. She could hear Draco saying the exact same words, and his voice kept ringing in her ears, haunting her. She shook her head and looked away. "No… you don't."
"I do, Hermione. I really do."
"No!" Hermione shouted. "That's what everyone tells me. That's what Draco told me. And look now, he's gone. You can't love me, Ron…"
"Why not, Hermione? Why can't I?" Ron said.
"Because I'm afraid I'll lose you too."
"You won't lost me," Ron moved towards Hermione, hugging her.
"I lost Draco," Hermione pointed out.
"How does that have anything to do with me going off? I don't have a psycho dad who's planning to dominate the world. I'm not going to leave you, Hermione," Ron said certainly.
Hermione sniffed and stood up straight, moving away from Ron. "I'm sorry, Ron. My heart belongs to Draco."
"I know…" Ron said sadly. "There's nothing I can do about it, is there?"
"No, I guess not…" Hermione replied softly.
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"Stop moving, you fool," Lucius Malfoy spat at his only son. Draco was struggling from Lucius's tight grip on him. Finally Lucius let go, throwing his son on the ground.
"You useless, worthless piece of nothing. I have no idea why the Lord wants you," Lucius said as Draco struggled to stand. He looked around him and saw tombstones, shivering when he realized that he was in a graveyard.
"You must not keep the Dark Lord waiting. Move, you idiot!" Lucius pushed his son forward, and they walked towards an empty space in the very middle of the graveyard. He stopped when he saw dark figures appear out of nowhere, surround him and Lucius.
"Ahh, good to see you all again," Lucius said. Draco recognized one of the women there as Bellatrix, her face almost covered behind her black hood.
"Been having fun, Bella?" Lucius said.
"Oh yes... killed two bloody Aurors who got in my way... murder is my favourite hobby," Bellatrix grinned.
"It is a hobby to all of us," Lucius said, grinning, referring to the death eaters surrounding them. Draco looked around him, searching for a place to escape, but soon gave up hope when he realized that he couldn't get anywhere without his father coming after him. And even worse, the other death eaters might join in too and punish him for running away once they had found him.
"How's Narcissa?" Bellatrix asked.
"Fine," Lucius answered quickly, gritting his teeth. Bellatrix gave him a confused look, but decided that it was nothing important and turned around to talk to another death eater.
At the struck of midnight, the air turned cold and eerie. Everyone knelt down, and Draco followed too, confused. The wind blew stronger than ever, and the clouds above him covered up the moon and the stars, and big black crows flew in circles around the graveyard, as if performing a prepared ritual. In the middle of the circle of death eaters, a tall figure in thick maroon robes appeared before his eyes, and everyone bowed in awe, except for Draco.
"My Lord. We are pleased to have you here," Lucius said. "And I have brought my son, Draco."
"Ahh, yes," Lord Voldermort hissed, turning around to look at Draco. Draco gasped and moved a step back when he saw Voldermort's face. His was bald, his eyes deep and sunken, and he had no nose. Draco had expected Voldermort to look amazing and powerful, but he just looked distorted and out of proportion. He would've snickered if this hadn't been such a serious situation.
"What is this?" Voldermort said, as he reached out to lift Draco's chin up with his long, boney fingers. "I see fear in your eyes, boy. And... innocence."
"Lord, I-.."
"Keep quiet, Lucius. I did not ask you to speak. Now, how am I to make this boy my follower, when he does not wish to be one? This won't do, Lucius. I do not want to have followers who serve me in fear rather than loyalty."
"Lord, Draco will be loyal to you. He's only afraid of you because this is his first time seeing you, my Lord. I will make Draco the ideal death eater, I promise you," Lucius assured Voldermort.
"I trust you, Lucius. Now, shall we begin?"
The death eaters began placing candles around Draco, circling him. Draco stood in the middle of the circle of candles helplessly, knowing that this was to be permanent, affecting his future. Voldermort stepped into the circle and ordered Draco to close his eyes. A moment later, he heard Voldermort muttering a language he didn't understand. He realized it was in tongues when he heard Voldermort hissing like a snake.
Draco felt power building up in his body – strong, cold, evil power. The power rising inside him filled his mind with promises of a better life as a death eater, but Draco tried to fight it.
Lies, it's all lies, Draco forced himself to believe, but Voldermort's spell was too powerful, taking over him and filling his body with pleasure. Draco eased down and relaxed, feeling a million times stronger than he had felt before as a normal boy. He heard someone whisper in his ear, telling him that evil was the best thing he could ever have. Draco breathed in the air around him, and it smelt nothing like death anymore. Everything was perfect in the world to him at that moment.
"Give me your hand, boy," Voldermort ordered, and Draco stuck his hand out obediently, amazed that the great Lord Voldermort was about to touch his hand. Voldermort pointed his wand at Draco's arm, somewhere below his shoulder, and imprinted the dark mark on his skin. Draco yelped in pain, but it was quickly covered up by pleasurable evil. Voldermort grinned and put his wand back in his robes, stepping back.
"Now you are a death eater, son," Lucius said proudly.
"The boy will need some getting used to, though," Voldermort said, dusting his hands. "Crabbe, Goyle, I would like you two to bring your sons to me too, by tomorrow. Now, I have better things to do than stand here and chat with all of you." And with that, Voldermort disappeared, leaving behind a stale, black magic stench.
"NO!" Draco yelled, snapping back to reality. The delicious power of evil faded, leaving him with pain and guilt. He felt dirty, weak, and tricked. Draco stared at the dark mark which was still burning his skin, feeling as if life had been sucked out from him.
"Look what you did, father!" Draco yelled angrily. "You've ruined me!"
"Do not talk to me like that, Draco. Being a death eater is what many people dream of becoming," Lucius said. The other death eaters knew this was going to be a father-son talk, so they disappeared too, leaving Lucius and Draco alone.
"Well I'm not one of them. I don't want to cause chaos and murder the innocent, serving You-Know-Who. I will not serve anyone!" Draco yelled.
"You are not to talk about the Dark Lord like that! This is the new you, Draco, whether you like it or not," Lucius said, ending the conversation. Draco gave in, accepting his curse. He knew that no matter how much he hated being a death eater, he still wouldn't be able to go back to who he was before. But the only thing that was really worrying him was how Hermione would ever love him now.
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Hermione opened her eyes, panting heavily. Sweat was dripping from her forehead, and she realized she had been crying.
"What's wrong, Mione? Lavender said softly, rubbing her eyes. "It's still early; go back to sleep."
"I just had a… a bad dream," Hermione whispered, still panting.
Lavender made a small squeak and fell asleep again.
It can't be, Hermione thought. It was just a dream, wasn't it?
He can't be a… death eater…
Kay. Review me, people! Please give me ideas too on what to write for the next few chapters. I got some in my head, but I'm wondering if any of you got better stuff. Review review review! Even if you have nothing to tell me, review me anyway! XD
Sorry, I'm desperate for reviews 'cause it's nice watching the number go up up up!