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Ginny ran through the enveloping darkness, her lantern piercing only the space directly around her. The night was alive, clawing at her stomach, wanting to rip the child from her womb. Abruptly a shape appeared in front of her, and she almost ran into it before she managed to stop.
Something about the long, dark hair that was tumbling in tangles around the girl's shoulders was familiar. "Hermione?"
Relief tainted with unnamable dread seeped through Ginny as Hermione slowly turned to face her. The relief fled in fright and her scream stabbed the air as she looked at her friend. Fire danced in the girl's eyes and blood trickled from them in a horrible, slow stream.
"I am going to him." The words were quiet, laced with a terrible certainty that chilled the blood running through Ginny's veins. The red-head didn't know the man Hermione spoke of, but when the girl referred to him, it seemed as if the night shifted in anticipation.
Suddenly, a hand appeared out of the darkness and wrapped itself around Hermione. A cloak hid the man behind her, but his eyes glared into Ginny, causing pain to rip itself through her. She fell to her knees, and Hermione looked down at her whimpering friend with cool indifference. The blood continued to drench her face, but the fire was gone from her eyes. Now they were an icy white, and when she smiled, pointed teeth revealed themselves to her.
Another shape joined the two figures, and Ginny gasped. Draco Malfoy stood next to the cloaked man, fear etched into his features, strikingly out of place next to the two marble statues beside him. When he spoke, she saw blood stained teeth, and it seemed to gurgle in his throat. His throat looked mangled, and the skin seemed to hang off in shreds barely concealed by his dark cloak.
"Let us go, Ginny. It is too late now."
"No!" At her defiance, the eyes that shined from behind the man's hood narrowed, and she saw a flash of his teeth as he grinned. Releasing Hermione, he walked over to Ginny and knelt next to her. The air that surrounded him was so cold it seemed to freeze even Ginny's blood.
"None will refuse me." At that, the long fingered hand stretched out and rested itself firmly on Ginny's bulging stomach. Pain shot through her once again, but this time a haunting scream accompanied it that was not her own.
It was the scream of a dying baby.
Gasping for air, Ginny shot up, her eyes wide with terror. She clenched her arms around her, and felt tears drip down her face and land on her exposed skin. Her flesh was warm to the touch, but was not enough to melt the ice that still ran through her.
The night was silent, except for Harry's quiet breathing beside her. She tried to stand in the cramped tent, pouring herself a cup of water from the pitcher on their small table. She raised it to her lips, not noticing her trembling hands. The voice echoed through her mind. None will refuse me.
The voice had seemed to be everywhere at once, coursing through her body at the same time as it shook the night around her. It was cold, with a hiss that was unlike Voldemort's, not serpentine, but more humanly lethal.
"Ginny?" Harry's voice was weary but concerned. Ginny quickly wiped her tears on the back of her hand, and turned to face him, a forced smile frozen on her lips.
"You can't hide from me that easily." At his soft words, her mask fell, and she lowered herself beside him, sobs racking her body. "Is it the baby?"
Ginny wanted to explain the dream, but something kept it back. Hermione's cruel look was still engraved in her mind, and she didn't want to tell Harry about it. She simply nodded, the salt from her tears burning her mouth accusingly. As she closed her eyes against him, she could see the burning eyes once more.
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Hermione winced as sharp fingernails dug into her back. She felt blood drip from the pierced skin, sliding down her back with sick warmth.
You were meant to come here. As the words crawled through her, she twisted her head back to look at the vampire leading her through the thick forest. You will know how to get to him. We will know where you are always. You will not get away.
She turned back around, trying to rid herself of the image of pale dead eyes and stretched skin. She stared at Draco's silver hair instead. When he declared that he was accompanying her, he had barely been able to meet her eyes. She was sure the motives for his companionship had nothing to do with amiable feelings for her, but she was grateful all the same. Traveling alone would only allow her more time to think of who her destination held.
The hand finally left her shoulder, and the vampire whispered in her ear so that Draco couldn't hear him. Go now. We have made a trail for the beginning, but you know the way.
Glancing at the cleared path in front of her, she noticed that an eerie mist lit the area she was going towards. You can see it, can't you? The boy can't. It will lead you. He wants the boy now too, there is something special about him as well, so do not lose him.
Then, the wraith was gone. Draco glanced back at her, and puzzlement furrowed his brow. "How are we supposed to know the way?"
"I know," she paused, not wanting to admit she could see the way to their fate, "they told me." She knew he wouldn't believe her timid excuse, but his only reaction was to glance at her distastefully and motion her to the front.
"I guess you'll be leading, then." She nodded curtly, and stepped in front of him, ignoring his sneer as she passed. She stared at the mist entwining around her legs. The thin trail emitted a soft glow that was at the same time comforting and terrifying. Tortured faces seemed to form out of the silvery fog, staring at her with hateful expressions contorted with agony. Unidentifiable whispers came from everywhere around her, and she could feel eyes glaring out from the dark trees. Watching her, and waiting silently to attack.
Hours passed, and her legs began to burn with the effort of carrying her over the rough terrain they had reached once the vampire's trail had ended. The mist still formed a cool path to follow, but Hermione's vision was blurred with exhaustion.
"We have to stop soon." Her voice cracked with disuse – they hadn't spoken at all since they had started out in earnest. When Draco didn't reply, she looked back at him, and he nodded tiredly.
As soon as she formed a clear thought in her mind of finding a place to sleep, a clearing seemed to form itself in front of them. The silence around them was deafening. Every creature that rustled the bushes as they walked past was absent here. She stepped into the clearing, and saw a fire burning in the center. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt His presence.
"We can't stay here."
"Are you insane, Mudblood? I can barely walk, and I've seen the way you stumble at every turn. We have to sleep, and get some food."
She nodded with resignation, but noted the dread that pooled in her stomach like a serpent ready to strike. Draco pulled out her bag, and enlarged it. He pulled out some of the dry contained food and conjured a bit of water to heat it with. When he had heated it completely, he ate by the fire, the flames dancing in his eyes. The sight made something stir uneasily within Hermione, her mind touching on some memory of a dream she couldn't completely grasp.
As she prepared her own food, Hermione studied Draco out of the corner of her eye. He was handsome, but the years of isolation had etched into him a hardness that was frightening. He had hesitated before killing her, but she didn't think that hesitation would have developed into complete abandonment. His expression now held no fear, only angry doubts.
"Why were you banished?" Her voice seemed to rouse him out of the thoughtful stupor he was in, and he slid his eyes over to hers coolly.
"Why should I tell you, Granger?" He drawled her name as cruelly as he ever had in school, and she felt her muscles tense with barely controlled annoyance.
"Because we are going to be stuck together for a long time, and we might as well get to know a little bit about each other."
He scowled at her. "I don't want to know anything about you."
"Fine. Suit yourself." Despite her exhaustion, Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out The Odyssey. Opening it to the first page, she read, "Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns, driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy."
She smiled quietly. Driven time and again off course. The words rang in her mind, the poetry replacing the anxious fear that lurked inside her with still serenity. She felt eyes on her, and looked up to see Draco gazing at the book in her hands.
"I haven't read a book in three years." His voice was quiet, but the sorrow within it rang clear.
"Do you want to read it with me?" The offer stuck in her throat painfully, and she waited for the lashing comeback that she knew would follow.
"Would you mind?" She looked up sharply, surprise softening her features. She moved closer to him, and watched as he hungrily sought out the words on the page.
"You rolled your eyes when you first saw this." He looked unwillingly up from the words, and bit his lip.
"Well, now you know…it's my weakness. Always has been. My father…" He cut himself off. "Whatever. I didn't mean it, I just figured if you left it there I could take it later."
She let whatever he was going to say go. He would never trust her enough to tell her the complete truth, and she reciprocated those feelings in full.
They sat by the fire reading until Hermione could barely keep her eyes open. As she slipped into sleep, the fiery eyes that stared at her with dangerous mirth in her dreams were finally absent, replaced by a calm sleep.
She only woke when she felt a cold hand caress her cheek. Her amber eyes flew open, and met completely black ones.
A/N: Please, please review! Oh, and voting is open at the Dramione Awards, where this story and A Conflict of Love are nominated. The link is on my author page, please vote if you like my story! Thanks!