Hermione yawned. It wasn't that she was bored – far from it, she loved art. The Louvre was like Mecca to her, she was just tired. The events of the last few weeks were enough to keep her awake at night. Sirius had died, she missed him. He wasn't as close to her as he was to Harry but it still hurt. His death had finally made the truth of the situation land home. They were at war! Voldemort was back and now that everyone knew it, he didn't have to hide anymore. It was only a matter of time before more people were killed. She felt bad about coming on holiday with her parents when so much was going on, but she couldn't think of what to tell them. She still hadn't told them about any of it. She just couldn't bring herself to. They had been so eager for her to come. She had resisted at first but eventually, she had agreed. The real reason she had agreed caused a lump to rise in her throat – it was possible, even likely that she wouldn't survive what was coming. This might be her last chance to go on holiday with them. The thought of not seeing them again terrified her. She felt the tears begin to fill her eyes again, as they did every night but she forced herself not to cry. She looked around and discovered that she was alone, the tour had moved on without her. She had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn't even noticed them leave. 'Damn, which way did they go?'
It was a fifty-fifty choice, left or right. She bit her lip and headed down the corridor to her right. She wandered for what seemed like hours down the countless, near identical corridors before she gave up, she would just have to return to the lobby and wait for them. The problem was that with all the wandering she had done, she now had no idea where she was or how to get to the lobby. She looked around for someone to ask, did any of them speak English? But there was no one in sight. Biting her lip again, she continued on, rounded a corner walked into a solid wall of black cloth heading the other way. With a yelp she tumbled over and landed hard on the tiled floor. She sat up, and took the hand that was offered to her. As she stood up, she winced at the pain in her ankle, she must have twisted it.
"Ouch…sorry," she said, brushing herself off. "I didn't see you there."
"It's alright, I wasn't paying much attention either," was the reply. Hermione snapped her head up and looked at the person standing next to her, she knew that voice. "Malfoy? What are you doing here?" Malfoy looked at her, he seemed confused for a moment. Then his eyes widened as he recognised her.
"Granger? Great this day just gets better and better. What do you mean what am I doing here? It's a bloody museum! Last time I checked it wasn't illegal to visit a museum."
"I know that Malfoy…I was just surprised to see you here is all." She shook her head and looked at him again, then she noticed what he was wearing. "Hang on Malfoy, what are you playing at walking around dressed like that?" Malfoy looked confused, like he didn't know what she meant. She looked around, the corridor was deserted, for the moment they were alone. She reached into her jeans pocket and took out her wand. Malfoy opened his mouth to question her. She didn't give him the chance.
"Shut up Malfoy, don't move." Hastily she pictured him wearing muggle clothes, something ordinary that wouldn't attract attention. She stepped back from him, made sure that they were still alone and pointed her wand at his chest. "Chamelous!" A burst of purple light shot out of the end of her wand and enveloped Malfoy. When it faded, he was standing there dressed in the outfit she had pictured, a black silk shirt and slate grey slacks. Malfoy looked himself over before looking at her again.
"Not bad Granger, you'd make a good tailor."
"Oh shut it Malfoy. What the hell were you playing at, dressing like that in front of muggles?"
"Spare me the lecture will you. If I'd known I was going to come here, I would have dressed for the occasion. As it was, I…well I just kind of wound up here." His expression changed, he seemed to grow distant, his mind went somewhere else for a moment, then he recovered himself. "Anyway, no harm done, you saved the day again. It's nice to know you're good for something Granger."
"Oh just shut it will you? Just…" her voice trailed off as the tears came back. She just wasn't able to cope with another round of Malfoy and his arrogant bullshit, not today. Draco saw her cry and it bothered him. He had no idea why but it did, he felt bad that she was in pain.
"What's wrong?" She wiped her eyes hard with her hand and looked him in the eye.
"What do you care? It's none of your business anyway."
"Oh fine, be like that then. I was trying to be polite Granger."
"Polite? You? To me? Come off it Malfoy, I'm not in the mood for you and your stupid games today so just leave it will you?"
"Fine, have it your way. Bye." He turned to leave. Hermione remembered that she still didn't know the way out. 'Shit'
"Malfoy," she called out after him. He stopped and turned to face her.
"What?"
"Where are you going?"
"That's none of your business Granger. Why?"
"Because I…I don't know the way out. I'm lost." Malfoy's face lit up with his customary, annoying smirk.
"Really? Too busy correcting peoples dress sense to keep track of where you are eh?"
"Look, for once can you try and not be such an arrogant prat Malfoy? Do you know the way to the lobby or not?"
"OK, if you need a guide come on. Follow me and try not to get lost this time." He turned and headed down the corridor, Hermione had to jog for a minute to catch up. They walked on in silence for a few minutes. Draco couldn't believe it, he had completely forgotten about the fact that he would have stood out in muggle Paris dressed as he had been. Annoying as it was, Granger had done him a big favour. At least this way they would be even, he couldn't bear to have owed her for that favour. His reaction to her crying still bothered him and now the silence between them was bothering him.
"So…never been to the Louvre before?" He asked, desperate to end the silence.
"What?...No…Well I mean yes."
"Care to try again?"
"I have been here before, but not since I was five. I don't even remember the last time I was here."
"Still, it's not that hard to keep track of where you're going. Especially seeing as how you're used to navigating round Hogwarts. That place makes this seem positively open plan by comparison."
"I know…I don't really know what happened. I got separated from the tour my parents and I were taking. After I noticed that I was alone, I just kind of wandered around for a while looking for them and that's when I bumped into you."
"Ran into me is more like it. Oh well I guess you would have found your way out eventually, there are enough staff here that would have shown you the way."
"Maybe, but I couldn't have asked them, I don't speak French."
"What? Something you don't know Granger? I'm shocked."
"Contrary to popular belief I don't know everything. It just looks that way to morons like you." Draco stopped and turned to face her.
"Careful Granger, remember which one of us actually knows where he is."
"Sorry."
"That's better." He turned and started walking again, she followed. "Besides, you don't actually need to speak French to talk to a French person. Contrary to popular belief," his tone was a high falsetto, mocking her earlier tone, she glared at him, he smirked again. "Contrary to popular belief Granger, quite a few French people actually speak English. Even if they don't all you have to do is keep saying exit, exit and act like a silly girl and they'll soon figure it out."
"My god Malfoy, you really can be a prick when you want to."
"Yes it's tough I know but I'm charming enough to pull it off." He flashed her a grin, a genuine one this time. She stopped in her tracks and stared at him.
"I don't believe it, was that a joke Malfoy?"
"Don't look so shocked Granger, I do have a sense of humour you know?"
"Yes well…you've certainly hidden it well over the years."
"Yes…maybe…I guess things change. Ah, here we are, Voila!" He gestured with his hand, they were in the lobby. Hermione could see her parents talking to someone, a museum employee. Probably asking about her, they must have been worried about her. She started to walk over to them. She got five steps before she remembered Malfoy. She turned to face him.
"Well, thank you. Erm…goodbye Malfoy."
"Goodbye Granger, careful you don't get lost again." He smiled again, Hermione found herself returning it.
"Thanks, I'll try not to." She turned and ran off to her parents. Her mother crushed her in a hug. Even from this distance Draco could see the relief on her fathers face. A surge of jealousy ran through him. His parents had never been so worried about him in all his life. He had always pretty much been expected to take care of himself. He had been raised to despise muggles and everything about them but he couldn't stop himself from wishing to trade places with Granger for a moment, just once to have someone actually care about him like that. The thought stayed with him as he walked across Paris to the hotel he was staying in. It was still with him as he got undressed and got into the shower. As the water cascaded over his face, he found himself fixating on the moment when she had started to cry. It really had bugged him but he still couldn't figure out why, he had spent the last five years positively despising Granger and everything about her so what the hell had gotten into him.
He turned the water off and got out of the shower, he picked up a towel and started to dry himself off, still trying to figure it out until he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked his reflection. "You have more important things to be thinking about tonight." He forced his mind back to the museum and what he had been thinking of before he had met the mudblood. The things Etean had said. He had a decision to make. He had stayed in that corridor for over an hour after Etean had left, thinking about what he had been offered. He had looked again into the frozen eyes of the long dead emperors and empresses, trying to sort it all out in his head.
He left the bathroom and headed out into his suite. He crossed over to the window and looked out at the street far below. People, on foot and in muggle cars passed by in an endless swarm, they reminded him of the endless stream of thoughts running through his head. He found himself fixating on one thing out of all Etean had said – 'You are smart enough Draco to know what it will cost'. At the time it hadn't registered but he actually didn't have a clue what Etean had meant. Or did he?
He could certainly narrow the possibilities. It wouldn't be money, Etean had enough money to buy and sell Draco a thousand times. It wasn't property, everything in the family estate was in Lucius' name not his so what did that leave. All that remained was him. Something about him, something he could do for them, something that they wanted him to do for them but what? He sat on the edge of his bed and tried in vain to figure it out. In the end he gave up and lay back on the bed. He closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind. As he did, his thoughts flashed in rapid succession before his mind's eye. One image in particular remained, Granger crying. Damn it, he just couldn't get her out of his mind. She stood there as he remembered her, tears running down her face.
Then she changed, her face became colder and her mouth turned upward into a wicked smile. She opened her mouth and laughed, as cold and evil a sound as he could imagine. He shivered at the thought. She continued to change, she wasn't Granger anymore, her face had changed, a man now stood before him. A man Draco had never actually seen but who had dominated his dreams, his nightmares, all his life. His eyes slammed open, he must have fallen asleep, it was just a dream. He broke out in a cold sweat – "Voldemort!" He sat up. That was it.
Etean had never so much as mentioned him. Thinking about it now, it was a strange thing that he hadn't considering what he claimed The Circle did. Voldemort had to appear in their plans somewhere; the only question was, were they with him, or against him? Well that wasn't really a question, if they were on his side why bother with Draco. Why didn't they just contact him directly and offer their services? No, it was far more likely that they were against him and that they had some plans to use Draco to hurt him, maybe even destroy him. It made sense, it really did. Lucius was Voldemort's lieutenant, his right hand man and all signs pointed to Draco following in his father's footsteps one day. So that was why they had chosen him, they wanted a mole in Voldemort's organisation. They wanted him to get in, to get close to Voldemort. Close enough to…
He shivered, out of fear not because it was cold. He got up and went back to the window. Go up against Voldemort? His mind froze in terror at the very thought, he could never do that, could he? Based on what he had seen, it was clear that Etean had a few tricks up his sleeve. If Draco knew a few of those, maybe he could do it, but did he want to? Did he really want Voldemort destroyed? He had never even thought about it before. He had always been too afraid to. He had just gone along with all his father's plans and assumed that to follow Voldemort was his destiny. Now? Could he change it? Could The Circle be his way out?
He stood there, the same thoughts running through his mind over and over again. It wasn't until the sun appeared, peeking over the tops of the buildings that he made his mind up. He lowered his head and sighed.
"How long have you been there?"
"Me? I just got here." Was the reply from the shadows by the door. Etean stepped out into the light as Draco turned around. "How did you know I was here?" Draco laughed this time.
"Simple really. You let me in on a secret, one which you are willing to kill for unless I read you wrong. It makes sense for you to keep an eye on me. Plus something tells me that around you, my thoughts are not really all that private. I just made my mind up, and here you are. Am I wrong?" Etean paused, and then applauded briefly.
"Bravo, that's the first time you have actually figured something out for yourself. Well done." He walked over and sat on a chair opposite Draco. "So, you still have time left to change your mind. I can leave and come back."
"Yeah, leave, I'm sure you would but I doubt you'd go far even if I asked you to."
"Maybe not but you can still ask."
"I know, but I don't see the point do you?"
"Not really. So…?"
"So what?"
"You are supposed to give me your answer." Draco laughed again.
"You need to ask? You can read my mind, you already know the answer."
"Yes, but you need to say it, out loud. We have to stick to the rules."
"Right. First, how much of what I was thinking about last night did you listen in on?"
"Not much, I just got the highlights."
"OK, but was I right. No bullshit this time Robert. Is The Circle going after Voldemort?" Etean seemed pensive, he cocked his head to the side and looked up at Draco.
"Yes." Draco felt a hard lump form in his gut. He had seen it coming but it still hit him like a rampaging hippogriff. He lowered his head and stared at the floor.
"And you want to use me to bring him down. I am going to have to face him." Again Etean paused, longer this time, and then he frowned and stood up.
"To answer your question simply, yes. There is a high chance that you will. But you will not do so alone, The Circle protects it's own." He walked over and clasped Draco's shoulder the same way he had before he had left the museum. He waited for Draco to raise his head and look him in the eye before he spoke again. "I need your answer, but you do still have time to rethink this."
"I know, but if I spend any more time thinking about this, I'll go insane." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm in!" Etean nodded. "What happens now?"
"Now, we have to train you. You need to be ready for when the time comes. I will warn you though. The initial stages of the training are the toughest."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you are weak and we have to make you strong before you can begin to master the skills you will need."
"When do we start, what must I do?"
"We start as soon as possible, everything is ready, the hotel has been paid for and your travel arrangements have been cancelled. We shall be using alternate means to get where we're going. We can leave whenever you are ready." Draco thought about it, there really wasn't any sense hanging around, he had no one to contact, what would he tell them anyway?
"Let's go."