Chapter 3
The pendant of Salax
Hermione woke tired in the morning. She rubbed her sore eyes from the little sleep that she had. She stretched her arms above her head and slipped out from under her warm quilt. The coldness hit as she placed her feet to the floor. She shivered at the touch. She went over to her oak dresser and pulled out a comb from the top draw. She brushed lightly through the tangled knots. She looked at the pale blue flower that sat beside her, its beauty had grown within the night, more life seemed to have spread through it, and it was now captivating her. The innocence of the flower took over her she couldn't destroy such an enchanting thing. She took the flower and clipped in to her hair.
She travelled by floo powder to Diagon alley where she was meeting Ginny. She spotted her over by Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions she was looking through the shop window at the variety of sparkling gowns. Hermione walked over to her.
"Oh, that one is nice" she said on her approach. Ginny turned round and wrapped her arms around Hermione's neck. "Okay Gin, you are cutting the circulation here." Ginny lowered her arms and went back to her original position.
"Sorry, but staying in a house with a house full of boys I'm happy for some female company at the moment" she replied.
"Lets go try some new dresses on then" Hermione said eagerly as she grabbed Ginny hand and lead her into the shop. She wasn't looking where she was going. She didn't see a tall boy coming from the shop his gaze was lowered to the floor as if in thought.
"Sorry!" they both said as they collided into each other, Hermione fell back into the shop wall. She caught sight of the boy she bumped into. He was crouched to the floor his blonde hair obstructing his vision.
"This is yours I believe," he said getting into standing position, in his hand he held the pale flower, which had fallen from Hermione's hair as she fell.
"Thank you." She stammered. He brushed his hair from his eyes and looked at the girl in front of him.
"Getting in my way again, Granger," he smirked but still he out stretched his arm and offered the flower to her. Hermione extended her fingers placing them on tiny petals of the flower. Her body suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. Her eyes shot up to look Draco in the face, his face-paled life seemed to be drawing out of him. His eyes looked hurt and his body looked weak. She heard faint voices calling her name. She couldn't respond she was transfixed on the boy that now lay before her.
"Hermione stop it your hurting him, Hermione." Ginny voice echoed through her head. She felt someone tug at her shoulder, she fell backwards still holding the flower in her hand. As she looked up she saw Draco being supported by his father, Mr Malfoy looked at her with a knowing look then turned around leading his son out, as they were going through the door Draco looked back at Hermione he looked in to her eyes then at the flower that lay in her hand lifelessly, she slid it back into her hair as the shop door shut.
Draco felt pain like he had never felt before, he was walking up a small dark abandoned street with his father he felt empty and hollow but he could feel his physical strength coming back to him. His father must have noticed as well as he removed his hand from Draco shoulder.
"In here" said the harsh voice of Lucius Malfoy
Draco turned to face an abandoned shop it was no different from the others in the street just as dirty and rundown. Draco straitened his back as he walked up the steps he could not look weak in front of the Dark Lord.
"Take hold of my right fore arm, Draco" Lucius spoke
Draco nodded and grasped his fathers fore arm. As they stepped up on to the last step a black mist surrounded them.
"Adeo anquuiro conspicio acerbys verficium" whispered Lucius in a deep voice. The black mist thickened and started to twirl around them, it was spinning so fast that Draco didn't know were he was, the mist slowed coming to a stop it cleared and Draco found him self in a dark room lit by a few candles.
"Ahh Lucius, Draco I was expecting you," said a chilling voice from the darkness. Lucius and Draco dropped to their knees as Lord Voldermort emerged from the shadows. The skeleton like figure motioned for them to stand. Draco raised his head and looked up at his master.
"Where is it now?" Voldermort demanded. He walked up to Luscious with his wand raised.
"My lord, it would seem that last…" Luscious began with his head still bowed to the floor.
"It would seem that you failed me again Luscious!" Voldermort roared, "How hard could it be to capture a little girl? Look at me when I am speaking to you, you ignorant swine."
Draco watched as his father stood straight as the dark lord took his wand and with cruel smirk speared across his face he whispered the Cruciatus Curse, Luscious shook with pain his body collapsed to the floor but still he didn't scream. His body became lifeless as Voldermort lifted the curse.
"Draco your father failed me, so I am trusting you not to follow in his footsteps. You know what needs to be done and you know what this means to me. If all goes well and I hope it should, you will be deeply rewarded. No one as young as yourself has ever been accepted within this circle Draco, you should feel proud and highly honoured."
"I am, my Lord." Draco replied. "I will do as you wish."
"The task I have in mind for you is highly dangerous you will need to be very cautious. It already has hold of the girl now and nothing can change that. You know what this can do Draco. I will be expecting to see you soon. And remember the touch of the enemy can help in more means then one. Do not disappoint me." Voldermort walked back to into the shadows and vanished. Draco stood still watching his father regain his composure.
"The Dark Lord has given you a task, my boy, a task that I myself could not fulfil." Luscious stood up straight moaning slightly but disregarding any pain he may be in. "Make me proud son."
She skimmed the titles of all the vast amount of books that were in front of her she was in her heaven. She gently traced the outlines of the books tombs with the tip of her finger. She pulled one from it place on the bookshelf, it looked shabby and old as if it previous owner did not give it the love and care it deserved. She skimmed a few pages of the book it was mostly in Latin but still she read on.
"Freak."
The book fell from her grasp to the floor with a loud bang. The noise alerted the shop assistant who was currently checking her appearance in the reflection of the counter. She was chewing gum like it was no one business. "Could you keep it down I am trying to concentrate!" she shouted between chews. Hermione turned abruptly to see who had spoken first. She pivoted to come face to face with Malfoy once again.
"Making a habit of this aren't we," he said as there body were almost touching. Hermione shuffled backwards.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME!"
"I called you a freak granger, or have you gone deaf now as well as weird!" he replied with a well-known smirk on his face.
"Just get lost Malfoy"
"Oh… I would but I think you owe me an apology."
"Me, apologize to you." She put her hands on her hips. "You were the one who bumped into me in the first place."
"You are the one that nearly killed me."
"And why would I apologize for that then when it was something that I meant to do but didn't succeed. Or maybe I should apologize to all the people out there for not killing you, because if I did then there would be one less insufferable Malfoy on this planet!" she turned on her heels and walked out of the shop with a flick of her hair.
Draco looked around the shop hoping no one witnessed her little outburst his attention dropped to the floor where he noticed the book the Hermione dropped when he startled her. He picked it up and looked at it.
"Shit!" he exclaimed running out of the shop.
"Hey you gotta to pay for that." The shop assistant shouted towards him.
"Here, and keep the change" he ran out the shop looking left then right he spotted her huddled in a corner.
"GRANGER" he shouted.
"Go away Malfoy"
"And why would I want to do that?" she turned and looked at him. He had his trademark smirk on his face but he looked paler a lot paler than usual something was obviously troubling him.
"For the last five years of my life you have hated me, discriminated against me and now you are suddenly obsessed with me. Why?"
"Erm… you forgot your book"
"For gods sake, Malfoy, stop messing with my head." She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm and pulled her further in to the corner. She suddenly felt intimidated and scared as no one could see her she was alone with someone she hated immensely.
" Just stay here and listen to me for two seconds." She shrugged her shoulders so he carried on. "Something is going to happen and I don't want to see you get hurt, so if you will just let me help you…"
"You help me don't make me laugh." Draco reached up his hand and ran it through her hair he pulled the flower from it, which was still resting upon her ear. It lay in his hand motionlessly. A small light started to glistened from inside the flower. It pale blue form became vibrant and sparkling. The flower started to change. Hermione watched closely as the flower turned from it fragile state to a shimmering pedant. Draco held it in front of her she wanted it she wanted to wear it. She grabbed it from his hand and tied it around her neck.
"It already has hold of you. You can't stop it now. It will all start on the first rainfall in September." Malfoy walked past and disappeared in to the crowd. She examined the pendant more closely she was mesmerised by the beauty that it held. It seemed as though there was a tiny universe swirling around in side it. She loved it. She was captivated by it.
