Chapter 33 - The Coming Storm

2 Months Later

It had been two weeks since she'd last heard from Draco. That wasn't surprising, considering his harrowed message from earlier; but Hermione still rebelled against it. Lately, with tensions higher than ever among their trio, now constantly on the move and more haggard than they'd ever been despite the warming weather, she felt the need more than ever to know that Draco was alright. Please, let something be going right for a change!

Hermione may as well have been asking for the moon for all the good it did her, though. At this point, it seemed too much even to ask that the boys clean up after themselves and stop losing their dirty socks everywhere. Apart from which, as always, they had bigger problems on hand.

For one thing, Harry's visions about Voldemort were coming back. He was now on the trail of something, getting increasingly excited as each day passed, and Harry was convinced that Voldemort was close to what he was seeking.

"I think it's the Elder Wand. That's the only thing he could want that would make sense and it fits in with the visions I've already had!" Harry exclaimed excitedly around the camp table one gloomy morning in mid-March.

For Hermione, hearing this was particularly exasperating, as it brought to the forefront yet again Harry's absurd belief in the Deathly Hallows. For weeks now he'd been trying to convince her and Ron that there was some merit to his theory, and furthermore he had even asked Hermione to have Draco do some research on it. As a courtesy to her friend, Hermione had asked Draco to look into it, but she hadn't exactly emphasized the point in any of their few-and-far-inbetween conversations. It was...just ridiculous to put any merit in a children's story, in her opinion.

Besides which, by the sound of the young Malfoy's voice, every time they spoke he seemed to be getting more and more tired, and farther and farther away. From her. This worried Hermione more than she would admit to Harry when he asked—Ron, naturally, did not ask—and yet she couldn't pinpoint why that was. She tried asking Draco about it, but he always either sidestepped the question or gave her vague answers that sounded either like he was lying or that he was only telling her part of the truth, but not the important part. There was something going on in the world and at Hogwarts in particular, dark forces at work that Draco seemed to be caught up in, and yet he wouldn't let her back in to help him.

They had made many plans to meet face-to-face once more, but since January that last time, they hadn't been able to. Either one or the other of them would be too busy, on the run or with school. There was always danger lurking nearby, always a warning to communicate, but never any...connection between them. Looking back, Hermione tried to determine if maybe it was the meeting with Ron that had set Draco off like that—as seemed likely—but Draco insisted that that wasn't the case.

"It has nothing to do with Weasley," he'd said, giving no further explanation.

And Hermione, for all that she believed him and wanted to have faith in him moving forward, found it harder and harder to keep up her hopes in what was happening between them—what was fading fast between them. She and Draco...well, they were meant to be together, weren't they? They'd both expressed as much of a desire at Christmas, back during those wonderful days at his lake house, but then...it was as if Draco had simply lost interest in her once he'd gone back to Hogwarts. Or...no, that wasn't right. He was interested in what was happening with her and Harry, how they were holding up and if they needed anything. But if they needed supplies or the like, Draco would send them to the camp using magic, never coming himself. And recently, whenever Hermione tried to touch on anything too personal on his end, she felt him retreating as clearly as if he'd flinched away from her touch.

All of it left her feeling empty and heartbroken without knowing why, and yet never once had she tried pushing Draco too far, for fear that she might actually lose him. Whatever was going on with him, whatever was happening at Hogwarts, she played no part in it and perhaps it was best that way. As Draco said over and over again to her, she already had enough to worry about with adding him to the muddle.

Except that he already was—sometimes even at the center of it, if she was being quite honest.

And so, the situation being what it was, Hermione found herself growing more and more annoyed with Harry and Ron as the days went on—Harry especially, for a change, as he kept bringing up those bloody Deathly Hallows and insisting that they were important.

"We've already got the Invisibility Cloak, but what about the Resurrection Stone? Do you suppose he's after that as well?" Harry mused one day. Then, on another, he might suggest going after the Elder Wand themselves, except of course that none of them knew where it could possibly be.

And so on and so forth it went, until finally Hermione just snapped, dismissing everything to his face yet again, leaving him stunned and silent, then stomping out of the tent on her own.

She needed some fresh air, and some distance. Was it too much to hope that Draco would answer her patronus if she sent one out?

Better not, Hermione, her conscience chided her. Now's not a good time. Not while she was in a bad mood, anyway. Draco certainly didn't need more negativity coming his way—least of all from her.

As seemed to often be the case nowadays, the best thing she could do for Draco Malfoy—for whom she felt herself wanting to do so much more than she was doing—was to leave him alone.

Note: Trigger warnings below include depression, heavy angst, and suicidal thoughts. If any of these things are too heavy or might impact you in a negative way, please skip reading this part of the chapter. (Don't worry, there's nothing important content-wise, so you won't miss anything by not reading. This is more for background rather than crucial plot-detail.)

Although she didn't know it, Hermione's instincts about choosing not to contact Draco proved to be right—as always. The truth was that there was no good time to contact Draco Malfoy anymore, and that's why he was usually the one to initiate contact with her. More and more rarely, it was true, but there was a reason behind everything.

Draco's reason was simple: he was in hell and he wasn't about to drag Hermione down with him.

Whether she sensed it or not in the few conversations they'd managed to have recently, Draco felt as if he was becoming less and less of a person—a dull shadow of whom he had been before, who he was in truth.

Ever since that initial confrontation with Crabbe and Goyle about what he must do to prove his loyalty to the Dark Lord, and since Severus had been unable to help him, Draco had truly become a death ever in every sense of the word short of performing the Killing Curse. There was no point going into the specifics of what he had done, for the fact remained that he had done bad things, from simple hurtful hexes to having to use the Crutiatus Curse on his fellow students.

Over. and. over. again.

It was an unending torrent of pain and punishment, with eyes darting away from him in fear and most students shrinking into themselves, willing that they should disappear when he walked past. Severus had softened the worst of the blows of...just about everything as well as he was able, but even his godfather wasn't able ot keep Draco from everything. For, without meaning to and certainly without trying to, he had become Amycus Carrow's pet executioner and Alecto Carrow's main "anti-Muggle" representative in her class of hate propaganda. Everything Draco did from when he woke up every morning—from nights spent mostly awake and steeped in nightmares and cold sweat the rest of the time—he did as if on autopilot. What little he ate, he didn't taste. What he saw in front of his eyes, he couldn't erase, and so he became immune to it. His conscience and morality he stashed away deep inside himself, along with what little there was left of humanity—including his feelings for Hermioine, which he buried deepest of all.

For an hour each night, before going to bed, he let out all the anguish and self-hatred come out in the Room of Requirement—the only place where he was mercifully alone. Searching through that room for lack of anything better to do, he'd found a number of instruments of magic that could very well be used to bring a wizard to his bitter end. And self-inflicted, no less. Like that obsidian dagger inscribed with runes, nasty ancient curses that were sure to make any wound inflicted by the blade twice as painful. Or that ancient potions bottle full of liquid and a label that read only "A substitute for the Killing Curse". Or perhaps even the Evergone, a handheld mirror that, if one stared into it too long, would draw out a witch or wizard's soul much like a dementor's kiss, trapping it in the mirror until it was broken—the soul, the mirror, or both.

All dangerous tools that, though hidden away, Draco was surprised that Dumbledore had kept in the school at all.

Or maybe he just didn't know about them, Draco had thought once, though of course that was unlikely. These items, among many other less fatal ones, he'd lined up on a shelf within easy reach, should he ever choose to use them.

When speaking to Hermione though, and considering and reminding himself over and over again that, to an extent, she needed him to help them win this war, Draco quickly put away such thoughts of cowardice and tried to assert himself into something doing something positive once more. Whether that consisted of research on whatever Hermione needed, or even just getting her supplies, he did so readily and considered it the best use of his time out of everything he did.

Everything else was a nightmare.

The last time he had spoken to Hermione was at the end of February—over two weeks ago, now. Apart from considering that he needed to contact her again soon both to receive and give her updates on the current situation, Draco just needed to hear her voice. He had received an owl from his mother asking him to come home soon for sort of an "early Easter holiday", but Draco figured that perhaps she just wanted him home because Lucius had been called away yet again on some mission for the Dark Lord. Not that Draco blamed Narcissa for pulling from strings to get him out of school earlier; after all, his Aunt Bellatrix probably wasn't welcome company, and word had it that Fenrir Greyback was also making a nice nest for himself at Malfoy Manor now. Besides which, Draco would take any excuse to get out of Hogwarts, away from what he was forced to do and forced to say.

The one drawback to that idea was that he would have far less opportunity to contact Hermione from the manor, as the wards and charms set in place around the property were much stronger than before. Clearly, the Dark Lord had taken to having the large estate as his headquarters, and that was probably the reason why he was treating Lucius slightly better as well. He wasn't there now, Draco didn't think; but in any case, his dark magic lingered.

As such, Draco decided that now, one of his last days of term, was the best time to contact Hermione. Just...one brief conversation, even two minutes of just hearing her voice, knowing that she was alive and hopefully doing well. Then he'd be able to move on, be strong.

Please respond, Hermione. Let me know you're alright, he thought summoning up his patronus—now so pitifully small that it fit in the palm of his hand. Thinking about Hermione, allowing himself to let that brief flow of positive thoughts wash over him, Draco managed to make it a bit bigger, so that at least Hermione might be able to see it approaching her. As small as it was becoming nowadays, she might miss it altogether.

"It's me again," he began, sounding awkward and raspy. Ah, that's right—he had just sparred with Crabbe yesterday and the rather vindictive Slytherin, now jealous of his friend's "effortless success and influence with Amycus", held nothing back. His shoulder still hurt like hell and if it wasn't for some of the healing salve that Madame Pomfrey had brewed for him, Draco might still have some of those scars across his face and arms.

Clearing his throat, he continued. "I thought now was a good time to check in with you, see how you, Harry...and Weasley are doing. I'm expected back home soon so I won't be in touch while I'm away from Hogwarts. Now is the last chance I have to bring you anything if you need it, so let me know as soon as you can."

Formal and perhaps a bit cold-sounding, but it got across the main points that he wanted to, and at least was true to what he meant to say without imposing too much. Now, with how tainted he was, Draco felt as if he was so far away from Hermione's warmth and light that...he might as well not even try getting close to her again.

Once more, Hermione's instincts on how much he was retreating from her were indeed correct.

Pacing impatiently across the Room of Requirement, Draco wore out his entire hour waiting for a response. He hesitated to go back outside just yet, even though it was only mid-afternoon on a Saturday, as it would be quite unfortunate for Hermione's patronus to meet up with him in sight of others. Most students might think it odd and dismiss it if they saw; but others, like his fellow snakes, might get suspicious and question it. At worst, they might even report it, and now Draco had both Amycus and Alecto to answer to as well as Severus. It was harder than ever now to keep a secret.

When, after another half hour Hermione sent no response, Draco finally had no choice but to leave, being called for by Alecto to give yet another speech in the Great Hall before dinner. Draco considered sending another patronus to Hermione in case she maybe didn't get his first one, but at the last minute he reconsidered. Later, tonight before bed perhaps, he'd try again, this time instructing his patronus to only deliver the message if Hermione was alone.

That way, if it was either Harry or, more likely, Weasley or some other extenuating circumstances holding her back, then at least his patronus wouldn't be a distraction or interrupt anything. That was the least amount of courtesy he could give Hermione, it seemed.

Little was Draco to know that Hermione would actually not get his patronus until the next time that the two of them met face-to-face themselves. For, much as Hermione would have liked to be left alone in the coming days, indeed she, Harry, and Ron were going to constantly have company—and not the pleasant kind.

A/N: So, just a note to confirm on some of the details that I'm changing now from canon. It might not be a major plot point for some people, but for those other fans that are hardcore HP enthusiasts, I feel that I should explain some of my decisions.

For one thing, as far as info on the Elder Wand goes, I'm speeding up some of the process on the trio finding out that that's what Voldemort's after. In the original DH, they find out about it and confirm it only after the skirmish at Malfoy Manor, when Harry asks Ollivander about it and then tells Hermione and Ron that Voldemort's planning to steal it from Dumbledore's grave. In my story, I've decided that it makes more sense for Harry to intuitively know this himself, since after being so closely mind-linked with Voldemort I feel like Harry should already have some of the details down in his mind. Besides which, I have some other plans for Ollivander in this story, but you'll have to wait and find out what those are. ;)

Also, for those of you that read Draco's portion of the chapter, firstly thank you for getting through that, I know it was grim. Realistically though, this unpleasantness is necessary, as I don't think Draco's life would have been uneventful and untouched in all this time that's passed. I am giving him a hard time, it's true, but that's just because I think that realistically he would be having a hard time, based on how I've set things up. In some ways, this world is truly ruthless, and I do believe that war is war and that even in the Wizarding World there's no sense downplaying it. (Then again, it could also just be the depressing impacts of this year that're finally getting to me—who knows?) But yeah, anyway, I made that sort of an optional read and made sure to include nothing important plot-wise there, so for those that haven't read through that, don't worry, you haven't missed anything!

Okay, so starting next chapter, things are going to be intense and happening quickly. There's a LOT to get through as I'm really building up this Skirmish at Malfoy Manor bit. I'll be keeping in SOME canon stuff, but most of it will be original, as, just as I've said before, Draco's role is drastically going to change here. I really hope you all will like what I have planned, but...well, we'll see, and please be prepared to have some cliffhangers for a few chapters, as major events like this are cliffhanger-landia!

I've got quite a build-up going and I hope to maintain momentum, so please do follow, favourite, and especially REVIEW to help the process along! Let's get big things for November and December, everyone—BIG THINGS!