A CERTAIN DARKNESS

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm looking forward for what's to come, but I'd like to ask once more that if you enjoy this story to please review. It means the world to me to know others enjoy this.

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03. Uncommon Adornments

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"A certain darkness is needed to see the stars."

― OSHO, The Book of Secrets

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"I knew it!" Hermione shouted, face puffed and mouth hung as she flipped through more pages of Harry's potions textbook. "You're cheating!"

"Hermione!" Harry hissed, eyes wide and hands flying around her body as she twisted and turned to escape his advances. "Keep it down!"

"I will not!" Hermione slammed the book shut and threw it on the couch in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. Shaking her head, no longer minding her frizzy, puffed hair, she crossed her arms, taking in her best friend. "I work too hard to put up with this!"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Calm down!"

"No!" Finger jammed at his face. "Harry, I have enough to prove around here! You simply shouldn't cheat!"

"Are you afraid I'll knock you off your pedestal? Is that why you're jealous?"

Hermione closed her mouth, felt the tears sting her eyes. Pulling her chin down and head back, she dropped her hand and shook her head. "Everything I've done here I've earned, Harry! I'll not let you humiliate me like this!"

Ron sighed, coming between the two of them, looking at Hermione. "You're going mental, Hermione. Be reasonable!"

"Reasonable? Mental?"

Ron backed away, sparing Harry one quick glance. Harry looked away, arms crossed. Ron exhaled. "You heard me…" His voice was almost inaudible.

Wiping away a few tears, Hermione sighed, shoulders dragging down in unison. "You must have a reason." Harry's green eyes slid back to her, shifting between her and the book still on the couch. "Explain yourself."

Shaking his head, Harry licked his lips. "Listen, all I know is that Professor Dumbledore wants me to leave an impression on Professor Slughorn. I didn't know this book existed until the first day of class, but if it can help me do it, I'm going to use every advantage I can."

Ron chuckles. "It helps Malfoy's given up this year." Hermione cast him a wayward glare. Holding his hands up, he shrugged. "I only meant there's one less person to worry about impressing Slughorn."

"That aside," Hermione said, chin raising slightly, "What else have you hidden from us?"

Harry met her gaze, less defensive and cold than before. "If you're done accusing me of cheating, nothing."

"You are cheating."

"I don't know what else I could do. I couldn't let Draco win the Felix Felicis. Whatever that bloke's up to isn't good." Harry stepped closer to her, reaching for her arm. He rubbed her sleeve with his thumb. "You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, right?"

Hermione rubbed at her eyes, wiping the moisture there before settling her eyes on the book. "Just be careful with this book. I don't know who this Half-Blood Prince is."

"He could be no one." Harry lifted a brow.

"It's possible," Hermione conceded. "Likely it's someone."

Harry lifted his hand to her shoulder. "Look, if anyone will find out, it's you."

"I'll look into it."

. . .

The Room of Requirement opened for Malfoy, who looked over his shoulder in all directions before stepping in. Hermione waited in the dark behind an alcove along the central hallway until Malfoy passed through—just after the doors began closing. Not always associated for her grace, she was grateful not to have stumbled over as she rushed to make it in.

Loads of treasures and junk littered the room Malfoy sought. A combination of piles and stacks made pathways between rows and columns of stuff. To her left, a poorly organized shelf standing with a slight right lean stored goblets, pearls, and blankets. A shine caught a tarnished goblet, causing her reflection to dull. Although unpolished, the piece still made her forget why she was here.

In all her life, she had been surrounded by simple things crammed neatly into a simply structured life. The cup's magnificence easily distracted her. What it would be like to live with such splendor all around. Just beside the shelf was a tall pole, more like a coatrack, with a dress magically suspended around it. The bottom of the dress danced to a breeze not there. It was breathtaking, despite the vibrant green detail stitched with the mostly white fabric.

Wand in her right hand, Hermione bit her lower lip, lowering the tip of it down at her side. The pouch hung on her left arm, swaying back and forth while she hesitantly moved her hand toward the edge of the long sleeve. An inch separated her from the feel of the flowing dress.

"Don't touch anything!"

Hermione jumped, flipping around and shoving her wand toward Malfoy. Her hair whirled around, dropping frantically around her shoulders. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!"

Malfoy didn't lower his wand. Neither did she. Narrowing his eyes, Malfoy shook his head and curling his lip. "And you shouldn't sneak after people!"

"Malfoy, I've been trying to find you privately for the last few days."

The blond wizard stepped forward. Hermione gasped and twisted her wrist, tightening her grip on her wand. He chuckled. "I'm not that hard to find, Granger. Besides, it's you who has avoided me!"

"I couldn't go to the library or talk to you without raising suspicion," Hermione argued, eyes moving to his wand. "Why aren't you dropping your wand?"

"Because you haven't dropped yours, mudblood."

Hermione flinched, lowered her eyes to the floor for only a second. Opening her mouth, she exhaled, setting her mind back to rights. "Well, you pulled yours on me first!"

"Drop your wand, Granger…"

Hermione shook her head. "Not before you."

"You'll not win this battle, Granger." Malfoy swallowed, stepping closer. "Drop. Your. Wand."

Straightening her spine and squaring her shoulders, Hermione flattened her mouth into a thin line, breathing in and out. Preparing for anything he might try. "Seeing how I have what you seek, so desperately might I add, drop yours first."

Malfoy's throat bobbed. His eyes never left hers. He was a practiced dueler. Someone had been training him outside of school. His form was nearly perfect. Hermione didn't spot an opening. If he meant to hurt her, though, common logic demanded he'd have already done so. "We drop them together," he said.

"One." Hermione exhaled, her mouth forming a small round shape until she relaxed her lips again. Her fingertips tingled, but she schooled her features to allude to exceptional focus and control.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Two."

A jolt to her heart like lightning ignited her pulse, racing under her skin. She nodded, and he reciprocated it.

Together, they whispered, "Three."

Hermione twitched her arm to test, motioning the tip downward for only a second. Malfoy kept his at the ready. When the disarm spell was on her tongue, Malfoy instead uttered the words. Her wand flew toward him. Catching it with a grace he'd been known for, Hermione rushed toward him.

"Give me back my wand, you ferret!"

Malfoy's lifeless features reanimated as a smile broke his lips apart. He moved to the left when she threw her body weight to his right, easily evading her. "Careful to trust a Slytherin, Granger."

Hermione met his cool stare. "You've obviously been practicing with your Death Eater family!" Hermione reached for her wand, but he held it up high and out of reach. "Hardly a fair fight."

"I don't know, Granger." Malfoy ducked when she threw her arms over his head, shifting behind her; however, she matched his speed, so he didn't have much time with the advantage. "Your quaint army last year should be all the prep you need against the Dark Arts, right?"

Hermione strategized, knowing her current plan was useless. She moved her eyes around when she thought safe. There was only one way around this. Hermione turned, back facing Malfoy. Cupping her fist in her opposite hand, she reached with her hand and jammed her elbow in his side. Malfoy grunted, and objects caught most of his fall.

Loud clanging against the stone floor jolted her ears for a second until she shook her head, searching for her wand. Plucking it from the floor, Hermione turned and affixed her wand toward him. Malfoy stopped his attempt to stand, hands up in defeat.

"Do you yield?" Hermione quirked a brow and blew hair away from her face.

The Slytherin only nodded. "If you've lost my wand in this mess, you'll regret everything." Malfoy moved his hand to his side. "I think you've killed me, Granger!" When he tried standing, he tripped on the objects underneath him.

Hermione shoved her wand in her jacket pocket and extended her hand out to him, palm up and fingers fanned. "Up you go."

Malfoy stared at her offered hand. "Are you joking?"

"Not in the slightest."

He stopped moving and looked away.

In this lighting, it was hard to tell if color had warmed his cheeks or not. It didn't matter. All she needed from him was to open his stupid parcel, and she could go back to ignoring him.

Within reason.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione knelt down and reached for his hand. At first, he twitched away from her, but eventually, she caught it. His skin was cool to the touch, but soft. And solid.

Much larger than she'd ever imagined it to be. "Neither of us have the time to spare for your blood status tantrum."

Malfoy's eyes targeted their joined hands. His fingers eventually tightened in hers. He swallowed again, but nodded. Hermione hauled herself up, careful not to topple over. He winced, but kept up with her pace well enough. The moment he stood, he dropped his hand, but froze when his eyes met hers. She was a few inches shorter than him, but that hardly mattered when they stood inches apart.

Face to face.

It was the closest she'd been to him.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and his frown relaxed. His top lashes fluttered as he searched her face. Right as the prick of lightning reignited her pulse, she looked down and moved away, eyes conveniently landing on her pouch. Hermione moved her eyes back up, gazing up into his cold hues for a moment longer. She would never admit aloud that they were so stark, so haunting so close.

The weight of his gaze was too heavy a burden, so she glanced away and pointed her wand at the floor a good twenty feet away where his wand rolled. "Accio Malfoy's wand." It beckoned toward her, but Malfoy caught it.

Malfoy hadn't moved away. In their differences, a great distance, both literal and proverbial, prevented her from noticing things. His platinum hair had been style to be kept out of his face like he had nothing to hide. His nose was thin, but strong, prominent on his elegant face. He'd been nothing more than a pest all these years. He wasn't supposed to be anything to her. She dared to meet his eyes again.

Malfoy still stared down at her, the angle of his nose supremely soft now that he wasn't sticking it high in the air around her. She narrowed her eyes as she searched his hues further. Was it light grey or white that accented the icy color of his eyes?

Why did it matter?

When she shifted on her feet, Hermione felt the pouch hit her leg, pulling her mind back to focus. Shaking her chin and clearing her throat, she muttered, "The package…"

"Right…"

Swallowing, she pushed hair behind her ear and opened the pouch, revealing the item. She offered the pouch to him, unwilling to risk touching him again. "I haven't touched it."

"I would have."

Hermione nodded, slipping her eyes back up. "Malfoy, just take it."

His pasty hand stopped, hovering over the opening. Snapping his attention onto her, Malfoy quirked a brow. "If this isn't solid proof that Dumbledore has my mother, I'll have to kill you."

Hermione steeled her features. "Dumbledore isn't like you Death Eaters. Besides, how would he have known about your plan in such great detail?"

"I'm sure he has his spies doing his dirty work," Malfoy retorted.

"Just open the parcel," Hermione whispered. Clearing her throat, she added, "Please."

Malfoy dipped his fingers inside the small pouch, clutching onto the package and removing it from her care. Turning away from her, he stuck his wand under his arm and occasionally glanced over his shoulder, checking in on her each time she shuffled her feet.

Hermione heard him pull the string, opting to let it fall to the floor without care. The parchment crinkled against itself as he tinkered it open. Malfoy stuck something in his black coat pocket and trailed his fingers over the parchment, clearly reading something.

The Slytherin didn't spend more than ten seconds reading whatever was on the thick parchment before shoving the note into his other pocket and retrieving whatever he'd hidden earlier. The sound of a box opening piqued her interest, but she stayed still. He was on enough edge for them both.

"Ridiculous woman…"

"Excuse me?"

"My mother." Malfoy shook his head. "She's actually with the Order."

The boy turned to her and handed her an open emerald velvet box. Inside was a tarnished, round coin. Ancient runes she'd never seen before lined the outside. In its center was a faded green letter M.

Hermione lifted her brow. "What is this?"

"Trahentium ex cerebris," Malfoy explained. Flashing his hues up, he shook his head. "Loosely translated…"

"Mind trail," Hermione offered.

He sighed. "Exactly."

Inspecting the coin, Hermione dipped her brows. "That doesn't explain what it is or what it does."

"It's likely the oldest Malfoy family relic."

Hermione glared at him, nostrils flaring. "Anything else to add?"

Malfoy regarded her, hesitant. However, he stepped closer and took it in his fingers while he fidgeted with his tie, loosening it until he stuck his fingers into his black shirt. Lifting up, he revealed the coin's twin firmly secured on a silver chain around his neck. "It's not a pretty story."

Hermione bit down, firming her jaw, as she steadied herself. "I'll be the judge of that."

"Fine," he spat. Sighing, he placed the loose coin into her palm, managing to avoid touching her at all. "An unknown time ago, perhaps even predating Hogwarts, my many-times great grandfather enslaved a mudblood. Kept her around to do his bidding. According to the family bedtime tales, he made her kill her own family to atone her blood status. For many years, my family has speculated that he created these coins as a means for private communication; however, not much else is known about them." He cleared his throat. "Basically, who's to say?"

"Sounds barbaric." Taking a step back, Hermione rolled her shoulders back and narrowed her eyes. "Fitting."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "The history of it doesn't matter."

"Then why bother sharing?"

He twitched his brows up. shrugging. "It's fun making you hear it."

Hermione's eyes welled, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "I'm off to bed, then." She stepped back once, but Malfoy caught her sleeve. "What else could there possibly be?"

"This doesn't make us friends. Or allies."

Hermione drew her brows together and frowned. "I don't understand…"

Something pierced her palm. Looking down, she saw Malfoy holding a small pocket knife against her hand. The blade bore into her skin until blood freely flowed. She pulled her hand away, but he held her steady. "Hold still."

"Let me go!"

Malfoy walked backwards until her back hit a wall. He spread his legs until her own were held captive. "I'll not afford you the opportunity to strike me a third time at Hogwarts."

He pulled the knife away, and she winced. "You absolute git!"

Malfoy pressed something small and circular into her hand. The coin? Holding it there for a few seconds, he quickly spun around and struggled to get her arm to move over her throat. "One more second…"

Hermione's eyes watered, and she was helpless to stop the tears. "What are you doing to me?"

Malfoy met her gaze. "Apart from this moment, I won't hurt you. In exchange for keeping my mother safe, I agree to cooperate." He worked to keep her fingers straight as he held the coin against the exposed flesh as her neck. A jolt jerked her heart until something underneath the bloody coin pinched her skin, heating up until the smell of fried flesh invaded her nostrils.

"Malfoy!" Hermione pleaded. "Stop!"

In a flash, the pain stopped, both on her palm and neck. Malfoy pulled away, his hand stain-free.

Hermione looked at her hand, no cut or scrape visible. "What did you do to me?" A new batch of tears dripped down her face. Off to the side, she spotted a mirror, which she rushed toward to inspect what had happened.

No blood. Not anywhere. Nothing.

Except a silver chain falling underneath her shirt until her collarbones. She pulled the cloth concealing the coin underneath. Except now the once decrepit-looking coin shined, glossy underneath the flickering candles lighting the room.

Hermione withdrew her wand and wiped around, facing him. She rushed toward him, walking him back into a cabinet of some sort. "I'm going to hex you if you don't tell me exactly what just happened!"

Malfoy crossed his arms, but backed away a few steps. A dip of his brow was all he offered her in reply.

Something creaked in the distance of the large room. Hermione turned, investigating with a busy stare slipping left and right. Footsteps broke her concentration. Settling back on Malfoy, she narrowed her eyes. "Well?"

'These twin coins are called mind trails, Granger.'

Something pinched her mind until it almost strangled it. "AHH!" The Gryffindor stumbled over her feet, catching her fall by using a nearby table to stabilize. She shoved her hand on her left temple, fingers splaying through her hair and scratching her scalp. She pointed her wand at Malfoy. "How are you doing that?"

'The name alone should be enough to explain.'

"Stop it!" Tears streamed down her face. Why hadn't she known this would be a trap?

Draco walked closer. "I wouldn't say this is a trap as much as a means of keeping an eye on you and Potter."

"Y-you can hear my thoughts?"

"I've worked out how to control mine and tap into yours." Malfoy gestured to his necklace. "I have the master coin. My mum should have put yours on to check in periodically," Malfoy muttered, nose crinkling as he grinned. The dark circles under his eyes added to a much more sinister expression she'd personally ever seen. "But this is even better. I can always have easy access to Potter."

Hermione looked to the ground, using the tip of her wand as an anchor. The floor blurred the longer she focused on it. Then her hand began to shake. When her eyes couldn't keep up to the rattling point, she flashed back to Malfoy. Tightness in her throat made drawing breath difficult. To accommodate, she moved her shoulders up and down, opening the passage. Tears flooded her eyes, their warmth stinging as they poured down her cheeks.

An infant heat swirled at her fingertips, its embers glowing bright as a hellish gust of emotion burst from her chest and down her arms. No matter the coins' origins, Hermione was no slave for anyone, let alone any pureblood git. Moisture collected at the drop of her chin, waiting a few seconds before dripping away. Meeting his gaze supercharged the bolts of energy building within her.

Everything behind him went out of focus. For only a moment. Then it all faded away. Only Malfoy was solid, clear. The darkness beyond him shifted, ignited until white enveloped them both. The weight of a tear brimmed and sluggishly moved down her face.

Hermione shouted. Nonverbally, she lashed a stupefy at Malfoy, feeling the control in her body betray her authority. Her eyes followed the spell. He'd have no time to deflect. It was obvious.

Until the spell spread over a spherical shield invisible unless something collided into it.

The world slowed, yet she was somehow pulled back. She couldn't feel her legs or move her arms. Body still in motion, Hermione felt the impact of the hard stone floor. The last thing she recalled before the world went dark was that her head hurt.

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