The Serpent's Snare
Chapter Twelve
The ring. It's making you ill isn't it? Granger's words kept repeating in my head. I was drained, this ring felt heavier and heavier with every passing moment. I also didn't have the energy to do much of anything except follow closely behind Estelon's horse. Thankfully my horse didn't mind much for my lack of direction; somehow it knew the way and kept its steps calm and steady. This would be the first creature that I was able to tolerate, it wasn't half bad.
I was sinking further into this hopeless feeling as we left Osgiliath far behind us. Estelon granted my wish to journey through the ruins in search of Lothuialil, he pitied me. Not a feeling I take with pleasure but if it got me to this Elven princess then it would have been worth it. Sadly, I could sense everyone's thoughts of "I told you so" falling upon me. She wasn't there. She probably never was.
Whatever games this ring…this Sauron was playing with my head was unraveling me to the core. And these dreams of Lothuialil were becoming more and more unnerving and I was beginning to see her in my mind whilst still awake; was she giving me hints or was she haunting me? I didn't even know if it was even her placing these dreams within my head in the first place so I was doubting her, myself and everyone around me. Was this Sauron's work? Pulling the strings by placing thoughts of her in my head? Or was this her reaching out to me in ways I couldn't quite fathom?
Perhaps Granger was right after all. But what was I to do? Give up? The thought had surely crossed my mind. The old me certainly would have, but I would be the hero. I would see this done. I would see…her.
"May I speak openly with you?" Granger spoke softly, carrying gently upon the night breeze. She brought her horse as close to mine as possible before I looked up at her. She did have genuine concern upon her brow.
"It's not like you to ask." I smirked. She was unamused by the statement but still her concern remained.
"Have you considered that Lothuialil may be-" Dead. She didn't want to say the word but I knew what she was getting at. I clenched my teeth and narrowed my gaze to the young woman.
I wanted to ask her how stupid she thought I was, but apparently I was more stupid than even I had thought for I hadn't given that scenario much thought. She couldn't be dead. She-
"ARROWS!" I heard Estelon roar before he veered his horse back towards us and swiftly extended his shield over Granger and I without care for his own protection. Arrows pounded upon the shield like rocks against a wall. The sound pounded within my ears with the sounds of cackles and shrieks of what I assumed to be our opponent at hand. Horses moved about frantically as elves began dismounting their fearful steeds and began gathering themselves in formation.
"HARRY!" Granger screamed in the highest pitch possible. I cringed at the sound but I also wondered where he could be.
"RUN! Get to the river ahead, hide! Go NOW!" Estelon ordered.
"Not without Harry!"
"Oh for goodness sake Granger let them handle it I'm sure Potter will be fine he unfortunately always is!" I demanded while pulling her from her horse. Swords clashing and the whizzing of arrows surrounded us and I most certainly found my energy to escape the situation.
Granger fought against me. The harder I pulled for her to get upon the ground the more she used her horse to pull back.
"Granger you're acting like a child now get down let's go!"
"You may leave your friends behind but I would never do that. Not to Harry not even to you! Get off of me!" Again with the low blows. The darkness and the inability for me to catch sight of anything happening was adding to my urgency to run but in the midst of the confusion I heard a voice. It was faint, but it was as clear as day to me.
I dropped my hold of Granger and I took a step back before turning and seeing a glimmer of light flash like a quickly casted spell before vanishing behind a grouping of trees ahead.
That voice. I know that voice.
I ran. I ran as fast as I could without care of the branches slicing against my garments and face. I could barely see in front of me, but the sounds of battle grew softer the closer I reached the grouping of trees.
Light began to illuminate my sight, the land grew still as I took sight of the scene before me. My jaw dropped slightly, I felt the warmth of a tear falling from my eye as I saw the outline of the very woman my mind had been ensnared with. Relief swept over me, her long blonde hair trailed just as perfectly as I knew it would. Her very presence was emitting a light unlike anything I had ever seen. The silver trim of her dress sparkled like frozen starlight.
"Lothuialil." I breathed.
"Look at me, I'm here…everything is going to be alright…look at-" I suddenly stopped as I watched the mood suddenly shift as she turned her head slightly but keeping her body turned away.
"What are you d-"
Suddenly I watched her hand fall to her side with a sharpened object tightly in hand. Then with a soft thud, a body fell to her feet.
She twirled to face me with a smile that I could not place.
As vexed as I was with such a creature my eyes traveled down to the figure that had fallen to her feet. Her very light casted upon the circular glasses looking up at her from the ground. Potter.
I wanted to run to him, he was writhing about in clear pain. Pain that Lothuialil had inflicted upon him. I was in complete shock and disbelief but I stood frozen unable to grasp the situation unfolding.
"Why did you…" Before I could finish my sentence she had appeared a few inches before me so that only she took up my gaze. She placed her tiny finger against my lips before I felt the warmth of her breath whispering against my ear.
"For you…my love. A gift…a reward for my noble knight." Her very voice was enough to cause my heart to melt from the sound. I breathed in the sweet floral smell of her skin, my hands twirled within her golden locks and without thinking my other hand snaked its way around the small of her waist. I looked deep into her eyes and all was finally right. I was…complete.
"MALFOY! Get…away from her…something isn't right!" Potter's shouts were as soft as a raindrop falling upon the earth, muffled…and so far away.
The light surrounding me was so warm. She was hardly the cold skinned creature in my dreams. She was real. Alive and the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on.
"You don't know how long I have wanted to lay eyes upon you." I whispered. Her lips curled into a smirk that I couldn't help but find pleasure in. I never want that smile to leave her face again.
Her hand traveled up my chest until it cupped my face.
"I knew you would save me. I knew you were the one." She said softly until I watched something shove her to the ground and out of my sight.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I screamed as I scrambled to her side until I felt hands clawing their way to keep me away until I stumbled upon the ground. Without warning Potter was over me. His eyes were fixed on mine in between the slight winces of pain he was releasing.
"GET OFF OF ME!"
"Look at me…look what she did this is not right something is not right. Are you going to say my death would truly be a reward for you huh?" I felt his fist connect with my cheek before I slung him off and in turn took control over him. I landed a few fists myself until he placed his hand on his wound upon his side and then proceeded to shove his bloody hand against my face.
"ARE YOU HAPPY? Is this what you want…the blood of your enemy…take it in Malfoy its yours! YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL! This is…what…everyone expected from you!" I shoved his hand away and felt rage spilling through my very soul to the point I felt my hands tightly clenching his throat. Something within me was telling me to stop but my hands kept tightening. I could see the whites of my knuckles as I constricted harder. All the hate…the rage was erupting and there was no stopping the fire consuming me. I was breathing so heavily, sweat was beginning to form upon my brow. Felt as if everything that had ever angered me from this boy reemerged all at once; his very existence was an insult to everything I hold sacred.
I could feel his heartbeat going erratic under my thumbs. But all I could do was just keep pushing forward just a little more…
"What are you doing!" Granger's voice was followed by her slight frame tackling me, catching me off guard and breaking my hold of Potter.
I fell to the ground; a sharpened edge of a rock grazed my temple before I scrambled to my feet. I blinked for what felt like the first time since I laid eyes on Lothuialil and I drew a breath before crashing back down to the ground.
I must have forced myself away from the two because all I can do was watch as they became out of focus to my gaze. I could no longer hear Potter coughing, still struggling to catch his breath. I couldn't hear Granger asking him over and over again if he was okay. I couldn't hear anything.
"That wasn't me." I breathed. But who was I trying to convince? My fingers were still throbbing from the sheer force in which I was choking him.
"I saw in your mind the pain that man has caused you. It was not you dear Draco, it was me. I thought if he were gone you could be happy." Even in a half daze her very existence was putting me under, I had to look at her in disbelief.
"But I'm long passed wishing him dead Lothuialil. That was a long time ago." I watched as her face became riddled with confusion. As if I were a parent explaining right from wrong to a child after being caught sneaking more cookies out of the cookie jar.
"My mind…it's different now. I am not myself."
"Neither of us are." I breathed.
Author's Note: Well I have a feeling, no one expected to hear back from me or receive and update to this story, and I apologize for that and for being so late. Seems my personal life got in the way of my writing but I am back and eager to update and finish my current stories as well as starting some new ones! I am also working on a novel I hope to have published that's my own personal work! I do hope if anyone enjoys my writing will want to follow as that adventure unfolds. I will keep you all posted! Well I hope you enjoyed the update and the sudden shift in events, I always try to write things that no one sees coming. I'm sure there are a few who still figured my plotline but I try my best to keep it interesting and turns around every corner! Stay tuned for more and please drop a review if you would please! Thank you!
Oh and please forgive the grammar errors and the spelling issues, I have Microsoft word software from the freaking stone age and not only that but I get a bit eager to post. Next update I will be more diligent with proofreading! Thanks!