Whispers in the Dark - Chapter 20
Hermione had been awake since the dawn arrived, awakened by the light invading the room she was sleeping in. She was thankful for that light since it had kept her from seeing her husband commit cruel and malicious acts to her in sleeping form; he had haunted her dream yet again.
Draco's arm was draped lazily over her belly as he slept contently, unaware that Hermione was awake or that it was even morning. Her auburn eyes wandered back and forth from the dim window on her right to his lovely face buried partially into the purple fabric of her thin night shirt.
Anxiety could have been a replacement for blood in Hermione considering she felt it throughout every inch of her. The lioness was back, but that didn't change the fact that the man still terrified her. Even though she knew Draco was going to be right there with her, risking his life so that no further harm came to any dark hair on her head, she still felt worried about going. It was actually this force in Draco, the need to end all others in order to protect her, which was mounting dread and agony within her very spirit. What if something happens to him? What if something happens that takes his life? I can't do this—
No. You have to do this. You can do this. You can do this. You can do this Hermione. Just keep bloody saying it.
Odd sensations were battling within her brain, fighting as though a struggling skirmish was in her mind. For the longest time she thought she was doing this for only herself, but it became clear to her after taking so much of Draco in, after he became so vulnerable and her to him, she was doing this for him just as much as she was for herself. Draco was guarded through and through to nearly every person he had encountered in his life, from Hogwarts all the way up until that moment. Yet, he let her in. She had the honor of knowing every inch of Draco's being and she was not about to swindle that trust he had in her.
When Draco trusted people, he trusted them with his entire soul which was safe to say why he trusted so few people. None the less, when the trust was lost, the trust was lost forever. Hermione knew that if she were not to go through with this, she would put friction on that trust that he had in her. He needed her to do this for the sake of his own sanity; cause he loved her that much.
Case in point, another worry was thrown into the mix. What if something happens to me? Draco lost his first love so what would happen if Hermione did not make it out? Forget the temporary rage that he would feel towards the person that ultimately harmed her, impending death would have been the last thought before Draco ended them painfully and, in their eyes, tragically, but what about the depression afterward? Draco spent three years hating himself. What if he lost another girl? Not just any girl either, but the girl that had brought him back to life, that had saved him. He'd kill himself. No doubt, he'd kill himself.
She leaned her head back, sighing heavily at the mess she had gotten herself into. Is it a mess though? Had this not happened then I surely would not have met Draco the way that I did, or should say reentered his life. I wouldn't trade him for anything. He is worth five years of complete and utter hell.
Hermione was certainly in a mess whether she looked at the upside or not. If she died, he died whereas if he died, she'd die. It was a lose-lose situation. The only way the outcome would be a good one were to be if both of them made it out with Alan's blood flowing throughout Hermione's bodily system. The likelihood of that occurring, the chance that they would both make it out alive, were not good. While both of them were accomplished magical beings, they both were a tad rusty. They may have been the brightest of their years at Hogwarts, but that didn't change how they both had spent the last years of their lives without the use of any magic, one disengaged from it entirely. They were going to face some of the darkest wizards the world had ever seen, possibly worse if the actual Dark Lord was present in the manor on that given night.
"This blows," she mumbled to herself, unaware she had even said it aloud; far too engrossed in her own thoughts.
The lioness, or Gryffindor Princess according to Draco, was capable. Yes, Hermione could handle the situation, but so could the others. If she were battling just anyone then it wouldn't matter, but she knew what she was up against. This time she knew who she would be facing.
Hermione was smart and always believed strongly that a high IQ was better than any amount of brute force for strength could only get you so far; intelligence could lead you on. It was that fierce notion that being smart was always better which made her seem like a hypocrite for believing in something such as this, but she did. Hermione Granger was a firm believer in the theory that ignorance is bliss.
The girl always argued that while intelligence was something she was proud of, it would be easier, and almost better, to not be as smart as she was; then she wouldn't know any different. For instance, had she not been as smart as she was then she would not know how to perform the types of counter-curses that she would need later that night when she would be facing the darkest of wizards and witches. However, if she wasn't smart, would she really need to use them? Would she actually be in the situation that she was in?
No! I'd be just like every other witch who graduated from Hogwarts who went on to marry , have babies, and live their lives. I wouldn't know this life.
But I wouldn't know Draco either.
Any normal person would have gone crazy from the despairing thoughts and various voices plaguing her mind, but not Hermione. She was a lioness. She may have been broken by Alan, but she was not going to be driven mad by her own bloody mind.
"Hey love," croaked Draco sleepily wrapping his arms around a very solemn Hermione. He placed his chin on her shoulder allowing himself to view her face which was, much to his dismay, strained and appeared to be troubled, staring out the window.
Draco let go of her, leaning his back against the window frame so that he could face her. He had the distinct feeling that she had been feeling the way she looked for longer than she cared to tell him.
"Hermione?"
"Um...I've um, been thinking since I woke up. Um...I've been thinking about you and everything that will happen tonight."
"When did you get up?" he asked knowing by her appearance and red eyes that she had been awake for several hours.
"Early."
"Early?" he asked, more so repeating than anything else. He looked at her incredulously, as though studying her, trying to understand why she seemed so bleak; unlike her forceful feelings the night before.
"Well then," he said breaking the silence that had encompassed them temporarily; "what did you think about involving me? What's going on?"
Hermione let out a thick, heavy sigh as she turned away rubbing her arms in an attempt to gain some more body heat. Considering it was in fact winter and she had spent most of the morning near a snow frosted window, well it was obvious she was chilled.
"I've decided something. I um...will not go unless you agree to some conditions I have."
Draco's eyebrows arched, nearly up to his hairline, at her words. He was caught off guard, but found himself eager to hear what she had to say, knowing that her demand would probably be a logical, overly practical one.
"Alright. Out with it, then," he said simply, trying his best to be as calm and approachable as possible. Hermione was shying herself away from him meaning that she was scared of what his reaction would be, the unconscious act nearly shredding him apart inside. Even though she had forgiven him for his words the other day, he damn well knew that those words still plagued her; rightfully so bearing in mind how harsh they had been.
Hermione had taken a seat on the bed giving herself nearly a room length of distance between them. Draco was starting to feel rather anxious now. What could possibly be a condition that would have her scared to tell me?
"If we go then I need you to be ready to handle anything that could perhaps arise afterwards," she said slowly, her voice low and timid.
"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.
"Draco if something happens to me then–"
"Nothing is going to happen to you," he cut her off forcefully striding over to her. She looked up at him noting how serious and grim his face had become at the mention of such a thing. He cupped her puffy cheeks in his hands, keeping direct eye contact, as he said, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"Draco I'm saying this because I have been worrying myself to death over this so I need you to listen to me. I need you to listen and understand what I'm saying." The lioness was speaking this time wrenching a sigh from Draco as he sat down next to her.
"If something happens to me then I need you to promise me that you will not do what you did before. I need to know that you'll live your life and won't fall into depression. I need to know this." Her voice was filled with emotion, but she held strong knowing that if Draco responded like she had planned on then she could not let him see tears. Besides, I'm fucking sick of bloody crying!
"Hermione I think–"
"I don't care Draco. Either you agree with those terms so I can go safely knowing that you won't kill yourself if something bad happens to me or I don't go at all. My mind is made up."
Draco rolled his eyes. Bloody Gryffindor courage; could be considered a cover up for stubbornness if you ask me. "Will you at least let me speak?" She faced him, a faint blush glowing on her upper cheeks. "I'm not mad nor am I upset or anything, but love you're not even letting me speak."
She sighed, "I'm sorry. It's just been killing me to worry about this knowing how you were when you lost your wife. I mean I know we're not married or anything and I guess I shouldn't have assumed–"
"You know for someone so bloody brilliant, you sure did get the short end when it came to grasping common sense."
Hermione's head jerked to face him, her expression forcing him to hold back the urge to laugh. Bugger me. If looks could kill, I'd be dead twice.
"What was that?" she asked bitterly.
"You damn well know that I'm in love with you and that you mean the world to me so don't you ever start saying ridiculous things like that. You shouldn't have assumed?"–his tone completely mocking–"Please Hermione you know how much I love you so why say something so asinine?"
"I'm sorry okay–"
"And stop saying you're sorry. You don't have to be sorry with me, understand?" She nodded before he continued, "Alright so as to your request Hermione, I think you're worrying a bit to much. However–" he quickly said knowing Hermione was about to interject; "–I'll agree. I don't want to, but I will because I know that you love me just as much as I love you. I know you only want what's best for me."
"Exactly," she said coolly, overwhelmed with contentment at how well Draco was taking this.
"Look Angel, nothing is going to happen to me or to you. I'm going to be fine and you sure as hell are going to be fine because I will not let any harm come to you. We're going to go in and get that bloody blood–okay that sounded off, but you get what I'm saying." She smirked at him.
His lips brushed against hers quickly before he pulled back and eyed her suspiciously. "How tired are you?"
"Why do you ask?" I bloody well know why he is asking! Not that I mind...
"Well I mean if you're just so tired then I guess we could get back into bed and possibly do things."
Giggles completely wracked Hermione just as Draco leaned in to graze her neck with tender kisses spreading his raw love bites all across her collarbone. Her laughter quickly subsided as arousal set in for she realized that it could be one of the last times that she ever got to do such a thing with the man she loved. She made another decision right then. I'm going to make this bloody mind-blowing for him.
And she did.
It was only an hour away, one hour which seemed to pass by both far too quick and agonizingly slow. Another hour of waiting, worrying, and wondering whether (A/N: Yay for alliteration!) they would make it out okay; alive.
"Hermione dear, can I get you anything?"
She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she whipped around knocking over the tray that an unguarded Molly Weasley was carrying, sending the tray to the ground and startling the woman to no end. Instantly Hermione regretted turning around in such a manner as she stared, hands covering her mouth which was hanging open agape, appalled by what she had just done to the poor woman.
"Oh Molly I'm sorry. You startled me," croaked Hermione in a low voice shouting an unconscious apology. The older woman simply shook her head with a smile plastered across her face.
"Dear girl it was my fault. I should have known better than to have bent over your shoulder like that so don't worry. I'll just clean up this mess quickly." With a flick of her wand, the floor was clean again. Molly returned her gaze back to Hermione who still looked remorseful for frightening her so.
"I guess I'm on edge."
"You have a right to be so don't worry about it. Now, as I asked before, can I get you anything?" asked Molly pleasantly, sounding so motherly that it made Hermione feel warm from head to toe. She replied by shaking her head before her second mother left the room.
You have got to get a hold of yourself. You're driving yourself mad!
Draco walked into the kitchen to find Hermione sitting at the table, face in the palms of her small, trembling hands. After hearing the crash from the other room, he jumped to his feet, his instincts immediately taking over him, a need to get to Hermione becoming the only logical, coherent thought in his mind.
"Hermione?" he finally said, already aware that the Weasley mother had startled her just moments before.
"Um, it's almost time to go. Is it okay if I say I'm scared?"
Draco sighed heavily before he took a seat next to her. His large hand found her small one ending the trembling as he interlaced his fingers with hers. "Hermione everything is going to be okay. I'm going to be right there."
"Precisely why I'm scared. Maybe I should just do it alone–"
"You're not going alone." She knew by the sound of his voice, the tone that he had used, that he was infuriated by her even suggesting such a thing.
"I don't want to go there with you mad at me," she mumbled looking down at their locked fingers. His grip tightened on her that instant.
"Hermione I'm not mad, but I'm going with you. I am not going to let you go there alone so you need to deal with that right now. I know the layout of the house, I have my wand, and I'll have you by my side; I'm ready to go. I'm just waiting on you."
Hermione never responded since he left directly after finishing that statement.
It was time.
Draco and Hermione were standing in front of the burrow preparing themselves for what they were about to do, fear gone, courage forcing itself to set in. Their hands were interlocked and the younger lot residing in the Weasley home were surrounding them.
"So you all know where we meet afterwards, right?" asked Hermione, forever the planner. All of them nodded at her.
"We know exactly where we are suppose to be so chill out. You'll need to be calm if you're going to do this."
Draco's hand squeezed hers three times, silently telling her 'I love you'. A smile crept across her lips alerting them that she was okay, that she would get through this with Draco by her side.
"Be careful Hermione," whispered Ginny who was wrapped up in Harry's arms.
"And you too Malfoy. Watch your back."
Nearly everyone was thrown backwards by that. It was not the words which did it, for they all were thinking the exact same thing, but it was who said it.
Ron had uttered the warning gesture.
Draco knew, along with everyone else, that it had nearly killed Ron to say such a thing; more so mean it. Normally Draco would have taken the opportunity to torture him, but he went against it. Instead he opted for something else that knocked them all over yet again—he held out his hand.
Ron stared at it for a long while, suspicions first arising in his mind, followed by extreme bafflement, before he took the hand in his own. They did not shake long and immediately returned to scowling one another upon finishing it, but it got the point across to both of them.
Everything that was needed to be done was done; they had filled the vial up with the potion, Hermione had told Draco everything she knew about the layout of the castle, their wands were polished and prepared, and the others were ready to face anything that might follow Draco and Hermione after everything was completed. All that was left was the mission altogether, one in which involved taking the blood of Hermione's husband (legal husband at least).
"I guess this is it. When we come back, I'll be free."
"Ow."
Hermione moaned rubbing the back of her head as she fell hard on uneven ground covering herself in mud. Quickly she sat up looking around to see if she had landed in the correct area. It was confirmed. The castle in which she spent five years of her stolen life was in front of her. The dark citadel was taunting her with nearly every window lit up, begging her to come inside of the fortress.
A hand wrapped around her face instantly making her scream out cries of fear and worry. The figure held her close as her muffled cries were drowned out by the large hand.
"It's me, Hermione. Calm down, it's me, love. It's Draco," he whispered into her ear making her fall silent, her breathing still elevated. He turned her around allowing their eyes to meet, him cupping her cheek. "Are you alright? Hermione talk to me."
"What the hell was that? Were you trying to scare me?" she hissed more angry than anything else. He smirked at her before pulling her into a hug.
"I wasn't trying to scare you, but I damn well knew that either way, whether I approached you slow or not, you were going to scream. I thought it best that I just cover your mouth before you calmed all the way down so you didn't alert everyone about our arrival." She didn't agree with him, but understood his logic.
He pulled back and stared down at her before pressing his lips to hers in a strong, breathtaking kiss. Her hands inched up to wind her fingers into his soft, blond locks. They finally parted for air before making their way toward the dark castle; her shaking, him twitching.
That last kiss would have to sustain the one person who made it back from that treacherous castle unharmed.
A/N: This chapter was originally much longer, but I had to split it in two making it more of a filler chapter. I'm sorry about that, but I'll explain more in the upcoming chapter. Believe me when I tell you that the castle scene will not be one short little chapter (it'll probably take a few actually). The point of this chapter was to, of course, redefine the fears that Hermione had and her relationship with Draco, and I needed that last line to leave an impression. What did you guys think?
"Whispers in the Dark" is by the band Skillet. I had this song the title for about seven other chapters and it finally seemed to fit into this one. The line that I thought about when I wrote this was, "No! You'll never be alone! When darkness comes I'll paint the night with stars, with the whispers in the dark."
Again I need you guys to read my challenge and submit more ideas in. I appreciate everyone who has so far and as of right now, two really have caught my attention. None the less, I want more! So submit something in you guys.
Read and Review! If you can read it, then you can review it.
Iris is the work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.