Okay so before we start, I want to clear up something. I know a lot of you, not all, but a lot of you were upset with me by how I just "killed off" Alan; I did not draw it out or make him it out to be some hard core war. The simple reason for this is that I hate Alan. I find him to be without any morals, without magical talent, and without a life (as of late). I thought his death, clean and without any problems, was fitting. Besides, Hermione kicked ass with that last line. After all the hell she went through I thought she at least deserved to say something bad-ass before killing him.

Anyways, on with the next chapter. Happy New Years and Happy Reading!

The Kill - Chapter 23

"Well the little mudblood saved me from killing him myself. Thank you very much for that," said Voldemort coolly.

Hermione was still staring at the lifeless form of her husband meaning that her mind and common ground were elsewhere. She did not take into account that three of the darkest beings in the world were standing right before her let alone that she was responding to them subconsciously by asking, "What do you mean kill him yourself?"

"He let you get away mudblood and then had the audacity to ask for more time. That was just unacceptable."

Draco was actually looking beyond Voldemort and keeping focus on the tattered grey man behind him. Normally he wouldn't have been bothered, but the full moon was only two days away so he could tell that the man was already acting up. His long nails were digging into the sides of his hips unnerving Draco. Again, he was not worried about his safety, but about Hermione's. As far as he was concerned, they could bring him to death a thousand times over just as long as they did not hurt her.

"Well this room is just a tad small. Perhaps we should move out into the lounge where perhaps we can discuss a few things more diplomatically. What do you say Draco?"

He was being addressed by Voldemort, but he kept his eyes firmly on Greyback. Never the less, he decided that it was best to remain calm. If he could keep them talking long enough then maybe he could figure out how to get Hermione out of there safely. Especially since it appeared that Hermione was so lost in her own thoughts that her brilliant mind was not going to be useful for the time being.

"Draco please help your mudblood up and follow me. Oh and do not bother with your wands–" Voldemort held up their two wands which he had accio'd into his own hand. In the next instant he snapped the both of them as easy as thin twigs "–I don't think they'll do you much good anymore."

Draco could have kicked himself in the head for being so stupid. He was so caught up in Hermione that he didn't even think to grip his wand better. Now the both of them were unarmed against some of the darkest people to ever live, one quite possibly the darkest. This is what happens when you don't think! Damn you!

"Malfoy I'm growing impatient. Either get up or I kill you right now," growled Voldemort. Draco stood up almost immediately bringing Hermione to her feet as well. She fell into his embrace on the last sediment of strength, no longer able to hold herself up. Everything that had been dreadful about her life was laying in front of her dead, an incubus of hatred. She wanted to crawl into a ball forming a protective shield around her body allowing no further harm to come to her. Draco was at least a substitute for that private little ball even if only it was for a few minutes in time.

Draco put his hand beneath her chin and gently, yet insistently, raised her face for them to exchange stares. His steel eyes were meeting her copper ones which were a mixture of deep distress and pure serenity. The oxymoron combination should have been contradicting the other making her eyes unreadable, but he knew her all too well. The girl was scared for what was to come, but grateful that her husband was finally out of the picture.

"Is it over?" she asked with childlike wonderment.

"I'm afraid not. Hermione I need you to stay with me here and focus." It killed him to say such things, but the truth of the matter was he needed Hermione alert. He needed his intelligent and ingenious Hermione. Basically, he needed Hermione, it was simple as that.

"Oh Merlin...what are we going to do?" she asked finally coming to terms and realizing the extent of the situation they had found themselves in.

"We're going to get through this. We'll both be fine."

He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek as he leaned in towards her ear to whisper, "Whatever happens know that I love you and trust me. When the time comes, go with it."

"What?" she asked confused.

"You'll understand when the time is right. Just go with it and play along."

"So Lucius did you ever think you would see your son standing here in the predicament that he is in? I must say that I never expected for someone such as your son to betray me in the manner that he did." Voldemort spoke to him directly on the grounds of pissing Draco off. It normally would have worked had he not been focusing so much on Hermione.

Lucius and Narcissa were in fact there sitting across from their estranged son. Draco noted how different they both looked. Of course he took into account that he had not seen either of them, aside from his little rendevous with his mother, in years.

Lucius looked so old that it was nearly staggering. Aside from the constant scowl that always lingered on his mouth, Draco and him at one time looked strikingly alike. Both of them had blond hair, colorless being the perfect word to describe such hair. The two of them had soft tresses though Draco's had been much thicker, ever since birth. They had been slender in frame, tall in height, but Draco's body had always been more broad in the shoulders and fit due to all of his quidditch training when he was young. Now? Now the man's once long blond hair was coarse grey, the ends burned and frayed. His height looked as though it was dwindling, possibly from his sagging posture. Draco's build was incredibly upheld from his young age and constant body work ethic (Keep in mind that he was once married to a muggle doctor) whereas Lucius looked frailer than a small child. Whether he was actually that weak had yet to be confirmed, but Draco definitely thought he looked feeble.

Narcissa had always been a beautiful woman even with her arrogant uplifted chin. One could always try to dispute that her soul made her ugly, but personality aside, the woman was a doll. Her long hair, perfect skin, and stunning features were all formed to make her absolutely exquisite. Divination, albeit a truly absurd study, must have been a part of the Black family heritage. Somebody must have predicted that she would have looked at herself in a mirror constantly for narcissism was not just an uncannily similar sounding word in regards to her name. Now? Now the woman looked like a beauty queen after a ghastly war. Her beauty was gone forging a more insane appearance, a shadow of what she use to be. Yes, it appeared that Narcissa had finally caught up with her sister Bellatrix's looks, or more so lack there of.

People who did not know that they were related probably never would guess, or even fathom, that Draco was their son. Unlike them, his appearance was still a very appealing one. Draco still had his gorgeous features and Hermione had restored some of the life that he had lost years before. Draco was a beautiful man unlike that of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.

"Well," said Lucius in a calm manner, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Draco always did manage to get into little squabbles even when he was at Hogwarts."

Draco smirked and looked the other way, biting his tongue all the while. He wanted to scream out at him, to yell at him, to bitch at him, to tell him everything that he thought about him. What pissed him off even more was his mother sitting next to his father shaking her head as though telling him that he was in the wrong, stupid more like it for not listening to the kind warning she had given him. At least she was smart enough to not look at him. If their eyes met then Draco surely would have met her with a death gaze.

"Pardon my interruption, but what are your bloody intentions? I won't deny that I am probably high on the priority list to kill, but what do you actually plan to do before that." The room was silent for Draco's voice was firm and effective in catching all attention. Most hostages would have been cringing, but again, these were not normal hostages here. Draco and Hermione had been in worse situations.

Actually, I don't think I can recall a worse one. The situation with Taylor was bad, but so is this one. I'd say it's about even. Nobody has died yet though. Then again, that's kind of irrelevant seeing as that was the final conclusion of the situation whereas this one is kind of midstride. Oh Draco, you're losing it. Now you're arguing with yourself in your bloody mind. Yeah, you've completely lost it.

"Rather pompous of you Draco, now isn't it? I do not recall ever saying that you were a high priority at any time." Voldemort's face was unreadable, shielded by the darkness of his black cloak; a dementor look. However, Draco had the distinct feeling that a smile was playing on the man's lips. Most people did not know, but the Dark Lord was always intrigued by a person who had the ability to remain calm in appearance even if it was only skin deep. He was intrigued because he often had trouble doing so. Never let it be said that the Dark Lord did not admire others.

"Well I did mean to offend and I'm proud that I did. That aside, what are your intentions?" Draco leaned back smirking all the while, exchanging a glance with Hermione, a glance which told her that the time was right.

The Dark Lord may have been intrigued by the disrespectful demeanor the Draco was giving off, but like it was said before, he could not remain calm in such scenarios. He was starting to get angry at Draco's repetitive questions and arrogant attitude so his expressions were beginning to show the madness.

"Draco I suggest you bite your tongue or spit out what you're trying to say," muttered the Dark Lord.

"Fine. Let Hermione go and deal with me."

"No! Are you insane?" shrieked Hermione, no longer looking like a glazed over turnip. Fruit aside, she looked genuinely narked. "How many times do I have to tell you that this is my fight and not yours?!"

"Angel while I respect your need to show how independent you are as a person and woman, you've done what you set out to do. This is no longer just about you so please do me a favor, and don't take this too personally when I say–"

"How can I not when–"

"I wasn't finished Hermione."

"Then what?!"

"Shut up!"

Yes, it was evident to those witnessing the tantrum throwing display that Draco and Hermione finally had forged a marital relationship. Hermione crossed her arms absolutely exasperated, puffing out spirts of air between her clenched teeth. Her eyes were looking away from Draco's who, at the moment, was staring at the side of her face.

The scene was almost comedic and had the circumstances been different, along with the company, then perhaps laughter would have been ensuing. Most definitely the Weasley family would have found this display positively hilarious and Hermione could only imagine Harry's expression at the fact that somebody had the bottle to tell Hermione Granger to 'shut up', yelling no less. That aside, they were not in the presence of friends, but in the presence of hateful evils. No, they did not find their actions humorous at all.

"This is precisely why I never wanted Jameson involved with this cause. He, like the both of you, lose focus and lose it quickly. Are you aware of the situation you're in? As it may I don't care considering we all have every intention of hurting you both tonight, death for sure, but I'm curious if you're even aware. Malfoy have you lost your mind?" All of this was said and asked by Greyback himself.

"Actually I think I've gained it. I gained it when I left and don't for one second think I regret it." Draco turned away from Hermione to gaze at Voldemort. "I'd do it again and again and again and again. Clear?"

"Oh clear as a fucking goblet. Drake what do you expect him to say? You are fucking aware that you're talking to the bloody Dark Lord, correct?" sneered Hermione like nobody else was there other than herself and Draco.

"Hermione while I appreciate you impugning my intelligence, I think–"

"Nobody gives a damn Draco about what you think because you are somebody who likes to meddle. So just keep on ass'n it up so we both end up dead. I don't feel like dying tonight and yet here you are just making matters worse–"

"And what are you doing exactly to help? What the fuck are you doing that is helping our cause because all I hear is you bitching!"

"Oh why don't you just keep meddling. Meddle–"

"Yada, yada, yada. Bitching and more bitching–"

"–Meddle–"

"–Bitching–"

"–Meddle–"

"–Bitching–"

The members of his clan were all silent as they listened to the couple yell back and forth, their voices echoing like a yo-yo. The Dark Lord, however, was listening intently because he had always been an observer. While most people would simply look at the scene before them as a couple's dispute, a lover's quarrel, he was thinking about everything around the situation.

They're both smarter than this. Why do this when they know the situation that they're in? Why get distracted when–

The Dark Lord, though hidden beneath the darkness of his black cloak, smiled wider than the people in the room would ever know.

They're trying to distract me. Alright, I'll play along. The betrayer and the Mudblood have something planned and I can't wait to figure out what it is. Perhaps they're distracting me, or so they think they are, strictly because they're waiting to be saved. No, they're smarter than that since we all know that nobody is coming. Why distract me? They have no wands and...No possible way. At one point I would have expected them both capable of wandless magic, but there is no way now that they can. The both of them have been done with magic for years and–

"My lord just let me eat one of them. Let me at least have a taste of the girl," whispered Greyback, interrupting Voldemort's thoughts. If it were anyone other than Greyback then he surely would have cursed them into oblivion for taking him away from his precious thinking. However, Voldemort was a very intelligent being and new better than to offend the leader of the werewolves.

No, Voldemort instead turned back to look at the couple whose fighting had progressed to high wavelengths of yelling. He chuckled lightly as he said, "No. I'm afraid I can't have you hurting them. Not yet, at least."

"Draco I swear to Merlin that I will curse you if–"

"If what? Curse me how? Angel I think you forget that you don't have a wand!"

"Oh honey I'm well aware since it's your fault that we're even here."

"My fault?! Are you kidding me Hermione. I thought that you were smarter than that–"

"ENOUGH!"

Draco and Hermione fell silent as their attention was turned towards none other than Bellatrix. Her chest was heaving up and down quickly as she strode forward over to Hermione. Hermione hid her fear well by smiling that gorgeous grin Draco loved so much.

SLAP!

Draco cringed when he heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh as Bellatrix slapped Hermione. His first instinct was to run to her, comfort her, kill whoever brought harm to her, but he could not. Not only would it ruin everything that they had going, including their concentration in an attempt to gain wandless magic (which required a long period of time of focus), but he was held back by some force, no doubt a hold that Voldemort himself had put on him.

Hermione revolved her face around to stare right back at Bellatrix. No tears, no fear–just her.

"We should just kill them now. There is no point in keeping them alive," she stated firmly backing away from Hermione.

"No," said Voldemort. His voice was harsh and meant to alert all that his say was final. Bellatrix did not see it that way.

"My Lord with all do respect–"

SLAM!

Bellatrix was cut off because at that moment the Dark Lord had lifted his hand and casted her into the wall, hard. Heads turned to see that she was not moving, an obvious sign that she was either unconscious or worse. Draco knew that he needed to act fast if he wanted to get Hermione out of there safely.

"Anybody else wish to criticize the way that I'm handling these two?"

Silence.

"I figured as much. I have a few questions that I would like to ask our honored guests here so all of you leave the room, now."

Draco moved his eyes away from his aunt's lifeless form as he met Hermione's gaze. She looked somewhat scared, but was holding strong. That's my girl. Just a little bit longer. Hold on for me. All the while, the rest of the people in the room were leaving to venture downstairs. The lounge was on the second highest floor of the castle, below only to that of the Dark Lord's private quarters. Most expected him to live in the basement, the dungeon local, but he found solitude in being high above all others. Remember that he is an observer so he is able to see best from that highest floor.

Bellatrix was levitated out of the room. Though she was not dead she probably would wake up wishing it for the Dark Lord would surely deal with her later. Greyback walked by Hermione growling near her ear. She looked forward, determined not to let him see any fear in her. He bit at the air before he continued walking out the door.

The door was shut as the Dark Lord faced the two remaining people. Hermione was not shaking, but Draco was not sure whether that was because her body was still under a spell or whether she was just no longer in fear. She had exchanged a glance with him earlier alerting him, much to his deep dismay, that she already thought that death was imminent.

"So," said Voldemort coolly, "What was the distraction for? I already know that you had one in mind so why don't you tell me?"

"Distraction?" asked Hermione innocently. Draco smirked; it was so good that even he almost believed her.

"I will not begin to say that either of you are not intelligent. I know you both are so why try to distract me? You are aware that no magic can stop me. One could say that my body is resilient even to magic."

"You're not immortal. There are ways of killing you and you damn well better believe that I'll figure them out!"

"Cruentus!"

Draco jerked his head to the side. Hermione squeaked in fear as she watched thick blood drip from the open wound that was now on Draco's pale cheek. There was much pain, but Draco did not cry out. Instead he looked right back at the Dark Lord with another smirk.

"That's it?" he asked casually. Voldemort smiled at him.

"Cruentus!"

Again Draco jerked. This time the cut was on his lower chin, blood flowing down his neck. Again, he did not cry out nor make a bloody sound. He was not going to give into the Dark Lord.

Hermione had heard enough and sure as hell seen enough with watching Draco being cut up the way he was. She decided that it was time to act, while Voldemort's focus was on Draco. Now or never. Now or never. NOW OR NEVER!

"Accio!" she screamed, focusing solely on her wandless magic abilities since the moment they arrived, and sure enough his wand flew out of his hand. Draco smiled, completely shocked and thrilled, as Hermione pointed Voldemort's very own wand at him.

"Girl–"

"I guess I'll be killing twice tonight. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A flash of green light.

"What? No! AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Another flash of green light.

"No! No! No!" screamed Hermione, falling to her knees as she stared at Voldemort who was still very much alive and in perfect health no less.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Another flash of green light and Voldemort was still held upright. Without warning he began to laugh.

"I tried to tell you girl. No magic can stop me."

Hermione looked over to Draco who, just like her, looked bewildered and at a loss. How do you kill a wizard who cannot be killed with magic?

Suddenly Hermione contorted over with agony when Voldemort silently cast the Cruciatus Curse upon her small body. She fell over as her body writhed in pain like any other. It was an almost familiar pain which she welcomed since she knew it well. The reason that she welcomed it was for the selfish reason of wanting to pass out, fade into the light. No! Then you'd leave Draco! You must stay with him! Must stay—AHH!

Draco was frantically trying to get to her, but his body was betraying him. He was frozen in his position, forced to succumb to listening to her scream in agony. Unlike Voldemort, who found her screams to be music to his ears, it was killing him inside. Draco might as well have been under the curse himself for all the pain he was feeling in regards to her; he couldn't hold her, couldn't comfort her, couldn't rip apart the person that was causing all of this, couldn't stop the pain, and it was killing him inside!

"Mudblood you're pathetic!" growled Voldemort as he stopped the spell, allowing Hermione to catch her breath as she crashed on the floor. He started laughing at this very appealing sight: Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of her age if not ever, was at his feet and barely able to hold up her own head. Well, as any Dark Wizard would, he laughed frantically, immersed in his callous thoughts.

In all of her panting she managed to sputter out, feather light but audible, "How...how d-do you...k-kill a wiz...ard...who cannot be k-killed...with magic?"

"You don't kill him with magic."

Draco had whispered that to himself while realizing the status of their state of affairs. Hermione, the love his life, had the wand of the most evil of all beings in the world grasped in her small hand which was still twitching, an after effect of the curse. That very man was standing in front of her while laughing liking a banshee and ignoring everything else. This was his first big mistake of the night for he surely was distracting himself from all outside sources even if for only a short amount of time. Draco's thoughts during this mistake were fleeting to say the least.

He said that he can't be killed with magic. Then logically we kill him without magic. I can't very well strangle him since he's strong enough to throw me out of the window. I can't stab him since he'd heal that up in a matter of seconds and then throw me out the window. I can't–the window. He can't fly. He may be able to block all forms of magic, but the bastard can't fly. On top of that, his eyes are closed. Oh Merlin, Hermione. Know that I love you Hermione. Please know that I love you so much Angel.

Without another word or thought, traveling at an almost slow motion like pace, Draco sat bolt up right from his position on the couch taking hold of Voldemort's temporary banshee-like laughing to his advantage. He was no longer under the spell allowing his legs to travel faster than a gazelle's. Hermione stared in amazement as Draco threw himself on Voldemort sending them both toward the window.

CRASH!

The glass was broken and two bodies were falling out into the cold winter air. Hermione sucked in a gasp as she heard a loud thud.

In her state of shock she sifted through the pain to realize—

"I only heard one body hit the ground. Then who is alive? Who the hell is still alive?"

A/N: Alright, so what did you guys think? I'm bursting to know what you guys thought about this.

Cruentus - Latin for "to make bloody"

"The Kill" is a song by the band 30 Seconds to Mars. Now if you haven't heard the song then please don't take the title so literally. The song is not really about killing somebody, but the kill as in prey. In this case I took that as Hermione is the prey and they're trying to kill her. So with that in mind, the song is about the prey standing strong and telling the killer that it's going to take a lot to kill them in the end. I thought of the lines , "I tried to be someone else, but nothing seemed to change. I know now, this is who I really am inside. Finally found myself, fighting for a chance. I know now, this is who I really am." I suggest that those who have not heard the song take the time out to listen to it. I not only like the song, but the band has put out two really great albums so obviously I like a lot of their music.

The Challenge - I had the hardest time making a decision because while I loved everyone's enthusiasm and support of the idea, I really did like two ideas in particular. So I kept bugging myself over making a decision and decided that instead of freaking myself out over it (since this is suppose to be fun!) I won't choose. Instead I have opted for mixing the two since, in ways, the ideas are both similar and should be even more of a challenge. So I've chosen the ideas of StormMastersand kaylerose(You can check in the reviews of chapter 19 to find their ideas or wait until I post the story - I will restate what the idea of the challenge is). Thanks again to everyone who posted an idea or just simply left a comment for me in regards to the challenge! I'll be starting the story shortly so hopefully this should be really fun in the end! Again - It will not keep me from the story of 'Iris'! That comes first, I promise!

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.