Disclaimer: All characters, except for that snivelling Rebrus Parkinson, in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling, except her Draco isn't so sentimental, so haha anything OOC belongs to me :)
A/N: I am extremely sorry for the looooong delay, but here you go, I promised I would give you excitement for whatever time delay I caused, so this IS the chapter you all have been waiting for, the COMPLETE ACTION in ONE ENTIRE SCENE! I hope you will enjoy it thoroughly, and if you are still unsure of things, the next chapter will clarify all your doubts. But at the moment, do enjoy! I had a nice time writing this chapter :)
Many thanks to queenofthelameos, Gwinna and pinkicing101 for your reviews! It's great having people review your story, especially people who stick by it even though it's been ages since I updated. This goes out to all of you!
Warning: The Killing Curse isn't one to be trifled with.
The dim lights flickered for a moment, and then they intensified.
A lone figure was walking through the cold grey corridors, carefully hooded, but each step taken was a tentative one. The figure trudged along, as if afraid that every step taken would lead closer to doom, which wasn't too far off a thought, actually. Then, the figure knelt down, touching the hood to the icy cold ground.
"Greetings, My Lord," said the figure, emotionlessly.
From the side, a rather battered Rebrus Parkinson heaved a sigh of relief.
The Dark Lord's fingers glowed sinisterly, as he raised them. "You may rise, Pansy Parkinson. Now what took you so long? We are about to begin, and you know that I do not tolerate tardiness."
"I was summoned by Professor Albus Dumbledore," replied Pansy, her keen eyes focused on the ground, as she slid back her hood. "He was questioning me for misbehaviour."
"You – " began Snape, but the Dark Lord waved his hand, and Snape retreated, scowling. "I don't intend to look into acts of misbehaviour, because it only shows how childish some people can be." Pansy lowered her head. "I despise such behaviour, Parkinson, as you must know. But your punishment will come later, for the hour for the ceremony is ready. I believe I have a capable recruit waiting in the wings, bring her forth!"
Pansy hurriedly retreated into the group of Junior Death-Eaters, slipping her hood back over her head. In the wings, emerging from the shadows, was Draco dragging along a bruised and wounded Hermione, who was turning blue from the ropes that were tightly binding her wrists. He marched up to Lord Voldemort solemnly, and dragged Hermione in front of him. Then he knelt down before Voldemort.
"My Lord, you may begin."
"Well, well, who do we have here. Miss Hermione Granger. What a pleasure to see you in my lair, Miss Granger," said the Dark Lord, in a silky voice. "It is also a great honour to have Hogwarts' most intelligent student ready to join my ranks."
"I am not going to join your despicable ranks!" spat Hermione, barely able to choke each word out with the slowing down of blood circulation in her body.
"Draco."
Draco Malfoy raised his wand, pointing it straight at Hermione. She closed her eyes.
"Wait."
Draco looked questioningly at Voldemort, who had gotten off his seat, his robe sleeves hiding the glowing skeletal fingers. He walked towards Hermione, then looked at the other Death Eaters around.
"Today is an extremely important day. I will have a few things to announce before I begin the induction. As Draco Malfoy has committed his loyalty to the Dark Side by successfully capturing Hermione Granger, I will permit him to join the ranks of the Senior Death-Eaters."
There was a collective gasp of amazement from the Junior Death-Eaters and the Senior ones bowed in recognition of the Dark Lord's decision. Draco bowed likewise, and his eyes glinted a little.
"I will also promote Glaston Nell to Advisor, for having bravely retrieved the Chroker Eye from where I hid it. The Chroker Eye is a symbol of my power, and anyone who is able to retrieve it proves worthy of my trust, and I will reward him with special powers." And he waved his wand. Glaston Nell closed his eyes as Lord Voldemort did so, and strangely enough, Draco Malfoy felt a strange urge to close his eyes as well. "Also, I will put you in charge of brewing the Aldor Poison for future purposes."
"This is not right!" Severus Snape suddenly burst out, in rage and horror. "You are saying that he has the Chroker Eye?"
Glaston Nell produced the Eye from his pocket, with a look of triumph.
"Then what was in Ginny Weasley's drink – it was not the Aldor Poison that was in it!"
"Severus, what are you trying to say?" said Voldemort, darkly.
Glaston Nell immediately cut in. "He doesn't need to say anything. I have proved that he is a traitor, My Lord."
"You!" Snape barked, in complete amazement and rage.
"He wanted to steal the Chroker Eye, but I, having attained it first and also being aware of his plans, put a Peastwigger Eye there in place. Being in a hurry, Severus was unable to ascertain the difference between both Eyes, and thus fell for it. He then tried to poison Ginny Weasley's drink in order to frame Hermione Granger as she had a certain quantity of it from his Potions lesson, but he did not expect her to admit to taking all of the antidote, which Professor Dumbledore accepted graciously. Therefore, Ginny Weasley is only experiencing temporary effects of a different poison, one which is much less destructive as the Aldor Poison."
"You scheming – "
"What have you got to say to this, Severus!" the Dark Lord's eyes flashed from under his hood. "You dared to betray me!"
"I was trying to frame them; it's not betrayal! You're a fool to believe Glaston Nell when he's the real traitor! He allianced with Albus Dumbledore to plan this strategy so that you can believe him!" cried Snape, wildly.
"Silence!"
"I was the one who got past all the barriers you put in place for the Chroker Eye, I was the one who helped you all this while, I WAS THE ONE WHO – "
"Avada Kedavra."
In a flash of green light, Severus Snape dropped down to the floor, unmoving.
Hermione uttered a gasp of horror, while Draco merely concentrated on the Dark Lord. Glaston Nell nodded in approval, while the other Death-Eaters helped to carry him away.
"And now we shall begin."
"I am NOT becoming a Death-Eater!" cried Hermione, struggling with all the might she was left with. "I will not becoming a filthy murderer like all of you, I will not do anything against my conscience, and I will not become living ghosts like YOU!"
"My dear child, do you have any other choice?" asked Lord Voldemort, his eyes glowering over her.
"Kill me," she whispered. "Kill me NOW. I'd rather die than become a Death-Eater."
"What an utter waste of talent, absolutely. Are you sure you'd rather you come to such an end, Miss Granger?"
"Kill me!" Hermione turned to Draco Malfoy, her eyes pleading. "Just do it!"
Draco smirked. "Why, too much of a pity, Granger. Wouldn't I have wasted my time with you just now if you ask me to kill you now?"
"Cut the crap, Malfoy. You've always wanted me out of the way so you could be top student. You're getting credit from this, so stop acting a martyr!" cried Hermione, angrily.
"Well…if you say so."
He raised his wand to his waist level, pointing it right at Hermione's temple. "Avada –"
"Don't you dare hurt Hermione!!" cried Harry, as he and Ron charged out from the shadows before Professor Dumbledore could stop them.
"No, Harry, no!" gasped Hermione, as she saw them right in front of the Dark Lord.
"So! Mr Potter and Mr Weasley are here as well," smirked Glaston Nell. "Welcome."
"Shut up, you traitor," muttered Harry, seething with anger as he looked at Draco Malfoy. "You lied to Hermione and hurt her, and now you're going to kill her!"
"That's right. I am," said Draco, coolly, as he pressed the wand harder against Hermione's temple.
"I have company. How wonderful! It is perfect to witness your friend's death, so I can revel in the pleasure of seeing your pain, Potter," laughed Lord Voldemort, sinisterly, and he nodded towards Draco, whose expression was stony as he cried,
"Avada Kedavra!"
"NO!!! EXPELLIARMUS! EXPELLIARMUS!" gasped Harry and Ron, as they dove towards Hermione, arms outstretched. But they fell headfirst against the cold floor, without a wand in their hands, for Professor Nell had performed the Expelling Charm before they could even cast it. He grabbed their wands as they sailed through the air, and smirked as they fell.
Hermione fell against the floor, her skull connecting hard with the tiles.
"NOOO!!!" cried Harry, as he scrambled towards her. Ron did likewise, and somehow reached Hermione before Harry could, and started shaking her. "Hermione, wake up! Hermione!"
"I just performed the Killing Curse," said Draco, emotionlessly. "Would she?"
"You scum!" cried Ron, and before Harry could stop him, he dropped Hermione from his arms and dove towards Draco, but was hit by a Shield Charm cast by the blonde boy, and fell backwards, blood dripping from the sides of his mouth.
"I am here to perform an induction, but I see another kind of performance here," smirked Voldemort. "Well done, Draco. You have done me another service. Anyway, since the mudblood refused to become one of us, I have no choice but to grant her her wish. Now that you are in my lair, you can choose as well. I will just love to exact the punishment some people deserve but have escaped from my grasp time and again."
"Bloody bastard…" Ron tried to get up, but Draco pinned him down with his foot, eyeing him mockingly. "Oh the little weasel, trying to be brave? I would be a bit more obedient if I were you, running around trying to act the hero!"
"You bloody ferret…"
"You need some washing of that mouth of yours, Weasel, Scourgify!" and Ron's mouth was covered in bubbles, and he choked and coughed until he turned blue.
"You beast, if you want to kill me, kill me alone! Why did you have to kill Hermione!" cried Harry, in rage, looking at Hermione's lifeless body, before staring at Ron's bubbling mouth in despair. "You can kill me right now – isn't that what you always wanted?!"
"Very well. As you wish, my boy," smirked Voldemort, raising his wand.
"No!!! Don't kill him!" cried a female voice, and like lightning, Ginny Weasley sped across the hall and flung herself in front of Harry. "Don't you dare kill him!"
"Ginny! Don't!" gasped Harry, but Voldemort merely chuckled. "So, I see you have a girlfriend trying to interfere with your life and death matters, Potter. But since all three of you look so determined to pay with your lives, I shall grant you your wish! AVADA –"
"Tom!" came a grave voice from the side.
"Albus Dumbledore, you meddling…" Lord Voldemort spun around in anger, but before he could even turn his wand to face Dumbledore, he suddenly met with a burst of exploding green and white light that sent him flying to the other end of the room. The other Death-Eaters immediately converged towards the centre, where the light source came from, but another burst of light exploded, and sent all flying in different directions of the room. The cries of terror filled the air, a cacophony that would have sent shudders down the spine of any living soul.
With each light burst, there was a cloud of mist, and for a moment, there was complete confusion, except for a loud shout of "Demist!" and the mist cleared in an instant.
By the sides of the hall, the unmoving bodies of the Death-Eaters lay all over, while at the centre of the hallway, a black figure struggled to get up.
Slowly picking himself up with his hood all covered with silver liquid, presumably his blood, Lord Voldemort stared incredulously at the sight before him.
On the left side, there was Albus Dumbledore, sheperding the group of children – Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and a shaking Pansy Parkinson. On the other side, was a smirking Glaston Nell with a determined Draco Malfoy, whose arm was outstretched with a wand, glowing green and white at the tip, aiming at Voldemort.
"Draco, what are you doing!" snarled Lord Voldemort.
"Doing what I have to," said Draco, stonily. "You made my life so miserable as your minion, you made me torture Hermione, and you are made up of nothing but hate and resentment. There is no place for such a creature in this world. Not at all."
"But how could you…" Voldemort stared at him, in amazement, before his gaze transferred to Glaston Nell, his eyes hardening as he stared at the smirking wizard. "You…"
"I wasn't the capable one, it was Draco," smiled Glaston Nell. "He got the Chroker's Eye by himself, and so you bestowed him with the special powers, not me."
"You traitors…Severus was right, to think I trusted you!"
"I work for Albus Dumbledore, not a ruthless beast like you!" snarled Professor Nell.
Draco looked at Harry sideways. "I think you want to kill him as much as I do. I'll share with you the honour."
"You killed Hermione…" muttered Harry, angrily, but he stretched out his arm to Professor Nell, who handed him his wand. Then he pointed it at Lord Voldemort, who gasped weakly as he saw both of them aiming their wands at him. "No, no, no…"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" cried both Harry and Draco, in unison.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!"
In a burst of luminous green light, there was only a pile of robes where Lord Voldemort stood only seconds before.
Harry lowered his wand, his hand shaking, but before he could recover, a blur sped past him towards the lifeless body of Hermione, holding it and shaking it hard. "Hermione, wake up, wake up!"
Harry and Ron turned around, staring in amazement as they saw their nemesis, Draco Malfoy, cradling Hermione in his arms, with tears, yes, tears dripping down his cheeks and falling into her brown tresses. Pansy looked down at the floor, while Ginny sniffed a little as she watched, while Professor Dumbledore patted her shoulder.
"Oh Hermione, please wake up…"