AN: Final Chapter! I'm thinking of doing an epilouge so please let me know f you'd like one! It'll involve Harry and Ron...but I do like how I've ended it I must say. And thanks again for all the great reviews, I love reading them. I'll probably write more Dramione stories in the future and I'm kinding playing around with a pissble Spirited Away fanfic. Whatever...just enjoy this!
"Wake up love." Hermione felt Draco's soft, warm lips against her ear and his sensual voice calling out to her. Her arms wrapped tighter around him and buried her face in his neck, groaning slightly.
"Can't we just stay here all day?" Hermione mumbled lightly against his skin and the boy let out the slightest of laughs as he rubbed her back, touching his lips to her forehead.
"I'm such a bad influence on you…" There was a dark edge to his voice that made Hermione's cheeks flush, "Besides it's only the sleepiness talking. If I let you sleep while I went after the Horcrux you'd go mental. You're the brains behind all this anyway." She groaned again and moved her hands to his chest, propping herself up and looking at him with a somewhat sleepy gaze.
"Stop being so right." She mumbled as she moved to get up but her pulled her down on top of him, a smirk on his pale lips.
"Don't I get a good morning kiss?"
"Bastard." She muttered with a small smile as she pressed his lips to his lightly before he released her and she got up, "I'm going to go wake up and get dressed and then we can search for that Horcrux. But knowing this house it could be anything."
"Why do you say that?" Draco asked curiously as he sat up, bare, pale chest exposed as his gray eyes met hers.
"Voldemort usually chose things of great value to be his Horcruxs. Things that were ancient and important, especially if they were heirlooms of the original founders of Hogwarts. But I've researched it extensively, he already found the objects the founders passed down. So it can't be something of theirs. But I don't doubt it'll be something equally as valuable." Draco nodded as she spoke, listening intently to try and remember anything about Voldemort's stay in his house or what object would suit her description. He closed his eyes to think, clearly Hermione too tried to figure it out. It was then he remembered it. The glint of ruby eyes from his dream. It all fit so perfectly.
"Hermione…I know what the Horcrux is!" He called out excitedly as he got up from bed and walked in front of her, Hermione looked surprised, "I never would have known if it wasn't for my dream last night." Even the thought of it made him sick to his stomach but he knew t was important to remember what he had seen.
"What did you see? Do you think it could be connected to Voldemort's thoughts somehow?" Hermione thought back to the connection Harry had once had with the dark wizard and maybe this was similar. Draco looked into her eyes, his full of awe at what he had just remembered.
"I think that everything that's happened is still somewhat connected to him. So maybe something got through he never meant anyone to see, and I saw it, if only for a second," The questioning and eagerness in her eyes made him continue, "In my dream I woke up and walked down into the basement, I looked over towards where it edges off from the dungeons and saw a pair of ruby red eyes staring at me, I didn't think anything of it before. But I know what it is. I've seen it, maybe only once in person but loads of other times on wizard cards. It's some sort of serpent staff with ruby's for eyes. It's been in my family for ages."
"Draco…you're brilliant!" Hermione said with wide eyes as she threw her arms around him for a tight hug, pulling back after a moment to look at him, "If this staff is what I think it is, it would be perfect for Voldemort to turn into a Horcrux. Are you positive it's here?"
"Absolutely. My father hid all our priceless dark artifacts in the basement when the Ministry started doing raids," Hermione blushed as he said this, knowing her, Ron, and Harry had something to do with that, but Draco ignored it, "It's somewhere in the basement, but the place is huge, it could take awhile to find especially if Voldemort didn't want it found….What did you think it is?" Now it was he who was curious, if anyone knew what this staff really was of course it would be Hermione Granger.
"The fact that you recognized it from a wizard card proves it. It has to be the staff of Herpo the Foul, the creator of the basilisk! Voldemort would've admired him and the staff would have connected back to the school because a basilisk lived in the Chamber of Secrets. We need to find it. Meet me at the entrance to the basement in a few minutes ok?" Hermione said as she turned to head for the door but he grabbed her arm. When she turned she saw a scared look in his eyes, a pained look.
"I don't know if I can go down there," He said darkly as he looked at her and Hermione stepped back closer to him, "Not after everything that happened down there. Not after all the dreams…I watched you die so many times down there…" His voice went to a whisper and she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head against his shoulder, touching her lips to his jawbone.
"It'll be ok. Those dreams are only there to play with our heads. And we need to find this thing to get out of here. I'll be with you Draco." He closed his eyes and put his arms around her, always so comforted when she spoke his name, confirming the walls that had been broken between them. He lightly kissed the top of her head and released his hold.
"I'll meet you soon." Hermione took this as his goodbye and disappeared from his room to get changed and ready to hunt Horcruxs. Draco however sunk back onto his bed and put his head in his hands, trying to mentally prepare to face the basement where he had known nothing but torment. He tried to erase the image of Hermione's lifeless body from his head without losing his mind completely. They had to find they staff. They had to end it all.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Draco looked down at his and Hermione's intertwined hands then back into her eyes that were filled with worry. Both their free hands held their wands, not knowing what they would find waiting in the basement. They stood at the entrance, the door now ajar, cold air spilling up upon them.
"Yeah I think I'll be able to…." He said softly as he looked at her and back to the entryway, "I haven't been down there since Voldemort was here. Even then I tried to stay away. There was only death down there." He squeezed her hand as he spoke, flashes of his dream eagerly entering his pained mind. She saw the hurt in his eyes and pressed her lips lightly to his cheek.
"I'm with you now Draco, and I won't let anything bad happened alright? Whatever happens we'll figure it out," She looked at him and he nodded slightly, walking forward to go down the dark stairwell but she pulled him back, "Hey, I love you. And when we get out of here I still will, every pale, blonde, arrogant, bastard inch of you, got it?" The fiery look in her eyes brought the slightest of smiles to his lips.
"And how, I don't know…" He leaned down to lightly brush his lips against hers and Hermione's heart raced as he did, his lips barely touching hers as he pulled away, "I love you too, all bookworm, know-it-all, fiery, mental inch of you Granger," A smirk spread across his perfect features as they began to descend the stairs, their grip on each other's hands tightening slightly. Both muttered 'lumos' and the tips of their wands ignited with light as they traveled down the dark, stone steps. Draco moved ahead of her somewhat, protectively, as they neared the base of the stairs. He waved his wand and the door flung open and a rush of cold air hit them. Hermione inhaled deeply and caught not a dank cellar scent, but rather a somewhat dusty, aged scent like that of the library. They stepped into the basement and magically torches began to light to illuminate the whole place, "The cells are up there to the right. My father stored everything down here that was valuable. That staff was priceless…I don't think it would just be laying around."
"This place must be massive…" Hermione said in somewhat awe as she gazed around. One hall led off to where the dungeon cells were and the other stretched down the other way, the torches lighting up various doors and objects that had been hidden. Hermione was itching to explore the place and see how much she could discover.
"You're right, it's easy to get lost down here there's so many rooms. And we have a lot stored. I think we should split up. I'll take the rooms farther in, if there's something dark down there I'm more likely to get out of it. You can look around here. Besides, I don't want to be down here for too long." He turned back to look at her and their eyes met, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
"Be careful." She said softly, not knowing if splitting up was the best idea, but she trusted him. They needed to find this thing and get out. The words were so simple, so overused but she still said them nonetheless, and she never thought she would ever be saying them about Draco Malfoy.
"You too," He said back with equally softness, his eyes boring down into hers before he stepped back and the smallest of smirks graced his lips, "Doubt you need to hear it though. We're both pretty damn lucky at staying alive." She gave him a look before he disappeared down the hallway, taking his light and protection with him. She sighed softly as she began to walk down the hallway with the cells on the right, even seeing them gave her chills. It seemed so out of place; here was a line of six stone cells with magical defiant bars across from a room that Hermione found was filled with books. She looked in here for any sign of protection spells or anything resembling a staff and found nothing. She stepped back into the dark hallway and headed back down the opposite way. Draco had probably already covered more ground, she had a bad feeling about this place, it did have an air of hidden agony about it.
Each room held something different. One she stepped in and found herself walking on the ceiling, having to use a levitating charm to get herself out. Another was filled of floating antique vases that when she got too close got red hot and began to shoot sparks. She looked quickly for the staff but found nothing. Other artifacts littered the hallway but something told her Voldemort wouldn't want his Horcrux simply lying around. After a few more rooms of Malfoy artifacts, she found herself at the end of the massive hallway that turned towards the right where Draco had gone. She began to turn down it to look in more rooms but something on the wall caught her eye. It looked as if it had been attached to the stone wall, it's own stone not quite matching the shade of the rest of the structure. It was a stone snake eating it's own tail. Ouroboros…Hermione thought to herself as she stepped up to the small symbol and examined it. Where have I seen this before? In an instant she began to rack her brain for knowledge and quickly it came to her. She had read about it when her, Harry, and Ron had been researching the Sorcerer's Stone. It was an ancient alchemy symbol.
She touched the stone and found it strangely warm, the fascination overwhelmed her. Of course….She thought to herself, Voldemort used the Ouroboros to symbolize the significance the Horcrux's had in his return. It means the eternal return, a never-ending cycle, constant recreation….She stepped back and frowned slightly at the thought of the Dark wizard ever returning. Not again. Not ever. As she examined the contraption she knew only one thing would allow her inside whatever it was guarding, clearly Voldemort wasn't worried Harry would ever return here. Thinking back to the night her and Ron gathered all the Basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets she began to copy the hissing noises Ron had made to open the Chamber. Parseltongue had to be the key. After a few sad attempts the stone emblem began to move until the stone snake engulfed its own tail and the head disappear in a water-like ripple that spread in a door-sized section of wall from bottom to top and the stone seemed to melt away. Hermione's mouth opened in awe as she gazed inside the small room, the secret enclosure was encased in black except for a light that radiated on a golden staff trapped in what looked like ice. This was it. Herpo the Foul's staff. The Horcrux. It was all gold, the serpents head served as the top, it's face angry and ready to attack, the ruby eyes glaring dangerously at her. The bottom half was trapped in the icy substance, undoubtly retrieving it wouldn't be an easy task. If she couldn't even open the stuck library books how would she free this staff?
Hermione stepped into the room and knew she had made a mistake. Although it was so small she could touch the staff where she stood, her feet were now stuck to the ground. "Diffindo!" She called out to try and free her feet but it was useless. Her eyes went back to the ruby's and suddenly she felt drawn to touch it. Like every force in the universe had quieted and all she needed to do was touch the golden staff before her and it would be ok. Something in her head screamed at her but she couldn't listen, she couldn't do anything, she simply reached her hand out and grasped the warm golden base of the staff. Instantly the hold it had on her mind broke and it grew red hot, she released it, knowing she had made a huge mistake. The ruby eyes lit up like fire and Hermione's eyes widened as a great flash of crimson light erupted from the snake and hit her square in the chest, knocking her stuck feet from the floor and back onto the ground. Only a second passed while she was in the air and she suddenly felt a terrible, white-hot, agonizing pain. She looked down and saw blood spilling from her stomach onto the floor and pooling around her, other deep cuts covered her body as well. "DRACO!" She cried out in agony as she grabbed her wand and tried to move herself away, clearly that had been Voldemort's defense.
Draco had been searching through one of his father's old trophy cases in the far back of the basement when he heard Hermione's agonized cry. It was then he cursed the house for locking them in with no Apparation. He took off like lightning towards the direction he heard her yell, praying he would make it in time and thanking all those years as a Seeker for keeping him lean and fast. He bolted down a few more hallways before coming towards the one which held the concealed room at the end, the sight of light coming from the wall confused him but he didn't stop to ponder it. He ran towards it and turned to the right to see Hermione lying on the ground, clutching her bleeding stomach as he almost slipped in her blood, "DON'T TOUCH THE STAFF!" She cried out with all her strength as she reached up for him and he fell to the ground beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"This can't be happening…" He said in barely a whisper as his gray eyes lightened, emotion filing them as he looked at Hermione who was rapidly losing blood. He scooped her up into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"The staff…it's cursed. I think it could sense my Muggle blood…" She said weakly but Draco face was stoic as he ran out of the room and back up the stone stairs into the house. He ran up to his room taking big, hurried steps as he did, "I don't think we'll be able to get it out…"
"Will you just shut the fuck up and let me save you life already Granger?" At this burst of emotion from him she was silent as he gently, despite his words, laid her out on his bed. His face was calm but clearly his eyes revealed his own pain. He wouldn't let his dream come true, he wouldn't let the girl he loved die. He ran into his bathroom and grabbed towels, wetting some with warm water before going back in to help her. Wordlessly Draco unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off and away, it was them Hermione realized with a yelp her legs too had been victim of the magical cuts. Draco's shaking hands went to undo her buttons but a small growl came from him when he couldn't undo them quick enough, "You had to wear bloody buttons…" He snarled as he pulled the shirt open with force and helped her arms out of it, buttons flying across the bed. He pointed his wand at the large wound on her stomach and mumbled a spell to stop the bleeding. He pressed a warm hot towel to it and she let out a gasp. He started cleaning her other cuts, stopping the bleeding and wiping what he could away, tears were in her eyes as he worked but she stayed silent, trying to be strong. When finally he looked back into her eyes he frowned, his brows creasing as he put a hand on her cheek, "Hey you're going to be alright. I won't let anything bad happen to you." He brushed his lips against her jawbone softly.
It was then Hermione realized water was running. Draco cursed slightly as he jumped up to shut the water off. Seconds later he remerged, his white shirt covered in her crimson blood. "Come on love, you need to get cleaned up," His voice was soft as his eyes met hers, she realized how exposed she was to him right then and her cheeks flushed, the gesture making him smile ever so slightly, "Can't take a bath with clothes on can you?" As he said this he slipped her underwear off and Hermione shivered under his touch. Part of her wanted to hide herself away embarrassedly but the other part was in too much searing pain to care. Gently he unclasped her bra and threw it aside as he picked her back up into his arms. This was all so reminiscent of everything that had happened between them. He carried her into the bathroom and helped lower her into the tub, he sat further away to give her some privacy as she laid her head back and closed her eyes, "I threw some healing herbs and essences in there, it should help," After awhile of wordlessness he spoke again, "How do you feel?"
"Like I just got hit with a dark curse to the stomach," She opened one eye and looked at him, a small smile on her lips, "But other than that fine. Feels a bit too much like the old days though."
"I know…" Draco replied darkly as he looked down at his interlocked hands.
"But now we know don't we? So it wasn't all for nothing…" At what she said, he looked up, his eyes wide, "And thanks again for…well…saving my life. You seem to be brilliant at that." She smiled and he reflected it.
"Can't help it Granger. And damn me for not loving you sooner," He stood up and walked over to her with a towel, already the water had helped heal up some of her smaller cuts, but there was only so much that could be done. He helped her up and wrapped her in the towel, picking her up out of the tub and heading for the door, "I doubt you'd like to sleep on bloodied sheets tonight. Your room will do fine." He said, knowing she was curious as to why they were leaving his room.
"But I love your bed…" She pouted and when he looked at her a blush crossed her cheeks and she buried her head in his chest. He laughed softly as he opened the door to her room, a fire was already lit as he placed her onto the bed, smoothing the wet hair from her face as he did. She inhaled sharply as she felt his icy fingertips against her skin, it was then she noticed the goose bumps all up his arms, "You're freezing!"
"That doesn't matter right now." He said firmly as he pulled bandages he had grabbed from his back pocket and placed them beside her to cover up the slash on her stomach. As he leaned over she freed her arms from the towel and grabbed hold of the front of his bloodied shirt, pulling him down and crashing his lips against hers, "And what the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" He said quickly as he forced himself away from her warm, welcoming lips. It was hard to pull back, she was living fire to him, but she was hurt. He couldn't just take advantage of her like that. His gray eyes searched her brown ones and she looked at him longing, hands still grasped on his shirt.
"Let me warm you up now. Please." The plea in her voice was torturous to him and he succumbed, leaning back into the thrust his cold lips to hers, letting his skin greedily inhale her warmth. He was careful not to press himself against her, although the urge was deafening, he didn't want to hurt her. His frozen hand grabbed her neck gently as the other held him up, the heat she was emanating was almost too much not to sink into. Her warm hands slipped up under his shirt and tugged it off before he could register what she was doing, his own lust beginning to heighten but once more he pulled back.
"We can't do this, not now. You almost just bled to death…." His voice was serious as her hands trailed up him firm stomach and she looked into his eyes with equal seriousness.
"Stop being such a Hermione Granger and just kiss me. Be bad for once." The wickedest of smiles Hermione could ever muster she did, and he took it as a challenge as his lips moved against hers again, so perfectly and sweet. She unbuckled his belt and he slipped expertly out of his black jeans and pushed them away. Despite his want to keep from pressing too hard against her, Hermione's hands came up around his back and pulled him closer, locking their bodies. She let out a breath as his lips hungrily went down her neck and collar bone, kissing at the moisture left behind from her bath.
"I'm not bad anymore." He whispered softly against her skin as he pulled open her towel and trailed his lips down her chest, causing her to gasp slightly when his lips grazed her wound. He pulled his boxers away and once more they were connected, bound. She felt him harden against her and as their eyes met hers were pleading, loving and he wanted her warmth, all of it. He pressed his lips tenderly to hers as he entered her, careful and gentle as he did. There was heated passion behind it, but also love. Her grip on him tightened and she pulled him closer, wanting to warm every cool inch of him. And she was so deliciously warm. He began to move within her, causing her to whimper little noises that could've driven him mad. But he remained careful, stroking her cheek and meeting her gaze, hoping he wasn't hurting her further. Her nails dug into him as they moved together, as one, and she knew then he would never leave her. And he too knew that once they left it wouldn't be the end of their relationship, or whatever they may have, it was the beginning. He whispered his love into her ear as she cried out his name as pleasure exploded from both of them, he wrapped his arms around her and sucked in all the last warmth he could in her shuddering body before pulling back, planting kisses all over her face. He panted slightly and she mimicked him, her heart racing for the passion she had just felt and for him, the beautiful man she loved.
"I love you Draco Malfoy…" She whispered as she moved close to him, careful not to upset her injuries as he grabbed the bandages from where he had laid them, forgotten. He covered her stomach cut and pulled a blanket over her, leaning over to kiss her once more.
"I love you too Hermione, more than you'll ever understand. You're perfect," He said softly and her cheeks flushed, this made his seriousness disappear into a slight smile. He grabbed his boxers and slipped them back on, sitting beside her, "And maybe one of us should get cold more often."
"Moment ruiner…" She mumbled and he laughed softly, taking her hand.
"I can't help myself…" He said with a grin and looked into her eyes for a few moments before speaking again, "But I do love you. I've never…done that….with someone I loved. I don't know if I've ever really loved anyone else. That's why we need to get out of here. You need to give me a chance to be good for you, to prove how I feel to you."
"You've proven it…you have. We need to get out of here so we can live again. Away from the nightmares, away from all of it. I just need to figure out how to free the staff without getting killed," Both their gazes darkened and he rubbed her hand with his thumb, "Unless we destroy it where it is."
"You're in no condition to destroy anything, I still can't believe you seduced me into having sex with you. I'm an awful boyfriend so far…" He looked away from her with a small smile on his lips and her eyes were wide, the blush returning to her cheeks.
"Boyfriend?" She couldn't hide her surprise at these words. Yes they had something…more than something. But they had never named it, she didn't know how he felt about that kind of thing.
"Well isn't that how it works? A bloke loves a girl and they get together. Can't say I'm brilliant in relationships, but it's entirely different now. I'm different," He looked back at her and knew what he meant. Also the fact she knew for sure they were together put something in her mind at ease, "As for how to destroy the Horcrux, I have a plan. And despite your state I think we should do it and leave…tonight."
"How? What's your plan?" She moved to sit up but he made her lay back down.
"Get some rest. I'll explain everything later, I need to get some things ready. You need to work on healing. I'll be back soon." The look in his eyes only made her more curious as he leaned over and kissed her forehead softly, gathering his clothes before leaving her in her room alone to lay restlessly in her bed.
*************
The plan was almost perfect. When at sunset Draco found Hermione and told her she knew it was the only way, touching the staff again may be too dangerous, especially if it thought it was in going to be destroyed. Even if Voldemort felt safe with this Horcrux he still protected it well. "So pack whatever you want to take with you. I have what I need. I'll cast the spell and we'll get the hell out of here." As Draco spoke his eyes were bright, filled with emotion as he spoke. She took his hands in hers, knowing that everything they were about to do would change his life forever.
"Are you absolutely sure about this? We may be able to find another way…" Hermione said hopefully but he shook his head, still staring into her eyes, his mind was made up.
"It needs to be like this," His voice was dark and he tried best to appear emotionless as he released her hands, "Meet me by the basement in half an hour, I just want to take one more look around the place. You can too if you'd like.."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No…" He almost snarled back as he looked away from her, "I just need to say goodbye…." And with that he walked away from her into the house. Hermione watched him go, knowing that he needed to be alone because soon, if everything went as planned, there would be no Malfoy Manor left. Fiendfyre. His plan was brilliant but horribly destructive and after their brush with death in the Room of Requirement she was surprised he even suggested it. Even more surprised he knew how to conjure it. But that was his plan, go into the basement, set the Fiendfyre, and they would run out of the Manor, waiting as the fire consumed the whole house before they stopped it from setting the whole forest ablaze.
Hermione walked back up to her room, a small smile on her lips as she looked at her bed, another memory implanted their. But there were so many from this house now, good and bad. As she packed a bag with the dress he'd given her inside and a few books she thought back to the nightmares she had here. She walked back into the hallway and to his room, thinking back to that first time she'd snuck into his room and sank into bed with him. All the memories from this place flashing in her mind. His bleeding arms, being held by him, confessing her love to him, making love to him…She stepped back into the hallway and remembered Rookwood attacking her and Draco saving her. So many memories here. She walked down the stairs and thought of when he had trapped her, how scared and thrilled she'd been, the hurt in his eyes when he thought of what he almost did. She felt tears in her eyes. Maybe she didn't want to leave as desperately as she thought. Now she walked into the dining room and remembered when they ate together for the first time, she gazed out the window at the garden as tears slipped down her cheeks. He told her he loved her there….Finally she stepped into the foyer where she had first seen him so frazzled and pained, so angry. Maybe it had all been fate. She began to make her way towards the basement stairs.
Draco began to walk through his house, the only house he'd ever known, with the knowledge he was about to burn it down. But still it wasn't his home. A home is a place of love and security, this was only ever a house to him. Still as he walked around, carrying a magical bag filled with everything he wanted to take, he couldn't help but feel horrible about destroying this place. It was the Manor of Memory. It held heaven and hell. Fire and Ice. He had grown up here, suffered here, tortured here, been beaten here. Loved here…hated here. He stopped in every room, even those he swore he'd never look in again. His parents rooms, Voldemort's room, Bellatrix's room, it was almost too much to bear. But he knew he had to do it, he had to destroy the Horcrux, Voldemort couldn't come back. If he ever did, both his life and Hermione's would be in grave danger. And he had to protect her, no matter what. He wiped away the moisture gathering in his eyes, it sickened him too much, and went to meet her downstairs.
"Are you ready?" Hermione asked softly as she looked into his eyes, when he had returned the pain in his eyes killed her, but she new he wouldn't back down, and she knew it had to be done.
"Yeah, I'm ready," He said softly as he moved closer to her and wrapped her in a rib-crushing hug which she returned. He pressed his lips to her ear, "If after I set the fire I don't run right out, do not come in after me do you understand? I'm not letting you die here. No matter what we need to destroy this Horcrux."
"Don't you even think about sacrificing yourself down there Draco Malfoy…you're coming out and we're ending this. Together. Do you understand?" He pulled back to look into her eyes, they were filled with tears. He didn't know what to do expect capture her lips with his and kiss her passionately, pressing their bodies together tightly, enough to make her wince. But the pain didn't matter, she kissed him back with equal eagerness and want, "Be careful. Come back to me." She whispered as he pressed their foreheads together, stroking her cheek gently.
"You know nothing could keep me from you…" He whispered before kissing her again and heading down the stairs. It had to be now. She watched him go fearfully but she was prepared for anything. She tucked the extra wand he'd given her into her back pocket, they'd need it later, and waited. A great roar erupted from below her and she knew he'd cast the spell, the glow of light could now been seen from the bottom of the stairs and it was growing steadily stronger. Where was he?
"DRACO!" Hermione yelled, hoping that the fire hadn't taken him. That couldn't happen…it just couldn't. She needed him, "DRACO!" She called again and still no answer. Seconds passed and she knew the fire was beginning to destroy the cellar of the house, soon it may be too unstable to even stand where she was. But he wasn't there….he wasn't answering. Tears began to spill down her cheeks and she drew out her wand, "No…No don't be dead…please….you promised."
"HERMIONE RUN!" Draco bellowed as he raced up the stairs, her breath caught in her chest as she saw him, the fire chasing after him. Her eyes widened as she saw it consuming the stairwell behind him, the flames in the shape of centaurs, snakes, minotaurs, lethifolds, all different beasts, the same as in the Room of Requirement. She watched another moment before Draco grabbed her arm and began to bolt for the door, he was almost too fast for her to keep up with, "We need to get the fuck out!" He yelled as the fire chased them, white-hot, devilish flames that was destroying everything in it's path. Draco waved his wand and the front door burst open as they ran out. He started to slow down as they reached the metal gates, but Hermione pulled him onward.
"Come on! The Curse should be broken! It'll be safer out there!" She called out as they pushed open the gate easily, something both of them were slightly awed at. The curse had been broken which meant the Horcrux must have been destroyed. Once they were through the gate they turned to watch the desolation. The fiery beasts leapt up and began to consume the house, windows smashing, the roof caving in, all the grandeur of the Malfoy Manor vanishing in a single magical blaze. Draco took her hand, his was shaking, as he watched his house burn down. He had made sure the animals were set free and the House Elves left before all this but it still felt as if someone was trapped in there, like the ghosts of his parents were burning inside. It was then he lost it. He broke down into racking sobs, his whole body convulsing as he turned away from her, "Draco…are you alright?" She moved to comfort him but he moved away from her, hiding his face.
"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" He turned and screamed at the flames, at his burning house, but more importantly, at the memories of Voldemort inside, "YOU RUINED MY LIFE! YOU DESTROYED MY FAMILY! YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS! YOU MADE THE WHOLE WORLD HATE ME! YOU EVEN TOOK MY FUCKING HOUSE! I FUCKING HATE YOU!" He screamed with all he had in him, all he had left. Years of pain and torment coming out all at once in sobbing anger. Hermione looked at the Manor which had nearly been reduced to ruin and knew they had to stop the fire before it went out of hand. She lightly touching Draco's arm as he swore and screamed to the house. He turned at her, tears streaming down his pale cheeks.
"You need to break it now…" She said softly, calmly. She learned the only way to stop the fire was to break the wand that started it. He looked at her for another moment and then turned back to the house, his eyes furious as he snapped his wand in half and watched as the beast let out cries as the Fiendfyre was forced to fizzle out into nothingness, leaving the Great House of Malfoy to sit as a broken pile of rubble, "It's over Draco, it's all over…." She wrapped her arms around him and he buried his face into her neck, hating the fact that he was crying but knowing it had to come out someday…all his fury, his pain, his hate. No more cutting. No more hiding. She had taught him that. After awhile he calmed himself down and pulled back, she wiped his cheeks with her fingers.
"Do you think it's destroyed?"
"Yes…it's gone. Nothing could've survived that. But we did. We survived. Now we can just…live." Draco looked into her eyes as she spoke, a sweet smile on her lips. He looked at her in amazement as he brought his head down to kiss her softly, the ruins of his house was gone, the pain was gone, only the future lay ahead of them.
"What will Potter and Weasley say?" He whispered, a small grin on his face as he did. She took his hand as they turned their back to the ruins of their prison and walked towards the forest.
"That doesn't matter. For once I don't think I really care. I just want to go home." Home. There was the word again, and for once he understood he'd be going too. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I think I want to go home too. It's been one hell of a ride." She turned to him and smiled, grabbing his arm tightly to Apparate back to her house.
"I love you Malfoy."
"I love you too Granger." He leaned in for a kiss as a great pop sounded and they disappeared from the front of the remains of the Malfoy Manor, off to their home. A new start. A new beginning. A new love. A true entrapment.
The End
(or is it?)