[BeLieViNG iN You]
A fanfiction by Sila-chan
Dedicated to: Gliniel de Silva Malfoy+Wood...you deserve something for that many reviews!!!
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Chapter 9: Jailbreak...ok so sue me the title isn't original!!!
God she hated dialtones. She tapped her fingernails on the desk.
"Harry?"
"Yeah. What's up?"
"It's Hermione."
"Oh."
Silence.
"So...what've you been up to?" Harry sounded sleepy, half-awake. One of the few luxuries he would have in this difficult life.
"Not much. You?"
"Uh, just hanging with Sirius mainly." He scratched his head dopily and yawned.
An awkward silence. Wow, first in the seven years she'd known Harry.
"Mmm. Uh...I'm sorry Harry." She blurted out.
There was another pause, and a sigh from the other end.
"It's ok. How _are_ you and him now?"
Hermione bit her lip and frowned. What could she say? Oh yeah, he's a terrific root, but we're not actually talking that much at the moment...
"Yeah...I guess we've sorted things out." She winced. Bullshit.
"Great. Forgive me if I don't sound too pleased."
"Nothing doing. I don't suppose you'd do me a favour would you?" She crossed her fingers. She was asking a bit much, but then...didn't Harry at least owe her something from all the times she'd saved their asses?
"Depends. What is it?"
"Come out to coffee with me and Draco. I need your help with something tonight."
Another pause. Rustling and tv background noise. She began doodling on her piece of paper.
Another sigh.
"Alright. Where, what time." He yawned.
"Meet us at the Kainsbridge, it's near the station. At 12."
"Alright. See ya." Click. The line was dead.
She stared at the phone. Males. Always take and never give.
The friendship was slowly beginning to heal. She'd just have to keep the bottle of caustic soda away from it. Speaking of which.
"Draco? Are you dressed yet?" She got up and left the room.
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The dead leaves rustled as she stepped on them with her knee-high boots.
If she just stopped thinking for a while, she could almost imagine she was somewhere else, in Paris, or even Italy. She felt her heart soar. How she'd love to go there, to walk beside the riviera...
She heard faint footsteps and the crunching of leaves underfoot behind her, where Draco was dawdling. Him and Harry had some serious issues to sort out. Meaning that Draco was not a happy chap when she had told him what they were doing today. But she promised him tomorrow they'd go out and do something fun.
Yeah right. They'd probably be babysitting Masako and removing the remaining traces of madness from him.
She looked over at the playground. This place was so different from the park near her house. The little kids were adorable, they reminded her of Jacob when he was younger. No hoodlums hanging around late at night.
She spun in the leaves and looked up at the overcast sky.
As she turned to Draco to say something, she froze. His eyes, his hair. The way he stood as he watched he kids play. Why on earth did he suddenly look so perfect? He looked up.
She closed her eyes slowly. And when she opened them everything was back to normal.
"Granger, are you ok?"
"Hmm. I'm fine." She crossed the road, leaving the cracked cobblestones for smooth tarmac.
Turning to face the road, she waited for Draco, who was a little slower at crossing.
"Bloody git." He mumbled as the cars rushed by. He pulled the collar of his coat up, tugging and fretting at it absently. She watched him, and spoke, startling him.
"Malfoy, have you ever wanted to go somewhere? Paris, or France?"
"Now why on earth would I want to do that, Granger? I've been there so many times..." He was cut off by Hermione's yanking insistently on the front of his coat.
"Tell me about it! Please! Is it as beautiful as they say? Is it really that romantic?" Smiling wryly he pushed her away from him, making her hands drop.
"Wouldn't have thought you were the mushy type, Granger. Still, I suppose everybody has their secrets. I guess it is quite beautiful, although I never really took the time to look. We were usually there on business."
There was a quiet pause between them. They both knew what Draco implied by business. It was just a little hard to comprehend.
Draco threw his hands up in the air.
"Oh don't start Granger. I simply can't be bothered. Now why do you want to go there for? Find the love of your life, eh?" He sauntered past her, hands in pockets, whistling as he threw and caught a conker.
"You wish, Malfoy. I just want to experience the culture. Be more experienced in the ways of the world."
He narrowed his eyes and stopped mid-step. She watched curiously as he stood still, his back towards her.
"Yes," he said, never turning around. "You need to experience the world. You're too innocent and corruptible as it is."
And he kept walking, leaving Hermione to puzzle over that for herself.
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Potter was late.
I tapped my fingers on the table. Perfect hands. Elegant, aristocratic. Yet manly and strong.
I tried not to wince as I thought about the times I had seen them wrapped around a wand. Green light reflecting off my knuckles. Hermione had made me think about that again. Stupid Mudblood.
Maybe I'd take her to Paris or Italy one day.
Yeah right Draco, go on a nice cozy 'round the world with the Mudblood.
I chuckled.
Keep dreaming...
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Harry came in just as Draco and I were chatting idly. Eek. He didn't look very happy.
I offered him some of my cinnamon coffee as an apology. I don't know why I was apologising, he was the one that was late.
"So what's the problem?" He slid onto the leather seat in our booth next to me.
"Harry, I've got a teensy little favour to ask you."
"Shoot."
"I need you and Draco to help me break Masako out of jail tonight." He frowned.
"Are you crazy? Hermione, think about this. He's in jail for a reason!"
"Harry..." I searched for the words. This is my perfect little world. My little bubble. And now I was going to have to end it. I was gonna have to take the dive and pop the bubble.
"Masako is in there but it's all wrong. He'll die soon Harry. Think about it. All the times I've helped you and Ron do crazy and insane things! We didn't think twice!"
"But I'm older now Hermione! I have to be more responsible!"
"Well what do you think I've been thinking? I'm Head Girl for godsakes, Harry! Please, for Yuri..."
"I never even met Yuri." He grouched, but he wouldn't meet my eyes, which meant he was thinking it over. I bit my lip. And I was about to push him over the edge.
"And uh...I need him to be able to stay at your place for a while..."
"Uh uh. No way. He can't!" He looked at me, frowning.
"Why on earth not?"
"Because it's not my house! It's Sirius's!"
"Well ask Sirius then." Draco drawled. Harry shot him a look, and Draco seemed to bristle.
"Why doesn't he stay at your house then?"
"Because he'd get killed. And he can't stay with Hermione because it's too much on her parents. And before you say anything Potter, I'm leaving her house soon anyway."
This seemed to quieten Harry down a little.
"I'll ask." He finally said.
"But I can't promise anything."
"Thank you Harry! You're the best!" I kissed him on the cheek.
"Why can't we send him to Ron's?"
"Ron wouldn't understand. You know how self-righteous he is. Reminds me alot of you two sometimes."
"Weasley's going to feel very left out when you tell him of your summer adventures, 'Mione." Draco murmured silkily with a sly smile. Harry glanced between the two of us, eyes narrowed. Uh oh.
"Don't you start. We'll deal with that when we come to it. Harry, can you meet with us at seven at Grand Central?"
"Can do. What are you two doing for the rest of the day?"
"I am going shopping. Boring Granger wants to study and plan for tonight."
"Shopping, hey?" Potter's eyes had a suspicious gleam.
"You can't come, nancy-boy." He snarled.
"Settle it outside you two. Come on, I'm going to pay the bill."
"Alright then. I'll see you tonight, Herm'. Malfoy."
"Yeah. Tonight, Wonderboy." They gave each other typical male macho looks and departed.
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It was almost 2 when Draco came home.
"What the hell is that?" I looked up as he stuck his head into my room.
"I'm not sure. It looked amusing so I bought it."
"With what?" I demanded. The idiot had just gone and bought a very expensive looking laptop.
"I summoned some of the jewellry from my house." He shrugged.
Looking at his hands, I noticed that he had several expensive looking rings on. Thick, silver, with black detailing on them.
"I already sold all the gold. Oh wait, I saved this one for you."
Putting down the laptop, he dug around in his pockets.
"Here." He put something in my outstretched palm nonchalantly.
"Draco! I can't accept this!"
It was a beautiful gold ring and it felt like it would collapse any minute.
"It's made of the finest, thinnest gold." He smirked.
"I can't take it, Malfoy. Take it back." He stepped backwards, smirking.
"I'm not an indian giver. Keep it."
"Why? Is there a curse on it or something?" He gave me a look.
"No. A charm."
I raised an eyebrow. Why would he want to protect me?
He sighed.
"You saved me. I save you. If you're ever in desperate trouble...say you're weak. Tap this line. Say Armicus Elsayi. Hold it carefully and it'll open. There's blood in there. Drink it."
I wrinkled my nose and looked at him in disbelief.
"Ewww! Why would I want to drink blood?" He growled in mock-annoyance and ran a hand through his hair.
"Because it's strong. It's powerful. It'll save you. It's from my very first sire."
"And who would that be?"
"One of the elven breed. Elsayi D'Malfoi, if you have to be precise."
"Figures. Well...thanks very much....I think."
He paused, looking at me strangely before he grabbed my wrist.
"This isn't a game, Hermione. This is life, and we lead a very dangerous one."
Dropping my hand as if it burnt, he picked up his shiny new silver laptop and walked off into his room.
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The door creaked open slowly.
"Draco?"
"Hmmm." He said in response.
"Thanks for the ring." He shrugged it off.
I sat on the bed next to him.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you."
He stared at her, expressionless.
"You don't owe me anything, Granger."
I tentatively brushed his hair from his eyes.
He didn't flinch, didn't push my hands away.
Only just looked into my eyes as he pulled me down onto the bed and kissed me.
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"What are we doing, Granger?" He spoke as he watched her sleep.
She looked so beautiful, like a siren when she slept.
"You and I can never be. But I don't want to lose you." His eyes ran over every inch of her, from the thick dark lashes framed against porcelain skin to the somewhat small and undersized body beneath his black and grey satin sheets.
"You've changed me so. Why?" A sad smile touched his lips as he scooped Snowball up in one arm as she jumped onto the bed.
"It could never be, Granger. You are just a mudblood. I am just...a Malfoy." he laughed.
"I never thought I'd say that. Look at me, talking to you while you were asleep. Why is it so hard to believe that I might actually love you? Look at the way you've drawn Potter and Weasel around your finger. Angel." He watched as Snowball nanced up to Hermione and snuggled against her chest. Her eyes slowly opened, semi-startling Draco.
"Would it do you better if I was the daughter of Queens, Malfoy?" She reached one arm from out beneath the sheets and traced along his jawline. His eyes caught and held hers.
"No. Because in the end Granger, you and I could still never be." He closed his eyes painfully and held her hand to his cheek.
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"We only have a little time left."
"Let's just concentrate on tonight, shall we?" She remarked coldly. He felt shot down. He shook his head. Serves him right for having a heart.
"Ok."
They sat silent, in the cab at 3 in the morning.
Harry was snoozing next to Hermione as Draco sat in the passenger seat.
"Ok. Harry, you know what you're going to do? Harry? HARRY!!" He jumped awake, startled. As he snorted and snuffled, he groaned and slapped his forehead.
"It's humiliating." He whined.
"Please, Harry?"
He grumbled.
"You owe me big time."
"Thank you so much!" Hermione kept the big, sincere smile pasted to her lips.
"Draco you keep a lookout. One alohomora and we should be out of here."
Taking three big breaths they paid the cabbie and stepped out.
Hermione had never felt so alone as she stood on the kerb as the taxie zoomed away.
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Of course, things never go that smoothly.
The distraction worked perfectly.
I mean, wouldn't you look twice at the image of a naked Harry running down the corridors? Of course it was an illusion, but magic is just so much more...real, than holograms, don't you think?
Once the guards had left, Hermione and Draco apparated towards Masako's ward.
Ooooh, big mistake. As soon as they landed on the cold grey floor, they looked up as a seated form rose to it's feet.
The blonde guard from before was there. With a big, drooling dobermann pinscher and an evil smile.
"I knew there was something fishy about you, girl!" Her pretty face contorted into a horrible mask as she smiled bitterly.
"Think you can take my Masako from me, eh?" Hermione realised just how big the other woman was compared to herself, and took a step back.
Smiling cruelly, the guard's eyes shifted to the dogs leash.
Her eyes widened.
"Oops!" She mocked, putting her hand to her mouth, red nails vibrant against the pale of her skin.
"I guess my grip slipped." The huge dog was bounding towards them, flecks of foamy drool rimming it's mouth. It's red gums. It's sharp, yellow teeth. Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw the guard grin and clasp her hands behind her head. The sick bitch was actually going to stand there and watch!
"Hermione get _out_ of the way, you stupid Mudblood!" Draco pulled with all his strength and sent her flying onto the cold cobblestones.
"Avada Kedrava!" The dog fell on it's back, eyes open as the life faded from it.
Suddenly the glossy, sweaty coat was dull, the eyes a pale lemon yellow as they filmed over and the spittle running down it's jaw dry. Draco watched it, emotionless as he kicked the corpse.
"Are you hurt?" He turned to Hermione. She nodded and her eyes widened.
"Draco look out!" She pulled him down just in time to hear the whistle as a well-muscled leg swung through the air.
"Fucking bitch and pet whore!" The guard swore.
"I'll take you down myself then!"
A sense of Harry appeared behind the guard.
"Hurry you two, I can't hold this much longer!" and it was gone.
"Talk about pressure." Hermione muttered.
Draco had had enough. Pushing himself off of Hermione he stood and turned to face the guard. He advanced, arms outstretched.
"Piss off, woman!" He growled as he grabbed her shirt front and her shorts and threw her towards the wall where she crumpled in a bloody heap. She was big compared to Hermione, but Draco was 6'3", and still growing.
"Alohomora!" He said in a rush and Masako fell out of the cell. He must've propped himself against the bars.
"Fuck, she's drugged him! I'll take him down and back to Harry's place, I'll meet you there. If you aren't there in fourty five, I'm coming back to look for you."
She nodded. Just then she caught the movement of shadows on the wall.
"They're coming up the stairs! GO!" She pushed Draco towards the window.
"Infractatus!" The bars shattered in a second, and he jumped out, coat billowing behind him.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" They hovered gently until they began to fall...
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"Where the hell is she?" Draco paced in Harry's bedroom.
"I don't know! Sit down Malfoy, you're making me nervous!"
"I make you nervous, do I pansy-boy? Good! You and your stupid mudblood friend can't even come up with a decent plan! I knew something would go wrong! I knew it!" He muttered scathingly.
Harry started laughing.
"What? What is it Potter?"
"Hehe...you remind me of Snape..."
Perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to say to someone who can Avada you when they were in that mood...
Draco gave him a disgusted look.
"And you would think this because you analyse him in your spare time, wouldn't you? Ooooh, Snape, that greasy hair is such a turn on....look at his pert butt and beer gut!" Draco sneered as he mocked Harry in a high voice.
"Why, Draco you're so good at imitations...can I please hear you say 15 points from Gryffindor, just once? It's such a turn-on..." Harry looked at him sultrily.
Draco shuddered.
"Good god Potter, don't be such a faggot. Stay on that side of the room, please."
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Let's get one thing straight Draco, I'm not a faggot, don't describe homosexuals in that way and I'll have you know, I only do it to annoy you."
Draco ignored him and began staring out the window.
Sirius pushed the door open and stepped into the room.
"Ok...the drug they've put in his system is pretty serious. Have you ever heard of Dragonbane?"
Draco's eyes widened in horror as he whipped his head around. He suddenly felt clammy and cold.
"How in living hell did Muggles get a hold of that?" Sirius frowned and shook his head.
"I have no idea. I suspect they're working with a dark toady...probably someone like Pettigrew." He snarled, still nursing more than a grudge.
"What is it?" Harry asked, staring at Masako curiously.
"It's like heroin, only for humans. It drives you to madness, it's addictive and some people die from even just the hallucinations. It's living hell. It's made from a plant called Lateralus Dominica and steeped in Dragon venom diluted with blood." Draco muttered in a quiet and deadly calm voice.
Siruis raised his eyebrow, but left it alone. Harry however, was not.
"Have you taken it before Malfoy?"
Draco glared at him.
"Is it any of your business, Potter?"
"Well we need to know how serious it is, and it's probably better told by someone who's experienced the effects first hand."
Draco lowered his eyes. They waited for him to continue.
"Yes." He finally said.
"Once. And I'm lucky I lived through that experience."
"That's the only thing I've ever been ashamed of in my life. Ever."
Sirius nodded for him to continue.
"It's horrible. It's living in hell. You become paranoid, you have nausea. Everything that touches you feels like a thousand spiders crawling. When you look in a mirror, you see death. You see maggots crawling from your eye sockets and you smell death on your clothes. You can't stand your friends being around you because they're dead, to you. You can't eat, you can't drink or you'll throw up everything in your system and keep throwing up. You can't sleep. And it burns your senses, until you can't smell, can't see. Can't feel anything. You can't even tell if you stop breathing." He took a deep breath, and Sirius nodded sympathetically as he wiped the pale sheen of sweat from his brow.
Draco looked at Masako.
"He's been on it for a while. I couldn't quite place my finger on it when I was flying him down, but there was something wrong with him. They haven't been giving him lethal doses, however," He said, re-assuring Sirius and Harry.
"They've been giving enough to make him dependent on them. I think it's because they couldn't use the heroin because his body just rejects it. I think he's been a user before. He squatted and pointed to the faintest of faint scars, just below Masako's elbow.
"This was probably the biggest dose Masako has ever received. It'snot lethal...just enough to put him on the effects of hell." Draco said soberly.
"Why do you care so Malfoy?" Harry watched him closely. Draco looked at him sharply.
"I care because I've been to that hell and back. Nobody deserves that, you hear me? No one. I wouldn't even wish that on Voldemort." He said quietly.
"This Dragonbane, how long would you say the effects will affect him, Malfoy?" Sirius asked thoughtfully.
Draco looked at Masako for a long time, calculating his body weight and receptivity to drugs.
"I'm not sure. I'm guessing they gave him this dose yesterday. I'll estimate at around...another three days before he comes out of it."
"Four days of this?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Draco looked distant and ran his hands through his hair.
"Yeah. But it's good, coz he's already been through one. Only three more days to go. What you gotta do, is move his limbs so he doesn't get a stopping of blood flow or something. Then on the third day from today, tie him up. He'll be fighting when he awakes, and he'll be wanting more Dragonbane."
Harry looked troubled.
"Why would he want more if it's so painful?"
"It's addictive Potter, I can't believe you're so naive. Haven't you ever tried drugs?" Draco's eyes widened involuntarily and he glanced at Sirius reflexively.
"I didn't mean..."
"That's ok, Malfoy, I don't suspect he idolizes you enough to try them anyway. And if he does, I personally will kill him." Sirius drawled.
"I won't, Sirius." Harry groaned.
They heard the ringing of the doorbell.
"Well what do you know, the fifteen minutes is up."
"I'm going to go answer that." Sirius hefted himself from the wall.
"I'll come too, just in case." Draco followed him out the door.
"Potter, hide Masako in case that it's someone who shouldn't know about him. Stay in here, pretend you're asleep or studying or something."
Draco shut the door, face impassive. Inside he was trembling. Was it Hermione or not?
As he turned to walk down the stairs, Sirius gripped his arm and looked into his eyes, searchingly.
"What are you doing, Black?"
"Mr Black to you. Your father...he was the one who gave Dragonbane to you, wasn't he?" Draco pushed Sirius' hand off his arm angrily.
"It wasn't my father, I wish you people would mind your own business. It was Voldemort if you have to know. I was stupid and foolish and that is a mistake I shall never repeat again." he said defiantly. Watching Sirius, he straightened his shirt and dusted himself.
"Now, if you don't mind." He drawled.
"Of course. Malfoy." Sirius kept his temper in check. There was something wrong...something different about this Malfoy. There were so many secrets and mysteries here. How did he keep it all without going insane?
They stepped forward to open the door, Draco waiting with abated breath as Sirius' hand turned the door handle...
Oooh cliffhanger...don't worry, I hate them too!
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Okkkkkkkk Dragonbane was essential to this story to see the effect of wizard drugs on muggle bodies. However, Masako has a history of drug use and so...well, it would affect him slightly less...but only minisculy.
I can't spell that word. Ignore me...lmao.
Oh yeah, just in case you didn't read the review I posted...
The song from last chapter is called 'The Truth' by Pharoah Monche, feat Common and Talib Kweli. (I think)
It's a hip-hop song, so if you aren't into that music, I'm warning you know...it's that kind of stuff. (real hip-hop, not nelly or ja rule crap)
Also....I did a mention of Jenny from the Block in one of these chapters. I seriously apologise for this right now. It was stuck in my head and I was horrified to re-read it later.
I was so surprised by the responses to this chapter I went and wrote this one...and this is probably the last you'll get for a lil' while because school is a HASS and taking up most of my precious time! :(
Finally, that's it for this chapter! Sayonara
Ja ne!
Lu*Sila
THANK-YOU'S
Shiiiiiiit, I can't believe all the reviews I got on this!!!! Woo!
SILVER MASAMUNE
LOL awesome, so a masamune is like the sword the guys from Kingdom of Hearts carry? Ohhhh speaking of which this guy in my IM class did a wicked pic of that....:( Thanks for reading!!!
TRIGEMINI
Thank you for keeping reading! If that makes any sense. The phrases in quotation marks are from a song called "The Truth" by Pharoah Monche feat Common and Talib Kweli. If you wanna d/l search under Pharoah Monche I think.... it's a really good song if you're into hip-hop! (Proper hip-hop, not that ja-rule dmx nelly stuff)
REANNE080
hehehe not sure if this is interesting enough for you...but is a little bit of action away from the waff! hehehe....harry running naked through the halls....*chuckles merrily*
RABBIT
heheh I love your nick!!! haaaaahahahahah! *rofl* sorry. Thanks so much for the review! Ummmmmmm I know it's a little confusing when I switch, but if you read carefully you should be able to tell the difference between first and third person easily...I know it's kinda confusing but Sila is too lazy to type ***Hermione*** ***Draco*** ***Sila*** or whatever at the start of sections....so please bear with me! It's just my style of writing!
DREAMING ONE
LMAO of course I'm up to the challenge! Sorry, I didn't think he seemed that mushy, although he does seem a little over-protective and mushy towards Hermione...but wouldn't you if she, someone who has no plausible reason to be nice, took you in and looked after you and continously be'd nice even when you were a bitch? That'd probably change my mind... :P
TEMPTATION SARROW
Was that meant to be sorrow? :) LMAO thanks for...loving my story, heheh! Of course they'll get together....they often get together... o.0 Not fair...*hunts hermione and switches bodies with her* Draco: Granger, why are you so stoopid suddenly? Me/Hermione: *gopher face* Der...
Why doesn't anyone like yaoi? heheh it's ok...but i was in the mood for pretty boy love... :P keep reading please!
GLINIEL DE SILVA MALFOY+WOOD
Whoa!!! Girlie, THANK YOU for all the reviews! Heheh that's right, lil' Draco is a stuck up biatch...and no! Snowball is Granger/Malfoy kitty! Bad Gliniel! *snatches it off you* mwahhahahah well here is the continue... and yes, Hermione gets grumpy PMS... don't we all? *bares teeth and snarls*
SERENITY
Oh God! Thanks for the constructive critiscism (which I can't spell) Please keep reading and reviewing and there will be more good lyrical things for sure!!!
THE GOOD REVIEW FAIRY
Heheheh! Oh kewlies! I'm such a bimbo I didn't even think to write all that crap in my author's notes...dun wanna bore the readers now, do I? LMAo horror is horrible... o.0 *yer, good english sila* but it's present...at the very start when beautiful Draco has the sh*t beaten out of him...! Maybe I should've actually written that scene. Nahhhhh not good to scare readers away first thing... :)
LMAO no, can't have Draco being a cream puff!!!! He'd be...well, dumb then! LOL thanks VERY MUCH for the review, you don't know how warm and fuzzy it made me feel!
A fanfiction by Sila-chan
Dedicated to: Gliniel de Silva Malfoy+Wood...you deserve something for that many reviews!!!
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Chapter 9: Jailbreak...ok so sue me the title isn't original!!!
God she hated dialtones. She tapped her fingernails on the desk.
"Harry?"
"Yeah. What's up?"
"It's Hermione."
"Oh."
Silence.
"So...what've you been up to?" Harry sounded sleepy, half-awake. One of the few luxuries he would have in this difficult life.
"Not much. You?"
"Uh, just hanging with Sirius mainly." He scratched his head dopily and yawned.
An awkward silence. Wow, first in the seven years she'd known Harry.
"Mmm. Uh...I'm sorry Harry." She blurted out.
There was another pause, and a sigh from the other end.
"It's ok. How _are_ you and him now?"
Hermione bit her lip and frowned. What could she say? Oh yeah, he's a terrific root, but we're not actually talking that much at the moment...
"Yeah...I guess we've sorted things out." She winced. Bullshit.
"Great. Forgive me if I don't sound too pleased."
"Nothing doing. I don't suppose you'd do me a favour would you?" She crossed her fingers. She was asking a bit much, but then...didn't Harry at least owe her something from all the times she'd saved their asses?
"Depends. What is it?"
"Come out to coffee with me and Draco. I need your help with something tonight."
Another pause. Rustling and tv background noise. She began doodling on her piece of paper.
Another sigh.
"Alright. Where, what time." He yawned.
"Meet us at the Kainsbridge, it's near the station. At 12."
"Alright. See ya." Click. The line was dead.
She stared at the phone. Males. Always take and never give.
The friendship was slowly beginning to heal. She'd just have to keep the bottle of caustic soda away from it. Speaking of which.
"Draco? Are you dressed yet?" She got up and left the room.
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The dead leaves rustled as she stepped on them with her knee-high boots.
If she just stopped thinking for a while, she could almost imagine she was somewhere else, in Paris, or even Italy. She felt her heart soar. How she'd love to go there, to walk beside the riviera...
She heard faint footsteps and the crunching of leaves underfoot behind her, where Draco was dawdling. Him and Harry had some serious issues to sort out. Meaning that Draco was not a happy chap when she had told him what they were doing today. But she promised him tomorrow they'd go out and do something fun.
Yeah right. They'd probably be babysitting Masako and removing the remaining traces of madness from him.
She looked over at the playground. This place was so different from the park near her house. The little kids were adorable, they reminded her of Jacob when he was younger. No hoodlums hanging around late at night.
She spun in the leaves and looked up at the overcast sky.
As she turned to Draco to say something, she froze. His eyes, his hair. The way he stood as he watched he kids play. Why on earth did he suddenly look so perfect? He looked up.
She closed her eyes slowly. And when she opened them everything was back to normal.
"Granger, are you ok?"
"Hmm. I'm fine." She crossed the road, leaving the cracked cobblestones for smooth tarmac.
Turning to face the road, she waited for Draco, who was a little slower at crossing.
"Bloody git." He mumbled as the cars rushed by. He pulled the collar of his coat up, tugging and fretting at it absently. She watched him, and spoke, startling him.
"Malfoy, have you ever wanted to go somewhere? Paris, or France?"
"Now why on earth would I want to do that, Granger? I've been there so many times..." He was cut off by Hermione's yanking insistently on the front of his coat.
"Tell me about it! Please! Is it as beautiful as they say? Is it really that romantic?" Smiling wryly he pushed her away from him, making her hands drop.
"Wouldn't have thought you were the mushy type, Granger. Still, I suppose everybody has their secrets. I guess it is quite beautiful, although I never really took the time to look. We were usually there on business."
There was a quiet pause between them. They both knew what Draco implied by business. It was just a little hard to comprehend.
Draco threw his hands up in the air.
"Oh don't start Granger. I simply can't be bothered. Now why do you want to go there for? Find the love of your life, eh?" He sauntered past her, hands in pockets, whistling as he threw and caught a conker.
"You wish, Malfoy. I just want to experience the culture. Be more experienced in the ways of the world."
He narrowed his eyes and stopped mid-step. She watched curiously as he stood still, his back towards her.
"Yes," he said, never turning around. "You need to experience the world. You're too innocent and corruptible as it is."
And he kept walking, leaving Hermione to puzzle over that for herself.
__________________________________________________________________
Potter was late.
I tapped my fingers on the table. Perfect hands. Elegant, aristocratic. Yet manly and strong.
I tried not to wince as I thought about the times I had seen them wrapped around a wand. Green light reflecting off my knuckles. Hermione had made me think about that again. Stupid Mudblood.
Maybe I'd take her to Paris or Italy one day.
Yeah right Draco, go on a nice cozy 'round the world with the Mudblood.
I chuckled.
Keep dreaming...
__________________________________________________________________
Harry came in just as Draco and I were chatting idly. Eek. He didn't look very happy.
I offered him some of my cinnamon coffee as an apology. I don't know why I was apologising, he was the one that was late.
"So what's the problem?" He slid onto the leather seat in our booth next to me.
"Harry, I've got a teensy little favour to ask you."
"Shoot."
"I need you and Draco to help me break Masako out of jail tonight." He frowned.
"Are you crazy? Hermione, think about this. He's in jail for a reason!"
"Harry..." I searched for the words. This is my perfect little world. My little bubble. And now I was going to have to end it. I was gonna have to take the dive and pop the bubble.
"Masako is in there but it's all wrong. He'll die soon Harry. Think about it. All the times I've helped you and Ron do crazy and insane things! We didn't think twice!"
"But I'm older now Hermione! I have to be more responsible!"
"Well what do you think I've been thinking? I'm Head Girl for godsakes, Harry! Please, for Yuri..."
"I never even met Yuri." He grouched, but he wouldn't meet my eyes, which meant he was thinking it over. I bit my lip. And I was about to push him over the edge.
"And uh...I need him to be able to stay at your place for a while..."
"Uh uh. No way. He can't!" He looked at me, frowning.
"Why on earth not?"
"Because it's not my house! It's Sirius's!"
"Well ask Sirius then." Draco drawled. Harry shot him a look, and Draco seemed to bristle.
"Why doesn't he stay at your house then?"
"Because he'd get killed. And he can't stay with Hermione because it's too much on her parents. And before you say anything Potter, I'm leaving her house soon anyway."
This seemed to quieten Harry down a little.
"I'll ask." He finally said.
"But I can't promise anything."
"Thank you Harry! You're the best!" I kissed him on the cheek.
"Why can't we send him to Ron's?"
"Ron wouldn't understand. You know how self-righteous he is. Reminds me alot of you two sometimes."
"Weasley's going to feel very left out when you tell him of your summer adventures, 'Mione." Draco murmured silkily with a sly smile. Harry glanced between the two of us, eyes narrowed. Uh oh.
"Don't you start. We'll deal with that when we come to it. Harry, can you meet with us at seven at Grand Central?"
"Can do. What are you two doing for the rest of the day?"
"I am going shopping. Boring Granger wants to study and plan for tonight."
"Shopping, hey?" Potter's eyes had a suspicious gleam.
"You can't come, nancy-boy." He snarled.
"Settle it outside you two. Come on, I'm going to pay the bill."
"Alright then. I'll see you tonight, Herm'. Malfoy."
"Yeah. Tonight, Wonderboy." They gave each other typical male macho looks and departed.
__________________________________________________________________
It was almost 2 when Draco came home.
"What the hell is that?" I looked up as he stuck his head into my room.
"I'm not sure. It looked amusing so I bought it."
"With what?" I demanded. The idiot had just gone and bought a very expensive looking laptop.
"I summoned some of the jewellry from my house." He shrugged.
Looking at his hands, I noticed that he had several expensive looking rings on. Thick, silver, with black detailing on them.
"I already sold all the gold. Oh wait, I saved this one for you."
Putting down the laptop, he dug around in his pockets.
"Here." He put something in my outstretched palm nonchalantly.
"Draco! I can't accept this!"
It was a beautiful gold ring and it felt like it would collapse any minute.
"It's made of the finest, thinnest gold." He smirked.
"I can't take it, Malfoy. Take it back." He stepped backwards, smirking.
"I'm not an indian giver. Keep it."
"Why? Is there a curse on it or something?" He gave me a look.
"No. A charm."
I raised an eyebrow. Why would he want to protect me?
He sighed.
"You saved me. I save you. If you're ever in desperate trouble...say you're weak. Tap this line. Say Armicus Elsayi. Hold it carefully and it'll open. There's blood in there. Drink it."
I wrinkled my nose and looked at him in disbelief.
"Ewww! Why would I want to drink blood?" He growled in mock-annoyance and ran a hand through his hair.
"Because it's strong. It's powerful. It'll save you. It's from my very first sire."
"And who would that be?"
"One of the elven breed. Elsayi D'Malfoi, if you have to be precise."
"Figures. Well...thanks very much....I think."
He paused, looking at me strangely before he grabbed my wrist.
"This isn't a game, Hermione. This is life, and we lead a very dangerous one."
Dropping my hand as if it burnt, he picked up his shiny new silver laptop and walked off into his room.
__________________________________________________________________
The door creaked open slowly.
"Draco?"
"Hmmm." He said in response.
"Thanks for the ring." He shrugged it off.
I sat on the bed next to him.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you."
He stared at her, expressionless.
"You don't owe me anything, Granger."
I tentatively brushed his hair from his eyes.
He didn't flinch, didn't push my hands away.
Only just looked into my eyes as he pulled me down onto the bed and kissed me.
__________________________________________________________________
"What are we doing, Granger?" He spoke as he watched her sleep.
She looked so beautiful, like a siren when she slept.
"You and I can never be. But I don't want to lose you." His eyes ran over every inch of her, from the thick dark lashes framed against porcelain skin to the somewhat small and undersized body beneath his black and grey satin sheets.
"You've changed me so. Why?" A sad smile touched his lips as he scooped Snowball up in one arm as she jumped onto the bed.
"It could never be, Granger. You are just a mudblood. I am just...a Malfoy." he laughed.
"I never thought I'd say that. Look at me, talking to you while you were asleep. Why is it so hard to believe that I might actually love you? Look at the way you've drawn Potter and Weasel around your finger. Angel." He watched as Snowball nanced up to Hermione and snuggled against her chest. Her eyes slowly opened, semi-startling Draco.
"Would it do you better if I was the daughter of Queens, Malfoy?" She reached one arm from out beneath the sheets and traced along his jawline. His eyes caught and held hers.
"No. Because in the end Granger, you and I could still never be." He closed his eyes painfully and held her hand to his cheek.
__________________________________________________________________
"We only have a little time left."
"Let's just concentrate on tonight, shall we?" She remarked coldly. He felt shot down. He shook his head. Serves him right for having a heart.
"Ok."
They sat silent, in the cab at 3 in the morning.
Harry was snoozing next to Hermione as Draco sat in the passenger seat.
"Ok. Harry, you know what you're going to do? Harry? HARRY!!" He jumped awake, startled. As he snorted and snuffled, he groaned and slapped his forehead.
"It's humiliating." He whined.
"Please, Harry?"
He grumbled.
"You owe me big time."
"Thank you so much!" Hermione kept the big, sincere smile pasted to her lips.
"Draco you keep a lookout. One alohomora and we should be out of here."
Taking three big breaths they paid the cabbie and stepped out.
Hermione had never felt so alone as she stood on the kerb as the taxie zoomed away.
_________________________________________________________________
Of course, things never go that smoothly.
The distraction worked perfectly.
I mean, wouldn't you look twice at the image of a naked Harry running down the corridors? Of course it was an illusion, but magic is just so much more...real, than holograms, don't you think?
Once the guards had left, Hermione and Draco apparated towards Masako's ward.
Ooooh, big mistake. As soon as they landed on the cold grey floor, they looked up as a seated form rose to it's feet.
The blonde guard from before was there. With a big, drooling dobermann pinscher and an evil smile.
"I knew there was something fishy about you, girl!" Her pretty face contorted into a horrible mask as she smiled bitterly.
"Think you can take my Masako from me, eh?" Hermione realised just how big the other woman was compared to herself, and took a step back.
Smiling cruelly, the guard's eyes shifted to the dogs leash.
Her eyes widened.
"Oops!" She mocked, putting her hand to her mouth, red nails vibrant against the pale of her skin.
"I guess my grip slipped." The huge dog was bounding towards them, flecks of foamy drool rimming it's mouth. It's red gums. It's sharp, yellow teeth. Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw the guard grin and clasp her hands behind her head. The sick bitch was actually going to stand there and watch!
"Hermione get _out_ of the way, you stupid Mudblood!" Draco pulled with all his strength and sent her flying onto the cold cobblestones.
"Avada Kedrava!" The dog fell on it's back, eyes open as the life faded from it.
Suddenly the glossy, sweaty coat was dull, the eyes a pale lemon yellow as they filmed over and the spittle running down it's jaw dry. Draco watched it, emotionless as he kicked the corpse.
"Are you hurt?" He turned to Hermione. She nodded and her eyes widened.
"Draco look out!" She pulled him down just in time to hear the whistle as a well-muscled leg swung through the air.
"Fucking bitch and pet whore!" The guard swore.
"I'll take you down myself then!"
A sense of Harry appeared behind the guard.
"Hurry you two, I can't hold this much longer!" and it was gone.
"Talk about pressure." Hermione muttered.
Draco had had enough. Pushing himself off of Hermione he stood and turned to face the guard. He advanced, arms outstretched.
"Piss off, woman!" He growled as he grabbed her shirt front and her shorts and threw her towards the wall where she crumpled in a bloody heap. She was big compared to Hermione, but Draco was 6'3", and still growing.
"Alohomora!" He said in a rush and Masako fell out of the cell. He must've propped himself against the bars.
"Fuck, she's drugged him! I'll take him down and back to Harry's place, I'll meet you there. If you aren't there in fourty five, I'm coming back to look for you."
She nodded. Just then she caught the movement of shadows on the wall.
"They're coming up the stairs! GO!" She pushed Draco towards the window.
"Infractatus!" The bars shattered in a second, and he jumped out, coat billowing behind him.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" They hovered gently until they began to fall...
__________________________________________________________________
"Where the hell is she?" Draco paced in Harry's bedroom.
"I don't know! Sit down Malfoy, you're making me nervous!"
"I make you nervous, do I pansy-boy? Good! You and your stupid mudblood friend can't even come up with a decent plan! I knew something would go wrong! I knew it!" He muttered scathingly.
Harry started laughing.
"What? What is it Potter?"
"Hehe...you remind me of Snape..."
Perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to say to someone who can Avada you when they were in that mood...
Draco gave him a disgusted look.
"And you would think this because you analyse him in your spare time, wouldn't you? Ooooh, Snape, that greasy hair is such a turn on....look at his pert butt and beer gut!" Draco sneered as he mocked Harry in a high voice.
"Why, Draco you're so good at imitations...can I please hear you say 15 points from Gryffindor, just once? It's such a turn-on..." Harry looked at him sultrily.
Draco shuddered.
"Good god Potter, don't be such a faggot. Stay on that side of the room, please."
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Let's get one thing straight Draco, I'm not a faggot, don't describe homosexuals in that way and I'll have you know, I only do it to annoy you."
Draco ignored him and began staring out the window.
Sirius pushed the door open and stepped into the room.
"Ok...the drug they've put in his system is pretty serious. Have you ever heard of Dragonbane?"
Draco's eyes widened in horror as he whipped his head around. He suddenly felt clammy and cold.
"How in living hell did Muggles get a hold of that?" Sirius frowned and shook his head.
"I have no idea. I suspect they're working with a dark toady...probably someone like Pettigrew." He snarled, still nursing more than a grudge.
"What is it?" Harry asked, staring at Masako curiously.
"It's like heroin, only for humans. It drives you to madness, it's addictive and some people die from even just the hallucinations. It's living hell. It's made from a plant called Lateralus Dominica and steeped in Dragon venom diluted with blood." Draco muttered in a quiet and deadly calm voice.
Siruis raised his eyebrow, but left it alone. Harry however, was not.
"Have you taken it before Malfoy?"
Draco glared at him.
"Is it any of your business, Potter?"
"Well we need to know how serious it is, and it's probably better told by someone who's experienced the effects first hand."
Draco lowered his eyes. They waited for him to continue.
"Yes." He finally said.
"Once. And I'm lucky I lived through that experience."
"That's the only thing I've ever been ashamed of in my life. Ever."
Sirius nodded for him to continue.
"It's horrible. It's living in hell. You become paranoid, you have nausea. Everything that touches you feels like a thousand spiders crawling. When you look in a mirror, you see death. You see maggots crawling from your eye sockets and you smell death on your clothes. You can't stand your friends being around you because they're dead, to you. You can't eat, you can't drink or you'll throw up everything in your system and keep throwing up. You can't sleep. And it burns your senses, until you can't smell, can't see. Can't feel anything. You can't even tell if you stop breathing." He took a deep breath, and Sirius nodded sympathetically as he wiped the pale sheen of sweat from his brow.
Draco looked at Masako.
"He's been on it for a while. I couldn't quite place my finger on it when I was flying him down, but there was something wrong with him. They haven't been giving him lethal doses, however," He said, re-assuring Sirius and Harry.
"They've been giving enough to make him dependent on them. I think it's because they couldn't use the heroin because his body just rejects it. I think he's been a user before. He squatted and pointed to the faintest of faint scars, just below Masako's elbow.
"This was probably the biggest dose Masako has ever received. It'snot lethal...just enough to put him on the effects of hell." Draco said soberly.
"Why do you care so Malfoy?" Harry watched him closely. Draco looked at him sharply.
"I care because I've been to that hell and back. Nobody deserves that, you hear me? No one. I wouldn't even wish that on Voldemort." He said quietly.
"This Dragonbane, how long would you say the effects will affect him, Malfoy?" Sirius asked thoughtfully.
Draco looked at Masako for a long time, calculating his body weight and receptivity to drugs.
"I'm not sure. I'm guessing they gave him this dose yesterday. I'll estimate at around...another three days before he comes out of it."
"Four days of this?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Draco looked distant and ran his hands through his hair.
"Yeah. But it's good, coz he's already been through one. Only three more days to go. What you gotta do, is move his limbs so he doesn't get a stopping of blood flow or something. Then on the third day from today, tie him up. He'll be fighting when he awakes, and he'll be wanting more Dragonbane."
Harry looked troubled.
"Why would he want more if it's so painful?"
"It's addictive Potter, I can't believe you're so naive. Haven't you ever tried drugs?" Draco's eyes widened involuntarily and he glanced at Sirius reflexively.
"I didn't mean..."
"That's ok, Malfoy, I don't suspect he idolizes you enough to try them anyway. And if he does, I personally will kill him." Sirius drawled.
"I won't, Sirius." Harry groaned.
They heard the ringing of the doorbell.
"Well what do you know, the fifteen minutes is up."
"I'm going to go answer that." Sirius hefted himself from the wall.
"I'll come too, just in case." Draco followed him out the door.
"Potter, hide Masako in case that it's someone who shouldn't know about him. Stay in here, pretend you're asleep or studying or something."
Draco shut the door, face impassive. Inside he was trembling. Was it Hermione or not?
As he turned to walk down the stairs, Sirius gripped his arm and looked into his eyes, searchingly.
"What are you doing, Black?"
"Mr Black to you. Your father...he was the one who gave Dragonbane to you, wasn't he?" Draco pushed Sirius' hand off his arm angrily.
"It wasn't my father, I wish you people would mind your own business. It was Voldemort if you have to know. I was stupid and foolish and that is a mistake I shall never repeat again." he said defiantly. Watching Sirius, he straightened his shirt and dusted himself.
"Now, if you don't mind." He drawled.
"Of course. Malfoy." Sirius kept his temper in check. There was something wrong...something different about this Malfoy. There were so many secrets and mysteries here. How did he keep it all without going insane?
They stepped forward to open the door, Draco waiting with abated breath as Sirius' hand turned the door handle...
Oooh cliffhanger...don't worry, I hate them too!
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Okkkkkkkk Dragonbane was essential to this story to see the effect of wizard drugs on muggle bodies. However, Masako has a history of drug use and so...well, it would affect him slightly less...but only minisculy.
I can't spell that word. Ignore me...lmao.
Oh yeah, just in case you didn't read the review I posted...
The song from last chapter is called 'The Truth' by Pharoah Monche, feat Common and Talib Kweli. (I think)
It's a hip-hop song, so if you aren't into that music, I'm warning you know...it's that kind of stuff. (real hip-hop, not nelly or ja rule crap)
Also....I did a mention of Jenny from the Block in one of these chapters. I seriously apologise for this right now. It was stuck in my head and I was horrified to re-read it later.
I was so surprised by the responses to this chapter I went and wrote this one...and this is probably the last you'll get for a lil' while because school is a HASS and taking up most of my precious time! :(
Finally, that's it for this chapter! Sayonara
Ja ne!
Lu*Sila
THANK-YOU'S
Shiiiiiiit, I can't believe all the reviews I got on this!!!! Woo!
SILVER MASAMUNE
LOL awesome, so a masamune is like the sword the guys from Kingdom of Hearts carry? Ohhhh speaking of which this guy in my IM class did a wicked pic of that....:( Thanks for reading!!!
TRIGEMINI
Thank you for keeping reading! If that makes any sense. The phrases in quotation marks are from a song called "The Truth" by Pharoah Monche feat Common and Talib Kweli. If you wanna d/l search under Pharoah Monche I think.... it's a really good song if you're into hip-hop! (Proper hip-hop, not that ja-rule dmx nelly stuff)
REANNE080
hehehe not sure if this is interesting enough for you...but is a little bit of action away from the waff! hehehe....harry running naked through the halls....*chuckles merrily*
RABBIT
heheh I love your nick!!! haaaaahahahahah! *rofl* sorry. Thanks so much for the review! Ummmmmmm I know it's a little confusing when I switch, but if you read carefully you should be able to tell the difference between first and third person easily...I know it's kinda confusing but Sila is too lazy to type ***Hermione*** ***Draco*** ***Sila*** or whatever at the start of sections....so please bear with me! It's just my style of writing!
DREAMING ONE
LMAO of course I'm up to the challenge! Sorry, I didn't think he seemed that mushy, although he does seem a little over-protective and mushy towards Hermione...but wouldn't you if she, someone who has no plausible reason to be nice, took you in and looked after you and continously be'd nice even when you were a bitch? That'd probably change my mind... :P
TEMPTATION SARROW
Was that meant to be sorrow? :) LMAO thanks for...loving my story, heheh! Of course they'll get together....they often get together... o.0 Not fair...*hunts hermione and switches bodies with her* Draco: Granger, why are you so stoopid suddenly? Me/Hermione: *gopher face* Der...
Why doesn't anyone like yaoi? heheh it's ok...but i was in the mood for pretty boy love... :P keep reading please!
GLINIEL DE SILVA MALFOY+WOOD
Whoa!!! Girlie, THANK YOU for all the reviews! Heheh that's right, lil' Draco is a stuck up biatch...and no! Snowball is Granger/Malfoy kitty! Bad Gliniel! *snatches it off you* mwahhahahah well here is the continue... and yes, Hermione gets grumpy PMS... don't we all? *bares teeth and snarls*
SERENITY
Oh God! Thanks for the constructive critiscism (which I can't spell) Please keep reading and reviewing and there will be more good lyrical things for sure!!!
THE GOOD REVIEW FAIRY
Heheheh! Oh kewlies! I'm such a bimbo I didn't even think to write all that crap in my author's notes...dun wanna bore the readers now, do I? LMAo horror is horrible... o.0 *yer, good english sila* but it's present...at the very start when beautiful Draco has the sh*t beaten out of him...! Maybe I should've actually written that scene. Nahhhhh not good to scare readers away first thing... :)
LMAO no, can't have Draco being a cream puff!!!! He'd be...well, dumb then! LOL thanks VERY MUCH for the review, you don't know how warm and fuzzy it made me feel!