The Chemicals Between Us Chapter 31: Harry, why you, Harry?, a harry potter fanfic

" Harry, why you, Harry? "

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Draco's heart pounded as he heard Crabbe's voice say something he never thought he'd hear. He blinked. " Say that again, " his voice commanded. " Say it! "

" We think- we think Hermione Granger may have been killed, " Crabbe said. " I think- "

He felt his ears ringing, the words were echoing over and over again. Hermione was dead? No- Crabbe said 'we think', it didn't mean anything! He had just asked Crabbe if there were any casualties during their little scuffle. Crabbe had come to the Malfoy Manor to formally apologize to him, without Blaise's ever-watching eyes.

His mouth was drawn into a straight line. He said nothing. Crabbe was looking at him. Crabbe was thinking and he knew it. He was curious…was he getting any ideas into that thick skull of his? Then Crabbe opened his mouth.

" What's the matter Draco? Would it matter if someone was killed or not? Blaise had thought it best…does Hermione Granger have some use to us? " he asked with a frown.

He looked outside and saw the gardens his mother had so lovingly tended. A heavy blossom from a rose fell on the ground. He slowly faced Crabbe again. " No, nothing. I thought I heard wrong, that's all. I mean she's a formidable witch and all at fighting- and she was that easily killed? "

Crabbe smiled proudly. " Blaise made sure to kill another one of them. The stinking mudblood's now gone. I'm kind of sure he was happy, you know. They put up a tough fight. "

Draco nodded and gave a small smile and turned away, but his chest was feeling strange and he suddenly wanted to be alone. He suddenly wanted to kill Crabbe and Blaise, too. See them suffer; see them cry out in pain…He tried to pull himself together. He faced Crabbe once more, hiding a clenched fist. " Don't you ever do that again, you hear me? Don't you ever go out without our knowledge, don't you ever kill Aurors without us there. We're a team; this is what this circle is all about. This isn't about showing off, you hear me? We plan our moves and not just go out to have fun, " he breathed.

Crabbe looked shaken at Draco's words, but he managed a small nod. " I'm really sorry, Draco. I had thought of telling you, but Blaise didn't want me to- "

" You trust him now? Better than you trust me? " he glared.

" No…" Crabbe replied meekly. " I was- carried away. Blaise seemed so sure you guys wouldn't mind and all. So…we went because Blaise thought it would be impressive on our record…but don't get mad Draco, we did it all for the Dark Master and not just to annoy you or anything! "

Draco looked at him quietly for a few seconds. " I'm not mad, " he said, finally. He gave a small smile. " What's done is done. We have to look into the bright side. One Auror down. " He almost choked at his words. He even wanted to strangle Crabbe with his bare hands. Anything to quell the overwhelming emotion he was feeling.

" I'm glad, then, " Crabbe said. " I should get going. Thanks for listening to me Draco. I hope I have your trust again. " And Crabbe vanished in a second.

Draco finally fell down on a couch, unexpectedly exhausted. Trust Crabbe again? Never. He felt drained of everything. Even his mind felt drained. Oh god…Hermione was dead? How could she be? It couldn't be true! Hermione was too stubborn to be dead! Too beautiful to be dead!

The rage built up once more, and he wanted reparation. Blaise was in for it. The bastard was in for it. And something in him welled up, something he hadn't felt earlier. And astonishingly, Draco felt a tear drop on his hand.

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" No! I won't do it! " Hermione said heatedly as she faced Ron. A flush was creeping up her face. She was furious.

" I can't risk that to happen again! " he snapped angrily.

The rest of the Aurors inside the hall looked on in silence. It was a standard unspoken rule never to interrupt a very crossed Hermione and a puffed up Ron. They had the nastiest fights when it came to performing their jobs, Ron always over concerned about her wellbeing and all. Thank goodness it only happened about twice in a year. But it was bad, because when they both got angry, they didn't care about everyone else present.

" I'm not staying behind a desk while you go prance around fighting in your silly teddy bear underwear! " she said, stomping her foot down. " I took a leave from my muggle job just to cater to this-! "

" I do not have silly teddy bear underwear! " Ron said. " I'm doing this for your safety! "

" You transferred me behind a desk, transferred me without my permission! I'm supposed to be on that mission! "

" You almost got killed! "

" It's different from being dead! " she screamed at him.

" I won't wait for that! " he bellowed. " Can't you get that in your bushy head! I promised Harry, I almost let him down! "

" I can fight for myself just fine! "

" No! " he said. " You can get careless! They've pulled out all the females because of what had happened to you! "

" I slipped! "

" Yes! But what if you didn't? "

" I- "

" Don't you go all pigheaded on me, Hermione! "

" You're being the pighead! Not me! And I'm as qualified as you are! Isn't that right, Professor Lupin? " she turned to face him, with a glare in her eyes. Lupin merely nodded discreetly.

" Professor! " Ron said. " You can't just agree with her! You saw what happened! " He faced Hermione again. " Stop being such a- "

" A what? " she cut off.

" A bloody- "

" Bloody what? "

" Will you let me finish! "

" No, " Hermione said. " This conversation is finished! "

" This is not a conversation! This is screaming and shouting and whining! " Ron wanted to shake Hermione off her stubbornness. It was true though; she was more than qualified to be an Auror. He was just trying to protect her! It meant he would have fulfilled his promise to Harry that she would stay alive and remain unscratched!

Hermione desperately had the urge to slap Ron to his senses! She could take care of herself! He was being an overprotective, overreacting arse! So she had slipped- big deal! It wasn't like she got killed or anything, she worked just fine! " As far as I'm concerned, this screaming, shouting and whining is through! "

" As far as you're concerned? What about my concern? And Harry's? "

She flinched. A look of hurt came into her eyes. He just had to remind her. Again. Ron started for her, seeing her eyes and her expression change. She stepped back, shaking a little. Oh how she wanted to say that Harry was gone- but she was choked on her own throat. To even acknowledge Harry was dead…it still brought back hurting memories…

" Hermione, " Ron began, despairingly.

" No, " she uttered weakly. She spun around and walked out, leaving Ron speechless and the others in an awkward silence.

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Draco's dragon hide boots gave a soft thumping noise as he walked in the carpeted dark halls of Blaise Zabini's mansion. Sinister looking armor suits stood every few feet away from each other on both sides. Draco eyed one, feeling as if Blaise, or one of the resident ghosts were staring at him from inside the armor. He arrived in front of a heavy looking door and without bothering to knock, he went inside. He was greeted with musty air and dismal faces and black robes. Theodore Nott was seated at a far corner at the long table. Nott gave a nod to Draco, as did the others. He was meeting Marko Sarovic for the first time as well.

" Draco, " Blaise began. " I assume you have yet to meet Marko Sarovic? " At that sentence, Marko stood up and extended his hand.

Draco gave a nod and shook his hand, all the while remembering that this was the bastard who went along with Blaise on his clandestine battle- he was also Pansy's husband. Well, she had chosen good enough, with his shadowy looks and muscular jaw. He was what? Six foot-two most likely? And he was a bloody five-foot eleven.

Marko looked at the 'tall' and lean blonde before him, and he fought the urge to glower in repulsion. This was the man his wife had so cherished before? He was nothing more than a scrawny daddy's boy who got off through his inheritance and good looks.

They both sat down as Blaise remained standing. The room was hushed, as if anticipating what Blaise was about to say. Daphne was looking hard at the silver goblet in front of her; she was not looking at Blaise at all. Crabbe, Goyle and Pucey looked bored to death. The others were holding their goblets, looking with little frowns at Blaise. Nott and Draco were the only ones who looked calm, Nott with his typical sneer and all.

" We move tonight, " Blaise said, without further adieu.

Daphne let out a small gasp and the rest seemed suddenly wide awake. They all looked at Blaise with wide eyes, even Theodore Nott and Marko Sarovic. Nott eyed Draco, but Draco's face and eyes betrayed nothing.

" What's the meaning of this? " Warrington's face scowled. " I thought we moved and thought as a team. What the fuck is this now? "

" Take it easy, " Blaise warned. " You have yet to hear the explanation. "

" Explanation? " Daphne muttered. " What explanation have you conjured now?"

" Draco thought of it, " Blaise said. He saw them all immediately grow quiet. Damn it. They respected Draco more than they respected him. He was going to change that soon enough. When he assured himself of Draco's imminent death… " Care to explain to them, Draco? "

Draco sighed a little and nodded. He stood up slowly. " We move tonight because they'll be transferring the archives tonight, they'll move the evidence to some safer- security ridden place. We intercept them at this moment. We've got nothing left to lose. If we get access to those pieces that have made our Master great, then we'll see him resurrected soon enough. "

" Does that mean- " Daphne took a deep breath. " Does that mean you're willing to die just for us to use the horcrux? "

Draco stared at Daphne for awhile. Then he nodded. " Yes, all for the Master. "

Blaise smiled at him. " Glad to know your loyalties lie with us, " he said.

" So…what if the vaults have been affected by the move and all? Will you still be able to get in as easy as Harry Potter could have? " Warrington asked.

Draco shook his head. " It has posed as a problem now. That's why we move tonight. When they're all vulnerable. "

" Didn't they keep this as top secret or something? " Pucey questioned him.

Draco smiled. " You doubt our sources? Believe me, this has been the best information I've received since I've begun to keep tabs on the Ministry. "

Warrington smiled at Draco. Sure, he had doubted the man's capabilities, after hearing he was associating with muggles and veering away from sorcery, but now he seemed thoroughly convinced that Draco was back in the game.

Pucey nodded; amazed at Draco's persistence in gaining information. So he had betrayed them once, betrayed his own blood kind, but it seemed he was doing everything to win everyone's favor, something he had never thought Draco would achieve.

Marko Sarovic hated to admit it, but he was impressed at how Draco moved with such ease, how he gained such information. He was almost envious of the man. Pansy had good reason to fall hard for Draco in their Hogwarts years, and he had always wanted to belittle the man- but now…it was impossible not to admire Draco's plans and moves.

" Damn it, " Daphne said with a sudden laugh. " I believe you may be the best thing to come out after this plan of resurrecting the master. "

Draco smiled at her genially and she quickly drew her mouth into a thin line. Blaise was looking at her with a slight frown. " Why, thank you, Daphne. I always knew you had a soft spot in your heart for me. "

Some of them laughed, but Blaise's look never left his face. Daphne was smiling in amusement now, despite Blaise's glare.

Blaise cleared his throat and the laughter died down. " Let's get on to business. " He cleared his throat again. " Draco has proposed something you all might like. "

Draco smiled grimly. " First order of business is to intercept them while they move. Years ago, they were unsuccessful in breaking into the vaults and stealing a prophecy. The prophecy has been fulfilled and Harry Potter lived against the Master. Now that Harry Potter is gone, and Snape's notebook has been found, we may have to steal another prophecy- if there is any. I had difficulty finding records of this prophecy about the Master rising once more; I assume everyone wanted him to stay dead. But tonight, we're not out to steal a prophecy. We steal the remnants of his wand, a wand that has some connection with Harry Potter. "

" A wand that has some connection with your heart, " Nott said thoughtfully.

Draco nodded. " Since Snape had mentioned it, we'll take our chances. We've been racking our brains to understand how to bring out the horcrux, but we just can't. Snape's hiding something well enough so that even the Aurors won't sniff our movements. "

" We've kept watch on the goings of the Ministry keeping the artifacts, they're under heavy guard. Marko's got no relics that may have been connected to the Master. He has a few artifacts that have belonged to Tom Riddle, but that is all. They've been tested, Pucey and I have found nothing, " Warrington said in his deep voice.

" Crabbe? Goyle? " Draco looked at them. " How was the-? "

Crabbe nodded. " Aurors- we think, plan to move in three places. Apparently, someone's got a hunch in their team that Scotland and Hogwarts may bring a key role. The other place, we don't know yet. Our source has found it difficult to gain access into the third group's plans. "

" How many Aurors are there? " Draco asked. " In total? "

" Our last count was twenty-five, the other five remain inactive, a reserve Aurors group, " Goyle replied.

Draco nodded. " They're attempting to think like us, " he sighed. " How sad that is. They were right however, of the Hogwarts thing. But so far…Daphne? "

Daphne shook her head. " I've found nothing. Professor McGonagall was gracious enough to show me around, since I've posed as a benefactor to the Slytherin team. I could feel she was suspicious of me and all, but, as soon as I got the chance, I found nothing. I entered the Trophy room, looked around for Tom Riddle's awards, I found a whole lot of them, but nothing reeked of anything the master used to put some spell on. I've got a hunch the Aurors have been alerted by McGonagall. "

" Then it leaves us the Vaults, " Draco murmured. " I'm still sure that security will pose as a threat, but of course, we live for the kill. "

Nott laughed out loud, causing some stares from his mates. " What? " he asked with a smile. " I just thought it was funny, that's all. "

Daphne rolled her eyes and Draco smiled back at Nott. The man was always so untroubled. How he never lost his cool still amused Draco a lot and annoyed Blaise a lot.

" So anyway, second order of business. How many should go with Draco? " Blaise asked.

Nott raised a finger. " I'll go with Draco. "

Blaise nodded. " So will I. "

Daphne slowly nodded. " I'll go too. "

" So the rest will…? " Blaise began. " Crabbe, Goyle, Pucey, Warrington, Sarovic…we can't distribute them further…the Aurors are too many. "

" We don't. We send our pawns, " Nott replied. " No matter how thick they are, they're bound to fight it out. "

Draco nodded, but he secretly hated the idea. The poor sods…they didn't know what they were getting into. Just a handful of real Deatheaters, while the others only thought they were. Should he have been glad that he had been given this much significance by those he had betrayed years before? He suddenly felt like saving the 'pawns' Blaise had hired…but still Nott made some sense into it. Blaise droned on about the plans, his plans actually. But he wasn't hearing that much anymore. He was thinking about something else. He was thinking about Hermione.

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Hermione sat on the carpeted floor of her room, hugging her knees. It was a quiet night. She was glad it was. After that row with Ron, she wanted to kill herself. Something she had never thought of before. Well, it had to start some time. She had always fought to live, she had always wanted to live, but now- now was different. She just couldn't let go of the hurt. Was it only because Draco was gone that she was missing Harry terribly and that she wanted herself dead too?

How many times had it happened in her life that she wanted Harry alive? Even when she was with Draco? How many times should she feel so much for someone long gone? They were both gone. Draco had chosen his path, and now she had to choose hers. But she wanted to die, and that was what mattered now. Perhaps it was her imagination that she was hearing Harry's voice…but she was hearing it…

" I love you, MYone…"

" You know, MYone, there's nothing more I hate than not being able to hug you at least once a day, well apart from smelly socks and not getting to see a Football championship game- what? It's true; you know I'd do anything to get a hug from you! "

" How come this doesn't have strawberries? "

" You think I'll make a great father? I mean, if we ever do have kids… "

"L- is for the way you look at me, O- is for the only one I see- "

" Peanut butter? Don't we have anything else? "

" So I decided to get you roses cause they screamed out your name when I passed by the flower shop. Red, Hermione. Red roses cause you're everything… cheesy, but I'm trying! "

" What's the best name if we have a son? James Potter…I guess…Okay, that wasn't so creative, was it? If it's a girl…we could go for…damn, I don't know, really! "

" I think I'll die if I see you walking down the aisle in your wedding gown. I'd die happy- oh sorry, that would be ugly cause I won't get to kiss the woman I'm ready to die for! "

" It sounds nice…doesn't it? Hermione Potter? Okay…weird but- it's nice all the same. "

" Stop it! " Hermione said through gritted teeth. She banged her fists against her head and sighed loudly. " Harry, oh god…why? Why you, Harry? "

Images of Harry swam in her head, images she didn't want to recall. Harry laughing, Harry getting mad, Harry embracing her…Harry…Harry…won't your memory die? Why was it that remembering him was so painful? She didn't want it to be painful! Perhaps Draco had brought this upon her, giving her false hope, false love- was it love when she had been lied to?

And now she was hearing Draco's voice!

" Aspirin? "

" Honestly, you prefer bananas? I like mine with strawberries. "

" Actually, I've never seen a girl look that nice in a black bathrobe. "

" Granger, like I told you, I've changed. And I'm not out to hurt anyone, not even you. I've retired from that area-perhaps Weasley was just defending Potter- "

" Do you mind? "

" You sustain me… "

" Harry- he- saved me…again…when he gave me his heart. "

" I missed you. "

" You know, I'd always thought I'd feel comfortable with any woman. But you're… you make me feel conscious of myself. "

" I need to see you again…"

She found her hands clutching the pendant that was so near her heart. And she wondered how she could use it- how she would…for she had studied it, tried to pry it…had read books…but nothing had its exact look. The closest to what she was wearing in one book was described as a 'love charm' to cloak one's loved one in 'blood'…

She wanted to regret, wanted to forget Draco! A good 'obliviate' would do! And she thought that she had to be strong, she had always been, but her strength was failing her, her determination was failing her. She was failing herself with memories of a love long dead, and of another love that had just died.

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A/N : Just how late am i in updating? hehehe. i usually update within 6 days, but i think it's been 9 since i last did. And NOPE, i did not get to 500 reviews. Crap. Oh well. Not my day. I am just glad you guys like the previous dramatic chappie.

sweetness-4U (you hate hermione but you like her in my story. somehow, i am flattered), darkangel313 (tried that once. the principal thought i was playing hookie too!), mike tike tofu (did i ever tell you that i like your name? it reminds me of MISO soup. hehe), why ron (thank god you're hooked! haha!), angelraine (one of my most faithful reviewers and readers, no, sadly, no 500, but i hope you liked this chap well!), Hyuga Kyuuketsuki (don't be sad! i'm sure people will review your works too!), Zarroc (suddenly, reviews are telling me that i should not kill hermione...hehehe), cheeky splash (glad you're back to this story. and it's okay to skim. hehehe. mwah!), berry (ack! don't hunt me down! haha!), cemicool (write a novel? i hope to! ), ilovefireyheads (hehe. hopeless romantic? ), jadede11omega (bows in recognition to clapping).

so my dear readers...i shall update once more...when i feel that the reviews are sufficient. hehehe. okay i'm being evil. i'll just update as soon as i can. my medications have been increased. haha. i sometimes feel like a zombie, the walking dead me. Please do wait for the next even more suspenseful and dramatic installment of The Chemicals Between Us! I'm so excited, as a spoiler...hahaha! just read for yourself! I swear, you'll hate me and love me at the same time! -bounces in seat excitedly.- YOU WON'T REGRET.