Part XV

Sitting in her room, left leg tucked underneath her bottom and her right leg hanging limply off the side of her bed, Hermione was reading her favourite book; Hogwarts: A History. A tapping noise interrupted her silent reading.

Untucking her leg and placing her foot on the floor a series of sensations hit her skin. First were that of pins and needles and secondly the cold rising from the wooden floorboards of her room. Retrieving the letter, throwing the owl a treat and motioning for it to wait for a reply she began to read the letter. The familiar neat yet elegant scrawl confirmed who she thought it was from. A gasp of surprise and horror emitted from her mouth as her eyes took in the information half way down the page.

Granger

Father has told me I'm getting the mark. I have no choice. I'll be your enemy in one weeks time.

I'm sorry.

Draco Malfoy

She closed the letter, grabbed a piece of parchment and scrawled quickly.

Draco,

I have no idea what to say. I just hope you know what you are doing.

You probably already know what I'm thinking so don't even think of swaying my thoughts.

Hermione.

Draco read her response and hung his head, cradling it in his hands. She seemed angry with him, and he didn't understand why he even cared. He could just imagining her eyes hardening and her lips pursing. He needed to talk to Snape.

His flooed activated, alerting the pale man to promptly end his brooding stare into his rapidly cooling camomile tea. ''To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Draco?'' He drawled as he watched his Godson step out from the fireplace.

''The Dark Lord.'' Draco responded shortly. Soon after he felt a presence in his mind, rifling through his thoughts and feelings. He cursed himself for not preparing for an intrusion to his privacy. ''Now that you've seen what you must, shall we talk about what you saw?''

Snape motioned for the aristocratic blonde to take a seat. He then called on his house elf to bring some of Ogden's finest. ''Do you understand what position you are putting yourself in?'' he asked the blonde, seriously.

''But of course.'' Draco responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. Last night he had finally pieced the very limited puzzle together. ''She was the reason you...''

''That is not why we are here, though'' Snape snapped, ending that train of thought. ''The Dark Lord can have us both killed, without a second thought, if he gets wind of this meeting.''

''If just to keep them... Her safe.'' he stuttered. Snape saw genuine fear, remorse and desperation. The same desperation he saw in himself the night he held Lily in his arms.

Later that same night, Draco's owl was sent into the dark sky with a piece of parchment attached to its leg. Its destination? Hermione Granger.

The girl sat in her room, trying to will away her anger. She knew that this was to be his fate, she didn't understand why it affected her so. Quickly wiping at the unshed tears she pushed her window open, only to have an exhausted bird fly through it. The owl hooted twice indignantly whilst sticking out it's leg. He was going to wait for a response.

Granger,

I don't know how to say this. In case this finds the wrong hands, burnt it after you've read it. Anything to cover our tracks.

I've talked to Snape, that should give you more than enough information. You no doubt know of his allegiance.

DM

Her heart slammed against her chest as she read it. It couldn't be, no it couldn't. She retrieved her wand and executed a complex and self-made incantation. ''Ego Autem Custodivi Secreta.'' the script slowly subsided from the yellowy parchment.

Draco,

No, absolutely not! I won't stand for it. It's far too dangerous. The knowledge for me is enough. I refueling to lose someone near to my heat to him.

That's right, close to my heart, Malfoy. Right up there with the Weasley's, Harry, Blaise and even your cousins. I don't want to deal with even more loss at the end of this war.

No, don't bother arguing. That's final.

Hermione

PS. Do what you will with this letter. And it's Hermione, not Granger.

She tied the letter to the owls leg and sent it off with an owl treat. Draco sat on his bed pondering the last couple of days, his choices and his sure fate. Would Granger understand what he was trying to say? Would she understand he was merely protecting her? A swift tapping on the window distracted from his thoughts.

Granger,

It's not your choice to make. I'm doing this whether you like it or not.

Somehow, Granger, you've began to mean a lot to me. You actually have no idea.

I'm doing this. For those who I hold dear.

Draco.

The correspondence continued like this for the next few days. Hermione Granger, ever the stubborn Gryffindor, refused to understand his hidden meanings and agendas. He knew who and why he was taking this position. But the question was, would he be able to admit to himself that Hermione Granger is not only his mate but his love interest?

It was a dark and eerie night. The clouds, ominous and heavy with evil, loomed over Malfoy Manor. Thunder and lightening crackled every few minutes somewhere far off, yet close enough to hear clearly. Draco sat in his room, looking at his hands with a newfound interest.

A knock interrupted his thought as a voice forced its way through the door. ''Draco.'' The door opened and there stood a haggard and tired Lucius Malfoy. ''The Dark Lord is waiting.''

He stood up and began the long and tortuous walk to the main parlour. ''Don't speak unless spoken to. Keep your eyes to the ground. Block your thoughts.'' His father told him, just before they reached the parlour doors.

As he walked in he realised there were a throng of death eaters standing in a large circle around a lone snake-like figure in black robes. He hid a shudder.

''Ah, young Mister Malfoy.'' the figure hissed, drawing out the 's'. Draco seeped forward, clearing his mind of all thought. ''Come to join the ranks have you?'' he questioned, not waiting for an answer. ''Your arm.''

Draco raised his left arm, pulling his sleeve up to expose the pale flesh of his forearm. His eyes now averted to just below his wrist, where in few painful moments the Dark Mark will be burned into his alabaster skin.

A searing hot pain slivered into his blood, he dI'd everything he could not to flinch back. Showing any sort of resistance or pain was considered weak. He was not weak by any measure.

''Rumours have been circling, Draco, that you are close to the Mudblood.'' the Dark Board drawled whilst replacing his wand into the depths of his black robes. Draco refrained from flinching for the umpteenth time. ''Come now Draco, look at me and deny it.''

Clearing his mind of his bushy haired Gryffindor mate, he looked into the red slits that constituted as Voldemort's eyes. ''I would never sully myself with such filth, my Lord.'' he said confidently.

''Now tell me the truth, Draco.'' the snake-like man ordered in a deadly calm voice. A voice that caused alarm within all those who were present.

''I am not involved with the mudblood, my Lord.'' he said instantly regretting his words, knowing this would somehow get back to Granger. He had let his guard down, if only for a second.

The Dark Lord aimed his wand between Draco's eyes; the blonde went crosseyed with the effort of keeping his eyes on the wand tip. Before he could do anything he screamed. In pain or shock, he wasn't quite sure.

The world went black.