As promised, a more interesting chapter.
Chapter VIII: Knockturn Alley
The foursome were all sitting on the sofa of the tent. Three long fruitless days had passed since Draco was Obliviated. Right now Hermione was reading, to no one's surprise, Ron was eating, again, to no one's surprise and Draco and Harry were practising Occulmency.
"You've got to bloody well clear your mind, Potter." Draco snapped after five harsh minutes of silence. Harry sighed and clutched at his head, feeling a rather powerful migraine coming on. "The Dark Lord is going to be able to read you like Hermione reads books."
Hermione shot Draco a narrowed glance from being her dusty volume.
"You sound like Snape." Harry groaned as he rubbed at his eyes with his index fingers under his glasses.
"I hope Snape wasn't lenient on you, your Occulmency is crap." Draco sighed tiredly.
"How are you such a skilled Legilimens?" Harry asked, eyeing Draco who shifted uncomfortably.
"The Dark Lord insisted on teaching me." Draco shrugged like it was nothing, but Harry saw right through his façade.
"Why don't you ever say his name?" Harry asked. The atmosphere seemed to freeze as Ron stopped eating, pausing mid shovelling a chicken leg in his mouth as Hermione almost dropped her heavy book on the floor. This was something they'd never spoke about amongst them, but was a subject they'd all thought about.
"Clear your mind, Potter." Draco ordered and delved into Harry's mind before Harry could even wipe his memory, running his mental eye over Harry's thoughts and memories.
Harry stared angrily as Draco stood in front of the headmaster, his wand pointed at his chest. He was annoyed he couldn't move, and it took him a moment to realise that Dumbledore had body binded and silenced him. Suddenly, Snape ran up the stairs and without hesistation flung the killing curse towards Dumbledore, who stumbled backwards and tumbled over the side of the battlements. Harry let out a silent scream, staring dumbstruck at the spot Dumbledore previously occupied -
"NO!" Harry yelled, forcefully shoving Draco out of his mind. Draco stumbled off the sofa and landed on the floor. Draco stared at Harry.
"What's the matter? What happened?" Hermione asked frantically, lowering her book.
"Nothing." Harry breathed, panting heavily. "Draco just stumbled upon something between me and Ginny." Harry lied and felt an uneasy twinge.
"Whatever you saw, do not tell me. Ever." Ron said, as he threw a chicken bone on the plate.
"They were proper going for it, literally eating each other's face-" Draco started joking, but Harry kicked him in the shin and Ron started gagging. Draco roared with laughter and Hermione's face lit up with amusement, listening in as she read her book.
"That was good, Potter." Draco praised as he hauled himself onto the sofa again. "We should probably stop for now, though." Draco looked at him severely and Harry shrugged at him.
"I can do this." Harry mentally built walls and braced himself. He could feel Draco's mental eye probing at his mind, and felt with satisfaction Draco's dissatisfaction at not being able to break through Harry's mind.
"You win, Potter." Draco grinned and withdrew himself from Harry's mind.
"I found something!" Hermione shrieked suddenly, standing up off the sofa with her giant book in her arms. Everyone looked up at her.
"This book mentions Rowena Ravenclaw!" Hermione squealed excited.
"That is so fascinating." Draco mocked and Hermione scowled at him. Harry leapt up off the chair and leant over Hermione's shoulder and scanned the page.
"Hermione this was what we were-"
"I know it's what we were-"
"-thinking, do you think we are-"
"-right, yes I think we might-"
"-be. We were right, Hermione."
"Would you stop that, it's creepy." Draco said, as he watched Hermione and Harry finishing each other's sentences. He noticed with satisfaction Ron scowling.
"Sorry, but Hermione's onto something!" Harry grinned at her and she beamed.
"I think I've found out where another of Voldemort's bits and bobs is" Hermione nearly jumped up and down on the spot with excitement.
"Enlighten us."
"Rowena Ravenclaw owned a beautiful diadem, and her selfish daughter Helena Ravenclaw stole the diadem in attempt to become more intelligent than her mother. The Bloody Baron searched for Helena Ravenclaw, so she fled to Albania and hid the diadem in a hollow tree. The Bloody Baron murdered her and she became the ghost of Ravenclaw at Hogwarts." Hermione recited from the book.
"Are you telling me, that Voldemort has a bit of his soul in some princess tiara that is now in Albania?" Ron stared at Hermione.
Hermione opened and closed her mouth like a fish before stating simply;
"Yes."
"But it's in Albania." Ron stated the obvious.
"Yes I know that Ronald." Hermione said huffily.
"Do you realise how many trees there are in Albania?" Ron raised his hands in exasperation.
"Yes we realise Ron, but I don't think it's in Albania." Harry whispered. Everyone looked at him. "I remember seeing an old tarnished tiara in the Room of Requirement."
"So, one's been in the school the entire time?" Hermione's eyebrows nearly got lost in her hairline.
"Wait, what did this tiara look like?" Draco asked, something stirring in his memory.
"Like a tiara?" Harry looked at Draco stupidly. "Excuse me for not being mesmerised by a bloody crown."
"Do you remember anything specific about it?" Harry wondered for a moment then clicked his fingers.
"It had a huge stone in the middle and was shaped like a bird."
"What kind of bird?"
"I don't bloody know! It was a god damn bird." Harry snapped.
"It's probably an eagle. It's the animal of the Ravenclaw house." Hermione piped up, but no one seemed to take any notice.
"That tiara isn't in the Room of Requirement." Draco stated and leant back on the sofa.
"Yes it is. You calling me a liar?" Harry snapped angrily.
"I saw that tiara in Borgin and Burkes about three months ago."
"What were you doing in Borgin and Burkes?" Hermione asked, who had closed the book and was sat on the edge of the sofa, watching Harry and Draco.
"Something." Draco replied, closing the subject. "But it's definitely in there, I remember seeing it. I was quite fascinated by it, actually."
"Don't think it would have suited you." Harry grinned and Draco scowled.
"We need to get to Borgin and Burkes."
"No, it's in the Room of Requirement."
"Trust me, Potter, it's not."
"It is!"
"We could at least try Borgin and Burkes and then go to Hogwarts if it isn't in there." Hermione reasoned and Harry huffed loudly, defeated.
"Great! Well let's go."
"Wait!" Hermione said. "We need to prepare. We can't just turn up as Harry Potter, Hermione and Ron and Draco, the most wanted ex-Death Eater of the Year."
"Okay, how about Polyjuice potion?"
"No, I am not taking Polyjuice potion. They know me at that shop, I don't need it."
"I don't care Draco, you're a wanted man." Hermione folded her arms. Draco raised an amused eyebrow.
"Am I really?" Draco winked and Hermione blushed fiercely.
"I meant-"
"Get a rooooom." Ron nearly gagged as he strode across the tent. Hermione blushed even harder and waited for the ground to open her up and swallow her whole.
"Come on, we're going to have to disillusion ourselves and then Draco can just get the tiara." Harry muttered.
"I'm going to just walk in there and buy it."
"I'm sorry?" Harry said, turning around to the pale boy.
"I'll buy it." Draco repeated.
"Borgin is just going to tell Voldemort you've just been to his shop!"
"Trust me, Potter."
Harry sighed inwardly. He could almost feel coils of trust around his forearm as Draco told him to trust him. If he breaks this bloody vow..
"Okay, fine." Hermione grabbed her bag and put it over her shoulder, resting it on her opposite hip. She packed away the tent into it. She pointed her wand at herself and disillusioned herself, as did Ron and Harry. Draco picked up his cloak and fashioned it to have a huge hood.
Draco slid into it uneasily, feeling like it was suffocating him. Hermione backed away, unknown to the others, suddenly feeling smothered as she looked at Draco, who was half hidden behind the hood. He had never looked more like a Death Eater as he stood outside with them, his wand in his pale hand.
Hermione couldn't breathe. It had unnerved her. She was suddenly terrified, irrationally so. It's just Draco, he's not going to harm you, she tried to convince herself. He wouldn't.
"Are we going to get moving?" Draco said, as he felt Harry grip his shoulder confidently, Ron grab his other one hesitantly. He frowned. "Granger?"
Hermione pulled herself together and gripped onto Harry's hand, before quickly brushing her fingertips over Draco's hand to let him know she was there. Draco felt spasms run along his knuckles as he disapparated them to Knockturn Alley.
xxx
Draco, Hermione, Ron and Harry all tumbled into Knockturn Alley – well, Draco landed gracefully on his feet while the disillusioned Golden Trio sprawled onto the cobblestones. Draco sighed and started walking, his shoulders back and his head in the air.
Harry pulled himself to his feet and grabbed hold of Hermione's wrist, dragging her up with him as he followed Draco towards Borgin and Burkes with Ron hot on his heels. Harry had an uneasy feeling about this, and his scar prickled with heat. He rubbed at it furiously.
Draco couldn't keep his hands from shaking. He remembered very clearly the last time he was here, all to do with a cursed opal necklace and a Vanishing Cabinet. Draco visibly shuddered and continued walking, leading the trio through narrow twisted side alleys and along cobbled pathways. He knew Knockturn Alley like the back of his hand.
Hermione kept closely by Harry, holding onto his arm for dear life. She'd been to Knockturn Alley before, many times, of course not by aspiration but she'd been there nonetheless. It still scared her though; the strange people and dark shops gave her the creeps.
They had to narrowly dodge the strange witches and wizards as they squeezed through tight spaces to Borgin and Burkes, and Hermione had nearly collided heavily with a tall man with a long nose who seemed too crazy to even acknowledge a disillusioned witch.
Finally, they stopped outside a run down old shop with dusty windows and an old sign creaking in the still air. Draco took a deep breath and walked inside the Borgin and Burkes. The little bell tingled as he entered and Borgin looked up from behind the counter.
Borgin grinned at the sight of a new customer, and wasn't the slightest bit unnerved by the cloak.
"What may I do for you?" He asked. Draco smirked and lowered his hood, looking straight into the eyes of a suddenly nervous Borgin.
"M-Mr. Malfoy!" Borgin stuttered, staring at the pale young Draco Malfoy in his shop.
"I wish to purchase something." Draco stated, rather obviously. Borgin stared at him wide eyed and Draco felt a familiar rush of satisfaction at the sight of fear in Borgin's eyes.
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy, what would you like?" Borgin began to shuffle around the room, trying his hardest not to look at the Death Eater standing in front of him. "Is it for the Dark Lord, sir?"
"You're brave, questioning the Dark Lord." Draco smirked. "No, Borgin. This is a...personal purchase, shall we say." Draco reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a heavy pouch. He dropped it on the counter with a clink. "I am willing to be very generous."
"You must certainly want this item, Mr. Malfoy."
"Oh, I certainly do." Draco wandered around the shop, letting his eyes wander over the familiar items that he once dreamed he would one day own.
"What is it you're looking for?" Borgin asked, as he shuffled boxes to somewhere to his right.
Draco hardly noticed Borgin, for he was staring at a beautiful tiara, laced with jewels and a giant blue stone, all encrusted on the wings of an eagle.
"I would like to purchase this tiara." Draco said, wanting to reach out and touch it but afraid to even lay a finger on it.
"Oh, the tiara? Yes, yes. Valuable item, you understand Mr. Malfoy."
"Did I or did I not state I was willing to be very generous, Borgin?"
"Of course Mr. Malfoy, I-I apologise." Borgin shuffled over to him.
"Wrap it up for me." Draco ordered and moved towards the counter.
"Certainly. Is it for someone special?"
"Yes, it is, actually." Draco smirked and Borgin smirked back.
"A lady, I assume."
"Of course, whom else?"
"Hardly your taste though, ."
"I dare say. But it is her taste, that's all that matters, right?" Draco said, as he watched Borgin wrap up the diadem that belonged to the Ravenclaws.
"Of course." Borgin winked.
Draco picked up Borgin's half read copy of the Daily Prophet from the counter. He flipped it over and scanned the front page. He was glad to see he didn't grace the cover any longer.
"Mr. Malfoy, forgive me if this is bold to say sir, but the whole of the Wizarding world is out looking for you and you're purchasing a tiara."
"Your point?"
"Nothing."
"Borgin." Draco said lazily, his wand now trained on Borgin. Borgin let go of the now wrapped up diadem and stared at Draco's wand.
"Mr. Malfoy! Please, spare me."
"You're pathetic. I'm not going to kill you." Draco spat. "Thank you for my diadem though."
"Your what?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Imperio."
Borgin blinked, a dazed look on his face.
You will tell no one Draco Malfoy has been to your shop.
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy."
No one purchased the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.
"No, they didn't."
If the Dark Lord asks, the diadem was stolen.
"The diadem was stolen."
"Good." Draco smiled. "Thank you for the diadem, Borgin." Draco picked up the wrapped up diadem and pushed the pouch of money towards the still dazed Borgin. He was many things, but he was not a thief. "Good day, Mr. Borgin."
Thank you for all the reviews!
Privatenites: Thank you, and I promise that there will be more intimate Dramione stuff, I just decided to wait a bit before plunging straight into it but there will be some ;) I will update, asap!
Haley: Thank you! All this detail takes me ages and maybe some lurrvv will blossom ;)
Dracolover: Thank you! Promise there will be some more intimate Dramione stuff :)
I've already wrote the next chapter, and there isn't any intimate Dramione stuff (please don't kill me) but I promise there will be in chapter 10 :)