AN: Alright so, here goes really taking a crack at this story. I know that many of you loved Emerald Fire, and I am hoping this one will be even more enjoyable. You relax, read, and enjoy, AND TRY TO REVIEW! It's the click of one button, and it makes me very happy!

DragonsSpitfire

Chapter Two

Finding Hermione Granger

Nothing made Draco more dissatisfied then the idea of seeing Hermione Granger again. He felt bitter towards that female more then any other. She had this way about her of making everyone feel less of a person then she was, and she did it well. He knew that the only way he was going to be able to accomplish this task with her was to just, deal with it. Deep down inside, however, Draco wanted things to change. He was not happy, he knew that. Even if it meant having Potter back, and speaking with Hermione Granger again, after three long and hard years, it would be worth it to end this chaos.

He knew exactly what he must do. The image of his fathers study was painted perfectly in his mind, he had been in there so many times before. He could see the cherry desk, and the leather seats, and the great Slytherin crest engraved into a steel plaque on the green papered walls. Inside the desk, second drawer down on the right, his father kept a leather bound book. This book had listed all the muggles and traitors who were kept at Hogwarts, and various other slave prisons scattered across the entire world. Draco thought, his father must be sick to keep this list, and overly obsessed with the power of being able to right it down.

Draco descended the great staircase, feet padding on soft carpeting. There was a great ruckus going on down the hallway, it was Lucius growing angry at one of the house elves. His voice pierced into Draco's soul like the Dementors kiss.

"WHY IS MY WIFE'S BODY STILL HERE!?" He snarled. Draco heard the sound of him smacking one of the innocent little creatures across the face. "HOW DARE YOU LEAVE HER HERE FOR ME TO LOOK AT! GET HER AND HER DISGUSTING SMELL OF DEATH OUT OF MY MANOR BEFORE IT IS YOU LYING THERE LIFELESS! GO! NOW!"

Draco felt a great anger swelling deep within his chest, devouring him. He wanted nothing more then to kill his father for those words. How dare he –or any man for that matter- insult their wife in such a manor. No regret, no despair, just rage and violence. He hated his father. He hated him.

Draco, knowing that this may be his only real opportunity, shoved away his thoughts of murdering his father, and continued swiftly towards the door into his Lucius's study. It was dark in the hallway, torches flickered and danced as he passed, illuminating the floor in small orbs on the emerald carpeting. His feet made soft thumping sounds, but for the majority he was very quiet, as he looked behind his shoulder to make sure no one was coming. He reached for the large marble carved door knob, and turned it very gently to avoid making a sound.

It squeaked ever so softly, and he cringed at the sound. Pausing for a moment, he took a deep breath, and then continued to turn the knob. The door pushed open with a soft creak, revealing the red illuminated study and the desk, centered under a massive chandelier of crystal and gold plated steel. Shutting the door as quietly as possible, Draco made his way over to the desk, reaching for the drawer and yanking it open. There was the book, leather and calling his name.

He licked his lips, anxious to get his hands on it. Snatching it up, he flicked briskly through the pages. A long list of names, as well as ages and gender, covered the pages and went on throughout the entire book. They were in alphabetical order, and he skipped through it quickly.

He looked up in paranoia. The thought of his father catching him was almost too much to bear. He flipped faster, seeing names that rang bells in the back of his head, but not stopping to take the time to read. Then he was in the G's, scanning through them with his finger, looking up once more at the door and straining his ears, making sure no one was coming. His hands began to shake as he got closer and closer.

Graffer. . .

Grallis. . .

Granger. . .

"Granger!" He called out loud in excitement, smiling to himself and scrolling his finger over to read the description. He scanned the page with his eyes and felt his heart sink at what he read.

Granger, Hermione Age:20 Female Dark Tower, Confined Cell 3

"The Dark Tower?" He repeated, his breath hoarse and soft, shaking as he read the words over and over again, as though in disbelief. "She will surely be dead."

He threw the book down violently, collapsing down into the massive chair in an almost trans, his eyes glazed as he stared blankly at the wall, running his pals fingers through his hair as he tried to think of a possible action to take.

The Dark Tower was known to the followers of the Dark Lord as so, because it was the worst and darkest place a prisoner can be sent. The slaves who are sent there, are of the highest betrayal and are the people who angered Voldemort the most. He sent them there to be tortured until near death, and then brought back to health, and then tortured until near death once more. Forever they were to live this terrible life, never seeing the light of day or hearing the voice of another human being. She would surely be insane, or broken, if not dead. He shuddered at the thought of getting her out of that place.

He would have to come up with a plan, and it would have to be a very good one.

As he stared blankly about, suddenly he noticed a name on the page in which the book had flipped to when he had launched it. He leaned forward and read:

Weasley, Ronald Age:20 Male Dark Tower, Confined Cell 5

He shook as he read the small script beside the name, which read the word "Deceased".

The thought of Ron being dead gave him a slight satisfaction, and he smirked to himself. If Ron was dead, and it said so, that means Hermione must still be alive. The thought of Granger surviving the slave castle and tortures over Weasley amused him, and he snickered to himself as he shut the book and tossed it back in the drawer. He jumped slightly, as there was a soft tapping on the door.

He felt a sudden panic overcome him, as he searched around for somewhere to hide.

"Draco, are you in there?" Said a soft voice from the other side.

Draco sighed with a great relief, standing up and brushing off his clothing. He cleared his throat, and closed the small desk drawer. He walked towards the large door and pulled it open, peering out and seeing the crystal blue eyes of Pansy Parkison staring at him almost in a mischievous manor. He forced a slight smile, trying not to look as though he was up to anything too devious. She smirked at him widely, her eyes flashing as she stepped closer to where he was, arching her neck in a solid attempt to see what was inside his father's study.

He shut the door more, to keep her from looking. He didn't like just how nosey that spoiled little pureblood witch had become.

She looked a little flustered, but seemed to brush it off almost instantly, looking at him and smirking like the trouble-maker that she was. She stepped a little bit closer, her mouth nearly touching his own.

"Darling, what are you doing in there?" She asked rather loudly, making him wince. He was nervous that his father would hear her talking, and come running.

Pansy had been staying at the Manor for well over a year now, skulking in and out of the corners, watching him and eyeing his every move hungrily. She was a gold-digging hussy and wanted nothing more then the Malfoy fortune. Although, what good would fortune do nowadays anyway, when all was clouded in darkness? Maybe she just liked him for who he was. He, however, was not particularly interested. If you were to ask him if he had slept with her, the answer would have been yes. He had slept with her, more times then he could remember, but purely out of sexual desire, and not out of love. He had taken her in the wildest places imaginable, touching and violating her in ways most girls would find repulsive. His desires were overwhelming and she would let him do the things most men would only fantasize about. The lust of a killing machine bearing the last name Malfoy was almost unbearable, and she was the only thing around with two legs and breasts. It was either lay with Pansy, or go without any physical intercourse at all.

Truth be told, she wasn't half bad. She had piercing blue eyes that you could get lost in. Her face was fare and pale, with long black hair cascading over her shoulders and down past her elbows. There had never been a real connection between them, and Draco knew there never would be. He also knew that he was betrothed to her, and this frightened him. He did not want to be caught in a marriage not of his desire, as his mother had been. This idea gave him shivers down his spine.

He suddenly realized that she was still waiting for his reply, and he stiffened.

"Erm," He attempted to think quickly.

Anthing Draco, anything.

"I was just, looking through the book, to find the name of one man that the Dark Lord has ordered me to kill." He lied, gulping softly and stepping out of the study, closing the door behind him with a click. "But, I'm all done now, so, I guess I will see you around-"

But before he could begin walking down the corridor, she had grabbed hold of his shoulder, and turned him to look at her.

He felt taken back.

How dare she touch him that way, she had no right. He was a Malfoy. She looked excited at what he had previously told her, and she inched closer to him, wrapping her long thin arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. He cringed slightly, though did not pull away. He had to be nice to her; he didn't have the slightest hope of a choice in the matter.

"Killing someone?" She repeated, biting down on her finger in a very brat-like manor. "I love when you kill Draco, you're just so sexy when you're angry. Let me come, I would love to come. The sight of you taking a life would get me so aroused, and you know what that means."

She giggled into his ear, her breath running down his neck, making him shiver in displeasure as she reached between his legs and rubbed rather painfully. He pushed her away violently, taking her by the arms and moving her to the side of where he had been trying to walk.

She had always wanted him, and followed him everywhere. He didn't like this, he liked a challenge. Although, he had never really had a challenge with a member of the opposite sex before. On the contrary, he never had single problem getting a girl that he desired.

"Drakie," Pansy whimpered, reaching her hand out. "What's the matter baby, why don't you come up to my quarters for a little while, we can catch up on the last few days you've been away on business."

He pulled his face away as she closed her eyes and puckered her lips towards his. He ducked under her arm, sliding out from under her vulture-like hold. Thought it seemed only moments before he had heard the loud and angry footsteps of his father, large steel toed shoes coming their way. He gasped in fear, thinking of something he could do to make it look innocent. Then, shuttering at the thought, he grabbed the guts and pulled Pansy towards him. She giggled as he yanked her into a passionate lip locking, massaging her body all over with his hands. She was cold and boney. He did this just in time for his father to round the corner of the hallway, mouth open as though ready to be very angry, cane raised in one hand.

Draco opened his eyes, pretending to be surprised as he saw his father standing there, eyes wide.

Draco wiped his lips with the back of his hand, grinning devilishly towards his father and raising his eyebrows. He knew his father would not get angry with this; he wanted his son to be more involved with Pansy.

"Father." Draco said, acting as though he hadn't heard him coming. "My apologies. Me and dear Pansy were just trying to get some alone time." He raised his arm, shaking from fear of being caught, or Pansy opening her big fat mouth, and raised it over her shoulder. She grinned wickedly, obviously not clueing in that he was just using her as a subtle distraction.

Lucius eyed them both curiously, cane lowering by his side as he relaxed. Then, with a swoop of his cape, he had disappeared back the way from whence he came. Once he had vanished, Draco gave a great sigh of relief, letting his arms relax at his side. Pansy turned to look at him, smiling and reaching to pull him back towards her.

He glared at her, swatting her hand away.

"Not now Pansy." He hissed, as he turned without another word to her and vanished down the hallway and out of her sight. She just stood there, disappointed and miserable, watching his beautiful body stride in the opposite direction of her bedroom. Such a complicated individual, cruel and mean, and yet at the same time the most gorgeous and amazing person she had ever met. He was strong and never weak, with eyes that could burn through a soul.

Draco felt the gears in his head turning, and turning fast. He had to think of a way of getting Granger out of there. He hid in the solitary confinement of his room, pacing backwards and forwards repetitively. He knew that there must be a way, he trusted in his mother. Oh, his dear mother, how he missed her already.

"Why am I doing this anyway!?" Draco snarled, grabbing hold of the lamp beside his bed and throwing it to the floor with a loud crash. "I hate Potter! And I hate Granger!"

He stopped what he was doing momentarily, realizing what he was doing. He had begun to lose his mind, talking to himself and screaming while no others were around. He had become unsure of what he was to do, and completely despised this idea that his mother had put into his head. He felt furious, enraged, and violent. He wanted nothing to do with that muggle born. Though, inside, he knew she was not really any different then him, and that's the reason he was resurrecting her. In fact, she was far better then him, even with his accurate accelerations in potions class, and his devoted studying. No matter how hard he tried she had always beaten him in class. No matter how hard he tried, Harry had always beaten him in quidditch.

He hated them both.

Then he stopped to think about how frightened Granger must be, tortured daily and locked alone in a small cell with little food or water, in the tallest tower of Hogwarts. Even for Granger, he felt compassion. He shivered to think what guarded her up there. He knew it must be many trolls and Dementors, all waiting to suck the life out of any trespassers. What Draco had always wondered, was why the Dark Lord protected his slaves so, when he feared nothing anymore? There must have been something he feared, some little detail.

Then Draco had a plan, and it was genius. He stood up fast from where he had collapsed on his bed, smirking maliciously and walking towards his cabinet. From there he grabbed a black cloak, draping it over his toned body and pulling the hood up above his head. He then made sure he had his wand handy. Then, standing with his face half hidden in the darkness of his hood, and his perfect lips pursed into a smile, he vanished right where he stood. The feeling of his stomach being sucked in filled and overwhelmed him, as he spun endlessly through time and space, before landing with a thunk on the cool, damp grass of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It had changed considerably, though he had been here before he couldn't help but stare. The once blue, sunny sky was now littered with clouds of smog. Blacksmith sites scattered along the hillside up to the front entrance. The path ascending was lined with hundreds of burning torches, the sky so dark that they produced the only considerate lighting. Draco pulled his hood further over his head, and began towards the great double wide front doors he had once passed through countless times in good fun and innocence.

Now he was twenty, it was time to grow up and stop dwelling in the past. He took a deep breath, remaining as calm as possible, as he neared the doors. There two massive trolls stood, with axes larger then Draco was, snarling and growling as he approached, looking over him with their black beady eyes. He snickered softly to himself; it wouldn't be difficult fooling trolls. They were dumber then a bag of chocolate frogs.

He took a deep breath, as the trolls lowered their axes to block his path, spluttering and cursing under their breath.

A/N: Hey guys! I am so excited for this fic, I hope you are too. I have a ton of great plans for it, but I need reviews! R&R!!