Chapter 9... Complications, Plan's and Promises...
"If you are cold at night let the promise of my love cover you like a warm blanket..."- Matthew White...
Hermione's POV...
When my eyes fluttered open I realised one thing straight away. Draco wasn't there... and I immediately panicked. I bolted upright and whipped my head around. He wasn't in the tent... I suddenly jumped right out of my skin when I heard a crash from outside and muffled swearing.
Yes, that was him but what was he doing?
"Hermione help me!" Draco shouted through the trees. I quickly ran outside to see what was happening. As I reached him on the edge of the lake I stood, bewildered at what I was witnessing. I had to blink several time's to make sure that I was not being delusional. But there he was as clear as day, Dobby... hitting Draco repeatedly with a stick. And the only word's I could catch were through the muffled noises that sounded like...
"Look! I didn't mean it! Dobby! NOT THE FACE!" Yes, that was definitely Draco...
I ran forwards to try and pry the crazed, determined and blood-lusting elf of off him. Before he went too far and ended up `accidentally` killing him! But before I could even get near Dobby's failing arms he suddenly rebounded back and hit a tree. I gasped and ran towards him to make sure he could still breathe.
When I got to Dobby, I helped him up by his stick like arms and got him to his feet. He looked up at me, tennis ball eyes going wide as his vision focuses on us and they well up with tears. The next thing I know his arms are wrapped around my legs and he's sobbing hysterically into my jeans.
"D-Dob-by is so-o s-s-sor-ry, Mis-ss G-Granger-r, bu-t-t D-Dobb-y-y coul-d-d not-t-t" He tries to continue but breaks down. I sigh and kneel down in front of him.
"Dobby? Shh... What's wrong? It's ok. You're safe now..." I soothe him until his uncontrollable sobs subside into quite sniffs. I can sense Draco watching this all unfold and look up to see him stood there with his jaw hung open. I just roll my eyes at him and motion for him to help me take Dobby inside the tent. I hear Draco sigh, walk over and together we start to lead- or drag- Dobby into the tent were we set him down on one of the three bed's that will fit in there. I look at Draco not really knowing what on earth to say to Dobby but to my surprise he's already talking.
"Err... Dobby look at me please" He whispers softly. Dobby looks up. He's acting like he's ashamed of himself for some reason but to my shock Draco stands up and sits down beside the elf, gently nudges him with his elbow and smile's at him.
"You haven't changed much since I last saw you... have you?" He speaks almost playfully to Dobby as if he has known him all of his life... but then it all clicks... It was the Malfoy's who Dobby's old masters were before Harry set him free. So of course Draco and Dobby would know each other...I smile as I watch this unlikely scene un-fold in front of my eyes.
"No I haven't Master Malfoy. But you have... When I was attacking you I didn't recognise you from when you were twelve." Dobby muttered almost to himself.
"It must be the hair, it is not slicked back" I just grin as I can feel the heat coming of off Draco's face as he blushes at the reminder of his old hair style.
"Well err... I-I never did like it much myself but..." He trail's clearly sensing that he had said enough on the matter.
I have to cough to hide the snigger that tries to escape my lips. Draco turns his head and glares at me half-heartedly though I can tell by the way the corner of his mouth is lifting slightly that he is suppressing a smile. More like a smirk I think.
"So err... Dobby" I start saving Draco from further embarrassment.
"What are you doing here? Why did you come and find us?" I ask softly, not wanting him to assault either of us again.
The elf just bows his head in shame and sighs deeply.
"Ahh... Miss Granger Dobby is sorry to say this but..." He trail's of looking at Draco un-easily clearly debating whether to continue.
"I'm afraid it is not good news's that I must deliver... Dobby is very sorry indeed, so very sorry" He mutters.
"Go on" Draco urges him on softly.
Dobby sits up straighter and swings his small legs around the mattress to face Draco fully and looks him in the eye.
"Now Mister Malfoy must not be angry with Dobby but... I-It is your father he was not very happy with the two of you running of like that and... F-Forgive me Master Malfoy and Misses Granger, Dobby is merely being curious but Dobby cannot help but wonder what drove you to such drastic measures to save each other?" I swallow to wanting to discuss that dream with neither of them. No one speaks for at least five very long and very awkward moments. I jump when Draco clears his throat nervously sensing the tension in the air.
"I'm not heart-less Dobby... I couldn't just leave her there to die like that, no matter how much I used to hate her" He explains. I noticed as he was saying this how Dobby's head snapped up slightly when Draco said `used to hate her` and he obviously takes note of the past tense used but does not press further into the matter but out of the corner of my eye I can swear I see him smile knowingly and it just leaves me confused.
"Oh, apologies Mas" Draco cut's him of there.
"Dobby please... call me Draco. I'm not your master anymore." I nudge him slightly with my elbow.
"And call Miss Granger" He turns his head and smirks at me before mock bowing to me and I can't stop the almost girlish giggle that passes my lips and I roll my eyes at him.
"As I was saying call Miss Granger" I roll my eyes.
"You don't need to be so formal with us, Dobby. Your our friend and were hear for you." He says kindly and my eyes widen in disbelieve.
Who is this kind, friendly and sensitive boy and what have they done with the foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach and ferret that was Draco Malfoy?!
I think stunned at the person who cannot possibly be the same boy that first called me a MudBlood all those years ago on the quidditch pitch at Hogwarts...
I hear a cough in the distance and look up to see both Draco and Dobby staring at me with concern on their faces. I shake my head, smile weakly at them and nod for Dobby to continue.
"So as Dobby was saying your father is not happy with you running of like that and he-e" He takes a deep breath.
"My old master wishes his own son... no, no Dobby cannot say it mas- Draco. It is just too horrible!" Dobby exclaims as he buried his face in his small hands.
Draco and I share a concerned glance and each put an arm around the elf's shoulders lightly, though as not to weigh him down to much with the combined weight of our arms but as I secure my arm around the elf's shoulder my breath hitches ever so slightly as my fingers accidentally brushes Draco's fingers. It startles me that the briefest of touches burns like fire and I can feel Draco also flinch slightly but not from disgust... no something else. As much as I try not to I glance at him just as he glances at me in that exact same moment. Once more our eyes lock and again I find myself captivated as flash back's from the dream over come me and I struggle not to faint in front of poor Dobby.
Breath Hermione! I try to franticly remind myself.
Breath!
Dobby coughs and we snap our head's round to listen to him. And there it is that smile! It's as if he knowns something we don't and it's maddening!
I sigh to myself quietly and motion for him to continue.
"As Dobby was saying. Draco your father he is not happy that you ran off like that. In fact he was furious! I have never seen him so outraged! He wants both of you dead..." When Dobby had finished talking my eyes instantly found Draco's. But to my bewilderment he had a grin on his face. For a moment I was honestly worried about his health... I mean if you had just found out your own father is out to kill you then you would be distraught, and yet he was smiling!
"Ahh" He chuckled.
"I knew my father hated me!" He shouted almost with morbid glee!?
I just exchanged another very worried glance with Dobby.
"Err, Draco? Are you sure you're okay? I mean" I started to ask him but he cut me off.
"Hermione honestly when I say my father hates me I really do mean it. He hates me!" He exclaimed suddenly.
"I mean it's a wonder I survived the holiday's at home with him! What with everything I went through last year with that vanishing cabinet!" He shut's he mouth suddenly, thinking he has said too much. When the truth is I know. I know what happened last year in the room of requirement and I know he nearly died of blood loss because Harry almost killed him with the `Sectumsempra` curse in the boy's bath room. I don't understand why but I find myself choking back a sob as I picture him there... I swallow and force myself to breathe.
Why all of a sudden do I find myself distraught at the idea of losing him?
"So... What do we do now?" I ask Draco. He just looks confused.
"What do you mean `What do we do now? `. Well its obvious isn't it? We get out of here and run!" He finishes and then he's up on his feet throwing all of our belongings into my beaded bag! I just stare at him like he's gone completely mad.
"Wait you are joking right?! I-I mean we can't just leave!" I say riled by the randomness of it all.
"Why not?" He asks.
"Well, for a start we don't have a plan!" I shout annoyed.
He throws the last of our clothes and food in the bag, ties the end's up and sits down on the edge of the bed and looks at me expectantly. He pats the space next to him on the mattress...
"Then let's make one..." He says simply and then he smirk's!
He senses my hesitation and of course being him he just has to make it worse by whispering.
"Scared `Mione?!" He raises his eyebrow at me as if daring me to sit there?!
He just called me Mione?! I think shocked.
Normally I would have hit Harry or Ron for calling me that nickname that they used to oh so often just to annoy me...
But when it came out of his mouth it just sounded almost... angelic in its innocence. Even if he was smirking as he said it... Which if I am being honest with myself just made it all the more endearing and bordering on the verge alluring... No stop it Hermione I thought franticly Just stop it now before it gets worse!
I immediately snap out of it however when he coughs. I look at him and his mouth is tilted up ever so slightly as if he is fighting yet another smirk. And of course he picks up on my discomfort as try to quell the rapid pounding of my heart and the frantic smashing of my pulse at the mere thought at being close. So once more I try to beat him at his own game...
"No of course not" Do I dare I think. Yes... yes I do.
"Draco" I startle myself at just how seductive I sound. I just smile when the smirk fall's from his face and his jaw drop's ever so slightly. Still not done.
Still smirking at him I gracefully saunter over to the bed and lay down few inches away from him. Legs crossed so close to his that I could be using his legs as a rest for mine, place my hands behind my head and whisper.
"So about that plan..."
To my disappointment he regains his composer straight away, clears his throat and blinks several times. All the while I'm sat right here barely choking back laughter at how flustered he is. We both jump when we hear a little cough in the corner. Dobby is stood there, hands behind his back looking like he was intruding on something rather private. The elf hung his head looking quite abashed.
"Dobby is sorry Hermione. Dobby will leave if you need some privacy" He stopped talking when both Draco and I simultaneously chocked on our own spit.
"W-What do y-you mean D-Dobby?" Asked Draco, with false evident cheeriness in his voice. That Dobby didn't seem to be picking up on.
"Well pardon Dobby for being nosy but it just looked like for a moment" He muttered.
"Like what Dobby?" I insisted. Dobby just shook his head.
"I-It does not matter now. What does matter is how we're going to get out of here alive" Persisted the elf. It came to me then. I turned to Draco.
"I've got it!" I beamed at him.
Several Hours Later...
"You took my hand, added a plan" Sia- My Love...
"Hermione y-you're sure this is going to work right?" Draco whispered to me. Dobby was already waiting outside the tent for our signal and Draco and I were hidden nearby in a cluster of bushes. I didn't answer him. I knew from the many years' spent chasing Harry and Ron relentlessly around Hogwarts and making sure they didn't get killed numerous times' that even the best laid plans go awry.
Or as Harry once so delicately put it: `We plan, we get there and all hell breaks' lose! `
I smiled slightly at the memory.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. I promise" I whispered back to him. He just nodded but he still didn't seem to sure. I gently nudged his arm and held my pinkie finger out to him.
"What are you doing?" He asked and looked at me as if I'd gone mental. I just rolled my eyes and smiled.
"I-It's a Muggle thing. When you link the smallest finger of your hand then it's a promise to another that you'll do something for that person or that something will happen. So... in this case I promise that everything will be ok..." and that I won't lose you not matter what and I will never let you go should I get that chance to hold you... My eyes grew wide when I thought that, where did that come from! I mean we- I mean were just friends! We're just starting a new and- I- I- just! I swallowed when I realised he was staring, mouth gapping open and eye's wide.
I looked up at him then to see that his gaze was beyond intense and I had a strange sense of déjà vu from the dream.
"W-what did you say?!" He whispered so quietly that I could barely hear him over the wind that kept sailing through the bushes.
Did I just say that out load!? I thought mortified... No, I didn't, I know that I didn't say anything. So how can he hea- I was snatched from my thought process when I heard the faintest whisper of...
"Ok" Brought his hand up linked his small finger with mine and a rush of fire scolded my arm. I could hardly begin to think before he encircled him arms around my waist and almost tackled me in a bone crushing but soft hug. I could feel him burying his face in my hair and gently running his fingers through it. I haven't been hugged like this since... No I don't think even Harry or Ron had hug- no not hugged... held.
"I promise, Hermione" He whispered.
He was holding on to me so tightly that I could scarcely breathe. I managed to wriggle my hands out from where they were pinned to my sides and lock them around his neck. Since I've got him here I can ask some questions of my own.
"Err... Draco? W-what were you going to tell me that night when you were saying about... something?" I ask tentatively. I cant even remember. He pulls back slightly and stares down at me. At the moment I'm hyper aware of the fact that he's still holding my waist. He looks down and his face pale even more than usual, and his fringe falls in front of his eyes. I sigh and not really realising what I'm doing absentmindedly brush it out of his eyes and I hear his breath catch ever so slightly. He lifts his head up, looks down once more and sighs.
"I can't say. I'm sorry but the- You-Know-Who is probably still watching me closely because even though I deserted even before my own father I still have this mark" He spits out the last word like it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. I hesitate slightly before I wriggle out of his embrace, and take his left arm. I start to lift his jacket up but just as I start to see the start of the snake's head near his palm the snatches my wrist and shakes his head at me.
"No, Herm" he starts but I cut him off.
"Draco, please...trust me" I whisper. He glances up at me and gives a slight jerk of his head, you could barely see it but it was a nod. I swallow and he steps back and shrugs his jacket of. Once the cuffs on the sleeve of his left for arm is un-done he just hold's it out, as if to say `You don't have to`. I look up at him again and he's staring at the ground, not even looking at me. The expression on his face is just heart-breaking and completely unread able.
"Admit it" He mutters as I roll his sleeve up to his elbow and revel that awful mark that lies with an almost morbid innocence on the fairness of his skin. It's cold to touch and I hear him whimper slightly when I feel heat scold my hand as my finger's glide across the surface of skull.
"You hate me don't you?" Draco whispers as I just stare at it as it moves with a serpent like grace across his pale skin. Of course I don't hate him I think shocked I don't hate him! I just... I don't know anymore. I would even go as far to say that he was my friend! But what with the mess that dream has made me I- I don't know...
It isn't until I look up that I realise that the question was not rhetorical and he wants an answer. So I tell him the truth.
"Listen I don't hate you. Not anymore... Well the truth is I never hated you it's just when you called me a" His eye snap to mine and I can see months if not years worth of pain and regret in them.
"It's just when you called me a-a MudBlood" I feel Draco's body go ridged and the M word.
"When we were twelve I just... disliked you a to certain degree" I muttered the last part, slightly embarrassed at my own in ability to put my feelings into words. To my astonishment he laughs.
"What may I just ask?! Is so funny!" I snap.
"`Disliked you to a certain degree`!" He snorts. Eyes brimming with tears but at least he's smiling. I can't help but giggle along with him, because for some bizarre reason his laughter is simply infectious. After we have calmed down and our less then attractive snorts subside into quite giggles that any child would be proud of, I pose my next question.
"D-does it hurt sometimes, the mark?" I ask. He sighs, sits on the ground and gestures to the space next to him where I sit down next to him. When I do he does turn he's kneeling opposite me.
"Sometimes but i-it's to explain, when He's having a tantrum or just hasn't killed anyone in a while he starts to get board! So he can call one of us to do something for him just for His own amusement and when we strive to the point of near starvation and nearly end up killing our self's with the effort of trying not to die! Then He say's: `You are a shame to your family and your father hate's you`"
I have a feeling he's not just talking about random death-eaters anymore, but of one in particular.
His voice break's on the last word as tears are already falling down his face at this point, so I move from my position opposite him to sit next to him and throw my arm around his shoulder and secure them around his neck again. He burry's his head in my hair again and I just stay there for what seems like forever, because whenever we hugged it just seems like time it's self has stood still. I know it's impossible but I hope it would. Just for now, and just for us. I can't lie to myself anymore when I say that I don't wish that these brief moments' to last for eternity. Because each time they do happen- and as often as they do- I just never seem to want to let him go...
He pulled back slightly and swallowed. He frowned as if he was deciding something but then thought better of it and stood up to go and check were Dobby was.
"Where is he? Is he alright? What if th" I begin to ask.
"Hermione he'll be fine." He looked over his shoulder and I was pleased to see he was finally smiling again, for he was grinning at me.
"I promise" He muttered to me and held his little finger up as a small but significant symbol that it will be ok and I should stop worrying.
"Oh, it's Dobby! He's coming!" He whispered quickly.
Draco staggered back a few paces until he fell- quite literally- back into the bush beside me. (When I yanked him back by his collar...)
He just turned his head and glared at me.
"Was that actually necessary?!" He exclaimed, his arms waving in the air in an effort to get his point across. I just rolled my eyes at him.
"Drama queen..." I whispered just load enough so only he could hear me and I bit back a smile when he batted my arm. The fun stopped however when we heard hushed whispers from over by the tent.
I looked over to him and he nodded. Earlier that same day he had said that I could: `Watch if I wanted to`, when I then replied: `I've seen a lot worse in just seventeen year's` he only said: `We'll see about that`. I obviously thought he was being over-dramatic about it as always and he then added: `How would you like it if you passed out and then you were burning all over for one full minute?`.
At the time I had just shook my head at him and told him to `Get outside of this tent and practice changing back and to now before I personally kick you're fury, ferrety butt out there myself`.
I smirked at the memory of his face dropping slightly and him muttering something that sounded alarmingly like: `If only we had a rocket ship then we could outrun them, or out fly` He chuckled at his own bizarre joke. But what worried me most was what he said next: `I want I rocket ship and...` He was too far away so I didn't catch the rest. I honestly don't want to know what else he wanted... God known's I thought but good luck to that poor something- or someone...
But now sitting here watching him close his eye and whimper ever so slightly. His face, contorted in pain as he sloughed against the tree trunk and all I could do was watch in silent horror as he curled up in a ball and seemed to shrink into himself. I turned my head towards the gap in the bushes and was about to scream for help when it reached a point where he passed out but when I turned my head back round Draco had disappeared.
I frowned slightly as I stared down at the black (and rather expensive looking) armani suite that he wore and practically lived in last year and was wearing a moment ago, but to my shock all that was left of him was the conspicuous lump that was underneath the pile of his clothes. I eyed the suit warily and a sense of foreboding seeped into me as I cautiously moved forward to take it off the ground. Just as my fingertip's brushed the dark fabric the lump twitched slightly! I jerked my hand back with a gasp. Was it awake? I continued to stare at the immobile piece of clothing on the ground when all of a sudden it seemed to fly up in the air and then land back on the seemingly empty space, except it wasn't empty.
No, because were Draco once stood there was now sat a white wolf, with the same grey-blue eyes as a certain insufferable slytherin... It looked slightly thinner than when we escaped. Though that was probably because we had not eaten in a few days. I didn't get a good look at him like this last time when we were escaping but now up close- In this form at least- he was really quite beautiful while he wa-
"Dobby is a free elf and Dobby is here to rescue Master Malfoy and Miss Granger!" Dobby shouted from the tent. That was our signal, because the wolf sprang from the bushes before I could keep track and from my own hiding place I could hear muffled shouting and wailing.
`They were Voldemort's own snatchers and death eaters? ` I thought slightly amused by just how pathetic they sounded. I shook my head as I griped the first branch of the tree and started to climb up-ward. As soon as I was safely perched on top of the tallest branch I looked down to see at least twenty of them all passed out from either fear or sever blood-loss. I cast Homenun Revelio just to check that he hadn't killed them by accident and felt a strange pulsing sensation in me. That had to be at least twenty heart beats, so they were all alive. I stayed where I was for at least five minutes before a bark was my signal that it was safe to come back down. When I reached the ground the wolf turned sharply and was now facing me, ears flat against its skull, tail raised. I once remembered Sirius saying that he had a `sweet disposition` as a dog. I just hoped this dog recognised me quickly before it got confused and ate me!
`Calm down Hermione! I won't hurt you, trust me! ` It was Draco's voice in my head!? Ok that's it I think I have officially gone mad!
I look back to the animal in front of me and it was an all too familiar smirk was curving at the beginning of its muzzle. Insufferable, little ferret!
"Ok Draco! You can change back now!" I turned round and headed for the bushes but just as I had reached the gap something tapped me on the shoulder and I freeze, blood boiling slightly and stammering with the uncontrollable blush that rushes to my face.
"Can I have my clothes back now?" I heard Draco smugly mutter directly behind me.