Chapter 12... The Tale Of The Three Brothers, Horcruxes and A Mission...
"I don't have a choice, but I'd still choice you..." The Civil Wars- Poison & Wine...
Draco's POV...
As I wake and at least attempt to move my rigid limbs of the mattress, I think of the staggering amount of information I received of Hermione yesterday. That the locket is a piece of Voldemort's soul- a Horcrux-, and we had to find and destroy all of them. Before He found out and tried to kill us... again. Absentmindedly my hand snake's inside collar of my shirt and my finger's brush the icy surface of the locket that lie's against my chest. I snatch my finger's away however when I feel a tiny but strong metal heartbeat against my skin. I shudder slightly. My first instinct is to throw it across the shabby and dim room, leave it there and get as far away as possible from the vile, evil thing.
How can one man no not man, human kill so many innocent people?! I loathe Potter but because of Him he has had to go all of his life with no family no mother or father there for him. But wait, he's had Weasley's lot, and Hermione. Not to mention all those Gryffindor's. Speaking of Gryffindor's... Talk of the ange- devil, and she shall appear...
"Draco, I need you to see something, right away!" Hermione exclaims as she bounces (quite literally) into the sitting room, an expression of child like delight on her features. I sigh and haul my weight of the small make-shift bed. I glance around at the less than cosy sitting room, not much has changed in the space of twenty-four hours, has it? We are currently staying in- or what I am told is- the head quarters of the order of the phoenix and the old house of the late Sirius Black and newly inherited house of Potter, he refused to have any use of it though. Stubborn idiot.
"Here it is" She says, as she thrust's some kind of book into my hands. I stare at her, completely bewildered as to why she could look so happy yet so confused at the same time. I look down at the cover and almost choke, fighting the lump in my throat at what I see written on the front. The title read's `The Tale's Of Beedle The Bard`. Despite the small droplets of tear's that stain my face I cannot help but smile at her.
"You a-are b-brill-ent, Hermione!" I splutter.
"Draco, what's wrong?" Hermione asks, as she moves from her position opposite me at the table to sit beside me on the same bench.
"N-nothing, it's just... My mother used to read me these, every night before bed time." I revile to a very shocked looking Hermione. She nod's for me to continue.
"It's... not the same is it?" She just look's puzzled.
"Without them I mean. You're family" I add. She take's in a shaky breath and rest's her head against my shoulder.
"I know how you feel. When we first came on this mission, Harry, Ron and me. I had to... obliterate my parent's memories of me. They don't even know that I exist anymore. There not even aware they have a daughter." I can't stand the hopelessness and pain in her voice then so I do what I always do and wrap my arms around her waist in a hug. I smile to myself slightly as I realize just how easy this is. She eventually after at least half an hour of hugging in a very comfortable silence relaxes her vise like grip around my neck (much to my disappointment) and turn's back to the table.
"So about this book..." She trails of and lift's the front cover up.
There resting in the top right corner is a curious little symbol.
"Well I know that it's defiantly not a ruin... I mean just look at how un-detailed it" We break of in fits of giggle's when we realize we've said the exact same thing. Once we have both calmed down, I take the book of her gently, as though it might rip at the slightest touch and continue to examine the symbol. Someone had inked in a straight vertical line down the page, added a circle on top of the line and enclosed them both in a triangle. I dropped the book, stunned into silence by what I saw. I blinked a few time's, making sure I had seen what I thought I saw and checking that I was not going insane. I made a dive for the book and started to frantically riffle though the aged pages, ignoring the concerned look's that Hermione was giving me, all the while muttering `It was supposed to be a myth... It's not possible...` We both gasped when I landed on the page I was looking for... The Tale Of The Three Brother's.
"You don't think..." Hermione started
"That it's all true? Yes, certainly" I finished. I handed the book back to her wordlessly and nodded. She cleared her throat... and began reading.
"There were once three brother's who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across." I had heard this tale a thousand times during my child-hood; it was my second favorite, next to Babbity Rabbity And Her Crackling Stump.
Almost immediately an image of a much smaller Draco badgering mother to read it to me again for tenth time that evening pops into my mind.
"Howe- You, Draco" I snap out of memory line when a hand waved in front of my face.
"What?" I asked dazed.
"You were smiling... Why?" She asks.
"Nothing" She just raises an eye brow at me, clearly unconvinced.
"I'll tell you later" I mutter.
"Wait, I know why I was smiling, but why were you?" I ask her.
Her cheeks immediately flush beet red.
"Well" Hermione whisper's timidly.
"Because you were"
She admits much to her embarrassment.
I can't help but just stare at her silently captivated by her innocence. I don't stop staring until she catches me and I feel heat rush into my face. I clear my throat awkwardly and swallow.
"So, about that story?"
I nudge her to continue, but she says nothing and sits there silently gazing at me.
"What's wrong?" I mutter.
"Nothing it's just... you have a few tear stain's... right... there" She whisper's barely audible as she tenderly brings her finger's up to my face and softly wipes my face. I close my eyes at her touch, silently hoping that I will be able to remember this piece however small of bliss forever.
"Mione`, the story?" I remind her.
"Oh, yes... of course" I open my eyes once more to find her still sat next to me, but facing the book which is laid out on the table in front of us. I sigh to myself and turn so I am looking over her shoulder as she start's to read once more.
"However, these brothers' were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were half way across it when they found there path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers' upon their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him."
"So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duel's for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother. Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead."
"And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility"
"Hang on!" I interrupt her.
"How the heck has Death got an Invisibility cloak?! I mean he's not that smart Death, I mean." I continue to rant, not noticing that Hermione is almost killing me with the death glare...
"What kind of moron would give someone their own Invisibility Cloak? You'd have to be really"
I shut up when I saw the look on Hermione's face.
"Sorry, Hermione"
"Please continue" I muttered sheepishly, like a child who had been told of by his mother.
"Do you want to read it?!" She snaps.
"N-no" I laugh nervously.
She rolled her eyes and continued.
"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had, and admiring Deaths gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled on for week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the dual that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible."
"That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand, and for good measure, slit the brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own. Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death, appeared at once before him."
"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so Death took the second brother for his own."
"But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took of the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and equals, they departed this life..."
We both looked up at each other at the same time then, an insane idea occurring to us both but brilliant, nevertheless.
"Does this place have any quills?" I asked her as I started rummaging in cupboards and draws all over the kitchen.
"Yes, I do" I turned round to see her twirling one in her fingers. She tossed it to me and as soon as I caught it I yanked a piece of spare parchment towards me.
"Ok so there's the Elder wand" I muttered.
I drew a single line down the center of the parchment.
"The resurrection stone" Continued Hermione.
I over lapped the line with a small circle.
"The Cloak of Invisibility" I finished, as I encased the line and circle with a triangle.
"The Deathly Hallows" We both whispered in awe.
"You don't think?" I muttered.
"That it's actually real?!" I glanced at Hermione but she just rolled her eyes and shook her head at me.
"Well of course there not!" She exclaimed suddenly, not even bothering to keep the skepticism out of her voice. I stared at her dumbfounded.
"Please Hermione. Think about it! If these objects are real and they truly exist then it is our only hope of killing him once and for all!" I tried to reason with her. To my surprise she just grinned at me.
"Then you'll do it?!" She asked.
"Do what exactly?" I frowned.
"Then you'll help me track these things down and kill him?" She said.
"Well I don't see that we have much choice. I mean it's either that or we all die... So yes! I'll do it" I think I heard something like a squeal before I was staggering backwards, almost toppling over. Her arms were locked around my neck and her legs around my waist.
"Err... `Mione? You're strangling me... can't... breathe... help"
She still doesn't get of me, just relaxes her choke hold on my neck slightly and pulls back to look at me.
"I don't have a choice in this but... I'll choose you. So I'm with you whatever happens" I whisper. She beams at me and hugs me even tighter.
"Thank you Draco" She breathes.
I can't hold back the goofy grin that spreads onto my face. Suddenly she tenses slightly and when I look at her we both just stare dumbly at how her legs are still around my waist. To my great disappointment she unwraps herself from around me and walks over to the table and perches of the chair not saying a word. I frown, walk over to her and sit on the chair opposite.
"Hermione are you alright?" I ask attentively.
She's not, I can tell from the small but obvious sniffles. I bite my lip nervously. I hate seeing her cry like this. It's awful, it's like a part of me is hurting with her, literally, because now my heart is aching and dread fills me at the sight of the tears gently caressing her face.
"It's just... I miss them" She whispers barely audible.
"What were they like? Potter and Weasley?" I ask. I smile when she manages to giggle slightly.
"Well, I will admit having a fair few crushes on Harry throughout the years" She mutters getting very embarrassed.
"I knew it" I exclaim.
"When?" I ask her.
"You don't really want to hear all about this do you? It can get really boring sometimes listening to me go on and on about..." She stops in her tracks when I nod eagerly. She smiles at me and gestures over to the couch that sits in the corner. She gently takes my hand and leads me over to the couch, it's fairly wide, and so she lies down in the corner and pats the space next to her. I hesitate not really understanding why I'm so nervous. I mean we've lain in a bed together and that was fine! And yet something seems different now more... just more. And yet I want nothing more than to lie there with her as long as she'll let me. I shake my head and I hear her giggle, I must off looked like a dog. I can't help but another grin spread onto my face at the sound, it truly is beautiful.
I swallow and perch on the edge, swing my legs round and kick my shoes of, she does the same. I don't even realize the position we are in. She turns round to face me and I do the same. Now I said this couch was wide but that doesn't stop the fact that our noses are inches away from brushing, but it's comfortable all the same. Her hair tickles the side of my face and she giggles once more when I wrinkle my nose. I can't help but laugh along with her.
"What's so funny?" I breathe, not being able to keep my face straight.
"You!" She blurts out randomly.
"It's just I've can't remember time's I've ever laughed so hard other than when I'm with you" She whispers, not keeping the affection out of her voice. I beam at her.
"Yeah" I admit, somewhat shyly.
"Me too" I whispered softly.
"So about the Horcruxes, where do we start?" I ask her and she frown's looking thoughtful.
"Well does any of you family member's have a vault at Gringott's?" She asks nervously.
I narrow my eye at her, suspicious.
"Yes, why?" I ask her warily.
"It's just there could be another Horcrux in there?! I mean we already have one!" Then without warning she reaches inside my shirt and pull's it out of my collar.
"I know but there's just one problem... we don't know how to destroy them properly!" She finches a bit at my outburst.
"Sorry" I mutter, taking her hand without really thinking about it much. I feel her shiver slightly.
"Are you cold?" I ask.
"No, far from it actually" She mutters, blushing. I smile and scoot closer so that her head is buried in my chest. I sigh. We don't speak for a while, just lie there with each other, at first I expect her to be a sleep and I am feeling tiered myself so I am about to summon a blanket when without warning she bolt's upright, her hand hitting the side of my face in the process.
"Ow! What was that for?!" I manage to shout, despite the immense pain I am now in. I don't think she's noticed.
"OH MY GOD!" She shout's pacing around the room frantically.
"How could I have been so stupid!? It was the answer all along!" She exclaimed.
What on earth is she going on about?! I think dumbly.
"Hermione?! What are yo" I start to question her but she cuts in front of me.
"The sword of Godric's Gryffindor! Dirt and rust have no effect on the blade! It only takes in that which makes it stronger! Harry stabbed the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor in our second year when he rescued Ginny in the chamber of secrets; its blade is impregnated with Basilisk venom! Which is..."
"It can destroy Horcruxes!" I finished, wide-eyed at how she could figure that all out. Her face fall's as if she's remembered something.
"But the sword... it was stolen. Plus Dumbledore left it to Harry in his will" She mutters. Her head snap's up once more and her eyes lock onto mine.
"Draco, when you where younger did you ever visit any of your family's vault's?" She asks me. Now that I think about it I did. But one time when I asked to go and see aunt Bellatrix's vault my mother refused, wait hang on?!
"I think I may know where a Horcrux is. In Bellatrix's vault at Gringott's" I told her.
"Are you sure? Because if we break in there an"
"Wait, what?! You can't just break in to Gringott's!" I exclaim.
"It's completely insane!" I try to reason with her but it's no use.
"We haven't got a choice" She says.
"So what are we going to do? I'm supposed to be at the manner in hiding and you're supposed to be with Potter? So basically that makes me a criminal death eater and people think that you've vanished of the face of the earth! I mean it's not as if we can just stroll through the front door! If we get caught then what are we going to say as an excuse!? `Oh sorry about that we were just checking for a piece of You-Know-Who's soul! Doesn't matter now. Bye`" I waved to nothing in particular and looked round at Hermione to see her grinning at me.
"What are you smiling at now?" I asked, exasperated.
"Nothing, it's just cute and adorable when you go off on these little hissy-fits of yours!" She admits, blushing. I stare at her, not really knowing how to take this latest development.
"I do not throw hiss- wait?! You think I'm... cute? Adorable?!" I splutter.
"Err... no. Did I just say that out loud?" She whispers that last part to herself, clearly mortified. I stand up from the couch, and silently walk over to her. She doesn't look up even when I'm inches away. She won't take her face out of her hands. It's quite endearing really.
"Umm...`Mione?" I whisper and she looks up, slightly startled at the sight of me standing so close all of a sudden. I smile at her, gently take her writs and hold them at her side. Take by surprise at the contact, she staggers back and is now against the wall with her arms pinned by her sides by my hands.
"What?" She mutters, clearly embarrassed, about it all and even more so by me.
"It's ok, you know and you can look at me" I chuckle at her being so shy. She does and her eyes grow wide, as if she never knew I was so close. I smile down at her whom she returns and I sigh. I let go of her writs and step back slightly but by the way her face falls at the loss of contact, and she looks disappointed almost.
"Ok we can do it" I say and she looks confused.
"Do what? I forgot what we were talking about" She stammers.
"If you want to break into a bank then we can break into a bank" I tell her and she smiles. Her arms are then around my neck in a brief hug which I return fondly.
"I'm going to go up stairs to explore. Are you coming?" She asks as she pulls back but keeps tight hold of my hand.
"Yes, ma'am" I mutter, and she grins.
We stroll through the house, talking about nothing in particular. We find an old room. The door has an ancient golden plate on it, all but black from decay and age. Labelled on it in silver writing is:
`Spare Room num. 5`
I raise my eyebrows.
"Well, well" I mutter.
"Someone's rich... I don't think even Malfoy Manner has at least five guest room's!" I exclaim. I look round to see that my right arm is stretching across the hallway and that on the other end of it Hermione is still holding my hand, not paying attention to me. I narrow my eyes and walk over.
"What are yo" I stop dead when I see the labelled.
`Sirius Black`
I feel the hand wrapped around mine squeeze reassuringly.
"Weren't you related to him?" She whispers.
"Yeah, I was. From what I was told by my father I was his first cousin once removed" I answer.
"I distantly remember him saying to me when I was ten years old that: `I don't want you involved with: 'A filthy blood traitor like that`. Of course it was all complete and utter rubbish. I would have wanted nothing better than to of gotten to know him myself"
"Then why didn't you?" She asks curiously. I close my eyes, tears of shame seeping from my eyes.
"Because... at the time I-I believed it, and if I could take it all back. I would" I admitted.
I swallow and start to move into the room when Hermione grips my shoulder. I turn to look at her.
"Are you sure you want to go in there?" She asks and I nod.
"Come with me?" I ask her nervously. In reply she tightens her hold on my hand and walks forward leading me into the room.
The room was spacious and must, once, have been handsome. There was a large bed with a carved wooden headboard, a tall window obscured by long velvet curtains and a chandelier thickly coated in dust, with candle stubs still resting in its sockets, solid wax hanging in frost-like drips. A fine film of dust covered the pictures on the walls and the bed's headboard; a spider's web stretched between the chandelier and the top of the large wooden wardrobe and as we moved ever deeper into the long un-habited room we heard the faint scurrying of disturbed mice.
"Well he clearly wasn't in Slytherin!" I gestured to the many Gryffindor banners strung to the walls. I staggered backwards in fright from the contraptions that I saw next plastered onto the still paper.
"Hermione! He has monsters on his posters!" I squeaked at her. She turned round and giggled at the look of terror on my face.
"Draco, there not monsters! There motor bikes! It's a way of transportation that Muggles use" She reassured me and I turned away once more silently thinking to myself: `I want one! Why don't wizards use them!? They look so much fun! `.
I smirked (I had to admire his nerve) as my eye's then strayed to the Muggle girl's in the Muggle posters. I wasn't sure what I was more fascinated by, the fact the they weren't moving or the girls them self's, who weren't wearing much apart from bikini's, faded smile's and glazed over eye's that stared back through the faded, aged paper. I must have been staring for a while because after a time a hand was waving in front of my face.
"Hey, what are yo- oh" Muttered Hermione. I pried my eyes away from the paper, with great reluctance and glanced at her to see that she was glaring at me.
"Now if you're quite finished" She spoke through gritted teeth.
"Sorry" I mumbled.
I smirked at her and said, just to annoy her even more...
"Hey, do you think you could get one of th" I had to duck several well aimed hex's.
"Maybe not" I rolled my eyes at her.
"Honestly, why are you such a prude?" I asked her.
"A what?!" I honestly thought for a second that laser beams were going to shoot from her eyes and roast me on the spot.
Oh God I think this is it. I'm done for. This is the end. I'm dead...
"I-I just-t meant that" I stammer helplessly.
"Meant what?" She demands.
"Err..." Come on Draco, think!?
You have your charm you're practically irresistible! You just need to use it!
"Oh, `Mione" I can see her visibly shiver when I call her that.
It's working!
"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" I ask as innocently as possible while slowly walking towards her, not tearing her gaze from mine.
"Tell me what?" She demands.
"That: Beauty is graceful but confidence is sexy"
"Actually I don't agree. I always preferred the term: To be graceful is to be confident but to be sexy all you have to be is beautiful" I give her a significant look and she just stands there, speechless.
"And why would I need to know that" She mutters.
I smirk at her and stroll out the room, leaving her dumbfounded.
"Oh, nothing" I shout over my shoulder at the top of the stairs.
"Just something to think about" I tell her.
"So if it's just tonight, the animal inside, let it live and die"- Animal- Ke$ha...
Hermione's POV...
"Ok, Hermione! Just like we practiced, ok?" Draco shouts. I nod, swallow and take of my jacket, shoes and socks. He's stood several yards away, just in-case.
"I can't do this, what if I hurt you?" I shout to him. I don't have to be stood right in front of him to know he's rolling his eyes.
"Honestly, we've practiced for five week's straight and I wouldn't let you do this if I didn't think you could handle it. I trust you" He answer's back. I see him smile in encouragement and nod. I close my eyes and whimper slightly when my bones start to ache. I grip the wall, desperate for Draco not to see me like this.
"Hermione are you alright?" I hear him call in panic.
I don't answer him, I can't. I think I hear a scream in the distance, and I don't even recognize my voice. It is the last thing I hear before I black out...
Draco's POV...
I watch her silently from a far. She's struggling clearly. It's not until I hear her scream and see her body drop in a crumpled heap to the floor that I sprint over. Deep down I know its working. This is how it always happens the first time round. It was just different for me because I wasn't entirely conscious at the time. Yet I still can't help the crushing sense of terror and anguish that consumes me. I kneel next to her to check her pulse. But as soon as my hand brushes the skin of her neck, she finches slightly. Her clothes seem to close in on themselves.
"Mione? Are you there?" I ask softly.
Suddenly I am flung backwards, my head colliding with the floor with an agonizing smack. I look up, terrified, only to be staring into a pair of familiar wide, whiskey eyes. My eyes widen as I take in the creature on top of me. White fur covers it's, slim body and I move my head to the right to see a small, but adorably fluffy tuft of chocolate-brown fur sticking out of its tail. Although she is normally quite petite the animal on top of me weighs a ton!
"You're really heavy. You do know that right?" I try to talk to her, since her ears are bigger than normal, she can hear me. Also I can obviously hear her when I change. A huff escapes her mouth, by the sound of her she wants me to shut up. Nice to know she's feeling alright. I try to move from under her but she won't budge.
"Err... Hermione. You're crushing me here." I tell her and the lioness glances down at me with barred teeth. I dig my face into the carpet and whimper when she nudges the side of my face with hers'. This, if she were normal, would have been nice. It's just when you're faced with two massive canine teeth, that it loses its appeal slightly.
I feel around on the floor to prop myself up but when I do, I am face to face with her. Please recognize me... I think desperately I don't want death by Hermione the lion. But she only cocks her head to the side curiously, nudging my neck and sniffing.
"Look I know I smell worse than my normal attractive sent bu"
To my shock she start's purring. I raise my eyebrows and stare at her. Her softer than normal head is resting on my stomach and her body is pinning me to the ground. Her huge paws are playful scratching my arms and her head starts to nuzzle my neck. Tentatively, I bring my hand up and place it on top of her head; I can't help but smile at how soft she is. Her purring get's even louder as I weave my fingers though her fur. I close my eyes as she nudges my face with her forcing me to open them again. I see her eyes widen in recognition, and I smirk slightly. If she was human she would be blushing now. Even as a very large cat she smells, well... beautiful. Like honey and apples.
I finally release the breath I had held since she first changed, when the feline gets of me and starts padding up and down the corridor, head whipping round every so often... like she's protecting me. I stand up slowly, as though I don't startle her, and make my way over to where she is now sat in facing me a few meters away. Eying her cautiously I sit down in front of her, staying perfectly still.
She narrows her wide eyes at me and sniffs, purring again when she must recognize my sent.
"Relax; its me `Mione. Ferret boy..." I trail of and glare halfheartedly at her when something resembling a smirk curves her muzzle and she sneezes to hide a snigger. When I am sure she won't eat me if I turn my back I stand up to move back down stairs and give her some space to move and some privacy if she changes back. I'm half way down the corridor when I hear a whimper behind me; I turn round to see Hermione up on all four paws, whimpering at me.
"You want me to stay?" I ask her. She jerks her head and purr's in response. When I don't move at first, she growl's impatiently. I start to walk towards her at a brisk pace so she doesn't bite my head off... again. As soon as I am within meters of her she all but lunges forwards and wraps her furry arms around my waist in a crushing hug. I look down to see that she's standing on her two hind legs. Her purring is giving me stomach ache and I bury my face in her fur. I smile. She's so beautiful like this. She growls when my fingers dig into her fur.
"Sorry" I mutter, starting to pull back, only to have the magnificent creature hold me tighter. The word's I speak next are uncontrollable, I can't stop myself from saying them, and it's as if they have waited to be said all along for seven years. Which in a way they have...
"You really are beautiful... Has anyone ever told you that? Well, Potter can't look past his glasses to see just how much of a perfect person you are and Weasel-bee is just too much of a fool to notice anything... but still. No one is ever going to be good enough for you. No one..." I whisper, she hasn't moved an inch since I started talking so she's obviously fast asleep and didn't hear a thing.
Thank Merlin I think, relived. I use all the strength I can muster (which is a lot) and gently lay her down on the floor. I see her jaw open wide and a strangled screech that gets more human by the second come from her mouth. I see her legs start to give way, and slowly sick to the floor. Her paws grip the carpet, claws becoming blunter, shaping into delicate fingers. The silk white fur shed's reveling pearly, pale, sof-
I shake my head to clear my thoughts. Wait... Stop right there! I think she's your friend. One is not allowed to have inappropriate... musing's about- who well could be- you're only friend in the world right now! Pull it together Draco! Once I get my bearings again, I see her. Lying a few meters away, back facing me, curled up in the fetal position. I look over my shoulder only to see her clothes, ripped to shreds and look back seeing that she is in fact naked. I bite my lip, weighing up my options. There's no way I can carry her without it getting very awkward for the both of us.
Sighing, I take of my jacket walk over and gently lay it over her like a blanket, careful not to touch or disturb her. I keep telling myself to only I physically can't leave. I grimace when I remember that the only clothes we own now are the ones we escaped the forest with. So, keeping my eyes locked determinedly on the door down the corridor, I walk swiftly into one of the many bedrooms' to try and find her some clothes...
Hermione's POV...
Have you ever been so shocked you could barely breathe?
This is what it feels like now. Lying here, flesh digging into the carpet, mind reeling, pulse racing, heart pounding... In my head I try to convince myself that I am delusional but the blood rampaging through my veins at an unbearable pace and my heart fluttering inside my chest like a small bird say's otherwise. `
`You really are beautiful; No one is ever going to be good enough for you. No one`.
A smile breaks onto my face at those words. I lift my head slightly to check if he's still there, he's not. I start to get up when I hear a door open behind me. I'm hyper aware of the way his footstep echo in the corridor and I have no excuses for the way I can't help but shiver when he lay's a blanket on top of me, crouches beside me and softly brushes the hair out of my face. I don't have to have my eyes' open to know his fingers linger on my face and I fight yet another smile when his thumb slide's down my cheek.
I look up slightly when something drops in front of me and find that a fresh pile of clothes lie there folded perfectly with women's underwear on top. A girl must have lived here sometime, most likely Sirius's mother. He doesn't seem to notice me stir and just walks back down the stairs as if he was never there.
Authors Note:
Suddenly, a burning desire slammed into my gut, knocking the air out of my lungs, causing my mouth to water and my skin to flush hot.
"What's wrong?" Draco whispered, having no idea what he was putting me through.
I shouldn't feel this, because this was just... inconvenient. It was the wrong game and w- no, there was no we!
And yet as we continued to stare with new eyes, a burning shiver coursed down my spine, heating my blood to boiling point.