Chapter Eighteen
Draco clapped his hand over the Dark Mark, trying to hide the stain on his arm. It felt warm, growing in heat as the seconds slowly passed. Hermione stared at him in horror.
''Is he coming?''
''I don't know, I've never…never done that. I would have been…I'm going to be killed for this.'' Draco was staring at Hermione, willing her to come up with some clever solution. His brain was frosting over, unable to think of anything except the heat on his arm, growing and growing, becoming white-hot. ''Hermione, only his closest Deatheaters can call him like that, and that's hardly me. He's going to kill me.'' A horrible limpness seemed to spread through his body.
Hermione stepped forward and hugged him fiercely, her arms tight around his neck. ''He isn't going to do anything to you.''
''Hermione…''
''No! You promised me that we would be ok as long as we stuck together and we're sticking together.''
''Yeah, and look at how well that promise turned out beforehand,'' Draco mumbled into her neck, not wanting to admit how secure she was making him feel, her warmth pressed against him.
''Well, it wasn't ideal, but we are ok, aren't we?'' Hermione pulled back and smiled at him. ''We're doing better than that nutter.'' She pointed over his shoulder and Draco turned around. Blaise was leaning against the wall, smirking to himself, completely lost in his own world. Draco pulled out his wand. ''Stupefy!''
A red light hit Blaise's chest and he slumped to the floor. Draco looked back at Professor McGonagall, who seemed slightly shocked by the sudden turn of events. ''Am I to presume that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming to Hogwarts?''
''Yeah.'' Draco put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, not wanting to lose her warmth.
''We should get everyone out of Hogwarts now. While we still can.'' Hermione looked at her teacher and slid her hand around Draco's waist.
The older witch looked at her two students, wondering why they had to go for house unity now. Both of them were looking back at her with entirely fierce eyes, daring her to tell them to split apart. She smiled weakly and left the room, for once, lost for words.
Hermione turned to Draco and took his arm. The Dark Mark was still glowing. ''What's taking so long?''
''He isn't going to feel obligated to come running for me. I'm not an important Deatheater.'' Draco looked at his arm and truly appreciated how ugly the Mark was. He looked like branded cattle.
''But you really think he's going to come?''
''I don't think he would miss out on the chance to either find Potter, or to torture someone who's called him for the wrong thing.''
''Come on.'' Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room, pulling him behind her as she ran through the corridors.
''Hermione! Where are we going? What's the big rush?'' Draco looked around their common room in puzzlement. ''I know it's a nice room, but I don't think it's going to help us right now.''
''We're leaving. Grab your stuff.''
''What?''
''Draco, do you trust me?'' Hermione stared at him, her tawny eyes wide. ''If we stay here, we are both going to end up dead.''
''So, we run? And where do we go?'' Draco looked back at her.
''Yes, we run. Anywhere! We can do this! If we stay here Draco, we will both die. Hogwarts is entirely unprepared for attack – for Merlin's sake, it has a Deatheater as a Headmaster! The Order of the Phoenix won't be able to help anyone. Professor McGonagall will get all the students out, I know she will. And we can go, and we can fight him in our own way, and we can do it on our terms, rather than holed up in a castle waiting for him to come and find us!''
Draco felt a small spring of hope in his heart – that could just work…if they took everything they could, they would be able to live, if not comfortably, adequately at least.
''I mean, there will be look outs for us, which is going to make everything difficult, but I know we can do it.'' Hermione looked at Draco who seemed lost in his own world, and her mind fled, unbidden back to one of their earlier conversations:
''We're not that different.'' Draco wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger. ''We both know what we want, we both go out and get it, neither of us is afraid of a challenge, and we know when to hold onto a good thing.''
''Just our belief systems differentiating us then.'' Hermione gestured towards the Dark Mark that was vivid on his pale skin. ''I can't believe I'm doing this with someone who has that.''
''Hermione…''
''I don't want to talk about it Draco.'' Hermione pressed her fingers to his lips. ''We aren't going to agree…''
Hermione turned back to Draco. ''Unless you don't want to come with me. Unless you really are a Deatheater.''
Draco snapped back to reality. ''What? No!''
''Then say something!'' Hermione grabbed at her hair in frustration. ''Don't just leave me standing here, babbling on, if you don't agree with me, and if you'd rather take your chances with the man that you let brand you!''
''I was thinking that we're going to need to remove this or he's going to be able to trace us.'' Draco held out his forearm. ''Any ideas, oh Wise One?''
Hermione stood still. ''So you're coming? You don't want to be a Deatheater?''
''Hermione, ignore the thing on my arm. Other than this, in all the time that we've been close have I acted like a Deatheater? Once you managed to separate me from what I'd been told all my life, did I act like a Deatheater?''
''No…but, how do I know?''
''Because I'm not Malfoy anymore. I'm Draco. And you aren't just some girl that I bully, you're Hermione.''
''And that makes everything ok?''
''No, because we're about to go on the run. But it does mean that we can trust each other, because we aren't enemies.'' Hermione smiled, and Draco stepped forward, rubbing his hands on her upper arms. ''I trust you, and I know that you always know what you're doing, and I'm in love with you.''
''I'm in love with you too.'' Hermione smiled even more broadly. ''Give me your arm. I used tracking charms before, so if that's just woven in, I can probably withdraw that charm. Although I don't think I can get rid of the Mark.''
As soon as Hermione began moving her wand, Draco felt the heat leaving his arm, pulling away from his skin. Soon, the charm was shimmering in a small ball in mid air. ''Probably best if we avoid that from now on.'' Hermione withdrew her wand from Draco's arm, and looked at him.
''So you want to go?''
Draco clamped his hands on either side of her head and flamboyantly kissed her forehead. ''Of course.''
''Draco?''
''That would be me.'' He looked back at her, smiling down at her.
''How come you make the distinction between loving someone and being in love with them?'' Hermione blushed. ''I'm not trying to get you to say…but I was just wondering.''
''You pick your moments don't you?'' Draco flicked his wand and sent their trunks flying down the stairs, clothes and other things zooming after them. ''We can shrink those and levitate them after us when they're packed. Now, what were you saying?''
Hermione looked at him mock-angrily. ''Stop acting so clever, and answer me.''
''I love my family, I would love my friends if I had any close ones. I can love anyone. I'm in love with you though, because when I look at the people I love my heart doesn't beat faster, and I don't want to grin at them like a fool. So while I can love you, I love being in love with you because it reminds me how special you are, and how lucky I am.''
''Draco Malfoy has a soft side?'' Hermione looked to one side, not wanting to admit how touched she was by what he had just said. But she realised that she needed to, and turned back to look at him, twining her fingers through his hair as she pulled him closer to her. ''That's such a perfect thing to say.''
Draco didn't bother answering, just took her lower lip and sucked it gently, pulling it into his mouth and nibbling gently. Hermione moaned and grabbed his neck, trying to drag him closer to her. Then realised what was happening and pulled herself back. ''No! Come on, we're meant to be making a speedy escape!''
Draco pulled himself back and looked at her. ''You sure we don't have time?''
''I am not going to die because my hormones couldn't wait half an hour for us to get somewhere safe. Do you have a tent? Because I can't see it being very safe for us to try and get a room somewhere.''
''We'll be alright tonight. We can check into a Muggle hotel in London, get a tent tomorrow and go from there.'' Draco waved his wand at the trunks, and two little boxes were bobbing along behind the pair of them. ''We don't have the Trace on us, so they won't be able to find us that way.''
''The students are already leaving.'' Hermione said idly, noting the small figures scurrying across the wet grass.
Draco hugged her from behind, feeling the gentle curve of her hips against his hand. ''We should go. I've never stayed in a Muggle hotel before. I'm quite excited.''
Hermione turned around and hugged him, and then saw the charm hanging in the air flash brightly. ''Draco, he's coming, we need to go! Now!''
They cast Disillusionment Spells on themselves and ran down the stairs, following the exodus of students, clutching each other as they trotted across the slippery grass.
Blaise's eyes opened slowly to meet with cruel red slits.
''My Lord!'' He dropped his gaze straight away, unable to look at the mercilessness apparent in the simple gaze. ''I was the one that forced Draco Malfoy to call you. He is a blood traitor.''
''And you think the Dark Lord cares about such matters?'' A tall Deatheater stepped forward, his voice ringing clearly from behind his mask.
''Silence Avery.'' Voldemort waved a hand carelessly at him to hush the tall man. ''Why is Draco a blood-traitor?''
''He is in a relationship with the Mudblood Hermione Granger.'' Blaise told his lap, mumbling. Voldemort's bloodless lips smiled slightly.
''I doubt very much that they will still be in this castle. Even if they are, we let them escape and watch for them. Sooner or later, they will lead us to Potter and his pathetic Order.'' He turned to sweep out of the room, Nagini slithering after him.
''My Lord! What about me?'' Blaise called, suddenly aware of his position. ''Can I come with you?''
Voldemort turned around, and then looked at Bellatrix Lestrange. ''Bring him. He may be useful.''
Blaise scrambled to his feet and joined the procession tailing after the evil man. He felt his wand in his pocket, looked at the men and women surrounding him and smiled. Now he truly had the upper hand.
Hermione pushed open the door to the hotel room and stepped inside. Draco followed her, looking around curiously. ''I've never seen half of these things.''
''You see, now this is where you missed out. I suppose you'll never have watched television.''
''What's that?''
''It would take a while to explain. And it would be pointless to explain, because we aren't going to be able to watch it. I need to put up protection spells and they'll probably stop it working.''
''Oh.'' Draco wandered off and began poking around the room, while Hermione began murmuring and brushing her wand through the air. Eventually she was finished and turned to Draco, who was lounging on one of the beds, looking at her through appraising eyes.
''Am I meeting with your approval?''
''As always.'' Draco rolled to one side so that she could be next to him. ''So what do we do now?''
''We make our own entertainment.'' Hermione winked at him and laughed as he tipped her backwards against the pillows. Draco brushed her hair back off her face and gently kissed her hairline, letting his lips caress the sensitive skin of her scalp. Hermione ran her hands down his back and then opened her eyes in shock as Draco grabbed her hands, stopping their progress. He grinned at her and pinned her hands above her head, stretching her body out against his. Unable to move very much, Hermione simply surrendered to the sensations : the soft pillows underneath her head, Draco's soft hair, his soft skin, the scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body laid out next to hers. Tipping her head back, she smiled to herself, and let Draco control her. For now, at least.
AN: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for leaving it so long for updating – been rather swamped for the past week. Anyway, slightly longer chapter than usual for you. Didn't go at all the way I thought it would have gone – I had been intending for them to have a big showdown at Hogwarts, but I didn't think that would work so it went a different way. Anyhoo, wonderful reviewers for last chapter were: Cal8907, Xblackdragonx, Fnicks-Gurlz, pApAw, Emerald27, Miss Audrey, writerchick13, dracoshott28,
x-.Hollie.-x, breezie, alygdgrl, bubbes, HarryPGinnyW4eva, The Accountant's Daughter, ILOVERWHPDM, iluv2dance, year1989rocks, Dracogirl4evr, Sacred Wishes, Dracrashed, CalisOwnCaliGrown, and Crystal Slara. Thank you so much guys, this story now has 256 reviews, and over 23 000 hits! I promise to update as soon as possible (as soon as course essay deadlines are met)! Much love…Petitesorciere xxx