Chapter Twenty-Two
Thick drapes hung heavily against the cold glass of the windows of Malfoy Manor, blocking out the sight of rain. However, the inside of the Manor was far from cosy. Candles were lit but far from filling rooms with light, they kept their glow firmly to themselves, spreading huge shadows across the tiled floors.
Unfortunately for Harry and Ron, the shadows didn't seem to make it any easier for them to evade the grasp of their captors. Laughs and jeers followed them as they were dragged through the house, their feet dragging helplessly. Their wands were obviously in someone else's hands, and their shouts made absolutely no difference. Harry's mind raced. How stupid could he have been? Stepping outside into unknown territory without any kind of cursory check. He cursed Malfoy under his breath, certain that this was all some elaborate ploy on his part.
The object of Harry's cursing had in fact just Apparated outside the gates of Malfoy Manor, clutching Hermione to him. He let her go and she immediately looked around in bemusement.
''Where are we?''
''My illustrious home.'' Draco gestured sarcastically at the house towering against the night sky. ''Voldemort was here all summer, and I'm guessing things won't have changed at all.''
Hermione pulled her wand out and looked at him, pale in the moonlight, rain spattering off his forehead. ''We should go in. Now.''
''Yeah…'' Draco leaned forward to catch her lips one last time. ''I don't know if I'll have the chance to do that in there, so that's to keep me going.''
Hermione laughed slightly, the choked sound escaping her locked throat. ''How can you think of that at a time like this?''
''If I don't, then I'll go mad.'' But Draco was already turning towards the gate, and then turning away. ''You know that they'll know we're coming if I open this gate?''
''How else are we going to get in?''
''No idea. Come on then.'' Draco pushed the gate open, grabbed her hand, and before Hermione could say anything, they were running as fast as they could for the entrance. Nothing attacked them, nothing hindered their progress at all, and Draco shook his head despairingly as they reached the front door.
''What's wrong?''
''It was too easy – that means they know we're coming and they have something fiendish prepared inside.''
''Or they're too busy torturing Ron and Harry to pay any attention to us!'' Hermione pushed against the door and it swung slowly open, revealing the dark interior of the house. She turned to Draco. ''Are you sure they're in here?''
''Trust me, this is actually very well lit for our house.'' Draco stepped into the house, and began making his way through the corridors. ''They'll probably be in the dining room.''
''I always forget that you've spent so much time around Deatheaters,'' Hermione whispered as she tiptoed through the house, trying not to make any floorboards creak.
''Hermione, that bloody snake is going to be around here somewhere, please be quiet.'' Draco's voice sounded strained, and Hermione immediately closed her mouth, hating herself for the fact that he was doing this for her.
They carried on their way, eventually seeing a crack of light seeping from underneath a closed door. They made their way to the door, their own breathing seeming unnaturally loud in their ears, their hearts pounding closely against their ribcages, their hands shaking slightly. They stood either side of the door, willing it not to open suddenly.
Complete silence filled the corridor, and Hermione held her breath, positive that their presence was glaringly obvious. But then a cold, high voice cut through the quiet.
''And once more, Potter stands, utterly defenceless before me.''
''You don't learn from your mistakes do you? Stop playing with your food Riddle!'' Harry's voice sounded remarkably defiant, and Hermione could have cursed him right there and then. Honestly, asking for his own death! She shot a glance at Draco, her eyes wide. ''Should we go in?'' she mouthed, hoping he could see her in the dim light.
He shook his head and continued listening.
''You ask for death Potter?''
''Did I stutter? You heard me.'' Hermione could have sworn that Harry was enjoying this. She shot another glance at Draco – there was only so much of Harry's behaviour that Voldemort would tolerate, and she personally had no desire to see Harry killed.
''Draco, please.'' She hissed desperately at him.
Draco looked at her, her tawny eyes staring anxiously at him. How was he meant to explain without words that if they burst in at the wrong moment they were going to be killed without any warning? Her eyes were growing more and more frantic, she obviously thought that he was going to stand out here and wait until Potter and Weasley were dead.
Draco took a deep breath in and moved forward before he could think about what he was going to do anymore. He shoved the door open and took a brief second to take in the scene. Harry and Ron were writhing against invisible bonds. They were surrounded by a circle of Deatheaters, with Voldemort standing in the centre his wand ready. Harry and Ron's wands were thrown carelessly on a table behind the circle, clearly forgotten. Without further ado, Draco gripped his wand slightly tighter and shouted ''Expelliarmus!''
Chaos reigned in the room for a short minute. Voldemort's wand had shot out of his hand and into the air. The crush of Deatheaters had all dashed forward to retrieve the wand and hand it to their master, meaning that it had been almost instantly lost. The spells holding Harry and Ron had ended as soon as their caster had been disarmed, so they were fortunately making the most of the moment and running for the door, snatching their wands as they went.
Draco had instantly grabbed Hermione's hand and was pulling her through the manor, leading her effortlessly through long passages that his feet remembered even though his eyes couldn't see. He ducked through secret doors, taking the routes that normally only the house elves did. Deatheater feet were already pounding through the house after them, trying to find them in the gloom.
''I hope they don't catch Potter and Weasley again,'' Draco panted back at Hermione. ''Otherwise this entire thing was utterly pointless! Here, get in there!'' He pushed her towards a door, her hair streaming past him as she ran, and for a brief moment, he caught the scent of her hair and warm skin. Slamming the door behind them, he immediately ran to the other side of the room and began moving furniture.
''So this is your room?''
''Got it one.'' Draco heaved a particularly large chest out of the way, clearing space so that he could move a book shelf.
''Any reason why you're trashing it?'' Hermione asked as she helped to pull the shelves away.
''Passage behind…don't think they know about it.'' Draco rapped the wall sharply, and a hidden door sprang open. It'll lead us to outside the manor boundaries and we can Apparate the hell out of here.''
''Harry and Ron? Draco, I can't leave them, what if they've been caught again?'' Hermione looked at him, clearly torn. ''I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you do this, I've dragged you in and you don't belong here…''
''Shut up.'' Draco's clear, silver eyes stared at her. ''You didn't make me come, I came because I love you and I don't want to see you unhappy. However, I also don't want to see you dead.'' Hermione tensed, preparing herself to have to fight not to go through the door. ''Which is why you are going to stay in this room while I go and get your friends.''
''But what if they get you?''
''Then you have my permission to leave the room.'' Draco grabbed the sides of her neck and pulled her close to him, closing his eyes as he kissed her forehead fiercely, wanting to put all of his feelings into that one caress. ''I am not going to risk losing you, or letting you get hurt!''
''And you think that I'm going to risk losing you, or letting you get hurt?'' Hermione held him right back, her eyes angry. ''I'm not a little girl, for Merlin's sake.''
''Hermione, please! How the hell do you think I'm meant to survive without you?''
''I'm saying exactly the same back. Stop wasting time, come on!'' Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. She put her hand on the door knob, just as it was flung open, sending her reeling backwards. She was immediately up again, her wand at the ready, knowing that Draco was behind her, doing exactly the same thing.
Harry and Ron stood in the door way, panting and dishevelled. Large bruises streaked both of them, but Hermione didn't lower her wand. ''What did your mother give me for Easter in fourth year?'' She pointed her wand at Ron.
''A really small egg?'' Ron looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed, praying that he'd got the answer right.
''And you. What did I tell Umbridge to get her out of the castle?''
''That we had a secret weapon hidden in the Forbidden Forest.'' Harry immediately stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind himself and Ron. ''We need to get out of here now. They'll find us in a minute.'' His eyes fell on the open door. ''Good way to get out of here now.''
Draco stepped to one side and gestured for him to go. ''Get running. As soon as the tunnel gets out into the open air, Apparate.'' With a single nod of gratitude, a grateful look at Hermione and a panicked glance at the entrance to Draco's room, Harry and Ron began sprinting.
Hermione grabbed Draco's hand. ''We need to get going.''
''Come on then.'' The pair of them set off through the corridors, feet flying as fast as possible, not wanting to risk slowing. Their hands were linked, pulling the other when they began to flag. After what seemed like forever, especially when they were listening out for the tread of strange feet, they finally felt the cold brush of night air on their faces. Draco held his face up to the moon momentarily and thought that he had never been so glad to feel the rain. Before he could truly take it in, Hermione was twisting on the spot, taking them away.
When they appeared wherever Hermione had chosen to take them, Draco stared at her, already running around in circles, setting up new protection charms. When she finally stopped and came up to him, hugging him, seeking his warmth, he held her as tightly as he could.
''Were you always that stubborn and I just didn't notice before?'' he murmured into her hair.
''Yep.'' She laughed into his chest, slightly exhilarated because of the adrenaline in her system. ''I've been hiding it before.''
''Cheeky minx.'' Draco kissed the top of her face and then tipped her head up so that he could kiss her soft mouth. His heart was still beating quickly but now he knew that it was due solely to the girl that he was holding to him. ''Are you always going to argue with me like that?''
''Only when you want to do something stupid like splitting us up.'' Hermione kissed him back. ''I was thinking…''
''Really? Because you never normally do that.'' Draco grinned at her.
''Shut it. We should go to the Order's meeting place. We need help now. And I want to check that Harry and Ron are ok.'' Hermione looked at Draco, slightly surprised when he nodded without any disagreement.
''You need to check they're ok. I can deal with that. Plus, I saved their lives, it'll be good to lord that over them.'' Draco smiled at her, sat down and held out a hand. Hermione sat in his lap, shielded in his arms. ''Where are we going?''
As Hermione kissed Draco, unable to resist any longer, Voldemort lifted his wand and released Severus Snape from the Cruciatus Curse. As Hermione smiled at her lover, Snape raised his head from the floor and looked into cruel eyes. And then both Hermione and Snape opened their mouths at exactly the same time and spoke exactly the same words : 'Number 12, Grimmauld Place.'
AN: Hey lovelies – yes, it's another cliff-hanger –I'm sorry! Just to let you know, the way I'm thinking, at the moment there will only be two more chapters, so enjoy them while you can lol. So anyway, I hope you liked this chapter enough to review, as my lovely reviewers for chapter 21 did. Thanks to: Bubbes, an angel from darkness, The Accountant's Daughter, Dracogirl4evr, riotgirllina, Fnicks-Gurlz, writerchick13, Xblackdragonx, Murgy31, breezie, Silent-Mousie, pApAw, dracoshott28, CalisOwnCaliGrown, Kai's Bloody Rain, Chrystal Slara, year1989rocks, Dracrashed and IloveCheeseyMoments. Lots of love…Petitesorciere xxx