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Soft sniffling awoke Draco. He blinked open his eyes sleepily and frowned. There it was again. Someone was crying. Normally, Draco would do all that was in his power to avoid teary women, but as of late, Draco found himself doing many things he normally wouldn't do. He sat up and hastily shoved his feet back into his shoes that rested at the foot of the large bed. Thorin had reluctantly granted him and Hermione spare rooms to rest in, but the rooms were cold, dusty, and empty, and lacked the welcome he thought a real bed would bring.
Sure enough, the crying was coming from Hermione's room, and he paused before stepping in. She was curled into a tight ball and clutched at her sheets, tears flowing down her cheeks. Draco sighed and poked her shoulder.
"Granger," He whispered. He seemed to be waking her a lot in the past few weeks. From nightmares. He knew what it was like, of course, because he too would find himself jolted awake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, with Voldemort's cruel eyes glaring menacingly at him. "Hermione."
He grasped her shoulder more firmly and gave her a rough little shake. She gasped and her wide brown eyes flew open, marked with sorrow. Draco frowned. Usually she would awake terrified, but this time, her eyes were filled with desperate longing and sadness, without a trace of fear.
"Nightmare?" He guessed, already knowing her answer.
"Yeah," She choked out.
"Wanna talk about it?" He secretly hoped she didn't. But hey, it seemed like the right thing to say.
"No."
Draco gave a little sigh of relief. Being of the male species, he would never pretend to understand the inner workings of a female's mind. They could get set off the slightest comment, and he absolutely abhorred tears. He supposed it worked the other way around as well, with females not understanding how a man's mind worked. He was saved when the two heard pounding footsteps running hurriedly towards Hermione's room.
Kili burst into her chambers out of breath, "The men of Laketown have arrived!"
Draco's eyebrows raised in surprise. What did Bard want?
Hermione gulped down the tears that had sprung into her eyes the second she saw Kili. Draco hovered hesitantly over her as she slipped her trainers on and shakily made her way over to Kili. Kili shot Draco a harsh glance and placed his hand almost possessively on the small of Hermione's back.
Ah…so that's what it was. Draco grimaced to himself, what did Kili think he was doing with Hermione in the dead of night in her bedroom? He held up his hands in surrender, She's all yours, he mouthed to Kili. Hermione tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, if she noticed their little exchange she made no mention of it as the three swept out of her room.
The torches lit by the men burned bright as they gathered at the front gates of Erebor. Thorin marched out angrily and confronted Bard who led the group of men. Draco squinted his eyes and his heart jolted when he made out the silhouettes of the slight elves. He tried but failed miserably to control his erratically beating heart.
Tauriel…could she be with those elves right now? He realized that he didn't even know where she was planning on going. She had deliberately disobeyed her king, was not welcome amongst the dwarves, and was an outsider to the men. The only place she could hope to go to was back to Mirkwood and plead for Thranduil's forgiveness. Draco wished she wouldn't. That arrogant king didn't deserve her.
Draco recognized Bard who strode up to the front of the crowd when the gates of Erebor swung open and Thorin stormed out angrily.
"What is the meaning of all this?" He growled.
"I have come to collect the treasure you promised us." Bard proclaimed.
"I have no interest in beggars." Thorin dismissed. He made to leave when Bard reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Thorin turned around angrily and wrenched his shoulder out of Bard's grasp.
"Do not forget that you promised the people of Esgaroth payment for our hospitality towards you and your company."
"I will not speak to you when you bring an army of men and a host of elves upon my door." Thorin stubbornly refused.
"It was I who killed Smaug the Terrible," Bard attempted to reason.
"And I did not ask you to." Thorin glowered.
"Laketown was razed to the ground. Will you not compensate us for the sorrow and distress caused by the dragon?" Bard questioned.
"I wonder if the dragon had killed my company, and you burst into Erebor like the thieves you are, if you would have aided my kin, and compensated for their losses?" Thorin fumed.
"But you are not dead." Bard pointed out. "And you remain the rightful heir to Erebor. My question is the same: will you provide us with the funds necessary to rebuild our town as well as the treasure you promised?"
"I will not speak of this when you have brought an army of men and elves onto my doorstep." Thorin declared and swept back into Erebor, closing the massive stone doors behind him.
Draco was in shock. He may have been mostly delirious while they were in Laketown, but he remembered Hermione specifically telling him that Thorin had indeed promised the people of the town a share of the treasure. And now, the great King Under the Mountain was going back on his own word.
He glanced over at Hermione who watched the scene with her lips pressed tightly into a thin line. There was a flurry of movement and the two turned to observe Kili storm back into Erebor towards his uncle.
"Thorin, what were you doing?" Kili glared.
His brother agreed with him, "Indeed, uncle, you did promise those poor people a share of our treasure."
"Be quiet." Thorin snapped. "I will not discuss their so called treasure when he has brought an army with him. As long as those men and elves remain, I will not negotiate any terms regarding the treasure."
"But-" Fili tried to reason.
"Enough. Do not speak of what you two do not understand." Thorin growled.
"Well, maybe you aren't always right," Draco drawled.
Thorin turned his fierce glare on Draco who, despite his superior height, shrunk back. However, Thorin's eyes were not the same cold steel grey eyes they used to be. Instead, his eyes glinted with a fire of madness, lust, and greed, for one jewel. A jewel that had a history in his own family of driving people insane, and Thorin was going the same way his grandfather and father went.
"Do not rest until you have found the Arkenstone." And with that he strode out of the room and back to his mountain of gold.
The men and elves stayed camped outside of Erebor for the next few days. While inside Erebor, every dwarf, man, and hobbit was searching far and wide for the Arkenstone. Draco found himself spending more and more time with Bilbo, seeing as Hermione spent most, if not all her time, with Kili.
Draco didn't blame her of course, he knew how it felt to be separated from one you loved. He felt that ache and longing to just see Tauriel one more time everyday he woke up to the time he fell asleep. And when he fell asleep, his dreams were filled with soothing elvish words and flaming red hair.
But because he was unable to even catch a glimpse of the beautiful elf, Draco found himself sifting through the gold next to Bilbo. Bilbo was a quiet soul, Draco found himself constantly prompting Bilbo for conversation. Over the course of a couple of days, though, Bilbo began warming up to Draco and told him stories of what it was like to live in a cozy hole under a hill.
But on this particular day, Draco noticed that something about Bilbo was off. He kept glancing around cautiously as if someone, most likely Thorin, would jump out of the pile of gold and stab him.
"What's up?" Draco asked finally when Bilbo cast another furtive glance behind his shoulder.
Bilbo gave a little jump and stuttered, "N-Nothing."
"Liar," Draco told him immediately. "Tell me what's wrong. I swear to Merlin I won't tell Thorin."
"How did you-?" Bilbo stared up at him. "How did you know I didn't want Thorin finding out."
"Aha!" Draco crowed winningly. "There is something you're hiding. Go one then, spit it out."
"Well…the thing is…you know how we're supposed to be searching for the Arkenstone? Well…it's not in this pile. Or any other pile for that matter." Bilbo hesitantly told Draco.
"How do you know?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.
"Because it's in my pocket." Bilbo said simply and Draco's entire demeanor changed. He leaned forward slightly and squatted down.
"You have it?" He breathed.
"Yes," Bilbo reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewel bigger than his hands.
"Sweet Merlin, " Draco's eyes widened as he appraised the Arkenstone. It's many facts shone with their own small lights. The jewel twinkled and cast lights that danced and reflected on the piles of gold.
"I just have this feeling not to give it to Thorin quite yet. I don't think he's quite…in the right head now." Bilbo admitted.
"I agree." Draco nodded thoughtfully. "We need to give it to someone who can use it as a bargaining chip to snap Thorin out of his gold sickness."
"Bard!" Bilbo suggested brightly.
"Yes," Draco hissed. "And he can use it as a bargaining chip to get Thorin to share the treasure. Brilliant!"
"Where in Aule's name did you learn cunning like that?" Bilbo wondered.
"I was raised to manipulate and control like so." Draco answered briskly. "It's almost like a rite of passage in my family. Manipulate someone and welcome into the Malfoy family."
"Oh," Bilbo looked down, not quite sure how to respond.
"Anyways, you'll need help getting the stone to Bard." Draco continued.
"Er-yes. I was thinking about that…I could use my magic ring and sneak past the guards…" He pulled out the little gold ring from his pocket.
Draco had noticed how Hermione showed a special aversion towards the ring. He bent down closer to examine it, and a small voice began to whisper in his head. Promises of riches and fame, but that didn't bother him, back on Earth he was a Malfoy, so naturally very rich, and fame only drew attention on you. Attention you didn't need. Promises of power, but this also had no effect on him, look where power got dear old Tom Riddle.
The little voice hissed frustratingly and chanted other treasures that it would bring to Draco. A home…I will give you peace. Draco's eyes widened as these words reached down into his soul tugged at his heart. Yes, he wanted a home. I can give you that and so much more! The voice whispered eagerly. Just take me and put me on! Draco reached out a pale hand, but before he could wrap his long fingers around the ring, which was now crowing triumphantly in his ear, a sharp smack on his head cleared his vision and the voice stuttered.
"Don't you dare, Malfoy," Hermione was standing in front of him and had her hand raised threateningly.
"Don't tell me what to do, Mudblood," He snarled and turned around, searching for the ring.
Hermione took a step back, "What?"
"You heard me," he sneered in a dark voice. "Give me the ring!"
"Why is it affecting you like this now?" Hermione wailed. "It didn't before."
"You never let me see it before! You've been keeping it to yourself! You're so selfish!" he roared, his conscience wondered in the back of his mind why he was so furious, he pushed it away and turned his thunderous look back towards Bilbo, who cowered behind Hermione, clutching the ring.
Come to me, it beckoned. He stepped forward, and suddenly found a wand pointed in between his eyes. "Don't call me that!" Hermione growled.
"What, Mudblood?" He spat.
"I am not selfish!" She insisted.
"You are, and you bloody well know it!" He accused. "Who was it that abandoned her friends at a time they needed her most, and escaped with her own hide?"
"I had no choice!" She screeched. "You! You told me to find a way to save us!"
"I thought that being a Gryffindor, you would come up with a bloody magnificent spell to blow Voldemort to bits! Never expected you to turn so Slytherin and run away!"
She recoiled as if he had slapped her. "Viverra Verto!" She screamed and once again the world gave a familiar spin and where a once angry Malfoy stood, only crouched a pale ferret.
The simple mind of the ferret allowed him to forget what he was arguing with Granger with. He stared up at her, but she turned away and quickly urged a shell-shocked Bilbo to put the ring away. She had her face steeled in a resolute expression, but the ferret noticed how she refused to look at or touch the little gold ring. He could smell the fear and distress that rolled off her in waves. After she made sure the ring was safely stowed away out of sight, she waved her wand and transfigured Draco back into a human.
Draco sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. His head spun, what just happened. All he could remember was waves of irrational fury and longing for…something. But the voice in his head had vanished and all that was left of his angry episode was a terrified Bilbo and a pained Hermione.
Struggling against his sore legs and pride, Draco pushed himself up and stared awkwardly down at the two. "Sorry," he mumbled.
Hermione only glared at him before stowing her wand away.
"Right-er-Bilbo, back to getting the Arkenstone to Bard," He diverted the attention to the only solid memory he had of his previous conversation.
"We can cast a Disillusionment Charm on him, and one of us can offer to take watch tonight to help him escape, while the other goes with him to ensure his safety." Hermione answered for Bilbo briskly.
"Got it," Draco nodded, "I can do that."
"See to it that you don't get…distracted again," Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"I won't, I won't!" He raised his hands in surrender. "I have no idea what happened there, honestly."
He was hoping that Hermione would give him some answers but apparently that was too much to hope for, before she pulled Bilbo away, leaving Draco standing confusedly amidst the pile of gold.
That night, Draco sat leaning against the cold walls of Erebor, staring up at the clear night sky. The stars twinkly merrily down at him, and he remembered that night he spent entirely talking to Tauriel. How he wished he had a chance to speak with her now, for she might help him make sense of his intellectual thicket, and guide him on the right path.
Besides Tauriel, he wished that Gandalf were there. Although he felt a little awkward around the great wizard, he had tried to kill him, he was one of Draco's last connections to Earth.
A soft pit pattering of steps echoed behind him and he turned to find Bilbo standing there nervously with Hermione behind him. Draco muttered the spell and tapped his wand on Bilbo's head and watched as he shivered and disappeared from sight.
"Right, now, you know the plan. Go in, and get to Bard immediately. Make sure you are clearly under a flag of truce and make sure Bard knows your true intentions before letting him know that you have the Arkenstone." Hermione warned them as she took her spot as guard.
"We know, Granger," Draco muttered, and waved the wand over his head. He shivered when the unpleasant feeling of an egg trickled down his neck and glanced down to see his hands blending into the landscape. "Let's go then, Bilbo."
The two crept as quietly as possible down the rock face and landed safely on the ground. They ran towards the encampment of men, and Draco paused, throwing out an arm to stop Bilbo. Bilbo ran straight into his arm and bounced back, but Draco had already caught him and quickly performed the counter-charm. Bilbo flickered back into sight and Draco charmed himself so he Bilbo could also see him.
Silently, Draco nodded towards the guards and the two approached him carefully.
"Who goes there?" The guard pointed his spear at the two.
"We come in peace," Draco threw his arms up. "We wish to speak with Bard."
"Very well, follow me," The guard regarded them suspiciously before turning and leading the two within the camp.
He pushed open a tent flap and gestured for the two to go in. Standing there was Bard who looked just the same as when Draco had left Laketown, albeit a couple scars and bruises.
"Go and summon King Thranduil," Bard nodded towards the guard before turning and facing Draco and Bilbo. "What do you want?"
"We are here to negotiate the terms of your aid to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield." Draco said formally.
"I was under the impression that Thorin did not want help." Bard narrowed his eyes.
"That is true, however an army of orcs march on Erebor at this moment, also seeking a share of the treasure." Bilbo continued. "A company of thirteen dwarves, two witches and wizards, and a hobbit are hardly any match for an army."
"I will not help Thorin if he refuses to give Esgaroth our rightful share of the treasure." Bard refused.
"There is something else," A voice said behind them. Draco spun around and his breath caught.
Standing there was Thranduil, looking regal and aristocratic, but he was not the reason Draco's eyes bugged out. Behind the Elven King of Mirkwood stood Tauriel. She met his eyes for a second before glancing away. Draco frowned, ok, so that maybe wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.
"The hobbit and this…man would not have come if they did not believe they stood a chance to gain our favors. Speak, and I might decide whether or not you are worthy of our aid."
"I need you to provide your armies, and strength to help us, the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves of Erebor, protect the mountain from the invasion of orcs and goblins."
"Thorin surely did not agree to that," Bard pointed out.
"No, er-we snuck out." Bilbo stuttered.
"If you are unable to get him to see reason, then we will not either."
"Not if you didn't have the proper leverage," Draco cut in.
"And what type of leverage do you speak of?" Thranduil asked, his curiosity showing.
"There is something Thorin would trade the entire wealth of Erebor for, something he searches for, even now with great fervor. The Arkenstone."
And with that, Bilbo produced the glittering gem from his pocket. The eyes of all in the tent widened in shock as they basked in the beauty of the stone. "The contract stated that I was to be given my pick of one fourteenth of the treasure. It never specified what I could or couldn't take. I found the Arkenstone, and now choose for it to be my share of the treasure."
"This changes things," Bard murmured.
"Indeed," Thranduil agreed. "A bargaining chip. A very intelligent move on your part, Master Hobbit."
"It was Draco's idea, really," Bilbo blushed.
"Was it?" Thranduil turned his inquisitive gaze on Draco. "You have not told me who or what you even are yet. It somehow escaped my knowledge that we were holding, two I hear, children hostage." He said nothing about Tauriel but she hung her head a little in shame. So she did not inform the king that he was holding two human wizards in his prison.
"My name is Draco Malfoy, and I am not from Middle Earth. To make a long story short, there was a war in my home-world and Hermione and I were forced to come to Middle Earth." Draco summed up.
"How did you cross a company of dwarves then?" Thranduil questioned.
"Pure chance, really, although we did know Du-Gandalf already. He was known by another name in our world." Draco explained.
"I would inquire more, but it seems as if the sun if going to rise in a few moments. If your little endeavor is to go unnoticed, then I suggest you return to the mountain with haste."
Thranduil nodded for Tauriel to escort the pair to the edge of the camp. She walked ahead of them, her red hair swinging lightly with each step. Draco scurried up to her and she glanced at him.
"Hi," he greeted.
She snorted, rather un-elflike, and continued to walk.
"Hey! Wait!" Draco called after her. "I just want to talk!"
"There is not much to talk about." She pointed out.
"I missed you," Draco whined childishly.
"I missed you too, Melamin," she murmured. "But there is a battle on the way, and as the newly reinstated Captain of the Guard I must guard the King's life with my own."
They had reached the border of the camp. "I'll find you in the battle!" Draco called to her. "Protect you and stuff."
"Have you not yet learned that I do not need protecting?" Her eyes glimmered with mirth. "Go now."
Draco bent forward and crashed his lips on hers. He closed his eyes and tried to memorize every aspect of her being. The kiss was all too short again as she lightly pushed him away. He sighed and turned around, gesturing to Bilbo who was standing to the side awkwardly to follow, and with one last glance, the two snuck back towards the Lonely Mountain.
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