Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, THEODORE NOTT, Voldemort, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Narcissa Malfoy… *cries* HOW DEPRESSING.
Ahem. Not mine, not yours. Only JK Rowling's
A/N: SO YAY! It's a Sunday here, and I think it's the earliest update I've ever made for this story. I wasn't really planning to update today, but I realized that on the Friday would be my seventeenth birthday (I'm so old!) Therefore, I planned to update today and on Friday as my birthday "gift" to all of you. See? That's how much I love you all!
Before anything else, again, I must warn you that this chapter is un-beta-ed. If you detect any grammatical errors, ignore them. *wink* *wink*
Anyway, without further ado, chapter thirty-eight!
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Finally
The day after Hermione apologized to Draco, the two announced the brunette's decision to their other best friend. Blaise, with a charming smile, nodded his head, grew even bolder than before and gave Hermione a hug. The brunette was surprised with his actions but returned his affections, nonetheless. It was only Blaise who saw how Draco darkly scowled at him, his mercurial eyes dangerously glinting in their dark room. And he, unable to help it, triumphantly smirked back at him.
Now, Voldemort had already cancelled two trainings for the Death Eaters, which was not really surprising, according to Draco. Knowing that a traitor (or possibly traitors) was probably part of the newly recruited Death Eaters, the Dark Lord had been wary now. But then, that coming Saturday, he decided to pursue the trainings for the newbies.
Hermione was delighted with the news, knowing that it was finally their chance to put their mission into action. Draco sternly reminded her that the wards of her parents' room were stronger than before; their complexity could almost drive a veteran Auror insane. And also, more Death Eaters were appointed to guard the supposedly hidden room.
But the brunette was one stubborn woman; that much they knew. Thus, the blond was not entirely surprised when she uttered a somehow snarling "Who cares?" and demanded for him to give her a full list of all the spells guarding her parents' room. Without much choice, Draco relented and gave her a full list written from memory.
And so, that had brought the three of them in the library, head bent over huge tomes of books varying in size, concentration clearly etched on their faces.
"This spell," Draco announced, momentarily looking up from his book to stare at Hermione, "saying it is quite simple but… I can't understand the wand movement."
"Give it here," Hermione said, holding out her hand.
"It's quite heavy…" His voice faltered when a shout of surprise escaped from her lips, the book Draco was previously clutching now a haphazard heap on the floor.
She gave him a scowl upon seeing his smirk. "Thank you for the reminder," she growled, bending down to retrieve the heavy book. "It's greatly appreciated. Really."
"It's my pleasure, nuisance," he said, inclining his head for mock politeness.
Hermione gave him a withering look before starting to peruse the book.
Blaise regarded both of his best friends with mild amusement. A chuckle escaped from his lips as he scribbled down information from the book he deemed important.
Draco, on the other hand, shot Hermione a quick, faint smile, before returning to his parchment and quickly scanning what he had jotted down.
These past few days had truly been exhausting for Draco. Their NEWTs had been nearing and the teachers had grown sadistic, giving off homework and practice tests like there was no tomorrow. Plus, there were their grueling researches and practices for their impending rescue of Hermione's parents. The brunette was equally sadistic, demanding all of their free time to help her. Draco and Blaise had whined about her bossiness at first but after threatening that she'd ditch them and go to the manor alone had shut them up and diligently returned to their researching.
A fond smile appeared on his face as he shot her a subtle glance. Her short hair was mused up impossibly due to the fact that she had been running her hand through it in frustration. Her disguised clothes, he observed, were crumpled messily. She was once again worrying her bottom lip, a manifestation of her unwavering concentration.
All in all, she looked ridiculous adorable to the blond now.
He remembered the day she apologized in the Quidditch Pitch; the day when she suddenly kissed him on his cheek. The next time they saw each other was excruciatingly awkward for him. Hermione acted as if it never happened, which made him slightly annoyed. The only reaction he gauged from her was from, thank Merlin, Pansy Parkinson.
The said Slytherin came into the scene during dinner that day, asking Draco for help for her Potions homework. He did help her and as for her thanks, since she finally understood the lesson, gave him a casual peck on his cheek.
Draco was so used to Pansy's sudden affection. After all, she used to like him. But what surprised him was Hermione. For some strange reason, his eyes strayed on Hermione at the same time Pansy kissed him. Her cheeks colored darkly and when Pansy bounded off to Merlin-knows-where, Draco raised his eyebrow at her. Hermione quickly covered her mouth and coughed, averting her eyes away from him.
That memory never failed to make him smile. It somehow gave him hope that maybe… Maybe.
"OW!" Draco suddenly hissed in surprised and pain, getting a loud shushing noise from Madam Pince in the process. He shot the librarian a scowl before directing it to Blaise. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"I'm sorry, my book slipped," he said, bending down to retrieve his book strategically placed beside Draco's now sore foot. "It won't happen again." The Italian then shot him an innocent smile, which prompted him to roll his eyes.
In Draco's opinion, Blaise had grown preposterous and almost insufferablethese past few days. There were times when he would physically hurt him without really knowing the reason why. Oftentimes, he would just annoy the magic out of him, even daring to touch Hermione Granger, making sure that he could plainly see.
The blond knew about their unspoken rivalry over Hermione's affections ('Gah'). He had bet that men all over the world had some intuition like this when it came to their feelings. Thus, Draco somehow detected that his determination to win Hermione's heart had prompted Blaise to act as such.
Of course, Draco knew his feelings for the brunette was way stronger than Blaise. He'd loved her since freshmen year, goddamnit! The Italian, on the other hand, had just recently discovered his newfound affections for Hermione.
He had this inkling feeling that if she were to choose, hypothetically of course, she would choose him.
'Oh, who are you bloody kidding, you idiot?' a voice inside the Malfoy heir snarled at him. 'You're nothing but insufferable to her. And Blaise… he's a sodding Prince Charming, for Merlin's sake!'
He gave Blaise a not-so-subtle glare, which the Italian had caught, since he shot back an equally vicious one.
"It's almost curfew," she said, cutting off their glaring contest. Hermione had started gathering the book on the table and with a wave of her wand, they all returned back to their proper places. "I think it's best if we go now."
The two blokes simultaneously nodded and followed her out of the library.
Before they completely walked out of the room, Draco inconspicuously slapped the back of Blaise's head.
"You deserve it, Zabini," he growled when Blaise glowered at him, before bounding off towards the brunette who had halted in her steps, watching the two with confusion in her eyes.
"Bloody Malfoy," Blaise muttered under his breath before resuming his walk, taking the vacant side beside Hermione.
As they continued to journey, the two thought with amused smiles on their faces, that their late best friend would be so proud of them, now acting like immature brats, fighting over one girl.
The sun was already setting once the trio walked out of the castle. The sky was painted with a gorgeous orange hue and the moon, a crescent one today, ascended up into the sky, taking the place of the sun.
The weather for today was absolutely fair, which wasn't really surprising, seeing that summer was fast approaching. The breeze was not entirely cool, but not so hot either, as they played with the trees, whose leaves were dancing vigorously on their branches.
Cicadas and crickets could already be heard from their place. Some birds fluttered back to their nests, readying for their sleep. There was a faint splashing noise coming from the Black Lake as the Giant Squid glided, doing various strokes of his choice.
Draco, Hermione, and Blaise ignored the somehow pleasant night, tension and anxiety settling in their hearts. They seemed too horrified to speak; their mouths long dry as night drew closer.
Today was a Saturday, and students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry normally rejoiced. Saturdays were always a treat, a break from backbreaking and mind-boggling classes.
But not for the three of them. Heck, not for almost half of the Slytherin population.
It was a well-known fact in the whole common room that Saturdays meant training days. And training days equate punishment and horror.
But tonight, the tension among the three friends was especially thicker. If one was to cut it with a knife, it would not be impossible.
Hermione's hands constantly clenched and unclenched, her normally beating heart now racing as if she just had a marathon. Draco's mercurial eyes, already softened by time and age (and the fact that he was constantly close to Hermione Granger now), were abnormally dark and sharp that night. Even ever calm Blaise had his jaw tightened, his breathing coming into erratic gasps he wished to suppress.
Just so they could get away from the unusually stuffy common room, they agreed to visit Teddy's grave. It was located near Hermione's fake one and to say that Hermione was not nervous was like saying Dumbledore's senile (although, there were times when he acted as one, but that was beside the point).
It had been the first time she would visit her carefree best friend's grave ever since his death. Hermione had started to revert back to her old self, the survivor's guilt she had been feeling now mellowed into simple longing for his presence. But still, she did not have the heart to visit his grave, afraid that she would breakdown right there and then and start feeling extremely guilty all over again.
She was actually thankful for Draco and Blaise's presence. The two, although being lately annoying now (with their constant petty bickering and fights), actually made her sane. But then, she was a tad wary, thinking that if she did breakdown, they would witness it. And she did not want that.
"We're almost there," Blaise announced, not entirely sure why he was saying it, seeing that they'd visited this place countless times (although with entirely different reasons). He guessed it was probably for the sake of saying something, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the silence that hovered over their heads.
Hermione's breath hitched once spotting her grave, seeing the new tombstone a few meters beside hers. Her hands unknowingly started to shake and she clenched them tightly just to stop her tremors.
"You okay?" the Italian asked, worried eyes glued intently on her. "You're pale."
She cracked a small smile and shook her head. "I'm just being ridiculous," she assured. "I'm fine."
At the corner of her eyes, she could see the frown which Draco had directed on her closed fists. She opened her hands and tried to make them more relaxed.
Finally, they arrived. Hermione's eyes had gone wide as saucers, a huge lump forming in her throat. She looked away from the new grave placed beside the fake one, unable to contain her emotions anymore. Just then, she felt a hand enclosing with her own and she looked up, surprised to see that Draco was looking at her worriedly, his thumb now drawing circles on her palm.
Tears that she tried to desperately stop stubbornly leaked out from her eyes, landing on her quivering chin.
"I-I'm sorry," she said with quiver, haphazardly wiping her face with her free hand. "O-oh Merlin, I-I'm being ridiculous again."
"It's okay to cry," Blaise announced forlornly, offering her his handkerchief. She gratefully accepted it and he relished on the small smile she directed at him. The Italian also pointedly ignored the fact that Draco was holding her hand and crushed the building jealousy in his system.
They stayed silent for a while, all thoughts reminiscing the times when one-fourth of their group was still present. It was Hermione, now slightly calmed, who broke the silence.
"It's been what, two weeks now?" she asked, daintily sniffing. "It seems like yesterday."
"Yeah," Draco echoed, eyes trained intently on the epitaph on top of Teddy's grave.
The sun had finally ended its setting, now hidden away, waiting for the arrival of the morning.
"I think we should better go now," Blaise offered, looking at his best mates. "You know, prepare and all."
Hermione firmly nodded her head and subtly disentangled her fingers from the blond's. She did not catch the dissatisfied frown that appeared on his face for she brandished her wand and concentrated in producing a sunflower.
If the brunette were to liken Teddy to a flower, the sunflower would always come first into her mind. It was such a… happy flower and Teddy was particularly the most cheerful person she had ever met. Just knowing that she would not be able to see him anymore had made a permanent hole in her heart to form.
She knelt down in front of his grave, reaching out a hand and gently brushing her fingers over his name. "I hope you're happy wherever you are, Teddy," she softly whispered, allowing more tears to trail down from her face. "I hope they're satisfying your sweet tooth." She released a wet chuckle and sniffled, brushing her tears with her free hand.
Hermione stared at the sunflower in her hands and gingerly kissed it. Once her lips were mere meters from the petals, she whispered, "I miss you, Teddy." She then placed the flower on top of his grave, a wistfully smile forming on her face.
She stood up, eyes still intently trained on his tombstone, and then took a deep breath. "We'll accomplish our mission today," she said softly, although with unadulterated conviction. "For you, Teddy."
To her surprise, both Draco and Blaise simultaneously muttered a soft, "For you."
She looked up at them and smiled, eyes still glossy from her tears. "Let's get ready now, shall we?"
"Are you all set, my dearest spies?" Dumbledore asked, regarding his best students with a serene smile on his face. Although, the three couldn't help but notice that the usual twinkle in his eyes was absent.
"Yes, sir," Hermione meekly answered whilst the other two slightly nodded their head.
The Headmaster sighed and stood up, walking upfront until he was standing a few feet away from his students. "What you are to do now is something very, very noble," he said. "And please, Mister Malfoy, do not sneer at me for I am stating the truth."
Draco, with a quick apology, forced the sneer away and instead looked back at him with indifference.
"Now, it is as noble as much as it is dangerous," he continued, clasping his hands at his back. The smile was long gone now; instead, a very grave look appeared on his aged face. "I cannot guarantee for the safety of you three but allow your Headmaster to at least assure you that Mister Potter and I are doing our best to aid you, although in a different way from what you will be doing."
He took a step forward and looked from one student to the other. "This evening is a very crucial day for the Wizarding World," he stated. "Especially to the Order. The outcome of your mission will make or break the future of this world, not that I am putting too much pressure on the three of you."
"You just did," the blond darkly muttered under his breath, returning the glare that Hermione had thrown into his direction. Blaise was trying his best not to smile, pretending to wipe off something from his mouth.
"I've lost one student already because of this mission," he continued, growing solemn. Hermione thought of the previous hour when the three of them visited Teddy's grave and looked at her own feet, equally somber herself. "And I wish not to lose anyone of the three of you tonight. Ergo, be careful. Allow me to state it once again: be careful. You are treading on dangerous grounds and you do not know what will happen."
Dumbledore briefly checked his magical grandfather clock and sighed. "It is almost time," he declared. "I think it is best for you to return back to your dormitories and ready yourselves."
The three nodded and turned around. Dumbledore himself was about to return back to his seat when Hermione's voice had stopped him from his tracks.
"Professor!" she cried. The aged man whirled around and stared at his best student curiously. Even Draco and Blaise were looking at her with equal confusion.
And then, to the utter surprise of the three, Hermione Granger launched herself into Albus Dumbledore and gave him a hug.
Draco's jaw dropped and Blaise's eyes widened whilst a pleasant chuckle escaped from the Headmaster.
"Oh, Miss Granger," he said, fondly patting her back.
"You've been of great help to me, sir," she said, pulling back to direct her glossy eyes to the gentle, blue orbs of the teacher. "I just want to say thank you now."
"Ah," he said, his eyes now twinkling with delight, "it is my job to help the most distressed of all. You do not have to thank me for doing something that I am to do. But nevertheless, you are most welcome, Miss Granger."
She sheepishly grinned, awkwardly pulling herself away from the old wizard. "We… must go, then," she said. "Goodnight, sir."
He nodded his head and smiled. "Goodnight."
"I don't see the reason why we have to dress like bloody girls," Draco growled, disguised into a beautiful blonde woman, his hair a darker shade than the original with a length that ended just above his rear end. His mercurial orbs changed into baby blue eyes, now narrowed at Hermione, pink in the cheeks as she stifled her giggles.
"It's part of the plan, Draco," Blaise pointed out, this time disguised into a brunette, hair bundled up and held into a loose bun. His usual onyx eyes were lightened into emerald eyes, eyes that rivaled Harry's, as they glinted in their room, a sickening smile present on his face. He couldn't be blamed for being ecstatic with his new disguise (although, a bit discomforted). Hey, he was still a growing guy with a bunch of testosterones in his system. He had just grown parts he sometimes fantasized to touch… ahem, not that he was being too perverted or something.
Merry laughter bubbled out of Hermione's lips, regarding the two with amusement in her eyes. She herself had removed her disguise as a boy, this time donning a white dress underneath a pink cardigan. Her soft curls were left undone, her fringes held by the butterfly hairclip away from her face. She was also sporting her bewitched glasses as an added precautionary measure.
As the three designed their plan for the night, Hermione previously suggested that they were to dress up as females so that they would not be too suspicious for the guards if they were to step into that corridor. Hence, Hermione had removed her disguise while Draco and Blaise drank Polyjuice Potion with the added hairs generously offered by Dumbledore. The disguised blokes were currently wearing feminine clothes (which further annoyed Draco) that would dissolve into their own, normal robes as soon as the effects of the Polyjuice Potion ended. Once they arrived back to her parent's room, they would all grab on to the sole of Hermione's left shoe, which was bewitched by Dumbledore to be a portkey.
"Oh Draco, it's not that bad," she said in between giggles. "In fact, both of you look… rockin'."
His jaw dropped in mortification, cheeks coloring with unadulterated embarrassment. "Hermione Granger, take that back!" Draco cried, shuffling his feet. "And goddamnit, can you bewitch these bloody heels to at least be comfortable?"
With a grin, she brandished her wand and muttered a spell. "There you go, Druella," she said, putting some emphasis on her given name to him.
He scowled and glared. "Nuisance," he growled, "you're making me sound like I'm some villain in a sodding fairytale." He sneered and rolled his eyes. "Bloody wench."
"What?" she cried, pointing her wand at him. "At least Blanche here cooperates without whining."
Blaise flashed him a triumphant grin, which prompted him to glare. "That's because Zabini's perverted," he spat. Hermione's cheeks turned into a vivid shade of red. "What do you expect?"
"Oh, gross, Draco," Hermione said, glaring at him
His eyes landed back at her and his scowl deepened. "You still find humor in this mission, huh, Granger? You know what? Your optimism is sickening."
Upon hearing his claim about their mission, all traces of jesting disappeared from Hermione's eyes. "Oh, right," she said, the redness in her cheeks instantly draining. Her eyes then hardened with determination and unconsciously surveyed the room she came to love one last time. "Have you memorized my map?"
"Granger, it's my house," Draco snapped sarcastically, although the usual menacing tone was lacking after seeing the look on her face.
"Right," she said, a bit distracted. She allowed her eyes to show fear first as she looked at the two most unlikely person she came to undoubtedly care.
And then, almost instantly, her Gryffindor bravery resurfaced, masking her true emotions. "Let's go."
There plan was plain and simple, actually. Hermione would go straight to her parents' hidden room and remove all the wards. While Draco and Blaise, disguised as gorgeous females, were to bound away and find as many Death Eaters as possible that they could find in the West Wing and quoting Hermione's words, "make them preoccupied".
"More like seduce them," Draco had growled under his breath as the three briskly jogged towards the West Wing. Thankfully, no Death Eaters had been in their away. Apparently, Voldemort had called this urgent meeting and Senior Death Eaters were absolutely needed. Draco, being part of that group, was of course needed. But the blond reassured Hermione that it would somehow take them a while to notice his absence and heighten their suspicions. And besides, this day would be probably the last time he'd be a Death Eater and he'd be damned if he didn't do anything with all of his might to strip him off from this loathsome job forced upon him.
"Stop!" Hermione suddenly hissed, blocking the path of the two disguised blokes. She directed them to press themselves against the wall as she poked her face towards the corner, distinctive snorts and voices of Death Eater guards heard from their place.
She looked back at her best friends, trepidation in her eyes.
"Don't be ridiculous, Hermione," Blaise offered, alerted by the voices. "We'll be fine."
"Be careful," she whispered back, looking from Blaise to Draco. Her gaze lingered longer at the blond before looking away, peering from the shadows as she warily watched the two Death Eaters, which she recognized by merely their faces.
"It's time," she said, all traces of anxiety gone. Instead, determination shone brightly in her toffee-colored eyes.
Blaise and Draco nodded their head then straightened their robes. With mild amusement, she even watched as the blond stretched his arms and Blaise popped his knuckles.
"You lot are not going to fight," she whispered. "You're merely seducing men."
The Malfoy heir flashed a haughty smirk. "Ah, Granger," he said back, equally soft, "you never know."
"Who's there?" one the Death Eater barked, alerting the three.
"Go," she furiously whispered, making shooing motions with her hands.
Draco caught her arm. "Be careful," he emphasized the last word, and Hermione furiously nodded her head.
With one last glance, the two strode out of the shadows, an air of confidence hanging all over their body, as finally, they put their plan into action.
Hermione dashed from corridor to corridor, her footsteps muffled by a simple spell.
The brunette pushed the vestiges of fear and anxiety into the deepest and darkest recesses of her mind. There was no time to be all fidgety, she reckoned. She had a feeling that something huge would happen tonight (and she fervently wished what previously happened would not repeat anymore). She had to be alert and vigilant or else, everything would plummet down; their hard work and sleep deprivation, all going to the rubbish bin of hell.
"Constant vigilance," she muttered under breath, quoting her former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
She had passed the portraits of the Malfoy ancestry without any cursory glance, not even shooting Draco's immobile portrait a look like what she customarily did.
A gasp escaped from her lips upon seeing a Death Eater patrolling the specific corridor where her parents' room lay and she hid behind a wall, trying to muffle her heaving breath. She peeked, noting immediately that it was Macnair, and cursed her fate under her breath.
Wand at hand, she subtly pointed it at the oblivious man, before muttering a soft 'Stupefy'. She waited with bated breath, straining to hear if her spell had hit the target. She then released a huge gust of breath once hearing a loud thud, Macnair's fallen body, resounding all throughout the vacant corridor.
She emerged out of the wall and strode quickly towards the bookshelf hiding her parents' room.
And with a deep breath, she started to do her task.
'If your hand inched lower down my waist, Avery, I swear…' Draco bristled inside his seething mind, a Death Eater's arm, Avery's, casually wrapped around his waist, directing him incognito all over the West Wing.
He and Blaise introduced themselves as new female recruits once the two Death Eaters caught sight of them. They claimed that they were lost and the two, older men were eager (too eager, even) to direct them to their proper destination.
The blond had caught Blaise's eyes (who was blatantly flirting with another Death Eater, someone he distinctively remembered as named as 'Gibbon'… how he managed to do that without puking was beyond Draco's understanding) and sighed. The Italian was glaring at him and Draco, not really in the mood to retaliate, flashed the sweetest, biggest smile he could muster. Apparently, this did the charm and the next thing he knew, Avery was grabbing his butt.
His face contorted, scandalized and immensely disgusted at the same time, before none-too-gently slapping his arm away. The older Death Eater looked up at him in surprise, but he merely smiled back that same charming smile.
He could not believe such smiles like the one he did could make a man do crazy things. It was downright idiotic, if you ask him.
'Really now?' the same annoying voice, the one that had been particularly enjoying his immense discomfort, sneered. 'Need I remind you that you do exactly the same thing when the nuisance smiles?'
Ah, Granger. Draco'd been awfully thinking about her lately. And knowing that he was thinking about her in one of the most dangerous times that could cost him his life was unnerving.
Avery started bragging about his works and achievements bestowed to him by the Dark Lord himself. Draco half-heartedly listened, mind still strayed on the brunette.
'How is she?' he asked himself, familiar worry swirling at the pit of his stomach.
He released a barely audible sigh, unknowingly biting his bottom lip. He wished she was well and was executing her plan smoothly. He deftly looked at his watch and pointedly noticed both he and Blaise had three-quarters of an hour left to disguise. After the effects of the Polyjuice Potion wore off, they'd be bounding as fast as they could towards her parents' room and apparating out of this blasted establishment he once called home.
Draco then noticed that Avery had stopped talking, now looking expectantly at him. His brow burrowed and answered the first thing that came into his mind, "Yes."
Apparently, it was the right answer for Avery looked absolutely pleased and resumed talking.
The blond sighed yet again.
"This is gonna be a bloody long night," he said, his voice feminine because of his disguise.
"Excuse me?" Avery asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Draco smiled. "Nothing," he smoothly lied. "Now, if I remember correctly you said you were in the Department of Mysteries and battling with Harry Potter…?"
Sweat trickled down from her temple as she finally removed the last ward guarding her parents' room, gasping for oxygen.
Draco was right, the wards were quite too strong for her to handle, even expert Aurors might be having a hard time now.
But she finally did it, albeit taking a bloody long time. She quickly looked at her muggle watch, noting that she had twenty minutes left, before bursting inside the door and magicking the bookshelf to once again hide the now unguarded door.
The familiar setting greeted her arrival and she forced down the emotions that threatened to spill. She couldn't afford to be all sobby and weepy now. She should have a clear, attentive mind in order for her, her parents', and her friends to safely apparate away from this place.
Hermione flinched, sidestepping the place where Teddy had dropped dead after being hit by the Killing Curse. The memory of that night grew vivid because she was once again in the place of the crime; bottling up her raging emotions seemed harder now.
'Any minute now,' she assured herself.
Wand hand raised, she waved her magical stick and muttered a soft 'Finite Incantatem' just to make sure that no wards were guarding her parents. She muttered a series of spells in Latin and almost jumped in surprise when she heard a hissing sound after saying the tenth spell. Huge black wisps of an unknown substance rose from her parents' unconscious forms before disappearing all at the same time.
She took a deep breath, thankful for her precautions. She detected the black wisps were remnants of an extremely dark curse and she did not want to dwell in what would probable happen to her if she were to touch her parents. Apparently, her not-so-welcome barging in a fortnight ago had wavered Voldemort's confidence. Not that she blamed him, of course.
After ten more minutes of muttering spells she could think of, she finally concluded that they were now unguarded.
A wistful smile flittered on her face as she took exactly three steps, standing at the middle of her parents' bed. She reached for both of their hands with her own and squeezed them. Tight.
She shot a determined look at the sole of her left shoe, promising this time that all would go according to their plan.
And then, she waited.
Draco thickly swallowed, alarmed. He could feel his pretend long hair shrinking in size, also observing warily that they were reverting back to their normal color. Thankfully, Avery was still rambling on and on about his nonexistent achievements to notice the distinct changes of his companion.
The blond looked at his magical watch, noting that they had barely a minute left, and started to feel a little panicky. It was a very uncharacteristic feeling for a Malfoy but for now, he did not give a bloody damn. Lives were at stake here, especially of one of the most important persons in his life, and he could not allow some silly beliefs stop him from feeling what he truly felt.
His eyes then sought for Blaise and noticed that his previously-emerald-now-turned-black eyes were staring back at him, too. Trepidation flashed in his eyes, oblivious to the fact that the hair tie that was once holding his pretend hair was now lying down on the floor.
"Avery," he quipped in, stepping away from his grasp. "I'm afraid I have to go and visit the captives now."
The bloody bastard had the nerve to pout. "Can't I come with you?" he asked. "Can't we come with you? I'm sure Gibbon there would love to go."
A sharp "No!" escaped from Draco's lips and his eyes widened. His voice lost their feminine tone and was slowly reverting back to his usual, deep one.
Avery, surprised, looked at him in unsuppressed astonishment. "Are you quite all right, Druella?" he asked. Draco grimaced with his pretend name.
"Blai – a – anche!" Draco cried with a high-pitched voice, hoping it would sound womanly. All it did was hurt his ears. "We have to go. Now."
Draco could already feel the shifting and changes in his body, grimacing. He was not always a fan of Polyjuice Potion.
"A pleasure meeting you, Avery," he quickly snapped, Blaise soon jogging his side, pointedly noticing that his high-heeled shoes had changed into one of his branded shoes. "Quick," he muttered in alarm at Blaise on his side.
Just then, he was jerked back, when Avery tightly gripped his arm and held on to it firmly. "What's the rush, sweetheart?" he asked. "We have more pleasant things to do and… AH!"
Draco skillfully pinned his arm behind his back, sneering over his form. The effects of the Polyjuice Potion had completely worn off now.
"What are you… Malfoy?" he barked, craning his neck to look over his shoulders. His eyes had gone as wide as saucers, his jaw dropping in sheer astonishment.
"The one and only, sweetheart," he spat in disgust, pointing his wand at his neck. "Stupefy!"
Avery grew unconscious and landed in an unceremonious heap on the ground.
"That was easy," Draco proclaimed, proudly smirking at Blaise. The Italian grinned back, showing his pearly white teeth. Just then, the smile froze on his face, his eyes widening as he looked over Draco's shoulders.
"What?" the blond asked, turning around. His eyes also widened and cursed himself under his breath. Apparently, both he and Blaise were too preoccupied with Avery they had quite forgotten about Gibbon. The said Death Eater was looking at both of them with wide eyes, wand hand poised mid-air.
And then, to their horror, red, booming sparks escaped from his wand.
"TRAITORS!" he screamed. Both Draco and Blaise flinched with the noise, distinctively hearing arriving, urgent footsteps.
With wide eyes, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his body, the blond looked at Blaise and exclaimed, "RUN!"
And run, they did.
Hermione jerked awake, bleary eyes opening. She scowled, realizing that she had dozed off because of extreme fatigue, and then looked at her watch. Their time was up; the effects of the Polyjuice Potion on both Draco and Blaise should have worn off now.
The Slytherin-once-Gryffindor stood up, all traces of fatigue gone, and waited for the arrival of her best mates with apprehension.
"Any minute now, Mom, Dad," she said reassuringly, squeezing their hands for added assurance.
Just then, the door banged open. With a cry of surprise, Hermione ducked down, barely missing a flying Killing Curse.
"What the…?" Her voice died down upon seeing both Draco and Blaise quickly scampering inside the room. Her eyes widened, noting that Draco was cradling an extremely broken arm, a black substance oozing out from it. The same black substance dripped out from his mouth. He looked like he would pass out soon.
Blaise, on the other hand, was the less unscathed one. The only visible wound was a huge gash on his left face, red blood leaking out form it.
She let go of her parents' and rushed towards Blaise's side, helping him as they steadied the blond.
"Crucio!" somebody hollered. Hermione, caught off guard, was fully hit by the curse and she released a scream. Bent over, she fell on her knees and writhed in pain. Million, scalding hot pins and needles pricked the every part of her body. She distinctively heard a spell hurtled by Blaise and soon, the curse had ended.
She was gasping for air, still reeling from the effects of the curse. Hermione immediately stood up and ran a hand through her face, her bewitched spectacles now broken on the floor, and faced the Death Eaters. She raised her wand, her hand terribly shaking, and eyed the dark wizards with wary eyes.
That was when all commotion had halted, all Death Eaters gaping at her with wide eyes.
"HERMIONE GRANGER?" a loud voice bellowed. Hermione gasped, recognizing Lucius Malfoy's silky, authoritative voice. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! AN OUTRAGE I TELL YOU!"
Hermione snapped out of her stupor and quickly limped towards Blaise. A spell she did not know had hit her squarely at the back of her neck and she stumbled, only to quickly rise up. She had no idea that her butterfly hairclip had completely escaped from her hair, her fringes now hanging loosely around the frame of her face. Blaise, noticing this, bent over and clutched the said hair accessory and hid it in his pocket.
"Where's your goddamn shoe, Granger?" Draco hollered amidst the chaos. Hermione glanced at her left leg and moaned. It was missing; no wonder she had been limping. She guessed it was knocked off from her foot when she was hit by the Cruciatus Curse.
"It's gone," she cried, blindly deflecting a black light hurtling towards her form. It had hit the wall above her head, and it started crumbling down.
"GRANGER!" the blond cried, and threw himself on top of her, shielding her from the falling stones.
Hermione screamed in horror, Draco's now unconscious form toppled on the side.
"Draco! Draco!" she exclaimed, tears already running from her eyes.
"Hermione, there's no time!" Blaise exclaimed, waving his wand and putting a temporary magical barrier at the door. The Death Eaters were banging their fists and firing continuous spells, but the barrier would not disappear.
She fell down on all fours, groping for her shoe. Thankfully, Blaise's barrier had momentarily stopped the chaos inside the room. Hermione guessed that the Italian had driven them all out from the room before he put up the magical barrier.
A stray stone fell down from the ceiling and hit her squarely on her head. The impact had made her nauseous, but she willed herself to wake up. If she succumbed to darkness, they could all die.
Finally, she found her missing shoe squashed in between the floor and a huge slab of stone. She pushed the rock away from her shoe, which she gingerly cradled in her hand, careful not to touch the sole.
A resounding 'bang' rang all throughout the room. Hermione covered her head to shield herself from more flying debris. Hastily, she crawled towards the unconscious blond. Her parents were a few meters away from her, already sprawled on the floor, their bed now a sad display of splinters. [1] She raised her wand and 'accio-ed' her mother. Blaise, now frantic, did the same to Hermione's father, and immediately scrambled to her side.
"Quick!" she cried, Death Eaters now firing the Killing Curse everywhere. Blaise half-limped, half-jogged to her side and collapsed on the ground. He grabbed Draco's hand and Mr. Granger's hand.
"NOW!" Hermione screamed, and all together, they touched the portkey and were soon gone.
The last thing she heard before disappearing was a terrifying howl emitted from the room.
They had arrived back, she could tell. Hermione could vaguely feel the humming of magic of the Hogwarts castle.
Cautiously, Hermione opened her eyes, aware of the dull throbbing of her head. Her hand immediately shot up to her scalp and flinched. Blood was slowly pouring from her wound on top of her head, down to her forehead. She released a soft moan and gagged. Her whole body was also still aching from the Cruciatus Curse and it took her a great effort to sit up.
With squinted eyes, she looked around, only for her toffee-colored eyes to widen. Her parents! Her eyes hastily roamed all over the ground below her, wishing that they would soon adjust in the dark. A groan was soon emitted from her left and her eyes shot up, eyes landing on the source of the noise.
Blaise, with all of his black-haired, onyx-eyed glory, sat up and glanced at Hermione's direction. A look of confusion appeared on his eyes, then realization, before morphing into pure worry. "Oh Merlin, Hermione, are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded vigorously, relief coursing through her system. "You're alive, Blaise," she said. And the Italian, unable to help it, cracked a small smile.
That was when she noticed pale hands gleaming in the dark, their skins almost transparent because of extreme paleness. As she looked down, hands led her into arms, then into bodies and a soft sob of relief escaped from her lips. "My parents," she announced, sounding almost breathless. "We did it."
"Yes, yes," Blaise said, standing up and enveloping Hermione into a hug. "Job well done."
She cried, relief and happiness mingling in her soft wails, before halting with a gasp. "Draco!" she exclaimed and stood up. Her sudden action had caused her to sway, her head still reeling from the battle, the Cruciatus Curse, and the abrupt transporting of the portkey.
"Easy there," Blaise said, holding her arms, but she broke free.
"Draco," she murmured, surveying the ground. She spotted him a few feet away from where she was, still unconscious. Hermione scrambled towards him and fell into her knees, her hands covering her mouth as she released guttural sobs.
Draco looked pale, deathly pale, and she noted that he was barely breathing. She placed a trembling hand on his chest, just where his heart was, and cried in relief upon feeling a faint heartbeat.
"Oh Merlin," she cried, holding his ice cold cheeks in between her hands, brushing off the dark substance dripping from his mouth.
"I'll call for somebody's help," Blaise offered, face twisted with a myriad of emotions. He trembled in the night, afraid that he would lose another best friend, before dashing back into the castle.
It had taken him merely ten minutes to seek for help. He immediately ran back to the area of their apparition, just a few meters inside the magical barrier, Snape, McGonagall, and the Heads, Parvati and Ernie in tow.
As soon as they arrived, the Transfiguration teacher released a soft gasp, a wrinkled hand covering her lips. "Great Godric," she cried. "What happened here?"
Hermione, hearing the sudden noise, looked up and directed her tearstained face towards the newcomers. She pointedly ignored how Parvati and Ernie's face grew pale with shock, peering at Hermione as if they had seen a ghost (which would be technically true, seeing that they thought she was dead).
"Miss Granger!" Snape was the most astonished of all and when she directed her bleary eyes at her Potions Master, his surprise grew tenfold.
And then, for Hermione, everything turned black.
[1] I'm not sure if you can "Accio" a person. XD But for the sake of this story, just think that they can.
Review Responses:
silverwolf1492: My mom tells me that I'll go blind, too, if I continue reading fics in front of the computer for the whole day! XD But how can I when there are so many stories that are so damn good in the site? Haha, anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Sweet. Night. Lock: Haha, love your check list! And boss chapter, huh? I loved that, too… HECK YEAH =)) And if you are curious as to what brand of tissue I use, then I use Kleenex XD Anyway, thanks for your review!
Nocturnal Rose: Your review was short, but I loved it nonetheless. Thank you for your review!
Someonewholovesthisstory: YAY, another awesomely long review from you XD Aww, I know right? It's good that they're somehow coping, despite Teddy's death. And THANK YOU! If I were in Hermione's shoes, I think I'd act the same. I mean, imagine if I were to lose the guy I just realized I fancied T_T And I loved Draco's furious moments, too! That is why he's WAY suitable for Hermione, as opposed to that Weasley guy :| Goofy Draco is always so adorable for me. It makes me love him more and more =)) And I think they're taking it slow. Hermione just realized she fancied him; Draco's still struggling to show his love for her, seeing that he was raised up in a house where love is somehow taboo. So yup, I think it would be a little weird if they suddenly start snogging the daylights off of each other, eh? I really needed that good luck. I hope I'll be doing well! Is it wrong for me to be so smug over the English part of the tests, knowing I'd pass it with flying colors? XD Anyway, thanks for your review!
supbrawh: Thank you! I try my best to make each chapter very much appealing to my readers, regardless of their simplicity. Aww, and thank you. I'm going to be a college student soon, and I'm not really going to take a course that's related to writing or literature. I guess I'll make writing as a side-line for me, if you get what I mean? XD Anyway, thanks for your review!
ImaLogInNextTime: Insane, you say! Wait for the future chapters, then XD Aww, I loved the end part of the previous chapter, too! Anyway, thank you for reviewing. And if you were to log in next time, like what you've promised XD, I hope you'll tell me that it was you who reviewed this so that I can properly thank you!
A/N: And done! How was it? MY FRIKIN' GOD, this was the chapter I was most excited to post in FFnet. Did I make it awesome or what? *bites fingernails*
So, again, I'll be posting the new chapter on Friday, my country time. Also, I must remind all of you that I'll be out for Spain next week and the week after that; hence, no more updates for you guys :( But as soon as I come back, I'll be updating, jetlag be damned :D
Anyway, that's it! Again, reviews are very much appreciated. I'm still slightly hoping for a thousand reviews by the end of the story *sheepishly laughs* But, it's still okay if I won't gather a thousand reviews and all.
Again, reviews!
With love,
WickedlyAwesomeMe