Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.
A/N: Thanks so much for the splendid reviews. In honor of the new movie with Draco finally playing a big role....here's another chapter for your enjoyment.
Stolen
Chapter 39: Fairy Tales
Draco had protested of course, but her resolve was unbreakable. Once Granger got an idea in her mind she was impossible to dissuade and so he resolved all the stronger to hatch his own secret plan which would spoil hers. For whatever confusion he had about his warped relationship with this muggle born girl, he had no delusions that he wanted to kill her. He may not know what he wanted and had not presumed to imagine a future, but, if he dared allowed himself to picture anything, that picture definitely contained a very live Hermione Granger. Himself he could not be so certain about, and so he shied away from those thoughts in general.
Yes, he too was not incapable of constructing intricate plans, as she should have remembered. His quick abandoning of argument on the subject did seem to make her highly suspicious, but it also seemed to upset her as if the dumb girl actually entertained the notion he may want her dead. Well, he figured, if she were stupid enough to think that he would not bother to correct her. Besides, that would only result in a long, awkward conversation about feelings which would serve only to make their task ahead more complicated and cause them large amounts of pain in the future.
No, it was best to accept Hermione's plans, he had learned, with as little protest as possible and so they traveled to the town of Hogsmeade through the forest, a trek which took them the entire day in her manner. Her genius methods included backtracking, making false trails, and short run ins with a nest of giant spiders, some centaurs who spoke rather cryptically, and a young giant who, to Draco's great amusement, called Hermione 'Hermy'. There was no need to worry about the Nundus, she assured him. They had done their task and whoever they belonged to would have long since removed such prize hunters. Two plants attempted to kill them in addition to this, but they were handled with considerable ease and in making it to town before nightfall they avoided the other more menacing company the forest had to offer. Draco knew himself to be poor company during the ordeal as he absolutely loathed the forest since first year and especially loathed spending an entire day in it, dirty, cold, hungry, and incredibly sore from sleeping on its ground.
From Hogsmeade he was shocked to find her plan actually included breaking into the candy shop there which allowed them to buy a poor excuse for supper "just in case". A dusty, cramped passageway winded its way into Hogwarts and once inside the walls Hermione performed a spell she insisted would call a member of Dumbledore's blasted Army. So, at the entrance to what Hermione said was 'the hump of the statue of the one eyed witch', they waited until Draco's eyes would barely hold themselves open. He sat upon the floor, his back against the cool stone, and wrapped an arm around Hermione in what he hoped was an absentminded fashion. She was anxious and cold and her shivering was making him anxious and cold. His arm seemed to do the trick and they found themselves nodding off until the wall behind them abruptly slid open making them fall, then gasp and leap to their feet in quick succession. A badly scarred face stared at them only a moment before pushing its way into the passage with them and grabbing Hermione in a tight hug.
She wept in a dozen different kinds of relief. "Neville!"
"Hermione! Oh Hermione it's a miracle. Ron and the others will be so…so happy. We've all been so terribly upset about your death, just devastated, and yet here you are!" His eyes welled too and a drop spilled down his face on one side, running the length of a nasty scar. Draco had barely recognized Longbottom. Apparently Nundu's wound did not heal very well, he reflected, while noting in the dim wand light some marks on his neck which looked very different.
"No. They can't know Neville. Not yet." Hermione was quick to tell him.
He shook his head in a taken aback fashion, but remained pleased. "Well, alright if you say so Hermione. You must have something all worked out. Say, sorry it took so long. Had to steal this from Harry and get permission from Snape to leave the common room." He produced the infamous invisibility cloak and a scrap of parchment.
"Think we'll both fit under this?" she asked, taking it from him.
"Both?" And then his light fell upon Draco who did not even bother to produce his wand at Neville's sudden, aggressive shift in stance. "Draco?" he inquired with a sharpness mixed with incredulity.
"Longbottom," Draco inclined his head politely. The other young man looked flabberghasted but Draco did not give him the satisfaction of a proper explanation choosing instead to first cover himself with the cloak first and then wrap himself around Hermione without her consent. Protest would have been futile. If the close contact before her friend embarrassed her she did not show it.
He followed Neville's quick pace easily, all but carrying her slight weight. He well knew where they were headed, where they would be safe. The castle halls were black and silent. They passed by quickly and without much notice. The way was so familiar even now it was followed without thinking. Once they made it to the Room of Requirement Draco removed the cloak with a flourish, steadied Hermione, and stepped an arm's length away. Together, their thoughts furnished a comfortable room with an agreeable fire, some tea, and an assortment of soft furniture in minutes. They settled in with an air of surprisingly normalcy.
"I'm surprised to see you both." Neville said with a contented sigh and a disfigured grin as he plopped on the settee next to Hermione. Draco took the armchair at her side and a cup of tea.
"We're happy to see you too Neville." She practically beamed.
"Elated," Draco added dryly though he knew it was unnecessary and would make then both cast frowns in his direction. How wished for two things: to not be ignored and some sort of normalcy. This brought him both and he fell silent for a time, satisfied to let them talk as he stared into the fire. He let them babble on for a while until he feared the conversation may put him to sleep and then was struck with the most brilliant of ideas. He would feign sleep. Certainly the idea he had drifted off would not be hard to buy, indeed it would be a challenge not to do so while pretending, and his company was about the most naïve he could hope for.
"So have you continued the D.A.?" Hermione inquired with her voice lowered. He smirked internally knowing his plan had worked.
"I'm afraid not. We've maintained about half our number but we've not met to practice. Not that we've needed further instruction."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll explain in a minute. Here, you should eat."
"Thanks, Neville." She bit into something that had crisp outside, something that smelled delicious. Naturally he would have nodded off before the food. "Now what do you mean you don't need further training?"
There was a pause. "There have been a lot of changes at Hogwarts since you went away. We're not just a pureblood school anymore. It's not just education in magical arts, its training. We're like a magical military academy."
"Elaborate."
"Well on the outside its all looks the similar doesn't it? That's the plan? Sure, we still have houses, but first years don't get a house."
"What?"
"Nor are they allowed to touch a wand. They aren't spoken to by any upper level students. Membership in a group must be earned, as must acknowledgement, and the privilege to wield something so powerful and potentially dangerous as a wand. Not a terrible idea in and of itself, but that's not all. First years must learn the Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Potions, Astronomy, History of Magic, Magical Theory, Muggle Studies (where you learn how muggles are as useless and bestial as they are a threat to our well-being) and Divination. They take flying lessons and must attend all quidditch games and dueling club practices. Those events are practically the battle of the gladiators, truly grizzly affairs.
"Second year students have earned a house and can be spoken to, but do not yet have a wand. They continue these courses, along with physical conditioning for the rigorous training of their later years, and either Arithmacy, Alchemy, or Ancient Runes. First and second years wear all white at all times and have no castle privileges."
"And their parents think-?"
"Believe they are being trained for their own protection first from Death Eaters and then from Muggles, those that can ignore the harsh conditions and truth of the matter. Those who can't keep their mouths shut and their families safe."
"And the students?"
"The people we are dealing with know how to keep people from talking. One is to brainwash, two is to divide, three is to insight fear, and four is to keep them so busy with grueling days they don't have the energy to rebel. This method has proved most effective to us who try to combat their efforts."
"The D.A.?"
"Yes. Like the order on the outside we spend most of our time trying to find out as much as we can about the enemy and therefore cannot do as much to openly oppose them as we would like. In our own small way we get to people, educate them, spread the word, the hope, the message they are not alone. This earns you more punishment than outright disobedience though as the Death Eaters know just how dangerous that is. We do what we can."
There was a moment which Draco was sure he was glad to have missed where he felt certain someone took someone else's hand and smiled encouragingly. Then, before he could feel nauseous, Neville continued speaking.
"Third years have houses and wands. They wear all black to distinguish themselves and are hazed and abused terribly. It's sort of an initiation. Fighting past third year with anyone is strictly forbidden. At that point groups become coltishly close and train almost constantly."
"How do you know this?"
"We all had to sort of begin as first years this year. Each level things get more secretive so I'm sorry I can't give you more evidence. The worst rumor I've heard is that once you allow yourself to make it to the top they conduct a final test as a final examination. I believe it is like the Spartan tradition."
Hermione gasped. Draco nearly opened his mouth to ask what but there was no need."They have to kill," she said, and he could tell her hand was still over her mouth in horror.
"But won't people notice if a bunch of muggles go missing?"
"That's part of the challenge. You can't be caught."
"Most members of the D.A. can't be cruel enough to rise above third year. I'm a fifth along with Cho Chang and Ginny."
"Really? What about Ron?"
"Fourth, at last."
"Harry's at the Order right?"
"No, Harry's here. Snape looks out for him. As of right now the Dark Lord likes to have him where he can keep an eye on him and we feel its best as he feels less threatened."
"But Harry's okay right? Neville?"
"Look Hermione, don't blame yourself alright?"
"Where's Harry?"
"Hermione, do you remember what the prophecy said? "Neither can live while the other survives." And what does that mean?"
"That in the end Potter or the Dark Lord has to die" Draco clarified.
"That's what we thought, but it seems it's not exactly what we expected. Harry was able, as a child, to endure some very traumatic things, attempted murder, abuse, neglect, another brush with dark magic, qudditich injuries. One might even say he was unnaturally strong in some ways, at least magically able to conjure a fully fledged patronus in his third year."
"Yes,"
"But fourth year, aside from his conspicuous courage and unbelievable luck, Harry stressed he was not exceptional. Especially after Voldemort's resurrection he did not seem to posses any particular power. The next year, Harry suffered academically, mentally, and emotionally. He was weakened, you could say. We thought this was due to Cedric's murder, but as Voldemort has gained more and more strength we've noticed a different sort of connection between the two.
"Fifth year he suffered fainting spells and was unable to learn occlumency. Certainly it is a difficult task but patronuses had come with considerable ease and he made no progress in this venture. After Voldemort's introduction into society, Harry' performance again suffered. He was unable to save Dumbledore or defend himself against Snape."
"As one grows stronger, the other grows weaker."
"That's right and right now Voldemort is building an army and has control of most of the wizarding world, at least in the U.K."
"And Harry?"
"Harry is very ill."
"Where is he, Neville?"
"He's in the hospital wing. If Voldemort continues to gain strength as he has over the past few months we fear, well, it won't be necessary for Voldemort to kill him."
"You mean he'll die?" She set down her tea cup, unable to hold her hand steady any longer.
"We fear that yes."
"Neville," she said, taking a deep, steadying breath. "If I ask you to do something dangerous and of the utmost secrecy will you do it for me, please."
"Of course Hermione, you just name it then."
"Oh Neville. Look at you. You're so grown up. You look taller and nobler. You must be so accomplished." There was a note of jealousy in her tone, as if she wondered how accomplished she might have become if she'd been allowed to stay.
"Me? Look at you," Draco could hear the beaming. "And Malfoy," he whispered, "Is that really him?"
"Yes, it's really him." She laughed through her constricted throat.
"You look so much more… So different from when we were at school together, but I still remember that night we all snuck onto the third floor corridor and ran across that three headed dog. Feels like yesterday." He reminisced.
"Now everyone else can see how brave you are." She cooed.
"I hate to interrupt this, but hadn't we better get on with it?" Draco tried not to snap rousig himself from his farcical nap.
"Definitely Draco," He laughed and she giggled. Draco rolled his eyes. "What have you done to him though? He's …"
"Honorable and brave?"
"Gentlemanly."
"It was all there, hiding all along." She beamed at him. Neville looked as if he were surveying someone's prize steed. Though Draco thoroughly detested being talked about as if he were a sofa he thought the best course of action would be to take them off guard. His response though surprised even himself.
"Men in love act strangely," He offered gruffly. Slowly, eyes wide, Neville stood. Draco deeply wished her eyes would stop doing that ridiculous shinning thing.
"Good lord," said Neville softly, wiping his mouth subconsciously. "Good lord."
She abruptly switched the tracks on the conversation. "Draco's right. We must get down to business. I need to search this room and possibly others in the castle. I had hoped to get into the Chamber of Secrets but with Harry…" she trailed off.
His eyebrows went up, but if this request in other way alarmed him he gave no other indication. "I thought you might. Here, take the cloak and the map. It's funny though that you should mention the chamber,"
"Funny?"
"Harry and Ron went into the chamber earlier this year, got rather obsessive about it actually. It wasn't long after that Harry got ill…"
"Neville this is very important," she stressed, as if her tone did not make that glaringly obvious. "Did they retrieve anything from the Chamber?"
"They never said a word, but I saw them passing something once as I came in the room. Seemed they were hiding something but I couldn't be sure."
She fell back to her seat as if her knees were suddenly too weak to support her fragile weight. It struck him then how thin she looked.
"This is dreadfully important isn't it?"
"It is indeed. Neville I must have what they took from the chamber."
"It's almost certainly on Ron at all times."
"Then I must steal it and Neville you must say nothing, under any conditions, do you understand?"
"No," he frowned. Draco did not miss the way the other young man's eyes pointedly avoided his. "I don't understand why you don't just tell him, just tell him you are alive and ask him for the thing whatever it is-"
"Neville you've just got to trust me for the time being. It's all for the best. I know how horrible it must seem to you what I'm doing to them and I assure it's the last thing I want to do is to be separated from them and deceive them. But I'm protecting them and so whatever I ask you must do it. Can you trust me?"
"Of course Hermione." He seemed to think it silly to propose otherwise.
"And you must trust Draco too," here she took his arm in a gentle manner than surprised him "because I need you to accompany Draco to Malfoy Manor to retrieve a book."
"What?" From both there was a moment of outrage, protest, and then silent acquiescence.
"You are both purebloods and might hope to get in and out. You two are the smartest, bravest wizards of our age."
"Beside you, you mean." They blurted out in unison. And then it happened. They laughed. In the midst of everything else, there was laughter between too people who had never before smiled in one another's presence. Draco looked at Hermione, who also laughed while looking abashedly back and forth between them, and he was struck by a sudden thought that she had done something incredible, that she had facilitated this miracle. What a strange idea.
For some reason Neville had a similar expression no doubt attributing his prodigal return to the school to her as well. Then he realized it was entirely her fault. She was amazing.
"What will you be doing in the meantime?"
"I'll be stealing the object from Ron and I'll be looking for something else just in case,"
"You shouldn't do it alone," Draco shook his head imagining the horrors Voldemort would have planned for someone attempting to destroy bits of his soul.
"I won't be. Dobby will help me. We should meet just before dawn in the hospital wing with Harry. That's our last stop."
"Will the truth finally come out then?" Neville asked happiy to along blindly with any plan Hermione had constructed.
"In a way of speaking," Draco knew the truth. They would have to kidnap Harry, kidnap him with Neville's help, so they could kill him.
"I'm so glad you're back, Hermione." Neville reiterated apparently missing the dark look that came over her when he mentioned Harry. "I've just suddenly got the feeling like everything's going to be okay in the end you know?" The idiot, Draco reflected, was actually smiling with hope. What sort of imbecile looked at the world in which they were and could actually be foolish enough to hope for a happy ending? These sorts of things did not happen except in fairy tales where people could come back to life and all curses be lifted. Fairy tales were where true love lived forever and the lovers happily ever after, a thing he knew to be impossibility. Time was already short. He could feel it, buzzing like an insect in his ear.
"We should move in that case," was his steady, businesslike reply. Neville nodded, turning determined and professional in a moment. She was right; he had changed. He might be some help after all, but there was still not guarantee they would survive entering Draco's home. "Can I have a minute?" he begrudgingly asked Neville who looked surprised from him to Hermione then bumbling excused himself.
Draco caught her just above the elbow and pulled her close. Why the hell not? He might very well die in the next few hours. He held her tightly and kissed her forehead, neck, the top her head. She only wrapped her arms around him as well. He took her wrists, pulled her closer, and kissed her mouth. It was not their usual kiss, much less violent much deeper as if they had only been skimming the surface of things before. Perhaps they had been.
Then he rested his chin upon her head, she rested her head upon his chest, and they sighed. "Don't expect me to pull this off," he warned her. He'd let everyone else down. Now it was her turn.
"Did you mean what you said?"
"What?"
"You know," she blushed, looking down.
"Yes," he admitted without a scrap of joy.
"You know it's not fair. Love should make people happy shouldn't it?"
"No. All the great romances end in tragedy."
"Some end in happily ever after," but even she snorted at the idea.
"Only the fairy tales."
"Be careful." Time was up. They could feel it again. They were drawing closer to an end.
"You too."
"Good luck."
"Likewise."
"And Draco, I love you too."
"I know. It doesn't matter, love."
"I know."
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review! Over 1,000 reviews already. You keep me writing!