"DRACO" barked his father once Hermione's body grew limp yet again gracefully falling to the cold tiled floor. "That was NOT what we had agreed" his father closing in on him. Draco took a step back
"Just listen to me," he snarled shooting a daggering stare at his father. Lucius straightened his posture with an amused expression to hear what his son had to say for himself. "This way, she forgets everything. Everything is back to normal and we will no longer be together"
"Same as to if you had killed the girl, as. I. Instructed."
"I know, but now neither of us will go to Azkaban. It's better this way believe me" they stared for a small amount of time, the taller blonde considering his son's words. Finally he spoke
"And I suppose you will also be 'obliviating' yourself?" he asked with a sly doubting grin
"No" he spoke quick "this way, I can remember my-" he choked on the next word "mistake. And learn from it. This way I can make sure this never happens again" his father only stared, and Draco waited anxious for his response.
"Fine" he hissed finally "but you are not forgiven Draco. You've disgraced our family" Lucius' spitting words stung Draco slightly, but the feeling that Hermione was still able to live, over powered his father's cruel words "and if this whole catastrophe happens again… I will not hesitate to kill the mudblood" he gave his son a torturous glare as if to say "and you"
"Understood" were his only words before they began to clear out of the manor. Draco walked silently to the fireplace, following his father and Fenrir Greyback, who carried Hermione in his arms, making Draco uneasy as he watched Fenrir lick his lips looking down at the girl. He looked up and locked eyes with the blonde, giving him a threatening stare; he straightened his posture and looked forward, no longer at Hermione.
"I've connected your dorm room fireplace to the floo network" spoke his father without emotion "here" he shoved the small pot of powder at his son.
Draco took a handful and stepped into the fireplace whilst saying clearly "Hogwarts, head's dorm" and disappeared in a rage of green flames.
He bent slightly exiting the fireplace waiting for the others. Only Fenrir came through, throwing Hermione's body to the floor with a loud thud, Draco flinched but decided not to move until Fenrir had left, worried he would say something to his father. He grunted harshly snarling and showing his pointed teeth- or fangs you could say would be more suitable. Then disappearing in to the fire place.
Draco stood motionless for what seemed like seconds, but had really been minutes, mesmerized by Hermione's beauty. He rushed to her side and lifted her so her head was cradled in his arm and he held her close. She may have looked tattered and tortured (which did indeed make Draco's stomach clench and heart burn), but in his eyes she was still very beautiful. Her lips were still damp with old tears that had found a way to her mouth. He smiled lightly remembering their forbidden kisses, and the night in their secret home, which hadn't been long ago. He frowned at the thoughts when he remembered the situation. He would never be able to share those moments with her again. When she woke, she would not remember a thing, and he would be forced to forget it all himself, or at least, pretend.
A large ball formed in his throat, and he felt as if his stomach had fallen straight into his arse. His heart pounded hard against his chest and he could feel warm blurring tears form around his eyes. He bent his head slowly, taking in her wonderful scent, not a large exaggerated scent, but a simple feminine type smell that made him feel warm inside and made his worrisome thoughts calm, as if she were next to him stroking his hair and whispering reassuring words.
He glanced down and noticed upon her hand was the ring he had given her a while back, quickly he snatched it from her hand wincing slightly, and sliding it deep into his pocket.
A shiver rolled down his spine as she stirred slightly and his mind snapped back into action. Glancing down at his former lover, he watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Confused she looked about the room, then up at the person who was holding her.
"Malfoy?" she gasped attempting to get up, her weak limps failing her as she fell back into his arms "what the hell are you doing? Let go of me!" she struggled against his tight grasp and he slowly loosened his grip allowing her to stand. She stumbled slightly but fought to keep her balance. "Where am I?" Draco stood stunned for a moment.
"Our dorm" he said finally in a voice that was very forced, as he could not find his voice, in the shock and pain that she truly didn't remember a thing.
"Our dorm?" she asked her eyebrows forwarding in angry confusion
"Yeah. Remember? McGonagall is making the two heads share a dorm" Hermione looked about the room in doubt, noticing a few of her own trinkets. She was confused, but something in the back of her mind told her this was true, and she had the slightest bit of memory of being in this dorm.
"Right… I must have just forgotten" she rubbed her head, then looked down at her wrists and noticed the rope burns. She sucked in a sharp breath "what happened to me?" she asked as she rushed to the mirror hanging by the fireplace, looking at her puffy red eyes, tangled hair, and tear stained face. "Malfoy what did you do to me?"
"I didn't do anything" he shot defensively with a frown
"Oh and I suppose that is why I woke with you hunched over my body like a hungry vulture!" Draco groaned slightly at the back of his throat. He knew he had to be the rude annoying git that Hermione knew him as before their romance.
"Don't flatter yourself Granger, I was only checking to make sure I hadn't killed your stupid arse" he forced his tone to the spitting, hissing, nastiness he used with people he disliked.
"What are yo-" she began only to be interrupted
"We got in an argument. You were making food, and very rudely did not bother to share. So I took some of whatever the hell you want to call your rubbish cooking and you grew furious. A few hours later, a large fight and here we are now. Honestly you call yourself smart and you can't even remember a petty little fight?" he faked a snarl along with his false story he thought up on the spot. Hermione arched an eyebrow then rolled her eyes dramatically
"You really are a prat you know"
"Thank you kindly" she huffed loudly at his rebound and turned on her heels towards her room "don't walk away from me! We are not finished here" he really didn't know what he was doing or saying, he just wasn't ready for her to leave him yet and disappear for the rest of the night.
Hermione turned back, her arms crossed across her chest "oh I'm pretty sure we are"
"No" he said coolly walking towards her "you still haven't apologized" she released a large breath in bewilderment
"Me? Apologize to you? From what I… remember, you are the one at fault!" she truthfully didn't remember a thing, but it never was her fault, so she just assumed he was the one in need of apologizing.
"You were very rude and I won't have that from a filthy mudblood like yourself" Draco cringed at his own words, but he wanted to do all he could to make her keep hating him, he didn't want there to be any chance of them being together, no matter how bad he wanted it, it put her life at risk.
"Don't call me that!" she shoved him back slightly "you are a rude arrogant skeeze! And I won't have that" her face grew angry and he fought a grin, he loved when she was angry, it was familiar and it truly was enjoyable teasing her, he just hated how harsh he had to be.
"Too bad then isn't it Granger? You're stuck with me so you better get used to it" she narrowed her eyes, then turned quickly on her heels, slamming the door behind her harshly, leaving a very surprised Draco on the other side "nice chat!" he called with a frown before turning towards his own door, the feeling of a very deep depression growing on him.
Draco walked down the dark corridor, an eerie silence filling the air around him. His steps were light and quick, trying to reach his destination soon as possible. He tugged at his tie as if it were choking him, sweat dabbed at his forehead.
"Draco" a soft smooth echoing voice filled the air and he jumped slightly "Draco where are you going?" the voice was quite yet at the same time loud as it boomed down the empty hall.
He stopped walking and turned slowly to see a dark silhouette of a figure near the end of the hall. He squinted trying to get a glimpse of who was speaking. "Who's there?" he asked, his voice a loud echo.
"Darling, you don't need to do this," said the voice ignoring his question. The silhouette reached out a long thin arm and stretched its delicate hand "come with me. We can escape this, all of this. Come with me, and we can be free" the figure's voice was calming and almost seductive to Draco's ears.
"Why? Who are you? How do you know what I've been asked to perform?" he remained calm, even though in this type of situation he would usually be forceful and rude, but for some reason he remained soft.
"I know everything about you… ferret" there was a slight snicker in the darkness, and Draco's eye caught a shinning gleam off the figures hand, where he saw a beautiful ring that resembled a sun, with a green stone along with multiple scarlet stones. His gaze suddenly shot to the figures face, he then knew who he was speaking to.
"Her- Hermione?" he stuttered confused and stunned "how… how do you know what's happening?"
"Baby I know everything and you don't have to do this" the figure remained in the shadows
"Baby?"
"Of course. We have been together for quite some time now, and that night at our place" the figure chuckled
"What? What are you talking about? I- I obliviated you, you shouldn't remember a thing" a range of emotions were filling him, confusion, happiness, sadness… love. It was weird how smoothly the conversation was going, and how each of them spoke in almost cheesy phrases, but the thought hadn't even passed Draco's mind.
"I could never forget you. I love you" Draco smiled gently "please, run away with me Draco, and we can forget all of this"
"The dark lord-" he began
"Doesn't have to know where we've gone. He's not all seeing; we really can find somewhere safe, perhaps Canada, or something along those terms. Please Draco, I can't bare watch you do this…" he considered the figure's words, but something was odd. He couldn't lay a finger on what it was, but it was as though he were weightless, he had a slight feeling of emptiness inside of him, and he seemed content with every word the figure spoke, without the slightest bit consideration. He grinned largely
"Alright, I'll run away with you" he heard a large sigh of relief. The figure began to step forward
"I love you Draco" the words were raspy and sounded almost tearful
"I love you too Hermione" he replied, a jolt of anticipation running through him.
When the figure stepped from the shadows he saw it in fact was not only Hermione, but there was another figure behind her. "Draco" spoke his father with a purr "foolish, petty, naive little child." Lucius stood holding the back of Hermione's hair, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Draco what the hell is going on!" she shrieked with a terrified look on her face. Draco returned the look as he noticed the blade his father had pressed to her neck.
"DON'T HURT HER!" he screamed, his voice shaking. His father only chuckled darkly and in one quick motion, he slit her throat. Blood poured from her neck, down her collarbone, then staining her white jumper with a gruesome large red blob, which sat at the collar, then quickly spread throughout the fabric. Lucius threw her forcefully to the ground, her head bounced twice before her body lay motionless at Draco's feet. He scrambled quickly to his knees, holding Hermione's head in his lap "no" he whispered painful tears pouring from his eyes at her vacant expression "you monster! YOU FUCKING MONSTER!" he screamed jumping to his feet and reaching for his wand. "Stupid boy" spat his father in a hiss. He pointed his wand to the horrified, tear stained look on his son's face "Avada Kedavra!"
Draco woke with a start; sweat trickling down the back of his neck and his heart pounding hard against his chest. He sat up cross-legged and buried his face in his palms. The dream had been so vivid, so real. He could feel Hermione's presence in the dream, and could feel that happy feeling being ripped from him as his father appeared and- he couldn't bring himself to think of what he had witnesses. He had known it was only a dream, but still the thought made him sick. He knew it was only a dream, but he needed to know she was okay…
Slowly he rose from his bed, shaking slightly as he walked from his room and into the living area of their common room. He glanced out the window and saw only a light shade of pink, nearly swallowed in black. The sun was only just beginning to rise. He tiptoed silently to Hermione's bedroom door, his heart pounding harshly against his chest. Cautiously, he pushed her bedroom door open, his heart leaping in fright when it made a small creaking sound, but there was no sign of movement in the room and he relaxed. He walked to the side of her four poster bed where there lay a sleeping Hermione, wrapped in the covers, her brown curls falling graciously across her face and pillow, her chest heaving soothingly with steady breaths. Draco smiled to himself, he was tempted to give her a gentle kiss, or simply stroke her soft cheek, but that pesky voice in the back of his mind warned him it would only make this all worse, make the temptation even harder to bare. So he left her, content with knowing she was okay, tip toeing back into his bedchambers, and falling to sleep, after much time of lying awake.
The next morning was hard. He had gotten so used to waking with Hermione's soft steady breaths against his skin. In the coldest nights, she could always warm him with a simple touch, but now as he woke he was over whelmed with pure cold.
He hadn't got much sleep the night before, after he visited Hermione after his nightmare, he was afraid if he fell asleep again, the dream would return, but it did not.
Slowly, as he grew more conscience and awake, he remembered that awful dream, as if it were a very recent memory. She knew, he thought to himself, she knew in the dream what the dark lord had ordered him to do just one night before, coincidently, the night after which he had 'obliviated' Hermione. A shiver rolled up his spine at the thought of this 'task'. He shook his head violently, he didn't want to be bothered with that right now, he had class, and it would take all his strength to endure 'care of magical creatures' which he had with her. And Blaise and pansy. He thought releasing a deep rumbling groan. He hadn't even thought what would become of that… friendship? He felt betrayed and truthfully very angry, angry enough to allow himself to do unspeakable things to the two who called themselves his friends. It was their fault Hermione can't remember 'us' their fault my father found out… again he shook his head as if the thought were drawn in an etch a sketch in his mind and could simply be shaken away.
"It's my fault" he said defeated to his reflection "it's my fault AND it's her fault" he said through his teeth looking towards the door which lead into Hermione's chambers from the bathroom, he could feel a tinged of anger growing on him "no. No, it's not her fault. It's my father's fault" he slowly rocked back and forth, towards and away from the mirror "no! It's my fault! Only my fault, no it's- AHG!" he let out a deep scream, slash, growl.
"Draco!" a fist pounded at the door. He shot his eyes quickly to the door, which the pound came, her door.
"What" he spat quickly
"Why did you scream, are you alright?" he cringed at her kindness. She hated him, yet she still had the courtesy to ask if he was okay.
"I'm fine! Go away"
"Are you sure? I thought I heard-"
"JUST GO!" he shouted, trying hard to force his voice not to shake.
Hermione scrambled back from the door, her eyes wide. "Fine then" she mumbled to herself "ungrateful git" she grabbed her pile of books and started for the portrait hole, looking back once towards Draco's chambers. She had only been trying to be nice. She knew things were tense between the two of them, but that didn't mean she didn't care for her fellow classmates. At that thought she felt a familiar tug at her chest, she cringed at the feeling, knitting her eyebrows. She didn't like that type of painful feeling, and she didn't understand why it felt so familiar or what it meant, so she ignored it, shaking her head slightly as she stepped through the portrait hole, scolding herself for caring about her Slytherin house mate, "Godric curse my Gryffindor sympathy" she mumbled, walking quickly to transfiguration class.