Chapter 8

Hermione's POV:

She threw her head back and laughed, cackling like the mental woman she was. Then the wild haired woman pointed her wand at me, and for what felt like the hundredth time that night, I screamed, feeling the intense pain starting in my heart and spreading all over my body. It burned on the inside, but felt like ice surrounding you, holding you in it's darkness.

The mad woman, Bellatrix, lifted her wand and stopped, allowing me a breather for a second before she let her wand tilt down upon my writhing body on the floor, shouting Crucio in her high, loud voice. The pain was excruciating, pulling me deeper into the darkness threatening me by hanging below me each time Bellatrix Lestrange shouted the word.

I looked around, wishing somebody would save me from the ache in my head. There was Lucius Malfoy, smiling cruely, staring down upon me. There was Fenrir Grayback, smiling at me with a hungry look in his eye, licking his lips. Narcissa Malfoy, peeking at me with a tight frown on her face, and sympathy in her eyes. Then there were the two mysterious Death Eaters, both laughing. There was one more person, standing to the left of me, near the wall, who looked sick. Draco Malfoy, standing with his hands clasped together, holding his wand, his eyes holding sympathy and sickness.

The worst part was, the two that did look sympathetic didn't do a thing to help me.

I screamed one last time as she lifted the spell and then put it back. As shrieks and cries for help and mercy were left in the drawing room of the Malfoy Manor, endless and useless, nobody came to save me, my life, nor my soul.

"Mia. Mia, wake up!" Blaise shook me as I screamed and shook with fear. I realized I was holding my left arm, the arm with the foul word engraved in it. "Mia, wake up." Blaise shook me until I opened my eyes wide, staring at him.

"I'm okay. Just a bad dream." I looked over to see Malfoy standing near the door, concern etched on both of the Slytherin's faces.

There was a moment of silence in which Blaise rubbed my back as my breath grew steadier. "It was that day ... in the Manor, wasn't it?" Draco asked, his face guilty.

Mute, I nodded my head and closed my eyes, my hand unconsciously moving to the scar I had on my left arm. He hung his head and shivered, no doubt replaying the scene in his head. I sat up, my voice hoarse from the screaming, and said, "You were right not to interfere. You would have gotten yourself killed, then Harry, Ron and I. You are the reason we got out of that house," I pointed out to him.

"Still, I should have done something bar sit there and watch. You may not have been the worst to go through the House of Hell, but you were the only ones I knew and spoke to, whether they were all mean words or not." He shook his head in disgust.

Blaise looked between us, confused. Right! He doesn't know about what happened in the Malfoy Manor. Almost as if he was reading then speaking my mind, he said, "What are you guys talking about?"

I sighed and looked at Malfoy. He shrugged as if he couldn't care less about who knew. "Blaise, when Harry, Ronald, and I were looking for Horcruxes," he furrowed his eyebrows at the unfamiliar word, "we were caught by Snatchers and were taken to the Malfoy Manor. Where Bellatrix was. Mrs. Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Fenrir Greyback, and two other Death Eaters were there. But ... Malfoy was also there, and he is still pestering himself over what happened."

"Well, what happened? And what are Horcruxes?"

I sighed. "Bellatrix tortured me time and time again while Harry and Ron were thrown in the dungeon where Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Ollivander, and Griphook, a goblin, were, also. One of the things she tortured me by was carving this word into my arm." I let go of my arm, showing the word to Blaise. He gasped and looked over at Malfoy.

You watched all of this and did nothing?" Blaise asked, his question directed towards Malfoy.

He nodded and looked down at the floor. "Blaise! He couldn't have done anything, or else he wouldn't have been here today! It was his aunt, Blaise, and she was ready to kill anyone if needed. He knew that and was smart enough to not jump in. So don't pester him about something that was a lost cause."

He sighed and shook his head. "You're right." He turned his head to Malfoy and said, "Sorry, mate. I was jumping to conclusions."

"It's okay. I deserve it anyway."

You do n- Ugh! Never mind," I said, giving up on the situation entirely.

"Anyway, back to my question," Blaise said. "What are Horcruxes?"

I opened and closed my mouth, attempting to come up with the words to describe the foul objects. When I found none, I stood up, muttered "Come on," to the both of the boys, and headed out the door. I went down the hall until the second left came upon us. I opened the door, heading straight for the back corner. I pulled out and put back books over and over again.

I reached for anther book, the boys silent at my back, and my index finger was an inch from the binding when Blaise said from behind me, "Mia, don't pull that book out!"

He startled me and I jumped. I turned around with a curious expression on my gave and said, "Why not?" The question came out of my mouth slowly, cautiously.

"Because ... because ..." he sighed. "Never mind."

So I turned back to the book, curiosity piercing my features, and pulled the book out. The book cover said "The Dark Secrets of the Magic". It was worn and dusty, and in the five seconds I held it, nothing happened. I shrugged and turned to start the pile of books that might help to define horcruxes, not noticing the rumbling beneath my feet. "Mia, watch out!" A warm hand pulled me back just enough for me not to be hit with the bookcase full-on.

My ankle was hit by the bookcase, but I barely registered the slight pain now making my foot throb. No, I was too busy staring into the room just revealed, the room that was expanding before my very eyes, the room that was soon as big as the library we were in at that very moment. It was filled with books, also.

I snapped out of it for a second to realize I was still leaning against a hard chest, my body shaped nicely into theirs. I turned my head to see Malfoy, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. As soon as our eyes met, mine widened and looked away. I mumbled what sounded like 'thank you' and stood up.

Only then was it that I realized what had actually just happened. "Oh, my goodness! This is amazing! Just like the movies, too!" I squealed in excitement and then walked into the other library, this one much darker.

"Movies? What are movies?" the boys asked in unison.

I ignored them as I walked into the second library, looking at the books. I frowned as I realized what they mostly contained. They were all about dark magic. There was 'The Dark Shadows and it's Creatures', 'Dark Spells and Their Meanings', and 'The Ways to Divide a Soul'. They were all rather disgusting, but they were exactly what I was looking for. So I grabbed 'The Ways to Divide a Soul', and sat on one of the chairs. I went to the table of contents when I realized that the boys were just staring at me from the front library. "Mia, you realize that this place has held some of our old, dark, Death Eater ancestors?"

"Yes. So ... your point is?" I had a slight air of indifference. Blaise looked abashed for a moment, then came to stand behind me again. Malfoy followed soon after.

I scanned down the list of chapters on ways to divide a soul. There were many ways to do so and I looked for one certain word. "Aha. Page 579. Horcruxes." I turned to the page and looked for a definition. "A Horcrux is an object, usually something special to the creator, that has a piece of somebody's soul in it. In order to kill the person whose piece of soul is in the Horcrux, you have to destroy the Horcrux. It is not easy because no spell will destroy it. It can only be destroyed by dark magic, very dark magic indeed. Such as fiendfire, and some dark creature's venom or poison." I stopped reading, feeling as if it explained everything needed. "Fiendfire, Malfoy. That is how we destroyed the diadum. In seventh year, in the Room of Requirement."

He nodded in understanding. "I know."

"So that's what a Horcrux is. I know I heard somewhere else, I just don't remember where. Foul things, they seem."

I nodded. "And Voldemort made more than one. He is ... revolting." I shrugged, as if that one word helped describe Voldemort perfectly. I yawned and stretched. I checked my wristwatch, seeing it was already 4.28. "Well, let's go to bed. I am tired, and I don't feel like being crabby in the morning." I stood up, walked out to the first library, and saw that Malfoy and Blaise had walked to the door already. I put the dark book that triggered the opening back in it's place. The bookcase slid back and I walked out of the library, following the Slytherins. "Blaise, how did Mum not wake up?"

"Oh. She is a very heavy sleeper her bedroom is past the library, down the west wing."

I nodded and headed to my bedroom. "Good night, Blaise and Malfoy." They mumbled the sentence back and I closed my door. After I plopped onto my bed, I waited a total of five minutes until my door opened slightly. "Mia?" Malfoy's soft voice called out into the darkness.

"I'm on my bed," I said back to him. I lit my wand so he could see me.

He walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. Shifting, I moved so he had more room to sit. I was now sitting cross-legged near the pillows of the bed. He nodded his thanks and sat on the bed more comfortably. "It took you longer than I expected. Five whole minutes?" I joked with him.

Draco snapped his head up. "You knew I was coming?"

"Yes. I am not blind. My brother, however, is not as lucky." I smiled as I reconsidered what I just said. I have a brother.

"Oh. Well. You must know what I need to talk to you about."

I examined his serious, tired face in the dim lighting of my wand and sighed. I shook my head and said, "No. I thought I did, but there is more than that, isn't there?"

"No wonder they call you the smartest witch of our generation," he said, mumbling. I reckon he didn't know I heard him. I smirked nonetheless. He looked at me and said, "You look either like a Slytherin or a Malfoy with that smirk. It's quite scary." We laughed.

"But, really, what did you want to talk about?"

He heaved a sigh and started. "Mia, please don't tell anybody what happened last night. I am asking you this, and when you answer, if your answer is a yes, is for you to swear on it. Actually, I have a few questions to ask, all you have to swear on. Ok?"

I nodded and urged him to continue. "Please don't tell anybody about last night." I nodded. I wasn't even considering telling anybody about it anyway. "And I am sorry for everything that happened over the last eight or so years. I can't lie and say that I didn't believe in the blood purity crap, but it was absurd and I never meant to hurt you because of it. And as for that day in the Manor ... well, I am sorry for just standing by like that. My mother hated it, my father, believe it or not, hated it, and I hated it. It was horrible to just stand there. We should have jumped in or something. I mean, I could have easily taken the other Death Eaters in the room, and my parents could have, together, though with difficulty, taken my mental Aunt. But we didn't. We stood th-" Malfoy was rambling now, an odd expression on his face.

"Malfoy, you couldn't have done anything about it. No matter what you have told yourself, somebody would have gotten hurt, and me being there, you guys fighting because of me, it would have made me feel guilty. They would have gotten hurt because of me, and I didn't want that to happen, and still don't. So stop pestering yourself about it."

He shook his head and looked at the sheets. He dropped the subjects and said, "The last thing is to try and be civil towards each other. At least try. Because we are practically going to be living in the same house until my mother returns, and I don't want Blaise to freak out on any of us."

"Okay. That will be easy, considering we have been civil to each other since last night. Is that it," I forced myself to say his name, "Draco?"

He looked shocked, but said, "Yes. Good night, Mia."

"Good night, Draco. Don't let the bedbugs bite." He looked at me curiously. "A Muggle saying." He nodded in understanding and stood up. I did the same and walked him to the door. "Draco?"

"Yes?" He answered immediately.

"Don't worry about your mother. She will be okay. Don't even bother trying to deny it, because when you mentioned it last night, I saw it. In your eyes. Don't worry. She is a strong witch. That much, I know." And I closed the door. As I leant back against the door, my eyelids dropped with exhaustion. I walked over to my surprisingly soft and thick bed, hoping I got to sleep in the next day, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the fluffy pillow.

Draco's POV:

I walked down the large staircase to the dining room. It was about eight o'clock in the morning and I had only gotten up about a half an hour ago. I took a shower, got dressed in simple slacks and a white button-down shirt, and headed down to eat breakfast. When I arrived, Blaise and Sasha were already seated at the table, putting delicious-looking breakfast foods on the fancy plates. "Good morning." Blaise and Sasha mumbled the greeting back to me and continued on eating.

I sat and poured some coffee for myself, then started to pile my plate with toast, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and sausage. I started to eat, trying to wake myself up with the coffee, seeing as the shower didn't do much help.

"Blaise, do you know where Mia might be?" Sasha asked the question after she took a sip of her coffee.

"Oh, she is probably still sleeping. Maybe she's a late sleeper. I will go wake her, if you would like."

"No," I said, surprising even myself at the small outburst. "She needs sleep. Blaise, she woke up at about 4 o'clock last night with nightmares, Blaise, you know that. For a good hour before that, she must have been restless. All in all, she probably didn't get much sleep. Let her catch up on it now." I merely shrugged at the end, looking pointedly at Blaise, trying to see if he had any idea about Mia and my little talk last night. He didn't seem suspicious, so I thought everything was okay. I didn't add the extra twenty minutes that I kept my best mate's sister up. After the small talk, I couldn't sleep for a while, but I wasn't sure about Mia.

"You are right," said a voice coming from the stairs. "I was a by restless and tired, but I think I can be okay. By the way, good morning Mum, Draco, Blaise." I looked up and saw Mia walking down the stairs, looking wide awake. And quite presentable, too. She was wearing a red sundress lined with gold lace at the bottom. It was spaghetti strapped, the straps fading from red to gold as it got closer to the middle, and back again as it went farther behind. She was wearing floppy sandals. Her hair was straightened and pulled up. The dress was decorated with white flowers, what looked like roses. All in all, she looked ready to go the beach. She looked beautiful.

"Excuse me, but did you just call Draco ... well, Draco?" Blaise's, a look of total disbelief on his face.

"Well, that's his name, isn't it?" Mia stared at Blaise, arching her eyebrow, now sitting across from me.

"Uh, y- yeah. Yeah. It is. It's just-" Blaise paused for a moment.

"Just what Blaise?"

"Never mind," he grumbled. He wasn't much of a morning person, along with his mother.

Mia reached for some food and asked, "Draco, can you please pass the toast?"

I smirked and said, "Ok." I took the toast platter and slipped a Canary Cream under a piece. I gave the platter to her and she rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Draco, I was a girlfriend to the brother of two of the biggest pranksters at Hogwarts, went to spend the summer with them sometimes, and hunted Voldemort for months. Surely you have something better than that?" Mia said, smirking as she pulled out the treat and held it up. "Besides, we both know that if it did work, as soon as I turned back, I would hex you into oblivion. Well, that or we could replay third year." She crushed the cookie with her index finger and thumb. She smirked again, only this time it was more menacing.

I put on a look of pure terror on my face and said, "Surely you wouldn't!" I dropped the look and said with seriousness obviously voice, "Because we all know that's an empty threat." I smirked at her while she looked at me innocently.

"No, it's not. In fact, of you need more convincing, I will prove it to you now." I narrowed my eyes, looking at Blaise and Sasha. They shrugged with a smirk very similar to Mia's. I looked back at her, and she burst out laughing. "You actually" she said between her short, melodic bursts of laughter, "thought I was going to do it!" Blaise and Sasha were now laughing too, obviously knowing that Mia wasn't going to do it in the first place. I shook my head, got up and stalked out with a dark expression. I climbed the stairs, went down the hallway, and walked into my bedroom. I slammed the door behind me and collapsed on the bed.

Hermione's POV:

We were still laughing as Draco stalked out of the room. I shook my head, wiping the laughter from my eyes, and said, "Aw, we upset him. I didn't mean to. I am going to talk to him."

"Don't worry, he's almost always like that." Blaise was still laughing.

"Still. I feel bad."

I stood up and walked up the stairs. I knocked on the door next Blaise's, knowing it was Draco's room because I heard the door slam. I knocked. "Draco? May I come in? Please?"

"I guess." His voice sounded embarrassed, and tired. I felt bad for him.

I walked into his room.

I never thought that I would ever walk into Draco Malfoy's bedroom.

It must be one of those days, huh?

A/N:Hello, peoples! I am sorry I haven't updated for so long, but I was really busy. But, I made this chapter the longest chapter I have for this story, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading!