AN: The votes are overwhelmingly to keep going in this fic rather than ending it and starting a sequel. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts! So hopefully you all are in for the long haul, because we still have a ways to go yet.
Alright…buckle up, because here we go…
Part Two: The Serpent and the Phoenix
{ 34 }
The corridor that stretched in front of us is pitch black. The light from Hermione's wand is like a bubble around us.
What's the worst that could happen?
That is what she asked.
I huffed out a short, sarcastic laugh. In this castle?
"Do I need to remind you of the basilisk that was roaming the corridors of Hogwarts for an entire year?"
She paused just long enough that I almost walked right into her. My hand settled on her waist, slid around to her stomach and pulled her back against my chest.
"Didn't think of that, did you?" I whispered in her ear. A shiver worked its way down her spine.
A soft click echoed down the hall. I turned quickly. The entrance we came through was closed. All that remained was a solid stone wall.
Merlin and Salazar.
I crossed the distance in three long strides and started looking for anything on the smooth stone walls that would trigger the door to open once again.
"We're trapped in here." Anxiety clawed at my chest.
Hermione's hand squeezed around mine. I turned and leaned back against the wall that moments earlier had been a door.
She cupped her hands around my face. Her eyes searched mine in the dim light cast by the tip of her wand.
"Breathe." She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
You are not going to have a panic attack right now.
My hands settled on her waist. I focused on her eyes and took a deep breath of my own. I got lost in her hazel depths. The momentary anxiety dissipated. Whatever is to come, we'll face it together.
My lips settled over hers in a kiss that started slow but soon progressed into something deeper.
It was several minutes later, and a particularly loud moan from Hermione that seemed to echo down the empty corridor, that had us pulling away to catch our breath.
By then, she was the one pressed against the wall. Her left leg was hitched around my waist. My arm was beneath it, holding it in place while my hand covered her arse.
I pressed my forehead against hers and inhaled deeply.
"Gods, Draco." Her head fell back against the wall.
I rested my head against her shoulder.
"You are going to be the death of me yet."
She released a short laugh.
"Well, not today, I'm sure." Her lips brushed against my cheek. "Come on now. Let's go. This corridor leads somewhere."
I took a deep breath. It isn't like I have a choice at this point anyway.
"Alright, fearless Gryffindor. Let's see what we've found, then." Reluctantly, I lowered her leg to the ground and stepped back.
"That's the spirit." She laughed. The sound of it echoed down the corridor. Just hearing that light, joyful laugh made my heart warm.
Ever the curious Gryffindor. She is loving every moment of this. She is not even trying to hide it.
I have to admit, it is exciting to know that we found something new in the castle. There may not be anyone else alive that knows this place exists.
Still, this corridor was hidden for a reason.
We walked side by side. I held my wand in my right hand. My left hand is entwined with hers. Our wand light is the only source of light in the corridor.
After a few minutes, the corridor gave way to a triangular shaped room. As soon as we stepped through the arched doorway, torches flared to life in each of the three corners. The wall to the left was bare. The wall to the right held a large tapestry with the same odd phoenix and serpent theme as the portrait.
The only way out of the room was through the door and the corridor through which we came.
Fucking hell. We are well and truly trapped.
"Now what?" I stood in the center of the room and turned in a circle, scanning the walls. There has to be something I missed.
Hermione shook her head in response. She focused on the tapestry.
"What did we do that triggered the portrait to open?" She lifted her hand and skimmed her fingers across the fabric.
"I don't know." I released a sigh. "Usually you need a password of some kind. The name of the fable, perhaps? The serpent and the phoenix."
My eyes darted around the room, hoping a new door would present itself. Nothing happened, though.
"Apparently not." She stepped back and joined me in the center of the room. "There has to be something here we are missing."
I should hope so. Like the way out.
"I don't suppose you have any drawings of this room in that book of yours?"
"Not that I recall."
Of course not. I scanned the room one more time. The triangular shape of the room caught my attention.
The wall with the doorway and the empty wall came together at a ninety degree angle. The wall with the tapestry on it cut across at a forty five degree angle, like it was splitting a square room in half.
I moved to the corner opposite the doorway and started inspecting the stone wall. It only took a minute or two to find something. On the third stone from the corner, which also happened to be the third stone from the edge of the tapestry, there was an image of a phoenix etched into the stone.
"Here. Look at this." I ran my fingers across the etching.
Hermione stood beside me just long enough to see the phoenix.
"Where is the serpent?" She asked more to herself than to me.
"Check the other side of the tapestry."
I held my breath as she searched.
"Here it is." She smiled as she ran her fingers over the etching the same as I had. "Now what?"
We tried pushing on the stones. Nothing.
We each tried tapping the stones with our wands. Nothing.
"Perhaps we have to tap them at the same time?" Hermione's brow was crinkled in concentration.
"We can try it." Our eyes met. We raised our wands at the same time and tapped on the etched stones in front of us. I held my breath, but nothing happened.
I looked at the etched phoenix again and released a frustrated sigh. This has to be the key to getting out of here. What are we missing?
"Switch places with me." Hermione stepped back and ran her hand through her hair.
I don't know what good that will do, but I can humor her. We switched places. I stood in front of the etched snake and she stood in front of the phoenix. Once again, we raised our wands together and tapped the etched stones in front of us.
The etching began to glow a dark blue color.
"Draco, are you seeing this?" Hermione took a step towards me. I moved towards her as well. We met in the center of the tapestry. Our hands clasped together.
We watched as the dark blue glow lightened, then darkened again in a slow pulse.
Suddenly, the floor beneath our feet started to move. The wall, from one etching to the other, began to rotate. The floor where we stood rotated with it.
When the wall and the floor stopped moving, we were standing in the other half of the square room.
Across from us, an arched doorway led to another corridor.
I stepped forward, eager to get out of that room. Hermione kept hold of my hand and stayed beside me.
"Well, that was fun." She grinned.
I huffed a short laugh and shook my head.
"You are enjoying this just as much as I am." She turned in front of me and placed her hands on my chest. Then she slid her arms up and around my neck. "Admit it."
My hands rested on her waist and pulled her closer. My lip tilted up on one side.
"I'm spending the evening with you, exploring a hidden passageway that, as far as we know, no one else knows exists." I rested my forehead against hers. "It's safe to say that I am enjoying myself as much as you are."
She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me through her lashes. Gods, she has no idea what that look does to me.
I pulled her close and leaned in to kiss her. How could I not?
She ducked away with a short laugh.
"Come on, Malfoy." Her hand wrapped around mine and she pulled me along behind her.
Torches flared to life as we walked, lighting the way in the otherwise pitch black hallway.
"I think I see light up ahead." Hermione said after a few long minutes. She was right. As we got closer, the light got brighter. Until we stepped out of the dark corridor and into a circular room that was lit from above.
The floor of the room was an intricate mosaic that depicted the phoenix and serpent from the painting. Directly across from us there stood a wooden door.
"They're sticking with the serpent and phoenix motif, I see." I still think it's an odd choice.
"It is strange, isn't it? To devote an entire hidden passageway to an old children's tale?" Hermione skirted around the mosaic rather than walking over it.
I lifted the iron handle easily enough. The door swung open with a soft creaking noise.
We stepped into a cozy sitting room. As soon as the door closed behind us, it vanished, leaving nothing but a stone wall in its place.
Flames came to life inside the hearth. There was a plush cream colored couch and two armchairs arranged in front of the fireplace. Thick brown carpeting covered the floor. The room was warmly lit from above. The ceiling, much like the Great Hall, was charmed to match the sky above.
There were two doors leading from the sitting room, along with a spiral stairway leading up to a second level. In the corner nearest the staircase, there was an alcove that held a table and two chairs, as well as a small kitchenette.
The serpent and phoenix theme carried throughout the room, from intricate designs carved into the fireplace mantel, to the stitching on the furniture.
Behind the first door, we found a bedroom. The bed was covered in a dark blue bedspread. A window filled one wall, although on closer inspection it is not an actual window at all. It's a solid stone wall, charmed to look like a window much like the ceiling is charmed to look like the sky. Above the bed there is a tapestry of the serpent and phoenix.
I'm starting to get an odd feeling in my gut. Like this motif is not just something from a children's tale.
The second door was a bathroom. It was fully stocked with everything you might need, from towels to toilet paper.
"Draco. What is this place?" Hermione ran her fingers across the phoenix that had been painted on the tile behind the sink.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this."
My eyes met hers in the mirror. There was a slight furrow in her brow. Then she released a sigh as she caught sight of her own reflection.
"It will take more than magic to straighten out my hair." She tried to run her fingers through it, only for them to get caught in the tangles that were caused by the mysterious wind we had been caught in.
I started to smirk at her, until I caught sight of my own hair. It was nearly as bad as hers.
She opened her bag and rummaged around until she found a bottle of spray conditioner and a comb. Then she set to work trying to fix the bird's nest on top of her head.
I chuckled…until she turned to glare at me with one eyebrow raised.
It did not take me near as long to put my hair to rights as it did for her. Can you imagine how long it would have taken if she still had all those long curls?
You miss the long curls.
Yes. Yes I do.
It took a little while, but eventually we were presentable yet again.
The excitement I had felt earlier for exploring previously unknown portions of Hogwarts, gave way to trepidation. Something niggled at the back of my mind. I couldn't grasp it, though.
"Everything is pristine. Spotless." Hermione pointed out as we returned to the sitting room.
She was right. There wasn't a spec of dust anywhere and the flowers on the mantel were flourishing. Still, the air smelled stale. No one has been here in quite some time.
"A cleaning charm?" It almost had to be. Either that or an elf has been assigned to these rooms.
Hermione made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat.
"We might as well see what's upstairs." My hand tightened around hers for a moment.
She took a long moment. She chewed on her bottom lip and pushed her hair back behind her ears.
"Fine." She sighed. "Lead the way."
The stairs wound around in a tight spiral and opened into a large room.
The back wall held a fireplace that flared to life as we entered. The ceiling lit with a soft white glow, illuminating the room.
The walls to both sides were covered floor to ceiling with bookcases, completely full with books and scrolls of various sizes.
To each side of the door there was a desk. Each desk held an oil lamp, a selection of inkwells and quills. There were thick leather chairs behind each.
In the center of the room there was a long table with wooden chairs lining each side. In the back of each chair, the serpent and phoenix logo was etched into the wood.
In the very center of the table, there sat a lone scroll. It was sealed with the Ravenclaw emblem, stamped into dark blue wax.
"I've seen this room before." Hermione turned in a slow circle before she dropped her bag on the table and retrieved her sketchbook.
As soon as she found the drawing, I remembered watching her put the final touches on it.
"You said you had imagined it."
"Draco? Are you thinking the same thing that I am?" She ran her fingers over the back of one of the chairs.
"I seriously doubt it." Because what I am thinking is too ludicrous to even contemplate as being true.
The seal on that scroll is intact. Which can only mean that no one has stepped foot in this room since Rowena Ravenclaw herself.
Until now. Until us.
"What if the Serpent and the Phoenix is not just some children's fable?" She ran both of her hands through her hair and tugged on the ends.
A cold chill ran down my spine.
"What else would it be?" My brow crinkled in thought. I think she has to be right. I'm just not sure how.
"These rooms. It isn't a motif based on a fable." She took a shaky breath. Her hand covered her heart. "These rooms were built for someone very specific."
Her hands fell to the waistband of her sweater. In one swift motion, she pulled the fabric over her head, revealing a black tank top with thin straps over her shoulders. She turned so I was looking right at her tattoo.
Suddenly, I understood what she meant.
"The Phoenix." I whispered it as my fingers lifted to trace over the brightly colored lines on her skin. The image that nearly matches that of the painting, the tapestry and the mosaic.
"Cast your patronus." Her voice was nearly as quiet as mine. My eyes met hers. I swallowed thickly, but raised my wand.
"Expecto patronum."
My patronus formed and slithered around the room as it awaited instruction.
"And the Serpent." Hermione whispered as she watched it move. It curled around her, just as it had the first time I cast it in Defense class. Wrapped around her from her legs, her waist and around her back, with its head against her shoulder.
Just like the painting.
And the tapestry.
And the mosaic.
Fucking hell.
I closed my eyes.
I should have seen it before. The story in Ravenclaw's book…it is our story. That's why it had been so hard to read, why it resonated so deeply.
"For the Serpent and the Phoenix, this was only the beginning." Hermione whispered the final line of the story into the air between us. "Their story continues here."
My eyes met hers.
There is nothing, and I do mean abso-fucking-lutely nothing good that can come of this.
She stepped in closer, wrapped her arms around me and laid her head against my chest in a tight hug. I held her close. We stood there, wrapped around each other, for a long moment. Coming to grips with the idea that this is really happening.
I pulled out a chair and sat facing the scroll in the middle of the table. Reluctantly, she sat beside me.
She chewed on her bottom lip and tapped her fingernails against the table. I waited as she thought through whatever she was thinking.
My own mind was spinning. Words like destiny and fate kept making an appearance.
"Right, then." She leaned forward slowly. Her hand stretched out and inched along the table.
She hovered over the scroll for a second before dropping her hand and wrapping her fingers around the parchment.
I held my breath. I don't know what I expected. Another warm breeze, perhaps. Nothing happened, though. I released a sigh as she pulled her hand back.
"That was anticlimactic." I lifted one side of my mouth in a smirk.
"Right?" She huffed out a short laugh. "Perhaps she thought we had enough theatrics already?"
"Perhaps." I moved my chair closer to hers and placed my arm across her shoulder. "Well, then. Let's see what Ravenclaw has to say to us."
She broke the seal.
A warm breeze blew through the room.
Hermione laughed. I laughed. My shoulders relaxed just a little. I pressed my lips against her temple as she unrolled the scroll.
She cleared her throat, then she began reading.
"To the young couple henceforth referred to as the Serpent and the Phoenix: If you are reading this, then the time has come. These rooms have been created and designed just for you. No one else has access. You are completely safe here.
"I don't know your names. However, I feel as though I know both of you well. Through my dreams, I have watched your journey. Through my research, I have discovered your destiny.
"I have prepared these rooms for you. To give you a sanctuary in which you may heal. A fortress in which you will be protected. An operational base in which to prepare for what is to come.
"On the shelves surrounding you, you will find my research into the prophecies. I have tried to put together a timeline. I would be most interested to know how close I came. You will also find a collection of knowledge that I believe will help you in your future endeavors.
"In the laboratory, you will find a portrait that you should find most helpful. Also, if you have not already found them, hidden in a statue near the Headmaster's office you will find an object from each of the Founders of Hogwarts intended to help you on your journey.
"The entrance to these rooms through which you came has been sealed. In your desks, you will each find a pendant. They are designed to allow you to apparate within the boundaries of Hogwarts. They will transport you to and from these rooms.
"I know that you have each had quite the journey already. I'm afraid it is not over yet. I wish the two of you the best of luck.
"Sincerely, Rowena Ravenclaw"
[ - - - ]
I re-read the letter at least twice before Hermione cleared her throat. I feel as though I have more questions than answers at this point.
She placed the parchment on the table. When she did, the end curled back up, trying to roll itself back into the scroll form it has been in for the last four hundred years or so.
I noticed markings on the backside of the parchment. I turned it over and flattened it out.
My heart stopped beating in my chest. My breath caught in my throat.
"Oh, Gods!" Hermione whispered.
At the bottom of the page there was a drawing. A sketch, much like the ones in Hermione's journal. It depicted the two of us, Hermione and I, sitting at this table, reading this scroll.
We might as well have been looking into a damn mirror.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. That's how she was able to key the wards to us. Ravenclaw had seen us in her dreams, just as Hermione had seen the entrance to these rooms.
Her dream, Ravenclaw's dream…vision…sight…whatever you want to call it. All it does is confirm what I already know.
We are meant to be together. I feel it in my soul. In my magic.
Hermione stood and walked away from the table. She ran both hands through her hair and tugged on the ends.
"This cannot be happening." She muttered it to herself, just loud enough that I could hear. She stopped at the loveseat that sat in front of the fireplace, turned and leaned back against it. "What else do the Powers That Be want from us? Haven't we done enough already?"
I swallowed around the lump in my throat. She isn't wrong.
I followed her across the room and stood directly in front of her. My hands rested on her waist. Instinctively, she lifted her hands and placed them against my chest.
"Let's worry about that when it gets here." I lifted my hand and brushed the loose hair from her eye, tucking it back behind her ear. "In the meantime, we should focus on the first part of that letter."
"Which part would that be?" She sighed and leaned her head into my palm.
"The part where no one has access to these rooms but you and I." I leaned down and kissed her gently once. "The part where we can apparate here from anywhere on school grounds. You never have to walk around this castle alone again."
Another soft kiss and she relaxed a little, sinking into me.
"These rooms are ours, Hermione. You are completely safe here." I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that is true.
"We." Her lips pressed against my neck, just below my ear. "We are completely safe here."
I don't know that I have ever been completely safe anywhere. Even on the third floor, we have had to put layers of wards on each door before either one of us feels secure.
Here, we don't have to do that. Literally no one but us can ever access these rooms.
No one will find us here. No one will interrupt us.
I cupped my hands around her face and stared into her eyes.
I didn't have to say a word. She is thinking the same thing as I.
My lips crashed into hers in a heated kiss. This kiss was not quick, nor was it gentle.
Everything else faded to the background. There is only her and I. Her lips against mine. Her body pressed against me. Her hair tangled around my fingers. The sound of her soft moan as my hand traveled to her knee and slid up her bare thigh to the edge of her skirt.
Fucking hell.
I skimmed my lips over her jawline to her ear, then down her neck to her shoulder. All that matters is the taste of her skin. The sound of her short gasp followed by a soft "Oh, Gods." as I sucked her skin between my teeth.
Her fingers fumbled with my tie, loosening it and letting it slip to the floor. My hands drifted up her thighs, pushing her skirt up inch by inch whilst one by one, she unfastened the buttons on my shirt.
She leaned back. Her hazel eyes searched mine. Asking for permission, perhaps, before she pushed the fabric off my shoulders.
Somewhere in the back of my lust filled, hazy mind, I wondered if Ravenclaw knew we would be using the study she created for us to snog like this.
The usual warning bells in the back of my mind, telling me to slow down, be careful, take it easy…those are completely silent. Even as my hands slid under her shirt, my thumbs hooked around the bottom and slowly dragged the fabric up…up…up until I reached her arms.
She leaned back again. Her eyes met mine. Her lip tilted up on one side. Slowly she lifted her arms above her head. Her shirt was discarded on the floor along with mine.
She was left in nothing but a black bra and her skirt. She ran her fingers through my hair and pulled me in for an intense kiss that left us both gasping for air.
Merlin and Salazar.
I lifted her easily off the floor. Her legs wrapped around my waist as I turned and set her down on the table.
She rocked her hips, pressing her wet center against my hard cock. Her head fell back and she moaned out loud.
Fuck me.
She rocked forward again. This time, I snapped my hips to meet her half way. Her tongue tangled with mine as we continued to move together. With every thrust, she moaned a little louder and I pushed a little further. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to finding my release.
I buried my head in her shoulder and sucked on the sensitive skin there. She loves it when I do that. Sure enough, it was what she needed to push her over the edge. Her fingers dug into my scalp and her head fell back as she came undone. I was right behind her.
I really hope she has an extra pair of my pants in her bag. I am going to need them.
I held her against me for several long moments as we caught our breath. My hand slid across her bare back in a rhythmic circular motion. She rested her head against my chest. I could feel every breath, every puff of air against my skin.
"Draco. I don't know what time it is, but let's go to bed."
She won't get an argument from me. A quick check of the time showed that it is already past curfew anyway.
"I agree. Whatever our destiny is, it can wait until tomorrow."
Together, we gathered our belongings and made our way back downstairs to the bedroom.
"I am going to need a shower." There is only so much a cleaning charm can do, after all.
"Go ahead." She curled up on the end of the couch and lay her head against a red throw pillow. "I'll get mine when you are done."
The way her eyes are drifting shut, I will be amazed if she is still awake when I am finished. My lip tilted up on one side. I watched her for a few seconds from across the room, then closed the door and stepped into a steaming hot shower.
As predicted, Hermione was sound asleep on the couch when I left the steam filled bathroom.
I lifted her easily and carried her to the bedroom. She didn't stir as I placed her on the bed and slid the comforter over her shoulders.
[ - - - ]
I opened my eyes Friday morning just as the sun was starting to lighten the sky outside.
Hermione had tossed and turned most of the night, but now seemed to be sleeping peacefully. At some point during the night, she had gotten up and changed into a pair of cotton shorts and white t-shirt. She is sprawled across half of the bed on her stomach. Her hair is a mess of black and red waves covering her face.
I let my lip tilt up in a smirk as I listened to her soft snoring, then I left her to her sleep and went to get ready for the day.
When I returned to the bedroom, she was awake and sitting in the chair next to the window.
I paused in the doorway when I realized she had her notebook on her lap. Her hand was moving quickly, almost frantically across the page.
I didn't interrupt her. I watched, fascinated as she worked.
She stopped. The graphite between her fingers rolled to the floor. She blinked several times.
Wait. Is she…crying?
I had a sudden, sinking feeling in my stomach.
She focused on the drawing for a moment. One hand lifted to cover her mouth.
She slammed the book shut and let it fall to the floor as she wiped at the tears that were falling down her cheeks.
"Hermione? What is it?" I took two steps towards her before I even thought to move.
She still had tears in her eyes when she looked up at me. She swallowed hard, blinked several times and took a shaky breath.
"It's the wards around Hogwarts. They're getting worse. A student got too close." Another tear ran down her face. "Draco…it…it was Tristan."
"Tristan?" My heart stopped. "My cousin, Tristan?"
I waited just long enough for her to nod.
Ravenclaw mentioned a pendant in her letter. A way to apparate out of these damn rooms. Where the fuck did she say it was?
I left the letter in the study, on the table when I came downstairs last night. I turned around quickly. I was already halfway up the stairs when she caught up to me.
"Wait!" Her hand wrapped around my wrist. "Hold on."
I didn't stop. I need to warn him. Get him to safety.
"Damn it, Draco. Listen to me." She stepped in front of me before I made it to the table and put both hands on my chest.
I forced myself to stop.
"It isn't going to happen today, alright? We have time."
How can she possibly know that?
"Do your dreams give you a date now or something?" I squeezed my hands into fists. My fingernails bit into my palms.
She raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. Her hip popped out to one side.
"No. They don't." Her eyes narrowed and she glared at me. "But there was snow on the ground. A lot of snow, and ice hanging on the gates."
There is no snow outside today. In fact, the sky looks clear.
I took a deep breath.
"Like I said. We have time." She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. "I'm going to take a shower."
She stepped around me.
"Hermione."
She paused at the top of the stairs but didn't turn around.
I don't know what to say. An apology of some sort is appropriate, I'm sure.
"Would you have told me? If I hadn't been standing there?"
Okay, that wasn't an apology at all. More like an accusation. Still, it needed to be asked. Because honestly, I wouldn't put it past her to hide it from me.
Not maliciously. She would justify it, of course, by telling herself that she didn't want to worry me. She would try to figure it out, stop it on her own.
"I guess we'll never know." The hurt was evident in her voice. Still, she didn't turn around.
She waited a few heartbeats, then she continued downstairs without another word.
Fuck.
I should go after her. Apologize, like I should have done in the first place.
Instead I collapsed into the leather chair behind the closest desk and dropped my head into my hands.
AN: So, the Serpent and the Phoenix… Did you figure it out before they did?
I couldn't wait to get this chapter out to you guys, so you get it a little early. Let me know your thoughts.
Until next time.
-mezy