Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It and any characters from the franchise that may appear in this fanfiction are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. This story was written for entertainment purposes only and no profit is made from this story.
Author's note: Eternal thanks to my beta, GeekandProud (AO3) a.k.a. AnimeIsMyCrack (FF) who also made the cover image for this story.
- Hogwarts Express, 1st of September 1993 –
Hermione angrily put the Daily Prophet to the side. "The minister isn't doing anything which would actually help to get him caught!" Hermione huffed out frustratedly as she nearly crumbled up the Daily Prophet and put it to the side. Crookshanks was lying on her lap, and seemed quite happy that his witch needed to vent out her frustration by giving him some loving pets.
Draco had actually missed the little devil and had been very pleased with himself when he saw the half-kneazle through the window of the pet store at Diagon Alley. He knew that Hermione had gotten Crookshanks the Summer before third year, and had practically dragged her away from Flourish and Blotts, claiming he needed to buy some owl treats for his eagle-owl Ulysses. What she didn't know was that he was actually planning on having her meet her furry friend again.
One look at the little bastard and Hermione had fallen in love. The owner of the store had tried to dissuade her from buying him, telling her the cat was quite old already, fourteen in fact, but Hermione would hear nothing of it. She would take the little bugger with her, and after a trip to the magical vet, it turned out he was half-kneazle, meaning he would live to be at least forty.
Harry and Blaise were talking excitedly about the upcoming quidditch season, and Daphne sighed at Hermione. "I can't believe the boys bought themselves a new broom for the third year in a row." She said, referring to the Firebolt that both Draco and Harry had bought.
Finally, his beloved broom was his again. He couldn't wait to take it out flying after classes tomorrow. Harry was as excited as he was. Good. The Boy Who Lived needed something to look forward to after the man that had betrayed his parents had escaped Azkaban. Draco just hoped this wouldn't mean the Dark Lord would return a year earlier than planned. Considering he had taken care of Barty Crouch Jr. who had been kissed by the dementors two years prior, he felt his chances were pretty good. Perhaps, this would finally be a peaceful year where they didn't need to fear fucking Voldemort.
Hermione was right when complaining about the Ministry's actions, however. Just like last time, Fudge had thought it a brilliant idea to station dementors around Hogwarts for their so-called "protection". Bollocks. The dementors hadn't protected anyone the last time around, and they wouldn't this time either. If anything, Pettigrew was probably on his way to Eastern-Europe. Preparing the resurrection of the Dark Lord.
Draco shivered at that. If only he'd be able to get rid of more of those Bloody Horcruxes… Sadly, they weren't any closer to finding the last two. The goblins had figured out a way to extract the Horcrux from Harry, however, and Director Ragnok had advised him to visit the bank with his raven-haired best friend at their earliest convenience. Since Pettigrew's escape, Harry had been held on a tight leash. They had not found the chance to sneak off to Gringotts on their own. At least it gave Draco the time to come up with a proper excuse to take Harry there. In the worst case, if things quieted down by the next summer, they would be able to get rid of that stupid Horcrux that was hiding in Harry's skull.
Crookshanks jumped off Hermione's lap, gave Draco an inquisitive look as if to determine his worth, and jumped into his lap instead. Draco couldn't help but smirk. Seemed like the little devil had taken to him a lot sooner than last time around. He supposed that made sense, since he wasn't particularly nice to his Hermione before their fifth year. He scratched the half-kneazle behind his ears lazily, content purring filling the compartment. Daphne and Hermione smiled.
At some point, Neville came in to greet his Slytherin friends, and joined them in their compartment. A little while later, Luna showed up and cozied up next to Blaise with the Quibbler in hand as the seven of them caught up with each other.
Hermione mentioned she had visited France with her parents after the wedding was over.
Luna offhandedly said that she and her father had travelled to Sweden to take pictures of Gulping Plimpies, sadly not having found any.
" No surprise there ," Draco thought. "They probably don't even exist ."
" You should not be doubting Luna ." Deandra answered, all-knowing. Oh please no. Were all those things she mentioned actually real ? Receiving no answer from the spirit, he actually felt doubtful.
Only a second later, a shiver went down Draco's spine. Hermione had also stood up to get her jumper from her bag, claiming she was suddenly cold. The train came to a sudden halt and all lights went out. Hermione stumbled backwards into Draco's lap, making Crookshanks hiss at her as the cat had only managed to jump away just in time before being crushed by his mistress.
A blush spread on Hermione's cheeks as she got off Draco's lap and took Crookshanks in her arms, cuddling the ginger animal and telling him she was sorry.
Harry was looking out of the window, wondering what was going on when the glass suddenly froze over. His eyes went wide.
" Dementors !" Deandra urgently said to Draco. "Are they looking for Pettigrew?"
" No ," the blonde answered, readying his wand in his pocket. " Looking for despair more likely ."
"What's going on?", Hermione whispered, Daphne now huddling closer towards her and Draco, lighting up the compartment with her wand.
Neville, Blaise, and Harry were surrounding Luna. The Ravenclaw didn't seem to be worried in the slightest and she just kept reading the Quibbler.
"Dementors," Draco grit out. "Just…" Just what ? They had never encountered these beings before. They probably didn't have a clue what was going on, even if their parents had told them the foul beings would be stationed at Hogwarts. "Think happy thoughts. It might keep them at bay."
"Remember what Hermione taught you ." Deandra encouraged him as he twiddled his wand nervously. It had been quite a while since he needed to fend off a Dementor. " A Patronus is only as strong as the feeling you put into it. You need to protect your friends ." The spirit said.
He took a deep breath, remembering the most precious memories he'd made with his friends these past years. Playing quidditch with Harry and Blaise. Hanging around lazily in the common room with Hermione and Daphne, discussing potions theory. He also thought about her . How he promised, he would protect her. How she kissed him after they made their vow.
Draco saw the cloaked figure outside of the wagon before any of the others knew what it was. He was prepared to cast his Patronus if it dared to attack Harry like last time. Thinking it would come straight at them, the door to their compartment stayed closers. It had seemingly found another victim.
Draco blinked. What?
"Harry must not be as easy of a prey this time around since he's been living happily with his family and friends for the past two years, instead of with the Dursleys ." Deandra suggested. "But if not Harry, then who-"
A loud scream chilled Draco to the bone.
Harry's eyes widened. "Ginny!" He yelled, bursting out of the door.
"Fucking Gryffindor courage." Draco murmured as he got up to follow his best friend who had just run into danger without knowing how to properly deal with it. He told the others to stay together no matter what and to keep thinking happy thoughts .
"Don't worry." Luna casually said as she finally put the Quibbler away and waved her wand. "We're safe here." A small bunny hopped out of the tip of her wand, running in a protective circle around her friends. It warmed them all up with her feelings of happiness. "Harry needs you. He doesn't have Prongs to help him yet." She rummaged in her bag and gave him some chocolate frogs. "You'll need these."
The Slytherin nodded as the rest of the compartment looked at Luna dumbfounded, wondering how chocolate would help anyone and how she had just summoned what seemed to be a spirit rabbit .
Draco closed the door of the compartment behind him, trying to prepare himself. " Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts." He almost chanted to himself.
" Draco Lucius Malfoy, I swear if something happens to you, or to Harry, I will-"
He stumbled as he heard her voice in his head, almost forgetting where he was going. He knew she'd been training her magical core more and more, extending her legilimency and occlumency abilities. Somehow, she'd done it again. She'd figured out how to waltz straight into his mind to let her thoughts wander into his, no eye-contact needed. Was it the bond? No, it couldn't be. His Hermione had been able to do it before they had been married. He couldn't believe how skilled at magic she truly was.
Steeling his nerves, he continued onwards, not letting her distract him any longer. "'Mione even though I am very impressed that you've learnt this particular skill, I really don't have time for this now, love. "
He ran toward Harry, who was starting to look quite pale when the hooded dementor was finally directing its power at him. He felt Hermione's surprise at him replying to her as easily. Ha! The little witch thought she was the only one who had learnt that trick, didn't she? He couldn't help but mentally smirk at her.
Draco cast his Patronus when the Dementor attacked Harry, the silvery-white otter going straight for the dementor, scaring it away.
Hermione, who of course hadn't listened and stayed safely with her friends, was standing at his back and quickly cast a cushioning charm so Harry wouldn't hit his head as he fell backwards.
As Harry hit the ground with a heavy thud, his wand rolled out of his hand.
"Well at least he was smart enough to pull out his wand, even if he had no clue what he was supposed to be doing with it." Draco drawled. He was seriously starting to question if Gryffindor bravery actually stood for Gryffindor stupidity . They would definitely need to teach him some more cunning if he was about to survive the next five years at Hogwarts.
"For Merlin's sake." Hermione sighed, echoing Draco's thoughts as she waved her wand over Harry, trying to revive him. "You'd think he'd grow less stupid over the years."
As Hermione was taking care of Harry, Draco opened the compartment which Ginny had been sharing with her three older brothers, Lee Jordan, and Angelina Johnson. Both Ginny and Ron were knocked out cold and Draco grimaced. After the events of the previous year, it was no wonder that the two youngest Weasleys would be the dementors' perfect victims. Amelia had told him during summer that both of them were seeing a mind healer, trying to deal with what had happened to them. He sincerely hoped what good the healer had done, had not been undone by these foul monsters.
Angelina, Fred, and George were starting to revive Ginny and Ron, so Draco handed them two chocolate frogs. "Give them these when they wake up," he said. "I'll go and find your brother. The Head Boy should be informed that students were attacked by a dementor on the train."
They thanked him as the blond turned around towards the hallway again, more and more students daring to stick their heads out of their compartments now that the cold was disappearing and the lights were starting to turn on again.
Harry was leaning on his hands, attempting to sit up straight. Hermione held him and rubbed his back in a soothing manner, trying to calm him down.
"I heard her," he barely whispered, tears in his eyes, when Draco crouched down next to his two best friends. "I heard my mum . How she screamed that night when Voldemort killed her…"
Draco winced. He'd heard the screams of the person he loved most once. Saw her die. It was his biggest nightmare that that day would come to pass again. Seeing her, lying there… Dying. Why did Harry have to remember something as cruel like that as well? Sometimes, the world just wasn't fair.
The blond pushed the chocolate frog at Harry, urging him to eat it. "Stay here with Ginny and Ron," he said. "I'll go inform Percy."
As he walked away, Hermione's thoughts joined his again. "He shouldn't have remembered that, " she stated sadly. "I can only imagine what it must be like for him, as a baby… Seeing his mother die to a madman right in front of him ."
"He shouldn't have ." Draco agreed, stopping by their compartment to let everyone know everything was alright. Luna's rabbit was sitting in Blaise's lap and Crookshanks had sought refuge with Daphne.
Luna wiggled her eyebrows at him, smiling. "Really? An otter, Draco? At this rate, Harry will be owing me 10 galleons."
He sighed, rolling his eyes. Great. So the bet their friends had on him and Hermione eventually ending up together was still going seeing as Luna was in on it too now. Luckily, she was the only one who knew what his otter Patronus meant. At least for now.
- Great Hall, 9th of September 1993 –
Draco let out a sigh of relief when Hermione decided to not take all the electives possible. If she had, no doubt that McGonagall and Snape would have stood next to her with a time-turner the day after. Luckily, he had been able to convince her that divination was only useful for those actually having an affinity for it.
Luna had agreed with him as she spent her morning enjoying her breakfast at the Slytherin table. She claimed the nargles had warned her to dodge the other Ravenclaws that morning, and stated she would be joining them for meals for the foreseeable future.
Blaise and Harry both frowned at that. They hadn't been the only ones who noticed that Luna had been spending more and more time with them, and less and less with her own house.
Half a mind to say something about Ravenclaw's blatant bullying of Luna, the blonde reached over the table and took his hand, shaking her head.
Luna winked at Draco, already seen the outcome of the decision he'd made. She'd tell them when she was ready.
Even if he'd spent time with Luna for the past year, it was still strange to think that she could see all the possibilities and act on them accordingly. He had enough on his mind just keeping this timeline and the last one straight.
Hermione exclaimed to Daphne that she did not want to disappoint Hagrid, and decided to take up Care of Magical Creatures. She also wanted to learn more about Runes and Arithmancy, however, so she was unsure if she would be up to dropping any of those two.
Neville, who had overheard her from the Hufflepuff Table where he was eating breakfast with Hannah and Susan, leaned back and touched her shoulder. He said she could always drop Care of Magical Creatures if she didn't like it or if her workload would become too much.
"Neville is right." Daphne agreed. "Unless you want to become a magizoologist, you don't need a N.E.W.T. in Care."
"But what about muggle studies? Those might come in useful if I would end up wanting to work at the Ministry, right?" She mused out loud.
An older half-blood Slytherin a few seats over told her not to bother as it was severely outdated. "Just sign up for the O.W.L. in two years, but don't bother going to the classes, Hermione." He suggested. "You will get an O without needing to study." In the end, only Hermione and Draco took three electives: Care of Magical Creatures; Runes; and Arithmancy.
Blaise and Daphne had decided on Runes and Arithmancy, whereas Harry had taken Magical Creatures and Runes, honouring his mother by picking up the latter class. Ever since he'd figured out that they descended from the Spellmans who had written the original ancient runes textbook, Spellman's Syllabary , Harry had become more interested in the subject and had even spent some of his time during the summer reading up on it together with his friends.
After the silver trio finished their breakfast, and informed their Head of House of their electives, they made their way to the D.A.D.A. classroom. All of them were looking forward to their first real class in the subject. Finally , someone competent was teaching the course. Quirrel and Lockhart should have never been hired in the first place, and Draco sincerely hoped that Lupin would be able to stay on as a Professor until the next year. Then, they would have proof that the curse was truly broken.
Pettigrew might pose a threat, but Deandra had kept Draco informed on his father's conversations at the Manor. So far, no one had heard or seen the damned rat.
After Professor Lupin discovered that Draco and Luna had been able to cast a corporeal Patronus charm on the train ride over, he had been severely impressed and had offered all third-year and up students at Hogwarts to begin learning the spell. The dementors lurking around the castle were worrisome enough as it was, and Remus had felt they needed to be able to protect themselves and their friends when needed. Ginny had also been allowed to join the extra classes since she was one of the more likely victims, still meeting a mind healer at least once every two weeks while she was at Hogwarts.
When they arrived in the classroom, Professor Lupin clapped his hands together to get their attention. They all huddled together as they were led out of the room and relocated to the staff room. Apparently, a Boggart had taken up residence in one of the wardrobes, and it would be the perfect obstacle to take on in their first class.
The Gryffindor and Slytherin students who shared the class started chatting excitedly, wondering what everyone's Boggart would be. Ron had already loudly claimed it would be a spider, and Seamus was saying he was absolutely terrified of banshees, the creatures reminding him of his own mother when she was angry. The Gryffindor's comment got more than a few people chuckling, and the group entered the staff room in good spirits.
Once class properly started, they all practised the Riddikulus spell and were told to think of something funny in order to defeat the shapeshifter they were about to face.
As it was a hot early September day, even for the Scottish highlands, most students had taken off their robes and rolled up the sleeves of their white buttoned shirts.
Hermione and Daphne conjured some hair ties and put up their hair in a bun. Professor Lupin noticed the discomfort of his students in the summer heat and opened the windows with a wave of his wand. Fresh air flooded them, and the students nodded, indicating that they were ready to begin.
Neville was the first one up and the Gryffindor swallowed deeply as Professor Lupin opened the wardrobe, letting out the Boggart, only to reveal…
"Blimey, Neville." Harry laughed, his fellow Slytherins soon joining in. "I knew you always felt nervous during potions, especially when Snape came to look at our cauldron. But there's way scarier things than our head of House."
Neville shrugged, and faced his fear, stuttering the spell which Remus coached him to cast. The whole class burst out in laughter when their potions Professor was now wearing Lady Longbottom's clothes, a hat with a stuffed vulture on it and all.
Draco had his arms crossed and leaned over to Harry. "Doesn't Sirius have a portable pensieve at Grimmauld Place? We should definitely show him and my mother this memory." He chuckled.
Harry smirked back. "Maybe we should invest in some research to figure out a way to take pictures in a pensive as well." He answered.
Both boys grinned as Hermione scolded them for disrespecting their head of house, she herself trying to hide the smile that was tugging on her lips.
Neville smiled when his friends clapped him on the back for a job well done, Ron moving to the front of the room as he was up next. His Boggart turned into a spider, an acromantula to be precise, as he had predicted. When he cast the spell, it was suddenly wearing roller-skates on all of its eight legs. The animal was barely able to stand up straight. Gryffindors and Slytherins were clapping each other on the back, wheezing with laughter.
The line went on, everyone in a happy, carefree and excited mood with all the laughter going on.
It was finally Hermione's turn, and Draco wondered if anything had changed since last time. He remembered that her biggest fear had been McGonagall telling her she'd failed all of her exams. Since she was not a Gryffindor this time around, he wondered if anything had changed. Perhaps the Boggart would turn into Snape again, and he would yell at her that she'd fucked up a potion?
Hermione stepped forward courageously, already pointing her wand at the mummy that Parvati had left behind.
The Boggart twisted and turned, into… A piece of parchment?
Harry nearly knocked Draco over, trying to lean over him to see what was written on it.
All Draco could make out was that it was some sort of letter, with the Gringotts seal right on the bottom. Through their bond he could feel her sadness and sorrow, and he had to restrain himself from reaching out for her. He crossed his arms again, forcing himself to keep standing still. She could do this. He knew she could.
Hermione quickly cast the spell, turning the official looking letter into a pink roll of toilet paper that kept rolling seemingly infinitely, making some of the other students jump out of the way as it rolled towards them.
"Miss Dagworth-Granger?" Professor Lupin questioned, also intrigued by her biggest fear. Who the hell was scared of an official document?
Hermione blushed. "Oh. It was just… Something ridiculous ." She winked at her Professor, making Harry and Draco laugh.
Daphne elbowed them in the ribs. "Stop laughing, you fools," she nearly hissed at them. "We could all see the Gringotts seal on the bottom of the letter. Whatever she fears is serious ."
As the brunette passed Draco and Harry who were last in line, he felt the sadness inside of her increase, yet no indication of her feelings was obvious on her face. He used to be able to read her like a book. Ever since she'd mastered occlumency, however, it had become more difficult to see what she was thinking. If he hadn't been so attuned to her through the bond then he wouldn't have had a clue.
" 'Mione ," he spoke to her in her mind, looking straight at her so she knew he was going to communicate with her. " Are you alright? Please don't tell me you're still scared you aren't a real witch? You know when we took that heritage test at Gringotts that it spoke the truth."
She snorted out loud, making Harry and Daphne raise their eyebrows questioningly. " The truth? I'm not too sure about that. " She said, locking him out of her mind.
He reached out to take her hand in his, but she crossed her arms instead.
"Don't worry about me, Draco ," she replied. "You can't protect me from every single thing I'm scared of. And certainly not of this one ."
" What's that supposed to mean ?" He asked her, Harry and Daphne now openly staring at them.
Before she could answer, Daphne interrupted them. "Are you two having a conversation in your minds?" She whispered, making sure no one but the four of them could hear.
Hermione just smiled at her friend and looked in her eyes instead.
The blonde witch stumbled backwards. "Blimey, 'Mione. How long have you been able to do that ?"
"A while," was all she said before Harry was called up to the front of the room.
"Now," Remus said, grinning as he addressed the rest of the class. "Let's see what these two that have been having so much fun laughing at everyone else, are actually scared off. Go on, Harry. You're up first."
Harry walked up to the Boggart. The whole classroom, including Harry himself, thought it would turn into Voldemort. Remus even had his wand at the ready, just in case. Once Harry was close enough to the pink toilet paper roll, the pink papers started reforming, turning themselves into a cloak. Only a second later, a dementor was standing right in front of Harry.
The raven-haired boy, having started his Patronus lessons with Lupin just a week earlier, acted on instinct when seeing the vile creature and cast a weak glow of a Patronus, scaring it off into a corner of the room.
Remus clapped his hands. "Fear of fear itself." The Professor mused. "Well done, Harry. Even though next time, considering it is a Boggart, you should try the Riddikulus spell instead. We will continue practising the Patronus in private next week."
Harry sheepishly thanked the Professor and rubbed the back of his head, before he made Draco trip while he was walking towards the Boggart. The Boy Who Lived smirked at the blond as he stumbled forward.
"Git." Draco sneered at his best friend, who saluted him in return.
Draco looked in front of him, expecting to see snake face once again. That man had lived in his home long enough, even taunted him in his dreams from time to time. The thought of him returning one day, and starting the bloody war all over again, had always been his biggest fear.
Or so he thought.
Once the non-being changed, Draco froze on the spot. Professor Lupin who had been ready to interrupt, as he had been with all the other students, was so shocked at who the Boggart had turned into, that he just stood there. He too, was stunned as he stared at the woman who had tortured two of his classmates, Frank and Alice Longbottom, into insanity. Bellatrix Lestrange .
The Boggart tilted its head and cackled loudly, just like Draco's aunt used to do. She waved her wand dramatically towards the others in the classroom, a gasp going through them. "I almost forgot, it is not me you are truly scared off, Draco . Your biggest fear is what I can do. To her ."
The wand that the Boggart was holding was pointing straight at Hermione. On instinct, Draco moved in front of his best friend and cast a silent Expelliarmus at the Boggart. The non-being flicked the spell away easily and laughed menacingly, as tendrils of black smoke crept out from under its body, creating a scene that Draco had longed to forget for a very long time.
Oh, how he wished he could have obliviated this horrific memory out of his own mind. He had never truly forgiven himself that he hadn't stopped Bellatrix right then and there. Yes, he had a better childhood growing up again this time around. He had friends. He was happy . But that had never been worth her death.
It had been more than two years since he'd last seen her, and he had nearly forgotten what she looked like as she lay in front of the wardrobe. His feet moved of their own volition, trying to get to her. His 'Mione .
Once again, she was bleeding to death. He could see that vile word etched into her arm, her blood darkening around the edges where she'd been cut. Mudblood . How could he ever have spouted that word at her?
Bellatrix Lestrange was dancing around his beloved now, the same cursed dagger in her hand.
Faintly, he could hear Professor Lupin saying something. What did he say? Ridiculous? And what was that panicked murmuring he heard behind him? This didn't usually happen in his nightmares.
Boggart-Bellatrix looked straight at him and cackled again. "Youuuuuu couldn't saaaaave heeeeeeer!" She sang, taunting him as she came closer. She was standing so close he could feel her foul breath on his skin, making him cringe away. Why did this all feel so real?
"You won't be able to save her this time either. Because some things are always meant to happen ." The Boggart whispered, licking her lips as she walked towards the vision of his wife again, twirling the dagger between her fingers.
No . He'd stop her this time. He stumbled forward, his arm outstretched and wand at the ready.
"Draco," Lupin said urgently, trying to snap the young wizard out of it. "Cast the spell. Now ."
He was having trouble thinking. Why was Lupin here? And what spell? The killing curse? He'd do it to save Hermione. But was he truly a killer? Like his father? Draco shook his head, trying to get his thoughts straight as voices seemed to enter his mind, urging him to call down. Who were they?
"Hermione is dead because of you." The Boggart taunted him again. "And she will die again, because of you ."
It was true, wasn't it? If he made one small mistake, the threads of fate would unwind once more, and she would be gone . Forever this time.
Even Deandra pleading with him to remember who he was, and where he was, couldn't help him from spiralling down into his own mind. All he could do was remember the darkness he'd lived through. Fear had gripped him, and he couldn't see any way out of it.
"What's that, little dragon ?" the Boggart suddenly asked, tilting its head at Draco. Bellatrix' wicked laugh filled the room. "Oh, I see. This is not your only fear, now is it?"
Professor Lupin tried to step forward to fend off the Boggart, but the creature had been strengthened by Draco's horror. It turned into a dark magical mist, reminding Lupin of the death eaters' magic, and surged straight past him. It hit Draco square in the chest and doused the boy in its magic.
Draco blinked. Bellatrix had disappeared, but his wife was still bleeding out in front of him, her body growing more and more pale by the second. He took a step forward, trying to reach her, to save her. But… Why did he feel so awkward? His body didn't feel right. Had that mist done him harm?
He looked down at his body and realised what had felt so off. He'd hit his growth spurt during summer, but he wasn't this tall . What was happening to him?
" Draco ?"
The uncertainty in her voice rang loudly in his mind, finally snapping him out of it.
He turned around to look at his best friend and the rest of his classmates. He finally remembered where he was. When he was. He still had a chance to save her. She wouldn't need to die again.
Hermione's hand was in front of her mouth as if she'd been shocked by what had just happened. Fuck. She should've never seen his fears. None of them should have. He knew what she was looking at. What had her so shaken. It had shaken him too.
A shiver went down his spine when he glanced back at the corpse of his dead wife. 'Mione . He never imagined seeing her like that again. The image of her death was burnt into his mind. He'd tried to forget it, telling himself that it would never happen. That it technically had never happened. But it had. He was just the only one who remembered. His nightmare had come alive to haunt him once more.
Even if he loved his friends, if he loved this Hermione as his best friend, she wasn't… She wasn't his. And he wasn't hers. And even if by a chance of fate, that one day they would marry again, she would never remember them like he did. That Hermione was lost. Forever.
He took a step towards his best friend, wanting to calm her down. When he reached out his left arm, he saw the hint of a tattoo he'd never wished to see again. Yet, there it was. The dark mark . Ah. That must be what had felt so off. He was back to the age he'd been before he returned. He probably looked exactly like the day he'd left. No wonder he was so tall.
Draco swallowed deeply when he looked at the dark mark. This is what he was always meant to be, wasn't it? A death eater. He tried to fight down the panic as it rose in him. He could feel his magic starting to bubble to the surface, not even his occlumency skills able to keep what he was feeling off of his face.
Hermione noticed it too, and this time, she was the one who tried to reach out to him.
"Stay away." He gritted through his teeth, not used to hearing his own deep voice anymore. A few of his classmates took a step back when he looked up again. He couldn't blame them. That last year of the war he'd barely slept or eaten properly. He probably looked gaunt, even paler than usual.
Hermione was still coming closer, however. Determined and stubborn as always. " Don't look at me like this." He begged her mentally when he looked into her warm brown eyes. " I'm a monster ." He cast his eyes downward, not wanting to be reminded of who he was. Not wanting to see the fear or pity in any of his classmate's eyes.
"Professor, please get rid of it. I think we've all had enough for one day." Daphne said quietly.
The Professor had been so shocked by the effect the Boggart had on this particular student, that he'd been staring and watching the events unfold in both wonder and horror.
Before Lupin could cast the spell, Hermione had reached him, at least two heads smaller than him now. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, her head barely reaching his chest. He could feel her reach out to him with her magic, sending him calming and soothing waves.
"Don't be riddikulus ." She whispered, making him shrink down to his regular size again, the Bogart falling off his left arm as the Dark Mark turned into a colourful slinky. "You could never be a monster to me."
He put his head on her shoulder and hugged her closer to him, nearly crushing her as he let out a silent sob into the crook of her neck. He'd heard her say those words before. His 'Mione had never thought of him as anything but a boy who'd been forced to make all the wrong choices. But he had been a monster the day that he'd allowed Bellatrix to murder her. And he would never forgive himself for that.
"Class dismissed." Professor Lupin said as he levitated the Boggart-slinky back into the wardrobe. "Mr. Malfoy, if you would please stay behind for a few minutes."
Draco nodded numbly and Hermione led him over to the nearest chair as he noticed he had started shaking all over again. Great. Now everyone would see what a loser he was. How unhinged he could become.
"Mate," Harry asked as most of the others had left. "Who the fuck was that crazy bitch?"
Neville had been hovering nearby still, not having left with the rest of the Gryffindors. He balled his fists in anger. "Bellatrix Lestrange." He answered Harry, barely loud enough for the silver trio and Professor Lupin to hear. "I actually expected her to be my biggest fear as well, since I was there when she… I just can't remember."
The blond closed his eyes and lent his head back, trying to catch his breath. He'd forgotten about what his aunt had done to poor Neville's parents. This must've been a sight to see for him as well. He only hoped it hadn't awoken some trauma in his friend.
"She's a death eater," Lupin supplied to Harry and Hermione after Neville had hurried off and smacked the door loudly behind him. "One of those responsible for torturing the Longbottoms into insanity."
Remus offered all of them some chocolate. Draco could feel both Harry and Hermione flanking him as he took the sweet, his eyes still closed.
"But why would you fear her torturing 'Mione?" Harry wondered, his worry making him nervous and listing of questions faster than Draco could answer. "How do you even know her? Why would she come after you? Or why would you think you'd turn into a death eater?"
Draco laughed dryly. "Because Bellatrix Lestrange is my aunt. And she's a death eater, just like my father . Just like what they want me to be, one day. When the Dark Lord returns."
Hermione gasped and Harry sighed deeply, putting his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Well, luckily you got us to make sure none of that ever happens."
Grateful for their support, but also wary of their optimism, he thanked his friends. He couldn't shake the words the Boggart had spoken to him. Because, maybe, some things really are always meant to happen…