Chapter
26
Almost
Lost / Found Again
Hermione swiftly
released Ron, and swung around to face the owner of the voice. A look of
total disbelief
crossed her face as she saw Draco standing there, looking perfectly fine,
with
Dumbledore
at his side, a hand placed lightly on his shoulder.
“Draco?” Hermione choked out.
He nodded, still not smiling. His eyes were like two pools of ice, glacial and unfeeling.
Ron’s moment
with Hermione was shattered as she practically launched herself at Draco
and
hugged him
tightly as if she would never again let him go. His face, over her shoulder,
wore the
same cold
expression, but for only a few more seconds. He suddenly lost the brave
exterior
and a crystal
droplet escaped from his icy blue eyes and ran down his smooth pale cheek.
Within moment,
tears were freely cascading down both their faces, and Draco hugged back
Hermione with
the same emotional intensity.
“I’m sorry.” Draco sobbed, clinging to Hermione.
“No, I am. I can’t believe I almost lost you.”
“I love you Hermione. Don’t ever leave me.”
“I love you too Draco.”
Draco gently
kissed Hermione’s forehead, and smoothed her hair back as she cried into
his
shoulder.
They were interrupted by Dumbledore, who gently tapped Hermione’s shoulder.
She seemed
reluctant to pull away, but eventually did. Draco wiped away her tears,
and held
her closely
as they turned to face the professor.
“Hermione...I
am well aware of the love you and Young Mster Malfoy share.” Ron looked
pained at
Dumbledore’s words.
“Love is amazing
magic of its own Hermione, do not doubt that. But, sometimes, there is
a
need for a
little help.” He winked, a friendly smile on his face. “Now I think you
four should
just wait
here while I arrange a safe place for you four to stay.”
“I thought Hogwarts was the safest place.” Draco protested.
“It seems we need a safer place than even Hogwarts.”
Harry was about to say something, but Dumbledore raised a hand to stop him.
“No Harry.
By coming here with Ron you have now both put yourselves in as much danger
as Draco and
Hermione. Not as if it’s much difference for you Harry, but for Ron,” he
turned
to the red-haired
boy. “You must be very careful. Now,” he was addressing all four of them
again, “I’ll
be back shortly with somewhere for you to go. I had better also perform
a memory
charm on this
place as well.”
Harry nodded,
and Dumbledore left. Draco let forth a sigh and collapsed into a chair,
a hand
on his forehead.
The others stood looking at his face, then Harry turned to Hermione, asking
if he could
speak with her in private. Looking confused, she nodded and walked a short
distance away,
and they began to speak in hushed voices.
“So,” Draco
drawled at Ron as he sat down next to him. “You like my Mione?” He stressed
the word ‘my’,
and Ron bristled in fury. He said nothing though, trying to ignore the
boy sitting
next to him.
“I advise you
to stay away from her if I was you,” Draco continued, “She’s my girl and
she
likes it that
way, so don’t go doing anything dumb to embarass yourself Weasley.”
Ron was about
to reply with an angry remark, when he saw a look of pure fear colour Harry’s
face as he
looked over Hermione’s shoulder. Harry then shoved Hermione hard so she
fell to
the floor,
before diving next to her. Draco was about to complain, but then he saw
a blast of
green light
flash over the two figures. He froze, half out of his seat. Harry pulled
Hermione to
her feet and
dashed over to the other two, just as another blast shattered a window.
They
stood paralysed,
looking fearfully out the window that was directly behind where Harry and
Hermione had
been standing earlier.
The two figures
floating there made their blood run cold. The first was thin and tall,
with pale
blonde hair
and cold hate-filled eyes. The look on his face made them quiver with terror.
The
second was
even more terrifying. He was also tall, white and also extremely skinny.
His long
fingers were
wrapped tightly around his wand, and red eyes shone from his skeletal face.
Lord Voldemort.
All four faces paled when they saw him. The evil red eyes fastened first
on
Draco, then
Ron, Hermione, and finally Harry’s. A look of triumph appeared on his face.
“Harry Potter!”
He hissed, his voice mocking. “We meet again once more...and this time,
you
will not escape
alive.” He turned to Draco. “Ahhh, my ex-heir. How lovely to see you and
the
little mudblood.
I’ll have great pleasure in watching your life leave that skinny little
body of
your’s.”
Hermione choked
back a sob, recalling all too clearly that that had almost happened several
times. She
wasn’t about to lose Draco. Not here, not now. Hermione’s grip tightened
around
Draco’s waist.
Draco’s face was deathly white. He looked pleadingly at Lucius.
“Father...”
He whispered. But Lucius Malfoy’s eyes looked straight back into his only
son’s
without any
emotion.
Lord Voldemort
raised his wand.
“Now to business. Mr. Potter, step right up. You will be the first.”
Harry started to step forwards but Hermione grabbed his arm.
“No!” She hissed. “Harry, don’t give up!”
Harry stood
in front of the tall form of Voldemort and looked back defiantly. Voldemort
raised his
wand.
“Goodbye, Mr. Potter.” He laughed menacingly.
Harry leapt
aside, bowling the others over as the spell whisked over their heads. Then
he shouted
some unknown ancient spell back at Voldemort to stall him, before pulling
the other
to their feet. Before Voldemort could recover, Harry pulled them through
the
doorway, and
they ran down the hallway and out into the street.
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