A Thousand Words

Annie

Story Summary:
Five years after the second war, the Ministry of Magic proposes an interdepartmental challenge in an attempt to restore trust between workers. Unknowingly, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy are assigned as partners. As the two begin to write to each other under the nicknames Starlight and Shadow, their careers outside of their letters become entwined as well. Obsessions grow out of control, friendships are shattered, and all the while, the threat of a second era of darkness looms above the wizarding world. What happens when Starlight and Shadow begin meeting in secret? And will the two ever discover who the mystery on the other side of the page is?

Chapter 31 - Shape in the Shadows

Chapter Summary:
For the rest of the Ministry, the interdepartmental challenge was merely a failed attempt to restore trust between workers. But for Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, it was the catalyst for an unexpected relationship built on passionate letters, concealed identities, and secret meetings – and the beginning of an end that neither of them could ever have imagined possible, not even in their wildest dreams.
Posted:
03/14/2007
Hits:
2,386


Chapter 31: Shape in the Shadows

'Were you waiting for long?'

Hermione jumped at the sound of Draco's voice. Twisting around, she saw him standing behind her. He was wearing a solemn expression and clutching a small phial in one hand.

'Y-you're late,' she stammered nervously.

'Jumpy, are we?' he said, though there was no hint of playfulness in his voice. He sat down across the table from Hermione and studied her intently for a few seconds before adding, 'Sorry for being late.'

'There's no need to apologise,' said Hermione meekly. She looked down at the table, uncomfortably aware of the heat rising in her cheeks. 'I - that is - I'm -'

She could still feel his eyes on her. Squirming in her seat, she desperately tried to think of something to say, but nothing remotely intelligent came to mind.

'Malfoy,' she finally said in a tiny voice, 'I sort of broke off -'

'I know,' he said abruptly, cutting her off. Hermione looked up at him hopefully, but he was staring determinedly down at the phial he held. 'I heard.'

'Then you heard the - the part about you?' Hermione asked timidly, dismayed that the rumours flying around the Ministry had reached Draco's ears. How humiliating... she thought, covering her face with her hands.

'I - yes. I heard that too.'

'Oh.'

'You can call me by my given name, you know.'

Hermione lowered her hands, astonished. 'What? Why?'

Draco glared at her. 'You don't have to if you don't want to,' he said defensively, clearly embarrassed.

Unwittingly, Hermione smiled. 'I do,' she said, her mood lifting slightly. 'I'm just surprised that you offered.'

'You look like an idiot when you smile like that, Granger,' said Draco in reply, rolling his eyes.

'Hermione.'

'What's that?'

Hermione smiled again, temporarily forgetting that she wasn't in any position to be as happy as she felt at the moment. 'Call me Hermione.'

'I don't want to,' he retorted, but somehow, Hermione knew he was lying. She giggled. Some things would never change.

After a while, a thought struck Hermione. Slowly, she said, 'Draco...what did you mean the other day? About...leaving all the suffering to you...'

'Forget it,' he said immediately, almost as if he had been waiting for her to ask him. He looked embarrassed again. 'I didn't mean it.'

Another lie. 'You don't have to look after me, you know,' Hermione insisted. 'Do you really think you can protect me by pushing me away? Things don't work like that, Draco.'

'I'm not protecting you,' he snapped. 'Don't jump to conclusions. I'd just rather not be blamed by all your stupid friends for making you upset.'

'You don't make me upset,' said Hermione softly. 'I like spending time with you.'

There was no mistaking it now. Draco was actually blushing. 'Aren't you the least bit upset about breaking up with Weasley?' he mumbled, looking away.

Hermione stiffened. In a forced cheerful tone of voice, she replied, 'That doesn't matter. I don't...It never would have worked out anyway. We just need some time apart.' And I need some time to think about who my heart really belongs to, she added silently to herself.

'You're lying,' said Draco candidly, but he said no more on the subject. 'Shall we get going, then?'

'Mmm,' Hermione murmured, though she showed no signs of wanting to leave. 'Do you come here often, Draco?'

'Sometimes,' he replied with a shrug. He tucked the phial he had been carrying into the breastpocket of the shirt he was wearing beneath his robes and sat back. 'Why?'

'I've seen you here,' Hermione explained. 'You always get blackberry tea, don't you? With milk and sugar, two cubes on good days and one when you're not feeling so well.'

Draco looked like he didn't know whether to be scared or amused by the information Hermione had recited. 'You really are my stalker, aren't you?'

Hermione sighed sadly. 'I don't think I know enough about you to be your stalker.'

'You know everything about me.'

She shook her head. 'What do I know, Draco? I know you were once a Death Eater but switched over to our side at the risk of your own life. I know you carved those cursed scars into yourself when you were being tortured by Voldemort. I know you've been brewing an improved version of the Wolfsbane Potion secretly in your basement. But those are all just fragments of your past and present. I don't know you.'

The corners of Draco's mouth twitched, as though he were tempted to smile but didn't know if he was allowed to. 'I'm twenty-two years old,' he drawled. 'I'm introverted, stubborn, and generally apathetic towards the matters of this world that don't concern me. I -'

'No,' Hermione interrupted, 'that's not what I mean. I mean I don't know how you feel about anything or anyone.'

'I don't feel.' Draco's voice had become characteristically frosty, giving Hermione the impression that he was trying to convince himself of his reply even as he said it. But she didn't buy it for one second.

'Everyone feels,' she said gently. 'Everyone, no matter how twisted or bruised their heart is, can love and hate and hurt. That's why I still believe we can save Noah. I'm positive that somewhere deep down inside of him, he hasn't forgotten what it's like to be human.'

'But what if he's doing all of this because he still remembers?' Draco asked quietly, leaning forward a little. 'What if Greyback isn't really controlling his actions after all? Maybe he just wants to escape from having to feel pain...to experience heartbreak...'

'Then I'll remind him that withstanding any sort of heartbreak will always make the aftermath that much better,' said Hermione firmly. She had no idea where Draco was going with this, but she was determined to make it clear that she wouldn't give up. 'Besides, surely the werewolf transformation is just as painful as the downs of being human.'

Draco's gaze softened. 'I don't think you understand,' he said almost thoughtfully. 'Not many people are like you. Your capacity to endure emotional suffering is unbelievable. Any regular person living your life right now would have cracked under the strain of it all.'

'What do you mean?' asked Hermione warily.

'I mean that you bear the burden of having to choose between the two of them so easily.'

Hermione's eyes widened. 'Ch-choose?'

'Between Weasley and the other one,' said Draco in a low voice. He had bowed his head so that his his fringe fell over his eyes, shielding them. 'Choosing who you love more...It must be killing you.'

Hermione's heart began pounding furiously. 'How did you -?'

'As good as you are at tolerating it,' Draco cut in, 'you do a shoddy job of covering it up. You never loved Weasley as anything more than a friend. You stayed with him because he gave you safety, comfort, and familiarity. But now you're falling for someone else, someone much more dangerous, and it worries you. No, it scares you to death. Am I right, Hermione?'

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes, but she didn't even notice. How had Draco known all of that? Was it because she was so terrible at concealing her feelings that Ron had become so protective of her? It had to be.

'You're wondering how I figured your feelings out, right?' said Draco, affirming the questions running through Hermione's mind. 'After all, you were hardly aware of them yourself.'

'I - I don't understand -'

'I don't either.' Suddenly, Draco sounded less composed, less sure of himself. 'I don't understand why you love either of them after they both hurt you so much. How can you be so foolish as to keep going back to them?'

Hermione swiped at the tears now streaming down her cheeks. It was embarrassing, crying like this in front of Draco in a public place, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't stop now that she had begun.

'I don't,' she sobbed, burying her face in her arms. 'I don't keep going back them. I keep going back to you, because even when you say awful things or purposely hurt me, I just can't stay away from you...'

Hermione trailed off there, overcome by the reality of what she was saying. Could it be...Was it Draco whom she had loved all along? He was, after all, the one who had been there when she had been plagued by thoughts of Ron or Shadow, the one who had kept her sane with his cynicism and anger and hatred, because all of that was what made him imperfect and, above all, real. It was Draco's existence that had anchored her to the living, breathing world when she nearly become lost in the abstract visions Shadow had cast around her. Was Draco the one she treasured after all?

It was absurd, yet the idea of loving Draco seemed more rational than anything else in Hermione's life at the moment. Was it even possible, though?

These thoughts flew out of Hermione's mind, however, when, to her disbelief, she felt Draco's hand cover hers. Confused, she looked up, but his face was shadowed by the setting sun. Tentatively, almost fearfully, she turned her hand around so that their palms touched and her fingers curled around his. He didn't pull away.

'Thank you,' she hiccupped, straightening up. She smiled feebly and added in a whisper, 'I think I've made a decision.'

'Let's go then,' said Draco, his voice husky. He stood up and, rather than letting go of Hermione's hand, waited until she too had gotten out of her seat before he started walking. Together, they headed out of the tea shop and onto the street.

It was strange, Hermione decided dazedly as they went around to the Apparation point located at the back of Brown's, that she should take comfort in being next to Draco like this. A month earlier, she would have been repulsed by the very thought of holding his hand. Now, however, she felt more lucid and alert than she had felt for a long time, and it was all due to Draco's presence.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad being in love with him, she thought, for one wild moment. If he loved me too...it might work out...

But then she remembered Harry and Ginny and the other Weasleys. What would they think? She had broken off the engagement with Ron because of Shadow, and her getting together with Draco might be the last straw for them...

She shook her head and mentally chided herself. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things. She had to keep her mind focused on the task ahead: finding Noah and convincing him to disclose Greyback's whereabouts.

When they reached the Apparation point, Draco exhaled loudly. His face was a sickly ashen colour and a grim expression had settled on his features.

Hermione gazed at him sympathetically. The prospect of seeing Greyback again had to be tough for him. Just when he had almost completely severed all ties between him and his past, too...

'Draco, are you okay?' she asked carefully. 'You don't have to do this. I can go alone.'

'No,' he snapped. 'I told Shacklebolt I'd protect you, and I will.'

Hermione shivered at these words. 'Fine,' she said, stepping forward.

Draco nodded. To Hermione's surprise, he pulled her close to him and muttered, 'Don't lose hold of me.'

'I won't,' Hermione whispered, pressing her cheek against Draco's chest as she clutched onto him tightly. The feeling of having his arms around her like this felt so familiar, like something from a dream...

And then the dream was over as Draco tightened his grip on Hermione and stepped forward into a black, whirling expanse. Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she shut her eyes, trying to ignore the sensation of being squeezed from all sides. A few seconds later, it was over, and she and Draco were standing at the edge of the Wyrd Woods.

Upon landing, they broke apart and turned to survey their surroundings. As far as Hermione could see, the forest stretched onwards in every direction. It was dark, for the weak rays of the disappearing sun couldn't penetrate the canopy of leaves, and forebodingly silent. Hermione swallowed.

'Maybe we should come again when it's lighter,' she said weakly.

'Are you backing out?' said Draco sharply, looking over at her.

'No!' Hermione retorted, folding her arms resolutely. 'I'm just saying that it's not safe to wander around in unfamiliar territory after nightfall. Especially if the unfamiliar territory is a secluded forest home to a pack of werewolves. Not to mention the fact that it's below freezing...'

'It sounds to me like you're backing out,' said Draco, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. 'Like I said, if you're scared, don't bother. You'll only be a burden.'

'I'm going,' Hermione insisted. To prove her words, she pulled out her wand and whispered, 'Lumos.'

Draco shot her a penetrating gaze but followed suit nonetheless. 'Let's go before it gets any darker.'

They entered the forest. Despite the two beams of light emitting from their wands, it was nearly impossible to see, and Hermione tried to keep as close to Draco she could. Her better judgment was telling her that they had made the wrong choice in going through with the plan, but her determination to get to the bottom of the murder overruled it.

'Keep your ears open for any sudden noises,' Draco muttered under his breath as he swept his wandlight across their path. 'Don't wander off. And for God's sake, Hermione, you're cutting off the circulation in my arm.'

'Sorry,' said Hermione sheepishly, only slightly loosening her hold on him.

They continued on in silence. Occasionally Hermione would stop in her tracks, positive that she had heard a branch breaking or leaves rustling, but Draco would lay a hand on her shoulder and tell her, with just a hint of exasperation in his voice, that it was her imagination. Nevertheless, it was evident that Draco was scared, and that above all terrified Hermione.

'What if they're not here?' Hermione asked in a hushed voice as they stopped to rest for a while. Unyielding darkness had fallen around them by now; at least an hour had passed since they entered the woods. 'We really should come back another time...'

'I'm going to find him,' Draco said tersely, but the words seemed to Hermione to be directed more towards himself than towards her. 'Leave if you want to. I'm not forcing you to stay.'

'I can't let you wander around here by yourself!' Hermione argued. 'That would -'

She never finished her sentence, for at that moment, she froze. The skin on the back of her neck was prickling threateningly. There was someone behind her.

'Draco,' she whispered, her voice cracking from the effort of holding back a scream. 'Draco, behind me...'

Instantly, Draco swung his wand around and pointed it over Hermione's shoulder. He was just in time, too, for when Hermione spun around to see who was there, she almost bumped into a pair of gnarled, clawed hands reaching out of the darkness, presumably to grab her while her attention had been elsewhere.

'Oh my God,' she said faintly, backing up and nearly bumping into Draco. He responded by seizing her forearms and jerking her behind him.

'Stay out of sight,' he said in an undertone. 'I'll handle this.' In a louder voice, he said with surprising coolness, 'Greyback, you can come out now.'

Almost as if he had been waiting for Draco's invitation, the owner of the hands emerged from the shadows. As he strolled into the beam of light emitting from Draco's wand, Hermione shrunk back, horrified.

Years spent living in isolation had made Fenrir Greyback nearly unrecognisable. He had never been clean in any shape or form, but now he appeared to be comprised of more grime than flesh. Indeed, the only features of his Hermione could make out clearly were his eyes. Like two polished, black stones, they glinted with malice beneath a tangle of matted hair.

'Long time no see, Draco,' said Greyback. His voice was rough and animal-like. Upon receiving no response from Draco, he grinned, revealing sharp, yellow teeth stained with a substance that looked suspiciously like blood. 'Why'd you bring the girl along?'

'She's none of your concern,' said Draco shortly. 'Where's Noah Lawley?'

'Haven't a clue,' Greyback responded innocently as he casually picked at his teeth with a pointed fingernail, 'though I s'pose if you handed your pretty friend over, I might be able to sniff around for you.'

Hermione saw Draco's fists clench tightly at his sides. 'Tell me where he is,' he hissed, his voice dangerously low. 'Don't make me hex you. You know as well as I do that the boy doesn't matter to you.'

'"Don't make me hex you",' Greyback repeated mockingly. 'S'pect that's what you said to Amycus before you captured him...'

'I'm not looking to bring you in today,' said Draco coldly. 'Now, where is he?'

Greyback let out a bark of laughter. 'Hear that, Lawley?' he called over his shoulder. 'Someone's hear looking for you...Looks to be from the Ministry...'

There was a faint rustling of leaves, followed by the appearance of a skinny, bedraggled boy. Criss-crossing scars had disfigured the left side of his face; a distrustful scowl marred the right. He wore a torn t-shirt and ripped jeans covered in mud. Right away Hermione recognised him as the man who had been described by both Anna and Mary Hedge.

'I don't want anything to do with you,' Noah said sullenly. He turned, apparently to return to the depths of the forest, but before he could leave, Draco spoke up.

'Wait!' he exclaimed, pointing his wand at Noah. 'Tell me, are you the one who murdered Madam Malkin?'

Noah stared at Draco blankly for a few seconds before answering crossly, 'None of your business.'

'I'll be damned if it isn't,' Draco responded angrily. He took a few steps forward. Afraid that she would be left alone, Hermione followed as quietly as possible.

Fenrir inspected Draco almost lazily. 'A bit feisty, are we now? I'd be careful, now, or your friend is going to joining us for dinner...'

'LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!' Draco bellowed, pointing his wand at Fenrir again. Hermione could see that he was shaking violently.

'Don't,' she said anxiously, reaching out and touching his shoulder. 'It's okay. He's trying to provoke you; he wants you to lose your composure...'

'Stay back,' Draco growled. To Greyback, he said venomously, 'Hand the kid over, and I won't touch you.'

Greyback chuckled. 'I'm afraid I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request,' he drawled. 'He can't go back now. Ain't that right, Lawley?'

Noah looked away. 'That's right,' he mumbled.

'Why?' Hermione whispered despairingly. She made a move to approach Noah, but Draco pushed her back.

'You'll have your chance in a bit,' he muttered rapidly to her. 'I'll distract Greyback. Wait for the opportune moment to sneak up on Lawley and Apparate him out of here.'

'Don't go having private conversations with your girlfriend now, Draco,' Greyback said loudly before Hermione could protest against Draco's plan of action. 'I'm hungry and bored, and you know better than anyone else what that means...'

'Shut up,' said Draco calmly, though Hermione could tell he was slowly crumbling under the weight of Greyback's taunts. 'If you want to make small talk, tell me how you did it. How did you commit the murder?'

Greyback nodded approvingly. 'Now there's a good topic. How did I commit the murder, indeed...What do you say to that, Lawley? You ought to tell him, you're the one who did it!' He cackled happily, apparently amused by this fact.

'Go,' Draco hissed under his breath. 'Go, while he's busy explaining.'

But Hermione stayed put. She wanted to hear what Noah had to say. Now at last the mystery of Madam Malkin's murder would be solved.

'Yeah, I did it,' said Noah stonily. He stared at Draco defiantly. 'I murdered the old lady. I did it to prove that I'm serious about becoming one of the pack. It wasn't a full moon, but I did it anyway.'

There was a pause, and then Draco said quietly, 'Go on.'

'I was with a group of other people, but I left them. I went down the alley by the shop, broke in through the back door, and attacked her from behind. It was over in a few minutes. I dragged her out and left her propped up against the wall. But I was covered in blood, so I went back inside. He' - he jabbed a thumb in Greyback's direction - 'was waiting for me there. He took the Polyjuice Potion and took on my appearance. While he walked back out through the back alley as me, I cleaned up and left.'

'What about the Dark Mark?' Draco asked sharply.

'That was me,' Fenrir cut in with a grin. 'Thought it'd be a nice touch.'

'Of course,' said Draco, clearly disgusted.

Meanwhile, Hermione stood stock-still with her mouth hanging open. Too stunned by Noah's confession, she didn't even notice when Draco nudged her urgently with his elbow.

He had done it, this teenage boy. He looked barely eighteen, and yet he had murdered someone so violently and cared so little that he could narrate the whole process without a hint of remorse in his voice. Had she been wrong? Would they not be able to persuade him after all?

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Hermione stepped past Draco and into clear view of the two werewolves. Trembling, she turned to Noah and said pleadingly, 'This isn't the end, Noah. You...you may have killed her, but that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to this kind of life. We can return you to who you were. We have a cure, a cure for your lycanthropy. Please, come with us...We'll give it to you, we'll save you, we'll -'

'Who the ruddy hell do you think you are?' Greyback suddenly snarled, approaching Hermione. Before she could move, he had grabbed her wrist roughly and twisted it behind her back, causing her to gasp as pain streaked up her arm. 'Playtime is over,' he growled, leering at Hermione and baring his pointed teeth. 'I reckon it's time we made a meal out of you.'

'GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF HER!' Hermione heard Draco shout from behind her, but Greyback paid no attention. It all seemed to happen in slow motion as he raised a clawed hand and brought it down below her right collarbone, just nearly missing her neck. Excruciating pain ripped through her, and she screamed.

Looking down, she saw her own blood pouring out of the wound, staining her shirt crimson. The dark clearing swam before her eyes; Greyback was going to strike again, she knew it, but even though she tried to pull away, she couldn't move her arm...And then suddenly blackness edged in from every corner, just before she heard someone scream, 'Crucio!'


The quote “I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request” is, as most people will probably have realised, from Pirates of the Caribbean (aka the Best Movie Ever). And the “opportune moment” mention is another reference :)