What Once Could Never Be...

What Once Could Never Be...

Chapter 6: Dark Waters

"McNair, so glad to see you could join us. We were starting to wonder what was keeping you."

McNair took a seat across from Lucius. They were seated in the parlor of Malfoy Manor. They were accompanied by Lord Voldemort. McNair looked up as he spoke and nodded politely with each acknowledgment. "Malfoy. My Lord."

Since Lord Voldemort did not indicate any interest in speaking, Lucius took charge of the arranged meeting. "I suppose you are wondering why you have been called here."

"I have. What will you have me do?"

"You have been commanded to perform a task that will decide the future of the Death Eaters. I'm sure you are aware of the importance of my son, Draco."

"Yes, I am."

"Then you know that he has been raised to become the successor to Lord Voldemort and leader of the Death Eaters. He has been trained to hate all below him and love nothing. He knows the ways to create destruction and death, and is able to instrument fear in the hearts of his enemies. His entire life has been leading up to this moment in time, beginning his legacy. I have taught him everything I know and, Lord Voldemort himself, has hand-picked him from the day he was born."

"I know this already. It still does not get to the point of my being here."

"Yes, yes, I'm getting there. Besides, there's no reason to get all hissy."

"I was NOT hissy!"

"Anyway, after all that I've done for Draco, he defied me. This past summer on his sixteenth birthday, he was to receive the Dark Mark and start his life as a Death Eater. I went to him that day to see if he was ready to be accepted within Lord Voldemort's circle. He blatantly refused to bear the mark and take the oath. He said he shuddered at the thought of following in his father's wake. I was so taken aback that I proceeded to give him the worst thrashing of his life to which he still bears scars." Lucius smirked with malice at this last statement. "And yet, he still refused."

"But his destiny has already been laid in front of him, does he not understand that?"

"Oh, he understands. A little too well, if you ask me. That is why he must be forced. That's where you come in."

At this, McNair gave a cruel grin and sat up to listen intently. Forcing was his specialty. "I'm happy to help."

"Of course, you will not be forcing him directly. Draco is too vital for that. He must be manipulated into acting in our favor." Lucius leaned forward in his chair, his eyes were glittering with malevolence. "There is a girl."

"A girl?"

"Yes. A little mudblood named Hermione Granger."

"What is your son doing associating with such filth?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is that Draco has strong feelings when he is around her."

"How do you know of his feelings for her? Who is your source? Are they trustworthy?"

"I have no source. I cast a charm on my son called the Enlightess Charm. I'm able to watch Draco through a mirror, and the mirror lights up when his feeling are strong. The mirror is almost blinding when he is around her, and it is not feelings of hatred. This is how I found out about the girl. Even Draco has not yet admitted to himself that he has these feelings for the mudblood. He doubts himself and is unsure of her reaction to him because of what he once was. He believes he has changed. But I know the truth. I know that he is the same person I made him become. The same person I trained him to be."

"I'm still not seeing the relevance of all this in the reason I am here."

"You wouldn't, would you?"

McNair looked puzzled at this statement. Lucuis decided to push forward in the conversation.

"Your job, McNair, is to kidnap the girl and hold her captive in the dungeons beneath the house. Once Draco sees that he will be risking her life, he will give in. If he continues to refuse, you will kill her in front of him."

"I see. Then I best be on my way." With that, he rose from his seat to leave bowing to Lord Voldemort and nodding to Lucius before going towards the door.

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Draco was sitting in the Slytherin common room before dinner. He had just gotten back from class, and he wanted some time to think. After what happened last night, he had been trying to sort out his feeling for Hermione all day. He didn't know where to begin. He felt confident that he could tell her anything and she wouldn't laugh at him, but did that make them friends? They had slept in the arms of one another. Did that make them more than friends? It was all very confusing and was making him dizzy just thinking about it. One thing was certain, they were no longer enemies. Maybe I'll just wait and sort this out later. No! I have to think about it now. Before I see her at dinner.

Maybe he just didn't want to admit to himself that he had feelings for her. He had become so used to being a playboy and casting girls aside without a single thought that he had forgotten that girls were people, too. But Hermione wasn't just any girl. She was easily the most beautiful and smartest girl at Hogwarts, possibly that Draco had ever set eyes on. He knew he wanted her, but not like the others. He wanted to take her away from Potter and Weasley and protect her. He knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and therefore hurting himself. When he had seen her run out of the Great Hall, it had broken his heart to see her in tears. That's why he went to look for her, so he could talk to her about what had happened. He knew it hadn't been his place, but he thought that she would tell him anyway. And she had. The connection they shared wasn't like the ones he had with other girls. He hadn't even talked to them, just screwed them and kicked them out of his room.

He would do anything for her. Anything to make her happy, and bring a smile to her face. He grinned as the thought of her smiling at him last night was brought back to his mind. He knew he would sacrifice his own life to save hers. It was at that moment that it dawned on him. I'm in love with Hermione Granger. Great, NOW what am I going to say to her at dinner?

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Hermione was sitting in her room putting the last touches on her Charms homework before heading down to dinner. Since Harry had told Ron about the cloak incident, most of the Gryffindors had stopped speaking to her. Her old roommates, Lavender and Parvati still spoke to her as well as Ginny, but most of the guys thought she had committed high reason. She took this all in with a grain of salt because she knew she had Draco now.

She wouldn't have been able to handle it if she had to go it alone. But I'm not alone. She was looking forward to seeing him at dinner and hoped to speak to him afterward. She didn't know what about; she just knew she wanted to be alone with him again. When he was alone with her, he did not put up the façade of being a spiteful, snobby boy. Instead, he became an enchanting and handsome young man that was battling with himself internally and seemed to be as smart and clever as herself. That man was the man she was in love with. Not the money or the name, but the person. The Draco Malfoy that sometimes could be so vulnerable that she wanted to put her arms around him and protect him forever from the world. The Draco Malfoy that had cried in front of her without shame because of the pain and abuse he was forced to endure from his father. The Draco Malfoy that had held her in his arms when they fell asleep together on the couch. The Draco Malfoy that had emanated from under all that hate to refuse becoming a Death Eater like his father. That was with who she had fallen in love. With that last thought, she made her way out of her room and down to dinner. I can't wait to see him.

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Draco was thinking along the same lines when he left for dinner. I can't wait to see her. But, he would have to . If the Slytherins found out about him and Hermione being even just friends, they would tell his father. After refusing to become a Death Eater, some had stopped speaking to him, but he was still a Slytherin and still had a reputation. Though, if his father found out that he had befriended a muggle-born, he would kill her then kill Draco.

He couldn't let that happen. So, to keep Hermione safe and protect her, he would have to continue teasing her and ignoring her in public. I hope she understands why I'm going to do this.

Crabbe and Goyle were behind him with Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini as they all made their way to dinner. As they turned the corner of a corridor, they came face to face with Hermione and two other Gryffindors Draco recalled being named Lavender and Parvati. Oh shit.

Draco and Hermione just stood there looking at each other. Their counterparts waited in silence behind them. As the moments passed by, Draco could feel the silence behind him grow tense, waiting for him to strike. So, he did.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little Mudblood. What's the matter? Did Potter and Weasley dump you the same day? That's got to be a record." Draco heard the other Slytherins snicker behind him. Well, that's over with. Please let her understand.

Tears started to well up in Hermione's eyes and Draco saw them. She was furious. He had played her for a fool and she had bought every word of it. She would show him. "Shut up, Malfoy!"

No, no, no, no! I wasn't supposed to hurt her. She was supposed to understand. He watched helplessly as she walked away from him and in the direction of the Great Hall. He waited a moment before following her, leading his housemates to dinner. All the while, tossing things over and over in his head. I WILL make this up to her.

Hermione entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny looked up and across from her at a tearful Hermione. "Hermione, is something wrong? Did somebody say something to you?"

Lavender and Parvati joined them at the table. Ginny glanced up at them, an unasked question in her eyes. They just silently shook their heads and proceeded to eat the meal. Ginny just nodded and went back to the conversation she had been having with Harry. She knew that her boyfriend and her brother were not speaking to Hermione, but she thought that they were acting very childish. She just sighed inwardly to herself. I wish that they would go back to being friends. Hermione seems miserable without them, and no matter how much they deny it, they miss her. I wish I could do something.

Hermione gazed down at her empty plate as if it held all the answers to the universe. I have been a fool to think that he actually cared about me.

Draco came into the Great Hall and sat down in his usual seat. As soon as the others with him began to pile their plates with food, his eyes searched out the room to fall on a certain beautiful, brunette Gryffindor.

Hermione felt eyes upon her. She lifted her gaze upward and came to lock on two gray eyes. Now what does he want? Hasn't he already insulted me enough? She looked closer at him. He seemed to be mouthing something to her. She could barely make the out. I'm sorry. She was astounded. She must have looked that way because Ginny looked back up to ask her again if there was something wrong. But, Hermione didn't respond. Her eyes never left Draco as he turned to reach in his pocket. He drew out a chain and let it dangle in front of him, interlacing it between his fingers. Her hand instinctively went inside her own pocket to finger her half of the chain. He must want to speak to me. She let her gaze fall away from his piercing one and gave a nod in his general direction. He's got an awful lot of explaining to do.

After dinner was over, Hermione got up first and headed in the direction of the room they had spent the night in. She wanted to clear her head before she saw Draco.

He followed her soon after. He paced himself for her reaction. Please don't let her hate me. I don't think I could bear it. He slowly entered the room and met a sullen-faced Hermione.

"Draco, I don't know what has come over you, but need I remind you that I am no idiot and unlike your other girls, I will no longer play your games."

"Hermione, please - " he started, but she cut him off.

"No, Draco. I will not be made a fool of. And to think, I defended you to Harry. I am so ashamed of myself."

"Hermione, you don't understand." He was beginning to grow impatient.

"Understand what? That you were using me? That you were trying to make me feel sorry for you so I would sleep with you? I think I understand it quite well. If you'll excuse me, I've had enough of this. I'm leaving."

She made to go around him towards the door, but he was too quick. His arm shot our and grabbed her, spinning her around and pushing her against the wall next to the door. He was standing close and his face was only a foot away from hers. He looked enraged. "WILL YOU JUST LISTEN FOR A MOMENT!?!"

The look on his face was enough to keep her from moving and keep her silent.

"I'm not using you. I have too much respect for you to do that. I did it to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"Yes. What did you think would happen if the other Slytherins found out? They would tell my father." She looked as if she still didn't understand. He raised his hand to her cheek and set his face into a solemn expression. "Then he would come and kill you. I could never let that happen."

She gasped and her eyes filled again with tears. She never thought that being friends with Draco would be a danger to her life. At the same time, she was touched by his concern for her.

His eyes softened at the sight of her tears. He hated being the one to cause them even though it had not been directly. He let his thumb slip upward and he gently brushed them away. "Please don't cry. Nothing will happen. I will protect you."

She peered into his eyes, suddenly very aware of how close he was to her. Her body responded to his presence and she stopped crying.

They both moved at the same time and their lips crashed together in an earth-shattering kiss. The love flowing into the kiss was as powerful as a waterfall as it deepened in passion. Hermione locked her arms around his neck as Draco pulled her up against him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her fingers intertwined in his hair as his tongue caressed her bottom lip.

Hermione felt herself getting lost in the kiss thinking this is heaven when suddenly it was over. She opened her eyes and saw a stunned Draco standing in front of her. She spoke once she regained her voice. "What's the matter?"

"I have to tell you something."

"Well, what is it?"

A faint blush was creeping on Draco's cheeks as he darted his eyes from hers. He suddenly looked like an embarrassed, little schoolboy. "I think I'm in love with you."

Now it was her turn to look stunned. It was true that she loved him as well, but she never thought that he would return that love. She composed herself before speaking. "Good."

"Good!?! That's all you can say?"

"No, that's not all I can say. I was going to say 'Good. Because I'm in love with you'." The last part she said with a smile.

Draco's face lit up like it was Christmas morning. He grabbed her up in his arms and rained kisses down upon her face. He had never been happier.

They soon left that room and went their separate ways. Hermione headed back to Gryffindor tower with a smile on her face. He loves me, and I love him. She entered the portrait hole and passed by the common room. She headed straight for the stairs and went straight to her room. Not even Harry and Ron could impair her good mood.

She opened the door to her room and went in. She gathered her books and sat down on the bed. It had only been the first day and she already had loads of homework. She had finished her Charms work earlier so she started on her homework for Transfiguration. She had not been working on it for more than twenty minutes when she was abruptly disturbed by the sudden disappearance of a painting in her room. She stood up from her bed and studied the spot where the painting had been. A passageway had been revealed and a person was standing in it.

"Draco!"

"Shhh!! Keep it down!"

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"I know this castle better than Filch. I knew this secret passage led to a Gryffindor prefect bedroom. I was hoping that it was you and not Harry, and I was right." He walked up to her and gathered her in his arms then pressed a soft, tender kiss against her lips.

She didn't protest, but once he pulled away she put on a fake pout. "I have homework to do."

He laughed at her. "I know, I have the same homework." He countered her with sad eyes. " I just missed you."

It was her turn to laugh. "I missed you, too. But I still have work to do and it's starting to get late."

He acted defeated as he gave her a final kiss and crawled back through the passageway. "I love you," he called out behind him.

"I love you, too."

The painting reappeared and he was gone. She settled back down and picked her homework up where she left off. After an hour, she heard a noise behind her. "I thought I told you I had work to do," she said before turning around. The figure in front of her was definitely not Draco. He was too big and his face was hidden by a hood. She tried to scream, but found a Silencing Spell had been cast. He bound her arms behind her with rope and took hold of her arm, pulling her towards the window. He drew a letter from his cloak and tossed it on her bed before flying off with her into the night sky.