Heart of Ice

Draco awoke to the feel of something soft and warm cradled against him. Oh, no. Who is it this time? He blinked in the darkness and looked down. Draco smiled with relief. There, with a sheet covering her to the middle of her back, was Hermione. Her head rested against his broad chest, and her arms were wrapped around him as she slept peacefully. Her skin seemed to glow with unequivocal beauty, and a small smile of contentment played on her lips. Draco tilted his chin down just enough to kiss the top of her head, while his thoughts began to race.

He had just made love to Hermione Granger. Draco had had sex many times before, but love making was completely foreign to him. Imagine what the Slytherins would say! Imagine what his father would say! Draco’s face became thoughtful. Well, it didn’t matter, did it? Because they were about to die.

And he was about to die with them.

No, you fucking moron! Look what you have now! You can’t just leave her!

Draco chanced another glance at the girl who had dared to melt his heart of ice, the girl who had finally taught him what love was. He had no choice. He had to go to that meeting today, and when he got there, he had to go through with the plan. What was he to do otherwise? Be a slave to Voldemort, and condemn Hermione to the life of a Death Eater’s wife? Draco shook his head. No. He would not have her suffer the way his mother did.

Draco carefully untangled himself from Hermione’s lithe form, making sure he didn’t wake her. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 2:30 in the morning. He would have to hurry if he wanted to make it to the Ceremony on time. With a wave of his wand and a few choice words, Draco was fully dressed in the black dress robes that would be appropriate for his Initiation.

“Draco. . .”

He froze instantly and snapped his attention to the girl on the bed. A minute passed in which his brunette angel did not stir again. Draco let out a sigh of relief. She was just dreaming. About me, he thought with a smirk. Of course. After putting on his cloak, he scribbled a note on a piece of parchment, conjured a rose, and stealthily made his way to Hermione’s side for the last time. Carefully, he brushed back a lock of hair that had recklessly tumbled across her face, and gazed at her in her state of peace. She looks so innocent, he thought. Hell, she is innocent. Draco felt something flutter in his stomach. There was no denying what he felt for her now.

He loved her.

Draco had to try very, very hard not to laugh at the bitter irony of it all. Here he was, the heartless Draco Malfoy, hater of all Muggleborns and Gryffindors, in love with a Muggleborn Gryffindor. And even better, she loved him, too!

Ha!

“Goodbye, Hermione,” he whispered, as he planted a final kiss on her sweet lips, and placed the note and flower on the pillow beside her. Hopefully, she would understand why he had to do this. If everything went according to plan, she would be free of the terrors of Voldemort. Free to fall in love with somebody better suited for her, free to have babies, free to have a career. . .

With one last look, Draco turned and left the room.

* * *

Severus Snape took a weary breath, and began his trek through the dark halls of Hogwarts. Tonight was the night of the Death Eater Group Initiation Ceremony, and he was required to be there. No matter how much it would disturb him to see his pupils turn themselves over to a lifetime of servitude, the information was invaluable to the Light Side. There was also the small matter that if he did not show up, Voldemort would kill him. That sort of thing tended to deter any thoughts one had about turning truant to the Dark Lord.

Once he was out of the castle, the cold night air of Christmas Day hit his face like a brick wall. Severus shivered and drew his cloak closer around him. Something was strange about this night. Instinctively, he glanced over his shoulder. He felt as if somebody were following him. . .

“Professor Snape!” a frantic voice hissed. Severus whipped his wand out and pointed in the direction the voice was coming from.

“Who’s there?” he snapped. “Potter, if that’s you, I’ll have your neck!” Faint laughter greeted this threat, and Severus instantly knew it wasn’t The-Boy-Who-Lived. For all his Gryffindor bravery, he would never dare to laugh at his Potions Master.

“It’s me, sir,” came the voice again. Severus squinted in the darkness, to see a figure cloaked in all black approach him.

“Mister Malfoy?” he asked, recognizing the aristocratic voice. The figure threw off his hood, to reveal a head of gleaming platinum hair. The handsome boy nodded, his stoic face tainted with a slight hint of mirth.

“I’m sorry you had to go through the horror of thinking I was Potter, sir,” he drawled. Severus nodded in response, too distracted to share his amusement.

“May I ask what you are doing here, Mister Malfoy? I’m sure you are aware of where I have to be right now.” The silver-eyed young man shook his head furiously.

“I’m sorry, sir, but you have to trust me on this: Don’t go.” Severus raised an eyebrow. What was this all about?

“Mister Malfoy, while I do appreciate your. . .concern, this is a part of my job as a spy that simply cannot be avoided,” he said tersely. “I have to be going. Go back to your dormitory.” Severus turned and headed on his way to the forest, only to hear footsteps running after him.

“Snape! Snape, you can’t go, damn it! If you are really a spy, as you claim to be, if you are really on Dumbledore’s side, there is no way in hell I can let you go to this Ceremony with me.” Severus turned around in shock.

“You have changed your mind, then? You are to become one of them after all?”

“Not exactly, sir. From their perspective, I have. Let’s just say, I am going tonight, and it won’t be pretty. If you value your life, you will remain here.” Severus had to fight for control of his facial expressions. He really did care about this cold, harsh boy, and something very strange was going on with him right now. However, he knew Draco well enough to know that when he was serious, it was best to take him seriously.

“What are you planning, Draco?” he asked quietly. The boy simply stared at him impassively. “Whatever it is, it won’t work.” Thinking back to his prophecy, Draco smirked.

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. I know it will work. Whether you believe me or not is out of my hands, Snape. The facts remain the same: I am going to that Ceremony, and if you follow me, you will be killed.” With that, Severus watched as Draco Malfoy jogged into the forest, pulled out his wand, and disapparated. Severus remained where he was, thousands of thoughts running through his head. Was the boy on the Dark Side, then? Had that been a threat to blow his cover to Voldemort? Or. . .had that been something else entirely? Severus felt his blood go cold.

I have to get Dumbledore.

He ran back to the castle as fast as his aging legs would carry him, images of what happened to Draco last summer, and his behaviour in the last few months, playing through his mind. He tried to piece it all together as he rushed through Hogwarts halls, ignoring the indignant cries of the wakened portraits as he passed. Then,

Oomph!

Snape felt himself crash into another body. He growled and pulled out his wand, muttering ‘Lumos!’ and pausing to see who had run into him. Who he saw shocked him. Struggling to her feet, in Slytherin robes far too big for her, tears streaming down her face and a letter clutched in her hand, was Hermione Granger.

“Miss Granger?” he asked tentatively. She looked up at him through frantic eyes, then ran forward and grabbed him by the front of his robes.

“Snape? You have to help me! It’s Draco! He’s going to do something awful and I can’t let him and for God’s sake help me!!!” she screamed hoarsely. Snape’s eyes widened. So, there was something between the Head Girl and Boy, after all. Hermione suddenly pounded his chest. He looked down in shock to find her glaring furiously at him. “Help me, you idiot! We have to find him!”

“Calm down, Miss Gra--”

“No, I will not calm down! Read this!” She thrust the crumpled letter at him, and Snape snatched it from her. He read,

‘Dear Hermione,

First of all, I would like to apologize for everything I’ve ever done to you. I didn’t know you, and you didn’t know me, and I’d appreciate it if you could just. . .not remember me like that. I don’t really have a lot of time I’m afraid, so this letter won’t be able to cover everything. I’m sorry for that, too. I just want to make sure that you know, somehow you’ve made me fall in love with you. I know you probably don’t believe me, because Malfoys don’t fall in love, especially Draco Malfoy, but it’s the truth. I’m in love with you. But, Hermione, you know that we were never meant to be, don’t you? That you deserve better than me? It’s important that you understand that, Hermione. You deserve better, and you will find better.

By the time you read this, I will no longer be living. That doesn’t make this your typical suicide note. Malfoys don’t do suicide. You see, it’s not me I am aiming to kill. It’s the rest of them. You’ll understand soon, I imagine. They deserve to be punished, and the only way to do that is by me going down with them. He crossed the line with my mother, Hermione. Nobody murders a Malfoy and gets away with it. If it makes you feel any better, I would give anything to be able to not go through with this, and stay with you, but I’m in too deep now.

Try to have a Happy Christmas, knowing that you will never have to look over your shoulder for fear of a Death Eater or Voldemort again. Go to that snowball fight and kick some ass. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be there in spirit.

I love you,

Draco’

Snape let the paper fall from his shaking hands, barely noticing as Hermione caught it and clutched it desperately to her chest.

“Now do you see?!” she shrieked, the tears still streaming down her puffy face. “We have to stop him.” Snape met her grief stricken eyes with his own, his face mirroring hers in his distress.

“We’re going to Dumbledore.”

* * *

Hermione ran alongside a surprisingly fast Snape, hoping against hope to get Dumbledore’s help in time. How could Draco do this? Had he been planning this for long? Was that the only reason he slept with her, because he knew he wouldn’t have to face the consequences, because he knew he wouldn’t have to put up with her? He had said he loved her, but the claws of doubt tore at her heart relentlessly, to the point where she wondered if she would collapse due to the pain. He couldn’t just go and kill himself. Even if everything in that letter was lies, the fact remained: she loved him.

Surprisingly, Dumbledore was sitting at his desk when they arrived, regarding them grimly over his half-moon spectacles. Snape wasted no time.

“Sir! Draco has gone to the Group Initiation Ceremony, and he advised that I stay here. Sir, I fear he is planning something horrible. Somehow, he intends to kill Voldemort and his minions this morning, and he plans on dying with them.” All of this came out uncharacteristically rushed from the Potions Master, and Hermione realized that he really cared for Draco. It was the first thing she’d ever had in common with him. Dumbledore nodded his head wearily. . .

But didn’t look in the least bit surprised.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. Something wasn’t right.

“Has he already left, then?” he asked in his raspy voice. Once again, to Hermione, it sounded like he already knew. For the first time sine she had known him, Hermione felt wary of Dumbledore.

“Yes, Sir,” Snape replied quickly. “I didn’t know what to do but let him go. It wasn’t until I met Miss Granger in the hall that I knew what he planned.” Dumbledore nodded and leaned back in his chair, staring at Hermione intently.

“If my suspicions are correct, then there really is nothing we can do. It’s too late. I am sorry.” Hermione felt like the world around her came crashing down, her blood rushing in her ears. Dumbledore--the great Albus Dumbledore who was always there to help--was just going to let Draco die! Hermione’s temper began to boil.

“What do you mean, there’s nothing you can do?! If this were Harry, you’d be out of that fucking seat and after him in two bloody seconds!” she accused harshly, her eyes flashing dangerously. Snape looked at her in surprise, having never heard her speak like that since he’d known her, and Dumbledore’s brow furrowed.

“Miss Granger, I am sorry that you think so little of me, but I--” Hermione interrupted him by banging her fist on his desk.

“I don’t give a shit how sorry you are! You can’t let Draco die!” Hermione reached a shaky hand up to wipe some of her tears away. “Please, sir. I love him too much.” Dumbledore leant his chin on his fingertips.

“Miss Granger, there are some things that are best not. . .interfered with.”

And that’s when it clicked. The all-knowing persona, the mysterious air, all those lessons he had been giving Draco since the night he became a Seer. . .Dumbledore had been training him.

Because he was a Seer too.

Hermione had never been so disgusted and enraged in all her life. Dumbledore knew all along that Draco was going to do this, and was willing to let him sacrifice himself to get rid of Voldemort. Well, Hermione certainly wasn’t! The end did not justify the means, and she was not going to give up the man she loved when she had just found him! With one final glare, Hermione spun on her heel and fled out of the room.

* * *

Snape watched, stunned, as Hogwarts’ resident teacher’s pet stormed angrily out of the Headmaster’s office, after blatantly insulting him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t say he blamed her. He turned to his old friend confusedly.

“Albus, while I respect you, I can’t help but. . .agree with Miss Granger. If this were Potter, surely you--”

“Severus, I have my reasons for what I am doing. Right now, I need you to find Miss Granger and make sure she doesn’t do anything she will later regret.” Snape opened his mouth to speak again, but Dumbledore put up a silencing hand. “Please, Severus. Go after her.”

Frustrated, Snape nodded and left the office. What would he do if he were Hermione Granger? Wake Potter and Weasley. That meant she was headed for Gryffindor Tower. Snape ignored his tired body and sped off through the halls of Hogwarts once again. He had to stop that girl. Not only would the Trio only make things worse if they got involved, but Minerva would kill him!

Suddenly, a flash of green caught his eye, and before he knew it he had reached Hermione. He blinked in surprise. She was waiting for him.

“Snape, you love Draco too,” the disheveled girl stated cooly. Snape was silently reeled by this remark. True, he cared for the boy, but. . . “Don’t bother denying it. You obviously think of him as the son you never had. So tell me, are you willing to let him die, just like Dumbledore? Or do you think he’s worth more alive than dead?” she challenged, her eyes alight with Gryffindor fury. Snape thought, and instantly knew what his answer was.

“Alive,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “Definitely alive.” He snapped his eyes open once more. “However, Miss Granger, if Professor Dumbledore does not see a way to prevent his death at this point, then--” Hermione waved a dismissive hand at him.

“That’s not what he thinks. He just thinks that it is better to lose Draco and Voldemort than just to keep Draco. I, personally, say that if Dumbledore wants Voldemort dead so badly and there is a way to do it, which Dumbledore obviously knows about, let him do it. In the meantime, we are going to save Draco.” Snape pondered the shaken girl’s words. Albus had seemed somewhat pre-decided on the matter. . .

Snape nodded. “Come with me.”

* * *

“Draco Malfoy,” a cold voice hissed through the night. Draco took a deep breath, and made his way to the center of the clearing. After looking Voldemort in the eye for a moment, Draco smiled inwardly and kneeled before him. The Dark Lord didn’t even realize what a threat was right under his slitty excuse for a nose. Oddly enough, Draco wasn’t all that nervous at this point. It was just a matter of saying the words and waving his wand. . . “Are you ready to pledge yourself to me, young Mister Malfoy?” Draco looked up at him and smirked.

“No, not really.” Voldemot’s face darkened, and the surrounding Death Eaters gasped. Draco didn’t care. He whipped his wand out.

“Sino--”

Draco felt his magic begin to tingle all through his body. It was incredible. He had always known that a Wizard’s magic was a part of them, but to actually feel it, coursing through his veins. . .

“--letum--”

Now Draco was aware of a faint green glow that was beginning to envelope him. The stars seemed brighter suddenly, the Death Eaters closer, the wind colder. . .

“--ine--”

“Draco!!!” Draco immediately stopped the incantation. Dread settled in his stomach as he recognized the voice that had called for him.

Hermione.

“Kill her, you fools!” a Death Eater–who sounded uncannily like Vincent Crabbe-- shouted. Draco looked up in horror, trying to aim his wand quick enough to save his spirited Gryffindor, when a vicious shout came from a familiar voice, followed by a flash of green light. The Death Eater, who Draco realized must have been Crabbe Senior, fell to the grass with a quiet thud.

“Expelliarmus!” Voldemort yelled. Instantly, Draco’s wand flew from his grasp into the Dark Lord’s. Shit, he thought. Still, at least somebody saved Hermione. . .He squinted his eyes and glanced to his right to see who saved the life of his love. In front of the bushy haired girl, (who still wore his Slytherin robes), was Professor Snape. Barely a moment had passed from the time Crabbe fell, when the Potions Master swung his arm to the side, threateningly aiming his wand at Voldemort himself. Nobody dared to move or make a sound. The tension was thick as the mist in the air.

Voldemort, apparently highly amused by the appearance of Harry Potter’s best friend and a traitorous Death Eater, didn’t even feel threatened enough to reach for his wand. Suddenly, the snake-like man’s cold laugh washed over the assembly. “Severus Snape and Hermione Granger,” he hissed with a sadistic smirk. “To what do we owe the pleasure of this interruption?” Snape made no move to respond, and Hermione was too busy staring at Draco. Voldemort quirked his head to the side, then finally lifted his wand and pointed it at Draco’s forehead. “And you, Mister Malfoy. You I am fairly disappointed with. You would have made a fantastic Death Eater one day, but you insist on betraying me at every turn!” he shouted, his hideous eyes flashing with menace. Draco stared at him defiantly, more because he hoped to buy Hermione time to come to her senses and leave, than because he wanted to prove something.

“Well, it’s not as if loyalty is a quality inherent to the average Slytherin, is it?” Draco questioned with a smirk. “Rather ironic from your perspective.” Voldemort’s face darkened.

“Indeed,” he growled. “It’s also ironic that your friends apparently foolishly came to save you, and are now the reason you will die at my hand.”

* * *

Twenty feet away, Snape stood with one hand still pointing his wand at Voldemort, the other holding firmly to Hermione’s arm, preventing her from doing anything rash. “No,” she whispered desperately, angry tears streaming down her face.

“Stay still, or you’ll get yourself killed,” Snape murmered impatiently, his nerves completely unraveled by this point. “I know you want to save him, but we’ll have a hard time getting out alive ourselves at this point. Don’t do anything stupid.”

They watched helplessly as Voldemort grinned and began an incantation.

“No!” Hermione shrieked. Before Snape could react, she tore free of his grip and ran in Draco’s direction.

“Shit!” the professor cursed, running after her and using Avada Kedavra on anyone who got in his way. He may not have been able to do anything to improve the situation at this point, but he was damn well going to try.

* * *

Draco saw the evil grin cross Voldemort’s face, and knew his time had run out. He closed his eyes, waiting for the spell which would inevitably hit him, when a shrill voice cried out. Hermione! Oh, Merlin, no! Draco thought, opening his eyes and turning to see her running towards him. Thinking fast, Draco raised his hand and pointed it at her, hoping she’d understand later. There was a spell Dumbledore had taught him, that allowed a Seer to transport someone else to anywhere they wanted them to go, with naught but a word and a thought, but he’d never used it before. . .

“Transportio!” he yelled, picturing the first place that came to his mind: his room at Malfoy Manor. Draco’s eyes widened with relief as the startled girl disappeared in mid-stride. Voldemort stopped his spell out of sheer bafflement, for just a split second.

That was all the time Draco needed.

His energy restored by the knowledge that Hermione was safe, he took one last, desperate chance and jumped forward, grabbing his wand from Voldemort’s bony grasp. Before anyone could intervene, Draco was yelling. “Sino letum ineotus!”

It was the same as the first time he’d tried the Multus Abi curse. The same tingling, the same green glow, and the same peculiar heightening of his senses.

The next stage was the bad part.

Like the tingle that preceded it, a searing pain began to spread through Draco’s limbs. He could literally feel the magic draining from his blood, collecting in a single ball of power in the middle of his chest. He heard the sound of a man screaming in agony, sounding like it came from the other end of a long tunnel, and was vaguely aware that it was him. Then, the magic spread out in a bomb-like wave of energy, killing everything in its path.

Draco crumpled to the ground.

His thawed heart beat no more.

* * *

Long A/N:

*hides under her desk*

I know, I know, I know.

I haven’t updated in a--*cough*month*cough*--long time.

You know how life gets really busy sometimes? And sometimes you just don’t feel up to writing? That happened to me. However, I got an email from ~wicked witch~, which reminded me that I was being cruel to “my fans,” (lol! I have fans?), so, I got writing. You can thank her for this finally getting written.

Now, I’m sorry if the quality of writing rendered the chapter anti-climatic. It’s obviously been a while since I’ve written this fic, so I might be a tiny bit rusty. Also, I have to say: that chapter was a bitch to write. So, I got a bit fluffy at the beginning, and a bit cheesy at the end. Don’t flame me. But, as always, constructive criticism is more than welcome!

My thanks to Artfully Lime for reminding me to bring back the Seer element. I had already planned to, but the remark let me know that someone was paying attention. That’s why I love constructive comments! I have to say, all of you reviewers are absolutely amazing. I asked for votes, and you rose to the task admirably well. Ah, about the vote. . .

I still haven’t decided, so if you’re strongly one way or the other, there might still be time. This is the magic world, so if there’s lots of support for a miracle to occur, it’s definitely feasable.

Or maybe I really have already decided, and I’m just not telling you.*smirks*

Heh heh heh. Evil, aren’t I?

Please review! Tell me what you think! Tell me what sucked so I can fix it! Tell me what you liked so I remember it in future writing!

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

Love,

May