The Dragon, The Lion and The Serpent

Comfort and Saving Ginny

Draco watched as Zabini held Abigail back before she could hit him again. Her punch had been surprisingly strong - she'd almost blown the living daylights out of him! - but he wasn't surprised by her reaction and had even expected it.

Yes, Draco knew that Selena Serpent had been tortured by the Death Eaters. St Mungo's hospital had warned him that she suffered from the same symptoms as the Longbottoms, and he'd drawn to the conclusion that she'd also suffered the same abuse. She was probably the powerful witch he had seen them torturing into madness the previous summer. He hadn't known her name then, arriving late to the meeting, but when he thought back, it all made sense. It was that same night that he had decided to put a stop to these degrading ceremonies.

And now, Selena Serpent's only daughter was out for revenge. He watched as she tried desperately to break free from Zabini's hold. It seemed to anger her even more that Draco's cold, steel-grey eyes held her menacing stare.

"You're gonna pay Malfoy! I'll kill you for this! You Death Eaters are all fucking dead!" she yelled at him.

"MISS SERPENT!" a voice roared and suddenly Snape, fuming with rage, appeared from behind the castle's large front doors and grabbed her arm, hoisting her away from Draco so hard that she almost lifted from the ground. "You will stop your tantrum this instance or-"

"Let go of me, Snape!" she shouted back, tearing her arm free. Snape's beady black eyes opened wide with surprise as she pushed him back.

"You're a coward Snape! You're nothing but a coward! You didn't save her! My family protected you hundreds of times, but you did nothing for her in return! I hate you - I hate all of you!"

Snape didn't seem to let Abigail's words affect him, but continued to hold her tight as he dismissed Blaise and then pulled her away to a deserted spot on the castle grounds, followed by Draco, as he tried to explain himself.

"I tried," he told her through gritted teeth. "I did everything I could but it was too late. Voldemort had already decided of her fate. It was too late; I arrived too late!"

"Bullshit!" she screamed back at him, pushing him away.

"You have to believe me Abigail! When her protective shield failed to save her, it was too late. There was nothing else I could have done that would have saved her from the Unforgivable curse. I'm sorry," he continued.

Abigail's dark eyes opened wide as his words sliced through her like a knife when the truth finally seemed to dawn upon her. She shook her head vigorously, taking a few steps back before suddenly breaking into uncontrollable sobs. Her legs eventually gave way and she crumpled on the dewy grass benath her.

Draco looked at her dumbstruck and then at Snape.

Why would Snape, a fellow Death-Eater, try to save her mother?

And then everything seemed to click into place.

Snape's a spy! Of course! He's loyal to Dumbledore and only pretends to serve Voldemort. Very cunning, I wouldn't have expected any less from you Professor!

Snape stepped up next to Abigail, looking down on her. Draco half-expected him to comfort her, but knew that Snape, even though he belonged to the light side, was incapable of it. At that instant, Draco realised how much he resembled his professor.

After an uncomfortable silence, he eventually thought that it was time to put an end to Abigail's display before someone saw them and found out more than they should. The Slytherin girl had already done enough damage for the day.

He helped her up, although she fought against his touch. He noticed her hand had swollen and turned purple from the punch. Draco could feel his own eye swelling up, but he ignored the pain.

"Let go of me, Malfoy!" she hissed at him, pushing him away and then taking out her wand to heal her hand.

She stopped, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand and looked up at him, her dark eyes still blazing with fury. "When's the next meeting?" she questioned him in undertones.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her question. Did she really think he would answer that? But her dark eyes seemed determined to pursue her revenge and he was curious to find out how far she would go.

"Tomorrow night," he answered, "but you can't turn up there, Abigail. If you do, you will die!"

"Say what you want, but I will be there whether you want me to be or not!" she said menacingly, turning to head back inside the castle.

However, Snape blocked her path. "I won't allow you to go!"

She stopped at his words, her eyes fixed on the ground and whispered dangerously. "You can't tell me what to do Professor Snape, not anymore!"

She looked straight into his black eyes, daring him to answer back.

"No one can tell me what to do now," she added quietly before walking away.

As she disappeared inside the castle, Draco turned to his Head of House and looked at him expectantly.

He slowly turned to face Draco and looked sternly at his favourite pupil.

"Malfoy, you mustn't tell anyone what you heard tonight," he warned him.

"Don't worry Professor, your secret's safe with me," he answered truthfully, before heading back inside as well, towards the Head quarters. He did not intend to reveal Snape's secret to Voldemort yet. It would be pointless, except maybe to earn respect from his father and master and attend another celebration involving Muggles, this time in his honour. But he wanted neither of those things.

On his way down the Black Knight's corridor, he spotted Zabini walk by in the distance and suddenly thought he should tell him to keep quiet about what Abigail had said. But the dark-haired Slytherin did not seem to notice him and instead slipped quietly into an empty classroom nearby.

Curious, Draco followed him and stepped up to the classroom door. Peering through the glass window of the door, he smirked as he saw his friend making out with a girl. He must have been dying to get away from Snape to keep this date.

At least he's forgotten Abigail!

However, as Draco turned to leave, something suddenly caught his attention.

Red hair.

Zabini was passionately kissing the Weasley girl!

Confused, Draco walked away and decided to confront his friend later, once he'd had his fun.

*****

"Oh my God!" Hermione exclaimed, as she entered the Head's quarters an hour later and saw his black eye. "Wait- stay here!"

She quickly put her belongings down and rushed off to the bathroom, returning with a damp cloth and some ice. He waited patiently on the couch, watching her, and smirked.

Whatever he did to this girl, she would always take care of him.

Sitting down on the sofa, he let Hermione gently press the ice against his swollen black eye.

"What happened?" she finally questioned him, as Draco held the ice into place.

"Isn't it obvious Granger?" he retorted.

"I've already told you to call me Hermione," she stated, awaiting a further explanation.

Draco looked at her from his other eye. She looked like hell. Her hair was tied back messily into a bun with random streaks falling out and her tired, dark eyes seemed to stand out even more against her pale skin. They were filled with anxiety and sorrow.

"I only just got back from St Mungo's. I suppose Abigail is responsible for the state of your face."

He nodded and they both fell silent as he let her gently press the ice against his eye again.

"Did you know?" she finally asked him in a quiet voice. "Did you know about Abigail's mother?"

"Yes," he answered truthfully. "I was there when it happened."

Hermione looked back at him surprised. Her chocolate eyes searched his face as if the truth might be written on it.

"I didn't want it," he continued. "She was a powerful pureblood after all, but the Dark Lord had no pity for her. "

A long silence followed his words. Hermione's face remained neutral although he had noticed her cringe slightly at the word 'pureblood'. He knew she was angry with him for not telling Abby earlier about her mother, but she didn't say anything. She somehow understood that Draco had preferred to keep silent and prevent Abigail from being hurt, and yet, he knew someday he would have to pay for his choice.

When Draco found out Abigail had left for St Mungo's, he knew she would discover the truth and pour out her anger on him. Perhaps, in the end, if her anger didn't turn into grief before the night, she would even face Voldemort. It was not unlikely.

Draco looked up and stared blankly at Hermione's pale face. It pained him to know what she had witnessed at the hospital. He knew what it felt like to watch Voldemort's victims, see them in their agony, and now Hermione had seen it too. Being the Gryffindor she was, she would probably never want to consciously believe all the horrors Selena Serpent had been through, but viscerally she had felt them the second she'd looked into the woman's eyes.

"I saw her today," Hermione suddenly spoke up, almost as if she had known what he was thinking. "She didn't look - human. She had some sort of attack after we arrived and she seemed to relive her ... torture." Hermione was hesitant to say the word, but she forced herself to confront it. There was a short pause before she managed to continue, and she could see Draco peering at her expectantly through his swollen eye. "Her pain and fear seemed to fill the room, and she kept screaming out to Abby for help. It was so awful and felt surreal. What did she do to deserve that?"

She paused, looking out into the bright fireplace.

"I wonder what Abigail's going to do now," she continued quietly "She was so happy this morning to see her mother again and now she's devastated! I can't even imagine what she must be feeling right now, and I hope I never have to."

Draco listened to her silently. Knowing Abigail and her family, she was surely planning something to avenge her mother; something big.

"I sure hope Harry finds a way to finish Voldemort," she muttered coldly. "He deserves to die."

Draco flinched at her words; he had never heard her speak like this before. In fact, they had managed to avoid these topics quite efficiently up until now.

"Don't say that," he told her sternly, as he put the ice down. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Don't you even try to defend him in front of me!" she exclaimed angrily, staring into his dark silver eyes.

"I -" But Draco stopped. No! He wasn't about to defend someone he loathed, but he couldn't let Hermione speak in such a way. He couldn't let her become someone full of hate and anger like him.

His hesitation to answer made Hermione even angrier.

"You'll never change, will you?" she spat at him, before storming off to her room.

"Granger!" he barked back in his usual cold tone.

She stopped at his words and he got up to walk towards her. "All I meant to say is that you're not a murderer, Hermione," he told her truthfully as he held her gaze.

His words released something within her that she didn't even realise she was holding back. Draco realised it was her own pain. She tried to speak, but her eyes clouded up with tears, choking her voice and before Draco knew it, she had started crying right in front of him.

He knew going to St Mungo's and seeing Abigail's mother had scared Hermione. She had secretly feared the same would happen to her parents or her friends. It had been a long time since she had seen someone in such a state, a long time since Hermione had thought about last year's massacre.

She continued to sob and Draco felt her shiver as he put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Lifting her head up, she faced him and he brushed her tears away and put her head on his shoulder.

He didn't know why he felt such a need to comfort her, but he simply couldn't let her go. Not now, not when she needed someone with her, someone who could comfort her, give her hope again. It was ironic really that he, a Death Eater, should comfort her, but he didn't care much for that thought, and pushed it aside.

Leading her back to the sofa, they both sat down and Hermione stayed curled up in his arms for a while, feeling his warm breath on her face. Draco knew that it was all wrong, but having her in his arms felt right.

"Nobody said it was going to be easy, Hermione."

"No one ever said it would be this hard."

Neither of them spoke for a long time. Neither of them needed to say anything, they both understood the thoughts and feelings of the other.

"What do you do when something's bad for you, but you can't let go?" Hermione finally spoke in undertones.

Draco felt her heart beat faster against him as he realised just how close they were to each other. His eyes roamed over her face and once again, his hand brushed her tears away, but this time, he kept his hand on her cheek. Her bright brown eyes caught his own and before he knew it, his lips crushed down onto her soft ones.

As Hermione feverishly responded to him, Draco, for the first time in his life, felt as if he was truly alive.

*****

(Hermione's POV)

Hermione's mind went blank as Draco kissed her. She wanted him so much but her mind refused to admit it. Her body, on the other hand, went mad with desire and passion as he deepened the kiss. She surprised him as she responded to him feverishly and let his tongue explore her mouth.

His hands roamed over her body as her fingers ran through his platinum hair, pulling him closer.

Everything around her seemed to disappear as she concentrated on the feel of his lips, his hands on her lower back, his hair falling into his eyes giving a devilish touch to his angelic face.

God, how can a Malfoy and a Death Eater be so damn good-looking?

Draco lifted her closer and they fell back on the couch, him on top of her. He brought her legs around his waist as she continued to kiss him. Her hands roamed around his hair, his neck, his back, feeling the curves of his muscles. He settled his hand around her waist as the other caressed her thigh.

Pulling away from her mouth, he left a trail of kisses down her neck, causing Hermione to experience pleasure she had never known before.

No one had ever made her feel that way before. Her entire body was being consumed with passion and Draco's touch made her forget all her problems.

She wanted him, right there, right then.

As though reading her thoughts, Draco suddenly started tugging at her white blouse, but Hermione's eyes suddenly flew wide open and her mind grasped reality again.

"Stop," she exclaimed out of breath.

Draco looked at her questioningly, but Hermione pushed him off her and quickly stood up.

He arched his eyebrow at her. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I just can't do this," she explained, grabbing her cloak. "I'm sorry."

Hermione turned to leave the room, but almost as soon as she did so she felt an arm slither round her waist.

"Wait," Draco said before spinning her round to face him. "Isn't this what you want? Don't you want this as much as I do?"

Feeling his lean body against hers made her dizzy with passion again. She wanted to give in to him, to feel the warmth of his body on hers. Never before had she craved him so much, but it was wrong.

She pulled herself away and stopped him from stepping closer to her.

"I don't trust myself when I'm with you," she admitted, before she left for her room. He didn't follow her

*****

Hermione woke up the next day feeling terrible. She hadn't got much sleep and spent the rest of the night haunted by nightmares. Getting up hurriedly, she showered and dressed in record time and finally left the Head's quarters before Draco even got up.

She didn't know what had come over her last night, but she didn't want to deal with it this morning. She promised herself not to think of Draco all day and stay away from him as much as possible until she could clear her mind.

In the Great Hall, she joined Ginny at the breakfast table who was deep in conversation with Parvati and Lavender over the Christmas Ball. She barely listened to their conversation until Parvarti suddenly turned to her excitedly.

"Aren't you supposed to be organising it Hermione?"

Swallowing down her pumpkin juice, Hermione looked up and smiled back at her weakly.

Crap, the Chrismas Ball! How could I forget?

She was supposed to arrange a meeting with McGonagall once she had organised the preparations of the ball with - Draco!

Cursing under her breath, she turned back to her friends and forced a smile on her face.

"Yes, I'm organising it with Malfoy! We've got last minute details to arrange," she exclaimed hurriedly.

But the girls hardly listened to her answer as they continued to talk excitedly about their possible dates.

"I hope Harry will ask me out," Lavender said dreamily, sipping her coffee.

But Parvati quickly dismissed the thought by a wave of her hand. "Ha! Don't even think about it Lav, he never goes to these events anymore. I'm sure Dean will ask you out -"

But the boys finally joined them and all conversation about the ball ceased immediately.

"Hey Gin, remember we've got practice today," Ron warned his sister.

"I know, Ron. You've told me twice yesterday already," Ginny answered annoyed. "Hermione, will you come and watch us? I've figured out this cool new move and -"

"Yes, yes Ginny, I'll be there," Hermione replied dismissively. She had had no intention of watching the practice when Harry mentioned it yesterday, but now things were different. She had already done her homework, and wanted to avoid Draco at all costs tonight, even if that meant compromising the ball and boring herself silly watching the Gryffindor's practice.

She looked across to the Slytherin table and saw Abigail sitting by herself, eating a big breakfast. Madame Pomfrey had left her off the hook, but Hermione was supposed to make sure she ate at all meals.

Watching the Slytherin girl more closely and noticing her cold attitude to her fellow housemates, Hermione knew she was up to something and it scared her to know what.

"Granger," a cold voice drawled behind her.

She would recognise that voice anywhere.

"Malfoy, what do you want?" Hermione replied just as icily.

Ignoring the unfriendly Gryffindor stares, Draco continued to speak. "I've just been told by McGonagall that we are expected to meet her tomorrow in her office to discuss the preparations of the Christmas Ball."

Oh no! Not this!

"I suggest that you forget your books for the day and help me prepare this important school event," he continued nastily.

Hermione's jaw dropped open as her anger grew within her.

How dare that git make fun of me!

"I'll see you at lunchtime," she dismissed him through gritted teeth.

Her plan for the day wasn't going well at all, but at least she wouldn't have to confront McGonagall's anger tomorrow.

*****

I hate him! Hermione thought furiously as she walked to the Quidditch pitch that late afternoon. That arrogant prick!

She had just spent more than three hours with Malfoy in their common room trying to organise the bloody ball. He had been cold and arrogant with her, as if nothing had ever happened between them and, consequently, she hadn't stopped arguing with him the whole time.

"Clearly you have no idea how such high class events should be organised," and "Obviously your taste in music isn't suitable for the wizarding world!" had been a few of the things he had dared say to her during the meeting and she was furious about it.

Of course, now she was going to be late to see her friends practice and had probably missed the practice all together.

Arriving on the pitch, she managed to catch the last ten minutes of the Gryffindor Quidditch practice, but she hardly paid attention, thinking of the arrogant blond Slytherin instead. As soon as her friends finished, she saw Harry make his way towards her.

"Uh oh!" he said, seeing her angry face. "Let me guess. Malfoy?"

"Let's not talk about it," she answered quickly. "Come on, let's go, it's freezing out here."

Hermione accompanied Harry back to the locker rooms whilst Ron put the Quidditch chest away.

As she stood by the locker rooms, impatiently waiting for her friends to be ready, Hermione realised she hadn't seen Ginny since they'd finished practice. Looking around, she didn't see her close friend. She walked back to the pitch, crossing Ron on the way and passed her way until she finally came to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

There was still no sign of her red-haired friend, but quite abruptly, she heard a muffled scream not far away from her. Looking around hastily, Hermione spotted Ginny ahead of her, near the pumpkin patch with Blaise Zabini. The young girl screamed and fought back as Blaise held onto her arm tightly and dragged her forcefully into the forest. They quickly disappeared out of view.

Fighting down the urge to panic, Hermione ran after them in the forest as quickly as she could, but soon lost their track. She pulled out her wand, summoning up a light in the dark woods, but found nothing. She could no longer hear Ginny screaming or any sound at all, the forest was eerily quiet. Rushing back to Hogwarts ground and the locker rooms, Hermione called out for Harry and told him what she'd just seen.

"We've got to tell Dumbledore," Harry exclaimed, walking back hurriedly towards the castle. "He'll know what to do, come on."

"No!" Hermione shouted back, looking suddenly set and determined. "There's only one person who can tell us what's really going on - Malfoy."

*****

The two of them decided not to alarm Ron, and so left for the Head quarters to find the Slytherin Prince without him. Although the light in the room was dim, they spotted him as soon as they walked in, as he was sitting on the sofa contemplating the crackling fire, which threw his shadow across the walls in a bizarre dance.

"I saw Ginny being dragged into the Forbidden Forest by Blaise Zabini," Hermione stated, out of breath, after running up the stairs. "What's going on?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Malfoy stood up quickly.

"Stay out of this Granger," he warned her icily.

He pushed his way past her and headed for the stairs to his room, but Harry quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

Hermione looked up at Malfoy, clearly surprised. "Ginny's my friend, Malfoy! If she's in danger you have to tell us!"

"They've gone to the Death Eater meeting happening tonight," a voice spoke up behind them.

All three of them turned around to face Abigail. She was leaning against the wall, a dark expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Malfoy asked coldly, his silver eyes narrowing at the sight of her.

Abigail took no notice of it.

"I also saw Blaise lead Ginny into the forest too. Why did he take her?"

"How did you get in?" he questioned back.

"I heard the password from Hermione," she answered quickly. "Now answer my question!"

"What's this about a Death Eater meeting?" Harry spoke up, looking directly at Malfoy.

Looking around him and feeling trapped, the Slytherin smirked at the three interrogators and slowly sat back on the couch.

"Blaise is getting initiated tonight at the meeting," he finally admitted.

A deep frown darkened Harry's face as Hermione sharply turned to look at Malfoy. "And how exactly does that concern Ginny?"

It was Abigail who answered, her dark eyes glittering angrily. "Blaise kidnapped Ginny because every initiation needs a human sacrifice, whether it be a Muggle, a Muggleborn or a blood traitor."

Hermione's eyes opened wide with fear at the revelation. Her gaze quickly darted back to Malfoy in disbelief.

"But I'm sure our friend Draco, here, can explain it better," Abby continued bitterly.

Hermione shook her head in turn; she didn't want to believe any of it, but she had to ask him. "My God, Draco, is this true?"

He stared back into her begging eyes for a few seconds before turning away to grab his cloak.

"I have to go," he stated.

He walked past Harry and brushed Abigail as he walked to the door.

"See you later Malfoy," she whispered between clenched teeth, as he left.

Hermione stood still as her mind reeled with questions. Death Eater meeting, human sacrifice... and then she suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Oh my God! Ginny! What are we going to do?" she said frantically, turning to Harry.

"Don't worry, I'll get her back. I'll be there tonight," Abigail told them, a sudden look of determination oh her face.

However, before Harry could protest against the idea, Hermione spoke up.

"I'm coming with you then."

"No, you're not," Abigail cut in, "you can't easily walk into a Death Eater meeting Hermione. I've got my family's protection to help me, but you're a Muggleborn! If they see you, they won't let you go alive."

"No, but you can't go alone," she retorted with as much stubbornness as the Slytherin girl. "If things go wrong, you'll need someone to get help."

Abigail eyed her for a moment.

"Can you Apparate?"

"Of course."

"I want to be there too," Harry suddenly told them. "I saved her once before, I can do it again, and besides, you'll need all the help you can get."

"Definitely not," Abigail exclaimed quickly. "I'm sorry Harry, but if Voldemort ever gets his hands on you, you don't stand a chance - at least not yet," she added more gently as an afterthought.

"So I'm supposed to stay here and wait?" he shouted back, stepping up to her.

Abigail stared right back into his emerald angry eyes. "Exactly. Someone needs to be here. You'll have to warn Dumbledore if we're not back by tomorrow."

He turned to Hermione, an anxious expression on his face.

"Don't worry, I'll bring her back safe and sound," Abigail said, sounding exasperated. "Come on Hermione, we have to go now!"

She meant to leave for the door, however, Harry turned to block her way and for the first time, Hermione realised how much Harry liked Abigail. It was written all over his face.

"I'm worried about you too, Abby," he whispered, stepping closer to her.

She took his hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "I can take care of myself, Harry."

Turning to Hermione, she added. "Let's go."

*****

The two girls reached the middle of the Forbidden Forest, the only place at Hogwarts where Apparation was possible. Abigail had cast an invisible charm on Hermione and herself as they walked through the dangerous forest, although they didn't come across any creatures or rogue Death Eaters on the path.

Abigail eventually told Hermione the exact location of the Death Eater meetings, which she had found out from her father the previous summer, and they both Apparated at the same time.

When Hermione opened her eyes, she jumped back in fright at the building standing before her. There was just enough moonlight for her to be able to distinguish the façade of an abandoned mansion, which seemed to be crumbling before their very eyes. The grey walls were almost totally engulfed by a barrier of ivy, whilst most of the windows were broken, and the roof had been stripped of most of its tiles. The whole place looked eerie and possessed and gave Hermione shivers.

She turned to Abigail and noticed the girl was no longer wearing her school uniform, but a long green robe over which she wore a thick darker green cloak with a hood.

The Slytherin quickly summoned an identical black cloak for Hermione, who felt drowned in the thick material when she put it on.

"They mustn't see you," Abigail warned. "Put the hood on."

They passed through the screeching iron gates and walked up to the mansion and past the front door.

"They're in the basement," Abigail said quietly, indicating a set of stairs leading down into the house.

However, before they walked down the stairs, she stopped, turned to Hermione and pointed her wand at her.

"Protego Leo!" she whispered and soon a crimson coloured light appeared and enveloped Hermione just like it had done for Abigail's mother in St Mungo's.

"It's the strongest protection I can give you. It should keep you safe from most spells if you're attacked. Remember keep quiet, try not to be noticed or seen and if anything happens, you need to go back to the gate to Disapparate," she added before casting the usual "Protego Alexia!" on herself.

*****

Abigail approached the basement door cautiously and looked down at an old, repulsive and scrawny rat; Wormtail.

"Tell your Master, he has a visitor," she announced clearly.

The rat disappeared through a crack in the wall and soon after, the large steel basement door opened before them.

Hermione had goosebumps from the cold air and her teeth kept clattering with fear. Beyond the door, they set eyes on a dimly lit, large and rectangular hall where stood dozens, if not hundreds, of black-robed Death Eaters, all facing in their direction.

At the end of the hall, on a raised dais sat Voldemort on a black high-backed throne and next to him, stood Lucius Malfoy.

Hermione watched anxiously. Silence filled the air as Abigail continued to walk confidently down the hall, the Death Eaters parting before her.

Hermone's legs, on the other hand, wouldn't carry her any further, and she felt almost as if she had been petrified on the spot. She had been told to stay close to the door anyway so that she could run outside and Disapparate in case things went wrong. She didn't believe one could so easily escape from a Death Eater meeting, but she preferred not to think about it, and started praying silently.

Abigail continued to march down, but as she nearly reached the dais, a Death Eater, who stood in her way, stopped her and pulled out his wand.

Hermione held her breath as she watched the scene before her. She stifled a gasp as she heard the one curse, the Killing curse, which had haunted her dreams for the past couple of years, suddenly being cast by the black-robed and white-masked figure.

"Avada Kedravra!"

Her terrified brown eyes opened wide in horror as the curse struck Abigail.

It was too late, she had remained frozen on the spot, too petrified to move, too scared to save her friend.

Her Gryffindor courage had abandoned her.

But something unexpected happened as the green Killing curse hit Abigail. It abruptly bounced off an invisible shield surrounding the Slytherin girl and hit back the Death Eater squarely in the chest.

He froze for a moment before falling to the ground; dead.

Hermione's mind went blank as she continued to watch the black-robed figure on the stone floor. A few seconds later, the long silence was finally broken as hundreds of Death Eaters started talking all at the same time. The ones nearer Abigail backed away in fright whilst the ones behind pushed forward to get a better view of their fallen comrade.

Never before had they seen someone escape the curse of Death, except for Harry Potter, and none of them knew how she had done it, except for one.

Abigail continued her way to Voldemort, stepping over the dead body almost nonchalantly. Her large hood hid her face well, but, even underneath the cape, it showed determination and almost bloodthirst to save her mother.

Her intentions and knowledge of power suddenly scared Hermione, who continued to pray silently at the back of the hall.

She continued to look around, but couldn't distinguish Draco among the sea of hooded Death Eaters. However, she did spot Ginny lying down on a marble table and held a gasp in. The Weasley girl had been stupefied and Blaise, who was standing beside her, looked nervously from Voldemort to Abigail.

"I see you have improved your protective shield," a raspy voice hissed slowly, causing shivers down Hermione's spine. Voldemort's beady red eyes bore down upon Abigail as his bony spider-like fingers played with his wand. He was the only one who didn't seem surprised by what had happened.

"Very impressive."

Abigail stood up straight in front of Voldemort.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I want the counter-curse to the madness that you have brought upon my mother," she told him, fighting to keep her anger under control.

Her words triggered several laughs among his Death Eaters.

"There is no counter-curse!" Voldemort shrilled with high satisfaction. "The fractures of the human mind are irreparable. Surely even you know that?"

The laughter continued behind Abigail, but did not seem to affect her. She continued to look up, determined as ever to get the answers to her questions.

"You're lying," she breathed out loudly. "Give me the counter-curse!"

Silence abruptly fell upon the hall.

The Dark Lord immediately narrowed his red beady eyes at her.

"Do not think that you are valuable enough that I will let you insult me," he threatened her. His sharp words should have stopped her dead in their tracks, but Abigail seemed unaffected then.

"Then give me the counter-curse," she repeated.

"There is none, little girl!" Voldemort hissed back at her. "Your family obviously hasn't invented it yet."

The hall broke out yet again in laughter and Hermione watched, anguished, as a smile crept on Abigail's face.

"Then there will be no ritual!" she announced loudly among the laughter.

The Dark Lord simply seemed amused by her words. "And what are you going to do, little girl, against me and all my Death-Eaters?"

On his words, Abigail smirked and pointed out her wand towards Ginny.

"Enervate!"