Agent Granger, CIA

CHAPTER VIII

"Destroyer"

It starts out like this.

The room is pitch black, nothing can be seen.

Every sound made is intensified by a magnitude of ten; a pen-drop sounds like harsh feedback in this world.

There are only two beings existing here.

Draco Malfoy. The Deletrix.

As Mr. Darwin once theorized, only the fittest will survive.

Outside the world, the so-called God and Goddess of it watch on.

Hermione Granger. Alex Jordan.

Hermione and Jordan had built a prison cell especially for the Deletrix. Draco was imprisoned also because he was the unfortunate host of the demon.

Draco laid unconscious on a flatbed, his naked back facing up. He hadn't awoken since he last passed out. The Deletrix on the other hand seemed to be getting along much better; it grew larger and larger like a bag of popcorn in the microwave.

The Deletrix could be seen as a god demon, he ruled because he did not understand how to be a subject.

His powers were unquestionably greater than any demons' in his time. He is classified in books today under the section of Fire Demons. That is why his prison cell is lined with fire proof glass and kept at a constant temperate of twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinklers hung overhead, in case if the prisoner got excited about anything.

But his gifts were not only limited to barbequing things; his body was impenetrable by known substances after he reached maturity, not even the sharpest blade of steel could have scratched him. And he moved faster than he thought; which left him to acting on impulse, not reason (one of his greatest flaws). Legend has it that he could teleport, but no text had ever confirmed it, they simply stated that he moved so fast many thought he had the power to teleport. With all these powers, if he managed to materialize before Hermione and Jordan could remove him from Draco, he could easily vote Malfoy off of the island.

But the problem with Darwin's Survival of the Fittest Theory is simply that in every world, in every planet, on every plane, if God hates you, you're still screwed; and that is the case with the Deletrix. He is doomed to be screwed.

Jordan took off his clear goggles and placed them beside the laptop, which was sitting comfortably on the lab counter where Hermione was working. "So you want to extract him from Draco?" he asked her for the hundredth time in that hour.

His partner nodded her head and dropped a liquid blue chemical into a large flask over a Bunsen Burner, causing the potion to emit stinky fumes. "Then...we have to inject this poison into him, make him breathe fire, trigger the sprinklers, and freeze the air, which then should cause this chemical to explode inside of him, killing him."

Jordan gave her another look. "And...we're going to do this with Draco inside the cell?"

Hermione frowned. "Well, it's the only way...if he stays unconscious, he shouldn't react too much to the climate changes."

"He doesn't look so good in there. We're going to need high voltage to extract Deletrix out of him, and although we insulated him in rubber already...what if his heart gives out just by the shock?"

She turned around to look at Draco, who's skin was radiating light because of all the sweat on it. His body was giving out, even in the cold atmosphere. She wanted to do more for him, and she knew she could, so she was going to. And that was that. There are risks, yes, but it's better than sitting there and watching him die. The memories of them together flashed through her mind, and though she knew she didn't live those memories in this life, she still held onto them like she did. If some part of her had fallen in love with Draco Malfoy before, then there was no reason why her feelings now should be impossible.

Jordan watched her as she gazed at Draco, there was something about the way she was looking at him that made Jordan a little...jealous? He bowed his head and sighed quietly to himself. "Hermione..." he whispered, careful not to scare her out of her thoughts. She turned her head toward him.

"You love him, don't you?"

Hearing those words and her own response made her feel like she had just downed a shot of liquor. Her whole body became warm but shocked at the same time. Jordan embraced her and nodded his head slowly. "We're going to save him, Hermione. I promise you."

Hermione squeezed him as the first tear fell out of her eyes.

**

Draco slowly pried open his eyes. It was so cold. All he could think about was how cold it was. When did it become so cold? Where was he? His eyes focused and rolled around, looking in every angle and corner that he could without moving his head. He seemed to be inside a cylindrical glass container...a very cold one at that. He shivered and observed a breath of air float out of his mouth. His arms and legs seemed frozen in place, none of them would obey his humble commands. He looked outside the glass and saw two people standing there. Who were they?

He squinted his eyes as the two strangers came into focus. It was Hermione...holding onto Jordan. His insides suddenly felt as cold as it was outside. He shut his eyes to force the image out of his head. It's just a friendly hug, he told himself. He opened his eyes again, and something inside him shouted, "THEN WHY THE HELL AREN'T THEY LETTING GO?!" His anger boiled as Hermione buried her head inside Jordan's coat and she held him tighter. He should be the one holding her right now, he should be the one she was clinging onto.

So was that it? Were they going to kill him? Freeze him to death so that Hermione could live happily ever after with her partner? Draco laughed dryly inside his thoughts at the irony of it all. He had come back to save the person who was now killing him. It was so cold. Perhaps he was hallucinating...maybe his brain just froze over. He opened his eyes again. The two lovebirds had finally come apart. Jordan took Hermione's chin gently and tilted it up. Draco watched furiously, daring the man to kiss her. But he didn't. He told her something, and then she nodded.

Draco couldn't remember if he had ever told Hermione, in this life, that he loved her. He hoped with every fiber of his being that he did. But did she return his love...ever? Maybe she never felt for him. Never cared for him. Never wanted him. Draco tore himself down with his thoughts. He was numb both mentally and physically now. Love hurts.

Hermione walked closer to the window and put her hand on the icy glass. Draco's eyes were closed again, he was concentrating on the beautiful pain that was searing through his unfeeling body. But Hermione didn't know. She wished that she wasn't so stubborn and had realized her feelings for Draco earlier...before this happened.

Jordan flipped through the programs on the laptop, checking to make sure everything was in position for the separation. Temperature, check. Sprinklers, set. Energy, check. Draco...Jordan narrowed his eyebrows as Draco's brain waves expanded, then retracted, then expanded again. Maybe it was the coldness playing with him. Then the waves became normal again. Jordan sighed, Draco was still asleep, he just got cold for a second.

"Alright," he told Hermione. "Everything's set."

Hermione pulled on a pair of thick rubber gloves and retrieved the key to the power box. Jordan kept his eye on the computer screen. There it went again, Draco's brain processed something! He turned around and walked to the glass. Indeed. The man was awake! His cold grey eyes were pinned on Jordan, and in his head, I'm sure some kind of bloody battle was occurring. Jordan's jaw dropped and eyes widened simultaneously.

"Hermione, wait!" he shouted, turning around. But Hermione's arm had just pushed the lever down. Every last breath of air in Jordan's lungs were released in dread and shock as a blue lightning struck Draco's back. It all happened so fast, by the time he could explain, it was over.

**

Draco didn't want to live anymore...he couldn't have Hermione, but then again, when did he ever have the right to her anyway? She was Ron's and now she's Jordan's. He was just someone in between the two loves of her life. He lazily opened his eye, taking in a cold breath of air. There she was, watching him. Draco studied her like a bomb about to explode. He tried to move his lips, but they wouldn't budge, and if they were moving, he sure as hell wouldn't feel it. She turned away from him, something in Draco jumped, waving wildly at her, but she didn't notice. She put on a pair of black gloves, Draco wondered what they were for...then she opened a box and pulled a lever. Everything else went black.

**

"Oh my god, Hermione," Jordan whimpered. "Draco was awake..."

His partner was speechless, in a shocked manner. "W-what?" she breathed.

"His brain waves, they were unsteady, and so I checked on him, and his eyes were open!" said Jordan.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I checked on him before I pushed the lever, he was still sleeping."

They both turned their heads, as slowly as possibly, to savor the last bit of their humanity in case if Draco had been fried awake and alive. Hermione's shoulders slacked like dough when she saw the blonde man still lying there, breathing, and a black rocklike object had crashed to the floor beside his bed.

She sighed with relief. "Okay, he seems fine, and the split worked..."

Jordan gulped and took in deep breaths. "That was close."

"Too close," Hermione whispered. She turned away and prepared the poison. A part of her blamed Jordan for what just happened, even though she knew he didn't mean to be so careless. It was a good thing that Draco was still alive, or she might have done something she'd later regret to Jordan.

Draco wasn't cold anymore. No. He was very warm, a bit too warm now. It felt like he had just been shoved into an oven that was put on broil. He was weak all over his body, and very, very sore. He tried bending his fingers. To his surprise, they moved now! He was alive! A little firecracker exploded with joy inside his stomach. He tried sitting up. For the first time, he realized that he was half naked, and that there were thin white wires connected to his temples and chest.

"Hermione," said Jordan, watching Draco move. "Hermione, Draco's getting up."

Hermione spun around and ran to the glass. "Stay down!" she yelled, but didn't know what the chances of him hearing her were. Draco looked up. It was Hermione. Jordan stood beside her, his face plastered with shock. Draco smirked, satisfied that their plan to fry him had failed.

"Jordan, I have to go inside and tell him what's going on."

"No way! The Deletrix is still dangerous...what if it latches onto you?!"

"I don't care! If Draco does anything that wears him out too fast, he's going to die!"

Jordan hesitated, then heaved a heavy sigh. "Fine. But get in and out as fast as you can, you hear?"

Hermione nodded and pulled on a fur coat as she opened the latch to the cell. It was freezing inside. She shut the door tightly behind her and carefully made her way towards Draco. "Draco, are you okay?"

He shivered and glared at her, making it clear that he wasn't going to be friendly. "What am I doing here?" he spat. "And where are my clothes? You and Jordan planning on killing me? Well guess what? It's not that easy!"

"What?!" Hermione said incredulously, wanting to slap Draco across the face for being so ridiculous. "You don't even know what's going on, Malfoy!"

Draco scowled and jumped off the bed. Hermione rushed forth to support him, but he pulled back. She could feel his body-heat from where she was standing. "Then why don't you fill me in?" he said, his eyes looking murderous.

"Draco. I don't know why you're being such an ass, but we just saved your life!" she began, pushing him down on the bed. "The Deletrix knocked you out and we're trying to vanquish him now; if only you'd stop thinking about yourself and believing that everything was about you, this would go a lot faster!" She was shouting by now, flailing her arms around in anger. "You see that black lump on the ground? We took that off of you! If it stayed any longer, you would be--"

But Hermione never got to tell him what he would be, for Draco decisively shut her up with a kiss that both of them had secretly longed for. Jordan cocked an eyebrow as he watched the show. "Wow," he muttered, amazed that one second Hermione could be biting his head off and the next locking lips with him like they were never going to see each other again. "Go Malfoy."

He tapped on the window, and Hermione pulled her face away, flushed cherry red. Her hands were still pressed against Draco's newly warmed chest, and she slid them down his body as she pulled them back. Draco moaned and closed his eyes. "So what's going to happen?" he whispered, his chest rising and falling faster than before.

"We have to keep you in here, if you leave the cell too fast, your body and heart will fail at the sudden temperature change, especially after you've just been hit by lightning. We're going to kill the Deletrix and then gradually raise the temperature. Then you can leave the cell."

Draco nodded and obediently climbed back on the bed. Hermione turned to leave, but Draco caught her by the wrist just before she was out of reach. "Hermione," he said. "I love you."

What Hermione felt at these words was something that cannot be accurately described with words, you just have to know it, have to have felt it before to understand its weakening yet emboldening power. A warm bubble popped in her chest and she smiled. "I love you too, Draco."

Then she left.

"What was that in there?" Jordan asked playfully, puckering his lips. Hermione blushed deeply and brushed past him.

"Well, there goes all chance of me confessing my undying love for you, my dear!" he said, meaning every single word, but knowing that Hermione wouldn't hear them that way.

Hermione laughed. "I knew it! All these years, I've suspected that you had a crush on me!" she replied.

"But too bad! I'm taken! Plus, I'd never go for an adorable and nice guy like you..." She grinned toothily. Jordan smiled back, although his heart felt like giving up inside his chest. He clutched himself painfully and pretended to fall over with grief. Hermione chuckled and looked at Malfoy, who was watching them with much interest. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Jordan got up and frowned.

"Hey! I just died there! You could take a second out of your love life to mourn for me!"

Hermione sniggered and returned to work, leaving Jordan and Draco to a staring contest. She filled a needle with 100 mL of the potion and flicked the extra drops off of the tip. "Put your goggles back on, Jordan," she scolded as her eyes caught sight of her partner's safety equipment.

"Wait! He's about to blink, I know it!" Jordan replied seriously. Hermione rolled her eyes and picked up his goggles. She snapped a finger in front of his face, causing him to blink and lose the contest.

"Oh common! I was going to win! You did that so that your lover boy over there would win didn't you?"

Hermione nodded happily and shoved the goggles into his hands. "Put them on, I'm going to inject the poison."

Jordan scowled as Draco laughed at him. Hermione rolled her eyes again, boys will be boys. She motioned for Draco to lay back down and cover his eyes. After a game of gestures, he finally caught on. Hermione carefully loaded the needle onto a mechanical arm (which was inside the cell, but controlled from outside). Jordan flipped on all the controls on the power panel and waited for his partner to give him the cue.

Hermione checked over the conditions of the cell on the laptop, then nodded her head at Jordan, who commenced to pushing the joystick control around its little circular rim as if he were playing a video game. The arm first stretched out, away from the glass, then robotically bent into the shape of an upside down 'L'. Jordan grinned as a thought of sticking the needle into Draco's butt flashed across his mind, but he quickly wiped the grin off his face as he targeted the point of the needle at the Deletrix, who had stopped developing, but was now squirming violently inside the membrane skin trapping it.

Hermione dug her fingernails into her face as Jordan inserted the needle into the black lump on the ground. He quickly emptied the contents, expecting the Deletrix to react at any time. Before he was able to withdraw the arm, the monster exploded out of it's shell and let out an ear splitting scream while it pulled the needle out of its hip.

Draco cried out along with it, digging two fingers deep into his ears. Horror struck Hermione when the glass began to crack, but she swiftly used her wand to repair it. The Deletrix finally calmed down. It was obvious that he wasn't fully developed yet, for he was only human height, and his muscles still appeared raw and uncovered. He immediately detected Draco's presence in his cell and stomped in the direction of the flatbed. Draco groaned as the smell of raw eggs entered his nostrils.

But he couldn't tell what was worse, the smell of raw eggs, or the feel of mushy, wet hands on his back. He screamed as he tackled the glass window. The Deletrix laughed and conjured a fire ball in the palm of his hand. Hermione immediately set off the sprinklers while Jordan worked on lowering the temperature.

The angry demon roared and spit fire into the air, melting and sealing the metal sprinklers. Then he laughed again, a low and sinister chuckle. "Dare you put out me?" he said with very broken English. He threw his fist down and successfully created a crater in the room, but he frowned at his work of art; like he had expected his arm to hit China, instead of dirt. He growled and looked hungrily at Draco, who had been knocked out in the corner.

Jordan clenched his jaw angrily, he hated when his plans didn't work out as planned. He grabbed his wand and apparated into the cell, not really thinking, just doing it. "Expecto Aquae!" he hollered, pointing his wand at the Deletrix. The demon was caught off guard and thrown against the glass with a jet of freezing water. Jordan watered the monster like a huge tropical rainforest tree. The Deletrix shrieked as his body lost its heat.

Then, suddenly, the shrieking stopped, and before Jordan even processed the new silence, the Deletrix had him by the throat. Definitely moves fast, Jordan thought painfully. The demon tightened his grip and smiled, boasting his broken and black teeth. "You defeat me cannot!" he said. "You kill me!"

Jordan would have laughed at his incorrect English, but his face was royal violet by now. He launched his foot at Deletrix's abdomen, but it seemed like the demon didn't feel it at all. Then, Hermione finally made an appearance, launching a stunning curse at Deletrix. The fire god demon spun around angrily.

"WITCH!" he scowled, hunching over like a leopard ready for the kill. "Witches die must!" He jumped at Hermione, but she cast the Impediment Curse and dodged him, leaving him confused as he crashed onto the floor.

"Jordan, keep the water flowing! I have Draco outside, he'll lower the temperature!"

Jordan nodded his head and began filling the tank with water again. The Deletrix scowled and jumped up. He blew a small flame towards the two of them, but it wasn't strong enough to reach them. He doubled over, coughing up ashy residue.

"He's starting to lose his flames!" Hermione cried victoriously. The demon tried his supersonic speed again, but she counteracted him and blasted him against the flatbed. He moaned weakly, but quickly changed his pained expression into an evil grin.

"Me kill you not so soon!" he chuckled. "Observe..."

He set the rubber flatbed on fire and ate it. Hermione and Jordan watched with complete and utter disgust. Normally, burning rubber is poisonous, but right now, it acted as the perfect fuel for Deletrix, who chomped on it like a bag of Doritos. Hermione grabbed her stomach and covered her nose as the toxic fumes made its way towards her. Jordan did the same. After the food had been digest, the Deletrix licked his lips in delight and burped out a full fire. He patted his stomach and kicked the cold water playfully. "Enjoy you bath," he grinned.

The icy liquid at their knees suddenly began steaming as the demon swirled his fingers lazily in it.

"Uh, Hermione..." Jordan gulped.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" she whispered loudly and frantically. They nodded at each other and disapparated together. The Deletrix frowned, unfamiliar with Apparation. They met Draco outside and set the temperature to negative one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, definitely cold enough to freeze the water and trigger the poison inside the Deletrix. Draco shook his head at their pathetic technology and drew his wand out, placing a celerity spell on the ice box, forcing the temperature that was crawling at snail pace to shoot down to the desired digits.

The Deletrix howled loudly as his raw red meat changed to an icy purple. The last drop of water in the tank froze as it slid down the glass, and at that very instant, there was a blinding explosion, along with a trembling earthquake that sent the two wizards and witch onto the floor.

**

Jordan was the first to rise in the ankle high flood of ice, glass, and mushy flesh. He let out a relieved sigh as he found Draco, on top of Hermione, protecting her from the explosion (or at least that's what he hoped he was doing). Draco winced and requested that Hermione sit up. He removed his hand from under her and shook it painfully.

"God, you're heavy," he muttered as he rubbed his swollen wrist. Hermione glared at him, he quickly returned the glare. "You should be thanking me for blocking you from the explosion!" he said, not a bit sorry.

"Well, I didn't ask you to!" she huffed in return, sticking her nose in the air. Draco stood up and offered her his arm, but she simply slapped it away and stood up on her own. "I can stand on my own, thank you very much!"

Draco snorted and let her be. Jordan stood by the side with a huge grin on his face. "You two are so...!!!" He grabbed the two of them by the neck and pulled them into a group hug. Draco tried to squirm himself out of it, but surrendered as Hermione's arm wrapped tightly around his waist. He smiled to himself as he rubbed her back softly.

Hermione stepped out of the circle and observed the two men suspiciously. "What are you guys doing...?" she asked, suppressing a laugh.

Draco and Jordan looked alarmed at each other as they realized who they were feeling. They instantly jumped apart, both flushed with embarrassment and looked away.

"I'm gonna go," Draco announced dully with his head down. Jordan grunted and he left. Hermione then fell onto Jordan, howling madly.

"Shuttup!" Jordan whined.

Hermione wiped away a tear, "Jordan, I didn't know you were interested in Draco too!"

Jordan picked up a chunk of icy meat and threw it at her, instigating a demon-ice-ball fight. After they had successfully grossed each other out, they magically cleaned up the mess and restored the room to how it was before.

**

"Where were you?" said Ron once Draco returned home. Draco looked at him innocently, suddenly feeling like a traitor because this Ron that he was looking at right now didn't know that he was involved with Hermione.

"Helping Hermione kill a demon--" he replied truthfully.

Ron narrowed his eyes and whipped out his wand, "Vollo Veritas!" he cried insanely.

Draco gasped as a cold air shot through him and filled his rib cage. Ron pushed him on the ground and scowled. "You're under a truth spell, Draco. Except this one has special consequences, if you try to lie, it'll give you pain that you've never felt before."

"Have you gone completely psychotic, Ron?!" Draco screamed, clutching his chest.

Ron punched his friend. "No! Shut up! I'll do the talking." He straddled Draco and traced his wand down his chest. "What were you doing with Hermione? I wouldn't lie if I were you..."

Draco sighed. "I told you! I was helping her kill a demon!"

Ron was surprised to hear that Draco had told him the truth earlier. "Why were you helping her again?"

Draco bit his lip, glaring up at Ron. "Ron, I'd prefer that you let me go, and wait for me to tell on my own terms..." he replied carefully, but not careful enough. Ron dug his wand into Draco's ribs, causing him to spring up in pain that could easily compete with the Cruciatus Curse.

"You're fucking crazy Ron! No more werewolf potion for you!" Draco scowled.

"Now. Let me ask you again," said Ron. "Why were you helping Hermione?"

"Because--"

"Because he loves me," a familiar voice answered from behind them. Ron turned around in awe. "And I love him..." Hermione took in a deep breath and disarmed him. "Get off of Draco, Ron."

Draco shoved his dumbstruck friend to the ground and stood up. "Asshole," he spat, rubbing his ribs. Ron kept his gaze on Hermione. She was...so perfect. Her hair was disheveled, along with her untucked button up blouse. She looked like she had just been through hell and back, but she still stunned him. Ron slowly rose.

"Hermione..."

"No, Ron. I don't want to hear anything," she said angrily. "How could you do that to Draco?"

Ron opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"I'm done waiting for you, Ron. I've moved on."

"With Malfoy?" he said, rather disgusted. "You can't possibly trust him, Hermione."

Hermione clenched her teeth. "He's been there for me much more than you have..."

"Ron...I didn't mean to--" Draco began, feeling guilty.

"Shut the fuck up, Draco. I trusted you with her..."

"It just happened, Ron! I can't control things like that!"

"Why not? You're good at lying to everyone else. Why couldn't you pretend around her? Or was it because you knew you couldn't have her...so you purposefully went after her?"

Draco sighed. "It may have started out like that Ron, but--"

"IT SHOULDN'T HAVE EVEN STARTED!"

"Well, if you knew that that's how my mind works, why'd you put me up to the job?!"

Ron wanted to scream something back, but there was nothing to say.

"Admit it, Ron. You wanted me to fall in love with her."

Ron shook his head. Why would he want such a thing? It was ridiculous! No. It was beyond ridicule. But if he couldn't cure himself...No. Still, no. "Don't try to play your mind games with me, Malfoy. Get out."

"Get out? This is my house, Weasley, or have you forgotten? Have you conveniently forgotten everything I've done and sacrificed for you through all these years?" Draco clenched his fists, longing to sock the git in the face.

Hermione rushed between the two men and cried, "STOP! Will the two of you just quit it?!" she breathed heavily. "You two are more screwed up than anyone I've ever known. I'm sick of this. All these games and lies and pretending."

Draco shook his head. "I'm not lying when I say I love you, Hermione."

"I know," she whispered. "But what about everything else that you lied to me about? Ron's right. How can I possibly trust you?"

"Hermione..."

"I'm sorry, Draco." She turned her puffy eyes away from the heartbroken man and forced herself not to cry.

She took a potion vial out of her pocket and tossed it at Ron. Her breath staggered, but she told him, "I made the potion for you."

She disapparated.

Draco collapsed weakly onto the ground. This can't be happening. Did she just break up with him? On the same day that they finally got together? Tears burned the edge of his eyes. He took in a deep breath, but it hurt to breathe.

Her words echoed loudly inside his head, How can I possibly trust you?... I'm sorry, Draco. He began sobbing, choking with every breath he took.