Even Dragons Have Hearts

Harry, Hermione and Ron walked side by side up the path to Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron were talking about Quidditch as usual. Ron was telling Harry about new strategies he had thought up for the Gryffindor team. After all, he was Co-Captain and Keeper for the second year in a row. Hermione just walked in silence, she was listening to what Harry and Ron were saying, though she didn't understand it that much.

It was quarter to one and Hermione was beginning to get butterflies in her stomach. When they had reached the Three Broomsticks, Hermione stared at the doorway, and then turned to face Harry and Ron.

"Well, I have to meet my friend now, so I'll catch up with you boys in about an hour at... Honeydukes?" Hermione said.

"Right then, see you later Hermione," said Ron, walking towards the Quidditch shop next door with a Firebolt II on display in the window.

"I'll see you later on, Harry," said Hermione.

"OK, bye," Harry mumbled as he walked hunched over with his hands in his pockets to Ron, who had his nose pressed against the glass.

Hermione smiled at her two friends and then pushed open the door to the Three Broomsticks. She looked around, but Draco wasn't there yet, so she went to a table at the back corner. She took off her cloak and hung it over her seat and then sat down and waited.

She didn't have to wait long, because Draco stepped in the door soon after. He looked around and spotted Hermione, who was looking down at the table with her cheeks slightly pink. He took a deep breath and walked over to her, put the box he had been carrying, on the table and sat down opposite her

"Hello Hermione," he said.

"Hello Draco," said Hermione, looking up from the table.

Hermione tied her fingers together in her lap, to stop them from grabbing her cloak and then running away.

Draco put his hands together and put them on the table, leaning forward slightly.

"I'm not sure which is the best way to tell you this, so I will get straight to the point. And the only way I can show you the truth is to use this," he said as he reached for the box, opened it and placed a stone bowl with runes and other symbols carved around the rim, onto the table. Inside the basin was silvery liquid that was swirling around the bowl.

"A Pensieve?" asked Hermione, running a finger along the rim.

"Yes," said Draco, not surprised that Hermione knew what is was.

"I've spent most of my morning putting certain memories in here for you to see. I believe this is the only way you will know the truth, by being there and actually seeing what I want to tell you. So... I hardly feel that we should do this in the main pub, it would be better to get a private parlour, wouldn't you agree?" Draco asked her.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Hermione said.

"Alright, I'll go and book one, be back in a second," Draco said, and he stood up from the table and walked to the bar, he talked to Madam Rosmerta, and she then handed him a key and pointed down the hallway on the right hand side of the pub. Draco nodded and walked back to Hermione.

Hermione stood up and picked up her cloak, Draco picked up the Pensieve and beckoned her to follow him down the hallway. He stopped at a door and unlocked it with the key Madam Rosmerta had given him.

He walked in and held the door open for Hermione; she slipped inside and took a seat by the window. Draco then shut the door and sat in the chair next to Hermione's, then placed the Pensieve on a small table in between them.

"Before we do this, I think I should explain a bit about this whole situation," Draco said, looking at Hermione.

"OK," Hermione said.

Draco took a deep breath and went on, "well, you have probably worked out that my father is a Death Eater. Actually, you probably know for certain because he told me he met you in the Department of Mysteries. Anyway, about a fortnight ago, while I was away from Hogwarts for a week; I was actually at several meetings with my father; he wants me to become a Death Eater as well. To become a Death Eater, you must complete a task given to you by an elder, in my case, my father," Draco leant back in his chair.

"The task I was given, was- well you'll see in a moment, but I want you to know that I am not, under any circumstances, going to do it, no matter what it means. So... now I'll show you the meeting."

Hermione had no idea as to what the task could be, but she nodded and leant towards the Pensieve. Draco took his wand out from his pocket and motioned for her to do the same. Then he said, "I'm going to count to three, and then we'll both put our wands into the Pensieve, OK?"

Hermione nodded.

"All right, one, two, three," they both put their wands into the Pensieve and took them out again. The liquid inside the pensive began to swirl faster and faster, and then it became clear; Hermione and Draco leant forward and looked into the basin. It was a dark room, lit only by several torches, each with a green flame flickering inside of it.

Hermione closed her eyes, as she felt a jolt in her stomach, then when she had opened them again, they were both sitting on chairs in the middle of the room, surrounded by people in black hoods.

"Quickly, we have to move," Draco said, taking hold of Hermione's hand and taking her through a gap in the circle of Death Eaters. A moment later, a metal door on the other side of the room opened and three men stepped in, all wearing black hoods. They walked into the centre of the circle. Draco didn't let go of Hermione's hand.

One of them began circling the chairs and lifted their hood. It was Lord Voldemort. He was tall and his face was as pale as a ghost. His eyes were like those of a snake, but they were blood red and menacing. His snake-like eyes darted around the circle, looking at the darkened faces of each of his followers, who which in turn bowed to him as he passed.

The other two men were standing side by side; the taller of the two forced the other into the chair, their hood fell back from their face, it was Draco. Draco looked up at Voldemort and then to the other man who had pulled back his hood too, his father, Lucius Malfoy.

Hermione jumped when Voldemort spoke, his voice as painful as a cut from a sword, "Draco Malfoy, in order for you to become one of us, you must fulfil the task given to you by your father. By doing so, you will prove your loyalty to the Death Eaters, but most importantly, to me. Lucius, what task have you decided will make your son worthy?"

Lucius stepped forward, bowed to Voldemort and said, "Draco, in order for you to join us, you must kill a Mudblood and their family. I have chosen who you must kill as well... you must kill the Granger family."

Hermione let go of Draco's hand and clasped it around her mouth to silence her scream, tears began to well up in her eyes as she slid down the wall, watching this scene of the three death eaters plotting about her and her parents' deaths. None of the Death Eaters heard her, but she was frightened they'd turn on her at any second. Draco sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.

Draco in the middle of the room stared from Voldemort to his father, a look of horror on his face. Voldemort was watching Draco with a sort of hunger plastered across his evil grin, Draco then bowed his head, his hair fell in front of his face and he said, "Yes Father."

The room around Hermione and Draco dissolved, and they were once again in the parlour of the Three Broomsticks. Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably, rocking backwards and forwards. Draco turned her around to face him.

"Hermione, Hermione it's OK, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, or your family," he said.

Hermione tried to push him away, but she hopelessly gave up and put her arms around him, tears streaming down her face and onto his cloak.

"No one's going to hurt you..." Draco whispered, taking Hermione in his arms, as a crystal like tear slid down his cheek and into her hair.