Chapter Thirty-Three

Hermione was bouncing on and off her heels and Draco, though quite some distance away, was smirking at her. Nobody knew this of course, the return of many would mean their meetings would be perhaps less often and most definitely more discreet. Hermione welcomed her friends back with a warm embrace, thanking them for the Christmas presents and asking if they had enjoyed theirs. They each held up copies of books of different titles and Honeydukes sweets. "Yes Hermione, thanks for the homework." Ron said wrapping one arm around her in a short embrace. "I've already read mine." said Harry, who as always was quick to give Hermione a big hug. "Really?" she replied excitedly. "Nope." Ron said walking past her with a smirk to set down his trunk upstairs. "SO," said Harry quick to change the subject. "How was your Christmas?" Hermione sighed, "I've had a great time. It's been an excellent vacation." "How many books did you read?" Ron said, making his way back down the stairs. "Actually," Hermione said with a smirk. "I don't believe I read any at all." Ron and Harry chuckled to themselves, not realizing she was serious at all, she didn't try arguing with them either. "What's this?" Harry asked, referring to the single emerald necklace on her neck. "A Christmas present." she replied, absentmindedly putting a finger to it. Draco and Hermione had exchanged gifts a bit late, as Christmas had not gone quite as planned. "From?" he inquired, raising a suspicious eyebrow at its color. "Draco." she answered. Ron looked up then, looking at Harry then back at her. "I didn't realize he was staying for the holidays." he remarked. "Oh." Hermione said looking away from their curious stares. "Did you two spend any time together?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged, "A bit." attempting to hide her smirk. "Well I'm starving." said Ron suddenly, to which Hermione burst out laughing. ~

...

"Draco." the sound of his own name made him jump, he turned to find the sinister smile of his very nightmares gaping widely at him. "Well done." Bellatrix whispered. "H-h-how are you here?" Draco attempted to demand. "Your work was almost complete. Severus just added the final piece," she said with a sudden giggle. "It's time." she sang.

...

"Professor, please!" It's important that you hear what I have to tell you." Harry pleaded. "Nonsense Harry, there is a time for everything and this is simply not the time." he replied. "It's about Draco," insisted Harry. "He's been ordered to-" "Harry, I assure you, there is nothing you can tell me on the subject that I do not already know." "What?" replied Harry, taken aback, "But how?" "All in good time, Harry," Dumbledore said with a wave of his hand. "For now we must focus on the task at hand."

...

"Hermione what the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Ron screamed after Hermione, who was dashing out of the common room. "They're here! They weren't supposed to be! They're going to kill Draco!" she cried. "No Hermione! They could only be here if he brought them. You know that. We put our trust into the wrong person. You need to realize that now." By this time Ron had gotten a hold of Hermione, stopping her in front of the common room exit. "I know him. He isn't capable of this." she replied, her voice shaking with something Ron could not place. "He fooled us all." Ron insist, but she only shook her head in reply. Hermione, though there were tears streaming down her cheeks, had never looked so sure and so strong. Thought it broke Ron's heart to do it, for he loved Hermione like a sister, he realized he could do nothing to stop her. He sighed. "What can I do to help?" ...

There was nothing, apparently, that Ron could do to help but get out of Hermione's way. A convenient scream and crash from the dormitory saved Hermione from explaining so, as she directed his attention to the probably terrified first years up the stairs. Hermione scurried quickly out of the common room, before Ron could stop to ask questions or send more worry. Where was she to go? The Dark Mark, she remembered, had been cast just outside the astronomy tower, so there using her best memory of the short cuts Harry taught her, she would go. She tried to think not of what waited for her, instead trying to picture Draco, and thinking of why he needed her and why she needed to be brave. She would be his Gryffindor, as she had been from the start of her journey. She tried not to think what danger she might bring to him by presenting herself, a mudblood, in the situation, let alone the danger she brought to herself. She figured if they were here and he had done nothing to fulfill his task, then he had to be in trouble already. If she didn't go then perhaps there would be no chance at saving him at all, as for her safety, well, she had faced dark wizards before, she could do it again.

...

"Harry, you are to stay here. It matters not what happens next, only that you do as I say. This, I assure you is the last thing I ask of you, to stay put." said Dumbledore and an almost too calm manner. "Professor, they mean to-" Harry tried. "I know exactly what they mean to do Harry, worry not, for I have faced darkness for more years than I wish to admit. Now stay put." and it was with these words that Harry found himself paralyzed and unable to move or make the slightest sound. As that brave man, climbed up the final steps to the astronomy tower to face the death eaters that awaited, Harry thought in anguish that it just might be the last time he ever saw him, as he drifted off into an unavoidable magic induced sleep. In Harry's oblivion proceeded the voices of Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy.

...

"Come on, Draco! Now!" cried Bellatrix. Draco looked to his parents, like a small child who needed his mum, but Narcissa could only look away in pain, for this time there was nothing she could do for her son. "It's," Lucius gulped. "It's going to be alright Draco, it'll be all over after we have completed this task for the dark lord. This man is the only thing that stands between...well you understand." Lucius said. "Do it!" hissed Bellatrix impatiently. "Severus took care of everything else. This is all that is left. Kill him!" Draco looked back then to Dumbledore, his head master, the man who had done no harm, the man who had kept many safe in these very castle walls for so many years. Draco stood trembling, as he realized that his father's words were true. The completion of this task was the only thing that stood between life and death for him and worse, for his family. "I have to do this." he whispered, looking into the eyes of his headmaster, silently pleading with his eyes so that Albus might understand, and of course Albus understood, he understood more than Draco did himself. "You're forgiven. She forgives you too." was all Dumbledore said in reply. Draco tilted his head then, confused for a moment. "No." came a voice from behind, making Draco jump. It was the voice of Severus Snape, who had been absent all this time. "I'll do it." Bellatrix started giggling, Narcissa sighed in a terrible and guilty relief, and Lucius wrung his hands. Draco watched in terror as Severus Snape stood before Dumbledore, the two complete opposites looking at each other in silhouettes of black and white. What darkness had reached Snape under the circumstances of this cruel world, Draco would never understand. "Severus, please." Dumbledore said in an eerie calm attitude, this was no plea for mercy. "Avada Kedavra." Snape whispered, his voice shaking as Dumbledore was thrown back. He tried to block out the sounds of his aunts delighted laughter and her scream of complete joy and victory as she cast the dark mark off the astronomy tower once more in a booming green, and Snape apparated away in a black mist the way only death eaters could. Draco turned away from the horrifying scene, to meet the brown eyes of the horrified. It appeared that she had been running up the steps of the astronomy tower, not stopping even to notice her friend in the shadows along the way, who could do nothing to protest, for he had been hexed into temporary sleeping. She stood there, at the very top step. Draco's heart stopped in his chest. What was she doing here? She couldn't be here! His eyes grew wide, "Hermione." he whispered, and though it seemed barley audible, it was enough to bring the attention of everyone in the tense room.

...

The sound of her own name had never before been so dangerous, terrifying looks from everyone in the room, but Hermione was only looking at Draco, who stood looking wildly at her. Their eyes locking in that moment, and a mutual understanding of love and fear for one another was made. Bellatrix turned and gasped, her eyes wide and happy as though she were staring at an extra Christmas surprise. "Look who came to join the fun!" she exclaimed. "It's itty bitty Potter's favorite mudblood!" Draco, though terrified, stood tall now, meeting the eyes of his aunt. "You aren't going to touch her." he growled. "What was that, Draco?" Bellatrix challenged.

...

"I will kill you before I let you bring her any harm." he continued. Lucius found his voice then. "My son, defend a mudblood! This filthy girl! This waste of space!" he screamed. "An outrage! You'll put us all in danger for nothing more than a bloody pet!" "Lucius!" exclaimed Narcissa. "No! I will not stand for this!" he cried. "Don't you understand yet, Draco? We aren't like everyone else. We're above them, and below him. " he pulled out his wand then, his eyes burning with fury. "I have sacrificed too much for you to throw it away on this, this filth!" He pointed his wand right at the heart of Hermione Granger, who was disarmed in an instant by a laughing Bellatrix from a distance away from Lucius, before apparating away dropping the wand in delight. "Lucius, no!" cried Narcissa. "Avada Kedavra!" he boomed, and in that instant when Draco knew what his father was going to do, he cast himself in front of her, getting one last glimpse of those brown eyes he had come to love, knowing even for just a second that dying in the place of Hermione Granger was the greatest thing he could ever do.