Detention with Destiny - Chapter 6 (Draco/Hermione - Harry Potter)
Title:Detention with Destiny
Author: leopion
Character(s): Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Genres: Adventure, Angst, Mystery, Suspense
Timeline: Year 7, HBP-Compliant until the Astronomy-Tower scene
Rating: MT
Warnings: Mild Violence, Psychological Trauma, Strong Profanity
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim the Harry Potter series, which belongs to J. K. Rowling.
Summary: When the Head Boy and Girl’s failure to cooperate leads to severe consequences, they end up in a detention with the Headmaster himself.
Also archived on: Hawthorn & Vine, Granger Enchanted, The Manor, AO3, and fanfiction.net
AN: Originally written for the tenth dmhgficexchange: Darkest before the Dawn. Revised for archiving.
My deepest gratitude to dormiensa , elizpeace, mccargi, silviaelisa , wake_the_dragon , and the mods at dmhgficexchange. Full acknowledgement (plus table of contents) can be found here
Detention with Destiny - Chapter 6
by Leopion
In the pitch-black darkness, the only thing Draco could feel was Granger's weight on his chest and the burning pain in his lungs, though he knew he had no time to panic. He had to solve the puzzle soon or they would both die in this coffin.
Draco quickly recalled what Granger had said just before she began to go frantic: C'est l'immortalité. It was amazing that she had figured out so much without any of the background he had. Draco had suspected an allusion to the same thing from the beginning, though he had too many doubts to be certain he was correct. The only fact he could confirm was the implication of the so-called 'trivial fate', having heard his father reiterate the Dark Lord's goal-to conquer death-on various occasions. Plus, he could point out the parallel between the phrase in the verse and You-Know-Who's pseudonym.
Then again, the similarities between the verse and Slytherin's words were also more than striking. Even though the quote hadn't been on his mind, a few minutes of digging through his memories had supplied a passable recollection:
L'immortalité, c'est la condition d'un homme qui refuse de croire à sa propre fin. Ce n'est pas un cadeau mais un achèvement pour lequel il faut payer cher, et la mort n'est que la première étape.
(Immortality is the condition of a man who refuses to believe his own end. It is not a gift but an achievement for which one must pay dearly, and death is only the first step.)
It was indisputable that some of the Dark Lord's phrases had been borrowed directly from the foreword of Slytherin's book. However, what bothered Draco was the divergence in their underlying message. The last line of the verse denoted the death of others, rather than Slytherin's allusion to the death of the one who strove for immortality himself.
Even if he supposed that You-Know-Who interpreted Slytherin's words in his own twisted way, that very line was still an oddity. He had to agree with Granger that it clearly referred to the Horcruxes, though that was where the connection failed. Emphasising his relation to Slytherin, showing that he was wiser than others by referring to the book, it all fitted together except for that one detail: Slytherin had never mentioned anything about Horcruxes. However, he had said a lot about immortality, and there was obviously a link between the two. Draco'd had a feeling about that link even before he knew what a Horcrux actually was. Horcruxes and immortality. Les Horcruxes et l'immortalité. If only he could remember where he had encountered that link. Though now it seemed hopeless, as his grip on consciousness began slipping.
Draco was six, and it was the first time he had ever been allowed in Grandfather's study. He looked up in wonder at Grandfather's huge oak desk, a snake twisting itself around each of its legs. What piqued Draco's curiosity, however, was a leather-bound book lying open on top of the desk. He quickly scrambled onto Grandfather's chair to look at it. The book was in French, he noticed eagerly. Grandfather had started teaching him French a few months ago. Now, it was Draco's chance to put it to the test. Unfortunately, the first word he encountered on the open page was not at all familiar.
'Quels sont les Horcruxes, Grand-père?' he asked, still determined to impress.
'You're too young to know about them, Draco,' replied his grandfather in English, much to Draco's disappointment. He didn't give up that easily, though. Draco grabbed a bookmark from the desk to mark the page Grandfather was on and closed the book to look at the title. Of the silver letters that adorned the cover, his attention was drawn to the two biggest words: Atteindre l'immortalité. However, before Draco had time to examine the whole title any further, his grandfather had returned to the desk and taken the book out of Draco's hand, replacing it with another book he'd just taken off his shelf. The Alchemist's Tales, said the title.
Draco's eyes lit up in awe. 'What is an alchemist?'
'Why don't you read and find out?' said his grandfather. Draco enthusiastically obeyed, and by the time he opened the first page, he had completely forgotten about the strange French book.
'L'astuce, le pouvoir, et l'épouvante: Atteindre l'immortalité,' the name burst out from Draco's mouth as his brain got back into gear. Of course-the section about magic-Draco had always suspected that there was something more to it, but he had never dreamt that he would discover the truth in this situation. He suddenly realised why Dumbledore had looked at him so intently when Draco said that he had read it in Hogwarts' library: the Headmaster wanted to see if he was lying about not knowing about Horcruxes. Had Draco read the book from the Manor's library, he would have known much more about the dark artefacts. But at Hogwarts, Voldemort, or quite possibly Dumbledore, had removed the chapter on Horcruxes from the library book.
As he saw a glimmer of light cutting through the utter darkness, Draco knew that he had given the perfect answer.
***
Hermione coughed as cold air abruptly flooded into her lungs. It was painful at first, but after a while, her breathing calmed. What met her eyes as she opened them looked like the rough ceiling of a stone cave rather than the coffin lid she'd expected.
'The coffin's open,' she exclaimed.
'Yeah, I gave it the password,' drawled a voice from beneath her.
'You gave it the password?' cried Hermione in utmost amazement. Malfoy had just saved her life, and with the answer to the riddle no less.
'Later, Granger. You may see no need to get out, but I'm virtually squashed in here.'
'Sorry,' said Hermione, gingerly hoisting herself up. She was still exhausted from the trauma, and her muscles were aching from staying in one position for too long.
Hermione had to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment before she could adjust to the bright light coming from the other side of the cave. The source was a different atmosphere of sorts, where the air had formed a sinuous emerald veil, almost like clouds but also like water at the same time. It looked as if made of memories, only it was green and glowing in the darkness, gradually dimming as it spread out. In its most luminous spot rested what they had been looking for. On the pedestal at the centre, Hufflepuff's cup was sparkling in the emerald light. Hermione was stunned by the beauty of the sight.
'Aren't you going to get off?' Malfoy's scold pulled Hermione out of her daze. She quickly clambered out of the coffin, fumbling a little before finally setting her feet firmly on the uneven ground. She turned back to Malfoy, who seemed to be positively pissed off.
Hermione opened her mouth to apologise, but Malfoy had beaten her to it.
'What the hell was wrong with you in there?' he burst out. 'We didn't even run out of air, but you just simply stopped breathing.'
'We didn't?' echoed Hermione. How was that possible? She was positive that she was choking after giving up on escaping.
'No, we didn't. I could still breathe even with your bloody arse weighing down on me,' said Malfoy, starting to head towards the enchanted barrier.
'I don't know what happened, really,' said Hermione. 'The air seemed to be sucked out all at once, and-'
She stopped, realising that normally oxygen would have been reduced gradually instead. But everything had happened just as Hermione described... as soon as she succumbed to the terrible fate. It must have been another one of Voldemort's vicious tricks: cutting the air of the victim when they gave up. She was going to tell Malfoy her theory, but then decided against it. That was not important now. She quickened her steps.
'Thank you,' she said once having finally caught up with him, though Malfoy pretended that he didn't hear it.
They stopped a few feet away from the barrier.
'How do we get it now?' asked Hermione. 'Summoning Charm is obviously out of the question.'
'I think every spell is out of the question, actually.' Malfoy demonstrated his statement by shooting a Flame-Freezing Charm at the barrier. It bounced back as a beam of blue light.
'No magic. How typical!' concluded Hermione, rolling her eyes.
'Are you going to propose we get it the Muggle way?'
'Why not?' said Hermione, conjuring a long pole and attempted to thrust it through the barrier towards the cup. However, the pole refused to go in.
'As I suspected,' said Malfoy superiorly, walking towards the enchanted field and sticking his hand into it. 'It only allows human.'
To Hermione's surprise, Malfoy's hand went through quite easily.
'Did you feel anything with your hand in there?' she asked.
'No.' He shook his head. 'The outside layer of this substance seems too weak to have any effects.'
'I'll go in there,' said Hermione resolutely.
'No, Granger, save your Gryffindor foolishness,' he scoffed. 'We don't know exactly what it is, but I can make a fair guess that it's meant to torture the intruder. Have you ever been on the receiving end of the Cruciatus Curse before?'
Hermione shook her head.
'I have,' said Malfoy. 'And you should know that the ability to withstand the pain inflicted by such a curse will increase with the number of times you have to endure it.'
'Given that one doesn't die by then,' he added with a derisive snort.
'I can't let you go in there alone. We should go together,' said Hermione firmly.
'Wow, I'm touched, Granger. Are you proposing a group suicide?' sneered Malfoy. 'If we both enter, we'll both be affected. There must be someone who stays outside, just in case. Believe me, this arguing will get us nowhere.'
Before Hermione could protest, Malfoy already stepped into the barrier, walking through the emerald clouds which fluidly swirled around him. She was sure that they had to have some effect on Malfoy, but either he didn't let it show or she couldn't tell. Hermione neared the barrier to watch his movements more closely. It was then that she saw the corner of his mouth twitching, slightly at first, but the motion grew more and more violent with each step until his whole face contorted with pain and he was practically staggering towards the pedestal.
Hermione unconsciously stepped closer to the strange atmosphere, her heart pounding. She wanted to help, but she could not find a way to alleviate the curse. She wanted to offer words of encouragement, but given the pain he was in, those would seem meaningless.
All the same, as Malfoy neared the innermost layer of the enchanted atmosphere, she found herself whispering softly, 'Please bear it just a little longer.' He reached out, wrapping his fingers around the cup handle, and ... he did it! Hermione's heart soared, but then a bloodcurdling scream resounded in the cavern. Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth as Malfoy fell down on his knees at the foot of the pedestal, his hand still clutching the cup tightly. Was there another curse placed upon it?
For one insane moment, Hermione wanted to run in to help him, but she stopped herself just in time. It wasn't sensible. Malfoy's words echoed in her head, 'If we both enter, we'll both be affected. There must be someone who stays outside, just in case.' In case the other dies, now she knew that was what Malfoy had meant. Although she had heard Harry's tale of what the poison had done to Dumbledore, what was happening to Malfoy was far beyond what she had imagined. But she knew that he had been expecting it. He had known it from the moment he touched the barrier and guessed what it was.
Malfoy dragged himself another inch further but then collapsed. Hermione's heart caught up in her throat. What was she going to do? She had to get him out of there, but how? Although Malfoy didn't stir, she was quite sure that the torture still continued as the trap was designed to do: torture the intruder to death.
There was no other way. Hermione inhaled deeply, her hand trembling as it reached the barrier. As soon as the tip of her fingers touched the surface, she felt a tingle, like an electric shock. She jumped back. But there was no time to be afraid. Hermione bit her lips, forcing herself to penetrate deeper into the magical field. Her hand began shaking uncontrollably. It felt like millions of stitches were driving through her flesh, prising it from her bones. She used her other hand to grab her shoulder and steady it, trying to reach Malfoy, but he was too far in.
Tears prickled at Hermione's eyes. She didn't know if they were from the pain or from the helplessness that was engulfing her heart. She just couldn't reach him. Not if she didn't go further in. Although the pain was excruciating, it wasn't what made her hesitate. Hermione worried that if she went in any further, she might not have enough strength to pull both of them out.
'Malfoy,' she screamed, in the hope that he would move even a little towards her. There was no such luck.
'Draco,' she tried again. 'Wake up!'
He let out a small groan and rolled over onto his back. Hermione gasped at the sight of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. She had to act now. It was all or nothing. She plunged herself into the enchantment, half of her right shoulder fully swallowed up by the atmosphere. With strength she did not know she had, Hermione managed to grab Malfoy's sweaty hand and drag him out.
'Malfoy, wake up!' she called, shaking his shoulders, but to no avail. 'Look at me! Speak to me!'
She placed a finger on his wrist, feeling for a pulse. It was not too late.
'Rennervate!'
He stirred, his lids fluttering, and then finally opened his eyes.
'Thank Merlin. You scared me, Malfoy,' Hermione gave a cry of relief, almost hugging Malfoy, but she stopped herself just in time. 'Now, could you please give me the cup?'
'What makes you think that I'm going to give you the cup, Granger?' he sneered.
'What?' she exclaimed, hardly believing her own ears.
'I said that I am not giving you the cup, Granger,' said Malfoy more forcefully, pushing Hermione away from him.
'Wha-what do you mean?' she stammered, still in disbelief. Why did he say that? There had to be a reason for it. A complication? A curse? Right, it must be. Hermione voiced her suspicion, 'Is there a curse on it?'
'Don't you understand, Granger? There is only one person to whom I will give this Horcrux, and that is the Dark Lord,' said Malfoy, his lips twisting into a malicious smile. 'Imagine what will happen when I return it to him, along with the information about this whole ordeal. He will welcome me back with open arms, will he not?'
Hermione went white. How could this be the person who had prevented her from sacrificing her hand, who had saved her life in the coffin, who had volunteered to enter the dangerous barrier instead of her? Was he being possessed by the fragment of soul in the cup? Hermione's heart sank as she realised that it was not possible. Throughout the extra lessons during the summer, Dumbledore had made it clear to Harry that a Horcrux could only possess the body of someone who was emotionally close to it. Even so, in the case of Ginny and the diary in second year, it had taken months. The only connection between Malfoy and the cup was physical contact, and it couldn't have been more than six or seven minutes.
Then again, there were so many inexplicable things about this sudden change of heart.
'Why?' she managed to utter.
'Why what, Granger?' sneered Malfoy, leaping to his feet. 'This has been my plan all along.'
'Then wouldn't it have been easier for you to just dispose of me from the beginning?' she asked, her mind frantically searching for a plausible explanation.
'How naive of you, Granger! I couldn't have made it this far without your precious help.'
'What about the last barrier? You could have used me as a human shield.'
'And risk the cup falling into your possession?' he snarled. 'I'd rather take my chances with the barrier.'
It was then that everything clicked in Hermione's mind. How could she have believed him? Malfoy was still who he had always been, a despicable, treacherous bastard. How could she have even thought that he was going to sacrifice himself for their cause? He was just trying to save his own skin, only with a more drastic measure.
Malfoy agilely advanced towards her, as though he hadn't been injured at all. A few minutes ago, he could barely walk. Had that been just an act as well?
'How did you-You were faking the pain?'
'Of course I was,' replied Malfoy with a triumphant note in his voice.
'But how?' cried Hermione in stunned disbelief. 'That barrier was the distilled product of the Cruciatus Curse! I experienced the effect of it myself.'
'Have you ever heard that to cast a Cruciatus Curse successfully, one must really mean harm?' he asked. 'I did feel the pain, at first. But once the enchantment realised that my aim was not to steal and destroy the cup, but to return it to its rightful owner, it didn't want to harm me anymore. The Dark Lord really has foreseen it all.'
No, it didn't make sense. If Malfoy's words were true, then he'd had plenty of chances to catch her by surprise and escape with the Horcrux. Why wait until now? Then again, who knew what was going through that twisted mind of his?
Hermione stepped back, consciously blocking the path to the coffin.
'Get out of my way,' growled Malfoy.
'No,' said Hermione sharply, staring straight into Malfoy's eyes. She was startled to see they were as cold as ice, but then her own eyes hardened. 'I won't let you carry out your plan, and neither will Dumbledore.'
'Dumbledore cannot get near the house, so as long as I can keep close to it during my escape, there will be nothing he can do,' he responded with a smirk.
Without warning, Malfoy drew his wand.
'Protego!' shouted Hermione, just seconds before his hex hit its mark. Hermione knew she had to fire back. She needed to get the cup from Malfoy at all cost.
'Petrificus Totalus!' she screamed, waving her wand at Malfoy, while at the same time running out of his firing range. The spell missed him by inches, blasting a couple of rocks from the cave wall.
'Expulso!' bellowed Malfoy in return. Hermione dodged sideways. She tried to take advantage of Voldemort's enchanted barrier by putting it in between her and Malfoy.
Malfoy sent another curse, but it ricocheted off the barrier, slamming into the ceiling and exploding. The cavern shook with the impact of the explosion. Rocks and dust were falling everywhere.
Hermione cast another shield to protect herself from the debris. She could see Malfoy advancing towards her, ducking and dodging the rocks as he went. He was limping by the end of it even though she could not perceive any rock hitting him. Hermione shook her head and sprang back into action. It was all happening too fast.
'Crucio!'
Being caught off guard, Hermione fell as millions of stitches thrust through her flesh, burning her insides. She thought she would die of the agony. But then, for a fraction of a second, the pain seemed to lessen, and she leapt at the chance to Disarm Malfoy, her hand still trembling. Her spell must have done its job, for she was released from the torture instantly. Hermione scrambled to her feet, only to find Malfoy still in possession of his wand, though no longer holding the cup. She knew she had not Disarmed him.
To cast a Cruciatus Curse successfully, one must really mean harm. Hermione thought she caught a hint of a smile, but Malfoy's expression turned cold again, his wand raised. Could it be-
Then there was a scream that nearly stopped Hermione's heart.
***
Draco awoke with a start. It seemed as though the excruciating pain had been swept away, for all he felt was utter numbness. Draco was surprised that he somehow found the strength to open his eyes. Granger's face was hovering above him, her eyes wet and full of concern.
'Thank Merlin. You scared me, Malfoy,' she exclaimed, making a motion as if about to hug him, but refraining at the last moment. 'Now, could you please give me the cup?'
Draco's lips twitched. 'What makes you think that I'm going to give you the cup, Granger?' he heard himself sneering.
'What?' Granger and a tiny voice in the back of his mind cried out in unison.
You are not going to give her the cup, another voice echoed, cold and clear, and Draco shuddered as his own mouth relayed that same message to Granger. He knew this sensation all too well.
He wrenched Granger away with a strength he did not feel. The voice of reason in Draco's head told him that the exertion would hurt mightily afterwards, though for now there was no pain as he found himself gradually pulled into blissful oblivion.
'Wha-what do you mean? Is there a curse on it?' Granger's voice was fading, but he struggled to cling onto it like an anchor.
And then he heard it, his very own voice bragging to her about 'his brilliant plan'-a plan that Draco himself had never contemplated: bringing the cup back to the Dark Lord, giving him the information on the Horcrux hunt, and re-joining the ranks of Death Eaters. Even as his reason began to fade, Draco could clearly see the flaws in that plan. Yet, those thoughts, too, seemed to be slipping away from his grasp.
He was vaguely aware of an invisible hand pulling him to his feet. Through the hazy lens in his mind, he could see Granger appear completely petrified. What had he just said to cause such a reaction? Another surge of determination washed over him, and reality came closer into focus.
'Wouldn't it have been easier for you to just dispose of me from the beginning?' Granger's question echoed into Draco's consciousness.
What are you going on about? I couldn't have made it this- Draco never finished his thought, recognising the twisted version of it forming on the tip of his tongue. As Granger tried to reason out his motive, Draco helplessly observed his own mind being used against him again and again. He bitterly realised that staying alert would never be enough to fight off this advanced form of the Imperius.
The shock and disbelief on Granger's face faltered, finally being replaced by cold indignation.
Get on with it, commanded the voice in his head. Bring the cup back to the Dark Lord.
Draco found his hand tightening around the handle of the cup as he said through gritted teeth, 'Get out of my way.'
'No,' yelled Granger. Their eyes locked. For the briefest moment, Draco thought she had seen something in his, but then the recognition had gone and all that was left was pure contempt. 'I won't let you carry out your plan, and neither will Dumbledore.'
The barrier around the house can effectively hinder Dumbledore, the logical side of his brain countered instantly. Draco wished that it would just shut down completely, for the next thing that escaped his mouth was that very argument. Think, Granger, think, willed Draco. What about my mother? I cannot leave her with you lot to run away alone. He tried to scream, but instead a sadistic smirk snaked its way over his lips.
Attack her. You will stop at nothing, the voice hissed in Draco's ear, and so he attacked. He fired curse after curse at Granger, though she managed to either deflect or avoid them.
When one of his curses blew up the ceiling of the cave, Draco's body was ordered to take the chance to approach Granger. He complied, but this time he could feel his left hand twitch, unwilling to be raised again. However, as his resistance increased, so did the pain. His legs felt like they were being torn from under him, white-hot knives piercing his sides. Draco felt himself falling back into the void of unconsciousness once more. It was easy and welcoming.
Try harder, demanded the cold voice, and Draco's hand couldn't help but shoot up, pointing at Granger again. He gasped in horror at the cruel scream that should not have been his own, 'Crucio!'
No, screamed the dimly conscious part of Draco's brain as Granger fell to her knees, her face contorted with pain.
I don't want to hurt her, cried the reasonable voice again. An idea flickered through his mind and brought on another intense stream of agony, but for once Draco struggled to stay alert and willed his hand to drop the Horcrux.
Granger cast a Disarming Spell that missed completely, though Draco knew that it didn't matter once the sound of metal hitting the hard ground reached his ears. His lips lifted up in a smile-by his will this time-but it was a second too soon.
Kill her, the malicious voice in his head boomed out, more forcefully.
NO, the other voice shouted, and Draco felt as though he was stabbed when the same word burst out from his mouth. Draco's legs gave out beneath him.
'I'm sorry,' he managed to gush as Granger rushed towards him.
She kneeled down by his side. The cup lay forgotten. Draco saw darkness closing in from the edge of his vision, but for once he wasn't afraid to close his eyes. She will get us out of here safely, was the last thought that crossed his mind.
***
Draco woke up with a funny tickling sensation in his left hand. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around to find the clean and quiet sight of the Hogwarts hospital wing. The room was deserted except for Granger, her bushy head resting next to Draco's hand. She clearly had fallen asleep while waiting beside his bed. So she did get us out safely, he mused, feeling a warm sense of relief washing over him. Draco had slipped in and out of consciousness during their journey back, and there had been moments when he had thought that she was going to abandon him. Now, everything had turned out well, it seemed.
Draco attempted to extract his hand from under Granger's hair without disturbing her, but the effort was still a little too much for him. Draco couldn't help but let out a moan when the pain shot up his shoulder. The noise effectively startled Granger awake.
'You're awake,' she exclaimed, in a somewhat sleepy voice.
'Been worrying, have you, Granger?' He couldn't refrain from teasing.
'Who said that I was worried?' replied Granger loftily. 'I only wanted to make sure that you'd wake up in time for our detention.'
If it hadn't been for the mighty ache in his back, Draco would have shot up from his bed. He couldn't have dreamt up their little Horcrux adventure, could he?
Granger grinned mischievously. 'We got into an argument and started duelling while Dumbledore was away, remember?'
Draco relaxed visibly. So that was their cover-up for his injury after the so-called detention? It seemed plausible enough and, come to think of it, even had some elements of truth. Hogwarts' gossipers would surely have another field day, though Draco honestly couldn't care less.
'And how exactly did I end up in the hospital wing, then?' he asked, despite already knowing what their made-up excuse would be.
'Let's say I got a bit carried away while hexing you,' replied Granger, blushing slightly.
'So why do I have to serve detention?' he asked, smirking. 'Aren't I the victim of the big bad Head Girl here?'
'Because you were the one who started the fight,' said Granger seriously, though there was no sign of contempt in her eyes. Draco breathed out in relief. Only then was he completely convinced that Granger had understood that it was Voldemort's curse that had forced him to attack.
'Anyway, I have to go and fill in for both our Head duties,' she continued. 'Get well soon for our next detention, will you?'
And with that, she scurried off, leaving Draco alone in the infirmary.
Hmm, another 'detention' with Granger. Why did he get a feeling that maybe-just maybe -it wouldn't be that bad after all?
Previous Chapter
Author: leopion
Character(s): Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Genres: Adventure, Angst, Mystery, Suspense
Timeline: Year 7, HBP-Compliant until the Astronomy-Tower scene
Rating: MT
Warnings: Mild Violence, Psychological Trauma, Strong Profanity
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim the Harry Potter series, which belongs to J. K. Rowling.
Summary: When the Head Boy and Girl’s failure to cooperate leads to severe consequences, they end up in a detention with the Headmaster himself.
Also archived on: Hawthorn & Vine, Granger Enchanted, The Manor, AO3, and fanfiction.net
AN: Originally written for the tenth dmhgficexchange: Darkest before the Dawn. Revised for archiving.
My deepest gratitude to dormiensa , elizpeace, mccargi, silviaelisa , wake_the_dragon , and the mods at dmhgficexchange. Full acknowledgement (plus table of contents) can be found here
Detention with Destiny - Chapter 6
by Leopion
In the pitch-black darkness, the only thing Draco could feel was Granger's weight on his chest and the burning pain in his lungs, though he knew he had no time to panic. He had to solve the puzzle soon or they would both die in this coffin.
Draco quickly recalled what Granger had said just before she began to go frantic: C'est l'immortalité. It was amazing that she had figured out so much without any of the background he had. Draco had suspected an allusion to the same thing from the beginning, though he had too many doubts to be certain he was correct. The only fact he could confirm was the implication of the so-called 'trivial fate', having heard his father reiterate the Dark Lord's goal-to conquer death-on various occasions. Plus, he could point out the parallel between the phrase in the verse and You-Know-Who's pseudonym.
Then again, the similarities between the verse and Slytherin's words were also more than striking. Even though the quote hadn't been on his mind, a few minutes of digging through his memories had supplied a passable recollection:
L'immortalité, c'est la condition d'un homme qui refuse de croire à sa propre fin. Ce n'est pas un cadeau mais un achèvement pour lequel il faut payer cher, et la mort n'est que la première étape.
(Immortality is the condition of a man who refuses to believe his own end. It is not a gift but an achievement for which one must pay dearly, and death is only the first step.)
It was indisputable that some of the Dark Lord's phrases had been borrowed directly from the foreword of Slytherin's book. However, what bothered Draco was the divergence in their underlying message. The last line of the verse denoted the death of others, rather than Slytherin's allusion to the death of the one who strove for immortality himself.
Even if he supposed that You-Know-Who interpreted Slytherin's words in his own twisted way, that very line was still an oddity. He had to agree with Granger that it clearly referred to the Horcruxes, though that was where the connection failed. Emphasising his relation to Slytherin, showing that he was wiser than others by referring to the book, it all fitted together except for that one detail: Slytherin had never mentioned anything about Horcruxes. However, he had said a lot about immortality, and there was obviously a link between the two. Draco'd had a feeling about that link even before he knew what a Horcrux actually was. Horcruxes and immortality. Les Horcruxes et l'immortalité. If only he could remember where he had encountered that link. Though now it seemed hopeless, as his grip on consciousness began slipping.
Draco was six, and it was the first time he had ever been allowed in Grandfather's study. He looked up in wonder at Grandfather's huge oak desk, a snake twisting itself around each of its legs. What piqued Draco's curiosity, however, was a leather-bound book lying open on top of the desk. He quickly scrambled onto Grandfather's chair to look at it. The book was in French, he noticed eagerly. Grandfather had started teaching him French a few months ago. Now, it was Draco's chance to put it to the test. Unfortunately, the first word he encountered on the open page was not at all familiar.
'Quels sont les Horcruxes, Grand-père?' he asked, still determined to impress.
'You're too young to know about them, Draco,' replied his grandfather in English, much to Draco's disappointment. He didn't give up that easily, though. Draco grabbed a bookmark from the desk to mark the page Grandfather was on and closed the book to look at the title. Of the silver letters that adorned the cover, his attention was drawn to the two biggest words: Atteindre l'immortalité. However, before Draco had time to examine the whole title any further, his grandfather had returned to the desk and taken the book out of Draco's hand, replacing it with another book he'd just taken off his shelf. The Alchemist's Tales, said the title.
Draco's eyes lit up in awe. 'What is an alchemist?'
'Why don't you read and find out?' said his grandfather. Draco enthusiastically obeyed, and by the time he opened the first page, he had completely forgotten about the strange French book.
'L'astuce, le pouvoir, et l'épouvante: Atteindre l'immortalité,' the name burst out from Draco's mouth as his brain got back into gear. Of course-the section about magic-Draco had always suspected that there was something more to it, but he had never dreamt that he would discover the truth in this situation. He suddenly realised why Dumbledore had looked at him so intently when Draco said that he had read it in Hogwarts' library: the Headmaster wanted to see if he was lying about not knowing about Horcruxes. Had Draco read the book from the Manor's library, he would have known much more about the dark artefacts. But at Hogwarts, Voldemort, or quite possibly Dumbledore, had removed the chapter on Horcruxes from the library book.
As he saw a glimmer of light cutting through the utter darkness, Draco knew that he had given the perfect answer.
***
Hermione coughed as cold air abruptly flooded into her lungs. It was painful at first, but after a while, her breathing calmed. What met her eyes as she opened them looked like the rough ceiling of a stone cave rather than the coffin lid she'd expected.
'The coffin's open,' she exclaimed.
'Yeah, I gave it the password,' drawled a voice from beneath her.
'You gave it the password?' cried Hermione in utmost amazement. Malfoy had just saved her life, and with the answer to the riddle no less.
'Later, Granger. You may see no need to get out, but I'm virtually squashed in here.'
'Sorry,' said Hermione, gingerly hoisting herself up. She was still exhausted from the trauma, and her muscles were aching from staying in one position for too long.
Hermione had to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment before she could adjust to the bright light coming from the other side of the cave. The source was a different atmosphere of sorts, where the air had formed a sinuous emerald veil, almost like clouds but also like water at the same time. It looked as if made of memories, only it was green and glowing in the darkness, gradually dimming as it spread out. In its most luminous spot rested what they had been looking for. On the pedestal at the centre, Hufflepuff's cup was sparkling in the emerald light. Hermione was stunned by the beauty of the sight.
'Aren't you going to get off?' Malfoy's scold pulled Hermione out of her daze. She quickly clambered out of the coffin, fumbling a little before finally setting her feet firmly on the uneven ground. She turned back to Malfoy, who seemed to be positively pissed off.
Hermione opened her mouth to apologise, but Malfoy had beaten her to it.
'What the hell was wrong with you in there?' he burst out. 'We didn't even run out of air, but you just simply stopped breathing.'
'We didn't?' echoed Hermione. How was that possible? She was positive that she was choking after giving up on escaping.
'No, we didn't. I could still breathe even with your bloody arse weighing down on me,' said Malfoy, starting to head towards the enchanted barrier.
'I don't know what happened, really,' said Hermione. 'The air seemed to be sucked out all at once, and-'
She stopped, realising that normally oxygen would have been reduced gradually instead. But everything had happened just as Hermione described... as soon as she succumbed to the terrible fate. It must have been another one of Voldemort's vicious tricks: cutting the air of the victim when they gave up. She was going to tell Malfoy her theory, but then decided against it. That was not important now. She quickened her steps.
'Thank you,' she said once having finally caught up with him, though Malfoy pretended that he didn't hear it.
They stopped a few feet away from the barrier.
'How do we get it now?' asked Hermione. 'Summoning Charm is obviously out of the question.'
'I think every spell is out of the question, actually.' Malfoy demonstrated his statement by shooting a Flame-Freezing Charm at the barrier. It bounced back as a beam of blue light.
'No magic. How typical!' concluded Hermione, rolling her eyes.
'Are you going to propose we get it the Muggle way?'
'Why not?' said Hermione, conjuring a long pole and attempted to thrust it through the barrier towards the cup. However, the pole refused to go in.
'As I suspected,' said Malfoy superiorly, walking towards the enchanted field and sticking his hand into it. 'It only allows human.'
To Hermione's surprise, Malfoy's hand went through quite easily.
'Did you feel anything with your hand in there?' she asked.
'No.' He shook his head. 'The outside layer of this substance seems too weak to have any effects.'
'I'll go in there,' said Hermione resolutely.
'No, Granger, save your Gryffindor foolishness,' he scoffed. 'We don't know exactly what it is, but I can make a fair guess that it's meant to torture the intruder. Have you ever been on the receiving end of the Cruciatus Curse before?'
Hermione shook her head.
'I have,' said Malfoy. 'And you should know that the ability to withstand the pain inflicted by such a curse will increase with the number of times you have to endure it.'
'Given that one doesn't die by then,' he added with a derisive snort.
'I can't let you go in there alone. We should go together,' said Hermione firmly.
'Wow, I'm touched, Granger. Are you proposing a group suicide?' sneered Malfoy. 'If we both enter, we'll both be affected. There must be someone who stays outside, just in case. Believe me, this arguing will get us nowhere.'
Before Hermione could protest, Malfoy already stepped into the barrier, walking through the emerald clouds which fluidly swirled around him. She was sure that they had to have some effect on Malfoy, but either he didn't let it show or she couldn't tell. Hermione neared the barrier to watch his movements more closely. It was then that she saw the corner of his mouth twitching, slightly at first, but the motion grew more and more violent with each step until his whole face contorted with pain and he was practically staggering towards the pedestal.
Hermione unconsciously stepped closer to the strange atmosphere, her heart pounding. She wanted to help, but she could not find a way to alleviate the curse. She wanted to offer words of encouragement, but given the pain he was in, those would seem meaningless.
All the same, as Malfoy neared the innermost layer of the enchanted atmosphere, she found herself whispering softly, 'Please bear it just a little longer.' He reached out, wrapping his fingers around the cup handle, and ... he did it! Hermione's heart soared, but then a bloodcurdling scream resounded in the cavern. Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth as Malfoy fell down on his knees at the foot of the pedestal, his hand still clutching the cup tightly. Was there another curse placed upon it?
For one insane moment, Hermione wanted to run in to help him, but she stopped herself just in time. It wasn't sensible. Malfoy's words echoed in her head, 'If we both enter, we'll both be affected. There must be someone who stays outside, just in case.' In case the other dies, now she knew that was what Malfoy had meant. Although she had heard Harry's tale of what the poison had done to Dumbledore, what was happening to Malfoy was far beyond what she had imagined. But she knew that he had been expecting it. He had known it from the moment he touched the barrier and guessed what it was.
Malfoy dragged himself another inch further but then collapsed. Hermione's heart caught up in her throat. What was she going to do? She had to get him out of there, but how? Although Malfoy didn't stir, she was quite sure that the torture still continued as the trap was designed to do: torture the intruder to death.
There was no other way. Hermione inhaled deeply, her hand trembling as it reached the barrier. As soon as the tip of her fingers touched the surface, she felt a tingle, like an electric shock. She jumped back. But there was no time to be afraid. Hermione bit her lips, forcing herself to penetrate deeper into the magical field. Her hand began shaking uncontrollably. It felt like millions of stitches were driving through her flesh, prising it from her bones. She used her other hand to grab her shoulder and steady it, trying to reach Malfoy, but he was too far in.
Tears prickled at Hermione's eyes. She didn't know if they were from the pain or from the helplessness that was engulfing her heart. She just couldn't reach him. Not if she didn't go further in. Although the pain was excruciating, it wasn't what made her hesitate. Hermione worried that if she went in any further, she might not have enough strength to pull both of them out.
'Malfoy,' she screamed, in the hope that he would move even a little towards her. There was no such luck.
'Draco,' she tried again. 'Wake up!'
He let out a small groan and rolled over onto his back. Hermione gasped at the sight of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. She had to act now. It was all or nothing. She plunged herself into the enchantment, half of her right shoulder fully swallowed up by the atmosphere. With strength she did not know she had, Hermione managed to grab Malfoy's sweaty hand and drag him out.
'Malfoy, wake up!' she called, shaking his shoulders, but to no avail. 'Look at me! Speak to me!'
She placed a finger on his wrist, feeling for a pulse. It was not too late.
'Rennervate!'
He stirred, his lids fluttering, and then finally opened his eyes.
'Thank Merlin. You scared me, Malfoy,' Hermione gave a cry of relief, almost hugging Malfoy, but she stopped herself just in time. 'Now, could you please give me the cup?'
'What makes you think that I'm going to give you the cup, Granger?' he sneered.
'What?' she exclaimed, hardly believing her own ears.
'I said that I am not giving you the cup, Granger,' said Malfoy more forcefully, pushing Hermione away from him.
'Wha-what do you mean?' she stammered, still in disbelief. Why did he say that? There had to be a reason for it. A complication? A curse? Right, it must be. Hermione voiced her suspicion, 'Is there a curse on it?'
'Don't you understand, Granger? There is only one person to whom I will give this Horcrux, and that is the Dark Lord,' said Malfoy, his lips twisting into a malicious smile. 'Imagine what will happen when I return it to him, along with the information about this whole ordeal. He will welcome me back with open arms, will he not?'
Hermione went white. How could this be the person who had prevented her from sacrificing her hand, who had saved her life in the coffin, who had volunteered to enter the dangerous barrier instead of her? Was he being possessed by the fragment of soul in the cup? Hermione's heart sank as she realised that it was not possible. Throughout the extra lessons during the summer, Dumbledore had made it clear to Harry that a Horcrux could only possess the body of someone who was emotionally close to it. Even so, in the case of Ginny and the diary in second year, it had taken months. The only connection between Malfoy and the cup was physical contact, and it couldn't have been more than six or seven minutes.
Then again, there were so many inexplicable things about this sudden change of heart.
'Why?' she managed to utter.
'Why what, Granger?' sneered Malfoy, leaping to his feet. 'This has been my plan all along.'
'Then wouldn't it have been easier for you to just dispose of me from the beginning?' she asked, her mind frantically searching for a plausible explanation.
'How naive of you, Granger! I couldn't have made it this far without your precious help.'
'What about the last barrier? You could have used me as a human shield.'
'And risk the cup falling into your possession?' he snarled. 'I'd rather take my chances with the barrier.'
It was then that everything clicked in Hermione's mind. How could she have believed him? Malfoy was still who he had always been, a despicable, treacherous bastard. How could she have even thought that he was going to sacrifice himself for their cause? He was just trying to save his own skin, only with a more drastic measure.
Malfoy agilely advanced towards her, as though he hadn't been injured at all. A few minutes ago, he could barely walk. Had that been just an act as well?
'How did you-You were faking the pain?'
'Of course I was,' replied Malfoy with a triumphant note in his voice.
'But how?' cried Hermione in stunned disbelief. 'That barrier was the distilled product of the Cruciatus Curse! I experienced the effect of it myself.'
'Have you ever heard that to cast a Cruciatus Curse successfully, one must really mean harm?' he asked. 'I did feel the pain, at first. But once the enchantment realised that my aim was not to steal and destroy the cup, but to return it to its rightful owner, it didn't want to harm me anymore. The Dark Lord really has foreseen it all.'
No, it didn't make sense. If Malfoy's words were true, then he'd had plenty of chances to catch her by surprise and escape with the Horcrux. Why wait until now? Then again, who knew what was going through that twisted mind of his?
Hermione stepped back, consciously blocking the path to the coffin.
'Get out of my way,' growled Malfoy.
'No,' said Hermione sharply, staring straight into Malfoy's eyes. She was startled to see they were as cold as ice, but then her own eyes hardened. 'I won't let you carry out your plan, and neither will Dumbledore.'
'Dumbledore cannot get near the house, so as long as I can keep close to it during my escape, there will be nothing he can do,' he responded with a smirk.
Without warning, Malfoy drew his wand.
'Protego!' shouted Hermione, just seconds before his hex hit its mark. Hermione knew she had to fire back. She needed to get the cup from Malfoy at all cost.
'Petrificus Totalus!' she screamed, waving her wand at Malfoy, while at the same time running out of his firing range. The spell missed him by inches, blasting a couple of rocks from the cave wall.
'Expulso!' bellowed Malfoy in return. Hermione dodged sideways. She tried to take advantage of Voldemort's enchanted barrier by putting it in between her and Malfoy.
Malfoy sent another curse, but it ricocheted off the barrier, slamming into the ceiling and exploding. The cavern shook with the impact of the explosion. Rocks and dust were falling everywhere.
Hermione cast another shield to protect herself from the debris. She could see Malfoy advancing towards her, ducking and dodging the rocks as he went. He was limping by the end of it even though she could not perceive any rock hitting him. Hermione shook her head and sprang back into action. It was all happening too fast.
'Crucio!'
Being caught off guard, Hermione fell as millions of stitches thrust through her flesh, burning her insides. She thought she would die of the agony. But then, for a fraction of a second, the pain seemed to lessen, and she leapt at the chance to Disarm Malfoy, her hand still trembling. Her spell must have done its job, for she was released from the torture instantly. Hermione scrambled to her feet, only to find Malfoy still in possession of his wand, though no longer holding the cup. She knew she had not Disarmed him.
To cast a Cruciatus Curse successfully, one must really mean harm. Hermione thought she caught a hint of a smile, but Malfoy's expression turned cold again, his wand raised. Could it be-
Then there was a scream that nearly stopped Hermione's heart.
***
Draco awoke with a start. It seemed as though the excruciating pain had been swept away, for all he felt was utter numbness. Draco was surprised that he somehow found the strength to open his eyes. Granger's face was hovering above him, her eyes wet and full of concern.
'Thank Merlin. You scared me, Malfoy,' she exclaimed, making a motion as if about to hug him, but refraining at the last moment. 'Now, could you please give me the cup?'
Draco's lips twitched. 'What makes you think that I'm going to give you the cup, Granger?' he heard himself sneering.
'What?' Granger and a tiny voice in the back of his mind cried out in unison.
You are not going to give her the cup, another voice echoed, cold and clear, and Draco shuddered as his own mouth relayed that same message to Granger. He knew this sensation all too well.
He wrenched Granger away with a strength he did not feel. The voice of reason in Draco's head told him that the exertion would hurt mightily afterwards, though for now there was no pain as he found himself gradually pulled into blissful oblivion.
'Wha-what do you mean? Is there a curse on it?' Granger's voice was fading, but he struggled to cling onto it like an anchor.
And then he heard it, his very own voice bragging to her about 'his brilliant plan'-a plan that Draco himself had never contemplated: bringing the cup back to the Dark Lord, giving him the information on the Horcrux hunt, and re-joining the ranks of Death Eaters. Even as his reason began to fade, Draco could clearly see the flaws in that plan. Yet, those thoughts, too, seemed to be slipping away from his grasp.
He was vaguely aware of an invisible hand pulling him to his feet. Through the hazy lens in his mind, he could see Granger appear completely petrified. What had he just said to cause such a reaction? Another surge of determination washed over him, and reality came closer into focus.
'Wouldn't it have been easier for you to just dispose of me from the beginning?' Granger's question echoed into Draco's consciousness.
What are you going on about? I couldn't have made it this- Draco never finished his thought, recognising the twisted version of it forming on the tip of his tongue. As Granger tried to reason out his motive, Draco helplessly observed his own mind being used against him again and again. He bitterly realised that staying alert would never be enough to fight off this advanced form of the Imperius.
The shock and disbelief on Granger's face faltered, finally being replaced by cold indignation.
Get on with it, commanded the voice in his head. Bring the cup back to the Dark Lord.
Draco found his hand tightening around the handle of the cup as he said through gritted teeth, 'Get out of my way.'
'No,' yelled Granger. Their eyes locked. For the briefest moment, Draco thought she had seen something in his, but then the recognition had gone and all that was left was pure contempt. 'I won't let you carry out your plan, and neither will Dumbledore.'
The barrier around the house can effectively hinder Dumbledore, the logical side of his brain countered instantly. Draco wished that it would just shut down completely, for the next thing that escaped his mouth was that very argument. Think, Granger, think, willed Draco. What about my mother? I cannot leave her with you lot to run away alone. He tried to scream, but instead a sadistic smirk snaked its way over his lips.
Attack her. You will stop at nothing, the voice hissed in Draco's ear, and so he attacked. He fired curse after curse at Granger, though she managed to either deflect or avoid them.
When one of his curses blew up the ceiling of the cave, Draco's body was ordered to take the chance to approach Granger. He complied, but this time he could feel his left hand twitch, unwilling to be raised again. However, as his resistance increased, so did the pain. His legs felt like they were being torn from under him, white-hot knives piercing his sides. Draco felt himself falling back into the void of unconsciousness once more. It was easy and welcoming.
Try harder, demanded the cold voice, and Draco's hand couldn't help but shoot up, pointing at Granger again. He gasped in horror at the cruel scream that should not have been his own, 'Crucio!'
No, screamed the dimly conscious part of Draco's brain as Granger fell to her knees, her face contorted with pain.
I don't want to hurt her, cried the reasonable voice again. An idea flickered through his mind and brought on another intense stream of agony, but for once Draco struggled to stay alert and willed his hand to drop the Horcrux.
Granger cast a Disarming Spell that missed completely, though Draco knew that it didn't matter once the sound of metal hitting the hard ground reached his ears. His lips lifted up in a smile-by his will this time-but it was a second too soon.
Kill her, the malicious voice in his head boomed out, more forcefully.
NO, the other voice shouted, and Draco felt as though he was stabbed when the same word burst out from his mouth. Draco's legs gave out beneath him.
'I'm sorry,' he managed to gush as Granger rushed towards him.
She kneeled down by his side. The cup lay forgotten. Draco saw darkness closing in from the edge of his vision, but for once he wasn't afraid to close his eyes. She will get us out of here safely, was the last thought that crossed his mind.
***
Draco woke up with a funny tickling sensation in his left hand. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around to find the clean and quiet sight of the Hogwarts hospital wing. The room was deserted except for Granger, her bushy head resting next to Draco's hand. She clearly had fallen asleep while waiting beside his bed. So she did get us out safely, he mused, feeling a warm sense of relief washing over him. Draco had slipped in and out of consciousness during their journey back, and there had been moments when he had thought that she was going to abandon him. Now, everything had turned out well, it seemed.
Draco attempted to extract his hand from under Granger's hair without disturbing her, but the effort was still a little too much for him. Draco couldn't help but let out a moan when the pain shot up his shoulder. The noise effectively startled Granger awake.
'You're awake,' she exclaimed, in a somewhat sleepy voice.
'Been worrying, have you, Granger?' He couldn't refrain from teasing.
'Who said that I was worried?' replied Granger loftily. 'I only wanted to make sure that you'd wake up in time for our detention.'
If it hadn't been for the mighty ache in his back, Draco would have shot up from his bed. He couldn't have dreamt up their little Horcrux adventure, could he?
Granger grinned mischievously. 'We got into an argument and started duelling while Dumbledore was away, remember?'
Draco relaxed visibly. So that was their cover-up for his injury after the so-called detention? It seemed plausible enough and, come to think of it, even had some elements of truth. Hogwarts' gossipers would surely have another field day, though Draco honestly couldn't care less.
'And how exactly did I end up in the hospital wing, then?' he asked, despite already knowing what their made-up excuse would be.
'Let's say I got a bit carried away while hexing you,' replied Granger, blushing slightly.
'So why do I have to serve detention?' he asked, smirking. 'Aren't I the victim of the big bad Head Girl here?'
'Because you were the one who started the fight,' said Granger seriously, though there was no sign of contempt in her eyes. Draco breathed out in relief. Only then was he completely convinced that Granger had understood that it was Voldemort's curse that had forced him to attack.
'Anyway, I have to go and fill in for both our Head duties,' she continued. 'Get well soon for our next detention, will you?'
And with that, she scurried off, leaving Draco alone in the infirmary.
Hmm, another 'detention' with Granger. Why did he get a feeling that maybe-just maybe -it wouldn't be that bad after all?
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