Red Passion - HP - Draco/Hermione - 21/31
Title: Red Passion
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: Mature (R)
Links: Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 + Chapter 3 + Chapter 4 + Chapter 5 + Chapter 6 + Chapter 7 + Chapter 8 + Chapter 9 + Chapter 10 + Chapter 11 + Chapter 12 + Chapter 13 + Chapter 14 + Chapter 15 + Chapter 16 + Chapter 17 + Chapter 18 + Chapter 19 + Chapter 20
Summary: Post HBP. A vampire saves Draco from death and introduces him to a dark world. With Hermione Granger on the menu, can Draco save his enemy and his own soul? Eventual DM/HG.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Written for profitless entertainment.
Warning: Blood, violence, and eventually scenes of a sexual nature.
Author's Note: Story goes AU after the events of Half Blood Prince.
Wordcount for Total Story: ~65,900 words (varied by chapter)
Chapter 21
He'd spent the first part of the day sleeping, the second part thinking about the upcoming afternoon stroll into Potterville.
Draco saw many flaws to her plan. The first of which being that her plan did not actually involve her risking life and limb. That was left to him. She was left to rest her vampiric eyes until nightfall in some abandoned home's cellar seven blocks away. Flawed and unfair, as he had told her.
His biggest concern was not the "golden boy" he'd be visiting. It was Potter's guardians. And Draco was not considering the muggle relatives as his old rival's guardians. He was certain that the late Headmaster's allies would be watching Potter at every turn. They would be looking for people just like Draco, and they were the kind to curse first, ask questions later, when it came to Death Eaters, even potential ones.
Hermione had confirmed this. And told him he was still going.
Bitch, Draco thought, when he remembered the smile she'd worn when he'd expressed his worry.
Draco swallowed hard, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. Though the sun would be setting within the hour, he wore a pair of reflective sunglasses over his eyes to aid in covering his face. His hand lifted casually to assure that the hood of his jacket was still in place, knowing his blond hair would easily catch attention from watchful aurors.
As if the oddness of the muggle clothes were not disconcerting enough, he had to worry about using them to hide his identity from any curious on-lookers. He was only the slightest bit pleased that Hermione had been right; he was blending in rather well. The muggle neighborhood was crawling with kids and teens in similar clothes. Though holiday had already begun, the coming evening was already a bit breezy and the extra layer over him was in no way out of place.
"Still a horrible plan," Draco said, just beneath his breath.
I wouldn't have to worry about bloody blending if I had a wand. One damn glamour is all it would take, but, NO, we have to do it the vampire's way. 'No time to find a wand!' Bloody stupid-how the hell did I ever get myself into this situation? I should be in France, on the beach with my parents. Not going defenseless into my enemy's home.
Draco's thoughts cut off, a woman's voice in his mind. "Harry's not your enemy."
"Get out of my fucking head!" Draco growled, under his breath.
A woman carrying her cat and her mail inside released a breathy tut when he passed, obviously hearing his outburst.
Just bloody fantastic. And he was reminded of why he couldn't just take off in the opposite direction. Hermione would find him as soon as darkness released her.
Draco lowered his head further and tried to clear his mind. He saw number four up ahead. It was a square house, slightly larger than its neighbors with a well groomed garden and a homey little drive to one side. Draco felt himself want to vomit a bit.
He stepped up to the front door, pausing before he knocked. Hermione had told him to take the letter out first. Draco pulled it out of his front pocket, holding it in front of his chest with one hand. He prepared to knock with the other-she'd told him to keep his hands where her friend could see them, as well. As if he didn't already know that. With a second thought, he turned from side to side, but, aside from a group of thuggish looking boys further up the sidewalk, no one appeared to be looking his way. He turned back to the door and slid the sunglasses off and pinned them onto his jacket. Finally, he delivered two brisk knocks.
Draco was arguing with himself, on whether he should ask for "Potter" or "Harry," either of which would feel odd on his mouth. He wondered if "Scar-head" would be acceptable. With that train of thought, he was expecting someone else to answer the door. One of the muggles Potter kept.
But it was Harry Scar-head Potter who answered.
The other wizard took him in within a split second, recognition followed by darting eyes to the front yard. The door almost closed in Draco's face. But instead, a wand was jammed against his stomach, and Potter kept the better part of his body behind the safety of the door in a quick act of caution.
"Malfoy," Harry hissed.
Draco didn't say a word, simply keeping his hands in front of him, as Hermione had commanded. Many choice phrases came to mind, however. He resisted the urge to reach for the wand, knowing that the other wizard would mutter a curse before a move was made.
"Hermione," Draco said. He would have added more, but he was afraid the other wizard's head might explode.
The name seemed to confuse Harry. Suddenly his brow lowered, his gaze narrow, dangerous.
"How many of you are there?" Harry nearly growled. Obviously, he'd taken his friend's name as either an insult or a threat.
Draco sighed, feeling weary. Hermione was right. Something was wrong with him; he should have been brimming over with snarky remarks by now.
"Hermione sent me. I'm wandless."
Harry's eyes widened slightly, as if in realization of the fact that no one had attacked yet. It seemed to surprise him. However, he was on his guard again in an instant. He reached out, grabbing hold of Draco's jacket and pulling him inside in one movement. Harry slammed the Slytherin against the wall furthest from the window, his wand still snug against him.
"What are you playing at, Malfoy?" Harry snapped, his voice low. His eyes came back to the letter in the other wizard's hand. Harry released Draco to snatch it and whipped it open. "What's this?" Harry asked. "Some sort of trick?"
Harry's eyes darted from the open note to Draco and back again. He must have seen something that puzzled him, because he gestured with his wand for Draco to walk further into the house.
"What's that noise, Potter?" a gruff voice called from another, rather loud room.
"Nothing!" Potter called back, aggravation written across his face.
Draco raised a brow at that but said nothing. Harry started to lead him up the stairs but seemed to think twice of it, prodding him towards the bottom of the staircase instead.
"Open the door," Harry commanded.
Draco did so, walking into a tiny room beneath the stairs. He sneered in disgust at the small, closed quarters. It reminded him of a house-elf's quarters. In fact, it looked as if some creature had once inhabited it. Draco turned to face the other, wand-ready wizard, feeling somewhat awkward in the small space.
"What is this?" Harry said, shaking the letter. "What has he done with her?"
Draco wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Hermione had written the letter, and he wasn't quite sure what she had written in an attempt to convince Potter of her situation.
"The Dark Lord doesn't have her, Potter. She's free," Draco said, knowing his words were having no effect.
"Bullshit," Harry snapped.
Draco was tired of stooping in the space. He saw what resembled some sort of bed and sat on the edge of it, groaning slighting. I don't know what the hell I'm doing here.
"We haven't got much time," Draco said, attempting to keep his voice level. His own frustration wasn't helping to dull the edge from his tone. "I know your people will be here soon as they hear you've had a visitor, so we need to speed things along. How much did she tell you in the letter?"
Harry didn't answer.
Of course, Draco thought, he probably thinks she was forced to write the letter. Have I told you what a bloody excellent plan this is, Hermione?
Draco could feel her stirring in her sleep. She wasn't pleased with him so far.
"You're supposed to be dead," Harry finally said.
Draco blinked up at him. "Shit, Potter, I'm so very sorry to let you down. Obviously, those rumors are greatly exaggerated. I should be dead, though, by right. The Dark Lord was planning to do me in." Draco couldn't stop his mouth from moving. "In front of my mother," he added, unable to cut himself off. "I was traded to a vampire instead, for my disobedience, because I didn't kill Dumbledore. It was to punish my family."
Hermione? Did you do that? Stop it!
But she didn't. Draco felt her nudge him on. He could have attempted to resist her, but he wasn't sure if that was the best idea. Not while Harry had a wand pointed at his eye level.
"A vampire?" Harry asked. His fingers tightened around the letter slightly.
Draco assumed he was on the right track and let Hermione guide him on.
"The vampire wanted to keep me as a..." Draco began to rephrase. "The vampire was planning on turning me into one of his kind. While I was being held in his home, another vampire came, he brought Hermione with him. He'd captured her near her home. The vampire who'd taken me, Darien, he took her from the other vampire. "
Draco watched as Harry's face paled.
"He held the two of us in his manor," Draco continued. "We had no wands to defend ourselves, so we poisoned him and escaped."
Harry raised his brow. "Where is she? Where's Hermione?"
Alright, so Draco hadn't quite finished that story.
"While we were escaping, Darien attacked her," Draco said. His stomach rolled, remembering the moment. Remembering the blood, his own in the tub, hers on the floor, pumping out of her shoulder.
"Malfoy?" Harry's voice was laced in worry, but it wasn't directed towards his school yard foe. "Where is she?"
"Hiding," Draco answered. "She wants to meet with you, to tell you more."
"Say you're telling the truth," Harry began, "why would she ever send you? Why wouldn't she come herself? Hell, why wouldn't she send an owl instead of you?"
Because she's afraid.
"She has her reasons." Draco looked down. For some reason, the other young man's green eyes were too strong to hold. They burned holes through his skull. "She's different. The attack changed her."
Harry blinked. His wand lowered a fraction. "The vampire's attack?" he said.
Draco didn't answer. From the corner of his eye, he could see the other wizard. He knew Potter was putting it together.
"You're lying," Harry breathed.
Draco slowly reached up, tugging at the pull on the jacket's zipper. He slid it down and shook it loose from his shoulders. The movement jarred his sore arm, and he winced slightly. Draco unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and rolled his head to the side.
Harry's eyes widened before they even reached the skin. Little blossoms of blood had risen through the cloth from the fresh wound. Harry put his wand out, pushing the shirt's collar to the side. Scars, neat and curved, mounded over his skin. They hadn't had time to fully heal, and the flesh was red and swollen looking.
"What did they do to you?" Harry asked.
"What do you think, Potter?" Draco sneered.
Harry took a step back from Draco, nearly hitting his head on the doorframe behind him.
"Vampires." Harry seemed to be digesting the word. "Hermione. She...changed?"
Draco straightened, almost too quickly, a wave of dizziness passed over him. His fingers dug into the jeans' pocket. Harry didn't stop him from removing the small vial there. In fact, he didn't even question Draco when he uncorked it and took a sip of the dark liquid inside. Draco grimaced at the taste and put it back.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Everyone's asking that, these days," Draco groaned.
A moment later, the dizziness had faded and the blurriness left his vision.
"She needs to meet you," Draco said. She could feel Hermione moving again, in her sleep. He didn't enjoy the sensation. "And Weasley," he added. "She knows you're going to need help, in the coming battle or whatnot. She wants to help."
He felt an uneasiness at the blank expression on Harry's face.
"She needs you to see her, Potter."
Harry swallowed hard. "Alright."
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