I'm totally not double posting.

Here's the last part of the chapter.


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Chapter Four: "If that is the Dark Lord's wish -" - Part four


The Knight Bus arrived at its destination; Wiltshire. Hermione tried to remember Draco’s instructions to his house he had once explained to her. She couldn’t just use a map, because the Malfoy Manor was unplottable.

It was still dark outside, but early enough for a few old, pale looking people to be awake and watch her. It felt weird, being watched, but she tried to imagine Draco next to her, telling her how to get into his house, if she ever wanted or needed to. This was meant to be a joke but, in the end, it seemed useful.

Hermione was suddenly face-to-face with a big, iron gate. She whispered a spell, like Draco taught her, and it seemed to work. She quietly got in and put the spell back on the gate.

"Ouch!" She muttered, after she had accidentally scratched her face in a deadly-looking plant.

She stopped and glanced around. There seemed to be only one lit room. She got closer and, to her relief, it was Draco’s room.

"Draco!" Hermione whispered, but he didn’t hear. She gently hit the window with her fingertips and she could see him shudder. He stood up quickly and walked to the window. His face had brightened up in a way she had never seen before, the moment he had seen Hermione standing outside. He opened the window and helped her get in.

"I asked you not to -" he tried to say, but Hermione was already hugging him, barely letting him breathe. It felt good, feeling her warm body wrapped around his cold one, feeling her face buried in his strong chest once again. "Happy to see you too," he said, carefully wrapping his own arms around her, leaning down and burying his face in her hair.

"Well, you look different," Hermione said suddenly. He was wearing a black suit, one that Hermione didn’t see before. She also noticed the dark circles around his tired eyes, which made him look older. His silvery hair looked messy and suddenly reminded her of someone. Yes, he looked like Harry, somehow. She gazed into his grey eyes. They showed kindness now. This wasn’t the Draco she knew anymore. But she liked this one.

"Look who’s talking," he laughed. "What happened to your face?"

"Just met your adorable garden."

"Do you want me to heal the scratches?"

"Oh, it’s okay. I’ll heal them myself," she said, looking at herself in the mirror. "But thank you," she added, looking at Draco’s reflected form.

He suddenly felt his left forearm hurting, and Hermione noticed that.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked concerned, and Draco wished he could hide his arm. She took it and wanted to pull up his sleeve. He didn't try to make a stand against her will. "Hermione, don't -" he tried to say, but it was too late. She simply froze. "What did he do to you?" Hermione said with a trembling voice, looking at the black snake as it was curling around the skull.

"It’s -"

Nothing, he wanted to say. He tried to look away, ashamed, but Hermione was already looking at him. "Why didn’t you tell me when I got here -"

"Tell you what, Hermione?" Draco interrupted in a cool voice. "That he burned the Dark Mark on my forearm?"

The girl didn’t continue; he was right. "I’m sorry," he added. "This definitely wasn’t one of the best days I’ve ever had."

"Do you think we can get out of here?" Hermione spoke after a few moments.

He smiled at her. "We can try."

They went to the window. Draco was the first one to go out and he gently helped Hermione. It was a good thing his room was not upstairs. They made their way through the deadly-looking plants, but a dark figure with silvery hair, just like Draco’s, was looking down at them, standing in front of the iron gate.

"Draco, you did not tell me we had guests," he said playfully, looking disdainful at his son. "Who is she?" Lucius asked, now looking at Hermione.

He didn’t recognize her? "This is Astoria Greengrass."

"Ah, the Greengrass family, yes," said Lucius thoughtfully, talking to himself. "Slytherin as well, am I correct?" he added, pleased.

"Yes, you are," said Hermione, playing along with whatever Draco had started. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Draco told me a lot about you."

"Did he? Good things, I hope," he said, looking at his son. "Anyway, what were you two doing here? And why didn’t you tell me she was here?"

"She just -"

"I was just passing by, Sir, and I wanted to see Draco," said Hermione quickly. She was a pretty good liar. "I hope I didn’t -"

"And I believe Draco told you about our small New Year’s party?" Lucius interrupted, ignoring her. "It is more like a ball. You could stay over; it is tomorrow night, after all."

"But I don’t have anything to wear -"

"That won’t be a problem," he interrupted her again. "Narcissa could give you a nice dress and everything you need. What do you say?"

"I don’t kn-"

"Draco, go and see if your mother has a dress for Miss Greengrass. I will show her a bedroom."

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