Three's Defiance
by dragon
Eye of the Dragon--Draco
I waded in through the water, being as stealthy as I could. I was trying to reach the other side of the river bank to where Hogwarts castle lay. Recently I had gone to the Manor for the Easter Holiday, but I promised Father that I would come back to Hogwarts a few days earlier. Why, he made me promise, I was not told.
But I certainly did guess.
I had a feeling, deep in the pit of my gut, that obeying my father's wishes would be a death sentence. I feared that this was the day that the Death Eaters would raid the students at Hogwarts.
Now, believe me, I do not love all of the kids there, but I don't think any of them deserve to be killed in their sleep.
I eventually made my way to the other side of the river and I pulled myself up to where a large tree took space. I leaned against the tree, breathing deeply and staring up at the castle still to the north of me. The large, purple mountains lay in the distance. The sky was gray and the air was crisp. The clouds begged to let rain fall and I knew I shouldn't be lying around, waiting for something.
Pushing myself up, I walked deeper into the woods.
I walked for quite a while when a large shock of pain went through my right arm. I gasped and wildly rolled up my sleeve.
There it was, the thing I regretted ever doing the most. It was hideous yet beautiful, but none could deny it's evilness. It brought pain and suffering wherever it went, it was a sign of everything wrong. When you see it on one's arm, you know that they have either been dreadfully mislead or dreadfully pulled into the pool of evil.
The Dark Mark.
It hurt once more and I grabbed it, trying to stop the pain by digging my nails into it. The mixture did indeed dull the pain somewhat. Once the pain finally echoed away, I looked and saw that the Mark did turn black.
I cursed under my breath and knocked my head on a tree.
"Angry are we?" a familiar voice asked. I swirled around and there, standing next to a tree, was Hermione Granger. Her pet, Ronald Weasley, was standing a few feet behind her. Both were looking at my arm in disgust.
"Go away," I said, turning my head back around as another wave of pain cursed it's way through my arm.
"Why, Malfoy?" Granger demanded.
I rolled my eyes even though I knew they wouldn't see it. "I told you--go away!"
"Malfoy, you are being an absolute--"
"Go away!" I shouted and before I knew it, my wand was out and Weasley was laying against a tree, a river of blood flowing from his mouth. He was clearly unconscious.
"Ron!" Granger shrieked and she ran over to Weasley. Once more I rolled my eyes and returned to sulking beside the tree. My arm with the Mark was starting to ache once more, as was my head, although recently I had been getting constant migraines. Putting my wand to my head, I muttered a quick spell Mother taught me. Meanwhile, Granger was ranting at me.
"You're a jerk! We just came to help you and this is how you repay us? I hope you go to Hell, Malfoy! I hope you go to Hell!"
"If you don't shut up, I'll send you there first!" I yelled, turning around and pointing my wand over Granger's heart. Seven years worth of hatred boiled in my hand as I kept my steady hand pointing over her heart.
"You don't have the guts," she whispered. "You wouldn't dare."
I glared at her. "I think I should be the judge of that."
Granger laughed hollowly. "You really want to be Lucius Malfoy, Jr., don't you? You simply do as he tells you in order to get approval--why don't you be your own person?"
"I don't think is the best time to be giving me counselor advice," I spat. "Remember, all I have to do is say it..."
Granger rolled her eyes. This was definitely throwing me off a bit. I didn't expect her to be laughing at me, rolling her eyes at me, while I had a wand pointed over her heart. I could kill her in an instant, and she was acting like we were just have some words (bitter though they may be) over some coffee.
Granger seemed to read my mind because she smiled bitterly. "Not so tough, are you, Malfoy?" she inquired mockingly. I scowled. "Why don't you lower that wand a bit? We can handle this like adults, Malfoy--like equals."
"I hate you."
Weasley gave a moan before rolling his head over. Granger and I both stared at him, Granger's eyes much more hopeful than mine.
"What did you use on him?"
"Does it matter?"
Granger looked at my wand. "I didn't know you were a Death Eater. I had hoped all the rumors were false."
This time, it was I who laughed. I didn't intend for it to be so, but my laugh sounded so cruel and--it just didn't sound like me. It scared me, but I continued to laugh. Granger's eyes showed a quick flicker of fear. "I won't be a Death Eater until I get up to Hogwarts," I replied coolly.
"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Granger asked honestly. "You are killing yourself--you really are! By doing this to yourself--by serving this evil power--you are slowly and gradually killing yourself." I lowered my wand about an inch.
"You're really quite patronizing."
"Which means you're listening to me." Granger's eyes glinted green for a moment before returning to their usual chocolate color. "Why don't you lower your wand, Malfoy?"
Chocolate Gaze--Hermione
Malfoy was actually looking like my proposal was worth considering. His wand, which once was pointed right over my heart, was now lying much more limp in his hand. His grip, which was once steady and unrelenting, was now trembling and shaking furiously. He was scared of me, he was scared of the things I was making him think.
Meanwhile, my heart was beating furiously. It was surprising how calm I was acting. My heart felt as if it was crawling out my throat and my legs were shaking. Beside me, Ron was lying perfectly still, the only thing alerting me of life was his constant and unnervingly even breathing. I held his hand, ignoring the blood on it.
Slowly but surely, Malfoy lowered his wand. His eyes, once cold and unmerciful, now looked like the most beautiful eyes in the world. I was so grateful to him, I was so indebted to him now.
Now, I was in a blood debt with Draco Malfoy, and I was willing to repay my debt whenever.
"Talk," Malfoy said, raising his wand once more, but this time he pointed it at Ron. "How did you know I was out here?"
"Dumbledore came down to the Gryffindor common room," I said, looking over at Ron. "He told us to go around the Forbidden Forest and that we'd find you by the River."
"What else?" Malfoy demanded. "What did he tell you to do with me?"
I hesitated before staring up into Malfoy's eyes. "Stall you for as long as--"
The ground shook and everything went black. I screamed and I heard Malfoy hit the ground with a thump. My hands parted from Ron's and I screamed once more. I heard Malfoy curse loudly.
Slowly, everything came back to me and I awoke, my first site being Malfoy lying on the ground, his white blonde hair matted with blood. Ron was lying spread eagle on the ground but he was no longer unconscious. He was staring up at the sky with the deepest fear on his face. Slowly his eyes turned toward me.
"Are you all right?" he croaked.
"Fine," I said, trying to stand up but my legs failing me. "How's Malfoy?"
Ron looked over at Malfoy, his eyes dark with hatred. "It doesn't matter," he spat. "Let's get out of here. We can make it to the castle in five minutes at top speed--"
"No," I objected and I crawled over to where Malfoy laid on the ground. Upon observation, I realized that there was a huge gash in the back of Malfoy's head, obviously causing a concussion. His arm, which had once been covered with a black cloak, now showed the Dark Mark glowing dark on his arm, appearing red from the blood. I turned to Ron who had been watching me suspiciously.
"Is he awake?" he inquired. "Is he faking?"
"He's knocked cold," I replied backing up away from Malfoy in order to lie beside Ron. "Ron, I'm scared. Do you know--?"
"No clue," Ron replied, standing up unsteadily and walking over to the river where he splashed his face with water. Immediately crimson fell through his fingertips, splashing onto the dirt. "I woke up and everything was still. I heard nothing. Malfoy was lying there and you were slumped against that tree." Ron returned to me, his breathing ragged. "What do you reckon?"
"Death Eaters, obviously," I answered. "But what I can't understand is why Malfoy is the one most injured. They wouldn't hurt one of their own." Ron shrugged.
"We can't be sure. Maybe Malfoy did something to bug 'em."
It sounded reasonable enough. As if seeking comfort, I turned and looked in the direction of the castle.
Smoke blocked my view.
My brow began to furrow and Ron reached over and moved a lock of chocolate colored hair from my wet cheek. Both of us smiled, despite the desperate situation.
Malfoy stirred, a slight moan escaping from his lips but it then turned to a cough as a river of blood escaped and ran wild down his chin. Ron's eyes went wide and I immediately took out my wand, which I had forgotten about.
"Why didn't you cure him?" I demanded, turning to Ron, who immediately went green. "How could you let me forget?"
Ron shrugged, his eyes diverting my gaze. "I forgot--"
"Forgot?" I mocked. "Forgot? That's bull, Ron." Still blazing, I crawled over to Malfoy and whispered some healing charms over his bloody body. Ron watched, transfixed. Almost immediately, the gash disappeared from the back of Malfoy's head and he began to stir once more. Satisfied, I smiled before crawling back to Ron.
"Sorry, Hermione," he said but I shook her head, holding up my hand to stop him.
"You will apologize to Malfoy when he stirs," I demanded. "That's what he deserves--"
"If he stirs," muttered a familiar drawing voice.
Scarlet Ashes--Ron
I should've expected Lucius Malfoy to turn up eventually. But I didn't expect to see this Lucius Malfoy. I didn't expect to see a Lucius Malfoy wearing crumpled robes and with his hair tangled. He looked like an animal, especially with that crazy hungry look in his eyes. His wand was held up at Hermione and I but he continually glanced over at his son, who was still bleeding a bit from his mouth.
"It's you again," Hermione said, sounding almost bored. Lucius glared at her. "You really aren't quite a threat anymore, Lucius."
"How dare you!" Lucius screeched, his eyes turning to stare at Hermione's face, contempt etched on every line of his face. "You filthy Mudblood--how dare you mutter my name?"
I began to tremble with fury but Hermione grabbed my hand to calm me. She had that affect on me, her hands could solve my nervousness and my anger.
And I could imagine that her lips could, also.
"How sweet," Lucius mocked, still glaring at Hermione. "A Mudblood--and a Weasley. Quite a step up for your family, isn't it Weasley? Actually loving someone human, low on the totem pole they may be?"
"Do you know what I think, Mr. Malfoy?" I demanded, the anger getting the best of me. "I think that it's a step up for your family to actually have produced a son--seeing how incestuous you little blond bastards are."
Lucius's eyes went dark and he pointed his wand straighter at Hermione. He looked at her unflinchingly and she stared boldly back. "Sometimes I wonder if this Gryffindor braveness is really just extreme stupidity," he whispered. "Now I know that my suspicions are correct. I could kill her, Weasley. I could do it without a thought. But I won't do it."
I narrowed my eyes.
"The Dark Lord wants her. As do some...other...Death Eaters." Lucius's gray eyes flickered to his son.
Hermione didn't appear to notice.
I did.
"What are you insinuating?" I demanded. Lucius laughed, coldly. His tone sounded like that of a madman and I knew for a fact that he was one. He deserved to die and I wished him and his stupid son would.
"You really are quite obtuse, Weasley," Lucius replied, his voice as slick as oil. "Don't you understand what I am insinuating, or do I have to spell it out for you?" I glared at him but slowly realization dawned. Nausea flooded over my body.
"You're a sick, old man," Hermione spat, sneering up at Lucius. So she did see. "It's no wonder your own son hates you. You torture him, don't you? I bet you beat him and then erase his memory so that he thinks he worships you. I bet you constantly belittled him, told him he was not as good as anyone else, especially Harry. That's why he hates us, isn't it? He hates us because of you. You are foul. You are killing your own son, aren't you? It's been slow but your goal is for him to die one day. You don't care about him in the least, do you?"
Lucius smiled. "Draco isn't dying."
Hermione shook her head. "He's dying inside." Lucius smirked. "How do I know?" Hermione inquired, scoffing. "I know because I do. Everyone says I know everything, right? I don't know anything but the way the human mind works. Your son is dying." The last thing Hermione said sounded very final, like a judge's ruling at a trial. My stomach lurched.
Malfoy stirred and one of his eyes flickered. He groaned and turned onto his back. Slowly his eyes opened and he surveyed the scene with interest.
"Am I in Hell?" he inquired lazily. "I don't remember dying."
Hermione turned to Lucius, arms crossed over his chest. "Told you."
Lucius walked over to Malfoy, his wand still pointed at both of us. He pulled his son to his feet and pushed him against a tree. Lucius then handed Malfoy his wand. Malfoy still looked slightly dazed, dry blood smeared across his face.
"Kill them, Draco," Lucius instructed. Malfoy stared at his father like he was insane.
"You're the one that wants them dead, you do it," Malfoy muttered, dropping the wand onto the ground and sitting down on a patch of leaves. Lucius sneered and pushed his son against the tree.
"You kill them, Draco!" Lucius screamed. "Show the Dark Lord--prove to him that your initiation wasn't a mistake!"
Malfoy once more just gaped at his father. Lucius stared at his son with the most fury I have ever seen in a human face. Before I knew what was happening, Lucius's big hands were wrapped around his scrawny son's neck and Malfoy's face was turning scarlet.
"Stop!" I heard Hermione screech. "Stop!"
But of course Lucius didn't stop, instead he squeezed harder as Malfoy's cheeks turned blue...
He didn't stop--not until three jets of green light him all at once.
Then he crumpled onto the ground, his face still contorted in fury. His hands were still outstretched as if he was still strangling his only and begotten son.
Hermione, Malfoy, and I all had our wands out.
Nobody else was in the woods that day and nobody else would be for a long time.
I walked into the Hospital Wing. It had gotten very quiet in the last few days.
Deathly quiet.
I met Hermione at her bed. She looked stunning despite the traumatizing things that had been happening. Turns out that Harry was missing as was Voldemort. Everyone assumed both to be dead--including myself. But Hermione was still grasping for hope. She seemed to feel that there was little to hope for these days. I kind of felt the same.
When I met her, little tears were in the corner of her eyes. I immediately took my seat beside her bed and grabbed her hand. It was sad how small her fingers were.
"What's wrong?" I asked as tears began to fall down her face like raindrops. Hermione brushed the tears away impatiently before speaking.
"He's dead," Hermione whispered.
"Who?" I inquired. "Harry? Did they find his body?"
Hermione shook her head impatiently. "No, Harry isn't dead. Harry isn't dead," she added firmly. I just nodded, not wanting to upset her. "It's--it's Malfoy. He died."
I gasped. "What?" I asked, awestruck "I thought he was getting better. I thought he was getting a lot better."
"He was," Hermione said, sniffling. "He was fine. Well, he was fine physically. He killed himself last night." I whistled lowly and Hermione wiped tears from her eyes before continuing. "I had heard noises in the night. I figured he was just having nightmares again. He had somehow gotten a hold of a wand and put it to his head. He died without any pain." Hermione smiled. "I guess that is nice to know."
Hermione gestured to the empty bed beside hers. I hadn't even noticed that it was vacant. I had just assumed that he had been released.
"But why would he kill himself?" I inquired. "He seemed like he was getting better. He was still a prat but..."
"He wasn't happy," Hermione whispered. "He missed things the way they were before." Hermione turned to me, her eyes vulnerable. "I think I do too."
Forever--Draco
Everything is cold. Everything is wrong. I feel wrong all the time. I don't know why, but I know I feel wrong.
I have been in the Hospital Wing for a while now. I have lost count of the days. Time just passes, it doesn't matter whether it is minutes, seconds, hours, days...it is just time. And the way I am figuring, time doesn't matter anymore.
Granger lays in the bed next to mine. She is almost always asleep or reading. She looks so placid. Her long brown hair is like a pillow and she looks angelic. I can't believe that I am thinking of Granger as angelic. I almost killed her...maybe it is because she's an angel.
Somehow, I got a wand. I can't recall how I got it. It's just that one minute I my hands were empty, the next minute there was a long, willowy wand in my grasp. I feel empowered to be holding a wand again. It gives me a feeling of being a man. I stroke it under the covers of my bed and wait, although I don't really know what I am waiting for.
I feel extremely guilty. The Dark Mark still gleams black on my arm and it occasionally burns intensely but lately it has began to fade back into my skin. Also my neck is a colorful portrait of bruises and sometimes it still hurts to breathe. And despite these horrible things that have happened to me because of my father, I still feel guilty that I am partly responsible for his death. I didn't mean to kill him. Well, obviously I did then but I wish I didn't. I could've just stunned him.
After time, the nurses in the Wing begin to thin. It must be getting dark. Granger also ceased reading her book and fell into another coma like state. I watch her low breathing, entranced by the way her eyes flutter and her lips whisper nothings into the air. I do quite admire Granger, I have for some time in fact, and I have watched her at every interval possible. My father must've thought I was crazy and that I was in love with Granger.
Not love, I just admired her. I can admire someone, respect someone, without even liking them. That was the case with Granger.
I tore my gaze away from Granger and pulled out the wand.
This would certainly draw headlines. Son of Death Eater commits suicide.
Smirking, I put the wand to my head and waited for my hand to steady.
"Avada..."
FIN