Beauty and the Unexpected Beast

The Gift

The book fell out of my hands and woke me up, but Draco was still asleep, his arms wrapped around my waist and his soft breathing coming from behind me onto my neck. I didn't know how long I had been asleep but it was still dark outside with a little light coming from the window. It must have been early morning.

I turn and try to get a little more comfortable without disturbing Draco, making his hold on me loosen. When I couldn't find a more comfortable position I was able to stand up without waking Draco and stretch from sleeping in an upright position all night. I didn't know how he could do it so easily. Slowly, I sit myself down on the couch and begin to place my head in Draco's lap when I hear something out in the hall.

Getting up again, I look around for Cookie or a little animal that might have made the noise. Hearing voices in the hall I stand up slowly to go see if Cookie had brought another house elf to the Manor. I head towards the door where I could hear more distinct words.

"Master Draco is this way." I hear Cookie's voice a little ways down the hall.

"You will refer to me as your Lord." I hear a dark evil voice say. It sends chills down my back, making me freeze for a second. 

“Yes, my Lord,”

Their footsteps were coming closer and I needed to move.  I turn and run as fast as I could towards our couch in the back of the library. Breathing fast and not exactly paying attention to my speed as I let myself go into defense mode, I barely realized it when I hit the couch and tumbled on top of Draco, waking him up.

"What the-" He says loudly. I quickly cover him mouth with my hand, sitting up straight and looking around wildly. I feel him tense from my stiff posture.

"He's here Draco." I whisper, and he instantly shoots up and looks towards the doors where we could hear their footsteps coming closer.

"Hermione you have to hide!" He says urgently, pulling me up.

"It's a library! Where do I go?" I ask, picking up the book and holding on to it tightly to calm myself.

"Just get behind a book shelf with thick dusty books ok?" Draco said holding my shoulders and pushing me slightly away from him. "It'll be fine you just have to leave right now. Hide and get out of earshot."

He pulls me into a tight hug to kiss my head, I breath in his scent before he is pushing me away. I turn away from his distressed face and run towards the mass of bookshelves. I find one that was covered completely with old dusty textbooks, closer than Draco would have liked, but close enough I could help him if he needed it.

I sit down, and just in case cast a disillusion charm over me with my wand. Listening, I hear the steps enter the library as shoes click against the tile floor and stare at the books in front of me. That was all I could hear or see. Counting each step, it took seventeen steps for Voldemort to reach Draco.

"Ah, Draco." I hear Voldemort's voice.

"My Lord." Draco's voice sounded confident and obedient. "May I offer you a seat My Lord?" I hear a movement and could hear the couch being turned into something.

"Is there information from your assignment?"

"I have only been required to follow through with one mission My Lord." Draco said, I didn't have to guess what his assignment was, but at the mention of his only mission I went rigid. He wouldn't. "It consisted of a witch and a wizard that seemed to be on the run and they dared to speak your name." There was a pause in which I held my breath and gripped my wand tightly. He couldn't. "A mudblood and a half-blood my Lord." I trusted him. "They were in a forest just outside france." The bastard.