Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Defensor - 13

The three Gryffindors and I got to Hagrid's cabin, where Hagrid supplied Ron with a bucket as he continue vomiting slugs. My head still had a little pressure, but that didn't overshadow the absolute shame I felt at Draco's words. I sat next to Hermione while she helped Ron hold the bucket.

"Who was Ron trying to curse, anyway?" Hagrid asked.

"Malfoy," Harry answered. "He called Hermione... well, I don't know exactly what it means."

I looked at Hermione, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. My chest constricted with guilt knowing how hurt she was. She stood and walked toward the window facing away from us. I quietly took up the post of helping Ron hold his bucket. "He called me a Mudblood."

Hagrid gasped. "He did not."

"What's a Mudblood?" Harry asked.

Hermione turned, the tears were now brimming her eyes. "It means dirty blood. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me. It's not a term one usually hears in civilized conversation."

"See, the thing is Harry," Hagrid added. "there's some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pureblood." I knew this was true. I had witnessed Lucius Malfoy exhibit this behavior on multiple occasions throughout my life.

"That's horrible!" Harry reacted.

Ron vomited a slug, causing me to dry heave. 'It's disgusting," he responded.

"And it's codswallop to boot," Hagrid added. "Dirty blood. Why there isn't a wizard alive today that isn't Half-blood or less. More to the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can't do." Hermione smiled, and she took Hagrid's handle. "Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it one bit."

"He's right," I added lightly. "Although I feel I shouldn't really speak more on it...." I trailed off.

Hermione huffed. "What have I told you about blaming yourself for his actions?"

I felt tears of frustration threatening to brim my eyes. "I can't help it! I don't know what to do right now. I've been tasked with protecting him, and now I've got this bloody headache..."

"What," everybody in the room asked nearly simultaneously.

I gasped realizing what I let slip. "Nobody else is supposed to know!"

"What do you mean you're supposed to protect Malfoy?" Harry asked.

I sighed, resigning that enough had already gotten out. "Generations ago, my great-great-great... great-whatever... grandfather made a vow that my family line would protect his. If I don't keep him from harm, I experience harm myself."

Hermione was wide-eyed. "Oh my god. This explains so much."

"What does?" I asked.

"Aphry, You're a defensor?"

My brow furrowed in confusion, trying to comprehend what she was saying. "A what?"

She thought for a second. "I remember which book I read it in. As soon as Ron feels better, we'll head to the library!"

Hermione came from the restricted section and slammed a book down. She made sure that she found a private corner of the library. She opened the front and began thumbing through it.

"Hermione, isn't this the same book that you got on Nicolas Flammel last year?" Harry asked.

"Yes," She responded as she thumbed, skimmed a page or two, then thumbed again. "but there's another section on... Here it is!"

She turned the book toward me, and I read the short section labeled 'Defensors' out loud. "Defensor, the Latin word for 'defender,' has been used in the wizarding world to describe a member of a family who has devoted their protection to another. The sworn protection is sealed with an unbreakable vow that continues throughout the generations. When the person being protected is hurt, the defensor is punished by a physical ailment of some sort, so that the defender remains loyal to their subject. If the subject dies, so does the defensor."

"Bloody hell," Ron interjected. 

I paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. Then I continued. "The defensor and their subject are often close in age and have a strong bond, despite sometimes having extremely conflicting personalities."

"That explains you and Malfoy. Your dads too!" Ron said. 

I nodded in agreement, then kept reading. "The practice has died out, as it was discovered that defensor blood has special magical properties that can be used for many Dark potions leading to... hunting of the defensor!" I looked up, paling.

"Hunting?" Harry said, shock evident in his voice.

Hermione nodded. "And if you check the source material, the author cites a man with the surname Cytheria." She looked at me, "No doubt one of your ancestors." She looked between us. "It's likely your father and Malfoy's didn't tell you what you are because he didn't want anybody else knowing, or the consequences would be unimaginable." She looked between me, Ron, and Harry. "I don't know about Ron and Harry, but your secret is safe with me."

Harry turned to me. "I won't tell anyone."

"Me neither," Ron said with a nod.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading another part of my story. If you enjoyed it, please don't forget to vote and/or comment so other people might see it!