Dramione - The Sweetest Dream

Chapter 17

            "That's impossible, she's dead. I know she's dead." Hermione tried to think about this logically. She felt Draco's cold, shaking hand settle on her leg beneath the table.

"You think He Who Must Not Be Named was the only one to ever think of using a Horcrux?" Aberforth had returned to his mask of boredom, though his nervousness and anger was not as well concealed.

"It couldn't have been more than one Horcrux, even though she could have made more based on how many people that disgusting woman has killed. She blended in quite well. The Horcruxs begin to dement your physical appearance at a certain point." Aberforth's eyes were filled with pity looking at the two children sitting across from him. He didn't care they were technically adults; they still had the innocent heart of children. They didn't deserve such heavy burdens.

"We'll have to find her," Hermione stared into space, her eyes fixed on nothing. She saw Draco's widened eyes look at her in her peripheral vision.

-----

"Hermione we don't have to do this. You have every reason to hate that...thing, whatever you want to call her. Let someone else deal with this, it's not your responsibility." Draco watched his girlfriend pace around their upstairs bedroom. Her eyes were filled with determination, yet there were flecks of fear. She stopped to look at him. The light streamed in through the window causing the sunlight to highlight the honey in her hazelnut eyes. His whole body relaxed seeing her face.

"I have to end this. You don't have to come with me, Draco, I know she's technically your aunt."

"She's nothing to me." Draco spit the words out like they were poison. Not in aggression towards Hermione, just disgusted that he was related to someone like Belatrix. Someone who had tortured the girl he loved. Hermione was slightly taken aback at his tone, her eyes widening for a brief moment. Draco relaxed his body again, hanging his head slightly.

"I'm coming with you, Hermione, there's no way around it. You're not going to be able to talk me out of this." He covered the few feet that separated them to wrap his arms around her waist. She melted into him, loosely draping her arms around his shoulders. She closed her eyes, feeling his thumbs fiddle with a stray strand of her hair.

"I should send a patronus to McGonagall to tell her we're leaving. I have everything I'll need. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm set. Where are we going though?" Draco began to casually flick his wand, his clothes from the night before folding themselves and neatly putting themselves in his small leather bag.

"I honestly have no idea," she buried her face in her hands in frustration while sitting on the bed. Draco immediately came to the realization that whether he liked it or not, he had ties to Belatrix.

"I know what we have to do."

"What?" Hermione lifted her head.

"It looks like you're going to meet my family."