Captured

Tolerated Ch.6

Draco Malfoy sat in the dimly lit corner of the common room, staring at the flickering fireplace. He'd been up all night, not by choice, but because of the constant buzz in his head that wouldn't let him sleep. He'd grown used to that feeling, though. Ever since the Dark Lord had given him his first mission last year, rest had been a rare luxury. His life was no longer about Hogwarts, Quidditch, or the rivalry with Potter. It was about survival.

And now, it seemed, Granger was part of that equation.

Draco leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his pale blond hair, frustrated. His instructions were simple: get close to her, gain her trust, find out where she was going every Friday night. Simple, right? Except it wasn't. Hermione Granger wasn't someone he could manipulate easily. She was smart, far smarter than anyone gave her credit for, and Draco knew if he made one wrong move, she'd catch on. And if she caught on, the Dark Lord would know. Failure was not an option.

Draco sighed, staring at the ceiling. He had noticed her disappear for hours every week, sneaking out at the same time, returning like she was hiding something important. It had taken him two months to work up the nerve to even tell the Dark Lord about it. At first, he thought it was just her doing extra studying, being the insufferable know-it-all that she was. But after observing her more closely, he knew it had to be something more than that. Now the mission was clear: get her to open up.

But how? How was he supposed to get close to her when she barely tolerated him? They weren't friends, far from it. She probably hated him. Hell, he had spent the better part of six years making her life miserable. He sneered at the memory of all the times he'd called her a Mudblood, thinking he was so superior, when really, they were all just playing their parts in this cursed war. Now, he needed her. The irony wasn't lost on him.

Just as he was brooding, the clock struck midnight. He had a meeting to attend — another one of those late-night gatherings at the manor. Draco pulled on his cloak and quietly made his way out of the common room. He didn't bother looking around to see if anyone noticed. He had learned how to move through Hogwarts like a shadow over the years, something that had been particularly useful as of late.

Once outside the castle grounds, Draco found the hidden apparition point in the Forbidden Forest and disappeared with a soft pop. Seconds later, he was at the entrance to Malfoy Manor. Home — or what was left of it. The Dark Lord's presence had twisted it into something unrecognizable. It no longer felt like the place he'd grown up in. Now, it felt cold, suffocating, a place of fear and submission.

Draco approached the front door, greeted by the house-elf Teeny, who led him to the meeting room. He walked in, taking his usual place beside his father, who gave him a stiff nod. His mother, as always, tried to offer a reassuring smile, but even that was laced with anxiety. Draco's heart raced as the candles flickered, signaling the arrival of the Dark Lord.

As Voldemort entered, the room went still. His presence was a suffocating cloud of power and terror. Draco kept his head down, avoiding direct eye contact, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention. He had learned to stay quiet, to speak only when spoken to. He could feel the cold gaze sweep over the room, and his stomach twisted when Voldemort addressed him directly.

"Draco, my boy," Voldemort's voice was cold and sharp, sending chills down Draco's spine. "Have you noticed anything strange about the Mudblood lately?"

Draco swallowed hard, willing his voice not to shake as he spoke. "Yes, my Lord. She's been leaving the castle every Friday night. Always at the same time. I've noticed her return late into the night, and it's been happening for the past two months." He kept his eyes trained on the floor, hoping this information would satisfy the Dark Lord.

"Good," Voldemort hissed, his voice dripping with approval. "You will get close to her. Gain her trust. Find out where she is going. We cannot allow any secrets to slip through our grasp, especially from the likes of her."

Draco nodded, his heart hammering in his chest. "Yes, my Lord. I will not fail."

"See that you don't," Voldemort said, his tone a warning. "Failure is not tolerated. Dismissed."

Draco felt the tension in the room release slightly as the Dark Lord's attention shifted to other matters. But the weight of his new mission pressed down on him like an iron chain. He had no idea how he was going to get close to Granger. She'd never trust him, not after everything that had happened between them. But he had no choice. If he didn't succeed, the consequences would be dire.

When the meeting finally ended, Draco wasted no time getting back to Hogwarts. The cold October air nipped at his face as he made his way back to the dormitory, his mind swirling with thoughts of Granger and the impossible task ahead of him. He had to play his cards right, and there was no room for error.

By the time he returned, it was late, but as he entered their shared common room, he found Granger fast asleep on the couch, her book on Horcruxes still in her lap. Draco stood there for a moment, just watching her, the firelight casting a soft glow on her face. She looked peaceful, so different from the tense, guarded girl she had become over the past few months.

For a brief second, Draco felt something unfamiliar stir in his chest — something like guilt. But he pushed it down. This was just a mission, nothing more. He had a job to do, and he couldn't afford to feel anything. Not now.

He carefully took the book from her lap, setting it on the table, and pulled a blanket over her. He didn't know why he did it. It wasn't part of his plan, but something compelled him. Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe it was something else entirely.

With one last glance at her, Draco turned and headed up to his room. Tomorrow would be the beginning of his mission. Tomorrow, he would have to find a way to get close to Hermione Granger. And he had no idea how he was going to pull it off.