Mine Forever ( a Harmione fanfic )

Chapter 28

The dim glow of candlelight flickered over the scattered parchment and tomes on the library table as Hermione leaned forward, her brows furrowed in concentration. Across from her, Draco Malfoy exhaled, running a hand through his pale hair, his usual smirk absent. Between them lay the artifact—a small, intricately carved pendant, dark as obsidian, with faint silver etchings spiraling across its surface. Every few moments, the markings shimmered, as though alive.

"This," Draco murmured, his voice hushed but edged with urgency, "is what I found in the Room of Requirement."

Hermione's eyes snapped up, sharp and questioning. "The Room of Requirement?"

Draco nodded, his expression unreadable. "After the Fiendfyre died down. Most things were destroyed, but this... it was just there, untouched. Not a single scorch mark, not a dent. It—" He hesitated, his gaze flickering to Harry, who was listening intently. "It called to me."

Harry, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes. "Called to you?"

Draco looked slightly uncomfortable. "Not in a Parseltongue-horcrux-trying-to-get-into-my-head way," he added quickly, catching Harry's wary expression. "Just... a pull. A feeling." He gestured toward the artifact. "And it's tied to Hogwarts. I know it."

Hermione had already turned to a stack of books, muttering under her breath as she flipped through them, fingers tracing over old texts.

"I don't recognize these runes," she admitted after a moment, chewing her lip. "But they feel ancient. Not quite Goblin-made, but... similar craftsmanship. And the magic—" she shivered slightly. "It's old. Older than any enchantment I've ever come across. We need more resources."

Draco leaned back in his chair. "And time. Which we don't have, since we're about to get thrown out."

As if on cue, Madam Pince appeared, glaring at them over her spectacles. "The library is closed," she hissed, her arms crossed in a way that brooked no argument.

Hermione sighed, reluctantly closing the book in front of her. Harry stuffed the artifact into his pocket for now.

"We'll pick this up tomorrow," she promised, giving Draco a meaningful look before they hurriedly gathered their things.

Just as they were about to leave, Hermione reached into her bag, rummaging through its magically expanded contents. A moment later, she pulled out a small, polished wooden casket with intricate metal inlays shimmering faintly under the candlelight. She handed it to Draco.

"Keep it in this," she instructed.

Draco took the casket, turning it over in his hands. The polished wooden surface gleamed faintly in the dim light, the delicate metal inlays shifting almost imperceptibly as if the enchantments were woven into the very grain. He arched a skeptical brow.

"And why," he drawled, "do you just happen to have a magic safe casket lying around?"

Before Hermione could respond, Harry grinned, clapping Draco on the shoulder. "Honestly, mate, she's full of surprises. Ever the resourceful one."

Draco snorted, flicking his gaze between them. "Right. And here I thought I was the sneaky one." He shook the casket slightly, testing its weight. "So, what's the catch? Does it bite?"

Hermione crossed her arms. "Oh, please. It's not that kind of artifact. It's warded with high-level concealment and protective enchantments. Anything inside is undetectable—even by magic like Summoning Charms or tracking spells."

Draco's expression shifted, the faint amusement giving way to something more thoughtful. He glanced at Hermione. "And you just had this... on hand?"