The Dark Side (Unedited)

Chapter 38

His voice invaded her ears and infiltrated her mind, causing all the nerves in her body to immobilise. Dread began to work its way through her body, tightening her chest and paralysing her lungs. She closed her eyes, not prepared to see the face of the man who had caused her boyfriend so much pain. Not prepared to see what condition her beloved Draco was in.

Lavender was the first to move, her feet pivoting until she faced the malevolent form of Lucius. When Hermione heard her gasp, she tripped over her feet as she turned to observe the materialisation of her worst fear.

Somehow, even her nightmares could never compete with the sight that appeared before her eyes. She had expected Draco to be imprisoned or injured in some way. That Lucius would be holding him at wand-point, threatening to take his life away.

Yet Lucius stood at ease, looking completely calm. And Draco stood right beside him with an elated grin that made Hermione's heart stop pumping. His permanent malevolent expression had returned to his face, and he was no longer the changed man that she loved. He was the bratty little boy who had teased her and felt nothing but hatred towards her. It couldn't be real. He couldn't have betrayed her, he loved her.

"Draco..." Her voice was weak, barely audible in the now silent room. "Draco, what has he done to you?"

Her whole body was trembling, as if she were to fall apart at any moment. She stared into the eyes of the man she loved, who was laughing as her heart was breaking.

"You silly Mudblood, he hasn't done anything to me. He's my father." He gazed at Lucius with an admiring smile, and Hermione shook her head.

"No, Draco. This isn't you. You hate him, and you love me."

"My father told me this plan would work, that you would fall for it. I have to say, I thought you my act would never fool the 'brightest witch of her age', although I suppose you are only a Mudblood." His words were slicing her to pieces, she had been fooled. How could she have let this happen? "I never loved you, how could you believe that I could actually care about someone like you?"

"Okay, Draco. I do appreciate your need to gloat for your tremendous work, however we have business to get to tonight."

"Oh yes, my father has a brilliant plan. I'm sure that you would love to hear what we intend to do with your blood-traitor best friends. And your parents, for that matter."

"What have you done to them? If you have hurt them-"

"Miss Granger, do relax. Please excuse my son, he is a little too enthusiastic. I promise you that our intentions are good."

"I strongly doubt that Lucius, considering your past. Have you ever heard the saying 'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions'?"

Her words had pushed Lucius over the edge, and he shed his patient tone.

"Listen Mudblood, I have formulated a plan that will rid the world of your pathetic sort. I will eradicate the muggle race, until the only human inhabitants of this Earth are wizards. Don't fret, this will be done in the most honourable manner, which is where your little friends come in." Lucius paused for suspense, and Draco continued on without endorsement.

"Father has been experimenting, and he has concluded that muggles who are injected with the blood of wizards will be stripped of their previous personality and become a wizard. They will be a new person, eliminated of their previous... misfortune."

"Unfortunately, the wizards who surrender their blood are likely to be killed as the process is quite destructive. However, I consider that a minor disadvantage, considering the benefits that will result. The entire muggle race will be transformed into wizards, but first we need to perform one last experiment." Lucius' eyes glanced in the direction of the two still figures bound to the wall.

"No. You are not touching them, or my parents!" Hermione ran to Harry and Ron, guarding them with her tiny body.

Draco laughed as he stalked over to her, wielding his wand as if teasing her. She shook her head, loudly sobbing as she looked at her best friend's peaceful faces. He was progressing towards her, until he was so close she could reach out and touch him.

"Draco please." She wailed. "This isn't you, I know it. I can feel it. You still love me, so please don't do this. You can't."

He continued to come closer, before grabbing her arm and wrenching her away. She latched onto his shoulder, anchoring her feet into the stony ground. His reached his wand towards Harry,

"Look at me Draco. You can't do this." He turned his face to look at hers, and she saw the hate and disgust swirling around in the grey pools of his eyes. But there was something else, something that lied in a deep, deep part of his soul. She could see his love for her, but it was being clouded by whatever his father had done to him.

She put a hand to his face, forcing him to keep eye-contact with her. She stared into his eyes, trying to reach beyond his barrier.

"I love you." She whispered, knowing that it was probably the last time she would ever say it to him. His eyes lightened, and she saw his scowl falter. Hope reared inside her, had it actually worked?

But he refocused on Harry, placing his wand on a vein in the unconscious man's arm. Her heart fell through the floor as she realised that he was still gone. Yet as he readied himself to perform the spell, his eyes flickered back to her.

And he winked.