enchantement - SOULBOUND I̲̅ || SS/HG ✔️

41. The Restricted Section

"Harry?"

"We need to get out of here!"

"Harry?"

"For Merlin's sake why isn't this opening?"

"Harry!" Barked Hermione, pointing at something inside the room as he turned an inquisitive look her way. Turning around to see were she was pointing at, he panted when he noticed two red eyes staring at them from across the room, inside the frame.

Instinctively intertwining his fingers with his friend, Harry stepped infront of her, sheilding her from the devil himself. He could feel his heart racing, skipping beats and accelerating, his head throbbing from the sudden wave of air he inhalanted frequently - at a rapid pace. Hermione nestled her head in his back, hoping this was all a nightmare and she was soon going to wake up from it.

She was terrified, realizing that her magic had been kindled by the presence of evil, drawn to the darkness that vibrated from behind the arch. "It was a portal" she gasped, understanding that the invisible wall that had prohibited her from leaving the sector had in fact captured them inside its grip.

Trying to think of a way out, discreetly looking passed Harry - ignoring the hungry eyes in the far end of the room - Hermione sought for a possible escape. Yet there was none. She tried to remember if she had ever come across a chapter in books that talked about Lucifer inhabiting one of the portraits of Hogwarts, yet she couldn't recall reading anything of that sort. Frightened, she remembered what she had been told by her grandmother as a child, about deities and most specifically Samael, the archangel of death, or the way she felt reassured that those that had sined were punished by him - being the only son of God that refused to forgive the sins of man, contrary to his father. Trying to see a connection between the wizarding world and the angel of death, Hermione could see none. Repeating to herself that Lucifer was only a morning star, and that those eyes were not those of the devil, Hermione nonetheless managed to slow down her racing heart - enabling her to focus on the situation and finding a solution.

Both jumped when a low growl emanated from the frame. Hermione's back was glued to the door while Harry was covering her, leaning completely against her - leaving her breathless. Trying to push him away, her friend didn't budge. Gasping for air, Hermione started to panic, unable to breath. Suddenly a rush of power consumer her and propelled her friend across the room.

"Harry!" She squealed running after his inert body. "Wake up!" Shaking him, his fall being both sudden and brutal against the hard floor, Hermione was consoled to feel his steady breathing against her now damned cheek. He was alive.

Taking her wand out of her pocket, she cast a regenerating charm on the wizard hoping it will tear him out of his induce torpor. "He won't wake" said a low voice from beside her.

"Only once you are out of here your friend will regain consciousness."

A cold shiver ran down her spine as Hermione determined were the voice was coming from. She strangely didn't feel as scared as she had been previously. It was as if, now that she had some answers as to whom these menacing eyes potentially belonged to, it eased her curiousness and doubting mind.

Delicately placing Harry's dormant body back on the ground, careful not to hurt his head along the way, Hermione took out the invisibility cloak and placed it under her friend's head. "Who are you?" She asked, her eyes still focused on her friend, although she was addressing them to the ghost in the frame.

"I believe you know who I am Hermione." Responded the voice with a tint of amusement in his cords, "but if you wish, I'll reintroduce myself to you. My name is Samael, but humanity decided to call me Lucifer."

Trying to control her sudden sobs, Hermione turned her attention to the frame, those eyes suddenly familiar to her. "I know I'm handsome stop gawking."

"Who are you?" She repeated again, standing up and walking - like hypnotized - towards the crimson lights. Once face to face, Hermione reached out - in trance.

She nearly jumped when she saw a hand leave the frame and grab a hold of hers. Unable to move, frozen in place, Hermione watched as a man stepped out from the frame and stood before her - hovering above her - his fragrance reaching her flare. It reminded her of the sea, summer, a gust of warmth taking over her. Delicate fingers settled themselves under her chin and lifted her head upwards, urging her to look at him. His eyes were deep, mesmerizing, a pool of fire lightened behind his peepers. "Flames" she murmured, noticing how they reminded her of fire, the same fire that always fascinated her. "Who are you?" She kept asking, confused.

A smile creeped on the man's face, malicious et strangely comforting, contorting the witch's stomach. He had an effect on her she couldn't control, and it terrified her.

Lowering his head towards hers, she abruptly had the urge to kiss him, give herself entirely to this man she had just met, yet felt drawn to. "I hate that you don't remember me" he replied, caressing her cheek with his smooth fingers, "always the stubborn woman I see, but something is different about you," went on Lucifer, staring at her, scrutinizing and taking in her every feature, "the war weakened you greatly, you seem starved."

Feeling a rush of sadness and reassurance, Hermione started crying, her wailing taking over. She could feel his hand reach at the back of her head and protectively pull her to him, hugging her. She wanted to fight this unexpected feeling he was procuring her, this security she had never felt before, not even with Severus in this timeline. It all seemed all to familiar, his sent, his touch, his eyes. Yet she couldn't remember seeing him. "Someone altered my memories" she said in between sobs, as if that was the answer to the questions she had towards the prince of darkness.

"I know." He answered, intertwining his fingers in her hair, "I have."