Living in Darkness

AN/
Thanks SO much for all the reviews. I woke up this morning with my inbox with many new reviews!!. It was GREAT!!! You guys can't know how much each and every one means to me!!! It makes me really happy! Thanks! I'd give a shout out to everyone, but I really think you'd rather me get on with the story!! :)

Okay, I've been getting some unease about Harry killing Fleur, but let me say this. I do not see Harry as a flat character. He is not perfect and he does make mistakes. This is WAR. And bad shit happens and allows people to do things they would normally not, ya know, jumping on the bandwagon. Not that this is what Harry did, Harry was just so enraged about Ginny and the fact that Fleur betrayed them. He went slightly off the deep end, I'll admit, but only slightly. The fact that he was second guessing himself only shows how nervous he was to do it to begin with. Plus, I have this great speech from Harry in the end I can't wait to write. So does that make anyone feel better. ALSO, I have another death that is porbably going to shock some people, especailly because of who kills who, but I think it really says somehting, so you might just have to accept that life isn't just cheesy potatoes! I love cheesy potatoes!

AND, at this desperate point in the war, the ministry is a wreck and relying on Harry obviously creating a LOT of pressure on Harry (can you imagine being responsible for the lives of possibly everyone)?? Aurors and Order members alike just started killing Death Eaters, as before in the first war, because they will only end up escaping from Azkaban as they await trial. Harry is no different.

So there you have my view on that. Oh yeah, the story is called Living in Darkness, too! If that justifies Harry's action at all. Point being, humans DO have a darker nature and when surrounded by this side of humanity bleeding through the society we have built, it tends to consume you. Hence all the Death Eater organizations Draco created from the ground up in the cities. :]

Okay, (sucks breath in dramatically and prays you guys like it) here it goes!

Chapter 12: The Glasgow Necropolis

Draco sat momentarily stunned. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Potter.
He had to have heard him wrong... There was no bloody way...

He felt his blood run cold as he slowly turned his head to look over at her.

Hermione stood outside the kitchen door with her mouth slightly open. She was looking at Draco...no... she was staring at him. Every nerve ending in her body jumped alive as he looked at her.

His expression was so obviously written on his face that she cringed. He was furious. There were only a few more moments of dead silence as Harry and Ron watched in confusion at the exchange.

Draco stood so abruptly Hermione actually flinched and her breathing turned heavy. He was staring daggers at her with the most incredulous look on his face.

"Granger!" he shouted in disbelief, disgust laced with the word so clearly. He brought his hand roughly across his forehead and through his hair.

How could this be true, he thought.

He let out a hollow laugh as is something had dawned on him as he looked at her.

"Of course," he said looking at her, "Mudblood fucking Granger." He said looking at her as if he had never seen her before. His tone was slightly off, like he was going to flip out at any moment. His eyes turned dark as he narrowed them at her. He looked like he was on edge and could do anything, his stance calm, but his blood pulsing insanely.

Hermione shook her head at him... no... not now... not when she was so close...

Tears began to sting Hermione's eyes as Draco took a few daring steps towards her with Potter and Weasley so close. She felt his gaze cut her so deep, she actually raised her hand to her chest to check for blood. She was shaking.

He looked at her hatefully, "It was a bloody set up from the beginning wasn't it?" Draco looked her up and down one last time. Hermione was violently shaking her head trying to keep herself together, but Draco ignored her. It looked like something inside of him had snapped.

"Malfoy, put your wand down," Harry shouted, giving him his one and only chance. Draco barely heard him shout as his own thoughts drowned him.

Hermione looked at Harry and realized Draco wasn't paying him any attention and Harry was about to attack him. Hermione did the only thing she could do as she watched Harry release a curse meant for Draco.

The curse hit her hard in the chest as she fell back into Draco's arms. Draco grabbed her just before she hit the floor and laid her down. It was only moments later that the darkness consumed him.

XXX

Hermione awoke hours later in a dark room in St. Mungo's.

"Hermione," Ron said, sitting up. He had been waiting for her to wake up for awhile.

"Ron," she said quietly, sitting up, "Where is Malfoy?" She looked around as if he might be there.

Ron looked at her strangely and spoke quietly.

"Hermione, why are you looking around for Malfoy?" he asked her. Hermione looked up at him slowly.

"Ron, I need to talk to him, you have to take me there," she said desperately. Ron looked like he was going to get angry.

"Hermione, I can't take you out of this room, I don't know what the bloody hell you were thinking jumping in front of that curse like that, it could've killed you, it would have only knocked Malfoy out, but you... God Hermione, you scared the hell outa' me and Harry." Hermione looked up at him, truly sorry she had scared him.

"So what exactly were you and Malfoy doing in your apartment like that... soaking wet above all, it hasn't rained in weeks," Ron asked cautiously.

Hermione looked down at her sheets. She didn't know what to say to him.

"Ron, Malfoy didn't do anything... He isn't as bad as we may have once thought... He need our help," she finished, looking up at him.

"Hermione, this is Malfoy we are talking about, you remember right, Draco Malfoy, the one who got Dumbledore killed!" Ron's face was turning red.

"Yes, Ron, I know, but he's different... you have to believe me," she said pleadingly. Ron looked at her and messed up his face.

"Hermione, are you sure your alright," he asked slowly.

"Yes, Ron, dammit!! I need to see Malfoy!" she said exasperated. Ron took a step back as if light had just been cast on the situation.

"Hermione, you didn't..." Ron watched her closely as she suddenly looked away, " you... no, Hermione!" He looked at her biting her lip. She was nervous.

Ron pressed his hands to his temples, not believing what he was thinking. He started to pace.

"Hermione! You're fucking with me, right? Tell me you didn't sleep with Malfoy?" he said desperately, looking at her like his world was falling apart.

"Ron... I'm sorry, but you don't understand... I really need to see Malfoy and Harry, it's important!" she felt her heart sink as Ron sat down in the chair he had so obviously occupied the entire time she was unconscious.

He didn't look at her again, just said, "They are at Grimmauld Place."

Hermione looked at Ron one last time before jumping out of the bed and putting on the fresh clothes that Ron had brought her. She left immediately.

XXX

"What were you doing with Hermione?" Harry asked. He had Malfoy bound at the wrist behind his back. He was sitting in a chair barely listening to Harry.

Malfoy looked at him with a slight insane look about him.

"Don't pretend you don't know Potter. It was really a brilliant plan. I can't believe she pulled it off though," Draco said sneering.

Harry looked at him. He was loosing it, he thought, and this was getting him nowhere fast. Harry left the room and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

"Molly, could you watch Malfoy please, make sure he doesn't do anything... stupid," Harry asked. She smiled at Harry.

"Of course dear, you look like you need some rest." Harry nodded weakly as he heard the front door slam shut. Hermione ran quickly into the kitchen.

"Harry, where is Malfoy," she said. Harry looked at her and walked into the living room where she followed him.

"Why are you out of the hospital?" he asked. Hermione looked at hi getting angry.

"Harry, where is Malfoy?" she shouted. Harry looked up at her.


"Hermione, I won't let you see him. He's convinced this was all a set up and you tricked him," he said, looking at her, "Hermione what happened?" She took a deep breath and looked at Harry.

"This is all my fault, I never should have taken him to my flat," she said, "Harry, Malfoy isn't who you think he is, he's trapped. He doesn't want to be a Death Eater, he wants to help us, but he's convinced you won't believe him."

"Well at least he's not stupid," Harry mumbled. Hermione looked at him disapprovingly.

"Harry, please you have to believe me, he could help us."

"Hermione, I don't have the time or energy to deal with Malfoy right now. All I know it that he has the dark mark burned into his arm and right now, he is not causing any damage. He's obviously already done a number on you though," Harry said, with a hint of bitterness.

"Hermione, look, Ron and I are going to go get the horcrux, I want you to stay at the Burrow and recuperate," Harry asked her, the stress evident in his face.

She sighed, how could she refuse him like this. She didn't know what to do, she needed to think.

"Fine," she said, "but don't hurt him." Harry looked at her strangely but nodded.

"Come on, let's go to the Burrow," Harry said, "I'm meeting Ron there."

XXX

Hermione sat in one of the kitchen chairs watching the boys gather their things.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you Harry?" He smiled at her.

"You wouldn't be much good without a wand," he said, "We'll be fine, Hermione. It's just a matter of going to get it. We'll be back soon; stay here and rest."

Hermione held her breath as she heard the door shut. She jumped form her seat and grabbed a cloak and traveled by floo powder to London.

XXX

Hermione made it to Grimmauld place in a matter of minutes bursting into the house. Tonks sat on the couch looking very run down, she barely noticed Hermione come in. She ignored her and ran up the stairs almost slamming into Fleur.

"Oh Fleur, I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Hermione said quickly, beginning to rush back up the stairs. She checked all the rooms and soon became frustrated.

Where was he, and where was Molly, she thought frantically.

Hermione stopped to take a breath and went back to the living room where Tonks was.

"Tonks, where did Molly and Malfoy go?" she said, in between breaths. Tonks looked at her and shook her head.

"As far as I knew they were upstairs," she said.

Hermione panicked.

"They aren't there," she said, "Where did Fleur go, maybe she knows what happened?"

Tonks looked at Hermione as if she had lost her mind.

"Hermione, Fleur committed suicide in Bill's hospital room... she's dead."

Hermione stared at her for a few moments letting the news sink in. As soon as the shock wore off, she rushed out the door looking frantically for her up and down the road. She started to run up the street, looking around when suddenly a hand grabbed her harshly and pulled her back, his glove covering her mouth.

"Didn't think you were getting off that easy, did you Granger?"

XXX

"Well, it seems normal so far," Harry said, looking out at the necropolis. Glasgow was truly a beautiful city.

"Come on," he said to Ron. They started to make their way through the gate. There was a loud noise behind them as the gates clattered closed...

"Harry, why did the gates just close by themselves?"

Harry felt his skin chill. He turned back around to see inferi rising from the ground, their transparent skin stretched menacingly across their skeleton.

"I imagine it is a charm that recognized out intentions by coming here, the same reason that the inferi are triggered to rise..." Harry's voice caught as the bodies were now fully erect, standing in the necropolis amidst the monuments.

"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," Ron said with a slight shake to his voice.

Harry looked over at his best friend and in spite of the situation, laughed.

"It sure would be nice if Hermione were here..." Harry said, looking at the nearest inferius.

It's red eyes were staring at him, watching him like they were staring from the pits of hell.


XXX

REVIEW!!!!

AN/ Hope you guys like it!! I don't really like writing the action/adventure stuff. Besides were gonna get plenty of it in book 7 in like 18 days!!! WOOT WOOT!!

Next Chapter Draco expresses his anger hardcore and Harry and Ron continue to try to get the horcrux. I'm still debating how dark I want Draco to be next chapter. Tell me what you think in a review! Dark, or VERY Dark... How do you like your Draco!?! It won't affect the outcome I already got for the story.

So, Fleur back from the dead??? I think not (I say in a sing song voice...) Tell me what you think!

PS, if you guys are Draco fans, you should check out my other story and leave me a review!!! It would make me very happy. I wrote it first and posted it as a complete story, so I didn't have the lovely story comments as I was writing it! It was my bad, but I was very nervous about my first story, so I perfected it before I ever thought of posting it.It's not all up yet becuase I don't think anyone is reading it, but send me a note if you are and I will update it!