Stylistic Harmony

Chapter Seven
The Riddle house was a scar on the landscape, dilapidated, shabby, the area around it was permanently dark, the sky filled with thick mist. Evil grew here and thrived. The fact that the Ministry hadn't figured that Voldemort a.k.a. Tom Riddle had taken up residence in his Father's old house was ridiculous, though Draco suspected that it was due to the large percentage of high ranking Ministry officials loyal to the Dark Lord. He and Blaise had apparated into the first floor meeting room, as son's of the incarcerated their positions within the Dark Lord's ranks were high. However the two men were in for a surprise, standing at the head of the meeting room table was Lucius Malfoy. Draco's jaw dropped and he started to shake,
"Draco, my boy! Surprised? My release was secured by the Dark Lord last night. Blaise your Father is receiving treatment upstairs, your Mother is with him. Please feel free to go." Blaise shot Draco a warning look, then left the room. "Now son, where were we? Aah yes, my release. Those fools at the Ministry still believed Azkaban to be impenetrable but our Lord found a way, now his most loyal servants are once again free. They are preparing themselves for a celebratory attack. Congratulations on last year, I hear you did well. Although you failed in the final part of your task, the outcome was still exemplary. I am pleased that you have joined the Death Eaters, it shows courage and strength." Draco stood stunned, the bastard was praising him,
"What's this Lucius? Suddenly you're the perfect Father? Well congratulations Dad! I'm following in your footsteps. Where are they attacking?" Lucius didn't say anything, Draco re-iterated his point, "Where are they attacking?" Lucius looked taken aback, he had never seen this side to his son, for once in his life the table had turned,
"Hogsmeade, it happens in ten minutes. You should get back to avoid being accused." Lucius did not look at Draco as he left the room, Blaise was waiting in the hall. Draco rushed past him,
"We need to go. NOW!" Blaise hurried after him, anxious as to what was going on. They apparated back to the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Students were milling around all over the place, it was like a chicken farm and all the chickens were about to be fried. Blaise grabbed Draco's arm,
"What the fuck is going on?! What did Lucius say?" The blonde wrenched his arm away, and said in a low, dangerous voice,
"We need to get her out of here, now."
"Why?"
"Death Eaters are going to be here in less then ten minutes, and it is going to be a fucking slaughter. She is out there with only those two cretins to protect her. She is going to die unless we get her out of here." Blaise's mind processed the information, his blood turning to ice in his veins. Hermione. They couldn't lose her. His brain worked over time, formulating a plan, then it hit him. He pulled Draco back,
"I've got an idea. We create the attack before it happens." Draco looked pissed,
"How the fucking hell do we do that in six minutes? I'm going to find her." Blaise yanked him back again,
"Wait! The Ministry has a sensor, it senses the Dark Mark as soon as its cast in the sky, we cast it now, Aurors are on this place like that. Its the only way." Draco nodded, not caring how Blaise knew that particular piece of information, he drew his wand and pointed it skyward,
"Morsmordre!" A huge black cloud erupted from the end of his wand, forming into the Mark of Voldemort in the clear skies above them, staining the day. From their vantage point they could see the entire main square, in an instance everyone was panicking, students were running screaming, others were drawing their wands, figures began to appear. Draco recognized their ex-professor, Remus Lupin and their current, Alastor Moody, then there was some pink haired woman he vaguely knew, his cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, and there were others. A minute passed, the Aurors looked confused. He scanned the square for her, Death Eaters had now arrived and there were curses flying everywhere. He could see Potter and Weasley joining in the fray, he couldn't see her anywhere. The fight with the Death Eaters would seem like nothing, compared with what Draco would do if she was hurt. He whacked Blaise on the shoulder,
"Blaise! Follow the crowds up to the castle, see if you can see her. If you do get her into your room and keep her safe." He steadied himself to join the fight,
"WAIT! What are you doing? You are going to get yourself killed! Then what good are you to her?"
"I'm gonna help the fucking Aurors! The Death Eaters are outnumbered, and most of them are the half-wits that have just escaped! They' re no match. I am doing this so there are less of them to harm her when the Final Battle hits" He pulled his cloak hood up over his head, it would hide his tell-tale hair colour at least. Running forward he hexed any masked person he could see, being a Seeker on the Quidditch team had its advantage in this situation, he was fast, disappearing in the opposite direction before anyone had a chance to hit him; plus his Father had taught him well, he was more advanced then most adult wizards put together. Throwing a curse over his shoulder, he stopped abruptly. His breath caught in his throat, directly in front of him was Hermione, hair swirling around her head as she threw curse after curse, she looked like a Goddess. His moments pause however, allowed a Death Eater to sneak up behind him and grab him around the neck, his hood fell down revealing his identity, "Shit!" he thought. Then he began to see stars....
She had been having lunch with Harry and Ron when the first scream penetrated the air, they had bolted outside expecting carnage, but all they could see were panicked students and baffled Aurors. Harry spied Remus Lupin amongst them, then it all happened at once, Death Eaters appearing out of thin air. Harry and Ron had rushed forward to meet them, leaving her on her own. She suddenly felt vulnerable, then extremely stupid, after all this is what she had asked for, the chance to protect herself; drawing her wand she ran to join the fray. Minutes passed, it seemed like hours, the Death Eaters were vastly outnumbered but somehow she had been cornered by five of them, she panicked, there wasn't anyone in the vicinity to help her. The wind caught her hair blowing about her face, suddenly she felt an unbelievable surge of magical energy through her, she found the strength to throw a couple of choice curses directly at the centre of the group. Miraculously it worked and they scattered. She allowed herself a small amount of congratulations before she got the feeling something wasn't right. A feeling, directly behind her. Hermione turned and what she saw made her heart jump out of her chest, a Death Eater with his arm wrapped round Draco's throat. The hatred for these wretched people swelled within her, the magical energy she felt before was now coursing through her veins, she had just raised her wand when......WHAM!....Draco had sunk his elbow into the man's crotch, he doubled over giving Draco the chance to punch him in the face, knocking him out cold. She ran to the blond boy, who was doubled over coughing, she hovered near him, anxious, he managed to rasp,
"Hermione, are you alright?" She nodded, the power she felt had diminished and she looked like an innocent child, eyes wide with concern, "Listen to me Cara, head back to the castle, find Blaise, he'll look after you, this isn't your fight, not yet. I am not trying to stop you from fighting, I saw the power in you just then, I know you can handle yourself; its just right now I need to know your safe."
"Draco.....why are you fighting them? I thought........."
"I am not going to let them kill you. Now go." That was the only answer he gave her. She nodded and started towards the castle, at the last moment before he could leave to join the battle once again, she turned back towards him,
"DRACO! Please. Please be careful." She called, before he could blink she had run back to him and kissed him hard on the lips, breaking away almost as soon as contact had been made, he looked at her bewildered, she whispered in his ear "Come back to me." Then fled to the castle. He had to stand for a few minutes to regain his bearings, shaking his head he rejoined the battle and found that most of the Death Eaters had been rounded up, the remaining were engaged in battles with members of the Ministry, and Potter, the rest were dead. He saw Potter falter, as much as he hated the boy, he knew Hermione would never recover if something happened to him, gathering up all the strength he could muster he charged the Death Eater down and beat him to a bloody pulp. Standing up, he surveyed the battleground, it was over with minor casualties for the Light Side. Satisfied he managed to slip away unnoticed, he had a few minor cuts and bruises including a purple ring around his neck but was otherwise uninjured. He took the back way into the castle he had discovered it in his second year, it led behind the Forbidden Forest and down past the Lake. He made his way unnoticed through the halls, as he turned a corner he saw something that caused his heart to skip several beats, Blaise stood in front of him, blood on his robes and a grave look on his face. Draco grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him against the wall.
"WHAT HAPPENED?! WHERE IS SHE?" Blaise shoved him off,
"I did what you said I followed the crowds. I found...found..Weaselette, she was crouched over Hermione, Hermione had been hit, her arm was cut and she was unconscious. There was a Death Eater, I don't know who, he was about to kill Ginny. I hexed him, then threw him in the lake. I took Hermione straight to the hospital wing, she's up there still. She's okay, just a bit shaken." Draco breathed a sigh of relief, his anger and worry subsided, then he fell to the ground, black out.

*****The world around her burned. The smoke stung her eyes making her weep, but the blackness did not stain her, she remained pure. The ground was strewn with the dead. Blood flowed. She retched. Entirely alone she fell to her knees, to wracked with grief to hold herself up. It was in that moment of utmost despair that she saw him. Though dirt and blood ran through his blonde hair and his grey eyes looked empty and lost, it was still him. Her only hope was that there was enough left of his soul to salvage. He reached for her and she threw herself into his arms.
"What have we done Draco?" She wept into his chest, the weight of her betrayal bearing down on her,
"You haven't done anything my love. I did what I had to, to keep from losing you all together. Everything happens for a reason. You have to go now, they're here for you." He smiled down upon her, "Go, be happy and safe."
"Wait, will I ever see you again? Don't go, I can't....please." She couldn't watch him walk away from her forever, she didn't want her last memory of him here, in this Godforsaken place. The fires raged behind them, edging ever closer, she turned to watch. He stood next to her,
"You have to know what to see," he forced her to look behind, there stood Harry, Ron and Ginny, along with the rest of the Order, her parents, Sirius, James and Lily, Dumbledore. "You won't see me, but I'll see you. I'll be there when the Weasel finally drags you down the aisle, I'll be there when you sleep, when you work. I'll watch you grow old and die, even-though it will kill me." She sensed another person stand on her other side, Blaise, face streaked with soot, one long cut down one side, he looked beautiful but defeated.
"I'll be there to. You have to go on living Cara. Are you ready?" She breathed in, closed her eyes. "Are you ready Cara?" Blaise.
"I'll always be there. I'll always love you." Draco. She opened her eyes, the smoke had cleared and she was in a church, making her way down the aisle, dressed in white. Innocence. She stopped,
"NO!! Take me back! PLEASE!" She looked around frantically, a shock of blonde hair caught her eye, he smirked and raised an eyebrow,
"Are you really ready?"*****

"Is she going to be okay? I need to know? Can I see her?" Red hair came into focus, she felt groggy. The world was fuzzing round the edges. What had happened? Her arm felt like ice, her head throbbed. "HERMIONE! You're awake!"
"Really, boys! Do not overcrowd her, she has a severe concussion. It would be best if you came back later." The Hogwarts Matron tried to usher Harry and Ron out, but she said weakly,
"Its alright, Madame Pomfrey, I don't want them to leave," Hermione sat up slowly in the bed, around her she could see that the rest of the Hospital Wing, Aurors and some students were being treated for cuts and bruises, luckily no-one was seriously hurt. "Is everyone okay? What happened?" She was now more alert, Mme. Pomfrey had provided her with a potion that had cleared her head and dulled the pain, Harry looked at her, his eyes distant, it was Ron who answered,
"Everyone is okay, Tonks was out for ten minutes but she'll be alright. In short, it was an attack. Death Eaters were broken out of Azkaban last night, Lucius Malfoy included. We've figured that it was a celebratory attack, but it was unplanned and sloppy. They were outnumbered, all of them bar one were rounded up. The one that got away though, seemed to be attacking them, not us. He saved Harry's life. But he disappeared before we could catch him." She took all this in, at least no-one was killed. Her thoughts turned to Draco, he had fought against his brethren, he had saved her, he had saved Harry. She had kissed him. A huge pang of guilt hit her like a wave and tears fell. Ron looked alarmed, he gathered her in his arms, "Mione, what is it? Silly girl, everyone is alright. There's nothing to fear anymore, we're here to protect you. I love you, you know that yeah?" She smiled weakly, she knew Ron loved her, but she didn't feel that way about him, but she was a coward, she would never tell him that she was harboring feelings for their enemies.
"I love you too, Ron. Harry? Harry, are you okay?" The boy who lived hadn't spoken, he looked more lost then ever, "Harry, I don't know what your feeling, but there was nothing you could do about what happened today. I don't know if this helps, but I had a dream. I saw Dumbledore, your parents, Sirius. Then I saw us, all of us, we were standing strong and alive. It means that you have to keep fighting, stay strong, Voldemort thrives on spreading misery and weakness. Fight for them Harry, otherwise they died for nothing." Slowly her friend nodded,
"Thank-you." She smiled, okay, that wasn't exactly the whole of the dream but the rest of it they wouldn't exactly respond very well to; she had also left out the fact that she had wanted to leave them for the two worst people in the world. She needed to see them, Blaise and Draco, she just hoped beyond hope that Draco was okay. Madame Pomfrey came over to kick Harry and Ron out of the wing, the sky had darkened and it was getting on for evening, they left and once they were out of earshot she begged Mme. Pomfrey to let her leave,
"Please Mme., I would feel much better in my own room, please? I will go straight to bed, and rest." Mme. Pomfrey grumbled, but eventually let up and allowed her to leave. She hurriedly dressed and made her way back to her dorm room, desperate to find them. Arriving at her Common Room, she entered and heard something that made her hot under the collar,
"..........she's everything we thought she was, and more. She kissed me man, it was like tasting heaven. It took all my self control not to have her right there."

Blaise half dragged, half carried Draco back to the Heads Common Room, he put him on the sofa, and went to get a cold cloth, and some bandages. It appeared that Draco had been hit in the head during the fight. Blaise cleaned the blood from his friends face and dabbed at the cut in his head. Once he was satisfied, he left his friend and went to clean up. It made him feel sick, watching Hermione's blood wash off him, it made him angry, it mixed with Draco's blood and he sighed. Stepping out of the shower, he dried off and threw on a pair of jeans. Hearing a knock at the door, he went to answer it. It was little Weaselette. He smiled pleasantly,
"What can I do for you Red?" He asked politely. She blushed, clearly the sight of a shirtless Italian had a momentous effect on her, what would Potter say to that? The thought made him smirk, she giggled and said,
"I just came to say thank you, you saved my life. Also for taking care of Hermione. She's awake by the way. She's okay. Just a bit sore, but she knows what you did. Anyway, Harry's waiting, thanks again." She left. He breathed a sigh of relief. He heard a spluttering cough behind him, Draco had begun to come to,
"What? Ah fuck my head!" He clutched his head, then looked to Blaise, "Have you heard? Is she alright?"
"I just saw the little Weasley. Hermione's okay, she's awake and alive and mostly unhurt. What the hell happened to you, you look fucking awful," he gestured to the purple bruise marring the skin around Draco's neck.
"Thanks man," he drawled sarcastically, "I fought them, they fought back. One caught me around the neck, I beat him to the ground before he could reach her. I saw her Blaise, she's everything we thought she was, and more. She kissed me man, it was like tasting heaven. It took all my self control not to have her right there." A noise behind them, made them turn, stood watching them, was their Goddess herself. Draco jumped up from the sofa, automatically wishing he hadn't, the pain in his head made him almost puke. Hermione looked at them, really looked, Draco looked a little worse for wear, the result of the battle, Blaise was shirtless and every inch the Italian adonis, he noticed her looking and smiled, Draco felt the pain in his head subside at the sight of her. She looked worried, but the power was now shining off of her in waves, making her glow, her eyes were brighter and her lips fuller. She was relieved that he was alright, he had after all risked his life for her. Seeing them together stirred within her feelings that she had never had before, it felt new and different, she was ready, stepping closer she looked from Draco to Blaise and back to Draco,
"I mean it," she said sincerely, want gleaming in her eyes, "I need you, both of you. Show me your world, take care of me, forever? Please..." That was enough for Draco, he pulled her to him and covered her lips with his own, she kissed him back with equal amounts of force. His hands had moved down to grab her bum, she had tangled hers in his hair. He pulled away, gasping for air, she was panting,
"Love, I don't want to be a spoilsport or anything but right now I couldn't do two rounds with a fruit fly, and you can barely stand," it was true she was hanging on to him for dear life, she nodded. In a way she was relieved, she didn't know how ready she was for this to go further. Yet.
"Hem, Hem." Blaise had had to remind them that he was still standing there, not that he minded, just watching them had been interesting enough. He knew that this would have happened as soon as he had planned this, Draco and Hermione were fated to each other, the arguing and sniping masking their true feelings, even to them. As long as they didn't always forget about him; Hermione let go of Draco and walked to the other Slytherin, peering into his dark eyes, she saw pride and happiness, standing on tiptoes she kissed him, he held her waist and gave in,
"Mind if I use your shower mate?" Draco, asked, not particularly fazed, he knew that whatever happened Blaise would never presume to think that Hermione would ever be his alone. Throughout this whole situation, the blond had always known that in the end Hermione would come to them, she was too passionate not to. Potter and Weasley were to stupid to realize what they had, he smirked, what would they say if they saw her now, shining with lust for the Slytherin Princes? That thought in mind he went into the bathroom and took a somewhat cool shower.

Meanwhile, Blaise had released Hermione's' lips and they were curled up together on the sofa, he was stroking her hair,
"Why today Cara? Was it because of the battle?" She stared into the fire, something had definitely changed in her today, he saw Draco appear at the door of the bathroom, wearing his trousers, the jerk, he joined them on the sofa, dropping a kiss on Hermione's lips, he sat by and listened,
"The other night when I came into your room, I was upset and angry. I came to you for all the wrong reasons. In a way I guess I had wanted to punish Harry and Ron for not treating me how I wanted. I realized today that they never would. Not that I was entirely convinced then that you two could treat me any better, history being what it was. But then, today when I was fighting I thought of you, Draco, and the strength it must have taken to stand up to Voldemort," absentmindedly she stroked the Dark Mark that marred his perfect skin, "and you Blaise, how you always seem so together and strong. I want to know what its like, I want to feel like I'm worth something. Then I felt this spark run through me, it was wonderful, I felt like I could destroy anything. But then I was cornered, I was so scared, but then I felt it again but more powerful, it was like a drug. Then I saw Draco and he was being strangled, it angered me, but I calmed once I knew that he could handle himself. Then he told me to find you, and I felt so scared leaving him, but I kissed him and that was the moment I started believing. The rest, you know, you saved my life, both of you. Thank-you." She hugged them both, Draco shone with pride and arrogance, his Princess was finally realizing that this was where she belonged, at his side. Blaise yawned, it was getting on for midnight.
"As much as I'd like to stay up all night just like this, I am exhausted, and you my dear look knackered. I don't want you to be getting sick, you've had a tough day," she nodded, and moved so he could get up, "Goodnight Cara, Draco." She kissed him full on the lips,
"Goodnight Blaise, see you in the morning." He made his way up the stairs, he had a feeling he'd be seeing them both first thing and that Draco wouldn't be leaving the Heads rooms tonight. He was right, Draco got up and put his ruined shirt on, about to make his way back to Slytherin house, but she stopped him,
"Will you stay with me tonight? Just to sleep, I don't want to be alone." He swept her in his arms, proceeding to carry her up the stairs,
"Draco, we left all the lights on and the fire going!" She squeaked, the Head Girl within working overtime,
"Never fear, love," placing her down, he swept an arm at the lights and the fire, they all went out immediately. She gasped, he gave her the arrogant smirk, "What? Oh that, magic is magic, you don't need a piece of wood as a conduit. It helps but its not necessary. Magic is in your blood, you either have it or you don't. Otherwise you could just hand wands to anyone. It would be carnage." The smugness in his voice at knowing something she didn't was obvious, she swatted him on the arm, he lifted her up and carried her up the stairs, plonking her on the double bed when he got to her room. She gave him a reproving look, grabbed her nightdress and headed into the bathroom. He stripped to his boxers and dived under the covers, he inhaled her scent off her pillows, succumbing to sleep almost immediately. In the bathroom, Hermione tried to make herself look somewhat presentable, wishing that she slept in something a bit more substantial then a t-shirt. It would have to do, she came out of the bathroom, Draco was already sprawled out on one side on the bed, he looked irresistible. She climbed in next him, pushing his blonde hair aside, she leant down and kissed him on the forehead, he stirred, but didn't wake, she smiled fondly,
"Goodnight Draco," she shut the lights off with her wand and laid her head down to sleep.