Jewel in the Darkness

Part 2
Right after Draco's little confession...

Hermione felt utter and complete shock. The idea of loving Draco Malfoy was appealing...from a distance. She hadn't been ready for the mere idea to be thrust into reality. She hadn't been ready for him to love her too.
She was afraid. Like she'd never been before.
A Gryffindor and a Slytherin. Hermione thought rapidly. What would people say, what would they do? What if it doesn't work out in the end?
"Hermione?" Draco asked, softly. His eyes were sad, they seemed to pull her closer. Inexplicably, irresistibly...closer...
Hermione blinked, breaking the connection between them. She looked away. "Draco, before now, I thought...I thought that I liked you..." She stopped, unsure.
"And you don't any more? It would be typical of a girl." He sighed, shaking his head.
"No...I still do, it's just, I don't know if I'm ready yet...I mean-..."
"You're ashamed. You're ashamed and afraid that your little Gryffindor friends will condemn you for what you feel. Condemn you for loving a Slytherin." Draco said, bitterly.
He knew this would happen. Chaos raged in his head...voices saying opposite things, commanding with almost equal force. One guiding him, one leading him...
"I'm afraid, I admit it. I think we should start out...slower? Friendship first...I hardly even know you."
"I scared you by saying 'Love' didn't I, Hermione? I'm-...sorry." He said the word quickly, unused to it's sound in his mouth.
"No...I'm sorry for being afraid...I don't think it'd work so fast." Hermione said, gently.
"Well, I do!" Draco hissed angrily, suddenly. "I do! And I'm putting so much more on the line for you, Hermione Granger. Do you have any idea what my father- forget him, the Dark Lord himself...can you even imagine my fate if he heard my words to you?"
Draco seized her shoulders, leaned close and shook her. He stared into her eyes with the same cold power that he had exerted over Pansy. Only this time it was stronger, fuelled by his frustration, his fear...his anger...
Hermione shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. She started to shake uncontrollably and her face twisted into a mask of terror. She tried to look away but her eyes remained there, held by a far greater force.
Draco suddenly pushed her away. She hit the blackboard with a thud and slowly crumpled down, crying. Draco held his face in his hands.
"What have I done? What did I-...no..." He muttered, breathing hard. He got up and kneeled beside Hermione.
"Hermione...I'm sorry, I don't know-..." He placed a hand on her knee.
Hermione didn't lift her face. "Go away! Go away! You say you love me Draco, but you're hurting me...please, just stay away." She choked between sobs. "I can't handle-..."
"Please, I didn't mean-..."
"Well, you did. Please, Draco, I have to think...you scared me...I-.." Her voice broke.
Draco squeezed her knee slightly and then calmly walked away. A few minutes later Hermione looked up with one thought in her mind.
This isn't how love is supposed to be. ~*~*~
The 7th Year Slytherin Boys Dormitory...

No, no, no! Draco slammed his fist down hard on the table.
He felt frustrated, angry, but he didn't know why. He didn't know whether he was frustrated because Hermione didn't reciprocate his love, because he hurt her or because he had done something amazingly stupid.
You've gone and done it Draco. He thought, bitterly. And you thought Crabbe and Goyle were morons.
Draco pulled the blankets over his body, curled up tightly and drifted into sleep.
The door shook and then creaked open softly. From the door darkness poured forth, like a sea, washing over his body and soul. It pulled him, dragged him to the edge of the precipice...the boundary between two worlds.
The darkness dragged him in.
The woman was there, shrouded in shadow. She looked at him again, her eyes filled with warm sympathy.
"Hermione?" Draco called, uncertainly. The figure merely nodded her head. She moved her lips, but no sound came out.
She stopped and instead, quaveringly, held out her hand. Her fingers were long and slim. He noticed nothing but the glimmering Emerald ring on her finger. It was of wrought silver, with two snakes entwined about a large, shimmering emerald.
Draco lifted his hand halfway and then dropped it down again. His face regained the arrogant sneer that was almost second nature to him. That was second nature to him.
"Go away, you stupid imagining. MudBlood filth!" He yelled, without thinking.
He turned and pushed himself over the boundary, slamming the door shut hard behind him.
Behind the door, a single tear trickled down the figure's face.
~*~*~*
Transfiguration lesson, the next day...

Draco kept his eyes firmly to the front of the class. He was not going to look at Herm- Granger. Granger. It's Granger. He corrected himself. It's probably just hormones, Draco. Maybe you're too stressed because of the N.E.W.T's. Draco shook his head. Or just scared of what father will do to you if you do badly.
Hermione sat down behind Draco. She glanced at him nervously a few times, but he didn't look back.
He hurt you. Hermione said to herself. But you hurt him, too. That must have been hard for a Malfoy. Hermione smiled ironically. God, Hermione, is this what it's all about? You and Draco reduced to MudBlood and Malfoy? Are you falling into the trap of bigotry, too?
"Good afternoon. I hope that you've all completed your homework correctly. The N.E.W.T's aren't far away, I hope you've all been studying." Hermione shifted uncomfortably with the rest of the class. McGonagall eyes her warily.
"Now, look at Page..." The Professor's voice reverberated around Draco's brain, but he didn't understand. He tried to concentrate but all he could see was Hermione's tear streaked face staring at him.
Why do I have to lose control? He berated himself, softly. Why does she even matter. She's the complete opposite of me, mentally and physically. She's everything I've been warned against.
"MALFOY! What did I just say?" Draco jumped and glanced around.
"Uhm...you said..." He bit his lip nervously.
Hermione narrowed her eyes and made a decision. She leaned forwards imperceptibly and whispered "Live Transfiguration."
Draco, without indicating that he even heard her, smiled and said smoothly. "You were talking about Live Transfiguration, Professor."
Professor McGonagall glanced at him sharply and nodded. "That's right, it seems you were paying more attention than I thought. Ah, the main thing to remember when transfiguring live objects into other live objects is..."
Draco leaned back slightly. "Thankyou." He said, quickly.
Hermione smiled. "You're welcome." At least he didn't call you Granger. She thought.
~*~*~
In a dark wood, somewhere in England...

"My Lord, you summoned." Lucius Malfoy nodded his head towards the glowering figure.
Lord Voldemort lifted his wand. "Crucio." He said, easily.
Lucius Malfoy fell to the floor and moaned, beads of sweat appeared on his face and his hands shook. "My Lord- why?" He croaked, touching the hem of the Dark Lord's robes.
"Two reasons, my complacent friend...first, you did not bow. You may be one of my most prominent Death Eaters, but that does not make you above respect." Voldemort's red eyes glowed. "Second, you have not watched your heir closely enough. Events are occuring that could endanger the whole of the Dark Side."
Voldemort suddenly kicked Lucius savagely. "And you will never demand reasons from your master!"
"Never, my Lord, I beg forgiveness." His voice was broken, unlike the confident tones of just a few seconds before. "But, my Lord, how can this-..."
"Shut up, it has happened. It is and will not be an easy path for them. Slytherins and Gryffindors were never meant to be together." For a second, Lucius Malfoy thought he saw sadness flicker over his Master's face.
He looked again and it was gone. He must have been imagining it.
"My Lord, surely Draco does not love this MudBlood also?" Lucius seemed shocked.
"The girl's love has counteracted the effect of my Curse. You know your son was not a fit heir. You have failed in that respect, Lucius." Voldemort ran his fingers down his wand.
"It was not I who instilled the love of MudBloods in him, my Lord! It must have been Narcissa!" Lucius said, wildly.
"Yes, I am quite sure it was Narcissa. It was a stupid choice, beauty but no loyalty. You never could keep your hands off the women, could you, Lucius?"
"I am sorry, my Lord."
"You will be more than sorry soon, Lucius, I can sense it. You think you are controlling them, but in reality, they control you." Lucius shuddered. Was his docile, controlled Narcissa actually controlling him?
It was not possible.
"But the matter of your disgraceful heir and the MudBlood..."
"My Lord, can we not stop it, avert the disaster?" Lucius did not even know what disaster would occur.
"Fool, there is no need Lord Salazar and Gryffindor cursed them eternally." Voldemort removed a thick book from his robes and opened a page.
If ever the Gold and Silver entwine,
And disregard the boundary line,
If their love is true, t'will survive,
If not, but one will remain alive,
One will become the Gold one's heir,
And one will fall into Silver's snare.
Blood of the old shall replenish the new
Blood of many for the gain of a few.
If the course they steer is of Love,
Then of the Curse they are Above.
But in the end Destruction will knell
One will stand where the other fell.
"My Lord, I do not understand."
"It means, Lucius, that if they fall completely in love and then fall out, one will become Slytherin's heir and the other Gryffindor's heir and of those two only one will survive." Voldemort seemed to be immersed in memory, far away.
"But the rest of it, master, Blood of the old?"
"You will understand when the time comes, Lucius, till then do not flaunt your ignorance."
"Has this curse ever occured before, my Lord?" Lucius asked, surprised at his daring.
Lord Voldemort glanced at him briefly and said with elaborate casualness. "Yes, it has. But that is unimportant, even if they do fall completely in love, which is a minute possibility, they are sure to fall out of love. Then we will have them. There is no way to lose."
Lucius smiled, but his insides were afraid. Not unless Gryffindor's heir kills ours.
~*~*~
Dumbledore's office...
"Really, Albus, you're getting paranoid." Minerva McGonagall said, impatiently.
"I am not Minerva, I can feel something about." Albus Dumbledore sighed. "It just hasn't come to a head yet."
"It's probably just Christmas, there is an odd feeling in the air. The last time I felt this apprehensive about the feast was James and Sirius' Seventh Year."
Dumbledore smiled and the creases in his face lifted. "Ah, the memorable time when everyone who tried to kiss under the mistletoe found themselves turned into it."
"Let's not forget the cake that turned everyone into reindeer with red noses...and the exploding christmas crackers." Minerva smiled.
"But the best thing was the trick on you, Minerva, priceless, I can still see the-..." Minerva interrupted him quickly.
"Let's not discuss that, Albus." She said, blushing heavily.
"No...enough reminiscing." Dumbledore's face returned serious. "The present and future are concerning enough. I'm telling you Minerva, whether for good or bad, something's brewing."
Minerva sighed. "I will keep on the lookout, it's just that trouble is everywhere now, Albus."
"I know." Albus Dumbledore leaned back in his seat. "Just the same, it would be best if we postponed the Yule ball till after Christmas. It's the perfect time to strike. Everything gets rather disorganised..."
"Very well, Albus, the students won't be pleased, I'll tell you that much."
~*~*~
The Quidditch Pitch, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor practice session

The wind whistled through Harry's hair as he scanned the area for the fluttering Snitch. Draco hovered nearby, watching his every move. He didn't look to good, Harry noted.
Gryffindor and Slytherin had been trained well in the past months, and were almost equal in skill. Draco and Harry had both been offered captaincy, but both had turned it down for different reasons.
Harry, because he could not see himself motivating the team and yelling like Wood, and Draco because he knew that he could control the team without being captain and taking on the responsibility. This way, if Slytherin lost, Lucius would not be able to blame Draco completely.
Draco tightened his grip on the broomstick, it seemed to slip from his hands. The air looked hazy around him and he felt feverish. I must be sick. Draco reasoned.
If I call the match off, they'll think I'm too afraid to play with I'm-so-famous-Potter. Get ahold of yourself, Draco, it's just a 'flu. Inside him, Draco knew it was more than a simple flu.
His head ached throbbingly and his insides writhed and cavorted madly.
The door in his head kept trying to force itself open and it was taking every ounce of Draco's strength to combat it. To push the door back. He didn't want it to open.
I will not be overpowered by a fictional door, goddamit shut! He screamed mentally. Damn you, Herm- Granger. Why are you doing this to be.
Draco suddenly looked up, alerted by his sixth sense, a Bludger was coming towards him!
He lunged out of the way on his Firebolt Extra, a 'gift' from his father, and turned in the air.
He hung upside down and slowly, as if he was somebody else, he daw himself lose grip on the Broomstick and fall, slowly at first but then faster and faster till he hit the ground with a sickening, crunching thud.
Still observing himself dispassionately, he calmly noted that his right ankle was definitely broken and his robes were torn and bloody.
With a sudden whooshing sound he reentered his body. The pain slowly seeped into his brain. His ankle felt splintery and the gash in his side burned.
He felt a warm touch on his hand. "Oh God, Draco, are you all right?" Hermione Granger.
Draco nodded and tried to prop himself up on his arms. "They're getting Madam Pomfrey, don't move." She said, as the Slytherins and Gryffindors came down. "Does it hurt badly?" Of course it does, Hermione, you stupid git! She said to herself.
"Father's done worse." He said quietly, suddenly. Hermione looked taken aback. "I'll survive." His eyes smiled.
"Get off him, Buck-Tooth!" Pansy Parkinson said, shrilly. "Draco are you okay? That was such a big fall! You are so brave."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You get off, Pansy." He reached for his wand. "Reparium Fractura." He said, instantly mending his leg.
Madam Pomfrey looked on with amusement. "I see, Mr. Malfoy, that you've decided to make my job a little easier. Come along, you need some rest."
"I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey, really." Draco said, sighing.
"Come along!" She snapped, grabbing the back of his robes and muttering about 'dangerous sports' and 'self healing know it alls'.
"Come on." Draco said, helplessly, as Madam Pomfrey dragged him up. "This isn't fair."
"Very little in life is, now come along and stop acting like a First Year or I'll have to Stun you."
Draco let himself be led away in silence at this threat. Hermione giggled.
The sight of the tall, manly Draco Malfoy being led away by the collar by a short, determined witch was just too much for her.
She was about to start laughing when she caught sight of Harry's face. It looked confused.
"Is-...something wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, nervously.
Harry narrowed his eyes and looked at her intently. Hermione shivered, his green eyes looked startlingly observant. "You know you can tell me anything, right Hermione?"
Everything, Harry? She thought mentally. Would you accept everything?
Hermione took a deep breath. "Of course. Everything."
Harry smiled and turned away. He didn't see Hermione's troubled gaze rest on the pale, cold figure in the distance.
~*~*~
The hospital wing...

Lying in the cold bed in the hospital wing, Draco stared at the ceiling aimlessly.
His mind was in a whirl. He had just told H-Granger that his Father hit him. "You do the most idiotic things sometimes, Draco Malfoy." He said.
"We all do." Draco turned.
In his mind, the doors came crashing down. ~*~*~

~*~*~


A/N Part 2: The first and second parts people, I hope you like them.
We've worked REALLY hard on this one and it's fast becoming our *fave* series. (out of the ones we do)
Put us on authorAlert to see when Part 3 is coming up...
Thankyou to everyone who reveiwed, you're the best and you've helped us no end!
Charlz, you really rock, thanks for the mail. Madd Spammer, your encouragement means alot! We really do love mail so e-mail us. We love ideas, too..
Like the curse/prediction thing?? All will be revealed soon. what do you think the ring's significance is and who says "we all do?" Mail us (addy in profile) and 50 points or a cameo role to whoever guesses!
Please reveiw, if you do, we keep writing and if you don't we just dry up, like an inkwell *wonders where they came up with that* We have to say thanks to a couple of author's whose work is just so great that it's inspired me, I bow to your genius, Eliza Diawna Snape and Cassandra Claire, you are simply the best.
Couple of reveiws bin telling me that it would be best if D/H didn't fall in love TOO quick cuz it would be unrealistic and I've heeded their advice. See, they're having a few probs. I looked over part one and saw that I hardly mention other characters so they get a teeny bit more attention now...
Do reveiw, it keeps our hope up.
Nothin' else to say except go read our other stuff!
BTW, we know it's really long, but we thought it would be better if it was all one one page!!