Poison Apple | A Dramione FanFiction

The Last Hocrux

ANNOUNCEMENT (again...)

After continuing to write and successfully editing out mistakes after four years! I can finally call updating this book once in a while an achievement. I had lots of readers before I stopped writing so losing them is kinda on me... anyways! While I was off Wattpad, I decided to write more books which are obviously way mature than what my fourteen year old self decided to come up with (this fan fiction). I was wondering if any one of you would like me to publish my book on wattpad, which I've been working on for two years and finally managed to complete! 
Adding to this, I would love if you guys vote and comment on my book. Your votes encourage me to write more and your comments mean a lot to me. I read all of them, I promise! I will also try my best to reply to all of them. If I'm not able to due to the 1K+ notifications I come back to every once in a while when I decide to revisit Wattapad, I apologize beforehand. 
Don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts! I'm open to any ideas or constructive criticism any of you have to offer. You can even text me in my inbox. However, any kind of hate comments, verbal abuse and bullying will not be tolerated. Thanks, and I love you all!

Hermione and Draco were accompanied by Professor McGonagall, Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt and a team of fifteen aurors, including Harry. Due to the intensity of the situation, precautions were necessary. Hermione and Draco were accompanied by the Minister himself outside the house.
"We won't take you both inside until fairly necessary." Shacklebolt explained. "You see, the inside of this house is marked a danger zone. God knows what dark magic dwells within, and until the Aurors figure out a means of protection against it, we can't expose you both to any of it."
"I beg your pardon, Minister..." Draco added. "But that's just the same as standing in this garden, which is now a graveyard, and a place where many people lost their lives is not traumatizing enough. I myself witnessed these crimes, here and in my own house." 
The minister cleared his throat. "It's safer than the inside, Mr. Malfoy."
"I can help inside. Voldemort often held meetings here. I know the passageways and all places that might be suitable for him to have hidden something so valuable. Let me be of assistance." he argued, his eyes pleading.
"I understand that you hold a position of advantage, but that is only in your eyes, Mr. Malfoy. I need not remind you how powerful Voldemort can be and what he is capable of." Kingsley sounded annoyed. 
"Pfft, he's dead. He can't cause me any harm!" Draco asserted.
"So we thought, Mr. Malfoy!" Kingsley's calm voice started breaking into a rage. "You are not an Auror, in fact you are not suited for any kind of danger at hand! You are young, and if something happens to you, the Ministry will be responsible of it all!"
"Have you forgotten how many dangers I've surpassed till now?" Draco sounded desperate. "What about Potter? He's the same age as me, and he's inside." 
"Mr. Malfoy!" Kingsley's angry whisper sounded agitated and on the verge of converting into yelling. "Need I remind you that Mr. Potter is a certified Auror! He has gone through training and he is well aware of what to do in trying situations."
Draco opened his mouth to argue further but Hermione grasped his arm, causing him to face her. 
"The Minister is right, Draco. We need to be careful. This is not a competition, and our main goal is to save everyone from what Voldemort has up his sleeve. I'm sure they'll let us know if they really need us."
"Finally!" Kingsley exclaimed in triumph. "The voice of reason. Thank you, Ms. Granger.
The three of them stood in silence, their wands in their hands. Draco occasionally observed the crumbling walls and the dusty windows. He could see occasional flashes of light in the windows, which led him to assume that the Aurors were still searching for the final Hocrux.
A while later, professor McGonagall came rushing outside, looking fairly out of breath. Kingsley alerted himself and waited for her to regain her breath. 
"Minerva?" He asked. 
"We found it... it's in Tom's bedroom. None of the Aurors have been able to gain access."
"What does that imply, professor?" Hermione asked. 
"He must have shielded the room from intruders such as ourselves." McGonagall sounded worried. 
"Professor." Draco piped up. "What if a death eater can enter the room? Many tasks have been just for the ones with the dark mark. Maybe the final, most important one is for me."
Professor McGonagall's eyes seemed unwilling.
"We found the house decorated in dark charms. The Aurors successfully managed to get rid of them. There are some sensory illusion charms that we have managed to remove. This means that the charms detect our identities. The house is aware that we are not death eaters. We keep hearing 'Intruders, leave.' With every step we take." Professor McGonagall explained. "We've managed to get those charms out, but we don't know how protected the Hocrux is."
"I guess we have no choice but to put a protective charm on it so no one else has access. That's our best shot." Kingsley suggested. 
"Don't be silly. We've tried that. We can leave this be for one thing and hope no one figures out."
"Professor, that's insane!" Draco outraged. 
"What Draco means to say is," Hermione defended him against the angry glares of both the Minister and the Headmistress. "Those hungry for power and immortality will always find a way to bring Voldemort back. Look at how Peter Pettigrew brought him back, and for what? We don't know how many rats (see what I did here) he has left behind. Please, let Draco try. The Aurors can monitor him."
"Very well, let's go." McGonagall sighed. 
Hermione stayed with Kingsley, as McGonagall escorted Draco into the house. The interior was damp and dark, lit by wand lights of Aurors moving around the mansion. Draco felt reminded of his own house and his own life in that dark place, much different but so so similiar to this house of horrors. 
He was escorted to Voldemort's room. He peeped inside, looking at the empty room with barren walls and a small window. 
"Do not go forward if you can't anymore." An Auror standing guard next to the door warned. "And remember, he knows who you are. You have to pretend, try to convince him that you're here to bring him back."
Draco took a deep breath before entering the room. He walked in to the sound of murmuring he couldn't recognise. He looked around the room, spotting a small jewel in a corner on the floor. 
He tried to walk towards it by felt a hand on his chest. He blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. 
'My Lord.' He said in a steady voice. The blank, lifeless eyes stared back at him. He was in the form of Tom Riddle as a young boy.
"Draco." He said, his voice full of hatred. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here for your Hocrux." Draco declared. Tom's hand went around Draco's neck as he lifted him off ground. Draco didn't experience any pressure on his neck but he did feel light headed, not having his feet touch the ground. 
"You coward, you fool! You traitor! You're with them. Return back, and wait for my wrath to befall you." He screamed.
"I'm not betraying you, my Lord. I'm going to bring you back. I will be your servant, praising and benefitting from your power."
"You're a liar. You're a coward, just like your father. I know everyone here with you. I know you support them."
"My Lord, this all a ruse. I'm not with them, but with you. I tricked them into helping me find you. Once I get the hocrux, I will disapparate. We will start working on bringing you back together."
Tom let Draco down, and smiled. 'Very well, Draco.' He then whispered something long and scathing into Draco's ears. Something he couldn't process for a little while. Just then, the ruby landed in his hand and he emerged from Riddle's bedroom, his eyes wide. 
He clutched the ruby tight in his hands, as all Aurors turned towards him. 
"Draco, do you have it?" Harry asked. 
Draco gave Harry an apologetic stare, before he held his wand in his hand and closed his eyes. 
To everyone's surprise, Draco disapparated right infront of their eyes, leaving the room baffled, shocked and confused.