Poison Apple | A Dramione FanFiction

Duty Disaster

Hello people! This is a very important chapter, as it marks the turning point of the life of our beloved Draco and Hermione. Be prepared for the spine chilling experience!

Draco headed off to the Slytherin dormitories to get some sleep. He opened the dungeons door, saying the password, and as he entered, Pansy got up from the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Where were you, Dracykinns?" She pouted.
"Shut up Pansy!" Draco said coldly.
"Oh God, Draco." Pansy whined, "Nobody will ever love you the way I do."
"Yeah, nobody'll annoy me the way you do too."
And leaving Pansy's stunned face behind him, he went off to sleep until 10:30.

                                                                                                                *

Staring at the crystal clear sky, Hermione felt her consciousness flicker. Slowly her eyes began to close, as her tired body gave away to the desires of a restful sleep. She tried really hard but nothing could be done, and soon Hermione Granger, her back laid flat to the ground, was enjoying a peaceful slumber, forgetting all her difficulties and all the dangers that awaited her later on.

                                                                                                                    * 

"Draco! Get your lazy ass up, it's almost your duty time!" Zabini shouted at Draco, who was sleeping comfortably in his warm bed.
"Really? What time is it?" Draco mumbled.
"It's 11:25." Zabini smirked.
"WHAT! I told you to wake me up at 10:15, and you wake me an hour later?!" Draco jumped out of bed and slipped his robe over his clothes and quickly slipped his shoes on.
"McGonagall's going to kill me!" Draco panicked.
Zabini enjoyed a full minute of Draco fumbling around for his wand, and fixing his clothes quickly, but then he couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing.
"Why the hell are you laughing, you jerk!?" Draco shouted angrily.
"Draco, man, it's only 10:00. I was pranking you." Zabini laughed, as Draco stopped short.
"Oh." Draco glanced at the grandfather clock in his Dormitory, which said 10:01.
"Who's the jerk now?" Zabini laughed.
"I am." Draco snickered at himself for being so stupid.
"Get dressed up. I hear your duties right next to Granger's? You have to look impressive." Zabini teased.
"Who told you Hermione and I have duties at the same corridor?" Draco asked.
"Parkinson. She was drowning in jealousy, I couldn't help feeling sorry for her." Zabini smiled.
"God. She is one hell of a woman." Draco said.
"Poor girl." Zabini teased. 
"Why don't you marry her?" Draco said in anger.
"Get ready man. You have a woman to impress."
Draco gave Zabini a deadly glare.
"I meant, a duty to fulfill." he corrected.

                                                                                                          *

A bird was chirping nearby. It was broad daylight, as she walked through the woods without her wand, scared and frightened, as she tried to find a way out. Nearby, she heard a twig crack. There was something scary about that sound. It wasn't anything normal. It was a magical sound, as if someone had apparated. Then someone charged out of the trees, and Hermione's heart started thumping. The figure had a cloak on, and drew it's wand out. There was a green flash of light.  Hermione was sweating as she woke up, looking around the surroundings, and finally remembering why she was here.
She stood up and glanced at her watch. 10:15. Quickly straightening her hair and wiping the sweat off her face, she walked out of the Room of Requirement.
Standing in the entrance, her wand gripped tightly in her hand, she realized that it was her duty time. She heard footsteps behind her, instantly spinning and ready to fire a curse. But it was only Draco.
"Hermione? Are you alright? You look pale." Draco asked with concern.
"Oh, nothing. You scared me." She laughed nervously, as Draco walked past her towards his spot.
There was silence again. The occasional voice of crickets chirping penetrated the night, as Hermione stood in front of the Room of Requirement, trying to understand what her dream meant.
Not even ten minutes passed and she had her brain multitasking, trying to focus on her surroundings, yet occupied by that dream. Professor Trelawney's words came back to her. You are in grave danger! Hermione tried to argue with that. She was safe as long as she was in Hogwarts. Or was she? She could apparate and disapparate at one sign of danger, but that would mean risking school security.
And even if it weren't for security, her life was misty right now. The man she had loved had treated her like she was nothing. Her best friend discouraged her to give Draco a chance, and that was like telling her to stop moving on. Draco had helped her recover, unintentionally, and she just couldn't choose whether she had to trust him or not. Her gut told her that Draco was trustworthy, but sometimes Harry's sixth sense was more powerful than her gut.
She was deep in thought when a piercing shout nearby brought her back to Earth. She quickly drew her wand, and heard shuffling near her. The light was blocked by the other side, and a figure appeared right on the spot where Draco had been.
"Aah ... Hermione Granger!" a familiar voice cackled, "Two targets taken down with one arrow!"
And before Hermione could process anything, a flash of blue light hit her square in the ribs, and everything went dark.