Hermione Riddle, the Dark Lady

The firetalk and our promise

Please work, I want him to know I am okay. I rub over my neck. I feel it squirming but I don't know if that is a sign that my dad can feel the Dark Mark. Someone knocks at the door from the room I was standing in and I quickly pull my hair over the Mark. Tonks walks in.

"We bring you to Hogwarts again, okay Hermione?" I nod and walk with her. She puts an arm around my shoulder and I let her. "Can I talk with my friends," I ask her. "They are here, don't worry." "I mean Draco, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle."

"Oh.. well.. we can arrange that, can't we," she says uncomfortably. She probably didn't expected me to ask about them. '"When we are at Hogwarts, you'll see them there.. I think." "Thank you Tonks."

We walk to the Entrance Hall and Lupin holds my hand. I see that my other friends are held as well and they Apparate to Hogsmeade, the nearest place where you can Apparate in the surroundings of Hogwarts. We walk up to the castle, to Professor Dumbledore's office.

Ginny, Ron, Harry, Luna, Neville and I are questioned by the Order. After some minutes I can finally go and I search for my friends. They are in the Library, looking up when I enter. I feel 4 boys, pressing their body's with all might against mine. Groupshug, I thought with a smile.

When the boys let go off me, Draco grabbed me again and kisses me as if it was the last thing he would do. "Hermione, my love, we were so worried about you! The Dark Lord was angry, he didn't see you by the Ministry after he left Harry's body. He thought someone might had killed you. He was mad," Draco whispers emotionally to me. He was worried-sick.

"I-I tried to contact him through the Dark Mark in my neck, but I guess it doesn't work that way. I'll send him a letter." That wasn't needed, because I hear a rush from the fireplace. There was the head of Lucius Malfoy. He had a cut under his eye and looked terribly tired.

"Hermione, oh dear Merlin, you are safe. The Dark Lord is angry, furious, worried like hell. Why weren't you there?" "I-I couldn't watch my friend like that, so I left for another room. Lupin told me what had happened and I tried to contact him by the Dark Mark, but I suppose it doesn't works that way."

"Good Merlin, I'll immediately tell the Dark Lord you are safe. We will see you in the summer break." "But Lucius, Fudge saw my dad. He saw him with his own eyes. He is convinced of the fact that he has returned. You need to keep him safe, please Lucius." "Of course Hermione, we will keep him safe."

"Okay, next week school is over and I'll come with you all, if you don't mind." "Of course we don't mind Hermione, see you soon, daughter-in-law," he says with a wink which looks weird with the cut under his eye and he vanishes. Draco scowls at his father and when he had disappeared he kisses the side of my head, hugging me.

"Do you think my dad is in danger," I whisper into his chest. "I'm afraid so. But as long as I live, no one hurts the love of my life and her family. I promise." I kiss him and look with seriousness in his eyes. He looks back. 

"And I promise that as long as I live, I'll protect you, your family and everyone you care about." He smiles at me and I smile back, my first smile from the last hours.