Defending the Dark (Dramione)

Chapter 15: Through the Looking Glass

"We're going to focus on your memories today," Hermione told Draco when he entered the meeting room the next day.

"How fun," he said, crossing his arms as he walked over to where she was setting up a Pensieve. He'd been dreading sharing his memories with her ever since she told him he'd have to.

"All right, it's ready." She turned toward him.

"What exactly do you need?" he asked, eyeing the Pensieve.

"Anything concerning Voldemort."

He released an impatient breath. "Granger, I was raised in a household where Voldemort was idolized. My father told me bedtime stories about him, for Merlin's sake. You're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"Right." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Let's start with your personal experience with Voldemort then. When you took the Dark Mark, and when he commanded you to kill Dumbledore."

Draco nodded, his stomach turning, for once not because of the terrible Azkaban food.

Hermione raised her wand to his head and muttered an incantation as Draco closed his eyes, conjuring the memories. He felt the strange sensation of them leaving his mind in a stream of light, then opened his eyes to see Hermione bottle the memories in a flask.

"Good," she said. "Now I need you to remember the night Dumbledore died. Everything that happened on the Astronomy Tower. I talked to Harry and he's considering testifying for you. I'll need to make sure your memories match."

Draco clenched his fists, then closed his eyes again as Hermione retrieved his memory.

"Okay, there's one more thing," she said slowly.

Draco narrowed his eyes. The two memories he'd shared were already more than he wanted to show her. What else was she asking to see?

She took a deep breath. "The night Harry, Ron, and I were at the Manor."

"No." He crossed his arms firmly to his chest. It was bad enough reliving that evening in his nightmares. He certainly wasn't about to watch it again with her next to him.

"Malfoy, if Harry agrees to testify, it could strengthen your case. We'll probably only need the part where you didn't identify him. Trust me, it could make a difference."

His mind spun, weighing the benefits the memory could have on his case and the horror of seeing her torture again, not to mention the uncomfortable conversation that would certainly follow if she found out everything that happened that night.

"Please, Draco."

Before he could stop himself, his gaze darted to hers. Her brown eyes pleaded with him and he felt his resolve weakening. He knew she wanted to see the memory entirely for his sake, and her compassion and bravery moved him.

"Fine." He sighed, allowing Hermione to retrieve the final memory.

With the three flasks in her hand, she carefully poured each one into the Pensieve and then stared into the silvery swirling mist.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"After you," Draco said grimly, gesturing with his hand.

She nodded and stepped forward.

"Granger, wait." Draco grabbed her elbow and she looked up at him.

He swallowed. "Some of what you're about to see . . . well, it's not good." He released her and swept a hand through his hair, feeling an unreasonable urge to try to make her understand that he wasn't that person anymore. "It's just—I'm not . . ."