Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

Things that Were Never Meant to be Seen

Happy Friday everyone. Hope this chapter tides you nicely over the weekend.

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Hermione looked around.

Somehow she had stepped into a piece of Draco's mind without intending to. By looking away from what he was trying to show her she was now somewhere...else.

This memory felt different, colder. She felt a shiver run up and down her spine and the hairs on her arms stood up to attention.

Confusion, took over as their two minds intertwined.

Hermione felt a strange desperation through the bind, as if Draco were suddenly a wild animal trapped in a cage, unable to escape.

It was as if he were there with her and yet somewhere very far away.

Hermione blinked at her surroundings.

She was in Draco's room, that much she recognized. It looked different than it did now. The lighting was dim. The décor very dated. Everything was very austere. She wondered if this was what the room had looked like before Draco had moved in and then she saw a small boy cowering in a corner beneath a towering man.

Hermione blinked. 

She recognized the haircut as the one he had worn his first year at Hogwarts.

Why was he cowering?

Who was the man?

Hermione walked to the side needing to see the taller man's face.

The one who was making young Draco cry. Tears stained his pale cheeks so sweet and soft. A contrast with the sharp and chiseled lines she was now used to seeing.

Hermione finally rounded the man in the memory and she froze blinking. 

"I'm sorry Father," little Draco said his voice small and filled with shame. Hermione felt a horrible sick feeling start in the pit of her stomach.

"You ungrateful little brat," The cane came down and Hermione felt the shock reverberate through her.

"NO!" Hermione yelled. "Stop that!"

She tried to reach out and block the next blow, but Lucius arm moved through her like smoke.

A second blow fell.

Little Draco cried out. 

She felt the tiny boys fear.

And from somewhere off in the distance she felt a  boiling fear and anger. It swept forward and washed over her.

She felt like she would drown in it.

No! Get Out! she heard Draco's voice across the bind and felt him try to push back. He was thrashing against her being there. 

The power of the memory was too vivid, the emotions preventing him from concentrating enough to shove her out, and at the same time it was holding Hermione's  keeping her inside his head.

"You shame us!" The cane fell again.

Hermione cried out feeling young Draco's pain as if she herself was experiencing the strike of the cane.  She ran forward towards him and threw her body over his.

It didn't help.

The pain was more than just physical. It was Lucius words that kept echoing around the room.

What was worst of all...

Was that he felt he deserved it.

All at once and with a great shove Hermione felt herself forced from Draco's mind.