Blood Blossom
Draco:
“Pansy, Daphne.” Draco smiled at the girls now in his drawing room, Each girl said hi and turned their attention back to their husbands. Pansy had married Blaise shortly after Draco had been sentenced to Azkaban, Theo and Daphne wed a year following. They all lived at the manor, Blaise sick of his mother's constant stream of husbands. For Theo, he had looked after the manor while he was in Azkaban, and never left. Theo was an odd man, but he was always there when Draco needed him, he’d never admitted it but it was nice not to be alone here.
“Where’d you go mate, you missed all your turns,” Theo laughed at something Daphne had said.
“I had something to do Nott, I don’t have to report to you,” Draco tried to relax, never seeming able to these days. Blaise and Theo seemed to never have a problem though. He guessed finding your soulmate made it easier to block out the war raging outside.
“Figured out what to do with the mudblood yet?” Blaise sipped his drink.
“You’ll know when I figure it out.” he stated simply.
Draco sucked in a deep breath through his teeth, his left forearm erupted in fire, a pain that chilled the very molecules that he was made of. He glanced towards his friends, they nodded, pulling the girls arms off their shoulders and saying goodbye. Earning them each a silent kiss on the cheek. Being branded with the mark meant every time he called you, you said goodbye like it was the last time. You never knew when you were going to come home, or if you were going to for that matter. The longer they fought in this seemingly never ending war the worse it got. Wordlessly the men walked out of the drawing room dressed themselves into their death eater robes before they apparated to their master.
The three men landed at the doors of a large building, Draco couldn’t remember what it used to be, as they walked up the doors opened for them. They walked down the walkway left by fellow death eaters, they each bowed their heads, muttered a ‘my lord’ and joined the sea of black robes.
The three men landed at the doors of the large building. It was originally a muggle building, situated in the heart of London, a hotel. The countless rooms and grand main ballroom made perfect for the dark lords headquarters. The doors swung open, rows of dozens of death eaters greeted them. Draco led the three down the aisle, head held high before bowing his head and greeting Voldemort with a simple ‘my lord.’
“My loyal death eaters! How kind of you all to join me on this fine evening!” his rotted out teeth smiled down at them, he acted as if we’d had a choice.
“We all grow tired of war but let us not falter, victory will find us!” Yeah right, not like he hasn’t said that for the better part of a decade, “The end is near!”
“Today we have a treat! Today we kill yet another blood traitor! Following in her parents footsteps” a girl was hauled onto the stage, messy blonde curls fell over her face, “Lavender Brown, what a waste of pureblood.” The venom spat out of his lord's mouth. Murmurs of disgust erupted behind Draco, who stayed silent like he always had. Draco had thought her dead, obviously not.
“Draco, my boy! Do you care to do the honours!”
The muscles in his jaw tightened, it wasn’t a question nor did he have a choice. Draco forced his stiff muscles onto the platform before drawing his wand.
“How’d this one get caught,” he offered.
Barty Crouch Jr stepped forwards, proud of his achievement “Oh well I found her at a muggle hospital, trying to protect that filth!”
Draco pressed his lips into a thin line, he knew that bringing her here meant the dark lord was bored and simply wanted a show, a show he’d give him.
“Didn’t want to keep her then Crouch?” Draco tried to push his buttons “Blondes not your type?”
The dark lord erupted in laughter, Crouch Jr shrunk back into the shadows. Draco raised his wand, Brown looked up at him with pleading eyes while he constructed another wall to hide this murder behind.
“Draco please we went to school together, show me mercy please!” Crystal blue eyes stared up at him.
“Bombarda maxima!”
The metallic smell of blood blossomed in his nostrils, she’d basically blown up from the inside out. Blood dripped from every crevice, her organs spread across the grand ballroom. Death eaters behind him in fits of laughter and celebration along with the dark lord. He looked down at what remained of the girl at his feet.
“Well done my boy! Always pick the right spell to tickle my fancy!” Clapping before placing a cold hand on his shoulder. Draco slapped on a smile and turned towards him.
“Always my pleasure, my lord,” before dipping his head again. While the other death eaters celebrated the murder of yet another blood traitor, Draco hunted down Crouch for the information he’d gotten out of her. He of course found him in one of the fancier suites, surrounded by women - muggle and magical alike, and cheap alcohol.
“What’d she tell you?” Draco perched on a table, trying to come off as non-threatening, hard when you’re dripping with blood. One of the girls walked over and handed him a glass of whisky.
“Nothing really, wasn’t very interesting. Just said she’d left the order because old Kingsleys had gone mad, bout six months ago.”
“No other details?” Draco sniffed the cheap liquor.
“Order members are dropping like flies, their attacks are failing, they’re leaving. Seems like the only ones left include Potter, Wesley and that mudblood.” He turned his attention back to the redhead sitting expressionless on his lap.
“Mudblood? Granger hasn’t been seen in battle for years.”
“Granger, yes that’s her name. Always a pretty thing she was.” Draco turned away pretending to sip on his drink. “I hadn’t noticed, probably dead then too.”
“Hm.” With that Draco placed his drink down and strode out of the room.
Draco didn’t arrive back at the manor till the sun had risen. He walked straight to the right wing, opening the door of Granger's room. She was awake, still perched on the seat below the window. She didn’t look at him as he entered the room. The morning sun hit her curls revealing the blonder and reddish strands. His eyes flickered to the bed, perfectly intact.
“The bed won’t eat you.” She turned to look at him, her brown eyes widening at the state of him. Right the blood.
“What the fuck happened?” Her eyes were full of… worry? No. anger, confusion.
“Execution, Lavender Brown.” He stated, flicking his wrist and lighting the fire. Her brows knitted together in confusion.
“She left the order, about six months ago.” Draco walked toward the open window, lighting a cigarette, he stopped for a second wondering what would happen if he’d offered one to Granger? He plucked another from the packet and held it in her direction, along with the anti-magic in his pocket.
“If you want the fag then take the bloody potion.”
Watching as she weighed up her lack of options in her head she snatched the potion and the cigarette, holding it between her fingers waiting for him to light it.
“Drink first.”
“Bottoms up,” She swung it back with an irritated huff.
He sat down beside her, stretching his legs out across the carpet.
“You’re getting blood on the cushions.” She said before taking a long drag.
“They’re my cushions. Brown was found in a muggle hospital attempting to evacuate them.” She covered the taste with nicotine.
“Why’d she leave the order?” There we go, she was finally asking questions.
“Kingsleys gone mad, no ones left of the order.” He took another deep drag.
“Why are you telling me this? The order wants me dead.” she tucked her legs closer to her chest attempting to gain more space between them.
“Silly me, thought you’d want to know who’s blood I'm covered in.” He was asking for a fight, he’d expected more resistance from her, a fight, an argument. The mudblood he knew would’ve hexed him in the woods.
“What do you want, Malfoy?” She rolled her caramel eyes, turning her attention back to the garden. Why did he notice her eyes?
“You can go out there if you want, the wards are only on the window so you can’t kill youself.”
“How generous of you,” she shook her head.
“I am generous sweetheart, you’re living in my house, my warm house I might add, with food, water, and a shower. What more could you want,” with that he stood, obviously he wasn’t getting a fight out of her today.
“Wait, what do you mean no one’s left of the order?”
“I mean everyone’s leaving or dying, or both.” He flicked the butt of his cigarette out the window, she did the same, he glanced at the confused expression on her face, and the teeth that had a hold of her lip - what the fuck was he thinking. He turned around and headed towards the door, he couldn’t help but glance back at the girl behind him.
Hermione:
Lavender left? Malfoy killed her? What the fuck was going on out there. She stared out the window for a while trying to make sense of the conversation she’d just had with Malfoy. Her head was spinning with yet again more questions than answers, why was he being so nice to her? Weren’t they all but sworn enemies? He was covered in blood, it had settled into every nook and cranny. This was all for show wasn’t it? What business did he have keeping her here? She heard a small pop and metal rattle. Instead of food it was a note, a book, fresh parchment and quill. She walked over curiously, reasoned that she needed to stretch her legs.
‘Thought you might want to plan my murder, sweetheart’
Delicate cursive stretched across the top of the first page. Planning his murder wasn’t nearly enough. He’d killed thousands of people?! Death was too good for him. Finally her brain was being reasonable. She picked up the book, it was an ancient copy of Hogwarts - A History, it was probably older than her and Malfoy combined. She flicked through the pages she’d memorised that summer she had gotten her letter, that felt like a lifetime ago. A small smile escaped her lips at the memory of her parents taking her shopping for all that she had needed for her first year. They were so excited, so happy… she shook away the memory.
Breakfast had come and gone, she didn’t have the appetite after seeing so much blood.
POP
The sound of the house elf entering the room took Hermione off guard.
“My name is Mippy Miss, does Miss not like the food Mippy serves, Mippy can prepare something Miss likes?” The old elf stared at Hermione with big worried eyes, the guilt crept in, she hated wasting food. Especially food house elves made, they work so hard.
“It’s nice to meet you Mippy, no, the food is fine. I just wasn’t hungry.” She offered the elf a small smile.
“Okay Miss, did Miss want a coat for her walk? Mippy can find Miss a coat?” How did the elf know? Seconds later a black woolen coat popped onto the bed, “Does Miss like the coat?”
“Yes, Mippy the coat is fine. I’ll be back for lunch.” Hermione doubted she would be, the grounds were so large it would probably take all day to walk every part of the intricate gardens. Satisfied, the elf popped back to wherever she had come from.
Hermione stared at the coat, not wanting to take the charity or even listen to Malfoys offer to walk the grounds. But she’d started feeling claustrophobic in this room. It had been so long since she’d been cooped up in one place. She grabbed the coat and slid it over her shoulders. Walking slowly towards the door. He could’ve been lying, the handle could be charmed to melt her hand off or something of the sort. She sucked in a deep breath and grabbed the handle, nothing, she pulled on the door and it opened with no resistance. Looking left and right before leaving the room she stepped out.
She looked up in awe at the beautiful craftsmanship of the manor. Stone pillars, beautiful artwork, intricate wallpaper, small vases with white daffodils. Details she’d missed the last time she was here. She walked left first, dead end. She turned and found a hallway leading to a drawing room. She kept walking and found herself on a small verandah, the brisk autumn air against her cheeks told her winter was settling in. She scanned the gardens, charmed flowers to stay bloomed year round were splayed out in front of her. She wandered through the aisles if flowers, vines, bushes, whatever plant you could think of was in these gardens. It reminded her of Neville, she wondered if he’d left the order too or if he was simply dead, she thought of Luna too. For the first time in a long time she let herself wonder about the friends she left behind. What were Ginny and Harry doing? Bill and Fleur? Ron? Even non active members like George, Arthur and Molly? The thought hurt her heart.
She continued her walk through the gardens till the sun was about to set. The smell of fresh parchment wafted towards her, she turned, no one was there. She continued down the path to a small clearing in the gardens. A small pond sat in the middle, a willow covering half the clearing, a small bench sat under it and a Draco Malfoy sat on it.
“Why are you out here?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Again, Granger, it’s my house,” He rolled his eyes, slightly amused.
“You told me I could go for a walk, I didn’t think you’d stalk me the whole time.”
“I only came out because Mippy was looking for you,” he leaned back on the bench, folding his arms across his chest, the muscles bulged out, she could trace every vein in his forearm. “She said you promised you’d eat your lunch, she was distraught.”
“Oh,” was all she could manage, the guilt was eating away at her already, the wind picked up, the cold night air wiped at her skin, “What do you know about the order?” the question fell out before she could stop it.
“Well, apparently, the only ones left are scar head, the weasel, and Kingsley.”
“Apparently?” What did he mean apparently? Unless he hadn’t caught Lavender himself?
“I’m simply relaying what Crouch Jr told me, he was on that raid not me. Anyways, you’d better get back to your room or Mippy will have my head.”
Hermione turned the manor, the little elf wouldn't be disappointed this time. Something about the way he’d spoken about the elf touched her, like he’d maybe cared about her in that stone cold heart of his.