Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Victim of the Fall	By : PrettyDesdemona Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 32726 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe or any of its characters. I do not make any money off this story. Only love!

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
CHAPTER 11

CLOUD BLOOD

“Trying hard to resist sleep’s first kiss, every time I have time to think, I think of this.”

Two days later, Hermione dragged herself off her couch at a quarter to nine in the morning, an urgency she couldn’t place pushing her to get to school. She had fifteen minutes before her Defence Against the Dark Arts class began and her limbs were twitching with the pain that had burned through them since Saturday night. She had hoped it would ease, but instead it had only gotten worse.

She hadn’t been able to spend more than a few moments wondering why the pain was there before the screaming voices in her mind engulfed it. They hadn’t stopped to let her sleep or eat, they had howled through her head all through Saturday night as she lay curled on her couch sweating and vomiting, all through Sunday and Sunday night when she had nothing left in her stomach to bring up. They had caused her to hurl the glass of water she had attempted to get for herself at four am on Monday morning against her kitchen wall.

Betrayer, they called her, worthless piece of trash. Disappointment, waste of breath, evil whore.

They made her relive her worst memories but embellished them, making them so much worse. Ron walked out of the tent leaving her and Harry alone calling her a useless slut. George laughed and taunted her while she begged him not to touch her. Bellatrix tortured her, cackling, and Draco Malfoy slit Harry’s throat in the background. They were waking nightmares.

She hadn’t eaten or slept, and she had only showered for two minutes on Sunday before the pain of the water hitting her skin, no matter what temperature, became too much. The clothes on her back burned her skin to the point where she had thrown them off and lain naked in the darkness, clad in nothing but Zabini’s silver chain, which she refused to take off. The shadows made her feel as if she was surrounded by grotesque monsters that loomed at her terrifyingly but she could not turn on the lights as they seared her eyes.

Nine am. She stumbled to her bedroom and dragged on underwear and a tank top, then her robes, crying out in pain. She couldn’t bring herself to wear her usual uniform of jeans and a t-shirt under her robes, the idea of the rough textured denim on her skin made her cringe.

Hermione half walked, half fell down the spiral stairs and out of the storage room, ducking her head as she passed Mr Flourish on the way out. She pulled her hood up over her face as she walked out onto the street with faltering steps. Diagon Alley was crowded with shoppers. She stared down at the cobblestones, not entirely sure how her symptoms were appearing to those around her. She felt as if hands were grabbing her from every angle, pinching her skin, as people brushed past her. She gagged again, glad for once that there was nothing in her stomach. She rushed towards the Leaky Cauldron desperately, thinking all the way that these were her last steps, sure that her body couldn’t handle to pain and she would die in the middle of the street, surrounded by anonymous faces.

She reached the courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron and turned on the spot, into darkness.

Hermione rematerialised at Hogsmeade station and immediately fell to her knees, retching into the grass. How she hadn’t splinched herself, she would never know, though she probably wouldn’t have noticed if she had.

She whimpered as she pushed herself to her feet, a light breeze caressed her skin and feeling like the lashing of a whip.

She staggered up to the castle, falling twice and grazing her palms and knees so that blood ran down her legs. After the second fall, she almost couldn’t get up. She wanted to lie down in the dirt and die. She wanted to lose her mind, lose it and never find it again. It felt like the relief of oblivion was only a breath away, if she would only give in to it.

She just needed to get to class. A feeble voice that flickered like a candle in the back of her mind pushed her to her feet, crying over the screaming.

Get to Teodora, get to Ginny, get to Luna, Blaise, Juliet, Susan, Padma. Draco. Anyone.

She could give up when she got there.

Ten past nine. The castle seemed empty, all the students were in class, and Hermione was glad. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this.

She tried not to howl as she lifted her legs to climb the stairs up to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. At the top, she could see the door shining like a beacon down the hall and she broke into a staggering jog that made her legs throb.

She reached the door and noticed that it lay across from a window, looking out into the grounds.

The screaming in her head rose to a cacophony.

The window, the window. Go through the window!!

Hermione’s legs stumbled towards it. She gave a keening whine as she realised what she was about to do, what was about to happen.

With strength she didn’t know she possessed, she cried out, clutching at her head, and wheeled around to hurl herself at the door. She fell through it, landing on her hands and knees in the classroom.

She forced her head to rise and she saw her classmates in their usual circle, all staring at her in open mouthed shock. She distantly heard Susan scream. The faces of her tovarasi were pale and distorted as her vision blurred.

Her legs and arms shook violently and collapsed underneath her. She fell forwards, her head cracking on the stone floor.

“Hermione! Rahat!!” Teodora sounded panicked. She’d never heard her teacher sound panicked.

“What’s happened to her?!” cried Juliet.

“Eu nu a luat-o potione! Ea se simte blestemul total! Filtrul este plecat!” the older woman shouted.

“In English, Teodora!” shrieked Ginny.

The older woman was hovering over Hermione, her face lined with fear. “Blaise, Draco! Vin si ajuta-ma! She needs to be in my office!”

No one moved, they were too transfixed by Hermione as she twitched and sobbed on the floor. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she almost passed out, but the voices would not allow it.

“NOW!” Teodora bellowed. The two men broke free of their ranks and ran towards Hermione.

Draco’s hands closed on her upper arms and he began to haul her to her feet. She let out a scream that tore her throat apart.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!”

He let go of her immediately and she fell back onto the floor with an anguished cry.

“No, Draco! Blaise! Trebuie sa va!! It will burn her but I cannot levitate her, she thrashes too much! You must! You Must!” cried Teodora.

Blaise shook his head, and held his hands up. “I can’t! It’s hurting her! I can’t!”

She saw Draco cast a disgusted look at Blaise and move towards her. Hermione screamed as he thrust his arms under her arms and legs and stood. Her back arched but he held on with a vice like grip, one of his arms wrapped around her waist to hold her tighter. He followed Teodora as she flew into her office calling out behind her, “You will all see this! Come!”

The rest of the tovarasi followed behind them. Draco laid Hermione on the floor and moved away quickly as she thrashed wildly to kneel a few feet from her. Ginny, Luna, Susan, Eli, Juliet and Padma had tears coursing down their cheeks, Blaise and Isobel looked sick. Teodora was rummaging through her cabinets.

“What’s wrong with her?” demanded Ginny again in a shrill voice but Teodora ignored her.

“What are you doing? She needs to go to St Mungos!” cried Padma.

“No! I can heal her!” shouted their teacher.

Hermione stared at Teodora pleadingly, her eyes rolling back into her head every few seconds. She clawed at her robes.

“Get it off! PLEASE GET IT OFF!” she sobbed. “It hurts!”

“Draco! Take off her outer robes!” ordered Teodora, running towards the cazan filled with the Rusine potion and beginning to add extra ingredients.

Draco moved towards Hermione and his fingers fumbled on the buttons of her robe as she thrashed. “Granger! Stay still for a moment!” he growled.

Hermione fought against the pain and tried to still her limbs but they continued to shake violently. She screamed again as he gave up on the buttons and ripped her robes from her body in one movement. Draco yelped and jumped back as her almost naked body was exposed to him, clad in nothing but underwear and a tank top and covered in scratch marks and cuts. “Fucking hell! What did you do!?”

“Tried to get out of her skin too, when the robes were not enough.” Teodora said and rounded on the rest of the class, “Ce faci?! Nu sta acolo!! Sooth her! All of you! Offer her support!”

Ginny ran forwards and fell to her knees near Hermione’s head. “It’s ok Hermione! It’s alright! Teodora’s gonna help! It’s ok!”

Hermione stared up at her and sobbed. “I’m sorry Ginny! I’m sorry! Harry! It’s my fault!” she screamed again. The tovarasi gathered around her, on their knees, calling out words of support.

“It’s not! None of it’s your fault Hermione!” Luna put her hand out to touch Hermione’s hair but she howled and jerked away.

“Don’t touch her!” yelled Draco. Luna sobbed.

Teodora appeared at Draco’s elbow, a goblet in her hand. “I need you to drink this Hermione; it will make it feel better!”

Hermione gave what looked like a nod and raised her head slightly. Teodora leant forward, putting the goblet to Hermione’s lips. She drank only one sip, rolled onto her side, and vomited.

She sobbed and her back arched, her tendons standing out of her neck. “I HATE THIS!”

“You must drink Hermione!” shouted Teodora.

“I can’t!! They won’t let me, Teodora! They won’t fucking let me!” cried Hermione. “You don’t understand!”

“Who?!”

Suddenly, the pain reached its peak and she felt a rising sense of triumph. She’d wanted this. She deserved it. She was being punished.

Hermione opened her mouth, but she didn’t scream. She cackled madly. “I’ll die before I take that potion! I earned this pain! You won’t take it away from me! IT’S MINE!” Hermione could hear the psychosis in her own voice. It wasn’t hers. She didn’t know who it belonged to but it wasn’t her.

Teodora reeled back in shock. She looked around at her students in panic. Their faces reflected the terror in her eyes.

“What are you looking at?! DO SOMETHING!” Draco yelled at Teodora as Hermione continued to laugh hysterically. Teodora looked on at Hermione with horror. Draco stared around at the tovarasi, as if waiting for someone to offer some suggestion. When none was made, he growled and pulled out his wand, pointing at it at Hermione.

Teodora looked at him with dawning terror and grabbed at his hand. “No! Draco!”

“If none of you have the stomach to help her, then I will!” he wrenched his arm out of Teodora’s grip, pointed his wand back at Hermione and cried, “Imperio!”

Hermione felt her limbs rush with a pleasant warmth and she stilled. The triumph she felt simmered under the surface but the voices quieted a little. They weren’t shrill anymore, just deadly, threatening whispers that coated the inside of her head like sticky tar. The pain was still there, she was still twitching, her whole body was on fire, but she was separate from it. It was a calm sort of bliss. It wasn’t ecstasy or joy, just tranquillity and acceptance.

“Drink the potion.” said a voice in her head. It was a nice voice, powerful and deep. It resonated in her like thunder, reaching into every corner of her mind. She wanted to please this voice. “Drink, it will get rid of the pain.” Get rid of the pain? Oh, that sounded like a wonderful idea. She didn’t like the pain. Perhaps she should drink the potion.

Hermione felt Ginny and Luna’s hands supporting the back of her head as she raised it. That hurt. But it was also nice. Like they were friends. The warmth in her mind grew stronger. Her lips reached the goblet and she drank. She recognised it as the Rusine potion but it tasted much stronger. She finished the goblet and her head was lowered back to the floor.

Get rid of it! screamed the voices in her head, breaking through the fog, finally. She gagged and leant onto her side to vomit again. The pain shot through her again and she gasped, tears flowing freely down her face.

Draco reeled back with a shout, confusion in his eyes. “How did she throw it off so easily?!”

He pointed his wand at her again. “Imperio! Legillimens!”

Hermione felt the flooding warmth again, as well as a presence in her mind and felt it’s shock as the voices screamed at it to get out and battled against it.

“Drink the potion, Granger!” said his voice in her head, powered by the force of the imperius curse and the Legillimens.

She lifted her head again, with the help of the supporting hands of her tovarasi, and drank. The voices fought against him, urging her to vomit again. She felt Draco’s presence place himself between them and her consciousness, acting as a temporary barrier.

“Let it work.” he crooned soothingly, “Let it heal you. See? The pain is already going.”

And it was. The burning tide was receding. The voices stopped their screaming and dissipated, scattering like leaves on the wind. Hermione sighed contentedly as the bliss that came with his soothing voice curled around her consciousness totally. It was so warm. How was he doing that? He was always so cold and hard, how was he suddenly warmth and softness? Is this what his soul felt like? The quiet in her mind was paradise. She felt Draco’s presence fully now, he was still there, waiting. She felt a rush of pure love reach out to his voice, but he recoiled and retreated.

A fog seemed to clear from her eyes as the warmth leaked out of her.

Her tovarasi and Teodora were staring down at her, all wearing expressions of panic and deep concern. Malfoy was kneeling on the floor beside her, a hand splayed before him to support his weight. It sounded as if his breathing was laboured and he looked like he might be ill.

Hermione groaned. Her skin stung where she had scratched herself and her limbs ached. Padma moved quickly to sit next to her, her fingers on Hermione’s wrists to check her pulse. She moved her wand over Hermione’s body, muttering something the rest of them could not hear. She paused for a moment then turned to Teodora.

“She’s dehydrated and sleep deprived. She needs potions.”

Teodora nodded shakily and stood. She turned to her desk, scribbling something on a piece of parchment. “Eli, you will go to the hospital wing. Take this.”

She handed Eli the parchment. He nodded and left the room at a run.

Hermione pushed herself into a sitting position slowly. Her head spun. Teodora knelt by her feet and she locked eyes with the older woman.

“Hermione,” Teodora’s voice shook with rage, “You did not take the Rusine did you?”

Hermione shook her head.

“Rahat! Fata proasta!” her fist connected with the floor with a crack that made everyone jump. “Why?! And if you tell me you forgot I will tear you apart myself!!”

Hermione sniffed as a few tears escaped her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

“Wait a minute, what is the Rusine?” asked Ginny, her eyes darting between Teodora and Hermione.

Teodora raised her eyebrows. “Well? Will you tell them? They have just watched you on the brink of losing your mind, they deserve to know.”

Hermione buried her head in her arms and sobbed. Teodora got to her feet. “Once Eli has returned with the potions you need, you will talk to your tovarasi. Until then, I must go and speak to Professor McGonagall and inform her that none of you will be attending classes today. None of you will leave this room while I am gone.”

Nobody moved for a moment as she strode out of the door. Ginny shifted forward to wrap her arms around her crying friend and Hermione leant gratefully into Ginny’s arms. Luna draped Hermione’s ruined robe over her shoulders and cast a warming charm. Juliet silently waved her wand to clear away the puddle of sick next to Hermione. Blaise lit the fire and Isobel handed Hermione a conjured glass of water after a nod from Padma.

Hermione’s felt Ginny’s head shift on her shoulder.

“Draco, are you ok?” she asked.

Hermione’s head whipped around to see Malfoy still kneeling nearby. His face was far paler than usual and shined with sweat. The look in his eyes was tortured.

He nodded almost imperceptibly, closing his eyes, “I will be. I just… Need a minute.”

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Padma moved forward, blocking Malfoy from view.

“Let me heal those cuts, Hermione. Can you lie down?”

Hermione sunk back to the floor as Juliet pushed a pillow under her head. Padma slipped off the tattered robe to expose her body.

“Uh, maybe we should leave.” said Blaise.

“You heard Teodora, she said we had to stay here.” said Ginny.

“I don’t mind.” Hermione rasped. Her modesty was the farthest thing from her mind.

Padma began healing the cuts and scratches that littered her skin, leaving little trails of soothing cool where her wand worked. She began at Hermione’s feet and moved up her body; spending extra time on Hermione’s bloodied knees.

Eli burst through the door then. “Sorry I took so long.” he puffed, “Pomfrey put up a bit of a fight.”

He handed the vials in his arms to Padma who took off the lid of each and sniffed. “This one first. Then these two. Then this one.” Padma handed the vials to Hermione.

She threw them back quickly, wincing at the taste. The aching in her limbs subsided, her head cleared and her hunger pangs dissipated. She sighed. “Thanks. That’s better.”

Padma crouched down by Hermione’s head to heal the injury she had acquired when her head hit the classroom floor. After a moment, Padma’s wand stilled. Hermione looked up at her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“This bruise on your temple. I can’t shift it.” Padma replied, her brow creased with concentration.

Hermione looked away and muttered, “No, I don’t think that one will go away anytime soon. It’s alright, it doesn’t hurt.”

Padma shrugged at turned to the boys. “Can you guys turn around? I need to do her chest.” Eli and Blaise blushed and walked towards the opposite side of the room, where they stopped and faced the wall. Draco raised a teasing eyebrow at Hermione before hoisting himself to his feet. He swayed dangerously and Isobel rushed forwards to aid him.

“I’m fine.” he said through gritted teeth and walked over to join his fellows.

“Ginny, can you lift her shirt?” asked Padma. Ginny obliged and Hermione flinched as the fabric scraped along the cuts and scratches on her breasts. Padma began trailing her wand over Hermione’s skin, making her shiver.

“Wow, Hermione,” said Luna, “You have really nice boobs.”

All the girls looked at the Ravenclaw in open mouthed shock before Hermione burst into peals of laughter. The girls began to giggle.

“She does, doesn’t she? Especially now that they’re less… Mangled.” said Isobel, smiling.

“This is just cruel.” they heard Blaise mumble and fell into more giggling.

Teodora walked back into the room then and sighed, relieved, when she saw them all laughing. Hermione avoided the older woman’s gaze as she turned over so Padma could do her back.

Teodora crouched down by Hermione’s head and placed a hand on her hair. “I am sorry for yelling. I was very scared.” she said quietly so that only Hermione could hear. She noticed tears in her teacher’s eyes.

“It’s ok.” she said hoarsely. “I’ve been there.”

Teodora smiled at her, kissed the top of her head and stood up.

Padma pulled Hermione’s shirt back on, announcing that she was done. Susan cast a quick reparo on the damaged robes and handed them to Hermione who pulled them on, glad to be able to cover up. The boys turned around as Teodora sat down at her desk.

“Please, all of you sit down. Let us talk.”

They crowded onto the floor of Teodora’s office, Ginny’s arm slung protectively across Hermione’s shoulders. Hermione was grateful for the contact. No matter what had passed between them, Ginny was still the closest thing she had to a sister and her love was healing Hermione right then.

“Today, we learn of our own importance to each other. We see the purpose of the tovarasi. What would have happened to our tovaras, our comrade, if we were not here? Would you have come to school Hermione?”

Hermione shook her head slowly. She remembered the voice that flickered like a candle, telling her to get to this class, to find her tovarasi. If it hadn’t been for that, she knew she would have stayed at home to bear the pain alone.

“If she had not come, a week from now you would have been reading about the tragic war hero who lost her mind and was committed to St Mungos.” Teodora regarded them seriously, “But instead she came to us. Not the hospital wing or the headmistress, she came to us. Because as a group we draw her power. No,” she shook her head at Blaise’s look of dawning comprehension, “I have cast no spell on you. You built this with your forgiveness and your trust.”

Hermione looked dumbfounded.

“Oh yes, Hermione,” said Teodora, nodding, “Magic is far more intricate and complicated than you could possibly imagine. If this is what you built in a week, imagine what we could do with a year?”

The older woman took a deep breath and massaged her temples tiredly. “I have spoken with the Headmistress and for the rest of today; you will stay here in this classroom with your injured tovarasi. Hermione is not the only one who needs healing.” at this she looked at Draco who was still looking grey around the edges. “You will eat lunch and dinner here and you will build this trust and forgiveness. You will build the bond.

“I will not stay with you as I have classes to teach. But before I go I will tell you a story.

“A week ago, after the start of term feast, I was summoned to the Headmistress’ office on urgent business.”

Hermione’s heart lurched. She knew where this was going.

“Of course, I made my way to her directly and when I got there I found a girl. A girl who was very good at seeming happy when she wasn’t. The headmistress told me this girl was injured by a curse. She had a bruise on her face. She had tried to hide it with muggle creams but when I saw this bruise, I knew. I knew that this girl was in terrible pain, so much pain that she wanted to cause herself more pain as punishment. I said nothing to the headmistress. I did not want this girl to be exposed to ridicule. So I took her away to my office where I brewed a potion to ease her suffering. And we spoke. She had achieved so much for one so young. But she was killing herself with worry and fear and guilt and shame. However, she talked with me openly and I felt hope.”

She smiled warmly at Hermione.

“I felt hope. And I asked her to take this potion every night for two weeks to heal the damage she had done. You see, this girl cast a curse on herself. I watched as she felt the effects of the potion and her suffering seemed to be lessened. She was still defiant and stubborn,” at this Teodora laughed fondly, “but the buzz in her aura was eased. She seemed calm and happy. Two nights ago she stopped taking that potion because… She forgot. And here, today, you saw the results of her negligence.”

Hermione ducked her head as her tovarasi’s eyes turned to her.

“She will have to take the potion for much longer now. Maybe a month, maybe more. And every weekend, one of you will bring her the potion to her house. We cannot cure her of forgetfulness but we can help.” Teodora cast her eyes about the group, “Will you all agree to do this?”

Each member nodded, even Malfoy.

Blaise spoke up from the corner, “What curse to did you cast on yourself, Hermione?”

She looked up and locked eyes with him. Could she say it out loud, finally? Could she burden them with that knowledge?

She opened her mouth, waiting for the words to tumble out as they had in Teodora’s office a week ago. But they didn’t and she realised she’d have to do it herself.

Hermione took a breath. “The cruciatus curse.” she said.

Ginny’s hand jumped to her mouth. Susan whispered, “oh my god.” and Malfoy was staring at her with a hard, critical look. Blaise put his face in his hands, Isobel shook her head disbelievingly and Luna sniffed as tears welled in her eyes. Juliet and Eli both closed their eyes in dismay.

“What did it do?” asked Malfoy coldly, looking to Teodora.

“To cast it on oneself is… Different from when it is cast by another. But we must first understand the how the curse works, before we can understand it’s effects.” she stood and began pacing behind her desk, “In our minds, we have many natural barriers and filters the protect us from physical and mental pain. Some of them we are born with and some we create in defence over the course of our lives. The cruciatus curse removes these barriers and sets our nerves, our minds and our souls aflame. There is not one inch of our bodies, inside and out, that is not affected. No corner of our minds is safe from it once the filter is removed. But this is temporary when it is cast by another. The filter is removed for only as long as the curse lasts and comes back when it ceases.

“When Hermione cast it on herself, it had a different effect. At first there was nothing, no pain and no suflet de foc. No soul fire. Then slowly, a bruise materialises on the body where the curse was cast, ugly and black and infected. You see it on her temple now.” Padma glanced at Hermione in understanding. “We call this Afarit’s Mark. But it does not hurt either, at first. After a day, the bruise begins to ache. This is the curse as it starts to work. Because it is slowly disintegrating the filter. It is a long and painful way to lose your mind.

“The Rusine creates a temporary filter while it heals the natural one. When Hermione forgot to take the potion, that filter broke down and went away. What you saw today was a ceaseless cruciatus curse. That is what she felt.”

Hermione watched as Malfoy paled at this.

Teodora fell silent and the tovarasi all seemed to be lost in thought. Teodora glanced at the clock on the wall. “I must go. I have a third year class.”

They all stood silently, a sombre mood seemed to hang over the group. Hermione followed her classmates and Teodora out into the classroom. Their teacher bade them goodbye, telling them that she would come by every once in a little while to check on them and left.

Once the door closed behind her, the tovarasi wordlessly formed their usual circle without conscious thought. They stood silently, staring around at each other.

Hermione was tired. The pain she had been experiencing an hour ago felt like a horrible nightmare she hadn’t quite woken up from yet.

Malfoy was slowly regaining his lost colour and she noticed him looking at her across the circle, frowning. She stared back at him. She knew she should say thank you. He was the only one out of the group who was cold and hard enough to do what needed to be done to save her mind. But could she thank him for being cold and hard? No. Could she thank him for saving her sanity? Possibly. But not right then. She felt as if there were no words left in her mouth, like she wanted nothing more than to never talk again as long as she lived.

She wondered why he was staring at her so hard. Was he resentful that she wasn’t thanking him? She remembered his words from the beginning of the previous week. What do you want, Granger? A hug? She could say the same to him now. It was about time he saved someone’s life.

Juliet suddenly stepped forward, interrupting Hermione’s thoughts. “I'd like to make an official motion.” they all chuckled at her use of language, “In light of what’s just happened, I think we should make a wizard’s oath right here and now that what we’ve learnt about each other in the last week, will never be repeated to anyone outside the tovarasi. Nor will anything we learn in the future.” her eyes swept around the circle as everyone remained silent, “How do these things work again? Doesn’t someone need to second my motion?”

“Actually you need four. Officially that is. And are we considering Teodora as part of the tovarasi?” said Eli.

They all nodded after a moment of thought and Ginny stepped forward. “Well I’ll second it.”

“I’ll third it.” said Padma.

“I’ll fourth it.” said Malfoy finally looking away from Hermione.

“Good. Ok well, wands out!” said Juliet. Hermione pulled her wand from the pocket of her robes and held it aloft in front of her.

“I swear that I will never share either the information I have already learned, nor the information I will learn about my fellow tovarasi with another soul outside the tovarasi, lest death take me or I am stripped of my magic.” said Juliet.

Hermione repeated Juliet’s words along with the rest of the group. Her wand tip glowed blue and a warmth spread through her hand as the oath was sealed.

Not one of them understood what they had just done and Hermione felt the weight of it press down on her shoulders. Teodora had said in their first lesson that they were tovarasi, but that hadn’t been true then, not really. They hadn’t been tovarasi until that moment. Until the moment that had made a wizard’s oath to remain loyal to each other. Hermione knew the words were different but the underlying message was the same, they’d promised loyalty and they’d promised to die for it.

Hermione sighed and sank to the floor. She felt Ginny’s body move to press against her and she lowered her head into the other girl’s lap, stretching her legs out. Her view was so shallow; her eyelids had morphed into iron gates that threatened to crash down over her eyes.

“It’s alright, Hermione,” she heard Ginny whisper, “You can sleep. We’re here.”

A/N I feel the need at this point to explain some things and provide some translations seeing as Teodora was speaking so much Romanian in this chapter. Responses to reviews below!

Afarit’s Mark: Afarit is a type of malevolent spirit. They are not minor disruptive spirits but are exceptionally dangerous, powerful, smart and malicious. They don’t like people. They possess powers of bilocation and can render themselves invisible if they choose. Their appearance is generally whatever they want it to be but they are generally described as huge and terrifying. Should they possess someone (which they are known to do) that person will show signs of psychosis. I suggest you look them up if you’d like to know more. They’re pretty cool in a scary way haha.

Translations (including words used in earlier chapters):

“…the denatura curse is... boala? Sick. It is sickness…”

Boala – sickness, denatura – distorted

Cazan – boiler/cauldron

“I am corcitura.”

Corcitura - halfblood

“… you are nascut din incuiati? Your parents are muggles?...”

Nascut din incuiati – born of muggles (yes there is actually a Romanian word for muggle! So cool.)

Rahat – shit

“Blaise, Draco! Vin si ajuta-ma! She needs to be in my office!”

Vin si ajuta-ma – come and help me

“No, Draco! Blaise! Trebuie sa va!!”

Trebuie sa va – you must

“Ce faci?! Nu sta acolo!! Sooth her! All of you! Offer her support!”

Ce faci? Nu sta acolo – what are you doing? don’t just stand there

“Fata proasta!” her fist connected with the floor with a crack that made everyone jump

Fata proasta – stupid girl

“Eu nu a luat-o potione! Ea se simte blestemul total! Filtrul este plecat!” the older woman shouted. -

She did not take her potion! She feels the curse totally! The filter is gone!

kain - Haha, I related to it too! But Hermione is such a know-it-all, imagine how it made her feel? I think it's because she has been bullied by Malfoy for years that she SHOULD be the better person. She should know better, I think. And that's basically what Teodora was saying. Hermione fought for the light, she's supposed to be incandescent with integrity lol (I actually address this in the next chapter a little).

Thanks for the love, again!

dh_reader - Ron's not really the bad guy, anymore than Hermione or Malfoy are. There's a protagonist here and that's the war and... Well you'll have to find out in future chapters hehe. You're actually the only person who came close to guessing why Hermione relapsed! Even some of my friends were calling me going, "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING TO HERMIONE!!" and it was torture holding onto the information lol. Now I can finally talk about it!!

Most certainly, I follow the books. There are a few bits and pieces taken from the movies (like the scar on Hermione's arm) but it is of the utmost importance to me that this story remains canon through and through. :D

Hope you liked the new chapter!

The quote at the beginning of this chapter is from Ani Difranco's song Cloud Blood. Her music has served as a huge inspiration for this piece. I own nothing. Thanks Ani!
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Victim of the Fall