Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Paths We Take	By : Luckycharms Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 18436 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That right goes to the AMAZING JK Rowling. No profit is made off this story. Shout out to Scorpia11 for being my awesome Beta!!

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
AN: Sorry for the confusion, I noticed that I had used the wrong period in this era and needed to correct it. I apologize for the mix up. Everything is still the same, just the time stamps and certain dialogue is being altered. Thank you!

Chapter 5- Take a Closer Look
11 Thousand Years Ago
Confused and trembling, Ginny and Hermione released their grips on each other and stood up, but before they could figure out where they had landed, Draco quickly pulled out his wand and charmed the shivering girls' clothing into something they would normally wear for winter at Hogwarts. Blaise followed suit and altered his and Draco's solider uniforms, so they were now wearing black jumpers, coats, and warm woolen slacks. He then transfigured their swords into gloves for both them and the girls, before changing everyone's shoes into warm boots.
"Seriously?" Ginny expressed in annoyance while zipping her feathery jumper. "That thing had to drop us in the middle of the Arctic, or Antarctic…or Russia…" she trailed off as she looked down at the sparkling snow, illuminated by the bright sun, while trying to think of other cold places around the world. "Canada?" she scrunched her brows.
"Holy mother of Merlin!" Hermione yelped in surprise when she looked down from the radiant sky sprinkling soft white snow, and at the trio staring at her with raised brows. However, before she made a sound, she pointed to an animal, larger than an elephant, standing directly behind the group. "Ice Age!" she exclaimed, and three pairs of eyes slowly turned as they backed up to stand closer to the curly-haired brunette, in absolute shock.
"OH, MY GODS! IT'S GOING TO KILL ME!" Blaise freaked out while scrambling to cower behind Draco in fear. "GET IT AWAY, GET IT AWAY!"
"It won't hurt you, Zabini" the Golden Girl claimed while staring in awe as she took a step forward and admired the Woolly Mammoth grazing in a small patch of green showing through the thin blanket of snow. But Ginny instinctively grabbed her arm and pulled her back, shocking the Gryffindor, and making the extinct beast raise its large curled tusks as it lifted its head from its meal, happily chewing away.
The mammal stared at them for a moment, as the group cautiously stepped backwards, before it lowered its head back down, and continued grazing as if the four weren't even there.
"C-c-can we get out of here n-now?" the Italian requested in a whimper while clinging to Draco's left arm apprehensively.
Shaking his limb free from his friend, Draco shook his head as he narrowed his brows; perplexed at his best mates' fear of the colossal Mammoth. Granted, he too was slightly terrified of the enormous animal, but at least he hid his concerns well enough.
Slowly walking away from the wild creature, who didn't seem to have any regards for the humans gawking at it, the students aimlessly made their way through the white dust on the ground looking for somewhere to rest after their long harrowing day.
Passing many animals that no longer existed, Blaise spotted a giant Ground Sloth in a barren tree and pointed to the mammal in amazement; stopping the group from advancing.
"Hey, it's a Sloth!" Ginny perked up. "Awe, it's so cute!"
"It sort of reminds me of Weasley…" Draco stated with a tilt of his head as he studied the furry face of the slow-moving animal. "Your brother, not you!" he quickly corrected when Ginny shot him a deadly glare.
"First Weasley ever recorded in history…" Blaise joked, but quickly lost the smirk when the redhead back handed his shoulder.
"Careful, Zabini" Hermione chuckled into her gloved hand. "Ground Sloths' claws are strong enough to tear apart tree branches. If Ginny is related to one, then I'm sure she will have no problem ripping you open stem to stern."
Blaise's eyes went wide as Ginny gave him an evil smile and crossed her arms; urging him to continue with a wave of her hand as Draco tried to hold back a laugh.
Continuing onward for another ten minutes, Hermione suddenly stopped walking when she heard Draco mention how he was confused as to why they were thrown back further instead of forward. She stood fixed in daze when a single thought burst to the forefront of her mind. Everyone looked back at her perplexed, when she slowly raised her eyes up to her peers. Rushing over to the Slytherin Prince, she quickly reached into the startled blonde's trousers, and pulled out the amulet.
"Okay honestly, Granger, you really need to warn me before you do that. Or better yet, stop doing it all together and just tell me what you need!" he claimed with a roll of his eyes. "What are you looking at? It's not about to jump us again is it?"
"Salazar, I hope it does!" Blaise declared while throwing his head back and groaning as he rubbed his arms for warmth. "Shite is freezing out here! I'd honestly rather go back to China!"
"Did any of you try a repairing charm on this?" she asked while holding the relic up. When the group gazed at each other before shaking their heads no, the brunette looked back down at the scarab and smiled widely. "So, either the charms I tried on it are working…which is honestly doubtful because they should have worked instantly, or…or the amulet is repairing itself!"
"What? Let me see!" Draco demanded while taking a step forward and grabbing the necklace out of the Gryffindor's hand. "You keep digging in my pockets without my permission, so don't get prissy with me for grabbing this from you" he said soundly when Hermione glared at him. Ignoring her anger, he began to examine the crack and realized that it had significantly shrunk. "So, does this mean we are almost home?"
"The stone is still missing, Malfoy" the brunette stated in irritation. "Which means, unless the thing can replace it entirely, we have to find the gem or get lucky enough for the relic to send us back to our own time."
"Okay, but what happens when the crack is fully sealed?" Ginny inquired while looking down at the beetle in the blonde Slytherins' hands.
"Maybe we'll stop apparating all over the damn world!" Blaise answered. "And hopefully it puts us somewhere warmer than this frozen death trap!"
"You really don't like the cold, do you?" Hermione chuckled softly.
"He hates it…" Draco added with a light scoff through his nose.
"Which is exactly why we should get out of here and into something less frigid!" the Italian demanded before rotating his body to continue walking; to where though, he had no idea.
After walking for close to two miles, everyone was freezing cold, hungry, and worn out. Taking a rest in front of a large boulder, Hermione searched through her beaded bag and sighed heavily when she realized they were out of grains.
"You guys…We need to figure out what we're going to do about food."
"What?" Draco asked confused as he stood up straight from his hunched over position. "Why?"
"Because we're out of rice…"
"Great!" Ginny stated in annoyance while throwing her hands into the air. "That's just fucking wonderful! Anything else we're low on? Because if dying in the bitter cold isn't enough, we're going to starve out here as well!"
"Can't we just hunt for food?" Blaise suggested while crossing his arms in front of him to try and keep warm.
"If you want to kill an innocent creature, Zabini, then be my fucking guest, but I'm not going to be responsible for the death of an animal!" the redhead snapped. She might eat meat, but there was no way she would want to see a creature die or even be the reason for it. As long as she didn't see the suffering, she would be okay.
"Ginny!" Hermione rebuked. "Calm down! It was a legitimate suggestion. You don't need to yell at him."
"It was a stupid suggestion!"
"No, it wasn't!" the dark-skinned wizard retorted. "We obviously need food and the only way we are going to get any out here is by hunting or scavenging! And since it's the damn Ice Age, I don't see us finding a farm to steal corn from any time soon! So, that leaves us with one option!"
"Okay, well first we need to find shelter from this cold before doing anything" Draco added authoritatively, hoping to stop the fight before it grew out of control. "Otherwise, we're not going to be able to hunt or scavenge," he looked to Ginny to make sure she heard him take both sides "anything. We need to make a fire and warm up, then figure out what to do. We can survive long enough without food, but we won't survive, if we don't build a fire."
"He's right Gin" the brunette claimed reluctantly; still unsure as to why she kept taking Draco's side. "We need to head closer to the mountains, which aren't that far…maybe a few miles or so. We can then set up the tents with wards and have less of a chance of running into large carnivorous animals."
"What the fuck is that?" Blaise yelped while pointing behind Ginny standing with her arms crossed in front of the boulder; throwing the whole conversation off as his hand trembled in terror.
The redhead slowly turned around as Draco and Hermione peered around her to see what had the Italian so unhinged. Softening her shoulders, Ginny chuckled with a shake of her head as she bent down and began to make a ticking sound with her tongue.
"It's just a cub, Zabini" she mentioned between clicks while flicking her finger to try and get the kitten to approach her. "It won't hurt you."
"Says you! That thing could very well be a carnivorous beast just like that T-Rex!"
"Uh, Red…" Draco began with an anxious voice. "That-that's not a just any cub…"
"Don't be ridiculous, Malfoy" she replied while turning her head back to the trio staring wide eyed ahead of her.
"Gin…I-I need you…to come here…." Hermione stated with a cracked voice while Draco slowly bent down to pull Ginny away from the cub; his eyes never wavering from the kittens' mother, growling angrily through her long, curved, saber-shaped feline teeth.
Thursday May 6th, 1999
Elizabeth Granger tossed and turned through the night as her husband slept peacefully beside her. She was used to him being able to sleep through just about anything, but the fact that their daughter was lost in the past, had her worried about how he could rest at such a troubling time.
Though the king size bed was the most comfortable mattress she had ever slept on in her entire life, Elizabeth still could not maintain her slumber. Every time she closed her eyes, she dreamt of where Hermione might be, and was deeply concerned on if she was alright.
Glancing down at her watch on her left wrist, she noted the time to be three am and decided that a nice cup of hot tea might help ease her mind. She knew how to call for a house-elf to bring her some, but she was not used to such magic and decided to gather the beverage on her own.
Removing the cloud-like quilt carefully, so not to wake her husband, Elizabeth crawled out of bed, lit the used candle set inside a silver chamber stick on the nightstand, and quietly opened the tall arched door. Stepping out into the darkness of the corridor with only a small flicker of light, dressed in a long flowing light blue night gown, she began to walk past sleeping portraits, and shook her head in awe of her surroundings. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever believe she would see the magic her daughter spoke so highly of and witnessing the alluring power behind every element of Malfoy Manor, had the muggle in absolute fascination.
Rounding the corner as she made her way towards the grand stairs near the front of the mansion, Elizabeth noticed a faint orange glow seeping out the bottom of the library doors. With her interest peaked, she gently rested a hand upon the entryway, and slowly pushed it open. Stepping inside, she looked around the breathtaking space before her eyes landed on a woman sitting on the floor in front of the low stage.
"Narcissa?" she whispered gently as she titled her body slightly to the left and covered the lambent flame with her hand to prevent it from going out.
"Who's there?" the witched asked, slightly startled, before turning her head to see the figure who disturbed her so abruptly. "Oh, Mrs. Granger…I apologize if I have awoken you. Are your accommodations satisfactory?" she inquired while rotating her head back and gazed down at the book resting in her lap. With only a few lit candle sticks to allow her to see, Narcissa continued to read, before glancing up at the map.
"Our chambers are wondrous, truly. And you did not wake me. I simply couldn't sleep" the brunette replied softly. "If-if I may…what has you awake at this hour?"
"I too couldn't find rest; so, I came back to reexamine my charms. I want to make sure everything is correct and see if I can possibly speed up the process…Come, sit" she urged while summoning a cushion from out of nowhere.
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment, before walking over to Lady Malfoy, and taking a seat next to her. Setting the chamber stick down in front of her, she glanced over at the book in Narcissas' lap and studied the language she couldn't read.
"Is that some sort of wizard dialect?" she questioned while examining the text.
Narcissa raised a brow as she slowly lifted her gaze to the muggle beside her.
"It's Latin…" she stated as a matter of fact. "We don't have our own language. We speak the main ones just like everyone else."
"Oh, sorry…I just-I just assumed…"
"It's quite alright, Mrs. Granger-"
"Elizabeth…" she requested while looking up at the woman whose black and white hair hung loosely over her right shoulder. "You have opened your home to my family and have shown great kindness while searching relentlessly for our children, Narcissa. You've earned the right to call me Elizabeth…or Liz, if you prefer."
"I appreciate that…Elizabeth, but please understand, I wasn't always so kind" the witch stated before looking back up to map of the world. "I am a woman of many things, but kindness has just recently become one of my traits…and I have no one to blame but myself."
"No one is perfect. Lord knows, I'm surely not. We have all made mistakes in our lives, but if we learn from them, we can eventually find forgiveness in ourselves."
"If you knew of the deeds I have done and the lies I have told, you would not be saying such things."
"I know enough" Liz shrugged as she played with the hem of her nightgown. "The real question, however, is do you forgive yourself for what you have done?" Elizabeth halted for a brief period of time, as she waited for the woman to answer. When Narcissa didn't, she sighed deeply before pressing on. "Forgiveness of ones' self, to me, is most important. It should be done well before asking forgiveness from others…"
"I'm working on it…" Lady Malfoy claimed as she lowered her head and pretended to keep reading.
"I know it is not my place but…do you have a list, like I know your son does? Quite similar in fact, to my daughters'…"
"Hermione has one…as well?" Narcissa questioned curiously; wondering why the Gryffindor Golden Girl would need forgiveness from anyone.
"She does" Elizabeth nodded. "Draco is number two, apparently…and it's not the same kind of list as his. She is supposed to try and forgive him for afflicting so much pain in her life. I do believe she truly wants to, with the way she spoke about him, but she has yet to pardon the person who rests at the top. The one person that matters most above all."
"And who may I ask, is number one?"
"Herself…" Liz replied gently as her gaze flitted from her night gown and up to the surprised blue eyes staring directly at her. "Hermione blames herself for your son singling her out. She knew she couldn't change being a muggle-born and she knew that Draco thought the same thing. However, he still bullied her, and her understanding became more of something she did to upset him, than what he saw her as."
"I suspect that it is mine and Lucius's fault for Draco being the way he is…was. I did not help either with preventing the ideals his father planted in his mind. If anything, I made it worse by not showing him the love he so rightly deserved as a child. I should have done more to stop the hate my family instilled in me on to him. But I and even Draco, would have been wiped off the family tree."
"Can I give you my honest opinion…Narcissa?" the muggle asked softly while tilting her head forward slightly to view the face of the woman sitting hopelessly beside to her. But when the Malfoy didn't answer, she continued anyway. "You're a mother…and no matter what you may or may not have encouraged into your son, you still love him. And that love helped changed his ways just enough to not inform your sister of who Harry really was and save your family from certain death; on more than one occasion. You both may have watched Hermione through the torment she received in this manor, but I was told that she could tell neither of you wanted to. Which gives me the idea that what happened that day…is what is preventing you from forgiving yourself, not the ideals placed on Draco."
"We didn't want anyone to get hurt" Narcissa stated with watery eyes as she tried her best to hold back the tears begging to burst through. "And I as much as the mother in me wanted to protect her I-I-I couldn't…So…Draco did." Elizabeth jolted back slightly at the confession she never thought she would hear, with a mixture of surprise and confusion written all over her face. Narcissa glanced at the woman as a single tear slipped down her cheek, and she knew it was finally time to share her son's biggest secret. "My sister…Salazar, she was a ruthless, spiteful, vile woman, but she was taught the Dark Arts by none other than the Dark Lord himself. There wasn't a dark spell or charm she didn't master. She even taught Draco Occlumency…a way to prevent anyone from entering your mind" she explained when Elizabeth raised a perplexed brow. "A feat that is very difficult to learn and the spell he used strongly that day…Your daughter…should have been in more pain than she was."
"Wh-what are you saying?"
"I'm saying…With the position I was in, I couldn't protect her without anyone noticing. However, Draco…could. And he did."
"I-I don't understand. You're telling me that your son-"
"Placed a spell, similar to that of a shield charm, over Hermione…" Narcissa admitted factually before lowering her head and began to touch the page of the book she was studying with her palm. "He had to make it weak, so not to draw attention, but strong enough to prevent each curse that was thrown, from causing long term damage. He then blocked that part of his mind off from anyone ever finding out, including Bellatrix, who tried to break him in to telling her why Hermione wasn't dead after all the curses she had used. She performed almost every torture technique she could without killing him…The Cruciatus Curse being her favorite" she scoffed lightly while wiping away a shed tear from her cheek. "But he never let her in."
"But…Hermione never spoke of him shielding her" Elizabeth stated as her watery eyes darted back and forth; thinking hard on if her daughter had ever mentioned the boy helping her.
"She wouldn't…because she doesn't know. And both Draco and I thought it best that she remains in the dark about the action. With everything he had put her through over the years, we did not want Hermione or anyone else for that matter, to think he protected her to gain mercy when the Dark Lord fell…Considering, we knew he would fall…It was just a matter of when."
"I-I think I'm going to need that tea I originally planned to get before stopping in here…"
"Chamomile, I believe, will work best. I'll have Keesy brew us some before doing anything else…I'm sure you have a few questions after everything I just told you."
"Yes…" the muggle woman state softly while gazing unseeingly at the floor in front of her. "Th-that would be nice."
XX
"Is this really what you rich lot eat for breakfast…every day?" Ron asked while staring down at his full English breakfast in excitement. "I could get used to this!" Molly Weasley shook her head with a light scoff, making Ron glance up at her from across the table in shock, and clear his throat in embarrassment. "But nothing compares to your cooking, mum!" he quickly blurted out as his cheeks flushed, before lowering his head in shame.
"Well," Narcissa began with a pleasant smile "how did everyone sleep? Comfortable, I hope?" she inquired while taking a graceful bite of her eggs.
"The rooms are lovey" Molly answered as politely as she could after averting her glare from her son. "Thank you again for accommodating all of us. I don't presume you get very many house guests since the war…No disrespect."
"None at all" the witch replied while holding a forced smile upon her lips. "It's my pleasure to have you all here. Since Draco and Blaise have returned to Hogwarts," she turned her attention away from the Weasley mother and gently set her fork down before wiping her hands eloquently against the cloth napkin resting on her lap "the manor has been…lonely." She looked up and placed her forearms neatly on the edge of the table. "I do have the house elves to keep me company and I plan to re-establish our annual Christmas Ball in December. So, it won't be too much longer until the house is full again."
"Uh…Narcissa?" Elizabeth spoke as she tried to change the subject to defuse the tension building between the two women. "I was wondering, um…h-how will the map work again? You never fully explained it to us."
The elder Malfoy turned her spiteful glare away from Molly, who she thought should have been much more appreciative of the hospitality given to her and looked to Elizabeth while pulling her arms back and lifting her fork once more.
"Simple" she began while licking her lips graciously. "Last night I placed a few extra charms on the map to help us find the children a bit quicker. After breakfast, I need to collect a few drops of blood from a family member of each of the missing. I will then preform an ancient locator spell that has been used to track bloodlines throughout the Black and now Malfoy, family history. Once that is complete, the map will flip through the eras until it locates the children."
"Okay, but we haven't figured out yet how to bring them back…" Pansy chimed in. "Finding them isn't going to do us any good if we can't bring them home."
"Parkinson's right" Harry added as he ignored the food sitting in front of him; too anxious to eat anything and ready to begin their search.
"What about Blaise's mum?" Theo questioned after swallowing a bite of sausage. "Cause for all we know they might not even be together."
"I have already requested for Valky to find that horrid woman and nip a bit of blood for me" Lady Malfoy replied cordially.
"Isn't that considered…assault?" Robert asked with a curious brow.
"Who's going to tell on a Malfoy?" Arthur laughed into his napkin, but quickly lost the smile when his wife glowered angrily at him., "What I mean to say," he cleared his throat "is no one is going to say anything. And it's for a just cause. We need to find Mr. Zabini just as much as the rest" the wizard claimed before leaning to his right and nudging Harry with his leg. "Do you think if we find a way to contact them, they would bring back some muggle artifacts? I would love to get my hands on-"
"No!" Harry cut in roughly.
"Fair enough…" Arthur state while tilting back in disappointment as everyone looked at him oddly.
"I'm heading off to the Library to study, if anyone needs me" Harry said sullenly while standing up at the opposite end of the table from Narcissa. "See if maybe we can get to them, instead of the other way around."
"That's bloody brilliant, Harry!" Ron declared proudly. "I'll come with!" the redhead stood up before pausing and looking down at his plate. "Can I bring thi-"
"If you damage anything in that library with your food," the Malfoy witch cut in firmly "I will personally see to it that your mother's disciplinary actions are the least of your worries."
"Understood" Ron gulped before slowly removing the half-eaten plate off the table to carry with him. He rushed out of the Dining Hall, faster than anyone could say Quidditch, to prevent his mother from saying no. Shortly after the redhead left, Elizabeth turned her gaze to Narcissa and cleared her throat.
"Would it be possible for us to contact them where they are?" she inquired gently as she lowered her left arm and entwined her fingers through her husbands.
"It's possible…" Molly answered before Narcissa had a chance to reply, making everyone's eyes turn to her instead. "Though, it's incredibly difficult magic, and without knowing where the children are…makes it even more challenging."
The group that remained at the breakfast table, continued to discuss the new topic as they finished their meal before Narcissa stood while her house elves cleared the empty plates.
"I think it is time we head to the Library. I feel leaving Potter and Weasley to do all the research is quite unfair" she claimed with a delicate tone while internally praying to Salazar that Ron hadn't destroyed her work or the system, she had spent hours setting up.
Pleistocene Epoch- Ice Age
"C-can we run now?" Ginny desperately asked while staring straight into the jaws of the large feline, who was angry that anyone dare get close to her cub. She clutched the back of Draco's jumper in terror as she hid behind him while Hermione clung to his arm in fear. Blaise even hid slightly behind the Slytherin Prince, making the blonde question the loyalty and bravery, of his classmates.
"No!" Hermione expressed in ragged whisper while trusting her friend to stay where she was. "If you run, it will chase you, and if she chases you…we're all dead."
"Oh yeah, Granger? What gave you that idea?" the dark-skinned wizard argued as his panicked defense mechanism reared its ugly head. "The two overly long pointed teeth sticking out from the sides of its mouth or the sharp claws big enough to rip open our stomachs and release our entrails into the fresh white snow?" he snapped, but quickly startled backwards as the sabre tooth tiger issued a deep growl.
"Okay" Draco said with a shaky voice as he tried to take control of the situation. He slowly brought out his wand from the inside of his black coat and pointed it at the animal taking leisurely large steps closer to the group hidden behind him. "Everyone just…slowly…back away. If we show, we aren't a threat then she won't attack…maybe."
"Maybe?" Ginny challenged discernibly.
"Yeah, well you get what you can take" he replied with a quick tilt of his head before taking a slow step backwards, forcing the rest of his group to follow.
However, the sabre was not happy with the four standing terrified and shaking before it and released a screeching roar before charging at them at full force. Without thinking, Draco threw a stunning charm while the three people uncomfortably clinging to him, retreated.
Stumbling back, the blonde scrambled to catch up to his peers, who were running as fast as their feet could carry them, as the tiger lay almost lifeless on the snow-covered tundra behind him. He never once looked back while the small cub nudged its mother, hoping to wake her, but at least he knew he didn't change time by killing the beast.
The group continued to run as they tried their best to escape, in case the animal roused prematurely from its stunned status, and only stopped when they saw an entrance to a hollow, buried deep in karst. Catching their breaths, they looked at each other, silently questioning whether they should take the risk before slowly entering the large dry cavern. Pulling out their wands and casting the Lumos charm, they lit up the dark cave and glanced around at the items throughout.
A small burned out fire pit, rested in the center as crude stone tools, axes, spears, and bones laid scattered upon the floor. Thick furry hides laid neatly drying over crossed wooden beams standing erect by the coarse stone walls. Etched and stained along the wide grey stone were strange handmade drawings, roughly carved and dyed to depict possible life stories.
"Wait…" Ginny spoke up, breaking the silence that had enveloped the cave "did-did humans live during this time?"
"Yes…my guess," Hermione chimed as she studied the graphic paintings "either Neanderthals or-or Homo sapiens, judging by the art staining the surface of the rocks."
"Just so we're clear," Blaise inquired with a raised brow while holding a makeshift knife in his hand that he had just picked up off the ground "you're saying…that the first humans to roam the earth…had to live through this never-ending winter?"
But before the brunette could answer, a loud screech echoed through the hollow causing the four to look fearfully towards the entrance.
"W-we should probably put up some charms before that sabre tooth seeks revenge for me stunning it" Draco stated with a quivering jaw.
"That sounds like a good idea" Ginny agreed as she stared wide-eyed at the opening.
"What if whoever lives here, comes back?" Blaise questioned with a shaking voice.
"Then they won't be able to enter until we leave…" the curly-haired witch answered, "which I hope, is really soon."
XX
After starting a fire and placing warming charms on each other, Ginny and Hermione began to set up wards while Draco and Blaise searched the den for food. Luckily the boys found raw scraps of some sort of animal hidden in the back of the cave and began to cook it while the girls started erecting the protection barrier.
"You know" the redhead stated while lowering her wand in annoyance "just because he pulled me away from that tiger thing and is trying to be nice, doesn't mean I forgive him."
"Gin, seriously?" Hermione complained while throwing her head back in discontent. "Where is this coming from? No one even mentioned Malfoy."
"Yeah well, I mean look at him! He thinks trying to be helpful, is going to earn him points for turning us into actual whores!"
"Merlin's beard, Gin, he said he was sorry. Let it go, for Godric's sake" the brunette exclaimed, but only loud enough for Ginny to hear. At least she thought her defense of the blonde Slytherin wasn't heard by anyone else. However, both Draco and Blaise could clearly hear every word, but pretended not to listen as they cooked the foreign meat over the flames. "We both slapped him, pretty hard I might add, and I'm fairly certain he learned his lesson. He is going through this mess just like the rest of us and he didn't know that his actions to try and help the situation, would turn out the way it did. If we keep fighting over things like this, then we are never going to survive out here."
Ginny pursed her lips and crossed her arms with a soft scoff as she thought about what her friend was saying. Though she wanted to stay mad at Draco for his careless action, Hermione was right, she just didn't want to admit it.
Clicking her tongue against her cheek, Ginny released a huff before walking off to see how the boys were fairing with the food. Hermione sighed quietly while turning around to finish her charm before venturing over to the fire; completely unaware that she had forgotten to place a muggle repelling ward due to Ginny's brief rant about the Malfoy heir.
The group ate lunch in silence as Draco tried his best to not look at the brunette who had once again defended him. He wanted to thank her for standing up for him, but he knew it was pointless. She would never see him as anything more than just a guy she was trapped in the past with. Once they made it home, if they could make it home, they would most likely go their separate ways and only speak to each other in passing. The school year was up in just a few weeks, and it was highly unlikely Hermione would ever be his friend after she reconnected with Harry and Ron; though he wouldn't mind being hers.
As the hours passed, Hermione and Blaise decided to explore the contents of the den as Draco studied the caveman-like drawings on a wall opposite the pair. He wasn't really focused on what was painted so much as thinking about how to get either of the girls to trust him, when Ginny stepped up and looked at the wall. She didn't say a word as he glanced to her and lowered his hand from his chin. Taking a deep breath, he turned to the redhead, who pretended to ignore him, and exhaled slowly.
"Red…I-"
"Save it, Malfoy" she cut in crudely while gazing over the art like she was interested in it. "Mione already talked to me" she claimed while turning her gaze to the blonde. "I am still royally pissed at you but…I understand what you were trying to do."
"I really am sorry."
"Yeah, I know" she replied, softening her shoulders as she realized she couldn't really stay mad at Draco since he had saved her life twice now. "Please stop apologizing or I'll have to hit you again."
"Alright" Draco responded while holding his hands up in defense. "I get it, I'll stop." Without saying another word, Ginny spun on her heel and made to walk off before Draco stopped her while a single thought on how to make things up to the witch, filled his mind. "But next time you want to hit someone…do it with a closed fist. It holds more weight behind it." The redhead raised a brow before looking down at her right hand and slowly closed it tightly. Draco shook his head and scoffed slightly as he walked up to the witch and grasped her wrist with his left palm. "Do you want to break a finger?" he inquired with a smirk as he pulled her thumb out of her clenched fist.
"What are you going to teach me how to punch someone now?" she questioned with suspicion radiating her voice.
"I could…if you want me too. It's not hard to learn."
"Do I even want to know how you learned to fight?" she asked with a raised brow.
"Do you want to learn or not?" he replied with a hint of annoyance in his tone, his past was his own and he had no intention on sharing it with anyone. "Because I'm sure it can be useful if we get stuck in an era where you might end up needing to protect yourself without your wand. I am willing to show you some basics, but I'm not going to waste my time if you're not serious about it."
"Okay, alright" she claimed with raised hands. "You can teach me a few things…"
It took Draco until after nightfall to teach the redhead much of what he knew after she had gotten into the zone and wanted to learn everything she possibly could. With the few hours they spent sparing, he had taught her everything from punching to take-downs, though he was strongly regretting the latter parts.
Lying on his back as sweet blessed air refilled his lungs, Draco panted hard as Ginny stood over him with an outstretched hand to help him stand. Letting her assist his tired and wounded body up, he smirked proudly as he stood and brushed the dirt from his trousers.
"Okay you two" Blaise announced while standing by the fire. "As much as Granger and I enjoy watching Red beat the shite out of you, Draco, we sort of want to eat so, soup's up. Cleanse your hands before grabbing a bowl of this…well whatever this is" he glanced down at the transfigured pot resting over the flames with a curious look. "I don't know if you can even really call it soup actually…since there's no vegetables…or seasoning…or-"
"They get it, Zabini" Hermione cut in while inhaling sharply. "It's just meat and a makeshift broth. Take it or leave it, I really couldn't care less."
"Granger, I'll eat just about anything you make right now."
"Then shut up and eat, Zabini" she smirked as she rolled her eyes.
"Hey…" Draco began as the brunette began to pour them all a serving of the soup "does anyone have any idea as to why I am suddenly broke?"
"I'm sorry" Ginny pipped in as she lifted her spoon just shy of her lips "did you say you're broke?" she chuckled while lowering the utensil in her hand. "I never thought I'd see the day where Malfoy had no money! What did you lose your pouch back in museum? Couldn't hold onto your money like you couldn't take the beating I handed you?"
"Ha-ha, not to rain on your parade, Red" he retorted with a sneer "but my pouch is connected directly to my family vault, and now I only have two Galleons in my bag from when I made that bet with Theo and Blaise. Something is not right and for all we know, we might jump to an era where we are going to need money."
"Wait" Hermione stopped pouring her bowl and looked to Draco with a raised brow "you said it's connected to your family vault?"
"Yeah…"
"Malfoy" she scoffed with a light chuckle "We are thousands of years in the past. Your family line most likely hasn't even been born yet. Your riches don't exist right now. Not until way later."
"That…would explain it…" he said while tilting his head.
"Try not to worry about it right now. I am sure we'll be just fine without it."
Pondering what the brunette had stated, Draco still feared they would end up in a time where they would need his money to get out of a sticky situation, or at least find somewhere to stay if it came down to it. And although he knew the others had money, he was the one with the Galleons to spare, and it wouldn't even put a dent in his weekly allowance. He was also the only one that he knew of, where his pouch connected straight to the source without the need to visit a bank and convert anything. He simply only needed to think of the type of money he desired, and it was always there. But now as he sat on the stone floor, basically bankrupt, his thoughts drifted as his peers talked without a care in the world, in front of him.
After the bland dinner, the group decided to get some rest and hoped the amulet would wait to suck them into oblivion…or at least until they had some time to gather themselves. But as Hermione and Ginny sat down on the hard floor, after using the cushioning charm, Draco and Blaise pursed their lips and crossed their arms.
"Should we cuddle together…purely for warmth that is?" the Italian suggested slyly while nudging his blonde friend with his shoulder.
"I'm not cuddling with you" Draco quickly replied as the girls chuckled into their hands. "I'd rather freeze to death then sleep next to you again. You snore louder than a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."
"But…they don't exist…" Blaise stated with a scrunched nose.
"Only Luna believes they do" Ginny added. "Unless, you believe in that imaginary creature too…Malfoy."
"No! It was a-no, you know what, forget it. I'm still not cuddling with him again."
"Again?" Hermione inquired while folding in her lips as she tried not to laugh.
"So, back in China?" the dark-skin wizard began. "That night…meant nothing to you?" he ticked loudly as if offended by the words coming out of his friends' mouth.
"I…hate all of you" Draco scoffed while rolling his eyes, before walking away to sit against the wall; distancing himself from the snickering group.
XX
Huddled together in the middle of the night, Draco watched as his peers slept peacefully next to each other. Blaise being the closest one to him, was snoring loudly as Ginny's back pressed up against him. She too apparently snored, and both were driving the Slytherin Prince insane, but at least now he knew why the redhead never heard her friend's sobs back in China. However, Hermione didn't seem to hear them as Ginny spooned her and appeared to be in a restful sleep. She didn't move or whimper from a nightmare, nor did she snore either, which made the blonde grateful that he wasn't tormented by three heavily wheezing people.
Though, through the coldness of the large open cave, he thought strongly about giving in and cuddling next to the group sleeping soundly while wrapped in the pelts they'd pulled from the racks. He didn't want to, but his arse was beginning to grow numb from sitting on the hard surface, and he refused to use another warming charm in fear of getting too used to it. Exhaling a deep sigh, he stood up and walked around to the other side of the bodies lined up in a neat row, before preforming the cushioning spell a few meters away from the Gryffindor Princess.
Not wanting to wake anyone, he rolled over and hoped being closer to the group would warm him a little better. As he lay on the stone floor, Draco wished he could light a fire, but the bookworm said they shouldn't just in case it drew unwanted visitors. The saber from earlier apparently did want revenge and had tracked them, along with her pride, to the cave. However, just because they couldn't enter, didn't mean the animals didn't know a meal awaited inside and still angrily paced the entrance…praying for the humans nestled within to exit.
While the Slytherin wrapped his arms around himself, Hermione pretended to sleep. She had heard the blonde softly walk around the group and watched him lay down about three feet away from her, though he apparently didn't know she had been awake for hours now, scared to sleep from the nightmares that plagued her mind.
She saw him shivering, but she didn't want to speak up and tell him it was okay to sleep by her. It wasn't like the action would mean anything significant, but she figured Draco Malfoy of all people, would rather not sink to the depths of using her body heat. It was one thing to have a conversation with her and joke around, it was a completely different ball game to suggest he cuddle next to her.
But as the minutes ticked by, the brunette witch struggled to drift off. All she could think about was how Draco was freezing all alone and most likely not getting the rest he needed. Ginny was already snoring loudly into Hermione's ear so she no longer thought that helping the blonde stay warm would hurt any, especially with the other's unable to witness the odd interaction and question her reasoning. After all the worst he would do is push her away and she could go right back to the warm embrace of her red-headed friend.
However, when she slowly slipped out from under Ginny's arm, the redhead turned over and cradled herself adeptly into Blaise's chest, leaving her exit plan useless. Giving in, since she was already half-way there, Hermione took the large animal hide she was using and scooted her body over to Draco. Laying the pelt over top of him, with enough to cover herself as well, she laid down and pressed her back up against the curved muscles of the Slytherin Prince.
Draco froze for a moment when he felt the pressure of someone pressing their body to his and knew instantly that it was Hermione. Refusing to dwell on how he instinctively knew it was the curly-haired witch, he quickly relaxed as he took in the heavenly warmth of her body. Any other day, he would have pushed the Gryffindor away from him, to protect his image and his ego, but after the hell they had been through, he reveled in the kindness that was given to him. He knew the brunette witch didn't have to sleep next to him, but he was grateful she chose to comfort him in his time of need, even though he was the one responsible for most of the pain she had endured. Her simple act of kindness gave him pause as a flicker of genuine happiness lit inside his blackened soul, something he thought he'd never feel again after all he had witnessed during the war.
Thursday May 6th, 1999
"Okay! I'm here!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed while exiting the fireplace in the back of the Library and a holding a folded-up bit of parchment in her hand. "I received your Owl Molly, what did you find?"
Molly quickly met the Headmistress in the center of the room and grabbed her wrist before dragging her towards the study area.
"What do you know about astral projection?" Harry inquired as the witch stood before him completely caught off guard. The rest of the group looked to the stunned professor as they awaited her answer, hopeful that she could help. "The magical kind" Harry continued when McGonagall shook her head in confusion. "The kind that can transport a spirit-like presence to any time period?"
"H-How do you know about that sort of magic? It's not even found in the-ahh, never mind" she answered when she remembered where she was. "That is considered Dark Magic, Mr. Potter and it takes an extreme amount of energy. The kind a single wizard like yourself, could not give out alone. You would need a lot of people to help you."
"Like everyone here?" Ron asked while crossing his fingers at his side.
"Yes, this would be a good amount, but-"
"But nothing, Professor" Theo chimed in. "Our friends are lost, and it is all my fault. If there is even a sliver of a chance that we can figure out where they are and speak to them, then that is a chance I am willing to take. So, can the amount of people in this room, send Potter back in time to ask Granger if she knows what we can do to help them on our end?"
"Yes, Mr. Nott. But I have to warn you…" McGonagall sighed softly "this is no easy task. If not done correctly or Mr. Potter stays in the spirit state for too long…he could very well perish."
"Die?" Neville said in surprise. "I don't want him to die."
"What you're asking is nothing like what muggle's do in their sleep. You are quite literally pulling your spirit out of your body for a short time. If the person projecting doesn't pull back in time, they can become stuck outside of their body with no way back" she explained apprehensively.
"So, in other words," Pansy added as a matter of fact "Potter's body would crumble without his spirit. With nothing to host it and give it function, he would be locked into a coma until his body gave in."
The group of people standing in the room went quiet as the realization of what they wanted to do, washed over them. No one said a word as they all contemplated the seriousness of the dark magic, and no one moved an inch as their eyes flitted back and forth between each other.
"I'll do it" Harry stated strongly, even though every part of his mind was screaming no. "Our friends are possibly going through much worse right now and we need to do everything we can to help them."
"Harry" Elizabeth mutter gently.
"This is your daughter that is missing too, Mrs. Granger" the raven-haired boy claimed with watery eyes. "We won't mess up, will we Professor?" he asked while flicking his gaze to McGonagall. "We'll do everything right. We'll study the entire passage until our eyes bleed and then we will perform the spell-"
"Ritual..." Luna corrected sweetly.
"Whatever" Harry continued. "We will study everything down to a science and find our friends."
Before anyone could say anything, a loud pop erupted in the room startling everyone at the sudden noise that interrupted the eerie quiet.
"Madam Malfoy," Valky the house elf bowed. "I has obtained whats you asked of me, I's did. Was not easy, no. Ms. Zabini dids not give it's to Valky quietly. She scream a lot and I's feel Valky has gone deaf in his ear" he said while rubbing his floppy left ear with his long thin fingers.
"Thank you Valky" Narcissa said kindly as she took a vial from the elf's hand. "You may go now. And do have Piskey heal your ear before continuing with your chores." With another loud pop after bowing once more, the house elf quickly disapparated away as Narcissa examined the small glass bottle filled with a few droplets of blood. She then lowered the vial and looked to group with determination. "Let's make sure the map works before doing anything else, alright? We can discuss it all once we at least figure out what year they are in."
"And if we don't?" Ron asked with a small wave of his hand. "Figure out the year first, that is?"
"Then we will study everything we can before preforming the ritual" Lady Malfoy sighed deeply. "It will be more difficult without the year or even the location, though not entirely impossible."
Walking up to the large map, Narcissa summoned three empty vials before pulling out the dagger from her person. After pricking her own finger and dispensing the blood into one of the glasses, she cleansed the blade before turning to Mrs. Weasley, and Mrs. Granger. However, she was a little too overjoyed at stabbing the red-headed mother in the finger and watching her wince in slight pain, caused a small smirk to spread across her lips.
After filling the vials with a few drops of blood, she faced the map and exhaled slowly before bringing out her wand. The elder Malfoy began to chant in a mixture of Latin and what McGonagall believed to be French, while syphering the blood onto the wall. Four small pools of red liquid formed a dotted ring as Narcissa continued her incantations. Once she was done, the witch stepped back as the large group watched and waited, for something to happen.
It took eleven, long dragged out, seconds before the blood began to rotate in a circle and emit a bright golden glow, forcing everyone to shield their eyes momentarily. The light then quickly vanished, revealing the red droplets merged into a single pool of blood no bigger than the size of an American quarter.
As the group leaned forward to see where the pool lay, the date marked in the top right-hand corner of the map, began flipping through the years backwards at a rapid speed. The contents on the map seemed to have stayed the same as decades came and went, worrying everyone as to how far back the missing really were. The date kept going however with no clues or hints as to when it would stop. The blood though, stayed where it was, waiting patiently until the map was at a standstill.
Pleistocene Epoch- Ice Age
Pulling the hide close to his chest, Draco awoke to the crackling of a fire and lifted his head to see Hermione cooking breakfast quietly as Blaise and Ginny slept. He pondered if he should sit up and say something about what had happened the night before, but he figured the bookworm most likely thought he was asleep. If he brought up the topic of what she did, he was afraid he might embarrass her in some way.
Ignoring the pressing questions bombarding his mind, the Slytherin Prince stayed where he was until the pair snuggling next to each other, just behind him, awoke. It didn't take long for Ginny to wake up and notice whose arms she was sleeping in as her eyes grew wide and she quickly pulled away.
Standing up, the redhead rushed over to Hermione and sat down, pretending she never woke in Blaise's arms. As the two witches talked quietly in front of the small fire, they both suddenly stopped and looked to the entrance of the cave. Both Draco and Blaise opened their eyes when they heard the hushed tones of the girls abruptly halt and lifted their heads in surprise when they realized why.
Standing in the entryway of the large den, stood a figure of a man holding a dead wolf over his shoulder. He was clothed in animal skin to keep warm and wore a makeshift belt with stone tools around his waist. His head was uncovered but his unruly dark brown hair swung carefree in his face. The man seemed angry as he dropped the wolf carcass to the stone floor and took a step forward. It was then, that the group realized the muggle repelling charm was not placed.
"We are so sorry!" Ginny began as she and the curly-haired brunette slowly stood. "We didn't mean to…"
Realizing the man couldn't understand her, the redhead quickly scrambled for her wand in a panic and placed it against her temple. She tried the language charm and began to speak again, but when the human tilted his head, obviously perplexed, she tried again in a different dialect.
"W-why isn't the spell working?" the redhead asked, clearly in distress as Blaise and Draco walked over to the girls; ready to defend them if necessary.
"We are eleven thousand years in the past…" Hermione weakly stated, her eyes never wavering from the burly human in the entryway. "Language, that we're u-used to, hasn't been created yet…o-or at least not in the way we think. We can't speak to him because we don't know what he can understand."
The man's brow furrowed in confusion as his gaze fixed upon Hermione's reflective beaded bag. His darkened irises followed it as she spoke with her hands causing it to sway to and fro in the firelight. Desire spread over his face moments before he lunged at the curly-haired brunette, clearly finding her the least intimidating by her petite stature.
Realizing what was happening mere seconds before the impact, Draco pushed Hermione out of the way before swinging his left arm back and punching the human square in the eye. The dark-haired man stumbled back in surprise before refocusing his attention on what he assumed to be the alpha of the group. Determining he needed to incapacitate their leader, he lunged at Draco as Ginny grasped a hold of Hermione's shoulders in an effort to keep her from joining the brawl. The blonde might have taught her a few moves, but the redhead was nowhere near the skill set Draco was and felt that she and Hermione would do more harm than good if they tried to jump in.
While the two men fought in the open area surrounding the fire pit, the pack of saber's awoke from their slumber and resumed their pacing just beyond the cave's entrance. Blaise worried his lip, contemplating on whether or not to join in, as Draco and the unknown man traded blows, knocking knuckles against torso's and arms as they each grappled for the upper hand. Draco's seeker reflexes came in handy as he repeatedly dodged his attackers' swings.
It seemed as if the blonde Slytherin had the advantage as he backed the brute several paces, with well-aimed hits to his abdomen, towards the barrier wards before a sudden blow connected with his jaw and sent him stumbling backwards. He nearly tripped over the bundle of furs they'd used as blankets but regained his footing just as Blaise grabbed the broad shoulders of the man, pulling him away before he could launch himself atop the pale boy.
Surprised by the sudden ambush the human elbowed Blaise hard in the ribs before the two knocked into the pile of tools and roughly hewn spears. However, the Italian was unused to fighting for his life without a weapon and was soon overpowered by the larger man as he slammed him into the cave wall, causing him to see stars dancing before his eyes as he crumpled to the stone floor.
Ginny cried out in fear for her newfound friend and instantly released Hermione before rushing to Blaise's side to check on him. For a moment no one moved as every eye was trained on the dark-skinned man lying unconscious, his head cradled in the redhead's lap. Hermione couldn't breathe as she stood in shock with wide eyes, waiting for Blaise to stand up…or at least move a finger…or even twitch his nose.
But before she could witness his gasp of breath or hear the groan emit from Blaise's lips, the dark-haired man turned to advance on her once again, intent on collecting his prize attached to her wrist. She stepped back in fear and just as she felt her spine press against the stone wall, an animalistic roar tore from Draco's throat as he barreled into the human's side, knocking him to the ground. Using his position to his advantage, the Malfoy heir began repeatedly striking the man…drawing blood from his brow and lip as his fist made contact again and again.
Glancing briefly towards Ginny and Blaise, Hermione exhaled sharply in relief as she noticed the black-haired boy sitting up and rubbing the back of his head as he groaned in pain. But her eyes only lingered long enough to be sure he was alive before turning back to the fight looming ever nearer the wards.
A look of horror overtook her features as the human suddenly snatched up a rock and struck Draco upside his head, catching everyone in the cave off-guard as the blonde fell over in pain. Blood seeped through his fingers and down the side of his face as he grasped his head and groaned aloud.
Without bothering to pause, the human jumped on top of the pale blonde boy with a knife clutched in his hand, poised to strike as Hermione screamed in fear. Though his vision was blurry, Draco could still see something sharp held in the man's hand and barely blocked the initial blow that cut through the air. His long pale fingers wrap around the burly human's wrists as he struggled to keep the knife tip from grazing his skin.
Draco's arms started to shake from exhaustion as sweat beaded over his forehead and melded with his blood before slipping into his pale blonde hair. As every eye was trained on the brutal match before them, no one noticed the faint pulsing green glow emanating from the beaded bag, signifying the next jump.
Gathering her courage as she noticed the strain stretch over Draco's face, Hermione rushed forward and began to punch the man's fur covered back repeatedly as she screamed for him to leave the blonde alone. Her hits were strong, but unfortunately not strong enough to distract the man from trying to kill the blonde underneath him. The human grunted and shoved the brunette backwards with one hand…knocking her to the floor and winding her all in one go as if she was just an annoying bug fluttering around his face.
Deciding enough was enough the fiery witch rose from the ground and withdrew her wand. Just as she aimed the tip at the man's back the pair rolled and struggled once again for power as Draco put every ounce of strength he had, into pinning the man's arm to the floor; keeping the makeshift knife away from himself. As their bodies laid aligned upon the cold stone, Hermione refrained from hexing the brute for fear of hurting her peer.
Struggling to maintain control of the man, Draco soon found his back pressed against the stones once more as the knife hovered above his neck. Grunts and groans filled the cave as Blaise shook the fog from his mind and took in the scene before him. Instantly recognizing the pulsing green glow and he gestured to Ginny who gasped in fear as she tore her gaze from Draco's possible death.
Determined to help his friend, Blaise struggled to stand with every intention of tackling the burly man before him but instead watched as Draco reached blindly with his right hand for a weapon of some kind strewn over the floor…barely holding off the plunge of the man's knife with his dominant hand. Feeling the handle of a broken spear at his fingertips, he stretched out and grasped it tightly before swiftly jabbing it right into the human's side, unintentionally piercing his heart.
In that moment everything seemed to sharpen and move in slow motion as the brute's dark eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment and his body stiffened minutely before he collapsed over top the pale blonde. Hermione, Ginny, and Blaise stood in shock as blood poured from the wound penetrating the man's chest. The high-pitched keening, radiating from the amulet, could be heard reverberating off the walls as everyone stared in disbelief.
Within a blink of an eye, energy burst from the amulet and ripped each of them from their places as it pulled them forward once more in time. As Hermione blinked from existence, her wards dissolved and the sabre tooth tigers waiting ever so patiently, descended into the cavern, pleased to have such a bountiful meal.
Thank you to my Beta Scorpia11, for helping me out a great deal on the fight scene. I honestly would be so lost without her! She practically wrote the scene for me after I told her what I wanted. Huge props! Don't forget to leave those wonderful reviews XOXO
- 4
- 5
- 6
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Paths We Take