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Halloween Holiday	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 21240 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. I make no money writing this story. Seriously, I'm dead broke.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
“Now, you both remember where the secret panel is?” Joan asked.
Draco nodded and pointed to a plank in the floorboard. Joan had showed them how to find the knot and depress it. It was a lot like the whomping willow in that it opened up a panel on the wall that led down a set of stairs. For some reason, the demons didn’t have access to the passageway that led through the basement and up, coming out right behind the secretary’s desk in the front lobby. Joan attested it to all the blessings a former priest had done. Not one to argue about muggle beliefs, Draco accepted it as truth.
“You must hurry,” Joan said, her body flickering in and out. “Your friends are trying to reenter and midnight is upon us.”
Draco took a deep breath and conjured a piece of chalk, talking as he drew. “Now Joan, I’ve only done this once. Hermione doesn’t know the spell but I’ll need her power so we’ll be doing tandem casting. She assures me she knows how but just in case, I need you to hold very still inside this circle. I want you send you on. It also helps if you focus on someone that has already crossed over.”
“William,” Joan said wistfully. “It will be so good to see him again.”
“Concentrate on that,” Draco ordered. “And when you feel the tug, go. If you feel the demons, you must let me know immediately.”
“I will,” Joan said, taking her place inside the circle he’d drawn.
Draco drew a pentagram around the circle, muttering in Latin as he did so. When the last line was drawn, he vanished the left over chalk and grabbed Hermione’s hand.
“Remember, you’ll need to block the demons and lend me the magic I need to cast.”
Hermione nodded. “I’ve only done this once before though, when we were trying to destroy a horcrux. We thought the more power we had, the better we could break it. It didn’t work, but we did successfully tandem cast.”
“It’ll have to be enough,” he said, taking a deep breath and shifting the bag on his shoulder. “Ready Joan?”
“I’ve been ready for decades,” she said joyfully. “I won’t ever be able to repay you.”
Draco shrugged. “I hate to see someone trapped.”
“You are a good man Draco Malfoy,” Joan said softly. “And you are a good woman Hermione Granger. I wish you both luck. Make each other happy and live long and beautiful lives.”
With that last wish, Draco started casting the spell that would hopefully allow Joan to cross over. As soon as he started uttering it, the demons bowed the door in. Hermione lent him half of her magic, the excess surging through him and allowing him to cast the second spell, the one that would seal the circle so they couldn’t get to Joan. Hermione cast another to shield the door, making sure to cast it strong enough to hold. A bright light fell into the circle, enveloping the ghostly nurse.
“Oh, oh William!” Joan called, silvery tears falling down her face. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Go to him,” Draco ordered. “And don’t look back no matter what.”
Joan nodded, blew them both a kiss, and rose into the light. She sparkled, becoming almost solid before her spirit burst into thousands of pieces that sparkled like diamonds before floating up to meet a second light shining in. It had to be William.
Hermione cried out in pain as the demons charged the door, pushing the shield onto her. Draco quickly said the third spell, the one to close the doorway. Then he ended the circle and banished the pentagram. Joan was finally free and it made him feel amazingly light. Maybe he did have some sort of hero complex like Snape always teased him about. No matter though. They had to get the fuck out of there.
“Hold it as long as you can,” he ordered, searching for the knot and depressing it.
He jumped when the wall on the opposite side of the room slid open. It would lead down and under the hall, going to Merlin knew where before coming out in the lobby. Joan had warned them that other ghosts had sought refuge in the tunnel as well, all opposed to the demons, most all of them staff that had been killed before the final attack. They didn’t sound angry but during All Hallows Eve, any ghost could get a little testy.
“Now,” he called just as the door splintered.
They dashed into the doorway, sliding into the back wall just as the demons entered the room. The wall slid shut before they could charge, leaving them in pitch black. Draco lit his wand, not wanting to recast the night vision spell. His head already hurt from the first one and the magical fatigue. The dim light cast an eerie glow on the stairwell.
“Now or never,” Hermione murmured, lighting her wand for a better view.
He grabbed her hand and together they picked their way downstairs. They were a little scared of the integrity of the stairs, having been abandoned for so long, especially since these were built as an afterthought. They weren’t meant to carry heavy loads, rather to be an escape path in case of revolt. In the case of poor Joan, it hadn’t been enough.
“Get out!” A figure hissed, flying at them at great speed.
They ducked in time to see the figure fly past them through the wall, shrieking and pulling back in horror. Unwilling to stay and chat, they legged it down the stairs, aware that they were about to enter the basement.
“You have to go,” a tiny little girl said as they hit the basement floor. “Bad man coming.”
“What’s your name?” Hermione asked, stopping for a second to crouch in front of the girl who couldn’t be more than three.
“Gabby,” the girl whispered. “My mommy couldn’t take me wiff hew.”
“Oh sweetie,” Hermione sighed. “Who was your mummy?”
“She was vewy sad so they tooked her here. Daddy dwopped me off hewe to spend some time wiff hew and then thewe was a bad smell.”
“Gas,” Draco said darkly.
“Poison gas.”
Hermione jumped to the side to see a tall man with glasses and a grave look on his face. “Dr. Charles Farnworthy, head doctor of the San Antonio State Sanitarium at your service. I saw what you did for dear Joan. She was very unhappy after William was freed.”
“And you,” Draco asked gravely.
He smiled sadly. “I must stay with my staff.”
“Are they all here then?” Hermione asked, squinting to see if she could make any other ghosts out.
“Not many,” Charles admitted. “All Hallows Eve is a dreadful pull. Only little Gabby here can resist very well because she is so innocent.”
“Her mother?” Hermione asked.
Charles frowned. “Survived, though I don’t know how. They pulled her out. She was still clinging to Gabby but her tiny body couldn’t handle such saturation.”
“Why didn’t she pass on with the others last time?”
“She was not strong enough,” Charles said sadly. “Not many were. And she had more ties to this place than the others.”
Hermione blinked back tears, wanting so badly to help the little girl. Draco knew her heart was breaking in two. The Gryffindor in her wouldn’t allow her to leave the tiny child in the clutches of the demon but if they didn’t get out, their lives were forfeit as well. He pulled her into his chest and gasped as the clock in the basement chimed midnight, the waves shaking the entire building.
“You must go quickly,” Charles said. “The original is not to be trifled with. Hurry!”
“I can’t,” Hermione whispered. “I can’t stand to see another one.”
Draco knew what she meant. They’d seen so many innocent people fall during the war that even now, seeing someone so pure in such a dark place was heartbreaking. But it was midnight and the demons would be at their strongest. The blessings on the walls might not be enough to hold them back. Then again, midnight was also the time where the veil was thinnest. Perhaps…
“Gabby,” Draco said softly. “If I brought back the light, do you think you could go to it?”
The little ghost’s eyes widened impossibly large. “Oh yes. It was sooo pwetty. I thought I saw my mommy but I couldn’t leave.”
“Then concentrate on your mommy, sweetheart,” Draco said, trying not to think about what this would cost them.
“Charles,” Hermione asked softly as Draco started drawing out another circle. “Can you help us?”
He frowned. “We’ve been trying to get her out for years. The demons pull on her the most because she is so pure. But we’re no match for them. We might can hold them a few seconds at most.”
“It’ll have to be enough,” Hermione said. “Please?”
He smiled and reached down to run his fingers through Gabby’s silvery curls. “We will do what we can.”
“Thank you,” Hermione said, pulling out her wand and preparing to cast the shield again if needed.
“Now Gabby,” Draco said after he’d finished drawing the circle and pentagram. “I want you to stand very still right here, okay?”
“Okay,” she said, floating to the middle of the circle. “Will it be pwetty like last time?”
“It sure will sweetheart,” Draco said, unable to suppress the smile that crept over his face.
Gabby was just so incredibly sweet that he couldn’t help himself. He’d never felt that way for a ghost before, well, before Myrtle. After her, he realized ghosts were people, too. He would never admit that to another soul but he did. It was part of the reason why he was so willing to help Joan. Besides, Hermione would have always regretted it and he couldn’t bring himself to let her down.
“Can you count to three?” Draco asked, raising his wand.
Gabby grinned widely and clapped her hands. “One! Two! FREE!”
Draco started the spell a little shakily, almost laughing when she mispronounced three. She had it right though. In a few seconds, she would be free of this place. He felt bad that they couldn’t help all of the ghosts but at least he could help a few. The light appeared and Gabby squealed, reaching her hands up as high as they would go.
“MOMMY!”
“Go on Gabby,” Hermione whispered, holding on to Draco’s hand and lending him the strength to cast the second spell.
“Mommy, I’m comin!” Gabby cried before she burst into glitter and rose to meet another bright light.
They blinked out and Draco quickly sealed the portal before banishing the circle. He was surprised the demons hadn’t come through the walls but they were vibrating fiercely which meant that he’d caught their attention.
“Hurry,” Charles growled, his hand shoved through the wall. He looked like he was in pain. “Can’t hold any longer.”
“Run,” Draco breathed, forcing Hermione in front of him so he wouldn’t lose her.
They raced through the basement, following Joan’s directions until they hit a wall with an X drawn on it. X marked the spot so they quickly looked around for the antique lamp she’d described. All they had to do was pull that cord to turn it on and the wall would open. Then the fight would be on.
“There,” Hermione cried.
Draco looked over, recognizing the Tiffany lamp from a catalogue his mother had lying around. She’d given him an hour long lecture on how muggles, while primitive, had exquisite taste in glass work. He’d thought it quite odd at the time but it helped him now. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, praying to whoever was listening that they could get to that door unscathed.
“Raise your shield,” he whispered to Hermione who had turned a sickly shade of white. “On three.”
He mouthed the numbers, thinking of Gabby’s last words. She was comin. Well, so were they. He mouthed three and pulled, dashing back behind Hermione to raise a second shield. The second the wall slid open, they were enveloped in icy cold wind and very angry ghosts. They made their way through the room. He’d spun around to cover her back and trusted her to weave through the maze of angry sprits. He could see now that there were dozens of demons, not just the two they’d encountered before. And around here somewhere was the Original. He couldn’t tell which one that would be but he wanted to get out of there before it made its presence known.
Unfortunately, about half way through the room, their luck failed. Hermione screamed and shoved back against him so hard he cast the protection spell and spun to catch her. He sort of wished he hadn’t because the Originial… was a nasty fucker. He has a Voldemort-esque look to him, no nose, blood red eyes, and pointy teeth to adorn his scaly skin.
“You will not leave,” the demon spoke in Latin. “You have cost me two and you shall replace them.”
“Not in your lifetime,” Draco hissed back in Latin.
“What’s he saying,” Hermione whispered.
“He wants us to replace Joan and Gabby.”
“Never.”
“That’s sort of what I told him,” Draco said, beads of sweat running down his forehead from the energy he was expending on the protection spell.
“You can’t hold me,” the demon said before charging them.
Draco wasn’t fast enough and his magical stores were too depleted. The demon shattered the circle and ripped Hermione from his arms, cackling evilly. She went from screaming and kicking to deathly still in moments, a faint blue haze surrounding her.
No. No. No. There was no way that filthy demon was taking her from him, not when he’d just gotten her. He knew he was possessive and he knew that losing her would hurt, but this was like a hot knife to the chest. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t even blink as the haze started forming into a body. She was dying, crossing over, and he would not allow that. A feeling he hadn’t felt since he was seven years old shot through him, the feeling of power that he tamped down all those years ago to keep his father from sending him back into the demon house. He was going to rule that demon if it was the last thing he ever did.
He raised his wand and started chanting in Latin, the same spell he’d learned as a little boy. He ordered the Original to surrender or forever be used for his bidding. And then he told the demon his bidding, freeing ghosts at his whim. It was quite possibly the worst fate a demon could befall, considering that was their food source aside from choice living beings. The demon sneered in disgust at his request.
“It isn’t a request,” he said, chanting again, this time twisting the words and bending them to his will.
The demon’s eyes grew round, horror etched into its grotesque features. He could see Hermione now, half in and half out of her body. Her eyes were locked to his, both sets, human and spirit. He wondered how she saw him then, if his eyes had turned inky black or blood red, if he took on the features of the demon, if she saw him as the enemy. But he couldn’t lose her so he kicked the spell up another notch, using the last of his reserves and sheer will. The demon shrieked and tried to run but it was too late. He had him. The other demons in the room were too frightened to move, afraid they would be cursed to the same fate. The ghosts were blessedly silent.
“Put her back,” Draco ordered in between chants.
The demon had no choice but to obey. Draco wasn’t giving him one. Hermione’s spirit sank into her body, coming together with a gasp of air that made his heart stutter. She had been without oxygen too long. He hoped she was okay but he couldn’t break his concentration. He moved forward, standing inches away from his captive, power flowing through is veins as he stared the entity down. He felt the darkness flowing through him, the urge to dominate and rule. But he held back. That wasn’t who he was and after this he would refrain from using the dark again. She was worth it though so he held on, walking the razor sharp edge.
“Give her to me.”
The demon writhed a few moments before handing her icy cold body back to his captor. Draco took her one armed and slung her over his shoulder so he wouldn’t lose his wand and snap the spell.
“We will leave,” Draco said. “And if you follow, I will make you give all of your captors up.”
“If I allow you to leave?” the demon hissed.
Draco smirked. “I’ll require you to release those who wish to leave whenever I feel like it. You’re still under my control. Never forget that, Original.”
The demon screamed and twisted in on itself, making a sort of broken man before turning into shimmers. He wasn’t going to get out of it though. Draco had all the demon he could stand for one night and he wasn’t playing fair any more.
“Be gone!”
Draco nodded and waited patiently until the demon screeched and called the others away. When they were a good distance back, he dropped the spell and threw the counter unlocking charm at the door, skirting out of it and sealing it in the next breath.
Rain pelted down in fat icy drops, soaking him in an instant but he didn’t care. He carefully picked Hermione up from his shoulder and sat her down, leaning down to listen to her breathing. It was thready but there. He thanked his lucky stars and cast a charm to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered open, flinching as the rain pelted her face.
“Oh thank Merlin,” Draco half sobbed and clutched her to him like a doll.
“You saved my life,” she rasped.
He laughed incredulously. “Not much of a life without you.”
She pulled back weakly and stared at his eyes, reaching up to touch them. “They were so strange, white, sparkly, almost like the light. Beautiful.”
“Never again,” he told her seriously.
“You’re bloody right, never again,” Potter yelled, knocking Draco back a few feet and grabbing Hermione from him. “What the fuck happened?”
Hermione groaned from the tight hold Potter had on her and shot a stinging hex at him, making him yelp and jump back. “Let me breathe, damn it!”
“Miss Granger,” Snape asked, kneeling down beside her. “Are you quite alright?”
She smiled weakly and looked back at Draco who was silently fuming. How dare Potter take her from him. He could understand but still, how barbaric, especially when she was so close to death. His heart skipped a beat when he realized just how close. Even now he felt the ache from the knowledge that she almost hadn’t escaped. He never wanted to feel that again. Even if she never talked to him again, he never wanted to feel that. He could be okay if she just lived.
“I’m fine,” she whispered, leaning in a bit closer. “You were right. There is more to him that meets the eye.”
Snape smirked and stood, scowling at the others who were drenched and looking apprehensively at the building. “Well, let’s get moving. Perhaps we can find a hotel in this dreadful town.”
“Hermione?” Potter asked warily.
“I’m fine, Harry,” she said, accepting his hand to stand shakily.
“Tell me about it?” Potter begged.
“Not now,” she said tiredly. “Let me rest.”
“But-“
“You heard her, Potter,” Draco growled. “Leave her be.”
“Malfoy-“ Potter growled.
“Enough,” Hermione snapped. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”
Potter looked like a beaten dog but nodded just the same, trudging down the stairs to join the others. Draco sighed and rushed forward just as Hermione wobbled on her feet, catching her and lifting her into his arms.
“Easy, Granger.”
“So it’s Granger now?” she asked weakly, laying her head on his shoulder.
“If you want it to be,” he said sadly. They were out of the house after all.
“I don’t,” she said, snuggling into him. “I really don’t.”
“Thank Merlin for that,” he said, releasing the breath he’d been holding. “I don’t think I could give you up now if I wanted to.” With that, he kissed her hard, claiming her as much as he could.
“OI!” Ron shouted. “That’s my bloody girlfriend!”
“Get stuffed!” Hermione shouted back as Draco hopped down the stairs, careful not to jostle you.
“She told you,” Blaise chuckled as Weasley’s jaw dropped in shock.
“Honestly,” Daphne snorted. “You can’t get caught with your pants down twice and expect her to come running like a little lapdog.”
“Drakey?” Pansy squeaked.
“Seriously?” Draco asked, hitching Hermione up a little higher.
Pansy’s face fell as she shook her head. Draco was absolutely soaked and frozen to the bone but inside he felt like he could boil alive. Hermione was his.
Best. Samhein. Ever.
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FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
“Dad, are you sure we have to go?”
“Yes Scorpius,” Draco growled at his seven year old son. “We have to go.”
“But it’s an abandoned nuthouse.”
“That is enough, Charles,” Hermione snapped, putting the last of their things in their bags. “It isn’t nice to speak ill of the dead.”
Five year old Charles scowled and stomped up the stairs to get his blanket, his brown curls bouncing with each step.
“I wanna see Mewica!”
“And you will, Gabby, you will,” Draco said, patting the little girl on the head.
“She just likes the ghosts.”
Draco smirked. “So do you, Joan.”
Joan huffed and marched upstairs, clutching the stuffed teddy bear her Uncle Harry had given her when she was a baby. Her brown ringlets flew every direction as she chased after her twin, Charles.
“Will da ghosts be nice?” Gabriella asked with wide eyes.
Hermione smiled down at her three year old daughter. It was her first trip to San Antonio State Sanitarium where they traveled every year to pay their respects. Gabby was so excited she almost couldn’t see straight. Her siblings had given her a rundown of every year they could remember.
“Some will,” Hermione finally said. “And some won’t. You must be very careful to be polite and stay exactly where mummy and daddy tell you to, okay?”
“Yes mummy, but I will be vewy hawd to captuwe because I have my wan!”
“Wands do not make you invincible, love,” Draco said, kneeling down to look into his toddler’s grey eyes.
“Daddy, what does inbindible mean?”
“Invincible,” Draco chuckled. “And being invincible means that no one can beat you.”
Gabby frowned. “Unca Hawwy and Unca Sebewus say dat a lot.”
“Because it is very true.”
Draco looked up and smiled at Severus as he stalked through their door. “Good to see you old man!”
Severus sniffed but extended his hand to shake. “I don’t see why you must gallivant across the country on Halloween to at a dilapidated and dangerous old building.”
“Number one,” Draco said, “you get the snowbells. And number two, a promise is a promise. And I promised the Original that I would never forget my promise.”
“He is dangerous,” Severus hissed.
Draco hummed and nodded. “And that is why we are always out before midnight. Now, have you got something for me?”
Severus sighed heavily and produced a collecting bag and a list with orders on it.
“Thank you very much,” Draco said, patting his old Potion’s Master on the back.
“When can we expect you back?” Harry asked, holding his hands out expectantly.
Hermione grinned and placed their youngest, six month old William, in his arms. “Not too long. We’ll ask the normal questions, cross who needs it, catch up, and be gone.”
“But dat sounds not long enough,” Gabby piped in with a frown.
“Remember love,” Draco said, crouching down again so he could see her eyes. “Time works differently there.”
“Be safe,” Severus said, pulling Hermione into a brief hug. It was the most affection he ever allowed anyone to see in public.
“We’ll be bringing Will over to Ron and Pansy’s house,” Harry said, gathering up the baby’s things. She’s due any day now and they’ll need someone to watch over everyone now that Molly’s got her hands full with George and Percy’s boys.”
“Think they’ll stop at six?” Hermione asked.
“Will you?” Harry asked, eyeing the small bump Hermione was cradling.
She blushed and playfully hit him in the shoulder. “You’re terrible.”
“And child free,” Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s not twins,” Hermione said adamantly.
Harry chuckled. “You said that with the other set. Go on. Have some fun.”
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“She’s beautiful,” Joan whispered, hovering in the air with her fiancé outside the Sanitarium.
“We can’t wait to show you little Will,” Hermione gushed while holding Gabby’s hand. The tot was thoroughly enamored with her namesake and was making faces at the little ghost.
“Who crossed over tonight?” William asked, pushing his round glasses further up his nose.
“Charles,” Draco said with a smile. “Everyone who wanted to be out is gone now so it was time.”
“They’ve gotten more recruits,” Joan warned.
“And we’ll be here next year to hear their pleas,” Draco said softly.
“Oh, I can’t wait to see the good doctor again,” Joan smiled. “And it is ever so good to see you two and all of these lovely children. I knew you would make a great couple.”
Draco pulled Hermione closer to his side, his eyes ever watchful. Scorpius had struck up a conversation with the old janitor who still came every Halloween to see the couple that had finally gotten the Original under control. Charles and Joan were holding hands while the Charge Nurse, Julia, cooed over them. He couldn’t have been prouder.
After their first Halloween, he and Hermione had traveled back to release the next group of ghosts who wanted to be free. Draco hadn’t been joking. The Original had tried to take what was his and he was going to punish him as long as he could. The demon had fought at first but he was quite compliant now… and nicer to his ghosts to boot. Now they mostly traveled to the house as a way to remember how they’d come together. And, of course, speak with the ghosts who had made their relationship possible. Halloween was the one night they could cross and visit and the children, who were never allowed inside the house, were ecstatic.
“Oh, time to go,” Joan said, her eyes darting to the house. The clock had just struck one til midnight.
“Bye!” the Malfoy family said, waving as the ghosts flickered out.
“Time to go back home,” Draco said, pulling out the box to the engagement ring he’d given Hermione their eighth year.
He had wanted her for himself forever and decided there was no time like the present, so he’d made his declaration as soon as they had gotten back to Hogwarts. It was only right he used it as a port key now. Fifteen years, two potion mastery degrees, five wonderful children with another one the way....
Halloween was his favorite Holiday.

AN: And there we go. Fluffy little ending, huh? As always, thanks to everyone who read. Sorry this one got here so late. I'll never forget to save again. Honest! Keep those reviews coming and I'll see you on the other side. Until next time... Love you guys!
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Halloween Holiday