Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Covered in Crimson	By : ckllsdam Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 14089 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe and I make no money from this work of fanfiction. The plot, however, is mine.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Five Years and Seven Months Ago

Halloween was rapidly approaching, and the castle was abuzz with the plans that had been made to mark the most important night of the year in the Wizarding world. The grand feast that typically marked the holiday was the most lavish and extensive of the year, and there was always some very special activity to accompany the celebration. Everyone was gleefully awaiting the day�s festivities. Everyone except Draco Malfoy.

Never known for having a scintillating personality, Draco had become increasingly surly and nasty as the first two months of the school year progressed. He snapped at his friends and practically tortured his enemies, and that list seemed to grow by the hour. While he�d always had a sarcastic wit, Draco was now positively acerbic, even toward his professors. His churlish attitude did not go unnoticed, and was more than once the topic of teachers� conversations. �What�s happened to Malfoy this year?� was a common theme and few believed it to be typical teenage angst; the changes had been so dramatic.

Draco also noticed changes in himself, but accepted them as being a result of the horrible circumstances he�d been compelled to endure. He was certainly less tolerant and patient with the fools he was forced to suffer. He felt angry all the time and wanted nothing more than to erase the offending idiots from his company entirely. His hatred for the Mudbloods with whom he was obligated to interact grew at an exponential rate. He resented their very presence, and constantly and deliberately sought out more malicious ways to make his abhorrence known. If he thought he could get away with it, he�d just Avada the lot of them.

While other students gathered and enjoyed each other�s company, Draco sought out solitude. He spent long hours alone in dark corners of the library, in the recesses of the Astronomy Tower, or alone in his room with the draperies drawn around his bed and Muffliato spells keeping the irritating noises of his bunkmates to the bare minimum. His only solace seemed to be the bliss he found in receiving letters and packages from his mother. Only those drew anything resembling a smile to his constantly sneering lips. He was always especially pleased when he got his hamper of sweets containing those incredible truffles. He invariably felt better after consuming one or two of those delightful bits of chocolate and nuts.

On this night when everyone else was preparing for celebration, Draco was reading his mother�s latest letter and enjoying a few of the treats she�d sent along. He�d always been curious about the goings-on at the Manor when he was away and Narcissa indulged his inquisitiveness with gossipy bits about which house-elf had annoyed Lucius by folding his socks incorrectly and who was expected to come to dinner for the next weekend. Draco was a bit confused, though, about her response to a request he�d made in his last letter home:
Draco, darling, I�m so glad you�re enjoying the treats I�ve sent, but I�m afraid I�m at a loss. I don�t recall packaging anything in a silver box. Maybe one of the house-elves took it upon himself to decorate your little gifts a bit. I�ll make sure that more are sent, since you�re so fond of them. Do make sure that you eat something other than chocolates, dear. Protein is very important for a growing young man. Do take care, and write back soon.

Your loving mother

Draco thought nothing more of it, since the item he�d virtually demanded was sitting atop the pile of goodies in the hamper that had arrived from Malfoy Manor just this afternoon.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

�Did you have any difficulty getting the package into Draco�s hamper?� Rodolphus needled.

�No more than the last six times, dearest,� came Bella�s sarcastic reply.

�So do you think the potions have fully taken effect yet? And the spell?�

�I can�t imagine that they haven�t. It�s been almost eight weeks, so that�s more than enough time for the potions to take hold. The spell is activated by untying the bow. The potions are contained within the confection, and the layer of addictive that we added most certainly has kept Draco happily craving our little sweets. I don�t see a problem,� Bella reassured her husband. �As long as we keep that little house-elf under our control, Draco will keep getting the truffles and it will be easier and easier to control his actions and even his thinking. It was sheer genius to attach the suggestion spells to the bow. Every time he opens a new box, we can install a new compulsion. You are so clever, husband!�

�Thank you, love. So what should we include next time, hmmm?�
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Narcissa walked through the open door of her husband�s study, a worried frown marring her delicate features. �Lucius, did you read Draco�s last letter?�

�Was it addressed to me?�

�No, to me.�

�Well, then, there�s your answer. I don�t read your post any more than you read mine,� Lucius teased.

�I think you should read this one.� Narcissa held out the piece of parchment for her husband to take.

Reaching over his massive oak desk, the senior Malfoy grasped the letter that his wife was so intent he see. He donned the reading spectacles that only his wife and son ever saw, scanned quickly from top to bottom, and handed the document back.

�What�s the problem? Sounds like a typical teenager to me,� Lucius goaded.

Narcissa gaped at him in stunned anger. �What�s the problem?! This does not sound like my son. He�s complaining about everything, and he seems angry and resentful over minor annoyances. Draco has always been a bit� entitled, but he�s never been this rude and ungrateful. He�s changed, and not for the better.�

�Cissy, relax. He�s a teenager, and he�s dealing with hormones going haywire, and he�s developing his own sense of independent thought and opinions. Nothing unusual at all. I happen to think he�s doing just fine. Stop fussing like a mother hen,� he said with a smirk.

�Don�t dismiss this so easily, Lucius. I�m telling you something is wrong,� her voice quavering with restrained tears. She turned her back to her husband so that he wouldn�t see her upset.

Lucius rose from his seat and made his way around the desk, placing his hands on Narcissa�s shoulders in an attempt to mollify her. �I know you miss him, dear. But he�ll be an adult soon, and he needs to start acting like one. You can�t keep him in knee pants forever, you know.�

His faintly amused tone made her that much more irritated with him, and Narcissa was not one to hold back her opinion, regardless of the �place� of the pureblood wife as subservient to her husband. �It seems that your definition of adult behavior and mine are at odds, Lucius. Scoff all you want, but mark my words. There is something very wrong, and it�s getting worse, not better.� With that, she shrugged off his touch and stalked from the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Halloween Feast was now upon them, and Draco was feeling uncharacteristically euphoric. He�d not consumed any of the firewhisky that was making the rounds of the Slytherin common room, but by his behavior, he might as well have drunk the whole bottle alone. He was feeling utterly and completely invincible � like nothing could possibly go wrong, this in sharp contrast to the morose mood he�d found himself in just this morning. He had absolutely no intention of participating in the juvenile behavior that was a sorry excuse for celebration in the Great Hall. He had other ideas about how to mark the auspicious occasion of All Hallow�s Eve.

Draco Malfoy planned to raise a little hell tonight. He would show the Mudbloods and blood traitors that this night belonged to real wizards and witches, not these sodding pretenders who were trying to fundamentally change the way purebloods had lived for centuries. He�d send a message that no one could miss, and if he could ruffle the feathers of a Gryffindor or two in the process, all the better. With wand firmly tucked into the pocket in his robes made just for that purpose, and a small pouch containing the other tools he�d need to complete his mischief tucked into the waistband of his trousers, he snuck out of the common room while his housemates were reveling in their childish merriment. The Astronomy Tower was his destination, and he had about forty minutes to waste before the rest of the students would gather in the Great Hall for the feast, which was to be followed by a costume ball for upperclassmen. He had no intention of attending either event, and did not particularly care if his absence was noticed. That feeling of invincibility extended to not really worrying whether his responsibility for the deeds he planned to commit was discovered. If they wanted to expel him, so be it. He had better things to do with his time than be forced into the pretense of tolerance for coddled Mudbloods and blood traitors.

Draco had already determined what he�d do and how he�d do it. Just as the costume ball was ending, the revelers were expected to gather in the courtyard to watch a magical fireworks display. He�d treat them to a display of his own. Draco had always been a little more intelligent than he�d let on, and his carefully cultivated reputation as an indolent aristocrat effectively hid his sharp intellect and highly inquisitive nature. His knowledge of magical sciences, including Arithmancy, Potions, Ancient Runes, Magical Theory, and Astronomy, far surpassed that of nearly every one of his peers, with the possible exception of the always-insufferable Mudblood, Granger. He would use that knowledge to accomplish his operation.

His first priority was to prepare the equipment in the Tower. The high-powered telescope would be converted from its usual purpose in seeking out stars and planets to become a projector of sorts. It was a simple matter of reversing the enormous internal lens, which he would do with a quick flick of his wand. He�d practiced a dry run with one of the smaller telescopes reserved for student lessons and study, and it had worked perfectly, as he expected. His calculations for range, size and definition of the images he�d display had been exact. Timing was the only element he�d been unable to rehearse, but he�d been confident that he could manage that on the fly.

Next was ensuring that his message was prepared and ready. He�d determined that the best way to ensure speed, accuracy and clarity in the magical projection was to inscribe the characters and images onto a perfect, flat crystal. He�d easily secured an appropriate piece from Scrivenshaft�s on the pretense of needing a weight to secure the parchments on his desk, and simply transfigured its shape and size to meet his needs. He�d also purchased a new diamond-tipped quill, certainly not his first, to ensure crisp and clear transcription, and finally a platinum-infused ink that would allow his projection to easily be viewed against the night sky. It was undoubtedly convenient to have unlimited access to funds and a running tab at nearly every shop in Hogsmeade. Once the message was transferred to the crystal, it was a simple matter of inserting it in front of the reversed lens.

The message had been completed for three days. Draco liked to be prepared, even in making mischief. This mischief was a political statement, however, and he would defend his rights as a pureblood wizard, or die trying. Now, all that was left was the waiting, for exactly the right moment to let this gathering of fools know that he and his compatriots would not allow the Ministry to dilute their power. As he silently bided his time in the Astronomy Tower, Draco allowed himself to seethe and rant against the perceived injustices perpetrated upon him and his kind. His anger and resentment had built and grown until he had worked himself into a fever pitch waiting for the cloying sounds of laughter and merriment that would be his signal to begin.

Though the delay seemed eternal, the time finally came when he heard the sounds of the gathering throng in the courtyard one hundred meters below him. He heard Professor Dumbledore�s Sonorus spell followed by the charm to initiate the colossal and stunning magical fireworks display that everyone expected. Draco was ready. He allowed the first thirty seconds to pass without interference, hearing the �oohs� and �ahs� of delight from the elated spectators. Then, with a flick of his wand and his spoken Evanesco, the colorful andf dynamic display vanished. He quickly added a blanketing spell to shroud the night sky in total blackness, now hearing confused exclamations from below. Waiting ten more seconds � purely for dramatic effect � Draco unleashed his venom on the unsuspecting crowd. They looked up into the sky to see the message he�d etched onto the crystal with diamond tip in platinum ink: We are here among you. Mudbloods and traitors will die. He spoke his final charm for the evening - Morsmordre - and laughed as he heard shrieks of horror at seeing the Dark Lord�s Mark displayed in the sky over Hogwarts carried on the night�s light breeze. Regardless of Draco�s earlier internal diatribe about his willingness to �die trying�, he still retained a powerful streak of self-preservation, and he quickly vacated the Tower before anyone had time to reach him from their spot so far below. He returned to his room, drew the draperies around his bed, and treated himself to a heavenly dark chocolate truffle as his reward for a mission accomplished.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick gathered in the Headmaster�s office after having banished the offensive communiqu�. A search of the Astronomy Tower had discovered the alterations made to the telescope, which were quickly put to rights. While no other evidence had been found, the assembled group had little doubt as to the perpetrator of this evening�s misdeed.

�Draco.�

�Undoubtedly, Severus,� came the Headmaster�s weary reply. �He was the only upperclassman not present at tonight�s ball except for Mister Finnegan, who was still in the infirmary recovering from that little potions accident. And none of the students in the lower years have the skills to perpetrate such a sophisticated feat.�

�What are we to do about him, Albus?� Minerva McGonagall fretted. �He�s become nearly unmanageable in the last few weeks. I�ve given him three detentions this week alone for his misbehavior.�

Professor Flitwick nodded vigorously in agreement. �He�s completing his schoolwork acceptably, but there�s definitely something amiss. Severus, what insight do you have into what�s going on with him?�

�Not very much, I�m sorry to say. Lucius has been silent on the status of his son, except to say that he�s pleased Draco is showing more independence from his mother. His aunt Bellatrix asked after him recently, which is a bit unusual. I�ve not spoken with Narcissa, but maybe it�s time I do.�

�I�d prefer not to expel him, Severus, but his antagonistic actions are getting more dramatic and much harder to dismiss as teenage pranks. The Dark Mark is not child�s play, and I believed that only those who bear the mark can conjure it for display. When other parents hear about this � as you can be certain they will � they�ll demand some action, regardless of what we do in the name of protecting young Mister Malfoy. I�m not sure that he�s not already lost to us completely,� Albus Dumbledore concluded sadly.

�I�m certain that Draco has not yet taken the mark, sir, but there are ways that it can be channeled through other sources. That means that it�s very likely he�s being controlled by someone who is a full-fledged Death Eater. I will check him for the Imperius spell at the next opportunity,� Snape offered.

�Very well. In the meantime, we must all be vigilant for additional changes in his behavior and do what we can to minimize any damage he may inflict on himself or on other students. He is still just a boy; I�m not willing to give up on him just yet.� Dumbledore nodded to each of his colleagues, and wished them all a good evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

�Bella! He did it!� Rodolphus shouted from his study.

She came hurtling around the corner, skirts lifted to prevent tripping, and a manic grin creasing her face. �He did?! How did you hear?�

�Crabbe used the Floo. His son witnessed everything and owled him a description of the evening�s excitement. Apparently, Slytherin house is in raucous celebration at the moment, and lauding Draco as their messenger. He�s holed up in his room for now, but they�re all asking for him. It appears we�ve successfully positioned him as the Dark Lord�s voice and face within Hogwarts.�

�While I am pleased with these developments, Rod, I do have one concern. What if that meddler Dumbledore decides to expel him? I�m afraid we didn�t think that through sufficiently. We need to create a contingency plan for that possibility. We�ve got some work to do,� Bella admonished.

�Not to worry, dearest, I have a couple of ideas already in mind. Draco will be well-used, no matter where he happens to be.�
- 6
- 7
- 8
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

Covered in Crimson