`I'm the best chance you have!'
`I'm in,' said Harry at once, putting his hand on top of Malfoy's.
`Me too,' said Krum, putting his hand on Harry's.
`Oh!' Ron wrestled with a severe internal struggle. `I can't believe I'm doing this…'
~ A Wizard's Truce ~
With the directions Fred and George forced out of Percy, Harry, Ron and Krum located the Malfoy's tent on the far side of the Amphitheatre. It wasn't too hard to uncover, being the only tent that was all black.
`Cheery sort of place, huh?' said Ron, overlooking the tent uneasily.
`Is this where Hermowninny is?' said Krum, who hadn't said much all morning.
`I hope so,' said Harry. `We better hurry. We don't want to still be here when Lucius gets back.'
With his wand out and ready, Harry led the way in through the tent flap. The inside of the Malfoy's tent was made to look much like the Slytherin common room Harry thought, having seen the Slytherin common room himself in second year. The atmosphere was glacial and austere, with a focus on stone, black leather chairs, and a flickering green flame radiating from the fireplace. Unable to withhold her name any longer, Harry called, `Hermione!'
`Hermione, are you in here!' Ron called after him.
`Hermowninny!' Krum joined in.
There was a voice, barely audible…
`Hermione?' it murmured.
`Did you hear that?' said Ron, springing alert.
`Yeah, over here!'
Harry traced the sound to a room beyond the fireplace. It appeared to be a study; and in the middle of this study, he found…an oversized cage?
`Well!' said Ron, smiling broadly. `What do we have here?'
It was a dream come true - Draco Malfoy behind bars! Lucius had evidently locked him up to keep him out of trouble. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Hermione.
`That is flat hair boy!' said Krum, coming in last. Malfoy, upon seeing them all, lept to his feet.
`Harry! I'm so happy to see you!'
Harry never thought he'd ever hear Draco Malfoy say those words.
`Ah, pardon?'
`What?' spluttered Ron, unable to believe his ears either.
`Happy to see me?' Harry questioned.'The last time we saw each other Malfoy, you looked ready to kill me. Not to mention numerous other occasions…'
`Yes well, that was then wasn't it?' he said impatiently, gripping the bars. `I knew you'd come to rescue Hermione, and I can help you! I know where she is!'
`And why the hell would we trust you?' said Ron. `You're the one who kidnapped her!'
`My father kidnapped her, not me!' Malfoy imposed. `And only because four eyes here sent him a stupid letter!'
Harry sunk his head. He was still ashamed over what he'd done.
`Hermione chased us out the door as we were leaving Hogwarts,' Malfoy proceeded to explain. `When she ran into my father, he cast a hypnotic charm on her. After that, Hermione only obeyed his voice. He made her come with us. I'm telling the truth!'
`Where's Hermione now then?' Ron grilled.
`Let me out of this cage and I'll tell you.'
Ron laughed.
`Are you kidding? Do you know how long I've waited to see you locked up?'
`Look,' said Malfoy, sounding both logical and annoyed. `I don't like this situation either, but right now, I'm your only shot at finding out where Hermione is. I want her back as much as you do!'
`He's obviously not cured of love potion relapse yet,' Harry muttered to Ron, as they turned away from Malfoy.
`I don't trust him, Harry! What if he's making it all up?'
`And what if he's not? Remember, he still thinks he's in love with Hermione…'
`May I suggest a wizard's truce gentlemen?' Malfoy spoke up.
Harry and Ron turned back round, looked at each other apprehensively, then…
`Alohamora!'
Harry pointed his wand at the keyhole of Malfoy's cage, unlocking it.
`This is such a bad idea…' Ron moaned, remaining apprehensive.
Malfoy was free. Even so, Harry, Ron and Krum made sure to keep their wands aimed closely at his head.
`Easy!' he said, holding up his hands. `You're going to poke my eye out if you're not careful.'
`I'm failing to see why that would be a problem,' said Ron sharply.
`Vhere is Hermowninny?'
`Huh?' Malfoy uttered, glaring at Krum.
`He means Hermione,' Harry cleared up.
`We arrived last night,' Malfoy began to tell. `My father took my wand and locked me up as soon as we arrived. He figured I was on some kind of love potion. Hermione, too.'
Malfoy took them back to the previous night, when Lucius, Draco and Hermione first entered the Malfoy's tent…
`NO!' Malfoy howled.
Lucius carelessly chucked his son into the cage he'd prepared, and locked the door. `You'll stay in there until I have time to research a cure. I won't have you embarrassing our family at the Hunt, running around after some bloody Mudblood!'
`What are you going to do with Hermione?' Malfoy demanded, shaking the bars of his cage.
Lucius called out behind him, in a mock sweet voice, `Hermione? Can you come in her please.'
Obediently, a vacant Hermione came in and walked to Lucius' side. Then, with a quick sweep of his hand, he yanked a fistful of Hermione's hair, wrenching her head back, so he could see into her eyes. Hermione didn't even squirm.
`Hermione, my dear. Listen to me very, very carefully.'
`Father, no!' Malfoy beseeched him, shaking the bars more fervently. `What are you doing?'
`Enough!' Lucius commanded, aiming his wand at Draco's face. `Quiet or you'll never leave that cage. Clear?'
Malfoy silenced, for the moment at least. Lucius went back to Hermione.
`Hermione, as you obey me and only me, I order you to walk into the Drakon Wood, and to not stop walking until you reach the Drakon's lair. When you reach it, go inside…'
`No, she'll be KILLED!'
`SILENCE!'
Malfoy, again, reluctantly piped down.
`She will be killing herself, Draco,' said Lucius in a sinister, cunning tone. `Many who have been intoxicated by love potions in the past have been known to commit suicide, or other foolish acts. If anyone questions me, I'll say she followed us to Greece, I told her she was forbidden to see you, and in a fit of grief, she ended her life in the Drakon's jaws!' He chuckled menacingly, and looked back down into Hermione's eyes. `Do you understand what I've told you to do?'
Hermione responded, in a distant, robotic voice, `go into the Drakon Wood…go inside the Drakon's lair…'
`…and never come back.' Lucius prompted.
`And never come back.'
`Good girl. Off you go then!' He pushed her away.
As Lucius dictated, Hermione walked out of the tent, out into the darkness of night, and towards a dense rim of trees that marked the boundary of the Drakon Wood.
`And that's it,' Malfoy finished. `I haven't seen her since.'
Harry was gripping his wand so tightly his knuckles were turning white.
`So…' Ron stammered, `Hermione's gonna go walking up to the Drakon and…and…?' he couldn't bring himself to say anything else.
`Ve must go to the Drakon Vood immediately!' Krum interjected, to which Harry couldn't agree more.
`Malfoy, do you know how to get to the Drakon's lair?'
`Of course I know. The lair is beneath Mount Olympus. There are many passages into it. I've been studying the map since the beginning of the year, I can take you right there.'
Harry, easing his grip, sighed and was quiet for the moment. Every instinct in his body averted from trusting Malfoy - it was unthinkable. But Harry was weakened by the thought of Hermione, on her own in some foreign Drakon Wood, heading for a creature that would kill her on sight. He felt he didn't have a choice.
`We better make a start on that wizard's truce, then,' he said finally, narrowing his eyes at Malfoy.
`Very well,' said Malfoy, and put his hand out. `I promise to help you find Hermione, but only up until we find her.'
`What do you mean only up until we find her?' Ron suddenly interceded. `You're going to try and take her with you, aren't you? Harry, I told you we couldn't trust this git!'
`It's a double-edged sword, Weasley!' Malfoy overruled him. `I'm the fastest way to the Drakon's lair, and you don't have time on your side. Hermione's life is at stake.'
`I'm in,' said Harry at once, putting his hand on top of Malfoy's.
`Me too,' said Krum, putting his hand on Harry's.
`Oh!' Ron wrestled with a severe internal struggle. `I can't believe I'm doing this…'
Giving in, Ron slapped his hand on Krum's. The truce is made.
~ The Drakon Wood ~
`This way, through here!'
Malfoy, who'd adorned a green cloak, was leading the way into the Drakon Wood, situated to the right of his family's tent. From the outskirts, it reminded Harry of the Forbidden Forest back home, only there was a distinct, snow-capped mountain peak looming in the distance, rising high into the clouds - Mount Olympus.
'I must be mental to be doing this! Following Malfoy towards a man-eating dragon...' Ron grumbled, looking around him nervously. 'Do you think they have giant spiders here like they do back home?'
They were amongst the thick of the trees now, the tents from the Annual Drakon Hunt shrinking behind them. The surrounding forest was actually quite beautiful; rich with oak, beech, chestnut and plane trees. But Harry was hardly in the mood to be taking in the scenery.
'How long does it take to get to the Drakon's lair?' Harry asked Malfoy, pushing a tree branch from his face.
'If we hurry and don't sleep, we should make it by late tomorrow afternoon.'
Tomorrow afternoon! Harry thought painfully. It seemed a lifetime away.
'There's still something I don't understand,' Harry went on, addressing all of them. 'If it's so easy to find the Drakon's lair, why is this called the Drakon Hunt?'
'Because the Hunt begins when you're actually in the Drakon's lair, Harry,' said Ron, choosing to explain. 'Once you're inside, you start searching for the treasure. Charlie says it's pretty difficult to find, lots of secret passages and stuff. Only highly skilled wizards accompanied by a trained Guardian are allowed to enter. I mean, if anyone went walking in there on their own - '
Ron suddenly stopped talking and gulped, noticing the fearful look on Harry's face. Harry's worries were ever increasing, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to wait until tomorrow afternoon to know if Hermione was safe or not. On thinking this, another worry hit him.
'How are we going to make it to the Drakon's lair before Hermione anyway? She's been in the Wood way longer then we have.'
'Yes! Vot if she's already there?' Krum voiced up.
'Hermione's hypnotised,' said Malfoy from up ahead, climbing over a fallen log. 'She'll be walking at the pace of zombie. If we move fast, we might cut her off. Still, it's going to be tight.'
'Why didn't we bring broomsticks with us?' said Ron, clambering over the log Malfoy had passed. 'We could have flown straight there!'
'No!' said Krum suddenly, shooting Ron a panicked look. Ron was very taken aback. 'The Vood is charmed for the Hunt. Broomsticks are illegal. If you fly von, it vill explode!'
'He's right you know,' said Malfoy. Ron glared at Krum.
'Oh, so now you're full of useful information! How come you didn't know how to get to the Drakon's lair? Huh?'
'Come on!' Harry cut in, before a fight broke out. 'We have to quicken our pace.'
And then there were four - three in red, one in green. With Harry moving to the forefront, the boys hurried on, saying very little on their way. The forest was thickening as they went; their trail deepened with shadows, cast by the foliage hanging over their heads, blocking the sky and the sunlight. They traveled all day, Hermione firm in their sights; though it wasn't long before the sun began to set, and before night was upon them.
A/N: Updating fast (again), hope you can keep up with me :)
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