Author's Note: All I can say is - finally. This chapter has been in the works for so long that I'm glad to get it over with. And I'm sure you're glad to have it. Quite frankly I'm sick of it. As always big thanks and huggles to Jamie, my gorgeous beta who always manages to make my writing better and give me a swelled head. Not much to say but enjoy.
Draco's POV
Screaming. That's all there was. A high-pitched whining that shot right through to your eardrums.
I expected doors to fly open, or people to start rushing in, wands drawn, shrieking curses.
There was nothing. Nothing but the shrill screaming. No apparent reason for Red to be screaming, let alone screaming the way that she was. This wasn't the kind of idle scream of annoyance I usually got when goading her about Potter and her brother; this was a scream of absolute, abject terror. The kind that chilled your blood as it went all the way to your bones.
As abruptly as it started the screaming stopped. Red's mouth suddenly snapping shut as she stared at her feet, her face deathly pale.
Unsure what to do I just stared at her. I wasn't equipped for this. I was the one who produced the terror, not picked up the pieces after it happened.
Red started to stare around the room, a completely blank look on her face. It was obvious nothing was registering. Frantically I searched my mind for some skerrick of knowledge of what to do with a terror struck female.
Man, I was no good at this.
"Draco," Red whispered, as if she couldn't speak any louder. Confusion etched her face, taking place of the fear, but marking it even deeper. Red swayed rather unsteadily on her feet and I took a tentative step forward, still clueless as to what to do.
"What…"
Red had barely pronounced the `t' before her knees gave way completely.
I rushed forward, grabbing her arm a second before she hit the floor. She moaned slightly and pushed me away as I tried to help her up. She had barely moved before she sagged back down to the floor again.
At least the fall hadn't knocked her out.
Slowly she lifted her head up to look at me, her eyes pleading, begging for me not to make a big deal out of this. Helplessness didn't suit her. Red was usually the strong one, ready to beat on anyone who tried to get in her way. I think it came from growing up in a family of so many older brothers.
Gently as I could I helped her up into a chair.
"Oooo," she moaned holding her head tentatively, like she had a migraine.
Still not sure what to do I knelt before her, gently brushing her hair out of her eyes. Her skin felt cool and clammy, like she was running a fever.
"Gin?" I hear Weasley ask as he peered over my shoulder.
I had completely forgotten about the others in the room. I took a quick look over my shoulder at them, thoroughly disconcerted. They were all standing in a tight group as they gazed at Red quite similarly to the way someone would look at a monkey in a cage.
"Just a sec, Bill," Red answered trying to wave her brother off.
As if to mark the seriousness of the situation Weasley and I shared a look of concern over her head. The situation was far worse than I could ever have imagined. Even people who barely knew the family had extreme difficulty in mixing Bill and the Weasel up. They were as different as the twins were similar.
"Alright, hospital wing for you, Red," I tell her trying to keep my voice light.
As I watch her sitting there, nodding her head slightly, too weak to fight the notion I feel the bile rise in my throat. How can something bring such a person to a quivering mess? If this happened to Red what hope did Brown or Patil or the simpering girls I was talking to at lunch have.
My mind reeled through all the possibilities, each at least a dozen times more terrifying than the last I move to help her up. I see Weasley swallow visibly as Red leans most of her weight onto me as she stands. Her legs still unable to hold her weight.
As the knot of people parts to let us through I notice a sight, which usually would have demanded everyone's attention, instead it was playing out in the centre of the room completely, unnoticed. Slightly shocked I placed Red back down on her chair, taking a curious step forward.
Everyone else hung back, not sure what to do. Slowly I edged forward not wanting to startle the pair. As I caught a better glimpse of them I was glad I was.
Potter was leaning heavily on the desk, bent forward in a strange way, his hand pressing into his forehead as if he were trying to extract something. His jaw was taut. So taut I was surprised he hadn't cracked his teeth.
Granger was standing in front of him frantic.
"You have to tell me what's wrong," she half-sobbed; fruitlessly running her hands through his hair, trying to sooth him. She bent slightly trying to get a look at his face. When she did she immediately bit her lip, choking slightly on a sob.
Before my eyes I see Potter's jaw start to slacken again. He keeps his head down as he takes a couple of deep breaths trying to compose himself. His face had taken on the same deathly pale as Red.
"Harry?" Granger whispers softly.
Still he didn't look at her. Like he was scared to. Like if he did it would make whatever happened seem all the more real.
At a loss at what else to do Granger takes a step back, giving Potter his room. Trying to goad a reaction with her indifference.
It worked to a degree. Ever so slowly he raised his head, his scar throbbing a livid red against the ghost white of his face. It wasn't Granger his eyes were searching for.
It was Red.
An unreadable expression crossed his face as I watched in macabre fascination.
Red's gasp snapped me out of my riviere. I turned to look at her, a horrified look of comprehension adorning her still pale features. Silent tears poured down her cheeks. Potter seemed to have confirmed her worst nightmare.
A deafening silence descended on the room as Potter and Red continued to stare at each other, their terrified comprehension seeping under everyone's skin.
"Harry?" Granger asked, her timid voice breaking their look.
"It's okay, everything's okay."
I'm not sure who he was trying to convince more, himself or everyone else in the room. I wasn't buying it for a second. From the dirty look Granger was shooting him she was far from persuaded.
Looking slightly shaky on his feet Potter pushed himself away from the desk and into the centre of the room. Something about those two steps comforted me. For the past 10 minutes everything had been rapidly spiralling out of my control, happening around me giving me only a chance to react, instilling in me an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness.
Those two steps changed that. Suddenly Potter oozed an undeniable sense of power and control. He features were now marked with an air of indifference; impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"We're locking everyone in the Great Hall," Potter announced calmly.
I stare at him for a second. It was madness. Instead of getting half of Hogwarts killed we were going to end up with a full casualty list.
I open my mouth to protest but am cut off by Potter's glare. I was unnerved. Potter was radiating raw power.
"We're too spread out," he quickly explains. "For Lavender's plan to work we need to be together."
"Harry," Granger objects incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous. It's not going to work now. Not enough people know."
I tilt my head slightly to stare at her as a silence creeps over the room. I can see the others shying away, unwilling to witness the impending fight. It was always the same, when those two fought everyone felt like small children, locked in their room while mummy and daddy worked everything out.
"Don't underestimate them, Hermione," Potter tells her quietly. "I think they deserve more then that."
"It's better to underestimate them, than to underestimate the Death Eaters." She pauses slightly, looking pleadingly at Harry. "Sirius is missing, he was supposed to meet us but he's not here, you and Ginny have something weird going on which you don't seem to think is important enough to clue us in on. Now is not the time to be taking any risks."
Potter takes a breath, running a hand through his hair as he begins to pace. Suddenly something about him becomes more desperate; like he is abruptly aware of how much time we are wasting. "Sirius is fine, he got held up. The thing with Ginny and I, I think I know but first we just need to get out of here."
I feel my back straighten as I watch a look pass between Potter and Red before he turned his pleading gaze back to Granger.
It hit me then. This was it. No more mucking around. This was the big one and it was two seconds from exploding, we just had to make sure it wasn't in our faces. Potter glances quickly up at me, before turning back to calm Granger. He knows I've got it. He knows I need two seconds for my mind to process this.
I don't hear what they're saying. My head's spinning with hysterical deafness. All my life I've lived this, I've been prepared to fight a war. Now it was here and I've crossed the floor.
Against every single one of my father's wishes and beliefs.
I was about to test my own in one of the biggest displays of "fuck you" ever.
"I'll go get Slytherin," I announce, the conviction in my voice surprising even myself. My stomach felt like a weak bundle of nerves, the severity of what I was about to do, what was about to happen suddenly scaring me for the first time.
Maybe I was human after all.
The Weasel is fuming.
"What?"
His voice tears thought my thoughts. All the hoping that he would suddenly grow up was completely wasted. Everything was black and white to him. When was he going to realise there were shades of grey too. To him I would always be evil, and so would everyone in Slytherin.
"Not everyone of them is evil."
My voice reaches my ears and I sound so calm. Years of facing my father, taking whatever he decided to dish out with the famous stiff upper lip was definitely kicking in. I couldn't fall apart. I couldn't get angry with him over something so trivial. Not now. I was one of the level-headed ones. They needed me on an even par to even function.
"But…"
I cut off his protests before he could even start. Sometimes I wonder if his brain is even connected to his mouth.
"If they are aligned with Voldemort they won't be there. If we leave the rest in the dungeons we might as well slit their throats ourselves."
"I still don't think…"
Wow, what a new and novel experience for him.
Potter suddenly cuts across him.
"Ron, shut up." He sighs slightly before turning to me. Only then do I notice the stress hovering behind his eyes. "Malfoy…"
I don't let him even start. I know what's coming.
"I don't care Potter. Just do your bit and I'll meet you in the Great Hall."
We're wasting time here. Whatever Potter saw wasn't bringing fluffy bunnies and chocolate goodies. I turn quickly on my heal, heading straight for the door, my back straightening as I gathered my thoughts.
"Malfoy."
I pause. Something in Potter's voice causing the hesitation. I keep my back to him as I wait for him to continue.
"Just take someone with you."
Classic Potter.
Safety in numbers. Desperate to keep the body count as low as possible… especially the body count of those he knew. He never understood that his compassion could be taken as a liability.
I smirk, looking at him over my shoulder; well aware of the illusion I was creating.
"I work better alone."
It was true, the banging of the door behind me emphasising my point. I hated the very thought of having one of those wankers tag along with me. I didn't want one of them fucking this entire thing up.
AN2: This chapter may seem a little confusing. I promise explanations are coming.
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