Draco fingered the picture, taking in what he just now realized. He quickly pocketed it and headed out of his dorm room. In his hurry he forgot to shut his trunk, shut the door, and walked past Harry, who really wasn't all too well hidden in the shadows of the corner. He took the spiral staircase by two, yet again that day, and excited the head dormitories. Harry, who waited patiently for Draco to leave the common room all together, stepped out of the shadows. He had something in mind.
Draco, on the other hand, only had one thing on his mind and that's exactly why he was headed down to the infirmary at that very moment. He had something to do. He quickly weaved through the throngs of students that were in the hallway, no doubt, headed to their next class. Draco paid no attention, he'd miss his next class for all he cared. This had to be dealt with now. He pushed open the wooden doors and looked around. Granger was no longer lying on the front bed. In fact no one was in the infirmary at all. As the medi-witch stepped out of her office with a carrier full of potions Draco spoke up, spooking the middle aged witch.
"Where is Granger?" Draco asked, his patience riding low.
"Mr. Malfoy, you should know better then to sneak up on someone like that." She answered, patting her chest with a sigh.
"Answer the question." He said hotly.
"Mr. Malfoy..." Draco cut her off, he was in no mood to deal with teachers. All he wanted to know was where Granger went. "I asked and you are meant to answer."
"If you must know she left with young Mr. Weasley less than five minutes ago."
"You let her leave?" Draco asked, trying to leave his annoyance hidden.
"Yes I thought she need a little bed rest in a homely place. That girl, I knew from the beginning, would end up making herself sick with stress and lack of sleep. Bloody N.E.W.T.S do it every year." Draco didn't even listen to her finish her comment before he quickly walked back through the doors. He looked up, trying to remember exactly where the whereabouts of the Gryffindor common room was. Draco sprinted up the stairs, only slowing when a teacher gave him a weird look.
"Mr. Malfoy, just the boy I was looking for." The stern voice of Professor McGonagall cut through the air easily. Draco stopped and slowly turned around, greatly annoyed that someone had interrupted him when he was on a mission. He waited for his professor to reach him.
"May I ask why you need me Professor?" Draco asked with no emotion.
"Yes, I came to talk to you about tonights rounds. Tonight was the head boy and girl to do them and I have to ask you if you do not mind doing them alone seeing as Ms. Granger is in no condition do so?"
Draco eyed his professor, "Very well." Draco nodded to her and then resumed his mission.
"Oh and Mr. Malfoy?" Draco stopped. "Do get to class." Draco rolled his eyes and headed in the opposite direction towards Potions.
Like usual, he was left to do the assignment by himself because both Crabbe and Goyle were too preoccupied with something behind them. No, they were not stupid, but they definitely were far from smart. Draco sighed as he cut his leaf into fourths and added it to his potion.
"Mr. Malfoy, may I ask why you have disregarded your assigned partner?"
"I haven't, he just decided that it was way more fun to stare at the wall behind us." Draco said flatly as he added the last pit of ingredients and smirked. "Done."
"Then you wont mind if I test it now will you?" Draco shook is head and watched his professor walk up to his cauldron and collect some into a cup. "Mr. Weasley, care to drink it?"
"Yes I do care, it could be poison!" Ron retorted.
"Five points from Gryffindor." Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered, "He'll do anything to take points from us." Harry nodded in agreement. "Mr. Weasley?" Ron growled at the fact he had to drink something Mafloy had made. Draco watched Ron walk to the front of the room and take the cup from Snape. He frowned and then drank it. His face paled and his eyes glazed over as his body went stiff, his eyes then closed, and he fell to the ground. People were standing up to see if he was okay when loud snoring erupted in the room. The class started laughing hysterically. Draco smirked and let his eyes wonder around the class. He watched two Gryffindor girls whisper and giggle about something, but shrugged it off. His eyes soon wondered to where Potter and Weasley had both been sitting. Granger, of course, absent from the Golden Trio. Bloody hell, why do I have the worst luck in wizarding history? Draco thought to himself.
Potions droned on and on and Draco, like usual, never paid attention after that. Ron did wake up from his deep slumber before the class ended. His ears turned bright red when the class started laughing again. Harry had to explain to him why they were laughing later as the bell rang. Draco smirked as he walked out of the class room. Today was unmistakably a long day.
Draco marched off to his next class, which unfortunately was Herbology. He didn't have it with the Gryffindors, but sometimes he felt that the Hufflepuffs were worse. Their kind hearted demeanor was nearly sickening at times. But Draco shrugged that all off.. No one was worse than the Gryffindors, no one.
Draco stood outside of green house five, waiting for the rest of his classmates to arrive. He leaned his left shoulder up against the door frame, with his legs just crossed at the feet. His bored expression was scaring some of the other kids as they walked in. He sighed and stared over at the Forbidden Forest. So many creatures he had run into once upon a time. He was about to turn away when something caught his eye, it was only a second, but he knew it was a flash of blonde hair.
Draco squinted to see if it was still there, but he couldn't tell. He looked back into the green house and made sure the professor wasn't watching him. When he no longer had to worry about being caught, he took off towards the forest.
He crouched down passed Hagrid's cabin and then sprinted into the forest. He looked around, trying not catch the attention of any other unknown creatures lurking in the midst. Like so many other times he heard that same childish giggle from around him. Draco was about to walk further when a hand grabbed his shoulder. Draco jumped at the sudden touch.
"Draco what are you doing?" Pansy asked him.
"Why do you keep following me?"
"Well I know nothing good was going to come out of you running off towards the forest. So I came to see what the bloody hell you were up to?" Pansy snapped.
"None of your bloody god damned business. I told you before I didn't want your spoiled brat noise up in what I do." Draco pushed her aside and walked back to the green house. Pansy pouted, she was at loss as to what was making her old best friend act so, unlike himself.
"Mr. Malfoy is there a reason you are so late?" Professor Sprout asked.
"Yes, I was banging some girl." He answered sarcastically.
"The real reason, Mr. Malfoy?"
"I just didn't feel like coming so early." He lied, his voice plain and bored. He quickly swept passed a group of Slytherins to his proper seat. Yes, what a long day.
Draco walked the dark halls, no light visible from any room, though he didn't really expect there to be anyone up. He was nearly complete with his rounds for the night and was more than happy to be able to get back to bed. This whole day had bored him into a stupor and he could barely remember making it to any of his other classes.
As he walked passed a flight of stairs, he leaned up against the wall next to them, closed his eyes, and tried to will away the tiredness that had now seemingly over come him. Normally when he had rounds he had the bickering between Granger and him to keep him awake, but now the halls were dark and quite, not a soul in sight.
"Maybe I should just go to bed, no one is out." He said to himself as he pushed himself off the wall.
Draco!
Draco blinked, but didn't move. You aren't real. I'm just tired. He tried very hard to convince himself that he was just imagining it because he was tired. He rubbed his temples as the childish giggling sliced through the air.
"GO AWAY!" He screamed at nothing. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Draco slid down against the wall, now sitting on the floor. He gripped his head in frustration, when an idea came to him. He stood up and walked up the stairs he was sitting next to. Every once and a while he would stop and listen for her laughing or any sign of her. Sure it was far fetched, but maybe just maybe, he would be right about this.
He tracked up a few more flights of stairs and then everything went silent. He stood listening, but nothing could be heard. He slowly stepped onto the next stair, but stopped when his foot hit something wet. He looked down and the steps were soaked. He crouched down and touched the water. It was cold and smelt, unmistakably, like algae. He ran up the last few stairs, stumbling and slipping on the water, trying to use the stone walls to keep him from falling all the way down again. Draco slid to a halt just before a door.
"The astronomy tower?"
Hermione gripped Ron's shirt as he kissed down her jaw, lightly running his hand up her leg. She giggled at the touch of his warm hand running up her thigh.
"Ron." She breathed out. Ron stopped for a moment and smiled then kissed her on the lips. She pushed him back so she could speak. "Ron, I don't want to go, you know, far." She looked away. Ron smiled and leaned in and whispered, "It's okay Hermione, neither do I, not yet anyway." He laughed then kissed her again, licking her bottom lip and urging her to kiss him back.
Draco stared at the door in curiosity, but as he twisted the door handle he got the sudden urge to run away and to not come back. Draco shook his head and opened the door. He was now standing in the doorway of the astronomy tower, no light present expect for the moon light shinning in through the one window. He now realized why he should have ran far away for he was now greeted with a sight now Slytherin would dream to see.
To Draco's annoyance he could not look away from the two Gryffindors, but even worse, he could not look away from Hermione. No it was nothing of longing or lust, more of shock and disgust.
"Pretty isn't she?" Draco looked over his shoulder. The same girl with strawberry blonde hair and the enchanting blue eyes slipped passed him, so she was standing between him and the two Gryffindors. Draco watched her as she looked back over her shoulder at Hermione. She smiled, "Pity she's a mudblood." She looked back to Draco who was staring at her in disbelief. Not once had his old friend ever uttered that word. Not once had something so fowl and cruel ever passed her precious lips. "But you know what gets me?" She waited for Draco to say something, but she knew he wouldn't so she continued. She looked back at Hermione and sighed, "People actually love her." As each of those words passed her lips it was like another ten pound weight being thrown on him. Those words, alone, stung him like nothing else. Cree laughed. "Draco you know that everyone came from the same two people? At least so says the bible. Did you like me Draco?"
"Yes."
"Why?" Draco didn't answer. "I mean the mudblood and I have a lot in common you know? The Laidle family, well known right?" Draco nodded. "Would you have ever guessed that my family name started with a mudblood and a wizard?? Does that make me unworthy as well? IS MY BLOOD DIRTY TOO?!!?" She sighed and mentally calmed herself.
"Why?" Draco muttered.
"Why what? Why her? Why you?" Her eyes now sparkling, almost like his new found pain was bringing her more glory than anything else in the world.
"Why are you here?" Cree laughed a harsh laugh.
"I would have thought you figured that out by now, my dear sweet Draco." Draco looked past her to the locket lying around Hermione's small neck.
"But how?"
"I don't exactly know, but to tell you the truth I don't really care. But Draco there is something else of way more importance that you need to see." She stepped back from him and walked over to Hermione and touched her hand and pulled her up. Ron sat there dumbfounded as he watched, no doubt, his girlfriend ignore his advances and leave. Cree let go of Hermione, she took the last few steps and closed the few inches between herself and Draco, she leaned in and whispered in his ear. Something barely audible, "It's all your fault."
Ron watched as the astronomy tower swirled and disappeared and a flash of green and blue began to appear. He closed his eyes, wondering if he were just imagining it, but when he opened he truly was not where he had been. He was sitting on slightly wet grass facing the orange and pink sunset. To the left of him was a rather large looking lake, the water rippling in cause to the light breeze. His hair blew gently across his face, tickling his nose.
He noted that to his right was a large stone building, with dying flowers around the back. A large stonewall ended just a few feet away. Ron sat in confusion until two small children appeared from behind the stonewall.
"Draco let's go swimming!!" The young girl let go of his hand and ran towards the lake. She turned around a faced her best friend again, Draco. Ron looked at both of them. He knew the boy was Draco, but he didn't know who the girl was and why it was so important for him to be there.
"Cree I don't know. Your parents will be here soon."
"Oh come on Draco, have a little fun." Cree? Why did that name sound so familiar. Ron though to himself, just sitting back and watching all of this happen. He really had no choice, but to because had no way back.
"You can go. I'll just sit here." The girl nodded and peeled of her robes, underneath she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. She stepped into the water and laughed, probably from how cold the water was. Ron's eyes wondered from the girl playing in the water back to Draco, he was sitting up against a tree. He was staring off into space, not really paying attention to anything but the sky. Then something caught both the young Draco and Ron off guard. An ear shattering scream came from the once joyful girl playing in the water. Ron watched as Draco stood up and raced over to the lake, frantically looking in the water to see where she had gone. Only seconds later she resurfaced the water and screamed for him to help her. Ron wanted to do something to help, but no matter how much he wanted to, he could not will himself to.
"DRACO!! HELP ME!!!" The girl screamed over and over every time she resurfaced. Her arms flailing around in desperate to grab hold of something. Draco walked as far out as he could, but she had gone too far out for him. He grabbed hold of one of the branches of an over hanging tree and tried to grab her hand. A few times he had succeeded, but her hand, being wet, slipped easily from him. He leaned over, nearly losing his own balance to try again. She was now resurfacing the water much less until she didn't anymore. Draco could see her through the water, but couldn't do anything. In hopeless attempt to save his friend, he reached into the water once again, but this time he looked like he was pushing her further down. His face contorted in frustration as he pushed his hand through the water, but when he pulled back all he had in his hand was some necklace looking object. Ron wasn't close enough to tell. Then it dawned on him what it was. It was the locket the one he bought for Hermione. Ron hung his head in shame, he had bought that for Hermione and it was that, that was causing her to have all these fits. He didn't know why, but he knew it had to be. It was the only thing that really made sense enough to be true. Hermione was getting sick because of him. Ron felt a sickening feeling well up in his heart.
When he looked back at the lake there was another thing Ron could tell, something he was sure the both of them missed, Lucius Malfoy was standing in what he thought was a rather good hiding place, wand held out and not blinking.
The colors whirled again and in moments notice Ron was lying flat on his arse looking at Malfoy. For the first time Ron finally noticed the other girls presence. She was a slender looking blonde girl, the same girl from the lake, but she was older. She walked up to Draco and leaned down. Draco's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. She smirked evilly and then kissed him. Ron could tell Draco was trying hard not to kiss her back, but it was hopeless. He fell loser to himself and kissed her back.
Ron watched as the girl physically changed. Her hair becoming considerably darker and a lot less straight. Hermione?
Ron jumped to his feet and pushed Draco from Hermione. Draco's head smacked up against the wall of the tower and his face contorted into the look of pain.
"Stay away from my girlfriend." Ron flopped onto his knees and held Hermione in her arms. Her hair was wet along with her clothes. Her eyes were closed and he could feel her pulse become considerably slower. "Hermione, baby, come back. Please. You'll be okay, I promise." Ron pleaded with her limp frame. "Please."
Hermione sat up and spit up water. She coughed and gaged, trying to find her breath.
"'Mione!" Ron held the fast breathing girl in his arms lovingly. "You're okay." He smiled with relief.
Draco pushed himself up against the wall, rubbing the back of his head in the mean time. He stared down at the locket in his hand, his mind was reeling with so many questions and thoughts. No matter how hard he tried he could not sort through them.
"Malfoy?!" Draco looked up at Ron who was still holding Hermione is in arms lovingly. "It was your father."
"What?" Draco asked fiercely.
"I don't care if you don't believe me, but I saw what I saw. Your father killed your friend."
"My father wou..."
"Malfoy before you say your father wouldn't think about what kind of a man he was and is. Besides something tells me that you knew your father didn't want you hanging around with her." Draco ignored him and left the room, leaving them to themselves.
He didn't care how true he knew that statement was, he would not let himself believe it. He would not let himself think that his father would do such a thing, though he knew his father would and that's what bothered him.
Draco looked at the locket once again, oh god how much he missed her.
You were my best friend, and you always will be.