Title: Stop the rain
Rating: T
Warnings:None
Summary: When Harry is captured by the inquisitorial squad, Malfoy makes a different decision and how it changes history as we know it.
STOP THE RAIN
"I am sure an unforgivable can be excused" Umbridge muttered to herself "considering the circumstances"
Hermione's grip of Harry's arms tightened painfully, he could even see Malfoy's eyes widen. In any other circumstance this would have surprised him, instead he gritted his teeth and waited for the pain to follow.
Umbridge raised her wand in preparation of the curse but there is another sudden curse fired.
In the chaos that continued Umbridge looked confused and Harry is surprised he can move again, Pansy took an abortive step towards Umbridge her eyes suspiciously looking at Goyle, when Harry's eyes met Malfoy's, she mouthed "run"
Before Umbridge realised he grabbed Hermione's hands and sprinted out of the room. He could hear Umbridge shouting, but he had a head start already.
"I know where we should go" Hermione said as she tightened her grip on Harry's hands and lead him towards the Forbidden Forest. It was a testimony to the fact that he unquestionably trusted her, as he allowed himself to be lead to the dark looming forest.
The fiasco in the forest took an hour, and when Harry finally stumbled out with Hermione he was surprised to see Malfoy leaning on a tree twirling her wand "So what adventures are we up to now?" she asked.
Malfoy looked well put together as always, not a hair out of place as she raised her perfectly arched eyebrows at Harry and Hermione's dishevelled appearance.
Harry gritted his teeth and tried not to curse her on the spot "Move Malfoy, I don't have the time"
Malfoy looked bored, but didn't move "do tell Potter"
It's Hermione who finally burst out "it's you-know-who, he has someone Harry loves"
Malfoy raised her eyebrows but stopped twirling her wand "are you sure?"
Harry wasn't surprised at the fact that Malfoy didn't seem to absorb the gravity of the situation. It was rather predictable on her part.
"Of course I am sure"
"How can you possibly be?"
Harry considered stunning her instead, but even Hermione is listening in "I had a vision" he gritted out yet again.
Malfoy laughed, high and tinkering
"Oh you are not joking"
"how are you sure Potter?"
"This is not the first time"
"How- are-you-sure" she enunciated slowly, like he couldn't quite grasp the concept "how are you sure it's not a trap?"
"Why do you care?" It was just like Malfoy, to get a rise out of him on the most trying of times. If the time wasted would get Sirius killed, Harry is sure he would end up killing Malfoy too.
"Make sure Potter" she said "instead of stupidly rushing head first into danger"
Hermione too looks thoughtful, and perhaps that is what causes Harry to change his mind.
The mirror, Harry's mind provides him and before he knows it he was tearing through the dormitories to reach the mirror.
"Sirius" he breathed out "padfoot"
It is the five longest seconds of his life, the way his heart feels like it is going to burst through his chest.
"Harry?"
He almost cried out of relief at the sight of his godfather's tired face looking back "Sirius I had a vision" the words are wrenched from his mouth, the story comes tumbling down in a garbled mess.
It was a tense six hours, Ginny and Neville look apprehensively and even Luna looks scared. Harry sits vacantly staring out the window waiting for some kind of news.
When he is finally summoned to McGonagall's office his hands are shaking, Hermione's fingers entwine slowly, she smiles tightly when he looks at her.
McGonagall looks morose "Sit down"
"There was an attack on the Ministry, You-know-who was there" Harry knows he is crushing Hermione's fingers "Bellatrix is dead, Sirius is in custody"
"What?" Harry jumps up "she is a death eater"
The rest of the room doesn't move, Harry looks imploringly at McGonagall, "what is going to happen"
It's an alarming stillness "everyone saw you-know-who" she says instead "It all burns down to how much the ministry is willing to admit"
Harry lets go of Hermione's hands.
The next morning is bleak and morose, The Daily prophet proclaims 'You-know-who's return', an alleged prophesy broken and Lucius Malfoy is arrested'
Everyone looks frightened and Harry is predictably the talk again, he wants to sink down and hide in his chair. But his mind wanders as well, when he looks across the great hall, Malfoy is noticeably absent. He searches again, only to be met with disdainful looks from Parkinson.
The toast taste dry in his mouth as he looks down at his paper again, he wonders if it is a good or a bad thing that Sirius alleged incarceration is not proclaimed. His fingers drum the wooden surface idly as Ginny makes her way towards him, she has a thin envelope "Dad says there is a good chance for trail"
Ron snatches the envelope away and Harry zones out the resulting bickering, he wonders briefly about Malfoy, wonders if she regrets the decision of helping Harry in the first place, of losing the one thing that she held closest instead.