Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, how sad.
An idea, pull up a chair and see what you think.
Malfoy shivered and muttered something unintelligible. The weather was turning damp blowing gusts of cold wind through the high arches, causing Grangers hair to gain even further volume. Weasel shoved his way past getting right in Malfoy's line of sight.
'Ready?' Ron said, much more anxious than anyone else present. Hermione just rolled her eyes. Malfoy nearly echoed the gesture and then checked himself. He didn't agree with Granger as a general rule, although other than he, she was the only one privy to a degree of serenity in these classes thanks to her incessant reading.
Hermione's face stayed decidedly smug as she filtered into Defence Against the Dark Arts. The gloominess of the weather that slanted the vaulted ceilings in shadow couldn't dampen her mood. She'd been practicing the spell that was assigned for days; even Malfoy's muttering wouldn't distract her this time.
'Miss Granger, you first.' Snape liked to strike worry and a steep standard into his students, but he also waited for the moment she would make a mistake. The eternal fascination of one Miss Granger was her ability. Her quick quiet steps clicked on the ancient stone flags of the floor. She ignored the pale hair that lingered pointedly somewhere shadowed at the back of the class.
Draco smiled as Hermione performed the difficult spell. Concise flicks of her wand waved within the light that took to surrounding her. It wasn't dark magic but it wasn't exactly delightful and it reflected off the walls magnificently. Snape tapped his hard fingers absently but Malfoy saw the absolute concentration trained on Granger. Hermione refused to fail under Snape's stern gaze and Malfoy's continuing one; ferret.
Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. Ron's blunt pencil he'd been absently twirling fell off the table with a clatter and he gulped guiltily. From somewhere off to the side someone muttered a complication curse and a blinding flash of darkness fell over the room, as though someone had snuffed the light out in great dust filled flashes.
Students reached for their wands, all nerves sparking, trying to work out what had happened. Draco leapt up from his seat sending his chair over. Light cascaded back into the room as the darkness cleared to reveal the quickly moving student body. Nothing was meant to happen today, what was happening?
'Hermione!' Ron's frantic cry broke over the wave of increasing murmurs. Malfoy's head whipped towards the front not having noticed the lack of one previously present annoying brunette.
Rushing forward Harry was held back by a sweep of Snape's arm, 'Stay back.'
Snape was well aware someone had faulted the spell; Miss Granger had not uttered even one incorrect syllable, interference irked Snape more than idiocy.
Draco slipped to the front and took in the bone chilling sight. Hermione's body unnaturally angled on the floor, unmoving. Potter lingered as close as he could without being within arms reach of Snape, who looked for all the world like a Dementor crouching over her, finished with his work. It was enough to be making Weasley pull his hair out in a panicked fashion.
The person who had done it was clearly a coward, hiding behind the cloud of confusion. Malfoy's eyes flicked back and forth and caught Blaise Zabini's unpleasant smirk before it could be hidden along with the wand in his robe.
Tightening the hold on his wand Draco thought to deal with Zabini when there would be less witnesses. His father would be proud of the thoughts percolating in his mind at that moment; it sent shivers down the back of his neck. Lucius had been anxious of late, impatient for Draco to join ranks before being forced. A student stumbled across his foot as she sought to leave the room before anything else could happen.
Snape lifted Granger, her wand fell from limp fingers and clattered to Malfoy's feet as she was carried from the classroom. Everyone disappeared from sight in Snape's wake and suddenly the class room was eerily silent. Malfoy picked up her forgotten wand from the cold floor and held it in his open palm. Never had a lesson ended so abruptly.
The rain had begun to fall and grew heavier splattering Malfoy as he cleared the front doors of Hogwarts. It was as if the rain were punishing him for not realising something would happen. The grass was slippery and he tried to keep his feet right. Where was he going? He found his legs wouldn't take him any further away then he remembered. The ominous figure of the Malfoy heir stalked back into the school and headed for his first best guess.
Elsewhere:
Despite the torrential weather the sun was shining brightly through the high windows of the Hospital wing as the doors flew open. Madame Pomfrey dropped her drink at the bang of one black clad Snape and two frantic boys bursting into her previously peaceful wing.
Clearing her throat she came to Snape's side ignoring the spilt water.
'Severus, what has happened?' Madame Pomfrey shooed Harry and Ron.
'Out the both of you.' Any protest was met with the unnerving twin glances of Snape and Madame Pomfrey at once. Enough to freeze a person.
She began to cast spells that sparked to ascertain the damage as Harry and Ron stood on the other side of the heavy wooden doors fuming. Snape's voice came in quick hushed tones as Pomfrey's old face froze over and her eyes fixed to Miss Grangers unconscious face before a shaky nod passed.
Harry and Ron paced in the corridor; nearly hexing Malfoy as he cleared the stairs.
'Ferret, what did you do?' Ron felt a worthy direction for his anger; it had to have been a Slytherin who had added the curse.
Malfoy didn't bother to flinch as he levelled his glare; placing his injured hand in his wet pockets he put on the familiarly uncomfortable shrug of indifference. He was unaware of the wet trail he'd left behind him. His stomach clenched with adrenaline, whatever it was, it had to be reversible.
AN: Please review.