Draco felt the rock that had been slowly start to form in his stomach, slowly start to deteriorate when Hermione grabbed him back. He exhaled in relief. So, perhaps, he wasn't completely alone. He didn't have to rely on Zabini completely, Hermione was still there.
When Draco read the letter, he felt the muscle in his jaw twitch as the anger swelled again, this time directed towards Voldemort and his followers. He looked down at Hermione again, and grabbed her into a hug. "What are they playing at?" he asked sadly as he released her, looking down at the letter again and scanning it over.
"This doesn't make sense. Voldemort wants Potter, why wouldn't he want him to find out?" Draco asked, feeling increasingly confused. He started to pace back and forth, trying to remember if his father had ever said anything that would explain the method to the Dark Lord's madness, but nothing came to mind.
Instead, he turned back to Hermione, looking defeated and let out a sad sigh, running his fingers through his already messy hair. "Wha-what do we do?" he asked her, leaning up against the wall next to her, and sliding down it to sit on the floor.
Hermione took a deep breath she was glad he finally asked her what do we do. She slid down next to him she knew he would never go for it but she decided to give it a shot, maybe he would. Hermione glanced over at him and took another deep breath.
"Well I am glad you want to help me Draco, but I see this as a opportunity for you." She saw the confusion on his face and smiled gently, "I know you're not on good terms with your family or with Voldemort." She said looking back down and closing her eyes. "You know there are rumors about you being a death eater, which I know are not true. So do not fret over that." She said looking away knowing she was hesitating.
"Now before you say no, I think that Voldemort wants to use me to get to Harry. So I was thinking he is going to have someone take me anyway." She looked at him, "Draco if you took me in then you will be forgiven and you can say you got to Harry to get to me for Voldemort." She said softly
Hermione was willingly to act as a sacrifice to help Draco and to possible help Harry. "See then you could tell Harry what is going on. Then he will know what is going on." She said sighing, "Just please if you do not take me then he will send someone that would kill me first and ask questions later."
Draco had a feeling from the beginning of Hermione explaining her plan, that he wasn't going to like it. By the end of her idea, he was standing again, shaking his head back and forth. "Oooooh no! Hermione-" he said, looking around to make sure no one was around, then dropping his voice, "The entire point of this is to try to survive. How the bloody hell are the both of us going to do that when we just waltz right into the Dark Lord's arms?"
"Using you as a decoy to let The Dark Lord get to Potter, will be working in his favor, not ours! We'd be doing exactly what he wants to happen! That letter should be showed straight to Dumbledore, that's what!" he said, as he shoved the letter back into her hands.
"There is no way he can send someone, especially now." he said, his voice cracking. He looked around, and grabbed Hermione by the arm, dragging her into the nearest empty classroom and locking the door behind them.
"Alright, listen..." he said his voice still cracking. "Now that I am out of the picture, there is absoultely no way Voldemort can enter Hogwarts. He..."
Draco stopped for a minute, biting his bottom lip. He was telling Hermione something that he had not even told Harry nor Dumbledore in the past. "He..he was going to use me to get into Hogwarts. This year, I was supposed to be assigned a mission to help the Death Eaters break into Hogwarts. And...I-I was ordered to...kill Dumbledore." he admitted, not being able to bring himself to look at her.
"But, of course, all those plans were foiled when everyone found out about Potter and I." he added. "Now, not only because I'm a 'traitor', he also wants to kill me because I ruined the only chance he had to get to Dumbledore. No student in Hogwarts is as advanced as I am in the Dark Arts, and trust me, Hermione, I am not boasting."
He turned fully away from her, walking towards a desk and sitting down, putting his head in his hands. "This is a trap, Hermione. Voldemort is desperate for anything, that he's sending empty threats to you. I'd bet Weasel got one as well."
Hermione looked at Draco standing up and shaking his head back and forth like a mad man. She too stood up and looked at him pushing him gently, "IT ISN'T A EMPTY THREAT!" She looked at him clinching her fist she did not want to fight with Draco but there was no other way. She was going to give herself up, "You know what I do not care if I survive anymore Draco!" This was the first time that she had told anyone about her death wish.
"So you know what I just thought it would help you out! As for the Dark Arts, yeah I remember you were suppose to teach me remember!" she said in tears and walking back and forth, "I know you are good with the Dark Arts Draco. I also knew you was working for Voldemort there for a while."
Hermione that everyone once knew the one who had a fighting spirit was depleting and fast. She was no longer even staying in the head girl's room. She had made a new home in the Room of Requirement.
Hermione turned her back on him, "I live with the night mares every damn night Draco. I live with knowing that I could not have done a damn thing to save my parents." She clinched her fist tightly.
The next thing was that Hermione was staring at Draco. "It is all because I was and is Harry's friend! It would be ten times worse for you if you two would have stayed together you know that!" Her blood was boiling and she felt a surge of hatred but not towards Draco towards herself. Hermione winched softly hoping he would not notice the pain that was going on within her. Ever since that night and the night with Snape and his father she has had constant pain going threw her.
Hermione looked down from him and sighed gently. "Look Draco even if you do not help me I am going to do this. I do not need your help with this. Oh and like hell if I am going to go to Dumbledore or anyone else." She hissed threw her teeth.
Her eyes looked right threw him they were now a bit darker brown than they once was. She looked away from him and shook her head, "I can't handle this." She said sitting on a nearby desk looking down.
Draco pressed the palm of his head into his forehead, shaking it back and forth in disbelief. "Hermione, you're smarter than this." he mumbled. When she confessed that she didn't care about surviving or not, he dropped his hand, and looked at her intently.
"That is a very selfish thing to do, Hermione. For one who is caring more about the well being of others, more than herself, you should realize how much your death will effect the people that love you." he said, his voice firm. "There are other ways around this. You know that, and I know that. We're both the smartest students in this school. You know we need to take this to Dumbledore."
He continued to shake his head in disbelief as Hermione continued her rant. Draco couldn't believe how upset she was getting. "Do you think I did not care about my own neck when I was with Potter? Of course I did! From an early age, Hermione, I've learned, 'Save your own neck, then care about everyone dear to you'. Because honestly, what would happen if the most intelligent people are all blown to pieces?" he sighed, "I hope I'm making sense to you, Hermione. I'd be more than willing to still teach you the Dark Arts. But only if you don't try sacrificing yourself like a bloody fool!"
Draco watched her sit down, and walked over to her, kneeling in front of the desk she was sitting at. "Hermione, listen to me, neither of us will survive with out the other. We're all that each other has left. Well- you obviously still have Potter and Weasel, just give them time. And me, Zabini and Parkinson, but Parkinson's dumber than a box of rocks, and Zabini isn't too much of a threat to any of my enemies. So honestly, it's just us for the time being."
He stood, throwing his bag over his shoulder and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Just-just think about it, Hermione, please? Think it through. Meet me in the library tomorrow, and we can figure this all out more then. Just please do not do anything yet." he begged, looking down at her. "I need to go work on my homework, and we have caused too much of a distraction tonight. People might have noticed, and trust me, the last thing I want is more attention on me. So I'm going to retire to my dormitory." Draco gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. "Take care of yourself, Hermione. See you tomorrow." he said, and he turned and left the classroom.
Hermione looked at Draco eyes widen and seeing that he was begging her not to do anything tonight. How could she say no to him? Hermione sighed as he left her sitting in the empty class room all alone. She brought herself up to her feet and then slowly walked towards the door and then sighing gently.
As she made her way towards the Room of Requirement when she felt a hand grab her shoulder. "Draco? I thought you had home work." She said turning and seeing it wasn't Draco but Goyle and Crabbe. "What the hell do you two want?" She hissed threw her teeth and then feeling one of them push her against the wall pinning her to it.
Crabbe looked down at her, "Listen mud-blood stay away from Draco! He is in enough trouble as it is and does not need a mud-blood to make it worse for him!" Goyle smirked and leaned in whispering to her, "And the Dark Lord sends his regards to your parents." He said punching her in the stomach.
The next thing Hermione knew she was on the floor waking up to a cut lip and a sore body. She sighed and stood up walking in the Room of Requirement. Hermione feel on her bed and broke down in tears. She was shaking and looking at herself. "Empty threats my ass Draco Malfoy. It looks like you have more loyal people than you realize." She said looking down and sighing.
The next day Hermione just stayed in the room not even getting up to go to classes or to any meals. She did not feel up to getting up and moving at all. Hermione closed her eyes knowing that Draco might be worried but she couldn't move she had too much to think on, and the biggest thing was that what she was going to do.
