I stared at the parchment before me, quill in hand. I meant to write a letter to Luna, but everything I wanted to her was potentially dangerous information. All I had managed to pen was a few lines of boring small talk. I sighed, and wrote, There's a lot to talk about, but I don't want to tell you over post.
I was sure she would understand.
I wrote that I was glad she was okay and that I missed her, then tucked the letter into my robe for later. My nerves were making a wreck of me. Tonight, I planned on freeing the DA. I was exhausted from lack of sleep, but there was no time to spare.
After sending the letter, I went to est in the great hall, spent some time studying in the library, and went to bed.
As I waited, I thought about Draco. I wondered about Luna and hoped everyone in the DA was okay. OWLS crossed my mind briefly, but I wasn't very worried. The clock on the wall told me it was midnight.
I slipped out of bed, still fully dressed, and tucked the DA wands into my jacket. Showtime.
The dungeons were directly beneath the Slytherin dorms. For the first time since Draco and I were cleaning cells together, I entered the dungeons, wand at the ready. It was totally silent, but I knew they were down there.
The air smelled like dirt, and the walls were damp. Strange, I didn't remember it being so miserable.
Torchlight glowed around the corner before me. I walked as quietly as possible, then peered slowly around the corner.
Without revealing myself, I could just make out the legs of someone sitting in a chair. They were motionless.
I pressed against the wall, took a deep breath, and sprang forward. "Stupefy!" I called.
The person, none other than Professor Carrow, fell out of his chair and lay motionless. I dashed over and searched him for his wand. Upon finding it, I snapped it in half and shoved it beneath his stocky body.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked from inside one of the nearby cells.
"I'm here to save you," I said proudly, approaching the cell with keys in hand. She was inside by herself, probably since they recognized her as the leader.
She seemed glad to see me. "I knew you didn't turn us in."
"Course not," I replied as I unlocked the cell. "Here, take your wand."
She chose her wand from the bundle in my hand. There were five members in the next cell over, and Neville was alone in the third cell.
"Greengrass!" someone exclaimed as I unlocked the cell.
"Not so loud!" I hissed.
The door swung open as the students pressed though, and then I freed Neville.
"Come get your wands," I ordered, fanning them out in my hand.
"We have to get out of here," said Ginny. "But we can't just abandon the school. They need us!"
"I know where you can go," I offered.
"The room of requirement," Neville and I said at the same time. I gave him a curious look.
"I've been hiding there the past week," he said. "The Carrows have been after me."
"Right then," Ginny said. "Let's get moving."
Ginny lead the way through the castle, and I brought up the rear. We paused at every corner, checking for wandering faculty or students.
Ginny stopped at the final bend and checked. She pressed against the wall and motioned for the rest of us to do the same. We waited, hardly daring to breath.
I didn't see his face, but I recognized that head of platinum hair. It was Draco.
I half-thought to call out to him.
He passed the hall, not seeing us, and we waited a few moments for him to turn a corner and disappear. I wondered if he would've turned us in, and what he was up to at this time of night.
Ginny waved her hand, and we followed her into the next hall, and around another corner.
I was the last one in the hall when Draco turned. "Who's that?" he demanded.
I froze, and locked eyes with Ginny. I looked towards the next hall, then back to her. She nodded, and ushered away the rest of the DA.
I sighed and turned, arm's crossed.
"Greengrass," Draco said formally, standing with his hands behind his back. "What are you doing up?"
"I could ask you the same," I told him.
"I'm a prefect, after all," Draco replied. "It's my duty to patrol the halls sometimes."
"When have you ever actually done that?"
"Frankly, what I'm doing is none of your business. You should go to bed." He started to walk in the same direction Ginny went.
"Draco, wait," I called out.
He stopped but didn't turn. I wondered what he was thinking. I approached him and took his arm, pulling him around to face me. He refused to look at my face.
"Listen, I-." I was interrupted by a crash from the distance. Those idiots!
"What was that?" Draco asked, turning the investigate.
Thinking fast, I grabbed his face and kissed him. From the next hall, I saw Ginny peek out and catch sight of us. She stuck out her tongue and disappeared again.
I feel something like hunger from deep within me. After everything, I still wanted him desperately.
Draco was surprised at first, but then some other side of him came out. He pulled me against him, pressing his hips against mine. His grip was tight on my back, his mouth was fierce. With one hand on the back of his neck, I held him closer. With the other, I felt the warmth of his chest. My anger only fed my desire.
I didn't have to pretend to want him. My body ached for his.
"Astoria," he murmured as he pulled away.
I held him in place. "I need you right now," I whispered in his ear between kisses.
"I dunno," he deterred.
"Draco, please," I pleaded. "Draco, I want you so bad."
"I suppose there's the room of requirement," he said as I kissed his jaw.
"Too far."
"It's only one floor up…" He trailed off when I, without looking, blasted open a nearby door.
"As the lady wishes," he laughed.
I pulled him into the classroom, pushed his robe from his shoulders and shed my jacket. I moaned when, kissing my neck, his hands wandered to my breasts. My hands shook with excitement while I unbuttoned his shirt.
Draco lifted my shirt and fumbled with my belt. I waved my hand, and the classroom door closed.
The lock clicked into place.
