1993 - Second Year
Draco wandered out of the hospital wing, his mind still mulling over what Professor Snape had said to him moments ago. He knew his decisions or, lack thereof, had led her to this moment. They had been part of the reason she was lying in a hospital bed, having been petrified. Draco also knew this wouldn't be the last time his father would put him in a situation where her life would no doubt be at risk. Snape was right, one day he was going to have to decide for himself.
Over the summer he had learnt a lot about the former Death Eaters. How they have the same belief system as Voldemort, how they plan to carry on his work despite his downfall. His father had made a point in involving him so soon on in their meetings. Draco was starting to become concerned that he was going to have a bigger part to play, that one day he was going to be asked to do something that would break him in more ways than one.
"All students are to return to their house dormitories at once! All teachers to the second-floor corridor immediately." he heard Professor McGonagall's voice echo through the corridors.
As she finished speaking he noticed the familiar sight of black accompanied by red move past the corridor ahead. Moving quickly and quietly, he turned the corner leading to the corridor he had just witnessed Harry and Ron sprinting down, following them close behind. He watched as they stopped and hid behind a pillar, staring at the wall that showed a new message left by the Heir of Slytherin.
"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized, a student has been taken by the monster, into the chamber itself. The students must be sent home," Draco heard McGonagall say frantically to the other teachers who were surrounding her. "I'm afraid this is going to be the end of Hogwarts."
"So sorry, I dozed off. What did I miss?" Professor Lockhart spoke as he joined the rest of his colleagues. Draco rolled his eyes at the sound of his voice and shook his head before he moved forward slightly to get a better look at the message that had been left on the wall.
"A girl has been snatched by the monster Lockhart, your moment has come at last," Snape said calmly.
"M-my m-moment?" Lockhart stuttered as he paled slightly.
"Weren't you saying, just last night, that you've known all along where the entrance is to the Chamber of Secrets?" Draco sniggered to himself quietly as he listened to Snape go on.
"That's settled then," McGonagall spoke, "We will leave you to deal with the monster. Your skills, after all, are legend," Although he couldn't see her face, Draco knew by the tone in her voice that McGonagall would be wearing a small smirk on her lips as she spoke to Lockhart.
How he was ever appointed teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts, when even the teachers struggled to believe what was written about him in his stories, was beyond Draco,
'Dumbledore has a weird sense of humour,' he thought, as he looked back towards the teachers.
"Very well, I'll just be in my office... Getting ready," Professor Lockhart said before he moved quickly back in the direction of his office.
"Who is it that the monster has taken, Minerva?" Madame Pomfrey asked once Lockhart had left. Draco leaned even closer as his curiosity peaked.
"Ginny Weasley," She answered before she left the corridor, the remaining teachers following behind. Draco watched as Ron dropped to his knees at the mention of his sister's name, the whole message on the wall became clear to him then.
Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever.
"Ron, come on get up," Harry told his friend who knelt, staring at the writing on the wall intently. "Come on, Ron. We have to go speak to Lockhart before its too late. We have to tell him what we know, it could help save her." His words motivated Ron as he stood up and both boys ran in the direction of the DADA classroom.
Draco leant against the wall, starting up at the message that was written in blood. He knew this was the final result his father had been planning for, the outcome they had expected. Someone had been taken and potentially killed by the heir of Slytherin. It hadn't been Harry but the result would still be devastating given his relationship with the Weasleys. The plan had worked, it had been successful and yet he couldn't help but feel disappointed and he couldn't fathom why.
Draco turned away from the wall and continued his journey back to the Slytherin Common room, where the news of Ginny Weasley being taken into the chamber had no doubt already reached his Slytherin friends via Pansy Parkinson.
~X~
"Draco! You're back, did you hear the news?" Blaise asked him as he walked through the portrait leading into the Slytherin common room.
"About the latest attack by any chance?" he asked as he sat down next to his friends. Thankfully the single-seat armchair was available so that he didn't have to sit next to Pansy.
"Pansy was just telling us about the message on the wall and how it said nobody had listened to the Heirs warnings about getting rid of the Mudbloods. Now they've taken Weaslette because of it," Blaise told him as he looked admiringly at Pansy.
"Did it really?" Draco asked, he too looked towards Pansy who blushed as she nodded.
"Don't you believe her?" Blaise asked with a defensive tone.
"Tell me, Pans, did you happen to see this message?" Draco asked, ignoring Blaise.
"Yes she did, she saw it in person," Blaise answered for her. Pansy looked between Blaise and Draco before she shook her head.
"No... I didn't actually see it, I just heard about it," Pansy said, making Draco smirk as he finally acknowledged Blaise.
"I can confirm that I saw it on my way back to the common room. The message simply said, 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever' and if it hadn't been for the fact that McGonagall had told people, nobody would know it was Weaslette. McGonagall has sent the wondrous Lockhart to go and save her, apparently, he knows where the entrance to the chamber is, " Draco told the group.
"What a great deal he's going to be able to do," Theo commented, laughing at the idea of Lockhart saving the day.
"Judging from the looks on all of their faces, I don't think there's a single teacher that believes that for a second, so the chances are, Weaslette is going to die," Draco added. He watched as Blaise scowled, moving further back into his seat beside Pansy, who was still blushing having been caught out on exaggerating her gossip.
"McGonagall also said that this attack will be the end of Hogwarts, the school will shut down for good after tomorrow," he finished.
"Surely not, they cant close Hogwarts," Blaise said, avoiding Draco's eyes.
"With all of these attacks and now someone's been killed? I'm surprised it hasn't closed sooner," Theo responded.
"All the heir ever wanted was to rid the school of Mudbloods, that's not so bad. Why should the rest of us have to leave? They should just make them leave and let the rest of us continue our education," Blaise said in a huff.
Draco chuckled to himself as he listened to his friend stress over having to leave Hogwarts, "Something tells me it's not your education your concerned about being affected." He glanced between Blaise and Pansy.
Theo sniggered to the left of him, making mock kissing noises. Blaise blushed furiously and looked at Pansy who was oblivious to the joke that was going on between the rest of the group of Slytherins.
~X~
Draco sat in the Slytherin common room, clock-watching once more. He sat beside the fire and watched the flames dance around the pieces of fresh wood. He found a resemblance of the flames to Hermione's eyes when she was passionate or furious about something, sometimes both.
"What're you doing up so late?" Draco turned to find Pansy walking over to him before she took a seat opposite him and surprisingly not next to him for once.
"Couldn't sleep, my head hurts," He lied, hoping she would take the hint none the less and leave him alone.
"Me too," She said and looked into the flames. Draco examined her unusual behaviour, never had he been around Pansy and she wasn't insistent on sitting near enough on top of him and smothering him with affection and compliments.
"Are you ok, Pansy?" Draco asked, unsure as to whether or not he wanted to know the answer.
"Don't pretend like you care, Draco. I see your eye rolls every time I open my mouth," She said without turning her gaze away from the fire.
Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he hadn't realised she was aware, "I wouldn't ask you if I didn't care. So tell me, what's bothering you?"
She may get under his skin and be a tad touchy at times, but he had been raised to treat people better than that. Despite being from a prejudiced family, he had been raised to be gentlemen, at least to those that were worthy. He was a pureblood from a family that highly respected hers and he knew he would receive a scolding from his father if she mentioned how he had been rude to her.
"I just don't want Hogwarts to close tomorrow. I know I complain about it, but I like it here," she told him before turning to look at him. He wasn't quite sure how to respond, what to say that would make her feel better. He sighed before answering and turned back to the fire.
"It'll be fine, Lockhart will save the day," he joked, causing her to chuckle.
Before he could stop it from happening, Pansy moved from her seat to sit beside him and snuggled up to him. He sat with his arms in the air, frozen by her sudden movement.
"You always know how to make me feel better, Drakey," she said.
Just as she leant her head against him, snuggling further, Theo wandered into the common room. Draco stared at him wide-eyed and glanced towards Pansy, hoping his friend would rescue him from the uncomfortable situation he found himself in.
Theo broke the silence with the clearing of his throat before he spoke, "Pansy, could I have a moment with Draco, please? I have something important I need to speak to him about." He told her, Pansy moved her head to look at Draco before she pushed herself away from him.
"Night, Drakey," she whispered to him before she left the common room, nodding at Theo on her way. Theo rolled his eyes and moved towards Draco at the sofas, falling into a seat opposite him.
"Thanks, what did you want to speak to me about?" Draco asked as he straightened out the robes Pansy had creased.
"Nothing, you just looked like you needed saving," Theo answered. "What's with that anyway?" he moved his head towards the dorms that Pansy had just entered whilst picking up the bowl of sweets in front of him.
"Y'know, I never noticed this before, but you probably eat as much as Crabbe and Goyle," Draco commented, making Theo laugh.
"Except I know how to eat without looking like an ape, not to mention I don't put on any weight," He grinned and pointed at his slim body. "Nice try anyway, answer the question."
"I'm not sure what you mean?" Draco played stupid as he pulled his feet up across the sofa, lying comfortably along all three seats.
"Whenever it's just you and Pansy in a room together, I always find her snuggled up to you and you always look deeply disturbed," Theo chuckled as he finally put the bowl of sweets down. "Me and Blaise were trying to figure this out last year, we decided that you were just a mystery."
"Nice to know you've been discussing me, Theo," Draco said with a tone of annoyance.
"Don't pretend like you haven't spoken about me before," Theo responded calmly.
"I don't need to, because I haven't. Not everyone lives to bitch."
"I'd hardly call a conversation about whether you dislike Pansy or you're just playing hard to get, bitching," Theo said defensively, running his hand through his long brown hair that fell over his face.
"Even so," Draco huffed and turned back to the fire.
"So, do tell, playing hard to get or...?" Theo asked once more.
"I think she has a thing for me," Draco started.
"No shit, mate," Theo interrupted, earning a scowl from Draco. He waved his hand for his friend to continue.
"Anyway... Her father told her one day, in the very very distant future, we would be married. So naturally, she makes such a point of being all over me at any given opportunity," he finished, looking over at Theo.
"Do you like her, in that way I mean?" Theo asked.
"Not particularly, I mean, she's not ugly, but there's not much going on up there is there? What would we even talk about?"
"Oh I don't know, Drakey, you could gossip together over tea about who's on the cover of Witch Weakly," Theo joked.
Draco launched a cushion from the sofa at him as they laughed together.
"Well, as thrilling as this is, I'm tired. I only came out for some sweets, so I'm going to go to bed. I'm afraid I won't be curling up next to you on the sofa and snuggling you to sleep," Theo laughed and dodged another pillow. Draco shook his head at his friend's comment, smiling to himself as he sat up.
"Oh, and Draco, go easy on Blaise, will you? He clearly has a thing for Pansy and she's too dim-witted to see, so he's bitter and takes it out on you."
"I won't make any promises. We've been friends for a very long time, I'm not about to start pussyfooting around him just because he has poor taste in women," Draco huffed.
"Well, if what he says is true, he's not the only one with poor taste in women," Theo added with a smirk. Draco's eyes shot to his, annoyance written across his face. Theo nodded once more at him before he left the common room.
Draco glanced over at the clock and noticed it was past midnight. He had gotten distracted with Theo and had forgotten about clock watching, he could finally go to see Hermione.
~X~
"Ron, I'm so sorry for everything," Ginny sat on the hospital bed whilst Madame Pomfrey tended to her wounds.
"Don't be silly Gin, you don't have to apologise for anything," Ron responded as he laid in his own hospital bed next to his sister.
"If I had spoken to you sooner about it... At least told you that I had found a diary that was replying to me, you guys might've been able to help and all of these people might not have been hurt," Ginny continued as she bowed her head in shame.
"Miss Weasley, do no fret," Professor McGonagall's voice made everybody jump. She was accompanied by Professor Sprout as they both walked further into the hospital wing.
"You are not to blame for what has happened here. As I believe it, the diary that you speak of had a great deal of Dark Magic inside of it, something that you couldn't have fought against no matter how hard you tried," McGonagall said to Ginny, her words comforting her slightly.
"Besides, I have the remedy for all of these petrified patients and they should be up and running again in no time. So don't you worry darling, everything will be back to normal soon," Professor Sprout told her as she carried the vials potions across to Madam Pomfrey.
"So, this means Hermione should be awake soon!?" Ron asked quickly, his cheeks blushing as everybody in the room turned to him.
Draco's body froze outside the hospital wing as he heard Ron's question. He had arrived just after McGonagall and Sprout, noticing two teachers turn up at once, he knew something big must've happened and he moved closer to the entrance to listen in. He discovered that Ginny had been saved and Ron was beside her. He had hoped to spend another night talking to Hermione, despite the fact that she couldn't hear a word he said. However, news that she could be awake soon made up for the intrusion of people in the wing that made it impossible for him to see her.
"Yes, Mr Weasley, sometime in the next 48 hours. Given that Miss Granger was one of the last to be petrified and has, therefore, spent the least amount of time in this state, I'd say she will wake sooner rather than later." Professor sprout told him. Ron nodded, still pink with embarrassment.
On the other side of the wall, Draco smiled to himself, a welcoming wave of relief filled through his body. He pushed off the wall and made his way back to the Slytherin common room, thrilled by the news that Hermione would be awake soon. However, it wasn't long before the nerves hit him as he realised that, although he felt better after his confession to her, she wasn't actually aware of it and would wake up still hating him.
"This is all very interesting, but can someone tell me why I'm here?" Professor Lockhart's voice startled everyone.
"Professor Lockhart, I completely forgot about you," Madame Pomfrey mumbled. She glanced towards McGonagall who rolled her eyes and turned back to Ginny, after waving her wand and sending Lockhart back to sleep.
"Ginny!" Georges voice made her head snap towards the entrance where she could see her older twin brothers making their way into the hospital wing with matching concerned expressions on their faces.
"Fred, George, what're you doing here?" Ginny asked.
"We heard the news," Fred told his younger sister.
"Mum and dad should be here shortly," George added.
"Are you ok?"
Ginny nodded at them both whilst Madam Pomfrey finished making a fuss over her and moved to examine Ron.
"I'm fine guys, honestly. If it wasn't for Harry and Ron... Well - I wouldn't be," Ginny told them and both boys moved to sit on her bed.
"Don't ever scare us like that again!" George scolded her.
"If you ever find anything half as interesting as that diary-" Fred spoke.
"-you tell us about it immediately-"
"-so that we can have all the fun." Fred joked.
"Helloo, you do have another sibling over here who is also in the hospital," Ron waved towards his brothers.
"Did you get taken over by a magical diary?" George asked, turning to face Ron.
"Did you get manipulated into helping a monster lose into the castle?" Fred asked next.
"Well, no but-"
"Did you get lured to the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets?" George interrupted him.
"Where the memory of You-know-who nearly drained the life out of you?"
Ron stared at his brothers wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Ronny we are kidding," Fred said as he jumped off the bed.
"You did an amazing job helping Harry to save our baby sister," George teased further, ruffling Ron's hair.
"There's no being serious with you guys is there?" Ron commented, huffing at the constant jokes that came out of his brother's mouths.
"Serious?" George said looking over at Fred.
"Do you know what this word means?" Fred asked his brother who shook is head. They both turned back to Ron and grinned.
"How is it you know so much? I haven't had a chance to tell people what happened yet." Ginny asked her brothers.
"We left Dumbledore's office once mum and dad arrived," Fred started.
"Harry turned up and was filling him in on everything that happened in the chamber."
"We heard most of it but thought we would come here to check on you," Fred told them.
"Dumbledore's back?" Ron asked.
"No Ron, this is a different Dumbledore," George said sarcastically.
"If you're going to stay in here, I will need you to be quiet. I have to concentrate on healing the petrified students." Madame Pomfrey told Fred and George, who mimed a zipping motion of their mouths shut as they sat on the bed next to Ron.
~X~
The following morning, the group of Slytherin second years made their way through the castle to the courtyard where they perched for the remainder of the morning. It only took a few short hours for the whole school to hear the news of Ginny's rescue and all classes had been cancelled because of it.
Draco sat on the bench beside Blaise, watching and listening to all of the other students discuss the efforts Harry and Ron went through to save Ron's sister. Blaise shook his head every time he heard a nice word said about them.
"I know they saved the dying Weasley girl, but is nobody ever going to address the fact that they're constantly breaking rules! It's not the first time and I'd bet 10 Galleons that it won't be the last," Blaise complained.
"If it were anyone else other than Saint Potter, they might not get away with it so easy," Pansy added.
"Yes Blaise, but who's going to save the day without Potty around?" Theo joked as he sat on the floor opposite him, causing Blaise to roll his eyes and scoff at him.
"Hey Draco, isn't that your father?" Pansy asked as she moved her head in the direction to the corridor opposite.
Draco looked over, squinting his eyes slightly as the sun distorted his view. He rose from his seat the second he realised Pansy was right, it was his father.
"I'll be right back," Draco told the group as he headed to the corridor, hoping to catch up with him so he could find out why he was visiting the school again. He felt uneasy as he reached the entrance, knowing his father would be furious that his plan had failed.
"I have something of yours," Draco heard the familiar voice that belonged to Harry and he froze behind the pillar, listening to the conversation.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lucius responded calmly.
"I think you do, sir. I think you slipped this diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day at Diagon Alley," Harry said.
"You do, do you?" Lucius's voice was becoming more hostile and Draco's breathing stopped. Although it wasn't aimed towards him, it still made him feel uncomfortable whenever he heard that tone in his father's voice.
"Dobby," Lucius spoke this time the house-elf beside him. Draco smiled to himself as he realised his favourite house-elf had accompanied his father to the school. Although, the joy didn't last long when he realised there must've been a reason and it can't have been good.
"Why don't you prove it," Lucius spat and shoved the book into the house-elves hands, "Come, Dobby." He turned and continued on his journey out of the castle.
"Dobby!?" He shouted. Draco realised now his father was close to where he was and he moved further around the pillar. He no longer wanted to cross paths with him as he knew he would take the brunt of this situation.
"Master has given Dobby a sock," Dobby spoke softly.
"What!? I didn't give-" Lucius's face froze as he turned and saw what was happening, Draco peered between the gap in the pillars. His house-elf, he supposed now former, was holding up a sock he had pulled from the book.
"Master has given Dobby clothes. Dobby is free!"
"You lost me my SERVANT!" Lucius snapped. Draco could feel the anger dripping from his father, he flinched as he heard the familiar snap of his cane as he slid his wand free.
"You shall not harm Harry Potter!" Dobby yelled. Draco heard his father begin the incantation for the killing curse before a loud snap erupted through the corridor and he saw his father fly past him, landing on his back with a thud.
"Your parents were meddlesome fools too. Mark my words Potter, one day soon you're going to meet the same sticky end," Lucius snarled at him as he stood before he turned and left.
Draco slid around the pillar and down the wall opposite him as he realised what had just happened. Harry just freed his favourite house-elf, the one person that kept him company whenever his father had punished him and his mother was too afraid to try to help. He was the one who looked after him when he was sick, who played with him when he had no one and now he had been taken away from him.
Draco could feel the fire and hatred building up inside of him as he caught sight of Harry making his way back up to Dumbledores office. There was nothing he could do now but he knew he would find a way to make Harry pay.
~X~
The great hall was buzzing during the evening feast. The once petrified students were being discharged from the hospital wing and students throughout all of the houses were talking about the events that's took place in the Chamber of Secrets.
"I'm just happy the school isn't closed, even if the Golden Trio has gotten away with breaking the rules again," Pansy smiled as she spoke, reaching over to pile more food on her plate.
"Unfortunately, the Mudbloods are being cured as we speak. In fact, I think most will already be out of the hospital," Blaise commented, scowling over at the Gryffindor table towards Harry and Ron who were deep in conversation, laughing with all of their friends.
Blaise watched as Neville pointed towards the entrance to the great hall, averting Harry and Ron's eyes. Harry immediately stood up and pushed himself away from the table, followed closely by Ron.
"Well, the little know-it-all has been cured, brilliant," Blaise said with a huff.
Draco's eyes shot to the entrance of the great hall where he saw Hermione stand, searching through crowd. Her wild hair bounced around her shoulders as she took off running through the centre of the hall and into Harry's outstretched arms. He spun her around in the spot as they were reunited once more. Draco's heart beat fast and hard against his chest, he was ecstatic that Hermione was better but furious he wasn't able to welcome her back like her Gryffindor friends could.
Harry finally let her go and Ron moved over before he froze and took a step back, awkwardly holding out his hand for her to shake.
"What, no hug for the Weasel? I thought they were in love?" Blaise mocked.
"You seem really invested in their love life Blaise," Draco teased.
"Hey, what're friends for?" he smirked, winking at Draco's glare.
Draco turned his eyes back towards the reunion happening in the centre of the hall. His eyes fixed on Hermione as she moved towards the Gryffindor table, receiving hugs and pats on the back from everyone until she sat down beside Harry. He nudged her with his elbow, smiling down at her and with Fred to her left, who's arm draped around her shoulders.
After a few moments, the attention she was receiving finally died down and she was able to fill her plate with food in peace. Once she'd finished, she took a moment to glance around at the friends surrounding her and smiled at everyone as she comfortably fell back into routine with them all.
Her eyes moved beyond the Gryffindor table, and before Draco had a chance to look away, she locked onto his stare. Her smile fell slightly but a hint of it remained on her lips. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, she was right there, awake and looking at him. Hermione was the first to break eye contact as she looked down at her plate, smiling to herself.
Draco took this opportunity to excuse himself from the Slytherin table and left the great hall, heading straight to his family's secret room.
Author Note:
Disclaimer - I do not own the world of Harry Potter, I wish I did, but I don't.
MASSIVE shout out to KoraKunkel for being the best beta!
Happy New Years Guys! I hope youve all have a lovely time over the holidays! I'm coming close finishing year 2, i cannot wait to start writing/posting year 3! I hope you guys are as excited as i am!