Umbridge's Office
"I want to know why you are in my office!" Professor Umbridge demands of Harry Potter, forcing him to stagger by shaking a fist which clutches his hair.
"I was trying to get my Firebolt," he says.
"Liar." Umbridge shakes his head again. "Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you well know. You had your head in my fire. With whom were you communicating?"
"No one," says Potter, trying to pull away from her.
"Liar!" shouts Umbridge. She throws Potter from her and he slams into her desk.
This is already out of hand. Draco sits on the windowsill, trying to remain calm, trying to play his part. But he's finding that exceedingly difficult because, in addition to Potter getting knocked around, Hermione's pinned against the adjacent wall, Millicent Bulstrode holding her in place with a stiff arm.
Get off of her, you disgusting cow.
Just after Draco thinks these words, there's a commotion outside the door, and then several Slytherin's enter Umbridge's office, each gripping one of Potter's friends who were acting as lookouts.
"Got 'em all," says Crabbe, shoving a gagged Ron Weasley roughly into the room.
Behind him comes Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and that girl whose father owns the Quibbler, Luna Lovegood. They're each pinned against the wall too, but Umbridge pays them little attention. She keeps her focus on her ongoing debate with Potter. She keeps insisting he tell the truth about who he was speaking with, while he keeps refusing, and Draco keeps trying to figure out what the hell he can do to help in this situation.
"Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall. I hear she is too ill to talk to anyone."
The Slytherins laugh at this, and Draco burns with rage. Last night, Umbridge tried to have Hagrid sacked, but he fled before she could pull it off. In the process, McGonagall, who was at Hagrid's hut attempting to intervene, had been struck by no less than four Stunning Spells from Ministry officials. She's still recovering at St. Mungo's. Draco inwardly curses his housemates for finding amusement in her misfortune.
"It's none of your business who I talk to," Potter snarls at Umbridge.
"Very well," she says. "Very well, Mr. Potter. I offered you a chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco, fetch Professor Snape."
For Veritaserum? That's not good. But fetching Snape? Maybe that'll help. Maybe there's something he can do.
That sliver of hope is the only reason Draco finds himself capable of leaving the room, of stepping away from Hermione right then. He runs through the castle to Snape's office, pounds on the door and, after Snape answers, quickly explains the scene that's taking place in Umbridge's office.
"What can we do about it, sir?"
"You seem to be under the impression Potter sticking his head in a fireplace means more than it does," says Snape. "I'm quite certain I know who he was speaking with, and there's no cause for concern. He, Miss Granger, and their friends will likely get detentions, as they well should for breaking into a staff member's office, but there is no need for us to take action against Professor Umbridge. Not today."
Draco isn't convinced. If Potter's fireplace chat was something inconsequential, he'd have fessed up by now. Plus there is the fact that Hermione doesn't mind breaking school rules if there's a good reason, but without one, she wouldn't have agreed to help Potter. Something serious must be going on.
"Well, who's Potter's speaking with, then?" Draco demands of Snape as they arrive at Umbridge's door.
Snape gives a scathing look and enters without answering, giving his pupil no choice but to follow.
"Ah, Professor Snape. Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quickly as you can, please."
"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter. Surely you did not use it all. I told you that three drops would be sufficient."
Umbridge flushes. "You can make more though, can't you?"
"Certainly. It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready in about a month."
"A month? A month? But I need it this evening, Snape!"
With Umbridge's attention elsewhere, Draco knows if there's anything he can do to help Hermione and her friends, he's got to do it now. But what options are even available to him? Vaguely, he wonders what McGonagall would suggest if she were here, if she hadn't been stunned trying to help -
Thinking of Hagrid makes Draco think of something else. Just last week Hermione shared a secret with him, causing him to swell with pride that she trusted him enough to do so. Gwap. Hagrid's half-brother, a giant living in the Forbidden Forest at this very moment. Hermione had said the creature seemed oddly fond of her. Could he somehow be of use in this situation?
Snape turns to leave, drawing Draco's attention back to him, and then Potter shouts.
"He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the palace where it's hidden!"
Snape stops with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.
"Padfoot?" cries Umbridge. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"
"I have no idea. Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage."
Snape exits and closes the door behind him. In the nick of time, just as the door snaps loudly into place, Draco remembers to act. He coughs into the crook of his arm.
"Cc-Gwap."
He looks at Hermione. Her eyes are fixed on him but her expression is impossible to read. Dammit. Should he give it another try, cough like that again?
Before Draco can decide, Umbridge pulls out her wand, a move that garners his full attention.
"Very well. I am left with no alternative," she says. "This is more than a matter of school discipline. This is a matter of Ministry security. You are forcing me, Potter. I do not want to. But sometimes circumstances justify the use. I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice."
Umbridge seems to be talking herself into something. She shifts her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Potter, beating her wand against her empty palm. Draco can guess only one thing she has in mind, and yet he cannot believe it. This woman who dresses in pink from head to toe, who has a wall covered with kitten-clad plates. This woman who is not a Death Eater, but seems to be thinking of -
"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."
"No!" shrieks Hermione. "Professor Umbridge, it's illegal!"
But Umbridge takes no notice. There's a nasty, eager look on her face. She raises her wand at Potter -
"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor!"
"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him. He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."
It goes on like this for a bit. Potter furious that Umbridge had it out for him even before they met and Umbridge showing absolutely no remorse whatsoever. She raises her wand again -
"No! Harry! Harry, we'll have to tell her!"
"Er - my - nee - no!" shouts Weasley through his gag.
Hermione's friends stare at her as if she's grown a second head, and she begins to cry weakly into the back of Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Immediately, Bulstrode stops trying to squash her against the wall and dodges out of the way looking disgusted.
Draco takes one quick step in Hermione's direction thinking he should take Bulstrode's place. He should hold Hermione against the wall so that he's in a better position to help, to let her go if an opportunity presents itself. But Hermione isn't making a run for it, and Draco's far enough away, he realizes, that such a move would look suspicious. He tells his feet to stay planted.
"I'm - I'm sorry everyone," she says. "But I - I can't stand it!"
It strikes Draco then. Though Hermione now sobs desperately into her hands, there is not a single trace of a tear. Does that mean she heard what he said through his cough? Has she come up with a plan to lead Umbridge to Gwap?
"That's right, girl!" Umbridge seizes her by the shoulder and thrusts her into one of the office chairs and leans into her. "Now then. With whom was Potter communicating through the fireplace?"
"He was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore? You know where he is?"
"Well, no. We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head -"
"Stupid girl. Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry is looking for him!"
"But - but we needed to tell him something important!" Hermione wails, holding her hands more tightly over her face, not, Draco knows, out of anguish, but to disguise the continued absence of tears.
"We - We wanted to tell him it's r-ready."
"What's ready? What's ready, girl?"
"The - The weapon."
"Weapon? Weapon?" Umbridge's eyes pop with excitement. "You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?"
"Y-y-yes," Hermione gasps . "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him to t-t-tell him!"
Draco holds his breath, every second more amazed that Umbridge hasn't realized Hermione's fake crying, every second more nervous that one of his fellow Slytherins will notice and call her out on it. He hardly hears what's being said. He's too busy imagining what could come next.
"All right, dear, let's make it just you and me. And Potter too, shall we? Get up!"
"Professor," says Draco. "I think I should come with you, help you look after -"
"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy. Do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone? You will remain here until I return. Make sure none of these escape." She gestures at the Weasleys, Longbottom, and Lovegood.
"All right," says Draco. Because what else can he say? At least with her out of the room he might find it easier to come up with a plan to help the others.
"You two go ahead of me," says Umbridge, pointing at Hermione and Potter with her wand. "Lead on."
Once they're gone, it's five against five. But the Dumbledore's Army members are wandless and they don't know Draco's willing to help them. Plus there's the pesky fact that whatever he does, he's got to be discreet about it. Can't risk word getting back to the Dark Lord that he helped Harry Potter in any way.
Maybe Draco could go get Snape a second time? Surely if he knew how close Umbridge had been to using an Unforgivable on a student - Maybe he could excuse himself to the bathroom, or -
THWACK!
"Aw, fucking hell!"
It starts with Ron Weasley and Vincent Crabbe, but quickly each Gryffindor and Slytherin pair is physically fighting, while Luna Lovegood blinks with surprise. There's a lot of shouting and at least two bloody noses, and then Millicent Bulstrode points her wand, looking to get a clear shot off. She yells at Draco, "Do something!"
But Weasley has already managed to overcome Crabbe and retrieve his wand. He points it at Bulstrode. "Expelliarmus!" Next, he shouts, "Stupefy!" and Draco slams hard against the wall near the window and slides down to the floor.
On his back and unable to move due to the pain, he hears more scuffling, several body-bind curses being cast, and then Weasley telling the others to head for Gryffindor Tower first. "There's a way to check for certain where they've gone," he says, "though I've got a pretty good idea already."
The office door opens and several people rush out. But not Weasley. He crosses the room and stands over Draco, pointing his wand down at him.
"I saw how you were looking at her," he says quietly.
"Fuck off, Weasley" Draco chokes out.
The ginger git squats so that their faces are closer to one another. "Listen up, you colossal twat," he says, "Hermione feels sorry for you, and that blinds her from the truth. But I know exactly what you're up to. Trying to get in her knickers because you've got delusions of undoing century old magic? You're pathetic. I should hex you into next week just for picturing it."
There's a lot Draco would like to say to that, but anything to wipe the smug look off Weasley's face will do.
"Then again, she's always telling me not to lose my temper on you," he continues. "Always saying you're not worth it. So for now I'll leave you with a warning. I swear to Merlin, and Godric, and Salazar, and every other famous wizard that ever lived, that if you so much as touch a hair on her head, I will end you. I'll Crucio you until you're begging for your sad little life to end, and then I'll feed you to Remus Lupin on the next full moon. Got all that, Malfoy?"
Draco knows he shouldn't. He really, really shouldn't. Then again -
Self-preservation kicks in. If the other Slytherins have heard Weasley, the reply he's considering could actually help. It could lay the foundation for an excuse. Just trying to rile the Gryffindors up, you know. Per usual.
Draco's lips curve into a viscous smile. "You don't know everything she gets up to, Weasley," he says. "Don't know where she goes while you're at Quidditch practice, don't know for sure that she's studying in the library every time she says she is. So what makes you sure I haven't gotten in them already, Granger's knickers?"
Weasley's expression flickers, but only for an instant. He simply cannot accept what Draco's suggesting could have really happened. And then, unexpectedly, he makes a disgusting noise and a wad of spit smacks against the ground near Draco's cheek. "I didn't have to miss," he says.
That's it! Draco's had enough. Pushing through the pain, he starts to get to his feet.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Back on the floor, in a body-binding curse like the rest of the Slytherins, Draco hears Weasley exit without another word.
