Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Extremely inspirational………J
Mark woke up with his head pounding. He was no longer on the Quidditch pitch but in the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall was talking quietly with the nurse in the corner unaware that he was awake.
'Damn you Malfoy,' Mark thought to himself grimly, rubbing the back of his bruised neck.
* * * * * * * *
"I am not dating Draco!" Ginny shouted at Harry and Ron for the second time.
"Then why wont you tell us why you are meeting him then?" Ron growled back.
Ginny shook her head.
"It is nothing to do with either of you, okay?" she started to sob, burying her head in a pillow. Ron rolled his eyes and then shrugged at Harry who was sitting on the windowsill gazing out into the dark. He was obviously distracted by something.
"I am going downstairs," announced Ron, giving up on both of them. Harry watched Ron leave, the uneasiness he was feeling was growing steadily, even his scar was burning slightly. He realised he should leave Ginny's room, but he needed to find out what was going on.
"Ginny?" he said quietly. She looked up, her face stained with tears. She realised that she was alone with Harry. Wiping her face with sleeve of her jersey, she managed to put on a brave face.
"I am just friends with Draco," she said softly. Harry could not comprehend why though but decided to ask how it came about.
Ginny explained that Draco had been spending a lot of time by himself in the library. She always spent most of her afternoons there. One day he had made a snotty comment, and she had laughed, quite the response that he was not expecting. After spending time together, Draco finally saw her for more than a Weasley. And they became friends.
Harry thought back to his first year, how he and Ron had disliked Hermione at first. But Draco Malfoy?
"All right Ginny, but be careful and never go off school premises with him, okay?" Harry finally conceded. He left the room feeling uncertain and more confused than before.
********************
Severus placed all their shopping on the couch and raced upstairs. Hermione watched him confused by his sudden anxiety. Twenty minutes later he raced downstairs in his robes and into the kitchen. Hermione who had been looking at one of her new books quickly followed him.
"Have you received any owl mail today?" he asked Nimbly. The house elf shook his head, wide-eyed, and nervously continued to prepare dinner.
"What is it Professor?" Hermione asked anxiously slipping back to formalities.
"I have to go Hermione, I must get to Hogwarts just in case," Snape answered as he hurried past her. Hermione felt tears welling up. She was suddenly very scared and did not want him to go.
"Don't leave me, please, what if he comes for me?" she said visibly shaken.
Severus stopped and turned around. He hadn't heard fear in her voice like that for a long time. He moved over to her and knelt on one knee.
"Hermione, I promise you that as long as I am live I will never let that man harm you again," he said sincerely. Hermione looked at him desperate to believe him.
Seeing her doubt, he decided to tell her the truth.
"I am going to be with Voldemort tonight so I will be able to prevent anything happening," he told her.
"Oh no Severus he will hurt you, don't go!" Hermione flung her arms around his neck.
He pushed her back slightly, looking in her eyes.
"You know I need to do this to stay one step ahead, I have to go, you will be fine," Snape said a little to forcefully. Hermione pulled back out his grasp and nodded. She then raced upstairs. Severus Snape took one last look around, and headed to the fireplace.
It was going to be a long night.
* * * * * * * *
Draco played aimlessly with his food. He need to meet the werewolf tonight, but still was unsure how he was going to slip past the teachers. Dumbledore was keeping a close eye on him. In fact everyone had been moved to sit at one table for meals, seeming there were only few of them. Tonight Mark Ridgers was noticeably absent as was Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall and Professor Binns. There was one other student that Malfoy knew and that was none other than Seamus Finnegan. His parents would only be home the day before Christmas and he was to wait at Hogwarts until their arrival. Seamus had kept a very low profile only appearing for meals. However he always had a look of mischief on his face whenever he was around. Draco sighed heavily and continued to play with his sago pudding. Eventually he pushed it aside and got up.
"Going somewhere Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.
"Um I was going to see Mark in hospital Headmaster," he quickly thought of an excuse.
The Professor nodded and returned to his meal without further comment. Draco did indeed go up to the hospital wing to find Mark eating a light supper.
"Hey Ridgers, feeling better?" he sneered flopping into a chair next to him.
"Yeah, you could have played cleanly you know," responded Mark slightly annoyed.
Malfoy chuckled his mind racing for something to say next.
"Um, here is your galleon," said Malfoy unthinkingly tossing a golden coin onto the bed.
Mark looked at him surprised.
"Hey thanks," he said quietly picking up the coin and placing it on the bedside cabinet.
Soon the two fell into conversation about school and before Draco realised it was after 9pm. He had missed his meeting with the werewolf.
* * * * * * * * *
Snape arrived in Dumbledore's office as prearranged. He had sent an owl from Hermione's letting the Headmaster know of his arrival. Dumbledore quickly said a spell over the fireplace again to block any uninvited visitors to Hogwarts.
Snape sat down heavily in one of the chairs; his face bore his obvious distress over what was about to happen.
"Severus I trust that you are well," Dumbledore said gently.
"As well as can be expected since I am about to return to my master," he replied his voice dripping with sarcasm. Dumbledore knew better not to be offended by this.
"Miss Granger is presumably well too?" he asked with a slight smile.
Severus rolled his eyes impatiently.
"Yes, she is fine, annoying but fine, how is Malfoy getting along?"
"Well he managed to injure a fourth year Gryffindor student this afternoon, but has since been to see the boy in the infirmary," Dumbledore reported. Snape's eyebrows rose with mild wonder.
"Really, that is defiantly unlike him,"
"Maybe there is more to Mr Malfoy than meets the eye," the Headmaster said quietly his eyes twinkling.