Authors Note: Love the Lovely reviews!! =D thank you, all
---
It wasn't until lunch that I saw Harry and Ron. From their sweaty attire, I could tell that they'd had quidditch practice. I sat on Harry's other side, and felt a sting as he automatically turned away from me.
I ate in silence, while the two spoke in undertones about ... whatever it was they were talking about. I felt horribly alone. I tried once or twice to talk to Harry, but he ignored me. After a while, I left the hall and went up to the Room of Requirement.
I did it up basically the same way Malfoy had, only my version of the room looked a little more like the Gryffindor common room. I picked a book off one of the shelves, and curled up with it on the armchair closest to the fire.
About an hour later, Malfoy burst into the room. He obviously hadn't expected me to be there, and jumped about a foot in the air when he saw me.
"God, Granger, don't scare me like that. How did you get down here so fast? I only just owled you."
I stared at him.
"I've been here for at least an hour already" I frowned. "Are you alright? You look kind of pale ..."
He walked over to me, and shoved a letter in my hand. I opened it, carefully, and read it.
Draco Malfoy,
For disobeying an order from the Dark Lord,
you owe the Rising your life.
You will be collected.
I read it quickly about three more times, as though multiple readings could change the horrifying message.
"What ... How ... Who is it from?" I stuttered.
"Look at the seal."
I picked up the envelope, and stared at it. It was sealed with the dark mark, with a single, stylized W in the middle.
"Wilder?"
"Yep. I had hoped that the Ministry would have found him by now but," he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't even think they're looking for him."
I stood up.
"We need to take this to Dumbledore."
Malfoy nodded.
"I don't see what the old fool can do about it, though. They already have every type of protection on this place."
"He's not an old fool, Malfoy."
He rolled his eyes.
"Fine. Let's just go and see him."
---
We went as fast as we could to Dumbledore's office, and stood in front of the entrance.
We looked at each other.
"Granger, you're the braniac, how do we get up to him?"
I glared at him.
"I don't know."
We both paced around the entrance for a moment, before I heard a chillingly familiar voice behind me.
"Mr Malfoy? Miss Granger ... what are you doing here?"
I spun around, and was greeted with Snape's glare. He was looking at Malfoy as if to say 'why are you hanging around HER?' I cleared my throat.
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore, sir." I said, my voice coming out sort of squeaky.
"Professor Dumbledore?"
His eyes swept between us, before fastening on me again.
"Why?"
Malfoy held up the letter from Wilder, and I watched as Snape's eyes darted across the words. When he was finished, he once again looked from me, to Malfoy, and back again.
"Very well" he turned to the entrance. "Licorice Bootlaces."
---
After reading the letter, Dumbledore looked very concerned.
"Mr Malfoy, it is very important that you try to remember. How was it that you were transported from your bed to your Manor?"
"I don't remember. One minute I was asleep, the next I was at home."
Dumbledore nodded, and then turned to me.
"Do you know approximately what time you had your dream, Miss Granger?"
"When I went down to the common room after my dream, Harry said it was about two in the morning."
"What time did you go to bed, Mr Malfoy?"
Malfoy raised his eyebrows.
"Um. About midnight I think."
"Midnight? Not closer to eleven thirty? Or one? It's rather important."
Malfoy looked annoyed.
"No. I'm pretty sure it was midnight" he said, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice.
Dumbledore smiled, as though he hadn't heard Malfoy's tone.
"Well, we as staff members will be doing all we can to protect you, Mr Malfoy. We will keep in touch."
---
It wasn't until lunch that I saw Harry and Ron. From their sweaty attire, I could tell that they'd had quidditch practice. I sat on Harry's other side, and felt a sting as he automatically turned away from me.
I ate in silence, while the two spoke in undertones about ... whatever it was they were talking about. I felt horribly alone. I tried once or twice to talk to Harry, but he ignored me. After a while, I left the hall and went up to the Room of Requirement.
I did it up basically the same way Malfoy had, only my version of the room looked a little more like the Gryffindor common room. I picked a book off one of the shelves, and curled up with it on the armchair closest to the fire.
About an hour later, Malfoy burst into the room. He obviously hadn't expected me to be there, and jumped about a foot in the air when he saw me.
"God, Granger, don't scare me like that. How did you get down here so fast? I only just owled you."
I stared at him.
"I've been here for at least an hour already" I frowned. "Are you alright? You look kind of pale ..."
He walked over to me, and shoved a letter in my hand. I opened it, carefully, and read it.
Draco Malfoy,
For disobeying an order from the Dark Lord,
you owe the Rising your life.
You will be collected.
I read it quickly about three more times, as though multiple readings could change the horrifying message.
"What ... How ... Who is it from?" I stuttered.
"Look at the seal."
I picked up the envelope, and stared at it. It was sealed with the dark mark, with a single, stylized W in the middle.
"Wilder?"
"Yep. I had hoped that the Ministry would have found him by now but," he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't even think they're looking for him."
I stood up.
"We need to take this to Dumbledore."
Malfoy nodded.
"I don't see what the old fool can do about it, though. They already have every type of protection on this place."
"He's not an old fool, Malfoy."
He rolled his eyes.
"Fine. Let's just go and see him."
---
We went as fast as we could to Dumbledore's office, and stood in front of the entrance.
We looked at each other.
"Granger, you're the braniac, how do we get up to him?"
I glared at him.
"I don't know."
We both paced around the entrance for a moment, before I heard a chillingly familiar voice behind me.
"Mr Malfoy? Miss Granger ... what are you doing here?"
I spun around, and was greeted with Snape's glare. He was looking at Malfoy as if to say 'why are you hanging around HER?' I cleared my throat.
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore, sir." I said, my voice coming out sort of squeaky.
"Professor Dumbledore?"
His eyes swept between us, before fastening on me again.
"Why?"
Malfoy held up the letter from Wilder, and I watched as Snape's eyes darted across the words. When he was finished, he once again looked from me, to Malfoy, and back again.
"Very well" he turned to the entrance. "Licorice Bootlaces."
---
After reading the letter, Dumbledore looked very concerned.
"Mr Malfoy, it is very important that you try to remember. How was it that you were transported from your bed to your Manor?"
"I don't remember. One minute I was asleep, the next I was at home."
Dumbledore nodded, and then turned to me.
"Do you know approximately what time you had your dream, Miss Granger?"
"When I went down to the common room after my dream, Harry said it was about two in the morning."
"What time did you go to bed, Mr Malfoy?"
Malfoy raised his eyebrows.
"Um. About midnight I think."
"Midnight? Not closer to eleven thirty? Or one? It's rather important."
Malfoy looked annoyed.
"No. I'm pretty sure it was midnight" he said, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice.
Dumbledore smiled, as though he hadn't heard Malfoy's tone.
"Well, we as staff members will be doing all we can to protect you, Mr Malfoy. We will keep in touch."