Must Be Malfoy

"And if there's no tomorrow

And all we have is here and now

I'm happy just to have you

You're all the love I need somehow"

When Draco entered the Great Hall, he noticed that there was not that many students eating breakfast as before. After yesterday, most of them cowered in their rooms, afraid that in any moment they may start vanishing. Classes were cancelled so that the teachers would be able to make sense of what was happening, and hopefully calm the students down.

He walked towards the Slytherin table, and sat at his usual spot – at the end of the table by himself. He knew he didn't have any "true" friends; they were just there because they wanted to be on his good side. It was either that, or they feared him. While eating, he contemplated on the dream that he had last night. Could it be some sort of sign? There were definitely some similarities between the first and second nightmare that he had. In both of them, he was blind, Hermione was taken captive, and there was that voice. What could this all mean? He didn't get far in thinking when he suddenly felt someone was watching him. He looked around the Hall – and sure enough, he was right.

What do they want from me now? Draco thought as he glared back at Harry and Ron. He knew that they didn't approve of his new relationship with Hermione, but he has enough problems already. Couldn't they just leave him alone for one second?

"Do you think it's right doing this?" Harry asked.

"Are you having second thoughts about this?" Ron asked back.

"Well, I don't think it's fair to Hermione if we promised her that we'll give Malfoy a chance, and here we are, trying to get evidence that he's behind all of these disappearances."

"We never said that we have to be all buddy-buddy towards him. Besides, we're doing her a favour! When she realizes that Malfoy is actually the one who did all of this, she'll come back to her senses."

"But what if..." Harry hesitated to say.

"What if?"

"Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Are you saying you don't think Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins did this?"

"That could be a possibility."

"Look, I'm pretty sure he is, otherwise I wouldn't have told you all those stuff yesterday," Ron glanced over at Hermione who was talking with Lavender and Ginny, "and besides I'm doing this to protect our best friend."

"I know."

"So are you still in?"

"Yeah, I guess so. How are we going to prove that it's Malfoy?"

Ron considered the question. "Suppose we get him to drink the Veritaserum potion? That's the best way!"

Harry shook his head. "Snape locked up his class so that no one would be able to steal any potions or ingredients. I doubt we can get through."

"There goes my brilliant idea," Ron pouted.

"There's got to be other ways, you know. Malfoy must really have got nothing to do with his time if he's making people from our House disappear just like-"

"Harry, I've got it!" Ron interrupted.

"What?"

"You can finally use your Invisibility Cloak now!"

"I don't get what you're saying."

"I'm saying we use that cloak of yours so that we could see what Malfoy is up to."

"But what if we get caught?"

"We won't."

"Are you sure about everything?"

"Very. I'm positive Malfoy is the evil genius behind what's happening right now. C'mon, we're doing everyone a favour by attempting to solve this."

Harry considered the dilemma, debating on whether he should participate with Ron on his plan, but reluctantly agreed. "Alright, I guess I'll do it."

Ron's face brightened. "You will? Good! Just remember this is for Hermione... and all the other victims he's put under his spell."

"Yes, yes, let's get on with this."

The red-haired boy beamed as he and his friend, for the rest of the morning, began to develop a strategy to catch their "suspect" in the act.

Draco, having finished his breakfast, got bored quickly and decided to go somewhere else. There were no classes as the teachers were trying to form a plan on how to protect the students and the school from any possible danger. He couldn't go to the Slytherin Tower since he would most likely not be welcomed there, so he just decided to walk around the halls for a while, and then retreat to his common room. He took one last glance at Hermione, who was laughing with her friends, and left the Great Hall.

He was thankful that no one bothered to come up to him, though there were still a couple. A few first-years had passed him by, giving him an odd look, but he just returned a scowl. Even though his reputation was practically gone, he still had his dignity and pride to hold. And he wouldn't let anything to shatter that.

He walked along an empty corridor, developing an eerie feeling but thought nothing of it. As he passed by a classroom, he heard hushed voices from within. He wanted to ignore them and move on, but he just had to satisfy his curiousity. He leaned against the door in order to listen in on the conversation.

"I-I just don't understand any of this! Can we not control it in any way?"

Draco gasped silently since he knew that familiar voice. It was Professor McGonagall.

"No, I'm afraid not." This one was easily recognizable; it was Professor Dumbledore.

They must be talking about the disappearances. But why would they be talking in a classroom where anyone can hear them? Draco thought as he eavesdropped more on the discussion.

"Surely we could think of something?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"All the protection spells and charms we can think of can not prevent something like this, Minerva."

Another voice spoke up. "And there's no spell that can reverse any of this?"

"No, Severus. I'm afraid it may be up to the caster to decide."

"But Albus, you heard the children! They didn't see anybody else! I don't think any of the students would be able to do this," Professor McGonagall explained.

"Yes I know, and you're right, none of the students have the ability to do this. Even if they did, there's no reason why they would want to."

"Are you saying someone has intruded our school without us knowing?" Professor Snape asked.

"Yes, I believe so."

Draco's eyes widened at this news. Who could it be? He didn't see anyone he didn't recognize when Dean had disappeared.

"This is it. We have to inform everyone to stay in their own Towers and not leave unless we say so. Who knows where this intruder may be? We cannot just stand here Albus, we have to do something!" McGonagall pleaded.

"I agree with you Minerva, but I'm afraid that you cannot spot this one."

"What do you mean?"

"I do not think that he, she, or it will be easily identifiable. They may be in a form of a disguise."

"What kind of disguise?" Snape asked.

"I do not know, or otherwise I would know where the culprit is, now would I?" Dumbledore replied.

"But how do we know who will be next?"

"Oh, a simple background checking will do," Dumbldore grinned slightly.

"Albus, there is no time for this. We must do something!" Professor McGonagall said as she reached for the door.

Draco panicked since he would be caught eavesdropping on their conversation, but let out a huge sigh of relief when the Headmaster spoke up.

"We will, Minerva, we will. For now, we must come up with a better plan than scare the students more than they already are. I'm sure a few of those brave ones we know will put their thoughts into actions and figure out what is happening soon enough."

"What are you talking about?" Snape inquired.

"Do not worry. We will discuss more of this in my office. I have a sudden craving to eat one of Bertie's flavoured jelly beans. Care to join me?" Dumbledore asked contentedly.

Draco knew this must be the sign for him to leave the scene, far away as possible. He ran the way he came from; making sure that the teachers didn't see him. However, he didn't watch where he was going and bumped into someone.

"Watch it, Malfoy!"

Draco looked up and groaned when he saw the two people he least wanted to see.

"Just get out of my way then, Potter." He started to walk, but stopped when Harry spoke up again.

"We know what you're up to, so don't bother hiding anything."

"What are you bloody talking about," Draco scowled. He didn't have time for these kinds of conversations.

"Exactly what I said."

"And remember, we're watching out for Hermione, so you better not do anything funny," Ron added.

"I have better things to do with my time then to talk with you two crazy gits," the blonde Slytherin replied before he continued walking, leaving the other two standing in the hallway questioning his motives.

I wonder what Dumbledore meant when he said that the intruder was in disguise. Should I know anything about this? And what background checking? That sounds strange, Draco pondered as he made his way to the Heads' Tower.

"Madam Pomfrey, can I leave now?"

"No Mister Creevey, you are obviously traumatized by what happened to your brother that I think it's best if you stay here for a while."

"But I'm not sick or anything! If I go back, maybe he will be there!" Dennis hoped.

"I highly doubt it," Madam Pomfrey replied sadly.

"Why not? Where could've he gone to? I want to know!"

"I do too, but I can't explain any of these strange occurrences."

"Is he," Dennis paused as tears were forming in his eyes, "is he ever going to come back?"

"We can only hope."

A sudden small sound caused both the nurse and the patient to jump, afraid of what might have caused it.

"Now what was that? No one better be in here!" Madam Pomfrey asked as she searched the room for any possible sign that someone had disturbed her conversation with Dennis. However, she didn't spot anything out of the ordinary, and turned back to her patient.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

A/N: Ermm... i'm sorry if i left it at a cliffhanger, but i'm pretty sure u know what happens. i'm having so much writer's block on the next chapter..i seriously don't know what to say (::bangs head::). but i'm still gonna try and complete the story. ermm..don't know what else to say (i just woke up-- ::yawns::) except a thank you to my loyal reviewers :)