Draco sat staring at the cabinet across from him gripping tightly to the bottle of fire whiskey drinking from it was keeping him from going mad with his racing mind.
There was no sound coming from it, was the bird at Borgin and Burkes or caught in a space in between the magic stream? Draco took a swing from the bottle, he had recently learned along with the rest of the school, how Weasley had been poisoned.
It was his fault, it had been the same poisoned med he had Rosmerta give Slughorn that was supposed to then be gifted to the headmaster. But it seemed the old drunk had kept the dame bottle for himself. Well, he and his favorite students apparently.
Potter was being praised as a hero being the one who saved his friend with his great potion skills. Draco dug his fingers into his tired eyes. He was failing continuously every attempt to assassinate the headmaster's failed. Instead almost killing another student in the school and putting everyone on high alert.
Draco was sure he would hear about how displeased the Dark lord was from his aunt. He was close to fixing the cabinet he was sure he was. But then what? Originally at the start of the year, he had thought if he fixed it he could have his aunt or other Death Eaters storm the school during winter break. But that was long past and gone. His plan would have had an almost empty school. Much easier to take over and fewer casualties and witnesses. The old man would be dealt with his aunt would be more than happy to do the deed, he would have said that she was just too quick and in the excitement beat him to it and they would leave. then everyone would return after break most only learning about what happened when they returned. But now he needed to do this plan while the school was filled with teachers and students, he was sure most would run and stay out of the way if the school was attacked but then there were those who would foolishly fight. Willing to die, and for what. then there was Hermione. he took another swing before getting up and walking over to the cabinet. Every choice and decision he had made this year had put her closer to danger, he might as well be fucking Potter.
She wasn't supposed to happen, this year was about him no longer being some stupid schoolboy and becoming a true member of pure blood society a member of the dark lord army. Helping redeem his family name, help get his father out of Azkaban and keep his mother safe. but then he went and shagged Granger in a fit of frustration. He should have avoided her after that but no instead he continuously sought her out and shrieked his responsibilities in favor of meeting with her. valuable time that he could have spent on the cabinet He knew he had always had a want for her. since that incident in the third year, that was the start of all this, his inner struggle of wanting her despite her blood heritage the fact she was Potters friend the fact she was a Gyriffindor swort.
Setting his hand on the cabinet door knob her face flashed through his head when she had been happily talking with her friends, sucking on a surge quill as she worked diligently on her school work, screaming at him when he pissed her off, her face of pleasure and desire as he touched her when they were together. Her sleeping face that he would stare at when he would wake before her to recharm his mark before slipping back into bed with her. Draco opened the door seeing that the bird was back laying on the bottom it was dead he saw that there was a piece of parchment attached to its leg. He closed the door resting his head against the wood her face streaked with tears. Brown eyes filled with fear.
Hermione bit her lip while working on her homework at the Gryffindor table. Ron had woken up three days ago to everyone's joy and relief. Basically, all the Weasleys had come to see him. showering him with attention and love in all their different styles the first two days were nonstop in the hospital with the Weasley and classmates all coming and going. She was sure Madame Pomfrey was ready to start charming the doors so that you could only enter if you were sick or hurt. Hermione set her quill down she could feel Lavendar burning glare. Since the whole deburckle at the hospital, the blond had been glaring at her nonstop. As far as she was aware Lavender and Ron were still dating. Hell, he wasn't even aware of what happened and she wasn't going to be the one to tell him. though with the way Lavender was always looking at her you would think she was whispering in his ear telling him how he should dump his girlfriend and date her instead.
Ginny sat down next to her slamming her head on the table. " are you ok?" Hermione looked at her friend in concern.
" no I did something stupid," she said into the table.
" oh what did you do?"
" well with everything going on with Ron and now with Lavender being a huge pain, complaining to everyone about how she's barely been able to talk to Ron since he woke up because he's always asleep when she comes to visit and whatnot." She suddenly shot her head up making Hermione jump. " he's faking it by the way he just pretends to be asleep when she visits because he doesn't want to talk to her." Hermione just nodded as her friend went on.
" so what was this mistake that you did?"
" oh right," Ginny seemed to scan her brain for a second before answering. " I uh mmm ah I snogged Dean." Hermione's jaw dropped " oh no does he think you guys are getting back together or something?"
"wha oh yeah no, luckily he's leaving me alone but I could really use some cheering up." She smiled at her friend
" of course what did you have in mind anything you want." Ginny's smile suddenly changed to a grin as she got right up in Hermione's face. " tell me who you dating." Hermione's mouth clasped closed before dropping her head and starting again on her homework.
" oh come on you said you would cheer me up." Ginny started shaking her friend.
" did you even kiss Dean?"
"no, but come on Harry knows more about this guy than I do."
" he accidentally found out what house he is in that all."
" it's still not fair." Ginny crossed her arms over her chest staring at her. " besides we're not dating I just kind of blurted that out." Hermione shrunk down in her spot. She didn't know why she had blurted that out she and Draco hadn't really started up again. Sure he had been comforting her while Ron had been unconscious. But that had just been some holding and talking something she also did with Ginny, well she didn't sit in Ginny's lap during like she did with Draco but that didn't mean they were dating. she cupped her hand around her empty wrist. She hadn't put the bracelet back on. It was not like anything had really changed they hadn't even talked about that fight they had. What he had said had done. She wasn't sure what she should do. Draco had been a complete bastard but she had irritated him first. Everyone knew that any death eater talk was a sore spot for him. hell, Theo also didn't like people mentioning death eaters around him or associating them with him in any way. And unlike Theo Draco liked his father, well she was pretty sure he did base on past observation.
"mmmm you guys have been seeing each other almost all year, has it been an open arrangement?"
"What, no."
"ah huh and have you guys ever hung out or done couple things together without having sex?"
" well yes here and there we would read or talk and we slept together without having sex a few times." She started wringing her hands together thinking through the time they had spent together. " ok and you both like each other?"
" I… I well I'm not sure about him, but I've grown to like him, I think, anyway I like our time together."
" I bet you do." She wiggled her eyebrows. Hermione turned back to her homework with no interest in continuing with the conversation feeling her face heat up. " yeah ok so listen Hermione you and this guy are dating."
" no, I told you we aren't."
"yes, yes you are. You just have to trust me on this. You might not be public about it for reasons entirely your own. But the two of you are dating. So now what you have to do is talk to your guy so you both get on the same page about your relationship." Hermione just blinked at her friend a few times as the redhead poured herself some juice. Harry joined them he and Ginny smiled at each other before quickly falling into discussion about what to do about their quidditch team. She watched as Ginny pulled Harry's glasses off his face and cleaned them before placing them back onto his now pink face both of them sporting goofy grins. Says the pot to the Kettle Hermione thought going back to her homework.
Hermione walked into the hospital wing. Finding Ron sleeping in a rather uncomfortable position. She walked up to the bed watching him for a bit. "get up Ronald your going to hurt your neck laying like that." Ron's eyes shot open at her voice a sheepish smile breaking out on his mouth as he sat up.
" oh hey, I didn't know it was you." Hermione set her hands on her hip as she watched Ron reach for a box of chocolate popping them in his mouth. " really not even getting drugged by chocolate dosed with a love potion can convince you not to eat candy you just find sitting by your bedside." Ron rolled his eye but smiled as he grabbed his wand. he carefully waved it over the box. As soon as a blue light showed he again smiled up at her before offering her some of the chocolate. She just shook her head before sitting. She had looked up and taught herself a spell to detect poisons in food and drink after what had happened to Ron. After she mastered it she taught it to Harry, Ginny, and Ron making sure they also mastered it. " so two more days till you are free to come back to the dorms."
" yep, can't wait sleeping here is always creepy."
" yep, back to the dorm and class." Rons' face fell a bit " right." Hermione raised an eyebrow " you have been looking through the notes I made right?"
"of course I have, but do you really think they will give me a lot of work? I mean I was poisoned."
" yes, and you were excused from the assignments that they had given out while you were recovering, but now you have to get back to work being a student." Ron just pouted as he continued to eat his chocolate.
" don't worry so much you Harry and I will be doing our homework together on Thursdays I'll make sure to keep you guys on track." Ron looked a little happier but still didn't look too thrilled about the prospect of doing schoolwork again. They sat and talked for a bit longer before she said her goodbyes for the day. She saw Rons' face drop and felt a little sad for her friend. He often complained about not having anything to himself like his own things always getting hand-me-downs or having to share or always being crowded having a big family back home and then a crowded Gryffindor dorm here at school.
But she knew that he didn't like being alone. If not for the fact that a member of the order was always patrolling the area and checking in on him one being his older brother. He probably would have snuck up to the tower every night. She ruffled his hair the two of them smiling at each other. His hair always had a soft feel even though it looked a little straw-like. One would think he didn't brush it. She realized that she had been playing with his hair a little too long she pulled her hand back and saw that his face had gone a bit red darken his freckles. She left the hospital wing taking a breath she pulled her coin out of her pocket. She stared at it for a bit before deciding she would give herself another day to mentally prepare before she messaged Draco. She put the coin back in her pocket and headed up to the Gryffindor tower.
Draco rubbed the coin between his fingers she had messaged him before lunch asking if he would be available to meet after dinner. He knew the Weasle was getting out tomorrow. She must feel like she can spare him sometime now that he was better. He had responded quickly telling her he would be waiting for her at the room of requirement. She changed that to their old closet. He agreed to that as well though he was then stuck spending the day thinking about what was going to happen what she wanted to say what he would say or do. He was visibly distraught enough that Theo had asked if he was ok. Draco had said everything was fine brushing his friend's concern off so he could continue to overthink.
He was making his way to the great hall when he froze stopping in his tracks. Katie Bell the girl who got cursed by accident by his first attempt to kill the headmaster earlier that year was there. He hadn't seen her since before the incident he felt a cold sweat break out all over when she looked past the person she was talking to and made eye contact with him. the guy she was talking to turned and looked at him.
Potter, Potter was glaring at him like he knew for a fact it was him like he knew what he had done like he knew everything he has done. Draco staged a little back before turning and hurrying away. He had to get out of there before he pucked all over the hall. He ran into a random bathroom letting the bile that had climbed up from his stomach empty into the sink. He was shaking as he dry heaved holding on to the cold metal until there was nothing left from last night's dinner.
His ears were ringing but he still heard footsteps behind him looking up he saw Potter in the mirror's reflection, his wand was out. " I know what you did Malfoy." He knew he knew he knew. Draco slowly went for his wand when he felt the wood he felt his whole body move on its own not even thinking as he sent jinx after jinx at Potter dodging and running from Potter's own jinxes the bathroom being distorted around them.
He didn't know what happened he was in pain all over he was wet laying on the flooded bathroom floor. He couldn't move the pain, he was too dizzy he could hear the water splashing with running footsteps. There was burning pain all around his body but he was getting colder. His vision was getting blurry. He wasn't sure but he thought he could make out a shadow looming over him, he thought he heard a hiss before he lost consensus.