(a/n: thanks to shadow101 for finding some of my grammatical errors and to GatomanandKariFan for the encouragement. My two faithful reviewers...lol!)
Chapter 20- An Attack on All Sides
"Bloody hell," was all Ron could say.
Harry watched as the looming cloud of darkness slowly made it's way towards the castle. A huge knot was growing in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't expecting everything to happen so fast. Now that they were actually here, what were they going to go?
"How many do you think are out there?" Hermione asked, backing away from the window in fright.
"Tons," Cassie said flatly, as she approached the window. "They're not even here yet and the window's already starting to freeze over. I don't think that's a good sign. But they're still pretty far away, and they're not exactly speed demons. We've got about a half hour before they get close."
"So what's gonna happen when they're right outside our window? They'll break through won't they? They'll kiss us all! Oh Jesus, why doesn't somebody just stab me now?!"
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "Snap out of it! You're usually the calm one. What's gonna happen to us if you start to break down, huh?"
"Sorry," she mumbled as she walked away from the window. She lit a fire in the hearth, which gave the room an orange glow. "Dumbledore and the professors can probably handle it," she assured herself as she plopped down onto the couch.
But Harry wasn't so positive. The Dementors were a few miles away and already things were starting to become colder. How many were there? Could the professor's handle them? Did the ministry even know what was going on?
Harry was brought out of his ramblings by a loud slam. He spun around and saw a flood of people piling their way in through the door. A few third year Ravenclaws, some Hufflepuffs and (to Harry's disgust) the Slytherins.
"What are you lot doing here?" Ron yelled over the anxious chatter of the crowds. Several people tried to yell at Ron, explaining what had happened but there were too many of them.
"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE BRATS!" Hermione yelled, causing the room to fall into complete silence. "Now," she started calmly, "Will the person in charge of all of you please tell me what's going on?"
"The Dementors have made their way to the South wall," a voice said from the doorway. It was none other than Draco Malfoy, who looked rather calm considering the situation around them.
"What do you mean they're at the South wall? They're over here." Ron said, pointing to the window. Almost instantly, a herd of students pushed their way to the window to see if it was true.
"So you mean there's two herds of them then?" Harry asked, somewhat aware and afraid of the answer.
"Very good Potter, you've learned how to count," Malfoy said as he stepped forward into the room and leaned against a wall.
"It's amazing how even in the face of danger you can still find time to taunt people Malfoy," Harry said darkly.
"If it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess," he grumbled.
"What was that Malfoy?" Harry had crossed the room and was now towering over him. He couldn't possibly be blaming Harry for this mess (as if he didn't already feel guilty enough).
"You heard me," he sneered. "You just don't know when to die do you Potter?"
"Harry," Hermione warned as she approached him. She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed to hold him back. "It's just Malfoy," she whispered in his ear.
"Saint Potter just had to cheat death one too many times and now look where we've landed."
Harry could feel the tension between them rising. He would've lurched forward at Malfoy but Hermione was right. Malfoy wasn't worth it, especially since they could be dying any minute now.
"Don't listen to him, he's just trying to provoke you," Hermione told him, tightening her grip.
"Once this is all over, we'll all be dead and soulless. The ministry will be in complete pandemonium and our parents will cry their little eyes out."
"Walk away now, before this gets ugly."
"But you wouldn't know much about parents would you Potter?"
There was a brief moment of silence before Harry heard Hermione utter, "Let him have it." She gave him a gentle push. Almost instantly Harry took out six years of pure hatred for Malfoy out in one solid punch. But that wasn't enough, so he took a couple more at his jaw, his nose, and his skull.
'It's good to get out your anger,' a little voice said in the back of Harry's head.
"Harry I think that's enough," Hermione said, but Harry wasn't listening. Many others had heard them and started to crowd around. Harry dragged Malfoy's groaning body towards the window. He flung it open and with all his might, heaved his body halfway out the window.
"You deserve to die," Harry sneered. He looked out toward the horizon at the approaching cloud of doom. His breath came out in white puffs from the cold they were already bringing.
"Harry!" A voice called from behind him. He turned around to see a very disgruntled looking Cassie now standing in the center of the crowd. "What are you doing?" She asked angrily.
"What does it look like? I'm trying to kill Malfoy," Harry panted. The whole room had fallen silent, watching the seen.
"Harry," Hermione said carefully, "Think about what you're doing. I hate Malfoy as much as you, but this isn't right. Just, calm down, please." She looked up at him with a pleading look on her face, she seemed on the brink of tears. Harry looked around the room. Everyone was giving him the same look, waiting for him to make his next move. He glanced around the room and then back at the limp body in his hands. Even Malfoy was staring helplessly at him, awaiting his decision as well.
As much as he wanted to drop him, something in his head was pulling in back. Maybe he had done enough for one day. He had gotten in some decent shots. Malfoy's nose and mouth were bleeding and there was a bruise above his eye.
"You should die," Harry growled. He glared at Malfoy for a few moments longer before slowly backing away from the window and dropped him with a thud. "But not today." The crowd cleared a path for him as he climbed up the staircase towards the boys' dormitory. He needed to be alone so he could think.
The boys' dorm was unnaturally similar to the ones in Gryffindor Tower. He collapsed onto one of the four-poster beds and stared up at the ceiling. He scolded himself for being so stupid. He couldn't have thought he would get away with killing Malfoy. What had possessed him to be so foolish?
'Three guesses whom,' a little voice said in the back of his head.
