I didn't get one, but TWO reviews everyone so you get TWO chapters! Enjoy!
Draco POV
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" I turn my head to see Goyle looking at me suspiciously as I lean against the wall a few steps away from Umbridge's office. Briar, Potter, Weasley, and Granger have been inside for about five minutes now and should be coming out any moment.
I need to get him to leave.
"I was just lost in thought. Umbridge said she wanted to meet with me when she was done with her weekly meeting with Filch so I was just waiting here for her," I say nonchalantly and see his eyebrow quirk in interest. He leans against the wall next to me in a casual stance and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
"Well, while you're standing here, I think we should talk," he says in a low drawl. I look to him with my eyebrow raised in question and wait for him to continue. "You know all of the Slytherins so I was wondering if you could tell me more about this witch I'm interested in. She has a very mysterious air to her like she's hiding something. You know how that type attracts me," he says with a smirk. I chuckle and nod my head in agreement.
"Yes, we do have that in common. Who is the lucky witch?" He looks me dead in the eye with an expressionless look.
"Her name is Briar Griffin." I feel my blood turn cold and I can't help the flashes of memories from our special moment in her bedroom less than an hour ago. I feel a scowl on my face as Goyle's smirk widens like he knows that would be my reaction. Before I can respond, I see Blaise and Crabbe dragging Lovegood and Weaslette towards us.
"Look who we found looking all suspicious around the corner," Blaise says with a smirk. I am relieved I don't see Longbottom and I hope he got word to Briar to get out of Umbridge's office. I feel Goyle nudge me and I see Longbottom around the corner about to cast a spell at Blaise to release Weaslette. I march over and grab his arm to drag him over to the others, realizing he probably didn't get to Briar.
"Umbridge just walked into her office. Let's bring her these three and see what she wants to do with them," Goyle sneers towards Blaise. They all drag their captives into the office and I come in last with Longbottom.
"Caught this one trying to help the Weasley girl," I say with a sneer. My heart jumps into my throat when I realize Goyle is, once again, holding onto Briar, but this time with a wand to her throat. Potter is seated on a chair in front of Umbridge and Granger is detained by Crabbe to the left of Goyle. Standing on the other side of Goyle, I hold Longbottom in front of me as I watch Umbridge lean forward with her cheery act.
"You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?"
"No," Potter responds before Umbridge retaliates and slaps him across that face with a resounding slap. I stare at her in shock and see Briar struggle against Goyle. He smirks and pushes his wand into her neck harder causing her to wince.
"You sent for me, Head Mistress?" Snape says in his drawl. I look up to see him fleetingly glance at Briar before his poker face was back in place.
"Snape! Yes, the time has come for answers whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veritaserum?"
"I'm afraid you used up all of my stores interrogating students. The last of it on Ms. Chang." Potter looks at Briar, Weasley, and Granger before looking back at Snape as he continues speaking. "Unless you wish to poison him which I would assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did. I can't help you," he says. I notice he moves his hand slightly while looking at Briar before turning to leave.
"He's got Padfoot," Potter shouts at Snape's retreating form. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden." Snape turns to glance at Potter.
"Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?"
"No idea," he says before leaving. Umbridge turns to pace for a moment as Snape excuses himself from the office.
"Very well. You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue." I tighten my grip on Longbottom as he gets nervous like the rest of Potter's group.
"That's illegal," Granger spits out as she pulls against Crabbe.
"What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him," Umbridge says as she lays the framed photo of the Minister on her desk so he can't see what's happening. Umbridge walks towards Potter and raises her wand. As she is about to open her mouth, Goyle cries out in pain and I see Briar leap across Umbridge's desk and shove her against the wall with her wand at Dolores' throat. I stare in shock and pride as she speaks in a low, menacing tone.
"Don't you dare, bitch. You have to go through me first before you harm one of my friends." I can tell Goyle is beyond angry as he raises his wand towards Briar's back, intent on sending a hex at her. I shove Longbottom at him and he catches him in his arms to restrain him in confusion.
"Apparently, you can't control a small witch so maybe you can handle Longbottom, Goyle," I sneer as I make my way across the room to pull Briar off of Umbridge who brushes her clothes off in an indignant manner. Once I have Briar back against the wall with the rest of the students, I keep my hands on her wrists, barely holding her.
Please behave, love. I'm sure Granger and Potter have a backup plan. They always do.
I feel her lean back into my chest and all I want is to get her out of this office and back to her bedroom where I can keep her out of harm's way. I see Umbridge walk back to Potter as she glares at Briar.
"One of these days, Griffin, I won't be so nice and I will show you a lesson worse than your little engraving on your arm," Umbridge sneers.
"Awww that's cute that you think you have a nice side, Dolores," Briar sneers back at her. I squeeze her wrist in warning to not make the situation worse and I feel her huff in annoyance that she can't fight Umbridge as Umbridge's face reddens in anger. Potter shifts in his chair, causing Umbridge to turn her attention back to the matter at hand. She raises her wand at him once again.
"Now, Potter, are you ready to tell me the truth or are you going to make me do this?" Potter stares her down and doesn't say anything. "Very well then. Cr…"
"Tell her Harry!" Granger yells out. Umbridge turns her attention to Granger in surprise while her wand is still raised at Potter.
"Tell me what?" I look to Granger in confusion as Briar stiffens before relaxing slightly.
Remind me to hug Mione later. She just came up with a brilliant plan to get Umbridge out of the way. Briar pushes into my mind. I rub my thumb against her wrist to show I understand and tune in to listen to see what Granger will say next.
"Well, if you won't tell her where it is, I will." Umbridge looks from Granger to Potter and then back to Granger in frustration that she has to pull answers from her.
"Where what is?" I see Granger take a deep breath before answering her question.
"Dumbledore's secret weapon," she admits. Umbridge quickly stands up tall and looks at Granger in shock. She grabs Potter in her free hand and pulls him roughly from his chair to stand while pointing her wand at Granger.
"Mr. Crabbe, release her. Ms. Granger, you and Mr. Potter will show me where his weapon is this instant. No funny business," she threatens. Crabbe releases Granger and Umbridge walks both of them out of the office while directing us to release everyone else for now. Blaise, Crabbe, and the other Inquisitorial Squad students leave except Goyle who glares at Briar. I lightly shove her enough to make it seem like holding her disgusted me and she rubs her wrists to add an implication that I was holding her tightly. After a few moments, it's just me and Goyle in the room so I make my way to exit the office. Once I get to the hallway, I feel a hand shove me into the wall as Goyle gets in my face with his body pushing me harder into the wall.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Goyle?" I sneer in his face while shoving him off of me. He stands there with a sadistic smirk as he holds his wand loosely in his right hand. I clutch mine in my right hand more firmly, ready to duel if need be.
"I find it funny how Griffin behaved when you were holding her, but she put up a fight against me even when I had my wand against her throat," he states in a nonchalant tone. I smirk and put on my best poker face knowing I can't let Goyle get the better of me. Malfoys don't lose, as father always says.
"Maybe she's just remembering how good of a shag I was and was hoping I would take advantage again if she behaved." Goyle looks at me unconvinced, but drops it with a nod. Pocketing his wand, I keep mine in my hand just in case. "Don't be sad, Goyle. Just because she fancies me more, doesn't mean you won't be able to find someone to shag. Hogwarts is crawling with desperate witches. I would know since I've been with so many, or haven't you heard the rumors?" He returns my playful smirk and I know I've successfully gotten him to believe me even though the words falling out of my mouth makes my skin crawl.
"Well, if one of those sluts come to you and you think they're my type, send them my way," he finishes with a cocky smirk. I chuckle and nod my head.
"You've got it, mate." With that, he turns and walks down the hallway towards the Slytherin Common Room. Once I'm sure he's gone, I turn and make my way to the Forbidden Forest. Making sure no students are following me, I sprint across where Hagrid's hut is and make a run for the meeting spot in a field a few minutes from the edge of the forest. Trees whizz past me and I can faintly hear sounds of howling, hooves, and a woman's screams? Shaking the confusion from my mind, I continue running focusing on getting to Briar before slowing my pace as I get to the edge of the field. Taking in my surroundings, I see Briar, Lovegood, Longbottom, and Weasley standing around, but what confuses me is that Lovegood and Longbottom seem to be petting something.
I walk forward in a brisk pace wanting to get to Briar and step on a twig causing all of them to snap their heads towards me. Longbottom even goes as far to raise his wand at me, but my eyes are focused on the emerald eyes of the woman in front of me who has started to jog towards me. I don't even realize I've started running at full speed to her until she's wrapped tightly in my arms and my nose is pressed into her neck, breathing in her calming scent. Her hands squeeze me closer around my neck as I feel her puffs of breath against the skin of my neck. It's hard to ignore that not too long ago, her breath on my neck was during the most intimate moment of my life.
"I hate to break up the moment, but we need to get going, Bry," Potter says glumly. Briar and I break apart and I see her nod at Potter in understanding before Granger comes over and places her hand on Briar's shoulder in a comforting manner. They share a small smile before Granger walks over to the others. Briar looks at me sadly and kisses me while tugging me closer with her hand in my hair. I kiss her back hungrily wishing I could just fall into bed with her and show her how much I love her. I break the kiss and rest my forehead on hers knowing if I don't stop, I won't be able to let her leave.
"Love, you have to get going," I say regretfully. I tip her chin up with my finger when I hear her sniffle. I can see a tear has made its way down her face and I wipe it off with my hand and force her to meet my eyes. "Hey, whoa! Don't cry. I won't be able to let you leave if you do that," I say teasingly resulting in a watery chuckle from her. She nods her head, sniffles, and wipes her cheeks to clear the tears from her face and I place my hands on her waist.
"I'm sorry. I just want to go back in time and stay in bed with you and never have to leave that moment," she says while not meeting my eyes.
"Bry, we have to go," Granger says softly from behind her. She's sitting in the air on something I can't see so I can only assume they will be traveling on Thestrals.
"Coming," Briar throws over her shoulder before turning to look at me sadly again. She gives me another kiss and caresses my cheek again before glancing down at my doe necklace that has come out of my shirt from running before. I smile reassuringly at her and kiss her forehead.
"I'll be here when you get back. Just reach out to me mentally to let me know when you're back, no matter the time. I won't be going to sleep until I know you're home safely in my arms," I say before kissing her lips one more time. If possible, her eyes get even sadder after I say that.
Something isn't right.
She pulls me in for one last hug and she whispers in my ear "I love you, Draco Malfoy. Please never forget that," before backing away to get to the Thestral she'll be sharing with Granger.
"I love you too," I shout, despite being confused about her wording, as she mounts the back of the Thestral. She sends a sad smile my way as she places her hands around Granger's waist in front of her and soon they're just tiny specs in the sky. Something isn't sitting right with the way Briar left, but I know I'm probably just anxious about her coming home safely. I turn and start to make my way out of the Forbidden Forest and to my dormitory to wait for her to come back. Lying in bed, I stare at my ceiling now in my black t-shirt and green sleep pants playing with my necklace. My eyes drift closed and soon, I find myself gasping awake about two hours later. My necklace is warm and tingling.
I need to get to Snape. Briar's in trouble.
A/N Oooohhhh we finally see the necklace in action! What do you think happened to Briar? I want opinions so hit that marvelous button on the bottom of this page for ideas ;p