Chapter 16/./ Finding My Voice

When I arrived at breakfast the next morning, I was surprised to see that my entrance was ignored, as usual. For some reason I could not fathom, no rumor of the prophecy had gotten out. I caught Hermione's eye as I sat down at the Slytherin table, but she shrugged, looking as distraught about it as I felt. It hadn't really hit me, yet, how strange it was. She returned to her eggs, but I continued to watch her. She hadn't been lying when she'd said not everything was it appeared. Potter and Weasley were laughing and generally having an all-around good time, but Hermione had her head down, and was silent. The post arrived, and I watched the other students open their letters as I continued to eat my oatmeal.AsI grabbed a muffin,she caught my eye again. Nodding towards the door inconspicuously, she got up to leave. I followed shortly after. I looked around the deserted Entrance Hall, and noticed a door shutting softly from the corner of my eye.

"Hey." She was sitting on top of a desk.

"Word didn't get out." She looked slightly troubled.

"I noticed. Weird, isn't it?"

"Yes," she agreed. "The whole thing is, though. A prophecy, about us?" She'd hit it on the nose. The whole situation seemed laughable, but the erily serious demeanor with which Dumbledore had told it to us showed that it wasn't.

Taking a seat on the desk in front of her, I asked, "Did Potter explain himself?" I could tell that, for a moment, she wanted to act confused, but knew from the look on my face that I knew better.

"He did."

"So, why did he blame Ron's death on you?" I asked, in a completely conversational tone. She looked a little amused.

"Wow, you seem to be taking this lightly."

"Well?"

"He was hurt by Ron's death. And even more so that he had nothing to take his anger out on, what with Voldemort dead and all the Death Eaters gone, and, hell, with you on our side. When he thought that I didn't care, it opened up a perfect target to take out his anger, and he took it. He was slightly crazed by grief, I think." I snorted.

"Slightly?" She rolled her eyes at me goodnaturedly. "And your silence?"

"What about it?"

"Why?" She looked down at the floor, biting her bottom lip pensively.

"It was my way of dealing. So many things happened to me, and I'd wanted to tell Harry, but the first thing out of his mouth was something I'd rather not repeat. So, I stayed silent. I turned into myself, because it felt like I was the only person who cared. After a while, it became easier to be silent than to talk. That night, in your room? It shocked me that I spoke, because I hadn't spoken in so long that silence came more natural than speaking. But the words just came out of my mouth, as if... as if... As if you were only the person who could help me find my voice." She looked at me with such thankfullness, I couldn't find words to say.

It was crazy the way the things that had happened to us had brought us together. It amazed me tht we could have survived so much. We were just normal teenagers, after all. "Normal?" she said, laughing. I looked up at her, from where I had been staring at the ground, my mouth open wide in shock.

"Did you just..?"

"What?"

"Did I say that out loud?" She furrowed her eyebrows at me, but slowly, her expression changed from confusion to shock.

"You... You didn't?"

"Yeah."

"We have to tell Dumbledore!" She seemed utterly happy, and I took a moment to examine her face. The deep circles beneath her eyes had receded, but there was still a shadow. Her facial profile was still gaunt, but it was getting better. She looked healthier than she had. Out of the blue, I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. She stiffened, surprised, but relaxed quickly and hugged me back. When I pulled back, she asked, "What was that for?"

"Just glad you're back." She smiled softly, and took my hand as we left the room to go visit Dumbledore.

When we emerged from the room, however, we were stopped in our tracks by the scene before our eyes. There was nothing bad happening, a boy walking with his head down, a couple talking quietly, some friends laughing at a joke. The surprising part was that none of them were moving. The people before us were frozen, their laughter and speech suspended in the air. We shared a fearful look, before starting off at a quicker pace for Dumbledore's office. Only moments before we reached the gargoyle, my head began to pound.

"Wait, stop," I said, my voice echoing in the eerily silent hall. I sank to my knees, as the world started to spin around me. What was going on?

"Draco?" I tried to look up at her, but my head felt so heavy.. "Draco? SOMEBODY HELP!" was the last thing I heard before my vision faded to black.

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"Draco," I whispered, falling to my knees beside him. Unbeknownst to me, everyone around me began to move again. Draco was unconcious, that much I knew. Before I could recognize what was happening, Dumbledore had appeared beside me, and had conjured a stretcher for Draco. He told me to go wait in his office, and I did so unquestioningly. I walked in a blind stupor, wondering vaguely what was happening to Draco.

My Draco. I found myself sitting alone in Dumbledore's office, staring at the floor dumbly. My mind couldn't seem to wrap itself around the fact that something was wrong with Draco. He had to be alright. He had to.

Dumbledore returned shortly, slightly out of breath. He sat down at his desk before me, and I looked up at him.

"Ms. Granger, you remember the prophecy?" Of course.

"Yes, sir."

"And how it spoke of you two being the ones who would choose which side would win?"

"But, Dumbledore, isn't Voldemort already gone?"

"This war is bigger than Voldemort, Ms. Granger. It is a catastrophic event that will change the course of our world forever. Because the two of you are the Chosen, you will be targeted by both sides."

"Targeted for what, sir?" But then, he seemed to notice something.

"What is that on your arm, Ms. Granger?" I looked down, and noticed the two marks on my arm that I had woken up with.

"Oh, I found them there when I woke up this morning, sir. I believe I was bitten by a spider.. or two."

"No, Ms. Granger. What bit you was not a spider. You've been marked." I was going to ask for what I had been marked, but I was interrupted.

"Albus!" Madame Pomfrey burst in to the door, and Dumbledore was immediately on his feet.

"What is it, Poppy?"

"He's gone! Mr. Malfoy's disappeared!" I was on my feet within seconds, mirroring Dumbledore's previous actions. We raced to the Hospital Wing, but as she had said, Draco was gone. I fell to my knees beside his bed, tears pouring from my eyes uncontrollably. As easily as summer fades into autumn, the carefree days of our childhood had disappeared, and a new journey was beginning.

I would stop at nothing to find the one I loved.

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sorry this chapter was so short, but it had to end here. Do you like it? Because this is the last chapter of "Finding My Voice". I'm sorr the ending was so abrupt, I didn't even see it coming, or I would've warned you ahead of time.However, never fear! Because there will be a sequel! (As soon as I start writing it). Check back in a day or two, and the first chapter of the sequel will be up! I love you guys!
Until next time!