Draco

Room of Requirement / Hogwarts

January 7th - 8th, 1996

It was likely irresponsible that they stayed as long as they did that morning. Having gone their separate ways out of the seventh floor corridor, it was clear that at least half the school was already back. But after how their morning played out, he felt comfortable saying fuck the consequences.

Draco waltzed into the Great Hall around noon to grab some lunch and check in with Theo, already having prepared a laundry list of plausible excuses as to his whereabouts that morning.

The moment he passed into the hall, his pace stalled. At the table with Theo was Pansy, Blaise, and Goyle.

Subtly, he made sure his expression appeared bored and typical, then resumed his walk to the table, reshuffling the lies in his head as he approached.

"Oh look who finally decided to turn up," Pansy said in her typical condescending manner, not even looking at him as he sat.

"Yes Draco I was quite disappointed that you weren't at the gate to welcome us," Blaise teased, taking a sip of coffee demurely.

With measured control, Draco gave away nothing, and began to help himself to food.

Pansy shifted her body to face Draco's, then in a smooth motion, rested her chin on her propped up hand, giving him a critical look.

"Theo said you were down at the library," Pansy remarked, cocking an eye brow. "How studious"

Draco tempered his internal reaction of shock to what Pansy said. He couldn't understand why Theo would lie, rather than just telling them he didn't know. Did he suspect something? And if he did, why would he help protect something like that?

"Malfoy actually I need to talk to you about something…" Theo began warily, his expression serious.

"Theo you had Draco for weeks. It's our last Sunday before classes, lets all do something."

"Oh fun" Blaise hummed in a bored way, to which Pansy shot him a withering glare.

It was imperative that Draco speak to Theo, and soon, but whatever it was that Theo had to tell him did not come off as desperately urgent, so the blonde Slytherin did his best to cool his overworked mind.

His eyes briefly flicked over to the Gryffindor table, where he spotted Hermione and her golden aura at once. He dared say her skin still gave the inclinations of being flushed from their morning activities.

Warmth pulsed through his veins, and he felt satiated for at least the present moment.

Pansy had commandeered the Slytherin boy's entire day.

It wasn't until late that night that he was even able to return to his dorm. They all trudged into their room tiredly, and by then they were too exhausted to spend a second longer with each other.

In bed, Draco closed his four poster curtains and pulled the parchment he shared with Granger from under his pillow.

Having everyone back is exhausting she had written in her loopy yet strangely even handwriting. He smiled.

Let's just move into the Room of Requirement. I'm sure no one would notice. He wrote back.

It was honestly a simple solution to all of his problems. The two of them could simply hide out in the Room of Requirement, check in every once and awhile to see how the war was going, and then come back out like bears after a long winter once it was all over.

Likely, they would be properly exhausted after their hibernation. In this scenario, they would spend their time being quite physical with one another, and almost constantly naked. After all, if they hunkered down together, he could come clean about his mark, how he never wanted it, and ditch this agonizing no sex rule he had established.

But that one sided plan woefully neglected her parents, his parents, and the fact that she would never agree to give up the fight.

Agony was the only way to describe staring at the parchment, waiting for her to respond, having no clue if she felt a semblance of what he did.

But even if she did feel the way he did, it hardly meant much. She didn't know he was a Death Eater. Once she knew that, it was likely she would never look at him with those large, inquisitive honey eyes ever again.

We probably can't sneak out at this point and spend the night again, right? He asked, writing back before she could respond, feeling panicked at the direction his thoughts were going.

I'm tempted she wrote back.

His body reacted physically to the thought of them alone again, under their old dusty blankets.

But I would say we may be flying too close to the sun if we tried tonight. Luna kept giving me weird looks all morning, and Ginny who got back early drilled me on where I was.

Where did you tell her you were?

The library.

Draco laughed and replied. That was my alibi too.

Let's hope they don't compare notes.

Good thing Slytherins don't talk to Gryffindors Draco wrote with a smirk.

Good thing Gryffindors would never be caught dead around a Slytherin she replied.

He sighed, doing his best to calm the overwhelming need he felt to see her.

Until tomorrow then Icarus.

Goodnight Draco.

Midway through Runes the next day, it was abundantly clear that something had shifted. If he would have just let Theo pull him aside at breakfast, he would have been better prepared for the fallout. Hindsight and all that though.

Draco met Hermione outside of the Runes class doing their best to maintain a disposition of indifferent acquaintances, which in its own right was suspicious because they were Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy: Sworn enemies. Even speaking to one another was nearly as shocking as them snogging.

But, they chanced it with Runes because it was only them and a hoard of Ravenclaws who held themselves above the childish social dynamics of Hogwarts.

Or so he thought.

Midway through Runes, Draco noticed a Ravenclaw blatantly stare between him and Hermione. Moments later, she did it again, and not subtly at all.

Draco saw Hermione pull out her parchment and he did the same.

Is it just me, or is Tabitha looking at us? Granger wrote. Draco gave his witch a fleeting glance and saw her brow crunched in concern over the paper.

Yes, it does appear that way. Draco wrote back. I suppose we should go our separate ways after class to be safe?

Yes, probably for the best.

An hour later, Defense Against the Dark Arts clarified their building suspicion.

Draco was seated with the rest of the Slytherins at their usual table, though he took a different stool to give him a decent peripheral view of the doorway. Granger had looked anxious after Runes and he wanted to see if she was fairing any better coming into DADA.

Out of the corner of his eye he thought he caught a glimpse of her wild hair, but then immediately heard a thud of books hitting the ground.

"What the hell?" Potter yelled from across the classroom.

Draco turned to see that in the entry way Potter and Astoria Greengrass stood face to face, with Hermione kneeling down picking up her things.

Astoria turned to walk away, but Potter called after her.

"Seriously what the hell Greengrass. You just body checked Hermione"

Astoria looked back flippantly, giving Granger a nasty look, then tossed her long auburn hair over her shoulder then took her seat with the rest of the Slyhterins.

Draco felt his body rise at the sight of Granger fighting off the look of hurt that was blossoming under her impassive expression. But he stopped himself. He had to. It wasn't clear why others were behaving as if they knew something, and it was imperative to assess the situation before acting.

Draco sought out Theo's face immediately. Theo nodded enough for Draco to realize that whatever just happened between Greengrass and Granger was what Theo had tried to talk to him about.

When class dismissed, as reckless as it may have been, he sought out Hermione's warm, steady eyes.

For a split second, they connected. Her features were steeped in apprehension until she found him, and then he saw her look relieved. It was likely a mirror of his expression. He felt a stir of comfort just seeing that she was OK.

At the same time though, panic coursed through him at how overrun with concern he felt for this witch, and her well being. It was a strange, oddly exhilarating yet terrifying new feeling for Draco.

Having confirmed Granger was alright, Draco turned abruptly to Theo and grabbed the scruff of his arm, pulling him from the classroom towards and towards the Slytherin common room.

After they were well beyond the classroom and on the final steps of their decent to the dungeons, Theo got started.

"I had heard some people talk yesterday, I didn't think too much of it otherwise I would have made sure we talked, but Crabbe brought it up when he got back this morning…" Theo was rambling as they passed through the threshold of the Slytherin common room "He bragged about hearing some interesting information about you at a Holiday party he went to over break"

"What exactly did he hear," Draco asked through clenched teeth.

Theo looked uncomfortable as the two moved from the common room to their dorm room.

"It sounds like there are two rumors at the moment," Theo began, taking a steadying breath. "One is that you've gone soft and are friends with Granger…"

Draco looked skeptically at Theo. "It's considered gossip that a pureblood is being friendly with a muggle born, really?"

With his incredulous words, Draco fished out the parchment which he had moved to his book bag. She hadn't written anything yet.

After an extended silence Draco looked up and found his friend watching him skeptically. It dawned on Draco that his demeanor was anything but innocent.

"What's the other rumor?" Draco asked just as the dorm room door burst open.

Crabbe spotted Draco and commenced with a maniacal laugh, rubbing his hands together strangely. Goyle walked in next, delivering Draco a critical look, then in came Blaise, who only appeared mildly intrigued.

"I wasn't sure at first if it was true," Crabbe wagged his finger at Draco, "But it seems like word has spread. I honestly still can't believe it," Crabbe plopped himself down on his bed across from Draco's, fishing out some candy from his bag.

Draco kept his attention cautiously on Crabbe, waiting for the reveal of what the second part of the rumor was.

"If it's true there's gotta be a reason you're doing it," Goyle commented, his look more serious than Crabbe's as he settled in next to his friend, now both facing Draco for an answer.

Theo looked at Draco quickly and then back to the two Slytherins. "It's a rumor"

"Then let Draco come out and say that it's not true," Crabbe suggested.

"Is it to get closer to Potter on behalf of the Dark Lord?" Goyle asked with reverence.

Draco didn't reply to either of their remarks. He kept his expression blank and icy, effectively communicating that he would not lower himself to address rumors.

"I have to ask though, if the rumors are true of course…" Crabbe began with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It's disgusting, sure, but I gotta know, is mudblood pussy any good?"

Draco was towering over Crabbe with his wand drawn and pointed at his temple before he even registered what he was doing. Deep rattling breaths shook through his chest as his wand hand steadied on Crabbe's face.

Theo's hand rested on Draco's shoulder pulling him back slightly. His pulse quickened and his eyes became infinitesimally wider at the realization of what he just admitted to with his actions. Blaise rose a brow, and Goyle's eyes narrowed.

"Geeze that good?" Crabbe cackled, completely missing the tension in the room.

Theo leaned into Draco's shoulder so only he could hear him.

"My father sent me an owl today asking if it was true," Theo said soberly into Draco's ear. Draco's head twitched back to where Theo's face was over his shoulder. "The rumor isn't just at Hogwarts"

And with that, the gravity of the situation came crashing down on Draco all at once.

The doors to Snape's study erupted open, then immediately slammed shut once Draco was through the threshold. Already his actions felt frenzied and out of character.

"Draco," Snape greeted in a low hum from his desk. If the professor was put off by Draco's tense energy, it was undetectable. Snape gently closed a book he had opened.

"It has come to my attention that there is a rumor that could significantly impact my ability to be successful with the Dark Lord's task," Draco's spoke with a forced evenness. "You need to tell me right now who knows what, and what the fall out has been so far."

Snape stood from his desk and made his way around to the front.

"I'm assuming this has to do with you and Ms. Granger…"

"The mudblood, yes." It tore at Draco to say, but he knew he had to start playing his part now.

"There is a rumor, yes…" Snape began, eyeing Draco cooly at his choice of words, "that you have become close to her."

"Who believes this?" Draco spat, eyes like slits.

"I have heard some Death Eaters discuss it in close circles," Snape answered, watching Draco carefully.

"Any Death Eaters of importance?" Draco cut in, rushing to organize all of the information quickly to form a plan.

"The information has reached Bellatrix," Snape answered conscientiously.

Draco insides felt as if they ruptured from within. His Aunt was perhaps the most unstable person that could be in possession of this information.

Snape cleared his throat, focusing Draco. "This may be of interest to you…" Draco narrowed his eyes, "but I did overhear her speaking on this topic. She commented that if true, it appeared there would now be more ways to motivate you into action on behalf of the Dark Lord."

He held Snape's look a moment longer, then tore his eyes away.

This was the worst possible outcome. It was one thing to have entered into some type of relationship with her without disclosing the fact that he was in fact, a Death Eater. But, he thought with consternation in his veins, that it was something else entirely to have unwittingly entangled her in this mess, opening her and Merlin even her parents up to being tortured or, killed even.

He allowed himself a half a second to mourn what could have been, and then went into response mode.

Draco removed all emotion from his features and turned his attention slowly back up to Snape.

"And throughout all this, no one thought it pertinent to bring the matter to my attention?" Draco asked haughtily, dripping with judgment and disdain. Snape rose a brow.

Draco turned his back to Snape and spoke. "Get Bella on the floo now," Draco ordered. There was a pause from Snape.

"Perhaps you are confused but you do not order me…" Snape began but Draco had already spun around, placing himself directly in front of his Professor.

"I need to talk to her now," Draco demanded in a low dangerous tone.

The beginnings of a legilimens edged it's way to the edges of Draco's mind, but his skilled occlumency kept the Professor at bay. "Do not attempt to enter my mind, and get Bella"

The older wizard looked impressed at Draco's abilities at fending off his notably powerful attempt. Begrudgingly, Snape turned towards his fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and spoke into the fire, "Malfoy Manor"

A moment later, the fiery form of his mother appeared in the kindling. His heart leapt; he had not seen or heard her voice for months now. Merlin knows what she must be thinking if she had heard the rumors.

"Severus," Narcissa instantly sounded panicked at Snape contacting her from Hogwarts.

"Mother I need to talk to Bella urgently," Draco stepped in. Her form in the fireplace turned to face where his voice sounded from.

She nodded and disappeared.

Electrified silence filled the air of Snape's office as they waited for Bellatrix. Finally her face showed itself in the fire.

"Our little Draco…" his Aunt began teasingly but Draco blocked her immediately.

"How dare you.." Draco bellowed, taking a measured step towards the fireplace, "jeopardize my mission by carrying on with juvenile rumors about me"

If he had not been so incensed, his tone would have perhaps shocked even himself. There was a stunned hush from the room.

"Did you not think for one moment that perhaps what you heard of was apart of my plan?" Draco questioned critically to his Aunt. His domineering tone left her stuttering.

"To even consider lowering yourself to that level, how could you even do such a thing?" Bella said, putting forth a strenuous effort to refute his accusation, but Draco interrupted her.

"Stop being such a child Bella. I did it because the Dark Lord gave me a mission and I will do whatever needs to be done to accomplish it," Draco said callously.

"The mudblood is close to Potter. Not only is it beneficial to have proximity to Potter, but Potter is exceedingly close to Dumbledore," Draco explained with malice. He then gestured towards Snape. "It hadn't crossed my mind to construct such a plan, until Snape here gave me detention, for saying mudblood none the less, with Granger, the mudblood. It was then that I realized how hapless she was, not to mention loose with her information about Potter, and in turn what Potter told her about Dumbledore. It was a strong lead in moving ahead with eliminating the Headmaster"

There was a murderous glare directed Draco's way for devulging the bit of information about issuing a detention on the basis of using the term Mudblood, but Snape's brow grew inquisitive when Draco described Granger as hapless, and loose with information.

Bellatraix was silent, her face static in the fire. His mother was out of frame, so he had no clue what her reaction to all of this was.

"Well, does your plan bare any fruit?" Bellatrix asked in a judgmental way, trying to save face in the wake of Draco's wrath.

"I guess we won't know Bella, because the entire school seems to know about the rumor now, which makes the plan untenable," Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. "And all because grown adults could not help themselves gossiping about students at Hogwarts"

"Clearly," she started back up in a defensive tone, "you do not know what you're doing if this was your best plan."

Draco stepped closer to the fire. "Do you then question the Dark Lord's foresight in trusting me to attempt to kill Dumbledore? Should we bring him into the discussion, so you can share how you doubt his leadership?"

"How dare you question my fealty to him!" Bella roared but Draco was unfettered, and cut in.

"And how dare you question his judgment in giving me this task to complete," Draco replied back with bitterness.

An extended, edgy lull settled over the room. After a time, Draco spoke again, this time more calculated.

"Bella, should I be aware of any other actions you may have taken that could jeopardize the work I'm doing at Hogwarts?" he asked, rubbing at the skin above his brows like he was speaking to a toddler.

Bella said nothing. Draco was about to continue on when his mother spoke up.

"Bella, tell Draco about the mead," Narcissa announced from out of frame. Bella looked to her side, eyes wide at Narcissa.

"Cissy stay out of this…" Bellatrix scolded.

"Bella, tell me," Draco demanded. Her face hardened.

"You hadn't provided an update," Bella looked hesitant "So I intercepted an order from Slughorn for gifted mead that was to be delivered to the castle. I had it on good authority it was a gift for Dumbledore"

Draco ran a hand through his hair, exhausted by his unhinged Aunt. "Has it been delivered to the castle?"

Bella nodded. Draco turned to Snape.

"Do you know if he gave it to Dumbledore already?" Draco asked. He darkly considered that if Dumbldeore did have it, perhaps he should leave things as they were and the Headmaster would meet his fate. But that idea twisted in him in a way that didn't settle right.

Snape shook his head. "Slughorn is a miser even if something is intended as a gift." Snape explained, now looking at Bellatrix. "In fact, Slughorn tried to get the other professors to indulge in a costly bottle of mead that he had mentioned, was intended for Dumbledore," Bellatrix's expression dropped. "We all insisted he not waste a gift on us"

"Can you get it?" Draco asked Snape pointedly. He nodded.

"Good. Now Bella, I am deadly serious. Do not interfere with my planning. I owe you nothing, least of all results. I owe only that to the Dark Lord, so do not demand updates from me and do not take action. If the Dark Lord needs to speak to me on the matter, he knows where to find me."

And with that, Draco grabbed a handful of floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and ended the communication.

Draco's shoulders heaved once the call was over. He steadied himself when he realized Snape was watching him.

"Perhaps I should request the final detention for you and Ms. Granger canceled then?" Snape questioned, scrutinizing Draco's every micro expression.

"Yes," Draco replied.

Finished with what he had come to do, Draco moved to the door but stalled when Snape spoke again.

"Can I be of help in what you have to do?"

The offer nearly led Draco to manic laughter. Could he be of help? Well that depends.

If Snape was offering his help to kill Dumbledore, sure, maybe he could help. He didn't actually know. For all Draco knew, if he didn't do everything himself, the Dark Lord may kill him anyway.

If Snape was asking if he could assist with the existential panic pulsating through his body because of the mess he created? Then no, he couldn't help. Because there was nothing to be done about the fact that Draco did the most foolish thing he could have ever done in a situation like this. He went and fell for Hermione Granger, a muggle born, in the same year he was forced to take the dark mark making him a sworn enemy to everything she believed in.

And because of that, she was in danger. Not just the normal level of danger that seemed to follow Granger and her band of idiots around, but specific retribution level danger, directly from the Dark Lord himself.

He had to break it off with her. Knowing her, she would be stubborn and see right through the thinness of his argument to stop their arrangement. She had a habit of perceiving beyond his illusions.

Draco pushed his way out of Snape's office without responding to his offer. He would have to figure out how to do this on his own. And above all else, he had to push Granger away, far enough to where there would be no reason to believe they could be connected.

He clawed his hair back, pulling at his strands painfully from sheer mania.

It didn't matter if he hated what he had to do. He had to do it. No one but himself could be blamed for the danger she was unknowingly placed in. He had to make her safe. Or as safe as he could given the circumstances. She could not be tied to him in any way, and no matter what, he had to make sure she stayed away.