Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters, only the plot…the rest is all J.K.Rowling's…
A/N: Okay, so since you've all been good and have reviewed, I posted this chapter sooner! Enjoy!
After leaving Dumbledore behind, the four Hogwarts students advanced in the forest, keeping a lookout for wild beasts.
'So, why the change of heart, Malfoy?' Ginny asked him.
'That's for me to know and you to not find out' he answered coldly. 'How are Potter and Weasley, anyway?'
'As always. Pale. But I think they're fighting the illness.' Hermione answered.
They arrived at an intersection. Two ways separated the road. Right and left.
'Which way?' Draco asked.
Hermione thought for a moment, then pointed to the right 'This way.'
'So' Blaise asked after a few minutes of silenced walk 'why is this called the Forbidden Forest anyways?'
Ginny looked at Hermione 'Oh, I'm sure Hermione knows the answer to your question, Zabini…'
Smirking proudly, Hermione said 'It's called the Forbidden Forest 'cause it's forbidden, duh! How dense can you be, Zabini?'
'I once heard there was a second year Hufflepuff who came in here and she was never seen again' Ginny said.
'R-really?' Blaise asked, looking around of him nervously.
Giggling softly, the girls soon returned to their silenced selves, thinking once again of their boyfriends and how they wished to see them again soon.
They walked for hours in the forest that was –with each minute passing –becoming darker and darker. As they passed in front of a really old looking tree, a distant howl was heard. Hermione started.
'T-there aren't any werewolves here, are there?' Zabini asked, his voice a bit shaking.
'Don't worry' Ginny replied mockingly 'We'll protect your precious person in case of any danger.'
But then, she fell silent. She was thinking about Harry. And how she hadn't been able to protect him. Hermione approached her cautiously. 'Ginny, I think we should stop here for the evening' she said, pointing to the large tree.
'No!' Ginny said fiercely. 'We have to go on. At least for a few hours.'
Hermione shook her head. 'Ginny, please! You won't save Harry by exhausting yourself. Please, let's just rest for a few hours, and then we'll go on.'
Finally, Ginny nodded and they all sat by the foot of the tree, finding places to sleep under or on its large roots.
'Here, you go sleep first Gin, and I'll stand guard' Hermione offered. 'No, really, I'm not tired. I can stay awake.'
Hermione, however, wouldn't hear anything about it, and she almost forced Ginny to go to sleep.
Despite her denial, the latter was so exhausted that she fell asleep almost instantly.
'Granger' Draco said softly.
She looked aat him inquiringly.
'Go and sleep. Me and Blaise are gonna stand guard.'
Hermione hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said 'Okay. And, Malfoy? Thanks.'
So, Hermione followed Ginny's example and went to sleep also leaving Draco and Blaise to stand guard.
'Those two are some really messed up chicks' Blaise said, pointing to the sleepy forms.
'Yeah' Draco agreed, but in spite of his Slytherin character, he couldn't help but admire the loyalty they had for their boyfriends.
'So' Zabini went on after a while 'why did you change your mind?'
'Honestly, I don't know. But, somehow, I feel like I owe Potter one. Don't ask me why, I just feel like this.'
Blaise nodded.
'I kinda can't help but be jealous of him sometimes' Draco said.
'Why?' his friend asked him frowning.
'Well, he has his great friends and an even greater girlfriend, his mother gave her life to save him… I sometimes wonder if my mom would have done the same?'
After a short silence, he went on 'I guess not… But, in the same time, I pity him. He's lost his parents and his relatives because of a fanatic… And yet he didn't become one himself…'
Blaise remained silent for a moment, then told his friend 'Yeah, I understand how you feel. Even I can't help but be a bit messed up… He called a truce five months ago, when nothing asked him to do that, especially after we'd been such jerks to him and his friends. And, well, I don't know where I am anymore… Part of me just wants to be friends with him, help him defeat the Dark Lord, but the other part, that was trained to worship the earth on which he-who-must-not-be-named walks on just wants to act like a Slytherin…'
Draco looked at him in understanding. That's how he felt also. But before he had a chance of answering, the bushes in front of them rustled, and a voice said 'Do not move or breathe.'
Their screams of terror woke up the girls.
Dun dun dun… Sorry about the cliffie... NOT1 And also sorry that this chapter is a bit short….the next one should be longer though… and it should be posted this week-end… or maybe before…
Hope you enjoyed it!
Tigerlilystar
