No no no. This was supposed to work dammit. This was supposed to be fool proof, an easy way to poison the old man where no one else got hurt. Why had the fool not given the bottle to the headmaster right away.
He was gone over break
He slammed his hands into his head as the thought came to him. How was he supposed to know the bloody fool wouldn't be in the castle over break. What could he have out there anyways, why would he ever need to leave these walls.
An outburst of laughter about the fallen Weasle came from the corner of the common room and set his nerves on fire. Biting at his nails in frustration he kept the anger he was feeling in check inside of him. He needed to get out of there, find another plan. Standing he quickly made his way out of the common room and to the staircase.
"Mr. Malfoy a word please." Snape opened the door to his chambers as Draco passed. Internally he groaned and prepared himself for the assault as he passed through the doorway but it never came.
Warily he eyed the professor as he sat down at a table and folded his hands over his lap.
"I failed again." He said, the words stuck as they came out.
"You did more than fail this time boy. There's a hospital wing full of witnesses to a poisoned bottle of Meade. Which of course Horace will never state was addressed to a certain Headmaster I am to presume." Snapes lips curled over his teeth and a sneer took over his face.
"It was supposed to be easy. Someone would give it to him and the daft old man would drink it. Easy. No one else would have to get hurt in the process." He could feel the pleading in his voice, and tried to stop it from coming through.
"Your plans of no one getting hurt seem to always end with someone getting nearly killed, yet never the correct person. Do tell, will the next attempt be so foolish." The man spat at him rising up quickly. "Use that damn brain of yours. Get them all in the castle and be done with it. You are running out of time and I will not be the next to die Mr. Malfoy. Now get out." Snape opened his door fiercely and slammed it shut once he was over the eave. He released his breath as the door slammed shut.
Hermione stared through Ginny at the table that night. The normally rambunctious Gryffindor table was eerily silent, their food sat nearly untouched. A small sniffle escaped from Ginny and she sighed and pushed her plate away.
"I can't eat anything." Ginny said with a groan bringing Hermione's attention back. She gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand from across the table.
"Its going to be okay Gin, Madame Pomfrey looked hopeful… well hopeful for her that is." She shrugged.
"I think I'm going to go to bed." Ginny mumbled getting up from the table, she watched as her friend left and sighed as she saw Draco following her out the door. He wouldn't be cruel enough to bother Ginny today would he? She knew the answer to that and quickly rose from the table, grabbing her bag and following them both out the door.
"Leave me alone you nasty ferret." Ginny screamed running up the stairs away from him.
"What is the matter with you?" Hermione growled at him shoving his chest with both her hands as she approached.
"I simply wanted to tell her something, is that a crime." He said through his teeth. Watching those around them pass and stare. "Its not my fault the she weasel can't handle her temper".
"You obviously know what is going on, why can't you just go back to the hole you came from and leave her be." She turned to walk away and he grabbed her arm. She jerked it out of his hands and clutched it to her chest staring at him. He leaned closer to her, a sneer on his face, and she flinched back out of habit. The grey in his eyes was returning.
"I know more than you think."