The end of the year was drawing closer. The air was getting warmer and the students were getting antsy. OWLs were approaching and the corridors had gone quiet as even the rowdiest students were desperately cramming. Some students were more stressed out than others. For instance, Hermione had been studying for OWLs as well as trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the Sorcerer's Stone. She was constantly doing work trying to get ahead at work and be prepared for classes while also helping Harry and Ron investigate suspicious activity in the school.
Draco Malfoy was trying to keep it together. He never knew being effortless would be just this difficult. He had to keep his social image up while still doing his studying and homework to keep his grades at the top. He had been staying up all night recently to get it all done. He was excited to be done with the year so he could finally start to relax. Even with his packed schedule, Draco couldn't help noticing that some of his Gryffindor classmates were acting suspiciously again. Any spare time he had was used spying on them. He was determined to finally get them in trouble for something. While no one knew what had happened the night of the troll Draco was still ashamed of how he had frozen in fear and was trying to make it up to himself.
A week before OWLs Hermione had a breakthrough on the case and Draco found an opportunity. He saw her stop in the middle of the corridor and then go sprinting in the opposite direction back to the Gryffindor common room. Draco looked around to make sure the hallway was empty before following her, not quite sure what he was going to do yet. He just about turned a corner before he saw Hermione pull Ron and Harry into a remote corner. Draco snuck just close enough to hear and sunk into a corner of his own, straining his ears to pick up the excited whispers.
Hermione pulled Ron and Harry into a close annex as she caught them coming out of the common rooms. She explained excitedly how sure she was about her theory that Snape was involved with the plot to steal the stone. She had finally put it all together so that they had all the information they needed. They agreed to meet in the common room after everyone else had gone to sleep that night and sneak out to try and get past fluffy and save the stone. Mind racing Draco quickly snuck away to avoid being seen. He now had a plan too to catch them on the third floor after lights out.
That night Draco waited until his house was asleep and then left out through the dungeons to head to the forbidden third floor. He got there just in time to see the trio closing the door behind them. He waited for a few minutes before following behind and trying to not make a sound as the door creaked open, but what he saw almost made him scream. A huge, three-headed, drooling dog laying in the middle of the room with a paw right next to an open trap door. A magical harp was playing in the opposite corner almost in sync with the beasts snores. Draco carefully forced himself to tip-toe over to the door and look down where he could only see a large back pit, but what he felt was much worse. He barely noticed as the harp stopped playing over his heart pounding on his ears. It was impossible not to notice the low growling and a large glob of three-headed dog spit landing on his shoulder. In his panic, Draco threw himself into the trapdoor hoping it was better than whatever he had just escaped.
Just as Harry and Ron landed safely through the devil's snare Hermione heard a third muffled thump and cries of panic. She cast her spell of light again and all three of them gasped in shock as Draco Malfoy tumbled down and landed in a frantic heap in front of them. Draco looked up, humiliated by their staring, shocked faces. There was no way of playing this off with dignity.
Draco stood up and brushed off his robes, face bright red as they all stared at each other. Ron was the first one to speak up "What the bloody hell are you doing here Malfoy?" he asked dumbly.
"I could ask you three the same question" Draco retorted, shuffling his feet and straightening his hair.
"Yeah, but we have a reason to be here. You're the one we don't know about" Harry said curiously.
" It's none of your business" Draco huffed while his face burned a luminescent red and he crossed his arms. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked at each other confused.
"But Draco... How did you even know what was down here? And how did you get past Fluffy?" Hermione asked quizzically, tilting her head and swishing the mass of curls resting on top of it.
"Huh, it was easy Granger. It's not like you three were secret about your plans. I was making sure you weren't doing anything against the school rules. What's going on here anyway?" Draco scoffed trying to stroll around and look casual.
"What we do is none of your business Draco. Why are you following us around?" Harry asked.
"It doesn't matter anymore we're all here. Now, what is going on." Said Draco trying to brush off Harry's remark. The trio looked at each other before Hermione broke the silence and told Draco the truth.
"There is something valuable at the end of a long line of tasks and traps set by the teachers. Someone is trying to steal it for Voldemort so we are trying to get there first to keep it safe." Hermione explained quickly.
Wide-eyed Draco exclaimed " Do you all have a death wish! Are you kidding you are all first years, if it's true then this is some really dark magic. Why haven't you told a teacher about this?!" They all glanced around before Harry murmured defensively " Well we tried telling McGonagall but she didn't listen to us"
"Yeah" Ron confirmed. " No one was going to listen to us and we couldn't just let Voldemort get a hold of it."
" I would expect this from Potter and Weasley but really Granger? You too?" Draco asked shaking his head.
Hermione's face turned almost as red as Draco's." As if you have any right to be scolding us Malfoy! You're standing here too because you had to catch us yourself and get the credit!" she accused. They all stood silently staring at each other for another minute before Draco started talking slowly. "Okay... So maybe none of us are right here but we are here now and we seemed to be trapped. Why don't we start on the challenges and hope we don't get killed" he suggested, less cold than before. The other three started nodding and they all headed further on into the dark damp tunnel ahead of them.
The next room they walked into was large with a very high ceiling and a loud buzzing sound. Looking around they saw that there was a broom by the large old style door across the room and flying above them were keys with wings. Draco wandered to the other side of the room idly taking hold of the broom while it clicked with him and Hermione at the same time. They made eye contact and Hermione exclaimed "They keys, one of them fits the door and we have to catch it with the broom!" Draco extended the broom out to Harry as a goodwill gesture. "Maybe you should take this one," he said awkwardly "Yeah, thanks" Harry responded with a small smile before mounting the broom. He kicked off the ground and Ron called up to him after inspecting the lock. "You're looking for a big old looking key. Probably rusty," he called up to Harry who responded with a thumbs up and soared off. Draco backed up a few paces, with his hands in his robe pockets, until he was almost next to Hermione but he kept his eyes on the ground. Draco couldn't believe how stupid he had been and what kind of situation it had gotten him into. His father most certainly not hear of this.
Within a few minutes, Harry had found and grabbed the key. What he didn't know was that as soon as he got it the rest of the keys turned and targeted him, attacking and stabbing him. The other three ran to the door as Harry tried to evade the swarm and threw the key hard down to Ron who had to jump and get it, fumbling to open the door. It finally swung open and all four of them flew through the door into the next room. Harry and Ron went ahead but Hermione pulled Draco back toward the door. "Honestly Draco what has gotten into you? I saw you by the door with the troll what's going on?"
"Nothing that concerns you Granger" Draco replied coldly shaking her off and walking away to join the others.
