Shades of Grey
*Please read the a/N at the end
Chapter Twelve: A Hallow, a Half-Giant, and Halloween
" So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead."
- The Tale of the Three Brothers
Draco could easily think of a dozen different things he would have preferred to spend his time doing than be with Hagrid the Hairy Half-Human. Even when he'd been in school, the blundering oaf had pissed him off-what with his esteemed views of Potter and the imbecilic way in which he'd talked and acted. Draco had been warned about Hagrid and others like him by his father-perhaps that's a great deal of where his distaste came from. It had been a reaction instilled into him at a young age. Either way, the last thing he was looking forward to was spending the day with the barbarian. But he knew it was something that had to be done-Granger had stated that the Stone was located there.
So there really was no point in refusing, was there?
He had aided Granger in packing up the campsite in silence...something had passed between them the moment that they succumbed to their mutual desires, and while neither one of them were particularly willing to address that fact, he couldn't help but think it had shifted the state of calm they had built between them. Well, not...calm, per se, but...but something had definitely been changing before they'd gone and fucked it up with their irrational bout of intimacy. First the kiss, then the incident in the Forest, and now...this? He'd slept with a woman he'd sworn to loathe with all eternity, and the numbing realization that he'd bloody do it again if given the chance disturbed him on a deeper level than he'd like to admit.
It was with this mindset that he aided the petite Witch in packing up their campsite, pushing thoughts of the day before him from his mind. The last thing he needed to focus on was visiting with the blundering oaf who had been permitted to teach a class at Hogwarts; it brought him one step closer to the school, and while Draco hadn't stepped foot on that ground since the day the world came crumbling down around him, he'd also never suspected that the chance would ever arise again. He'd made it a goal, really, to avoid the forsaken land for the rest of his natural life, and look where the hell he was now?
He knew he was being ridiculous; he knew that the fate of the Wizarding World rested partially on his shoulders, and that he needed to bloody suck up his aggravation and move forward. Without him and Granger, the possibility of Bellatrix rising to a threatening state of power loomed over his head-he had far more pressing matters to concern himself with aside from worrying about breaking a stupid promise he'd made when he was eighteen. He knew that, much as he may hate Hogwarts and all the memories it provided him with, that returning to the outskirts of the school was a necessity. He'd endured much worse since his time in the Order, so surely he could handle something as insignificant as being forced to face the school he'd grown up in?
Yes, he could.
With that in mind, he packed up the last of his possessions, following Granger through the dense woods, looking out for lurking Snatchers or any other beasts that might have been hiding in the shadows. Despite how close the forest was to the Wizarding School he'd attended for approximately six years, that didn't make the woods any safer to travel in. On the contrary, the woods were exceedingly more...dangerous, to put it lightly, with their toxic combination of several different exotic creatures and unknown species. More than once, he could've sworn he heard the rustling of animals lurking about in the thick dankness of the vegetated area, and more than once he found himself inching closer and closer towards Granger-though whether he did it to protect himself or her, he didn't know.
After travelling for what seemed like hours, and Draco damning himself, Granger, and the entire ruddy forest for being forced to trek through it like a duo of bumbling, magic-less Muggles, he could see the outline of the Forbidden Forest looming into view. The clearing was speckled with rays of pink and orange, and as Draco's eyes cast around the sky he was now privy to viewing, he noticed that the sun was beginning its long descent into the Earth. They'd been walking all sodding afternoon? Fuck, that explained the sure swelling of his feet, he thought to himself as he stepped over a broken log, mumbling under his breath. He tugged on his collar viciously, loosening the material and nearly stumbling over himself when he heard Granger take in a sharp burst of air.
"Malfoy!" She exclaimed, her mouth growing wide. "The sun! It's...oh, Merlin, it's nearly evening, isn't it?" Draco caught her expression out of the corner of his eyes, noticing the telltale signs of worry etched onto her features-from the way her dark eyebrows furrowed together in distress to the manner in which her teeth sunk into the soft plush of her lower lip. Spending weeks alone with her in solitude really had caused him to adapt to recognizing these traits, hadn't they?
He shivered involuntarily, his stomach in knots as he forced himself not to reflect on the deeper meaning behind those words. The last thing he needed or wanted was to grow comfortable; especially with someone like Granger. Shrugging off the foreign feelings surging within him, he cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the desperate Witch frantically moving through the woods before him, deliberating on whether or not he should even ask what was wrong. Knowing Granger, she'd spew it out eventually. Nevertheless...
"Yeah, so?" He ventured, swerving around a rotting stump of wood and catching up to her. Damn-for someone so short, she sure moved fast as hell.
"So?!" Hermione shrieked, whipping around to face him and glaring at him with all the intensity of a woman fully convinced her partner had gone mad. He blinked twice in shock, recoiling away from her in apprehension as her nostrils flared. "Malfoy! We have to have sunlight in order to root around for the Stone, and I will not allow us to be delayed another day! We're already so far behind as it is! We've been out here for weeks and haven't found anything worth notice! Anything!"
Despite the fact that her fit wasn't doing anything to earn her his favor, he couldn't deny that she was correct. If they lost sunlight, it would be damn near impossible to find the Stone. From what he'd read out of that children's book including the story of The Three Brothers that Granger had stuffed in her charmed bag, the Resurrection Stone was small and dark-not exactly visible in the thick blanket of nightfall.
"Well then...we'd best get a move on, hadn't we?" Draco offered, inclining his head towards the edge of the forest, where Hagrid's hut loomed into view through the spaces between the closely-packed trees. Hermione nodded once and bounded forward, kicking up dirt in her tracks as she clutched her undoubtedly heavy charmed bag close to her, running through the forest as fast as she could with such a weight pressing down on her. Despite how pressed they were for time, Draco still found time to snicker at how utterly ridiculous she looked. Bloody good thing that she hadn't noticed; she probably would have hit him.
As Draco was catching up with her, he heard a loud, grizzly voice boom "'Ermione!" and nearly stopped dead in his tracks. Bloody fantastic; the oaf had been waiting for them.
Scowling, Draco stepped through the last bit of land of the Forbidden Forest, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the sudden sensation of light. The grass was a delicious shade of green, and subconsciously his gaze shifted towards the large stone castle sitting on the hill before him-looking just as aged and elegant as it had in the days before its fall.
Hogwarts.
"Hagrid!" Granger exclaimed, walking towards the giant man quickly and setting her bag on the ground. She wrapped her tiny arms around him, giving him a quick hug before pulling away, brushing a strand of curls behind her ear and smiling up at him. "It's so good to see you!"
Draco forced his gaze away from the ominous building, swallowing the knot that had formed in his throat in favor of turning his gaze on the rather disgusting reunion between the groundskeeper and the heroine of Gryffindor House. His nose crinkled in discontent, and he rolled his eyes as a booming laugh bellowed from the half-giant's throat at the sight of Granger, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in impatience. The sooner they got this bloody reunion over with, the sooner they could find the damn Stone. After all, hadn't Granger been the one so adamant about them finding it as quickly as possible?
"Oh, 'Mione, you're all grown up!" Hagrid chuckled, smiling down at her.
"Hagrid, you saw me not five months ago," Hermione said with a laugh, her grin stretching from ear to ear. Hagrid heaved a heavy sigh, shaking his head frantically so that his facial hair rustled against his clothing.
"I know, I know, it's just...yer so much different than the little girl I used ter know," Hagrid sniffled, pulling a filthy-looking hankie from his pocket and patting his cheeks with it. "Why, it was only yesterday you was comin' down ter the hut with 'Arry and Ron ter see Norbert, and now yer...yer all grown up, and moved outta Hogwarts!"
Hermione gave the man a gentle smile, patting his arm with a dainty hand and reassuring him that it was good to see him again. Merlin, had he always gotten this bloody emotional?
"Granger?" Draco snapped, tapping his foot impatiently and tightening the grip he held on his bags. "As sickeningly sweet as this reunion is, do you think we could do what we bloody came for?"
"Oh...hello, Malfoy, din't see you there," Hagrid said with a sigh, though judging by the tone in which the statement was delivered, he bloody well had. Not that it bothered Draco, of course-the opinion of the unhygienic half-giant was of no real concern to him.
Hermione turned her gaze back to Draco, as though she'd forgotten he was there, and after a moment's worth of confusion, realization dawned on her fair features, and she turned back to Hagrid after giving Draco a proper glare.
"Oh, that's right! Hagrid, I-you remember what I Owled you, right? About how we needed to look for something around here? Something Harry sent us to find?" Hermione continued, nodding her head frantically and pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. Hagrid nodded, and Draco couldn't help but wonder why Granger wasn't telling Hagrid what it was they needed to find. Did she not trust the blundering buffoon as much as she'd let on?
Hermione sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, glancing around the land before flickering her gaze up to the sky, realizing they were quickly losing time. Her eyes lit up with the promise of an idea, and she whirled back to face the half-giant once more, stepping forward.
"Hagrid, do you-do you think we could use Fang? What we're looking for should still have Harry's scent on it, and I mean, Fang...he knows Harry, so...so do you...?" Hermione trailed off, looking up at Hagrid hopefully.
"Well, of course, 'Mione! Though I'm not too sure how great his sense 'er smell is anymore, but I 'spose it couldn't hurt! Fang!" Hagrid bellowed, cupping his beefy hands around his mouth and shouting in the direction of his hut. A few minutes later, a large, dark, droopy-faced dog padded around from the side of the house, answering Hagrid's call with a low, fierce bark. He stopped at Hagrid's feet, and the giant man patted the creature on its head lovingly, wringing his hands together before turning back to Hermione.
Hermione knelt down slightly, beaming at the sight of the old dog and rubbing behind his ears. Draco watched with minimal interest from the sidelines, sighing and tugging on a loose thread on his shirt. Hagrid gave him a sideways glance, forcing a tight-lipped smile and patting his hands against his legs in a distracted manner, as though he didn't quite know how to react to Draco's presence.
Not that he particularly blamed the giant oaf, of course.
"Hello, Fang, I need your help today," Hermione cooed to the pet before standing, smoothing her sweater and turning to Hagrid once more. She parted her lips as if to speak, and then, deciding that there was something else she needed to do first, reached over into her charmed bag and began murmuring incoherently to herself as she rooted through its contents. Giving a soft noise of accomplishment, she pulled from the confines of the purse a crinkled bit of parchment, and Draco recognized it nearly instantly as the letter that Potter had sent her those weeks ago on her birthday.
He studied the scene before him closely, watching as Granger smoothed out the parchment and looked at Hagrid uneasily, shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously.
"Will he-will he be able to detect Harry's scent, Hagrid?" Hermione asked curiously, toying with a brown curl and flickering her gaze back and forth between the letter clutched in her hand and the half-giant who stood before her. Hagrid took a moment to consider her question before nodding eagerly, patting his beefy hand against the dog's head once.
"Oh sure, 'Ermione, 'course! Ol' Fang here might be a bit rusty, but he can still pick up a scent, you can believe me," Hagrid bellowed, and Granger nodded confidently, moving towards the massive dog and crouching slightly. Her hazel eyes met his drooping ones, and she opened her mouth to speak once more.
"Fang, I need you to find something of Harry's, okay?" She articulated slowly, and Draco couldn't help but find the entire situation rather comical. Who the hell said the damn dog could even understand a bloody word she was saying in the first place? Nevertheless, he stifled the urge to snort, watching with mild interest as she slid the parchment under Fang's nose, her eyes apprehensive as the dog sniffed the paper that held remains of Potter's scent on it. After a moment of sniffing the crinkled parchment, Fang lifted his head, sniffing the air around him before slamming his nose against the forest floor. The dog clumsily trotted forward, his paws practically falling over themselves as he made his way through the forest. Hermione and Draco exchanged glances before moving to follow the dog, and Draco was nearly certain he could hear Hermione's erratic breathing over the crinkling of leaves beneath their feet.
Merlin, she really was terrified they wouldn't find the Stone, wasn't she?
After a few moments of trudging through the forest-avoiding fallen and rotting trunks and ducking beneath low-hanging branches, Fang stopped. Something akin to a snort escaped the burly dog's mouth, and Draco arched one brow curiously as the dog began sniffing the ground directly beneath him thoroughly. He gave a low bark of sorts, lifting his head and wagging his massive tail slightly. He looked towards Hermione expectantly, and hesitantly she moved forward, bending down and rooting through the thick layer of fallen leaves before producing a small, diamond-shaped stone. She stood slowly, squinting her eyes to closely inspect the small object. Tucking an errant curl behind her ears, she was careful not to turn the small shape in her hand, a low hum escaping her lips once.
"Is that...?" Draco began, his voice trailing off when he noticed that Hagrid had followed them into the forest. Slowly, Hermione pried her gaze from the stone pinched between her thumb and forefinger in favor of meeting Draco's stare. The young Malfoy couldn't help but notice how...exulted she looked.
"Yes," Granger breathed, her voice so soft that if he'd been positioned any farther away from her, he wouldn't have even heard the small proclamation. Either way, her confirmation that finally-finally-they had found one of the missing Hallows lifted a huge weight off his chest; a crushing anchor he hadn't even realized had been weighing him down. He exhaled in a jagging rush of breath, his shoulders slumping forward slightly as he ran a hand through his unkempt blonde hair.
It had taken far too long for them to locate this single Hallow, to be sure, but...it was progress. Fantastic progress that brought them closer and closer to their ultimate goal of victory. With the Stone secure in their possession, all they needed now was the Wand, and that wouldn't be too terribly hard to find, would it?
At least...that was what Draco hoped as he watched Granger pull a small pouch out of her bag, smiling triumphantly as she secured the Stone in its place. She drew the small cloth pouch closed, sticking it back in her purse before turning to face Hagrid. A superficial smile stretched across her tired face, and she began making small talk with the blundering idiot as they began their short trek back to Hagrid's hut. Draco tuned them out for most of the journey, not particularly caring to hear about the oaf's line of work at Hogwarts, nor did he care to listen as Granger explained how Potter and the Weasel were keeping up. It was all dreadfully boring, actually, and Draco was almost alarmed at the state of eerie calm he felt the entire walk back; shouldn't he feel happier now that they'd located the Stone? Shouldn't he be growing more and more anxious over the realization that they still had another Hallow to find and no real lead on where to find it? Why wasn't he panicking over the dead end looming straight ahead of them?
This isn't good, he thought to himself wearily as the small shack loomed into view. This isn't good at all.
Shaking his head to clear his mind of such disturbing thoughts, Draco stopped the moment he noticed Hermione and Hagrid had gathered outside the entrance to Hagrid's hut, praying to Merlin that the half-giant wouldn't invite them in for dishwater tea or whatever the fuck it was he was able to afford. He stepped closer, Granger ignoring him in favor of listening to Hagrid explain something that was clearly occurring at the castle.
"...and McGonagall's been in a right state tryin' ter get Hogwarts ready fer the feast tonight! Hasn't been long since...since the war, you know, and she wants the students ter try and exist as normally as possible," Hagrid explained, his arms swinging slightly at his side as he shifted his weight from one massive foot to the other. Draco cocked one brow, struggling to remember what such a feast at the castle could have possibly been meant for.
"Godric, that's-that's right!" Hermione explained, and the sheer look of shock that occupied her features was so comical Draco damn near snickered with laugher. She always looked so bloody astonished every time she remembered something; she was most definitely a Witch whose expressions shown triumphantly on her face. Easy to read-easy to figure out...and yet still too damn complex for him to handle.
"It's Halloween, isn't it?" Hermione inquired, and Draco's brows furrowed together in disbelief. Halloween? Already? Hadn't it been the bloody beginning of October just two days ago? Time sure as hell flew by when he was cooped up with the infuriating Muggle-born; curious, really-he'd been so sure the past few months would've dragged by at an achingly slow pace. Certainly seemed to be quite the opposite, now didn't it?
"It is, yeah!" Hagrid exclaimed with a slight chuckle, pointing towards the castle. The sun had nearly finished its descent into the ground, and Draco noticed small, orange clusters of flickering flame yards away as the castle grounds lit torches for the night. He tore his gaze away from the castle, his heart thundering against his rib cage just in time to hear the half-witted half-giant invite Hermione and himself to the castle for dinner.
Shit.
"I'm sure McGonagall wouldn't mine, a'course!" Hagrid bellowed, and Hermione flickered her gaze back and forth between the gentle giant and her sour companion, a look of conflict overwhelming her face. Draco glared at her, his silver eyes turning cold the moment their gazes locked; he would do whatever it took to keep out of that castle. Adolescent promise to himself or not, Hogwarts was the last place he needed or wanted to be; the memories were still too excruciatingly fresh in his mind, and the last thing the young Malfoy desired was to be reminded of all the painful memories he had associated with that building from the last few years.
"Of course, Hagrid-that...that would be lovely, I think," Hermione consented finally, giving the bushy man a timid smile of sorts and avoiding Draco's gaze. She knew he didn't want to be in Hogwarts again, and he couldn't help but wonder if she knew the reasons behind his hesitation. But...no, no; there was no way she could possibly read his mind. No way she could possibly comprehend that stepping foot back into that castle would be like a tsunami of unpleasant emotions slapping him across the face; his stomach was already churning with the apprehension that the evening would bring. Logically, he knew it didn't really make much sense to be this nervous about visiting a school he'd attended for years. But despite this reassurance, he couldn't seem to control the aching in his throat or the clammy feeling of his hands as he wrung them together.
Refusing to acknowledge either Hermione or Hagrid, Draco turned away as Hermione bid adieu to the gigantic man, a dull ringing in his ears echoing as Hermione promised to pay Hagrid another visit as soon as she could. Silently, he began to follow the curly-haired Witch up the steep path that led to the castle, deciding he'd ignore any and all attempts she made to make eye contact with him. If she wanted to talk to him, then she'd damn well have to address him; he was still too bitterly cross with her for agreeing to eat in the Great Hall that evening. If he hadn't been so proud, he would've thrown a bloody fit and refused to go along with her.
"It's good we found the Stone," She said quietly, to which Draco gave a stiff jerk of his head in agreement. His jaw clenched as his shoes scuffed against the cobblestone, and he kept his gaze straight ahead. He tensed slightly when he felt Hermione's arm brush against his-an accident, perhaps? Either way, he focused on evening the pattern of his breathing, choosing to forget that the small touch had even occurred...or that it had sent a delicious tingle up and down the length of his arm.
Nearing the castle with every step he took, he hardly noticed Granger swerve around so that she was standing in front of him, a determined look encompassing her fair features. What the...?
"What's your problem?" She demanded, though her tone was devoid of any harsh inflexion.
"My problem?" He replied coolly, one fair brow raising only slightly. Almost as if he was ignorant as to what she was referring to. Hermione huffed in aggravation, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in a fit of determination at him.
"I can tell when you're cross with me, Malfoy; it's not as though you try to hide it," She amended, her voice surprisingly soft for someone who appeared so irritated with his very existence. Draco scoffed, contemplating veering around her and stalking off towards the castle. But that would mean he'd reach Hogwarts sooner, and a childish part of his persona was so adamantly against that, that he chose to stay in favor of arguing with her.
"Congratulations-would you like an award?" He drawled, side-stepping her obvious question.
"Well now you're just being ridiculous, Malfoy-honestly, can't you ever take anything seriously? What I mean is that-just-do you hate me now?"
The question-seemingly innocent-hung in the air like a chokehold; Draco could practically feel the atmosphere tense the moment the inquiry fled her lips. He stiffened immediately, his throat growing dry and all thoughts of the castle just a few feet away evaporating from his mind. All he could focus on was Granger-Granger and her dangerous question that overwhelmed his thoughts and gnawed at his conscious. He swallowed heavily, the act painful from the scratchiness of his throat. His palms began to perspire, but he made sure to keep his face clean of all emotion. If there was anything Draco had learned in the past few years, it was how to tame his facial expressions. In a time like this, it meant everything.
"Do I hate you?" Draco repeated, his heart hammering against his ribcage wildly. Why was her simple question getting him so bloody worked up in the first place? He glanced around quickly before settling his gaze on Hermione once more, noticing that her curious expression hadn't changed at all.
"Yes," Hermione continued, stepping forward slightly. Draco fought back the urge to back away from her, entirely uncomfortable with their sudden proximity. Hadn't she learned her damn lesson last time? The farther away they were from one another, the better.
"You're ridiculous," He stated finally, his voice a low murmur as he shoved past her. He knew that he hadn't answered her question-not in the slightest-but the more he reflected on her inquiry, the more difficult he found it to answer her in the first place. There was too much complexity in his own response to even attempt to answer, so he settled on...forgoing the question altogether.
He knew that Granger would more than likely bring the subject up again; he could only hope that it would be at some point in the distant future in which he'd had enough time to figure out his own bloody answer first.
He heard a sharp intake of breath behind him and winced slightly-Merlin, here it came. Fully preparing himself for a harsh speech by none other than bloody Hermione Granger herself, no sooner had the Witch opened her mouth to speak than the two were interrupted by the silhouette of a woman standing near the entrance to Hogwarts, waving her hand and calling out to Hermione. Momentarily distracted, Granger turned her head towards the direction of the noise, smiling and jogging up the hill in order to meet the strange figure. Following her at an even pace, he was able to make out the defined figure of Hogwarts' newest Headmistress-Minerva McGonagall.
Salazar fucking Slytherin.
"Well it's a pleasure to see you, Miss Granger," McGonagall stated in that prim and aged voice of hers. It might as well have been nails on a chalkboard to Draco-he never had cared for the old bat in the first place. Judging by her evident determination to ignore his presence-much like the blundering oaf Hagrid had-the feeling was rather mutual.
"It's a pleasure to see you too, Professor," Hermione said warmly, and Draco couldn't help but note how comical it was that she still referred to her former teacher by her proper title. Odd.
"...and you as well, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall managed, giving a quick side-glance to the pale young man and nodding stiffly before returning her gaze to Hermione. Draco made no move to greet his former teacher until Granger elbowed him in the ribs. Scowling, he rubbed the offended area with one slender hand, inclining his head only slightly towards McGonagall. Not that it ruddy mattered-she'd already turned her attention back to Hermione.
"I was doing a quick patrol before the students began to eat and I saw the two of you walking towards the castle," McGonagall began again, clasping her hands together and appraising both Malfoy and Granger cordially. "I take it your travels have led you here? Have you come for the feast?"
Draco was about to ask how the hell she knew they were travelling in the first place before reminding himself that McGonagall was still a vital supporter of Potter's cause-she was probably privy to a slur of information.
"We have, yes-if you don't mind, of course," Hermione began, flailing her hands in an odd gesture of sorts. "Hagrid told us about the feast tonight, and we were just-"
"By all means, yes," McGonagall continued for her, smiling slightly at the pair and nodding her head slowly, causing the tip of her hat to flop slightly. "There's plenty of food to go around; you can both sit at the Professors' table after I announce the start of the feast." She patted her arm, looking around towards the large clock positioned outside the castle and clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
"Speaking of which, I should have started by now-would the two of you follow me?"
Both Draco and Hermione nodded, exchanging a brief glance before following the elderly Witch clad in emerald robes through the front pathway and into the castle. It was one thing to fear the castle, or to even gaze at it from afar-but to be inside of it? For the first time in what felt like centuries? It sent an unpleasant shiver up and down the length of his spine, and his teeth nearly chattered together as his silver eyes soaked in the grand appearance of the entrance hall.
If anything, the young Malfoy had to give credit to those who put all of their hard work and effort into restoring the castle. There was really no difference between the castle's reconstruction than how the original structure had been framed-even the bricks looked just as aged and smoothed. He couldn't seem to tell whether or not he appreciated this uncanny reconstruction; it was both a blessing and a curse, in a sense.
Nothing could be heard at first aside from the scuffing of shoes against the stone flooring of the castle, and Draco was overwhelmed with a thousand memories flooding forth as his mind perceived the hall before him. Memories of walking through this very hall for years upon arriving at Hogwarts attacked his mind, and he focused on breathing evenly, hoping that this onslaught of remembrance would soon die down. It was bloody sensory overload, and Draco could practically envision his lean, slicked-back eleven year old self swaggering down the halls in his black cloak and surrounded by Crabbe and Goyle as they pushed past classmates in order to make it to the front of the line.
Merlin, when was the last time he'd even thought about Crabbe or Goyle?
Shaking his head slightly, he paused as McGonagall stopped before the entrance to the Great Hall. Draco spent the allotted time absorbing the fine texture of the wooden doors that separated the trio from the dining hall, making sense of the designs and engravings of the different House crests as McGonagall explained where they would be sitting. Blinking back the haze that had overwhelmed his mind, he nodded in vague agreement and watched as McGonagall threw back the heavy doors to the Hall, the chatter of the students inside slowly fading to silence as their Headmistress made her way down the Great Hall. Draco and Hermione followed behind, and Draco was damn near determined to ignore what would surely have been hundreds of eyes glued to their presence. In response to Granger, he could only suspect that the students would cheer and clap and ask for her bloody autograph. The usual, irritating attention that she received for her participation in the War and her affiliation to the Wizarding World's most cherished orphan.
But him? He would be looked upon with disdain-a few Slytherins might show a bit of appreciation from their family's connections to his own (though he doubted he'd recognize anyone from his former House at this point), but he knew quite well how the world still perceived him. Defected Order member or not, he was still widely distrusted and universally disliked. For all that it mattered, the Mark that still lingered on his left forearm might as well have branded him a monster.
That's what it felt like, at least; especially with the hot glares of those younger than him boring into his very skin as he made his way down the Hall. He wanted to spit on the lot of them; though he understood, in a sense, their superficial hatred of him, it didn't lessen his urge to correct their idiocy. No one understood why he'd done what he did-it was useless to argue and pointless to worry about. It was something he'd accepted long ago, but moments like this...surrounded by hundreds of people who looked upon him with disdain...the treatment sometimes got to his head.
Choosing to ignore everyone as best he could, he made his way up the steps with Hermione, who had grown oddly silent in the time since they'd met McGonagall. Perhaps the reunion with their former place of learning had evoked a sense of nostalgia within her, as well? Either way, she was eerily quiet as they made their way to sit down at the end of the table, fiddling with the napkin set before her on the table as McGonagall made her way to the podium to speak.
"As is customary at Hogwarts, each year we celebrate Halloween with a feast, and this year is no exception-" McGonagall began, but Draco found himself distracted from her speech when he heard Granger clear her throat next to him.
"Weird, isn't it?" She breathed, her voice so low that Draco had to lean slightly closer to her just to comprehend what it was she'd uttered.
"How so?" He asked, gazing around the Great Hall and noticing that pairs of curious eyes kept flickering over in their direction. Bloody curious rats; all of them.
"Seeing McGonagall up there...you know, instead of..." She paused, cutting herself off and clearing her throat. Draco froze immediately, struggling to determine whether or not she was insinuating something about his character. It was, after all, partially his fault that the Golden Trio's favorite Professor was now rotting six feet under.
"I see," Draco responded curtly, clearing his throat and digging his nails into the corner of the table. He wanted to leave-he wanted to leave now.
"No, I didn't-I didn't mean it like that, I was just-" Granger amended, fumbling over speech breathlessly. She attempted to appear calm, though Draco could tell she was starting to panic by the way her body shook slightly. She was about to speak again when they were interrupted by the Headmistress introducing them to the school.
"-and joining us tonight are two alumni and war veterans, former Gryffindor Hermione Granger and former Slytherin Draco Malfoy-I trust that we'll all welcome them warmly and commend them for their efforts during and after the War," McGonagall concluded, and slowly, the room began to fill with the sound of polite clapping. The sound was deafening; ringing in his ears and swallowing him whole as the sound of their forced clapping on his behalf filled the room.
Hermione gave a shaky smile to the audience, waving meekly to the crowd of students before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Draco gave a small nod of sorts, ignorant of how to behave in such a situation.
Once the clapping had died down and McGonagall had taken her position at the head of the teachers' table, the chatter began once again as students dug into their plates. Draco reached forward, helping himself to a portion of mashed potatoes and grabbing a bit of chicken and a roll of bread. He busied himself with drizzling gravy onto his potatoes and buttering his dinner roll, chewing on the inside of his cheek and ignoring the Witch seated next to him; her commentary only moments before was still far too fresh in his mind.
"Draco," Hermione said quietly, and Draco nearly froze as his first name rolled off her tongue with such ease. "I'm sorry, I wasn't...implying anything about Dumbledore's death. Not about you."
Frozen with his dinner roll in his hand, Draco stared down at his plate for a moment, processing his thoughts on the matter before turning slightly so that he could face her.
"I didn't want to come here tonight," was all he said in response.
"I know," She mumbled.
"Then why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you agree to bring us here?" He asked, slightly desperate.
Hermione inhaled sharply, setting the butter knife she held in her hands down daintily on the edge of her plate, brushing her fingers against her cloth napkin and nibbling on her lower lip nervously.
"Sometimes, Malfoy, you need to conquer your fears," She answered slowly, as though she was testing out her words and struggling to determine whether or not they sounded right when strung together."Whether or not you want to."
"Is that a Gryffindor philosophy?" He sneered, not at all pleased with her response.
"No, it's my philosophy."
"Perhaps you should take your own advice, then," Draco snapped in a low hiss, angrily picking up his spoon and scooping up a bit of his mashed potatoes. His food was nearly untouched, and he realized as he poked at the steaming pile of potatoes just how ravenous he was; had he even eaten that day? He couldn't seem to recall.
"Take my own advice?" Hermione sputtered, and out of the corner of his eye Draco could tell she was struggling to refrain from folding her arms across her chest in a fit of agitation. The thought damn near brought a smirk to his lips. "What is that supposed to mean, Malfoy?"
"I think you know exactly what I mean, Granger," He hissed, his nose crinkling slightly. He stuffed a portion of potato into his mouth, savoring the taste and swallowing before licking his lips. He knew he'd infuriated her, and that was all fucking fine and dandy with him-how dare she insinuate that he feared Hogwarts. Even worse-how dare she go as far as to force him to "overcome" them, or whatever the hell it was she'd meant by that little remark.
She was...absolutely, positively infuriating, and if they hadn't been in a room full of former teachers and students, he would've bloody screamed at her for saying something so directly insulting.
"You-I just-don't talk to me!"
"Fine by me."
Scowling, Draco viciously tore into his food, not even bothering to hide the scowl that was now prominent on his features. Who was he to give a fuck if the others saw him angry and sour? It wasn't as though he'd been a particularly cheerful kid during his stay at Hogwarts, and he wasn't known for being benign in the first place, so really-how much of a surprise would his current attitude be? None, he guessed.
They both ate in a tense sort of silence-though the Great Hall buzzed around them with the chatter of people engaging in pleasant discourse, neither serpent nor lioness even bothered to utter the simplest of phrases to the other. It was a bitter frame of time which Draco felt stretched on at an achingly slow pace, and he was damn near ready to jump for bloody joy by the time everyone had finished their desserts and McGonagall had dismissed them.
Moving from his seat, Draco brushed a few crumbs off his trousers and straightened his collar, ignoring Hermione's existence entirely in favor of checking to make sure his shrunken suitcase was tucked safely within the confines of his pocket and making his way down the steps. He followed behind the rest of the students who were shuffling out, staring straight ahead in order to avoid meeting any of their curious and judgmental gazes.
He had no idea whether or not Granger was behind him, and at this point he didn't particularly give a damn. She could stay angry with him for the entire evening, for all he cared. Scoffing, he stuffed his hands deep within the confines of his pockets, turning around once he'd reached the entrance of the Great Hall and watching as McGonagall and Granger walked through the Hall at a rather slow pace, their heads bent together slightly as they appeared to be engaging in a rather animated discussion. He cocked his head to the side slightly, pursing his lips and wondering what the hell they were talking about.
"...that's really very kind of you, though our stay won't be very long," Hermione explained as she grew within earshot, and Draco grew stiff at once. What did she mean...? Merlin, she couldn't have...
"You and Mr. Malfoy are welcome to stay as long as you both shall please," McGonagall continued, stopping once the pair had reached Draco at the entrance to the Great Hall. His gaze swept between the two at an almost frantic pace, desperate to comprehend what they were saying.
"Malfoy," Hermione breathed, finally forcing herself to look at him. "Professor McGonagall has been generous enough to invite us to stay in one of the school's vacant suites until we can contact Harry and discuss our next course of action."
"Is that so?" Draco replied curtly, his grey eyes growing stony as they locked onto her hazel ones. He would've thought she'd done it out of spite, but the slight pleading in her gaze seemed to suggest otherwise.
She almost seemed sorry.
"Yes," Hermione said quietly, her voice barely carrying over to him. "That's so."
a/N: Hey, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. First and foremost, I'd like to thank Amanda and Majo for the beautiful things they created for Shades of Grey recently! I was quite touched, and wanted to thank you both in this chapter! This chapter's a bit longer than how I usually write them because I had a lot to try and fit in, but I wanted to try and complete it before Halloween. I know it ends in an odd sort of way, but that's because the next chapter is going to be connected to this one in a specific sense. Anyways, I really appreciate you all reading; it means a lot! I love to hear what you all think of the story, so if you could review it would mean a lot to me!