Note: Okay, okay, sorry for the looooooong wait… here it is, if anyone is left to read it? Crickets… ah, well… enjoy!
¤ ¤ ¤
"And so you must rally the resistance. This is the last chance Voldemort has of wiping us out." Oliver slammed his hand down on the table, leaning towards the council.
They looked at him stonily. "And what proof do you have, beside this man's word, that this information is true?"
"Yes," added a woman in spectacles. "And how certain would you say this man's word is? Could he be lying to you?"
Oliver swallowed hard then exhaled slowly, trying to rein himself in. "I have no certainties beyond my own instincts. But the worst thing that could happen would be that we would be too prepared. And what's the wrong with that?" he challenged.
The council surveyed him silently, weighing the options, then looked at each other.
"Sit down, Wood. We're going to need more substantial evidence," one said, the woman in spectacles.
"Yes, I'm sorry, but the word of a criminal just isn't enough," added another, a short portly man with a long white beard.
He glared at them. "How can that be your answer? How can you believe that you are completely safe here? Voldemort found and broke into Hogwarts once before and killed the most powerful wizard of the time, Albus Dumbledor, in seconds and now you have the chance to be prepared for the second attack and you will DO NOTHING?" he bellowed the last while jumping to his feet, unable to contain himself. "How can you just sit there and refuse to act? Won't you learn?"
"Wood! You will contain yourself! This council must take into account the safety of the people within these walls. We cannot just make hundreds take up arms and go marching out into a possible ambush. We need more evidence and that is final. Until then, we must simply barricade ourselves in and hope for the best. Hogwarts is strong and able to withstand an attack."
"Hope for the best?" Oliver spat back, almost laughing. "Hope for the best? You are going to get all these people killed if you do nothing. Women and children will die along with the rest if you simply sit here and wait for Voldemort to sweep down and destroy everyone. Fine. You will have your evidence." He stalked out of the room.
¤ ¤ ¤
Hermione found him packing a rucksack later that evening, stuffing things in roughly. "Where are you going?"
"If the council won't believe me then I'll go after Voldemort myself and get them their bloody proof." He clipped the bag together and threw it over his shoulder.
Hermione just stood in front of him, stunned.
He turned to grab his wand off the side table and turned back. She hadn't moved. "I have to do this, Hermione."
"Are you mad? Are you BLOODY MAD?" she screamed at him. "You'll die out there, Oliver! Voldemort has an army. An army that he's going to bring about against this castle. If you go to him, you'll just die all the faster. This isn't like going up against Malfoy. You can't just trick your way out of this one. Voldemort will kill you." She hit him in the chest. "He'll KILL YOU! This isn't a game, Oliver. You could die and I don't know what I would do if you did." She was crying now, tears dripping down her cheeks.
He caught hold of her upper arms, wanting to shake her. "Hermione, stop it. You have to be stronger than this. I have to do this to help more than just us. I can't be selfish anymore and hide behind these walls with you because it's safe. He's going to come here and he's going to kill people. And if I can help stop it, well, then that's what I have to do."
She shook her head. "There has to be another way, Oliver. Something else we can do…"
He turned to grab his cloak. "No, Hermione. No one else believes me so no one else will go. It has to be me." He turned back to find an identical look of determination on her face.
"Well, then I'm going with you… don't even try to tell me no," she rushed on as he started to protest. "I've made up my mind and you can't stop me. You know how stubborn I am so don't even try."
His turn to shake his head. "Forget it, Hermione. Not this time… I won't let you."
"Oliver-"
"No." He stood firm. "No, Hermione. This time I won't let you put yourself into danger. It's bad enough that I'll be out there risking everything. I don't want you out there too."
"If I go with you-" she started.
"Then all I will think about is you and worrying about you and I won't be any good to either of us." He took grasped her shoulders. "If something happens out there, I want to be able to be happy knowing that at least you have a chance. If something happens then I will feel better knowing you are going to be fine, or as fine as someone can be in times like these…" He kissed her, hard. "I won't lose you too, I won't."
She was crying hard now, shaking silently. "Oliver…"
He hugged her, holding her as close as he could, feeling, for maybe the last time, what it felt like to hold her in his arms, then kissed her fiercely. Then he let go, pushing her away gently. "I love you."
"Just come back."
¤ ¤ ¤
He treaded down the stairs to the dungeon as quietly as he could and found himself at Draco's cell for what he hoped was the last time. "Alright Malfoy. Tell me where he is."
"You going to go slay the dragon for your lady fair?" Malfoy sneered. "Get all the glory of destroying the Dark Lord for yourself?"
Oliver stared him down with a level gaze. "I need to know where Voldemort's army is," he repeated steadily. "Just tell me where he is."
Malfoy smirked. "Why should I tell you?"
"Because you don't have a reason not to. It's over, Malfoy. You've lost the battle."
"Bring me Granger then maybe I'll tell her."
Oliver's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because I'm bored down here and I'd like someone of my own intelligence level to discuss with, you Quidditch lunk. If I'm satisfied then maybe I'll tell her and she can run and tell you. But I'll only tell her."
"Are you mad? No way I'm bringing her back down here for you to harass. Forget it."
"Forget the location then." Malfoy settled back down in his cell, arms stretching above and clasping behind his head. "I have all the time in the world. Have you?"
¤ ¤ ¤
"Tell me Malfoy. Tell me where it is."
He peered through the flickering torchlight. "Granger?"
"Yes Draco." She stepped from the shadows. "Please tell me."
He laughed dryly. "If you're trying to be seductive, Hermione, forget it. It won't work on me."
She came closer to the bars. "What else do you want then?"
"Talk to me."
She stared at him and he stared back.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Anything. Dazzle me with your wit and your intelligence."
She snorted. "I hate when people say that. No one ever has anything to say when someone asks that. You can't just start a conversation on cue."
He smiled. "There's my little spitfire, Granger."
"I'm not your little anything, Malfoy," she spat back. "I'm just here to get information."
He leaned back against the wall. "You'll have to work for that information, dear Hermione. I won't give Wood that information without a bit of a fight, any way I can… and if the only thing I can piss him off with is by taking time with you away."
She set her jaw. "There's nothing you can do to bother me or Oliver, Malfoy. You're going to lose."
He smirked. "Not if I don't tell you where Voldemort and his army is."
She closed her eyes. "Don't be a git, Draco."
"I can be whatever I want," he replied sounding exactly like a spoiled child. "I'm not the one on a deadline."
"Come on, Draco."
"Tell me something, Hermione. Tell me about your summers at home. Tell me about Muggles."
She stared at him, mystified. "Why would you want to know about that?"
"I want to know about you. You interest me."
So, she sat down and for the next two hours, Malfoy learned about the Muggle world and dentists and clubs and cars.
She walked back up to her room with a full set of instruction as to where Voldemort was and where the sentries and ranks of his army were.
Oliver was waiting, pacing the room. He stopped when she entered, looked her over to make sure that Malfoy had done nothing to her, then pulled her into his arms. "Thank you for doing that."
She sniffled into his chest. "N-no problem…" After clinging to him for a few minutes, she pulled away and went to the desk to write out the instructions on the back of a map, drawing where he had to go.
He came up beside her. "You're sure. You're sure this is where Voldemort is. This-" He pointed into the mountains. "-is where I have to go."
She nodded, brushing hair behind her ears. "Yes, that's what he told me and he has no reason to lie anymore. He knows he's beaten." She paused. "I don't think Draco's that bad, Oliver. He's just been brought up that way. Maybe-"
"No, Hermione," he cut in gently. "You mustn't forget what he is. He's a Malfoy through and through."
"I know… it's just… well, I dunno…"
He slid an arm around her waist. "I know but wishes won't change who he is and what he's done. Now-" he rolled up the map and slid it into a pocket of his cloak. "-I have to go. I'll have to go on foot so they can't see me coming. I'll be back." He hugged her, kissed her hard, then left, the door closing softly behind him.
Hermione sat down on the bed and burst into tears.
Down in the dungeons, Draco Malfoy laughed.