They all stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do. Draco shuffled his feet nervously. One look from Harry and everyone raised their wand; Neville had a look of pure hatred on his face.
"Put your wands down or someone might get hurt," Draco said, looking bored. When no one showed any signs of complying he sighed and raised his hands in mock surrender and said, "Just hear me out."
"Why should we?" Harry asked and took a step towards him.
"I can help you," Draco put his arms down, desperation in his voice.
"Like hell you can," Ron said, walking up next to Harry, "He is a death eater, w-we should kill him."
"We're not killers Ron, no matter how pathetic he is I won't stoop as low as Voldemort."
"What if he killed Luna?" Ron whispered so only Harry could hear. He didn't answer, instead he directed his gaze at Draco.
"Why would you help us?" Harry looked into his eyes, searching for a reason to trust him.
"Well for one I don't fancy getting killed by Longbottom," Draco gave an uneasy look at Neville. Harry looked over his shoulder. Neville held his wand out, pointed at Draco's face. He didn't blame him, Draco had done nothing but make their lives more miserable in past years. It was easier to blame Draco then one of his friends.
"If you killed Luna…" Neville said.
"I have noticed you have been more vocal than usual Longbottom. Do you have any confessions you would like to make." Draco leered.
"Shut up, Malfoy," Neville's hands balled into fists.
"Neville wait, maybe we should talk first. Lets just hear what Draco has to say. Maybe it will help us get out of here." Harry's words had little effect.
"You can't be serious Harry!" Neville took a few more steps towards Draco.
"This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about," Ron said.
"I can't explain it myself, I just feel like we should trust him. Neville please just put the wand down for a minute."
"But this is Draco Malfoy," Ron repeated.
"I've got that Ron."
"I guess I'm the only one that has the guts," a tear fell down Neville's face.
"Neville, no!" Hermione gasped
"This is for Luna, Avada Kedavra!" Neville shouted.
A flash of green light headed straight for Draco. His eyes grew wide with fear as he barely had time to duck out of the way as it bypassed him. The door he was leaning on exploded, sending pieces of wood in every direction. Draco fell to the floor and blood poured from a cut on his left cheek. Pointing his wand at Neville, Draco shouted "Reducto!"
Hermione pushed Neville out of the way, falling to the floor in the process. The spell missed her arm and landed on the wall behind her. Harry knew what was going to happen a second before it did. The wall exploded in a haze of red light. The explosion threw him to the opposite wall. He closed his eyes and raised his hands to protect his face from the disarray. But something hit the side of his head, and everything turned blurry.
"Harry, get up!" He heard a voice but it sounded far away. Someone was shaking him. He didn't want to get up; he was just going to stay there for the rest of eternity.
"The ceiling is going to fall, please get up!" He cleared his eyes. Ginny stood above him, the look of relief clear on her face. The opposite wall was destroyed. The room looked about ready to cave in
"Thank God you're okay!" Ginny pulled on his arm forcing him to stand. He looked around in a daze. Hermione was being supported by Ron and Neville as they all limped to the doorway. Draco was nowhere in sight.
"Damn it" Harry whispered under his breath. He staggered to the doorway, passing Luna's body, he was careful not to step in the blood. He couldn't even look at her as he whispered, "Goodbye Luna".
He entered the unfamiliar room, bright light hit his eyes. As soon as they all were in the room the door slammed shut behind them. Leaving a eerie quite in its wake. Looking around Harry was perplexed at his new surroundings, it was a library. The room was large, a high ceiling decorated by a magnificent chandelier. Bookcases covered every wall, filled with books of all shapes and sizes. Hermione was being placed in a black chair, she looked horrible. Her leg appeared to be broken and small cuts covered her arms and face. The rest of the group didn't look any better, himself included.
"I cannot believe Draco got away," Neville sighed.
"I cant believe you used an unforgivable curse, after what your parents went through." Harry could barely stand , his head was throbbing.
"He killed Luna, he deserves to die!"
"We don't know that it was Draco!"
"Of course it was! Don't be stupid Harry!"
"I don't think it was him," Hermione's voice came out softly, all eyes in the room turned to her. She took a shaky breath before continuing. "The Neville I know would never use Avada Kedavra, so you should just stop pretending." No one spoke for a moment. No one wanted to believe her words, but Harry agreed.
"You don't mean that," Neville looked like someone had just slapped him. "Hermione let me explain," he said and started to walk over to her.
"Don't come any closer!" Ron stood protectively over Hermione.
"You guys were not at Hogwarts this year! You don't know what it's been like with the Carrows. I've changed. I've prepared myself to do much worse than kill to protect my friends!"
"It's true, I was with Neville all year, and he is not the same person he was when you last saw him." Ginny pleaded with her brother.
"Ginny," Ron warned.
"No just listen, Neville would never kill Luna-" Ginny started.
Harry interrupted by slamming his fist on the wall. "None of us would ever kill Luna!" Harry shouted. "I'm tired of this game and I will not see another friend die for me." He closed his eyes and toke a deep breath before continuing. "I've decided I'm going to find Draco, he knows something and I am going to find out what that is." Harry stood up from the wall he leaned on and glanced around the room. There were three doors, not including the one they had just entered. He made his way to the far right door that was half hidden behind a book case.
"Are you mental?" Ron said in exasperation, "Draco Malfoy is a good-for-nothing, pathetic git, at best, and possibly a murderer! We need to stay together, or we will just be picked off one by one."
"Ron, Draco is many things but he has never been a killer."
"There's a first time for everything."
"Trust me," Harry turned the knob.
"Don't go," Ron said in a panic. Harry paused, why was Ron so desperate to keep him here. A thought came to him that made bile rise in his throat.
"At least let one of us come with you." Ron took a few steps in Harry's direction, careful not to get too far away from Hermione.
"No one can come. I don't believe that Voldemort would kill one of you without me even being there, whats the fun in that?" I bitter laugh escaped his lips. "You are all safest away from me." Harry saw Ginny run towards him so he rushed through the door and closed it before anyone could follow.
He locked the door but knew that they would follow him soon. He turned around to see a hallway that seemed pitch black, but for a small amount of light at the end of the corridor. He ran not looking back, not even when he heard the door opened a few moments later.
"Harry!" Ginny's voice carried like an echo, a second later Ron's and Hermione's voices repeated her pleas. Like sirens in the night, he heard them repeat his name, But it was too late he had already rounded the corner and came to a crossroad with doors on the left and right. He chose the left and after a while he no longer heard any voices.
He kept running and running until he could not run anymore. Panting he collapsed on the near wall. Harry was afraid and alone, but the worst part was that he was running from his friends. He wanted to cry, he had left his friends to fend for themselves so he wouldn't be forced to kill them. After a while he stopped his pity party and walked on. Taking a right at the end of the corridor, a voice startled him. It was begging, pleading, desperate for something. He began to walk faster as he heard a scream. Fear struck Harry, he knew that scream. But it was impossible...
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"
Please review. Also Happy Halloween FanFictioners, I love you all! :D