A/N: Thank you to everybody following, favouriting, and reviewing this story! This chapter is appropriately titled the approach of danger.
Disclaimer: Regrettably, I don't own Harry Potter.
I rolled over sleepily. "Good morning love." "Morning." I mumbled. He chucked, the action rumbling through his body to mine. I opened an eye and glared at him and was rewarded with a famous smirk. I groaned and got out of bed. I really didn't want to get out of bed but I didn't want to be late for class.
The day went by rather uneventfully and it was time for dinner. Draco pulled me to him. "I don't think our friends would notice if we were a little late." I giggled and let him pull me closer, enveloping my lips in his. "I guess not."
We eventually made our way down to breakfast and found a sombre mood on our table. Draco didn't seem to notice a thing and started heaping food onto his plate. I noticed that Ginny was holding the Daily Prophet and, frowning, I held out my hand for it. She looked at me hard and then gave it to me, an undiscernible emotion in her eyes. I gasped. The title made my mind reel. I hadn't seen that title since the war.
It read Breakout from Azkaban. I continued reading. One prisoner has achieved escaping from Azkaban and is now at large. I breathed a sigh. Only one. I smiled in relief until I read the name of the prisoner. Lucius Malfoy. My eyes shot to Draco. Hand shaking slighty, I handed him the paper.
His eyes widened at the title and when he got to his father's name his expression melted into his mask. The one he hadn't worn since the beginning of the year. But not until I saw a flicker of emotions run through his eyes. He stood without a word and left the Great Hall.
I stood too and smiled sadly at my friends before following him out of the room. He was nowhere in sight. Where would an upset Draco go? There were a couple of places I considered before it came to me. He couldn't have gone to the Astronomy tower? Not after what had happened there. Then it occurred to me that that was precisely why he would go there.
Sure enough he sat with his feet dangling off the edge as he looked out at the grounds. "Draco?" He didn't turn. I made my way over to him and sat down beside him. He turned his head. "Hi Mione." I put my hand on his. "Are you okay?" He nodded. "It was just a lot to take in. I thought I'd finally escaped him but it seems as though I can't. He would have needed a reason to break out, he wouldn't just do it for no reason. And I can't think of a better one than the fact that I'm dating you."
I stared at him. "Do you really think he would breakout of Azkaban to tell you he disproved of our relationship?" "Of course not. He knows that I already know that. No the only reason he would do this would be to stop us from dating." Realization dawned on me. "You think he's going to attack me, attack us." He nodded grimly. "I know he will." "But, he can't get to us while we're at Hogwarts." He laughed without humour. "McGonagall's an amazing witch but she's no Dumbledore and my father is very resourceful. It's simply a matter of when."
"At least I didn't teach you nothing." I whirled around instinctively, wand out in a matter of seconds. Draco had been even faster than me. "Father." He seethed, voice dripping with hatred. "Now now that isn't the attitude you show your father at a reunion." Draco glared at him. "I hate you with every fibre of my being."
My eyes widened in shock. Lucius recoiled slightly, not expecting the level of animosity he had received. He recovered quickly, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Is it true this mudblood is your whore?" Draco was shaking with uncontrolled anger. "Don't ever call her that. She's twenty times better than you could ever hope to be."
I felt a force attempting to probe my mind. I panicked slightly and tried to force it out. "Sh love it's me." The voice whispered. I smiled. It was Draco. He continued aggravating Lucius while talking to me and I admired his ability. "I want you to windlessly disillusion yourself and sneak behind him then stun him." I nodded slightly to him and disappeared.
"Where'd she go?" He snarled. "No matter. I can compromise and take you out instead." My eyes widened. Suddenly Draco was duelling his father and it was mesmerizing. They were both very skilled and there were lots of near misses. Draco seemed to be keeping up to the elder Malfoy until he was hit with a full body bind. "This is where it ends for you Draco. Son." He spat. He smiled evilly and aimed his wand at his defenceless son.
"No!" I screamed, finally breaking out of my shock. I dove in front of Draco and took the spell. And then all I knew was darkness. The force of his anger was enough for Draco to break the body bind and he jumped to his feet, wand pointed at his father. "Avada Kedavra." Lucius Malfoy fell to the ground like a marionette whose string had been cut.
Shaking, Draco tried to conjure his patronus to send a message. All he was getting was silver mist. "Damn it! Come on Draco you can do this. For her. Before it's too late." Finally, he managed his patronus. "Potter, my father attacked Hermione and I and he is now dead. We are on the astronomy tower come quickly."
He knew it would take a little time for the aurors to get there so he gathered his girlfriend in his arms and carried her bridal style to the hospital wing. She was lighter than he'd expected which made it easier for him to get there faster.
"Madame Pomfrey! Help!" He shouted into the empty hospital wing. "Mister Malfoy, just was is your…." She had begun indignantly but stopped short at the sight of Hermione rather lifeless in his arms. "It was my father he attacked us and we were duelling and he had me beat but Mione jumped in front of me and took the curse. The light was dark blue; it wasn't the killing curse but it felt like dark magic."
She frowned. "Alright set her down on the bed." He gingerly laid her down. "Do you know what he cursed her with?" Her mouth set in a grim line. "I have a suspicion. But I need to do some diagnostics and basic charms on her to keep her stable. Since this was dark magic I cannot have you in here while it happens in case it tries to attack you." He nodded. "I sent a message to the auror's so I should get back to where it happened anyways."
He ran back to the astronomy and sighed in relief, no one was there yet except for his father's corpse. Soon enough there were footsteps on the stairs and Potter was there with McGonagall and the Minster of Magic. "Mr. Malfoy, what happened?!" McGonagall exclaimed. He told them the whole story, how they'd been cornered, how he'd fought and how she'd saved his life. Potter paled slightly when he heard about Hermione. "Where is she now?" He questioned.
"In the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey's treating her." He nodded and turned to the Minister. "Kingsley, would it be possible for me to stay here until she wakes up?" The Minister stared at him in contemplation for a moment. "Yes. I will take Mr. Malfoy away. Draco you will not be punished because you acted in self-defence. Would you like a funeral for him?"
Draco sneered. "He doesn't deserve one. As for his body, do with it what you wish. He will not lay next to my mother." Kingsley smiled slightly. "Alright. Take the week off Potter. I'm not taking no for an answer." And with that he disappeared followed by McGonagall.
Harry turned to him. "Does anyone else know she's hurt yet?" He shook his head. "Let's go tell them then yeah?" Draco nodded. Together they made their way to the Head's dorms. "Erm, Draco, why are we going to your dorms?" He shot Harry a smile. "Because they're loyal prats and they know how upset I was when I found out so they'll be here to cheer me up." Harry smiled too.
They walked in and were greeted with all of their friends. "Draco mate!" "Harry?" "Harry!" Harry hugged Ginny who had thrown herself at him and addressed everyone. "Hermione's been hurt, we'll tell you everything in the Hospital Wing." They nodded and followed them out of the portrait hole.
Draco walked in first and found Madame Pomfrey sitting in her office. She stood at the sight of him. "How is she?" "The curse was very dark magic. I managed to get rid of it, but not before it did considerable damage. She has slipped into a coma and the only way she can get out is by her own willpower. I'm…I'm afraid there's not a very good chance she'll make it."
His jaw tightened to reel in his emotions. "How much of a chance has she got?" Madame Pomfrey looked at him with sympathy. "Twelve percent." All of the colour drained from his face and he fell backward, as the world around him turned to black.