"A drink first, Zabini, before you jump my bones, yeah?" The door bit into Draco's back and he winced, scowling down at Blaises snarling face.
"Oh goody, what do we have here?"
"Shut up, Nott. Blaise-" Pansy warned, golden shoe placed on the table beside her as she headed towards the commotion.
"What the fuck is your problem?"
"Funny that, I was about to ask you the same thing." The questioning glance Draco threw Theo was met with only a bemused shrug.
"Look at me," every word was growled through clenched teeth.
"Can we use our words, Zabini, and not our grabby little hands?"
"You put Pansy at risk, I'll use my grabby little hands all I fucking want."
"What?" Theo asked flabbergasted.
"What?" Daphne echoed, glancing between the two boys curiously.
"Blaise…"
"What? What are you - What in Merlin's name is he on about?"
"I-" Pansy fumbled for the right things to say, approaching Blaise with caution reserved for rabid animals or a hungry Goyle.
"I told you to look at me."
"This," he hissed, gesturing to his wrinkled shirt, "cost more than your mother's last legal fees, I suggest you let the fuck go."
"Go on, make another joke, I dare you."
"I wasn't joking, Zabini."
"Will the pair of you stop? Please? This is ridiculous."
"Yes Pans, ridiculous, and most irregular. Someone care to explain?"
"Well said, Nott, that's exactly what I would like the ferret to do."
"I-" Draco's words were cut off as Blaise continued, pushing him back against the door when he tried to escape.
"I would like to know why you thought it was okay to get Pansy mixed up in the shit with your dad, with You-know-fucking-who?"
"You told him?"
Pansy bristled, "I wouldn't have had to if you weren't dry-humping you know who against Umbridge's door."
"WHAT?" Pansy winced at Theo and Daphne's chorused question, instantly regretting her outburst. Telling Blaise about all the madness was complicated enough.
Draco's brain short-circuited. He hadn't thought about where they had been, hadn't thought about checking if anyone was listening, Merlin he hadn't really thought of anything. The corridors and doors had all faded out of existence and it had just been her and how much he wanted her.
"You - You heard that?"
"Yeah, the whole fucking lot."
"Well, fuck," he muttered, slumping back in defeat. When he'd run through every possible scenario on the walk back to the common room, he'd completely overlooked the possibility that his friends might already know. He quietly thanked Merlin that, so far, no one had reached for their wands.
"You guys made up, huh?" Pansy interjected.
"Something like that." He tried not to blush as the image of Hermione beneath him flashed through his mind.
"Okay hold up, hold the fuck up. Would one of you care to explain, for those present and not in the know, what exactly is going on and who in Merlin's name were you dry-humping? Theo asked, glancing between Draco and Blaise as the blonde managed to shrug off his friend and smoothing the creases in his shirt.
"You want me to tell him? Want me to tell him how you put one of your best friends in danger."
"She's not in any danger."
"How in Merlin's name you figure that? When she's been trying to help you stay away from the mudblood -"
"Don't you fucking call her that," He growled, his hand curling into a fist. Blaise drew back shocked, his eyes searching Draco's face as realisation dawned.
"You really have it bad, don't you?" Draco paused the question an ice-cold bucket of water to his anger.
"Godrics balls. Is it Granger?"
"Is what, Granger?" Theo asked, turning to Daphne.
"The one that Draco's been mooning over for I don't know how long."
"Got it in one, Greengrass."
"Wait a minute, how do you know this?" Theo's brow furrowed as Daphne waved off his question distractedly, "Granger was the dry-humpee?"
"All of this is beside the point, you being your usual selfish fucking self, has put Pansy in danger."
"Blaise, please just - let's leave it, no harm done." Pansy reached for him.
"No," Blaise shook off Pansy's hand, pointing accusingly at Draco, "just because nothing happened doesn't change what he did.".
"I did not put her in danger, honestly I don't know what the-"
"Don't give me that crap, Malfoy, she told me everything. All the plotting, and the planning, and telling her about You-Know-Who-"
"You don't know anything-"
"All because of some pitiful fucking crush."
"It's not - I love with her okay?" He paused, gulping as his friends took a collective intake of breath, eyes wider than he'd ever seen them and all trained on him. He took a deep breath, hoping that somewhere amid the shit show of a conversation there was something resembling friendship, "I'm in love with her, fuck, for a while I didn't even know how much -"
"This is -"
"Will you shut up, Zabini? Salazar I'm trying to…"
"Let him talk, Blaise," Pansy muttered quietly. He looked at her for a moment, the argument still ready on his lips, but eventually he grimaced, nodding his head once for Draco to continue.
"Merlin, I know this sounds - do you know how much I've gone over this in my head? I know it doesn't make any sense but I-"
"You and the Know-it-all?" Draco allowed himself a small smile, watching Theo shake his head in bewilderment.
"Yeah."
"And this is a danger to Pansy because?"
"Thank fuck someone is keeping the conversation focused," Blaise muttered, gesturing to Daphne.
"As opposed to the tosser that keeps interrupting?"
"I'm gonna-" Blaise made a move toward Draco,
"You won't do anything," Pansy warned, reaching out and grabbing his arm, "I helped Draco because he knew about his feelings and he…well-" she looked at Draco for help.
"My dad is a deatheater. What you all read in that article was true. I- fuck when I think about it now it's so stupid."
"You're telling me," Blaise muttered, ignoring Draco's glare.
"He thought he could forget about his feelings, or a least ignore them, so I helped him. I set him and Daphne up, I'm sorry Daph I thought…" Daphne waved off Pansy's apology quickly.
"I figured it had to be something like that, it was pretty clear that he wasn't interested. Besides, it all worked out in its own way," she smiled up at Theo, before quickly turning back to Draco. "But Granger? Really?"
"Yes, I too am getting stuck on the who. How did it happen?"
"It's a long story. I…we had detention together a few years back and somehow we just-" he brought his hands together and Theo's mouth dropped open.
"I must be dreaming, a few years?"
"Can we get back to what's actually important?"
"Calm down, old chap. Anyone would think our resident ferret had asked Pansy to face down You-Know-Who single-handedly."
"Are you kidding me? He clearly knows there's danger, why else would he be so desperate to protect Granger?"
"Well I'm going to guess - and forgive me if this is a hex in the dark, had a lot of catching up to do - it might have something to do with his father throwing in his lot with a wizard the golden trio tend to run into more than is rightly even probable," Daphne clarified.
"Think that about covers it." Draco nodded, "Snape's been trying to help me protect my mind, but I'm still not great at it. I didn't want there to be anything of her for him to see. Then, Merlin, there's my mom. My father's fucked but my mom…"
"But anything about Pansy, absolutely fine," Blaise stated with slightly less venom - the mudblood was a push, but protecting family, that he could understand.
"Honestly I don't think he would have been that bothered about Pansy. She's not friends with Boy Wonder," Daphne commented.
"Thank you. You owe me a new shirt."
"Fuck off."
"Ooof well, this is a lot to process." Theo massaged his temples slowly.
"There's more," Draco cleared his throat.
"Do we want to know? The phrase 'dry humping against Umbridges door' keeps percolating and, well quite frankly it's horrifying." Theo peeked through his fingers.
"It was horrifying," Blaise answered and Pansy nodded.
"I'm going to help Potter."
"Fuuuuccckkkk, tell me about the door. Just tell me about the door."
"It's not that bad Nott."
"I don't know, he has a point, you two hate each other, like actual fucking hate. You've got to know he's never going to trust you right?"
"What other choice do I have, Pans? I've got to do something, and considering Dumbledore is currently AWOL the only option is the next worse thing."
"Super specs," Blaise muttered.
"Exactly."
"But I'm not going to tell him anything till -" He paused taking a big gulp and meeting Theo's eyes, "till you say it's okay."
"You make it all sound very formal and official, old chap,"
"What's he on about?" Daphne asked, pressing her hand against his.
"I'm now worried he's been dating Granger to get to you - ow." Blaise winced, rubbing his side where Pansy had elbowed him.
Theo let out a humourless chuckle at Blaise's words and threaded his fingers through Daphne's
"My dad too. He's in cahoots with, you know, he-who-needs-a-better-bloodie-name," he gestured toward Draco.
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh. We heard them at Christmas, his dad and mine talking about when-" Theo let out a long breath, "when Cedric died."
"Oh, sweetie I'm so sorry." Daphne stood, reaching out to take Theo's face in her hands, he smiled gently, pulling away after a few seconds.
"It's okay, it's his shit, his daft fucked up reasons. Didn't foresee it actually becoming a problem though, I mean he's a pissant but Potty does tend to arise victorious. I just thought -" he slumped back into the chair Daphne had previously inhabited, "I thought all this would be wrapped up and sorted before it ever became my issue."
"If there was another way-"
"I know, I know, guarantee you've done nothing but think about it. Well, you have my blessing, for what it's worth, Old Chap. But I'm with Parkinson, you're as mad as Trewloony if you think Potty is going to take anything you say seriously. I mean, fuck, why Granger? Millicent Bullstrode would have been infinitely less painful."
"Please don't put that image in my head, I'm still recovering from earlier," Parkinson sighed.
"So what's the plan?" Daphne sniffed, crossing her arms.
"Well, I guess, I wait for Potter to - I don't know get back to me?" He shrugged.
"Well you know we are all going to be there when that happens?"
"What?"
"Daphne is right, no way you're going into a den of lions by yourself."
"Little dramatic don't you think Pans?"
"Says you, Zabini. We are going with him."
"Do we have a choice-"
"No."
"If Potty isn't going to trust him, what hope in Azkaban have we got in sweetening the pot?" Theo interjected.
"Because sweet, we are Slytherins and we have to stick by each other, we all know that."
"Salazaar I'm going to throw up,"
"Shut up, Zabini." Daphne turned to Draco hands on her hips, "We know exactly what the Golden Trio thinks of us, but Granger obviously has seen something different," Draco lowered his head to hide his blush, "if Draco meets them alone then you know those two idiots are going to drown out reasonable arguments. We all need to be there to make sure that doesn't happen."
"This is going to be a blood bath."
"No, it won't Zabini, because you will be on your best behaviour."
"Piss off, Parkinson, I've seen you go for Potters throat before now."
"Yes well, we will all be on our best behaviour."
"Guys you don't have to-"
"No, the ladies have spoken, Old Chap-"
"Bossily."
"-we are Slytherins and we stick together. Merlin, I can't believe I'm saying this, let's go have a meeting with the golden trio."
"You know, I had hoped to keep this place a bit more secret," Blaise commented, sitting back on one of the plush sofas the room of requirement had provided. The room had deigned that they needed a common room of sorts, complete with blazing fire and curious nobles peering down from their canvas'. Above the large mantel, a mirror reflected the expanse of the room, a snake and a lion gazing across at each other from the top corners.
"Oh please will you let it go, the Gryffindors have been using this room for their little club for who knows how long, this place is about as secret as the magical adjustments Eloise Snart makes to her nose," Daphne sniffed, pouring a cup of tea for each of them in china cups, adorned with delicately painted snakes and lions. Theo sat beside her, painstakingly adding firewhiskey to each of them.
"I knew it. She swore blind it was all natural," Pansy scoffed, shaking her head.
"Hah, please, have you seen the Snarts? How much wizard would you like with your nose?" Theo chuckled to himself at Daphne's words, his smile dying when Draco's furious pacing caught his attention.
"Going to wear yourself a hole in that rug there, old chap."
"This is a bad idea, I mean fuck - this is a bad idea right?" The blonde raked his hands through is hair, returning to his furious pacing, hoping each step he took could perhaps turn back time to a moment when he hadn't been stupid enough to attempt to join forces with his long-term enemy.
"Well, the room of requirement doesn't seem to think so, got our own line of Slythendor merchandise. Driving the point home huh?" Theo commented, gesturing to the cups on the table with a flourish.
Draco couldn't help but agree, from what little experience he had of the room requirement, he'd always gotten an overall impression of subtlety. The gaudy display of house camaraderie seemed so at odds with its nature that he almost felt like it was laughing at him.
"Well I think they are adorable, we should see if we can get some of these for the Slytherin common room," Daphne commented, humming as she took a sip of her drink.
"What am I going to say?"
"Not to be a dick here, mate, but you've had time to prepare this." Draco scowled at Blaise but hated that his words rang with truth. Hermione hadn't wasted any time in telling him that her friends had agreed to the meeting, planning for a time the next day. The few measly hours in between he'd intended to use to get his thoughts together, to have everything prepared so that the spectacled wonder would at least have to take his word seriously. Instead, he'd spent the entire time both willing the meeting to come and wishing it would never arrive, neither of which had been very productive.
"Yeah well, that's easier said than done."
"I know Draco, but what's the alternative?" Pansy winced as she took a sip of her tea, "How much firewhiskey did you put in here, Nott?"
"Just a smidge to calm the nerves."
"We need to be sharp, not pissed."
"On the contrary, Pans, I think pissed would very much help."
Draco nodded at Blaise's words, holding out a hand for his own cup, "Pass me one of those, preferably less tea, more alcohol."
"On it, old chap."
Draco took the proffered cup greedily, turning mid-sip as the door swung open, banging loudly against the wall. It was Weasley, looking several shades redder than normal.
"Ronald, please," Hermione was hurrying to catch up with him as he strode across the room, but it was too late. Pain erupted across Draco's jaw as the cup he'd be holding fell, the delicate china smashing easily against the floor, the sound punctuated by Hermione shouting his name. He blinked quickly as he saw stars, cupping the side of his face and stumbling back. The Weasel was strong.
"You're a fucking arsehole, ferret." Draco quickly straightened, holding his hands out to stop his friends who had already jumped to his defence.
"No, leave it, leave it, I -" he winced as he rubbed his jaw and looked over at Hermione, "I deserved that."
WHAT?" Pansy spat but Draco's raised hand made her pause.
Ron faltered but quickly recovered, stabbing an angry finger into Draco's chest.
"Too bloody right you deserved it."
"Careful, Weasley, the patience only extends so far., Blaise warned darkly, already standing at Draco's side.
"Brought those idiots to protect you?"
"I would be very careful what you say about my friends, Weasley," Draco muttered.
"Are you threatening me?"
"Ronald Weasley will you please," Hermione stepped between them and Draco couldn't hide his smile, she looked ferocious, "Stop this nonsense."
"Nonsense? After all he's done to us? To you?"
"We've talked about this have we not? We are here to build bridges, not point fingers. I am not some damsel that needs to be protected" She turned, looking up at him with worry, a gentle hand against his cheek. He melted into the touch. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, know a girl that hits harder." He grinned as she laughed.
"I did tell him not to."
"It's fine, I get it," he tucked one of her curls behind her ear, taking her hand gently in his, "he's just looking out for you. More to the point are you okay after-?" Hermione blushed and he traced it with his thumb. Her shy smile was beautiful.
"Fine. More than fine i-"
"Godrics balls. You know I didn't believe it, not truly."
"Tea anyone?" Daphne offered half-heartedly, gently placing a comforting hand on her boyfriend's back as he shook his head in disbelief.
"Got anything stronger?" It was Harry, stepping round the sofa and sitting down heavily, his face ghostly pale as he took the proffered cup.
"Theo helped make these so they're about as tea as firewhiskey gets." Harry nodded, hand shaking as he took it.
"So what is this?" Ron was glancing between them, fists clenched at his side.
"What's what?"
"Between you two? Hermione says that she cares for you." Draco bit back a laugh at the absurdity of the ginger acting like her father; suspicious, protective and wholly unimpressed with anything Draco had to offer.
"Ron just sit down." Ginny sniped, already tucking into her own drink.
"Now, now, not so fast," Blaise piped up, sitting back smugly in his chair, "The Weasel -" Pansy smacked him quickly and Blaise sputtered, his angry look melting into one of chagrin when Pansy looked pointedly at their present guests, "ah apologies, Weasley has a point. I think Granger's friends have a right to know what's going on. From the unicorn's mouth, so to speak."
"Zabini," Draco warned, biting back an insult when the dark-haired boy raised his eyebrows in an obvious challenge.
"Oh come on, Old chap, you were quite upfront about your feelings before."
"He was?"
"You were?" Ron and Hermione's voices overlapped as they both turned to look at the blonde.
"Practically shouted it at us."
"Okay, Nott. Think you've had enough of that shit." Theo hugged the bottle of firewhiskey closer to his chest, protecting it from Draco's pointed gaze.
"Don't you think the dragon-sized dark wizard in the room is slightly more important?"
"True, isn't that why we are all here?" Pansy couldn't stop her eyes widening a little in shock as the Weaselette agreed with her.
"I mean of course Pans, but I think we should understand everyone's relationship in this, going forward. For the sake of trust and honesty?" Pansy narrowed her eyes, mouthing 'I'm going to kill you' as the boy laughed, knocking back the rest of his 'tea'.
"I'm interested to understand what this is," Harry chimed in, adjusting his glasses and making room on the sofa for a weary-looking Ron who was muttering quietly about not understanding it all.
Draco ground his teeth together, running his hand over his face before letting out an exasperated breath, "Fuck fine, I'll tell you what I told them, I'm in love with Hermione. I know that's going to be a fucker to swallow but it's the truth." The amount of open mouths in the room was almost comical, "Now if you're all done-"
"Hold on, old chap, I have a question."
"Merlin's sake Nott, what now?" Hoping his voice didn't shake like the rest of him was. It had taken a lot to swallow his pride and be so weak in front of the boy wonder and he wasn't sure he was okay with how it made him feel. He imagined stripping off naked and dancing for all gathered would have been preferable.
"We're all very clear on how you feel -"
"Don't be a dick, Nott."
"Not a dick, I would just like to know how exactly the young lady feels about you."
"By Salazaar, she doesn't have to answer that. You don't have to answer that," Draco clarified, reaching out and squeezing her hand.
"No I want to, it's only fair." She drew herself up to her full height and looked at each one of his friends as she spoke.
"I'm in love with Draco." There was no hesitation, no falter in her voice. Sweet, confident, ferocious Hermione and she was in love with him. He wanted to kiss her, draw her into him and just forget about everyone else, just to properly drink in those words and really get to grips with what they tasted like.
"Well, fuck," Theo's words were punctuated by a long, low whistle from Blaise.
"This can't be happening," Ron shook his head.
"Firewhiskey, old chap?" Ron nodded and took several long swigs before handing the bottle back reluctantly.
"Hermione said something about you helping us." Harry's disbelief was evident, but Draco didn't care. This was it, this was what he had wanted. He and Hermione together, no secrets, no more hiding, no more pretending that she wasn't everything that he longed for.
"Suspicious are we?"
"Wouldn't you be?" Harry countered, narrowing his eyes at Pansy.
"Harry calm down."Ginny placed her hand on his arm, but his shoulders remained tense.
"No, he's right. None of us have ever gotten on. If it were the other way round I doubt any of us would have even turned up."
"Speak for yourself Zabini, front row seats to this? Wouldn't miss it."
"Yeah well, you're a nosy fucker, Nott. Point is, we are here for moral support, Malfoy is the one that wants to help."
"We all want to help," Pansy corrected, "but we are here for Draco more than anything. Just like you're here for Granger."
"Fine, fine. But can any of you see this going well?" Harry gestured to Hermione and Draco standing together, scowling at their joined hands, "his dad's a deatheater." He looked at Draco, narrowing his eyes as he continued, "You going to go home to daddy and tell him you've fallen in love with a-"
"Don't make me hex the words back down your throat, Potter," Draco warned.
"Hypocrite. How many times have you called her that? How many times have you made her life a misery? You don't deserve her -"
"Harry don't you think that is my choice to make and not yours."
"But Hermione this is all ridiculous. What world are you living in? You think his dad would think twice before he killed you? And then what? How are you going to choose between your family name and the girl you're supposed to love?"
"Harry that's enough." Ginny pulled at his arm again and he shrugged her off.
"Whose side are you going to be on?"
"You are not making any of this easier, Harry. You said you would listen, that you would give him a chance."
"What chance has he given any of us?" Ron sneered and Pansy scoffed.
"Oh please, how many more chances does one house want, you guys are practically handed the house cup every fucking year."
"Devolving to pettiness, Parkinson?"
"Just meeting you lions on a level you can understand, Weaslette."
"Don't talk to my sister like that you pug-nosed little-"
"Oh no, you did not just say that you giant ginger prick," Pansy was out of her seat and would have thrown herself across the table at a startled-looking Ron, if not for Blaise's arm securely around her waist, pulling her back.
"Pans, best behaviour remember?"
"Forget the lead did you, Zabini?"
"What the fuck did you say?" Blaise roared, releasing his grip on Pansy and stepping around her. Ron was already on his feet squaring up to meet whatever attack the boy could conjure.
"Ron don't be an idiot, sit down." Ginny implored, grabbing at Harry's arm as joined his friend.
"You've done it now you scummy little shit."
"Very clever with the puerile insults, Zabini."
"And what exactly would you call what your mentally challenged friend did, super specs?"
"Theo, sweet that isn't helpful."
"No Daph, but it is fucking true."
Blaise and Ron were rounding the table at each other, a concerned Daphne and Ginny sandwiched between them trying to calm the situation. Draco blinked owlishly at the chaos, wondering how in Merlin's name it had all started. Had they always been such a petty lot?
"This is ridiculous." Hermione winced as Ron lunged for Blaise after a colourful retort from the boy regarding the dress robes the ginger had worn at the yule ball.
"I'm going to rearrange your face, Zabini." Ron, snarled, as the dark-skinned boy answered with a contemptuous laugh, trying to push past both Daphne and a rather bemused Theo who'd decided to join the scrum.
"They're going to kill each other."
"Bit of light maiming at most." Draco bit back his laughter as Hermione pinned him with an unamused glare.
"We need to do something."
"Fine, fine," Draco agreed, quickly reaching into his robes as he noticed Blaise and Ron begin to do the same. "I've got Zabini,"
"Petrificus Totalus." Their voices rang together and the ruckus immediately stopped. Blaise and Ron began falling backwards, bodies frozen in place.
"What did you do?" Harry boomed, watching Ginny awkwardly lower her brother's body onto the rug. He took a murderous stride toward the blonde Slytherin, faltering when Hermione's wand appeared mere inches from his nose.
"I think you mean what did I do, Harry. This madness had to stop somehow."
"They started it"
"I don't care who started it, Nott," Draco cut in, "point is its a petty fucking argument and we don't have time for petty,"
"Says the pettiest one out of the lot of us."
"Stop, just stop it," Hermione fumed, glaring pointedly at Harry, "I've had enough of the insults and puerile arguments, regardless of who uttered them," she continued, holding her hand up quickly to silence any protestations from her messy-haired friend, "We are all going to sit down, like civilized human beings, and you," she looked pointedly at both Harry and a frozen Ron, hands on her hips, "are going to listen to what Draco has to say. Ron, Blaise, I am going to unfreeze you, and then we are all going to pretend this stupidity never happened."
"Try anything and the next one will be a great deal less fun than a stunning spell, understood?" Draco added.
After a few hums of agreement from all gathered, Hermione muttered the counter spell and the boys immediately came back to life, glaring at the wand-wielding couple as clamoured to their feet and reluctantly returned to their seats.
"This is pointless, Hermione. There's no way we can ever get on with this lot," Ron crossed his arms and refused to look at the Slytherins across from him.
"You know what, Ron, I couldn't actually care less whether any of you get on, this isn't about you. This is about Draco and Ime and Draco has said that he wants to help. The least you can do as my friend is give him a chance."
"And keep that gob of yours shut."
"And we are going to pipe the fuck down, aren't we Zabini?"
"But what about Pans-"
"You've called her worse, old chap."
"No one asked for your drunken input, Nott."
"No, but you got it anyway."
"Can we please get back on track?" Ginny asked, exasperated.
"Not till he answers my questions."
Draco grit his teeth as Harry looked over at him, eyes dark. He truly wanted to be angry, to tell the boy wonder to shove his questions up his heroic, attention-seeking ass. But they were all valid and he'd agonized over them himself ever since he'd realised everything he felt for Hermione was not just a fleeting bit of madness.
"My father has made his choice and I've made mine. And since Hermione has given me a chance-"
"A chance you don't deserve."
"You think I don't know that? I know I don't deserve anything she is offering me but I -" He reached into his pocket, pulling out the letter his father had sent him and throwing it on the table in front of Harry, "I want to make things right. This is where I start." He pointed at the letter, seating himself down, and meeting Harry's gaze levelly, watching quietly as the Gryffindor picked it up and began to read, passing it on to Ron when he had finished.
"What's his plan?"
"I don't know."
"Well fat lot of good that's going to do us," Ron blustered, receiving a scowl from Ginny as he passed her the letter.
"Would you let him finish, Ron?" Draco smiled as Hermione nodded at him in encouragement, seating herself down next to him and taking his hand. Draco reached into his other pocket, he pulled out another letter, quickly handing it to Harry.
"That is the letter I am going to send back, if I know him like I think I do he'll be waxing lyrical about his dastardly plan before you can say veritarserum."
"But there's nothing in here about his plan, just some bollocks about family and purity," Harry scoffed, throwing the letter away from him in disgust.
"Subtlety is lost on you lions isn't it?"
Harry sneered at Theo's comment, "There's subtlety and then there's just completely ignoring the point."
"Theo's right. If I went in wand blazing, practically avadering you via owl, he'd know something was up."
"Really? I thought that was your Slytherin's normal state of being, hating everyone and everything. Especially Harry."
"Salazar, we aren't fucking monsters," Pansy breathed, shaking her head at Ron, "Yeah you annoy the tits off us, but killing you, are you serious?"
"To be honest you don't even annoy me all that much. You're just sort of there," Theo shrugged, painstakingly filling everyone's cup with firewhiskey.
"Could have fooled me, you guys are areseholes."
"An astute observation,"
"So you agree?" Ginny asked Theo incredulously.
"Your only error is in thinking that it's limited to you. That shit is universal."
"Speak for yourself, Zabini."
"Admit it Pans,"
"Look this is all unimportant. I know my father, and I know what will work and this-" he pointed at the letter, "this will work."
"But that's all you're giving us, one vague letter and the slight chance that we might get one back?"
"What the shit do you want? An anti-he-who-must-not-be-named hex?"
"Something a little more concrete than taking your word for all this. Excuse me if I'm not leaping to believe everything you have to say, for all we know this is just some con you and your father have orchestrated to trap me."
"Are you fucking kidding me? That's narcissistic even for you."
"Harry you can't be serious?"
"And why not Hermione? What if he's one of them and getting close to you was the only way he could think to get close to me."
"That's some freshly squeezed-out dragon shit. You know what, if that isn't enough for you, fine. I tried." He rose out of his chair and Hermione stood with him, her hand gentle and warm against his chest. He looked at it and then into her eyes, all wide and brown and begging him to calm down.
"I tried Hermione, I haven't got anything else. If he doesn't want-"
"We have more." Pansy cut in and Draco frowned.
"We do?" The brown-haired witch nodded, sitting forward in her chair.
"The other night, you know the night you two-"
"We two what?" Hermione queried, as Pansy pointed at them.
"Not important Pans," Draco warned and she smirked.
"Anyway that night, me and Blaise went and had a look in evil pygmy puffs lair-"
"Umbridge." Blaise clarified as the Gryffindors shot each other confused looks.
"And I think that she might be in cahoots with you-know-who too, or at least very quickly getting there. Your father wrote to her-"
"Of course he fucking did. What about?"
"Mostly his usual crap, but he did send a spell. He said something about us students using fireplaces to communicate with people outside of Hogwarts, that it was bad and could lead to 'dangerous ideas'. Anyway, he sent it, can't tell you what it was, couldn't find the thing."
"Merlin, do you think he knows?" Ginny murmured, turning a worried gaze to Harry.
"Of course he knows," Harry spat, standing up and beginning to pace.
"Knows what?"
"I-"
"Don't you tell him."
"Harry if we are going to help one another, we need to be honest."
"And have him go running to his father and tell him everything. No, thank you."
"Have you listened to anything I've said, I want to fucking help. I can't do that if you don't tell me what it is my father's supposed to know, and why in Merlin's name it's important."
"He's right." Ron heaved, shrugging when Harry narrowed his eyes at him, "Don't look at me like that, you know as well as I do agreeing with the ferret feels wrong on all levels. But he is right. Plus, if he's not telling the truth and this is all some great, elaborate plot like you said, well it will become pretty apparent when you-know-who starts harping on about buckbeak."
"What the fuck has this got to do with, Buckbeak?" the very mention of the hippogriffs name brought back less than wonderful memories to the blonde, specifically him being an absolute arse and a painfully wonderful memory of Hermione unleashing her anger on his face.
"Harry?" Hermione encouraged hopefully.
"What about the rest of them, how do we know we can trust them? Malfoy's father isn't the only one involved." He turned to Theo pointedly, pushing his spectacles back up the bridge of his nose. Theo swallowed the gulp of firewhiskey he'd taken, eyes wide with innocence.
"Oh, you have nothing to worry about with me, old chap. Here to support Draco, nothing more, nothing less." Pansy nodded at his words, looking at each of the Gryffindors in turn as she spoke.
"I know this is difficult for you to understand, but we have no interest in any of this, none at all. The only reason any of us came here today was because we wanted to help our friend."
"Some of us weren't given a choice."
"Zip it, Zabini."
"They don't need specifics, Harry, just tell them.
"Fine. Using the fireplaces is how I talk to Padfoot."
Pad- who now?" Zabini searched his friends faces for some clarification and found none.
"Padfoot. He is my Godfather, also and probably more commonly known as Sirius Black."
The Slytherins sucked in a breath as one.
"The murderer? You talk to him?" Pansy was wide-eyed and if Hermione wasn't mistaken, a little impressed.
"He's not a murderer. He was falsely imprisoned, someone set him up, someone who happens to be among Voldemort's followers."
"Now, now, Old chap, don't just go bandying about names that don't need to be said in polite company."
"I'm not afraid of him or his name."
"No, but we are, so maybe just cool it on the old dropping V bombs in the conversation," Zabini clarified, gesturing for Theo to pass over his bottle of firewhiskey.
"So who was it, the actual murderer?"
"Ron's rat would you believe," Ginny smiled sardonically at Pansy.
"What?"
"The family rat," he corrected, "and technically there was no murder. Turned out Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew the whole time, and that he'd faked his death to blame Sirius for it."
"You called your rat, Scabbers?"
"That's not what's important here, Pans," Blaise mumbled around a mouthful of firewhiskey.
Draco sat slowly, Hermione settling next to him as he spoke, "So how did my father find out? Why would he know anything about Black, or about how you communicate with him."
"I don't know. He might have found out about Padfoot at the train station."
"What-" realization dawned on Draco's face, "The dog. The fucking dog. I thought my dad was a bit too fucking interested in your pet."
"I'm lost."
"Not for the first time, ay Pans."
" Zabini, I'm going to- "
"Sirius Black is an animagus, he turns into a dog, affectionately known as Padfoot. Mafloys father must have seen him at the station when he went to see Harry off at the beginning of the year," Ginny supplied, helpfully.
"I told him it was a bad idea."
"Okay so, your dad might know about Sirius and how he communicates with Potter, but why would he actively communicate with Umbridge to stop it, why not just turn Sirius in, alert the authorities? That's what he's normally like, right?" Daphne asked, tucking her blonder hair behind her ears.
"I mean usually, he'd never pass up an opportunity to-"
"Ah the mighty cogs are turning," Theo cried as Draco paused, eyes widening.
"What? What is it?" Hermione leant forward,
"It would be just like him -."
"You don't think -" Hermione started and Draco nodded.
"I just have one question, Potter, how many are there of you?"
"I'd go with one, old chap. That firewhiskey gone to your head?"
"Theo shush," Daphne admonished.
"Why? How many Potters do you fucking-"
"Be quiet sweet," the blonde girl pointed at the spectacled Gryffindor as he struggled over his answer, wide eyes darting to his companions.
"We may as well tell them everything."
"That sounds like a bad idea, Gin," Ron cautioned.
"They know this much, why stop now?"
"You know, I'm not even sure I want to know more, you guys keep your secrets."
"Zabini, shut up." Draco turned to Harry, "Well?"
"If Hermione's wrong about you, then I-"
"I'm not." Draco nodded at Hermione's words, before meeting Harry's suspicious gaze with a determined look.
"I meant everything I said."
Harry seemed to deflate at these words, "A few."
"Well, that's it then." Draco sat back with a heavy sigh.
"What's, what?"
"Well, Pans. If you were going to get at your enemies how would you go about it?"
"Umm…"
"Divide and conquer," Blaise supplied, placing the bottle of firewhiskey on the table in front of him.
"He wants Harry isolated," Hermione murmured,
"And cutting off communication was the first step," Draco confirmed.
"But how could he be sure that Umbridge would go for it?"
"Come on, Gin, she looks for any excuse to make our life hell."
"I know," Ginny conceded, nodding at her brother's words, "but it just seems, I don't know, tenuous. You wouldn't pin all your plans on something that wasn't certain."
"Unless you could be sure that it was certain."
"Got something else to share with us, Pans?"
Pansy took a deep breath, "Well, has anyone present heard of 'Blood Purity in the Modern Age'?"
"Banned book about keeping bloodlines pure, pretty sure a fair few gathered have heard of it."
"Ron, is that fair?" Hermione admonished, pursing her lips disapprovingly.
"The weas - I mean, Weasley makes a valid point. Pretty sure the Malfoys have a copy hidden deep in the mansion somewhere."
"True." Malfoy sighed, gripping Hermione's hand tighter. It wasn't often that he found himself embarrassed by his family, if anything they had been a source of pride for the longest time. Now though, faced with the reality of his father's zealous views, he found he wanted to shrink out of existence.
"My father has his own copy, likes to dither over it at night with a bottle of firewhiskey when he thinks no one is watching. Tragic really," Theo added, pouring himself another teacup full of firewhiskey.
"So let me get this straight, Umbridge has a copy of this banned book in her office?" Pansy nodded at Harry,
"A pretty loved book, complete with her name in the front. I can't be sure but, if your dad was aware of her proclivities-"
That's a big word, Pans,"
"Shut up Zabini - if he could be sure then, well You-Know-Who has essentially got an ally on the inside."
"Or several." Draco rolled his eyes at Harry's insinuation but bit back a retort. Things had just become calm and relatively reasonable, adding fuel to the burning hate that had raged for years between them was pointless.
"Well, that's just fab. Not only is this school sinking into shitness, but we also have a megalomaniacal witch with shit perfume at the helm, who may or may not be putting in her foul-smelling lot with an even more megalomaniacal wizard."
"When you put it in such a positive light, Nott, it's hard to see what all the fuss is about."
"Very funny, Weaselette," Theo said, appreciatively, "I'll give you that."
"I knew it, I knew there was something about her. So what's our plan?"
"Simple, we wait till my Father gets back in touch, then we go from there."
"You can't be serious," Harry scoffed.
"And what would you suggest, the usual run in wands blazing and hope we don't get our arses handed to us by better, more experienced magic users who have no qualms avadering us into dust?"
"Something a little more than just waiting for bad things to happen. You haven't faced him, you don't know. I was there, I know exactly what Voldemort is capable of, exactly what your father is capable of."
"You have no fucking clue what my father is capable of," He shouted, the memory of the cruciatus curse rippling through his body as he stood, "a few lucky breaks and you think you're the fucking master at taking down dark wizards." Harry rose to meet him, pointing an accusing finger at him across the table.
"I do a lot better than you, hiding like a coward behind my family name, being a bully. You're just like him." Draco saw red, grabbing Harry by his shirt and dragging the spectacled wizard towards him. It was only her voice that brought him back to reality, dropping the wizard quickly and stepping out of the way just as Harry's fist came sailing past his face.
"STOP IT. Stop this now."
"See he is just like the rest of them,"
"If that's true then so are you." Harry fumed but said nothing, "All this fighting amongst ourselves is playing into whatever plans his father has, and whatever plans you-know-who has. We know more together. We can do more together."
"Very touching."
Shut up, Zabini." Daphne muttered, rising from her chair. "I agree with, Granger. What was the point in any of this if we are just going to resort to petty insults? If this is important to you, which I think for arguments sake, that it is," she continued looking at Harry, "then maybe we should try and find a plan that works for all of us."
"Preferably a way that doesn't get us all killed, know that's low on your to-do list, but, Slytherins here, self-preservation is a must."
"Theo, sweet, that's not helpful."
"I agree with Daphne," Ginny continued, ignoring Theo's protests of innocence, "It's true that we will have to wait to hear from Malfoy's Father, but maybe there is something we can do in the meantime, like gather dirt on a certain pink bitch."
"Ooo I like your thinking, gathering dirt happens to be my forte." Pany stated with pride, "We joined the inquisitorial squad not long back, we can gather information."
"And yet again we are just supposed to trust you," Ron commented exasperated.
"Look the best thing we can do is nothing. We don't want to arouse any suspicion, and anything against my father could give him more information to exact whatever plan he is cooking up. If we wait, let him wax lyrical about all the nefarious shit he's got in store for you, then we'll have him. Then it's just a case of contacting your friends, telling them the plan, and letting them mop all the shit up."
"So are we agreed then?" Hermione asked when Draco had finished talking. The Slytherins and Ginny nodded enthusiastically.
"I don't like it," Ron stated, giving a laboured sigh, "but it's better than going into this blind. What do you think, Harry?" "Fine," Harry spat, moving to leave, "but if anything happens then it's on you." He pointed at Draco and then left, a quiet Ginny and Ron following along behind him.
Draco walked with Hermione to the door, pulling her to him and giving her a lingering kiss. He wished they had more time together; time enough for him to apologise for being an ass, time enough to hold her without prying eyes, time enough to forget that there was a dark wizard potentially threatening all of their lives.
"Will I see you tonight?" He mumbled into her hair and she sighed softly, nodding her head in agreement, resting a hand gently against his chest.
"I better go. Harry will be working himself up again no doubt." Draco grimaced
"I'm sorry, I know I didn't help." Hermione chuckled lightly, shaking her head.
"I am still not used to that."
"Used to what?" He muttered it onto her lips, grinning wickedly.
"You apologising. It's unnerving." Draco laughed, giving her one final kiss before she pulled away, disappearing down the corridor. Draco ached to go after her but instead turned back into the Room of Requirement.
"Well that could have gone shitter," Theo broke the silence. Draco let out a long sigh, making his way over to his friends to finish off the firewhiskey. Theo was right, it could have gone a whole lot worse, but something told him that it hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. He wondered how long it would be before Potter was breaking their agreement and running headlong into yet more danger.
