Desperate Exit pt.2
Draco Malfoy stood just ahead, his face ashen, his silver-blond hair disheveled, and his robes torn and streaked with dust. He was breathing hard, his chest heaving, his eyes wide and frantic. And yet, there was no wand in his hand, no sign of aggression — only a look of utter desperation.
"Malfoy?" Ron growled, his wand trained on Draco's heart. "What do you want?"
Draco's gaze flicked between them, his expression tense, conflicted. And then, before any of them could react, he stepped forward, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.
"Wait," he rasped, his voice strained. He glanced behind him, as if expecting Death Eaters to burst through the walls at any moment. "I—I'm not here to fight. I'm—"
"Why should we believe you?" Ron snapped, his wand arm trembling.
"I don't care what you believe!" Draco hissed, his voice low and fierce. He took another step forward, his gaze locking onto Hermione's with an intensity that made her breath catch. "I'mtryingto help, Granger. There's—there's another way out. A passage, hidden behind—"
"Liar," Ron spat, his grip on his wand tightening. "This is a trick. He's trying to lead us into a trap—"
"I'm not!" Draco shouted, his voice cracking. He looked almost wild, his eyes flashing with something raw, something desperate. "Please—listento me! They—they're coming. If you stay here, you're dead. All of you."
"Why do you care?" Hermione demanded, her voice sharp. "Why wouldyouhelp us?"
Draco hesitated, his gaze flicking to her, then back to Harry. For a moment, he seemed to struggle with himself, his expression twisting. Then he drew a deep, shuddering breath.
"Because if—if he catches you, it's over," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "For all of us."
Harry stared at him, his eyes narrowed, suspicion and uncertainty warring in his gaze. But before any of them could speak, a high-pitched scream echoed down the corridor behind them, followed by the unmistakable sound of shouts and heavy footsteps.
"They're here!" Draco hissed, his eyes widening. "Please—trust me!"
Hermione's heart lurched, panic clawing at her chest. They didn't have time to argue, to second-guess — not with the Death Eaters bearing down on them, not with Voldemort himself somewhere in the maze of dungeons.
"Harry, what do we—?"
"Lead the way," Harry interrupted, his voice hard and unyielding. He took a step forward, glaring at Draco. "But if this is a trap, Malfoy—"
"It's not," Draco muttered, turning sharply on his heel. He shot a quick, nervous glance over his shoulder, and then took off, his footsteps light and quick. "Hurry!"
Hermione exchanged a frantic look with Harry, her heart hammering. But there was no time to argue. With a deep, steadying breath, she turned and ran after Draco, praying that they weren't making a fatal mistake.
The narrow passageway twisted and turned, shadows flickering ominously along the walls. Draco led them through a maze of hidden turns and barely visible archways, his pace quick and unrelenting. Behind them, the sounds of the battle grew louder — shouts, explosions, the distant crash of falling stone.
"Where are we going?" Ron panted, his voice strained. "Malfoy, if this is—"
"Here!" Draco skidded to a stop, panting hard. He pointed to a seemingly solid section of wall at the end of a dark, narrow corridor. "There's a hidden door—just there."
Hermione blinked, frowning. "But—"
"Here!" Draco growled, his fingers scrabbling at the stone. And then, with a muttered incantation, he tapped his wand against a small, nearly invisible crack in the wall.
The stones shuddered, then shifted, folding inward with a low, grinding sound. A narrow, winding staircase spiraled down into darkness, the air cold and heavy with the scent of damp earth.
"This—this leads out," Draco gasped, turning back to face them. He looked almost pleading. "It's a smuggling tunnel — no one but the Malfoys knows about it. It'll take you to the outskirts of the grounds. You'll be able to Disapparate from there—"
"And what about you?" Harry demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Draco hesitated, his gaze flicking between them. For a moment, he seemed to struggle for words. Then he shook his head, his shoulders slumping.
"I— I have to go back," he whispered, his voice thick. "If I don't, they'll know. They'll—" He swallowed hard, his expression pained. "My mother—"
"Draco…" Hermione breathed, something tight and painful twisting in her chest. Despite everything, despite all the bitterness and betrayal, she could see it — the fear, the raw terror in his eyes. He was risking everything — his life, his family — just to give them a chance.
"Go," Draco urged, his voice barely more than a breath. "Just—go."
For a long, breathless moment, none of them moved. But then Hermione jolted forward. She grabbed his face and kissed him. "Thank you" she breathed, lips brushing against his with every word. He wrapped his arms around her back and hugged her against his chest as he kissed her back.
Harry and Ron stared at the scene with their jaws dropped.
"Mione' what in blazing hell is going on." Ron shouted angrily.
She turned out of Draco's arms and gestured for the boys to follow, "come on"
"What the fuck, Hermione?" Harry said as she grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the staircase.
"You're fucking crazy, you know that?" Ron added, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Kissing Malfoy? Really?"
Hermione shot them both a fierce look, her determination solidifying. "We don't have time for this! Draco's giving us a way out, and we need to take it!"
Draco stepped back, his expression a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty. "You should go now. Before they realize I'm missing. I'll… I'll manage," he said, his voice steadying, but Hermione could see the doubt lingering in his eyes.
"You can't just go back!" Harry argued, his voice rising. "They'll kill you!"
Draco shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "If I don't go back, they'll know I helped you. And then they'll come for my mother. I won't let that happen. Just go!"
"Damn it, Draco, we can't leave you!" Hermione insisted, her voice breaking. "We're not going to abandon you after everything you've done!"
He took a step toward them, desperation etched on his face. "You don't have a choice! You can't save me. You need to save yourselves. Please."
As the weight of his words sank in, the air grew thick with tension. Hermione's heart raced, torn between her desire to fight for him and the knowledge that they had to escape.
"Let's go, Hermione," Harry urged, his voice urgent. "We'll find a way to help him later."
"But—"
"Now!" Ron interrupted, pulling her toward the staircase. "Before it's too late!"
With one last lingering look at Draco, Hermione felt her resolve falter. The fear in his eyes mirrored her own, a reminder of how precarious their situation truly was. But she couldn't stay. Not if it meant risking their lives.
"Draco," she said softly, her voice trembling. "Please… be careful."
He nodded, a faint smile breaking through the tension. "You too. Just remember… you're stronger than you think."
With that, they turned and hurried down the narrow staircase, the air growing colder with each step. The dim light from their wands flickered against the damp walls, illuminating the winding path ahead.
"What was that about?" Harry muttered as they descended, his voice a mix of disbelief and concern. "You kissed him! What the hell, Hermione?"
"I don't know, Harry!" she snapped, frustration boiling over. "It was impulsive! But he's not the same person he was before. He's trying to help us!"
"By putting himself in danger!" Ron shot back. "You're taking a huge risk with him. You know he could easily turn on us, right?"
"Maybe, but he hasn't yet," Hermione replied, her voice steadying. "He's fighting against his family for us. He deserves a chance."
They reached the bottom of the staircase, and the tunnel opened up into a larger chamber, the air heavy with the scent of earth and decay. Shadows danced on the walls, and the distant sound of water dripping echoed around them.
"Which way?" Harry asked, scanning the chamber for any sign of an exit.
Hermione pulled out her wand, the light illuminating the dark corners. "This way," she said, pointing toward a narrow passage that led deeper into the tunnel.
As they moved cautiously forward, the weight of their situation pressed heavily on them. Every step felt like a countdown, and the fear of discovery loomed over their heads like a dark cloud.
"Do you really think we can trust him?" Ron whispered, keeping his voice low.
"I don't know," Hermione admitted, glancing back at the way they had come. "But I have to believe he's trying to change. He deserves a chance at redemption, just like any of us."
Harry nodded, his expression contemplative. "Let's hope he knows what he's doing, then."
They pressed on, the tunnel narrowing further as they continued their descent. The darkness enveloped them, making every sound feel amplified, every flicker of light more pronounced. The path twisted and turned, leading them deeper underground, far away from the chaos above.
After what felt like an eternity, they reached a heavy wooden door, the edges worn and splintered. Hermione pushed against it, the creaking sound echoing loudly in the silence.
"On three," she said, glancing at Harry and Ron. "One, two—"
With a forceful shove, they burst through the door, stumbling into a dimly lit alcove. The air was thick and stale, but ahead, a faint glow illuminated the walls—a sign of freedom.
"There!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing toward the light. As they drew closer, the outline of an opening appeared, just large enough for them to squeeze through.
"Come on!" Harry urged, his eyes bright with determination.
As they neared the exit, Hermione felt a sudden rush of hope.