For The Greater Good (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Waiting

        "Are you going to tell us what just happened and why we found you passed out in the cold?" Hermione scolded me like my mother. I looked at her then took a deep breath and explained everything that happened in my...head? I left the part about me being an advantage in the fight against Voldemort out of the explanations. I guess some part of me just didn't want to change how they saw me. Didn't want to be used for what I could do. They exchanged odd looks when I finished my recap and I could see the wheels turning in Hermione's head as she tried to fit together the puzzle pieces.

I could feel the same gears whirring in my own brain as I sat up in the bed and held my locket in my fist protectively.

If the locket protected the ones I love then...would it protect Hermione, Harry and Ron? And in what sense would it protect them? Can it stop them from being killed? I bit my lip as I thought over these questions. Then I slapped my hand to my forehead when I realized I forgot to ask one crucial question to my father. How do I open the bloody locket!

"Rosie, did you ask your father how to open the locket?" Hermione asked suddenly. Bloody hell, was she some type of mind reader?

"No, I was just thinking of that. How typical of me to ask everything besides for the one question we actually need."

"Damn," Harry sighed. "I think I'll just go out and take first watch. It's getting stifling in here." Zipping up his jumper all the way to his throat, he tucked his wand in his pocket and marched back outside dutifully. Something didn't feel right, though. I frowned as I tried to place why his shoulders remained tense and hunched. I couldn't see his aura since he went outside but I knew I'd soon find out.

Harry.

I sighed as I walked out of the tent for first watch. My breath came out in white puffs, matching the rest of my surroundings. Snow had begun to fall lightly last night, throwing the morning into stark brightness that left him feeling uncomfortably exposed. It was like having a shining beacon illuminated onto their tent with a big neon sign that said "Harry Potter here! Get some fresh muggle-borns and blood-traitors!"

Snap!

Tension pulled my body tight enough that I felt I was going to snap like an elastic band. Before I could properly formulate a single thought, my wand was out and pointed at the ready. The protective barrier around them was still intact but that didn't stop the fear pumping through my blood.

Snap!

It was coming from behind me. Inhaling quickly, I turned and pointed my wand at...a Bengal tiger? Since when did Bengal tigers roam around the United Kingdom? It hadn't pinpointed to where exactly I stood but it knew I was there regardless, it could sniff me. The tiger circled the barrier for five minutes, letting out a low growl in his throat every few seconds as if it were agitated. I stood there for I didn't know how long as it sniffed and pawed and blew white puffs out of its nostrils with frustration before it retreated behind a clump of bushes. Was it going to wait for me?

Blimey, imagine my luck. Survives the killing curse and every other goddamn traumatic experience a teenager can put up with, only to be killed by a bloody Bengal tiger in the middle of English woods!

I waited for the predator to come out but it never did. A man did instead. I blinked, bewildered as a tall, naked bloke started to mutter to himself and put clothes that appeared out of nowhere on his pale body. When he turned around, I felt laughter bubble inside of me.

Gabriel, you nutter.

Stepping out of the protective barrier, I threw a stick at Gabriel's big head. "Ow! What the fu-- Harry!"

I couldn't help but smile as I embraced my friend. "Alright there, Gabe?"

"For fuck's sake, mate, I've been looking everywhere for you and freezing my bollocks off doing it! I circled this place twice, where did you come from?"

"I was right in front of you the whole time. We had set up protective enchantments to conceal our tent."

"I bloody well knew it, didn't I? I could smell the lot of you and the nose never lies!" Gabriel exclaimed, tapping his finger against the side of his straight nose. I chuckled, it was good to laugh for once.

"Well come on then, tiger. Let's get you some tea and," I caught a whiff of his scent and grimaced. "And a shower, merlin, you smell like wet dog."

"Cat," Gabriel corrected with an unapologetic grin as we stepped into the tent. I chuckled as I faced the rest of my team. For that's what we were, a team.

"Guess what I found?"