Stillness

Chapter 29

The day of May 2nd was beautiful, the sun bright, the sky clear, and the 7th year students of Hogwarts stressed. Hermione could barely stand the tension in the air as she and Ginny dragged Harry from the common room. He had tried to hide in his dorm, Ron coming down to tell the girls he didn't want to be disturbed. Hermione didn't blame him as every eye turned to them as they made their way to The Great Hall. She didn't like the constant feeling of being watched that only intensified as they took their seats. Pansy sat across from them a few minutes later and Hermione glanced around, looking for Draco.

"He's coming. Theo and Blaise were threatening to stun him and carry him down if he didn't when I left." Pansy assured her.

"Sounds familiar." Ginny said and Harry glared at her.

Hermione knew the moment Draco entered the hall without having to see the door. The room hushed and everyone began whispering. Blaise and Theo pushed Draco down onto the bench beside Hermione and he folded his arms and glared up at the ceiling as if the nice weather offended him. Hermione was reminded of the welcoming feast as she watched his thumb nail slide over his left arm.

"I don't even see why I have to go." Harry grumbled. "I don't need a memorial to remember this day."

"Cheers, Potter. For once I actually agree with you." Draco said, glaring at Hermione as she tried to push a muffin on him.

"It'll do you both some good to be there." Ginny told them. "Now eat something!"

Hermione hid her grin as Harry jumped and grabbed a piece of toast. Ginny's tone had been so reminiscent of Molly that even Ron hunched over his plate slightly. Ginny glared at Draco until he snatched the muffin from Hermione's hand, his lips curling at her while he pointedly picked off a piece and popped it in his mouth. Ginny had a smug grin on her face as he chewed and swallowed but when he stuck his tongue out at her her eyes narrowed. She flipped him off before turning to Harry and urging him to eat more.

"My mums coming." Draco muttered beside her.

"It'll be nice to see her." She said as casually as she could muster.

"You should know, if anyone says the wrong thing to her today I'm going to Azkaban." He growled out.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." She tried to assure him but he just shook his head.

The rest of the morning was tense as they took refuge at the lake. Draco sat and stared silently across the water, turning his flask over in his hands, with Hermione beside him. Ron and Samantha sat leaning against a tree, talking quietly to each other. Blaise was teaching Parvati how to skip rocks across the lake. Pansy was flipping through that morning's Witch Weekly with Theos arm across her shoulders. Harry looked like he was preparing for battle, Ginny watching him pace, knowing she wouldn't be able to get him to settle.

Harry froze, Draco tensed, and Hermione fought the urge to grab her wand when they heard the voices an hour later. They waited until the reporters that McGonagall had finally let past the gate disappeared into the castle before moving. Samantha entered first to make sure the vultures weren't in the Entrance Hall before waving them inside. They went to the library, Hermione vaguely wondering when the last time Harry and Ron had actually been inside of it.

Dracos fingers worried the edge of her robes as she tried to read. Theo read The Prophet as Pansy braided Ginny's hair. Harry and Blaise hunted down a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages while Parvati watched Ron and Samantha play chess. They sat together quietly, Madam Pince walking by a few times to check if they were still there, until it was time for lunch.

Hermione watched Draco as they sat at the Slytherin table for lunch. She could see the stress in the way he held his jaw, how his eyes darted around the hall every few minutes, his fingers never stilling, playing with his fork, napkin, tie. Despite this his face held a look of boredom, his eyes hard, blank steel. You had to actually know Draco to see his nervous habits.