Kitsune no Yobi (狐の呼び)

Saturday 4th September 99

Draco was running around the castle, hyperventilating. "I need to find her, I need to find her NOW." He thought. She could be anywhere. He growled of displeasure, attracting the attention of a group of third years who stared at him, confused. It was a sunny day but even after looking trough the whole park he had not found the student he was looking for. He sighed heavily and decided to check the Eight Year's common room a second time. Unsurprisingly, it was empty. He growled again and jogged towards the Great Hall. "Still nothing." He sighed ungracefully and stopped for a moment, a hand resting on his hip, trying to figure out where she could be. It did not take long for the obvious to finally hit him. He sighed again, feeling stupid for not having thought about it sooner, and ran towards the first floor.

When he finally arrived in the Library corridor, breathless. He swore in a growl, hoping he was finally at the right place. He walked towards the library, trying to get a hold on his breathing. Once there, he politely - and silently - greeted Madam Pince, and headed towards the desks, which were unfortunately free of the student he was looking for. He sighed again, losing hope, and started walking around the different sections. It was only when he was entering the before last one that he spotted the bushy brown hair he was so eagerly looking for. He let out a sigh of relief and walked in the student's direction.

"Granger." He whispered. "I looked for you everywhere. I need your help, I beg you."

He jaw dropped and she stayed silent for a moment, probably weighing the pro's and con's until finally nodding and heading out of the library. Once in the corridor, she turned to him.

"What do you want?" She snapped dryly.

"I know you hate me, I know I was an asshole but I beg you, I need your help. I promise this is not some kind of trap." Draco answered with a shaking voice.

"Why do you need my help? Couldn't you ask someone else?"

"I can't ask a teacher, and you're the smartest."

"Why can't you ask a teacher?" Hermione asked, still suspicious.

"It's too personal... Ah." He growled. "You know what? I'll just show you."

He looked around, making sure they were alone in the dim lighted corridor and, in the swish of his wand, cancelled what seemed to have been a disillusionment charm. Hermione could not help but gasp when she noticed two white ears popping on his head and a fluffy tail brushing against the ground.

"What the actual h-"

She was interrupted by footsteps. In an impulse, she managed to put back the disillusionment charm on Draco's fox-like features, just before two fifth years appeared in the corridor.

"Thank you." He whispered once they were out of earshot.

Hermione simply nodded. "Let's get out of here before someone else comes, then you can explain it all to me."

Draco acquiesced. He noticed that Hermione's brows were joined in a frown and reminded himself that even though she agreed to listen to him, she still did not trust him. There was no guarantee she was going to help. They walked in silence towards the seventh floor, aiming for the Room of Requirement where no one could interrupt their discussion. Draco's invasive thoughts took over him as they were climbing the many stairs.

With his mother gone and his father in Azkaban, there was no one who could explain him the situation. He would have to figure it all by himself. His heart ached at the remembrance of his mother's death. He could never forget the green beam of light that hit her right in the chest when Voldemort realised she had lied to him, and he body falling on the ground, as soft as a doll. But her death had led to his freedom. And the only thing left of this nightmare was the hideous Mark on his left arm. He unconsciously scratched it, his anxiety taking over as they arrived in the seventh-floor left corridor. Hermione glared at it but did not dare making a comment. Once in front of the empty wall, she walked past it three times until the door appeared.