Taking Chances (Dramione)

Chapter 15: Sad Attempt

*DRACO*

I sit down at the table that McGonagall gave us and wait for Hermione to show up.

"Oh shit," Ginny says as she looks to the entrance. I turn to see what she's looking at.

"Fuck," I say meekly. Hermione is storming over, fists clenched, and opposite to me, she lands her hands on the table.

"What the hell is Wyatt talking about?!" she demands.

"W-what are you talking about?" I say in surprise.

"Oh you know God-damn well what I'm talking about," she retorts. "'Assigned a task'. What's he talking about?!"

"Mione, you know he's saying that to get in your head," I assure her.

"He's under the impression that someone gave you a task, and you're here to cover up your tracks."

"Hermione, if you're accusing me of killing the muggle-borns, then you're mental. I would never do that, especially because I love one."

She stands there, her breast heaving, and just stares at me. She sighs and rubs her temples.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I'm letting him get to me."

"You're exactly right," I assure her. "Now sit down and eat something. It's been a long morning."

*HERMIONE*

Draco's right. I can't accuse him of something he'd never do.

I sit down beside him and grab a roll to nibble on.

"Anyone hear anything?" I ask once I finish chewing.

"Not much," Harry says. "First years are slightly oblivious, if you didn't know."

"Well," Ginny says. "I heard something."

"What is it, Gin?" Harry asks.

"I went down to talk to Luna, and I hung out with some of the seventh year Ravenclaws. One girl named Lacey said that the murders always occur on Thursdays."

"Um," Ron says with a panicked tone. "Today is Thursday?"

We look at each other.

"We've got to do something," Draco declares.

"No dip," Ron says with a glare.

"Did Lacey mention what time of day it happens?" I ask Ginny.

"After dinner."

"Okay, so we'll have to keep the students in the Great Hall and make sure they don't go wandering," I say.

"So just continue rounds until dinner, and then we'll each keep track of a house," Draco says.

"How about," Harry says, "each of us is assigned to a house. I'll take Gryffindor, Hermione could take Slytherin, Ginny can have Ravenclaw, and Ron can watch Hufflepuff." He turns to Draco. "You should stand outside the Great Hall doors to make sure no one is wandering around the halls. And if someone you don't know comes toward you, close the door, alright?"

"Yeah, okay," Draco says with a nod.

"So everyone will need to count up the number of people for the house they're keeping track of to make sure everyone is there," Harry continues. Everyone nods in agreement.

"Let's continue our rounds then," I suggest. "Meet back here at dinner. After everyone eats, I'll make the announcement for all students to stay in the Great Hall after dinner."

***

I ended up going to third year Transfiguration and sixth year Ancient Runes, and wandered the halls in between. Dinner came around and I walk there on my own and join the others at our assigned table.

"Anything new?" I ask.

"Nothing," Ron says. The others don't say anything.

***

We finish dinner, which consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and several other things.

"I'm going to go make the announcement," I say, and I head to the podium.

"Excuse me," I announce, and the Great Hall falls silent of its chatter. "I, along with my friends, have been informed of the happenings of Hogwarts. Therefore, we have come to help.

"We've acquired some information," I continue. "We learned that the murders occur on Thursdays and after dinner, and therefore we strongly ask that you remain in the Great Hall at this time."

On that, I walk to the Slytherin table, Ron walks to the Hufflepuff table, Ginny walks to the Ravenclaw table, and Harry walks to the Gryffindor table, while Draco paces the hall outside the door. And we start counting the students until we reach the number of students each Head of House gave us. Everyone is at the Slytherin table. Harry sends me the okay. Ron sends me the okay. I look at Ginny. She's counting them up for probably the third time, her eyes wide. As she counts, her pointed finger is shaking.

"Ginny!" I yell other the newly started chatter. She looks at me and holds up one finger and mouths "missing one." Then I'm the one to start panicking. I look at the Great Hall doors and Draco isn't there. They're still wide open. I run down the middle of the room and out the door, looking in either direction for a glimpse of him.

"Draco!" I shout. Nothing.

"Hermione, this is bad, you need to get back in," Ron says. He starts pulling me with him.

"Ron, I can't leave him out here!"

"Nothing will happen to him since he's pureblood. He went to find the missing student. He'll make it."

I take one last glance down the hall, then run back inside with Ron, and he closes the doors.

*DRACO*

"Come on," I plea. CPR was useless enough. I approach the Great Hall doors and they're already closed. I bang on it with one hand.

*HERMIONE*

There's a loud bang on the door. Then another. And another. We all sit there in silence, afraid to make a noise.

"SOMEONE OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR," yells a familiar voice on the other side. I sigh with relief and run back to the door and yank it open.

"Oh my gosh," I exclaim, letting Draco through. I close the door behind him.

"I tried to save her," Draco says helplessly. "It was useless."

"You gave an effort," I say to comfort him, but what the hell. You gave an effort? That is like the lamest thing to say when someone just died.

We lay the girl down in a backroom connected to the Great Hall.

"I feel like I've failed," Draco says quietly.

"It's not your fault, Hun. We can't prevent death."

"I could've though. I could've found her more quickly and killed the beast who had the guts to kill an innocent."

I smile sympathetically. "Let's just...go to bed. Get some sleep. Today was rough for everyone."

A/N: well well well. How was that? Are any of you upset, perhaps? Tell me what you think in the comments, and don't forget to vote!