Captured

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Truth

Draco stared across the dark grounds of Hogwarts, the grass swaying slightly in the breeze that crept towards the castle. The grounds felt alive, humming with energy and anticipation, as though everything that found a home here knew just what was coming. Bustling movement was visible everywhere Draco looked – in flashes of dark shadows rushing past candlelit windows, in the swaying trees of the forest, in the rippling waters of the lake. Hogwarts was preparing as best it could for the battle ahead.

He just hoped it would be ready.

~.~.~

"Just tell me Hermione, wouldn't it be better to tell me now? In case we come face to face with him? What if we accidentally hurt him?"

"Hush, you're going to get us caught," Hermione hissed over her shoulder at Ron behind her as she crept slowly along a darkened hallway on the second floor. The rushing sounds of movement thundered through the hallways behind them as students made their way from their common rooms to the Great Hall below. She supposed that she didn't need to be so careful, with the sounds of the Hogwarts' occupants filing through the school loud enough to cover two sets of footsteps in the corridor they currently moved through, but she had no idea if the students were moving to the Great Hall under order from foe or ally. As far as she knew, based on what Neville had told them, the school was being run by Snape and the Carrows. The students being gathered could be some ploy of theirs to gain advantage in the coming battle.

Either way, she figured it was best for the moment not to risk being discovered.

She and Ron finally made it to the lavatory they had been heading for, and opened the door slowly, peeking in to ensure no one else was in there before slipping in entirely.

Hermione winced at the groan and thunk that reverberated against the tiles in the empty space with the closing of the door. Every echo risked discovery, and Hermione's heart thudded heavily in anticipation as they both paused in the silence to listen for footsteps outside that might indicate someone heard and was coming to investigate.

"I didn't expect to see you two here."

The glum voice floated through the empty space, and Hermione grimaced before turning to greet the ghost floating in front of the long row of stalls.

"Hello, Myrtle. We just need to grab something and then we'll be out of your way."

The girl didn't seem to listen to Ron's assurance, looking past them as though she expected someone else to be joining them.

"You're not supposed to be here." Myrtle finally said, eyes made too-wide by the large glasses that had stayed with her even in death coming back to rest on the two of them.

Hermione scrambled, remembering Myrtle's crush on Draco the year before and suddenly worrying who else she may have befriended in the past year that she could go tell before they had a chance to make it back to Harry with the basilisk fangs. Of course, she also remembered the infatuation that Myrtle had with Harry.

"We're, uhm, here on Hogwarts business. Harry sent us."

At Hermione's words, Myrtle's gaze again snapped past them, as though she hoped Harry might walk through the doors right then. Her gaze narrowed as she again turned back to Hermione and Ron in front of her.

"Where is he?"

"He's uh..." Ron looked to Hermione for help, eyes widening.

"Harry's here, he'll be meeting us later. He had to grab something else first. I'm sure you'd get to see him again if you wait for him here while we go down and grab what we came for."