Between Fine Lines

Fourteen

"What are you doing down here?" Draco hissed as he waved his wand, the scattered bits from the tray re-positioning themselves neatly as he practically shoved the tray into Dean's hands.

"I could ask you the same question," Hermione responded, a haughtiness to her tone that somebody stuck in a dungeon probably shouldn't have had. "Where are the other two?" Draco looked around, the light from his wand illuminating the area.

Hermione took a good look at Draco Malfoy, watching the relief wash over his face as he realized that Harry and Ron were not there, but panic was quick to settle back into his eyes at the same fact. He looked... sick, like she had noticed all through the school year, his hair slightly askew, and although he looked sleek in an all black suit, Draco's whole demeanor was slightly disheveled.

He was terrified.

"They're not here," Hermione confirmed for him simply. "I was with-" she paused, clearly her throat quickly. "I was picked up by Snatchers. I was alone."

Draco let out a scoff at this, "They left you by yourself? Potter and Weasel are probably dead if they left you by yourself," he shook his head. "Who's seen you?"

"Your mother... but I don't believe she recognized me, and if she did-she didn't say so," Hermione rubbed her hands together, wincing when she realized she had a cut on her palm from struggling against the snatchers. "What are you doing down here?"

"I'm not going to let them starve," Draco commented. "I'm not the complete monster your best mates think I am." A sneer settled upon his features and Hermione straightened up a bit, reminding herself that this was Draco Malfoy of all people-he tortured her for years, called her a filthy mudblood, laughed at her, let his friends shove into her, let his foul pug-faced girlfriend call her names and mock her hair.

"He's not as bad as you have thought," Luna's airy voice traveled into her ears and Hermione glanced over at the blonde, who was helping herself to a piece of bread on the tray, wondering if the Ravenclaw was a Legillmens and none of them had ever been aware.

"If he's not so bad, then why doesn't he just let you go?" Hermione questioned accusingly, shooting Draco a look. "And let them do what? Leave without wands? Get captured or killed?" Draco eyed her curiously. "Do you really think that little of me, Granger? I had marks just as high as you in school, I'm not a complete moron like Weasley has proven to be."

"Don't talk about Ron like that!" Hermione shot back, her hands curling into fists. She'd punched Malfoy once before, she could probably do it again. She could steal his wand, knock him unconscious and get the group of them to safety. Her thoughts were running at a hundred miles an hour behind her eyes until a noise at the top of the stairs startled her.

"Draco!" Narcissa hissed. "Are you still down there?" Her tone was concerned.

"I'll be back tonight, after everyone is gone. We have to figure something out, have to get you out of here before my aunt gets back," Draco spared Hermione one last glance before leaving, the gate locking behind him as he disappeared up the stairs.

Hermione reached for the green apple on the tray, sliding down along the wall and crunching into the apple, her mind racing again as she tried to think of a way out of here before Draco had to identify her.

—-

Remus sat on the couch quietly as Harry, Ron and Sirius all continued to talk over each other. It was just a week before the full moon and the patience the young man had was wearing thin. Sirius had been gone and undercover for the longest he had ever been partaking in an Order Mission and even though Remus was responsible and had taken his wolfsbane every month, it was more and more difficult during transformation the longer Sirius was gone-the new scar along his chin solidified that.