SURPRISES | Draco Malfoy

77

The next morning when I woke up, the sun was just rising. Meaning it was only around 6 am.

I got out of bed. I saw Harry and Ron still sleeping. I smiled.

I walked out of the tent. I found Hermione sitting there with the locket.

She turned around when she heard my footsteps.

"We need to destroy it today." She said.

"I know. We'll just wait until the boys are awake. We'll have some breakfast. Then we'll destroy it." I said.

"Are you afraid?" She asked.

"Of what?" I asked.

"Nothing in particular. Just, are you afraid?" She asked.

"Yes. Yes, I am. I'm afraid that one of us will die. I'm afraid to see my father again. I'm afraid what'll happen to Draco when he gets back to his parents. I'm afraid what will happen when they find us. Everything is scaring me at the moment." I said.

Hermione nodded. "Me too."

. . .

"Dissendium!" Harry said. The locket spun swiftly in place, but didn't break.

"Incendio!" Hermione said. Flames engulfed the locket, but then the flames die.

"Expulso!" Harry tried. The tree stump exploded, but the locket was still unharmed.

"Confringo!" I then tried. The ground beneath the stump cratered, but the locket remained whole.

We lowered our wands, but Harry continues on firing spells at it. Finally he stops. The locket didn't even have a scratch. All went silent except for the leaves shifting in wind above. Then, we heard another sound. A ticking, coming from the locket.

"It's angry." Ron said, who's been watching the whole thing from the side, seeing he couldn't really do much due to his arm.

Harry stepped forward, kneels down and takes the locket by its chain. It ticks. He put it on his neck.

"What're you doing?" Hermione asked.

"We have to keep it safe until we can figure out how to destroy it." Harry replied.

"I can put it in my bag." Hermione suggested.

"No." Harry simply replied.

"Seems strange, mate. Dumbledore
sends you off to find a load of Horcruxes, but doesn't bother to tell you how to destroy them. Doesn't that bother you?" Ron asked.

Harry studied the locket, whose ticking has slowed, then walks off.

. . .

I was now sitting outside the tent on my own. I was just staring at the sky, for a bit of peace.

Harry and Hermione came closer to me.

"Don't. It... comforts him." Hermione said. They were probably talking about Ron's radio.

"Well it sets my teeth on edge. What's he expecting to hear? Good news?" Harry said angrily.

"I think he just hopes he doesn't hear bad news. It gets him through the day." Hermione said.

"And what gets you through the day?" Harry asked.

"We've all made sacrifices, Harry." Hermione replied.

Harry eyed her with no expression on his face. Then he turned his head towards me, while I was now watching them talk.

"How long before he can travel?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. It takes time. I'm doing all I can." Hermione said.

"You're not doing enough!" Harry said. He turned around to walk away.

Hermione looks uneasy.

I noticed my hair had became a bloody red. I shook my head, my hair and eyes getting back to their normal color.

"Take it off." Hermione said.

Harry turned back, she pointed toward his throat, toward the locket.

"Take it off. Now." She said.

Harry got the locket off.

"Better?" Hermione asked.

"Loads." Harry replied.

"It's cold. Even though it's been lying against your skin for days." Hermione said. "We'll take turns. Okay?"

Hermione put it over her neck. She frowned briefly, like she sensed its presence, then she looked at me.

I nodded. "Fine with me."

. . .

Harry and I were sitting in the tent Ron was laying next to us. Harry reaches out to turn the radio off.

"Severus Snape, newly appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts..." It said.

I raised my eyebrows. I felt Harry's eyes staring at me.

The signal faded away, Harry twists the dial. He then got the marauder's map out of his bag.

"... bears little resemblance to the school under Dumbledore's leadership. Snape's curriculum is severe, reflecting the wishes of the Dark Lord and infractions are dealt with harshly by the two Death Eaters on the staff..." The radio continued.

Harry looked at the map before him and we see my father's name in Dumbledore's office.

I quickly got up and walked outside. Harry looked at me, but realized it was best to not follow.

"What's that? That... smell?" I suddenly heard someone say. I froze.

The other people around him glance around dumbly. The guy retraced his steps until he stands directly in front of Hermione, his eyes looking right through her. Slowly, the guy pulled back. He hesitated, but then started walking and leading the others away.

The last pair who walked past us were carrying bodies.

When they disappear Hermione finally breathes.

"Snatchers." I said.

She turned around and nodded.

"Good to know our enchantments work." I said.

"He could smell it. My perfume." Hermione said. She was clearly shocked by all of this.
I gave her a hug.

"We have to leave. We're not safe here." Harry said, who just got outside of the tent.

"I told you. Ron's not strong enough to apparate." Hermione said.

"Then we'll go by foot." Harry said.

[a/n] so, the chapters in this year will be longer than they normally are. i hope you guys don't mind. but if i had to split all the long chapters in half this would have so many chapters and i also don't want that. + that would be confusing. i hope you guys don't mind it :)