Baton Rouge

- 38 -

Draco kept his gaze fixed on the table top.

This time he wasn't sitting next to Granger, but between Potter and Weasley. Blaise sat across from him, looking truly exhausted for the first time. Apparently the Toad badgered him no less than she had badgered Draco.

Draco felt a slight satisfaction, although he knew it was probably more than unfair. A few weeks ago it might have been appropriate to rejoice in the fact that Blaise was experiencing firsthand the pressures of being the leader of the Pursuit Squad. But now Blaise had taken on a double burden. After all, not only was he purportedly responsible for tracking down Potter, but he was also a spy.

"Any ideas how I can peddle the line to Umbridge that Draco won't be returning to the Ministry?" Blaise asked, wrapping his hands around the coffee cup that was on the table in front of him.

Granger was the first to answer, but Draco only gave her a quick look. He hadn't seen her the whole day, mainly because he hadn't left his room. Of course she hadn't come to him either - just further confirmation that he had successfully persuaded himself of something between them that didn't even exist.

„We think you should just pretend you don't know much. You can't give Umbridge a precise clue as to where Draco might be. She can check something like this too quickly and we need more time. Just tell her he's been acting weird around you for weeks. That goes with what you told her when you took over his position."

Blaise nodded slowly.

Potter cleared his throat. "Hermione is right. The only thing you could give her would be a reference to the fact that he once mentioned going abroad to clear his head. It doesn't even have to be a specific country. It will likely raise the suspicion that Malfoy is planning to change sides, but still prove your loyalty. Umbridge doesn't know you guys are such good friends."

"What do you think of that, Draco? You know her as well as I do. Do you think she'll swallow it?" Blaise asked.

He was looking directly at Draco now. His eyebrows were raised slightly and his forehead was crinkled with worry. Draco met Blaise's gaze intently.

"Frankly, I don't give a fuck. If they start looking for me and get too close to the cottage in the process, I will turn myself in."

He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it just burst out of him. However, Draco knew it was the truth. If the plan failed and Umbridge sent the Aurors, he wouldn't risk them finding Potter's hideout because of him. Besides, especially since the debacle with Granger, he could hardly stand the situation in the cottage, which now also played a part.

"Are you mad, Malfoy?" It was Weasley, of course. "We're all working our butts off here. By the way, to save your pathetic life too! And you just don't give a fuck?" she shrieked, and when he looked at her, she glared at him angrily.

Well, that came in handy. The frustration that had been building up inside him for days finally got its proper outlet. Draco leaned forward and looked Weasley straight in the face.

"And how are you going to save my pathetic life, Weasley? You have absolutely no idea how pathetic you are if you really think you can do something about Umbridge," he growled angrily.

What did she know? She had absolutely no idea and was also pregnant with a child that Umbridge would sort out without batting an eyelid. The spawn of a blood traitor. Weasley wouldn't even stand a chance.

Her face was now the same color as her hair.

"Then why don't you bugger off and leave us alone, Malfoy? That would save us some worries." Draco clutched his wand. "You're just pissed off because it's the first time you're experiencing what it's like to have someone who cares about you. It totally confuses you because Mommy and Daddy never did that, am I right?"