𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 | 𝐝.𝐦.

twenty six

"Draw out the map of Malfoy Manor for me, Draco?"

Outside, the sky is storming, blustery drops of rain shower ensuing its effects on the cloudy lake protected by the closed window.

Draco flinches faintly beneath Betty, pushes himself up on his elbows to get a look at the girl laying on him, hair spilling over his chest.

They have been idling in silence, Betty engrossed in her own swarm of worries running through her head stilly; Draco, too, perturbed by his own thoughts, but still trailing his finger along Betty's palm in a circular motion repeatedly.

"Why the sudden request?" Draco asks pitifully.

Taking a long, betraying breath, Betty replies simply, "I just need a backup plan."

"Getting Dumbledore alone doesn't come easy, does it?"

She leans away from his physique, sits up to give him a glare. "No, it doesn't," she admits reluctantly, "Dumbledore's barely letting people see him - I suspect something's going on with his health. You don't have anything to do with it, do you?"

Draco shakes his head, soothes the unruly hair falling over her brows. "Not that I know of, no."

She gives him a wary eyebrow raise at his contemptible, unpretentious answer.

"So, what's your plan now?" he questions.

Betty shrugs. "The same," she says plainly, though she doubts she'll be able to make it through her shoddy ploy. So far, none of the measures have been going her way - she is either interrupted or unable to catch the right timing. "If I get a chance to speak with Dumbledore, that is."

"I have to ask, what makes you believe Dumbledore'll be able to help you?" he asks again, "Or even want to help you?"

"He's helped plenty of other wizards - protected them from Voldemort."

"Only because they were of use to the man."

She considers his words, a slight twinge in her gut because she knows he is right. What use would she be to Dumbledore? Her family and her - they were no acclaimed family, her mother was a muggleborn for god sake, and they were also once scorned because of her father's past.

"Just draw the map, Draco," she tells him with a sigh. "That's all I'm asking."

Betty rummages through the stack of newspaper, finds an empty sheet of parchment that hasn't much scrawls on it, other than the smudged ink from being sandwiched by the other papers.

"What are you thinking with this?" Draco asks hesitantly as he takes the paper from her, picks up the quill on the empty desk beside him.

She could tell that he is unwilling, doubtful about her scrappy plan, but still, he goes along with what she instructs him to do.

"I'm sneaking back into Malfoy Manor before the school term ends," she explains, happy when he snatches the piece from her, "This whole year, I've never left the boundaries of this school without permission - so I doubt that man'll ever suspect me to go back while the school term's ongoing."

"Can't be too sure, Linny."

A shadow of a forced frown forms on her face. "Don't call me that."

He grins toothily as he dips the tip of his quill into the ink bottle, begins drawing a perfect line on the parchment. "So, you've given up on Dumbledore then? You understand, now, that he's not all that great."

"He's still the only wizard Voldemort fears," she replies plainly, lying on her belly as she observes his drawing. "Why? Do you doubt my plan?"

Draco scoffs, glancing at her. "Obviously. I don't even think you have one at this juncture."