The Dark Prophecy

The Midnight Corridor

***

"Want to sneak out tonight?"

Draco looked up from his transfiguration homework, a smile forming at his face as he looked over at Harry, who had abandoned his work by now, and was feeling especially bored. Ron, too, glanced up, beaming, and hastily made to put away his quill and parchment.

"Not now, you idiot," Harry said, getting up from his seat in a comfortable armchair in the Slytherin common room, stretching his arms out, then flopping down on the sofa next to Ron, while Draco was stretched across the floor.

"Oh, right," Ron agreed, settling back down into his seat, trying to act like he knew, "When then?"

"How about midnight," Draco suggested, "Prefects are done patrolling by then, and Filch usually finishes cleaning before then."

"Perfect," Harry grinned, and absentmindedly started to twirl his wand in his hands, sparks flying out every now and then.

"Right, then," Draco said, closing his book and getting up, grabbing his bag and slipping it inside, then throwing it other his shoulder, "I'm going to go send my mother a letter at the owlery. Anyone coming?"

"Nah, got to finish this Transfirguation homework or McGonagall will skin me," Ron said, burying himself in his work once more, furrowing his brows at the text.

"And I don't feel like it," Harry said, "Tell Narcissa I said hi."

Nodding, Draco left the common room, and not long after he had departed a girl's voice said, "Excuse me." Both Harry and Ron looked up. It was Hermione, standing in front of their sofa, folding her arms, and brushed her bushy brown hair out of her eyes. "I couldn't help hearing what you were all saying--"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. 

"--and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Slytherin if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." 

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry coolly.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Hermione stormed off, and, hours later, the three of them, all in dark cloaks, tiptoed out of their dorm, careful not to wake Blaise Zabini or Theodore Nott, both of which were rather light sleepers.

Slowly they crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Slytherin common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the dark armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the blank stretch of wall where the exit appeared, when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pair of pink pajamas, hair in a silk bonnet, and a frown. 

"You!" said Ron furiously. 

"Granger, go back to bed!" Draco joined in.

"I almost told the prefects" Hermione snapped, "they'd put a stop to this." 

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering as he and his friends stalked past her, hissing, "Piss off, Granger."

They pushed open the door, and quietly moved through it. Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through it, hissing at them like an angry goose. "Don't you care about Slytherin? Do you only care about yourselves? I don't want Gryffindor to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells." 

"Go away." 

"No! I'm going to go tell Professor Snape!"

"No, you're not" Draco said quickly, snatching her arm and pulling her with them.