Silver and Gold (A Dramione Fanfic)

Chapter 13

   There's hardly any sun at all, I noted, as I sat up in my bed.

   It was a pretty accurate observation, if an obvious one. The sky was gray with clouds and a fierce wind blew, dislodging the snow around my window. Just seeing it made me shiver, despite the warmth of my blankets. I sat, watching the snow a little longer before my stomach growled in hunger. Rolling my eyes, I went to the bathroom for a quick shower before pulling on some Muggle clothes and brushing my teeth. Now satisfied with my appearance, I turned away from the mirror and walked out the door and to Draco's bedroom door. I had taken to going down to breakfast with him lately, and was preparing for a fun, normal day. Just goes to show how naive I can be.

   "Draco..." I called softly, knocking on the door. I expected to hear a snore or a sleepy 'five more minutes,' but instead my knock was met by his voice, sharp and wide awake.

   "Go away, Granger." He growled. I blinked in shock.

   "Are- are you alright?" I asked with concern. We were friends, and his use of my surname rather than my first name was a bit of a shock.

   "I'm fine." He snarled, "Now go away."

   "Fine." I said, storming away. Beneath my anger was confusion and maybe even a little hurt. What had happened to cause him to act like this? Had I done something? Sighing, I pushed through the portrait hole and walked down the corridor, past the softly murmuring portraits on the wall. The castle was blissfully silent, unusual at this hour, but as it was Christmas break, the castle was mostly empty. My footsteps seemed unnaturally loud on the stone floor as I made my solitary way to the Great Hall, only stopping to speak to the occasional portrait.

   I sat at the now singular table, pouring myself a cup of coffee. The only other occupants were the teachers and a timid-looking first year who reminded me of Angus. Picking up a blueberry muffin, I sipped my coffee and opened my book, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It was a very good Muggle book, and I found myself sinking deeper into the story, until a sharp peck on my forearm brought me back to reality. I looked up to find the post owl staring insolently back at me with wide amber eyes. I placed a Knut in the satchel tied to his leg and took the paper gingerly. I opened it to the front page, and the headline immediately caught my eye.

Lucius Malfoy, Former Death Eater, Sentenced to Dementor's Kiss at Nightfall

   I dropped the paper, realization dawning like being splashed with ice-cold water. This was why Draco had been so upset! I jumped up from the table, knocking over my coffee in the process, but I made no move to clean it up. Getting to Draco was more important. I picked up Pride and Prejudice, tucked it back into my bag, and sprinted from the Hall, entirely aware of the odd stares I was getting and not caring in the slightest. Judging by the way Draco handled emotions, he could have smashed up most of his possessions, hurt himself, or both. I sprinted up the stairs, careful to jump the trick step, and hurried on. I passed those same portraits on the way there, though this time around they muttered disapprovingly rather than making conversation.

   "Mistletoe." I gasped out the password to Snape, and he swung forward with a slight nod, his black eyes boring into me.

   The common room looked clean and untouched, which meant he was in his room. The door would be locked, not to mention he would be rather angry and my for unlocking it, so I pulled out my wand and tiptoed through the room timidly. I quieted my breathing as much as I could, then stood in front of Draco's door. I pressed my ear against it, listening. No sound came from within.

   What I wouldn't give for an Extendable Ear right now, I though sadly.

   As quietly as I could, I tapped my wand on the lock, as if I could quiet it with my intent. Nevertheless, the lock's click seemed as loud as a gunshot in the silence. Before he could lock it again, I pushed the door open, ignoring his now-audible sound of protest. The curtains were drawn, so I couldn't see properly. I lit my wand, moving it around in a sweeping motion. The room was utterly destroyed, even more so than the last time I had come in to see the result of one of his tantrums. Glass, parchment, wood, cloth, and an assortment of rubbish coated the floor, and I couldn't even see the white of the carpet. In the middle of this was a shredded Daily Prophet, the words 'Dementor' and 'Malfoy' visible. Sadly, the room's devastation was nothing compared to the look on Draco's face. It was contorted with pain and rage, tear tracks glittering in the light of my wand. My eyes, wide as they were already, widened further, which I'm sure would have looked comical. I directed my wand at the curtains, flinging them open.