Lost Along the Way (Dramione)

Chapter 7

HERMIONE'S P.O.V.

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Sadly, I looked around at the ruins of what was left of Ollivander's wand shop. I thought back to my visit here, feeling the wand that was in my pocket. It was by far my most prized possession...and I wondered what had become of the kind man who had given it to me.

Ron's voice broke through my thoughts, and what he said nearly made my heart stop beating. "Is it just me, or do Draco and mummy look like two people who don't want to be followed?"

I turned around quickly and looked out the window.

Draco Malfoy had grown a fair few inches over the summer and was as attractive as ever. It had been almost 3 months since I had seen him, and I got a really funny feeling inside of me. Vacation had only made me like him more than I had when he first kissed me.

And right in that moment, I realized something; I realized that I was in love with him and that I couldn't live without him and needed him in my life...even if we only had been a couple for 3 months; I spent most of my 5th year getting to know him, and he was honestly unlike anyone else who was a part of my life.

But I didn't stay stuck in my day dreams for very long, because Ron had a point. Looking at Draco, I could tell he looked worried about something. He also looked a lot more pale than I remembered, and like he had lost several days of sleep.

After the group started walking down an alley, Harry immediately walked out of the shop and started after them. Ron and I followed.

I could tell that we were in Knockturn Alley, which wasn't at all a good place to be seen, especially not during times like these.

We followed Draco from a safe distance for a while, until they turned into a store that I had never seen before. Instead of following them inside, Harry turned and walked around behind a small building right across the street.

"Here," he whispered to us, "give me a lift up."

As Ron and I helped Harry up into the roof, I considered what we were doing. I didn't like the fact that we were spying in Draco; I'm sure that he would tell me about it at school anyways. But there was no way Harry and Ron would've believed me if I said that, so I said nothing at all.

After Harry was up and climbing towards the top of the roof, Ron gave me a boost. I climbed after Harry, as Ron struggled from behind me to get himself up onto the building.

When I reached the top, I looked into the window of the store that Draco was in. What I saw confused me. Draco was walking around some sort of cabinet, examining it carefully. My forehead wrinkled, and I looked at the other people who were with him. My mouth dropped slightly.

Every single one of them was a follower of Voldemort...deatheaters.

I looked at Draco again, horrified. Then I caught something, though I couldn't tell what. I squinted, trying to concentrate more on what it was. The sleeve on Draco's left arm had slid down very slightly, while he had been looking at the cabinet. Not far bellow his wrist, I saw a tattoo of some sort, but I could only see the very bottom of it and had no idea what it was.

Then my eyes went wide with horror as I realized what was going on.

From behind me, Ron was just now reaching the top of the roof. Right in that moment however, Greyback Fenrir, the deatheater all over the town Wanted posters, stepped right in front of the window.

The three of us ducked quickly. When we looked back up again, the shades on the windows had been closed.

But I had seen enough; I felt like I had to hold myself together to keep from falling apart.

•••

I had told Harry and Ron to go on without me and that I would catch up. They argued for quite some time before finally giving in and heading back to Fred and George's shop.

I waited.

After a little while, I heard footsteps coming up the alleyway we had just come back from. A group of the most wanted deatheaters that I knew of came into view. My heart picked up its pace, as I backed up cautiously, deeper into the shadows.

Coming up in the rear were Draco and his mother. She mumbled something to him, gave him some money, and caught up with the rest of the group.

Draco stood there for a moment. I forced myself to stay hidden until I finally saw the deatheaters disappear from view.

I clutched my wand tighter in my hand. I knew what to do, but I didn't know if I was strong enough to look the person that I loved in the eyes and just....

I took a shaky breath and stepped into the road.

"Draco," I said, with no emotion in my voice.

His went stiff as a statue, slowly turning, and realizing that it was, indeed, who he had feared it would be.