Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 75

A/N
Sorry I've been absent guys, I've just really not been in the mood to write and I've been so busy, you have no idea. My updates will be getting much less regular this year for various reasons, as I have a lot going on in terms of school. Please bear with me, they will be coming! Thank you!

Plans to continue the Horcrux hunt are much underway. All we know is that we have a fake locket, a locket that can't get us anywhere unless we find out the real meaning behind R.A.B. However, the walls of Grimmauld Place are confining, and extremely at that, and I can see the camp withering away. Kreacher is still as horrible to us as ever, which is nothing new, and not taken to heart. We have very much learned to get on with it.

Once again, I find myself pondering over the locket as I sit up and shake the sleepy thoughts out of my mind, and any random, frantic ones which float around my waking moments are also banished. I see Hermione and Ron lying upon the floor, their hands almost interlocked, which causes a spark of the most joyous elation to ignite inside me, but also causes me to feel more alone than ever, here without him, most certainly after Harry informed me of the happenings he saw. Harry. Where is he? I look around me from the sofa on which I slept last night, but Harry is not opposite me, I find, upon inspection.

'Harry?' I shout, causing both Ron and Hermione to start awake all of a sudden, and take in my worried countenance with wide eyes. 'Wuzzamatter?' Ron yawns, whilst Hermione sits up, blushing from seeing where her hand lies presently, and looks around, most anxiously. 'It's Harry. He isn't here.' I panic, moving towards the door of the room; the idea of Harry going walk-about is impalpable. I hear the footsteps of Ron and Hermione behind me as I begin to climb the stairs and dive into the first corridor, to the shouts and screams of Mrs Black.

After about ten minutes, when I think that my body will be unable to take another inkling of panic, I hear Hermione shout, 'I've found him!' At the shout, I bolt upstairs, to find the two standing in a room, Harry clutching a crumpled piece of paper, whilst my exhale echoes around the room. 'Harry!' I say, vigilantly, although I am relieved, and a shout from Ron can be heard, even when he is no where to be seen, although I note the floorboards creaking and squeaking, causing me to look up with a twinge of apprehension. 'Did you make all this mess?'
'No, it was here before me.' Harry replies to Hermiome, glancing the room in a comforted way.

Upon the way out, Harry is looking around inquisitively, and I note his eyes fall upon a door at the top of the stairs, blocking my path down. 'Harry?' I place a hand on his shoulder, but he doesn't move. 'Hermione? Come back up here.'
'Harry, what is it?' Hermiome is now also standing at the top of the stairs.
'R.A.B. I think I've found him.' The exclaims and gasps that exult from me and Hermiome clearly demonstrate the surprise the both of us feel at this proclamation.

Hurriedly does planning begin most promptly after we find Harry has made this discovery. After running down the stairs and into the kitchen, and now knowing who R.A.B is, pondering on how we may get to the real locket, is it that we become aware of a slight scuffling of which we had not previously noticed. Kreacher. Slowly, Harry edges towards the cupboard door, Hermione, Ron and I hot on his heels. The door is flown open, and Kreacher grabbed by the scruff of his neck and dropped on the table.

'Remember, Harry. Kindness.' I whisper in Harry's ear, giving a furtive glance to Hermione. And so the interrogation begins. 'Do you know what this locket is?' Harry demands.
'That's master Regulus's locket.' Kreacher replies in a croaky voice.
'But there was another one. Where is it?'
'It was stolen.'
'Stolen? Who stole it?'
'A thief. He came in the night. He took many things, including the locket.' I exchange looks with my best friends.
'Who was the thief, Kreacher?'
'Mundungus Fletcher.'

Harry looks at me, and approaches Kreacher. 'Kreacher? I want you to have this.' Harry holds out to the fake locket, and Kreacher looks up at him in disbelief. I feel a smile pass over my features, and a one passes over Hermione's, too. 'Take it, Kreacher. When you feel up to it, please find us Mundungus Fletcher.' Harry hands the locket to the elf gently. All of a sudden, Kreacher is in tears. 'Thank you master! Oh thank you!' I give Harry a big smile, assuring him that he did the right thing.

-*-

It took Kreacher hours to stop crying. When he finally did, he left to find us Mundungus. We are now waiting. 'You did a good thing, Harry.' I say, smiling. He gives me a nod back, clearly deeply stressed. I stand and exit the room, its horrid environment. Trekking up the stairs, I find myself in the room Harry and Ron usually stay in, with the portrait on the wall, Phineas sliding into his picture at the sound of the door opening, still blindfolded, for I had to magically blindfold him as of a while ago.

'Back again?'
'I was just wondering -'
'No, he still isn't here. Why do you care so much, anyways?'
'Please, sir. I just want to know he's safe. He's a . . . good friend and relative.'
'Well, I would hardly know, would I? His father sometimes visits Snape but he doesn't talk much. He only ever mentions Draco briefly.'
'What does he say?'
'The usual; he's not coping with it well, he shuts himself up more than usual, he rarely speaks, some other things that I cannot share.'
'Please, sir, I'm begging you share them.' I say, tears in my eyes. 'Please.'
'I cannot.'

'If it's about Voldemort using him for -'
'You dare to use his name!'
'I do. There is no reason to be afraid of such a thing.'
'How - how do you know about -'
'Word gets around.'
'Well, he does touch on it, yes. There is often a sadness there. The Malfoys, ha! Cowards! Such a misfortune I am related to them.'
'But -' A sound of footsteps.
'- Where are you?' Hermione shouts, most luckily is my name lost in the depths of the house. 'I suppose I am saved by the bell.' The blindfolded figure darts from the frame, despite my protests. The shouting gets louder, and so I exit the room.

'What were you doing?' Hermione asks.
'Reminiscing.' I shrug in reply.
'Come on, we've got him.' At this news, I rush down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Mundungus being interrogated by the boys. Even though I feel deep loathing for him, I let the boys do most of the talking, for all I can think about is my conversation with Phineas. 'Bleeding give it away, didn't I? There I was, when this Ministry woman comes up and asks to see my licence. Said she were gonna lock me up, if she hadn't taken a fancy to that locket.'
'Who was she?'
'I don't - well, that's her right there. Look! Pink boa and all.'

Exchanged looks. Umbridge. The next thing that is debated is how will we ever get into the Ministry with such high levels of security there, and being as wanted as we are? We see one option and one option only to get in. Polyjuice potion.