Take my Hand You Bloody Idiot - Drarry

Chapter 15

Hermione's POV.

I take Harry's hand and drag him down the hall towards the two stone gargoyles blocking the way to Headmaster McGonagall's office.

Apparently she wants to talk to all of us about something important, but Ron refused to be in a room with us "lying scum," so here we are, me, Harry, and Ron with duct tape over his mouth.

"Um.. Caldron Cakes!" Harry shouts.

"Candy floss!" I try.

"Chocolate frogs?! Bernie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? Fizzing Whizzbees?!Sherbet Lemons?" Harry goes down the list.

"What are you doing," Malfoy asks from right behind me, startling us.

"Trying to get into the office to speak with McGonagall," I tell him.

"Does it have anything to do with the duct- taped Weasley you're holding?"

Harry throws him a small grin before replying,
"He refused to come otherwise."

Malfoy only nods and says,

"Maybe try some things McGonagall likes.. rather than candy."

Oh, right. It's not Dumbledore anymore so the password would have changed.

"Cats," I ask hopefully.

The gargoyles stay in place.

"Yarn?" Harry tries.

Not a budge.

"Needle work! Um.. Quidditch? The Montrose Magpies?!" Malfoy says questioningly.

The stone gargoyles leap apart, revealing the slowly spinning, circular staircase behind.

"Would've never thought that'd work," Malfoy laughs.

I give him a small smile and look to Harry to help me cart Ron up, only to see him already halfway to the office door.

Malfoy looks at me in question and I gesture to Ron who I am holding in place using my wand.

"Ah," he nods.

With the help of Malfoy, I guide Ron up the spiraling staircase to the office of McGonagall, which Harry has already gone inside of.

Malfoy turns to leave before I ask,
"You are coming, aren't you?"

He looks at me strangely.

"Was that an invitation, Granger?"

"Well I assumed you were walking down this hallway for a reason. Not many classes on the third floor."

He nods and follows me inside after I knock, but receive no response.

When we enter, Harry has a grief stricken look on his face. His eyes dart between mine and Malfoy's.

"Harry what's wrong?" I ask.

"Vo- Voldemort. He's not dead."

~△⃒⃘~

Harry's POV.

I walk quickly into McGonagall's office, not noticing the others aren't right behind me.

I've had a bad feeling about this confrontation since I heard we were needed as soon as possible.
When I get inside the office and see McGonagall's usual mask of serenity broken, I know my bad feeling unfortunately means something.

"Mr. Potter, thank you for coming so speedily. Though I meant to speak with both you and your friends, this might be a message best delivered to you personally first."

I move to sit in front of her desk, where she has magiced a chair for me to sit.

After I give her a look of question, she speaks again.

"Mr. Potter, some highly classified information has reached us regarding a rather delicate issue."

I raise an eyebrow at her nervous attitude.

"We fear.. I was speaking to Ms. Granger and.. Voldemort is seemingly... back from the dead."

My eyes widen, my heart is racing suddenly, and my palms are dripping with sweat. What is she talking about?

Voldemort can't be alive. I mean I.. saw him die.. I..

Just one look at McGonagall's face tells me that, as much as it doesn't make sense, it's true.

The door opens and Hermione and Draco are standing there holding Ron up by magic.

I don't know how to break the news, so I cut right to the point.

"Vo- Vo- Voldemort. He's not dead"

~△⃒⃘~

Hermione's POV.

"Not dead? What'do you mean he's not dead, Harry?" I hear myself ask.

"Ms. Granger, why don't you, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Malfoy all have a seat."

"Why don't you tell me what's going on! Um.. sorry, Headmistress." I try to mend the slightly rude demand.

"Ms. Granger.. if you care to remember, just two days ago you came into my office and... mentioned that Mr. Malfoy here still has a fully intact Dark Mark."

Malfoy raises his eyebrows in surprise, fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe.

"Well.. after careful evaluation and much speculation, we have learned that  the dark mark fades once Voldemort dies."

Harry's face pales.

"We weren't sure that it was true, until.." she clears her throat, "It seems that Lucius Malfoy, among other known death eaters, has escaped from Azkaban. And we don't know where they are."

All colour drains from Malfoy's face.

"Yo- you mean my father is out, in the world? Freely?!" Malfoy stutters.

"Please stay calm, Mr. Malfoy.. he is the least of our worries," McGonagall points out.

"Perhaps he's not worrisome to you! But if my father is free, if Vol-.. if the Dark Lord really is back, I may be in the same situation as last year!"

Harry walks over and puts a hand on Malfoy's arm to calm him. For some strange reason it seems to work and he leans into the touch.

"It'll be fine," Harry soothes, "You won't be forced to do his work, we'll keep you, and your mother safe."

Malfoy looks around the room with sad, scared eyes and then finally looks back at Harry.

"When you have the mark, you don't have much of a choice."

~△⃒⃘~