Mudblood & Me | Completed

Chapter 17 - I can handle it myself

A week later

Draco's POV

I sat on my bed, in the dormitory, letting the darkness envelope me. It felt like that was all I had left, darkness, nothing but darkness. Hermione had left Hogwarts, taking Willow, Ron, Harry and Ginny with her, they had gone into hiding and I had no idea where they were or if they were safe, I hadn't heard from Hermione since she left. The last memory with her were those kisses we had on the banks of the lake. I did miss her but I knew this way was safer. And all I wanted, needed, was for her to be safe, otherwise this would all have been for nothing. Dumbledore had died that night and Voldemort had been pleased with me, he said I had great prospects with him. I could still remember that night, like it was etched in my brain. I closed my eyes and let the memory come back to me.

Flashback

I stood on the banks for a while after Hermione had gone, before finally pulling myself together and walking up to the school. I was barely through the door when Snape appeared, he looked like a mix of emotions and I couldn't quite place them.

"Let me do it, Draco, it will be better that way." He said, quietly.

"Of course you know, you always know." Was all that I said in response, I tried to walk past him but he blocked my path. "No, I can handle it myself, stick to teaching potions." I said, I even surprised myself with the way I spoke to him, a professor, a superior. But he didn't call me out about it, he just let me past. I carried on walking with no idea where I was actually going, I stopped short when I realised I was heading towards the painting of the Fat Lady. They would be gone by now, but then the portrait swung open and my instinct was to hide. I went down the stairs and to the side, so I was hidden from sight but still able to watch. The bushy brown hair coming through the painting I immediately recognised and using all my willpower I stayed hidden, she was there, her clutch bag over her shoulder and cradling Willow, Ron followed her out, then Ginny and then Harry. They all looked calm as though they had accepted that this had to happen. Ginny was the only one to turn around and before I could duck away, she spotted me. She whispered something in Harry's ear and walked over. "Ginny." I said, stepping away from the wall.

"Draco, what would you be doing hiding behind a wall, on a lovely day such as this?" She said, in a tone I couldn't quite place. I always knew Ginny was clever and fierce from what I had heard about her, though I had never really interacted with her myself. 

"I was walking and I didn't want Hermione to see me." I explained, smoothly. It wasn't completely a lie, but lying was second nature for me so even if it had been, Ginny would never have been able to tell.

"You keep telling yourself that," She said, a smirk on her face. "You know, you could say goodbye if you want. The look on my brother's face, would bring me enough happiness to last for weeks." I couldn't help the smile that escaped, even though I didn't want it to.

"I better not, we already said goodbye and it was perfect." I said, I looked away, trying to hide the emotion I was feeling. 

"We'll look after her, you know. She'll be safe with us, you don't have to worry. You're the one you should be worried about, you're the one who needs the most protection here. Be careful for her, I'm sure she'll want you back alive." She said, with a little laugh. 

"I know, I'll be fine." I said, turning back to look at her, now my emotions were controlled. Her eyes were sincere and caring. She surprised me by stepping up to me and wrapping me in a warm hug. She pulled away after a couple seconds.

"Stay safe, Draco." She said as she walked away, I watched as she walked round the corner to where the others waited. I turned and walked away, heading to Dumbledore's Office. When I reached the ugly stone gargoyle that was the entrance to his office, I paused, thinking about what I had to do and what it would mean. Suddenly, the gargoyle moved and Dumbledore was there, he saw me immediately and walked right up to me.

"Draco, I know why you're here, I'm no old fool." He said, it was hard not to run from what I had to do and I was considering running from him, when he said. "Walk with me, Draco." I did as he said and followed him as we walked around the school, I stayed silent while he chatted endlessly about the most mundane of things, maybe he was just saying everything he had ever thought about before he ran out of time. We stopped when we reached the top of the astronomy tower. "I think this makes for the most drama, don't you? And I want a bit of that in death." He said. We had spent so long walking, the sky had now fallen dark and the stars were starting to come out. "Draco, don't take too long. In my old age, I don't have much patience." I steeled myself, I could do this, I had to do this. I pulled out my wand getting ready to do it and then the door opened. 

"Draco, don't do it. I'll do it for you, but you can say it was you." Snape said, his eyes flicking between me and Dumbledore. "You don't need to do this." Dumbledore didn't even seem surprised to see Snape there, and then I realised of course Snape was a double agent. But still I couldn't fail on this one thing that I had been asked to do, I wouldn't fail now.

"No." I said. "I was told to do this. I can do this." Dumbledore had a strange look on his face.

"Draco, do it now, I don't like to be left in suspense." Dumbledore said, and even facing imminent death, he had a twinkle in his eye. 

There was a flash of green light and he fell backwards, just missing the edge of the tower so landing on the floor, so he had not got the drama he had wanted in death.