I Promise - Draco Malfoy

15 - The Preparation

It's quiet for what seems like forever, everyone in this room has become tired and weary, there's little food to go around and even less entertainment, people only have a limited number of funny stories to tell. Neville had left through a portrait hold a while away and we are all waiting on his return in hope he'll bring something good.

"Hey, you okay?" Dean says, sitting down next me.

"Yeah, just thinking is all?"

"About Draco?"

"What? No, actually, just...I don't know."

He nods, "How is he, by the way?"

I shrug, "I wouldn't know, we haven't spoken, almost all year really."

"You haven't?" Dean looks slightly shocked, "You were always quiet about him but I didn't think that was why."

"Yeah, I really hope I'll see him soon though."

Dean nods.

"Yo, guys!" Seamus nudges us and points to the portrait hole.

"I bought you a surprise." Says Neville standing in the open portrait hole.

"Not more of Aberforth's cooking, I hope. It'll be a surprise if we can digest it." Seamus jokes but Neville simply smiles and steps aside revelling Harry, Ron and Hermione.

The room is filled with cheers as the trio step forward into the room, this is it now. They're back which means the real fight could start at any moment. Everyone greats the trio and excitement has truly taken over in the room. Soon, Neville pushes everyone away and urges Harry to tell us what the plan is.

"Okay, there's something we need to find, something hidden here in the castle and it may help us defeat you-know-who." Harry says.

"Right, what is it?" Neville asks.

"We don't know." Harry says simply.

"Where is it?" Dean pipes up.

"We don't know that either. I realise that's not much to go on."

"That's nothing to go on." Seamus says, I can hear the agitation in his voice.

"I think it has something to do with Ravenclaw." Harry starts again, "It'll be small, easily concealed, anyone any ideas?"

Then Luna speaks, "Well there's Rowena Ravenclaws lost diadem."

I see Ron mutter something to himself.

"The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous."

Everyone watches her silently, unsure of what to say but thankfully Cho speaks up, "Yes, but, Luna, it's lost, for centuries now, there isn't a person alive today who's seen it."

Ron then questions what a diadem is Cho informs him briefly before Ginny suddenly appears behind the crowd.

"Harry." She says.

"Hi there," Harry says back.

Seamus makes a joke once again before Ginny informs us all that Harry was spotted in Hogsmead and Snape knows. The mood in the room immediately comes down and is replaced by fear. The trio take a seat and everyone resumes with their daily business for now as Harry has to rethink his plans. I haven't spoken to any of the trio in so long and if I don't now, I'm not sure when I'll get the chance again. I head over to where they're sitting and chatting amongst themselves.

"Jasmine. I thought I saw you in the crowd." Hermione gets up to embrace in me in a hug, Ron gets up too.

"Gold," he says and hugs me briefly.

I meet Harry's eyes, he's watching me intently. "I didn't expect to see you here." He says simply.

"Harry, give her a break." Hermione snaps before he says anything he might regret.

"I came back because I want to fight, with you."

He nods, "We've been tortured you know, in the house of your lover."

I watch Hermione shift awkwardly and rub her arm.

"I'm sorry, for everything, I am. But right now, I want to fight with you, Harry."

He sits silently.

"It wasn't him." Hermione speaks.

All of eyes snap onto her.

"Draco, it wasn't him."

"Hermione, leave it." Harry says.

"No, can't you tell how worried she is. Draco didn't hurt us, Jasmine, and I'm sure you know, he's not really death eater material. He's being forced but he's didn't hurt us. He's done nothing wrong."

Harry shakes his head. "So, you want to fight with us then, yes?"

I rip my eyes away from Hermione and look back at Harry, "Yes."

"Fine"

***

For Harry's plan to work for now we have to be students, and obey Snape. I head back to my own house, dress in my Slytherin robes and head to the great hall with everyone else. Snape stands in front of us all and informs us that Harry is back and that anyone with information must come forward or face the consequences. It is silent for a few moments before Harry finally steps out from the crowd.

"It seems despite your excusive, defences strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, headmaster. And I'm afraid it's quite extensive." And there is the Order, ready for a fight. "How dare you stand where he stood, tell them how it happened that night. Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man that trusted you, and killed him. Tell them!"

Snape pulls out his wand but before anything can happen McGonagall steps forward and the whole crowd is taken a back. She shoots spells upon him but he deflects them all before vanishing through the window. Snape is gone, the room erupts in cheers.

Suddenly, there's a voice, a whisper in the air. People start to scream and then he speaks, Voldemort. He tells us to hand over Potter, that we have one hour to do so.

"What are you waiting for? Someone grab him!" Pansy says from beside me. But they don't, instead people start to step out to protect him, and I do the same. Pansy glares at me and Blaise nods and then looks away. Filtch suddenly comes running in, shouting that students are out of bed. Quickly McGonagall tells him to take the Slytherins down to the dungeons, she looks at me and nods in approval of where I stand. Then before we know it. We're all preparing for a fight.