Who Will Stop the Rain

The Fugitive

A loud bang and a protracted groan startled Hermione from her slumber. Instinctively she jumped to her feet, wand drawn, then immediately lowered it when she saw Draco lying sprawled in a heap on the floor by the foot of the bed.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," she cried out in exasperation, helping him into a sitting position. She patted him down, looking for injuries, "Where have you hurt yourself this time?"

His face was screwed up in pain, but he shook his head.

"I'm fine," he assured her. Hermione let out a long sigh of relief and sat back on her haunches.

"I can't even shut my eyes for a minute without you trying to kill yourself!" she chided. Draco let out a short, sharp laugh.

"I didn't realise you cared so much, Granger," he grimaced, wiping sweat off of his brow with his sleeve. Hermione frowned and blushed, avoiding his gaze.

"Against my better judgement, perhaps," she admitted. Her eyes fell to the paper scrunched up in his hand, "What's that?"

Draco held it out for her to look at and she gasped. It was a photograph of Scorpius in a deep, dark well - just like the one she had seen of Adrian Nott. The water was just below the boy's chin now. They were running out of time. She looked at Draco, wide-eyed with alarm.

"You completed another trial? Where did you go?" she asked. Draco frowned at her.

"How do you know about that?" he asked suspiciously.

"Your letter," she explained. "I found it earlier and read it while you were unconscious. Don't worry, I haven't given it to Harry or Ron."

"Oh," Draco's shoulders sagged. He'd forgotten about writing the letter. "Well yes, I've completed the third trial. And I found Theo."

Hermione's eyes widened with shock, "You did?"

Draco nodded, struggling to get back to his feet. Hermione took a firm grip of his hand and helped him stand.

"He's in Azkaban," he explained. Preempting Hermione's next question, he added, "He's dead."

Hermione looked crestfallen, "If I'm honest, I'm not surprised. But I was holding out hope, at least for Pansy's sake."

"It's too late for him now," he muttered, hobbling over to the writing desk. He sunk into the chair and dragged the enchanted parchment towards him. He scribbled a short note, It's done. What now?

"That's how you've been communicating with the killer, then? With a Protean charm?" asked Hermione, leaning over his shoulder to look at the parchment. Draco gave a curt nod but said nothing, waiting for the killer to reply. It took longer for them to reply this time, but soon enough another message appeared...

Are you prepared to give your life to save your son's?

Hermione made a strangled noise behind him and covered her mouth in shock. Without hesitation, Draco replied, I am.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?" asked Hermione desperately.

"Trying to save my son," he replied stiffly, avoiding her gaze. A new message began to appear on the parchment:

We shall see about that. Inside the Augury figurine, I have enclosed the address of where you shall face the final trial of your life. At last, we shall see if you really are willing to give up everything to save Scorpius.

"Give your life..." Hermione read in a shaky voice. "You can't really be considering this."

"Do you have a better suggestion?" he spat. Hermione didn't answer. Draco sniffed, "Thought not."