[Wattys '13 FINALIST] How Can I Love You When I Hate You So Much? (Draco Malfoy)

How Can I Love You When I Hate You So Much? (Draco Malfoy) Chapter 27

Chapter 27 If I keep running like this, I swear I'll bust a capillary.

I walked into the Great Hall quickly that morning, searching the Gryffindor table for Harry, Ron, anyone really. I had a vision the night before, and I knew Harry had as well. They were still trying to extract something from the Ministry, and they were becoming more persistent. I spotted a mop of red hair and ran toward it, slightly disappointed when it was George. He smiled broadly at me when I reached him.

"Oi, Jez. You're looking well this morning. If you are looking for Fred-" he started, but I cut him off.

"Do you know where the Golden Trio have shone off too? I need to talk to one and/or all of them ASAPronto."

"Asa-what? They've gone out in the courtyard. Is everything all right?" George replied, his eyebrow raised slightly.

"Fine, Georgie. See ya!" I started running toward the courtyard but was stopped suddenly when I slammed into a billowing black wall. I fell onto the stone floor with a thud, my long blue hair curtaining my face. I peered through to see a set of black eyes peering down a long crooked nose at me.

"Ms. Hawthorne. A word in my office. Now." Snape said coldly.

"Raincheck, Sevvy." I stood quickly and walked in the opposite direction, circling the Slytherin Table before I could lock eyes will anyone, especially those stormy gray ones. I could not handle any of this drama today. There was just too much going on to think about family, classes or even Draco.

I wasn't sure why, but I had an impedning sense of foreboding all week. Like something bad was going to happen, and soon. It was like a tick, sucking at my insides. i didn't feel...right. I didn't feel like myself. It was like something dark was looming over me somewhere outside my line of vision, and whenever I tried to turn to it, it disappeared. Like those annoying little eye floaters that you can never look directly at, but somehow less annoying.

I spotted Harry, Ron and Hermoine huddled in a corner, whispering to each other. I barreled toward them, disregarding everything in my path. I am pretty sure I trampled a Hufflepuff first year to mush on the way, but I wasn't listening. It was either "You've killed him!" or "Ukuleles!" Either way, I skid to halt just short of smacking into Harry and smiled broadly.

"Morning, Gryffindors. Lovely morning for a chat in the courtyard, isn't it? Can I talk to you all for a moment?" I said quickly. Hermoine was eying me with that cold stare she hadn't really dropped since she found out about detentions with Umbridge.

"Jez. How's detention?" She said coldly.

"Peachy as always, Granger. But can we talk about something else? I would really like to talk about  Rookwood and Harry's 'special' lessons, if you get me?" Hermoine's mouth popped into an O, Ron look bewildered, and Harry just looked worried. I grabbed Harry's forearm and pulled him behind me until we reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I locked and barred the door before turning to face the three of them.

"Look, before any of you say anything, I need you to know that I cannot go into detail about anything. All I know is that I feel like something really bad it about to happen and if we don't do something soon it is going to be too late and we need to figure out what the hell HE is looking for and find it before he does because no matter what it is it has to be important, otherwise he wouldn't want it so bad and I don't know why, but I feel like we don't have much time but I have no idea what we should be looking for even though I have been searching harder and harder for days and days and I have come up with nothing and-" Hermoine slapped me across the face.

"Jez! Stop. Talking." She said in her huffy Hermoine voice. Harry and Ron were looking back and forth between Hermoine and I like they were expecting claws and flying fur. "Now, first of all. How did you know Harry had a dream about You-Know_Who last night?"

"I'm a Seer, Moine. I...well...see things." I said almost sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to Harry. "Well, as I was going to tell you before we were so rudely...interrupted. I think you should BOTH forget about the dream and Harry should focus on his Occlumency." Harry looked aghast at Hermione for a moment, then to me for a fleeting second before muttering "Whatever..." and turning toward the door. I waved my hand, letting them leave. It was useless. How was I supposed to help Harry defeat Voldemort if none of them wanted to listen to me.

At supper, I sat with Denae and Liza, ruefully avoiding Draco at the moment, but I was unsure why. I mean, he hadn't done anything to piss me off recently, but I just couldn't handle the added stress. Liza barrelled on mindlessly, telling some story about some boy from Hufflepuff that tried to ask her out and blah blahblah blah blah. I really could care less. But, her ignorant droning helped as background noise while I tried to think. How can I help Harry, without making it OBVIOUS I was helping him. I looked toward his usal spot at the Gryffindor table and noticed he was already gone.

The idea shot into my head suddenly, and I couldn't believe I had not thought of it before. Occlumency. Of course! I stood so quickly I almost tumbled a carafe of pumpkin juice, causing the entire section of the table to jump.

"I am a blithering idiot!" I said loudly before rushing toward the door. I heard a few muttered "That's an understatement." and "At least she admits it." before the large doors thunked behind me.

My green converse squeaked on the floor as I rushed to the Potions classroom. I heard muffled voices inside as I reached the door, and knew Snape and Harry were practicing. I opened the door, and they both turned to me.

"Severus, I would like to volunteer to take over Harry's lessons."