Fascination|𝐴 𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 (𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛 3, 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 1)

Chapter Twenty-Four | Titanium

Titanium, by Madilyn Bailey

   It had had been a week since Black's break in and the professors still weren't sure if he had left the castle or if he was still roaming the grounds. The students had had been advised to travel in groups and never wander the halls alone. Hermione stood at the enterance to the Gryffindor Tower, waiting to meet up with Draco before going to breakfast. A shadow passed by the window and she shuddered. Dementors had been circling the building every hour searching for Black. Hermione didn't understand how he had gotten past them twice. First when he escaped from Azkaban and a second time when he broke into the castle. There had to be about fifty along the perimeter of the castle at least, and Azkaban was their permanent residence. There had to be a thousand at least. So how did he manage to get past them?

   Hermione bit her lip in contemplation. It was very odd how he managed to escape every time. Surely he couldn't be that skilled in the ways of magic. Unless he was using dark magic. Hermione groaned. What she wanted to know or... what she couldn't figure out, was how Sirius Black got by first the dementors, then managed to slip by more than a dozen skilled witches and wizards. To this moment the professors were still searching for him and couldn't even find a trace. The only evidence were three long slashes across the fat lady's portrait. How was that even possible? Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. She did know one thing, the restrictions they were put through because of Black's unknown whereabouts were getting extremely annoying.

  Since the incident, Draco wouldn't let Hermione walk the halls alone. She knew that Black's break in had made him nervous, but he had been acting rather strange recently. It made Hermione nervous herself. Draco insisted on escorting her to classes and meals to make sure she made it safely. It was touching to know that he cared but it was a bit annoying having to wait around until he came. Not that she didn't like spending time with him, but they often had separate classes and when he walked her to her class it made him late for his. Hermione didn't want Draco to have to go out of his way to satisfy her needs. And being escorted to class wasn't really a need.

   Besides, if she had needed someone to walk with, she could just walk to class with Ginny or Harry and Ron. There was no need for Draco to take time away from his schedule. But he wouldn't allow her and Ginny to go alone, as he often had Ginny walk with them, and he didn't think Harry and Ron were cabable if defending themselves, or her, against a mass murderer. Hermione crossed her arms. It wasn't like they hadn't defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named two years in a row already. She rolled her eyes. Draco had insisted she call the "Dark Lord" that and not use his real name. She tried to convince him that fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself but Draco said that the Dark Lord was something to be feared. Hermione sighed. What hurt her the most was that he didn't think she was capable of defending herself. He told her how intelligent she was and how she was the "brightest witch of their age" but he didn't seem to believe it himself.

   Hermione checked her watch. Where was he? Draco wasn't usually this late, in fact, he was never late at all. That was one of the things Hermione loved about him. He was always so organized and precise. He didn't like anything out of place or uneven. That's why it concerned Hermione that Draco was so willing to make himself late to class just to ensure she made it to her class. Hermione bit her lip and tapped her foot anxiously. It was odd that he hadn't arrived yet. It wasn't like him. Something must be keeping him. She waited a bit longer, tapping her foot rhythmically. After fifteen more minutes Hermione sighed. She couldn't wait any longer. She had Charms soon and was going to have to skip breakfast to make it in time. Professor Flitwick didn't like to be kept waiting. Besides, if Draco came, he'd make her go to breakfast. Then she'd really be late.

   Slinging her pack over her shoulder, Hermione began to make her way down the hall. It wasn't recommended to wander the halls alone while Black was on the loose, in fact the teachers had advised against it, but Hermione had to get to her class. So, as quickly as possible, Hermione made her way to the Charms classroom. As she walked, her hair bounced and fell before her eyes. She tried to blow the bushy strands out of her face and when that failed she quickly brushed it behind one ear and quickened her pace. The halls weren't quite as bare as they would have been had she waited any longer, so Hermione assumed it was relatively safe.