Love is a Dagger to Destroy: A Dramione Story

Chapter Twelve

Malfoy's POV

I picked Hermione up carefully. I didn't want her to be in any more pain than she was already in. 

The door behind me opened and I turned, ready to fight whoever it was. I sighed in relief when Beatrix stepped into the house. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Hermione.

"Is she okay?" she asked anxiously, obviously guilty for whatever damage she had done to Hermione. 

"She'll be fine," I assured her, not really knowing if I was telling a lie or the truth. 

The door opened again and Beatrix quickly moved behind me as I awkwardly raised my wand. Thankfully it was only Potter, the Weasley siblings, Lovegood and my friends. 

All of their wands were raised when they saw Beatrix behind me. "You," Ron snarled angrily. 

"You're supposed to be dead," Harry said in the same way. 

I carefully set Hermione down and stepped in front of Beatrix. "Relax. This is Beatrix Lestrange. The daughter of Bellatrix and Voldemort."

That obviously wasn't comforting to any of them. "What are you doing, letting a girl like her run around free?" Pansy said to me with a glare.

I felt a hot surge of anger. "We can't judge someone just because of who their parents are. Albus Dumbledore's dad attacked three muggles, but that doesn't mean Albus was a Muggle hater. In fact he was quite the opposite. Beatrix has never even left this house. She's been abused, neglected, and forced to do things she didn't want to do. This is really how you're going to treat her?"

I glared at all of them. One by one they put their wands down, looking ashamed of themselves. Satisfied that none of them were going to hurt Beatrix, I turned my attention to Hermione. 

"What happened to the my parents and everybody else?" I asked while examining Hermione.

"All stunned or suffering from some curse or other. They're not going anywhere for awhile," Potter answered. 

"Good. Everyone find a quill, ink, some parchment, and an owl. We need to send a message to the Ministry. Make it quick."

Everyone ran off in different directions. Only Potter, the boy Weasley, and Beatrix stayed. Potter and Weasley knelt down beside me.

"Is she okay?" Weasley asked anxiously. I could see that he still loved her, and for some reason that made me angry. 

"She's fine," I snapped back. Weasley looked at me in surprise but I kept my gaze focused on Hermione. 

"Ron, Beatrix, could you give us a moment?" Potter asked. They both nodded and left to join the search. 

"Malfoy."

I looked up at Potter to see him staring at me, an odd expression on his face. "What?" I asked him, more politely than I'd talked to Weasley, but still rude.

"You have to tell Ron what's going on between you and Hermione. He deserves to know."

"He deserves nothing from Hermione after what he put her through. You weren't there, Potter, you didn't see how broken she was when she found out Weasley had been cheating on her. She was devastated. She felt like she couldn't even talk to you or the other Weasley for fear that you would take his side. That isn't friendship, Potter. Honestly, none of you deserve to know anything about Hermione anymore."

I went back to helping Hermione and after a moment, Potter got to his feet and left. I sat back on my feet and sighed. I didn't know where that outburst had come from, but it felt good to let it out. I only wished I'd done it sooner. 

***
An hour later, the manor where I had grown up was crawling with Ministry officials. Pansy and Zabini stood guard over my parents and their followers while Potter and I told the officials everything that had taken place in the last few hours, with one of the others occasionally chiming in.

The sun was coming up by the time we finished with our story. They asked a few clarifying questions, then went to take my parents in custody. Normally, no one would have believed the story we told, but since the two of the "Golden Trio" could corroborate the story (Hermione was still unconscious and being examined by Healers), they acted right away.

Finally, one of the officials allowed us to return to Hogwarts. "Professor McGonagall has been informed of the situation," he told us before we left. "Miss Granger will be taken to St. Mungos for a check up then relocated to the hospital wing at Hogwarts per Mr Potter's request."

We all thanked him and prepared to Apparate. The Weasley girl and Lovegood still couldn't Apparate right so the Weasley boy and Potter took them by Side-Along-Apparition. 

We were met in Hogsmeade by McGonagall, who obviously couldn't decide if she should be angry with us, or thankful that we were okay. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line, indicating she was angry, but she also looked slightly relieved. 

"I have decided that in light of recent events, all of you are excused from lessons until after Christmas break," she finally said before walking back towards the school. We followed. 

McGonagall led us into the entrance hall before stopping. "Potter, Mr Weasley, Malfoy go wait for me in my office. I need to give a few announcements to the rest of the students. The rest of you may go to your dorms."

We split up. I walked in silence with Potter and Weasley. We stopped just outside of the Headmistress' office. "Sugar Quills," I said. The gargoyle leaped aside and revealed a staircase. None of us spoke as we climbed the stairs and entered the office. 

Potter sank into the only chair in front of the desk and put his head in his hands. Weasley leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. I just stood there. 

I wanted to say something to them. I wanted to thank them for help with getting Hermione, but it seemed like my mouth was no longer working. I so tired, it wouldn't even matter if I could speak. I wouldn't want to.

Thankfully, McGonagall walked in before it became too awkward. She sat down behind the desk and sighed. "I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do with you three."

We all just looked at her. 

"You all have broken at least twenty school rules. Lying to me, breaking curfew, and putting all of your lives in danger. That's just the tip of the iceberg."

I opened my mouth to defend myself but what was I supposed to say?

"We had to," Potter said. "If we told you or the Ministry Hermione would have disappeared. We had to save her. We didn't have a choice."

McGonagall nodded. I yawned and Weasley and Potter copied me. McGonagall smiled slightly. "I can see you're all tired. Go get some rest. We'll take later and when we do, I want to know everything."

We agreed quickly, willing to do anything to get some rest. 

Weasley darted away as soon as we left the office. I walked side by side with Potter back to the entrance hall.

"Malfoy-" Potter began but I cut him off. 

"I'll talk to Weasley later. I promise, but I think Hermione should be there when I do."

"That wasn't what I was going to say," Potter said with a slight smile. "We can talk later though. I'm sure we're all tired."

Seeing as we'd been up for twenty four hours straight, I was sure we were. 

"Good night Malfoy," Potter said.

"'Night," I responded, watching him walk away. I sleepwalked to my dorm, stumbled into the common room, pushed open my door, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.