Curious and Curiouser

14: Tribulations

"With what?" He asked, taken aback. He didn't know what he had been expecting, he was sure that any response would have floored him, but this really was a surprise.

His momentary silence gave Granger the time she needed to compose herself.

"The room of requirement," She said, her voice much more level, "We need something from it."

Draco snorted, his mind still racing, he let common sense work his tongue, "It's called the room of requirement, Granger, you ask, it gives," He said snarkily.

He could understand why she had come to him, he had spent all of their sixth year in that room, but the fact of the matter was that the golden trio knew how to use that room too. Hadn't they organized a student-led militia group in their fifth year and used that room to practice? Hadn't Potty stashed that goddamned tiara in there and gone back for it during the battle of Hogwarts? What in the world were they trying to do in there that the three of them couldn't figure it out? She was Hermione Granger for Merlin's sake, she always had the answer.

With everything going through his head, Draco missed most of Granger's response, all he caught was the end, "... McGonagall's given us permission, so we probably ought to leave now," she paused, noting the look of confusion on his face, "...that is if you're not busy."

Malfoy was momentarily speechless, and then he wanted to say that he was in fact busy, that she had been foolish to come to him for help. In what world would he agree to help three Gryffindors, the three Gryffindors he had spent many of his school year bullying. The three Gryffindors who had spoken out against him so many times.

But a small voice in the back of his head chose this time to remind him that those very same three Gryffindors were helping him, or at least trying to. And while he wouldn't admit it to anyone, especially them, he was grateful for their help. Grateful that he wouldn't have to go through this alone, with just his mother's grief for company.

Grateful enough, he supposed, that he could help them, if it was something he was actually capable of doing.

But then he remembered the other part of Granger's sentence, "Now?! You want to leave now? It's the middle of the bloody night, Granger!"

Hermione shrugged indifferently, as though she didn't care much for restricting herself with something as trivial as sleep. "Harry, Ron and the others should be there by now,"

"Others?" Malfoy asked quickly, he wasn't keen to spend time with more of his former classmates.

"You'll see when we get there," She said impatiently, "I'm not sure who else Ron would've called."

And so Draco resigned himself to spending the rest of his night in the company of some of the most insufferable people he knew.

"Errr...," She started, "Right then, we should get going, we'll have to walk up to the castle from Hogsmeade."

Draco nodded at her and called for Gwind to get him his cloak.

Moments later the pair of them were walking side by side down the gravel towards the gates that marked the edge of the property. Hermione was content to walk in silence but Draco wasn't. He had questions and Granger had answers.

He wanted to know what she had meant about her parents earlier when she said they didn't remember her. He also had questions about what exactly they were going to attempt to do in the room of requirement, but he figured that he would have that answer soon, seeing as they were headed there.

He cleared his throat, and cast a surreptitious glance in Granger direction and decided to start off with a question she might answer. Because he could always reliably count on Granger to answer a question, especially when she thought the answer would influence him.