Destinia: First Year at Hogwarts

Chapter 15: Detention

Draco woke up late that day, at around 11 o'clock, and hurried to get dressed. He might not have lessons that day, but waking up late wasn't good for the Malfoy name, as his father had always told him. He put on basic black robes, took his wand and the bag with the book in, before going to the girls' dormitories to wake Pansy.

After having done all the things his morning routine comprised, also taking a quick shower which he had initially forgotten, they made their way upstairs for lunch, feeling as though they were starving because they had missed breakfast.

"Stupid Hermione telling us to sleep in," Draco muttered under his breath to Pansy while eating his lunch, aware of Hermione's analysing eyes on them. Pansy gave him a short nod, obviously more set on eating, while the stress of that night's escapade weighted down on Draco's shoulders.

In the middle of the afternoon, Hermione halted them, pulling both of them into a shadowed alcove. At first, she said, she had just wanted to catch Draco, but she didn't want Pansy to worry about his sudden disappearance.

"Are you ready for tonight?" she whispered to him.

Draco gave her a short nod. "Yeah. You?"

"I... don't know," she gave in. "Ron's still in the hospital wing, so it'll only be me and Harry. Plus, we must follow the book which is adding to the stress."

Draco felt slightly sympathetic for the girl, knowing exactly what it felt like to follow the book. "Don't worry about it. I've only messed up once," he admitted. "Once you know what you have to do in the big lines, you just got to follow your instinct."

In the darkness, he only just caught her brief, grateful smile, before she pushed them back into the hallway.

Walking through the corridors, Draco and Pansy started a whispered conversation.

"Are you sure you'll manage on your own?" Pansy wondered worriedly.

Draco gave her a soft smile. "Of course, Pans, no need to worry. Just promise to stay in your dorm until I return, 'kay?"

She played nervously with her hands for a second. "Is your dorm okay as well?"

"Sure."

Draco checked the time again: twenty-five minutes before midnight. He had been walking through the corridor 'beneath the tallest tower', for a while already, waiting for any sign of McGonagall, since Potter and Hermione would be hidden beneath the Cloak.

Five minutes passed before he heard footsteps nearing him. A light shining around the corner signaled for him to walk towards the tower. Suddenly, he stood frozen to the floor, as the footsteps neared him from behind.

He tried calming his breathing, preparing himself for his lines while listening closely for a sign of the Gryffindors.

"What do you think you're doing out this late, Mr Malfoy?" came McGonagall's sharp voice from behind him as he felt a hand grip his ear. "Detention!" she chimed loudly, and Draco recognised the sentence. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you —"

"You don't understand, Professor," Draco interrupted her, reciting his lines, "Harry Potter's coming — he's got a dragon!" This was by far the hardest task the book had given him yet. He tried his best for his voice to sound desperate.

As McGonagall started pulling him towards the closest staircase downstairs, she fought back loudly. "What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"