The Dragon and the Angel - [Draco/Hermione]

Chapter Twelve - The Intruder

Chapter Twelve - The Intruder

A few younger girls screamed but Professor McGonagall quickly shushed them all as the other teachers hurried back to her side. A chair scratched back at the other end of the hall as someone stood up. In a clear voice, Draco Malfoy said, "Professor McGonagall, I'd like you to let me out of this Hall." 

"I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy," said McGonagall as gasps escaped everyone's lips. "I am not permitted to let anyone in or out. It is my duty as headmistress-"

The lights flashed back on and Hermione turned to see Draco hurrying towards McGonagall. He leaned down (since she was a few inches shorter then him) and whispered in her ear quickly. McGonagall shifted nervously when he pulled away.

"Mr Malfoy, I'll need to send others with you - students of at least seventeen years of age." she said, and no one could believe she was letting him leave.

Draco smiled, charmingly. "That's all right, professor." he said. "They're eighteen."

"I'm afraid to ask, but I must," McGonagall sighed as she pressed her hand to her temples and began rubbing them. "Who?"

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

Blaise Zabini stood up confidently at the Slytherin table while Pansy tugged at his sleeve, insisting he sit down. Goyle looked very pale, and unable to speak.

"I want to come, too." Blaise announced.

"Zabini, you sit down." Draco ordered, spinning around so menacingly that Blaise actually did. "Harry, Ron and Hermione, if you would help me, I'd really appreciate it." Draco turned to them, awaiting the answer with a squirming foot, as if he was impatient to leave.

"I'll go." replied Hermione immediately. She stood up and looked over at Harry. He nodded. She turned around. "Ron?"

"All of you - wankers. I swear to Merlin-" Ron was grumbling as he and Harry stood up and the Golden Trio made their way to Draco, who was smiling gratefully.

It took the teachers a few minutes to take down the enchantments. They quickly ushered the four eighteen year olds out the door and shut it. Hermione could hear them sealing the door behind them, and was quite worried she might never return.

"Okay, let's think logically." she said, trying to keep herself calm while Ron was swearing creatively under his breath, obviously freaking out while Harry tried to shut him up. "Let's check the common rooms first - wait, Draco..." Hermione had suddenly remembered. "Why do you want to go after the intruder?"

"I'm pretty sure I know who it is." he whispered, causing Ron to immediately stop muttering and Harry's head to snap up. "Gryffindor common room first." And he dashed away, with the Golden Trio on his heels. When they arrived to the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it empty.

"This is like Sirius all over again!" Ron said loudly.

But before anyone could do anything, the Fat Lady was in her frame again.

"There's an intruder in the castle! Why aren't you three in the Great Hall?" she snapped, hands on her hips.

"Balderdash!" Draco said quickly. It was the only Gryffindor password he knew, and he had heard it all the way back in his fifth year. Surprisingly, the Fat Lady swung open.

"Merlin, we need a new password." Harry grumbled as the four of them dashed in.

"Draco, stop!" Hermione ordered, gripping the sleeve of his robes. When Draco turned around, he recognized true terror in her eyes. "Please tell us what's going on."

"I want to, Hermione, but it'll just scare you more - Potter." He looked over at Harry, who understood and gently brought Hermione closer to him. Though Draco burned with jealousy at the sight, he didn't want any of them to get hurt. "All of you, please stay near the exit. I might not need any help."

The three of them did so and Draco took a step forward, whispered, "Lumos." and peered around the circular common room. It appeared that no one was there, but Draco knew better. "Come out, come out, wherever you are...." he said in a sing-song voice.

"I don't like it when you immitate me, Draco, sweetie." said a dangerously calm voice that sent chills down all of their spines.

A woman with thick, shinning dark hair, thin lips and heavily hooded eyes took a step forward out from behind a bookcase, wearing a smirk Draco only dreamed he could forget. She still didn't have her own wand, and though Draco had been prepared to see her, he was blown away for a few seconds.

"Hello, Aunt Bella." he said sourly. "Already back from hell?"

"Don't sass me, boy." she snapped, her eyes gazing over his shoulder and rested on Hermione. "Oh, it's the dear little Mudblood! Too bad I couldn't have finished you off... Well, I guess I could-" but before she could finish her sentance, Draco had said the spell:

"Petrificus Totallus!"

But Bellatrix was too fast for him, "Protego!"

Hermione squealed and Harry held her tighter as Ron began swearing under his breath again. Harry quickly let go of Hermione and took his wand out, advancing on Bellatrix's laughing figure.

"You thought you would be better then me, Draco? Faster?" she spat venumously. "You're no better then them. You remind me of a niece I once had, and I killed her, too."

A tear slipped down Hermione's face. Draco wasn't sure if it was because his psychotic aunt was threatening him, or at the memory of a cheerful Metamorphmagus who had died in a duel. Rage flashed through him anyway, and Draco's Mark seared with pain, though he realized Bellatrix did not flinch at all.

"It hurts, doesn't it, itty bitty Draco?" she whispered in her favorite baby voice. "Your Mark? I know why. I figured it out months ago." Bellatrix then cast a disgusted look at Hermione. "I bet you thought Potter's would hurt as well when the Dark Mark did, didn't you?" She laughed madly. "That's not how it works though, princess."

There was a desire for Draco to finally learn the meaning of his burning scar, and maybe a way to end the pain, but he saw an opportunity he couldn't miss. Somehow, Bellatrix had faked her death - like Peter Pettigrew had - but Draco would make sure she didn't kill tonight, and he could stop her.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he tried again, and the spell hit the woman straight in the chest, sending her flying backwards and hitting the bookcase. She slid to the ground, her smirk still on her lips, though her body unable to move.

"Nice." Ron breathed.

"Good aim, Draco." Harry complimented, taking Hermione and Ron's arms and bringing them forward, towards Draco and his aunt. "What are we going to do with her?"

"She knows, though." Hermione whispered. "About the burning Mark and scar. Unless she was lying. It doesn't make sense, though." She sat down on the floor, as if this would clear her head. "Draco's Mark burned when Harry's scar did in the common room that night, but just now, Harry didn't feel a thing. Maybe she does understand something we don't."

"I don't care if she knows how to get me one million Galleons, I want her dead. I can endure the pain, and whatever causes it." Draco turned around and before anyone could stop him, whispered the deadly spell he swore he would never cast. "Avada Kedavra."