FicWad

Chapter 24 Midnight Dreary

Hermione was having a rather good day, in fact it was probably the best day she had had in a long time. It started with a nice breakfast of waffles, followed by her receiving 25 points in Transfiguration, and last but not least Ron had pulled her into a dark corridor and snogged the hell out of her! It's not as if she hadn't been expecting it... Because really anyone could tell that he was in love with her. But until she found herself with his tongue rammed down her throat, she didn't know just how much he meant to her. Sure she knew that she was over her Harry obsession...but Ron? Well it's not as if there's anything to question now is there? They were an official 'couple' and she really couldn't be happier.

"Oh! My! God! Hermione I just heard. I can't believe it...well I mean I can believe it. But it's still great!" Hermione couldn't help but raise an eyebrow towards Ginny, who now looked like she was going to bubble over from excitement.

"How pray tell did you hear?" She had to ask even though she was mildly sure what the answer was going to be.

"Are you kidding!? Ron won't shut up about it! I suspect the entire school knows by now." Figures. But hey that left less for her to explain later. But really he had told his little sister about their make-out session...how immature. Though it was kinda adorable.

"So is everyone pretty shocked?" At this Ginny looked like she was going to brake out into fits of giggles. In fact she had the audacity to hold her hand over her mouth to stop them.

"Oh yeah Hermione...everyone's just sooo shocked that the two of you finally got together." Hermione decided to ignore the sarcasm in that statement for the time being...she didn't want to ruin her good mood. Of course that mood ruination was looking more and more of a possibility when the sunglass toting Harry walked by with a firm scowl on his face. It was impossible to find him without those ridiculous glasses anymore, and Hermione was bound and determined to find out exactly why he was wearing them. Because lets face it they were getting rather ridiculous now.

"Oh Harry!" Well Ginny's voice stopped him in his tracks, but the odd thing was he looked like he wanted to disembowel her where she stood...maybe he was just in a bad mood. "Did you hear?!" Hermione swore that if she had been able to see his eyes they would be rolling right about now.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me. So what little piece of inane gossip are you going to make me hear this time? Did Seamus get blue balls again? Are Dean and Lavender going to break up? Oh I got it McGonagall farted in her last class!" Okay that was a little uncalled for, wasn't it? The smile looked like it was permanently removed from Ginny's face, but more than that she looked as if she was going to break into tears...was that a sniffle?

"Harry she was just trying to tell you something. You're not running for the biggest douche in the universe award, so stop trying to win it." Woah where had that come from? Oh well it seemed to do the trick. Harry was now sending her a death glare...wait was that the trick she wanted?

"No Hermione it's alright...he's just got a lot on his mind. Don't you Harry?" A lot on his mind my ass! He was being a down right bastard. Ginny was back to smiling at him, and he looked he would like nothing more than to strangle her. What the hell was wrong with this picture?

"Yeah that's right, now if you'll excuse me I have better things to do with my time." Okay that was about enough...damn.

"Do you see us as dead people?" What the fuck are you talking about Hermione? Oh well he seems interested, so might as well run with it.

"Excuse me?" Alright now the trick was to do this without sounding like a crazy person...think Hermione think.

"Well you see I saw this movie once where this guy got these sunglasses that let him see things that no one else could...real things. So he saw people that were really monsters as themselves, and he saw normal advertising signs as signs that said 'go have sex'" Good job Hermione you don't sound crazy at all. "So I was just wondering if why you're being such a bigot is because you see us as something we're not?" Good one Hermione because there couldn't be any other explanation as to why he was being a jerk other than that he had magical sunglasses...god you are such a dumbass.

"God you're a dumbass." See he proved you right...you are a dumbass. But hey that didn't give him the right to say it! "You psychopath you've seen one too many movies." Alright so maybe with this next comment she was positively proving him right, but hey she couldn't help it...He had set himself up for it.

"Now Harry don't you blame the movies. Movies don't create psychos...movies make psychos more creative." She really was a psychopath...there was no way around it. But it had got Harry to stop leaving, and it had also made Ginny gawk at them like they were mad. Hermione found that this was a good time to explain to her what they were talking about.

"Movies, Ginny, are muggle inventions with moving pictures that tell a story." The red-head nodded, though you could tell that she was thinking Hermione insane by this time too. "They're really the craze for muggles...it's only natural that I would watch a fare amount of them." That's right Hermione make it better for yourself.

"I'm sorry throughout this whole worthless conversation I forgot why you had bothered to get in my way." Seriously, Harry was such a bastard.

"Since when is talking to your friends worthless?" Thank you Ginny...that's exactly what she had been thinking.

"Since my friends became nuisances." Oh! That was enough! With a dirty look Ginny stalked away towards the Gryffindor common, leaving a happy looking Harry, and an infuriated Hermione behind.

"Harry James Potter! You had better explain yourself this instant unless you want my knee painfully wedged in your groin." As with all men Harry put a protective hand over his package, and gave her a glare at the very thought of it being damaged. "You know I'll do it Harry, so why don't we go into this room over here and discuss what exactly's on your mind." The classroom in question was the empty charms room, and there wouldn't be classes in there for another hour, so that hopefully left them with enough time to sort out his troubles, and of course for her to get her old friend back.

Hermione walked over to the classroom, after making sure that Harry would follow her lead. Once inside the classroom she sat in Flitwick's desk, and propped her head up on her hands. She was staring straight at Harry, as if daring him to say something she didn't like. Truthfully she scared herself sometimes.

"For fuck sakes Hermione what are you, leader of the inquisitoral squad?" He was trying to avoid the subject yet again...how typical. Though if truth be told she didn't know what the subject was herself. She had mainly just pulled him in here so that she could yell to her heart's content without getting points docked...speaking of which.

"Silencio." There, now there wasn't a chance of them being overheard, and if she had say, decided to murder him, they wouldn't hear the struggle. Okay now she really was starting to scare herself.

"I bet you would like that wouldn't you? That is what Malfoy was in charge of last year, was it not?" Now she couldn't be to sure, but had he just winced? So things weren't perfect in paradise were they? Well at least it explained some of his snappish behavior. "So that's what's wrong...so tell me what did ferret face do this time?"

"Ferret face?" Was he kidding? How could he not know what she was talking about...better yet how could he have forgotten about it?

"Yeah Harry, ferret face...you remember fourth year, crazy imposter Mad-Eye transfiguring Draco into a ferret and bouncing him down the hall...forever known in our eyes as the amazing bouncing ferret incident. You and Ron made it up, don't tell me he fucked you so hard that you forgot?" Harry really looked as if he was trying to remember what she was talking about, but it seemed to her that he was failing miserably at such a task. How could he not remember?

"Oh yes..." He soooo didn't remember. Harry was always terrible at lying, whenever he did his ear would slightly twitch. Occulemency be damned...if you knew the boy he could keep nothing from you. But she wasn't going to press his short term memory loss...it wasn't the important factor at the moment.

"So you were just about to tell me what Malfoy did to turn you into such a pissed off asshole." This seemed to snap him back into reality, and now he was back to his scowly death glare face. "Don't look at me that way...you should know it doesn't scare me. You're taking too many cues from Malfoy...it's quite unbecoming of you."

"Is it now? And you would know what is becoming of me right...because you're just my bestest friend." Damn was this boy annoying, if she didn't care about him so much she would have stunned him ages ago.

"Yes Harry I am your best friend, or at least I hope I still am." She better be. "What's wrong tell me? TELL ME NOW!" So she had lost all of her patience...was that such a bad thing? At least it looked like it was starting to get some results.

"Since when have you been concerned about my love life?" God this boy was probably the best person at avoiding the subject that she'd ever met, but Hermione happened to be the best person at getting things out of people who avoided subjects.

She walked over so that she was standing right in front of the desk Harry was now occupying. The urge to rip the glasses off of his face was almost overwhelming...but she held back. She couldn't afford to be childish right now. Right now she really needed to help her friend. "Harry you know how much I care about you, and I know this has something to do with Draco. And seeing as how I've had many talks with the blond ferret I might know how to help you." OK, so they had had one talk, but hey he didn't know that. Harry looked to be seriously considering things for a moment, and ended up looking up with a grin on his face.

"You know on second thought Hermione you just might be able to help me." Of course she could...duh! Of course she didn't say that...that would be rude.

"Name it Harry." Okay so that devious smile was making her a little uncomfortable. When she had said anything...she really was just trying to be nice.

"You know Hermione have I ever told you how I considered you one of my best friends?" Oh this couldn't be good...not if he was playing the friend card.

Now he was walking over to her...damn why did she have to open her mouth and play the role of best friend? She really wished that she wasn't so nosy sometimes. "Yeah, but you know I always like to hear it." A chuckle escaped his mouth, which didn't seem genuine at all. "Now...even though I love our exchange of witty banter, what do you want?"

Harry put a hand over his heart in mock pain. "Oh Hermione you really make it sound like you care sooo much." His voice was full of fake hurt, but when Hermione put a hand on her hip he knew she wasn't buying it, and his voice went back to its normal octave. "Alright well Draco's refusing to see me at the moment, and he's put all these anti-Harry wards around his room, so I can't get in."

"He actually put up spells to specifically keep you out? Damn what did you do?" Seriously even for Draco that was a bit much.

"That's not important...the important thing is I know his password." Hermione wasn't one to be modest of the fact that she was a smart girl, and being a smart girl the pieces began to fit together.

"You want me to go into his room and try to get him to come out to see you?" That same creepy smile came onto his face again, and a lump formed in the girl's throat.

Harry walked closer to her, and in what she called 'sexy Harry' mode (okay maybe she wasn't completely over him yet)...but anyways he gently touched her cheek, and leaned very close to her ear. "More like stun him and drag him out." WHAT! Stun him!? STUN HIM!? Seriously what happened to her Harry? The next time she saw Draco she would stun him on principle alone. What the hell was wrong with this boy?

"Oh sure Harry I'll stun him, and hey would you like my virginity while we're at it?" The sad thing was she was only half kidding. Harry however seductively grinned at her, and stepped if possible closer.

"If it's on the menu." Oh. My. God. Did he just say that? Okay so if someone were to walk in at this precise moment it might not look to good. Harry was hovering a centimeter from her mouth...and was he getting closer? Think Hermione think! AHA! She quickly pushed on his chest to stop the oncoming kiss.

"Did you hear that Ron and I are going out?" Hermione one, Harry nothing. Well from the look on his face it would seem that he in fact hadn't heard about her new liaison. "We kissed and everything." Well okay maybe that wasn't that necessary of a detail, but it had the desired effect. He was now backing up to a respectable distance.

"I'm oh so happy for the two of you...so I guess popping your cherry wasn't on the menu after all." What the fuck!

"Actually it was! I, unlike you, am not a slut." How dare he say that...that slut!

"I am not a slut." Could've fooled her, how many people had he now slept with? Malfoy, Parvati, and there were plenty of other rumors about his bed partners. She had even heard one about Snape...God rest his soul. But he was lying through his teeth if he didn't think he was a man whore.

"Whatever. I suppose I outta go visit Draco...of course I'm not promising anything." A huge grin spread across the boy's face, and Hermione's mood lightened ever so lightly. "So what's the little ferret's password?"

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While wandering around the dungeons looking for the entrance to the Slytherin common room, she once again tried to remind herself why she was doing this, and it was getting harder and harder to come up with a good reason. Oh there was Harry...Harry who abandoned them at the beginning of the year, did his best to sabotage Gryffindor in any means possible to him, slept with their worst enemy next to Voldemort...strike that fell in love with their worst enemy, and he had done a pretty good job of playing the role of a complete dick head for these past couple of weeks...so yeah she was seriously trying to consider her reasons for doing this.

Well pondering wouldn't be necessary anymore, because she was there. "Imperius." Hermione resisted the urge to scoff at the Slytherin's ridiculous password. Only they would use a spell to control people's minds...bloody snakes. It was unfathomable how many 'I want to kill you looks' she got when she entered the common room. Well she supposed it was in reason, if she saw one of them just walk into her common room alone and apparently without a Slytherin escort she might be hostile to. A one Pansy Parkinson walked up to her and decided to do more than just give dirty looks. In fact she decided to do a lot more, caught off guard by the sudden movement, Hermione now found herself with a wand at her throat.

"What the fuck are you doing here mudblood, and how did you get in?...Last I checked our password wasn't hanging up on a bulletin outside." Think Hermione think...try to come up with a legitimate reason without betraying...oh fuck it.

"Harry told me." Hermione got a mixture of a few eyebrow raises, and quite a few hisses...Well they didn't land in a snake house for nothing.

"You're lying Granger. Harry would never tell the likes of you our password." Oh please, what was this girl thinking, of course Harry would tell her their password...Harry had a big mouth.

"Oh you so sure about that? I mean come on lets face it, Harry hasn't exactly been persistent with his loyalties this year has he?" It looked as if Pansy was about to say something, but then she began to think and her mouth closed.

"Why'd he send you here? Is he in some kind of trouble?" Wow, he really made some kind of impression on them. They were as loyal to him as they would be to any other member of their house, and although she didn't really like to admit it, Slytherins were quite loyal.

"Well see this is the part where I would want you to lower your wand from my throat...just in case." Pansy seemed confused, and then looked down at her hand, immediately lowering her wand. It looked to Hermione as if she had forgotten she had been holding it. Now the entire common room's eyes were fixed on her, and she couldn't help but swallow in nervousness. "He sent me here because Mal...Draco has put up anti-Harry wards on his room, and he desperately desires to speak with him." Well that could have gone a lot worse. She could have made the 'talk' part sound more legit...but she seriously doubted that Harry wanted Draco out of that room so that he could talk to him.

"Oh is that all? Well go hex him and drag his arse out...He's been in there for far too long anyways." Hermione couldn't help it, her jaw dropped. How could they automatically assume she was going to hex him? And for that matter how could they allow her to do it so freely...loyalty my ass.

"You're just going to let me hex him?" This actually got her some laughs, though she was seriously trying to find the humor in the situation.

"Yes of course...we would have done it ages ago, but no ones knows his password, except Harry of course...but then you know why he can't be the one to do it." Hermione tried to wipe the dumbfounded look off her face, tried and failed, so instead she just continued to head up the stairs to Draco's room.

Hermione couldn't help but find it completely unfair that Draco got his own room, but let it go for now...after all if she got head girl next year she would have her own room too. "love thy prince" And what is up with that password? Bit conceded isn't it? It was no secret that everyone thought of Draco as the prince of Slytherin, but to make that his password...ridiculous.

The door clicked open, and with a deep breath she stepped forward, wand already drawn. "Draco listen don't take this as a personal offense, but I need to see you." Where the hell was he anyways? "Draco?" Why wasn't he answering...hasn't he ever heard of manners? "Malfoy come on I know you don't like me, but you could at least answer me and tell me where the hell you are."

The bed was in a mess, but contained no blond Slytherin. Hermione couldn't help but get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. The room was too quiet, and seemed to have a foreboding air to it. Plus upon further examination she saw that the empty bed was stained with something crimson...and only one thing came to mind. "Oh my God!" She ran forward, grabbing at the sheet only to drop it again when her suspicions were confirmed. "Jesus Christ Draco where are you!?" She received no answer, but she didn't really need to. She need only look over the side of the bed to find him, and there he was, ghost white and covered in blood.

Hermione cried out in shock, and ran towards the body, gathering it up in her arms. Only then did she notice where all the blood seemed to be coming from. "Oh shit Draco what the hell did you do to yourself?" Quickly she felt for a pulse...it was very faint but he was still alive...even if just barely. He was still losing blood, so she took her wand and cast a quick healing spell to close the wounds. She couldn't think, she couldn't even breathe...how could this be happening? Where was his fucking Slytherin loyalty now? How could he do this to Harry? How could he leave him? Speaking of Slytherin loyalty...

"SOMEBODY GET IN HERE NOW, DRACO'S DYING!" That should do the trick. She took the blond head (which was by this point pretty much red) in her lap and gently tried to shake him awake...He didn't move.

"What do you mean Draco's dying...oh shit!" Hermione turned around and saw that Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle were all standing in the doorway.

"Why are all of you just standing there!? He needs help, and I can't lift him!" Hermione felt almost frantic by this time, and she was trying her hardest to lift the limp body up, hardly aware of the tears that were streaming down her face. When she almost had him on his feet, she slipped in a puddle of the blond's lost blood, and they both came crashing down.

The other Slytherins seemed frozen to the spot. They were literally too shocked to move, or think, or do anything but just stare at Draco's practically lifeless body. "What the fuck is wrong with you people? He's going to die if we don't do something!" For the first time in her life Hermione felt completely and utterly worthless. The fact that the only thing she could do was sob into the unconscious boy's shoulder was only helping to strengthen her self pity.

Draco for his part had not done anything, but when a trickle of blood dripped from his once perfect hair it seemed to snap people into action. Blaise reached for his wand and cast a levitating spell on the limp body, and Pansy grabbed a throw blanket to wrap around his form so nobody could see him. Hermione was feeling quite foolish for not thinking about the spell earlier, but she hopped to her feet and followed the five Slytherins out of his room.

The entire common room was full of white in the face people who were looking shocked at the scene they were witnessing. Pansy gave them the best glare she knew how, and signaled for Crabbe and Goyle to block the view from the rest of their house. The last thing Draco would have wanted was for this to be a spectacle. "This doesn't concern you...go back to your business." Nobody in the common room moved, but Pansy could hardly blame them. Barely holding back her tears she lead the pack of them out of the portrait hole and headed towards the infirmary, hoping against hope that they weren't too late.

Hermione ran ahead, quite aware of what her appearance might be, but she couldn't give a damn at the moment. She crashed through the infirmary doors to find a white faced Ron and Madam Pomphrey standing at the nearest hospital bed. Why the hell was Ron here? "Ron what are you doing here?"

Hermione was standing there practically covered from head to foot in blood, and she asking her new boyfriend why he was in the infirmary tending what looked like a sprained ankle...okay so she wasn't thinking straight. "Me? Hermione what the hell happened to you? Are you alright?" He jumped off the bed, and she heard him wince...but he managed to hobble over to her. At any other time she would have thought it was sweet, but as it was she could old only give him a small glance before getting back to the real problem.

"I'm fine, but Draco tried to kill himself...Madam Pomphrey he slit his wrists!" Ron turned even whiter than he already was, and a hand flew up over nurse's mouth. But that was the only moment of hesitation she had. The next moment she ran into her supply cupboard and began grabbing various potions.

"Where is he?" She set the potion vials on the side of the bed that Ron had previously been occupying, and gave Hermione a completely professional look that said she meant business.

"He's with the other Slytherins. He should be here anytime...I closed the wounds, but he lost a lot of blood." She gave a quick nod before the door burst open, and she ran to her patient. Blaise set him on the bed, and Pansy jumped to uncover his body. Even though Hermione had seen him before, she still couldn't help but gasp.

He looked like a blood splattered angel. His complexion now was completely white, devoid of all blood...except the blood that was covering him. His red-blond hair was placed around his face like a halo, and it gave him an ethereal glow. Even now she could see what Harry saw in him. He was inches from death, and probably looked the worst he ever had...and yet he was still beautiful.

That was when the thought struck her. "Oh my God somebody has to go get Harry!" Why Madam Pomphrey was administering various blood revival potions she turned to Ron, who seemed to look horrified at the idea.

"No offense Hermione, but I don't really want to tell my best friend that the love of his life just tried to kill himself, and very well might have succeeded." What the hell did she see in this moron?

"Oh, so you think me, half covered in his love's blood, should go do it do you?" She didn't try to keep the venom out of her voice, and Ron seemed to get the idea, because with a quick nod he turned around and limped out of the room. Hermione turned her attention back to the boy on the bed, and saw Madam Pomphrey give him the last potion and massage his throat to make it go down.

With weary eyes she turned around to face the five still in the room. "He's not going to be pretty, but he should live."

"You're wrong!" Hermione spun around to see Pansy, who looked to have finally lost it. Tears were brimming in her eyes and she seemed just a few seconds away from completely braking down. "Draco's always pretty...even now." The tears brimmed over, and she broke out into sobs. Blaise pulled her against him, letting her cry into his chest. He didn't seem all that put together either, but he seemed to take initiative.

"Crabbe go send a letter to Draco's father." With a nod the Slytherin was gone. "Goyle you better go get Dumbledore." Strangely enough it was the same for him. Apparently where Draco was concerned they didn't mess around. Hermione saw a tear fall down the collected brunette's face, and realized how much they really cared about one another...Maybe Slytherins weren't as evil as everybody claimed.

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Ron ran as fast as his hurt ankle would carry him, for the first time in his life cursing Quidditch and its brutality. It was only after he had been running for about 10 minutes that he realized he had no idea where Harry might be. He wasn't at practice, but that wasn't all that unusual, and he hadn't seen him in Divination, which if he thought about it wasn't all that unusual either. But usually when he skipped classes he was off having pillow talks with Malfoy, and obviously that wasn't the case.

He thought that if he scoured the entire castle he would eventually have to run into the allusive Harry. Damn was he wrong...He had wandered around for what had to have been close to two hours, and now he was exhausted, in pain, and no closer to finding who he was looking for. In a last ditch effort he headed over to the Room of Requirements thinking Harry might have went there to think, what about Ron could give a fuck less, all he wanted to do was give Harry some very bad news and hobble back to the infirmary to comfort him, and hopefully Hermione if she wasn't too mad that he took this long.

He was almost to the door, just one more hallway to go...He kept telling himself that, and when he actually got to the last hallway he started to slow down. Not because of his tiredness, although he was definitely exhausted...no he stopped because of the faint voices that were coming from around the corner. One he recognized to be Harry's, but the other he had never heard before. Trying to be as quiet as he could in his condition he snuck up as close as he could get without being seen or heard. From where it was coming from it sounded like they had just stepped out of the room he was heading to.

"Don't worry about it...I had Granger go get him, and then you can fix his room from all of those clever little wards he put up to keep us out." Okay now Ron was starting to get worried. That was Harry's voice, but had he just referred to Hermione as Granger? And who had put up wards against them?

"He's been a busy little bastard that one has...who knew he knew such tricky spells." Amusement seemed to be in the unreckonizable's voice, and Ron heard a snort from what he could only assume was Harry. "You're sure he hasn't talked to anyone?" Ron creped closer along the wall in a attempt to hear better, and possibly get a look at the mystery person...though he had a sickly feeling in his gut that he already knew who it was.

"Of course I'm sure. He hasn't left his room in two days...His owl has been up in the owlery the entire time...There's no way he could contact anyone. Do you really think he would?"

"He did once didn't he? Who knew the perfect sociopath I created could be changed by a stupid crush! He was perfect dammit, how could that little twit fall in love." Now by this time Ron had a pretty good idea what was going on, but he had to know more...He had to see Voldemort's child with his own eyes.

"What can I say, I'm pretty irresistible." Ron strained his body to peak around the corner.

"Yeah, you wish it was you." The red head leaned too far on his weak ankle, and couldn't help the cry that came from his mouth. Immediately a wand was pointed at his head, and when Ron looked to find its owner, he found that it was his best friend. Ron did his best to limp as far away from the wand as possible, but that didn't stop the death looks that he was receiving.

"What did you hear hop-a-long?" Ron could feel his ears grow hot, but resisted the anger that was starting to boil inside him. Instead he took his first look at the boy who was supposedly stronger than any other. The red eyes stuck out the most, as did the pale skin, and the black spikes. He couldn't be much older than they were...and yet he cast a complete auror of evil that made him seem ageless.

"I didn't hear anything Harry...Listen to me!" The wand hit his temple, and Ron bit back from yelling at his wand happy friend.

"No, you listen to me. It isn't verra nice to eavesdrop...You really aught to be taught a lesson." What the hell? Was he serious? Who the hell was this Harry? The Harry he knew would never say such things.

"Now now Harry don't be too hasty...let's hear him out and then you can do whatever." This seemed to be enough for Harry, because he withdrew his wand and went to stand beside Voldemort's abomination.

"Verra well Weasley...you're lucky I'm in a good mood today." Ron bit back the bile that was coming up, and the disgust. He would have more than enough revenge once he told Harry what he came here to tell him, that would be enough for him.

"Fine." He looked over to Silas who seemed to raise a brow in question. "I suppose you would like to know this too so I won't bother taking him aside."

"Oh get on with it." Silas smiled at Harry's impatientness, and then turned his attention back to Ron.

"It's about Malfoy Harry." The smile that was on Harry's face dropped slightly, but had yet to disappear entirely.

"What of him?" As normal when Harry was nervous, Ron watched as his hand began to twitch.

"Harry, he's in the infirmary." The once twitching hand tightened into a fist, and knowing the delicate situation he was in, Ron said his next words quite carefully. "He slit his wrists Harry...He might die." Those were the hardest words he had ever had to say, and it seemed like he said them right in time for his throat went completely dry. He didn't think he could talk anymore even if wanted too.

Harry looked upset, but it wasn't the upset Ron was expecting. Knowing Harry he thought he would either be in tears, or in a complete rage, but he just looked pissed off. The same look was mirrored in Silas's face, and he looked once more at Ron before turning back to Harry.

"Go to him. Make sure he's okay, and make sure he hasn't run his mouth to anyone." With that he turned to Ron. "I'm really sorry about this, but you know far too much." Ron didn't even have a chance to think before Silas said the words "Obliviate."

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To say that Draco felt like shit would have been a huge understatement. Everything on him felt like it was being poked by gigantic needles, and he really wouldn't be surprised if he opened his eyes to see just that. After all he had to be in hell, didn't he? After all he had done how could he not be? This was the only retribution for Harry he could think of. After what he had put him through he didn't deserve to live anymore, so hell seemed fitting.

It's strange when you know everything's over how simple the world seems. But it hadn't been simple for him, far from it. He lived a cursed life, a life that he was sure no one would miss. How could they? He lived many different lives...one of the pompous ice prince of Slytherin, another as the proud Malfoy heir who's aristocratic and stuck up, then yet another as a devious planner following an evil would be destroyer of the world. How could anyone miss any of those forms of him? He could only think of one person he had showed his real self to, and it was impossible for him to miss him. Wherever Harry was now he hated him more than anything.

Draco could absolutely not go on without Harry. With Harry he felt more different than he ever has. Harry was his life, his world, the very oxygen he breathed. Without him he didn't even feel alive. And what's the point of living if you can't feel alive? No, everything was better this way...This way he didn't have a chance to hurt anyone else. The world would be rid of him, and they would be happy for it.

"He's not going to be pretty, but he should live." This knocked Draco out of his stupor. Was that a voice, and if that was a voice was that the voice of Madam Pomphrey? No! No! No!

"You're wrong! Draco's always pretty." Pansy? Why was she here?...No, this could not be happening. How did he fail at such a simple task?...how could they have stopped him?

"Crabbe go send a letter to Draco's father." Was that Blaise? No they can't tell his father about this...he'll be so disappointed. "Goyle you better go get Dumbledore." What the fuck Blaise? Maybe this was hell if they were calling in probably the two people he would least like to see. No, strike that, the person at this moment he would least like to see would be...

"I hope Ron hurries back with Harry." NO! Despite the pain coursing through him, Draco bolted up in bed, suddenly very hysteric.

"No! You can't tell him! Don't bring him here!" Everyone in the room seemed to jump at least 20 feet at Draco's sudden recovery. Madam Pomphrey put a hand on his chest, trying her hardest to force him back into bed.

"There there dear, lie down and get some rest...I dare say you need it." What were they mad!? He didn't need rest. He needed to stop them from getting that disgusting abomination of his Harry.

"You don't understand, you can't let him know...He can't find me here." Draco was mildly sure he was hyper ventilating by this point. He couldn't breathe, and he felt rather light headed. He gave pleading eyes to all the members of the room. First to Pansy who had a tear streaked face, doing well to avert her gaze as soon as their eyes met. Then to Blaise whose mouth was hanging wide open and looked much paler than normal...he wouldn't help him. Last he turned to his surprise occupant...Why was Granger here? From the looks of her she looked like she had just gone through a meat grinder...The thought never occurred to him that that might be his own blood.

"Granger listen to me, and listen to me good. He can't know! You have to go get Weasley and bring him back here before he gets to him." The girl actually had the audacity to walk over and place a comforting hand on his shoulder...as if what he needed right now was comfort.

"It's okay Draco. Don't worry Harry will understand...he won't be angry with you." What the hell was she playing it? Damn Gryffindors were dumb! Draco grabbed the comforting hand and clenched it rather tight until he could hear Hermione wince.

"You don't get it Granger, I could give fuck all if that imposter is mad at me. Don't bring him here!" Hermione's eyes seemed to widen at that, and she quickly pulled her hand away from his grasp.

"No! Draco tell me it's not true...tell me it didn't already happen." Well he'll give her this...she really was smart. Draco had no doubt that Weasley had already told her everything he had told him. It was only a matter of putting the pieces together. The guilt of failing Harry had been weighing on him, but to have someone else know of his failure only intensified the guilt ten fold.

"You have to understand I did everything I could...I'll never be more sorry that I was too late." Draco watched as Hermone's eyes started to blaze with anger, and she looked like she was ready to burst, but when she spoke her voice was calm.

"You did this all to him, and so you decided to take the cowards way out." Until this point Hermione had been staring at the floor, but when she looked up Draco couldn't help but feel fear...the words if looks could kill came to mind. "Draco Malfoy I really wished you would have succeeded in dying a lonely coward in your room, but since you didn't...I'LL FINISH THE JOB!" With that Hermoine pulled out her wand and pointed it at Draco's heart, but before she could mutter anything Blaise and Pansy had tackled her to the ground, and were now trying to wrestle the wand out of her hand.

"All of you stop this right now!" At the sound of an angry Madam Pomphrey's, everyone ceased what they were doing, separated themselves, and got to their feet. "Now I don't know what's going on, but I'll have to say Ms. Granger the threat on somebody's life is not to be taken lightly...you realize I will have to inform the Headmaster."

"Inform me of what Poppy?" Enter Albus Dumbledore, and watch all hell brake loose. Three voices were talking at once.

"Hermione tried to kill Draco!"

"Draco tried to kill himself!"

"Draco killed Harry!"

The first voice was from Madam Pomphrey, the second from Pansy, and the third from Hermione. All three were very hard to differentiate, but Dumbledore seemed to understand them all. The sparkle faded from his eyes, and his face turned much more grave than it had been recently.

"I see." He first turned his attention to Blaise and Pansy. "I am very grateful for the loyalty you showed today in helping your housemate...50 points will go to each of you." The pair's faces lightened momentarily, but they seemed to be waiting for the but...which of course came. "But I will have to ask the two of you to leave and not tell anyone what you heard here today...is that understood?" They looked outraged, but with a stern look from Dumbledore they nodded, turned, and left.

With two of the occupants gone he then turned to Madam Pomphrey. "Poppy I appreciate you working so quickly, but there are things going on which you don't understand yet. May I ask you to wait outside." In all of Draco's visits to the infirmirary he had always been wise enough not to ruffle its caretakers feathers...apparently Dumbledore wasn't.

"Certainly not Albus! My patient almost died, and just had his life threatened again!" With that Draco shot a look at Hermione, who had at this point lowered her head in shame.

"I understand all of that Poppy, but this is much more serious than that...so if you please." The woman didn't look happy, but nodded and walked over to her office, leaving the three of them alone. It seemed Draco was the next victim, for the man's blue gaze rested on him.

"Draco, I believe you have some explaining to do." Draco swallowed a large lump in his throat, and turned an aristocratic nose up at Dumbledore. Despite how much his views of his father had changed, his teachings had not. He would appear professional through this...he would not be thought of as weak, even though that's exactly how he felt. Now where to start.

"Our strategy failed...Silas got to him before I had planned." Hermione looked rather confused by all this, and was switching off giving the other two occupants of the room confused glances.

"I see. I gathered as much when I didn't receive your signal, and then there were Harry's personality changes." Draco gave a curt nod, suddenly not feeling too well. "But what I don't understand is what are the glasses for?"

"Silas has a black heart." He glanced from Hermione to Dumbledore, and saw that they needed further explanation. "When he...when it happened. His eyes turned completely black...soulless almost." Hermione placed a hand in front of her mouth, looking very much as if she might cry...Dumbledore just nodded. A thought struck Draco.

"Sir, Weasley went to get Harry...you can't let him tell him!" Draco struggled to sit up on his elbows, but the blood loss had gone to his head and he fell back down.

"I realize your concerns Mr. Malfoy, but I feel that it is quite unavoidable by this point...as I understand the entire Slytherin house witnessed it?" Oh...hadn't though about that. That question wasn't directed at him though, it was directed towards Hermione. She gave a quick nod, before once again looking away.

"Ms. Granger if I could ask you a favor?" Hermione jumped at once from being addressed, but didn't fail to look at Dumbledore and nod. "Would you go down to the library and look up whatever you can on retrieving souls from the ethereal plain...tell Madam Pince you have my permission to look in the restricted section." To Draco's surprise Hermione didn't even ask what for, instead she turned and left for the library. The request just dawned on Draco, and he turned shocked to Dumbledore.

"We can get him back!?" Draco wanted to feel happy beyond all his wildest dreams, but he knew from experience not to get his hopes up until things were official. Still one couldn't help but hope.

"I hope so Mr. Malfoy...in any case I dare say killing one's self is hardly the only solution." Draco lowered his head in shame, and saw that his two cuts had been covered in bandages. He suddenly smelt the salty metal smell of dried blood all over him, and did his best not to get sick.

"Sir, I'm so sorry about all of this...you have to believe me."

"Did you do it?" What? Caught off guard by the question, Draco was at a loss for words, and all he could do was shake his head. "Then why are you sorry for?" A million different reasons...but none that he could express in words right at this moment.

"Sir, what's going to happen?" He hoped the hopelessness that he felt wasn't echoed in his voice, but he had a sneaky suspicion that it was.

"I can't answer that question for you Mr. Malfoy...I don't think anyone can. But I am glad that you still have a chance to be a part of it." He gave him a small sympathetic smile, but it hardly seemed the time. "Now why don't you get some rest. I have to go to my office to take care of a few things." Draco's throat suddenly felt rather dry, so all he did was nod. He really was feeling quite tired.

Draco closed his eyes and could feel them prickle from lack of sleep. He suddenly felt confident in Dumbledore. If there was even the slightest hope of getting Harry back, then that was enough to make anyone feel better. He was almost asleep, in fact he was in that realm of half sleep, when he felt a weight settle on his chest...The words 'oh shit' came to mind.

He blinked a bleary eye open, and confirmed his worst suspicions. There was Harry staring down at him with a look of utmost hate, and a wand was centered right between his eyes waiting to go off at the slightest movement. "Draco. Draco. Draco. I'm glad you're still with us...That'll make my job of killing you slowly all the more enjoyable..."

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