©Soulmates | Dramione

49. Smoke of Help

"Want to help me, Parkinson?"

"Yes, I will"

"Send the.. no. You can leave now"

"Okay"

Pansy strode out from the library, leaving Draco by his own. As she strode passed the judging looks from the portraits of her ancestors, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. She stopped abruptly as she bumped into Theo who was walking upstairs. Theo seemed flustered and his cheeks flushed slightly. Pansy flashed a warm smile and walked downstairs. Theo turned his heels and held Pansy's arms.

"Yes, Nott?"

"Uh. Where were you just now?"

"Oh, helping Draco with some books"

"With Malfoy? Oh, okay"

"Is there any problem?"

"Uh, no. I'll be fine"

Pansy smiled warmly and gave a friendly kiss on Theo's left cheek as she disappeared into the family hall. Theo was left in bewilderment as he could feel the softness of Pansy's lips on his cheek. He smiled sadly as the realization hit him. Pansy would never see his love for her. She saw him as friend. Just like the other boys. Before his thoughts could get him carried away, Theo strolled back into his room.

.
.

"You knew where Draco is whole this time?" Narcissa asked in incredulousness.

"I don't know. Yeah, we stay connected but he didn't tell me where he is. The last thing I know he was hiding in Massachusetts forest"

"You lied to us! You said you don't know anything! How could you do this, Andy?! How dare you lie to me about my son!" Narcissa spat angrily, her eyes quivering at the sight of her sister.

Andromeda stood up from the couch. "I had no choice! Draco asked me to keep this as a secret between both of us!"

The sisters were boiling in anger. Narcissa and Andromeda were shouting and spatting every words angrily towards each other. Hermione sat quietly on the couch, her head was burdened with the thoughts of Draco. His whereabouts, his health. She was sitting there with bombshell inside her head. Draco was out there with the Death Eaters. Could he possibly join the Death Eaters to relive the Dark Magic again? Hermione looked at the bickering women in front of her.

"Stop! Both of you, stop it! Fighting won't solve this matter"

"Hermione, she lied.."

"I have no choice, Cissy!" Andromeda snapped with fury in her voice.

"Just.. stop it"

Hermione felt another lump of guilt burdening her shoulder. She hated seeing the sisters' bickering. She knew how much Narcissa put Draco first before herself, and she could see that in Andromeda too. She put everyone else before herself. The noises of rain outside left them in a cold silence. Hermione let the sisters calm down first before taking few mental notes about questions she was supposed to ask Andromeda. She cocked her to look at the woman.

"Can we go to him, 'Dromeda?"

"I doubted that. I have no idea where he is"

"Maybe he left trace in his letters"

"No. There was a magic in the letter. After I finished reading, it would burn itself into ashes so that no one can find him"

"Oh my God, that prick" Hermione muttered.

The atmosphere in the living room was so tense. Narcissa was crying silently, overthinking about Draco's safety all over again, Andromeda was stomping her feel back and forth as she tried to find solutions to the hassle happening. Hermione's hands were gripping tightly on her hair, she felt so pressured with everything. She touched the sisters' hands gently before walking back upstairs.

The door to the bedroom was ajar. Hermione sank down to the couch in front of the long mirror, her eyes went unfocused to the fake constellations glued to the ceiling. She squinted to the mirror, staring into the reflection of herself. Her hair was disheveled, thick brown hair was curlier than ever, bushier than the one she had in school. The dark circles were circling under her eyes, making her look tired and sick. Her clothes became untidy, as if she didn't give a damn anymore about her looks. She didn't want to care anymore.

Hermione fixed her gaze on the necklace circling her neck and the ring wrapped nicely on her finger. The ring belonged to Draco, but as if there were loads of magical enchantments were poured, the ring fitted into Hermione's small finger nicely. She observed the metal serpent with green slits on the ring carefully, as if looking for an answer. 

Something beyond her logical thinking was happening. The ring threw itself away from Hermione, lying on the bed. It was glimmering with grey sparkles. Hermione brought herself closer to the ring, taking a very careful look. A smoke appeared in the room with a very foreign handwriting.

Help us. Help us, please. Malfoy is not safe. He's been affected by the Dark Mark. Whoever you are, I know you know Malfoy so well that he left his ring with you. Please help us. Please

 Theodore Nott x

Hermione felt a great lump of surprise and confusion attacking her. She sank down to the floor, there was a burning sensation in her eyes as she flickered away her tears. She wanted to cry so bad, she wanted to scream so bad, she wanted to die so bad. She wanted to forget everything so bad. She took her bag and used an Extension Charm as she took her important belongings. She changed into a more suitable clothes and slipped the ring to her finger.

She hurried herself to grab a piece of parchment and a quill with magical ink as she scribbled down some notes to the people in the house. Hermione wiped away all her tears as she gripped on the pillar of the four-poster bed. She took a quick glance of the smiling photograph of her holding Scorpius hanging on the wall before closing her eyes. She took few minutes of concentration.

Bring me to Draco Malfoy.

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Updated!

I would probably update twice or once a week because I have online classes. I hope everyone is doing very well. Take care and stay healthy!

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME!