Coloring outside the Lines (Dramione)

Chapter 8: Bad news

A week had passed since The Alliance had gone to the Slytherin dungeon and discovered that at least 3 of the Slytherins had family members who were Death Eaters on the run. Hermione, Draco and Harry's dreams had been getting worse and worse to the point where they were getting barely any sleep. This made them very grumpy and unfocused and everything seemed to be falling apart, including their grades. 

It was Saturday morning and Hermione was lying on the couch in the common room staring at the ceiling thinking about how they would find the missing Death Eaters. Draco came out of his room, rubbing his mark because it had been burning so badly that night that it felt like his arm was on fire. He sat on a chair next to Hermione and watched her think. Hermione looked up and said "Draco, you look awful." 

Draco looked hurt and said "I didn't get any sleep. But saying I look awful is an overstatement Hermione... I never look awful." 

"I mean... no you don't but I..." Hermione stammered. She was so sleep deprived that she couldn't even come up with a witty comeback. Well that, and the fact that he was right. He never really looked awful. In fact, he was very handsome, even when he was tired. 

"Oh, looks live I've managed to make THE Hermione Granger stutter. I'm flattered." Draco teased. In all honesty however, he WAS flattered. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back up at the ceiling when there was an urgent knock on their door. 

"Oi, do NOT touch my portrait" they heard Snape say, "Hands off Weasley." 

Hermione wondered what Ginny was doing here so early in the morning and hurriedly walked to the door to open it. When she opened the door she was face to face with Ron. Ginny and Harry stood behind him. Ron had an exasperated look on his face as he brushed past Hermione and into the common room, Harry and Ginny following closely behind. 

"Ronald what on earth are you doing here?" Hermione asked. 

Ron looked at Draco and then at Hermione and asked "So you two haven't heard either? It's all over the news." 

"Ron, Harry and I already explained that the mail hasn't been delivered yet today which means NONE of us have seen the papers." Ginny said, obviously annoyed at the stupidity of her brother. 

Ron plopped down on the couch and Hermione sat next to him. Draco gave Harry and Ginny a confused look which they reciprocated very quickly. 

"Well. Harry's told me all about your little alliance with Malfoy here, so I figured that you should all hear the news together." Ron said. 

"WELL, TELL US THE NEWS" Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ginny yelled at the same time. 

"Okay, okay" Ron sighed, looking at the four faces around the room. "It's all over the news and the Ministry is buzzing with talk... but late last night a prisoner was broken out of Azkaban." Ron looked at Draco with a frightened look. 

Draco's eyes immediately went dark and he furrowed his brow. He grimaced and said "It was my father wasn't it?" 

Ron nodded his head slowly as Harry and Ginny's eyes went wide. Hermione sat on the couch unable to believe what she had just heard. 

"Ron... are you telling us that Lucius Malfoy was broken out of Azkaban?" Hermione asked. 

"Yes Hermione, that's EXACTLY what he's saying." Draco said in an exasperated tone. 

Hermione could hear the anger in Draco's voice and it frightened her a little bit. Ron then continued and said "Yeah so apparently late last night someone snuck their way into Azkaban, managing to deter the Dementors at the same time and break Lucius out. Nobody knows where Lucius is and nobody knows who the other person is either."