After Tonight

Chapter 19: A Plan

Narcissa was sitting at the dining table, leaning over a stack of papers spread out before her, with Theo and Neville flanking her sides. "Draco! Good, you're here," she said, glancing at him quickly before resuming her previous actions. "We need to discuss what we're going to do."

"Whatever it is, I'll go," he replied quickly.

Ron huffed in annoyance. "Of course. Gotta make up for lost time, huh?"

"This is my home, Weasel," he snapped, clenching his fists. "I'll be damned if I'm talked down to while we're here."

Ron straightened, walking until he was nearly chest to chest with Draco. "Try and stop me, if you don't like it."

"Both of you, calm down!" Narcissa barked, causing the two boys to eye her sideways. "This. Is. My. Home. You all are guests. Act accordingly." She pointed a finger at the papers, flicking her eyes between them. "Tomorrow night, a group of you will go to Malfoy Manor. Blaise is already there, so he and I will get you down to the basements unnoticed. Draco, correct me if I'm wrong, but according to Blaise and Theo, my husband keeps the formula there along with the prisoners. Getting in and out is all that needs to happen."

Draco listened silently, considering the options. It was a simple plan, in and out, but with his luck, something was bound to go wrong.

Neville gestured to the papers, which Draco realized were the original blueprints of Malfoy Manor. "If we can make it to the hedges, we'll have a chance. How many people are down there again?"

Draco paled, realizing everyone's attention had turned to him. "Cho Chang, Maisie Catermole, Penelope Clearwater, and Molly Weasley," he answered, his tone icy, watching the tips of Ron's face redden.

"The fuck are they doing to my mother?" he bellowed, and inwardly Draco winced. "The fuck are they doing to Cho? Why her?"

Draco shrugged, afraid if he did speak, the answer he would give would be an incorrect one.

"Ronald, from what I can recall, your mother is a fighter," Narcissa cut in, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her index finger. "Can we stay focused so we can assure that everyone will get out?"

Hannah walked into the kitchen, followed by Pansy and Hermione. Draco stared at her, hoping he could fix whatever he had just broken. She looked between him and Ron, then rolled her eyes before looking away.

"I want to go, too," Hannah quipped, folding her arms defiantly. "I need to rescue Penelope."

"And we will," Narcissa promised. "But we need some people here in case of an attack."

"I'll stay," Pansy said quickly, her head cocked slightly as she peered at Theo. "I can take care of Teddy."

"Hermione and Hannah should stay, too." Draco added, and found Hannah glaring at him. He shrugged helplessly. "You might be a liability, since Penelope means something to you."

"And you're not?" Hannah shot back, and Hermione put a hand on her arm, before leaning in and whispering near Hannah's ear. With a huff, she stepped back, staring hot daggers towards Draco while she unfolded her arms.

Neville, Kelly, Theo, and Ron piped up that they would go as well, which made Draco roll his eyes when he caught Ron smiling a little at Hermione. Typical Weasley, always making a decision based off of what someone else thought.

Draco tried not to think about how he did the same.

He noticed how Pansy was intensely talking to Hermione, her mouth moving quickly. From this distance, he couldn't hear what she was saying, but he knew that look. It was the same look she wore whenever they headed home for the summer, right before she had to see her parents again.