the marriage stone (Discontinued)

Chapter 61 - The Calling

"Do you suppose any of the students were killed?" Ginny asked suddenly, echoing thoughts they had likely all wondered. None of them knew the answer to that of course - they wouldn't know until they left Dumbledore's tower. But at the moment this was the best place for all of them. It was the most secure place in the entire castle, and there would be far too many people trying to get close to Harry.

"There might have been a few injuries," Charlie told her. "But I don't think there would have been any deaths. Their section of the stands wasn't touched."

"I wonder what my father's doing in the castle?" Draco remarked. At the looks they threw him, he just shrugged unapologetically. "I suppose we all assume that this was an attack from You-Know-Who. And yet. . ." he trailed off as if unwilling to finish the statement.

"And yet, none of the children of Death Eaters had been warned to stay away from the Pitch today," Hermione finished for him, guessing the direction his thoughts were going. As far as she knew none of the Slytherin children had been absent.

"My father is angry with me," Draco remarked. "But I'd like to think he'd still try to save me if he could." He sounded remarkably doubtful about that and Charlie hugged him closer. Draco just sighed and rested his head against Charlie's shoulder. "Maybe not," he conceded.

Hermione found herself shuddering at the thought, wondering what it must be like to believe such a thing of your own father. She actually felt sorry for the Slytherin. "Maybe they didn't know," she suggested, barely believing that she actually trying to make excuses for Lucius Malfoy. Surprisingly Ron took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly in approval.

Again they all fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. More than once, Hermione found herself glancing over at Harry, checking to see if he was sleeping soundly. Fawkes had landed on the back of Harry's couch and was still crooning softly to him, and it looked like Professor Snape's potion more than did the trick to keep his nightmares at bay. She couldn't help but think of how vulnerable he looked. He and Ron were the same age, and yet Harry still seemed so much younger physically. He would never have Ron's height or muscular build - thanks in part she suspected to his upbringing with the Dursleys. And while there were times when his eyes looked positively ancient, she also knew that Harry was still remarkably innocent about a lot of things. Even Ron, who should have seen Harry as an equal, thought of him as a little brother. She was guilty of the same.

A little brother who was about to be forced into the role of King of the Wizarding World, Hermione thought to herself. And all of them had dutifully fallen in line behind him, standing like his knight-protectors when he'd rushed off do what he likely considered his duty. How frustrating it was to keep Harry safe when he was always the first person to run headlong into danger.

"So… Lupin and Black," Draco said unexpectedly into the silence, startling them all. "When did that happen exactly? They're kind of hot!"

They all looked at Draco as if he'd lost his mind - Charlie had the added look of jealousy glinting in his eyes at the comment. It took a moment for Hermione to realize that while Draco might have heard rumors about the relationship between Remus and Sirius, this was the first time he'd actually seen Sirius Black in person.

"What?" the Slytherin asked with an innocent shrug. "I never get to hear any of the good gossip. You all stop talking whenever the evil Slytherin enters the room."

"You think they're hot?" Charlie demanded.

"Hell, yes," Draco smirked. "I was engaged to Black you know."

"I know," Charlie growled at him. Draco just grinned impishly up at him, seeming utterly unrepentant about his remarks. Charlie glanced at the others as he stood, pulling Draco with him. "Excuse us a moment," he informed them and then pulled the still grinning Draco toward the nearly hidden door behind Dumbledore's desk and up the stairs behind it.