Different

threats

Some triggering parts at the end!

"Stop it! No, please! Stop!"

Claire shrieked and ran down the hallway, the footsteps behind her alerting her that she was painfully slow and out of shape. Right before the arm could grab her she ran into a tall figure, almost falling down. Claire grimaced with embarrassment when Draco slid to a stop next to her, the moonlight falling over them as Professor Snape looked at them with displeasure clear on his face.

"And why, exactly, are my prefects running down the hallways like crazed people?"

"The party was horrible," Claire tried to explain. While Slughorn knew how to throw a party, he used it as more of an excuse to show off his friends than anything else. Claire had been reluctantly invited, but Draco had not scored an invitation. Instead of enjoying her night, Claire spent most of her time dealing with Hermione and her date, Cormac McLaggen. Harry and Luna weren't much better company either now that Harry thought or knew that Malfoy might be the one behind Katie Bell's attack.

"I thought that Mr. Malfoy was not able to attend the party," Professor Snape drawled, raising an eyebrow at the pair. Draco shuffled a little further away from Claire and cleared his throat. Snape raised a hand before he could speak. "I do not have time to punish either of you at the moment. Just know that I will not hesitate to punish either of you."

"Do you have time to talk?" Draco pleaded. Snape tried to walk away but Claire stepped in front of him. He reluctantly looked down and then sighed, nodding at Draco. "I need your help."

"I noticed," Snape said, a hint of anger to his tone. Draco's eyes went wide with fear as the professor took a step closer to loom over the boy. "Let me make something very clear. I already sent Slughorn the mulled wine to give to Professor Dumbledore. If that does not work, you are on your own with any further plans. I will not muddy my hands any further."

"But the Unbreakable Vow-"

"No," Snape interrupted harshly. Draco clenched his jaw and looked at the ground until Snape grabbed his jaw. "If I find out that you involved my goddaughter in another plot, you will never recover from what I will do to you. Am I clear?"

"I'm going to help him," Claire defended herself. "I'm trying to keep both Draco and Dumbledore alive. Katie grabbed the necklace off the ground in a dark alleyway. Trust me, I saw everything that could happen, and what happened was the best option. I've seen the worst that could happen, and we're nowhere near that yet."

Snape took a step back and observed the pair, a sad look crossing his face.

"I fear that you have not seen anything close to the worst that could happen."

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"Harry won't talk to me."

Draco looked up from his potion's homework with a frown on his face. Claire anxiously bit the end of her sugar quill, unable to focus on her homework. The train ride seemed to take forever and a heavy feeling had been crushing her for three days. Her head was pounding and she was so close to a panic attack.

"He had been following me for a while," Draco admitted, making the girl frown. "Do you think he heard us with Snape?"

"I have to talk to him before he mentions anything to my dads. It's probably best if you stay here," Claire sighed as she stood up. Draco's hand shot out to stabilize her when she stumbled, her head pounding. He sent her a concerned look but she just shook her head.

"I'll walk you there," Theo offered. "I'm probably a much friendly face that Draco is."

They walked in silence, Claire having to grab his arm a few times when the train bumped.