Winter (Draco x Reader)

Chapter 17- The Forbidden Forest*

"I don't know," Harry confessed. "But Professor McGonagall did, and she's all that matters. Hagrid is going to take us, so I'm sure we'll be fine." His voice fizzled out at the end, while he toed at the bank's pebbles. 

I blurted, "Forget it, I'm coming with you."

"What?" Ron demanded. Hermione said, "No, Y/N, you can't!" Blaise grimaced at me, vaguely shaking his head in dissuasion. 

I peered at them all defiantly. "I won't be a weight to pull, I promise. Plus, with your luck, Harry is going to get paired with Draco, so who else is going to keep them from ripping out each others' throats?"

"Y/N!" Hermione protested, but I cut her off. "Hermione, I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't come with you. It's not like I'd be sleeping anyway, I'd be too worried."

Hermione gnawed on her lip, her eyebrows a straight, dark line across her face. "Fine," she capitulated. "You're the best with a wand anyway."

"There's nothing in the Forest to fear," Luna remarked, laying a hand with sparkly purple nails on my shoulder. "All you'll meet are Thestrals, they're not going to put you in real danger."

"Thestrals?" Ron asked blankly.

"Yes," she stared at him, "the horses that draw the carriages."

Four pairs of eyes turned to me accusingly, and I took that as my cue to say, "Well, I'll see you tonight, then?"

"Yes," Hermione murmured. We all shared an overly solemn look.

After all, no one liked getting detention.

***************************

That evening, I heard Draco before I saw him.

"I am not going in that forest," he said firmly. Ensued a boyish snigger that must have come from either Ron or Harry.

"You don't have a choice," cackled Filch gleefully. I could imagine the delight painted all over his greasy face at such a capital punishment. It was no secret the caretaker longed for the days when one could tie wrongdoing students' feet in shackles and leave them hanging in the dungeons for two days straight. "And I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourselves with the oaf? Well, think again-- I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

And I'd be much mistaken if Lucius Malfoy didn't follow up on his son's generally empty threats this time.

"Leave 'em alone, Filch," Hagrid's voice chided gruffly. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that, so I sugges' I just take over from here."

When Filch replied, it was with a tone so flat it could only be accompanied by narrowed eyes and a contemptuous sneer. "I'll be back at dawn. For what's left of them, that is."

He let out a derisive snort and his lamp bobbed away in the darkness. Draco took the opportunity to face Hagrid, repeating his words like a tireless attorney defending someone guilty. "I am not going in that Forest."

Even Hagrid seemed to be losing patience. "Yeh are if yeh want tuh stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong and now yeh've got to pay for it."

"But this is servant stuff," Draco cried indignantly, "it's not for students to do! If my father knew I was doing this, he'd--"

"-- Most certainly tell you to change your vocabulary, as it is at best conceited and at worst boorish to speak of people like that," I let out coolly, strolling towards the small group.

Hermione and Harry were standing to one side, Hermione's wild hair pulled back into a high bun. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she picked at a piece of skin by her thumb. Draco stood opposite them, eyes constantly shifting and his usually slicked-back hair tousled, loosely framing his angular features.