Saving Each Other - Dramione

Paranoia

Winter moves in and snow begins to blanket the grounds. There is a general state of dazed confusion over the school as everyone tries to go on as though nothing has happened.

Most people have begun to relax, realising that Rodolphus is not about suddenly appear out of nowhere.  Even though logically, I know that there is probably no immediate danger, it doesn't stop me from being close to a nervous wreck. Even before, when we first came back to Hogwarts I had been a bit jumpy but now I am terrified of everything. Before, I had thought the threat had gone, after all, that had been the whole point of the war, but now I know there is something real again, I am so close to just breaking down.

It is now a bit over a month since the Hogsmeade trip incident and Draco and I are walking down the steps to the dungeons to do our check on the Slytherin common room.  I am glad that this is our last room, then I can go to bed and try to get to sleep.

My fingers are intertwined with Draco's as we navigate the eerie passageways.  It's comforting to have him so close and it does a little to calm my nerves which recently, have been constantly on edge.

As we pass the entrance to a passage leading off to our right, I try to look down the passage and see through the partial darkness.  I'm not really sure what I'm looking for but I know that constant surveillance is important.

Just when I've decided that the passage is clear there is a sudden sharp sound like a stone being dropped.  Immediately my free hand flies to the pocket of my robes and I draw out my wand.  I feel Draco tense beside me but he doesn't reach for his wand.

'Lumos,' I whisper and light spreads from the end of my wand to illuminate the passage we had just passed.  'Who's there?' I call out but my voice is shaky.

I feel something touch my shoulder and I jump, turning around and pointing my wand in the opposite direction.

'Hermione it was just me.'  Draco calmly holds up his hand almost in a gesture of surrender.

I don't lower my wand and simply turn back around to where I had heard the noise.

'Hermione, I don't think there's anyone there. We're at Hogwarts remember; you're safe here.'

My wand arm goes slack and drops to my side.  Of course there's nothing there. 

"Hermione..?'  Draco begins but lets the unfinished question hang in the air.  He doesn't reach out to touch me again.

I want to say something to let him know that I'll be alright but I can't find the words.  I'm not alright.  Nothing is alright.

'I'm sorry,' is all I say.  I look over my shoulder behind me to try to read Draco's face.

'You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for 'Mione.  Now come on, we'll just look in on the Slytherin common room and then we can go to bed.'

'I'm not really sure why you put up with me, with all of this.'  I turn to face him and he pauses before he answers.

'The thing is Hermione, you're right if you think that this is hard for me but not in the way that you'd imagine.  It's difficult for me because I can see the pain that you're going through and I don't know what I can do to help.' 

'There's probably nothing you can do but I appreciate very much that you're trying.'  I take a deep breath and give him a sort of sad smile.  ' You're right, we should keep going now that I've stopped freaking out about a tiny noise.'

I can tell that Draco wants to argue but I start walking away and he doesn't say anything.

We reach the entrance to the Slytherin common room but as soon and we have given the password and the door has cracked open we hear shouting from inside.

No one notices us at first so we can examine the whole scene laid out before us as we stand in the doorway.  It seems that the majority of Slytherin house is gathered in the common room to spectate.  Two clear sides have formed and I am not surprised to see that Lucas Rowle is in the front with his cronies.  For the moment the battle is limited to the two sides shouting at each other across the room but with every insult that is thrown they step closer.

'All of that is dead now; there's nothing to be gained from it.'  I look across the room and see Blaise Zabini yelling at Lucas who stands defiant, preparing his retort.

'Ah but you see that's where you're wrong, there's everything to be gained from it: the wizarding world as it was intended to be,' pronounces Lucas.

'What is going on here?' Draco attempts to command the attention of the room but barely anyone but me actually hears him. 

'Oh for Merlin's sake.'  I pull out my wand and with a loud bang, send a shower of red sparks over the heads of the amassed Slytherins. 

Now everyone is looking at us and Draco asks his question again.

'Can someone please explain what is going on here?'