Not Like You Planned

Chapter 15

Hi guys! Another update. Hope everyone is liking it. It'd be great for some feedback please. Vote, fan, comment, fave. Thanks!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Merope sighed as she walked down to Hagrid's hut. It had started to rain again and the water was making small streams down to the lake. It had rained all through the night and had been on and off throughout the day.

    Students went to their classes, some trying to cast spells to divert the rain with few succeeding. Merope was one of the few.

    "Even'in Merope!" Hagrid called, waving as he stepped outside. The rain poured down on him, matting his hair and beard down.

    "Hi Hagrid! What's the plan for today?" Merope asked.

    "Well, we're waiting for Draco, an then I've got a surprise," Hagrid said. Merope nodded and searched around for Draco's mind. She smiled as she felt it. She probed a bit and Draco let her into his mind, recognizing her presence.

    I'm on my way, he thought.

    Hurry. Hagrid said he has a surprise for us, Merope thought, retreating from his mind.

    A couple minutes later, Draco turned the corner of Hagrid's hut.

    "Sorry I'm late," he siad, shaking the rain out of his eyes.

    "No problem. No problem," Hagrid said, waving his hand. "But we have a long walk in the forest."

    He turned and walked down the rocky path leading to the forest. Draco smirked and rolled his eyes at Merope.  She allowed a small smile and then elbowed him in the ribs before walking down after Hagrid with Draco on her heels.

*~*

    "What are we doing so far out here?" Draco asked, looking around at the darkly-lighted forest. the trees were so tightly packed that there was no rain able to make it to the forest floor, despite how hard it rained.

    "It's a surprise," Hagrid said, stepping around a tree.

    "What's the surprise?" he asked, winking at Merope and got an eyeroll back. He grinned.

    He and Merope had been getting along very well. They had gotten back into their routine of morning and night meetings by the lake and spent hours talking. And some of that time was spent kissing too, to Dracos enjoyment. And Draco surprised himself by how tolerant he was about Merope's faux relationship with Fred. She'd toned down the PDA with him, no doubt feeling the hurt in Draco's mind (no matter how hard he tried to hide it).

    "We're here," Hagrid said, motioning around. Draco blinked out of his thoughts and glanced around. They were still in the middle of the forest, tall trees looming up around them. There was no brush due to the lack of sunlight, so there seemed to be space around.

    "What are we looking for?" Merope asked, brushing her hair back.

    "Be quiet and you'll hear," Hagrid said, smiling. Draco listened carefully, searching for something other than the quiet rustles of the forest.

    "Oh wow!" Merope exclaimed, one of her hands flying to her mouth. Draco looked around but failed to see anything.

    "What?" he asked, feeling a bit left out in the surprise.

    "Hagrid," said a deep gravelly voice. Draco jumped. The voice was grating on his eardrums. Deep and powerful, and with a slight clicking noise.