Little Bird

Chapter Forty-Five

            "Doing okay?" Draco asked me, but his own voice shook and he refused to look me in the eye as we walked hurriedly through the hallways toward the Astronomy tower.

            I licked my lips and turned my face to the left when a small group of girls emerged from the hallway on my right, but they were heading in the opposite direction and their laughter quickly faded away. My voice came out much stronger than I felt as I lied, "Yeah. I'm alright."

            I was far from alright, but the last thing I wanted was for Draco to worry about me.

            Neither of us said anything more as we made our way to the Astronomy tower. My head was spinning as I realized it was really happening; the night I'd been dreading for months now was finally here. I glanced at Draco out of the corner of my eye, but his expression was carefully blank and his lips were pressed together so tightly that his jaw line jutted out. Forcing my legs to keep walking, I squared my jaw and told myself to keep it together.

            Draco took out his wand the moment the entrance to the staircase appeared, and I automatically followed suit, my hand clutching the smooth wood so tightly that my palm hurt. The Death Eaters had to be inside the castle by now—it was nearly dark outside.

            The castle had been almost silent, but as soon as we were starting for the stairs, a number of hurried footsteps could be heard heading our way. Draco froze and I grabbed his arm as a reflex, asking in a rushed voice, "Is that them?"

            "No, it can't be," he told me, his eyes wide as he watched the empty hallway for the approaching group of people. "It's too soon—he must've been tipped off, that has to be the Order—"

            I didn't have time to ask what the Order was, because Draco was pulling me away from the staircase and gripping my shoulders tightly. "The others will be here soon to back you up, okay? They're probably right behind them, I've got to go upstairs—"

            "I know, I'll hold them off until they get here—" I said quickly, starting to push Draco towards the stairs. My body was shaking from the adrenaline and fear of being separated from him, but this had been the plan anyway—I just had no idea who was going to be rounding that corner into this hallway. "Go, I've got it. I'll put up a barricade and then come up to you—but you've got to wait for me."

            He knew exactly what I meant—I wasn't going to let him be alone when we killed Dumbledore. I was going to be the one to do it, if it came down to it. Draco didn't have time to protest; the footsteps were closer, and whoever it was would be entering the hallway any second now. His eyes were wide with fear, but he gave my hand one last squeeze as he turned for the stairs. The last thing he said to me was, "Stay safe. Please."

            Then I could hear the footsteps and rushed voices behind me, and I turned away from Draco as he sprinted up the steps, my shoulders pushed back and my wand held tight in my hand.

            Nothing could have prepared me to see Ginny and Neville running down the hallway towards me.

            They were with two other men that I didn't recognize, but my heart sunk into the soles of my shoes as I realized all four of them had their wands out. The fear was clouding my vision and making it difficult to focus my gaze on the approaching people, but I kept my face carefully blank as I stood in front of the staircase to the Astronomy tower.

            "Eve?"

            It was Ginny, her face twisted in confusion as the four people began to slow when they got closer to me. My heart was pounding against the inside of my chest, but my voice sounded clear and strong as I said, "Don't come any closer."