Disowned (Drarry/Pansmione)

Chapter Thirty Two

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"No, Ron, we're not. We can't find Hermione anywhere and the girls say she's not in her dorm."

Hermione had been missing for the past hour. Draco was the first one to notice since she didn't show up to do their homework together like they usually did. He had brushed it off because it wasn't the first time she had done that, sometimes preferring the quiet of the library, but then it was past curfew and there was no sign of her. He had gone to Harry, who he had learned got a freaking invisibility cloak  for Christmas, to see if they could sneak her out of the library, but when they got there, she wasn't there. There was a chance she had passed them, or gone a different way, but it was unlikely.

Draco had suggested that they check the classrooms in case Hermione had decided to get extra help, but she wasn't in any of them, either. At this point, they had hurried back to the Common Room and found the Patil sister - Draco still didn't know which one she was - sitting on the couch writing an essay. They asked her if she had seen Hermione, and she said no. She then checked the dorms for them and came back with a negative answer. So now, Harry and Draco were with Ron, who they had pulled out of bed, trying to figure out what to do.

Draco was starting to wonder if this had something to do with what Pansy had told them on the train. Pansy hadn't told them much, just that Hermione was her mate, but she did hand Draco a wadded up piece of paper and told him not to tell Hermione what it said when she hugged him goodbye.

Pansy had already revealed to Draco that she and Hermione were going to die; he just didn't know when or how. Maybe he should read that paper.

Draco excused himself by saying he had to pee and found the paper in his bag.

Draco, I'm so scared. I have to drown her. I have to kill her and then myself right after we graduate from Hogwarts. I don't know how to tell her. She probably hates me and if I tell her she has to die then she'll probably turn me down and then I'll just die alone and never become a mermaid. She can't take back refusing me. I'm going to tell Dumbledore. He told me the password to his office if you ever want to talk to him about this. It's Chocolate. Not very secure. I think he knew this was going to happen. And there's a girl who's coming to Hogwarts next year. She has the same fate as me and Hermione. I don't know what to do. Please don't tell anyone. I can't have everyone worried for me.

Well. That wasn't a very long time. Maybe Dumbledore would know where Hermione was. Maybe she was talking to him herself.

Draco hid the paper in his bag once more and hurried back down the stairs. "Guys, I think we need to go to Dumbledore's office."

"Why?" Harry asked, standing up and grabbing his cloak.

"I can't tell you," Draco said awkwardly. "But I think that's where Hermione is."

Harry and Ron ignored how strange he was being and all hurried under the cloak and out the portrait hole. The Fat Lady grumbled behind them about kids using her after curfew but her not being allowed to tell, but they ignored her. Luckily, Draco had had a mental map of Hogwarts for years, so he knew exactly where to go. He brought them up to Dumbledore's office's entrance and said the password.

"Chocolate?" Ron asked in disbelief.

The three ran up the stairs and Harry hid the cloak in Draco's bag before they knocked on the door. Someone was sobbing inside.

"Oh, hello boys," Dumbledore greeted. "I was just about to wait outside for your friends' arrival. You are looking for Miss Granger, yes?"

"Yes sir," Draco said. "We couldn't find her and got worried."

"You especially, I presume," Dumbledore said with a weird eye twinkle. "Head inside. I'm sure Miss Davis and the others will arrive shortly."

Dumbledore slipped past them and down the stairs while the three stepped into the office. Hermione was sitting in a rather large armchair with Pansy, who was crying her eyes out. They both looked up as the boys entered.

"Sit down," Hermione commanded gently. Her hand was rubbing circles on Pansy's back.

Draco sat in one of the armchairs. There was enough room that Harry and Ron were able to squeeze in next to him. Draco subconsciously leaned into Harry, who did the same back.

"What's going on?" Ron asked. "Why are you comforting her? Didn't she make you cry once?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's in the past now."

"But - "

"Later. Once her friends are here."

Ron fell silent with a confused pout. Luckily for him, they didn't have to wait long. Before they knew it, Blaise, Millicent, and a girl Draco assumed was Tracey were sitting in the third armchair and Dumbledore was at his desk.

"I'm sure most of you are confused," Dumbledore began, "for many reasons. I think I will allow Miss Parkinson to explain, if she thinks she is able."

"I am," Pansy said shakily. "I'm half mermaid."

"What?!" Blaise shrieked. Millicent smacked his arm.

"Shut up and let her talk," she commanded. Blaise rubbed his arm.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "I have to sleep under water and I have this mermaid in my head named Rainey who tells me when I'm close to death. I got cursed before I was born because my idiotic mother decided to mess around with a sacred mermaid pool. She got herself killed over the break because she tried to make the mermaid lift the curse."

"Miss Parkinson, you never told me that," Dumbledore said sternly.

Pansy glared at him. "It's none of your business."

Dumbledore shook his head. "It is my business. You are my student and under my care. I now see why your father is such a threat to your safety."

"Why's he a threat to your safety?" Millicent asked. "I thought he was nice."

Pansy sniffed. "He is, but he isn't very accepting. He would have murdered my mother for this if she hadn't done it for him. He'll disown me and leave me homeless when he finds out." Pansy sobbed and Hermione pulled her closer.

"Pans, why are you and Hermione sitting together?" Tracey asked softly. "I thought you hated her."

"She's my mate."

"Bloody what?!" Ron shouted. Harry grabbed his arm to pull him down, but Ron shook out of his grasp. "This is ridiculous! There's no such thing as a half mermaid! I would know!"

"Shut up you ginger idiot!" Pansy screamed.

"Students, calm down, please."