Draco X Reader ▸ HIS PRIDE | ✓

Y1 C8~ The Forbidden Forest

Following the students that had returned home for Christmas off the train, the first thing I heard was Hermione calling out my name as I stepped off the train's stairs, before she flung her arms around me in a tight embrace, almost knocking the air out of my lungs.

I let out a small laugh and smiled, wrapping my arms around the brunette after missing her for so long. When she let go after a few moments, I looked around and spotted Chloe approaching us. She smiled at me as she joined Hermione and I's side.

"Hey, guys," she said, then rubbed her hands down the skirt of her Hogwarts uniform, flattening the hem that had riled up. She then looked around for a second, seemingly searching for someone. "Wait, where's Harry and Ron?"

Only just then did I realise Harry and Ron weren't anywhere near.
Hermione shook her head. "They both stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas break."

"Lucky." I whispered under my breath, which Hermione didn't hear. But I felt Chloe's eyes on me. "Anyways," I said just as the remaining students exited the Hogwarts Express behind us, and Professor McGonagall hollered, gesturing us to follow. "Let's get going."

We walked together as the students of different Hogwarts Houses surrounded us, making haste in following the teachers as we neared carriages without steeds.

"I almost forgot," Hermione said as we climbed inside one. I sat across from her and Chloe as the carriage began pulling itself with a sudden start. "there's some things I have to catch you up on, Y/n. About Snape."

Chloe clearly wasn't interested, so she just kept quiet, looking out the window of the carriage door.

I felt my stomach drop, and I looked at Hermione quickly, strands of hair falling in my face in the process. She didn't notice, my quick reaction.
"Harry and Ron told me they saw Snape with blood on his leg. They think he went to the third-floor corridor and couldn't get past because of something protecting it."
"What's on the third floor that would need protecting?" I asked, pulling my brows together out of confusion.
"That's what we're trying to figure out."

I bit my lower lip, contemplating on what she just told me. Something about it just didn't seem right, as if they were getting the story wrong.

After a few moments I looked up at her. "Alright." I hummed. "Can I help?"

She looked surprised at me question, but she was quick to accept. "That would be great, actually."

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"I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I have been so stupid?" Hermione said as she stalked over with a large book in her hands, struggling with its weight before dropping it onto the table, releasing a subtle 'bang' noise. Harry and Ron looked at the book incredulously.
"I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading-"

"This is light?" Ron said in disbelief, opening the letter cover of the book from the corner between his fingers as if it contained something disgusting, and he was avoiding making contact with it.

Hermione sent him a glare the second he uttered his words, making him shut up with a look alone, quickly letting go of the book he held.

Hermione snatched the book away from him and brought it closer to her, before opening she book and flicking through a few pages until she found something that caught her eye.
"Of course! Here it is," she began reading what the page said, "Nicholas Flamel is the only living known maker of the Philosopher's Stone."

"The what?" Harry and Ron said at the same time, neither of them knowing what on earth she was reading.

"Honestly, don't you two read?" Hermione said judgmentally, then looking back at her the words on the page and proceeding. "The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It'll transform any metal into pure gold and produce The Elixir of Life. Which will make the drinker immortal-"