"No."
Hermione wanted to stomp her feet in frustration, and probably would have, if it wasn't for the utter childishness of it. "Why?" she asked, keeping her voice level.
Dumbledore seemed shocked by her very request. "You want me to send men and women out there, to face Voldemort, and have them risk their lives, as a distraction? It's absurd, and unfair to ask them to sacrifice themselves for no reason! I'm shocked that you even suggested such a ludicrous idea, Ms. Granger."
"It isn't for no reason; it's to save Draco's life!"
"One life does not call for the destruction of fifteen others."
Hermione stared at him for a long time. "You would let him die then?" she asked, disbelievingly.
Dumbledore sighed. "No, Ms. Granger. That is not what I meant. I am doing everything I can to ensure Mr. Malfoy's safe return. But I will not risk more lives in doing so."
But that may be the only way, Hermione thought rebelliously. She crossed her arms with a huff. "You told Harry that you believed he and Draco were meant for each other," she said quietly. "And now you won't even give his plan a chance. Ever since you told him that, Harry has not thought of anything other than Draco's rescue, if only to see if you are correct. He barely eats or sleeps too!"
The Headmaster was silent for a moment. "It was not my intention to cause discomfort to Mr. Potter," he said at last. "I told him what I did, to give him encouragement. If they truly are meant to be together, then Draco will come back, safe and sound." He interrupted as Hermione opened her mouth. "This conversation is over, Ms. Granger. I'm sorry."
Hermione stood there for a few seconds, her mouth opened in shock, then she shut it. With a sorrowful shake of her head, she turned to leave. "I thought you would understand, Professor," she said softly. "You've always understood. But not this time."
With that, she left. Dumbledore sat back in his chair, confused for once in his long life. "Fawkes," he said aloud. "Do you think I was right?"
The phoenix only trilled noncommittally.
•••
"Well, then, we'll just have to go after him ourselves," Harry said, his chin held high in defiance. Hermione nodded.
"As hard as it is for me to admit...I think we do need to go against the Headmaster's wishes this time." She sighed, and glanced at Ron.
"I agree, mate. Even though I never really liked Draco...I'd hate to see him killed by his own father. And, if what you told us is true..." here, Ron grimaced. "And you and Draco are meant to be together..." another disgusted grimace. "Then I wouldn't want to see you moping around if he died."
Harry gave a grateful grin, tinged with amusement. "Thanks, guys," he said warmly. Hermione and Ron grinned back.
Hermione broke the moment of companionship. "How are we going to get in undetected though?" she asked. Harry paused. Suddenly, his face lit up.
"Who says we have to go alone?" he asked.
•••
"You want us to distract Voldemort?" Blaise stood staring at Harry, stunned.
Harry crossed his arms. "I'm the only one who knows of the secret entrance."
"I know of it too!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, we need you to form a distraction!"
"It's suicide!"
Blaise had crossed his arms too, and was emphatically shaking his head no. Harry sighed, and glanced at Pansy, Goyle, and Theo. They too were shaking their heads.
"It's for Draco's sake," Harry said shortly. Pansy glanced at the others, then sighed.
"Look, Harry, we want to help him, more than you think. But we can't just go waltzing in. There's got to be a better way..."
"Do share this better way." Harry's face was like stone. It was Pansy's turn to roll her eyes.
"Fine, it is a good plan," she snapped. "Happy?" No response from Harry. "I have an idea. What if Greg, Theo, and I were to take Hermione and Ron? Draco's mission was to...well, I can't say. But we could say we'd kidnapped them. Then, their presence would trigger the wards, and cause Voldemort to be distracted enough for you and Blaise to sneak in through the secret passage? You two would rescue Draco, then signal us somehow, and we could get Ron and Hermione out of there."
Harry thought for a moment. "That might work," he said thoughtfully.
"And I have the coins we used from the D.A. meetings," Hermione said enthusiastically. "I can reset the charms, to only alert our two groups."
Ron looked around. "Does anyone else have a problem with playing games with You-Know-Who, or is it just me?" he asked weakly. Hermione placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be alright, Ron," she said cheerfully. "We have our skills, and the Slytherins know every trick in the book. We'll get out alright."
Harry glanced at Blaise. "So...deal?"
Blaise hesitated, sighed, then said, "We go to our deaths...but deal." He shook Harry's outstretched hand. "When do we leave?"
"Right now."
Stunned silence was the Slytherins' only response, then Pansy spoke up, "Element of surprise. I like it."
Theo spoke for the first time. "Don't we need to gather supplies though? What if one of us is injured? We'll need potions..."
"There's no time to lose. Besides, we won't have time for potions once we're in. It's get in, get out." Harry was firm on that. "Now, who's with me?"
Not one person wasn't.
•••
"Ugh." Draco spat out the mouthful he had, and stared down at the thin broth in disgust. "Tastes like flobberworms," he muttered to himself. All of the food he had been served had. He only ate enough to stay alive now.
"How's our little prince enjoying his stay?"
Draco kept his back to the front of his cell, ignoring the taunting words. Dolohov didn't seem to appreciate the silence, and he made sure Draco knew this. The boy hissed in pain as the Stinging Hex hit his bare back, but he still didn't respond.
"You're supposed to answer that," Dolohov sneered, enjoying the sight of a proud Malfoy reduced to silence in a cell.
"It's quite nice, actually. Although the décor could be a little better..."
Draco's sarcasm earned him a brief round of Crucio, but he didn't so much as whimper, instead letting the pain rush through his veins without much more than a wince. He didn't care; he couldn't feel it. He hadn't felt the pain since his third day of constant pain. His mind was elsewhere, focused on a happy memory. He was remembering a Quidditch scrimmage between his friends, himself, and a few Gryffindors. And Harry.
Somehow, those memories helped him block out the pain. This angered many of his tormentors, but what could they do? Short of killing him or causing him to go insane, neither of which would please the Dark lord, they could do nothing.
Yet, the memories only reminded him of what he had lost...and what he probably would never have again.
Draco remained still and silent, until Dolohov's footsteps had died away, and he was alone. Then, he broke down, curling into a ball. Tears dripped down his cheeks, warm and salty.
A week and a half...it's been a week and a half. He's not coming...I'm alone...
Draco squeezed his eyes shut. I'm alone...no one's going to find me down here...there's no way out...no one wants me anyways...I give up...I just want to die...
Similar thoughts flittered through his brain, until his breathing slowed, and he slipped into sleep. If it weren't for the subtle rise and fall of his thin chest, he would have appeared dead.