CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
caught in the middle — paramore
( 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝟏𝟓 )
Meredith couldn't produce a Patronus to save her life so she sat in a corner folding origami paper cranes. The Room of Requirement was heaven on earth for crafters.
It wasn't like she hadn't tried. She did, she tried for a good half an hour, unable to produce any more than a small wisp of blue-white light out of the tip of her wand. It wasn't like Meredith Darling to give up on a difficult spell so easily, but she was disheartened at the fact that nearly everyone around her had managed to conjure one. She was one of the top students in her year, and she couldn't conjure a Patronus, of all things.
Everyone thought her to be a happy person. She tried to be; always smiling brightly like there was nothing wrong in the world, laughing and joshing around with her numerous friends, being the friend to always lighten the mood and brighten their day. But sometimes it got exhausting, and these moments became artificial and practiced. If you were to ask her to think of a time of genuine happiness where her heart was only filled with goodness and joy? Yeah, not so much.
"Hey, you alright?" Harry walked over to her, concern in his voice. She wondered if it was the fact that she was perched on a stool folding paper cranes. She had folded four now. She was just about to consider making some frogs as well. She folded as she watched Hermione laugh at her fully fledged Patronus, an otter, dancing around her like it was swimming in water. Fascinating things, Patronuses. They were either supposed to represent who you were or to match the Patronus of someone you loved. Meredith had even heard an old wives tale that if your love was eternal, even if either partner died, their Patronus remained the same. She thought it was romantic, but also a little weird. How did the Patronuses choose who would change? Did they flip a galleon?
Meredith wondered what her Patronus would be, if she could ever conjure one.
Harry conjured up a stool and sat next to her, watching the room ( Ron's Jack Russel Terrier knocked the lanky boy over ), "Can't think of a happy enough memory?"
"Don't think I have one, Potter." She didn't usually show her doubts to others like this, but this was just Harry. Harry who didn't care if she was her overconfident snarky self or if she was moody and emotional. He was terrible at being a boyfriend, but he was good at being a friend. He demonstrated this by hopping off his stool, offering his hand, a small inviting smile on his lips, "C'mon. I think I know how to help."
Meredith plastered on a smile and took his hand out onto the floor. Happy memories. The only ones she had was when her mother was still alive and she did not want to head there right now. Maybe Harry could her read her mind, or his Occlumency lessons actually worked, because he interrupted her thoughts with, "Mine too. Were of my mum, I mean. It's hard to go there, but these special memories create the most powerful Patronuses."
Meredith sighed, she was not about to be the last one to produce a Patronus; There was one memory. When she was eight. They had gone abroad for the summer, the whole family together in a little chalet down by the beach. Her father had taken a week off from work, one of the only times he truly took a break from it. They'd wake up and watch the sunrise together every morning, the ocean lapping against her feet, salty winds brushing through her hair. She focused on it, remembering her father picking her up ( "You weigh a ton, Mer." ), her mother building sandcastles; Harry was thankfully right.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A ball of light erupted from the tip of her wand, landing on the floor. The blinding light swirled around the air for a second before it took form. A beautiful elegant leopard prowled around Meredith now, growling and snapping at the other Patronuses around the room.
"It's beautiful." She whispered to herself, staring at the lithe beast as it leaped and bounded around the room, transfixed. A glowing blue stag landed with a musical clip-clop sound beside her Patronus. The leopard watched the stag tentatively, prowling around the unfamiliar animal, making Meredith laugh. Oh, it was truly the right Patronus for her, wasn't it?
"Do leopards eat stags, Potter?" Harry snorted, swishing away his Patronus.
It seemed like just about everyone had managed to conjure their Patronus now, the room filled with glowing blue-white light and an assortment of animals. Ron's Jack Russel Terrier was chasing Hermione's otter round the room, Ginny's horse galloped across the room right through Neville, Fred and George's were magpies flapping above them, Seamus's fox tried to snap up Luna's hare while Chang's swan waddled across the floor. This was what Hogwarts should be, filled with Magic and light and joy. Not oppressive rules and Dark Lords and fear. Fear of Umbridge, the Ministry, fear of the future.
"Thank you, Harry." She beamed as her Patronus faded, looking up at Harry. He was shorter than Draco, so they stood almost face-to-face. He was so...different from Draco. Draco was mysterious and complicated, hiding his emotions behind his facade of masculinity and prejudice. Despite her knack for reading people, she sometimes couldn't tell when he was being genuine or when he was putting on an act. Harry was so simple ( except the whole boy-who-lived part, of course ). Without that, he was a shy fifteen year old who knew nothing about girls. Absolutely nothing. Poor boy was extremely clueless.
"No worries," He squeezed her hand, "You did really good. I'm really glad you decided to join Dumbledore's Army." His cheeks turned a shade of pink. Hermione and Ron were staring at them across the room, a knowing look on their faces. Oh, bugger off.
"Harry, I—"
The room shook.
The chandelier's ( "We could ask for anything and we aren't getting a chandelier?" The room supplied it immediately ) crystals clattered against one another. The room fell silent and the Patronuses vanished one-by-one, fear seeping in. Harry gripped her hand tightly.
A loud crack was heard, drawing everyone's attention. Dobby ( she knew him from her many late night trips to the kitchens ) fell onto the stone floor before there, fear gripping his small figure. Harry dropped her hand, running across the room to meet him, "What's wrong, Dobby?" Meredith followed hot on his tail, pushing through the crowd that had gathered.
The elf was panicking, hopping around nervously as if he was doing something wrong. But the room shook again, and Dobbly blurted out, "Umbridge is coming!"
Chaos broke out in the room. Harry turned to Meredith, eyes wide, shouting "Run!" above the hubbub. Meredith got pulled back by the members of Dumbledore's army scrambling for the exits, grabbing their friends along with them. She heard someone shout her name. Where was Hermione? Ron? Harry? How in did Umbridge find out about them? Someone must've sold them out, Meredith realised as she ducked to avoid someone's frantic arm.
As much as she cared dearly for the people in Dumbledore's Army ( most of them, at least ) , she had to protect herself now. Her father worked at the Ministry, if they found out about her in an illegal magic club, he may lose his job. As much as she thought that he was a terrible father recently, she was still her father, and nothing would change that. What if Draco found out? He had made his dislike for Harry and his friends evident in the first time she had interacted with them both, and made a face whenever she said that she'd been with them. It wasn't any of his business who she hung out with, but she was actively breaking the school rules here.
She spotted an exit which had just materialised and made a dash for it. It led to a...tunnel? She entered the tunnel as the crowd thinned, but the door shut and disappeared behind her. Oh, this would have to do for now then. "Lumos." It seemed to go on forever. Where did this lead to? The Shrieking Shack? She prayed that it did not lead to the Shrieking Shack. She did not have the energy to deal with that right now.
She should have just gone with the rest. This is what you get for trying to be clever, Meredith, She scolded herself, stuck in a dark creepy tunnel leading to Merlin knows where. She continued walking forward for what seemed to be forever before she found an unlocked door. It creaked open, and she peeked out, looking around furtively. It led to the corridor right by the Slytherin common room. Seeing no one in sight—
"No, not you too."
She cringed at the voice. It was tinged with anger, but also disappointment. Quite a bit of disappointment. She knew that voice from anywhere. Bloody Draco Malfoy had caught her red-handed.
She knew he had been helping Umbridge try to catch the members of an 'elicit group', but she had been careful; Only attending meetings that didn't force her to leave a group setting conspicuously, brushing off any noticed absence with a believable excuse like "I was in the library." or "I went to visit Professor Mcgonagall about the Transfiguration class". Daphne Greengrass seemed to be the only who who ever seemed slightly suspicious of her absences, but she thankfully said nothing. Meredith had been so careful but now she was going to go down for this.
He walked up to her and Meredith didn't try to run, rooted to the spot. There would be no point in running anymore. She cautiously looked up at the boy who stopped right in front of her. She expected his expression to be cold and full of anger but instead there was fear and...concern. What?
He pulled her into a narrower hallway, away from the courtyard, voice dropping to a hurried whisper, "Your name wasn't on the list? Good, then you're safe for now." What?
"I glanced over the list Pansy snatched quickly but I don't remember seeing your name. Which means Umbridge has no idea that you were there and I'm the only person who does." He glanced around furtively, eyes darting about, but Meredith was still unable to speak, trying to process everything that was happening. What?
"Dumbledore's left the school, so that means Umbridge will become the Headmistress. I don't know what to expect but you sure as hell have to stay under the radar. She may be a hag, but she is also the most powerful woman in Hogwarts right now. And she has the power to make your life a living hell." He continued, tight grip on her arm loosening. Meredith blinked up at him. What?
"I overheard her talking to Fudge after Dumbledore got sacked. She's going to implement interrogations on all suspected students. So if you stick by me and keep your head down, you'll be alright. Got that? You promise me that you'll stop going to the meetings and not to say anything that will anger her. Promise me." His eyes stared earnestly into hers, hands resting on her shoulders, practically begging her now. Why was Draco trying to protect her? He had made it clear to her that he despised Potter, and her joining an illegal Harry Potter run duelling club didn't seem like something he would brush off easily. Now, finding out that a Slytherin, one of his closest friends, was in the club as well, and he simply forgave her?
"You've got to promise me, Darling."
She had a million questions firing off in her head right now ( namely why he wasn't planning on snitching on her ) but she could only stare into his genuine silver eyes and whisper out, breathless,
"I promise, Draco. I promise."
He visibly relaxed, returning from this...whatever he was now to his usual stoic self as if the last five minutes had not happened, "We'd best be off to dinner now. I suspect Blaise and Daphne are looking for you. I hear they're serving roast chicken tonight. You always enjoy that."
Meredith nodded wordlessly and followed alongside him, her heartbeat thundering in his ears. She felt like she was being yanked from two opposite sides. What was supposed to be the dark and the light. The good and the bad. However, it felt like the lines between them were beginning to blur,
And it was bloody confusing.
oh how the turns have tabled. also, honorary patronus scene in every order of the phoenix fic. also, i realised while binging gossip girl season 4 and 5 last night that draco and meredith are literally chuck and blair while harry is louis (except i actually love harry ps. this means look out for a harry potter fic sometime soon ,,,)