Draco: Phoenix Rising

Chapter Forty Five - Rescue and Escape

The Great Hall was in an uproar again. Draco was starting to think uproar followed Weasley's around.

He sat down and bit into a golden apple while the group began to argue. The prisoner exchange was to take place in Trafalgar Square in London. All of the Weasleys wanted to go, of course.

The redheaded stick girl was immediately crossed off the list, much to her shrieking, stamping indignation. Draco vowed to get Potter a set of earplugs for his birthday. If they all lived that long.

Hermione sat down next to Draco and reached for a bunch of grapes. Her hip rested against his and their shoulders overlapped. He tried to remember if she had ever sat so close to him before. It made him slightly tense.

Draco was distracted by Ron joining the fray. Apparently, Mrs. Weasley had forbidden ickle-Ronnikins to attend, even though he was of age. The shouting grew even louder when Potter announced that he was going. Rufus Scrimgeour appeared via Floo Network and began issuing orders. The adults unanimously agreed the The Boy Who Lived would be The Boy Who Stayed at Hogwarts. Scrimgeour supported Molly and commanded Ron to stay, also, mostly to annoy Potter, Draco figured. The Minister didn't seem to like Harry much. Three enraged Gryffindors plopped themselves next to Draco and Hermione.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Malfoy," Scrimgeour warned Draco. "As soon as I return, we're going to have a full investigation into the deaths of Titus Mulciber and Albus Dumbledore."

"Severus Snape killed Dumbledore!" Hermione burst out, rising to Draco's defense like an angry lioness. "And Mulciber nearly killed us all! Draco acted in self-defense!"

"We will see," Scrimgeour said shortly. "Bring the werewolf."

Lupin entered, looking ashen and subdued. He had a chained Fenrir in tow. The werewolf seemed jaunty and relaxed. The room emptied quickly after that as they departed in groups for the Ministry of Magic. From there they would Apparate to London.

"Why didn't you go, Hermione?" Ron asked when the place had nearly cleared out. Of Hogwarts staff, only McGonagall and Pomfrey remained. Draco assumed Hagrid was around somewhere, as he hadn't been present for the mass exodus. Perhaps Filch. And the centaur, of course.

"I think most of the Order and half the Ministry is quite enough people to rescue Percy," she said. "Besides, we have a Trinket to locate."

Ron groaned. "Back to the library?"

"You guessed it."

"We're going to seach every bloody book that has even a passing reference to Godric Gryffindor," Harry said grimly. "We've got to find that last Horcrux."

Neville entered just as they were leaving, so they dragged him along after he collected a plate of food. Luna joined them. Draco had planned to go back to bed, but he felt more awake after eating.

Draco sat across from Hermione at a long table. If she wondered why he did not sit next to her, she didn't ask. He couldn't think clearly when she was leaning on him. Like Luna was at the moment. The Ravenclaw girl was cuddled up next to Draco like a happy kitten, clinging to his left arm while she idly flipped the pages of a book with her other hand. Her head was snuggled against his shoulder.

"Why do you suppose the Dark Lord wants to exchange Weasley for Greyback?" Draco asked suddenly. Several pairs of bored eyes suddenly fixed on him. "Doesn't it seem odd?"

"He must have plans for Fenrir," Harry suggested.

"I'm sure he does. The problem is that all the Death Eaters are expendable. Frankly, I think he'd rather just kill Weasley than go through the trouble of a prisoner exchange. There has to be more to it."

Ron stood up and took over Harry's usual pacing. Since no one had any further thoughts to add to the discussion, they went back to their books. Harry and Ginny wandered to a window niche and did more romantic gazing into each other's eyes than reading. At this pace, it would take them six weeks to find any useful information.

Luna raised her head and placed a sweet kiss on Draco's jaw. He saw Hermione smile sardonically and she raised a brow at him.

"Um... Luna?"

"Yes, Draco?"

"You do know that Granger and I are... sort of... together?" he managed. Both of Hermione's brows shot up at that statement. Draco scowled. She needn't look so damned surprised.

"Oh yes," Luna said. "It's obvious you two are passionately in love."

Hermione's cheeks turned an interesting shade of red at that comment and Draco blanched.

"Then why are you kissing me?" Draco asked, soldiering on. He reached up and wiped at the lipstick smear with his thumb.

"Because you smell so good. And you're always nice to me, now. Not like before. You were horrid. But now you're sweet. And I do like kissing."

"Maybe you should try kissing someone else for awhile," Draco suggested. Luna sat up and swiveled her head around. Neville sat nearby and his face turned beet red when her eyes fixed on him.

"Maybe I should," she agreed. She slid across the bench and practically pounced on Neville before he could escape. She planted an exuberant kiss on him. Longbottom's eyes were wide as saucers and stayed that way even after she released him. Luna tsked.

"You're stiff as a board, Neville. You should learn to relax."

Hermione began to chuckle. Draco heard her even though she tried to stifle it and he grinned at her. At least Luna was never boring. The Ravenclaw girl got to her feet. Within two steps, it was obvious she was stalking Ron, who started to back away in a panic.

"Now, Luna, I'm sure Malfoy was only joking about the kissing thing," he said quickly.

"Don't be shy. I saw you kissing Lavender Brown hundreds of times."

Ron backed himself into a table and then Luna sprang. His cry of protest was muffled by her kiss. The others watched in astonishment when Luna refused to release Weasley and her arms went around his neck like a python closing in for the kill.

After a long, long moment, Weasley relaxed and his hands gradually slid around Luna's waist. Draco looked at Hermione in bemusement and she clamped both hands over her mouth to keep from laughing. Weasley and Lovegood seemed oblivious to the rest of them.

"At least she's not kissing me, anymore," Draco muttered. They tried to ignore the snogging couple and went back to their tomes, but Draco kept glancing at the pretty blush tinting Hermione's cheeks. He had to fight the urge to get up and drag her into the bookshelves for some kissing of his own.

McGonagall suddenly appeared in the doorway. Luna released Ron with a squeak of surprise. Weasley looked rather dazed.

"You all need to come with me," McGonagall said seriously. "Do not ask questions. Just hurry."

Hermione looked at Draco in concern, but she stood up and followed the Headmistress out. They all filed upstairs to McGonagall's office. When the stairwell had safely sealed behind them, she said, "Fenrir Greyback and the other Death Eaters have escaped."

"What do you mean Fenrir has escaped?" Harry demanded. "From the Order? What about Percy?"

McGonagall shook her head sharply. "Greyback was never with the Order. He was downstairs in the dungeon the entire time. Nymphadora Tonks went with the others, pretending to be Fenrir."

Hermione gasped. Draco was mystified. No wonder Lupin had looked like he was about to vomit.

"So, when you say Fenrir has now escaped..." Hermione prodded.

"Yes, from the Hufflepuff dungeon. Hagrid went to check on them and the cells had been opened."

"Wormtail?" Draco asked.

"Gone, as well."

"Who the hell let them out?" Harry bellowed. "They couldn't have escaped on their own!"

"That is less of a concern than determining where they are now," McGonagall said prudently. "You children will stay here. The others and I are searching the premises." Her gaze sharpened when she leveled it at Harry. "I mean it, Potter."

Harry nodded guilelessly and even Draco nearly believed he would stay put. Potter could really turn on the innocence when he wanted to.

The Headmistress went out. The instant she was gone, Potter's whole demeanor changed.

"I'm going to get the Marauder's Map. I can't believe I forgot to check it!" he said.

"I'll go with you," Ginny said.

"No! It's too dangerous! I--"

"Don't give me that crap, Harry!" the stick girl shrieked. "Now, we can stand here and argue all day or we can just go get the damned thing!"

Potter yanked at his hair in frustration. One. Two. Three. Four. Draco shook his head sadly. Harry was going to be bald before he was twenty if he stayed with Ginny Weasley.

"Fine! You lot stay here. We'll be right back."

Hermione was looking at the Pensieve memories. Draco lounged in a chair. Neville stood next to Fawkes and began to pet the phoenix. Draco wondered when the perch had been reinstalled. Luna maneuvered Ron into the window seat and they went back to their passionate snogging. Dumbledore's portrait was empty. The dead Headmaster was probably off having tea with one of the other portraits somewhere. His gaze flitted to the Sorting Hat. Wretched, ugly thing. At least it had been smart enough to put Draco in Slytherin before he even had to put the filthy thing on his head...

"Granger?" Draco was looking at Godric Gryffindor's sword in puzzlement. She turned her brown eyes on him. He gestured at the sword. "Where's the scabbard?"

Hermione looked at the bare sword and then gasped. Without a word, she turned and bolted for the stairs. Draco watched her disappear in amazement.

"Not again," Ron muttered, as her flight had surprised him and Luna out of their ardent clinch.

"Should I go after her?" Draco asked.

"She won't tell you anything, anyway. I doubt Greyback will show up in the library, which is most likely where she's off to. Better to wait for Harry. Then we can track her down."

* * * * *

Hermione wasn't heading for the library. She raced down to the fourth floor, alert for both teachers and escaped Death Eaters. Inside the Armor Gallery, she halted, panting, before the scabbard display where she and Draco had passionately embraced. She blushed when she remembered her last attempt to read the plaque, when Draco had grabbed her... She shook of the memory with a sigh. Malfoy could fluster her when he wasn't even nearby.

She bent down to read the inscription.

Scabbards of Famous Swords. Gifford Ollerton's sword, Fodio, was twisted into a knot by the giant Hoot-uk shortly after he killed Ollerton... Hermione skipped that. Glenmore Peakes... sea serpents... Her eyes picked out the words she sought. Godric Gryffindor... sword resides in the Headmaster's Office, but the scabbard is a thing of beauty, studded with finest rubies and...

Hermione shattered the case with a spell and reached in to take up the ruby-encrusted scabbard. She shook her head at the simplicity of it. Godric Gryffindor had left only two relics. The hat and the sword. They had all forgotten the sheath for the sword. The final Horcrux. It would have been so simple for Tom Riddle to access, here in the Armor Gallery, collecting dust.

She brushed a hand over the hard leather and gold edging. It really was beautiful. Too bad it would soon be a twisted mass of metal, leather and jewels. She hurried out.

* * * * *

Harry burst into the room, followed by Ginny. He was clutching a piece of parchment and a bundle of cloth.

"Snape is here!" Potter yelled. The tone of his voice suggested it was Draco's fault.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked calmly. Potter threw the parchment down on McGonagall's desk and spread it out.

"Look!"

It was a map of the school, with tiny names moving upon it. Draco watched the little names in astonishment.

"Where did you get this? You bastard, no wonder it was so easy for you to sneak out all the time. Invisibility cloak and this? Bloody hell, it's hardly fair." Draco's eyes narrowed as he thought back to the number of times Potter could have used the map... Now that he thought about it, Potter had completely squandered such a valuable item. He could have done some serious damage to Draco, sneaking into the Slytherin common room, or...

"Forget that right now. Look!" Potter stabbed a finger at the map. Severus Snape was labeled and with him were Peter Pettigrew, Fenrir Greyback, and Gerald Goyle.

"Snape let them out?" Draco was perplexed. "But, he's been helping us."

"Looks like he switched sides again," Harry snapped. "Is anyone surprised?"

Draco was, but Potter seemed a bit too agitated for rational conversation at the moment.

"Where are they?" Malfoy was having a hard time getting his bearings on the map. He twisted his head to look at it.

"Heading for the Chamber of Secrets. They're in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

"Why go to the Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, but we're going to stop them. Where's Hermione?"

"We were going to ask you that," Ron said. "Look on the map."

A quick search of the library showed it to be empty, but they spotted Hermione leaving the Armor Gallery and heading back up the stairs. Draco let out a quick breath of relief to see no other names near her.

"Ron, Malfoy, come with me. We're going after Snape. Ginny, Luna, Neville, stay here and wait for Hermione. Tell her where we went."

"What?" Ginny cried. "No! We are coming with you!"

"GINNY, WILL YOU STOP ARGUING, FOR ONCE?" Harry bellowed. She folded her arms and glared at him. Draco figured Potter should save his breath--and his hair--and just hex the little monster.

"We'll wait for Hermione," Ginny gritted. "And then we're coming after you."

"Fine," Harry spat. "Let's go!"

Harry ran down the stairs. Weasley and Malfoy followed. The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was on the other side of the castle, so they would be taking the opposite steps from Hermoine. Draco hoped she made it back to McGonagall's office without incident. Then he remembered the coin around his neck.

It was difficult to use while jogging. He clenched his fist around it and sent a thought to Hermione.

You okay?

Fine. I have the scabbard. It's a Horcrux, I think.

Draco sucked in a breath. Ron looked at him curiously, but Potter continued to pelt at a breakneck speed down the hall. Gryffindors--always in a hurry to rush to their deaths. The sooner they were in danger, the happier they were.

Snape let the Death Eaters out. We're going to find them.

What? Where are they? I'm coming with you!

Draco blinked at the similarity to Ginny Weasley's words. Granger would never turn into a shrieking shrew like the redheaded stick girl, would she? He shook off the thought with a grin. He could just shut her up by kissing her, if that ever happened.

No. You should probably destroy that scabbard. Ginny, Luna, and Longbottom are back in McGonagall's office. They can help.

There was a short pause, during which Harry led them down the stairs in a suicidal Gryffindor fashion. Draco paused on a landing to read her response.

Be careful.

Draco grinned smugly. No nagging at all. She really was Little Miss Perfect.