sekkoon

CHAPTER 9

Meanwhile, Hermione had found another compartment, and had already rushed Draco into explaining…

“Come on, please tell me whats wrong!” She pleaded.

“No.” Draco replied shortly, “You wouldn’t believe me, or kill me.”

“Just tell me, I think you’ll find I can be very understanding.”

“Not with this.” Draco looked guilty, “You’d say I’d been stupid for you, but you don’t realise how much you mean to me…”

“Oh, yes I do!” Hermione grasped his chin in her hands and kissed his lips softly, “Tell me.” She pressed him on.

“Well, don’t think any less of me…” Draco broke away from her, trembling, “A few nights after you went into a coma, I was in your room, and Voldemort came. He said…he said that if I came back to the Dark Side he could save you…”

“Oh no, Draco, please don’t tell me! No!” Hermiones eyes had welled up with tears, fearing she already knew the answer.

“Yes Hermione. At first,” Draco paused, “I…I didn’t want anything to do with it, but, you just…I was scared you wouldn’t wake up…I was so worried about you…I…I just…” Draco closed his eyes and trembled, then slowly, he lifted up his left sleeve, “The old one,” He said, “Was wearing off a bit, but this one, this is new…” He hastily shoved his sleeve back down again as someone entered the compartment. Pansy Parkinson stood leering at them, behind her, her two best friends, Theodora Wavelet, also from Slytherin House and Serissa Sharvader, Hermiones worst enemy from Griffindor.

“Well well! If it isn’t Malfoy and Granger, pureblood and mudblood, ***** and double *****…” Pansy sneered.

“Took a bit of a liking to Draco, haven’t you, Granger!” Theodora was also smirking at her, “Risky. You never know, one day he might just…desert you…leave you…go to the Dark Side…” Hermione gulped and clutched Draco left arm, as though someone might try and rip it off at any moment.

“Bit touchy aren’t we?” Serissa’s laughed, her silvery-green eyes suddenly alight, “You like something about his left arm?”

“I bet she does!” Pansy said, then whispered something to her friends at which they sniggered.

“Why don’t you say that out loud Pansy!” Hermione snapped, letting hold of Draco’s arm and standing up threateningly.

“OK, maybe I will! Girls…”

“He’s a traitor…” Serissa pointed out.

“Been over to the Dark Side…” Theodora said.

“Talked a bit to The Dark Lord…” Serissa continued.

“And made a deal with him!” Theodora started grinning. Draco made a grab for his left sleeve, but he was too slow. Pansy whipped it up.

“If that’s not the Dark Mark, Granger, I don’t know what is!” she said, pointing at the snake on Draco’s arm, “C’mon girls. I wanna go before I get Mudblood Disease!”

Hermione lunged at her, and slammed into the door. She heard Pansy cackling outside, “Too bad Granger, look like your locked in now! No ‘Allohomoera’ spell can get you out of there!” Serissa and Theodora broke into a fit of mad high-pitched giggles.

“Lets go tell Potter!” Theodora squeaked.