NUMB WITHOUT YOU | Draco Malfoy

| 48

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR GOD DAMN MIND, OR ARE YOU JUST FUCKING STUPID?" Harry's voice echoed through the mansion as people began to file in to see what was the matter. They were all looking on curiously as Harry screamed at us. As soon as he had found out what Draco and I had done, he was absolutely furious.

"Harry..." Ginny tried to calm him down, but he pushed her hand away. I had never witnessed him like this, although I had heard he was known to have quite the temper.

"NO, GINNY! I NEED AN ANSWER! ARE YOU TWO FUCKING STUPID?" Harry repeated himself as he looked between Draco and me. I blinked slowly as I stood there and took the verbal attack. Harry looked at us impatiently, "I'M WAITING!"

He was right, we were being reckless and irresponsible, and because of it our friends were stuck in the manor completely defenseless with hoards of Death Eaters chasing after them.

"Harry." Ginny said, more sternly this time. Harry stopped to look at her, "I would have done the same if it were you."

"But—" Harry tried to speak, but Ginny cut him off.

"And I know you would have done the same for me, given the circumstances." Ginny continued to speak over him, "Cut them some slack, would you?"

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. "Fine." He finally muttered.

He looked around at all the people who had joined us, and let out a deep sigh as he straightened out his posture. He looked much more like a leader standing before all of us than he had before. "I need everyone to start the emergency protocol! Everyone knows who they need to contact. Lee, get that radio broadcast out. This is it, everyone!"

"Harry, thank y—" I tried to speak, but he cut me off.

"Don't talk to me right now, Rory. I've got a lot to do." Harry said as he stormed off.

The room sprang into action around us as everyone began to hurry to do their final tasks of preparation for the impending battle. They all knew exactly what to do while we stood there helplessly. I guess everyone had been getting ready for this while Draco and I had been wrapped up in ourselves.

Ron wandered over to the two of us and gave an apologetic smile, "Harry gets like that when he's stressed. He'll apologize when this is all over."

"He better." Draco muttered. "Nobody talks to me that way.

Ron laughed sympathetically, "We all talk to you like that."

I nodded, "It's kind of true."

"Someone get me a bloody wand so I can hex the both of you." Draco snarled.

"We've got some extras lying about, follow me." Ron shrugged. Anything Draco said in the past would always set Ron off, but not anymore. Draco's comments rolled off his back like it was nothing. He had become impervious to Draco's bad attitude since they had become a weird version of what you might call friends.

The two walked off together into the other room where I know they had hidden a stash of wands for occasions such as these.

"Five minutes until we all need to leave!" Hermione shouted. She looked around the room and I could tell that she was checking things off on the checklist in her head.

"Rory!" Fleur called out to me. "I need to talk to you. Eet is important."

I turned to look at her. She seemed nervous, which surprised me. Fleur exuded nothing but confidence since I had known her. She was one of the Tri-Wizard Champions, and an unstoppable force. To think she went into battle with any sense of apprehension was astounding.