"And just how exactly do you propose we test it?"
Draco glanced back over his shoulder at Hermione who was trudging a few steps behind, holding up the hem of her robe to keep it from getting splattered with mud.
She looked up at him, "I mean, why exactly are you dragging me out of the castle into this muck? Do we even have a plan?"
They had spent most of the evening yesterday translating the spell that she hoped would somehow save her precious Potter and maybe some other people too from the tide of dark wizards that were approaching. They had worked out the spell and practiced the spell. They had gone over and over their pronunciation. They studied until their eyes hurt and the flames in the fireplace had dwindled to nothing but smoldering ashes. And yet, somehow, Draco had managed to convince Hermione to meet him very early that morning on the steps to entrance hall.
He was now leading her across the grounds of the castle. The dawning air held a bit of a chill even though the weather had warmed up considerably. The sky was full of low, ominous clouds that foretold of a later afternoon shower.
Neither of them had gotten much sleep the night before and, in Draco's opinion, Hermione was a little cranky for it. She stopped abruptly and Draco turned back to wait for her. She was eyeing the Forbidden forest that loomed in front of them.
"We won't go very far in," Draco said simply.
"I wish we didn't have to go into it at all." Hermione frowned at him, "have you forgotten the last time we got close to the Forbidden forest?"
Draco had certainly not forgotten the time that they spent together in that half-giant's hut. But looking back on it, Draco admonished himself for wasting so much time arguing when there were other things that he could have been doing with Hermione in that hovel. He smirked to himself.
"Don't worry, the manticore is dead, we have nothing to fear." He said firmly, fighting back his smile.
"There is something else," her face became very pale and there was an anxious gleam in her eyes. "I was walking here, the other day, and I thought that...that someone was watching me."
"Watching you? Hermione, I never knew you were so self-centered."
"I'm not joking Malfoy!" Her voice snapped and Draco noticed that she began to nervously pull on one sleeve of her robe.
"Don't worry, I'm here, what could possibly go wrong." Draco gave Hermione his brightest Malfoy smile.
In response Hermione crossed her arms and gave him a look that reminded him of what could go wrong.
"Look, if you want to run back into your glorious Gryffindor tower and hide behind your precious Potter then have at it!"
Draco had given up trying to wheedle Hermione into accompanying him. He was a Malfoy, and that meant that he would never beg. He turned back and forged ahead into the dark trees. He was pleased though when he could hear her behind him still, walking along muttering darkly under her breath.
They proceeded for a long time like that, him leading her deeper into the forest, farther away from the castle. Draco knew that the sun must have come up by now, but the brilliant waves didn't manage to breach the canopy of trees and he doubted if the sun had even managed to chase away the rain clouds that were waiting so patiently over the school. He finally decided that they had come far enough into the darkness to do what they needed to do.
"I think this will be a good spot." He said simply.
"A good spot for what? You still haven't told me how you plan to test this spell." Hermione started to pull leaves out of her hair, Draco had led them through several thickets of dense trees and Hermione's curls had managed to snag several little leafs as prisoners in their brown locks.
